Uploaded By: El Mexicano
Hole #1 (Taken 8/2009)
Hole #1 (Taken 8/2009) 
3 / 252ft. 3 / --
Par / Distance:
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Reviews: 35
Avg. Rating:
Details
Avg. Rating:
Details
Great course design, but flawed 
Pros: Outstanding variety of holes, with plenty of interesting twists; holes on sides of hills, among thick saplings, at bottom of hill in front of creek, on other side of creek from most of fairway, etc.
Most fun I've had playing in western suburbs of Chicago.
Most fun I've had playing in western suburbs of Chicago.
Cons: Wet, wet, wet ground- I think I'd wait for at least a week after the most recent rain to play here, otherwise a third to half of the fairways have standing water.
Definitely possible to lose a disc, between the stream and some large areas of dense brush.
Poor signage makes it hard to navigate for first-timers (I threw from 8's tee to 9's basket my first time and didn't realize my error until I saw the next tee said 10).
Wood-chip tees are annoying if you're not used to them, but I suppose better than the mudpits they'd be if this wet course tried dirt tees.
Definitely possible to lose a disc, between the stream and some large areas of dense brush.
Poor signage makes it hard to navigate for first-timers (I threw from 8's tee to 9's basket my first time and didn't realize my error until I saw the next tee said 10).
Wood-chip tees are annoying if you're not used to them, but I suppose better than the mudpits they'd be if this wet course tried dirt tees.
Other Thoughts: Obviously, reading my review and others', this course has problems. In my opinion, the playing experience makes it well worth coming anyway, although I'd certainly try to wait for a sunny day after a string of other sunny days.
10 of 11 people found this review helpful.
Report this Review I like it 
Pros: I really do like this course for what it is. It has a mix of things, and is pretty challenging. I think this course, Shady Oaks in Bartlett, and Campton Hills in St. Charles give the area a well rounded choice of parks to play in.
Cons: Wet, buggy. Most of us have lost a disc or two in this course.
1 of 14 people found this review helpful.
Swampy Course 
Pros: Shady Oaks has some very interesting shots with some baskets on hillsides and some baskets dangerously close to the creek. Good combination of long and short shots.
Cons: I had some trouble finding hole 1 - it wasn't very well marked. The signs are big wooden signs that just tell you the hole number and distance. If you don't know the course, you will probably have some trouble navigating through it. The locals were very helpful in pointing me in the right direction though. The course is very swampy and it does not have concrete teepads - which can cause some slippage in the mud. The baskets are pretty old and they spit out a lot of putts.
Other Thoughts: It wasn't one of my favorite courses. For me, it just doesn't have greatest atmosphere.
7 of 8 people found this review helpful.
Bring your hip waders 
5+ 
3/26/2010 
2/12/2008
Review By: Three Putt 
Played: 125 Reviewed: 66 Exp: 18.4 Years
This review was updated on 3/13/2011
Pros: The area around Shady Oaks is dominated by 9 hole pitch and putt courses. Shady Oaks is 18 holes and has some decent distances, making it a favorite for the more serious players in the area. The majority of the area the park encompasses is a swampy area that is a detention basin for run off from the surrounding neighborhoods. It has some nice space, and one of the big selling points to disc golf is we can use "wasted" land that isn't good for anything else. This would be a classic example, as the land is really not appropriate for anything other than a walking path. Holes #1, #2 and #13 use a little elevation, otherwise the course is basically flat. Most of the holes are open (hole # 13 is the only wooded shot on the course) but they offer a bit of distance. There are several shots in the 350'-400' range. The tee for # 1 is in an odd spot (the tee for # 2 is the easiest to find) but once you locate the first tee the course is relatively easy to follow.
Cons: The tees are dirt and in poor condition. Given the swampy nature of most of the course, the tees are often muddy and footing is treacherous, making those longer holes even more difficult. The swamp does come into play in a few spots, so waterproof socks are a good idea here. The swamp is also home to a healthy bunch of mosquitoes, so bug spray is highly recommended. There are few trees and not a lot of elevation, so the holes start to get monotonous. Hole #15 is 700'+, but it is a classic example of "long for long's sake." The baskets are old and mostly have the shallow basket attachments. The basket on hole #14 is badly bent. A new set of baskets would be an definite improvement. The beat-up rusty baskets are in keeping with the overall look of the park; lots of garbage and broken glass laying around, battered tee signs, broken-up slat bridges and the overgrown look of the swamp make this park less than attractive. The baskets for # 3 and # 18 are pretty close together, and there has been a general confusion over which basket was for which hole when I have been there. One basket has no number and the other has the number torn off the front of the number plate. There is an "18" on the back of the number plate, but it looks like a "3" filled in with sharpie to read "18." At any rate, if that was the basket for #18 you have to walk in front of it to get from the # 3 basket to the # 4 tee.
Other Thoughts: Because it is a detention basin for storm water run off, it floods pretty quickly in a hard rain. If you are there and it starts to rain heavily, you should run for the hills.
The Chicago area has very little in the way of good courses. Because of that, some lackluster courses are regarded very highly locally because they are the best that the area has. Shady Oaks would be one of those courses. Rated against the other nearby courses, Shady Oaks would have to be considered one of the best. Rated just on its own merits, it is far too flat and open to really be anything special. Add in the bad tees and bad baskets and it is a pretty disappointing course.
***UPDATE: It appears that concrete tees and new baskets have been installed since I last played the course.***
The Chicago area has very little in the way of good courses. Because of that, some lackluster courses are regarded very highly locally because they are the best that the area has. Shady Oaks would be one of those courses. Rated against the other nearby courses, Shady Oaks would have to be considered one of the best. Rated just on its own merits, it is far too flat and open to really be anything special. Add in the bad tees and bad baskets and it is a pretty disappointing course.
***UPDATE: It appears that concrete tees and new baskets have been installed since I last played the course.***
15 of 16 people found this review helpful.
Super course! Pros: Very good layout. like the water hazzards. Distances make things interesting too.
Cons: Not really a con but I'm not used to teeing off from wood chips! Most courses are either natural grass/dirt or concrete.
Other Thoughts: Someday I'll get back to the area to play again!
0 of 13 people found this review helpful.
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