Charlotte, NC

Elon Park - Angry Beaver

3.745(based on 48 reviews)
Filter course reviews

Filter reviews

Filter reviews

Elon Park - Angry Beaver reviews

Filter
8 0
adamwn9
Experience: 10.9 years 63 played 11 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Home Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:May 22, 2017 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-Starts off with a few shorter holes - I'm pretty upset if I don't birdie at least 2 of the first 4
-As people have mentioned before, risk vs reward is definitely in play here - I've birdied all but hole 5 at some point, I know I've bogeyed (double bogeyed too) every hole at some point. The death putt after coming up short on 3 has gotten me multiple times.
-Pads and baskets are both in fine shape
-Great mix of long and short holes - short ones aren't easy either, they're all tight and wooded creating small lines
-Plenty of obstacles that make it fun - trees everywhere make natural OB, pond behind 2, road OB on 3, creek that comes into play on 4/8/9/11, swamp thing on 5 - none are impossible to avoid, but I usually find or get close to one per round
-Pretty wooded after 3, which makes it a bit cooler on hot days
-18 is a pretty cool par 5 to end on, which I like
-There are a few brand new looking benches that have been set up recently
-I don't think the navigation is super confusing - you do have to cross the road after 1 and 3, but I do see how a first timer could have issues
-Plenty of trash cans - they obviously aren't used by everyone, but they are there

Cons:

-Signs - I'm updating my review because new signs were put up this week. They have the par and distance and look really nice, but are still missing maps. Something is better than nothing, but a first timer would still have issues on the multiple holes where the basket isn't visible from the tee. I would probably get a little frustrated playing this course for the first time. All other Charlotte courses have great signs, not sure why Angry Beaver is different.
-Trash - there are so many trashcans around, yet there are still beer and water bottles everywhere - I usually end up picking up something every round

Other Thoughts:

I love this course. I've played it at least 75-100 times in the last 4 years and I haven't gotten bored of it. My best score is -3, but I'm usually just trying to get somewhere near par. It is never too crowded, but there are always people there. It definitely needs some maintenance, which has happened recently (2, 3, 5, and 8 look a lot better now). If it had proper signs with maps, I would give it a 4. I think it's just as good (if not better) as Nevin and Hornet's Nest, but both of those courses have great signs.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
2 2
jsemales
Experience: 19.9 years 91 played 39 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Risk/Reward in its purest form 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 10, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

This course is a well laid out course that allows you to disconnect from all distractions and really focus on your game. The course will play par if you play fairly conservatively and have good control of your throws, but you will not find birdies easy to come by if you don't get more aggressive. You run the risk of playing disc plinko when you get into the woods, but without the risk you wont find any birds.

Cons:

The course is tough and it can be easy to lose a disc when playing. Stay focused and objectively approach every hole. You may need to get muddy if you get off the beaten path, the creek comes into play quite a bit.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
11 0
forehandfranz
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 31.9 years 226 played 128 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Beaver Damn! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 8, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

Really a testament to how you can control your disc through tight lines in the woods.

It starts out friendly enough with holes 1-3 being prime short birdie opportunities. They are fun and interesting but are more like the Eager Beaver course than the remainder of this one. Just be careful on #2, a very short 180' hole - but don't overshoot, as there is a pond hiding behind the pin which (apparently) won't yield your disc. It's not intuitive to find tee #2 or 4 except they have kindly painted arrows with numbers on the pavement to show you how to navigate this tricky part.

Then the work begins as you head into the woods where there are many par 4 & 5 holes (only two of which are in the open - 5 & 18 - which are very refreshing but STILL have great peril along the edges), but you will be better served to take some power away on the long holes in the woods, or you will be suffering many pitch-outs. The long woods holes primarily make you turn a dogleg successfully to set up for your next shot. I found this course to be similar to Nevin but seemed more intense than that course.

Cons:

When I finished playing my round here I was the angry one! Angry at that Beaver that did not chop down enough trees for his dam. Actually, I felt mentally drained. I liked the challenge, but just felt the difficulty level drained some of the fun.

