Orlando, FL

Gordon Barnett Park - Parkside (Old Layout)

3.535(based on 32 reviews)
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3 0
thrembo
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 49.5 years 245 played 198 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Solid Florida Course 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 9, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

Fun course with some multiple tee positions and a variety of pin placements. Mostly mid to long length holes with open fairways and well-guarded pins. Enough different types of looks to keep it interesting.

Somewhat scenic, with a lot of different tree types. Not much rough and not too much risk from the water-filled ditch that runs through the course.

Large modern restrooms, and plenty of benches, picnic areas and garbage cans.

Friendly locals (DGers anyway).

Another 18 hole DG course on site. Didn't get to see the pro shop.

Free to play. Which is good for Orlando. (It cost us like $6.00 to drive 5 miles on a local toll road).

Cons:

Tee signs could be updated and the concrete tee pads are kind of small and could use an update also.

The course could really use some next tee signs. There are a few minor navigation issues. From 8 to 9 for instance (go back towards the pro shop).

The course is set in a heavily used part of the park with roads and sidewalks nearby. Expect to do a little waiting from time to time as people and vehicles pass by.

Other Thoughts:

We played the course on a hot summer day, and the grass was tall, and the fire ants were in full attack mode. We all enjoyed the course on a first play through, though.

A local told us that the course is not exactly in the best part of town, but I never felt threatened here, and the police rolled by us a few times while on the course.
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2 1
freddysez
Experience: 16 played 16 reviews
3.50 star(s)

A second look 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:May 23, 2015 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

You will need to bring your A game, use a variety of shots, and be careful of the murky water streams that come into play on several holes. The park is well manicured unlike it's brother course.

Cons:

A few holes have navigation issues, where we played the wrong basket. It's hard enough playing a new course for the first time, but it adds insult to injury playing the wrong hole or not knowing where to hit your approach shot and realize you just played the wrong hole.

Other Thoughts:

This is very good course but it's just that, plain and simple. I would play again but I could debate this is a destination course. Updated; I actually really enjoy this course; hole three over a bridge with a canal on the right side and the basket blind from the tee in the woods is well done, and the course offers more wind than one would think.
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6 1
forehandfranz
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 32.4 years 226 played 128 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Skip Disneyland, come here! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 20, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

Classic park course with immaculate landscaping - all on mowed lawn and through a mix of natural and planted trees and vegetation. The course is open enough to allow you to air things out, do rollers, over hands and everything in between. It has great variety in its layout and is forgiving of some errors, but has a few areas of thick scrub that can be punishing and even tough to find your disc. Lots of ace and birdie opportunities, and a choice of long and short tee pads. By the way, the short pads would rate for intermediate players. The long tee on #18 (which is somewhat of a signature hole) would rate as the only par 4 on the course in my estimate.

All the equipment is top notch, and there is a small pro shop on site.

Cons:

First timer con - more than half the pins are blind from the tee or just were not really very visible to me from the tee. Even though the signs are pretty accurate, you still might want to walk up a good piece to find the pin

Seems they could stretch out a few holes for par 4 opportunities.

Walking paths go along several holes (although they weren't always occupied). Seems many are oblivious to disc golf (people had set up chairs right next to one of the baskets).

Too bad the water trench that runs through a section of the course does not play as a hazard for the experienced player - I was sure that it would add an element of risk, but it didn't.

Other Thoughts:

I showed up just in time for Thursday 4:00 winter doubles and played with some really good people. What a great way to be introduced to a new course. I have no idea how easy this place was to navigate from hole to hole, but it seemed intuitive, and they also had maps at the pro shop.

I was warned to not linger too long after dark (rough neighborhood) - they said you are safe so long as you stay close to the lit areas like the tennis courts.
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4 1
Marcwrosejr
Experience: 11.4 years 23 played 3 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Home Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 23, 2013 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Great flow. 1-8 Plays threw the south side of the park and ends at the road. With about a hundred yard walk you come to 9 which starts by the restrooms and golf center. 10-18 wrap up the south side and end at the parking lot and restrooms so you refill on water when needed.

Great for entry to amateur level players. Many different variety's of shoots needed. You won't bust out all your disc but you'll use a good amount. Some good ace runs

There's a nice blend of 200-375 ft tees, both for amateur and professionals. The longest is #18 at 563 if shooting from the pro pad.

