Estero, FL

Estero DGC

3.395(based on 14 reviews)
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12 0
Moose33
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 12.8 years 239 played 236 reviews
3.50 star(s)

#200

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 19, 2024 Played the course:once

Pros:

I had never heard of this one before this week, but as this was the best one in the area I picked it as my 200th course played. It's a pretty cool track, tons of water on the front half of the course as well as a couple of later holes and really thoughtful design between the open and more wooded sections.

You have three tees on most of the 21 holes and between the different layouts it can be very challenging for lost players.

Really nice pads with rough concrete and the baskets are Mach Vs which are not the prettiest basket but catch amazing. One of my favorite styles of baskets catch wise, the signs are basic on the top of the tee marker but do what you need for the most part.

There are even a couple of holes that have elevation which in south Florida is pretty unique.

The mix of shot types, natural beauty and many ponds it's a fun and very nice challenge.

Cons:

The are a couple of holes on the back half that can get repetitive and close to the parking area as well and one of the park buildings. I almost took out a window getting a little feisty on hole 13 I think it was.

A few signs are getting broken and could use a refresher.

At the last few holes navigating is a little weird and could flow a touch better.

Other Thoughts:

Thai is a beautiful course and was definitely worthy of course 200 for me.
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15 0
adlacro
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 18.4 years 152 played 127 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Estero

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 16, 2023 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

There are 21 baskets up at Estero now, 3 alternate holes with water carries to go along with 18 regular holes. Nice mix of forehand and backhand shots with low ceilings, a couple of very open holes, and even some elevation as the last few holes traverse an unusually large mound by Florida standards. Navigation is not too hard and the course is very well maintained. Tees are pavers and in great condition.

Cons:

With the re-design, it seemed like the course got easier, especially from the longer pads, Course winds through a busy community park and a couple of holes border the park road and the dog park, which if busy can be dangerous. The biggest con is that the final hole, which had the signature peninsula green, became hole 16, leaving a rather pedestrian 18th hole as the final hole.

Other Thoughts:

Even with the changes, it's still my favorite course to play in SW Florida. The locals came together in a great way after hurricane Ian last year to clean up the debris, make the changes they needed to, and the result is a fun course that can be challenging for all skill levels.
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11 0
ElementZ
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 15.5 years 221 played 209 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Fun course! 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 2, 2022 Played the course:once

Pros:

+ This course offers a lot of variety. Pros will be challenged by the golds, beginners/novices will have fun from the reds, and there's blue tees for everyone in between. Given that it's Florida, there's actually quite a bit of elevation. There are also quite a few water holes (over half of them) and plenty of wooded holes. It's well designed, flows well, and is a good time.
+ The course is maintained well. Grass is cut, trash it picked up, and it's generally taken care of.
+ I was amazed at how many events this course has. There's an event nearly every day (specifics posted on the course bulletin board).
+ I was a fan of the last hole. It's a downhill hole with woods behind and water to the left of the hole. It's quite a tester!

Cons:

- Unfortunately, this course is set in a multi-use park, so it's common to have people walking through fairways.
- Navigation was pretty confusing for me the first time around.
- Watch out for gators!

Other Thoughts:

I'm glad I went! My brother and I had a great time. Definitely recommend this course, just don't choose tees above your skill level because you'll almost certainly lose a disc to the hazards.
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10 0
The Drake
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 21.4 years 126 played 61 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Worth the play 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 25, 2020 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

-Multiple Tee pads and 2 pin positions on each hole (though only 1 set of baskets)
-Variety of shot shapes utilized with some longer holes a few shorter technical holes. There was even a hole where the best option is a righthand forehand roller but it didn't feel overly gimmicky.
-Multiple holes with the "pucker factor" forcing you to throw shots you may be uncomfortable or with decent water carries, especially from the golds
-The rough is punishing but not "lost your disc punishing" unless you get suuuuuper deep.
-Several, though not all tees have benches with a few bag holders here and there
-It's in a public park so bathrooms are close by. There are also close by restaurants to grab a quick bite to eat e between rounds or after.
-There are actually 3 holes with legit elevation. I mean, it's Florida elevation but I'll take it!
-Having played both the Gold an Blue layouts and at least walking the red layout I can say from each set of pads you're essentially playing a different course and not just shorter versions of the same course.
-A huge open field behind the community center if you're there with the family to grab a picnic lunch or play around in. Also a dog park on site as well as an impressive looking playground for kids.

