Mobile, AL

Cottage Hill Park

3.045(based on 25 reviews)
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15 0
wellsbranch250
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 10.2 years 652 played 631 reviews
3.50 star(s)

No Hill, But A Course On The Rise. 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 11, 2020 Played the course:once

Pros:

(3.315 Rating) The woodsmen's staple course.
- WOODED LINES - Anyone who likes a full dose of technical wooded game play, is going to enjoy this one. Right out of the gates there's a enjoyable shaped tunnel shot, and then the next hole the same, and then same again and so on. It personally felt like the distances and breaks were switched up well enough to subdue thoughts of monotony while playing the layout, but post round it was definitely in my thoughts that I just played 18 straight holes requiring a shaped or straight tunnel shot... Heck yea!
- NATURAL BEAUTY - I played in November and the course looked fantastic. A delightful mix of tall pines, hardwoods and backdrop of ivy. My favorite shot of the day was (10) with the mystical looking tee with twisting limbs guarding the basket. I felt that every shot here looked above average, although I'd rate none of them a 10. I wish the course had a water element and/or undulating terrain to go with the looks of these lines.
- MULTIPLE TEES - I really liked the fact that there are two tees on 17 holes. It really widens the appeal of the course.
- CHALLENGING - I played the white tees, because the first blue tee I saw on (2), was in horrible shape. This layout requires a lot of precision. Being able to lace a 300-foot shot through a ten-foot gap pinch-point 100-feet down fairway is going to be needed here. Several holes need a well thought out, and well executed shaped drive, to run to the basket clean. Not a lot of distance is required to score well. 400-foot arms might only use a driver once or twice.
- SIGNAGE AND NAVIGATION - I didn't have a problem getting around. Brand new tee signage showing an artistic shape of the line, distances and next tee direction. There are several navigational cues too while traversing between baskets and tees. Carts should work fine.
- AMENITIES - Several amenities have been added or upgraded since the last review; New or corrected turf tees for the white layout, new benches, new garbage cans, newer chill shelter by tee (6) and the nav. markers have fresh paint. The course also has a practice basket, six alternate basket placements and I'm near certain there's a bathroom unlocked somewhere. I do wish there was a yellow band peaking from the woods on (1), instead it's a blue Prodigy basket. A nice second tier basket though.
- MAINTENANCE - Seems to have gotten a lot of love recently. The Mobile area saw some damage from a hurricane in the fall and not too long before my visit. So, I was shocked by how good the course looked. There was one monster pine still down on (18) for my play, but I have heard that it's cleaned up now too.
- QUICK PLAY - 57 minutes for me solo on an empty course at the break of dawn. Ten minutes of that was spent searching for an ace disc on (16). As soon as I gave up, I found it on the way to (17), 100-feet away from where I was looking. Oh the perils of throwing blind rollers from off the fairway.

Cons:

Some just won't like this style
- WOODED LINES - Yes I pro'd this, but this is obviously a catch 22. Anyone who hates heavily wooded courses, will not like this classic example of one, or at least not prefer it. There is a lot of needle threading required. Trees will be hit a lot, sometimes twice... Bad kicks will happen. Some will complain that there's a number of holes that are too luck based. It is what it is.
- LACK OF ELEVATION - If the year were 1763, Cottage Hill would be described as Florida Flat. Maybe a couple holes have 5 feet or so elevation change in them.
- OVERGROWTH - Kicking well-off fairway is going to result in some brutal recovery options at times. The ivy is thick in spots and there are some thorns as well. I'm glad I wore pants here. Losing a disc can happen for those not willing to scour every brush pile and turn over every leaf.
- BUGGY- I played in November and had no issue. It looks like the kind of place that could get unbearably buggy during the summer rainy season. Knowing the climate here a bit, I'd say that ideal conditions occur between November and March.
- BLUE TEES - There are 3 sets of tees on many holes. Unfortunately, the longest tee layout, the Blues, have the worst pads of the bunch. These pads are turf like the White tee layout, but the length of the pad is often so short and/or unlevel that its basically unusable. I could tell no one has been using them because there was debris and vegetation growing in and around these pads.
- BEGINNER FRIENDLY - I wouldn't bring a beginner here unless you want them to break in your plastic.

