One of the prettiest courses I've played. The views of the bay are phenomenal, and where else can you play where the OB line follows the tide?

The multiple teepads are a huge help in keeping the course fun and engaging for all skill levels. Blue is challenging, Orange is generally pretty forgiving but still fun.

Baskets are in good shape and grippy; signage is generally good and there are arrows pointing to the next tee at every basket. Navigation is generally not too bad here, save for the hop from 3-4 across the parking lot and 12-13 where you double-back a bit.

There's some thicker woods that are more reminiscent of woods in points farther north on several holes. You'll be throwing around more than palm trees, and they can grab your disc pretty easily.

The layout is great and really makes maximum use of the entire space. I was a little concerned when they replaced the old 9-hole course; usually, those conversions end up pretty cramped, but not here. It has a great flow to it and clearly, care was taken in designing the shots and layout.

I noticed there are some new trees that have been planted by the city, which will help further improve the course and better define the fairways. Good to see ongoing maintenance like this.

There is a little bit of elevation, which really helps change the course dynamic. Unique for this part of Florida, and really unexpected here in South Tampa.

There are bathrooms and facilities easily accessible, and ample parking.

The shot selection is varied and you never feel like it's getting too repetitive. Great mix of long bombs, shorter technical shots, and other interesting plays.

This is a multi-use park, so you will need to watch for sunbathers on 1 and 17, pavilion users on 15 and 18, and to a lesser extent, the roads on 7-10.

You'll also need to be a little careful on 2 and 11, as a very errant drive can land in the parking lots, but I am being very nit-picky there.

4 and 15 also play pretty close to each other's fairways.

Great course with an exceptional layout, beautiful views, and interesting hole selection. In my mind, one of the best in the area.

Just so you are aware, the breeze coming from the bay can come into play on several of the holes. I think it adds an interesting dynamic to the course, but just be aware you might be fighting it a bit.

-- This course really stands out for its variety. This is accomplished in three ways: overall hole variety (long, short, open, tight, left, right, etc...), multiple tees on every hole, and 3 pin placements on most/all holes. In terms of shot variety, this course pretty much has everything, except maybe a 350+ foot open bomber. Holes 1 and 17 play right along the ocean down the beach. Several holes are tunnel shots, some that open up into longer, open portions of the fairway and some are shorter and ride the tight tunnel all the way down to the basket. There are some open shots that you can power also, but none are completely open and they all demand accuracy and placement. There are right curves, left curves, gentle and sharp curves. I throw just about every shot in my bag when playing here. The design is just spectacular, and on many holes, the different pin placements can really add/remove difficulty and make you take a completely different approach at the hole.
-- Probably my favorite thing about this course is the demand for strategy. Just about every hole has different lines and different ways to tackle it, all with different risk/reward payoffs. The first time I played I had a much more aggressive mindset, which often did not work out well for me and got me into deep trouble. The second time I was a lot smarter (think playing "tournament golf") and played for placement. I was rewarded many times for the conservative (though not easy) shot and felt this course really stretched me to think about every hole strategically, in contrast to other courses where you step to the tee, see the obvious line, and launch.
-- Did I mention the multiple tees and 3 pin placements? Oh yeah, that's pretty cool. However, on some courses this can be a pain, as you are left guessing on some holes where the pin is, which placement is in, maybe only having a map at the long tee but not the short, etc.... The signs on this course are outstanding. Every short and long tee has a course map, showing both tee location distances, all pin placements, distances, and - importantly - which pin placement is currently installed. There were also arrows hanging from many baskets showing the direction to the next tee. These things made this course much easier to navigate, as without signs it would be a nightmare.
-- Pads are great. Big and concrete. Baskets are wonderful and catch very well.
-- Bathrooms available about halfway through and water available at a few points as well if you look for it. This course can take a while, so in the Florida heat, these are both very welcome.

