Wellington, OH

Findley State Park - Main

3.25(based on 23 reviews)
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Findley State Park - Main reviews

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7 2
Tom McManus
Experience: 47.4 years 221 played 4 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Fun in the woods 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 2, 2018 Played the course:once

Pros:

Very fun course(s) in the woods. There is a red course and a blue course with the blue being much more challenging. A great deal of work has gone into this course. Water comes into play on two of the blue holes. Some minor elevation changes. There are multiple baskets on many of the holes and multiple tees on several holes. Fairways are fair. Great job on having next tee signs on all the holes. Navigating the course is not an issue.

Cons:

I played in August and the course was dry. It looks like the course could hold water in several spots.

Other Thoughts:

Great wood carvings on several holes. Lots of love has gone into this course.
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11 0
axion
Experience: 2 played 2 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Great Redesign 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 21, 2018 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Two sets of baskets, with longs being new Prodigy baskets.
Concrete Teepads on all holes.


Long but technical holes -- Multiple Holes that require 350-400' drives followed by a great second shot for the birdie.

Multiple holes where you are driving up or down hill.

Very well defined fairways, even though you are in the woods for 16/18 holes.

Multiple Tee shots that present options off of the Tee. There will be a straight ahead gap, or a hyzer gap on the same tee. But you have to pick one. Or a turnover line and a straight ahead line. Multiple shots where the tee shot is rather open, but your second shot has to pick one of the fairways to play.

Fairwarys are all cut out into the woods, which is amazing and had to be a ton of work

Trashcans and seating on most holes

Cons:

Tee signs are not accurate or non existance, so without a local you will need to really pay attention to where you should be going, and finding the next tee is not always obvious

Other Thoughts:

This is easily the best course I have played in Ohio outside of Idlewild.
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3 0
colucc43
Experience: 14.7 years 145 played 4 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Good fun 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Oct 7, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

-well defined fairways in the woods
-course map on a board near parking lot
-navigation was relatively easy, especially with a picture of the map
-interesting variety of hole shapes (not the same straight forward woods holes again and again), some long tees mixed in which was welcome
-concrete tees on all holes, and the 4 long tees were concrete
-benches on many holes, felt like at least half of them
-easy to find from the park entrance with signage when you enter the park

Cons:

-single chain baskets, not ideal if you're playing a round for score that you care about, but perfectly fine for having fun throwing in the woods (new baskets are coming soon, which will make this a non-issue)
-some of the concrete tees are a bit short. not really a problem in most cases but some of them are quite a bit higher than the ground in front of them, which could make slipping off the end of them dangerous
-signage at each teepad isn't the best as the course has been redesigned and a number of the tee signs don't quite show what the hole is exactly like

Other Thoughts:

Recently, lots of time has gone into this course in terms of creating better layout and it shows. This course is just plain fun. There really aren't any holes that are duds or just in place to get you from one hole to another, which is great. Really only one hole (the par four hole 7) could use a little more clearing for a more defined fairway; the shot from the tee is fine, but when you turn left towards the basket there's not much of anything.

More clearing of the rough and widening of some fairways has occurred and it really adds to an already quality course. If you're passing nearby and have some time to play its worth a stop. Happy to see some weekly scramble leagues popping up here too as the more interest the course generates with locals the more likely some of those relatively minor cons will get ironed out.

*edited on 1/29/18 to reflect more improvements to the course. new baskets coming soon.
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11 0
DiscinOhio
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 11.4 years 205 played 195 reviews
4.50 star(s)

My #1 In Ohio Until Further Notice!

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jul 25, 2022 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

This is my NEW review of Findley State Park. This is to account for all of the changes over the past few years.

Findley State Park is a beautiful oasis in rural Lorain County. Just outside of Wellington, you'll find acres upon acres of lush woodlands that host what is easily one of my favorite courses played to date.

+ There are two unique layouts that share the course. While many holes share the same fairways, they play to different permanent baskets and tee off from alternate locations. It can be tough to execute this design, but it is done very well here with very little confusion.

* The Lost Island / Blue Course is the primary attraction here at Findley. It's the longer, more challenging layout that features several tough par fours and an island pin. This layout plays to the orange baskets.

* The Original / Red Course is a less challenging alternative. There aren't any water carries, but it still isn't for beginners.

* Both courses now have the option of playing 24 holes. This includes the six new holes lettered A-F between Lost Island 6 and 7. These holes are fresh, unique, and very fun!

* I haven't had a chance to play it, but there is also a 9-hole putter course near the campgrounds. This would appeal to beginners who don't have the skill to play the tougher courses.

