Climax, MI

Cold Brook Park

3.585(based on 36 reviews)
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15 0
DFrah
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 5.8 years 227 played 225 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Aging Course Without Any Temperature of Brook in Sight

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Sep 1, 2023 Played the course:once

Pros:

Cold Brook is a county park located near the I-94 corridor between Kalamazoo and Battle Creek, MI. The large park is centered around a lake and has a campground, boat launch, and more on site - but there is still enough room in one corner for a 24 hole disc golf course.

This course has clearly been around a while, but is aging gracefully and is still a lot of fun to play. The well-established fairways range from very tightly wooded and short (holes 9-16 are each between 150'-250' and require all different kinds of accurate throws) to moderately wooded and longer, to #22's wide open field. My favorite hole was #4, which is kind of a gentle "S" shaped 390' fairway that plays down then back up a wooded valley with a single large downed tree at the bottom.

Elevation changes are used well throughout most of the course, including on several precarious basket placements. There is no brook (cold, or any other temperature) in sight, but the central lake does come into play behind the baskets of holes 19 and 20. It's also arguably in play on #3 if you get a bad tree kick and the water level is up.

The tee pads are mostly concrete, or a couple of holes had arrays of patio pavers. They were all nice and long and in good shape. Landscaping has been done around several of them to make sure they stay flat. Many tee areas had trash cans and benches.

The baskets are DGAs that were definitely on the older side, but still seemed fine. There was a porta potty at the parking lot. The course circles back to the lot after #5 and #18, and you could easily skip holes in other places too if short on time.

Cons:

I noted quite a few safety concerns here. A few different holes play near parking lots, and the park drive helps define the fairway on holes 19 and 22. A couple of other holes played through likely multi-use areas. Elsewhere, holes play quite close to each other and on one occasion even directly at one another. The finishing hole #24 has what looks like a long, gently curling fairway cut through the woods - but a couple hundred feet away from the tee is actually the approach for #8. The real fairway for #24 veers off into a tight wooded downhill section that isn't at all apparent from the tee. I didn't realize this until someone's fantastic tee shot on #8 whizzed by my head. In lieu of an actual redesign, the park should at least install a tall fence here (similar to what has been added between #12 and #13) to keep these two fairways separate.

The tee signs are so faded that many of them were basically illegible. The ones that were still legible had a very basic style with hole number, distance, and a very rough line that I actually found misleading on more than one hole. There was no kiosk/map, and no directional signage. New signage across the board would definitely be a nice upgrade.

There are three baskets in view from the parking lot, but none of them are practice baskets. They are the live baskets of holes 5, 18, and 24.

Big arms and those who struggle with accuracy will definitely not enjoy the short, very tight fairways in play through the middle 1/3 or so of this course. A few inches here could mean the difference between clearing the gap, and a bad tree kick that will lead to a bogey or even worse. I personally enjoyed that sort of play to the extent it was present here, but it's definitely not for everyone.

Constant road noise distracts from the natural feel a little bit.

Other Thoughts:

When playing hole 19, I thought I saw movement through the trees near the basket and stopped to peer ahead. That was when I saw a family of huge waterfowl grazing near the waters edge. Their heads were almost at my head height. I'm no ornithologist but I think these were herons, cranes, or something similar. Before I could get a clearer look, they startled and flew off across the lake.

Google Maps has the location of the first tee correct, but the park entrance right near it is not actually open. You'll need to take the other (west) entrance, and then pay a $5 park fee to enter. There was an attendant booth, but no attendant when I visited so I used the self pay option.

Cold Brook DGC is still a fun round, but it kind of feels like it is past its prime. If the park staff decided to put more time and some of the $5 entrance fee revenue into upgrading this course, this could become one I rate a half or maybe even full disc higher. But that doesn't really appear to be happening, and a "strong 3.0" rating is the best I can give for this course in its current state. It's not a bad option if you are in the area, but nothing to go out of your way for.
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13 0
The Valkyrie Kid
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 45.9 years 1563 played 1507 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Old School Course Circa. 1992! 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 21, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

Cold Brook Park is a large sprawling county park centered around a large lake. There is a $5 charge to enter the park and you have to fill out the little form giving them all your pertinent information, including email address, social security number and all your banking and checking account numbers. It did seem a little excessive to me.

Twenty of the twenty-four holes play in a wooded area which is probably disc golf exclusive. Holes 19-22 play across the park road and there is a sign at # 19 stating these four holes are closed weekends.

