Bowling Green, KY

Basil Griffin Park

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3.025(based on 28 reviews)
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14 0
PastorofMuppets
Silver level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 4.7 years 129 played 115 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Split Personality Park

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 16, 2023 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

1) Set in a small but beautiful and well maintained city park. Ample parking, tons of nice sports fields, a large lake that a few holes play around with some decent views, port-o-johns and a bathroom house (when it's unlocked).

2) Holes 1,2,8,9 are pretty tight wooded holes through a small cluster of woods that sit in a bowl shape at the center of the park. None of them are extremely spectacular but they are probably the best actual holes on the course. Averaging roughly in the 275 FT range (thanks partly to #8 being a very short uphill par 3) these 4 holes feature either a tight gap hit off the tee or a tight gap hit to access the green and some elevation change on each hole. Nothing too spectacular. The biggest plus here is not having to deal with people utilizing the park for things other than disc golf.

3) Course has concrete tee pads but most are in terrible shape (see cons), older but still ok Discatcher baskets, looks to have installed new or updated tee signs since the last time I played here.

4) Variety. If you like a course that has a little technical woods, a little wide open park golf playing "miss that one single tree", and then playing around sports fields dodging cars, people and dogs, this course is right up your alley. This is in the pros section simply because less skilled players can get a bit of everything and probably enjoy this course. And not surprisingly, the less skilled amongst our group were the loudest supporters of how good they thought this course was.

5) Potential. The course provides a massive amount of true potential (especially if purposefully shortened or made into a 9 hole course and made strictly to target beginners and families), There is tree cover, lots of elevation changes, a lake to play around, a creek and nice bridge. The front 9 wouldn't be a terrible 9 hole loop and could be great if retooled at this point.

6) Some challenge, especially in the wooded sections, and in the early holes that border the lake. Course changes distance and angle control on the front 9 for raw distance on the back 9 in the wide open park.

7) Hole #2 is probably the signature hole on the course of mostly bland forgettable holes (beyond remembering how much you disliked it). You drive down hill through a gap of trees with a low ceiling, over a perimeter fence, over a wide creek and nice bridge to an open bowl area with an OB road behind it and the creek wrapping up to the right of the basket probably only 10-15 feet from the base of the pole. Would be a magnificent hole if the back drop to this was countryside, rolling hills, or distant mountains. Instead its a parking lot, an old house that appears to serve as a maintenance building, the highway, and port-o-johns.

8) Multiple risk/reward holes on the front 9. Hole 2 as discussed above, Hole 3 - a very short par three with the basket perched on a steep side slope that leads downhill roughly 45 feet into the lake. Hole 5 - a 250 ft downhill tunnel shot, made a tunnel by a tight property line fence on the left, and the lake tight on the right with a small smattering of protective trees, to a semi peninsula green. And Hole 7 - a short 200 Ft downhill chip shot with a creek a couple paces behind the basket (This hole lost its two fairway guardian trees and just isn't the quality level it used to be).

9) Practice basket right next to the parking lot, solid course map near hole #1, good tee signs and lots of "next" arrows helping with navigation. And the course is small enough that you can usually find your way without them, but having them is still very nice.

Cons:

1) Most concrete teepads are damaged, cracked, broken, divoted, and hold water. I'm told this is because the Park paid a tree trimming service to come in and they parked their trucks on several tee pads, but as of last play, none of the pads had been repaired.

2) Mistaken identity. The course is kind of all over the place in difficulty level. Multiple holes feel beginner/novice targeted, some feel Rec/Int and some are just downright disrespectful to anyone throwing under 450. (Like Hole #17 which is like a 475 Ft uphill Par 3 that throws over an OB grass parking lot outlined by ropes and stakes. Takes 425 minimum to clear the OB, or 275 at most to land short of the parking lot. The path around it left is dotted with large trees, and everything right is OB. I dislike any hole designed to be thrown over parking lots, and though Par is relative, 475 is a big ask for most players)

3) Long walks between different sections of the course, often crossing other fairways, roads, or busy sections of the park. You can kind of divide the course into three sections, the wooded bowl, the rim of the lake, and the open field.

4) Small park so the holes are extremely crammed together, if pedestrian traffic wasn't a big enough concern, other disc golfers are. For example Hole #1 and Hole #9 throw down into the same bowl from opposite sides and curve away to the right respectively. You are essentially using the same air space, and walking down either hill could see you catching am errant tee shot to the dome. Hole #2 and Hole #8 share an L shaped tee pad. Hole #18 throws downhill between a tee ball field, over a parking lot, to a small grassy area between parking lots and the main road through the park. If the course is being utilized at all for sports games, I'd avoid this course.

