Effingham, IL

Effingham DGC

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3.335(based on 21 reviews)
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9 0
Derek B
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 21.8 years 398 played 46 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Effing Cool 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Nov 22, 2020 Played the course:once

Pros:

1) concrete tees
2) elevation changes
3) different layouts (summer and winter)
4) Just enough trees to make it interesting, but no extremely tight lines

Cons:

1) Navigation from 9 to 10 was difficult
2) A few holes lacked tee pads

Other Thoughts:

Course design: 3.25/5
Scenery: 3.5/5
Tees: 3.5/5
Signage: 3.5/5
Navigation: 3.5/5
_______________
Average/Total: 3.45/5 rounded to 3.5/5

Upon arriving at the course, the first thing I saw was "Course Closed" and I was about to get angry, but then I kept reading..."See Winter Map." And then I felt much better. They had giant lighted scenes set up for a winter lights show that caused this winter layout.

This course is set on some pretty cool property in a public park. It has rolling hills and quite a few trees, but it's not a densely wooded course. Quite a few areas that are open with trees in play.

I really liked the feel of the course. Most of the shots required some shot shaping or hitting a gap. In addition, all of the baskets had a pole w a red flag at the top to make the baskets easily visible.

The course seemed to be fairly balanced, although I found myself shooting a lot of forehand shots as the preferred line. You could still throw RHBH on a lot of these, but would be more difficult to have the disc land where you wanted it bc of the slope of the hill or the angle that you had to hit.

This is a course that I would play quite a bit if I lived closer. I would like to play the summer layout. I bet it's even better than the curtailed winter layout.

For the most part, navigation was a breeze. The course flowed logically and they even had winter layout tee signs posted for every hole. Note: Hole 15 and 18 play from the same tee. There are two tee signs at the tee to tell you so. 15's basket is straight ahead about 270' and 18's basket is to the left back toward the parking lot/picnic shelter, maybe 350' or so.

The only negatives that I found: (1) navigation from 9 to 10 was a bit confusing. After 9's basket walk onto the basketball court and to your left. Go to the far left edge of the basket ball court and keep walking forward. You'll see 10's tee sign shortly thereafter. 10 plays long and down a big hill; (2) a couple of holes didn't have tee pads. Not a huge deal though...I give them a break on this one bc it's a winter layout.

Overall, this is a solid course and if I come back through this area, I'd play it again. I gave it 3.45 overall, but rounded up to 3.5.
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3 0
Nicholas W
Experience: 8.8 years 15 played 7 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Effingham DGC 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 22, 2018 Played the course:once

Pros:

+Nice map before you start
+Nice tee pads
+Well thought placement of baskets, and great use of natural Mando

Cons:

- Can't see most baskets from tee, but the maps for the holes are spot on reliable
-Shared space, have to be cautious of cars and pedestrians

Other Thoughts:

Great course, good up and down that's hard to find around the other courses in the area. Can be discouraging for novice players since all of them are par 3. Overall great condition, although it can be slick and muddy if it just rained
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2 0
Goober22
Experience: 6.7 years 4 played 3 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Great Local Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 28, 2018 Played the course:once

Pros:

The course was very well laid out and the signs made finding the baskets and tee pads easy. Except for a few holes, the majority of the course was far away from the ball fields and parking lots. There are a few holes that let you bomb and a few shorter holes that give you a couple easy birdies. Hole 6 was my favorite because it was wide open after you got around the challenging mando. Made for a fun hole.

Cons:

A few of the holes were right next to the parking lot. When I played, there were cars parked near the basket. Because of this, I had to throw short and limit what I could and couldn't throw for those respective holes. Other than that, the course was awesome

Other Thoughts:

This is a great little hidden gem. Great mix of long, drives and short, technical shots.
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3 0
mrbro855
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 10.5 years 363 played 105 reviews
4.00 star(s)

What a course!! 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 25, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

Start with the usual: great concrete pads, excellent signage, good flow to the course.

Mix in lots of elevation use, (and I thought Effingham was flat!!) great number of mature trees used wisely, as well as newly planted trees in a few fairways, indicating eye toward the future.

Varied lengths from a couple of short teasers, to 6 baskets over 350 feet out (one 525, one 425, one 400)

Starts out with a teaser 165 with solid tree protection, double that distance to 330 on #2, and a stretch to the 525 footer on #3.... and kept on going from there!!

Couple of memorable holes:
#5 Another short 168 tease with tree protection..
#8 top of the world throw to a basket with tree line on left and walking path as OB on right
#9 & #18 share a "V" tee pad throwing uphill with #9
needed right hand bend, while #18 is straight up the hill.

