Whitaker Woods reviews
6
0
Short woods courses are my jam!
Reviewed:
Updated:
Played on:Nov 19, 2024
Played the course:once
Pros:
Highly enjoyable backyard course, mostly short and wooded, and just 15 minutes off the New Jersey Turnpike. Plenty of variety between straight, left- and right-turning fairways. Distances average around 230' and range from 163' to 339'. These short distances are well balanced by tight but fair lines. I think anyone who likes woods golf will enjoy their round here.
Front yard holes were a bit more open but the course tightens up in the back yard. The land slopes gently towards a pretty creek bordering the back of the property. The design takes good advantage what mild elevation changes are present, but much of the course plays fairly flat.
You can play the original 18-hole course, but there are now three lettered holes that bring the total to 21. Hole A slots neatly between #5 and #6, and holes B and C play back and forth between holes #13 and 14.
Portable Mach VII baskets in good shape. An orange band and orange on the pole enhance visibility. For variety, a few baskets were elevated on stumps, structures, or sewer manholes. Turf and asphalt tees were up to the task.
Owners have done a thorough job of clearing fairways, so there was not much disc-hiding undergrowth in mid-November. Fall leaves did try to hide our discs a couple of times, and we found a handful of briary patches off the fairway. Overall, the risk of disc loss was quite low for a woods course.
Hole #15 is the only par 4 on the course, winding around 350' through the woods with the creek on the right and a well-guarded basket. Hole #12 is one of the longer and more open holes, slightly downhill and teeing off from the back patio of the house. Hole #18 is a fun finisher, short and uphill with a tricky line to hit.
This is a new course and I expect it to continue improving. Hosts welcomed us warmly and offered tips on playing the course. The course should be well-shaded on hot summer days.
Front yard holes were a bit more open but the course tightens up in the back yard. The land slopes gently towards a pretty creek bordering the back of the property. The design takes good advantage what mild elevation changes are present, but much of the course plays fairly flat.
You can play the original 18-hole course, but there are now three lettered holes that bring the total to 21. Hole A slots neatly between #5 and #6, and holes B and C play back and forth between holes #13 and 14.
Portable Mach VII baskets in good shape. An orange band and orange on the pole enhance visibility. For variety, a few baskets were elevated on stumps, structures, or sewer manholes. Turf and asphalt tees were up to the task.
Owners have done a thorough job of clearing fairways, so there was not much disc-hiding undergrowth in mid-November. Fall leaves did try to hide our discs a couple of times, and we found a handful of briary patches off the fairway. Overall, the risk of disc loss was quite low for a woods course.
Hole #15 is the only par 4 on the course, winding around 350' through the woods with the creek on the right and a well-guarded basket. Hole #12 is one of the longer and more open holes, slightly downhill and teeing off from the back patio of the house. Hole #18 is a fun finisher, short and uphill with a tricky line to hit.
This is a new course and I expect it to continue improving. Hosts welcomed us warmly and offered tips on playing the course. The course should be well-shaded on hot summer days.
Cons:
There are well-lined paths between holes, but for first-time players I recommend a map or app for efficient navigation. Fairways cross in a couple of places, which might be a problem if the course was crowded. We had the place to ourselves on a Tuesday afternoon.
No hole map on the small tee signs, just hole # and distance. A map on the tee signs would improve the experience for new players. Most baskets were pretty obvious, but we did rely on UDisc occasionally for navigation and when we were not sure which basket to throw at.
Not much elevation change. Not a ton of distance variation. I like tight fairways, but a couple would benefit from removal of a few trees. Parts of the course could get flooded after heavy rains.
No hole map on the small tee signs, just hole # and distance. A map on the tee signs would improve the experience for new players. Most baskets were pretty obvious, but we did rely on UDisc occasionally for navigation and when we were not sure which basket to throw at.
Not much elevation change. Not a ton of distance variation. I like tight fairways, but a couple would benefit from removal of a few trees. Parts of the course could get flooded after heavy rains.
Other Thoughts:
Short woods courses are my jam, so for me this was a 3.5 course with a 4.0 level of enjoyment. In fact, better tee signs with maps might be enough to bump my rating up to 4.0.
I texted for permission to play and was told there was no need to call/text ahead, just play any time. I appreciate such a generous policy for a backyard course.
$5 donation per player. You will find a bright blue donation box on a table behind hole #12's tee.
Lots of fun, arty objects throughout the course, if you enjoy such things.
I texted for permission to play and was told there was no need to call/text ahead, just play any time. I appreciate such a generous policy for a backyard course.
$5 donation per player. You will find a bright blue donation box on a table behind hole #12's tee.
Lots of fun, arty objects throughout the course, if you enjoy such things.
13
0
4000’ of Fun in the Yard
Reviewed:
Played on:Jan 2, 2023
Played the course:once
Other Thoughts:
So a guy builds a 4000' par 54 on his wooded property, invites the public to play while asking for a small donation (there are 18 new Mach 7's on this course), and he even hosts an inaugural tournament that gets coverage from a regional YouTube channel. I know this disc golf story sounds like the Carolinas or Michigan - but this is New Jersey (and you can keep your "Sopranos" jokes to yourself, thank you).
~ The holes are mostly in the 200' range, so you've got ace runs and lots of birdie opportunities. But the woods - especially in the back - allow for some technical holes. #6 and #7 are short, mirrored doglegs with tight lines around trees. #14 is uphill and the basket is on the edge of a steep rise over some water: kicks from the trees might mean a wet disc. #15 is the sole par 4. It's only 330', but the small green requires so much control that your best hope is to play from the fairway, rather than going at it from the tee with a low screamer that requires air brakes
~ The back of the property is heavily wooded, but fairways have been cut and cleared. The layout is compact and mostly intuitive, but since the tees are dirt and marked only with small signage, you might wander around at a few spots (uDisc helps a lot)
~ The tees for holes #10 and #12 are near one another, clearly outlined on the asphalt driveway. The holes run almost side by side, and I made the mistake of throwing at #12 from #10 tee
~ Mostly flat, though the layout takes advantage of any slight elevation changes available
A good course, a welcoming owner/designer, a fun play. See for yourself:
Front 9: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qq9_UigYBRg
Back 9: https://www.youtube.com/watch...1M&t=933s
** Please remember to text/call Brandon in advance of showing up, to make sure the course is available **
~ The holes are mostly in the 200' range, so you've got ace runs and lots of birdie opportunities. But the woods - especially in the back - allow for some technical holes. #6 and #7 are short, mirrored doglegs with tight lines around trees. #14 is uphill and the basket is on the edge of a steep rise over some water: kicks from the trees might mean a wet disc. #15 is the sole par 4. It's only 330', but the small green requires so much control that your best hope is to play from the fairway, rather than going at it from the tee with a low screamer that requires air brakes
~ The back of the property is heavily wooded, but fairways have been cut and cleared. The layout is compact and mostly intuitive, but since the tees are dirt and marked only with small signage, you might wander around at a few spots (uDisc helps a lot)
~ The tees for holes #10 and #12 are near one another, clearly outlined on the asphalt driveway. The holes run almost side by side, and I made the mistake of throwing at #12 from #10 tee
~ Mostly flat, though the layout takes advantage of any slight elevation changes available
A good course, a welcoming owner/designer, a fun play. See for yourself:
Front 9: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qq9_UigYBRg
Back 9: https://www.youtube.com/watch...1M&t=933s
** Please remember to text/call Brandon in advance of showing up, to make sure the course is available **