Emporia, KS

Jones Park - West

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4.185(based on 19 reviews)
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13 0
Surge5
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 9.7 years 166 played 166 reviews
4.00 star(s)

The Test Of West 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 3, 2021 Played the course:once

Pros:

More than anything, West is going to test your entire game. Placement, shaping, control, power, and sometimes a mixture of those.

Although this isn't a wooded course by any stretch of the word, the trees that are in play are used very well to prevent certain lines or to force a more difficult approach shot.

Just like on East, the Gold course is interspersed throughout the West course, making for a lot of options to play. The only hole with two tees is 17, but there are two baskets on 1-4, 10, 11, 15, and 17. There are a few more on the signs (5-7, 12-14) but those baskets weren't there when I was.

Five of the first six holes here are all about shaping. Hyzers, flex shots, and forehands will all be useful, especially as they're all par 3 so getting within putting range is very important. (In case you're wondering, the excluded hole is 4)

After testing your shaping, Holes 7-9 all test your control. 7 has water behind the basket, 8 forces you to squeeze between a *very* small gap between two evergreens, and 9 is a 325ft downhill with an OB road right less than 15ft behind the basket.

Hole 11 has a low ceiling towards the pin, while 12-14 all play around some evergreens making shaping once again the name of the game.

The standout holes of the course for me just so happen to be the holes that require the most power, but also make placement very important.
- The first of these three is hole 4, and it is the simplest of them all. The par 4 pin is reachable, but would be an extremely powerful and lucky shot. The short pin has some very difficult trees in the way of the green.
- Hole 18 is the second-best here, and is a power shot with looming water to the right of the fairway with the basket perched on the back end of the pond. 457 is the listed distance, but having to get around the water pushes the number closer to 500. Once you get to the "corner" it's a steep downhill behind the basket and shooting back uphill knowing there's water just on the other side of the basket is a big mental block to get around.
- Hole 17. Contending with two massive evergreens off the tee justifies the par 4 even without the water, but this hole sticks the short pin over a small water carry on a peninsula, and the long pin over yet another little water carry. It's the best for me because the downhill is so steep you can really get some distance on your throw, but the water will likely stay your hand from going full power. The short tee is also a great option on this hole, keeps the big ol' evergreens out of your way but still let's you throw a massive bomb.

The fixtures are excellent, tee signs are excellent, maintenance was great, and the Latitude 64 Pro baskets are some of the best I've thrown on.

Cons:

If there was a "downer" hole on the course, it would be hole 10. Mostly open with either a wide open pin to the right, or one tucked back in the bushes to the left. With so many great uses of trees around the course this hole just seems a little bland. Hole 16 is also a little bland. A dink forehand with a slightly elevated basket.

Coming back to hole 15 all the way from 14 is more of a hike than any other on the two normal courses.

With all the aged, thick evergreens, there is a decent chance a bad shot could end up stuck real high in a tree.

Other Thoughts:

Between testing much more of your game, not having many bland holes and finishing off leaving a great taste in your mouth with the last two holes, West is a few ticks better than East in my opinion.

The course isn't for beginners, and intermediate players will definitely be frustrated by some shot shapes they don't know. That said, this would be an excellent course to play over and over to learn those shot shapes. If only I lived closer.

If you are short on time at Jones Park, play West. It is quicker, more overall quality, and a broader challenge than its eastern counterpart.
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4 1
Breh
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 13.8 years 191 played 189 reviews
4.00 star(s)

2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 16, 2020 Played the course:once

Pros:

Jones west is amazing!! from the parking lot theres a giant kiosk board and map. I really preferred this course to the long East side. The west gives an incredible variety of hole distances, as well as lefty/righty holes.It has great elevation from the start of the downhill throw on one. It utilizes a lot of the land and terrain. It makes great use of the water and hole 18 is an amazing risk it for the biscuit hole... I layed up left side lol.course flows very well with 18 bringing you back towards 1. Great mix of par 3s and a few 4s . short and long baskets here play what you want to. Stakes in ground marking other pin placements

Cons:

beginners still might have a hard time on a few of the holes 17 in particular. Its a massive long hole with a water approach, the gold pin here is kinda dumb and shouldn't be played compared to the regular normal pin
walkout from 14 to 15 is pretty long, and have to walk over the road to get there.

