The Woodlands, TX

Bear Branch Sportsfield Park - Old Layout

3.135(based on 27 reviews)
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Bear Branch Sportsfield Park - Old Layout reviews

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2 1
soonerpa
Experience: 12.1 years 41 played 12 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Not a fan 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 7, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

Hmmmmm, let me see......cant think of many. I will say that the whole sports complex is pretty impressive.

Cons:

Basket 4 is gone.
Holes not marked well. The stones are neat but the hole marker poles are there or not there.
Tee pads are terrible.
Baskets seem like they are smaller and they could all use upgrading.
Lots of standing water.
Going to sound weird but I think I really didnt know how to throw a 135' hole, ha.

Other Thoughts:

The soccer fields are being upgraded with artificial turf the Houston Texans would envy yet the disc golf course is falling apart. I know, I know, soccer is more popular etc...I hope eventually the course gets a long overdue upgrade or a re-design altogether.
I went in positively. I have purposely avoided this course because 1- reviews say its always crowded and 2- the soccer fields upgrades/construction which from what I read was to be over in December.
Oh well.
Maybe Ill play it again one day....
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2 1
c_a_miller
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 11.9 years 299 played 207 reviews
2.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 11, 2013 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

-First of all this course is very easy to find even with the construction occurring. There is a course sign an map in between two of the fields.
-A very tight course with narrow fairways. Accuracy is key, strokes can add up quick if you can't throw your disc straight or on a slight hyzer or anhyzer.
-Plays well with the elevation and pond on the course. Playing over water is always exciting for me, I always enjoy a course with throws over water.
-There are three sets of tees. The shortest tees are usually ~160 so new players or kids will have fun and not get too frustrated with length. The longer two tees have rubber pads and they do their job.

Cons:

-"Oh look, another 200ft~ straight hole." That is my thought on almost every hole when playing here. Besides #17 and #10 I can not think of any other hole that really sticks out in my head. It is sort of a mesh of short holes. Diversity is good for a disc golf course, Bear Branch definitely lacks it.
-This course attracts a lot of one disc players. This is not a bad thing since this course caters to that type of player but be prepared to wait at tee and probably not be offered to play through.
-Tee signs, pads and baskets are all starting to show their wear. A few holes are missing tee signs. I am not a huge fan of rubber pads, they are here and Terramont Park and these are in rough shape compared to those at Terramont.

Other Thoughts:

As I was playing the back few holes I happened to glance over to my left and noticed a vast field with trees and semi dense woods. It looked like a perfect course area. I realize that that land is not own by the park but this course really lacks a whole lot of anything. The course is crowded, short, and boring.

It would be hard or simply impossible to redesign the course on the small piece of land designated for the course so not a whole lot can be done here. However, if this course attracts to one-disc players and they enjoy it then so be it. We cannot expect all 18 hole course to be championship caliber courses; courses like this make Houston a good place to play, with a wide variety of courses.
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1 4
Mason65
Experience: 20.7 years 27 played 4 reviews
1.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 20, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

- Multiple tees
- Decent location.

Cons:

- Poor signage.
- Teepads in poor shape.
- long tees on a couple of holes downright frustrating (3 and 17)
- Usually crowded.
- Half of course turns into a mosquito ridden mudpit after any rain.

Other Thoughts:

A good chunk of the front 9 plays through a marshy pit near and around a pond. Maybe I just seem to catch the course after a good rain every time, but its always muddy when I'm out there. Course hasn't been well kept, needs some serious attention to signs and pads. I would definitely rather play Terramont twice.
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4 1
BewareOfPenguin
Experience: 14.9 years 97 played 8 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Fun, Short Course 2+ years drive by

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

Pros:

Nice, wooded course, short, good for beginners, can be played quickly when you're pinched for time

Cons:

course is a little too tight in some spots (2 & 3), uneven tees, course can be difficult to navigate for first-timers, Some tees and/ or baskets (4, 6 & 7) will be surrounded by water after a big rain, crowded

Other Thoughts:

When I went, the place was packed with people. But you can knock out a round pretty quickly if you don't get caught behind a large crowd of casual players. Overall, it was enjoyable. I will play there again when I'm back in the area, but I'll try going earlier in the day to see if it's a little less crowded.
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3 0
gunkspiff
Experience: 12.4 years 9 played 1 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Sweet course to learn the basics 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 13, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

Good wooded course for noobs (me) water hazard not too tough, but you can still lose a disc if not careful, slight elevation changes are nice.

Cons:

Layout not the greatest in flow, you have to back track through one hole to get to tee pads, tee pads are a little unlevel

Other Thoughts:

good course to learn the game, I will be hitting these links more in the future to hopefully improve my game.
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1 2
cj37
Experience: 5 played 5 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Where It's At... 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 17, 2011 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Water hazards. Multiple tees. Difficult shots on some holes.

