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First Course Blanchard reviews
9
0
Second Review of First Course
Reviewed:
Updated:
Played on:May 29, 2022
Played the course:once
Pros:
In addition to having a clever name, First Course features a surprising variety of open and wooded holes, a few par 4's, a lot of different challenges, opportunities for both high and low numbers, and ways for a lot of different skill levels to have fun.
This is far more difficult than most church courses. Not only are there several long holes, but there are some really wooded shots that a beginner will struggle on. Some of them are even par 4. There are some low ceilings (12, 16, 17), some mild doglegs (1, 11), and some opportunity for wide sweeping shots if you have the power (9, 15, 18). In short, this course quite frequently does a good job making some holes reward certain skills and encouraging players to try new shots.
There was also some uniqueness that was intentionally built in here. Hole 13 has a spicy raised pin, some holes are placed specifically around certain trees, and for the ones cut into the woods, there definitely aren't too many trees cut down to make the holes possible.
A creek comes into play on a few holes on the back nine and does a good job introducing some risks while still being possible to fetch discs out of if you have a large stick. You cross it on one hole and play adjacent to it on another.
This is far more difficult than most church courses. Not only are there several long holes, but there are some really wooded shots that a beginner will struggle on. Some of them are even par 4. There are some low ceilings (12, 16, 17), some mild doglegs (1, 11), and some opportunity for wide sweeping shots if you have the power (9, 15, 18). In short, this course quite frequently does a good job making some holes reward certain skills and encouraging players to try new shots.
There was also some uniqueness that was intentionally built in here. Hole 13 has a spicy raised pin, some holes are placed specifically around certain trees, and for the ones cut into the woods, there definitely aren't too many trees cut down to make the holes possible.
A creek comes into play on a few holes on the back nine and does a good job introducing some risks while still being possible to fetch discs out of if you have a large stick. You cross it on one hole and play adjacent to it on another.
Cons:
Signage is very odd. The first few holes have good tee signs, but then several holes have no signs, and finally, the back nine has posts that mark the hole number and distance. You could easily skip a hole and not notice until it's too late. Navigation is otherwise okay, though there are a few times where you might play to the wrong basket. Hole 12 is hard to find from the previous basket.
The wooded holes are a little too wooded. There are a few lines that are just too tight, and while it'll be really rewarding to hit the line, too often it's the right play to lay up or hit the line with a slower disc. Sure, it's opportunity for score separation, but I don't think they're all that fair. And for a course that's probably not meant specifically for advanced players, this is a problem. Even the wooded holes that have a reasonable line (3-6) don't feel amazing to me.
Conversely, some open holes are far too open. A few have nothing in the way (10, 11), some have some foliage that's easy to avoid (2, 13), and some are likely to be tweener par 3/4 (11, 14). Also hole 1 is a massive dogleg with almost no way to get to the basket in one but no reason to go in the woods if you play a smart shot. Some of these downsides were unavoidable with the land that this course is on, but the result isn't always great, and I think there was some missed opportunity. And while a few holes play through the open to get to a different part of the property, it's possible some other parts of the woods could have been utilized.
There's some other infrastructure nearby that could come into play, but it seems it's not busy most of the time. I'm okay with the baseball fence on 17 as it provides a decent OB challenge.
The wooded holes are a little too wooded. There are a few lines that are just too tight, and while it'll be really rewarding to hit the line, too often it's the right play to lay up or hit the line with a slower disc. Sure, it's opportunity for score separation, but I don't think they're all that fair. And for a course that's probably not meant specifically for advanced players, this is a problem. Even the wooded holes that have a reasonable line (3-6) don't feel amazing to me.
Conversely, some open holes are far too open. A few have nothing in the way (10, 11), some have some foliage that's easy to avoid (2, 13), and some are likely to be tweener par 3/4 (11, 14). Also hole 1 is a massive dogleg with almost no way to get to the basket in one but no reason to go in the woods if you play a smart shot. Some of these downsides were unavoidable with the land that this course is on, but the result isn't always great, and I think there was some missed opportunity. And while a few holes play through the open to get to a different part of the property, it's possible some other parts of the woods could have been utilized.
There's some other infrastructure nearby that could come into play, but it seems it's not busy most of the time. I'm okay with the baseball fence on 17 as it provides a decent OB challenge.
