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Frost Valley DGC reviews
15
0
Jedisaac
Experience:
29 years
129 played
2 reviews
A gem that needs polishing 2+ years drive by
Reviewed:
Updated:
Played on:Oct 19, 2017
Played the course:once
Pros:
-Tee pads (Concrete front and back)
-Baskets are new innova and quality.
-signage is very good and had little problem navigating for the first time.
-Course design is absolutely nop notch and will use every shot in your bag. A great use of the terrain, options on many holes (including completely different fairways sometimes), great pin placements, and all around perfect example of what a master designer like Mr. Houck can bring to a project. No doubt with repeat rounds the subtleties of the great design would shine through even more.
-Scenery is gorgeous in the middle of the catskill mountains. Moss covered rocks, beautiful stream, trees, and views. An absolutely gorgeous hike.
-2 layouts for expert and beginner players.
-Not crowded
-Baskets are new innova and quality.
-signage is very good and had little problem navigating for the first time.
-Course design is absolutely nop notch and will use every shot in your bag. A great use of the terrain, options on many holes (including completely different fairways sometimes), great pin placements, and all around perfect example of what a master designer like Mr. Houck can bring to a project. No doubt with repeat rounds the subtleties of the great design would shine through even more.
-Scenery is gorgeous in the middle of the catskill mountains. Moss covered rocks, beautiful stream, trees, and views. An absolutely gorgeous hike.
-2 layouts for expert and beginner players.
-Not crowded
Cons:
-Maintenance is non-existent and calf to knee high ferns in the middle of (and all over) the fairway makes searching for discs obnoxious. Off the fairway was worse. I literally skipped a couple holes cause i didnt want to launch a disc into certain loss. I played mid October.
-Safety. Nothing too serious, but the hike is ungroomed and very raw. Full of plenty of places to roll an ankle or fall. Loose rocks, steep terrain, rotted tree trunks that break underfoot, hidden holes under leaves, and the fact that there is zero cell signal should bad luck occur is something to consider.
-Layouts for expert and beginner, but not really for the rest of us (see 'other thoughts').
-$25 to play.
-Safety. Nothing too serious, but the hike is ungroomed and very raw. Full of plenty of places to roll an ankle or fall. Loose rocks, steep terrain, rotted tree trunks that break underfoot, hidden holes under leaves, and the fact that there is zero cell signal should bad luck occur is something to consider.
-Layouts for expert and beginner, but not really for the rest of us (see 'other thoughts').
-$25 to play.
Other Thoughts:
Next tee signs are very good but have a map handy. You may need it once or twice.
It seems a shame to have such a gorgeous course go unplayed and unmaintained. I understand that given the remote location and price to play, the course will not get heavy traffic, but if you are going to have a destination course that is championship level, by a championship designer, on championship grounds, and charge a championship price... it needs championship level maintenance. It seems to have none.
From a certain point of view it seems that the YMCA (or whichever body officially responsible) has shelled out a lot of money to get this course in the ground, and forgotten about it. Given the level of groundskeeping and maintenance needed to take care of the rest of the (vast) campground, it would seem very feasible to hire a small crew of one or two (or give a raise to the current grounds crew), get some weed whackers and basic tools, and keep the course looking beautiful. Instead it appears that a very small effort has been put in place. One basket is even bent because a limb fell on it, and it appeared that the limb had been laying there a while (I finally moved it off the pin).
As for the 2 layouts... They are great, but the red is apparently designed for the novice (<850) level player, with some par 4's being under 300' and would normally be par 3's to the 900 level player. The Blue course appears to be a design for mostly 950+ rated player.
What about the rest of us who are 850-950? This would be most people I know and play with. It seems you have 2 options. Either play red and have a fun time getting lots of birdies to feel good about and have a nice relaxed fun time without any real challenge, OR play blue and have a tremendous challenge (which is certainly good and needed to get better), but ends up being an experience that is a bit over your head and is very demoralizing. It's like there is Goldilocks' momma bear's "too soft" and "papa bear's" too hard, but where is the all essential just right of "baby bear"? It seems a third layout is necessary, either by adding another pin or tee to some holes, or by adjusting par for others. One could argue that we can "just make our own pars, and turn some 4s into 3s", but then we are making our own course, and not playing the one intended.
The Y was also in general very friendly, but are clearly not used to seeing an "outsider" on the land, particularly in the mess hall for the included meal. I literally got asked, "not to be rude, but, who are you?". You can sit here but not there, and eat from this line but not this line. Lots of confusion. Like you are clearly an outsider in their world.
It is gorgeous though, and especially if the ability levels of the 2 layouts are in your wheelhouse, it is a prime example of excellent design to be envied and sought after.
It seems a shame to have such a gorgeous course go unplayed and unmaintained. I understand that given the remote location and price to play, the course will not get heavy traffic, but if you are going to have a destination course that is championship level, by a championship designer, on championship grounds, and charge a championship price... it needs championship level maintenance. It seems to have none.
From a certain point of view it seems that the YMCA (or whichever body officially responsible) has shelled out a lot of money to get this course in the ground, and forgotten about it. Given the level of groundskeeping and maintenance needed to take care of the rest of the (vast) campground, it would seem very feasible to hire a small crew of one or two (or give a raise to the current grounds crew), get some weed whackers and basic tools, and keep the course looking beautiful. Instead it appears that a very small effort has been put in place. One basket is even bent because a limb fell on it, and it appeared that the limb had been laying there a while (I finally moved it off the pin).
As for the 2 layouts... They are great, but the red is apparently designed for the novice (<850) level player, with some par 4's being under 300' and would normally be par 3's to the 900 level player. The Blue course appears to be a design for mostly 950+ rated player.
What about the rest of us who are 850-950? This would be most people I know and play with. It seems you have 2 options. Either play red and have a fun time getting lots of birdies to feel good about and have a nice relaxed fun time without any real challenge, OR play blue and have a tremendous challenge (which is certainly good and needed to get better), but ends up being an experience that is a bit over your head and is very demoralizing. It's like there is Goldilocks' momma bear's "too soft" and "papa bear's" too hard, but where is the all essential just right of "baby bear"? It seems a third layout is necessary, either by adding another pin or tee to some holes, or by adjusting par for others. One could argue that we can "just make our own pars, and turn some 4s into 3s", but then we are making our own course, and not playing the one intended.
The Y was also in general very friendly, but are clearly not used to seeing an "outsider" on the land, particularly in the mess hall for the included meal. I literally got asked, "not to be rude, but, who are you?". You can sit here but not there, and eat from this line but not this line. Lots of confusion. Like you are clearly an outsider in their world.
It is gorgeous though, and especially if the ability levels of the 2 layouts are in your wheelhouse, it is a prime example of excellent design to be envied and sought after.
