Mastodon DGC reviews
12
0
EspressoPatronum
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience:
18.8 years
256 played
239 reviews
Where Have All The Mastodons Gone?
Reviewed:
Played on:May 10, 2023
Played the course:once
Pros:
- very well maintained course on Purdue Fort Wayne campus
- area is mostly devoted to disc golf and away from busier parts of campus
- some decent elevation change incorporated on a few holes where possible
- good use of next tee signs
- large concrete tees
- dual pin positions (denoted at course start)
- high quality Dynamic Veteran baskets in great shape
- practice basket
- good incorporation of creek as water hazard early in course
- mostly wooded with good technical challenge
- area is mostly devoted to disc golf and away from busier parts of campus
- some decent elevation change incorporated on a few holes where possible
- good use of next tee signs
- large concrete tees
- dual pin positions (denoted at course start)
- high quality Dynamic Veteran baskets in great shape
- practice basket
- good incorporation of creek as water hazard early in course
- mostly wooded with good technical challenge
Cons:
- some areas in woods can be very muddy
- some blind shot/near walking path safety hazards
- transit on road between 2 and 3 isn't great
- a few longer walks/navigation issues
- some of the wooded holes get repetitive and are very flat
- some wooded fairways are overly aggressive, beyond technical challenge into luck territory
- long grasses could use some maintenance on 17 and 18
- some blind shot/near walking path safety hazards
- transit on road between 2 and 3 isn't great
- a few longer walks/navigation issues
- some of the wooded holes get repetitive and are very flat
- some wooded fairways are overly aggressive, beyond technical challenge into luck territory
- long grasses could use some maintenance on 17 and 18
Other Thoughts:
Mastodon DGC is a challenging, mostly wooded course on the Purdue Fort Wayne campus. You wouldn't really know you were on a college campus, as this is off on its own, but it does increase the traffic through the course. I would have killed for a course like this on my college campus - I was stuck with Lohmann Park in Urbana, IL, a mediocre 9er a 15 minute drive away.
Overall, the level of technical challenge here is high. Some of the wooded fairways were pushing too narrow/aggressive, but you will definitely be tested on your various shot techniques and accuracy. Where the creek is in play, there are some pretty steep banks so you will want to try to avoid it. The course starts out a bit more open for the first couple of holes and doesn't really emerge from the woods much until 17 and 18. Navigation aids are pretty good, but it can get a bit confusing in the wooded teens.
There is a bit of elevation change incorporated but most of the course is flat. This doesn't take away from the challenge. Fairways are mostly isolated from each other, but there are a few notable safety hazards on this course. Walking along the road between 2 and 3 isn't great. I get it, that's the bridge over the creek, it's just not ideal. Hole 5 throws over a walking path, and the walk between 7 and 8 uses the 7 fairway to backtrack a bit. Nothing too terrible, but a few issues.
The equipment here is top notch, with newer Dynamic Veteran baskets. The Purdue themed rim colors are kind of cool. The concrete tees are large and in good shape, and having dual pin positions is always a nice touch. Note, only one position is populated at a time, which does limit your options for play. They are all the same - the whole course is either A or B, and it is noted on the sign at the start of the course. When I played the B (long) pin positions were in, which was fine, although a few of the B positions are kind of unrealistic for a single drive - things like a long, straight, narrow fairway followed by a hard dogleg - not impossible, of course, but definitely a level beyond the A position.
This course does seem like it would have some perennially muddy areas in the woods where the sun can't dry things out, but it's all manageable. Amenities are limited here, so it's best to expect to pack in/pack out and just play your round. The course seems like it's pretty busy when college students are not in class.
Overall, there wasn't a huge 'wow' factor for me here and the 4.5 and 5 ratings are definitely overinflating the quality of the course. It's a solid, demanding course that is worth playing. I can't compare to the other highly rated courses in Ft. Wayne since I haven't played them, but this one is worthy of a round if you are ready for a challenge. It took me a pretty typical 1.5 hours to play solo.
Overall, the level of technical challenge here is high. Some of the wooded fairways were pushing too narrow/aggressive, but you will definitely be tested on your various shot techniques and accuracy. Where the creek is in play, there are some pretty steep banks so you will want to try to avoid it. The course starts out a bit more open for the first couple of holes and doesn't really emerge from the woods much until 17 and 18. Navigation aids are pretty good, but it can get a bit confusing in the wooded teens.
