Ocala, FL

Sawmill DGC

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4.035(based on 20 reviews)
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14 0
Horsman
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 18.2 years 222 played 100 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Woods + Sand = Fun Times 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 28, 2021 Played the course:once

Pros:

+ Two sets of teepads per hole

+ Most holes have an A and a B pin(Innova Discatchers) that get changed up by the local club often.

+ Benches on most of the holes.

+ Good mix of tightly wooded and open. All the holes bring in the trees one way or another.

+ Course flow is pretty easy. With the style of the terrain and how much the course gets played/loved its pretty easy to navigate without the help of a course map. The course is beaten down well so you can easily find your way around.

+ Hole Variety. This course will test all of your skills. Those who have an extremely rounded game will have a big advantage out here. There are a lot of holes that require you to hit a tunnel and then will bring you out right or left. I loved this course for this. You need to be able to hit a line with a forehand and a backhand if you want to score well. There is also a good variety of hole lengths. There are a few long par 3's and 4's and a shorter(debatable) par 5 from the long tees. I used about 90% of the discs in my bag for this course. Bring your A game.

+ Local love. I had the pleasure of playing a league round here and you could tell instantly that the people that play this course, love this course. There were multiple people helping move baskets and cleaning up the course before league started and they were adding more holes the week prior.

Cons:

- Teepads. This is no surprise from me. There are carpet short pads and turf long pads. Neither teeing surface is great or overly terrible. They are serviceable but not ideal. The carpet short pads are pretty flush to the ground but are slicker than the turf long pads. The turf long pads are slightly elevated, so for me they are a bit clunky and hard to get a run up on. For those that are shorter this might not be an issue but being a tall person, some of the pads are aren't long enough for me to start my run up on the tee pad and the lip of the raised pads causes issues. I understand that it makes sense to have them raised a bit to keep some of the sand off of the tees but it takes the playability down a bit. With proper footwear, a modified run up and about 70% power, the tees gripped just fine for me. If the course had concrete tees, I would have rated it a half point higher at 4.0

- Teesigns are serviceable but could use an upgrade. The give you a general direction of the pin and hole lengths but not much else. They are simple and cheap but do the job. Its only a con because I think they could use an upgrade

Other Thoughts:

I loved this course for a lot of reasons. The course is fair and challenging. The scenery is beautiful. The people were great. Overall, you're going to have a good time here. The two courses that Ocala has are just great and it would be hard to pick between the two. I would suggest that if you are in the area that you should stop either here or at Greenway. Both courses are better than the others in the area and are the most fun to play in my opinion. I will be coming back to this course.
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3 0
gatoremt
Experience: 4.7 years 10 played 8 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Very Beautiful 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 31, 2020 Played the course:once

Pros:

What a great layout of a course. We drove 3 hours to play the course. The pro pads were really good artificial turf. Lots of benches to sit on around the course. Played greenway in the morning and really thought this course was a better lay. A lot of technical shots here.
The baskets are in good shape. The island green was really cool.
Good to see a disc return box.

Cons:

Short Pads: Let's just say they are not good at all. When you can find them. They are Poorly marked. As someone coming to play this course for the first time. We had no idea where the short pads were located on each hole. When you find them, good luck. The pads are just very bad old carpet that is not even and dangerous to throw off of. I would suggest if you are coming to play here that you throw in front of the tees on the grass. There were several times we threw from the long pads because we didn't know where the short pad was located. A good example I believe was 17. We could not find the short pads until after we teed off and made it io our throws and saw the short pad tucked up in the woods.
Basket Locations: We had no idea where the baskets were located. So we spent a lot of time walking down the fairway to locate the baskets. I would suggest that someone set up the layout in UDisc by how the baskets are set up. For example, look at Tom Brown in Tallahassee. They have 4 different setups in UDisc for each layout. Also whoever did the layout in UDisc drew them as straight lines.
Water: I did not find a water faucet anywhere. SO be sure to bring your hydration of choice.
There are several of the hole signs that need to be replaced. I would also suggest that the hole signs at the long pads show the short tees on it so everyone knows where the short tee is located.

