Oakland Middle School DGC reviews
2
0
2+ years drive by
Reviewed:
Played on:Jul 1, 2016
Played the course:once
Pros:
Great for the kids, specifically the disc golf team (yes, this middle school has a disc golf team!), to practice on and to learn the game. Kudos to the designers, the team sponsor, and the administration for their support of disc golf.
Overall, a good design making the most out of the available land and obstacles. Deceptively challenging if you play the o.b. rules marked on the tee signs- roads, parking lots, and neighboring residential fences are o.b.- and there are lots of them. The first 3 holes have pretty narrow landing areas and make you really think strategy and shot placement.
Good variety of length, some ace runs, some full drives for the kids (or adults using mids and fairway drivers), and lots of lengths in between. Two sets of tees also add to the variation. Reds are longer (and/or a more challenging angle) and Blues are shorter (both are school colors I believe).
Tees are just colored wooden posts, but each had a small laminated sign attached to it with hole #, distance, o.b. rules, and school logo. Obviously, well planned out with attention to details. I navigated the course easily without a course map since everything was signed and numbered, even next tee signs on the tone poles. (Just know how to find tee #1.)
I love the tone poles. Of course baskets are ultimately preferred, but financially they make sense. The tone poles were highly visible, numbered, and placed at various heights. It really makes you strategize about running for the putt or laying up.
Not 9 holes, but 11. Play it twice, once from each tee, and you get a solid 22. Pretty sweet considering the small area it is in.
Overall, a good design making the most out of the available land and obstacles. Deceptively challenging if you play the o.b. rules marked on the tee signs- roads, parking lots, and neighboring residential fences are o.b.- and there are lots of them. The first 3 holes have pretty narrow landing areas and make you really think strategy and shot placement.
Good variety of length, some ace runs, some full drives for the kids (or adults using mids and fairway drivers), and lots of lengths in between. Two sets of tees also add to the variation. Reds are longer (and/or a more challenging angle) and Blues are shorter (both are school colors I believe).
Tees are just colored wooden posts, but each had a small laminated sign attached to it with hole #, distance, o.b. rules, and school logo. Obviously, well planned out with attention to details. I navigated the course easily without a course map since everything was signed and numbered, even next tee signs on the tone poles. (Just know how to find tee #1.)
I love the tone poles. Of course baskets are ultimately preferred, but financially they make sense. The tone poles were highly visible, numbered, and placed at various heights. It really makes you strategize about running for the putt or laying up.
Not 9 holes, but 11. Play it twice, once from each tee, and you get a solid 22. Pretty sweet considering the small area it is in.
Cons:
I'm really not going to knock this for many of the usual things one might, taking into account the purpose of this course (like no baskets, no concrete tees, a little cramped, etc.).
This course is not going to be available for play much of the time. Obviously off limits during school hours. Best time to play would be on weekends or in the summer. I played midday on a weekday in the summer and their was absolutely nobody else even on school grounds.
This course is not going to be available for play much of the time. Obviously off limits during school hours. Best time to play would be on weekends or in the summer. I played midday on a weekday in the summer and their was absolutely nobody else even on school grounds.
Other Thoughts:
This is really great thing for these kids. An onsite course to actually practice playing. Field throwing and putting practice are essential, but playing the course and playing against others are an important part of improving as well.
Rating courses like this are difficult. In the grand scheme of all courses, this is one you are likely not coming to play, even if in the area (Barfield is the town's public 18 hole course.) If this was a city park course, I would probably rate it a 1.5. But considering the intentions it is easily a 4.0+ as it is a great model for school courses. I enjoyed playing it and will compromise with a 2.5 rating.
Rating courses like this are difficult. In the grand scheme of all courses, this is one you are likely not coming to play, even if in the area (Barfield is the town's public 18 hole course.) If this was a city park course, I would probably rate it a 1.5. But considering the intentions it is easily a 4.0+ as it is a great model for school courses. I enjoyed playing it and will compromise with a 2.5 rating.
3
0
Good Learning curve 2+ years
Reviewed:
Played on:Oct 25, 2015
Played the course:once
Pros:
Another Disc Golf course on school property!
Granted it's an object course (a metal bell shaped object a top of a metal pole, hit the bell shaped object and the metal will hit hit metal and you WILL hear the ringing sound it makes with the striking contact between bell and metal pole.) and doesn't have baskets. But the kids that the course is really designed for will benefit from learning the flight of the disc, and hand to eye cordination.
port a johns on site
both red and blue tees
Some of the holes one can air it out, course has both hyzer shots and anhyzer shots from red (long) tees.
Plenty of parking
See other thoughts comments------------ - +
Granted it's an object course (a metal bell shaped object a top of a metal pole, hit the bell shaped object and the metal will hit hit metal and you WILL hear the ringing sound it makes with the striking contact between bell and metal pole.) and doesn't have baskets. But the kids that the course is really designed for will benefit from learning the flight of the disc, and hand to eye cordination.
port a johns on site
both red and blue tees
Some of the holes one can air it out, course has both hyzer shots and anhyzer shots from red (long) tees.
Plenty of parking
See other thoughts comments------------ - +
Cons:
Cramped playing area.....First 3 holes play along the drop off area, so one really should play this course on either an off school day or when school is out for the day. The next 4 holes play pretty close to the fence that seperates residential properties and the school property and then the rest of the course plays through a soccer field. So to play this course, it could get tricky unless you time it right.
Loud BIG dog near hole # 1's blue tee (short tee)
Loud BIG dog near hole # 1's blue tee (short tee)
Other Thoughts:
Most schools really can't afford 18 baskets, but I'm sure they can afford these kind of objects for their kids to learn to play Disc Golf.
I feel that other school districts should think about installing these type of "baskets" so we can get more children to learn the basics of flight, science, math, physical education that the game of Disc Golf offers------------ - +
I feel that other school districts should think about installing these type of "baskets" so we can get more children to learn the basics of flight, science, math, physical education that the game of Disc Golf offers------------ - +
