+ The whole course takes place in a well-maintained scenic park with several other features and attractions. The $7 park entrance fee at the gate is worth it. ($10 on weekends and holidays.)
+ Elevation challenges abound. Some are gradual and leisurely. Some are sudden and dramatic. Flat holes are in the minority.
+ A lovely assortment of wooded, wide open and park-style fairways.
+ Tee signs are big, well illustrated and have all the right info, but...

- ...A few of them were missing during my visit in July 2022.
- Navigation between holes can be a hassle here. At times, it was necessary to use Udisc's map to find the next tee.
-/+ Rubber tee pads are flat and functional, but some people don't like them because as time passes they tend to wear down and/or take on the shape of whatever lumps and bumps are beneath.

My favorite hole at this course was definitely hole14. The first half of the fairway is a woodsy puzzle, and the second half sucker punches you with a striking downhill approach with just as many trees to worry about. As for a least favorite, that might be hole10 for its flat and wide open fairway.

Holes like that aren't very common at Wickham, thankfully. No, the course at Wickham Park is largely a shotgun blast of variety. One hole has you throwing along a half-open tunnel with a low ceiling and OB to the left, the next dares you to sneak through a maze of tees, and then you're given a straightforward ace run in the middle of the woods. Most disc golfers' preferences will be accommodated here, but that means it doesn't specialize in any one area.

Speaking of 'area,' this place is huge. Wickham Park's disc golf course fully stretches its legs and makes hefty demands of its players throughout the 18+4 holes here. There are an optional four holes in between holes5 and 6 to sprinkle a little more disc golf atop your disc golf. Whether you play the shortest layout or the optional longest one, the average hole length is longer than 350 feet, so prepare for a literal walk in the park. You'll pass some impressive trees, calming fields, curious gardens, decorative stonework and more.

But maybe that's just because you'll get lost once or twice. For the most part, the 'next' signage is great. But there are some spots where the player will have no idea where to go next. Sometimes there will be just one arrow pointing vaguely in a direction, and you're left to use your disc golfer's logic to figure out the right way. It's a good thing that the property is so nice to look at- especially during sunset.

Scenery aside, let's not forget that disc golfing is the primary reason a person plays at a course. The holes on offer here are good. Like we said earlier, this course isn't about specialty but rather a general cross-sampling of what most disc golf courses can offer. It's not terribly difficult or insultingly easy. Most players should feel satisfied here, and it gets a strong recommendation from me.

In closing, I would caution against getting too worked up about the course. Fun as it undeniably is, your wallet might not like you playing here too much. Visit it once if you're passing through with no problem. Savor it. Take pictures. Take multiple shots. In all honesty, you'll probably end up liking it for its presentation and satisfying fairways, even if you were hoping for a less balanced experience.

+ A magnificent park using the grounds of an old mansion (similar to Norwalk's Cranbury Park), in immaculate condition. The views (especially of downtown Hartford on the #7 "Skyline" hole are unmatched


+ Some alternate tees and/or baskets, along with an "extra" loop of four holes (A-D) make for excellent replayability


+ With the exception of a few missing tee signs, everything was in excellent shape (although you have to like rubber tees). The addition of metal plaques commemorating aces and eagles on the tee signs was a really unusual and personalized touch


+ The course winds in and out of heavy woods, giving you great variety throughout the round. The open holes tend to be wide open downhill throws across mowed fields with little concern for obstacles

- Throwing across open fields becomes a bit repetitive. It's great at first (hole #1 and the amazing hole #7), but after a few more, #12 is just dull, then #17 and #18 felt like "oh - this again"


- Others commented on navigation issues, and I think signage may have been improved with more arrows since. There are bricks painted with arrows at the bottom at the base of the baskets. Mostly it was pretty intuitive, or the next tees were visible. The one exception is the transition from #12 to #13 as you go down into the woods. I didn't see any arrows, and it would be easy to take a wrong turn down a hill - just to have to walk back up


- Speaking of walking down a hill just to walk back up, I think the weakest holes at Wickham are #13 - #15: uphill, downhill, uphill - all on the same damn hill. This section reminded me of nearby Ecker Hill: they are relatively short holes with elevation changes of 40' - 70' (steep!) with blind throws. Having three holes in a row like this made the section feel like it was stuck in to make a full 18 hole layout

- It wasn't clear to me if all the Alternate positions had baskets in place, and it became confusing which basket style I should be expecting on the Regular layout. Playing #2 and later on #7, it was visible that the Regular position had the older Chainstar basket, while the Alternate had the newer white-banded DisCatcher. But on other holes, the only basket was a DisCatcher - so I thought that on holes where the Alternate is created by having a second tee, they use the DisCatcher on the single basket position (like they have on #1). But I'm just guessing, because later in the round, #17 had no basket in the Alternate position - but had a DisCatcher in the Regular position (and weirdly, #14 had no basket in the Regular position, so I threw to the Alternate). This was surprising given how well-kept the course is. It may have been an aberration, or it could have been User Error.


