Houston, TX

MacGregor Park - Old Layout

2.835(based on 27 reviews)
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1 2
Blacky
Experience: 4 played 4 reviews
1.00 star(s)

Poor upkeep 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 16, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

Back 7 Holes were fun to play. It's in a good central location for area throwers.

Cons:

Park had some renovation take place that ruined the majority of the front holes. It makes no sense with the basket placements and pad locations.

Other Thoughts:

I wish the city would pay some attention to this course. I would avoid playing here unless you just wanna check it out for fun.
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4 2
jimjohnmarks
Experience: 12 played 11 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Destroyed by Construction 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 21, 2014 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

This is easy to get to, and will be even easier to get to when the new train line goes live any day now.

The triple tees make it great for all levels of play from "first time" to very skilled.

Everything from 200 feet to 600 feet provides variety with both left and right dog legs as well as moderate tunnels and stiff water based OB.

Cons:

The front 9 used to be wooded. The drought of 2011 killed about a hundred trees. So now it's mostly wide open and in some cases just straight, short throws right at chains.

The MLK memorial walk means that parks service re-laid the tee pads for #3 in a manner that makes no sense whatsoever. The "long" tee is shorter than the "mid" tee but at a bizarre angle forcing right handers to throw an enormous anhyzer line.

#7 has been totally ruined. They moved the basket about 75 feet and didn't put in new pads. Even if they had, it would be a 100 foot hole. It DESPERATELY needs to be moved back where it was, beyond the mature trees, with new pads behind the patio set or something.

The back nine is much more varied and generally more fun to play although the hedges between #11 and #12 get horribly over-grown and VERY dangerous to fish discs out of in the summer in terms of biting insects, spiders, thorns, &c. You can lose an hour or more trying to get a disc back.

Other Thoughts:

What's most weird to me is that parks service actually asked me, while they were surveying for the MLK memorial, what they should do with #7 to move it without ruining it, and then they did exactly what I asked them not to do. Worse, they swore #7 was the only pin they'd have to change, and then they _completely_ altered #3 in a way that makes no sense at all.

I also asked HFDS about putting in a course at Willow Waterhole about 3 years ago and they said it would have to wait for renovation of MacGregor because of the drought impact.

That was three years ago. We're still waiting for the renovation and we're still waiting for a course at WWH.

The new tee pads at Agnes are nice and all, but they're a slow start for a city whose selection of public courses are being decimated by construction, drought, neglect and vandalism.

This course is one of the most centrally located in the city, especially of the full 18 basket courses, and yet seems to get essentially no attention whatsoever in terms of up-keep.

My guess is all the HFDS guys moved out to the 'burbs and are putting all their attention into the courses they play on Saturdays which are 20+ miles outside the city, but which they consider "Houston" courses. It is a real shame.

The original wooded layout here was extremely challenging and technical despite short distances. A rare treat in Houston. Now it's just a mess. But I can't drive out to Texas Army Trail (or even TC Jester) at 4pm on a weekday. It would take hours.
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3 3
ejsanchezjr
Experience: 11 played 5 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Good for almost all skill levels 2+ years drive by

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

Pros:

Liked the idea that there were three sets of tees, although the back set of tees appeared to be not too much farther than the middle which I played. Course is easy to navigate and has a map by hole 1 which you also pass on the way to hole 11 to refresh your memory. Hole 12 is a neat right to left blind shot. Fence by bayou prevents errant shots on 15 from going in, but it may just be there for the construction.

Cons:

A bit short maybe for some long throwers, but I'm not one of them. Played when it had rained a bit and the sandy areas that weren't gloppy were very slippery. Again, construction probably has something to do with it. Navigation without the map would be difficult, especially between 13 and 14.

Other Thoughts:

When the new trees come in and the construction is complete, this will be a gem. Could be a few years yet.
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1 3
Masonian
Experience: 7 played 7 reviews
2.50 star(s)

For all skill levels 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 25, 2013 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Free, not crowded, easy to find tees and pins, easy to drive to for people who live in medical center, midtown, montrose. Where I go for routine maintenance of my skills.

Cons:

Boring course -- flat and very few obstacles. Sometimes the kids from the nearby playground wander into the course and you have a skip a hole or two.

