Sarasota, FL

Lakeview Park

3.455(based on 37 reviews)
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2 0
hasselhoff
Experience: 7 played 2 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Great Technical Course with A Ton of Water drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 20, 2023 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Very unique course with water coming into play on most of the holes. Challenging low ceilings on many holes. What is lacks in length it makes up for in its technical nature. Hit your lines and you will be rewarded. Miss your lines and you'll be getting wet!

Cons:

Tee pad areas could use some TLC.

Other Thoughts:

Definitely recommend playing this one!
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1 7
frognuts69
Experience: 9 played 8 reviews
4.50 star(s)

It’s a must stop every time we’re in town drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 9, 2023 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Challenging shots. Great layout with consideration for player and pedestrian safety. WILL PLAY AGAIN OFTEN!
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13 0
zfish102
Experience: 12.7 years 68 played 18 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Golf with a Gator? 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 18, 2021 Played the course:once

Pros:

Great clean course
Can be short for a quick round or longer if time allows it due to multiple tee pads.
Variety of shots both backhand and forehand
Directional signs on baskets to point you to next tee

Cons:

Baskets are sometimes hard to see and locate with multiple positions for each hole

A couple holes run close to each other so watch out for other groups

Other Thoughts:

This is a great course to play in the Sarasota area! I was in town and very happy I played this course. It starts out with some great holes that challenge your ability to throw under a low ceiling. After hole 5 water really starts to come into play. Most holes this is not a problem from the standard tee. Hole 14 was the only hole that water seemed to come into play as a typical backhand hyzer carries water for most of the hole and if you're like me and hit tree limbs, you'll end up in the water. I really enjoyed the pin position for hole 13 in the tree. Some holes it was difficult to see the baskets as there are multiple pin positions but this can easily be fixed with a bright numbered flag on the basket.

This is a great course that I highly recommend if you are in the area!
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8 0
mtor
Experience: 16.9 years 43 played 6 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Water and fun! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 24, 2020 Played the course:once

Pros:

Snapshot: The aptly named Lakeview Park is a intermediate-beginner to intermediate course (distance 120 --250 feet for short tee pads and 200--350 feet for Blue) that is remarkable for many of water hazards, (canal, ponds, lake), small hills, low ceilings, and 3 pin locations per hole. You may want to bring some sort of disc retrieval device. This is a great course to improve your precision at the cost of losing some discs.

Some good things about this course are…
-Nice cement Red, Blue and some Gold tee pads.
-Diversity of shots, going from low ceiling to wide open, and water in play.
-Baskets have arrows or painted wire pointing to next tee pad.
-I thought that 16, 17, and 18 were going to be difficult judging from the udisc map, but they were surprisingly easy. 18 was an especially nice finishing ace run hole.
-It uses the whole park.
-Good tee signs
-Good map at the beginning (take a picture)
-Well maintained and beautiful.
-This course will make you less fearful to through over water by pure exposure
-Possibility to see a Gator???

Cons:

-This course can be intimidating due to the very real possibility of losing a disc on water holes for all experience levels.
-You may want to bring some discs that you don't mind losing or play safe.
-This is a relatively safe and well-designed course, although it is good to be aware of other park users especially for some of the blind shots.
-Small course footprint, meaning be sure to be aware and alert other players if you throw an errant shot.
-Tee pads are mostly cement, but some have large bricks at the beginning of the run up.

Other Thoughts:

Who would like this course: This course is good for all players. Experienced players would likely enjoy this course for the precision it requires and probably find the course a bit short. Individuals who are afraid to lose discs and very new players may be intimidated by the course. Overall, one of the nicer courses in the Sarasota area.

Possible Improvements:
-These are mostly nitpicky
-Some long 10 foot + sticks or rods would be a nice improvement to help with disc retrieval.
-Making sure all baskets have arrows point in the right direction (#12 was a bit confusing and required a map).
-Baskets are in decent condition, however one or two had a broken chain or two.
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4 4
Skylab
Experience: 4.8 years 9 played 7 reviews
4.00 star(s)

They call this course the Disc-eater 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 1, 2019 Played the course:once

Pros:

Beautiful course with interesting layout. Some of the hardest shots south of Tampa can be found at this course. They have good lay out with three different levels of tees for most holes.

This is a great course for intermediate to advanced. Beginners will want to stick to the redline tees.

