Mandeville, LA

The Pines DGC

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3.255(based on 18 reviews)
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13 0
MrFrosty
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 31.6 years 764 played 387 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Pining For Respect 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 13, 2021 Played the course:once

Pros:

Pelican Park is a multi-use park with several fields , and a dog park which looks to be in use often . It also features an 18 hole disc golf course . There are signs to help direct you to the start of the course . Plenty of parking near hole #1 and there are bathrooms up near the skate park end .
THE EQUIPMENT - The tee pads are natural . They look to have been well used , which is a plus and a minus . The plus side shows you exactly where to tee off . The minus is that it can hold water . There is a kiosk with map close to hole #1 . The tee signs are good . This course features alternate pin changes from time to time . Blue is the shorter pin setting and Gold is the longer placements . There is a sign near hole #1 that will tell you which position it is in . This day , I played the Golds . There are also some good informative Next Tee signs to help with navigating this spread out course .
The baskets are older Mach 5 models , not numbered but still catch well .
THE TERRAIN - The course is almost parking-lot-flat . There are some holes with some trees to force you to pick a lane to throw through , like 3 and 10-13 , but it is set up more park-style . Open bomber holes dot the landscape . There are a couple of spots where water comes into play . a kind of runoff near hole 5 , and a drive across a couple of creek holes in the back of the course . Some good basket placements make the course more enjoyable . Some sand will greet you here and there .The grass was cut , but some outer edges of the back part of the course could use some clearing .The course isn't an eyesore , by any means , but there is also no natural beauty to it , either .
THE HIGHLIGHTS - There were no memorable holes for me , but that doesn't mean that there weren't good holes . #3 is a 609' hole that starts in the open and drags you through a series of low hanging trees . There are some open lanes to throw into , but the park is windy and combined with the trees , will make this a challenging hole . #4 ( 444' ) was wide open until the end , with a nice basket placement in the brush and up a small hill . #11 ( 432' ) is a drive through the trees with both left and right handed lanes that tighten up near the basket . Hole #16 ( 360' ) starts in the open , but the basket is protected by a fir tree line and a few random trees . The wind will make some of these come into play . #18 is a good finishing hole ( 512' ) Low hanging trees that stand in the fairway have branches that will swat a good drive down . If you can get a good drive off and away from some of the branches , you will have a look at the basket , which has a more open green .
THE TIME - It took me about 70 minutes to play the course . Foursomes grasping the course will finish in a little over 2 hours , depending on whether the pins are set in the Blue or Gold positions .
DISC RISK - Disc risk is low if you avoid the water on 5 , and some of the brush near 15-16 . A tree could hang your driver up , but that could be said with most courses .
The course gets play , so I am thinking that the parks department at least keeps up with a lot of the maintenance .

Cons:

There are some concerns with the course .
#1 Safety - a lot is going on in the park , and some of the holes play long . wind + length = possible bad day for Someone . Exercise caution when playing here in prime time .
#2 EQUIPMENT - I am not a fan of worn natural pads , but I can't stand it when the pads have roots running through them . Since the course is using natural tees anyway , how about moving the ones affected by the roots backwards , forwards , or to the side .
#3 HOLE #2 . I don't know if the storms from the previous week were most of the contributing factor , but there was some deep looking water in front of and flanking the #2 basket . Add the fact the the other side has a little reservoir filled with water , and you had one strip of lengthwise dry land to shoot for . I never saw someone attempt a Driver Suicide by unleashing a throw towards this hole . I might rethink placing this hole somewhere else
#4 NAVIGATION - Even with the NEXT TEE signs , this course can be hard to follow . After finishing 3 , you can immediately see the sign for #7 , but #4 is across the road . The movement from #13 to walking across the road and over a bridge to the #14 tee will mess you up . Make sure you take a picture of the kiosk or print the online DGR map . It will save you time .
#5 LONG WALKS - There are going to be long walks during your round . 3-4 , 6-7 , 9-10 , 13-14 , and the notorious walk from the 18 basket to the parking lot . Bring water .
Wind can be a pro or a con to many . It will get windy .
It can't be helped , but the course is very flat .

