Tonawanda, NY

Ellicott Creek DGC

2.975(based on 19 reviews)
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2 0
jupiterboy
Experience: 41.9 years 11 played 7 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 10, 2022 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Variety of shots are possible and alternate pin locations add interest.

Cons:

Can be water logged at times. Tees are not correctly oriented for some alternate pin locations. Muddy conditions lead to slick, turf tee pads.

Other Thoughts:

This popular course in a community park shares the land well with other park users, though you may find an odd car in the way of a shot here and there. You'll also often find geese resting on the fairways many days. Public restrooms available. Good parking and open areas for fieldwork. Practice basket by hole #1.
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5 1
paul2432
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 44.9 years 123 played 15 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Watch out for that Maple tree.... 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 17, 2020 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Located in a suburban setting, this course is great for the casual golfer as it's not too crazy long and most holes are fairly easy to figure out even on your first round. For 10 year old baskets - the Discraft Chainstars have held up well. Tee pads installed at the "pro" tees and red bricks for the am tees. Good tee signs that are detailed and the distances seem pretty accurate.
Hole 15 is a great risk/reward hole - either throw across a small lake to reach the basket for an easy deuce or take the hyzer route over land and likely end up with a three. Also hole 16 is a fun shot off the top of a small hill to a basket just waiting for the next ace. (although it doesn't happen often.)

Cons:

Talk about mundane. Other than the two holes mentioned, this course offers 16 holes that are basically between 250 to 300 feet, mainly straight shots with the only challenge being the entire course plays through myriad of maple trees.
Other than 16, it's pretty pancake flat, and the county has instituted various no-mow zones which is a brilliant idea for increasing the chances of getting bit by a deer tick and coming down with lyme disease. While the tees are ok, but they're turf and turf wears out. Unless a group is going to replace the turf every four or five years, it's just going to get ugly. (Mind you - at this point it's better than dirt tees.

Other Thoughts:

While the course is far, far away from being a destination course, it does offer locals/casuals a decent round of golf. It's likely way too simplistic for advanced players, but for your casual golfer it's a decent course where there isn't much risk of losing a disc (other than hole 15 mind you). There are definitely better courses in the area, but for a 45 minute round or so, it gives players a decent reason to get out and enjoy a round.
A little more thought process into its design, this could have been a decent gem of a course. But that didn't happen and if you play here - just avoid the countless maple trees and you'll have a decent round.
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3 0
hojji77
Experience: 5 played 5 reviews
2.00 star(s)

In Decline 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 21, 2018 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Wide-open, decent distance on most holes, not cramped. Baskets in good condition.

Cons:

Dirt tees, limited signage. Serious mosquito problems on the holes along the Creek. Holes are mainly flat and repetitious. Water/flooding issues are only getting worse as course deteriorates.

Other Thoughts:

EC is one of three courses within a twenty-minute drive from my house, and as I had not played it in several years I thought I would stop by. While its flat, repetitive layout meant that it was never more than an average course, I was saddened to see that EC's condition and playability have worsened appreciably. The swamping problems that are endemic to the park as a whole have only gotten worse--the dirt teepads and pin surrounds have compressed into clay/mud dishes that fill (and do NOT drain) after even light rains. More than half of the signage is gone, and some of what remains is defaced/illegible, making it hard even for experienced players to locate some of the tees when weather is bad.

I want to like this course, but it has gotten to the point where it is only truly playable during dry spells in high summer and early fall. Pin surrounds need to be regraded or moved, signage restored, and concrete teepads installed in order for EC to even be considered an average/decent 18-hole course. I truly prefer a double round (24 holes) at the small course in nearby Lincoln Park to this venerable, but ragged course.
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1 0
The Don
Experience: 7.7 years 18 played 10 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Play with Friends 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 3, 2016 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Course is a good all around course. Most holes are along the edges of the park and out of the way of everybody else. Nothing particularity scenic about this park but it's conveniently located so it makes for a nice round without driving too far out of town.

Cons:

Easy to lose a disc on this course. You can either throw it in the creek or in the woods. Especially on wholes 16 and 18. Have your friends spot your throw because the tees are blind.