There is a sidequest at this course to find Odell. He is a kindly man who collects losts discs and sells them for cheap. You will also want to pick up one of his patented "Odell sticks" to recover any discs that land in the water.

Cons:

An alligator almost ate me but my dog, Carebear, scared it away. Also, bring extra discs to throw at alligators if they come for you.

So many water hazards that you are a damn fool if you don't bring an Odell stick or something to pick up discs from the water.

Beware the judgmental yuppies that frequent the nearby dog park!

Other Thoughts:

They say that if you find a lost disc during sunset at this course that you will be blessed with many birdies in the coming year.

Thanks to everyone who found this review helpful. Others move along.
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2 4
mrtoddw
Experience: 1 played 1 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Nice, tight course with challenges 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 19, 2019 Played the course:once

Pros:

This course is very much, "Old Florida" and has that wild feel to it. There are quite a few water hazards that make playing interesting for seasoned players. Not insanely difficult, it's an easy-going course to play on.

Cons:

Some of the signage could be improved. The course is prone to flooding which can make many of the holes unplayable for days at a time.

Other Thoughts:

It's a really great course that's tucked away in a quiet neighborhood. Very nice course for casual play. Highly recommended!
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8 0
DiscinOhio
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 10.8 years 200 played 191 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Leave your favorite discs at home! 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jul 6, 2019 Played the course:once

Pros:

Lakeview Park is one of three public courses in Sarasota, and was the last one I played on my trip to the area. It's completely shaded under a canopy of mature trees, making it the perfect place for a mid-morning summer round.

+ Two sets of concrete/brick tees on every hole that are clearly marked with color coordinated spray paint. A few holes also have gold tees in addition to the red and blue tees.

+ Every basket has an orange marking on the basket., directing you to the next tee. Additional signage is also present in some higher confusion areas, making navigation pretty simple.

+ While this is extremely short for an 18 hole course (under 5000') there is an abundance of fun shots that take full advantage of the water on the property.

+ Nice kiosk area with a practice basket, restroom, and map.

Cons:

- Producing 18 holes out of this property is a stretch. Many holes play very close to each other, as I found myself on other fairways despite throwing decent shots. If there's other groups on the course, I could see it becoming a safety hazard.

- Like mentioned, this course really shouldn't be 18 holes. In addition to the tight squeeze, many holes are similar in distance (under 300'). All par 3's and no real chance to air it out.

- I like the use of water, but it is a little excessive. 77.7% of holes (yep I used a calculator) feature water shots. The water is very murky, making disc retrieval nearly impossible.

- Multiple pin positions without an indicator of what position they're in is always a negative in my book. Better yet, find the best pin position and stick with it.

Other Thoughts:

So, my round was cut short and I didn't get to finish 17 and 18 after I was swarmed by angry bees behind the 17th basket. I usually write my reviews right after the round, but after 6 different stings and a few Benadryl, I wasn't able to write my review until 12 hours afterwards.

Overall, Lakeview has its moments but an overly compact layout taints the experience. Leave your most prized discs in the garage, because this place eats them alive!
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11 0
The Valkyrie Kid
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 45.9 years 1563 played 1507 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Lakeview Park Features Lots Of Water And Gator Warning Signs! 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 16, 2018 Played the course:once

Pros:

Lakeview Park is a medium sized park with a nice smattering of trees and water seemingly everywhere. There is a canal running through the entire park and all sorts of ponds, swamps, bayous and bays. They seem to come into play on every hole but in actuality, it's probably about 12 of the 18 that are affected. The degree of affective depends on which sets of tees you happen to be playing. If you're throwing from the yellow (championship) tees, the water hazard would be greater. From the blue (longs) it's definitely there. Because I brought my son-in-law, we stuck to the red (short) tees. Most of the water carries on reds are pretty easily made by me, a weeny armed rec player. I did, however, restrict my son-in-law from playing # 8, # 18 and one other, I think. He was throwing my discs and I didn't want to splash down in these gator infested waters.

Lakeview has a small kiosk at the beginning. The pads are patio block and are clearly marked blue or red. They're very adequate. The baskets are Mach II's. Each basket had a small next arrow hanging below. The signs were nice and informative giving the distance for each of the three pads as well as for the long and short positions.

Because of all the water hazards here, I would think Lakeview plays at close to an advanced level from the longest golds. It's a total recreational level course from the short reds but with a certain pucker factor involved.

