Manila, CA

Manila Bay DGC

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2.355(based on 13 reviews)
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2 0
Chad McBallerson
Experience: 21.4 years 122 played 9 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Manila Bay Disc Golf Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 17, 2018 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

The course starts out short and open through a baseball field but then gets more challenging tunnel shots through a bunch of thick coastal trees right next to the bay. After hole 3 the course has a fun story as you play through it.

Cons:

has a swampy marsh at the end but has a sweet swervy bridge that walks you through the center of it.
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3 0
Philbert
Experience: 12.8 years 41 played 8 reviews
2.50 star(s)

I love the smell of sulfur in the morning... 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 9, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

It was slightly raining that morning and the tide was in. The view across the bay was like any other. Seagulls, water, and baskets...

We started in the parking lot. No shady characters to be seen. Just the pure beauty a open public restroom brings after a three hour drive and bad McDonald's. We moved to the kiosk at the start of the course. The signage at the board was good.

The early morning mist left the grass wet and slick. The towels came out. Despite their age, the tee pads where up to the job. Solid grip. We couldn't say the same about the grass.

We threw, the baskets caught, the bay shinned with the occasional ray of sun that managed to get through. Tall grass in the back fairways made the already wet, even more wet. We trudged on.

The last three holes. The swamp. The OB. The smell. All that came before was nothing compared to it. Skill was needed. Some men didn't make it.

Cons:

Several fairways play up close to each other. Though I doubt this actually causes a lot of problems as the course did not have a lot of traffic.
Hole 3/5 baskets are sort of confusing as they are close together.

Other Thoughts:

For a city park 9 hole Manila is par for the course. Solid use of what space was allowed. A couple of wide open shots, then solid use of water and vegetation. The use of the swamp on the last few holes does add an extra element to the experience. You do NOT want to go in there.
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5 2
mashnut
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 22.7 years 831 played 777 reviews
0.50 star(s)

Not great 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 30, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

The course plays right by the water, which makes for some nice views on several of the holes. The first few shots play in the multi-use area of the park, the rest of the course seemed to be in an exclusive area with more trees. There are some patches of brush and trees that act as bunkers on this part of the course, punishing errant shots with awkward looks if you're behind them. The last hole offers a tight tunnel shot with a low ceiling and thick rough.

Cons:

The holes get very repetitive, every single one is straight ahead with a couple baskets barely tucked to one side or the other. Aside from hole 3 which plays across a baseball field and is a little longer, the holes are short and don't offer any interesting challenges. The brush on the course is thick and thorny, making retrieval of errant shots painful and difficult. Several tees are pretty rutted out and don't offer good footing.

Holes 4-8 play very close together and it's way too easy for errant shots to end up on other fairways. When I played the grass on the back half of the course was knee high or above making it frustrating to look for discs right in the middle of the fairways. The water along the last couple holes is pretty nasty, it gives off a terrible smell and looks like it would be a disc eater.

Other Thoughts:

If this course is mowed, it's a fine beginner course though the thorny rough will still make it a bit frustrating for players without good control. Experienced players won't find anything to bring them back, there's no challenge and not much variety. I wouldn't go out of your way at all to play this one.
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4 1
The Valkyrie Kid
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 46.4 years 1562 played 1507 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Views Can Be Sensational Or They Can Be Mud! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 16, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

The views over Humboldt Bay can be very impressive when the tide is in but when the tide is out, you're looking at acres of nothing but mud.

Manila Bay is another simple little nine course located in a typical little city park. The park features a playground, bathrooms and the usual collection of California's homeless dudes, and tweakers.

The course has some concrete pads and then more natural pads. The baskets are old and there is a kiosk at the beginning. The holes are fairly short (200') making this a definite rec type course. The longest hole (#2) throws across an old baseball field with the basket perched just on the other side of the 3rd baseline fence. # 3 7 4 are short little ACE runs.
# 9, which some reviewers claim as the highlight of the course, was for me, a hole to be skipped. It's a low tunnel shot throw, maybe 240' with dense rough on the right side. I wanted to take no chance of throwing into the nasty green swamp like creek which runs # 9's entire length.

