DeBary, FL

River City Nature Park - Barwick

3.255(based on 10 reviews)
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River City Nature Park - Barwick reviews

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0 3
MikeyJ09
Experience: 4 played 4 reviews
0.50 star(s)

Not great 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 25, 2022 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

- Challenging and requires more finess rather than power.
- Usually pretty empty.

Cons:

- Overgrowth everywhere
- root systems make cart travel difficult
- fairways unkempt
-poor signage

Other Thoughts:

Overall a fun course. But the appearence makes it hard to enjoy. Even the most minimal maintenance is not happening here. If there was a plan to clean it up so it doesn't look abandonded it would easily be a 4-5 star course. Just looks forgotten as you trek through. Still a fun play if the Alpha has a lot goin on.
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5 0
MrFrosty
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 31.6 years 764 played 387 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Barwick . Alphas Fun Little Brother 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jan 21, 2020 Played the course:once

Pros:

River City Nature Park -Barwick is the 2nd of 2 18 hole courses that sit right off of I-4 between Daytona and Orlando . The course uses the same parking lot as Alpha and also the same nice shelter and course board that sit next to it . A practice basket is there , too . You will actually notice a couple of the baskets as you enter the park here . There is a nice store called Disc Golf Center right across the street from the park in case you forgot or lost a disc or just want to browse . From past reviews , I think that this course has had some improvements in the last year or 2 . Do not compare Barwick with the Alpha course next to it . Where they are similar , there is very much that is different . There are 2 cement tee pads per hole and pretty good and informative signage to go along with each . The signs tell you hole # , distance with each placement and flight paths to each . I don't know the story behind it , but there are uniquely painted Next Tee signs along the way to help you navigate. The baskets are yellow banded Discatchers . There are multiple tee placements per hole . On the tee signs , they have colored ties that are put into the holes of the sign to tell you which placement they are in . They supposedly change them each month . There is some seating at the holes The course is very flat and easy on the knees , but you will still get a good long walk in , especially between some holes and to/from the parking lot . Make sure you print an online map . I didn't see one at the disc golf park board and you can easily be tripped up going from hole to hole . Barwick is moderately wooded , and the course design will make you think and choose your approach based on your drive . Fair lanes , but a feature of this course is a tree ( or 2 ) seem to be right out in front of the some of the tee pads , forcing you to throw away from the basket or the tightening fairway . Many like this as an added obstacle . There were several good holes .
#1 is a great starter hole . Depending on the placement , the basket may sit on a higher platform , or go from a wide open drive into a narrow woods (450') . #5 is a tight tree lined shot that makes you earn all of it's 275' length . #6 would have been my signature hole ( also in cons ) , with its tight right to left alley and a creek running along the right side and in between . Several foot bridges to halp you navigate this . There wasn't any water when I was her , but I guess after a good rain , maybe it would hold some . The basket , if it wasn't missing , is facing away from the tee pad forcing you to putt toward your tee . #7 has a tree in front of the pad , 270' and is a ricochet waiting to happen . #9 is a 320' hole coming out of the trees and going back in at the end . #11 is one of the longer holes at 476' from the longs . It is a picturesque tunnel shot through Florida palms . #12 is another tunnel playing from 415-540' ( par 4 ) with a tree in front of the tee . #13 is shorter but the same type of shot .#15 is an interesting island shot . At 365' , you will have to be able to drive over 300' from the long tee in order to make the island . There is a cement LZ drop that you throw from if your drive doesn't make it . #18 is a good finishing hole , depending on the placement going anywhere from 385' to 500' . A tree forces you to bend your drive a bit to an open fairway that trees guard the basket placement . There is a lot of fun factor here , and although it is not as challenging as Alpha , it stands on its own very well . Solid course design . Other than some other disc golfers that play here regularly ( the locals are friendly ) , you shouldn't encounter any non disc golf traffic . It took me about an hour and 15 minutes to play Barwick , a foursome will take 2 1/2 + .

