Roland Park reviews
14
0
Roland Park For A Lark
Reviewed:
Played on:Jun 18, 2022
Played the course:once
Pros:
+ Tee signs at every hole are clear and accurate.
+ Scenic and popular venue.
+ Play switches from mostly open in the first twelve to mostly wooded for the rest with plenty of slopes and hills all throughout.
+ Numbered baskets have color-coded 'next' arrows attached, but...
+ Scenic and popular venue.
+ Play switches from mostly open in the first twelve to mostly wooded for the rest with plenty of slopes and hills all throughout.
+ Numbered baskets have color-coded 'next' arrows attached, but...
Cons:
- ...those arrows aren't always reliable as they tend to be more general nudges than specific walking directions.
- The tee pads are small and made of a variety of materials, with lumpy rubber making up the majority.
- Some serious copy-pasting of holes.
- The tee pads are small and made of a variety of materials, with lumpy rubber making up the majority.
- Some serious copy-pasting of holes.
Other Thoughts:
I liked looking at hole13 because after twelve holes of mainly wide open fields, it was gratifying to see a small bounding valley filled with trees. When I first saw that fairway, I said aloud, "Now this is more like it!" And among those wooded holes, I liked the look of hole16 because it resembled some kind of outdoor royal atrium. I personally didn't like hole6. A narrow fairway snakes in between a huge watery OB area on the right and tennis courts with dense shrubs on the left.
As a whole, Roland Park is a great place to practice whatever kind of disc golf you enjoy. I'll skip to the end for a second and say that it gets a strong recommendation regardless if you prefer wide open or dense wooded fairways because both are present in roughy equal measure.
It might not feel like it, though.
The carefree, breezey wide open fairways screech to a halt after hole12. After one look at hole13's fairway, I knew that I wouldn't be returning to grassy fields again. That's good for me because I like foresty disc golf, but I acknowledge that many players out there might find the repetitive nature of the wooded holes to be tedious and played out. Those players might be happy to find out that some of those holes have fairways wide enough to accommodate more aggressive throws, but I would be lying if I said that some of those other fairways aren't ridiculously constrictive, concerningly slanted for a rollaway and somewhat irritating overall.
My favorite hole to play was hole18 precisely because the tree cover was so densely bonkers along that uphill heave. It resembled a life-sized game of pachinko, and I loved trying to sneak my way through it. Most of the other forested holes aren't like that, but they might grate against a player's patience with so many similarly wooded holes all in a row. You might dislike it for the same reason that I did like it.
I have my complaints, though. The infrastucture needs to catch up to the rest of the course. For example, something should be done about those tee pads. All of them are pretty tiny, and the flat thin rubber on the wooded holes take the shape of whatever rocks, roots and soil lie beneath. That's not safe or comfortable to use for wind-ups. I wished there were better guiding signage in between holes. Also, I guess two of the holes are out of play? During my round in mid-June 2022, basket9 was surrounded by lots of caution tape, so I felt discouraged from throwing, and basket11 was removed entirely. I suppose that means the course is undergoing a few updates, but that's a good thing, right?
In closing, yes, you will be satisfied with Roland Park. Some of the tree-filled holes might test your patience, the tees underfoot might make you nervous, and you might feel a little lost during your first playthrough. But the golfing itself presents twenty-seven holes of the kinds of challenges that most disc golfers could want. Up, down, fade left, fade right, and so forth. Roll up to Roland and see for yourself.
By the way, most of the tee signs say "Loyd H. Roland Park," but a few of them say "Ronald Boltz." Why?
As a whole, Roland Park is a great place to practice whatever kind of disc golf you enjoy. I'll skip to the end for a second and say that it gets a strong recommendation regardless if you prefer wide open or dense wooded fairways because both are present in roughy equal measure.
It might not feel like it, though.
The carefree, breezey wide open fairways screech to a halt after hole12. After one look at hole13's fairway, I knew that I wouldn't be returning to grassy fields again. That's good for me because I like foresty disc golf, but I acknowledge that many players out there might find the repetitive nature of the wooded holes to be tedious and played out. Those players might be happy to find out that some of those holes have fairways wide enough to accommodate more aggressive throws, but I would be lying if I said that some of those other fairways aren't ridiculously constrictive, concerningly slanted for a rollaway and somewhat irritating overall.
My favorite hole to play was hole18 precisely because the tree cover was so densely bonkers along that uphill heave. It resembled a life-sized game of pachinko, and I loved trying to sneak my way through it. Most of the other forested holes aren't like that, but they might grate against a player's patience with so many similarly wooded holes all in a row. You might dislike it for the same reason that I did like it.
I have my complaints, though. The infrastucture needs to catch up to the rest of the course. For example, something should be done about those tee pads. All of them are pretty tiny, and the flat thin rubber on the wooded holes take the shape of whatever rocks, roots and soil lie beneath. That's not safe or comfortable to use for wind-ups. I wished there were better guiding signage in between holes. Also, I guess two of the holes are out of play? During my round in mid-June 2022, basket9 was surrounded by lots of caution tape, so I felt discouraged from throwing, and basket11 was removed entirely. I suppose that means the course is undergoing a few updates, but that's a good thing, right?
