Pros:
- Disc golf course in West County St. Louis
- Well-used elevation changes
- Good mix of technical shots and open drives
- Good mix of short and long holes
- Holes allow for different drive techniques that can be effective (backhand, sidearm, tomahawk, roller, etc.)
- Beatiful scenery--trees, squirrels, deer, rocks, grass, etc.
- Well-maintained park with aquatic center, dog park, tennis courts, pavilions
- Course does not overlap with other park features; no major safety concerns of hitting pedestrians or other park guests
Cons:
- No concrete teepads; natural teepads are often rocky or eroded which prevents a confident run-up and also creates safety concerns with landing on natural features
- Baskets have one set of chains and generally do a terrible job of keeping putters in the basket
- Holes 1-4 require a higher fitness level, as the terrain has steep inclines filled with rocks and roots that slip; I have fallen several times trying to go down the hills for discs
- Long walks from 3 to 4 and 8 to 9
- Horribly unforgiving putting circles--no mulch on the rocky, hilly holes leads to a lot of putts turning from birdie-looks to 5s. It is obvious this course is left to the elements, as no noticeable effort has been made to maintain the course
- The ample trees on 1-4 provide a challenge that can punish decent shots; the fairway on 1 is especially nonexistent, so even the best of drives can kick off a tree and glide down into the dried up creek 50 feet down the hill
Other Thoughts:
I thoroughly enjoy playing at The Bird. It is one of three courses in the Ballwin/Manchester/Chesterfield area, and even though it is only nine holes, it requires a number of different shots and discs to complete.
The course divides itself into two "halves": the technical, densely-wooded front 4 (and hole 9), and the long, open 5-8. 1-4 can be quite frustrating, as you are a bad roll away from turning a birdie-look into a 5 or 6. In any given round, you will have at least one instance of horrible luck, with a gem toss being kicked by the elements to bogeyland and beyond.
With that being said, it is still possible to put together a decent round, as the open holes reward good shots with deuces. The kicker is that on the open holes, the wind is often a major factor, so you need to bring a nice selection of distance drivers to account for the various winds that play on top of the hill for 5, 6, and 8.
Unlike the rest of the park, the disc golf course receives little to no attention in regards to maintenance. The natural teepads are long past their lifespan, and I can never take a 100% effort run-up when throwing my drives. After a little rain, the natural teepads become softer than a RFF Wizard and non-careful x-steps could result in a nice slip and fall.
I have played this course probably 100+ times because it is so close to me, and I keep coming back. My personal best for the 9 holes is a 27, and my average score probably ranges between 30 and 32. The bad luck adds strokes like you would not believe, and a few of the holes (4 and 6) are very difficult birdies, so it is hard to erase the several bogeys that will likely occur.
Come prepared for a hike, enjoy the scenery, and aim for par. The Bird is a fun one if you have patience and some nice weather.
HOLE SUMMARY:
1. Short, RHBH slight hyzer through a densely-wooded valley. I usually throw a Roc3 or Gateway Warrior and hope to miss trees.
2. Medium-distance, wooded tunnel shot. Throw a RH flick, and you will end up in the dried up creek at the bottom of the hill. Throw a RHBH and you will pray to not roll down the hill. I typically throw a Thunderbird and try to keep it straight, but a stronger arm would be best with a straight, low-flying putter drive.
3. Dogleg right down a hill and through trees. I typically through a Thunderbird or TeeBird with a RH flick that will go long if it happens not to hit the many trees. An understable RHBH drive can do the trick as well, but you are always at the mercy of the disc golf gods in keeping you from hitting trees and rolling down the hill.
4. Long, uphill drive. Good RHFH route, but the natural teepads prevent a full-power run-up, so drives are often left short of the basket. 40% of the time your drive will roll down the hill to the valley and give you an ugly 5.
5. Medium-distance, blind drive over a hill and onto an open field. Definitely aceable, but the lack of vision adds to the difficulty. Crosswinds normally play on this hole, but it does not favor BH or FH.
6. Long, straight bomb with a slight downhill. A large guardian tree swats discs halfway to the basket, so be prepared to throw a decent fairway drive to save par if you hit it. For power arms, best route is a RHBH flex shot that bends around the large tree. A RHFH with some power can curve around the tree nicely and set up for a good upshot. Usually a nice tailwind plays, so bring out the high-speed drivers and let it rip.
7. I hate this hole. Lay-up or suffer the wrath of the massive hill that the basket sits on. And then, workout your calves when walking to 8's teepad.
8. Straight shot in an open field. A right to left crosswind will alter your shot, but good players will deuce this hole consistently.
9. Short, sharp uphill shot. I throw a hyzer RHFH and end up with a good percentage of birdies. Tomahawk also works. Fun hole to end the course.