Hattiesburg, MS

Paul B. Johnson SP - Desert Fox

2.965(based on 14 reviews)
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Paul B. Johnson SP - Desert Fox reviews

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7 1
blake833
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 13.9 years 160 played 140 reviews
2.50 star(s)

The Ann Veal of Courses 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 27, 2020 Played the course:once

Pros:

It's nice playing around a lake on some gentle slopes. I would almost dare to call it hills, but there is nothing very steep about it. The water is great and comes into play on a lot of the holes, almost the entire front nine. It's easy to find the course (if you go RIGHT after the guard post, not left as the directions say) because the baskets are all over the place and hard to miss.

The design on this course is pretty typical. Some lines are a little forced, but it's fairly open over all. There's a decent mix of right and left leaning holes, long and short holes. I think my favorites are holes 4 and 7 that add a little thrill because you have to throw over the water. They're both shorter so it's not a big deal, but the landing zone on hole 4 is SMALL.

The tee pads were a mix of concrete and natural. But the natural tees were when the second tee was unfindable, or non existent. The baskets were Mach 3's for the most part. Nothing great but not bad enough to put in the cons.

Cons:

Desert Fox (which, this definitely no where near a desert) doesn't really have any flash to it. There's no real signature hole, or stand out design elements, equipment, is all just regular disc golf stuff.

Some of the holes play close to the road, it can be a bit dangerous.

The map is... a great attempt at a course aid. Once you find hole one you can pretty much follow the flow of the course, but after 10 it gets a little hairy, and for 14-16 you better be ready to do some exploring. I finally found 14's basket, but couldn't figure out the next two.

Part of this is because the tee's are just PVC pipe with hole number and distance on them. The distance isn't always there, and the distances on this site don't seem to be accurate all the time.

Other Thoughts:

if you've seen Arrested Development, you may remember the character Ann who is known for being forgettable. This course is kind of like that- plays a notable role but you don't really have any reason to remember her. It's a great play, especially coupled with the Little Fox 9 Hole course just on the other side of the lake.

It's a great course to play a nice easy 18 (especially from the short tees). The long tees offer some more challenge but there's really nothing anyone should be afraid of here. I liked playing by the lake most of all, and that's going to be what get's me back there if I decide to go back.
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7 0
wellsbranch250
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 10.2 years 652 played 631 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Can I Get An Amen 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:May 26, 2019 Played the course:once

Pros:

(2.881 Rating) A recently tweaked layout with a park style attitude.
- SIGNATURE HOLE - Hole (4) is a very unique hole. A water clear shot on a small isthmus connecting to land from the far left of the basket. I grabbed a disc that I didn't mind losing as I forgot to bag my floater on this trip. And........... Splashdown. I missed dry land by a couple feet and walked away with a wet arm and my disc back. A very neat hole IMO.
- NATURAL BEAUTY - Well above average. Several tee shots feature the lake in the backdrop. Maintained course grounds and a couple wooded holes. Overall I scored the course a 3.25 out of 5 for beauty.
- CHALLENGING - Intermediate level from the front blue marked tees and Advanced level for the gold marked back tees. As an Intermediate player myself, I was unable to keep pace with par from the front tees due to some poor throws in the scorching 95 degree heat. Much of the challenge for the first 8 holes is the water. The course is also longer than noted on DGCR as old 8 thru 11 were removed and a couple other holes were reconfigured.
- UNIQUENESS - For an all par 3 course, solid variety. Constant modest elevations changes. Water clears, left water, right water and stop short of water. Not much in the way of tunnel shots other than hole (12). It appears the old layout had 3 or 4 heavily wooded shots. Also no multi-plays holes.
- CHAINS - A mix of basket types, but solid chains though-out.
- COURSE MAP - Be sure and grab a map at the visitors center near basket (2). I'm sure glad I had it as the map on DGCR is outdated.
- NAVIGATION - With the free map, not so bad. Without one, you'll probably have some issues. For one thing, basket (10) was missing, so my playing partner and I stumbled around a bit to find (11). Hole (15) has a relic tee from a prior layout. It will tempt players to throw a weird line to a new basket location. A couple tee posts were fading and/or missing the artistic description of the hole. Overall it wasn't too bad, just be sure to grab a map.
- TEES - Mostly good. 3.5 feet by 11 feet concrete pads with many widening an extra foot in back. A couple pads need repair.
- MULTIPLE COURSES - Two course to bag in one location. Unfortunately, it requires a 5 minute drive or a 3,000 foot hike to the other course on site.

