Olpe, KS

Eagle DGC

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4.075(based on 7 reviews)
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10 0
PastorofMuppets
Silver level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 4.7 years 129 played 115 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Where Dreams Come to Die a Slow Death

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 26, 2023 Played the course:once

Pros:

1) Gorgeous massive lake property with a mix of lightly wooded sections, elevation, huge distance, water carries, and much more. This course offers a little bit of everything (but demands a lot too)

2) Designed for the Glass Blown Open and used for both MPO and FPO this is a Pro Tour level difficulty course. Know that going in. This course is massive and the hole distances are pretty long. That said, if you want a challenge, Olpe Lake is waiting for you.

3) Tons of OB, both natural and manufactured. The water from the lake is in play on practically every hole, though there are a few that give you a break from any "real" chance at losing a disc. This course really ratchets up the difficulty of long distances, small landing zones, and unforgiving misses.

4) As with most Dynamic Discs Courses in the area large nice informational course Map, large 5' x 12' texture concrete tee pads in great shape, good condition white Recruit baskets, and nice full color tee signs with all the relevant hole information.

5) Layout is easy to follow and the course is well marked and pretty intuitive. Hole #1 starts right next to the parking lot and plays counter-clockwise around the lake finishing with Hole #18 a couple hundred feet from where you parked.

6) Long and Short tee pad options (I'm assuming this was MPO and FPO tees when used for the GBO). Both are still VERY advanced level layouts that require both distance and accuracy off the tee.

7) Holes 1-3 are all relatively short and reachable Island style holes. Hole 1 tees over the corner of the lake into a mulched in island green with a wooden wall backstop. Hole 2 is a big elevation drop from the tee on the lake levee down to a hanging basket from a tree in the bottoms below. Tiered boxes below the pin create a tricky landing zone. Hole 3 is probably my favorite hole on the course and plays down the lake levee through a tight hallways of trees with a creek/spillway area you must cross before arriving at the basket. Lots of lines, low ceiling, placement choices all mixed in to one hole that was visually pleasing and difficult at the same time without being oppressively long in distance.

8) Many risk reward water holes that have basket placed on rocky peninsulas and outcroppings (Think Memorial in Arizona style pin locations without grass). The conservative play on these holes makes Par difficult but you will keep your plastic.

9) Hole 18 is a wild finishing hole, especially from the longs. The green is an actual Island out of the lake and after being required to throw a booming placement drive off the tee to set up your approach, you need to expertly land on this green that isn't much larger than 45 feet in diameter.

10) You will have to get creative and utilize shot shapes here that you have probably not used much before. This course is meant to challenge the elite of our sport and it does exactly that.

11) This course, in my opinion, is the most challenging course in all of the Emporia area, even more so than Jones and Country Club due to the shear length, obstacles and water on almost every hole. If you truly want a challenge, it's here waiting for you.

Cons:

1) Upfront this course is a SLOG. It is massive and you have no real break from the relentless distance hole after distance hole. If you are not playing well, the fact that you will be on the back side of this lake with no easy way back to the car is humbling as well. I do not suggest playing this course after playing several others that morning. We were exhausted before we even finished the front 9.

2) There is a chance to lose half your bag on this course, and a very good probability you will lose at least 1 disc. Make sure you don't throw any of your unreplaceables here.

3) This course holds water in multiple areas. The area around Hole #12 was thick and muddy and you have to walk through it to keep going. What's worse is if you were to double back you are probably a solid mile walk to get back the way you came.

4) You can tell A LOT of time and effort went into this course, but little has been done to upkeep it since. The course was not mowed in a lot of areas (probably due to the mud), most of the bridges and crossings were showing signs of age and some were broken and/or falling apart. Mulched locations were getting overgrown with grass and weeds, wooden add ons to the course were weathered and grey. Felt like once the GBO moved on from this course, it was left to its own devices and ignored.

5) Even with carts our entire group was whooped long before we ran out of holes. Take lots of water, though there's plenty surrounding you, there's no drinking water available.

Other Thoughts:

Our group strongly disliked playing this course, but we respected it for what it was. It is beautiful, there are no complaints about the difficulty or the course design, and it definitely makes sense as an elite level course. This course was WAY above our pay grade in terms of the skill level required to navigate this course in a way that could possibly be enjoyable. The massive size of it, and the fact that you can pretty much see the parking lot as you progress (though what feels like miles away from you) makes you feel like you are stranded on the moon with no way back but to continue, even long after you are emotionally and mentally DONE with the course. Add in the muddy low lying areas, the relentless Kansas wind coming off the lake, and the feeling that you are trapped on the course with no way out, it made for a very unpleasant round. This is an odd course to rate. I love the design, most of the holes are fair, there's some amazing views, but it was my least favorite course to play that I have ever set foot on. The pros and the hardcore addicts can have this one, I admit defeat, and as such, I will rate this right in the middle as Good. I'm man enough to admit this course is too much for me.
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10 0
Breh
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 13.8 years 191 played 189 reviews
4.00 star(s)

