Uploaded By: gregwil2
Hole #5 (Taken 12/2011)
Hole #5 (Taken 12/2011) 
4 / 260ft. 3 / 260ft. 3 / -- 3 / --
Par / Distance:
Hole #5 Tee Sign
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Reviews: 25
Avg. Rating:
Details
Avg. Rating:
Details
What! No Black Bears? 
Pros: Aesthetically pleasing 18 hole course that plays in and around a forest/nature preserve. There is a nice variety of different holes that make excellent use of the natural surroundings.
Good replay value in my opinion.
Good replay value in my opinion.
Cons: Parking is very, very limited. It's basically just a strip of street next to the park.
Other Thoughts: The Redwing Blackbirds are very territorial on the holes playing over and around the bullrushes. My friends and I found ourselves ducking and running from these angry birds. Quite entertaining!
***I won't ever write a review where I give bugs/wildlife/foliage con feedback... you are outside, often in places where the wildlife was there long before the course. Knocking a place for "mozzies" and "itchy plants" seems dumb to me. Go in expecting nature and kit yourself out accordingly!***
***I won't ever write a review where I give bugs/wildlife/foliage con feedback... you are outside, often in places where the wildlife was there long before the course. Knocking a place for "mozzies" and "itchy plants" seems dumb to me. Go in expecting nature and kit yourself out accordingly!***
1 of 6 people found this review helpful.
Report this Review Worth stopping by
Pros: I like the fact that trees abound on this course. I also like the water hazard that comes into play on a few holes. I found there to be a fair amount of variety in the holes as well. There did not seem to be much repetitiveness. I just liked the feel of being out here. It had a nice atmosphere.
Cons: The designers have no control over elevation, but it is a pretty flat course. It is also a bit short. Some of the holes are a bit too close to each other, but I guess the designers had a limited amount of space to work with. The challenge from the trees help to offset the lack of distance. I also wish there were a parking lot for the park. I had to park down the street in front of someone's house. I guess that is not much of a con, though. A little more elevation and a little more space between the holes could make this a four ranking for me.
Other Thoughts: All in all, I would consider this a worthwhile stop if you are in the Elgin area hitting up Shady Oaks or Sunrise Park. When I visit my friend in Elgin in the spring, I will definitely hit this course up again. I might even play two rounds this time.
2 of 5 people found this review helpful.
Trees galore 
Pros: A newer course. Very scenic in the fall. Nice hole info signage and signage/pavement markings pointing out the next hole. Good course for a brand new disc golfer to learn the value of control and choosing a good line to the basket. There's a horse near one of the final holes of the course.
Cons: While the trees are pretty, they get in the way often. I had several shots bounce off the tree limbs and trunks. Saw one tree toward the northern end of the course (#9?) that had a bunch of gashes in it from other disc golfers. I managed to miss that one. The water holes just aren't good for beginners. I was really worried about tossing a brand new disc into the pond. Hole 4 can be carried easily, but it made me nervous. At #5, I made 70ft throws along the path because I was so concerned about throwing one into the pond. Course could get busy; saw some other players as I started my round and again at the halfway point. All the leaves on the ground in the fall can make it harder to find your discs.
Other Thoughts: I'm a beginner. Played at Clark Park a few times in the 90s. For me, Black Bear Park was a difficult course. I didn't mind the trees much, even though they cost me at least 6 shots. The water was nerve-wracking for me because I have little length and control to my drives. That said, I look forward to playing this course again.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.
Fun / Short
2-4 
3/1/2011 
10/25/2010
Review By: steakfest Played: 7 Reviewed: 2 Exp: 3.8 Years
This review was updated on 7/15/2011
Pros: I really like the variety. Each hole has it's own personality. If you like short technical courses, this is a good one for you. Water comes into play on a couple holes for a little extra pressure.
the quality of the signage is good,
the quality of the signage is good,
Cons: No long holes, but that's not a terrible thing. The only thing I really don't like about this course is the safety issues with the intermingling of the pedestrian traffic and the flight paths of the holes. You will sometimes have to wait a while for people to get out of the way before you can throw. I don't like worrying that I'm going to hurt someone.
I didn't really know where to go from one hole to the next, but luckilly I had people there to help me out.
I didn't really know where to go from one hole to the next, but luckilly I had people there to help me out.
Other Thoughts: Given the choice between having a course that has to share space with walkers/bikers and not having a course at all, I choose sharing the space! This is a great course to play on your lunch break if you work in the area (like I do) And I've even used the course to introduce new players to the game, since none of the holes are really that long.
2 of 8 people found this review helpful.
Intermediate 
Pros: - Course is crammed into a wooded and wet section of this park. There is a walking path that winds throughout, otherwise completely devoted to disc golf.
