Iowa City, IA

Peninsula Park DGC

3.55(based on 27 reviews)
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11 0
wolfhaley
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 19.9 years 970 played 542 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 6, 2023 Played the course:once

Pros:

Peninsula Park is home to a very nice, well designed 18 hole course. There's a mixture of tightly wooded, slightly wooded and a couple open holes. The majority of the course is of the tightly wooded variety though.

The baskets are Mach III's that are on the older side but still caught well enough. The baskets themselves are painted a bright orange which was much appreciated. Very easy to spot in the woods. Normally Mach III's might as well be camoflauged. One basket, but dual pin positions on each hole.

Two concrete tee pads on each hole from what I could tell. We played from whichever one we seen first or found more interesting for our round so it wasn't a particular layout. All pads seemed to be in good shape and level. I don't recall any issues on these so I'd assume both the blue and red pads are plenty serviceable.

The wooded holes are really fun here. Tight lines but most had a couple different gaps you could play. The fairways were cleared of debris and in overall great shape. The rough can get tough on these holes, but not too terrible for the most part. You should be able to find something in most spots. The semi open holes towards the end were a different story though.

The flow of the course is pretty simple. I don't think I had to use the map once due to the well worn paths between holes. There was also some next tee signs were needed and even when it was pretty obvious. The course starts and ends pretty close to the parking area.

The river can come into play on a few holes, 13 and 16, depending on pin placement. It'd require a horrendous throw on 16, but is possible. Hole 13 when in the long, which we played, is much more in play. The course is mostly flat but there's a couple spots, mostly toward the end where a little bit of elevation comes into play. Very slight, but it's present.

Cons:

The first and last holes are kind of filler type holes. Not the worst of problems to have really, and they're not terrible holes either. They're basically there just to get you from the parking lot to the good stuff and back. They just don't really fit in with the rest of the course. But I get it.

A few of the lines could use a bit of trimming. Not too many, but a few of the lines were kind of random. Keep in mind I only played from a mix of different tees. Still some plinko feeling shots here.

The baskets are starting to show their age a bit. This would be the number one thing I, and I'd assume most locals, would like to see upgraded. For such a solid course like this it's always a letdown playing on Mach's.

There's a decent chance of lost disc potential here. The river, some thick willowy stuff on 15, and just some other random places throughout. You can also throw into the dog park on 18 if you get a little too aggressive. Probably won't lose you disc but it may come back with some tooth marks in it after being a chew toy for a bit. I should've mentioned it in the pros, but it's not Dogparkreview.com, but the dog park here is pretty gigantic. Like Six Flags for dogs amazing.

The course is the most tailored to all skill levels in Iowa City. Therefore it's very popular, and in turn VERY busy. For good reason of course, but expect some delays if playing in peak hours.

Other Thoughts:

This course was damn fun. I'd play here all the time if I lived around here. Just a great mix of different layouts and not overly strenuous like Coralville. This one and Sugar Bottom would easily be my most played courses. Depending where I lived in relation to each I'd probably play them about evenly. Very nice course that deserves a visit if you're near here. Highly recommend, even with all the nitpicky cons I listed. Very good, and just fun, course.
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14 0
Surge5
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 9.7 years 166 played 166 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Lorem Ipsum and So On

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 25, 2022 Played the course:once

Pros:

Peninsula has a good set of woods to play with on the banks of the Iowa River. Tall mature trees will challenge the shot-shaping abilities of the best around.

The amenities are all in order. Two tee pads, each with their own sign. A MachIII basket in decent shape on each hole, and signage on how to get to each of the next tees. To further credit the course, the maintenance is well done. Rough is left rough, fairways are clean of debris, and the paths between holes are kept up very nicely. Going off the fairway is sometimes punished a little harshly, but that's part of the design.

The woods begin at hole 2 and don't let up until hole 13. Some very tight tunnels on 4, 9, and 10 are complimented by some larger gaps on 3, 6, and 11. Some slight uphills and downhills throughout but nothing massive apart from hole 11 with a big drop off the tee before moving to the left.

Hole 13, but only in the par 4 spot. A 15ft wide gap which jogs the fairway to the left sits about 200ft off the tee, then the river runs the rest of the way down the right side to the pin. The rough separating the short green and long fairway is too high, but apart from that it's a great multi-shot hole.

