Wellsburg, WV

Bud Billiard DGC

3.115(based on 9 reviews)
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7 0
Darkwolf0525
Experience: 2 played 2 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Great course

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 10, 2024 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Great course to play. It has a little bit of everything. Some open long shots
Water hazards
Holes in the woods
Plus the options to play the short tee or long tee
Good course for beginners especially the front 9

Cons:

The two water hazards sometimes have people fishing them. However there are signs warning people they are on a disc golf course so be mindful of flying discs.
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9 0
The Red Death 30
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 27.4 years 88 played 47 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Park Golf but It's a Nice Park

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 7, 2023 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

First thing first ... I love courses with hole names. This should be normalized because it adds a fun element.

I honestly have a hard time deciding what I think of this course. My rating went up, then down again and each time I play it my mind comes around to another aspect and I change my mind again.

The positives here start with being in Brooke Hills Park. This is a really nice park way out in the middle of nowhere WV panhandle. There is a golf course and a mini golf course along with the disc course. There is a nice pond that offers paddleboat rentals. You can even rent discs at that booth. There are picnic shelters all over the place that seem rarely used, so we squat and hang out for a bit all the time.

There are two water shots on this hole, which I'm always a big fan of at a course. Many have mentioned that 7th Hole which is a hyzer dogleg out over a pond to land on a green that borders it. Depending on pin position you're either taking a steep hyzer to a shoreline or need to land it in a pinpoint zone between pond and woods. The other water shot comes down along aforementioned boat pond to another peninsula basket.

In general, the course is well-maintained. I have been there when grass is shin high though and finding your disc can be a challenge even those days. You have two sets of tees, though they aren't defined per PDGA rating. They call them short and long. I would absolutely say that the shorts are Red tees and the long are probably rated White. Because of the picnic shelters you have plenty of places to stop and rest. There is a portapotty there (I believe) all year long, though no other running water.

Cons:

This course is bipolar and I have no better way to say this except that it's simultaneously ridiculously easy and stupid frustrating all at the same time. I shot one of my best rounds ever here, well under par on the shorts and I'm not all that good. The longs are more challenging but really by that much. This course is for people to go out and birdie fest. You can putter drive a good number of these holes. Nothing wrong with that necessarily. Fun to play that now and then, but doesn't set it up there with the elite, right? In addition to the shortness, many of these holes are just a tee and a basket in a field. There may be one obstacle, but mostly just land your drive and go.

On the flip side, there are some holes that are just not fun to play here. 5 is a drive over a fairway to a "links" green, meaning that there is a patch of DEEP rough to carry over. Okay, cool design maybe but it's deep deep, like let me go get into Tick country and spend 5 minutes looking for my disc. No thanks. 6 is a cool hole except that there's just too much in the way to consistently carry to birdie. It's more luck than skill. The stretch from 9 to 12 is mostly forgettable. Don't get me started on the Asylum hole. Every local thinks our quaint little gimmick hole is awesome. I'm sure the guy who plays this a dozen times has a local route, but there isn't one for most of us. Throw 10 of the same drive and see which one lands close, because most will hit an early tree. Then the same thing on 15 which is probably a thumber or tomahawk for many way up a slope. It's another luck shot.

There are a LOT of courses to play. If this was my local, I think I'd be happy, but for those coming potentially from other areas, there are thousands of courses just like this one.

Other Thoughts:

There are always ducks around. Watch your discs on those ponds because they are most likely in your blind spot sitting or even nesting.

There's an odd old campfire site, or something, on the 8th Hole that is full of algae-fied water. It looks like a Portal to Hell
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15 0
Horsman
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 18.2 years 222 played 100 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Bud it up 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 8, 2021 Played the course:once

Pros:

+ DISCatchers - Easy to see and catch the best

+ Multiple concrete tees per hole. Tees are long enough to be tall person approved. Most tees are JC approved for run up.

+ Great tee signs. Great hole layouts with distances and hole numbers. There have everything you are looking for in a teesign.

+ This course has a great mix of open and wooded holes with a good variety of distances. You will be cursing yourself out if you get off the fairway on the wooded holes and just sad when you throw a throwler on the open holes. You need to be accurate in the woods and also have a bigish arm for the open holes.

+ This course has maybe only 1 or 2 holes that aren't memorable. I really enjoy courses like this that you can clearly remember almost every single hole. Because of this I would say that almost every hole is a signature hole. The holes that are forgettable are the short open holes. But those are utilized very well. They are mixed in the course in a way that you know that you need to birdie them to keep up. So even the super easy holes will make your butt pucker.

