Ashland, NE

Eugene T. Mahoney State Park

3.255(based on 18 reviews)
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12 0
hammerhead300
Experience: 12 played 7 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Deceptively Challenging 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 13, 2021 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Every hole has a concrete tee pad (I do have a comment to make on them but that'll be a little further down). There's a good mix of short technical holes, ace run opportunities and longer bomber holes, and there's a great variety of shot shapes to consider. Most, if not all, holes have multiple basket placements. The course is challenging, but not overly intimidating for a newer player. The course is rarely busy, but it's typical to see another group or two if you play on a weekend.

Cons:

The tee pads are concrete, but very short, and some of them are washed out behind the concrete or have slight grades that don't allow for a good run-up. Only one tee pad per hole (4 has what looks like a second tee pad, but I've been told it was for the old course before it got redesigned). Signage isn't bad but could use an update. Some holes play very close to each other (1-3 play very close to each other, 6 can put you close to 7's tee pad if you go LHBH or forehand hyzer to the left, and 7 has a placement that plays across 18's fairway). There is a lot of tall grass and foliage on the course that hides discs very well if you throw into it.

Other Thoughts:

You'll need a state park sticker or day pass to get in. There's a lot to do at Mahoney if you want to camp out, or just make a full day out of your visit.
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5 0
aphilso1
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 7.1 years 52 played 50 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Has Potential 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jan 1, 2020 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Quite a few fun holes with a mix of links style bombers and low ceiling shots. All 18 holes have functioning concrete tee pads. Has the potential to be a nice course with some TLC. Located in a really nice state park with plenty of other things to do, plus restrooms, a restaurant, camping, etc. Course was well mowed.

Cons:

Missing basket on Hole 2. Trees on many holes were overgrown directly over/behind/in front of the tee pads to impede your driving stance, especially if you're tall.
Course weaves in and out of some highly populated areas, including having basket #9 located in the middle of picnic tables (which were in use at the time). A couple fairways cross each other roughly 75' in front of their baskets, making a pretty dangerous intersection.
Also, this is an extremely confusing course to navigate. Tee pads are etched with a hole number which seems like a good idea, but the etched number doesn't match the tee sign for many holes. Speaking of tee signs, they add to the confusion as many of them are waaaay off distance wise. The confusion is compounded by some blind and illogical basket locations. We actually saw multiple groups playing to the wrong basket, most likely due to confusion over what hole to throw to.

Other Thoughts:

Putting a course in a state park halfway between Lincoln and Omaha seems like a great idea. If the course was great, it would draw players from both cities and increase state park revenue. But unfortunately the course appears to be a little neglected and, combined with some major design shortcomings, just isn't as good as most of the other courses within a 30 mile radius. The land has potential, but disc golf appears to be a low priority at this state park.

UPDATE: I played the course a couple more times this past winter, and all of the problem location baskets had been moved since my initial review. Also, there are now a full 18 functioning baskets. With most of the layout problems taken care of, I now consider this a solid 3* course, a full point increase over my initial review in Spring of 2019.
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7 0
Upshawt1979
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 21.4 years 562 played 429 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Mahoney ain't no Baloney 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 4, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

Eugene T. Mahoney put together a hell of a state park in Ashland. The disc golf course is not bad, but there must be a hundred other things to do here. Aquatic center, stables, playgrounds, conservatory, fishing, ice skating, camping, tennis, volleyball and many other activities make it well worth the price of admission. I only went for one reason though.

The disc golf park has to work around a lot of the other things going on there, but manages to do it and has several really good holes. The front nine is grassy with plenty of trees and good size hills in places. The back is mostly links style, way more open and mowed out of tall grass.

The tees are concrete, and have signs. The targets are in place and doing their thing well. As usual I like the elevation change holes the best, and there are five or six pretty good ones here. There is also some water in play, but it is minimal.

Cons:

I would have liked to give it a better rating, but the course does have some issues. It has three distances listed on each tee sign, but no map or markers for other tees. Par listed on the DGCR app was 64, which was way too high to me. I guess it has undergone a redesign before, maybe this has something to do with it.

Construction near hole three must have taken that box out entirely for now, I couldn't find one. It's too bad because it looked like a cool downhill run, I made my own tee up to get that drive in. Around hole 5 was a bit muddy, and the creek seemed to be seeping out rather than rainfall soaking the ground.

The layout is whacky in places, so print a map for sure. Finding the first tee behind the conservatory was sort of tricky. There are a few transitions that had me searching even with the map. As far as I know, you must walk across hole 5 to get from hole 17 to 18. The Other people in the park are likely to be near some holes, requiring caution and courtesy.