Cons:

- SAFETY HAZARDS - Roads come into play quite a few times. A few holes play in areas where pedestrian interaction is possible on busy days.
- LOOSE DISC OPPS - There is a lot of water on this course. If I didn't know any better, I would have thought I was in south Florida again. If the lake water is up, hole (4) is going to take away a lot of discs. I would suggest packing a floater. I added more score than took away for the water element.
- BEGINNER FRIENDLY - If you give an un-athletic beginner 3 discs, they will lose them all here. This is not a forgiving course. The rough on (10 ) through (12) is brutal.
- PAY TO PLAY - It costs a few bucks to enter the park. I'd say worth it for the pair.
- SPACING - Several fairway edges are only separated by a blade of grass. (6 and 8), (11 and 12) and (12 an 13) come to mind.
- TIME PLAY - It took me over 90 minutes playing part solo and part twosome.

Other Thoughts:

I had the privilege to throw this one with a course bagging pastor from the Pensacola area. I joined Mo at tee (8), where his spiritual guidance lifted up my next errant tee shot and prevented my disc from careening into a pick-up truck. Good times sir, perhaps we can do it again when I'm in Pensacola next. As for the course, it's a solid play, with interesting lines and satisfactory upkeep. Totally worth checking out for the skilled player venturing to Desota National Forest on a weekend trip.
- DISRESPECT - I played on memorial day weekend, so I did not get normal course conditions. people were everywhere. Trucks were parked on a couple fairways and people were fishing near a few baskets. I had to use best judgment and had to abbreviate or alter some plays to keep it safe. The part that disappointed me the most was the dumping of hot coals on tee (2). These temporary unpleasantries were not taking into account for my course rating score.

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5 2
buddyspop
Experience: 8 played 6 reviews
1.50 star(s)

Constant course modifications without a map to show non-locals the layout 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jun 12, 2018 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Beautiful park and lake. During the week, very little traffic and no other golfers.

Cons:

This is an update of my review from last year. I went to great pains to draw a map and upload it to the site. It's gone. The map that's on the site (as mine would have been too) is completely off. There are no baskets on what used to be 9,10,11. The old 8 is gone. Yes, all 18 baskets are probably there, but a correct map would be a big help. The people in the office are of little help.

Other Thoughts:

Could be a very nice course with a little bit of work. It seems that in the Mississippi campgrounds the DG courses are maintained by non-park people. Not sure who they are. I'd be willing to do some volunteer work on the course if I could find out who to talk to.

Update 11/8/19. The course map provided on this website is incorrect- by a long shot.I've created and uploaded a correct map. Overall, this is a nice course, but I'd really love to see a golfer hit basket 4 across the lake. Even using a floater, it's still very messy to wade out into the lake. We lost a disc on 1, mostly due to it rolling down the hill into the lake. With the lilies, it was impossible to find. The folks in the office don't seem to know anything about the course, and unfortunately....well, you know.


10/30/18 update: The office does have a map of the current Desert Fox course, but not Little Fox. Basket 14 is tucked out of the way. T-pad signs need to be updated. I'll volunteer to help if I can find out who's in charge of the course.
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5 3
machfive916
Experience: 10.1 years 9 played 5 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Machfive916 review of Paul B Johnson Desert Fox DGC 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 10, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

The best part of playing the Desert Fox Disc Golf Course is that you get to experience Paul B. Johnson State Park. However, the course itself left me feeling a little disappointed, especially since I made a 2 hour drive for a day trip and was not staying overnight. My 3 star review is on the very generous side as this is a borderline 2.0 -2.5 stars were it not for the great scenery of the park and the potential that is still there for an above average course.

