Springboro, OH

Echo Valley

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sisyphus
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 12.6 years 397 played 383 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Got midrange control? 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 11, 2014 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

[The temp course at Echo Valley is set up once or twice a year by the Dayton disc golf club for their point series and/or doubles or a birdie bash. I've been there for two different configurations (playing around the space counter-clockwise once and clockwise once). I've been told that the one I posted up with map and pictures is the more often used set up for the annual tournament. This review is primarily for that set-up.]

Echo Valley plays just to the south of Patricia Allyn park, and the (2x) nine hole, permanent, Eagle Ridge DGC. The space used for Echo Valley is comprised of rolling land and lanes through woods and along a gravel drive, and sometimes roams into space at the park, as well. Using Tony Waterfall's excellent, easily visible DGA baskets, signage and course design this year (2014), holes range from 240 to 383 feet (plus a downhill ace run 143 footer), the Intermediate player will be challenged to keep tight lines for par, and tempted to throw that little bit harder to try for the deuce.

That temptation is what will have you cursing the layout, because, as a temp course, getting off the fairway often means an unrecoverable throw out of the shrubbery, which does not get the traffic and lane clearing a permanent course experiences over time. So the temp course rewards good control and shot wisdom.

The layout slightly favors those with a good right to left line (6 holes finish left, while 3 finish right), has one nifty water carry that requires a good line off the tee (see tee picture for hole 10), and one with a hanging tire on approach to the green that could conceivably be made a bizarre mando (see hole 8). In all, it's a very fun play that the club looks forward to each year.

Cons:

The tightness of the lines can be exceedingly frustrating for players at the Recreational level and below. There were three places this year with park benches in or near the fairways, but only one was 'roped off'. There are a couple of places with a slight walk from basket to next tee which felt a little 'off' because the rest of the flow was so good and well-marked (but hey, it's temporary: you gotta make the best holes you can with what you're given). Finally, the three finishing holes teed off from the gravel driveway, which rendered very poor footing for a drive (the thin layer of gravel on the compacted base below seemed to slide out from underfoot too much).

Other Thoughts:

As a player who wants to bag 'em all, I'm glad I've gotten to play this course twice, and in different set-ups, but I'm not sure the land lends itself to the kind of course I really enjoy (my favorite course is Lincoln Ridge). If you're around the area for the Echo Valley event, it's worth a visit, depending on your temperament. If you're a competitive, tourney type of player with good midrange control, come for the tourney. If you are a course bagger, check to see if they've set it up the day before. Note the baskets are rented, and they charge $3 a play on Friday.
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