Pros:
Eagle Rock Disc Golf is a 9-hole course that is located on the grounds of a school in Marquette, MI.
Given its location within the largest city on Michigan's Upper Peninsula, I did not expect much from this schoolyard course. In fact, even after reading the previous reviews I was thinking I could probably arrive ten minutes before sunset and quickly bag it before it got too dark out. I was wrong, both because the course flow is a little crazy (which I will get to below) and because it is a much more interesting course than I thought it would be.
When I returned late the next day, I was able to play a full round. The school grounds are wide open near the building, but most of this course plays in the woods to the north and west of the school. The terrain in this wooded area is surprisingly hilly, and those hills are used to create a few sneaky good holes of disc golf. There are large rock outcrops that define a couple of the fairways as well. My favorites were the last three holes 7-9. Hole 7 is a fun little throw that I estimated at 225'. If I recall correctly, it is a slight right turn down a gentle slope in the woods. Hole 8 plays down a surprisingly steep wooded valley and up the other side. I estimated the distance at about 225' again. The basket is perched on the slope, making for a potential risk/reward opportunity. Hole 9 is similar to hole 8, but maybe slightly shorter. Most of the fairways here are pretty tight - it will require some accuracy and shot shaping to birdie these holes.
The baskets are Chainstars, all in good shape. There are a couple of benches scattered around the course. There is also actually a little kiosk at the parking area, although it didn't have a map on it when I visited.
Cons:
Plenty of safety issues here. Hole 6 plays directly towards the school, with the school drive right behind the basket then the building itself. The first hole plays next to a small mountain biking track that is on site, the "V-Boom Pump Track." What kind of a school is this?? The hole would be unplayable if people were using the track. There is a firepit next to hole 2's basket. On a couple of the later holes, the street could come into play if your disc sails well past the basket. A couple of the holes are pretty close together as well.
The distances are short. I estimated the longest hole to be about 225', with most holes in the 150'-200' range. Better DG'ers are going to be thinking about shooting -9 here.
The tee pads are small rubber mats on wood foundations. Some of these were in rough shape when I visited. The tee signs are just blue painted posts with the hole number. There were a couple of "Next Tee" signs, but the course flow is kind of odd so a few more would be an improvement. I also made a map and uploaded it here, that might help you. On the plus side, you do end up back at the parking lot after hole 9.
I did not see a trash can.
Other Thoughts:
You should assume that this course is unplayable when school is in session.
This course was my final stop on a perfect early October Saturday that saw me play five courses in the Marquette area - Powder Mill, Old Town, Al Quaal, and Sawyer being the others (I had hit Silver Creek the previous evening). Zooming out a little bit, Eagle Rock also ended up being the grand finale of my 10 day, 2600 mile road trip discing and sightseeing in the UP and Eastern Wisconsin. The entire trip was a blast, and you should absolutely plan a similar adventure in this underrated area.
The 2.0 rating I am giving here honestly feels a little high. But I have to say, I enjoyed this course. It was not difficult, but fun and quirky. I was impressed that the designers managed to jam a 9-hole course this interesting onto the school grounds. If I lived in Marquette, I would be practicing here all the time. It is a fine option for beginners or students, as long as they step carefully on the wooded hillsides. If you are visiting the Marquette area outside of school hours, this course may be worth 30 minutes of your time. I wish my school had been this cool!