Windlestrae Park - Hennings Field reviews
15
0
DIssenting Feels At Hennings Field
Reviewed:
Played on:Oct 22, 2022
Played the course:once
Pros:
+ The distances are brief to encourage the beginner.
+ The baskets are numbered.
+ There are nine playable holes, but...
+ The baskets are numbered.
+ There are nine playable holes, but...
Cons:
- ... It's underwhelmingly simple, mostly flat and open.
- No tee signs of any kind.
- No navigation signs.
- The tees are just dirt or gravel.
- No tee signs of any kind.
- No navigation signs.
- The tees are just dirt or gravel.
Other Thoughts:
At least this course is better than its extinct predecessor that used to be on the other side of the park. There are nine tees, nine fairways and nine baskets. It's just a shame that Hennings Field at Windlestrae Park doesn't see much variation in its holes.
Things gets somewhat woodsy at hole5. That one was my favorite to play because it has the player work around a bend with trees on both sides. It is the most challenging fairway here. Hole6 is kind of similar, except with a much wider tunnel and no curve. Other than those two, the course is wide open.
I liked looking at hole4 because the player can see most of the course from the top of that modest hill. Plus, I was there in mid-autumn, which meant that I enjoyed some color-changing leaves. As for the elevation, there are some noticeable changes up or down, yet they don't really sell the course to experienced players. If you're new to the sport, it might be a different story, but this collection of nine doesn't really shine as a good example of disc golf. The infrastructure is severely lacking, too. Tees are just gravel, and there is no signage.
It's a fine place to go for course baggers or beginners looking for a low-pressure round. As a practice course, it does the trick, but play somewhere else if you are seeking to throw satisfying gliders or dodge trees. It's not even a good course for getting lost in the woods anymore.
Things gets somewhat woodsy at hole5. That one was my favorite to play because it has the player work around a bend with trees on both sides. It is the most challenging fairway here. Hole6 is kind of similar, except with a much wider tunnel and no curve. Other than those two, the course is wide open.
I liked looking at hole4 because the player can see most of the course from the top of that modest hill. Plus, I was there in mid-autumn, which meant that I enjoyed some color-changing leaves. As for the elevation, there are some noticeable changes up or down, yet they don't really sell the course to experienced players. If you're new to the sport, it might be a different story, but this collection of nine doesn't really shine as a good example of disc golf. The infrastructure is severely lacking, too. Tees are just gravel, and there is no signage.
It's a fine place to go for course baggers or beginners looking for a low-pressure round. As a practice course, it does the trick, but play somewhere else if you are seeking to throw satisfying gliders or dodge trees. It's not even a good course for getting lost in the woods anymore.
10
0
Something Playable at Windlestrae 2+ years
Reviewed:
Played on:Sep 20, 2020
Played the course:once
Pros:
+ This is a short course, very suitable for beginners - although some of the treelines along the property borders are pretty thick with undergrowth
+ The holes are nothing special, but #4 deserves a callout for using all the elevation it can find, making for a fun 200 foot floater you can throw straight or on an RH hyzer.
+ The holes are nothing special, but #4 deserves a callout for using all the elevation it can find, making for a fun 200 foot floater you can throw straight or on an RH hyzer.
Cons:
- Natural tees (currently dirt cutouts from the grass), and nothing in the way of signage, but it looks like improvements are planned
- The first two holes border an athletic field, and activities at the field would interfere with play. There's a huge unused field on the property, and I don't know how well it's mowed, so there might be danger of losing your discs on #4 and #7
- The first two holes border an athletic field, and activities at the field would interfere with play. There's a huge unused field on the property, and I don't know how well it's mowed, so there might be danger of losing your discs on #4 and #7
Other Thoughts:
~ After playing the partial course at Windlestrae about a year ago, I was happy to see someone took the initiative to create this nine holer with baskets that could be seen in the distance as we tried to figure out that other course. I don't know if these 9 holes were meant to be part of a larger layout, or if designer Chuck Vesay simply figured out a way to map out a nine starting and finishing at Hennings. But either way, this is a welcome addition
10
0
Promising Beginning 2+ years
Reviewed:
Updated:
Played on:Aug 13, 2020
Played the course:once
Pros:
Last year I played the old Windlestrae course starting over at Zehr Tract parking lot and it was interesting, more walking and trying to find baskets, with help of the Da Vinci Code, than playing. A one-time diversion I had no intention of repeating. That one was originally planned and executed as an 18 holer, but decimated by complications down to a ragtag collection of 9 random remaining holes with long, oft-confusing hops in-between clusters almost immediately. Now, it has been whittled down to six holes.
