Norwood Young America, MN

Baylor Park

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2.865(based on 11 reviews)
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11 0
DiscusZach
Experience: 12 played 10 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Baylor Regional: Friendly To All Levels

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Nov 30, 2023 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

No longer pay-to-play! :)
Updated course signage
Layout is easy to follow
Multi-use park with amenities & facilities
Well-maintained by parks department
Very Scenic
Elevation changes
Glow rounds
Camping, grilling, fishing, swimming, (an observatory!!)

Cons:

NEEDS CEMENT TEES
(That's really my only major "complaint")
Being multi-use, the park is sometimes reserved in the fall

Other Thoughts:

Baylor Regional Park disc golf course was established in 2007. In 2019, Carver County Parks eliminated vehicle fees in its parks, making visiting more affordable for everyone.

The 18-hole course welcomes players of all skill levels and is modifiable in difficulty. Shot distance average is nearly 250*/290-300ft per shot (*much lower if you don't include Hole 5's ~500ft par 4). The course features a decent mix of shots with elevation changes, noticeable and slight. Baylor's signature hole #2 has claimed many a golfer's disc in its moat. For an added challenge, you could choose to play the gravel paths as OB, making the fairways and greens more narrowed and defined, requiring drives and approaches to be more precise (Holes 1-5).

The one "major" knock against this hidden gem is the use of natural tee pads. While natural tee pads stay true to the grassroots of disc golf/object golf, pun intended, they become nearly unplayable in rain, causing slick muddy conditions.

In the Summer of 2023, Baylor hosted its first tournament in over a decade (10,000 Lakes DG). Baylor was also an occasional stop for a traveling Sunday league (Westside Birdies).

Some fun facts about Baylor:
Around its development, there were talks of converting Baylor's expansive woodland into 1-2 more 18-hole courses (my friends and I are still hopeful of this one day).
Baylor's baskets have ties to Blue Ribbon Pines, in East Bethel.
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5 0
kbender87
Experience: 8 played 4 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Baylor Park drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 29, 2022 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

- Solid well kept baskets, good position and clearly labeled
- Markers for each hole are clear
- Front nine had different styles of holes. A long bomber, Island that I am sure has claimed a few discs(one of mine is in there for sure), some back in the woods. Really nice.
- Played a couple times now, and it is usually not packed, and when you have a few groups out there, you are still spread out and relaxed.

Cons:

- Tee Pads are in some spots pretty rutted out. Might be time to put down cement
- Some minor looping back on a few holes.
- Back nine are all just long throws out in the open, not a lot of variation on the back side.
- Minor Con - Hole 16 is the main sign to the park, so not visible right away.

Other Thoughts:

This course is no longer pay to play. A lot of the older reviews call this pay to play, and that went away.
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7 0
Badgerman
Silver level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 20.6 years 550 played 62 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Baylor 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 10, 2020 Played the course:once

Pros:

+ Clean and well maintained, Plenty of parking
+ Good use of elevation, there is one spot they could have put in a downward bomber hill but my next point is
+ Excellent job avoiding other park activities
+ Good variety of hole lengths
+ Decent flow to the course except for the backtracking after 1,2,4, and 10

Cons:

- The woods is very under-utilized, only coming into play for 4 holes.
- Water is not used at all, but the beach after 8 offers a chance to wash your hands or discs or just dunk your head in the lake. nice on a hot day
- Single tees, dirt, getting so rutted that new tees are starting to spring up beside the originals. Pour the concrete!
- Navigation can be a little tricky between a few holes. backtracking is required after 1, 2, 4 (Backtrack the entire fairway!) and 10.
- A lot of the tee signs are scuffed or faded beyond legibility.
- I see this style in a lot of courses, where the front 9 will be a nice balance of wooden and open, but then the back 9 is all open and long. I do not want to finish on a long, flat, open 18th hole please.

Other Thoughts:

Take the path to the right after #6, then take the next right
After 8: Walk across the beach and follow the walking path up the hill
#16's tee is the big sign by the park entrance
I was wondering why I hadn't played this course yet and it seems it used to be pay to play. I could not imagine paying $5 for a course that doesn't even have decent teepads.
This course could have a lot of potential.
To raise to 3.5: Concrete, dual tees, replace tee signs
To raise to a 4: next tee signs after 6 and 8, More trees on the back 9.
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4 2
Money_Shot
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 19.8 years 125 played 39 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Not Worthy of Pay to Play 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Sep 2, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-Well maintained park
-Some open holes, some wooded holes.
-Water is in play on a couple holes
-18 holes
-Clearly defined holes
-a beach on the land so after a sweaty round or two you can jump in if necessary.

Cons:

-This course is not worthy of a pay to play status. Its unfortunate it is wrapped into the park fee, because as a free course it is a decent 18 that i would play, but pass it up now because you have to pay.
-a lot of open holes to the extent at points you feel like most the course is in a field with some trees.

Other Thoughts:

In general i think this is a good course, just shouldn't have to pay $ to play it. I have went out and bit the $5 bullet way more than i would ever expect but that is mainly because it is the closest, good course i can get to. So when i dont feel like driving an hour, i will stop by this course. Give it a shot once, but i by no means feel like it is something anyone would go out of their way for.
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3 0
Tlrmessner
Experience: 21.8 years 34 played 5 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Beat the front nine and reap the rewards on the back 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 7, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Well marked and good layout for the land. Starts and finishes right at the parking lot, and also causes a lot of redemption rounds. Great signature hole in #2, being a shot to a small island with bridge access. Good mix of long and short holes.