I think I like # 13 as a signature hole maybe just for it's cool raised basket location. The hole was probably a fairly mundane hole but the raised basket was set cleverly into some trees and it was just a few feet from the canal.

Cons:

Missing signs on 12 and 16.

A pretty good chance you'll splash down a disc sometime during your round.

Alligator warning signs + lots of water = trouble.

Not the prettiest park. Felt kinda rundown.

Other Thoughts:

Because I'm on vacation and packing light, I wasn't able to bring a lot of backup discs which makes me play very cautious around any water. So even playing ultra conservatively, I still enjoyed my round here at Lakeview. But I don't think I would care to call this my home course. That would be putting too much pressure on me every time here.
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5 0
[email protected]
Experience: 35 played 3 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Lots of water since all the rains. 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 17, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

Really liked the course. Tee pads were fairly well marked. The trees and water obstacles were really great. Never been to a course with so much water everywhere. It seems that there is water on every hole. There are bathrooms, which is really great. Most of the holes are challengIng with lots of obstructions, but the holes are short. I played the red tees because it was my first time and didn't know course.

Cons:

Hole 12 was a little hard to find. Almost every hole is short so it doesn't give you much way in terms of really chucking done the course. There are walkers and people walking their dogs, which is kind of a irritating.
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4 0
buster
Experience: 12 years 4 played 1 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Fun course with a lot of birds. 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 27, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

Very aesthetically pleasing.
Lush canopies make for good shade.
Clean tee pads.
Fun and technical

Cons:

Flow doesn't have continuity through out.
Was left a few times looking for the next tee-pad.
11 and 10 are out of place on the course map.

Other Thoughts:

Very fun course. I wanted a course that I could take just a couple of discs and I found it with this course. Wonderful windmill early on and I got a sense that I was walking though a nature trail. Loved it!!
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20 0
wellsbranch250
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 10.2 years 652 played 631 reviews
3.00 star(s)

North Water Tower's Little Brother

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Feb 16, 2024 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

(3.055 Rating) (REVISED - replayed February 2024) A fairly short and technical course with graceful beauty.
- ATMOPSPHERE - It took me 7 years to finally hit this course again. What stands out most to me at Lakeview is all the little add ons and disc golf comfort items. It starts off after arriving and walking up to a great warm-up area with a community board, course map, practice basket and picnic tables. On the layout there are numerous benches and bag holders. Baskets have been upgraded and the vegetation seems to be getting strategic pruning to make some holes pop. It's not perfect, like some of the tees and tee markings which need overhauls, but overall it had a pleasant zen-ness and slight eclectic feel to it.
- MULTI TEE AND BASKET PLACEMENTS - I'm a big fan when courses provide options for a wide swath of skill levels out there. Most holes have two tees and a few have even introduced an extra long Gold tee for some extra throttle. The short Reds are appropriate for MA4s and the longer Blues will appease MA3s and MA2s. Most holes have two or three basket sleeves and if I recall correctly, a few have four of them. The options make revisits more appealing.
- NATURAL BEAUTY - The beauty of Lakeview definitely adds to the experience. Most notably is the apparently man-made creek that runs through the course. The creek makes both graceful and intimidating appearances. I also found the vegetation and wildlife here to be vibrant and alive. Lots of whimsical live oaks with Spanish covered moss. When I think of what south Florida style disc golf is, I think of this course.
- ACEABILITY - The Red layout is an Ace factory. Although placements will vary from round to round, figure the average red tee hole is in the 175 to 185 foot average range. Some red tee shots are even sub 150. The music will be ringing here.
- CHILL AREAS - There are a bunch of secluded areas to hop on a bench and relax. Tee (17) was a standout stoppage spot. The tee sits at the end of a peninsula and there's a bunch of benches overlooking the water. Truly one of the best disc golf pit stop locations I have had the pleasure to experience in the greater Tampa Bay area.
- QUICK PLAY - Short holes and a compact format will make rounds fly, as long as it's not loaded with groups. I most recently completed a 4 person family round in under 90 minutes.
- LOCATION - A 5 minute drive from I75 and the course is in a nice neighborhood.

