Ludington, MI

Mason County Park - Goliath

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45(based on 14 reviews)
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7 1
DFrah
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 5.8 years 227 played 224 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Beauty and the Beast...and Goliath? 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 2, 2021 Played the course:once

Pros:

Goliath is one of three courses on site at the Mason County Park near Ludington, MI (the others being Beauty and Beast). Goliath is labeled as the "Advanced" course here, but shares terrain (and 18 of 24 baskets) with the "Intermediate" level Beast. As a result, large parts of this review will be copy/paste from the Beast review I just wrote and I will end with a comparison of the two courses.

This 24-hole course plays over rolling terrain near the reservoir for a pumped-storage hydroelectric power plant. The disc golf is challenging throughout. The elevation changes range from none to mild to extreme. There are a great mix of distances, from a couple tricky sub-200' shots through tight woods to several fairly open holes that are longer than 400'. The wooded holes have a nice blend of left turns, right turns, and straight shots.

The baskets are red Chainstar Pros, which I believe is a recent upgrade.

The tee signs also look brand new. They are beautiful - showing the hole layout, distance, par, and even an elevation profile. As a part of this change, the hole numbers have been renumbered 1-24 (previously they were numbered 1-18, with "extra" holes a-f mixed in throughout). I approve of this change - unless "extra" holes can easily be skipped what is the point of labeling them as extra? The signs are mounted to posts which are painted green, contrasting with Beast's blue posts and Beauty's red ones.

The tee pads are all concrete. They vary in size/condition, but for the most part are adequate.

The navigational signage is okay. I used the map uploaded here several times. I would call the navigation slightly more difficult than on Beast, but still acceptable.

There are benches near tees at adequate intervals throughout the course. There is a picnic shelter at the parking lot which has restrooms and a water bottle filler in it. There is also a large kiosk with maps of all three courses on site.

Cons:

The Beast course on site plays over the same land as this course. Not next to it, but actually on top of it. As mentioned above, 18 of the 24 baskets are shared between the two courses. Goliath is essentially a layout that plays the Beast baskets in reverse order, with a couple exceptions mixed in. This means that on many holes, you could be throwing directly at someone playing the Beast course - and there are still enough woods here that plenty of those throws are blind. Also, because you are not playing "parallel" to or behind/in front of groups on the other course, it will be much more difficult to be aware of their presence. In theory, players on Beast always have the right-of-way - but how can this rule be enforced, especially when the players could easily not even be aware of each other much of the time? I am docking a full half disc for this safety issue alone. A potential safety issue, is a safety issue!

The other weird issue is accessing the course. The parking lot, along with the kiosk and aforementioned picnic shelter, are inaccessible for about nine months out of the year - anytime before Memorial Day or after Labor Day. This is because they are about 3/4 mile into the park, beyond a park gate which is locked. I have to assume the gate is locked due to proximity to the power plant - the viewing platform for this is only open during the summer as well. Fortunately, you can park in another lot that is near the middle of the Goliath (and Beast) courses, to start your round there without too much extra walking. It's still very strange and inconvenient though.

Several other holes play near or over the park drive. I think there were more holes on Goliath than Beast where the park drive is in play.

The rough here is thick, and completely unforgiving in many places. It also felt like that rough was intruding onto the intended fairway on several holes - and I visited in early November. I think the encroachment was a little worse on Goliath than Beast. You could definitely lose discs here, especially in the summer.

I did not see a practice basket anywhere, and there is plenty of room for one near the parking lot. Especially with three courses on site, one or more warm-up baskets would be nice to have.

A couple of the concrete pads were a little bit too small in my opinion. A couple more were in poor condition.

Other Thoughts:

This course costs $1/day to play, which also covers Beast, Beauty, and even several other courses in the Ludington area.

Cell service here can be spotty to nonexistent. Plan accordingly.

With the course being relatively open in many spots and close to Lake Michigan, wind can be a major factor. It was whipping when I played on a cold, dreary November afternoon. On the plus side, I had the course to myself. :)

The par is listed as 3 on all holes. Personally I think that a couple of the 400'+ ones should be par 4 (how many shots does it take YOU to reach a basket 745' away on flattish open terrain)?