+ All holes for the Lost Island Layout have concrete tees. Most of the Classic Layout holes are also concrete. The Prodigy baskets are some of my favorites, and catch very well. They are also easy to spot in the dense woods.

+ The volunteer group here at Findley is one of the best you'll ever find. There are constant improvements being made, which is one of the main reasons why the course has jumped to a perfect score in my book.

+ It's hard to pick three favorite holes here, but if I had to, I'd go with #3, #15, and #16.

* #3 really starts off the experience. It's a steep downhill shot into a grassy valley with the basket perched up a hill. There are multiple hyzer and anhyzer lines from the tee (which feels like you're throwing from a deck).

* #15 requires a straight drive to set up an epic downhill approach shot to another elevated pin. Water may come into play with an errant throw to the left.

* #16 is the signature Island hole. It's another par 4 that once again requires a well executed drive to have a clean look at the island, which is way down hill. This is a high risk, high reward hole that might make you empty your bag (if you're brave enough).

* Honorable Mention: #4, #5, #8, #14, #17, #18

+ Navigation is literally flawless. There are next tee signs everywhere, with each tee for both layouts being clearly marked.

+ There is plenty of parking available on site. Across the bridge, you'll find restrooms and drinking water. There is a nice shaded practice area next to the parking lot as well.

+ Additionally, the amenities are top notch. You'll find benches on nearly every hole, along with trash cans and brooms.

+ The carvings are SICK! You'll find over a dozen scattered around the course. These carvings are crafted by hand, and feature many fun characters and creatures. Some of the carvings also act as navigational signs.

Cons:

- The baskets for the Original Layout might blend in to the surroundings. They're much less visible than the bright orange Prodigy targets you'll find for the other layout.

- The flow for the first three holes is a little unusual. You park, walk across the street to play 1 and 2, then cross the streets again to play 3.

- The stretch from holes 10-12 is a little bit bland compared to the rest of the course.

Other Thoughts:

Findley stands strong with some of the best courses I've played to date. It's such a fun track that has extremely passionate locals who dedicate countless hours into making it the best course in the state. In my opinion, they've achieved that goal. But it won't stop them from working to make it even better.
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1 2
CJRacer19
Experience: 11.4 years 3 played 2 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Decent wooded course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 14, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

It looks like someone has taken an interest in this course and improvements are being made. It's a wooded course with lines to hit and fairways, not a spray and pray course. I haven't played here in the summer, but it was nice in the middle of January.

Cons:

The are a lot of downed branches and limbs in the walk ways. Tee signs will need updated after renovations are complete, some are inaccurate.

Other Thoughts:

Could be one of my favorite local courses once completed.
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7 1
kinger
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 14.6 years 109 played 109 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Flinging @ Findley 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Sep 24, 2016 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

~Loops around the parking area No.'s 1-10, 11-18.
~Solid layout
~Good tee posts & signs
~Concrete tee pads
~Fun 18 hole campground course
~Directional signs help with navigation

Cons:

~Baskets blend in with the background
~A few minor navigation issues, bring the map
~Handful of holes would benefit from additional thinning/clearing
~A couple too many short holes overall, long tees could cure this

Other Thoughts:

We camp at Findley State Park a few times a year, so this course is a welcome addition to my stays. Nestled along a decent sized parking lot just inside the main entrance, the course winds around the surrounding woods with only a few truly open holes. Short to medium in length, what it lacks in distance is made up for with honest wooded fairways. Aside from the last hole, I felt all of them offer good lines off the pad. The course is in good shape, not too much undergrowth, and only some minor clearing on a handful of holes is needed. Midrange friendly, you only need a fairway driver for a handful of holes so a small travel bag will suite your needs. Good use of available elevation, most holes are extremely fun to throw. The baskets could use some bright colors to help them stand out as they blend in with the trees on many holes. Navigation isn't too bad, the map came in handy at times. My wife's 1st round was at this course and she had a blast, good for casual beginners & seasoned throwers alike...this course is well suited for this park.
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2 2
Billy K2
Experience: 14.4 years 34 played 28 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Fun @ Findley! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 21, 2015 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Findley State Park is a very scenic place to play disc golf. Every hole has some type of wildlife that would attract nature loving disc golfers such as myself. Even though the course was on the shorter side, there were still some fun holes that provided a technical ace opportunity. One thing that stood out the most was the cleanliness of the entire park. There was practically no garbage/litter anywhere, so you can tell the course and park are both very well cared for. The tee signs were informational and accurate, but could use a makeover. Very nice concrete tee pads. There wasn't much pedestrian or golfer traffic so you will more than likely get to play at your own pace. The flow and navigation of the course was pretty good and easy to follow. There is a restroom on site, so you won't have to "make your own restroom", if you know what I mean ;)

Cons:

It is just a very short course. There are only a few holes over 300 feet, so you can keep most of the discs in the bag. There were some pretty fun holes, but there was a lack in variety. Most of the holes were flat and straight.