There is a bit of elevation change incorporated but most of the course is flat. This doesn't take away from the challenge. Fairways are mostly isolated from each other, but there are a few notable safety hazards on this course. Walking along the road between 2 and 3 isn't great. I get it, that's the bridge over the creek, it's just not ideal. Hole 5 throws over a walking path, and the walk between 7 and 8 uses the 7 fairway to backtrack a bit. Nothing too terrible, but a few issues.
The equipment here is top notch, with newer Dynamic Veteran baskets. The Purdue themed rim colors are kind of cool. The concrete tees are large and in good shape, and having dual pin positions is always a nice touch. Note, only one position is populated at a time, which does limit your options for play. They are all the same - the whole course is either A or B, and it is noted on the sign at the start of the course. When I played the B (long) pin positions were in, which was fine, although a few of the B positions are kind of unrealistic for a single drive - things like a long, straight, narrow fairway followed by a hard dogleg - not impossible, of course, but definitely a level beyond the A position.
This course does seem like it would have some perennially muddy areas in the woods where the sun can't dry things out, but it's all manageable. Amenities are limited here, so it's best to expect to pack in/pack out and just play your round. The course seems like it's pretty busy when college students are not in class.
Overall, there wasn't a huge 'wow' factor for me here and the 4.5 and 5 ratings are definitely overinflating the quality of the course. It's a solid, demanding course that is worth playing. I can't compare to the other highly rated courses in Ft. Wayne since I haven't played them, but this one is worthy of a round if you are ready for a challenge. It took me a pretty typical 1.5 hours to play solo.
13
1
"I'm talking about form, I'm talking about content, I'm talking about interrelationships..."
Reviewed:
Played on:Oct 1, 2022
Played the course:once
Pros:
- Purdue Ft. Wayne's Mastodon DGC provides 18 holes of challenging golf for intermediate to advanced level players. Two sets of tees (on many but not all holes) and two pin positions (but only one basket per hole) add a mix-and-match variety for repeat play value. Gold Tees are the more challenging, while the blacks still over a pretty solid course layout. The A pins are considered the "easier" of the two, with B pins offering a chewier placement. Pin positions are marked by a sign at the kiosk near hole #1. I played Gold Tees to B Pins so my review will reflect that layout.
- Elevation, where it exists, comes into play subtly. Hole #2's basket and green is backdropped by a creek and some brush after a slight downhill. Hole #5 has a long sloping downhill. The A pin is on a large berm. B pin tucked to the right with creek behind both. Hole #17 is a slight downhill dogleg right to a basket backdropped by creek. Hole #'s 3 & 18 are slightly uphill affairs, the former along and then into a patch of thick woods, the latter an open, up-and-over affair. A lot of the rest of the course plays through a noticeably flat wooded area, but the designer utilized whatever scraps are there.
-The real winner here is the wooded portion of the course. This is a pretty heavily wooded course in total, despite a handful of holes at the beginning and end (#'s 1, 2, 17, 18) being on the more open end of things. Narrow, tree-strewn fairways up the difficulty factor. The rough isn't the worst I've seen but bad shots are fairly punished with a recovery shot due to the denser tree growth in places (e.g., #'s 3, 5, 6).
- Amenities: good concrete tees, descriptive accurate signage, good flow (with one exception: see cons section), kiosk with pin position info. Mandos marked where designated. Practice basket.
- Elevation, where it exists, comes into play subtly. Hole #2's basket and green is backdropped by a creek and some brush after a slight downhill. Hole #5 has a long sloping downhill. The A pin is on a large berm. B pin tucked to the right with creek behind both. Hole #17 is a slight downhill dogleg right to a basket backdropped by creek. Hole #'s 3 & 18 are slightly uphill affairs, the former along and then into a patch of thick woods, the latter an open, up-and-over affair. A lot of the rest of the course plays through a noticeably flat wooded area, but the designer utilized whatever scraps are there.
-The real winner here is the wooded portion of the course. This is a pretty heavily wooded course in total, despite a handful of holes at the beginning and end (#'s 1, 2, 17, 18) being on the more open end of things. Narrow, tree-strewn fairways up the difficulty factor. The rough isn't the worst I've seen but bad shots are fairly punished with a recovery shot due to the denser tree growth in places (e.g., #'s 3, 5, 6).
- Amenities: good concrete tees, descriptive accurate signage, good flow (with one exception: see cons section), kiosk with pin position info. Mandos marked where designated. Practice basket.
Cons:
- Not a fan of the walk-on-the road transition from hole #2 to #3. From a safety standpoint, from an aesthetic choice, and from a good flow aspect it's sketchy at best. By no means a deal-breaker, and I see why they did it, but still not a fan.
- Unfortunately, and against the best efforts by the designers, who overall did a very good job, the general flat woodedness of many holes started to blend together without much to distinguish between several.