Other Thoughts:

This course was just what Eastern Louisiana and Mandeville needed . Course designers Josh Edwards and Mike Kernan didn't have an exclusive part of the park to feature , so they had to improvise , and make a course that winds through many of the park uses ( They did a good job ) . Will the course ever blow you away ? No , but it will give you a chance to test yourself with a course less than an hour from New Orleans . I think the park should consider either making a 2 pin per hole or a 2 tee pad per hole change . The pads would be easier and less expensive and keep everyone happy . Make sure you take a look at the NO team Facebook page along with the park page to see if your round coincides with any doubles or single league play , or a tournament .
MY RECOMMENDATION - A good play for the locals and even newbies or families , especially when in the Blue positions . Travelers and course baggers will like that it is a course just off of I-12 and US 190 , making it a good stop on the way from/to New Orleans . There are enough long holes in the Gold positions to keep it interesting enough for the intermediates , and practice for the pros . Don't go too far out of your way to play here if not a local , but it IS WORTH A TRY . !
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12 2
blake833
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 14.5 years 161 played 142 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Needs some more design 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Dec 6, 2016 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

This is a course built primarily on long open holes. It would be pretty hard to lose a disc.

This course is easy to find, in a friendly park with many people around.

There a few holes with some trees around that make you be a little creative, and one that goes by a dog park. Super plus.

With a few exceptions, this course is pretty easy to navigate

Cons:

Gets pretty repetitive in the long position with many open holes with only a few obstacles. If you're rated 1000+ you shouldn't have a problem making par on most of these, but for us locals the average stats on each hole can speak for themselves.

Navigating this course can be pretty difficult in a couple of places, if you don't take a picture of the map with you, and reference it. There are some looong walks between holes: 6 to 7, 9 to 10, and 18 back to the starting point are the longest. Hole 13 to 14 is about a 60 yard walk across a street and over a bridge, with no sign, and it is a much shorter walk.

The teepads are worn dirt, and this park doesn't drain very well. So even if you find a dry place to throw from, you'll probably be walking through the mud on most fairways.

In the long position, there are 7 par 3's that are over 400ft long, with some woods in the way, and no clear fairway on a couple of those. (see adv stats of holes 8, 12, and 14) So not a beginner course. Try and come out when the baskets are in the blue position for some more manageable beginner holes, or some ace runs for intermediate, but still a couple challenging par 3s.

Other Thoughts:

First off, I should say that this course really needs two different reviews for the blue baskets and the gold baskets. The two positions change the holes enough to make this a completely different course. This rating is based on the park and course overall. It would be really easy to rate these courses separately though.

This course is built for big arms, and needs second tee-pads to be more accessible to players without big throwing strength (400ft plus), or even another technical course in the area to compliment it. (This goes double when the baskets are in the gold position) With a few trees added in around the blue positions, and some concrete tee-pads, this course could easily be a 3.5-4 disc course.

I think just moving some of the tee pads as little as 6 ft to avoid roots, or sometimes just to line up an alley to better match the flight of a disc, would also improve the course. As it is right now, the growth of the foliage in the course, and some of the changes to the land the park has made, makes it a different course than it even was 5 years ago when some of these reviews were written (or at least, when the pictures were taken).

If you're driving by on I-12, don't expect it to be a quick stop. If you're in New Orleans, there are at least 3 better courses in the area for you to try out. And Parc des Familles is a MUST play!

EDIT 7/14/2018: This was my first review, and as I'm sure those of you who have been playing a while, as my course experience has expanded, so have my standards. After playing many more courses, and truly top-notch courses across the country, I'm changing my review from a 3 to a 2.5 not because I think it's gotten worse, but to more accurately reflect it's position calibrated on a broader experience.
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9 3
The Valkyrie Kid
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 46.4 years 1562 played 1507 reviews
2.50 star(s)

More Throwing Than Golfing! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Oct 8, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

The Pines DGC is located in Pelican Park which is a very, very multi purpose park. There were a lot of activities going on this Sunday afternoon. The dog park was loaded. The soccer fields were busy. There was a lacrosse practice happening. Compared to these, the disc golf course was relatively quiet.

