An Austin Classic
3 Helpful / 0 Not
Pros:
Pease Park is an aging course that shows its signs of age on the ground. The trees are great, the double chain baskets are old but adequate, and the tee signs show you the multiple pin position locations. It was nice to see mandos marked with obvious arrows. The baskets are a mix of brands with DGA on the front nine and Discatchers on the back nine. It was very nice to see orange painted pipes covering the locations of the alternate pin placements. Not that you could really play to them, but still nice to know where they were for future reference. The earlier mentioned trees provide nice shade that makes play more tolerable on hot Texas days. The parking is conveniently located by tee #1 and hole #18 finishes close by. There is a course info board located by the practice basket.
Cons:
Tee boxes are really rough here and are the most obvious place that this course shows its age. Navigation is somewhat of an issue for first timer here; generally you follow the beaten in trail but there are a couple transitions that may not be obvious, e.g. 17 to 18. There are no hole numbers on the baskets which can lead to confusion for first timers. Hole #13 was missing its tee sign. It would be nice if the tee signs provided some sort of indication of the active pin placement, but alas no such feature is there.
Erosion appears to be a significant problem for Pease and cause for speculation as to whether the course will remain in the ground or not.
Other Thoughts:
Hole #11 is a blind shot over a creek and into think woods that almost demands a spotter. With a course/park so close to a major University you get all sorts of non-disc golf interference from picnicers and sun bathers, to dog walkers and under-the-bridge bums. I can see this course easily getting bogged down by mob golfers and frustrating a group of serious golfers trying to play through. I can appreciate how locals here may grow to like this course given that they know the ins and outs of the course as well as the best times to play, but there's no denying that Pease is old and behind the times given the newer and better courses in Austin.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.
A real Gem
0 Helpful / 2 Not
Pros: Urban DG! Great variety of holes. Nice folks around town, awesome vibes. Some elevation change, some water - but not too much! Love it!
Cons: Few if any - trash/litter was there but thats everywhere. Pack out what you pack in people!
Other Thoughts: A shining example of how DG can integrate with current surroundings. This park has been there for far longer than DG has but yet DG gives it the love it deserves. Synergy!
0 of 2 people found this review helpful.
Way too much fan
2 Helpful / 0 Not
Pros: -Beautiful Course
-Very Good Variety of Shots
-Shaded
I have to say that this is probably one of the best courses around. This is exactly what you would expect when you hear someone say that. It's a great course, covered in trees, which is good considering you'll be walking quite a bit. It's got some WIDE open holes where you can just let it rip and it's got some really technical holes for the strategic and accurate players. Definitely one of my favorites.
Cons: -Long
-Difficult Disc Locating
-Semi-Difficult Navigation
The cons in this course are really determined by the player and their expertise. For instance, this is a very long course and on a hot day you are definitely going to feel it afterward. For those that deal with the heat regularly without issue, this shouldn't be a concern. As I mentioned above, it is still pretty shaded. On some of the holes, especially #3 or #4, you will be throwing into a mix of terrains from creeks, hills, rocks, etc. It can be difficult location your disc on some of these holes IF you don't throw accurately. Just like most, I have the occasional throws that soar off in the wrong direction. As a beginner, this course was difficult for me but I never lost a disc. I was out with a group of about 8 people and only 2 people lost discs simply because they tried some extreme throw that distanced them far from where they needed to be. Most of the holes are pretty easy to see where your disc lands but there's just a certain few that aren't. Finally, the navigation of the course is a little difficult but pretty simple for the most part. If it were me, I'd find a friend that's played there before to help navigate and instruct on where to throw in some spots.
Other Thoughts: Like I said, this is one of my favorite courses and last I heard they were actually thinking about shutting it down. I hope that's not the case, I'd hope to be playing there for a long time to come.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.
An Austin Essiential
5 Helpful / 1 Not
Pros: This place is 6400' of proper disc placement in a mix of trees, water, and undulating terrain. With it's overall popularity, it's easy for any first timer to find there way around in what can be a mildly confusing layout. The holes offer a good combination of lengths and foliage density. Mixed with good pin placements, even the intermediate players will have to work to shoot low.
There is a place to buy discs by the first tee in case to lose one, but even with the creek running through the course, there are only a few select places you could actually lose your disc. Holes #12, #13, and #14 offer a different look up the side of the hill and provide average elevation change. Also, who can't love the unique pin placement nestle in the tree on #5 - necessary? No, but still cool.
