Kinston, NC

Barnet Park

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3.885(based on 34 reviews)
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11 0
lee76007
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 4.7 years 112 played 111 reviews
4.00 star(s)

A Wooded Course with Variety

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 14, 2022 Played the course:once

Pros:

-An 18-hole course winding around the perimeter of a park that's primarily ballfields. A variety of woods light, medium, and heavy. The course plays up and down a few gently sloped hills, and a creek with ditches draining into it come into play. There are gaps to hit, and roller greens to consider.

-If you haven't played the course in a while, it looks like alternative baskets have been added on about half dozen holes, a few may have been added in 2021 and others prior years? The alternative Baskets are a bright orange and add distance. I wasn't expecting them when I arrived to play.

-The majority of the holes have two concrete tees, and a few shared tees. I played long tees, and alternative baskets when present. Tee signs have hole number, par, distance from both tees and baskets, and map graphics include best line from tee to basket. There are C1 whiskers around short baskets.

-A variety of distances and generous pars. The course offers a variety of woods golf. The F9 is memorable, and stronger portion of the course.

-#6 a short Par 3 offers a unique challenge from tee to basket, a poke and hope.

-Navigation is clockwise and easy to spot next tee from basket played. I didn't need UDisc navigation.

-From the bag on the tee I used a variety of putters, mid's, fairways, and drivers.

-Beginners and Recreational will find the short tees very doable to navigate tight fairways. Intermediate and Advanced if you love woods golf, you'll love the variety coming out of your bag.

Cons:

-The B9 not very memorable, looking back on the round prior to starting the review only able to remember 10-12, and 16 with 10 a transitional hole and the dullest hole on the course a straight down the fairway, mostly open, and only the alternative basket giving the hole a boost. Had no memory of 17-18 closing holes, and that never helps with rating a review. I like playing memorable and strong closing holes.

-The majority of the holes are solid with challenging gaps, fairway play, and basket placements. But only a handful featured as unique, some holes I've "seen them before" reminding me of holes on other courses.

-If you're playing alternative basket on the first hole, to reach second tee, you're going to be walking right back up the first fairway towards tee on a dogleg. The basket you're walking from is hidden from the tee, keep your eyes toward the tee.

-Even from the long tees the pars are too generous. All five of my birdies came from short par 4's. For my round I reduced par by 5 strokes as I evaluated each hole.

-Lost disc potential is going to be high, especially in the foliage months. There is heavy brush off most fairways, ditches that may have water, and blind shots. A tree deflection can send your disc flying out of sight.

-A bit of a walk from 18th basket to parking by 1st and 10th tees. About 3 minutes on a direct line thru ballfields, if a game being played add a little more time. Parking is next to 10th tee, about 2 minutes to 1st tee. I started my round on 10 when I saw a threesome teeing on 1, nobody else on the course on a weekday morning.

Other Thoughts:

Barnet Park was one of those few courses that leaped up and grabbed me Un expectingly and wasn't expecting to favorite the course. I wasn't expecting the six alternative baskets at the time I played and gave the round a big boost, and the F9 was stellar to play, and have no cons for the front. Played a memorable recovery shot on #7. Without the alternative baskets the course would of sit on a 3.0 to a 3.5, with the baskets an extra point, and the fun factor for the entire layout brought the course to a 4.0. My personnel con is the finishing holes 17-18 kind of sort of an "ok" moment.

My overall rating is anchored on the alternative baskets, fun woods golf, and the F9 at a 5.0. The time to play was 65 minutes, and I managed to catch that threesome as they tee #10, and I was coming off #9 my 18th hole.

Notable Tee:

-#9 long tee has a scary gap just 30 feet off tee, no more than 6 foot opening mid-level flight. On the left a few pines all the way to the short tee at 80 feet, an on the right two trees crossing each other like an X in front of you and a few skinnies behind them, and then the fairway opens up. You're on a down slope, and just line up to the short tee and all is well. Very gently glided a Star Leopard 3 and had a longer approach.

