Pros:
Designer Dan Doyle's 18 hole course is a must-play when in Warwick
+ So first: hats off to Dan Doyle, who's had a design hand in some of the best courses I've played (Brakewell Steel, Wilcox, Calverton) for opening his private land to put in a genuine 18 hole track. And if you have any question about the viability of the course, it's got regular tees (some are poured concrete), back tees, and even-farther-back "Black" tournament layout on uDisc
+ The challenging lines are so great on this course. You will need you backhand, your forehand, your long anny, your high late turn, your fade. I even needed my thumber, because the woods get tight after the first few relatively open holes
+ One of my favorite things is when a course alternates between open and wooded holes during play. The Oasis does this really well. You start with wide open to mostly open holes, but then #4 - #6 are in the woods from tee to basket. You then get some holes where you're throwing into or out of, woods, and then #10 and #11 put the woods right back in your face
+ There isn't a "bad" hole here, and a few are especially memorable:
#8 is a straight, relatively short downhill with a low ceiling created by woods, to a basket relevated on a rockpile. The ace run is right there in front of you, but it's all about finding the right elevation
#12 is slightly uphill with a defined grass fairway surrounded by woods. Not a particularly remarkable design, but so pretty to walk and to take a minute to enjoy being outside
#13 is a slight dogleg right around trees with the basket hidden down a slope. It's just a nice big hyzer you float out there, with the reward being a walk to see how close you've parked your disc
#14 is short dogleg left with a serious pond all along the left side and the basket positioned behind the far shore. Play with as much risk as you like
Cons:
- A few difficult spots to navigate. #3 to #4 is a long walk, and it's easy to be distracted by the holes you cross over in between. I mistakenly played #13 after #9, and had to double back. Rookie mistake, not a problem in future plays
- The baskets are all fine- but they are different brands and colors. Makes no difference to the play, but don't look for red baskets from the red tees or anything like that
- Because of Dan's ongoing tweaks, the course feels like a work in progress - it's an ongoing project - but that means it can feel unfinished (for example, no signage, next tee arrows, etc)
Other Thoughts:
~ Course Amenities Summary: Very few, actually. It's cart-friendly, and there are some poured tees. "Red" and "Blue" layouts are indicated by small flags at the tees. But remember: you're playing on somebody's private property!
~ So there's no signage and the tees aren't really well-marked - but for God's sake, I'm playing on Dan's "backyard" private course with multiple tees, a few extra baskets, and really well designed lines. So I guess I should just keep any complaints to myself and play...
~ The pull of Brakewell next door: yeah, you can see the terrific Brakewell Steel course from Dan's, and you can see The Oasis from Brakewell - they're that close. And while The Oasis isn't Brakewell, it isn't just an afterthought either. It really does provide the "oasis" of playing wooded golf on beautiful property with few others around you