-- There are parts of this course that I think just feed off of eating discs. There is a good amount of very thick underbrush on several holes, and the big palms have an uncanny ability to grab a disc out of the air and never, ever let it go. There really isn't much water to contend with (other than the beach holes, but in those cases, the water seems pretty clear so a quick swim in the ocean should usually get your disc back) but the vegetation can make up for that quickly. The first time I played I lost a lot of plastic and spent a lot of time looking. Hole 2 was especially my nemesis that day, so be very careful about throwing long/left into the thick stuff or playing a high approach near the palm trees. My second round here I was a lot smarter (also read in the pros about the need to play smart here) and kept myself in much better shape.
-- Sun. There are a lot of holes here where a lot of the fairway isn't very shaded. On a hot, sunny day, you better have a lot of water and sunscreen.
-- Bugs. The first time I played (Oct), they were pretty bad but not unbearable I think I also had bug spray, which I would recommend. When I just played (Feb), I barely noticed any bugs here but may have just gotten lucky (I did, however, get eaten alive at Cypress Point later that day).

I really love this course. It is challenging, but also rewarding. More than anything, I love how it will force a seasoned golfer to really think through the risk/reward of every hole and carefully place shots with a long-term view in mind. Newer players shouldn't find this course too daunting either, unless they have consistent accuracy issues and find themselves in the thick stuff a lot. I think this course, along with Cypress Point, are two truly pro-caliber courses in the Tampa Bay area. Both are similar in how they mix length with strategy and placement and, as I said in my review of Cypress, they are the kind of courses that I'd love to watch a top touring pro attack.

I love the elevation changes, shot shaping use of trees/bushes, diversity of pin distances, and balance of left/right play.

This isn't really a con but an observation - the ground is hard packed, not typical Florida sugar sand/soil. Don't expect to "dig" on your approach shots.

Looking forward to my next outing here!

Absolutely beautiful. Played with girlfriend as caddy and she enjoyed the experience. I play fast golf,that is my way, we were done in 1hour 15 mins, playing a mix short and longs but mostly longs when reasonable.
I played on weekday prime time in January and only a few other golfers in sight.

A few of the tee markers might have had the wrong tee position flagged
There were a few times of looking for tees in the fine Tampa weather. (Especially if in basket was Pin A and silly player did not look carefully at tee sign)

Simply fantastic. As a tourist I stay an hour away...if I lived in the neighbourhood and played the nuances of the pin positions it woud be a 5.0

Easy to find. Its in a nice park and in a scenic setting. The course offers a variety of shots and multiple tee pads and pin placements. The course is well maintained and well cared for.Good tee signs and nice use of the land.

navigation is what kept me from rating this higher. There are a few holes that are difficult to find the tee pads.There is some thick bushes in places so if you miss the fairways, you could spend some time searching. Some people like to hang near the hole over the water on a busy day at the beach

This is a must play when in Tampa. Well thought out design. Its fun to play from both sets of tee pads as they make the tee shots very different, not just longer or shorter. I love this course and will play it again many times

Great mix of long, short, right and left holes. Challenging but fair. Lots of wind most days. Wind can be a pro or con depending on your personal views so I'll put it in both places.

Thick under brush makes finding errant shots difficult on some holes. Lots of wind most days.

LOCATION: Wonderful setting on Tampa Bay w/two holes right on the water. Good parking, w/two more lots nearby for overflow. Slight elevation changes aren't much, but give excellent drainage--a huge plus in rainy season. No significant standing water even with our Summer 2015 floods.
LAYOUT: Simply outstanding with good flow and three pin placements and two tees per hole. Pro vs. Am tees add more than just distance. They change the look and feel of each hole, as do the alternate pins, otherwise I'd be tempted to give a hole-by-hole review. On seven holes, the tees have their own fairways. All of the fairways are well defined and frequently mowed; some are scary-narrow, others are more wide open but with some strategically placed trees. The rough is thick in places so I highly recommend a bright-colored disc for driving, especially if you don't have a spotter.
VARIETY: I'll leave the math to others as to how many combinations of layouts there could be (108?). For normal play, I expect a nice mix of super long versus medium-to-shorter holes, pleasing both big arms and older players like me. For tournaments, using all long pins could attract the best-of-the-best pros to the Island.
AMENITIES: Best tee pads around, long with perfectly textured concrete. Great signage, starting with the overall layout sign in the parking lot. Limited benches, no bag hangers. Bathrooms and picnic shelters nearby. Plenty of garbage cans, so the park stays beautiful. For families, non-golfers might enjoy swimming, a playground, a dog park, fishing piers, and a boat ramp.

