Dexter, MI

Hudson Mills Metropark - Monster

4.175(based on 36 reviews)
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Hudson Mills Metropark - Monster reviews

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4 0
takman
Experience: 23 years 124 played 25 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Dream course! 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 13, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

-24 holes with multiple pads for all skill levels
-Open holes had a very groomed feel that seemed typical of the elite Michigan Parks
-Hudson Mills Original right next door for 24 more holes

Cons:

-Fees to play, which was new to me coming from NC. I actually got a ticket from a hippie on a golf cart for not having my arm band. Honest mistake, as I missed the fee altogether on my way out of the park office. I keep it as a souvenir with my trophies

Other Thoughts:

Had wanted to play tis course since I watched my first DG video of the 2000 Worlds. It was a Mecca course for me and it did not disappoint. Played a mixture of tees on both Hudson Mills courses but got them all in. A true field of dreams for disc golf.
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3 9
Spike Hyzer 23
Experience: 31.3 years 92 played 88 reviews
4.50 star(s)

The Monster 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 16, 2003 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

I don't really want to get into much detail about this course, because what I said about the original holds true here: it's got a mix of short and long, it's heavily wooded, it requires right and left and straight shots, and it has very protected greens.

It huge, great challenging disc golf and more than worth the money.

Cons:

The only con on this course is that it is named the Monster based on one hole. One damn long 1000 foot monster of a hole that was the most difficult 5 I ever took.
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4 0
davetherocketguy
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 20.3 years 114 played 105 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Better than original but WHERE IS THE NEXT HOLE?? 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 6, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

- Baskets all in great shape.
- Each hole is a well thought out design to challenge all levels of play.
- Love the holes with two baskets giving those holes 4 different ways to play it.
- Concrete tees on both shorts and longs which is fantastic of course.
- Just like on the original course there are nicely painted 4x4's with distances and maps of the hole engraved on them.

Cons:

- This is a rather spread out course which in and of itself is not so bad BUT the navigation is completely miserable. I cannot stress enough how important it is to get a map of the course or play with someone who knows their way around. Even with a map it was pure luck I found #3. Good grief.
- The course plays 200' to 300' holes and then WHAM. 1000' footer. LOL WUT? It's sooooo out of place here and feels just wonky.
- As with the original course none of the holes really stood out to me as spectacular...just pretty much consistently above average so a 4.0 it is.
- Prairie grass...have I told you how much I hate this stuff?

Other Thoughts:

Having 2 courses on site is great and to me makes the money paid at the gate well worth it. There is a lot of value to be had here. Where else are you going to get 48 unique holes to play at one location? Get here and play. You won't regret it.

Just like with my review of original, there are your typical assortment of irritants and critters to be wary of. The one to pay particular attention to is the Michigan Rattler. Apparently, it's been spotted on this course so be mindful of that and leave those critters alone. They won't go out of their way to bite unless they're being pestered or otherwise annoyed and are definitely poisonous.
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0 9
PuttPuttPutt
Experience: 4 played 4 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Satisfying, minus the snake and deep brush. 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 19, 2014 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Variety of distances - premium on straight shots - the signature hole 14 - the front nine.

Cons:

Deep brush is seriously annoying, why not just keep it mowed, determine an OOB, and just let us add a stroke to our scores? I'd rather add a throw to my card than waste time and money looking for discs.

Other Thoughts:

Also, spotted a Mississauga snake, between the birdhouses, on 14. Hudson Mills knew about this; what did they do and did they tell anyone?
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3 1
PsyStal
Experience: 18.4 years 16 played 13 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Solid Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 11, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

This course is set in a beautiful park, and is well maintained. There's a reasonable variety of shots, and some unique holes that give the course its own flavor. It's also right beside another 24 hole course, so you can disc golf all day!

Cons:

Cost is simply too high for one-time visitors. Paying $5 per car to enter the park, and another $2 per person for the course is steep, and the course is not unusually well-maintained. I've played on plenty of free and low cost courses that were equally, or better, groomed.