Cons:

To me I love the course, I just feel as though there isn't a great degree of difficulty. I've only been hooked on this game for 6 months now and I feel that in another 6 I'll destroy this course. Everything is pretty much open fairways except 3, 9, 10 & 12.

Other Thoughts:

Overall it's a great course. The park itself has many different functions and great enjoyable amenities to offer for all ages and athletes. I recommend you play this course at least once.
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5 3
Charbachuk
Premium Member
Experience: 16.3 years 212 played 16 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Another Orlando Great. 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 15, 2013 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

- Located in the massive and gorgeous Gordon Barnett Park in Orlando.
- The park itself has all sorts to offer, bmx, recreation areas, ball golf putting green and driving range (I used the driving range to warm up, the nets caught the discs perfectly.)
- Baskets are all in really good condition.
- Tee-Pads are all in pretty good shape.
- Wide variety of shots; pretty much every shot and every disc in your bag will be used.
- Course is difficult but not overbearing.
- The course flows really well from hole to hole; don't expect to get lost here.
- The course also flows really well around the park, starting and finishing in the same area.
- Signature hole on the course in my opinion is the finishing hole; #18. Huge par 3 that has a deceptively tight fairway that leads 550'+ to a basket located under a nice tree.
- Couple of descent ace runs out there.
- Pro shop located on grounds.

Cons:

- The tee-signs are nothing special,don't seem very accurate in distance and could use upgrading.
- Because of the popularity of this park, the course is subject to a lot of pedestrian activity. I don't rate courses any lower for pedestrian activity as it is something the course can't be blamed for. I suggest getting there early before everyone wakes up.
- For me, the back nine becomes a Hyzer fest.

Other Thoughts:

- This course is Top 10 favorites and Top 10 in difficulty.
- This course just adds to the mystique of Orlando disc golf; Orlando is turning into a premiere disc golf destination.
- One of two courses located in the park, I would highly recommend making a day trip to play this course.
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2 4
TeeRex
Experience: 11.6 years 7 played 6 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Solid Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 17, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

To me the maintenance of the turf, the care around the baskets, I felt like this was a better course than I am used to. I haven't much experience, only playing since May 13. I liked the pads, the signage and the sludge creek (which my throws thankfully stayed out of-not so for my poor partner - Note: pro Shop had pvc pipe to retrieve disc, you don't want to walk in that muck, will sink and keep your shoe I hear). Felt like it was a real long course to play. Partner kept loosing his disc likely made it seem longer. But left course with all disc accounted for. Kinda close to some party pavilions on some holes. Not real challenging, but I'm still a beginner and found this challenging. Like the fact there is a small disc pro shop. Bought a couple discs to help keep him in business.

Cons:

Got kinda lost around 17 & 18, not marked the best.Some thinning of thick trees and lower foliage would be a dream come true.

Other Thoughts:

Going to keep playing here a fun place to play. Not the biggest challenge but fun way to pass the morning/afternoon.
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6 1
reposado
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 13.3 years 278 played 276 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Decent Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Aug 9, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

Sometimes, a course is just decent. Solid, playable but unmemorable holes. That would be an excellent description of the Parkside course at Barnett.

It's a pretty open course that would probably suit new players well. Even the the narrower fairways will seem wide open to a player accustomed to wooded courses, and the shallow creeks will give confidence in throwing over water.

The maintenance is also excellent. There were mowers going while we were there, and most of the course is rather nice looking, being in a public par with a ton of other activities. It also boasts a small pro shop. Good-enough tees, and decent signs.

There a bunch of minor water carries, as a slimy creek winds throughout the park.

Cons:

Still, its just a creek, and its not much of a challenge as far as water hazards go. On that not, there really isn't much challenge anywhere on Pakside, unless you count the muck on many of the fairways. (Does it rain a lot in Florida in the summer, sure, but Turkey Lake fairways were dry the following day.)

So Parkside is a very solid three, until the last two holes. 17 plays up parallel to a row of properties with a variety of fences. This row includes one fence with a barbed wire cover and others include dogs that go mad while your are on the fairway. There has to be another way to place a hole that will complete the course.

After all, it's not like 18 as it exists now is that necessary. It crosses over a parking area and it does feature a rather large pond, unmarked on the map that is pretty much in what looks from the tee to be an ideal landing spot. This problem could easily fixed just by changing the tee sign. Seventeen however, needs to be relocated in someway, and 18 isn't really great in its current location.