Other Thoughts:

This was a very well designed course, and I applaud both the designer and the people who help keep the area in phenomenal shape. I would recommend playing this course, maybe with your family or with beginners!
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3 0
Bigcountry54
Experience: 10.4 years 21 played 10 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Nice Corse. 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 8, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

- Well marked for the most part
- Nice concrete tees
- Pretty walk
- Definite challenges each hole. You have to shape many shots!
- Easy to find in park

Cons:

- Watch out for poison Ivy
- Some of the holes need to be cut back. Getting a little thick on the fairways.
- # 11 needs to be marked better since they changed #10.
- Several of the holes were the thing... straight. Would be nice to have a little more variety.

Other Thoughts:

Overall, great course if you are in the area. Make sure you wear pants. You will be walking through some deep stuff.
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3 0
BluePhish
Experience: 5 played 5 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Beginner's review 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 25, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

Good signage at every teebox.

A couple of fairly impressive signature feeling holes. One with a nice elevation change and one long narrow fairway that I dubbed "magnolia lane".

Cons:

Trees are QUITE thick on many holes, creating a punishing feeling.

Was fairly muddy the day I played, not awful but squelchy in many places.

Many holes felt a bit same-ish.

A couple of holes play into or over pretty heavily trafficked areas, I ended up skipping one hole because a large gathering/cookout was happening right in the fairway.

Other Thoughts:

An enjoyable round while travelling to Oberlin but probably not worth a long drive to experience. Some interesting challenges and a couple great holes made it memorable but not exceptional.
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4 1
daleh2013
Experience: 12.7 years 18 played 3 reviews
4.00 star(s)

A Great Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 25, 2015 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Changes to holes #2 and #10 were exactly what was needed. The undergrowth removal on #11 and #12 was also a welcome change.

Cons:

Have to watch for picnic folks on holes #7 and #8; tables are fairly close to the line of play

Other Thoughts:

Many thanks for all the hard work that was put in; especially the most recent changes. Really makes a huge difference in how it plays as well as how it looks.

Hole #2 basket has been moved back into the tree line about 40 feet. Hole #10 is completely changed....Where the tee before was in the parking lot making it a short little tunnel shot it is now located in the woods across the street to the boat launch at the bottom of the hill across from #9's basket. Now, it's a 240' uphill dogleg left.

I'll agree with what others have said...not an overly long course but very technical. Shots and lines have to be thought about beforehand then executed properly to set up the next shot.

It is an excellent course; definitely worth visiting and placing in your favorites...
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2 3
blando3281
Experience: 19.6 years 5 played 4 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Findley State Park 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 4, 2013 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Nice course mixed into a quiet state park with 18 holes throughout the woods.

Cons:

Last time I was there the back 9 on the course was overgrown. Not the most challenging course but it is still fun.

Other Thoughts:

Each year there seem to be more improvements to the course with upgrading tee pads, signs and etc.
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5 0
plattertoss88
Experience: 17.3 years 83 played 10 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Very Nice State Park 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Sep 2, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Located in a very nice state park, signs direct you all the way to hole 1. Layout just got revamped to help things flow a little better. Its also opened up some of the well known tight shots here. A nice wooden kiosk provides a map and some rules. Plays next to but not too close to a good size beautiful lake. Pretty wooded here all together, makes for a nice course to dial in your accuracy. Wooden tee plaques are in place, tee signs are not. Numbers have still been clearly written though. Fairly new DB-5 baskets I believe. Currently pink duck tape is very helpful in navigating the new layout. New layout offers great variety from righty to lefty shots!

Cons:

Tee pads are natural all though all are in pretty good shape.(UPDATE 12-5-12) Tee pads are now concrete. Most holes have pretty poor rough. Leaving you with insane amounts of broken limbs to stand on. Fairways are cleared well though. Not to much elevation here, maybe 1 or 2 holes offer slight elevation. Located in the middle of nowhere!