The rough is absurd on some of the holes, and is likely to result in some lost discs. The layout on holes that are otherwise real standouts (such as 18), is negatively impacted by the presence of seriously thick rough areas that are well within play. I appreciate a challenging course, but I loathe wasting time looking for discs that should be easy to find. Use spotters on every hole, especially if this is your first time.

Other Thoughts:

This course lives up to its name - it's a Monster. The length is going to be rough on most players, especially if played in conjunction with the "Original" course. What makes this course a true Monster is the unforgiving rough, and if you don't have the greatest aim, plan to spend some time looking for discs. This course eats them!
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6 0
apdrvya
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 14.5 years 354 played 299 reviews
4.00 star(s)

a slightly longer review than the last few. 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 4, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

Aesthetic-- plays through a portion of a large metro park, shares land with walking/riding trails.

Teepads-- all the same length (thankfully) and in good repair.

Teesigns-- as with the original course, these are adequate. nice to have teesigns at both tees along with the "pro" pin placement teesigns.

Mach III baskets-- nice, in good repair. could certainly add reflective tape to increase visibility.

extra added features-- having dual tees is pretty bitchin (in and of itself) but having dual pins on some holes is pretty sweet. I will say though, that the "pro" pin placements SUCKED. always at the end of a narrow "hallway" requiring a park job on the "shorter" pin in order to make par on the "pro." this could certainly have been done FAR better.

Pin placement-- specifically on a group of the lettered holes is PHENOMENAL. there are some killer pin placements under trees or over ridges that make this place special

challenge-- hole A has to be one of the most challenging straight ahead holes ever. depending on the tee you select, either you throw out of a very low, tight tunnel and into a grove of trees or you throw from the front of the tunnel to the grove of trees with the basket at the end of a small tunnel (again), intimidating to say the least!

Cons:

Routing and navigation-- there are some places here that I had no idea where the next tee was and would have been completely lost with out our guides. the lettered holes are NOT marked as they are on the Original course with a 18/24 hole sign. You cross roads and paved trails several times during your round, be careful.

hole 14--14 is just such a monster. it seems so out of place and awkward on this course... with the max length on EVERY other long tee being sub 500' and then the long is >1000' and the short is >600' it just doesn't fit this course.

Repetition-- very much like the original course, there is a good bit of repetition with the field holes. the short holes at the beginning of the course were nice to "warm up" to the course though.

Other Thoughts:

i liked this course and it had some very unique features but there were certainly some limitations to this course.
I really enjoyed the Original course better than this course but with some of the additional "special" consideration items, I rated them the same.
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2 4
a3wasp
Experience: 18.4 years 29 played 6 reviews
4.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 30, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

This course has a lot of challenging holes, but it also comes with a lot of chances to deuce. Some of the fairways can be pretty tight but it you go off of the fairway it isn't a terrible shot. You can still get a pretty good up shot. There is also a pretty cool long hole (#14).

Cons:

Hole #11 doesn't have a very clear line, there are two large trees on either side that make it impossible to throw around them. Also the basket is off to the left, usually I end up throwing a roller just to get it down the fairway. The extras on this course could also use a little cleaning up.

Other Thoughts:

This course for the most part is flat, however there are "some" hills.
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2 2
MikelNovack
Experience: 6 played 5 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Very nice course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 26, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

Cement tee pads

Nice baskets

Some fun LONG holes

Polite players

Nice bathrooms along the course

Cons:

Some long walks to a few holes

Thats about it, if you want to count the park fee as a con like I mentioned in my other review of the Original course I guess you could.

Other Thoughts:

I liked this course but found the Original more to my liking, I'm sure thats just personal preference. Both courses are worth making the hour drive a friend and I made to play them
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2 5
Gyro
Experience: 13.6 years 17 played 17 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Another big park 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 12, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

Well trimmed and very well maintained course, but there was very thick underbrush if you got off the fairway.
Nice variety of challenging shots

Cons:

It was a little confusing to find some of the holes. Had to use the map on the scorecard to figure it out.

