Cedar Rapids, IA

Jones Park

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3.325(based on 28 reviews)
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8 1
CwAlbino
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 24.4 years 76 played 23 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Lots of potential, and disappointment 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 13, 2020 Played the course:once

Pros:

-Course signage and pad were great.
-The layout kind of made sense, I still had to use a course map a couple times.
-Some of the holes took advantage of the terrain quite well, elevation and trees. Holes such as 7,12, & 14. I especially liked hole 12, it really stood out for me.
-Well taken care of park, I went early in the morning on a weekday so I was one of two people on the course. Other reviews say it is busy, just have to catch the right time of day I guess.
-Pretty good mix of distances. Hole 17 is fun but the scoring spread can't be very much at all. Throw, throw, putt is about as good as it gets.

Cons:

-Some of the holes I just stopped and kind of went, "really?". It was already a bit of a pitch n putt course but then with some of the 200' wide open holes, it felt kind of disappointing.
-Pin placements really left this course kind of easy and lackluster. Hole 1 right off the bat made no sense. There's a cluster of trees just short of the basket near the water's edge that would make that hole much more difficult and introduce a water element. I could nitpick every hole, but that's the first that comes to mind. Instead, the basket is just in front of a tree leaving a wide open hyzer fest.
-Fairways are a little close together at times, it didn't matter much for me since I had nobody around, but I can see it becoming a problem when busy.
-Paint the baskets. The baskets were quite difficult to see when trying to figure out where everything was at. It's a really simple solution that is helpful to someone playing a new course. It was a pretty drastic difference going from these to bring pink baskets at shaver.

Other Thoughts:

Despite a lot of cons, it was still a decent course. I'm not going to give it a worse score just because I thought it was easy. It's a Rec course through and through. Enough short shots for ace runs and wide open shots to develop the newbies. With a little tweaking this could be a much better course for advanced players while still making it fun for rec.
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11 0
knobby325
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 9.3 years 335 played 252 reviews
3.50 star(s)

One of the best in the Cedar Valley 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:May 6, 2020 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-Concrete tees
-Decent Signage
-Good use of terrain
-Boomer Hole #17 of 1080'
-Mostly disc golf only area (a playground and shelter between #14 and #15)

Cons:

-Slope on some tee pads
-Only a few benches
-Deceptively hilly, especially the second half
-Some people try to jump on at Hole #15
-Mostly open holes, mostly straight shots
-No 9 hole loop

Other Thoughts:

Jones Park DGC in the south part of Cedar Rapids, IA, is a nice large course with a moderately hilly terrain. It boasts one of the longest holes I've seen at 1080' (#17) and it's downhill. Mostly open holes with a small pond coming into play on Hole #2, a curve around trees on Holes #7 and #13 (one right, one left) and a possible tunnel shot on #14 (or a play-around to the right, swinging left). The hills can be a bit much for the novice player, especially 14 through 17. There are also a couple of the tee pads with a rough slope. I've played this course many times when in town. It is a bit busy at times, but still fun. Take a short break before booming it down the #17 fairway. Would love to see those couple of tee pads fixed, a couple more benches added, to give this a higher rating. An enjoyable course, will definitely play again!

2021 Update (Post 2020 Derecho)
Unfortunately, Jones suffered great loss of trees in 2020 (and at least one basket that has now been replaced). Many holes that were guarded by trees are simply open. The great arching tree on #12 is gone. Probably 75% of the trees in the middle of the course have just stumps left. It does open up possibilities on #14 that had gotten a little overgrown, but it is just so....open. Played in early summer heat and there were few places to hide. Still a very good course, the clean up was good, but it knocks down a 1/2 rating due to no fault of its own. The 2020 derecho was devastating to Cedar Rapids and this really shows here. Still, it's up and running and worth a throw. I'll be back to play again (with even more water in tow)
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1 2
mmeseck
Experience: 8.6 years 5 played 5 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Angry Birds 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 23, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

Course is free and easy to get to right in the middle of town. Has some nice changes in elevation for a townie course. Hole #2 & 18 are a blast to play on.

Cons:

No real cons unless you are looking for a really challenging course this probably isn't the one for you.

