Lafayette, LA

Pa Davis DGC

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3.175(based on 9 reviews)
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4 0
blake833
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 13.9 years 160 played 140 reviews
2.50 star(s)

You won't regret it, but you may not remember it either 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 29, 2018 Played the course:once

Pros:

Pa Davis is an easy 18 in Lafayette, which is home to several quality courses.

Holes are good distances for someone who knows how to play. A little long for beginners, but you're not going to feel like you're wasting your time.

Tee pads are concrete, and signs are great- informative maps with distances right by the pad.

Navigation is surprisingly easy. The park is pretty open, and there are small clusters of baskets and tee's in parts of the park, but the flow is great, and as long as you check the number on the sign, you shouldn't have any problem. I don't think I ever had to use the map and I still get lost in grocery stores.

The only rough is in a few holes in the beginning that go back into the forest. They are good holes, and I kind of wish there were more back there.

Cons:

small things first- broken glass on a lot of the fairways back in the woods. Some of the holes are just kind of weirdly shaped, but maybe I just need a local to reveal something.

But overall: There are no real big cons, other than there are no real big pros. Every hole is a good hole. Not great, not particularly memorable, but fine.

Other Thoughts:

I'm torn between the 2.5 or 3.0 rating. And honestly as I type I still haven't decided. Because there's nothing that particularly elevates this course into being creative, or unique, or noteworthy. But there's also nothing to really bring it down. I don't have a lot to complain about, but I don't have anything to hold up and say, "This is why you need to come play this course." But it is worth playing, and I wouldn't mind playing it again.
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5 0
MikeK
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 28.8 years 330 played 128 reviews
3.00 star(s)

2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 27, 2018 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

+concrete teepads nice and long
+restrooms by hole 18
+double-loop design so you can take a break at your car after nine holes
+long, if you like to throw far, it's a big-arm course

Cons:

-boring
-park is not the most scenic place
-hole 16, perhaps the worst-designed hole in the entire state (features an OB sidewalk less than 6 feet from the basket that isn't visible from the tee, so it's usually difficult where to judge where discs went OB--and so a friendly or unfriendly spot by a tournament group can make a difference)

Other Thoughts:

Pa Davis is okay. There's a few good holes like 3 & 4 which are long and challenging tunnel shots, and hole 10 which is about 700 feet with OB on the right and behind the basket.

However there are a lot of boring holes where most players are going to throw a full power drive followed by a long low-percentage putt opportunity or a yawner 60-80 foot upshot for a boring 3. There's just not a lot of scoring spread on most of the holes, which is mostly a result of the ease of recovering from bad drives since the fairways are so open.

Not on my list of favorites. I'd rather play Acadiana or Heymann any day than Pa.

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9 1
Qikly
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 11.7 years 181 played 148 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Thanks, Pa 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 30, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

Pa Davis pulls a lot of variety out of its relatively standard park setting, making use of woods bordering the park's edge and the array of trees peppered throughout to create a variety of shots and holes: tunnel shots (18!), long drawn out par 4s (hole 10 is over 700'!), birdie opportunities (16-17) - there's a lot of variety here considering the terrain itself isn't very varied.

I was really impressed with the length of the holes at Pa Davis. The predominance of holes over 300' (all but 3! and almost half around or (sometimes well) above 350') gave this course a distinct feel compared to other city park courses I've played. The length is really felt in a qualitative sense, rather than just as added distance: Pa Davis throws an array of challenges at you as it forces you to stretch out, be it hitting particular windows, certain lines, or avoiding obstacles. The course features several par 4s. Sneaking into the woods for a few holes is a nice touch, as are the few ~250' holes at the course's end: they provide a welcome change of pace at the point you reach them.

Positioning long hole 10 directly in the round's middle was a nice touch: it seemed like the perfect place for it.

All tees are concrete at this point. The older tees on the front nine are serviceable; the newer tees on the back nine are possibly the best I've ever seen. As someone used to the spaciousness of natural tees on my home courses, I'm kind of a tee glutton - more is always better - and these did not disappoint. From a practical standpoint, these help mitigate any damp ground that may (and will) crop up in the wet south.

Tee signs are very nice, newer and swankier than the ones currently pictured on DGCR. They often feature helpful navigation indications.

Parking is readily available, as is a portipotty.

Cons:

The park itself has some inherent limitations that limit the course's ceiling. I try not to factor in setting aesthetics too much when rating a course, but the park itself is noticeably drab. More to the point, the course's terrain (holes 1-4 excepting) is flat and dotted with trees in a uniform way that doesn't necessarily do the course designers any favors. I think they did a tremendous job with what they had to work with, but the terrain's uniformity reduces variety.

If I had to gripe with how the course plays, I'd point to how shot and hole types seemingly come in bunches: holes 1-4 are the wooded holes (after which there are none), 4-6 give you three of the course's longest back to back, and 13, 16, and 17 give you the course's only sub-300' holes in relatively quick succession. Finding a way to better intermix these characteristics - for instance, placing the wooded holes in the middle of the round and better distributing the few short holes throughout - would help maximize the sense of variety. As it stands, there's a bit of self-sameness with the holes at times, although smart design minimizes this to an impressive degree. There are course flow issues that impede implementing the above, so I don't necessarily fault the designers; it'd just be ideal to better intermix the distinct aspects of the course.

