Brownsville (Smiths Grove), KY

Chalybeate Springs Sports Complex

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2.875(based on 23 reviews)
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9 0
harr0140
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 15.3 years 1508 played 480 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Underappreciated in my opinion. 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 24, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

1) Practice basket available near the parking lot. Always appreciated to help warm up before heading out.

2) Discactchers in decent shape and the yellow band is appreciated in a few places

3) Signs with all the information with Hole # Par distance and a map.

4) This park has tennis, volleyball, baseball, a pavilion and a playground . . . plenty of other activities.

5) Awesome variety on this course because of the mix of open, to moderately wooded, to heavily wooded.

6) The elevation change on this course was dramatic, not only in a couple of the holes going up and down, but also on #14 and 15 where you throw on the edge of the cliff. I executed #14 well but got lucky and was saved by the pole on the basket. #15 I wasn't so lucky, I caught the right side of a tree and my disc went all the way down by the river.

7) There is a good variety or shots, needed to turnover some drives, some gentle hyzers, you have the option of a spike hyzer on a few shots (although it is risky).

8) The fun factor on this course comes from the elevation changes and the wooded holes.

9) Nice grippy concrete tees are always appreciated.

10) Challenging course but also still fairly beginner friendly because of the shortness of most of the holes.This is the kind of course I could imagine a beginner getting hooked on.

11) Hole #10 uses a tennis fence as the main obstacle. They could also eliminate this hole if necessary to add another wooded hole, but at least they used what they could to force a tough anhyzer or a stall shot over the fence.

12) Overall while I do not like the wide open holes at least there are some rolling hills to create some interest on the hole . . . they aren't all just flat and wide open.

Cons:

1) Overall the good holes outweigh the boring wide open holes, but it looks to me like there could have been more wooded holes than they used, and I simply prefer the wooded holes.

2) A few areas in the woods have severe erosion problems. They tried to fix one of the areas with asphalt and it did help, but even that is eroding away.This is not only bad because of the erosion issues running right down into the river but also because of the tripping and dangerous hazard.

3) Some of the lower areas definitely hold water, it seems like much of Kentucky has a lot of clay soils. I was able to walk around these areas but after a heavier rain I could imagine it is worse.

4) The stairs they used to get you up the hill are falling apart and dangerous. Definitely not built to code of any kind as the board were simply nailed in from the sides and no bracing. I know this is the old way of doing things but disc golf courses need to step it up to current times and do things correctly. If we lose courses because someone gets hurt on something like this I will be disappointed because it could have been avoided.

5) If you go to the bottom of the hill near the river on #14 and #15 you will have to walk all the way around to Hole #8 and down the stairs to retrieve your disc and throw your recovery shot. It will be a hassle for people on 3 different holes and it will slow everything down too. Perhaps a stairway over the cliff would be a good idea.

Other Thoughts:

I want to give this course a 3.5 because of the fun I had, but the erosion, the boring holes in the open, and the issue on #14 and #15 knock this down to a 3 disc course. Improve the infrastructure and maybe remove one of the boring open holes (I recommend #17 because it doesn't even need to be there) and add another wooded hole and you have a winner in my mind.
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8 0
absolutdork
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 24.7 years 51 played 28 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Better than Reviewed 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 9, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

Nice compliment to Holler in the Hills just a few miles up the road. We played this course as our 2nd course of a two course day trip since we live 2 hours away, and it was a drastic and nice change from the amazingly gorgeous, hilly and challenging Holler in the Hills course. This course was either finally taken care of or the reviews below are just being harsh. I'm going with the former. I was expecting a trashy course, but what I got was a bit of a surprise here. Nice open holes, and some nice wooded holes, and a couple had MASSIVE elevation changes that were really neat and tricky. Teepads were in good condition, and the course flow was smooth and cohesive. The kiosk at the beginning was very nice. It plays through a multi-use park with a school very close by, but most of the course, especially the wooded sections were primarily just used for disc golf. Not a destination course, but a good course for those of you looking to get out of Bowling Green, and for those who are looking for a good compliment to Holler.

