Valparaiso, IN

Rogers Lakewood Park

4.115(based on 50 reviews)
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2 0
Ben17
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 24.4 years 119 played 31 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Great Place For A Little Fun 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 7, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

Great use of elevation
Nice tee signs
24 holes
Well kept
Practice basket
Nice long concrete tee pads
Nice use of water
Offers a variety of different shots

Cons:

A bit tough to navigate
Old and a bit rusted DisCatchers
Some holes too close to pedestrians
It is pay to play

Other Thoughts:

Now this course was my first ever course played in Indiana. Not gonna lie but I was a bit surprised. It is a very nice and very well kept course. You can tell the take slot of pride in their course. Came here on vacation, and not one bit disappointed. The one thing I recommend is bug spray. I came here in the beginning of July and they were EVERYWHERE!!! Never the less it doesn't take away from the experience. It will definitely make you throw every shot in your bag. It utilizes the area. I would have to say that hole #14 was my favorite. You throw down a monster of a hill. Then a few holes later you come right back up. It will use the land. This course isn't extremely tough, but it is a bit of a challenge. If I am in the area again I will for sure play again. I loved it. Hole #2 plays along a skatepark. It is very easy to actually go into the skatepark. It can definitely be dangerous. Just beware of this. Besides that it was an awesome course. If I'm up here again I will stop by for another great round.
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8 2
ertai
Experience: 16.6 years 25 played 4 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Challenge in Valpo 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 6, 2011 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

- Beautiful with almost every hole presenting a new challenge
- Great use of elevation
- Great risk/reward (maybe too much on some holes? - more on that later)
- The fairways were recently mowed
- Clean with signs and bag hooks at every tee and some benches at almost every tee
- There are restrooms and vending machines near the park entrance
- Very nice tee pads (some looked newly installed)
- 3$ to play all day is a great price (just mention that you're a Porter county resident)

Cons:

- Hole 2 is a bit too technical with the pond within only a few feet of the basket - even a little risk on this hole may cost you a disc or two
- The rough on some holes was a little too thick for my taste (Holes 8 and 17 come to mind) and I ended up loosing a disc on Hole 8 and almost again on Hole 17
- Some short tee pads (Hole 12 comes to mind)
- Several holes with multiple baskets were missing a basket, which was very deceiving since most of the holes were blind shots to begin with
- Holes 21-24 were a little more boring than the rest of the course but was a relaxing finish after the grueling first half of the course (so not much of a con)
- I don't recall seeing a sign at the entrance of the park pointing towards Hole 1 (after you enter the park and pay the fee, turn right (south) at the stop sign and immediately turn left (east) into a parking lot - Hole 1 begins by the pond to your northeast

Other Thoughts:

- Most memorable hole - Hole 10 because of the beautiful scenery and long drive to the hole
- Least favorite hole - Hole 2 because of the technicality with the OB on the left and OB/pond on the right and next to the basket
This is an extremely challenging course that becomes less technical after Hole 15. This course is not for beginners, unless they cut down the course to 18 holes and skip many of the more technical holes. Be prepared to lose discs in water/very rough, rough that surrounds some of the fairways. Early spring or late fall may be the best time to visit this course, because of the thickness of the rough and the swarms of mosquitoes during the warm season.
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12 1
BogeyNoMore
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 20.4 years 512 played 183 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Every state should have a course like this! 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jul 3, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

Magnificent course in a clean, scenic, pleasant, well maintained suburban park, offering far more than just disc golf. Starts right out of the box with a scenic and inviting hole that has you driving over water, but not to the point where you need to throw 300' to clear it.

23 more holes provide a great mix of tight, moderately tight, some-what open and a couple of wide open fairways. Splendid use of numerous elevation changes off the tee as well as some sloped greens. Throw in a nice mix of distances and the result is: all the variety you could ask for. Unique hole after unique hole - never comes close to feeling boring or repetitive. Keeps you engaged and entertained the entire round, with diversity that utilizes your entire shot making repertoire. Certainly a challenging course, which can punish you for straying far from the fairway, but not overly harsh in doing so.

Baskets seemed fine to me, and there's a flag to help you locate the blind basket on one hole (5, perhaps?). Looks like they change pin placements occasionally to keep things fresh. Signage is pretty good, and course flows reasonably well. Navigation can be tricky in a few spots, but overall, not much of an issue considering it was my first visit.

Real restrooms (reasonably clean with running water) located an upshot away from 1st tee.

Cons:

• Hole 2 features a raised basket with the lake looming just behind it - talk about risk/reward! You have to aim high to have a shot at getting a deuce, but if you don't hit the chains pretty solidly, you could lose your putter as it sails past the basket...and into the drink. Call me a wimp, but that's a little too ballsy for my taste.
• Some holes play across or near asphalt paths which can be harsh on plastic should you land on, or skip off them. A few holes have other unnatural obstacles that could come into play should a shot get away from you. Other park users could be an issue on high traffic days.
• Fairway for 12 was flooded, and it was beautiful weather when I played. I can see how some holes would be nasty the day after a good soaking.
• Jerks have broken off many of the bag hooks on most of the tee posts.

