Brampton, ON

White Spruce Park

3.745(based on 17 reviews)
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14 0
EspressoPatronum
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 19.3 years 316 played 298 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Good Variety on the Outskirts of Toronto

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 22, 2023 Played the course:once

Pros:

- beautiful and well maintained park
- DISCatchers with unique-to-this-course purple bands
- hole numbers on baskets
- next tee indicators on baskets
- dual tees which create good length variety
- several areas of the course have intense elevation change
- good technical challenge throughout course
- navigation is very straightforward
- two 10-hole loops back to parking lot are laid out nicely
- full color tee signs with all pertinent information and maps
- typical park amenities like garbage cans, picnic tables, and port o potties
- very quick course to play through
- rough is mostly very forgiving, and where it is heavy rough, errant throws are unlikely

Cons:

- a few steep holes would benefit from built-in stairs
- issues with tee sign numbering being off from redesign
- some blind tee shots due to tree growth are potential safety hazrds
- hole 15 throws over a road
- a few boring filler/connector holes begs the question of need for 20 holes
- some may feel the hole lengths are too short
- no water in play

Other Thoughts:

White Spruce Park was one of the nicest courses I played in Ontario. The tee signs are just ok, while the baskets were in great shape. Most tees are now concrete, with a few natural and turf tees mixed in. The numbering on over half the course is off by one which really should be remedied. Clearly the course was redesigned and sign updates never were completed. Some of the baskets here have purple bands unique to this course, which sticks with the theme of these semi-custom DISCatchers I've seen throughout southern Ontario.

I came to White Spruce for the elevation change and it did not disappoint. There was a good mix here of moderately and heavily wooded holes, and while I preferred the heavily wooded portion, almost all of the holes were excellent. Some were more flat but a lot dealt with elevation traversal, and some played along the side of hills in ways I haven't seen much. There were a few holes that felt like filler, including some to cross a large field near the parking lot. There were bystanders in this field who couldn't seem to comprehend they were in the middle of the course, and I kept having to wait to throw as they wandered aimlessly around. This eventually culminated with a kid picking up my disc to "bring" to me despite me asking him about 5 times not to pick it up. Ah well, we are still a niche sport not everyone is familiar with, eh?

The two 10-hole loops return to the parking lot very nicely, and while this course had some traffic mid-day on a Friday, everyone was pretty nicely spread out and I didn't really run in to anyone. Despite indications this course could take around 2 hours to play, I finished my solo round in right around 1 hour from the white tees. While the white tees do have some more distance, it still is more of an average length course, with the reds being much shorter. If you play the blues, which are not currently documented on DGCR, it will be considerably longer.

This is a beautiful space for disc golf, and kind of surprised me since it's right in the thick of Brampton infrastructure and traffic. It's cool to see a green space here, though this is one of the more "urban" feeling wooded courses I have played. Navigation was straightforward and well done here. I wouldn't call this one of the more challenging wooded courses I have played, but it sure was a lot of fun and there are many birdie opportunities here. I think this course warrants a full bag, as there is certainly shot variety. While there are plenty of obstacles and tighter woods shots, this course never felt punishing or incredibly difficult. Hole 19 has a notably elevated basket for another twist.

There were a few safety hazards noted, but nothing too bad here if you remain vigilant for other parkgoers. While I noticed a community garden and some other people walking around the park, this area was mostly devoted to disc golf.

I had a good time here and recommend a visit. There aren't as many courses in Canada as there are in the US, and this is one of the better ones I played. Traffic here is nothing compared to Toronto proper. I might push this course as high as a 3.75, but I didn't feel it was at the 4 level. This isn't quite the taste of northern Canada I wanted it to be, but it's southern Ontario. In this area, it's some of the best disc golf you'll find.
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3 1
Ricksom
Experience: 4 played 4 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Wild West 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 26, 2020 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

A mix of standard groomed holes, and crazy wild, thickly forested holes. Some holes make you wonder where the heck you should throw, so you look for any open spot in the mix of trees and brush and hope for the best. Quite the adventure.
Lots of elevation changes with rolling hills.
The large ridge esker that goes through the middle of the course is a nice touch.

