Tucson, AZ

Santa Cruz River Park

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2.975(based on 29 reviews)
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9 0
Schreuds2.0
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 7.4 years 93 played 81 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Little bit of confusion, little bit of good course design, little bit of garbage, this place has it all! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 17, 2019 Played the course:once

Pros:

-3 sets of tees for every hole, A and B pads are concrete, I think C's are too, but I don't know for sure because I didn't play them. This is rather confusing though, as it appears many tees are the same, for example, I believe 3A and 7B are the same pad, which was a little confusing for a first time player at this course.
-Tee signs are nice, ho,es are short enough that they aren't super necessary, but they are highly useful nonetheless
-Fairways are clear of garbage for the most part (its the rough that has garbage) which I suppose is good if there has to be garbage on the course. The Fairways are sandy dirt, i bet the get super dusty in the summer which could either be super annoying or no big deal depending on who you are.
-Trees are notably sparse at this course, but for the ones that are there, they are used well, usually as a tee shot hazard or a green protector. I kinda assumed the railroad ties and various objects sticking out of the ground were "artificial trees" but I just haven't seen something like that before, so i couldn't say for sure.
-On a couple of the B tees, there are steel frames that are triple Mandos, these often are implied, but the steel itself is a pretty tough gap, which in my opinion is a Great element and demonstrates course design savvy
-This course is both technical and open. If you have 300' max power, it is super technical, but if you're like me and can break 400', it can be fun to bomb hyzer over the short trees.

Cons:

-Bakset visibility is a major area of confusion, Chainstars don't really stand out, even with the little pink flags, which I think are a little weak. It would be nice to see some numbers on the baskets. Also, some holes have logs upright in the fairway with a number painted on them, that was pretty strange, so I didn't know if there was a basket or not in hole one after staring down a railroad tie with "1" panted on, not sure what the deal with that is...
-Not a fan of Chainstars, but they get the job done OK, not great, just OK
-Rough Condition: Ick. These roughs are horrible, especially the holes that play along the little steel cable fence towards the river, I mean, I don't think the bushes could be more filled with trash.
-This. Course. Is. Flat. Wow, I mean you almost can't blame the designer for not using elevation, because there isn't even so much as a mole hill (ok, not actually, but you get it) this is something that makes the holes very easy, especially at their distance. Most holes barely merit a fairway driver tee shot, and the combo of not a lot of trees, and no elevation, makes them super simple
-As alluded to earlier, the tee layout creates navigation confusion, it is nice to have three sets of tees, but, there is just not quite enough space on this property. The shared tees and no basket numbers make it rather confusing to play.
-Unfortunately, this isn't a very beautiful course, in fact it is rather bland, it is fun, but not to look at. Also, there are homeless shelters in the picinic area, which sketched me out a bit.

Other Thoughts:

Overall, not a bad course, seems like it gets a TON of play, if you have time in Tucson swing by, I would prioritize Quail Canyon over this one, but if you're choosing between Santa Cruz and Rilito, just go with proximity.
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2 0
jdog17
Experience: 11.5 years 13 played 13 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Old Faithful 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 4, 2018 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-Has a nice variety of holes
-Plenty of trees to make some holes challenging
-A, B & C pads
-Decent concrete pads
-Porta potties
-Navigation reasonable & map on site
-Dedicated course with few to zero interlopers
-Disc loss unlikely

Cons:

-Bad neighborhood
-Usual desert - lack of shade & broiling in summer
-A couple of holes have difficult navigation but the course is open and fairly short so you won't get lost
-Parking can be a problem on weekends during softball season

Other Thoughts:

This is a delightful course and Tucson suffers from a lack of DECENT DG courses. I noticed that Groves Park has the same rating as SC course...SC is way better, way more interesting, and more challenging. SC is a well-designed desert course in what is a moderately sized, fairly treeless (a lot of mesquite) area.
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1 2
Mrskinny
Experience: 12.8 years 34 played 2 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Vacation Run 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 23, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

It's a fun course that makes full use of the area. It had alternate t-pads, and elevated basket and some interesting rails (soccer goal posts) to shoot through. I had to luck of running into two locals, Mike and Steve, that gave me the low down of the course and let me join them for a round.

Cons:

It's a little dusty but wasn't bad for March. I wish the holes, alternate tees were a little better marked but they do have a map at least. It some bums occasionally hanging out but they keep to themselves.

