Austin, TX

Bartholomew Park

2.635(based on 31 reviews)
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4 1
Breeze99
Experience: 1 played 1 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Very Impressive Upgrade drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 4, 2024 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

The oldest course in Texas just got a fantastic update and course revision. New baskets, new turf tees, now with a full eighteen holes as well as a new amateur layout as well. You've got to check it out if you haven't been there lately.

Cons:

Lots of litter in the creek coming from upstream storm drains. Otherwise, the course looks fantastic now.

Other Thoughts:

The course is a "pack it in, pack it out" course. Please don't litter the course while there.
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12 0
Shadrach3
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 6.1 years 339 played 322 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Shaggy, Basic, but Alright

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 22, 2023 Played the course:once

Pros:

A rough-edged course with some good holes and some unmemorable designs.

-Layout Note: In the last couple years, Bart was redesigned to rework its original 15 holes into an 18-hole layout. The redesign preserved most of the original holes (according to a local), adding a couple and splitting one longer hole in two. It is by and large the same course as previous reviews describe.

-Most Amenities: Turf/carpet tee pads are plenty grippy. Numbered DISCatchers. Tees have stone placards indicating hole numbers.

-Birdie Opportunities: Bart is a simple man's course. Clocking at par-55 with an average hole length under 300', most holes are quite reasonably 2ed by a White-level (intermediate) player. That said, it's not stupid easy like some birdie race courses, and the birdies earned will feel nice.

-Creek and Woods: Two natural features that give Bart an edge on some Austin courses. The creek makes a fun obstacle that won't claim discs except on hole (1), while the occasional woods provide real fairways and shady spots to sit, mainly on the back 9. Note that many of the holes have become substantially more wooded and shady since the course pictures here were taken in 2011.

-Loop: Plays as a complete loop of 18. There are also a couple points near-ish the parking lot after (3) and (9).

-Shot Shaping/Gameplay: Generally short holes with high birdie potential but plenty of ways to mess up. Ranging from about 200-300', give or take, you'll want to put most of these within at least long putting distance from the tee. However, with some medium elevation, initial gaps, and thick rough, there are plenty of things for an errant shot to get caught up in. If you get caught up, it might be a reasonable scramble, but it could also be impossible. The back nine are the more compelling, with consistent use of trees to force shot shapes beyond the beginning or end of flight. All-Star holes are the cliff shot (3), a dangerous perched basket on (8), a beautiful fading tunnel shot (11), and the big downhill closer (18).

Cons:

The course is perfectly serviceable as an MA2-level par-3s course. There are several detractors mixed in though.

-Trashy: The creek washes a lot of trash and abandoned belongings from upstream. I'm fact, I lost a white disc out here simply because there were so many pieces of white debris that it was impossible to sort one from the other. This is an eyesore and potentially yucky.

-Rough: When you hit the rough squarely, it's thick. Several holes out here where you could be 20' from the basket with no look. I took one putt while literally laying down under a bush. The good news is there aren't very many thorns or poisonous plants.

-Eyesore Fairways: Some fairways I would describe as unnatural. (4) throws over picnic tables, (6) takes a stab over a retention area, and (14) also plays over a big fenced-in bog. Definitely some places where the location does NOT enhance the beauty of the flight.

-Blind Pins: Holes (1), (3), (6), (9), (11), and (12) all play blind. The tee signs don't have distance or a map, so this can be problematic.

-Should it be 15? I'm not taking a definitive stance on this, but my leaning is that this would be a better course with just 15 holes. Some of the short, awkward holes either used to be or could be combined into nice par-4s for a change of pace. However, as my colleague wellsbranch represents, there are also many players that don't enjoy holes not in multiples of 9, so perhaps the new layout is best.

-Flood-Prone: I'm told the creek easily overflows its banks, which I would believe from the trash situation previously described. My guide said it gets muddy, boggy, and nearly unplayable if it's bad.

Other Thoughts:

I always enjoy adding older courses to my list, so it was nice to finally play Bart and get a feel for the Austin DG legacy. It certainly plays in the older par-3 style, but with a decent mix of technical and open that has been aided in the last few years by continued tree growth. It's a fun birdie grab for mid-level players. That said, the trash, lack of tee signs, and some uncreative holes limit its enduring appeal, so it stays at the Typical level for me.