Other Thoughts:

I'd like to go with a 3.25 if we graded by quarters. Perhaps I'm skewed a bit having played during ideal wintertime conditions. The course feel reminds me a bit of local Mobile area course Chickasabogue County Park, but a better example imo. Considering I personally prefer this style of golf, Cottage Hill instantly became my second favorite course in the area after The Admiral. I have played 22 of the 25 metro courses (one is extinct), so this personal ranking could still drop since the three I haven't played yet are all highly regarded courses. (USA, Howler and Daphne). Anyways, definitely a course worth checking out for those that prefer wooded courses, especially during the winter. For those in the Pensacola area, the course from the white tees shares some attributes with the Blue Angel courses and Gator Links. I have rated all of these noted courses within a half point of each other. Moving further into Florida, a course like Sawmill also comes to mind for a similarity. For those that like open courses, I'd stay away from here. I'd recommend Langan Original unless perhaps one of the three that I haven't played yet fits that style billing better. New players should also stay clear while course baggers need to hit the Mobile area due to the high course concentration.
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6 1
Mr. Butlertron
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 21.1 years 659 played 131 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Cottage Hill? More like Cottage Flat 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 30, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

- technical and challenging fairways
- clearly defined fairways
- multiple tees per hole
- plenty of shade throughout the course
- some holes had multiple baskets
- information kiosk at beginning of course
- practice basket
- plenty of parking
- easy to follow layout
- numbered baskets
- easy to follow layout
- garbage cans

Cons:

- course run down, full of trash
- course close to multi use park, some pedestrian spillover on to the course
- many repetitive, sometimes uninspiring, holes
- not a lot of distance variety
- flat course
- awkward shaped and short trapezoid tee pads, some worn out
- tee signs were hard to read, lacked information
- not many benches
- baskets need a splash of color, hard to see in woods

Other Thoughts:

Cottage Hill is a tight, technical style course that rewards accuracy and consistency over power. The flat landscape features fairways that average around 225ft from shorts and 280ft from longs. It's one of those courses that renders your favorite distance driver useless and makes an understable mid worth its weight in gold. The name of the game at Cottage Hill is throwing productivity from the tee pad. Failing to do so will likely cost players a stroke or more of scrambling, especially on the "longer" holes.

Personally, I like these types of courses. Players with strong fundamentals will enjoy the fairway technicality. Strong players that lack finesse, probably less so. The tight lines were challenging. Most holes provided enough clearly defined fairway space to make a line to the basket. Walking up the fairway may be necessary for a few holes, either to take a peek at the basket or to see the line you'll be throwing.

I imagine this course hasn't changed much in the last 20 years by the looks of fairways and equipment. To be honest, I wasn't a huge fan of the tees. The short, tapered, conglomerate pads were awkward to throw from. I couldn't comfortably x-step on them, both because of the trapezoid shape and the overall shortness. Many of the signs were unreadable, but navigation was intuitive enough to walk the course without too much of an issue. It was hard to tell if vandalism or neglect were to blame. Almost every hole had some sort of trash on it.

The course is located on a multi use park with an assortment of other activities. I had to wait a few times for random walkers, even though the courses is on a pretty specifically disc golf section of the park. I imagine these non disc golfing pedestrians being responsible for a portion of the littering, especially on the holes near the parking lot. One thing that I found annoying, which is not really course related, was that during my visit an ice cream man had set up shop in the parking lot near the course. I could hear his music from every corner of the course. If that's a regular occurrence I'd list it as a major course con.

Overall, I enjoyed my visit to Cottage Hill Park. The 3 things that prevented me from giving this course a higher rating were the overall lack of fairway variety, lame tees, and the gloomy condition of course equipment.
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9 0
Qikly
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 11.7 years 181 played 148 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Solid Wooded Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Oct 12, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

The thick woods and often-middling distances at Cottage Hill Park are built to challenge your accuracy and touch, especially with your midranges. With tight fairways and numerous obstacles therein, hitting your line off the tee is a must to score well, and there's often little gray area between success and failure: six inches to the left and you wind up in position for an easy birdie, six inches to the right and you're scrambling for a bogey from within the shule. Still, the shorter distance on many holes balances out this fact; it's only on the few 300'+ holes that you can really get punished, and the red tees alleviate the difficulty if you're worried about the challenges this can present. I appreciated Cottage Hill's emphasis on touch, and the fact that whether or not you hit your line off the tee matters, as it rarely lets you off the hook for failing to do so.