There is a nice sized parking lot next to # 1. In this area is a kiosk with lots of tourney and league info, picnic table, sani-can and multiple garbage cans and there still are bottles in the parking lot. Help us out here players!

Most everything seems a little dated: older concrete pads, older baskets except for the brand new Mach III on # 6 and simple older brown signs. They show the hole #, distance and a route. No par is given. The engineering around the tee pads is first class with benches, retaining walls and wooden steps. Only a few courses anywhere top these amenities, Bryant Park in Minneapolis, being one.

Navigation is easy with many tee pads just a few feet away from the previous basket.

If you want a taste of what disc golf was like in the early 90's, then this is the course for you. With twelve holes weighing at less than 225', Aces are a distinct possibility, although hitting a tree is a bigger possibility. The course is mostly technical although there is always a fair route. The rough is there but it's not terrible. For me, the two scariest holes were 19 & 20. The most direct route on 19 plays dangerously close to the lake and any kick off a tree could get wet. Then the # 20 basket is set just a few feet from the lake on a precarious little ridge.

My favorite hole was 24. It's 460, straight for probably the first 200, then you hyser through a narrow window into the woods and hopefully down the hill. The basket is now in sight down below. If you can hit this gap and get a look at the basket, then you're thinking a 3. I'd still make it the only par 4 on the course.

Cons:

Cons. I don't like the design on # 22. Big arms with a 400' drive are going to be throwing their tee shot blindly around the corner onto the park road. Us mortals will be throwing our second shot around and onto the same road.

# 5 sign is missing.

# 12 sign is trashed.

Some of the equipment is showing it's age. Some tee pads are breaking down and puddling during rainy times.

Not many chances to show off that big arm.

Other Thoughts:

All in all, I really enjoyed my round here although I did clip more than a few trees. But I found the rough to be rather forgiving and was usually able to save par even after some misguided tee offs went astray. Obviously, this course is ideal for the Senior Circuit type players. That would be old dudes who can't throw very far anymore.

It is a great course for better players to work on the mid-range, technical aspects of their game. So go ahead and shot 12 under. Be happy with it. Be proud. Just don't be complaining because the course is too short.
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1 9
jmherman
Experience: 6.8 years 15 played 15 reviews
1.50 star(s)

I will not play here again 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 11, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

it has baskets and tees and challenging holes.

Cons:

I really did not like this course at all. I felt the course was poorly laid out. it really needs to be maintained. I'm sure it was better when it was first made, but now I think it's just starting to decline.

Other Thoughts:

This land has so much potential to make this a great course.
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3 3
Spike Hyzer 23
Experience: 30.7 years 92 played 87 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Tight and Technical 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 17, 2003 Played the course:once

Pros:

I loved this course simply because it isn't overly long and yet is it massively challenging. I've rarely seen such dense foliage outside of Sandy Point in WI, and it is a bit of a deuce or die course. The lines are there, but it's so intimidating that it's really hard to keep up the focus to hit them consistently.

The variety of shots is great and there is a lot of subtle elevation and slope change.

Cons:

It's not quite among my all time faves because it isn't really a championship caliber course and it's not very beautiful. You are stuck in those dense woods for what seems like the whole round.
It's not the best kept park I've ever seen, the tees are getting worn, and there was a lot of trash when I played.
I hate to say it, but that detracts a lot for me. It wasn't some beautiful and secluded place to lose yourself, but a dirty and overrun park that takes a long time for its length to play a single round.
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11 1
Jukeshoe
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 14.6 years 315 played 266 reviews
3.50 star(s)

A Cold Brook Rain is Falling 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 5, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

