Rochester, NY

Genesee Valley Park

3.295(based on 7 reviews)
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3 0
mashnut
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 22.1 years 831 played 767 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Fun but dangerous 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 20, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

The course plays through a beautifully kept city park with nice mowed grass and mature trees. A few holes bring some brushy areas into play, and a few others use the river to offer some nice risk and punishment for errant shots. There is a good variety of lines you'll have to hit, with some low ceilings and enough mature trees to avoid. You'll need a mix of left and right turning shots to score well here.

Genesee also has some nice distance variety. A few ace runs and a couple nice long holes mixed in keep things interesting. The available elevation changes are small but used well to add some fun and variety. The gateway baskets are in great shape, and the park is generally nicely kept.

Cons:

The most obvious con is the limited availability of the course, and that's the one I struggled with most in ating this course. It's hard to rate a course very highly when it's so temporary, and the myriad safety issues are made worse by other park users not being used to disc golf's presence. Many holes play over and near paths, benches, pavilions, roads and parking lots. The park seemed very popular, and that makes those shots even more dangerous.

The temporary nature of the course makes navigation a little tricky, with no next tee markers and no signs when I played. The online map wasn't always completely accurate, so it took some wandering to figure it out. Obviously that would be less of an issue in an event. The tees are a bit lumpy and uneven at times. The course suffers the same problems as many park courses, it can feel repetitive, and only a handful of holes really penalize you for missing your line.

Other Thoughts:

This course offers some fun shots, and some surprisingly technical lines for a park style course. Beginners will find some of the holes a little long, but it's not terribly daunting outside of length. More experienced players will find some nice challenges and enough variety to keep it interesting, but the safety issues and crowds could be pretty frustrating.
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3 0
dreadlock86
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 16.9 years 382 played 306 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Historic course, will we see it again? 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 26, 2011 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

-challenging course in a city park, lots of OB
-incredible Titan baskets, triple chains
-rubber or asphalt tee pads on each hole
-pretty cool having signs for a temp course
-nice use of elevation, variety of distances
-awesome getting to play right in the middle of town
-multiple water hazards (8, 12, maybe more if one really gets away!)
-pretty good basket placements, a few risky greens like 12 & 17
-restrooms, parking, picnic tables, sheltered area with more tables

Cons:

-some of the OB seemed perhaps gratuitous
-many safety concerns/hazards with park pedestrians and cyclists, the latter being especially problematic
-too bad it can't stay

Other Thoughts:

This is the reincarnation of the 1999 Worlds course. It was challenging and lots of fun. The course could never be permanent with all the safety concerns but it worked fairly well outside of some cyclist incidents. The design used many of the features well, especially the elevation but I thought it relied too heavily on OB to make the course more challenging.

There was a great variety of hole lengths and even though most of the course is semi-open, the different terrain features in the different areas of the park keep it from feeling repetitive. Most holes have OB all along one side so controlled shots are necessary.

It would be nice to see this course appear periodically for tournaments. It's a fun layout and would be a treat to get to play every couple years or so.


**Like this review? Hate it? Message me and let me know why! I want to make them better!**
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4 0
WillACarpenter
Experience: 14.7 years 36 played 15 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Not everything I wanted, better than I expected 2+ years drive by

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

Pros:

Tees were all rubber or on asphalt paths. Signs were pretty nice, baskets all in great shape.

Some unique shots, some shots with subtle alternate routes *one was across and down a hill, most went down then around the hill, I went along the top and ended up having a shot for bird from the top of the hill*

While I will address the issues with pedestrian traffic, having this park seemed so DIFFERENT from the courses around here that I felt like I was in a different city...I think that's a really cool thing to have in a temporary course, something that so celebrates your home town (by being in the MIDDLE of it) but having that experience see that place in a whole new light.

Cons:

There's a lot more similar holes than there are different, I didn't need a real complex bag setup to play here. That's probably a good thing in some way, but in others it's disappointing.

I wouldn't mind so much, but there was a lot of lost potential on a few holes, I think this has something to do with the park having changed since the signs were made, new spaces were recently available that were not before, also some holes seem to have been made less fun to avoid certain areas...when they used much less practical borders (island turn around and a parking lot on hole 18) to make basically boring holes (long shot, land in the cirlcle....OB right...like it has been all day)

This has been me really making a BIG DEAL out of NOTHING. I understand that. I still gave the place a 3.5, I liked it a lot. I just think we can EASILY make it better next time.