Cons:

#1 Navigation . Even with a printed map , because of some long walks involved and some crazy angles to go from some baskets to some tees , the flow isn't seamless . Big walks , like parking lot to tee 1 , basket 18 to the lot , #1 basket to #2 tee . 11 to 12 .
#2 Disc Risk . Medium or higher . You will hit trees , and with heavy foliage and thin fairways , you may lose a prized driver or midrange . Take turns spotting if not solo .
#3 Sometimes , the zip tie system didn't seem to match where the pin position was . This can cause you to walk down a fairway to see where the basket is . Watch your footing . Some small stump could cause you to trip in spots .
Other than that , be aware that you need to bring bug spray . You will be here a while , and the word is that the bugs are bad in the late spring until at least late fall . Bring water , too . I didn't see anywhere that you could fill a bottle . I didn't see a bathroom , either . The course is flat , even for Florida . Just say'n . ( I hope they put the basket back on hole #6 )

Other Thoughts:

I had a great time playing the Barwick side . Not a lot of places Anywhere , that you can park your car and play 36 holes . Pack a lunch and stay all day . If I was local and playing this course every other week , I wouldn't ever keep score . The colorful signs also set the course apart from others . Challenging enough that you have to keep your cool throwing into tight lanes at blind baskets . Thank You , River City Parks And Rec , and Debary Disc Golf Club , for making this parks courses a reality and allowing me to play here . My Recommendation . This is a can't miss course if you are local , a course bagger or a disc golf fanatic , Maybe not as fun for a seasoned pro , but definitely challenging enough for a good am . If a newbie or a family , I might play Alpha on the reds before tackling this course . Play It !!! , and PLAY BOTH !!!!
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4 0
riltim
Experience: 13.8 years 36 played 4 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Fun compliment to Alpha 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 9, 2019 Played the course:once

Pros:

* Nice concrete tees on every hole.
* Fun layout that's all about placement shots and hitting your line.
* Cool looking hand painted artwork on each hole.
* Peaceful seclusion on the front 9. This would be the perfect course to unwind after a stressful day at work.
* Great seating on each hole.

Cons:

* Signs and arrows are ample but the navigation is still a little tough. I would have been lost without the UDisc GPS map for tee and basket placements.
* Not all pin placements were marked with zip-ties. I had to walk down every fairway to find the basket when it wasn't visible from the tee.

Other Thoughts:

The two courses on site compliment each other well. Alpha is far more demanding and more of a tournament style course. Barwick is more of a fun shorter course. Not really a great tournament course but would be a blast for something like doubles.
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6 0
wellsbranch250
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 10.8 years 694 played 680 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Jurassic Park. 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:May 29, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

(3.154 Rating) A good compliment to Alpha with its own unique style.
- SHOT SHAPING - I very much preferred the shooting lines on Barwick over Alpha. I was up fairway, although for other reasons, (see cons - hole location pegs) only to pause for a moment and brainstorm on how I was going to attack it. Discs will need to be on a precise line to make the basket in many instances. A bunch of tight fairways, but I think every hole had a discernible angle to the basket. My favorite was hole (6), which in addition to the 10 foot wide fairway, it paralleled a dry creek bed, adding a bit of an elevated putt depending on the lie.
- ART WORK - Huh? Whomever the artist is that painted a 10 x15 mystical wood signs to direct traffic for each hole did an amazing job. Definitely added to the course's character.
- CHARACTER - Not as much coddling as Alpha, but still some niceties of note. At the parking area there's a community board and two practice baskets. There is seating at just less than half the tees and most are shaded as well. Many of the holes have multiple basket placements indicated but I'm unsure if they are used. (see other notes) Nice tee signs at every pad, and more accurate than the ones on the Alpha course. However, I do have a grievance with the tee pads (see cons)
- CHALLENGING - If you like courses that test your accuracy, you'll probably love this course. However, IMO it's not quite as difficult as the DGCR rating indicates as the course falls right in the middle between heavily and moderately wooded. Thus its current listing under the heavily wooded moniker will inflate its difficulty rating a little. Intermediate players should finish around par.
- CHILL AREAS - Lots of secluded areas along the layout. Not as much seating as Alpha, but still a few nice pit stops along the way.
- UNIQUENESS - A touch above average in general but below average for courses I've scored this high. Tree coverage on a hole to hole basis varies quite a bit, open thru heavily wooded. Lots of tunnel shots thru palm lines, a few pockets to hit and a bunch of blind baskets. Some holes are super tough, but there are an equal amount or gimme shots as well. The hole distance variety is nice for the par 3's (190-450) and there are a couple pars 4s depending on basket placement. A nice improv island hole on (15) as well. Unfortunately no dog legs, no par 5s, no water shots and no elevation (see cons).
- RAW BEAUTY - I scored Alpha a touch more beautiful over Barwick but this course is also a natural wonder, but in a different style. The best way to describe the course is Jurassic Park. The southern part of this layout is littered with sabal palms, palmetto bushes and other miscellaneous tropical plants. The holes (15-17) however, looks more like the Alpha course.

