Scenic.
Another disc golf course is always a plus.

Bugs are really bad.
No tee signs
half the baskets don't have numbers.
Poor Flow

I hope this course improves or is considered under construction. As of now with the complete lack of tee signage I find it tedious at best to play a round here.

Top notch scenery, including #8 along a Tampa Bay beach. Great baskets. Interesting variety of shots including slight elevation on a few. Both long and short tees, two of which truly change the nature of the holes (3 & 4, with the shorter tees saving this old man's arm). Good signage and directional arrows. Virtually no standing water after a heavy rain--will be dry when most of the area's courses have water issues.

Rubber mat tees: great texture but some would consider them a tad short. Occasionally have to skip scenic #8 due to oblivious sunbathers. Summer bugs. Some thick/grassy rough--consider brightly colored discs (I called my favorite Sidewinder "picnic island pink").

Great fun for having only nine holes. Some players make it 18 by switching tees for a second round. Picnic is expanding to 18, hopefully before 2015 ends. This will add another waterside hole, some more distance holes, and even more variety. This will truly be a destination course!

Great risk/reward holes, the signature dog leg left par 4, and evergreens that will swallow discs altogether. Dog park beach next to the 8th hole by Tampa Bay is pretty and red and blue tees create different view of holes when you play 18. Great course

The park can get busy with people bbqing and not paying attention to flying discs. There are no other cons and this is a real fun course that utilizes length, finesse, and strategy

Have someone spot on a few hole as you can lose discs very easily in the evergreens, palms, and thick brush

Nice signage. Tees were o.k.. very easy to navagate. Views to kill for... nicely marked baskets with big arrows pointing to the next tee.

Only 9 holes. Dont think I would have found it without my G.P.S.

I would play it again if I get back to tampa.

To set the table... This review comes from an intermediate level primarily LHFH player with a PDGA rating of around 890.

Scenery - Picnic Island is one of the most unique courses I've ever played. It reminds me of a links style ball golf course with some rolling Florida hills, interesting thick patches of bush and rough to punish errant drives, and constantly changing wind directions. The tall palms at 7 and 8 are pretty darn cool to throw around too! Just don't let those palms catch your disc. They tend to want to keep them on you. Hole 8 you have the most unique water hazard that I've ever played, the Tampa Bay!

Challenge - The challenge factor is there, on the long tees especially. Normally what I do is play 9 from the short, and 9 from the long. You truely get 18 different holes this way. Get your birdies on the shorts, then hang on (unless you are a pro or high level advanced player, which I am not) for dear life on the longs! Hole 3 you have the choice of fading out left and going through that opening, or trying to go for the gusto and go up the gut, a prime example of risk/reward! Hole 4 , do you have the big arm to throw a hyzer bomb around the corner? Or, do you try and thread the long fairway and land in that cluster of trees near the short tee. Don't forget on your approach shot about the swamp! Hole 8 plays along the Tampa Bay. The wind changed from a tail wind on the first time through, to a head wind when I played the longs.

Variety - 3 pin positions on each hole, all of which reflect different shots that need to be made (sans 9, which is generally on top of the hill) and are changed on a regular basis. 2 very different tee boxes (yes, some are only 50-75' deeper but they require discing up to get to the hole unless you are Pro/High level Advanced player). Hole 5 for example can go from throwing a putter at A, to a putter/light mid range at B, to a hard mid range/fairway driver at C. Some holes even go from a par 3 to a legit par 4, such as hole 2 from B to C position (I believe C is 400+' for both short and long, the others are barely 300').

Equipment - Tees are rubber mats. While they are a little short, I've never had footing issues. They are not raised, and are for the most part level, so starting from the grass behind them should not present any footing issues. Baskets are custom Orange Innova baskets. And, they catch great! You can see them from a good distance away. Many holes have benches at them. There is a water fountain in the dog park after hole 4's basket (proceed straight from B position back towards the fence). There are two sets of restrooms, by hole 2 (not always open) and by hole 4's short tee in that parking lot.

