Apopka, FL

Rock Springs Ridge - Championship DGC

2.175(based on 6 reviews)
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Rock Springs Ridge - Championship DGC reviews

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5 0
reposado
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 12.7 years 278 played 273 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Long and open with a mini-mountain 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 14, 2013 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

If you can imagine what giants would feel like playing disc golf in the Appalachians, with skyscraper-sized baskets and using UFOs as discs, you have a pretty good idea in your head of what the best holes at Rock Springs Ridge play like. The course features a mini-mountain: it's a hill really but it has a mountain-like shape, with multiple "peaks" and steep ascents. It's first encountered on 2 which plays across a flat grassland, over a depressed area and on to the basket which is on an auxiliary peak. From the target you can look to the top of the hill where another basket is perched. You don't return to the hill until 16 though so there is time to let that climb sink in and whet the appetite. When you do, it is worth it as 16 plays straight to the top. It's the steepest hole that I have played to date. Not the highest climb, but the sharpest degree. And better watch out for roll-away because it can easily roll all the way. From the peak, high over the suburban flats, its a slight descent to a plateau. From this vantage you'll probably empty your bag on the seventeenth tee. It's 600 feet from the short tee (recommended because it is closer to the edge) and with nothing but open field below you, it will be worth it to collect everything when you finally make it down there.

The rest of the course could accurately be described as derelict ball golf. There are no sand traps or water hazards anymore, but there are some OB type areas that substitute well. (In this case a depression filled with brush) In the winter, it's not bad going in to find a bad throw, but I could imagine it being nasty in there in the summer.

Most holes can be adequately described as long and open. The big dog in your bag will eat here. There aren't a ton of obstacles with the few trees on the course mostly being used to protect the pin from an easy approach. While the fairways can't be missed, most baskets will have to be approached from the side. The other trick employed here is placing the pin behind a hill. Either way, expect to air out a drive and then find a potentially tricky approach.

It's a good beginner course as well. Though it's long, it only means an extra shot or two per hole and they won't be frustrated by repeated tree hits or lost discs in the open terrain.

Cons:

There's not a ton of technical challenge here. Very few holes penalize poor throws to any extent. Experienced players may be bored here.

Additionally, outside of the previously noted hill holes, there isn't much memorable here. While there's plenty of fun to be had, most throws here are just ok.

Lastly, the tees are worn out and shaggy. With the amount of airing out that can happen here, a more solid tee situation would be welcome.

Other Thoughts:

I avoided this course all summer because others had remarked on the lack of maintenance. I've never seen this course in a bad state but I've also never played it in late spring or early-mid summer. I can't say whether the lack of upkeep is seasonal or if it was temporary, but I'm reviewing the course as it is under good conditions, which is the only way I've seen it.
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4 0
TeeRex
Experience: 11 years 7 played 6 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Have a Strong Driver 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 24, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

This is a good course to work on drives. Lots of long shots from the pro tees. My first time here and I am a rookie (playing since May 13) played the pro tees and this course whipped me but good! (I am 50 and a heavy smoker!) I really enjoyed it though. A challenge for me, finished with a 74, yikes! I'll get better when I learn to throw a 400' drive! Some real elevation changes here and baskets you seem to need binoculars to find in distance, hole #17 I think is almost 700'. At the end of the round, it took all I had. Will be back for more, for sure. Love this game!

Cons:

Pay to Play here. Questioned pro in shop about this and he said go ahead and play when you want there is no ranger and no one will question you. I am an honest sort and pony up the fiver anyways. Maintenance, maintenance, maintenance. Should be more than "bush hogging field 3 x per summer. What bush hog can't reach or get close too is left as "natural obstacles" or "disc eaters"...loose a disc here and you better have a GPS locator on it!!! Trees not trimmed in a long time, left with only smaller, ever-diminishing" openings. Guess that should've been under "Pros" as a difficulty challenge, installed by Mother Nature.

Other Thoughts:

Again, with maintenance of (some) regularity, some minor upgrades, (nice concrete launch pads, better signs and some basic paths, benches (this is a long 18)in shade. How about a garbage can or two, hate to litter, but also hate to put in my bag.
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5 1
micaretm
Experience: 1 played 1 reviews
0.50 star(s)

Just don't go 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 8, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

• Multiple tee pads
• Great use of elevation for Florida
• Multiple pin locations

Cons:

• Very tall grass and weeds
• Lack of trash cans/rest rooms
• No benches
• Pay to play

Other Thoughts:

This course was very disappointing. I lost a disc on #3 and #4 due to very tall grass and weeds. Looked for them for 30 minutes each to no avail. For a course that is pay to play, it would be nice if the grass was mowed at least once a month. It looked like it had not been mowed this SEASON! I would not recommend this course to anyone. Go play at one of the free to play parks in the area and skip this horrible mess all together.
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3 1
holmslice
Experience: 15.6 years 25 played 14 reviews
1.00 star(s)

Sore Sight 2+ years drive by

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

Pros:

-Massive elevation changes (for Florida)
-Good Signage
-Creative layouts and several memorable holes
-Variety of Open and Tight Technical holes

Cons:

-Carpet Tee Pads
-Poorly Maintained
-Few Benches
-Few Trash Cans
-Bad course flow (course does not loop back to parking until hole 18)

Other Thoughts:

This course is built on an old golf course in a nice neighborhood. It has immense potential, however that potential is squandered by poor course design and abysmal (if any) maintenance.

