Vandalia, IL

Vandalia DGC

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1.85(based on 10 reviews)
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2 0
Nicholas W
Experience: 8.8 years 15 played 7 reviews
1.50 star(s)

Vandalia DGC 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Aug 4, 2018 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

+Concrete tee pads
+Well trimmed grass and trees
+Very easy to navigate

Cons:

-Short course. Very easy to Ace or eagle.
-Not much variety. Mainly straight shots.
-Road, baseball field, and pool can be annoying and partly unsafe obstacles.
-Tee pad signs are worn off and useless.
-Park district continually cuts down trees, making the space even more open and even less challenging

Other Thoughts:

Vandalia DGC makes great use of available space. However, with most courses that go for use of space, the trade-off is less challenging golf. The holes are all very close to only 300 feet, making them very short and repetitive.

Holes 1 and 2 play with a well defined tree boundary on the left, and a road to the right. The road is marked as OB. The road is a hazard that has to be played around, and can be very unsafe for the offhand throw. These two are mainly straight throws with nothing to provide an obstacle.

Hole 3 plays back on the opposite side of the trees. A few trees are placed between or near the basket, but straight throws will avoid these.

Hole 4 plays much like holes 1 and 2, just much more open. Used to be 2 trees blocking the basket providing some challenge, now the only "challenge" is the change in elevation as the trees are gone.

Hole 5 plays through a gauntlet of pine. Straight throw gives the golfer no problem.

Hole 6 is the only hole that's not a straight throw. This is a pretty serious right turn. RHBH is perfect to get around the bend, but a creek to the left can come into play. A tree right off the tee pad can also provide some strategy to get around.

Hole 7 is like hole 4, hole 8 like 5, and 9 like 2.

Overall a simple course that rewards straight and accurate throws, but doesn't really punish the golfer for anything else. Very boring and repetitive. Suggest playing the course backwards (throwing from basket to basket) for something different.
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2 0
jwetzel
Experience: 5 played 2 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Quick and easy 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 20, 2015 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Great course for beginners. Not too many extra challenging shots. If you like an ace run course and something quick to play so that you don't tire yourself out this is your course!
-Concrete tee pads on every hole.
-Posted signs at head hole.
-Great baskets.

Cons:

Super short. This course can be played by a beginner in roughly 20 minutes total. Not many challenging holes for advanced players. This course doesn't really have a signature hole to be remembered by.

Other Thoughts:

This is a well kept course that allows you to work on your short to mid range game. There is a practice basket that you can use to work on putting without interfering with someone's round. Nothing "bad" about this course, definitely worth playing a time or two. It is just very short and relatively easy.
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1 2
Barefooter
Experience: 11.8 years 178 played 16 reviews
1.50 star(s)

Close to the highway. 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 16, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

Easy to find off I70.
Easy to play fast.
Good for field work or a quick break.

Cons:

Flat, boring, the tee signs are planted in the tee pad, weird, it could bother a lefty.
there was a hog trailer on the 2nd fairway.

Other Thoughts:

Final stop on our epic summer vacation, and our 13th new coarse. almost home, we just needed to kill some time before we met the grandparents for dinner. good place to get off the interstate for a minute, not much else.
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1 0
MightyJeff
Experience: 27.8 years 34 played 13 reviews
1.50 star(s)

Blah Golf 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 14, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

-Plenty of mature trees
-Great for working on your short game
-Each hole is clearly marked
-Great for teaching disc golf newbies the mechanics of the game
-Very easy access from I-70
-The course can serve as a confidence-booster for those golfers who just can't manage to get many deuces elsewhere - you'll get them here

Cons:

-Incredibly short. I played it alone in 20 minutes.
Part of it being so short is that every hole is very similar. Every hole is comparable in length and layout.
-The holes feel very cramped, in that fairways butt up against each other. On a busy day, it's not inconceivable that two drives flying in opposite directions could hit each other mid-air
-There is no discernible parking lot. I opted for the high school bus parking lot near hole 7, but I'm sure this would be problematic during the school year.

Other Thoughts:

I hit this course as a way to stretch my legs while driving cross-country. Given its length and hole count, I didn't get to stretch them that long. The park that the course is situated in is a nice one, and although I didn't linger too long, it seems like there's plenty of space for an 18-hole course across the railroad tracks to the right of hole 1, but I have no idea if that's park space or if there's enough demand in Vandalia. I'm glad the course is there, but I can't imagine it going down in anyone's book as a great course.
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1 0
Scott Van Dyke
Experience: 29.8 years 36 played 18 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Relaxing 9 holes in a park 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 12, 2012 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

-Many trees
-Nice Mach 2 baskets
-Flared (trapazoidal) teepads
-Very little traffic

Cons:

-Short holes
-No garbage cans
-Sign for hole is stuck in the teepad itself
-First two holes play very close to the road

Other Thoughts:

I had a chance to play through this little course twice, late in the afternoon. I enjoyed it. The setting is a small park with lots of mature trees creating a canopy, as well as some lanes to shoot through.

I suggest parking in the little grass/gravel lot right before the bend on Fletcher road. If you park there, the practice basket will be right between your vehicle and the first teepad (for lack of a better explanation).

There doesn't appear to be any garbage cans, so I'd say drinking is probably not permitted, though I carried in a few cans of PBR myself and was not troubled at all.

There are a few minor elevation changes, and the drainage creek plays a part on holes 5 & 6 if you're not careful.

I shot a -3 while teaching the game to two new guys that really enjoyed themselves, but this course plays even easier than that. Every hole is very reachable in one. My putting game was off.

