Manitowoc, WI

Silver Creek Park

4.135(based on 52 reviews)
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5 0
ReinZ_96
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 14.3 years 104 played 48 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Silver Creek Park 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 11, 2014 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

1) Two or three tee pads on every hole.
2) Said tee pads are large and grippy.
3) Multiple pin locations on some of the holes.
4) Nice baskets that catch well, didn't have any crazy spit outs when I played.
5) Good mix of shots off of the tee. 8 left to right, 11 right to left, and 8 stright.
6) Most holes offer rewarding birdies and realistic pars.
7) Decent distance variation. 180ft to 478ft from the longs pads (to short pins), and most holes falling between 250ft and 300ft.
8) Course makes very good use of the hills and woods in the park.
9) Navigation is almost a non issue, good signage pointing you to the next hole and hole maps that, though are not great, get the job done just fine.
10) For the most part keeps away from other activities in the park.
11) Benches and trash cans are to be found on most of the holes. And it seems that most people use the trash cans as well, not to much trash on the course.

Cons:

1) A few holes play close together and could have some errant drives interfere with others' game. Holes 10/11 and holes 24/25 are the ones with this issue.
2) A few of the holes play quite close to roads or other park activities. Hole 15 could put some children in danger as it plays relatively close to a playground, but it was empty both times I played through. Also holes 3, 4, 9, 11, 12, 25, and 26 play near the roads in the park. Although if you have decent control over your discs you shouldn't be heading into them, but it is definitely not out of the question to end up on them.
3) No par legitimate par 4s. Almost everything is reachable from the tee and all of the holes will give you a relatively good look at 3 if you can hit your line.
4) Hole 1 is difficult to find as a first timer (about 400 feet from the parking lot and across 14's fairway). Along with the walking from 14 to 15 being very long and not intuitive, without a map or prior knowledge you would spend quite a long time looking for it.
5) No practice basket, people just use the basket for hole 14 to practice at.

Other Thoughts:

Silver Creek is a well designed course, one of the better I've played, especially for a free course.

Also, the view looking back from the pad on hole 20 is just amazing, along with the peninsula green on 22 (also with the basket on top of a lighthouse.)
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6 1
Iowa420DG
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 13.7 years 457 played 41 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Top notch DG experience 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 20, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

Overall Score (4.4)

Tee pads (5/5): Full size, smooth, level, concrete tee pads. Swept clean for the tournament, so no qualms there. Two tee pads for every hole, and even a third, "Champion" tee for a handful of holes.

Baskets (4/5): Standard Mach 3's. Numbered and catch well, but lack color. The lighthouse basket is sick!

Layout/Design (4/5): A lot of everything! We're talking downhill bombs, uphill heaves, doglegs, open, tight... everything you can imagine in a disc golf course. This course utilizes the land it was created on, perfectly. The signature hole is perched on top of a figurine lighthouse that is probably 6+' tall. The pictures on here do not do this hole justice. From pad to basket it is crazy! You have to play it to really feel me.
That being said, tee signs could use an update. More signage could aid navigation (I didn't have any problems, but I was playing in a tournament here for my first time, so I was able to follow everyone else.)

Scenery/Surroundings (4/5): This course is beautiful in the summertime. The winding creek, Lake Michigan, and variety of large trees make for great scenery. Everyone was extremely friendly and the surrounding area is comfortable. Course was well taken care of. The thick wasn't too heavy and errant throws weren't too punishable.

Likeliness to Return (5/5): Even though I live 6 hours away, I'm going to have to return to this course. Its safe to say that if I lived anywhere near it, I'd play it... a lot!
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10 0
LeddZepp8687
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 13.5 years 115 played 19 reviews
4.00 star(s)

In my top 5 favorites 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 18, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

-Beautiful park with lots of large, mature trees and rolling elevation.
-Excellent mix of shots and distances.
-Alternate tee pads, all of which are concrete. Some holes even have 3 tee pad options.
-Good flow to this course,
-Navigation is easy, there are quite a few "next tee" signs and the signs at each hole illustrate well. Only two spots where things are a little confusing. We did have a hard time finding hole 15 as we did not realize it was across the lot and bridge.
-Very scenic course, It's very visually pleasing. I knew I was in for a treat when I walked up to the first pad, also there is a nice clean creek that runs through the course that really adds to this element.
-There are only a few wide open holes, this course is as good as it is because of that, instead of "filler holes" they utilized the available property very well and made each hole challenging for players of all skills.
-The sound of the crashing waves on the lake on the later holes provides for a great background noise that added to my pleasant experience at this course.
-Off target throws will cost you, The roughs are not overly punishing but if your disc deflects off a tree it can sometimes cost you multiple shots. I really like a course that rewards good shots and makes you pay for your bad ones.
-Hole 22 basket is very unique and unlike anything I have ever seen.
-The park itself is very clean, I saw almost NO litter.
-As mentioned earlier, this course is great for players of all skill levels. This course should be a poster child for future courses in this area. Beginners will find the short pads challenging, yet fun and experienced players will find it challenging, yet fun. All the holes are reachable by average to above average players like myself.
-27 hole layout extends play time and makes this course worth the trip.

