Royal Oak, MI

Starr-Jaycee Park

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2.55(based on 20 reviews)
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2 1
Kennygooo
Experience: 24.8 years 44 played 9 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Lots Of Trees 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 18, 2016 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Good for those learning the game. Good for working on your hyzer as there are plenty of trees. Long tee pads, never crazy buzy, Very shaded for those hot summer days. Baskets are smaller which adds a bit to the challenge.

Cons:

Its as flat as a pancake, It seems to always have a thick covering of leaves on the ground guaranteeing lots of disc hunting. baskets are a bit small which can also be a pro.

Other Thoughts:

I've found that its a lot more fun when playing both Starr Jaycee and Wagner together as they are right around the corner from each other. Both have different feels and challenges and can be played in about 2 1/2 hours time.
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4 0
m_jank
Experience: 12 played 5 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Starr-Jaycee 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 21, 2015 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Very little traffic.
Lots of trees to practice lines.
The Railroad tracks are pretty cool.
Every pad had a marker with distance. Was able to navigate pretty easily.
Cement pads.

Cons:

Zero elevation change.
Pretty short course, lots of ace runs.
Pads are narrow. They are long though which is more important in my opinion.
9 baskets, some of which are pretty shabby and rusty.

Other Thoughts:

Some other reviews said the dual tees were redundant but I think they add enough variation to justify their usage. I last played here five years ago and the one thing I remembered was the park was covered with black squirrels. Glad to report they are still thriving. This is a short course, good for a quick round. You can play this and Wagner around the corner in a few hours.
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3 0
Zinc_Alloy
Experience: 25.5 years 5 played 5 reviews
3.00 star(s)

A challenge, if it doesn't lull you to sleep 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 26, 2014 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Nice concrete teepads. Each hole is well marked. Good mix of open and tree laden fairways. No throwaway holes. Average hole distance is around 300 feet. Decent shot variety needed. Great parking.

Cons:

Baskets are iffy, at best. Some are nice but others spit out discs even when center chained. 18 holes with only nine pads. Can feel monotonous after the first nine. No elevation changes or deceptive pin placements. Shot making is not at a premium. Up shots are an afterthought unless drives go seriously array.

Other Thoughts:

This course definitely does not need the additional nine holes. They do not offer variety to the course. This is a course where pars are accepted but birdies are preferred. Every hole less 3,16 and 18 are consistently reachable from the pad. Double digit under par rounds are easily achieved if your hyzer is working properly.
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2 0
apdrvya
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 13.9 years 350 played 293 reviews
3.00 star(s)

wooot wooooo... you sound like a c-c-c-choo choo train 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 17, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

Aesthetic-- plays through a large wooded park. Small amount of amenities that don't really interfere/intertwine with DG. The train tracks are nothing short of phenomenal... amazing the work that must go into them to maintain them.

Teesigns-- nice, with basic outline of the holes, distance and hole number. I can see where putting the tee number on all four sides of the top of the tee sign would help with routing here.

Routing and nav-- not terrible but not great. it's not always apparent where the next tee is until you're on the teepad. As mentioned above, it would be helpful to put the hole number on all sides of the teesign.

Teepads-- long but super narrow. make for a awkward followthrough and x-step. there are some long holes here that will require a run-up.

Cons:

Dual teepads-- I am fully convinced that the second set of tees are superfluous here. they don't offer a ton of difference between the first and second round and don't really add a different dynamic. I am pretty sure this course would be better served with a 9-hole course only.

Water retention-- soupy ground in many places. not terrible but not great.

Tripping hazards-- while the train tracks are pretty sweet, they do present some pretty serious tripping hazards if you aren't paying attention.

Garbage-- a ton of garbage and broken beer bottles litter this course. there were no garbage cans present when we played.

Baskets-- wonky and bent a lot of the time. horribly UNvisible in most places.

Other Thoughts:

nice park with a nice feel but has a ton of room for improvement.
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1 0
dirtdog48188
Experience: 13.6 years 9 played 3 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Quiet and empty course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 1, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

Not busy at all, plenty of shade and a beginner friendly course. With dual tee pads it is an 18 hole course. Less then a mile from Wagner Park so if you come you can play both courses.

Cons:

Dual tee pads have you somewhat confused. Easy course with too much reputition.
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6 0
BogeyNoMore
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 19.8 years 479 played 183 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Simple, yet effective 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Mar 26, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Great setting; clean, quiet, city park in suburban USA - well maintained and easy to get to with plenty of parking.
• Makes great use a moderately wooded section of the park to provide some challenging holes; fairways require decent accuracy off the tee, but are open enough for a good rip. Several trees figure prominently on every hole, emphasizing shot shaping.
• Not a just pitch'n'putt, has a nice mix of distances - over half the holes exceed 300' with couple topping 400 ft.
• While this set-up with 18 tees and only 9 baskets is less than optimal, the dual pads really do make the most of 9 baskets and IMO is executed quite well to provide significantly different looks, and often have you throwing completely different discs/shots at the same basket, to provide a full round of 18.
• Simple wooden tee posts installed in the past couple of years show distance and direction and REALLY improve getting from hole to hole. (May not seem like much, but finding the next tee was a significant shortcoming on this course).
• Short walk to next tee - great for squeezing in a quick 9 or 18 hole round if you're tight on time and traffic is light (weekday afternoons, evenings).
• No nasty underbrush.

