North Branch DGC reviews
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MisterJ
Experience:
7.7 years
36 played
22 reviews
Neat course but not my favorite 2+ years drive by
Reviewed:
Played on:Aug 16, 2018
Played the course:2-4 times
Pros:
TeePads/Baskets - Even though the teepads are grass, I think they're great, no ruts and isn't like old concrete that splits and gets uneven or is too short for the hole. The baskets are new and are fine, would be nice if they had a basket number on them, but that's nit picking.
Signage - Signs are new and show length, par, hole, and a little map of the hole which is reasonably accurate. I like the signs.
Variety - With the area they are working with the variety is fine. Many RHBH, but mixes in some backhand. Water/heavy rough, rollers, and pinpoint accuracy as well.
Congestion - I went a couple of times, both during the summer, and both during lunch. I only saw 1 person on the course, and it was a person walking a dog and they only stepped onto the course. Once they saw me, they turned and left.
Signage - Signs are new and show length, par, hole, and a little map of the hole which is reasonably accurate. I like the signs.
Variety - With the area they are working with the variety is fine. Many RHBH, but mixes in some backhand. Water/heavy rough, rollers, and pinpoint accuracy as well.
Congestion - I went a couple of times, both during the summer, and both during lunch. I only saw 1 person on the course, and it was a person walking a dog and they only stepped onto the course. Once they saw me, they turned and left.
Cons:
Aesthetic - I wasn't sure if aesthesis were a pro or a con. It's a nice open course, it's clear of trash and rubbish. It has some rolling hills to add to the aesthesis. But there really isn't any water, if water actually flowed down that river, that'd be nice. Instead, boundaries of the course are thick underbrush, picker bushes, burr bushes, and mostly non-blossoming tall weeds which now give me the jitters. So I marked aesthetics as con but if someone twisted my arm I could just put it as a PRO.
Challenge - The course definitely has its challenges. But risk versus reward isn't there, and the challenge doesn't seem to be based on a disc golfers mind. A disc golfer creating a normal course would look at lines, and variety on each hole. And typically on a hole less than 350 feet they'd say, if I throw this line perfectly I'll either get a hole in one, or lay within 10 feet, but if I miss my line then I'm hoping for Par at best. This course just sticks a basket in a very difficult place. Like hole 2, I can't get a disc to make that cut on my drive, RHBH drive of 250 and then 90 degrees left otherwise in the brush and trees. Or Hole 3, again 250 feet then 90 degrees left over 3 foot tall weeds, but all the lines have you hoping you'll miss the fallen tree with small spindly branches. Or hole 7 which is long, and evergreens are random 250-300 feet down the fairway, then the 3 foot tall weeds and then the basket, I see no line. Hole 8, that's just a shot in the dark, throw at that bunch of trees and hope it goes in and drops down into the basket before hitting the woods behind. Finally there's hole 10, no clue how you thread that needle because those Spruce's are big and getting bigger.
Fun - As soon as I step on the course, the first hole I'm enjoying things. New course, nice open rolling hills. But once I see how the holes are planned (or unplanned), the joy begins to fade for me. Mostly because I got a decent arm and my accuracy can be decent at times, so I'm always looking for lines to hit a hole in one for 300foot holes or less. But I went alone, and I found that was a mistake, especially first time, cuz the basket wasn't exactly as pictured. My first time playing the grass hadn't been mowed, so it took a little searching for a well thrown drive. But once I started hitting the unforgiving deep brush rough, my smile faded fast.
Locatability - I'd say the course is easy to find, and hole1 relatively easy to find especially with the map provided. The map helps show the flow of the course, it was a little tough because some baskets are really buried. But I guess the worst part is the overall location of this course is in Attica, never really heard of Attica, it is up north a bit making this not the most ideal course to get to.
Maintained/Bugs - I'd be shocked if the bugs got too bad here, I only came in midday, but it was fine. 3 or 4 fairways go over the dried up riverbed, and that riverbed has 3 foot tall disc eating brush. Also, they only mow the rest of the fairways once a week, and it can get upwards of a foot tall in that week which can make locating a nicely thrown disc difficult. I wouldn't list this as a major CON, however I almost had this category as PRO until I thought about why I won't be coming back here much. First reason is location being too far away. But second is that brush pile in 4 fairways that used to be the river. I can navigate a river, but if I throw a low flier and it will land within a few feet of the basket, this riverbed's weeds can knock down my decently thrown disk down the fairway and take it forever.
Challenge - The course definitely has its challenges. But risk versus reward isn't there, and the challenge doesn't seem to be based on a disc golfers mind. A disc golfer creating a normal course would look at lines, and variety on each hole. And typically on a hole less than 350 feet they'd say, if I throw this line perfectly I'll either get a hole in one, or lay within 10 feet, but if I miss my line then I'm hoping for Par at best. This course just sticks a basket in a very difficult place. Like hole 2, I can't get a disc to make that cut on my drive, RHBH drive of 250 and then 90 degrees left otherwise in the brush and trees. Or Hole 3, again 250 feet then 90 degrees left over 3 foot tall weeds, but all the lines have you hoping you'll miss the fallen tree with small spindly branches. Or hole 7 which is long, and evergreens are random 250-300 feet down the fairway, then the 3 foot tall weeds and then the basket, I see no line. Hole 8, that's just a shot in the dark, throw at that bunch of trees and hope it goes in and drops down into the basket before hitting the woods behind. Finally there's hole 10, no clue how you thread that needle because those Spruce's are big and getting bigger.
