Lima, OH

Ottawa Park

3.195(based on 13 reviews)
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14 0
thrembo
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 48.8 years 242 played 194 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Nice Metro park Course

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 12, 2022 Played the course:once

Pros:

My wife is originally from Lima, so this course has been on my radar for a while. So I drop her off at her sister's house for a visit and this course is five minutes away. My brother drives over from Columbus to meet me for a round. Perfect right?

The course has two elements to it. A shorter more woodsy front nine with some quirky looks, and a more open and longer back nine with a smidge of elevation change and one decent water carry. The course has decent concrete tees (x2) and most holes seemed to have two pin placements. I would describe the course as short but also fun and interesting. There is a solid challenge here for rec throwers and INT to advanced will appreciate the added distance and challenge from the longer set of tees. The park is scenic and wildlife abounds. The park is very well maintained and exudes a nice serene vibe, except for areas that border other park activities and roads. There is a great course map.

Cons:

The biggest con here is going to be the brutal 3' tall grass rough that borders a lot of the fairways of several holes during the spring/summertime. I strongly encourage spotting on any of these holes or you will lose your discs.

Most of the holes had two pin placements but the tee signs only showed one, so some of the locations and distances may be off. Also, one tee sign was missing and one was damaged.

There will be mosquitos and such in the warmer months.

Other Thoughts:

This is a nice course for the area but I would caution new/rec throwers from playing in the summer months. There were some youngsters out on the course while we were there and they were spending a lot of time in the rough looking for lost discs. They also tossed one into the water hazard. Someone needs to teach them spotting and playing it safe lol.

So we have here a decent course that might actually play better in the fall/winter months when the rough thins out. It is set in a real nice Metro Park though that has a nice camping area and lots of other activities for your non-throwers to do while you get a round in.
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10 0
mr741
Experience: 4 years 61 played 7 reviews
4.00 star(s)

2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 21, 2020 Played the course:once

Pros:

Each tee box is cement and each hole has 2 tee boxes therefore appealing to both beginners and more advanced players.

Most of the front nine holes are short and there are twists and turns in the holes. There are many trees to avoid. Would be interesting to play this course in spring or summer when the brush and leaves are much more plentiful than during Late Nov.

The front nine was much in the woods and provided short technical holes. Some were blind shots in that you could not see the basket from tee which made things interesting. There is also a very large map next to parking lot which shows the entire course.
The back nine was very wide open and has several bomber shots. if you can handle the longer pro tee boxes throwing off the top of the hill on #11 and #18 is quite fun. I also thought there as a good mix of left to right bending holes. #17 I also found very fun to around the hill to left like that.

The picture on each tee box was very helpful as well so that I could locate some of the longer tee boxes.

Cons:

I did not have much to mention here.
Did get confused going from 10 to 11 and ended up going to tee box 12 1st. That was the only directional challenge I had.

Not sure why some of the early holes had such elevated baskets but certainly made things more challenging. Unless you like normal height holes. Could be either con or pro.

The one long hole #14 from pro tees seemed to play into the fairway of the previous uphill hole #13 but would depend on how its played. but if #14 played from pro tees was also a blind shot into fairway up and over hill and might have been hard to tell if people were on previous hole/fairway.

Other Thoughts:

Having course map there was very helpful for newbies. I also found the location just off I75 very easy to get to.

Having some of the holes in a location thats not viewable from tee box I liked although it did make things difficult.

One water hole #12 which requires a shot over the water so be forewarned.

Not sure what playing this course would be like during summer time when there would many more people there walking on trails or biking on trails as several holes go across these paths. Just something to be aware of if you visit this place during summer. Hardly anyone else there when I played. I saw only 3 other groups of disc golfers and maybe 5 different groups of people hiking. Nice park setting overall.
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3 1
tonyfaurot
Experience: 7.5 years 17 played 15 reviews
3.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 18, 2016 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

this is my home course and i live a mile down the road so i am happy about that...nice course overall front 9 loops thru the woods lots of tunnel shots ...not long...pro tees change shots alot...back all open to let loose with all you got....nice pads...signs and layout.

Cons:

no cons for me ...just a nice place to play discgolf.....walking trails looping thru park may have to wait a minute on some shots.

Other Thoughts:

this course is pretty well laid out.....nice metro park....use all your shots here.
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3 0
aswinfield
Experience: 1 played 1 reviews
3.00 star(s)

A little bit of everything... 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 7, 2015 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

The course has a little bit of everything as the Front 9 is short and technical within thick foliage and trees (winter is obviously a bit thinned out). The Back 9 is longer and more wide open. You can really rip some bombs on those holes.
Overall, the course is a nice mix and has the option to play the Front 9 quickly if you are in a time crunch. I can play it by myself in 25min.

