A Few Good Holes
6 Helpful / 0 Not
Pros: -A mostly open course with a few trees that meanders around an Athletic field next to a Middle School. The 9-tee, 7-basket course does have some elevation on a few holes.
-A variety of pars and distance that is mostly set up for beginners and recreational players. Holes 4-5, 7-8 does have some distance with two back tees on holes 7 and 8.
-The course has gone thru a school construction period and has been realigned to keep it. 4 of the 9 holes are original. 6 of 7 baskets are also original and catch well enough. There are still 4 original tee signs.
-Tees are a mixture of grass and pavement. The 4 remaining tee signs have par, hole number, distance, and an arrow point to the direction of basket.
-Someone or perhaps a local club has contributed a practice basket that serves as #8. Hopefully more additional work will be done to the course.
-Navigation is clockwise primarily around tennis court and staying between track and baseball field.
-Fairways will be kept mowed.
-Slim chance of a lost disc, only a wild throw to the left of 7 or on top of the building behind 8. You'll be hating yourself if that happens.
-Beginners and recreational a good course to work on your game. Intermediate and advance a course to practice approaches but will probably find hole 7 long tee very interesting.
Cons: -Per my course guide, the construction period totally wrecked the course eliminating holes 7-9 where there are now a new building and ball field for the school. Those baskets were lost during the construction period. The flow of the course was changed and for quite sometime just the 6 baskets, until recently the practice basket was added.
-Tee signs 1-2, 4 original tee signs are missing, these holes are still be used. But likely vandalized, they would have not been bother with by the construction. Tee sign 6 is hole 7 with the realignment. The tee sign for 7 hanging on the ballfield fence is no longer being used, that hole was eliminated. No tee signs for holes 1-2, 4, 6, and 8, and there not marked.
-A basket is used for hole 5 and 6, and another basket used for 1 and 9. It's likely not to be busy, and more likely you or your group will be alone on the course.
-At this time, it's a makeshift course and can be confusing or lost on the course. Hopefully someone or club has taken interest to make changes and will continue to do so for a more permanent course.
-On the Saturday morning I played there were joggers and walkers bordering course. If there's a baseball game, there goes hole 7 and 8.
-If you're playing the course for the first time and your alone, you're going to be lost trying to find the route.
-Will not be able to play course during school hours.
Other Thoughts: I was lucky when I pulled up to parking, and another player who had played the course several times had pulled up as well. After asking questions, I was invited to play with him. If I attempted to of played by myself, I would have been totally lost, and may have spotted 5 baskets not knowing flow and hole number. My impression would have been mass confusion, and even has the resemblance after playing it. Brookland is a makeshift course with a lot of flux to it. What is there today, may not be there tomorrow if there is someone or group trying to resuscitate it. Its likely the majority of those who arrive to play the first time, probably wander around and never return or perhaps see the value as a practice course. Hopefully Brookland is on a slow but certain rebound.
For those who decide to play the course I left what I hope is detailed instructions to find each tee and basket on the wall and posted pictures.
The course does have value to improve your game no matter the level, you're likely to have the course to yourself whether for the layout or practice on a few choice holes or baskets. The fairways will be always kept mowed by the city. My overall rating is anchored on a 2.0, perhaps that can improve someday. The time to play taking pictures and chatting with my guide was 35 minutes.
There are two holes of interest:
No. 5 Par 5 at 412 feet is an original hole, and a straight upslope hill to a basket on a knoll. The basket sits under a huge canopy oak tree. Nothing in the fairway. Great practice hole for big arms to hit C1 or C2.
The Fun Hole:
No. 7 Par 3 long tee at 391 feet. The tee sits under the canopy of the large oak behind 5/6 basket, and you have an elevated tee shot. The basket sits under a canopy of mid-size oaks. From the elevated tee a lazy dogleg left to reach basket. This throw will be fun because you're throwing over the baseball diamond with backstop and fencing. Skilled players should be able to get the disc to stay above the fencing and staying away from the backstop with higher fencing. To clear the fencing on the far side, need at least 300 feet. I threw a practice throw and didn't get it above the far side fence but was nice to watch the disc fly above the infield. You can throw behind the backstop, but that wouldn't be as fun. Hopefully if the course is ever fully back online and marked, this tee to basket will be kept.
6 of 6 people found this review helpful.
/sigh
7 Helpful / 0 Not
Pros: There's a parking lot
Holes 3, 5, 6 and 9 are still there
The baskets for 2 and 4 are there
Cons: Holes 1, 7 and 8 are gone
No tee for 2 and 4
Other Thoughts: Finally decided to see what was here and what I had heard was right, an abandoned course, and looks like it was abandoned a long time ago.
If you really want to play what's there then park at the loop by the tennis courts like the course description mentions. The course starts just north of the parking lot. The beginning of the sidewalk makes a reasonable tee for hole 2, 3 has a sign and the basket is visible, teeing off from the running track makes sense for 4 which will be to your right by the tennis court fence from 3, tee for 5 is around the tennis court fence and plays NW out toward the main road (Parham), tee for 6 will be to the right of that, head back to the main building and you should see the tee for 9 and the basket will be back along the tennis court fence.
Honestly, if all 9 baskets and tees were there, it'd make a decent upshot practice course but it hasn't seen any attention in quite a few years.
7 of 7 people found this review helpful.
Just. Don't.
4 Helpful / 0 Not
Pros: There are baskets. Seven of them to be exact.
