9 on Top DGC reviews
18
0
Tight as a Drum 2+ years
Reviewed:
Played on:Dec 23, 2020
Played the course:once
Pros:
A short, hilly, heavily wooded layout.
Pulling into the parking lot, I wasn't expecting much when the main thing I saw was a sign for "The Pumpkin Patch" and a playground. (The playground is pretty awesome, by the way.) However, 9 on Top has some decent land to work with behind the playground. Steep hills with thick woods are a good combination for some technical disc golf.
And, in fact, the technical disc golf is fairly good, if on a very small scale. The holes are all short, mostly under 220', with razor thin but mostly fair lines. There's a few hyzer shots and a few straight shots that vary the angles and gaps to keep the course somewhat fresh throughout nine holes. (5) and (7) are big uphill shots, while (1), (2), and (6) provide downhill opportunities. Speaking of (6), it's out of proportion to the rest of the course, a 393' downhill left-to-straight shot that will have any player happy with a birdie two.
Other pros come with the territory of being a short nine-hole course. It shouldn't take long to play. Navigation isn't confusing (except possibly from (1) to (2)--go left). I'm pretty sure you'll be able to track down any disc, even during summer overgrowth.
Pulling into the parking lot, I wasn't expecting much when the main thing I saw was a sign for "The Pumpkin Patch" and a playground. (The playground is pretty awesome, by the way.) However, 9 on Top has some decent land to work with behind the playground. Steep hills with thick woods are a good combination for some technical disc golf.
And, in fact, the technical disc golf is fairly good, if on a very small scale. The holes are all short, mostly under 220', with razor thin but mostly fair lines. There's a few hyzer shots and a few straight shots that vary the angles and gaps to keep the course somewhat fresh throughout nine holes. (5) and (7) are big uphill shots, while (1), (2), and (6) provide downhill opportunities. Speaking of (6), it's out of proportion to the rest of the course, a 393' downhill left-to-straight shot that will have any player happy with a birdie two.
Other pros come with the territory of being a short nine-hole course. It shouldn't take long to play. Navigation isn't confusing (except possibly from (1) to (2)--go left). I'm pretty sure you'll be able to track down any disc, even during summer overgrowth.
Cons:
First off, it's just so small. This is probably the best possible course that could have been installed on this property, but to only have one hole over 250' is underwhelming. You're not going to get any chances to throw near full power.
It's going to be difficult or impossible to scramble from a bad drive, too. Lots of the undergrowth is very thick, so you might only be 70 feet from the basket but have no way to get closer than 40 at the end of your throw. (Note: My local partner told me that the rough is much better than it was several months ago thanks to some work days. It's not in the fairways, just off the fairways that it becomes prickly.) In conjunction with the length, this is really frustrating. The driving mindset here is park it or bust.
The amenities are lacking as well. Tee signs have distance and number with an unhelpful map. The tees themselves are all natural and vary from decent to atrocious. Chattanooga signature Chainstars stand out in the woods about as well as a crow on a moonless night. There also aren't any comfort items like benches, practice baskets, and the like.
It looks like the areas at the bottom of the hill wouldn't drain well at all and could be very muddy after precipitation.
It's going to be difficult or impossible to scramble from a bad drive, too. Lots of the undergrowth is very thick, so you might only be 70 feet from the basket but have no way to get closer than 40 at the end of your throw. (Note: My local partner told me that the rough is much better than it was several months ago thanks to some work days. It's not in the fairways, just off the fairways that it becomes prickly.) In conjunction with the length, this is really frustrating. The driving mindset here is park it or bust.
The amenities are lacking as well. Tee signs have distance and number with an unhelpful map. The tees themselves are all natural and vary from decent to atrocious. Chattanooga signature Chainstars stand out in the woods about as well as a crow on a moonless night. There also aren't any comfort items like benches, practice baskets, and the like.
It looks like the areas at the bottom of the hill wouldn't drain well at all and could be very muddy after precipitation.
Other Thoughts:
There's definitely a certain charm about 9 on Top with its tiny-line ace runs and big elevation drops. It challenges me to decide how highly I can rate a course with virtually no length. At the end of the day, with really thick rough and poor amenities, I ended up rounding it down to a Passable 1.5. It's a course I would return to if I lived around and wanted to see how low I could go.
17
0
Cerealman
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience:
15.8 years
585 played
178 reviews
Rocky and rugged on the ridge 2+ years
Reviewed:
Played on:Oct 5, 2020
Played the course:5+ times
Pros:
On Walden's Ridge, a disc golf course that started as a high school project by three seniors continues to offer a rugged alternative to the other nine-hole options in the Greater Chattanooga area.
