Panama City, FL

Florida State University

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2.825(based on 22 reviews)
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12 0
Redacted
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 6.3 years 87 played 26 reviews
1.00 star(s)

Not what it once was 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 30, 2020 Played the course:once

Pros:

**DISClaimer: The front 9 has been moved since all the other reviews were written due to construction of new dorms.**
Pros: The baskets are DISCatchers which are in good shape and catch well despite the yellow band being faded. This is a fairly beginner friendly course as most of the holes are pretty short, and many are even ace runs. The back 9 has concrete tees (the front 9 are gravel; hopefully the gravel will be used to make concrete tees in the future). Navigation on the front 9 and back 9 is pretty intuitive and aided by "TEE BOX #" being clearly visible from a distance on the side of the tee signs. Maintenance seems to be pretty good. There are nice views of the ocean.

Cons:

You know it's bad when everything is faded off the once great tee signs except for the hole # and "Do NOT climb on the roofs of buildings to retrieve discs."
This leads me to the main set of cons: there are safety issues galore on this course. The course is on the Panama City satellite campus of Florida State University, and that's easy to see while on the course. The course is really packed in tight, so baskets are often really close to the next tee. Additional obstacles include, but not limited to: public roads, residential streets, sidewalks, campus drives, modern art sculptures, a canopy, permanent wooden lawn chairs, a sand volleyball court, buildings, a basketball court, bleachers, parking lots, and decorative landscaping.
Since the front 9 has been moved, there is now a LONG walk from 9's basket to 10's tee. A few holes come really close to the water (3 of mine went in, but were all successfully retrieved), so there is disc loss potential.
This course is Florida flat, and I was also disappointed that the campus infrastructure was more of an obstacle than the tropical foliage that I don't see back home.

Other Thoughts:

I played this course while on vacation as it was the closest course to Panama City Beach (which is West of Panama City). It's fine for coursebagging (and a quick play, too), but it would stink to have this for a home course. I didn't have time to play the other courses in Panama City, but I hope for the locals' sake that they're better than this one. School wasn't in session when I played, so I didn't have any delays, but you should probably just forget it if you want to play on a weekday while students are on campus.
I'm an upper 800's rated player, played fairly poorly here, and still managed to shoot a 47.
I typically only review courses that have less than 5 reviews, but I made an exception here due to the relocation of the front 9 and the blatant safety issues.
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7 0
aclay
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 40.1 years 341 played 270 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Beautiful setting, decent course 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 19, 2018 Played the course:once

Pros:

-- Tee signs with all of the information you need, including distance.
-- Quality baskets, with numbers
-- Decent concrete pads
-- Beginner friendly
-- Water OB on many fairways. That adds some risk/reward, but the water is clear and shallow near the fairways and holes, so retrieving a disc from the water isn't a problem.
-- The course is well landscaped and scenic, with beautiful views of the water (not the Gulf of Mexico, but a large bay off of the Gulf).
-- There are plenty of places to sit and take a break while looking over the water.
-- Intuitive course layout once you find No. 1, which has a nice map near it. Once you get started, you won't have any trouble finding your way around the course.
-- Holes 1,9, 10 and 18 all meet up close to the parking lot, making a stop by the car for needed supplies mid round pretty easy.

Cons:

-- Baskets are ridiculously close to proceeding tee pads. The front 9 in particular feels this way. Taking three holes out would alleviate that problem, but someone clearly wanted to make sure the course had 18 holes. The back 9 isn't as bad, but it is still somewhat crowded.
-- Too many extremely short holes (one under 100 feet and several others under 150).
-- Too many holes on the back 9 play close to or over pedestrian walkways, meaning some long waits and danger to non-disc golfers. I played on a summer weekday, so this wasn't an issue, but I doubt I would attempt the back 9 on a weekday during the school year.

Other Thoughts:

-- The short holes give you lots of ace runs, but beware. I tossed one in the water thinking like that.
-- The course itself isn't very challenging (only one hole longer than 300 feet), but it isn't as easy as the distances might make you think. And the natural beauty is hard to overlook.
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3 0
Pqm325
Experience: 16.5 years 20 played 2 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Dont play during school 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 8, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

1. short fun course
2. water in the backdrop makes for a nice view
3. front 9 play away from campus

Cons:

1. back 9 play directly through campus

Other Thoughts:

All i can really say is if school is in the front 9 is all you can really play the back 9 wind through or near walkways students may be taking to class. i liked some of the short holes that were only par 2 that made for a fun challenge. like i said though the front 9 fun to play anytime, the back 9 not fun at all if school is going on, i think they need to just remove it all together, i know thats no fun but it truly is dangerous. so just try to play on the weekends if you can.
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7 0
Mr. Butlertron
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 21.7 years 684 played 131 reviews
1.00 star(s)

