Ferndale, WA

Riverside 18

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2.215(based on 7 reviews)
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2 0
The Valkyrie Kid
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 45.9 years 1563 played 1507 reviews
1.00 star(s)

Play It While It Still Exists! 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 22, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

There is enough room here for two or even three courses. Therein lies the main problem facing this course, as I see it. There is such a vast amount of space, there is no way that any club or person or group is going to keep it maintained. Just mowing this behemoth would probably take be a full time job with a professional fairway mower. I played it in mid-September after maybe the driest 70 day span in this states history and the fairways were overgrown and were like walking in a pasture. The blackberries and native thistles are already starting to take over large portions of the course.
I would love for this course have a chance for success but without the resources of a parks department, there is just no way. It's just too great of a undertaking.

And your directions getting here say to pass the Scottish Lodge. Well, the Scottish Lodge doesn't seem to be faring much better than the course. I'm fully expecingt the Scottish Lodge to be boarded up within the next year.

Luckily Jake Locker had a great game for the Tennessee Ttitans. Gives Ferndale something to be proud about!

Cons:

Because this area is wide open, any yoyo with a pick up truck can drive out here at any time, day or night, and vandalize to their little heart's content. Until this problem is solved, putting up any signs or baskets will be a waste of resoursces, as they will eventually be trashed. As I was attempting to play, a truck pulled up and a young couple proceded to dump some of their yard waste.

Currently, navigation is a nightmare. Finding teepads or signs takes perserversance, hard work and lots of luck. And I had a map in hand.

Other Thoughts:

I don't think the course is really playable right now. Heaving my disc across vast expanses of pasture type fields and then trudging through knee high grass to find it and then throwing it against the homemade tonals is not my idea of what disc golf should be. I'll play the other Fernadale course or drive to Bellingham or Lyndon or up to Langley, BC and play a real course.

I agree there is a lot of potential here. But it's going to take a tremendous amount of resources and hard work to develop a playable course on this property.
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3 0
Dadio
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 39.6 years 174 played 75 reviews
1.50 star(s)

Prob last chance 2+ years drive by

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

Pros:

Former Ball golf course which shows the potential for a Disc course on one. Mature trees, ponds, some slight ripples but no real elevation changes. In a quiet corner of Ferndale between the River and the freeway, had the place to myself. Was playing in the evening and saw a hawk and a couple flocks of geese. Peaceful once away from I-5.

Cons:

Not really maintained at all. Has been mowed once or twice but the grass is pretty high in spots. About lost one of my newer discs, took 20 to 30 minutes searching.
Didn't have map, which is just as well since pins had been moved(another con, 6' post concreted in bucket with stovepipe over it) and layout was significantly different than shown on map here. Pin 9 was busted and stashed under a tree. I didn't throw 7 because it is in the middle of a huge patch of thistles that were 6' tall and I had no desire to have to into it.
I only found one sign for a tee(8) and there are no pads or markers.

Other Thoughts:

This Summer may be your last chance to play this course. There is a sign showing playfields and shops on this property. I have a call in to find out when they are breaking ground, will post here when I find out.
This really shows the potential of a converted course, it's too bad this one will probably never realize it.
VanderYacht Park is across the river, fairly nice 9 hole that the city is maintaining.
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5 2
Ryman90
Experience: 3 played 3 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Needs work. 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jun 17, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

It's a good course if you like long open fairways. Not too many technical or woodsy shots. Some water hazards.

Fun if you like spending 20 minutes + looking for your disc on each hole.

Some water hazards.

Cons:

There's a risk of your disc running into the freeway if you shank hole 2 hard. (which was what I did)

Grass is tall! I lost one of my favorite discs at this course.

Other Thoughts:

This course badly needs to be manicured, I would have given this course a higher rating if it was. A surveyor working there said that it would eventually be manicured.

Take a map with you or someone who knows the course well. The tee pads are TOUGH to find!

