Uploaded By: zapplayer12
Hole #17 (Taken 8/2009)
-- / -- 3 / 285ft. 3 / 301ft. -- / --
Par / Distance:
Hole #17 Tee
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Reviews: 29
Avg. Rating:
Details
Avg. Rating:
Details
not that great 
1 
4/7/2010 
4/7/2010
Pros: a few open shots nice t boxes most cement
Cons: i did not like this course at all i guess maybe its just not a begginers course but me and my freinds spent more time looking for discs than throwing them. alot of the time you cant even see where youre disc lands. its muddy and wet not very enjoyable and its very very confusing if you do play i would highley recomend printing the course map otherwise u will never make it through. if youre in that area u may as well go to hickory run much better place
Other Thoughts: it is a fun course thoe some shots of 500 ft its like playing ontop of a mountain pretty cool scenery wouldnt recomend it thoe
2 of 10 people found this review helpful.
Report this Review second time playing here 
Pros: Nice and open with some good long holes. The pars are hard to come by on some big holes. Great set-up. the bear claws did some great work up there.
Cons: The wind can get out of control. the good part is you can laugh like crazy when you hae a bad shot and just blam it on the wind. The tee boxes are a little short, but better than not having them.
Other Thoughts: I lost a blue 173 champion Valkyrie on one of the seldom played back holes and don't know how to log it
1 of 9 people found this review helpful.
Play in NE Pennsylvania -- feel like you're in Idaho or Colorado! 
Pros: The close proximity to I-80, I-476, and a Wawa convenience store is a HUGE perk for me!
I absolutely love the terrain of this course. Rocky and martian-like, with the resemblance of the great American West. The placement of baskets on the rock piles add to that effect!
I feel like there's a ton of variety in these holes. Lengths (in feet) range from the 180s to 500s with varying difficulties and risk/rewards. Hole #6 is by far my favorite hole. The tees and signs are maintained pretty well and the concrete teepads are heavenly.
Compared to the nearby Hickory Run State Park, there are virtually no people here; you should be able to navigate 18 holes pretty quickly.
I absolutely love the terrain of this course. Rocky and martian-like, with the resemblance of the great American West. The placement of baskets on the rock piles add to that effect!
I feel like there's a ton of variety in these holes. Lengths (in feet) range from the 180s to 500s with varying difficulties and risk/rewards. Hole #6 is by far my favorite hole. The tees and signs are maintained pretty well and the concrete teepads are heavenly.
Compared to the nearby Hickory Run State Park, there are virtually no people here; you should be able to navigate 18 holes pretty quickly.
Cons: The rocky terrain can be pretty rough on some discs -- especially DX and Pro-D plastics. I'd recommend using champion, star, ESP, or Elite-Z discs on this course to avoid seeing your plastic get eaten by the ground!
Another issue is the presence of swampy water in parts. Watch out where you step or you might be walking around with wet feet for the rest of the day. Trust me, I know!
Finally, the course can be a little tricky to navigate the first time. As such, you should probably bring a map.
Another issue is the presence of swampy water in parts. Watch out where you step or you might be walking around with wet feet for the rest of the day. Trust me, I know!
Finally, the course can be a little tricky to navigate the first time. As such, you should probably bring a map.
Other Thoughts: I go to college about 2 hours away from this course and it's totally worth the drive! It's challenging enough for an experienced player, but not too difficult to frustrate a beginner. I can't think of any course in Pennsylvania that resembles this place and for that, I think it deserves a visit!
7 of 8 people found this review helpful.
A jem in the Poconos
Pros: Great mix of left and right, a lot of blind pins - which I like, elevation changes, easy to navigate, almost impossible to lose your discs (in the fall months) unless you tree one high, reminded me a lot of courses out here in Colorado. The scenery is so different than Hickory Run (lots of leafy trees) or Prompton (long grassy open fairways) that it is worth playing just for the experience.
Cons: There is a lot of ground level standing water, so you might not want to play it in sneakers. Some tee boxes were very wet/muddy.
Other Thoughts: The only things I'd change around/reconfigure would be the positions of #16, #17, and #18 so the course finishes out by the parking area. And, concrete tee pads all the way through.
This is a DG course that I will definitely play every time I visit NEPA.
This is a DG course that I will definitely play every time I visit NEPA.
2 of 4 people found this review helpful.
Evergreens and Bogs 
Pros: A fairly decent, moderately long golf course in a great part of the world. Plenty of parking, and the flow is pretty good. Pin-point accuracy is not required, especially if you're able to throw high and far. There are plenty of holes where twos are possible. As others have stated, it's really different from other courses in PA, because of the landscape and flora. It's not a tough hike, and it's a pleasant, scenic spot. It's fun to play at the Dam.
