Indianapolis, IN

George Washington Park

3.45(based on 40 reviews)
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12 0
Gorgo
Experience: 3.8 years 28 played 5 reviews
3.50 star(s)

My Favorite Course in Central Indiana. 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 9, 2020 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

I'm not necessarily sayings it's the best, but it's my favorite. When I think about playing, this is the course I think about. When I'm sitting in my easy chair holding a disc, I'm imagining a shot on this course. Usually the drive on #12 or #17. The course just has personality, and I love it.

The new baskets are a huge plus, red and blue and easily seen. Also, the redesign of baskets 15 - 18 is awesome, taking the course to another level. This one truly saves its best for last, and I am always looking forward to the next shot. I like the distances, challenging for an intermediate to recreational player without being punishing. And for a park course, it does an amazing job of using its terrain to maximum effect.

It plays through a golf specific section of the park, so no hikers or walking paths. Tees are all concrete, and I can only think of one that really needs replacing (#6). There is signage, which looks hand drawn, but it's adequate for now.

There is a nice shelter near the first tee with picnic tables. Trash cans located nearby.

Cons:

This won't be overly challenging to advanced players. If you can throw 350' with accuracy you can probably shoot 12 down here without too much trouble But I still think you'd have a good time.

The park does have litter issues occasionally but not too bad. There are two notable filler holes, #7 & #14, but what course doesn't? Next tees signs could be better, especially from 3 to 4 and 12 - 13. The large map at the start has not been updated with the basket locations on the back.

Other people have noted it's not in the best neighborhood, which isn't wrong, but I've never been hassled, and all my occasional encounters with locals have been friendly.

Only one tee on all but one basket. No permanent bathrooms. Occasionally I've see port-a-potties near the twelfth green, but here aren't any right now.

Other Thoughts:

Basket one is a nice warm up, just 300' and through a wall of pine trees, hidden behind an huge skeleton of a tree. OB parking lot right to catch anything grip locked.

Two seems flat and straightforward, and it is, but there are plenty of trees to beat, and a play to widest part of the fairway gives the worst angle to the pin.

Three has a fall away green behind a huge guardian tree. This is also where the ground begins rise and fall again after two flat openers. Head left to tee four.

Four is where things start to get serious, and you have to manage a dense wall of foliage on your right and a big guardian tree ten feet from the tee on the left. If you can navigate that the fairway sweeps left and downhill to the pin.

Five plays over rolling terrain to a well guarded pin on a fall away green that slopes long and right. Roll-aways are a real thing here, so be careful.

Six plays over a huge hill. The tee shot is blind, and the RHBH hyzer play is impossible due to dense foliage, OB road and Steep slope. The basket is on the backside of the hill, which falls away steeply to the road.

Seven is a filler basket, without any real challenge yet, but enjoy it now, as the dozen or so saplings planted here will fix that in a few years.

Eight plays through a valley with plenty of trees, my favorite drive on the front nine.

Nine is the only par four on the front, and it's legit, 567' feet through a snaking fairway. It's flat, with OB road running the length of the hole.

Ten tests your accuracy, asking you to hit a small gap in the woods across a 300' field for you birdie A huge grabby Catalpa tree guards the right side, and the skeleton on another monster sits left.

Eleven's fairway slopes left to right toward the woods and the ravine beyond, so be careful with your drive. There are plenty of obstacles between you and a pin meanly hidden up against the sharpest fall away on the course.

Twelve is back across the shelter, and this is the tee shot that haunts my nightmares. OB road the length of the 400' par three, and less than twenty feet of space between that and the woods on the right for the first 200'. After that it slopes away and opens up, but the pin is guarded by road, creek and trees. Par here is well earned. To get to thirteen follow the road across the creek until you see a set of stairs on your right. Climb them to the thirteenth tee.

Thirteen is an ace run, enjoy. There are two tee pads here, only hole on the course with that feature.

Fourteen is the last hole before your into the woods for good, a mostly open field with a pin tucked behind a small grouping of trees. Just don't hit the first available, or throw it into that big grabber on the right.

Fifteen is a true woods hole, 400' dogleg left though a valley with plenty of trees waiting to turn your round into a game of pinball.

Sixteen features a blind shot over a small rise and then down through a valley and back up the other side. A very pretty little hole.

