Grand Rapids, MI

Earl W. Brewer Park - North

3.115(based on 19 reviews)
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3 0
MisterJ
Experience: 7.5 years 36 played 22 reviews
1.50 star(s)

Had to force myself to continue this one 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 12, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

Aesthetic - It was a fine wooded park, but just a park. Not dirty or anything. Nothing to really say it was aesthetic, and nothing to say it wasn't. The birds were really nice though, lots to hear, and a good deal of Orioles talking. I wouldn't say any signature beauty within the course though.

Challenge - I would say challenge was a pro. Not that this was the most challenging I've seen, and some of the challenge was paste a bunch of trees in front of a basket. There are strategically placed trees, some really tight dog-leg right and left and longer holes.

TeePads/Baskets - The teepads are long and straight, nice. The baskets are nice, and most are decent to spot with the shorter holes

Signage - The signs for each hole are markings on the 4x4 posts for each hole. For the most part they have hole, distance, and general layout of the hole. No signs pointing the next hole for the most part and it would be nice here and there as the next hole isn't within a few feet of the previous basket on many holes.

Variety - I have to say that there is a large variety of holes, just not my style of variety for the most part. But technically speaking, holes range from just shy of 200 feet to over 400 feet in length. Elevation changes, some up, down, some up and down, some down and up. There are blind drives, dog-leg left and right. Most holes are highly technical with moderate to heavy trees. If you visited the course multiple times it would probably make more sense, but not for this one-timer. There are at least 4 holes with blind drives, and 2 of them I'd be willing to say that shy of luck or a pro-golfer, nobody is getting a good look at an ace or even a birdie.

Cons:

Fun - I am going to say it is a CON. Unfortunately, the holes that have blind drives, the ones where baskets aren't easy to spot, and the ones where a post pointing next hole aren't all the same hole. So the course kinda drudged along for me. Always searching for something, the basket, the next pad, or a driving lane or the impossibility of it. Some of the course was fine, couple good holes, but, just not my kind of course.

Congestion - I was here in May, during the week, during the day. Not many people (you're probably saying, why a con then). There were a few other disc golfers but nothing to be concerned with. However random people were just on the course, not disc golfers, and I'm not even sure they were walkers, they were sitting on trees in the middle of the fairway and what not. We skipped a hole due to them, and waited on another due to walkers.

Locatability - For such a compact course holes should be easy to find. But the map is horrid, and as mentioned there isn't anything suggesting direction to next hole, and locating the basket can sometimes be difficult because during the middle holes like 6 to 16 they are under the canopy of the forest and sometimes deciphering which basket is which or identifying yours at all is a struggle. On such a compact course this should never be an issue so I would consider this a major problem.

Maintained/Bugs - We were here in May, and didn't have any issues with bugs. And during the main stretch of the course, it doesn't need maintenance since it is under the shade of such tall trees. But at the beginning of the course, like holes 2 to 6, the grass was so long that with morning dew we had sloshers even tracking down discs in the fairway. Then the last holes, the trees have grown past the original design I'm sure which have blocked the original driving lanes, making some holes not really worth playing (I have a pic which I need to upload showing the 1 foot driving lane available).

Other Thoughts:

Whats holding it back from higher rating - I would give an additional .5 if there was a good map, signs indicating where the next tee was, and painting of the baskets or something to make the baskets more easily identifiable with hole#. I would give an additional 1 full point if someone came thru and either move a few baskets (not shorter, just re-design/re-thought), or landscape the course so either the original drive lanes, or new drive lanes were present and usable by the vast majority of golfers.

Kid Friendly - Yes, the course is relatively short, and besides for the random and strategically placed trees that kids will definitely be hitting, I think kids will like it.

Older/Less Active Player Friendly - I'm on the fence on whether these folks would like this course. This course is compact, but some of the holes have some elevation too them. Having said that, after the first 11 you end up back at the parking lot and could call it quits, and are near the parking lot for many of the holes after that.

Rookie & Average & Pro Player Friendly - I think it depends on if you are in the area, and who you are with. Alone, I would say no. But spending an hour or so with friends, especially if one of the people knows the course, and you know what to expect, then you may have a decent time with some friends playing disc golf, it just so happens to be here at Brewer Park. But there are so many better courses to hit.
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1 4
jmherman
Experience: 6.8 years 15 played 15 reviews
3.50 star(s)

fun course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 18, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

I like this course. it's fun to play. some good challenging holes. well laid out and designed. This course has character. This is a family friendly course.

Cons:

needs more signs showing where next hole is. not the courses fault, but this course seems to always be windy.