This course was not my cup of tea.
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2 1
WA KID
Experience: 19.8 years 23 played 3 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Great Summer Course!!! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 3, 2011 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

No waiting. Play your speed. Every hole positioned well with at least a couple obstructions in the way. Pretty course when grass in mowed. Challenging layout, all holes reachable yet hard to shoot good due to technalcality, water, distance, and of course Tone poles! :D

Cons:

Tone Pole Course(decent tone poles though)
Water hazards and unexplored roughs make for easy disc losing. During wet season and flood season(which seems to be at least half the year) course not worth playing.

Other Thoughts:

This course is the best Whatcom County has to offer atm. It's a great course to play all summer long and i would recommend stopping by if your in the area! :D
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5 1
sillybizz
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 22.2 years 407 played 392 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Tones For Now? 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:May 4, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

The Riverside course is located on an unused former Golf course and there is plenty of land here to have a very big course or two. When you drive in there isn't really a parking lot, it's more of an old dirt road but just pick a spot closer to the freeway to be close to the first hole. Hole one is one of the longer holes on the course and starts on a dirt patch and takes you into the wide open fields that are covered with dandy lions. The next couple are shorter but still fairly wide open. Hole five is one of my favorites on the course as you are throwing a left to right RHBH anhyser throw across some standing water towards the basket, starting at hole five is where the course gets interesting. The next hole number six is an interesting hole with water on your left as well as trees and you have two options: lay up to the open field and take the 90 degree turn towards the basket or try and go over the trees and water with a very risky throw, I'm sure locals are going to figure this out over time very well. I agree with JR Stengele in that a couple of holes could be moved, changed or merged to create an even better course, there is tons of potential here! I really like this piece of land there is enough trees and water here to do some magical things, in fact I love what the designer has done with the water and where it was chosen to be used.

Cons:

There are some major navigational issues which is going to frustrate the first timers to the course but this isn't going to matter much to the local players. Some of the dirt pads have bricks next to them with the number painted on them and some don't. The poles have the number on them but from the tee pad it is impossible to read and many times you can see many poles and it can be confusing which one you are throwing to. More signs pointing you to the correct tees and tones would be helpful especially if they are bright and easy to see, why not use something pink? There are parts of the land here that were used that make me shake my head. Holes one through four are open and boring and if I played here on a regular basis I would just start on five which is pretty close to the car anyway. There is a spot in the middle where there are a lot more trees that was only used for a couple holes and I would like to see this used more to its potential where you could make some glorious holes. Tones and tee pads: needs baskets and maybe some rubber or carpet tees if concrete isn't desired.

Other Thoughts:

There are rumors of baskets and tee signs being put in soon and the local club is putting on weekly events to raise money. Although this course is brand new it is a good start and you can expect my rating to jump up higher as things are moved long and improved.
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11 0
JR Stengele
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 23.9 years 251 played 191 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Riverside 18 - Whatcom County Links Course 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Apr 30, 2011 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Located on an old ball golf course just off I-5 in Ferndale, WA, Riverside 18 is the newest addition to the disc golf scene in Whatcom County. With the strong vision of Randy and the support of the WCDGC, this course has come around nicely in its infancy. The course was designed to play along and across large open meadows with vibrant yellow Dandelions carpeting some of the back fairways. The majority of the natural obstacles were incorporated in to the layout, including water on holes 5, 6, and 9, elevation when present, any major bushes or brambles, as well as large prehistoric looking trees. Because the course is wide open for the most part, wind plays a large factor in the difficulty of play and risk/reward when near water.

Due to the sheer size of the area, this course is spread out and leaves little issue when it comes to flow. Hole one starts players off heading north (away from the parking lot), weaving players throughout the meadows and clumps of trees, guiding players back to the parking lot in the end. The 18 holes incorporate much of the land, providing a balanced layout with good shot variety. Par for the course is 54, length is 5,000-5,700 feet, with holes ranging from 187 - 468 feet. Currently there are multiple pin positions and eventually alternate tees.