Than a bag of discs 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 28, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

- free to play, plenty of free parking
- informative tee signs: numbered, display fairway image, list distances
- quality baskets, numbered
- spacious concrete pads
- beginner friendly
- water ob running parallel to many fairways, adds some risk/reward
- water ob was fairly shallow and clear, easy to retrieve disc from
- lots of ace runs
- course well landscaped, scenic
- intuitive course layout
- safari capable course
- hole 1,9, and 18 all meet up close to the parking lot

Cons:

- baskets are ridiculously close to proceeding tee pads
- too many extremely short holes, some tee pads are close enough to putt from
- course layout may interfere with campus pedestrian traffic
- errant throws on the course could damage university property, cars
- wind off the water could be an issue, wasn't for my visit

Other Thoughts:

FSU's satellite campus features a pitch and putt course between brick buildings and the inlet. The course is uncommonly short, even for a campus course. Most holes can be thrown with a putter, however, you may be tempted to empty your entire bag in search of an ace. This is truly the greatest strength of the course. Another thing that added positively to my experience was the course amenities. Spacious concrete tees, quality Innova Pro baskets, and tee signs were all top notch.

From a safety standpoint, this course is pretty rough. There are simply too many baskets in the same small plot of land. Many holes share the same space. Worse yet, a lot of pads were within spitting distance from other baskets. Removing half the baskets in favor of multiple tees and or pins would likely make for better disc golf in general. As is, the course is probably better suited for ultimate disc golf instead of regular disc golf.

My round lacked challenge and was mildly boring. The ace run aspect of the course could have been fun, however, there were other groups on the course and errant drives were being peppered all around me.
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2 2
HumDyn
Experience: 5.4 years 12 played 12 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Sunny September 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 4, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

1. Grass mowed
2. Tees in good shape
3. Baskets strategically placed

Cons:

1. I was never able to find the tee for #12.
2. Fairways are perilously close to each other

Other Thoughts:

I think that if nine baskets were removed and then 9 alternate tees added to create a true 18 basket spread, then this course could be made into a great course.
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4 0
toxicgolfer
Experience: 23.4 years 51 played 6 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Nice view but... 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 20, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

1) Nice scenery
2) Clean and well maintained
3) Decent shot selection
4) Great signage

Cons:

1) Too small and compact
2) Nothing about it is challenging
3) Very breezy being on the water
4) There are people on the back 9 constantly whether they're sitting at a picnic table studying, jogging through, going on the pier, etc.
5) Constantly teeing off with people from other holes in your path.

Other Thoughts:

A nice course to play by yourself and get some practice on your short game but I wouldn't bring a group to play here. In reality, this would be a MUCH better 9 hole course where you could design the course to actually be challenging. And if this course is busy, forget about it. You'd have people in your way constantly. I will probably never play here again.
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1 1
TheRealRedRoach
Experience: 10 played 6 reviews
3.50 star(s)

I like it 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 17, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

Very relaxing. Scenic bay backdrop. Lots of nut snatchers running around. Very well maintained. Back nine very nice. There is a cool "between building" run. Friendly regulars to help you navigate the course. I played it at night and did fine.

Cons:

Not many. Some holes short. Kind of confusing at first because all the holes and tee boxes on the front 9 are squeezed together.

Other Thoughts:

Worth a short drive to play. I'll play it again for sure when I'm in the area.
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4 0
mattdabbs
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 21.4 years 104 played 61 reviews
2.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 14, 2017 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

This is the perfect course for learning the sport. For more advanced players it would be a great safari course to extend some of the holes and test your creativity.

The university has put some time and money into making the course nice on the property. A few more acres would have gone a long way but for what they have they did a great job squeezing in 18. I would rather have the 18 they have rather than 9 longer holes. Tee pads are in great shape. Signage is adequate. The course is very, very well maintained. Very clean. No rough.

The view is really scenic. It is really fun to play under mature live oak trees right on the gulf. I love that combination. Turn your back to the water and you would swear you were in rural Florida with the huge live oaks.

Plenty of ace opportunities. Only hole 9 isn't really that aceable. The line would be extremely hard to hit. I got close to an eagle with a nice flick roller down the right hand side got me close enough to the pin for a decent putt. That is the only hole over 300. The rest are very, very short but with some obstacles that make you pick your line well or hit a tree in the fairway.

