Crooked Creek Park - Original 18 reviews
15
0
Classic, Fun Woods
Reviewed:
Played on:Apr 11, 2022
Played the course:once
Pros:
A mostly wooded course with some classic holes and some bleh holes.
-Amenities: Concrete tees with color coding, thorough tee signs including all info and maps (some short tees don't have signs), DISCatchers, good next tee signs.
-Creek Use: Varied use of the water to nice effect. The creek winds around tees, through fairways, and on greens to create multiple precarious basket placements. The star holes - (2), (7), and (17) - all require crucial creek crossings that create gameplay choices, scenery, and thrill.
-Environment: This is a mostly wooded plot that's very pleasant for the most part. It's also well-worn in, giving it that friendly, old timey disc golf course feel. Long-time technical players will likely adore this course.
-Shot Shaping/Gameplay: As noted in the headline, a mix of really cool holes and some pretty bland ones. At its best, Crooked Creek uses creative shapes with clear fairways to make for really enjoyable birdie opportunities. Clean lines are the key more so than power. Control of flippiness and release point can make it fun to watch a disc cut cleanly down the fairways. There are a few par-4s that provide nice variety, but this is one of the rare courses where I find the good par-3s to be about as good as the good par-4s. On a good day, you'll ride the highs of the novel holes throughout the round; on a bad day, the "filler" holes could dominate your perception.
-Amenities: Concrete tees with color coding, thorough tee signs including all info and maps (some short tees don't have signs), DISCatchers, good next tee signs.
-Creek Use: Varied use of the water to nice effect. The creek winds around tees, through fairways, and on greens to create multiple precarious basket placements. The star holes - (2), (7), and (17) - all require crucial creek crossings that create gameplay choices, scenery, and thrill.
-Environment: This is a mostly wooded plot that's very pleasant for the most part. It's also well-worn in, giving it that friendly, old timey disc golf course feel. Long-time technical players will likely adore this course.
-Shot Shaping/Gameplay: As noted in the headline, a mix of really cool holes and some pretty bland ones. At its best, Crooked Creek uses creative shapes with clear fairways to make for really enjoyable birdie opportunities. Clean lines are the key more so than power. Control of flippiness and release point can make it fun to watch a disc cut cleanly down the fairways. There are a few par-4s that provide nice variety, but this is one of the rare courses where I find the good par-3s to be about as good as the good par-4s. On a good day, you'll ride the highs of the novel holes throughout the round; on a bad day, the "filler" holes could dominate your perception.
Cons:
-Navigation: Remarkably confusing. There are some long walks, cutbacks, and sections with multiple paths leading away from a basket. Also, at times it's hard to find the long tee if you first stumble upon the short tee. This will be a good one for UDisc or a guide.
-Reversible Holes: In concept this is kinda neat, but in practice the (9)-(10) combo is just confusing for people who don't know what's going on. Stepping up to the tee, it looked to me like I was supposed to drive straight over the (10) basket. I figured out that the intended route was over the path and down the other fairway, but this proved to be unsatisfying as the fairway shape was tight and unnatural traveling that direction.
-Tight Holes: In addition to the (9)-(10) loop, I found holes (15)-(16) to be ridiculously tight. Other holes, while doable, have trees that seem a little haphazard. I had several drives that I thought were great get cut down mid-fairway. This isn't necessarily a course design issue, but it definitely affected my perception of the course.
-Pedestrian Risk: Varying levels throughout the round. Occasionally there's a path bordering the fairway, but it gets as bad as hole (5) which throws a blind dogleg following a walking path. Throwers should use a lot of caution any time there's a visible path.
-Reversible Holes: In concept this is kinda neat, but in practice the (9)-(10) combo is just confusing for people who don't know what's going on. Stepping up to the tee, it looked to me like I was supposed to drive straight over the (10) basket. I figured out that the intended route was over the path and down the other fairway, but this proved to be unsatisfying as the fairway shape was tight and unnatural traveling that direction.
