Rochester, NY

Ellison Park - Old Layout

Seasonal course
3.475(based on 54 reviews)
Filter course reviews

Filter reviews

Filter reviews

Ellison Park - Old Layout reviews

Filter
1 1
Steveo356
Experience: 4 played 4 reviews
3.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 25, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

Course was well mowed making finding disc easy
well designed holes leave you switching disc often to make some tricky shots.
Sonnys deli right down the road is a huge plus!

Cons:

That hill is huge and is where the first half of the course is played. after two rounds its understandable to be pretty winded. The course was a bit marshy is places, but i did go on a bit of a wet day. Hole 16 is crap you feel like there are few to no shots off the tee that feel good. Fairways cross eachother often makes you a wonder if you should be wearing a helmet on a day when there are multiple groups playing.

Other Thoughts:

Would happily play this course again.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
1 0
Schmankster
Experience: 11.7 years 16 played 7 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Great course! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Oct 13, 2013 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-Conveniently located minutes from the ROC
-Lack of water holes and less trees make this a great course for first timers.
-Excellent use of elevation (although the hill can get tiring quick!)
-Nice change from front to back 9. It seems like 2 different courses.

Cons:

-The hill! I am in decent shape and find the hill gets old quick. Up,down,up,down...Softer players might have an issue with this.
-Due to sledding, they pull the baskets in late fall to early spring.
-#16...You guys ruined it! This used to be the second best hole on the course. Now its bunk! I understand the park got greedy and forced the redesign, but there needs to be something done for safety from the bombers coming down #7.
-Lack of benches. There's only a couple of holes with a place to sit. With all the climbing you have to do, it would be nice to sit and relax a bit more. Perhaps with the park's revenue from the newly installed photo op on the old #16, they can purchase a few more.

Other Thoughts:

1-Mostly straight ahead. Some trees in the way. I seem to always hit that one branch.
2-Uphill all the way. The basket is behind the clump of trees in the middle
3-A short par 3. One of my favorites as a leftie. Mostly open on the left. Curves to the right perfectly. Trees all over the right side.
4-Another good leftie hole. Clear on the left, trees on the right. The basket is straight ahead
5-Be careful of people teeing off at 6. Straight ahead. Wide open until you get to the basket area. Roots around the basket can cause some errant landings. On a left to right slope
6-Short par 3. Right to left slope. Watch the landings. If it rolls....
7-One of the signature holes. Looong par 3 on top of a huge hill. Blast away. Lefties, watch the trees on the left. There's a bench in the woods to the right and behind the basket.
8-As a leftie, I HATE THIS HOLE!! Dogleg to the left. Clear on the right, lots of trees and a drop off to the left.
9-Completly uphill.A few trees guard the approach to the basket.
10-Short par 3 on the side of the hill.
11-Uphill again! Short par 3. watch the scrub on the right, its gets pretty thick quick
12-Downhill short par 3. Easy to overdo it
13-More and more trees come into play after this. One of my favorites! Long hole that finishes in the woods. Clear on the left (yay!) trees on the right
14-Mostly wooded. A few very large trees are in the way. Bench
15-More trees! Pretty much straight ahead.
16-The new basket is on the ridge in front of you. The redesign totally ruined this hole!
17-Good luck here! Trees guard the launch chute. Thick trees and scrub on the left with a nasty drop off. You cant see it from the tee, but the basket is pretty much straight ahead.
18-Basket is slightly left of the tee on the side of a small hill. Great rightie hole.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
2 1
sfoulkrod
Experience: 11.9 years 12 played 5 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Ellison Park is a great place to start 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 10, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

Easy to navigate. Hills offer some nice downhill throws, There are some beautiful and fun holes.

Cons:

Some of the holes, i think 8-11 are so close to each other that it can be tricky.