Other Thoughts:

Great park all the way around
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7 0
mashnut
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 22.7 years 831 played 777 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Challenging and rough 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 27, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

The course plays through a hilly wooded area with thick brush. A few holes play out in more open areas, offering some distance and often some wind to contend with. Most of the holes play through woods with thick enough rough to make you really pay for missing your line. There is a nice variety of left and right turning holes, you'll need to hit a bunch of different lines to score well here.

There's a good mix of hole lengths, from ace runs to some long tricky holes including one over 1000' where you really have to plan your landing zones to stay out of trouble. Dual tees add even more variety, they change the length on the holes, and many of the longs offer an additional pinch point or a trickier line off the tee. The tees are nice large concrete pads, with basic signage at both sets of tees. A handful of holes have dual baskets, the longs are often tucked back into protected spots that add some nice additional challenge. The park office has discs and snacks for sale.

Cons:

WIth some long blind holes and nasty rough, lost discs (and lost blood) are a real hazard here, spotters go a long way. The holes out in the open get a little repetitive, and the long grass rough does more to frustrate players rather than add real disc golf challenge in my opinion. There are a few navigation issues, especially where the course crosses the road, nothing major but you might have to spend a little extra time the first time through figuring out the layout.

Other Thoughts:

This is a nice complex, with two fun courses and a good mix of different challenges. Beginners will find some tough challenges even from the shorts, the distances are reasonable but the rough might get frustrating. More experienced players will need to bring a full skill set and accurate drives to score well and stay out of trouble. The fee to play is reasonable, and it seems like it goes into course maintenance and improvement. I do find it a little annoying when disc golfers pay for the park and for the course when other park users don't pay additional fees for amenities that are more expensive to maintain and install.
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2 0
elrumpo
Experience: 13.5 years 12 played 12 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Another awesome course! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 1, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

- 24 holes (plus 24 more on the original course)
- multiple tee pads per hole, all in great shape
- some holes have multiple baskets
- lots of longer holes (longer than the original course)
- good variation in hole design, makes you think a lot
- good tee signs for the holes
- great park surrounding the course, provides lots of activities
- bathrooms and food right by the parking lot
- course design is great, makes great use of natural obstacles and terrain
- some creative holes that clearly had a lot of thought put into them
- great to have two courses so close together (starting from the same parking lot) so you can get your whole days golfing in easily!

Cons:

- $5 car fee + $2 player fee (but totally worth it!)
- one ridiculously long 1038 ft hole...insane!

Other Thoughts:

Between this course and the original I think I like the original a tiny bit more. Both are fabulous and I would love to play them both more often. This one just didn't have as much polish on some holes. Probably because it is newer.

This course is still amazing and a ton of fun to play on. It's well worth the drive from a few hours away because you can spend all day exploring the park and get two rounds of 24 holes in on two exceptional courses!

The park clearly loves the disc golfers who come here. There are signs specifically guiding us from the entrance to the courses, and they make it super easy to get your required wrist band and find everything.

Make sure to print a course map before coming...there were none next to the first tee as many stated that there were. Maybe because it is getting late in the season?

**update: there are almost apparently maps/scorecards in the activities center!
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3 0
innovajohnny5
Experience: 15.4 years 15 played 7 reviews
4.00 star(s)

HUDSON MILLS DISC DERBY 2+ years drive by

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

Pros:

Very Challenging Course. If you are intermediate players play the yellow tees or advanced play the black tees. Well marked for the most part. A few addl' "next tee" markers would help. Whatever style of play you have you should have a blast playing here. Long / short tee mix. And the tees are concrete and in great shape. Well trimmed where you play - very heavy brush when you get off course.