Other Thoughts:

I look forward to going back and playing again!
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0 3
GetMeOutdoors
Experience: 22 played 8 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Well Done 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 6, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

This course is well designed and interesting to play. Open shots and woods shots, hills and flat, right, left, straight. Uses natural landscape to give the holes character. Fun to play. Not too technical and good for family play. Great tee pads (concrete) and signage (simple but effective)

Cons:

Wish it had multiple tee locations

Other Thoughts:

I wish I could play this course more often! Fun!
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0 2
myhouseinthewoods
Experience: 13.7 years 14 played 10 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Better than South 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 1, 2013 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

I like this course, as to me, it's way better than South. I play this side the most when I go to the new brewer. Which is not as much anymore because of the entire park change.

Cons:

The park changed. The old brewer was 1 million times better. Not as much people go to this park now with the new change.

Other Thoughts:

It used to be that it would be crowded when going to brewer. You would have to try to go in the morning to play at ease. Now with the new brewer, it rarely gets crowded except for tourny days.

Blue was the best course for most people, and me. And the old four courses keep the park more fluent.
- Bring Blue Back!
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6 0
BrotherDave
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 16.6 years 192 played 188 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Northern Exposure 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 13, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

Fairly solid course in a typical city park setting. Has some pretty decent length and nice concrete tees. Probably the best thing going for the course are plentiful, mature deciduous trees that mostly provide just enough obstacle factor without ramping up the luckiness or discouraging you from ripping your drive (as opposed to holes so wooded you have to really go into finesse mode).

The variety isn't textbook but the land and hole shape changes enough that you don't feel like you're playing the same hole repeatedly. Fairly decent elevation comes into play from time to time.

Goes without saying, there's another course right next door, which has to be considered a "+" when on a road trip. That never hurts.

Surprisingly devoid of litter. Buckets at each tee provide ample opportunities for disposing trash.

Cons:

Shows some age, especially the baskets and signage. Some old Machs with shallow trays can induce the occasional mind-boggling spit-out. The tee signs are about as detailed as a paleolithic cave painting done by an elementary student. And that's the holes that have them; many do not.

Biggest con are some safety issues. Hole 1 is really short-sighted design. The mando on the kiosk (while necessary and appreciated) isn't going to do anything to negate the very high potential for grip locks straight into the parking lot. I saw 2 golfers do exactly this and they weren't exactly n00bs. Not a good idea to have a hole run parallel to a parking lot, especially when players aren't warmed up yet.

Some of the fairways have a tendency to run pretty close to each other also, raising potential for friendly fire. 11's tee is ridiculously close to 13's basket.

Not a terribly hard test of one's line-shaping ability. If you can throw decently far and straight you stand a good chance of tearing this course up. That being said, the trees do a good job of asking questions of what line you want to take off the tee instead of forcing a particular shot.

Navigation isn't too bad but can be quirky due to obvious signs of redesign and the ability to spot multiple baskets from some tees.

Other Thoughts:

I'd definitely play here again, for sure. Fun, fairly low-stress golf in the classic sense. Probably not my choice for beginners due to the length and some safety issues but I recommend it for anybody in the area.
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3 1
Countchunkula
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 17.7 years 210 played 68 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Meh... 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 31, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

-Concrete Pads
-Variety of terrain (open, wooded, canopy of mature trees, some elevation change)
-Variety of throws required (Left, right, hitting tight gaps, uphill, downhill, open)

Cons:

-Fairway overlap (Some holes run parallel to each other with no foliage to prevent bad shots from finding neighboring fairways. One hole (4?) offers the distinct possibility of landing in two different fairways other than the one you are aiming for.
-Beat up old baskets
-Poor signage (Signs consist of a small piece of plywood with a basic layout, #, and distance in Sharpie)
-Luck vs. Skill (While I like tight lines, a couple of the gaps off of the tee felt more lucky than fair)
-No true multi-throw holes
-The best way to describe the appearance of this course is a little scruffy lookin'.

Other Thoughts:

This is a decent course that has, for the most part, fun tee shots. With that said, the course has a few issues. The 3,4,5 area of packed together holes in an open field is a major design flaw. It's no fun when you have to wait on a group playing a different hole to clear your fairway. Signage leaves something to be desired, although there are a few directional signs to keep you on track. This is a solid course that I wouldn't mind calling my home course; although I'd be annoyed every round at the backups caused each round by the 3,4,5 sh!tstorm.
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0 4
mcnugget
Experience: 11 years 4 played 3 reviews
2.00 star(s)

4-28-13 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 28, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

good distance holes some nice hills good hole placement

Cons:

we smelled pot most of our round there was alot of loud and obnoxious people hole one is to close to the parking lot cars willlllll be hit

Other Thoughts:

not favorite at all heard rumors about drug issues there but had to go the course looked really good
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1 3
Bacon Brown
Experience: 12.8 years 74 played 2 reviews
2.00 star(s)

No variation 2+ years

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

Pros:

tree obstacles, but all holes have lines to hit.
a couple mando's make some holes interesting.
Nice tee signs and pads.

