-
Discover new ways to elevate your game with the updated DGCourseReview app!
It's entirely free and enhanced with features shaped by user feedback to ensure your best experience on the course. (App Store or Google Play)
Central Valley DGC reviews
14
0
wellsbranch250
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience:
10.3 years
661 played
640 reviews
It'll Make Those That Can’t Bomb, Wish They Could. 2+ years
Reviewed:
Played on:Apr 2, 2022
Played the course:once
Pros:
(2.978 Rating) An Advanced level moderately wooded course needing some short tees for the mortals.
- CHALLENGING - My arm got a serious work out. This course has a lot of length for a par 55 coming in at plus 6400 feet. I was constantly challenged on my long game and I was humbled time and time again. I could see a lot of people diggin hole (11) as it's the one downhill play where the lower arm strengths will be able to sail a disc well down fairway. Advanced players that want four hundred footers to throw will have the opportunities here. There are also 3 technical holes of note. (4) has an odd angle to the fairway, but has a fun green imo. I thought (5) was just weird with the vine slicing through the ideal gap to hit and I thought (12) was a fun uphill lace down a tunnel fairway. It felt like an Advanced level challenge overall. I do think it's a little one-dimensional favoring bombers.
- HOLE VARIETY - The course dynamics are generally all here. Wide open throws to an itsy bitsy little gap to hit. Shots break right and left and go up and down. Distances vary from 750 foot par 4s to 200 foot technical par 3s. There's even a silo to game plan around. Among the omissions, I don't recall any water elements effecting shot selection or a long wooded gauntlet hole. Seeing all the land available and only having one true multi-play hole was unfortunate.
- TEES - Big turf tees that were in great shape 8 months in. They look well built, so maybe these will last longer than the others that I've seen in my travels recently.
- NATURAL BEAUTY - I subjectively scored this aspect 62 percentile. It's a nice hike in a pleasant park. It's the kind of place that I think most would want near them and preferably in their back yard. It's rolling meadows with some patches of young tall trees and a few old cedars. Despite the nice overall flavor, I don't think this place has the same level of tee box stare-down charm like that of Seven Oaks or Cedar Hill.
- CHALLENGING - My arm got a serious work out. This course has a lot of length for a par 55 coming in at plus 6400 feet. I was constantly challenged on my long game and I was humbled time and time again. I could see a lot of people diggin hole (11) as it's the one downhill play where the lower arm strengths will be able to sail a disc well down fairway. Advanced players that want four hundred footers to throw will have the opportunities here. There are also 3 technical holes of note. (4) has an odd angle to the fairway, but has a fun green imo. I thought (5) was just weird with the vine slicing through the ideal gap to hit and I thought (12) was a fun uphill lace down a tunnel fairway. It felt like an Advanced level challenge overall. I do think it's a little one-dimensional favoring bombers.
- HOLE VARIETY - The course dynamics are generally all here. Wide open throws to an itsy bitsy little gap to hit. Shots break right and left and go up and down. Distances vary from 750 foot par 4s to 200 foot technical par 3s. There's even a silo to game plan around. Among the omissions, I don't recall any water elements effecting shot selection or a long wooded gauntlet hole. Seeing all the land available and only having one true multi-play hole was unfortunate.
- TEES - Big turf tees that were in great shape 8 months in. They look well built, so maybe these will last longer than the others that I've seen in my travels recently.
- NATURAL BEAUTY - I subjectively scored this aspect 62 percentile. It's a nice hike in a pleasant park. It's the kind of place that I think most would want near them and preferably in their back yard. It's rolling meadows with some patches of young tall trees and a few old cedars. Despite the nice overall flavor, I don't think this place has the same level of tee box stare-down charm like that of Seven Oaks or Cedar Hill.
Cons:
I generally liked the course, I just didn't see anything special about it.
- BEGINNING AND END - The first two holes and the last two holes are pretty much just mindless distance. For the many veteran mortals of us that can't throw anything close to 400, the best they'll finish on these four holes is par. One or two obstacle free holes is ok I guess, but four of them is too many and it effects the courses achievable grandure imo. One could make an argument that hole (18) is the weakest link on the course. Not a great way for a course to finish.
- OVERGROWTH - I played in early April and the overgrowth wasn't bad. However, the look and feel of the landscape seemed ripe for the presence of jungle-like fringes during the summer months.
- NAVIGATION AND SIGNAGE - I decided to give the missing signage aspect a pass on my evaluation despite there not being any tee signs yet or a course map. The course is too young yet for me to be super critical and I'm sure it's coming. Be sure and have a nav app when playing this the first time. I used one and still accidentally skipped to (12) after (3) due to a lack of focus. I thought the course flowed well overall. Hopefully they'll add a few next tee signs as well.
- NOT SKILL LEVEL FRIENDLY - The par 3s average over 330 feet. Great for bombers. For those that chuck 250, this aspect is going to be a tough pill to swallow. The course would get far wider appeal if it had shorter Rec pads on nine or ten holes. Despite the length, beginners that are good sports won't be overwhelmed due to the generally wide flight path lines.
- TIME PLAY - Expect a longer than normal round. I played with my daughter and it took us 86 minutes to complete the round.
- BEGINNING AND END - The first two holes and the last two holes are pretty much just mindless distance. For the many veteran mortals of us that can't throw anything close to 400, the best they'll finish on these four holes is par. One or two obstacle free holes is ok I guess, but four of them is too many and it effects the courses achievable grandure imo. One could make an argument that hole (18) is the weakest link on the course. Not a great way for a course to finish.