Overall, there's a nice balance between butt-kickers and birdie opportunities on this course. Some of the birdie opportunities require you to weigh risk versus reward in choosing to make a run at the basket, like 13: layup at the mouth of the twin saplings guarding the basket for an easy three, or try to run past them and risk getting knocked into the rough? I like when a course forces me to make tough decisions like this. Virtually all of the birdie opps retain such a level of interest, often avoiding feeling like throwaways or gimmes.

The course is nicely shaded, the paths are well cleared, and the rough is graciously thin relative to how thick the woods are. It felt like a pretty private setting, tucked away in the woods. For a heavily wooded course, opportunities to lose a disc are minimized. Still, you can wind up with some real pitch-out-shots off an errant drive that can wreak havoc on your score.

Benches on most holes are welcome. The shade can be a boon on sunny days, considering how it gets in the south. Navigation was a snap; it's a well-laid-out course.

Memorable Holes:

11: It's only 189' from the whites, but what an unforgiving width! The ultimate test of control.

16: The slightly elevated tee differentiates this tunnel shot from numerous other ones; the foliage on the sides runs thicker here, too.

Cons:

This course has a relatively limited shot selection, owing partly to the consistent tightness of holes and partly to the fairway lines mostly avoiding extreme angles (15's right hand bend a notable exception). I used four discs off the tee for the entirety of my round, and wasn't forced to shape different lines with each of them: a straight shot with a neutral midrange sufficed at least half the time. Now, that's not an easy shot to land consistently (as my crash-and-burn experience on 16 attested to after many a fine drive earlier), so it didn't lead to boredom. But I would have appreciated a more imaginative array of shots and further efforts to individuate holes (like that found in 11's extreme tightness). As it stands, I remember this course as a few longer holes, the three holes that kicked my butt, and a mish mash of tight midrange lines, save for a few particulars (such as 10's pin guarded in the shadow of an oak). It was an enjoyable overall experience to be sure, but the holes seem to have run a bit together for me.

I think the course's difficulty is mostly well balanced, but it does threaten to cross over into poke-and-pray territory at a few points, notably 5 and 15. The latter is possibly the tightest fairway I've ever thrown, and that's saying something considering the wooded monsters I've played in the northeast. I'm always hesitant to play the unfair card, as that's usually more my fault than the course, but there a few points here where that might be said. It's worth noting however that I think this is the exception rather than the norm.

While most of the baskets were serviceable but not great, 11 was missing its chains entirely when I was there: it's just basket and pole. Hopefully that gets rectified soon.

Tee signs simply marked number and distance; some lines would be useful on holes where you can't see the pin from the tee. I had to scout ahead on several occasions.

The concrete tees were short, often causing me to start my drive from behind the tee. Thankfully this was usually easy and safe to do.

The park and the course were not easy for me to find. Be advised that the park sign actually says "Medal of Honor Park." The course begins as a small path entering the forest at the left side of the parking lot behind the tennis courts; a billboard marks the entrance, though it's hard to equate it to disc golf unless you approach it up close. Not a big deal, but it was a harder course to find within the park itself than most I've played.

Local park goers seem to use this park for scenic walks; after all, it's an unmarked and well-cleared path through the woods. This led to some frustrating moments on the Saturday afternoon I visited where I waited for pedestrians to walk out of the fairway. Given the tightness of the fairways, there's no real way to throw around interruptions.

Other Thoughts:

I enjoyed my stop at Cottage Hill Park as part of a larger day trip to Mobile. Its tight and technical setting offered me a kind of golf I can't get in New Orleans. I'll probably opt to try some other courses on my next visit to Mobile (and there will be a next visit - what a great cluster of courses!), but after that, I can see myself returning to try my hand again at Cottage Hill. Recommended if you're in the area.
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8 1
MikeK
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 28.8 years 330 played 128 reviews
4.00 star(s)

A lot better than you might have heard! 2+ years

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

Pros:

Lots of trees and shade in the hot deep south. Concrete tee pads. Lots of benches. Challenging, pro-level course. If you like 'em tight, and I do, you'll like Cottage Hill.