- Cold Brook Park provides 24 holes of technical wooded golf spiced up a bit with a few longer holes and a couple of grassy open holes thrown in for variety. Water comes into play on a couple of holes. This is a well-kept, heavily-trafficked older course. The schule is really scarce and manageable and the course has a lovingly played feel to it, kinda like a pair of jeans that have beat in to a really sweet spot because you've worn them so much.
- Great use of elevation and woodland throughout the course. No epic elevation exists, but a lot of holes have enough ups and/or downs to really help this course shine. While a lot of the distances are on the shorter side, it definitely feels like 3D golf for the majority of the round. Hole #'s 1, 2, 4, 6, and 24 all stand out as good "hilly" holes. #1 is forcing a uphill shot through a gap in the woods. Aim too high and the low ceiling will get you. Too low and you're into the hillside. Tricky but fair for a "warm up" hole right off the bat. #24 finishes off downhill through a tree tunnel.
- Good variety in distances, all things considered. Hole #'s 2, 4, and 5 all are over 300'. After that it's not until hole #18 that the course provides another 300'+ hole. And that's okay. The short, tight, technical deuce-or-die golf in the middle section is great for score separation (hit the fair lines and pick up birdies....miss and you'll be parring all day long). Again, it's the trees and elevation that keep these shorter distances fun and viable from a design standpoint.
- Water comes into play quite nicely on #3 (behind the green on a short hyzer hole, punishing overzealous aceruns). Hole #19 has a lake to the right of the fairway. Trees line the lake, but there is a hidden hyzer route over the lake to the green (if you've got the balls). Outstanding risk/reward decision here....the anhyzer route is less than great, and nothing to suggest you'd get a birdie. The over the lake route, if executed, parks you for an easy tap-in. Otherwise you're wet.

Cons:

- Concrete tees have fairly significant pitting from wear and tear over the years. This probably doesn't affect most rounds but puddles do occur in wet conditions, making the tees far from ideal when wet. The tee signs are a little lacking, but most of the holes are short enough for it not to impact the round too much.
- Close proximity of many of the holes to each other ups the risk factor a bit; however, this is a typical aspect of most older courses (early-90's and prior) and isn't terribly egregious. The worst spots are protected with netting and the trees also help keep most discs from becoming too wayward.
- Several holes (#'s 19-22 I believe) are closed on weekends due to their close proximity to other park activities. The local league members said the park usually covers the baskets with trash bags. I walked but did not play these holes. They are mostly open and skippable, so it doesn't hurt too badly when they close those down.

Other Thoughts:

- Cold Brook is a great intermediate design between the nearby Irving Park (beginner worthy), and the mighty Leila Arboretum (take Kleenex with which to wipe away your tears). Easy enough for newer players not to get super frustrated in the woods, but enough variety, challenge, and length for more experienced players to enjoy themselves as well.
- I arrived at Cold Brook as Saturday morning leagues were getting rolling. I jumped in on #1 and immediately had a group come off #24, so I let them play through. The league guys said, "There's two 4-somes ahead, and a 5-some behind...you want to just play along with us?" League dudes were super cool, and I greatly appreciated having a guided round in a heavy downpour. Thanks again, fellas!
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13 0
sisyphus
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 12.6 years 397 played 383 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Will play again 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 23, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

Some may find this a bit odd, but the 24 hole Cold Brook Park was my personal favorite amongst the 2015 Am Worlds courses I played this month. It's got a visual appeal, is nicely shaded, and has variety, options, and elevation. As an Advanced Grandmaster not gifted with the biggest arm out there, I really liked the shorter, technical lines through trees, and needing to shape shots in all directions. It is the kind of course that could really frustrate beginners to Recreational players, because it WILL give you some tree kicks and you'll need to scramble to save par or bogie. Intermediate players will lament the lack of long bombs. But advanced players will appreciate the precision required, and will shoot a TON of deuces. Believe it or not, there are some guys out there who could make mincemeat of this type of course: I've played a solid day once with Johnny Sias, and am absolutely certain he'd show folks what's possible on a course like Cold Brook.

Excellent landscaping, concrete tees, benches and trash cans where needed, DGA Mach 3 baskets, and nicely weathered-in fairways and edges mean solid course essentials. I really like the netting protecting the 13th tee. The thing that makes it an above average course are the risk-reward shots (examples are the lakeside basket on 3, sloping, guarded pin position on 4, those darned three trees guarding the bomber lane out on 5, the water carry (or two other lane options) on 19, and that terrace on 20). Even tourney OB improves the risk on 18 & 22. But you'll be befuddled by, or thrill to, the lines and trees you'll encounter on over half the holes here. Just remember: there's more air than wood. Really there is.

The park itself is pretty, with its lake and other activities for the rest of the family.