Notable Holes:

-No. 4 Par 4 at 423 feet long to alt basket, short basket is 330 feet shared tee. From the tee an upslope hole heavy trees and brush both sides narrow fairway at 15 feet. At about halfway up the fairway doglegs right at 90 degrees. To the alternative basket meanders left uphill crossing a creek with heavy brush around basket within C1, very scenic. To short basket pick two lines with trees in the middle. I played alternative, but thought the short basket seemed more difficult to reach.

-No. 6 Par 3 at 162 feet is a straight away hole with heavy trees all the way there. 15 feet in front of the trees is a gap to pass that's 28 inches wide, past it no line I can find. The basket sits on top of a mound open within C1. I had posted photos of the hole on the thread "post a cool disc golf photo" and one of our members suggested throwing a thumber. What's funny is the threesome ahead of me I could hear three tree hits and laughter. I was wondering "what hole is so funny". I made it thru the gap and deflected to the right.

-No. 7 Par 3 at 295 feet long to alternative basket is a straight away tee to basket fairway with two lines offered. There are heavy trees down the middle with lines left and right of them meeting back at short basket, heavy trees outside of lines. The alternative basket sits elevated on the other side of creek, trees around creek, and a set of stairs to cross creek to reach basket, stairs are within C1. Very scenic hole. I deflected to the right about a hundred feet down into the trees and had a very narrow gap high up in the trees to reach C1. Threw a Star Leopard3 and watched it sail past the trees and wedged into the steps, just one of those shots I may never forget.

Signature Hole:

-No. 1 Par 4 at 408 feet long tee to alternative basket is a meandering to the right fairway past the short basket at 294 feet with a gentle down slope. From the tee about a 100 feet fairway a straight fairway gap of about 15 feet with short basket a target or RHBH and LHFH can go around right with plenty of open space. There's a splattering of trees as you proceed past the gap. At C2 past the short basket is a creek to get over to alternative basket, past the creek heavier trees with canopy. Very scenic hole, the alternative basket is not seen from long tee, I was actually gunning down the middle gap for the short basket not noticing the alternative basket, when I looked up to measure my birdie putt is when I noticed the alternative basket "oh, I still have a way to go". The hole represents the course well open tee, slope, trees, creek, and an alternative basket.

Trouble Hole:

No.12 Par 3 at 288 feet long tee and one basket. Maybe the most elevated down slope hole on the course or could be #16. From the longs a dog leg right at the shorts at 111 feet. The tee has open space, the fairway dips past the tee, and dips again past a very narrow gap about 60 feet past short tee, the gap is about 25 feet wide trees and brush. The fairway drops all the way to an open basket a roller green, within C1 a steeper drop to the creek with heavy brush and trees on the way there. It's blind from the long tee, so if you go for it over the trees, you're risking your disc. I got a good look as I passed by the short tees and decided a putter and putter would do. My approach ran the green and putted for par from the brush.




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4 3
GripLock Jake
Experience: 8.8 years 26 played 2 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Tough but Fair 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 22, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

-great signage on every hole and easy to navigate
-good variety of holes using most every shot in your bag
-more elevation than you would expect and plenty of trees to miss throughout
-great course design that rewards you for hitting the right line and punishes when you dont

Cons:

-there was signage on every hole however only on the short tees, could definitely use some more signs there however there was a course map at the beginning that I could have taken a picture of

Other Thoughts:

Barnett Park is a great course and I cannot wait to go play a few tournaments there in the next year. I've just got back into the sport and have been playing again for about 6 months and found this course a definite challenge. from the long tees I believe it could be a challenge for anyone. cant wait to play there again.
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8 1
Upshawt1979
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 20.9 years 550 played 429 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Barnet Bliss 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 2, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

