Danville, KY

Henry Jackson Park

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2.645(based on 11 reviews)
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2 0
dr.chainslove
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 25 years 331 played 42 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Now 18 holes! 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 24, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

It looks like there's a new 9 installed in the last year, incorporating the other half of the park. Most holes have 2 tees (with nice signs on the longs). Overall, it's a fun play but fairly open. You'll have plenty of downhill long shots to watch your disc soar. Here are my highlights:
-Maintenance is excellent. Short grass, no rough.
-Nice DGA baskets
-Maximized the land available (this a ball golf course once upon a time?)
-A few holes perched on the top of mounds and one cleverly built 4 ft high into a tree stump
-Hole 8 uses the trees and a ridge very well to create a really nice low-ceiling dogleg left to a tough basket position.
-Most holes have some character and require some kind of shot-shaping to score well

Cons:

Foremost, the issue here is the safety of the layout. Tees are close to baskets and there are many cases where your drive could impact other park users and disc golfers. I was fortunate to be the only guy out here today. On at least 6 or 7 holes, you'll have to worry about anyone standing on the next tee in front of you. It gets really sketchy on hole 12. There's a blind landing for hole 12 near 13's basket. And once to you get to 13's tee, you'll be throwing right past the putting/approach area for 12. The drive on 17 is completely blind and winds through the walking path. 18 was a beautiful hole, but on my upshot, I worried about potentially decapitating a runner or cyclist cresting the hill on the path that's right next to the basket. Outside of the safety issues, my problem with with the course was the overall openness. With the space available, the designers did a great job but squeezing in 18 holes was a tall task.

Other Thoughts:

If this park was solely meant for disc golf with some safety measures, I'd imagine a 3.0 rating. Thankfully I was around when no one was there and able to air it out and enjoy the experience. This is worth stopping by if you're in the Danville area. You won't be far from the solid Riney B and Eubank courses.
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4 0
sisyphus
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 12.6 years 398 played 383 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Not bad, pretty park 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 31, 2015 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

There's no chance of a lost disc at this rolling, established park, where the nine hole disc golf course boasts dual tees and nice DGA baskets with number plates. The concrete tees each are nicely marked at the front with either blue (long) or red (short) paint, so that you'll always know which direction to look for the basket, regardless of the orientation of the excellent signage. In fact, the flow of the course is enhanced at the only long walk (7 to 8) by a next tee sign for first timers. With a paved walking trail, a separate, fenced baseball diamond, a couple of playground areas, and a small shelter, the disc golf course takes center stage, and you can always see clearly to watch out for conflicts.

The disc golf play is geared toward Recreational distances from the 'amateur' tees, and probably Intermediate distances from the 'pro' tees. There are mature trees and gnarly branches waiting to swat down your errant drives (particularly on holes 3, 4, 6 short, 7, 8 and 9), so it's not all 'grip it and rip' it here. That's not to say that the lines are tight, they'll just take a little planning, and sometimes conceding a three (or four), rather than an easy deuce. The signature hole might be hole 8, with it's daunting trees guarding the ridge top green.

Park maintenance seems to be pretty good here, and the course has been in good shape the two times I've visited, over a span of two years.

Cons:

There isn't a lot here to challenge the tournament player, and interest would quickly wane if you are at that level, and live in Danville. Might have to play some safari. I do already worry a little about the proximity of some tees to the previous basket (long tees for 3 & 4 in particular). And the approach to the 3rd basket definitely brings the little shelter and swingset into possible range of the bigger (wilder?) arms. Finally, roll into the gravel lot slowly, it's a little worn-down.

Other Thoughts:

I added some new pictures and an aerial map so you can get the flavor. Not necessarily a destination course by any stretch, but a decent place for the folks in this small college town to get some play in.
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3 1
KyDiscGolfer
Experience: 12.9 years 4 played 1 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Fun 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 9, 2013 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-Very fun to play
-Clean
-Course tee pads
-Pins in good condition
-New tee signs
-Par 3 course*
-Easy*

Cons:

-Needs to be mowed more often(But its not too bad)
-Hole #6 could probably be a par 4 but it is a challenging par 3
-Par 3 course*
-Easy*

Other Thoughts:

Overall just a fun course to go play on. If you are in the area I would highly recommend stopping by and playing a few rounds.
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2 0
Faulk
Experience: 12 years 125 played 3 reviews
3.00 star(s)

The Jackson 9 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 5, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Scattered trees around most fairways and baskets, several tees offer chances for aces on #'s 1, 5, and 7 (although its unmarked). Holes 3, 6, 8, and 9 all have very large trees lurking and leaning taking away most angles at the basket making for a good mix.

