Huntsville, AL

Ken Johnston Park

25(based on 3 reviews)
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Moose33
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 12.8 years 239 played 236 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Super basic, but not bad

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 20, 2023 Played the course:once

Pros:

I was lucky enough to meet up with WB to bag this one and have to say after playing both layouts it's kind of fun. A board flat piece of land with a large creek on one border and some intermittent hardwood trees is not much to look at from the parking area, but the very nice tee signs set the tone well.

I noticed while warming up, I've played on these baskets before. They used to be at Drake Springs, which was the open course across from Brahan that was severely flooded when I played it. Though it's short and basic I have to smash this course is a much better use of these quite nice disccatchers.

They also have a cage on top with solar lights and solar lights on all of the tee signs so it's 100% ready for glow dubs if they ever do that here.

Most of the holes are 200-275 with a couple of them in the 350 range from the blues. Hole 4 has to be the signature with a hyzer over the creek and having to get around the base of a large power structure being the choice play. Which I failed to from the shorts but somehow managed from the longs.

The final hole is on top of a mound and gives you some potential for a roll away, so that's kind of fun as well.

Cons:

It's a flat largely open 9 hole course. No teepads currently and the shots can get a little repetitive.

You basically need two shot shapes, backhand hyzer and forehand hyzer and if you can throw 350 you can birdie every hole. Of course I failed to, but did get -5 from the longs on the first attempt and that was with whipping wind, so I think it's possible to go -9 from either set of tees.

Other Thoughts:

It's a perfect little glow dubs course or palace to learn to play, good spot to bring kids and felt really chill. Not a course I'll go out of my way to play again, but would hit it up to stretch the legs if a longer course weren't in the cards.
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16 0
wellsbranch250
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 10.8 years 694 played 680 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Disc In The Dark

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

Pros:

(1.791 Rating) (REVISED - replayed November 2023) A lightly wooded MA4 and MA3 level course with 2 tee options.
- NEW LIFE ON GREAT BASKETS - The Ken Johnston course exists because another course got the axe. The basket band of the Innova DISCatchers here, have the words "Drake Springs" written on them, which was the course they used to be located at. The old site was not the greatest location due to the constant flooding and drainage issue and I doubt there were even 50 rounds of golf being played on them in an entire year. So, it's great to see that these fantastic baskets are finally being thrown at on a daily basis.
- QUICK PLAY - Course baggers will be able to bag it and tag it in 20 minutes if they have a navigational app. It may take a second or two to locate the next tee as many tees signs can be seen from each basket, but it's not like someone is going to get lost. First time players without an app may struggle to figure out which direction to head to.
- BEGINNER FRIENDLY - I think this course will work well for younger and newer players. Generally open or lightly wooded fairways. The short Red tee layout has holes averaging around 220-feet long. Newer players will be able to work on form and distance with almost no worrying about losing a disc or searching. Hole (3s) water along the right is the only substantial disc risk spot.
- MULTIPLE TEES - In addition to the Red tee layout, there is a long tee layout (Blue) as well. This layout averages nearly 50-feet longer per hole over the short Red layout. Perfect for MA3 level players and plenty long enough to appease this noodle arm MA2 level player.
- NIGHT GOLF - A local inventor and owner of Disc In The Dark, has installed permanent glow lights on all of the baskets here. One can literally bag this course after sunset without much issue. The park does close however. I want to say 9pm is the closing time.

Cons:

Limited by land size and quality of said land.
- YOUTH - The baskets were planted in February 2022. Things like concrete tees are not installed yet. Nearly every City of Huntsville course has concrete tees, so I am hopeful these will be poured eventually. Tee signs were thankfully installed this past summer.
- LAND QUALITY - Although I think this parcel is better than its predecessor Drake Springs, it's still not the greatest. I measured just 9.5 acres on google earth pro. It's mostly flat and there's only about 25 trees in play on the entire layout. It simply wasn't possible to deliver a destination gem on this property. The layout designed by Larry is about as good as that was achievable.
- NATURAL BEAUTY - I'm going with 20 percentile on my ledger. The setting is most similar to area courses like New Hope and the Calhoun 6 holer. It is better looking than the nearby dud that is Kent Robertson. However, all the 18 holers in town have better landscape aesthetics imo.
- NOT FOR BOMBERS OR PROS - Players that can chuck-it 400-feet or are rated above 935 will not be challenged here. The longest play is sub 350-feet. Several people in town have already thrown 9 down on the red layout.

Other Thoughts:

This course very much reminds me of my old local league course in the Tampa Bay area called Youth Park, but with nine fairways here instead of 18. I gave my old stomping grounds a 2.5 and thus I feel pretty good about projecting Ken Johnston into a solid 2.0 course if the tees ever get addressed. Among the 20 courses listed within 15 miles of downtown Huntsville, I personally have it ranked as the 14th best. I have scored it better than all the 6ers and 9ers in town except Asbury and Journey Church, but none of the 18 holers. For the Huntsville area, this is not a destination course to those coming in from out of town unless quantity of courses is the goal.
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10 0
davetherocketguy
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 20.3 years 114 played 105 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Getting there...Not quite done yet and that's okay... 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 21, 2022 Played the course:once

Pros:

Take this review with a grain of salt. This course is brand new and a work in progress and I am rating this based on what's coming…So this review will be updated at some point

-Tee signs - not here yet but I am told by a very reliable source they're great.
-Tee pads - not here yet but the city has plans for concrete tees. For now, there are blue (long) and red (short) flags indicating where the tees will be placed.
-What little obstacles are here for disc golf they are being utilized as best as possible. So of course with the small batch of trees in the center of the field there are baskets and holes among them.
-No crossing fairways or any DG design silliness here.
-Loved the fact that these baskets were rescued from the disastrous abomination of a disc golf course known as Drake Springs.
-Baskets look like they were installed properly and are in good shape.

Cons:

-The land here is pancake flat.
-With the lack of obstacles there is also a tremendous lack of challenge.
-And the land here is a little small for a course so the holes are rather short this not adding to the challenge at all.

Other Thoughts:

This is going to be a great place for practice rounds or a quick nine - and that's ok because not every course in Huntsville needs to be a championship caliber course. It'll also be fine course for glow rounds or even something like Ace Races or MVP Circuit type of events. Just because the tees or the signs aren't in be sure to check it out and bust out the UDisc app to help with navigation until the improvements are made. Hopefully, this review will help out visitors to town to make an educated decision as to whether or not to play before it's complete.
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