What is the best course you have ever played?

[CEValkyrie]

Thanks for all the hard work The event ran smoothly.  I need to set up a weekend trip to play them all. I have yet to play Milan.

[dana vicich]

WR Jackson Memorial Course at the IDGC!  WOW.  For the layout that we played for the HOF Classic par was 69.  Lots of par 5's.  There are shorter holes along/near a creek that can easily be a 2 or 5.  And hole 18! Talk about a great finishing hole (par5)

The Steady Ed Course is pretty awesome and the layout for that was par 65.  Has some great water holes (Hole 5 and 13 come to mind).  I think DGTV.com has some clips of people driving on hole 5. 

The first 6 holes at the Jackson course are par 4's.  It was still a little rough in April, but will only get better as time goes on. 

I HIGHLY suggest everyone make it to the IDGC.  Ive made 3 trips since January and each time it just keeps getting better and better.  (Everyone needs to thank Matt Gillis if you get the chance)

The Clubhouse with the museum and pro shop is great too...

Tons of great camping all around the park too.

[ParkerJ152]

Mind you i've only played in IL & WI, but so far my top 5 are:

1. The Oaks - Mokena
2. UW Parkside - Kenosha
3. Shady Oaks - Streamwood
4. Campton Hills - St. Charles
5. Haine's Wayside - Joliet/New Lenox

[Jon Brakel]

Mokena could have been one of the best 18 hole courses in the country. Instead it's an above average course in a below average state.

[pickax]

Has anyone tried to map out an alternate layout for what a superb 18 would be at Mokena using the existing baskets?

[Dan Michler]

Mokena could have been one of the best 18 hole courses in the country. Instead it's an above average course in a below average state.

mokena is a decent course.  no matter how u design it there isn't going to be much elevation change out there though, so it had no chance to be a top course in my opinion.

The TOP 12 Illinois Courses at this time: (ranked by my desire to play them on any given day)

1.  Centralia (i'm giving it #1 status without having played it)
2.  McNaughton Park in Pekin
3.  Morton
4.  Sinnissippi Park in Sterling
5.  Wildcat Springs in Hamilton
6.  Rockford Old
7.  Milan
8.  Lincoln Park in Springfield
9.  Longview Park in Rock Island
10. Macomb (Everwood)
11. Rockford New
12. Tie between Geneseo and Galesburg

Honorable Mention to Prospect Park in Moline, IL which is the only course besides Centralia that I have not played yet and I believe would make this list otherwise.

NOTE:  Courses you have to pay to play are not included since I can't afford to play them every day.

[SIUFrolf]

prospect park is pretty fun to play, it has some decent elevation.  most of the holes are medium length I would guess, not a lot of bomb holes.  one hole (15?) you tee off and there is a hill that is literally the end of your teepad and it goes up about 25 feet so unless you throw it pretty high it's a tomohawk/thumber hole which I think is pretty interesting.  It is in a beautiful park which is well used by the community.

[Jon Brakel]

Mokena could have been one of the best 18 hole courses in the country. Instead it's an above average course in a below average state.

mokena is a decent course.  no matter how u design it there isn't going to be much elevation change out there though, so it had no chance to be a top course in my opinion.

I think that it is easier to design a great course if you have elevation changes but it is not required. You need a variety of lengths of holes, variety of shots required, and true risk vs. reward shots (there's probably only a handful of holes that offer some true risk vs. reward shots in Illinois currently).

[Bruce Brakel]

I think if you have elevation it is much easier to design a crappy course that will masquerade as a great course.  It is easy to hide weak design skills behind excellent terrain.  Case in point:  Are there any lefty holes at McNaughton?  I'm having trouble remembering where the lefty hole is.  No wonder Scott Martin got so good cutting his skills there. 

[jack]

Mokena could have been one of the best 18 hole courses in the country.

Mokena is what it is. The white tees get a ton of recreational play, and the blue tees challenge Open-caliber golfers. If you really believe Mokena could have been one of the best 18 hole courses in the country, you need to get out and play more courses.

Instead it's an above average course in a below average state.

I am so glad you are no longer the state coodinator.

[mirth]

why, because his opinion of the quality of courses in this state doesn't mesh with yours?

I'd tend to agree that the courses in the state aren't very challenging but I can't played enough out of state to agree with Jon's opinion.

[Mukey]

I know I haven't played as many out-of-state courses as Jack or even Jon, but I'd have to agree with Jon. The courses here in IL are not that great. Just cross the border to Kenosha or go to Cedar Lake. There's nothing even close to those in the Chicagoland area.

[Dan Michler]

I think if you have elevation it is much easier to design a crappy course that will masquerade as a great course.  It is easy to hide weak design skills behind excellent terrain.  Case in point:  Are there any lefty holes at McNaughton?  I'm having trouble remembering where the lefty hole is.  No wonder Scott Martin got so good cutting his skills there. 

hole 2, hole 3, hole 8, hole 9, hole 10, hole 12, hole 13, hole 15, hole 16

[CEValkyrie]

Mokena could have been one of the best 18 hole courses in the country.

Mokena is what it is. The white tees get a ton of recreational play, and the blue tees challenge Open-caliber golfers. If you really believe Mokena could have been one of the best 18 hole courses in the country, you need to get out and play more courses.

Instead it's an above average course in a below average state.

I am so glad you are no longer the state coodinator.

If having tons of recreational players on a course makes it a good course we have some of the countries top courses right here in lake county.

Illinois is inferior to courses in the surrounding states of Michigan, Wisconsin, & Iowa. I stated this in my information submitted when running for state coordinator. I've played 80+ of the 100+ courses in IL.