Cons:

Solid with just a couple minor issues and a few ticky tack comments of note.
- TEE SURFACE - Very subpar for courses I've rated 3.0 or higher. A couple are concrete, but the rest are a mixture of carpet, rubber mats and natural surfaces.
- NAVIGATION - Be sure and download the course map online as the course jogs around a bit. There is a community board on site but no course map was observed. There are some directional arrows along the course, but it's not enough for this type of course.
- DISCONTINUITY - Lots of walking between a few holes. The walk between (17) to (18) is the longest at over 600 feet, but there are also a 3 or 4 other walks over 200 feet. In addition, basket (18) and tee (1) are both about 400 feet from the parking. So again, please download the course map.
- HOLE LOCATION PEGS - This course has drill holes on the sign to locate pin placements. However, more than half had the tee marker removed and another 3 or 4 were slotted wrong. After a couple holes with bad tee info, I decided to run up the fairway on EVERY basket (most holes are blind) to determine the location. It was that bad.
- FORGIVENESS - Like most wooded courses, Barwick will generally not be to kind to misguided shots. I think I hit a tree on more than half of the holes. Being a good mid range thrower, to scramble for par, will be key to shoot low.
- TIME PLAY - Considering that you're going to hit trees on this course and be on the hunt to find a disc on a few holes, you can an expect a longer round than normal when looking solely at the course length. It took me about 80 minutes solo. I think a group of 4 will spend at least 2 1/2 hours here maybe 3 here.
- BEGINNER FRIENDLY - This is really not a beginners course despite low odds to lose a disc. The course requires the skills of an accurate shot possessed by seasoned players.
- TERRAIN - Not beat in enough. If you have bad knees or ankles stay clear of this course. Lots of roots to stub a toe or twist an ankle on. Probably also not the best course for the disc golf bag stroller. You'd need some big wheels to not stop at every little root.
- POISON IVY - I spotted a few small patches of poison ivy, so be aware when looking for your disc.
- ELEVATION - Zippo, which is typical for this part of Florida. No more than 10 feet of change on any hole.

Other Thoughts:

I hit seven courses over memorial weekend. This was my 3rd highest rated of the seven. No question a 3.5 rating with fixed tees and a few more duel tees. I preferred Alpha, but I liked this one enough that I'd play both on a return visit.
- MULTI BASKETS LOCATIONS - The signs indicate multiple baskets locations, the old pictures versus what I played indicate they've moved. However, I spoke with a local and he told me there are not multiple locations yet, but there's a plan to add sleeves in the future with funding. In addition, I never saw another sleeve or plate in the ground signaling extra locations. I'm dumfounded whether they exist or not.
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2 0
pickupman92
Experience: 9.3 years 34 played 4 reviews
4.00 star(s)

great wooded course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 29, 2017 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

tight wooded fairways, , good tunnels, but enough room to hit different lines. Canopy is really high up, so kudus to the club for keeping the fairways trimmed.

Benches to rest on almost every hole, GREAT!
good mix of woods and a couple bomber holes as well.

Cons:

Unfortunately, there are no bathrooms, but they recently buil a nice pavilion and I think the city/county are showing interest, so they might be on there way.

Mosquitoes can be bad sometimes, so bring brugspray, but I've heard they have treated some of the water at the park with something that kills the mosquitoes and it seemed to have worked in 2016

Other Thoughts:

Great course to play and it compliments the alpha course really well.
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4 0
thrembo
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 49.5 years 245 played 198 reviews
3.50 star(s)

A Nature Hike With A Disc Golf Course In It 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Oct 30, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

The "new" course here, and it still shows. Only one set of mostly carpet tees and way fewer pin placements than the original course here. I believe that it will have two sets of concrete tees eventually. Nice tee signs and a good start on the next tee signs. Hole 1 lets you know right out of the gate that this course means business! Some long holes here for sure, but mostly there are technical heavily wooded holes. The course has a lot of nature hikes in between the holes which adds a lot of extra steps to the round. Feel the burn!

Cons:

Even with all of the signage, navigation can be somewhat tricky in spots. Thankfully, the course is heavily played and the very friendly locals were more than happy to keep us on the right path.

BRING BUG SPRAY!!! Mosquitos can be brutal at times.

Other Thoughts:

I get the feeling that this course isn't quite done yet. It is quite playable and pairs well with the other 18 hole course on site here. It's really tight and longish though, so I wouldn't recommend it to beginners.