Other Thoughts:

This is a good quality course, but it does have some odd spots and quirks. Clearly a lot of work has gone into designing and maintaining it. Nearby construction was still affecting part of it as of Labor Day 2017.

I would say it is worth a visit if you are in the area. Even on a busy holiday weekend, it was very playable. There is enough there to keep the whole family busy for the entire vacation.

I was able to score a 57 my first time out, which felt like a par round, but is a very generous -7 according to my phone. The two par 5's seemed like they should have been 4's, and some of the 4's were a stretch IMHO. I only had a couple of 2's on my scorecard, one of the a par 4 listed at 281'.

Layout issues and inflated overall par aside, I enjoyed the course a good deal. If you don't mind forking out a few bones to play a new course, check it out. Maybe see if you can get a local to show you the ins and outs, I would've liked someone to tell me what is up with that place. If you go solo, I'm sure you'll figure it out mostly, I did.
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1 1
dg_eastbay
Experience: 10.7 years 26 played 6 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Nice! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 20, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

Great park
Fun layout, where trees, grass and water come into play
Locals are friendly!

Cons:

Signage is a little less than needed for a first timer...thankfully I met a local who was down to play.

Other Thoughts:

Excellent course...fun to play, great views...if I'm ever I. The area again I Will go back!
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2 1
ChadNewman
Experience: 8.6 years 42 played 13 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Great 9 for family - Decent 18 overall 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 13, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

Course is located on a BEAUTIFUL state park. Every tee has a short pad with a trash can or bench littered throughout.

Signage was below par, only shows distance with no map. They have recently updated a few holes, but haven't updated the signs.

First nine are awesome for a family looking for a good time, with short walks between holes. The front nine is all below 300' and doesn't have water in play, so there is no real risk of losing a disc.

Back nine is more for the true disc golfer looking for bombs. The majority of the holes have a few trees scattered throughout, but you are able to go over the top (except 17)

A couple of my favorite holes were #8 and #13
-8: Tee pad was located up by the parking lot, with pin located long on a dog leg left. Great for a BHRH, which I assume the majority of people play (also great shot fo LHFH). Minimal trees and you can just crush a shot.

-13: Three or 4 scattered trees up by the pin. Great mowed fairway creating a neat little shot. Really challenges you to attack the tee or lay up before the circle

Cons:

The course is front nine short and back nine long. Doesn't seem like they take care of the back nine very well since I assume not a lot of people playing the course are looking to play a full 18.

Signage was very sad. It only shows distance and I question a lot of the distances provided. A couple holes said 200' and it felt closer to 400'.

The flow of the course was set up for the front nine and really tight together, which doesn't let you take any crazy shot because of the walkways and other tee pads.

I'm not sure when the last time they mowed 17 because it was up to our ankles. A few other holes were similar, but 17 was really bad.

Other Thoughts:

Course is GREAT for a family. I wouldn't say for someone who really enjoys a challenging course to go out of their way to play. If you are at the state park, its definitely worth playing nine.

Not bad, but has quite a bit of work especially because you have to pay $8 to get into the park (in state plates are $6)
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7 0
markmcc
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 12.5 years 278 played 254 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Things Have Changed!! 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 11, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

Beautiful state park course that combines rolling hills and scattered trees in to a very nice course. Signs indicate that this is the first DGC in a Nebraska State Park, and I think that is outstanding.

The course has been changed since the "Hole Info" was recorded, but generally the hole lengths vary from 225' out to about 450'. The front nine holes were shorter while the back nine stretched things out a bit.

There are no holes that are heavily treed, but like many park courses there are a lot of mature, pruned up trees to work through. I played in mid-April and there was no rough to speak of, but I could see the unmown areas and imagine that the "tall grass" shown on the maps becomes a more significant obstacle in the summer.

Most holes are open enough to give you a choice of lines. So the course is pretty friendly with regard to RH/LH and BH/FH.

Some of the nicest teepads that I've seen. Flat with the perfect amount of texture. The hole numbers are engraved into some of the pads, but unfortunately the course revision (see Other Thoughts) has made some of them incorrect.

Good baskets with prominent numbers which is helpful as on some holes you can see more than one basket.

All holes had multiple pin positions (typically 3) which could give the holes significantly different looks.

Tee signs gave the basic info of hole number, par and distances to the three pins, but did not include a hole diagram or indicator of the current pin placement.