Other Thoughts:

Its beautiful, its free, its great exercise and its a great place to get people started on the game. S
Was this review helpful? Yes No
5 0
TBabb
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 18.6 years 65 played 56 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Rochester Disc Golf's Crown Jewel just outside the city limits 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 29, 2012 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Rubber tee pads are in great condition and level. Signs at every whole. Mach 3 baskets are in good condition and usually easy to see off the tee pad. There's a map at the front of the course. The course is also in a GREAT location, just over the Rochester city line in a beautiful suburban park with tons of elevation to work with. The grass is well mowed and trees are trimmed back from ground to about 10 feet to keep wooded shots challenging without being unfair. Navigation is easy, next tees are mostly visible from the preceding hole's basket. The course flows well and describes a loop around the park. There are some benches and trash cans available. Restrooms with running water are also on site. The course is quite challenging; mature trees, lots of elevation and some tricky lines as well. Lots of variety in distance too with some totally legitimate par fours. Ellison park is also home to two of the most exciting disc golf holes I've ever thrown: Hole 7 is an epic 500+ foot downhill throw and Hole 16 is a challenging toss down three tiers of landscape with very unforgiving vegetation. The uphill holes here are absolutely relentless. The city has a very strong disc golf culture.

Cons:

Some tee pads are a little small. The course can be a little tight, as it's easy to send a wild shot onto a neighboring fairway. A few blind shots from the tee, but 17 is the only one where it's really hard to know what to throw at.

Other Thoughts:

While many may argue that Parma is a better course than Ellison, I must say the opposite. This is definitely among my favorites, and it's so great that it's so close to the city. And two of my favorite holes ever are here. As far as I'm concerned, Ellison is the top of the line in the 585.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
2 4
Skiddy28
Experience: 13.8 years 4 played 4 reviews
4.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jul 22, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Long holes, lots of variables that aren't overwhelming, not overcrowded, Love the tee boxes they put in

Cons:

Hole 17 hates me, Cans and bottles laying around in the foliage that A-Hole people don't dispose of properly, a couple baskets are hard to spot in the trees

Other Thoughts:

My friends and I have only lost One disc here, a tall tree ate it.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
2 1
bosoxbrent
Experience: 13.6 years 36 played 12 reviews
3.00 star(s)

A Great Workout 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 8, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

Nice layout with plenty of challenging holes. The course is very hilly and you end up with a great workout. The course is pretty open and you have no problem figuring out where to go next.

Cons:

The course has a lot of beer bottles, cans, and water bottles laying around. It's sad that people playing this course feel the need to throw their trash on the ground. The only other gripe I have about this course is that it was very crowded. Lots of people were playing here and we frequently had to wait to play each hole.

Other Thoughts:

It's a good course, not a great one. If it were better maintained and was less crowded, I would have definitely given this course a higher rating.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
5 1
lcra0825
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 17.6 years 152 played 39 reviews
3.00 star(s)

good for beginners and pros alike 2+ years

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

Pros:

- good use of elevation (also a con)
- good tee pads
- signs with distances and tees
- nice an open so it is good for beginners
- has a lot of history being one of the first disc golf courses
- very easy to navigate
- holes flow one after the other, no long walks between holes
- 2 or 3 nice holes that stand out 7,8,16
- bathrooms in the parking lot

Cons:

- elevation is also a con because it is tiring to walk up and down hills throughout the front 9
- the course seems bland at times, especially on the front 9
- no multiple tees or baskets that I can find
- the baskets seem smaller than normal (I could be wrong)

Other Thoughts:

This is a good course to start on because it is very easy to navigate and a lot of the holes are pretty open so a newcomer might not become as frustrated by having their discs constantly hitting trees. There is also some really long shots so better players can air it out. Hole 7 is one you can air it out going down hill. Hole 16 is also unique with a down hill throw over two layers. I would have rated the course higher if their were more "wow" holes like some of the other courses in Rochester.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
2 3
jkanick38
Experience: 13.8 years 13 played 11 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Great course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Apr 7, 2012 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

has a nice mix of hilly and flat terrain which make this very interesting to play, no water so good for beginers, forgiving if you have a bad shot,

Cons:

Holes and tees to close together make for alot of people yelling fore mainly on the front nine. it gets a bit repetitive, lots of new players

Other Thoughts:

this plays like 2 different couses when u hit the back nine it a whole diferent ball game .the back nine has light wooded areas on a few hole which changes up play a bit overal a great course thats very scenic for players,
Was this review helpful? Yes No
2 0
fictionfree
Experience: 15.7 years 13 played 9 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Classic course is still a challenge 2+ years drive by

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

Pros:

-Course design is both friendly and challenging
-Classic course has been featured in several Worlds and remains a local favorite
-Addition of rubber tees fixed one of the major gripes from before - terribly eroded dirt tees
-Mix of hills, tightly wooded holes, open wooded holes, open fields, out-of-bounds, hyzer, anhyzer, etc. lets everyone shine and be challenged
-Free parking is adjacent to holes 1 and 2
-Friendly laid back feel while playing
-Very social - someone is almost always playing any time of day, and people are generally very social, friendly and you can tag along with a group if you want, run into pros who are cool about offering advice or tips, etc.

Cons:

-Overcrowded on warm days - you can wait a long time to tee off when it's warm and everyone is out playing
-Litter - generally several grocery bags worth to pick up every week and only one garbage can in the entire park that nobody seems to use
-The hilly portions can be very slippery after a rain, the flatter sections can be very squishy and muddy
-Attracts a lot of newbies, which can be annoying when they throw into you, or won't let you play through, etc.
-Baskets are removed in late fall and re-installed in the spring, mostly because people like to sled on holes 7-12 in the winter. It makes sense, but with so few courses on this side of the county, it's inconvenient - would be nice if they'd leave an alternate layout in place in the winter.

Other Thoughts:

This is supposedly the 2nd oldest course in the country, and I consider it to be one of the best I've played. The course design is genius - there aren't a lot of barriers to play with, but every tee and every basket are placed to make the most out of every tree, every slant to the topography, etc. Every hole has multiple lines that force you to make smart decisions about how to play. And yet while the course remains challenging for even top pros, new players still have a fun time playing.

The biggest problems with this course derive from the fact that it is so popular - thus there tends to be a lot of litter, the occassional callous/clueless player, etc.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
3 2
GrEaTeRNaTeR
Experience: 13.6 years 19 played 19 reviews
3.50 star(s)

bit of all 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 15, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

This course has a little bit of it all, tree's, hills, distance and rubber tee pads. Good for skilled players yet forgiving for the noobs. some of the hills are a great workout bcuz they r long and gradual. nicely cleared up and trimmed back

Cons:

can quickly fill up with players on a nice day. some hills are a little steep, so for some that arnt in the greatest of shape this may come as a challenge. only a seasonal course

Other Thoughts:

designate nine holes for winter players to stay open
Was this review helpful? Yes No
5 1
mashnut
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 22.1 years 831 played 767 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Fun park course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 19, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

The course plays through a grassy park with scattered mature trees. Most of the course plays on a large hillside, and the design uses the elevation quite a bit to make tough uphill holes, fun downhill bombs, and some tricky sloped greens and landing areas. The course is pretty open, but a few holes have enough trees to make you hit some tighter lines and low ceilings. A few holes at the end have some brushy rough in play to add some punishment for errant shots.

There is a nice mix of hole lengths throughout, especially with the hills adding or taking away from the effective lengths. The few tighter holes call for some different lines to hit, and the wind makes you think a little in the more open areas of the course. The park is nicely maintained, with mowed grass and no trash or vandalism when I played.

Cons:

The first two thirds of the course play very open, and get a bit repetitive. The hill shots are fun but there isn't a whole lot of variety or different types of challenges in this part of the course. These holes are also a bit crammed in and with the large numbers of newer players that seem to frequent this course it can be a bit of a safety issue with discs flying across adjacent fairways.

There are no tee signs, just distances painted on the tee pads. This makes it a little unclear where to go next after a few of the holes. A little signage at or between holes would go a long way. The baskets are a little older and don't always catch as well as newer targets. Te tees are a bit lumpy in some spots,though it sounds like they're a major upgrade over the previous situation.