In closing, yes, you will be satisfied with Roland Park. Some of the tree-filled holes might test your patience, the tees underfoot might make you nervous, and you might feel a little lost during your first playthrough. But the golfing itself presents twenty-seven holes of the kinds of challenges that most disc golfers could want. Up, down, fade left, fade right, and so forth. Roll up to Roland and see for yourself.
By the way, most of the tee signs say "Loyd H. Roland Park," but a few of them say "Ronald Boltz." Why?
2
2
ditrynn
Experience:
3 played
3 reviews
Needs new tee pads 2+ years drive by
Reviewed:
Played on:Mar 6, 2022
Played the course:5+ times
Pros:
Mix of open and wooded technical holes.
Cons:
Tee Pads are terrible. Slippery, undulating in some cases. This course would be one of the top in the area with new tee pads. Preferably tiled or poured but not rubber mats.
14
0
14 of 27 holes are very good! 2+ years
Reviewed:
Played on:Feb 21, 2022
Played the course:once
Pros:
A 27 hole park layout that switches halfway through from wide open to very wooded.
+ The first 11 holes are fine, if not very memorable. They take advantage of elevation changes, but they're mostly wide open field holes. The two worth noting are #6 (playing uphill with a slight dogleg right through a tree gap, with OB early on the right), and #9 (directly across the pond requiring only 180' or so to clear it, but it's right there in your face)
+ Starting with #13, you're in deep woods, and the next 14 holes throw a wide range of tests at you: distance with accuracy, controlling elevated shots, doglegs and marked OB. It's really a different course - and I suspect repeat players just play the "back 18" layout on uDisc
+ The first 11 holes are fine, if not very memorable. They take advantage of elevation changes, but they're mostly wide open field holes. The two worth noting are #6 (playing uphill with a slight dogleg right through a tree gap, with OB early on the right), and #9 (directly across the pond requiring only 180' or so to clear it, but it's right there in your face)
+ Starting with #13, you're in deep woods, and the next 14 holes throw a wide range of tests at you: distance with accuracy, controlling elevated shots, doglegs and marked OB. It's really a different course - and I suspect repeat players just play the "back 18" layout on uDisc
Cons:
- The basket for #11 has been pulled by request of the park (it's a high tee throwing down into an area with car and walker traffic, so I'm guessing it's a safety concern). Signage says it will be fixed, but for now, there are only 26 holes
- Deeply-wooded hole #18 has a set of incredibly tight gaps (10' or less?) pretty much the whole way. The basket is hidden because you're throwing uphill. I walked the hole a few times, and I'm still not sure there's a throwing line to be found. It just felt like a poorly-designed hole in the midst of 15 really good ones
- Signage is great, and baskets are old but still catch. The real problem is teepads: the wooded holes feature rubber or natural, and they're uneven, old, and probably pretty slick when wet. They're serviceable, but they vary too much for holes that are this good. The "front 11" in the open park are poured. They're aging, and they're really short. Any runup at all requires a start a few paces behind the concrete
- A main walking path in the woods will come into play on a few holes
- Deeply-wooded hole #18 has a set of incredibly tight gaps (10' or less?) pretty much the whole way. The basket is hidden because you're throwing uphill. I walked the hole a few times, and I'm still not sure there's a throwing line to be found. It just felt like a poorly-designed hole in the midst of 15 really good ones
- Signage is great, and baskets are old but still catch. The real problem is teepads: the wooded holes feature rubber or natural, and they're uneven, old, and probably pretty slick when wet. They're serviceable, but they vary too much for holes that are this good. The "front 11" in the open park are poured. They're aging, and they're really short. Any runup at all requires a start a few paces behind the concrete
- A main walking path in the woods will come into play on a few holes
Other Thoughts:
~ Many of the holes feature Gold baskets and/or tees (the shorter layout is Silver). They didn't seem to make much of a difference on the open holes, but they really add to the layout (distance and accuracy - some late doglegs or angles) in the woods. The Golds make Roland really attractive for multiple plays
~ Roland Park is one of those courses where the overall rating is an average between the high and the low. The initial holes make for a course that's average at best (2.5 or 3.0, depending on your comparison set), and the wooded holes make a course that's so much better (a 4.0 to me, with a slight deduction for the tees). Regardless of rating, I really do recommend this course: there's "something for everyone", and the Gold baskets really add a lot for intermediate and up
~ Lastly: cart-friendly if you don't mind hills. There were very few places a cart can't go, but you're going to be pulling it up and down some pretty big hills
~ Roland Park is one of those courses where the overall rating is an average between the high and the low. The initial holes make for a course that's average at best (2.5 or 3.0, depending on your comparison set), and the wooded holes make a course that's so much better (a 4.0 to me, with a slight deduction for the tees). Regardless of rating, I really do recommend this course: there's "something for everyone", and the Gold baskets really add a lot for intermediate and up
~ Lastly: cart-friendly if you don't mind hills. There were very few places a cart can't go, but you're going to be pulling it up and down some pretty big hills
2
0
Roland's Remake 2+ years
Reviewed:
Played on:Oct 16, 2013
Played the course:once
Pros:
27 holes of well designed, thought out disc golf. Good mix of open holes to get warmed up, and the wooden holes for the most part are fair. Nice use of elevation. Baskets are mostly decent. Tees are either concrete or flypads, and all are in fair to good shape. Water holes are not too intimidating. Well maintained. Signage not too bad in most places.