ROLLERS (-0.15): While beautiful, the fairways are a little spongy, so skips n' scoots are rare and rollers aren't rewarded with much distance, even in the winter months. Nice beach on 1 & 17, but too narrow for rolling IMO.
FLORA (-.05): The aforementioned rough can lead you into some thorny situations, but no poison ivy at least. Trees, including several palms are adept at catching discs, some high up. Rocks can knock 'em out of cedars, but the palms can be MEAN.
FAUNA (-.05): Mosquitos are on the prowl. You may be okay if playing alone or with one partner who keeps things moving along. Larger groups bring spray! Lots of racoons, but they likely won't bother you. Some snake sightings have been reported.
HOT: (In the summer, duh, arrive hydrated and bring even more water.)
PARK USERS: Blissfully unaware of the DG course, beware. Especially those who spread out on the beach holes, limited to busier weekends. I've had to spot on 17 or skip it altogether.

Although Picnic Island is near the southern tip of the south Tampa peninsula, it's not really that far out-of-the-way. MAKE THE TRIP. Take the Gandy Bridge in from Pinellas, the Selmon Expressway in from the east, Westshore or Dale Mabry from the north. Here you'll find great Bay views in a gorgeous setting to go with some seriously challenging disc golf. UPDATE 3/2016: with winter and more traffic since becoming 18, I'll have to adjust my roller/skip comment. On the plus side, there are indeed more roller/skip opportunities as the fairways have firmed up a bit. On the minus side, these can happen more easily around the baskets (e.g. roll-aways). 5/2018 update: further amenities (benches, bag hangers don't appear forthcoming, rating dropped to 4.5).

Tee signs
plenty of variety
challenging but not impossible
scenery

It does feel abnormally hot, even for a Florida course. But bring plenty-o-water and you'll be fine

An absolute destination course. Must play for hole 1 alone

Literally on the beach. You can't get any more "Florida fun in the sun" at a disc golf course anywhere else in the area. It's really great to see Tampa make room for this course and to be honest, I wouldn't mind if they moved the dog park to a more isolated area and expanded some of fairways.

The course is reasonably challenging and offers one of the more naturally scenic set ups in the region. Few parks look as "naturally Florida" as Picnic Island and they did an excellent job of placing the tees in a way that showcases that. On the front, back, and "middle" tees there's a lot of room to maneuver and throw. However, many of the holes are very tight corridors and sometimes don't open up at all on their way to the pin. I definitely lost a Roc on one of these tight fairways and just consider myself lucky it was DX plastic, while I enjoy the challenge there's no way you will make it into certain areas of the thick.

Overall, pin placement is diverse, and many of the orange (short) tees provide ample challenge without being overly challenging. I would absolutely play this course again even though it's a full 40 minutes away from my house.

So, I'll just say that disc golfers generally are cautious about their surroundings when throwing, especially off a tee. There are a few fairways (2 in my experience) that are literally perpendicular with an area where people casually walk with their dogs. This would be less of a problem if the intersection of the two paths wasn't completely blind. I had two elderly people step out from behind a bush, straight into a tight corridor (probably 10-14 feet wide?) with their dog, without a care in the world. If I had launched a disc at the wrong time I could have severely injured them, or their dog, or worse. Another time a woman idly walked around the tees/pins for the 16/17/18 holes with her tiny dog off a leash, beckoning it to follow her to the caged beach area. Again, an easy way to injure someone by complete accident and these people had no caution, and completely ignored signs warning them that the area contains (dangerous!) flying discs.