Other Thoughts:

Watch out for the birds and the poo. The birds were angry that day my friend. Like an old man trying to send back in a deli.
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5 0
IowaTrain
Experience: 8.4 years 18 played 7 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Good, Fun Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 28, 2016 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

- concrete tee pads and good signage on every hole
- elevation changes
- variety of hole distances and shot shapes
- well maintained park
- challenging but fun, plenty of trees to hit if you're off-line, but nothing so penal that you're spending much time looking for discs or losing discs

Cons:

- dogs...probably not an issue for some, but I'm not a fan of people bringing their dogs and letting them run loose on the course
- one of the park's parking lots is by the tee for hole 15. too many groups like to jump on 15 as their start. so, you'll come over the hill from 14 basket and find 2 or 3 groups waiting on 15 tee.
- can get busy

Other Thoughts:

This is my favorite course in Cedar Rapids from a playability and fun standpoint. If you're a typical/average player, this is a more open and easier course than Legion or Shaver. Just the right challenge for an intermediate player with the trees, distance and elevation.
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5 0
RussMB
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 20 years 131 played 110 reviews
3.50 star(s)

A fun course with an old school feel. 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:May 29, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

• Beautiful well maintained park with a big fun factor!
• Lots of elevation changes
• Most fairways have multiple lines of approach, so there is no real RH or LH Bias on the holes.
• Concrete Tees and Signs. From the looks of it, new signs have been added
• Players could start on 1 or 15
• Easy to navigate without a map
• Alternating Pin placements.
• Good mix of long, Short and a few technical fairways
• Also, there is a variety of up and down hill shots.
• A fantastic course to bring new players, as well as non-regular players. Yet, this course still offers up a challenge to the seasoned player. It's a course for all to enjoy
• Has a very cool "across the valley" run for 1080 ft
• Has a few Ace Run holes
• Shelter houses
• Multi Use park with multiple activities

Cons:

• Pedestrian and Disc Golf Traffic could slow you down. This is a popular park with a popular disc golf course. It can get very busy!
• It is primarily an open field course, therefore subject to windy days
• This course has done a good job in laying out the fairway to keep things interesting. However, this is primarily an old school straight forward open field layout. It can get redundant after throwing a few holes here.

Other Thoughts:

I had a great time playing here!! If you are going to be in the Cedar Rapids area, then this is a must play course. I would say that the fun factor definitely outweighs the challenge factor, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. I had a great time and got to throw a number of different lines while I was here. Jones is definitely much easier to play than say Shaver or Legion, but you can have a good time.

If you are going to be traveling or road tripping through the area, then I would definitely put this on your list. You will not need any special foot wear to play here, and your interactions with the woods will be low. That's not a promise that it will be poison ivy free, but extremely minimal. You will be out in the open, so bring liquids for the hot days. If you are traveling with family, Jones is not too far off the interstate and there is a playground in this park. . If you are looking for a rest stop round, then this will be a good place to stop! There is lots to do here!
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2 2
Log242
Experience: 15.5 years 3 played 3 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Worth Your TIme 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 4, 2016 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Open
Challenging
Fun
Birdie Opportunities

Cons:

Can be Busy
Tough on Windy Days

Other Thoughts:

Even though I'm not from Cedar Rapids I would still call this course my home course just because I've played it way more than any other course. It's a pretty straightforward fun and challenging course that has some small obstacles with some more open holes as well. It's a a good combination of wooded and open holes.

There are a couple 200 foot holes which provide opportunities to make a round interesting. I ended up getting my first hole in 1 on hole 11.

Even though it can be busy, it's a fun easy-going course that is worth the time to play.

I had just got done playing Wildcat a week before I played at Jones so I had a challenging course that I feel actually improved my game at Jones. I ended up getting my best score even though I really messed up on the first and third hole in which I normally par.

Jones (04/04)
2 0 1 0 -1 0 0 0 -1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 (+5)
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2 0
caleb1989
Experience: 11.4 years 13 played 3 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Good Course. 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 30, 2016 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Fun, fairly easy course to play, great elevation change throughout, water hazard on the first three holes, most holes are under 300' so reachable for those like me who don't have a huge arm. There is a massive 800' hole where you throw off a large hill so you can really get some distance. Only a couple of wooded holes so not much risk of loosing a disc. Holes are well marked easy to see where to go.

Cons:

It's a public park so you run into people playing football or soccer, or in the winter sledding sometimes blocking the holes, if your an above average player you might find the course to easy.

Other Thoughts:

Great course, good to play if you want to practice different shots, or just play some leisurely golf.
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3 12
Spike Hyzer 23
Experience: 31.3 years 92 played 88 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Your Average Jones 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Mar 10, 2015 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

The course is another that is wide open and reminds one of a ball golf course. Holes 14 and 18 are signature holes to me, among the few that offer any real technical challenge.