Other Thoughts:

A good course for a quick round with your buddies.
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4 0
Lance81
Experience: 7 played 4 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Good course with a few minor issues 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jun 26, 2015 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

- Course is fairly spacious and laid out well; holes don't interfere with each other, and are generally out of the way of other park activities.
- Pretty easy to find your way between holes, although the path from 12 to 13 could be more clearly marked for people unfamiliar with the course.
- Trees and bushes provide a good challenge without being unreasonable, and there are usually a few different paths to the target available.
- Adequate variety among the holes in terms of both length and obstacles.
- Approachable enough for most beginners and still presents some challenges for more experienced players.
- Usually not too crowded, but certainly there are better times to go than others.
- Free to play.

Cons:

- About half of the course tends to get very swampy or even flood after it rains.
- Natural dirt tee pads, which are prone to getting muddy, especially on hole 18. This course is worth another half star if they get some concrete tee pads installed.
- Some of the signs are missing (holes 4-6), but that's a pretty self-explanatory section of the course.
- Several holes can really punish you with a lost disc for an errant throw.
- Elevation is only a factor on one hole.

Other Thoughts:

This was the first course I played and remains the one I play most often. There are better courses in the region, but this one is a free convenient full course that is interesting enough to keep playing. Flooding and mud are the biggest problems, as are some occasional romps through the bushes in search of discs. Installing concrete tee pads and being a little more attentive to maintenance and landscaping would really go a long way in improving this course. Holes 5 and 15 play alongside water hazards, so you'll want low accurate shots there. Hole 16 is probably the most interesting: a blind uphill drive onto what barely qualifies as a fairway with a lot of weeds and bushes. It's a good hole for losing a disc, so it would be wise to have a spotter. Everything is a par 3, which can be frustrating on the longer and more demanding holes, but is generally reasonable for experienced players who can consistently make accurate throws. Probably not a much of a challenge for a pro, but a good course to work on several elements of your game.
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1 0
oneCarney
Experience: 10.8 years 36 played 4 reviews
3.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 20, 2015 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-Easy to navigate.
-Nice Variety of hole length
-Beginner friendly
-If the park is not crowded (usually isn't in the morning) you can play all 18 in well under an hour.

Cons:

-Can flood real bad through out most of the course
-Park can get crowded on the Weekends.

Other Thoughts:

This is one of the first courses that I have ever played. Very good for beginners, flat course. When it is Dry it is a good course to get a quick round in.

The Creek that runs along hole 5 has never been friendly to me, especially when I first started playing
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2 1
Timeetyo
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 10 years 41 played 33 reviews
2.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 24, 2014 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

- In a park with other great amenities. Bathrooms, rentable pavilions, and other park activities
- Beautiful tee signs with all the required info. Sadly a few were missing when I went through. :(
- A good first 18 course for a newer player. Reachable holes. Very little lost disc possibility (there are a few close to the water but they aren't thrown over and can be played safely for a beginner.

Cons:

- Natural teepads with the usual wear & tear. Some were a bit muddy & slippery when I played.
- On the short side with all 3s with 11/18 under 300'. The shortest is 205' and the longest 390'.
- Although 2 tees are listed on DGCR and the tee signs (at the longs), I wasn't able to easily find the shorts. No point in having them if they aren't CLEARLY marked (see beaver island).

Other Thoughts:

- The course is a very typical "in a park" course with almost everything being very flat and well mowed. There are mature trees throughout which are used as the primary obstacles.
- Given this - there are often many lines available from the tee and few forced shots. This could be a pro if it was on a few select holes - but here it seemed as a con as you can pretty much throw the same shot hole after hole and it gets boring. I'd rather have a course dictate specific lines to test me instead of allowing me to pick the same shot hole after hole. Given this and the short distance, I ended up using very little of my bag which is never a good sign.
- Hole #16 was really fun and stood out to me. I could see it being a negative for some though as it is a blind shot over a hill (and back down) with one of the few spots of nasty brush rough. I played it alone and was fortunate but I'd definitely recommend a spotter here. Given the height needed to clear the hill I could easily see some noob hyzers ending up real deep in the rough.

A note on the rating. I was very close to putting this one up to a 3 but I just couldn't do it looking at my other 3 courses which I feel are all better overall courses which I'd rather play. If there were a 2.75 option I'd have definitely picked that here. I will definitely say that the designer did a good job with what they had to work with but the limitations of the terrain, trees, and park are what hold the course back.
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2 1
Dr_Johnson
Experience: 11.7 years 121 played 5 reviews
4.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 6, 2013 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Very fun course to play
Lots of variety in regard to shots needed
Excellent for beginner players
Well used and easy to navigate, but not crowded
Not overly wooded. You are not walking through the forest, but instead walking through a park. There are plenty of trees to play around without having to walk through the woods, thus I was less likely to lose/damage my discs.