Cons:

There seem to be numerous opportunities for conflicts with other park users. From the blind Hole 1 which require turning your drive around the glass conservatory to a blind basket, to the final hole which drives up a hill just over the concrete walk to the conservatory, there are many places where you could "interact" with unsuspecting park visitors. Even the water features on the course are primarily intended as garden ponds with plenty of surrounding walkways and benches. So look before you drive!

Tee signs showing the locations of the various pins and which pin is in play would be nice. The course map currently gives only a vague direction to the pin, and was often inaccurate. For instance, the Hole 1 basket was way right, hidden behind the conservatory. The map shows it straight out and near the Hole 2 tee pad.

Other Thoughts:

The previous very short Holes 4 & 5 have been combined into a longer Hole 5. So all subsequent holes have changed number until you reach the new Hole 11, after which things are back on track.

I've scanned and uploaded the new course map.
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2 0
cactusglide
Experience: 11.5 years 8 played 1 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Clean, variety 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 12, 2014 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

-Variation in holes
-Forces you to plan out your shots.
-Well kept
-Clean, no trash.

Cons:

-If your shot goes off the fairway, be prepared to search in chest-high grass and weeds for it.
-There is a walking path through the first 11 holes, be careful of pedestrians
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2 0
ZMesenbrink
Experience: 23.5 years 13 played 9 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Worth the 5 bucks 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 5, 2014 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Pro course with all amenities: pads, baskets, signs, and restaurant. Great for a Sunday morning breakfast and round of disc golf. Fun elevation challenges, designed well with throwing in mind. The first 9 you could just about do from a wheelchair, so you could take Granny out with you. Open fields add a bit of wind challenge along with the elevation. I will keep playing this course. Some water hazards as well. You might need to bring your retriever.

Cons:

If you are after the challenge of your life, like I said the first 9 could be done from a wheelchair. People frequent the park for other purposes than Disc golf so sometimes it's a waiting game for passers by.

Other Thoughts:

Fun course, just don't forget to bring 5 dollars cash for entrance into the park.
There is also a water park and campground, so it would really be a fun way to spend the weekend with the family while still getting that golf fix.
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3 1
scvanm
Experience: 5.4 years 48 played 8 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Hole Changes in Progress 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:May 3, 2014 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Challenging and very interesting. The course is well maintained and is not usually very busy. Some great views of the area are available on the back nine. We love this course. It is my second favorite in the Omaha area behind Hummell Park.

Cons:

It is easy to loose discs in the summer months due to the tall grass rough.

Other Thoughts:

They are changing some holes around right now (4/4/14) They are turning holes 4 and 5 into one long hole. They are then adding a hole after hole 11 (head north to the corner of the tennis courts to find the new tee box). These changes are really nice. They will lengthen the course quite a bit but if you haven't played the course before it could be confusing since the signs are not corrected yet.
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2 0
mgcarney
Experience: 15.5 years 94 played 56 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Independence Day 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 4, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

Course is beautiful. Well mown fairways make good targets. Tee pads are nice concrete. Course maps they have at the main office are nice.Surprisingly challenging course. It has some nice spots.

Cons:

People can get a little too close for comfort. As we were leaving we saw a couple sitting on a rock by a basket that we had thrown to earlier. It was the 4th, so much more traffic, but still, this is a park with non-disc golfers. You also get really close to the pool. The biggest downside is the tall grass, which I complain about at most parks, but it unavoidable. Just be prepared.

Other Thoughts:

The park costs $5 a day or $25 for an annual. Disc golf is not on major road signs. Stop in at main office for directions if need be. Not to hard to find. I wish all Nebraska parks had a DGC.
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2 0
bluedvl228
Experience: 14.3 years 36 played 9 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Worth the drive from Lincoln 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 30, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

Even though we played in March when nothing is growing it is still quite beautiful. There are plenty of trails to take advantage of.

The course was designed with intelligence in pin locations. There are also multiple pin locations (I think 2-3 per hole). Would love to go out again to see them in alternate locations.

Good variety of holes - the front 9 is shorter but requires drive technique for 2nd shot placements. Back 9 mixes in longer shots and slightly more wooded. Holes 17 and 18 require very precise shots.

Cons:

Paying to play is a bit of a downside but even for a day pass it is definitely worth it to take advantage of everything Mahoney has to offer.

The drive from Lincoln is certainly not budget friendly for fuel but for a course to mix in every now and then it is still worth it.

