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The Crossing DGC reviews
7
0
What If Potter's Grove Was Wooded?
Reviewed:
Updated:
Played on:Jun 3, 2022
Played the course:2-4 times
Pros:
-Another par 56 from the blues with solid elevation, significant here and there. Another 5500' layout with a 600+ par four and and another par four that's just under 500' along with a 450+ downhill bomber. Another 18 holer with several ace runs. Is this another Potter's Grove that Andrew brought us? I think yes! Maybe this is Potter's Grove 2: The Crossing. A sequel that is darker with a little more violence. The Crossing has many similarities to Potter's Grove, but there's one big difference. It's wooded. Is this a dark side of Potter's Grove? Is this a part 2? Did Andrew have the idea of making a part 2 to Potter's Grove? Or did I come up with this conspiracy at the top of my head? There's no telling at all. Whether the designers decided to make a sequel to Potter's Grove like I think they may have, or whether this was just a thought that came to my mind, this is Potter's Grove 2, AKA The Crossing.
-The Crossing is a little bit tougher, especially on the blues. The whites offer a quick 18 hole layout filled with birdie opportunities. The blues still consist of many shorter holes that are aceable. And, just like Potter's Grove it has a few longer par threes that make it all of a sudden, not look like a shorter course. Holes #1, #2, and #18 are all par threes but all over 350'. #1 was pretty similar to #15 at Potter's Grove. It's longer, but just about wide open. #18 was the grip and rip par three (like #10 at Potter's Grove). This hole is even harder than #10 at Potter's Grove. It's 452' from the long pad to pin and plays as a big anhyzer over the road. It's nicely downhill, but plays as an island since you have to cross the road onto the other side of the land. #2 at The Crossing is that monster pro par three in the woods. The toughest hole at Potter's Grove would be the first hole in the long pin. The first hole at Potter's nothing like this par three aside from the challenge. #2 at The Crossing is a 393' sidearm down the hill down a trail. #1 at Potter's Grove can be reached by bigger arms, but the danger of the OB field is present the entire way. #2 at The Crossing has no OB, but it's extremely hard to get to due to it's sharp left to right angle.
-The par fours are in a different league. They are the greatest holes here. #4 was my favorite and #13 was a close favorite. #4 is the longer one at 606'. It's down a wide and grassy path in the woods, so it's pretty accommodating to distance throwers. The woods on both side still remain, making it possible to have a difficult second shot from the rough. The approach is outstanding! You are throwing pretty sharply downhill over a creek bed. Go short, and you will probably be OB. #13 is shorter, but has my vote in being the second or third hardest hole. It's up about 30' in elevation from the blue pad. It goes down a wide trail that slopes downward to the right side and plays as a sharp dogleg left. The approach shot is just as daunting. You are faced with a tighter fairway that slopes to the right. The remainder of this hole plays on the edge of the open, so if you go too far right on the approach, you could land in the open, where the hill slopes even more sharply and have a difficult approach to the basket. The basket is in the open, but barely. This hole is by far the most unique at The Crossing. Being toward the top of a steep crest in the woods where landing out of the woods could lead to a difficult footing in the open, or possibly even OB on the road. You want to stay on top here!
-Some of the par threes are very fun as well. #12 was my favorite. It's a tight downhill par three in the woods with the creek in play straight ahead that you throw over and is also in play the entire way on the left side. Throw your straightest mid or putter. There's a lot of OB in play on this one. #5-7 is an excellent stretch of par threes with their own challenges. #5 is a very cool anhyzer over a valley. #6 is a tight downhill putter shot going right to left with the creek behind the pin. #7 is steep uphill and dead straight. Rough is pretty hard to throw out of here. I almost aced this hole the first time I played it, and the second time I barely saved par because of a bad tee shot and a difficult upshot that I was left with.
-It has rubber pads and excellent tee signs with hole diagrams and hole info. Elevation changes are stated on the tee signs. Some of them seemed a bit off, but a couple holes here have elevation changes around thirty feet. The Crossing also has new disc catcher baskets.
-Well polished. Grass was cut. Fairways were clear. Didn't trip over stumps or anything. To add to it, I didn't see any drag piles like you would likely see on a new course.
-Good mix of easy and difficult. Several opportunities for redemption. Average length of the par threes is about 275'. Half of them (eight) are 260' or less. The easiest being #11. 222' and in the open. #14 is a deuce or die. The island has a 15' radius. So you have to be 15' or closer to birdie this hole. If you are playing the shorts, then you will be playing this hole without the island rules. I like the fact that this hole is a separator but not too excessive of one due to its short length. You still have a shot at par if you miss.
-Right before you reach the entrance, there is a gas station.