Cons:

I really don't have many cons for this course other than the fact that there are a few holes with potential to interfere with other players.

Big arms and above average players will find this course a little on the short side, there are not a lot of huge holes and there are a lot of "deuce or die" holes, This is a con to some.

Other Thoughts:

This was a must play course on my weekend trip up to WI from IL, This course along with winter park made for an excellent weekend of disc golf.

I rated this course a 4, but 4.25 would be more deserving, Unfortunately that is not an option though. With a few more longer holes for the more experienced players this course has a 4.5 written all over it. I threw long pads and it was challenging but all said and done I threw a good amount of deuces here so someone more skilled than me would have an easier time for sure.

This is a course that I am very glad I've had the chance to play, it was much better than most of the courses in my area. I would definitely consider this a destination course and when in the area should definitely be on your itinerary. There are enough good courses like this one in the area to make a good trip out of. Can't wait to get back here.
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6 0
booradly
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 12.5 years 171 played 24 reviews
4.00 star(s)

had a blast 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 18, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

-very nice park
-good cement pads
-good signs
-some nice change in elevation
-hole 1,2,make for good warm up holes 1 is a short shot in some trees but nothing that is hard and 2 shoots out of the woods that 1 is located in into the field next to it
-holes 3,4,5 are a little harder then the first two 3 makes you throw around a bunch of trees but you get to pick from a lot of shots that can put you under the basket 4 and 5 are simple shots mostly open with a few trees but start to be a little longer to finish your warm up
-holes 6,7,8 have you throw up to the top of a hill i (liked these mainly because there are not many hills at my local courses so it was a nice change of pace)8 being the best of these with brutal pin placement on top of the hill putting up to it is hard mainly because if you miss there is a good chance you can roll back down the hill
-9,10,11,12 start to get more distance 9 makes for a hard hole that forces you to throw distance but lots of bushes and trees make it hard
-14 is a lot of fun throwing from the top of the hill across a field with the pin almost 500 feet away behind a line of trees and a creek behind it(i love watching my discs fly on holes like this one)
-hole fifteen(on the other side of the parking lot)starts the back side of the course. i thought that it was going to be kind of a lame hole when i teed off but once i got back into the trees by the pin there are tons of trees with a tunnel shot that is unforgiving if you get out of the tunnel
-17 brings you out near the lake(awesome views to be seen on this upcoming section of the course)and is a solid hole not to long but you need to keep a good line to get near the basket
-18,19,20,21 are good solid holes kind of like 17 but with more elevation in play(19,20 have nice views of the lake)
-hole 22 is a massive hook to the left that comes right up to the lake and has a very unique basket
-23,24,25,26,27 are solid holes that are all kinda the same mostly open fairways with a few bushes and trees to make it a little more of a challenge i liked 26 the most out of these because there is a tighter fairway with a good amount of trees and you throw down a hill

Cons:

-10,11,12 are kinda easy as long as you can throw 300+ feet they are not hard and would be nicer if there was some more cover to force a line
-16 is an alright hole but if it was longer it would be much better/ maybe move the pin under the bridge that you walk under to get to 17? or beyond it?
23,24,25,27, are kinda repetitive but ok

Other Thoughts:

i drove over 700 miles this weekend to play courses in this area and it was well worth the trip if you take the time to play this and winter park a little further north its more the worth a trip and there is another course near rolling ridge that i wanted to hit up but apparently it is closed for hunting season but i hope to play these three courses on a weekend trip some time soon. if you live by Chicago and want to play some awesome courses i would suggest this trip the elevation that comes in to play in some of these courses is very refreshing
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4 0
steven2361
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 16.5 years 286 played 55 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Fun course along Lake Michagan 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 9, 2012 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

A decent variety of holes with multiple concrete pads and ok signage. There is a fun mix of wooded and open shots. There a few really fun holes. 7, although open, is a 400 foot left to right line which I don't see too often. It was fun for me to lay out a huge anhyzer around all the trees. There is 22 holes here now which is pretty cool, 4 bonus holes. The Ob yellow line on 7A and 7B was a nice touch on some really open holes. 9A is a fun downhill hole of decent length to a protected green with ob river lurking close by. Watch that you don't skip into the water! 11 is a nice tight tunnel shot right next to the noises of the water coming in on Lake Michigan.

The two sets of tees are great as they offer a super easy version of the course for beginners and a moderate challenge to those with more experience.

The elevation here is fun, lots of throwing up and down holes.

Cons:

Overall, this course is on the short side. You will not be throwing your driver much here. I feel like there are too many mid range straightish holes. Too many short putter drives as well for my taste. There are a lot of underwhelming holes.

Other Thoughts:

This park gets super busy and some holes may not be playable when people are partying here.
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5 0
#19325
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 23.4 years 351 played 178 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Silver Creek Fun 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 11, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

This is a really fun course that has a variety of terrain. It's a really pretty park too. There are woods, open, rolling hils, and water. Several holes play near Lake Michigan. Bring a map. Hole #1 isn't obvious where to start.