There are only two that come to mind..

Rough - The rough is very rough. There are all kinds of monkey balls, thorns, and other things that will cut you right open. Also, it is very grown in right now. Disc loss chances are high. It is recommended to have a spotter on holes 3 and 4 from the longs.

Other park users - Many of them sit on hole 8's fairway, some of which are quite ignorant with their dogs. I do not understand it, as they have their own dedicated area right behind 9's tee. Otherwise, just a heads up for the walkers on the course. They are very friendly and know when/where to expect disc golfers.

It is in the works to go 18. There will be an additional hole that goes along the bay. And, I can't wait! Cypress Point and Picnic Island are going to be a great "one-two punch" to play 36 challenging holes in Tampa, that will rival Cliff Stephens/NE Coachman Park in Clearwater. Add to that one of the greatest Craft Brewers being right by Cypress Point, Cigar City Brewing Company, and you have yourself set up for a wonderful day/night in Tampa! The sunsets are amazing, the disc golf is challenging, yet fair. What is there not to love about Tampa Bay Disc Golf!!!

- Fantastic park with lots to do.
- 9 very solid holes.
- Really nice baskets.
- Cool shots on the water.
- Well manicured.
- Good signage.

- Got a little lost but found my way.
- An occasional non golfer in the fairway.

Be prepared for some wind off the water.

multi use park with beach for swimming, dog park with dog beach. Great rubber tee pads. Nice new orange baskets that stand out against the Florida green. 18 coming soon. long & short tees. restrooms. boat launch, fishing. every throw you have. Nice mix of short technical shots, long shots through trees and even very long hole that dared me to try a roller.

some holes by beach may have people laying in the sun.

one of my dogs favorite. who's ready to throw boy! bring you swim suit & cool off after a round.

There are a ton of courses where it feels like eighteen holes were squeezed into a too-small space. There have been many times where I have said something like, "this could have been a really good nine." Well, Picnic Island is one of those places where they actually listened to my inner voice and build a good nine holes instead of forcing in eighteen subpar ones. Given the setting, right on the bay with the waves washing up to the eighth fairway, this course is a delight to play.

It's not the most challenging design, but that doesn't mean there is no challenge. True, most of the fairways are wide and generous, but there is typically something that increases the difficulty on each hole. The best example is 3, which features a long, open drive that still needs to be placed carefully because there is a narrow tunnel leading to the basket. Between late tunnel, narrow gaps and protected baskets, this isn't an "easy" course, though it definitely shouldn't turn off newer players.

And that's before you consider the wind. I could be wrong, but I'm guessing there is typically a strong wind coming off the bay. I'm sure it varies, but on the day that I played, I had to take a few of my favorite discs out of the bag after nine holes because they just weren't cutting through the wind. And once that wind grasps a disc, it can go a long ways from the target zone. This is particularly an issue on 8, a memorable hole that is practically on the beach. It throws parallel to the coast with the basket around a tree clump and up a slight hill. You almost need to throw an anny route over the bay because otherwise, the wind will push a throw up to far, leaving you to put back into the wind.

That leads to 9, where the tee backs up the waves and the wind is at your back, throwing uphill with the wind at your back, leading to a raised basket. It's one of those rare courses that should appeal to both beginners and veterans, in one of the best settings for disc golf that I've seen.

There are only nine holes. If there were nine more like the ones in existence, this would be a four-star course for me. There are two sets of tees but only one(hole 4) provides a significantly difficult look. (This is good because the short on 4 is one of the weakest holes here.)

Navigation is also not always intuitive and I was referring to a downloaded map repeatedly during the first go-round. Easy to remember where to go for the second nine but its confusing in a few places, especially after 3 where the likely route drops you onto the middle of the 4 fairway. 7 would also be tough to find if I hadn't walked up to it thinking that it was 1 earlier. And I didn't see any arrows on the basket either. Those would definitely help and would probably be all that was necessary.