2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 15, 2020 Played the course:once

Pros:

Where do I even begin with this bad boy
Hole 1 and 2 are really cool island shots. In fact hole 2 is my favorite hole on the course, as you're throwing down to an elevated basket from up top of the hill. Holes 1-9 are all really good holes and well developed. The island shots over the lake are terrifying and makes you have the most mental confindence or lack there of I've ever had at a course. Eagle gives new meaning to death shots. The tee pads are in good condition as well as the tee signs. Baskets our veterans and catch well. Hole 18 is another iconic shot over the water

Cons:

Some of the holes are pretty overgrown like hole 1 Some of the bridges are broken causing for longer walkouts like hole 18s. You will more than likely lose discs. I found 9 in the water as I was looking for mine. Everyone on my card lost at least 3 discs here.
Holes 10-16 really aren't that fun and are very long and grueling. The island rock greens can be rough on discs.

Other Thoughts:

This is truly a love/hate relationship course. I feel when taken care of this course has the chance to be a 5 star caliber course. In the condition it was when I played it was like a 3 star so I'll go with 4. Don't recommend for beginners, as even top players will leave eagle with some bruises and hurt pride
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12 0
Upshawt1979
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 20.8 years 548 played 429 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Where Eagles Dare 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 1, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

The Eagle DGC is not easy. There are many long holes. Several are playing over or very near the water. Lots of OB. The wind can be fierce.

There are nice concrete tees, and the Dynamic Disc signs and baskets leave nothing to be desired. Layout is easy to follow, and the course is well marked.

I liked the first 3 holes a lot. Hole one has a long and short tee, and I chose to use the short. It tees over a corner of the lake, with OB surrounding the pin that is backed by the levee. I faded left, landed OB and had to take a penalty and putt from the drop zone.

Hole 2 is the only big elevation change on the course, and my favorite hole here. Tees from the top of the dam, to a hanging basket under a tree at the bottom. Open air until you get to the basket, a mid range shot was on line for me, but took a big skip in the boxes under the pin and left me a 35' putt I could not convert.

3 is next to the road along the dam, and has a lot of trees in the fairway, and a water crossing at before the pin. I liked the physical obstacles presented here, as opposed to just long and open with OB as the main hazard.

Hole 5 is tempting to take the direct line over the water all the way. I tried, failed, and stupidly tried again, and lost two discs instead of one. Next time I will surely go the conservative route and play to make par.

Hole 7 is short, but has a ton of trees. If you can get to the other end of that fairway unscathed with one throw, you must be living right.

Number 13 is another short hole, but sits very close to the water, and is high risk reward. A birdie is possible, but a lost disc is just as likely.

Hole 18 is a crazy finisher. I played from the long tee, and threw a drive that flipped to the right immediately. I thought it was gone for sure, but the wind and a big fade to the left carried it to the rocky edge of the land just short of the bridge. It bounced off the rocks, and into the water, but there was ice holding on around most of the shore, and it was close enough to grab. However, my careless throw from the drop zone was carried into the water, as the Eagle took a final bite out of my butt on the way out.

Cons:

If you get in a hurry, or get a little too brave, it is easy to add on extra shots or lose discs. I lost three, two of them on hole 5, and one on hole 18. If the edge of the lake was not iced over, I might have lost another at 18.
Took 6 penalty strokes in all for the round. Ouch.

The island on hole 12 was thick heavy mud. So thick, it was not being used. The pin was short of the island on the grass, but you still have to walk across to get to the next hole. My shoes each had 3 pounds of mud stuck to the bottom after walking across the mess. The pin at 13 also had a lot of mud surrounding it.

Other Thoughts:

I didn't particularly enjoy the Eagle DGC. That said, I do respect it for the tough play, and will probably be back to try it again. Requires smart play, consistent distance and accuracy, and an understanding of how to play in strong wind is a big plus.

There are a few holes that are very wide open and the main task is avoiding OB or water. I would prefer to play holes with more trees, more elevation, and less wind. That is not widely available here, and they did a great job implementing what is there to work with to create a very challenging course.

By the time I was on the back 9, I was frustrated, and kind of checked out. I was lacking control, going OB and into the water repeatedly. The wind had been pushing me around all weekend, and I was defeated.

I had no birdies, only four pars, and finished at +20. I lost a good star Destroyer and a star TeeRex on hole 5, and a cool Vibram mid range disc a friend gave me on 18. Definitely not the way I wanted to start 2017, but I will carry on, and one day return to Olpe and have my revenge.
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7 0
AequitasVeritas
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 24.3 years 70 played 20 reviews
4.00 star(s)

GBO Nightmare? Dream? Where's my discs?! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 30, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

-You will use every shot you have in your bag. And you might invent a few as well
-It will challenge even the best of players
-They do dive for lost discs in the lake
-Great pads
-Even better baskets
-You're in one of the best areas for disc golf - Emporia!
-Restrooms!
-Plenty of parking

Cons:

-You're playing around a lake nearly the entire time
-Lost discs will happen
-The Kansas wind - but hey, that's to be expected!

