Pros:
Ravine Park is about 13 miles north off I-74 near the border of Indiana and Illinois . The biggest parking area is next to the pool . You can start at hole #6 to the left , and play around the park counterclockwise . There were no bathrooms open while I was there . This is a 9 hole course .
The Equipment - The tee pads are natural . The signs are old school , the white signs with the green and black print and color scheme . Some are fading , but I was able to read them . The baskets are unnumbered Mach 3's , but in good shape .
The Landscape - The park and course was mowed and looked taken care of when I was here . The Ravine Course rolls a but with some small slopes , except for #5 which is down a double hill . There are some woods here , but the only hole that comes close to it is #5 on the right , and maybe if you griplock #4 on the right . It is a park style course .Not a lot of trees in play on this course , but almost all are mature .
The Highlights . The course starts up the hill and midway to the right of the park under some trees . A 97' Par 2 is your first hole and is guarded by some large trees . #8 ( 208' , is short but is perched on top of an embankment near a creek and under a large tree with a canopy . #9 is a long drive from the tee pad on a slight embankment to the basket 334' . You have to throw across and along a small creek bed .
Signature Hole - There really isn't one , but the hole I liked best was #5 . 342' , The basket is down a long double hill with the woods that could come into play on the right . It is wide open on the left .
Disc Risk - Very low . There is very little chance to lose a disc here unless you sling your downhill drive into the overgrowth on the right of #5 or throw too far right on #4 . Other than that , this park is wide open , and doesn't have the type of trees to hold onto your discs with its branches .
Time - It almost took me longer to decide to park at the pool and start at #6 than it did to play . I think it took about 25 minutes .
This park is a fun intro course and can be played by Dad while the kids are playing on the swings , since all of the baskets and tees are visible from the playground .
Cons:
#1 Safety - The course is bunched up in a small space , even for just 9 holes . Some tee pads are close the the prior basket . #4-5 is a good example . #6 is a midrange shot over a ridge to a hidden basket , which is where kids might play , and the #7 tee is to the right of . 7-8 is pretty close and shooting at 8's basket and clipping a tree could wind up hitting someone on #9's tee pad . The scariest is #9 . They put the basket 10' to the left of the swing set . Little Julie might be the moving basket of Object Golf . The park was empty when I played , but a car pulled up when I was playing #9 . I threw my best drive of the weekend , which bounce right under the swing set about 325' which I throw that distance maybe 2 times a year . The guy wouldn't let his daughter out of the car until I finished the hole ( sheesh ) . You can't play this hole if kids are at the playground .
#2 - Parking - There is NO place to park up where #1 is . You either park at the bottom of the park and walk up , or start in the middle of the course . There is going to be a good walk from #9 to #1 or the lot to #1 , no matter what .
#3 - The #10 Hole , or moving #9 ? There is some room past the swing set . You could move #9's hole up a 100' and then add a #10 hole way past the swing set . It would be an uphill drive .
#4 - Challenge . This is not the type of park to be set up for a challenging round . A good player in an empty park will have ace runs and should have a putter in his hand on all 9 holes .
#5 - Equipment . Cement , turf or even gravel tees would help . A couple of baskets maybe #'s 1 , 2 , and 4 ? were all uprooted and laying on the sides of trees . It would take 90 minutes and a post hole digger to fix this .
It would be nice to have a shelter or even a couple of picnic tables between #1 and #9 A Port O Let on the course would help , too .
Other Thoughts:
I don't mean to make it look like I dislike this course . The course fills a void around here . This is the kind of course that you can learn certain shots from , or if you are local , you can play a quick round or 2 before or after dinner . Nothing difficult here , but a couple of holes with some length . The variety is lacking ( no doglegs , woods holes or uphill shots ) , but it's still a fun little course that is a fast play .
My Recommendation - If the park near empty , this is a great intro course for the curious , or for the newbie trying to get a bunch of rounds in . Locals should like to come here for practice or a fast round , as it;s the only course within 15 miles .Intermediates on up are going to be bored with the course . A little far off of I-74 for the traveler . 9 hole Covington City Park is a better choice for a leg stretcher . Course Collectors ? It's a little remote , but fast . You can be off/on I-74 within an hour , or an easy pick up from Lafayette .
The park nor the course will impress . If not semi local or local , you can play it if you want .