Cons:

Very flat. Not much change in elevation.
There were't many really long holes for longer drivers.

Other Thoughts:

This is my favorite course that I have played. I enjoy the set up and atmosphere here. Definitely try to stop whenever I'm in town.
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1 4
mbenn
Experience: 14 played 2 reviews
0.50 star(s)

Waste of time 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 22, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

Nice signs.

Cons:

Most holes were under water and over my boots, looks like a muddy place for disc golf. No variety, all are shorter shots. No real elevation changes, cars parked on the grass between tee's and baskets.
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1 1
Walnuts312
Experience: 10.8 years 3 played 1 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Home course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jul 30, 2017 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

This is a great course, and beginner friendly. The first few holes are short straight shots to get warmed up. It picks up difficulty after the first 3-4 holes, but never overwhelms.

The course is located away from most of the pavilions, so you won't have to worry too much about random people getting in your way.

Cons:

Many of the tee signs have been vandalized. This can make it hard for newcomers to get going. The tee pads are dirt, and often it's the only way you'll find the next hole.

Hole #5 is disappearing little by little each year as the creek erodes the bank. There used to be more trees along the edge that could save an errant shot, but I'd say 1/4 of them have fallen victim to the creek. Just something to watch out for as time goes on.

This course is especially susceptible to being washed out by heavy rain. A few times, I've found the park entrance closed off due to flooding.

If you come on a busy holiday weekend, you may be forced to skip hole 12 due to the pavilion renters (but not always).
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2 0
kpquinlivan
Experience: 11.8 years 4 played 1 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Casual Review 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 23, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

--Nice course layout throughout a very nice park
--Great course map and signs make it very easy to keep your bearings during a round
--Doesn't interfere with anyone else in the park as the course if off to secluded areas
--Was able to play all 18 in under 40minutes on my lunch break

Cons:

--18th tee box was flooded
--everything being a par 3 is difficult for beginners like myself. Cant see how one hole can be 287 feet and a par 3 and another 400 feet and a par 3
--lots of geese in the area to avoid. They are not intimidated by anything, including oncoming traffic, they seem indifferent to the people there but I avoided them to be on the safe side

Other Thoughts:

--I am sure this course just gets better as the summer dries up
--would love to see some of the longer holes i.e. 4, 13 and a couple others get bumped to a par 4 for those who haven't gotten down a long range shot.
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3 0
nyrblue2
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 14 years 28 played 23 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Nice, Simple Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 5, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

18 hole course in a flat, mildly wooded town park. Good course for beginners.
- Excellent kiosk with course map that shows terrific graphics detail about the course (this somehow should get added to this website to replace the satellite view "map" currently here)
- Rentable pavillions (a few near hole #1) good for tourney central or weather shelter - plenty of parking
- 2 tees for each hole provide some variety
- Tee signs match the course map and provide excellent information at each hole (accurate map, par, distance for each tee)
- Not a high chance for a lost disc - very little underbrush on the course itself and only a few fairways run along side heavier woods with downed leaves - water in play on 2 holes, but no throwovers
- Easy walk - relatively short and no elevation changes (except hole #16) if you're looking for a nice, relaxing round/walk
- Options off the tee - almost all of the holes play through a grove type setting, with large, mature trees scattered about - this creates for many options of the tees, as you're not forced to go left, right, straight, etc.

Cons:

- This course sits next to a creek/canal and as a result, either the water table is very high, there is no drainage, etc. - much of the course was wet and sloppy (fairway #18 was entirely 6 inches of water) or muddy - from other reviews, this seems typical
- Tee boxes are dirt/grass and didn't provide much solid footing - I had to tee off from behind or next to a few of them
- Park is used by many people that could interfere - the pavillions can get rented by whoever wants to throw a party/BBQ and lead to people wandering through fairways - came across an older couple fishing along hole #5, but had their chairs out in the fairway to get sun - girl looking for a tan had her beach chair set up 15 feet away from basket #10
- Very little variety - almost all holes are flat with some scattered trees to avoid - not much variation in length - it got fairly repetitive
- Maybe it was just this one guy, but a maintenance guy mowing the grass was completely oblivious that I was waiting to throw - kept right on mowing the fairway I was on even when I waved and he saw me
- Only played the white tees, but from the map, the red tees appear to be just shorter versions of the same hole/line - it would be nice if they were moved around a bit to create a new look

