Chimacum, WA

HJ Carroll Park

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2.215(based on 12 reviews)
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4 0
markmcc
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 11.9 years 278 played 254 reviews
2.50 star(s)

The Jekyll and Hyde Course 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 21, 2017 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

As has already been noted in prior reviews, there are two very different types of holes on this course.

Holes 1-4 are short, wooded and very technical holes. If you can hit your gap off of the tee and maybe get a little lucky near the basket, scoring birdies on these holes is likely. But making both of those things happen is challenging. These holes each offer a couple of fairways, so BH/FH and RH/LH players all get to make a choice of how the play them.

Holes 5 - 9 play out in a much more open area, bringing a modest hillside and some elevation into play. I didn't find them as interesting as the previous holes, but I didn't hate them either. They are mostly open holes with the need to shape your drive around trees and/or shrubs near the basket. Two sidehill basket placements give some additional challenge near those pins.

Very nice concrete tee pads, decent tee signs, and good baskets make the infrastructure on the course first-rate. Navigation from hole-to-hole was fairly simple, though there can be a little confusion here and there (see cons).

Cons:

Holes 5-9 play in the same general area, with the potential for some confusion. It is easy to throw to the Hole 9 basket from the Hole 5 tee, as that is the visible basket.

Hole 6 is the "big" downhill throw over the BMX track and toward the soccer fields so there are two potential (but avoidable) conflicts there.

Holes 7, 8 & 9 all have the potential to interfere with walkers on the adjacent trail, as well as with each other. I played on a quiet weekday morning and had no issues beyond waiting on a couple of dog walkers. With multiple groups playing (if that ever happens) the potential for conflicts would be greater.

Other Thoughts:

The wooded vs. open holes on this course certainly contrast with each other, but given the plot of land they had to work with I thought they came up with nine decent holes. If I lived nearby I would happily play the heck out of this course. But as a traveler I'd rather play the courses in Port Angeles and the Bremerton/Silverdale area, and hopefully the (soon to be opened) 18 hole course in Sequim.
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8 0
b-mart
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 13.6 years 66 played 61 reviews
2.50 star(s)

It starts out so beautifully... 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 11, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

The thing with living in this area is that the "nearby courses" according to this site are as the crow flies. So some courses are close, but a ferry ride away. HJ Carroll has always been one of those that's far away from everything, but I finally made it out to play it.

Equipment: All of the tees are concrete and all of the baskets are high quality.

Navigation: There's a map on the kiosk to your right when you pull in. Take a picture of it. You won't need it for the most part, but it did come in handy. Then walk down the path to the right of the kiosk until you reach the RV. There's a short trail into the woods to your right. Go in there, and you'll find hole 1. From there the navigation is fairly straightforward, with signs to guide you most of the way. The walkout to 3 was only slightly confusing, but easy enough with the signage and map. Pay attention to the signs on each hole too. OB's and mandos are detailed, and some of the baskets in the open are close together. You don't want to throw to the wrong one like I did. And the blind pin for hole 6 has a giant flag on top of it so you can see where you're going.

Design: The wooded holes had me planning reasons to come out to Chimacum more often. They're short, but very technical and downright beautiful. And none of them are gimmes. The open hole design? Don't ask. This is the "pros". But you do have a variety here. Wooded and open. Shot choices galore, with hyzer and anhyzer lines. The little bit of elevation on the property comes into play with slight uphills and slight downhills. There's plenty of OB to keep the open holes at least semi interesting. It's mostly short, but luckily there's one hole (6) that does let you air it out.

Upkeep: This course is in great shape. Nice baskets, nice signs, minimal undergrowth... There's nothing to complain about here. And there's a soccer field nearby for field work! It feels like the locals take pride in this course, and they take care of it too.

Cons:

Equipment: The 1 basket seemed to be missing a chain. I know this because I missed a 5' dead center birdie putt when the disc hit the pole and nothing else, thus bouncing back at me. After glaring at it for 5 minutes, I continued on.

