Franklin Field is a park course with that wraps its way around a baseball field complex. Trees, rolling hills, and fences are the name of the game here, each allowing for a few different shots to make it to the pin. We were surprised to find such a well kept park after all of the nothing we drove through to get here.
The course starts off with some particularly short holes, especially hole 1, which plays about 125 feet, and it's downhill. The holes eventually open up to some longer shots.
Creative use of the fence and baseball fields certainly came into play throughout the game, and a few holes use the fence to make the hole a little more fun, if not gimmicky (example, hole 7). Short holes are fun for me though, because I can actually get to the pin
The longer holes were well done in my opinion, usually requiring either a low line the entire way, or a high line over OB baseball fields. Both require power and precision. A particularly fun long hole was # 4, squeezing between a picnic pavilion and the baseball field to a pin sitting on a small hill.
HINT!: Basket #3 is hidden around a corner, what you see off the tee is likely basket #6. You're welcome.
The holes toward the end of the course became a bit repetitive, essentially shooting back and forward across a median between a baseball field and the street. Furthermore, the sprinklers were on in this area, so we had to strategically wait for them to pass, then tee off in a mud pit on an otherwise clear day. Regardless of rushing, they were all short and obtainable.
The last three holes played in an area close to the parking lot, and was also a busier part of the park. It may just be our visit, but there was a full on party in the middle of 18's fairway, with cars parked on the grass, a bounce house, and about 100 people. Hole 17 shoots to a pin placed on a narrow median between a baseball field and a volleyball court; and should the court be in use, this hole is dangerous if your plan is to place the disc for bird. I also noticed cars in the park on google satellite so it must be normal here to do that.
I have heard that this course used to be a Steady Ed original design but at some point it was changed. I never played the old layout, but considering the lack of distance on the new one, it would have been nice to know that an original design was being preserved and would probably draw more people out to play it. Nonetheless, the course does retain a 'classic' feel in that the real challenge is accuracy, and not distance. Another course that goes on my 'If I lived closer I would play regularly' list, but is unfortunately so out of the way that we really have no reason to return. It is a good stop off if you are on a DG road trip traveling from the Central Coast to Bakersfield.