As mentioned above, the presence of Beast alone is currently knocking my rating down half a disc. But beyond that, I think Beast offers basically the same challenges as Goliath, and is a better course overall. Sure, Goliath is a little bit longer. But comparing to Beast:
- That added distance on Goliath does not really translate to added challenge. The longest holes on Goliath are just open throws, challenging only your driving distance.
- There are more holes on Goliath that play across the park drive, and it seemed like the park drive fell in a more likely disc landing zone more often here, vs. e.g. being just off the tee on Beast. Also, one Goliath hole (#17, shown as #14 on the map uploaded here) plays straight across a parking lot.
- In contrast to Beast's awesome top-of-the-world hole 1, Goliath lacks a clear signature hole.
- The navigation is a little more confusing on Goliath, and the fairways are a little less well defined and more encroached on by the rough. A few lines felt unrealistic. I have to imagine this is because...
- Beast players (theoretically) always have the right-of-way. If it were a busy day in the park and that rule were followed, it could conceivably take an entire afternoon to get through Goliath.

In short, to me Goliath feels like an unsafe and silly way to add a "third course" to the Mason County Park complex. I very strongly believe that this Goliath course should be pulled - and a second set of tees could be added for Beast in its place. A second Beast layout would keep the allure of a "different" course, while eliminating most of the safety issues.

I gave Beast a 3.5 rating, and I think Goliath is clearly a little worse so that puts me at 3.0. If you are a serious disc golfer visiting the Ludington area, you should absolutely spend an afternoon at Mason County Park! But I would recommend starting with Beauty and Beast, and avoiding Goliath unless you still have time afterwards and there are few to no others present in the park.
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18 0
wolfhaley
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 19.9 years 970 played 542 reviews
4.00 star(s)

2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 6, 2021 Played the course:once

Pros:

Goliath is the biggest and baddest of the Mason County Park courses. 24 holes of excellently designed golf. This course will challenge even top players, despite it not being the longest or tightest course you'll ever see. There are holes 1 through 18, and then also 6 lettered holes sprinkled in too.

The baskets are Chainstars. While not the newest, best target, these are all still in pretty solid shape and caught well enough. They kind of fit in with the old school feel of the course design. One pin position per hole.

The tee pads are concrete. All are servicable but not amazing. Definitely better than rubber mats or natural pads. One tee position per hole.

The signs are very basic. Wood 4"x4"s painted to correspond to which course it's for. Green for Goliath and Blue for Beast. The signs are pretty small and aged. They only contain an outline of MI, hole # and distance. Not the best things I've seen. But at least they have the hole #. There are tons of next tee arrows throughout the course. These are greatly appreciated, especially for first time players. And even more for the fact that 18 of the baskets are shared with Beast, so there's many worn paths by most baskets.

The course is permanent, and while not free to play, is only $1 to play all day. It's not very clear, on here or at the start of the courses, if they mean $1 per course or $1 for all day at all 3 courses. I wasn't sure so I slipped a buck in at the beginning of each.

There is an excellent assortment of shots required here to score well. I threw more forehands today than I've thrown in a while it felt like. And not just being stuck off the fairway. I threw a couple off the tee even. Which never, ever happens.

There are a few beautiful views of Lake Michigan in a few spots, and the breeze coming off the lake adds quite a bit of challenge. In fact it was the main obstacle you had to consider on nearly every hole.

The elevation is used very nicely here. There's enough of it to make it a factor on the majority of holes. But it's so overwhelming that it just saps the life out of you.

Cons:

The conrete tees are unusual. They are all different sized. Some are maybe 4'x5', while others are 5'x7' it seems. Not the biggest deal really for me but may be for some who have longer run ups.

The course is showing it's age. Especially when you look at some of the older pics on here. Hole E is a prime example of this. It used to be a tight downhill shot into a pocket the pin was tucked into. Now the trees are so tall in the patch between the basket and pin that a spike hyzer or overhand shot are your only options to even have a look at a 2. There are numerous other spots throughout that are like this. The woods are starting to take back many of the originally designed lanes.

While I didn't have any issues with it, the fact that this course and the Beast share baskets could be potentially dangerous. It's fine that the players on the Beast have the right of way, but since they play opposite each other, you're approaching the same basket from completely different sides most times.

There are ample opportunities where losing a disc is possible. Many blind shots and thick, thick rough. Would advise having a spotter on most blind shots if possible.

Other Thoughts:

Even with the numerous cons listed, I think this is an excellent course. You have to figure that since these were designed in the early 90's, when disc golf wasn't nearly as popular, that the two courses sharing baskets wasn't nearly as big of a deal as it could be today. Definitely has that old school course vibe. Which is refreshing with all the long open courses going up these days.

