Danville, VA

Ballou Park DGC - Course #2

3.465(based on 27 reviews)
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13 0
Moose33
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 12.8 years 239 played 236 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Good mix, tons of wildlife

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 19, 2023 Played the course:once

Pros:

I'm struggling a bit with my rating on this one. I feel like it's too good to be a 3, but not quite a 3.5. Will do it kind though and round up. Especially since I felt like crap while playing.

Ballou #2 sits in what seems like it should be a busy city park with tennis courts, baseball field and a pretty cool walking/biking trail.

You have two pads on almost every hole(maybe every hole but I didn't see them on a few) and pads of perfectly acceptable size. A few of the holes have benches and the creeks have bridges in several locations.

Baskets are Mach 5 and I actually think they catch really well.

Signs are beautifully done, an actual photo of the course with directional markers for the pin and next tee.

The course itself reminds me of a slightly gentler version of Perkerson in Atlanta. In a city park, a little older, mix of elevation, tighter wooded holes and some designs that would have been downright edgy back in the day. The par 4 along the creek is a great example of that.

It calls for a good shot variety and though it's no cakewalk it's not going to kill most players either.

I think the use of elevation was the most well done portion, you frequently have to manage the hill grades and landing zones to score and that is an undervalued thing in current course designs.

Cons:

It's just a little past its prime. Nothing that can't be fixed, but a few things holding it back. The tee signs are beautiful, but largely faded and or vandalized to the point of uselessness. A few have had trees grow so much that even if you can use the map the hole no longer resembles the one in the photo.

I actually like Mach 5s and these are nice, but for a wooded course this is a suboptimal choice. A brightly colored band on a basket would go a long way to make it easier to play.

Some of the shot shapes are a little weird from the blue tees but no deal breakers. Just needs some lines opened back up and some of the features updated.

And benches! Please a few more benches. I was feeling a bit sick while playing and a few more seats would be great.

Other Thoughts:

Overall it's a good track and worth going back to it for a day when a severe storm hadn't blown down many trees and left it a bit soggy.

The variety it nice and it's certainly fun, but just has a bit of patina on this well worn course that could be worked off and perhaps worked into a 4.
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10 0
Bennybennybenny
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 13.7 years 321 played 303 reviews
3.00 star(s)

What Happens in 2006, Stays in 2006 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 8, 2022 Played the course:once

Pros:

-Ballou is sixteen years old. Created before the time designers were hungry to design gold level course. Disc golf still wasn't very popular back then. This course feels something like the start of the hardcore pop punk scene. You know, the days where Letter Kills, Alexisonfire, Matchbook Romance, and Boys Night Out were kind of setting the standards for more popular bands to come and be more successful a few years later? Ballou is that type of course. It has a really neat design with a hilly terrain. It has a lot of those course qualities that make it memorable since it has a good amount of elevation, a mix between open and wooded, some short ace runs and some longer holes if you play the blues. It's an older course without being old fashioned.

-Most holes have dual sets of tees. The whites are pretty straightforward. The blues are pretty difficult since they are longer. Five or six holes have only one tee and par is 55 on the shorts and 58 on the longs. Means over half of the longs are longer and more challenging par threes.

-In the middle of the city. Many food options nearby. There's a grocery store across the street. You don't have to plan ahead to play here.

-Nice concrete tees that are long enough. Nice mach pins as well that still seem to catch well.

-The elevation is significant on many holes. A few steep downhills over 25' (#1, #3, #9). Holes #12 and #13 are both significant uphills around 25'. The best holes are probably #15 and #16. They are valley holes. #15 dives down a good 40' before increasing about 15' past the creek that you throw over. #16 long is a sweet par four. Nice downhill bomb onto a slightly wooded fairway past the creek to a steep uphill approach. Great looking hole.

-The elevated rock terrace green on #6 is really sweet. #13's green is very neat too. #13 in general is a very neat uphill hyzer into a breach in the woods with some serious rollaway potential.