- Lots of holes are set in well populated woods. There are plenty of tight windows to hit, especially in the fairways. Lots of small trees mean that there are a ton of different lines, though some are a lot more forgiving that others. If one were to follow the "recommended" paths, a pretty good variety of shots can be found. Some baskets are protected by trees, and plenty of greens as well. Only a couple spots where trees challenge off the tee.
- Other holes have water or tall grass to act as hazards. These holes are much more open, of course, with protected greens being the biggest obstacle. So, going over or around the various hazards in the fairway is not too challenging. Still, better than wide open fairways by a large margin.
- Some holes have decent elevation changes, and almost hole have a slight tilt up or down. #1 and #18 play by a small hill, that is about as extreme as it will get. Still, better than being dead flat.
- Great tee signs, good baskets, interesting tees. Asphalt OK, elevated wooden boxes OK. Some great navigational aids like arrows on the walking path or a post pointing to #3 and #18.
- Lots of holes are set in well populated woods. There are plenty of tight windows to hit, especially in the fairways. Lots of small trees mean that there are a ton of different lines, though some are a lot more forgiving that others. If one were to follow the "recommended" paths, a pretty good variety of shots can be found. Some baskets are protected by trees, and plenty of greens as well. Only a couple spots where trees challenge off the tee.
- Other holes have water or tall grass to act as hazards. These holes are much more open, of course, with protected greens being the biggest obstacle. So, going over or around the various hazards in the fairway is not too challenging. Still, better than wide open fairways by a large margin.
- Some holes have decent elevation changes, and almost hole have a slight tilt up or down. #1 and #18 play by a small hill, that is about as extreme as it will get. Still, better than being dead flat.
- Great tee signs, good baskets, interesting tees. Asphalt OK, elevated wooden boxes OK. Some great navigational aids like arrows on the walking path or a post pointing to #3 and #18.
Cons: - Biggest concern with this course is the layout. Many holes play directly next to each other, and the path to get to hole #7? goes right through another hole's fairway. Heads up at all times.
- This course is a real shorty. One, and only one, hole is over 300' at 301'. Some of the holes are very brainless, as they are wide open and very short. Even the tougher holes here aren't that tough because they are so short.
- One tee is right next to a garbage can, which really gets in the way. Poor design again.
- This course is a real shorty. One, and only one, hole is over 300' at 301'. Some of the holes are very brainless, as they are wide open and very short. Even the tougher holes here aren't that tough because they are so short.
- One tee is right next to a garbage can, which really gets in the way. Poor design again.
Other Thoughts: - This is a great course for intermediate players, thanks to the tightly wooded holes and various water hazards. A beginner would probably find it too hard, with lines that are too tight and water/tall grass in the worst spots. An experienced player would probably be bored to tears by the shorter hole lengths and easily avoided obstacles/hazards. But, those in between should find it just right, in terms of difficulty and fun factor.
7 of 7 people found this review helpful.
Course improvements!
Pros: Technical course with a variety of shots required to score well. The course has also been cleared and cleaned up. Pictured tee markers are also in.
Cons: Length of holes are fairly similar. I love to see some alternate tee boxes to vary the play.
Other Thoughts: Fun course to play, it can be overpowered, however, it can bite you.
1 of 3 people found this review helpful.
Pros: This relatively new course winds its way through a forest of mature trees. The hole design results in forced flightpaths on the majority of the holes. This is a short technical course. There are holes that finish left, holes that finish right, holes that are a straight shot, and some that require s curves. This is a fun place to play a quick round with just a mid and a putter, drivers are not needed. Tees are a mix of asphalt (painted lines on the walking path and Astroturf on a raised wooden platform. The tee signs are very nice with fairly descriptive drawings of the hole, showing obstacles, preferred flightpath and distance. A pond and a cattail marsh come into play on some of the holes adding some danger. There are a lot of tight fairways on this course that require you to hit a small window early in the fairway. I you are running short on time you can easily play a nine hole loop by playing hole 13-18 after finishing 1-3. It requires no extra walking, and 13 is where most would assume 4 would be anyway.
Cons: This is a very short course. 14 of the 18 holes are 260' and under. I would have liked to see more variety in distance even if that meant fewer holes. This course doesn't flow very well at all, it requires you to double back or walk past other tees in a few spots. If it wasn't for the numbered arrows spray painted on the walking path this course would be a real bitch to get around. The ground here can get very muddy after a rain, and the teepads look like they would be very slippery when wet. The course plays away from and back to a walking path for many of the holes. This creates waits and makes it easier to hit someone.
Other Thoughts: I guess I would classify this one as a technical pitch-n-putt 18. There are some fun shots here, and it is always gratifying to hit a narrow gap and park a tee shot. It is way more enjoyable than Summit, which this course resembles with its many very narrow fairways lined with tons of trees. Unlike Summit, at Black Bear a great shot should be able to park each hole, which is not the case at Summit (even on some very short holes).
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.