-Tight Holes: In addition to the (9)-(10) loop, I found holes (15)-(16) to be ridiculously tight. Other holes, while doable, have trees that seem a little haphazard. I had several drives that I thought were great get cut down mid-fairway. This isn't necessarily a course design issue, but it definitely affected my perception of the course.
-Pedestrian Risk: Varying levels throughout the round. Occasionally there's a path bordering the fairway, but it gets as bad as hole (5) which throws a blind dogleg following a walking path. Throwers should use a lot of caution any time there's a visible path.
Other Thoughts:
I definitely enjoyed Crooked Creek's original layout, but this is a course where I was surprised by how differently I feel compared to the majority of reviewers. The cool holes are a lot of fun, but a lot of the course feels like pretty typical woods material. Some minor issues drag it down a bit. Overall, this is a Good 90s style course that I would definitely play again, but not one to go far out of the way.
-Notable Holes: (2) plays downhill through a wide fairway with a right finish over a creek crossing and single guardian tree to send things into the water - a great risk/reward decision. (7) is the shortest hole, a putter run through a narrow fairway to an island green. (8) is a nice par-4 starting with a dogleg right then a split fairway to the basket. (17) is a par-4 dogleg left with multiple creek crossings onto a tiny green.
~Similar Courses: Owens Field Park (Columbia, SC); more wooded Boyd Hill Park (Rock Hill, SC); vaguely similar to Lake's Edge DGC (Reidsville, NC); shorter and older version of Boundary Waters 2 (Douglasville, GA).
-Notable Holes: (2) plays downhill through a wide fairway with a right finish over a creek crossing and single guardian tree to send things into the water - a great risk/reward decision. (7) is the shortest hole, a putter run through a narrow fairway to an island green. (8) is a nice par-4 starting with a dogleg right then a split fairway to the basket. (17) is a par-4 dogleg left with multiple creek crossings onto a tiny green.
~Similar Courses: Owens Field Park (Columbia, SC); more wooded Boyd Hill Park (Rock Hill, SC); vaguely similar to Lake's Edge DGC (Reidsville, NC); shorter and older version of Boundary Waters 2 (Douglasville, GA).
10
0
Brown Water Rapids 2+ years drive by
Reviewed:
Updated:
Played on:Dec 14, 2019
Played the course:once
Pros:
-Tee signs
-Tee pads
-Baskets old, but in good shape
-Decent wooded course
-Tee pads
-Baskets old, but in good shape
-Decent wooded course
Cons:
-Navigation was not smooth
-Holes 9 & 10 layouts were confusing
-Holes being placed close to creek present a high chance of disc loss when creek is high and running hard.
-After heavy rain the previous day, water was running through the fairways. Some fairways were swamps.
-Multiple pin locations without showing which is currently in use.
-Holes 9 & 10 layouts were confusing
-Holes being placed close to creek present a high chance of disc loss when creek is high and running hard.
-After heavy rain the previous day, water was running through the fairways. Some fairways were swamps.
-Multiple pin locations without showing which is currently in use.
Other Thoughts:
I have been trying to cover as many courses as I can when time allows, and I had time for one course while I was in Columbia this weekend. I chose Crooked Creek because it looked like a safe area and it was on my side of town.
Unfortunately, two things made this a less than desirable visit. #1, It had rained hard the day before so the course was flooded even after 12 hours since the rain stopped. #2, I could not find any local to play the course with, so I had to figure it all out on my own. To be fair, I also made the mistake of playing the blue tees as a Rec level player, so all things considered, I was in for a bad time.
The holes themselves were tough, but fair. A little bit of everything you would hope to see in a wooded course was here. I used every shot in my bag and some that I rarely have to use that I am glad no one was there to see.
Many holes are next to the crooked creek (imagine that) that runs through the course. The creek present a real water hazard that on this day was especially hazardous. The brown water was flowing hard and I lost a disc that I accidentally kicked into the freaking creek. However, I imagine under normal conditions, the creek is much more clear and would not be a big deal for disc retrieval.
