Delaware, OH

Gordon Holton Memorial DGC

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3.715(based on 31 reviews)
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7 59
SuperWookie
Experience: 2 played 1 reviews
1.00 star(s)

No thanks 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 24, 2019 Played the course:once

Pros:

Ummmm, there's baskets. That's about all I can say is a pro

Cons:

Everything. I'm not sure how this rates so highly, but to me, IMHO, this course is just horrible. First of all, it's a very ugly and unkept area of land. There's all sorts of nasty trees, nasty little creeks, nasty large water areas, nasty looking scrub bushes and just junk all over. It looks more like a landfill, than a disc golf course.

Second, it is just a horrible layout as far as the trees go. There's a big difference between holes that can actually be played well with a decent to great shot and some strategically placed trees, vs something like this place. There's just random trees everywhere. And almost no thought went into how the holes work through those trees and how discs fly, etc. Very poorly thought out course. I can't even tell you how many holes I'd throw a beautiful tee shot and WHAM, right into some tree that shouldn't be there. Absolutely horrendous how many random trees are just sticking out or in the way of good tee shots. And I've played some pretty nice wooded courses. But this one makes no sense. You shouldn't be trying to penalize people for good tee shots and forcing them to make some miracle shot just to get on the fairway or have a decent approach. No thanks, next!

And third, there are far too many holes right near water that are just stupid. There were a few holes where my buddy barely over shot his approach and we get up to the basket and after 20 mins of looking around, his disc is gone! Because the water line is like 10-20' behind the basket, and yet you don't know that and can't see it. What kind of lame design is that? Where you penalize someone for landing a great shot close to a basket, and instead it ends up in the water?!?! I just was shaking my head the entire time we played this course and couldn't wait to leave.

And fourth, there's tee pads where there is NO tee pad! It's just this loose rubber like material that is so slippery you'll break your neck trying to throw off of it! Concrete teepads or nothing. Why do places think some sort of astroturf or rubber mat is an acceptable option? Concrete or the ground are the only acceptable tee pads when you are outside.

Overall I had a horrible time here, hated every min of it, and I'll never go back and can't recommend anyone to waste their time playing here.

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4 3
Old badger
Experience: 9.9 years 31 played 1 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Top 5 course in Columbus Area!! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 1, 2017 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Cleaned up holes A-G which makes the long tee difficulty very 'reasonable'. Very scenic with a wide variety of required technical shots. Tunnel, woods, open, etc. The course has held Women's pro tourneys and rightly so. The park maintains the course very well. Overall, the course has great character but you have to play it a few times to get the feel.

Cons:

I wish I didn't live 45 minutes from the course! I would choose this course over Hoover any day.
Concrete tee pads would be nice on holes A-G but not a big deal or detraction

Other Thoughts:

Long tees are very doable for players who can throw 300' or have a rating of around 870+. This course deserves no less than 4 stars. People forget courses are maintained by the state or local government and they have limited $ to spend. Volunteers to help maintain the course are a +. Players aren't charged to play so expecting perfect course conditions is unreasonable folks.
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1 16
MickFNasty
Experience: 3 played 3 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Just a guy 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 30, 2017 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Course has a great variety of open and wooded holes. Some holes are short, some long. One of the more technical courses around. Not just for big arms.

Cons:

Some holes only have one tee pad. Once trees fall, it takes the state a while to clean them up. The new addition of seven holes need concrete tee pads.
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10 0
Xelto
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 42 played 37 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Nice mix 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 14, 2016 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Nice mix of open/technical, some elevation, a bit of water. Also a nice mixup in the throws required.
Gorgeous scenery, plus other activities in the park available.
Multiple tees on most holes.

Cons:

Wonky numbering system.
Not always clear where the next tee is, though this is nowhere near as bad as on some courses.
Older-style baskets sometimes blend into the background on the original 20 holes.
The "new" holes seem to be focused on being difficult, rather than being fun.