- The Regular layout is 7100 and par 58. I understand how they take elevation change into account on some of the par 3's, but downhill par 3's of 540' and 700', and the uphill closer par 3 at 480' seems to stretch it a bit, especially for rec players who are playing against par


~ Not a lot of directional aids as you drive through the park. Just keep driving until you see Parking Lot "E." It's almost all the way to the (closed) exit gate


~ I had no objection to paying $7 on a weekday. Even if the disc golf wasn't all that I had come to expect, it's clear that money is paying for upkeep


~ A park employee told me that there's a chance they will stop closing the course during winters. He said there's a new guy in charge, and this employee admitted this was the only course he's heard of that pulls its baskets for the winter


~ Wickham is worth the money, and absolutely worth the visit. Taking nothing away from the experience at Wickham, Connecticut also offers better-rounded and more challenging "New England style wooded golf" in Rockwell, Killingworth and Nichols. And courses like Bittner, Panthorn, Cross Farms, Cranbury and Page are very good too (and I haven't even gotten up to Norbrook yet). Obvious solution to any debate: Play them all!

- There was amazing signage! The signage could not be any more great, they included OB, trees, paths, etc.
- The course had great variation on the distances. A couple of times there was a 700 footer, then a 150 downhill putter shot
- The course can be challenging to walk but it is a great workout.
- The course had nice elevation. Hole 7 and the first letter hole had some nice downhill opportunities. Hole seven was my favorite hole.
- Wickham has a mix of open and wooded holes. Half of the holes wooded and half of the holes more open.
- The course was designed very well with the big piece of land that they had.

- The first hole is EXTREMELY hard to find if you don't get a map. I suggest getting a map from the entrance. It was still hard even with the map.
- The letter holes were hard to locate. Even with the next tee posts on trees, it was far away from the majority of the course.
- Hole 15 is quite hard to find. In a rush, you might have to skip it because of the toughness of location.
- This really isn't a con, but a beginner would get destroyed on this course. Unless you can throw 230 or more, you will be shooting around 30 over.

Rating Breakdown (Each category is 0.5 star or 0 star):
TEE PAD QUALITY: 0, the tee pads were dusty and I had close to no footing.
SIGNAGE: 0.5, perfect tee signs, full color with trees, OB, etc.
AMENITIES: 0.5, there were garbage cans some places and benches every hole.
PARK AMENITIES: 0.5, tons of sports fields, playgrounds, dog park and other places for non disc golf fun.
ELEVATION: 0.5, I would give it a full 1 star if I could, because there was the best disc golf course elevation I've ever seen in my life.
TERRAIN: 0, I think the designer could have made 2 courses, not a 22 hole course
HOLE LENGTH VARIETY: 0.5, sometimes there would be a 700 foot bomb, then a 150 foot finesse shot would be next. Great job with variety.
EXTRA TEES/BASKETS: 0.5, there was either 2 baskets or 2 alternate tees, and even sometimes 2 tee and 2 baskets!
SIGNATURE HOLE: 0.5, there were so many beautiful tee shots, especially hole 7. It just makes you want to empty your hole bag down the hill.
OVERALL FUN FACTOR: 0.5, the course is my favorite out of two I played in Connecticut, one of the favorite out of the 58 I have played!

Rating: 4 Stars

I loved Wickham Park and I look forward to the time when I come back again!

This course has a lot of wide open holes that allow you to really crank on your drivers and watch them fly. The view on hole 7 of Hartford is pretty cool. The layout is fantastic, and covers a large area (over 7000 ft). For me this course was a great change from my local courses that are predominantly wooded, tighter courses that don't allow you to go for big distance too much. The course was very well maintained - probably the best I've seen.

Its pay to park - yet its only $5 per car, and some of it ($1 I think) go to the disc golf fund. If you get a group of people to go in one car, say 4 or 5, the cost to park literally pocket change that we all probably have tucked in the console.

If you're an outdoorsman like myself, you'll appreciate the fact that Cabela's is only an 8 minute drive from Wickham.