Other Thoughts:

We will be back one day again. Even though it is a 3 hr drive. We really liked the layout.
Would also be nice to have a place to do warm-up throws.
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1 8
Liljon
Experience: 1 played 1 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Seriously one of my FAVs 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 8, 2020 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Great layouts, maintained, multi basket locations(that get moved) Short pads and long pads.

Cons:

Only in heavy rain times can this place give some issues due to water. The water recedes very fast

Other Thoughts:

Well worth the travel from anywhere. locals love it even more!
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3 7
Ezum9
Experience: 3 played 1 reviews
5.00 star(s)

My favorite tough course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 4, 2020 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Ever play a course that eats you up but you still love it? That is Sawmill for me. I've played this course 30+ times since I first discovered it a few years ago while visiting my parents. Dad and I play it regularly, and love the layout, challenges, dual basket placements, and overall scenery and experience. Challenging shots are to be had all over and a complete arsenal of throws comes in very handy here. It is very well maintained, with new tee pads recently installed, a reworked layout to improve the flow, and a challenging design for my mediocre at best game. Lol. All in all, I love the Mil.

Cons:

None to speak of.

Other Thoughts:

I play it as often as I can when I'm in town.
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5 4
Discgolfbuz
Experience: 1 played 1 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Mixture of wooded/ open shots 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 27, 2019 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Love the natural woods atmosphere.
Wide open shots with many wooded, low canopy shots included.
Island hole is difficult and challenging
Course has been maintained by club wonderfully
Well designed for smooth flow.

Cons:

Some places give carts a rough roll, tho mostly cart friendly
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8 0
MrFrosty
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 31.6 years 764 played 387 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Sawmill - Strong Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 12, 2019 Played the course:once

Pros:

Sawmill is one of the newer courses ( 2016 ) in Northern Central Florida in Ocala , about 120 miles from the Georgia border and close to I-75 . On the site of an old Lumbermill , this 20 hole course sits by itself , so the only people you should see here at Half Mile Creek Park are other disc golfers . This course has a small parking lot and primitive amenities . I will talk about it in cons . The course sits to the right of the entrance . Walking down the path , there is a practice basket on your left , then first tee in front . The baskets are Discatchers . The signage are plastic coated and are on wood sticks , and there are carpet bases for many of the tees , where others have dirt in wood frames . I am assuming that they are pouring concrete soon. There are plenty of next tee signs to help you navigate the course , and they do a good job ( still print a map , beforehand ) . You will have half shade and half sun here . Plenty of partially wooded , to wooded and then , open holes . There seems to be plenty of righty and lefty shots here . Benches are present on many of the holes . What I like most is the course design itself . It boasts multiple pin positions and 2 tees per hole . There are a couple of holes with landing zones , and will make you work for pars . Sawmill will not only challenge you physically , but mentally as well . The course is easy on the pegs because of it's flatness . The only elevation is a central area of the course where several holes meet that has a small basin in it . Disc Risk is medium to low . There are some high weed patches on a few of the holes , but most have been kept in check ( hopefully by the nearby Ocala club ) , and there is no water . Several holes caught my eye on this course . I liked #13 which is an island hole shot that goes over the basing to a roped off section with the basket in it and some woods behind it . a couple of holes have some great tunnel shots .#5 has it's basket sitting in a small crater . #1 is a good starter hole ( 309' ) , a tight tunnel . The course will jump around in length after that , ranging from a short 214' to 643' #2 . Challenging ? Yes . Fun ? Oh yeah . Even though the finishing hole on 20 was short ( 214' ) , you had to throw a mando under a bent arching tree ( one of 2 of these trees on the course ) The course was a slow play for me , 70+ minutes for the 20 holes . 4 might take 2 1/2 + . Nice thing is that I was on the course on Saturday afternoon ad never saw anyone . Signature hole : #2 , a 643' ( 471 from the shorter tees ) , with a boulder about halfway to the hole , guarding a doorway shot back into the woods , to the basket protected by trees and a low ceiling .

