Dexter, MI

Hudson Mills Metropark - Original

4.145(based on 53 reviews)
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Hudson Mills Metropark - Original reviews

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8 1
thrembo
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 48.9 years 242 played 194 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Totally Biased Homer Review

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jul 1, 1999 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Way back in 1992, this was a 5 disc course. It was the first course that I played where the course was treated with the same respect as the other park activities and was maintained almost as well as their ball golf course. Back then, when Cyclones were considered long-distance drivers, the course offered a pretty healthy challenge. The course is quite beautiful in my opinion and offers some varied terrain, minor elevation changes, and water hazards depending on the season. And heck yes the course is fun to play!

Cons:

Then there's, what some would call the high cost to play. If you're a local, it's a no-brainer. You buy the annual sticker and enjoy this and all of the other Metroparks as much as possible. If you are an out-of-towner course bagger try to schedule your visit in the fall. Play the original 18 holes on this course and The Monster (the alt holes were added to accommodate more people at tournaments) enjoy the beauty (color change, might get to see deer grazing, etc), and don't worry too much about the cost. Heck, I paid $5.00 to play a crappy campground course the other day.

Other Thoughts:

An amazing historic course with a site total of 48 holes in the ground set in a wonderful park with nice amenities. If you live nearby, play it every week at least once. I would call it a must-play for baggers. It was my second home course and will always be special to me.

Update: I played the course today (04/29/2023) and it was quite muddy. Some of the back nine was really muddy. I hadn't played the course in a little while, but it was refreshing to play it again, even with the mud. The course is in a fully mature state now and is quite beautiful in my opinion, and is playing well. It may be time to think about tee pad and signage updates now though and polish this old gem up!
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2 9
xrayskid
Experience: 10 played 8 reviews
1.50 star(s)

$10...for what? 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 13, 2018 Played the course:once

Pros:

No one died from blood loss.

Cons:

Very narrow fairways surrounded by waist high grass. Bring a spotter, or don't come at all.
A half dozen holes run through a marsh and they obviously don't spray for mosquitos. How on earth can they justify charging 10 bucks to enter this park?
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8 0
jjtwinnova
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 8.7 years 246 played 97 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Well Executed! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jun 19, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

Intro: Here I am, a high school student, visiting the prestigious University of Michigan, with the overall goal of playing some disc golf in the area. Doing research, I knew that Hudson Mills had the right courses for me.

Pros:
This park is possibly the most well manicured course I have ever played. All of the grass was mowed to almost ball golf fairway length, the rough was not super thick, and the trails were well marked.

Navigation was a breeze. There was never a long walk from basket to next tee, and if there was any confusion, there was probably a sign pointing to the next tee. The letter holes were clearly marked with a path and a sign pointing towards it.

The new Innova DiscCatcher baskets were amazing. If the picture of bright, yellow bands and shiny, silver chains does not make you smile, you are probably a psychopath. Seriously.

The teesigns wee both helpful and informative, with helpful information that would prove important, especially for a first time player.

The concrete teepads were of good length and in good shape. Two different pads per hole is very important for me, and they were very nice.

The course itself was mostly well designed. The open holes had a nice use obstacles, so you did have the chance to throw different discs off the tee.

Cons:

My first con is something that always depends on the person. That is the 10 dollar fee per car, plus 3 per golfer. I personally found the 10 dollar vehicle fee ridiculous, as I was only able to be in the park for about one and a half hours, so I didn't like spending that much money to do one thing. This did not affect my rating.

My second con is the very punishing rough. Man, was it rough. The off fairway grasses were knee high, and I found myself looking for discs that just missed the fairway by less than a couple yards. I did not lose any discs, but that was because of my ridiculously good accuracy. (kidding) The real reason is because we would send spotters down the fairway in order to be sure where the disc would land. This is key.

There was never really a wow factor. There was a lot of land at the park, with some rolling hills and more. However, this course is all par threes. No 800 foot bombs, or 600 foot tree weaving fairways. I felt that this course could have been a bomber's dream, but also a technical nightmare, and could be a 5 star, disc, course. There were no hills either, so there weren't any downhill cliff shots, or uphill skill placements.