While there are a couple of blind holes, they are marked with a tall pole with a flag giving you an idea where the hole is at.

Signature hole: #15 As you walk from basket #14 to Tee #15 you view the panorama of a beautiful span of rock walls supporting flowers and the like (words don't do it justice!). The walls span about 2/3 of the right side of the 15th fairway.

Cons:

The only con in my book is that there are numerous places where the throws cross walking paths. That said, there are several signs warning the pedestrians that this is a disc golf area.

Other Thoughts:

Was course #1 of 5 on an Eastern Illinois trip and of course this was the best of the lot making the other 4 pale in comparison.

I am generally noted as a stingy rater and I gave this one a "4". Having now played over 180 courses this one goes in my top 5. It was a fun course from start to finish. Worth the drive for this one alone.....
Add Teutopolis and Peterson course down south in Newton and you have a nice trifecta... but do Effingham last!!
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1 0
Pearhead
Experience: 7.6 years 127 played 3 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Great Park Course/Executive PAR 3 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 30, 2017 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Love the many mandos and ob's. Makes for a tight not so wide open course. Elevation changes are good. Brand new signs, w/ bag hooks on the posts. Nice long tee pads and good bridges over ditches. White rock and or cedar mulch around the baskets takes away all that mud around the baskets. Course seems to drain well too after rains. W/ just the "sledding" hills being the only real places I lost footings. You can tell the grounds are taken care of well by the park staff...makes for an enjoyable round

Cons:

Old baskets = lots of spit outs :( Course does come close to playgrounds a few of the back 9 holes.

Other Thoughts:

get new baskets!!! Great for beginners and more advanced players
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1 0
schimmy
Experience: 17 years 154 played 4 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Fun park course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jun 15, 2013 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Effingham's course is a fun, short, beginner friendly course.

The teeboxes are huge and give plenty of room for run up even though most of the holes are pretty short.

Loops back to the car after hole 10 allowing the players to grab fresh beverages from the car.

Bathroom along hole 11's fairway.

Great signature holes playing on the sledding hills. Holes 6, 7, 8 and 15.

Cons:

There are a few areas that are dangerous for other disc golfers and/or other park users. Hole 4 tees off throwing right at Hole 8's teebox. There is a playground next to Hole 11 and 14. Errant throws on hole 13 can end up on 14's teebox.

During the winter time, the city puts up Christmas lights and about half of the course is unplayable. There is a winter layout but it is very confusing and not nearly as fun.

Other Thoughts:

This course is a lot of fun, and it is where I learned to play the game. Over the years it has been improving by adding new pin placements and longer tee boxes. It is still a little too compact, but with the available land, I think they did a good job.
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4 0
harr0140
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 15.2 years 1508 played 475 reviews
3.50 star(s)

I had a lot of Effing Fun 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 16, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

1) DGA Mach baskets with the number plate facing the tees. Rungs of the basket are painted to mark where the next tee is located.
2) Concrete tees with yellow posts to mark their location.
3) Scorecards with a map are available at the first tee along with a kiosk for more disc golf information. There is also a rules sign available for those beginners who might show up to play this course.
4) Hole #6 is a great and unique type of hole and I executed it about as well as I possibly could. I threw a 400' turnover with my new Pro Beast that I just got from a friend before this trip. It had just enough flip to turnover and go down the hill before coming back right towards the basket. I hit the 30' putt for my longest deuce ever 425'.
5) There is an extreme amount of elevation on a few holes. Some of the holes have gentle elevation change and even some flat holes. It is a nice mix of elevation change.
6) All shot shapes are required to do well on this course. There are some hyzers, some anhyzers, and some straight shots. You can use a wide assortment of shots on many of the holes but some do dictate exactly what type of shot you need to throw.
7) There is an awesome amount of distance variation here. You will need good drives, good upshots, and good recovery shots to play well here.
8) Excellent variety of foliage density with some mostly open, some moderately wooded, and a few with enough trees to force a shot.
9) Multiple tees help to make this course different for variety and also more beginner friendly.
10) The disc golf was a lot of fun, lots of different shots, lots of fun throws, and that is the biggest part in my desire to return.
11) Very large mature hardwood trees on the property make this a pretty course as well as a nice place to escape the heat in summer by playing under the shade these trees create.