Other Thoughts:

**9/22/17: Rating revised from 4.5 to 4.0... Still a destination worthy course, but great course, but I have a better perspective at this point.**

This is what disc golf should be: FUN!!
Standout holes were 1 (over the lake), 12 (mando under the arched tree), 14's huge sweeping downhill bomb... I could go on.

Perhaps a con for some, but I can't complain about the park admission fee - park and course are obviously well maintained in pretty much every way, and worth the price in my opinion. Didn't mention I wasn't a resident and they didn't ask; paid the local admission.

Others have bagged on them, but personally, I actually liked the hodgepodge of tee pads and didn't not find them to be an issue. The mix of brick pavers, the map on 18, the asphalt tee box on 12, concrete on some... all of it just added to the novelty for me. Many (if not most) of the basket posts are mounted through a hole cut in the middle an old disc... just adds flavor... this place is simply cool.

Maybe I just came at the right time of year, but the lush foliage and green fairways just added to the overall appeal of this course - the place looked fabulous. Considering RLP's only about an hour or so from Lemon Lake, they'd make a great couple of days worth of disc golf. If you're a DG road tripper, you gotta work northwest Indiana into one of your excursions.
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8 1
swatso
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 16.3 years 776 played 417 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Whitman’s Sampler 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 13, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

Twenty-four holes, representing a broad variety of hole-types. Two tee locations per hole, concrete, signage, benches at the longs, toeboards at the shorts. Practice basket.

Cons:

Paid park personnel hardly knew a thing about the course, such as where it started, or how to obtain a map.

Other Thoughts:

This course appears to be the pride and enjoy of an alien discoursologist - visit a course, remove a few typical holes, visit a different type of course, extract a few more holes, repeat several times, then proudly put them altogether in a single, albeit large, display case. Want to throw over water? Welcome to hole-1. Like the novelty of playing to a hanging basket? The final hole will provide that opportunity. In-between, you'll find: Flat holes playing in the shade of extremely tall hardwoods; Downhill bombs followed by their corresponding uphill shots; A plethora of sharp left- and right-turning shots required to reach baskets up/down/across wooded ridges; Longer holes with mid-distance chokepoints that need to be hit in order to have reasonable approaches to the basket; Other long holes requiring you to miss an obstacle early and/or late, but leave the majority of the flightpath unmolested.

The tee locations are nearly as eclectic as the holes themselves - while most tees are brick, there were a variety of other surfaces, too. Benches, baghooks, teesigns, trashcans - all the amenities a tee location needs.

Favourite holes: I really liked the 7-9 combination. #7, starting in open, on a ridge, ending amongst tall trees, basket on a ridge of equal elevation, requiring a gentle right-turner upon entering the wooded valley; #8 requires a dead-straight throw about 200', then a very hard left to park the basket - turn too early, or late, and get knocked down by one of the many small trees defining the obvious flight path; #9, similar to number 7, except you start in the woods, with the basket in the open, in a slightly higher location. A sharp right turn is needed to reach the basket, with one large tree knocking down any disc which turns too early, and large bushes in the background that'll catch any disc which begins turning too late.

Least favourite: The short, but dreaded #2, with the fence running the entire length of the left-side, guarding an ob-skatepark, and trees/water running along the right-side.

If you prefer your courses to have a theme/be a bit homogeneous, you might not enjoy the entire course (although you'll find some holes you'll like), but if variety-is-the-spice-of-life is more your motto, come here and have all the variety you can handle!
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8 3
ArcheType
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 14.5 years 38 played 25 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Find Love at Valpo! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 5, 2011 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Let me preface this by saying Rogers Lakewood Park is one of the best courses I have ever played.

-This course has some of the best shot variety I've seen anywhere. Every hole of the 24 feels unique. And these holes didn't feel like any hole elsewhere either.

-This course has really great signage, all the distances seemed accurate to me. Also, the addition of bag hooks on every tee sign are a very welcomed small detail.

-This course is excellently maintained, all the fairways were well cleared, and even the rough wasn't terrible.

-Several holes were very unique. I personally couldn't pick a signature hole for this course, between 10, 13, 14, 15, and 17, this course has some holes unlike any others.

-The baskets are in good shape and catch very well.

-The flow of the course was excellent, it was never a huge struggle to find the next tee.

Cons:

-The biggest con to this course, keeping it from a 5 in my opinion, are the crap tee pads. While the tees are not dirt anymore, the rubber tees are poorly laid out on several holes, and a few of the brick tees leave a lot to be desired. Hole 2's tee is brick, but it's extremely small. Hole 11's tee is made from a different set of bricks than the rest of the course, and they're extremely slick.