Other Thoughts:

- No trash/benches for the course (along the holes or at the tees) specifically, but since it's in a big, multi-use park, you can find something nearby
- Little bit of a walk from hole #12 to 13 and then back from #18 to the start, but not too bad
- Spotter needed on hole #16, which is the only hole with elevation change - throw blind up over a little hill and then downhill again to the basket left-to-right - thicker brush could make for a tough disc find if you're playing solo
- #15 is real nice looking hole with a sort of dammed-off portion of the creek as a pin backdrop - windy day made it a little scary to run at the pin

Pretty solid course, though nothing spectacular. Real nice job with the layout, given the lack of varied terrain to work with. Definitely seems like a good option if you're looking for a quick round after work or something like that. Standing water did make it a bit tough, but what can you do?.
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4 3
dyngus
Experience: 12.8 years 42 played 3 reviews
4.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 26, 2011 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Extremely flat course, plenty of trees as obstacles make up for the lack of terrain. Extremely straight forward, excellent beginner course. The signs made for the course are very nice.

Cons:

No concrete pads(the pads can get really muddy), in an often crowded park, not only do you have to wait on other disc golfers, but there are pavillions nearby many holes so there are often people in the way of holes

Other Thoughts:

Nice park, really close to a highway exit, conviently located for most of the suburbs of Buffalo. quick course to play when not over packed
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1 4
C6H12O6
Experience: 17 years 41 played 10 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Great Course Design 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 23, 2011 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

This is a straightforward course that does not lean advantage to any particular disc golfer. Off the tee, there are many options; hyzer, anyzer...anything. The individuals who designed this course did an excellent job with creating an 18 hole course in the amount of space they had to work with. Quick to play around, and baskets are brand new and awesome!

Cons:

The course is very very straightforward and as about exciting as it can possibly be....which is not very exciting at all. Only 3 or 4 holes let you air out a long drive.

Other Thoughts:

The park is very crowded on the weekends, especially for Holes 1 and 18
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4 0
lucasfnelson
Experience: 16.1 years 11 played 4 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Fun, New Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 24, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

I am a weekend warrior dg player, and I have been growing increasingly obsessed with the game. But I felt like the immediate areas around Buffalo lacked a decent course for people such as myself. Payne park is way too easy, and I hate having to pay $7 (plus $2 for the toll bridge) to play Beaver Island. Ellicott Creek park is a nice intermediary.

The holes are interesting: I never found myself feeling like I was playing the same hole over and over again. Despite the park being marshy because of some heavy rain, I still managed to get par on many holes. The white tees not only add the distance challenge, but on many holes they also change the line of the course, making it more interesting.

There are a few really memorable holes on the course, especially 16 and 18. The former requires to blind drives, one uphill and the other downhill, and I had a lot of fun--even though I totally needed a spotter.

Lastly, I think the course has a nice balance of open holes and some more heavily wooded holes, which forces you to use a variety of different throws.

Cons:

Concrete tees would be nice. When I played the course, many of the tees were under water, so I had to search out a location dry enough to get a good drive from.

Many of the holes are under 300' even from the white tees, which I think is pretty short, even for a noob such as myself.

Other Thoughts:

I don't think any of the other reviews mention this, but they have the signs up! This was great because when I played there was no one else on the course. The signs are a great help and they even tell you where the next tee is in relation to the hole.

This course is good for rec players and those who are looking to refine their game. There are definitely more challenging courses in the area, but Ellicott Creek offers some fun holes and is great place to hone in your skills (or to take some potential converts).

It is nice to know that there is a decent course that is close to Buffalo, and is fee free!
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4 0
cswilliams27
Experience: 3 played 3 reviews
3.00 star(s)

solid course for locals 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 23, 2011 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

The Northtowns of WNY are definitely devoid of any acceptable courses unless you're willing to hop over to Grand Island to play Beaver Island, a course that may have become old hat for many players in the area. With this in mind, Ellicott Creek is a welcome addition to those in the area looking for a new course to play. Although the course is mostly flat ground (except for one up-and-down on hole 16), the layout established by local disc golf wizards Doug Opiela and Chad Adams still allows semi pro players some challenges from hole to hole.