Other Thoughts:

It's a decent course that could you could definitely play regularly. I would just find a way to wrap up the course in an alternate way.
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8 1
davmer2303
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 12.1 years 25 played 24 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Central Fl. Fun 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 2, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

* Large teepads with accurate signage. This was very beneficial for some back nine holes.
* Many holes have short pads and multiple basket placements.
* I used a good variety of shots, and the differences in distance was just enough to keep things fresh
* Reasonable switching between left right and right left shots.
* Water hazzards were small but used well.
* Other than one place, the park flowed well, and was easy to navigate.
* Pro shop on site is a wonderful touch. I picked up a protege clutch and was very impressed with the variety!
* Large real bathrooms and water fountains are on site.
* Course was of moderate difficulty. New players and experienced alike should find some fun here.
* Speaking of fun, the fun factor was high. The course varied from open near the water to tighter later on. I enjoyed it quite a bit and would love to come back.

Cons:

* There was a challenging transition from 8 to 9 which required you to walk around the basketball course and cross the street. This wont be a problem next time, but be aware if you are a first timer.
* The course was often away from others, but a few holes were very close to high interest park activities. I can see how this would make some holes tough to play during busy times.

Other Thoughts:

Barnett park was a flat out awesome place! Even if you don't play DG, there was tons to do. Feel free to bring your family, because there are many hours to be filled by hiking, fishing, playgrounds, basketball, and putting on a putting green. The actual course was moderately challenging, but extremely fun. Most holes were attackable, and left me with the desire to come back. I envy those who live near this gem, because it is a lovely course indeed, and I certainly will be back!
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1 1
blueblur
Experience: 36.3 years 196 played 11 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Excellent course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 10, 2013 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Multiple tee pads and multiple pin positions. Good signage. Water is a factor on numerous holes (1,2,3 and sometime 6 depending on pin position). These are mostly canals instead of lakes. Internal park roads as OB are a big factor on holes 10,11,13,15 and 18.

Variety of distances and creative holes force you to shape lots of different shots to do well on this course.

Cons:

Can get busy with disc golfers and sometimes other park goers can interfere with play.

Loss of trees has hurt difficulty level of this course over time.

Many holes on Parkside course might be considered too easy for good players, but most holes are challenging for average players.

Other Thoughts:

Free to play. Disc golf pro shop on site. Northside disc golf course in same park is more difficult but fun. Park has other amenities like cricket, football, playgrounds, tennis, dog park, basketball, splash playground and more.
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6 4
KickballTom
Experience: 11.8 years 11 played 2 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Parkside Love 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Feb 16, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

*Two Tee Pads - Red (Up) & Blue (Back).
*Must Use Various Shots For Each Hole.
*Water Hazards & OB Come Into Play Enough To Make You Shape Shots. - Found many water hazards had long branches that were left by other Disc Golfers to help grab discs in the water.
*Extremely Easy To Navigate To Each Hole.
*Well Maintained.
*Has Pro Shop On Course !!!!!!!

The park is TREMENDOUS with all of the amenities it provides for not only Disc Golf but for Cooking/Paintball/BMX/Playgrounds/Golf Range (Net) & Putting Green -- ALL FREE

Cons:

*Water is murky and dirty and doesn't look like the county treats or cleans it so if your disc goes in you might not be able to see it AT ALL. - Make sure to bring some type of retriever for discs (Seems that many Disc Golfers have left long branches near water hazards for you to use).
*This course does get crowded and backed up at some points during the day (but only because it is the closest course when you get into the park).
*Pedestrian activity is VERY HIGH with holes being close to other park activities so be aware of arrant throws.
*Ant Hills - BE VERY AWARE OF WHERE YOU PLACE YOUR BAGS, COOLERS & TOWELS - AS WELL AS WHERE YOUR DISC COMES TO REST BEFORE YOU PICK IT UP. The hills are so massive that anything that comes in contact with it is COVERED within seconds.

Other Thoughts:

Overall - I really liked how well maintained (other than the Ant Hills) this course is. I like how the placement of the pads and baskets bring trees into play so that you have to shape your shots. The amenities alone (bathrooms/pro shop/etc) are worth playing this course. 36 HOLES !!
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4 3
rorymcd
Experience: 15.4 years 8 played 2 reviews
4.50 star(s)

All You Could Ask For 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 20, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

This course offers an excellent variety of long drives and strategic approaches, and is bound to test your arsenal of throwing styles. Signage is the best I've seen to this point in my career. It clearly indicates pin position as well as recommended approaches. Most holes have multiple tee-boxes which are also indicated on each sign. There is adequate shade throughout course to help keep up your stamina. Trash cans are present at each hole, and restrooms are readily accessible. A pro-shop with a very decent selection is available as well.