Yes, Mokena has short & long tees and is well maincured. I think it's a good course but not great. It's by far the best course in the Chicago area.  I agree with Jon that it could have been a really fantastic 18 hole course however it's a solid 27 hole course. Avery Jenkins mentioned during the 2nd round how awesome of an 18 hole course there could have been. We need to move away from this par 3 mentality.

Last year at the Illinois State Championships 23 of the 29 open players shot par or better. That is not challenging in my opinion.

[Jon Brakel]

Instead it's an above average course in a below average state.

I am so glad you are no longer the state coodinator.

I have no idea what that statement has to do with Mokena. Is that your way of saying that you don't think Mokena is an above average course or that you don't think that Illinois has below average courses? You should ask your current state coordinator what he thinks of Mokena. I did (he posted while I was typing, so now you know).

It is obvious that a lot of people have done a lot of work on that course and this discussion should not take away from that. I just think it could have been a much better 18 hole course than the 27 hole course that it is. The biggest problem is that there is one hole that you play out there 20 times and there's one very interesting hole and 6 good holes. If all the courses in Illinois were as good as Mokena, McNaughton, etc. and we had a few more of them, then we'd have one of the best states for disc golf.

All over the US we have a shortage of designs that incorporate good par 4 and 5 holes in their design (and I don't include Edgebrook in the good par 4 category because it only adds length--rather than additional challenges) and a shortage of risk vs. reward holes. I would say that most people designing disc golf courses today don't understand risk vs. reward shots/holes and because there aren't very many out there to play most players don't understand them either. Case in point: When we setup the yellow rope at Fairfield you will see some players trying to park the basket at the narrowest part of the "island" and keep skipping OB. They don't have the control for that shot but they don't do the math to realize that they should play 30 feet short and take the 3. Similar to going for the 30 foot putt that is back stopped by YR OB and you only make 30% of your 30 footers. When are the course designs going to grow up and match the level of the players and discs?

[jack]

I know there are better courses than the ones in the suburbs. It bothers me when people don't appreciate the courses they are fortunate enough to be able to play. It really bothers me when people who did nothing to help on a course trash it on-line. That's when I need to remind myself it must suck to be them and it's awesome to be me. Haha! Ok, here's why I'll never complain about the courses in this area:

1. I respect the golfers who came before me, installed these courses, worked to keep them in the ground, and continue to care for them today. That's not to leave out the new players who also work hard. The Fox Valley guys (and others) come to mind.
2. I remember when there were only a few courses to play. We played them until we were bored, then we made up new tees and threw diferent shots. Now there are many courses to choose from, and it's a great thing.
3. The courses aren't "too easy." I'm sorry, but unless you have a 1000 rating, you're doing more dying than deuceing. Shoot -18 and then come talk to me. 

Ok, I've wasted enough time on this lame board today. Time to go golfing!!!

[Jon Brakel]

Jack,

I think you don't truly understand the difference between hard, easy and challenging. You can have a risk vs. reward hole that is easy to make par for an average golfer. You can have a boring, one path hole that is difficult to make par. The difference is that a challenging course is more fun for people who like a challenge.

Your logic on being able to critique a course is not widely held, fortunately. And to call this forum "lame" when you did nothing to provide and maintain it breaks your very rule. However, I support your right to call our forum "lame". I also support your right to critique disc golf courses, discs, tournaments, TV shows and movies that you had nothing to do with making.

Have fun disc golfing...that's what it's all about!

[Mukey]

It really bothers me when people who did nothing to help on a course trash it on-line.

Ummm, I helped out at Mokena a few days and the park district gave me a shirt during the grand opening, so I guess I get to trash Mokena online!!!

Anyway, I think what we're all trying to say is that it would be great to have more Mokena or better courses in our area! After playing Highbridge & Telemark last week, playing locally is MUCH different.

Jack, I know you've been to other states surrounding Illinois playing disc golf. What is your opinion of our courses (greater Chicagoland, not all of IL) vs. theirs?

3. The courses aren't "too easy." I'm sorry, but unless you have a 1000 rating, you're doing more dying than deuceing. Shoot -18 and then come talk to me. 

That's another point. Why should a good score in disc golf only be a 2? Telemark & Highbridge both have plenty of holes where I was happy to get a 4, 5, or even 6. Putting up a decent score on a hard course is much more rewarding than on a deuce-or-die course. I'm a big fan of any hole that requires accuracy & shot placement, not just a throw for the pin.

[skipache]

"you're doing more dying than deuceing" quote of the year
yea i think that jack is right though because i mean we all would like harder courses but i mean everyone including myself who puts them in does the best they can with the space and resources availble. Yea hopefully we can build some really tough ones in the chicago area someday but for now im happy with how fast its growing.

[Jon Brakel]

"you're doing more dying than deuceing" quote of the year
yea i think that jack is right though because i mean we all would like harder courses but i mean everyone including myself who puts them in does the best they can with the space and resources availble. Yea hopefully we can build some really tough ones in the chicago area someday but for now im happy with how fast its growing.

We still need to be able to critique each other's work. It is one tool to use in order to improve. Don't forget that I did call this an above average course. It also has one of the best single holes of disc golf in Illinois. I've been playing disc golf in Illinois since before there were courses in Illinois and I've been playing courses in Illinois since 1978. Disc golf has been growing very quickly the entire time. It's all relative. Don't let the growth of the sport be an excuse to "just get baskets in the ground". And Mokena is way more than just baskets in the ground, but in my opinion it could have been more than it is...it still could be more than it is.