Wickham Park is worth visiting even if you don't play disc golf. Since I know you all do, let me tell you a little about it. One of the nicest parks I've seen. Several themed garden areas (oriental, Scottish, wetlands, lotus, English, etc...), an aviary, a sensory garden (whatever that is), a bird sanctuary, multiple playgrounds, tennis court, volleyball, pavilions, and a large cabin. There is also a great view of downtown Hartford on the 7th hole. The weather was perfect when I got into town, and the first hole was the kind of big opener you like to see at any new course. A lengthy downhill drive without a lot of interference until the landing zone. Elevation change of - 45 feet , and 540 feet in distance. There is a lot of OB short of the green and left side. The hole is in an odd notch cleared in the woods, and fenced on 3 sides. Really a perfect place for the pin. Not every one can reach this one from the tee, I managed to get close, but couldn't make par since I found the OB. Hole 2 two is flat, with average length, and the basket residing under an old tree with a lot of personality. There are woods squeezing the gap in the 3rd fairway, and if you can hit it, a birdie may be your reward. It is a 314' par 4 on the scorecard, and that what I took after missing my first putt. Holes 4 and 5 are both under 200, and 5 is another drastic downhill, dropping 35 feet in elevation from tee to basket. There is an optional 4 hole loop near hole 6, but I overlooked it, sadly. Wish I could tell you more about it. 6 itself is long, another par 4. Uphill, but lots of airspace to use on the right, favoring the RHBH thrower, with the basket to the left in the trees. 7 is par 3, long (600'), very downhill (-65'), and if you'll look to your right, you'll see a panoramic view of East Hartford and downtown skyscrapers in the distance. 8 is 640' and par 4, with a line of sizable trees a little past half way, and more clustered around the basket. 9 is a much shorter with a hard right turn. 10 is a dogleg right, and served me a bogey, two putt. 11 is the final par 4 and 720' slightly uphill. Long, but few trees to contest, just a wall running the length on the left side. To get to 12, walk past the area of the sensory garden and aviary, to the left along the path. Another long drive downhill, the elevation change assisting with added d from the tee. 13 takes the elevation the other way and then some, climbing 65' through the woods. 14 is steep slope down 70', and the pin has more downhill drop behind, giving me a double bogey, three putt. 15 is under 200' but uphill and with trees making things harder. 16 is dedicated to the loss of a beloved player active in the area, memorialized with a lovely bench and mini garden. 17 brings the end into sight, down an open hillside to a basket shaded under the fringe of the woods. 18 takes you back up the hill to the parking lot, mostly open but 480' and 40' of elevation makes it a tough par 3. There are very good quality concrete tees, more than one on a couple of holes. The signs have all the info you could possibly want. Baskets are nice condition Chainstar targets. I loved the topographical ups and downs, that really make this course. Great contrast of open and wooded, as well as long and short holes. Wish I would have noticed the extra holes, consult the scorecard/map that the gate attendant passes out, along with park logo golf pencils. The public restrooms are near the aviary, and concessions as well, according to other reviewers.

Cost to enter is not high, $4 per vehicle listed on the flyer I brought home. Alcohol is prohibited, and pets must be leashed. The park hosts weddings and other gatherings, as well as other recreational and athletic facilities, though not many should affect disc golf areas.

Wickham Park is really nice and a fun course that is moderately challenging. I only made one birdie (hole 4), and shot a 65 (seven over par). I think I could do much better with a little more familiarity, but enjoyed the one chance I did get. Such a nice place, I would have loved to explore further. You could really get you moneys worth and see a lot of features if you get there early and do a lot of walking. Absolutely worth the visit.

- Hands down the most beautiful park I've ever played

- Did a great job utilizing the elevation changes which lead to a lot of challenging shots

- Took me forever to find the right parking lot. May be a good idea to ask the gate attendant how to get back there.

- Some holes seemed unnecessarily long and open. Those didn't feel very rewarding.

- Make sure you have a course map for some areas. Finding the next tee can be tricky in a few areas

The bird sanctuary is cool and the grounds are beautiful. During my week in the area this course was my second favorite after Maple Hill. I'd go back and play this course in a heartbeat.

Wickham Park was truly a fun course and we had a great time playing it. Here are my pros:

1) Absolutely wonderful signage. The signage could not be any better, as they were full color and had distances, OB, trees, paths, etc.

2) The course had great variation on the distances. Its not often you play a 720 foot par 4 and then a few holes later play a short but challenging 156 foot par 3.

3) I play disc golf for the workout and for the enjoyment and you will get both of those playing this course. The course can be challenging to walk but I actually like getting a good workout.

4) The course actually had some nice elevation. Hole 7 and the first temporary hole offered some nice downhill opportunities. Even though hole 7 was a little on the boring side off the tee, the downhill makes it more exciting as does the view of the skyline.

5) This course had a nice mix of open and wooded holes. I would consider about half of the holes wooded and half of the holes more open. I love a good variety!

6) In general, I thought the course was designed very well with the land they had to work with. There are no water hazards but they still did a great job with the actual design.

