Ralph Dean Park reviews
14
0
Starts frustrating; ends super unsafe! 2+ years
Reviewed:
Played on:Mar 10, 2020
Played the course:once
Pros:
My Enjoyment Rating = 0.6 out of 10, so that translates to 0.3 on DGCR. If there was a 0.25 disc here that's what I would give.
+SURROUNDING BEAUTY. The mountains all around in the distance are beautiful and serene.
+MAINTAINED. The park is well mowed and maintained
+NAVIGATION. Except for hole 1, the other holes are easy to navigate. The 9 hole loop plays in a clockwise direction after you locate the first tee.
+There are BATHROOMS
+SURROUNDING BEAUTY. The mountains all around in the distance are beautiful and serene.
+MAINTAINED. The park is well mowed and maintained
+NAVIGATION. Except for hole 1, the other holes are easy to navigate. The 9 hole loop plays in a clockwise direction after you locate the first tee.
+There are BATHROOMS
Cons:
<span class="italic">Design</span>
-DANGER! I really try to be gracious in my reviews, but I have to be straightforward that out of the 475+ courses that I have played, hole 9 is one of the most ill-conceived and poorly designed holes I have ever played! There is great danger that a disc golfer will hit other park users, because from the tee there is a bathroom on the right side and a small skateboard park on the left side. The less experienced players that this park should draw can so easily throw hyzers into the skate park. Also, a park user could come out of the bathroom unexpectedly and be hit by a disc. I rarely give design recommendations, but this hole should be redesigned! At the very least, if someone is using the skateboard park then you should lay up on your drive with an approach disc.
-SAFETY ISSUE: Hole 8 comes after a string of lackluster holes. The boring, flat, straight fairway does not have a single tree or obstacle, and it is right over a soccer field! What are disc golfers going to do if there is a soccer game in progress? I guess you could throw out to the right side. Heaven forbid that some longer throwing hot shot tries to throw over soccer players, but it is conceivable that they might.
-DULL TERRAIN: Monotone. 9 straight, open grass fairways with a few trees or bushes. 3 holes were just open grass. For my noodle arm the holes were at the upper end of my typical distance, and I played badly enough to not get any drives close enough for a birdie, so I had 9 straight boring pars.
To give you a feel for the course, hole 5 was my favorite hole because there are a few more trees and bushes for obstacles, but my Enjoyment rating for this hole was still only 4 (out of 10) or below average enjoyment. In a super rare move I rated hole 9 in the negative at -2 (on a 0-10 scale).
-MINIMAL ELEVATION CHANGES. 2 Up/ 2 Down/ 5 Flat. The greatest elevation change is +6 ft on hole 1.
<span class="italic">Basics</span>
-TEES ARE NOT MARKED at all, so you just throw from somewhere near the tee sign, but the poles are sometimes oddly placed. I played that the sign marks the front of the box and that you could tee off from the left or right side. RHBH players will usually throw with the sign pole on their left side, but on a few holes it seems better to tee off with the pole on the right.
-HOLE 1. I started the course with growing frustration because the tee sign on hole 1 is missing, so you have to guess where to start. Without marked tees, no sign meant there was no tee. I saw the basket, then wandered all around scouting for any evidence of a former pole. I eventually walked to the basket and then paced back 64 paces (192 ft) to the most likely location for the tee. I hope that someone will replace this missing sign post!
-BASKETS are not numbered and are not the highest quality.
-DANGER! I really try to be gracious in my reviews, but I have to be straightforward that out of the 475+ courses that I have played, hole 9 is one of the most ill-conceived and poorly designed holes I have ever played! There is great danger that a disc golfer will hit other park users, because from the tee there is a bathroom on the right side and a small skateboard park on the left side. The less experienced players that this park should draw can so easily throw hyzers into the skate park. Also, a park user could come out of the bathroom unexpectedly and be hit by a disc. I rarely give design recommendations, but this hole should be redesigned! At the very least, if someone is using the skateboard park then you should lay up on your drive with an approach disc.
-SAFETY ISSUE: Hole 8 comes after a string of lackluster holes. The boring, flat, straight fairway does not have a single tree or obstacle, and it is right over a soccer field! What are disc golfers going to do if there is a soccer game in progress? I guess you could throw out to the right side. Heaven forbid that some longer throwing hot shot tries to throw over soccer players, but it is conceivable that they might.
-DULL TERRAIN: Monotone. 9 straight, open grass fairways with a few trees or bushes. 3 holes were just open grass. For my noodle arm the holes were at the upper end of my typical distance, and I played badly enough to not get any drives close enough for a birdie, so I had 9 straight boring pars.
