Pros:
In a simple, small-town park, I discovered perhaps the toughest AcePlace course I've played yet. I realized I needed more than two discs to play this course.
- AcePlace courses tend to be simple pitch-n-putt layouts. One easy birdie after another. Lots of holes in the 100 - 150-foot range. Here, you're actually needing to throw good tee shots just to see birdie putts.
- I saw this right off the bat, when I stepped to the first tee and saw a tight-ish fairway leading into the woods to the basket. This isn't going to be a simple toss fading back to the basket. I needed to keep my shot on a rope.
- Generally, some decent wooded holes throughout. Holes #2 - 6 are all quality, especially by 9-hole, shorter standards.
- #2 is a nice, downhill-ish layout. The longest hole on the course at 257 feet. Again, where else do you see an AcePlace hole that's 257 feet long? #3 is a good, dogleg fairway.
- #4 is an uphill shot with the basket semi protected by an old metal structure. Cool visual, if nothing else. #5 is a fun downhiller, with with an island-like green. If this was a shorter layout, you could easily implement island green rules.
- Easy course to navigate. Tee signs are easy to spot from baskets, with short walks (outside of the transition from #8 to 9).
Cons:
The biggest con is the park itself. It seems like this park has seen better days. It felt like I was essentially parking right behind a neighborhood.
- As good as holes #1 - 6 were, the last three holes lacked the same punch. #7 & 8 seemed like they exist simply because there's a clearing from a utility company's right of way running through the park. Very common trope for small town courses.
- #9 is what I'd expect a small town AcePlace hole to look like. 117 feet, wide open, uphill shot. I threw two discs as simple tosses. It's such a letdown for an otherwise quality layout.
- No amenities in this part of the park. There are ball fields in another section. This area, however, is no frills.
Other Thoughts:
AcePlace courses tend to imply easy, beginner-friendly, ace-able holes. Recreation Acres realistically has advanced out of that designation.
- 5 holes longer than 200 feet. Blind tee shots. Elevation factors. Doglegs. Tight fairways. Not what you'd call ace-able holes. Instead, this is what you'd call a fun, more challenging layout than expected.
- The course had some similar vibes to Shoals just down the road.
- As I discovered, not necessarily a two disc course. Need a third disc for the sharp dogleg on #7.
- Overall, this was an enjoyable course. More challenging than expected. I thought this would be an easy, quick 9. Instead, I had to work for my birdies, which ended up being fewer than I would have expected coming in here.
- Worth a quick round if you're checking out other courses in the area.