-There is some good fairway diversity, even though it seems to favor a little more toward righty backhand throwers. There are no legitimate doglegs, but many holes have some subtle bends. #4's tee is next to the road, but the intended fairway that has you throwing the opposite side of the road is overgrown. I threw a sidearm toward the road and skipped to the right side back in bounds in the open and was left with a pretty simple upshot. Disappointing that the intended fairway is unplayable, but it's nice that this hole can be played in a much more interesting way. Gave another 2006 feel. You know, Tony Hawk Underground? I felt like I was back in 2006 about to see some teens riding their skateboards on their way to see Alexisonfire on their "Crisis Tour" or to the Nintendo Fusion Tour for its final year.

Cons:

-Neighborhood appears to be pretty rough. Looks run down and possibly a bit dangerous. Several houses with no trespassing signs.

-The briars. I played in a long sleeve shirt and jeans. They prevented me from getting cut by all of those thorns and briars, but they still stuck to my clothes AFTER doing the laundry. While we are at all, Ballou is rough and showing some decay. There is a ton of overgrowth on #4 to the point where you should play this hole down the side of the road instead of its intended fairway in the woods. #5-7 have some overhead branches. #12 has a lot of briars and a dead tree right beside the basket that is in play immediately once you are out of the woods. #15's creek is tough to cross due to the low branches and the walk to #16 is past a big patch of thorns.

-If you are allergic to poison ivy, you better not go big on #18. This is a grip and rip par four in the open, but there is a woodline and it is nasty in there. I lost my ballista (my favorite driver) in the woods. I looked for a while too. There is poison ivy in other parts of the course.

-Holes #8 and #10 seem out of place. They are boring short holes under 200' with crap shoot fairways. #14 is a 162' dinker.

-Tee signs are faded out. They look like tattoos on elderly people. Some of them are just about whitened out as if they were printed blank. It's hard to read the hole info.

Other Thoughts:

-I think Ballou is out of its prime, even though it is a good course. It's like that guy/girl who peaked in high school and stayed relevant up until their early twenties right before they faced some hard knocks in life. Sixteen years later, they are in their early to mid thirties. Divorced with two kids working two jobs left reminiscing how much better life was for them in 2006. Maybe they'll get to relive some of their nostaglic past at the When We Were Tour coming in 2023.

-The blue pads give a moderate challenge for intermediate players. There are quite a few holes that should be birdied pretty routinely for advanced players. Still, some of the holes are quite challenging. #9 is a fun downhill pro par three measuring over 400'. It's risky to throw a driver, but it's also difficult to reach with a stable midrange since it still plays maybe 320'. #11 is a right to left uphill power shot in the woods down a wide fairway to a closed green guarded by several trees. Very hard to reach this one. 369' and plays about 415'.

-Signature hole: My guess is probably #3. Very fun downhill hole in the open to a wooded mouth over a creek. The basket is in the woods by only maybe 40', but if you don't throw it straight through the gap, you'll likely land in the creek. Don't let this hole fool you. It's harder than it looks and a ton of fun! #15 is another prospect since it's another steep downhill over the creek. Since Ballou is in need of TLC and #15 is kind of affected by the roughness. #3 has my vote in being the signature hole. #16, however is my favorite hole here. It's a softer par four over a valley. The fairway is pretty welcoming but you'll need to keep it pretty low in order to avoid some high branches and the likelihood of hyzering out by not keeping it low.

-Needs some work. This course is in the red. You'll especially see it on #4, which is one of the more unique holes at Ballou. #6 appeared to be deteriorating a bit too. It's a really cool valley shot that's being more and more of a mess due to excess branches and high grass on the green.

-Ballou seems to have been a very appealing course. I know that it brought some joy. It's looking rough now :(. Hopefully it'll come back around.

"We've got a crisis on our hands."
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16 0
pmay5
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 21.4 years 568 played 261 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Wooded, open, elevation, #2 has it all! 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 8, 2021 Played the course:once

Pros:

Two tee pads on just about every hole, they are concrete and a good size. Three of the four with only one pad, are short holes and provide other challenges. The tees are labeled White and Blue, which is about right for their distance and challenge. If you are looking for a Red level course, the #1 course is in the same park.
The Mach 5 baskets are all in good shape, sometimes tough to spot on the tightly wooded holes, but not a big problem.
Good tee signs on every hole, Par, Distance, elevation change and (one of the few times I have seen this) the "Plays Like" distance. They have a picture of the hole (with a sponsor) and arrow showing the basket location. I normally prefer a hole layout to show the basket location, but these are well done.
A great variety of holes, it starts out with several partially wooded holes, downhill, uphill, then downhill again before moving into the heavily wooded holes. There are even some mostly open holes to finish your round.
This course moves around the northern end of the park, it looks like there should be very little interference from other park users, except for gravel walking paths. But I think these were between holes, to limit the interactions.
Some really cool holes, that you will remember for a while after playing them, #3, #4,#6, #15 and #18.