Other Thoughts:

Looking forward to playing it again.
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2 0
pmay5
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 21.4 years 568 played 261 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Oldest Course in Arizona and Still Very Good! beep - beep! 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Mar 12, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

Two concrete tee pads per hole, good tee signs and multiple basket positions available.
Baskets are in good shape.
Easy to get to in Tucson, even thought the neighborhood is not the best.
Well laid out course, using the entire park (except for a ball field), not much else going on here but DG.
Adjacent to the Santa Cruz River bike trail, would be easy to ride here.
Most of the wildlife, more on that later.

Cons:

Dusty, dusty, dusty. Well you are in the desert here, I wasn't really expecting grass!
Portapottys available, but I didn't notice any water.
Looks like the DGers hang out in one picnic shelter and the homeless in another shelter.

Other Thoughts:

According to DGCR, this is the oldest course in Arizona!! 38 years old this year! It feels like it has been upgraded since then, newer, longer tee positions, updated baskets, and plenty of challenges.
They used the trees available to make shot shaping a necessity. Including the "tunnel" shot on #8 under some low hanging branches and finishing to the right.
#18 was an interesting tee shot, slightly elevated tee, so instead of trying to make the opening, I wanted to go over the trees, but the shot stalls out too soon.
They also built up an elevated basket, with stairs.
Then the wildlife, as dusty as this course is, I saw plenty of prairie (desert) dogs popping in and out of their holes, a roadrunner kicking up dust in front of us (had to do the tourist thing and video that guy) and the homeless hanging out in the shelter, that didn't seem to go away!
Overall, this was a very good DG experience, enjoyed the two locals I played with and would play this one often, probably even cycle here a few times.
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1 5
pianocomposer
Experience: 27.4 years 21 played 21 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Good desert course could use more distance and elevation 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Sep 5, 2019 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Interesting variety of holes, distances and basket locations. Well layed out.. good use of space.

Cons:

Dusty and no elevation changes. A bit short and not enough trees. It's a bit too easy for an intermediate player. I average 4 under par

Other Thoughts:

I enjoy playing this course. It's not difficult but is fun and the ppl here are friendly.
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2 0
sssrn
Experience: 10.4 years 11 played 8 reviews
3.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Mar 28, 2015 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

A big pet peeve of mine is finding tees. This course is well played out with easy to find tees and is a good use of what space they had available. There's enough artificial light from a nearby school and businesses that it's possible to play at night. This is important when it's 105 degrees during the day 4 months out of the year.

Cons:

Flat and dusty. The entire course is simple tree dodging.

Other Thoughts:

This is the oldest course in Tucson and as long as Marana Rock is under water the best course in Tucson. That also tells you how poor the other Tucson courses are. Definite finesse course so since I'm a bit of a slinger on my drives it doesn't play to my strength but if you're accuracy is good this is a must play for you. As of 3-30-2015 the city of Tucson started replacing the old hexagonal tees with new larger rectagonal tees and adding new tees so each hole will have a red and blue tee for greater variety. It's nice to see a city put a little effort into a course.
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3 0
Chromezero
Experience: 14.3 years 10 played 8 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Santa Cruz - Dust Town 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 15, 2014 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Santa Cruz is well maintained, has a nice variety of shots, and the regulars here are super friendly and generally very mellow. I really like the tee-pad placards and the way the course is laid out.

Cons:

This course has zero grass; it's just dirt/dust. Some of the tee-pads are a little too small. A few of the fairways criss-cross a bit, which can cause some issues. Did I mention the dust?

Other Thoughts:

All in all, I really like this course. It's a ton of fun to play and gives me a chance to try some lesser-used shots without fear of losing a disc. If you only get to play one course in Tucson, it should be Santa Cruz...unless you're willing to make a short road trip to Marana Rock, which is technically in Marana.
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4 0
swatso
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 16.3 years 776 played 417 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Overload 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:May 21, 2014 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Two tee locations per hole. Weathered-but-decent tees and signs.

Minimal chance to lose a disc - unless you throw dust-coloured discs. :)

Cons:

Crossing fairways, narrow parallel fairways, some tees quite near prior basket - too much in too little space?

Other Thoughts:

Course is set in a very long but narrow strip of flat, dry-n-dusty land, squeezed between the Santa Cruz "River" and a very tall fenceline guarding a row of interesting abodes, some with chickens. Also saw my first Roadrunner (the bird, not the disc, nor the cartoon) while playing here.

