Crown Point, IN

Lemon Lake County Park - Gold/Silver

45(based on 31 reviews)
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Lemon Lake County Park - Gold/Silver reviews

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17 1
EspressoPatronum
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 18.7 years 232 played 223 reviews
4.00 star(s)

The Best of Lemon Lake

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 13, 2022 Played the course:once

Pros:

- varied use of landscape with some minor ravines and elevation change worked in
- nice Discatcher baskets with color coding for silver/gold tees
- new large concrete tees going in
- some great permanent next tee signs made navigation pretty easy
- mostly good wooded technical challenge with a few open holes thrown in
- great amenities at Lemon Lake including pro shop, bathrooms, garbage/benches, practice baskets, food, etc.
- area mostly dedicated to disc golf
- dual tees for almost every hole depending on the length you want to play
- well maintained, peaceful environment with no crowding and lots of wildlife

Cons:

- temporary tee signs have no maps
- prairie grasses on 8 and 9 are very unforgiving
- could be fairly strenuous for some people
- ravines are not as pronounced as expected
- some ability to lose discs in rough, though it really isn't bad on this course

Other Thoughts:

Gold/silver is unquestionably the kingpin of Lemon Lake. I played the silver tees, but the gold tees add quite a bit of length and challenge if you're so inclined. I was between 3.5 and 4 on this course, but my list of cons was quite small, and with all the amenities of Lemon Lake and the challenge in the woods here, I decided it deserved the 4. I do think there are better destination courses out there (Canyons, for one) but if you're within an hour or two, I think Lemon Lake is worth the trip. Aside from the courses, they also have an excellent pro shop on site which is the best one I've seen in this area - the other ones I'm a fan of are in Madison and Cincinnati, so not very close.

In a lot of cases, the gold tees just add some length to the throws, and aren't necessarily too distinct from playing silver otherwise. Calling this 2 separate courses is a bit much in my opinion; it's an excellent course with dual tees. There are places where gold adds different lines and challenges, and it's nice to have both options. Most of the gold baskets are shared between the two courses, but silver has a few baskets of its own to look out for.

The courses at Lemon Lake are in transition. They are well maintained but have temporary tee signs as new posts are being installed an concrete tee pads are being poured. In general, it is looking really good and should only be better a few months from now. There are lots of benches and garbage cans on silver/gold, and it's really isolated from the rest of the property for most of the course, so it's a really peaceful round away from other park activity.

The ravines described in the description are there, but they are nothing like what you'd see at Canyons or similar courses. The existing elevation change was well incorporated but it's about what you'd expect in northern Indiana. The technical challenge on the wooded shots is good, and it will challenge intermediate players. I didn't particularly care for the last few front 9 holes out in the open; they felt out of character with the rest of the course and 8 and 9 in particular felt thrown in just to add length. Some people like these long bomber holes but they don't do much for me. In addition, the prairie grasses on these holes are very unforgiving and can lead to painful disc hunts. For the rest of the course, the wooded rough was not bad at all, although it is significantly worse on the White course.

The course length for silver isn't anything significant, but you have to walk most of the gold length whether you're playing it or not. This means a minimum of about a mile and a half of walking with some elevation change, which was more strenuous than I would have expected (particularly if you'd already played Blue like me). That said, I played 3 of the 4 courses here in a day so it is definitely doable.

Overall, I enjoyed silver/gold, and if you come to Lemon Lake this should be the top course you hit. The property is clearly well cared for and should be a destination for years to come. Note, these courses are "pay to play" in that you have to pay for parking - but apparently if you get here early when the park first opens the parking attendant is rarely there and nobody collects money from anyone until they show up. Seems like they're missing out on a lot of county revenue, but a lot of times you don't actually pay to play here.
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10 0
Qikly
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 11.7 years 181 played 148 reviews
4.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 12, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

Lemon Lake's signature course plays through a mix of open and wooded environments, seeming most in its own in the thicker woods where there are some great par 4s that punish you for pressing your luck too hard. There's a nice mix of par 3s and 4s of varying distances, and technical play is emphasized throughout. Subtle elevation changes throughout much of the course create some great landing zones and spice up shots. Accuracy is tested in a variety of ways from windows to lanes to landing zones, with the course being well worn in so as to never feel too constrictive.

Cons:

There are a lot of straight or straight-ish shots here; line shaping could be more varied and tested.

The layout really seems built for the long tees, with many of the short tees feeling thrown in after the fact with little character. You really have to play the long tees to get a sense of the course IMHO.

The rough can be unfriendly, at least in the summer when I visited, so keep a wary eye on your shots and landings. It's common to have little possibility for viable recovery shots.

Overall the design seems a bit unambitious given how sprawling the layout is and how ripe with possibility its terrain is. Choosing your shot is often pretty straightforward, with little imagination needed and not much accommodation of a spectrum of games. Lots of solid-but-unspectacular holes, with one or two memorable ones and a few duds.

Other Thoughts:

Lemon Lake's Gold course is great technical course that is well complemented by the more open and often shorter layouts on site. LL is a great choice for a disc golf day trip, though some Chicago-area stalwarts like Fairfield and Highland Park top it in my book.
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9 0
wolfhaley
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 19.9 years 970 played 542 reviews
4.00 star(s)

2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 7, 2018 Played the course:once

Pros:

Lemon lake gold/silver is set up in a very nice multiuse park. There are 3 other courses onsite. The gold/silver is the marquee pro style course on the property. There are two concrete tee pads per hole. The golds are the longs and the silvers are the shorts. Some of these different tee locations offer a drastically different look than the other tee. Some are just longer versions of the shorts. My review is based off of playing the gold tees. The pins here are DISCatchers with the yellow/gold band on the top. These are all in excellent shape and catch great. they all have the correct hole number on the band facing the tee which is great. There are no tee signs by the gold pads only the silver pads. The tee signs are very basic. They have hole #, distance and par I believe. The land that this course is built on has beautiful rolling hills that offer all kinds of elevation changes throughout. This course is also almost entirely wooded with only a few holes out in a prairie type section. These holes are where you can really open up and bomb it. Hole 8 is around 1000 feet and hole 9 is just a bit shorter. The rest require accurate shots through the woods with varying distances and shot selection required to score well. There is a pretty solid pro shop with a pretty good selection of discs onsite that serves some food, drinks and ice cream. Restrooms and vending machines at the pro shop as well. The course stays completely away from other park activities since it's on the opposite side of the road. The course itself was well mowed and maintained with no trash whatsoever. There was also literally nobody else out the day we were there. So probably not the busiest of courses which is great.