There was some repetition present, with some of the open holes blending together, with similar shots off the tee. This probably could not have been avoided due to the setting of the park, but is a con nonetheless.

Other Thoughts:

I thoroughly enjoyed the course here at Hudson Mills. The amount of care and thought that went into the design and upkeep of the park and the disc golf itself is excellent to see. Kudos to the club, the local players, the maintenance crew, and others who keep this course looking great.

I unfortunately did not get to play the so-called monster course while in town on a short visit, but I will be sure to visit here again!
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3 2
jmherman
Experience: 6.8 years 15 played 15 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Really good course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 11, 2016 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

The course is in its own section of the park. It is well maintained. I really liked the course layout, easy to find the next hole. This was a fun course to play and can handle a pretty big tournament.

Cons:

Baskets are nearing the end of their lifespan. The parking fee along with the disc golf fee makes this an expensive course to play if you are not a regular or visit with a group.

Other Thoughts:

I have no problem with pay to play courses, in fact I usually like them, especially the ones that are exclusive courses, even the ones co-located with ball courses. But, I do want to get my money's worth out of playing.
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5 4
gcoghill
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 23.8 years 74 played 68 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Solid course, but nothing special 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 7, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

Exclusive park area for the course. Maintained and mowed. Good course flow. Minimalist but effective tee signs. Scenic park. Friendly locals.

Cons:

Old, worn-out baskets. $10 park fee on top of the $3 disc golf fee. Holes were moderately challenging but nothing particularly memorable.

Other Thoughts:

I played this course after playing the Independence Lake Red Hawk course while on a road trip in the area. Having seen such high reviews for Hudson Mills for such a long time here on DGCR, I was a bit disappointed after finally playing it.

Don't get me wrong, it's a good course. I enjoyed my round for the most part and can see why there are positive reviews. But the course is a bit plain. I'd actually begun to forget the round as I was heading out of the park.

Having had to pay a $10 vehicle fee for the park, and then $3 for the course fee might have left a bit of a bad taste in my mouth. It was obvious that the course hadn't seen any improvements in many years as the baskets were old and beat-up and the tees and tee signs showed age as well. It all worked fine, but those course fees weren't being pumped back into the course.

I can't really give a more detailed breakdown of the course because it was unmemorable. If you're a local with annual passes to the park and the course, it's a fine course. But if like me you're a road-tripper looking for an ideal stop for a good course, I'd say skip this one. The current 4.25/5 rating is overinflated and misleading. Especially for such a pricey round.

The bottom line is that I left the course with more regrets about spending $13 to play a slightly above-average course than memories of the round itself.
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6 0
the1discChallenge
Experience: 14 years 16 played 8 reviews
4.00 star(s)

One of my favorites 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 16, 2016 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-24 dual-tee-pad holes
-nice mix of half wooded and half open (the front with alternates being fairly open, the back being quite wooded and technical)
-you get to let your discs fly. A lot of courses now are so technical and short that you're having to bend your long distance drivers on a crazy line to go 200'. Here, they'll be tight holes, but it'll be a logical line (if that makes sense!)
-mowed fairways with tall grass adds a layer of technicality on open holes
-good mix of long and short holes
-usually not crazy crowded, and the park is fairly clean
-the flow of the course is excellent, in my opinion. The next tee pad is always in a very logical place and not very hard to find. No overlap with other holes on the course, either.

Cons:

-not much elevation. The little bit that's out there is used well, in my opinion, but most of the course is pretty flat
-the baskets need work. They're old and prone to pole spit outs.
-$7 to get in the park and $3 to play, a little more pricey than other pay to plays in the area

Other Thoughts:

-I consider this my home course and I really enjoy every round I play out here. I love that there's a nice mix of wooded and open holes, with some room to let it rip on a couple holes. In addition to the Monster course literally being on the other side of the parking lot, the Metropark offers a ton of hiking and biking trails, basketball courts, volleyball courts, and other fun activities to do!
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4 2
Spike Hyzer 23
Experience: 30.7 years 92 played 87 reviews
4.50 star(s)

The Original 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 14, 2003 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

The course is in one of the most beautiful facilities I've ever seen. Two 24 hole tracks that will tantalize you with their beauty and punish you for any mistakes.

