Pros:
-Reidy Creek Disc Golf Course follows the layout of the well-maintained 18-hole par 3 Reidy Creek Golf Course in north Escondido. The course is challenging but fair, and offers beautiful views of the surrounding hills.
-The course is very well designed. Each hole offers three tees from the cart path (red, white and blue, for the most part adjacent to the red, white, and blue golf tees. The blue tees offer a Pro-level challenge, with ten par fours and most holes playing at least 400 feet. The white tees are appropriate for an intermediate to advanced level player, with an excellent balance between length and strategy-oriented holes. From the red tees, it is still a fairly challenging par three course.
-Most holes have multiple pin positions which significantly alter the complexion of the hole. The long position often adds a half stroke of difficulty. Each basket is well placed near golf greens, sand traps, water hazards, or steep hills, while offering at least a 25-foot buffer on all sides from penalty.
This course tends to not be very crowded, with ball golfers or disc golfers. Especially on week days, playing fast is usually no problem.
-The front nine in particular has a good bit of elevation change. Hole 5, an anhyzer up and around a big hill and over a golf green, is probably the most technical shot on the course. This and Hole 6, a downhill hyzer to a basket in a low area to the left of the golf green, are my two favorite holes on the course. The back nine is longer and more challenging. Hole 14, the longest hole on the course, asking for a maximum distance drive downhill followed by an approach to a basket on a steep upslope, is another noteworthy hole.
-For a ball golf course, a fair amount of shots are required. In addition to a stock hyzer, long turnovers and flex shots will save you strokes on a fair number of holes.
Cons:
-The disc golf greens fee is $10-$15, with a cart. While that's not bad, it's almost as much as the golf greens fee. I think dropping the fee a few dollars or offering a walking rate would significantly increase the number of rounds played.
-Long walks between a handful of holes, characteristic of a ball golf course. In particular, holes 10 to 11 and 17 to 18 require a lengthy walk through a tunnel, or across Broadway Street when the tunnel is flooded, which is often.
-Potential for lost discs is greatest on the holes that play near the creek, (#8 through
#11, #18.)
Other Thoughts:
-I wholeheartedly recommend this course. The greens fee is exactly what it sounds like: a fee to play on green grass. It's certainly not a reason to look for another course.
-I understand it was easiest to place the tees on the cart path, but there are wooded areas to the side of many of the holes. Placing an occasional tee in the trees would greatly amplify the technicality, challenge, and fun factor of the course. It's an excellent course as-is, but moving even 4 tees to technical positions would make it a 4.5 level course.