+ Shot selection is key on this course. I used a lot of different discs and a good mix of forehand and backhand. Most holes can be completed with a forehand or backhand but to score well you will need to have both.

+ Elevation. The course has elevation on every single hole. Sometimes its just a few feet but be prepared to throw up or down on every hole. The pin locations are well thought out and utilize the elevation well.

+ The course loops back to the parking lot after 9 holes. This is always a welcome site.

Cons:

- Teesigns are great but need to be updated. Some things have changed and the signs need to be updated to show these changes.

- The rough is rough. You can find yourself 5' in the rough with no way out on some holes. Most of the time you will be ok but there are some nasty parts of the course that will make you contemplate life.

Other Thoughts:

There isn't too much to be disappointed about at this course. There is a great 18 holes course with short and long pads with great baskets and an amazing design. I have traveled a few hours to play this course multiple times and would continue to do so. I really racked my brain to think of cons for this course and I just couldn't think of many things to be disappointed about. Every hole has its own set of challenges and excitement.

This is a great course and is on the boarder of being good enough to travel out of the way to go play and to only play if you are in the area. If this course suits your style then traveling to play this course will not disappoint you. I really enjoy this course and wish that I was in the area more often to play.
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11 0
The Last DJ
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 17.1 years 343 played 18 reviews
4.00 star(s)

WV Gem in the Panhandle 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 27, 2020 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

+ 18-Hole Layout Designed by 4X World Champion Johnny Sias: Mostly open holes mixed with partial woods and a good dose of distance and elevation make this a fun and challenging layout.

+ Innova Discatcher Baskets: These baskets are sturdy and catch well. There is an extra basket by hole #1 tees on a slope so you can practice putting and approaches from a variety of elevations. Some holes have alternative pin placements to add variety to the layout.

+ Concrete Tee Pads and Signage: Tees have ample room for most players to run-up on drives. There are two sets of tees (long & short) for different skill levels. Signs have accurate distances and pars to mark each tee.

+ Several "Signature" Holes: Unique features make a few holes fun and memorable. I discuss a few of these in the "Other Thoughts" section.

+ Northern Panhandle Disc Golf Association: The locals that take care of the park are friendly and dedicated. Be sure to check out their events including the BCB Open. This is an annual sanctioned event held in late spring.

+ Proximity to Other Courses: Aside from having other courses on the property players are driving distance from other quality layouts in the Northern Panhandle of West Virginia including Grand Vue Park and Tomlinson Run. Looking into Ohio you have courses in Saint Clairsville and Morristown to the west as well as Scenic Vista and Thompson Park further north. There are plenty of great courses in and around Pittsburgh as well.

+ Extra Amenities: Brooke Hills Park is a beautiful property with plenty of extras including a playhouse, fishing, boating, swimming, camping, shelters, picnic areas, foot golf, mini golf, and ball golf.

Cons:

- Signage: Some redesigns have yet to be represented on tee signs. I could see first-time players getting mixed up when navigating this course. Most of the layout is intuitive but I would recommend a map just to be sure you're playing the holes in order.

- Lost Discs: There are a few holes where losing a disc is a real possibility. Bring a retriever or a water disc for hole #7. Play smart on holes with rough on the edge of the fairway to go home with all your plastic.

Other Thoughts:

This course is a blast for intermediate and advanced players. I would not recommend this one for beginners because of the distance, elevation, and hazards. Due to the open nature of most fairways players will likely experience some windy rounds which only adds to the challenge.

Signature holes are ones that I look forward to playing every time I visit BCB...

#6 - My personal favorite. An open downhill tee shot to a wooded green lined by a small creek. This par 3 is very technical and is possibly the best hole on the course.

#7- While not a long hole this one is nightmare fuel for many players. A slightly elevated tee box plays down to a pond with the pin sitting across the water on a dam. Beyond the basket is a steep slope and some rough. Sticking the green here is very challenging. I typically play a putter to the edge of the water and then pitch up to get a look at par.

#13 - "Johnny's Asylum" is another signature hole. What it lacks in distance it makes up for by being the most technical hole on the course. Tight woods gives players a few options but you have to lace your drive to get a birdie chance. Hit an early tree and you can take a big number here.

This course is low-key one of my favorites in my home state of West Virginia. The park staff and local club work hard to maintain the course so it always looks great. It has a park feel to it so carts are welcome. You'll need to throw some big drives, manage elevation, read the wind, hit gaps, and make a few clutch putts to score well here.