There was a sign announcing that the gold course will be played today. I thought the wording was a little strange. There is a course rules sign. The tee signs are nice and large, giving all the usual information. The tee pads are natural and not always the best. The baskets are DGA models but don't have a number. A number would have helped me out there today. There are some signs helping to point out the next tee. They were most helpful.

From the golds, the course is intermediate long with only two holes in the 200' range, seven in the 300' range, seven in the 400' range, # 18 at 572' and # 3 at 609'. Although long, recreational players can Play this course without much fear. There is no water, no hills and little brush to deal with. It's a fairly comfortable course to drag yourself around on.

I'm going to agree with previous reviewers on two important points. There are some nice, pedestrian type holes but none that stand out as special or beautiful or fun, or even, extra challenging.

I think there is a nice mix of open, tunnels and technical holes with some tight lines through the trees.
.

Cons:

The course is flat.

Natural pads are filled with roots and would be slippery when wet.

A couple of open holes were average and mostly, boring.

No standout holes.

The way the course is set up, playing from the golds is long and too dependent on having a big arm. Rec players won't much enjoy a round from the golds. Having two tee pads would remedy this.


Other Thoughts:

A course with sub-standard tee pads, total flatness and no "wow" holes is not close to getting a 3.5 rating from me. Those 3.5 rated courses have more going for them than length. They usually entail some elevation, beauty and some great holes to earn a lofty 3.5 rating. I enjoyed my round here but wouldn't necessarily be interested in returning. Maybe to participate in a league or tournament of some kind but doubtful to return for any casual rounds.
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2 5
gpttigers
Experience: 15 played 7 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Good Course with potential 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Aug 19, 2017 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

-We maintained course
-Mix of different shots and angles needed
-Good tee signs but some additional directions would help

Cons:

-The tee boxes could use some definition even if they don't have concrete pads
-Holes are somewhat spread out so be prepared to walk

Other Thoughts:

The course forces you to throw a number of different shots. Most holes felt fair. If this course had concrete pads it would be fantastic. Who doesn't like the mix of open bomber holes and technical holes.
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3 2
Buckwheat
Experience: 8.4 years 7 played 7 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Home course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 17, 2017 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Good course, easy to get around and baskets are easy to find. Also the course is fairly well maintained and in a great complex. The blue setup is a good beginner layout.

Cons:

Tee areas need work and some tree trimming/removal is needed on the back 9. With some work, it could be a very good course.

Other Thoughts:

Park by the batting cages and play 7 & 8 as warmup as 18 ends at the cages. Don't throw a disk in the uncut area as they are loaded with sticker bushes.
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3 5
Connor_DiscGolf
Experience: 9.3 years 9 played 8 reviews
3.00 star(s)

3 Stars 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 30, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

•Mixture of Trees and Open Space
•Challenging terrain features

Cons:

•Pedestrians on Sidewalk (OB)
•Too much open space
•Near by dog park
•Hard to find visual on baskets

Other Thoughts:

Water plays in on first hole... drain ditches on course. Bug Spray needed in Humid weather. Bathrooms on site.
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12 0
c_a_miller
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 12.5 years 299 played 209 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Good Course on the North Side of the Lake 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 5, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

Disclaimer: When I played the course, the baskets were in the long position.

The course is set in a big sporting complex, yet the course feels isolated in most parts from the rest of the park even with walking in between baseball fields and near the skate park. I never felt like I could have been in anyone's way.

The holes were all fairly mixed in variety of the foliage. Most of the holes were long, but the holes varied from playing in the trees to playing alongside the few drainage ditches that play near the course.

The maps were super helpful. It took me a while to figure out that there were two pin locations and not two sets of tee pads, but once I figured it out, it was easy to tell where I was shooting for even if the basket was not in view. Hole 3 is a good example of this as it plays along the ditch then dumps off 600' to the right into the trees. Without the map, it would have been impossible to figure out where we were throwing to.