Water is a plus. It makes you think about it on a couple of holes to place your shot carefully. When I played the tide was out a bit so water wasn't a big deal but I hear on 8 and 9 and on the back 9 in a few spots the water can be pretty close to the pins.

Very accessible from 23rd. It also feels very safe being right on the university. I did hear it isn't really playable at night. You might think there is enough light there to pull it off but apparently not.

It is nice that the split between 9 and 10 puts you back at your vehicle. A sign of good course design. I always appreciate that.

It wasn't very crowded which meant you could finish a round easily in 45 minutes. Locals that I did meet were very nice.

Great glow that is easy to follow. The pins were a bit close to the next tee but that also made for easy flow without anything too hard to figure out.

Cons:

The shortness of the course was about the only negative. The par 2's made up for the challenge a bit but it still would be nice to have a few longer holes. The lack of elevation is just typical for Florida. No big deal.

Some mandos might be nice to up the difficulty level but I know some people don't like mandos.

Other Thoughts:

This is the course I would play if I lived there. I would probably play a lot of safari golf and just enjoy the view! Much credit goes to the university for putting this right on campus and making it look really nice/maintaining the course!

Be sure to enter and exit off of 23rd because of the construction.
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6 0
wellsbranch250
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 10.8 years 694 played 680 reviews
2.00 star(s)

A short ace run course 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 20, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

(2.133 Rating) A super short 18 hole course.
- ACEABILITY - Numerous holes are aceable, You will have great opportunities on the pars 2s. You are probably 5 time more likely to ace here than at a normal course. Great place for a junior player to get a first ace.
- QUICK PLAY - A single can easily complete a full 18 in under 45 minutes. groups of 4 will probably finish in under two hours, perhaps even an hour and a half.
- NAVIGATION - super easy to navigate. There's a course map at hole one. In addition, Hole signage has next tee indications on them. Perfect for the disc golf bag stroller as well.
- FORGIVENESS - The odds of losing a disc due to an errant shot is low. There is the bay but it really only comes into play for seasoned players on hole 9. If the tide is up and you grip lock one, I guess it would be possible to leave a souvenir.
- MAINTENANCE - The course appears to be constantly trimmed and manicured. There was very little trash spotted despite a lack of trash cans.
- TEE PADS - They are all concrete and are generously long for what one will need. Well above average in my opinion.

Cons:

The course is a tight fit for 18.
- UNIQUENESS - - The holes themselves are lacking the uniqueness that you'd see on your average 18 hole course. The course is extremely short, shorter than nearby Ferry in Fort Walton, Florida. Other than hole 9, many players will just need a putter. hole 9 is the only hole over 300 feet. There really aren't any true doglegs. no hole twists even a little bit, perhaps one is 10 degrees. there are no blind baskets. There are a few windows to hit. and a few holes that are guarded by trees. There is the bay that plays along the edge of the course. But as a 900 rated player I only felt tested by the water on hole 9.
- ELEVATION - Really none to speak of. I know that this is typically for Florida, but this course is flat for even Florida standards. no more than 10' elevation change throughout the entire course layout.
- BASKET AND TEE SEPERATION - There are numerous occurrences where the basket and next tee are perilously close. Several times they are separated by less than 30 feet.
- SPACING - Well below average, Several of the fairways feel partially shared. Discs will constantly end in other fairways. Black aces probably happen a lot comparatively. In addition, if the course were full of players, you would be wise to keep your head up and aware of other groups teeing off.
- DIFFICULTY - Too short and not a challenge to advanced/pro level players. Advanced players should have no problem being well under course par. Intermediate and Recreational players may be delighted however as it can be a feel good round. It's a great opportunity for those players to finish below par.
- CHARACTER - The FSU course is probably about slightly below average in terms of character. There is a nice course map at hole 1, there is good hole signage, a few of the tees are well shaded. Probably the biggest thing that's missing is seating and trash cans. There is also no practice area, multiple pin placements or bag holders that you'd see at your older established courses.
- WIND - Due to the lack of trees and location on the bay edge, wind will be an issue. I was greeted with 30 mph gusts. I played another panama city course right after this one and the wind speed seemed cut in half.
- LOCATION - Course is a trek to get to from the interstate highway system. A good 45 minutes from I10

Other Thoughts:

An adequate course for those living within 5-10 miles. A great Beginner Course due to the low amount of hazards and overgrowth. Probably worth a look see if you've vacationing in panama city, have access to a car and are looking for a laid back round.
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1 4
999Jimbo999
Experience: 1 played 1 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Short18 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 2, 2016 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Very short course. Perfectly maintained. Easy to follow lay out. Great for the new players.

