Pros:
• Easy to find
• Great baskets with cool purple paint
• Warm-up basket with a warm-up throwing net!
• Restrooms
• Great signage, although they don't yet have basket locators
• Great tee boxes
• Very nice surroundings
• Pro Shop with snacks
Cons:
• Can get a little crowded in spots
• Par is a mystery
• Lack of drinking water out on the course but you can always hit the pro shop
Other Thoughts:
Tips
• Get a map in the Pro Shop
• Do pay attention to what's going on around you
Random Thoughts:
Depending on how you feel about mixed-use courses, your opinion may be clouded before you even set foot on this course, and what makes this course unique is that they're pulling off the rare foursome of being a regular executive ball golf course, a 'big hole' executive ball golf course, a foot golf course, and a disc golf course. There's also a full 18-hole ball golf course on the other side of the park, and if that's not enough, I saw several other park activities surrounding the course. Whew! If you can't find something to do out here, you're really not trying. With that said, you might be thinking that it must be a zoo out there. Well, not really. We went out twice on back to back weekends at around 9:30AM and we really only had to wait on a shot/tee a few times. It wasn't what I'd call 'busy' by any means. So don't let all the potential activities keep you from coming. Now, on to the course!
A lot of thought went into this course not just to address the obvious that you're on a ball golf course, but to give a nice mix of shots and challenges from hole to hole. #s 1 and 2 give you some nice wide open shots to get your juices flowing and clear out the cobwebs. Then #3 brings in the trees and OB to ensure you can throw straight and low. #4 is your first left to right shot and if the basket is in the back position, you're going to get your first taste of water directly behind it. That means don't be long. #5 is short tunnel shot with a slight elevation change. #6 is the first legitimate booty-pucker shot as there is water down the entire right side of the fairway. There's plenty of room between the water and the OB line on the left side but I'm sure it'll look narrow to some. If the basket is on the right, it's going to look even tougher as it'll be sitting right on the bank of the pond. I watched my fellow discers put 3 in the drink trying to make that basket in 1 shot. I'm quite content to put it in the fairway and leave with par. #7 is another tunnel shot through the woods. #8 is a test of a character. There's a giant pond directly in front of you with the basket in a semi-island position. It's not particularly far, and you're throwing downhill, so you'll be having a conversation with yourself. Go for it or leave it left where there is plenty of safety. #9 gives you a breather being pretty wide open again. A little bit of water up front but not really a factor. #10 is another tunnel shot with slight elevation change. #11 might be one of the most difficult holes ever (as far as making par) if the basket is in the long position. There's nothing but water between you and the basket, with giant trees running up the right side. So your shots are: go straight at it and hope or go around the right side of the trees, which can be quite lengthy. I watched the group in front of us put at least 4 discs in the water trying to throw straight at it. Our group didn't even try. We were quite content to take the scenic route.
This seems like a good place to pause and talk about par. I'm mystified on the strategy for par on this course. There are basket positions that show par 4 on the sign and then other basket positions quite a bit farther than prior par 4s and no less difficult but are par 3s. We couldn't figure it out. Anyhoo, back to the course.
#12 has water on the right although it's easily avoided by staying left. #13 gives you a breather with a pretty straight forward hole. Then comes along #14. This is a legit 'island green'. It's only about 200 feet to the other side, with room straight and right, so I wouldn't necessarily call it an extremely difficult shot because it's really up to you how difficult you want it to be. After that, it's clear sailing until the end as #s15-18 are all water-free. #15 is a fairly wide open straight-ahead shot. #16 is about the same, although do pay attention to the golfers coming straight at you as their green is to the left of the basket. #17 is a fun and lengthy tunnel shot. #18 finishes by letting you let one fly with your only challenges being the green just in front of but right of the basket. And then it's on to the clubhouse for a celebratory drink.
Bottom Line:
This is a well-executed course both in how it fits in with the surrounding course(s) and in its design. We thoroughly enjoyed the challenge and creativity it presented and anticipate not only future visits but I'm guessing tournament stops are in the future as well. Big 'thank yous' to the course crew.