Aside from people being cavalier with their animals and their health, my only other complaint would be that there's no much shade on many of the tee areas. I would really like to see some shade, at least on holes with tighter fairways where there is already a lot of foliage. There's several beautiful pagoda like structures to sit down and enjoy some food, beverage, and take a break in the shade which was a godsend. Playing this course alone in the Florida heat, without any kind of spotter at least, is pretty challenging and very draining.

This is a course that you really ought to bring someone with you at. There are so many pins that are blind from the tee and so many dense areas of foliage that it really helps to have someone with you. Also, in the Florida heat this course *will* beat you up, especially if you're wearing heavier footwear or darker clothes/gear. This course is as close to "on the beach" as you can possibly be, so, the closer you can dress to beach attire the more comfortable I think you'll be.

Great range of hole design. Fantastic views.

Windy days can make this course difficult to play.

This is one of the best courses Tampa has to offer. It is easy to lose a disc in the tall grass. I would suggest a spotter on many holes. Bring bug spray.

Great to play in wet conditions. Excellent drainage and very few spots hold water. Technical holes along with wide open distance shots. Nice large teepads (am and pro) multiple pin positions, great signage and baskets with flags. Awesome layout! This course is the total package! Beautiful scenery and what else can I say "You're at the beach!". Awesome sunsets!

Tough to play alone without a spotter or help finding discs in trouble. That's about the only con I can think of.

One of my favorite courses! Loved it even when there was only nine. A full 18 on the beach! What more could you ask for! Very well maintained park. Bring the family and enjoy more than just the course.Loved it even when there was only nine. A full 18 on the beach! Love it!

A little of everything. Short holes, long holes, technical shots, water, elevation. Awesome park with plenty of picnic tables, pavilions, restrooms. On Tampa Bay. Beautiful sunsets.

Some of the holes are close together. They are planting trees to separate fairways better though. Thick brush, easy to lose discs on quite a few holes. Use spotters when possible.

Bring bug spray. Watch out for other park goers, especially on holes 1, 16, 17, and 18.

Pros: Plenty of variety with dual tees (Orange & Blue) and 3 pin positions (A-B-C) per fairway. This is a solid Blue level course from the Blue tees and Red level from the Orange tees. The "C" positions extend the course, bringing the # of par 4s to Seven!
14' long concrete tees, most of which are very level, will insure good footing off the tee. The course flow is fairly intuitive, but could still use a few more directional signs. Pay attention to the arrows under each bucket! And each tee sign also shows color coded arrows to the next tees. More trees, benches, trash cans and water fountains are on the approved list of future amenities.
Custom Orange DISCatchers. The flow comes back to the parking lot after #3 and again after 7, if you like. Also at #16. NINE of the fairways are 'split', or have a different look at the pin. #12 has 3 completely different pin areas.
#1 & 17's fairways are right along the shore of Tampa Bay, making the OB lines subject to the tides! If you time your round right, you'll have a beautiful sunset backdrop on holes 17 & 18 to finish!

Cons: Only a few benches (unshaded), but there will be more soon, as well as more trash cans. The only restrooms are at the turn of #11 and south before you play #02. The restrooms at #08 are rarely open, unless the park is jammed. #01 & 17 are prone to picnic-rs and sun-bathers. Signs have been installed to let them know they are in a disc golf area, but you may need to politely remind them to make way.
#01 is a bit more of a challenge than I would like for the 1st hole, but it was the best way to flow the course so that no one would have to walk across a fairway from 18 to 01 in a tourney.
Gets VERY hot during the summer afternoons. There are mosquitoes when it's hot and 'no-see-ems' when it's cool. Bug spray is usually a necessity.
Tight fairways and heavy underbrush make it very easy to lose a disc if you get off of the fairways. Aggressive play will have to be backed up with some finesse. ALWAYS put your name on a disc you intend to throw @ P.I. And please get accustomed to helping your group find lost discs to speed up the process. Spotting and paying attention will go a long way to spend more time playing and less time searching!