Cons:

Not much to dislike about Ballou #2, as I mentioned on the Tee Signs, a couple of times I had to walk the fairway, because I couldn't tell where my line should be, based on the hole picture. But they are well done, and did a great job recruiting sponsors.
A couple of the short holes felt like filler holes, #8 and #10 are just 184' and 170' (uphill), but very tight fairways force you to hit your line, or hope you get close enough for a birdie look.
Really picky here, but the open field where #12 basket is looks like it could be used for another open hole. In fact, after finishing #12, I looked left for the next tee, thinking the hole was going to cross this large, open grassy area. Alas, it did not, just an easy walk to #13 tee.

Other Thoughts:

While most people, especially baggers, probably play both courses at Ballou back-to-back, either warm up on the Par 3 #1, or use that for your cool down. Due to time constraints when I was first here in January, I finally got to play the #2 course ... 11 months later.
The #2 course at Ballou is definitely NOT the second best, I think that refers to the order they were installed, because #2 is twice as good as #1! If you are going to build two courses at one location, and have the room, this is how it should be done. One longer challenging course, plus a shorter, family/beginner friendly course. There's another location in VA with two courses, nearly the same distance and nearly the same layouts, having two different layouts is much better than having twins at the same location.
I mentioned in the Pros that this course has just about every type of openness of holes, it also mixes up the left, right and straight holes also, plus with the creeks that run through the park, there is some type of elevation change on just about every hole.
The holes here that most players will remember well after your round start pretty early:
#3 - a 342' Par 3 that starts downhill in the open, then turns left and narrows as you reach a creek, then uphill about 50-70' to a sloped green in the trees. Still can't believe I threw such a straight drive, that it crossed the fairway!
#4 - plays 550' and par 4 from the elevated Blue tee, its a dogleg left to a guarded target area, creek down the left and woods on the right, then the creek crosses the fairway and you have to cross that, and thru a tightening fairway to the green. (The first tee pad you come to is no longer used, keep walking to the tee sign, then the White tee is down below the Blue tee.)
#6 - another elevated tee, you have a tunnel you need to clear off the tee, then it opens up as you cross a valley and the basket is up a ridge of about 20', that slope is so steep, that stairs have been added. (This hole is not pictured on the site.)
#15 - another elevated tee and straight down to a small creek at the bottom, oh yea and you have to split 2 large trees in the middle of the fairway, or pick another line. Just one tee at 259', but you have to hit your gap or be scrambling.
#18 - unlike any other hole on the course, this one is mostly open with just a few trees on both sides of the ample fairway to beat. Great grass on this 420'/539' Par 4, that drops then has a steady incline to the basket, protected by large trees. Just a great finishing hole to watch the leaders come in on.
A great course here for intermediate and up players. Beginners will probably struggle with the distance, tightness of some holes and thick rough off the fairways. More advanced players should be challenged with the Blue tees as they add 1400' of distance and several different looks at the hole. If you play the #1 course before this one, be sure to play this gem.
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10 0
mshelton
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 22.5 years 145 played 32 reviews
4.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 23, 2018 Played the course:once

Pros:

Nice teepads and signs
Park well maintained
Variety that I was not expecting
Bathrooms with water at the first tee
Very nice mix of elevation and use of terrain
Every hole was a new and different challenge, nothing felt like a filler
Course #1 a few 100yds over for a warm up
Disc return box (every course could use one of these)

Cons:

Nothing really major that could detract from the course
Maybe the extra teepad on 4 (I think) was a little confusing
Rough grown up bad on couple spots but it's been a monsoon summer in VA and no way to avoid that.

Other Thoughts:

Was really not expecting as technical of a course as this but it was a great surprise, glad I made the stop on my way through. Almost every hole had me thinking which I really enjoyed, there are a couple that I still think about how I should have played them, 9 and 14 I believe. 15 is one I want to go back and just toss a bag of putters down. Course really only opens up on 17 and 18, which seemed like a really nice way to end the round.