-The Crossing is a little bit tougher, especially on the blues. The whites offer a quick 18 hole layout filled with birdie opportunities. The blues still consist of many shorter holes that are aceable. And, just like Potter's Grove it has a few longer par threes that make it all of a sudden, not look like a shorter course. Holes #1, #2, and #18 are all par threes but all over 350'. #1 was pretty similar to #15 at Potter's Grove. It's longer, but just about wide open. #18 was the grip and rip par three (like #10 at Potter's Grove). This hole is even harder than #10 at Potter's Grove. It's 452' from the long pad to pin and plays as a big anhyzer over the road. It's nicely downhill, but plays as an island since you have to cross the road onto the other side of the land. #2 at The Crossing is that monster pro par three in the woods. The toughest hole at Potter's Grove would be the first hole in the long pin. The first hole at Potter's nothing like this par three aside from the challenge. #2 at The Crossing is a 393' sidearm down the hill down a trail. #1 at Potter's Grove can be reached by bigger arms, but the danger of the OB field is present the entire way. #2 at The Crossing has no OB, but it's extremely hard to get to due to it's sharp left to right angle.
-The par fours are in a different league. They are the greatest holes here. #4 was my favorite and #13 was a close favorite. #4 is the longer one at 606'. It's down a wide and grassy path in the woods, so it's pretty accommodating to distance throwers. The woods on both side still remain, making it possible to have a difficult second shot from the rough. The approach is outstanding! You are throwing pretty sharply downhill over a creek bed. Go short, and you will probably be OB. #13 is shorter, but has my vote in being the second or third hardest hole. It's up about 30' in elevation from the blue pad. It goes down a wide trail that slopes downward to the right side and plays as a sharp dogleg left. The approach shot is just as daunting. You are faced with a tighter fairway that slopes to the right. The remainder of this hole plays on the edge of the open, so if you go too far right on the approach, you could land in the open, where the hill slopes even more sharply and have a difficult approach to the basket. The basket is in the open, but barely. This hole is by far the most unique at The Crossing. Being toward the top of a steep crest in the woods where landing out of the woods could lead to a difficult footing in the open, or possibly even OB on the road. You want to stay on top here!
-Some of the par threes are very fun as well. #12 was my favorite. It's a tight downhill par three in the woods with the creek in play straight ahead that you throw over and is also in play the entire way on the left side. Throw your straightest mid or putter. There's a lot of OB in play on this one. #5-7 is an excellent stretch of par threes with their own challenges. #5 is a very cool anhyzer over a valley. #6 is a tight downhill putter shot going right to left with the creek behind the pin. #7 is steep uphill and dead straight. Rough is pretty hard to throw out of here. I almost aced this hole the first time I played it, and the second time I barely saved par because of a bad tee shot and a difficult upshot that I was left with.
-It has rubber pads and excellent tee signs with hole diagrams and hole info. Elevation changes are stated on the tee signs. Some of them seemed a bit off, but a couple holes here have elevation changes around thirty feet. The Crossing also has new disc catcher baskets.
-Well polished. Grass was cut. Fairways were clear. Didn't trip over stumps or anything. To add to it, I didn't see any drag piles like you would likely see on a new course.
-Good mix of easy and difficult. Several opportunities for redemption. Average length of the par threes is about 275'. Half of them (eight) are 260' or less. The easiest being #11. 222' and in the open. #14 is a deuce or die. The island has a 15' radius. So you have to be 15' or closer to birdie this hole. If you are playing the shorts, then you will be playing this hole without the island rules. I like the fact that this hole is a separator but not too excessive of one due to its short length. You still have a shot at par if you miss.
-Right before you reach the entrance, there is a gas station.
Cons:
-The fence on the left side on holes #8 and #9 is very close to the fairway, yet it is difficult to see. #8 is a narrow par three, being one of the toughest holes at the Crossing. A bad kick left could land OB. #9 is my least favorite hole here. The line is extremely weird. You throw down a "half clear fairway" I would say. The first half of this hole is clear and then the second half has a ton of trees lined up horizontally from where you stand on the tee pad. You have to get lucky to get past them. A few of the trees on this hole need to go. The line is unclear and it sucks to kick left out of bounds because you hit one of the trees that breaks apart the fairway.
-Some safety hazards. The parking lot is right beside #10 on the right side. If there are cars parked in that lot, I would've been reluctant to even tee off on this one. #11's short pad has you teeing off in a parking spot. Just play the long on #11, as it is still a short and easy hole. Probably the easiest hole from the blues.