Cons: Many holes are pointlessly blind, requiring first-time visitors to hike out to check the pins. There are boggy spots on the course, and lost discs are a possibility in the evergreens. It's remote, and amenities are primitive or non-existent.
Other Thoughts: I've hardly ever played this place recreationally; mostly in tournaments. I'm not sure I would CHOOSE to play here, just for fun, although I have had fun every time I've played here.
6 of 7 people found this review helpful.
Frances Walter Dam
Pros: I love this course. It's only about 20 minutes from my home, and I play it as much as possible. This course has a little bit of everything, from some awesome ace chances, to some incredible difficult holes to par. Also our local club ( the bearclaws ) have been adding concrete tee-pads to make the course even better.
Cons: The only complaints I have about this course is that it can get very wet, especially after heavy rainfall. Also a few of the holes are somewhat rocky, which can eat up discs. Overall, the amount of cons are minimal.
Other Thoughts: It's awesome to have this course and Hickory Run's course in the area, considering they are complete opposites, so you can never get tired of switching up play between courses. Frances Walter Dam also has been adding some great hidden holes, which has turned the course into 27 holes.
1 of 3 people found this review helpful.
Good but not great
Pros: Great layout of open and technical holes with excellent elevation changes. Varied terrain, not what you would expect for a disc golf course. Local club very active here...currently have started installing concrete tee pads. Thanks "bearclaws" for your work here and elsewhere!
Cons: Some signage hard to follow, especially on blind shots. Had some problems navigating, but not too bad. Course was overgrown in several spots. In fact on some holes on the back nine there were no safe landing areas. Very good chance of losing discs on those holes.
Other Thoughts: I was not overwhemled w/this course. I think this course would play much better in the fall when underbrush has subsided. Wear some waterproof shoes, the course gets swampy in spots! I will come back to try again just for the unique terrrain.
2 of 4 people found this review helpful.
A different kind of course 
Pros: The course plays through a large disc golf only area with rocky ground and lots of small pine trees and evergreen shrubs. There are no huge elevation changes, but many of the holes play up or down smaller hills adding some difficulty and variety. The trees are great obstacles, and make the course significantly more difficult as the best lines on many holes go over the small pine trees, and the wind plays with the disc a lot when you throw it that high.
This course has plenty of length, with a nice mix of longer holes and more reachable holes. It felt like a good mix of lefty and righty holes along with some straight shots. Some holes have rough that will really punish errant shots, and test how well you can throw for distance while still retaining accuracy. There are some nice unique holes and some cool basket placements that add variety throughout.
There is plenty of parking, with a port-o-potty at the beginning of the course. The tees are natural, but were level and large enough for the most part. There was some signage, enough to figure the course out, and the baskets were in good shape with tall poles to make blind pins more visible.
This course has plenty of length, with a nice mix of longer holes and more reachable holes. It felt like a good mix of lefty and righty holes along with some straight shots. Some holes have rough that will really punish errant shots, and test how well you can throw for distance while still retaining accuracy. There are some nice unique holes and some cool basket placements that add variety throughout.
There is plenty of parking, with a port-o-potty at the beginning of the course. The tees are natural, but were level and large enough for the most part. There was some signage, enough to figure the course out, and the baskets were in good shape with tall poles to make blind pins more visible.
Cons: The course had some navigation issues for a first time visitor, though we were able to figure things out with a little wandering. The signs didn't seem accurate at times, and made a few blind holes a little confusing, you might want to scout the course your first time through.
The middle of the course felt like there were a bunch of holes that weren't quite different enough for my taste. The scenery and landscape were cool, but base plastic discs tended to get a little beat up on the rocks.
There were some areas of the course that were quite swampy, even though there hadn't been a rain in a while. This also made for lots of mosquitoes breeding in the standing water. A few of the tees in the lower part of the park were affected by the water, and this made for some difficult spots to throw from.
The middle of the course felt like there were a bunch of holes that weren't quite different enough for my taste. The scenery and landscape were cool, but base plastic discs tended to get a little beat up on the rocks.
There were some areas of the course that were quite swampy, even though there hadn't been a rain in a while. This also made for lots of mosquitoes breeding in the standing water. A few of the tees in the lower part of the park were affected by the water, and this made for some difficult spots to throw from.
Other Thoughts: This is probably not the best course to bring a beginner to, due to the difficulty and the length. It is a course that will offer a different kind of challenge to more experienced players, and has enough more difficult holes to test most players.
This is a fun and different course, not at all like the other PA courses I've played. I would definitely recommend stopping here for a round if you're in the area, especially if you feel like a change of scenery.
This is a fun and different course, not at all like the other PA courses I've played. I would definitely recommend stopping here for a round if you're in the area, especially if you feel like a change of scenery.