Other Thoughts:

Definitely a course to mix in every once in a while if you live in Lincoln or Omaha. 18 holes is definitely worth the drive and paying the daily fee. Great scenery!
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2 2
GentleHenry
Experience: 2 played 1 reviews
2.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

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

Pros:

-This course makes good use of the land provided and is well maintained. The 18 basket course covers about 5000 ft (give or take for the wayward toss) and crosses in and out of a park with picnic benches and a small pond. Although the course is relatively flat, constructed in a saddle, there are a few holes (12-15) that curve around the lone hill and make use of the existing landscape.

-All the tees are cement and do a good job of pointing you in the right direction of the next basket.

Cons:

-The park's Aquatic center is right next to the course, and on hot, crowded days people park on the fairway. My fellow frolfers and I had to play around about three dozen cars on the ninth and 10th holes. When we reported this to the main lodge they told us that, unfortunately, water-park-goers take precedence over frisbee-golfers and that's the only parking available.

-Most of the tall grass in the course is deceivingly marsh, not actually grass, so if you wander off the fairway, be prepared to get wet.

-At the time I played this course, there was no 9th tee we could find, even though the map showed otherwise. The map was actually not very helpful; the buildings were not drawn to scale and the course was poorly marked. The maps do, however, have a scorecard on the opposite side, which was nice.
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3 0
huskerbob
Experience: 1 played 1 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Fun family outing! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Mar 18, 2012 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

-Attractive & well-manicured.
-Close-by modern restrooms & drinking fountain.
-Very convenient paved parking.

Cons:

-Short course. The play was over way too fast.
-The tall grass prairie, when green & growing, might eat the discs of younger players on some holes. Older ones too.
-The course map doesn't accurately locate Hole #1. Hole # 1 is located just south of the greenhouse.

Other Thoughts:

The course is located next to the James Family Conservatory building (greenhouse) across the street from the horse riding stable. The paved parking lot adjacent to the course is one of the least used lots in the park. In fact, I think the area the course is in is one of the least used areas of the entire park, even though it's been made very attractive over the years with walking paths, bridges and plantings.

Owen Marina (on the other side of the park) rents discs if the only reason you're not playing is that you've forgotten your own. For $3 I don't know what you get as far as discs other than rely on what a female park employee told us, "We'd rather you brought your own because ours aren't very good." lol

The greenhouse next to the course has indoor modern restrooms, as well as a drinking fountain, and is not a horrible walk from anywhere on the course if nature calls while playing. The greenhouse is open year round, unlike some other activities and attractions in the park.

Peter Kewitt Lodge (the largest building in the park) has a course map with scorecard. They didn't have any out with the other park literature when I was there, but happily printed one off for me. You don't really need a course map as the 9 holes play in a pretty logical order and the next tee pad is easy to find, but it's kind of fun to have as a memento of the day.

The entrance fee for the park is now $5 a vehicle for a day pass, or $26 for an annual Nebraska State Park Pass, and $13.50 for a duplicate annual pass. There is no additional charge to play the course if you've brought your own discs.

This is a very well manicured, small, attractive 9-hole course and would be suitable for players of all ages. I think Nebraska Game and Parks has nailed it with this course since this entire park is all about enjoying a family outing together.

6-15-2012 UPDATE: At least another 9 holes have been added to this course as of this date. The fairways are recently mowed but I don't have a course map to share of the recent addition.
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4 0
Hector Chain
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 16.4 years 222 played 191 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Very well manicured 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Oct 15, 2011 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

This might be the most manicured course I have ever played. The front 9 winds around shallow man-made ponds, waterfalls, wood bridges, walking paths, a variety of trimmed trees, and sweeping areas of wild grass. It's pretty scenic.

The back 9 (added in the spring of 2012) is longer - between 275 and 400 feet on most holes - and plays through fairways mowed out of wild grass. A few of the holes are wide open, but most have some trees to force different lines.

There are three configurations to the course: red, blue, and green. From what I could tell, none of the configurations was all easy or hard positions, which I like. The bases of the baskets are colored accordingly.

The tee signs are okay, listing the distances to the various positions, although there is no indication of where the basket is (this was only an issue on #1). Every hole has a pretty good concrete tee pad. They aren't terribly long, but you won't need a full run-up on these holes.

I love that water is brought into play on multiple holes on the front 9, but you could wade in and get your disk if you had a bad throw (it's no more than 1-2 feet deep).

Navigation is pretty simple after you get past the first hole, and you won't need a map. Just know that the tee pad for 9 starts near the parking lot.

There is some elevation. Most of the holes play flat or slightly downhill, but #9 is all uphill.