Other Thoughts:

Be sure not to throw it over the fence into the bayou -- infested with fire ants!
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1 2
windsurf17
Experience: 15 played 10 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Good old fashion course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 18, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

* In the middle of Houston
* Exists
* Probably fun with a group of casuals

Cons:

* Pretty old fashion park course
* Flat and mostly open

Other Thoughts:

A buddy told me he played this course in the early 90's and it was a "don't leave you wallet in plain sight" course. I didn't find the area to be bad at all but maybe that's what 20 years does. It is a basic city park, like many early courses, and is pretty easy.

It was easy to follow the layout, especially with the map found on this site. I pulled it up on my phone to make sure I didn't waste any time wandering around. Even on a windy day where I wasn't shooting great, I came in E and was okay with that.
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5 0
c_a_miller
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 11.9 years 299 played 207 reviews
2.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Oct 8, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

- There are 3 different tees that are all distinctly marked, something that is rare to see in Houston.
- The course is easy to find as it is off of a very busy Old Spanish Trail road. The course also is very easy to navigate.
- The baskets are all in good shape, they may be showing a little bit of weather wear but they all have their structural integrity. There is also a practice basket right before the first hole which is always a plus.
- There are a mix of shots off the tees. A few holes need a big hyzer around trees.
-This is a good beginner course. There aren't enough trees anymore to get frustrated by hitting them. Most baskets are straight shots, perfect for beginners.
-There are not any holes that is really possible to lose a disc
-With the area that it in no one is usually ever playing which gives you a chance to throw multiple discs off the tee if you want.

Favorite Holes: #14 #15

Cons:

-One con is the area that the course is in. There are sketchy individuals around but most do not want any business with disc golfers and will let you be.
- After the drought of 2011 several big trees have died and have been removed. This leaves little to no imagination when it comes to shots. Most holes have no obstacles to block your shot so the holes, especially on the front 9 feel very repetitive.
-The tee pads are all there but they are made out of a gravel substance, not concrete. A few are becoming rutted and some "blue" pads are disappearing all together.

Worst Hole: #5

Other Thoughts:

The course has had new trees planted but it will be many years before they grow into anything like the trees were before the drought.

If you are taking a tour of Houston courses this will be one that needs to be on the list, just not on the top of the list.

This course sort of has two parts. The first 10 holes are on one side of the street and the last 8 are on the other side of the street. The first 10 can be played fairly quickly so if you are in a rush it is a great course to only play a small part of. However, the back 8 holes are much more challenging and different then the front 10.

UPDATE: A few holes have been removed because of the MLK statue being built near hole 2
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6 0
nomex
Experience: 11.8 years 10 played 5 reviews
3.00 star(s)

A Quick Front Nine in 30 Minutes 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 10, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

MacGregor Park isClose to the Medical Center and Rice Village and has ample parking. The course plays quickly and you can be done with a round in under an hour and a half (playing red tees with an equally skilled partner) if you can par most of the holes. I didn't get a chance to play this course in its former glory before the drought and subsequent tree kill, but the current course is perfect for introducing players to the sport (it was my first course). Just tell your new players to buy a putter and a midrange and loan them one of your drivers, because they won't really need/know what drivers to buy.

The tee boxes are asphalt and the course has a good flow to it. There is a practice hole with putting markers between hole ten and the walkup to the first tee box. If you mix in ABC holes between 4 and 5, you're going to have a bit of a walk, but it is nice to have an extra three holes if you wish. My favorite holes are 12, 16, and 18. In the summer months you can show up at 7 pm and still have plenty of light when you finish the round.

Cons:

A few more tree obstacles would have been nice, but what can you do, they pretty much all died after the drought. This place does get a little swampy after the rain, but it does drain in a couple of days. My buddy and I played the course right after a thunder storm and the drainage ditch before the 4th basket was filled. We played the course again two days later and the water was gone.

Watch out for hole 10, it's built for the vertically challenged - you may need to putt from your knees, or just imagine you're putting downhill.

Other Thoughts:

This is not a realy challenging course, but is it fun for a quick round. You'll only need two to three discs for this course depending on your arm. Try the hyzer shot over the chain link fence on 16 for some "pucker factor", and don't worry - there's a hold in the fence for you to retrieve your disc. Hole 12 seems taylor made for new players since it's a dogleg left. It's just the perfect shot for "noob hyzers" with a 13 speed driver.

To speed up play, my buddy and I drive from hole 6 and then hole 7, and then play out hole 6.