The park facilities are nice, everything is well kept. I found someones MD4 and was able to call them and leave it in the locked drop box, can't say how much I like a course having one of those. It's a lot nicer to be able to contact the person and let them know it's in the drop box than trying to work out what trash can you're going to stash it under for them.

Only other thought is that the bathroom on the right didn't lock for me so if you gotta change or pinch one off you may try the one on the left.

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6 1
hoppedup
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 10.6 years 104 played 27 reviews
3.50 star(s)

You're my boy, Ballou! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 18, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

Decent signage that pointed to the the next tee pad. Nice concrete tee pads. Good mix of open and wooded with only one fairway that was heavily wooded. There are several blind baskets and the tee signs helped with basket position. The signs would work better in this regard if they had an overhead view of the hole.

Locals were very friendly and let us play through. Someone also helped me look for an errant tee shot after letting us play through. I gave up after a few minutes and told the guy to keep it if he found it.

That happened on hole #6. You throw from high on a hill and the basket is on top of a very steep, grassy hill that has steps. That made for an interesting approach shot. And probably my favorite hole.

The park is an urban park, but after the first few holes, you go into the woods and stay there until the last two holes. There is no throwing over or around other park users. The designer did a good job using the space well and efficiently.

The course drains pretty well as we played two days after heavy rains in the area and didn't have any issues with mud or soggy ground. Water is only in play on #4, where I went into the small creek twice.

Cons:

There has been a re-design at some point and two of the baskets were not re-numbered. #5 basket says #4.

#7 tee pads are not the ones past the basket on #6. Those are no longer in use but were not removed. #7 tee pads are down the hill across the trail and are visible from the old tee pads.

These were minor issues and easily solved without too much hassle.

Other Thoughts:

This is a really nice park with nice facilities. There was a group of four at the first tee that let us play through and were very helpful. Then a solo player let us play through on #6. Everyone was really nice. If I lived in Danville, I'd be playing this course all the time.
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7 0
reposado
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 13.3 years 278 played 276 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Worth a Round or Two 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 2, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

I have to admit, Ballou was an afterthought. It wasn't on my original Saturday plan but after finishing up in South Boston and realizing we had the time, a spontaneous side trip to Danville was in order. I wasn't expecting much but I was more than pleasantly surprised with the course I found. As I would likely have never otherwise played the course, I have to say that it was one of my better spontaneous decisions. (at least disc golf related)

Ballou rolls over a variety of terrain, including light woods and rolling hills. Between the landscapes and the elevation changes, each hole manages to present a different look.

There are some open holes that let you throw over distant hills to baskets that you can only locate by reading the tee sign. There are gaps that you have to hit all over the place, some far down the fairway, a few right in front of the tee.

For many, the favorite hole is going to be one of the over-the-valley holes, although I couldn't single out one of them over the others. They're all fun and challenging in slightly different ways.

There is a newish looking walking path in the park (Don't worry, you never throw over it.) that probably is the reason for the slight redesign and if so, I'm grateful, because the new 4 might be the best hole on the course. The blue tee takes off from elevation by the sidewalk but both run parallel to a winding creek for one of the longer holes at Ballou.

The changes likely coincided with new tee signs which are excellent and show the distance, the elevation change and uniquely, the "plays like" which combines the first two numbers into an useful bit of information.

Throw in easy navigation supported by next tee arrows on the baskets, and two nicely-sized tees per hole and you have a course that is certainly worth a round or two.

Cons:

What there isn't is a ton of length. Only one hole over 350 feet, and only four over 300. There are no real water holes, and really not too much challenge for advanced players. For intermediate, blue level players, this will be a great course but beginners and experts alike may be disappointed.

I'd also say that the finish is not great. I've grown a bit tired of the last hole is the longest thing that a lot of courses have. I need a bit more than length to cap off my round these days, and 18 here is just a longish hole through the center of a city park.

That said, this isn't a course with specific flaws. If it's not great, it's just because it's not great. It's not standout. It's merely above average. But for the land available, I'm very happy with the result.

