Amanda's Field DGC reviews
16
0
Challenging Park Course in South Jersey
Reviewed:
Played on:Jan 20, 2023
Played the course:once
Pros:
+ 18 hole layout with multiple tees around a big park and athletic fields with paved walking trails (White: 4349' par 54 and Blue: 5742' par 57). There is a beginner-friendly Red "layout" playing from the White tees, but counting five holes as par 4's. Mostly flat. Ball fields are OB features on early holes, and the walking trail is used to tighten the lines on many holes throughout the round. Long tees on 14 holes
+ From the white tees, the first hole gives the impression that this is going to be a cupcake and it's not by any means. Most of the holes are very good: only a few short holes (and most of those are in deep woods in the back of the park), lots of skinny trees to create lines you have to hit
+ Tees are well-marked with numbered posts (short, placed on either side of the tee, with indicators of short or long tee). No signage yet, and for the moment the tees are natural. This is a very sandy base, so you're going to have lots of uneven and rutted tees until more permanent bases are installed. Baskets are Chainstar lites sitting on level concrete bases
+ From the white tees, the first hole gives the impression that this is going to be a cupcake and it's not by any means. Most of the holes are very good: only a few short holes (and most of those are in deep woods in the back of the park), lots of skinny trees to create lines you have to hit
+ Tees are well-marked with numbered posts (short, placed on either side of the tee, with indicators of short or long tee). No signage yet, and for the moment the tees are natural. This is a very sandy base, so you're going to have lots of uneven and rutted tees until more permanent bases are installed. Baskets are Chainstar lites sitting on level concrete bases
Cons:
- This is a new install and still in progress, so "cons" that exist today - like the natural tees - might not apply in the future.
- I'm going to mention two troublesome holes that might be cons - or they might be just my opinion (take it either way). Hole #12 is hemmed in by an OB road left and OB walking trail right, and is heavily treed down the middle. I don't know that there's a route without going over OB, and even a minor treekick from the fairway risks a penalty stroke. Based on only one round, the hole feels like it depends more on luck than skill
- Hole #13 is open, with the OB walking trail all along the right, narrow fairway, and heavy woods all along the left. From the whites, it plays as a 275' par 3 with a hard hook dogleg left at the end, and you probably need 220' dead straight before making the corner (and a lot more distance if you're going to hyzer out over the OB right and fade back in). Anything right incurs a penalty, anything left goes into jail in deep woods - and the dogleg is so sharp it feels like C1 isn't reachable from the middle of the fairway if you haven't made the corner. Moving the tee forward as little as 25' - 30' would help more players go for the corner - which I think is the point of the hole
- I'm going to mention two troublesome holes that might be cons - or they might be just my opinion (take it either way). Hole #12 is hemmed in by an OB road left and OB walking trail right, and is heavily treed down the middle. I don't know that there's a route without going over OB, and even a minor treekick from the fairway risks a penalty stroke. Based on only one round, the hole feels like it depends more on luck than skill
- Hole #13 is open, with the OB walking trail all along the right, narrow fairway, and heavy woods all along the left. From the whites, it plays as a 275' par 3 with a hard hook dogleg left at the end, and you probably need 220' dead straight before making the corner (and a lot more distance if you're going to hyzer out over the OB right and fade back in). Anything right incurs a penalty, anything left goes into jail in deep woods - and the dogleg is so sharp it feels like C1 isn't reachable from the middle of the fairway if you haven't made the corner. Moving the tee forward as little as 25' - 30' would help more players go for the corner - which I think is the point of the hole
Other Thoughts:
~ Overall a very clever layout making it more challenging and interesting than a typical park course. The Blues add length, making for variety and additional challenge (adds 1400' but only 3 to par). It ends a little weak on the Whites, with 18 being essentially an ace run but the final three holes are all pretty easy birdies to finish up
~ The course is new, and I'm sure ratings will climb as it breaks it, and as amenities like signage and permanent tees are added. I'm not sure how well it will play on busy days in the park (that goddamn OB walking path!), but it's a great addition to the area. It's located between Stockton University and Cape May Zoo, making for a very good day of disc golf in South Jersey.
~ The course is new, and I'm sure ratings will climb as it breaks it, and as amenities like signage and permanent tees are added. I'm not sure how well it will play on busy days in the park (that goddamn OB walking path!), but it's a great addition to the area. It's located between Stockton University and Cape May Zoo, making for a very good day of disc golf in South Jersey.