I especially enjoyed Hole 4. It was a big bomb hole, but you needed to be precise on where you were throwing to avoid landing in the trees and away from the basket. I also enjoyed holes 8 and 9 as they were more technical than the rest of the holes that needed a low straight shot to reach the basket. They are not as long as the other holes, which is nice.

Cons:

I feel like I would have enjoyed the course more if the pins were in the shorter position. Don't get me wrong, I still enjoyed it, but I just did not like having to throw long hole after long hole when they all felt the same. There were not too many holes that stuck out in mind as great holes, all pretty typical, long holes.

I agree with the sentiment of a few other reviewers that say that two tees are better than two pins. Apparently the pins are not switched regularly, which can be a bummer if you want to play something shorter.

Navigation was bad. I went from hole 3 and then started playing hole 7 and did not even realize until the end hole 8 that I played incorrectly. There are a lot of long walks especially 6 to 7, 9 to 10, 17 to 18 and the infamous walk back to your car. The map at the beginning of the course is great, I recommend taking a picture of it or use the map here on DGCR for an easier time.

Other Thoughts:

This is a good course, which is a good thing because it is the only one north of the lake. I enjoyed my rounds here and would love to come back.

I had initially wanted to play this course on a road trip as a pit stop, but if this course is in the long position, it will not be a quick stop, which is ok. It is worth taking two hours to play the whole thing and get the most out of it.
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9 1
TertiaryObjective
Experience: 9.5 years 27 played 5 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Good for all skill levels 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 6, 2015 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Map at every tee
Well-maintained grounds
Nice atmosphere with lots of activites going on without being in the way of the course
Numerous types of throws required for intermediate players trying to maintain par
Approachable for beginners - I took two friends on the course who never played before and they had a great time
Baskets moved between blue and gold regularly

Cons:

Long walks between holes - in blue basket positions, you have to back-track the entire length of 18, then walk the entire length of 8 to get back to parking lot
No elevation changes
High traffic weekday evenings - park exits onto a highway with no stoplight, tends to back up when after-school practices end
No tee pads, some dusty tee-off areas with plenty of roots to trip over
No hole numbers on baskets - some are close together

Other Thoughts:

I played 6 times during my visit in Sep-Oct 2015 over the course of 11 days. 3 times in Blue and 3 times in Gold. Difficulty gradually increases from Hole 1-8 which serves as a nice warm-up and confidence boost early in the game. The trees jump out at you on Hole 8 - got to keep the disc low and straight or throw a roller. Hole 11 and 12 don't have obvious fairways - your throwing between a lot of trees. All the culverts were dry during my visit, but some small water hazards to be aware of if you fade wayyy left on Hole 2 and 14. Watch your right side on hole 15 and 16, the rough is THICK. Poor approach accuracy on hole 5 in the gold position is disaster. Hole 6 in the gold position - just accept the bogey and move on.
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9 1
Kdeskew22
Experience: 1 played 1 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Nice course with greater potential 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jan 4, 2015 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-Course map at hole #1 is posted in open view which is important given that the signage on the course is somewhat misleading ( see cons). There was even printed maps to take, which was great to see the first time I played the course.
-The two sets of pin placements for each hole is great, as the pin positions seem to be alternated somewhat frequently.
-There are a good variety of holes (i.e. long distance, open, slightly wooded, short distance, a couple water hazards especially after it rains)

Cons:

-Signage from one hole to another can be confusing on the course if pin placement is blue. However, signs are accurate when pin placement is gold position. Hey, at least there are signs, amiright!
-There are a few holes that are rather far apart, but I'm hoping that a second set of tee pads will be installed at some point due to this, or even the addition of alternate holes, another 9 or 18!
- I have not seen any info regarding tournaments or group play. I think this would be great, as I have seen a good number of disc golfers on the course on a consistent basis.

Other Thoughts:

How long is the course you ask?! Well, I recently ran the course, (speed golf, if you will) I started on the back nine b/c there were two groups going off the front and the running app on my phone stated the route I took to play all 18 holes was 2 miles exactly. After running/playing the back 9 I ran b/w the football/soccer field and the dog park to get to hole #1 rather than around the dog park on the skate park side. So, if you see a dude running after every shot, that's me! Great exercise btw.