Other thoughts: This is one of those rare combinations of a terrific canvas and a park manager who is willing to do what it takes to insure that it is done RIGHT.
The canvas is a spit of limestone jutting out into Tampa Bay. PICNIC ISLAND is a 'nature park'. The manicured areas are nicely manicured grass, but other areas are left to grow however they may. Many of the 'fair-ways' are very tight and the underbrush is THICK! You will appreciate a nice breeze during the summer, but the more it blows, the greater the effect on your game! But the flags on the basket should help you 'read' the wind.
I feel as if I got about as much out of the property as one could ask. I even fought for MORE property so that we wouldn't be too cramped. (Hence, holes 1, 2, 3)
The little patch of woods northeast of the parking lot provide the perfect bufferage to allow several holes in a small area. Holes 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 & 9 all begin and/or end in or along the wooded area, but shouldn't encroach on other fairways.

I won't call this a "Championship" caliber course (we'll leave that to Cypress Point) but I think this will be a very fun and challenging course nonetheless. The "A" pins will provide some fun holes that don't require a big throw. The "B" pins will let you open it up a bit more... especially from the Blue tees. The C pins should push you a bit more to open up your arm a bit on the par 3s and make placement shots on the par 4s. There are several short holes, which is the product of cramped spaces or steering clear of protected areas (hole #03). Definitely one of my top 4 designs.

SIGNS ARE YOUR FRIENDS! Each tee sign has arrows showing the direction to the next tees, and 'pin-dicators' to let you know which position the basket is in. Each basket has an arrow under the bucket pointing to the next tee for easier navigation.

Some basic course rules: OB- Shoreline of #01 & 17. Must be surrounded by water when the waves are out. Staked & roped areas are O.B. (#1, 3, 11) Staked with RIBBONS are NOT OB. They are NO MOW areas, that may go away after trees are planted. All bodies of water (Tampa Bay, lagoon, creeks) are O.B. All MANGROVE areas are protected & O.B.! Also, the INSIDE line (course side) of the ballards (wood posts) that line all roads and parking areas are OB. In the grass between the ballards and the road or parking is OB!

Hole by hole:
#001: A challenging opener from the Blue tee that must carry around 300' of water before hyzering out onto the beach. But don't hyzer out too soon!! The Sea Oats etc to the left are also O.B. (Very punitive stake line if you are short of the A pin!) The Orange tee is very short and forgiving. O.B. from the Blue? Go to Orange. O.B. from Orange? Go to drop zone. O.B. from drop zone? Go home! ;-)

#02: A dedicated par 4 to all 3 pin positions. Mostly open drive curving right. Parking lot is O.B. (Ballard line) Pros might enjoy playing the short tee as a tough par 3. Mangrove area to the left of fairway is O.B. A couple of big trees are planned to further define the Blue fairway.

#03: Split fairway. The shortest hole on the course. Most pins pretty simple from Orange, perhaps a bit trickier from Blue. Mangrove area is protected and O.B.! (Staked & roped) Walk toward road and left to parking lot for #4.

#04: Formerly #1. Up the hill and to the right. If the park keeps up with trimming, you should be able to see the A pin from the Blue tee and the C pin from the Orange tee. Take tunnel behind C pin to 5.

#05: Punch out of the woods... A & B pins are semi-protected par 3s. C pin is short par 4. Lots of tall weeds for those who leave the fairway. Wild shots may result in lost discs. Control is key. From C pin, Right to Orange 6. Straight back & Right to Blue 6.