-#10 and #11 felt like fillers. Same with #14 and #15. #14 is the island hole. It's 151' and downhill. Yes, the island is small and if you miss it then you have to play from where it lies with a stroke penalty. I like that it's a small separator, but I still think this hole could be better; it's just a long jump putt down a small hill over the road. No where near as fun as its competitor, which is #2 at Potter's Grove. #15 is a relatively bland flick in the woods.
-The first two holes I am not fond of. #1 is wide open in the field. Some people may like #2, but the line is incredibly hard to hit for a full 393'. I usually just throw big turnovers on a backhand as an alternative for sidearms and they usually make up for my lack of sidearm skills. This hole may be more favored toward lefties or right hand sidearm throwers, but there were no birdies on this hole at all in the C tier that was held. None at all on this hole. Not the first round or second. I know that I compared #1 to #15 at Potter's Grove, yes, but only because both holes are around 350' and are open. #15 at Potter's Grove is a whole lot funner and it also has a long par four pin position in the woods. I think #1's basket here at The Crossing should be pushed back into the woods around where #2's blue tee is, and I think hole #2 should just be shortened by maybe 80'.
-Some safety hazards. The parking lot is right beside #10 on the right side. If there are cars parked in that lot, I would've been reluctant to even tee off on this one. #11's short pad has you teeing off in a parking spot. Just play the long on #11, as it is still a short and easy hole. Probably the easiest hole from the blues.
-#10 and #11 felt like fillers. Same with #14 and #15. #14 is the island hole. It's 151' and downhill. Yes, the island is small and if you miss it then you have to play from where it lies with a stroke penalty. I like that it's a small separator, but I still think this hole could be better; it's just a long jump putt down a small hill over the road. No where near as fun as its competitor, which is #2 at Potter's Grove. #15 is a relatively bland flick in the woods.
-The first two holes I am not fond of. #1 is wide open in the field. Some people may like #2, but the line is incredibly hard to hit for a full 393'. I usually just throw big turnovers on a backhand as an alternative for sidearms and they usually make up for my lack of sidearm skills. This hole may be more favored toward lefties or right hand sidearm throwers, but there were no birdies on this hole at all in the C tier that was held. None at all on this hole. Not the first round or second. I know that I compared #1 to #15 at Potter's Grove, yes, but only because both holes are around 350' and are open. #15 at Potter's Grove is a whole lot funner and it also has a long par four pin position in the woods. I think #1's basket here at The Crossing should be pushed back into the woods around where #2's blue tee is, and I think hole #2 should just be shortened by maybe 80'.
Other Thoughts:
-The Crossing is another good course. I like Potter's Grove better since it has more uniqueness, less hazards to avoid, and a few less fillers. However the par fours at The Crossing are in my opinion, incredible! I like the few par fours at Potter's Grove a lot and the par fours at The Crossing are better than the par fours at Potter's Grove. That should say something! Craig says that #15-17 is the most boring part of the course. I actually liked #16 and #17. I thought #16 was fun. You have to hit a pretty small gap not far ahead of the tee pad and have your disc gently fade a bit to the right side. Both times, I threw a soft putter and it held the line the entire way both times. #17 is an uphill right to left backhand. The line is relatively tight but was created well for a more overstable disc to glide a bit before it hooks to the left.
-Anyone in the general disc golf audience can enjoy The Crossing. It has many holes that most players (including novices) could birdie and several holes that are difficult for pros. If you know when to play it safe and know which opportunities to capitalize on, then this course will be shreddable.
-Potter's Grove 3: Make it happen Andrew! You are saving disc golf in the triad! Keep on designing courses. Keep going until the box office is higher than what it was for The Patriot! Alternatively, just redesign Patriot. Please! Make Patriot like Potter's Grove. Some locals might be disappointed, but only for a little while. If you where to redesign Patriot, they'd be happier than they were before once they play it, if you were to redesign it. That course could be a whole lot better!! You have it in you! Please redesign Patriot.
I'd even start a petition for you and post it all over Facebook and label it "Save the Patriot with Andrew Runnfeldt!"
-Anyone in the general disc golf audience can enjoy The Crossing. It has many holes that most players (including novices) could birdie and several holes that are difficult for pros. If you know when to play it safe and know which opportunities to capitalize on, then this course will be shreddable.
-Potter's Grove 3: Make it happen Andrew! You are saving disc golf in the triad! Keep on designing courses. Keep going until the box office is higher than what it was for The Patriot! Alternatively, just redesign Patriot. Please! Make Patriot like Potter's Grove. Some locals might be disappointed, but only for a little while. If you where to redesign Patriot, they'd be happier than they were before once they play it, if you were to redesign it. That course could be a whole lot better!! You have it in you! Please redesign Patriot.
I'd even start a petition for you and post it all over Facebook and label it "Save the Patriot with Andrew Runnfeldt!"
