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Papakating Creek DGC reviews
13
0
Gonna Be Really Good
Reviewed:
Updated:
Played on:Sep 17, 2023
Played the course:once
Pros:
*SEPTEMBER 2023* - the course is still under construction. It is playable, and the holes are very good. But there are no tees in yet, and a few holes could use some additional clearing. The entire course will benefit from being beaten in through play; fairways will become better defined and lines will become more obvious. As long as you understand it's a work in progress and approach it as such, you will really like what Dan Doyle and volunteers are doing here. But if you're not comfortable with dirt tees and thick woods, give Papakating Creek a while and keep it on your bucket list. They're using uDisc to keep course conditions and progress up to date.***
+ DisCatcher baskets are great, though the township chose the green color - I think they picked something to "blend in" (OK, so they don't understand the point of having targets be visible). Visibility is only a problem on a few of the deeply wooded holes when there isn't a lot of sunlight.
+ The signs (distance and map) are excellent, and the wayfinding signs are red and white metal arrows, pointing to each tee respectively. Never got lost. Tee sign posts are clearly painted either red or white. And the metal numbers atop the signs are reminiscent of Brakewell and Buzzy's (not a surprise, since this is a Dan Doyle course - it's a nice "local" touch)
+ The overall design makes use of every natural feature it can. The park has a wide wetland up the middle which the layout has to avoid (and besides, who wants to play in a wetland?). After a few open holes, the front nine plays through deep woods, up and along a steep hillside. The back nine finishes bordering ballfields and a neighboring farm.
+ The two layouts reveal their differences right from the start on Hole #1: The White tee is 200' back from the Red tee - and there's a big pond between them. I didn't measure - you only need maybe 180' to clear, but it's a wide pond and it's right there staring you in the face on the first tee
+ The White layout adds 2000' and 8 strokes to par - more than sheer distance, it adds a ton of challenge: hillsides to throw down (#2) or up (#4) , adding doglegs (#5, #13), or a completely different line (#18).
+ The Red, though significantly shorter, still packs a punch. You're going for the same baskets as the Whites, so you're facing the same tricky placements, low ceilings, rollaways; etc.
+ DisCatcher baskets are great, though the township chose the green color - I think they picked something to "blend in" (OK, so they don't understand the point of having targets be visible). Visibility is only a problem on a few of the deeply wooded holes when there isn't a lot of sunlight.
+ The signs (distance and map) are excellent, and the wayfinding signs are red and white metal arrows, pointing to each tee respectively. Never got lost. Tee sign posts are clearly painted either red or white. And the metal numbers atop the signs are reminiscent of Brakewell and Buzzy's (not a surprise, since this is a Dan Doyle course - it's a nice "local" touch)
+ The overall design makes use of every natural feature it can. The park has a wide wetland up the middle which the layout has to avoid (and besides, who wants to play in a wetland?). After a few open holes, the front nine plays through deep woods, up and along a steep hillside. The back nine finishes bordering ballfields and a neighboring farm.
+ The two layouts reveal their differences right from the start on Hole #1: The White tee is 200' back from the Red tee - and there's a big pond between them. I didn't measure - you only need maybe 180' to clear, but it's a wide pond and it's right there staring you in the face on the first tee
+ The White layout adds 2000' and 8 strokes to par - more than sheer distance, it adds a ton of challenge: hillsides to throw down (#2) or up (#4) , adding doglegs (#5, #13), or a completely different line (#18).
+ The Red, though significantly shorter, still packs a punch. You're going for the same baskets as the Whites, so you're facing the same tricky placements, low ceilings, rollaways; etc.
Cons:
- As mentioned, the tees are still under construction. There was some overgrowth narrowing the lines on #3 (creating real opportunities for lost discs), and I'm not sure how often the town is going to mow the open areas. These are all just growing pains to be expected with a new course
Other Thoughts:
~ I have included a handful of pictures. Nothing comprehensive, but it will give you a flavor for the woods, some tee placements and the excellent signage
~ While playing the deeply wooded holes on the front nine, I was reminded a lot of Greystone Woods. If you know Greystone, you know that it's been a continuing evolution, beating the course in with lots of play, huge effort from an active local club building paver tees, benches and other features way out in the woods. Playing Papakating, I found myself wondering if this is what Greystone was like in its early years.
~ Playing Papakating while its still under construction, I was initially tempted to give it a sub 3.0 rating, mostly because it felt unfinished (dirt tees), and overgrown in spots (like hole #3). But the more I thought about it, the more I came to appreciate those things aside, the course is very playable - the true challenges are there. The ceilings and guardians (and water) are there. I landed on 3.5, fully expecting I will go higher in the future.
("MUST UNDERSTAND THIS IS STILL IN DEVELOPMENT")
~ While playing the deeply wooded holes on the front nine, I was reminded a lot of Greystone Woods. If you know Greystone, you know that it's been a continuing evolution, beating the course in with lots of play, huge effort from an active local club building paver tees, benches and other features way out in the woods. Playing Papakating, I found myself wondering if this is what Greystone was like in its early years.
~ Playing Papakating while its still under construction, I was initially tempted to give it a sub 3.0 rating, mostly because it felt unfinished (dirt tees), and overgrown in spots (like hole #3). But the more I thought about it, the more I came to appreciate those things aside, the course is very playable - the true challenges are there. The ceilings and guardians (and water) are there. I landed on 3.5, fully expecting I will go higher in the future.
("MUST UNDERSTAND THIS IS STILL IN DEVELOPMENT")