Cons:

Grafitti, and not the best baskets. A couple of holes are alike here and there, so the variety factor isn't the greatest especially since there are no open holes. Not the easiest place to get to in Mobile; seems like it takes forever to get there from any direction.

Other Thoughts:

I don't understand the low ratings for poor Cottage Hill. Sure, it has some trash on it here and there sometimes, and the baskets are bent and vandalized often by the neighborhood teenage flunkies, but it is fun and it's definitely a challenge. Some fairways are very tight but they are fair...if you can hit your line you will be rewarded, and if you can't you'll be punished, just as how the sport is meant to be.

I tend to rate courses by the design and variety of holes, and not as much by factors like signs and baskets and ease of navigation and trash, so that's probably why I rate this place higher than most. I really enjoy a tight, challenging course where getting off the fairway means a real struggle for par, and that's what Cottage Hill is. Yes, there are a lot of short birdies that are all around 240 feet long, but the course is well-balanced although it could be said that it favors a lefty. It does seem to be best to play this course early in the day before the crowds of kids take over. The five pro blue tees add to the challenge and I recommend playing them.
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6 2
ohtobediscing
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 44.5 years 401 played 41 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Cottage chill 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Feb 28, 2012 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Despite its location in a city park, its very woodsy, consisting of pine, water oak and dogwood, with a few 200+ yo white oaks spread throughout the 20+ acres that are dedicated to disc golf. Believe it or not, the course was very clean except for a used condom---hey, maybe someone lost a bet...
This is like a slightly longer, less complex version of Chicasabouge to the north, with very defined fairways, a good mix of hyzer/anhyzer/straight shots, unforgiving rough, and disc-redirecting trees everywhere. Tommys seem like a bad idea but sometimes its all you've got. Almost zero elevation change. Expect skips and slides on the hard-packed fairways. Vertical putting is useful, as some baskets have close-in shrubbery.
From late fall to early spring, the ground cover[in the rough] is slight enough not to lose discs, and the bugs are hardly noticable.
Each 9 holes start clockwise and finish near the parking lot, but the public only sees you teeing at #1: you're hidden the rest of the course.
This is a tolerable course for rainy/windy days, though the sandy washes will collect large, shallow puddles in a downpour [I was here on an overcast, drizzly day, and was only aware of the 10-15 mph gusts when I stepped out of the woods].
Benches and trashcans on almost every hole. Most baskets have a "next hole" pole, but you shouldn't have much trouble figuring it out, as any wrong direction is heavily wooded.

Cons:

When the growth is on during spring you're going to lose discs, especially among the evil thorny vines, resilient as barbwire. A spotter is a wonderful companion.
Locals do clearing in the winter[best time to play], but that only seems to encourage more dynamic plant growth in the spring--use of the course is all that keeps the fairways open. Bugginess can be overwhelming in summer.
Look at the pictures---all the holes seem similar, yes? Playing with locals, we spaced the next tee, crossed through one of the very few interconnecting paths, and threw on a hole we'd just thrown 5 holes ago. But the technical nature of the shots still intrigues you---there's no boredom here.

Other Thoughts:

The park is 300+ acres with ballfields, a kids playground "city" [huge!] near #1 tee, tennis courts, several miles of wooded trails, skatepark, and plenty of parking. Stores, bars, eats, and a hookah lounge at NW corner of park[2 min. drive, long walk].
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5 3
tbh0002
Experience: 16.8 years 20 played 1 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Fair? 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 22, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

There are some very cool "Roc" shots requiring a variety of shot shapes.

Cons:

There are several holes that you better be "livin right" to get off the tee.

Other Thoughts:

First off... I am no rookie. I have played courses all over the southeast and used to play as a pro (990 rated, for what it's worth). I have played many "tight" courses and understand the difference between skill and luck. This course has many holes that require alot of precision but there are some holes that Ken Climo would admit was lucky to get through the "fairway". I follow that statement with this. You can play some of these type holes as two shot holes and still walk away with a 3 with a well controlled upshot. Summing up, You should be prepared to beat in some discs at this course and if you play this course smart you can definitely shoot 7-8 under. But if you shoot way over par... don't give up hope this course can defeat even the most seasoned pros.
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2 0
Manson
Experience: 16.9 years 17 played 6 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Ummm, yea 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 7, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

Challenging course with narrow fairways makes accuracy much more important than being able to drive a long way. Nice park and the course itself has a certain woodsy charm which I like. Reminds me of a couple of my home courses, just a bit more difficult. I like a mid range challenge, especially coupled with a round at Langan the same day, which works the long drive game.