Cons:

You do have to pay per vehicle and per disc golfer. I understand the maintanance involved. But it may be alot if you play here regularly. I came from Cleveland so the $9 fee for my son and I wasn't bad. I was glad to donate to the cause. If I had to do it a dozen times or more a year it may takes its toll. I dont know any courses in Ohio that you pay to play (that I've played at least). Plus you "have to" have a wrist band or the maintenance personnel that ride around in the golf cart will "bust" you. Also some of the holes are heavily wooded. If you are off a little you can easily lose a disc as my son did. Brand new disc too.

Other Thoughts:

For playing the first time, I did pretty well. Mostly lucky shots off trees instead of into them like I usually do. Some open long shots and good hyzer and anhyzer shots on this course. On Hole #15 threw a BH sharp hyzer over the thick brush/trees. I hit it right was a 1 putt for a 2. The hole just looks hard. #16 is fun - its open to the basket - I just let it rip. #17 I Sidearmed my Destoyer with a slight Hyzer. It put me about 10 ft with a one putt. #18 is a b%$#@h. I took a 4 on it. I tried a clean throw to the clearing before the bridge but ended up in the woods ( if you have strong arm throw it over the whole d*&mn mess). My son and I saw a King Snake as we crossed the bridge. At first thought - it was a massasauga - differnt markings - no poison too bad. My son got past the talls trees and thicket and he was home free. He took a 3. All in all a great course to play at. For a 3 hour drive from Cleveland it was worth it!!!
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7 0
bjreagh
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 28.2 years 353 played 321 reviews
4.00 star(s)

2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 19, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

The Complex- Hudson Mills is a large park that is home to two excellent 24-hole courses. The park itself is on a large and gorgeous piece of land. All of the park, including the courses, is very well maintained and has a "country club" feel to it - (no trash, neatly mowed, nice people, etc.) The parking lot is convenient to the start of both courses. And we took advantage of the picnic tables there and had a nice relaxing picnic lunch between rounds.

The Course- 2 sets of concrete tees, informative tee signs, large sign indicates where the course begins, and good baskets as you should expect. Navigation is a little trickier than on the Original since you have to cross the road a couple of times, but there are usually clearly mowed paths, good signs, and a course map available. The biggest challenge here is staying on the fairways, the rough is super thick and extremely punishing. There was a lot more variety of holes on the Monster (compared to the Original), mainly in that it utilizes elevation a lot more and the variance of hole distances ranged from 190' - 1038' from the long tees. Overall, each of the 24 holes is solid and there are no bad or throwaway holes.

Signature holes could be #14- at over 1000' it was not a "wide-open throw-out-your-arm" hole, but rather you have to break the hole down by shot and place each one strategically to avoid the rough and the isolated trees in the middle of the fairway. #18 is a love/hate type hole that plays blindly over a creek at an awkward angle.

Cons:

The Course- The middle section stays out in the open for several holes in a row, and they do offer a little break from the dense woods holes, but they started to get repetitive, and they looked like many of the holes on the Original course. (I remember thinking to myself sarcastically "Haven't I played these already?")

The rough is super thick and deep and the chances of losing a disc are much greater on the Monster, than on the Original. If you do happen to go deep in the rough and find your disc, chances are you are going to get some battle wounds from branches and thorns.

The parks people on the golf carts do their job well of making sure people follow the rules, but sometimes they just come out of nowhere and sneak up on you. They like to talk about disc golf and their course, which is cool, but 1 worker on a cart talked to us for at least 15 minutes in the middle of the round and we sort of had to rudely walk away while he rambled or we would have caused a backup on the tee!

The Complex- I would prefer the holes to be renumbered 1-24 instead of A-F thrown in the middle, but this seems to be common for many courses in Michigan.

If you played here regularly it would cost you a bit as you have to pay to enter the park and to play each day. Locals would want to purchase a yearly pass if they were going to play a lot as $7 a day would add up quickly.

Other Thoughts:

The Course- Monster is more difficult and more demanding than the Original. It is a great test of skill and mental toughness. You have to keep your game face on while playing the Monster, where on the Original you can relax a little.