Cons:

Very wet. (swampy in some areas).
Not much variation, mostly straight up shots through trees.
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1 4
edcarpus
Experience: 25.8 years 38 played 3 reviews
3.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 6, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

Nice mix of distances and shot requirements.
Lots of tables and well marked tee signs.
Very clean and well maintained.

Cons:

Kind of "field-y"
Lack of next tee signs.
Can see parking lot from most of the holes.
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2 2
That1AndyGuy
Experience: 14.8 years 10 played 7 reviews
4.00 star(s)

New challenges at home base. 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 12, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

The flow of the course is more fluid than in the past. Much more challenging and technical than the past design. Signs to point you in the right direction to the next pad. Shaded in many spots. Charcoal grills, and plenty of picnic tables to chill after throwing.

Cons:

Be aware of the bacon. They routinely roll through and hide around the corner to catch people going 25 down the 15mph drive. Just be cautious. Bring extra H20, no refill stations.

Other Thoughts:

HAVE A SPOTTER for hole 3! Its thick to the right.
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0 2
JSquizz
Experience: 12.6 years 16 played 14 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Fun course, nice challenge 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 24, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Most of the holes are not too long, but are a challenge nonetheless. Nice mix of elevation and terrain. Some holes are all tress and a few are wide open.

Cons:

Navigation can be difficult if you are new to the course but recently added signs make it easier. This course seems to be the busier of the two so long waits can be expected during peak times, especially when people go out with more than four people in a group. Oh, and watch your disc, there are a lot of places to lose them.

Other Thoughts:

Nice warmup course before taking on the longer south course.
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1 1
Jbot49506
Experience: 12 years 11 played 10 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Brewer 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 15, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Very nice rolling hills with well spaced holes. The fairways are fairly well kept. The disc catchers are in good condition, the signs are pretty well laid out. If you get lost at any point there are usually plenty of locals around to help you find your way.

Cons:

There tend to be very LARGE groups of people at this course, and they can be very slow moving. They allow drinking at this park, this tends to slow things down in my opinion. I would not bring my young daughter with me here to play again, way too much foul language being used. I suspect it is more enjoyable when there is less traffic in the spring and fall.

Other Thoughts:

Not a bad place to play at all! There is lots of other stuff to do at the park to which is nice if the family comes along.
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3 0
jarnson
Experience: 13.8 years 27 played 27 reviews
3.00 star(s)

New North Park 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 27, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

- They took the old Blue, White, Gold and Red courses, all 9 holes and made it two 18 holed courses.
- Good challenges, a few changes
- Still have good cement pads
- More mandos, right off the bat
- Good distances, some challenges with hyzer and anhyzer shots
- Posts more or less describe where basket is, but you will have to play once or twice to get the feel of the course set up
- More or less, if you have played Brewer before the change, its basically the same except a few changes, better long distances and a good twist or two.

Cons:

- Mud right now, makes for walking around a pain in the butt
- Course is confusing, but you'll eventually get used to it
- Make sure you watch your discs, as it was before, players will steal discs... shame
- Chains seem to have gotten worse and some will not even catch the disc. Also, the baskets are kind of short, so make good putts

Other Thoughts:

- North I believe is the top course, when you enter. South would be where red and white... I believe... were.
- Bathrooms, no alcohol, good parking. I believe we can't park up close till May
- At the moment, just park in normal area, then walk up the road past the gate to the course. North is straight ahead!
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3 0
sgamerp
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 16 years 99 played 73 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Much Improved 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 23, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

To start it off they have taken this from teh old lay out of 4 9 holes to two 18 holes.

They took the pads from the old ones, but some in the move have some cracks(but a cracked cement pad is always better then dirt)

They have a good mark of shots here. They have taken the whites, gold and blue area to make a pretty good over all challenge here. they have almost all types of shots on this one.

With the updates and changes came a lot improvement and making all holes a challenge rather then the old blue format of pitch and put.

Cons:

As they have moved all they have no tee signs. It makes this place a mess to get around. We went the wrong way because it doesn't really help in the middle as a bunch of holes are in the same area.