Cons:

The entire course is a con. The first 3 holes are virtually the same distance and absolutely straight. Holes 6-8 are also in the same distance range and are absolutely straight. Most of the holes on the course are in the same distance range, and the shorter holes are far too easy. What little vegetation there is is not used to its full advantage.

The designer also clearly wanted us to gasp with awe at the 820 foot downhill 17th, but the hole is just a boring exercise in bogie for most players (bombers might get a 3, and 300 foot throwers with get a 4 or a 5).

It's simply not a very interesting course and the only challenge is distance.
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3 0
mgcoleman
Experience: 19.5 years 20 played 17 reviews
4.00 star(s)

A course well-worth playing 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 20, 2015 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Jones Park course is in a municipal park (owned/maintained by city of Cedar Rapids). The course is mowed and upkeep seems to be very regular. Ample parking right by the first tee (which is also near the 18th basket) - makes arriving/leaving real easy. Some good shade near parking if you want to hang out. Course plays up, down and across the expanse of a pretty big hill, giving you some uphill, downhill and sidehill shots. Decent incorporation of trees to force a variety of shots. Nice pavillion at top of the hill

Cons:

A few tees have dropoffs at the end - watch your footing so you don't turn an ankle.

Other Thoughts:

Nice course and worth making a modest drive to play. It can get busy and it is not uncommon to have bigger groups of new/newer players - never had a problem being invited to play through bigger/slower groups.
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1 3
Mayes2158
Experience: 11.4 years 16 played 5 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Quick, fun DGC 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 10, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

Very fun course that plays up the side of a decent sized hill, that at hole 17 lets you throw a 800'+bomb down the side of hill. There are quit a few aceable holes.

Cons:

If it is crowded, a lot of the holes overlap or are in very close proximity to each other, so watch out for discs. Signage is not the best, but I did manage to find my way around my first time there.

Other Thoughts:

Looking for a fun course, then you will not be disappointed, if you stop in here for a quick round.
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1 4
tlsuth41
Experience: 8 played 4 reviews
3.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 4, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

Nice city park with good tee pads. Good variety of holes. Some short holes mixed in with a couple of longer ones to give a challenge.

Able to air out your shots with not too much restrictions.

Cons:

Not too much negative to say.
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6 0
Jashwa
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 20.4 years 177 played 88 reviews
3.00 star(s)

3.2 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:May 25, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

Jones Park was a bustling course that must be popular among Cedar Rapids locals, because there was a group on just about every hole during my round here. And it is popular with good reason:

*Some VERY good golf holes on this one. The course goes up and down a hillside, so there is solid elevation, and there are enough trees out there to force all kinds of lines off the tee

*This course is much more beginner friendly than its neighbor Shaver Park. Unlike Shaver, Jones is not a particularly wooded course, and it has a much more forgiving rough.

*Beautiful park overall, with some minor water hazards in the early going

There was one hole here that completely blew my mind! (I think it was in the vicinity of hole 12, but I can't tell from the pictures on here). I'm still trying to figure out which shot I should have thrown. The hole is about 350 feet long, down hill, and has trees perfectly placed in the middle of the fairway to allow for a huge anhyzer line, a low forehand line and even a backhand hyzer line. I would have tried all three lines if the course hadn't been so crowded!

Cons:

As great as some of the golf here was, there were plenty of negative aspects of this course to bring this one down a little.

*Tee signs were in a dismal state of repair.

*There were multiple holes that were completely wide open with distances of less than 225 ft. It's usually acceptable in my book for a course to have one boring hole like this, but TWO??

*A few safety issues here... the lake in the early holes seemed to be brimming with fishermen, and other park goers. Also, the fairways here come awfully close to one another, so be on the lookout for errant discs.

Other Thoughts:

This course provides a pretty nice contrast to nearby Shaver Park. It is far more beginner friendly, but is not lacking some quality golf.
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4 0
MidwestZest
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 24.4 years 103 played 73 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Fairly open and fun 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 5, 2013 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

- Bathrooms, water, shelter house all nearby.
- Well maintained park, in general. Mowed often, the grass is really in good shape.
- Dual pin placements for some holes, although every time I've been, they've been in the same locations.
- Some short, ace run holes, which is a nice mix-up and variety. In general, there is a good variety of hole length here.
- Good variety of left turning and right turning shots, although many holes are straight and more open, and you can choose your shot.
- Good use of the elevation, with holes uphill, downhill, and sideways across the face of the hill.
- Not densely wooded, fairly open, but a few trees on most of the holes that force you into some sort of decision.
- Water hazards on #1 and #2, although it would take a very wayward shot to end up there. Could roll an approach in though if your disc got sideways.
- Course flow is good, not ever too confusing.
- #7 starts open, but then forces your drive deep into the timber for a nice wooded approach.
- #17 is a long, 800 ft downhill hole that probably plays more like 500. Awesome place to let discs fly.

