Flat Track
13 Helpful / 0 Not
Pros: 18 concrete tees, 18 DisCatchers, and 18 tee signs. That's the extent of the amenities but it passes the eye test.
Some solid challenges. Hole 4 is a narrowing hallway of trees that make you go straight or get kicked off your line. Holes 2, 5, and 12 have very difficult ceilings to beat off the tee. Hole 16 has a long pad that adds 50 feet to an already tough hole, and the raised basket on hole 10 makes that a park it or die hole. A small culvert prevents rollers on 11-15 and 17.
The basket of 18 is right across the parking lot from hole 1's tee. Such a convenient loop that I thought it was a practice basket until I saw the "18" on the pin. The course also does a pretty good job of staying out of the way of the rest of the park besides one big issue (see Cons)
Cons: The park is as flat as the little guy from Frogger. Without much distance variation it falls to the trees to make the course challenging. They do ok, but there's almost always more than one easy line to the pin if you have enough power.
The course layout is poor. Having to walk almost all the way back down the fairways of 2, 3, 6, 7, 9, and 15 to tee off of the following holes is evidence of a lack of planning.
Holes 7 and 8 not just tempt but encourage you to play over the dog park. There are multiple ladders going over the fences so you can retrieve your disc once it goes in there. The holes themselves would be fine without that howler of a design flaw.
Other Thoughts: This is a flat, short course that plays as long par 3s for the newer arms, but someone with a year's experience should be hitting par or below quite easily. If you have time for just one course in Ottawa, this is not the one to choose. This would be among the most basic of Par-54 courses but it does a little work to spice up some holes, then sticks a dog park on two of the fairways. The added spices are nice, but apart from that there isn't a lot to say about one of the blander 18s I've played.
13 of 13 people found this review helpful.
Forest Fun
7 Helpful / 0 Not
Pros: This new course is in great shape with brand new, yellow-band DISCatchers, concrete tees of a good length, and tee signs showing hole #, par (spoiler alert: every hole is a par 3), distance, and OB. Hole distances range from 248 ft to 392 ft, usually hovering around 300 ft. The course is set in a park full of majestic, mature trees; the main obstacle of the course is going around these trees or under the low ceilings they create. Hole 10 has a beautiful elevated basket set on a huge stump (with a drop-off behind making it a 'death putt'). Most holes have multiple lines to get to the basket. Hole 1 begins next to the parking lot and hole 18 ends right next to it. There is also a huge course map close to hole 1's tee. This is a multi-use park, so shelters, picnic tables, tennis courts, a playground, and baseball/softball fields are all nearby (and don't really ever come into play). There is no tall-grass in this traditional park setting, so disc loss potential is very low.
Cons: The course is frying pan flat; the only elevation changes come from a drainage ditch and a spot that holds water in the rainy season (all along the right side of hole 6) but dries up in the summer. This "pond" provides the only disc loss potential on the course; I think the water stays low enough that you could walk in with a pair of rubber boots to get your disc back. Although the course does a good job of avoiding the other park users for the most part, it does throw over the dog park (OB) on 7 & 8 and a seldom used park road on 9. If you do throw into the dog park, there are a couple ladder-type deals (they have a specific name that I can't remember) set up to make climbing the chain-link fence easy. Navigation is mostly good, but there is a fairly long walk from 5 to 6, and 10 tees right next to 9, so you have to walk along 9's fairway twice. It can be muddy in a few spots.
Other Thoughts: The quality of the baskets and tees definitely make this the better of the two Ottawa courses unless you're looking for bomber holes. I think the course is excellent for what the designers had to work with, fitting it around the rest of the park. There is good maintenance, and trees provide lots of shade in the summer. The park is right next to the Marais des Cygnes river, but the course stays away from it; I think not using the levee for some elevation change is a missed opportunity. There is plenty of parking, and the course at Kanza Park is only about ten minutes away if you want to make it a two-fer.
7 of 7 people found this review helpful.
Good Par 3 Course
5 Helpful / 0 Not
Pros: Nice little par 3 course that kind of wraps around the outside of a multi-use park. Like that it starts basically right where you end. Good signage. Enough trees to make every hole interesting. Some water comes into play occasionally and a couple holes do have OB. These things make a pretty boring course a little more interesting.