Other Thoughts:

This is one of the best courses in central Ohio. I wish that meant as much as it sounds like (none of my favorite courses are in the area), but it is a good, solid course. On my own, personal ranking system ("How far would you drive to play this one?") it falls in at "If you're heading to the area, it's worth going a bit out of your way to get to, but don't make a special trip for it."

As mentioned in the pros & cons section, this is a good course with a very nice mix of required shots in a very pretty park. There are no boring holes, the closest you get is a few mostly-open shots, which provide a nice counterpoint to the technical holes.

At least, that's the original 20 holes. The "new, hard holes" they put in... well, some people are going to love them, but I'm not one of those people. There were some decent holes in them, but I'm not one for 300-feet-across-water throws (lose way too many discs that way), nor do I see the point of 800' long holes, and seriously... I know the parking lot the course plays through sees essentially no use, but why put the course through the middle of it?

Anyway, as I said, some people will see those as advantages. I just skip the extra holes, it's not like you don't get enough fun in the rest of the course.

As others have mentioned, there's an extra hole with a letter designation in the middle of the course. There is also an unnumbered, unmarked hole after 18. Take a good look at the course map before throwing if you've never been there before.
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8 0
Mulligan
Experience: 26 years 68 played 11 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Total technical wooded gem 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 9, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

Wow. I won't bother to revisit everything others have noted here, but this course is now easily my favorite in the central Ohio area.
-Great overall layout and use of elevation and the scenic park.
-Highly technical without needing to be overly long for no good reason. I really appreciated this aspect. Its a thoughtful creative design that I think could be just as challenging and fun for all levels of experience. Thats not an easy thing to pull off well.
-Solid tee pads and signage at each hole
-Remote location might help keep the traffic down.

Cons:

-Not exactly a con, but the extra "G" hole and unmarked "20th" is just kind of weird to me.
-To get to 12, its a long hike. (Play "G" if you like and then head for the woods across the parking lot from G's basket. 12s Teepad is near a sign for the "Buckeye Grove" that is easy to spot.)
-Extra "Alphabet holes" start off between 12 and 13, but seem kind of forced, and have a TON of trees and some serious water hazards to consider. Enough to make it really difficult for beginners and probably worth skipping unless you are more experienced and are ready for a hike.
-"F" is 782ft kind of out of nowhere for a course with mostly 250-400ft-ish and seems unnecessary.
-The last hole in this alphabet series is labeled "GH" at the teepad but then "G" again at its elevated basket (so, a second "G" basket, different from the first one after 11... confusing, but thats how it is).
-This "GH" hole is elevated with a tall base pole. Thats a pretty fun addition I wish was utilized on one of the 1-18 holes instead, but thats nit picking at this point.
-20th hole is just a throwaway hole with no teepad signage that gets you back to the parking lot. Kind weird to include it on the scorecard is all.

Other Thoughts:

-Make sure you look at the course map ahead of time and/or grab a scorecard from the bulletin board at the start (has the map on it)
-Teepad signage is not always at the short tee, just something to be aware of.
-I'd avoid playing the "alphabet holes" until you've played the primary course the entire way through and are comfortable with the layout. They are a little much if you are not used to playing more than 18 in a row and the hiking is a little more rough than the rest of the course.
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7 0
zetterbeard
Experience: 7 played 7 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Great course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 30, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

-Nice variety of holes. The wooded holes were well-developed and there were clear lines to take. The open holes, while obviously not in the woods, still posed a challenge due to strategically placed mature trees.
-No real throwaway or gimme holes. Perhaps a more seasoned vet would disagree, but I thought every hole presented a good challenge.
-A few holes are very scenic. I loved the holes that roped around the snaking creek and up the hill. Very pretty in the late spring when I played it.
-Good use of elevation. There were several holes that required you to throw up hill or over a valley.
-Good signage for the tees (when you can locate them... more on that later)
-Addition of several extra holes is a nice alternative. The extra holes are also pretty long if you're wanting to air it out.