The Complex- This park takes a lot of pride in these courses, and the fee to play here is totally worth, especially if you are coming here from out of town just to play it once or twice. Teeing off without paying is against the law and is strictly enforced, as we witnessed on Monster tee #1 a group of boys waiting to tee off after us get caught by a worker in a golf cart who seemingly came out of nowhere!

I really enjoyed playing both of these fine courses. They offer challenges to most anybody's game, but still provide a good dose of fun. These courses complement each other well, and I see why this is a great place for tournaments.
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4 0
Mark R
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 22.4 years 118 played 90 reviews
4.00 star(s)

2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Apr 13, 2011 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Shares many positive traits with the Original course, such as great maintenance and signs, and lots of benches.

Easy for players new to the course to play without having to look around for the next hole. Signs are well-designed, yet simple-to-understand and have accurate distances posted.

Well-labelled black and gold tees, contrasting with the blue/red tees of the original course. Two large cement tee pads for each hole, a big plus. However, unlike the Original course, many holes have multiple 'championship' baskets, making a total of four different hole configurations at some holes.

Alternate holes (A-F) are brutal, long and narrow fairways (not unlike Oshtemo Hole 2) that are perilous if you miss the fairway.

In addition to the extra baskets, the best holes on the Monster course tend to be a little bigger, more epic and more diverse than the Original course, making it the slightly better course of the two.

Hole 14 plays as long as 1000 feet, but stays engaging and entertaining the whole way, and is just the right width for its length.

Cons:

Rough on this course is rougher and easier to lose discs on, though not as rough as Meyer Broadway.

As with original, the details are done right, but the land itself lacks some of the topographical features of the best West Michigan courses. Walking trails have a negative impact on privacy.

A fairly long ways from nearby stores and restaurants, so it's best to fully supply ahead of time (there is a pop machine on site).

A fully realized course, improving it seems difficult.

Other Thoughts:

Has indoor bathrooms and a small shop with discs, but the shop wasn't open on Sunday (bathrooms were still open).

Course is challenging on a level even with Leviathan, and may be discouraging for newer players, and can be a bit cruel to those who need a little room on the right-hand side to drive (lefty-friendly). Takes about three full hours to play all 24 holes.

Pay-to-play ($5 to get in, $2 disc golf fee). Annual fee $50.
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1 0
sbrody44
Experience: 14.4 years 8 played 4 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Monsterous Indeed 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 19, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

-Course Upkeep. Phenomenal. Beautiful
-Tee Pads. They are huge. I like it.
-Layout. This course seems to be a backhand friendly course, but also has many different opportunities for other shots.
-Signs. There are sign with the hole layout and distances at each tee pad.
-Challenge. This course certainly keeps you on your toes throughout.

Cons:

-Slightly confusing for a newcomer. Finding some the holes was a bit of a challenge if you've never been here before.
-Baskets. Not a fan of the Mach 3's. Seemed too narrow. I've never had so many putts go in and out of the basket. I could have been having an off day with putting also so dont hold me to that. haha

Other Thoughts:

A terrific course. Well worth the trip. I would suggest it to anyone. It has a variety of shot opportunities as well as some massive lengths on some holes. Definitely a fun and challenging course.
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2 0
T Wrecks
Experience: 24.4 years 78 played 2 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Stomping Grounds 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 15, 2010 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Dual Pads, and alot of variety. Alternate baskets on 6 holes make some of the holes pretty tricky. I love this course, and I think the pay to play is only helping.

Cons:

The only thing I don't like about the monster course is the wind. If it's windy out here, good luck trying to read it. It seems to always swirl, especially on the extras.