Cons:

#1 Course equipment . Being a quality course , I expected better than frames and carpet for tees . The signage needs to be permanent , preferably with something on it to tell you which pin position the basket is in so you don't have to walk halfway up the fairway to see the basket , along with directional signs on the course ( black/white paper ) . #2 Parking . The lot area , and you notice I didn't say parking lot , is a small circle that you can easily miss driving along the road , that is not only dirt and sand , but the most uneven piece of land with oles and rocks jutting out from it . the divots here might have more elevation than a chunk of the course . I don't know what this course is like after a rain , or if the basin fills , but it looks like it could be a mess . Not sure . A Port O let near the parking lot would help , too .

Other Thoughts:

This course could be just around the corner as being one of the best courses in Florida . Already 20 good holes with plenty of variety . I would definitely play this course a lot if I lived near the Ocala area . Couple this course and nearby Ocala Greenway , and you have a great half day of disc golf . I want to come down in a couple of years and see where this course stands . Thank You , Ocala parks and Rec for letting me play your course . My Recommendation : Newbies and families might want to play somewhere else . Casuals , intermediates , pros should love this course . it is not a destination course , but since Florida is such a vacation state , I would find it hard for travelers driving down I-75 to miss this Ocala course . PLAY IT !!!
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6 0
discoe
Experience: 13.2 years 19 played 2 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Beautiful, challenging course! 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jan 30, 2019 Played the course:once

Pros:

Great variety of shot shot shapes.Multiple, challenging pin placements.Beautiful, unique scenery. Accurate signage makes this course a breeze to navigate.

Cons:

Water was being held in retention areas, and the only way to cross was a few sketchy cinder blocks. The option existed to go around the retention area, but not without interfering with other holes. I have heard that the club plans on addressing this issue soon with the installation of bridges.Some of the carpet tees were a little uneven. I have heard that the club is planning on installing more permanent teepads.**UpdatedPlayed course the next day. All water gone in retention areas. Played great!

Other Thoughts:

This course was absolutely beautiful. With an old abandoned building (Sawmill?) on a couple of the holes, it gave the illusion of playing disc golf in Jurassic Park! The course offered a variety of shots from highly technical par 3's to par 4's that requires you to hit a specific landing zone, and even an island hole. The course designer did an excellent job incorporating natural elements and nothing feels gimmicky. The rough was punishing and the fairways were fair. It appears that there is a lot of buzz surrounding this course and the improvements that have been made, and those still to come. The entire course is very well marked and the signage is accurate. If you are in the Ocala area this is a 'must play' course!!
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3 0
ndelnano
Experience: 11.4 years 18 played 4 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Great, challenging course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 10, 2018 Played the course:once

Pros:

I played here while visiting a friend in Orlando.
- Course was in very good shape
- Great mix of wooded and open holes
- Internediate level shots from white tees, the blue tees looked challenging
- The scenery and nature in this course is beautiful!
- Great signs -- not once was I unsure of where the basket or next hole was

Cons:

I have nothing to complain about -- I would have more to say if I had played more than once.