-A much smaller downside to the course is the fact that the park is used by many others. Several holes play near areas where non-discers would be in nice weather. Hole 2 in particular has you throwing virtually over a skatepark, which leaves an embarrassing walk if you fail to make it over.

Other Thoughts:

While the tees were a bit of a headache for me in some places, this course is still phenomenal. The only course I've played that can hold a candle to this one is Flip City.
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11 1
discRabbit
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 25.4 years 1329 played 136 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Fun, Challenging, and Beautiful 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 21, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Roger's Lakewood is one of my all-time favorite courses for plain ol' fun. Due to the massive variety in hole-types and distances, Lakewood overall is accessible to a wide range of skill-levels. On the most difficult holes, newer players will have to patiently find creative ways to make par but will be rewarded now and then with a fun, tightly wooded shot where anyone who hits the line will have a putt for birdie. Pro players aren't going to find too many 'gimme's' though and will be on their toes trying to collect '2's.

While some of the very front and very back holes can sometimes be crowded with non-discers, most of the wooded central section of the course is located in disc golf only areas where you are more likely to see wildlife like foxes, raccoons, and frogs than pedestrians.

Finally, there are a couple of really memorable holes, mostly mentioned in previous reviews (such as 14 & 15) which will stick with you. 14, while not as long as other top of the world shots, remains one of my all-time favorites because of the beautiful view and the very real possibility of landing in monster shule!

From the start, the course designer and the local club have done an excellent job of keeping Lakewood in stellar condition. You'll almost always find fresh woodchips, clean fairways, and all of the little improvements that make the course shine.

Cons:

The main drawback of the course at Roger's Lakewood is the lack of any multiple shot holes which require a drive to a landing zone and then a second well executed drive or long approach to the pin. Nearly every hole at Lakewood can be achieved in '3' with a 'just okay' drive and approach shot. There are several holes indeed which are very unlikely birdie '2's from the long tees such as hole 16 which plays straight up a tubing hill. The length and large elevation change prevents most players from reaching the putting green, but at the same time, a bogey is a rare event because of the (too short) distance for par 4 and the lack of any punishing features such as OB. Nearly all players with great, good, and just okay drives will get the par and move on.

Hole 10 approaches the qualification of a hole with a defined 'landing zone' but, again, because of the too short distance, does not give adequate reward to those who card the '3'. Add another 150' or so to this fairway and you've got a great par 4 hole with a well-defined landing area, punishing rough, and a tricky approach shot. As it stands now, players can bomb a hyzer or big flex over the trees to try for the '2' and if they don't hit the fairway, are usually close enough to get up and down for a boring par.

To get a little picky, some of the tees can be slippery when it rains - take care especially on the faux grass astroturf tees!

Other Thoughts:

Lakewood definitely makes my best-of list of courses which are a blast to play and are accessible to a large range of players from AMII's to average pro's. There is a little bit of everything out here which gives it broad appeal and a well-rounded feel - you likely won't be disappointed!
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8 1
Emoney
Experience: 28.5 years 90 played 16 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Very fun,must play 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 18, 2011 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

This is a great course that has a very high fun factor. I had a great time playing with a dgcr member (jukeshoe) that showed me the course. The course is set in a very scenic park that has playgrounds,fishing,skate park and most importantly DISC GOLF. The course has a large variety of shots that need to be executed, long,short,uphill,downhill,left,right,tight fairway and open bombs. Also has O.B. and water to contend with on several holes. Has great teepads that are grippy and level, even though most are different materials( Some people may think its a con but i think it adds character). Each hole has a very nice sign of the hole with yardage and alternate pin locations,as well as hooks to hang your bag on. Also there are alot of benches around the course to take in nature. The course seemed well groomed and clean and that the locals really love and take care of this course. Thanx guys. The baskets are not all the same but are in good shape. There is a port-a-john next to the parking lot which is nice. Alternate basket placements for most holes are a plus !!

All in all , i really liked this course and i love to see that the locals are extremely involved. It looks as if they made the best course they could with the land they had( great job and great course). I will definitely play this course in the summer when the rough grows in, which looks like it will add a great challenge.

Cons:

Navigation- Im glad i got a local to help me navigate this course,im sure i would of had a little trouble. Print a map and that should solve that problem.
Hole 7- not a big deal but after u throw ur shot u have to walk down a steep downgrade thats mainly dirt and could cause a fall or slip,steps would be nice..no biggie though
Hole 2- Its a nice hole but it is way to easy for someone to accidentally throw into the skate park and not only hurt there ego/disc but possibly injure a skater.
Hole 19- You have to throw towards the skate park parking lot and the basket is way to close to cars in that lot,its asking for trouble imo.
The park also looks as if it can get very crowded with not only disc golfers but people fishing,biking, and walking and may cause a risk of hitting someone because alot of holes play near these areas.
Side note- The rough was pretty "narley" and i played before spring. I can only imagine what its like in the summer. Not a major deal