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7 0
reposado
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 13.3 years 278 played 276 reviews
3.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 18, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

Barwick is very much a companion to the original course on site. It features a decent variety of holes or rather a few types. There are open mostly open holes that feature a lot of distance, typically maximizing the use of open space by placing the basket just inside the trees on the opposite side of a field from the tee. There are extremely tight, very short holes through palm forest. And there are some inbetween holes, medium distance and with what I would call typical wooded fairway width. It isn't so much a spectrum of fairways width as it is a mix of those three. As such, it forces a lot of different shots. Carefully placed drives that are practically approaches and places to air out a disc.
Still, the majority of holes are within the heavily wooded section of the park and a ton of the holes can boast an impressively tight flight path. These thick palm trees salivate at the chance to knock your disc down. Whereas the original course here probably tests disc golf abilities better, this one is a bit more on the fun side. You are going to get unlucky and you are going to get a bad kick at some point during a round here.
Signage is the same quality stuff used in the original course and navigation aids are plentiful, although as a new course, there are still some places where additional arrows would be helpful. With the variety and the different holes here, it makes a great companion piece to the original.

Cons:

A few of the holes do border on plink and while fun could be frustrating to both beginners and advanced players that are concerned with fairness and true ability tests. The later will also find that a lot of holes won't provide much scoring separation. But truly, there isn't much to dislike here. It isn't a destination course by any means. It's a fun, but not terribly interesting course. No water, no elevation, no signature holes of any kind. An everyday course that I wouldn't typically go out of my way for.
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2 0
JLethal2
Experience: 13.4 years 38 played 17 reviews
3.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 3, 2015 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

The second 18 hole course at Debary...an idea that was a long time coming and finally complete. This course is a nice compliment to the original 18 holes as it kicks up the degree of difficulty a few notches and puts your accuracy to the test. A majority of the course features narrow flight paths requiring pin point precision which makes it a competitive challenge. It appeared that all of the concrete pads have now been laid which is nice since the first time I played the course was logistically confusing. Also brand new signage is on each hole as well as "next tee" signage...great for easy navigation.

Cons:

Missing elevation changes as usual in the state of Florida (Can't really blame the course for this though). Due to the enclosed nature of some of the holes with narrow paths to throw down there are quite a bit of woods to trek through which will bring out bugs of many kinds (I pulled 2 ticks off myself once done playing the course)

Other Thoughts:

Overall, it is nice to have a close by course now featuring 36 fun holes of Disc Golf to play. Definately one of my favorite places to play in the area.
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1 0
xGIRTHx
Experience: 13.8 years 40 played 16 reviews
4.00 star(s)

A worthy sequel to an almost perfect original! 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 11, 2015 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

This course is every bit as challenging as the original if not more difficult. Its got a great variety of holes and is quite challenging especially if you are having an off day. Hole 1 and 2 are basically open shot sans a bit of brush/trees on the last 100 feet of hole 2. Hole 3 is short but has a narrow corridor. Hole 4 can be played many ways as the trees on the fairway leave room for options. Hole 5 is a short dogleg right but still requires some accuracy. Hole 6 is about as difficult as they come because its impossible to get anywhere near the basket on your first throw without divine intervention. Hole 7 and 8 are still in the woods but with a well placed shot a birdie isn't too difficult. Hole 9 is a straight shot with brush on the left and treeline in the right with an over hanging branch before the pin positions. I leave the rest a mystery but I assure you no two holes feel the same. Giggity! All in all you can have a great day of golf playing both courses and each present a variety of challenges as well as grip and rip holes.

Cons:

Same gripes as the other 18. No bathrooms or elevation. It can become pretty muddy after heavy rain and the mosquitos can be a pain in the summer.

Other Thoughts:

If you've never been here play both courses. If you have, play both courses. If you live within an hour or so its definitely worth the drive.
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4 0
Jmilsom
Experience: 33.7 years 11 played 1 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Debary Barwick 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 5, 2015 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Excellent mix of tight and open holes. Most holes favor accuracy and shot selection over distance and power. Long tee pads are permanent with either concrete or rubber. New signage makes finding your way around the course easier. Shorter distance makes it novice friendly, but the technical nature of the course is still very challenging.

Cons:

Only one tee pad per hole is marked at this time. Bug spray is a must with many of the holes in a heavily wooded section. Losing a disc is a possibility on many holes.

Other Thoughts:

This is one of my favorite courses. Multiple basket locations on each hole keep it fresh and fun to play. Has some open fairways where you can let it rip and several tight ones. Water can be in play on 6, 8, and 17. 15 features an island green that makes throwing over the open field more challenging. Make sure to bring water and bug spray. There are no bathrooms at this park. This is a must play if you are in Central Florida.
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