Cons:

Formally posted on a couple of signs near the course: NO DISC GOLF12-4 PM the 1st weekend of each month (see Other Thoughts).
• I don't mind fly pads: they provide sure footing and prevent the tee area from getting worn out - they can't do either if they're missing chunks and are badly torn up (which a few of them are). Players could easily catch an edge and take a spill on a drive if they're not careful.
• Missing tee posts for holes: 8, 11, and 13. Doesn't look like they were broken or stolen, there's no indication they were ever installed.
• Most holes are relatively straight, requiring only moderate amounts of hyzer or annie. Can feel repetitive by the time you get to the 2nd round for holes 10-18. They could have worked in some more extreme curves.
• Dual tees makes more efficient use of baskets, but it can mean you have to wait a bit: you step up to tee 10, only to find you have to wait for some players to finish on hole 1.
• Completely flat (not that you can do much about it).

Other Thoughts:

Recently added Tee markers really enhance navigation, and concrete pads are a big improvement over the old, chopped up fly pads.

Starr-Jaycee is a solid course and pairs well with Wagner (1.25 miles away) for nice day's discing. They really made the most given the available land and the need to co-exist with other park activities. Course isn't on land dedicated to disc golf, but is fairly well isolated from most other park activities in a multi-use city park that gets decent traffic (just watch out for people around the pavilion when playing holes 8 & 17).

Miniature train tracks run throughout the heart of the course. DG is prohibited a couple of afternoons a month so kids can ride the trains. Sometimes I think the old guys who drive (and maintain) the trains enjoy it more than the kids do! All they're asking for is a couple of afternoons a month. The least we can do is respect that - it's their park, too. Kudos to the City of Royal Oak for having the cajones to set some rules and avoid some of the safety issues that often plague similar multi-use park settings.

There's a pavilion with bathrooms near the course, but they were locked last couple of times I played (weekday evenings).

Convenience store a few blocks away sells discs and typical snacks/drinks. Lots of eateries nearby.
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3 0
Scazmatic
Experience: 13.8 years 12 played 11 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Great course in public park 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 23, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

- Great location in suburban park close to many residential areas. Ample parking is available.

- Dual tees for each hole allow for a full found of 18 shooting on 9 baskets. Alternate tees vary in difficulty when compared to original tees, and all alternates provide additional variety to each hole.

- Course layout available on large sign next to first tee. Distances and tee boxes marked very clearly on each hole.

- Good use of wooded areas to increase difficult. Overall good variation, providing chance for long drives while also requiring a few technical shots into protected baskets.

- Course, and park in general, are fairly well maintained. Multiple shelters and trash cans are available on site.

Cons:

- Tee pads are rubber and several have weathered to the point of missing large pieces.

- While signage is better than a lot of courses I've played, dual tees make the course somewhat difficult to navigate the first time around. Not every basket is marked with a number, which adds to the confusion.

- The park is pretty active, and the course plays right through the middle of the property, so you'll have to share the space with runners, bikers, and other park patrons. In particular, Hole 9/18 was shut down this summer for an outdoor theater stage.

- The park shuts down for disc golf once a month as a miniature train provides rides to kids.

- Lots of leaves, even in the middle of summer, could result in discs burying themselves in the fairway.

- No real elevation changes. This course might be a little monotonous for a more experienced player.

Other Thoughts:

This is one of three courses within a short drive of my in-laws home in suburban Detroit, and I started here based on reviews I read on this site. The course is located on a small city park in a residential area of Royal Oak. Locals will know this as the "train park," as a miniature train setup runs throughout the park and operates the first full weekend of each month, giving rides to kids. While this shuts down disc golf for that day, I can't begrudge children of that awesome opportunity.

Overall I was very pleased with the course. I am by no means a great player, but I wasn't at all bored with the layout. I think it's a perfect fit for both beginners and the slightly more experienced. While pro level players will probably find it a bit short and straightforward, I was very impressed with how they managed to used the landscape they had available to them to make a challenging course. Lots of holes are wooded, while some allow for bombing drives. I'm also impressed with the length they managed to get on the course despite an otherwise limited amount of real estate.