Some specific points of contention:
Hole #8, as Reposado mentioned is kinda ridiculous. It used to be two separate holes which seemed that they may be better as two holes instead of one. Now, it is a twisty, climby, heavily wooded with lots of OB and very long mess. I scored a par on the hole but felt I hadn't played it well. It just seems like an afterthought.

Perhaps this is just a first-timer's woes but some of the long holes in the woods seemed VERY picky on placement with a mix of poke and hope (yes you, holes 8, 10, 15, 16). If you land just slightly off the edge of the fairway or come up a bit short in distance, you will be punished heavily without a decent line on your next shot.

Other Thoughts:

Granted, this course will be a sharp learning curve on your first play because you don't know where your landing zones are yet, and you will also be walking up fairways to spot the pins. That said, I am intrigued to try this course again as there are some interesting elements.

This course is really best played if you can swallow your pride and put most of your power game in your back pocket for a majority of the course . If you can't have this mindset, you may have a VERY frustrating experience. But if you have more of a placement game in mind, you can probably shave some strokes and stay out of trouble.

Make sure and play the Eager Beaver while you're here. It's a nice easy companion to warm up or down from this course.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
10 1
JohtoVillage
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 24.1 years 160 played 74 reviews
3.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 24, 2013 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

This course is angry indeed! Here are my pros:

1) The variety on this course is astonishing. After the first three holes I found myself wondering, what's so angry about this course? I remember starting 2, 2, 2 and thinking this course was going to be EASY. I could not be more wrong. Its not everyday you play a course with a 158 foot par 3 and a few holes later play a BRUTAL 821 foot par 5. The variety of the distances on this course was off the charts.

2) Great baskets and great teepads. The tee signs were homemade but they did the trick.

3) Usage of water - I love courses that incorporate water hazards and Angry Beaver has a few holes where water comes into play. Hole 2 would be one of the easiest holes in Charlotte if not for the lake that is just long of the basket. A 158 foot hole is not hard but when you have a lake 20 feet past the pin that is screaming to engulf your disc you think twice about what to throw at the basket.

4) Hole 5 - this hole is just a treat. Its super challenging but fair. I love the twists and turns on this hole and it just screams UNIQUE. The area in front of the basket and to the right of the fairway near the green, if played as out of bounds, adds a whole new element to the hole.

5) One of these holes is not like the other - Hole 18! This hole is literally like nothing on the course. It is so different from everything else on the course that it makes it a great hole. Even though its a long, difficult hole with danger everywhere (deep woods right, creek left) it actually feels like a breath of fresh air after the wooded holes. This is a great hole with a great green that offers risk/reward shotmaking.

Cons:

Here are my cons for Angry Beaver:

1) Hole 9 - unfortunately this hole is one of the few things wrong with this course. I don't like "forced" par 4's. To me a forced par 4 is a hole that looks like it should be a par 3 but then the designer does something to turn it into a par 4. Hole 9 has a very difficult, uphill tee shot to a tight landing area. That wasn't the biggest problem to me (though I hated the out of bounds on this hole). The biggest problem was the fact that the hole then dove more than 90 degrees to the left and kinda curled backwards into the woods just to turn the hole into a par 4. The hole unfortunately left a sour taste in my mouth because it could have been a decent par 3 with a different pin location. Its just one hole, though, so don't let it spoil the fun.

2) The back nine became a bit too repetitive for me. I am okay with wooded par 4's that have bending fairways but 11, 14, 15 and 16 all just roll together in my head. These holes struggled to have an identity in my mind that differentiated themselves from the other holes on the back nine. It just felt like I was throwing a 250 foot shot to a landing area and then watching the fairway bend one way or the other. I would have been okay with one or two of these holes but it felt like too much in my opinion.

3) Hole 8 - this isn't a huge con for me because it wasn't too bad but in my opinion this hole just had a little too much luck for me. I know they have it listed as a par 5 but I remember throwing a drive on this hole and it was not a good shot and it crashed through a lot of trees and ended up really good. I then remember throwing another drive a few days later on the same hole and thought I had thrown a perfect shot it and ended up out of bounds. Its just a finicky hole in my opinion.