Cons:

$5 to play isn't terrible, but it's not quite a pay to play quality course. A lot of the holes are wide open so a rhbh player need only a strong hyzer for most. Woods can get overrun with mosquitoes, and I am not one to back down from a few bugs. One hole plays along the park, and can sometimes get congested on nice days

Other Thoughts:

This was a hometown course for a couple years, and a great addition to an area lacking courses. The front nine, in particular holes 5 - 9 are the ones that determine your round. You can afford to give a few, but they sometimes take a lot. Keep your patience when going through the wooded holes,and bring bug spray. Then it opens up and shortens up on the back nine for a chance to shoot low.
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5 1
The Valkyrie Kid
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 45.9 years 1563 played 1507 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Plenty Of Risk Vs. Reward Holes! 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 19, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

Baylor Park has simple dirt tee pads and basic little tee signs on 2" X 4" poles. They give the distance, hole # and par. There are brand new DGA baskets with the red number on top. The front 9 basically plays through the woods/swampy area before opening up into the more open park area.

This front 9 definitely serves up the memorable holes on this course like # 2. It's 282' to a basket on a island surrounded by an ugly murky swamp. Besides numerous lost discs, I'm sure the depths of these stagnant waters are home to gators, crocs, ugly little parasites and snakes of all descriptions. I know I wasn't sticking even a finger in it.
# 8 was another scary throw with ugly swamp on the left and thick unforgiving brush on the right. I'm not sure about the risk/reward on this hole either.

Cons:

With all this swamp land, the misquitos were out in droves. I wasn't thrilled with holes #'s 7 or 8. Both were bordering on swamps on one side and thick, thick rough on the other side. The $5 parking fee to play a misquito infested/swampy course with dirt pads is probably not the place I'd choose to spend my disc golfing dollars. There are too many other choices in the area for me.

Other Thoughts:

I'm not a fan of courses where losing discs is an everyday occurance and spending countless hours searching is a part of every round. And the front 9 here certainly matches that description. The back 9 is much more forgiving.
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4 0
Double Helix
Experience: 34.9 years 192 played 10 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Quiet and mellow 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 25, 2011 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

A true island green - 360 degree surroundede by water! Nice chains. Not a lot of play. Beautiful park setting. On site camping, grilling, swimming and observatory (if you sched it right). Very well manicured. Scoring opportunities abundant!

Cons:

Maybe too simple back 9. Grass tees. Can be buggy. Has nearly every kind of thorn plant know to grow in MN waiting for you on holes 6-8. Nearby campground sometimes bring 8-or-9-some first-time famlies out.

Other Thoughts:

Some people don't like the parking fee but I think it keeps the course more open. I've been the only one out there on a sunny summer Saturday afternoon many times. A great multiple round course. Keep it close on the front and you can tear it up on the backside. Great for beginners and the more seasoned players should score well.
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2 1
wintermath
Experience: 24.8 years 26 played 1 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Fun and never busy! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 31, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-Variety of shots with a wonderful island green on #2.
-Very quiet and never busy
- good baskets

Cons:

-grass tee pads
-bugs!
- a few boring straight holes
Don't walk by hole #5 (it's back to the right from basket #4)

Other Thoughts:

I enjoy this course, and its much better than the other closest option in Glenco. Hope they pour some tees soon!
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10 0
Guurn
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 37.8 years 90 played 40 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Still some time to go 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:May 31, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

18 holes in a scenic multi use park with new ( DGA) baskets and nice grooming of fairways. Some holes seem to have multiple teepads planned but nothing is poured yet. Each hole is sponsored by a person or persons so it seems a local group is driving the development which bodes well. Basic signage giving distance and hole number is in place.

Has a nice variety of shots and hole distances with good use of available trees and rough to define shot selection. Most areas of the park are fairly open, this isn't a forest course but a few holes do play in the woods.

It has a good signature hole (#2) as others have mentioned. Nice to see an island green finally.

Cons:

Some holes are just straight throws in an open field with no real obstacles. Kinda boring.
Since it is a multi use park you run into the other activity issue. For instance, hole 9 plays very near a volleyball court and a few other holes play near a gravel road used by cars, bikes, and walkers.

The rough on the 2 holes in the woods is really rough with itchweed everywhere. Bugs are also an issue. Normally I don't mention bugs, but this course plays near a swamp and water and you will get attacked.

Other Thoughts:

A 5$ entry fee for the park makes it a tough call when teepads aren't poured yet.
Once everything is done on this course it will be a pretty darn good course. As it is it is still a work in progress.
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6 1
mndiscg
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 15.8 years 480 played 478 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Good Front 9 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 21, 2008 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

-2 definitely is a challenge, small island with deadly swamp all around
-front 9 are interesting and challenging
-nice, new chains
-isn't crowded together, very wide open
-not busy
-lots of other stuff to do in park
-very scenic and interesting terrain

Cons:

-many chances to lose discs
-back 9 are open, boring and if its windy that makes them 10 times worse
-its pay to play and i agree with the other guy that it probably isnt worth it
-other than a few nice holes it overall isnt too fun

Other Thoughts:

i'm not sure what the other guy was saying about not being 18. when i went there was a full 18
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3 4
cpaquette
Experience: 16.6 years 42 played 41 reviews
2.00 star(s)

A few years away from being worthwhile 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 30, 2008 Played the course:once

Pros:

A few signature holes #2 sits on an island and was definitely a knee-knocker... Some of the holes present a pretty decent challenge and reward if a good throw is performed.

Cons:

Wide open course on several holes makes a windy day a nightmare here.

Not worth a $5.00 parking fee in my opinion.

Other Thoughts:

This course appears to have room for a full 18 holes. With a few years of upkeep and improvement this will be a worthwhile course.
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