Other Thoughts:

This is a course that is worth checking out. Worth the trip from Greensboro. Worth the trip from Burlington. Worth the trip from the triangle if in combination with Edmonds.
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9 0
curmudgeonDwindle
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 45.2 years 20 played 18 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Side Trip Recommended 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 22, 2013 Played the course:2-4 times

Other Thoughts:

Course is situated in a park of about 110 acres, the second largest in the stable of Danville city parks. For a city of this size, Ballou Park is an unusually well appointed and maintained example in the English landscape tradition of parks, and the disc golf course is already very polished and playable for being so young.

The course winds around the park's north side in more or less a clockwise fashion, and is mainly sequestered from other park activities, however walking/biking trails are threaded through several holes and the nature of the park itself promotes 'wandering' from other park goers. Alertness and consideration, as usual, are good practices. Course does not feature returning 9's.

Equipment and amenities are superior, including a distance marked practice green and an ornate and very sturdy information kiosk. Creek fords are first rate and sturdy throughout. It should be noted that policing one's own refuse is required on the course. Tee pads are above average but some may feel the blue tees slightly undersized. Way finding could be a minor issue, as the only 'next tee' indicators are on the previous tee and there are several instances where adjustments to the course have left 'spare' tee pads to find. Small colored directional arrows that hang from the basket's bottoms would solve this first timers' problem quite easily. In the 5 cases of a shared tee pad, the addition of blue stripes to complement the white ones, both on the pad and sign, would also be more consistent/less confusing.

Average hole distance from the whites is about 260' with 11 holes between 200' and 275'. From the blues, the distance variability is more evenly spread, the average hole distance is 335' and only 3 holes are 480' or better. From either set of tees, there are plenty of scoring chances due to the general openness of the course, light forgiving roughs and very few ob areas. Penal rough exists on about 1/3 of the course, but reaching them requires a large mistake (usually greed) and thus your penalty is 'fair'. Ballou #2 is very forgiving of even middling mistakes overall and gets high marks for encouraging learning while retaining a challenge and for venue appropriateness. I found it very fun to play and not as taxing as some of my own local courses. It has a light-hearted, playful mood.

Ballou #2 has excellent use of elevation changes, with every type except 'over-the-hill' represented (#14?) and exhibits excellent variety as well, as the design also includes 4 essentially flat holes. Balance would be the only formal design sticking point as the course strongly favors stable counter spin shot shapes from the tee, especially the blues. Greens are generally open, unobstructed and flattish; only a few exhibit significant slopes or drop-offs and are balanced overall regarding spin receptivity.

Ballou #2 has one very exceptional hole, #16 blue, which is one of 4 'cross-the-valley' type holes here. A 480' right-to-left par 4, one is faced with the 'how aggressive can I be' question off the tee, as landing zones both before and after the creek ford are solid plays. I venture to say the hole is nearly un-pinnable from the tee, even for those with great power as the hole sits about 20' higher than the tee and both sides of the narrow fairway are bordered with some fairly penal rough (the London Plane trees here tend to soak up a disc rather than allowing penetration, but only when in leaf). 60' or so down from the pin a protective cluster of large oaks/maples will catch weak up-shots. Most golfers need to play 2 very good smart shots here to get a shot at a 3. Rollers and the 'over-the-top' approach on this hole are so risky that success with it (them) would be an anomaly. Prove me wrong and show it on YouTube.

The course's routing is very mild, with a low-key start that eases you into the more technical areas of the course. The turn is punctuated with good scoring chances and the round ends with a bittersweet difficult sequence (#15-18). Overall, Ballou #2 is a very solid effort and a course the local club can be very proud of. Should you be passing through, I strongly advise stretching your legs here.
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1 12
Tripper
Experience: 22.4 years 177 played 5 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Pleasant surprise 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 12, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

Course flows well, very natural setting right in the middle of town. The signs were simple but helpful. Good use of terrain and vegetation.

Cons:

There were several trees down. The tee for 4 is hidden by a down tree. Look up the hill to the right from 3 basket. Lots of up and down.

Other Thoughts:

Saw a couple of deer.
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2 4
jordanferg92
Experience: 13.2 years 51 played 29 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Great course 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 23, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

Multiple Tees
Color Signs with hole and next tees
Clean park
Nice use of elevation changes
Couple unique holes
Hole 18 puts you out right at the parking lot

Cons:

Buggy
Some of the holes aren't well cleared out or maintained.
The wooded holes don't have much of a fairway so good luck.
Woods aren't forgiving.