Cons:

Hole 7 is not marked, 9 is incorrectly marked as a duplicate hole 6 as well. Fairways can be overgrown at times, all wooded areas have no paths and heavy brush as floor bedding making hard to access for lost disc searching.

Other Thoughts:

The only park with a disc course in my town but its poorly maintained... Should be a new course opened somewhere near by
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2 1
Russell Gore
Experience: 30.9 years 80 played 38 reviews
3.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

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

Pros:

Most baskets from the Pro pads are placed just outside the average distance that most people throw. Leaving you with midrange upshots or long putts. Its pretty hard to score on this course. Tee pads are very nice on this course, good size and somewhat grippy. The few trees on the course are well placed. Possibly the best 9 hole course I have played. Easy to find!

Cons:

Missing tee signs, Those that remain are turned backwards misleading you on which direction to throw. Some short pads are still too long for the people who cant throw far.

Other Thoughts:

If you happen to be in or around some of the surrounding cities its a good place to take a trip to. if youre gonna have to drive hundreds of miles to play this, there are better courses in the surrounding areas to play. Otherwise it was a fun course. Would like to see a tournament held there.
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2 0
jbrian24
Experience: 11.9 years 41 played 14 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Good Course for a quick round 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jul 29, 2011 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Lots of elevation changes
Challenging
Trees well used in course layout

Cons:

Grass could be mowed more often
Most signs are missing
Hard to navigate with no course map available

Other Thoughts:

This is the first course I played when I started into disc golf. I have to say that overall I like the course. I think it will give any player a challenge with 2 sets of tees for every hole. The baskets are well placed to use the mature trees and the lay of the land. Most of the hole signs are missing which would make it harder to navigate the first time out. Luckily for me I played with a friend that knew the course my first time out. The best hole on the course in my opinion is Hole 8. The basket is perched on top of a long ridge guarded by several trees off the tee box.
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4 0
discRabbit
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 24.9 years 1136 played 136 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Potential for Awesomeness 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 22, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

As the previous reviewer noted, there is lots of potential for Henry Jackson. Widely spaced trees, lots of elevation, and a relatively empty park are all ingredients for a nice course. The layout has a lot of positives and has great variation in hole distances, right/left turns, uphill/downhill, and types of shots required off of the tee. To maximize potential though, multiple pins are needed to keep the course fresh after a few plays.

Cons:

The main con for this course is that no one is playing it! Not neccessarily a problem in itself but the lack of players also has lead to a lack of upkeep. There are no signs to guide players around, tees are unkempt and lack visible markings, and general amenities and upgrades like multiple pin placements are also missing. Without any variation in design (two tees with little change/one pin) this course lacks the ability to captivate a player after more than a few rounds. The shots are figured out and players will find themselves throwing rote-repetitive shots rather than figuring out new lines and trying new shots.

Other Thoughts:

Having relatives in Danville, I usually make a pilgrimage out here every two years and still enjoy getting a round in every once in a while. However, having this as a home course would get quite old very quickly. C'mon locals, lets see a few new pin placements for the next trip to Kentucky!
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7 0
adam423
Experience: 15.8 years 29 played 10 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Needs some TLC 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 20, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

The biggest pro is the course's potential. If this course had some concrete tees, signs, and a good map, it could be a really nice little 9 holer. Some of the holes were fairly long and had some good elevation changes. The park was mowed and clean. The two best holes are 1 and 8. # 1 is a really cool downhill shot and # 8's pin is in a great place on top of a ridge.

Cons:

The lack of tee signs, decent map, or visible tee boxes made this course hard to navigate. Be prepared to search quite a bit. A few of the shots seemed dangerous. 3 throws along a baseball field and 4 is close to a swing set and picnic shelter. Luckily it was empty when I was there. A bunch of the holes require you to tee off over walking paths, which could cause some back ups if the park were busy.