I wish there were a course at Hermann Park, but this will have to do. It does play fast, and my buddy and I were able to leave our local pub in Rice Village, play the front nine in 30 minutes, and got back to our seats before anyone knew we were gone.

This is a great beginner course and for the bigger arms, you could just mix up the tees and maybe use the blue tees for your up shotting. This course plays well with a kid in a Maclaren or Bob stroller.


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10 0
Donovan
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 37 years 300 played 187 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Thank Goodness These Trees Don’t Move! 2+ years

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

Pros:

This course has lots of sparse tall trees over a large flat park area. The trees are what make this course. Many of the holes require good disc control to navigate the lines to the basket, without there being so many trees that make some people feel things are "unfair". This place actually has a full set of three tees for each hole. Their locations are varied enough on many holes to give the holes a different look. The tee pads are not concrete, they are a kind of asphalt; they are still good tee pads. This course also has bathrooms, a message board (with a course map on it), and decent parking.

Cons:

Except the different tee pads, there really isn't much of hole-length variance here. Short tees will be about 220, mids are at about 275, and longs are around 350. The 3 bonus holes, A, B & C (19-21) are much longer though. There is not much in the way of tee signs, and some of the navigation can get tricky, so take a pic of the map to help you out. There seems to be some drinkers and/or homeless people ever so often. So keep that in mind.

Other Thoughts:

The Fun Factor here was good. I love navigating disc flights around trees and this was all of that. The 3 extra holes were really just throw hard and long and that is fine if you like those. Plus, that area did give you room to practice your throws. This place had a practice basket as well. I really enjoyed this course. If I go back down here I will certainly play here again.
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2 5
MrNiceFella
Experience: 17 played 15 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Fun Game 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 18, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

Multiple distance tees. Lots of trees. Fun place to play.

Cons:

I wouldn't be comfortable going to this park without a couple of buddies. There are some shady characters that hang out in and around the park. Layout of course was a little bit confusing.
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1 6
GFWilliams
Experience: 13.6 years 8 played 3 reviews
2.50 star(s)

MacGregor 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 11, 2010 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Tee pads are in good condition. Has a good mix of long and short shots.

Cons:

Holes in the front 9 are practically on top of each other. this makes for a frustrating path from basket to tee pad, especially if your throwing from the advanced (yellow) tees.

Other Thoughts:

Beware of hole 16. By far the most dificult on the course, and the only one that has a chance of swallowing your disc.
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2 4
bserpas
Experience: 13.5 years 2 played 2 reviews
2.50 star(s)

In Texas 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 8, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

This course is ideal for a beginning player.No water on the course so theres always the option to be aggressive and go for the pin.

Cons:

Not much imagination went into the course development,somewhat easy with lack of real distance.

Other Thoughts:

I played this course with my brother-in-laws who have never played before and it was very enjoyable to just go out and be able to shoot for the pin and not have to worry about them loosing disc.
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6 0
martinb
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 44.6 years 183 played 57 reviews
3.00 star(s)

MacGregor Park, Houston TX 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 17, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

Alternate tee pads, bathrooms, 21 holes

Cons:

Crazy course layout, too many alternate tee pads?.

Other Thoughts:

This course is in a well established park with mature trees and practically no other foliage in sight. The park is flat, with sandy soil that may challenge your footing if your not careful. There is a huge bulletin board at the start of the course with the entire course layout to look at. Trees play a huge role in making this course technically challenging. Most fairways demand your attention to those trees for proper execution of your tee shot and advancement down the fairways. There are 3 sets of well-marked teepads on every hole, blue, red and gold. Tee pads are crushed asphalt. Visibility from hole to hole is high so you wont get lost the first time out. A little bit of a walk to the A, B, and C holes between holes 4 and 5. The blue tees are short, in the 250-300 foot range. The gold tees stretch out the course, in the 350-450 foot range. Holes A, B, and C, are separate from the course proper and adds 1500 feet to the course length.
Course player attraction covers a wide range with alternate tee pads. Beginners will like the shorter, blue pads and advanced players will like the longer, gold pads. The mid, red tee pads may give beginners a tougher throw compared to the blues, but on the average doesn't create a much of a difference to the blue tee pads.
I played this course on a Friday afternoon, hardly anyone else was there. I don't believe this course gets too crowded considering the neighborhood, not being the best. This course covers a lot of area though, so you can have lots of people playing and not notice. Unfortunately I didn't have too much fun here. I got bored with the same repetitive tee shot (gold tees), for the most part, though course design strove to give you different looks off the tee pads using the trees in the park as obstacles down the fairways. The terrain is very 2 dimensional, flat with trees. If you can throw a roller you would crush this course.
I had issues with some of the holes, I think 7, 8, maybe 9 or 10, where you teed off, completed the hole and then had to walk completely back down the fairway and teed off right next to the previous tee. Safety is the obviously reason for this, as there are conflicts with other park amenities to account for. BUT, sometimes dropping a hole from an area and putting in another hole somewhere else may be much more desirable for continuity and ease of play.... and safety. As it is, it detracted from the entire experience this course offers. There also seemed to be some alternate tee pads that really didn't need to be there. I understand the philosophy for providing alternate teepads for every hole to get your SSA rating established, but some of them were unnecessary, and in my opinion detracted from the overall course rating.
Overall MacGregor Park is a solid course with lots to offer most ability levels.
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2 0
scuddyp4
Experience: 16.8 years 32 played 11 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Good Course 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Oct 25, 2010 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Good mix of holes and shots. Recently upgrade tees. Not concrete but still good asphalt that isn't loose. You can easily find the next tee box and the course flows really well. You don't really need a map if you are over the age of 4 and can see. Usually can find someone to play with in the afternoons if you want. Not a lot of opportunities to lose a disc (other than 16 if you hang it out over the bayou). Good field to throw in by the ABC holes. Plenty of parking. Practice basket by 10's basket and before 1's tee. Good use of the trees in the park to make the course challenging.

Cons:

Not the best neighborhood. I would suggest playing in a group or at least pack some heat. I've never had any problems but there are always some shady folks hanging around. Usually you will have some non-dgers walk across the hole that your playing on and even if they see someone else from your group throwing they won't stop (almost daring you to hit them (that's when a good high speed driver comes into it's own)). Blue tees are a little small although the course does play very short from the blues and isn't much of a challenge it would still be nice to at least be able to do an x-step.

Other Thoughts:

Watch out for the bayou on 16 if the wind is howling it can really make that hole interesting. Birdie opportunities on most holes from the red tees. Gold tees make the course a little more challenging because it becomes a longer course and if you don't have distance you'll be playing for par on most holes, but still very manageable for the average player. Blue tees are great for mid practice as there are few holes over 250. Overall this course loses points for the neighborhood and that's really it. Good houston course that you should check out.
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3 0
deadlyheatray
Experience: 24.3 years 14 played 1 reviews
3.00 star(s)

A great course to hone skills 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 1, 2010 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

- three tee boxes per basket
- three alternate baskets offering longer range drives and a 21-basket round
- trees abound
- difficulty of the course serves as both a challenge for beginners and great opportunity for intermediate and advance players to hone their skills

Cons:

- tee boxes can be a mess sometimes
- located in a sometimes heavily used public park (read: at times you have to dodge some park goers)
- holds water. i'd suggest waiting a day or two after a good rain.

Other Thoughts:

this is a great course to learn how to throw your discs. it provides variety for beginners and plenty of obstacles.
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2 2
bobbeno
Experience: 15.2 years 12 played 12 reviews
3.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 12, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Nice course, trees on almost every hole, but not too heavily wooded. Fun & easy round of disc'n. Well maintained most of the time.

Cons:

Tends to hold water after a good rain, can get a little muddy at the start/finish of first 10 holes.

Other Thoughts:

Tee boxes could use a little TLC
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9 0
SpringDgLover
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 19 years 107 played 25 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Course of the Cougars 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jul 3, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

Located a hop, skip, and a jump from UH this course is a downtown Houston tradition. This course provides the central part of town a much needed disc golf experience.

The holes are well balanced with shots equally favoring forehands and backhands. Each hole is typically protected by at least one tree and usually there are trees close to the teebox that make you change an angle you thought might have been there.

The park itself is very well maintained. I did not see any trash on the course and there were quite a few friendly disc golfers looking to play with whoever walked up. It's easy to see that the people who play this course alot have an affinity for it.

I felt very relaxed playing this course and never felt overwhelmed. Which can be a welcome breather from courses like Oak Meadows, McDade, Jack Brooks 1&2, and River Grove.