To give you a feel for the course, hole 5 was my favorite hole because there are a few more trees and bushes for obstacles, but my Enjoyment rating for this hole was still only 4 (out of 10) or below average enjoyment. In a super rare move I rated hole 9 in the negative at -2 (on a 0-10 scale).
-MINIMAL ELEVATION CHANGES. 2 Up/ 2 Down/ 5 Flat. The greatest elevation change is +6 ft on hole 1.
<span class="italic">Basics</span>
-TEES ARE NOT MARKED at all, so you just throw from somewhere near the tee sign, but the poles are sometimes oddly placed. I played that the sign marks the front of the box and that you could tee off from the left or right side. RHBH players will usually throw with the sign pole on their left side, but on a few holes it seems better to tee off with the pole on the right.
-HOLE 1. I started the course with growing frustration because the tee sign on hole 1 is missing, so you have to guess where to start. Without marked tees, no sign meant there was no tee. I saw the basket, then wandered all around scouting for any evidence of a former pole. I eventually walked to the basket and then paced back 64 paces (192 ft) to the most likely location for the tee. I hope that someone will replace this missing sign post!
-BASKETS are not numbered and are not the highest quality.
Other Thoughts:
COURSE LEVEL is between White (most suited for Intermediate players rated 875-925) and Red (most suited for Juniors and Intermediate players rated 825-875). The White Score Average is 26.4, and the Red Score Average is 28.4. That means that the course plays slightly easier for White level players or a little harder for Red. To put it a little differently, the hole lengths score like a White level course, but the lack of obstacles feel more like a longer Red level course. I called it White since the white score average is closer to 27.
<span class="italic">You be the judge-</span>
Several holes play in the proximity of baseball fields, but there is only a small possibility of errant shots going in the fields. They really didn't come into play during my round.
The course began with frustration with no tee on hole 1, was lackluster from 2-7, had potential safety issues on 8, and ended with shock and dread on hole 9. The course is way out in the country, and a long drive from any other courses, so only the most dedicated course baggers should make the trip. 1nD
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<span class="underline">A note about my rating:</span> My rating is a subjective measure of my <span class="italic">enjoyment</span> of the course, on the day I played it, and it is NOT intended to be a measure of the <span class="italic">quality</span> of the course. My Enjoyment Ratings are given "on the curve" in relation to all other courses I've played.
Look in the "Links/Files" section for my files with Hole-by-hole ratings and more detailed Overall review notes. You can also read more of my review philosophy and rating notes at Disc Golf Course Reviews
----------
I'm always trying to improve my reviews, so if you mark this review unhelpful or if you find a mistake, please send me a Personal Message here on DGCR to tell me what is wrong with it. I'll be grateful for the feedback.
<span class="italic">You be the judge-</span>
Several holes play in the proximity of baseball fields, but there is only a small possibility of errant shots going in the fields. They really didn't come into play during my round.
The course began with frustration with no tee on hole 1, was lackluster from 2-7, had potential safety issues on 8, and ended with shock and dread on hole 9. The course is way out in the country, and a long drive from any other courses, so only the most dedicated course baggers should make the trip. 1nD
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<span class="underline">A note about my rating:</span> My rating is a subjective measure of my <span class="italic">enjoyment</span> of the course, on the day I played it, and it is NOT intended to be a measure of the <span class="italic">quality</span> of the course. My Enjoyment Ratings are given "on the curve" in relation to all other courses I've played.
Look in the "Links/Files" section for my files with Hole-by-hole ratings and more detailed Overall review notes. You can also read more of my review philosophy and rating notes at Disc Golf Course Reviews
----------
I'm always trying to improve my reviews, so if you mark this review unhelpful or if you find a mistake, please send me a Personal Message here on DGCR to tell me what is wrong with it. I'll be grateful for the feedback.
8
0
Nice Park, Dull Disc Golf 2+ years drive by
Reviewed:
Played on:Oct 22, 2017
Played the course:once
Pros:
+Nice views of surrounding mountains
+Well-kept grounds, clean park
+At least 2 restrooms (near 1 and 9)
+Simple to navigate once the first tee is located
+Well-kept grounds, clean park
+At least 2 restrooms (near 1 and 9)
+Simple to navigate once the first tee is located
Cons:
-Lightning baskets with single chains and no hole #
-Mostly wide open with little challenge
-No tee box markers
-fence with barbed wire on top that could come into play on 5,6,or 7 that could cost you a disc if thrown over
-Mostly wide open with little challenge
-No tee box markers
-fence with barbed wire on top that could come into play on 5,6,or 7 that could cost you a disc if thrown over
Other Thoughts:
Looking to kill some time in Luray while my baby took a nap back at the rental, I made my way to this nice little park on the edge of town. It took some searching to find the first tee box. When you enter the park, look immediately to the left and you'll see Hole 3's tee. To get to hole 1, immediately turn right and park when you reach the turn in that road by the concession stand. Walk past the concession stand all the way to the fence to find tee # 1.