The elevation holes are few, but memorable. The aforementioned hole 11 has a similar drop to hole 15, which plays straight away or to the forehand player. Hole 17's long pin slopes away behind the basket which could make for a tricky putt, and hole 10 is slowly but steadily uphill for all 560ft.

Two tees on each hole, and each one brings something different to the course, whether it's adding distance, a different line, or completely changing how you attack the hole, none of them feel unnecessary. It's a big advantage this course has over others.

Cons:

Lack of fairways. Holes 2 and 6 just have... nothing, and hole 8 isn't much bigger. A small gap is fine, but a non-gap is an issue. There are ways to get there, but the margins for error are so fine that a birdie is going to come from a big throw-in rather than a skillful drive.

Hole 1. The only obstacle is air.

The last couple holes are weak in comparison to the rest. Hole 16 is a simple right-finish, hole 17 is a bigger right-finish, and hole 18 is a dogleg right... which can be beaten with - you guessed it - a right finish. All three of these are also severely lacking in obstacles and feel jarringly different from the rest of the course.

A few of the long tees in the woods were overgrown - I believe it was holes 5 and 8.

Other Thoughts:

Having a course with two tees on every hole is always going to gain it points. The course isn't perfect, being bookended with boring holes isn't great and having unfairly tree-cluttered holes in the middle won't help, but in the end, the park did a fine job with this property when there wasn't much else to do with this land. It stays out of the way of the rest of the park, and the woods are dense enough to keep the course in its own little world. It's worth your time for a quick, but solid course.
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9 0
Pevio
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 11.9 years 188 played 120 reviews
4.00 star(s)

A Riverside Paradise

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 24, 2022 Played the course:once

Pros:

Peninsula is full of variety that will bring fun, challenge, and wooded holes to every round. Signage is excellent, with lots of signs directing you to the next tee, even when the red and blue tees aren't close to each other. The Iowa River is visible on several holes but only comes into play on the long pin on 13. I played the day after a lot of rain, but the ground was hardly soggy at all.

There's not a ton of elevation change, but it's always fun when it's present. The elevated tee shots on 11 and 15 are really cool, giving several options and a little risk/reward potential, while still being completely fair. Holes 8 and 10 are uphill and provide some spicy challenge as well.

The course is mostly wooded, yet manages to have no two wooded holes feel even remotely similar. Some holes are just throw-it-straight (5, 8), some have you threading the needle (4, 6, 10), and some allow you to shape a wide S-curve (3, 12). All of these have early danger, but lots of reward if you hit your line correctly. Most holes have alternate pins that keep the identity of the hole the same, while changing the challenge a little bit.

I also like holes 11-16, which are still somewhat in the woods, but have much more open fairways than most of the rest of the course. They have room to air it out, but still plenty of danger if you go off the fairway. They also have at least some elevation change on just about all of them. It was a little disappointing that the red tees are pushed down the hill on 11, 12, and 15, but it makes those holes a little more approachable and doesn't take away from a challenging tee shot.

There are two teepads on every hole, and they are used excellently. The red tees are certainly a lot easier than the blues, but don't compromise on any of the awesomeness the blue tees offer. They're still challenging and fun. On a few of the wooded holes, the red tee isn't necessarily shorter, it's just off to the side where the line is a little more open. Other times, the difficulty of the two pads are similar, so you can play different pads on different rounds for a unique experience.

Cons:

The open holes (1, 17, 18) are a little too open. They hardly have anything in the way and overall aren't all that exciting. Now, the long tees and long pins help with this, providing a little more distance and making a slightly technical tee shot on 17 and 18, but I still don't think they're exciting enough.

A few wooded holes are just a little too tight. Hole 6 has no reasonable gap past 150 feet or so, and hole 8 is just too far, even from the red tee, for the gap that it has. A few others (4 and 10) are fair in my opinion, but may require a little luck getting through one of the early gaps. Finally 13 in the long position has no reasonable line that I could see; cutting down or trimming one tree would help, but would make the short pin real boring.

While the course is fair for right-handed and left-handed throwers, there are a few holes that aren't. In my experience, holes 2, 6, 15, and 18 are a bit LHBH/RHFH-friendly, and holes 3 and 11 are the opposite. However, had I been playing on different tees or pins, my experience may have been a little different.

A few walks between holes are pretty long, mostly because the sets of tees and pins are sometimes a long way from each other. Fortunately, the excellent signage will make sure you always end up where you need to be.

