Waco, TX

Brazos Park East - Old Layout

4.285(based on 9 reviews)
Filter course reviews

Filter reviews

Filter reviews

Brazos Park East - Old Layout reviews

Filter
1 1
coolpooky7
Experience: 13.5 years 35 played 22 reviews
3.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 30, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

Huge course. This is for all the monster arms out there. I think there were more holes over par 3 than actually par 3. Hole 6 was fun throwing over water to a peninsula.

Cons:

No real cons except last time I drove by there the city was doing construction to the park so there is no more disk golf there. )o:
Was this review helpful? Yes No
12 0
sidewinding
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 16.1 years 81 played 67 reviews
4.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Nov 15, 2009 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

When I hear a nickname like "The Beast" I think super technical, heavily wooded, no fun. Those things are definitely not what gives Cameron Park East it's nickname. Let me try to list the things that do:

A park road (OB on and beyond) winds through the front nine creating specific landing zones.

A chainlink fence and a cable fence that runs beside the park road provides more OB.

The Brazos River and a couple of ponds bring water into play on a few holes.

A few holes have multiple uphill terraced elevation changes that are quite challenging.

Distances are longer than you would find on an average course with nine of the holes over 400'.

The use of trees from very narrow, technical fairways cut through dense forest to more open park-like fairways with huge high canopied trees gives this course more variety than any I've ever played.

Most super difficult courses are lacking in the fun factor department. Not this one.

The river and trees give this park a natural scenic beauty that many courses are lacking.

Concrete tees.

Good descriptive signs makes it a breeze for first timers to navigate. No map required.

There are benches and trashcans throughout and an information board at hole #1.

Cons:

The #6 sign was missing and it is the only hole with two teepads so it took us a minute to figure that hole out.

A restroom would be nice.

There was quite a bit of litter strewn about.

Other Thoughts:

Look around and you will find more difficult coures, prettier coures and funner courses, but it will be very hard to find a course that's more of a complete package than this one. It's as close as I've seen to a five disc rating course.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
2 3
vcadd
Experience: 39.9 years 73 played 2 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Totally Biased 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 3, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Total Package.Tests every aspect of your throwing game and your mental game.Impossible to master.

Cons:

Having your will broken,and your soul crushed.

Other Thoughts:

My favorite course with some of the friendliest disc golfers on the planet.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
10 0
Roc1Time
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 22.7 years 131 played 115 reviews
4.50 star(s)

The bEast 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 12, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Super sweet course that challenges every single thing that you have and everything you are. This course has everything you could possibly want and the some. There are great baskets here that love to catch everything you throw at them. The teepads are good concrete pads as well. There are tee signs on all of the holes that have good distances on them ans a pic so it gives the newcomers an idea of where the hole is without walking a mile. The course flows very well and is easy to follow for newcomers. The front nine is pretty open for the most part allowing you to throw some big bombs, but remember to stay in bounds! Even the short holes on the front arent gimmies, hole 1 you must hit a line, hole 5 dont turn it over into the pond, hole 6 make it OVER the pond, and hole 7 dont turn it over too much. Then you go to the back 9 where things can get really interesting. You must be able to not only throw straight but you must be able to hit a line or you can find your score skyrocket before you know it. The fairways on the back are well defined for the most part and the elevation is used well again not only on the holes but on the greens. Lots of shade on the back which is a break from the heat. You come back by the car after 9 so refilling with drinks isnt a problem. Great scenery of the river and cliffs around.

Cons:

The front can get hot during the summer due to not much shade. The pond can eat discs quickly and the water looks nasty. POISON IVY!!!!! Not much to complain about here other then nitpicking things like a couple of teepads are too short and the rough can get rough(but thats why there are fairways).

Other Thoughts:

What a great day of disc golf in the Waco area. There is a great mix of everything that you could want in Waco and it puts it on the disc golf map for sure. Bring some junk plastic and test your arm against the Brazos.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
17 1
Donovan
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 37 years 298 played 187 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Feast on the Beast! 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 7, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

Nicknamed: "The Beast!" This is the kind of layout that we live for. You've got elevation, water, risk/reward, OB, tight alley woods, scattered trees, wide-open, true par 3, 4, & 5 holes, and lots of great scenery!!! With all of this packed into one course, it's a great place to see what type of holes are your strong points and where your weak spots are. The tee signs were pretty good, plenty of trashcans, and most of tees were decent. Navigation didn't see too tough and you end back up at the parking lot after 9 holes (which is always nice).

There was a very cool drop zone on the big water hole, because it actually had a small cement tee there. One of the things that is worth mentioning, is that the front 9 and back 9 did not seem disconnected even though most of the back is in the thicker woods. Usually you feel that disconnection, but the Beast just seems to get you ready for it. The hole progression overall was well designed.

Cons:

No bathrooms that I could tell and the woods are loaded with "da itchy vegetation." I believe 2 signs were missing and there were a couple of short tee pads, but that was really all that is wrong with this course. I will say that you can lose a disc on a few holes here and some find that as a negative. So, I will list it here, even though I just feel that is part of the thrill.