Navigation was difficult for me. I got lost a couple times and had to refer to the picture of the layout I took at the welcome sign, but the sign seemed to be accurate, so it got me back on track.
I am not a fan of multiple pin locations on a hole. No one ever marks which is in play on the tee sign, and UDisc does not give multiple pin options. I am OCD about statistics, and it unnerves me when the ap does not match the course.
I have never seen holes configured like 9&10. It was unique, but the tee sign was confusing for a bit and I had to walk the long hole to figure out which way to drive from the pad. When I figured it out, it made sense, but that is one of those things that having a local with me would have been nice.
All in all, I would say this is a middle of the road course. It has some unique and interesting holes, but someone is trying way to hard to change it up. To improve the rating, I would suggest cleaning up the 2-3 gaps for next tee signage (most signage was good), find a way to mark tee signs with what pin location is in play, find a way for Udisc to reflect actual layouts.
12/23/2020 Update: I have not been back since my last review, but I would like to share where this course ranks for me.
Out of the 66 courses I have reviewed, this is where this course ranks along with similarly rated courses:
Rank-Course, Location
30-Granbury City DGC, Granbury, TX
31-Owens Field Park, Columbia, SC
32-Hampton Park Baptist Church DGC, Greenville, SC
33-Pecan Grove West, Sherman TX
34-Weatherford DGC, Weatherford, TX
35-Timmons Park, Greenville, SC
36-Crooked Creek Park, Chapin, SC
37-USC Upstate, Spartanburg, SC
38-Trails DGC, Anderson, SC
39-Shoally Creek DGC, Boiling Springs, SC
Unfortunately, two things made this a less than desirable visit. #1, It had rained hard the day before so the course was flooded even after 12 hours since the rain stopped. #2, I could not find any local to play the course with, so I had to figure it all out on my own. To be fair, I also made the mistake of playing the blue tees as a Rec level player, so all things considered, I was in for a bad time.
The holes themselves were tough, but fair. A little bit of everything you would hope to see in a wooded course was here. I used every shot in my bag and some that I rarely have to use that I am glad no one was there to see.
Many holes are next to the crooked creek (imagine that) that runs through the course. The creek present a real water hazard that on this day was especially hazardous. The brown water was flowing hard and I lost a disc that I accidentally kicked into the freaking creek. However, I imagine under normal conditions, the creek is much more clear and would not be a big deal for disc retrieval.
Navigation was difficult for me. I got lost a couple times and had to refer to the picture of the layout I took at the welcome sign, but the sign seemed to be accurate, so it got me back on track.
I am not a fan of multiple pin locations on a hole. No one ever marks which is in play on the tee sign, and UDisc does not give multiple pin options. I am OCD about statistics, and it unnerves me when the ap does not match the course.
I have never seen holes configured like 9&10. It was unique, but the tee sign was confusing for a bit and I had to walk the long hole to figure out which way to drive from the pad. When I figured it out, it made sense, but that is one of those things that having a local with me would have been nice.
All in all, I would say this is a middle of the road course. It has some unique and interesting holes, but someone is trying way to hard to change it up. To improve the rating, I would suggest cleaning up the 2-3 gaps for next tee signage (most signage was good), find a way to mark tee signs with what pin location is in play, find a way for Udisc to reflect actual layouts.
12/23/2020 Update: I have not been back since my last review, but I would like to share where this course ranks for me.
Out of the 66 courses I have reviewed, this is where this course ranks along with similarly rated courses:
Rank-Course, Location
30-Granbury City DGC, Granbury, TX
31-Owens Field Park, Columbia, SC
32-Hampton Park Baptist Church DGC, Greenville, SC
33-Pecan Grove West, Sherman TX
34-Weatherford DGC, Weatherford, TX
35-Timmons Park, Greenville, SC
36-Crooked Creek Park, Chapin, SC
37-USC Upstate, Spartanburg, SC
38-Trails DGC, Anderson, SC
39-Shoally Creek DGC, Boiling Springs, SC