Cons:

No bomb-it opportunities.
- SPACING - The layout at Lakeview is packed in tight. They literally left no space unused with all the extra tees and alternate placements. Several of the fairways feel partially shared. Discs will sometimes end up in other fairways. Black aces probably happen from time to time.
- WATER - It is literally everywhere. I would recommend bringing a few sacrificial lambs. The water is generally shallow enough to retrieve a disc, but for other reasons, one may not want to go in and retrieve it. See gator con below.
- GATORS - This course has signs all over the place stating that this is a gator habitat. Players will have to weigh keeping an arm over trying to walk-in to reclaim a disc. I have personally not seen any gators here on any of my three rounds, but I have friends that have seen them, and they said they were good sized. My suggestion is to get a Kwik-Stik, which is a telescoping pole with a hook on it.
- HOLE VARIETY - The holes have a little sameness feel to it. Baskets will pocket at a mix of different angles but it's generally always a shorter technical light to moderately wooded shot. All the holes are par 3's. None of the holes are bomb-it opportunities. There are no true open holes or monster benders. There is however a lot of water to consider. Elevation is almost a non factor. No more than 10 feet of elevation change on the entire layout. I did like the handful of 5-foot elevated mounds with baskets and tees placed on them.
- BEGINNER FRIENDLY - Beginners get brought here all the time due to the shortness. However, I don't think it's ideal due to the water risk. My nephew and mom skipped 6 or so holes on my last play here. My brother picked playing here, not me.

Other Thoughts:

Overall, a really fun course if you don't mind the idea of losing a disc or two. I originally wrote that this course was a twin of North Water Tower. Alright, maybe not a twin, but perhaps more like a younger brother. The vegetative backdrop does have some similarities, but Lakeside is much shorter and less difficult than NWT. Lakeview will also throw tantrums and break all your stuff if you are not paying full attention. I originally scored this course a high 3.0, but this early review of mine was scored with a formula that resulted in slightly higher ratings. As expected, when I reran the new numbers, it dropped back to the mid 3s. Anyways, not a destination course unless you are visiting family nearby or are staying in Sarasota for a few days. I think both NWT and Tom Bennett are slightly superior courses overall among the Sarasota metro scene. It reminds me of courses like Ferry Park in near Destin Florida, Wells Branch in Austin Texas, Rozar Park in Central Georgia, and Sunset in Pensacola.
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16 0
reposado
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 12.7 years 278 played 273 reviews
3.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 8, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

The word that comes to mind is charming. This is a really fun course on footprint that seems too small for the course but the compact nature actually adds to the atmosphere. There is a ton of water here as a series of small ponds breaks up most of the course and most holes involve some small elevation changes, a short carry and a scattering of old-growth trees. The holes are short and while the course, especially from the short tees, is very much a beginner course, it will be fun for experienced players. I grabbed a floater and a putter and left the rest of my bag in the car. It took me less than thirty minutes to play the course from the shorts while getting a look at each of the long tees. When you consider how close the park is to the highway, Lakeview is really nice travel stop for any level of player.
I don't think any other course that I have played benefitted so much by the use of a floater. The water is brackish at points so pulling one up from the bottom may be a hassle but the ponds are rarely wide enough so that retrieving one from the surface will be more than a minor inconvenience. The carries are short but there is enough water around so that there is often danger of rollaway leading to another hole's water hazard.
At the same time, the far tees do introduce some longer carries, and a much greater degree of difficulty to many holes. Even if the carry is the same size, the far tees will put the player much further back from the lake's edge or with a gap before the water, or with a ridge in-between. A few of the holes even have a gold tee so there is really a lot to occupy the player here.
I don't know if I want to mention specific holes as the appeal of the course has more to do with the consistent and unique vibe than any specific throws. I will say that each shot really is different and at no point does the course feel repetitive.
Basically just a lot of short throws over water and up small embankments to well-placed baskets, less than two miles from the highway.

Cons:

There are limitations of course. The small footprint means that discs are constantly coming in from different directions. There shouldn't be much non-disc traffic around and it's designed as well as I can imagine but errant shots are still going to whiz by other tees, baskets and fairways. Players should be aware at all times. But there aren't really pedestrians, unless one throws over the fence into the dog park. (only a possibility on one hole)
Not a ton of challenge. Not much in the way of shaping shots. Not much in terms of skills needed. Not a lot of distance. None of that is what the course is really aiming for but just be prepared that you won't find any of that.
Navigation is mostly logical with arrows on the baskets pointing the way, but it becomes confusing in the 10-12 area and wouldn't you know it, one of them is (probably temporarily) missing an arrow. Not a big deal. However, it would be nice to have a system to indicate which location the basket is in. There are some blind shots and also some places where other baskets and tees are in the line of sight from the tee. With three locations on every hole, I think a tee sign magnet would make play better here.
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6 0
gabereif
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 13 years 57 played 37 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Scenic with drawbacks 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 3, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