- OVERGROWTH - I played in early April and the overgrowth wasn't bad. However, the look and feel of the landscape seemed ripe for the presence of jungle-like fringes during the summer months.
- NAVIGATION AND SIGNAGE - I decided to give the missing signage aspect a pass on my evaluation despite there not being any tee signs yet or a course map. The course is too young yet for me to be super critical and I'm sure it's coming. Be sure and have a nav app when playing this the first time. I used one and still accidentally skipped to (12) after (3) due to a lack of focus. I thought the course flowed well overall. Hopefully they'll add a few next tee signs as well.
- NOT SKILL LEVEL FRIENDLY - The par 3s average over 330 feet. Great for bombers. For those that chuck 250, this aspect is going to be a tough pill to swallow. The course would get far wider appeal if it had shorter Rec pads on nine or ten holes. Despite the length, beginners that are good sports won't be overwhelmed due to the generally wide flight path lines.
- TIME PLAY - Expect a longer than normal round. I played with my daughter and it took us 86 minutes to complete the round.
Other Thoughts:
Is the silo shot on hole (13) suppose to be the highlight? It's neat and all, but the play is sorta vanilla, idk. I kept waiting to be stunned on this layout… and it never happened. There are some fun shots for sure, but I was never scrambling for my phone. When I played Cedar Hill, Seven Oaks and even Barfield Cresent, I snapped some photos and sent them off to friends to instill jealousy. I didn't do that here. Overall, a good course to me. There are no major flaws and it's solid disc golf. Players that enjoy longer courses or that can chuck 400 feet will enjoy this disc golf hike. For those in Nashville, I think it's worth a look see sometime, although I'd check local conditions first during the summer months.
14
0
Paradox: Very Open yet Very Rough 2+ years
Reviewed:
Updated:
Played on:Oct 31, 2021
Played the course:once
Pros:
A young course that should improve with time.
-Length: A bomber course for sure, and in my observation the course's biggest pro. Lots of par-3s that are over 400' and mostly open. For those in the area who want to let fly but don't want to gamble on the upkeep at Hop Springs, this is a great location.
-Woods: The handful of woods holes are a great change of pace. They are mostly ace runs, and provide more of a shaping challenge than elsewhere.
-Shot Shaping/Gameplay: Decent variety for long, open holes. Typically, a line of trees provides the punishment for a misfire. As noted, the technical holes are sprinkled in two at a time, and there are a couple in the back nine that either start or end in the woods, which are among the more interesting shapes. Despite this openness, the length actually switches up a lot. 450' holes can be followed by sub-300' holes, so the strategy mixes up. Fun holes include (11), a 429' big downhill with woods on both sides of a 70' wide fairway, and (17), a true bomber of a hole going down then up at 750'.
-Navigation: Once signs are up, this will be pretty easy to navigate, except the (3)-(4) transition. The flow is solid.
-Length: A bomber course for sure, and in my observation the course's biggest pro. Lots of par-3s that are over 400' and mostly open. For those in the area who want to let fly but don't want to gamble on the upkeep at Hop Springs, this is a great location.
-Woods: The handful of woods holes are a great change of pace. They are mostly ace runs, and provide more of a shaping challenge than elsewhere.
-Shot Shaping/Gameplay: Decent variety for long, open holes. Typically, a line of trees provides the punishment for a misfire. As noted, the technical holes are sprinkled in two at a time, and there are a couple in the back nine that either start or end in the woods, which are among the more interesting shapes. Despite this openness, the length actually switches up a lot. 450' holes can be followed by sub-300' holes, so the strategy mixes up. Fun holes include (11), a 429' big downhill with woods on both sides of a 70' wide fairway, and (17), a true bomber of a hole going down then up at 750'.
-Navigation: Once signs are up, this will be pretty easy to navigate, except the (3)-(4) transition. The flow is solid.
Cons:
At this stage, more cons than pros.
-Amenities: Presently, poor. No tee signs. Gravel tees when I played have been upgraded to turf, I'm told by reliable sources. The brand new DISCatchers are great, though. I would expect this to continue to improve.
-Overhanging Limbs: Throughout the course. The only time I got really made was hole (5), whose vines took a dead straight fairway hit into the rough, but there are instances throughout the course.
-Rough: Extremely dense. If you miss the fairway, your best option will be pitching out, and even that may not be a guaranteed thing. This is compounded by course design, which sometimes makes it impossible to play a safe shot.
-Mud: The woods holes have mud issues, which is just gross.
-Arm Strength: If you don't throw a solid 350', this is likely to be a bit of a drag.
-Amenities: Presently, poor. No tee signs. Gravel tees when I played have been upgraded to turf, I'm told by reliable sources. The brand new DISCatchers are great, though. I would expect this to continue to improve.
-Overhanging Limbs: Throughout the course. The only time I got really made was hole (5), whose vines took a dead straight fairway hit into the rough, but there are instances throughout the course.
-Rough: Extremely dense. If you miss the fairway, your best option will be pitching out, and even that may not be a guaranteed thing. This is compounded by course design, which sometimes makes it impossible to play a safe shot.
-Mud: The woods holes have mud issues, which is just gross.
-Arm Strength: If you don't throw a solid 350', this is likely to be a bit of a drag.
Other Thoughts:
Central Valley is a bomber course. Occasional forays into the woods enhance it a lot, and if everything was in order I would rate it higher. I've decided, since hearing about upgraded tees, to up it to the bottom of my Good list. Nonetheless, I think it needs some tweaks to score higher. Please DM me as things are improved, and I'll adjust my review/rating accordingly.