Other Thoughts:

Findley State Park is a great place to bring the family and spend the whole day. They have a amazing mountain biking trail, plenty of hiking, fishing, camping. They even rent out discs at the office. If your in the area I would definitely recommend checking out what this course is turning into.
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12 0
Brall
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 16.2 years 43 played 38 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Nice short park 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 30, 2011 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

- Plenty of parking
- The park itself is very large with camping and multiple activities.
- There is a bathroom (permanent outhouse) by hole #8's basket
- The entrance is marked with a very nice sign and billboard
- The flow could be considered a con, however, the use of available land was done well even though the overall flow can be difficult to follow. Thanks to the accurate course map posted on the billboard, you can navigate your first time out without getting lost.
- There are four holes with multiple tees
- Natural tees but most are in good condition
- Baskets are old but are in good condition
- Very nice mixture of shots required. Open and tunnel shots, over and around rough.
- Beautiful thick wooded forest area
- Not much upkeep is needed but the grass around the first few holes is always well cut and logs are set around many of the back 6 holes showing the paths to the next tee or fairways
- Not much traffic from either walkers on the path or other disc golfers
- Trash can located at the parking lot, very clean course

Cons:

- Some of the tees can quickly become deep puddles in the spring season
- Even with the accurate map, next tee signs would be very helpful
- Very short course. Great for the kids but if you enjoy the long bomber throws then this course will feel very cramped.
- Boring elevation, very flat course
- Needs benches. There is an old picnic table by hole #9's tee but something else would be nice.
- The flat area between holes #3 & #5 turns into a black swampy mess in the spring season which makes the whole area including the fairway where you are supposed to land very difficult to play

Other Thoughts:

- A fun course, though small, but on a very large park.
- There is a donation box by the DGC sign at the entrance
- Not much of a challenge overall
- A very good player would easily birdie every hole while a brand new player may find this course extra difficult and frustrating due to the how thick the woods are
- The most challenging hole is probably #4 from the long. There are several paths to take on this right turning hole and heavy tree growth blocking you at every path.
- There are no signature holes here that stand out in my memory but I really enjoyed hole #8. This is a very pretty wooded fairway. The trees to the right are in a nice row making a wall that you have to turn around at the end to get to the basket.
- There are no other courses nearby, this is a small course far from the highway in a remote location
- This is not a destination course and is only worth the travel if you plan on using the park itself for other purposes along with playing a round of disc golf which could turn out to be a fantastic day with the family (note that you can rent discs from the campground store)
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11 2
discRabbit
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 25.4 years 1329 played 136 reviews
1.50 star(s)

Short but technical fun 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 22, 2008 Played the course:once

Pros:

The Findley course, as other reviewers have noted, is a short pitch'n'putt course which runs through both technical woods and wide open fields. The park itself is quite beautiful and seems well-maintained by the local parks department. The course is not unmaintained but doesn't have high levels of upkeep either as it can be a bit difficult to navigate and the tees are quite rutted in some places. Experienced players are going to rack up birdies with little effort but those just learning about playing in tight woods are going to have a lot of opportunities to learn new shots and also to learn how to make trick-shot saves. Findley would operate as a pretty nice training ground in this respect because it has fairways which are tight enough for creative save shot-making but holes that are short enough to avoid frustrating players just figuring out this aspect of the game.

Cons:

The open holes in the field are utterly boring and while they do complement the wooded holes a *little, they really don't challenge the golfer to 'make a shot', just control distance and throw a hyzer or straight putter/mid. As other reviewers have noted, the natural tees can be a bit awkward (although you shouldn't need any long run-ups here!) to throw from, but it sounds like the local volunteers are working on making them better!

Other Thoughts:

We played this course while moving from Virginia to Seattle and it was a nice little stop to break up the drive. Findley doesn't have much to offer the competitive golfer because of the relatively simple and straightforward design but it does make for a nice place for the beginner to start learning about how to throw in the woods. The course at that time was also in design transition with changes being made and new holes in the eaves. It seems like the locals care a lot about this park and are going to keep making improvements!
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5 1
ejvogie
Premium Member
Experience: 16.2 years 326 played 15 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Updated course, updated review

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Apr 29, 2023 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

I'll be speaking to the red layout, since that's the one I've played.

This is no longer the pitch 'n' putt it started as back in the middle aughts. This course is 7100' from the red tees, and only gets harder from there. The first few holes do play similarly to the original course, but holes have been lengthened. The design of the remaining holes is well thought out and challenging, and will force many different shots, including some you never knew existed.

Cons:

I'm gonna have to really pick nits here.

The baskets for the short positions (all grey Chainstars?) are hard to see in the woods. Enough so that I wasn't sure if hole #12 red was missing a basket, or if they're just using the one orange Prodigy on that hole. That said, it wasn't enough of a problem to dock points.