Cons:

From the first tee pad I could not see the hole and had to walk around the greenhouse to see where I was throwing. The first hole required a long turnover shot for RHBH players (that's a good thing), but it was a blind throw that could be unsafe if there are people on the other side of the greenhouse.

The front 9 is very friendly to children and rec players, and most of the holes aren't too technical, so advanced players may be a little underwhelmed. But none of the holes is wide open, either. The back 9 will offer more of the challenge advanced players are used to.

There is some risk of lost discs on a couple of the holes on the back 9 due to the high grass off the fairways, so spot well.
There is a $5 park entrance fee. You can see how the money goes into the course, though.

Other Thoughts:

Mahoney is a state park that gets visitors coming for a very wide range of activities. I saw a family playing disc golf while I played, and it appeared they had never played before. This is a good thing. Get people who are at the park for other reasons to try out something new, and maybe they get into it and start looking for courses in their hometown. The course is clearly aimed at recreational players, but it is not a cakewalk by any means. I did have several bogeys. I also aced #2 on a thumber that somehow stuck in the chains!

I hope this course succeeds, because this park has a TON of land that could make for some a whole disc golf complex. And it exemplifies the kind of Nebraska beauty that most people are unaware of: rolling hills with a variety of wildgrass, any tree you can think of, and creeks and rivers carving out new valleys. It makes for some nice disc golf.
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3 1
Rusty Scheckleford
Experience: 1 played 1 reviews
4.50 star(s)

The state finally comes through! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 2, 2010 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

This is the first course in the game and parks system. The course is very well maintained! I spoke with a park worker who informed me that the state is planning to put in AT LEAST another 9 holes. The next 9 holes will compliment the front 9, which are noticeably short but very fun, by being considerably longer. This is by far the nicest and most cared for disc golf course in the local area. (Seymour Smith included) It is an excellent place to take your family and avoid some of the crowd and atmosphere that clouds some of the other courses. The park also boasts a full menu of activities. What other frisbee course has fishing, camping, horse rides, ice skating, pool/waterslides/wavepool, tremendous indoor play feature for children, plays, trails and sledding. You can't beat it...Even for the price of admission. 4/day or 20/year

Cons:

The only con i have for this park is that it is only 9 holes. But if the state keeps their word, that is only temporary.

Other Thoughts:

I was told this course is not actually officially open yet. I believe they are trying to waiting for all 18 holes to officially open it. I look forward to an exciting 2011 disc golf season. Mahoney state park has made a tremendous move into the frisbee golf arena. I am more than willing to pay the gate price for everything they offer. You won't be dissappointed. I wish them success and hopes this leads to other courses in local parks. hint hint
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2 13
ProDiscUSAMngr
Experience: 12.3 years 1 played 1 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Nice course in a wonderful setting 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Sep 25, 2010 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

The course continues to improve and update. It is now 18 holes. The course is in the interior of the park, it has restroom facilities 365 days a year. The baskets are rotated frequently.

Other Thoughts:

I would definitley recommend this to any age level or playing level. Disc Golf Rental is available at the Kiewit Lodge 24/7 365 days a year.
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12 0
Shuie
Silver level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 22.5 years 951 played 43 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Decent Course 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 8, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

- nice brushed concreate tee that are grippy
- each holes has 3 pin position which changes the hole drastically with each placement.
- most holes have some trees in play which help shape your shots.
- Signs are simple but at least have footages
- Course is absolutely beautiful, well manicured, flower gardens; there is a nice stream that runs between two ponds also there are many tree scattered around the course.
- there is some elevation in play on whole 3 and hole 9
- course is in a state park with all the amenities primative and RV campsites, swimming area, driving range, miniture golf course, hiking, biking and horseback trails.


Cons:

- no garbages on course
- beginner course nothing super special
- 4 dollar park entry fee

Other Thoughts:

i believe that this is nebraska's first state park course, with that being said this course could be a beast,when i played it was set up in the red postions which is the easiest positions i think that the green positions would make the course quite hard... the pins are all well protected when in the green positions.

Hopefully they will expand on the course into an 18 then maybe it would be worth the 4 dollars.. unless ur lookin for a place to camp and disc in the morning then its a steal 4 bucks for campin and discing!!! Sweet deal
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1 6
DGdisc
Experience: 1 played 1 reviews
1.50 star(s)

Mahoney review 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 5, 2010 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Somewhere to play if you happen to be at the park for something else.

Cons:

does not appear to be very well thought out in design, seems as if it was rushed or designed by someone who does not know much about disc golf. Better use of the land could have been utilized.

Other Thoughts:

Not worth the drive to play.
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