Other Thoughts:

overall a great course and makes jones a for sure destination I do prefer this over the east side but cant go wrong playing both in a daystar hydrated
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2 1
Chained Evil
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 13.8 years 1091 played 232 reviews
4.00 star(s)

A great test of your abilities 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 14, 2017 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Jones West offers a nice variety of short, moderate, and longer playing holes on this park style course. There are multiple pin placements for each holes and the tees are plenty long allowing for a proper run up. The signage is top notch providing the player with all the necessary information need. Par, layout, distance, OB, etc are described and presented on the tee signs in vibrant colors and are easy to read. The Latitude 64 baskets are yellow and are visible from many tees.
Good mix of dog leg L and R playing holes as well as good use of the rolling hills to add some elevation to this course.
This course has had a bit of a redesign so hole 16 now has the elevated basket which will add to the difficulty of your putt especially when it is windy, as it often is in Kansas.
Many of the holes have guarded, or protected pins to test your shot shaping abilities. The lines here are excellent making the thrower shape shots in order to score well. There are a couple of holes that have a bit of a low ceiling to them, holes 11 and 15 come to mind. Also there is water threat that is present on holes 5, if you go long, 6 throwing across the pond, 7 if you go too far, 17 depending on the pin placement, and 18 especially when the basket is on the backside of the pond's dam.
The flow of the course is logical and the course itself is well maintained.

Cons:

There are roads that might come into play around some of the perimeter holes on this course. Players should use extra caution for sure before throwing.
Don't recall many benches or trash cans throughout the course. Litter wasn't an issue but some players might want to sit down during their rounds.
The walk from 11's basket to 12's tee was a tad lengthy as was the walk from 14's basket to 15's tee. This slows the flow of the round down a bit, but honestly there's not avoiding it. It is what it is. These cons are minor in the grand scheme of things.

Other Thoughts:

This course really has something for everyone. It is a fun play and is in a very well maintained park. This course doesn't have a ton of OB but it has some to keep you on your toes. It's not as long as its sister course, Jones East, but compliments her nicely. Both of these courses are must plays if you come to Emporia. Make a day of it and play Jones East and West, Peter Pan, and if you are lucky try to get on at Emporia Country Club.
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4 1
Upshawt1979
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 20.8 years 548 played 429 reviews
3.50 star(s)

West World 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Dec 31, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

Jones Park West course is the first of two 18 hole courses on site. It has concrete tees, Dynamic Discs provided the targets and tee signs. There are two pin locations at each hole, and an extra tee at hole 17. All of the equipment is in place and looking good.

There are enough trees to give each hole character of its own, and the staggered pin positions do a nice job to change the look and strategy of each hole. Fairways are all grass, and there is water in play on a couple of them. Mild changes in elevation on a few holes also.

A great course for learning, there are not tight lines or a lot of heavy rough. Several of them are fairly long, and the wind ups the difficulty a notch when blowing. Many of the evergreen trees are thick and tall enough to make a stuck disc tough to retrieve.

My favorite holes were 9, 11, 16 and 17. 9 was placed in the position to the right, a bit downhill and protected lightly by a few trees around the basket. I made a tee shot that put me 10' away but I clanked the putt like a chump. 11 has the most crowded fairway, so a low line with the correct angle is crucial if you want to get close to the pin. It is on a slight downhill slant most of the way, but not easy to reach with the first throw even if you don't get interference from the trees. 16 is long, and is a tough par 3, but an excellent warm up for hole 17. There are two tees on 17, and water in play near the basket. Depending on the pin, you may have to throw across the pond. I had a good drive off the long tee, but turned it into the wind on the second throw, so I was happy to stay dry, but not in good shape to make petter than par.

Cons:

Overall a very nice course, maybe a little ho-hum for the advanced disc golfer. I enjoyed it, but there are other courses in and around Emporia that offer a much harder challenge, or more defined fairways.

Other Thoughts:

I did not get to play the East course on this visit to the Emporia area, but will probably play the West course again when I do return to finish the other half. It has nice balance, is well marked and fun.

It has a similar feel to a lot of the older courses I have played. Not too much clutter on the fairways, and lots of room for big sweeping turns.

This was my final round of 2016, and third course of the day. I scored better here than the first two, but was still several shots over par. Opened with bogeys on the first 7 holes, but got a couple of birdies on the back nine to salvage the round.
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2 4
wannabepudge
Experience: 2 played 2 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Extremely enjoyable 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 30, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

- Baskets were top notch
- Nice mix between easy and difficult
- Very well kept
- Short and Long holes
- Trash cans every few holes (seems trivial, until you play a course where you need them and they aren't there)
- Scenic

Cons:

- A few holes took a bit of walking around to find.
- (this is a bit of a stretch) Knowing which hole placement was in play wasn't always easy given the trees. This is the case for most courses I've played, but given that it was the first time I've played this course, we had to walk some of the holes before throwing.

