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Rose Park reviews
14
0
Fun course off the beaten path 2+ years drive by
Reviewed:
Played on:Apr 10, 2020
Played the course:5+ times
Pros:
If you haven't heard of McLouth, KS, you probably wouldn't know the town has an 18-hole disc golf course. The town is about 20-25 minutes north of Lawrence, but is a few miles off of the closest major highway (US 59). However, it's worth playing if you're in the area.
Lots of shot variations- There are a lot of different shots on this course. Backhand, forehand, turnovers, a few tunnel shots, a few hard doglegs, a couple of par 4s, and some options for thumbers, tomahawks, and grenades if you can throw those.
The course has a good mix of holes that are good for beginners but also have ones that are challenging for intermediate to advanced players. On the tougher holes, most have a safer route that beginners can go for and not be searching for discs in the rough and/or water (Holes 8 and 9 have a fairly significant water hazard).
The course is pretty walkable and cart friendly. There are a few spots that are a little steep, but for the most part, there's not a lot of obstacles to try and navigate.
A majority of the holes play with some kind of tree/wooded element, but I would say most of the lines you have to hit are fair/generous. There are a couple that are really narrow, like holes 3 and 18, but if you hit the line, you should have a putt for birdie.
Lots of shot variations- There are a lot of different shots on this course. Backhand, forehand, turnovers, a few tunnel shots, a few hard doglegs, a couple of par 4s, and some options for thumbers, tomahawks, and grenades if you can throw those.
The course has a good mix of holes that are good for beginners but also have ones that are challenging for intermediate to advanced players. On the tougher holes, most have a safer route that beginners can go for and not be searching for discs in the rough and/or water (Holes 8 and 9 have a fairly significant water hazard).
The course is pretty walkable and cart friendly. There are a few spots that are a little steep, but for the most part, there's not a lot of obstacles to try and navigate.
A majority of the holes play with some kind of tree/wooded element, but I would say most of the lines you have to hit are fair/generous. There are a couple that are really narrow, like holes 3 and 18, but if you hit the line, you should have a putt for birdie.
Cons:
Probably the biggest drawback of the course is it that it does not drain water very well. There is an area between Hole 5 and Hole 16 that collects and holds water every time there is precipitation, and it takes a long time for that water to drain/dry up, even if there are ideal drying conditions. A lot of the rest of the course also gets muddy fairly quickly, so bring shoes that are waterproof/water-resistant and have good traction. The course doesn't become unplayable, but it makes the round less fun.
The tee signs are fairly simple and don't provide a ton of detail, but they do an ok job. There are a few tee pads that are a little shorter than desirable, but most are fine.
Like most wooded areas in the midwest, be careful of thorny plants/vines. There are spots like this all over the rough around the course, so be aware.
There are some spots to lose discs. The pond on holes 8 and 9 come into play on your tee shots, and hole 8's basket is within 30 feet of the pond and the ground slopes toward the pond, so roll-aways are possible. Hole 9 also plays between the pond and a baseball field, so discs that go astray can go over the baseball fence as well.
The tee signs are fairly simple and don't provide a ton of detail, but they do an ok job. There are a few tee pads that are a little shorter than desirable, but most are fine.
Like most wooded areas in the midwest, be careful of thorny plants/vines. There are spots like this all over the rough around the course, so be aware.
There are some spots to lose discs. The pond on holes 8 and 9 come into play on your tee shots, and hole 8's basket is within 30 feet of the pond and the ground slopes toward the pond, so roll-aways are possible. Hole 9 also plays between the pond and a baseball field, so discs that go astray can go over the baseball fence as well.
Other Thoughts:
A couple of other things- The course plays around a couple of playgrounds, some roads, and around the athletic facilities for the school district in town. The course is still easily playable with just pedestrians and the playgrounds are not close super close to any baskets. However, if there's an athletic event for the school district, that may present a challenge to play the course.
