Sierra Vista, AZ

A. V. Anderson Park DGC

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1.585(based on 6 reviews)
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12 0
sillybizz
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 22.2 years 407 played 392 reviews
1.50 star(s)

'Magic Number' problems 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 21, 2021 Played the course:once

Pros:

This is my first time being in Arizona (visiting relatives) so I don't know of the disc golf history in Sierra Vista or Cochise County but I believe this is a dedicated disc golf only course and it's great that the P & R people have given this piece of land to the locals. Where I'm from we get the areas reserved for nefarious activities we'll call it and pieces of land under two feet of water nine months out of the year so that's fantastic, seems like a decent rapport with these guys, so good on whom ever leader(s) or club(s) is leading the local charge when it comes to disc golf related things. Enough of that though on to the course!

I found the distances easy enough on me (have some physical limitations that I didn't in the past, getting older sucks) that I felt like I had birdie and par chances throughout the entire course but not so easy that I was bored. I played at the short tees I believe? (the tee pads with the signs on them) I found some of the longer tees and you could make the course more challenging this way as long as it's not too busy, (more on this below) for the more advanced players. The design (more on this below as well) uses the trees/bushes? to make you throw many straight shots right up the gut of the fairway and punishes you for hyzering or anhyzering off too far, mastering the no fade putter/midrange throw is essential here which is a cool feature as it is fairly rare that courses do this and makes sure you can't get by with just learning a RHBH hyzer e.g. which a lot of course designers seem to do for some reason. Some baskets even have one of the trees/bushes (still not sure if these roughly 6 foot high things with branches are ha!) in your direct line and have to throw over with either a finish right or left; I would say the design doesn't necessarily favor any style of throw over any other, though I only played it once, maybe over time I would discover something else.

I find the carpet pads to do the trick just fine, and I've never really had a problem with carpet pads as long as they are not dug up and most of these are in alright condition. It seems like some have been removed probably due to wear and tear over time, making you throw from the sand which I didn't have a problem with. I think this is maybe the best place for carpet tees due to the lack of rain and humidity most of the year.

This may be the only course I've ever been to that doesn't have beer cans and cigarette butts lining the course so great job on that, you locals should be proud!

Cons:

Alright so this is where my 1.5 rating mostly comes into play and I explain the 'magic number problem which is one of my biggest pet peeves in disc golf course design. This course suffers from trying to jam in eighteen holes (the magic number) AND alt tees on a piece of property that just isn't large enough to accommodate it. That's why so many tee pads, fairways and putting areas overlap making it unplayable for more than like two groups at a time; I saw a flyer for weekly doubles here, this must be a nightmare of constantly watching for flying discs and yelling out fore so much that your throat gets sore (if it's not already from the dry heat). Too many times course designers go into a course with the magic number already in their head and have to get to that number instead of designing a course with an open mind and fitting in as many holes as the property would allow. This course could have been a great 9 or 11 or 13 hole course, I don't know the exact number but it could have been done without having to overlap and sacrifice space for each hole. You could have a hole with three tee pads, one at 250 another at 300 and another at 400 or whatever and be able to along side six other groups playing the course safely.

One of the other issues I had which also revolves around 'magic number' problems is that you step up the the tee pad and see 2--4 other baskets not knowing which one is yours. Being that I played this in August at around noon in the desert (I'm an idiot yeah, big whoop wanna fight about it?!) I sure as hell didn't want to walk out to find which one is the correct basket to throw to. After a while I figured out that the little yellow sign on the top of the basket is pointed towards the tee pad you are throwing to, that made it easier. Of course being a local this isn't a problem at all but for us 'course baggers' (and there are a lot of us on this site) it makes it a little bit more difficult but again if you get rid of the crossing fairways, teepads, and baskets this issue goes away.