Other Thoughts:

I thoroughly enjoyed playing this course and wish I wasn't an hour and a half away. It seems like the different hole placements could make the course seem brand new. I highly recommend playing.
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4 2
AequitasVeritas
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 24.3 years 70 played 20 reviews
4.50 star(s)

The West Side 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Apr 25, 2019 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-Extremely well maintained
-Great baskets
-Excellent pads
-It will challenge you
-Excellent use of the terrain
-2 courses in one park
-You're in Emporia
-Great restrooms

Cons:

-I'm trying really hard to think of bad things and I can't, maybe the only thing would be that it's really popular? ha.

Other Thoughts:

Jones West was a breath of fresh air for this Texas Discer. The elevation changes were awesome. The course wasn't unreachably long, but had some very thoughtful trees in your way at times. I took the long way on a few holes and still managed to pull a par out of somewhere.

I played here prior to GBO as my first round in Emporia. It was awesome! The people here are great. You might run into Eric McCabe since he is a local.

The course plays friendly to smaller arms as well as the bigger ones. I would definitely make a trip to play West and East!

-----------------------------
2019 Update

The more I play West, the more I fall for it. The course will demand you to have so many different shots in your bag to score well. The KS wind is always lurking around the corner as well to get in that head of yours.

Last year, I accidentally yanked a drive into the middle of the pond on 18. After that, I went full on Tin Cup. That's what this course can do to your mental game. It's awesome.

After the redesign, I think I like it even more. Can't wait to get back and play West again. And then head over and play East. Because you can.
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3 0
Bstoney 12332
Experience: 21 played 1 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Local knowledge plus was 1 of 5 who put west in. 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 6, 2015 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

This course is fun for anyone. It's got your longer holes#4, #11, #16, #17, #18, on long setting . But you can reach all the goals on short if you have a good arm. Watch out for the trees just waiting to clip your disc . When the course was set up we were all new too the game of Disc Golf but it has always been my favorite in town plus with baskets on all the holes how could you have a bad round here . It is big enough for pros and short enough for recreation players water for danger and enough trees too put a stop to any great round . Awesome course I've played it for over 20 years I've beaten it and it's beat me and that is what I feel is a great place too play.

Cons:

The walk between 13-14 and 16-17 little long but a good time to get focused on the last five holes. Oh bring your own drinks the water fountains (2) are 100 ft apart and they don't work that well

Other Thoughts:

This is a great course for any level of Disc golfer you might think it's to open to easy but I can tell ya this course will put you in your place. Come to Emporia and ripp it I'll be lookin forward too seeing you all.
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6 1
redwrath
Experience: 11.9 years 39 played 3 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Jones West 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 21, 2013 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Jones Park in Emporia is a great asset to the community. There are also at leat two other Jones Parks in the area with courses (Olpe and Reading, KS). This particular course, at Jones Park West, has had 36 baskets, over 18 holes, in place all summer long. The east course, in the same park, has an additional 18 holes with one basket apiece. There restrooms, water foutains, trash cans, shelter houses with electricity and grills. Even a fishing dock has been installed on one of the three ponds. There is a playground area. Shelter houses are available for reservation at a fee if you call ahead. Plenty of amenities in the park.

The course has a good mix of difficulty and with the 36 basket format, a player has generally been able to do a lot of picking and choosing difficulty ranges. Often, there are multiple lines available to a player which opens things up. Kansas courses are generally open. Jones has enough trees, ponds, and slight elevation that you will not feel you are playing in a field.

Cons:

This is a large park, if you do not like walking, it may not be the best option for you. With the number of holes and baskets in the park, I can see how a person might get confused. Locals will often mix holes from the East and west courses together and play a hybrid round.

Other Thoughts:

This course doesn't close until 11pm and is great for a round of night golf! Less tiring/challenging than the Jones Park East course and often more challenging than Peter Pan. I would place Jones West as a medium difficulty course in the Emporia lineup. Probably the most trafficked course in town? I'm giving the course a half disc bonus for having had 36 baskets all summer long.
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6 0
TalbotTrojan
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 15.6 years 112 played 104 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Get It or Figure It Out 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 4, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

This course sits in a nice park that is very well maintained. It makes use of park features very well including trees and elevation. There is a good variety of different kids of holes and most holes offer a variety of options with similar degrees fo challenge. The tee pades are really good for the most part and there are brand new baskets in the course, presumably in place for Am Worlds. Tee signs are very helpful and lead you in the right direction to the next hole. There are two lakes that come into play on this course and they are used well to increase the challenge of the course while being fair and allowing shorter throwers a way around. The mental challenge on this course is much higher than most making it more of a mental course rather than just a throw it as far as you can kind of challenge, even if some of the mental challenges are long holes. There are other things in the park for the rest of the family to do including a very nice playground. There are some pretty nice bathrooms near the playground as well.