Cons:
The gripes I had were that there was no silver basket on hole 22, so you had to play to the gold. The signage in the woods pointing to the next hole should be like arrows that are on the open holes, that could be added and I would give this another half-disc. The one hole in the woods is very unfair, your "pinball" hole. Open holes are prone to flooding but were not when I was there.
Other Thoughts:
The redesign is very well done for the most part and is definitely a worthy stop in this beautiful part of Amish country, PA. The course redesigners did a great job expanding and redesigning the course and have to be given many props. This was a gem several years ago when I first played it, now it is even better!
13
0
Remarkable potential -- some outstanding hole designs 2+ years drive by
Reviewed:
Played on:May 20, 2012
Played the course:once
Pros:
This course has some outstanding, 5-star holes on holes 12-27. Some of the gold-to-gold layouts are the kind of challenging, well-designed, par 4/5 holes that are what are bringing disc golf to the next level. This isn't just power disc golf--it involves shot planning, precision, and--most importantly--risk/reward. Tight gaps, tough landing areas, interesting approaches and some fast greens have the potential to eventually bring this course into league with world other world-class PA courses like Moraine, Deer Lakes, and Jordan Creek.
I never saw the old layout. But I think I can safely say that if you haven't played the new layout, it's a must. Of 200+ courses played, this has some of the most fun and well designed holes I've seen.
I never saw the old layout. But I think I can safely say that if you haven't played the new layout, it's a must. Of 200+ courses played, this has some of the most fun and well designed holes I've seen.
Cons:
Signage is rough. Hopefully this will (continue) to improve. Fortunately, the map is helpful--definitely print a map before attempting to navigate this course.
Front nine is not bad, but lacks the interest or challenge of the rest of the course. Feels like a warmup, but since it's also where most of the easy birdies live, you can't just ignore this section if you're trying to score well across 27 holes. Would be better to separate out the two courses as a 9 and 18 sharing the same piece of land.
Long walks between some of the woods holes. This exacerbates the weak signage--if you head off in the wrong direction, it can take a while to find the right path. Also, without good signage, I spent a lot of time walking up fairways before teeing off since baskets were seldom visible from the tees (at least gold-to-gold). Not a deal-breaker by any means--many great holes are blind tee shots the first time through, but without good signage, this can be frustrating.
Rough is rough. Many of the back holes have violent and unforgiving rough with lots of thorns and close ground cover, making it time consuming to recover discs that kick off the fairway. Hopefully as the course wears in, this will improve. For the time being, I definitely recommend playing with a friend and using a spotter on some of the blind tee shots--will save you a lot of time in the long run.
Front nine is not bad, but lacks the interest or challenge of the rest of the course. Feels like a warmup, but since it's also where most of the easy birdies live, you can't just ignore this section if you're trying to score well across 27 holes. Would be better to separate out the two courses as a 9 and 18 sharing the same piece of land.
Long walks between some of the woods holes. This exacerbates the weak signage--if you head off in the wrong direction, it can take a while to find the right path. Also, without good signage, I spent a lot of time walking up fairways before teeing off since baskets were seldom visible from the tees (at least gold-to-gold). Not a deal-breaker by any means--many great holes are blind tee shots the first time through, but without good signage, this can be frustrating.
Rough is rough. Many of the back holes have violent and unforgiving rough with lots of thorns and close ground cover, making it time consuming to recover discs that kick off the fairway. Hopefully as the course wears in, this will improve. For the time being, I definitely recommend playing with a friend and using a spotter on some of the blind tee shots--will save you a lot of time in the long run.
Other Thoughts:
This course--especially the redesign--is obviously the product of a lot of love. My one visit there, I was stopped as I was getting out of the car by Bill, the course designer. He had been driving out of the parking lot, but noticed my out-of-state plates and wanted to answer any questions and give me some tips on layout and finding my way through the course since it was my first time there. I appreciate this type of investment in a course, and in making sure people have a good experience. Based on talking with Bill, I have faith that the course will continue to improve rapidly, and that challenges are being addressed. I expect this to be a truly world class course--at least the back 18--in the next year or two.
For the sake of ratings and for encouraging players to play holes appropriate to their skill level, I'd segregate the course into a front nine, "recreational" course using the open holes, and a second, 18 hole "advanced" course using the back 18. Obviously, keep multiple tees on all holes so groups of different skill levels could play all 27, but the open front holes are so different from the rest of the course that they hardly feel like the same park.
I expect, if I get a chance to play here again within the next year, that this course will easily earn a bump to a 4.0 rating. As it stands, it is a much more fun course (for adv/pro/masochist players) than almost anything else with a similar rating. I'd skip over a lot of 4.0 courses to play here. But I try to rate comprehensively and honestly, and it's got a lot of room to grow and improve. Someday I can see a 4.5 being totally appropriate if things continue the way they've been going. Tremendous work so far, and tremendous potential. My kudos and thanks to Bill and the other volunteers that are investing their time, labor and love into this course. I can't wait to come back.
For the sake of ratings and for encouraging players to play holes appropriate to their skill level, I'd segregate the course into a front nine, "recreational" course using the open holes, and a second, 18 hole "advanced" course using the back 18. Obviously, keep multiple tees on all holes so groups of different skill levels could play all 27, but the open front holes are so different from the rest of the course that they hardly feel like the same park.