Cons:

-While the signage was good for showing you where the actual hole was, the biggest complaint I had of this course was locating hole 12 from hole 11 and the signage for the extra holes. My friend and I spent easily 30 minutes trying to find hole 12. If you come here, do yourself a favor and print off the map or copy the image to your phone so you know where to go. There was no sign to show you, there was a random hole "G," but with the addition of actual holes, the hole "G" was misleading and we weren't sure to play it or not. Turns out you should play the hole "G" with a sign, and I imagine that will lead you to hole 12. Unfortunately we didn't know any better and wasted a lot of time.
-The extra holes.... I love me some extra holes, and they're good length to get some bombs in, but we did not like them. Hole "A" around the water was awesome, highly recommend you play that one, but on hole "B" and a few others, the trees were so dense it seemed like there was no fairway or anything to really throw at. And there is one extra hole that is super long, like 820' I want to say, and it's hard to know which direction you even need to throw. My friend and I almost threw in the completely wrong direction because we weren't sure what to do. Thankfully, some random guy helped us out. Again, my main complaint is figuring out where to go.
-Another thing about the extra holes, instead of cement teepads, they have a piece of carpet upside down. Would be nice to eventually put cement down, which I'm sure they will at some point, but it certainly was a con.

Other Thoughts:

-Overall, this is probably the best course in Columbus that I've played. The standard 18 are great holes and compare to the other good courses around town.
-The extra holes... try them if you must, but if I ever go back, I'll certainly be skipping them all. Other than MAYBE "A," but the rest were not good, at least in my opinion.
-I gave this course a 4/5 mainly based upon the standard 18. I really enjoyed them so much that I didn't want to mark it down because I didn't like the added holes.
-I know I've bashed the added holes a lot, but part of the problem with them too is that their trails are not nearly as well defined. Try them out and work on that path so they're easier to navigate.

-THE STREET ADDRESS OF 5261 Columbus Pike IS INCORRECT!!! THE ACTUAL COURSE IS PROBABLY 12 MILES NORTH OF THAT ADDRESS. I know it also says the course is in Delaware State Park, but if you're going off the address alone, you will wonder where you are. Keep going north from 5261 Columbus Pike until you see Delaware State Park.
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12 0
sisyphus
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 12.6 years 397 played 383 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Something new every hole 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Apr 19, 2014 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Edit 5/14/15: Saw it noted that they've added holes to 27, so I looked for info on Disc Golf Scene, Columbus Flyers, Facebook, and found something onMid Ohio. Added that link and the updated map.

Original Review: The family of Gordon Holton should be proud: this course is a gem in a beautiful park with majestic trees, a gorgeous lake, and rolling terrain that all come into play throughout your experience. Almost every one of the (20) holes at this disc golf course in (Ohio's) Delaware State Park feels different from the others. From the down-slope opener with a guarded basket - 25 feet in front of a twenty foot drop to the water below, through the fade shot back to the optional 20th (also used as the practice basket), you'll throw power drives up a 400 foot gap between tree rows, tricky, right-turning blind shots with nasty rough if you cut it too tight, and woods-threaders ... and everything in between.

The use of elevation is wonderful, but not overly taxing: you have a few shots where you'll be able to see the treacherous woods - valley - creek beds - etc. that could wreck your score, while at the same time be tempted by the fact that you can choose multiple lines to get across the space between you and your goal (I'm thinking of holes 11 through 13 and 16 through 18 here). There are water carries from a couple of the long tees (7 & 14). There are long tee holes over 430 feet (9, 10 & 13), if that's your cup of tea. And there are even some pretty risk/ reward opportunities, if you can hit the perfect line (2, 8, 16, for instance).

The park has been tremendously well-maintained the times I've visited, and the course has nice concrete tees (14 holes also have long tees), newer signage that's very easy to spot, quality DGA baskets in good repair, benches and trash cans where needed, abundant parking (four lots adjoin sections of the course), park 'restrooms' (OK, outhouses), and a nice kiosk with map and 'happenings' by hole 1. Even though the course meanders over many, many acres of the park space, it plays through fairly smoothly and quickly because there aren't too many long treks between holes

Intermediate to Advanced disc golfers will do well to break 60 for the 20 holes, but the course has attractions for players below and above those skill levels. It's a very well-balanced, fun experience. Well worth the trip, with even more quality courses (The Players' course at Alum Creek, and of course, the Brett Hambrick Memorial) fairly close by if you traveling into the area. The state park obviously has camping, boating, and hiking options, and you're really close to the north side of Columbus and all of its attractions.