BEST HOLE/S: #4, #13
Cons: A course with this much play and history shows it's age - most baskets are in average to poor shape, and the course is seriously beaten in. Tee boxes are hit and miss, and can get treacherous after a good rainstorm.
The middle back nine after #11 is different from when I played a few years back - there used to be a huge uphill hole that was both unique and challenging. In it place, the redesigned holes, just don't seem to fill the void with a significantly easier downhill toss. In addition, the layout is odd with a few holes on the back nine almost overlapping, which is potentially dangerous because of the amount of play.
Pease Park has fallen behind in upkeep compared to
Circle C Metro Park @ Slaughter Creek,
Searight Park, and many of the other newer or revamped Austin courses. In a town where concrete tees, Houck quality signs, and mulched lined walkways are a norm, Pease becomes a relic. This is due partly to the park service, but it's a shame due to the high volume of play.
Finally, this place is busy - get used to it. There are always many groups throughout the course on any given day, so don't ever plan on playing a quick round here. This course is set up for the laid back two hour round.
WORST HOLE/S: #17
Other Thoughts: Rumors went around earlier in the year that Pease Park may be going the way of the dodo soon, so like any avid golfer, I rushed out to get a crack at it once more as a farewell round. However, I'm happy to report that Pease Park isn't going anywhere. The folks at Disc Nation said there could be some possible redesigns in the future that could affect the course a little, but the city hasn't even approved the work as of now. Plus, with progressive cities like Austin, you know that sometimes God himself has to come down to get a project approved, so go and enjoy this course with the satisfaction of knowing that it will be here for the foreseeable future.
Playing Pease Park is much like meeting up with an old friend, and every town has a course like this. These are the average courses that usually are a bit run down, and doesn't provide the championship level challenge that newer courses in the area may offer. Yet, more people tend to play and call these courses home than any other. Like
Anges Moffitt Park in Houston, or
B.B. Owen Park up in Dallas, these courses have a fierce following of people who have loved them long before anything newer or better came around. And, even though it may not reflect in the rating, Pease Park is iconic and an essential life blood to Austin, a mecca for any disc golfer, and for that I'm glad it's here to stay.
5 of 6 people found this review helpful.
A Good Course I would hate to see go away
1 Helpful / 0 Not
Pros: I like it when a course uses the terrain it's given and Pease Park does just that. The course follows Shoal Creek crossing it a couple of times. Pease Park will make you the disks in my bag. The course has good Bomb holes and holes that require a little finesse to make to the basket.
Cons: Dirt Tee boxes I slipped on a couple Tee shots
Once you get out in the open area the lay out of the course can be confusing, we got a little turned around after hole 10, but with a little searching we got back on track.
Homeless people living in the park there was a guy living buy the Basket on hole 4 kinda freaked me out (I didn't see him when I went to get my disk out of the basket) and when I turned a round saw this guy sleeping in a hammock.
Other Thoughts: Finished the round with some real nice local guys. I really liked playing Pease Park I need to play it when I'm not so tired(son and I spent 7 hours on the Guadalupe the day before)
Better directions after hole 10 and Tee Boxes and I would have rated it higher. It's a shame that this course may go away, the City should what ever it can to save Pease Park Disk Golf Course
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
fun but difficult
1 Helpful / 4 Not
Pros: - Location is in a beautiful park close to downtown Austin, UT campus, among other destinations. The course winds through the park and adds a fun element of adventure to your round.
- Wide variety of shots. mid range and short technical holes, wide open fields to really bomb a drive, heavily wooded and over the creek/blind shots. They all combine to make a great diverse course.
- Humbling course... it's a great way to check how you might stack up against the pros. It's definitely a great pro-quality course, at least in terms of course difficulty. Shooting par on this course is really something to be proud of.
Cons: - Biggest con to this course is that it will be closed soon. Do what you can to keep it around!! Apparently the years and years of being such a popular course caused some bad compacting of soil and was threatening plant life and Shoal Creek that runs through it.
- Signage is pretty poor and if you haven't played it before or you're not with an course veteran you're almost guaranteed to get lost once or twice. After you've played it a couple times you should be fine.
- Upkeep is a little sketchy. Sometimes the grass is cut, sometimes the creek isn't too difficult to cross, and sometimes the tee boxes aren't too muddy. BUT, sometimes it's pretty hard to get around and find your discs... and occasionally you just won't find the discs.