I expect, if I get a chance to play here again within the next year, that this course will easily earn a bump to a 4.0 rating. As it stands, it is a much more fun course (for adv/pro/masochist players) than almost anything else with a similar rating. I'd skip over a lot of 4.0 courses to play here. But I try to rate comprehensively and honestly, and it's got a lot of room to grow and improve. Someday I can see a 4.5 being totally appropriate if things continue the way they've been going. Tremendous work so far, and tremendous potential. My kudos and thanks to Bill and the other volunteers that are investing their time, labor and love into this course. I can't wait to come back.
2
2
2+ years drive by
Reviewed:
Played on:Sep 14, 2011
Played the course:once
Pros:
The course/park is very well maintained. Some holes have 2 baskets, some holes have 2 tees, and some holes have 2 sets of each. The course is a mix of open/ wooded holes with most being wooded.
Other Pros:
- elevation used
- risk/reward with water hazards
-tee signs
- fun and challenging
- beginner and long time player friendly
- opens early closes late (6am - 11pm)
- 27 holes!
Other Pros:
- elevation used
- risk/reward with water hazards
-tee signs
- fun and challenging
- beginner and long time player friendly
- opens early closes late (6am - 11pm)
- 27 holes!
Cons:
The navigation isn't too hard but it does have it's tricky spots. I would check or print the map especially if you want to play the different tees/baskets.
Other Cons:
- some tee areas are not great
Other Cons:
- some tee areas are not great
Other Thoughts:
This is Amish country, watch out for the horse-drawn carriages on your drive in and out of town. Overall I was very impressed with Roland and I hope to be back some day.
4
0
Worthwhile Playing Experience 2+ years
Reviewed:
Updated:
Played on:Jun 23, 2011
Played the course:once
Pros:
Nice balance of 27 wooded and open holes featured in a well-maintained borough park. Open holes play out over pretty, rolling hills while the more technical holes are challenging yet fair. Multiple tee boxes and basket placements exist for most holes. Navigation is pretty easy with "next tee" arrows assisting throughout the course. OB areas- mostly walking paths- are numerous but not overly restrictive. Water and elevation add to the challenge at several holes (long tee # 3 is excellent). Baskets are older but work well. Roland Park has amenities like benches at some holes, water, a porta pottie and a "lost disc" box near the pavilion.
Cons:
Elements of the course are very uneven. Some tee boxes are adequate, others are too short. No uniformity with the tee pads, which are made up of four different surfaces (cement, rubber, dirt, carpet). Benches exist at some holes but not others. No bag poles. Trash cans are located by the pavilion but not on the course. Below average or non-existant signage at most holes. Hole 11 is a ridiculous "throw and hope" hole for the average DG'er.
Other Thoughts:
Nice locals, a scenic park landscape and a variety of holes all contribute to a positive playing experience at Roland. The good far outweighs the bad. That said, course upgrades remain very much a work in progress. Signage- in my mind a huge component to a top flight disc golf course- is a big disappointment. And others in the area must assist Bill G. at helping Roland realize it's vast potential. Much of the course plays away from pedestrians and other park traffic, which is a plus. Roland and Buchmiller Parks provide two good disc golf venues for a day spent in the Lancaster area.
8
0
Radarx
Experience:
14.2 years
80 played
12 reviews
Almost Fantastic 2+ years
Reviewed:
Updated:
Played on:Dec 19, 2010
Played the course:once
Pros:
The previous reviews on here are right on and describe Roland perfectly. I will try and add more to them from my perspective. It was our (3 of us) first visit to Roland and I had this course on my wish list. I was hoping this course would add to Buchmiller to make it a full day trip to play both. I like Buchmiller but it's not a course I would travel from Baltimore often due to the lack of quality courses (non-mini) around the Lancaster area. Well after playing Roland I have completely changed my thought process on this. Although Roland is not a polished course just yet, it is well worth the travel to play it as it stands now. As the previous reviews indicate, you will have "fun" and you will be challenged. I will be coming to Lancaster to play Roland more so than Buchmiller.
Scenic Park setting complete with Bathrooms, pavilions, courts, walking paths. The lake adds to the scenery and being able to play over it and around it makes this course unique over other courses.
As a Amateur here with about 1 yr experience, I figure I would try playing the open field holes (1-11) on the gold or pro baskets & tees and wooded holes (12-27) on the AM baskets & tees.
Open holes (1-11) were very challenging for me but not overly difficult playing the gold's. The first few holes are laid out just right so that you can warm up your arm with some short & long shots without getting into to much trouble. I was able to reach within putting distance on most holes playing Gold (pro) baskets. There is opportunity for an ace on a couple of the holes. The open holes really offer a nice change of pace from the wooded holes. Maybe It would of worked out better if you could have designed the course to play a few of these holes after like 18 wooded holes but that may be asking to much due to the way the property is laid out. There are also advantages in keeping them separate as well.