5 of 6 people found this review helpful.
DAM these pines!
Pros: I have never played a course in PA that has the play and feel at F.E.W. The pine trees are a max height of 40-50ft (good for big arms that can cruise overtop) BUT these pines are very wide and bushy to the ground. (If you land behind one...goodluck) These pines are the dominate trees of the park though there are some hardwoods. Course has a nice mix of distance and accuracy. Tee pads are gravel and little signs of the hole are posted. There are some really nice seats out towards the later holes. (swinging 2 seater, couch) You will most likely throw every shot you know at this park.
Cons: I heard this course will have wet spots even if it hasn't rained in days. BRING TOWELS(It's near a dam) The tee pads can get a little flooded and can really bring your game down a notch. This course was hard for me with a hard wind. Once your disc went above the 30-40ft high trees the wind just takes it. Bring extra socks and shoes that dry easily. The signs aren't accurate.(it may show the pin being straight when really it doglegs right a bit.)
Other Thoughts: This course may be much for beginners or recreational players. I like the different play and feel of this course. Idk if I would make a trip for this one course though. I would definately stop by here and Hickory Run next time I go snowboarding.
3 of 4 people found this review helpful.
Liking the improvements... 
Pros: This course has undergone many improvements: concrete tee pads on some holes/well kept natural tees on others, excellent signage at every tee, markers showing the direction to the next hole & boards placed along paths where it tends to be marshy.
As other reviewers have stated, this course is definitely a 'one of a kind' experience for PA disc golf with the scarred, mars-like landscape.
Many 'blind' drives - but the lack of overgrowth vegetation (which seems to thrive at most other PA courses in the summer) helps keep searching for your disc to a minimum - only if you're careful with your placement!
Francis E. Walter Dam will make you use some unorthodox shots and challenge your mental game if you're not accustomed to 'conforming' to a course.
As other reviewers have stated, this course is definitely a 'one of a kind' experience for PA disc golf with the scarred, mars-like landscape.
Many 'blind' drives - but the lack of overgrowth vegetation (which seems to thrive at most other PA courses in the summer) helps keep searching for your disc to a minimum - only if you're careful with your placement!
Francis E. Walter Dam will make you use some unorthodox shots and challenge your mental game if you're not accustomed to 'conforming' to a course.
Cons: Monotonous! The rocky, alien, scarred landscape thing gets old. When I arrived, I was the 3rd car in the lot (there was a group of 3 just finishing their round and a pair on hole #5). When I left, there was a group of 3 walking to hole #4 and one person practicing drives on hole 1. This course won't bring in the crowds.
Other Thoughts: First review full disclosure:
I began playing DG in '98, stopped in '03 and started again in '07. I haven't played this course in over 7 years but played it at least a half dozen times previously.
Comments:
The cons being stated, I really like this course. It's definitely different - I'll give it that. Today, for the first time ever, I threw a tomahawk for a drive…and then proceeded to throw one again and again - with reasonable success. That's how different this course is for us Greater Eastern Pennsylvania disc golfers. We're used to well defined, hardwood fairways with very large - even boulder sized rocks. Not randomly scattered pines & wildflowers accompanied by water-starved scrubs on top of a landscape of reddish dirt and small rocks.
Before playing Francis E. Walter Dam, I played Hickory Run State Park and the contrast was striking: I couldn't keep count of how many people were on the course - from locals, to families, couples, general park goers and the like.
It's obvious which Pocono region course is the most popular and which course is the outcast.
That being said, the Bearclaws give Francis E. Walter Dam much love and if you're playing anywhere in the region, please give the course a visit & write a concise and honest review!
I began playing DG in '98, stopped in '03 and started again in '07. I haven't played this course in over 7 years but played it at least a half dozen times previously.
Comments:
The cons being stated, I really like this course. It's definitely different - I'll give it that. Today, for the first time ever, I threw a tomahawk for a drive…and then proceeded to throw one again and again - with reasonable success. That's how different this course is for us Greater Eastern Pennsylvania disc golfers. We're used to well defined, hardwood fairways with very large - even boulder sized rocks. Not randomly scattered pines & wildflowers accompanied by water-starved scrubs on top of a landscape of reddish dirt and small rocks.
Before playing Francis E. Walter Dam, I played Hickory Run State Park and the contrast was striking: I couldn't keep count of how many people were on the course - from locals, to families, couples, general park goers and the like.
It's obvious which Pocono region course is the most popular and which course is the outcast.
That being said, the Bearclaws give Francis E. Walter Dam much love and if you're playing anywhere in the region, please give the course a visit & write a concise and honest review!
5 of 6 people found this review helpful.
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