Other Thoughts:

This is a long course with a lot of walking. However it is a very nice and fun course. Baskets can be hard to spot but overall this was a great course to play and would recommend it to others.
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4 4
sopelis
Experience: 13.9 years 17 played 5 reviews
3.50 star(s)

On it's way 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Mar 21, 2015 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

I'm redoing my old review since I feel it was needed. Plus i'm bored at work.

I play this course all the time. I live in the area and this is where my handful of friends I can stand like to gather. Ironically they have discs and we like hearing the sound of banging chains. Hence, disc golf ensues.

Tee pads:
One of the key positives about Ballou are the tee pads. All holes have at least one large level concrete pad. 13 holes have both white and blue pads. They rarely get slippery and offer great traction. This is key considering whether in the south is like Oprahs weight. You never know what's going to happen.

Defined Lines:
Every hole has a well defined path for the disc to take if you can throw it correctly. There are no gimmicks or blind shots. It's had a lot of time to mature and grow, and it shows.

Woods/Open
Considering it's a mostly wooded course, it still has it's mix of open holes, even when you don't realize it. If you look at #3, its fairly open until you get to the basket. Same with #4. At least that's the way I see it.

Tee signs
Though i'm not crazy about the design, the tee signs offer what you need on every pad, white and blue. The distance to the hole.

Elevation
It has a lot of nice elevation changes. Some are more subtle than others but a great mix of high to low shots.

Cons:

Alternate baskets
I think this would really change the dynamic of the course and give the player a different course to choose from every time. A few holes have prime locations for alternate baskets.

Lines:
Though the lines are well defined, sometimes you want something a little different. You want a couple options to throw. Maybe there is an anhyzer and hyzer line available. On most of the holes, it's just one path. I think this would offer more options for players.

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes
I've said before nothing really screams at me as drastically different between a lot of the holes. Aside from 13 there are really no wide sweeping anhyzer or hyzer holes. Most are pretty straight or have a slight turn/fade to them. Not saying this is a deal breaker, but having a few holes that really challenge you with this would have been nice.

Other Thoughts:

Local course for me so I've grown to enjoy it more and more. A lot of positives to take away and I definitely think a lot of positive work has been done to the course over the last few years.

At times it's still lacking something worth a challenge. Without a lot of distance, it relies on accuracy and hitting the only line available to score low.

All in all a great course, which is why I scored it a 3.5. With a few improvements (alternate baskets, adding some distance) it will be able to challenge top pros and bring in disc golf lovers from all over.
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2 4
Dave Wert
Experience: 1 played 1 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Professional Clean and Challenging Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 13, 2011 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Absolutely wonderful course that has varying distances, approaches, and obstacles that will test just about every type of shot to play well. Some open and some tight shots, but even the tight shots have well established fairways that will reward a well directed throw. Nice long concrete pads on both am and pro placements, along with large veneered digital pictures that not only show the shot and distance to the tee, but also the elevational change and the "equivalent" distance based on elevational influences make this one of the best (if not the best) course anywhere in the country.

Cons:

None that I have observed or encountered.

Other Thoughts:

An extremely well designed and well maintained course! Many kudos to the hundreds of hours (and money) spent making it one of the best in the nation to play.
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2 4
widespreadpanic
Experience: 22.2 years 11 played 5 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Sweet Spot 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 8, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

Great Signs
Awesome changes in elevation.
Nice use of woods.
Challenging

Cons:

Mostly middle range 300-350ft.
Confusing to get to, played the short par 9 next to it by accident first.
Could use more trash cans.

Other Thoughts:

I played this course in the winter so I'm not sure what it plays like in full foliage, but I've got to say I'm surprised it has such a low rating. I think people are being overly picky. This course is sick, I wish it was in my home town.
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1 4
stoner04
Experience: 16.1 years 92 played 3 reviews
4.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 25, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

multiple concrete tees on almost every hole
clean park
course flows well
variety of shots(short/long, H/S/A, up/down)
great signage
next tee indicators painted on baskets and on signs

Cons:

a few trees need to be removed to make actual lines on some wooded holes, a little luck will get you out.
basket for 11 hard to see from either tee.
the rough is very rough

Other Thoughts:

overall the course has come a long way and many attempts have been made to correct its flaws
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4 3
11abush11
Experience: 14.7 years 82 played 12 reviews
4.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Feb 1, 2011 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-Just added pro level tees that bring some more thrill to the course.
-Nice use of woods and elevation.
-Challanging course all together.
The new blue pads are nice becuase it gives you a total different look at each hole.
-Nice course for leftys, and rightys with fairness along the whole course.