Other Thoughts:

This is a top 5 course in Ohio, full stop.
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6 0
JoseCafe704
Experience: 23.5 years 33 played 16 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Not As Bad As I Thought 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 6, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

"Pro" tees have been recently added to a number of holes, giving the more experienced player a challenge on many of the seriously short holes. What the course lacks in distance is made up in technical aspects since the course is almost entirely wooded (save the first and second hole). Despite this, the tree cover isn't too thick, often leaving the thrower with a drive that requires thought, but isn't impossible.

Cons:

Short, short, short. You can leave your driver in the bag for a lot of this one, shooting primarily with your mid-range. I shot pretty damn well with my Innova Shark DX all day. The tees are simple...Not too many with pads, and no tee signs (there's a base for them at every hole, but nothing is on them). The cages are also the portable kind...But there is a permanant course map outline...What's that all about?

Other Thoughts:

For the amount of area the course covers, I was pleasantly surprised by the use of terrain. There's often definite and plausible fairways at the tee, with decent dog legs in both directions. As with many of the courses I've played, it looks like this one has more works in the making. There's a donation box at the beginning of the course near the parking lot...Drop a dollar in it!
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6 2
Conect11
Experience: 14.5 years 17 played 15 reviews
2.00 star(s)

My first course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jun 20, 2010 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Great for beginners
A fun, quick 9 holes
In beautiful Findley State Park
Back nine being added and should be completed by the end of summer

Cons:

Somewhat uninspired design
First two holes are just moderate length in an open field
From hole two - three is a short hike that could be marked out better
lots of poison ivy
Natural tees with minimal signage. Lot's of slipping potential when muddy
Hole nine is smack dab in a picnic area. BOO!

Other Thoughts:

Despite having more negatives listed here than positives, I really do like this course. A heavily wooded course which is very forgiving to a beginning player. Moderate chance of lost discs. Not much in terms of elevation changes. The course is more technical than long, your main challenge will be trying not to hit the numerous trees as most of the holes are heavily wooded with tight fairways, while being extremely short. I was amazed how short each hole appeared after a year being away and playing the courses in the Cleveland area. The back nine is being installed and is expected to be complete by the end of summer 2011. While most of the holes make good use of the limited space that the course utilizes, I really think that the mix of use of hole nine leaves something to be desired. The play of the hole itself is fine; short, but with plenty of trees to make it a challenge, but a picnic area is right smack dab to the left. One grip lock and some poor picnicker is going to be getting hurt.
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2 4
5355
Experience: 1 played 1 reviews
3.50 star(s)

New additions 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 30, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Short technical course, Play 10 holes in about 20 minutes, (add 5 minutes per player). Great at night for glow golf. Very dark and easy to navigate.

Cons:

Only 9 holes.

Other Thoughts:

Holes 1 and 2 now have Long Tees! Look for more additions to the existing 9 holes and then we'll be adding 9 more holes for a total of 18! Locals play from the corner next to 7's basket across the parking lot to 5's basket for a bonus hole. This connects you to hole 8 which players have to walk to anyhow. Local Friends of Findley State Park and local players put a lot of work into this disc golf project. Look for this course to get better and better each month.
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4 0
Technohic
Experience: 15.3 years 17 played 10 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Quick Technical Game 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Sep 19, 2009 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Good for a real quick round, or play a few to work on your technical game; tightly wooded for the most part making the shorter holes retain some difficulty.

Cons:

Teepads are mostly gravel and then some are just rubber mats in the grass. Hole 9 has a sign but not sure where you are "supposed" to tee of from

Hole 9 has a picnic spot right at the tee; which can make you have to skip the whole. Too bad to, because hole 9 is a fun hole to play.

Other Thoughts:

Despite currently only being 9 holes and its other raw shortcomings; Findley brings some technical shot difficulty into play to still bring a challenge and at the same time; ace runs. With the news of the new holes and the way they were described to me, it sounds like it will be adding length and elevation changes making this a much higher rated course.

Beautiful scenery and other activities available at the park could make for a nice family outing for an entire day.

If you are in the area, check it out
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2 4
thadon
Experience: 19.5 years 33 played 31 reviews
2.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 31, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

Mostly for beginners . Short and technical hole here . Lots of things going on this park

Cons:

No signage or map
no tee pads
Can be a little confusing for 9 holes

Other Thoughts:

After holes 1 & 2 you can put your driver away. Work on your approach game here. most of these holes are less than 200ft.
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