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The Grove reviews
10
0
Prove Your Groove At The Grove 2+ years
Reviewed:
Played on:Feb 21, 2022
Played the course:2-4 times
Pros:
+ The whole course plays within a quiet and little-known municipal park.
+ Long and wide poured concrete tee pads.
+ New eye-catching 'next' arrows.
+ New eye-catching numbered baskets.
+ Two practice baskets, but...
+ Long and wide poured concrete tee pads.
+ New eye-catching 'next' arrows.
+ New eye-catching numbered baskets.
+ Two practice baskets, but...
Cons:
- ...No lost disc box (for now) or information board (for now).
- Tee signs are just laminated paper tacked onto wooden stakes (for now).
- A bit more elevation than my home course, but The Grove still plays mostly flat.
- Rough around the edges both figuratively and literally.
- Some navigation issues between holes.
- Tee signs are just laminated paper tacked onto wooden stakes (for now).
- A bit more elevation than my home course, but The Grove still plays mostly flat.
- Rough around the edges both figuratively and literally.
- Some navigation issues between holes.
Other Thoughts:
My favorite one here is hole17 because it incorporates a fair and challenging tunnel through a pretty and varied scene. It starts off within a peaceful wooded area and then finishes off close to a lake. My least favorite here was hole10 because of how straight and flat it was for its distance and trees.
As for the course as a whole, Thompson Grove-- referred to simply as 'The Grove'-- is a welcomed alternative to the typical disc golfing fare in central Jersey. A majority of the courses in the region are either mostly open or hybrid courses. The Grove offers a densely wooded place to play for those of us who don't mind more than a little bit of punishment during our rounds. That's a polite way of saying that there are trees everywhere. Simply put: this course is not recommended for beginners with the dense woods and fairways that commonly extend far beyond 350 feet. Thankfully, there isn't much elevation. Then again, when there are so many oaks in your way, hills and valleys are details that fade to the background.
The foresty fairways are great examples of what wooded disc golf should be. You've got narrow tunnels, wide tunnels, high ceilings, low ceilings, no ceilings, with fairways finishing left, right and straight. This is a disc golfing tactician's dream.
That isn't to say that beginners ought not come here. Come one, come all! Just be prepared for what you're getting yourself into. As a result of the course being so fresh, there are pending issues that need resolving. Navigation can be tricky. For one example, after hole6, the player gets just one arrow to guide them to the next hole. Maybe I'm just clumsy, but I wandered around for a bit before finding hole7. Tree stumps and exposed roots can trip you up. There are some trees that ought to be taken down for safety's sake. Hellish thorn bushes are found here and there but especially on 17 and 18. I've already mentioned the unforgiving tree cover. The rough on either side of the fairway is mostly twiggy bushes and gnarled trees. Even your A-game will be put to the test here. If you prefer wide-open courses, then give this one a miss.
For those who do choose to play here, I would caution against expecting a mind-blowing experience. There is not much of a wow-factor here. As a direct result of being surrounded by woods at almost all times, things begin to feel monotonous. To reiterate: the disc golfing is great. You will find yourself challenged at every turn, which is the primary concern of the disc golfer. But the overall experience might feel understimulating. Then again, who has time to sightsee when you've got to focus on hitting your line?
In closing, despite its young age, The Grove already offers challenging fairways for specialized training. Anyone who regularly plays here will naturally develop laser beam throws. It doesn't engage the senses much, there is some clean-up to do, and the infrastructure needs to be finalized. But if you crave a challenge and don't mind a rough setting, then The Grove awaits you.
As for the course as a whole, Thompson Grove-- referred to simply as 'The Grove'-- is a welcomed alternative to the typical disc golfing fare in central Jersey. A majority of the courses in the region are either mostly open or hybrid courses. The Grove offers a densely wooded place to play for those of us who don't mind more than a little bit of punishment during our rounds. That's a polite way of saying that there are trees everywhere. Simply put: this course is not recommended for beginners with the dense woods and fairways that commonly extend far beyond 350 feet. Thankfully, there isn't much elevation. Then again, when there are so many oaks in your way, hills and valleys are details that fade to the background.
The foresty fairways are great examples of what wooded disc golf should be. You've got narrow tunnels, wide tunnels, high ceilings, low ceilings, no ceilings, with fairways finishing left, right and straight. This is a disc golfing tactician's dream.
That isn't to say that beginners ought not come here. Come one, come all! Just be prepared for what you're getting yourself into. As a result of the course being so fresh, there are pending issues that need resolving. Navigation can be tricky. For one example, after hole6, the player gets just one arrow to guide them to the next hole. Maybe I'm just clumsy, but I wandered around for a bit before finding hole7. Tree stumps and exposed roots can trip you up. There are some trees that ought to be taken down for safety's sake. Hellish thorn bushes are found here and there but especially on 17 and 18. I've already mentioned the unforgiving tree cover. The rough on either side of the fairway is mostly twiggy bushes and gnarled trees. Even your A-game will be put to the test here. If you prefer wide-open courses, then give this one a miss.
For those who do choose to play here, I would caution against expecting a mind-blowing experience. There is not much of a wow-factor here. As a direct result of being surrounded by woods at almost all times, things begin to feel monotonous. To reiterate: the disc golfing is great. You will find yourself challenged at every turn, which is the primary concern of the disc golfer. But the overall experience might feel understimulating. Then again, who has time to sightsee when you've got to focus on hitting your line?
In closing, despite its young age, The Grove already offers challenging fairways for specialized training. Anyone who regularly plays here will naturally develop laser beam throws. It doesn't engage the senses much, there is some clean-up to do, and the infrastructure needs to be finalized. But if you crave a challenge and don't mind a rough setting, then The Grove awaits you.