-The course was easy to find for me. Parking was easy.
-There was hardly anyone else playing when I was there (2PM midweek)
-Incredible use of a small area.
-Interesting holes that make the most of natural obstacles (trees and water). I have never played a course with so many unique bodies of water. The scenery was something special and sets this course apart from others. And not only is it beautiful, but the scenery ties directly into the disc golf experience, as many shots require you to cross water or throw under or around beautiful trees.
-Beautiful waterways throughout the course add challenge to most holes
-Am tees for every hole
-Tee pads are concrete and good
-Baskets are in fine shape

Cons:

-Confusing layout. I had trouble finding the next hole on several occasions. I ended up starting at hole 6, skipping a few holes in the middle (I was in a rush), and finishing at hole 5. The good news is that the park is so small, that there's always a basket in sight, so you don't have to spend time trying to find a hole to play next... it's just a matter of finding the RIGHT hole to play next.
-If your shot is a few feet off your line, you risk ending up in the water. I had two good shots that landed in the water, even though they both had enough power on them.
-Fire ants. Ugh. I got bit up on two holes.

Other Thoughts:

This is a really cool course to check out given all the cool shots and beautiful scenery. But I don't know if I'd like it as a home course since you're going to lose discs when you play here, even if you're a half-decent player who is familiar with the course. And the fire ants are not fun. That said, the beauty is stunning and it makes for a great round.
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9 0
Jaysauls
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 14.7 years 129 played 71 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Very Unique 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 27, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

This is not a course for the big arm, or for the person looking for 400 foot holes. This course is the for folks looking for something very different. It's built on a 50's version of Cypress Gardens. Has a cool, unique flow through the park and a winding creek that can eat discs if you're not careful. This course is all about placement, not distance. I played the entire course in about an hour using an Eagle, Buzz and putter

To be honest ,this course is really on a 3, but is so cool, and unique that I awarded it a 3.5

Cons:

Being on a very small foot print, a lot of holes run almost side-by-side. So you have to make sure the fairway is clear, but aware of other golfers as you might be throwing shots over their head

Also, there's multiple baskets in the background of every tee, so make sure you're throwing to the correct one.

Other Thoughts:

If you see an older gentleman performing course maintenance, his name is Odell Phillips (I think that's his last name). Please thank him for all his efforts as he will award you with great stories of the courses history.
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8 1
Charbachuk
Premium Member
Experience: 15.7 years 178 played 16 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Sterotypical Florida Course 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 7, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

- Lots of parking.
- Course flows well from hole #1 to hole # 18; most of the next tee-pads are in clear sight from the last basket.
- Course flow is nearly perfect, starting you in almost the exact area you finish.
- Great shot diversity; each hole is going to challenge you with different shapes and obstacles, you will use every throw on this course; Hyzer, Ann-hyzer, Straight, Roller, Thumber..ect.
- Water Holes! Yes, this course is riddled with water. A little canal runs thru the majority of the course and water comes into play on most holes. It challenges you to throw low because anything high gets caught up in the canopy and dropped into the water.
- Good shot at an Ace. Especially on the front 9, a couple of shorter putter-midrange holes allow for a good opportunity to run it!

Cons:

- Course can be somewhat difficult to find if you don't know exactly where you are going. Get directions for the elementary school right next to it and you will be ok.
- Parking lot is like sand, making it hell on your vehicle. Parking lot is also located along the first few holes; I've seen a shank hit a car before.
- No real signature hole on this course; if you want to consider 18 signature you could but i wouldn't.
- Alot of crossing fairways, especially on the back 9; the majority of the holes either run into, or right thru other fairways.
- No real long hole on this course; this is a con to me because i feel a good course needs to have every type of shot.
- If your shot goes into the water, you have all but lost it forever. Usually the water is pretty thick; your typical Florida swampy water, so if it goes in, your chance of seeing it is very small.
- Teepads are lack luster. Typical old school course with smaller pads that have seen better days; not terrible.
- Tee-signs are old and misleading.