The thought of so many wooded holes can be intimidating to a Amateur player but I was pleasantly surprised how fair the wooded holes were. Several of them open up to what seem like grass fairways. Kind of hard to tell with so many leaves on the ground but it was nice having some sun coming through on many of the wooded holes. As previous reviews mention, holes 12-27 offer every type of throw lane, elevation, left-right turning fairways & wooded density that you could ask for. As an Amateur player I did not feel like the trees won and I lost after playing thru them. Oh sure there were a couple holes we just laughed at while standing on the tee (hole 18) while trying figuring how the heck were going to get thru the trees. Holes like that one actually added to the fun and seem to come at the right time after playing some not so difficult holes. The Flow of difficulty of the holes seems to be just right, lighten up when needed and difficult at times. We stopped to talk to another group playing and I said to them, whoever designed this course must known what they are doing because they are some well designed, well though-out holes.
Scenic Park setting complete with Bathrooms, pavilions, courts, walking paths. The lake adds to the scenery and being able to play over it and around it makes this course unique over other courses.
As a Amateur here with about 1 yr experience, I figure I would try playing the open field holes (1-11) on the gold or pro baskets & tees and wooded holes (12-27) on the AM baskets & tees.
Open holes (1-11) were very challenging for me but not overly difficult playing the gold's. The first few holes are laid out just right so that you can warm up your arm with some short & long shots without getting into to much trouble. I was able to reach within putting distance on most holes playing Gold (pro) baskets. There is opportunity for an ace on a couple of the holes. The open holes really offer a nice change of pace from the wooded holes. Maybe It would of worked out better if you could have designed the course to play a few of these holes after like 18 wooded holes but that may be asking to much due to the way the property is laid out. There are also advantages in keeping them separate as well.
The thought of so many wooded holes can be intimidating to a Amateur player but I was pleasantly surprised how fair the wooded holes were. Several of them open up to what seem like grass fairways. Kind of hard to tell with so many leaves on the ground but it was nice having some sun coming through on many of the wooded holes. As previous reviews mention, holes 12-27 offer every type of throw lane, elevation, left-right turning fairways & wooded density that you could ask for. As an Amateur player I did not feel like the trees won and I lost after playing thru them. Oh sure there were a couple holes we just laughed at while standing on the tee (hole 18) while trying figuring how the heck were going to get thru the trees. Holes like that one actually added to the fun and seem to come at the right time after playing some not so difficult holes. The Flow of difficulty of the holes seems to be just right, lighten up when needed and difficult at times. We stopped to talk to another group playing and I said to them, whoever designed this course must known what they are doing because they are some well designed, well though-out holes.
Cons:
Navigation - Okay so it is not a polished course just yet, it is still a work in progress and needs some signage and tee pads and a map. Well the map will be uploaded to the web site very soon, which takes care of that. If I can remember correctly the last 9 holes lack signage and tee pads the most. (Not 100% sure about that). Overall, you still should not have too much problem navigating as most holes flow right into the next one. If there is any confusion just follow those little orange flags to the next tee. With a map in my hand I really did not have much problem finding the AM tees and now that I walked it once I don't see a problem finding them the next time. From 17 to 18 and 22 to 23, I had to spend a just little bit of time finding.
Parking - I got there at 11am, not many at the park. I was not sure where I could park other than the lot by the baseball fields which would have been a short hike back to the 1st tee. I ended up parking a little closer down by the lake on that small circle lot. I guess it was okay to park there. There was some event going on in that hall/building next to hole 11's tee. Unfortunately, cars were parked all the way down and across the fairway on hole 12 so we decided not to play over them and moved up into the grass behind them to tee off.
Clearing
This is nit picking but being that its winter, the rough was not a problem. There is a lot of sticker bush around some of the (20-27) wooded holes that I imagine the spring-summer season will present an issue and require clearing. This is a problem on every course; it just takes a long time and effort to remove them.
Carpet Tee
Think it was hole 25, the support under the carpet has a hole and with the carpet there you don't see it but you step into it. I would remove the carpet until you get a more stable tee or build up the front section to make it more secure.
Nit pick
If at all possible I would keep Amateur distance right where its at and lengthen the distance on the Gold-Pro holes via baskets or tees on holes 1-11. Not sure you have the room for it but it just seems like it to me that it could be longer. Maybe the plan is already in place in the future when the funds are there to do just that with additional baskets.
Parking - I got there at 11am, not many at the park. I was not sure where I could park other than the lot by the baseball fields which would have been a short hike back to the 1st tee. I ended up parking a little closer down by the lake on that small circle lot. I guess it was okay to park there. There was some event going on in that hall/building next to hole 11's tee. Unfortunately, cars were parked all the way down and across the fairway on hole 12 so we decided not to play over them and moved up into the grass behind them to tee off.
Clearing
This is nit picking but being that its winter, the rough was not a problem. There is a lot of sticker bush around some of the (20-27) wooded holes that I imagine the spring-summer season will present an issue and require clearing. This is a problem on every course; it just takes a long time and effort to remove them.
Carpet Tee
Think it was hole 25, the support under the carpet has a hole and with the carpet there you don't see it but you step into it. I would remove the carpet until you get a more stable tee or build up the front section to make it more secure.
Nit pick
If at all possible I would keep Amateur distance right where its at and lengthen the distance on the Gold-Pro holes via baskets or tees on holes 1-11. Not sure you have the room for it but it just seems like it to me that it could be longer. Maybe the plan is already in place in the future when the funds are there to do just that with additional baskets.