This was a really enjoyable course so I really don't have a lot of cons. Here they are:

1) It was a little confusing to find the "extra" holes. You essentially walked up a hill and then across the fairway of another hole to get to the first of the extra holes. It just felt wrong even though it ended up being right. It was just a bit strange to walk across a fairway to get to them so just keep your eyes open for discs.

2) Its highly recommended you use a map to navigate the course. I definitely would have been lost without it. The front gate to the park (this is a pay to play park) has a great, full color map so take advantage of it.

3) I am a huge fan of longer, more open holes but unfortunately some of the holes here were just a little too open. I wouldn't classify them as boring by any means but a lot of the longer holes were lacking obstacles. The designers essentially did what they had with the land but holes 7, 11 and 12 literally had nothing in the way of obstacles. The only obstacle we had that day was wind. Hole 12 in particular was a 489 foot shot over an open field with no obstacles. Its too long for a par 3 and too short for a par 4. I don't mind longer holes and in fact prefer them but would like to see a few more obstacles on the longer holes.

4) I am not a huge fan of artificial OB and hole 9 had this feature. Its a sharply turning, LHBH or RH flick hole that has a really tough fairway with some low hanging pines. Throwing the OB into play just makes it a little gimmicky in my opinion.

Don't take my cons in a negative way. All in all this course is VERY enjoyable and I rated it Excellent.

This course actually had a neat little bird sanctuary after hole 11 that was pretty neat. I always like to point out non disc golf things in the park to entice your significant others to come with you (if you are a guy and your wife or girlfriend is tagging along). Also, the park offers some absolutely stunning views of the Hartford, CT skyline. I would highly recommend this course!

The alternate tee on 8 is the only one I play. It makes it a great hole and a helluva par 3.

The long pin placement on 9 is excellent and makes the hole a challenging par 4. However, both alternates are out of sight and there's no sign for them, they are seldom played.

The pros have been covered well so I won't delve into them.

The park makes a bundle of $$ off disc golf. They really should invest on more baskets so that you can choose which pin placement you want to play on 13, 14, 18 & perhaps 17. They are not changed enough.

During clover season, June forward, bring your bee sting meds if you have a problem with them.

Beautiful scenery, and wonderous variety of terrain, distance, elevation change and throwing turns on the holes...

Ask for your FREE, high quality stock, color map scorecard at the front gate and you shall receive!!!

Spacious level rubber tee pads!

So many reviews have covered most of this course thoroughly. So I'll say this:

This was the first course I played and every time I play it I come up with something new to like about it. So nice that the most central, easiest place to meet up in the state is such high quality... I'm told "professional Level"... whatever that means

Seriously though... don't miss out... Play this course... often if possible.

This is a popular spot for gatherings of like 24+ people on the weekends... and frequently they like to camp out by a hole (usually 18, sometimes 7) usually completely oblivious to what is going on less than 20 feet away... throw with an aboundance of caution lest you hit a wayward child in one of these gatherings or sunbather on 7's hill

No water hazards or even scenic water

Limited Restrooms along course

$5 parking per car (so it's kind of pay to play)

Wooded holes can be saturated with water/up to 3" of mud... not always but enough where investing in some fairway wood chips might be wise and would certainly raise my rating.

Perhaps the most popular course in Connecticut and central in the state so a great meet up point... "Ballyhooed" an appropriate word? Yeah... probably...

But for all that I've never had a bad time here.

Recently they moved the pins to Alt placements on 13, 14 & 15... can't wait until the return of the wooded 100 foot from the tee 50 foot downhill blind drop on hole 14 to return... so classic

Nice open space and wooded holes. Great for exercise hiking the course.

Long holes. Holes only have one tee pad (from what I could tell). It might be a good idea to add a second tee pad on the really long holes for the beginners out there.

Also if it is a busy park day you may have to wait a while to play a hole because pedestrians have the right of way. Hole 18 is notorious for this as it is a great picnic spot and you may have to stop your play there if someone is picnicking in the middle of the hole.

All in all, a good course to run

I arrived at Wickham Park at the edge of exhaustion. It had been a long three days. That morning had already included a long walk across Manhattan and a drive from the city to Hartford. After dropping off a friend at the bus station, I sought out the nearest course, hoping for a quick round with sleep primarily on my mind. It was well over 90 when I exited the car and found a big group ahead of me and another car pulling behind me. It didn't look promising. Consulting the map, I jogged up the parking lot to where I could jump in at the seventh tee. I looked down from the tee, a manicured slope led to a sharp dogleg around a bank of trees. To the right, the slope met a broad forest and behind it, The Hartford skyline loomed. Well, that was invigorating.