If you're seeking some mountain-style disc golf near the Scenic City, this little course is probably your best bet. There is significant elevation on several holes and you might do a little scrambling if you're off the fairway - literally.
Most of the holes are short and several of them are definite ace runs. That said, missing your line can take you from birdie to bogey in a hurry, as things get hairy and prickly off the fairway.
Finding the first hole might be tricky; if you pull into the parking lot and face the pavilion, there's a little path on the left that takes you to the course's start. After that, navigation is fairly intuitive and most of the time you can spot the teepad area or a path from the previous basket.
One of the most exciting holes is the second hole. At just under 200 feet and down a steep hill, this is an ace run if you can split the tree goalposts near the bottom of the hill.
Hole #6 is the antithesis of the other holes here. While six of the holes are under 200 feet, Hole #6 is a 393-foot beast that journeys down a rocky hill and through some narrow gaps between towering trees. However, it's a fantastic hole that requires an accurate drive to avoid putting up a big number. It's listed as a par 3, which definitely raises eyebrows, considering that it's twice as long and three times as challenging as most of the other holes. A par is darn good here. And a "bogey" is acceptable.
A fallen tree lies in front of the basket on Hole #9. This tree use to be well positioned to deny any ace runs, but it's less threatening on its side.
Despite the hilly terrain, this course can be completed in about 20 minutes if you scamper.
If you're seeking some mountain-style disc golf near the Scenic City, this little course is probably your best bet. There is significant elevation on several holes and you might do a little scrambling if you're off the fairway - literally.
Most of the holes are short and several of them are definite ace runs. That said, missing your line can take you from birdie to bogey in a hurry, as things get hairy and prickly off the fairway.
Finding the first hole might be tricky; if you pull into the parking lot and face the pavilion, there's a little path on the left that takes you to the course's start. After that, navigation is fairly intuitive and most of the time you can spot the teepad area or a path from the previous basket.
One of the most exciting holes is the second hole. At just under 200 feet and down a steep hill, this is an ace run if you can split the tree goalposts near the bottom of the hill.
Hole #6 is the antithesis of the other holes here. While six of the holes are under 200 feet, Hole #6 is a 393-foot beast that journeys down a rocky hill and through some narrow gaps between towering trees. However, it's a fantastic hole that requires an accurate drive to avoid putting up a big number. It's listed as a par 3, which definitely raises eyebrows, considering that it's twice as long and three times as challenging as most of the other holes. A par is darn good here. And a "bogey" is acceptable.
A fallen tree lies in front of the basket on Hole #9. This tree use to be well positioned to deny any ace runs, but it's less threatening on its side.
Despite the hilly terrain, this course can be completed in about 20 minutes if you scamper.
Cons:
Except for the rubber mat on Hole #7, the teepads are natural. Fortunately, most of the holes are short and don't require a run-up.
The course is a bit rundown from when it was created, though a recent maintenance day helped with taming some of the overgrowth. However, if your shots venture off the narrow fairways, you might find poison ivy, briars and more.
The traversability of the course is moderately difficult. Climbing over rocks and uneven areas occurs on several of the holes, and that's even if you stay in the fairway.
A couple of lines are ridiculously tight, probably a byproduct of the original creators creating just enough gap to obtain fairway status. Stable putters and mid-ranges will be useful here. Except for Hole #6, you won't need a driver on this course.
There's also a bit of trash around the area at times. However, the course was previously home to more garbage. For example, check out the original photo of the huge pile of tires on Hole #5.
The course is a bit rundown from when it was created, though a recent maintenance day helped with taming some of the overgrowth. However, if your shots venture off the narrow fairways, you might find poison ivy, briars and more.
The traversability of the course is moderately difficult. Climbing over rocks and uneven areas occurs on several of the holes, and that's even if you stay in the fairway.
A couple of lines are ridiculously tight, probably a byproduct of the original creators creating just enough gap to obtain fairway status. Stable putters and mid-ranges will be useful here. Except for Hole #6, you won't need a driver on this course.
There's also a bit of trash around the area at times. However, the course was previously home to more garbage. For example, check out the original photo of the huge pile of tires on Hole #5.
Other Thoughts:
If you want the full 9 On Top experience, you need to drive up the W Road, which ascends the face of Signal Mountain. The W Road (named for its appearance from above) has existed as a public road since the 1890s and is iconic for its three sharp switch-back curves and making inexperienced drivers look like fools. If you opt to drive on US-127 through the town of Signal Mountain, be sure you mind the speed limit.
This course is also right next to the Pumpkin Patch playground, which is an incredible play utopia built into the side of the hill. The playground offers many slides, playhouses, wooded platforms and more.
This course is also right next to the Pumpkin Patch playground, which is an incredible play utopia built into the side of the hill. The playground offers many slides, playhouses, wooded platforms and more.