Seventeen is the signature hole, with the closest thing central Indiana gets to a 'top of the world' shot throwing down through a valley and over the creek (which has a new bridge). If you can get through to the grass beyond you'll have a tight upshot with lots of danger to a very elevated green. It's an awesome hole. It's a par four, and I think rightly so, despite its only 406' measurement. If you can thread the valley and make the turn into woods beyond close enough to try and hit a putt to a basket twenty feet over you head you deserve to call it an Eagle.

Eighteen is a blind uphill shot, and a nice finisher. You saw the basket after eleven, so you know what it's like.

I hope people try this course. It's a real blessing to have so close to downtown.
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7 0
wolfhaley
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 19.9 years 970 played 542 reviews
2.50 star(s)

2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 6, 2018 Played the course:once

Pros:

This course is set up in an area that is disc golf exclusive that runs all along the park road. There are concrete tees on every hole that are in pretty decent shape. Not the greatest but they work fine here. The tee signs here are lacking, figuratively and literally. The ones that are present, which isn't many, don't offer much information that you don't get by looking off the tee pad. The baskets are a bright spot here. They must've recently upgraded to DD Veterans which are all in great shape and catch really nicely. The course does have a good mix of mostly open with a few scattered trees to a couple moderately wooded ones. There's just enough elevation to make it somewhat interesting on some of the otherwise pretty bland holes. The course is free and permanent. Also probably not going to be the busiest course around. There was only 2 other groups out when we were there. The flow of the course is pretty simple to follow for the most part. The only real challenges are from 11 to 12 and 12 to 13. From 11 you walk back toward the pavilion for 12. Then after 12 walk north along the park road to find 13's tee. Not the most confusing transitions by any means but worth mentioning. The distances range from 160 feet to about 470 feet with most being about right in the middle.

Cons:

The tee signs or lack of them. Most are either missing or vandalized. The tee pads are also showing their age. They work but are getting in rough shape, most notably on the latter holes. The course is not located in the nicest of neighborhoods.

Other Thoughts:

Not worth much of a trip out of your way by any means but if you're nearby it's worth a quick round. I by no means know my Indy area courses but I did play 5 on a recent trip and this was the worst of the 4 18 hole courses I played. You'd be better off taking the 20 minutes or so to head north and play something up that way than this one.
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1 0
billtm
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 9.6 years 37 played 26 reviews
2.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 1, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

-Good variety in terms of right to left and vice versa holes
-Good use of limited elevation change
-Creek provides challenge, yet is shallow enough to still retrieve discs
-Nice long concrete teepads
-Baskets are in decent shape
-Navigation is relatively easy since the baskets are often next to the next teepad

Cons:

-Tee signs are often missing
-All the holes besides hole 9 should be par 3s. The pars listed on the tee signs which are present are just ridiculous.
-The walk from hole 12 to hole 13 is the only not obvious/clear transition. A next tee sign would be nice
-The bridge on hole 17 needs to be replaced. Feels like its going to collapse the next time a big storm rolls around.
-Hole 7 is just a bad/boring hole. There are no trees whatsoever to contend with, so its way too easy and uninteresting. Just feels like a filler hole.

Other Thoughts:

I had a fun time at this course, and all the holes (besides 7) have an interesting design that makes you think about your tee shot. Also, I really liked the way that they tightly guarded the baskets with the clusters of big trees. I would recommend this course to anyone throwing under 300 feet (like me), but I feel like this would just be a birdiefest for those with over 300 feet of distance.
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2 0
ajluty
Experience: 124 played 3 reviews
3.00 star(s)

George Washington Park 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 9, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

The signage and the pads were both in decent shape. As others have mentioned the front nine baskets are nice bright yellow, which are highly visible, but the back nine are older with shallow baskets. Did not experience any issues with them though.

Did a nice job using the elevation changes on the course.

Cons:

There is not a lot of variation between the holes. Most shots are lightly wooded and do not offer too much of a challenge.

Not located in a very desirable neighborhood, but we were in a group of 6. Don't recommend going there alone.