Cons:

-It's in a public park and a busy one at that. Though holes 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 11, and 13 are pretty much away from non golfer foot traffic every other hole there is pedestrian or vehicle risk. One holes requires you throw over a soccer field. Several come into close proximity with a dog park and the others are around the community center and large area where a lot of non-golfers hangout and the parking lot.
-The park itself for the amenities it offers is not super big so during tournament play (when I played the course) you do feel like you're right on top of everyone. Holes 5 and 14 literally have fairways that run parallel to each and essentially are the same fairway. Playing a practice round this actually confused me for quite a bit.
-Mixed baskets. Not a deal breaker, but it just doesn't help the "look" of the course when you're playing 2 or three different styles of basket. They all catch fine though. No single chain crapstars to worry about.
-If you don't like water carries, there are a LOT of them. And from the long pads there's no avoiding them.
-Non-uniform tee pads. Though most are concrete there were a few brick on the shorter pads and even a few natural pads for the red tees
-A few walks between holes require you to walk through fairways/greens of other holes or in the case of the walk between 14-15 actually walk 15s fairway backwards just to get to the tee.

Other Thoughts:

This was another course I could put on my "pleasantly surprised" list. I decided to go check this one out as I'm getting back into tournament play during the Corkscrew Open 3. Based on the pictures I was expecting a typical Florida style course that wouldn't be too challenge. I was both right and wrong. For the event we played from the Gold tees and then the Blue in the open division. The gold tees were VERY tough. It's not that the course was requiring anything drastic, but it was just really hard to get yourself into scoring position. The best score on the day was an even par on that layout which equated to a 1000 rated round and felt appropriate. The second round saw us shooting from the "Blue/pro" pads and it was a completely different course. It was far easier to score from these pads and had that standard deuce or die quality. Honestly they felt more like white level pads than blues but that's semantics. Playing from the Golds this will test golfers of even the highest skill levels. Playing from the reds this would likely be a great course for the true beginner or practice for putter only rounds. I highly recommend checking out the course when you're in the area. You won't be disappointed.
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6 0
wolfsbro
Experience: 9 played 8 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Solid challenge 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 3, 2019 Played the course:once

Pros:

Excellent shot variety for FL. Up, down, left, right, wide open, partially obstructed, and tight.

Well-manicured. Impossible to lose discs on land. Many discs in water are retrievable.

Plenty of challenge and open air for big throwers.

Plenty of parking in huge lots. Course circles back to the start at 13th tee so you can grab something from the car mid-round if you want.

Cons:

Multi-use park with people all over the course in some places. Families with strollers setting up shop near some baskets making holes unplayable and slow dog-walkers creeping along in the fairways.

The gap in difficulty between red and blue is enormous. As an 880-900 rated player who can throw 275 feet, I cruised through the red course in -2 on my first round and -6 on my second round, but I couldn't play a full round of the next level up due to several water carries beyond my range. Red, Blue, and Gold are all appropriately difficult per PDGA guidelines, but the course is missing a true White-level option.

Hard to find your way a few tees on the back 9, though with U-Disc this is not a problem.