Scattered, relatively short trees that you'll either throw around or over do force some shot-shaping, but rarely are there any tight windows or extreme shapes.

Plenty of birdy opportunities from the short tees (average under 270', nothing over 350'), while the longs average ~330'.

Online map makes the course relatively simple for a visitor to navigate, although I did throw to basket-15 from tee-2 / to basket-14 from tee-4 my first time around.

Having just arrived the day before from the East coast, I thought I'd have the course to myself when I arrived on a Wednesday morning pre-0600, but there was already a foursome halfway through their round, and when I left a bit past 0730, there were an additional dozen+ players there. Anything to avoid the heat, I suppose - dedicated locals!
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2 0
Outdoor Craziness
Experience: 12.5 years 19 played 14 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Santa Cruz - Can't Lose! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 16, 2014 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

The location: Tucson is pretty scarce on city parks, especially near the University of Arizona and downtown. Santa Cruz is about 10 minutes west of campus, and is easily accessible from the I-10.

The creativity: Santa Cruz doesn't have any elevation changes or many large obstacles to avoid (except for the tunnel of trees on #8). Nevertheless, the course requires a lot of creativity and shot selection for getting a low score.

The network: The Tucson Disc Golf Club does a great job taking care of the course, and there are plenty of weekly meet-ups available if you're interested in playing with others.

Cons:

The tee pads: Most of the tee-pads are hexagons and don't really allow for much of a run-up before throwing the disc.This is more frustrating than you might think. The B-tees are nearly all rectangular tee-pads, let's update the others!

Hobo Jungle: If you throw east of the bike path anywhere on the front nine of Santa Cruz, you'll more than likely be entering a place that my circle of friends likes to affectionately call Hobo Jungle. This is an exaggeration, as the "jungle" is actually just a wash. "Hobo Jungle" is really just a term of endearment for the course. But seriously, try your best to avoid throwing over here. To get your disc back, you'll have to descend / ascend a very steep embankment and avoid getting cut by broken glass.

Other Thoughts:

Think I'll go play here tomorrow morning!
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4 3
Adamodisco
Experience: 13.6 years 96 played 3 reviews
2.00 star(s)

In a van down by the river 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 15, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

The air is clean and warm. Delicate songs of the desert birds provide a nice contrast to the rooster farm just west. Also the ground squirrels running madly about are a nice touch. I think they were laughing at my putting attempts from their holes.

Cons:

This seems like an 18 hole course on a spot big enough for 12-15 holes. Be careful out there before somebody loses a head. The hole to hole signage needs work as there are baskets and tees crossing all over the dusty lot.

Other Thoughts:

Make more courses near Tucson! I need something to do when my dear old snowbird relations are taking ther afternoon naps.
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8 0
The Valkyrie Kid
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 46.4 years 1562 played 1507 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Enjoyable, Well Marked Course Dirt Course! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 7, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

This course is set in a decent sized park which is mostly flat with just enough trees to provide some obstacles. The course is very well signed. There is a small kiosk at the beginning with information on leagues and a course map. I especially appreciated when looking out from the tee box, I could see a large # near the correct basket. This is very helpful when there might be 3-4 possible targets in sight. The tee signs had the distance, par, route and a sponsor on them.
The course was completely dirt when I played in early April but it was very well packed down. There are two differently shaped teepads, the diamond shaped and the regular. Both are smaller than the norm. But a couple were extended when a longer run-up is needed.
The course is short making it play more like a recreational course. There are no par 4's or 5's here but there are lots of birdie ops.

# 13 is 261' to a slightly raised basket guarded by small trees. I like the fact that there are steps leading up to this elevated basket, probably for children and wee people.

There is a high fence (15 feet?) along the left side of the fairway along holes 12-14 to keep discs out of these slummy looking houses. One of them seems to be an inner city chicken farms with some noisy roosters. They were raising quite a ruckus on the early morning I played.

Cons:

I guess the fact that there is no grass but you are, after all playing in the middle of a giant desert. The course is short but I found it to be perfectly enjoyable.
Because there are 18 baskets squeezed into a fairly small park area, navigation can be a little confusing. The large numbers near the baskets helped me quite a bit.