Located in the heart of the residential area, it's an incredibly convenient place to play, and I can definitely recommend the course to anyone in the area looking for a casual game.
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1 0
Malachy
Experience: 14.8 years 15 played 4 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Nice Course In Royal Oak 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 1, 2010 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Course is well maintained all holes and tees are there
Nice beginner course
Easy to get too

Cons:

No elevation changes
back 9 can be slightly confusing

Other Thoughts:

most holes are in the woods and there are train tracks everywhere for the kiddie train that runs through the park be careful not to trip over them
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1 0
Jsteele
Experience: 2 played 2 reviews
2.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 14, 2010 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Some challenging holes
i prefer rubber tees (although these need a little work)
nice length on the holes
some ace opts

Cons:

lots of leaves in the spring and fall hard to find discs they get buried.
If you over drive some holes you end up in traffic.
NEEDS SOME TLC 1st hole was missing chains last time i played maybe a month ago

Other Thoughts:

Nice course with a decent location needs some love. Some times you have to deal with little kids.
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2 0
radsnowsurfer
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 19.9 years 175 played 49 reviews
2.00 star(s)

2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 25, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

Many of the holes are fairly long with a decent amount of trees for an in-city 9 holer.
Great place to take first timers yet still air out drives if you're more experienced.
The map at hole 1 gives you some idea of where your going and explains the dual pads.
With the dual pads there are a number of interesting and challenging shots.
Distances and hole numbers on most of the tee pads.

Cons:

Tee pads aren't in the best of shape, at least one has been partially destroyed.
Baskets don't catch too well.
Other than the smattering of trees there is little that makes the course layout interesting.
Lack of elevation or true doglegs.
Dual tees are very confusing, and some of the tee pads are left unmarked.

Other Thoughts:

Playing Starr-Jaycee for the first time with a couple of newer players was definitely an enjoyable experience, though we had to first find the tee sign for hole 1 to catch our bearings. For an in-city 9 hole course it was certainly a passable layout, I was able to stretch out my longer drives while my friends didn't get too frustrated navigating the course. Also with Wagner near by you can get a play 18 holes expediently.
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2 1
DiscGolfinTheD
Experience: 19.9 years 21 played 15 reviews
1.50 star(s)

Dual tees are not good 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 22, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

The map at hole 1 is a great touch. Having facilities is good and it is pretty flat but wooded. All the baskets are present and in good condition and the people actually playing disc golf are very helpful if you get mixed up or lost.

Cons:

DUAL TEES! I just can not get behind this idea on a course this small. If it wasn't such a busy park(not just with discr's) Dual Tees could work but you have alot of people either hanging out in fairways or just walking thru the park in your way. Most of the tee pads are falling apart and hard to recognize especially the "back 9". Because of the Dual tees we had to wait a long time to throw our next disc since people were getting lost and kinda wandering around looking.

Other Thoughts:

I have to say if they would have just left this course a 9 hole course it would be easily a 3 out of 5! I understand the fun of being able to get out and throw 18 different holes. But when you try and pack it in with the space alloted here it just doesnt work out. The only way I could see it working here is if you were the only ones playing that day and yo ucould easily make it through 18. Other then that I would suggest just playing the first 9 and enjoying that! Because its a great layout!! As usual there are facilities here and the actual course is well maintained (outside of the pads).

Also there is shakespeare in the park going on so they set up right next to the facility pavilion so be careful when you are throwing.
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3 0
phishbrained
Experience: 18.1 years 23 played 13 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Basic course in a crowded park 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 10, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

Quick rounds- Mostly shorter holes
Playing with the other set of pads, the course varies straight shots, lefts and rights all on the same elevation.
Only real obstacles are trees with no brush and all low grass.

Cons:

Rubber pads are falling apart.
On weekends this place is crowded with non-disc golfers and they don't seem to notice they are doing some activity in the middle of a hole.
Layout a bit confusing as many of the tee pads are not labeled.

Other Thoughts:

Definitely bring a map or take a picture of the map at the course.
Good for a quick round or beginners.
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4 0
Innovadude
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 25.8 years 235 played 180 reviews
2.00 star(s)

needs signs 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 22, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

Wooded city park with no rough or real hazards and beginner friendly design although tough enough in cases to challenge anyone.
Some rubber tee pads.
Course map.

Cons:

Tee signs non existent, some rubber pads have hole #'s on them. Must find course map before you begin (in front of middle of parking lot) or you will get completely lost trying to navigate it.

Other Thoughts:

Helps to know where Tee #1 is and the map. If you don't stumble on it first, hard to figure out what to do.
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2 0
atassac66
Experience: 19.6 years 39 played 4 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Starr 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 22, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Good distance for a small area course. Even challenge for both right and left handed players. Offers several holes over 350 feet. Quick commute for locals. Fast round times.

Cons:

Because this course is situated in a fairly open park, there lacks defined lines on the course. Almost every hole allows for multiple lines and creates lack of challenge. Dual tees are confusing as there are no tee signs. Lack of defined fairways, elevation, and hazards make this course fairly boring.