The course makes great use of the few trees that are present, framing lanes for skilled players looking to make a play at baskets that still stand around 250-350 feet from the tee on average. Although the park is in a very busy area of Amherst/Tonawanda, the course itself is tucked into a back area that doesn't see too much foot traffic. I also enjoy the fact that a couple holes run along the creek, and although they don't present a serious threat of getting your disc wet, they still give some welcome variety and nice scenery to the course.

Many basket placements are tucked away in small groupings of trees, giving experienced players an opportunity to practice their approaches from both the left and right - a great course to work out some kinks before hitting the big courses. Make no mistake, despite the "par 3" branding, long arms will still have an opportunity to air it out and frame shots in between trees.

There is nothing wrong with a short course. If I play the course by myself, I can get through 18 in an hour, or sometimes less. Great course to squeeze in on a weekday between work and dinner. Rarely do you have to walk far to find the next tee, and the flow of the course is very natural. The new tee signs look GREAT, and once the map is up at the kiosk it will add a bit more flair as well.

Cons:

If you're not a local and reading this review looking for the best courses to play in the area, make the extra drive to the Ridge, Emery Park, or even Como Lake instead. As nice as it is to have a new course, let's be honest, this course is what it is - a short, fairly uneventful, par 3 course. For a local like me who recently relocated from the Southtowns to the Northtowns, I am happy to have a new course to play on a random day I have a craving to throw plastic, but in no way is it a replacement for the challenges or variety that the Ridge or Emery provide.

The flat nature of the course has made it virtually impossible to play this season so far. Two weeks ago when I was there, the course was completely underwater. I drove by two days ago and it was still in bad shape. I'm not sure what the future will have in store since the course is so new, but it seems like a course that will be very tough to play the day after any sort of significant rainfall without waterproof boots.

The tee on 18 has been underwater every time I've went to play, and looks like it may never be playable.

Other Thoughts:

Watch out for the Goose Army that likes to hang out around holes 12-13...those sky rodents can get nasty.

I realize the review above details both the highs and lows of this course, but I cannot express how thankful I am to the NRDG for putting this course in and providing me a place to play on a daily basis. I really look forward to this course drying out and having a place to stop on the way home from work to play every day.
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1 7
I Wanna GO Discin'
Experience: 14.8 years 4 played 2 reviews
4.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 20, 2010 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

From the beginner's standpoint I was/still am in love with this course. Each hole is something different requiring different skill shots or power shots. By my third time through, my game improved from 4 or 5 over par; to 1 over or even at par. It's big enough to accomodate alot of people wherever you start from and not having to wait to tee off

Cons:

The downhill water shot is very touchy with me playing my hookshot. I think it would be nice to have a net over the rocks to catch runaway discs.

Other Thoughts:

I'll be out here all summer long, hope to see you there :)
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2 1
Pyro419
Experience: 15.8 years 19 played 13 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Great new course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 14, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

Great new 18 in Noth tonawanda, very close to the 290 so not too long of a trip from most areas. Very nice, well groomed park, brand new Discraft baskets. beginner friendly and fun for all levels of players. Lots of ace and deuce opportunities out there,Good course to try alot of different throwing styles, because of the variety of throwing lane choices without much danger of disc loss. Very easily navigated, even with tee signs not yet installed.

Cons:

Mostly all flat, little to no elevation change.

Other Thoughts:

A awesome new addition to Niagara region Disc Golf
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4 0
TheRicker
Experience: 16.4 years 20 played 9 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Niagara Region's Newest 2+ years drive by

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

Pros:

Beginner Friendly Course, easily accessible from 290. Good flow, easy to follow even though it is brand new. Holes vary in distance from 205-400 ft from the whites. Not much chance to lose plastic unless you screw up and throw into water, which should only happen on a pretty terrible shot. Several different lanes are available on most holes and should be pretty fair to all throwing styles. Not heavily forested, however there are plenty of trees to force players to shape shots and use different skills.Park is very clean and well maintained, several park shelters are located near the course with trash cans. Restrooms nearby. Brand-new discraft baskets.

Cons:

Still Muddy at the beginning of June, looks like a muddy place for disc golf much of the year. Not too much variety in hole distance, most are shorter shots, I don't think any are par 4's. No real elevation changes, the only hole with any was 16 which from the white tee plays blind up a small hill and across a short fairway and back downhill. From the reds it's a short downhill shot to the basket.

Other Thoughts:

Big ups to the NRDG league who fund raised and sponsored the purchase of the baskets and installed the course. They are really a great asset to disc golf in the region, and are doing great work to bring people to the county parks.
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