#06: Same as old 6... A & B are par 3... C pin has extended to a tough par 4 that is heavily guarded. 7 Blue to right. 7 Orange Left & straight.

#07: A split fairway. Orange is a short shot to a tight green. Blue is a slow-turn tunnel.
On restroom walkways and roof is O.B. (I saw it happen YESTERDAY!)

#08: (Formerly #2) Downhill from Orange. Also downhill from Blue but have to flirt with a rise by Orange tee to reach the B and set up for the C upshot. A is a hidden hyzer position. A & B = par 3. C = par 4. #08 Orange left of B. #08 Blue in woods behind.

#09: Split fairway from two different tunnels and angles. A = Right, B = Left. C = Straight.
#10 tee- Orange past Blue to left.

#10: Split fairway from two very different angles. A & B = par 3. C = par 4.
11 Blue left of C. #11 Orange straight ahead just past shell service road & gate.

#11: Par 4 from both tees. Straight shot that finishes left from Blue tee. Choice of R or L of tree to field from Orange. Pros might enjoy playing Orange as a tough par 3.
12 tees behind row of cedars. Ballard line, staked reeds and Bark Park are O.B.

#12: "Stacked" tees (one straight behind the other) but 3 distinctly different pin areas.
13 tees follow path to right.

#13: Split fairway. Orange is a bit restricted. Blue more open but longer. Open pin area. (pins are formerly #3)
14 tees behind C pin.

#14: (Formerly #5) Stacked tees. Straight to A & B positions tucked in to the right. C pin is straighter & longer. Go left of... or split the goal-post Royal palms.
Go left to Orange 15. Go right to Blue 15.

#15: Split fairway. A pin is par 3. B = a short par 4 tucked behind a 10' high mound. C is long par 4. Many trees to be added on both sides of this fairway to separate it from #05 & 18.

#16: (Formerly #7) Mostly open with a choice to left or right around palmettos. A = short of palms. B = long right of palms. C = long left of palms.

#17: (Formerly #8) The closest we'll get to a Pebble Beach hole with the fairway right along Tampa Bay. A = shorter & to right up the hill. B = medium length & close to the water. C = longer and behind some palm trees. O.B. line is subject to the tides !

#18: Blind shot from near water's edge up & over a rise to a 'horseshoe" green. A = inside horseshoe. B = on top of horseshoe. C = behind horseshoe. B pin is TOUGH putting on a windy day!

In conclusion: I understand that DGCR disc-ourages reviews from the course designer in order to reduce bias. I've never given one of my courses a perfect 5/5 rating. But this is as close as I've come to believing I should. As the course designer, I see every fault and 'con', but also recognize more potential. I knew all along that this would be one of Florida's best, if we could make certain things happen. Thanks to the tenacity of the City of Tampa's project manager, John Dellaquilla, (not a blatant suck-up) nearly all of those things have been accomplished, or are on the short list, which has been approved.
He also reads these reviews and takes them into consideration. So please review this course after playing it. And, if one of your cons has been addressed favorably, please return and change your review accordingly!

Before I write my review I just wanted to state how pathetic some of you on this sight are who constantly hit the "not helpful button" for zero reason whatsoever. To those who act like childish clowns, I bet if you won the lottery you would complain it wasn't direct deposit.
A lot of times a course that started as 9 holes and is expanded to 18 either shares baskets or does minor variations to make it 18. NOT The case here. You will use your whole bag with a perfect blend of short, grip and rip, left to right, right to left, and dog legs. Navigation is a walk in the park. Well done to the designers, and thank you.

It's Florida and very hot in the summer without much shade, but truth be told what can you do but bring sun screen, bug spray, fluids, and a towel.

Picnic Island deserves the same high praise as Cypress and Medard and is a true destination course. Kudos!
Hey look 6 losers without anything else better to do put that this review isn't helpful. What's more amazing is these same losers do the same thing to other reviewers who take the time to compose honest and subjective opinions. Sad really