Other Thoughts:

There was probably my favorite of the four Tucson area courses I played. It certainly doesn't offer the overall challenge like Marana and doesn't have the pretty green grass like Groves Park. But it's not a total disaster area like Sam Lena. So I'm calling it my favorite of the four.
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3 1
KDFrosty
Experience: 12.3 years 37 played 14 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Great for a quick pitch n putt course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 24, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

-Easy to get to this course as it's right off of I-10 in Tucson.
-Multiple tee pads for each basket.
-The course is generally kept clean.
-You can play this course quickly if you're in a hurry.

Cons:

-The long tee pads are these undersized and uneven octagon shaped concrete pads, which dont give players an opportunity at a run-up off the tee.
-A lot of repetitive shot types
-Little to no elevation change at all
-Annoying roosters making tons of noise on the West side of the course.
-Not the best neighborhood

Other Thoughts:

I think that this is only one of two 18 hole courses in the Tucson area, and for that reason it's worth playing. None of the features and/or holes are very noteworthy.
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2 1
bsnone
Experience: 20 played 6 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Indifferent 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 18, 2013 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Good place to start playing disc golf, nothing too crazy here, everything straightforward. New pin placements add some variety to the course. Plenty of holes for beginners to score pars and build confidence. The only course in Tucson that requires somewhat of a finesse shot - especially on 8 and now 10. Can easily finish 18 holes in an hour.

Cons:

Flat. Essentially no elevation change. Can be very dusty. Short. It's probably the busiest of the courses in the Tucson area.

Other Thoughts:

I never mind playing santa cruz but if this is the only course you play, you're probably never going to be stretched as a player. Very few holes require big drives or tight lines. I like bringing players here who are new to the sport as I think it is much less frustrating for a beginner than say, Marana Rock. I'll play this course exclusively when the Rock is flooded but will always choose the former when available.
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2 1
jimcramer24
Experience: 14.4 years 26 played 13 reviews
3.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 21, 2012 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

nice variety in length of holes. Good use of the trees as barriers to the basket. Liked the basket up on the raised platform.

Cons:

Very poor course lay out. Several holes criss-cross each other and sometimes it is hard to tell where the next hole is. Had to walk several times to the course map and look and see where I was supposed to go next. Don't like the fact the the holes are so close to each other that you have to worry about discs landing around you. Had several land close to me with no shouts of fore at all.

Other Thoughts:

I finally figured this course out and would play it again if in the Tucson area. Some markers pointing to the next tee would be good as well as reconfiguring some holes so that they don't cross each other. The course map that is posted here is wrong. That needs to be corrected.
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8 0
Au Gratin O'Brien
Experience: 22.4 years 5 played 5 reviews
2.50 star(s)

It's playable 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 30, 2011 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

I went to college at UofA, so this course was basically all there was for me (Unless you can get someone to show you the campus course, played late night and with an ultimate disc). However, if your in Tucson the course is not a long drive, but then again nothing is. Usually an open course, with very few other people besides disc golfers. Easy parking. Local players are friendly.

Cons:

It is a desert, so there's a lot of dust (Don't let the Santa Cruz River fool you, the thing has water in it only when it rains). It took me forever to learn the course, and not distance or anything, just what hole to go to next. They need better signs up. No elevation changes, just flat. People trash the park, so a lot of broken glass and shit just laying around.

Other Thoughts:

It's definitely the best Tucson has to offer, but then again Marana isn't that far away, and that course is a lot nicer then this one. It's not a 3 star course like it's rated on here, I'm giving it 2.5 stars just because I miss AZ, but the course is really only about a 2 star course. Could be a 3, but that requires a huge clean up operation and much better markers so you don't get lost!
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3 0
rdwyer
Experience: 14.3 years 19 played 6 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Solid desert course! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 6, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

Fun 18 hole desert course! Recently rennovated with new baskets! Trees by each basket have the basket number on them so you always know the right one to throw at. Nice round teepads. A challenging course, but not impossibly hard

Cons:

Very dusty. Obviously it's the desert, but this course is more dusty and sandy than most. Be prepared to get dust all over yourself and your discs. Lots of broken glass all over the course.