Other Thoughts:

Well worth the 30-minute drive and I would play here again!
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14 0
wellsbranch250
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 10.8 years 694 played 680 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Most elevated shot in South Florida 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Mar 19, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

(3.767 Rating) The anchor course for the Naples/Fort Myers area. South Floridians need to add Estero to their wish list if they haven't played it yet.
- UNIQUENESS - Far and away my favorite thing with Estero is the variety of the holes. Open and wooded. Up, down and flat. Pocket shots, window shots, moderate tunnel plays, blind baskets, a couple par 4's, very long water clears and bomb-it opportunities. Among the most diverse set of holes I've seen on a south Florida course. It is however missing a par 5 and a true dog-leg.
- ELEVATION - This course is truly blessed to have a 30 foot mound in the heart of the course, and it's used well on 4 holes. Holes (16) and (18), are far and away the most elevated tee shots that I've seen on a permanent South Florida course.
- RAW BEAUTY - A lovely park setting with several picturesque water views. IMO among the top 10 most beautiful courses I've played in Florida (68 Florida courses played as of this review)
- MAINTENANCE - The grounds appeared to be constantly mowed, trimmed and manicured. I don't recall seeing any trash on my visit.
- NAVIGATION - Being blind and solo on my first visit, I had no issues. I took a picture of the course map at hole (1) and it cleared up the few times I questioned my next step.
- CHALLENGING - This is one of those courses that clearly establishes what tees you're going to throw at hole (1). Gold tee (1) is insane, and it clearly signals if you think you're a pro or not. Blue tee (1) is no joke either, and rec players will be wise to travel to the red stakes. The gold tees at Estero are really going the separate the playing field. If you can't throw 400, you'd be best served, sticking to the blues.
- SKILL LEVEL FRIENDLY - Despite the challenge from the gold's, this course is very much skill level friendly to everyone but beginners. The 3 sets of tees really helps in these terms.
- CHARACTER - In addition to the 3 sets of tees, there are a bunch of other nice disc golf amenities. There's a course map and community board. There are concrete tees for blues and gold tee (unfortunately just natural tees with stakes for the red tees. There's also a bunch of tee shading and hole (1/18) hosts a shelter with picnic table. The course however could definitely use a bunch of benches, a practice basket and multiple basket placements.

Cons:

There really nothing of substance wrong with Estero other than leaving disc donations.
- DISC LOST OPPORTUNITY - If you decide to play tees above your skill level, you're going to leave behind some plastic. There are a few 300 - 400 foot water clears from the gold tees and the blues requires at least one clear at around 300 feet.
- GATORS - Do not go into the water. The water here is prime gator habitat. This obviously acerbates the disc losing possibilities.
- PROPERTY DAMAGE - There are a couple opportunities here to put one into roads and/or parking lots. Holes (11) and (13) especially put both the parking and the road partially into play with an errant throw.
- WIND - All the elevation shots are mostly void of trees in play. The wind will be a big issue on these holes and wind can also affect a few adjacent holes as well.

Other Thoughts:

I promptly favorited this course after playing. It rated right at the border line of a 3.5/4, and it was probably the unexpected elevation that put it over the top. Pun intended. Estero is a solid course top to bottom and it also excels in a few areas as well. Play this course, you'll probably love it.
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2 5
JLHJLH
Experience: 7.4 years 13 played 13 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Not a day at the beach 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 22, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

It's in Florida and not too far from Ft Myers. Of the four courses in the area it is the best (and I gave it a 2.00. ). For the space they have it is very well designed, meaning they managed to find paths for 18 baskets with minimal intrusion on the rest of the community park. It is maintained properly. Two concrete tees on every basket.

Cons:

Unless you have a line of credit with Dick's Sporting goods you will leave Florida with few discs left in your bag. Even the short tees force you into the water. No problem, it is claimed, if you like a challenge. So, the challenge is as follows: make throws 300 feet (almost every time, the baskets NOT near the water are 400 to 500 feet long), perfectly straight (there are baskets with chain link fences, and highways in place of water hazards).
I applaud them for having a course . . . . but I would not go back, and I would discourage anyone who likes to hang on to their favorite discs to skip it (particularly when the rest of the multi use park is being used (they tell me that is always).