Other Thoughts:
Its exciting to know that once this course gets more polished its going to be a real gem. I see this course completely taking over Buchmiller. After comparing the two its easy to see where players will out-grow Buchmiller and grow into Roland. If you plan to come to Lancaster area, I suggest you play Bushmiller first then play Roland. If you do it the other way around you will be disappointed you left a second round at Roland to play Buchmiller! Don't let the fact that its still a work in progress stop you from coming to the course as it is now. Its very playable and you will enjoy it.
Hole 18- It made my day that I somehow was able to throw right through the tight corridor of trees to the right and out into the clearing to set up a easy approach shot for par.
Nice job to all who have helped to re-design this course, I am looking forward to the improvements. I am rating this course 3.5 although I feel like it is a 3.8 until the signage and tee pads are in, once that happens I will upgrade my review to 4-4.5
Returned one year later and there are noticable improvements to the course. Most notable, new t-pads on holes where non-existant or needed replacing. Also new hole signs, although laminated paper type they were very usefull and look nice. Some were missing, probabbly due to windy conditions that blew off. Course navigation seem flawless using the orange flags when lost, however future wood hole arrow signs would be an improvement. I now rate this course a 3.8, only due to non permanent hole signs. At the rate this course is being upgraded, I can see it has potential for a 4+ rating. Again your missing out on a true gem of a course if you have not played it. Its 1-1/2 hr away but well worth the drive.
Hole 18- It made my day that I somehow was able to throw right through the tight corridor of trees to the right and out into the clearing to set up a easy approach shot for par.
Nice job to all who have helped to re-design this course, I am looking forward to the improvements. I am rating this course 3.5 although I feel like it is a 3.8 until the signage and tee pads are in, once that happens I will upgrade my review to 4-4.5
Returned one year later and there are noticable improvements to the course. Most notable, new t-pads on holes where non-existant or needed replacing. Also new hole signs, although laminated paper type they were very usefull and look nice. Some were missing, probabbly due to windy conditions that blew off. Course navigation seem flawless using the orange flags when lost, however future wood hole arrow signs would be an improvement. I now rate this course a 3.8, only due to non permanent hole signs. At the rate this course is being upgraded, I can see it has potential for a 4+ rating. Again your missing out on a true gem of a course if you have not played it. Its 1-1/2 hr away but well worth the drive.
8
4
chris v
Experience:
18.9 years
53 played
4 reviews
worth trip now, not before 2+ years drive by
Reviewed:
Played on:Sep 5, 2010
Played the course:once
Pros:
To those who put in all the hard work on this place in 2010..thank you very much. The new back nine at Roland is flat out awesome. I live an hour away, been to old Roland once, been to Buchmiller a lot more. From where me and my friends live you could make a nice day trip out to Lancaster and hit up both Buchmiller and Roland. But I've only ever played one course or the other when venturing out that way, and usually I prefer Buchmiller.
After playing Roland once last year, I'd rather go to Dutch Wonderland than play it again. Why? Because it was confusing as hell. But when I heard there was a new layout I was curious to go back and check it out. Bedsides, at least I knew there was that one cool over the pond hole that I kinda-aced last time. Kinda because it wasnt on my real drive...its one of those holes you want to throw every disc in your bag on.
A newcomer will still have a tough time navigating this place. Once you know the layout then its a fantastic place to play a round. Like I mentioned in my scorebook, the next tee signs and orange flags helped me find every hole but they werent great. Ultimately I found every single tee and basket, but there were still many times I had to walk ahead and do some re-con.
Previous reviews actually helped me navigate, so this next part might help others. I dont play here regularly so forgive me if I'm not totally accurate, but this is what I found here when I came:
Tee 1 was up on the hill overlooking the pond. There is a pavillion and a red port-o-potty there. I parked down by the pond in the cul de sac shaped lot and walked up the hill to the first tee. Basket 1 is about 320 and slightly downhill. Very ace-able, great starting hole. I also threw several discs here to warm up.
Tee 2 is to the left of basket 1. A short left to right fairway with a mando left pole on the right side. Probably 250 feet slightly uphill.
Tee 3 is new since my last time here. Its up past basket 2 and has you throw your drive out into the open field from an elevated perch. One of the longest holes here, probably more than 500 feet across the open field, corn field on the left..prob why I kept turning my drive over, if you go left its gone. Might also be a short tee for this one down by basket 1.
Hole 4 tee is to the right of basket 3 and brings the pond into play. The basket is located up over the edge of the pond, about 300 feet from the tee. Between the trees.
Hole 5 you walk back towards tee 4 and follow the edge of the pond. Tee 5 has the pond to your back and a yellow basket in the left corner of the field, a drive of about 300 feet gets you there, with some nasty rough behind the target.
I believe hole 6 is the first one with two baskets. Tee is straight behind basket 5. You will see tennis courts to the left of fairway 6. This hole has some rough in the middle, a choice for your drive to go to the left or right side. Short basket is maybe 400 feet, long one is about 90 feet past it.
Go to the left to find tee 7. There is one basket up past the volleyball court and towards the road. A good drive on this one can net you a nice deuce-putt opportunity. Not sure if there is a long basket for this one. Theres a bunch of nice land across the road that seems ideal for inclusion in the course.
