Brainerd, MN

Lum Park

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2.785(based on 23 reviews)
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14 0
mndiscg
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 15.8 years 480 played 478 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Brainerd Classic 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 19, 2020 Played the course:once

Pros:

+Decent quality baskets. Not top of the line but very serviceable.
+Concrete tees. Older reviews/photos noted natural pads but they are indeed concrete pads in good condition and good size.
+Some good chances for ace runs.
+This page notes 4 water holes. You could end up in the water but if you are throwing reasonably, you won't get wet. Shouldn't lose a disc here.
+Definitely a course aimed at beginners. It would be fun to play with old skool lids or putters as well.
+A fair amount of trees to make you shape your shots a little bit. Trees are a mix of conifers and deciduous. Mostly bigger, mature trees. Provide a good canopy and lots of shade.

Cons:

-Overall, fairly short and recreational. 1 "Long" hole, a few in the mid 200s and the others all shorter. Not going to challenge most decent players. There is nothing really bad about this course but it is a fairly short park style 9 hole so that limits its rating possibilities.
-Some of the later holes are crammed into one small part of a park and the fairways get a little close together.
-This course is more popular than it should be and you might see some traffic.

Other Thoughts:

+Overall, this course was fairly fun for me. I enjoyed hitting lines and running aces. I didn't get one but a few close calls for sure. High fun factor overall. One thing that I liked about a few holes was that it felt like you could play multiple rounds in 1 day and find new lines every time.
+This is probably the most popular course in the immediate area.
+The park is a nice park and has good views of Rice Lake to the north. It is a good, relaxing setting.
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5 3
balmer
Experience: 2 played 2 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Lum Park- Intermediate course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 12, 2020 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

A great intermediate level course for seasoned disc golf players. Has ample amount of natural obstacles/hazards/out of bounds/ to make it fun and competitive between friends. Hole 8 has a elevated platform basket and it makes it fun to putt in against your group.

Cons:

I wouldn't say this is a con, but more of just a heads up to beginner players wanting to play this course: I would advise throwing discs low and short. Throwing them high will cause them to fade one way or another and land on street, woods/grass or water.

Other Thoughts:

Hole 1 starts by the boat landing, this course is technically 18 because it has two tee offs per hole. Park by the pavilion so you don't have to walk as far back to your vehicle.
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7 0
Cerealman
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 15.7 years 572 played 173 reviews
2.00 star(s)

No glum at Lum 2+ years

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

Pros:

The Lum Park DGC includes views of a lake - after all, it's Minnesota - but the odds of drowning one's disc are minimal at this friendly park course.

Toss out all the review references to ancient baskets and dirt teepads; all nine holes feature newer, permanent baskets and a concrete teepad.

The difficulty level is ideal for a park course. Only one hole is over 270 feet, and all the holes are par 3s. The terrain is mostly flat, but there are enough trees so that some decent shot-shaping is required, and a couple meandering creeks add a slight challenge.

Hole #8 has an elevated basket on a wooden platform.

The new signs list the distance.

Cons:

The course does not loop back to Hole #1, so there is a few-minute walk after completing the round.

While the river is not a threat, there are some swampy areas to the right on Holes #1-3. Also, the course isn't too far from the park road, so beware of passing vehicles.

The last few holes are shoehorned into a small area. Wayward discs could be an issue if multiple groups are playing.

There are apparently "long tees" at Lum Park, but they're not paved. And really, there isn't enough space to adequately have two different teepads for each hole.

Other Thoughts:

Overall, Lum Park DGC is a nice lil' course and a quick play. Most of the course is on grass, though the terrain will retain some mud and water after rain/snow.

As indicated by a monument near Hole #7, this park was donated by Leon E. Lum, who served on the Minnesota Legislature in the late 1880s.
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1 5
Cezar Chavez
Experience: 7 played 7 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Nice Play 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 22, 2020 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Good variety of holes. Very approachable for new players but still challenging enough for veterans. City maintains this course very well throughout the year.

Cons:

You're playing around the park, and there is a couple of holes near traffic.