Other Thoughts:

Despite being an older design, Peninsula has maintained its status as an excellent course with a lot of excellent holes. I would like to see room made in the woods for a few more holes, some holes that start in the open and finish in the woods (or vice-versa), or possibly more holes like 11 that are in the woods but have a wide fairway.

The pars listed on this site don't reflect the tee signs very well. I don't think there's a single par 5, and only around 2 par 4's (depending on pin placements).

If you come here, make sure you walk across the bridge over the river to the northwest of the course.
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11 0
Dude Bro
Experience: 26 played 3 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Challenging for any skill level 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 24, 2021 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

This course is a beast. It will challenge every part of your game including your mental focus and commitment.

1) Each hole is challenging. Whether its the distance, a tight fairway, restrictive tee shot or elevation drops behind baskets, you won't be able to just relax and throw very often. Getting par on some holes will feel good, birdies are great.

2) Great variety in all aspects of the course. Almost every hole has multiple lines of attack and allow you to develop your game and approach each time you play the course. Depending on wind and course set up you can play different shots every time. Each hole has 2 tee pads and 2 pin locations for a total of 72 possible different configurations.

3) I've seen and heard many complaints about the rough nature of this course. I've been playing here 10+ years and every year it gets a little better. Fairways get pushed back a bit, the nettles aren't as thick, the brush cleans up and the low branches fall off. This course is aging well and will only get better which is encouraging as it takes many play throughs to appreciate each hole.

4) This course is mentally challenging. Playing solo, causal or in a tournament.

5) Great tournament course. Due to the variability in each hole, each player can navigate the course in a unique way to earn a low score. Almost every hole can lead to a 2-3 stroke swing so you never feel like your off the lead pace after a bad hole or two.

6) Multiple signature holes, mostly from blue pads that rarely get used.
Holes 1, 3 and 5 from blue pads, hole 6 is a par 4 from either pad in long, 10 is a par 4 from blue, 11 blue long is amazing after holes 2-9 play through thick forest and you walk out into the open sun and a 600 ft par 4. 13 long from red or blue is a par 4 that plays along the river, the tee shot from 15 blue is elevated but still plays into a tight fairway, usually into a head wind and hole 18 has multiple right dog-legs to reach a protected green with guardian trees and canopy.

7) You'll find lots of discs.

8) Pretty friendly for players using cart bags.

Cons:

1) Some holes have too many small trees cluttering the fairway and good tee shots that stay clean can get chopped down by random obstacles. Even worse, clean drives can end up behind one of these trees and the overall experience feels like getting cheated out of a good tee shot. The same can be said about low canopies that change with the seasons. Either dead branches that get caught and hang down or older trees with heavier limbs, these can be frustrating and ruin otherwise decent shots.

2) Course isn't pretty. The layout is great, but the course has a rough, beat in look and feel. Most fairways have a lot of debris and stick piles pushed off into the rough.

3) Stinging nettles can be annoying but they are much better than several years ago. Each season the fairways get trimmed back a little more and it's slowly clearing the nettles.

4) Getting stuck behind chuckers on a busy weekend is rough and slow going.

Other Thoughts:

This course really needs multiple play throughs to build up a good repertoire of shots and learn how the wind plays. Doing so takes time and with a lot of errors but in the end you'll be better for it. Playing the course once is doing it a disservice and most people skip the blue pads entirely.

This probably isn't the best course to bring young kid or inexperienced players for a casual round either.

Conclusion: Great course, very challenging, lots of diversity, a few really special golf holes that will make you want to come back and try again.
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0 4
BlackberryGirl
Experience: 15 played 15 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Good Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 14, 2020 Played the course:once

Pros:

Course is well maintained with good signage. All holes playable. We enjoyed the scenery.

Cons:

The few holes near river were a bit rough (long grass, uneven walking).

Other Thoughts:

Updating review since none since 2018.
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2 1
iconoclastes
Experience: 10.8 years 84 played 10 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Solid Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 5, 2018 Played the course:once

Pros:

Great signage, fun holes in the woods that are quite technical, garbages on most holes. When you land in the rough, it isn't too thick to lose a disc but it's still unforgiving in that you don't have many lanes to get out. It's a course that has the fun factor built in with many open but tight lanes to get to the basket. It's a course that can be hard to par if you don't have a very good drive which is the way it should be.

Cons:

The first hole into the woods and the last couple out are boring. And currently 4 holes are flooded.