Cons:

-All the holes except 16 and 18 are short so no grip and rip on this course unless you play the blues.
-Unforgiving thick woods with poison ivy.
-Not a huge fan of the tee signs just because of new players or beginners that haven't played the course can't really see where the basket is or the view around the basket just a red dot in the middle of a tree or in a hill if the basket isnt straight ahead, but thats just being picky.

Other Thoughts:

-Only reason I don't 4.5 star this course is because they could really get some alternate pins going with the layout and land.
-Good mix of wood holes and open field throws, but not enough distance difference on the holes.
-On a lot of holes you are forced to throw on one line alone, but there is no OB or mandos. because of unforgiving trees...
-I like the course for an accuracy skill shot course.
-A practice basket and new billboard sign for information and directions along the course is a plus!
- Locals are very nice and they play on Thursday evenings.
- Tournaments are fun with lots of prizes for everyone even raffles!
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5 3
Saltine17
Experience: 14.4 years 24 played 2 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Ballou Park 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 4, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

Ballou Park has somewhat of a variety of holes. Most noticeable is the park's use of elevation. Many tees have you throwing down a hill between some huge trees, while there's a couple holes where you can't see the basket because the elevation in front of it. You'll throw into and across many ravines. Distances vary somewhat as well. There are a few long holes between 300-400 feet. Most holes are between 175-275 feet. There wasn't that one hole that really stood out to me, but there were quite a few neat holes. If I had to pick a hole, it would be Hole 5 as you thrown through a ravine, and the basket is up on this very steep hill. Makes for a fun putt if you don't clear the hill. Main pros for this park: well kept, variety of holes, good use of terrain, plenty of bathrooms, and just consistent. It's nothing groundbreaking, but it's just a good, consistent course.

Cons:

This course is well designed for the most part. The layout can be confusing at times, but not too often. I went with a friend who had played the course before so I didn't wander around, but I would have on two or three holes. There are tee signs at every hole, but not all the signs give you a par! I suggest writing down the par numbers from the hole info. page before you go so you can get an accurate score. Not all the tees where concrete, somewhere like that packed dust/gravel and some of those tees where very small or sloped, which makes throws a little more difficult. None of the cons are a huge disappointment, but show the park could use some improvements.

Other Thoughts:

Overall, the park is pretty good. It's not great, but it's not your typical disc golf park. It's got some neat holes, variety of holes, and the usage of terrain is a lot of fun. It's not like you're throwing over mountains, but for a park on the outskirts of a small city, it's nice. It's a well manicured park, but it could be a very good park if some improvements were made. (ehh hem...get some new tees.) It's a worth a stop if you're looking for a fun place to play that's not anything groundbreaking, but a good consistent course.
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2 2
mcannon246
Experience: 14.3 years 65 played 9 reviews
4.00 star(s)

fun yet challenging 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 23, 2010 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

challenging but not to hard. I made some incredible shots on this course. the first time i played this course I was a beginner I shot some where between 8 to 10 over. played it again and shot my best game I have ever played.

Cons:

It was super hard to figure out where hole one was. After I found it, It wasn't to bad to find the next. some holes are pars should not be the par it should be i made 3 eagles which i shouldn't have. and a considerable about of birdies. I mean its kinda a con and kinda a pro.