Cons:

Pay to play. $8 per vehicle per day is more than fair for 4 courses onsite though. It would be nice if they had tee signs on the golds which is the premier course out here. I find it very odd that there's not, only the silvers. Also a nice hole map on each sign would be very helpful. A few next tee arrows would be helpful in a few spots as well. If you have the map on your phone though, navigation is pretty simple. For a course of this caliber though the lack of signage is pretty strange. Finding hole 1 was not easy. Follow the trail past the sign for the gold course and go through the covered bridge to find hole 1. From there it is actually pretty easy to follow though. Some of the rough off the fairways can get pretty thick and sharp. Not really anything they can do about it but just be alert when throwing and pay close attention to where you landed or you may be searching for awhile.

Other Thoughts:

This is a fantastic complex with some very good disc golf. This place is definitely worth a stop by if you're anywhere nearby. It's only about 15 to 20 minutes off of I-65. The Gold/silver course is the most challenging of the courses we played (red and blue as well). We played all 3 of these in about 5 and a half hours. With some improvements to the tee signs this would probably be a 4.25 but I think a 4 is what suits it currently.
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4 1
knivile1
Experience: 12.9 years 60 played 24 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Worth the detour off of the freeway 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 14, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

-Great layout and use of all of the different types of land that this property has. Great use of available elevation and diversity of foliage
-Very fair lines and distances that are technical, difficult and make you feel like you earned your score. Nothing was hard just for hard's sake
-Supremely scenic fairways and basket locations on some holes that can make you feel like you are in another world

Cons:

Honestly cannot remember any other than hating the prairie grass on holes 8 and 9. But, a lost disc is not the fault of the course, but my poor throws. I cannot fault it for that really. Just need more practice and to be more accurate.

Other Thoughts:

This is tied with Red for the most enjoyable course at Lemon Lake for me. It fits it's description perfectly: championship caliber.

I wish I had more to write on this course, maybe I should've written it immediately after finishing for the day so that it was fresh on my mind.

Seriously though, if you get the chance don't pass it up. The whole complex is worth the trip.
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11 0
SneakyJedi
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 14.8 years 143 played 83 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Silver & Gold 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 14, 2015 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

- Good course design with a variety of lines and hazards.
- Good, if aging, baskets and tee pads.
- Multiple pads on most holes
- Part of a large, pay-to-play complex comprised of 4 courses and a clubhouse with pro-shop, concessions, and bathrooms
- More secluded than the other 3 courses on site

Cons:

- Tee signs only show hole number and distance, a couple of which seem to not be up to date with the current layout.
- Can be difficult to find hole 1 on your first time out, a couple other minor navigation issues
- Dual baskets which were present at some holes during previous trips were missing

Other Thoughts:

The Silver/Gold course is the longest, most challenging, and probably best designed course at the Lemon Lake complex. Hole lengths vary from 210' to 1120' with everything in between. Fairways range from open to tightly wooded, turn left and right, uphill and downhill. Variety is maintained throughout the course, you are always faced with something new, and there is very little chance for a hole to feel repetitive. I do wish the lake could have been worked into another hole or two beyond the single instance where it looms behind the basket on hole 3. A water carry, or even a shot with the lake bordering one side of the fairway, would have added even more variety and challenge to this already great course.

Elevation change is not extreme here, but where present it is used incredibly well and to great effect. In fact, most holes either have some level of elevation change or a fast green or fairway where rollaways can easily punish a poorly placed drive. In general, the fairways are well shaped, and wide enough, even on the tighter wooded holes, to feel fair even while accuracy and line shaping is required. A couple of the longer holes use long grass to shape the fairways, which I am generally not a fan of, but it is not over done, and the mowed areas are generous. You can still let it rip on these holes, but accuracy can't be completely forgotten, as a shot off the fairway can easily mean a lost disc or a long time searching for plastic.

The equipment here is somewhat of a mixed bag. The concrete pads are in good shape and generally long enough, but there are a couple that seem to be a bit shorter. The baskets are aging and showing some wear, but still catch well and the yellow bands are easily visible. The visible bands are a good thing because the carved, wooden, log like, tee signs near the ground show distance and hole number only. I hope there are plans to replace the existing signs with the very nice descriptive and colorful tee signs that had been added to the Red course since my last visit. As it stands, a number of holes will require walks up the fairway to determine the location of the basket. Graphic tee signs would be additionally helpful if there are still multiple pin positions for the silver and gold course. Since my last visit, the silver baskets have been removed. I do not know if this was done temporarily for an event or the off season, or permanently, but I missed a couple of the Silver pin positions I prefer to their Gold counterparts.

It is little to no trouble on a return visit, but navigating to the first tee pad can be difficult on a first visit. Additional signage would be helpful to lead you from the back parking lot, across part of the Blue course, and into the woods where hole 1 starts. There are a couple other areas where navigation can be a little tricky, especially when you aren't sure if there are two pads for a hole or not, but in general the course flows very well and there isn't much of a chance of getting turned around.