Other Thoughts:

This course was a nice surprise on my trip to the area. I knew it had potential but I underestimated how good it could actually be. I really wish those 4 holes were not out so I could play the all but from everything else I saw, this is one of the better courses in the area just behind Shaver and Wildcat.
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0 2
RFLHXS
Experience: 15 played 3 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Good mix 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:May 28, 2017 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

A very well cared for and marked course. A good mix of moderately challenging holes.

Cons:

If the Iowa river is up it can flood a couple of areas. Bugs, bring repellant.

Other Thoughts:

A fun course to play without to many hills. It offers some challenging fare ways.
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8 0
Qikly
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 11.7 years 181 played 148 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Insert Corn-y Title Here 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 5, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

Peninsula Park offers an excellent round of mostly-wooded disc golf. The course bookends a technical stretch in the woods with more open sections that help mix up play: there's a distinct feel between the holes in the woods and those outside them, especially the closing holes which loosen up gradually and even introduce a bit of elevation into the mix. The opening hole is a nice, low pressure warm up, whereas the closing stretch of holes challenges you with a nice mix of lines and stressed landing zones as they progress back out into more open terrain. In between is the wooded environment that defines the course, which features lots of multi-lane holes and different takes on wooded golf. Having a mix of FH and BH is rewarded. There are lots of trees in play, but lines are well-defined and undergrowth is well-cleared, so any threat of poke and pray is smartly avoided. The course's technical demands reward skill and minimize flukey tree kicks.

The two sets of tees offer some decent variety and enable you to calibrate the time and intensity of your round without losing interest regardless of which set you play. The orange baskets are a welcome touch that make the pins easy to find amidst the wooded backdrop. I definitely appreciated having them. The concrete tees were great. The course is easy to find and accessible off the interstate.

Cons:

The course emphasizes par 3s, making the experience a bit less varied than it could have been. Design could be improved by having a few longer multistage par 4s, which definitely seems possible given the sizable wooded environment. Outside of this particular critique is the fact that the design while great is far from flashy: particular holes don't seem to stick in the mind's eye. It's a blue collar course (certainly not a bad thing, just a limiting factor).

I mentioned the barest hint of elevation that is present on a few holes, but it's just that: the course is largely flat. Not much can be done about this of course but it does limit the technical demands present and the amount of novelty that's possible. The course doesn't get repetitive per se, but it plays a bit safer than it seems it ought to owing to the absence of elevation, which would add a nice wrinkle.

A few of the open holes are a bit mundane.

Although there are two sets of tees even the shorter ones aren't truly beginner friendly. Many of the lines and lanes require at least high novice/low intermediate skill to properly engage with. This is a great course for an intermediate player to hone their precision, but a beginner is going to take a disheartening level of lumps.

I'm sure the bugs can get brutal here.

Other Thoughts:

I hit this course to break up a drive between Omaha and Chicago and it was perfectly positioned to do that. I really enjoyed my round here: it was engaging course while being not so difficult enough as to punish me after being foggy from four hours worth of driving. I'd highly recommend making a stop here!
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2 2
mmeseck
Experience: 8 years 5 played 5 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Kill me now 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 23, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

This course offers a challenge to any disc thrower. It is loaded with trees and has a nice finish along the Iowa River. A number of the holes have multiple angles of approach so any type of thrower should find this course enjoyable.

Cons:

Some holes it feels like there are too many trees. And a lot of undergrowth that can lead to lost discs for someone who isn't a pro. If you are a beginner I would play this course in spring or late fall when the trees are bare and the undergrowth is down.

Other Thoughts:

Fun course that offers a real challenge. Free to play.
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1 4
bk1ia
Experience: 41 years 38 played 3 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Wisdom+Disc Golf+Mother nature=LOVE! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 4, 2015 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Exquisite,natural,wooded,riverside,disc-golf experience. Enjoyable all seasons. Power,accuracy,distance,finesse,luck, all required to score low. high-vis orange baskets are welcome. 5 min. off I-80

Cons:

. I don't want to nit-pick this natural beauty. Long pants help for errant shot searches

Other Thoughts:

This is disc-golf treasure, folks!
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0 3
Mayes2158
Experience: 10.8 years 16 played 5 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Fun Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 9, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

Good variety of shots, from wide open to wooded, from FH to BH. Some very nice tight wooded shots, really enjoyed the back 9.

Cons:

Signage was in very bad condition, but the next tee markers made it easy to find the next hole.