-Lastly, I'm curious to know who keeps up with the course.. as in who moves the pins, etc.. Is it the Pelican Park workers, themselves? How can we get some tournaments going? Is it a PDGA recognized course?

live well and enjoy
-Kevin
[email protected]
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9 1
wivibi
Experience: 18.4 years 11 played 3 reviews
4.00 star(s)

It's All We Got! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 12, 2014 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Family friendly! I see more families playing disc golf at this course than I have on the South Shore courses.

Great and curious staff. Stop and talk to them. Get to know them. They keep the course clean and cut for us!!! Mutual respect goes a long way.

Most other reviewers have hit the nail on the head with this course.

There is a good mix between wide open fairways and wooded areas. Trash cans at a lot of tees help keep the course clean, too. There is plenty of parking and two restrooms with vending machines. You can rent discs from the batting cages, when they are open.

If you find a disc, and you're honest, turn it into the batting cages or front office and they will call and return the lost disc. I was called about a month ago for one of mine.

This is a course you want to bring your friends to, who have never played, to get them hooked. There are tons of easy routes that make beginners feel comfortable. Yet, at the same time, an experienced player won't feel bored.

I personally feel that there aren't any water hazards in dry months. We play, when there is water then it's a hazard, when there's not then it's not a hazard. It makes it interesting because one week there can be water while the next week the water has drained. Also a plus for beginners.

Tons of room to add a second course out here too!! Hint, hint.

Cons:

Course layout is a bit rough as mentioned.

Keep in mind this is mainly a family park for recreational sports, so ALCOHOL IS NOT ALLOWED. I have had many friends opt out of playing at this course because of this, which is ashame because some feel you can't have one without the other. I guess ball golf agrees : ).

When it rains a good bit, I feel the course is very soggy with lots of puddles. Hole 4's entire fairway was a puddle after 2 days of rain. The course was still technically playable, but I just played the front 9 because my shoes and socks were soaked. So, keep that in mind.

Two baskets per hole was a great idea, but two tee pads would have been better. I called to see if there was a schedule for when the baskets get moved and I was told weekly to bi monthly. This makes it difficult to have flexible league play, but we adjusted the pars on the long course to reflect the differences. Hopefully, we will see a second tee box per hole soon.

It also looks like this course is not PDGA approved. Anybody know if this is correct?

Other Thoughts:

Would love to see 2 tee boxes per hole.

Other than that I am just thrilled that there are 3 courses in the NOLA area now. I play this course close to weekly, weather permitting.

Ranked this a 4 because It's All We Got on the North Shore. And it beats driving 30 minutes and a toll to the next available course.

Hope to see tournament play here soon, too!
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7 0
machfive916
Experience: 10.7 years 9 played 5 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Machfive 916's review of The Pines DGC 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 19, 2014 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

f you are a disc golfer that lives on the South shore of Lake Pontchartrain, you only have 2 courses to choose from; City Park and Lafreniere Park. If you truly enjoy this game, you owe it to yourself to cross the Causeway bridge and head over to The Pines disc golf course in Pelican Park. The park is only 5-10 minutes from the foot of the Causeway and offers much more than disc golf, to include batting cages, a skate park, a dog park, soccer and softball fields as well as a sand volleyball court. However, I will only be reviewing the disc gold course.

This 18 hole course is nothing like the south shore variants. The tee pads are natural and contain a mixture of soft sand this is fairly stable when the conditions are dry. However, I would not recommend playing this course for at least 48 hours after any rain activity. There are several drainage ditches that can come into play for the 1st 9 holes, and some of them had water in them, even though it had not rained in almost a week when I played. I can easily see how this course could be unplayable, or not very fun after a rain. I've heard that "very large, if fairly shallow, puddles cover large parts of holes 15, 16, 17 and 18 after modest rains; and hole 2 develops a small pond during the wetter months."