Is this a destination course. Absolutely it is. Especially with 2 other courses in the same park and quite a few other solid to great courses in the general vicinity. I've been wanting to play these courses for many years now. I've only played Beast and this one so far in Ludington. But these two alone already have me wanting to plan a return trip. It's hard to put your finger on exactly what it is, but this course just has that "It" factor. Excellent course.
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8 0
MrFrosty
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 31 years 764 played 386 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Strong Course / Plan to Stick Around 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 8, 2019 Played the course:once

Pros:

A lot of what I said about the intro to the Beast can be Said about the Goliath . After you find the parking lot for mainly disc golf , you will notice the shelter on sight . This has your basic bathroom and shade for resting between rounds ( yes , I said rounds ) . Mason County Park takes their disc golf seriously . The course is manicured and was in good shape when I came here . I was part of a Northeast Michigan swing when I drove into the Ludington area . The baskets are in pretty good shape and heavy chained . The cement tees are dated and pretty short The signage is a little lacking . What the course lacks in amenities , it more than makes up for it in challenge . When you go to the first tee , situated next to the shelter ( thank God you don't have to trudge up the Beast #1 tee ) . Pay your $1 fee to play all day ( $1 , are you kidding me ? a bargain you may never see again ) at the honor box behind the tee , grab a mandatory scorecard , because not only are they cool , but they have a map on the back , which you WILL need during the round ( At least the are good Next Tee signs on green rocks and red wood that will point you the way to the next tee ) and pull out your driver . Goliath has a certain beauty and appeal to it . It mixes wooded holes with partially wooded and even some open holes to it . It plays 24 holes like the other 2 courses within walking distance , so plan to be here a while . This course plays kind of the Beast backwards . Don't get me wrong . Even though some of the fairways , greens and baskets are shared the the Beast , Goliath stands pretty well on its own . It also boasts several unique and separate holes during your round . A good mix of short technical holes ( 2, 3 , B , F ) with long bombers ( #8-745' , #14-580' , #18 - 707' ) and everything in between . Basket placement , like the Beast , is Premium . You will have to be creative and also use most of the discs in your bag . Even your starter hole , #1 is a 360' drive across the road and up a small hill . Some of the holes will let up on you from time to time , but they will never let you down Hole B is a great downhill 150' toss through a narrow alley ( my drive bounced in and out of the basket , @#$%&*!!! #10 is a blind shot drive over a hill , then back down an embankment to a leveled off green . Use of drives near or over the roads will make you think along with the tight fairways with this rough that will eat your disc in a second . I lost one of mine in the rough on the Beast , so I am a victim of this , too . This course can be best tackled with a foursome , or at least 2 of you . You may need to walk up many of the fairways , and take turns being a spotter . This course can give you a beat down , but you can always walk over to the Beauty course and throw a hole or 2 to make you feel a little better . Again , not a bad or filler hole on all 24 of these unique and challenging holes . You finish up your round with a bomber 707' hole that comes off the small hill from #1's basket on the Beast course , then wraps partly around the large hill to your right , and crosses the road to the pin , slightly up the hill and to the left and beyond the parking lot . A wonderful finishing hole . My signature Hole : I was trying to remember which one it actually was . 10 or maybe 11 . An uphill throw , to a window approach over a gully and into a narrow alley with foliage everywhere and the basket guarded by it just beyond with a slightly open green . Since I can't name the hole for sure , I will add #14 ,580 ' an elevated tee shot over a back parking lot/turnaround ( you will be hard pressed to find this tee pad without a map ) to a landing pad just beyond the cement., then uphill through a small fairway opening with lots of foliage and rough on wither side to a open green where your basket awaits . Hopefully a 4 for you even though it is listed as a 3 online ( a 3 ? ) .

Cons:

#1 . Navigation . Even with the map , you will be pulled in the wrong direction a few times because of the multiple paths and tee boxes in your view at times . It gets confusing since you have 24 holes of the Beast in your general area . #2 sharing fairways and baskets with The Beast . Not all of them but some of the holes can cause you to throw across blind shot areas and baskets where oncoming Beast users may satnd . It happened to me a couple of times when I was playing the Beast .#3 Tee pads . The tee pads were a little on the short side , especially when longer holes are in the 580-747' range and many are .300' . Throwing over roads . clubbing a car can start an argument/fight just as fast as popping a disc golfer on a blind fairway/green . Be careful and be smart . Also , I didn't see trash cans or benches on all the holes . Carry out what you carry in . If you want to make this the course that deserves its rating . then add some good signage and elongate the pads .