There is great variety here. The mix of long and short is exceptional, the holes are fair and reward good shots, but the punishment for even the smallest mistakes is a difficult second shot that likely leads to a bogie. The more open holes also feature mature fairways with great shrubbery, mature deciduous trees, and the sort of conifers that really guard a green well.

In short, it's my kind of course. It's technical and has some variety and length. If you are on your game, you will score, but if you're having one of those off days, you'll be 10 shots off what you average.

Cons:

I suppose it could have slightly more elevation, but it is made up for by the dense vegetation and the presence of water that is actually and truly part of the design and in play (what a concept!).

It's an arduous walk for 24 holes, but we're here for the exercise, right?
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4 0
davetherocketguy
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 19.7 years 114 played 105 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Certainly worth the $$$ 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 6, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

- Baskets are older but in great shape.
- Great use of existing terrain and land features.
- Wooded but fairways are not terribly narrow.
- Long and short tee pads.
- Concrete tees. Varying sizes but I couldn't possible care less about that. Just so long as they aren't too small and none of them were.
- More than one course on site so more bang for your buck. Even if this were the only course on site it would still be worth the money.
- Very well marked with nicely painted 4x4's in the ground.
- Nice mix of left to right and so on throughout the course.
- Good flow. No silly 1/4 mile treks from one hole to the next.
- I really like the option midway through the course to either play 24 or 18 holes. This really speaks to the well thought out layout here.

Cons:

- As good as this course is I'm surprised that the navigation isn't better marked. A few spots were a little mystifing as to where to go. Getting a scorecard with the map is key on this course. This would be a 4.5 course for me had it not been for that.
- The picnic tables are well spread out through the course but good grief many of them need to be repaired or replaced. The wood is getting rotten and I was reluctant to sit on many of them.
- While this is a collection of above average holes none of them really stuck out to me as great or phenominal. I feel a little weird saying that but it's just the way it is.
- Praire grass off the fairways...Oh lawdy I hate this stuff. Either don't throw into it or play in groups with spotters.
- Water hazards. There were a few but even as a Am3 player like myself I didn't feel particularly challenged by them. I kind of wish they were better put into play.

Other Thoughts:

My criticisms are picky to be sure so don't get me wrong. This is a fantastic course and worth going out of your way to play here. The pay to play is a little steep but in my opinion it is well worth it. It sort of reminds me a little of Oshtemo Township park but it certainly isn't nearly as challenging and that is what is really holding me back from rating this as a 4.5 or even 5.0. It's great but not spetacular.

As always there are your typical assortment of bugs, poison ivy, and other irratants that are always present on a Michigan course. Bug spray is an essential. And as a special note to the critters be wary that the Michigan rattler has been spotted in the area. They are native to Michigan and are definitely poisonous so use caution when searching through the underbrush.
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2 5
PuttPuttPutt
Experience: 4 played 4 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Classic, with a case of deep brush. 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 19, 2014 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

The variety of shots you can take - The A-F holes provide great open practice - The courses are part of a beautiful multi-purpose Metropark - Is a blessing to play during less-populated times.

Cons:

The seriously thick brush during peak season can scare off novice players and those fearful of losing discs - A few of the baskets are in need of maintenance - It's buggier than the Monster course - Can become crowded.
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5 1
apdrvya
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 13.9 years 350 played 293 reviews
4.00 star(s)

great, but not blown away 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 4, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

aesthetic-- course plays through a portion of a large metro park. shares land with hiking/walking/biking trails.

Teesigns--nice to have teesigns at both teepads with seemingly accurate distances. the "pictures" of the hole are somewhat accurate, they show an approximate configuration of the hole.

teepads--both good and bad here, the teepads are of varying lengths. some are really really long (and a bit off-putting), some are appropriate length, and some are short. not sure why one size wasn't used as the lengths on this course do not vary by much throughout.

Mach III baskets-- in good repair, reflective tape might help to increase visibility. most of the time we were just looking for the number placcard on top.