There are lots of trees of trees here, with most of them being large pine trees that will ruin a good throw at least a few times every round you play. This course's location lends itself to windy conditions, so be careful on those windy days, or you'll be chasing errant discs all over the place.

I was not very fond of the layout, as there is a lot of walking from the basket of one hole to the tee pad of the next hole. Perhaps a little more thought could have been given here. For example, the distances between holes 4&5, 5&6 and 6&7 are nearly 300 feet; and a first timer will have a hard time finding the next hole without a map. Hole 9 & 10 are separated by a dog park as well. Some signage pointing the way to the next hole would be nice.

Some of the trickier holes (baskets) can be:

Hole 2: If you find yourself to the left and in the water/marsh, you may be out of a disc.

Hole 3: The pro tees offer a 600+ foot shot, so bring out the big guns but try to avoid the trees.

Holes 7 & 8 have enough trees to make a straight shot nearly impossible.

Hole 10: Trees, trees and more trees. Unless you can throw with laser accuracy, you are bound to hit a tree. I've tried to throw out over the soccer field and hook it bak into play near the basket, which is well protected with more foliage.

Holes 12-18: These are all long holes with more trees. Holes 12-16 are bordered on the right by woods, and if your disc goes in them, you will probably not be able rto find it. And I speak from experience.

Overall, I like this course. Even though it's flat and has no real elevation changes, it offers some good challenges via water, woods, fence lines, dog parks and a million trees throughout the course. Just be sure to play when the course is dry.
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5 1
Fntsygamr
Experience: 9.4 years 62 played 27 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Great course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 19, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

The area in which this course is set is amazing. Very large complex, just follow the signs from the entrance to the dog park/disc golf area. Plenty of parking at the start of the course. Large map of the course near hole #1 and a legend to let you know which layout is being used; blue or yellow. The tee signs are in exceptional shape and the maps for the holes are spot on. Natural tee pads with some soft sand material makes for good footing to plant and get some drives off. Mixture of technical shots and long drives makes this a must play while in the area.

Cons:

There is nothing that I can say other than this course can be a tough one during the middle of the day in the humid weather. Other than that, not much bad to say.

Other Thoughts:

Being from California and only in the area for vacation, I enjoyed this course very much. Met a few locals that allowed me to play between them. A nice couple walking their dog showed me where a few baskets were located. Another duo of local teens were playing behind me. One of them aced a 400 foot shot on #2 and allowed me to sign his disc since I witnessed it. A great pleasure for sure and I was glad to be there to see it.
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3 5
Danielson329
Experience: 13.6 years 54 played 1 reviews
3.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 8, 2014 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Not going to list the pro's because they've been mentioned already in every review.

Cons:

Not going to bother with the con's either except one, THE WIND. I can't believe no one has mentioned the wind before. Leave the understable disc in the car. 15 mph+ almost everyday and constantly changing direction. I've been playing this course at least twice a week since April and theirs been maybe 7-10 calm days. But that being said playing on windy days here will definatly make you a better player.
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2 4
Puzzlenerd
Experience: 11.7 years 11 played 1 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Repetitive 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 12, 2014 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

This course is new and there are two possible pin placements for each hole. There are generally not many people walking around the actual course but there is a dog park in the middle so you are always around people

Cons:

Very repetitive and flat. I live in the area so I'm used to flat, but when the drainage ditch with "levees" can boast the highest point, it's flat.
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11 0
sisyphus
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 13.2 years 401 played 385 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Check for basket positions first? 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 27, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

Pelican Park is an astonishing sports complex with far too many features to mention. Near the disc golf course alone, there are generous parking areas, ball fields, volleyball, a skate park, dog park, concessions, bathrooms, trails and even some woods. The course itself is a bit of a monster for weaker arms, with one set of tees (currently dirt), and Blue and Gold basket positions. The shorter setup has five shots under 250' and six over 340'. The longer course has only two holes under 330' and nine (!) over 400'.