It would have been helpful if the park had signage directing you to the course (hole 1), but we had to drive aimlessly through the park until we finally saw the "Desert Fox" sign.

According to the I-Phone app "U-Disc", the course has 23 holes, as is reflected by the electronic scorecard. However, we only found 18 holes and this was confirmed by the map we printed and actually playing the course. I highly recommend using a map, as the path from hole to hole is not always entirely clear. I think the old course design had 23 holes; prior to the addition of the 9 hole Little fox course.

The first thing I noticed when we started (02/07/2015) was that the level of the lake was very low. Hole # 1 had a nice downhill shot with the basket being near the lake. Be careful of the water's edge, as even though I did not throw in the water, the ground under my feet was extremely soft and I was sinking a little. Note to self to only play this course wearing old shoes, as there is a huge potential to get them muddy and/or wet.

Hole # 2 feature a slight uphill that we had to play through a smokescreen, as the park regularly burns pine needles and leaves to keep the undergrowth at bay. Note to self to bring an extra towel to wipe the soot off my disc from all the recently burned areas on multiple fairways and greens.

Several holes have multiple tees (pro tee & amateur tee) to offer a bit more of a challenge. The baskets are showing their age and many are a bit rusty. However, the chains were all intact and functioned properly.

Hole # 4 is the signature hole and usually throws out to a small peninsula. However, with the water being so low, my throw was over a vast expanse of smelly, shoe swallowing, disc grabbing mud. Note to self to always bring my 18 foot telescopic pole to retrieve discs from water and/or mud.

The park's huge lake comes into play on multiple holes as it borders fairways, pins, forces water carry (when water is not low), and emphasizing precise disc placement.

I actually enjoyed the wood sections that forced you to throw within a narrow corridor of trees. Any off target shots were immediately punished with ricochets off of trees and/or discs entangled in thick blood drawing briars.

All in all it was a good day, and if I ever found myself camping here, I would be sure to play this course again. However, I don't foresee any road trips here solely for the purpose of playing this mediocre course.
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9 1
Qikly
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 11.7 years 181 played 148 reviews
3.00 star(s)

One Wet Desert 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 19, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

Paul B. Johnson's Desert Fox defines itself through its well-integrated, challenging water hazards. The park's huge lake factors in in a variety of ways, bordering fairways, backing pins, forcing water carry, and emphasizing precision placement. Peninsula greens, either formed naturally by water or through a combination of water and OB, create some significant scoring separation, yet the layout still affords many opportunities to play it safe if you're mostly worried about staying dry during a casual round. This is probably the best set of water hazards I've played outside of Selah Ranch.

The tree cover at PBJ DF is at a happy medium: every hole gives you an obstacle to think about beyond the hazards that are challenging placement. The incorporation of trees meshes well with the rest of the design, lending a technical nature without being tight. There are a few spots where things tighten up and move away from the water on the back 9, and while some of these are the course's weakest holes, the change of pace is still a welcome one.

Elevation is rare, but what is present is used well, with downhill shots on 1 and 3 (intensified by the bordering water), and 2's slight uphill shot through a tight window.

Two sets of tees do a good job of tweaking the challenge factor and providing multiple looks to the same hole.

The park is easy to find, has ample amenities, and offers an additional 9 in the form of Little Fox, which plays differently enough to Desert Fox (longer, more technical obstacles) to provide a nice complement.

Cons:

Desert Fox shows its age a bit, both in its rusting baskets and its exclusively par 3 layout. Each hole focuses on making a single shot, with rarely a need to chain shots together.