4) I am not a huge fan of artificial OB. If I throw in the water then that's a penalty. But having areas on the course that are not hazards marked as out of bounds does bother me. I can understand mando areas being blocked off, etc, but I think a better design will allow that kind of stuff to be avoided.

5) I refuse to knock any course for being hard, unless its unfair. This is course is NOT unfair. However, this course is exhausting and not the funnest course to play. I don't think it was designed to be super fun but this course reminds me of Idlewild or Iron Hill (albeit on a lesser scale). Its a gold level course and is meant to be one of the more challenging courses out there. Don't expect to come play this course and smile. Expect to play this course and be drained. This course is not for the feint of heart. Charlotte has many options so if you want something easy walk 500 feet and play the Eager Beaver course.

Other Thoughts:

This course holds up to its name very well. It is very angry! That doesn't mean this is a bad course. This is a very good course that really challenges a player. Once again, Charlotte proves itself to be the mecca of disc golf. I have truly never seen so many 3.5 to 4.0 disc golf courses in one area. Angry Beaver is one of the harder courses in the area and will challenge every part of your game -- especially your mental game!

NOTE: I will admit that if I could give this course a 3.75 I would give that rating to this course. I feel like its not a 4.0 course but is somewhere between a 3.5 and a 3.75.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
10 0
Bennybennybenny
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 13.2 years 306 played 288 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Rain makes me angry 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Apr 27, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

-Great park with a gymnasium, place for fishing, game room, trail for walking, playground and TWO disc golf courses!
-This course at Elon seems to be worked on a little more than Eager Beaver because it has benches and trash cans unlike Eager Beaver.
-I like how this course gives you an opprotunity to score well on the first three holes, once you get to #4 you are like "This must be the hardest on the course." By the time you are on #5 you are thinking "How did this get here?!?!" Do not let the first three fool you because it gets tricky really fast.
-Great mix of holes here. It has elevation used pretty well, a few dropoffs, holes 200+ to 800'+, doglegs, and a few open holes but it's mostly wooded.
-A few short tees from worlds because some holes (particularly #5) can be a lot of trouble. I didn't mind playing the long tees though, I parred #4 but I did blow up on #5 because of terrible approach shots. The hole isn't so hard if you really throw hard.
-On this course, I have two favorite holes, #10 and #16. #10 is a straight downhill tunnel shot par 3 over the creek. Once you are over, the approach shot is pretty open. It says that it's 268' but it think it's about 305', it PLAYS maybe 268'. #16 is a slightly downhill dogleg left par 4. I threw a 320' hyzer and got an easy birdie even though I was in the woods, it's not bad if you are short on this hole, but it isn't pleasant if you overthrow. With that said, I think #2 is the most memorable along with #5.
#2 is an uphill 158' par 3 with the lake 5' behind the basket. I liked the design over the vegetation. It was a bit like #15 at South Mountain, except this hole isn't steep downhill. It's very easy to throw past the basket and land in the water just like an overthrow on #15 at South Mountain will get you in the DEEP woods. #5 was also memorable, it's the longest and toughest on the course close to the road. The big mound is close to it, some people wish the tee for #5 is on the mound.
-Very scenic walk in the woods. Very pretty course! It's VERY well maintained and very well taken care of. I enjoyed the beauty of this course, it's a pretty walk in a nice little forest. It was raining very hard when I played, I felt like I was in a conferous forest. A very pretty one.
-Water is used very nicely around the course. This may be a con for some people but I didn't mind it really.
-Both of the finishing holes end close to the first holes. On both courses. The first tees are both close to the parking lot. To get to the parking lot, just keep going past the white baskets (which are the baskets for this course.) and keep driving, just follow the road.
-At Winthrop University, it has two courses. It doesn't have teesigns that say which course you are playing. It doesn't have teesigns period. This place has teesigns that say angry beaver, and eager beaver on the teesigns so you know which course you are playing. The baskets are also different colors. The Eager Beaver baskets are yellow and the baskets on this course are white. The course kiosk is close to both first tees as well.
#18 was a great way to finish. It's an open dogleg right par 5. It was an easy par for me because I just threw three drives 250' and that left me with a short approach shot. It's long but if you throw decent drives down the fairway, you won't get worse than a bogey.
-Plenty of arrows pointing you to the next tee.
-Lots of uniqueness here. Hole 11 stands out in my mind. It's a deuceable par 4 that's downhill and over the creek. Fairway is tight.