Cons:

uneven tees. sometimes it can be unclear what basket to shoot for if you've never played before

Other Thoughts:

great course! terramont is just right around the corner if you want to get another nine in before going home.
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1 2
Joshua Ropel
Experience: 6 played 2 reviews
4.00 star(s)

The woods of the Woodlands 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 31, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

Fun beginner course.
Lots of different kinds of holes.
Lots of soccer fields around course for free throwing.
Dogs allowed
Lots of challenging, yet fun holes.
a guy is sellling discs from water hazard for cheap prices.

Cons:

Busy course.
Water hazards, beware the water hazard it is harder than expected.
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1 4
MrNiceFella
Experience: 17 played 15 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Once and Done 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 1, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

The fact that you can play disc golf here.

Cons:

If you are not familiar with this course, you will end up throwing at the wrong basket several times due to unclear marking. I was the only person there with my shirt on.
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9 0
dreadlock86
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 16.9 years 382 played 296 reviews
3.00 star(s)

fun "homeboy" course 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Mar 10, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

-great wooded terrain, lots of tight holes
-design utilizes terrain features well: elevation, small pond, etc.
-very nice park in a nice suburb, very well kept
-3 sets of tees, nice rubber pads
-tees signs show distances from each pad (but no other info)
-a couple cool little bridges
-bathrooms on site, water fountain, pavilion and soccer fields, etc.

Cons:

-mostly short, not a lot of variety in distance
-very crowded and a mostly casual crowd, typical homeboy course
-rubber tees are short and often uneven
-3 different tees aren't very different, most are just a little further back
-no trash cans
-a few areas where navigation can be a problem
-you have to walk backwards across hole 16's fairway to get to the teebox, easy to for someone to get hit and bad flow
-hole 14 looks like you're throwing at 17's basket, 14 is tucked in the trees to the left

Other Thoughts:

Bear Branch is a fun little course in a nice wooded park. The holes are mostly on the short side but make great use of the terrain that is available. The fairways range from mostly open to very tight but most are in between with well protected pins. There are several holes with elevation changes and holes 3 and 4 play over a small pond.

There are 3 rubber tee pads on each hole. The pads are grippy (and probably great in wet weather) but some are uneven. Most are pretty short too but so are the holes so it works out. The different sets of tees do not change the way most holes play. Most either add a little more distance or play from a different but not much more difficult angle. Tee signs are very aged and show only the distance from each tee. No hole map, next tee, etc.

The park is easy to find, plenty of parking, lots of amenities. There are soccer fields, a pavilion, water fountain and a building with bathrooms on site. A couple small bridges add a bit of charm to this simple course.

There are a few places where course flow can be an issue and fairways are very close to each other. Hole 16 is particularly bad: from pin 15 you have to walk the length of the fairway for hole 16 to get to the tee. Poor flow and a definite safety hazard. Holes 2, 3, 4, 11 & 12 are all very close and there are several instances where a shot on one hole could wind up near the basket or tee pad of another.

The experienced golfer will not find much challenge here. The course is fun to play if you like short technical holes (which I do!) but those who like to bomb their distance drivers will probably be disappointed. That said, a few of the holes are very tightly wooded so it is not a complete walk in the park. Overall, a great course for beginners or casual rounds.


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1 2
coyotepower
Experience: 18.6 years 87 played 34 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Can be a great course at times 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 17, 2010 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Short wooded course with some elevation changes. Good location, good tree cover. Tee pads are OK, better than dirt i suppose but not by much. Good beginner course but still provides an accuracy challenge to the intermediate.

Cons:

Playing on Saturdays during kids soccer games SUCK. Also, when school is out the kids in the area think its fun/cool to hang out in the area and sell/barter back discs they find/take from the course. Its happened to me more than once. Not cool Hoodlands!

Other Thoughts:

With this course was closer to me!
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2 0
MikoDisc
Experience: 17.8 years 15 played 4 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Into the Woods 2+ years drive by

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

Pros:

Very playable wooded course. The course has a real tight configuration so progression to the next hole is easy for the most part. Although there were a couple holes I had to hunt around for.

In addition to the woodland holes, there are a couple that play around a water hazard or into clearings, adding to the variety of the course.

Decent visibility on the wooded holes.

Most of the alternate tees are still marked.

Cons:

The mid-holes does get a little repetitious with little variation.

Twice I had difficulty finding the tee; can't remember which holes, though. #9 and #17 maybe.

