When this course is in peak form, it is simply beautiful. The area is prone to hurricanes and flooding due to the low elevation and river that runs through much of the front nine (pro tip, that river is much deeper than you think it is!!!). So, yes, there is probably 50 or so days of the year where some of the holes are swampy and the fairways look disheveled. If you played it on one of those days, I am sorry you didn't get the true castle experience. However, if you catch this course on a nice sunny afternoon and see the sun glistening down the fairway of hole 17, you will understand why this is one of the best courses in NC.
They call it Castle Pain because the course is tough as heck BUT the course is unequivocally fair. As with any woods course, good shots get rewarded and bad shots get punished. The only exception may be hole 4's tee shot but I digress.
Great variation in holes from straight, anhyzer, hyzer, long, short, pars 3/4/5s. There are even two holes on the back nine that are horseshoe shaped which are a ton of fun and unlike anything you've probably seen.
One of few legitimate complaints is that this course may terrify newer players. However, the New Hanover Disc Golf Club put in a lot of work installing 18 short tees during 2020 and the outcome is incredible. This also introduced the possibility for ace runs as most of the long holes were near impossible.

It can be a little confusing to navigate the first time you play as you have to cross the park roads three or four times.
It is impacted by weather more than an average course.
It may occasionally hurt your feelings.

Simply due to low elevation and proximity to the coast, this course is not always in peak form. However, when it is in peak form, it is easily one of the best wooded course in NC, if not the best.

Beautiful course, NHCDGC keeps this course in tip top condition year round!Great course with the perfect mix of dog legs (left & right), straight holes, long holes, short holes, and little water.Nice benches and top notch signage on every hole!Perfect amount of woods and fairways!Always friendly skilled players to compete against, BRING YOUR WALLET! LOLConsistent monthlies and doubles to play! Just a great course, def a must play if you are in the area!

Could be a little more open holes, if you like that kind of thing.Long course that takes a few hours to play, but if you are short on time you can always just play 9 holes!New holes 5-7 are still being broken in but are way better than they were last year!Couple spots where a cart is a bit bumpy but look for alternate cart trails, like on 8 you can go left around the tree for smooth ride!If your having a bad day the you will be eaten alive by CASTLE PAYNE as some call it haha! But it just makes the days you are playing good feel that much better!Couple spots that collect water when there has been a lot of rain (like 2-3 days un a row) especially on the back 9. Not much elevation, Wilmington is a flat area and the course design uses the little elevation available in the best way possible, but overall fairly flat course.

Also check out Joe Eakes Park in Kure Beach, Castle tends to over shadow this course, but both are GREAT COURSES! Long course that will force you to make golf style decisions and shape shots.Great course to play for practice for 90% of other courses.If you can consistently shoot under par here then you are doing something!

The distance on most holes is well within range. IF you can keep it straight and/or to a specific landing zone. This course absolutly DEMANDS shot placement and fairway centric minded golf, if you try a wild 'haymaker' type of shot, dont be mad if it eats your lunch and score.

For the seasoned Pro, this course will still challenge you at almost every tee and most second shots.

Personally, I have adoped a backwards first approach. IE; I usually throw my most trusted straight putter off the tee and then throw a true drive. Shot placement is at a premium!

Biggest Pro- if you play here a lot, your game will travel (it makes you better at easier courses, which almost all are

Second Pro- the local club has put in tons of man (and woman) hours to keep this course maintained and update it when the 'powers that be' have determined parts of the course to be expendable.

Third Pro- there is nothing about the current layout that is cheap, gimmicky, or easy. It may be different and it may take some wearing in to get the fairways into normal shape. But, the TEETH of the old course are in full effect!

This may count as a Pro for some of the old guard but I HATE the chainstar baskets. Im not looking for a magical disc magnet from a basket, but I feel like if a hard spin putt hits strong side and med height, it should stick. Also, if a true 6-12 hyzer putt hits strong side and med height, it should also stick. Neither are the case. It takes a strange combo of 3/4 power and 50/50 spin/push to make the putts stick. Which means that if you do every thing the course asks of you, you still might have a terrible score. Thats it, my only Con, I hate the baskets.

This course is the last place to take a beginner, that is until our new short tees have a permanent home

Thx Hope and Darcy and Nicky and all the other wonder women we have in our club!

There is only one bathroom and once in a while people rent the shelter for kids birthday parties. So just be mindful of other park patrons. Try to be nice, try not to litter, try to be a good person. That last statement just means, in general, but esp at our park.