Cons:

Trash. Lots of it on the fairways and off. Crowded. Don't get me wrong. It excites me to see so many folks out playing a round but when families have 4 year olds throwing and holding up a train of people behind them, learn to offer to allow others to play thru. The large # of people playing takes me back to the trash thing. Doesn't anyone see all the trash but me? Bring a bag and pick it up! Jeez. Kills me that everyone wants to use a course for free but will not lift a finger to keep it nice. Grafitti. Lots of that too which makes a course have a trashy feel to me. Tee pads are concrete-great. Small in most cases-bad. Exposed tree roots around tee pads makes follow thru at times hazardous. Lots of stoner types here. Lots. Next tee signs pointing out direction would be helpful.

Other Thoughts:

Played this along with Langan/Municipal park on same day as part of road trip. This course was by far the trashiest I have played. If the course was better kept up and dumbasses didn't grafitti everything here, I would give it a higher score and come back. As it is, no to both.
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2 1
BamaBlake
Experience: 5 played 5 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Tough Wooded Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 25, 2011 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Well designed and layed out, secluded and peaceful in the mornings, a great course to learn to hit lines off the tee and throw solid accurate approaches.

Cons:

The tee pads are concrete, but a little short for my liking. This course is going to make the ams feel like they are back at novice level, and can be crowded with idiots in the later hours of the afternoon.

Other Thoughts:

This is a great course, it is the hardest course in Mobile to me, but that is not a bad thing. If you average around even par at most courses, expect to shoot around +5 out here.
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6 2
magictenor1
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 23.8 years 348 played 90 reviews
4.00 star(s)

nice wooded course 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 10, 2010 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

at least 2 sets of tees for each hole and sometimes 3. Nice shady course for those hot summer days. overall nice design with navigation not a big issue. in a nice park with restroom and other recreational facilities. not crowded at all on the sunday I was there. concrete tee pads.

Cons:

very little variation in terrain ie no water no real elevation. All the holes are wooded.

Other Thoughts:

We played 2 sets of tees and the tees often change the character of the hole not just add distance. I really like this course. although the fairways are tight I did not see any holes without a path to the basket. If you throw accurate shots you can score well. If you have a big arm and like to air it out this is not the course for you.
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3 2
TheCarGuy
Experience: 17.1 years 44 played 8 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Welcome to Cottage Hell! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 12, 2010 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Very shaded. Will force you to work on your midrange game. Several other courses within 10 minute drive.

Cons:

You can have a good shot on this course and end up with a terrible result ( this is normal in disc golf just not on seemingly every hole ). Very dirty course with lots of trash and few trash cans. The trash cans that were there were overflowing. Awful shule if you are off the fairway ( watch out for all of the briers ). Very redundant with a midrange and a putter being really the only discs that you need ( if you hit anything with a driver you will probably be in very bad trouble due to an errant ricochet ). There really isn't an hole where you can actually reach back and let one rip.

Other Thoughts:

If you are around this area and only have time to play one course then your time would be much better spent at either USA or Municipal.
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3 2
Christopher Kelly
Experience: 14.1 years 5 played 1 reviews
2.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 23, 2010 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

It's nicely shaded? There are easy birdie shots. The tees are cemented.

Cons:

Navigation in between holes can be gruesome. HEAVILY WOODED. The people that attend this course are all either drunk or under the influence of another substance. There are benches, but they are defiled. The trashcans are full or overflowing with garbage, mainly beer. The trashcans also have a lot of writing all over it, usually themed by the Alabama Crimson Tide. The cemented tees are breaking and are very small and tight to begin with. Be aware of roots and other things sticking out of the ground, can cause injury.

Other Thoughts:

The best thing about the courses within Mobile is how close they are to one another.
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3 4
KINGDUCK
Experience: 15.2 years 57 played 34 reviews
1.00 star(s)

A little tight and frustrating 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 31, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

Very challenging. Shaded at all times.