Starting with the kiosk and map (copies available for players there), the course has astoundingly wonderful signage, leading you through the occasionally long-ish walks between holes. Unfortunately, the lack of elevation available in the park severely limits the 'wow' potential of the design. Working with what was available to them, the designers created some shots that need to wend their way through low ceilings on the latter part of the front nine, and there are at least three holes on the back nine in some decently thick park woods. They've raised the #6 basket creatively on a stump to make the 'green' more interesting.

This is a newer course, and a wonderfully clean, well-maintained park.

Cons:

The drainage ravines are used too many times on the front nine (3, 5, 6, & 8) as 'natural' challenges that don't feel, well, 'natural'. Hole 8 has a muddy run just about right at the driving distance for weaker arms (just 70' before the short pin position), and both 8 and 9 have a major walking path that will pose a great temptation to undisciplined players to go for that lane rather than the low (or high) shot intended.

There are some hefty walks from basket to next tee. For instance, you'll cover about 300 feet from 4 to 5, and 6 to 7 is so far there needed to be three signs directing you there. You'll have to really do a bit of hiking back to your car after 18, too.

Being a new course, there aren't permanent tees yet, but I can see them being a huge plus in the future. This upgrade would really make this a cool course if they spend a couple of years experimenting with multiple tee options. They've got plenty of space here to make this a two tee pad, multiple basket position course.

Other Thoughts:

Disclaimer: I do not want to give the Pines short shrift, but I actually only played the front nine holes, and drove around to have a look at the back nine. We were on a road trip to see my folks in Texas, and I was pressed for time. So this review might best be noted as that of a traveling disc golfer swinging through to stretch his legs. Personally, I was looking forward to trying the shorter course, but discovered upon arrival that the baskets were in the longs. It would be great if someone local would keep that information updated in the 'course conditions' whenever they're moved.

Even so, it is easy to appreciate what they've built here: a tourney-caliber 18 hole course with all the infrastructure needed.
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8 1
Doofenshmirtz
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 12.4 years 124 played 72 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Nice course if you like hiking. 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jul 12, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

This course has new baskets, very good signage and well marked navigational aids. I got mixed up on one of the holes but it is my fault for not paying attention.

There is a nice mix of holes that are short and long as noted by others. There are two areas with plenty of trees that provide some interesting hole layouts. The OB is generally fair and you are much more likely to have problems with trees than OB.

The designers seemed to have paid more attention to creating good hole layouts than they did to overall layout and this is a generally good thing with respect to the holes themselves, although it leads to long walks between holes as noted below.

Cons:

There are really too many wide open holes. The course designers worked with what they had, but there are two areas of the course in particular where tee shots are generally unobstructed.

In another area (Holes 10-12) the apparent unwillingness to cut any trees has left a lack of any defined fairway and strongly encourages throws out over soccer and lacrosse fields and a roadway.

There is an awful lot of hiking between holes on this course. From 6 to 7, 9 to 10 and from 18 back to the parking lot. I haven't measured it, but I would bet at least half the walking on this course is between holes including back to your car after 18. Just the walk back to your car from the 18th basket can be a 1/4 mile.

The elevated basket placement on hole 6 is gimmicky. Welcome to Disc Golf's version of Putt Putt after your wide open drive. This is apparently an attempt to make a wide open hole that follows two wide open holes more interesting.

The course is utterly flat. There is no elevation change to speak of although hole 5 does use a very small levee fairly well.

The course holds water after rains. Very large, if fairly shallow, puddles cover large parts of holes 15, 16, 17 and 18 after modest rains. Hole 2 develops a small pond during the wetter months.

The tee boxes are dirt. They were generally in good shape even while the rest of the course was wet, but one was on the front edge of a puddle (if you go past the tee markers, you're in a potentially slippery and actually very wet place), one had a puddle developing in the middle of the tee box. This is a new course so I hope concrete tees are eventually placed.