Other Thoughts:

This course got a half a disc higher score because of the local efforts. U can see the local efforts on every hole. There are many courses that get installed and left unkept,not this one. It will definitely make for a extremely fun round with plenty of reachable holes for everyone and great challenge if u miss ur line. Go play this course cause if you dont you will miss a gem. This course is a prime example of how good a course can be, with the dedication of locals willing to do what it takes to make a stellar course. Thx to you all
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7 0
Terry C
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 27.6 years 54 played 27 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Great Indiana DG!! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 11, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

-Course is set in a big beautiful park with a wide range of terrain.
-Some big elevation changes.
-Most holes have mature trees as obsticles.
- Tight windows, and length on many holes.
- A great mix of left, right, and straight shots.
-A good mix of hazards
-Mix of tall and skinny trees, short and wide trees, shrubbery, and dense rough to make things challenging.
-Challenging pin placements.
-Water on multiple holes. Hole #1 is directly over the pond.
-Basket are in good shape.
-Tee signs are good.
-Pads are made of different materials but all in descent shape.

Cons:

-Pay to play during the summer may be a con to some.
-slightly confusing layout for first time players.
-Inconsistant teepads may be a con to some.
-Being a multi-use park some holes are too close to where people congrigate and play tennis and other things.

Other Thoughts:

I found this park very enjoyable to play. It was challenging yet still had a definite fun factor to it. I believe its one of the best courses in its area. I would definitely recomend it, Im looking forward to playing it again.
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15 1
notapro
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 21.3 years 571 played 284 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Intermediate/Expert 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 3, 2010 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

- Course is set in a big, multi-use city park with a pretty wide range of terrain. A great setting for disc golf.
- There are three different sections to the park, which have different types of holes. Majority of the holes are in a dense forest with significant slopes, some are on flatter ground with mature trees, and a few are more open with extreme elevation changes. The holes with mature trees are typical to the midwest, but have added challenge with water, tight windows, and length. Definitely none of these are throwaway holes. A great mix of left, right, and straight shots, with a good amount of elevation changes and hazards.
- One section of the park plays on the side of a big hill, which has a monster downhill bomber shot [watch out for the forest(s)!], and another good uphill shot. These holes are much more wide open, with absolutely nothing in the fairway, but have very extreme slopes. A great change of pace from the rest of the course, and right in the middle to break the round up nicely.
- The rest of the course is in dense, tight forest, with lots of elevation changes. Many tight windows to hit immediately off the tee, in the fairway, on approach shots, and near the basket. Mix of tall and skinny trees, short and wide trees, shrubbery, and dense rough to make things very difficult. Although the terrain itself was very similar, the holes were very different. Extreme curves in all directions, some softer ones in all directions, a few where a OH shot is highly recommended, really a complete mix of all kinds of shots. Throw in some elevation changes, and shot selection and line shaping become do-or-die from the beginning to end. How each shot starts, the path it takes, and how it ends, are all very important to score well.
- Lots of protected, sloping, or elevated greens make every shot count. Lots of approach shots and putts require a solid game plan; getting it close can be a real challenge, even from close in.
- Very good use of water on multiple holes; there is real danger of going in. #1 is directly over the pond, #2 is a right-curving hole with the pond on the right, and #24 has a huge slope to the left that eventually meets the water. Definitely a big enough factor to influence the shot selection.
- Basket are in good shape, though rusted. Tee signs are generally good, even with the multiple pin positions. Navigation can be a little tricky, but not impossible.

Cons:

- One of my biggest cons is present here - concrete. Multiple holes play next to or over an old scraggly road, which really hurts the atmosphere and possibly your discs.
- Some of the teepads were in abysmal shape, to the point where I was worried about slipping right off. Can't imagine what they would be like in the rain, mud or snow.
- A few other park activities interfere with the disc golf, like a skate park next to #2's fairway, but it's not too bad. Only a factor on a couple holes.
- Some holes are kind of close to each other, and there is a chance of errant shots finding other holes. #15 comes to mind, where discs from #14's tee can end up in #15's fairway.

Other Thoughts:

- This is a very punishing course that will make you throw almost every shot in your arsenal, and make you throw them well. Sure, there are some easier holes, but that is only in comparison to the tougher ones. #10 and #13 are serious brutes, with long, curving, tree-filled, uphill fairways, bordered by very thick rough. #13 even has a "turtle-shell" green to top it off. Definitely some professional-caliber disc golf to be found here. Make sure to score well on the front nine; things get serious starting with #10.
- I had to go 4.5 discs with this review, but would put it closer to a 4 than a 5. The teepads are really bad (dirt would be better at times), and there are a lot of shorter holes that don't have much of a "wow factor". Other than that, not much to nitpick, and definitely put this on a different level than all of my other 4-discers.
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8 0
mykeg44
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 15.4 years 72 played 45 reviews
4.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 21, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

Rogers Lakewood is a phenomenal course over a large area of land with some great distance shots, terrific use of elevation, and unique wooded shots. The course has a very secluded feel and most of the holes are in their own area of the park with only the first two and last few playing anywhere near other park activities

The variety here is fantastic. Every tee shot is a new look and the course plays through a diverse range of areas. It starts out with two shots around a small pond, with the first requiring you to throw over it. The course then moves into a more open area for a few longer, more upen shots with trees protecting the baskets and tall grass forming rough along the fairway.