***THE REAL PROBLEM***
The reason I don't see this ever becoming a permanent course is 1) several holes would have to be changed drastically (maybe even change the layout) in order to get disc golf away from populated paths.

2) this park is BUSY. And nobody gives a CRAP. I was almost killed by cyclists no less than 7 times. Mostly when I wasn't even ON THE PATH. on 2 separate occasions when I was walking along the path between holes I had a cyclist come up from behind and say (On your left) only to immediately pass me on the right. Good thing I hadn't had time to move out of the way...

On hole 18 you will HAVE to play it safe because if you don't you're going to hit a parked car.

Any water holes will eat your disc. Most likely anyway. We got one back that had barely gone in on an early hole.

Other Thoughts:

I'm not going to really add this as a con because I think it could be worked out better in the future....way too much OB. The OB didn't even restrict the holes in any meaningful way most of the time.

I'm sure much of it was for safety reasons, but some of it wasn't.

All in all, would totally play again. I'd like to see it come back better than ever, and I look forward to similar courses being played in the future in my area.
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0 2
idragon
Experience: 15 played 6 reviews
3.50 star(s)

IDragon 2+ years drive by

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

Pros:

This course is really a challenge! Low ceilings, narrow alley's, and lots of OB make this course one of a kind. There is a canal running through the park and bike paths!

Cons:

Some holes are really narrow! The bike path winds through about every hole.

Other Thoughts:

Lot of fun to play this one! If it is up when you come to town, try to fit it in!
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8 0
Chiefstang
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 14.8 years 101 played 21 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Great course. Wrong location. 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 26, 2011 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-Amazing three chain baskets.
-Beautiful park setting.
-Bathrooms on premisis.
-A good mix of hole length and elevation.
-Abundant OB will make the course more challenging than it should be.
-Plenty of parking, as long as you don't mind dents in your car. (see cons)
-A few holes with deep water in play up the risk/reward factor.

Cons:

-Temporary course that plays through a heavily used park.
-Pedestrians. Tons of 'em. Bikers, walkers, picnics, family reunions...
-Hole 1 plays dangerously close to a pavillion, which is regularly packed with park goers.
-Hole 18 plays next to a very crowded parking lot/entrance road and finishes next to the same crowded pavillion on 1. I can see needing to skip both of these holes regularly, and I saw a few parked cars get nailed during the week.
-Rubber fly-pads staked into the grass on some holes are pretty uneven.
-A few holes tee off from bike paths, and players run a legitimate risk of getting hit by cyclists.
-Cyclists run a legitimate risk of getting hit by players, and there were a few confrontations during the Am Worlds.

Other Thoughts:

This course was resurrected for tha Am Worlds as a temporary course. There is talk of trying to make it permanent, but changes need to be made in the name of safety. The PDGA rented out the entire park for the week, and there were still parkgoers everywhere. The course plays well, but it's apparent that the park itself has changed since the original design was made, resulting in a course that feels wedged into a park that doesn't want it. Some major tweaks on a few holes are needed, and many others need minor tweaking to make this course playable on a daily basis, which it sounds like it the long term goal. Still worth playing, but be careful and patient with other parkgoers.
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5 0
prerube
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 16.8 years 274 played 235 reviews
3.50 star(s)

2011 Worlds Temp 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jul 31, 2011 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Nice tee signs
Rubber Tee pads show distance to the basket.
Challenging design maximizes natural features and elevation.
First time I have ever seen these Titan triple-chain baskets
Restrooms
Near the heart of the city with plenty of nearby food options and many other courses just a quick drive away.
Water pumps near the playing area. One was right next to tee 2

Cons:

Many safety concerns with cars and pedestrians. My wife hit 3 cars on hole 18.
Park is simply too crowded with bikers and other activities for disc golf. One day when we went holes 1, 2, 4, and 18 were unplayable to to other activities.
Small chance of disc loss, discs that go in the water are basically irretrievable due to the steep drop off, your discs will forever rest 17 feet below the water.
The path and beyond OB's are almost used to the point of overkill.