The course loses a lot of bite when it strays away from the water. Without the threat of a lost disc or a penalty stroke, it reverts to a pretty standard, semi-open and flat public park course. Even with the threat of water, there's enough openness on many holes to lessen the pressure on line shaping: hyzers of your preference of backhand or forehand often suffice. Desert Fox's emphasis is really about hitting the proper landing zone, through its natural and manmade OB, and while this aspect of the course is an enjoyable one, it's a narrow focus that didn't carry my interest from 1 to 18.

While grooming seems good, the course seems to have seen better days. In addition to the aforementioned aging baskets, the natural tees can sometimes be rough, and tee signs aren't always present or obvious.

Navigation gets a bit gnarly at a few points, even with the map.

Other Thoughts:

Desert Fox was a fun course that becomes a worthwhile stop when considered alongside the longer, more wooded and technical (and for the most part drier) Little Fox. It's also only a short drive from Ashe Lake, making it easy to hit all three. I personally preferred the more wooded confines at Ashe Lake, but PBJ makes for the better pair of courses considering Ashe Lake 9's novice focus. I'd say hit Ashe Lake if you only have time for a single 18, and hit PBJ if you only want to make one stop but can take in all 27 on site here. But hopefully you can get the best of all worlds and hit both stops while visiting the Hattiesburg area!
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5 1
WSP420
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 21.8 years 51 played 48 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Not a weekend destination. 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 26, 2013 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

-Well maintained course that sees heavy to moderate play, regularly
-Water hazards and/or road O.B.'s are in play on most holes; this limits your options and makes you play the course as intended
-Maps, scorecards, bathrooms and vending machines at office near parking.

Cons:

-People, people everywhere. If you play on a weekend during the warmer months be prepared to explain to park-goers why they shouldn't use the baskets as clothes lines, drink holders, etc.
-Holes that have water in play (almost 50%) will likely have someone fishing in the exact spot you need to throw
-For a State Park it had surprisingly few benches and/or trash cans on the course (plenty of seats and trash cans nearby just not convenient to disc golfers)

Other Thoughts:

The park office no longer sells discs... :(

Don't forget to play the "Little Fox DGC" while you're there.
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2 4
jesusfreak
Experience: 12.6 years 17 played 2 reviews
4.00 star(s)

2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 20, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

It has some long holes with good obstacles; but yet still has good tight holes. the water hazards are challenging; but not overwhelming. It is a good course for professionals and beginners alike. It is a challenging course; but a lot of fun.

Cons:

It is built in a park so a few hole run by a road, which makes you have to wait for cars to go by sometime. It also has a few walking paths so you have to be careful about pedestrians.
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10 0
MiketheGoalie
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 17.1 years 84 played 43 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Newer, Better 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 1, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

I haven't played this course in years and the new layout was radically different than the original. Where the original followed the lake but didn't really put it in play (especially for RHBH throwers), this layout makes you constantly be aware of the water hazards on about half of the course. In addition the course features some tightly wooded tunnels and plays very evenly for righty's and lefty's. Multiple tees on most of the holes, though the "blue" tees are currently marked with wooden stakes with a paint strip on top. Course navigation was easy with the park-provided map and several small next tee signs scattered throughout the course.

I really did use a healthy variety of shot types and the swing in thinking after being in the open for 8 holes and then moving into three tightly-wooded holes, then back into the open for a few holes, then woods, then lightly-wooded and then finish in the open. Very little repetition, even on the first eight as you have to be aware of the water and its effect on the chosen flightline.

Some features of the course are the signature peninsula shot on 4, the over-water shot on 7, the short right-turn ace run on 9, the putting mound on 13, and I really enjoyed the variety of shot required for the am and pro tees on 15.

Amenities abound as the park office has discs, maps, restrooms, drink machines, etc. The lake is a favorite area destination in summer so you have ample opportunity to cool off, go fishing, camp (primitive and cabins), or just relax on the beach. The new splash pad within walking distance of hole 2 is a major draw for the kiddos.