Cons:

The course can be pretty muddy in the spring, so come prepared for that. Though most of the paths to the next tees are intuitive and well worn in, you may need the map to find hole 4: it's out to the clearing at the dual ponds, and around the bend to the right. Then, I'm pretty sure they've done some extending of the pond left of the 7th fairway in between my two visits. It's unfortunate that they placed a park bench in line with the long tee shot. You will want to turn to your right after the 17th basket, and not head out by the parking lot looking for 18. There is the awkwardness of having a hole 'G' (for Gordon?) between 11 and 12, or if you skip it to play only 18, having the one long walk across the parking lot there. Finally, it's a little unusual to have the 'spare' 20th hole finish back to what arriving players will be warming up on as a practice basket.

Other Thoughts:

I've only played three rounds at Gordon Holton, but already have a wonderful memory I'd like to share. On the 260 foot hole 8, I parked a glidey River seven feet past the pin. Not unusual, except for the fact that I had just released the disc a hair early and inadvertently made that shot through the gap in the V-shaped tree on the left side of the fairway! There couldn't have been more than 2 or 3 inches on either side of the disc as it slid through the air between those trunks. Could never have made a shot like that had I called for it. (Can you tell I love this game?)
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1 4
ChuckinDeucesACE
Experience: 23.8 years 28 played 3 reviews
4.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 3, 2013 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Classic MOODG design. Tight lines through the woods that require both hyzer and anhyzer shots. Open holes still have large mature trees that pose threats to errant shots. Unlike Alum Creek all of the pin positions have cement tee pads. Numerous picturesque holes.

Cons:

Some tee signs are missing. Flooding also has caused a sever out break of mosquitos.

Other Thoughts:

Sunday doubles are always fun.
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4 1
steven2361
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 15.9 years 286 played 53 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Terrific 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 19, 2013 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Every hole is unique here. I never felt like I was throwing the same shot off the tee on each hole. There are two sets of concrete tees with benches by many of them. Hole 1 is a great starting hole from either tee with the severe drop off towards the beach directly behind the basket. Some holes have some cool elevation changes. This course is great for experienced players or beginners. 3 is an awesome long tunnel shot. 12 is a great multi route hole with risk and reward coming into play. I like the mix of opener shots and wooded gap shots and tunnels here. It is a great balance. The signs for getting to the course once you are in Delaware State Park are great as well.

Cons:

No tee signs on the long tees. Some of the signs are gone/damaged. The course could use a few more navigational arrows. Baskets do not catch the best. There are a lot of flat holes. Some of the longs feel like tweener holes and almost everyone will 3 them. This course can get very muddy.

Other Thoughts:

I will definitely be coming back. One of the top 3 in the Columbus area up there with Hoover and Pickerington.
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5 1
Puckstopper
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 22.8 years 36 played 36 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Good choice in Central Ohio 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 13, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

Overall this was a very fun, enjoyable, challenging course.

* 2 sets of tees, many forcing different lines from the long (as opposed to some courses where the longs are just a bit longer)

* Concrete tee pads, good quality baskets, and available restrooms

* Course forces multiple types of shots, and will punish one dimensional players.

Cons:

* Very few trash cans

* Poorly drained areas of the course hold water, and many baskets were extremely muddy.

Other Thoughts:

Overall I enjoyed my round at Holton, and will be making the 45 minute drive to play this course again. However, I probably will not do so unless the ground is very dry, as I played the course after several inches of snow had melted, and the course was muddy enough to diminish my enjoyment significantly.