PLAY BEFORE TUESDAY. Course will be gone on August 2nd and there is no guarentee when it will come back.

Other Thoughts:

Hole by Hole:

Hole 1 starts with a simple 303 foot straight shot, the only OB would be if you rolled it into the pavilion.
Hole 2 is 319 feet relatively straight with a moderate amount of trees near the basket.
Hole 3 is 316 feet through a funnel of trees. There is water on the left, but it would be difficult to wind up wet.
Hole 4: a simple short 198 foot shot with scattered trees.
Hole 5 is another short 197 foot shot with 2 clear flight paths, however a path goes down the left side of the fairway leading to greater chance of OB.
Hole 6 is a 401 foot open shot with a small ditch being OB about 60 feet from the basket. There is a road on the left that could lead to OB on a bad shot.
Hole 7 is a 458 open shot towards a pavilion, basket is tucket behind the few trees on the hole and way up by the road leaving putts very risky.
Hole 8 is a risky 264 foot narrow shot with a few trees to add to the difficulty. The Genesee River is on the left. Discs are tough to retrieve in the water since it is shallow for 5 feet, then a drop off down to 17 feet deep. Bike path sits on the right side of the fairway.
Hole 9 is a long open 477 foot hole. With slight raise in elevation towards the end. The basket sits on the edge of a small bank on some rolling hills.
Hole 10 is a 330 foot uphill that requires a slight right fade to get around the cluster of trees guarding the basket.
Hole 11 is a 584 foot slight down hill over rolling hills with several large trees scattered around.
Hole 12 is a narrow 305 ft shot over a large fallen tree with the river off to the right and a bike path on the left. The basket is down close to the water.
Hole 13 is a 235 ft dog leg right along the side of the road. Rolling hills surround the basket.
Hole 14 is a 237 foot straight shot towards the statue. The first 180 feet are wide open and 3 large trees block your way to the basket. And prevent high shots from sneaking by. Thick brush on left, OB way off to the right.
Hole 15 is a 269 foot hook to the left. It is around 190 feet straight with thick vegetation on the left, then a sharp left into an opening into the woods. Go left too early and you could be in serious trouble, shank right and you will be OB on the road.
16 is a 352 ft. hole with a very low ceiling and several trees in key areas. The basket is left pretty open near the large bat house.
17 is 359 foot shot, mostly open, very minimal elevation change, there is a steep drop off about 10-15 feet past the basket.
18 is the make or break hole. People scored as high as 11 on this par 4 island hole. The 564 foot hole starts off facing the parking lot and uses the parking lot as OB on the right. The hole is relatively straight for 300 feet then veers to the right where the island becomes visible. A tree right before the island can save you or knock you OB. The basket on the island is slightly elevated making many discs that hit the basket roll right back out of bounds.

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8 0
ERicJ
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 16.3 years 286 played 154 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Reincarnation 2+ years

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

Pros:

The current GVP is a reincarnation of the classic course that was used in the 1999 Pro Worlds. Upgraded with sweet new Titan triple-chain baskets, and rubber fly pads this course is a blast to play. The primary challenge of GVP is shot-making that avoids the OB. There's plenty of OB with all paths/roads and beyond OB along with "miles" of painted lines on most of the tall brush bordering the Erie canal. It's the OB that really makes this course; without it there are too many easy routes to the baskets and scores plummet. However, carefully crafted OB makes Advanced level players carefully consider their shot options and execute them well or rack up penalty strokes. There are enough "birdie" holes out there to balance the longer ones. The design makes good use of the available elevation throwing both up and down the hill as well as a couple baskets on hills. Low tree canopies on a couple holes are shots you won't see on most courses. Restrooms on site and ample parking.

Cons:

Lots of parkgoers and non-golfers can lead to possible waits on tees or fairways clogged by picnicers. The OB on #8 is really tight making that a brutal hole, I wouldn't mind seeing a bit more leeway on the left side. Hole #18 was defined as stroke-and-distance for any OB, i.e. rethrow from your last lie, not where you crossed out OB. I'm not sure why that was necessary but it surely changes the strategy of shooting for the island from a distance on that hole.

Other Thoughts:

Although it's temporary for now, it looks to be sleeved for possible re-use at a future date. Too bad this is only a temp course because it really is well done.
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