Red Arrow Golf Course reviews
14
0
Long, open 9 on a ball golf course
Reviewed:
Updated:
Played on:Oct 29, 2023
Played the course:once
Pros:
Red Arrow Golf Course is a city-owned property in Kalamazoo, MI that offers 9 holes of disc golf to go along with the 9 holes of ball golf. The disc golf more or less follows the ball golf layout.
The usual DG-on-BG features apply here. That is to say, the course is mostly open but will still challenge most players due to the long hole distances. The opening hole is the shortest one here at 295', acting as a nice warm up for the longer throws on the rest of the course. All other holes are at least 350', and holes 7 and 9 both eclipse 700'.
There is a small pro shop on site with a restroom, and discs available for rent. Nice, if aged, wooden benches are located at each disc golf tee area.
The baskets are yellow banded DISCatchers in fine shape. There aren't any navigational aids, but it's honestly pretty easy to find the next hole since the disc golf follows the ball golf 1:1, the course is so open, and all tees are marked by the large wooden benches.
The usual DG-on-BG features apply here. That is to say, the course is mostly open but will still challenge most players due to the long hole distances. The opening hole is the shortest one here at 295', acting as a nice warm up for the longer throws on the rest of the course. All other holes are at least 350', and holes 7 and 9 both eclipse 700'.
There is a small pro shop on site with a restroom, and discs available for rent. Nice, if aged, wooden benches are located at each disc golf tee area.
The baskets are yellow banded DISCatchers in fine shape. There aren't any navigational aids, but it's honestly pretty easy to find the next hole since the disc golf follows the ball golf 1:1, the course is so open, and all tees are marked by the large wooden benches.
Cons:
Poor throws on hole 1 or 9 could potentially fly over the boundary fence and out into a busy street.
There isn't really much in the way of memorable disc golf here. The course is flat other than small berms near a couple of the baskets. There is a river on the edge of the property, but it isn't ever close enough to really be in play. There are a few trees between the ball golf fairways, but none of them are really "obstacles" between the tee and the basket unless your aim is way off.
The tee pads are just natural (located near the ball golf tee pads for the same hole). The tee signs are just posts attached to each bench with the hole number.
No practice basket or kiosk/map. I'm not sure if the pro shop had scorecards, but I know that the volunteer working there did not offer me one. There also weren't trash cans when I visited, but this might have been because I visited on their last open day of the year.
There isn't really much in the way of memorable disc golf here. The course is flat other than small berms near a couple of the baskets. There is a river on the edge of the property, but it isn't ever close enough to really be in play. There are a few trees between the ball golf fairways, but none of them are really "obstacles" between the tee and the basket unless your aim is way off.
The tee pads are just natural (located near the ball golf tee pads for the same hole). The tee signs are just posts attached to each bench with the hole number.
No practice basket or kiosk/map. I'm not sure if the pro shop had scorecards, but I know that the volunteer working there did not offer me one. There also weren't trash cans when I visited, but this might have been because I visited on their last open day of the year.
Other Thoughts:
This course is open from 9 AM to sunset seasonally (April through October). As mentioned, I actually visited on their last open day of the year which for 2023 was Sunday, October 29. Before starting, you'll have to pay a $5 fee in the pro shop. I believe that fee was to play all day but I'm not 100% sure.
I enjoyed having no one else on the course and seeing the fall colors peaking on the scattered trees around the property. I definitely would have enjoyed it less if the place were busy. This is a pretty boring course by most standards, but if you want to practice your distance drives right in Kalamazoo you could definitely do worse. I had a couple of new drivers to try out and this course provided a nice way to do that. If you have similar motives, Red Arrow could be worth the $5.
I enjoyed having no one else on the course and seeing the fall colors peaking on the scattered trees around the property. I definitely would have enjoyed it less if the place were busy. This is a pretty boring course by most standards, but if you want to practice your distance drives right in Kalamazoo you could definitely do worse. I had a couple of new drivers to try out and this course provided a nice way to do that. If you have similar motives, Red Arrow could be worth the $5.
3
0
BuzzArmStrong
Experience:
15.1 years
50 played
16 reviews
I had fun but... 2+ years drive by
Reviewed:
Updated:
Played on:Sep 5, 2017
Played the course:once
Pros:
Unique place where ball golf, meets frisbee golf, meets foot golf. Very interesting. I normally shun those silly ball golfers but I think it's kind of cool that we get the chance to turn them on to a better game at this venue 
Pretty much all open fairways which allow you to really air out drives and practice rollers without any real punishment sans hole 7 where a wayward shot may find the river (R.I.P. Star Roadrunner roller - In my defense this is the first time I've actually practiced backhand rollers so I don't know what I'm doing).
Nice bakets, sparkly and nearly brand new.
Nicely manicured lawns and friendly folks in the club house.
Pretty much all open fairways which allow you to really air out drives and practice rollers without any real punishment sans hole 7 where a wayward shot may find the river (R.I.P. Star Roadrunner roller - In my defense this is the first time I've actually practiced backhand rollers so I don't know what I'm doing).
Nice bakets, sparkly and nearly brand new.
Nicely manicured lawns and friendly folks in the club house.
Cons:
The only real challenge is distance for our noodle arms...No real line shaping to speak of, barely any trees come in to play at all unless you are just wearing a blindfold and throwing pin the tail on the donkey style.
Natural tee pads.
Only a 9 hole course...and a pretty repetitive 9 hole course at that.
5$ cover charge...for a 9 hole course...less is charged at much superior disc golf courses...
Natural tee pads.
Only a 9 hole course...and a pretty repetitive 9 hole course at that.
5$ cover charge...for a 9 hole course...less is charged at much superior disc golf courses...
Other Thoughts:
The distance keeps it interesting and it kind of acts as field work for your driving form and rollers. Not enough here to be worth paying 5 bucks for - There are much better pay-to-play courses that are cheaper. I know that is cheap for ball golf but it is extremely expensive for disc golf where the norm is free-to-play.
I had fun playing it and ran in to TheValkyrieKid and had a nice chat about surrounding courses and disc golf in general. That was probably the highlight of my round in all reality #1000CourseLifeGoals.
I can't see myself paying 5 bucks to do field work that I could just bring a basket to a big field and do...
I had fun playing it and ran in to TheValkyrieKid and had a nice chat about surrounding courses and disc golf in general. That was probably the highlight of my round in all reality #1000CourseLifeGoals.
I can't see myself paying 5 bucks to do field work that I could just bring a basket to a big field and do...