Cons:

Too tight at times and not marked well. I can see half of the holes being a little tight but this is not fun. Not for beginners.

Other Thoughts:

This is a lousy course. Worst course I ever played. You got to let a frisbee run for a few holes in a round and this one does not allow it.
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2 2
Nathanbr2
Experience: 16.3 years 83 played 26 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Good, Chanllenging Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Mar 23, 2010 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

1)Very challenging course, Narrow Fairways force you to pick your throws carefully.

2) Shade throughout (huge bonus on the gulf coast in the summer)

3) Nice (sometimes a little short) tee boxes.

4) Trash cans and benches scattered throughout the course.

5) Very easy course to play 9 holes at a time, Holes 1 and 10 both start in the same area. I often Start on the Back 9 if the front 9 is too crowded.

6) This course has very little issues with wind. Even when there's a moderate breeze at the South Alabama Course, you barely get a breeze in the woods.

Cons:

1)Easy to lose discs in thick forests, although many holes tend to be a little forgiving on this.

2) Beginners will struggle on this course, but will learn how to lay very quickly

3) Do not play on weekend unless you have to. Park is VERY crowded on saturdays

4) Watch when throwing, some people still use this course as a dog walking trail (even though there's a seperate one in the park) and often walk the course backwards for some reason.

Other Thoughts:

Even with the Cons, this is still one of my favorite courses. A must play for anyone in the area who wants a challenge
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3 2
thebeast175
Experience: 15.1 years 47 played 12 reviews
4.00 star(s)

A Great Challenge 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 21, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

Fun coarse to play! Very challenging. I love how this coarse makes you think about every detail about every throw. You really have to have great disc control and you will have to learn to be confident in yor throw. This coarse will make you a better player. This coarse is marked well and has good baskets.

Cons:

The undergrowth in the woods is overgrown. The tee pads are kinda short.

Other Thoughts:

Fun coarse but not for beginners. Helps to know your disc tendencies before you play here.
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2 0
thebigE
Experience: 19.1 years 8 played 8 reviews
4.00 star(s)

You'll pull your hair out at this beast! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 6, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Cottage Hill is one of the most difficult courses around for my game (I've been playing 5 years, mid-range arm, pretty scrappy in terms of variety of shots I throw). Pros love this course because it is such a test. Please don't take a beginner to this course unless you'd like them to quit disc golf, it's just that brutal. I'm a par player on the other blue level courses in Mobile, but the last time I played Cottage Hill I think I ended up 11 over. There is a nice variety of holes on the course, righties and lefties, pitch and putts vs. distance. The course is completely wooded, which is nice on summer days where shade is valuable or winter days when the north wind is really kickin'. The cousre is extremely well designed, lures you in with a few easy hols at the beginning, then once you're warm it's all out chunking for distance through really tight fairways with crazy think shule surrounding them. Each fairway is basically an island of clear amiodst all the trees. This course can really boost mid level players who want to improve accuracy without having to throw too much crazy distance. The course forces you to use everything in your bag of tricks, sidearms, hyzers, anhyzers, thumbers, tomahawks, even sidearm and backhand rollers are viable options on some holes.

Cons:

Tee pads are concrete but kind of rough and a little too small for a big brother like me. Between 3-dark on weekdays, the course is extremely busy so expect a wait. Easy, easy, easyt o lose discs on the course. One bad kick off of a tree and you end up in the thicket, and the chances of finding even a brightly colored disc can be slim to none (underbrush in the summer, leaves on the ground cover discs in the winter). Brutal course for those who lack accuracy, not beginner friendly at all though there are red tees for those who want to take the "stank" off this course.

Other Thoughts:

This course is better played in a group. When you're playing it alone, you tend to be too hard on yourself, beause there is no way you'll play a round and not hit trees. At least when you're playing in a group, you can commiserate with everyone else. If you're a pro, the course is a legitimate challenge, and lots of times pro scores in tournaments are well under par. However, for ams and novices, be realistic. You will not shoot below par most likely. Once you accept that though, you can move on to improving your game and rounding out your skills.
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2 1
The Drake
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 20.8 years 126 played 60 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Cottage H*ll lives up to its name 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 10, 2007 Played the course:once

Pros:

Cottage hill is a very technical golf course that requires the utmost attention off the tee andperfection with any and every shot. Alternate tees allow you to choose between playing a shorter am or longer course pro course which is great for any taxing course.