Other Thoughts:

Needs tee signs. Decent play.
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1 3
Rupert M
Experience: 26 years 92 played 22 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Loneliest Park in Suburban Detroit 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 12, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

A very challenging, suburban-park based, under-rated & forgotten golf-course.
Good variety of short-long.
Most fair-ways are defined, even with the boat-load of trees. Pretty logical the rest of the time.
Mini-railroad is SWEET...
Works every crazy shot in the game.

Cons:

VERY wet in the off-season.
Lots of leaves in EVERY season.
Not even close to enough trash-cans. Even without the disc-golf.
Can get busy.
Beware the local Fencing Club.

Other Thoughts:

When time is of the essence, play Starr.
Starr is soooooo old. A Classic. The 'Dog-Town' of Mid-West disc-golf.
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4 2
DirtyMittenDG
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 19.9 years 112 played 55 reviews
2.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Apr 24, 2008 Played the course:once

Pros:

Hole Variety/Course Layout--
Moderate amount of trees that can alter your shot but for the most part it pretty open, alot of holes allow maximum distance throws off the tee. A few tee to pin placements make for interesting throws.

Cons:

Course Navigation--
Map at hole #1 and decent signs but still hard to navigate because the duel tee pads makes it very confusing your first time. Having to share baskets down grades the course in my opinion (It would be better if it was just a simple 9).

Other Thoughts:

Course Maintenance--
Its straight, not super clean but not super dirty either. The tee pads are all rubber, but they work pretty well.

Course Atmosphere--
Typical Detroit suburban city park. The mini train tracks that run through the park are pretty cool.
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2 1
NEWBY1151
Experience: 19.8 years 100 played 37 reviews
2.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 16, 2008 Played the course:once

Pros:

This is a fun and fairly easy course only obstacles are mature trees, nice variety of holes for a nine hole course, clean park with bathrooms although they were locked when I was there, hole numbers and distances are painted on tee pads, Discraft baskets, pretty long holes for a short course ranging from high 200's to high 300's, great place to take beginners, shelter and picnic tables, no place to loose a disc

Cons:

Dual tee pads are a little confusing your first time through, only sign is at hole #1, not very challenging, completely flat, 9 baskets,

Other Thoughts:

Hole #1 starts past the shelter on the right side look for sign
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3 1
wyndorf
Experience: 3 played 3 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Decent, only if you're close 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 14, 2008 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

flat as a pancake, no water unless there's a downpour, typically uninhabited.

Cons:

not challanging, fairly open and if the Jaycee's are there, they'll kick you off the course.

Other Thoughts:

good course for beginners or to break in a new disc. If your close and need to play, it's a decent course.
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2 1
Pizatman
Experience: 17.8 years 13 played 10 reviews
3.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 11, 2008 Played the course:once

Pros:

The course plays very fluid and flows from hole to hole. Tee pads are clearly marked with hole numbers and distances. Course laid out across the back half of the park, each hole has a different layout, some require straight shots, others curving around trees. The course isn't challenging, but not necessarily the most simple. Has something for everyone.

Very nice people around the course.

Cons:

Flat course, with dual tee pads, confusion can occur on busy days. The only sign for the course is the map near the first tee behind the large play structure, this can make the first trip to the course a little slow to start.

Some of the fly pads have been torn up and need repair.

Other Thoughts:

Very nice park, trees everywhere so play is shaded and cool even on sunny days. With no water hazards and all holes far enough away from the roads, course is relatively forgiving for beginners/the occasional bad throw.

Despite the course being large, flat and wooded area, it does its absolute best and is enjoyable.
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4 2
SkaBob
Experience: 3 played 3 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Course info is incorrect 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 13, 2008 Played the course:never

Pros:

The course has had 9 tee pads added and some baskets moved around since the pictures were taken. It's now a double-9. Starr is a great mix of shots. Long hyzer bombs, long turnovers, tight wooded shots, it'll surprise you if you give it a chance!

Cons:

Flypads. The tee for 14 got chewed up by a lawnmower a couple years ago. If you don't know where it's at, you won't find it. There's a 10 inch by 10 inch chunk of it that's USUALLY where the pad should be. There's a mini-railroad setup that if you REALLY hit hard will leave a ding in your disc. The first weekend of each summer month those tracks are taken up by some old guys who run their trains on them. The local golfers have a long standing agreement not to play the course those weekends. Please honor it and respect these guys. Some of them are crotchety old men, but for the most part they're cool.

Other Thoughts:

Most people say Wagner park around the corner is a far better course than Starr, simply because part of the course is down in a valley. They call the 10 foot difference a "challenging elevation change". Wagner has less variety in the shots required, and most of the holes there are less difficult than the ones at Starr.
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