The tee signs are pretty good. Nice hole description, distances, and par.

Nice concrete tee pads. There are 2 sets on each hole.

There are multiple pin positions. The baskets are DGA Mach 3's and are in good shape.

There are 22 permanent holes. With 2 sets of tees and pins changed often there is a great variety of holes.

Hole #9A is a great hole. Elevated tee playing across the field. Water comes into play on the left and deep.

This is a really fun course for all skill levels. There are fun wooded holes but they are nice and clean. You'll rarely have to look for discs.

There is a really good balance of shots on this course. You'll need them all to score well.

Cons:

There is only 1 set of tee signs and they are located on the short tee. On many you have to walk forward to see the distance.

This course is relatively short and lacks some longer par 4 holes.

Hole #1 is hard to find. Bring a map. There is a long walk to get from 9A to 9B & 10. With all the park users 9B was not playable.

Other Thoughts:

Overall this is a really fun course. They've added some extra holes so take a map. It looks like they are expanding the course with several more too. Awesome!

This course can get very busy. Be prepared to wait if you play during prime hours.
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3 0
Ace D
Experience: 24.4 years 33 played 15 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Mature Course, Great Scenery 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 6, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Concrete tee pads for good footing. Good variety of backhand and forehand shots from the tee. Course can be enjoyed as 20 holes. Mature scenery all around the course with a creek running through much of it. Some flat holes, downhill and uphill elevation is here too. The course has a long uphill, downhill, and hump hole to satisfy big throwers. The course seems to have some of everything without repeating itself.

Cons:

Losing discs in the water can be a threat on a couple of holes. Long walk to get to the back nine, whether or not you play the two extra holes (downhill bomber and tight wooded shot from concrete). Weekends can sometimes see the unruly types turn out. Really very few complaints about the course.

Other Thoughts:

A scenic, mature course that is mostly wooded, with the exception 3-4 open holes. Large variety of shots needed off the tees.
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4 0
AdamE
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 21.1 years 269 played 148 reviews
4.00 star(s)

2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 22, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

Wow, this course is one of the most beautiful courses I've had the pleasure of playing! There's a gorgeous creek that winds through the course and is visible on many holes. You can see Lake Michigan and hear the waves crashing on hole 11, then you climb a hill to hole 12 for an even better view. There are some areas with large pine trees and some big elevation changes that the course takes advantage of.

The course has two pads per hole which helps to cater to a wider variety of skill levels. Some holes have multiple pin placements to help keep the course fresh. There are course maps occasionally throughout the course which I've never seen before and helped with navigation. There are nice tee signs at the short pad on each hole which list the distance from both pads.

There's an excellent variety of hole distance ranging from 175 to over 500ft. There are holes of all difficulty here which helps to make the course good for players of all skill level. A few holes are fairly easy and don't punish bad shots, but the vast majority of them require a skilled shot to get your birdie. There's also a decent shot variety here with some good turnover shots for RHBH players. There are plenty of memorable holes and this course will leave you coming back for more!

Hole 4 is an excellent turnover shot with the stream just off the tee pad. I really love hole 6, a big uphill par 4 and the basket was in the long position when I was here; awesome! Hole 9a is another great hole with extreme downhill. The view from 12's pad is fantastic!

Cons:

It's a bit difficult to find hole 1 since it's not very close to the parking lot. It's across the field by the yellow donation tube. It's a bit difficult to get from holes 9/9a to 9b/10. A navigational sign would certainly be useful here.

The tee signs are by the short pads which I find a bit annoying. On nearly all the holes, if you're playing the short pad you have to walk by the long pads. But if you're playing the longs you have to walk up to the shorts to see the sign then walk back to the long.

The two extra holes, 9a and 9b, aren't listed on the course map and don't have tee signs. They're both excellent holes and thankfully some local players were around to show me where they are otherwise I wouldn't have found them.

Other Thoughts:

Overall this is a fun, excellent course and is one of the most scenic I've played. I highly recommend stopping to play here.
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1 5
hebsonc9121
Experience: 16.2 years 74 played 4 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Tons of Fun 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:May 30, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

-Short and Long Tees
-Large variety of shots and lanes
-Alternates between woods and fields often
-Makes good use of the park
-The large old trees make for great scenery as well as the view of lake michigan a couple hundred feet from a tee-pad
-Good amount of elevation
-Some distance, shots up hill and downhill

Cons:

-Was pretty crowded (golfers and park users)
-Tee Signs were only on short Tee Box
-Got lost somewhere after the lake hole

Other Thoughts:

This was a really fun course and I hope to play it again soon.Could use more signage for navigation as well as tee boxes.
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13 2
Dave242
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 30.4 years 394 played 276 reviews
3.50 star(s)

B+ = Visually amazing!….But Basically Boring/Blah holes 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 25, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

What I personally like and how this course stacks up in my list of 18 (and more) hole courses (over 180 played):

1) Holes with good risk/reward. Fair, but harsh punishment for bad decisions or execution. == C
(Other than a couple of holes which are very good (I love the concept of 12, although it is a little too short), this course forces no real decision making and metes out no real punishment for errant shots. There are some holes that would be good, but are simply too short. It is average in this area at BEST.)

