Panama City, FL

Bay Memorial Park

2.385(based on 4 reviews)
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3 0
dr.chainslove
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 25.5 years 353 played 42 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Incomplete course but good holes (if you can find them) 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:May 15, 2018 Played the course:once

Pros:

The reviewers before me summed up this place nicely. Since it's been a good while since the last review, I'll share my updates. Overall, there is fun to be had here. Most holes have a strong personality and require a good level of control and shot-shaping. I'm happy to report that the wooded sections are cleaned up. There are boardwalk sections over the mushy stuff. Lines are fair. Paths to the next hole (in the wooded section) are pretty clear. I was towing my cart and didn't have any issues. Most holes have adequate concrete tees.

The wooded holes are strong. Some may argue that 1 and 18 suffer from tree randomness/no line but they're short enough to get creative to find a way to the basket without too much punishment.

Love the new Discatchers here.

Hole 8 uses every bit of elevation that this course can offer. The fun water shot on 11 requires about 275-300ft minimum water carry IF you're going for the basket but there's also an island on the left for a layup spot for shorter arms.

In general, I think the designers milked all this park has to offer in terms of hole design.



Cons:

Navigation is currently terrible since the course is still incomplete. It's been about a year since the last review and it doesn't look like there's been progress. No tee signs or navigational aides on the new 9 holes make this a frustrating play for the first time. Make sure to take a hard right after hole 6 to get into the new section.

I know arguing over par is silly but the Par 2s here are silly. A couple of them are over 200 ft. 1 and 18 are not easily parkable. I think labelling these holes as Par 2s actually downplays the challenge they offer.

SAFETY is a big, big issue here. I was out there at 2:00 in the middle of a very hot workday and expected to have the place to myself. Wrong, walkers were everywhere and the walking paths often come directly into play. In fact, several holes require shots where blind corners of the paths are in the fairway. I had to routinely scout holes before teeing off. It's hard to focus on your game when you're worrying about launching your driver at a baby stroller. I worry this course has a good chance to get pulled without measures taken to make it safer (warning signs, re-route some holes, etc).

Other Thoughts:

Let's imagine that Bay Memorial was closed to non-disc golfers and all the tees, navigational aides, and signs were in place. This would be a really fun course that I'd gladly consider a 3.5 rating. I'm sure the improvements will eventually come but I doubt we'll be able to kick out the walkers that are also enjoying this nice park.

For best results, I'd come play here at 5:00AM after carefully studying the course map.
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6 0
Mr. Butlertron
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 21.7 years 684 played 131 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Risky Business 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 11, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

- free to play, free to park
- newly upgraded to 18 holes
- some concrete pads, I assume they're all getting the concrete treatment soon
- solid tee sign posts, I assume numbers and other hole information is upcoming
- some fairway height variations
- lots of risk/reward
- outhouse at the beginning and middle of the course
- a small mix of open and tight holes, low and no ceilngs
- nice, crisp, new, numbered baskets

Cons:

- hole 1 had no fairway, a par 2?
- the jungle holes need to be better maintained, too overgrown
- tees were hard to find, directional signs between holes are needed.
- tee signs were blank
- wood chips within a wooden frame is less than ideal, some frames had no chips
- a lot of water risks
- buggy location that has a lot of standing water after rainfall
- not an abundance of distance variation

Other Thoughts:

Bay Memorial is a course that starts tight and technical, then eases you into a couple risky swap holes before settling into a maintained park style setting. A walking trail interferes with gameplay mid way through the course, but it's not too detrimental to the course flow. They've also managed to work in some subtle inclines and declines that add character. The hanging basket mid way through the course is a nice touch. The name of the game here is to stay dry. There's a lot of opportunity for scoring separation with all the risk/reward spread throughout the course. Players will be rewarded for taking risks, errant throws might send discs to a watery grave.

I believe the course has "good bones", but overall, Bay Memorial has an unfinished feel to it. Clearly, there is some redesign and or upgrading in the works. My biggest concern is the continued upkeep. Many of the trails between holes aren't worn enough for out of townies to transition from a basket to the next pad. The signage between tees and at tees was nonexistent. The only signage on the course was at hole 1 and at the beginning there was the original 9 hole course design sign. I consulted the online map, but I still couldn't find 17 & 18. Some tees appear to have been freshly poured concrete with the forms still attached. Other tees are still framed wood, with or without wood chips inside. I get that they recently added 9 holes, however, I confused why the first 9 holes still lacked signage.