Other Thoughts:

This is a good beginner or casual player course that still is enjoyable for the average player. Would be boring for a pro to play. Would be nice to have some next tee signs on a few of the holes so bring a map if it's your first time.
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2 0
conkygotshot
Experience: 12 played 5 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Fun Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 31, 2016 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Good Usage of Trees
Nice combination of left to right and right to left
Uses minimal elevation change well in layout
Like to play this and Brookside Park back to back as the old school Indianapolis 36 holes
Approachable for a beginner and also fun for better players
Hole 17
Baskets have been in use for awhile but still in good shape
Tees are in very good shape, concrete.

Cons:

Questionable area - better to play in groups
Can get very muddy if it has been raining a lot

Other Thoughts:

First course I ever played so holds a special place in my mind
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2 0
Imajedichken
Experience: 16.8 years 13 played 4 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Beginner/Intermediate Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jul 22, 2015 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Concrete tees
Front 9 baskets are new and painted yellow for visibility
Flows from hole to hole (with a couple exceptions)
Good shot variety
Course map is helpful

Cons:

Some signs are missing and all need updated
Finding hole 13 wasn't as easy as it could be
Some holes very close to busy roads
Some baskets are old and have shallow bottoms
Questionable area
Poor drainage

Other Thoughts:

I played this course a few times prior to joining DGCourseReview and after playing it again yesterday I thought it deserves a review. Overall this is a pretty solid course for beginner and intermediate players. The front 9 is definitely the better half of the course, with new/painted baskets. I liked the variety of shots offered by the different holes. Not a lot of distance but some fairly challenging holes. There were some missing signs and I had to use the course map to find 13 since it'd been years since the last time I played here. The back 9 could use some updating; replace a few baskets, paint the rest. Back 9 holes are much shorter than front 9 due to space but they're not boring. Definitely some good ace chances. There are also some tees that could stand to be replaced due as they're cracked and broken in places. Course is worth playing at least once.
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4 0
HoosierDaddy
Experience: 12.6 years 29 played 1 reviews
3.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 8, 2015 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

This course makes the most of whats available. It flows well from one hole to the next and has a very good mix of backhand/forehand shot selections. Makes for an excellent course to bring beginners to and will also challenge your drive accuracy for advanced players. Course is fairly short with many birdie opportunities available.

Cons:

Its a typical inner city course so expect to see quite a bit of trash. The surrounding neighborhoods don't seem to respect the space, as you can tell from the tire tracks cutting through the heart of the course. Course has poor drainage which leaves it wetter than most courses in the area.

Other Thoughts:

I think the course layout and shot selection override most of the negatives holding this course back. There are better courses in the surrounding areas but its central location make it an easy course to hit for a quick round.
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5 0
sisyphus
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 12.6 years 397 played 383 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Founding Father? 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 22, 2014 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

One of those courses that actually offers a little bit of semi-open park style play and a few woodsy holes, G. Washington is obviously an established course with enough challenge for the Recreational to Intermediate player to be used for the Indianapolis tournament scene. Featuring 12 foot long, level concrete tees throughout, and really nice (older) deep-cage (spiderweb?), bold yellow, baskets on the front nine, the course starts adjacent to the parking lot and shelter beside the informative kiosk, which includes not only a small, but improved map, but also references to other local courses, club events, and so on.

If you've got an accurate (can shape some decent lines) 275 to 325 feet in that arm of yours, this course will be a blast to play, the first few times, or if you'd like to show off your 'deucability'. There is a good mix of shots here, along with decent, rolling elevation (especially for the flatlands of central Indiana), which will put some of the baskets just out of view from the tee. One that stands out to me is hole 6, which is uphill, blind, is guarded by overhanging branches, and has a steep slope behind, dropping to the busy street down to the right.

Another is hole 12, which is pinched between the busy drive/street on its left and thicker woods on the right, flies considerably downhill (to make it reachable), and has a guarded green just in front of the (usually dry?) creekbed. The finishers on 17 (a right to left, downhiller, heavily guarded by the trees in fairway at the bottom by the creek) and 18 (blind, uphill fade to the pines back by the shelter), are a pair of fun holes to remember your round by.

Cons:

If you prefer something a little more demanding in your courses, Washington might not be your cup of tea. There really aren't any longer holes here, nor are there staged, higher par ones than all threes.

The course flow is a little odd for first timers at the transitions after 3 (go to your left), 11 (cross left past the shelter), and 12 (best to go across the creek bed via the driveway/street, up the rickety steps, and to the right). Speaking of rickety steps, the ones up the hill on 18 are looking pretty bad, and clearly, most folks walk up the left side of the slope instead. Which can be an issue if wet, leafy, or icy (the current course pictures on here show pretty well the fact that this place can get pretty muddy).