I caught wind they were building a new course quickly accessible from Kenas Road parking lot but was dismayed looking at the map. It appeared like a very tacked course centered around Henning Field, outer perimeters are usually just afterthoughts and rarely good.
However, execution trumps potential-on-paper and here the new course offers a lot more payoff for a lot less walking, overall. Perhaps it's the summer season that improved it, with unmowed patches of vegetation as high as corn stalks that added complexity and risk in just the right spots, namely on #3, #4, and 8. So it might be that rare course that loses points in the winter instead of the other way around, by becoming too simplistic.
The red gravel tees are in and most were flush other than #6, the baskets snatched from the original unused 18 hole Zehr Tract stock and with temporary painter's tape new numbers are marked in.
Holes average 224ft and the median is just about 10ft lower. It tops out at 300ft early in. Elevation plays a moderate, useful role and the fairways are sometimes generous and sometimes only a fair width of 20 feet or so with treeline or tall growth bordering either side.
Only time will tell how this course ultimately pans out, as it's very dependent on what is mowed, and what is left unmowed, as well. Discrepancies with a Udisc map showed some tweaks were still being made.
For my first play here, it was a fun beginner but not newbie level, slightly better than the average 9er community course. It's worth half-a-star more once signs or posts are installed, everything else as-is. I'd encourage them to cannibalize remnants of the other old course for this one, little lost much gained. Perhaps resurrect parts of the old courses' #8 and #9 for instance along with some new holes on the return.
I caught wind they were building a new course quickly accessible from Kenas Road parking lot but was dismayed looking at the map. It appeared like a very tacked course centered around Henning Field, outer perimeters are usually just afterthoughts and rarely good.
However, execution trumps potential-on-paper and here the new course offers a lot more payoff for a lot less walking, overall. Perhaps it's the summer season that improved it, with unmowed patches of vegetation as high as corn stalks that added complexity and risk in just the right spots, namely on #3, #4, and 8. So it might be that rare course that loses points in the winter instead of the other way around, by becoming too simplistic.
The red gravel tees are in and most were flush other than #6, the baskets snatched from the original unused 18 hole Zehr Tract stock and with temporary painter's tape new numbers are marked in.
Holes average 224ft and the median is just about 10ft lower. It tops out at 300ft early in. Elevation plays a moderate, useful role and the fairways are sometimes generous and sometimes only a fair width of 20 feet or so with treeline or tall growth bordering either side.
Only time will tell how this course ultimately pans out, as it's very dependent on what is mowed, and what is left unmowed, as well. Discrepancies with a Udisc map showed some tweaks were still being made.
For my first play here, it was a fun beginner but not newbie level, slightly better than the average 9er community course. It's worth half-a-star more once signs or posts are installed, everything else as-is. I'd encourage them to cannibalize remnants of the other old course for this one, little lost much gained. Perhaps resurrect parts of the old courses' #8 and #9 for instance along with some new holes on the return.
Cons:
No course sign, no tee signs, no hanging basket next tee signs and nothing in the parking lot to indicate DG or where even when almost everything else is generously labeled. I'll assume just a WIP rather than anything else.
About advanced beginner level trajectories with trouble spots. Often fairways are a tad narrow going into tall growth where it's easy to lose discs. Newbies should layup on certain holes or bring easy to find discs noting that even bright ones often get lose in field overgrowth.