Cons:

- Trash, and care for the course. Cans and bottles all over the place. And not because there aren't trash cans. Sometimes trash is littered all around the tee, even with a trash can right there.
- Missing signs and graffiti on signs.
- Erosion on the path from 7 to 8. Wooden steps have been installed, but they're nearly completely washed out.
- #14 tee runs you straight into the side of the hill on your drive, so there is really no room for a follow-through past the concrete.
- Lacks a little variety sometimes from hole to hole.
- It appears that #1 used to be at the top of the hill, instead of the bottom. Looks like most players still park at the shelter up top, and then start at #6, #12, #15, or #17, all of which tee off very close to one another. No issue, so long as people are courteous and not jumping in front of groups currently playing, and jamming up the course.
- A few spots that could be dangerous, with #15 drives running right into #4 fairway. Also #8, 9, and 10 fairways all fairly close to each other.

Other Thoughts:

- Plays mostly on the side of one gigantic hill, you can pretty well see all the players on the course at any given moment.
- Really enjoy playing here, this is a very nice fairly open course. Very relaxing, but still a decent challenge.
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6 0
harr0140
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 15.8 years 1512 played 480 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Up on Strawberry Hill 2+ years

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

Pros:

1) Elevation is used well on this course going all directions including across a few hills which makes the shots really interesting.

2) Mach baskets with the number plates facing the tees is helpful.

3) Signs with Hole #, Par, Distance, sponsors and a map.

4) Nice large concrete tees to throw from are always appreciated.

5) Water in play on the first two holes, but it is just off to the left side. Only a bad shot would go in there.

6) Excellent distance variation with some 100's, 200's, 300's, 400's and an 800' hole thrown in the mix. The 800' hole is completely downhill so it plays like a 700' hole because I threw one shot about 350' which is about 100' more than my normal throws.

7) Nicely maintained park and turf. The grass is in great shape (except around tees).

8) Routing of this course is not necessarily intuitive but it is pretty easy to figure out. The layout does make sure to take you to some of the better areas of the park for disc golf.

Cons:

1) Compaction and erosion around the tees. I wish this was avoided or maintained because it really detracts from the look of a course, especially from non-disc golfers.

2) There should be a safety mando on # because of #8 basket. It really brings another hole into play. There are a couple other close areas, but this is the worst spot.

3) Fairly open course. The elevation is nice, the water is nice, but it sure would be a better course with more trees in the mix. It isn't wide open, but you have plenty of room to work the disc.

4) Mulch could be used around the tees and on those couple of basket locations that are tucked up to the woods to prevent the mudslick whenever it is wet or rainy.

Other Thoughts:

At first I really didn't think this course was that great but after playing it and looking back on it, I think the best part of this course is the variety. Sure there are no tight wooded holes but it has just about everything else. It has the elevation, the water, some obstacles to force specific shots on a handful of holes. I just cannot say that there are that many negatives here so I would have to consider this course a 3.5 as Very Good.
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2 0
JaminLDC
Experience: 20.2 years 23 played 5 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Great CR course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 7, 2008 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Easy to follow this course. It has a good variety of short to long holes with great use of the hill. Hole #17 is the longest hole in Cedar Rapids and the downhill grade is awesome to just let your disc float forever. Quite a few ace-able holes to note as well. I've hit a couple at this course.

Cons:

Course can sometimes get busy with it being very close to Kirkwood and have a lot of college kids out playing. Wish there was more wooded holes but they have made good use of the trees there are.

Other Thoughts:

This is a great course to play no matter what your skill level and is actually the course I learned to play on while attending college in Cedar Rapids.
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3 0
Iowa420DG
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 13.7 years 457 played 41 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Home course, not bad 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 2, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

This is a very nice course. Its clean, well-taken care of, in a nice neighborhood. There's an above average variety of holes with a lot of elevation change, water hazards, and about 5 wooded/open holes. Hole #7 is a hard dog leg right, and Hole #17 is 700+ft., but its a long downhill shot. You really get to test your distance. If its not busy, rip your whole bag on #17 to see what all your discs will do, given all the room in the world.

