-
Discover new ways to elevate your game with the updated DGCourseReview app!
It's entirely free and enhanced with features shaped by user feedback to ensure your best experience on the course. (App Store or Google Play)
Veterans Park DGC reviews
7
0
wellsbranch250
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience:
10.3 years
659 played
639 reviews
Disc Golf Addict Factory 2+ years
Reviewed:
Played on:Oct 15, 2017
Played the course:once
Pros:
(2.234 Rating) A simplistic city park course.
- RECREATIONAL FRIENDLY - At 4,500 feet, and with simple obstacles, newer thru recreational players will like this course. There are a couple longer holes, to test and encourage the development of a bigger arm. There are a few short technical plays to test and encourage the development of greater accuracy. The hazards are minimal with just one small creek coming into play on a shot or two and a couple of areas with moderate overgrowth.
- ACEABILITY - Several chip shot ace runs. Holes (9) (10) and (11) are all 150 foot tunnel shots with lanes over 10 feet wide. Hole (12) is an obstacle free 200 footer that I dissatisfyingly achieved par. Hole (15) is a simple 165 foot putter hyzer around an evergreen tree. No doubt, skilled local players are racking up multiple aces here every year.
- COURSE MAP - A really nice looking course map at the entrance to the course. In addition, there are scorecards located here that have the course map on it as well. As of this review, this is only the fourth time I got a free scorecard and map.
- NAVIGATION - With the free map and scorecard combo, this course was really easy to navigate.
- QUICK PLAY - One of the quicker 18 holes courses I've played. As stated, it's a shorter length course. The holes generally stack close together but not to the point to cause any safety hazards.
- RECREATIONAL FRIENDLY - At 4,500 feet, and with simple obstacles, newer thru recreational players will like this course. There are a couple longer holes, to test and encourage the development of a bigger arm. There are a few short technical plays to test and encourage the development of greater accuracy. The hazards are minimal with just one small creek coming into play on a shot or two and a couple of areas with moderate overgrowth.
- ACEABILITY - Several chip shot ace runs. Holes (9) (10) and (11) are all 150 foot tunnel shots with lanes over 10 feet wide. Hole (12) is an obstacle free 200 footer that I dissatisfyingly achieved par. Hole (15) is a simple 165 foot putter hyzer around an evergreen tree. No doubt, skilled local players are racking up multiple aces here every year.
- COURSE MAP - A really nice looking course map at the entrance to the course. In addition, there are scorecards located here that have the course map on it as well. As of this review, this is only the fourth time I got a free scorecard and map.
- NAVIGATION - With the free map and scorecard combo, this course was really easy to navigate.
- QUICK PLAY - One of the quicker 18 holes courses I've played. As stated, it's a shorter length course. The holes generally stack close together but not to the point to cause any safety hazards.
Cons:
Veteran's Park is a typical city park course with minimal skill requirements and it's short on creativity.
- LACK OF CHALLENGE - The level of play here is geared for recreational players. Those at the intermediate level and above will not be tested by this layout. There are several holes without a tree in play. The holes that do have a few trees are all under 300 feet. The heavily wooded holes are all less than 200 feet and have fairways wider than 10 feet. Intermediate players should be able to birdie them all in ten rounds or so with maybe an exception on (8) if they can't throw 350 feet. For the bigger arms it could be 16 or 17 putter shots here. Advanced players should be able to shoot 10 down on consistent basis.
- CHARACTER - Upon arrival, I thought I was going to be wined and dined on this course. There was a practice basket, large course map and free scorecards w/ map. Unfortunately the comfort items and amenities after these beginning pleasantries are missing. No seating, little tee shading, simple but adequate tee signs, no multi tees and no alternate baskets.
- TEES - Most were not too bad but as a whole less than ideal. They are rubber mats with a traction texture. However, a few of them were uneven. Hole (4s) rubber mat was both uneven and had a small puddle in the center. Hole (11) had no pad at all.
- NATURAL BEAUTY - A touch below average. The biggest factors that influence me to give higher scores are water features, elevation and backdrop views. Veterans Park is void of two of these and the creek in play is not that eye popping. There were no major detractors or eyesores along the layout which is why I scored the course around average for natural beauty.
- UNIQUENESS - A string of mostly open holes, followed by 3 heavily wooded short holes, followed by another string of mostly open holes. All par 3s, only one shot over 350 feet and the most any one fairway twists is perhaps 10 degrees. Water comes into play only once on hole (2). By no means the worst diversity out there but it's very much below average for an 18 hole layout.
- NO ELEVATION - I've played four courses in the Birmingham metro area as of this review, and this course is by far the flattest. Maybe (17) changes by 10 feet or so but that is it.
- LACK OF CHALLENGE - The level of play here is geared for recreational players. Those at the intermediate level and above will not be tested by this layout. There are several holes without a tree in play. The holes that do have a few trees are all under 300 feet. The heavily wooded holes are all less than 200 feet and have fairways wider than 10 feet. Intermediate players should be able to birdie them all in ten rounds or so with maybe an exception on (8) if they can't throw 350 feet. For the bigger arms it could be 16 or 17 putter shots here. Advanced players should be able to shoot 10 down on consistent basis.
- CHARACTER - Upon arrival, I thought I was going to be wined and dined on this course. There was a practice basket, large course map and free scorecards w/ map. Unfortunately the comfort items and amenities after these beginning pleasantries are missing. No seating, little tee shading, simple but adequate tee signs, no multi tees and no alternate baskets.
- TEES - Most were not too bad but as a whole less than ideal. They are rubber mats with a traction texture. However, a few of them were uneven. Hole (4s) rubber mat was both uneven and had a small puddle in the center. Hole (11) had no pad at all.
- NATURAL BEAUTY - A touch below average. The biggest factors that influence me to give higher scores are water features, elevation and backdrop views. Veterans Park is void of two of these and the creek in play is not that eye popping. There were no major detractors or eyesores along the layout which is why I scored the course around average for natural beauty.
- UNIQUENESS - A string of mostly open holes, followed by 3 heavily wooded short holes, followed by another string of mostly open holes. All par 3s, only one shot over 350 feet and the most any one fairway twists is perhaps 10 degrees. Water comes into play only once on hole (2). By no means the worst diversity out there but it's very much below average for an 18 hole layout.
- NO ELEVATION - I've played four courses in the Birmingham metro area as of this review, and this course is by far the flattest. Maybe (17) changes by 10 feet or so but that is it.
Other Thoughts:
Veteran's Park is an adequate course that will no doubt produce some new disc golf addicts. I personally enjoyed running at the baskets but was underwhelmed by the uniqueness and challenges presented. The course could really benefit by adding a second set of longer tees where space is available and also would benefit by planting some trees. I have a feeling that the local players that have advanced beyond the rec level are constantly planning trips to courses outside the area. For those looking for a more advanced level course, I highly recommend checking out these Birmingham area courses; George Ward, Clay and Inverness. Inverness is the most challenging of the three and it's currently the top course I have played/rated in Alabama (29 Alabama courses played as of this review).