2) Holes that have rewarding birdie opportunities for me (I rate only from the long tees). I'm a Blue level player (950ish skill) who throws 300' accurately, 360' max. == B-
(About half the holes are quite nice distance-wise to feel really good about parking them. Then there are 4-5 that are simply too short to be rewarding given the lack of obstacles. And then there are 3-4 that are too long for me and people of my length - tweener holes, downside holes, or whatever you want to call them. I find this to be about average for most courses - certainly nothing here that wows me and makes me want to come back to try to conquer the course.)

3) More wooded than open - lots of variety of shots required caused by hole shape and topography == B
(Overall this is not a wooded course although there are plenty of trees. Most shots are quite open but most do require a little shot-shaping. There are some notable exceptions such as the crazy anny on 12 (if you choose that rather than the risky straight at it shot) and the uphill anny 295' tree-spangled #13. A very cool over-the-berm dropshot on 213' #14 ends a run of the 4 best holes on the course.....which are made even better since they are on the banks of Lake Michigan.)

4) Natural beauty (Appalachian beauty preferred) and seclusion. == A
(The beauty of this course is striking.....not so much in full-on beauty but how the feeling flows as you traverse the course: from dark coniferous shadows, to tree-lined meadows with a beautiful brook, to a grassy sledding hill and park, then back into the dark stuff...only to pop out into deciduous and sandy beachfront, and then finally finishing off in a classic mature hardwood park feel. This alone pulls up the overall playing experience to me from something that would otherwise be average at best.)

5) Bonus points for multi-throw holes with defined landing zones, good risk/reward and multiple options to play them. == NA (0 bonus points for this)
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12 0
notapro
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 21.3 years 571 played 284 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Fun for All Ages 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 31, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

- Course is set in a large park right next to Lake Michigan. There are some other buildings on-site, and a small park, but it seems that the disc golf is well separated.
- Good variety of holes throughout. A mix of pretty open holes, some with significant trees, and others in a forest littered with small trees. The open holes use slight elevation changes to keep things interesting, as well as baskets placed around or near tree lines.
- Most other holes have well-defined paths to the baskets, and also offer some riskier backdoor lanes. Both the holes inside the forest and near the forest have some pretty tight, but fair, windows to hit, and usually require active line shaping to stay clear of the trees. Many different types of shots to be found all throughout.
- Some very good to decent elevation changes to be found here, especially the downhill bomber on hole #9A. A good amount of holes in all parts of the park have some slope to either make things easier or harder. Overall, nothing too drastic, but still noticeable.
- Creek is in play on a couple holes, though it is pretty easy to avoid. Good scenery if nothing else. The road OB in a few spots is a much bigger danger.
- Lake Michigan is right off the teepad for #11, and easily seen behind #12's teepad. Awesome view.
- Great teepads, signs, and baskets. Navigation is pretty easy the first time through, and some good crossings are there where needed.

Cons:

- The road OB is great for some additional challenge, but it does detract from the overall experience. Too much pavement for my tastes.
- Course is on the shorter side, even with a few bomber holes. All the holes are pretty reachable, and all are definitely par 3.
- Some of the holes are fun, but not very interesting. A fair amount of holes with a couple of trees to avoid, and not much else.

Other Thoughts:

- Pretty much the only cons I could come up with were too much pavement, and a little too easy. Both of these are completely subjective, and many people may completely disagree. But, I think everyone will agree that this course has an extremely high fun factor, and a ton of holes that are just straight out enjoyable. Some very interesting lines to hit, thanks to numerous trees and some elevation changes. I would think that everyone from a beginner to a seasoned vet would take some enjoyment out of this course, regardless of the final score.
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10 0
Mark R
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 22.4 years 118 played 90 reviews
4.00 star(s)

2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 18, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

First class amenities, with multiple cement tee pads-a feature found on very few courses.

Signs and benches on nearly every hole.

Has many nice holes with defined fairways that wind through small hills (6, 7, 8, 9). Hole 6 is a tough, very steep uphill drive. Hole 7 is a fun downhill tunnel hole.

Also has wooded holes on the back nine with some Lake Michigan views (11-13). Course finishes nicely with well kept meadow holes through rough areas in a more remote area of the park (15-18). Has a nice bridge over Silver Creek between Holes 12 and 13.

No cheap holes, broken baskets, or busted up tee pads. Hilltop tee pad '9A' (a sledding hill) offers a chance for uninhibited crusher drives.

Other than rough around Hole 15/16 (which enhances play) and creek near Holes 3 and 4, there are few disc-loss hazards. Quite a few players on a nice Sunday afternoon, but I didn't have to wait around very much.

Free admission, polite locals.

Cons:

Holes 1 through 4 are short, mundane city park holes, though 4 incorporates a creek hazard. Not a lot of longer holes (6, 15 and 18 play the longest).

Hole 10 is difficult to find after 9/9A/9B, with a long walk necessary between the front and back nine. Some 'next tee' signs would help after Holes 2, 5, and 9. I looked hard for Hole 9B, but was unable to find it. Basket for Hole 9A was right next to a picnic table.