The course then gets gradually more wooded, but never goes into a fully forested area like you typically think of as a "wooded course." These wooded shots play through orchard-like areas with grass fairways. Some skillful line-shaping is needed to score well on these holes.

#14-16 was my favorite section. #14 is a top-of-the-world tee shot with a 590ft bomb down a hill with rough to the right and a patch of trees forming the fairway to the left. The next two shots play along, then up this big hill.

This place is extremely well maintained with trimmed fairways, well-defined rough, garbage cans, benches, and brick tees on many holes.

Cons:

The biggest issue I had with this course was the baskets. They're old DisCatchers, and while they're still functional, many have significant rust and they do not catch as well as newer baskets.

The signs here are really nice, but I found the recommended flight path pictured on many signs to be unreliable. On many shots, the basket is not visible from the tee, so if I followed the flight path shown on the sign (instead of walking the fairway and finding the basket) I found that the angle shown on the sign was different than the actual basket placement. There are multiple pin locations shown plus I was being lazy on some holes and not walking the fairways to see the chains for myself, so I would recommend doing that.

Hole #21 plays close to a pavilion and parking lot and is really the only conflict with a non-DG area of the park. When I played there was a BBQ going on and I almost hit a car on my (bad) drive. 9 out of 10 times I'm guessing this isn't an issue though.

The few remaining rubber tees are less than ideal and were a little slippery, but I only remember a couple of these, and for the most part the tees are great.

I felt like the final 4 holes didn't live up to the rest of the course. Except #23, these holes were all shorter and more ordinary than the course's other holes. I thought #24 was a boring way to end a great course. However, these are still above average shots on most courses.

Other Thoughts:

I was on the fence between a 4 and a 4.5, but the variety and fun factor here are so high, I looked past the imperfections. This ranks in the top 5 courses I've played so far.

The $5 car fee ($7 on the weekends) is well worth it. Other than the baskets, this was among the most beautifully maintained courses I've played.
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6 0
bygwyllay
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 17.5 years 93 played 78 reviews
4.00 star(s)

my god my golf 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 28, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

Fantastic scenery throughout a massive park maintained by a $5/car fee. Signage fresh and a majourity of holes had hooks on which to hang your bag (a very unique feature!)

Start out shooting over a lilypad-filled pond, then around the skate park and into a field. Holes 6-11 are a gauntlet of tightly-wound tunnel shots - lines must be hit or you will not be happy. Beautiful ravine shot on #7, with a tight entrance. #9 is a wicked right hook over a small road. Blind holes aplenty. #10 almost made me quit - punishing rough that you cannot recover from. The course opens up quite a bit after that. HUGE hill comes into play for holes #13-16. Massive bomb down #14 might be the signature hole on this course. The last six were my favourite, under a canopy of mature trees, with a few birdie ops. I enjoyed the brick tees; a nice touch.

Cons:

However several tees were just dirt or the brick had been pulled up a bit. #12s tee was a spray-painted box on a concrete path. You can get lost after #10; I ended up at #14. It took me quite a while to locate the next tees...

Other Thoughts:

This was first Indiana experience, and I came away impressed. It is obvious that a lot of care is put into the course and the park as a whole. 24 holes is sometimes a chore but the layout maximizes the variety of terrain the park has to offer. I did walk into a few summer camp activities, which was a surprise. This course is extremely challenging and I would not recommend it for a first-timer. I will definitely play through again and bring others.
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6 0
Jax11
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 15.4 years 103 played 35 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Excellent 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 7, 2010 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

- Very challenging course.
- Great distance variety.
- Good elevation.
- Well defined fairways.
- A lot of options on what to throw, does not favor a particular throwing style.
- Very scenic and beautiful.
- Interesting water hazard on hole #1 and hole #2.
- Very friendly locals that maintain a solid disc golf community.
- Small pro shop that also manages a lost and found for discs.
- Solid tee pads.
- Solid baskets.
- Solid tee signs
- Two pin positions on every hole to keep the course interesting.
- No navigation issues.
- There are hooks for your bag on every tee sign.

Cons:

- Very thick rough.
- I'll say it again, the rough is thick.
- Rough has thorns.
- It is easy to lose a disc in the rough. I got careless and lost 3 in one round.
- Very few teepads were not cement or cobblestone, those could use updating.

