Pros:
Most nine hole courses seem to get a bad rep in disc golf. I never quite understood that. I've played some 9 hole courses that were great... heck even some 6 hole courses that were great. So today I decided to swing over to Pierce Park in Appleton to see what it had going for it... and let me tell you... this little park is a gem!
First off the park is your typical multi-use city park with a pavilion, sports fields, running trails, etc. This one has quite a large parking lot, but I guess that's to go with the large pavilion. The course is lined on one side by a railroad that drops off down a large hill... more on that in a second. Hole one is located in the back corner of the parking lot opposite the pavilion.
The course itself was mostly between 200-350 feet on each hole. What surprised me the most was the technicality of each hole. Trees force you to take certain routes and it's not just a grip it and rip it course. The baskets were all certainly reachable but none of them were a simple shot.
The first few holes wind clockwise around the park perimeter road, so your FH game would work well here. The left side of these holes is lined with that railroad slope I was talking about earlier. I skied a hyzer into there and spent a few minutes going up and down the hill until I found my disc.
Once you get into the back section of course (I think it was hole 6 and 7), you're in for a treat. Hole 6 throws down into a huge valley that you can't see from the tee box. Hole 7 throws back up the side of this valley. It's a GREAT use of the natural terrain out here.
All in all the round was very enjoyable!
Pros:
- Easy parking
- Restrooms
- Park and equipment in great shape
- Easy layout to follow
- Great use of land available and elevation
- Quick round
Cons:
First off, the tee boxes are literally right next to the previous hole's targets. I mean within 10 feet. It started to get a little crowded out there but I never felt unsafe in any way though.
The tee pads themselves were natural and worn in. There's not a clear line or edge to them.
Just 9 holes... this park is big enough where I could see a few more targets going in. Maybe it's in the long term plans, or maybe it used to be longer, but it's definitely possible.
Other Thoughts:
All in all this is a great little course. It's definitely worth a spin if you're in Appleton. I was surprised with how busy it was on a Wednesday afternoon. There were probably 5 or 6 different cards playing on the 9 hole course. I heard most people play it twice to get 18 holes in, and I bet you could do it all in less than an hour.
Come check it out!