Other Thoughts:

I had a really fun time in Sierra Vista visiting family and even a pretty good time playing this course despite the low rating given. It's great that there is a pocket of disc golfers in the area willing to play in the blistering sun and take pride in their course. I saw only one other person playing this course on a Saturday at noon, either it gets very little play or residents are smarter than I and go in the morning/evening. If this course is that under used then many of the cons I have discussed could be a non issue for you. I live in the Seattle area where at Saturday at noon you wait 10-15 minutes per tee pad so this was nice.
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7 0
jdog17
Experience: 10.9 years 13 played 13 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Deeply Mediocre 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 21, 2018 Played the course:once

Pros:

Although this course isn't great, I feel like 1.5 stars (discs) might be harsh. I had very low expectations, so I was pleasantly surprised.
pro #1: except for holes 3-6, the course is super easy to navigate
pro #2: each tee has a nice bright yellow sign so you can easily find the next tee
pro #3: it's a dedicated course, so no worries about yahoos running through or bicycling past you
pro #4: the shots are straight, not too long, but you sometimes have to throw down a "tunnel" created by the shrubs
pro #5: this is an excellent beginning course, OK if you are just a weekend player
pro #5: sorta-potty onsite
pro #6: almost all the tees have carpet that is OK for throwing (not great, but it ain't sand or dirt either)
pro #7: it's easy (for the most part) to tell where the basket you are throwing toward is

Cons:

con #1: the only confusing part of this course are from tee 4-6, roughly, at the beginning
con #2: the layout is pretty dull - you essentially throw in a straight line, then the next tee is right next to you and you turn and throw in a straight line back the way you came, and so forth, in an endless zig-zag
con #3: in addition to straight shots, the course is mumblingly flat
con #4: the tee pads are carpet, but strangely it doesn't seem to be outdoor carpet, so a lot of it is shredding, plus it's white so it's kinda hard to see

Other Thoughts:

The problem with this course is it's design is dull. When I played the first 5 holes I was really irritated at the layout, kept thinking, "did someone drunk design this?" It just seems like the space could've been used more creatively, but is is very flat and uninteresting to begin with. For a pro-level player, I could see rating this only 1.5 stars because the shots aren't long enough to provide enough challenge. For a beginning or newbie it's not a problem though. As a deeply mediocre player I enjoyed this deeply mediocre course.
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6 0
markmcc
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 11.9 years 278 played 254 reviews
1.50 star(s)

The Only Game in Town 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:May 22, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

This is the sole Disc Golf opportunity in this area. The next closest courses are in Tucson, 60 miles away.

Eighteen very similar holes that play 258' - 355' from the long tees. There are two marked shorter tees for each hole which would be great for new players or those who don't throw far. But every hole is reachable from the longs for even intermediate players.

The long tee pads are on a carpet scrap that has been nailed down. They work surprising well. Shorter tees are marked by a concrete block set in the ground with a distance stenciled onto them.

Baskets catch fine. Someone has marked the number on top with bright orange background which is very helpful, as you can generally see 2 - 4 baskets from each tee.

Tee signs include the distance from each of the three tee positions and a sponsor name. Since there are no obstacles or elevation to deal with, you don't really need any more than that.

Cons:

The area set aside for this course is dead flat, with scattered shrubby trees that are no taller than 12'. The ground is bare and sandy. Given this terrain there wasn't much that could be done with the course.

Most of the holes are essentially identical. A drive to a basket about 300' away, with no obstacles to throw around. You can easily throw over every tree on the course to a basket in a completely clear area.

The course is very tight. For the most part you throw 300' to the basket, move to the next tee pad 30' away, and then throw back along a similar line to another basket 300' away. Back and forth for most of the 18 holes. In several places baskets are no more than 50' apart, and holes 3 and 4 actually play back over each other.

I could see 6 baskets within about 100' of where I parked. This tells you how compact this course is. There was another group playing when I was there but we were far enough apart that we didn't conflict. If you were following another group more closely you'd be right on top of each other.

Other Thoughts:

There is a lot of rolling terrain in the Sierra Vista area, and areas with substantial trees. I hope that they can eventually get a more challenging course built, as this one is a boring, one-trick pony.
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7 0
Psicko
Experience: 20.2 years 25 played 14 reviews
1.50 star(s)

Yay disc golf course 2+ years drive by

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

Pros:

Well, there is a disc golf course in Sierra Vista/ Cochise county. Yay! Definately a good course for beginners. It had 3 different length designated tee area with a distance sign at each hole. Baskets seemed to catch well. Did I mention there was a disc golf course in my hometown?

