Bud Pell @ Ross Farm reviews
7
0
Bud Pell does it right! 2+ years
Reviewed:
Played on:Aug 13, 2016
Played the course:once
Pros:
-Bud Pell is located on a farm with lots of space but multiple uses (paint ball, driving range)
-Immaculately clean--very impressive!
-Decent sized cement tee pads, two for each of the 18 baskets
-Baskets in good shape, sometimes visible from the tee pad; often with arrows on basket pointing in the direction of the next tee pads (red and blue arrows)
-Numbered posts on each tee, some indicating hole placement, flight path and distance
-Extensive signage to next pair of tee pads, the red being shorter and the blue being longer
-Each tee pad has a series of log rounds that serve as chairs, the tops covered with either red or blue/black material, matching the color of the tee
-A few holes in open fields, the rest in dense forest
-Portable bathroom in parking lot and it was in good shape
-While I like dogs, it was great that none were around. Also no cigarette butts since smoking is not allowed
-Immaculately clean--very impressive!
-Decent sized cement tee pads, two for each of the 18 baskets
-Baskets in good shape, sometimes visible from the tee pad; often with arrows on basket pointing in the direction of the next tee pads (red and blue arrows)
-Numbered posts on each tee, some indicating hole placement, flight path and distance
-Extensive signage to next pair of tee pads, the red being shorter and the blue being longer
-Each tee pad has a series of log rounds that serve as chairs, the tops covered with either red or blue/black material, matching the color of the tee
-A few holes in open fields, the rest in dense forest
-Portable bathroom in parking lot and it was in good shape
-While I like dogs, it was great that none were around. Also no cigarette butts since smoking is not allowed
Cons:
-This is minor, but the beauty of the course is somewhat blemished on a few holes by tarps that separate the paint ball area from the fairways, but a minor thing to improve safety
-As of August 2016, the course appears to have been redesigned again, and differs from the 2015 photos by krife. I plan on adding my own photos from the Blue tees taken Aug 13, 2016.
-No trash cans that I can recall, and no water
-As of August 2016, the course appears to have been redesigned again, and differs from the 2015 photos by krife. I plan on adding my own photos from the Blue tees taken Aug 13, 2016.
-No trash cans that I can recall, and no water
Other Thoughts:
Hole by hole breakdown as of August 13, 2016 (FYI I am a RHBH thrower):
Parking lot is dirt and can hold about 30 cars. No smoking, alcohol or dogs allowed.
Hole 1. Tee for Blue is closest to parking lot and presents a short but sharp left-to-right shot around dense trees. The Red tee is set further back from the pin, but is a straight shot up over a rise and down a lane of trees.
Hole 2. Tee for Blue is 525 ft par 4. Mandatory on right to avoid sending disc into ball golf driving range. Pin is protected by short pine trees.
Hole 3. From pin 2 head up the hill, following signs to Red tee, which you will see first, then a little further is the Blue tee. Blue is 222 feet, and both are fairly straight, downhill shots. Dirt road on left is lines with small white posts and string marking OB, which I did not learn until walking down there.
Hole 4. From pin 3 follow white triangles on trees through small pines on a winding trail downhill and into the open field. Blue tee is, I assume, a par 4 hole, about 550 ft or so. Wide open field shot to tee, then up a hill and basket is at edge of trees on very slight slope.
Hole 5. Does not indicate it is an island hole (you must land in a defined area or you are required to go to drop zone). Blue tee 237 feet. Landing zone surrounded by boards, and potential for water in a ditch in rainy season?
Hole 6. Blue tee 266 ft at rear of path you walk on that serves as a boundary for the murky pond. It is possible to hyzer over land most of the way and skip up to the basket, or go straight at it over water most of the way--it is a short hole after all. Basket is on a slope, so there is potential for a disc to catch an edge and roll back down into the pond.
Hole 7. Walk up the hill from the pin, skirting paint ball tarp to tee. Blue tee 257 ft, but a wall of trees forces a forehand shot with a big skip left to right.
