Prairie Park DGC--DeKalb, IL

[CEValkyrie]

This park is only a few miles from the campus of NIU. There were a ton of people out there. For the most part this was a short course but it did have 2 long holes. You have to throw quality shots both anhyzer, straight, & hyzer to score well. It's a decent 9-holer.  

[Dan Michler]

I'd say its a pretty fun course for what they have to work with.  There are some tight holes and some difficult long holes.  Hole 9 is real tough to reach for a deuce cuz its such a huge anhyzer shot.  Also there is the Kishwaukee river that can suck up some discs on a couple different holes.  Not too bad for a 9 holer.

[me]

I might be visiting De Kalb for a few days; could someone give me as in-depth of a course description as possible including the approximate lengths of the holes. Thanks for any information

[can't putt]

Well, as others have said, this is a decent 9-holer.  Easy to navigate with nice tee signs mounted on concrete stanchions.  I don't have the hole distances, but most are under 300'.  Hole 4 is around 350' and hole 6 is around 400'.  It's a flat park, and while it's really pretty open, the course takes good advantage of the trees and shrubs that are there.  There is a low ceiling on several of the holes.  A walking/bike path crosses the Kishwaukee river in the northwest corner of the park, and is a popular walking/jogging/dog/bike trail.  The path runs alongside hole 6 for the hole's entire length and then runs along the last half of hole 9 before exiting the park.  If you're in town it's worth a look, but it's certainly not a destination course.

[stpitner]

how are they doing on expanding it to 18?  Has anyone been out there to check?  They were going to add more on the other side of the river right after 6, loop around and finish with 7-9 as 16-18.  Last I heard they were still clearing out some of the area to put in more baskets.  Once that happens I definitely look forward to playing there again!  I can't remember what the tees were, was it just dirt or did it have concrete?  I want to remember just dirt tees... and if so, I hope they put in something more permanent!

I like hole #5.  The fairway has a couple of trees in your way, but once you get in near the basket there is a small clump of trees that can protect the basket well.

[can't putt]

Dirt tees.

[can't putt]

how are they doing on expanding it to 18?  Has anyone been out there to check?

I was out there yesterday.  Still 9 with no apparent progress towards 18.

[skipache]

mike kamm said he was going to make it 18 but i haven't heard anything lately

[jsun3thousand]

Prairie Park is the course I learned to disc golf on and my home course. I am one of three in the winter, and about ten to fifteen during nice weather, that play the course on a regular basis. As for the course getting expanded, according to Mike and Kathy from Midwest Disc Golf, the expansion is tied up in red tape. I talked to Mike and Kathy several times about the DeKalb course while they were installing the course in Kirkland- I was a part of the first group to play the complete Kirkland course, I got to meet the mayor on hole 14 and met several of the people that made the course possible. Kathy said there are issues surrounding the at Dekalb course including parking, litter, and other issues relating to residential complaints. She said that the back nine is already designed and all they need is the approval from the park district. I have emailed the park district about the expansion of the course but have not received any emails in return. Since this is my first post, I would like to thank you guys for your website and message board. I have used the website to plan many disc golf trips when I go home to visit my parents in Antioch. I am in the works with the DeKalb regulars in setting up a league starting the spring and will let you guys know how that goes. Jason

[ChiBlender36]

I go to NIU and am new to this board...I am an avid disc golfer and do so as much as possible.  I recently started playing at Prairie Park with my buddies about 5+ days a week.  I enjoy the course, has a nice mix of holes too and water.

I haven't seen anything regarding a second 9 however, next time i go I will look into it

[jsun3thousand]

ChiBlender36
Random doubles occur every Friday at 5pm. The buy in is two dollars, and fifty cents for the ace pot. We have had all levels of players turnout the last two weeks. You should attend and bring your friends. I'm out on the course a lot so I probably know who you are, if I don't know you already.  Jason   

[ChiBlender36]

awesome sounds like a plan.  we'll probably have to check that out.  We're not awesome, but love to play.  I'll see you out there

[Abelardo Arenas]

By the way, there's going to be another disc golf course in DeKalb. At Welsh Park, closer to the university.

A Welsh family member died, and one of the children is donating some of the inheritance to the park district specifically to build a disc golf course on their park. (It's a public park, funded by the Welsh Family). So it's still off in the future. All this just happened recently.

[jsun3thousand]

The Welsh park "disc golf course" is already installed- it has been in the ground for about a month now. It consists of three baskets placed randomly in the park with no tees. The baskets form a triangle, but any three points not on the same line form a triangle. The baskets (Innova Discathers) were donated to create a less competitive disc golf course in DeKalb. It is fun to go there at night and practice putting and to make up holes but other than that it gets very little use. Jason

[ChiBlender36]

hey Jason, I'm moving back out to DeKalb very soon, any word on the expansion to 18?  I haven't been up to DeKalb at all this summer to play, just curious i know you are always out there, looking forward to doubles if you guys still do that

[jsun3thousand]

The same rumors still swirl  about the expansion of the course- rubber teepads, nine more holes, concert tees and etc etc etc. A Park District employee that plays doubles says that there is no official plan for the back nine or that baskets exists for the expansion, but he says concrete tees are on the list of upgrades.
All the  Park District has done, so far, is adding wood chips to the tees and  baskets- including the removal of several trees due to storm damage.
The turnout for doubles has been rather weak the last month. I expected  the low turnout because of the turnover that occurs in DeKalb around this time. I plan on organizing doubles until nobody shows up which, I expect to be around the end of October/ early November or if snow comes first.
Myself and couple of other guys will play through out  the winter, so if there is enough interest we might keep something going.
Also, if turnout is strong on Fridays during nice weather, I am thinking about proposing a Saturday doubles league in Kirkland. Jason       

[CEValkyrie]

Stopped by here today. The course is in very good shape from the flooding. Perfectly dry now.

[duain]

Wow this thread is old...lol.
Wanted to let everyone know that Prairie Park has all concrete pads now, the last ones were poured yesterday morning 06/18/2010. Holes 1, 2, 4, and 9 are now different and a bit more challenging. This was a winter long battle for the Dekalb County Disc Golf Club to get this approved through the parks and rec. Thanks to Jason G. constant emails and phone calls to the parks guy and the newspaper articles I did at leagues a couple times, they finally seen the importance of the sport and gave us concrete.


Side note. I've been running Friday night doubles 6pm in Dekalb....ACE now back to $127.  info at our site. www.dcdisc.ning.com