Speaking of course flow: with much of the course visible from any point during your round, navigation can be slightly wonky at times. I never got truly off track, due to a combination of indications on the tee signs and usage of the course map (which I took a picture of at the start of my round to work off of), but the course's openness makes it hard to always inherently imply which way to go next.

Virtually no elevation to speak of, but that's Louisiana's fault, not Pa Davis'.

Other Thoughts:

Having played Pa Davis, the Acadianas, and Heymann park, this course tops the list of must-plays in Lafayette. I really enjoyed it, particularly the preponderance of relatively longer hole lengths. Acadiana Park makes for arguably a better destination since there are two solid courses on site, but Pa Davis provides the best 18 in my eyes. Plus, the parks are less than 3 miles away, so you can easily hit both. Only time for two rounds? Play this and Acadiana Park's Ace Run. They're great complements to each other.

Area safety issues: Several reviewers have mentioned that the area is a rough one. While I don't disagree, I was probably more freaked out by expectations based on reading said reviews than the actual area. It's always good to be informed and play it safe, but don't go in expecting roving bands of marauders, either. I only say this because I arrived seeing ghosts, myself, only to be "disappointed." ; )
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5 2
c_a_miller
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 11.9 years 299 played 207 reviews
4.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 7, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

This course is close to a lot of the good courses in Lafayette and from what I have played, this course takes the cake as the best course.

The course has a mixture of longer wooded holes and longer more open shots that are a rarity in other courses in the area. The course is dotted with huge pine trees that are strategically placed so the course does not feel wide open. There is a good deal of elevation on the course in the back few holes. Hole 18 is a hole that sticks out in my mind.

The new concrete tee pads are huge and a great size. The tee signs are all colorful, and are very descriptive. There is a big course map at the beginning of the course. Navigation is easy even without the big map.

Cons:

The course is set in a bad neighborhood but it is forgotten about because the course does not feel like it is in a bad neighborhood.

The holes can feel repetitive on the backside but from what I hear has got a lot better.

Other Thoughts:

The course is well taken care of, and it was my favorite spot on my 6 course road trip. The course is a great course in the area. A good place to hold a tournament. The parking is adequate and I would definitely play this course again.
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3 2
Doofenshmirtz
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 11.8 years 121 played 72 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Play this one if in Lafayette 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jul 7, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

This course is laid out fairly well. The first four holes go through a lower, heavily wooded area. The rest of the holes are in a higher, moderately wooded area. There are no holes where trees do not come into play.

This course has some longer distances that require long, controlled drives due to trees. It is a very good challenge without being unreasonably difficult.

Cons:

The first four holes get sloppy and muddy when it rains. Navigation can be iffy on the first holes, especially between one and two. Pay close attention to the signs.

The first nine holes have smaller tee pads. This is only minor, but they pale in comparison to the larger tee pads on the back nine.

The walking path OB is a bit silly on a few holes. On one in particular, you can be OB and only 15-20 feet from the basket. When you take relief from the OB area, you basicaly have a drop-in putt. There is another hole of nearly 700 feet whose basket is almost that close to a sidewalk. Do you really need to put the basket next to a sidewalk on a hole that long?

Other Thoughts:

The poster who indicated that the new tee pads are backwards simply doesn't understand how to lay out a tee pad. The new tee pads are narrower in the front than in the back. This allows you to approach the narrower release point from a wider angle. The pads are a magnificent 15' long and are the nicest tee pads anywhere in Louisiana, but they are only on the back nine.
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4 0
turkey67
Experience: 12.2 years 9 played 1 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Local Favorite 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:May 25, 2013 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Feels almost like a real golf course:

-As of 6/29/13 all holes now have t-pads, brand new hole signs (that include how to get to the next hole), and bench's to sit. a great upgrade.

-No random foot traffic mostly only disc golfers present while playing.

-Wide open yet still tight with plenty of obstacles and a few hazards.

-Great variety of holes for BOTH back hand and fore hand throwers.

-Holes range from field (5), to light woods(11), to dense woods (2)

-Good bit of shade

-Some great grip it and rip it holes.

Cons:

-Hole one turns into a swamp with a little rain. all mud.

-While there are brand new t-pads in 9-18, they were installed backwards (kinda funny in an odd way)

-Can be a bit too long of a course sometimes.

Other Thoughts:

The new t-pads and signs make for a much more "professional" kind of feel when playing. The bench's are also really nice whether taking a break before t'ing off or even just putting a bag down, they're far enough from the t-pad so as not a distraction to those throwing.

Sometime around spring/summer 2012 they cleaned Pa Davis up A LOT, and have continued to maintain the grounds.

Some may be put off by the entrance to the park. It isn't exactly the nicest part of town. But its far from the worst.