Hole 8. After holing out on 7, walk to your left along edge of trees. Blue tee 510 ft par 4. Shoot across a wide open field, but a mando at edge of forest forces you to left on your upshot/approach. Pin is back in trees about 40 feet deep.
Hole 9. Red tee is near the 8 pin, but Blue tee is to left and looks very new. Tough shot down a narrow alley, and the pin is raised on a stump. I think distance is about 300 ft.
Hole 10. Blue tee 200 ft down a slope, tunnel shot and no danger behind the hole, although locals said it was possible to overdrive and end up on a road.
Hole 11. Passed pin 10 is a flat grassy bowl, and the Blue tee is a par 4 430 ft from the pin, which is up a hill and to the right. A straight drive will put you in position for a right to left upshot and a possible birdie, but trees fill in much of the approach area.
Hole 12. Blue tee 270 ft is set further back from the red tee, and presents a deep hyzer with a few trees to miss at the apex of the curve, which is right to left. Pin is set in a stone, very cool looking.
Hole 13. Down the path past the Red tee is the Blue tee, a 460 ft par 4. Tarps line the left edge of the fairway and trees are fairly thick. A straight shot that hyzers at the end will put you in one of the throwing lanes on the approach, and the pin hugs the right edge and is protected in front by trees. It is slightly uphill the whole way.
Hole 14. You emerge from the forest to the edge of the field you crossed on hole 8. Blue tee 537 ft par 4. This is a pure "air it out" hole, with a cluster of trees hiding the pin but set well in front of it. A good approach will with a skip or slid on the dirt will allow a birdie. Beware tarp that surrounds pin to left and behind also marks OB.
Hole 15. Blue tee 387 ft is another tee on the edge of the forest and allows you to take it wide right and hyzer in to the pin, which is to left and upslope of the lower pin for hole 4.
Hole 16. Blue tee 375 ft is basically the same shot as the last two, just with a little more elevation drop. Stay to right of pin, since forest on left is thick and has few direct lines to pin if you edge too deep into it.
Hole 17. After holing out on 16, head backwards and up the slope to Red tee and Blue tee 333 ft. Downhill shot following a path/road with pin tucked in among trees. I think this was old hole #3.
Hole 18. Blue tee 533 ft par 4 brings us back to the edge of the forest and open field. Send a drive out towards the Red tee, and then you can see the cleared slope and stairs leading up to pin 18. The pin is visible once you start climbing the staires, but you may have seen it when parking, since it is nearest the port-a-john and is elevated on some wood and dirt. I ended on a high note with a birdie 3 on this hole after canning a 40 ft uphill putt.
This is a great course, and so clean and quiet.
Parking lot is dirt and can hold about 30 cars. No smoking, alcohol or dogs allowed.
Hole 1. Tee for Blue is closest to parking lot and presents a short but sharp left-to-right shot around dense trees. The Red tee is set further back from the pin, but is a straight shot up over a rise and down a lane of trees.
Hole 2. Tee for Blue is 525 ft par 4. Mandatory on right to avoid sending disc into ball golf driving range. Pin is protected by short pine trees.
Hole 3. From pin 2 head up the hill, following signs to Red tee, which you will see first, then a little further is the Blue tee. Blue is 222 feet, and both are fairly straight, downhill shots. Dirt road on left is lines with small white posts and string marking OB, which I did not learn until walking down there.
Hole 4. From pin 3 follow white triangles on trees through small pines on a winding trail downhill and into the open field. Blue tee is, I assume, a par 4 hole, about 550 ft or so. Wide open field shot to tee, then up a hill and basket is at edge of trees on very slight slope.
Hole 5. Does not indicate it is an island hole (you must land in a defined area or you are required to go to drop zone). Blue tee 237 feet. Landing zone surrounded by boards, and potential for water in a ditch in rainy season?
Hole 6. Blue tee 266 ft at rear of path you walk on that serves as a boundary for the murky pond. It is possible to hyzer over land most of the way and skip up to the basket, or go straight at it over water most of the way--it is a short hole after all. Basket is on a slope, so there is potential for a disc to catch an edge and roll back down into the pond.