Not that they can do much about it, but just like a lot of established park courses, they're obviously losing a few trees this past year or two, which can affect your choice of lines. The signage is getting a little run-down, and in fact, 9 and 16 are effectively blank. The older, much shallower DGA baskets on the back nine could use a splash of color, as they are more effectively hidden in the woods than the pretty yellow ones. Would it be possible to switch them (a free option)?

At first glance, the neighborhood seems a little sketchy. Let me put it this way: though I saw a number of small churches nearby, but there were more hard liquor bottles and beer cans along the 30th street sidewalk...

Other Thoughts:

It was nice to be courteously greeted by Chuck and some of the others coming out for Saturday morning dubs, and invited to join in. I expressed regrets as I had planned a quick day of bagging courses in the area, but it was nice to be asked. Thanks!
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3 0
ajbova
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 18 years 112 played 94 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Solid Intermediate Course 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Dec 23, 2013 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

18 baskets. 9 are Mach 3 baskets. Although they are old and somewhat rusted, they catch great. Other 9 baskets are new and look like Spiderweb 3 that are painted yellow and are highly visible. 1-9 have the new baskets.

Concrete tees. Each hole has 1 very large and grippy concrete tee.

Solid intermediate course. Challenging for beginners but easy to save par for experienced players.

Elevation: several holes have some elevation to them (a few even make it a blind shot). Holes 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 11, 12, 16, 17, and 18 all have elevation.

Variety: Most holes are short but I feel like no two holes are alike. Short and hilly, long and open, wooded holes, etc. Several mature trees to make or break your day. Course starts flat and finishes with blind hilly shots. With the right throw, every hole except for 9 has potential for an ace.

Water hazards on holes 12 and 17.

Benches at or near holes 1, 11, 12, 13, and 18. A nice shaded pavilion to start and end course.

For the most part, course flows great, can be tricky for new players (see cons).

Billboard at start of course that includes a course map, other Indy area courses, tournament info, etc.

A few trash cans on site but typically overflowing.

Decent hand drawn signs that list par, distance and picture of hole.

Cons:

Only one tee per hole. Dual tees (either alternate or different difficulty level) would Greatly improve this course. It would also add variety.

Signs are hand drawn and wearing away. New signs would be helpful. Also, next hole signs would be nice after holes 3, 11, and 12 for players new to course. A bigger course map at the start would be nice.

Not in nicest part of town, wouldn't recommend stopping at any nearby stores for food or drinks. Not the best idea to play this course alone although I have done it many times.

Could use more benches.

Other Thoughts:

This was one of the courses I played to learn how to play. I try to play the course at least twice a year. Alternate tees, new signs, a few more benches, and new baskets on the back 9 would improve this course greatly. Hole 17 is the most interesting hole here. It used to be much more challenging but some of the initial trees were cut.

There is room to expand the course. There used to be two courses at this park (East and West). The West course is gone. Course could easily expand to where the West course used to be to make course 24 or 27 holes. Course is a great compliment to Brookside Park.

It was one of the original Indy courses and has a historic feel to it (shorter holes, not too hard, not too easy, etc). I would definitely recommend playing this course as well as Brookside for anybody who lives in Indy or is visiting.
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4 0
spcrosbie
Experience: 6 played 6 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Oldie but a Goldie! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:May 29, 2013 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Well designed course that makes the most of the elevation changes and mature trees. Nice variety of holes where players are required to throw long, short, left, right, etc.... Most holes have a clear fairway and reward good drives.
Only 5-10 minutes from downtown Indy. Great overall coarse that can be fun for all level of players! I definitely recommend playing it.

Cons:

Its an older course and could use a few updates. New signs would be nice start because some are either missing or hard to read. The baskets are probably 20+ years old, a few have some wobble. Hole 17 should be a signature hole, but the trees have gotten so big it changes the original design. Its just time for a makeover, but no major flaws.