First off, gorgeous views of Tampa Bay from several holes! Even when you go back into the park, the lay of the land is gorgeous and the local vegetation is used perfectly on this course. Nice job.

There is a good amount of elevation for a course in coastal Florida. I really liked the chance to test out this part of my game as well.

The tee positions made a lot of sense, were well marked, and really helped provide for different difficulty levels, as well as left-right vs right-left throws. Great job.

The rubber tee pads were really nice, I was actually a big fan. Not terribly long, but super grippy and well maintained. Never played on these before.

Again, as with Taylor Park up in Largo, the active pin position was perfectly marked at every hole. Mapping was very helpful and generally never left me wondering much.

For being 9 holes, the course felt very spread out. I didn't feel like the designer tried to shoehorn this course into an area that wasn't made for it. This section of land feels like it was built for DG and is designed like it as well.

Bright orange baskets were very visible and "catchy".

The park was very well maintained, no trash or garbage evident.

Watch out for the breeze off the bay! It can mess with you, even though it's a relief from the heat as well.

There were no signs pointing you to where you were going -- I pulled off at the first turnoff I saw with baskets, but that's right by 4 and the dog park. It's a pretty long hike over to 1, so keep going down the road.

I was left wandering several times looking for holes, which was frustrating since there was signage up at each basket supposedly pointing you in the right direction. Maybe some help on the signs at the tee pads would be good?

There are a surprising number of lost disc opportunities around here. 5 has brush that can eat up your drive/putts if you don't play it safe. 8 literally plays beside Tampa Bay. And, if you were driving by last Thursday, I was the moron on 2 frantically throwing his bag at the huge evergreen trying to get his putter back. Be careful on your throws! (Yes, I got the putter back)

Not really a fair "con", but you're playing very close to Tampa International Airport, so be prepared for a lot of airplane noise.

This course is in south Tampa near the port. From Pinellas County, take the Gandy Bridge over and hang a right on Westshore, which turns into Commerce. Follow the natural flow of the road and you'll get there. Don't worry if you drive by several industrial areas, you're probably on the right track.

You know that feeling where you think about the holes you played days after you played them? I have that about this course. I've replayed 4 and 8 in my head over and over again, savoring the views of Tampa Bay. That's what a good DG course should do.

Fix the navigational issues and I might be inclined to even up this rating -- but, this feels right for the course. You'll be wishing for another 9 holes after you play, provided you brought enough water to deal with the Florida heat. Happy discing by the bay!

- Great tee-signs; really informative with vegetation and very accurate with distance.
- Custom baskets add a nice touch.
- Plenty of facilities in the area to have picnics, as the name of the course would elude too.
- Challenging course that offers a different taste than the normal Florida courses; has some elevation changes, some wide open shots.
- Course has a good flow to it; the land is used to perfection here.
- Signature hole played along a sandy beach of beautiful Tampa Bay.
- Outstanding for a 9 hole course.

- Course is mildly difficult to find.
- Bugs are a terrible problem here as it sits next to an industrial park, the bay, and some swampy areas. Bug spray is required.
- Tee pads are a bit short; personally I don't enjoy the wood border either, but that's personal preference.
- Located in a not so fantastic part of town.
- Good chance to lose a disc; bring a friend to spot.

- This course is absolutely beautiful, one of the more scenic courses in the area.

- I would make a day trip for this course; come out, play the course, have a picnic, sit on the beach, play another round. This course is the pinnacle of Florida Disc Golf.

Beautiful and well maintained course on Tampa Bay.

Nice variety in holes.

Excellent signage.

A bit of walk between some of the holes, but if a 100' walk is a problem then you should probably not be playing disc golf.

Lots of vegetation (sabal palm)! Spent a lot of time looking for discs. It's a park first, and a disc golf course second so I doubt the issue will be addressed.

I enjoyed this course. We spoke to someone who told us there has been talk of expanding to eighteen holes.

Scenery, solitude, adjacent fenced in on the bay *with* beach dog park.