Flow/navigation--relatively easy, nice worn paths seemed to guide us where we needed to go, in the few spots where confusion may have been an issue, the next tee was visible.

Options-- the option to play 18 v 24 is nice and the signage here is very clear.

risk v reward-- most of the risk v reward here is in the form of the rough, there is a small scummy pond on a couple of the holes but for the most part it's a non-issue. the grass is thick off of the fairways and the scrub trees are pretty thick in some places but it's relatively easy to find your disc.

maintenance/upkeep--the mowers cut an insane amount of grass both on and off the courses here and the grass in the fairways was immaculate throughout. not much trash throughout, benches and garbage cans throughout the course.

Cons:

length-- I really really though with the ratings this course had that there would be more 400-500ft holes where a fairway driver might have come in handy in the fairway. Rather, we spent most of our round teeing off with either mid-ranges or fairway drivers.

repetition-- it seemed that the field holes were repetitious. it seemed like they were mostly straight out with some light trees strewn about.

Lack of elevation--there is very very little elevation change here, I understand that this isn't always controllable but it seemed like there were places that elevation could have been used better.

Other Thoughts:

Honestly, I was slightly disappointed. I thought with the ratings this course had I would be more impressed, I just wasn't blown away. don't get me wrong, it's a great complex, just not phenomenal or best of the best.
I found myself comparing different parts of the course to different courses that I had played before. the later parts of the course reminded me a lot of Oshtemo in Kalamazoo, the water holes reminded me of Knollwood in Kalamazoo. there were parts that reminded me of Blue Gill and parts that reminded me of other courses that I had played in the past.
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5 0
denny ritner
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 25.9 years 170 played 113 reviews
4.00 star(s)

An old-school gem that has stood the test of time 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:May 6, 2013 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Hudson Mills Metropark is an absolute must-visit disc golf destination park. The Original course is one of two very good courses that are beautifully maintained, have tee sets of cement tee pads, good signage, and fully intuitive navigation.

The Original course provides a fun experience with sufficient challenge to keep all skill levels coming back. There are several very good holes and the stretch from hole 6 to 18 is among the best around.

The total experience is very enjoyable and the wooded holes, in particular, are very scenic.

Some of the stand-out holes are:
1) A great initial hole, which is one of the most challenging. This hole requires an accurate, powerful drive to get within 70 ft. of the basket for a birdie chance. Anything thrown off the fairway from the tee can easily result in a 4 or 5.

3) An uphill to downhill sweeping mid-range turnover shot with a run-away green. This is my favorite hole on the course.

12-13) Back-to-back short, tight holes where taking a 4 or 5 for the pair is expected, but it's possible to 8 or 9.

18) This long par 3, could be considered a par 3.5, but is deuce-able with a well executed cut roller or crushed drive and long putt. It's really a mind test to see if you can get into the house with a 3, but is eerily unsettling, particularly after playing the tough hole 17.

Cons:

Few. Normally my maximum score for an "all par 3's" course is a 3.5, but I bumped this one up a .5 owing to homie bias. This wasn't my first disc golf course, but it was the first one I fell in love with.

The stretch from hole 4 through the letter holes and ending on hole 5 is pretty boring. It's pretty close to wide-open and mostly crusher-friendly.

With the space given, an amazing 18 hole par 65 course could be constructed.

Other Thoughts:

Be kind: leave the course cleaner than the way you found it.
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3 0
Redmones12
Experience: 17.8 years 67 played 8 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Great course well maintained 2+ years drive by

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

Pros:

Great course so well maintaned, in a great complex, well laid out 2 courses completely different are walking distance apart honestly a little flat on the elevation but could not ask for more when it comes to size and layout of this course who ever made this courst worked hard to provide some balance and honestly the complex and grounds are a dream just an awesome course

Cons:

not a lot of elevation changes, looks like there may be a water hole but evertime i have gone it has been dry so not alot of water on the course of elevation changes. Extra tees and extra baskets on monster make up for the short falls love this course

Other Thoughts:

WIDE fareways and balanced play, the extras on monster make a world of difference just a discgolf trippers dream area.
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2 1
a3wasp
Experience: 17.8 years 29 played 6 reviews
4.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 30, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

This is a well kept course, they just pulled out quite a few olive bushes opening up the fairway further. There is a variety of different types of holes. There are shorter ones, longer ones, hilly ones and flat ones. It is challenging yet fun.