Other Thoughts:

Roger's Lakewood is a gem of a disc golf course that plays through lightly to moderately wooded terrain with some nice rolling hills. It forces you to hit lines and punishes you when you don't. It is super challenging so bring your A game if you wish to tackle this monster. The terrain is used brilliantly to make this course challenging and fun. The only drawback for me about this course is the amount of rough. It is thick and swallows discs. You can tell the local clubs have made the effort to cut trails in through it to help out the searches, but it still needs more trimming IMO. I believe going off the fairway should result in a tough next shot, but it doesn't need to be impossible to shoot and/or find your disc. Overall, I believe Roger's Lakewood is an excellent course and definitely a destination course. The only things it needs for me to push it to a 5/5 would be some major rough clearing and an indicator as to what position the basket is in on the tee signs. If you are in the area you have to hit it. With Lemon Lake only 30 minutes away you can make a great week or weekend of disc golf. It does cost $3-5 to get into the park, but nothing to play the course which helps keep the course from being swamped with people. Enjoy!
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7 3
agent_peebody
Experience: 24.8 years 12 played 2 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Fun and Challenging 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 8, 2010 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

A wide variety of hole types (open field, tight, doglegs, monster downhills, uphill). Very improved with the addition of a few holes and most of the tees are now concrete. Never the same shot from hole to hole (exception on 4 & 5). Trashcans at almost every hole, along with a place to hang bags, and a bench.

Cons:

Pretty hilly, and can get rough when it's super hot. Poison ivy in the summer (AHHHH!!!).

Other Thoughts:

Great course, I learned how to play on this course and I can't find one that rivals it to this day.
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1 13
mcnal1sp
Experience: 22.6 years 7 played 7 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Rogers Lakewood Park 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 10, 2008 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

The tees are of good quality, with convenient hooks on which to hang your bag at every tee. Very scenic and provides a lot of challenging shots.

Cons:

I'd say this course is geared more towards the experienced thrower who doesn't mind destroying a few discs when lumberjacking the many, many trees that riddle these fairways.

Other Thoughts:

To me the course is at its most enjoyable in the winter. Call me crazy, but I've played it more times trudging through snow than I have in the summer or spring.
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7 0
HuntingtonHyzer
Experience: 15.3 years 18 played 5 reviews
4.50 star(s)

On the way to Lemon Lake 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 14, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

Nice layout.
Plenty of trashcans.
Seemed like everyhole was a different shot.
Loved the shot under the overhanging tree as well as the long sweeping downhill shot.
Local at the little shack/clubhouse, marked a map helping us find a few of the tees.
Punishes errant shots,due to very thick woods off the fairways.This can also be a con.
Also...they had hooks to hang your bags, at every tee station. With the wet conditions this was a MAJOR plus in my book.

Cons:

Without assistance a few of the tees would have been difficult to find.
Lots of wet areas. We have had lots of rain, so this may not be a fair con.
Mixed teepads are ok, but some were slippery do to the rain/mud.

Other Thoughts:

We played this course on the way to our weekend trip at lemon lake, and i am so glad we did. Its worth the drive. Course allows you to try every shot in your arsenal, but its not too demanding to take away the fun of the game. Will be making many more trips in the upcoming years to Rogers.
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9 0
gordonbombay
Experience: 15.5 years 57 played 7 reviews
5.00 star(s)

2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Dec 28, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Diversity of holes. The only two that are similar are #4 and #5, but different pin placements create enough variety for these two holes. ***Update: Hole 4 has had clearing and a new pin placement added making it entirely different from hole 5.
Elevation changes from hole to hole. And only 5 holes that don't have elevation change within them.
Great variety of shots from tight tunnels, long uphill/downhill, a blind 90. I love it. Well thought out, and well executed course. Alternate pin placements "shake-up" this already versatile course.
Great use of natural landscape and disasters as well. Hole 12 has you tee off under a fallen tree. Hole 14 plays down the winter sledding run so have fun airring it out.

Cons:

While most of the course is playable year round they yank #15's basket during the winter for tube runs.

Other Thoughts:

Nothing like starting the day off throwing over water. A first shot in the drink is a pleasant way to start any round. If you dont feel like losing a disc there is a short tee in front of the tree on the left.
It doesnt matter much for me but the only restrooms are just off of the first tee box and locked between Labor and Memorial day. This might pose a problem if you play with ladies or shy guys.
The pay to park from Memorial to labor day may seem a tad costly, considering its not a state park, but this course is well maintained and manicured so grab some buddies, pony up the cash and enjoy a few rounds of some challenging disc golf.
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15 0
mashnut
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 22.7 years 831 played 777 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Great course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 24, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

The course plays through a large sprawling park with lots of nice hills. Many holes play up, down or across the hills, making your drives more challenging, and several with sloped greens to add some risk to your short game. The elevation was used brilliantly here to make you think about how much risk to take, and a great balance between the tough uphill shots and the fun downhill bombers. There is enough room in the park for a few longer holes to stretch out your drives, along with some fun ace runs and lots of good variety in between.