Other Thoughts:

The reviews here, for higher level players are accurate.
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10 0
reposado
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 13.3 years 278 played 276 reviews
3.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 8, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

Estero was a surprisingly good course tucked into southwestern Florida. It provides variety, challenge and a whole lot of water. More holes feature lurking lakes than don't and even a conservative estimate would consider four of them to be true carries of real difficulty. Two sets of tees mean that discers can opt to tee off from the water's edge on most carries while thrill seekers can back up to the long tees which distance, obstacles, or both to the drive before the disc even reaches the water. This is definitely a course every experienced player passing through the area should not pass up.
The course is mostly open so bombers will definitely find their chances to let rip, whether over water or land but several of the holes are what I would refer to as semi-wooded, with clumps of trees providing gaps or alleys that force the payer to bend to the course. The long tees sometimes used a well-placed tree to remove a specific line that would be attainable from the short tee. I particularly like the use of short palms to create early gaps off of either tee. But make no mistake, this is a mostly open course and water will be the most formidable obstacle throughout. Those who can make the carries will love the natural flights of their discs over the beauty of the ponds and palms. Those who can't should probably skip this one.

Cons:

The course is not for everyone as the long hole-lengths and heavy use of water would not be appropriate for lower level players. Some of the carries are over 250 feet even from the shorts. There are also several points at which non-disc golfers may cross or use parts of the course. A few of the holes are very sketchy in this regard and I would hope that specific points of the trail are not used by non discers.
It appears that the course does not hold water well as there several points where casual water had flooded fairways even when it hadn't rained much recently. You should probably be prepared to walk through some muck and for an occasional disc to disappear in unmarked water.

Other Thoughts:

Solid variety. Solid challenge. Easily the best course in this section of the state.
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3 4
evilempire
Experience: 10.4 years 27 played 8 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Lots of water! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 22, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

Challenging, picturesque, concrete tee pads, baskets in good shape. A little bit of elevation.

Cons:

Signage could be greatly improved. Easy to lose a disc if your a beginner or have a wild shot due to proximity of water.

Other Thoughts:

Fun course but demands attention to shot placement, very nice park.
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15 0
markmcc
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 12.5 years 278 played 254 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Prepare to Sacrifice a Disc (or two...) 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 29, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

The designers did a great job of installing 18 challenging holes within this large, multi-use park. More water in play and water carries than any other course I've played, and that adds a real element of interest/risk to the course.

Two very nice concrete tee pads for each hole. I usually play the more advanced tees when I try a course, but I opted for the short tees and am glad that I did. Some of the water carries from the longs are beyond my comfort range, so I'd be bailing out on those.

Though the course is mostly open and flat, the basket placements require careful ranging and shaping of your drive to score well.

From the shorts, holes are mostly in the 250' to 350' range, with two par 4's that run 447' and 546 feet. The long tee jump the "typical" range up to 350' to 450', with the par 4's running 518' and 715'. So if you love to crank out long drives, the "pro" tees will be right up your alley!!

Hole 1 is one of the most intimidating starting holes that I've encountered. The basket is in a narrow strip of land with trees and a fence line on the right and a large pond on the left. I thought I had thrown my drive perfectly, only to have it fade just a bit more than expected and splash right into the pond.

Four ponds are in play on various holes, either with the basket placed near enough to a pond to require care with placement of the drive, or by requiring a water carry on your drive.

Holes 16, 17 and 18 make good use of the one significant hill in the park, giving you one uphill drive and two downhill holes. The finishing hole is a drive from the hilltop to a basket placed right next to a pond. Another hole where too much fade will cost you a disc.

Huge parking lots available, along with restrooms, water, benches, etc.

Cons:

The odds are good that you are going to lose a disc here. On the very first hole I threw my drive exactly as I intended, only to see it fade a bit extra and splash into the pond. The water is deep and murky enough that I didn't recover the disc. So bring a couple of discs that you don't mind donating.

No signage, though it sounds like it is in the works. With the excellent map and scorecard available the lack of tee signs wasn't much of an issue for me. But without the map navigation would be challenging for a first time player.

This is a large, heavily utilized public park, and there are plenty of chances for conflicts with park users. On a Monday afternoon I was surprised at how busy the park was. WIth lots of folks walking and jogging the trails and a few family groups kicking soccer balls around I had to wait several times to play holes. The hill with the 16th and 18th tees and the 17th basket was a particularly popular place for kids to be playing around.