Hole 8 I assume you use the road as the tee. Its a big open drive to a basket that is maybe a little over 400 feet from the tee area. The pond is to the left so be careful, the basket is out in the field to the right of the pond. I had a nice anhyzer throw with my stalker land 20 feet away. Missed the putt tho (of course)
Nine throws over the pond. No long tee to my knowledge, and the tee itself is a very short concrete slab.
Hole ten has a short tee to the right of basket 9, and a long tee back and to the left. This is the old number 1, I think. Basket on top of hill to the left of tee 1.
Tee ll is to the left of basket 10. A downhill drive to a basket that is reachable from the tee on a good day..and certainly a nice chance for a deuce. Just dont hit that house.
I believe 12 has two tees and two baskets? Long tee is straight past basket 11 near the road. There is an old rusty basket about 400 feet back up the hill into the woods. An un-numbered basket is installed another 60 or so feet past it.
Hole 13 also appears to have two tees and two baskets. The to the left of fairway 12 I found the long tee for 13 and played this hole through the trees and to the left about 600 feet to the second basket.
Seems 14 has two tees and one basket. Tight uphill shot.
Following the orange flags to the left, 15 is your first taste of what the back nine will be like. A gorgeous mowed fairway with a few scattered tree obstacles, and thick and disc-eating rough on both sides. I only found one tee and one basket for 15..its a straight shot about 350. Got a deuce here.
Hole 16 seems to have two tees and two baskets. Long tee to long basket is probably over 500 feet...you go straight through a tight wooded fairway then downhill where I found one basket on the right and a longer one about 75 feet past it.
Hole 17 seems to have two tees and one basket. From basket 16, walk up to the left to find two tees on the same fairway line. A tight tunnel shot turns to the right to reveal basket 17 sitting atop a slight hill with a very dense background of trees. A very fun hole.
Hole 18 is one of the most intimidating tee shots Ive ever seen. Uphill through a wall of trees. A short basket is waiting about 300 feet up, and the long basket is about 75 past it.
Signs and orange flags bring you to the tees for 19. I believe there are two tees and one basket. The fairway goes slightly downhill than back up, tightly wooded. Basket is old school, yellow tray and rusty chains.
Follow the orange flags uphill to the left to find tee 20. One tee, two baskets. You def wanna stay on the fairway here.
Same advice for 21. Tee shot needs to bend slightly right..another hole with one tee and two baskets that I found. An S-Turning fairway with dense rough for those who stray off it.
The next few holes are real easy to find and navigate. A few of them dont have the tees built yet it seems... but I teed off from the spots where it looks like they will be built.
Hole 27 has a new tee box looking down a fantastic fairway. A downhill tunnel shot through the tree will be your last drive on this course. I couldnt find a basket, I think people are currently using the long 18 basket for 27. Its down the hill and to the right, maybe 500 ft from the tee. There is also another basket in that vicinty, and there is no number on it. Its the one I assumed was the long 12 but I'm not sure.
This is the layout I played, not sure if its right or wrong but I think that this course is a lot more fun to play when you dont have to wander around figuring it out. I hope its helpful if someone needs it. I played the course as a par 3 x27, total par of 81. Shot 88 first round and 86 second round.
Pros include a very scenic park with rolling hills and nice views of Lancaster farm land. A far cry from the city and suburbs I'm used to.
Great variety on the 27 hole layout..open holes, wooded holes....short and long, you get it all here. A very fun course to play.
There is a water fountain near hole 7 but it was out of order. Not sure if there are bathrooms but I assume there are
After playing Roland once last year, I'd rather go to Dutch Wonderland than play it again. Why? Because it was confusing as hell. But when I heard there was a new layout I was curious to go back and check it out. Bedsides, at least I knew there was that one cool over the pond hole that I kinda-aced last time. Kinda because it wasnt on my real drive...its one of those holes you want to throw every disc in your bag on.
A newcomer will still have a tough time navigating this place. Once you know the layout then its a fantastic place to play a round. Like I mentioned in my scorebook, the next tee signs and orange flags helped me find every hole but they werent great. Ultimately I found every single tee and basket, but there were still many times I had to walk ahead and do some re-con.
Previous reviews actually helped me navigate, so this next part might help others. I dont play here regularly so forgive me if I'm not totally accurate, but this is what I found here when I came:
Tee 1 was up on the hill overlooking the pond. There is a pavillion and a red port-o-potty there. I parked down by the pond in the cul de sac shaped lot and walked up the hill to the first tee. Basket 1 is about 320 and slightly downhill. Very ace-able, great starting hole. I also threw several discs here to warm up.
Tee 2 is to the left of basket 1. A short left to right fairway with a mando left pole on the right side. Probably 250 feet slightly uphill.
Tee 3 is new since my last time here. Its up past basket 2 and has you throw your drive out into the open field from an elevated perch. One of the longest holes here, probably more than 500 feet across the open field, corn field on the left..prob why I kept turning my drive over, if you go left its gone. Might also be a short tee for this one down by basket 1.
Hole 4 tee is to the right of basket 3 and brings the pond into play. The basket is located up over the edge of the pond, about 300 feet from the tee. Between the trees.