Other Thoughts:

Its my understanding that the Indy disc golf club is working towards new baskets and signs which is nice to hear!
This is my go to course in Indy, and I'm always happy to play it!
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2 0
lukejones
Experience: 11.6 years 70 played 24 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Confidence booster 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 12, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

-Concrete tee pads
-Overall course navigation was easy the first time with the exception of finding #12 and 13
-Overall course design seems well thought out for the size of property available. On the front 9 there are a few holes you can bomb it on. Back 9 not so much.
-Good variety of shots required.....used RHBH, RHFW, a roller, several upshots, Tomahawk. You can be creative.
-Restrooms are available across the street at the family activity center for any mid-course "emergencies" ;-)
-Not many opportunities to lose a disc. Hole 17 is the only hole over a water (small creek)

Cons:

-Not in the best part of town, but on the day we played, we never felt unsafe and there were several other disc golfers out playing
-Baskets are a bit old, but still functional
-Tee signs could be replaced. #12 tee sign is missing
-#12 and 13 tees weren't the easiest to find, but we had help from another disc golfer
-A few holes on the back 9 seemed a bit too short but good ace opportunities
-Not the most scenic of courses I've played, but it's also a city park

Other Thoughts:

I would come back and play again. If you're looking to do 36 holes, start here, then finish at the courses big brother just south a few minutes at Brookside Park.
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3 0
wake911
Experience: 22.8 years 63 played 18 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Good Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 2, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-Mix of shots (this is big to me)
-multiple routes to each basket.
-some elevation change on a couple holes
pretty easy to follow the course path, basically just goes in a big figure 8 through the park. (11-12 isn't real straight forward though)

Cons:

-old baskets, i think they are in the process of replacing them, but more spit outs here than most courses
-not the best area of town, i've heard bad stories from playing with folks, but personally have NEVER had any issues.
-not a lot of variety in hole length, mostly shorter fairway driver/mid range distance. Only use driver on one hole (to throw over the top on 17)

Other Thoughts:

fun course. Right behind Brookside in my favorite public courses in Indy list. Older course, which is quite different than newer courses style wise, but definently worth playing. Being only 5-10 min from Brookside, makes a VERY enjoyable day of disc golf that doesn't take too long for 2 good courses.
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0 4
cjones63
Experience: 11.8 years 4 played 2 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Will play again 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 8, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

Variety in holes, great for beginners, hilly

Cons:

seemed very dirty possibly from the weekend lots of beer bottles and broken glass.

Other Thoughts:

Will play again! would like to see some more trash cans throughout course for clean up!
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8 1
notapro
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 20.6 years 568 played 281 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Beginner/Intermediate 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 25, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

- Course is set in a pretty small park that is bordered on all four sides by roads. Other than that, the course is pretty well clear of any other activites.
- Majority of the holes are set in a mildly hilly area that has mature trees scattered here and there. There are enough to force some different lines; like a pine tree window on #1, a wide hyzer or anhyzer on #2, a pretty decent amount of variety. RHBH hyzers can definitely be used for the majority, but not all. A good range of wide open to pretty tight.
- A handful of other holes are set in more wooded areas, particularly the last three. These have only one clear line to the basket, which include a short little RHFH shot, a longer RHBH hyzer through (or over) a wall of trees, and a longer RHBH anny. A common feature of all these holes are some decently protected baskets, with numerous trees in the green to deal with.
- Elevation changes are mostly subtle, but are almost always constant. A few noticeable uphill shots like #5 and #18, some good downhill shots like #12 and #17, and plenty of lightly sloping fairways and greens. Rollaways are definitely present in some places.
- Wide variety of hole lengths, there are some straight-up ace runs, many over 300', and one bomber at 469'.
- Good teepads, signage, and baskets. Navigation is a breeze... with a map. Hole #12 is on the other side of #1's teepad, and #13 is up the hill to the right of #12's basket. Not too bad.

Cons:

- Most of the holes are pretty vanilla, you see the basket off the tee and avoid the trees along the way. While there are some holes with more trees than others, finding a path to the basket is never a big challenge. That does not hold true for #17, however, which has no fairway to speak of. If you can't get it over the trees, you are relying on luck or a short layup.
- The roads that border the course make for some interesting OB at times, but overall it is an eyesore and a distraction. It is a little park, so there really wasn't any option, but it still hurts.
- Not too many areas with tough punishment, a bad drive may only mean a par instead of the birdie for most holes.