For the 19th hole consider checking out Drover's Inn and Tavern. It is an old pub a couple minutes from the course. Skip the upstairs sitting area and head to the cellar for a pint and some solid bar food after your round. The wings are fantastic!
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10 0
Ryal
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 7.4 years 240 played 202 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Billiards Meets Disc Golf 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 11, 2019 Played the course:once

Pros:

+ The whole course takes place within an expansive and breezy park.
+ Two tee pads per every hole are uniformly made from a singular slab of level and sturdy concrete. Each pad has its own sign, too.
+ All baskets have bright yellow numbered arrows suspended from the bottom to tell players which way to go next!
+ Quite a few elevation changes: both uphill and downhill.
+ It is a mostly open course to encourage big power throws with some devious wooded holes interspersed.

Cons:

- Despite how clean and well-built the tee pads are, they are too narrow and not long enough. Perhaps I am just too tall with freakishly long legs, but I had to start completely off the pad each time I wanted to do a wind up.
- No lost disc box. I could be wrong about this. I did not look everywhere.
- Quite a few tee signs ought to be replaced or updated. Some are still displaying some kind of older layout when there were two baskets on each hole like holes 1, 7 and 9. Other tee signs do not have the OB or water features marked on them when it would be really handy to know about ahead of time like holes 4 through 6.
- A few of the yellow arrows pointing to the next hole are pointing in the absolute wrong direction. Holes 9 and 12 come to mind.

Other Thoughts:

My favorite hole to play here was hole 6 because not only is it a glorious downhill glide, but the landscape changes from wide open to tree-dodging partway through with a stream to avoid as a bonus. To my mind, it was the liveliest hole.
My favorite hole to look at was hole 10. Atop a hill with the parking lot at your back, the player is treated to a grand view of the mountains in the distance.
My least favorite hole here is hole 4 because I didn't realize until much later that I played it incorrectly. Plus, I saw it as being the ugliest part of the course.

But as for the course as a whole, Bud and Carol Billiard DGC is a nice place to play our sport. (I feel as though it is important to say the course's full name: Bud and Carol Billiard-- not just Bud Billiard) I would say that the hills are the most noticeable feature. Whether out in the open or in the woods, there are hills and valleys to contend with. The steepest of which is probably hole 15's uphill battle.
The woods themselves don't offer too much of an obstacle, if I can be honest. They are a welcomed contrast to the wide open holes, though. Hole 13 is as dense as the trees get here, and the rest are wide tunnels or tree-dodging hybrid holes. So even though all golfers can enjoy playing here with the elevation challenges, it feels designed for the power players with all these open fields. Yes, it may feel that way, but the two tees at every hole make sure that newer players also have a chance to enjoy Billiard's terrain- even if that terrain gets samey after awhile.

The tee signs are a real drawback, though. At hole 4, I had no idea that there was any OB, so I threw wide to the right because that seemed the easiest way to get to the pin. One throw later, I found myself stepping over one of those vertical white stakes in the ground which usually signify OB. The sign didn't say it. Neither did hole 5's. And there wasn't anything particularly treacherous or foreboding about those areas to cause my to think that they might be OB areas. Update the signage, please.

All in all, Billiard is a competently structured course with lots of satisfying hills in a wide-open area. The golf isn't so tough except for distance and the occasional tree tunnel, but it is still a nice time in a quiet place. It won't do much to dazzle, but you should still check it out if you're in the mood for a relaxed session with breezy vistas and a cleanly manicured course.
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11 0
BigAl724
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 12.2 years 179 played 144 reviews
3.50 star(s)

2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 20, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

Bud Billiard is a newer course set in the very nice Brooke Hills Park filled with a ton of things to do. When talking about a good place to bring the whole family, this is one of the best parks I've seen with paddleboats, putt-putt golf, a nearby ball golf course, swimming pool, camping, and many other things to do. I say this not only because it's a great incentive to bring others here, but also because the park workers seemed excited to have the course be one more addition to the park - always a great thing.

Designed by the great Johnny Sias, this course makes great use of the property and sprawls out in many different sections of the park. There is a mix of open and wooded holes - to both extremes - and the courses takes you through sections with vastly different feels. Elevation is used nicely throughout with the region's trademark rolling hills and there are a few really fun downhill and uphill holes. I particularly enjoyed 6, which is a downhill shot from the open into the woods.