Other Thoughts:

Hole #1 starts near the boat launch.
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6 0
BriMar
Experience: 9.8 years 29 played 16 reviews
3.00 star(s)

A Nice Surprise 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 17, 2018 Played the course:once

Pros:

-Very nice clearly marked plastic signs that start off each lane
-A small creek wraps through the 9 hole that presents some nice challenges
-Elevated basket on 9
-Off to the side of a very nice park that sits on a lake
-Plenty of parking and easy to find park, right off the highway

Cons:

-The course does not begin that close to parking nor does it wrap around back to the first tee. Plan on a somewhat short walk before and after play
-Some baskets were pretty worn with faded markers on them
-The flow of the course is kinda awkward but still fun
-Though the park sits on a lake, but only one hole has a view of it. It's a pretty park but the course doesn't take advantage of it.

Other Thoughts:

I did not expect much from this course. It's very much squeezed to the side of a very nice park. The 9 hole starts on the south west side, not far from the entrance. You start with the lake to your back and after your first throw, turn to face the lake and say goodbye because that's the closest you'll get to it.

The course winds along the creek that flows into/out(?) of the lake so tall grass flanks the first few baskets and then acts as a small obstacle later on as you crisis-cross the creek a few times.

It's not a hard course, good for starters, still fun for the rest I really enjoyed it more that I thought, even though the course sometimes doesn't have a great logical flow to it, supporting my theory that this course was a bit of an after thought by the city. Still, the designer made it work enough. I saw some evidence of expansion on this course, but I'm concerned, since they don't seem to be expanding out but rather working with the land they already have. If they are expanding this might tip the play from somewhat confusing to over the top crazy
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2 1
Austin James Annable
Experience: 10.9 years 59 played 7 reviews
3.50 star(s)

My training ground 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 5, 2014 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Where I first started playing, good beginner course, nice scenery, not to many trees, and we are getting cement tee pads with the money donated by the Brainerd Fly-by Disc Golf League.

Cons:

The water hazards and cars flying by all the time is the only downside to Lum
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3 0
TrustYourRubber
Experience: 10.9 years 18 played 10 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Solid course in Brainerd 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Nov 19, 2013 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-Alternate tees which confer a degree of difficulty for both beginners and more experienced players
-New and improved baskets (tee-boxes coming soon)
-Well-kept by the city of Brainerd

Cons:

-Heavy play during summer months
-Nefarious hazards ranging from long, uncut grass to roads to streams of water and swamps, which can destroy or lose discs
-Many questionable lines and narrow gaps left by the tree canopy
-Few awe-inspiring holes, hole layouts leave much to be desired from a disc golfer stand-point (despite utilizing the space nicely from a land-use stand-point)

Other Thoughts:

Lum was the first in the area, and it remains a popular getaway for residents of Brainerd. Course upkeep is a major issue, given the amount of play Lum sees during the summer months, but thankfully the city of Brainerd and many devoted volunteers have worked to keep this course in great shape in 2013.

Beginner player experience - 1/1 for a solid experience
Intermediate player experience - 0.5/1 for being a pitch-and-putt course
Advanced player experience - 0.1/1
Setting - 0.5/1 for being a nice park, i.e. nicer than the surrounding areas
Overall course experience - 0.5/1 for heavy traffic, uncomfortable lies just outside of fairway, and many lost or damaged discs

Total = 2.6/5
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1 0
Tlrmessner
Experience: 21.8 years 34 played 5 reviews
2.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 3, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

Definitely worth swinging by if vacationing in the area. Very short course but fun to get a few chances at an ace, and has a few interesting throws.

Cons:

Very short, and not very challenging. A few spots that make finding discs a little difficult, and pretty outdated/poor baskets.

Other Thoughts:

If you are vacationing in the area, this is a must stop. A great place to go with a large group and a cooler of beer and just have fun, but if your looking to spend the day doing some serious disc golf, search elsewhere.
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2 1
mjsather2000
Experience: 15.8 years 21 played 2 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Fun for all skill levels 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 7, 2013 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Quick Rounds.
Many different ways to play every hole to keep it fun.
Generally kept clean and groomed well.
Long tees for every hole is available to give the option of a full 18 or more of a challenge.

Cons:

Short
If you miss the fairway on some holes, it can be difficult to retrieve your disc.
At times there can be very large groups of non serious disc golfers that can hold you back.

Other Thoughts:

I have played this course over a hundred times and I still am not sick of it. Every hole is possible to make it 2, but most require a good first shot. There are so many ways to play each hole that it will always be interesting to play.
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2 1
narcher007
Experience: 11.3 years 2 played 2 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Nice course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 2, 2013 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Mostly open.
Great for beginners.
Some challenging holes for more experienced players.
Gas station right nearby.