Other Thoughts:

This is a really fun recreational course, and it seemed to be one of the most popular area courses. The distances are fairly reasonable, and less accurate throwers aren't heavily punished. More experienced players won't find too many interesting challenges, but it's a great place to play some fun elevation shots.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
2 3
gregbrowning
Experience: 49 played 4 reviews
4.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 5, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

Gorgeous, well-maintained course with scenic views. Great variety--you will need all of the shots in your arsenal to score well.

Cons:

Navigation can be tough without a map. If you remember, the next tee location is shown on the tee sign.

Other Thoughts:

This course is a must play if you are ever in western NY. I am hoping to make a return visit soon.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
2 2
idragon
Experience: 15 played 6 reviews
3.50 star(s)

IDragon 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 27, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

Wide variety of holes, short, long, uphill, downhill, wooded. Long downhill hole really lets you let it all hang out! Nice mature park, course is beautiful!

Cons:

Lots of walking up and down hills, you will get a workout.

Other Thoughts:

Park is beautiful!
Was this review helpful? Yes No
11 0
ERicJ
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 16.3 years 286 played 154 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Did someone yell "FORE!"? 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 24, 2011 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

The hill! This is obviously what Ellison is all about. You get big uphill and downhill holes here. There's a 500+' hole that many players will reach with a midrange and 300' holes that even REC players are throwing putters at. What disc golfer doesn't love to throw a disc from the top of a hill like this?? The first dozen holes are all about distance management. They aren't wide open, but the trees here aren't the main challenge. #13-15 bring some tighter lines and shot shaping-tree avoiding holes to the course. #16 is a cool shooting down a terrace hole. The course finishes with a good one-two punch of (#17) a 600' two placement shot hole with a tough hillside putt and (#18) a short 270' birdie hole. The baskets are old MachIII's, but still in good condition. Distances painted on the fly-pads seemed pretty accurate. Restrooms on site and ample parking spaces.

Cons:

Dangerous! On the hillside holes discs can come flying at you from all directions; some of them from tees that are pretty far away. The new rubber fly-pads are still in very good condition, however several of them are "lumpy" which makes me wonder if their installation was rushed and the ground not properly leveled first. This is a multi-use park so you will have to content with other park goers that consist of picnicers, dog walkers, and random aimless teenagers.

Other Thoughts:

If you're not used to playing courses with big elevation Ellison can eat you up. You'll be overthrowing downhill baskets by 100+' and leaving uphill upshots short by 75'. There seems to be a constant echo of "FORE!" ringing around the course as errant throws whiz by your head. The arrows painted on the trees of #13 aren't ridiculous mandos, instead they're path directions for horseback riders. Ellison isn't a technical course in the traditional sense of hitting lines through trees, it requires a different type of skill: elevation management. It has a pretty high fun factor to it.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
3 1
Spock
Experience: 45.9 years 3 played 3 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Ellison is reliable 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 12, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

Beautiful scenery.
Good variety of hills/left right.
A couple of very nice "capstone" holes (7, 13, 17).
The new rubber tees are nice (but also see cons).

Cons:

There are four holes that are closer to par 2 than they are to par 3 (5, 6, 11, and 12). Getting a 3 on these holes seems like a bogey.
The new rubber tee mats are too short for my typical run-up.
There's a lot of swampy ground around holes 1, 17, and 18.
There's a lot of doggy doo on the course.

Other Thoughts:

This is a "must play" course in Rochester.
I really enjoyed the upgrades related to World's events in both 1999 and 2011.
Hole # 16 is my favorite. Slightly blind with interesting stepped elevation changes.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
3 2
AdirondackDGA
Experience: 46.2 years 19 played 5 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Rochester Classic 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 26, 2007 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Open and easy on most holes. Very playable at all levels of skill. Friendly to newbies (but can be long in certain cases for newbs)

Cons:

Wet. Standing water on first when last there, and a lot of it. Tees when I played were not the greatest, but I hear are better now. Some blind shots, but manageable with time and experience.