Other Thoughts:

I really wanted to hate Olpe. I really did. But here we are.... 4 months after GBO and I can't stop thinking about this course. Even after I lost 1/3 of my bag, I realized, that was my fault for getting cute and brave. I am heading back to Olpe after the Oppna to play it casually. This course is right up there with ECC and Muni in difficulty. The peninsula shots will test both your accuracy and your mental toughness.

Art and his crew will dive for discs, however, they might be posted in the GBO/Worlds App or the GBO Lost Disc facebook page. He will call any numbers on the discs, so mark them up!

This course is unique. I have never ever come across anything that is this mentally challenging! Kudos to the crew!

See you in Sept!
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10 0
c_a_miller
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 11.9 years 299 played 207 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Difficult Championship-Level Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 30, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

This is a great addition to the already superb Emporia-area disc golf scene. This may be the most challenging as the combination of length, water and well placed obstacles make every hole difficult.

The course itself is on a beautiful lake with plenty of holes that play along the lake on its many peninsulas, including the infamous Hole 18 island hole. Most of the holes that play on the lake have a lay up option if you do not want to risk losing a disc, which is a nice option.

There are several unique holes in play. Hole 1 is one and Hole 12 is another that are two holes that stick out in my mind as holes that are unique and would be hard to find anything quite like them.

There were very few holes that I left scratching my head at the design. I played during the GBO when the OB flags were out, and I felt that even then, all of the holes were fair even with the OB.

The course was simple to follow as it just played around the lake. The signs were colorful and descriptive and there are nice tee pads, which can be beneficial as this course seems like it can attract a lot of mud in rainy seasons.

I am not the type of player that likes long hole after long hole, but I do appreciate a course that has longer holes, and moves away from the conventional Par 54 course. Eagle DGC does this well. There are a lot of long holes, but they are mixed in well with the shorter holes.

Cons:

There is a high risk of losing discs on holes that it may not even seem like there is a risk. I saw someone throw a little bit too high on Hole 4, and had it careen into the water over the bank. Losing discs is part of the game, but it always hurts to see an old friend be lost.

The course can be muddy when it rains, super muddy actually. Upon writing this review, I see that parts of the course is under water because of heavy rains. This makes sense as the course sits on a lake, and is prone to flooding and mud.

Other Thoughts:

This is a super challenging course for even the most experienced golfer. I would say that I am decent, and it took me almost 15 holes to get my first "3" on a hole.

This probably is not the best place to take a beginner, but the 9 hole course in Olpe is pretty good for that.

I can see this be a "love it or hate it" course. Many people will love it and others will loathe it. I appreciated and respected what the course has to offer. This is definitely the hardest permanent course in the area, and it is a humbling experience being able to play here.
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4 2
Ultraplop
Experience: 21.8 years 82 played 6 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Championship Level Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 30, 2016 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Very Challenging Course: It has distance, elevation changes, some gap shots, and many tricky placement shots.

Unique design with signature holes: I've never played any holes like hole 1 and 12. Very tricky and very unique. Quite a few Island shots with water in play.

Nice landscape: beautiful area surrounding a lake, decent amount of trees, cool terrain, overall a nice looking area.

Cons:

- I played in late April and it was super muddy. During the GBO, someone lost a shoe on hole 7, it got swallowed in the mud and could not be found. The player had to finish without a shoe! Hopefully this will clear up by summer.
- Lots of water hazards and you can lose many discs if you are not careful.
- Hole 12 can be excessively difficult. Its pretty easily to lose multiple discs when trying to hit the green
- no benches

Other Thoughts:

When in its tournament configuration there is a ton of OB, you have to play smart to stay in bounds making this a very difficult course.

While it has a lot of water hazards, I found that most of them seem very daunting, but end up not being too bad making it pretty exciting and fun.

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4 3
laurenalexDG
Experience: 11.2 years 249 played 7 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Eagle DGC 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 23, 2016 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Beautiful long course playing around the lake. Lots of open shots but also lots of OB so placement is key to leaving yourself something to throw off the tee.
•nice tee pads and drop zones
•well marked OB
•real par 4's and a 5
•fun island shots and big bomber holes
•signature holes sorta course it was nice and well kept and maintained
•wasn't hard to navigate tees are numbered and baskets are numbered but signage and distance is needed

Cons:

•No signs/map/distance mark
•can lose plastic in water or in the OB muck
•water for bottles would be good but there are bathrooms
•still needs some work on some of the island and muddy holes (but I was told they are fixing, adding a lot of dirt, slight changes, ect. to improve)

Other Thoughts:

I really enjoyed this course it played long but reachable and the short "filler" holes were good lines or elevation was in play always a lil danger but it played really nice. and it's always a plus when you can jump in and swim after the round also camping here is cheap like $5 a night on the course wherever you want. Would definitely be a 5 rating with some signs and distance and tweaking those mud holes because it's a great course!!
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