There wasn't a hole that topped seven, but there was a ton of variety. Hole 8 was another bomb, a straight shot across 640 feet with a guarded cage that presents a serious challenge to par. The landscape is consistently perfect. The fairways are manicured lawns. The obstacles are sprawling, healthy-looking tress. After a few shorter holes, 11 is another bomb but running parallel to a tree line on the left, frustrating RHFHs like myself.

The walk from 11 to 12 is on the long side, but it does pass directly by the aviary and more importantly, a snack shack. (It may be ironic that I came up from the south to swelter in the Connecticut heat, but I was never so glad to find someone selling Gatorade.)

Hole 12 provides one last chance to air it out before heading into the woods. The next four wooded holes are a nice experiment with elevation changes in the woods. You go up, then down, up then down before the woods give way to fields once more.

The last two holes(if you played them in the proper order) would feel like a victory lap. They are probably the two easiest holes on the map. Straightforward shots across an open lawn. The last climbs gradually towards the parking lot where you likely started.

Hole 1 actually would have been a nice starting spot. Downhill, with the hole tucked to the left, a big patch of rough in the way and a nice landing spot to the right for your drive. Hole two transitions to the woods. Still on lawn, but with the woods tight on the right and trees to the left as well. A very narrow fairway for an open hole, a wide fairway for a woods hole.

The next few are wooded, and man, these are are my type of wooded holes. The lines are tough but they are there. There are trees that force you to shape your shot but an absence of underbrush. It's all very clean. Dry soil, fallen leaves and bare trunks.

It wasn't what I was expecting. I hadn't researched. I hadn't read reviews. It was the closest course to the bus station. It was the closest to where I happened to be when I pulled up DGCR. I would have been happy with a quick eighteen. What I found was a fantastic surprise.

The transition from sixteen to seventeen is strange. From sixteen, it would make more sense to go to the eighteenth tee.

Definitely bring a map. They give you one at the gate, so it's not a real con, but the natural layout isn't the greatest in terms of finding the next tee at times.

The bonus holes are merely mediocre. I would not do them in the middle of the course. Save them for the end since they definitely interrupt the flow. They'd fit right in at most courses, but compared to how good all the other holes are at this course, they seem out of place.

Challanging holes, big open fairways and also some in the woods. Not too much elevation in the woods until the back 9. Open field shots have some uphill and some downhill. I found driving in the woods wasnt too horrible either. not too many immediate trees to mess up drives. well maintained, people were doing upkeep while we were there so you know its gets attention

great course so its more populated than any I have been to yet, I understand some afternoons they have small tournaments so you may have to wait to play depending on when you get there. we went at noon on a weekday. Maybe weekends are busier. 4 bucks to park isnt that bad. Distance on some can be overwhelming for newer players but I still reccomend trying it at least once

Until I went here most of my golfing was in wooded areas. I need to work on my open field driving before I can really succeed here. went with 3 others and we all thought it was great. Kinda far from my home so cant go there as much as I would like to but since we were there we played 18 twice. I would reccomend it if you cant go there much like me. bring some drinks and snacks and play 18 again =)

Very well maintained 18 hole course in a very nice private park. Lots of other family activities on sight. Clean bathrooms available at the Nature Center.

Like I said, well maintained. The open holes are freshly mowed and the wooded holes have almost no overgrowth or brush to lose discs in. Just a clean, country club feel to this course.

Almost an even mix of very open holes and wooded holes. If you like to throw drivers and watch them fly this is a good course for you. #1 starts you out with a 540' downhill bomb. And there are about 6 or 7 more open holes waiting for you to test your arm.

The remaining holes are wooded and fairly technical. While I wouldn't say you have to shape lines on this course, you do have to be able to hit a gap in the woods. With no accuracy the wooded holes could eat you up.

A very good use of elevation on this course. I was pleasantly surprised to find this in CT. There are some long open downhill shots and a couple steep wooded holes where the elevation is used well. Really a lot of fun.

Really no bad holes. There are some long holes and a few short ace runs in the woods. Nice mix to keep you from getting bored.

Rubber tee pads or natural pads. I slipped on a couple of the rubber pads. They are mostly in good shape, but this is an area where the course could get better.

You definitely need to bring a map if it's your first time. It's a long course with some long transitions. They are made even longer when you can't find the next tee. Some navigation signage would really help.

Almost all the long holes are wide open. Almost all the wooded holes are short. Maybe not a con, but a long wooded hole that requires some shot shaping and planning is always nice.

Just a very nice course that allows you to really let loose. On several of the open holes basket positions also add a little difficulty when you're lining up your approach shot.

Lots of big mature trees and freshly cut grass. Huge park and a long spread out course. Definitely put this on your wish list and get there if you are in CT.

