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Sunrise Terrace reviews
15
0
Lots of Options for Four Baskets
Reviewed:
Played on:Sep 7, 2022
Played the course:once
Pros:
A course that somewhat defies expectations by being quite enjoyable despite having only four baskets.
-A Note About Layouts: Due to having four baskets, there are several ways to safari around and play this course. DGCR has a 9-hole layout, while UDisc has 18 holes (including the nine DGCR). I think the 18 is more accurate, as there has been an attempt to mark tees for all 18. I personally played (1)-(12) before a combination of feeling like I'd seen the whole park and being on a time crunch led me to leave.
-Elevation: The feature that will strike you first about this small neighborhood park is the substantial elevation. The first four holes feature an up-down, an uphill, a down, and a valley, all major gameplay factors. Furthermore, three of the four greens have substantial elevation where sailing a putt from the wrong side could be a substantial mistake. This instantly takes Sunrise Terrace from snoozefest to fun.
-Maintenance: The park itself is nicely kept, with good grass mowed short. It's a pleasant place whether or not you're playing a sport.
-Creativity: Thanks to a generous amount of space, these four baskets can be utilized in many different ways. The combination of trees, hills, and playground equipment leads to good variety throughout a 9-12 hole round.
-Shot Shaping/Gameplay: A remarkably challenging, but still very birdieable, series of holes with mild obstacles. Hills and slopes are the biggest shaping challenge on the first few holes, with groups of 1-3 trees also playing major roles in parts of the property. Lastly, the playground equipment has to be hyzered around on several holes. The combination is remarkably charming. The downhill shots are especially fun, as you have to show a lot of finesse to park them on sloped greens. Bogey is easily avoidable on all these holes if you have a consistent approach, so it's a how-low-can-you-go type of course. On the whole, I'd be happy to throw here any day. Nothing remarkable, but quite enjoyable.
-A Note About Layouts: Due to having four baskets, there are several ways to safari around and play this course. DGCR has a 9-hole layout, while UDisc has 18 holes (including the nine DGCR). I think the 18 is more accurate, as there has been an attempt to mark tees for all 18. I personally played (1)-(12) before a combination of feeling like I'd seen the whole park and being on a time crunch led me to leave.
-Elevation: The feature that will strike you first about this small neighborhood park is the substantial elevation. The first four holes feature an up-down, an uphill, a down, and a valley, all major gameplay factors. Furthermore, three of the four greens have substantial elevation where sailing a putt from the wrong side could be a substantial mistake. This instantly takes Sunrise Terrace from snoozefest to fun.
-Maintenance: The park itself is nicely kept, with good grass mowed short. It's a pleasant place whether or not you're playing a sport.
-Creativity: Thanks to a generous amount of space, these four baskets can be utilized in many different ways. The combination of trees, hills, and playground equipment leads to good variety throughout a 9-12 hole round.
-Shot Shaping/Gameplay: A remarkably challenging, but still very birdieable, series of holes with mild obstacles. Hills and slopes are the biggest shaping challenge on the first few holes, with groups of 1-3 trees also playing major roles in parts of the property. Lastly, the playground equipment has to be hyzered around on several holes. The combination is remarkably charming. The downhill shots are especially fun, as you have to show a lot of finesse to park them on sloped greens. Bogey is easily avoidable on all these holes if you have a consistent approach, so it's a how-low-can-you-go type of course. On the whole, I'd be happy to throw here any day. Nothing remarkable, but quite enjoyable.
Cons:
-Four Baskets: It's just not…ideal. It creates less variety of approaches, doesn't take you on the same geographic journey as a good course, and limits the scenery. Mind you, this is the best possible use of the park's space for disc golf, but it's still an annoying limitation.
-Equipment Hazards: Two primary issues. First, if anyone wants to use the playground, disc golf is off limits on a number of key routes that utilize three of the four baskets. Second, the park slopes off substantially towards the road, which could see shots easily find the street (many of these are blind approaches as well). I went into the street twice myself, and was lucky not to hit any cars parked on the curbs.
-Drainage: The low section of the course, a big valley between basket (3) and baskets (2) and (4), doesn't seem to get dry. It was gross and muddy on my visit.
-Multiple Groups: It was pretty difficult for me to play with just one twosome sharing the course. Since the layout basically plays every basket to every other basket at some point, you're going to be crossing paths. Proceed with caution.
-Tee Markings: Some tee markings were clear and complete, with distance and number information. Some markings were just brackets spray-painted on the ground. Some didn't exist. A little more clarity here would be appreciated.
-Variety: After about six or seven holes, it all begins to feel the same. This is no dig at the designers, it's just a reality of reusing the same land over and over.
-Equipment Hazards: Two primary issues. First, if anyone wants to use the playground, disc golf is off limits on a number of key routes that utilize three of the four baskets. Second, the park slopes off substantially towards the road, which could see shots easily find the street (many of these are blind approaches as well). I went into the street twice myself, and was lucky not to hit any cars parked on the curbs.
-Drainage: The low section of the course, a big valley between basket (3) and baskets (2) and (4), doesn't seem to get dry. It was gross and muddy on my visit.
-Multiple Groups: It was pretty difficult for me to play with just one twosome sharing the course. Since the layout basically plays every basket to every other basket at some point, you're going to be crossing paths. Proceed with caution.
-Tee Markings: Some tee markings were clear and complete, with distance and number information. Some markings were just brackets spray-painted on the ground. Some didn't exist. A little more clarity here would be appreciated.
-Variety: After about six or seven holes, it all begins to feel the same. This is no dig at the designers, it's just a reality of reusing the same land over and over.
Other Thoughts:
On my El Paso - Tucson drive, this was virtually the only option for New Mexico, and I definitely dreaded it after reading that there were only four baskets. However, this was a remarkably well-utilized piece of land that created quite a few fun par-3 holes. It's definitely a credit to Las Cruces. That said, it has severe limitations of size, capacity, and variety. On the whole, it's on the lower end of my bracket of Reasonable courses. A very fun play, but not one to get your hopes up high for either.
-Amenities: Tees marked on concrete with number, distance, and pars. Not the nicest at baskets, but serviceable. No next tee cues.
~Similar Courses: I haven't ever really been somewhere like this that used so few baskets so well. Here are some vague similarities, though -
I've never played there, but the mild elevation and sparse foliage on well-kept grounds definitely reminded me of Fountain Hills, AZ. From what I have played, Jack Mattox Recreation Center (Ringgold, GA); Lenora Park (Snellville, GA); Two Rivers Park (Nashville, TN).
-Amenities: Tees marked on concrete with number, distance, and pars. Not the nicest at baskets, but serviceable. No next tee cues.
~Similar Courses: I haven't ever really been somewhere like this that used so few baskets so well. Here are some vague similarities, though -
I've never played there, but the mild elevation and sparse foliage on well-kept grounds definitely reminded me of Fountain Hills, AZ. From what I have played, Jack Mattox Recreation Center (Ringgold, GA); Lenora Park (Snellville, GA); Two Rivers Park (Nashville, TN).