I play the Silver/Gold course every time I visit Lemon Lake. Multiple pads (and baskets?) on a complex that already has 4 courses is a great value, and I wish I lived closer and could play all the courses more often. As it stands, my infrequent trips usually only allow me to play two, maybe three of the courses: Silver/Gold is always one, with Red usually being the other. The clubhouse with discs and concessions adds great added value, and helps make this a true disc golf destination. Do yourself a favor and take an entire day to play as much golf as you can at Lemon Lake, then drive over to Three Floyds brew pub for some great beer, and talk about all the awesome disc golf you just played with your buddies.
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1 9
Sharkbite
Premium Member
Experience: 24.8 years 174 played 12 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Never miss a chance to play 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 9, 2014 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Really nice use of a big park with courses on both sides of the park. Clean and well laid out I never miss a chance to play here when in the area. Close to Munster for a few 3 Floyds beers!

Cons:

Not close enough to STL LOL
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17 0
jhgonzo
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 25.8 years 92 played 45 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Silver Bells...Ching-a-Ling 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 28, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

1. Variety. I felt this course and Blue were very similar in the mix of shots and terrain that they had to offer, but Silver edged out as my favorite course on the complex mainly because of its variety, scenery, and seclusion relative to the others. The opening wooded holes were a blast - a downhill RHBH anhyzer on #1, then an uphill hyzer on #2, followed by a downhill straight ace run with water deep (like, you gotta really miscalculate your power to go in the drink, but it's totally in play and adds to some pucker factor) on #3, and a really picturesque uphill #4 with a washout along the left fairway. Stepping up to #5 gives you your first glimpse of an open hole, but with early trouble off the tee as you have to first get out of the woods; after this, you get your first real ripper hole at #6, but the beautiful thing about this hole is its emphasis on placement - while it starts out wide open, you have to hit a gap at around 300' in order to have a look at anything resembling an upshot - misplaced shots could end up "in jail," or losing a stroke by playing too safe. Hole #11 was a fun straight and tight fairway bordered on both sides by thick rough. Hole #15 presented some awesome risk with a RHBH anhyzer ace run through some woods to a pin perched near a STEEP drop-off. One thing I love is when a course is able to feature a memorable finishing hole, and that is executed well here with a multi-route hole through gently rolling woods, which was just an all-around favorite in our foursome. The hole lengths vary greatly, from ace runs to the LONG bombers on the Gold layout, and I threw just about every shot out here. While I didn't play the Gold tees, I stood on a number of them and was able to appreciate the way they drastically changed many of the holes, not just by adding length but sometimes changing the entire first third or half of the hole. Dual baskets on some holes further add to the variety, especially since there's no rule that says you HAVE to play the long basket from the long tee or vice versa in casual play!

2. Equipment. The dual concrete tees were in good shape. DISCatchers were similarly up to par, caught well, and were painted visibly (#6 Gold basket had recently been stolen, which didn't affect our round since we played Silver, but still - DOUCHEBAGS!). Tee signs showed hole number and distance, which for the most part was sufficient (see Cons).

3. Pay to play. You pay a small fee when you enter the complex, which gives you full access to all courses; however, even this modest amount seems to deter the chucker crowd. When P2P is successful in this regard, AND it is also apparent that at least some of the revenue is going towards course maintenance, it will always be a Pro in my reviews. I will also mention the cleanliness in this section, with numerous garbage cans and obvious upkeep by the caretakers (we had the privilege of meeting the owner/head groundskeeper lady and thanked her for allowing the complex to go in!). This is also a large multi-use facility, so various activities are available like playgrounds, picnic areas, pavilions, hiking, baseball, maybe even fishing and bike trails...you'll get your money's worth here.

4. Seclusion. If you prefer peace and quiet during your round, this course appears to be your best bet at Lemon Lake for that (probably because it is the most challenging course, but it is also far more separated from the other three).

5. Navigation. Although it can be tough to find the first tee on your first time or two out here, once you're rolling the flow is pretty intuitive, even without the benefit of a course map.

6. Complex. Multiple courses on site will usually always get at least a nod, if not bonus points in the rating.

7. Amenities. An on-site pro shop is a rarity for disc golf courses (but fortunately an increasingly popular feature, if only in the form of a mobile pro shop a la The Disc Dude in Green Bay, WI), and the selection is decent, as are the prices. Aside from discs, food and beverages are also available inside, as well as loads of accessories, used discs, lost and found, putting basket, clean restrooms, and vending machines. I highly recommend one of the homemade ice cream cookie sandwiches when available!

8. Location. Right outside Chicago, near the Interstate; pretty easy to find with basic technology and sign-reading abilities.

Cons:

1. Tee signs. While I acknowledged their adequacy above, I must also address their shortcomings here - no map or any depiction of the hole/fairway shape/pin position, resulting in an occasional walk off the tee in order to locate the pin (the direction of the fairway is usually obvious, but you serious golfers know that feeling of needing to know exactly where the basket is even if you know you're not going for it). Since this is touted as "two courses in one," having very descriptive tee signs would be most helpful.

2. Design. While I understand the desire to include the long bomber holes #8 and #9, they are both somewhat bland with little elevation change, abundant long grass bordering the fairways (I lost a disc that appeared to be just on the edge of the fairway from the tee but had skipped just into the rough, which four of us could not locate in close to 30 minutes of searching!) and minimal fairway obstacles (though in fairness, the last third of #8 does redeem it a bit), and the fact that the two longest holes were thrown at you back-to-back added some repetition. Overall, the topography here is good, but not great; while the elevation is used quite well, there just isn't enough of it to add that "wow factor" that I tend to expect from a great, well-balanced course (of course, I won't dock points for the course not having the elevation, and indeed I think Blue has greater changes in elevation). Although a lot of really cool holes were present here, I struggle to identify a signature hole. Furthermore, this really isn't two courses as some advertise, so if you come here expecting 5 unique courses, you will instead find 4 unique courses, one of which has dual tees and provides a few bonus long pins.