Cons:

-When it rains, the fairway (or trail) leading to #3's basket is wet. Bring your old shoes and expect to get dirty because if your disc goes down #9's dropoff, you literally have to jump down six feet into the creek to get your disc. This course is VERY muddy. Do NOT play in the rain. I'm serious! I was extremely happy with my score of +10 in heavy rain. Discs will slip out of your hand and you could have a crappy shot. I had plenty of them.
-The vegetation on #3 is out of control! #2's didn't bug me because it's uphill so you can see the basket, plus it's very short. #3, you can't see the basket from the tee, I lost a cheetah on that hole. #3 wasn't a bad hole but the vegetation is horrible.
-The OB can bother you, a lot. This course has penalization written all over it. It wasn't the water that bugged me but this course has plenty of ropes that if you go past, you are penalized and some people won't like #9's island green rule. The teeshot is narrow and the trees cna give a nasty kick. If you go over the water, you are fine. I ignored the OB today because it was raining.
-#9's teepad is too small, so is #17's. Not the appropriate length for a teepad with holes almost 300'.
-Once again, too many OB stakes. There are stakes past 6's basket that aren't needed, the 8th hole in general is bad. You have to have a ridiculously accurate shot and poke and pray off the pad, not to mention that the ditch is OB. Not just the water part of it.

Other Thoughts:

-I loved this course. It was very interesting and very scenic. I would have had a better score if it wasn't rainy today. I enjoyed this course anyway. Every hole is interesting in it's own way. This is the advanced level course at Elon but it's more forgiving than Nevin and Renaissance. It can still frustrate you. I got frustrated because of the rain which really bumped up my score.
-If you want an ace here, it can happen but at Eager Beaver, you have a bigger chance in an ace. #1-#3 can be aced and #13 could possibly be aced as well. #13 is an uphill ace run that goes into the woods. Some people think it messes with the flow of the course but it's a nice break from all the difficult holes you play is what I think about it.
-A warning here would be that OB isn't light. I lost two discs here. The course is scenic but you need to keep your eye on where the disc lands. Particularly #2 and #3. Those are the holes I lost discs on, and if you go into the water on #2, your disc is gone.
-This course doesn't really have a signature hole. Every hole here, you can either love it or hate it. Every hole will save you or hate you, #16 made me. #5 and #6 hated me. I double bogeyed them both.
-I loved this course! It's easy to navigate, it's pretty, the holes are all fair. None of the holes here are unfair, none of them. Some of them are very tough but none of them are really over the top for me. The OB may be irritating at time but none of the holes should really make you furious. The rain did though.
-Tell me if you want to know more.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
12 1
BraveThrower43
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 14.2 years 732 played 59 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Slightly Irritated Beaver 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 19, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Angry Beaver is a very tough course that compliments the eager very well. Much like Nevin this course is about contol and can you throw accurate shots.

There are a few holes where you can bomb like hole 5 short pad and hole 18 but beware there is O.B. or thick woods nearbye.

I love how the course rocks you to sleep as you start because 1 2 3 &4are so straight forward and then you get to 5 and it starts getting tough.

The worlds layout took out my least favorite hole in Long 5!

The fact that there are two completly different courses on this property has to be the biggest Pro

Cons:

The biggest con for me is this course just isn't memorable after about hole 10. It seems to get boring. While I do like the holes for the most part they just never really stand out in my mind.