Cons:

1) The biggest drawback to this course is the level of compaction and erosion happening. It is going to happen on slopes like they have here, but it is complicated by the type of soil they have.
2) There seemed to be some sketchy stairs and retaining walls here. I hate to see good courses with bad infrastructure because that means it is not sustainable. I know it is simply the standard for disc golf, but I am hoping that bar gets raised in the coming years. Just because we are a non-standard sport does not mean we do not deserve the same amount of safety and effort when it comes to how our course is played.
3) When I played there were Christmas decorations in the way. This was funny because it brought my wife and I back to our first course played (Freeman Lake Park in Elizabethtown, KY) but at the same time it shows that disc golf is not the priority. I am not asking parks to take out disc golf to have Christmas Decorations, but perhaps disc golf could be designed away from areas that are needed for this and other things.
4) There are a few places where the tees and baskets are a little close, causing both confusion and some minor safety issues. Hole #6 is a really bad spot where a disc could end up in like 3 different fairways or near tees. Safety should be a priority, and while this course is over 10 years old, I think it might have been dangerous in a few spots from the beginning.
5) Minimal benches and garbage cans available to the disc golf course, but there are options by the pavilions/bathrooms and baseball field area.
6) Walkers as well as the road running through the park housing the Christmas decorations create some safety issues for others. Some of the throws are moderately blind also, which makes it even more dangerous.

Other Thoughts:

While my cons may seem strong, they do not outweigh the amount of fun I had on the course. The design was for some fun shots and good amount of challenge, unfortunately it was also a bit unsafe in a few areas. If some baskets could be re-arranged to be safer it would also take away from the fun, so it is a hard thing to recommend, while the course might suffer in fun and challenge it would be safer and thus sustainable. I prefer courses be more sustainable even at the expense of fun, challenge, beauty etc. It's hard to recommend but it is something I have to stand up for.
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2 3
Piker
Experience: 15.8 years 86 played 3 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Great course to learn the game 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 21, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

There are many different tee pads to give 18 holes play different almost every time it's played.

Cons:

The course is hard to navigate for people that havent played there before.
The hill on hole 6 is dangerous if it has rained recently.

Other Thoughts:

It is a fun course to play if your stopping through town.
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3 1
ervin
Experience: 10 played 8 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Kinda tight 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 26, 2012 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

It has 18 holes, and some of them are quite good. There are a couple shots where you can really drive a disc, but on the whole the course is pretty short with really tight fairways. I think that hole 6--the one that starts on top of a hill and ends just outside the graveyard--is my favorite.

Cons:

The first three holes are really quite simple, mando and all. Then four becomes almost impossible to figure out where you're supposed to be aiming. The first time I played this course I used the 5th basket on the 4th hole. Also, the layout leads a bit to be desired. Hole 11 has a nice tee shot, but if you have any kind of arm you're going to hit a family watching their child play baseball. Then the 12 and 13 go right past a picnic shelter--dangerous in my opinion. The holes are really on the short side though, and the challenge is more finding the next hole and not throwing at the wrong basket rather than getting through the fairway.

Other Thoughts:

Play with someone who has been there before. It's fun, but not that challenging.
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1 4
kylesplash
Experience: 18 years 17 played 4 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Good one 2+ years drive by

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

Pros:

This course is setup in a nice park, the park offers plenty of hills and trees. You have a water hazard when you are playing next to the creek. Its nice that the course has concrete tee boxes. Some of the holes have long or challenging shots

Cons:

Some of the hills have ruts and are washed away. You have to play over a road that cars drive on

Other Thoughts:

This is a fun course, and I am looking forward to playing it again.
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2 2
foo_g
Experience: 13.7 years 64 played 6 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Improving Course 2+ years drive by

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

Pros:

Concrete tee pads have been added to every hole. Signs are still being added and updated.

There is a good bit of variety on this course. It offers a good mix of long and short holes, uphill and downhill, wooded and open, as well as blind shots. Some of the holes have been lengthened and offer a few opportunities to really let it fly off the tee. There are also several ace opportunities still available.

Cons:

For a first time player, this course is probably a bit confusing. Baskets for holes 4, 5, and 7 are all in the same area. Some signs also still show the old basket locations. Consider using a spotter on hole 6.

Other Thoughts:

The local club has put a lot of resources into improving this course and making it a fun place to play.
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5 2
Bif13
Experience: 2 played 1 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Course Up-graded 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 20, 2011 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Concrete tee pads, elevation changes, lenghthened holes.

Cons:

a few holes are a little short, but are necessary to accomidate course flow.