This is a moderately long course with many holes that force you to hit tight lines. As such, it was a bit much for me as a newer (or to be accurate, very rusty) player. However, it gave me to opportunity to work on scrambling, and trouble shots from the rough. Regardless of feeling slightly overmatched I will still play this course again, as I enjoyed it more than the Hambrick or Griggs.
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7 1
bygwyllay
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 16.9 years 93 played 77 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Witty and Winding 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 18, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

A great course that plays mostly around and under canopies of mature trees. A few water hazards accentuate a moderately challenging and majorly fun round of discin'. Nice use of what little elevation changes the park proffered. Fairly well marked and an mostly easy-to-follow layout never had me scraching my head as to where to go next. Amenities abound and the course was very well maintained - A nice large park that had a great atmosphere. Literally right off of US-23 as well so easy access to play. Not very crowded when I played although it was a Wednesday at like 2 in the afternoon so not sure if that's an accurate portrayl of foot traffic. Loved the crazily winding streams through a couple of the holes - that added a nice touch. Nice big concrete teeboxes on both the pro and am tees - were in great condition as well.

THERE IS A PLAYOFF HOLE!
THAT IS WICKED AWESOME!

Cons:

Course is fairly easy. Really no underbrush what to speak of, only mature trees as obstacles. Exceptions to this rule are holes 7-8, 11-12 and 17. While I enjoy an easy course, there weren't any signature holes to create a memory and make me want to come back. I found the course fair as you didn't have to hold many lines, so you can just keep it in the vaciinity of the fairway and be all set. Course moved well although there are two walks - a short one around the corner betwixt 3 and 4, and a long one across a lot separating 11 and 12. next tee signs would've been nice here.

Other Thoughts:

Walkthrough (with grades):
#1 - Nice start shooting the gap and down a hill with the pin not-quite-precariously placed at the edge of the seawall. a huge drop off beyond the target to the beach below can ruin your approach. 3.5/5
#2 - a twister through moderate woods with the pin up a very slight incline. to the right: that same dropoff to the beach below. 3/5
#3 - good tunnel rip with a ridge following the length of the hole on the right. pin is placed on said ridge and is difficult to approach through some shrubs. 4/5
#4 - a 90 degree anhyzer is no trouble using your forearm. 2.5/5
#5 - a nice pick-your-poision hole, choosing either L or R of a line of mature trees 3/5
#6 - easy rider underneath the canopy 2/5
#7 - cool drive will set up a tricky approach into the woods to a pin in a small clearing 3.5/5
#9 & 10 - Twin shots with mature trees as your obstacles. standard fare. - 2.5/5
#11 - wide open lazy hyzer. 2/5
#12 & 13 - Twin shots over a zig zagging creek with pin placements up on a ridge making your approach cautious. probably the best two shots on the course. 4/5
#14 - the pro tee lets you take your chances over a lip of the lake, the am is amiable. 3/5
#15 - short, tight anhyzer with hidden pin. 3/5
#17 - nice shot over the ravine that is 13's fairway. make it to the other side or your toast. 4/5
#18 - fair finish with a smaller tunnel shot into a clearing to hit the pin 2.5/5
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1 4
discmasternuke
Experience: 15.9 years 3 played 3 reviews
4.00 star(s)

An "all day" course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 20, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

First hole. 3rd hole. 9th hole. Entire back 9.
2 bonus holes
Excellent maps and tee pads
Excellently placed foliage

Cons:

tiring because of elevation changes and pace of play
LOTS of thorns
Large tree on 4 makes ace or 2 almost an impossible score

Other Thoughts:

This is an amazing course with every obstacle available; rocks hills trees water and thorns
This course can be played all day and will never get boring
This course is fun to play with a large group because of all the different shot shapes that players are forced to create
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7 0
Brall
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 15.6 years 43 played 37 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Ohio Meet 2011 with RTS FTW! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 24, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