Bugs were pretty bad on Holes near Silver Creek and Lake Michigan (10-14).

Missed the black tee on Hole 8.

Other Thoughts:

A nice city park course with good diversity, and a pleasant playing experience.

A gas station a short distance north on County Road LS has beer and a good disc selection.
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12 1
mashnut
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 22.7 years 831 played 777 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Nice variety 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 3, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

The course plays through a large hilly park with a large sled hill in play on a couple holes for a tough uphill shot and a great downhill bomb with a risky green. There is some elevation on the rest of the course to add some more variety and challenge. There are several greens that use water or elevation to add some challenge at the end of the hole.

The course has great variety of terrain and foliage, with some more open holes with scattered trees, some park style holes with mature trees and limited brush, and lots of good wooded holes that call for tight lines and will punish errant shots. There is a nice mix of left and right turning shots of various shapes that will really make you being all parts of your game to score well. There's also a good variety of lengths with some easier ace run holes and some that call for a long but controlled drive.

There are dual concrete tees, and many of the longs add an extra bend or pinch point to change more than just distance which is great for playing both sets of tees. There are basic tee signs at one set of tees with the hole layout and distances. There are course maps posted at a couple points along the course to help with navigation.

Cons:

There are some safety issues here, mostly all in one area. Hole 9a plays down the sled hill, and you have to walk right through the landing area to get to the first hole. There were also people warming up or playing other games in the big field, so it felt a little dangerous to throw down the hill, a shame since it's such a fun hole.

There are a couple throw away holes, 2 is the worst offender, and they take away from the challenge and fun factor a little. I prefer to have signs at both tees so you don't have to do extra walking to see the tee signs if you're playing from the other set of tees, but that's expensive so I don't lower my rating for that. With the two added holes in between 9 and 10 not very well marked and some weird walks, navigation is a little tricky, though the rest of the course is easy to follow. There were lots of large groups of players that didn't want to let faster groups play through, and lots of people starting on the back 9 causing a huge back up in the middle of the course.

Other Thoughts:

This is a must play if you're up in this part of Wisconsin, for me it's just a little bit below Winter Park in terms of challenge and fun factor, and with a short drive between them it's a great pair of courses to take a trip to. Beginners will find the short tees tough but not ridiculously so, the rough is punishing but doesn't really eat discs. More experienced players will find great variety and challenge from the longs, and will need to bring their A game to score well. Make sure you check out the beach and views out over the lake on the back 9, it's a great spot to take a break.
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16 0
tallpaul
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 36.4 years 936 played 137 reviews
4.00 star(s)

one of top ten/15 in state 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 17, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Very nice dual cement tees. A longer set of tourney tees on some holes; natural. From hole info. these appear to be considered permanent now.
Well thought out and long term evaluated; mixture of right/left; with a wide variety of shot shapes needed.
Uphill/downhill; both in terms of fairway; and green finishes.
Quite a number of water feature holes. Some in play; more in the nature of views.
#1 is needed deuce. Short. However, beautiful grove hole; with Silver Creek running the length of the hole to the right.
#3 Nice spike heizer hole (rhbh) or very narrow tunnel shot; large pines as obstacles. This can also be one of the more wind affected holes here. Hillside draining to water to left of pin. Shouldn't really be an issue; but, it's there.
Bar across the road from #3. I can tell you they enjoy disc golfer patronage. lol In addition to a plethora of good things to say about Silver Creek; I really must add: How many disc courses have a bar within a thirty second walk across a road?
#4 is across a creek; not really in play....a precise yardage shot to score deuce. Putt alterating vegetation; including pine grove; near pin if you don't place just right.
#5 Large creek runs to left of hole, entire length. 308 ft. straight shot required. Around 280 mark; is blocker tree. So, four separate water features on the first five holes. You loving it so far? (As a high level blue player or gold; water will not really be in play; but, waterways are very scenic and add a certain degree of possible o.b.)
#6 is the uphill 347 chucker. Short tee is off to right; halfway up hill and a fun extra throw, if course not crowded. This hole is crazy when snow/ice covered. Hill is steep. (Quite reachable for gold level; but rip it drive and good upshot needed by everyone else.)
#7 Wide sweeping anny (rhbh) or sweeping heiser for the lefties. blind...somewhat rollaway green.
I really could go into nearly every hole; giving you play by play and placing it all in the pros section. Instead, I will hit highlights through the remainder:
#9a has been played since day 1, as an alternate hole; to the point that it was officially included in the layout. Tee is to left of precarious pin for #9. It's possible to have a 100+ foot rollaway on #9. #9a is an empty your bag throw from atop the highest hill on the course, to the practice pin; located @420 ft.; to peninsula green; surrounded by Silver Creek. Blue level players will do all they can do to make green area. Gold level players will bring Silver Creek o.b. into play. A good "top of the world" type shot; with a water finish.
To left of #11 is nice view and possible swimming area; in Lake Michigan. Take a shot from both tees on this one. A fun ace run hole; especially from short tee. I mean, you gotta walk past it anyway....
#13 uphill anny (rhbh), in the woods.
#14 downhill, blind ace run, through the woods.
#15 uphill bomber, wide open, to wooded grove near pin.
#17 one of my favorites. Elevation and steerage; with o.b. road possible to right.
Lots of picnic tables around the course to take a rest and enjoy the setting.