Other Thoughts:

When I went, the course was in pretty good shape, wish people would not destroy the signs though. I would say this is definite must play if you are in the area.
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0 8
iabengalfan
Experience: 12.8 years 5 played 5 reviews
2.00 star(s)

River Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 22, 2014 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Nice mixture of open and wooded areas, putting practice area, maintiance people were there working on it so its taken care of, not vary hard to lose discs,

Cons:

Not a lot of benches or things too sit on, holes not well marked
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10 0
namar
Experience: 26.8 years 46 played 8 reviews
4.00 star(s)

serious tlc needed 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Sep 8, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

Decent variety here, from thread-the-needle in the woods to open bombers. The front 9 offers a veritable line-shaping clinic as there are quite a few holes where one needs a lazer with just a bit of fade at the end. The challenge is that little bit of fade can be left or right, though there isn't much punishment for missed lines, other than the goddamn nettles. The navigation signs work pretty well in directing you from the pin to the next tee area(s), I was by myself and had no problem finding my way around. I had the course pretty much to myself, and took that opportunity to shoot from both teepads on most holes. All in all, a pretty solid course with massive potential that just needs a little love and a few flood-free years. There was fresh sawdust in several places, so somebody is out there working. I look forward to playing it in the late fall when it's a little clearer.

Cons:

Hardly any benches, which is a bummer for those of us that don't pull a cart or carry a stool. Missing signs! Many of the teepads had no signage at all, just the post lying on the ground. The signs that are there are decent enough, showing basic hole layout and distance/par, there just aren't enough of them. Also, the goddamn NETTLES!

Other Thoughts:

I really want to rate this course higher, but the unrepaired flood damage makes it tough. If all signs were in place this course could be a 4. With the dual tees, it can almost play like 36 holes, though some are simply backed up a short distance and not all that different.

This course was essentially empty when I played on a Sunday afternoon, which isn't all that surprising given the location of the park. Definitely worth playing if you're in the area, just wear pants or long socks to mitigate those GODDAMN NETTLES! Did I mention there are some nettles here?

**** UPDATE 4/11/16 ****
Played a triples tourney here yesterday, and the course has seen massive improvement since my review 2+ years ago. All holes had tee signs, though one or two were so dirty that you could not read them. lots of ground improvements like improved cleared areas, paths to the next hole bordered and mulched, and a few log rounds scattered throughout for sitting. Still hardly any proper benches but plenty of trash bins out on the course and local club upkeep is obvious. The updates made the course worthy of a slight rating bump.
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1 2
haringj
Experience: 11.9 years 5 played 3 reviews
3.00 star(s)

This course has seen better days 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 12, 2013 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Is a very natural course, so you won't find nicely pruned trees and well trimmed fairways. No, trees and their branches are going to be a hazard, you won't find many opportunities for rollers because of the long grass (weeds) and twigs all over the ground, and if your throw strays off the fairway you're definitely going to encounter some thick brush and poison ivy. However, if you're looking for a challenge, you've found it.

Cons:

In big time disrepair. I would say extreme disrepair, but it seems there is at least one occasional care taker. This course experienced yet another flood this spring, which occurs here quite frequently these days and can impact more than half of the 18 holes. It's been quite some time since flooding now and it still looks like the waters just receded.
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4 0
Hix375
Experience: 14.1 years 8 played 5 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Better as a seasonal course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 6, 2013 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Has a good variety of tee positions that can take a hole from challenging to down right difficult.

Nice wooded area that is shaded and runs along the Iowa river.

good intermediate course.

putting range.

Cons:

Usually poorly maintained.

easy to get turned around and re-play previous holes.

a few holes interfere with each other.

Much better to play fall through early spring, once most of the vegetation is gone.

Guiding signs are a little misleading.

Other Thoughts:

Ive played through this course a few times, Summer and spring. its a beast to get through in summer once everything has grown and you can spend a while rooting around in wildly overgrown brush and poison ivy, however if you play before much has a chance to grow out, its one of my favorite courses. there are a few really long shots that are great and a good amount of terrain, its relaxing to walk through on a good day. Definitely worth giving a shot. generally less crowded than other courses in the area.
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5 1
IHearChains
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 19.8 years 211 played 34 reviews
3.50 star(s)

good variety and challenge, but flat 2+ years

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

Pros:

Mostly flat course, which has two distinct parts, built in a peninsula along a bend of the Iowa River. There are two tees and two basket positions on every hole and most of the alternate tees offer different lines, so you can play 36 different holes of golf here. There are rarely any other park users in the disc golf areas, except for an occasional dog walker.