World Champion Disc Golf Design must be populated by folks under 30 chugging energy drinks all day. Hiking half the distance yet again from one hole to the next tee seemed unnecessary, but the scrub shrubbery is ludicrous.
...and all they have to do is clear the brush and the course would leap, in my opinion, from a "1.0" to a "4.0".

Yesterday I made a third attempt at playing Picnic Island. Never got further, and played the first 7 of the nine holes.
The beautiful scenery somewhat offsets the over walking design (very bothersome), but when you add that the shrubbery needs to be cleared altogether (trees are fine, but unless your aim is impeccable, you're loosing discs).
If I'm spending more time looking than throwing I don't see the point.
I'm rootin' for ya - I can just imagine how great it'll be to play someday - Just Clear the Scrub!

I liked the rubber tee pads. The scenery was pretty good. Baskets are flawless and have multiple pins and arrows to guide players to the next tee. Couple of nice par 4s from the pro tees (3&4). Lots of wildlife including pelicans, herons, raccoons and fish.

This is probably the first time that I encountered a course that doesn't jive with its score here at DGCReview. I was staying at a hotel by the Tampa airport and I usually don't bother with 9-basket courses if I have a choice but this one was rated so high and it was pretty close to the hotel so I figured it would be worth the effort. Well, I'm still trying to figure out the allure of this place. Yes, the views are nice and there's a decent variety of holes with varying lengths and difficulty but I really wasn't as impressed as the previous reviewers of this course were. I was pretty bored.

Navigation was pretty easy, and the am & pro tee pads are close enough together to play them both on one pass. I didn't like the long walks in between 2 & 3, 6 & 7 and 9 & 1. Hole 3 was my favorite, a great par 4 from the pro tee that requires an accurate drive through or over two thick trees and then a lengthy upshot around a lot of trees and rough for the 3.

Very clean and well signed course. Baskets are highly visible and in great condition. One of the best well kept course I have seen so far and the signage is superior though I had trouble finding #4 but thanks to another member of this site he explained where it was. Thank you.

Some of the baskets have been moved but they forgot to change the position tags on the signs.

On weekends hole 8 can get a little crowded by some beach goers.

Holes 7,8,9 have the best scenery of all. 8 runs along the beach so you will be swimming if it fades to much to the left.

signage is exemplary. easily navigated and flows nicely. well kept course, groomed and clean, surprising considering I drove thru some pretty seedy looking areas to get here!
some terrific views of the bay too! great variety of shots here,a challenging course.

rough area to drive thru to get here.

I enjoyed playing here,a fun nine hole course with short and long tees and a nice variety of shots

I played this course on 4/1 and it is no fools joke. I really enjoyed the layout and disc golf here. There is a little bit of elevation. Signage is wonderful. There are up to 3 basket locations per hole, all depicted accurately on metal signs. A set of metal letters is locked to each sign with the current pin position visible. This is a creative and professional way to indicate what layout you are playing. Some past reviews mark down for navigation. Currently there are metal arrows on the bottom of each basket that direct you to the next tee. Baskets are pristine. Typical FL grass is cut short and provides for excellent traction. The rough must have been cleared out because we didn't notice many hazard areas where you wouldnt be able to retreive your discs. I appreciated the use of elevation. It can be difficult in Florida but there was some here. Wind off Tampa bay probably always is in play, so you will have to plan ahead. Many of the shots you have to plan ahead for because of the rough but I did find myself using everything from putters to drivers even though I typically disc down. The views of the bay and Tampa on holes 1 and 6-9 are awesome. After you come off 4 there is a dog beach park. So if you have a pet, you can run it through the crystal clear water, wash him off with the provided hose and move along. Nice fun break, so bring a ball with you if you also bring a pet. There are also a couple drinking fountains there. All along there are great photo opportunities under palm trees that give you a great Tampa back drop. Shot shape varies and there are a number of places where you are forced between a gap or to a landing zone (from the blues) in order to score well.
Long and short tees were appropriately spaced. You could play the course twice 1 long 1 short and feel like you played a full unique 18 holes.