It's easy to see that Wickham Park and it's disc golf course both receive a tremendous amount of loving care and attention. This is one pretty park. There is a kiosk with a map and all kinds of pertinent information at the start. The tee signs are great, full color with distance, par, name of the hole, basket position, elevation loss/gain, sponsors and they are mounted on two sturdy poles. And I have never seen this before but on some of these poles they have these little plaques screwed to the pole with the names of players who have ACED this hole during tournies or league play. So # 5 which is a nice little 198' downhill ACE run, has 13 plaques honoring those players who have ACED it. Very cool indeed! And # 8 is a long 640' hole with three plaques for players who have eagled it. I would like to have seen those shots. The pads are rubber. They're OK, I prefer concrete. I would like to see brooms at each pad. That would be a nice touch here. There is a great mix of open bomber holes and tight, technical wooded holes.

I thought # 7 was an absolutely EPIC hole, 600' down a beautifully sloping fairway to a basket down at the bottom of the hill. Plus an amazing view in the distance. It's an empty your bag type of hole.

I would have liked have had some help with the navigation. Maybe some simple little arrows up in some trees or a how about hanging some small metal "next tee" signs from the bottom of the baskets? I wasn't real thrilled with a couple of the long throws across open fields. They seemed kind of boring and mundane and the grass was just long enough and damp enough that I wasn't having any luck rolling on them. Plus I'm the original weiney arm so 700' across an open field is not my thing.

I arrived at the park too early one morning and found the front gate closed with a sign saying it wasn't open until 9:30. What kind of park doesn't open until 9:30? So I parked across the street in the apartments and preceeded to walk the long walk attempting to find the disc golf course. After a seemingly mile walk up past the avairy, past hole #12 and beyond, I finally found the start. I was about tanked out by then but I guess the good news was, I did save the park entry fee.

I have to start by saying that this is an absolutely gorgeous park, with wonderful views, and immaculately maintained. The park entry fee is put to very good use. The land is a mix of small and large tree swaths, wide grass stretches, and all set on a rolling hill landscape.

I didn't know it before playing, but there are 4 extra holes on the course! These can be played after hole 5, and are labelled A,B,C,D. Hole A tee is on the right side of fairway 6, and the rest wind back and forth through woods, and loop back to tee 6.

Holes like 1, A, 7, 12 are moderately long but play over wide open downhill stretches of emerald green manicured grass, and make you feel like you can throw farther. If they hit the right lines, a 350'-400' flat ground thrower can get close to these positions. I wish I had brought more discs, I'm sure I would have emptied my bag on hole 7.

I was in awe when, after teeing off on 7, I walked out into the open and finally noticed the great view of downtown Hartford in the distance. I wished I had my camera with me.

The course is well-organized, rubber tees are on every hole, the baskets are in good shape, the tee signs are nice and have sponsors, etc., which makes me think that the local club does indeed play a big role in building and developing the course. The park staff probably mow the grass and take care of everything else...a super nice arrangement.

I like the variety of holes. The more tree-dense holes force you to play a variety of different directions. Hole 9 essentially forces you to throw a roller off the tee, which is cool. The topography makes short holes like 5 a bit more challenging...it is hard to not overthrow some of them. Some of the basket placements are strategically placed behind trees, forcing low approaches through modestly narrow openings (e.g., 1, A, 8, ...).

Older players will enjoy all the roller opportunities in the manicured grass.

There are clean bathrooms and facilities. There are also barbeque grills, etc., if you wanted to hang out and eat/picnic.

I refuse to downgrade a course rating based on silly things like how difficult it is to navigate a course the first time you play it. After you play it once, such concerns no longer matter. There is a nice map on the board at tee 1, but it is hard to remember it all. If you have the opportunity, and you're playing it for the first time, find a local guide, or print off a map before you go. If the club ever has a chance, they might consider putting "next tee" arrows on the baskets and maybe a few signs to help out with the tough transitions (e.g., 11-12) for out-of-towners.

My biggest con is that it seemed like the course is designed to flatter the player and make one feel like they are a better player than they actually are, and there were no holes that really humble you and make you feel challenged (or maybe I'm just a glutton for punishment). Generally, I didn't feel that the course was challenging enough to stand up to its reputation and rating. Even the longest toughest holes are relatively modest par 3s in my book. I didn't have much trouble finding my lines in even the tightest wooded holes (e.g., hole 3 from the long tee).

It also seemed that hitting a tree here or there still allowed for relatively easy upshots for par. The punishment wasn't severe enough. Still, I think a local thrower coming up at this course would develop a lot of skill, although they might struggle if they travel to play tournaments at tougher courses.