Right around the end of hole 8 is another, newer 9-hole course (Little Fox) with all new baskets. We didn't play that course during my last visit but you could easily walk from 8's basket to the 9-hole course, play it, and walk right back to the 18-hole course since the Little Fox course ends pretty close to hole 9 on the main course. This presents a pretty good opportunity to play 27 holes. The 9-hole course appeared to have more elevation in play as that was the high side of the lake.

Cons:

You have to pay at the gate ($3) and that might turn off some people. A few natural tees might annoy some golfers. The layout plays much more along the park roads than the original so the road is in play on a few more holes (maybe 4 total). The rough is ROUGH. Stickers, thorns, etc. especially on 9-11 and 14-16. Stay in the fairway or prepare to bleed. The walk from 13 to 14 was a little tricky as the next-tee sign was partially covered by a vine and the path needed some weed-eating.

One thing that bugged me personally was the difference in the yardage on the park-provided score card (which matches this site) and the yardage on the tee signs. Speaking of tee signs (large diameter PVC pipe), the majority of the holes have multiple tees and many have been re-used from the previous layout and haven't been updated with new flightlines or yardage. No big deal, maybe I'm just too OCD.

Other Thoughts:

Having played the original layout, it's really hard not to compare the current layout to the old. I much prefer the current course. It's more challenging, has more variety (both hole layout and shot variety), uses more of the park, and is overall more fun. The amenities added to the park (namely the splash pad) are a bonus as well since golfers can bring their families or camp on the park grounds while having access to a pretty good course. The Park Office has some discs and in general is extremely DG friendly.

Note: The course map shown on the webpage linked here is the old layout, not the current. The park office has scorecards with the new layout, however.
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4 2
ChainSmoker8
Experience: 17.9 years 13 played 2 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Scary for good reason 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 10, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

The elevation was good practice and a challenge. If you don't play much water this course definitely gets you thinking. No hole looks like the other. Want to work on a certain shot then I'm sure that you can do it on one of these holes.

Cons:

Course is better for left handed throwers. All the discs on hole 3 through 8 curve toward the lake.

Other Thoughts:

Love being able to wake up in the morning and go play disc golf. Good to camp and play. Had fun camping and playing.
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8 0
MikeK
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 28.8 years 330 played 128 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Great Hole Variety and Nice Views of Geiger Lake 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Feb 11, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

Decent bit of elevation change on some holes. A great mix of open, tight, and all shades in between of tree densities. Pretty views of Geiger Lake with a few baskets near the water's edge, including the signature peninsula hole #4. I used just about every disc in my bag at some point, as the course is not repetitive at all and each hole is unique. The water is shallow enough to retrieve discs a couple of feet in.

Cons:

A few of the teeboxes aren't the greatest and not marked so well, but they're good enough for most players. A little bit of dense shule here and there, but not much.

Other Thoughts:

This course was thoroughly re-designed following Hurricane Katrina in 2005. I think the previous reviews are talking about the transitional course that was here for a few years after the storm that was not as good as the current design.

The current design has a couple of holes that are rough because they are new holes cut from thick woods, but I am sure they will clean up nicely.

The pro tees are a good challenge for pros and the am tees are just right for ams in my opinion.

If you like good, hole-in-the-wall type BBQ I recommend Rose's BBQ which is 9 miles north of PBJohnson on Hwy 49. The turkey leg is the best, ribs are tasty too.
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3 3
Sandman01
Experience: 9 played 9 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Rest Stop to Stretch My Legs 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 26, 2007 Played the course:once

Pros:

Nice park setting. Clean.
I loved the island hole over the lake a very nice shot.

Cons:

For me was really hard to navigate course got lost several times. Some holes unplayable as they had FEMA trailers in the way. I really hated the basket on top of the "pyramid dirt pile".