Other Thoughts:

The directions were essential in finding the course head, which is towards the back of the park between a couple of soccer fields.
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4 1
rbsold
Experience: 14.1 years 55 played 10 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Nice course if you're tried of Spring valley and mcdade 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 12, 2010 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Some really fun holes, with elevation,trees, and even water on a few holes. Very easy location to get to, close to I-45 on the north side of the woodlands. rubber teeboxes. Pretty decent signs with distances to tees. At least 2 different tee boxes on most of the holes. Targets are in great shape for most part.

Cons:

to me, holes 2,3,4, and 12 are way to easy to accidentally hit other disc golfers. Really crowded almost everytime I go there. Holes are WAAYYY too short. Except for 12(450+ feet). Never get to air out the big guns. Beast, avenger SS, and Destroyer get neglected. Could easily play this course with a 2-3 discs and be fine. Not a variety of different shots.

Other Thoughts:

Deffinitely a younger crowd kind of course. Be prepared to wait, or if you're in a big group, let people play through. Overall decent course to give mcdade, spring valley, and River grove a rest.
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2 3
elmore
Experience: 24.1 years 10 played 1 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Best Course North of Houston 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 11, 2010 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Bear Branch is kept up and well maintained. Restrooms and water fountains are available. Dog friendly. I play the course daily and don't get tired of it. Lots of shade after you get past the first 5 holes. Aces are possible at almost every hole. The baskets are painted and visible at almost all holes, but some are hidden from sight at the tee. You must walk a little to the side and you will be able to see where you need to throw. I love this place, I live nearby and play often. Sometimes you can get cheap discs from me at the table. Alcohol IS allowed.

Cons:

The course gets crowded sometimes, soccer groups like to practice in the way of hole one. Sometimes you have to make them move.

Other Thoughts:

I have seen coral snakes on hole 10 down near the basket so watch out if you lose a disc down there. There are quite a few trees fallen down there and that is where they are and where many discs go due to fade. If you are bitten by a coral you must catch the snake and take it to the hospital with you. It is needed for the anti-venom. The pond is nasty, and you will smell like it until you get home and shower. Also the photot on this website showing hole 17 is very misleading. It is designed to be thrown through the woods down the narrow corridor. You can go around to the left, but it is considered out of course, so if you dont make it, it is a penalty stroke every time your disc lands out of course. Also it can be very difficult to play to the left if there is soccer going on.
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1 4
wolfman7207
Experience: 16.1 years 15 played 2 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Local Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 6, 2010 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Nice variety. Multiple elevation shifts. One water hazard that covers 3 holes. Nice tight wooded shots and long open shots. Multiple soccer fields available to practice long drives.

Cons:

Wooded shots will drive up your score if unable to throw tight straight shots.

Other Thoughts:

Overall good variety course. Would prefer a practice tee on location.
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10 0
ChaseTheAce
Experience: 16.8 years 105 played 4 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Perfect Practice Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 22, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

The course is located near soccer fields in a nice community that keeps its parks clean. Before a round it is nice to air out some warm up drives in the fields as long as there is no soccer in session.

Fairly easy to navigate, especially after playing it only once.

The holes are balanced well with left, right, and straight holes, allowing beginners opportunity to learn a variety of shots. BB is a great course for learning controlled, finesse drives in wooded areas w/o being too punishing of bad throws.

With three sets of tee pads, the course caters to shorter arms as well as more technical players, providing a challenge from the long tees.

Water can come into play on 3-5 of the holes, adding some difficulty to the course.

There are small amounts of elevation on a few of the holes.

New tee pads were recently installed by local Boy Scouts and the baskets are in good condition.

Cons:

The course is always crowded on the weekends and traffic tends to back up on holes. Soccer players can become nuisances on #1 and #18, especially when a tournament is being held. There are occasionally Cross Country meets held on weekends that utilize much of the course.

Bear Branch is notorious for bringing in players who lack respect for the sport, other players, and people's property. Be cautious of having a disc stolen if it's left unattended near another hole for too long.

Only one hole is over 400' making it hard to air out any big drives

Some of the tees come into play with other holes fairways. Bad shots can easily become a danger to others. Be aware at all times and don't be afraid to yell "fore!"

Other Thoughts:

Spring Valley is only 10 minutes down the road and is the best course in the area for players who are serious about improving their game.

Bear Branch is a great course for beginners or a casual round with friends.
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1 3
bigghigg
Experience: 17.9 years 40 played 8 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Short, wooded course. 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 8, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

A lot of variety. Pretty easy to follow. Multiple tee positions.

Cons:

A little short. Some of the tee boxes (rubber mats) could use repair.

Other Thoughts:

A lot of trees and variety of shots. Never seems to play the same twice. Can be very challenging if you don't make accurate throws.
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11 0
SpringDgLover
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 19 years 107 played 25 reviews
3.00 star(s)

A Woodlands Tradition 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Apr 30, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

This course is located just north of Houston in the Woodlands. A very nice wooded area of town that is always maintained impeccably. This course provides a wide variation of holes with elevation changes, tunnel shots, and a few over water shots as well. The rubber T-Boxes work well in most instances and are far better then other T-Boxes (gravel holes) on other Houston Area courses. Finally it offers 3 separate T positions for variety and different difficulty levels.