Cons:

Some holes don't connect so easily, so bring a map just in case. It is easy to get lost in this wild west. I suspect by the terrain that bugs could be a problem in the summer months.

Other Thoughts:

Bring a few of your old discs and take some really wild chances for some fun on those crazy holes.
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2 0
LeftyRob
Experience: 24.9 years 47 played 16 reviews
3.50 star(s)

local favourite 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 17, 2018 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

A very enjoyable round for those that like playing in the woods. Lots of elevation changes, and many of the holes are a completely different look with a change from the short to the long tee. A lot of tight lines, a few tunnel shots (the 9th hole is about 225 from the longs and the "tunnel" is 9 feet wide all the way to the basket). Rarely any other folks around. Picnickers are few and far between, and the dog park is deeper in the park and separated from the course. The local club has done some nice work. A third tee has been added to both the 12th and final hole. Both tee areas are high up on a ridge that has been cleared out expressly for this purpose. Play with a local if you can, as you won't find them unless you know where to look!

Cons:

You won't really need your distance drivers.Only holes 8 and 18 require anything beyong a fairway driver. There are a couple of areas where the water really collects after the snow melts, so careful treading on the way to the baskets for holes 6,7, and 11. Flattening out the tees would be a help, and concrete would be even better.

Other Thoughts:

This started out as an 18 hole course, but an extra hole has been added to both the front and back 9's. Changes were made to the 18th (formerly 17th) hole due to a new housing development, and the playground that came with it. It used to be a difficult hole to reach, guarded by many stands of trees. A fairly open shot now.
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3 1
MikeTorre
Experience: 12.4 years 80 played 23 reviews
3.50 star(s)

One of Toronto's best courses 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Feb 22, 2017 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Free & fun -> one of greater Toronto's best courses designed in a beautiful urban conservation area with ample parking and an active and friendly community of players who continually evolve their course

Nice design -> beautiful forested course with plenty of technical play, a nice blend of backhand and forehand holes, and some outstanding elevation variations that make it fun for amateurs and competitive players alike

Variety and depth -> long and short pads and signs make it a reasonably easy course to navigate; the short positions are great for amateurs to enjoy; the long positions should prove challenging for advanced amateurs and most competitors

Lots of resources nearby -> Located "across the highway" from a major retail park where you can buy beer and food, plus lots of pubs and restaurants, a grocery store, etc.

- Great for almost all levels of player - beautiful environment - cool locals - reasonably close to Toronto. Some of the long positions provide nicer lines to the basket.

- The local league of players are nice people who return discs and take care of their course. I have always been able to park easily.

- No course or park fees!

Cons:

- Great location on a park next to the highway, but beware of the rush hour traffic on the 400's highways. Getting from the course to the retail park during rush hour can take forever.

- Buggy at times, especially in the valley holes, so pack your bug spray. I have been eaten alive.

- Amateurs and novices with less predictable drives can lose discs in the thicket here, especially on the technical drives in the valley during the summer

- Slippery, especially in the winter - this is an all seasons (or is it one season?) course with players who throw in the winter. If you do, pack cleats!

Other Thoughts:

When visiting Toronto, this course is right up there with Centennial and Toronto Island in terms of experience, especially if you like technical courses and valleys.

Given that it's only 20 minutes southeast, I like to throw this course with Centennial Park for a really fun day of golfing.
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2 1
TXDiscDude
Experience: 17.3 years 113 played 13 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Very laid back 18 hole. 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 22, 2016 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Double tee pads on each hole.
Good double chained baskets.
Nice people on course.

Good mix of shots for left and right handed players.
Good course to work on technique for wooded areas.

Cons:

Most of the holes were a little short, even after playing the long pads.