Other Thoughts:

- Overall, a pretty fun course that offers a lot of deuce chances for varying skill levels. Some interesting lines, mild to good elevation changes, and some tough basket placements help to keep things fresh. Great for beginners and mid-level players, more experienced players won't find too much challenge here.
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4 2
astomps
Experience: 12.6 years 76 played 42 reviews
3.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Nov 5, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

-Awesome layout that takes full advantage of the terrain
-Tons of elevation changes, blind shots and shots around trees
-Holes flow naturally
-Good variation in shot types
-Good tee pads and tee signs that clearly list distances, obstacles, pars and course par sums

Cons:

-Not the greatest neighborhood, saw a stray dog running on the course when I played
-Baskets are pretty old, don't catch too well
-some shots near busy roads

Other Thoughts:

Bring a spotter for blind shots and also just play in groups as mentioned before. Lots of people play this course based the amount of people I saw on a Saturday in November. One thing I would note is that if you are expecting to play a disc golf "course" thats not what this is. It's an inner city park that has disc golf baskets. I prefer this style hence the high rating.
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7 0
burdphil
Experience: 22.8 years 26 played 3 reviews
3.50 star(s)

What a disc golf course should be 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Sep 21, 2011 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

- Fantastic layout requires a wide variety of shots
- Flows nicely from hole to hole
- Great place to learn for beginners, but also a fun challenge for high level players
- Concrete tees
- Lots of mature trees
- The course is well maintained by the locals
- The people who play here regularly are incredibly friendly and helpful

Cons:

- Signs could use updating
- Located in kind of a weird part of town
- I was attacked by a swarm of yellow jackets when I got into the woods (not the course's fault)
- Not a bunch of amenities, few benches, only one port-o-potty thing located near hole 14 which I've never seen anyone use

Other Thoughts:

Washington Park is an old course, but it is legendary in the Indy area as far as I'm concerned. Every hole is unique and interesting, and you get to test every aspect of your game. I started playing in the weekly handicap league here this summer and I cannot even begin to tell you how much my game has improved as a result. I would say that this is more of an intermediate course as the pros in the area can birdie most of the holes with a fair amount of regularity (playing all par 3's), but they still love it and play here frequently, so I think that says something about the quality of the experience that it provides.

Every time I play this course I marvel at the how well the somewhat limited landscape is used. Highlights for me personally are...
- Hole 1 - You can crank your drive on this opening hole, but you have to fit it through two pine trees about 200 feet down the fairway, and then the basket is well protected behind another tree about 150 yards beyond that
- Hole 4 - You have to throw through two trees right in front of the tee and wrap a big hyzer (RHBH) around a bunch of other trees down to the basket which is in a small valley
- Hole 6 - A big uphill anhyzer to the basket which you can't see, a line of trees and a steep hill on the right will punish you if you miss your line
- Hole 8 - A shot down into another small valley through a bunch of trees, there is a hyzer line on the right and an anhyzer on the left and you can choose which you prefer
- Hole 12 - A long, downhill run with heavy woods on the right and the road as OB immediately on your left, definitely the most satisfying hole on the course if you get it right and the most frustrating if you get it wrong.
- Hole 16 - A short dump into the woods where you can either hyzer over the small trees on the right or anhyzer through an opening on the left. Again, very satisfying if you get it just right.
- Hole 17 - I used to hate this hole before they cleared out the honeysuckle in front of the tee pad, but now it's more playable and therefore more fun
- Hole 18 - A steep uphill hyzer blast through a gap in the trees

In short, this course is old and not super fancy, but it has an amazing amount of character and has provided the most fun I've ever had playing disc golf. I really wanted to give this course a 4 rating, but I'm trying really hard to be objective here. I will say this much... if you're visiting Indy and you only have time to play one course in the area, make sure it's this one.
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1 3
jcfluhr
Experience: 6 played 3 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Must play 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 2, 2011 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

I love this course! It's a must play if you are in the Indy area. It's got tons of trees, a variety of shots a little hilly and is tons of fun. Great place to take beginners with enough challenge for vets.

Cons:

The neighborhood isn't awesome.

Other Thoughts:

Take a map. The layout can have you retracing your steps the first time you play it.
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3 1
swatso
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 15.6 years 755 played 414 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Accessible by the Masses 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 12, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

Most holes offer a choice of lines to the basket.

Cons:

Baskets were quite old - shallower, for sure, and seemingly of smaller diameter, when compared to modern baskets.