Much of the course plays on grassy fairways with trees and brush lining them to catch and punish errant drives. There is a nice mix of really tight fairways and some that offer more room to work different lines. There are a few more open holes and a few that play through mature trees with no underbrush to add a little more variety. The first hole makes you work right off the bat throwing over the pond, I love a course that challenges you that way the second you step on the first tee.

The signage here is plenty adequate to follow the course, especially with good flow throughout and a course map at the beginning of the course. The baskets were in good shape. The tees were a mix of surfaces but were all in good shape and level. There is a great practice area at the first tee with a putting basket and distance markers. There is a hut with disc sales, it wasn't open when I played but the friendly locals told me they have a decent selection when it is.

Cons:

Though all the tees were level and in good shape, the mix of surfaces made it feel a little inconsistent. There were a few that were a little short, though it seems like several were under construction so the locals may be working on this.

There were a few holes, especially some at the end of the course that really felt like filler. There were some fantastic holes here, and that made the mediocre ones really stand out by contrast. The end of the course also played near the park roads several times, and that took away from the solitude that was nice deeper into the course.

Other Thoughts:

This is a really nice course, with some excellent and fun holes. Beginners will probably be a little overwhelmed here with some tough shots and harsh punishment on several holes for errant shots. More experienced players will love the different challenges this course presents, there's all kinds of holes that offer lots of chances to make great or horrible shots.

I definitely recommend this course, it's one of the most fun I've played. If you have the chance, it's definitely worth a drive to play, especially if you're in town playing the nearby lemon lake courses.
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18 2
Jukeshoe
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 15.2 years 316 played 268 reviews
4.50 star(s)

NW Indiana Goodness!!! 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Dec 9, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

- Rogers Lakewood plays through a busy multi-use park. Many terrain types come into play, giving RLW a wealth of variety from start to finish. A small lake, heavily wooded (yet well-defined) fairways, open prairie, over-the-gorge type shots, long downhill and uphill shots, artificial OB (in the form of park roads, sidewalks, and old un-trafficked roads), and neatly manicured park-style holes with scattered mature trees all come into play. A good variety of distances, as well as lines. Enough variety to challenge all but the very best discers. Twenty-four holes of NW Indiana disc golf goodness!!!
- Dual pin placements on #'s 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, and 23. Dual tees on 7 and 12. Pins are switched up fairly regularly. In short positions the course takes on more of a deuce or die feel. In longs, expect a beat down unless you're an advanced player or better. The different pin positions often give a completely different look to the holes and don't just add distance (except in a few cases). #'s 10 and 13 in long position are especially sweet (and brutal). #13 forces an uphill hyzer (RHBH) shot to a defined landing zone with heavy woods on both sides. The fairway then bends at a 45-degree angle back to the right, with trees blocking a good line to the basket if you miss the landing zone. The pin sits on a narrow strip of land with rollaway chances to both sides. On windy days, an opening in the trees near the basket creates a wind tunnel effect making approaches extremely tricky, with little room for error to either the right or left of the green.
- Water comes into play nicely on #'s 1, 2 and 24. The first hole has a small water carry that, while easily makeable with plenty of room for a safety shot, definitely can be a challenge right out of the car for less experienced players. #2's long pin position is slightly elevated, with the pond directly behind it. On #24, a hanging basket with a drop-off and slope behind it brings the pond back into play on rollaways or
errant anhyzer ace runs (RHBH).
- Every scrap of elevation is implemented to its utmost potential. Seriously, the course designers deserve a gold star sticker for their use of every conceivable up and down. Probably the best course I've played in regards to elevation in the mid-west. Some courses have more spectacular elevation in play, but none with every last scrap coming into play as nicely as RLW. #13's elevation is just sick, and #14's long downhill bomb will have you emptying your bag.
- Crazy amounts of risk/reward, especially in the long positions. Lots of punishing areas that will (fairly) destroy you if you miss a line. Thick scrubby underbrush in areas will piss you off, but only if you horribly shank your shot. You know you deserve the punishment. Tall, skinny, densely populated tree prisons on #8 and #18 will outright rape you if you're unable to accomplish the (RHBH) hyzer shot off the tee. Often you'll find yourself pushing for the perfect drive instead of the safe one, and it can often ruin your score for the round.
- Above average amenities. Accurate signage with bag hooks upon which to hang your bag, trashcans, plenty of benches, next tee signs, etc. Tall poles with American flags top the baskets that are out of sight, allowing a visual on the pin placement, which is a very nice touch. Practice basket with measured distances by the parking lot. The course is always well-maintained, with the local club always keeping things trimmed, mulched, and upkept. Interesting and unique touches such as the fallen tree in front of #12's tee spice things up. It forces you to throw over it or under it, and is held up with a nice bit of lattice work. #24's hanging basket (and the drop-off behind it) is a fun and risky way to end the round. #18's tee has a map of the hole actually IN the tee, which is very cool.

