• Discover new ways to elevate your game with the updated DGCourseReview app!
    It's entirely free and enhanced with features shaped by user feedback to ensure your best experience on the course. (App Store or Google Play)

Lancaster, TX

The Jaranator

Permanent course
4.285(based on 9 reviews)
Filter course reviews

Filter reviews

Filter reviews

The Jaranator reviews

Filter
9 0
Pizza God
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 36.2 years 1729 played 580 reviews
4.50 star(s)

One of the top courses in Texas 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 18, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

Probably the widest variety of holes you will find in Texas.
Tee Pads on a few of the holes
Most of the holes were marked.
Not a super long course, but not a pitch and putt either.

Cons:

Some holes are too close to each other for full tournament play.
The rough is rough, stay on the fairways for sure.
course needs more cement tee pads.
cheap baskets

Other Thoughts:

Don't get me wrong, as far courses go, this is one of the top courses in Texas. Yes, the tee's are not all cement, yes there is not distance marked on a lot of the holes. Yes, the baskets are the cheap single change practice baskets.

However, the very wide variety of holes makes me look past all these little things.

This course rewards good shots and punishes bad.

Was this review helpful? Yes No
8 1
Tommy2am
Experience: 10.9 years 33 played 16 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Amazingly beautiful...and difficult... Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 2, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

You had better be ready to throw every disc and every type of shot you can muster. This is an expert level course of fantastic design. Very picturesque surroundings with plenty of room on 30 acres of land. Matt Jara is an extremely nice host that played with my group, offered advice on play, and even gave us cold water and refreshments. There is an overhang at the end with misters to cool you down. There are weekly tournaments here as well which often include BBQ luncheon spreads. There are a full 23 holes of varying distances. Great elevation changes and use of the surroundings. Even though there are many tournaments here already, I can envision this course as a championship stop for the PDGA. This course is THAT great.

Cons:

There aren't too many con's here. The signage could be a bit better, but seeing as how Matt played with us, it really didn't matter. I could see how you could easily lose a disc here, but Matt always helps find them. He also calls numbers left on discs, and he leaves discs without numbers in a bin to be picked up whenever you play there again. It can be tough to book a time to play. The best way is to befriend Matt Jara on Facebook and ask to play from there. Watch your footing. There are so many elevation changes, steep cliffs, rocks, and other elements that you could easily slip. In fact, you have to sign a waiver before playing due to this (and other) factors.

Other Thoughts:

This. Course. Is. Awesome. It should be on everyone's list. Just remember, this is a very difficult course. Not for the faint of heart.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
8 2
Trex530swanson
Experience: 14.1 years 53 played 7 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Too much fun for just one round 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 7, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

This was my first time playing this course and I played in the mini on Sunday and got dead last out of 12 people and I still had one of the most fun days of disc golf I have ever had.

-Great hole design
-Great Course design
-Uses natural terrain perfect
-Different types of shots all over the course, wooded, open, tunnel, open, super open, short, long, blind.
-It has everything

Cons:

I thought the drive would be my only Con as it is a bit of a drive from Denton TX, but the more I thought about it... the drive was completely worth it.

-It just needs a few more signs and marked trails

Other Thoughts:

I WILL BE GOING BACK VERY SOON
Was this review helpful? Yes No
17 0
dreadlock86
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 17.1 years 383 played 318 reviews
4.50 star(s)

best course in DFW 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Dec 7, 2014 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

-amazing land, amazing layout
-some of the most fun and most challenging holes in DFW
-ravine with a creek is heavily used, OB and drop zones, easy disc retrieval
-great mix of longer open-ish holes, shorter wooded holes, and longer wooded holes!
-many tees have concrete pads imprinted with hole info
-remaining natural tees are level, in good condition, and have temp signs with distances
-a mix of baskets but all are serviceable
-port-o-john behind the house near hole 1
-great group of regular players at the weekend minis
-the course is always evolving and improving

Cons:

The main cons here are the usual things associated with private courses: lack of permanent signs and navigation, limited access, some older baskets, etc. Matt does a great job with the maintenance and he's put in a lot of work in the 2016 season to clear out areas that used to be full of brush. The course is very playable but the rough is still quite rough in most places.

There are the occasional navigation signs but the course would be difficult to follow without a map or a guide your first time. Luckily, you'll rarely be in that situation.