Cons: There is no map to help determine where tee's are. It's often hard to find the next basket. There are sometimes signs for the holes, but they have moved the baskets so the signs might not even be right. There are only seven baskets, but I found a sign for hole 9
Other Thoughts: This has the potential to be a great beginner's course, but the love and care needed to keep it going is simply not there. I was frustrated due to a lack of signs and directions of where to go for the holes, the course layout is rather boring, offering almost no challenge except for one "long" hole. If you want to play a better 9 hole course, to go Dunncroft. Avoid this course at all costs.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.
Its a 5 hole now
1 Helpful / 2 Not
Pros: Great to take your kids. No chance of losing disks that sums it up
Cons: Construction has this course tore up. hsrd to find the tees for the ones that do exist. No pads of any kind
Other Thoughts: I took my 9 yr old daughter here wit simply let her play and even she thought it was ok and wanted to go to Dunncroft. Hole 1 is gone, 2,3,4 5,6 are fine. 7,8,9 are unplayable.# 9 basket is inside the construction and standing but 7-8 are gone. If they dont bring this back I hope the county puts the baskets to good use somewhere else.
1 of 3 people found this review helpful.
Course Mostly Torn Down With Construction
4 Helpful / 1 Not
Pros: Great starting course for beginners - basically no trouble areas and no opportunities for lost discs.
Lots of wide open areas for practice and for working on shot placement.
Its great to see this at a local school to get kids interested in the game at a young age.
Cons: Busy area with other school sports - you have to be careful not to hit someone
All Holes are really short and basically wide open - no variety
Restricted hours as the course is only open after school hours and on weekends.
Other Thoughts: Half of the holes are unplayable currently due to construction...and some of the baskets are in the construction area and one looked destroyed...I hope they put it all back together
4 of 5 people found this review helpful.
not the time to play this course
2 Helpful / 3 Not
Pros: Close to my home
Cons: School is under construction or expansion half the holes are not playable... Wait a few months to play here
Other Thoughts: Decent course I guess, but right now you would never know it because the first few and last few holes out of only 9 are affected by construction equipment and supplies.
2 of 5 people found this review helpful.
Middle School Course
4 Helpful / 0 Not
Pros: The course is on school property which promotes the sport. Good practice for your short game.
Cons: Lack of proper tees and some tee signs. Very open so there's really no variety. Closed during school hours. Nine holes.
Other Thoughts: When you play this course its important to remember that its for a middle school and its great for people who are new to the sport. It isn't a good course for competitive players with big arms, but could be a good course for practicing your short game. Some of the tee signs are missing (4 and 8), but we just shot near the previous basket. Besides the first three holes (with a few trees), there really wasn't much as far as obstacles, leaving all the other holes wide open. We played this course on a whim because we wanted something new and, though it may be good for some, I probably won't be going back.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.
Very Fun Beginner Course
2 Helpful / 4 Not
Pros: Short holes for beginners. Open unobstructed shots, again, beginner friendly.
Cons: As the other reviews pointed out, holes 4 and 8 dont have a sign that I could find.
Other Thoughts: Very decent. I love to see courses that you can take your kids to and give them something to feel good about. My daughter loved playing this course and so did I.
2 of 6 people found this review helpful.
Basic Beginners' Course
9 Helpful / 0 Not
Pros: Nine baskets, open and good for beginners, particularly young beginners.
Cons: Very short, open, not all tees obvious.
Other Thoughts: Once upon a time there was a scruffy little 18-hole course in the woods near a small park in Henrico's far west end. Then the county decided to use the land for a new middle school, the course was eventually reduced to nine holes, and the other nine baskets ended up over here at one of the county's older middle schools. These nine baskets have been scattered about among the track, baseball field, and other P.E. areas of Brookland Middle School for use by the students (I assume) and the general public when school is not in session.
This course is, except for one hole, very short, and, again except for one hole, entirely in the open. So it's best function may be as a course to teach new players, especially kids, how to play disc golf. Unfortunately, the lack of an open bathroom on the grounds somewhat negates the appeal of the course to parents looking to teach their kids the game. Otherwise, the appeal of the course lies in working on your mid-range game and perhaps using the fields (if not the baskets) for some practice. Except for #5, a wide-open 400' hole ending under a big oak tree, the course is very short (200' or less for most holes) and pretty much so entirely open.
There are signs on at least seven of the nine holes, though they are placed on fences, walls, and nearby trees, with no indication of the actual tee area and only minimal indication of which way is the proper basket. The baskets are numbered. I personally never found the tee for #4 or #8, though I did find both #7 and alt 7 (??), so at least eight tees are marked out there. I hope that lots of eager 11- and 12-year olds will have a good introduction to the game thanks to this course, and if you have someone you want to both teach the game and start them off real easy, well this might be a good spot. Anyone else, though, may find this course not worth the effort of getting there, or finding your way around once you're there.
Favorite Hole - #5 - only 400' hole on the course ends on a small hill beneath a big, beautiful tree.
9 of 9 people found this review helpful.
Bunk
2 Helpful / 7 Not
Pros: Not too far from my house. Aslo has tennis courts.
Cons: Poorly set up. No tees. Too close to people passing by walking running or just talking. Where is the 8th tee. I will stay at Duncroff
Other Thoughts: Needs to be away from other activities. You could very easily hit someone.
2 of 9 people found this review helpful.
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1 
2/25/2012 
2/25/2012
Review By: nevets4433 
This review was updated on 3/29/2012
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