Rochester, NY

Ellison Park - Old Layout

Seasonal course
3.475(based on 54 reviews)
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Ellison Park - Old Layout reviews

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6 2
bjreagh
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 28.2 years 353 played 321 reviews
3.50 star(s)

DG- one letter shy of DoG 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 3, 2007 Played the course:once

Pros:

Nice park. Uses the elevation well. Hole 16 is a unique hole of a mini-cliff to a blind basket over some distinct landscaping and a wall. Hole 7 is monster downhiller, too.

Cons:

Mostly open, some holes can interfere with other holes. Tee areas are very worn- we played out to the side of them.
This seemed to be the place where people come to walk their dogs. There were dogs being walked everywhere (along walking trails, not on the course, but still close). I prefer my DG courses without dozens of dogs, but that is just me.

Other Thoughts:

This is a pretty solid course. Worth playing if you come to Rochester.
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4 1
nickstaudt
Experience: 18.4 years 18 played 17 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Classic Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 20, 2007 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Perfect mix of open holes, wooded holes, uphill, downhill, near and far. Easy to navigate and you get a good workout in the process. Well groomed.

Cons:

I wish they would either make the tees concrete or add dirt and level them out again because some of them are uneven.

Other Thoughts:

A great all around course regardless of ability level. Fun no matter how many times you play it. Very solid course.
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5 1
bfaslewis
Experience: 20.4 years 16 played 8 reviews
3.00 star(s)

a very good hike 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jul 20, 2008 Played the course:once

Pros:

This was my first trip to Rochester, and i will definitely check this course out again. As it's been mentioned there is a degree of elevation change, and for me coming from Buffalo it was a welcome change as our course play mostly flat. The course has a few hyzers and annies, but the having to drive up, and back down the sledding hill is what really makes this course stand out.

Cons:

I played today with timg and i'm glad i did otherwise i may have had some trouble negotiating the course. And it rained before we got there so the dirt "tee boxes" were just very large puddles. Other than that i thought was a good course, maybe a little on the short side.

Other Thoughts:

multiple tee placement and concrete/asphalt tee boxes would greatly improve this course. score cards with a course map would also be nice for new comers such as myself.
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4 1
TenaciousMV
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 18.3 years 25 played 20 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Memorable 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 17, 2007 Played the course:never

Pros:

Very large variety of distances, shots required, elevation, and type of obstacle; not one hole that wasn't well thought out; elevation is used extremely well; the course demands you throw at a very high level to score well, yet doesn't unfairly punish beginners; beautiful area; some holes you will never forget (my favorites are 7, 14, 15, and 16) and several others you'll look forward to playing again

Cons:

Lacks concrete tee pads; some minor trouble for newcomers to find the next hole; a few spots may cause beginners to have trouble finding their disc in high grass and weeds; can get busy; baskets are a bit old (this doesn't bother me at all, but seems to irk some)

Other Thoughts:

I'm reviewing this course about 9 months after playing it and still remember it well. Most courses don't leave that type of impression on me - Rochester really has a solid course here. I moved out to Milwaukee from Rochester about 5 years ago, before I started playing disc golf. I played this course on a trip back there and I wanted to kick myself for not taking advantage of it when I could. We have some great courses of our own out in Milwaukee, but I had this one close by, it would be my go-to course for sure. I've given 2 courses out here a 4/5 but this one is just more fun. I'm glad my family is out there, because I'll be playing this course every time I visit from now on! This course is Excellent - 4.0.
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9 1
ZMan44
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 20.6 years 179 played 110 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Worht the trip 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 7, 2007 Played the course:never

Pros:

This was definitely a well thought out course. There were a varity of holes. I love the 2 long down hill tee shots on the front nine. There were a couple of holes unlike any I have seen anywhere else. One hole on the back nine has a tee pad on a small bluff that plays anhyzer down over a series of tiers with very short but wide trees on the tiers. That was probably one of the top 10 holes I can ever remember playing.

Cons:

The tee pads are horrendous. Once that is taken care of this will be an elite level course as it used to be. Modifications and new amenities are not a bad thing. There are lots of dogs...and dogs love discs. There was one hole where I raced a small dog for my disc on the back nine.

Other Thoughts:

This is a very hilly course. If you are in poor physical condition, it will show up on your scorecard. I consider this to be one of the top 3 Rochester-area courses.
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3 5
bryon
Experience: 63 played 58 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Ellison is aclassic that has stood the test of time! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 20, 2008 Played the course:never

Pros:

Lots of elevation and good long and short holes. Easy to have a bad round and then play right afterwards and have a good round. This is my favorite Rochester area course to play.

Cons:

As of Feb 2008 this course has the worst tee pads I have ever played on. Hopefully that will chnage soon.
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6 2
MattK
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 18.4 years 81 played 40 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Fun on the slope 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 7, 2007 Played the course:never

Pros:

Reasonably well signed course. Holes are mostly short enough to be enjoyed by beginners, but not pitch-n-putt short. Lots of fun with elevation change: some switchbacks, some ups and some downs. Not a dull hole in the bunch.