Other Thoughts:

The fun factor here was comparable to a roller coaster ride that you are begging not to end. We had such a great time on this course that even though it is a 1.5-hour drive; it is well worth doing it again and again. Waco's Beast is MUST STOP for any disc golfer that loves a challenge.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
5 3
sub ceroh
Experience: 15.5 years 10 played 8 reviews
4.00 star(s)

The Beast is the best 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Dec 27, 2008 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

This course was extremely challenging I LOVE IT!!!!!!. The front nine decently wooded areas and a few open and water hazard holes. 1) is uphill through a few trees. 2) A long shot through the trees. 3) Is shot out of the trees. 4) Is another long shot with few trees? 5) Is a shorter shot with the basket near the water downhill? 6) You cross the Brazos River with an alternate tee pad across the water. 7) Is on the same side as 6 near the water with a small creek with the water from 6 on the left side of your throw. 8) Wooded shots but some of the trees have recently been removed the basket is near the Brazos River again. 9) about the same as 8. 10)-17) Are about the same, heavily wooded areas with elevation changes. 18) Out of the woods and wide open near the road and the basket is near the fence where you enter the park.

Other Thoughts:

The course is fenced in and is periodically closed.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
22 1
t i m
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 26.8 years 285 played 43 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Learn to love The Beast 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Aug 8, 2008 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

More than any other course, this is one that I dream about playing at night. It's not much to look at when you first walk up to it, but the layout of almost every hole is exemplary, and there is just the right variance to the terrain to challenge you on almost every shot. If you have a card of four people, the odds of a "star card," where everyone shoots the same score on a hole, are virtually zero.

It is the element of score separation and challenge presented on every hole that makes this course so awesome. There are plenty of true par 4s (and one par five), no gimme holes, and every hole challenges you to go for the birdie 2/3 with frequent risk/reward decisions. It takes a lot of back-to-back excellent shots to keep your score in the high-50s (my personal best in casual play is a 52, and I'd guess that was a 1030+ round, based on tourney scores).

The front and back 9s have totally different personalities and meet at the parking lot, making it really easy to refresh drinks/discs/etc... at the car before heading into the wooded back 9.

The relatively open front nine will challenge you with OBs, wind, fast greens and subtle elevation changes. Frequent wind coming in off the Brazos river makes these holes particularly treacherous. (I was in a tournament here several years ago and watched several people send as many as a dozen discs apiece straight into the water on the by-the-pond and over-the-pond shots (306/272/243 ft. holes, but they can be brutal with the wind). OB roads on many of the other front-nine holes can be similarly devastating to your score in the wind, but at least you keep your discs.

The front nine doesn't really have anywhere you can throw a pure, balls-out power-drive. There are just enough trees, wind and obstacles that even on the big holes, you have to throw golf drives, because your line and placement are crucial. I've watched greedy players get ripped apart here, because if you ever forget about disc control, you're gone.

The back 9 is a totally different animal. Mostly tight through trees, you get a reprieve from the wind and the Texas sun, but -- hopefully your arm is loosened up -- because now you have to start hitting tight alleys, and the penalties are almost always a stroke when you miss the fairway. Again, decent elevation (10-30') on most of the holes adds extra challenge and forces you to carve some precise lines through overhanging trees.

After beating you up in the woods for 8 holes, the course finishes on a relatively open, 900' flat field hole -- woods on the left, OB road on the right, but the fairway is ~150'-wide, so this shouldn't be a problem for anyone (unless you get greedy and there is a lot of wind). So here, finally, you can rip it for all you are worth and let the canon-arms sometimes pick up one stroke on the weenie arms. Not a fabulous hole, but it helps round out the course, since it provides a different element. This is the only place on the whole course where pure power/distance is important. However, the distance of the hole is just far enough that -- especially with the wind -- it is likely to be a 4 for most Adv/Pro players. It takes a huge arm or a pair of great rollers to have a shot at the three. So again, the possibility is there, but the hole will separate out the card.

There is incredible shot variety on this course -- among the best I know of anywhere. And the design (I can't say this enough) is just awesome. The scenery is nothing to write home about (though the Brazos river is nice), but from a sheer disc-golf course standard, this will make or break your game and you will never feel like you've mastered this course, because there are no easy holes. There are at least 7 decent deuce possibilities every round for an intermediate/advanced player (#1, #5, #6, #7, #11, #13, #15), and as many as 11 for advanced/pro players with a little more low-line distance (same as above, but add #2, #8, #12, #17)... but I challenge you to walk away with even half of those on any round. And you're likely to take bogies on several of them if anything is off about your game.

It would be hard to pick a signature hole for this course -- there are just too many incredibly well designed holes. #4, #6, #8, #12, #14 and #16 are probably my favorites, but that's picking my top 6. I like them all. No wasted holes, no filler holes, no unfair holes, and tremendous variety.

Cons:

The cons on this course are minimal, but worth being aware of. First: this course will beat you up the first time you play it, and you may swear off and never want to come back. DON'T QUIT! This place will shape your game -- mental and physical -- and make you a better player.