Other Thoughts:

- This is the Sterotypical Florida Swamp course. Located right on the edge of a lake (Hence the name Lakeview), a canal travels thru the course and provides good challenge on such a short course.
- I would make a day trip out of this course only because its different than most courses, and because Water Tower Park is located only minuets away.
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5 1
hugheshilton
Experience: 13.6 years 44 played 6 reviews
2.50 star(s)

A Disappointment 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 22, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

- Beautiful park setting.
- Some technical holes that will really make you consider your shots from a risk/reward point of view.
- Multiple pads (2 or even 3!) on most holes.
- Multiple basket placements.
- Navigation from hole to hole is pretty easy.

Cons:

- Real punishments for missing your lines (as in an opportunity to lose a disc in the river on about 2/3rds of the holes).
- It's kind of hard to tell which placement any particular basket is actually in.
- There were some holes on the back 9 with really no sort of defined fairway. You were just throwing through a huge group of trees and hoping you didn't hit one of the big branches. I don't mind narrow fairways at all, but having some sort of defined fairway is important. "Throw and pray" type holes are not particularly fun.
- LOTS of overlapping/shared/crossing fairways. I can't stress enough how terrible the final 9 holes of this course are if you have a group either behind or in front of you. You're literally throwing AT each other on almost every hole. It's ridiculous. Whoever designed this course should have made a 12-15 hole course, which is all they really have room for instead of creating an 18 hole course where you're likely to get hit on about half the holes. It's really a shame, but getting hit by fast flying plastic can really ruin your round and your day.

Other Thoughts:

If there were no one else playing the course, this would really be a great place to play a round. It is a beautiful park and a fairly challenging course considering all the water hazards. However, when I played, there was a group of 6 or 7 idiots in front of us (me and a friend) who wouldn't let us pass. They were constantly chucking discs at us on the latter half of this course because of all the shared/overlapping fairways (not exactly their fault because the course is poorly designed but they had absolutely no courtesy about it). Literally almost every hole on the back 9 has an opportunity to hit someone playing either the previous hole or the next hole. Needless to say, this really detracts from the enjoyment of a round of golf. If this course were to eliminate several holes, they could have 12-15 really reasonable holes and I would give them a better rating than the current setup. It's just too easy to get hit on holes that share fairways.
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10 0
thrembo
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 48.9 years 242 played 194 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Sarasota's Finest 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Oct 13, 2013 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Wonderful neighborhood course that makes the best, out of what's available.

Lightly wooded, minor elevation changes and other interesting terrains make for a fun round.

Plenty of water hazards add to the excitement. There are two sets of tees, so lesser players can have easier water carries, or layups, to minimize disc loss's, or having to "Go Swimming".

Very highly maintained. The local league does a great job. They also have weekly events and host legendary tournaments.



Cons:

There is a lot of water here. If you or your discs are completely allergic to water, stay far away from this course. The risk can be minimized by playing from the short tees or laying up, but there could be a strong chance of losing a disc here.

Other Thoughts:

I used to think that Water Tower was my favorite Sarasota area course, but over the years, Lakeview has passed it up. It's very charming now. And who wouldn't want to risk a disc to play a charming course? Pack a couple of extra discs, and maybe one that you wouldn't care so much if you lost, and you'll be fine!
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12 0
davmer2303
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 11.5 years 25 played 24 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Technical Beauty 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 26, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

* Great shotmaking on nearly every hole.
* Not long but still reasonable distance variety.
* Short and long tees for different skill levels.
* Tee pads are of good length and signs are clear and accurate.
* Course flows well and is obvious even for first timers because of the use of arrows under each basket.
* Multiple basket positions!
* Many holes are birdie opportunities, but high amount of risk reward.
* Bathrooms and water fountains on site.
* Course is FUN to play!

Cons:

* We played after a rain and there was a lot of standing water. Did not make it unplayable though.
* If you like to throw your high speed drivers then this is not your course. If you enjoy technical challenges then this is not a con.

