Billings, MT

Pioneer Park - Winter 9

25(based on 3 reviews)
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Pioneer Park - Winter 9 reviews

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16 0
brentjacobs
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 22.7 years 659 played 59 reviews
1.50 star(s)

The Wintertime 9 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 16, 2021 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

- 9 Blue-banded DISCatcher pros that are well mounted.
- At least 2 Tees per hole which are a mix of existing asphalt paths, sidewalks, summer course tees, and a couple natural dirt tees. All serviceable but some are certainly better than others. They're marked with spray paint.
- A decent little amount of elevation change occurs on holes 1 & 2(downhill)as well as holes 7-9(uphill).
- The creek is in play on Holes 2 and 6. Water level stays low in the winter so nearly impossible to lose a disc.
- Decent mix of hole length though generally on the shorter side. I use putters, mids, fairways, and distance drivers off the tees.
- Most holes, while not heavily wooded, required some shot shaping to navigate the old growth trees throughout the park. Add in the generally accepted OBs of creek, paths, tennis courts, etc and this shorter course can offer some decent challenge. Ignore those OB areas and the distances aren't so daunting as to discourage lower skill level players.
- Free to play.

Cons:

- Lack of infrastructure hinders basic navigation. No tee signage, course map, or direction assistance. Just completely bare bones outside of the baskets and spray painted tee markings.
- The tee surfaces are serviceable but not great. Some are sloping with the terrain and the asphalt tees are fairly rough. Not terrible but certainly not ideal.
- Some of the newer alternate tees create overly simple holes that don't really fit with the rest of the course. Others just don't change the hole much from the original tee.
- A nearly constant possibility of user conflict. Walking paths border almost every hole, tennis courts border a couple. When it's cold, there's not too much to be concerned with. But between November and April there is generally plenty of weather that has dog walkers, playground goers, random field users, etc bustling around the park. If you're playing here on a decently nice day, you're likely to do some waiting.
- Hole 8 borders some neighboring back yards with warning signs not to trespass. Not sure if knocking on their door will get your disc back.
- Restrooms are closed during the winter despite the good amount of traffic, disc golf and otherwise, the park sees.

Other Thoughts:

The winter layout was put in to give the land on the summer layout side of the park a rest for part of the year. It's a decent little course with some fun holes but lack of infrastructure and regular user conflict put a cap on the overall experience. When the park's empty it's a fine little track and when it's not it can be all sorts of sketchy. Some signage would go a long way for first time users. I'd say 1 out of every 3 rounds I'll be offering directions to lost frolfers. I'd file this course under a solid winter option for locals and nothing to go out of the way for if you're traveling, unless you just want that pelt. If you can follow the layout, it is a quick spin with a mix of decent to rather entertaining holes.
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2 0
Duncanator
Experience: 14 years 207 played 13 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Update to Winter 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jan 7, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

A nice quick course in town. Close enough to go warm up and practice some over lunch. Uses a little elevation, trees, and manmade obstacles.

Cons:

There are no longer teepad signs or numbers on the course. The baskets are numbered, so without a guide, you have to look for the next basket and walk back to pick a random tee.

Other Thoughts:

I was able to follow some people through the course and saw where most of the tees were. No hole was long, which was just fine for a winter layout. If you know where you are going, its easy enough to get two rounds in an hour.
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3 0
DiSCRoCKeR
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 24 years 204 played 45 reviews
2.50 star(s)

The Winter 9 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 15, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

This review is for the winter seasonal set-up. Fun 9 hole in a beautiful city park. The winter course mostly utilizes the flat side of the park. However, there is some elevation change on holes 1, 2, and 9. Easy flowing course that was smartly planned out to utilize the trees in the area. The tees all play from the cement walking paths. Holes 7 and 8 are the only two holes that have non cement tees, they use a thick padded surface that looks similar to a rubber tee. Each tee area is marked with a wooden block with the hole number on it, you kinda have to keep your eye out for them the first time playing through if you don't have anyone to show you. This is a good course for new players to learn the game on and fun, easy practice for players with experience. The wind can add a bit of a challenge as well. A quick course to play through, I played two rounds in just over an hour. There is also no real risk of losing a disc here.

Cons:

Although the winter course is fun, it really doesn't make the holes too challenging for an experienced player. It is very hard to shoot over par. When the weather is nice you have to watch out for other people since these holes play through the area of the park that is mostly used by the other people. I had to wait a few times for people walking on the paths next to some fairways. No multiple pin placements either.

Other Thoughts:

The city is doing two seasonal 9 holes to help reduce damage to the land from all of the use that the park gets. The summer 9 will be played through the area of the park which offers much more elevation changes and looks like it will be more fun as well.
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