Cons:

# 9 and it's swampy creek.

The ugly muddy bay view when the tide is out was disappointing.

Grungy folks hanging out in the parking lot made me nervous about leaving my rental car unattended.

Other Thoughts:

Other than # 9, I enjoyed playing this little course. It's just another of the nameless, faceless, 9 hole courses around the country set in little city parks such as this. They all serve their purpose, providing a place for the local locals who live close by to play, people like the father-son I encountered the day I play Manila Bay.

Combine Manila Bay with Cooper Gulch and Mad River for the trifecta of nine holers in this area.
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5 0
ashmgee
Experience: 24.4 years 53 played 10 reviews
1.50 star(s)

Short and well...... 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 19, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

9 baskets
Concrete tees
Very pretty views of Humboldt Bay
Generally not crowded
Wind is normally blowing here making it more of a challenge
Restroom on site at the park
Easy to navigate
Map on billboard by hole 1
Would be a good course for kids or beginners
You literally can walk to the Pacific Ocean in 5 minutes

Cons:

Very short (most are less than 200')
Mostly open (never really forced to throw a certain shot)
Water lining hole 7 and 9 is gross
^^leads to a long mosquito season making hole 9 unbearable at times
Park tends to have people that live in the parking area (broken down RV type stuff)
The one hole that is long is just open across a baseball field (400')
If it hasn't been mowed the grass gets really tall

Other Thoughts:

I play this course sometimes on my way back from fishing at the jetty, and for a quick 9 holes it does the trick. It isn't a tough course, and can get boring in a hurry. The best hole on the course is hole 9, but as mentioned in other reviews the water that lines that hole is gross and breeds mosquitoes. I have seen many discs lost in that water and never seen one retrieved. There are bbq and picnic areas in the park and a playground for kids. The Bay is beautiful and you will see many birds in the area.

I wouldn't go out of my way to play this course with all the other courses around this area, but it does provide another option. People looking to farm aces might have found one to put on their list.
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1 2
nelsofthewoods
Experience: 13.4 years 39 played 15 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Decent, enjoyable 2+ years drive by

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

Pros:

-Nice location. It is near the beach, good views of the bay, and not too far from other courses.
-Not very easy to lose a disc, though certainly possible.

Cons:

-Like everyone says, hole 9 has a bile-reminiscent water hazard -stagnant water with weird algae maybe?- anyways it's worth playing to stay out of.
-Short, slightly repetitive, ehh...as others have stated I guess you could say it's geared for beginners.

Other Thoughts:

Most holes are fairly short with the exception of hole 2. Good shoes are needed as there is a bit of sand and if there's been rain it gets swampy. I'd also bring rags for the same reason. As beginner courses go I enjoyed it and it would make a good warmup.
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1 4
Tomveeh
Experience: 19.4 years 85 played 9 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Golf by the bay 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Aug 1, 2010 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-Good beginner course and practice the short game
-Good views of Humboldt Bay and bird watching
-Less crowded then some of the other courses in the area.
-Wind can make for challenges

Cons:

-Some short holes
-Some of the water hazards can get disgusting

Other Thoughts:

-Nice walk way through a wooded area after ninth hole on the left
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2 3
DocMenach
Experience: 20.4 years 12 played 2 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Not difficult, but very beautiful. 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 5, 2009 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Very nice views of the Humboldt Bay. Low difficulty makes it good for people just learning the game.

Cons:

Low difficulty makes it less fun for experienced players. Squatters in the park campground do not make for the best atmosphere.

Other Thoughts:

Better than it used to be. The layout was horrible when it first opened, but it has been improved since then.
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2 7
DanDwyer
Experience: 40 played 9 reviews
3.50 star(s)

this is where i kind of taught myself 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 28, 2008 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

right on humboldt bay fucking sweet, this course can be mastered its so much fun with the ocean breeze

Cons:

i guess all the homeless people who live in the bushes but there nice, i bought them wendy's one day

Other Thoughts:

after you play this course you might not like it, but its sweet lots of history on that plot of land that became a park
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10 0
DSCJNKY
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 23.2 years 709 played 132 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Did I hear someone say Ace Runs? 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jan 30, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Beautiful views across the bay.
Great place to practice throwing putters and mids as drivers.
Great for beginners... most of the holes are open and short.
The course is a short distance from the beach.
Fairly easy to navigate.