Cons:

There are times when other park users will be in the way so please be patient. There are a couple of places where there is a long walk between holes. Specifically from 13 to 14 and from 16 to 17. Some of the holes are almost too easy and the sheer number of these holes brings the rating down a half disc.

Other Thoughts:

This is a really fun course and probably a much better course for beginners to play in comparison to the course on the East park of the park. There is a lot of fun and I was really impressed with the mental challenge that is this course. Park in the furthest west lot in the park. The fact that there is a nice park and nice bathrooms in the middle of the park makes a big difference. This is a course that I would really enjoy playing again and again, even with so many other good courses in town.
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2 2
DTB501
Experience: 12 played 12 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Tough challenge 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 29, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

Many tough holes that required some planning. The course seemed to be well kept. Baskets were also in better shape than other places as well. There is a road going through the course but it seemed to be minimal, and the size of the park kept overcrowding down to a minimum.

Cons:

Some of the holes were difficult to navigate. There were other tee pads for an alternate course, so it was easy to get things mixed up. The flow of the holes also seemed a little rough in places. In some places there was tall grass with some kind of skinny thorns. I'm sure it was just ob, but throwing a disc in there made it a pain to retrieve.

Other Thoughts:

The course overall was put together well. The town of Emporia is a disc golf mecca. Dynamic Discs is based out of there and has a good store. This summer the PDGA world ams are being hosted here and after playing that course I could see why it would be a great spot for it.
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1 3
jayhawker737
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 15.2 years 52 played 41 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Shorter Half 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 16, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

This is a nice change of pace from the East side.
I prefer the distances on this course, more than the other. This is especially true when there are still some long 500 foot holes.
Water is utilized well here too.
I feel there is more shot variety here than the other course in the park, and a more technical side.
This course was more fun for me and my buddy to play then the East side.

Cons:

I prefer East's baskets to the baskets on this course.
The final hole, when set to the location on the right is almost unfair with where the hole is compared to the water.
Going from hole 13 basket to 14 pad is really confusing. The pads for 16 and 15 are much closer than 14. It also feels weird playing so close to a cemetary.

Other Thoughts:

This was the last of 4 courses I played in my day in Emporia. It was great to be done. I was tired when I played this though. I am glad I saved this for last, rather than the East as West is less tiring.
If I come back to Emporia again, it will be for Peter Pan, and these 2 courses will be a nice add on.
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1 3
bigboyjones
Experience: 19.9 years 4 played 2 reviews
4.50 star(s)

My Local Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 4, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

One of the biggest pros is that the course is well maintained and mowed so tall grass is not much of a problem. On most of the holes they have extended the tee pad about a foot which gives the player more room to get up to speed. They have made it easier to reach hole 18 from hole 17.

Cons:

There are a few dead trees that need to be removed. Baskets have chains that have become detatched from the ring that make them fly all over the place. Because of geese you may step into poo some of the time.

Other Thoughts:

Overall it is a great course. The holes all have two settings so you gain a little variety. I highly recommend this course.
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3 7
SteezeOG
Experience: 19 played 8 reviews
4.50 star(s)

My Favorite Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Nov 4, 2011 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Not as long as the East Course in the same park but more doglegs and trees to challenge your shots. It has a little bit of everything you could want in a round of disc golf. Trees, tight fairways, water, wind, open fairways, and doglegs. Holes have good signage with distance and possible pin positions with real life photos.

Cons:

The baskets are the biggest con with this course. It gets played more than the East course but that is the course with the best baskets. I hope they replace them soon. Not a lot of elevation changes but it is Kansas so we don't have a lot of elevation to work with. After rain the teeboxes can get messy as the grass is gone around them.

Other Thoughts:

If you are in town do not pass up the chance to play this course. Update 11-21-2011 There is work being done on the west pond near holes 17 and 18. Might want to play another course this winter as this seems like a long term project. Slight interruption on #1 and a big pile of mud on holes 10 and 11 fairways.
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5 4
kcplease
Experience: 14.8 years 133 played 31 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Awesome 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jan 17, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

Great course. Absolutely love the layout and how they divided the courses.
West is Best
logical layout
Beautiful holes

Cons:

baskets don't watch as well as I might have preferred
Not as much hole variety as the one next door, but this one is ,more fun, so it makes up for it.