Cons:

Most has already been said by others. Biggest issue is the course has only one set of tees and they are all mud holes. In addition some of the baskets near the middle of the course are rather close together - it's easy to play the wrong one the first time through or to throw into another fairway at times.

Other Thoughts:

No course needs concrete tees more than this one. Other than that - a great place to play.
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6 2
prerube
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 17.4 years 275 played 236 reviews
4.00 star(s)

a Rochester classic 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Sep 20, 2007 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Great design. Perfect blend of open and wooded areas. Nice elevation changes.
Hole 7 is famous for the 500+ ft down hill shot.

Cons:

signs are falling down. Tee pads are often flooded. Course can be crowded with players, dog walkers, and college stdents.
DOG POOP & POISON IVY (LOTS OF IT)
Course is not open all year.
Sometimes the grass can be pretty high on the leftside of hole 2 and other areas, but this is not too much of a concern.

Other Thoughts:

1/4 mile away is a Pizzeria (it's called sonny's now I think) during the summer they have a decent selection of discs.
This course is a nice workout, be prepared to walk up and down the hill several times.
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5 1
NIBSTOOLS
Experience: 35 played 35 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Great place to play disc golf! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 6, 2007 Played the course:never

Pros:

The layout is very good and there is a good variety of challenging holes. I like the different uses of the elevation.

Cons:

The tee boxes on many holes are completely wore out. some are dug down two feet or more. I was told that new concrete will be coming soon. Some of the tee signs are knocked over or missing.

Other Thoughts:

Concrete tees will make this course be awsome, or even just some fill to level the natural tees. Loved hole 7, 528 feet all down hill. my first drive went 30 feet past the basket.
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8 1
Olorin
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 45.5 years 1002 played 118 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Big elevation changes and nice grass. 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Aug 2, 2002 Played the course:never

Pros:

Big elevation changes; in the winter this is a sledding park. Nice grass too.

Cons:

In 2002 most tees were gravel and dirt and many were quite uneven. Some tees could be improved. Some tee signs were missing. There were some drainage problems after rains.

Other Thoughts:

Favorite Holes: #13. 600 ft., so it's a long hole, downhill with a dogleg to the right through trees at the end. #7. 528 ft down a steep open grassy hill. This was the hole that Sam Ferrans parked with a putter when he won the '84 Worlds.
The front 9 is mostly grass holes.
Fairways: 12 Straight/ 2 Lt/ 4 Right.
The site of the 1984 and 1999 PDGA World Championships.
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4 2
Luigispice
Experience: 6 played 1 reviews
3.50 star(s)

A Classic 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:May 24, 2007 Played the course:once

Pros:

Good variety of hole types; Many great risk/reward shots; Elevation!

Cons:

Dog droppings; Not open year round; Elevation!

Other Thoughts:

The course that all others are rated against in my eyes. While other courses may be prettier, or have a more "golf like" layout, this to me is what disc golf is all about: Using the natural turrain to its advantages without disturbing it. I like to think of it as the St. Andrews of disc golf.
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3 5
Raoul Duke
Experience: 16 played 15 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Solid course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 5, 2007 Played the course:never

Pros:

Calls for many different shots. Lots of elevation, tonnes of fun.

Cons:

Uneven dirt teepads, lack of signage (this year at least)

Other Thoughts:

Haven't played it on weekends to tell if it gets overrun by picknickers.
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3 5
jim owens
Experience: 20.4 years 50 played 6 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Has its plusses but not a favorite. 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 24, 2006 Played the course:never

Pros:

Well maintained One of the only local places with challenging elevation changes.

Cons:

Often crowded city park. Fairly short by todays standards.
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6 3
timg
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 22.4 years 356 played 59 reviews
4.00 star(s)

A Rochester Original 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jul 7, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

Excellent elevation with the first 9 holes really testing your endurance. Excellent flypad tee pads installed in July, 2011 are a HUGE improvement. Easy to navigate without a map as well.

A great mix of wooded and open holes. The park is also very well maintained with bathrooms and drinking fountains on site.

Cons:

Tends to be fairly crowded most days so expect a wait on at least a few holes. Some signage is also in rough shape.

Other Thoughts:

The front 12 play along the large hill that dominates the landscape. The back 7 play through a partially wooded area with hole #16 being particularly interesting. You throw off a plateau area across a tiered landscape with the basket positioned on the second tier. Definitely a fun hole!

Hole #7 could definitely be considered a signature hole for the course. A massive downhill tee shot that is definitely one of those holes you empty your bag on no matter how many times you've played it.

Ellison is one of the oldest courses in the country and it has aged gracefully. All the holes offer a challenging element be it distance, trees, elevation or all three!

Is it worth a stop you ask? I'd say it's most definitely worth it. It is one of the better courses in town and it makes for a very enjoyable round.
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