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5 1
lxdawg25
Experience: 19.8 years 34 played 21 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Rough around the edges 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 30, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

Set in a park in a small community this little course offers a nice challenge close to the interstate in Lafayette. As you approach hole one the course has some nice tee signs and nice cement tee pads with gravel "landing" zones at the end. The tee boxes were a weird fan shape that I had not seen but actually added to making some of the lines off the tee, as you could get those few inches wider at the end of the tee to find your line. Some one obviously put in some effort into this course, and hole one was a good example of this effort. A good mix of heavy woods and open fields offer a nice mixture of difficulty as you progress through the course. Hole's 1-4 are the most wooded and have some tight long alleys with small landing zones. After that the holes start criss crossing the open field but for the most part thickets are very well utilized to protect baskets. I also have to say that there never was a hole where I was aghast at the absurd design or affronted by stupid difficulty or unnecessary ease. Even Hole number ten the 700' hole gave relatively easy lines to make approaching the hole in 2-3 shots reasonable.

Signs at the tee pads made finding the baskets easy. To help even further a large florescent orange square on top of the bright yellow disCatcher's made finding basket's the easiest I've ever seen, only three times did I have to walk around to see the basket, two were blind drives, and the third was to verify which basket was 700' away on hole number 10. Each basket has a sign pointing to the next tee and navigation was probably the best in the state. I could not of been happier until...

Cons:

...hole number 9. As soon as you reached hole number 9 all of the amenities of the course disappeared. The concrete tee pads went missing. The signs pointing to the next basket disappeared leaving us to search for every tee pad. Signs at the tee pads remained but were hard to identify and tee boxes just became two small orange painted rocks and a patch of dirt. The baskets were still well labeled but that was the only nice part. As the end of the course started to get very tedious.

Also while I did like the layout of most of the holes I did find myself going to my forehand often as it seemed like the designer picked a bunch of forehand lines planning to make it more difficult for backhand throwers. I would have liked to been "forced" to throw different shots more often.

Also the park seemed very unkempt with a lot of construction projects and a playground surrounded with large piles of broken concrete

Other Thoughts:

The design of the holes for the space used in the park was well above par, but the course had a very rough unfinished feel to it. Holes 1-8 were great and nicely made, but then it felt like whoever put the course together just gave up and wanted to get the job done quickly. I don't know how to explain it but the course also felt a bit "hairy" like it needed a good mow and to have some of the underbrush trimmed.

It was also a bit disturbing because on hole 13 some of the people who lived in the community right next to the course were having a bit of a dispute about how "momma had daddy arrested for stealing her shed, and now I can't get to school."

A little TLC could bring this course up to 3.5 pretty easily. And it's a shame to see a good course go unloved. If you are driving through the area I would recommend stopping by but I don't know if it's worth much more than a 30 minute drive.

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5 1
littleshoe
Experience: 16.7 years 7 played 7 reviews
3.50 star(s)

A great course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Apr 4, 2009 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

The first four holes are beautiful. Right off of tee #1 you are placed in a choice situation. Take the iffy straight line for an easy bird over the out of bounds line, or take the safe route to par... Course as a whole is great for all golfers.

Nice length including one monster 700+ (play slightly to the left for the best lies). Nice contrast of wooded to open holes and lies. Lots of choices.

Cons:

While the first four holes are wonderfully planned and executed the course as a whole is difficult to navigate. The sign for #12 is missing and several signs to direct to the next tee-box are missing as well. After hole #8 there are no more concrete tee boxes, which is easily forgettable. Signs that are present are accurate for the most part, although some do leave detail to be desired.

Other Thoughts:

Follow the signs that direct you through the course... they will not lead you astray. If there is no sign then the other tee box is nearby. Just look for it.

A great fun course... go give it a shot. Bring a good strong sidearm with you as well.

***UPDATE 4/24/10***

The local news has recently reported a man was killed in the bathrooms on this course. Obviously this brings the issue of park safety up and should be taken into account when considering a round.
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8 0
Razorback Ramsey
Experience: 15.7 years 16 played 14 reviews
2.50 star(s)

A Scary Start 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 27, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

This course is well within reach for anybody in the Lafayette area.
The course is wide open with a sprinkling of trees on every hole (just enough to make you take notice and alter a few shots.)
The course is general short - midrange (most holes range from 250 - 350 ft).
Nice signs marking the hole and good concrete tee pads on first 9 holes.
Plenty of shade trees for warmer days.
There seemed to be a good population of disc golfers on the course, the day i played there were four other groups playing (in the pouring rain).

Cons:

Getting to the park is a little...bizzare. You have to drive through a pretty run down neighborhood to get into the park. There were several people in the park just sitting around (in cars and on park benches). Perhaps it was paranoia from being in a new town and playing in a place i'd never been, but there was certainly a 'feel' about the place in the beginning. As we progressed on, it got better; especially after seeing others playing in the park.
Other downers:
The back nine is in total disrepair.
No teepads, all be it there were bricks laid in the dirt and orange construction tape to mark where a tee pad should be.
The course is a little over-grown in places one would expect well manicured maintaince.
The course could be a little mundane for some one who is use to a tricky course with turns, elevation and a variety of difficulty.

Other Thoughts:

Worth playing if you around, just watch the drive in.
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