The water -- especially on windy days -- can eat a lot of discs, and it isn't water I feel safe swimming in (bring an extra disc or two on the front nine for the water holes).

The course can be hot, dry and nasty in the Texas summer.

Chiggers, spiders and snakes infest parts of this course. My brother always walks away with dozens of chigger bites. I've been struck at by more than one snake on the course, and there are Mirkwood-like spiders living in the woods on the back 9 (some of the biggest, ugliest, spikiest spiders I've ever seen).

Course is not excellent about maintenance -- some older/dirt tees (though they have worked on that), and signage is functional but not great. I've never seen a map for the course, and don't know how hard it would be to navigate for new players.

Sometimes the course is busy/closed due to other activities. The back nine is always for disc golf; the front nine is sometimes home to various picnics, parties, the powerboat races, crewing teams, etc... The Brazos is home to many boat-related events, and they sometimes take over the front nine holes, making them unplayable. It would be awesome if the front nine were dedicated to disc golf, but that will never happen. However, at least there are 9-disc golf-only holes, and a whole other course 5 minutes away (Cameron Park), on the other side of the river, so a trip here is never wasted.

Other Thoughts:

I think I've said everything up above -- it's just so easy to tell great stories about the course. As a course, the design and challenge are the equal of anything I've ever played. This is an exceptional use of land. However, unlike many courses that are much more visually beautiful, this one takes a lot longer to appreciate. I'd played this course for years before I fully realized/acknowledged what a gem it is as a course.

After this rave review, you may wonder why it doesn't get the fifth star (or half star). A couple of things: first, five stars only goes to courses that are truly beautiful in all respects, immaculately manicured, etc. The Beast -- with some work -- has the potential to get to 4.5 stars if the locals put some time into the course and really shined it up -- especially if they could get the front nine reserved for disc-golf only. But I don't know that these things will ever happen, and this flaws definitely detract from the overall feel of the course. But for a place that is exceptionally well designed and works your entire game, this is definitely a '5' in those categories. Definitely worth the drive and a must play if you are in any major Texas city (Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, Houston, San Antonio, etc...)

So no matter what your first impressions are, try to keep coming back. The Beast will get ahold of you and keep you coming back for more.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
15 1
cc0049
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 20.9 years 168 played 55 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Can you tackle the Beast? 2+ years drive by

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

Pros:

This course was extremely challenging! The front nine has some long holes, some in open area, but mostly through wooded areas. Hole one is a fun uphill heizer shot through the trees with the basket perched precariously on a steep slope. 2 is a long shot through the trees. 3 is a big heizer shot out of the trees to a pin out in the open with a slope on the front and back sides of the basket. 4 is another long shot with trees in the middle of the fairway forcing you to keep your disc about 15 ft off the ground to get through. 5 has you shooting from a hill through a opening under some overhang to a basket sitting 20 ft from a lot of water to the right. 6 shoots across about 215 ft of water that comes in off of the Brazos river. 7 is near water also to a basket on a hilltop. 8 and 9 are long shots back through a densely wooded area. 8 has a basket very close to the Brazos. The back nine is all in the real woods area with some shorter and some very long holes that have very tight fairways with walls of trees on both sides. There are three holes in the tightly wooded are that are over 400ft, making for some very tough holes. There are three par 4s and two par 5s on the back nine. On the back 9 you'll find plenty of shots that will require you to squeeze your disc through small open windows to avoid overhang and trees on the sides of the fairway. There are some cool uphill and downhill shots on the back 9 as well. The back 9 is in great shape too and isn't too hard to find a disc if you go off the fairway. 18 is back out in the open, but very long...810ft! Great signage on the course that tells you the par, distance, and where to go next. Navigation was never a problem and I played by myself the first time out. There are signs to point you in the right direction when needed. It also has concrete tee pads, which I think are a must for a great course. This course isn't nearly as crowded as Cameron Park on the other side of the Brazos river. If you are looking for a course that will test your game, play this course!

Cons:

There is definitely poisonous plant out there in the back 9. I have played several courses that are notorious for poison ivy/oak/sumac, but have never gotten it. I did get something from this course on my legs. Wear high socks and don't throw your disc deep into any greenage and you should be fine.

Other Thoughts:

The Beast is a great course and I highly recommend that you play it. Waco has three courses that are good, warm up with the others and then go try to tackle the beast. This course gets high marks from me because of it's high difficulty level, beauty, facilities, and overall appeal. It is not perfect, but about as close as it gets.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
14 0
kette_master
Experience: 18.8 years 105 played 9 reviews
4.50 star(s)

The bEast 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 21, 2008 Played the course:never

Pros:

There is a good contrast between the front and back nine. The front 9 is mostly open and long. The back 9 is tight and wooded. Bring your long and short game. The course is easy to navigate, and there are teepads at every hole.

Cons:

Poison ivy all over the back 9! Stay on the fairway.

Other Thoughts:

The mighty Brazos de Dios river (Arms of God) will try to catch your discs on three of the front nine holes. There is an optional teepad locations for every hole on the back 9, and they are marked but still a bit difficult to find. The optional tee boxes are dirt tees.
Was this review helpful? Yes No

Latest posts

Top