Navigation: The sign on the other side of the street that guides you to hole 3 isn't at the path to hole 3. It's only an additional 10' or so, but come on. Everything else is so well done in that regard. Plus basket tape could be helpful if you didn't take a picture of the map (take a picture of the map).

Design: The first four technical holes are a thing of beauty. They might be my favorite 9-hole holes of all time. No undergrowth, technical lines, wonderful colors... I really want to play them again. But the final five are a different story entirely. They all share the same area. The 5 basket is near the 9 basket. Any shot throwing toward 6 can cross any of the other fairways. You could quite easily throw to 6, 7, or 8 from the 6 tee and have it be an okay hole. You can throw long on 8 to the 9 basket. You can throw from 5 to the 9 basket (which I did, not realizing that the 5 basket was tucked to the left). It really feels like the designer started out the course with a wonderful area, ran out of space, and then just threw a bunch of baskets in a field to round out the nine. And then once you've finished, you have a long walk back to the car, or an even longer walk to Hole 1. It just kind of feels like they ran out of quality space too quickly, so they had to just cram 5-9 into an open area without much challenge other than the wind.

Other Thoughts:

I've already made my thoughts clear on the "two courses" here. It's a beautiful park. It has soccer fields, walking paths, and a BMX track. There's a lot more that I didn't even see. There was also a giant metal fish for some reason. So it's definitely worth bringing the wife and kids to if you're in the area. But it's far enough from everything else that it doesn't fit as a "stretch your legs while passing through" course, and it's just not good enough to be a destination course. That said, it is a challenging course with the technicality of 1-4 and the high winds (when I was there) of 5-9. I've never come that close to missing a drop in putt due to wind before. So it will help you to improve certain aspects of your game if you're there. I just can't justify being there just for the disc golf.
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2 0
Phlick
Experience: 42.1 years 134 played 16 reviews
3.00 star(s)

9 hole gem 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 5, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

Review based on a single visit -
Great facility - signs, tees and baskets are all in great shape. Trash cans on a lot of the tees, running water bathroom on site, adequate parking, kiosk - all awesome stuff. Lots of work has gone into this course and it shows. Good use of the small shared use area. Great course for beginners and families, the course starts in the woods for three holes and then comes out into the open park area for the remainder of the 9 holes. Navigation was pretty straightforward, finding hole 1 presented the biggest challenge and it was pretty simple once we looked at the map on the kiosk. Plays quickly.

Cons:

It's only a 9 hole course, and it's a long ways to another course.
For what they had to work with, it's a great course and definitely worth a quick run through. Not a destination, but a perfect example of what a 9 hole park course should be. Every park should have a course like this.

Other Thoughts:

For what it is, it's a great course. There's not much more a person or club could do as is to improve the existing layout - maybe put in some benches? The signs are some of the best I've seen, the teepads are great - the only thing that is lacking is quantity. Definitely plays more fun than the current 2 star rating, worth a stop when you're in PT.
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1 1
dustinw
Experience: 2 played 1 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Not Bad 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 25, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

Combination of woods and out of the woods
Nice Cement Tee Pads and basket signs

Cons:

6th hole could be difficult to play on a busy day
Next tee pad isn't always obvious

Other Thoughts:

Basket #8 was labeled as #6 (I know this is a mistake because #6 is nearby and also marked at #6).
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3 0
longandwrong
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 14.1 years 59 played 39 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Very enjoyable outing 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Aug 21, 2014 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Fun and quick playing course. Good place for beginners. First 3 holes in the trees are pretty technical. Just a nice fun outing. Hole #9 lets you uncork your power. That's kind of fun.
UPDATE: Wow! If you haven't been here in awhile you would not believe it. All the holes have great concrete 4'x8' boxes. All holes have great signs. Almost every hole has trash cans. First hole is being landscaped to look very professional. Whoever is grooming this course deserves a shout out...Great Job!

Cons:

If the park is busy with other activities...soccer, alot of people walking their dogs or running the outer trail...you have to be careful not to hit someone. The tee pads are very poor...concrete ones are crumbling apart. Plays on 3 holes are tooooo close to the soccer field. UPDATE: Holes 6-9 have been redesigned however the course is still tight and some crossover can occur if the course is busy. During the middle of the day the course is pretty empty so that is less of a problem. No problem with soccer fields anymore.