~Similar Courses: Don Davidson Park (Fayetteville, TN); Crockett Park (Brentwood, TN); University of W Georgia if it was properly cared for (Carrollton, GA).
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10 0
wellsbranch250
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 10.8 years 694 played 680 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Classic Course 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:May 6, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

(2.657 Rating) One of Austin's oldest courses and still has that classic course feel.
- UNIQUENESS - By far the best thing Bart has to offer is the holes themselves. In terms of variety, it's well above average. To start, a majority of the baskets are blind, Pin locations are generally guarded well and requires a certain shot angle to enter from on many holes. The fairways range from open to moderate to narrow. There are several holes that have a creek element and ravine in play. There is one moderate length dogleg right par 4 as well. I found 15 to be great bomb it hole as I max out at about 400 feet. In all, the course is up there in uniqueness when comparing other courses. It is missing a par 5, there are no pond carry holes, none of the holes I find to be exceedingly hard, but I also don't find any to be gimme's either.
- ELEVATION - Although the course only varies by 30 to 35 feet or so along the entire layout, the use of what elevation that is there, was done well by the designer. Several holes use the creek valley as a hole design element. Hole 7 for example is a sweeping shot along a flood control mound structure that also uses the bend in the creek. Hole 8 plays parallels to a sloping ridge line, This is just to name a few examples, elevation is worked into more than half the holes. Although the total elevation is not much compared to some parts of the country, its above average for the Austin area.
- DIFFICULTY - A touch above average, Most advanced players should be around course par or a couple under. Intermediate players should typically finish a few over course par.
- CHILL AREAS - Hole 10 tee is surrounded by a dense tree canopy and has a picnic table. A great midway point to take a pit stop and relax.

Cons:

Bart has got some fixable issues but probably also a few non-fixable ones.
- OVERGROWTH - The weeds, grass and general overgrowth outside the fairways is out of control. plan on spending significant time searching for you disc.
- FORGIVENESS - In addition to the overgrowth, the tree canopy has condensed in some spots really tightening up the line. To make matters worse, this occurs on several shots along the creek/ravine. Thus, if you miss your line, it can be a perilous journey to retrieve your disc.
- TEES - They are bad. Most of the courses in Austin have concrete tee pads and this course is an exception. They are pitting on a few holes and if it rained recently, they will track a lot of mud.
- NAVIGATION - Its tricky just about everywhere. I will suggest downloading the DGCR map, although not the best, it's better than nothing. Coming here as a first timer without a course veteran or without a map is a recipe for disaster.
- CHARACTER - Despite the courses is age, not much exists to show a continuous pampering improvement. There is no hole or course maps, just posts with numbers. There is no practice basket. A majority of holes don't have seating although there are a few picnic table. The course doesn't have extra pin placements or extra tees. A majority of the tee boxes are not shaded. There is a porta potty, yea....
- 15 HOLES - Wait what... Yep only 15, last time I played my group replayed 4,7 and 15 as it makes an easy 3 hole loop. My obsessive compulsiveness doesn't let me play 15 holes.
- RAW BEAUTY - Normally one would think that playing threw a creek ravine would be beautiful thru and thru. And it is, in spots and from a distance. However, much of this raw beauty is ruined by the amount of trash and construction waste scattered along the course. The creek along 2 and 3 is a good example. Here you'll find heaps of reinforce concrete with rebar sticking out or broken masonry block and bricks, glass bottle shards along the river bank and plastic trash everywhere. It's quite sad that probably once a beautiful place was ruined over time by numerous irresponsible people. It would take quite a massive effort to fully repair the damage mankind has done to this area.

Other Thoughts:

I really enjoy Bart. Uniqueness in a layout is one of the more important thing to me and this course delivers. If this is also the most important thing to you, you will enjoy this layout. However, Bart is not the top course in the area. if you're from out of town, id have to recommend a bunch of other courses to hit before this one. To name a few, they are (Bible Ridge, Circle C, and Williamson County) Roy G and East Metro are also held high among my Austin friends but I haven't played them yet.
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3 0
spiritofjerry
Experience: 24.4 years 2 played 2 reviews
1.50 star(s)

Bart, AKA: Bamboo city, USA 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 8, 2016 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-Unique course, utilizing a variety of shots (mostly technical)
-Constantly changing elevation makes play challenging
-Oldest course in Austin, so a staple ("Bart")
-Low traffic

Cons:

-Bamboo so overgrown that you're bound to lose a disc here if you don't have a spotter, or aren't willing to trudge through head-high bamboo.
-Trash, everywhere (park is located in a lower socioeconomic area, and is heavily trafficked by teenagers, resulting in tons of dumped refuse. It's really sad, and fucking gross.)
-Mosquitos galore
-Muddy, almost always muddy, even over a week after rain is gone

Other Thoughts:

I have played this course at least 20+ times in past decade, and when I played today, the bamboo was so thick, it really might be my last time. I played alone today, and I helped at least three other players along the way search for their lost disc. The fairways on holes 1-9 were freshly mowed, but the bamboo by the creek areas and drainage ditches is so overgrown, that if you throw anything off the tight fairways, you are in for disaster. This course used to be beginner friendly, but the overgrowth is so bad that I wouldn't give it the time of day unless you are an intermediate to advanced level player.
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3 1
jbeezus
Experience: 8.4 years 46 played 7 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Old Soul 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 17, 2015 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Classic Course with some nice elevation changes.

Cons:

Difficult to navigate and dirt tees.

Other Thoughts:

Tons of fun if you go with someone who knows the course- pretty frustrating to figure out for yourself. You can post some nice scores especially if you bring your tomahawk.
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2 0
vdWcontact
Experience: 3 played 1 reviews
2.00 star(s)

A for Effort 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 15, 2015 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-Lots of short, technical shots that allow people with no distance to focus on accuracy.
-Great location and a breeze to get to

Cons:

-Hard to find tees
-Only 15 holes
-Not playable when it's wet outside (or has rained much at all recently)
-The OBs are all getting thicker and thicker all the time and eat discs like no other.

Other Thoughts:

I live right up the street from Bart. It's worth playing if it's relatively convenient to get to.

I'd really like to note that a HUGE amount of effort has gone into improving the course. Many of the baskets have a "green" mowed out, and paths are being mowed to help people find their way around. Someone has also gone through and tried to reduce the thickness of the OBs on a lot of the front 9. If improvements keep getting made at this rate next summer then the course will probably be up to a 3.
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4 3
Cheddar
Experience: 17.7 years 10 played 2 reviews
0.00 star(s)

Horrible 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 23, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

Close to my house

Cons:

Overgrown, stagnant mosquito infested water, poor design, bum squats, trashy, smelly, inconsistent rickety baskets, dirt tee boxes with no markings, missing baskets, difficult to navigate.

Other Thoughts:

I'm "glad" I gave it a shot, but this course needs to be demolished and forgotten. I don't even know if building a new one on this property would make it better. It'd be hard to keep the bums from trashing this place, and get better water flow to get rid of the smell and mosquito nests. Awful course...
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5 6
MC McMic
Experience: 15.8 years 10 played 1 reviews
0.50 star(s)

Avoid at all costs 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 20, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

Centrally located

Cons:

Missing holes
Filthy
Difficult to navigate
Not maintained
Overgrown
Terrible tee boxes
Poor course design

Other Thoughts:

This course is not long for this world, if I had to guess. The only upside is that it is somewhat centrally located. Besides that, the course is dirty, with garbage scattered everywhere, it is not maintained in any way, and certain holes (12, 13, 16, and 17) didn't even exists as far as I could tell. Who knows... maybe they do exist, and my friends and I just couldn't find them. The course is difficult to navigate and sporadically marked. The tee boxes are also in very bad shape.

The holes are pretty bad, even if they were properly maintained. There's only so many right to left sloping holes bordering a creek that one can play before you just have to say, "seriously?" If you're left-handed or right-hand/forehand, you may be in heaven... if you also happen to love creeks filled with trash and could actually see the baskets and find the tee boxes.

There are way better courses to play in Austin. In fact, this is the worst I've ever played here. This course either needs to be either completely revamped or scrapped.
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6 0
#19325
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 23.4 years 351 played 178 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Needs some Love 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 25, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

The course is located pretty close to downtown. It's an old classic par 3 disc golf for the most part. It has some nice rolling hills, woods, water, and rough. Overall it has a great mix of fun holes.

Hole #3 has an elvated tee where you can let a huge bomb go.

I really like #7. It's a nice RHBH turnover shot. On and over the sidewalk to the left is out of bounds. There is a decent sized ditch/water to the right. The basket is up the hill and elevated on a mound. Fun drive and great putting green.

There is one nice par 4 in hole #12.

Cons:

The tee pads are really bad. They are dirt and many are uneven.

The course is very difficult to navigate. There are no tee signs and the tees are difficult to locate.

The baskets are in very rough shape.

