Pros:
- Disc golf course on the Oregon Coast (rarity)
- Very scenic
- Baskets have nice yellow tops, very easily seen
- Nice layout, with many holes position you throwing over ravines
- Many unique and challenging lies
Cons:
- Dirt teepads
- no signage yet (this will change, it is a new course, so print a map right now)
- 150ft ravine on the eastern portion of the course will be a disc graveyard
- lots of dead underbrush on the western portion of the course needs clearing
- Many unique and challenging lies
- Course still thick with salal in places (SPOTTERS NEEDED)
Other Thoughts:
I have lived and worked in Newport for over ten years and was delighted when I heard that folks were getting together to put a disc golf course in. When a couple friends took me through the area, you could definitely see the potential: many shots are across ravines and past large doug firs. Baskets in a coastal forest certainly look good.
However, anyone who's ever walked on non-paths through coastal rain forest knows: the ground is uneven, with many old logs, and pine needles lying on the ground, so you never know if you're standing on solid ground or not. And God help us when it rains. I think we'll be playing in extra toughs.
This is most definitely a NEW course in a rough, wild area. Even though folks have gotten together to clear most fairways, there is still a lot of underbrush in the form of salal and salmonberry. I'm bringing a machete with me whenever I play here. And spotters are a MUST currently. There are made stairs and paths down the more steep inclines/declines (holes 7 & 9).
Holes 3, 5, 7, and 8 have a 100 foot ravine in play, thick with salal and other underbrush lining it, so if you shank, or it kicks of a tree, it's gone. 3 and 5 the ravine is on the right; 7 it's 20ft behind the basket. I've already lost two discs to that ravine.
I played my first round with the baskets installed and scored (by the par 56 info on here) a 51, with two bogeys. So if you're accurate, many birdies are possible. As reference to people in the Corvallis area, my average at Willamette is about -2, Adair +2, and Bryant +3-4. I'm not going to go and immediately say it's too easy. The course rewards accuracy, but I could see having a horrible time if you have an off day. I took extra time between every shot, with the focus both on scoring without losing a disc. To me, the most unique thing about the course was some of the creative lies that occur when you kick off a tree or shank. I was put in many an interesting position throwing at some weird angles.
The biggest negative for me are the teepads, which are wood chips surrounded by logs. Seeing how the Oregon coast gets perpetually soaked every winter, these teepads are going to be mud pits eventually, even with chips. That being said, laying concrete teepads in some of these holes is probably going to be a royal pain, but without it, play in your muck boots.
As many here know, new courses are always rough and need to be played a lot before they become "broken in": paths and landing areas get the underbrush trodden down, etc. It's going to take a lot of play to do that to this course. The very nature of the ground (mentioned above) will always make it uneven and make many lies a challenge. I also think that much of the dead stuff around the course should be piled and burned.
The signature holes are:
3: The first longer hole. Plays through a field of doug fir, slopping down to the right into the ravine. Basket is up on a ledge behind it.
7: You're up on one ledge with the basket across from you around 240ft with a ravine in between you. The deep ravine is behind the basket, so don't overthrow. Pretty hole.
9: Ace run. You're a little more than 50ft. above the basket about 120ft across with a ravine in between. Another fun placement and pretty hole.
Lastly, I would say that currently this is not a course I would bring a beginner or folks that have a harder time getting around. To me this is a course for the hardcore folks. Casual players will probably be exhausted and frustrated playing the course in its new, raw form.
Thanks to Alma B., Jason N., Stephen B., and the Ford Foundation for having the drive and motivation to put a course in such a challenging place. I'm very grateful to have it here.