Other Thoughts:

So...all that said...play during the week in the morning and you should be okay. Plenty of parking and bathrooms. Wife and kids can picnic and play at the playground while you toss a few discs! Totally awesome. UPDATE: My thoughts are this course is getting better and better. Cleaner, safer, and worth an outing for a different look and feel on a course. Holes 1-4 are in a stand of small trees and the fairway is very narrow...an accurate control throw makes the birdie. Holes 5-9 are out in a field type area where you can unload the power...and if there's no wind a long and awesome throw can be made. My grandkids love playing here. At 7 and 10 they can experience a lot of different throws. Lastly, go give it another throw.
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3 0
mullethead326
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 11.6 years 377 played 13 reviews
2.50 star(s)

2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Oct 15, 2011 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

A good beginner course, and the closest one to Pt. Townsend. First three holes are a nice challenge in the trees, with all three holes guarded by trees. The last six are much more open. That's kind of nice for learning what your discs do, but adds no challenge.

Plenty of parking and facilities on site; park is usually clean and maintained.

Cons:

You realistically could throw a straight midrange for every shot with no consequences.

Be careful of other park users! With the walking trail, soccer fields, and BMX track all near the course, you may have to wait occasionally.

Other Thoughts:

This isn't the best of courses, but it doesn't claim to be. It's just a solid little nine-holer. I'd love to see more courses in the Olympics, with their terrain and trees.

Holes 1 and 2 are pretty decent golf shots, as 1 is tucked into the right edge of the woods with a legit fairway. There's a good straight or hyzer shot to 2 from both pads. 3 has a bit of a plinko element, but is gettable. 4 and 5 are decent shots, since you have to account for the elevation change and get around the trees on 4. 6, 7, and 8 are pretty bland. 9 is a decent finishing hole, but it doesn't really lead back to anything.
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6 0
sillybizz
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 22.1 years 400 played 385 reviews
1.50 star(s)

HJ Caroll Park 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Mar 24, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

HJ Carroll Park is the only place in the area for disc golf unless you want to drive really far. This course is very flexible for a large amount of people which is good with this being the only course in the area. There are a couple of downhill throws that are short and open but advanced players can bypass these by playing safari golf and go for one of the longer baskets on a different hole to make some long bombers. Holes one through three are the best holes on the course as they are tightly wooded and fairly short, which is a huge switch from holes six through nine, it's a good thing that this course has both open and wooded.

Cons:

The biggest flaw that I found with the course was that the tee pads were all very dangerous to run up on. The natural pads early on the course weren't too bad but the open holes had concrete pads that were breaking apart and had gravel and pebbles all around the pads making me throw from the grassy areas to the side or behind the tees for fear of falling down. The open holes are boring for advanced players unless you play safari to longer holes as I mentioned above. Navigation was simple except for hole six which was behind a dirt mound but because we couldn't see this basket from the tee but we could see hole nine from the tee we accidentally drove to this basket and in my opinion these baskets should be switched to the way we played it as it makes hole nine harder and hole six less confusing. Hole eight seemed like a filler hole that was boring and pushed disc golf closer to the soccer field, I think it would of been alright to not make this hole and just keep the course to eight holes. Some of the throws play around a walking trail so you might have to wait for a couple of people to cross out of the way, please do so. :)

Other Thoughts:

There is a lot going on at this park including multiple soccer fields, a baseball field, BMX track, walking trails, two full basketball courts in great shape, plenty of picnicking areas and a large bathroom that even has a soda machine outside. Just remember that the course starts on your right as you drive in to the parking lot. There are lots of signs through the wooded section that tell you not to cut down trees to make better lanes or the course will be shut down, hopefully people abide by that.
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10 0
JR Stengele
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 23.9 years 251 played 191 reviews
2.00 star(s)

HJ Carroll Park DGC 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 20, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

HJ Carroll Park has a wonderful beginner friendly nine hole disc golf course in Chimacum, Washington (about 20 minutes south of Port Townsend). This course is directly off Beaver Valley Rd/WA 19N about 1 mile just north of downtown. Once you pull in to the park there is a large parking lot directly to the left. However, when I drove in I saw a few disc golfers parking directly ahead on the right where Hole #1 is located (although there are no signs indicating where the tee pad is so just look for yellow stakes in the ground). Once tee one is located, the rest of the course is extremely easy to navigate, with maintained trails and yellow arrows directing you toward the next hole.