Other Thoughts: It really disappoints me that the course won't be around much longer. Here's a link to a facebook page dedicated to saving it, and there are links you can find on that page that lead to other sites that are for the cause. This has to be the most fun course I've played in Austin and I'd hate to see it go!
1 of 5 people found this review helpful.
Please save Pease!
2 Helpful / 0 Not
Pros: This gem of a course is located in an awesome park in the Shoal Creek Greenbelt right near downtown Austin. The course meanders around the creek and through the oaks and cedars that dot the hillside.
The course has a great flow through the park. The 1st tee and 18th basket are right next to the parking lot, along with a practice basket as well. There are only a few navigational trouble spots but the signage is excellent so it shouldn't really be a problem. Great Houck signs with distances, map, and arrow to next tee (#13 missing) and Mach 3 baskets in decent shape.
Austin being the door to the hill country, there are a couple great elevation changes and much hilly terrain. Throw downhill to a basket near a small cliff with the stream below on #9. #11-15 play through a nice wooded area. Throw across the creek on #3, #11, and #15. The water comes into play on around 5 holes, maybe more if you have some real bad shots. There are many challenging holes here with a wide variety of distances and multiple pin placements. There are a variety of shots: some are tight windows through the trees, some are wide open bombers; but it mostly favors RHBH.
Cons: The course shares the park with walkers and bikers using the trails and there are often people hanging around (including bums under the bridge between #6 & 7).
The parking lot is very small for such a popular course, and you're sharing it with the other park users.
I am not usually not bothered by dirt tee pads and the ones here aren't that bad but it is a heavily used course. Some are in poor shape.
It is not obvious where to go after #11, 14, or 17. Follow the paths and remember to look at the maps on the previous hole's sign.
Other Thoughts: This is a beautiful and challenging course and I have a blast every time I play here. At 22 years old, it is a shame that this jewel is going to be removed by the city. The course will be removed this year as part of the Lower Shoal Creek Channel Stabilization Project and as of now there are no plans to reinstall it at a later date. (More info here:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pa...fo&ref=ts)
Hopefully, Austin disc golfers will take it upon themselves to do what they can to save the course. It seems that putting together a report with recommendations on an ecologically sustainable course plan is necessary.
This is a fantastic course with a lot of history. Get here while you still can and have the opportunity to play this fine course before it is gone. Time to plan those trips!
**Like this review? Hate it? Message me and let me know why! I want to make them better!**
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.
Pease Please!
0 Helpful / 1 Not
Pros: very challenging with orgionality, some long open holes to use your arm but shot tight holes theres something for everyone here.
Cons: dirt pads are really worn down can be easily over looked, just tee off to the side thae hole doesnt change this way. trash but city doesn't maintain course so locals do a cleanup.
Other Thoughts: this course cdan give you some of the best rounds, it definatly will be missed
0 of 1 people found this review helpful.
Challenging, But Reasonably So
4 Helpful / 0 Not
Pros: Well marked with great signs showing all distances to variable pin locations. Wide variety of holes: short to long, dog legs in each direction, tight lines through trees to wide open fields. Uses the natural terrain of the land very well. Plays around Shoal Creek which is much more of a factor in the Spring, Fall, and Winter when it's too deep to go in to dive after your disc - but that really only comes into play on hole #3. Moderate elevation change. Great course to meet other golfers on, if that interests you.
Cons: Tee pads could use some love; they get beat down with the volume of players that come through here. Bums under the 24th Street bridge. Crowds pretty much every day of the week (in fair weather) from 2 or 3 pm 'til dusk. Because it is a public park with volleyball courts in an area around some holes and a jogging/hiking/biking trail that runs through it, expect some stragglers to slow your play slightly. Hole #12 could really use 1) a sign, 2) a marked tee box.
Other Thoughts: For some unbeknownst reason, the parks department keeps cutting down trees in the park; yet they post signs warning of soil erosion...
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.
Bring all your shots
1 Helpful / 8 Not
Pros: Well rounded; you'll need a deep bag of tricks to put up a good score. In town. Uses the water on some holes.
Cons: dirt tees. a few janky baskets.
Other Thoughts: I love Pease more and more every time I play it. You'll need you side arm, roller, tomahawk, thumber, floater and everything else...creative shots make for a fun day.
1 of 9 people found this review helpful.
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Course Extinct 
1 
5/29/2010 
12/27/2010
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