Cons:

#2 is a deuce or die hole, with little positive to say about it. Nit picking; but it is a weak hole.
There are some slight navigation issues.
Walk from #9a to #9b a little tricky. Print a map ahead of time. Or, ask a local.
Perhaps a bit short by gold player level standards; thus; the four rating.
A slight con is the amount of play Silver Creek gets. But, only a con for those wishing they had this gem to themselves.

Other Thoughts:

Silver Creek spent quite a number of years with natural tees only. Design was refined and set of long tees eventually added as well. Now, there is a third set of tees that seem to be on the way.
This is a fine course for a blue level player. Length getting towards gold level with the longest tee versions. Course is not quite in the "brutual" range of toughness. But, due to nice tourney payout history and strength of course/beauty, pro tourney field is always large; and traditionally; five to ten top 50 players in the world attend. In other words; top level players don't mind stopping for a visit. This one is respected and loved by players from blue through gold levels. Red level players will have fun and enjoy the scenery, and will challenge them greatly from mid tees (longest tees with cement).
Others have traveled to get to this one; so have I. Silver Creek was in the regular rotation; a few times a year; for many years; though it's one and one half hours away. Now that Winter Park is fully up and running; trips to this area will increase again.
This is not a brag; but rather a good point for Silver Creek: I've played over 140 courses in Wisconsin; and put this one in the top 15; close to 10 probably.
I may have to say I like Winter Park a little more; due to, it having more than 18 holes; and more green risk/reward; but, it's very close. The two together; makes for one of the top three duos in the state.
I would say that Peterson Park (12 holes), is the third best in the area.
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8 0
shoe59
Experience: 24.4 years 65 played 4 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Beautiful Course by the Lake 2+ years drive by

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

Pros:

-Good variety of holes; short, long, huge uphill (hole 6), huge downhill (hole 9a), flat, gradual ups and downs as well. Good mix between open and wooded holes.
-The view of lake Michigan is stunning, there is nice bench and picnic table at the top of a cliff on hole #14 overlooking the lake (guard rail is a plus). Hole 11 brings you right alongside a fairly secluded beach - take a dip in the cool water on a scorching day.
-Running water between holes 9 and 10 (although it tastes rusty) along with bathrooms, also a vending machine in this area.
-Cement teepads on every hole, benches and picnic tables on many other holes.
-Multiple teepads on every hole, with alternate pin placements. Nice tee signs.
-Mach 3 baskets in good condition.
-The only holes that come close to overlapping are 15 and 16, with a "median" long grass area between fairways... not a big issue. The other holes are well spread out through this huge park.
-The maintenance here is great, litter is sparse around the course. Fairways are mowed nicely - especially around tournament time.

Cons:

-Hole #1 is tricky to find if you haven't played here before - it's in the woods, across the soccer field from the big hill.
-Hole #10 is even more of a trick to find, there should be a sign indicating where to go
(directions below).
-Overall fairly difficult to navigate with some walks between baskets and the next tees. #12 is easy to miss if you take the wrong path through the woods, turn right.
-A few of the holes are very short and easy (namely #'s 2 and 10). I wouldn't call them design flaws, however, because there aren't really better locations available for these two holes
-Not a beginner/family friendly course only because of the big elevation changes and a few pretty long holes - it's quite a long course to walk.

Other Thoughts:

There are some unforgettable holes on the course, especially the huge uphill #6. I'll never forget the first time I witnessed a pro tournament - we watched the pros bomb drives right up under the pin on #6, something I never thought to be possible until I saw it with my own eyes - 318ft. up a monster hill, plays like its 500 ft. Overall, just some beautiful holes that are a pleasure to play.

Hole 9 is a fun hole, risk/reward chance. Off to the right there is a very thick clump of woods - keep it to the left! The basket is placed about 15-20 feet from the edge of a large hill, you overshoot and you'll be rolling down it. *Note, after this hole you walk down the hill and turn to your right, going back through the parking lot towards the back nine - you'll see a pavilion and picnic tables, #10 tee is to the left going into the woods*

This is my favorite of the 26 courses I've played so far in Wisconsin, although I have yet to play the epic Highbridge Hills and Winter Park. Silver Creek isn't very central in location, but it's worth the trip no matter where you're coming from.

Play the course, you'll love it, feel free to make a donation in the dropbox at hole #1 next time you play it
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6 3
rohloffj
Experience: 23.3 years 4 played 2 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Well worth the 30 mile trip 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 1, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

Good elevation changes, love the multiple pin locations and the multiple tees. Both RHBH and forehand shots are needed. Some tight holes in the woods and some more open longer holes as well. #2 is the weakest hole, but offers a good shot at an ace. #6 is up a monster hill. 9A and 9B offer nice extra holes. The one that starts at the top of the hill after 6 is a great fun hole offering a chance for some monster distance.