Other Thoughts:

This course taught me how to play, and is the home of my first ace. I still travel home just to play Hudson Mills.
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4 0
ZMan44
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 20.6 years 179 played 110 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Stay in the Fairway! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 19, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

Hudson Mills Metropark is the home of 2 excellent courses. The Monster Course has excellent tees and baskets. The groundskeeping was above average. Elevation was more of a factor on the Monster course than on the Original. This course offered less options off the tee than the other course. This is not a bad thing as it promotes the use of an array of shots. While the Original course had a few holes with multiple options of flight paths. The Monster forces the player to execute a certain shot varying for different holes. I carry about 22 discs, and I used a greater number of discs on this course than any other course on our tour. The monster adds some distance to the challenge. Shooting below par on the Monster course is a lot more of a feat than shooting below par on the Original. Higher level players will probably prefer the challenge of the Monster course. The really, really long hole was intersting to me. While I don't have a long arm, I thought the hole was well-designed. There were definitely landing areas that the designer had in mind in order to navigate the trees in the fairway. I have now played two holes over 1000 feet, and this was the better of the two. Hole #24 was an excellent finishing hole....probably my favorite hole on the course.

Cons:

I understand the challenging aspect of thick rough. However, the rough on the Monster course was a little over-the-top in my opinion. Losing discs is a definite possibility. Simply retrieving an errant throw can be dangerous. While the groundskeeping was above-average, it seemed like the Monster course was less "refined". My guess is that since the other course is named "Original", that this course was added more recently. Maybe in a few years the maturation will be more evident.

Other Thoughts:

The Monster Course is an excellent complement to the Original course. The Monster is much more challenging, but much less mature. I can see this course being enjoyed more by players with more skill than me. I shot around 5 over and I didn't feel to bad considering I had never played the course before. I only added that part so you can derive your own ideas of the course based on my skill level. While I rated the Original course slightly higher, it was simply because of the maturity of the course. In a few years, these courses will probably be much closer based on that criterium.

The park is rather large and has a few other things going on. However, other users of the park did not interfere with our round, and I can't imagine this being a recurring problem.

If you are in the area, Hudson Mills is definitely a stop that you should make. In my opinion it is worthy of "destination course" status. When combined, the two courses offer immense challenges without losing the "fun" aspect of disc golf.
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4 1
STXCougar
Experience: 20.5 years 19 played 4 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Beast 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 4, 2010 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Very challenging course especially from the pro tees. pretty good variation with some tight fairways. well kept and nice tees and some holes offer multiple baskets.

Cons:

bugs, can be crowded but most people play the original course. thick undergrowth and vegetation on sides of fairways if u have a bad throw may spend a while looking for your disk.

Other Thoughts:

bug spray, and bring a good strong arm and far flying disc
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4 0
BucketBonanza
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 22.4 years 47 played 30 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Round Two 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 25, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

Hudson Mills Metropark is a great place to play disc golf. The quality of this park is superb. It appears as though the fees are being put to good use in the upkeep of this beautiful park. It is easy to feel like an honored guest here due to the fact that the course is so pristine and pleasing to the eye. Monster stands next to the Original as the second great reason to visit this park. Or the first great reason depending upon your preference.

Immaculately maintained fairways are standard at every hole here. Concrete tee pads that are perfectly sized await you at either a long or short position.

Signs are present at every hole showing distance and a general idea of the direction to follow as a pin seeker. Scorecards with a detailed map are available as well, although this course is quite easy to follow apart from a few confusing spots.

Some holes offer dual baskets which make for an easy way to change up the adventure and keep things interesting. The terrain is mildly hilly at some points which adds some diversity and keeps things from getting stagnant due to flat and unremarkable turf.

There is a good variety of length here from the pro tees. A full range of distances from 190 feet all the way up to 1038 with the majority being in the 300 to 400 range gives a player plentiful opportunities to throw different discs and use their shot making abilities and tactical skills.

Cons:

Not many problems with Monster. With some nit picking, the dual baskets have potential to confuse the uninitiated and in most cases they seem to be strangely deployed in tight little crevices. They certainly do add spice and variety for those who wish to shoot for them. The short tees seem really short and dare it be said quite easy? Very fun though and great for beginners. Hole 17 is hidden away a bit and may require a hunt. Use your map, Magellan. Hole 18 may possibly be one of the most poorly designed and unreasonable holes ever plotted from a play standpoint. Seriously what do you do there?