Cons:

Overall course is too short.

Other Thoughts:

Would score this course as "perfect" if there were a couple of longer par 4's. Overall, a great experience.
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3 3
KINGDUCK
Experience: 15.8 years 57 played 34 reviews
3.00 star(s)

nice little sleepy course by the ocean 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 10, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

ocean view
well maintained
easy access
easy to follow layout with great signs
par 2 holes a one throw challenge...all or nothing

Cons:

college campus...students or functions may get in the way.
short layout...space seem crammed into small area
par 2 98 foot hole one a bad start to a course for many players
not a course for advanced players

Other Thoughts:

nice little course with par 2 challenges I have never played anywhere else...great course for beginners to learn the game.
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1 5
Bandit 01
Experience: 13.8 years 4 played 3 reviews
4.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 1, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

WELL MAINTAINED. NICE FACILITES. WELL MARKED WITH SIGNS. WIDE RANGE OF EASY AND DIFFICULT HOLES FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT AS WELL CONTROLLED WITH SHOTS.

Cons:

THE ONLY PROBLEM I CAN FIND IS ON DAYS WHEN WIND IS BLOWING FROM THE SOUTH TO THE NORTH AKA FROM PARKING LOTS TOWARD BAY. YOU HAVE A VERY GOOD CHANCE OF LOOSING DISCS IN THE WATER. OR AS WE SAY YOUR DISC WILL BE SLEEPING WITH THE FISHES.

Other Thoughts:

WORKING ON AN ALTERNATE COURSE SETTING FOR THE COURSE TO GIVE IT SOME CHALLENGE.
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1 2
G8rman78
Experience: 9.7 years 6 played 2 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Quick 18 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 17, 2016 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Well kept course along the bay. There are some beautiful sunsets to enjoy while playing in the evening. It's fun, but not overly difficult. It can be easily played in Under an hour and if you have not time you can get more rounds. Nice layout that good through parts of the campus.

Cons:

There aren't too many opportunities to throw long drives. There are several par 2 holes. Make a mistake here and you will pay. If you aren't careful you will be wading in the bay to retrieve your discs. I know...I've done it plenty. The wind can be vicious at times. The last 3 can be be looked at as negatives, but I consrist then more as challenges.

Other Thoughts:

If your staying at the beach and need a fix this is the closest course. With playing for sure!
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1 2
jbeezus
Experience: 8.4 years 46 played 7 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Fun 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 3, 2015 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Beautiful views and a scenic layout. Plays very quickly and very clean. Well organized and some really friendly folks.

Cons:

Plays like the equivalent of a normal golf par 3 course. Very fun for beginners or to try for aces.

Other Thoughts:

I would play this course with kids in a heartbeat. Really cool place.
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2 2
KC4KAA
Experience: 11.4 years 43 played 11 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Good Shots rewarded! 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 9, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

Very good scenery well kept , well marked tee pads course was easy to find, good for beginners some seasoned players might find it too easy... Then the wind kicks up!!!

Cons:

Very short extremely windy

Other Thoughts:

Most holes have ace potential
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2 1
S.Cann
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 15.5 years 158 played 83 reviews
3.00 star(s)

2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 28, 2014 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

-This course is set right on the bay and has probably the best setting for playing disc golf. Clear water, spanish moss, palm trees, and white sand.
-The course plays in a figure-8 with holes 9 and 18 playing finishing near the parking lot.
-The baskets were great and the signs were excellent. All signs contained informative maps and distances.
-Water comes into play on 17 holes (the exception being hole 12). Unfortunately most of it is incidental as it either lines the side of the fairway or is a trap for the shot that goes long. I wish there were more water carries than the small drainage pond on 11 and 18. With some clearing a shot over the cause way behind 4's basket would add some intrigue.

Cons:

-Easy, easy, easy. The perfect course if you are new to the game and it will boost the confidence of the more experienced disc golfer.
-We played on a Sunday during winter break and there were no bathrooms or a water source.
-Close quarters. We had discs flying by us from other groups and had to wait several times for groups that were not even on our hole. You can literally stand by hole 9's basket and see all baskets from the front 9.

Other Thoughts:

I really wish that I could rate this course higher, unfortunately it just left me wanting. You see the potential in this course on holes 4, 9, and 18 and even a 12 hole course like that would be better than all the ace runs here. For what it lacks in difficulty, you will be hard pressed to find a prettier course.
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1 1
domromer
Experience: 22 years 88 played 21 reviews
3.50 star(s)

One of the most scenic courses in Florida 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 1, 2014 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Fun, scenic course, that's worth checking out if you are in the area.

