• Discover new ways to elevate your game with the updated DGCourseReview app!
    It's entirely free and enhanced with features shaped by user feedback to ensure your best experience on the course. (App Store or Google Play)

Olympia Fields, IL

Sergeant Mean's Park

Permanent course
2.755(based on 2 reviews)
Filter course reviews

Filter reviews

Filter reviews

Sergeant Mean's Park reviews

Filter
14 0
Front Row
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 34.1 years 64 played 24 reviews
3.00 star(s)

A redesign has rejuvenated a traditional course.

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 12, 2023 Played the course:once

Pros:

I have seen Sgt Means changed numerous times over the past decades and have always been pleasantly surprised by the improvements that keep pace with disc golf's evolution. Course designers have done a good job of moving the course away from the pedestrian areas and now most drives are on the periphery of the park with a few in the middle. Players will notice most of the short throws are replaced by much longer drives with some having multiple tees or pin settings. The course now has new signs, tee pads and baskets. Good creative use of the hill and the new area on the other side of the gravel road at the south end of the course features 10-13 which has some intriguing challenges. The course has a mixture of tunnel and open field drives with a few that have slight changes in elevation. Although much of the course has been improved, the signature drives on the berm that parallels the tennis courts and the hairpin dog-lake on the north side of the park are preserved. The tee shot on the west side, that annoyed property owners there, has been moved in a bit. The adjacent parking lot and field house with amenities are all on the east side of the park where drive one can be found.

Cons:

The cons of this course are small but a few of the changes are perplexing. The five hundred foot tunnel shot on one that flanks private property was concerning. Was it good idea to have a difficult and long throw so early in the course when many players are still warming up to the course? I hope the neighbors are forgiving. The course is a bit disjointed at times and those unfamiliar with the course might have a hard time finding the next tee. The large gravel rocks on 12 and 13 will cause trouble to those who have a cart. Also, the basket of old 2 should have been left as a warm-up basket. Lastly, some drives will be unplayable during soccer games and other park activities.

Other Thoughts:

Players who have not visited Sgt. Means since the makeover should consider putting this on their "to do list." The aesthetics and coziness of the park make this an ideal course to play. Although some bombers might consider the new distances slightly appealing, recreational players will be enticed by the new creative design of this traditional course.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
10 0
Jukeshoe
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 14.7 years 316 played 268 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Sergeant Mean's Lonely Heart Club Band

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 6, 2022 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

- Sgt. Mean's old layout got a bit of a tweaking, mostly for the better, I suppose. 18 holes of park-style golf, with a small loop (hole #'s 10-13) playing in a more wooded section. Rubber tees, adequate signage, course map at kiosk near hole #1, benches and trashcans here and there. Portajohn at parking lot. Playground and other activities on site.
- Long and short pins on some holes, starting with #1. The longest hole was 550+' if I remember correctly, and that's the long pin on #1. The rest of the distances measure from the mid-200's to the mid-300's. A decent balance is struck between park-style "wooded" low-ceiling type shots, more wooded, and wide open.
- Elevation used for a couple of "throw to the hilltop" shots, mostly on the front nine during the open section.

Cons:

- A bit wonky on the routing. #8 is a bit of a backtrack; finding #9 behind the ball diamond isn't immediately obvious; #14 isn't obvious; and #17 is a long walk with no sign pointing the way (follow the cement path back toward the parking lot).
- The loop of 10-13 and a few other holes have some big blocky awkward rock chunks spread on the fairways. Twisted ankles waiting to happen, not like normal gravel. In almost piles in places.
- Unfortunately not much here to elevate this course beyond "point-and-shoot" for non-beginners.

Other Thoughts:

- Sgt. Mean's is disc golf, and disc golf is good.
- This course is a pretty quick bag, with minimal traffic on a fine sunny summer Saturday morning.

Was this review helpful? Yes No
Top