5) A lot of blind shots on a small crammed course with lots of things non disc golf related happening. Fishermen on the lake can essentially shut down 3 holes on their own. Even parking can ruin half the back 9, a rain storm can shut down all the wooded bowl holes. This course just has so many issues that can make it unenjoyable. Everything has to go right for you to have a good experience.

6) VENOMOUS SNAKES: You read that right. Hole #7 convienently plays down into a low creek area which has signs posted, Hazardous Venomous Snake area. And wouldn't you know, you are supposed to walk through that area to get to Hole #8. Yes you can walk back through Hole #2 fairway and cross the bridge and head up #2 to the tee area, but you are out of luck if you miss right off the tee and have to climb in the thick brush to putt. Had a friend bit here several years ago reaching down to place his mini, luckily it was just by a rat snake.

7) There is a playground on the holes that skirt around the lake and though some might, I refuse to throw in the direction of children and will simply skip the hole.

8) The "bowl" wooded holes hold water and will be extremely soft and muddy for days after rain.

Other Thoughts:

Bowling Green has a ton of good to excellent courses, this one however is not worth your time. If you are not local to the area, or unfortunately forced to play this course for the BG Open, I would make a hard pass. At the end of the day, disc golf is supposed to be fun, and this course is just not fun to play. This course probably (from a design perspective) deserves a 2.5 or 3.0, but with all the switchbacks, park interference, poor tee pads, and just general feeling of "are we done yet" while playing this course I had to drop it to a 2.0 and suggest skipping the course when in Bowling Green.
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12 0
njgrosser
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 12.8 years 46 played 36 reviews
2.00 star(s)

I Doubt I'll Be Back 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 11, 2021 Played the course:once

Pros:

Holes 1-2, 7-9: This course has three distinct "sections" and this section was by far the most enjoyable. It had some elevation, some technicality, and most importantly didn't have to deal with the other parkgoers. Even though I lost a disc in the abyss next to Hole 8, it was still the most enjoyable stretch of course.

Basic Amenities: There are solid tee pads, teesigns, and baskets. Ample parking (albeit in range of being hit from errant throws on 18), and your usual city park amenities.

Cons:

GOOSE POOP: There was so. much. goose. poop. over by the lake holes, along with what felt like the entire goose population of Bowling Green. The poop was a nuisance, and so were the birds. If I were ever to come back, I'd skip these holes every time; it's not worth the walk over there.

Holes 3-6 in general: Beyond the poop, these holes were not my type at all. Hole 3 was short with several branches primed to knock discs into a death roll toward the lake. And the lake itself had a nice 6' dropoff into it, so it was tough to retrieve any discs that rolled in that direction. There was also a playground near the fairways and a man fishing who was in danger of being hit. It's not a great stretch of holes, in my opinion.

Holes 10-18: I don't know if I've ever played 9 consecutive holes that felt as similar as these did. The only thing differentiating these holes are slight changes in distance; otherwise, it's the same "throw it straight and miss the one tree in the fairway" shot over and over again.

Other Thoughts:

Bowling Green has a great collection of courses, especially for it being a relatively small city. This one, however, just isn't worth the visit if you aren't living in the area. Some of the holes were fun, but the rest just weren't really fun to play. We were playing with a friend who was considering doing the Trilogy Challenge here later in the summer, and after playing it with us he decided he wasn't going to do it because of the course.

From a pure course perspective, it probably deserves a 2.5 for being decent/typical. I do think fun factor should count for something in these ratings, though, so I docked it another half-point. It was one of the least enjoyable 18-hole courses I can remember playing.
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3 3
Spike Hyzer 23
Experience: 30.7 years 92 played 87 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Below Average Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Aug 14, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

The tee signs are very nice. The front 9 has what little elevations there is, and a variety of both hyzer and anhyzer shots, as well as some very, very tight technical fairways with dense tree cover. The 7th seems like a straightforward lefty hyzer, but there is a blooming tree with overhanging vegetation that snagged my disc and left me with a difficult putt.