3. Navigation. Yes, overall a Pro, but for the uninitiated traveler or first-timer, it's a bit of a walk from the main parking, and the signage to the first tee left a bit to be desired, but this is an issue that should be assuaged after a few visits or foreknowledge (hence my point here!).

4. Scorecards. Nearly every private or pay-to-play course or complex that I have played have provided detailed scorecards; this simply wasn't the case here, as each day of our visit we were given generic cards with no distances or maps (which is sufficient enough, but for something that basic you're better off keeping score on a scrap of paper). I don't want to imply that I EXPECT this in order for a private/P2P/complex course to get a good rating from me, but a complex hosting Worlds for the second time should have something like that developed by this point, in my opinion. Furthermore, I kind of like collecting the detailed, course-specific scorecards of the places I've traveled to...my wife says I hoard them.

5. Some minor drainage issues on #12...a lot of the fairway was standing water, and this appears to be a long-standing problem with a makeshift boardwalk off to the left, which is also easily seen in the course photos here from over a year ago. I don't knock off points for this unless there is a significant impediment to play, and it's a pretty easy carry off the tee to clear the water when it's here (it had been raining a lot at the time of our visit).

Other Thoughts:

Overall, I'd rate the Silver course at about a 4.25 (including all the amenities and the fact that it's on a multi-course complex), with the golf itself standing closer to a 3.75, justifying my 4.0 rating for this course, my favorite here to date (yes, that implies that I plan on a return visit).

Lemon Lake is a huge draw for players in the Midwest region, especially in the DG dead zone around Chicago, but it is also a great example of the burgeoning popularity (and perhaps economic feasibility, thus dispelling rumors of disc golfers being cheap!) of disc golf complexes. While I don't feel the complex offers anywhere near the same golfing experience as Highbridge (and I am admittedly biased), I encourage any semi-serious traveling disc golfer to make a stop here and at least play the Blue or Silver course (I definitely plan on returning to play Gold), and also make sure to check out Rogers Lakewood "up the road" from here!
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8 4
Martin Dewgarita
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 14.4 years 1589 played 93 reviews
4.00 star(s)

A Fraggle Party 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 15, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

Personal rank: 110
Just because this course comes in at last place of my favorites list doesn't mean it's not a great course. Dual layouts offer a variety of challenges and an opportunity to play multiple times through without repeating the same holes. The course offers a great variety of technical shots utilizing heavily wooded areas, open fields, and decent elevation. The complex is an added bonus, with 3 other great courses on site, Lemon lake in my top 5 destination complexes.

I highly recommend this area for people traveling through or someone looking for a great disc golf destination area. I know I'll be making a point to stop by and play another round when I'm in the area.

Other Thoughts:

After playing 1000 courses, I'm excited to share my opinion on some of my favorites. My top 100+ list can be found on my blog, my favorites list is at 110 of 1020 courses played as of writing this review. Of all courses played, the top 1.5% receive a rating of 5, down to 6% is a 4.5, and 15% is a 4.0 creating a bell curve distribution. I apologize that my reviews are not as detailed as they have been previously. I have included the details as to why this course stands out to the best that my memory serves.

My personal criteria is very subjective, a gut feeling:
~Physical beauty stands out, both scenery and the beauty of each hole.
~Amenities don't mean much to me, it doesn't much matter if there's benches, concrete tee pads, or garbage cans.
~Technical design - How well designed are the fairways/airways and landing areas? Are there unique holes that stand out? Variety of holes - distances, shapes, elevation, tree density, rough thickness. Pars 4 and 5?
~I love extreme/adventure golf. Rugged and secluded courses stand out more than park style courses. In general I prefer more technical over more open.
~Local Scene. If I was involved in a tournament or league or met up with some locals and played the course multiple times I appreciate different aspects of a course.

Thank you, enjoy my reviews and if you don't find this information helpful, please let me know what I can do to improve.
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12 0
#19325
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 22.8 years 351 played 175 reviews
4.00 star(s)

2 courses in 1. Gold/Silver TOUGH 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 10, 2010 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

The Silver/Gold course is much different than the other 3 courses. The land is heavily wooded with some nice rolling terrain. Some areas have drastic drop offs. Several of the open holes have high prarie grass. The rough is much thicker and this is by far the toughest and longest course on the property.

There is a nice flow to this course. Each hole is fairly secluded and there are no major conflicts.

The baskets are in great condition. They are factory yellow Innova Discatchers. The last time I played several holes had a 2nd basket.

There is a wide variety of shots and lines on this course. Every hole has 2 concrete tee pads and some holes have multiple pin positions.

The tee signs are rather basic. They are huge logs engraved with the hole # and distance. They have gold paint for the long and silver paint for the short.

Once you find hole #1 with the use of the maps on this site navigation is not a problem.

This is a professional calibur course. It plays approximately 6,500 to 8,500 feet depending on what layout you play. A score of 61.79 was a 1000 rated round at pro worlds on the toughest layout. The silver layout is much easier and more beginner friendly. You will throw every shot and disc in your bag.

There are quite a few memorable holes and greens on this course.

Cons:

Finding hole #1 can be difficult if you don't have a map.

Standing water and mud can be an issue after rain. Hole #11 can be flooded ankle deep at times. There is no way around it to get to the next hole.

Although the tee signs are adequate they are nothing special. There are no hole descriptions.

Although the tee pads are concrete they are a little short and some are not flat to the ground and don't allow run ups from behind. This can be an issue on this brutally long course.

This is the least beginner friendly course on the property.

Other Thoughts:

This is a pay to play facility.

If you are not familar with poison ivy there is some at this facility. Educate yourself and take precautions if you are allergic.

The 2010 Pro Worlds did wonders for this facility. 4 courses with a ton of options. There are plans for a 5th course.

The Homie event every October is a must play midwest event. Great atmosphere and always a ton of people.