Hole 5 you walk back towards tee 4 and follow the edge of the pond. Tee 5 has the pond to your back and a yellow basket in the left corner of the field, a drive of about 300 feet gets you there, with some nasty rough behind the target.
I believe hole 6 is the first one with two baskets. Tee is straight behind basket 5. You will see tennis courts to the left of fairway 6. This hole has some rough in the middle, a choice for your drive to go to the left or right side. Short basket is maybe 400 feet, long one is about 90 feet past it.
Go to the left to find tee 7. There is one basket up past the volleyball court and towards the road. A good drive on this one can net you a nice deuce-putt opportunity. Not sure if there is a long basket for this one. Theres a bunch of nice land across the road that seems ideal for inclusion in the course.
Hole 8 I assume you use the road as the tee. Its a big open drive to a basket that is maybe a little over 400 feet from the tee area. The pond is to the left so be careful, the basket is out in the field to the right of the pond. I had a nice anhyzer throw with my stalker land 20 feet away. Missed the putt tho (of course)
Nine throws over the pond. No long tee to my knowledge, and the tee itself is a very short concrete slab.
Hole ten has a short tee to the right of basket 9, and a long tee back and to the left. This is the old number 1, I think. Basket on top of hill to the left of tee 1.
Tee ll is to the left of basket 10. A downhill drive to a basket that is reachable from the tee on a good day..and certainly a nice chance for a deuce. Just dont hit that house.
I believe 12 has two tees and two baskets? Long tee is straight past basket 11 near the road. There is an old rusty basket about 400 feet back up the hill into the woods. An un-numbered basket is installed another 60 or so feet past it.
Hole 13 also appears to have two tees and two baskets. The to the left of fairway 12 I found the long tee for 13 and played this hole through the trees and to the left about 600 feet to the second basket.
Seems 14 has two tees and one basket. Tight uphill shot.
Following the orange flags to the left, 15 is your first taste of what the back nine will be like. A gorgeous mowed fairway with a few scattered tree obstacles, and thick and disc-eating rough on both sides. I only found one tee and one basket for 15..its a straight shot about 350. Got a deuce here.
Hole 16 seems to have two tees and two baskets. Long tee to long basket is probably over 500 feet...you go straight through a tight wooded fairway then downhill where I found one basket on the right and a longer one about 75 feet past it.
Hole 17 seems to have two tees and one basket. From basket 16, walk up to the left to find two tees on the same fairway line. A tight tunnel shot turns to the right to reveal basket 17 sitting atop a slight hill with a very dense background of trees. A very fun hole.
Hole 18 is one of the most intimidating tee shots Ive ever seen. Uphill through a wall of trees. A short basket is waiting about 300 feet up, and the long basket is about 75 past it.
Signs and orange flags bring you to the tees for 19. I believe there are two tees and one basket. The fairway goes slightly downhill than back up, tightly wooded. Basket is old school, yellow tray and rusty chains.
Follow the orange flags uphill to the left to find tee 20. One tee, two baskets. You def wanna stay on the fairway here.
Same advice for 21. Tee shot needs to bend slightly right..another hole with one tee and two baskets that I found. An S-Turning fairway with dense rough for those who stray off it.
The next few holes are real easy to find and navigate. A few of them dont have the tees built yet it seems... but I teed off from the spots where it looks like they will be built.
Hole 27 has a new tee box looking down a fantastic fairway. A downhill tunnel shot through the tree will be your last drive on this course. I couldnt find a basket, I think people are currently using the long 18 basket for 27. Its down the hill and to the right, maybe 500 ft from the tee. There is also another basket in that vicinty, and there is no number on it. Its the one I assumed was the long 12 but I'm not sure.
This is the layout I played, not sure if its right or wrong but I think that this course is a lot more fun to play when you dont have to wander around figuring it out. I hope its helpful if someone needs it. I played the course as a par 3 x27, total par of 81. Shot 88 first round and 86 second round.
Pros include a very scenic park with rolling hills and nice views of Lancaster farm land. A far cry from the city and suburbs I'm used to.
Great variety on the 27 hole layout..open holes, wooded holes....short and long, you get it all here. A very fun course to play.
There is a water fountain near hole 7 but it was out of order. Not sure if there are bathrooms but I assume there are
Cons:
Cons- Still a little confusing, only because a newcomer doesnt know which holes have multiple tees/baskets and which ones dont. Its no reason not to come here though. I imagine they are making constant progress. There were a lot of non-dgers on the front nine..kids playing soccer, volleyballs, picnics. No big deal tho.
Some of the tees are in rough shape. Ive never been a tee nazi tho so it doesnt matter that much to me. But some of the newer tees make you with they were all that nice. Same thing with the baskets..some are seasoned but they still work fine. Some are new and shiny. Most are numbered, some are not.
Some of the tees are in rough shape. Ive never been a tee nazi tho so it doesnt matter that much to me. But some of the newer tees make you with they were all that nice. Same thing with the baskets..some are seasoned but they still work fine. Some are new and shiny. Most are numbered, some are not.
Other Thoughts:
Considering the wide variety of holes you get to experience here I would say that Roland is well worth the trip for me now. If I lived closer I would love to get invloved, because this place has the potential to be 4 star course in my opinion. Thank you to everyone who works on this course, your hard work is very obvious and I can honestly say its one of my favorite places to play golf in pennsylvania.