Cons are minor:
9 hole course. The beauty and layout leave you wanting more.
Wind. Id bet the course is always windy.
Open - this course is pretty much open. There are areas with trees but plenty of room to manuver or lanes, there isn't much canopy so big overhand players have a real advantage on some of the holes.
Tee pads were rubber and framed in nicely but a number of them weren't level or were level for too short of a distance. I think #3 was tilted uphill, maybe #1 as well.
There were a few layout issues. #1 and #7 can interfere with each other, both in the RBH Hyzer lane of each other. It was wide open but over a crest of a hill so it could be a little dangerous.
9 finished kind of in the middle of the course, so you had to walk back down 7 to leave.
Hole 9 is a pretty 270' uphill shot to a raised basket. There is 1 problem though, you cannot see the basket, it is about 1' short of what it should be. The hole would be really cool if you could just see the tip of the band. 1 foot higher and view off the tee would be twice as neat. (this is nitpicking)

I DID "swing" by this course on my way past Tampa. It is a little out of the way but well worth it. It is not long, and pretty easy to navigate quickly. I think you could easily play it in under an hr with 15 minutes both ways in detour time from 75. So you are looking to invest 1.5 hrs and it is well worth it, so swing by and sling some discs. Bring your dog!

easy to navigate, good tee pads, good use of the terrain, two tees and three basket locations

only 9 holes, it is a little difficult to find

the wind can really pick up some speed over the bay, i would not recommend playing this course on a windy day unless your really up for a challenge (and not affraid to lose a disk)

Setting, teepads, signage, design, location

Only nine holes

Picnic Island disc golf course is simply the finest nine-hole course I have ever played. Set in a somewhat remote and very well cared for park right on the eastern shore of Tampa Bay, this course exemplifies the best of central Florida disc golf in nine varied holes. The setting, the course design, and the amenities are all top notch; the only problem is the course is not long enough, but even then I urge caution. Nine excellent holes with two sets of tees and multiple pin positions is better than 18 pretty good holes. So if nine more holes are coming, I hope they are in a separate section of the park.

Picnic Island is in Tampa proper, but is well off the beaten track, way down at the end of the road in the industrial, port section of the city. Entering the park is entering a nicer world, though, and the parking lot for the course, with its view across the bay and easy access to the beach, is an appropriate entry way for the course to come. The amenities for the course are immediately apparent; two tees, not concrete but with firm rubber mats and nicely level. The signage could not be better, and includes hole number, easy to read maps, a system for showing which of the three placements the basket is currently in, and an accurate distance reading for all basket placements. Each hole features blue and red tees. The course plays long and interesting from the blues. It's still interesting from the reds, but much closer to the typical par 3 outing.

The holes themselves are varied and interesting. All require some degree of shot shaping, and from the blue tees most are on the long end of par 3 or in two cases well into par 4 territory. Trees and salt bush factor into most holes, and mistakes will be punished if you end up in the scrub. Rough has a different definition on many Florida courses. "Moderately Hilly" is not an accurate description by any national standard, but there are some minor undulations to work around, which is not typical for this region. Overall this course is a case where there may be room for 18 holes, but the approach was to put in nine excellent holes instead. Good call.

Overall, I rate this course Excellent, and well worth a road trip or putting near the top of your Tampa region itinerary. Yes it's a nine-holer, but that is the only negative I'll give it, and going around twice will still be time well spent. The setting, the amenities, a true signature hole, and the overall course design are all exemplary.

Favorite hole - #8 - Plays right along the beach, with OOB on the left being Tampa Bay. View extends clear across to downtown St. Pete on a good day. This hole almost makes up for #18 at Tocabaga being removed. Almost.