Cons:

There isn't really anything bad to say about this course, I guess just that I miss the pond holes because there is really no pond anymore. It is just about dried up.

Other Thoughts:

I would say that this course is great for just about anybody, beginner and someone more experience.
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4 1
apparition
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 13.1 years 47 played 39 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Intense, diverse, and radical. But not the best around... 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Sep 29, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

+ Huge, double-coursed metropark with pay to play awesomeness
+ Rental shop, bathrooms, chill facility with some cool nature displays
+ Cardstock map/scorecard
+ Practice hole
+ The rough is played through enough to make it forgiving
+ Tees (Am and Pro), baskets, picnic tables, trash cans are all in good shape
+ Good use of elevation changes with a world-class diverse layout, easy to follow
+ Preserved natural obstacles (trees, stumps, etc.)

Cons:

- Lots of bikers and hikers around
- Am tees with awfully inaccurate distances

Other Thoughts:

If I were to guess, I would say this course was designed by goblins. They know we're expecting an amazing, fun course and instead they built one with beastly trees standing in the way of birdies. Wetlands, woods, wide open spaces... It has it all. Straight shots, anhyzers, hyzers, big long drives, alleys, a bridge shot, elevation changes that help, hurt, and frustrate. I imagine this is a course you can come back to again and again and learn something new every time.

I want to play the Monster course some day, and maybe play both courses when it's not so dried up and losing its color. I'm not sure exactly why this course didn't preserve its color through September like most other courses around. I think it's because it's played through so much. There are prettier courses around... But that's not why everyone plays dg...

Now, why isn't this the best course in the area? There's another one, more impressive, newer, and taken care of better. You can't just read my review and find out though. Go out and find it for yourself :)
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2 3
mrblonde314
Experience: 19.6 years 10 played 4 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Mid Michigan's Best 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 3, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

- Practice Area With Basket
- Cement Tees (Pro and Am)
- Wood Chipped Baskets
- Very Well Kempt / Maintained
- Diverse Holes (Wooded and Open)
- Low to Zero Waiting
- Challenging and Fun

Cons:

- Wouldn't be a 5 if there were any cons, duh

Other Thoughts:

- Course takes about 45min - 1hr to complete
- Parking $5/Day or $25 Annual
- Pay to Play = $2/Day or $50 Annual

This is what I come to expect when it comes to disc golf courses. This is one of the first courses I've ever played and it will always be my favorite.
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2 2
Ricky_Rick
Experience: 13.1 years 8 played 7 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Believe the Hype! 2+ years drive by

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

Pros:

Well kept course with lots of variety.
Optional Long (Blue) or Short (Red) courses
Cement tee pads & chain baskets every hole
Good signage, picnic tables and trash cans
Wide open holes and narrow holes
24 holes to play, x2 courses (Monster)

Cons:

Not much to complain about...
Bugs can be bad, but that is summer in Michigan
$5 for park and $2 per player to golf may deter some
Rough can be thick in some spots
Just wish I lived closer to it. :)

Other Thoughts:

An absolute blast to play from the Red tees, and a very challenging course to play from the Blue tees. Well maintained, plenty of benches to rest at and traffic flows nicely thru 24 holes. I am not against paying to play if it keeps yahoos off course. I prefer the Original to the Monster myself, but to each his/her own. Definitely stop by and play this course, well worth the ratings hype!
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3 5
MikelNovack
Experience: 6 played 5 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Hudson Mills is a must play! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 26, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

Pretty much every thing, the course was great.

cement tee pads

nice baskets

manicured fairways

awesome elevation changes

other players were polite (I even had a disc returned that I had forgotten on a hole)

Cons:

Nothing really, maybe the fee to get into the park but I'd gladly pay it again and again to play this great course.

Other Thoughts:

Awesome course that a friend and I made about an hour drive to get to. We will for sure play this course again and again.