Cons:

We benefited tremendously from the Am Worlds map and signage, but first timers might get a bit confused about where to start, and then to traverse some of the looping flow of the course. If you want to start at hole 1, bypass the first lot (with bathroom and shelter), and go down around the bend, parking at the second lot, on your right. There isn't really a 'front and back' nine (or twelve), and 23 & 24 come back through the center of the first 18. It makes sense to finish on a really nice hole, but it flows a little awkwardly. And you need to be extra careful throwing on the shared fairway there (as folks on hole 8 might be in your grip-lock line). In fact, there are several places where the holes run together quite a bit, so you need to be alert to possible tree kicks from adjoining holes.

If I lived near K'zoo, Climax (!) or Battle Creek, I'd buy the $25ish park pass, but even the $5 per car daily fee is acceptable to me. I include it in the 'cons' section because there are folks who don't want to pay to play. Finally, woods and water mean possible bugs in the still, humid, summer months, so spray before you play.

Other Thoughts:

I can appreciate both the good and the bad this course can do to you. Warming up for my tourney round, I parked four straight holes, then, when it came time to start for real, I proceeded to triple tree kick and rollaway a five on my first hole. Curse you, Cold Brook, I shall return and defeat you!
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2 2
jamesdevin
Experience: 19.8 years 85 played 22 reviews
3.50 star(s)

good course for the accurate player 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:May 17, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

well maintained
lots of tight fairways and shots
water comes into play
challenging but fair
good use of elevation

Cons:

hole 3 shares a fairway which causes backups
bugs might be a problem

Other Thoughts:

This was a nice course that makes you be accurate off the tee. Hole #19 is very cool where you can throw over the water to reach the pin. It was very busy on the weekend I played which made the pace of play very slow. I recommend this course it is fun and you can score well if you are accurate.
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8 0
davetherocketguy
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 19.7 years 114 played 105 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Woodsy Goodness 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 4, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

- Technically challenging course in many areas but certainly not overly punishing.
- Concrete tees
- Great layout. Inspite of the lack of next tee signs the course was easy to follow.
- Club care...There's obviously some TLC happening here by some active club members. Something every busy course desperately needs. It's obvious they've been putting up erosion control measures, maintaining the benches and so on.
- Plays in a nice multi use park but the course appears to have very little over-lap with other park activities.
- Water hazards! On 19, 20 and 21 theres a rather interesting risk/reward on these holes. I really like this layout.
- Variety. This course has it. Everything from tightly wooded and short to long and open. After being punished on holes 1 through 21 the wide open fairway of 22 and 23 is a nice reprieve to just air it out and let out a little frustration.
- Lots of gentle elevation changes makes this a fun course to play.

Cons:

- Navigation leaves a little bit to be desired. Not a big deal and yes I am being picky but it sure would be nice to see some next tee signs.
- Holy ace runs Batman. Right in the midde of the course there are some seriously short holes. Almost absurdly so. 160'? Seriously? 9 through 13 are sub 200' and easily reachable with a putter or lightly thrown mid. A few of these would be greatly improved if they were lengthened which I think is possible on a few of them.
- Some of these shorter holes really are not about skill but just poke and hope through the trees.
- The concrete tee pads are great but some of them are in need of repair or replacement. Not sure what is happening with a few...if it's spalling off or what.
- I really did not like how #22 went so close to the roadway - bit of a safety issue.

Other Thoughts:

This is the kind of course that's perfect for all skill levels. Newbs will find it tough and challenging but a great place to learn. Pros will love the tight lines and risk/reward situations all over the course.

With the cons listed above don't get the wrong idea. I had a great time playing this course and will definitely be back. Its getting a lot of TLC and could use a little more. It certainly isn't a championship caliber course but is a lot of fun to play. If you are in the area and have the time, get your butt to Cold Brook and play a round.
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9 0
Journeyman
Experience: 27.8 years 36 played 14 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Woodsy 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 1, 2015 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Nice technical course mostly through the woods. Concrete pads.

Starts out with a nice little uphill short hole, no biggie. Then it starts, the woods. If you don't like woods, don't play Cold Brook. I love playing in the woods so I love this course. You break out for one fairly open hole set up for LHBH players, high arc over a parking lot then float down to the pin.

Then back into the woods.
Fairways are well delineated, most baskets can be seen from the tees. While filled with trees, this is not a long course. IF you can get through the trees there are deuces to be had. More likely you will hear the "Sound of Cold Brook", the "smack!" of plastic on tree.

Bring your A game, be prepared to find small paths through trees.
Enjoy the elevation changes! Some times hard to find in lower MI.