Other Thoughts:

Within the last two years there have been several changes to this course. There are concrete tee pads on every hole, but some alternate tee pads are still crushed limestone. #3 has been stretched out to 500' from the long tee, #4 basket has been moved, #5 is a short hole but a 2 is useful on the front 9 as it is more difficult than the back 9. #6 has been lenghthened to around 400'. #7 has an alternate tee pad across the creek. #10 basket was moved to 280', #11 moved to 350', #12 moved to 300', #14 moved to create a more challenging tee shot with a fast green. #15 is stretched out to 400'. Overall the course plays with more challenges than the past, longer holes are a nice change and when playing the roads and rope fence as out of bounds it can be even more challenging as numerous fairways squeeze down to 30 or 40 feet wide in landing zones. Still plays as all par 3's, except #3 from the long tee, plays to a 4. If you can deuce #2 it is rare. The course has been made better by the locals with a lot of cooperation of the parks dept. who have been very accomidating to our requests. There will be more tournaments played there as the first C tier is scheduled for July 2011.
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2 4
AirMcNair
Experience: 16 years 82 played 8 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Fun Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 26, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

Short course but with good mature trees to make you throw the right shot. Tee pads are great and when I was there they were making more concrete ones. Good use of the land they had.

Cons:

Short course. Need better tee signs. Tee pads on the back were gravel but like I said they were building the concrete ones.

Other Thoughts:

Nice to stop and play if you are driving through. Early in the AM there is no one there.
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2 2
urdone00
Experience: 43.9 years 136 played 15 reviews
3.00 star(s)

good medium size course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 3, 2009 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

short to medium length holes with a descent variety of shots to throw. elevation changes and ob make some of the holes a challenge. well kept park, easy to find and ample parking next to hole #1 (of the 4 times I have played only seen 1 other group playing)

Cons:

with never seeing anyone playing , wonder why there is so much trash and very few trash cans.

Other Thoughts:

I really enjoy stopping thru here while traveling to stretch my legs and play a descent ,quick 18 holes of golf on my own private course. ha!ha!
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4 0
cooktastic
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 15.5 years 83 played 15 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Fun Little Course... 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 12, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

This is a nice little 18 hole course set in a very nice city park in Effingham. The park itself is beautiful...some really pretty holes here to play (like around 5-8 and 16-18). They have recently put in cement teepads for most of the tees...some holes even have two sets. Very easy flow to the course...never any question of where to go next. Several aceable holes here. I hit metal 3 times. They used the elevation changes very well in this course. There were a couple of very fun downhill shots to play. Well maintained and easy to get to...I would recommend a round out here if you are in the area.

Cons:

There is some other traffic in the park that you really have to watch. I had to wait on a few walkers (who obviously had no idea that they were in the killzone). You can pretty much leave your driver at home...most holes are around 200 feet or under. This causes a little bit of a feel of repetition on the course. There are a few teepads that are still pea-gravel and they are very uneven (I am assuming the cement tees are a work in progress so this should resolve itself). A couple of the baskets (while nice) are starting to show a little age. Don't need replacing yet but looks like they will in the near future.

Other Thoughts:

This was a pleasant surprise of a nice little short 18 hole course. I had a lot of fun playing it and will be back when visiting family again.
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6 0
#19325
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 22.8 years 351 played 175 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Effingham is short. 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 31, 2008 Played the course:once

Pros:

This is a very nice small town park. It's located only a few minutes off the interstate and is pretty quiet. There are some nice rolling hills and large trees. A creek comes into play on several holes.There is very little rough on this course.

Elevation comes into play on quite a few holes. There are 3 really fun downhill holes.

There are 2 sets of tees that add some variety.

There was good flow to the course and it wasn't that hard to navigate.

Good beginner course.

Cons:

This course is very short par 54 golf. There is a section of super flat and super short holes that are boring.

When I played it the tee pads were gravel and in bad shape. It may now have cement tee pads?

Other park activites and walkers can be an issue. Be careful!

Other Thoughts:

Link to youtube video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uT5HDnrcs5c

If you are traveling down I57 it's not a bad option to stretch your legs. I wouldn't travel out of my way to play it though.

Check out my Illinois Top 10.
http://discontinuum.org/index...1486.msg68704#msg68704
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5 0
mashnut
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 22.1 years 831 played 767 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Short but fun 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 19, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

The course plays through a large hilly park with grassy fairways and lots of large scattered trees. Many of the holes play up, down, or across the hills, and this adds a nice dimension to the course. The trees are used well to define some of the fairways, and punish poor tee shots on certain holes. There is a creek in play on a couple holes, and it makes a nice obstacle.