Other Thoughts:

Very friendly people at this course.
Not a bad place to play if you dont have 4 hours to go play the Island course.
I'll be back.
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2 2
DGKev
Experience: 12.4 years 5 played 3 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Technical and Fun 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 12, 2013 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Situated throughout a forest, making for a lot of technical shot making. A few open holes that offer the chance to let some discs fly. Lot's of distance and elevation changes and a mix of average to difficult holes. Double tees that are marked with gravel and signs. The course is well taken care of and hole changes have recently taken place making for exciting new challenges (Hole 14 moved basket, and new bonus hole between 6-7). Teaches beginners to contain their throws and make accuracy more important than going for length every time.

Cons:

Not a lot of opportunities to really air out with the distance drivers. After heavy rains, some holes see significant water pooling which takes several days/weeks to dry (Hole 17).

Other Thoughts:

Great all around course for all levels of play.
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1 3
Jandro
Experience: 8 played 6 reviews
4.00 star(s)

solid mix of shots 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 6, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

good variety
a lot of shape shots and some distance, so a little easier on the arm
very well manicured and well looked after

Cons:

would be too picky to really come up with much, nothing really negative about it
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8 0
lcra0825
Silver level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 18.2 years 156 played 41 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Beautiful Wooded Course

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jun 2, 2012 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

-great variety of throws required- some holes move to the left, some move to the right, some require a very straight shot and some are more forgiving. In hole 10 the fairway is between a bunch of perfectly placed spruce trees that you have to shoot between
- the design of each hole seemed unique and interesting interesting. White spruce definitely has the wow factor (never boring)
- two well marked tees with signs for each hole. The tees are gravel which is not perfect but definitely usable. ( a map of the course is still necessary ) My group and I were a little confused on finding the tee for #14 but it was our first time playing this course.
- the flow of the course was great, each tee was logically place near the previous basket (there were maybe 1 or two times we had to walk a little bit to get to the next tee but they were nice walks). Hole 9 leads back to the parking lot before you get to hole 10 in case you need to drop something off at your car.
- there is a port-a-potty on site in the parjing lot
- there are lots of benches and picnic tables dispersed throughout the course in case you need a rest
- although the course is mostly wooded, there are some more open holes. The open holes all have some twist to them so they are not just straight shots whether there are trees you have to navigate or protected baskets etc
- good use of elevation. on some of the holes you can only see the tops of the baskets because they are placed down a small hill. Some of the baskets are placed across small ravines etc

Cons:

The only con of the course could be that it is too short which is fine for me, but it might not be a professional tournament level course because of that fact.

Other Thoughts:

My group and I had played three courses in Canada that day, Toronto island, Bronte Creek, and Spruce park. Spruce Park was definitely the best.

I played this course again in 2023. I have had a chance to play lots of other courses and see what makes up a good course. I still liked it but it was not a 4. There was a problem with the signs at 10 and 11. It seemed 10 was twice on the tee signs but the basket at 11 said 11. The last 2 holes just seemed to be added to get to the parking lot and there wasn't much too them.
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7 2
mashnut
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 22.7 years 831 played 777 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Nice variety 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 29, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

The course plays mostly through wooded areas with nice underbrush to punish errant shots. There are a handful of holes that play mostly open with scattered trees in play, many of these have protected pins to add some challenge. A couple holes use a pine forest, including a memorable hallway shot down a row of what seems to be an old xmas tree farm. There's a nice mix of lines to hit here, with a good balance of left and right turning shots in the woods. There's some variety of distance too, everything from 400' shots where you'll get to throw a drive to short tricky ace runs in the woods.

There are dual tees on most holes that change up the shots quite a bit. There are several where a whole different lane through the trees is used from the other tee, and they have enough distance difference to really make the course play quite a bit harder from the longs. The discatchers are in good shape and catch well, and overall the course was pretty well maintained.