Some of the holes are all in the same area so you can throw on people and the fairways are really close.

The baskets are the worst here, Super shallow and have a lot of puts that fly out.

the three holes from gold are pretty swampy which makes for some wet shoes.

Other Thoughts:

I would say this is a big improvement from what was. I like the format, although in the middle (where blue was) they could of spread a few holes up as to make it better.

Once this gets tee signs I think it will be at least a 3.5 maybe a 4 depending on some basket/teepad updates.
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4 1
chad groen
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 24.1 years 42 played 41 reviews
4.00 star(s)

A Fun Course With a Decent Variety 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Apr 18, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

Brewer Park North is located mostly in a wooded area, but some holes are out in the open. This course offers a nice variety of layouts, which includes blind tee shots, dog legs, narrow fairways, and mostly open fairways. Some holes encourage you to use backhand throws while others encourage forehand throws. The length of the holes sometimes vary, and most of the wooded holes are set up so that the trees serve as strategically challenging obstacles. As an added bonus, hole 9 has two tee boxes you can choose to use, one of which is about 100 feet farther back than the other. Also, each basket has a small red arrow pointing in the direction of where the next tee box is.

Cons:

I just wish something would be done about the irrigation issues for holes 3-6 (this is also a big issue for part of the South course). The ground in that area floods so easily, and it stays wet and swampy for a long time after it rains. I do like the way those holes are set up (though the 6th hole could be longer), but they're almost unplayable if it has rained recently. The location of the 1st hole looks like an accident waiting to happen. Although I like the way it's designed, I don't think it's a good idea to have the hole located next to the parking lot. It seems like a car could easily get hit by a bad throw that sails off to the right, and I really don't feel comfortable parking my car so close to a hole like that. The wooded holes have very little grass because of the tree cover, and they also have a bunch of roots sticking out of the ground. Also, mosquitoes can be kind of bad in this area during the summer. If there's one other problem I have, it's this: Considering how hugely popular Brewer Park is, you would think they would've installed brand new baskets and tee boxes when they redesigned the courses, creating what is now the North course and South course. Instead they just moved some of the old, rusty baskets and cracked tee pads to different spots in the park, and left the other ones alone. This is really disappointing because a lot of these things are in bad shape and really need to be replaced.

Other Thoughts:

Although it has a few flaws, overall I think this is a fun course that offers a decent variety of layouts, some of which can be quite challenging for most players. Keep in mind, though, that it can be kind of crowded on a nice day, especially on the weekends, and you also might not want to play here for a little while after it rains.
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3 1
rshrevo
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 45.8 years 45 played 34 reviews
3.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jun 27, 2015 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

nice concrete pads considering they were made from the old pads from the previous layout. nice variety of the type of shots needed to navigate course from straight to hyzer to anhyzer shots. fairly good flow. good chances for birdies but could also easily become a bogey if not careful. the new layout makes you think about how you want to shoot the hole and where you hope to place your disc to make the best second shot possible.

Cons:

baskets are still the old baskets but still hold shots ok. the course can get real muddy especially around holes 3-6 hole 12 and hole 14. may get a little buggy around holes 3-6 in the summer. some holes are close to each other so watch out for errant drives.

Other Thoughts:

I am starting to like the new layout. it is really fun trying to plan out your next shot and where you hope to place it. love some of the risk reward holes they have out there.