Cons:

Bridges need repair.
Lots of flooding when wet/rainy.

Other Thoughts:

Fun 9-hole course that all skill levels can play.
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3 0
timj5304
Experience: 19.8 years 161 played 32 reviews
4.00 star(s)

UPDATE 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 22, 2012 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Updating Erik's review on the baskets, they have totally added new baskets, all brand new from holes 4-9, 2 and 3 are not the worst but hole 1 still is, either way you can tell that the city is making an effort to improve it even if it is slow, adding 6 new baskets in a year is a step!!! I was just stopping in for a quick round or 2 on my way up to a wedding and tried it out, had a good time. Fast rounds, the few people out there were very nice. Clean course, nicely fresh cut grass.

Cons:

Flows poorly, holes 1-3 are on the other side of the road but was not too tough to follow.

Other Thoughts:

I ran into a random guy who had only 1 discs, a mamba and was flicking it. I threw 6 shots to end my 2nd round because I was out of time and he went out of his way to compliment me on my accuracy of parking all 6 saying he wishes he had more money for discs so he could get better. Well I went out of my way after seeing him going back to hole 1, stopped him and gave him 2 wizards, 1 drone, 1 valkyrie, 1 flash and 1 orc. Being kind, friendly and cool got this guy 6 discs, if he never said hi to me he would of gotten nothing but because I remembered being in his position 7 years ago starting this game it made me realize how much extra plastic I have and how I can truly make a positive impact on someones playing career giving them some putters and other catergorys to use. Maybe he quits in a few weeks but maybe this will make him spread the love for the game and keep this course clean for future players and pay it forward!
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5 0
E_Rock25
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 13.7 years 77 played 35 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Fun Pitch and Putt 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 20, 2011 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Lum Park is just a little more than a pitch and putt but is still a fun play. Located just outside down town Brainerd it is a must play for anyone in the area camping, fishing biking, hiking or enjoying any number of other recreational activities this area has to offer. Lum Park is a nice setting for a 9 hole disc golf course with big mature trees and a small stream that comes into play on a few holes. The park is right on the edge of Rice Lake so if the family is going fishing and you're not the fishing type this course is perfect for you.

1. Adequate signage at each hole with hole number, par rating and hole length.
2. Good flow that is easy to follow for the most part. The last few holes get a bit confusing the first time threw.
3. Great uses of available land and obstacles. The stream is used very well on 5 of the 9 holes.
4. Great course to introduce new players to the game.
5. Good variety of shot requirement with the exception of long bombs. The course is fairly technical and forces you to hit you line on most holes. Big arms need not bring drivers though I played most of the course with a putter.
6. Good risk reward opportunities on the holes with the stream.
7. The park grounds are very well kept.
8. Fast rounds.
9. Lots of other activities in the area.

Cons:

There are some let downs at this course. The baskets suck really bad, missing chains, holes in the basket that let disc's slip through. Hole 4 has a brand new DGA basket and if the rest of the course had these it would instantly bump the rating up by at least .5.

1. Baskets are garbage with the exception of #4.
2. Natural tee pads that are a bit rutted but not too bad.
3. The course is mostly flat. Hole #1 has a basket on a hillside that makes rollway's very prevalent but other than that there is no elevation to speak of.
4. This park could get really busy on a nice day.
5. Not a long course, big arms will not be able to use them.
6. If there is a lot of rain the ground can get really wet and there can be lots of bugs

Other Thoughts:

If the city put in some cement tee pads and updated all the baskets this course would be a lot more fun. It is not bad as it is but with just a few improvements it would be much better. Brainerd has lots of other activates so if you are in the area this course is an easy play that is not out of the way. It is nowhere near a destination course but is worth a few throws if you are in the area.
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1 0
Wattenphul-2009
Experience: 17.6 years 37 played 4 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Fun little Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jul 1, 2011 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Good variety of holes with water hazards and trees to keep things challenging.

Front 9 holes are easy to follow along from hole to hole.

Cons:

About half of the baskets are in need of repair. A few putts went in the basket and then fell out of the bottom. Also, some of the baskets are double chained and some are only single chained baskets. A friend had a couple putts that went through the single chained baskets.

Need concrete or rubber tee pads. The gravel/dirt tees are a little unprofessional.

They tried to fit 18 holes on a 9 hole course by making the back 9 aim at the same baskets from a different location (ie. hole 1 also doubled as hole 10, etc.). 18 baskets are preferred for an 18 hole course.