Cons:

Too many fairways when played from the pro tees required a bit too much luck for my tastes. Very narrow fairways may work for the few holes under 300 ft, but beyond that lines are very tough to spot if you're an out of towner just trying to grab a quick round. Its VERY easy to lose a disc in the brush around the fairways which are lined with thorns and tough to navigate.

Other Thoughts:

I played this course late in the afternoon following an interview just before driving back up to Birmingham. Its also been a couple of years since I last played it so some of the critiques may be outdated. In my opinion though I made the wrong choice of courses to play in mobile that day. I only had time for one and chose this one.
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2 0
JesusShoes
Experience: 19.4 years 28 played 19 reviews
3.00 star(s)

The Woods 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 6, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

This course will challenge your skills more than most the courses I have played. Will show you what you are doing wrong very quickly. No room for error. You mess up and have a bad throw you can kiss your par goodbye! Yes these are all pros for if you are playing against someone! If you are playing in the summer months if will be nice and shady for you!

Cons:

You can beat in your discs pretty quickly here. It isnt very novice friendly as there are a lot of tight bends that will be sure to give novice players nightmares for days to come. There are a few holes with think underbrush grown up that you can easily lose a disc in. I lost one of my favorite discs in there during a tourney.

Other Thoughts:

If you are in the area and are up for a challenge... Head to this course. It will show you whats up pretty quickly. I have always had a great time out there and will be playing it for years to come hopefully!
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2 0
Neodammerung
Experience: 15 years 5 played 1 reviews
3.50 star(s)

A Novice's View 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 29, 2009 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

There is not much more to be said that was not missed from the other reviews in re. to the pro's. As a novice (including myself), this course forces the player to be patient and attentive to their form. Paying closer attention to the reaction of each disc that a novice player may use in their learning process.This may sound like a con, but looking at it in a positive way, this will help the novice to perfect their form.

Cons:

The course is not as up-kept as it should be. This course used to have multiple pins per hole. There are multiple tees although, the tee markers, pins, and some of the other course fixtures have succumb to vandalism.

Other Thoughts:

The sad truth to the cons (trash included), this course is in a public park (maintained by the city). The course is NOT maintained by the P&R Dept. This course IS maintained by a few (not even a handful) of truly devoted people who truly love their course. The increased popularity of this beloved sport has put a greater burden on these few people. Any course I have the pleasure of playing, I use the Hiker's Motto: "If you pack it in, pack it out". Example, I smoke, and when I'm done w/ my cigarette I pick up my butt and put it in my pocket. I am trying to gather more info to get together w/ my friends and join up w/ the few who do keep the course up. Keeping all of this in mind is why I stretched my rating to a 3.5.
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3 0
ddevine
Experience: 45 years 133 played 39 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Woodsy 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 1, 2005 Played the course:once

Pros:

Requires technical, precise shots. Great for working your finesse game, although a few holes require some pop. Fairly easy to follow, I played it solo in the heat of summer without much difficulty.

Cons:

Not a particularly inspiring course, and hard on your plastic.

Other Thoughts:

I sweated out about 10 pounds playing this course in the middle of the day in June while driving from Florida to California, but played two rounds cuz it was fun!
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3 1
Wheat
Experience: 25.1 years 5 played 2 reviews
3.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 26, 2008 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

This is a very technical course!!! However, that can quickly turn into a con, depending on what kind of day your are having. It is a fairly well kept course due to garbage cans on nearly every hole (and locals that actually use them), there ae benches at every hole and the tee pads are in good shape. Also, every hole is concealed in the woods, so if it is a particulary windy day, it shouldn't bother you in this course. There are 3 tees for every hole and a seperate sign for each, giving you an accurate distance for every pad.

Cons:

LOTS of trees, some people like the challenge, I know it doesn't bother me, but it can get rough. There is also a fair bit of foliage once you break the tree line, so once your in, it is tough to get out...so aim for the fairway...duh

Other Thoughts:

It's a fun course to go play with your friends, but the first few times you play don't expect anything better than par. If you are just begining to play, you should really think about investing in/throwing a brighter colored disc, because it won't be hard to drive it in the woods and lose it.
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