Hole 1 is the first Mando on the course. you need to throw to the left of the Kiosk by the parking lot if you don't you will more then likely end up landing in the parking lot. fairly straight with basket slightly to the left.
Hole 2 pretty straight hole basket is just over hill in front of tree.
Hole 3 short hole but with the trees and brush in front of you it ends up being a left to right shot around that to a basket by the edge of the tree line.
Hole 4 fairway shows a slight dogleg. but basket is clearly visible in front of you. Be Careful of incoming drives from hole 3
Hole 5 straight shot back towards path and tree just in front of path. careful with throw since discs can either land on either hole 6 or 4's fairway.
Hole 6 Short hole good chance for a birdie here with a good drive.
Hole 7 second mando on the course. basket is straight ahead down the valley of trees. must stay right of the first right side trees or your disc may end up in the outhouses nearby.
Hole 8 nice risk reward here short hole but protected by trees in front.
Hole 9 downhill shot into the woods. be careful on where you drive since all the trees can easily redirect your disc to a not so nice place.
Hole 10 I feel is the signature hole on this course. a 428 foot dogleg left shot. approach is about 300 feet straight out then about 120 feet to the left and up the hill. two small trees off the tee pad can really affect which way you want to throw. more of a right forehand shot or left backhand would probably be best drive styles.
Hole 11 there is a sign once you reach the top of the hill directing your to 11's tee pad. the tee pad by the sign to 11 is the pad for 14. hole is downhill basket tucked in behind tree. can easily mistake shooting at 12's basket by mistake.
Hole 12 nice short little hole you would prefer to stay on the right side of the basket since there is mucky ground down the left side of fairway.
Hole 13 goes back up the hill to a basket behind a small cluster of trees near the pad for 11.
Hole 14 is back down hill basically old white 7 but from new tee location. basket is by tree and can get muddy if any rain has recently fallen.
Hole 15 comes back up the hill very tight driving line due to a few large trees directly in front of the pad. most open area is a left to right shot but all shots are available just how much risk are you willing to take.
Hole 16 is like teeing off from old white 6 and shooting to old white 4's basket. nice dogleg left hole where you have to be wary of your drive landing in the creek that flows across the fairway.
Hole 17 Is a fun and challenging hole in front of you is a small straight ahead opening between two trees basket is located at the top of the hill a ways behind the tree and about 75 feet back from the top of the hill.
Hole 18 you are shooting up over the hill across the plateau and down the other side. second shot is key you want to keep it low to the ground so you don't overshoot the basket on the downside of the hill.
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4 0
jimmie51
Experience: 13.8 years 50 played 5 reviews
3.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

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

Pros:

The new lines and added variety of the course are great. There is a line for both ani and hyzers on just about every hole. They are not always easy to find or hit but they are there. The challenge level went WAY up from the old course. No more walking in to Brewer and expecting to leave 8 or 9 down for 9 holes. Great use of the elevation throwing both up and down hills. The best part about the new set up is the risk factor. Just about every hole you can go from a 2 to a 4 or 5 in one tree. Hole 10 along the back may be my favorite hole on the course. It's super hard and you will work for your par on this one. I gave the course a 3.5 and I expect that to go up as the course settles in. The tee signs are all in now. The mando signs are up and there are also a couple "this way to next tee" signs to help navigate you in a tricky areas.

Cons:

The first is just the massive amount of people that play at Brewer on a regular basis. The course is tight and the fairways run right next to each other in some places so you need to keep your head on a swivel during peak play times. Because so many new or casual golfers use this course you don't always get the verbal notice that a disc is incoming to the back of your head. The baskets are older but in pretty good shape still. No broken chains or anything like that. Holes 3-6 are down in the low lands and get wet. I can't really call this a con, but you need to wear the right shoes or boots or the rest of your day can be uncomfortable. I love that part of the course though. Not really too many cons other than that.

Other Thoughts:

Both the north and south courses have really came a long way. Dan and Casey and the rest of the volunteers have done a great job. I can't wait for the season to get underway and the course to settle in to it's new design.
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4 0
Todd Wiley
Experience: 15.1 years 17 played 9 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Brewer Park ~ First Impressions 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 31, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

Great use of elevation changes throughout the course.

Challenging lines make you use every throw you know and even some you don't.

The course seemed to give plenty of chances for ace runs and birdies were abundant!

Cons:

The layout of the course seemed rather compact in some areas making it very possible to throw into other holes fairways/teepads/groups.

This park seemed busy even on a mild weather day in March... I cannot fathom how crowded it could be on any given summer day.

Teesigns were not installed yet and navigation can get tricky because of several holes around 8-14 that take you up and down both sides of a small hill in a sparsely wooded area.

Other Thoughts:

The baskets are definately getting to be some old relics, should replace a few or all of them.

I really enjoyed my round today and will definately be meeting up with some dgcr crew again to play the next time I visit Grand Rapids.
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8 1
apdrvya
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 13.9 years 350 played 293 reviews
3.50 star(s)

the sounds of improvement 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Mar 31, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

Teepads-Big and Level, however, some of these teepads were moved from their original locations to make the redesign

Variety-EXCELLENT VARIETY!! there's swamp, water, hills, trees, a LOT of everything here...

Challenge-the new lines are wicked awesome. So much more of a challenge than the old layouts (This course incorporates parts of the gold, blue and white courses)

Routing-It's getting better with teesigns on every pad but next tee signs may be needed!

Cons:

Baskets-Ugh, only thing they didn't improve on was the baskets here.. shallow baskets with single chains, but it seems like inner chains may have been added

Other Thoughts:

This is a HUGE improvement over the previous courses. Should greatly improve the reputation that this (blue) course had and keep the huckers away (fingers crossed)

This review will be updated when teesigns are in... :)
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