Note: I only play the longest pads/layouts...I can't comment on the short pads/layouts.

The park staff at the front gate were fairly ignorant about the course, and had no useful information to offer. Perhaps the club could print off course maps/scorecards that they could hand out at the front gate of the park upon request?

I asked some guys how much an annual pass for the course costs, and they said it was $100. That's a pretty nice deal, especially for people living in the area who can play it 2+ times per week.

Oh yes, if you are traveling down I-91 to the course, the freeway signs suggest a connector to I-84, I think it was I-291. Exit 60 is to the west of the intersection with I-84, but you can't get to it if you turn onto west I-84. It is a little tricky, so maybe plan your route before you come if you're not familiar with the area.

GREAT HOLES. GREAT LAYOUT. GREAT MAINTENANCE. GREAT COURSE.

some of the most interesting holes i have ever seen. other reviewers seem to have covered hole-by-hole breakdowns so i wont go into that. great signage, easy navigation.

lots of gardens and other stuff to see or do around here. Wickham park is a great place for anyone, especially us disc golfers.

$5 to get in the park, although its well worth it.
LONG WAITS. waits waits waits waits. expect to wait 10-15 minutes per hole if you're in a group of two or playing by yourself. to an out-of-towner, it seemed as if hardly one around this particular area believes in etiquette. they didnt even say hello to me and the person i was playing with. they didnt acknowledge us at all or let us play through.

go play this course.now.or else.

Impeccable fit and finish - from the tees to the maps to the landscaping. Apparent to me, after stepping up to the first tee, my first time playing, that this is where serious players go. Intuitive flow - constant mix of wooded and wide open. Plenty of elevation changes, down one basket, up on the next. Really brings a little bit of everything to the table. 2 and 5 are short and direct, the stuff of aces. 6, 8, 11 and 18 require considerable power to keep par realistic, with long straight and open fairways. 13, 14, 15 are all tight and narrow, steep elevation changes, and under heavy wooded cover.

The majority of the other baskets (I'm thinking of 1, 7, 10, 12 and 17, in particular) require a soft, usually 45-degree curve, enhanced by gentle elevation shifts. These floaty, twisting fairways are prevalent here, hence I find this to be the trademark, if anything, of Wickham, and these types of fairways can be immensely enjoyable to play on.

Great courses draw crowds and Wickham is no exception, lots of traffic (which can be great if you enjoy meeting new players, although it can slow play down). More garbage and recycling receptacles would be appreciated. Park could do a better job of offering direction to first time players, as tee 1 is on opposite end of park from main entrance. Lush stuff on left of fairway on 1 is pretty unforgiving. The walk from 11 to 12 breaks up the rhythm of the course, although it's fun to look at the aviary and stuffed beavers on the way.

Excellent course. Top-notch facility and meticulously maintained. This is easily the best course I've played in CT and by my estimation, could probably hang with any course in New England (probably one of the better courses in the country). Great mix of scenery, strategy and challenges. 7 has to be the trademark with the long, curving downhill fairway and sweeping view of the Hartford skyline. Literally a "must play".

This course is beautiful, nice views, well maintained, easy to navigate. Great chill spots with benches. 4 New holes A,B,C, and D. There are usually plenty of people out playing. I am still a new guy and I enjoy watching others throw better than me.
I enjoy the variety, Hole 1) off the top of a hill down and left. Hole 2) stay low but keep it long.
Hole 3) Awesome hole if you miss those trees.
Hole 4) it's not as long as you think go easy now.
Hole 5) Lob it and stay off the grass.
Hole A) Lauch sequence initiated! stay a bit right but it is thick in those bushes.
Hole B) is a fave of mine it's blind but if you know where the pin is you'll get there.
Hole C) 2 Approach options clearly marked
Hole D) Fun is all I can say
Back to Hole 6) Long and Straight to start can you crest the 2nd hill? then hook left.
Hole 7) Long dog! just huck it and you'll see
Hole 8) Striaght down (i do prefer the short 8 pad)
Hole 9) Go left of the trees trust me
Hole 10) With a good tee shot you'll be fine.
Hole 11) My nemesis, for me it's a par 13
Hole 12) Down the hill easy enough if you over shoot it the woods are thin there and you should locate your disc easily.
Hole 13) Back into the woods for some tomahawkin if you make it to the top in one your fine.
Hole 14) Send in a spotter.
Hole 15) My tomahawk birdie hole.
Hole 16) Test of skill/luck with these scattered trees.
Hole 17) Back in the open with a cool treeline shot that can easily result in a bird.
Hole 18) Giant uphill shot kind of plain.
Wickham is my 3-4times weekly course so when I play other courses the bar is set rather high.