Cons:

The open holes, especially a couple seemed TOO open. No obstacles, just chuck it and land close for a birdie or automatic par. One hole plays right next to a basketball and tennis court, and an errant drive to the right could possibly land right in them, as well as an errant drive on the one open hole next to the school could land in the school yard.

Other Thoughts:

This course is in good shape as of today. Nice and easy, not too long, not too short. Nice challenges and some nice elevations. Great wind down course. If you are in the area, play this course, it's not the best course around, but far from the worst, and not nearly as bad as what I thought it would be.
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4 0
discgolphinmafaukner
Experience: 28 played 13 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Fun short course to play 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 15, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

Chalybeate disc golf course sits in a public park close to a school. The course has a good balance of grip-and-rip and technical shots. There are times where you are pulling out your fastest driver, and on the next hole you are pulling out your putter to throw through the woods. Some of the wooded shots are really cool! This course comes back close to the parking lot after hole 9. There is lots of OB in the form of walking paths. Lots of elevation changes on this course; the course makes good use of the terrain. All of the baskets were in good condition. There are straight ahead shots, hyzer shots, and anhyzer shots. This course has a little of everything except for huge distance.

Cons:

More benches and trash receptacles would be nice. Some of the holes' fairways cross each other which can be dangerous on a busy day. Also coming out of the bottoms on some of the holes can be a little tricky. I didn't notice any bugs but I played in middle October.

Other Thoughts:

I gave this course a three because of the cons. However I would still say the pros outweigh the cons! There may not be a lot of distance but the course still presents it's challenges. Come play this course it is a lot of fun. I can see how some of the holes in the bottoms could be flooded. However when I played the course the bottoms were fine. I thought this course was a lot of fun.
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8 0
ChrisWoj
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 19.2 years 158 played 27 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Another fun BG Course 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 7, 2006 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Chalybeate Springs has a great blend of open and wooded holes. It makes excellent use of elevation. It has a very nice course map that illustrates clearly what the competitor is getting into (other than the elevation, difficult to portray on a map). The use of elevation is a noted pro, and for good reason. There are fun downhill holes, fun uphill holes, and a couple of great holes that play along the bluff. The open shots aren't all clumped together, which allows you to ease into the round with a couple of easier holes, you get a break from the elevation and wooded shots in the middle, and then you finish off with some nice birdies attempts in the open.

Cons:

The course isn't as well kept as other BG Courses. Some of the open shots do feel somewhat repetitive (though not so much that it is a major issue). The biggest con to the course though is that it isn't right there near the other BG Courses. It would get a lot more play were it nearer the main BG circle. It feels like its a little further out, and not really a part of the main community even though it very much is.

Other Thoughts:

This is another in the long list of BG courses I enjoy playing. There aren't many I don't enjoy in that community. If it was better kept it would be a 3.5. As it is - I hold it as a 3.0 because it IS a genuinely "good" course. It is a lot of fun to play, it offers some unique shots (hole 4 is the most notable - I witnessed an ace and I circle-3'd it off the tee during my one tournament round there), and it is worth at least one play.
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5 0
skottyb
Experience: 25 years 54 played 26 reviews
3.00 star(s)

A course that offers variety 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 27, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

This course is very original in my opinion. There are some nice cliffs that offer elevation changes that I have seen nowhere else. The holes are realtively short which offers more for beginner players and forces seasoned players to be accurate. As with any course it seems to punish bad shots and reward good shots.

Cons:

There was one hole on the front nine at the bottom of the creek that seemed like a poke and hope type of shot. I believe I threw a forehand roller each time and hoped I would get up there for somewhat of a putt. Some people might call the cliffs a con for safety purposes but I think it offers a different challenge then most courses. It seems to be off of the beaten path as far as where the course is in relation to Bowling Green.