The errosion needs to be taken care of. It's pretty bad.

Quite a bit of litter scattered around the entire park.

Other Thoughts:

Print a map prior to playing. If you don't you'll be looking.

This course & park needs some TLC. I enjoyed it but it definitely needs some work.

I actually like this land a lot better than Roy G course.
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7 0
Setreal
Experience: 12.7 years 3 played 2 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Needs maintenance badly 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 13, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Interesting variety of shots and terrain. There are lots of shots over a creek and up and down hills that require a variety of shots and skills. It's one of the oldest courses in the state and a few of the shots remind me of Pease (the higher starting point on hole three in particular). There usually aren't too many people playing the course so it can be nice to practice on and there are several wide open fields that are great for practicing. Holes 2, 3, 5, and 6 are really unique and fun.

Cons:

The park and the course are not very well maintained right now (fall 2012). It is very easy to lose a disc on the shots that pass near the water due to the very high vegetation growing all around the creek. The tees are very worn and you will often see people shooting from the sides so that they can have a flat surface. Some of the holes on the back 6/9 are a mess due to the lack of maintenance and the ongoing construction of the new pool in the park.

Other Thoughts:

I think there is a good chance that this course is not long for the world. Many of the alleged problems with Pease (erosion, proximity to vehicle and pedestrian traffic, etc) are present and it seems to be a low priority for both Austin Disc Golfers as well as the Austin Parks and Rec department. I suspect once they turn their attention to the park they may decide to just put in a new park elsewhere rather than try and fix all the problems. While I have a certain fondness for the park since it was where I first learned to play, I would much rather play at Circle C, Roy G, or Searight and not lose a disc or sprain an ankle.
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5 2
madcow
Experience: 15 years 28 played 10 reviews
2.50 star(s)

So much potential 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 26, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

First 5 or so holes are fun to play, a few others are good as well. Neat out of bounds areas (thin sidewalks, ect). Good for about an hour or so game play. Close to conoco.

Cons:

Hard to locate tees. Have to check baskets for numbers. Tees are just ruts in the ground, most are not even visible.
only 15 holes. Easy to lose to discs on 10 i think it was. 1 is not even close to the park, its basically on its own. Rusty baskets.

Other Thoughts:

Hole 1 is not even in the park basically hahah, you have to keep goin down 51st till the very end of the park (nowere to park). Correct it is right past tennis courts, but you still have a bit of a walk to get to it. When you reach 15.... keep walking strait. Took me 20min to find it.

Good course to play if you are local to the area. I did enjoy holes 1 - 5 i think and 7-10. Ended up skipping 12 - 14 as they didnt seem unique enough to play while i was in a bit of a rush. Did play 15.

Over all, if this course would just get some concrete tees, better number placement on the baskets, good signage and a bit touching up.... maybe 3 more holes, it would be an excellent course to play when you are just lookin for a good ole time.
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5 0
Banditozzy
Experience: 15.5 years 28 played 7 reviews
3.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 24, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

I have a bit of a soft spot for Bart. The design of the course is awesome first and foremost. As I understand it is the oldest course in Austin. 15 great holes with alternate boxes on holes 1, 2, and 3 to make a full 18. When I began playing I found this course favored fore hand throwers which was my style back then. It has very challenging technical windows and big bomb fairways. Conditions and requirements change on nearly every hole. I have never had a round on the course where I didn't enjoy myself. A shorter course if you find yourself in need of a quick round.

Cons:

Bart's natural tee boxes are in extremely bad shape, dug out and eroded. The city has done a better job of maintaing it over the last year, but it can still get overgrown in a hurry. It is an easy course to lose a disc on. Navigating from tee to tee can be difficult. There is no map at the course, if possible first timers should play with a local.

Other Thoughts:

I have heard a lot talk that this course in on the block to be redone. I can't think of a course in Austin that is more deserving or more in need. In my opinion it is a jewel and one of my favorite plays in the Austin area.
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7 0
denny ritner
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 26.5 years 170 played 115 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Flawed, but fun 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:May 23, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

Bart is now my "home" course. I have played quite a few rounds there and enjoy it quite a bit, when it's not crowded.

The course provides a good white/blue level challenge and has several very good holes. There's a nice variety in terrain and playing the course always makes me feel like a kid on an adventure. There are several opportunities to air out the disc balanced with sufficient technical challenge.