I don't usually care about amenities but I would like to see a couple more trash cans. I get pissed when I see bottles and butts everywhere. Over 22 holes there are only 2 trash cans and I see too much trash on the ground. I bring cigs and beers and you'll never see any of mine left behind. Pack out what you pack in. I think a couple more cans might help get that message out.

In my opinion there is only one con to this whole place and that's the jerks that throw their trash wherever they want.

This is an awesomely maintained park! Well manicured, great facilities, and very convenient to the interstate.

Chainstar baskets are in great shape and catch well. Rubber teepads are not quite as nice as concrete, but are done right and pose no issues. Plays in the open as well as in the woods. Nice variety of terrain, both uphill and downhill, which I loved. Grass well kept and while it doesn't look like they mow it once a week or anything, you won't lose a disc or anything in it.

Parking was plentiful next to the first tee. Even when busy I can't imagine it would fill up completely.

My memorable holes:
1 - Long-ish downhill hyzer shot, with a bunch of shule covering most of the land on the way down, OB. Takes a deceiving amount of distance to clear the OB, then the basket is tucked in some trees to the left (not visible from tee).
3 - Talk about a pinball hole. It takes a very accurate shot not to get caught up in all the thin trees. Uphill and no direct line, better to play safe (which unfortunately I didn't do!).
5 - Nice downhill right-turning tunnel, give it a soft anhyzer with a neutral fairway driver, and let it float on down to the basket.
6 - Says that it's only 510 feet, but plays like 1000! Uphill for several hundred feet then left, into the trees. A big arm could get lucky and have a look at a 2 with a perfect drive, but alas, that is not me.
7 - Really cool tee tucked into the edge of the woods, you throw out over a large field downhill, and the basket is in the point of another stand of trees 600 feet away. The thing that really gets you is that if you don't keep it low, it will dive wayyy left into more trees..
9 - Tough, tough, tough. Almost no line, but not much distance either. Best shot I could come up with was a severely hyzered forehand. It did not work well.
13 - Up a big gulley, about 30 feet elevation change, very, very tough shot.
18 - Finishing hole was pretty cool, up a gentle hill, then the basket guarded by some mature trees.

My biggest complaint is course flow. I suppose it is a tradeoff between flow and using the best areas of the park to make great holes, but some holes have some long walks in-between, and even with what seems like a very good map, I still had considerable difficulty finding some of the next tees. Walking between 11 and 12 was a little challenging, but got to see some cool animals in the aviary on the way. Likewise I had a little trouble finding 17's tee.

Probably not a common thing, and I won't let it factor in my rating, but when I got there mid-afternoon, they were getting ready to shut the park down. One of the very cool rangers let me go ahead and play as long as I promised to make it quick, thanks again man!

My rating of a 4 is based on this park being so well-kept, and well-designed, although a few of the holes are a little simple, but the difficult ones make up for it. It could be a 4.5 in my opinion if they upgraded to concrete tees, and improved the navigation.

If you are in the Hartford area, you HAVE to go play Wickham. From my initial research of the course, I didn't expect a lot, but it appears it is a hidden jewel. I can't wait to make it back to the area again to play it some more!

For where this course is it is amazingly beautiful and well kept. The course is in a multi use park but you don't run into the other activities very much, if at all. Even though the course is wide open there is a huge use of elevation and OB which keeps you honest and defiantly challenges you to make a good throw. The tee signs are colored and mounted on nice stands that clearly show the basket location, distance, par, and second tee position(if available). The tee pads are rubber, on the long tees anyway, and nice and level. Some of the holes have multiple baskets with one tee and this makes for an even more unique experience. The layout is awesome. There aren't many trees on the course but they are used to maximum potential. Whether the basket is in a cluster of trees, they run next to the fairway, they are in front of the tee box or somewhere else they always make you second guess your shot. Make sure to bring your strong arm because the sheer length of this course is daunting, and that doesn't take into account the changes in elevation. There are some restrooms located behind hole fourteen's teebox. The cleanliness isnt the best though.

Some of the baskets could defiantly use some TLC as they are damaged and/or rusting. The short tee pads are not well marked at all and hard to find. There is a really long drive once you enter the park to get to tee one. The tee pads have pine needles and grass clippings all over them. A broom would be a much welcomed addition. There are very few next tee signs which can be confusing without a map. There is a constant wind which toys with your mind (not sure if it is a con but the wind takes your discs and they can be hard to find in the tall grass). Even though the grass was recently cut it was still almost ankle deep.

Admission to the park is $4.00. Make sure to request a scorecard because you will need the map. Hole seven's fairway offers a gorgeous view of downtown Hartford. There is a playground near hole twelve as well as a bird sanctuary and food stand.