- Very pretty and scenic park. Lots of old trees and lush green vegetation. The terrain is easily traversed and mostly flat. Good place for a disc golf cart.
- Extremely nice mixture of open air shots and a lot of technical shots around objects. The fairways on the more technical shots are thin enough to challenge the better player but still allow a lower level player to not feel overwhelmed. This course has left and right turning shots, under and around obstacles.
- The overall distance is good but seems low even though there are 4 holes over 400'. I will add that even though there are 4 holes below 250', those holes are mostly well balanced with trees to get around. Even the 170' hole is a challenge!
- Multiple Tees
- Concrete Tees are in excellent condition
- The Tee Maps are done very well and also give the direction to the Next Tee
- Baskets are in excellent condition
- Delaware Lake adds a nice water hazard, especially on Hole #1
- Excellent upkeep on the park. The grass is well mowed and even the wooded areas are kept clean and clear.
- Low traffic from non disc golfers and most likely from disc golfers alike. The course is secluded away from most other activities.
- Lots of benches!
- Entrance is marked by signs leading you to the disc golf course
- Very nice Kiosk with a map and scorecards
- The map is accurate and helpful
- Practice basket by the Kiosk also doubles as the basket for Hole #20
- Trash cans are located throughout the course
- Multiple parking lots
- Picnic tables to meet and greet throughout the course
- There are 3 bathrooms located throughout the course
- Amenities. The course has a playground and sand volleyball. But the park is HUGE. The park has kids nature events, camping (cottages etc...), laundry, basketball, horseshoe, lots of playgrounds, rental for about anything including golf discs, boating, fishing, swimming, hunting... The list goes on. So bring the family for a great day and play a round.

Cons:

- The numbering system for the holes can be confusing. It would be much better if this could be redone in a complete numerical order.
- The course flows decently. You can park at Hole #1 and end Hole #20 right at the parking lot. But navigating the course can become difficult at times so bring a map. This will come in very handy around Hole #G.

Other Thoughts:

- There are only a few elevation changes on a few holes but this certainly does add to this course. A few to note is that Hole #1 starts off with a slight downhill grade and Hole #12 throws uphill over a water hazard that is zigzagging back and forth on the fairway.
- This park has a very natural setting in beautiful Delaware State Park but it is located a decent drive from the highway.
- I hope that someone gets some new photo's up on DGCR for this course. It really looks MUCH different than the current pics.
- Many, MANY of the very nicely located trees that make some of these holes have so much character and challenge have a big red 'X' on them. I guess these are Ash trees soon to be cut down. This will GREATLY affect how this course is played. I can only hope that the state can afford to replace these trees. If the state cannot do this I foresee a few baskets being moved at the minimum. Very sad.
- This course certainly had some very challenging holes but this was offset by some very nice open holes with only a few trees to get around. Just a great mix.
- The most challenging hole is #12. Any errant hit in this tight fairway could drop you into the O.B. that is the water hazard all along the center of the fairway.
- My favorite hole is #14. I love the beautiful view over the water from the Long Tee!
- This was a fantastic course but I do not label this as a course to travel a long way to play, however, this course combined with some of the other courses located nearby would certainly be worth a long drive and make a great full day of disc golfing.
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3 0
tsqrd
Experience: 12.8 years 32 played 13 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Well Rounded 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 23, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

[Baskets]: Excellent condition, well maintained.

[Tee Signs/Maps/Markers]: Basic signs at each hole. Signs are decent; including hole number, direction, distance, and next tee location. Par has been hand written on the post. There is a map online and informative bulletin board near the first tee. I did not notice a map at course though.

[General Course Design]: Course flows well from hole to hole. Course starts and ends close to the parking lot.

[Foliage Maintenance]: Areas around the baskets were clear. Wooded areas were clear of debris. Trees are nicely trimmed and grass appears to be cut regularly.

[Benches & Trash bins]: There were benches at each tee box. A few trash cans available and I did not notice any trash on the course.

[Elevation]: Great use of mature trees and elevation changes. The course uses the open and wooded areas of the park to the fullest extent, alternating in and out of the woods every couple of holes.

[Signature Holes]: Several potential signature holes. A variety of hole distances requiring many different shot selections. The course offers a good mix of tight, technical shots and a few opportunities for open bombs.

