Michigan New Course Updates

[1-UP]

Per this site, http://https://www.calhouncountymi.gov/government/county_departments/parks_and_recreation/ there is a 9 hole course at Kimball Pines. Anyone know anything about this?

Yes, Kimball is in the process of being resurrected. The course is currently quite playable with 9 holes, a set of long and a set of shorts at each hole. It was literally mowed and weed-whipped two days ago so it's in decent shape. There's been somebody working out there every single time I've gone out.

That said, the course may have a pulse but it's not quite back yet. Some of the tees are dirt and/or not in their final location. There's a plan in place for 10-18 but that's a fall job so I don't know if it'll be in place this year or not. The rough is crazy rough. The regular players bring machetes. Buddy lost a couple of discs and we spent something like 4 hours weedwhacking and cutting brush to recover them. We figured we were helping with the clearing so didn't really mind. You absolutely MUST play with a spotter if you want to avoid losing a disc. Biggest problem with the brush areas is that they tend to be where they bulldozed/bobcatted all the fallen pines in a pile. The footing is DAMN treacherous. We've been trying to cut trails through it to help but don't kid yourself - it's wild.

I like to play the longs at Kimball and then drive 3 minutes down the road to Dexter Lake to do the 9 there - makes for a pretty good 18. Some guys do the longs then the shorts to get a full 18 in.

There's a tournament there this Saturday.

 

[ru4por]

Yes, Kimball is in the process of being resurrected. The course is currently quite playable with 9 holes, a set of long and a set of shorts at each hole. It was literally mowed and weed-whipped two days ago so it's in decent shape. There's been somebody working out there every single time I've gone out.

That said, the course may have a pulse but it's not quite back yet. Some of the tees are dirt and/or not in their final location. There's a plan in place for 10-18 but that's a fall job so I don't know if it'll be in place this year or not. The rough is crazy rough. The regular players bring machetes. Buddy lost a couple of discs and we spent something like 4 hours weedwhacking and cutting brush to recover them. We figured we were helping with the clearing so didn't really mind. You absolutely MUST play with a spotter if you want to avoid losing a disc. Biggest problem with the brush areas is that they tend to be where they bulldozed/bobcatted all the fallen pines in a pile. The footing is DAMN treacherous. We've been trying to cut trails through it to help but don't kid yourself - it's wild.

I like to play the longs at Kimball and then drive 3 minutes down the road to Dexter Lake to do the 9 there - makes for a pretty good 18. Some guys do the longs then the shorts to get a full 18 in.

There's a tournament there this Saturday.

Hey, thanks for the update. Someone should update the course page here and get the info into DGS. The more traffic out there, the more the shule gets beat down. I will have to put this back on my list.

 

[davetherocketguy]

In case anyone is interested...Lake Township Park finally has the last of the permanent tee pads installed so that course (Sand Ridge DGC) is now complete.

And for those that are familiar with the area, the city of Saint Joseph has asked that we run a tournament on a temporary course at Riverview Park just so they can see how a disc golf course would look and feel there. It's 109 acres on the Saint Joseph river...yeah, I think we can do something with that.

 

[Jukeshoe]

In case anyone is interested...Lake Township Park finally has the last of the permanent tee pads installed so that course (Sand Ridge DGC) is now complete.

And for those that are familiar with the area, the city of Saint Joseph has asked that we run a tournament on a temporary course at Riverview Park just so they can see how a disc golf course would look and feel there. It's 109 acres on the Saint Joseph river...yeah, I think we can do something with that.

Lake Township Park is the course in Bridgeman, right?

If so, glad to see that got redone...the old layout was, well, quite something.

I'd love to see something in St. Joe! I'm up at Warren Dunes all the time in the summer and always wishing there were more courses in the area!

 

[davetherocketguy]

Lake Township Park is the course in Bridgeman, right?

If so, glad to see that got redone...the old layout was, well, quite something.

I'd love to see something in St. Joe! I'm up at Warren Dunes all the time in the summer and always wishing there were more courses in the area!

Yep. That's the one. The old layout was a disaster. Particularly parts of the back nine. You'd love it now with the turf tees and pro signage all we need now are a few more benches.

 

[Jukeshoe]

Yep. That's the one. The old layout was a disaster. Particularly parts of the back nine. You'd love it now with the turf tees and pro signage all we need now are a few more benches.

Sweeeet!

The old layout should have been preserved for all the things a disc golf course SHOULDN'T do: criss-crossing fairways, throwing over roads, throwing along unscalable fence lines, throwing over a soccer field, a hole in the woods that hadn't cleared any brush or trees for a fairway, etc etc.

It was literally my least favorite course I'd ever played, and the lowest rated 18 holer I'd ever reviewed.

So glad to see that something different is being done there! :hfive: :thmbup:

Thanks for the updates, Dave!

 

[davetherocketguy]

You didn't have to "scale" the fences. You just had to know where you could go under them lol. The township bought 10 acres to the east so all the woods behind the fence off of old #3 is now being used for holes 2 through 9. If you're ever in the area drop me a line I'd love to play a round there with ya.

 

[Jukeshoe]

You didn't have to "scale" the fences. You just had to know where you could go under them lol. The township bought 10 acres to the east so all the woods behind the fence off of old #3 is now being used for holes 2 through 9. If you're ever in the area drop me a line I'd love to play a round there with ya.

I'll let you know when I go up to see the new layout, fo' sho'!

It had been a long while (7-ish years) since I played the course...I don't recall there being places to go under the fences, but I may have missed them. Didn't there used to be some large and mean dogs on the other side of #3's fence?

That's awesome re: the extra 10 acres....that will definitely help improve the course, I'm sure!