19 and 20 are right by the lake, be careful. 21 uphill and 22 down hill (OB on the right) are the only real open holes on the course, so let em fly while you can.

Well laid out course, if a bit tight at times. Good use of elevation and woodsy location.

Heated bathrooms!

Cons:

Signs could use some updating.
Course plays on top of itself in a couple of places.
Some holes are almost random they have so many trees in the fairway.

Other Thoughts:

Great course. A real test of skill. With all the other courses in the area I would say this is a destination course. Make time to play Cold Brook.
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5 3
Barefooter
Experience: 11.8 years 178 played 16 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Good camping, good golf. 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 10, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

Tight, entertaining golf.
Good tees, and benches.
Well built coarse.
Great flow, dog friendly.

Cons:

Mildly repetitive, and a little worn in places. a few baskets were in need of love.

Other Thoughts:

Camped here after visiting the meijer sculpture park in Grand Rapids, Me and Murray got up at 6 and played this great coarse. It was our 11th coarse of our summer vacation. I would gladly visit here again.
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10 0
mashnut
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 22.1 years 831 played 767 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Fun but a little repetitive 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 4, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

The course plays through a wooded park with little interference from other park uses. Most of the holes play through fairly tight lines in the woods with some underbrush and lots of smaller trees off the fairways to punish errant shots. Most of the holes offer a single line to the pin, and are tight but reasonably fair. A couple shots in the trees offer a little more length and more interesting risk/reward decisions, I liked the hole that had a downhill dogleg and offered the choice to lay up to the opening for a tough approach or try to bite off some of the turn and have an easier run at the pin.

One hole plays along the lake, and offers a fairly open hyzer over the water or a safe but very tough anhyzer line over land, I enjoy holes with that kind of choice. There are a few holes that play out in the open with more distance and limited rough defining the edges of some of the fairways. The baskets are older, but catch fine. The concrete tees are in decent shape, and the signage is basic but has hole distance and a rough direction indicated.

Cons:

There is a long stretch in the middle of the course where the holes start to feel very similar, which is a bit disappointing with the kind of foliage and terrain available on the property. Half of the course is 220' or shorter, and several more are under 300' meaning that this course ends up only really testing the short game of better players. I was a little disappointed as well that the water only came into play on one shot, it's a great feature and a nice visual.

Hole 21 is a terrible hole, it's wide open with no obstacles, and it's easy to turn over a shot into the parking lot to the right of the fairway. The signs are not very informative, the few blind shots require extra walking to figure out where to throw. Some pins seem to have been moved, with inaccurate distances listed on the signs.

Other Thoughts:

This is a fun course, but not one that really tests a wide range of skills. Beginners will enjoy the shorter holes and lack of really nasty underbrush, it's very beginner friendly for such a wooded layout. More experienced players will find the course pretty repetitive, it's mostly a putter course that doesn't reward a balanced set of disc golf skills.
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1 4
jcarter
Experience: 17 played 17 reviews
4.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 27, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

very nice benches and well maintained, every hole had a sign except one, 1st 9 has short tee pads, back 9 had longer cement tee pads, many tricky shots throughout the entire course, I only saw one Mcdonalds cup on the ground the entitre time playing, beautiful view on the lake, some holes near lake. Baskets were good, theres plenty of practice baskets that u can use, the course kicked my butt had alot of 4's and even 5's, but next time i play this course will do better.

Cons:

short tee pads for the 1st 9 holes

Other Thoughts:

Will be back, it costs 5 bucks, but well worth it, very clean. Talked to a local after we played 24 holes, showed me some of his discs.
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5 0
bfrank
Experience: 21.8 years 16 played 3 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Great Variety over 24 Holes 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 26, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

Overall, a great 24 hole course. Nice pads, baskets and good signage make it easy to navigate on the first time. I like that some parts are open and some parts are in the woods, and in general it is a very beautiful setting with a big lake. I threw a few birdies (and a near ace!) and a few double + bogies my first time out here, so there was some excitement. And even though a good portion is in the woods, it is not overgrown so the possibility of losing a disc is pretty low out here I think.

