Roel Langerakpark

While on a family trip through Europe, my father and I talked our family into a quick train ride from Amsterdam to Rotterdam to play Roel Langerakpark. Boy am I glad that we did, not just because I ... show more ›

While on a family trip through Europe, my father and I talked our family into a quick train ride from Amsterdam to Rotterdam to play Roel Langerakpark. Boy am I glad that we did, not just because I had carried my discs all the way from the U.S. just in case there was a nearby course in Europe, but because this was a super unique course. Hole #17 is completely on cement, under an overpass, with a drive right through cement pillars to a basket set into solid cement!! Rest of the course was fairly short, but well maintained ... recommended if you are in the area!

General: On paper and through pictures, this is a very simple course with minimum obstacles and few tech shots required. However, it is always windy. The norm is 10-15 mph winds with gusts up to 25 mp ... show more ›

General: On paper and through pictures, this is a very simple course with minimum obstacles and few tech shots required. However, it is always windy. The norm is 10-15 mph winds with gusts up to 25 mph. Make sure you have an overstable putter for those heavy headwind and crosswind puts and approaches. This course was clearly placed on top of a park that already existed and already provided other services for the people, specifically, picnics. Frequently, a hole must be skipped due to human activities in the middle of fairways, on or closely around baskets, or pedestrians and bicyclers on pathways that crisscross all over the fairways. Most people do not understand the dangers of a hard thrown errant disc - clearly disc golfing is a second class citizen at this park. The baskets are industrial strength, which is good, because they appear to be handling well the many children I have seen hanging from them upside down and all around. The course does not favor any particular handedness, however, the RHBH favored holes offer more danger to wayward LHBH throws, so I would say the course favors RHBH. The disc golf course itself is lightly used, I have only seen a few others playing at the same time I have been out (I have now played this course over 20 times).

Pros: Currently, this is the only permanent course in Rotterdam. This fact changes the course from a C- to C+ for me. There is a nice mixture of length of holes, with two holes longer than 400 feet, which is impressive considering the space provided for the course. Some holes provide interesting obstacles and a popular concept I have noticed on Dutch courses is to have mandatories to provide extra challenge. Signage is very good, but that may be because the course is still fairly young. Hole 17 is the most unique hole I have ever played: it is entirely under the train overpass, so no overhead throws - you will hit the ceiling. It is a straight shot, but the overpass enhances the crosswind, so typically there is a +30 mph crosswind and the cement columns prevent any long hyzers.

Cons: As the Chinese say: people mountain, people sea. It is best to go on rainy days which limits pedestrian traffic at the park. The posted OB makes the course very difficult and tight - so use your judgment on how much you stick to the defined OB rules. However, on a number of holes you can easily lose a disc if you go too far into the OB. Hole 6 is dominated by a water hazard - holes 7, 9 and 10 offer water hazards as well. Holes 4, 12, and 14 have fences that if thrown over, it is not clear how you would get your disc back. And really bad throws on hole 16 and 1 could land you in the train overpass - where your disc is certainly not coming back from. Four baskets are shared by two holes - so if there is heavy non-golf traffic at those baskets, you may have to forfeit two holes. No real elevation changes. I like the play of the course starting with hole 10, except that I have already lost two discs to the water hazard because my first throws of the day can be tight and go anywhere. Dog poop is everywhere.