Cons: Not all the tees had a concrete pad. There was some areas that are drainage ditches/ponds that can make the area pretty muddy or wet. Not really any elevation to speak of. No wooded holes. Most holes were pretty open shots with a few trees to make you pick a line. Since it was just a par 3 course and there were plenty of trees spread out there wasn't any holes really that let you rip on a driver. You could easily play this course with a Fairway driver and a putter.
Other Thoughts: For the size of the town and the layout of the other multi-use things going on in this park the holes were laid out pretty well. For a Par 3 course it was pretty fun. Because of how packed in the holes were to the space and it being a Par 3 course it was quite easy to get a quick round in, which is always nice. Would play this course again if I'm ever in the area.
5 of 5 people found this review helpful.
Forest Park DGC
6 Helpful / 1 Not
Pros: Nice signage, and nice baskets. Has some unique O.B. Risk/Reward that brings a nice challenge.
Cons: Other than 2 or 3 holes, almost all of the others feel very similar. Most holes range from 275-325 straight with some trees dotting the fairway but not enough to introduce a large challenge.
Not all the concrete teepads are in place yet.
Other Thoughts: All in all this is a mostly point and shoot fairway driver course that seems very run of the mill. If you live in the area it would be a fine local course but nothing too special.
When the course gets all 18 teepads it would be slightly better maybe a 2.5 on the disc scale.
6 of 7 people found this review helpful.
Ottawa Forest ChristmAce
9 Helpful / 0 Not
Pros: Forest Park DGC gets the benefit of being in a nice park with a lot of mature trees to work with. There is also a swimming pool, playground, dog park, picnic shelters, and other activities on site.
All baskets are Innova Discatchers, and about half of the holes have had concrete tees installed. Every tee is marked by a post with a nice sign that includes the hole number, distance and a map that marks OB.
There are not many holes that are wide open. The placement of the tees and baskets do a nice job mixing the spacing between trees, and trying to coax different shots through the round. There is usually good space to allow a line to the basket, while trunks and branches still restrict options somewhat.
My favorite holes were probably 3 and 4. The lines are framed nicely by great old trees, with nice lines up the middle. 15 is also a nice anhyzer line, with open space to the left. I can't say there is a signature hole, or super memorable views, but the holes are varied enough to maintain interest at minimum.
A small pond is in play on hole 6 now, that isn't pictured in the first photos posted here. It is a short carry over the water if you play the right side. Holes 7 and 8 are next to the dog park, and play across the corners. A few red ladders are built in to climb the fence if you wind up on the wrong side. There is water on hole 10 to the left and behind the pin, and the basket is elevated, placed on a big tree stump. A lot of holes have roads along side them, that play OB, and add to the difficulty.
I was playing this course for the first time on Christmas day, 2018. My mom was with me, and playing her first round of disc golf. She witnessed an ace on hole 11. I used the right side to throw a big hyzer, and skipped it into the chains. Needless to say, I was pretty stoked.
Cons: Almost totally flat, at least if you are on course. There is some elevation near the edges of the first few holes, but it was not utilized in the course design. I din't walk to the the top of the hill, but thought it might have made a good spot for a tee or basket to get some elevation change in on the course.
The holes near the dog park really do cut the corners of the fence line. If it is a crowded day, you may have to be careful to avoid throwing near people there.
The water may steal a disc if you get a bad bounce or lose control on 6. The fence to the left of hole 9 looked like it may be tougher to get over to retrieve a disc. I took penalty strokes on 9 and 10, going OB into the road and then into water.
A bit of backtracking and crossing roads as you make your way around the layout. Squeezing in 18 holes used all available spaces surrounding the park.
Other Thoughts: Forest Park is a good place for disc golfing. The layout has some quirks, but also has some really nice holes. I think it's better than the nearby Kanza Park course, with the well established trees there to break up fairways. If you make the trip to Ottawa, both are worth playing.
There are bathrooms and trashcans, and the park was clean and well maintained. The finishing touches are being put on and the course is looking great.
Even with the hole in one on hole 11, I was one over par (55). I made birdies on holes 3 and 6. Bogies on holes 2, 8-10 and 12. Took OB penalties on 9 and 10. It was a fun round, and I would say the course is worth a try if you're near the area. Maybe work it in with the new course at nearby Big Bull Creek.
9 of 9 people found this review helpful.
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Hole #18 (Taken 9/2018) 
3 / 335ft. 
1 
7/8/2022 
9/5/2022
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