Other Thoughts:

The two courses contained within the confines of Hudson Mills Metropark are agreed by many to be among the best in the great state of Michigan. This park is without a doubt worthy of being considered a destination. The surrounding areas are rife with solid courses that are begging to be explored as well. Those who are serious about the game would be well served by visiting Hudson Mills. These courses are pretty much the definition of what makes up excellence. Bordering on phenomenal. A solid experience.
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9 0
BogeyNoMore
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 20.4 years 512 played 183 reviews
4.00 star(s)

This Monster isn't friendly 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jul 18, 2010 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Several unique holes, a wonderful mix of dogleg left and right, short, long, and longer demand your constant attention. Mostly flat, but significant terrain changes come into play.

Large, dual concrete tee pads (long and short) on every hole.
Permanent (more challenging) alternate pin locations provide up to 4 different ways to play 6 of the holes. How's that for variety?

Great job adjusting the challenge from short to long tees. The long pads challenge both your distance and control as the fairways off the longs are quite narrow, which means there are fewer lines to work and a smaller window to hit. Fairways open up quiet a bit around the shorts, requiring far less precision on your drives. While this technique is employed on the Original course, it's executed to perfection on The Monster.

Supplemental holes A-F can get monotonous, but 6 consecutive long tunnel shots are great for testing how consistently you can throw flat and straight for distance. Can certainly affect how players finish in a tourney, as getting off the fairway here is likely to cost at least a stroke.

After you hole out on F, you've played 19 holes, have walked about 2 miles, and maybe you're feeling a bit drained. You approach the next tee and think "Am I seeing things? Was there an extra digit in there?" Nope - the tee sign is for real. Hole 14 tests your couarge,conviction and control, with 1038' between you and the basket, that requires more than a little control to avoid some VERY hazardous brush (650' from the short tee is no gimme either).

The Monster finishes with a great hole that corkscrews over a narrow gap flanked by trees and brush, with a pond waiting to swallow hyzers that fade hard.

Cons:

Not a good course to try out new shots or find out how that new driver works for you. You better know how you're gonna get to the basket from the tee, 'cause if you just wing it... can you say "lost disc?"

Although things open up in a few spots, you really need to keep your shots on a pretty tight line - The Monster makes you pay for shots that get away from you (sometimes in blood). The brush lining the fairways is thick, and frequently thorny (the stuff off the right side of 14 is downright dangerous).

Several blind holes and hazardous rough make spotters more than just a convenience. The brush on some holes is so thick that even if you have a good idea where you came down, finding your disc can still be iffy.

Home to Sistrurus catenatus, better known as the Massasauga rattlesnake - the only poisonous snake native to Michigan. They don't get very large (18"-30") but that dosn't matter much, does it?

Other Thoughts:

Hudson Mills is more accommodating to DG'ers than any place I've been to. Case in point: Sun, 6/26/11 was Disc Golf Appreciation Day, with events and prizes just for DG'ers. With two excellent, wonderfully maintained, 24 hole courses, Hudson Mills is a premier disc golf destination. It's specifically because of this that The Monster doesn't get the credit it deserves for being the tournament caliber course that it is. It's often just lumped in as one of two great courses at Hudson Mills, but this bad boy stands on it's own merit.
Take your time and make a day of it. Play one course, enjoy the scenery, rest at the Activity Center, grab a bite and recharge... then go out for another round.

Exceptionally well maintained: neatly mowed fairways, fresh wood chips around all the baskets, spacious dual concrete tee pads, nice tee signs with distance and hole layout for both tee pads, practice basket, score cards w/maps and pencils with erasers. The park office where you pay is conveniently located near the parking lot between the Original and Monster courses. Inside you'll find a well stocked snack bar (burgers, fries, chicken fingers, pizza, snack foods, drinks) with clean, comfortable tables and chairs and CLEAN bathrooms (indeed a rarity on on most courses I've played). This is the most welcoming place to play disc golf I know of.
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