Holes 2-10 and 12, require a variety of tight technical lines through thick established woods with some impressive old oak trees. Even though they are tough lines to hit in some cases, there are usually a couple of options on most holes. Holes 1, 11 and 13-18 are mostly open, windswept holes with low scrubby brush lining the fairways. There are several legitimate par 4 holes (1,5,6,10,11,13,18) although some become par 3s depending on the basket position. Holes 5 (blue tee) and 6 are excellent placement challenges, where even if you stay off the trees, it is tough to land the disc in position to have a clear line to the basket for a birdie 3. The course is fairly well-balanced between right-to-left and left-to-right, but this can vary a lot depending on basket positions. Big arms can reach quite a few of the longer open holes, so players without a 400ft drive need to score well in the woods to be competitive.

The overall design takes advantage of what little elevation change is available, but it is not much. There is a low bluff of about 15ft or so that divides upper and lower parts of the course, and most holes don't cross that bluff. But from the blue tees there are three fun drives (11, 12, 15) off the bluff with downhill elevation change, and one uphill approach onto the bluff (5).

Cons:

The land doesn't really allow much variety in terms of elevation change. Holes 11 and 13-16 are in a flood-prone area, and in some years it can become unplayable depending on how high the river is. And even if they are not flooded, the ground may be too soft for the mowing equipment so it can get rough. When the mowers do make it in there, they leave behind some nasty ruts, so you have to watch your step -- once the ground gets hard it is easy to turn an ankle if you're not paying attention. The woods holes 2-10 are notorious for stinging nettles if you get off the fairways. They can be brutal in the summer months. Flocks of geese hang out along the fairways of holes 13 long, 15 and 16 during the winter and it gets a little nasty.

Other Thoughts:

(edited for a couple of typos)
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7 0
mashnut
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 22.1 years 831 played 767 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Nice mix 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 24, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

The course plays through a disc golf exclusive segment of a larger park. The course is mostly flat, but the few places in the park that offer elevation changes are used well to offer a couple fun elevated tees. There are a few open holes that offer some distance and some rough lining the fairways if you throw a pretty errant shot. One of these offers some nice water hazard in the long pin position.

Most of the holes play through woods of various density. A few offer some scattered trees and little punishment, while many have tighter lines and some rough to contend with. There is a decent mix of left and right turning shots, and the wooded holes offer some different distances from ace runs to shots where the length tempts you to try to keep a driver on the fairway.

The multiple tees make a big difference on several of the holes, with additional pinch points or length on many, and completely separate fairways on a couple. This definitely adds to the replayability here, especially with good concrete pads and signs at both sets of tees. The pin positions make a big difference as well, I played the course in all shorts, the longs looked like they offered significantly more challenge and some cool and interesting lines.

Cons:

I was a little disappointed to play the short pin positions, they take away some of the really fun shots and take the challenge and fun factor down quite a bit. I could easily see the long tees to long pins layout as a 4, but I have a hard time rating a course just based on looking at where pins could be in a different setup.

The wooded holes seemed very similar to one another, with many that called for a mostly straight shot with just a minor turn one way or the other at the end of the flight. There's enough room to be a little more creative with distances and lines in the woods here.

Other Thoughts:

The dual tees make this course accessible to a wide variety of skill levels. Beginners might find the rough in some areas a little punitive (especially with poison ivy and nettles in spots), but the distances from the short pads are reasonable. More experienced players will find some nice shots from the long tees, especially with pins in the long positions.
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12 0
notapro
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 20.7 years 568 played 281 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Intermediate/Expert 2+ years

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

Pros:

- Course is set in a large park that butts up next to a ball golf course and a dog park, though the disc golf is well separated from anything else. Some forest, some open land, a little beach, the terrain is pretty diverse.
- The holes in the woods provide a variety of lines and difficulty. There are a lot of straight shots, with slight left or right finishes; it really depends on the tee pad and basket configuration. Most of the holes provide a window or pinch point, or multiples; a lot of different looks. Other holes are a bit more open, like the red top or blue bottom on #5, or the elevated tee on #12.
- Rest of the holes, about half, are out in the open. These have much more open lines, with mature trees and woods providing obstacles, and lots of length. Some are pretty straightforward, like the grass-filled #1, #16 with a basket position in some woods, and #17, a low ceiling shot with a few trees. Others are much more interesting, like the downhill, giant hyzer on #11, the z-shaped fairway around the pumping station on #13, the elevated bomber on #15, and the J-shaped path around the woods on #18. The long pins here make a huge difference.
- Elevation changes are present here on a lot of holes out of the forest, with elevated teepads, some uphill approaches, and a few sloped greens. Definitely noticeable, and adds a lot of fun over difficulty.
- Water is present on a few pin positions, and is a serious threat to eat some discs. The long pin on #13 is right on the beach, and one of the pins on #15 is very close as well. Also a road by a few pins for some extra OB. Adds even more challenge to holes that are already tough to begin with.
- Excellent signage, navigational pointers, teepads, baskets, everything is tip-top.

Cons:

- Holes in the forest are all pretty similar, in terms of hole design. The lines are different, but the same straighter is greater, pinch point execution is needed again and again. A little repetitive.
- On the other hand, some of the holes are pretty wide open, especially for some of the short pin positions. Distance is the only real aspect for some of these.

Other Thoughts:

- This course plays a lot of different ways based on the choice of tee pads, and the pin positions. It can play from tricky to extreme! Playing the blue pads to some of the long pins provide tough lines in the woods and some monster bombers in the open. Excellent balance of both kinds, accuracy, and distance, or both, is almost always going to be a factor. I could see how it might be a little bland in all shorts, hopefully that's never the case. Beginners might want to stay away from this one, everyone else should find real challenge in some aspect here.
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0 6
wadeG
Experience: 50 played 9 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Heavy woods with some partially open holes 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 7, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

"A good mixture of tight wooded fairways and challenging open wooded shots." The pro pads give the course a challenging amount of distance on several holes 400+ ft.

Cons:

The elevation is used, though it could use more. Variety of shots is mediocre, the majority are fairly straight. Course upkeep, sitting water, and flooding can be an issue.
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13 0
lazy42
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 14.7 years 40 played 39 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Options 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 16, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

Course dedicated to DG. Although there is a path around area, it doesn't interfere with discing. Also, next to a nice Dog Park, so it may be an area to let the family play in that area (if you have dogs of course) while you sneak away for a quick round. Shelter by hole 1 next to parking lot. A few trash cans around course. Tree stumps made into seats to rest.

Practice basket near hole 1. Dual nice sized concrete tee pads (Blue and Red tee). Dual pin positions available (A or B location). Nice signs at each tee box, showing you the layout of the specific hole your on.

Course navigation was pretty good, there were nice signs pointing you to the next tee, without those I may have inadvertently skipped a few holes.

A few of the holes were near the river, but nothing that jumped out at me and made me worried I would lose a disc. Some open holes (I think six of them were open), but most were wooded. Excellent paths cut from the tees to the basket, usually giving you options to get to the pin.

This course is different from other wooded courses because many of these wooded holes are fairly lengthy.

Due to the dual tees and pins, there is a large # of potential layouts here. If I lived here, that would be a huge plus in my book because the course would stay fresh as the pins changed.

Loved the bright orange baskets!!

Cons:

Main Kiosk was dismantled or destroyed. I hope there was a way on that kiosk for players to know without playing the first few holes, which positions the pins were in without playing several holes first.

Not everybody knew what the trashcans were used for, as there was a bit more trash throughout course than expected.

Not a fan of tall grass lined fairways (hole # 1),

A few signs were missing, some for the holes in the area that had flood damage, some in other areas, not many missing, but worth noting.

No big elevation changes, but there were a couple of elevated tee's depending on the color you played, but no elevation changes like the other courses in the area.

Other Thoughts:

Couple of holes that stuck out: I liked the variation that the different tees and pin locations gave you on hole 11, completely different, you wouldn't even think you were on the same hole. I liked shooting hole 15, as the pins were just off of the river, for obvious reasons, you wouldn't want to over shoot those.

When I played the course (03-16), there were no bugs, and no undergrowth (still leaves from last fall covering the floor), or even water issues (flooding). Having said that, I can see where all of that could be an issue, but I can't let it affect my rating because I didn't experience them.

Overall, a great course with lots of options and a challenging layout. I think the alternative pin locations and having two tee locations will bring me back, but I may take the advice of the other reviewers and play early spring or late fall to not have to deal with some of the negatives.
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