Other Thoughts:

Overall, a fun 9 hole course to play. Nothing extremely challenging. Most of the holes are short which allows you to work on midrange throws and putting. Only one somewhat long hole to breakout a distance driver.
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1 1
Sargentgeneral
Experience: 13.9 years 111 played 11 reviews
2.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 30, 2011 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

- Many chances for aces
- Nice park, few bugs and annoying plants
- Multiple tees

Cons:

- Could use new some new baskets
- Long tees tough to find
- Boring, repetitive course
- Could use new signs at tee boxes
- No real chances to open up your dives because of walkers on the path and the short tees

Other Thoughts:

Fun little course, could use an update, but overall fairly simple. Better for beginners or more casual players.
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2 2
nickbunio
Experience: 16 years 28 played 2 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Lum Park 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:May 1, 2011 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Short holes for lots of Aces
Quick play
New baskets really nice
Well maintained by the city and Fly By Disc Golf League

Cons:

Bugs
The course floods easily

Other Thoughts:

This course has only improved in the past few years I've been playing here. I've learned about the long tees and people care enough about the park to invest their time and money to make it the best experience possible.
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2 2
Johnson
Experience: 37 played 13 reviews
2.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 3, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

Good course to learn on. Many wide open fairways, descent scenery, no super frustrating holes. Hole 5 is fun, wide open, you can really rip it it's about 330' by far the longest hole.

Cons:

Not enough tourneys, easy to lose discs in "protected wetlands" parks and rec does not seem to have any interest in keeping the course looking nice. Almost all tees have been vandalized. The ones you can read have innaccurate distances. Punks in early summer, 10+ person groups with no consideration for smaller groups really chaps my banana. Way to short, 8 holes under 300'. Only three baskets are double chained, this summer two baskets were literally laying on the ground. Look out for poison ivy on 5, if you over shoot it in the weeds you will definitely run into some. Bridges over small stream are unsafe and float away in heavy rain. Wouldn't take much to make this course a lot more fun... :(

Other Thoughts:

Worth playing, guarantee you'll have fun but be disappointed at the same time.
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2 3
discordye
Experience: 15.8 years 5 played 4 reviews
3.00 star(s)

lum, my hometown course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 13, 2010 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Well it just got a new basket, which is a plus. easy to play, quick play, close to where i live.

Cons:

Great opportunity to lose discs in the two foot long grass and stream running right through the middle of hole five. The basket quality is horrible. The administrators and staff don't seem to care about the citizens and visitors who play at Lum, I've emailed the brainerd parks and rec dep many times stating the poor condition of Lum and they always give a dumb excuse like lack of funding or the staff is too busy or, we put a new basket in every summer but everyone knows theydont. I am disappointed in my town dg park, and am sad to say that the people who manage Lum are not lovers of disc golf, or else something would of been done about maintainence by now.

Other Thoughts:

Losing discs and non regulation baskets are not fun.
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3 1
chad-o
Experience: 14.6 years 7 played 7 reviews
2.50 star(s)

good fun 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 23, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

nice course to have fun, a easy one to get the taste of disc golf in someones life. Ace holes all around and some tricky shots.

Cons:

baskets are not the best but i have seen worse.

Other Thoughts:

if your driving through or up for fishing, swing by this course and try it.
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1 0
bollwyvl
Experience: 20.8 years 32 played 5 reviews
2.50 star(s)

water, trees 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 24, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

Nice technical water in a few places to add challenge, well kept grounds and decent water/bathroom/facilities. Mid range on most holes with few proper driving opportunities, but on a few holes there are scuffs further back that aren't much worse than the gravel tees.

Cons:

Bad baskets remarked on by other reviewers have not been fixed. Some relatively recent vandalism has left a few holes without markers. Some of the foot bridges over water hazards are in pretty poor shape.

Other Thoughts:

Don't park in the first parking lot: continue on to the second, as then you get to look at the beautiful lake scene on the way in and the way out.
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2 2
widespread55
Experience: 26 years 12 played 12 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Not too bad 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 4, 2004 Played the course:once

Pros:

You can pretty much reach every hole in one shot, so its pretty good for your short game. Its not very busy so you can throw multiple discs and take your time. Its got pretty good variety(mature trees and water on most holes) I used to live up there and it did the job for me.

Cons:

Tees and signs could use a little help. No dog legs and kind of a week design.

Other Thoughts:

I'll be back
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