Other Thoughts:

With an average length a bit under 300', and only two holes > 350', the distances at this course are quite suitable for beginners/intermediates. Two-thirds of the course plays on grassy land that could be described as gently rolling, with large hardwoods scattered about, making the optimal lines to the basket not too difficult for a player to hit - and not inflicting much punishment if they're missed. Experienced players will likely have plenty of birdy opportunities, but the trees and minor elevation changes keep the holes from being too simple. Challenging holes include #11, with its tiny window 200' feet away; downslope #12 with left-side ob road and right-side woods; how-the-heck-am-I-gonna-play this - through woods? Up-n-over? Number-17; and upslope number-18, needing a sharp left after exiting the woods.

Fun course, with most holes suitable for those in the +/- intermediate range. The extra challenges found on the latter half of the course are a good introduction to what tougher courses might offer - including the "thrill" of searching for wayward discs in the thick bits of woods, brush, and undergrowth that define some of these fairways.
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10 0
lylemccoon
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 28.7 years 89 played 18 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Best in Indy 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 29, 2010 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Washington Park is, simply put, the best, most complete disc golf course in the immediate Indianapolis area. This course has an excellent design with great flow from hole to hole (for the most part) and very little fairway interference.

The course is an older course (which is part of why I appreciate it so much - but that is my own personal bias). As such it has older but adequate baskets (Machs), adequate tee signs, and has been well broken in.

The holes are each fairly different, keeping it interesting. The design makes excellent usage of the trees and small hills that can be found throughout the park.

The course also has at least one hole (#17)that is unique among the 80+ courses that I have played (and I mean unique in a good way).

The course boasts a nice variety with some lightly wooded holes, some wide open holes, and some technical holes in the woods.

While by no means easy, the course is short enough that it remains the only 18 hole course where I have ever broken par (perhaps that says more about me than the course!).

There is a kiosk at Hole #1 with a park map, though, for the most part, a map is not really a necessity here (which speaks again to the good design).

Cons:

The cons of this course are few and minor. There is only one bench on the course (Hole #13) and very few trash cans. While the signs and baskets are adequate, they are showing their age, especially with some of the older Mach baskets that have very shallow catchers. Also, Hole #12 is completely missing its sign.

The only real flow issues are between holes 3 and 4 (take a left at 3's basket), holes 11 and 12 (take another left at the basket, cross between 1's tee pad and 18's basket, and head toward the road and the missing sign), and between 12 and 13 (take another left at the basket, follow the road to the right, and take the wooden steps on the right). Directional signs would be an excellent addition to these spots. The only real backtracking on this course is after holing out on #16.

After heavy rains, this course gets wet (like all courses do) but also seems to stay wet for a while.

If you bring new players here, be aware that a decently-well traveled road is very much in play on holes 2-5, and especially on hole 12. There are also woods in play on holes 11 &12, and 16 & 17 as potential lost disc areas. A spotter is almost a must on Hole #17.

Due to the fact that this is an older course and that a couple of the basket placements are nicely on the sides of hills (3 and 6), there are some erosion problems that might be alleviated by the addition of a few alternate pin placements.

Some with bigger arms than I may not like the short distances throughout this course.

Honestly, there is nothing about this course that I complain about in any real sense. It is a pleasure to play.

Other Thoughts:

The course is divided into a front 11 and a back 7, and they are very different. The front is fairly straight forward, city-park type disc golf. The back is far more of an adventure.

Not coincidentally, the back features my 3 favorite holes: Hole 12 - a hole I have yet to figure out. I struggle to keep it in bounds and not in the woods; Hole 16 - a short tease of a hole that is far harder to birdie than it looks; and Hole 17 - a hole requiring an arm and a shot I do not possess, but that is fun and challanging nonetheless. As I said earlier, this hole is very unique in my disc golf experience.

Bottom line: Washington Park is a solid, well-balanced, complete disc golf experience. If you had time for only one course in Indy, this is the one.
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1 6
maansmit
Experience: 13.9 years 35 played 6 reviews
3.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 20, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

-Good variety of shot types required
-Good variety of hole types (wooded, relatively open, some elevation change)

Cons:

-Not located in the best part of town
-Hole #17 is a bit ridiculous
-Not much variety in hole length, most are reachable with decent drive
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