Other Thoughts:

This course reminds me of Morley Field in San Diego and Pendleton King Park in Augusta. Two reasons. The courses layout, which gives you a really nice mixture of shots, and the courses history in the world of disc golf. Each are fixtures and should be sought out by avid disc golfers who want to say that they have played 'historic' disc golf courses.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
4 1
jayman33
Experience: 18 years 48 played 17 reviews
3.50 star(s)

classic 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jul 16, 2011 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

description. mostly open, very hilly course that runs up, down, and across the giant hill multiple times before heading into a slightly wooded area. signature hole is #7, a beautiful 528 foot downhill throw to the basket, which if you fly past will put you in the woods (had a friend do that once).

tees. brand new fly pads that look great. distance is written on tee and most holes have signs.

basket positions. it's cool to putt with the hill in play, whether uphill or downhill, and definitely affects the line/disc you choose for your drive/approach as well. for example, I prefer to throw a gator sidearm on hole number 6 so that my path is left to right at the basket and can putt uphill to go for the birdie.

variety of shots. at ellison you won't just throw your driver all the time, despite it being mostly open. some holes can be reached with a fairway, several with a midrange, or even a putter. I also like to throw sidearm on a couple of holes as well, so I feel like I get to throw a lot of different shots.

difficulty. I'd say moderate. the course makes great use of available trees and provides a challenge while giving you a lot of options in choosing your line. although a long course for beginners, it's fun and very memorable.

Cons:

can be very wet at the beginning of the year due to water pooling at the bottom of the hill.

tees can get slippery with dirt on them.

can be very crowded at times.

dogs. a ton of people take their dogs to a stream close to hole 14 and occassionally you'll have one run onto the course.

Other Thoughts:

first course I ever played in rochester. ellison is a classic course and fun to bring beginners, as it leaves a great impression with its scenic views, especially in the fall.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
2 10
justinmd44
Experience: 23.8 years 57 played 7 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Nostalgic but boring 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 29, 2010 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

The steep hill at Elision helps to make a few interesting drives. Also a great hole with three levels.

Cons:

I find this course to be incredibly boring. Almost all the shots are wide open and easy. This course has incredible importance in the history of disc golf but, that doesn't mean should flock to play it.

Other Thoughts:

I don't like playing this course but you can't argue its importance.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
6 3
Chiefstang
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 14.8 years 101 played 21 reviews
4.00 star(s)

My local course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Oct 16, 2010 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Ellison is set on a fairly steep hill, and the course designers really made the most of it. There are some long, let it fly holes (#7), and some accuracy based holes on the back 9. Very well rounded and a lot of fun. Fresh rubber fly-pads have been installed. There are restrooms at the park.

Cons:

Being the only course on the east side of town, it can get busy at times, but not too unbearable. Holes 1, 17, and 18 are perpetually soggy.

Other Thoughts:

A good course that has my two favorite holes in Rochester. 7 is a huge downhill throw with highly entertaining hangtimes. Bring a few drivers to throw down this one! 16 is my other favorite. It's a blind throw down two tiers of what looks like the foundations of an old building. You can easily lay it up on the second "platform", but you will be rewarded for throwing for the tee. This course is minutes from my house, and I play it regularly. That being said, it never gets old. Quite the opposite, really. I'm kind of addicted to Ellison.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
2 6
Tigger
Experience: 1 played 1 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Needs Work 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 11, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

nice open course. Locals are pretty friendly and helpfull.

Cons:

tees are terrible - most are so rutted that people don't use them. The 9th tee for instance is probally 10x15 now due to people throwing from the sides and front.

Other Thoughts:

We played around noon time.. we had traveled all day and need to use the bathrooms... they were LOCKED!!! This is a very popular park so you can't just "go behind a tree". We did enjoy playing tho.
Was this review helpful? Yes No

Latest posts

Top