Cons:

The tees are pretty bad, they're natural and inconsistently marked. Some are difficult to find with no signs or markers visible from a distance. The tees are natural, so many were rutted out and muddy, and few offered flat spots to throw from. There are some navigation issues between some of the holes, a handful of next tee signs would solve this issue immediately. The course plays pretty short overall despite a couple longer holes, even the long tees have a ton of putter shots.

A couple areas of the course hold water pretty badly, we played several days after the rain and there were still deep puddles and tons of mud on some of the low lying holes. A few spots could use a little more frequent mowing.

Other Thoughts:

There are a lot of shorter but fun shots here, it's a good time and offers some nice variety. Newer players might find it a little tight, and there's enough rough to frustrate inaccurate throwers, but it's short enough to be approachable. More experienced players won't find it extremely challenging, but especially from the long tees there are plenty of line shaping challenges to keep it interesting.
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5 0
Pete and Vendy
Experience: 14.9 years 12 played 12 reviews
4.50 star(s)

a favourite 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 11, 2010 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Every hole feels different. There are pins in front, on top and at the bottom of hills. There are both long holes requiring strong arms and short tight technical holes through trees with lots of birdie potential.
Most holes are naturally sheltered from the rain.
Well maintained, lots of gravel and wood chips.
A beautiful hike that gives you a good physical workout up and down the hills.

Cons:

The foliage is pretty but hides discs in the summer.
No concrete pads to throw from.
Slippery footing in the winter walking up and down the hills is dangerous for some.
Once you've played it a few times you may find it any easy course because of the number of birdie holes.
An understandably busy course.

Other Thoughts:

I could play this course all day and not get bored.
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6 0
apdrvya
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 14.5 years 354 played 299 reviews
4.00 star(s)

White Spruce 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 26, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

Discatchers-- For once, these were appreciated. It made the pins highly visible in these heavy woods.

Variety-- a little of everything here made it nice and kept you wanting the next hole!

Upkeep-- This place is beautiful and the regulars keep it up nicely.

tee signage-- nice, but faded. showed multiple tees and each tee was marked.

Cons:

Signage/Navigation-- Decent. It would be nice to have a sign (or legible map) at hole one to know where hole one is vs. hole ten. Also, the walk between 6 and 7 is NOT marked adeuqately. It's over the big hill, not down either path at the top of the hill.

Dirt pads-- Adequate but I always think of this as a negative.

Other Thoughts:

I think this should be a destination course for folks staying in Niagara Falls, Canada. We decided not to cross back to the US to go to beaver island (much closer) and didn't regret it for a second.
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1 3
TheDiscGolfer
Experience: 14.6 years 1 played 1 reviews
2.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 12, 2010 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Overall, the course is great to work on technical shots and the course is designed well to make it seem as if every hole has a different challenge. There is one open-field shot for those long range bombers out there and the baskets are maintained well. There are also signs available because without them, the course seems a little difficult to navigate the first time. The course also provides a great hike.

Cons:

The course would have been more pleasant if it would have been a little more "clean." To me, it was too woodsy and this would be a difficult course for a beginner to play on. I think concrete tee pads would have been great for this course. The course is difficult to navigate through the first time.

Other Thoughts:

After hole #6, there is a steep hill that you have to go down in order to get to hole #7 on the other side. To me, the best holes were the back 6 and hole #9.
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4 0
rlbontrager
Experience: 19.5 years 13 played 7 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Really nice course. 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Mar 27, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

The course is set in dedicated space through a hilly forest. The design takes advantage of the varied elevation quite well with plenty of down hill throws and a few slight inclines. The forest is mature enough to allow for relatively clear throwing paths, but has enough trees that they are in place for most holes.

Two sets of tees gives a nice handicap for beginners, with the closer ones often giving a much better line to the basket as well as being closer. I found playing the short tees made for a rather easy round with a lot of opportunities for birdies and very few holes over par, but the long tees were a good challenge and very unforgiving if you have a bad throw.