Cons:

It may be difficult for first-timers to navigate themselves through the course without a map, but that is easily fixed by arriving somewhat prepared (printable maps are available online). There are also multiple conveniently placed "Next Hole -->" signs throughout the course.
Watch for big ANT HILLS

Other Thoughts:

Overall this course is very scenic and a nice place to spend time, whether playing or not. It is a very friendly atmosphere, and most non-playing visitors are very cordial. If given a choice of the 2, I prefer this park over the North Course.
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1 5
Hyzer Soze
Experience: 19.4 years 3 played 3 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Orlando's Finest 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 23, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Easier than the North Course. Great layout, with changing pin placements and 2 different tee boxes per hole.

Great pro shop with very knowledgeable pro who is there almost everyday. He has the coldest gatorade known to man and a lost & found...so if you lose one in the woods or in the muck be sure to check with him a few days/weeks after.

Cons:

Some pedestrian traffic depending on when you play, but that is the price you pay when it's free to play.

Other Thoughts:

Play the North Course for a challenge. The course pro/designer thinks it's funny making par a myth.
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1 1
knightmare0101
Experience: 12.4 years 14 played 4 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Good, fun course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 21, 2012 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Decent layout, brings local flora into play, seems to be easier of the two courses here.

Cons:

Not too long, can get hot...take plenty of fluids to avoid heat stroke in the summer! Be aware of which basket you're shooting for. Sometimes baskets are near each other and you can get confused.
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2 3
sdervan
Experience: 15.3 years 41 played 41 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Great course in a city park 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 11, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

Course pro and pro shop on site and open.
Great signage, layout, and flow.
Good mix of long and open holes with shorter challenging type as well.
Wooded holes and water holes.
I loved the flow and foliage used to the risk reward factor.
Great tee pads
Great baskets.
Some holes have to be navigated well and shots shaped just right to have a chance at birdie.

Cons:

Busy park with a good bit of foot traffic.
Some holes play close to a busy basketball course.

Other Thoughts:

Great course and has another 18 holes as well. When I get back to Orlando, I'll make sure to hit the other 18
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6 0
pfpro
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 55 played 42 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Enjoyable FL course 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 14, 2011 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

-Multiple tee pads on many holes - if you play the "pro" tees and the basket is in a long position, it can be a little more challenging. Personal favorite was #3 in the grove protected position.
-Good signage, especially helpful for blind holes (most of them had the wingnut showing where the basket was placed.)
- Pro-shop on site
- Second Course right there!
- Not overly crowded

Cons:

-This course has water risk (as mentioned in other reviews) - so not the best for beginners. These streams are true hazards, not like the streams up north...... That being said, there is a nicely placed water fountain/spigot between 2 and 3 to rinse the muck and discs off.
- Most of the holes are relatively easy - I do think that if you played this course often, par would be achievable relatively easy.

Other Thoughts:

I saw one reviewer upset (See UPDATE) with someone trying to sell discs fished from the muck - definitely not cool to sell them - but having mucked (I played with 3 noobie coworkers, all who threw into the swamp), I believe that anything that comes out is yours - if you throw one in, and you want it back, you should wade in and get it - don't wait for someone else to get it. UPDATE - the kind moderator who I did quote earlier on the selling of the discs did let me know that it is theft to keep things that you haven't made a reasonable effort to return, which I see his point. OK, enough on the soapbox. I didn't get a chance to play the other course, but this one was enjoyable for a quick play while on a business trip. From the reviews it seems like the other course is a little more challenging. Overall, this was an enjoyable course - really enjoyable for swinging through town and playing. I have played one other FL course (Taylor over near Clearwater), and would give that a 1/2 basket advantage over this course, I felt there was more obstacles so it is a little more challenging (plus no muck). With the possibility to play 2 courses in one stop in a nicely manicured park - it's a no brainer, Just Do It!
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2 2
chainedwraith
Experience: 18.3 years 156 played 19 reviews
3.50 star(s)

One of Orlando's finest courses 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jun 11, 2011 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Fun course for a wide range of skill levels. Good mix of wooded/open fairways. Multiple tee pads and basket placements. Excellent open holes with little worry of losing discs as long as you can avoid the water on a few holes. Course sees a lot of player traffic and is well maintained. A great group of locals frequent this course so there is almost always someone friendly to throw with if you come solo.