Cons:

One big issue with the course is that it is along a river so in the summer it can a) flood b) be very muddy c) have a lot of mosquitoes d) all of the above.

Other Thoughts:

If you're in Lima or even just travelling along I-75 (it's 1 mile off the highway) this course is worth your time and 90% of the time there is no one else on the course.
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11 0
sisyphus
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 12.6 years 397 played 383 reviews
3.50 star(s)

An interesting contrast 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 11, 2015 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

With an entirely different feel between the front and back nines, and dual concrete tees for every hole, Ottawa Metro Park @ Lima (not to be confused with Ottawa park a little further north) is just about a mile off interstate 75, making it a great 'layover' for the traveling disc golfer wanting to stretch their legs, and take a break from the seemingly eternal road construction in the area. If you like relatively shorter and technical woods lanes, you could just hit the first nine from the short tees, which average around 210 feet. If you really want to bomb a few before getting back to your trip, you could hit the much more open and even 'hilly' second nine from the long tees, which average over 430 feet per hole.

When you pull up to the course, the first thing you'll notice is the cool totem pole, then the course sign/map and practice basket, then a small shelter (with an explanation of the tranquil memorial grove of white pines to your left) which has boxes for score cards (still cool, even if it's not filled). About half the time, the long and short tees created a different line of flight and challenge, and with most of the baskets on the front nine tucked just around a tree or an obstacle, you'll be hard pressed to deuce a ton of these from the longs. In contrast, the short tees give you three or four absolute ace runs. An interesting contrast. On the open 'back' nine, there aren't a lot of challenging greens, but there is some big D to be had.

The DGA baskets are competition standard and almost always seemed to catch well (with a sad exception: I blew up the chains on the blind short hole 4, but had cut through...been a while since I aced, so I was a little frustrated, but know that it was a fluke either way!).

But for the most part, there's a little something here for everyone: in competition, you'll be tending toward the long tees, where it will take Intermediate or better technical skills to score well on the front, and Advanced and above distance off the tee to score well from the longs on the 'back'. The regionally prevailing winds and prairie grasses will challenge players from holes 9 through 18. And even though two holes teed from atop the mound for long bomb shots, hole twelve has to be the signature hole on the course. Over 600 feet from the longs and 300 from the short tee, the direct line of approach angles across the length of the pond, with a piney green deterring the big rhbh hyzer approach. Do you lay out safely to the left, approach and putt, or do you have to go for it, trailing by a stroke? You'd better know your game for this one.

Cons:

Do bring a map for your first visit, or there will be a few puzzling spots, like the first long tee which seems to angle a little toward the nearby ninth basket. Though the 36 tee signs do indicate next tee direction, I didn't always study those, and kept feeling like the course needed some more next tee signage, especially beginning after the 9th hole. And if anything, the maps often underestimate the tight finishing bends, such as the actual S shaped approach you'll be shooting on hole 7, and the fact that hole 17 doesn't just arc around the mound: the basket is fully 80 degrees to your left as you stand on the short tee.

There's a tendency to be marshy and muddy in the woods, especially in the spring, and the tall grasses lining the 18th fairway will be hiding a thousand thorny plants as you get closer to the green, so be prepared for that. The second half of the course entails some real hikes, with only one bench evident up on the mound.

Other Thoughts:

My overall impression of the course was that I really thought there were some fun and challenging holes, and then there was a stretch where I was just playing heave, heave, approach and putt (I don't have a big arm off the tee). But trying the course from both the long and short tees showed off its flexible appeal for a casual round. I wouldn't want to play two tournament rounds out here in the middle of the summer, but there are likely to be some young guns around who could really tear up the competition in an event like that!
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5 0
Derek B
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 21.8 years 397 played 46 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Launching in Lima 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 22, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

1) Concrete tees
2) Some interesting hole shapes from long tees
3) Technical holes (front 9) and open bomber holes from longs
4) good signage
5) long tees
6) Highlight holes: 12 long, 18 long

Cons:

1) Tee boxes too small for run ups
2) No benches
3) Short tees - too easy
4) Saw a lot of litter esp on front 9
5) Long walk from 9 to 10.

Other Thoughts:

Scenery: 3/5
Difficulty v Fun factor (5/5 is best mix): 3/5
Tees: 2/5
Signage: 4/5
Navigation: 2.5/5
_______________
Total: 2.9/5

I played this course expecting to play the shorts, but quickly surmised that the shorts were just way too easy. If you are a beginner, then by all means play the shorts; but, if you are intermediate or above, the longs are where it's at. My review is of the longs only, as I've never played the shorts.