Other Thoughts:

I gave this course a .5 rating over what I would have given had it not been for 72 holes all within a short walk of one another . This is a mecca of disc golf entertainment . Goliath uses creative holes where long doesn't necessarily take the control factor out of the equation and short does not mean a gimme . Elevation on this course , while not extreme , will still cause you to take notes on your drives and approaches . This course packs everything , then turns to you and says " you better think before you throw " . A must play , since you are given the keys to 72 holes of great disc golf , and Mason County Parks must believe in the course because they take care of it well . A great destination course . Come here , play Goliath first and get it out of the way , then play the others and spend at least half your day here . Nice locals at the course and friendly park staff.The park offers many amenities here . Take advantage . My Recommendation : PLAY IT ! PLAY THEM ALL !! STAY AND PLAY AGAIN !!!!
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5 4
TeebirdDan
Experience: 20.8 years 90 played 24 reviews
4.50 star(s)

GOLIATH Masons biggest n meanest 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 28, 2016 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

spactacular fairways ,lots of high up top teepads that have you throwing over trees ,to the next hill or down it . super fun long holes and ace run shorties too . Some of these fairways look quite scary when you first see them.

Cons:

if it gets really windy you better keep your sense of humor

Other Thoughts:

3 24 hole courses 72 total , all in one park by the lake ,with a campground a 5 minute walk away . its amazing to think two of these courses went in 1993 , and still relevant design today , two of these courses actually share baskets AND IT WORKS top that one
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18 0
Jukeshoe
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 14.6 years 315 played 266 reviews
4.50 star(s)

I Ain't Yer David 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 16, 2013 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

- Goliath towers over the other two Ma Co courses (Beauty and Beast). Starting near Beauty #1, Goliath mixes short technical holes (Holes B and F are under 200'), long open bombers (#'s 8 and 18 are both over 700'), and just about everything in between. Goliath is tricky. Blind pin positions, patches of schule where it looks clear from the tee, and safety zones that look like the thickest of thick until you see them from a different angle help make Goliath sort of a "thinking man's" course. Scouting ahead is rewarded on most holes for those unfamiliar with the course.
- Good signage and score cards make navigating Goliath pretty easy, despite it playing Beast backwards (with the letter holes thrown in for good measure). Look for the lime green rocks for next tee directions. Check the map on the scorecard for OB listings, or for blind pin positions (although, again, scouting ahead to see the exact location helps immensly).
- No throwaway holes. Every single hole brings it. Even the short ones are challenging and interesting. It never feels as though a hole or design element is repeated, with the possible exception of #'s 8 and 18. Even in that case the greens are vastly different.
- Strategic use of OB. The park road (which sees little traffic) would probably have dissuaded lesser designers from even attempting to put Goliath in the ground. Instead, they take what is usually a con on most courses (crossing roadways) and make it a very cool aspect of this course. Several holes make you decide whether to lay up short of the road or go for it. Definitely the best use of road OB I've seen, and a fun element to contend with during the round.
- Natural beauty. Despite the name "Goliath," this course ain't ugly. Lots of great wooded spots, moderate elevation, grassy areas, and sandy patches due to the extreme proximity to Lake Michigan.
- Location. Beauty, Beast, Leviathan, Flip...just to name a few. Why the hell WOULDN'T you come play this area?

Cons:

- The tees are not ideal. That said, they shouldn't detract too much from the round for most players. While concrete in most if not all locations, they run a bit on the short side.
- Navigation on busy days might cause some confusion as well as potentially hazardous play. Most players know what's going on (Beast and Goliath sharing baskets) and "right of way" is usually given without hassle. Send spotters on the blind holes to ensure you're not throwing on Beast discers throwing to the same basket.

Other Thoughts:

- Goliath is amazing. If it weren't for the fact that it shares Beast's baskets, I'd give it a 5 disc rating. The deceptive nature of the holes give it a major replayability factor that can't be ignored. I feel like although I've spent a good chunk of time on Goliath, I'm still only beginning to scratch the surface. I'll be back.
- $1/day to play is just damn ridiculous for the amount of awesomesauce presented. Be sure to stuff your money in the box when you pick up a score card, or may your slingshot fail.
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8 1
sgamerp
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 16 years 99 played 73 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Boom THIS IS GALIATH 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:May 25, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

Signs - Good signage like the rest of the courses here.

