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Cove Valley reviews
10
0
Gump's Chocolates 2+ years
Reviewed:
Played on:Feb 21, 2020
Played the course:2-4 times
Pros:
Between the map, teesigns, and directional signs, the course is easy to navigate.
Attractive valley setting, variety of hardwoods, creek, large pond, vista across valley from basket-11/tee-12.
A wide variety of elevation changes, blend of open/wooded, various hole lengths, shot-shaping, etc.
On-site bathroom. Mercersburg ~10 minutes away. Foot-of-the-Mountain diner ~5 minutes away (order the corn fritters)
Attractive valley setting, variety of hardwoods, creek, large pond, vista across valley from basket-11/tee-12.
A wide variety of elevation changes, blend of open/wooded, various hole lengths, shot-shaping, etc.
On-site bathroom. Mercersburg ~10 minutes away. Foot-of-the-Mountain diner ~5 minutes away (order the corn fritters)
Cons:
While some stone-steps (some are already loose/wobbly) have been built, there are some treacherous, very steep downslope walking required, with a high chance of increased erosion.
Tees are only very slightly better than natural, are often uneven, and frequently too narrow/short.
A few holes are quite pin-bally.
A couple holes have ~300' narrow fairways, with the pond running parallel the entire length, just begging for lost discs.
The contrived mandos on #16 to create a required window ~240' away.
Pet, tobacco, drug restrictions. Already having a bit of a litter problem.
Tees are only very slightly better than natural, are often uneven, and frequently too narrow/short.
A few holes are quite pin-bally.
A couple holes have ~300' narrow fairways, with the pond running parallel the entire length, just begging for lost discs.
The contrived mandos on #16 to create a required window ~240' away.
Pet, tobacco, drug restrictions. Already having a bit of a litter problem.
Other Thoughts:
There's a lot to like, and some to dislike, about this course, as I alluded above.
I'm a big fan of downslope/cross-valley shots, with decently-sized fairways and a key tree or two miss on the optimum line, and this course offers a few of those challenges.
I'm down on pinball, and fairway/basket positions that invite disc loss (not just oob), and this course offers a few of those negatives.
Some of the very long, par-5 holes might have better utilized the natural resources as two par-3 holes.
Hole-9 displays both the strengths and weaknesses of the course.
View-1) A long par-4|5 (short/long tee). Steadily up a steep, wooded slope the entire way. Decent-sized fairway, initially requiring a right turn with minimal fade. Plenty of guardian trees at the end. Slightly inaccurate throws still have recovery options.
View-2) A rare wooded slope with significant elevation gain which would have been better used to create two par-3 holes. An exhausting upslope slog in its entirety. After teeing-off, a very treacherous slip-n-slide into a valley for your next throw. Deep piles of leaves hiding scattered rocks along the right-side low point - decent chance to twist an ankle if your disc is over there, possibly buried. A fast green and pinball at the end - ouch.
What your joy-to-pain ratio will be playing this course, who's to say? I liked it more than I disliked it, but not overwhelmingly so.
I'm a big fan of downslope/cross-valley shots, with decently-sized fairways and a key tree or two miss on the optimum line, and this course offers a few of those challenges.
I'm down on pinball, and fairway/basket positions that invite disc loss (not just oob), and this course offers a few of those negatives.
Some of the very long, par-5 holes might have better utilized the natural resources as two par-3 holes.
Hole-9 displays both the strengths and weaknesses of the course.
View-1) A long par-4|5 (short/long tee). Steadily up a steep, wooded slope the entire way. Decent-sized fairway, initially requiring a right turn with minimal fade. Plenty of guardian trees at the end. Slightly inaccurate throws still have recovery options.
View-2) A rare wooded slope with significant elevation gain which would have been better used to create two par-3 holes. An exhausting upslope slog in its entirety. After teeing-off, a very treacherous slip-n-slide into a valley for your next throw. Deep piles of leaves hiding scattered rocks along the right-side low point - decent chance to twist an ankle if your disc is over there, possibly buried. A fast green and pinball at the end - ouch.
What your joy-to-pain ratio will be playing this course, who's to say? I liked it more than I disliked it, but not overwhelmingly so.