Cons aside, I was strangely intrigued by this course. I think there's a lot of potential at Bay Memorial and I would come back if or when everything gets fleshed out to recalibrate my rating. This looks like type of place that likely needs a dedicated club effort keep the land from reclaiming the course.
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7 2
wellsbranch250
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 10.8 years 694 played 680 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Short and Technical 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jul 16, 2017 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

(2.657 Rating) **REEVALUATED** due to adding 9 additional holes. Now 18.
A beautiful city park course that's challenging in relation to course par.
- NATURAL BEAUTY - IMO, visually the most beautiful course in the PCB area. The collection of plant species to throw thru is among the most diverse I've ever played. Well framed windows using healthy and vibrate trees.
- DIFFICULTY - In terms of course par, a very challenging layout. Although the newer holes are not marked for par yet, the original nine has four par 2's amongst them. The par 2 holes are (1, 6, 16, 18). If the course par remains at 50 for 18 holes, I figure only advanced players and higher will crack par on a routine basis
- TEES - A major improvement when compared to my last visit. In my old review I had mentioned that they were wood chips. With the exception of 16 and 18 (and maybe one more), the tees are now concrete. Not the largest pads out there, but leap years better than before.
- SHOT SHAPING - For a city park, a surprising amount shot shaping is required. Several windows, tree splits and sweeping lines to master. By far the most shot thought demand that's required among the PCB area courses.
- UNIQUENESS - A step up being 18 holes. I now find the overall variety to be a touch above average. Several pocket shots and well guarded basket placements. A nice water clear on (11) and a nice parallel water play on (8). There's a hanging basket on (9), but it's so low that it didn't add to my putter thought process. All also mention that Bay Memorial has the most elevated shots in the Metro area, at a whopping 15 feet of change. See cons, elevation.
- QUICK PLAY - Obviously not as quick as the old 9 hole layout, but the course will play in about two hours per foursome.
- MAINTENANCE - The holes outside the wood appears to be constantly trimmed and manicured. There was very little trash spotted by me along the layout. However, when inside the woods, the overgrowth can get thick. see cons, overgrowth.
- CHAINS - All the baskets look nearly new and have heavy chains.

Cons:

A few sizable issues with Bay Memorial as of my return visit, July 2017.
- NAVIGATION - Not in a good state as of this revision. The old hole signage on (16-18) will confuse players when they read (7-9) on them. The course map on site is outdated. No numbers on new tee posts and no tee signs as well . Your best bet will be to download the map on DGCR. I found everything with the map, but tee (15). The rainstorms were coming so I gave up after 2 minutes of looking and improvised in my rush to finish the new holes.
- FORGIVENESS - Several holes have very tight lines and good shots will still likely get picked off. Being off your mark on holes (3 and 4) will result in a struggle to make boggie. Hole (3) is a 300 foot poke and hope shot just to get to the landing area 75 feet short of the basket. The hole signage seems to think that there's a line to the right, but the vegetation has swallowed up most of the line. Also, on number (11), a miss right means you swimming for it, or a lost disc.
- OVERGROWTH - The overgrowth on several holes is pretty bad. (1-4), (14-15) and (17-18) No doubt you will spend some time looking for your disc, especially on (3) and (4). Enjoy the summer mud on these holes as well when searching.
- DISCONTINUITY - The walk between(15-16) is near impossible without a map. At least 600 feet separates basket and next tee. The walk from (3) to (4) is not marked, and the map is also required to make this connection.
- CHARACTER - Compared to established courses, Bay Memorial is missing a lot of your typical items. Just about no seating at the tees. As stated, Tee signs are only on the original 9 holes, with holes (16-18) sill showing the numbers (7-9). The course map is also outdated. Other missing items include no second set of tees, no multi pin placements and no practice area. There is however a drinking fountain and a potta-potty.
- ELEVATION - Really not that much unless you only play Florida courses. But for Florida, probably average and the most elevation for the PCB area. Hole (1), (8) and (17) slide down about 15 feet, and hole (18) probably goes up by 15 feet.
- SPACING - Below average. It's a tight fit, but there really is not much to work with in the space provided. There are numerous occurrences where the basket and next are perilously close. Baskets (5 and 17) are almost on top of each other. The group of holes (11-15) are stacked with just about no separation.

Other Thoughts:

IMO, the best of the PCB courses. It has issues but a few of the sizable ones are correctable. With fixed navigation I would entertain updating Bay Memorial to a 3 rating.
- PAR 2's - I'm not sure what to make of the Par 2's. I'm typically not a fan of them as they feel out of place.
- TIME WAITING - Although I had no issue first two times, this course looks like a place that will attract an exorbitant amount of joggers and walkers.
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1 2
Chriscass123
Experience: 12 played 1 reviews
2.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 2, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

This course had a few pros. The par 2's were still reasonably difficult in my opinion. Hole one is a difficult par 2 right into the woods. Holes 5-7 are nice and open with reasonable obstacles in the way. The park is very nice too and not too far away from the beach for people like myself just visiting.

Cons:

The holes not out in the open (1-4 and 8-9) have very small gaps that you have to hit or else you'll hit a tree and possibly land in the marshy area that the course plays through. Be prepared to spend time looking for discs, too, because the overgrowth is good at hiding them.

Other Thoughts:

Even though there are 3 par 2's on this course, it is still very difficult and is not one of those "morale booster" 9 hole courses. I still say it's worth the drive over.
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