Teepads - Nice Concert pads.

Challenge - Of the courses that need a big arm, this is fun becasue it also requires you to be technical, so it has the change that makes a less arm able to compete with a big arm.

Navigation - The navigation wasn't hard when I went, however I was with someone who had played before. This may not be the same for others.

Baskets - good baskets that can catch the putts from far out.

Cons:

Shared baskets with Beast, doesn't really seem to be an issue but that could be the biggest issues.

some of the rough is pretty rough.

Other Thoughts:

This course I played doubles before playing a tourney here and wanted to see it, it's a very challenging course but is great round for doubles.

This is a heck of a work out walking up and down hills.

Playing this course seems like it's kind of a Safari round, which shows that some of the rough is very rough.

All in all if you are going to play all three courses, this is probably the best to start, as it's the most challenging of them all.

It's also a dollar to pay, but I think I threw in like 5 bucks, as this place is worth the extra cash to help keep up.
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9 1
apdrvya
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 13.9 years 350 played 293 reviews
5.00 star(s)

a new favorite 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Mar 13, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

Teepads--all concrete, some are short but these are on shorter holes that don't require much of a run-up. nice and gnurled (textured) and grippy!

Nav/Signs--Because this course intertwines with Beast finding out which basket to throw to is challenging sometimes. Possible solution would be to mark the fairways with ribbons or to paint the trees? 16 is a good example of not knowing where the hell to throw, I believe 5 (?) is another...

Baskets--All in great condition, nice and grabby

Aesthetic--Beautiful locale (much like beauty and beast) constant views of Lake Michigan and the retention pond.

Challenge factor--there are some truly INSANE LINES out here... coming to mind are 16 which would require a MASSIVE turnover to get this onto the fairway.

Nav/signage--There is good and bad on this. Navigation is easy and paths are marked. However, the signage leaves some to be desired. some of the signs just give the hole name and distance others have a picture of where the pin is (helpful) and some have nothing because the wind or someone has ripped them off.

Workout--This course is a helluva workout. enough elevation change to keep your heart pumping the entire round.

Risk/reward--not a ton as there's no water, but enough to keep it exciting with decent rollaway potential.

Cons:

only potential flaw is the intertwining with beast and having to watch out for other discers, but this isn't normally an issue.

Other Thoughts:

I can't quit thinking about this course. I may be addicted but it's so far away!

This is BY FAR the best course at this complex, IMHO.
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7 0
mykeg44
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 14.8 years 72 played 45 reviews
4.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 29, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

Goliath is an excellent course with huge distance and elevation that is a dream for big arms and advanced players.

As the course info and other reviewers have stated, this course plays through the same terrain as Beast, so the elevation and OB is similar. However Goliath offers a lot more distance and the added holes are a lot more difficult. There are a couple shorter holes at the beginning of the course, but they throw through very tight woods.

This course is a bombers dream. Players who like to crush it off the tee will have a ton of fun here. You throw up huge hills, down hills, across fields, into woods, and out of woods, all at big stance.

'Next tee' signs and green painted rocks were really helpful for navigation. Tee pads offer enough space for the big run ups you'll need on the longer holes.

Like the other two courses, the scenery here is gorgeous. This is mostly DG only land with rolling hills, trees, and breeze coming off the lake.

Cons:

The obvious flaw here is the fact that this course shares baskets with Beast. It seems like Beast was the most played course here and Goliath is the least, so you will inevidably find yourself waiting for players on Beast to clear out before throwing. Moreover, it's probably wise to use a spotter to watch for players entering the fairway on some of the longer blind holes.

The lack of descriptive tee signs is a big con. We had to walk the fairway on a bunch of holes, which sucks when the holes are over hilly terrain.

Players without a 300+ drive will not enjoy this course.