Cons:

Must be crazy on a busy days. Many pads and baskets are very close.

Other Thoughts:

This is a very pretty course. I'd try to play it during a time when school is on break.
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11 0
Qikly
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 12.3 years 181 played 150 reviews
1.50 star(s)

Bayside Campus Course, sans AC and Zach 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 8, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

The setting for Florida State University Panama City's DGC is a unique combination: it plays through and alongside a small college campus that sits directly on a sliver of beach on a picturesque bay. This brings both campus structures and water hazards into play, an interesting amalgamation of man-made and natural obstacles. Trees are in abundance too, and while the course is far from wooded, there's more than enough of them to direct your shots and force some modest line shaping.

The best holes here combine low ceilings, tighter windows, and incidental water hazards (4,9), more direct water carry and guarded pins (17), multiple small sprawling oaks to navigate under or around (11), or a big shot over trees to reach a pin that is dramatically located in the campus center (18). The focus beyond that is on challenging ace runs and birdie tries at shorter distances; most of the holes are well under 200 ft.

Navigation is easy and the course plays quickly. Concrete tees are nicely done, and the course is well-signed. Parking is ample. There are a few decks overlooking the bay that provide some nice views. Grooming seems great.

Cons:

This course is one of those instances where I don't understand why the designers would feel the need to put in 18 holes. There's some real potential in the combination of buildings, trees, and water hazards here - in addition to the bay there's a small pond at one end of the course and an avoid-at-all-costs drainage ditch at the other - that could make for a very fine 9 or even 12 holes. But putting in 18 required some shoehorning, leading to a majority of holes that are short, sometimes awkwardly so, and with little to offer beyond the prospect of an ace. Holes like 9, which is imposing up the gut and to the water-bordered left but has an enjoyably-challenging RHBH hyzer route if you can stay low to the ground, demonstrate the potential here, but unfortunately that potential is largely unfulfilled due to the choice to fit in 18 holes. The result severely limits the course's appeal: at present it strikes me as a strickly beginner course with a few longer holes that are suited for experienced players. In an area with few disc golf options, a course with wider appeal to players seems like it would have been the better choice.

This course has significant potential to conflict with non-disc golfers. Much of the back 9 crosses through campus, weaving around buildings and alongside walkways. I imagine it'd be hard to comfortably play the full course on days when class is in session, although perhaps this is not the case given the very small nature of the school. On the overcast Saturday I played my round not a student was in sight, unless that student was playing disc golf.

Other Thoughts:

FSU's course has some nice holes, but so many short ones got repetitive for me. If I was to play here regularly I'd probably camp out at the few holes that I enjoyed the most, such as 4, 9, and 18. The course is worth a visit if you're in the area - it's a well-maintained course in a pretty setting, and it plays quickly if you're time-crunched - but I don't see it as a course I would play on a regular basis.
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2 0
Thornsten
Experience: 14.8 years 13 played 1 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Decent pitch and putt 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 9, 2014 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Nice tee pads, signs, and baskets
Great scenery
Can play lots of rounds quickly

Cons:

Short holes with little variety
Some holes have no real line to play

Other Thoughts:

Front 9 is super tight and very short with no real variety. 6 of those holes are short, straight shots. 2 is the only nice hole on the front 9, it starts out wide open and narrows down to the green just in the trees. 4 is another longer one, but it's a tunnel shot with a low ceiling. 9 is awful.

The back 9 is a little better, still mostly very short holes but there's a little more variety in the holes with a few requiring straight, hyzer, and anhyzer shots.

The course takes very little time to play, I played 2 rounds in a little over an hour.

I think they would have been better off using the space to make 9 good holes instead of 18 bad ones.
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2 1
tailorholley
Experience: 10.8 years 95 played 10 reviews
3.50 star(s)

What a View 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Sep 1, 2014 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

The views are incredible on this course. Right next to the bay.
Some great holes that run right through the heart of campus.
Can't beat the fact that hole 18 is over looked by 100's of students at the student Center
Course is kept in great shape.
All concrete Pads
All holes have tee pad signs
Pro shop next to hole one where you can rent discs.

Cons:

Front 9 is VERY short and unchallenging for the most part.
No real way to play hole 9 (i mean there is not a good lane for any shot. Hole is functioning just not a smart layout)
People have aced holes in the past and write in black sharpie marker all over the basket. Very unattractive.

Other Thoughts:

Tobacco and Alcohol free course.
Good course for ace runs.
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