If you can only squeeze in one course at hudson mills it should be this one.
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6 2
mashnut
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 22.1 years 831 played 767 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Beautiful Complex 2+ years drive by

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

Pros:

The course is in a beautiful park, and has an additional 24 hole sister course just across the parking lot. A modest pay to play fee is clearly put into the course, with great maintenance and nicely groomed fairways both in the open and in the woods. Dual concrete tees and basic signage are nice, especially since the longer tees often add an extra pinch point or slightly tougher angle to the wooded holes and some extra distance on the more open shots.

There are plenty of tight shots here to test your ability to hit your line. There's enough brush and trees off the fairways to punish errant shots, but there is enough space that you don't always just have to pitch back out to the fairway. There's a nice distance variety, especially with the short and long tees, you'll find some ace runs and some holes where you get to open up and drive a little bit.

The practice hole is a nice touch, you can get some throws in and there's enough room to get in some approaches and putts too. The office has discs and snacks for sale, always a nice touch at a pay to play course.

Cons:

The first half of the course is mostly open, and has a ton of long grass off the fairways. I'm not a fan of prairie style holes, I personally feel they add frustration for errant shots without really adding any challenge for your next shot. If you like that style disc golf, then this con won't apply to you and you can pretend this course is rated a little higher.

The wooded holes have a lot of straight shots, I would have liked to see just a little more variety in hole shapes to test a few more different line shaping skills. The signage is a little weak, on the handful of holes that aren't straight ahead it's not necessarily clear exactly where the pin is.

Other Thoughts:

Beginners will find the shorter tees to be a reasonable length and challenge level, though the rough can be a bit thick and frustrating at times for newer players. More experienced throwers won't find a ton of different lines to hit, but there are enough trees and rough to make you pay for your mistakes. I enjoyed playing these courses and would definitely recommend a stop.

I don't mind paying to play, especially a reasonable $2 fee at a complex with two nicely maintained courses. It does bother me a little though that there's a park fee and a separate disc golf fee when other amenities that are more expensive to install and maintain are free once you're in the park.
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4 0
elrumpo
Experience: 12.9 years 12 played 11 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Wow! Great experience. 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 1, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

- park caters to disc golfers
- great tee pads
- perfectly maintained course
- well designed holes, clearly not just thrown in randomly
- nice players, nice park workers
- LOTS of holes to play (48 across two courses)
- Great variety in hole types, forcing all kinds of throws
- Good use of elevation where possible
- practice warmup holes before the course
- tons of parking and lots of other park stuff to do
- multiple tee pads per hole, allowing even MORE variety!

Cons:

- a few repetitive holes in the A-F holes (you won't miss much if you're short on time and have to skip a few)

- One of the hole transitions confused me, I forget which one. But I found it after backtracking 50 ft and glancing around better

Other Thoughts:

This course is amazing! There is an activities building between this and the monster course with nice bathrooms and food. The course is maintained perfectly and I saw less trash here than any other course I have played.

The players here are also amazing...I lost a disc and thanks to "Ben" who called me using my number on the disc, I was able to go get it from him 4 holes later. Thanks, Ben!

This course is worth driving to from anywhere within a few hours. There are two 24 hole courses on site, and both are a lot of fun. They were not busy at all, and with all of the additional park facilities it would be a great place to spend the entire day having a picnic or a party along with a few rounds of disc golf.

Make sure to print a course map before coming...there were none next to the first tee as many stated that there were. Maybe because it is getting late in the season?

**update: there are almost apparently maps/scorecards in the activities center!
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6 0
roadtripstuff
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 21.1 years 286 played 57 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Great Course, Amazing Complex 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:May 30, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

Huge Concrete Tee Pads
Pro & Am Tees at Each Hole
Tee Signs (Posts) at Both Sets of Tee Pads
24-Holes
Another 24-Hole Course On-Site
Great Shot Variety
Distances Vary
Practice Hole With Tee Pad at Start of Course
Ample Parking
Very Clean & Well-Maintained
Benches & Trash Cans Throughout
Very Friendly, Helpful, and Respectful Staff
Very Easy to Navigate
Restrooms On-Site (Indoor and Vault - 3 Total)
Both Wooded and Open Holes
Signs Indicating the Start of the Course
Baskets are in Great Shape
Ball Golf, Picnic Areas, Playgrounds, Etc in Park
All Skills Level Could Play Here (Int-Open Recommended)
Air Conditioned Snack Bar (Hot Food) On-Site
Scorecards and Pencils Available