Barnet Park is a one heck of a good course. It has terrific variety in the layout with wooded fairways and some moderate elevation changes. The dual tees are concrete, the baskets are nice and the signs tell you everything you need to know. I played the blue tees, which are always more interesting. Hole 1 eases you in. Then you make a sharp left turn, and 2 socks you in the face. A long, heavily wooded fairway that steadily turns left all the way. Now you're in the battle. Hole 4 is another good one, a much sharper dogleg right. 5 is another long hole with plenty of trees. 6 just made me laugh when I stepped on the box. Only 162' tee to pin, and about 162 trees directly in between. I threw an old school knee-cap sidearm flick (righty) with my most beat putter, and amazingly, it found the crease and landed softly on the small raised terrace where the basket sits. One of my two birdies on the day. On hole 10 I joined up with Anthony, and he guided me through the back 9. Cool guy I enjoyed hanging with for sure. The back was tough on me, and I liked it anyway. The fairways were maybe slightly less wooded, but thicker brush is just as tough to get out of once you go astray. I liked 13, uphill with a straight fairway. 16 had a tee behind several large trees, one being a mando on the right. It was downhill and it was another really good hole. I finally managed another good drive up the fairway on 17, and bagged my second birdie. I finished with a pitiful 66, but I would have loved to try repeatedly to improve on that.

Cons:

Not a lot of downside, but there is a whole lot of ants. Luckily they were carpenter ants, not fire ants. Still, my doggie was dancing, and I didn't want to stand in one place for to long. Course was dry when I visited, but I have seen in earlier reviews rain brings some muddy fairways.

Other Thoughts:

Barnet Park is a truly great course, despite the ants you can literally hear. If you are nearby get out there for sure. Anthony also turned me onto King's BBQ, and the Pig in a Puppy is just as good a sandwich as Barnet is a disc golf course. So now you have two really good reasons to go.
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1 5
Rmldchi
Experience: 6 played 6 reviews
4.00 star(s)

ecudg 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 7, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

Has a great mix of everything. The course is mostly wooded but its open enough to be a high tier course. Par 3, 4 & 5's white and blue tee boxes that are concrete. This is a course that is well thought out and is worth the drive from Greenville.

Cons:

Holes 1,7,8,12-18 becomes a swamp after it rains. Hole four is a dumb setup... 100 feet straight shot and then a right angled finish.

Other Thoughts:

Sunday @ 2:30 is open to random group play.
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12 0
Nemmers
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 10.8 years 89 played 33 reviews
4.00 star(s)

A must play... 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 2, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

- Sweet layout! Set in a large park in well-established woodlands, this is a pretty technical course. It offers both tight lines and open lanes with enough kick to give your accuracy and your power a run for their money.

- Alternate tees! They give both beginners and advanced players an opportunity to enjoy this course without either being overwhelmed or giving enough of a challenge.

- Easy navigation. Tees signs were plentiful and gave enough of an idea of where you were throwing to keep you on track. Even from blind teeshots.

- Elevation changes. Not your run-of-the-mill eastern NC course. Barnet Park offers some nice hills to exercise both your uphill shots and downhill rollers.

- Beautiful! A very scenic park that is not only clean, but picturesque. Seriously, Ansel Adams missed out when he didn't paint this front 9.

- Amenities galore. Plenty of parking, concession stands, bathrooms, and water fountains are available on site.

- No gridlock! ZERO traffic on the course (that day). No waiting, and the one group we did see were extremely helpful to us newbies who were playing the course for the first time. Great atmosphere all around.

Cons:

- Park map. Had a hard time finding the first hole after parking. Wandering around for long enough got us to #1 through trial and error. Incidentally, #1 is located between the two softball fields towards the woods.

- Pro (blue) tees lack signage. I only know this because my buddy decided that we'd play #1 from the blues and we had to walk down to the whites to get the distance. Usually this doesn't even make my radar because I'm playing from the whites (reds & greens too, if they have 'em), but I noticed and this might be an issue for some.

- No topless Hooters girls frolicking along the #8 fairway.

Other Thoughts:

Barnet Park is definitely a must-play if you're traveling through eastern North Carolina. It almost feels like Castle Hayne with hemorrhoids: Same-same, but lumpier. If you find yourself in Kinston, do yourself a favor and check it out. Definitely worth the stop.
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16 2
New013
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 13.7 years 179 played 120 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Diamond in the Kinston rough. 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 4, 2013 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Barnet is a well designed technical course set in an old growth forest.