A few of the highlights include:

Hole 3 tees from a cliff area and is a long par 3 with lots of big trees to avoid and the creek lurking on the left. Deuces are to be celebrated and caution must be used to avoid bogeys or worse.

Hole 5 is a downhill, medium length par 3, which requires a controlled, sweeping turnover shot over an OB area.

Hole 7 is my favorite on the course. It is an uphill, medium length par 3 with the OB creek right and an OB sidewalk left. The shot bends left-to-right and demands accurate disc orientation thrown with just the right amount of power. The basket is perched on the pinnacle of the hill. Reading the wind can be tricky on this hole.

Hole 8 is a nice, shorter par 3 thrown downhill through a medium sized gap and finishing to the right. The ground slopes severely left to right and there is a drop off to thick trouble all the way down the right.

Hole 13 is on the short side and shoots through a tight gap off the tee and then the basket is tucked into the woods at the end. A pure shot can park the hole, but bogey is always possible.

Cons:

While I enjoy playing Bart, it does have some draw-backs, which can be frustrating for the visiting player.

The tee areas are all natural. Many are rutted out and some have trip roots. Many of the tees have no indicator posts and the ones that do are just that, wooden posts with the hole #.

There are a few places which could use "next tee" signs. Hole 3's long tee is very easy to miss for the uninitiated.

There are quite a few places, near the creek beds with overgrown schule which can make locating discs difficult.

The creek banks can be very slippery and creek crossings must be made on the rocks. This can be dangerous and some players may not find it enjoyable.

The course tends to attract a lot of litter.

Hole 9's tee is very close to hole 14's basket.

Hole 15 brings the main road dangerously into play.

Other Thoughts:

Don't be a dirty discer; leave the course cleaner than the way you found it.

To read about my review philosophy check out the other info section on my profile.
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1 2
ColinB
Experience: 16.4 years 67 played 9 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Bart 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Apr 5, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

Challenging course, good mix of elevation changes, lefts and rights
Tight wooded holes as well as a few more open shots
Baskets are old but in good shape for the most part

Cons:

Park can be crowded
A lot of the water hazards are pretty nasty
Could use some tee pads and tee signs, maybe some benches
Navigation is fairly tricky

Other Thoughts:

Not a bad course, will definitely play again, but it could use some improvements.
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7 0
dreadlock86
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 17.5 years 388 played 318 reviews
3.00 star(s)

could be great 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 23, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

-great terrain for disc golf
-creek in play on half the holes
-nice elevation changes on half the holes
-good variety of types of holes: distance, woods, elevation, water hazards
-decent parking, easy to find

Cons:

-navigation is bad
-needs tee signs badly
-dirt tees are rutted (tee 11 has a basket sleeve in it - WTF??)
-old baskets have extra added layer of chains but very shallow baskets
-no creek crossings, hope the water is down
-general lack of maintenance
-is there another tee on hole 3? other reviewers mentioned throwing off the top of a hill but i didn't see another tee

i had a real hard time following the layout. there are large sections where it is obvious where to go next but several places are not so obvious: where to go after hole 2, which basket to shoot at on hole 5 (hole 6 basket looks like the obvious choice but is not), no marker at all for tee 9, easy to miss hole 11, looks like the tee for 12 could be halfway down the fairway if you're coming from 10 (like i was).

Other Thoughts:

This old course has seen better days but still has a bunch of great golf. It clearly shows its age but this course could be really great with some new signs and tees. The terrain is excellent for golf with lots of trees and elevation, a creek in play, and a great variety of shots and hole types.

Holes 1, 2, 5, 7, 9, and 15 have great elevation changes and the creek comes into play on 1, 2, 5, 7, 9, 10, and 12. I really like the way each area of the course has its own character and challenges presented.

One of the biggest problems here is that the course has been altered so many times that it is confusing to figure out what is really happening. The basket sleeve in the middle of tee 11 is indicative of this. The course really needs a make over that solidifies the new layout, repairs all the tee areas, adds new signs and removes the old/superfluous tees, basket sleeves, etc.

Perhaps I'm making a big deal where it isn't necessary. The course is challenging and a lot of fun with many of the elements that make a great course. If I lived nearby I would play it all the time but as an out-of-town first timer, I was annoyed by the conditions and difficulties in navigation.

Overall, a great place to play a round. The golf here is 3.5+ but the condition is 2.0 so my rating is an average. Hopefully the locals give it the love it needs.