Cons:

While there is some challenge to the front 9, the back 9 is utterly boring. Every single hole is pretty much wide open, flat, and very straight. There is almost no requirement of the player to shape a shot in either direction very much. Adding to this woes, the holes are either in the 275 foot range, which will allow most older players and ams to reach and have a chance for birdie, or they are in the 350-425 foot range, which only allows the big arms and pros to birdie.

Other Thoughts:

There are now five courses in the area and I played the first three that were available on this trip. The other two were far more interesting and this one can be skipped.
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12 0
sisyphus
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 12.6 years 397 played 383 reviews
3.50 star(s)

The One by the Lake…or three 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 12, 2014 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

A slightly 'split personality' course used for the Amateur Championships at Bowling Green each spring, Basil Griffin starts out in park woods, over bowls and ravines, as well as water hazards, with a good variety of 'best lines' to the quality Innova DisCatcher baskets. You'll need good control of your Recreational to Intermediate distance drives to stay dry on 2,3,5, & 7 and away from the trees on 1, 2, 3, 7, 8 and 9. Then you'll burst into the open for the back nine, which involves more distance and usually more wind.

It's nice to have this much variety in an 'approachable' course, and just a mile and a half off the highway for easy access. While they are showing some wear, each hole has a decently-sized, level, concrete tee pad. There are older tee pads out there, as well, including a long pad on hole 6 which would make a neat, water carry shot if the branches in front were trimmed just a little.

Memorable holes begin with the hill top tee on 2, where you drive out between a few trees, over a fence, creek, and bridge, to a wide landing zone on the left, but with the basket tucked to the right at the far end of the clearing, and less than eight feet from the rocky side of the creek bordering the entire right side of the hole. A true gut check shot, but not unique in that aspect: holes 5 and 7 are also beautiful, downhill risk-reward holes.

The course has a map at hole 1, and very good signage, including next tee arrows, so first timers who print the map and check the signs can't get lost. The park is really nice, with its lake and many other amenities for the rest of the family.

Cons:

Though there are brand new pads for holes 2 & 8, many of the remaining, older tee pads are starting to have a little trouble: the left side of the concrete on 15 is crumbling away, and the front 2-3' of the 17th tee has settled so it is practically a step (so be careful there). Hole 1 holds water in a puddle at the front. The 'remnant' tee pads that look like they're out there (left over from a previous redesign?) are interesting, and don't have tee signs, but might tempt safari golfers to try out creative lines. Usually that's a plus, but caution is needed to be absolutely sure no one could get hit from those unexpected lines.

The course does have a few places where the transitions from one hole to the next are 'unusual'. After 2, you need to go out the big fence gate if it's open, or trek to the top of the hill to get out past the driveway to 3. After 6, be polite while walking by if folks are clutch-putting on 3, then back up to the top fence line to #7, after which you'll go around the 'creek', right, through that fence gap and up the hill to 8.

Bomber arms who really want to show off their D's might not like the fact that Griffin has only two holes over 350'. But that's just fine with us mere mortals. The lake side holes have a playground at the top of the hill and might have folks who know nothing about disc golf, fishing and enjoying the lake on any decent day, so use caution and skip a hole if you need to for safety. Finally, the bowl at the bottom of holes 1 & 9 will usually be extremely muddy, so plan on that if it has rained recently.

Other Thoughts:

The first time I played here was in the 2013 BG Ams, the day after some ferocious rains, which created two new 'lakes', until the water subsided. The pond at holes 1 & 9 made the latter a re-routed shot around the driveway. The creek became another pond on holes 2 and 7.
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4 0
gmoney1984
Experience: 11 years 308 played 26 reviews
3.50 star(s)

3 styles in one course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 14, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

1. Good Mix of holes (Woods to near the lake then back to the woods and then to the field)

2. Can post a good score and still feel like you were challenged.

3. Beautiful small park setting

4. No chance to lose your discs in the woods because it's not grown up at all

Cons:

1. We didn't run into it because it was early but I could see how you could get irritated by other people muddling around on the course even though there's signs up that say watch out this is a disc golf area.

2. Tricky navigation in a couple of spots but just use the map and you will be fine. If not it still shouldn't stop you from coming.