Here are the results of Pro Worlds. You can get an idea of how the best players in the world scored on this course.
http://www.pdga.com/course_ratings/15193
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17 0
notapro
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 20.7 years 568 played 281 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Expert 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 5, 2011 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

- Course is set in a large section of the entire complex, the occasional (dog) walker is probably the only non-DGer out there. Some of the holes are kind of close to each other, but overall it is pretty well secluded.
- First thing of note; this course is extremely, extremely different depending on how the holes are played. With gold/silver tees on almost every hole, and some gold/silver baskets on other holes, playing the gold-to-gold, or silver-to-silver, or anything in between, will be a drastically different round. This review will be for the gold-to-gold configuration, as that is the most noteworthy.
- Pretty much broken into three different sections; the deep forest with a great mix of skinny and mature trees, medium forest with clear fairways but deep rough, and open areas with various trees and shrubbery. Good mix all around, as you go into the deep forest, into the open areas, back into the deep forest. Good variety, including shooting out of and into the forest; both for drives and some approaches.
- Parts of the course have pretty significant elevation changes, especially in the forested areas. Some good elevated teepads, starting with #1, downward sloping fairways like #3, mild uphill shots like #13, and lots in between. A few spots have real roll-away potential, like almost all of #14, fairway to basket. The holes within the forest usually have some dangerous areas to avoid, like a creekbed and just straight-up rugged terrain.
- Simply awesome variety of lines to be found here, with the different areas of forest, elevation changes, and multi-shot holes. Each hole is pretty different from any other, with the exception of some similar straight shots. Mega hyzers, long, low hyzers, uphill anhyzers, a few obvious places for flex shots, some longer uphill shots that finish left or right into the forest, it is a lot to get into. In short, almost every shot to be found here, regardless of arm.
- Course has absolutely no shortage in length, especially from the golds. While the 850' and 1100' hole definitely skew the average hole length, it is still a fairly long course. Including all 18, it averages out to 461' per hole. Taking out the two long ones, the 16 remaining holes still average 396'!
- Water comes in play on only one hole, but is both scenic and potentially dangerous (in a good way). It sits at the bottom of a downhill shot, through the woods, where you need to do a 90 degree turn before the lake. Bigger arms can definitely reach it if the disc decides not to hyzer (RHBH).
- Great baskets, good signage (tee signs are pretty, say hole number and length), decent teepads (some are in bad shape). Some benches and stuff here and there, nice to take a break at least once.

Cons:

- Some parts of the course are still very rugged, with dirt steps that turn to mud, and some places where crossing the creekbed takes a little creativity. Hopefully still a work in progress.
- A lot of the holes really just need a straight shot in some form or another. There is great punishment for failing to do so, like rollaways and deep rough (and some nasty, nasty schule in the open holes), but the line itself is kind of bland. This is true for the bombers, some ace runs, and a few in between.
- This is nit-picking, but the course definitely lacks any large elevation changes. No huge downhill bomber to add some fun/flavor to the set-up, just because of the terrain.

Other Thoughts:

- Just an all around fantastic course. Definitely championship level, with some extremely tough holes, some punishing "easy" holes, and a great variety of different looks. No matter how big an arm, or how accurate, both will be tested to the max. Fantastic variety of lines, constant, though mild, elevation changes, some tricky greens, nearly every hole has something to make it challenging.
- Beginners should stay far away from this course, play the red or white. Everyone else should be challenged in a big way, from rec players to top pros. If you aren't able to get the few deuce-able holes, it is impossible to score well here.
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8 0
bjreagh
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 27.6 years 350 played 317 reviews
3.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 22, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

The Silver/Gold course is the hardest and longest of the courses at Lemon Lake. The Silver and Gold courses play over the same layout with Gold being a longer version of the Silver. Often times the Gold tees drastically changed the angle to the hole adding difficulty as well as length. Holes either have 2 tees, 2 baskets, or both to provide several combinations of difficulty. (It is possible that the course may have 2 tees and 2 baskets on every hole when fully completed.) The "tee signs" were a nice touch as they were not the traditional signs you find on the rest of the course, but were half logs with the hole number and distance for both gold and silver etched into the wood.

This course has a good mix of wooded holes with clearcut yet challenging fairways and several longer open holes with fairways protected by tall thick rough. The wooded holes also utilized a decent amount of elevation and several holes had deep ravines just off the fairway. The open holes are really long and will appeal to those with the big arms.

The courses were just used for 2010 Worlds so everything should still be in great shape. The baskets are one of the coolest features in this complex as they match the color of the name of the course. This also helps you to locate the courses better when you enter the park, and it helps to spot the correct basket as the courses border each other in many places. (Imagine if the park just had 90 yellow baskets!)

Cons:

There is not a parking area for this course and you have to walk a decent distance to #1 and after #18. (The 2nd parking lot by the restrooms is the closest.) Hole #1 is a little tricky to find as well, since you have to cross over the Blue Course to get there.

In some ways it was cool to have 2 sets of baskets permanently installed and color coded, but in some ways it was distracting. There were also some holes that only had 1 but no designation on the tee, so not knowing if a basket was there or not could be a factor the first time playing it.

A lot of places still had that "course just installed" look as it is the newest of the courses here, but time should help it mature. (This course needed some finishing touches and was missing some concrete tees and baskets, but I assume the course was completed for 2010 Worlds.)

Other Thoughts:

Obviously having 4+ courses in one spot is a huge bonus, especially when they are all good courses. I like that each course has its own personality and degree of difficulty. (Ranking: easiest-White- Red-Blue-Silver/Gold-hardest) The Silver/Gold Course is the most difficult of the 4 courses at Lemon Lake. It will definitely take a lot out of you, but it is not impossible to play. I personal prefer the Blue and Red Courses over this one, but those looking for a huge challenge may enjoy this one the most.

