Green Cove Springs, FL

Ronnie Van Zant - Front

3.55(based on 29 reviews)
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Ronnie Van Zant - Front reviews

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2 0
Docspanky
Experience: 3.9 years 17 played 7 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Really good! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 28, 2020 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Relatively clean and safe. Lots of wide open space. Baskets in great shape. Multiple layouts.

Cons:

Pack in all your drinks etc. There is no place close to get cold drinks or snacks. 14-18 you must be very careful as kids are liable to dart out with little to no warning.

Other Thoughts:

It's a great course. 36 holes on 2 courses. Well maintained. Baskets are moved often enough to change it up. The back course "Rattlesnake" earned it's name well. Be careful.
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3 1
willsmithfinland
Experience: 11.7 years 46 played 34 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Good design and enjoyable 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 2, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

The course has good signage and is well-maintained. The design is very good, allowing for a mixture of driver, mid-range, and putting opportunities. There is a nice break in scenery during the first 18 holes, and a bathroom located next to the end of hole #17.

Cons:

The first 18 holes can be a bit easy in some parts, but if you do not have much experience with a mid-range disc or doing rollers then it can be very challenging. The back 18 holes can be repetitive, but the design is good enough to challenge you.

Other Thoughts:

Overall, I would recommend the course to anyone, but the drive there can be bit out of the way for some folks. There are two entrances to the park. One entrance is where the bathroom is located, and it is close to the end of hole #17. The other entrance allows you to park near the basketball court and pavilion; hole #1 is on the other side of that parking lot going toward to the road. Parking near the basketball court makes the walk to the back 18 holes shorter. I played the first 18 holes and then the first 8 holes in the back 18, so I would recommend at least the first 18 for a great experience if you are in the area. If you like hiking and more challenging shots then go for the back 18.
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2 2
pimpski03
Experience: 13.2 years 5 played 4 reviews
4.00 star(s)

great course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 12, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

This course is an extremely clean course with a great layout. It has a mix of challenging/ technical fairways, and long open fairways. The locals that play the course are very friendly. Bathrooms are easily accessable and there are benches at every T pad.

Cons:

This is a pretty active park. It is not un common for people to just come walking accross the fairway in front of you. In the spring evenings pop warner practices in the field in the center of the park and the parents seem to set up their lawn chairs in the middle of the fairway on holes 4, 4A, 5, 8 and 15. Other than that the park is excellent and would recommend it to anyone.

Other Thoughts:

The park has a back 18 called rattle snake ridge. 9 of the T pads are layed and I cant wait until they get the other 9 layed. Its a work in progress. Something seriously needs to be done about the parents and their lawn chairs with the pop warner team. I'm all about the kids having fun but parents "get the hell out of the fairways"
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6 1
harr0140
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 15.3 years 1508 played 480 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Free as a Bird 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 12, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

1) Nice concrete tees are always appreciated.

2) Signs are decent with Hole #, maps of the hole and the distances are listed.

3) Nice yellow discatchers are always appreciated for visibility.

4) There is a kiosk at the first hole with some information and also another kiosk with an incredibly large course map by #19 (the first hole in the "Rattlesnake Challenge".

5) Excellent variety of hole type here. There are some fairly wide fairways, then some parklike holes running through turfed areas with just key trees, and there are also some really tight shots.

6) Bagracks again on many holes which must be a local thing as I do not see that in most places around the country. There are also a few benches scattered around for you to take a break and sit down.

7) Parking lot has plenty of parking for the course unless there are a ton of other general park users.

8) Decent distance variation ranging from low 200's all the way up to mid to upper 300's. The back 9 has one hole over 400'. This will force you to have a bunch of different throws and disc selection will be key.

9) Bathrooms located near the beginning and end of the course which is expected because the course runs a decent distance away from the parking lot and other park activities.

10) The best elevation is back on the Rattlesnake Challenge but the front 18 hole course has a couple of minor changes.