- The flat wooded area also looks to get variable amounts of standing water/mud.
- For a "gold" level course, this falls a bit on the easier side of things. No water carries, very little elevation and nothing epic, and a lot of non-descript heavily wooded but kinda flat holes of varying lengths. I'm by no means even close to a gold-level player but managed quite well on this course, so I imagine more aggressive, experienced players would eat this layout for lunch. As a black-level design, this would be a pretty challenging course for beginners, and maybe a bit boring for more advanced players.
- Unfortunately, and against the best efforts by the designers, who overall did a very good job, the general flat woodedness of many holes started to blend together without much to distinguish between several.
- The flat wooded area also looks to get variable amounts of standing water/mud.
- For a "gold" level course, this falls a bit on the easier side of things. No water carries, very little elevation and nothing epic, and a lot of non-descript heavily wooded but kinda flat holes of varying lengths. I'm by no means even close to a gold-level player but managed quite well on this course, so I imagine more aggressive, experienced players would eat this layout for lunch. As a black-level design, this would be a pretty challenging course for beginners, and maybe a bit boring for more advanced players.
Other Thoughts:
- Definitely don't let my lengthy-ish "cons" section dissuade you from hitting Mastodon, this course is quality goodness, especially if you love hitting lines through trees.
- If I check my Jukester's Dictionary, I find the following entry:
Mastodon
:a massive wooly tusked beast.
Seems about right.
- If I check my Jukester's Dictionary, I find the following entry:
Mastodon
:a massive wooly tusked beast. Seems about right.
8
0
TwietmeyerDG
Experience:
4 played
3 reviews
Hit your gaps! 2+ years drive by
Reviewed:
Played on:Mar 26, 2021
Played the course:5+ times
Pros:
- This course features excellent tees and baskets.
- Very well marked.
- It demands a variety of shot types, especially when the pins are in the B position.
- This course is pretty and clean.
- Lots of parking, easy course to follow.
- Course changes pin positions often enough, but not too often.
- Very well marked.
- It demands a variety of shot types, especially when the pins are in the B position.
- This course is pretty and clean.
- Lots of parking, easy course to follow.
- Course changes pin positions often enough, but not too often.
Cons:
- Sometimes they lock the front gate before you finish your round! I've been locked in once and had to call campus patrol to get me out!
Other Thoughts:
This course demands precision more than pure power. It can be particularly punishing if you miss any of the gaps. This can either be fun and challenging or demoralizing. Again, some of the gaps off the tee are super tight.
10
0
Good, with a lot of potential 2+ years
Reviewed:
Updated:
Played on:Jul 12, 2020
Played the course:once
Pros:
-Truly a unique course to the area. The course is made up of predominately tight wooded lines.
-Great course to improve your ability to throw straight/mostly straight shots. Holes 6 -16 really require you to hit a line. You are rewarded for staying on the fairway, but not terribly punished for hitting a tree. Most of the time, you'll be able to get back to the fairway from the rough.
-Multiple tee and pin positions with varying difficulty. Black and A pins = easiest. Gold and B pins = hardest. A pins were up on my play through. The B pins REALLY change out the flow, often forcing completely different throws.
-There's an enormous amount of parking & harder pin/tee positions create what I consider to be a pro-level layout.
-Great signage. Outside of maybe the walk to hole 3 (which you pass on your way into the park. It's hard to get lost.
-Concrete tee pads
-Course forces you to put the drivers away and play with mid-ranges and putters. That's very different from most area courses.
-Great course to improve your ability to throw straight/mostly straight shots. Holes 6 -16 really require you to hit a line. You are rewarded for staying on the fairway, but not terribly punished for hitting a tree. Most of the time, you'll be able to get back to the fairway from the rough.
-Multiple tee and pin positions with varying difficulty. Black and A pins = easiest. Gold and B pins = hardest. A pins were up on my play through. The B pins REALLY change out the flow, often forcing completely different throws.
-There's an enormous amount of parking & harder pin/tee positions create what I consider to be a pro-level layout.
-Great signage. Outside of maybe the walk to hole 3 (which you pass on your way into the park. It's hard to get lost.
-Concrete tee pads
-Course forces you to put the drivers away and play with mid-ranges and putters. That's very different from most area courses.
Cons:
-Playing the A pins and black tees, parts of the course get boring. The stretch between 6 and 16 feels like slight variations of the same hole. Hit the line in front of you, and fade a little bit.