Cons:

Established in 2011 and therefore in its infancy, Riverside 18, like any course, still has some tweaking to do regarding navigation, amenities, course improvements, and design. Fortunately, Randy and the WCDGC are hard at work and collecting the proper funds necessary to make such improvements. Once the improvements are done I know my rating for the course will improve.

Navigation - without a map, this course is very difficult to navigate. There are numbers on the tones and small markers near the tee pads, but locating them can be difficult at times. The addition of tee signs and navigational arrows would do wonders for this place. Also a kiosk in the parking lot with information showing an aerial map of the layout, club information regarding local tournaments or work parties, as well as local vendors.

Amenities - Currently there are no restrooms, drinking fountains, picnic benches, or garbage cans at the course. For now, locals seem to stop in at the local Dairy Queen down the road. While on the course please remember to pack it in, pack it out!

Course Improvements - The course currently has 18 tones and grass tee pads. They are working on installing both baskets and rubber mats so if you see Randy on the course please feel free to donate. He has paid out of his own pocket for the tones and flags and anything is appreciated.

Course Design - Since the course is located on an old ball golf course, it would be great to eventually see par 4's and 5's incorporated in to the design. Also, getting rid of hole #14. Instead, combine hole #14's tee to hole #15's pin, and then add a new hole somewhere else (perhaps in the tree line along the river?). Hole #14, at 183 ft., felt like a filler hole and so by combining it with hole #15 (which is wide open), it would allow for the large tree line to come in to play off the tee, making for a much challenging hole. Course is also VERY marshy (which is why the ball golf course is no longer there), especially during the wetter months so bring proper attire as it can get brutal.

Again, most of this can be fixed with time and money. Some things like the soggy land, not so much, but they make the most of what they have to work with.

Other Thoughts:

After a round of doubles during their weekly tournament, Riverside 18 left me wanting more. I had such a wonderful time and was pleasantly surprised with the amount of progress that had been done by Randy and the WCDGC in such a short amount of time. Although the course took about 3 hours to play, I could have easily played another round as the replay/fun value of this course is there. Much thanks to all that have put their blood, sweat, and tears in to it. As improvements are made, my rating without a doubt will improve.

During my round there were several holes that stood out in my mind as signature holes, here were just a few of my favorites.

Hole #5 - 280ft anhzer over water toward a blind basket. Trees and branches in the water make for narrow gaps.

Hole #6 - The only hole that felt like a par 4, this 468ft hole gives two main approaches to the pin. One, a monster hyzer over the water and huge tree line, allowing for a possible birdie. Two, a long hyzer playing around the water and tree line. However, near impossible to birdie because of how far the upshot is toward the basket.

Hole #12 - Dead Straight shot 262ft with the pin located in an old bunker surrounded by trees. It reminded me of hole #15 at the USDGC where the pin is surrounded by a huge stick fence.

Hole #13 - Has the most elevation on the course (15ft). Tight shot off the tee through two or three massive trees, with the hole resting in the open meadow..
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7 0
Randy528
Experience: 17.7 years 42 played 3 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Lots of Potential Best in County 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Apr 27, 2011 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Lots of Land to play on, Ability to expand/change layout of course. Can add another 18 holes easily. Every hole will challenge the player to throw a different type of throw. All the Holes can be birdied with a great drive and/or great putt. Is NOT a pitch n' putt course you have to earn your birds. On the other side of the river is Vanderyatch Disc Golf Course.

Cons:

The ground can be soggy at times, however most of the course avoids the wet spots. Hole Ten can be a soggy at times. No Baskets to catch your disc but the tone pole are very large which makes for a better score at times. Tee pads are in grass or dirt.

Other Thoughts:

Riverside is new and we are working on raising money for rubber tee pads and Disc Catcher Baskets. Its still unclear on the future of the property. In the talk to make into giant soccer complex but no work has begun. So lets all enjoy this Course while it is around.
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