Sunrise Bay DGC reviews
1
0
Rough but interesting 2+ years drive by
Reviewed:
Played on:May 10, 2017
Played the course:once
Pros:
This course is one of the few north of Spokane and is a full 18 around and through a large wooded camp and conference center. The camp is along Deer Lake which is pretty but doesn't come into play. The course starts by the lake and works it's way around the property, skirting buildings and fences. There is a good variety of holes, from straight through a field to a seemingly impossible shot on 16 that I drove for a shot at birdie. !6 seems like a con, thick forest with no line, but I stepped back, dug deep, and found a line. Choose to see it as a challenge.
There is a decent shot selection necessary, altho there are many straight forward holes. While the area is flat, the designers made pretty good use of the terrain available to make it challenging.
The baskets are home made and very unique. Very basic materials were used but they caught surprisingly well, better than the single chain and many double chain professional baskets.
There is a decent shot selection necessary, altho there are many straight forward holes. While the area is flat, the designers made pretty good use of the terrain available to make it challenging.
The baskets are home made and very unique. Very basic materials were used but they caught surprisingly well, better than the single chain and many double chain professional baskets.
Cons:
While I liked this course, there are quite a few. The tee pads are natural and not well defined. Hole 9 tee signs is placed in an area where you can't do a full drive safely and is one of the longer holes. The map is inaccurate on many holes and there are no distances on the tee signs, making walking forward to find the pin necessary on many holes on the back. The sign for 2 is missing, and a couple signs don't lead easily to the pin.
The pins are showing wear and 8 is almost unusable. The Listed par is too high for anyone but beginners, especially since the course has been shortened. I added blue tees with PDGA pars which made my round 8 over rather than 11 under.
Some holes are very short and repetitive, either open and straight or slight dog leg. A couple play tight around buildings, making for potentially hazardous throws.
One I didn't personally run into but I imagine can be bad is during the summer if the camp is busy the course may be very difficult to play safely. It would probably be a good idea to call ahead during the summer when school is out.
The pins are showing wear and 8 is almost unusable. The Listed par is too high for anyone but beginners, especially since the course has been shortened. I added blue tees with PDGA pars which made my round 8 over rather than 11 under.
Some holes are very short and repetitive, either open and straight or slight dog leg. A couple play tight around buildings, making for potentially hazardous throws.
One I didn't personally run into but I imagine can be bad is during the summer if the camp is busy the course may be very difficult to play safely. It would probably be a good idea to call ahead during the summer when school is out.
Other Thoughts:
This was a great day to play this course, there were hardly any people around and I saw more wildlife than I have ever seen on a course. Deer, turkeys, various birds including a woodpecker, and I saw bear scat.
This is a neat course that I enjoyed playing despite the problems. I hope they do some improvements, I appreciate courses like this. And the couple running the resort were very nice. This is a hard one to rate, definitely some problems but I enjoyed it and the amenities were good. Not a pro course but a solid amateur offering.
This is a neat course that I enjoyed playing despite the problems. I hope they do some improvements, I appreciate courses like this. And the couple running the resort were very nice. This is a hard one to rate, definitely some problems but I enjoyed it and the amenities were good. Not a pro course but a solid amateur offering.
4
0
Rustic Course At Christian Camp Needs Work! 2+ years
Reviewed:
Played on:May 4, 2014
Played the course:once
Pros:
Sunrise Bay DGC is located at Pinelow Park and Conference Center located on the shores of lovely Lake Loon. This is a christian camp and retreat so no drugs or alcohol are permitted. You need to stop by the directors office's and pay Doyle a daily use fee of $5.
The 18 hole course starts down near the lakeside, then plays through the cabins, back through a wooded area before finishing back near the director's office. The course features homemade baskets, many of which were not in the best of shape. There are simple carved tee signs giving the hole # and the tee off area in green and the basket position in red. There are no tee pads of any type.
The course does provide some decent challenge in it's overall length and in the technical nature of throwing through, around and over the trees. Unfortunately, since the course was designed for novice players; ie. campers, these challenges will only frustrate any beginning type player.
The 18 hole course starts down near the lakeside, then plays through the cabins, back through a wooded area before finishing back near the director's office. The course features homemade baskets, many of which were not in the best of shape. There are simple carved tee signs giving the hole # and the tee off area in green and the basket position in red. There are no tee pads of any type.
The course does provide some decent challenge in it's overall length and in the technical nature of throwing through, around and over the trees. Unfortunately, since the course was designed for novice players; ie. campers, these challenges will only frustrate any beginning type player.
Cons:
The baskets are not good to start with and then a few of them have vandalized. Not having tee pads is also a problem.
#'s 15 and 16 are both holes where you are just throwing through a thicket of small trees and brush. There is no fair route to the basket. A little clearing would help make these holes more fair.
#'s 15 and 16 are both holes where you are just throwing through a thicket of small trees and brush. There is no fair route to the basket. A little clearing would help make these holes more fair.
Other Thoughts:
Doyle (Park and Conference Center Director) was told by a "former frisbee champion" that this is the most difficult course in the state. I think this "former frisbee champion" was the one who designed this course. Maybe the "former frisbee champion" played this course using the old "Whamo" plastic from the 70's. Maybe the "former frisbee champion" ingested too many magic mushrooms back in the 60's.
While the course does feature a fair amount of challenge, I'd rate it as an average recreational course on the challenge meter and well below that on the overall rating scale. Unless you're a serious course bagger such as myself, you probably want to skip this out of the way stop on the tour.
While the course does feature a fair amount of challenge, I'd rate it as an average recreational course on the challenge meter and well below that on the overall rating scale. Unless you're a serious course bagger such as myself, you probably want to skip this out of the way stop on the tour.