Other Thoughts:

If you're in Tucson, stop by. Not the best course in the world, but a fun desert course. Try to come either early morning or early evening, as it's extremely hot and there's no shade.
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8 0
dreadlock86
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 17.5 years 388 played 318 reviews
2.50 star(s)

take what you can get in tucson 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 18, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

-mostly short holes, good for beginners
-lots of easy birdies
-no dense "rough", hard to lose a disc here
-brand new baskets! but no numbers
-concrete, diamond-shaped teepads
-dual teepads on all holes
-good pin placements, make use of few available obstacles
-easy parking
-almost DG exclusive, just a pedestrian trial through the park
-little traffic, only saw a few other people

Cons:

-flat, mostly open, very few obstacles
-very poor signs, just numbers (most of them missing) on a wooden post
-navigation is very difficult for a first timer
-not easy to find off the street, look up directions
-dual pads don't offer much of a different view, mostly just a little longer
-very dry ground, compacted dirt, very dusty and hard on dx plastic

Other Thoughts:

this old school course has gotten lots of play over the years and it's age shows. the small park is right next to the santa cruz river (not in play) and is mostly flat and open with small, dry trees dotting the field.

there are not really "fairways" here, just a field with tees and unnumbered baskets all over. this, coupled with the poor signage, makes the course very difficult to navigate since most teepads face several baskets. i brought a map and still managed to miss 2 holes. luckily some friendly locals pointed out the rest of the way for us. the dual pads, many of which are unmarked, make the navigation even more confusing. the dual pads don't seem to change the way the holes play either, just a little longer or coming from a different direction (which doesn't change much since there are no "fairways").

the holes are set up well to utilize what few obstacles are present, namely the small trees. many baskets are perched right behind a tree. this adds a bit of challenge to and otherwise very easy pitch and putt course. most of the tee shots are straight ahead and only a few holes give you enough obstacles that you have to do anything other than run right at the basket. a couple holes have a tree that comes into play on the tee shot, forcing a line or giving you a ceiling.

this is a great course to bring beginners or casual players. not much to offer for more advanced players. a little disappointing from the only full 18 in town. if you're passing through or here for a weekend then go play the course up in marana.

btw, the pictures here are deceiving. those are not the tee shots and that many trees don't usually come into play.


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1 3
dclevenger
Experience: 13.8 years 6 played 2 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Review Santa Cruz 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 28, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

Very challenging for a beginner, but they are short-ish holes. Makes for an exciting first time player.

Cons:

Difficult to navigate, weaves back and forth.

Other Thoughts:

If at the tee or on the tee a number and maybe an arrow was pointing you in the right direction would make the course so much easier.
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1 3
tbone618
Experience: 8 played 7 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Dirty but fun. 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 13, 2010 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Short holes make for low scores and boosted confidence. Fun obstacles. Good for beginners and moderates, not for the more experienced.

Cons:

No grass. All dirt.

Other Thoughts:

Not the prettiest course, but good for beginners.
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3 0
wolito
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 17.7 years 88 played 87 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Old time classic 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Sep 29, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

This course is located on a riverwalk area. Easy parking right up to the first tee. A few practice baskets right at the 1st tee. Uniquely shaped diamond teepads, something I have never seen before. Most of the holes are fairly short so many birdie opportunities await here! A midrange and putter is probably the most that you will need for this course. Most holes are pretty much straight shots. Trees throughout the course adds to the challenge. Nicely placed baskets as they are tucked between/behind trees, but not so much that it is difficult to throw at. The course is pretty dry and sandy in some areas, which is nice in some regards as your disc likes to stay put when it lands. Mountains around the course gives it some good views.

Cons:

The course info says this course was built in 1978 and I could tell. Teepads are pretty small, which isn't too much of a problem since the holes are short. Baskets are definately worn. Definate navigation issues on this course. Print out a map if you can. Teesigns are lacking and each hole is represented by a wooden post with numbers on it that are missing. I had to walk down several fairways to figure out where I was going to throw. Frustrating, but not too dificult to figure out. Trash on the course in the form of broken glass. Space is rather limited on this course and the fairways are pretty close to each other so there is a definate possiblity of hitting others. Keep you eyes open. Hole 14 runs along some houses that seem more of an eyesore than anything. Total elevation change on this course is probably 10 feet, in other words, flat. Not a blade of grass on the course. Multiuse trail runs right through course so watch out for other users.

Other Thoughts:

While playing this course I tried to imagine how it would play when it was made in the late 70's. The length of the holes would be in par for those big discs back then. Today this course isn't as much of a challenge due to changes in the discs and players ability. A 200' hole is merely a midrange toss and a putt today. Time has passed and this course shows. New baskets and teepads are needed. I just looked on the website for the local club and there is a renuvation project to replace all the baskets and improve the course in other ways. Great to see this happening. Not sure when this will become reality. Overall though I enjoyed my time here and think there is enough of a challenge here for you to work on your short game and would also be a good course for beginners as well.
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