The course starts off in the open, but quickly dives into the woods. Holes 2-8 play in mature woods. The fairways are well defined for the most part, but a couple of the holes had some weird angles (hole 4, for example). These holes are more about the angles than they are the obstacles. There are virtually no trees in the fairways, but the fairways are lined with trees and brush on either side.

Hole 9 is completely in the open again and the rest of the holes are in the open. Hole 12 is a monster and is very challenging. Two water hazards are in play and the OB road as well. The basket sits protected amongst a grouping of pine trees. Very pro-style hole. Hole 18's tee sits atop a huge hill and you get an awesome view of the park and the target. It's a "top of the world" hole.

The signage is excellent. Every sign has the footage, par, and a hole map and hole number. The signs are steel and very sturdy. Although the signs were nice, I did have some navigation problems at times.There's no arrows or next tee signs to direct you to the next hole. There is a very long walk from hole 9 to 10. Bring a map with you.

The tee boxes are adequate, but not really large enough for the run up needed for some of the long holes. I didn't see any benches, so bring a stool if you want to rest.

I thought the course was fun to play overall, but very challenging. I scored a +5 shooting par 3s, but I feel as though if I played it more, I could shave it down to about even, which is the mark of a good course IMO.

I would come back to play this course again if I'm in the area. I wouldn't recommend driving a great distance just to play this course, but combine it with ONU and it'll be a fun day.
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2 6
Steffner
Experience: 2 played 2 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Nice course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 14, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

Easy flow
Great directions
Pretty surroundings
Easy to get to

Cons:

Front 9 was like a swamp from rain.
Most of the course was water logged, but it rained for about a week straight until the day before I played. Still worth it though.
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2 2
erik hughes
Experience: 16.8 years 8 played 1 reviews
4.00 star(s)

new holes 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 9, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

New concrete tees. New tee markers. 18 holes good contrast. Front nine is wooded and great for some technical shots. The back nine is open area and has a water hazard. The back nine was fun to play.

Cons:

Easy to loose a disk here. The woods and ruff are thick

Other Thoughts:

Try this course. Its a good time
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2 1
Foofoohead
Experience: 21 played 21 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Park Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 30, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

Easy flow, can't get lost.
Very good baskets.
Plenty of trees.
Fun course.
Good parking and simple signs at each hole.

Cons:

No tee pads, just a post. Gets muddy.
Tall grass, potential to loose discs.
Holes all short, don't correspond to the pars.

Other Thoughts:

Great course for a quick 9 and practicing those more technical shots. If your a grip it and rip it player this is not the course for you. All the holes are short but technical requiring placement more than length. Overall a fun course, good place for beginners to learn those more technical aspects of the game.
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3 1
jhilvers19
Experience: 13.7 years 4 played 3 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Fun Course 2+ years drive by

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

Pros:

Challenging holes.
Very fun.
Never a crowd.
Can always find a disc or two.

Cons:

Very easy to lose a disc.
Bugs can get really annoying.
Can be overgrown at times.

Other Thoughts:

I love this course, even though its only a 9 hole, the holes are very challenging, shooting through trees, and around some pretty tough corners. All the holes are marked and it's easy to find your way around. Never even seen another group of people while out playing. It is very easy to lose a disc, because of how heavily wooded the area is that your playing in, but that's also a bonus because you can find multiple discs on one outing. It's always a staple that my brother and I go and play this course every time I come home.
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1 1
andrewkh
Experience: 16.7 years 54 played 27 reviews
2.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 10, 2010 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

-nice park
-set off to the side, no park related obstacles
-good mix of open and wooded holes
-never crowded
-near the highway

Cons:

-can get over grown
-bugs can get bad

Other Thoughts:

there is an upcoming tournament to help raise funds to turn this 9 hole course into a full 18.
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2 4
Kellermeyer14
Experience: 15.6 years 10 played 5 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Fun -- until you find something new 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 25, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Tight tunnel fairways help beginners practice meshing power with accuracy. Pro tees are much more challenging.

Cons:

The open fairways aren't challenging enough. Tees are impossible to throw from when wet. Woods are overgrown.

Other Thoughts:

The course is much like neighboring city, Lima: It's convenient, but poorly kept and mostly underwhelming.
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1 4
Ryno-5 DGT
Experience: 19.8 years 301 played 13 reviews
2.00 star(s)

2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 4, 2007 Played the course:never

Pros:

easy to play, great for learning control shots

Cons:

overgrown and easy
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