First off, this is wonderful course. The fairways are well manicured and clear. The rough is a true penalty, and the scenery is first class.
The course has a wonderful variety of long and short holes...Along with extremely tight, and wide open tee shots. Hole one is a nice uphill, dogleg right. 2 to 4 are long 480 to 520 from the blues. both offer moderate room, but the rough will suck up any wayward drive. Hole five is TIGHT. Your disc can be snagged from below and above....Hole six opens up a bit, and 7 to 9 give you an opportunity to score. Seven is wide open, over a ridge to a down hill basket. 8 goes right along the beach in what is just a perfect fairway and hole location. 9 is short, uphill and offers a real birdie or ace chance...I really found myself considering my shots, and especially in the middle holes, deciding what was the best place to miss....

I hate to call rough a con, but the stuff next to3, 5 and six was brutal. Even a disc one or two feet off the fairway, that clearly fell straight down, was nearly impossible to find. Basically, there is underbrush, trees, bushes, palms, tonsss of undergrowth, and I guess the lesson for me, was learn how to throw a bit straighter. Also, around 4 to 6 there was a bit of an odd transition. Won't be an issue a second time. Would be nice to see a few more holes on such a beautiful piece of property...

Each hole has clearly marked alternate pin positions. The signage is A plus, and each hole felt like an individual treat. A couple local park walkers were very polite and friendly, and I can say from experience, that this is a good place to do a little salt water wade fishing (in case you would like to have a nice, full, outdoorsy day)....
This course is going on my favorites list. I really enjoyed the experience.

- The setting. Beach, palms, perfectly manicured park, FL - what more could you want!
- Variety of challenging shots. Only played the long tees, but found the layout, the use of the trees and scrub to be awesome. You have to be fairly accurate with your shots or you will end up in the rough. Don't know if I would call the rough a con, but it can draw blood. 3 pin positions per hole allow for a variety of shots in the various layouts. I'm sure if you play this course a lot there may be lines that are easier to hit, but it is not a pitch and putt or grip and rip. You have to consider your shot.
- Brand New! New teepads (rubber mats surrounded by lumber), signs (shows alt pin locations along with which layout is currently in use), baskets, park. Really a beautiful setting.

- course flow is non-intuitive for first time visitors. Once you figure it out, it's not difficult. The challenging thing is that there are so many paths cutting through the park (I guess they do a monthly "tough mudder type run) and its so new that there is no "beaten path" that you can typically count on to get to the next tee. It would have been great to have the next tee designated on the hole signage.
- I'm spoiled, but it's only 9 holes..... You could play two rounds from both tees and get 18 unique holes. More on this in other thoughts section....
- not convenient to travel routes
- played on a weekday (only had to play over one couple on hole 8...), but could see it being crowded on weekends.

- I rated this a 3 because i think it's a good start, but there is a little more to be desired. Compared to the other two courses I have played in FL, its not quite there yet. I think the biggest thing for me would be to add holes. It seems like there could easily be 3 or more holes squeezed in. That being said, I am a guest, so I know nothing about the history or journey - so if you are a local who put blood, sweat and tears into getting these beautiful holes in - please no offense is meant! The cons on adding holes would be a more cramped feel, which I don't think would be a bad thing. I don't get why 9 ends in the middle of the park, seems like it could have ended a little closer to the parking lot. I noticed the pin positions seemed to be "random". They were not all in A or B. (longs on odd months, shorts on even months, etc). It seems like there may be a possibility for adding more holes per some of the other reviews? My wish list would included an ace run or two. Hole 5 is short, but from the long tees, that's an extremely tough dogleg - first missing the tree guarding the right side of the fairway and then tucking into the alcove where the pin is. 9 May be considered one, but you cannot see the basket... So it's a blind shot. I have read 8 is the signature hole.... My favorite was 4 from the long tees. I would love to see someone rip a meat hook and go up and over the trees on a drive from the tee. I could see this being really challenging if the pin is in the position where it's on the "peninsula" between the evergreen trees and swamp.

Overall, this was a good, challenging, enjoyable course. If it had 18 holes this would be an awesome course.