It can be confusing to newcomers which course is which because the first few holes of angry arnt very long so theyre thinking" man I can do this" then holes 4 and 5 hit them hard. We had a group behind us on angry carrying ultimate discs and they had found there way onto the wrong course. They ended up giving up after hole 7

Confusing transitions for first timers. Hole 1 to 2 is marked but still a long strange transition and several places on the back 9 are confusing with multiple tees nearbye

There are a few places that I feel the OB can be a bit much such as hole 8 and the random OB creek halfway down hole 10.

No benches and very few trashcans which leads to litter.

Other Thoughts:

Angry beaver is a serious challenge. The style of play is just like Nevin in that it's all about placement off the tee. This one is a tough course so bring your A game if you are traveling through. I definatly recomend this one!
Was this review helpful? Yes No
9 0
TalbotTrojan
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 15.7 years 112 played 104 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Ouch! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 14, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

There are some absolutely spectacular holes on this course. The design on the course is good and it makes really good use of the stream that runs through the park. This is a huge park with a second much easier course there for the newer players. There is a very good viriety early on, but this fades away as the round goes on. Hole 18 is rather epic and even though I triple bogied it, it was still memorable in a good way. There are some really nice benches. Nice tee pads. Some of the baskets are aging a bit but for the most part they are still in very good condition. There are sports fields and I am sure more than I saw in the park. There is a very nice parking lot specifically in the disc golf area. The tee signs are really good and for the most part it is easy to find the next hole. This course is really all about the challenge.

Cons:

The biggest con here for me was how the course started to feel repeatative about halfway through. Most of these are the holes that a long through tight woods with a dog leg one way or the other. So many of these holes I was just plain sick of them by the end. A bit more creativity would have made this course a 4 easily. Some of the OB lines are ridiculous, especially hole 9. Island green? Isn't it bad enough that you have to hit a tiny gap? There are a few walks from one hole to the next that might be a bit difficult.

Other Thoughts:

I would highly recommend taking a map with you simply because there are a couple of long walks and poorly marked trails from one hole to the next. It looks as if they were well marked recently and just simple use by people who don't care or respect the course have made it not as good as it was. If you come to play this course, I would plan on playing the shorter easier course afterwards just so that you get your good feelings back. This really is a tough one and one I would not reccomend for newer players. This course does compare with some of the top courses in teh area, it really is just about that simple lack of creativity to holds this course back.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
11 0
Script
Experience: 22.9 years 25 played 2 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Pleasantly Surprised 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:May 25, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

Living in Charlotte, I have been meaning to get out to play this course since it's inception. Well, I finally got the chance to and will definetely be going back soon.

- The course starts out with 3 birdie holes. Even though they should be simple 2's, there is a risk of each hole OB behind the basket to keep them interesting.

- After the first few holes, the course really shines. Be prepared to leave the big drives in the bag and break out the fairway drivers. Even though several holes are "reachable" at 430-480 feet, a big arm will more times than not leave you with a par/bogie, when a fairway drive will give you the up and in opportunities for birdies on this course.

- As stated in another review, the course's underbrush is well managed. The times you are off of the fairway (which you will be) you are often able to advance your disc down the fairway enough to save pars. Because of this, the course feels as it's established, which is a huge plus.

- A few holes stick out as "signature holes" in my mind after playing it. There is a hole (maybe hole 9?) that is an uphill double mando across the creek that I can envision interesting results within your group. Also 18 is a great birdie/eagle opportunity for the big arms. It says 801, but the drive is downhill, so a crush can leave you 350 out with a 3 chance.

Cons:

- Not all concrete T's were in yet. (going in soon though)

-Not many trashcans.

-A few holes have, in my opinion it's a "con", putter placement tee shots on par 4's and 5's in order to dogleg 90deg left or right.

-One hole one the back 9 is an obvious "transition" hole that didn't seem to match the rest of the course.

- Parking is very limited.

Other Thoughts:

If you're in Charlotte, play this course. It is for skilled players, so be prepared. Probably not quite the best course in Charlotte, but in a few years, it really might be competing for that title.