There is a vehicle entrance fee, but the gatehouse was not always manned. Also, the park workers are extremely friendly and obviously take pride in their disc golf courses.

We had the chance to play these courses as they were making final preparations for the 2010 Worlds. I am sure the courses are in even better shape now since that event has past.
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16 0
Jukeshoe
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 14.6 years 315 played 266 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Silver and Gold 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Sep 24, 2010 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

- Lemon Lake's Silver and Gold courses share fairways and often baskets. Gold is championship-caliber, while Silver allows mere mortals to play along with shorter, easier tee (and occasionally, basket) layouts.
- The Gold course challenges all aspects of a discer's game and requires distance driving, precision on approaches, careful putting, and the ability to recover from thick schule in order to score well. This course starts off with shorter wooded holes before opening up into a mostly flat field covered in thick prairie. Once into the open, the holes become much longer in length with one topping 1100 ft. After several in this style, the course again enters the woods and finishes much in the manner it began, with 18 ending near the beginning.
- Silver tees simplify matters greatly but still provide a decent challenge for less-experienced players. Many holes are shortened significantly, providing several ace runs, and often give a straight look whereas the Gold tee might be blind. On most holes, silver tees play to the Gold basket, but several holes also contain a Silver basket. Baskets are extremely easy to distinguish, as they are boldly covered in metallic spray paint of the corresponding color. On holes where a Silver basket appears, Silver tees play to the Silver basket, Gold tees to the Gold basket.
- Brushed, level, grippy new concrete tees on all but one or two pads, where above-average brick was used instead. Most concrete tees are trapezoidal in shape and absolutely top-notch, others are square and slightly shorter but still sufficient.
- Dual pin positions for both Gold and Silver baskets keep things fresh.
- Excellent signage throughout, once you actually find the semi-hidden #1. Next tee signage is everywhere and greatly alleviates a somewhat awkward flow in a few places. Rustic tee-signs made of large logs add charm while providing the hole number and each pin position's distance in either silver or gold.
- Moderate elevation comes into play and is used to great effect. Pin positions near slopes provide risk on several holes. Several doglegs ascend or descend through woods. A couple of holes feature miniature "gorges" that offer the potential for trouble on errant shots.
- Stairs, earthen steps cut into slopes, bridges, mulch, and gravel implemented throughout as needed. Mulch and gravel used sparingly and effectively.
- Great amenities: bathrooms, drinks, water fountain, pavilions, tennis courts, etc. on site. Several holes have brooms for the tees. Benches and trashcans throughout.
- Isolated and pristine natural setting.

Cons:

- Although the wooded holes are cleared out fairly well, holes 8 - 12 have rough consisting of super-dense prairie and/or scrubby, brushy woodland. The prairie is largely composed of goldenrod, thorns, nettles, and poison ivy. Some trails are worn in, but finding discs off the fairway proves to be a major hassle. In fact, a large part of the risk on these longer holes is that of the rough swallowing a disc.
- A bit of a challenge to find initially.

Other Thoughts:

- Located on the same property as three other outstanding courses: Blue/White/Red. The first tee is located near Blue's #13. Park at the 2nd lot, pass Blue's #12 tee, and cross the bridge.
- $4 local, $7 out-of-county pay-to-play. Certainly reasonable for the quality and quantity of disc golf available on-site.
- My rating reflects not only the solid Silver course, but also takes into account the outstanding Gold layout.

UPDATE (6/30/2019): Several holes have been shorted to more of a Silver layout length, either through removal of the old Gold tee pad positions (#'s 11, 12) or a shorter pin position (#7). Not that this makes the course less of a monster...it simply minimizes the amount of frustration and ridiculousness those old hole layouts caused (especially #'s 11 and 12). No longer do you need to worry about going into the thickest, least forgiving schule imaginable. While I thoroughly enjoyed the longer tougher holes, they were on the point of ridiculousness and there's still plenty beatdown factor.
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5 3
ArcheType
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 13.9 years 38 played 25 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Get Ready for A Beatdown 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Feb 19, 2011 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

-This course is in the LL complex, so the fairways are well maintained and groomed.

-These tee pads were nice as well.

-This course has the most shot variety I've ever played. You'll need your entire bag of tricks for this one.

-Almost none of the holes felt the same. 8 and 9 are similar, but not exactly the same.

-The different sets of tees and pins make the holes feel very different. Also, the use of dga and innova baskets to distinguish the different pin positions is a wonderful idea.

-Risk/Reward is the name of this course.

Update: after playing this course from the silver tees, and as a better I have a few more things to add.

-This course has several holes that offer a good multiple routes, not just forcing you to a single type of shot.

-There are no "gimme" holes in this course at all.

-Some very legitimate par 4s from gold tees.

Cons:

-The tee "signs" were just numbers and distances cut into a log, nothing fantastic.

-Some holes are hard to navigate, they could use more "Next Tee ->" signs.

-The longer holes, 8 and 9 in particular, were very boring. The 1000+ft straight fairway just felt like a driving range. It was a drag. Seeing the same type of fairway immediately next on hole 9 bored some people in my group to just chuck rollers for fun.

Other Thoughts:

This course, while beating me down, really gave me something to aspire to. I felt awe at the pros who actually shot well on this course, and it really inspired me to get more practice.

Also, check my "Other Thoughts" in my review of read to see the order I recommend playing the courses in if you choose to hit them all in a day.
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11 1
tistoude
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 15.7 years 198 played 60 reviews
4.00 star(s)

2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 17, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

First off this course is located in a beautiful little park that has 4 courses on the property. There is a nice fishing lake, very nice bathroom facilities, huge playground, sand volleball, basket ball courts, walking paths and a bunch of nice pavilions.

This course has a wide variety of hole types, narrow turning wooded, wide open, right turning, left turning, uphill, down hill, strategic multiple shot, and grip it and rip it. Each hole has a very clearly defined fairway and there were no Poke and Hope holes.

