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For my disc golf mentor John Donnaicuo this is where it all started... In the seventies, he and some of his friends used to throw at 'objects' in this park. They would choose arbitrary landmarks as targets and would toss regular frisbies at them. As I explained, in the eighties disc golf was formalized, and in the early nineties John turned me on to it. Just in time to take advantange of my job requiring me to travel to far-flung U.S. destinations.
In any case, this already excellent Pinellas County park has been an occasional favorite spot for friends and family for years, but in 2003, 18 pole holes were added. The designer made many of them 'gorilla holes' as we refer to them, with no Am (amateur) tees. Quite a few of them are over 350 feet, quite a distance for a low-profile plastic disc. Trees can be brutal, and there are a lot of bikers/joggers/walkers where you're going to throw, so there's more waiting.
Brian and Steve at hole 7, Taylor Park
We were very pleased to hear that this longstanding and much-beloved park in Largo was to include a disc golf course. Wrapped around the western edge of the park this is what we refer to as a gorilla course -- it takes BIG arms! We don't usually like to play this without partners, because some of the holes are verrrrry long... The other detracting feature is the park-goers themselves. There are many holes that cut right across the pedestrian route, and it is risky (and distracting) to throw when you could hit someone. You don't want to hit someone with one of these discs. So there's lot of waiting, but there's lots of shade, too. The wind coming off of the lake can be brutal sometimes. It feels good but it plays difficult. All in all, however, it's a wonderful course, albeit gorilla.
More fun to play with partners, this is nevertheless disc golf at its finest. Highly recommended.
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| Front Nine |
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On hole 7 | 
Hole 8 | 
Hole 9
On the lake |
| Back Nine |
Hole 10
and part of 11 | | |
Hole 13 | | |
Hole 16 | 
Hole 17 | 
Hole 18 |
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Mark Scott, All Rights Reserved.