Cons:

Some holes have so many trees that there is no clear line. You just have to kind of say a prayer and toss it and hope for the best. Which can be fun at times.
Be careful near the lake. If you drop it in the lake you are going swimming or disc shopping. Wadding may not be an option if you get a bad bounce. But water hazards can add some excitement to the day if you are brave. :)

Other Thoughts:

I thought this was a tight course. I will definitely play it again when I am visiting home. I like that it has 24 holes, a lot of variety, and is on a beautiful Michigan property. There is something for everybody here.
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10 1
BucketBonanza
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 21.8 years 47 played 30 reviews
4.00 star(s)

climax... 2+ years drive by

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

Pros:

Elevation changes along this rolling course are the most pleasing aspect as far as the game is concerned. The beauty of the area is most pleasing to the soul. It is a pay to play, and as such is well maintained and clean and probably riff raff free as well. Grass and sand forest floor are featured and provide variance to keep things interesting. The boundaries are well tamed which is a plus if you are shanking discs and spending time searching. Trees can make things difficult in a few places and may require you to bring your shots out. Throwing uphill and downhill adds another dimension that requires depth perception and power control. This course is comprised of holes that mostly demand short well controlled shots, but there are a few that will scratch your itch to rip one. Views are pleasing to the eye and it is a good walk. The course is clean and seems to be popular and have an enthusiastic scene. No navigational difficulties were encountered and concrete tee pads are in place.

Cons:

There are not many things to find fault with here. A few holes have skinny trees and require 2 parts luck to 1 part skill. Frustration is a possibility.

Other Thoughts:

This course is worth a little ride and is a must if you are in the area. The surrounding land is serene and peaceful and this course is an enjoyable hike that is kind enough to have baskets for us to throw at.
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4 6
lazydisc
Experience: 12 played 5 reviews
5.00 star(s)

A little slice of paradise. 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 4, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

Great up and down thru the woods course. Most of the holes are pretty short compared to the big arm courses, but the challenging holes will have you weaving thru trees, and learning lines. Not alot of underbrush even in the deep woods making disc finding a snap. It shows that the park is proud of its course. Well maintained with trash cans, and benches at each hole. The concrete teepads are cool to look at with some of the being raised. I like windy courses so sometimes getting a good breeze off the lake is a blast.

Cons:

Bring your beater discs. The trees will tear your discs apart after several rounds. This isnt the course for you if all your interested in is big distance throws. I could see bugs being an issue even tho we didnt have any at time of play. One or two holes you should use a spotter. Hole 24 you have to throw past another basket and use a spotter.

Other Thoughts:

This park has a beautiful lake, with the swimming hole very near the parking for the disc course. Camping is available with miles of trails. Playgrounds and picnic areas. So bring your family and have a nice relaxing weekend. Five bucks for parking well worth it.
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9 0
apdrvya
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 13.9 years 350 played 293 reviews
3.50 star(s)

a nice walk in the woods 2+ years

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

Pros:

Teepads--very very nice. many are elevated or have landscaping surronding. Large, even and accurately pointed

Baskets-Good condition, but this is one case where large yellow bands would be helpful... finding baskets in these woods can prove difficult.

Routing--not an issue, pins and tees are very close to one another..

Aesthetic--very pretty course that wraps through the woods and then around a lake.

Pay-to-play--yep, it's a plus. with garbages on every hole and benches on most holes it's nice to have financial support sometimes.

Cons:

hole 19 was close when we were here due to storm damage, so I can't base my rating on that hole, but:

variety--short and through the trees is the norm here. when playing the first 18 holes, it's SO NICE to hit 18 and be able to open your arm up for the first time in a while. That said, there wasn't enough variety of hole here to keep me really engrossed. it was a good day with great friends, but the course just didn't "do it for me"

Uncontrollables-bugs were REALLY BAD the day we played and bug spray wasn't cutting it.

Other Thoughts:

I know this was a "worlds course" in the past but I was left a little empty over all. There just wasn't enough variety for me. I like the fact that the course uses elevation well, but a the fact that hitting trees on every hole is expected is too much.
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1 13
sparty
Experience: 16.8 years 28 played 2 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Nice 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jul 4, 2011 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Great course to play for all types of players from beginner to expert. There are a couple crazy long holes, but also plenty of short aceable holes in the woods. Course is well maintained, they allow dogs, and alcohol. You can swim at the beach if its a hot day out.




Cons:

Bring bug spray!

Other Thoughts:

play this course
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5 3
bygwyllay
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 16.9 years 93 played 77 reviews
4.50 star(s)

w00t 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 27, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

V A R I E T Y
Wooded holes, open fields, tunnel shots, hills and valleys, water hazards, peninsula pin placements - the list goes on.