Other Thoughts:

If I'm ever back in Orlando, I will be playing this course again!
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11 0
wellsbranch250
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 10.8 years 694 played 680 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Unpolished Gem 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 14, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

(3.342 Rating) As Sawmill develops, it will start to challenge Greenway as the best course in the area.
- CHALLENGING - The two sets of tees will offer a good challenge to a wide swath of skill levels. The back tees are great for advanced players and the front tees are great for rec and intermediate level players. Risk reward lines are present on several holes. Not as much as the shot shaping at Ocala Greenway, but close. A few holes will also require a nice bomb down the fairway. I want to say that I used every disc in my bag for this one.
- UNIQUENESS - Overall the hole type variety is a bit above average. Several nice tunnel plays with some movement. Two hole have a low bridge (downed tree) optional mando (8 and 11). Holes bend in both directional in what seemed to me to be an equal amount. In addition there are a couple double bender lines. There's an improv island hole on (13), which will tick you off when you land within the ropes only to see it trickle out and draw a penalty. My favorite hole personally was hole (2), which had a nice sized limestone outcrop sitting in the middle of the fairway. As for missing items, no elevation, no water and no par 5.
- CHARACTER - Several disc golf extras already for its young age. Benches already at a majority of the holes. Adequate signage and numerous directional cues along the layout. There are multiple tees and basket locations. There is a picnic table nearby after finishing up your round as well. The next step for sawmill will be pouring concrete tees
- NAVIGATION - Surprisingly really good. As stated above, directional arrows all over the place between holes. Holes signage indicates next tee direction and baskets for other holes are generally not in view from tee. If I could add one thing, I'd professionally update the signage beyond black and white letter sized paper sheets and add a course map.
- CHILL AREAS - They are everywhere. A fully secluded layout with numerous benches along the layout. I kind of wish I was in a group and could have relaxed at a few tees on this one.
- NATURAL BEAUTY - Above average but not blow me away looks. Mostly a fully wooded layout with several well done fairway designs. The lack of water and elevation features very much impacted my personal beauty rating for Sawmill. I scored it a 3.5 out of 5.

Cons:

No issues of substance, Sawmill is a well done course.
- FORGIVENESS - Not as demanding as nearby Ocala Greenway but close. Several tight but fair lanes to the basket. Ricochets in the wrong direction will be quite punishing in many instances. I had a couple occurrences where my second throw had no angle anywhere near the basket. Having no water in play helps a bit but leaving a disc behind is still a real possibility due to the overgrowth.
- TEES - Less than ideal carpet tees. That stated, for what they are currently, among the most level and intact set of carpet tees I've ever played on. So not a total loss.
- ELEVATION - The least amount of elevation changes of the three courses in the Ocala area. I think only one hole approaches 10 feet in elevation change.
- BEGINNER FRIENDLY - Not very kind for beginners. I could also see newer recreational players also not liking this course as well if they don't like heavy to moderately wooded technical courses. Beginners are best served to stick with the Preserve on the north side of town.
- TIME PLAY - Even though I was the only sole throwing upon arrival, Sawmill still took me over an hour to play. Plus I ran between many throws. Figure a group of four skilled players will spend over 2 1/2 hours to complete this one.
- PARKING - Sandy and pitted everywhere. They really don't get much worse. This stated, it makes just about no impact on my rating for a course, but I wouldn't bring a low riding car out here.

Other Thoughts:

Has the potential to climb to its current rating, but I feel its current rating number is a bit generous for its young state. I currently have Sawmill ranked at number 20 out of my 101 played Florida courses as of this review. (Note I have Ocala Greenway at 16th) Concrete tees would be big boost to Sawmill's rating.
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1 2
Kattrax
Experience: 7.5 years 4 played 1 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Sawmill 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 29, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

Very challenging course. Well laid out fairways. And very easy to navigate

Cons:

Just like anywhere in Florida bugs can be a problem not not enuff to make in unenjouyable

Other Thoughts:

Was completly enjoyable day of Disc golf with my son and we look forward to next week
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5 0
Kill Face
Experience: 13.7 years 3 played 3 reviews
3.50 star(s)

New course that plays like an established one 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 5, 2017 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Nicely laid out fairways,
-Great use of property
-Lots of shade
-20 holes with long pads on most
-The Sawmill DGC is dedicated to updating and improving the course with minimal man power and are putting in a tremendous amount of time and energy to adding/improving the course hats
-Only about 15 min away from another great course (Greenway)
-Good distinction between the short and long pads although there are not long pads on every hole.