The first three holes (as others have stated in previous reviews) truly added to the overall quality and challenge of the course. Hole one was a short, blind, and fairly open dogleg right with the pin tucked in tightly amongst the trees. Hole two is much more technical (but still fairly short), with a few natural lines but at the same time a chance for a nasty deflection. Hole three (in my opinion) was the most memorable of the holes on this course, longest of the wooded holes, and by far the most technical. A bad throw or a nasty deflection could truly do damage on your score.

After the three wooded holes the remainder course is played in the open around the playfields and BMX course. Most of the open holes provide little to no challenge regarding obstacles distance. However, elevation changes do come in to play on holes 4-5, and 8-9. The designer thoughtfully planned many of these holes on an incline making putts more challenging due to bad rolls and wind. Hole nine was the only hole that broke four hundred (430), and hole seven the only hole which broke three hundred (340), the rest were all under 300.

For the land provided, the course was well thought out and perfect for its target audience. Novice and amateur players alike have a great course to learn this game, and more advanced players have a place to work on upshots and difficult putts. Either way, this course brings a lot to Chimacum and is a great addition to the Pacific Northwest. It is perfect for those traveling through on their way north to Port Townsend or south toward Olympia.

Cons:

This course has some issues that could be a quick fix, and others that might be a little more challenging. A kiosk updating local disc golfers about upcoming tournaments and work parties would really do this course some justice. Signs directing first time players toward tee one would help as well. However, the map online IS updated and was very helpful in helping me locate my way around. Tee pads as well need a serious overhaul. The first three tees were dirt and although fine for this time of year and during summer, I could see them being mud pits during the rainier months. As for the other tee pads, even though they are cement/gravel, they are fairly small and brittle. A couple of the tee pads were already cracked or broken. Once again though, all these cons listed above are fairly quick fixes.

As for some of the other issues, much of them are due to lack of distance and challenge. Because the designer and local club is limited to the use of land and number of holes, it would be great to see dual tee pads along holes 4-8 in order to make the overall layout a little more difficult. Hopefully over time, the course will be given this opportunity.

Other Thoughts:

HJ Carroll Park is an absolutely beautiful multi use park with enough to do for the whole family. There is a gravel walking path which surrounds the entire park, a BMX course, two fantastic full size basketball courts, two soccer fields, and a baseball field. There is also restrooms, a gazebo with a picnic area, and large grassy areas for the children to run and play on. With the addition of this nine hole disc golf course, HJ Carroll Park has it all! It is great to see the Parks and Rec, the local town's people, and the WSDGC come together in order to benefit the entire community. The park is well maintained and very well manicured. It was a pleasure getting a chance to stop by for a quick round on my way to Port Townsend, as it was well worth my time.
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5 0
forehandfranz
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 31.8 years 226 played 128 reviews
1.50 star(s)

The first on the peninsula 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Dec 27, 2009 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

A pleasant park in a quiet setting. Mostly skirts the edge of a large field but having a third go into technical wooded sections. You get a nice little blast of tree fever on these first 3 and then you play the burm, hitting pins that are nestled on the sloping hillsides. They can be tougher than they look, but solid shots are all that are required for par. The open bowl can invite wind and really makes things interesting. The tight wood holes are by far my favorites and present more challenges for advanced players to shape their drives. I would love to see more of these kinds of holes, would certainly hope that could be done on this property.

Once you find the first tee (go immediate right into that parking lot) it's quite easy to find your way around. Next tee signs are prevalent, and when you're in the field you can see all the pins. The tees on the field holes had a light concrete base and were fairly grippy. The woods holes tees hopefully will come along.