I actually liked the water hole (7), though it has a dangerous green near nasty water. If I'm being transparent, I probably wouldn't appreciate it as much if I wasn't lucky enough to land on the green. But on a course that isn't super punishing, I felt like this hole was very appropriately placed. And c'mon, Johnny Sias has designed a par 6 hole in the past, do you think he can really help himself?

The tees are nice and long, although might be too thin for some throwers' tastes. The two tee positions offer a varied challenge for each hole. The tee signs and baskets are great. The fairways are in pristine shape. They definitely keep this park maintained.

Cons:

There are a few too many wide open holes that keep it from being rated a notch higher. The rolling hills make them at least somewhat interesting, but about 1/3 of the holes don't have any trees in the fairway. On the other hand, a couple of wooded holes on the back 9 could use less trees in order to have clearer fairways.

Still pretty rough around the edges off the fairway but this will only improve over time.

Other Thoughts:

This general area is lacking in courses, so Bud Billiard is a great addition and I think the best course behind the Black Course in the WV panhandle region. I really enjoyed its varied nature and like some of the best WV courses, it has a great mix of rugged and park style holes. The little store outside of the pool has scorecards, course maps, and discs for sale.
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1 1
Jimpy
Experience: 10.4 years 16 played 2 reviews
3.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 16, 2018 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

This course is in the middle of a nice park with tons to do. Camping, swimming, fishing, golf, mini-golf, playgrounds and I'm sure I'm missing much more. The disc golf course is a nice size, not too small, and not too large. There are some really nice holes 2, 3, 5, and 6 are my favorites. There are many hole which are played in open fields which brings my rating down a bit. Hole 7 I don't get... most of the fairway is a nasty pond, and the basket is on a narrow ledge on the ponds shore. Yes my disc splashed 3 foot short of the basket, gone for good. I enjoyed playing this course there are many wide open vanilla holes, which would make this a great course to learn the game. The two times I was here there was no foot traffic on the course, and it is well maintained and cared for. A huge plus for this course is that Drovers Inn is right down the road, and nothing is better after a round of disc golf than a cold beer and great wings.

Cons:

Hole 7 is the biggest deterant, it's fun to splash an old disc, but I won't play this hole each time I play this course. Many of the holes are wide open, and there's only a few wooded holes.
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5 0
Jags
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 10.2 years 84 played 42 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Elevation change galore. 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 3, 2018 Played the course:once

Pros:

I like the elevation change on pretty much every hole. There are also a good variety of open and wooded holes too. OB, mandos, and water hazards also keep you on your toes for a fun round. Not to far over the border for the other Pittsburgh golfers who like a little drive.

Cons:

I played the course for the first time at a tournament. Just so happens the wind was steady with gusts up to 30mph. Being that some of the holes on the course are wide-open, this played for some windy golf. Any course can be tough to play in the wind but we managed. Tee pads seemed a little shorter than I'm used to but they were workable. The course is fairly new and will get better over time but some spots are a little rough. And, if it's rained lately the course can be pretty wet/muddy in spots. Some of the rough is very unforgiving.

Other Thoughts:

I rather enjoyed this course. Not the longest course but definitely let's you use about equal parts of driver/mid's. I feel that the basket placement from tee pads have fair lanes with only a few wooded holes that seem overly tight. With that being said, you HAVE TO make sure you are hitting your lines! Might have a little trouble getting out of trouble even being a little right or left. If your in the area or feel like a trip it's worth it and the locals are good people.
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6 0
swatso
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 16.3 years 776 played 417 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Tommy Who 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 3, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

Elevation change practically every hole.

Two concrete tees per hole, each with its own sign.

Two nine-hole loops; practice basket.

Mix of mostly open and some wooded.

Cons:

The teepads (~9') need to be a bit longer.

Most of the open holes are quite open.

Some of the wooded holes are pinballish early or middle or late - #13 is pinball throughout!

Other Thoughts:

Course is located towards the back of a large public park, hosting a variety of activities. It is set on the sloping land on either side of the main road, with some small pockets of woods coming into play.

Navigation: Closest parking lot is the very small one next to the playground, so you may end up at the pool (start at #1), or the fishing pond (start on #11). Practice/front nine on the right, back nine on the left

Favourite hole: #6. Initially open, you throw downhill into the edge of the woods. The basket is located several feet into the woods, up the slope, guarded by a few key trees.

Least favourite hole: #7. While the distance isn't too far from a slightly elevated tee, the basket is located on a narrow berm. In front of the basket is a not-clear pond, and behind a dense, sloping jungle.

A decent enough course, worth playing, but not a "destination".
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