Fun - As soon as I step on the course, the first hole I'm enjoying things. New course, nice open rolling hills. But once I see how the holes are planned (or unplanned), the joy begins to fade for me. Mostly because I got a decent arm and my accuracy can be decent at times, so I'm always looking for lines to hit a hole in one for 300foot holes or less. But I went alone, and I found that was a mistake, especially first time, cuz the basket wasn't exactly as pictured. My first time playing the grass hadn't been mowed, so it took a little searching for a well thrown drive. But once I started hitting the unforgiving deep brush rough, my smile faded fast.
Locatability - I'd say the course is easy to find, and hole1 relatively easy to find especially with the map provided. The map helps show the flow of the course, it was a little tough because some baskets are really buried. But I guess the worst part is the overall location of this course is in Attica, never really heard of Attica, it is up north a bit making this not the most ideal course to get to.
Maintained/Bugs - I'd be shocked if the bugs got too bad here, I only came in midday, but it was fine. 3 or 4 fairways go over the dried up riverbed, and that riverbed has 3 foot tall disc eating brush. Also, they only mow the rest of the fairways once a week, and it can get upwards of a foot tall in that week which can make locating a nicely thrown disc difficult. I wouldn't list this as a major CON, however I almost had this category as PRO until I thought about why I won't be coming back here much. First reason is location being too far away. But second is that brush pile in 4 fairways that used to be the river. I can navigate a river, but if I throw a low flier and it will land within a few feet of the basket, this riverbed's weeds can knock down my decently thrown disk down the fairway and take it forever.
Other Thoughts:
Whats holding it back from higher rating -
I like water, or little creeks on holes, nice change. But leaving that thick vegetation is not good, if there was any way to cut that deep rough that's in the fairways, I'd rate this at least 1 point higher. Also, if the baskets could be moved, or some trees could be cut to make for some sight lines and driving lanes, they don't have to be too big of a lane, just something that entices you to thinking it is possible to get a hole in one. With this change I'd give it another .5 or 1 point.
Kid Friendly -
I'm not going to call this course kid friendly. Most holes are 300 - 450 feet which is a bit long, but with the thick rough kids would be a mess. Additionally, holes generally play side by side, so if kids were running here and there is may take away from the enjoyment from others on the course.
Older/Less Active Player Friendly-
I'm not going to say this is super friendly for Older/Less Active players. The hills aren't gigantic, but compared to other courses that are almost all flat I could see them laboring. There really isn't anywhere to sit, no benches, just grass. Plus it is a longer course for such a compact 12 hole course. But on the good side, with the wide open layout, these kinds of players can exit the park just about any time relatively easily.
Rookie Friendly -
If a rookie is out this way, they may consider this course as long as they come with a spotter and keep the round light-hearted. With the unforgiving rough being so tight to throwing lanes, I think Rookie's may get dejected even when they have some decent throws and still lose a disc. But there aren't a lot of courses out this way.
Average Player Friendly-
For the average player I'd say, bring a friend. Still going to need a spotter, but they can work on some things like uphill drives, blind drives. They may have some fun.
Pro Player Friendly-
With the variety and volume of courses pro's have seen, I would think this wouldn't be a place they'd stop into. The risk vs reward isn't there. Really isn't any one thing I can point to that says a Pro would really like this.
I like water, or little creeks on holes, nice change. But leaving that thick vegetation is not good, if there was any way to cut that deep rough that's in the fairways, I'd rate this at least 1 point higher. Also, if the baskets could be moved, or some trees could be cut to make for some sight lines and driving lanes, they don't have to be too big of a lane, just something that entices you to thinking it is possible to get a hole in one. With this change I'd give it another .5 or 1 point.
Kid Friendly -
I'm not going to call this course kid friendly. Most holes are 300 - 450 feet which is a bit long, but with the thick rough kids would be a mess. Additionally, holes generally play side by side, so if kids were running here and there is may take away from the enjoyment from others on the course.
Older/Less Active Player Friendly-
I'm not going to say this is super friendly for Older/Less Active players. The hills aren't gigantic, but compared to other courses that are almost all flat I could see them laboring. There really isn't anywhere to sit, no benches, just grass. Plus it is a longer course for such a compact 12 hole course. But on the good side, with the wide open layout, these kinds of players can exit the park just about any time relatively easily.
Rookie Friendly -
If a rookie is out this way, they may consider this course as long as they come with a spotter and keep the round light-hearted. With the unforgiving rough being so tight to throwing lanes, I think Rookie's may get dejected even when they have some decent throws and still lose a disc. But there aren't a lot of courses out this way.
Average Player Friendly-
For the average player I'd say, bring a friend. Still going to need a spotter, but they can work on some things like uphill drives, blind drives. They may have some fun.
Pro Player Friendly-
With the variety and volume of courses pro's have seen, I would think this wouldn't be a place they'd stop into. The risk vs reward isn't there. Really isn't any one thing I can point to that says a Pro would really like this.