Other Thoughts:
I stopped here solely to bag the state of LA and I'm glad I chose this course above any other options. Really, it isn't amazing, but it's a fun and quiet round and won't leave you bored but won't be super challenging either.
I really think hole 1 needs to be changed, but there aren't any other sections of the course that stand out as needing to be reworked. I would like a few more holes in the woods (though maybe a little less tight than the existing ones) on the east side of the property working towards current hole 12. But I don't know how feasible that would be. Regardless, it's cool to see an actually difficult and fairly lengthy course on a church property.
I really think hole 1 needs to be changed, but there aren't any other sections of the course that stand out as needing to be reworked. I would like a few more holes in the woods (though maybe a little less tight than the existing ones) on the east side of the property working towards current hole 12. But I don't know how feasible that would be. Regardless, it's cool to see an actually difficult and fairly lengthy course on a church property.
12
0
First Course 2+ years
Reviewed:
Played on:Mar 13, 2022
Played the course:once
Pros:
+ Dynamic Veteran Baskets. Not my favorite basket to play on but this is just a personal preference. They catch just as they should.
+ Dual teepads for most hole. The first 10 holes have concrete tees while the last 8 are natural. Natural tees will be upgraded to concrete over time.
+ The first 4 holes have tee signs while the last 14 just have a stick in the ground with the hole number, distance and par. These will also get upgraded with time.
+ Very good use of the land. The course is set on land behind the church and seems like it might be church owned land. Every bit of this land seems to be used, from the open fields to the wooded areas. The course is a good mix of wide open, slightly wooded and brutally wooded.
+ I had to use a good portion of my bag off the tee here. I would say that the course leans more on the forehand friendly side of things but every hole can be completed with either a FH or BH. There were also a good number of dead straight shots in the woods, which I love.
+ Dual teepads for most hole. The first 10 holes have concrete tees while the last 8 are natural. Natural tees will be upgraded to concrete over time.
+ The first 4 holes have tee signs while the last 14 just have a stick in the ground with the hole number, distance and par. These will also get upgraded with time.
+ Very good use of the land. The course is set on land behind the church and seems like it might be church owned land. Every bit of this land seems to be used, from the open fields to the wooded areas. The course is a good mix of wide open, slightly wooded and brutally wooded.
+ I had to use a good portion of my bag off the tee here. I would say that the course leans more on the forehand friendly side of things but every hole can be completed with either a FH or BH. There were also a good number of dead straight shots in the woods, which I love.
Cons:
- A few too many holes play too close to a walking path that is on the back half of the course. I'm not sure how much of an issue this will be on a day to day basis but when I played the course there were several people walking on the path. It's not too big of a deal as long as you are patient and wait for the walkers to pass but chuckers will be chuckers.
- There seemed to be a few holes that had multiple baskets but it was hard to tell.
- The baskets didn't have hole numbers on them. This made things a bit confusing, trying to figure out what basket to throw to.
- There were multiple times when I couldn't quite figure out what basket to throw to. There were multiple times when there was more than one basket in sight and I couldn't quite tell which was the correct basket to throw to
- Hole 6 is one of those short par 4's in the woods that is super tight without a lot of room to make a shot happen. Throwing a putter at 50% off the tee will most likely be too much disc for the tee shot. Its a placement shot thats very hard to place. IDK, its not a terrible hole once you learn how to play it but its just not my cup of tee.
- There seemed to be a few holes that had multiple baskets but it was hard to tell.
- The baskets didn't have hole numbers on them. This made things a bit confusing, trying to figure out what basket to throw to.
- There were multiple times when I couldn't quite figure out what basket to throw to. There were multiple times when there was more than one basket in sight and I couldn't quite tell which was the correct basket to throw to
- Hole 6 is one of those short par 4's in the woods that is super tight without a lot of room to make a shot happen. Throwing a putter at 50% off the tee will most likely be too much disc for the tee shot. Its a placement shot thats very hard to place. IDK, its not a terrible hole once you learn how to play it but its just not my cup of tee.
Other Thoughts:
I stopped and talked with one of the local walkers in the park and they said that this course is being put in by one guy in his free time so this course is a labor of love. I enjoyed the variety of this course but it feels like its missing something and I can't put my finger on it. There is no real signature hole but there is no hole that is lacking either. I would say that you do not need to travel out of your way to play this course but it is another decent course in the Shreveport area that has concrete tees and offers some bit of woods.
