Grizzly Oaks reviews
4
1
MisterJ
Experience:
7.7 years
36 played
22 reviews
Calm the Excitement 2+ years drive by
Reviewed:
Played on:Apr 14, 2017
Played the course:once
Pros:
Challenge - I struggle with whether there was real challenge on this course. Designing a course to flow, and force you to work to find certain lines or lay it up or else go to the rough, and then work hole after hole on something different. That is a challenge, seeing something new, water, and elevation, risk and reward. I don't think this course really flows, mostly forehand, seems like they put a tee-pad, and a basket and said that is a nice hole because look at all the bushes and trees in the way but didn't plan for how or maintenance. Challenge means a good golfer comes up, finds his line, throws her (or his) perfect throw and boom nails the nazz. Not so much here, too much random trees in the line, or extra branches to take that line. But there is some challenge, you can see where someone did put some thought to it, and some of the holes there is structure and challenge and less randomness.
Fun - I had fun. I've wanted to go to this course for a while. I'm excited kids on campus can go here, and although it may not be the best, or best kept, it's still theirs and it's walking distance. Going one time, with my wife, had fun, yes I did.
Congestion - no way, not congested. FYI, we parked on the other side of the track, didn't know where this course was really, and asked multiple people, kids playing at the sports area's there. No one even knew they had disc golf, and it was like a couple hundred yards away. In April, there was just a couple people there. But if there are more than a couple people here, it can get dangerous. A gentlemen's dual at 278 feet, because many holes you are throwing very near the hole you left or where you are going. Kinda freaky when you see a gungslinger do their run-up towards you and release as you do yours with nowhere to go because you are following thru.
Fun - I had fun. I've wanted to go to this course for a while. I'm excited kids on campus can go here, and although it may not be the best, or best kept, it's still theirs and it's walking distance. Going one time, with my wife, had fun, yes I did.
Congestion - no way, not congested. FYI, we parked on the other side of the track, didn't know where this course was really, and asked multiple people, kids playing at the sports area's there. No one even knew they had disc golf, and it was like a couple hundred yards away. In April, there was just a couple people there. But if there are more than a couple people here, it can get dangerous. A gentlemen's dual at 278 feet, because many holes you are throwing very near the hole you left or where you are going. Kinda freaky when you see a gungslinger do their run-up towards you and release as you do yours with nowhere to go because you are following thru.
Cons:
Aesthetic - There is nothing really eye-catching about this course, except that you may get really excited you found a disc, but no, its garbage that looks like a disc hidden in the rough. Kinda neat it is by the track and in a University, but it doesn't have that feel. Feels more, more like a backyard.
TeePads/Baskets - Again struggled with pro or con. And since the teepads were so worn, I'd call them really bad. The baskets were fine, only probably was for a new person seeing them, visually, most are metal and blend, and the course isn't that easy to navigate until a better map shows, so I had to say, this wasn't the stronger point of the course.
Signage - Signage, where? Don't rely on the basket having the same number on it's post and above the basket. Don't rely on there being an arrow or any indicator to where the next hole is or signs telling you distance, par... Sometimes there is, but mostly no. For me, I smiled every time I found that there was anything recognizable as the correct number on the teepad I just found, and when I rang the chains I was throwing at, if at least one of the numbers on the basket matched the number I expected I gave a good woo-woo (after hole 1, it wasn't until I got to tee-pad 2 that what we realized the basket we thought was 1 we just rang up, was for a different hole, oops).
Variety - Oh boy, this is really going to sound like I am bagging on this course. And I do like it of sorts. But as far as variety, I would say, no, no way. No super long, no super tall, no downhill, no water, no tunnel, no mountains or rivers or lakes... It is limited but you get it. There was variety in the amount of different garbage I looked at thinking it was a disc though, really weird at how many things look like a disc at this place, who brings and leaves plates, or whatever else the heck we saw?
Locatability - I'm going to say it is NOT easy to locate, but hopefully I'll throw a better map on here. We parked where the map it left us. And I looked at the satellites and started walking, but it was blocked off by a Track Event. And we weren't even sure we were going the right way, when we asked people, nobody even knew there was a disc golf course on campus. Really difficult to find, perhaps on purpose, maybe some folks didn't want this place to get too busy. Then the signs, which I talked about, those make it difficult to get around and find, and coupled with the locating the baskets on each hole which can be a task due to the current maps, all lead to not good.
Maintained/Bugs - In April there were no bugs, that's good. But even in April, the trees, which had no leaves on them, were so big, and the branches just seem not well planned, and the rough, jeez it is so rough. Pickers and thorns and it can be thick, keep in mind this is April, and I don't even see growth yet. Come July, I am not sure how this course will be playable, the rough of grass will be 4 feet high eating small children, the rough of picker bushes will be eating the wary traveler, and the fairways, well, what fairway because things were pretty overgrown as it was but I could get thru and see with no leaves or new growth, but not sure what it would look like in Green (I do like green). I won't be back in July, Aug, Sept.