Cons:

Little Elevation (Nothing to Really Be Done About This)
Maps On Tee Signs Can Be Vague
Some Hole Seem Monotonous
Can Get Crowded (Especially Weekends)
Easy to Lose Discs (Rough Can Eat Them)

Other Thoughts:

The original course at Hudson Mills Metropark is a very well maintained and easy to navigate 24-hole disc golf course. The park is located just outside of Dexter, Michigan. To reach the course take US-23 to exit 49, North Territorial Road. Head west for 8 miles to the park entrance on the left.

Once you enter the park you will need to pay for both parking ($5.00 per car) and disc golf ($2.00 per person). You will pay for your parking/entrance fee when entering the park, and you can pay for disc golf at both the park entrance and the activity center located near the parking lot, between the two disc golf courses. Scorecards and pencils (with erasers) are available at both locations as well.

After you pay your entrance fee, continue through the intersection at the pay booth and make the next right into the parking lot. From the parking lot you will be able to see the activity center near the back of the lot. The activity center is air conditioned, has very clean restrooms, and a snack bar with hamburgers, fries, chicken strips, etc available for purchase. The activity center is just one of the many things that makes this complex a disc golfer's paradise. The park staff welcomes disc golfers and accommodates them like no other place I have been to.

The first tee for the original course is located to the right/west of the parking lot and activity center. Just from seeing the parking lot, activity center, and first hole you can see that the work put into the park and course is amazing. This is one of the cleanest facilities, course and otherwise, that I have been to in quite some time.

The course is very easy to navigate. The park staff does a wonderful job of mowing and creating walking paths that lead you from the previous basket to the next tee with ease. There was only one spot on the original course where we had any issues at all and that was between holes 13 and 14. There are two paths that lead away from the basket for hole 13, one is the nature trail, one is the path to hole 14. You will want to take the smaller of the two paths.

The paths and navigation are just the beginning of the wonderful amenities the designers and park staff have provided throughout the course. There are two sets of huge concrete tee pads on each hole and tee signs, they are wooden posts, with distance, par, and map on both the long and short tee pad for each hole. I thought this was a great tough since many of the courses only provided detailed information/tee signs at one of the tee pads. Another great addition is the amount of benches and trash cans throughout the course. The course isn't exactly shady, but in most cases where there is shade, there are benches which is great. The plentiful trash cans, and of course park staff, seem to do a great job on this course, as it is one of the cleanest I have seen. I don't' remember seeing any litter on the course and none of the piles of trash laying beside the trash can that you will find at many courses. The last great thing about the original course is the amount of restrooms you'll find during your round. There are restrooms at the start (activity center) and vault toilets near basket 5 and basket 8.

As for the play of the course, it's solid. While, like others ave stated, there isn't a signature hole on the course and some of the holes may seem repetitive, there isn't a shot they left out. Hyzers, Anyhyzers, straight shots, they have them. Wooded and open holes, they have them. The original course, while mostly flat, does make great use out of what little elevation this park has to offer. I think that's a key to whether a course was designed by golfers with golfers in mind, or whether it was thrown in by the parks department for a cheap family activity, and this park and both courses, as with most of the courses in the area, was designed with real disc golfers in mind.

The last thing I will say is that there are some holes one this course, specifically the lettered holes, can seem a little monotonous as I mentioned before. When you read this, and see this on the course, keep in mind that there are 48 holes in this park. I think with that many holes you are bound to have some overlap, especially with the courses being so close to one another, and for being one of the very few cons of the course is nothing to really hold against the course or the complex.

Overall the Hudson Mill complex is easily the most accommodating public park I have ever seen when it comes to disc golf. The courses are both wonderful and the park staff respects the disc golfers and are glad to have them playing their great courses. If you are in the Ann Arbor area this course and the monster course are must plays and with the Red Hawk course at Independence Lake being so close its definitely an area worth going out of your way for.
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