Cons:

-Tee pads are carpet but usable,
-Some tee pad locations may have you scratching your head,
-Its basically the Ocala National Forest so tics and other critters are present,
-No bathrooms or water on site but stores are near by just not within walking distance
-Some of the holes utilize "dry ponds" which are ponds that mainly stay dry but in the event of heavy rain they handle the overflow from other ponds in the area which means navigating some of the holes can be tricky after nasty rain events. The Sawmill DGC is working on getting some pedestrian bridges put in to accommodate for when we get into the rainy season in Florida.

Other Thoughts:

Lemme just say that this course is more like a 3.85 but I rounded down to 3.5 because I dont want to be misleading in any way.

This a great course that you should check out if your within an hour or so of Ocala. It requires the use of most shots in your bag and can punish you for errant drives or ups but not to point of it feeling unfair. There are not too many tee shots where you can rip it 450' which is fine by me as I max out at about 350'. There are certainly some long holes but you might not want to risk a crush from the tee for fear of having a bad placement for an upshot. Playing a round from the shorts and a round from the longs makes for a fun and interesting day of golf if you decide to play all day at Sawmill. The course doesnt feel redundant so you kind of just wiz through it and ask for more once youve completed the round. I look forward to seeing how this course will continue to grow in the future.
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6 0
kevindonn1
Experience: 15 played 2 reviews
4.00 star(s)

The makings of an amazing course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 10, 2017 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Diversity!
This course forces/allows you to use every shot in the bag. With holes that are long, short, tight, open, technical and bombers! The course flows nicely in and out of pine forest, open fields and back into giant shade tree wooded areas. Each hole has its own personality and challenge. And each hole gives you an opportunity to play smart or to go for the bird! Multiple basket locations allow the holes to come to new life when they are switched out.

Cons:

This is a new course and has been in development for just a couple of years. The course had only 11 holes until recently when the course was opened up using the vast wooded property in the park to make it a solid 20 holes. Those new holes are amazing but they are still being cleared and worked on. It won't be long until this becomes one of the absolute best courses in Central Florida!
The course will be upgrading from the basic carpet tee pads that are there now, which will improve things a lot. As more and more people are hearing about this course and coming out to play it, the underbrush that is native to the park is slowly getting cleared out, which is good because there are tons of vines and prickers off the fairways that make poor shots a bit sketchy to get to at times. This should be a non-issue as time passes. At this point, there is no bathroom or running water at the park, but I believe there are fundraisers and county parks and rec plans to get those in place in the future.

Other Thoughts:

The first hole which is located right near the large parking lot is a nice par 3 that can give you a nice start to the round. There is a practice basket just off to the left of hole one for warm ups.
Hole 2 is an awesome par 4 challenge. Tight and long with your first and second shots requiring clean and accurate throws. Long arms can get you close for a bird, but the average player will be more than happy with a par on this one.
Hole 3 gives forehand throwers an advantage on a really cool dogleg right that makes its way into the pine forest. Holes 4 and 5 challenge your line selection through the pines for easy birdies or painful bogeys depending on your shot selection. Hole 6 opens things up again with a nice healthy par 4 that rewards the big arms. 7 takes us back to one of the original par 4s on the course. This hole is beautiful off the tee pad, through the woods with several options on where you need to land for your second shot to give yourself a look at birdie from across a large retention area, up to a protected basket. Hole 8 is another beautiful short par 3 with your tee shot going under a a scenic fallen tree that crosses the fairway creating a unique challenge. Hole 9 takes us back to what was originally the first hole with two pin locations that offer different options for a nice scoring hole. Hole 10 is an open fairway with a few large trees to keep you honest. The fairway doglegs to the left giving a healthy drive a chance at another good score. Hole 11 is another beautiful use of this parks scenic natural layout. Another large fallen oak 100 feet in front of the tee pad forces player to decide wisely on their shot selection. A well placed bomb off to the right will sail nicely back around the trees and onto the fairway where your have a good look at the basket, or you can brave the tighter left line and rip one straight toward the pin for a shorter, but tighter opportunity at the basket. Hole 12 is short, but don't let that fool you! Those harmless looking Magnolia trees force you to make a smart decision and a well placed shot to a basket that is snuggled in nicely in the back right corner of this hole. Hole 13 looks like a piece of cake with an unimpeded straight shot across a water retention pond that is almost always dry for an easy birdie. But beware! This hole plays as an island green with OB all around the green. Shots that don't land on the green are considered in the hazard. You play from that spot but with a one stroke penalty, so you better hit that green! The winds tend to swirl on this open field as well which adds a nice challenge as the weather plays a factor on this hole. 14 takes us back over the retention area to a basket that is tucked into the woods on the left. A healthy drive that is long enough can give a nice look at the basket. But if you end up left, look out. And if there has been rain, shots that go right over the retention area can be wet, so play smart! Those retention areas are pumped out so even when if there has been a ton of rain the retention areas drain out withing a day or so. Hole 15 is a challenging par 4 with 2 pin locations, both requiring a healthy tee shot and rewarding you for smart shot placement on your up shots. Hole 16 tucks us back into the woods for a tight drive to one of three basket locations that offer different challenges while still offering opportunities to score. Hole 17 plays tight though a wooded fairway that opens up to a dogleg left. The first basket location plays as a par 3 and a smart tee shot will get you in good scoring position. The longer basket position plays as a par 4 and requires two clean shots for any chance at birdie with the basket being protected by two large palms that act as sentries in front of the basket. Hole 18 tee pad stands in the shadow of a large water tower behind the tee pad that seems to lurk over your shoulder as you tee off down a fairway that seems clear enough. But beware again, those trees on either side of the fairway like to gobble up your shots if you don't hit your lines. Hole 19 forces players out of a tight shoot into an open field with two pin locations. Each is reachable with a decent arm and this hole rewards players who make it out of the tight fairway. And last is hole 20 which is another deceivingly short hole. But where is the basket? This hole forces players to find lines either left or right, out and around thick woods that stand in front of the basket that is also hidden behind a mound of large lime rock. This hole produces plenty of birdies for accurate shots and plenty of echoing sounds of discs smashing into the trees that work real hard to protect this basket.
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5 0
thrembo
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 49.5 years 245 played 198 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Rustic Fun Technical 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jun 30, 2018 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Very cool rustic 20 hole course with generally two sets of tees and two pin placements for each hole. There are a couple of openish holes but most of the course plays tight in a scenic forest area. Very nice temp (I'm assuming) tee signs and next tee signs. Navigation is a snap and the course is in an area pretty much dedicated to disc golf. The course is clean, well maintained and is fun to play.

Cons:

The sometimes too small carpet tees are starting to show their age with several being lumpy, or uneven. Concrete tees would be a very welcome addition and hopefully, they are coming.

No restrooms or other facilities, no drinking water. Make sure you bring plenty of water as the course is a pretty good walk around. Bring bug spray as there is plenty of insect activity here.

Other Thoughts:

A fun, rustic, isolated, wooded, and dedicated course. Ocala has it going on!
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3 0
xGIRTHx
Experience: 13.8 years 40 played 16 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Ocala is great for disc golf! 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 20, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

I love the courses in Ocala and this one is no exception. We drove to Ocala from the coast with a plan of playing this course followed by Greenway. Like greenway, I liked this course from the first hole. This course is every bit as scenic and dare I say professional feeling. It has minor elevation and a great variety in the shots. The routes aren't impossibly narrow and IMO walks the line perfectly for being equally rewarding and punishing which isn't an easy achievement in course design. On top of that, its only 10-15 minutes from Greenway which makes for a great day of disc golf.