**Like this review? Hate it? Message me and let me know why! I want to make them better!**
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1 3
joesouthfla
Experience: 13.4 years 10 played 10 reviews
3.00 star(s)

love this course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 3, 2005 Played the course:5+ times

Other Thoughts:

This is the first course I ever played disc golf on back in the 80s. So many great times. Unfortunately I returned to Austin about 5 yrs ago and headed straight to Bartholomew. I was so disappointed in how run down the park and course was. I'm glad to see some of the recent reviews said they are working to clean it up. Please Austin save Bartholomew! You might have better courses now but Bart is a classic.
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1 6
Kasop
Experience: 8 played 1 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Recently Weeded 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 13, 2011 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Varied and challenging, recently cleaned up and marked some. Big improvement. Lots of water and elevation.

Cons:

Still messy in spots. Some rough tees. More crowded now that Pease is closed.

Other Thoughts:

Enjoyable short course.
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11 1
discgolf512
Experience: 29.5 years 23 played 7 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Bart is back and getting some love 2+ years drive by

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

Pros:

This was the course where I learned to play a long time ago. I had heard it was cleaned up (though just 15 baskets) and that the Waterloo club was going to start holding mini's and work on improvements... so I came back and I was pleasently surprised.
Course looked great, just as I'd imagined. baskets were in good shape and tee boxes wern't that bad (for being dirt). A few changes had been in layout, but overall was a great experience.
Course has a great mix of shots; The usual straight, hyzer and anhyzer mix, but adding in elevation makes those so much more fun.
The elevation changes are what make this course so cool, such as:
Hole 1 & 7 where you and the basket are both on top of hills with a creek running between...
Hole 4: basket is a straight shot, but up an incline that makes the hole feel farther than it is (hole 11 is similar, but with way more trees)..
Hole 9 where you shoot straight down a hill through a tunnel and into a basket sitting on the edge of the creek...
Hole 15 (old 18) which is basicaly wide open (a couple trees try to get in your way) and waaaay downhill...
or the infamous hole 3 where you tee off from the highest point in the park and throw out and over the trees to a basket far away.

Cons:

1. Only 15 baskets.
2. Course needs tee signs.
3. bushes on hole 2 will need to be cut.
4. There are a couple spots where it is hard to get across the creek.
5. Needs more trashcans and benches.
6. The creek smells (it always has).

Other Thoughts:

Hopefully the course improvements will fix issues 1- 5 above. Granted, winter is just ending, but I saw no overgrowth when I played so I didn't mark that down as a negative.
This is a great course and even at 15 baskets it is still one of the best in Austin today.
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8 0
ATXdiscgolfer
Experience: 14.4 years 18 played 3 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Great course. Just needs work. 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 9, 2010 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Requires a good variety of throws due to the ruggedness and sharp angles on certain holes.

Tees and baskets are very well placed.

Holes change from wide, open and long to narrow, short and wooded.

Cons:

Where to start... Basically, the park is in a state of disrepair and requires some serious maintenance.
It seems the city has just given up on the park altogether seeing as how there are several downed trees that have just been laying in the way for the past few months. (Hole #2 especially)

The reeds/brush are out of control and several feet above your head in certain areas so it's easy to lose your discs and get covered in burs at the same time.

The baskets are really shallow (except on hole 9) so popouts can be a nuisance on what would be a perfect birdie, ace, etc..

Three of the most fun holes were taken out a few years ago so it's only a 15 hole course now.

After it rains the creek can be a real pain so be ready to get a little wet.

Other Thoughts:

Overall, this is a gem of a disc golf course that just needs some attention. I've heard rumors that it's scheduled to be fixed up real soon and I'm keeping my fingers crossed because I play this course almost every week and I'd love to see it restored to it's original condition.
If this is in fact true and done properly then I think it will be one of, if not the best course in Austin.
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4 1
Overhanding4distance
Experience: 22.8 years 41 played 10 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Legendary Course Gets a Haircut...Cleans Up Well 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jun 9, 2010 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

-Elevation Changes throughout, unique layout

-Baskets have 3 layers of chains

-Course demands a variety of shots, with different lines to take

-Bartholomew is cleared out now! There was extreme overgrowth last year which made this course terrible.

Cons:

Thanks to the city and other individuals who helped clear Bartholomew out. This course is actually passable now
Very little signage...if signs are there they are old
Tee Boxes are worn down

Other Thoughts:

I'm glad I'm able to rate this course as a 3.0 and not a .5
Again, thanks to the folks who cleaned and cleared this out.
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