Cons:

Not much at all for trees out in the bowl- 5 holes are completely open saving for mounds on the edge and an interesting mound that tricks your view off the tee on #6. I must admit, the designers have worked well with the land they had to work with!

Other Thoughts:

Certainly worth the stop if you're heading into Port Townsend. If the club could petition the Parks to allow a couple more holes in the woods it would really add to this place. I have heard that the parks will only allow 9 holes for the time being.
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6 0
Superman-Wonderwoman
Experience: 2 played 2 reviews
1.00 star(s)

Typical Recreational Park Course 2+ years drive by

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

Pros:

The first 3 holes are slightly technical wooded holes. HJ Carroll is a great beginner course with many short and open holes and for an experienced player a great confidence booster since most of the holes are birdable. All the holes have Mach 2 baskets that are only 3 years old and in great condition.

Cons:

The course is only 9 holes with mostly short holes. After the first three wooded holes the other six are open with little variety. The teepads vary in size, shape and material- from gravel & dirt to a concrete like material. The few signs that are around can no longer be read and there is no sign to tee 1 which makes it hard to know where to start if you've never played the course. Being a Recreational park, this course is played between and along a walking trail, a bmx course, soccer fields and a baseball field. Sadly this course also has a dry, weedy feel and with no scenic appeal

Other Thoughts:

This is a decent family course with clean restrooms and lots of parking. Paths from tee to tee (including the wooded holes) are stroller and wagon friendly and easy to navigate. It potentially could be a more entertaining course with nicer and alternate teepads
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9 0
The Valkyrie Kid
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 45.8 years 1563 played 1507 reviews
2.00 star(s)

I'm Glad This Area Got A Course! 2+ years

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

Pros:

Aragorn's review was pretty much spot on. HJ Carroll is a little nine hole course in an area where the nearest course is almost 20 miles away. (A new course in Poulsbo just opened recently). The course is a short, family friendly type. The first three holes play through the woods, two and three are especially tight and technical. Then the course opens up and plays mostly around the athletic fields. There is a decent combination of short (three holes are 230' or shorter and a two longer (the longest is 430'). The baskets are fine for this course.

Cons:

For being a brand new course this course felt older to me. Everything is already showing some age. The signs have been vandalized, the concrete teepads are cracking and chipping. The open holes are open and not real exciting.. There are natural teepads in the wooded area which will get wet and slippery This is definetly a Beginner-Recreational caliber course.

Other Thoughts:

This area now has two courses to play after many years with no courses. This is one of those courses that is what it is, it's a decent little rec course. If I lived close, I'd play it and be happy. This course could benefit from putting in some of the concrete paving blocks for teepads, especially for the wooded holes.
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11 0
Aragorn
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 59 played 20 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Basic Family Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Aug 24, 2008 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

HJ Carroll bills itself as designed for families/beginners and indeed it is. The three holes in the trees really help diversify what is otherwise a wide open layout. If you are a local then this course is a 'Pro' because otherwise you would be driving a long way to play disc golf.

Cons:

The 6 open space holes are very boring; short and almost no obstacles. The open area is not particularly pretty. Has kind of a weedy look and feel to it. If you are a more advanced player the open area will not be a challenge. Gravel tee pads are not in the best of shape. The current online map (8-24-2008) is no longer accurate.

Other Thoughts:

This course is basically 3 wooded, technical holes and 6 wide open holes. The course description says it is a family course and beginners are who would benefit most from this course. The open areas are good for people who are just starting. The holes are short and almost totally without obstacles. Three holes are 210', 215' and 230'. These should be deuces for an advanced player.

The 3 new holes in the woods really save this place. They are tight and technical (not to mention nice woods if you like that sort of thing). They are short so if you really know the line you could try for the basket from the tee.

This course is what it is, a family course. I really wouldn't drive out of the way to play HJ Carroll. However, if you are in the area why not check it out.

Bonus: This course is as Pacific NW as it gets if you are just going by a map. The Olympic Peninsula is the furthest north and west landmass in the continental US.
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