Other Thoughts:

I had never played a course that incorporates baskets from a completely different course, and aside from the occasional group finishing up their hole on Beast I didn't really notice, I played Beast then Goliath, and the two courses have comppletely different feels. Well done to the course designers.
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16 4
Dave242
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 29.8 years 393 played 271 reviews
4.00 star(s)

A- = Amazing hole lengths & multi-throw holes 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 10, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

I am amazed by what a little better challenge, holes better suited to my arm, and a few multi-throw holes do to boost my enjoyment. On basically the same land as Beast, this course is a full letter grade (or disc rating) better in my book.....meaning I would play it much more often than the Beast if I lived nearby (which I would love!). This is my favorite course in this wonderful complex for the following reasons.

What I personally like and how this course stacks up in my list of 18 (and more) hole courses (over 180 played):

1) Holes with good risk/reward. Fair, but harsh punishment for bad decisions or execution. == B
(There are around 10 holes with some sort of trouble along the fairway that will cost you a stroke if you do not execute. While not of the extreme/harsh variety this makes the clench-factor higher and the reward of good execution high too. Like Beast, most of the holes are straight forward - you see what you need to do immediately. There are a couple of notable exceptions with split fairways or multiple flight paths to choose from.)

2) Holes that have rewarding birdie opportunities for me (I rate only from the long tees). I'm a Blue level player (950ish skill) who throws 300' accurately, 360' max. == A
(There are 17 (almost a full course's worth) that are really good for my skill level. This makes for a ton of fun/satisfaction when playing well.....and they will let me know immediately if I am off my game (just look for the lack of deuces). Add to that the 3 par-4's (8, 14 & 18) that are all a good challenge and you have an additional 3 throws that must be executed well to enjoy birdie 3's).

3) More wooded than open - lots of variety of shots required caused by hole shape and topography == B+
(As mentioned in point #1, there is trouble in the form of trees that must be navigated on almost half the holes. The use of available elevation, again, is nicely incorporated into the designed. As is the character of the other 2 courses, there are very few places where you need to unleash any wild creativity to execute well, but there is great variety in the types of throws needed.)

4) Natural beauty (Appalachian beauty preferred) and seclusion. == B+
(The area that this course is in is strictly for disc golf and as such you do feel like you are getting away from the hustle-bustle. With many glimpses of Lake Michigan and beautiful trees and terrain, you are constantly reminded of the beauty of nature. The problem for me in really getting refreshed by my experience on this course is twofold: 1) the park road and parking lots (and a road outside of park property) are prominent on the vast majority of holes, and 2) there is a huge dam looming over the course - the backside of a reservoir. It casts this ominous feeling over the course like a giant hovering over your shoulder and surprising you every time you glance over your shoulder. Seclusion seemed a little better than Beast. I especially enjoyed the feeling of holes 3-5 - a nice mingling of white birches and fir trees.)

5) Bonus points for multi-throw holes with defined landing zones, good risk/reward and multiple options to play them. == 4 bonus points for this
(I really like the design and challenge of hole 14. Although the road is an artificial boundary, the way it is used to make you choose how much you want to bite off is really cool. 8 (745') and 18 (707') are fun straight forward bomber holes where I need perfect max length drives to get my birdie 3. I wish they were just a tad shorter.....or that I could throw just a tad longer!)
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9 0
mashnut
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 22.1 years 831 played 767 reviews
4.00 star(s)

A longer beast 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 11, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

This course uses the same land and the same main 18 baskets as Beast, only played backward with entirely separate tees and fairways. The variety of foliage is very similar to Beast, with a few wooded holes, a few open holes, and lots of holes with grassy fairways and brushy rough that call for careful shot placement. This course has the most length of the three, and really lets you air it out on some holes (a couple long ones have distances marked out, a fun feature to measure your throws).

There is a great variety of hole shapes here, and it feels balanced for right or left handed players. There are some good long holes, but there is a variety of lengths including some ace possibilities, and that keeps it interesting throughout. Like Beast, there are some really nice views from some spots on this course, and the vibe of the course is really nice.

The baskets are showing some age, but still catch ok. Some tees were a little iffy when I played, but apparently all are nice concrete now so I won't hold that against the course any more.

Cons:

The signage on Goliath is not the best, there are some tricky navigational spots with two courses overlapping. The hand drawn signs are creative, but don't always give enough information to know where to throw on some blind holes. There are some shots near the road and an old parking lot that take away from the feeling of seclusion here. There is the potential of conflict with players on Beast, on a busy day it would be really tough to have people playing both layouts.