Since there is such variety in the holes you end up being forced to use alot of different shots. Power helps alot on this course but you will still need touch shots, flicks and Backhands and a few overhands. Almost every hole requires some shot shaping.

Pin Placements. The pins are placed very well, often on slopes and tucked into trees. The placements enhance the layout tremendously.

Well maintained. This course was immaculate. There was no litter, very little debris (sticks ect..), the grass was well trimmed and Baskets/Tees were in perfect condition.

Navigation once on the course is easy. Without a map I had no problem finding the next hole. there is a very natural progression to the course.

Woods Holes. This course has some beautiful woods holes. They are aestically pleasing and you are able to see that a tremendous amount of work went into clearing, drainage, and steps. The wooded holes really stand apart on this course.

Cons:

Finding the first hole! Unlike the other courses on location Silver/Gold does not play in nine hole loops and does not start near the parking lot. We did not have anyone to ask where the course began and only found it because we played the blue course first which plays near the first hole. Hint: Gold/Silver starts near Blue 13's basket.

Holes 7 through 11 seem to be just a long drive contest. The pins are still placed well but the holes themselves are not as interesting. 10 and 11 play down a pipe "right of way" or something like that and are very bland. These of course are personal opinions. Some people might really like this stretch of holes.

The tee signs are very neat, carved logs with hole number and distance, but I would like to see a little more detail on the hole since on quite a few of the holes you cannot see the basket from the tee.

Other Thoughts:

This is a great course. I played Gold while my wife played Silver. We had already played Red and Blue earlier so needless to say this course wiped us out. It is long! be prepared for a bit of a hike.

SIlver is a good course for moderate to experienced golfers but the gold course is really for experienced to expert players.

This is definitely a Disc Golf destination park. With 4 courses on location you can really get your fill. It cost us 4 dollars to enter the park but I feel that we got way more than our money's worth.
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9 0
gdub58
Experience: 15.6 years 133 played 8 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Gold layout is fantastic! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 9, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

The course was in tremendous condition, with new tee pads and baskets, well-groomed fairways, and plenty of trash cans and places to sit.
The length here (and there's a lot of it) was integrated well into the design - except for a couple of holes it didn't seem to be there just for the sake of adding distance. Even on the 1120' #8, while the first 800' is "grip and rip", it finishes with an interesting and well-protected pin. Virtually every hole here would be a stand-out on most courses.
This course demands and rewards accuracy, but the lines are clearly defined and there are virtually no random trees that would get in the way of a good tee shot.
There's a lot of elevation changes, and the holes are well balanced between up/down and left/right shots.

Cons:

Navigation was really difficult in some places, starting with just trying to find the first tee. My biggest issue was with the scorecard, especially where it shows hole #1 and that it has #16 as a dogleg right when it is actually a severe dogleg left. Also, while there were "next tee" signs on most holes, in a couple of cases they were not clear (good luck finding #6 tee!)
The rough is deep and there are many places where finding a disc would be extremely difficult if you are off the fairway. This is true even on the open holes and I would suggest having a spotter on several of them.

Other Thoughts:

I played the gold tees/pins, which plays over 8,900'. Pro Worlds was here recently, and there was clearly a ton of work put into this course. The locals who put their time into this should be recognized for their efforts - I certainly appreciated it.
There were some long walks between holes, although on a course this big that shouldn't be a surprise.

Overall, this is a course I would definitely play again (especially since I know my way around it now!) and qualifies as a destination course. And, with three other courses in the park I would definitely recommend a trip here.
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12 0
ZMan44
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 20 years 179 played 107 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Challenging course that will grow... 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 25, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

The Silver Course at Lemon Lake is a championship caliber challenge. There are significant elevation challenges. Shot-shaping is important at this course. (as with all the Lemon Lake courses) The land is exceptionally used. There are a wide variety of lengths of holes. There are some that can definitely be birdied by the average player. There are some that definitely cannot be birdied by the average player. The wooded holes showed a great deal of promise. As the course grows in, these holes will mature and this may be one of the best courses in Indiana at that point. The amenities were fantastic including the baskets.

Cons:

Since I have to rate the course as I played it, the current state is extremely rough around the edges. I had hoped that it would be in immaculate condition given that Worlds was approaching so quickly. While the other 3 courses seemd ready for play, this course looked like it had been planted within the last month and was requiring extra attention of the parks department. There were a few of the open holes that seemed to be long for the sole purpose of having a long hole. Sure, I don't throw that far, but even with my arm I didn't find these holes to be challenging. I pretty much looked out from the tee and said "I am getting a 4 on this hole"...and I did. That kind of hole takes a lot of the fun factor away for me. There were a lot of places were the rough and undergrowth was still very thick. It could be cleaned up and still punish errant throws. There were a few places were the terrain was difficult to navigate, but I assume that as this course grows, bridges and steps will be built.

Other Thoughts:

It may seem like I am being hard on this course. Maybe I am, but this is my review and my opinion. I find no fault with someone who gives this course a rave review. It is challenging and I firmly believe that it has the potential to be an elite level course. The Silver course definitely has a home at Lemon Lake as it is the most challenging layout by far. It is definitely worth playing if you are in the area. I graded it the way I did because of its state on the day that I played. It is a good course. I plan to play these courses again in the future and I can see myself raising my grade for this course by as much as a disc given the maturity of the course from now until then.

Just a tip for those who don't pay attention or haven't printed a map. Park at the second parking lot. Go over the covered bridge across the main park road. This course begins very close to one of the holes on the Blue course.
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8 0
gkeberhart
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 15.6 years 36 played 31 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Bring a Meal When You Play 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 11, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

Lots of wooded holes and challenging shots. didnt feel like a course where you could count on a lot of easy birides. made you work for your par and left you feeling satisfied when you got it. wasnt a quick one to play so you felt like you really played a round after the hike was complete. makes for a great course to settle the decision of who will win the day after playing the other three courses. the better players will shine on this course.