Cons:

Too Short!!!
The creek that runs along the side of the finishing holes is disgusting. If your disc goes in there, it's gone. Even if you can see it... it's gone. Don't touch it! From what I understand the creek is the city's sewer water system, and they send it out to marsh where it is filtered.

The locals can be a little iffy. Lot's of tweakers and bums inhabit the park.
Too Short!!!

Other Thoughts:

Bring your putters and 1 driver (hole #2 is over 400' for some reason)... and get ready for some ace runs.

It's easy to make the course tougher if you back up from the tee-pad (i.e. hole 3 - stand in the street behind the tee-pad).

And finally... I designed the nature trail (that is on the other side of the highway 1 block north) that leads through the dunes and to the beach, traveling through several eco-systems along the way. Tons of wildlife, spectacular scenery, and an isolated stretch of sand along the Pacific. Your own private beach for the afternoon if you go out there. Look for the dome shaped house built into the dunes... trailhead is there.

My score: -15 (two consecutive rounds)
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6 1
union1mc
Experience: 25.4 years 4 played 2 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Humboldt Bay 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Feb 20, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Baskets on every hole with decent dirt tee boxes (though rain can ruin them). A great course to play if you want to feel really good about your game (mostly very short holes), or are a beginner. Pretty bay view with hills and mountains in the background. I would say it is also one of the least crowded courses in Humboldt Co.. I only live about a 20 second walk away!

Cons:

Short, it's also only 9 holes (I usually play 2 rounds though). Can get very, very windy!! It's good practice to carry an overstable disc for these times. If it has been raining a bunch, the tees can become giant puddles that make throwing out of them impossible. While the creek that runs through the side of the course is a natural freshwater creek that feeds the bay, it is dark, dank and foamy (although dogs don't seem to mind)! It is also a lot deeper then you would think. I've lost a couple discs in it that I'm sure will never see the light of day again (or at least the discs will never be light colored again). Occasionally on Saturdays (I think during Winter and Spring) there are HSU Rugby games held out in the field, which will keep you from playing hole #2.

Other Thoughts:

Overall, just an average course that can be fun to play to help build your confidence, or to learn how to play.
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5 1
mike shoys
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 18.2 years 25 played 25 reviews
2.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jan 6, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-2, 5, 7, 8, and 9 are decently tough birds
-my first round ever was here. it was a good place to learn because of the lack of obstacles and brush to lose discs in (though i'm sure that changes in the spring/summer)
-9 nice baskets
-flows pretty quick even when crowded.

Cons:

-short. very short. On 1, 3, 4, 6 a par is almost impossible not to get
-gross stream (i second all comments made on this in the review below. if you find my booneville sidewinder, keep it)
-2 plays across a baseball field, which gets used sometimes.
-windy and smells bad.

Other Thoughts:

hey, at least its here for the lazy days... if i didn't have fun, i wouldn't keep going back.
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12 0
humchris85
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 19.4 years 143 played 78 reviews
1.50 star(s)

Beginning by the bay 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Dec 13, 2008 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

-Good for beginners
-Nice views of the bay
-Good for a quick game during your lunch
-Map of course by parking lot
-Good putting practice
-Concrete tee pads

Cons:

-Way too short, some holes <100'.
-Only a couple of holes need a driver
-You can overshoot into the bay if you shoot too far on a couple holes.
-No signs except for the map at the start.
-Nasty drainage ditch runs past a few holes, if one of my discs went in, I wasn't going after it.
-Not much variety

Other Thoughts:

This is a good course to bring beginners out to, so they can learn the game on a less intimidating course. There are nice views of the bay on a few holes, as you are playing right on the bay. I've heard that the wind can get really bad out here, though I haven't seen it myself. The "creek" that "runs" through a few of the holes out here is one of the grossest bodies of watter that I have ever seen on a disc golf course. If one of your discs goes in you may not want to get it back.
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