Most of the grass was knee high when I played, which probably explains why the rest of the course was completely empty. Also, not being able to make a pit stop until the end of 18 holes is very inconvenient on a hot Florida day.

There are several memorable holes including a nice home stretch: 16th pin on top of a large hill, 17th tee playing down off the hill across an open field and a picturesque finish on 18th.

Still, I would strongly discourage visiting this course unless conditions improve.
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8 0
denny ritner
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 25.9 years 170 played 113 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Very Disappointing 2+ years

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

Pros:

The course is part of a two-course complex that features a two-basket practice area and the opportunity to rent golf carts. The course is in a very nice neighborhood, which serves as a pleasant backdrop. The single-use pay-per-play set up with a ranger insures that people won't be camped out on the fairways and that your discs won't get stolen.

There are a couple unique holes that are interesting. Hole number three is blind from the tee and offers several options including long turnover, backhand roller, and huge crush spike hyzer.

There are a few unique basket locations on mounds that make for challenging putting scenarios.

There is no schule and no chance of losing plastic.

The course does provide a fun experience, particularly if you like the opportunity to throw lots of full-power shots.

Cons:

This is a crusher course and all the tees are off sugar sand or lumpy carpets. The director of golf told me that they don't have plans to install cement for another 2-3 years.

Calling this course "championship" is a complete misnomer. IMO, the blue tees are a very-long intermediate level track and the white tees are a regular-length intermediate track. I can envision the course record being around 42. Top pros will absolutely destroy the course. There is very little technical challenge.

Except for hole 17, the other "par 4's" are just really long par 3's. Throw a wide-open 400 ft. shot and then throw a lay-up under the basket.

The places that trees have been used, provide pinball-like "protection" near the baskets. The trees that come into play will separate equally good shots by luck.

There are many more good mounds that could have been used for basket locations.

There are plenty of trees that could have been incorporated to provide technical challenge. Most of the best wooded areas were not used properly.

There is a lot more property that could have stretched the layout a lot more to provide a real par 65 type course, but the space was not maximized.


Other Thoughts:

Overall, this is a fantastic piece of property for a real championship disc golf course that could have been major championship calibre. The design, however, doesn't even come close.

It is a very sad thing to see such a great potential disc golf resource wasted.

Don't be a dirty discer, leave the course cleaner than the way you found it.
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5 1
stsren
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 24.3 years 38 played 22 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Big arms welcome - Technically lacking... 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:May 7, 2011 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

1. Good quality signage including Tee box signs with markers to show pin position, accurate distances, and Next Tee signage.
2. Good opportunities to throw for distance (most holes are 300'+)
3. Nice scenery with rolling hills
4. Good overall course layout using the available space
5. Some subtle technical aspects including elevation change and well placed trees
6. Couple of water stations along the course to keep you hydrated

Cons:

1. Dirt/Grass/Carpet tee pads
2. Lack of technical challenges (does not require every disc in your bag or a large variety of different shots)
3. Redundancy - several holes have a similar theme / layout
4. Single loop layout of course prevents potty breaks (bring an empty bottle?)
5. Limited shade
6. Lacking adequate number of benches (don't recall seeing any...) and trash receptacles (only 2 under the water coolers that I noted)

Other Thoughts:

RSR Championship DGC is a course that rewards players with big arms. You are seldom punished for an inaccurate drive, and you won't be losing many discs on this course. The course is well groomed and has the framework to be a good overall course, but it lacks technical difficulty. Intermediate players may find the challenge suitable, but Pro players will score birdies more often than not. There are so many wide open spaces that there's a sense of redundancy on a number of holes. I think the course would play similarly for both righties and lefties, as very few holes force a specific flight path that favors either. The elevation changes make for some welcome visual and technical interest. While the course is well marked with new signage and fairly easy to navigate, I lament the fact that there are no concrete tee boxes. When I throw 300'+, I like to have sure footing and a short run-up...the dirt/grass tee pads were not always accomodating and may lead to slipping/tripping. The property owners seem to be working to at least add some carpet tee pads and have put rakes by the tee boxes to help reduce your risk of slipping and injury...I just hope they get to the point where concrete is poured in the next few years...

The RSR staff was friendly and accomodating during my visits. At one point (hole #18) my disc happened to land in a massive ant nest. When I reported it to one of the course staff he said they'd take care of it right away and was very friendly about it. (Yes, I know there are bugs in FL and I didn't really care, but these ants were nasty - Picture provided in the course photos)

Overall, this is what I'd consider a decent disc golf course that is fun to play (when it's cool out!) and gives me an opportunity to grip and rip without remorse. I'm hoping that as the course grows and matures that the designers work to add to the overall difficulty (maybe by planting some trees!) and pour up some tee boxes to make this Pay-to-Play worth the dough for the folks not living in the immediate area.
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