Great signage throughout, and cement tee pads on every hole. The tee boxes themselves were great as well - usually the tee was fenced in by some logs. A few were elevated or built into the hill the tee was on - very cool. Benches spaced out well, trash cans available.

The first 18 play in and out of the woods with nice elevation changes and tight lines. And I do mean TIGHT - Bring your A game for this course!

And just when you think the course is becoming static it unleashes the last 6 holes: two along the lake where any overthrow has your plastic in the drink, two bombs over a massive field, and hole #24 that has you shirk a clearing through the brush and down the hill towards the goal. A near-perfect hole to end a near-perfect course.

Cons:

The ONLY con I have about this course is the basket placement of #13 and 16. They are literally one in front of the other (spaced maybe 75 feet apart) and we ended up playing 16's basket on 13's tee and vice versa.

Other Thoughts:

Best course I've played in Michigan so far. $5 car fee is cheap compared to Washtenaw County parks and well worth it - the lawn was being mowed as we arrived and the grounds were very well-kept. If I lived anywhere near this course I would play several times a season. I bet this would make a great winter course too.

My favourite hole was #4, shooting down into a valley and then back up a hill, with the pin hiding behind a cluster of aged tree trunks. Tends to favor LHBH/RHFH a bit more than most of the courses I've played. If you are taking a trip to the Battle Creek area, put this one down on your list!
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9 0
sgamerp
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 16 years 99 played 73 reviews
4.00 star(s)

WOW! 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:May 13, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

Was a favorite of one of my co-workers from the area, and figured I would give this place a try.
-It has everything you need in shots, from elevation, open shots, wooded, tight lines, basket placement, water hazards.
-signs(all are pretty on, besides I want to say one was from an old basket placement)
-cement tee pads
-6 extra holes (24 in all, but I think 6 are closed during certain times).
-very nicely taken care of(being a pay to play it should)
-score cards with maps at the park entrance.
-Lots of trash cans and benches on most holes.
-lots of nice shade,

Cons:

-Not extremely hard
-pay to play(although it works for a pro, as it's also very nicely taken care of.)
-Two holes(not sure which ones) run on each other kind of, so theres a small area to drive on someone.
-Seems like it could get buggy as it's very wooded and by water

Other Thoughts:

I had played the first five holes before, and decided to head out as it was league night and taking way to long, second time around, came out on a beautiful day and got a person who plays there normally coming with us, which made it nice, as he knew the lines, and how everything played. It's a fun course and from the locals seems to be everyones favorite(although it also can be some peoples least favorite). I had a blast here and plan on coming back sometime soon. If coming from 131 you can also hit up the air zoo on the way back for a quick second round like I did.
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12 0
cefire
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 24.8 years 1123 played 136 reviews
3.50 star(s)

One of the Classics! 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 22, 2008 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Coldbrook Park has always been one of the classic Michigan courses that everyone talks about - usually either folks love it or hate it but it seems to have maintained a special character that keeps people coming back. A 'pro' or a 'con' depending on the way you look at it, but Coldbrook demands that you learn lines (some of which are a bit hidden) that yield higher percentages of birdies. In this sense, first timers are likely going to feel frustrated when getting bad kicks. Really, I think one of the most interesting things about this course is the relatively high weight that course knowledge plays in scoring compared with natural skill. Sure, players who throw pure will still score well, but that wily local throwing a boss on a 200' hole can still take it to you just by having familiarity with the course subtleties after hundreds of recorded rounds.

Cons:

hile you'll likely be throwing a large variety of shots off the tee, including trick shots galore; there just isn't all that much variety in distances or in the types of challenges. Most holes can be solved with a well thrown putter or quick sidearm. Because of this, some portions of the course can start to feel quite repetitive and the replay value is not all that impressive - once in a while is great, but Coldbrook as a home course would not be fun at all. As I mentioned in the 'pro's' section, course knowledge plays a huge role in scoring here. Locals who know which tree to throw that tomahawk at will be able to compete with the top notch visitors - this flies in the face of most traditional disc golf theory on what makes a good course and will probably not sit well with many serious golfers.

Other Thoughts:

After returning to Coldbrook for the 2008 Pro Worlds, I was very surprised and happy about a lot of the new changes to the course. The maintenance was top notch and several of the holes are being updated to match current disc technology. Kudos to the local club for all of your hard work!
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