Other Thoughts:

I ended up shooting the best I have ever shot on a course 11 under par.
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4 2
KenTyburski
Premium Member
Experience: 15.7 years 156 played 5 reviews
4.00 star(s)

A Nice (and getting better!) Local Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:May 14, 2011 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

1. Variety of hole layouts (left vs. right, up vs. down, open vs. tight, etc.). For the rec player, there are plenty of opportunities for a wide selection of throwing styles and disc usage. I took my brother to Ballou for his first round, and I think he would say it's not a bad place to learn the game.
2. I find the fairways to be pretty well-maintained, although many of them have been chewed up a little to pour concrete for tees (5/14/11). The rough and trees are just enough in most cases for good risk-reward shots. Better to play when it's colder - less foliage and poison ivy.
3. The general park is well-used during the days and early evenings, and there are a number of locals around willing to walk a round with any visitors. However, I wouldn't recommend a glow round - Ballou isn't the best after dark.
4. Almost every hole (except #7) have had concrete tee pads poured in the last month. (5/14/11)
5. Additional longer tees have been added to most holes in the last month. (5/14/11)

Cons:

1. Not enough challenging length for the above-average player. I think the course is of sufficient length for rec players, or for the above-average player working on accuracy.
2. The course could use multiple pin locations for each hole.
3. Overall signage could use improvement.

Other Thoughts:

This is the first course I ever really played a full round on, so it holds a place dear to my heart (that and it is the closest course to me geographically). Because it's close, I play this course once or twice a week, and I find it to be enjoyable each time I play. And since I know the course well, I really appreciate it as a place to test new discs and practice different throwing styles. The recent improvements should make it a course you might want to go a little out of your way to play.
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2 0
XCaliber
Experience: 16.4 years 51 played 3 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Fantastic. 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 12, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

Fantastic Course! Excellent use of terrain.

The first five holes are the best.
1-A beautiful shot downhill through a grove of pine trees to a basket near the creek.
2-Hyzer over a hill to the basket nestled under some trees.
3-Beautiful downhill shot over the creek.
4-First hole in the woods over a ravine.
5-My favorite hole on the course. The tee box is on level with the basket. There is a ravine with a small meadow and a steep hill up to the basket. Beautifully designed!

The rest of the holes are fantastic as well, weaving through the woods. Many holes with nice grass fairways. The course ends with a long bomb over a field.

Cons:

~Dirt tees in the woods are very short on some holes.
~Some tee signs are missing
~Some tee signs don't say what the par is for that hole.

Other Thoughts:

Great course! Would play again. I loved the grass fairways on some of the holes. The designer did a fantastic job of looking at the terrain and picking the best possible configuration for the holes.
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2 0
chrissauls
Experience: 30.7 years 119 played 9 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Frustrated 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Apr 26, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

-Beautiful park
-Elevation changes on most holes
-Subway near by
-Easy
-Family park with a hugh playground for the kids.

Cons:

-Dirt tee spots. Dirt pads would be an improvement.
-Trees in the middle of fairways
-Lazy course design
-Short...Very short. agonizing short..

Other Thoughts:

When I drove into the park, my excitement level was at an all time high. Rolling hills, mature hardwoods, creeks. What a gem. Those thoughts quickly evaporated after the 5th hole. After playing the 1st few short holes, I was really looking for a challenge and it never came. There were so many missed opportunities with this course design, I couldn't help but think what could have been. In my assessment, it has to be one of the following:
1. The designer's hands were tied by parks and rec. He must have been on a short leash
2. The design is to accommodate children, families, and grand parents.
3. The intent was to design an intermediate course.

There are some very cool holes but far too many poor ones. Some tweaking to the pin positions and lengthening some holes would really make a difference. The club seems to be really active with concrete pads on 5 holes and more to come. While playing, someone approached me about a kids event they had planned so it's good to see someone is trying to make a difference.

Hole 1 is right past the playground on left.

Worth the visit once..
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1 0
axl_rose
Experience: 26.4 years 13 played 10 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Pleasant and Enjoyable 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 24, 2010 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Nice setting in an older public park. Lots of elevation changes and some short thows offering a more technical course on a few of the pins. There no long bombs on this course. The park was clean and quiet with very few others playing on a Saturday morning. Easy day trip from NC and close enough to Lake's Edge in Reidsville to hit both.

Cons:

Some sign markings not clear and not all holes have concrete tee pads yet. I can see improvements being made though. Not a pro level course but just a good intermediate course.

Other Thoughts:

#15 was fun and easy to birdie. I also like #7. All round fun short run course to play. Makes a great course to loop in with Lakes Edge in Reidsville. There is a Subway right across the street from the park which made it easy to grab something after playing. I used the old nine hole course as a warm up to this one.
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