There are some very "different" holes on the course that make it unique. Hole 2's short basket location is tucked into the woods and requires a shot that goes straight for about 180 feet and then takes a sharp right turn. You can also go over the top of the trees with a turnover or forehand, but that route is harder to execute successfully.
Hole 7 has a 90 degree dogleg left after hitting a gap about 100 feet off of the tee, then the basket is guarded by the tree line on the left, and bushes in front of it, and you have to pick between the left gap or the right one. However, if you have the power to go over the tree line and want to risk it, there is that option.
Hole 8 is around 300 ft, but has trouble all over it. The pond is on the right side for most of the shot so you have to throw something you trust to go straight, but if you fade too early or really far left, there are woods and a steep embankment that makes saving par very tricky. The basket is perched at the top of the embankment, so parking this hole is very difficult.
Hole 12 is not a super long par 4 (around 520 feet), but requires two pretty good shots to have a birdie look. There is an OB road to cross, and you can choose to cross on the tee shot, or throw short left off of the tee, and cross the road on your second shot. If you cross the road off the tee, the approach shot is a left to right shot around a large tree, or you can try to go under the tree through a narrow gap with a brick pillar in the middle of it. There is also a train car on the right side of the fairway, adding to the uniqueness of the hole.
Holes 16 and 17 are both extreme doglegs to the right, and the gap you have to hit for both are a good distance from the tee pad, so hitting the gap is priority number one, then having something go right. 17 is over 100 feet shorter than 16, so it is much easier to birdie. 16 has a mandatory pole on the right as well.
I have seen Holes 1 and 15 have elevated baskets, which I think adds a good element to those holes.
Overall, I think this is a really good course with a lot of variety, and has a good amount of birdie chances for intermediate and above players. Beginners should have a few holes where they might have a look at birdie with a good shot, and it would be a good course to work on upshots if they don't have a lot of distance in their game yet. There is a tournament that gets played here every year, so the course is a worth while stop if you're in the area or just passing through looking for a course to play.
There are some very "different" holes on the course that make it unique. Hole 2's short basket location is tucked into the woods and requires a shot that goes straight for about 180 feet and then takes a sharp right turn. You can also go over the top of the trees with a turnover or forehand, but that route is harder to execute successfully.
Hole 7 has a 90 degree dogleg left after hitting a gap about 100 feet off of the tee, then the basket is guarded by the tree line on the left, and bushes in front of it, and you have to pick between the left gap or the right one. However, if you have the power to go over the tree line and want to risk it, there is that option.
Hole 8 is around 300 ft, but has trouble all over it. The pond is on the right side for most of the shot so you have to throw something you trust to go straight, but if you fade too early or really far left, there are woods and a steep embankment that makes saving par very tricky. The basket is perched at the top of the embankment, so parking this hole is very difficult.
Hole 12 is not a super long par 4 (around 520 feet), but requires two pretty good shots to have a birdie look. There is an OB road to cross, and you can choose to cross on the tee shot, or throw short left off of the tee, and cross the road on your second shot. If you cross the road off the tee, the approach shot is a left to right shot around a large tree, or you can try to go under the tree through a narrow gap with a brick pillar in the middle of it. There is also a train car on the right side of the fairway, adding to the uniqueness of the hole.
Holes 16 and 17 are both extreme doglegs to the right, and the gap you have to hit for both are a good distance from the tee pad, so hitting the gap is priority number one, then having something go right. 17 is over 100 feet shorter than 16, so it is much easier to birdie. 16 has a mandatory pole on the right as well.
I have seen Holes 1 and 15 have elevated baskets, which I think adds a good element to those holes.
Overall, I think this is a really good course with a lot of variety, and has a good amount of birdie chances for intermediate and above players. Beginners should have a few holes where they might have a look at birdie with a good shot, and it would be a good course to work on upshots if they don't have a lot of distance in their game yet. There is a tournament that gets played here every year, so the course is a worth while stop if you're in the area or just passing through looking for a course to play.