Cons:

Sometimes the park is busy, but never too bad.

Other Thoughts:

Worth a 45-minute drive to the average/rec player just looking for an easy/nice course. Worth a 4 hour-drive to the avid frolf lover who wants to experience as many courses as possible.
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1 7
wadeG
Experience: 50 played 9 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Easy peasy 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Sep 7, 2011 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

It's on a well mowed hill with some trees, all concrete pads and flows fairly well. A lot of 300 foot holes. Not a lot to be said about the play here... A smooth rolling hill with some trees sums this course up very well. You aren't missing much if you pass on this.

Cons:

Easy and mostly open course that gets busy on nice days. Local rec players flock to this course.
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7 0
Tricky
Experience: 4 played 4 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Nice course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 17, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

I lived in Cedar Rapids until I was 22, the moved to Nashville. About a year ago I picked up the game and have played some really nice courses in the Nashville area (home of the Music City Open).

We found the course right away - the first tee pad is right next to the parking lot (lower parking lot)

We were fortunate enough to get behind some locals who knew the course well and they helped point out the hidden pins and areas you don't want to be in

Concrete tee pads are nice. Some courses in Nashville don't have them, so they can be taken for granted.

Course is well maintained. It looked like it was recently mowed.

Signs with distance on almost every hole and good pictures of the multiple basket locations

Fun family course with enough trees to get in the way to punish the more skilled players when they take the aggressive route.

Great use of one big hill. All 18 holes are on the side, top and bottom of the hill.

Short holes range from 150-300 and the longer ones are 350-750. Hole 17 is on top of the hill and you throw straight down. Definitely a grip and rip hole that is just fun!

Baskets are pretty well kept.

Good variety of holes. Demands a good hyzer, forehand, anhyzer and if you have it, the roller!

Good amount of trash cans, though some need to be reminded that they exist.

Cons:

I think some of the holes were put in place just to get to 18 holes. There were a couple straight holes at 150-290 feet. Not a big complaint at all, as you can get in trouble on the others holes and these help to get your score back down!

Baskets could use some bright colors on them to see them a little easier. Looks like they used to have the big white circles with the hole number on top of them, but those have worn down.

One hole, I believe 13, is really hard to hit the line to get close enough to have a chance to birdie. 15 or 16 is a extreme hyzer shot, I don't think you can get it within 60-75 feet unless you throw a nice roller.

Other Thoughts:

All in all, I would definitely recommend this course to anyone. It is a fun round and you can go low if you're on your game, but can easily go high if you aren't paying attention. I love courses where the lines are easily picked out, but still require skill to hit them and this course offers it.

I am probably going to go back to it on Sunday and see if I can get an ace on some of those short holes.

PEOPLE WERE FRIENDLY! All courses have those young kids that are out to drink and be loud, so I can't complain about that. I thought the ones we ran into were kind and happy to have outsiders playing their course.
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1 2
GabeEtzel
Experience: 13.6 years 4 played 4 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Best in the Area for All Players! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 3, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

Whole course plays on one big hill, restroom and drinking fountain, pavilion at the top of the hill, distances vary from very short (around 150) to one very long (roughly 700 at A and 850 at B), water hazard on hole 2, some holes go into woods

Cons:

Some people don't exactly understand that discs are flying and can hurt so they wander on the course from the pavilion or the park, but that's really the only con

Other Thoughts:

I have been to this course once, and can't wait to go back! i think it's one of the best in my area (52302, Marion)
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1 7
rhettro
Experience: 23.5 years 37 played 17 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Lots of love 2+ years drive by

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

Pros:

-Great use of landscape, tee shots are often uphill or downhill but there are some amazing holes.

-The course is quite well kept

-most holes are wide open with great chances to work on fairway drives although they do mix in a few wooded areas.

- very kind patrons, only time anyone has ever called me after i lost a disc and they found it.

Cons:

- long walking distance often uphill and downhill.

- Some holes can be quite obtrusive to one another, so watch out for intersecting shots.

- This course can get very busy at high points (ie summer weekends)

Other Thoughts:

watch the water on the first two holes, ive seen a lot of discs go in to that swamp/pond, and people are often swimming in there for loose discs. Overall this course is a fun and at time slightly challenging. The layout is playful for the land and I enjoy how they pulled it off. Its a great course and I hope to play many more times
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