Hole 1 is the tightest hole, requiring a throw under a pine tree branch. Everything else is pretty much hyzer city. Hole 9 plays dangerously close to the skate park, and the rest of the course parallels the park fitness loop, but it's not very crowded so the closeness to the trail usually won't be a problem.
Not much to recommend here other than the views, and the nicely-mowed fairways. Could be worse!
Hole 1 is the tightest hole, requiring a throw under a pine tree branch. Everything else is pretty much hyzer city. Hole 9 plays dangerously close to the skate park, and the rest of the course parallels the park fitness loop, but it's not very crowded so the closeness to the trail usually won't be a problem.
Not much to recommend here other than the views, and the nicely-mowed fairways. Could be worse!
8
0
(Don’t) Swing for the Fences 2+ years
Reviewed:
Played on:Feb 21, 2011
Played the course:once
Pros:
Easy-to-spot 6'+ tall tee indicators. Blue Ridge Mountains in background.
Cons:
Single tees (natural) / single, unnumbered baskets (with single chains). OB 6' fence topped with barbed wire along most holes. Every hole has potential to interfere with other park users.
Other Thoughts:
The first six holes are play fairly similarly - (mostly) mid 200s, fairly flat, avoid going over OB fence on left and baseball field fences on right. On #7 the fence remains left but now there is a soccer field on the right. On #8 a soccer field is on the left, and on #9, a restroom (slightly right) and small skate park (slightly left) lie between you and the basket.
Navigation: After finding the snack bar between two baseball fields, walk down the swale between the two fields to find tee-1. Course then plays in a clockwise direction. After finishing basket-3, tee-4 is hard to your left, next to the fence.
Favourite hole #5: Up-n-over a small rise, pine tree to avoid at the midpoint, OB fence not too close.
The distances and openness are appropriate for beginners, but the OB fence and closeness to other park users require an accuracy not typical of beginners, making this a difficult course to recommend to any particular type of player.
Navigation: After finding the snack bar between two baseball fields, walk down the swale between the two fields to find tee-1. Course then plays in a clockwise direction. After finishing basket-3, tee-4 is hard to your left, next to the fence.
Favourite hole #5: Up-n-over a small rise, pine tree to avoid at the midpoint, OB fence not too close.
The distances and openness are appropriate for beginners, but the OB fence and closeness to other park users require an accuracy not typical of beginners, making this a difficult course to recommend to any particular type of player.
1
3
jnuzz17
Experience:
14.2 years
9 played
5 reviews
Nice mountain views! 2+ years drive by
Reviewed:
Played on:Sep 1, 2010
Played the course:once
Pros:
Valley course with scenic views of the surrounding mountains.
Short fun course with minor challenges.
Not too difficult of a course and fun to play
Short fun course with minor challenges.
Not too difficult of a course and fun to play
Cons:
Hard to find the start of the course.
Tee areas are not well defined.
Baskets are old and small.
Tee areas are not well defined.
Baskets are old and small.
Other Thoughts:
Course tightly surrounds baseball fields and works its way through the park. Fun little course with nice views but wouldnt rate this course very high.
3
1
Okay course 2+ years
Reviewed:
Played on:Jul 24, 2009
Played the course:once
Pros:
Baskets are in good condition. Clearly marked and easy to follow. Tot lot, skate park and athletic fields also on site. Park is well-kept and locals are friendly. Scenic backgrounds.
Cons:
Tees are just posts in the ground. Most fairways are wide open. Several fairways are flanked by a cyclone fence with barbed wire along the top so if you mis-throw it could take you a while to retrieve your disk. At least one fairway would be unusable if a soccer game was in progress. Others flank baseball diamonds so they might be inconvenient during games.
Other Thoughts:
Typical county park course - 9 baskets along the edge where you may have to contend with others. The skate park is close to the 9th fairway - to avoid it I actually threw too far to the right and skipped my Sidewinder off the roof of the restrooms. No facilities in the park were open (midday on Friday in summer) but the town of Luray has the usual amenities. I would not go out of my way to play here again but if I were going to the park for other reasons, I'd certainly go around a few times.