-In that hole 6 - 16 stretch, there's a lack of room for creativity as a thrower. In most instances there's either: 1 line, 1 gap to hit, or 1 tree to miss. You will have to get creative if you end up off the fairway but not from the tee.
-In that hole 6 - 16 stretch, there's a lack of room for creativity as a thrower. In most instances there's either: 1 line, 1 gap to hit, or 1 tree to miss. You will have to get creative if you end up off the fairway but not from the tee.
Other Thoughts:
I think this course is a great addition to the Fort Wayne area, and a great course to improve your game on.
Outside of a few holes, throwing a driver will probably punish you more than help you.
This is a "hit the line" course, not a "shape a shot" course.
Holes 3 &14 from the Gold tee to the B pin position may be the hardest holes in Fort Wayne. I only walked those layouts, but they are intense.
UPDATE:
Posting this about 10 months after my original review. Played the black tees to the B positions, and I left the course feeling completely different. The B pins are a much better layout for an advanced player. Must get birdies become challenging par 3's or legitimate 2 shot par 4's.
The B positions also force different shots.Hole 8 goes from a RHFH with a slight fade to a RHBH with flex. Hole 10 goes from a short straight shot to a 150-200 foot layup off the tee to set yourself up for a 200+ tunnel shot to the basket.
Great variation here increases my ranking!
Outside of a few holes, throwing a driver will probably punish you more than help you.
This is a "hit the line" course, not a "shape a shot" course.
Holes 3 &14 from the Gold tee to the B pin position may be the hardest holes in Fort Wayne. I only walked those layouts, but they are intense.
UPDATE:
Posting this about 10 months after my original review. Played the black tees to the B positions, and I left the course feeling completely different. The B pins are a much better layout for an advanced player. Must get birdies become challenging par 3's or legitimate 2 shot par 4's.
The B positions also force different shots.Hole 8 goes from a RHFH with a slight fade to a RHBH with flex. Hole 10 goes from a short straight shot to a 150-200 foot layup off the tee to set yourself up for a 200+ tunnel shot to the basket.
Great variation here increases my ranking!
6
3
brocasarea
Experience:
1 played
1 reviews
Come for the challenge, stay for the fun! 2+ years drive by
Reviewed:
Played on:Oct 19, 2019
Played the course:5+ times
Pros:
This is my absolute favorite course in the Fort Wayne area. Many challenging wooded holes, but the rough isn't too rough. Very tight, technical short holes to longer, established fairways. One can still get creative with their shots. Great signage, great flow, multiple tee and pin positions to challenge and keep the interest of every level of disc golfer.
-Chuck McBride
-Chuck McBride
Cons:
My only complaint (And I think it has been said before.) is that there are no restrooms at the course.
Other Thoughts:
Do not miss this course if you're in the area visiting!
5
2
waggonab
Experience:
2 played
2 reviews
One of the Best I've Played! 2+ years drive by
Reviewed:
Played on:Oct 22, 2019
Played the course:2-4 times
Pros:
Multiple tee pads and set up for A & B baskets (A when I played). This course has the best signage I've seen on a disc golf course. Not only do the signs for each hole look great and are informative, there are signs clearly marking where to go next. It may be the only course I've played where you don't actually NEED the Udisc app to know where to go next. LOVE the Purdue logo'd baskets, they just look sharp. The course was very challenging, but there is always an obvious clear route to take and it doesn't require sheer luck to make it to the basket like some courses in the woods.
Cons:
The only con I can think of is that you just don't get much opportunity to use your driver, because the course is primarily wooded and technical. Hole 3 and 18 require a driver. Other than that, you can pretty much keep it in the bag.
4
6
sambfwin
Experience:
3 played
3 reviews
Gold (and Black) Standard 2+ years drive by
Reviewed:
Played on:Oct 19, 2019
Played the course:5+ times
Pros:
Nice quality signage, tee-pads and baskets. 5 open holes / 13 technical holes. A nice mix of subtle and dramatic elevation changes. The shorter technical holes are also tighter. Hole 14 is very picturesque. There are multiple tee-pads and pin placements that are clearly marked. The gold course to the B pins is supremely challenging, but the black tees to the A pins make for a easier (not easy) stroll. There is a par 5 on the Gold Course when the pins are in the B locations. There are several par 4s on the gold course whether the pins are in A or B. I appreciate that, so far, the course caretakers keep the pins in all A or all B at the same time. I wouldn't say the course would never flood, but it has been studied for a year including times when other courses are mostly submerged and this one did not flood according to what the course designers told me.
Cons:
It's not enough for me to lower the rating, but I think there could be a novice layout that would add value to the course. Also, there are no restrooms at all, so go prepared.