Other Thoughts:

This is possibly my favorite course ever, along with Peter Pan and Water Works. It really is great. Trees are not too horribly obtrusive, but do provide a nice obstacle. Holes really do flow with the land well. No doubt why these courses produced a World Champion.
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9 0
chad groen
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 24.1 years 42 played 41 reviews
4.50 star(s)

A Fun and Challenging Course

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:May 16, 2008 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

This course has a really good variety of layouts. Each hole has it's own unique challenges. They're strategically set up in ways that bring many obstacles into play, including water hazards, roads, and trees. Some holes are kind of long while others are kind of short. Some are kind of narrow with a lot of obstacles while others are mostly open with only a few (but also significant) obstacles. There are some blind tee shots as well. The alternate hole locations offer more variety to this course, helping maintain a fresh feel to each hole. Also, the wind can sometimes be a factor in this park. The course is well kept and has some beautiful layouts. You'll enjoy playing each hole for different reasons.

Cons:

Just a few minor issues. You can't see the first hole from the parking lot, so if you're not familiar with the course, it might be a little tricky to find to it. Finding the 14th hole can also be a little tricky to find; it's kind of a long walk and you have to cross over the street to find it. Also, the path that leads to 17's longer hole location, which is the same path that leads to the 18th tee pad, can sometimes be wet and muddy to walk through.

Other Thoughts:

Overall, this is a really well designed course with a lot of fun holes. People of all skill levels will enjoy playing here.
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8 0
scarpfish
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 20.8 years 360 played 98 reviews
4.00 star(s)

The friendlier side of Jones Park 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 11, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Very well taken care of park. Good signage. Designed with varying challenges for different skill levels, therefore while it can be tough, its a fair kind of tough.. Multiple pin positions that actually give you a different look and may cause you to vary your strategy. Some pins cleverly hidden inside groups of evergreens. Hole 17 with the pin long (686 feet) with two preferred routes, one through a low tunnel, the other over the top both of them hazardous is one of the challenging holes anywhere.

Cons:

Has a few areas where there are flow issues on the back nine. No map of the course onsite. For all its care, Jones Park has some issues with drainage. You can find waterlogged or muddy spots in lots of places after a hard rain. An extra pair of socks would come in handy here.

Other Thoughts:

Not as overwhelming as its sister course which it literally brushes right up against, this is still a very serious challenge when the pins are in the longs. Even the short holes are no gimme as there is always that errant tree branch and sometimes relentless wind that blows your disc off its line. I would highly recommend taking a look down the fairway to see the basket if you can't spot it from the tee. The Mach 3's on this course aren't as visible as the yellow Discatchers on the East course. Regardless of what configuraton you get, you will want another crack at this one when you're done. Better for newbies and casuals along with Peter Pan Park across town. You could really spend a night in Emporia with all the disc golf courses available.
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1 6
ACEHOLE01
Experience: 30.3 years 2 played 1 reviews
5.00 star(s)

sahweet 2+ years drive by

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

Pros:

every hole is parable, not too many trees, the water hazards are short, cement tees, with real life pictures at each tee showing where the basket is at. multiple basket placements. good course for beginers and pros.

Cons:

not really any cons,, maybe a bright yellow ring on top of baskets like the east course has, at the same park

Other Thoughts:

highly recomended!! 2 courses at the same park.. 36 different tees
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1 5
KSLAWDAWG
Experience: 18.8 years 27 played 4 reviews
4.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 7, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Very nicely kept and maintained course. Good mixture of open/wooded/lefty/righty holes. Tee boxes are in good shape. Good mixuture of alternate pin placements! Easy to find the next tee boxes.

Cons:

Not a great course for beginners due to some difficulty, but overall highly recommended

Other Thoughts:

Highly recommended if you are in the area or want to compete in the annual tournements in town.
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1 8
sportfan187
Experience: 20.9 years 25 played 3 reviews
5.00 star(s)

highly recommended 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 18, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

everything u want in a course to challenge yourself. short, long, righty holes, lefty holes, elevation changes, obstacles......cant think of anything it is missing

Cons:

???????

Other Thoughts:

great place to spend a weekend, has another 18 in same park that is ridiculously long, and challenging, and also have park across town with a very nice course.
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