[Tee Pads]: Concrete, good condition, both pro and amateur tees, and in some cases even a third, all concrete.

[Restrooms]: I noticed a couple restroom facilities throughout the course.

Cons:

[General Course Design]: There was an extra hole in between 11 and 12. Although this is not really a bad thing, it did add some confusion not knowing this beforehand. I do not recall seeing anything about this before we played.

[Foliage Maintenance]: There were a lot of downed trees through the wooded area. This added to the hazard of the elevation changes, so you had to be careful walking up and down the hills through the woods.

[Tee Signs]: Some of the tee signs were missing the map/information. Perhaps they were damaged and being replaced? The only other thing about the signs was a glare from the sun. Several of the signs would cast a bright sun spot toward the tee pad and on a couple occasions, it would hit my eyes right as I was in the middle of my tee shot.

Other Thoughts:

This course was fun to play, and not so tough that beginners will be discouraged. As a beginner myself, the course was challenging enough to force me to consider my shots before throwing.
There is plenty of parking available with a short walk to the first tee. Several picnic tables near the beginning of the course and a few shelter houses scattered throughout.
The nicest state park course I have played, and in the top 5 overall. Definitely worth checking out if you are anywhere close to Delaware.
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1 1
JSdisker44
Experience: 1 played 1 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Great course! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 9, 2011 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

All tees are marked and holes are easy to find. but, i have probably played this course about 100 times, so a first timer may have some trouble. has a phenomenal variety of long, short, left curving, right curving, open and wooded holes. Course is challenging, but not frustrating. i, being thirteen can still achieve even par or better. my favorite hole may ctually be number one. 17, 18, 2, and three are also exellent

Cons:

not many cons on this course. some people may say there are too many trees, but overall a great course

Other Thoughts:

give this course a visit, it will be worth the trip!
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7 0
ERicJ
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 16.3 years 286 played 154 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Excellent Course after the Worlds Prep 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 29, 2010 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Gordon is a complete course located on a expansive section of Delaware State park. The course has lefty and righty holes, elevation, and water shots. There are some long bomber holes and some shorter more technical holes. The dual sets of tees are both concrete of adequate length. The baskets are top quality. The course appears to be very well maintained. A lot of the wooded holes have tight lines to hit and low ceilings to stay under... these holes will frustrate less players, challenge better players, and make everyone's game better in the long run. The course went through a pretty major facelift to prepare for PDGA AM Worlds in the summer of 2010. The long concrete tees were installed and a slightly tweaked configuration was created (15 short tee played to 16's basket, and 17 had a new shorter tee position). Brand new tee signs are being installed as of Summer 2010. Restroom facilities are available by hole #1, as is a practice basket and course info board. The practice hole actually has a small concrete tee pad after hole #18 and can be played as the 20th hole on the course if desired.

Cons:

Can be difficult to navigate in a couple spots your first time, so print a map and you shouldn't have any trouble. Transitions between some of the holes is somewhat long and you'll cover a decent bit of distance between holes. This really is a well designed, and it's a personal preference, but I wouldn't mind seeing a bit more bomber type holes vs. the technical ones.

Other Thoughts:

The course goes by a couple different names, most commonly referred to as "Delaware" by the locals. The holes are numbered as #1-11, "G", #12-18, and lastly the practice basket hole "#20". The pictures on DGCR as of Aug 2010 that show the course without foliage are misleading for anyone playing in the Spring or Summer... it looks a lot different when the leaves are in. After the recent facelift I'd say this course probably qualifies as a destination course.
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1 2
Zigzaggler
Experience: 42 played 14 reviews
4.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 5, 2009 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Amazing layout !! Beautiful park that is well maintained. Plenty of variety offered here for all skill levels. little to no wait for tees as the course is spaced out well. One of my all time favs. !!

Cons:

a few of the tees were hidden away pretty well, took a little walking to find them. Other than that not a hole lot going bad on this course.