Cons:

#10 is difficult to find, even with the map. Luckily we were following some course regulars. Follow down through the woods to the right after #9 past the playground. 9B tee is difficult to find. It is marked with small paint marks on the asphalt before you reach the playground. A great hole before you play 10.

Other Thoughts:

First hole is about 100 yards due west from the parking lot.
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5 4
Shuie
Silver level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 22.5 years 951 played 43 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Everyone in WI should play here 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 7, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

Almost all the holes are fairly challenging.. 2 different tee pad on every hole. alt. pin placements on most.... i love 9 b bombing down that hill with the pin tucked in by creek..... hole 6 is 337 straight up hill,hard to get to the basket in two...LOVE the view of lake michigan, BEAUTIFUL

Cons:

a few of the back 9 holes could use some more length... and its a little hard to find the back nine if u haven't ever played there......

Other Thoughts:

5th time tossing here... its an awesome course.. i come and play it at least once a year
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10 0
WindyCityROCer
Experience: 19.6 years 27 played 13 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Good Course Through a BEAUTIFUL Park 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 5, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

A beautiful park located next to Lake Michigan...
Great layout, mixed variety of shots
Baskets in great shape (and apparently they move them around)
Excellent use of terrain, course is kept in AMAZING shape! fairways mowed, schule kept in check...
Nice concrete teepads for BOTH tees on every hole...

Cons:

Despite my DGCR addiction, we missed hole 9b... DOH!
The walk from #9 to 10 (playing course as marked) is long and convoluted...
The course design is SLIGHTLY lacking behind the beauty of this park
Course as marked par is too generous

Other Thoughts:

Simply beautiful course in a GORGEOUS park! The course can be played by any skill level, TOP pros may be bored... until the look at the lake!
Holes 1-5 play through the park, hole 6 is the B4ST4RD up-the-sled-hill hole! Hole 7 has a tricky L>R tee shot...
Hole 9 was probably my favorite on the course, extrememly well manicured L>R hole (well, straight drive with L>R upshot at my skill level) the basket placed precariously next to a sledhill...

After a walk to the 10th tee, the course tightens up through the woods... #11 is a great hole that plays along the lake (Michigan) have fun with the trees.... 12 is a great uphill shot, slightly L>R...
14 stands out to me because of the STUNNING view of the lake behind the back tees... Beautiful downhill midrange hole that you'll want to spend all day at...
17 seems simple but is very tricky, have fun with the ace run...
18 seemed anti-climactic, but I'm nitpicking, all and all, a VERY fun round of DG...
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12 1
tomjulio
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 16.4 years 77 played 41 reviews
4.00 star(s)

One the BEST!!! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Oct 3, 2009 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

-IMMACULATE
-Pro/Am cement flare tees
-some of the best signage I have seen
-"You are here" multiple map signs
-variety wazoo
-gorgeous trees
-rolling hills
-in a park the family can picnic, play in
-holes RIGHT NEXT TO Lake Michigan. -incredible scenery
-risk/reward pin placement on some
-long hoes, short holes, lefty holes, righty holes
-almost no trash due to lots of trash bins
-plenty of benches
-an extra two holes 9a,9b which are a joy!
-water in play on many holes whether you know it or not.

Cons:

-one throw away hole, #2
-the two extra holes aren't apparent and aren't really in the correct flow.
-parking lot seemed like a local hangout place. Can park closer to tee #3 to avoid.
-tee #1 location not obvious
-more signs needed for finding back nine.

Other Thoughts:

Currently as of 10/4/09 THIS is the BEST Wisconsin course I have played and ranks as my number three favorite course! JUST INCREDIBLE! I want to take this course and fold it up, put it in my pocket, and be able to unfold it anywhere when I want to smile and play disc golf. just wow.

What is so special about this course? It's location right on the side of Lake Michigan and the great great trees that you play in. Pines, oaks, cedar....you name it, but beauty can only take a course so far. Amazingly this course delivers on so much more.

Once you get into the park (I suggest you park by basket 2 to stay away from local kids dinking around in the main lot) you head to to tee one across the soccer field and in the trees. Your first hole sets the tone IMMEDIATELY for the beauty of this course. You play under a canopy of trees running right along side a small clean flowing river. LET'S PLAY!

Now comes the only lackluster hole on the course, #2. A short straight shot back across the edge of the soccer field but I imagine it is needed for transition to the rest. You then play some really nice holes in the pines and along creeks, over bridges, up a sledding hill, through rolling hills. Just a real nice front nine.

The back nine is across the bridge and by the swings to the right of where you just played. Here is where a few more sign markers are needed if you haven't been paying attention to the multiple GREAT "you are here" signs along the way! More courses need this.

Start off the back 9 with 9b to the left of tee 10. The tee is part of the road but offers one of the toughest shots on the whole course. A shot where you have to enter a small tree tunnel after 150' of open space. After this hole shoot to the right and play one of the best nines you will ever play. In those amazing trees, up and down rolling hills and RIGHT next to Lake Michigan. This is the closet holes I have ever seen on the entire Lake, both sides included. Hell, in the summer bring your shorts and go for a swim between the front and back nine. A couple bomber holes on the back and you finish up with some great manicured holes.