This course and the old course meet at the bottom of the hill and I believe this course's #8 basket was that course's #7, not entirely sure.
There was no anhyzer shots from the tee, making the course tilted towards righthanders (BH). They could rectify this by placing #8's basket farther back, into the tree cluster back to the right, making it an 'S' shaped shot or an anhyzer for those laying up. It would also improve the hole from yet another simple hyzer shot.
About advanced beginner level trajectories with trouble spots. Often fairways are a tad narrow going into tall growth where it's easy to lose discs. Newbies should layup on certain holes or bring easy to find discs noting that even bright ones often get lose in field overgrowth.
This course and the old course meet at the bottom of the hill and I believe this course's #8 basket was that course's #7, not entirely sure.
There was no anhyzer shots from the tee, making the course tilted towards righthanders (BH). They could rectify this by placing #8's basket farther back, into the tree cluster back to the right, making it an 'S' shaped shot or an anhyzer for those laying up. It would also improve the hole from yet another simple hyzer shot.
Other Thoughts:
Terrain Potential: XX - Reasonable. An around the perimeter field course with some elevation.
Actual Execution: XXx - Typical, outcome better than expected. Needs tee signs.
Upkeep: N/A. Brand new.
Difficulty: XX - Elementary. Also depends on how it's mowed and season.
Fun Factor: XXx - Typical. Fun, fast, and worthwhile.
Overall: XX - Reasonable. A good beginning for an area needing courses.
Amenities: Park has restrooms, course has no proper pit stops.
Starting Point: Park in the Kenas Road "William F. Maule Park" lot, the furthest in you can (40.237258, -75.209323 on google maps) and take the gravel path at the northwest corner. There's a colonial stone house, go left and there will be a large Green metal utility/barn building. Tee 1 is left of that at 40.237471, -75.210376.
Course Layout: It loops and is a counterclockwise perimeter course right now. #1 is straight on basket across the dirt tracks. #2 starts by tree in valley on left, is an aggressive upshot. #3 is towards a basket on the treeline, with a large, tall unkempt patch in between. Walk a bit along treeline to next tee. #4 is a diagonal towards the bottom of the slope with uncut grass in between. Go left. #5 goes towards the woods and is a short hyzer technical. Double back for #6 sunken tee which is a straight shot. Go back to the field, by #4's basket is another tee for #7, straight shot. #8 is another hyzer around the wooded section with tall growth on the right. #9 is an uphill with fair width fairway, basket hidden on top crest by growth.
Actual Execution: XXx - Typical, outcome better than expected. Needs tee signs.
Upkeep: N/A. Brand new.
Difficulty: XX - Elementary. Also depends on how it's mowed and season.
Fun Factor: XXx - Typical. Fun, fast, and worthwhile.
Overall: XX - Reasonable. A good beginning for an area needing courses.
Amenities: Park has restrooms, course has no proper pit stops.
Starting Point: Park in the Kenas Road "William F. Maule Park" lot, the furthest in you can (40.237258, -75.209323 on google maps) and take the gravel path at the northwest corner. There's a colonial stone house, go left and there will be a large Green metal utility/barn building. Tee 1 is left of that at 40.237471, -75.210376.
Course Layout: It loops and is a counterclockwise perimeter course right now. #1 is straight on basket across the dirt tracks. #2 starts by tree in valley on left, is an aggressive upshot. #3 is towards a basket on the treeline, with a large, tall unkempt patch in between. Walk a bit along treeline to next tee. #4 is a diagonal towards the bottom of the slope with uncut grass in between. Go left. #5 goes towards the woods and is a short hyzer technical. Double back for #6 sunken tee which is a straight shot. Go back to the field, by #4's basket is another tee for #7, straight shot. #8 is another hyzer around the wooded section with tall growth on the right. #9 is an uphill with fair width fairway, basket hidden on top crest by growth.