TeePads/Baskets - Again struggled with pro or con. And since the teepads were so worn, I'd call them really bad. The baskets were fine, only probably was for a new person seeing them, visually, most are metal and blend, and the course isn't that easy to navigate until a better map shows, so I had to say, this wasn't the stronger point of the course.
Signage - Signage, where? Don't rely on the basket having the same number on it's post and above the basket. Don't rely on there being an arrow or any indicator to where the next hole is or signs telling you distance, par... Sometimes there is, but mostly no. For me, I smiled every time I found that there was anything recognizable as the correct number on the teepad I just found, and when I rang the chains I was throwing at, if at least one of the numbers on the basket matched the number I expected I gave a good woo-woo (after hole 1, it wasn't until I got to tee-pad 2 that what we realized the basket we thought was 1 we just rang up, was for a different hole, oops).
Variety - Oh boy, this is really going to sound like I am bagging on this course. And I do like it of sorts. But as far as variety, I would say, no, no way. No super long, no super tall, no downhill, no water, no tunnel, no mountains or rivers or lakes... It is limited but you get it. There was variety in the amount of different garbage I looked at thinking it was a disc though, really weird at how many things look like a disc at this place, who brings and leaves plates, or whatever else the heck we saw?
Locatability - I'm going to say it is NOT easy to locate, but hopefully I'll throw a better map on here. We parked where the map it left us. And I looked at the satellites and started walking, but it was blocked off by a Track Event. And we weren't even sure we were going the right way, when we asked people, nobody even knew there was a disc golf course on campus. Really difficult to find, perhaps on purpose, maybe some folks didn't want this place to get too busy. Then the signs, which I talked about, those make it difficult to get around and find, and coupled with the locating the baskets on each hole which can be a task due to the current maps, all lead to not good.
Maintained/Bugs - In April there were no bugs, that's good. But even in April, the trees, which had no leaves on them, were so big, and the branches just seem not well planned, and the rough, jeez it is so rough. Pickers and thorns and it can be thick, keep in mind this is April, and I don't even see growth yet. Come July, I am not sure how this course will be playable, the rough of grass will be 4 feet high eating small children, the rough of picker bushes will be eating the wary traveler, and the fairways, well, what fairway because things were pretty overgrown as it was but I could get thru and see with no leaves or new growth, but not sure what it would look like in Green (I do like green). I won't be back in July, Aug, Sept.
Other Thoughts:
Whats holding it back from higher rating - Other reviews have a lot to say in regards to this. So I won't go thru the hole by hole. Since this is on a campus, it's gonna have some extra trash, and it's probably going to be vandalized a bit. I'm not sure if this was the vision or if money ran short and they couldn't finish a few things on many holes, but the lines just aren't good, too random which leads to saying maintenance. Add some signs if you can, scratch out the ones saying the wrong stuff.
Kid Friendly - Maybe up until June kids may like this course just fine, but bug season, not so much, or when the pickers are thick and the grass swallows more children than discs.
Older/Less Active Player Friendly - Yes, and maybe no. The course I think is a nice shorter course which they may be able to get around just fine. But the problem is the long trek getting to the course. But if they get dropped off at the front, then they may be in the business.
Rookie Friendly - If you're in the area, they may have some fun here. Don't get discouraged with the layout or the fact that lines are just bullied out by Mother Nature.
Average Player Friendly - Yes, there is going to be some things here for you, if you pick your times, and your company. There is fun, and with help there could be more in this course.
Pro Player Friendly - I don't know, nobody's perfect right, one errant throw and your tunneling thru an 8' tall and twenty foot deep picker bush to get your limited edition comet, or you search 25 minutes thru the 4' tall grass off the fairway which you'll find on a handful of holes. No risk/reward here for you unless you go to school here. But still, better opportunities are close.
Kid Friendly - Maybe up until June kids may like this course just fine, but bug season, not so much, or when the pickers are thick and the grass swallows more children than discs.
Older/Less Active Player Friendly - Yes, and maybe no. The course I think is a nice shorter course which they may be able to get around just fine. But the problem is the long trek getting to the course. But if they get dropped off at the front, then they may be in the business.
Rookie Friendly - If you're in the area, they may have some fun here. Don't get discouraged with the layout or the fact that lines are just bullied out by Mother Nature.
Average Player Friendly - Yes, there is going to be some things here for you, if you pick your times, and your company. There is fun, and with help there could be more in this course.
Pro Player Friendly - I don't know, nobody's perfect right, one errant throw and your tunneling thru an 8' tall and twenty foot deep picker bush to get your limited edition comet, or you search 25 minutes thru the 4' tall grass off the fairway which you'll find on a handful of holes. No risk/reward here for you unless you go to school here. But still, better opportunities are close.
4
1
kw83028
Experience:
13.8 years
79 played
25 reviews
Mixed Emotions 2+ years
Reviewed:
Played on:Sep 21, 2015
Played the course:once
Pros:
-OU is back!!