Tons of fun 
Pros: The course plays through a small flat wooded area around a small pond. Most of the holes play down fairly narrow gaps in the woods, with limited underbrush. A few holes are a little more open with some scattered trees, and still bring the woods into play on errant drives. The pond comes into play on a few holes for a nice bit of water hazard, and all water holes have bail out options for players who can't clear the water. There is a pretty good balance of right and left turning holes, with some straight shots mixed in.
The tees are marked areas on the asphalt path, or nice large boxes with an astroturf surface. All are plenty large, and the tee surfaces were level. The signs are really nice, with hole layout and distance, next tee information, and good solid wood posts. The baskets are brand new discatchers and catch well. Navigation is a breeze, the couple places where the flow is not obvious, the next tee is indicated with arrows on the ground.
The tees are marked areas on the asphalt path, or nice large boxes with an astroturf surface. All are plenty large, and the tee surfaces were level. The signs are really nice, with hole layout and distance, next tee information, and good solid wood posts. The baskets are brand new discatchers and catch well. Navigation is a breeze, the couple places where the flow is not obvious, the next tee is indicated with arrows on the ground.
Cons: The course is a little crammed in to a small space, so many holes play very close to one another. Because the park caters to newer players who tend to be less accurate, discs can easily end up on other fairways, making a possible safety hazard on busy days. Many of the holes play from and along a walking path, meaning that if the path has other users on it you'll end up waiting while people walk the length of the fairway. The course is already pretty popular, so you may end up waiting on other groups, including some large groups
The course doesn't have room for much length, so it won't challenge anything but your short game, the longest hole is still barely 300' and the majority are much shorter. A few of the holes could use a little more clearing, there is no real fairway to the hole making them just luck holes.
The course doesn't have room for much length, so it won't challenge anything but your short game, the longest hole is still barely 300' and the majority are much shorter. A few of the holes could use a little more clearing, there is no real fairway to the hole making them just luck holes.
Other Thoughts: This course is a lot of fun to play, and is a great place to work on your short game or play a super class or putter only round. There is a good amount of challenge for the length of the course, and a good mix of different types of holes. There are some design and safety issues, and those are the main reason my rating is only a 2. That said, it's a great beginner course, and a good place for more experienced players to work on their short game. I definitely recommend a stop for a fun round here, just be prepared to watch for discs from other holes and to wait on other groups and pedestrians. Bring bug spray, there can be a good amount of mosquitoes especially in the evening.
9 of 10 people found this review helpful.
Pros: Tight, technical Course
Good Signage (Photos here need to be updated)
Nice pads
Nice variety of short range shots.
Beautiful Area
Fun Hazards
The 18th is a real nasty one.
Good Signage (Photos here need to be updated)
Nice pads
Nice variety of short range shots.
Beautiful Area
Fun Hazards
The 18th is a real nasty one.
Cons: Bugs due to all the standing water.
Poison Ivy
Could use some trimming
Holes are a bit too close to one-another, almost on TOP of each-other
Poison Ivy
Could use some trimming
Holes are a bit too close to one-another, almost on TOP of each-other
Other Thoughts: I can see this place getting really crowded with a lot of waiting going on. Some holes tee off a few feet away from where the basket is. Not for beginners as it's really easy to lose discs in a variety of hazards, trees, tall-grass, etc. The poison ivy makes digging for them that much more of a challenge.
Likely a better course in the off-season without the bugs and the crowds. Stick to your favorites in the summer.
Likely a better course in the off-season without the bugs and the crowds. Stick to your favorites in the summer.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.
Black Bear Park
Pros: This course is actually a wildlife sanctuary in Cook County, including a variety of trees and wetland areas with diverse plant and insect life. Virtually every hole includes some trees with which to contend, while holes 1-3, 7-9, and 13-18 are entirely in the forest. Water also comes into play on many of the holes ranging from tiny creeks to a sizable lake in the center of the park. This course features very short holes, only one of which measuring over 300 feet (Hole #10: 301'), which would make it ideal for beginners. The good amount of hazards somewhat balances these lacking distances and could make for some frustrating holes, and realistic recovery shots to scramble for par.
Cons: - Lots of insects because of the trees and water, also there is poison ivy on course per the tee box signs
- Very tight design with holes very close to one another
- Walking path throughout course often goes right through the fairway; golfers often wait to tee off for people walking
- The short distances are going to be too undemanding for most skilled players
- Very tight design with holes very close to one another
- Walking path throughout course often goes right through the fairway; golfers often wait to tee off for people walking
- The short distances are going to be too undemanding for most skilled players
Other Thoughts: This course is pretty new with the park dedication officially in May 2010, so overall it is in good shape. The course is short with plenty of hazards in the trees and water, particularly on the last six holes. There are plenty of trash cans, clearly visible mulched fairways, and the tee boxes have either an artificial grass pad or a white line painted on the concrete path (both slippery when wet). Perhaps the best appeal of this course is the challenge on the golfer to use mid-range and approach shots effectively to maneuver around the course.
2 of 3 people found this review helpful.
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