Cons:

- Unfortunately, the major con to RLW is the inconsistent tees. Many are very nice brushed concrete tees that are long, level, and flat. These comprise the majority of tees, and are quite nice; however, the rest are a hodge podge of brick, rubber, and faux grass carpeting. #11's glazed brick tee is especially slick and dangerous in wet or snowy conditions.
- The flow can get a bit tricky in one or two spots the first time through. After playing #20, locate #21's tee by crossing the road. After #23, walk back down the road (recrossing it) to find #24's tee. Nothing egregious, but first-timers might get a bit confused initially.
- Some might find the holes along the sidewalks and park roads a bit unnerving, but I've never had it be a problem after many many rounds. #2 plays along a fenced-in skate park, which can get unnerving for less experienced players, but most experienced players shouldn't have any problems with this.
- In the winter, the baskets on #'s 15 and 16 are pulled for sledders. I usually play #14 downhill, and then replay #13 back up to the tee for #17.
- Naturey things like scattered poison ivy, thorns, thick underbrush, and bugs (mostly mosquitoes...I've yet to get a tick at RLW) in the summer. Man up, bring some tall socks and some bug spray and enjoy this course regardless.

Other Thoughts:

- Rogers Lakewood is obviously an extremely well-designed, well-maintained, and well-loved course. A lot of thought, effort, and money has been put up by the local club (of which I'm not a part, so, no bias here). If you see someone trimming the fairway or moving pin positions be sure to take the time to thank them for their hard work and effort.
- Although there are several sections of the course that play through busier parts of the park, enough of the course is secluded to give off a really nice nature vibe. In the summer months, I often find myself chilling at some of the tee pads, relaxing and taking in the beautiful scenery.
- Pay-to-play from Memorial to Labor Day. $5 entry fee is an amazing deal. Free the rest of the year. Park open until 10pm, which makes glow rounds possible in the fall/winter/spring.
- When you enter the park, go to the first stop sign, hang a right, then a left immediately into the parking lot. The first tee is between the lake and pavillion.
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6 2
MotoDj
Experience: 15.7 years 20 played 8 reviews
3.50 star(s)

stranger in a strange land 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 1, 2009 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

long drive for me, worth every bit of it
absolutely beatiful course, wish it was closer to me
challenging enough for pros, easy enough to enjoy at an am level, great variety of different shots from multiple tees
very clean, well kept course locals there are doing somthin right

Cons:

you will be punished for stray shots, easy to end up 2ft off fairway and look for an hour in the grass/rough
i'm not accurate enough to stay in faiways, but these fairways are way more "fair" than my local courses
coulda used a guide on this course, and i dont think bout that often, but its tough playing it without knowing it

Other Thoughts:

worth the drive, love the variety, possibly the best i've played on, yet i haven't been to any "great " course either, would get much better rating if it wasn't for the rough, i turned in 4 discs to club members playin a round that i found while looking for mine, had i been local i woulda called on em, but i felt the group was trustworthy
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14 0
tallpaul
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 36.4 years 936 played 137 reviews
4.00 star(s)

great course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 19, 2009 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Tom Julio and Windycityrocer tell the story well. I'll add my two cents.
#1 across the pond scares you a bit from the start.
#2 I was in the skate park for o.b., one round.
Lots of great holes, I'm not gonna go through the list. I did deuce #3 after o.b. on #2.
Comments about the schule/rough are right on. Get off the fairway here and you're into the thorny stuff. Take a shot to get out; and apply pressure to stop the bleeding (just kidding).
I enjoyed the variable tees. Some rubber, a couple outdoor carpet, a lot of nice brick tees.
Designer(s) do a nice job of forcing the shots they want you to take.
Some very tough anheisers (rhbh)
Some very small tees, allowing less run up on drives the designer(s) want you to have less run up. These were perfectly used.
24 holes of enjoyment.
Any part of this course can chew you up. One round here, I was par on holes 1-12, and +1 holes 19 -24, but 13-18 had me at +8!!!

Cons:

Not really any cons unless you consider the mixed tees a con; or the short ones; which I liked from a design standpoint.
It's a con that this course will not be used for the world's in 2010. It was suggested by one or more of the main designers at Lemon Lake; but vetoed, in order to keep everyone at one site. Which will be nice.

Other Thoughts:

When coming to play Lemon; play here as well. This course is comparable to the best at Lemon.
This course has been loved and improved over a long period. Give a hand shake to any club member you meet here.
I have not given a five yet; pending playing the top five. (I have played all courses at High Bridge, and don't even consider Blueberry my favorite). The 4.5 scores I've given, had more water in play than Rogers Lakewood. It is a very strong 4 rated course though, and I may come back later and add .5.
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