Cons:

1) Routing got a little confusing with the additional holes but I know they aren't real old so that will eventually be adjusted. I would seriously consider calling the back 9 a completely different course even though it is located off to another totally different area. The reason for this is with all the extra holes and the confusing layouts people will get bungled up pretty good. There were 2 extra holes on 4 and 5 which maybe need to be played during sporting events on the baseball field because the regular holes play along and across the field.

2) Multiple holes play in areas where people will be walking across the course. There are also a few areas where there are other sporting events that might be in danger. Basketball courts, tennis courts, baseball field.

3) I would say this course is not for beginners. Take the Rattlesnake Challenge away and the normal 18 hole course wouldn't be too challenging but as a whole this course will possibly deter beginners of the game. Ed Austin would be a much better course for beginners.

4) Hole #18 is simply dangerous for anyone in the parking lot. If a straight line was drawn to the basket you would cut off about 25% of the parking lot. I do not remember if the lot was listed as OB but it should be. As it is there are a lot of trees in between the tee and the basket and you could easily catch a tree and kick out into the lot.

5) The map on the teesigns was somewhat generic. Sure it indicated trees and a fairway and the tee and basket location, but the routing on the shot did not always concur with the line they had drawn as their "fairway".

6) Teepads are slightly short. It doesn't bother me much because I have short legs, ut many others with a longer runup might not like these tees.

Other Thoughts:

I noticed an area with crumb rubber (recycled tires used to reduce compaction and allow turf to grow better in high traffic areas) near #16. I am not sure of the reason for this but it gave me an idea that it could be a very useful tool to be placed around teepads and basket areas.

The course is named after the late member of Lynrd Skynrd which everyone can appreciate. He is a local hero to Jacksonville and it is only fitting the band who sang "Free Bird" gets themselves a disc golf course named after them.

I enjoyed this course about as much as Ed Austin . . . "Rattlesnake Challenge" is what makes this course as challenging as it is. There are a lot more places to get into trouble back there, but the front 18 holes is still a solid course. You can make some birdies but you can also be punished by a tree or two.
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1 4
debuck03
Experience: 4 played 4 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Ronnie Van Zant 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 14, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Great Course! 18 regular holes along with an additional 9 hole course in the back. This course also has an alternative tee box and basket for #4, for when the field is covered with pee wee football players.

Cons:

Not many water fountains and there is always some football team practicing in the afternoons. All bathrooms are towards the beginning holes of the course.
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1 4
fujijon
Experience: 13.2 years 2 played 2 reviews
4.00 star(s)

great course for average players 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 23, 2011 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Well marked. Great People. Fast play, new basket placement on 12 & 18, possibly to birdie all baskets for good players, yet still challenging. New back nine (19-27) short but differ cult bends, Alternate baskets for 4 & 5 - great for when park fields are full of softball/baseball players.

Cons:

Wear lots of bug spray, ticks are everywhere. Watch for snakes (adds a little danger & excitement to the course).

Other Thoughts:

New back nine has thick heavy underbrush, recommend long pants & snake boots and telescopic pole with hook to retrieve disc from all sorts of hazards. Definitely a course worth a visit.
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6 0
DelightSquad
Experience: 13.7 years 43 played 9 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Come on, play freebird 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Dec 4, 2010 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

This is a great course with a variety of shots and challenges, but still offers some open holes for ace possibilities.

-Bag holders on every hole
-Plenty of trash bins
-Well maintained
-Professional(but slightly misleading) signs
-Involved locals

Cons:

What the course offers in shot shaping it lacks in terrain(mostly flat). Hole 9 is far from the parking lot making it hard to leave or regroup.

-Some holes close to park amenities
-Not many benches
-Big groups on weekends

Other Thoughts:

All together the pros far outweigh the cons for me. A mix of short to medium holes, some with tight lines and hammer or thumber throws needed made for a concentrated and rewarding round. The course had sandy holes with medium trees, which flowed into an open field, into a forest, and back again. I wouldn't take the tee signs into consideration before a shot, but would use them to find the pin. If it were closer to Gainesville I would play here often, but I still would recommend this course to any northern FL or southern GA residents to check out.
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