These nine holes should take no longer than 25 min.
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1 0
kylesplash
Experience: 18 years 17 played 4 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Short shot 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 21, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

Nice hole placement, several shots under 200ft. Nice tree to hole locations. Course has the ability to give you aces!!!

Cons:

Needs 18 holes, maybe some more challenging shots

Other Thoughts:

Its a nice course to warm up on.
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2 0
jblough
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 14.9 years 85 played 82 reviews
1.50 star(s)

A Nice Rest Stop off I-70 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 10, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

- Right off I-70
- Nice little pitch-and-putt course near the town's high school. Makes for a nice quick round to work on your short game and putting.
- Signs and tees are in good shape and so are the baskets
- Makes good use of the little park space that's available, the trade-off of course being short holes.
- Opportunities galore for ace-chasers due to the short lengths and easy shot selections!
- Fairly simple to navigate around, especially since the baskets are so close together
- Best hole: #6- Small water hazar on the left (a drainage creek). Gotta throw a slight anhyzer to avoid it going in the water. The sign doesn't say OB, but I think it shouldbe.

Cons:

- Very short holes and little variety in shot selection. To be honest, you could probably get by on the whole course with a Buzzz due to the fact that most shots are straight to the basket from the tee.
- No parking right by hole #1
- Easiest course I've ever played. This is good for beginners, but don't expect to be challenged if you're more experienced
- Hole #1 plays very close to road (tee and basket)

Other Thoughts:

Nice course to work on your approach game. I suggest doing a midrange/putter-only round to make it more interesting. The utility pole/wires on #9 would make a great mando and the sign should reflect that. If you're driving past this area on I-70, make a stop and stretch your legs/arms.
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3 0
notapro
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 20.7 years 568 played 281 reviews
1.50 star(s)

Beginner/Intermediate 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 2, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

- Course is set in a small park that is littered with trees, with some hilly areas. Park doesn't have much else going on, it appears, nothing should really get in the way of the disc golf.
- Holes make good use of the trees in the park, when possible. A few definitely influence the available lines, like a RHBH hyzer on #1 and #2, and the opposite on #6. A few spots where a straight shot is the only line as well.
- Some hazards are present in the form of a small creek and some OB pavement, and a baseball field. The creek especially comes into play when trying to turn right on #6.
- Good variety of hole lengths, with a couple ace runs, as well as a few around 300'. Overall, a short course, but not all the holes are under 250'.
- Good teepads, signs, and baskets. Navigation is a breeze with a condensed layout.

Cons:

- Course is definitely lacking in difficulty, especially for a typical RHBH thrower. The only tricky hole is #6; all others are an easy straight or hyzer line. Lots of ace runs, with little to get in the way.
- Pavement and other man-made obstacles are around, like some guy wires and the baseball field. Definitely an urban course with some ugly spots.

Other Thoughts:

- This is a very good beginners course, in many ways. Good variety in length to to practice driving, good ace runs to practice approaching, a few left and right turns to take, and some places where a straight shot is needed. A good lesson in the basics, without a doubt. Anyone else will be a tad bored, but there are a few memorable holes.
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5 0
hognosesucker
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 24.9 years 443 played 85 reviews
1.50 star(s)

fun little ace run course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 5, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-Practice basket by the parking lot
-Concrete tee pads (4x8 trapezoidal)
-Tee signs were sufficient but a little awkward in placement (see cons)
-Single use area of the park (DG only), besides a pavilion off to the side of hole 6 and a baseball fence by holes 8 and 9 (not really an issue in usage, though)
-Well maintained (freshly mowed when I was there) although I picked up a lot of trash.
-Mature trees and slight elevation changes on some holes add a fraction of complexity to the holes.
-All holes are readily duece-able if not aceable for players of all abilities.
-Very quick play: I played 45 holes+ a few extra shots (5 rounds) in less than 2 hours
-One slight water hazard on hole 6 (shallow drainage ditch, only one area where a disc could be fully submerged)

Cons:

-NO basic facilities that I saw, not a bathroom, portajohn, water fountain, or garbage can in sight on the course, although there was a broken water fountain and spicket and a garbage can at a pavilion near hole 6.
-Tee signs were on the back of the concrete teepads, which kind of made for some changes in run ups.
-Difficulty is seriously lacking at this course. There is a lot more room to put alt. tees which would add some difficulty to the course.
-The parking situation is a little bit ambiguous (as mentioned in CaptainKickAss's review) for the first timer. You park to the south of the east baseball diamond under the pines by the practice basket (it is a dirt/grass lot with white poles indicating where the lot stops)

Other Thoughts:

Fun little niner, if you want a quick, fun round full of duece and or ace possiblities while driving through the area, stop here. As far as courses along the I70 corridor in south central illinois, I prefer Effingham, then Eagle Point in Altamont (but not right now as it isn't being maintained), then this course.
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5 0
CaptainKickAss
Experience: 22 years 23 played 10 reviews
1.50 star(s)

A very basic course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 28, 2008 Played the course:never

Pros:

Decent use of the land, and the grounds seem to be very well maintained. While not very challenging, it was a very good course for first timers to learn the basics of the game.

Cons:

Holes are pretty short, and for the most part very open and flat. No real challenges for the established player. The parking situation was also a bit unclear, as the closest lot seems to belong to the Vandalia High School. There is limited parking at the park across the road, but then you have to walk all the way across the course to get to the first tee box.

Other Thoughts:

This is definitely a decent course for first time players, but anyone with any skill will outgrow it quickly. The course is a very quick play, which is good for people with limited time on their hands, but beyond that, this course is certainly not worth going out of your way for.
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