Other Thoughts:

The designers have done a reasonably good job with what they had to work with, which was a big flat area with two groves of trees and some large open areas with a ditch running through. IMO a bit of selective tree removal could improve a few of the holes. This course isn't going to make you want to come to Mandeville just for the disc golf, but if you are in the area and looking to throw, it's pretty good.
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7 0
Big Lew
Experience: 34.9 years 5 played 3 reviews
3.00 star(s)

1st North shore course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 5, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

Nice mix of long and short holes. Some beautiful holes among oak and pine trees. Located in a great park. Good maps and score cards are available. Nice tee signs. Vending areas and restrooms available near the skate park by hole 6 and 7.

Cons:

If you play just the front 9 you'll wind up back at parking lot by #1. But the back nine does not flow as well and you will have a nice hike back to the parking lot after finishing 18. But this could be avoided by numbering or playing the holes differently. seems like going straight from hole 6 to 10 and playing 7-9 last might be better.

#6 is a silly gimmick hole. At the end of the nice long fair way you'll find the basket mounted on top of a 6 foot tall tree stump so the basket is about 9 feet in the air.

Other Thoughts:

Glad there is finally a DGC on the North Shore!
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14 0
Qikly
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 12.3 years 181 played 150 reviews
3.50 star(s)

The Course NOLA Needed 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:May 29, 2018 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

This course presents a wide variety of shots and a challenging array of holes, from open bombers to tight, low ceiling tunnel shots to tree-weaving holes in the woods. It makes the best possible use of the park's landscape to provide a memorable, engaging 18 holes that have me using every disc in my bag and shot in my repertoire, and inventing a few more along the way out of necessity. There are even a few elevation changes (elevated basket on 6!) which, while minimal by northern standards, are noticeable in the flat south.

Although most of these holes are par 3s, many lie on the challenging side. It often takes more than a single good drive or upshot to make par: I find this course demands that I chain together a series of quality shots if I want to put up a good score. Mistakes and lapses are punished, but not overly so: most of the pars feel earned, rather than being gimmes. At the same time, there are enough user friendly holes that I don't feel like I'm getting senselessly beaten up on.

For an area already possessing two solid courses which lie on the shorter end of the spectrum, it's refreshing to play a course with such long and open distance shots. Even though there are only four or five of such holes, they do wonders to add variety to the round.

While it's often clear what shot you're being put on, a lot of the holes possess several options, which tests creativity in an engaging way: I've enjoyed experimenting with the lines I take on numerous holes.

Many of the holes feel memorable in full: rather than simply requiring you to make a single shot, they often provide a more prolonged challenge which adds to their experience and degree of memorableness.

Water is a factor on some holes, but as it mostly consists of shallow streams and drainage ditches, the chances of losing a disc are minimized.

Each hole contains a pair of alternate basket positions (a first in the area, I believe), increasing replay value. This course plays a number of different ways depending on which baskets are positioned where.

Very disc golf friendly park to play: outside foot traffic is minimized, bathrooms and water fountains are easily accessible, signage is very clear, both at the tee (wonderful tee signs) and when progressing to less-obvious holes.

Cons:

A few of the holes seem a bit like throwaway holes, particularly the last two; perhaps they just seem that way in comparison to the preceding.

I would have liked to have seen some more novelty/extreme shots (extreme hyzers, memorable hazards, that sort of thing): while I like that most holes don't rely on making one shot to make or break them, having a few very unique lines in there would have made things more memorable.

Some of the shorter (blue) pin positions feel like clear downgrades for the hole. I like the push for variety, but for probably half the holes the longer position seems clearly superior.

While the surroundings are attractive enough, I certainly wouldn't consider them scenic by any definition.

Other Thoughts:

This is exactly the kind of course the area needed: its more open, longer style is an excellent and welcome complement to City Park and Lafreniere. Holes 3-6 (609', 444', 347', and 400' in the long position) almost seem like statements to me, making it clear that this course is of a different ilk than its neighbors.

Had I the choice, I would probably rate this course a 3.75. I'd initially leaned towards a 4, but after some time playing this course I came to feel that the intermittent open holes keep this course from reaching the "must play" apex. Still, it's very solid. A lot of time and attention to detail went into this course, and I think they did a great job in creating a unique disc golf experience for the area. Definitely a memorable one in my eyes.
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