Other Thoughts:

The first part of the course is wooded elevation holes that have good lines to them then you work your way out to the field rapping around a part of the lake and these holes are fairly wide open but obviously the lake comes into play if your not careful then you go back across up top by the road and tee off downhill by the chapel and work your way back into the woods and then out of them for the back 9 which is pretty wide open with some but not many obstacles. This was stop #2 on our 111 hole day and took 2 avg players an hr and 45 min to play.
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2 2
Declarkus
Experience: 20.8 years 287 played 16 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Busy park 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 9, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

Fun course. Easy to score well. The flow was pretty easy to follow

Cons:

Not much variety on back 9; just field and young trees. Holes are bunched up. No water fountains

Other Thoughts:

This course would be alot better in a place that people don't have BBQs, fish, throw the football in the fairways and have family photo time on a bridge you're about to throw over.
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4 0
maxhz
Experience: 11.4 years 27 played 3 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Better than Expected 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Aug 25, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

I was going to Bowling Green for a day and was able to play a round of disc golf. Whenever I asked for recommendations, Basil Griffin was not one I heard. I ended up going because it was just a 2 minute drive down the road.
The front 9 of this course was terrific. I liked how the lake and creek were sort of in play for holes 2-7, but it would take pretty bad shots to throw a disc in them. The back 9 was not as good, and most people say it;s open, which it is, but it's not always just a plain shot with nothing in the way. Most of the back 9 holes had at least some different way to maneuver around the trees, which I enjoyed. Not too long, which for me, is a plus. Also, the grass was amazingly green. Beautiful course. I also love DISCatcher baskets :)

Cons:

I can see where some people would dislike this course since the back 9 holes are all relatively the same, but they aren't necessarily exactly the same. The layout is a little bit confusing, and there's only a small opening that is hard to notice to get from 2 to 3. Had I not noticed it, I might have gotten horribly lost. Long walks from 2 to 3, as well as 6 to 7. When I played, I actually skipped hole 9 just because of lots of mud that had accumulated from apparently just a little bit of rain the day before. That mud was also present on hole 1. If you're new to the game, playing so many holes around water could be a burden. Would also be a pain to play the back 9 on a super hot day, which luckily it wasn't too hot yet when I played. Lots of the back 9 signs were very difficult to read, some of the impossible.

Other Thoughts:

For being a course that wasn't recommended to me, I really enjoyed this course more than I thought I would. I don't have much to compare it to at this point in my disc golf career, but I think if you're near the course you should definitely consider playing.
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10 0
AdamE
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 20.5 years 264 played 143 reviews
2.50 star(s)

2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 13, 2011 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Basil Griffin is a tale of two courses so I will talk about the front nine and back nine separately.

The front nine is beautiful with rolling hills and a large lake. There is a great shot variety with a number of turnover shots, a decent spread of hole lengths, some big elevation changes and water in play on about half the holes. Some of these holes are fairly technical while others are more open with strategic obstacles to consider. Two of the holes have long and short pads to accommodate a wider variety of skill levels.

The back nine has a wider variety of hole length. Hole 10 is a fun but tough longer hole.

Cons:

The biggest con about the front nine is the navigation and long walks. There's a bit of a walk between holes 2 and 3 and an even longer walk between 6 and 7. There are arrows on the baskets that point towards the next tee's so that is a big help. On hole 2 you're at the top of a hill and throw over a fence. The gate to get through the fence was locked when I was here and some slats have been removed from the fence so you can crawl through. After hole 7 you have to crawl back through the fence to get to hole 8.

The back 9 is mostly flat and completely boring. There are lots of young trees that are starting to have an impact on the holes and there are some more mature trees in the back also. But when it comes down to it the back is simply boring.

The tees on the entire course are very inconsistent, a couple have big drop offs in front of the pad, many are in poor condition and some have major cracks.

Other Thoughts:

If the entire course was like the front nine I would rate it a 3 or maybe even a 3.5, but if the whole course was like the back nine I'd probably give it a 2. So I'm splitting the difference and rating the course a 2.5.

Despite the walk, the front nine is a lot of fun and has some great holes that make for rewarding birdies if you can get them. In my opinion it's worth playing here just for the front nine.
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3 1
brettricewku
Experience: 14.8 years 63 played 8 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Fun Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 14, 2011 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

This course is a good mix of wooded and open. There are plenty of dueces out there but some holes that play 350+. The course can be played fairly quickly with no real chance of losing a disc except in the water. Good concrete tee pads and not much walking trail traffic to contend with.

Cons:

I busted my butt on 13's teepad today because it is fairly short and you have to step up about 6 inches if you plan to run up. The lake/pond is gross and if you go in there, you will most likely not be getting it out. When it rains a lot holes 2 and 7 can be closed due to flooding which creates long walks between 1&3 and 6&8.