Hole 7. Walk up the hill from the pin, skirting paint ball tarp to tee. Blue tee 257 ft, but a wall of trees forces a forehand shot with a big skip left to right.
Hole 8. After holing out on 7, walk to your left along edge of trees. Blue tee 510 ft par 4. Shoot across a wide open field, but a mando at edge of forest forces you to left on your upshot/approach. Pin is back in trees about 40 feet deep.
Hole 9. Red tee is near the 8 pin, but Blue tee is to left and looks very new. Tough shot down a narrow alley, and the pin is raised on a stump. I think distance is about 300 ft.
Hole 10. Blue tee 200 ft down a slope, tunnel shot and no danger behind the hole, although locals said it was possible to overdrive and end up on a road.
Hole 11. Passed pin 10 is a flat grassy bowl, and the Blue tee is a par 4 430 ft from the pin, which is up a hill and to the right. A straight drive will put you in position for a right to left upshot and a possible birdie, but trees fill in much of the approach area.
Hole 12. Blue tee 270 ft is set further back from the red tee, and presents a deep hyzer with a few trees to miss at the apex of the curve, which is right to left. Pin is set in a stone, very cool looking.
Hole 13. Down the path past the Red tee is the Blue tee, a 460 ft par 4. Tarps line the left edge of the fairway and trees are fairly thick. A straight shot that hyzers at the end will put you in one of the throwing lanes on the approach, and the pin hugs the right edge and is protected in front by trees. It is slightly uphill the whole way.
Hole 14. You emerge from the forest to the edge of the field you crossed on hole 8. Blue tee 537 ft par 4. This is a pure "air it out" hole, with a cluster of trees hiding the pin but set well in front of it. A good approach will with a skip or slid on the dirt will allow a birdie. Beware tarp that surrounds pin to left and behind also marks OB.
Hole 15. Blue tee 387 ft is another tee on the edge of the forest and allows you to take it wide right and hyzer in to the pin, which is to left and upslope of the lower pin for hole 4.
Hole 16. Blue tee 375 ft is basically the same shot as the last two, just with a little more elevation drop. Stay to right of pin, since forest on left is thick and has few direct lines to pin if you edge too deep into it.
Hole 17. After holing out on 16, head backwards and up the slope to Red tee and Blue tee 333 ft. Downhill shot following a path/road with pin tucked in among trees. I think this was old hole #3.
Hole 18. Blue tee 533 ft par 4 brings us back to the edge of the forest and open field. Send a drive out towards the Red tee, and then you can see the cleared slope and stairs leading up to pin 18. The pin is visible once you start climbing the staires, but you may have seen it when parking, since it is nearest the port-a-john and is elevated on some wood and dirt. I ended on a high note with a birdie 3 on this hole after canning a 40 ft uphill putt.
This is a great course, and so clean and quiet.
4
2
Rossome
Experience:
311 played
18 reviews
Love the New Layout! 2+ years
Reviewed:
Played on:Sep 19, 2015
Played the course:5+ times
Pros:
- Great mix of terrain, water, trees, and length
- Blue course and Red tee pads both challenging and different enough to play as separate courses
- Thoughtful layout and mix of shots required
- Beautiful course to walk
- Very active association with constant improvements
- Blue course and Red tee pads both challenging and different enough to play as separate courses
- Thoughtful layout and mix of shots required
- Beautiful course to walk
- Very active association with constant improvements
Cons:
- Some tee pads aren't as good as others
- Could be even better with alternate tee placements
- Could be even better with alternate tee placements
Other Thoughts:
I have played about 300 courses around the country and two of my top ten are right here within 5 miles of each other: Bud Pell and NAD Park. Paul Wright has done an excellent job of reconfiguring the layout on this course and it now has a fun water hole, island hole, mandos, OBs, up hill, down hill, pins in rocks, stumps, and mounds. The 18th is a challenging signature hole with a dog leg, up hill and elevated cage. Two destination courses plus two other fun 18 courses within minutes . . . doesn't get any better for dg lovers!