Other Thoughts:

This is another really nice course here, that I would go out of my way to play even without the other great courses surrounding it. This is the least beginner friendly of the three, with lots of length, and some really punishing rough. Experienced players will be challenged here, and need to bring lots of different shots and some distance if they want to score well.
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7 1
Mark R
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 21.7 years 115 played 89 reviews
3.50 star(s)

2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Aug 21, 2010 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Same piece of land used for the Beast course, with bathrooms on site. Scenic views and fairways with just-right tree density.

Has some holes that are longer than the longest Beast holes (14 is 580', and two others are over 700'!).

Also has some interesting holes tunnel holes that aren't found at either Beast or Beauty, such as 12, 2 and A.

Holes 8 and 18 have half-buried boulders with distances in feet painted on them for measuring distance.

As with Beast/Beauty, 24 holes means two full hours of disc golf.

Probably the most challenging of the three courses at this location.

Cons:

Has its own tee pads, but shares baskets with the Beast. Since the Beast is the primary course of the two, a -.5 rating was given to this course on that basis. However, there are a couple of baskets that appear to be Goliath-only (2, C).

Some tough navigation, with low-budget signs (a step down from the Beast). I do like some the by-hand drawings on the tee signs, though.

Has more iffy tee pads than Beast, but less than Beauty. Some blind tee shots are disc-loss hazards, best to use a spotter.

Likely a serious challenge on windy days.

Other Thoughts:

The perfect solution for those looking for a slightly more difficult variation on the Beast. Play Beast and Goliath in one day, play Flip the next, and take the next three off.
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8 1
jaydee
Experience: 22.8 years 6 played 6 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Goliath -- a pleasure to play 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 6, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Beautiful park on Lake Michigan. Good variety of short, long, open, tight shots. Lots of terrain (elevation) variation. Lots of practice playing in the wind. In the summer, you can drive 5 minutes and go swimming at a beautiful Lake Michigan beach. Great support for the courses from the local players.

Cons:

Crappy tees.

Other Thoughts:

This course is based on playing the older Beast course in the reverse direction. It is more difficult than Beast but there are still plenty of birdies. The main difference is that there are several long holes where a 3 is a very good score. At one time, most of the baskets were blind but now there has been some pruning done so you can see most of them from the tee. In some cases, the pruning has gone too far in my opinion, Hole A being 1 example.

If you have a good thumber/tomahawk, there are several holes where you will be happy to deploy it. Put in some nice tees and this course would be elite.
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10 2
DirtyMittenDG
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 19.9 years 112 played 55 reviews
3.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Aug 15, 2008 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Hole Variety/Course Layout--
Alot of variety! Goliath is almost like a combination of beauty and beast (only with a thicker rough) Theres about half and half "tech" to "big arm" holes. It has some decent elevation aswell.

Course Atmosphere--
Just like Beauty and Beast it is very scenic and picturesque.

Course Maintenance--
Still nice and clean, but it could use a few upgrades. It has moslty concrete tee pads, but a few are just packed ground.

Cons:

Course Navigation--
No maps, and Goliath is harder than both Beauty and Beast to navigate, but you WILL be able to survive the navigation with no map.

Other Thoughts:

Hazards--
Only the thick rough is a hazard. Goliath is not as well developed has a thicker rough than both Beauty and Beast.

--Close to Flip City!!
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16 1
tomjulio
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 15.8 years 77 played 41 reviews
4.00 star(s)

When Designers are Addicts... 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Aug 12, 2008 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Challenging holes both long and short. Same gorgeous lake side country playing as Beast. Another quality course set on the shores of Lake Michigan. Some really beautiful unique holes. Liked the two in the pines a lot.

Cons:

Mixed tees. Some Cement, some gravel. A few of the gravel ones are very lose and easy to loose footing. Confusing to follow as it crosses and mixes with the Beast Course. Hand written signs makes it look amateurish compared to other two courses.

Other Thoughts:

Goliath is the third course in Mason Counties Disc Golf Course by the lake (Beauty and Beast being the other two). The other two are full courses on their own and are easy to follow, where you can tell Goliath is the disc golf addicted designers to fill in any usable landscape and to lengthen the experience for more experienced players. Goliath almost plays backwards and intersecting much of Beasts lines and baskets. Hard to follow every now and again but really fun and great layout to challenge every shot in bag. If this course had all cement tees, nice signs like Beast I would easily play Goliath all the time. In fact it would be close to 4.5

Worth playing after playing the other two. Beast is still by far the jewel here.
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