The course is extremely challenging but fair. Between tight woods and the OB creek and drop offs, you can pick up a lot of extra strokes quickly if you're off your game. Not a con for me but a warning that the course may not be enjoyable for the recreational player.

I love when a course designer is reticent to remove trees. Matt says no more trees will come down but there are a few that I wouldn't mind seeing disappear. One or two in particular on hole 15.

Other Thoughts:

Matt Jara needs to be congratulated not only for creating a masterpiece of a course but also for making it available for disc golfers to play (with permission and a waiver signature). The design makes phenomenal use of the land, which has excellent terrain for exciting and challenging golf. The ravine and creek come into play heavily on the front 9 and hole 18. The back 9 features some monster wooded holes, both short and long. The 3 additional holes are the most open, finally giving you some room to work with and on holes 20 and 21, the opportunity to grip and rip a long open drive.

Some of the most memorable shots on the course are the ones near or crossing the creek. Hole 1 plays slightly downhill with the ravine along the right. The basket is perched at the edge of a peninsula with the creek in the ravine on the right and a steep slope behind the basket. You can play it safe or go for the green but it's OB off the ledge on the right and beyond a fence on the left. Holes 5, 6, 7, and 18 all throw across the creek/ravine but each one has a different twist so you don't feel like you're throwing the same shot over the creek. Another cool thing about the ravine/creek holes: disc retrieval is actually really easy so don't worry too much about losing a disc. I also really like hole 10: a big anhyzer shot over a pond with a green protected by mature trees. Hole 15 is a beast that starts very tight then opens up a bit but the fairway remains narrow the length of the hole (600'? I can't remember). Hole 17 is a long straight teeshot that eventually curves right as it funnels into a narrow gap in dense woods. Hole 13 might be the smallest gap with the fewest options I've seen off a tee. A comically tight fairway but the line is there.

This is the most fun I have had playing golf in DFW and my new favorite course in town. The Jaranator may a little rough around the edges but it is easily on par with most of the best courses in Texas. I can't think of any aspects of the game that this course will not test, though all out distance is the least emphasized with only 2 real crushers and few opportunities for big distance lines on the other longer holes. I have to give another shout out to Matt Jara also: besides creating a stellar course, he's a great guy and a wonderful host. The Jaranator is a playground for the serious golfer and proof that a course can be both a formidable challenge and a blast to play.


**Like this review? Hate it? Message me and let me know why! I want to make them better!**
Was this review helpful? Yes No
12 0
Abelgoddard
Experience: 7 played 1 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Amazing course, beautiful 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 18, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

Great mix of long holes and short detailed holes. 4 holes go over a deep ravine, but there are multiple easy access paths to the bottom. Although there is a large amount of up and down hiking, it seems like most of the holes and their tees were about level with each other. Gorgeous scenery throughout. The ravine/creek is just awesome to see. The creek itself is mostly very shallow, but be prepared to get a little wet crossing it until permanent steps are installed.

Cons:

Signage was lacking. Each tee was fairly marked with a sign (except 17), and some had concrete pads, but we really needed signs for what general direction the hole was, and the next tee from the hole. The distance was marked on the signs, however.

Regarding getting wet in crossing the ravine, it was mostly wet mud that was the problem, not really a deep water or hard to cross areas.

Other Thoughts:

Matt (owner/operator/maintenance/etc) is clearly working hard on maintaining and constructing the course. I think his plans are pretty clear and are very much needed (tees without pads mostly have boxes waiting for the concrete).

I hate to say anything bad about the course. I think it's clear that this will be the best course in the metroplex. I live near Lorch Park (Coyote and Beaver courses) and I'm used to those excellent courses. This one, once signs and pads are put in throughout, will be even better. I am really looking forward to playing this course again.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
4 11
Discengineer
Experience: 14.4 years 70 played 10 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Not your typical DFW Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 22, 2014 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Well first off its not like your typical courses its has some nice elevation changes, varying shot angles, trees and is very enjoyable

Cons:

Not much to complain about guess that its not a park but thats kinda of a good thing

Other Thoughts:

This is a private course so you have to get the Okay to come out and to sign a waiver. But it is worth the extra effort and is a real enjoyment. In the midst of putting the rest of the tee pads in. It is pristine, away from pedestrians and a sight to take in. Much shout out to the Jara's for opening this up and letting disc golfers enjoy this little gem.
Was this review helpful? Yes No

Latest posts

Top