Other Thoughts:

Loved to see all trees growing crooked with funny knots, do to disc impact ! Some tees are placed directly behind trees. Added a few marks on a few trees out there myself.
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5 0
reanthon
Experience: 46 played 8 reviews
4.00 star(s)

A challenging course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 12, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-Concrete tee pads (long and short on most holes)
-Great variety of shots
-Very challenging
-Good Baskets
-Never crowded
-Rustic

Cons:

-Need more permanent signs
-Hard to follow if it's your first time

Other Thoughts:

This course will make you throw everything in your bag and every type of shot. It was on this course that I was forced to learn how to throw rollers, flick and tomahawk shots. The course is well maintained. As mentioned earlier, tournaments are on Tuesday (singles) and Sunday (doubles) and usually bring in a fair number of pros, including Tyler of team Discraft. So expect this to be more of a five dollar lesson instead of an opportunity to make some cash. None of the holes are really pure luck, as some people have commented. Each hole has atleast one clear route, you just need to watch the pros, play the course a lot and really know your plastic. This course is not beginner friendly, but will force intermediate players to take their game to a new level as well as challenge advanced players. There is some poison oak on the course, put after playing it dozens of times, I have yet to get any on me. This is a beautiful and challenging course and deserves a look if you are in the Delaware area.
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3 0
Bikinimower
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 21.6 years 174 played 66 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Underrarted but not by much 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 4, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Good Variety of shot types and distances
Good mix of open field and wooded shots
Low traffic
Well Maintained
Easy to find

Cons:

Navigating the course can be tricky
Some of the wooded holes are to dense
I've seen skunks the last few times I've been out there

Other Thoughts:

This course is easy to find and it's located in a public park. That's always a good sign and almost guarantees that it will be kept in good condition

I like that the course goes in and out of the woods a lot. Some of the wooded hole are my favorites on the course But some of them are to dense. I find myself just winging my disc and then hoping that luck or tree love will do the rest.

Unless your with someone who knows their way around then this course can be tough to find your way around. After hole 3 turn right and follow the path to your right around the 2 ponds. Hole 12 is impossible to find if your new to the course. After hole 11 turn right, cross the street and look behind the sign that says "Buckeye Grove" there you will find hole 12.

Every Tuesday for 6 bucks they have a tournament. The guy I got paired up with was a gigantic asshole who spent the entire time bragging about how good he was. He was real obnoxious and thought he was all rad but really he was just a huge turd. Don't let him stop you from playing though because every one else there was good people and I had a lot of fun. Sunday at 11 they play doubles

The last few times I went out there I saw skunks. The ranger told me that there is a big skunk infestation everywhere East of the Mississippi River and no one knows why. I thought that was fascinating. An enormous one lives under the bridge on hole 10 so look out. I swear it was big enough to whip a dog.

All in all it's a fun course. I hear a lot of bad things about it but I really like it.
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4 1
culinarywiz
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 35.6 years 305 played 66 reviews
3.50 star(s)

snug fairways 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Apr 5, 2010 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Beautiful park

Very technical layout

Nice flow from basket to next pad

Nice Pads

Long and Short tees

Cons:

Some fairways are too tight

Course doesn't drain well


Other Thoughts:

OK. My initial impression of this course has changed significantly.

During my first round here, I had zero tree love. In fact, I had tree hate...and lots of it. The fairways are VERY tight on most holes. After being on the losing end of many ricochets, I left in a sour mood - vowing never to return.

After seeing and hearing consistently positive reviews of this course over the past year, I decided to give it another shot. Glad I did.

This course has a good mix of shots. It has length. It has a few somewhat open holes. It has right, left and strait shots. There are some mild elevation changes. Water comes into play on a couple holes. And the course is certainly challenging.

Some folks seem to think there are navigational issues, but I found none. Just take your time and keep track of what hole you are on. The only time I saw a tee that I considered playing out of order was #17, when I actually wanted #15. One look past it though, and the proper tee was in sight.

It truly is a solid course, worthy of tourney play. You just have to understand that it is a "MOOD disc golf course" and they like it tight.

My recommendation is this...play it a few times before you pass judgment. Good and bad rounds will come and go with this style of layout.
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