Every hole is marked with a nice tee sign (although the one on 17 is broken) that shows the hole's layout as well as the footage. Yes, footage, not meters.

Cons:

The tees are "wood-chipped" and sometimes pebbled, which... can be okay depending on the conditions. My first time playing was in very early spring where everything was extremely muddy, and the tees were covered with enough chips to get up out of the mud and it was great. However, in dry conditions I'd rather throw from regular dirt. At any rate, the tees aren't paved or cemented.

Although the tee signs have an arrow pointing away from the basket in the direction of the next hole, it doesn't do you much good when your at the basket and looking for the next hole where there are no signs. Most of the time its pretty obvious, but at there are a few holes that are tricky.

Other Thoughts:

I like this course. It reminds me a lot of my favorite courses back home (I'm from northern Michigan), and, in pure hole layout, on of the best I've played.
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2 2
Bobbily
Experience: 22.4 years 39 played 22 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Brilliant Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 5, 2008 Played the course:once

Pros:

I love this course. Its a great hike, beautiful park, awesome layout, some perfectly designed holes, ams and pro tees. Great signage. Amazingly maintained. A wonderful variety of open and wooded holes. Baskets are in great shape.

Cons:

Not too much to say here... Some of the walks between holes are a little tricky at first. Some might not like that its a bit short.

Other Thoughts:

We used to play this course for entire days, arriving at 10am and playing until the sun went down. Never ceased to entertain us. Every hole has something you'll remember it for. This is the best maintained course I've ever played.
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7 0
aaronarndt
Experience: 18.3 years 27 played 10 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Great Course! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 24, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Great baskets.
Very well maintained (volunteer-based).
Isolated (little to no interference from pedestrians).
Great layout and flow (there really is a front and back 9 with the parking lot in the middle, and you can play them in either order easily)
Elevation changes.
Great mix of open/tight long/short holes.
Great mix of required shots (You'll need all your tricks to score well).
Some ace runs, and plenty of birdie opportunities if you plan your shots.
Not easy to lose discs (except in the snow).
The difference beteen the long and short tees provides pletny of potential layouts for the course/each hole.
Great winter course. Good for glowie also.
Benches and/or picnic tables in key spots.
Good coverage from older trees throughout course.
Easily navigated.
Free! With lots of parking.

Cons:

Natural tees (even with the great mainentance, they are natural).
Since some grade changes nearby, drainage has been a bit of an issue lately, and there is a bit of a water hazard in a not-so-great place #11, that you've got to walk around between #17 and #18, but certainly wont spoil a round.
There can be a fair bit of golfer traffic as it is a popular course, but it is easily managed with this course layout (almost no overlap).

Other Thoughts:

You'll need to be super consistent to score well here, and a mistake here or there can be costly.

Careful on the 9th. :)
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4 0
FoleyT
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 19.4 years 86 played 85 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Underrated Gem 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 8, 2008 Played the course:never

Pros:

No two holes the same, good variety, with elevation challenges, tight technical holes, open grassland holes, and everything in between. Dual Tees with good flow and navigation. A map is available, but wasn't really needed, as you could easily find the next hole by looking for a well groomed path. Tidy course, and obviously well taken care of.

Cons:

Woodchips can get a bit slippery at times, course would be improved with the addition of cement tees.

Other Thoughts:

On a recent tour of 8 lower Ontario courses, including the better known 'Toronto Island' course, this was the hands down personal favorite of our little threesome.
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1 2
bryon
Experience: 63 played 58 reviews
3.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 20, 2008 Played the course:never

Pros:

Nicely designed course on the outskirts of Toronto. Wooded and open holes, including some elevation changes. Short tee's give you plenty of birdie opportunities, and long tee positions are tougher than they look. Players with lesser distance in there throws can compete at both tee positions. The course reminded me a lot of De La Vega in California, except smaller/shorter.
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