Cons:

This is a very popular course and can be at times over crowded. If you plan on going, go during the week during the day to avoid the crowds. Some of the rubber T-pads are very uneven and care needs to be taken as to not trip. A few of the cages have been stolen at times and this leads to holes not always being there. This isn't always the case, but it can be a problem at times. Finally, I have heard from more then one person that this course was designed by a lefty and it shows. Most holes favor a sidearm or a thumber release (this is if you are a RHBH like myself).

Other Thoughts:

This was the very first disc golf course I ever played. It holds a very special place in my heart and I would consider it my home course. It is a well maintained beautiful piece of property and is one of the most varied courses in the Houston area. I would recommend it to anyone in the Houston area and for that matter anyone visiting. It will definitely make for a fun day of DG.
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17 1
srm_520
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 20 years 156 played 142 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Short and Tight 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:May 20, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Bear Branch has a medley is tight fairways to test even the experienced disc golfer. Even a hole that is 145 feet long, although easy to par, manages to still make to work to get a birdie. Water is a short feature in holes 3 and 4, and can still be a factor in 2, 11, & 12 if you have an errant enough shot. Elevation shots also play into six different holes, which is a change from most courses in the greater Houston area.

There is ample parking (except on Saturday mornings) and quality facilities. There is even a drinking fountain on those steamy summer days when even sewage water is quenching.

There are three tee boxes for various skill levels, although the pro box on 17 makes the hole much easier, and the red tees can sometimes make the hole much too easy (i.e. hole 10). New players will enjoy this course much more than an experienced player wanting to play a challenging course like the LINKS Largo, Oak Meadow Park, or Tom Bass. Its simply more "new player" friendly, yet still holds some challenge for all players.

BEST HOLE/S: #10

Cons:

A covered patio area for the park has replaced the practice hole area, and the practice hole basket was moved to hole 12 where the previous basket was stolen. I like it because the DisCatcher basket proves much easier to see than the aging Mach III's at over 400 feet away.

The tee boxes are rubber pads that are too short and are in poor shape. Save your ankles and throw from the dirt. The tee markers also need to be updated, even the still existent ones show yardage from all boxes.

An experienced golfer may complain that this course is too short. Hole 12 is really only hole a player can open up on, but if you like technical - this shouldn't be an issue.

WORST HOLE/S: #17

Other Thoughts:

I'm happy to give the 10th course review on the only course in the Houston area touch by the master of course design, John Houck (even if it was only a consultation). I have found that Bear Branch is a personally evolving course for me. The more I play it - the shorter and easier it feels to me. Besides holes 6, 12, & 17, this is a course that should give you a good birdie opportunity every time.

In a tight space that contends with the soccer crowd on weekends - Bear Branch delivers within its confines. It plays multiple elevation, water, and tight fairway shots. It's also good to note that I even saw a few golfers pruning and maintaining the fairways (in a good upkeep way), so you feel the course will be around for a while.

In the end - it's certainly not the challenging amazing course I first perceived when I started the game, but it still challenges me in shot and disc selection. This is a solid 18 holes for any golfer in the Houston area.
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8 3
ROCthrower
Experience: 25.5 years 26 played 5 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Great Beginner Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 1, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

This course has some great holes for beginners and for those practicing their skills. It has a bit of everything, from short game holes, to trees in the way holes, to water elements, and even a few distance throws. Of the courses I've played in Houston, this one is one of the best. Sure the tees are in need of some TLC but other than that, this course is well maintained and clean!

Cons:

Some of the tees are hard to locate for a first timer on the course. There is a map at the front of the park to show you where to go at the beginning, but after that there really needs to be better signage. Hole #16 I believe it is, you walk from #15 and touch the basket before you finally figure out where the tee is located.

Other Thoughts:

All in all, I'd try this course if you're looking for a fun and safe place to play. The Woodlands is by far one of the safer places to play in the Houston area no matter what time of day.
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4 7
OneBallWonder
Experience: 25.8 years 45 played 16 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Would be easy to improve 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 31, 2008 Played the course:once

Pros:

Good layout for a course without much room. Coure is in a soccer facility, similar to Lovers Lane Park in BGKY. Course flows nicely with only one area that causes confusion.

Cons:

Poorly marked, almost completely sign-less. Tee pads are in really poor shape. Really old fly-18 pads that have suffered even more from significant flooding during hurrican season.

Other Thoughts:

With minimal effort, this course could be very good. Hanging a few signs, and installing a more permanent style tee, gravel or concrete.
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