Cons:

some of the holes felt repetative and alternate tees just seemed to be the same shots just different distances. a few holes were obnoxiously long and one followed the other. the course was still in the stages of being fully cleared out when i played (or that is what i think) so there were some stumps that could trip you up.

Other Thoughts:

the scenery was never the same, and the holes were nothing short of interesting to play. I love the sign that tells you not to start the course after a certain time of day. plan to stop and have a small meal during the round, it is a nice hike. this is the only course at Lemon Lake that i have not shot par or better at and since i have only played it once i am hoping there is a good chance to change that.
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17 0
mashnut
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 22.1 years 831 played 767 reviews
4.00 star(s)

A fun challenge 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 31, 2009 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

The course plays mostly through hilly woods with scattered ravines. A few holes are more out in the open, but have baskets tucked into pockets of trees and among thick rough to add some challenge. The holes in the woods offer some great accuracy challenges, especially with lots of hillside basket placements that love to take errant putts and approaches and send them rolling down into the small creeks.

There is some real distance in places on the course, along with some holes that give chances for ace runs if you can thread the needle. The course calls for different kinds of shots if you want to score well, with a good mix of left and right turning holes.

There are two sets of tees on the course, making the gold and silver courses, and on some holes they offer totally different challenges. The silver tees make the course pretty accessible to most players, while the gold tees are fairly challenging with lots of length. Both sets of tees have either concrete or rubber tees, and the locals are in the process of finishing concrete tees for all holes. There are signs at all the silver tees and most of the gold tees giving hole length and layout, and again it seems that the process of finishing the signage is being worked on.

There are some really great shots here that will test your game, and this is definitely the most challenging of the courses here at Lemon Lake. This is a fantastic facility, and the commitment from the park and the local disc golf scene is really amazing.

Cons:

The open holes on the course felt a little out of place, and just long for the sake of distance. It might not have seemed as much so if the two long holes weren't back to back, just seemed like a couple holes thrown in for distance and to finish the 18. Many of the alternate tees didn't really change the shot, they just offered shorter or longer versions, and this seemed to take away from the fun of having two full sets of tees.

Many of the rubber tees were short and not level, but this shouldn't be an issue for too long as the club is obviously close to finishing the concrete pads. Similarly, it was a little annoying not to have signs on some of the gold tees, hopefully that is taken care of soon as well.

This course had some fun challenges, but it didn't strike me as a real championship level course, and it still seems like a work in progress. As the course gets more finished it might seem like more of a destination course, but as of right now the red and blue courses seem more like established courses, and offer a nicer experience.

Other Thoughts:

This course will probably frustrate many beginning players, with tight shots and some distance, along with lots of trouble around baskets. More experienced players will find some great challenges here to test all different parts of their game, and this challenge ultimately pushed this course up into the 4 disc range for me.

If you're at Lemon Lake, definitely try to fit this course in, but I'd put Red and Blue above this one on you priority list. On some holes it's worth playing both sets of tees, others it's not, but on the whole it was enjoyable to play both the silver and gold courses here.
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13 1
discNDav
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 37.8 years 436 played 91 reviews
4.50 star(s)

a great challenge 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Sep 19, 2012 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

This is one of the most challenging courses that I have seen. It is long and in the woods with great elevation and then extremely long, flat and open for a few holes before returning to the wooded area.

There is no easy hole from the long gold tees. When the cement tee pads have completely replaced the rubber, this will become a tremendous improvement.

Update: 2 sets of cement tees on each hole now!

I've seen the love given to this piece of land and can see it only getting better week by week, month to month and of course year to year. It is a gem within the Lemon Lake complex.


Cons:

Since it is such challenge, the fun factor can be diminished somewhat. I simply walked it on a chilly October morning and was tired after 18 holes. Playing from the short silver tees is much easier for this Adv Masters player.

More next tee signs are needed although a lot exist already. I had a map and was still confused which way to go at times. After #5 go back to your left 90 degrees
and into the field. I found #16 before finding #15.

The rough can be extremely rough, the tall grass on the longer holes makes it easy to lose a disc or make a run up almost impossible.

Holes 10, 11 and 12 are too similar, a great walk through the woods but the same golf shot over and over.


Being in such a great complex, a water fountain on the course somewhere would sure be appreciated. Bring plenty of water and maybe a snack, you'll need just on this course alone.The park itself has this provided elsewhere.

Other Thoughts:

As mentioned by others, blue #14 would make a great #18 on silver/gold.

Print a map from this website, you'll need it.

Lemon Lake is a terrific complex for DG, 4 courses with other park amenities such as good restrooms, picnic tables, a snack shop in summer all in a clean park enviroment. Please do not consider a park entrance fee (when staffed) a drawback, it is totally worth it.
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15 1
Michler
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 31.8 years 247 played 35 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Great land, long distances, low fun factor. 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Aug 28, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

Its a challenging course for sure. There are a few fun holes that I enjoyed as well, but no 'signature' type holes that leave an imprint in your mind whatsoever. Alot of big distance for those who like to throw far and some really tight wooded holes as well.

Cons:

Several boring holes that were not fun to play at all. 2 really long holes out in the open that force you to look hard for your discs if you don't land in the mowed section. A few holes without well defined 'fairways' in the woods. Alot of really really long walks in between holes.

Other Thoughts:

I gave it a 3.0 because its a high caliber course, but I rate it about a 2.0 in the 'fun factor'. Not something you want to play casually more than once or twice with the other courses available on the property. This course could be totally redesigned on that land and be made into the most fun course within 100 miles in my opinion. I think too much emphasis was put on making the holes long and not enough on making the holes interesting. I love long holes where I can bomb, but you need to give the course some character. Better use of elevation changes and natural tree-lined fairways would have made for a better experience.
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