Cons:

A few holes are a little close to sidewalks and walkways and on weekends especially expect a few delays while waiting for pedestrians to clear out. Signage looks old and could probably use an update on a few holes.

Other Thoughts:

This is one of my favorite local courses. If you came there planning to play both courses in the same visit then I recommend starting on Parkside Hole 9. This way you can flow right into North Course Hole 1 from where Parkside Hole 8 finishes. (The walk from parkside 18 to north course 1 is kinda long).
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10 0
bcr123psu
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 15.3 years 85 played 64 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Solid DG Option 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 29, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

This course was very easy to get to and sits in a well maintained park. In terms of the course design, there was a good use of water on many of the holes. Additionally, there were a decent amount of trees that were intelligently factored into the fairways, creating some variety in terms of open holes and several somewhat wooded holes. This is especially the case with hole #18 where, after a long, open fairway, the basket is nestled under a large tree with many low hanging branches. Additional variety came into play with the different number of playing surfaces, such as sand, grass, woodchips, leaves, etc.

Multiple concrete tees helps to make the course dynamic and provides players with several playing options. Additional variation comes into play with the multiple pin positions that are available on most holes.

The tee signs are hand painted, showing distance, par, and possible lines. The signs were situated in giant bulletin board style enclosures and are very easy to spot.

The course has a practice basket near the first tee. Most of the baskets at the course are in good shape.

Other park ammenities are available onsite (bathrooms, picnic tables, etc.).

Cons:

Although half of the course is fairly secluded with respect to the rest of the park, there are several holes that are too close to other public areas and walkways. Specifically, the batting cages, putting greens, and walking paths all come into play on a few of the holes making it dangerous for bystanders.

Elevation wasn't factored into the design of many of the holes and there were lots of fairways that seemed to be straight with a slight dogleg at the end. Additionally, most of the holes were of similar length and none were terribly long. This takes away from the variety and adds a touch of monotony.

Althought the tee signs had many distances listed, there wasn't a good indicator of what position the basket as in. As far as the baskets go, there were several that were beginning to show signs of wear.

Other Thoughts:

As parks go, the complex at Gordon Barnett Park is amazing and includes BMX, paintball (yeah, paintball), playgrounds, a gym, tennis courts, basketball courts, baseball fields, golf greens, and on and on. Given all these ammenities, it's no surprise that you'd find not one, but two disc golf courses on site.

One unsavory aspect unrelated to the design of the course was the local (hopefully not the onsite retailer) that I encountered while playing. He was wading through the stream, feeling around for discs and pulling them out of the water and offerred to sell me some, regardless of whether they were inked. This blatant theft was quite disappointing.

The Parkside course is not a bad play at all and makes for a fun round. This course features numerous ace and birdie runs, which could be a good confidence booster for newer players. This course is at least a 3.25 and just has enough variety justify a bump to a 3.5. Although there is another course on the same property, there is enough difference between the two to make this a good counterpart.
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11 0
discRabbit
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 25.4 years 1329 played 136 reviews
3.50 star(s)

One, two Punch in Metro Orlando 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 23, 2011 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

The Parkside course at Gordon Barnett is the probably the better maintained more beginner friendly course at the park. Parkside has a lot of natural urban-park beauty and offers a lot of really fun, but not too challenging par three holes (and one nice finishing par four from the longs). Where Parkside falls short in comparison to the North course is in its ability to punish poor shots and its overall challenge factor for highly experienced players. On the positive side, faster greens with close-cut grass make for a little bit of extra challenge in approaches and keeping drives close to the pin, a factor that isn't in play as much on the North course.

Replay-ability: The Parkside course ranks high on the replay meter for a couple of reasons. First, and perhaps most importantly is that a second eighteen hole course (North course) exists on site meaning that you'll probably only be playing half of your rounds here when you visit. Secondly, many of the holes offer multiple choices off of the tee depending on conditions and the mostly light scattering of trees means that you can find or experiment with new shots to stave off boredom. Finally, multiple pins and teepads on many holes round out the overall very high replay factor for this course.