Other Thoughts:

This was my 87th course played, and had by far the most water in play. The water carries and baskets placed adjacent to ponds are what made this course interesting and different that any other.
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3 1
rmadison1
Experience: 13.5 years 1 played 1 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Good Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 15, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

Course lay out is fairly easy to follow the first time out. I liked the how some holes were very challenging and some were moderate to easy. The park the course is in is very nice.

Cons:

Lost a disc in the water on hole one. I was poking around in the long grass on the edge of the water and I surprised a small alligator. Scared the you know what out of me.

Other Thoughts:

I will definitely play the course again when I am back in the area.
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12 0
thrembo
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 49.5 years 245 played 198 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Scenic Fun And Challenging 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jul 4, 2014 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

A natural beauty, this course plays through a large multi-use park, featuring several lakes, light to moderately wooded fairways, and a large (by SW FL standards) hill with one really fun top of the hill hole to unload your bag on and a scenic downhill hole 18 with water dangerously close on the left.

The course is somewhat easy to navigate, with good pacing and flow.

The holes range from medium length to long and offer up plenty of challenges. (Red tees shorten up the holes considerably and make the water holes more manageable). You probably will use every disc in your bag here.

Most holes have two sets of large size concrete tee pads, that are super grippy, and a red set of tees that are well made with pavers. Tees are marked by wooden posts that have hole #s and distances. Some of the distances seemed off and might not represent new/alt pin placements yet.

Map/scorecards available in the rec center and on the board by hole 1.

Some pavilions with picnic tables provide a few nice places to take a rest.

The park was very clean and well maintained. They were mowing the park on the morning of July 4th on one of our visits.

The course has a huge fun factor.

Cons:

There are a couple of longer walks between some holes.

Multi-use park. Care must be taken to avoid throwing at other park users as some of the course is near sidewalks and other park activities.

Other Thoughts:

This is by far the best course in the greater Ft Myers area, IMO. The league and parks dept have done a lot of work on this course lately and it shows. The course is in the best shape ever with new basket placements. finished red tees, lots of underbrush cleanout, and other tweaks. This course is hugely popular and can fill up quickly with avid disc golfers!

Warning: Alcohol consumption is strictly forbidden in this park and the park is heavily patrolled.
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8 4
BigTexas
Experience: 36.3 years 24 played 3 reviews
1.50 star(s)

It's been made easier drive by

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

Pros:

It was a great course..............Absurdly easier. THIS IS NOT A PRO LEVEL TOURNAMENT COURSE

Cons:

Not the original course Am players are moving pads and tees to accommodate am rated players... If the players have so much time redesigning an already top level course instead of ruining this course then they should go find a new park to design a new course so the area has MORE courses not shortened easier versions of existing courses...

Other Thoughts:

The course is being modified by AM rated players with no course design experience. Buckets are being moved closer to the next tee pads so it's definitely more dangerous, holes are being shortened, and 2 new holes require throwing over a road (danger to other park users in an already crowded park) It's a shame the original design was built to challenge players of all levels to become better players.....Now the AMs that run the course have opted to change the course to favor Am players who want a better score, not improve their game. Oh yeah there's a new course record (on the shorter layout)
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8 2
pokrplayr
Experience: 24.7 years 195 played 13 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Formidable 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 1, 2014 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Demanding of the finest golf shots throughout the course starting with the first throw of the day, over a lake. There are multiple baskets that play over or near the water, giving you that "should I throw it at the basket or play it safe" deliberation when deciding your line. Opportunities to really air one out and a nice mixture of technical lanes moving left to right, right to left, and straight as an arrow. The 'short' tees play much different than the long tees giving this course 36 different looks from the box.

Cons:

A lot of chances to lose a disc and once it's gone it's unlikely retrievable, even the 'short' tees play very challenging around the water.

Other Thoughts:

The course has recently undergone a renovation by Baxter Frost a local pro/ architect that has obviously put a lot of thought and effort into making this a high standard course.
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