Other Thoughts:

Not a bad course and would play again if in the area but will not make special trip just to play. I am sure course in better shape since the huricane damage.
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8 1
mashnut
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 22.1 years 831 played 767 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Scruffy 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 23, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

The course plays through a wooded park around a lake. Most of the holes play through mature trees with limited underbrush and multiple options off the tee. There are a few wide open holes, and a few densely wooded holes mixed in for a little more variety. Several holes have multiple tees to give you a chance to mix things up. There is a variety of lengths with several ace runs and a few longer holes where you'll pull out a driver. The wooded holes make you use some different shots, and have some good punishment for errant shots with thick rough.

The concrete tees are plenty big enough and are in nice shape. Most tees are numbered, some have nice hole maps and distance on the large pvc pipes marking the tees. The baskets are a little rusty but catch fine. There wasn't too much trash around, and the course steers clear of walking paths and roads for the most part. There are a few shots that bring the lake into play which makes for some fun risk reward, especially on hole 4 which plays across a narrow arm of the lake to a small peninsula.

Cons:

The course feels scruffy and unmaintained for the most part. The wooded holes are pretty overgrown and need some clearing. Unfortunately the water level was really low when I played, so none of the water shots actually had water, I don't know how often this is the case, but it left large expanses of ugly smelly mud to throw over.

The course is poorly marked, so there are some navigation issues at times. It would be nice if the tee markers were more consistent, the couple with hole maps and distance were great but the rest only had hole number (a few didn't even have that). The design gets pretty repetitive, with way too many shots that are basically straight, and either open or with just a few mature trees. More holes in the woods would make this course more interesting and fun, and a little more creative use of the water would add a more risk/reward challenges.

Other Thoughts:

This isn't a bad course to play if you're staying in the campground here, it's got a few fun holes and some water shots to keep it a little more interesting. Beginners will find a couple of the water shots a little daunting, and the few wooded holes pretty punitive, but otherwise it's a very beginner friendly course. More experienced players won't find much challenge, and not enough variety to make it worth going too far out of your way to play.
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5 3
zepphead33
Experience: 13.9 years 6 played 3 reviews
2.50 star(s)

DISAPPOINTING. 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 13, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

Fairly nice tee pads. Tee pad markers have the course layout on them most of the time. Hole 4 pro pad is a good hole, one you wont forget. Course seems to be decently maintained.

Cons:

Many of the tee pad markers dont have course layout.
Hole 3 has no path, its almost like they just decided to put a disc behind a large group of trees without actually considering placement. Several holes have this feel. IMO there are just way too many EASY holes. It has a lot of straight shots with no obstacles except for the water which really is not a challenge, more of something to throw over instead of land. Most of the water holes are easy, and just do not take advantage of the water.
Pro shop did not have a single disc to sell.

Other Thoughts:

I saw this course had a 4 disc rating, and was really looking forward to it, but it turned out to be a huge disappointment. If you are staying at the state park, go ahead and play it, but IMO there is no reason to go out of your way to play here. Big disappointment.
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7 3
magictenor1
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 23.8 years 347 played 90 reviews
3.00 star(s)

new layout 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jul 30, 2021 Played the course:once

Pros:

The course has a nice variety of different holes. There are some fairly open throws but also some fairly heavily wooded ones too. Water is in play with 1 throw over water and there are also elevation changes on many holes. there is one hole with an elevated basket (top of a mound) There are nice facilities there such as camping, a kid's play area, swimming area, and a proshop/office with restrooms. they sell discs there too.

Cons:

not all holes have good tee pads yet. Navigation could be a real issue for a 1st timer. the scorecard in the office is useless ie not accurate. there is a map but it does not have any yardage on it. the tee post/ signage info does not appear to be always correct. there is a tee pad around number 15/16 that appears to be abandoned but it is still there with signage. very confusing.

Other Thoughts:

This is a nice course and fun to play. this course has changed drastically over the years I have played here. this was a new design today. the hole info on this site is totally wrong. still some really nice holes and beautiful views of the lake. with another course onsite its a nice destination. course needs updated scorecards and /or tee pads signage
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