The layout features a variety of hole lengths with a solid mixture of shots around the course. Mixes in lines that turn sharp or more gradual.

The course has a lot of tight gaps and the fairways are shaped to make you work the disc throughout the flight. Really makes you think about disc selection and possible lines; multiple paths on some fairways add to that.

The par 4s make you play accurate placement shots to turns to set up your approach.

Most holes have two tees which sometimes give you a completely different path and line. 2 alternate pins on 7 & 8. Some blue tees are really tight off the pad; they're suited more towards experienced players.

Short tees are a mix between mildly challenging and easy.

Good elevation out there, no major up or downs but there are rises/drops throughout the fairway giving holes a multilevel effect.

Elevated pads and some elevated greens with some drop offs; nice and risky but nothing extreme. Very well placed baskets and green design overall.

A creek runs through parts of the course giving some OB trouble.

A couple more open shots are thrown in to give balance. 9 brings you back to the parking lot.

Equipment - Nice large and level concrete pads that are clearly marked with paint. Informative signs at the short tee with hole map. Directional signs show you where to go. Aging disc catchers but still catch well.

Benches, bag holders and cans all there.

Atmosphere - Nice old growth forest type course. Not much heavy rough right off fairways. Well taken care of place.

Course keeps you away from the rest of the park in most places. You get a secluded feeling in parts.

Some cool natural features; I mentioned the creek & elevation. 15 has a cool canopy topped tee.

Cons:

Layout - Biggest complaint here is that about half of the course is more suited for RHFH or LHBH.

Some lines may ask to much for the length combined with the angles and gap width.

6 is gimmicky, only place on the course but it's there. Super tight RHFH line to a rollaway green.

A few holes on the back 9 aren't spectacular especially from the reds; some dinkers. 17 & 18 are forgettable finishing holes.

Awkward flow in a couple spots, 18 ends kinda far from 1.

Equipment - I wish the long tees had the signs, makes you walk up. Some chains were showing rust.

Atmosphere - Ants all over the back 9. Course gets some traffic because it's the only one in the area.

Other Thoughts:

A fun and challenging course with some memorable shots, it feels good to Birdie here. Definitely a must hit and one of the better NC courses.

When I walked off the front 9 I would of given it a 4.5; though the back doesn't keep it going. Wish it ended better but overall I'm a fan.
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1 6
gvdg jake
Experience: 14.3 years 73 played 12 reviews
4.00 star(s)

great course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 9, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

great course. short par 3s to long par 5s. has a little elevation through out the course. hole 6 aka the skinny is a challenge for all players.

Cons:

FIRE ANTS!!! the back 9 is covered in them. watch where you set your bag and where you step.

Other Thoughts:

overall a great course, kinston has done alot of work over the past year ive played here. this is also the course i picked up my first ace at. so it will always be a great course for me:)
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1 5
Brida
Experience: 15.7 years 10 played 9 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Summer Vacation 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 2, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

The course was in great condition and very well marked. They have running water and clean established bathrooms. There is also ample parking with in the great course layout. All of the tees had signs with a small map and lengths on them. Most signs had pars marked also. All tee pads had benchs and/or bag posts. This course seems to have a little bit for everyone from beginners to more advanced. I really wish I had a local course like this.

Cons:

Lots of ants when we played. They were everywhere and they bit my wife alot. She almost didn't play the back nine because of them. A local bartender said that it was due to the heavy rains so I would play when it has been nice lately or spray yourself and your bag heavily.
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2 6
Jim West
Experience: 12.9 years 14 played 5 reviews
4.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Sep 9, 2011 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

A Quiet course secluded, no foot traffic, with some challenges a lot of trees, and no water hazzards.This course is well laid out. The front 9 are in the wood with some blind baskets and dog legs. The back 9 are in more open fairways with tunnel vision shots. All tee pads are concrete with signs to show holes distance and pars, Trash cans, benches and drinking fountains are plentiful. The Association & parks and rec take great care of this course. A pleasure to play! Hole #6 is my personal favorite its a short par with tree obstructions and the basket is on a raised mound.