HERE is where I suggest you finish up on 9a. After 18, go up the path to your left, it's an obvious transition. Now when you get to the top of the sledding hill there sits a perfect cement tee and the main bomber shot of the entire course. Down this hill, over the soccer field to a basket on a little peninsula guard by a row of small trees in the front and a river behind it. You will want to unload your bag at it!

SUMMARY and IDEAS: This IS a destination course! And with Winter Park twenty miles to the north, a perfect pairing for this side of the lake. My nod goes to Silver Creek as the more fun and better of the two. Winter Park has the extreme elevation, but Silver Creek offered up a more balanced disc golfing experience. Another suggestion is come summer when taking that ultimate disc golfing trip is to play both sides of Lake Michigan! Manitowoc is where the carferry that goes to and from Ludington, Mi is located. Play the two great courses here in Wisconsin and take the ferry across and play the Mason County courses (Beast, Beauty, Goliath, Leviathan) and Flip City just twenty some odd miles to the south! What a perfect midwest disc golfing trip!

To the people that maintain and clean and designed Silver Creek...BRAVO! This is currently our go to course to play (even though it's 70 miles away)! A super solid 4 is where Silver Creek stands in my book.
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8 0
harr0140
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 15.8 years 1512 played 480 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Best course to date! 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Feb 20, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

1) Cedar trees are still one of my favorite trees for disc golf. They provide a dense canopy that makes you feel closed in but they also have no lateral branches like Pines and Spruces, they grow more upright. SO they can provide a challenge and also shelter the hole when planted close together. Just a great tree for disc golf. It starts out on the first hole with a tough little gap to shoot between and around some Cedars. Great starting hole especially with the stream trickling by you on the teepad.

2) #3 may be in the open but it has a tough gap through some cedars/arbs. It isn't a full power throw so it is tough to get the right cut on your disc. Great challenging short little hole!

3) Course has some pretty good elevation changes. #9a is an awesome hole throwing off the top of a big sledding hill. Do not skip this hole it will make you feel like a pro throwing for a lot of distance. I wanted to sit here and throw a bunch of discs but I was hitting more courses and I didnt want to throw out my arm before hitting WInter Park. Some of the other holes go up the sled hill, a few others go across the hill. There is even some elevation changes on some of the wooded holes which is an absoulte plus.

4) Creek comes into play or into view many time throughout the course. Although it isn't always in close range of play it is visible and gets you thinking. I also like how the creek gives a sort of aura to this park. It just adds to the fun of the course.

5) Nice big dual concrete teepads with flares. This is almost simply a necessity and not really a pro, but this course would not be as highly ranked if they only had dirt/grass tees.

6) Gravel and mulch was used appropriaely around tees and baskets to prevent erosion and muddy areas. Some areas could still use more mulch like off the end and sides of some of the teepads but because they are large it isnt as much of an issue.

7) Very nice teesigns and directionals to next tees in many spots.

8) Underbrush seems to be pretty well maintained, but there is enough there that an errant throw could get punished.

9) Variety on this course is not comparable by many courses. WInter Park is one that compares and I played them both the same day. This course has water in play, lots of use of elevation change, lots of tight wooded holes and some more open holes with well placed mature trees, it also has a couple big ripper holes and a few holes set out in the prairie!

10) Be sure to walk out to the beach when you are playing holes #11 and 12. It is an awesome view and very scenic. It only adds to the overall feeling of this course. On #14 tee also be sure to take a minute to look out over the lake again from a slightly elevated position. You can almost see Flip City 120 miles away!!!

Cons:

1) #2 is a throway hole. It seems like it is only there to get you from #1 to #3. I would have rather seen the 9a hole come down the hill and end up over on that side of the field. Then where #1 was you could have turned the hole around and played it backwards and then add another hole that finishes where 9a basket is. It would give some better flow and take away the only poor hole on the course.

2) Seems to be a lot of garbage on the first few holes around the parking lot. A garbage basket in the lot might be helpful.

3) Parking lot is not marked and confusingly small. Not sure where they want you to park for good traffic flow through the small lot.

4) Walk from 9a to 9b can be confusing because you cannot see where the tee is on 9b. I walked right past it since th ebasket is tucked so far back into the woods you canot see it. Use the overhead map provided on here and walk across the parking lot from the basket towards the bridge. Cross the bridge and walk to the picnic table and the tee is right there on the asphalt. Basket is tough to see but it is in the woods. I am unsure of the path that you would take from 9 to 10 if you skip 9a and 9b but I would guess it is marked.

Other Thoughts:

This course is simply the most varied course I have played and very well maintained too so it gets my highest vote to date! It is scenic, well designed, very well maintained, nice teepads, signage, and variety. What more can you ask for . . . well the biggest issue is garbage and maybe a few more areas that are wore down to nothing and could use some mulch to keep from being really muddy.
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