-The old holes that were used are still really good
-Baskets - a lot of new/new looking DGA Mach2's. All in great repair with correct hole number plates
-Fairways mowed
-The old holes that were used are still really good
-Baskets - a lot of new/new looking DGA Mach2's. All in great repair with correct hole number plates
-Fairways mowed
Cons:
-The new layout is very dangerous in my opinion, and one of the main reasons that I rated the course so low. See other thoughts
-Teepads are the same old rubber sheets on top of wooden platforms. The teepads are very worn and slippery. We had quite a few bad slips and 2 fall downs in just 18 holes
-Rough is extremely rough with tons of thorns
-Only a couple trash cans and a couple places to sit
-No tee signs, no next hole signs, no hole numbers at the tees
-Navigation was ok, there were a couple spots that we had to walk around to find the next tee
-A bunch of the new holes are just filler putter holes
-Teepads are the same old rubber sheets on top of wooden platforms. The teepads are very worn and slippery. We had quite a few bad slips and 2 fall downs in just 18 holes
-Rough is extremely rough with tons of thorns
-Only a couple trash cans and a couple places to sit
-No tee signs, no next hole signs, no hole numbers at the tees
-Navigation was ok, there were a couple spots that we had to walk around to find the next tee
-A bunch of the new holes are just filler putter holes
Other Thoughts:
We were all excited to go play the redesigned Grizzly Oaks. I left feeling very disappointed. My biggest concern is that there are a TON of spots where discs will be flying at you from other holes. A couple spots had baskets and tees within 40ft of each other. If the course is busy, it is a guarantee that there will be discs from other holes coming at you.
The new holes for the course are just filler holes, filled in to tiny spots next to other holes. Most of them are short putter shots. The old holes that remained were the only highlights to the course. It felt good playing them again.
IF I go back there, I won't throw from the teepads. Natural ground is far more safe than those things.
Here are my hole thoughts:
1. The old hole 4, but cut down in size. Still a good hole
2. New pin placement from the old #5, short, cut up to the right. Look out for drives from hole 1
3. Kind of an impossible drive, but then opens up. A couple trees could probably be removed
4. Decent tight hole with a little distance
5. One of the old holes, good placement shot with putter or mid
6. One of the old holes, tough, guarded right turner
7. Another old hole, semi tight drive that opens up, right turner
8. Old hole, right turner, gap guarded by a big tree
9. Old hole, split fairway. Right path is more open, but left path has direct shot at the basket
10. Old hole along the ravine straight down the path
11. Old hole, up and over the bushes in the middle
12. Old hole, tough to get through the line of trees, a sky shot of some sort would work well
13.Short, straight up the gut
14. Short and straight, look out for other discs!
15. Right turner, decent distance
16. Short putter. Look out for other discs!
17. Old hole, tucked behind the tall trees center left.
18. Short tunnel, tucked right
I struggled with figuring out a rating for this course. 3 is "Good" and I felt that the dangers and the teepads did not warrant a 3 rating. A 2.5 rating is "Decent/Typical" and I feel that a course isn't decent/typical if I have no want to play it again, so a 2 rating is what I give it. It's not a terrible course. Probably a decent course for a beginner, as long as it's not busy. This course would have been far better as a 12-14 hole course. The new holes do nothing except for cluster it up for just putter shots.
The new holes for the course are just filler holes, filled in to tiny spots next to other holes. Most of them are short putter shots. The old holes that remained were the only highlights to the course. It felt good playing them again.
IF I go back there, I won't throw from the teepads. Natural ground is far more safe than those things.
Here are my hole thoughts:
1. The old hole 4, but cut down in size. Still a good hole
2. New pin placement from the old #5, short, cut up to the right. Look out for drives from hole 1
3. Kind of an impossible drive, but then opens up. A couple trees could probably be removed
4. Decent tight hole with a little distance
5. One of the old holes, good placement shot with putter or mid
6. One of the old holes, tough, guarded right turner
7. Another old hole, semi tight drive that opens up, right turner
8. Old hole, right turner, gap guarded by a big tree
9. Old hole, split fairway. Right path is more open, but left path has direct shot at the basket
10. Old hole along the ravine straight down the path
11. Old hole, up and over the bushes in the middle
12. Old hole, tough to get through the line of trees, a sky shot of some sort would work well
13.Short, straight up the gut
14. Short and straight, look out for other discs!
15. Right turner, decent distance
16. Short putter. Look out for other discs!
17. Old hole, tucked behind the tall trees center left.
18. Short tunnel, tucked right
I struggled with figuring out a rating for this course. 3 is "Good" and I felt that the dangers and the teepads did not warrant a 3 rating. A 2.5 rating is "Decent/Typical" and I feel that a course isn't decent/typical if I have no want to play it again, so a 2 rating is what I give it. It's not a terrible course. Probably a decent course for a beginner, as long as it's not busy. This course would have been far better as a 12-14 hole course. The new holes do nothing except for cluster it up for just putter shots.