Other Thoughts:

Can be difficult in the wind but a good course if you are looking to improve your overall game. Decent elevation change and not the same hole over and over again. A bit away from the other courses in Bowling Green but if you are down for a weekend a must hit on a BG trip.
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4 0
BennettUA
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 20.1 years 134 played 23 reviews
3.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 2, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

This is a fun course to test some of your throws but not be overly challenged. I really enjoyed the mix of open-to-wooded/ challenging holes, instead of all woods or all open.
We started on the back 9 when I played, and I would suggest you do the same on your first time out, or anytime for that matter :)
The back nine is much more open with a few rolling hills and some errant trees to at least give some obstacles to avoid, but not much more challenge than that(except for those BG winds).
The front nine is a pleasant excursion around the park, starting in the tall woods and exiting over a creek which hugs the right fairway of hole #2. For the next 6 holes, the large lake will either have some water in play or at least be in sight, and also causing yet more wind :) These holes offer a nice variety here, from hillside ace runs to downhill alley with an OB funnel on the sides.

Cons:

Navigation -- I was in a tourney, but was looking for signage for next tees. Some of these would have been very tricky for a first-timer.
Too many wide open holes, fun but not enough challenge for a remarkable design.

Other Thoughts:

A fun course that will let you warm up the arm and putter on the back and tickle your disc bone on the front. Enjoyed this one!
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2 0
sdervan
Experience: 14.7 years 41 played 41 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Get off I-65 to Play 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 3, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

The best thing about this course was the many holes that were challenging and beautiful. It combines water and O.B. in such a way that you can't just open up and throw, it cause you to be accurate. A lot of birdie chances.
clean park but multi use.

Cons:

Many of the teepads need to be replaced or extended.
Pretty short course but laid out well.
the upper holes (12-17) are very open and don't really pose a threat.
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10 0
mashnut
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 22.1 years 831 played 767 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Starts out great, finishes bland 2+ years drive by

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

Pros:

The course plays through a large multi-use park, with some rolling hills, some great water hazards, and a mix of wooded areas and more open fields. The water comes into play on the front nine, with a couple holes playing by a creek, and a few more by the lake, making for some excellent risk reward holes. The elevation on the front nine is used well to add some challenge, and the wooded holes are tight enough to make you hit a line.

There are concrete or brick tee pads that are in decent shape, and enough signage that it's not too difficult to figure out where to throw or how to get to the next tee despite some long walks. There is a course map by the first tee that helps with navigation.

Cons:

There are lots of places where the course conflicts with other park uses, and you may have to skip holes due to picnickers on the fairways. There are some long walks that if you didn't pay attention to the course map would be really difficult to figure out, it's worth bringing a phone or camera to get a picture of the map to have with you.

The back nine is quite boring and repetitive. There is some good length, but the holes are pretty much wide open and don't present any different challenges. The front nine s so much fun it's really a let down when you get to the back. The tee pads are generally small, and a couple are tilted making for awkward tee shots.

Other Thoughts:

The front nine will challenge you to hit your lines and stay dry, and is worth coming here just for those holes. The back nine is boring, and really drags down the overall rating of this course for me. Beginners will find the course approachable, but difficult to score well, and more experienced players will find some nice challenges and lots of birdie opportunities.
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2 1
NOStheBOSS
Experience: 15.8 years 96 played 7 reviews
4.00 star(s)

My favorite in BG 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 16, 2010 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Love the variety of holes, not busy at all except when other events in the park are going on, easy enough to be fun and shoot low but not so easy that it becomes boring.

Cons:

when football/baseball games are going on, people like to park on some fairways when the lots fill up

Other Thoughts:

BE WARNED as of the beginning of June the park is closed due to a huge flood that caused a sewage leak. The back 9 was pretty much left uncovered but the front 9 was completely under water. The entire park os being rennovated, and even though the back is fine you cannot get in.
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5 0
gkeberhart
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 15.6 years 36 played 31 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Another Good Course for BG 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 10, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

Excellent use of land; elevation changes are tricky, and there are many trees to make you adjust your shots. Water comes into play on a few holes and requires a very accurate shot for a chance at 2. The course does stay centralized to one small spot but moves through the course.

Cons:

It is in a highly trafficed park, people are sometimes sitting right next to the hole and dont bother to move even when you tell them it is dangerous. The back half of the course was very open and didnt really have the same appeal as the front nine with its technical shots. some of the teepads and cracked/double poured which makes them a little difficult to throw from.