Cons:

As of right now its only 11 holes and doesn't have any facilities. I'm struggling to find any other complaints because there really aren't any. Due to a rookie mistake, hole number 2 will be the final resting place for a friend's first disc unless it blows down. If you close your eyes you can hear the faint choruses from Dancing in the Dark and Born to Run as the Boss watches over you.

Other Thoughts:

Upon arrival to the parking area, you feel like you are about to play somewhere special and very few courses have given me that feeling from the get go. The use of the land is perfect and its isolation from the roads makes for a peaceful and tranquil round. Toward the end of the course you will tee off next to the Silver Springs water tower which is cool. There is also an abandoned building that is artfully decorated by some of Ocala's residents. If you're an 80's kid you'll appreciate what became known as the "Stussy S" painted on the building. All kidding aside I will give this course another half star once completed and I wouldn't hesitate to drive an hour to play this course again.
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1 0
JLethal2
Experience: 13.4 years 38 played 17 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Great Ocala Addition 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 20, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

This course is a great little gem conveniently located right off State Rd 40 (Coming from the East), the parking area was nice and located close to hole 1. The Course itself in terms of design is nearly perfect, it really utilized the land well and makes for some very fun throwing. Surprising changes in elevation (if only minor) make for a nice change of scenery in a FL course. I thought the signage and presentation of each hole was great, there was a great sense of fluidity in the layout. I like the fact also that this course is not in any type of public park where you sometimes get unwanted moving targets (People) to avoid, this land is devoted to the Disc Golf course. I even liked the little benches installed at each tee, nice touch there.

Cons:

I don't have many gripes about this course at all aside from the fact it is not more than just 11 holes. I know it is a work in progress and more are coming which will definately improve my overall rating of the course. I would like to see permanent tee pads eventually...but carpet pads are better than just sticking flags in the ground like some I've been to. There were no restrooms on site which wasn't an issue for us but could be for others (even a port o let would suffice) To no fault of the course, I lost the first disc I ever purchased nearly 6 years ago (Pro Boss) on hole 2..It now lays in eternal bliss 50 ft up in a tree overlooking the course. RIP Bruce

Other Thoughts:

I love this course and can't wait until it becomes the 18-20 holes it is intended to be. We drove an hour from Daytona to play it and it would certainly be one we will frequent once the full construction is complete but for being so new...it is a beautiful, fun & challenging course to play.
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2 0
Fletch50
Experience: 14.4 years 12 played 4 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Cool Layout 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 16, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

Nice course, I really liked the layout and how it flowed. The tee signs were temporary but nice enough and instructed you on the direction. Sometimes it was hard to know which pin placement was used. On most holes you could figure it out but on a couple it was tough for a first timer. If the retention ponds would have been wet then the course would be super hard, with them dry, playing and navigating was much easier. I enjoyed the walk thru the woods to the next hole - it was easily worth the 2hr drive to play. The tree on #4 was fun to play around and added even more character to the course.

Cons:

Carpet tee pads are not bad, properly sized - once permanent concrete is put in then +1/2
A few more holes would be great, but with multiple pin placements and 2 tee pads on all holes the current layout was tons of fun.

Other Thoughts:

I tossed my favorite Orange Nate Doss 2X Surge about 50' up in a tree and couldn't get it out on hole #2, right side of the fairway. So sad... :(
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2 2
Flicker55
Premium Member
Experience: 10.7 years 63 played 6 reviews
4.00 star(s)

New expanded course in Ocala 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jan 1, 2017 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

10-15 minutes to Greenway,close to bars and restaurants and has expanded to 20 baskets.

Cons:

When rains canals can fill with water and will need to walk around water which can add a lot more walking. Bridges will be put in eventually. Wooded areas full on thorny vines. Getting knocked down now that course is being used.

