Pros:
Slater Park Disc Golf Course is located in a huge multi use park . The course itself is hard to find because there are no directions and many of the park patrons have no idea where it is . Once you find baskets , it is hard to find where to start . I only wish I could tell you . There are bathrooms close to the ball fields on hole #5 or 6 . Parking here isn't ideal .
The Equipment - The tee pads are boxed crushed gravel . There are sometimes several tee pads per hole . The tee signs here are pretty good , nice maps inside them with several distances , giving you options to play twice and have 18 holes in . The baskets are Orange DGAs and seem trustworthy to hold putts . The nicest thing is that there are 2 baskets per hole , giving you more options .
The Landscape . The course was mowed and paths on some of the back holes were cleared , but the course was a little dirty when I was here . It is park style on most of it , and flat . There is a narrow path that you will throw down on several of the back holes . On these back holes , there is a lot of tough overgrowth on both sides . Stray from the path and you may lose time and your disc . The last 2 holes head towards a woods . The whole park itself is gorgeous , but not necessarily the course .
The Highlights - just finishing the course . Staying on the path on the back holes are a challenge , and the 2 baskets and multiple tee pads are by far the nicest thing about this course , but it looks as though the idea was fought for , and won , then lost again .
No Signature Holes - #3 is a nice grip and rip hole with some canopies formed by mature trees that dot the fairway .
The Time , After finding it , I played the course in about 30 minutes .
Disc Risk - Very low the first 5 holes , 6 & 7 on the path make it medium Disc Risk , then it goes back to low .
Disc Golf is an added bonus to a beautiful park that the public seems to take advantage of .
Cons:
#1 Safety - Some of these holes play very close to the road . If on a windy day , a pretty decent intermediate can drift a disc into park traffic , I'm sure a group of some newbies or casual players will throw on the road a time or 2 . This is a populated park and the locals make this " the place to go " . You will have to be on the lookout for them both on the open holes , and the paths on the back half of the course .
#2 Navigation - The huge park has tons of roads to travel through it , and not one points you to where the course is . Even after finding hole #1 , the course breaks off and is hard to follow . Going from #7 to #8 is a disaster . Hoe about some Next Tee signs , or some tape on the spokes of the bottom of the buckets , to point you to the next hole ?
#3 The March Of Death - Hole #9 sends you to some spot that makes it quite a hike to get back to your car . Forget the online map . Buy a compass and a pack mule to carry your water . Maybe make this a 12 hole course so the end of it can be close to the beginning .
#4 Unclean - bits of broken glass , litter , garbage near the path . The park is nice and seems mostly kept up , but the course isn't . Maintenance must have abandoned this part of the park .
Other Thoughts:
It looks like there were enthusiasts that were gung-ho about adding disc golf to Slater Park . The park invested some money into some nice signs and 2 baskets per hole . Then , either the enthusiasts stalled out or were repelled by Park Politics and Park Board Intervention . Don't get me wrong . I am glad that they are introducing disc golf to the Pawtucket population . There are only 4 courses total in the whole state of Rhode Island . All of the locals seem to know where this park is , and many seem to take full advantage of the park's perks , but I only saw a man-woman couple playing a round while i was there , and they cut the course short after #7 because they didn't want a longer walk back to the car .
My Recommendation - The park is wonderful , there is even a historic house ( The Daggett House , ca. 1685 ) , that you will pass on your round . Disc Golf is shoved to the backround , though . It is a fine way to introduce the game to the curious locals , and even give a 1 discer or a newbie some practice , at least for the first 5 holes . Other than that , not much else .Locals might stop here for a round but many flee to nearby Massachusetts for some play . Intermediates thru pros are doubtful . Travelers would use this as a leg confuser than a leg stretcher . Course Collectors , it is not far off of I-95 . Collect it and run . Otherwise , I would advise to just pass this course right on by .