Other Thoughts:

it wasnt in full bloom yet but the park looked like it was going to be beautiful and scenic when the summer comes. definitely a visdually pleasing course.
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8 0
ChrisWoj
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 19.1 years 158 played 26 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Half a fun course 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 7, 2006 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Holes 1-10 at Basil Griffin are very well put together. They make use of the hazards available, and use the property in the best manner I can imagine. A few of the shots are truly unique, and offer things you don't see often in disc golf - holes 2 and 5 are great. Hole 2 makes use of the amphitheater area exceptionally. Hole 5 is a fantastic peninsula hole. I believe I snowmanned it (took an 8).

Cons:

Following hole 6 there is a semi-long walk to hole 7 which is hidden in the amphitheater area. Careful noting of the course map IS needed for this walk. Additionally - the final 8 holes are very weak. Although they provide a very nice use of the ball fields as out of bounds, and have great distance variety they are relatively boring holes.

Other Thoughts:

All told I enjoyed my time on Basil Griffin. It may have been the fact that I was attending BG Ams for the first time, playing in warm weather for the first time all spring... but Basil Griffin left me feeling good. Despite half the course being relatively bland I enjoyed playing it. In my mental categorization I labeled it a "fun" course.
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6 0
lschrock
Experience: 23 years 38 played 18 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Should be a 9 hole. 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 22, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

First nine holes are really fun. There is a good mix of woods and water holes, including hole #2, which is thrown through trees, over a fence, on the right side of a small river, surrounded by rocks. Epic hole, great 300 foot downhill anhyzer shot. Holes 3, 5, and 6 are great water holes. 3 is a short 200 footer, turning right with some low hanging branches. 5 is a danger shot, going downhill to a hole with water on both sides. 6 is a nice anhyzer shot over water, really a fun shot. The course takes you back into the woods for a couple more really nice lines. Nice scenery on the first holes too, wrapping around the lake.

Cons:

Back 9. Wide open on almost ever hole, just going back and forth in a hilly field. There are some sparse trees, but the center of the field holds water. Some are short, some are long, but they are really bland. Maybe only one bench on the whole course.

Other Thoughts:

There is some construction going on now in the early woods. Fun course if you're in the area, definitely play the first nine, as they are really well put together.
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7 0
skottyb
Experience: 24.9 years 54 played 26 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Love the holes around the lake 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 27, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Basil Griffin offers a lot of numerous shots. The front nine plays almost seperately from the back 9. There are numerous shots on the front nine that surround a nice sized lake. Most of the holes are relatively short on distance, within the 250-280 range. It is easy to shoot well on this course but if the wind is blowing in "Blowing" Green you can count on a few missed putts and a few errant drives. I give it a solid 3, once the course matures that will go up.

Cons:

The back 9, I know it is very new but its just wide open shots. Give it 10 years once the trees grow and develop and it will move up the ladder of Bowling Greens greats.

Other Thoughts:

Overall I love this course, it does have quite a few different shots. I love the lake and also the tee pads seems to be great. I'd recommend it too anyone who is in the Bowling Green area.
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7 1
craigd
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 15.7 years 179 played 118 reviews
3.00 star(s)

2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 26, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

Well Basil Griffin was a pretty fun course in my mind. The park was nice, the course was somewhat challenging, and I will certainly try to hit it again next time I am in town. The front and back nine almost seem to be two different courses with two distinct personalities. The front is more wooded with water and more difficulty. The back is more open and forgiving. You'll find a fair mix of hole and shot types overall.

Number one's hole seemed to quietly draw you in to focus and then some pretty fun holes follow. Number two was pretty unique with its fairway crossing a fence and plays through an amphitheater's lawn with a creek running along side. Three through six plays along a scenic lake that can come into play with arrant shots. Seven is a tight downhill shot past a gazebo to an open area and plays near a creek. Eight shoots across a wooded valley and is also a pretty nice shot. Nine comes back down and crosses the same valley but shoots over a retention area where water can be found during rainy times.

You'll find that ten through eighteen plays across what is accentually an open field along with some slight elevation changes. Additionally, you'll find trees mixed in as obstacles and some length variation to keep it interesting. Overall I found one through nine to be the best of the course.