Other Thoughts:

I'd come back and play this course anytime, the location of it doesn't bother me. Obviously someone has put some time into this course and it shows. The man hours it took too install and clear everything (mostly the woods shots) are nice. The cliffs that you could throw off force you to be careful, I love this. Risk-Reward right!
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17 0
tamahawk
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 17.7 years 50 played 50 reviews
3.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 21, 2008 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

The Chalybeate Disc Golf course will provide you with an interesting and unique disc golf experience. The course uses DISCatcher baskets that are in great shape, appropriately sized concrete tee pads, and accurate tee signs at each hole.

The course does make two complete loops, with hole No9 and No18 ending back at the start of the course. The holes flow well from tee to tee, and the course is reasonable to navigate. There are no crossing fairways on the course. There is some underbrush on the course, and a lot of small brush and trees through the wooded areas that are just waiting to swat down a good drive. There are a few trash cans scattered around the course, but no benches that I can remember.

There are some moderate to severe elevation changes throughout the course which makes for some interesting holes. There is a great mix of open and tight, technical holes. There are 5 holes that are open, and 4 light to moderately wooded holes. The other 9 holes are short, technical holes that are heavily wooded, some with defined fairways, some not so much. The course as a whole is very short with only one hole topping 300ft. This hole is wide open with no obstacles, so not much of a challenge. Most of the holes at Chalybeate are set up for either a straight or slight right to left hyzer shot. There are a few places through the technical holes where you could get creative with the shot-making, but pretty straight forward otherwise.

The technical holes can prove quite challenging, but the open holes are just that, wide open. Length is not an asset at this course. An accurate, well-placed tee shot will yield the best results. Watch out through No14 and No15, these holes play right along the edge of the bluff, and it would be easy for an misplaced drive to fly over the edge or for a shot to turn up and roll over the edge. I have played here 5 times, and have never seen another group playing the course, you will more than likely have it all to yourself. There is plenty of parking available at the course.

Cons:

One of the biggest cons of this course is the location. It is the small town of Chalybeate which is probably a good 30 minute drive from downtown bowling green. There are a lot better courses in BG and many great courses within 5-10 minutes of each other in town. The closest course to Chalybeate is Ephram White park, which is about 15 minutes or so. If you are in this area, and have the time, it would be a great course to play. If you are in the BG area and looking to play several different courses, I would cross this one off the list. The open holes are wide open, maybe adding some more trees, or even sand traps to add to the visual appeal and challenge of the course would be nice. The stairs leading up the edge of the bluff to No7's basket aren't that great. They are a little unstable, and when I was there, there were a couple of steps missing, this definitely needs some work!

Other Thoughts:

Overall, Chalybeate is a decent little course that is fun to play. This course is similar in style to Preston Miller, so if you are looking for a shorter, more technical course in town, play Preston. If you happen to be around the Ephram White area, I'd say it would be worth the 15 minute drive to check it out.
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7 1
jgentry
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 15.9 years 47 played 36 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Fun little course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 14, 2008 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

This is a fun little course to play that has very little traffic. There are decent sized teepads with nice signs. There are a lot of heavily wooded short holes that have extremely tight fairways. There are also a couple of holes that are either straight up a cliff or straight down it. It has some open holes as well. It is a nice change up course because the holes are short and very different from what you would normally see. You will need to be very creative with your shots

Cons:

The course is a little short, I only threw driver on 3 holes. It also seemed like you were either throwing at a hole with no fairway or one that was completely open. Some of the holes are too tight with no reasonible way to get to the basket other then luck. The steps going up to the straight up the hill hole are missing some steps and are very unstable.

Other Thoughts:

This is a fun course to stop by and play in you get the chance. I promise you will have not played another course like it. I would not want to play it all the time, but it's definately a good change of pace with a very unique style to it.
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