Garvin, MN

Garvin 18 DGC

3.425(based on 6 reviews)
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4 0
peacekinur
Experience: 46.4 years 184 played 4 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Big and beautiful

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 21, 2023 Played the course:once

Pros:

This is now 18 baskets. Big long course with lots of elevation change. Beautiful scenery. Nobody else there. Great tees and signage, with not only length, but elevation change. Everything is well mowed.

Cons:

A few long treks between holes. Lots of climbing, strenuous.

Other Thoughts:

I was amazed to find such an incredible, challenging, well maintained course in such a distant rural area. Kudos to the Lyon County Parks Department.
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1 0
popmaeas
Experience: 32 played 6 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Respectable Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 17, 2016 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-Lots of Elevation Change
-Good variation in distances
-Wooded and open shots
-Nice land, not very busy usually
-Relatively new, colorful tee signs

Cons:

-Homemade baskets don't hold well
-No concrete tee pad
-No back 9

Other Thoughts:

I really enjoy this course, and I think that most people would as well. It offers some of the greatest elevation change you will play in the surrounding area and keeps you on your toes with different distanced holes. The hole distances are different than listed on the course map, so I will try to update them when I can. Work is obviously being put into the course as tee signs were installed this year. Hopefully at some point new baskets are installed or a back 9 is added.
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3 0
mndiscg
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 16.4 years 502 played 494 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Nav hard for first timer without map, otherwise fun 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 30, 2013 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

-Unique baskets (see cons)
-Lots of big trees
-Nice county park that is not in town, can be quite peaceful
-Tees are marked by stake
-Some decent elevation
-Pretty long for a 9 hole course, no holes super long or super short. A few are ace runs but still not the easiest. The overall hole variety was great with some wooded, some open, some blind.
-Parking right by hole 1 which is just off the highway. Also not far from 14 if you are traveling that route. A nice combo with Upper Plum Creek park.

Cons:

-Navigation can be hard if you haven't played here before. It took me awhile to find #2 and I only found 8 so quickly because I had already found it while searching for #2.
-The rough was pretty rough even in winter. Trees with thick underbrush on some holes and long grass on others. Losing a disc is a possibility.
-The baskets are single chained and don't catch well. They are also black which is even worse than silver for visibility.
-Natural tees are ok but not great.

Other Thoughts:

Somebody should update the kiosk at the entrance to include at least a map. Scorecards/maps would be very helpful and nice and would probably bring the rating up to a 3.5 for me. I enjoyed this course and recommend it if you are in the area. At least glance at the map if not print it off first. It was especially hard to find my way to #2 in the snow.
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2 0
Bardu
Premium Member
Experience: 13.5 years 207 played 3 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Great Course in SW Minnesota 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Nov 9, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

-Elevation
-Mature hardwoods
-Lots of blind shots
-Nice variety of hole design
-Nice variety between wooded and open
-Nice variety of distance
-Some fairways are tight, rough can be unforgiving
-The homemade baskets worked just fine for me

Cons:

-Natural tees
-Holes 8 and 9 are quite open and fairly boring design.
-Tees are marked by only a small stake in the ground. Several of these had been removed and were lying on the ground nearby, I assume for sledding and snowmobiling. So make sure to consult the course map.

Other Thoughts:

Make sure to check out Upper Plum Creek Park in Walnut Grove and Mound Creek County Park south of Springfield if you are in the area.
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2 0
GDisc
Experience: 16.5 years 61 played 34 reviews
3.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 16, 2013 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Beautful course with great mix of elevation, technicality and distance. A nice 'get away' course that plays thoughout a well kept County park. The course is well thought out, in design, and uses the park very well.

Cons:

Dirt tee pads, no signage and single chain baskets. Although I don't ever mind natural tee pads, especially in a Co/State/National park, the baskets are comented down, so, since there is already the use of cement on the course, I would have much rather seen it used for the pads, than to hold the baskets down. Hard to navigate and a couple of the tee pads are hard to locate.

Other Thoughts:

I really enjoyed playing this course and would certainly go back. For a 9 Hole, it feels alot longer because of the scenic hiking that you encounter while playing the course. Beautiful course that provides a unique mix of woods, dog legs, wide open 'bomber' shots (5, 7 & 9) and elevation change that you rarely see on a 9 holer. This course really seems to bring out the heart of SW Minnesota, in that it mixes woods, open space and a large hill together which catches the essence of the area in a unique way. The large hill that you shoot down on Holes 3 & 4 really shows what I'm trying to get across here. For fun I recommend throwing a safari hole from Hole 2's basket to Basket 5. It plays from the top of the hill down to the bottom. I would have liked to see this implented into the course, as it would easily be the signature hole, but it still plays as a fun safari. It's a new course so it still needs some upgrades. Throw in some signage and a scorecard and this one could be a 4. Check out the online course map on this one, though, because it can be hard to navigate your first time here. If you don't have a good 'disc' dog to sniff out your discs, I'd recommend having a spotter or keep a keen eye on your disc because, although the fairways are well kept, if you go off the fairway into the rough, it gets real knarly real quick. . If you are in the Marshall area or traveling along HWY 23 or 59 this one is certainly worth the stop. Upper Plum Creek (15 miles away) is another great 9 hole to make a day out of it. Overall great course that has potential to be even better.
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3 0
falcon79
Experience: 16.3 years 286 played 19 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Work in Progress 2+ years drive by

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

Pros:

The course is well laid out to take advantage of the local relief (something in short supply in the area). Several holes play along the tree line, but only 2 & 3 actually take you into the trees, so the throws are not intimidating for a recreational player. Five of the nine tee shots are blind, but it is hard to get into too much trouble.

Cons:

There was no course map on-site, and the tee markers are pieces of lath with white tape. No tee pads. The homemade baskets are cute, but with only a single row of chain, a hard throw probably won't stick. Also, they are painted black, which tends to blend into the background.

Other Thoughts:

The course is quite new, and I suspect that there will be minor adjustments made over time. This could include adding a few more holes, as there is plenty of extra space, and maybe multiple tees. However, in an area that is relief-challenged, this is a nice find. Until the tee markers and a map are installed, make sure to print the course map available under the Links/Files button. Otherwise, good luck getting from 1 to 2 (go east on the gravel path), and from 7 to 8 (take the road up the hill).

I look forward to keeping tabs on this course over time. With a little TLC, it could be pretty nice.
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