Other Thoughts:

Will need a club house with toilets cold, water fountain and bar and restaurant.:) Great course with good signage. If you played here with the original 11 holes you need to try it out with 20. It was amazing what these guys have done in such a short time. This course will only improve with time.
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4 0
mjudy
Experience: 13.8 years 53 played 1 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Great course with room to improve 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 18, 2016 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

*course flow- obvious flow mostly with "next tee" signs on nearly every hole, easy to navigate.
*good mixture of open and woods- demanding drives use mostly natural fairways in and out of trees
*scenic- nice views and informational signs tell you about the history of the property
*challenge/reward- drives down the fairway are rewarded and hitting trees is punished
*par 4s/long holes- play golf
*Informative signage

Cons:

*carpet pads
*temp signs
*no bathrooms
*small parking lot
*thorns- just off the fairway many holes have tall rough and/or thorns
*retention area may flood during storms

Other Thoughts:

New course with great potential. Adds something new to the area with par 4s and a great mix of shots. Parking lot to be expanded soon and plans to add 8-10 more holes and bridges to cross the areas that flood. Fun course that can be played in about an hour.
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4 0
JCone
Experience: 11.8 years 37 played 5 reviews
4.00 star(s)

A Diamond in the rough 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Feb 7, 2016 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Great views on an extremely underutilized piece of property.
Ingenious course design
Sick holes utilizing both natural features and found objects on property
Playing disc golf on a piece of history
Cool signage, play golf and learn something at the same time
Convenient location, the urban area of Ocala now has 3 courses within 3 quadrants of the urban core (NE, SE, NW)
Different landscape/foliage from other courses in area
Lines are obvious, but alternate routes to the basket are available.
Plays to different strengths of players (bombers have advantages on some holes, while accurate, smarter players are given advantage on other holes)
Slight elevation changes combined with found objects require smarter golf
Many holes require a solid upshot even for more advanced players
Course is located near many hotels, restaurants, and attractions; yet somehow you still feel as though you're deep in the woods while playing. Solid cell service.
Course flow is darn near perfect, Hole #11 ends near the parking lot; get a quick round in or play 22.
Although there is the occasional walker or person just enjoying the property, property is primarily dedicated to disc golf.
Keeping disc in the fairway is rewarded. Very few patches of silly rough in fairway.
Best baskets in the area.

Cons:

Work in progress.
Some areas of "rough" are rough, although most are nowhere near what many of us have experienced playing disc golf throughout the state. Needs some players to trample and/or additional maintenance.
Drainage issues (being addressed by course developers)
Lack of bathrooms
Lack of trash cans (pack it in, pack it out)
May be difficult to locate if you're unfamiliar with the area.
Temporary signage (but informative)
Carpet pads (not permanent)

Other Thoughts:

Without a doubt, my favorite holes are (currently) 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, & 11. Nearly all of the holes are unique and many players will find that they enjoy different holes. The non-profit has done an amazing job building a course with very little funding and a lot of (continued) hard work by volunteers & sponsors. It shall be quite a fun ride to see what happens to the course over the next few years. Can't wait to see the bridges, the additional build-out of the course, and tee pads. Been great to see the local disc golf community get behind the project,
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4 3
screvy
Experience: 17.3 years 58 played 9 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Perfect mix of what Ocala has to offer! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Dec 22, 2016 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

- Great views
- Fair number of wooden holes and open holes.
- Great use of property
- Brand New Baskets
- Challenging
- lets you air one out and also makes you make placement shots on some holes.
- Course is Brand new and is still being improved

Cons:

- Carpet pads.
- Rough is rough, thorns, sticks, wires. vine.
- Walk from tee to tee can be long at times.

Other Thoughts:

This is my new favorite course in Ocala. Always keeps me on my A Game. All 20 holes are now in great job to all involved. The new 9 holes are a work in progress and clean up will continue. All are playable and great mix of tec to open. My favorite is the island which I loved seeing come to life
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