Cons:

I thought that Agnes Moffitt had the worst teeboxes in Houston.... I stand corrected. These boxes are B A D bad and playing from the side on most of them is almost obligitory.

Although the course is very well maintained. It is located in a somewhat shady side of town and you will have the occasional character cross your path.

This course is not what I would call a "hard" or "challenging" course. As I said it is very laid back so if you're looking for a challenge look elswhere. Most holes dont exceed 300' so being a bomber won't do much good out here.

Other Thoughts:

All and all I always seem to enjoy myself at MacGregor. Although it may not be the most challenging course in Houston it may be one of the most fun to play.
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6 1
shamgar07
Experience: 15.6 years 6 played 6 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Mac daddy 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 5, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Sign with course layout when you walk up to the first tee, it is a good course with a good chuck of trees to present a bit of fun. It can be a birdiefest if you are shooting good.

Cons:

Some of the bricks are hard to find and the tees have the feet written on them and our starting to fade.

Other Thoughts:

It is a fun course to go relax and play a round or two with your buds and go home feeling good. it is still tough at times but overall fun.
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4 0
ChrisMacG
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 16.2 years 219 played 31 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Eponymous review. 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 28, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Great wooded course without underbrush. Not overly challenging but difficult enough for seasoned players. The practice basket has one of the best 'clock' set-ups in Houston and is a great place to practice putting. The north side of the course makes good use of elevation changes.

Cons:

The course could use better markings. On your first run through the course it is a bit difficult to figure out where to go to next. The occasional group picnicking in the middle of the course happens a bit too frequently.

Other Thoughts:

A really nice course and a nice park. It does get a bit sketchy after dusk though.
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16 0
srm_520
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 20 years 156 played 142 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Easy 18 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Apr 10, 2009 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Possibly the most used course in central Houston, MacGregor is a good 18 hole course with three additional long holes located at the south west end of the park for those players who just didn't get enough.

There are three tee placements, but two are marked only with large bricks and can be difficult to spot, but the main red tees are marked with posts showing the number and yardage. The pins show their years of wear, but are still in decent shape.

There are no real elevation changes, but this is normal for the Houston area. The front nine play a tighter technical course, and the back nine open up slightly for players needing to air it out. Beginners will enjoy this course, since most holes are short and straight with 16 being the only one "big" hole playing over 400' along the bayou. More experienced players will certainly be tempted to play out over the fence on this hole and bring it back into the clearing for a good risk/reward shot.

There is a full course map, which is good since a few holes play back on each over the front nine and could be confusing to the first timers. There is also plenty of parking, the course is stroller friendly for families, and there is a big playground area for kids, which is visible from most of the front nine.

BEST HOLE/S: #14 (minus tee box); #16

Cons:

The biggest gripe would certainly be the tee boxes. The gravel tee boxes vary from decent to straight up hazardous shape. Hole five tee has a large left over piece asphalt making footing treacherous, and the short 14's tee box is just begging for someone to sprain an ankle.

Some may argue that the course is too straightforward with no real challenge that force players beyond the beginner level to work to get par. An experienced player looking to be challenged should drive south to Tom Bass Park or north to Oak Meadow Park (private) or Spring Valley DGC.

WORST HOLE/S: #5

Other Thoughts:

MacGregor, along with Jim Mozola DGC are the only true course options for people in the southern area of Houston. Both Jack Brooks courses are fairly far away, and Anges Moffitt Park is equal in the opposite direction, so it's not surprising the amount of play this course receives.

I enjoy MacGregor since I can shoot low with many birdie opportunities, but I still have to work to earn them. With plenty of trees to contend with, it's a completely different challenge than Anges Moffitt Park up the road. While it certainly shows it's age, MacGregor is a solid disc golf course that could be a perennial Houston course if had a makeover that included some better tee boxes and more accurate color signs.
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2 3
jlow54
Experience: 20.1 years 19 played 7 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Macgregor What Son... 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 9, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Nicely laid out gives you room to open up and throw, but also gives you a chance to work on the finesse aspect...

Cons:

I agree, it is in a rough area, but whos going to come mess with a big group of people throwing things? The only con I could really find with this course is the monster chain-link fence that you could very well fly over if not careful...

Other Thoughts:

Good park, I play it when Im in the Old Spanish Trail area for work, itll give you a workout though
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