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Woodland Valley - The Kodiak reviews
5
0
KnickerbockerLAG
Experience:
12.1 years
20 played
12 reviews
Kodiak Needs Major Adjustments 2+ years drive by
Reviewed:
Played on:Nov 23, 2017
Played the course:5+ times
Pros:
This review is solely for the Kodiak Course at Woodland Valley. Among pros are very sufficient tee pads, brick / paver, great traction, and the machV baskets are quality and catch discs very well.
From a design perspective there are a 4 or 5 excellent holes that shine via playtesting and also visual beauty.
The tee signs are extremely detailed, down to accurate elevation change depictions. Second to none.
From a design perspective there are a 4 or 5 excellent holes that shine via playtesting and also visual beauty.
The tee signs are extremely detailed, down to accurate elevation change depictions. Second to none.
Cons:
There are major problems.... luckily they are addressable, but I've seen no sign of improvement over the last three years so I'm not holding my breath.
1. The rough: the idea of this specific course is pro level challenge. On a pro level course, it is often expected to encounter fairly dense rough as these high level players are expected to remain in the fairways with more ease than most. However, on the majority of the holes, if any shot is even remotely imperfect, you can count on it getting pulled into the impossibly dense rough. There is no other option than a pitch out ever. There is no chance of saving your par, it's over. Repeated play IS NOT beating in the rough AT all. It needs to be lightly thinned out, bare minimum, even at pro level player expectancy. Especially due to poor hole design... which leads to con #2:
2. The course is not professionally designed. It's obviously designed by well intended folks, but people who have no previous design experience, and likely don't play much themselves to understand actual disc flight patterns, etc. Coupled with the horrendous rough, this can lead to very frustrating, nearly impossible disc golf on many of the holes.
3. The Par decisions on each hole is a total random crap shoot. Hole 1 is an absurd approx 450' uphill wooded par 3. Later on there is a 350' level par 4 that is super easy. There is a 450' Par 5 that is easy to eagle. Then there's hole 9, a narrow 900' pipeline with a huge backwards dogleg left near the end. Best case scenario, par 5 isn't enough. I've analyzed this hole thoroughly today. In order to Par it, you need to throw 3 ideal mid range to putter shots consecutively with absolutely zero error or the rough just destroys you. You have to land perfectly every throw. Then you have to throw back down the dogleg, perfectly with some sort of turnover miracle shot, then make your putt. I very seriously doubt this hole has EVER been parred as a max par 5. I feel like I'm doing a good job when I walk with a 7. I'm not a local, but I can only imagine tales of people walking away with 10-15 strokes feeling confused and dejected. It's just absolutely unreasonable. This hole should either be substantially thinned out, or just redesigned. The pars seriously need adjustment.
4. Course maintenance: Woodland Valley is pay to play. It's a business. I'd expect this to mean they regularly maintain the fairways. There were substantial limbs down, temporary piles of brush right in the middle of the fairways etc. on this difficult of a course, the extra kick while you're down is almost too much to bear if you are paying.
1. The rough: the idea of this specific course is pro level challenge. On a pro level course, it is often expected to encounter fairly dense rough as these high level players are expected to remain in the fairways with more ease than most. However, on the majority of the holes, if any shot is even remotely imperfect, you can count on it getting pulled into the impossibly dense rough. There is no other option than a pitch out ever. There is no chance of saving your par, it's over. Repeated play IS NOT beating in the rough AT all. It needs to be lightly thinned out, bare minimum, even at pro level player expectancy. Especially due to poor hole design... which leads to con #2:
2. The course is not professionally designed. It's obviously designed by well intended folks, but people who have no previous design experience, and likely don't play much themselves to understand actual disc flight patterns, etc. Coupled with the horrendous rough, this can lead to very frustrating, nearly impossible disc golf on many of the holes.
3. The Par decisions on each hole is a total random crap shoot. Hole 1 is an absurd approx 450' uphill wooded par 3. Later on there is a 350' level par 4 that is super easy. There is a 450' Par 5 that is easy to eagle. Then there's hole 9, a narrow 900' pipeline with a huge backwards dogleg left near the end. Best case scenario, par 5 isn't enough. I've analyzed this hole thoroughly today. In order to Par it, you need to throw 3 ideal mid range to putter shots consecutively with absolutely zero error or the rough just destroys you. You have to land perfectly every throw. Then you have to throw back down the dogleg, perfectly with some sort of turnover miracle shot, then make your putt. I very seriously doubt this hole has EVER been parred as a max par 5. I feel like I'm doing a good job when I walk with a 7. I'm not a local, but I can only imagine tales of people walking away with 10-15 strokes feeling confused and dejected. It's just absolutely unreasonable. This hole should either be substantially thinned out, or just redesigned. The pars seriously need adjustment.
4. Course maintenance: Woodland Valley is pay to play. It's a business. I'd expect this to mean they regularly maintain the fairways. There were substantial limbs down, temporary piles of brush right in the middle of the fairways etc. on this difficult of a course, the extra kick while you're down is almost too much to bear if you are paying.
Other Thoughts:
There is huge potential here! Feedback just needs to be heeded and put into action. Perhaps the help of a professional, experienced course designer. Play this course for a grinding challenge and for the scenery. If you want a better overall experience, play the "intermediate" Grizzly course at Woodland Valley. It is superior in every manner.
