Milwaukee WI area in February 2022. Is disc golf out of the question?

[armiller]

I'll be traveling to the Milwaukee/Waukesha area for other reasons. The course bagger in me wants to play SOME Wisconsin course, because I never have. (And there's a chance I won't be back for a while.)

I'm sure February is the ideal time to partake of Wisconsin disc golf

Given the snow, cold, etc., are there any particular courses that jump out as being more playable during this delightful time of year? For a little more about me, I do live in a cold area, but I haven't played any disc golf in southeast Michigan since the initial cold/snow set in around New Years. I'm a little bit of a pansy when it comes to playing in the cold or even wet conditions.

I'd love some suggestions on "super easy and quick" courses, even 9 holes, for course bagging purposes, but I'm also interested in some courses that would give me a better representation of Milwaukee area disc golf, especially if the weather or conditions end up being more pleasant than I would expect at this time of year.

Thanks!

 

[Horsman]

Pretty much every course in Milwaukee is open throughout the winter. They pull the baskets in the spring when the ground is thawing out. February shouldn't be an issue.

I would first suggest you go play Winter Dretzka. That course is on the same property as the regular Dretzka course but the winter course is only in for the winter. That would be a good one to bag since you cant always play it. Its not short (27 holes) but it is fun. The regular Dretzka course is still in the ground and is a very good representation of Milwaukee disc golf (this is my preferred course to play) but it is 27 holes, which there is an 18 hole layout that can be played seamlessly if you are looking for something a bit shorter

Estabrook has a winter set up that is not too much different than the normal course and the same goes for Valley View. Estabrook will take a little longer with it being 21 holes but the course is on the medium to shorter side. Valley View is a super easy and quick course as long as its not packed which it generally isnt in the winter.

Brown Deer is the premier course in the area but that is pulled for the winter.

Root River is still in and is a great course. You can power thru this course pretty quickly. The first 7 holes are in the woods and then it opens up to a parkway and its a bit more open.

Dineen just got remodeled and is open but its in a lower tier of course, along with Madison Park. Both are decent but nothing crazy.

Village Park in Sussex is a decent course but a bit further out of Milwaukee. This is also true for Abendschein Park in Oak Creek. Close but a little further out.

It kinda comes down to where you are staying in Milwaukee as to what you want to play or how far you are willing to drive. I can't give too many suggestions on 9-hole courses in the area since I haven't actually played any nine hole courses in the area even though I've played and lived there for the past 15 years.

 

[tallpaul]

Lime-Kiln Park is a nice niner.

 

[wolfhaley]

Horsman summed it up about as well as one could do. And I'll agree with Tallpaul that Lime-Kiln park is a real solid niner.

So I guess I'll chime in with a few that you may want to just avoid. The Milwaukee county sports complex is just down the road from where I grew up and I believe the second course I've ever played. It's probably alright in February I guess but it's just okay.

Denoon DGC in Muskego is okay too, but probably even further out of your way and not much better than Milwaukee County SC.

Oakwood Community Park is a pretty basic 9 in Delafield. They did a good job with what was there. Wales Community park is meh. Decent winter course I guess, but literally all the ones Horsman listed are better. Never played the 6 hole one in Hartland so I have no opinion on that. That kind of sums up Waukesha.

Other 9's not mentioned but near Milwaukee.

Spassland DGC- Typical park 9er, good warm up for Dretzka but with both the standard and winter Dretzka playable, probably not really worth the stop.

Brown Deer High School- No reason to even consider this one. Baskets around a school.

Homestead High School- Just don't even bother with this one, you'd regret it.

Concordia University- 9 older temp Discatchers scattered around a wide open completely flat field across the street from the campus. Skip this one.

Lime-Kiln and Jackson park are worthwhile courses, especially Lime-Kiln.

Personally I'd try to target either or both Dretzka courses first. Then Valley View, Root River or Estabrook. Abendschien is fun too. Hope that helps.

 

[DeanMoriarty]

If you can, make your way up about half an hour north to Tendick.

I heard it's a very underrated and beautiful course.

 

[wolfhaley]

If you can, make your way up about half an hour north to Tendick.

I heard it's a very underrated and beautiful course.

Tendick is nice but Stoney Creek is a true gem.

 

[DeanMoriarty]

Tendick is nice but Stoney Creek is a true gem.

I've heard that about Stoney Creek. Excited to check it out this summer.

By the way, I was thinking about talking to the UW staff about shortening UW's The Orchid course to a 9er since I recently went there and saw that the front 9 still has it's baskets and signs (signs need to be repainted though).

As of right now maintenance is a low priority even for the Parkside course so obviously The Orchid would be best to be played in late fall/winter but I am thinking about offering to do some maintenance this summer such as cutting back branches that have overgrown on the fairway on hole 2 and as well as 3. And maybe I'd lay down some wood chips but I definitely am going to offer to repaint all the signs with hole #, par, and a crude layout.

Hopefully they'll let me do it because I really do think The Orchid could have a second life as a warmup 9 hole course.

 

[armiller]

Thanks for all the feedback. I had limited time and ended up playing Dineen simply because it was closest to where I stayed. I played on Monday morning, which wasn't terribly cold but was quite windy. Very new course, I think. Not bad, but I'm sure it's not as good as most of the others that were suggested.

I'll be back to the area. Thanks for the suggestions!

 

[tallpaul]

Dineen has been around a long time. You got to play the new upgrade.