I really liked the fact that that there is a defined front and back nine. There is what could be considered a resting area between the two. You'll find a large course map that delineates the entire course nicely. Nearby you'll find a picnic table in the shade and it's close to the parking lot. The Innova baskets are in good shape and easily spotted in the wooded areas. The concrete tee pads are pretty nice too. Tee signs are on each hole and did the job quite nicely.

Cons:

Well as I mentioned the back nine is a little different than the front and is nothing special, but not too bad. It's just that they will sort of let you down after the playing nine nice ones up front. Some of the back holes play near a fairly busy road and can be a little annoying.

Overall the tee pads were distractingly shorter than normal. The transition between six and seven can be a little tricky to navigate your first time out. Check out the map and you'll be fine.

Other Thoughts:

This was a pretty fun course. I suggest playing it if you are in the Bowling Green area for sure. Let's say you are in town for a limited time and can only play one or two courses. You may want to consider some of the other courses around before you play here. But on the other hand I don't think you'll regret playing here at all, at least I didn't.

Please don't let the cons discourage you too much from checking this one out. One recommendation I would give is to play the back nine first and finish with the front. Both are just as convenient to parking and you'll leave having saved the best for last. Just come on out and give it a try but most importantly, enjoy!
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7 0
bdamcat
Experience: 15.5 years 24 played 12 reviews
3.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 23, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

Nice course with concrete pads, tee signs, and baskets. Offers some shade on a sunny day (front nine). Hole 3 (I think) was my favorite. You had to tee off and throw between two trees and down over a fence and stream. The fairway was like in the middle of a outdoor amphitheatre.

Cons:

The back nine was completely opposite of the front nine. The back nine was plain, open, and not very challenging. It seems like the course was originally only nine holes and they just threw together the back nine behind the baseball parks.

Other Thoughts:

Overall the course was fun but when compared to some of the other BG course's this course is lacking.
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12 0
tamahawk
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 17.6 years 50 played 50 reviews
3.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Apr 24, 2009 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Basil Griffin is a fun little par 54 course located in a nice park. The course uses DISCatcher baskets that are in good shape, has appropriately sized concrete tee pads, and signs and markers to help in course navigation. There is also a large course map located near the first tee, a nice and common feature among Bowling Green courses.

The course is composed of 2 9-hole loops, each returning to the parking area. The course flows well from hole to hole and is fairly easy to navigate. Every time that I have played this course, it has been in really good shape. The course is very well maintained, there is no excessive underbrush, foliage, or things of that nature to speak of.

The front nine is amazing! A great layout that utilizes available natural resources (including moderate elevations, a winding creek, some large boulders, and a lake) which define some of the best golf holes in Bowling Green. Hole 2 has an elevated tee requiring a shot to clear a fence and a creek just beyond the fence and all down the right hand side of the fairway. When the creek is full of water, this is a beautiful, yet intimidating hole. There is plenty of room to bail to the left hand side, but the farther left you go, the more difficult the upshot is with the basket situated just a few paces from the edge of the creek. Holes 3, 5 and 6 are strategically placed around a scenic lake in the park, a bad shot here can cost you a disc! Hole 7 parallels Hole 2, in the opposite direction. Again, throwing from an elevated tee down toward another basket located just a few steps from the creek. Anything long here will find the water, but if don't make it far enough, you will be forced to lay up or be faced with a risk/reward putt toward the water.

The back nine is completely opposite of the front nine. These holes are relatively flat with some trees, many of which are still small and not a big factor. Most all of the holes on the back nine are straight away with very little strategy involved. Scoring is much easier on the back nine, and a good place to recover from the more challenging front nine. The main hazards on the back nine are the road on 10, which plays OB, and the softball fields on 17/18, which also play OB. The back nine is a little plain and boring compared to the front nine for sure, but the designers made good use of what was available. Some trees were present, and others planted which in time will make the back nine more scenic and challenging. I think some sand traps will really add to the visual appeal and challenge, it would be nice to see something like that added to the back nine.

Cons:

Not many cons to speak of. I have played the course when the amphitheater was in use. The fairway for Holes 2 and 7 are used during performances and events, so these holes are closed while the theater is in use.

Other Thoughts:

Basil Griffin isn't a long course, it is a true par 54, but the course as a whole is scenic and offers a fair challenge for most all skills levels. Bowling Green is a great place to play DG. There are many different lengths and styles of courses that will interest just about everyone, and all the courses are well maintained. Basil Griffin is no exception!
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