Other Thoughts:

Lakeview park is a beautiful, moderately treed course playing along canals and ponds. Although there is a lot of water, I don't consider it a con. Only on 15 and 18, did it actually make me nervous. This course is a great example of risk reward. Good shots will be rewarded and bad shots will be punished. However, most water is avoidable just by playing cautiously. There are some water carries, but they are never very far. But, this course would not be fun for the brand new. There are simply too many disc eating locations. However players of moderate to high skill level should be able to find their way around around this beautifully, challenging course.
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RamsFan1
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 13.5 years 91 played 91 reviews
3.00 star(s)

A Love-Hate Relationship 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 7, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

A relatively short, technical course located in a small township park next to an elementary school complex in Sarasota. A practice basket greets you by the pavilion at the end of the park and a small plexiglass announcement board sits by hole #1. The tee pads consisting of oversized pavers are sufficient in length. Decent signage consisting of PVC pipe and/or metal framed placards depicting hole number and distance. Each hole has multiple basket placements and some have short tees. Navigation is relatively easy. Good use of what little elevation there is on the course, and a couple of elevated baskets add to the challenge. Benches exist at most holes, bathrooms are present on site and many trees provide a needed shady canopy during play.

Cons:

Water hazards are everywhere. Parts of the course play in tight quarters, and one must be "head's up" for incoming discs at various junctures. Lakeview will not appeal to the guy who likes to grip and rip.

Other Thoughts:

Though an okay course, I did not enjoy my experience here. Any fun factor one could have- and there ARE some good holes- is negated by the ridiculously oppressive amount of water that covers the grounds. One has a legitimate chance of going into the water on 11 or 12 of the 18 holes here (and I took full advantage), and most discs are irretrievable. Not only will bad shots be severely punished, but there's a very good chance a couple of good shots will be also. Few courses place such a high premium on accuracy, and Lakeview can be an exercise in frustration.

I gave this course a fair rating despite my misery here. Prepare to play ultra-conservatively and bring a good supply of plastic.
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10 0
ohtobediscing
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 44.5 years 401 played 41 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Land of the [Tiny] Dinosaurs 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Mar 18, 2012 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

A beautiful Southern Coastal course populated with live oaks, Spanish moss, palmettos, and pines. Though the media may seem to show a long, swamp-infested course that might cost you $100 per round in plastic, relax---its not as bad as it looks. Unless you're a poser.
The park was once an amusement attraction until the later 1950s, with a petting zoo, elephant rides[!], and a rubber-tired kiddy train that ran on a cement-block path throughout the park. The maze-like lagoon is man-made, and the corner of the park that shelters #s 15-18 was once a botanical garden: some of the exotic plants still reside there. Until the DGC went in, this park had literally gone to the dogs, and several ground-level burial markers ["Honey Bear", just SE of pin #2] attest to its former incarnation.
At most, this is fairway driver terrain, but midranges will have their day once the water closes in. The first 5 holes are more open and dry, and give you a chance to warm up your arm, while exhibiting the variety of terrain and vegetation. Small hills and the most mature trees prevail here, leaving either low-ceilinged thoroughfares or open fairways.
From #6 on, water either lines the rough, must be thrown over, or lies just to the side or behind the basket---sometimes, all four. The lagoon is waist-deep at worst, but severely murky below 1 1/2 ft. and not a pleasant wade. Rumor has a 3-4 ft. alligator in residence, but no one claims a personal sighting.
The forest closes in about the same time, making accurate drives critical for birdies and the wallet, or timid shots w/layups if par seems safer.
What should be obvious, but needs to be stated for the oblivious: this is NOT a good beginner course.
2 tees and 3 pin locations per hole, a mix of fair to very good baskets, benches, next-pin locators, covered pavilion with tables and grill, good bathrooms. Playground and a great off-leash dogpark that parallels #4. And every time you take a step, anole and pine lizards skitter from under and around you.

Cons:

Uh, well, the water. If you can't control your shots you're going to lose discs. Only wusses use floaters.
The tees, composed of cement blocks from the old train path, are moved around so much that any distance listed on the signs is an approximation.
It can be humid and buggy in the warm months.
At least one local dog owner takes pleasure in walking his mutt s-l-o-w-l-y through the DGC.
Course distinctly favors RHBH[either by turning left or having water just right of the basket], so you better have a good flick or anhyzer if you're a lefty.
As this is in a neighborhood, stores are a few miles away.

Other Thoughts:

Showed up to play Sunday doubles and wouldn't you know it, it was a Sky Pilots' work party day! 4 hours of overgrowth butchery got me all the pizza I could eat, a bunch of ace beers, and notoriety as a fierce vegetation fighter. If you're lucky, #13 basket will be in the new "elevated jailhouse" location we put in that day! The other fun bit was only 12 showed to play doubles---so we all played as one big group, and I got to watch a LOT of shot-shaping!
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