The course is well laid out through the park, without crossing fairways or places where holes felt like they played right on top of one another. There is a nice mix of holes where you can go right at it, and holes where a left/right curve is the best option.

The course has good flow, and is easy to follow. There is enough signage that we didn't have to spend time wandering around to find our way around. Most of the holes are short enough that the basket is easy to see off the tee, so there's rarely a question of where to throw off the tee.

Cons:

The tees are awful here. They are gravel, and are rutted and uneven. Very few of them provide good footing, especially on the couple longer holes. The holes for the most part are very short, and nearly all are reachable by players of all skill levels. It seemed like there was enough room in the park to play some longer holes, so this aspect of the design was pretty disappointing.

The course shares the park with a number of other uses, and this caused some problems. Holes played over and near walking paths and playgrounds, and the people using these seemed oblivious. You'll end up waiting for fairways to clear or yelling fore a lot if it's a busy day at the park.

Other Thoughts:

For a short course full of ace run holes, this course is still a fun play. There are some holes that are unique and fun, and the park is beautiful and well-maintained. It's a great place to take beginning players, as only a few holes have any kind of rough where lost discs are a possibility. More experienced players won't find the course very challenging, but the course provides lots of good approach and putting practice.

If you're passing through, this course is definitely worth playing. I wouldn't drive too far out of your way to play here, but it's a fun little course that's playable for any skill level.
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5 1
hognosesucker
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 24.9 years 443 played 85 reviews
2.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:May 16, 2009 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Course plays through a nice little city park with rolling holes and mature trees.
It makes good use of both. Lots of OB, several holes play near the creek, and a park road plays through the course. Makes it more challenging. The club guys have made some changes to some of the holes and they play much longer.
It is otherwise a good course to work on your short game.

Cons:

A lot of holes under 250 feet, not a lot of variation in these hole types.
Tee pads are crushed limestone, and are almost always rutted.
HEAVILY used by nondiscers. They have no idea what you are doing so be CAREFUL my buddy nailed a woman off a skip after we yelled four! 5 times. Lots of playground equipment in play. Be careful for kids

Other Thoughts:

If the club gets together with the park and makes the changes to holes 3 and 15 , I'd bump this course up half a point. 15 was probably one of the most picturesque holes I've played. 400' downhill hyzer, with a really nicely terraced hillside on the right side.

Update 3/14/10:
Many good changes happening here.The effingham guys have done some great work up at the course. Played it yesterday...15/18 (I think) holes have concrete. multiple tees (only 1 of each concrete) on 2, 3, 5, 6, 10, 12, 15. Plus many just play longer. Highlights include a lengthened 3, 5, and of course that sweet 400' downhill hyzer on 15 with the terraced plants on the right. I'm guessing a change in total course length for long (concrete except for across the creek on 6) tees of 600'-800' (250' for 3, 200' for 15, 100' for 5, plus many just lengthened)

Looks like hole 11 (the one after the shed hole) is going to need to be changed as there is a new building where the tee used to be.

Will keep updating as changes are made...will rerate when changes are done.
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3 4
panther550
Experience: 17.2 years 6 played 4 reviews
4.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 10, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

This course is fun. If you enjoy aceable holes then this is your course. Also you get to throw putters and midranges which is kind of nice. I am a power player, but I love this course.

Cons:

Tee pads are gravel/dirt and get a little lopsided at times.

Other Thoughts:

My homecourse is superlong so it is a nice break from that. If your looking for a challenge then it may not be your course. But if your looking for a fun relaxed time and some possible aces then this is your course.
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7 0
CaptainKickAss
Experience: 22 years 23 played 10 reviews
3.00 star(s)

An Enjoyable Course 2+ years drive by

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

Pros:

This course offers a good blend of features and should please almost any level of disc golfer. It is forgiving enough for developing players, but just challenging enough to keep more experienced players happy. Good elevation changes throughout the course, and a few holes which run along a creek bring a bit of water into the mix.

Cons:

Some of the holes run way too close to other park amenities such as playgrounds, ball parks, and pavilions. This just seems like a horrible accident waiting to happen. A few of the holes also seem to be unnecessarily short, and could certainly be lengthened to add a bit more challenge in the open areas.

Other Thoughts:

While certainly not the most challenging course around, this course is certainly worth a visit if you find yourself in the Effingham area.
Note: The marked pars for the holes seem to be WAY off. There is no possible way that some of the holes which they have marked as Par 5s actually are Par 5s. Forget what the signs say, and consider everything a par 3.
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