 

[davetherocketguy]

And FWIW here's a layout for the temp course we will be likely using for Riverview in Saint Joseph. For the permanent course, we are going to go into the woods off to the south but for a temp course that just isn't worth the hassle off all that clearing needed.

-Dave

 

[Jukeshoe]

And FWIW here's a layout for the temp course we will be likely using for Riverview in Saint Joseph. For the permanent course, we are going to go into the woods off to the south but for a temp course that just isn't worth the hassle off all that clearing needed.

-Dave

Dave dropping the K-nowledge with a capital "K"! :thmbup: :hfive:

"Momentary Bliss"....nice name!

Thanks for the info!!!

 

[davetherocketguy]

Dave dropping the K-nowledge with a capital "K"! :thmbup: :hfive:

"Momentary Bliss"....nice name!

Thanks for the info!!!

Knowledge...lol

Oh and I forgot to mention that the temp course is for a tournament this October. Hopefully I can get a date confirmation from the city parks guy and once I have that I can register it as a PDGA event and go from there.

 

[The Shide]

On U-disc I found a little gem in the rough recently, located just north of Lansing, called Bengal Wildlife Center. And when I say "rough" I do mean ROUGH.
It's not listed on either DGCR or DGS. Has anyone else heard of or played this place?
It wasn't terrible, just doesn't look like anybody is playing it with any regularity. If I had the time I would have tried to connect with someone in the area to get some background, but I was on my way to Saginaw in a little bit of a rush.

 

[Future_Primitive]

On U-disc I found a little gem in the rough recently, located just north of Lansing, called Bengal Wildlife Center. And when I say "rough" I do mean ROUGH.
It's not listed on either DGCR or DGS. Has anyone else heard of or played this place?
It wasn't terrible, just doesn't look like anybody is playing it with any regularity. If I had the time I would have tried to connect with someone in the area to get some background, but I was on my way to Saginaw in a little bit of a rush.

Well that would explain why I haven't heard of this course, if its not on DGCR or DGS then its not on my radar. I am about 30 min south of Lansing and haven't even heard it discussed locally. Usually when I go north of Lansing I end up in Laingsburg for Pine Hills (yeah carts!!!) or Sleepy Hollow. Will keep this in mind my next trip north, thanks! :thmbup:

 

[BogeyNoMore]

On U-disc I found a little gem in the rough recently, located just north of Lansing, called Bengal Wildlife Center. And when I say "rough" I do mean ROUGH.
It's not listed on either DGCR or DGS. Has anyone else heard of or played this place?
It wasn't terrible, just doesn't look like anybody is playing it with any regularity. If I had the time I would have tried to connect with someone in the area to get some background, but I was on my way to Saginaw in a little bit of a rush.

Bagging The Mitten like few others!
Nice find!

 

[The Shide]

Bagging The Mitten like few others!
Nice find!

Doing what I can.

 

[Jukeshoe]

On U-disc I found a little gem in the rough recently, located just north of Lansing, called Bengal Wildlife Center. And when I say "rough" I do mean ROUGH.
It's not listed on either DGCR or DGS. Has anyone else heard of or played this place?
It wasn't terrible, just doesn't look like anybody is playing it with any regularity. If I had the time I would have tried to connect with someone in the area to get some background, but I was on my way to Saginaw in a little bit of a rush.

I love the feeling of seeing an unlisted course!

Found a private one (with super interesting white egg-shaped baskets!) just down the road from Commissioner Park in Frankfort, IL a few weeks back. I wanted to play/list the course, but it looked to be part of a private Christian camp, and of course without permission, I skipped it.

Definitely do some sleuthing to see if it's an add-able/review-able course! Adding new courses (that the owner(s) want listed) is perhaps the most valuable and rewarding DGCR activity!

 

[Future_Primitive]

Just got word the baskets for Ella Sharp Park DGC are being installed today! The course was started 2 years ago with grass fairways planted last year. Most pads and basket collars were installed last year as well. It has been mowed a few times this year already and the last few pads were poured a few weeks ago. Going to head there after work today and check on signage and see if there are any issues to update on.

Added the course to the directory today, will work on a Course Map as well. Got a chance to play it last year with designer and some local players and temp baskets so I know the layout. Need to update course page on type of baskets installed.

 

[jeremyhilss]

So I know I sound like a broken record, but Mt. Zion DGC in Ironwood MI just got a redesign.... again.

The long grass in the many open fairways was just too much for volunteers to handle with weedwhackers, and after talking to the one man who runs the ski hill in the summer, it is just not enough mowing. The shop doesn't even have the mower for another few weeks (it's up at the Porcupine Mountains, whose course I can only imagine how badly it needs mowed).

So instead of trying to fight the inevitable, I decided to move the majority of the course into the woods. I cut 3.5 new fairways fresh, and now the course is technical par 3's, and a good compliment to the new, more or less open Norrie Park course. Only one opening and closing hole are in the open, and it should be somewhat manageable now.

Pics, hole information, and maps will be added when the mods clear the old listings on the page, signage on the course will be added asap.

 

[Countchunkula]

I love the feeling of seeing an unlisted course!

Found a private one (with super interesting white egg-shaped baskets!) just down the road from Commissioner Park in Frankfort, IL a few weeks back. I wanted to play/list the course, but it looked to be part of a private Christian camp, and of course without permission, I skipped it.

Definitely do some sleuthing to see if it's an add-able/review-able course! Adding new courses (that the owner(s) want listed) is perhaps the most valuable and rewarding DGCR activity!

I'm almost sure that course used to be listed here. I think I remember reading a #19325 review of it.

 

[davetherocketguy]

PSA for all my Michigan Peeps:

Hart Hydro is an abomination of a disc golf course. Don't waste your time here.