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Stephen P Wallace Park reviews
9
0
Excellent, well-designed for a wide range of players
Reviewed:
Played on:May 22, 2024
Played the course:once
Pros:
.
Two sets of framed and level paver tees. Very good navigational signage and color-coded tape on basket spokes. There are metal benches at many tees. New Discatchers. Practice basket. The tee signs are excellent: color-coded blue or white for each tee position, along with very clear hole illustrations. They even include a separate line drawing illustrating the change in elevation. They don't include measurements of the change, so they're not all that useful: you can easily see it's gonna be uphill or downhill.
Front tees are shorter and really do make a difference. Take out some distance, some turn, a few tight gaps off the tees. But the great design allows both layouts to take advantage of some beautifully framed greens. Guarded approaches, slight changes in elevations, baskets tucked behind trees in the park-style areas - the designers have done an excellent job of creating challenges, regardless of how far the tee is from the green.
There are no bad holes, and a couple worth highlighting:
+ Hole #13 is a wooded 350' par 3 with a slight dogleg left, down to a lower green. The fairway gaps are tight but fair, and the basket is placed so there's an OB stream only 10' behind and to the left of it.
+ Hole #17 features a huge difference between the tees. The Blue plays as a 500' par 4, slightly uphill through a wide and open fairway. It makes a hard left at the end to a significantly raised green with the basket protected by low trees. The White plays much shorter: only 180' par 3, but it plays out of a chute across to the raised green, with a large boggy area covering most of the distance. It's such a cool shot across the valley to hit the window that it's probably worth playing instead of the relatively blah Blue.
Two sets of framed and level paver tees. Very good navigational signage and color-coded tape on basket spokes. There are metal benches at many tees. New Discatchers. Practice basket. The tee signs are excellent: color-coded blue or white for each tee position, along with very clear hole illustrations. They even include a separate line drawing illustrating the change in elevation. They don't include measurements of the change, so they're not all that useful: you can easily see it's gonna be uphill or downhill.
Front tees are shorter and really do make a difference. Take out some distance, some turn, a few tight gaps off the tees. But the great design allows both layouts to take advantage of some beautifully framed greens. Guarded approaches, slight changes in elevations, baskets tucked behind trees in the park-style areas - the designers have done an excellent job of creating challenges, regardless of how far the tee is from the green.
There are no bad holes, and a couple worth highlighting:
+ Hole #13 is a wooded 350' par 3 with a slight dogleg left, down to a lower green. The fairway gaps are tight but fair, and the basket is placed so there's an OB stream only 10' behind and to the left of it.
+ Hole #17 features a huge difference between the tees. The Blue plays as a 500' par 4, slightly uphill through a wide and open fairway. It makes a hard left at the end to a significantly raised green with the basket protected by low trees. The White plays much shorter: only 180' par 3, but it plays out of a chute across to the raised green, with a large boggy area covering most of the distance. It's such a cool shot across the valley to hit the window that it's probably worth playing instead of the relatively blah Blue.
Cons:
.
Even though most of the front nine fairways are grass, there are some low spots that definitely get muddy or wet. The back nine - deeply wooded - is lower than the front, and collects a lot of water. The local club has put in efforts to ameliorate the problem with wood chips, boardwalks and stepping stones made from cut trees. Expect mud if you're playing after any recent rain, and I'd advise avoiding it altogether after any heavy rain.
Even though most of the front nine fairways are grass, there are some low spots that definitely get muddy or wet. The back nine - deeply wooded - is lower than the front, and collects a lot of water. The local club has put in efforts to ameliorate the problem with wood chips, boardwalks and stepping stones made from cut trees. Expect mud if you're playing after any recent rain, and I'd advise avoiding it altogether after any heavy rain.
Other Thoughts:
.
~ There's a walking trail but it does not cross the course in any way.
~ Two Loops of nine, although 18 finishes with a little bit of a walk. PRO TIP: park down in the lower lot, not at the practice basket. You'll be closer to the first tee and 18th basket.
~ In many ways, Stephen Wallace Park is a "tale of two nines" - both very good, and very different. Park style up front, and woods in the back. Cart-friendliness varies greatly too: easy rolling on the front nine, but for the back with its stepping stones and boardwalks through muddy fairways and hole transitions, a cart is more trouble than it's worth.
~ Not terribly long from the Blues, but it's a touch course for knowing exactly where to throw - and where NOT to throw - to have the best looks for birdies. And mistakes can easily mean bogies. First time through this is pretty tricky. After a couple of plays, I imagine it's much easier to score.
Overall, an excellent and well-designed course that suits a range of players. Muddiness will affect play on several holes, but for the most part it's just an inconvenience. A very good bagging course, and something I'd play regularly if I lived close by.
~ There's a walking trail but it does not cross the course in any way.
~ Two Loops of nine, although 18 finishes with a little bit of a walk. PRO TIP: park down in the lower lot, not at the practice basket. You'll be closer to the first tee and 18th basket.
~ In many ways, Stephen Wallace Park is a "tale of two nines" - both very good, and very different. Park style up front, and woods in the back. Cart-friendliness varies greatly too: easy rolling on the front nine, but for the back with its stepping stones and boardwalks through muddy fairways and hole transitions, a cart is more trouble than it's worth.
~ Not terribly long from the Blues, but it's a touch course for knowing exactly where to throw - and where NOT to throw - to have the best looks for birdies. And mistakes can easily mean bogies. First time through this is pretty tricky. After a couple of plays, I imagine it's much easier to score.
Overall, an excellent and well-designed course that suits a range of players. Muddiness will affect play on several holes, but for the most part it's just an inconvenience. A very good bagging course, and something I'd play regularly if I lived close by.