Other Thoughts:

The gate was closed for some reason, and there is no parking outside. Fortunately a guy was mowing the school's adjoining baseball field and he let us park there.
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5 0
lylemccoon
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 28.8 years 89 played 18 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Vanilla Ice Cream 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 30, 2009 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

This is a beautifully maintained 9 hole recreational course in a nice city park setting, complete with mature trees, a walking path, shelters, and playgrounds. The well-maintained aspect means that you will not spend any time searching for discs in deep schule, and you have a very small chance of losing a disc.

The park has some decent elevation changes, good DGA baskets, and seems to be used by both the local college student population and by local families.

The tee boxes are large, and there are generally two tee boxes on each hole giving the course greater variety as well as allowing different skill levels their own challanges.

The course also has one of the most picturesque holes in Central Kentucky. The view from Hole #1's tee pad is beautiful, especially from the short tee pad. In addition, the basket on hole #8 is in a great spot, perched on top of a narrow levee.

Cons:

The course is difficult to navigate. There are several reasons for this. First, there is no course map on site, neither in a large, kiosk version nor in a small scorecard version. Second, there are only 3 signs that still remain on the course's 9 holes, and only one was still standing (#1). Hole #9 was lying on the ground beside the tee box, and #2's sign I found by a tree on hole #6. Third, the tee boxes are simply three wooden landscaping rails in the grass. Many of these are barely visible with grass all but covering them up, and some are missing altogether (at least I never found them). Fourth, even with the map that you can print from this web site (and I would strongly encoure doing so), the tees are hard to find. The map is not extremely accurate (hole #5 is nowhere near where the map indicates) and most of its listed distances are significantly off. The bottom line for ease of play is this: I had played the course twice before and I had a map, but I still struggled finding some holes. Fifth, without any signs or highly visible tee boxes, it does not help that there are somewhat long walks between the holes 5-6, 7-8, and especially 8-9.

The biggest safety issue with the course is the walking path that is in play on 7 of the 9 holes. The tee boxes require you to throw over the walking path 10 times in 9 holes. If there are any walkers, the situation could be quite dangerous. Perhaps more stunningly is Hole #4's short tee pad that requires you to throw through a shelter. I am not joking or exaggerating. The tee box ends at the shelter's edge and the basket is on the other side of the shelter. The course map even declares "shelter not O.B." Additional safety issues include bad hyzer shots on Hole #2 going into the outfield of the baseball field.

The worst thing I can say about the course is that it is a bit boring, very vanilla. It does not have any technical shots. It does not require any sort of forced turnover shots, or generally any kind of creative shots. I pretty much only used 2-3 discs the vast majority of the time.

Other Thoughts:

I like this course, but as I said, it is fairly boring. From the short tees, there are lots of chances for birdies, even for a novice-rated player.

Two heads up: there is a short tee box on Hole #8 that is not shown on the map. I never found the short tee box on Hole #2 or the long one on #5.
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4 1
SimonCarr
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 25 years 115 played 57 reviews
2.00 star(s)

A better safari course.. 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 1, 2008 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Every shot you throw will be either uphill or downhill. Pro or con? you decide.

The course is clean and can be challenging on a windy day.

Cons:

Virtually no directions from hole to hole. Many of the teepads are hard to find, or overgrown with grass. Could be a much better course with a little TLC.

Other Thoughts:

I used to work in Danville and have played this course at least 15 times. The best way to play this course is to make it into a safari course. All the baskets are scattered across the hill, so there are a lot of opportunities for really neat safari holes.
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6 0
broken_star
Experience: 20.1 years 21 played 12 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Not to bad 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 11, 2008 Played the course:never

Pros:

Nice mix of shots, good practice course for both beginners and higher level players, baskets are well maintained, some elevation changes

Cons:

Hard to follow, grass/mulch teepads, some tee signs missing, lots of dog "leavings", could see some issues with walkers since some shots require you throwing over walking trails, downed branches all over the course

Other Thoughts:

Not a typical 9 hole course, actually has some challenging holes (longs). It's definitly worth the visit if not for anything else other than to practice rollers.
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