Braidwood, IL

Old Smokey City Park

1.885(based on 4 reviews)
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Old Smokey City Park reviews

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8 0
EspressoPatronum
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 19.4 years 316 played 302 reviews
1.50 star(s)

Passable About Sums It Up

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 6, 2024 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

- DISCatcher baskets showing their age but catching well enough
- hole numbers on baskets
- good mix of hole lengths
- some limited elevation change incorporated on holes 5-7
- good size parking lot

Cons:

- several baskets are now crooked
- very confusing navigation; no aids
- natural tees only, some of which aren't obvious
- very mediocre tee signs which are in rough shape
- very flat and open on most holes
- almost no technical challenge
- hole 2 throws directly over walking path
- holes 3 and 9 play in one of the baseball outfields
- holes 7 and 8 throw over service road
- no real amenities
- virtually no redeeming qualities to make this an interesting place to play

Other Thoughts:

There are not many positives to find here beyond this being a course with 9 baskets and tee signs. This course is showing its age. I'm not convinced it was much to get excited about even in its prime. If you're all the way down in Braidwood, there isn't much else around, but there are way better courses if you travel a bit.

The baskets are old and in many cases crooked. Some of the tee signs no longer have anything that could be considered a map. Some of the tee areas are far from level. Navigation is confusing in places and there are no aids at all. I threw to the wrong baskets a couple of times.

There are several safety hazards here as noted above, but the park doesn't appear to get that busy so infractions are probably very limited. It's still a subpar design though. A couple of holes throw over some minor hills and that's about the only interesting note here. The baseball field looks completely abandoned and overgrown with weeds, but if anyone is ever using it, baskets for 3 and 9 are more or less in the outfield. There are a few mature trees here and there but the course is pretty wide open.

The fact Old Smokey had serviceable tee signs and baskets kept me from dropping it to a 1.0, but I found the round here boring and tedious. I do not plan to return and by the time I finished I was happy to be done. If you're looking to air out some driving practice this place is fine, but even for a beginner I'd find a more interesting course to show them why disc golf is fun.
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9 0
letsgobulls_24
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 14.6 years 587 played 19 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Southland Trio - Open course 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Mar 16, 2020 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

This is a great course to practice your mid and short game. Most shots are fairly open, although I noticed a bunch of trees have been planted near holes 3, 4 and 8 to add some challenge in the future. I particularly enjoy the hilltop shots on holes 5 and 6. There are several ace run opportunities; however, clever placement on a few baskets requires pinpoint accuracy. Very little chance to lose plastic here.

Cons:

It's a shame that the Old Smokey hill was removed a few years back- it made for an excellent elevated first shot on Hole 1. Several mature trees were also removed near the basket, presumably to make the approach less crowded, but I don't find either of these changes to be an improvement. The course would benefit from some quality of life updates, including adding practice baskets, seating, more accurate signage, concrete tees, "next tee" signs and garbage cans.

Other Thoughts:

This is a beginner friendly course that still has some challenge to shoot below par. Only Hole 7 is longer than 300 feet (400 to be exact) so experienced players won't be cranking drivers much here.

*This is one of three local courses that are within 20 minutes of each other. Rivals Lookout Park is a scenic course with some technical shots that sits along the Kankakee River. Archer Park DGC is set amongst rolling hills and has some steep, elevated holes. All three are low traffic and a decent leg to hone your skills. I'm a guide for these courses, so don't hesitate to contact me for information or possibly play a round together.
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3 1
mrbro855
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 11.2 years 391 played 106 reviews
1.50 star(s)

It's a Course 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 17, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

Somebody wanted a course here really bad. This is in a park with several ball fields, a basketball court and a lot of construction.
Nine holes, all marked with adequate signage. On line map is accurate, so course was easy to follow.
Man made elevation.... in other words they used the piles of dumped dirt with vegetation growing on them for several baskets.
Tee pads were grass spots except for the three that used the path asphalt. Spots were marked with signs as well as two white discs (one with hole number) from which you threw between.
Hole #5- Short left around a tree to the basket on top of the hill
Hole #6- Straight throw between the piles to basket on side of a hill and
Hole #7- Long throw (400) from top of a hill across a flat field to the basket.

Cons:

Despite the quirky three hill holes, was a very flat boring course with a minimum of tree obstacles.

Other Thoughts:

Having just played a bunch of courses in Chicago over the last few weeks, this one was a disappointment.

Boring park in the middle of no where with a boring course.

But..... a course is a course.... this one rates as passable.... just barely.

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3 0
brewstermusic
Experience: 11.4 years 49 played 4 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Nice 9 hole round. 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 28, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

-Good variety of lines and distance
-Uses small hills well
-Nice, clean park
-Fairways and other activities shouldn't interfere with each other.

Cons:

-It was difficult to tell which basket was for the right hole for #9 and #3.
-Mostly open field shots.
-Only one hole over 300'

Other Thoughts:

It's fair to say that a road trip to this course might not be in an advanced player's future. If you live nearby or are passing through, you're in luck. Only one shot (7) is longer than 280 feet, but they use the small wooded picnic area well for 1 and 2. Most of the others are pretty wide open. The interesting thing for me was the placement of basket 4 behind a group of trees and the use of the mounds on 5, 6, and 7.
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