Cons:

Plays short, even me with a noodle arm overthrew some of the holes. I decided to play the white/carpeted tee with my putter today due to it being short. Tee signs have basket distance only. It would be nice if the tee signs had the map on it. I accidentally threw to the wrong basket a few times due to no hole map and the fact that it was cluttered.

Other Thoughts:

Seeing as this is the first disc golf course in Cochise county, I understand why they made it easy. This was a test run to see if a disc golf course would be used. When I went there were a few other groups playing, which is a good sign. Hopefully the course will get a makeover, and other courses will pop up in the area. Not a disc golf destination, but if you have family in the area like me, it is good to have a place to play.
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6 0
Sunday Mike
Experience: 21.9 years 61 played 21 reviews
1.50 star(s)

Cochise County's 1st Course! 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jun 22, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

This is the 1st course in Cochise County!! Sierra Vista is my home town and it's great that I can visit and now have some place to throw. It is very easy to find. The baskets are great and hold discs well. Each hole has three tees: The regular white tee which has a sort of white carpet tee pad, and then a shorter blue tee and a longer red tee, both of which are easily found.

Cons:

The course is supremely easy. I'm a duffer and I shot -10 at the course. It is strictly a beginner course. The holes are just too close together. Several tees are less than 10 feet from the preceding basket. If there were more than one or two groups on the course, someone would probably get hurt. Given the space available, I believe a sick 9 hole course would have been better than a confusing, cramped 18.
Unfortunately because the tees are carpet they will probably be destroyed before their time.

Other Thoughts:

Because Sierra Vista is my hometown I really wanted to give this course a rating of 2 or more, but after playing it there was no way I could do that. It is just too easy, too confusing and too smooshed. That being said, it's good to have it. I also understand why it is so easy. You don't want to make the first course in town too hard, because too many people will get frustrated and the game won't expand. But again, 9 would have been better hole # for this property. You could easily make a 3 star 9 hole course on the property.
Issues aside, hopefully the locals will grow the game through this course and then be able to establish a more thoughtful course in town as well. There sure are enough places where it could be done.
Keep discing Sierra Vista!!!
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12 0
chillis
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 23.8 years 103 played 28 reviews
1.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

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

Pros:

- Park is easily spotted from the road (7th St). It is fairly clean and there isn't much clutter/overgrowth or debris.
- Designated parking lot
- Newish baskets catch well and are in good shape.
- Signage is great and distances are accurate.
- There's a few benches and tables scattered throughout.
- Multiple tees make this accessible for all skill levels (pros aren't accommodated). I saw a family with young kids here who looked as if they were having a blast.
- Although the layout is tight (mostly a Con, see below), this means you can throw multiple rounds in the time it would normally take to toss one. I played 36 holes in 1hr15mins.

Cons:

- There's very little variety here and you can take any line you wish to the basket. All the holes, aside from #18, fall in between 250-315ft (blue tees). The ceiling is always open, so shot-shaping isn't in effect.
- Although the multiple tees are a positive, the alternate tees are rocky and often not level. The alternates are also only separated by 30ft increments.
- VERY cramped layout. In fact, maybe the tightest I've played. If the course was busy, you'd be waiting on most tees and yelling "FORE!" often as even spot-on drives can land you ~30ft of other tees/baskets. The walking lines also have you crossing fairways and within arm's reach of other baskets.
- Not much in the way of scenery here, unless you've an affinity for mesquite bushes.

Other Thoughts:

To the beginner, this course suits them wonderfully - providing plenty of obstacles on the way to the basket to help hone their skills. The more advanced player (and especially pros) will make short work of this course. In the hands of an experienced player, this course amounts to nothing more than a medium length pitch-and-putt.

With a bit more ingenuity and utilization of the space around the established 18, this could be a much stronger layout/course. The potential here is promising. I also give the creators credit for cleaning up the area (which was formerly a dumping ground, it appears).

Worth a go if you're a local or in the area visiting some in-laws in need of an escape. Course will disappoint if you're looking for a destination location.
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