Challenge: Most of the Parkside course consists of pretty straightforward shots that have some length. This makes for a fun challenge for most skill levels from completely new players (so long as they can play safely around the water) to experienced golfers and tournament players. The solid professional player will probably have a fun time, but because of the lack of appropriate punishment for poorly executed shots (the exception to this is probably hole 12, where several danger-zones result in VERY challenging upshots), won't find any trouble in getting up-and-down even from a bad drive. The nearby T2 course at Turkey Lake is much more effective in creating scenarios where even pro's need to hit lines and landing zones if they want to score par or better.

On-site pro shop: Gotta love seeing discs out for sale while you're playing a round. I stopped by to pick up a few used discs (my favorite!) at very reasonable prices.

Cons:

Busy with other activities: As a lot of the other reviewers have noted, there are a lot of pedestrians and other park users in this area because walking paths frequently cross over fairways and the wide open grassy areas make for a great place to picnic, play soccer, fly a kite, etc. You may find yourself having to skip a few holes or wait while other park users clear out - fortunately even if you have to skip a hole or two, there are at least thirty-plus more to play!

Risk/Reward: I'd have to say that this course has a very low risk/reward factor in that first, most holes don't have enough rough to adequately punish off-target shots and second, that experienced players won't find any reason not to try to get any birdies. Sure, there may be water in the area, but it is nowhere near 'in-play' enough to factor in an experienced players thinking.

Other Thoughts:

I was really surprised by this pair of courses, expecting only above-average pitch'n'putts and finding a nice complement of fairly challenging golf courses. Overall, if you are bringing the family or newer players, take on the Parkside course first but if you are in the mood for more of a challenge, try out the North course from the longs and hit up Parkside for a cool-down round. Either way, you've got great options!
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20 3
solomon.trenton
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 16.2 years 89 played 68 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Best in Central FLA 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 15, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

The amount there is to do at this park is absolutely astounding. BMX track, paintball, multiple playgrounds, lake for fishing, gymnasium, skate park, tennis courts, volleyball, basketball, boat ramp, dog park, golf practice area and baseball/softball fields. And it's all FREE!!! There are clean bathrooms right near the well stocked pro shop. There is lots of wildlife throughout the course (I ran into several species of birds and almost stepped on a turkey after teeing off on hole four). There is a bamboo retrieval device at the pro shop near the roof and could easily come in handy with the water holes here. There are plenty of benches scattered throughout as well as trash cans.
The tee signs are very clear and easy to read. The current pin position is marked by a wing nut painted yellow on the tee sign. There are very nice cement pads at every hole including those with rec tees. Every hole has multiple pin positions which can change the hole quite a bit. The baskets are color coded (yellow) and have next tee arrows at the base of the pole. There is a small creek that comes into play on a few holes. The course is very clean and there is no dead fall on any of the holes. There are several ace races from both tees to go with some of the long and tunneled shots. The course is mostly away from other park activities and forces you to use a variety of shots. Maps and scorecards are available near the pro shop. Lost and found is also run by the pro shop. An old Discatcher is available near the tennis courts as a practice basket.

Cons:

It's really hard to find things wrong with the course, so forgive me if I seem petty. There were two or three tee signs that weren't close to the tees. There are lots of ant hills and they are large. The water is dark, with thick mud and almost impossible to see discs that went swimming. There is some criss cross and close fairways. The course gets crowded at times(when I was finishing my round there were several groups waiting on a few holes). The cement pads are just a little narrow.

Other Thoughts:

Pro shop hours are 2-7 during the week, not sure of weekend hours.
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7 1
jkdisc
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 16.1 years 117 played 110 reviews
3.50 star(s)

2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 7, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

This was a very enjoyable course with a Pro Shop near the first tee. The Pro Shop has a nice variety of DG gear. Maps are available there as well. The course is mostly open but there are plenty of obstacles to make it fun and challenging.

Other Pros:
- multiple tees
- water hazards on several holes (canal)
- several bridges over canal
- easy to navigate
- variety of distances and turns
- 2 courses at 1 park!

Cons:

The park was busy with non-disc golf activities which is only a problem because a really bad throw can go near tennis and basketball courts.

Other Cons:
- I love water hazards but the water is murky and it's tough to see wet discs
- park hours 8am-8pm

Other Thoughts:

My favorite holes were the water hazard ones because of the risk/ reward and strategy to try to do well.
We got a little confused finding the park, the GPS brought us to the backside of the park where there was no parking. Here is the phone number on the map I got so you might find it easier: 321-276-3681.
I prefered the North Course but really enjoyed the 36 holes overall!
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