Cons:

No cons that I can think of or saw

Other Thoughts:

Mix doubles during summer on Tuesday Nights at 6. Well worth the stop. Great time for 3 dollars.
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4 2
thux_ecu
Experience: 16.1 years 25 played 3 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Kinston is a good challenge 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 8, 2011 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Multiple tees and the map illustrates the whole well. The front 9 is not too long, except for a few holes, but it's wooded most of the time, so it can make or break your round. The back 9 is shorter and more open, although it goes in and out on some holes. It tests your accuracy pretty well, since most of the holes are tight, in the woods, with tight lines. From ams, the holes aren't too long at all, just tight. Haven't played pros, but the view I had from pads were way farther and tougher. Expect a high score from pros, unless you're pro yourself, but that's my view. Barnet is well put together, and I'd play every opportunity I would get.

Cons:

Barnet is extremely lefty backhand favored. So unless you have accurate flicks and excellent anhyzer for right handers, you might have trouble. Woods are EXTREMELY thick so avoid that at all costs. Not many cons to say.

Other Thoughts:

My first time playing this course was in the 2011 Kinston Ice Bowl. 2 rounds and I shot 56 & 59 from ams. Barnet will definitely test you. One of the best courses I've played. Enjoyed every second of it. If you hit tress in the beginning, don't get flustered, because there's more trees to come!
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1 3
norcalmofo
Experience: 23 years 34 played 2 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Kinston 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 11, 2010 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Clean park, Easy to read signs, Multiple tee pads very long or short. Loved the layout of both long and short holes.

Cons:

Back nine was kinda hard to tell where the next tee was. I think hole 17 or 18 plays right next to a baseball or soccer field so be careful not to hit a little kid coming out of the woods as you cant see the basket around the dogleg.

Other Thoughts:

Locals are nice and welcoming. Really nice park, better than Fayetteville parks. They also have wednesday doubles at like 5 or so.
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6 0
BrotherDave
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 16.8 years 192 played 189 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Ant-ticing Course 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Dec 7, 2008 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

I'm partial to wooded holes, so this did not disappoint. Very nice scenery, nice large tee boxes, well defined fairways, good length and variety. A little tricky getting to the park but once you get there it's easy to navigate. Practice basket, always a good sign. Just a really great mix of holes but they do tend to finish to the right to favor FH and lefties.

Cons:

Hole 6 AKA the skinny. It's just stupid how tight that fairway is. I couldn't even throw a thumber through there. Still a fun hole though.

Update: It's still super duper tight but it's really short so once you get through the hallway of trees it's just an elevated basket to contend with. There's also a couple months of the year during the Summer where the back 9 is literally swarming with red and black ants. You quite literally can't put your bag down without having them crawling on it. Some of the holes on the blue tees need some branch clearing around the teepad.

Other Thoughts:

Fun Fact: Kinston is the home town of actress Jaime Pressly. Unfortunately she was not out there when I played. A lot of the locals like to come in a back way and park on the other side of the softball field, it's less walking to the first tee that way.

Course comparison: A lefty friendly Castle Hayne mixed with a little of Hornet's Nest's front 9.
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2 1
ecupirate82
Experience: 18.3 years 48 played 13 reviews
4.00 star(s)

kinston 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Nov 6, 2007 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Very crazy course. Some holes are fun to play where the others make you want to pull your hair out. Very challenging!

Cons:

BUGS!!!!

Other Thoughts:

Fun to play. Some tough holes. This course has the power to beat you up a little and then make you want to come back and play it more!
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1 4
discgnome
Experience: 23.2 years 48 played 2 reviews
4.00 star(s)

How Sweet It Is. 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 7, 2007 Played the course:never

Pros:

Excellent course in eastern North Carolina. Has open and wooded holes that will tax even the best players. Bring your game, course will make you use it.
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