Revision - This course is still a very very good course, but the more I play it, the less it grows on me. I've updated my rating to 3.5. It doesn't have that wow factor a lot of other local courses have that I would rate at 4 of better.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
14 1
DavidSauls
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 28.9 years 131 played 68 reviews
3.50 star(s)

If you like wooded courses.... 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 1, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

This is a quite challenging course, cut through a hardwood forest on rolling hills. It starts with 3 fun birdie (2) holes, which is just setting you up for an ambush. The bulk of the course is twisting and turning through the woods, with tight---but not unfair---fairways, and often small landing zones to hit and set up a second shot. You'll hardly see daylight until the final hole, where the fairway is wide and long enough to take out some frustration by really ripping the disc.

Every hole is fun and interesting and will test your control game.

The wooded canopy is heavy enough that, even off the fairway, there's not a lot of dense underbrush to deal with.

If you really like tight wooded courses, this is a 4.5.

As a bonus, the same parking lot accesses Elon Short. It offers two sets of tees---very short, and casual/beginner/youth very very short. This is an asset because you can warm up on the short course, or if your group varies widely in ability, there's something for everyone here.

I played on New years, but am sure it's nice in the Carolina summer to play a round in deep shade.

Cons:

While all the wooded holes are well-designed, there are a bit too many of them. Threading the fairways---or, more often, missing them and trying to get back---can get a little old by about midway through the back 9.

Other Thoughts:

I'm split between 3.5 and 4.0, mainly due to the lack of variety---not in the shots themselves, but in the style of holes. As I've already said, if a course full of challenging wooded holes is your cup of tea, you'll love Elon.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
16 1
DiscGolfCraig
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 19.9 years 597 played 544 reviews
3.50 star(s)

2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Mar 30, 2010 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Good, challenging wooded-course. After hole #5, every hole is wooded until #18. Some of the holes had a Bracketts Bluff-esque feel to them.
- Elon is easy to navigate. I had a harder time on some holes finding the basket than going from hole to hole. For the couple times you cross the road, there are even pointing towards the next hole.
- Great variety of holes. The little bit of elevation the course has is used wonderfully. Great overall use of terrain/overall lay of the land. Park has a drainage pond? Make it come into play on #5. Course has a creek? Make it come into play on #4, #8 & 18. Have a long greenway? Use it for #18. The only thing it was missing was a basket on top of the large hill by #5; although, I bet it was considered/attempted.
- Excellent compliment to Elon's short course. This is obviously a step (or two) up in skill level from the short course.
- This course has one of my favorite stretches of holes anywhere in #6 - 11. Such a wide range of layouts and lengths, that none is really like the other.
- #8 & 9 is an awesome back-to-back. #8 is a long hole, that weaves along the creek and through the trees, to a basket protected by another layer of trees. #9 is an uphill tee shot through a narrow opening in the trees, to a basket that is halfway down the same hill. You're in trouble here if you don't clear the opening, or go too far past, or left of the hole.

Cons:

I was surprised the course has three straight 400 ft+ dogleg left holes on the back nine - #14 - 16. In any competitive round, this would seem to be a distinct advantage (or disadvantage) for some.
- Some people will disagree with me, but I was disappointed by #5. At it's length (821 ft) and S-shaped layout (see the map), it seems to neuter the person who throws 300 feet. You throw 250 - 300 off the tee; throw your next 2 shots in the 250 ft range, leaving yourself anywhere from birdie putt to midrange shot for your 4th shot. In all likelihood, the average thrower isn't going to do better than a 4, and if they keep their shots in the fairway, shouldn't do worse than a 5. A hole this long should have a bigger potential range of possible scores. The hole gives the appearance of difficulty (sharp curves, pond); but, as long as you play smart, it really isn't.
- Better tee signs are needed, especially on the holes where the basket isn't visible from the tee.
- More immediate park spaces near the course would be nice.
- Don't go long on #2, or you'll end up in the pond. The course has several places for potential lost discs, with water and thick patches of rough.
- There are some trashy areas in the woods. For example, on the back nine you come across an old fenced-in area that has equipment that needs to be trashed.

Other Thoughts:

Elon is home to Charlotte only true 36 hole, dual courses. Renny, Hornets Nest, Kilborne & Winthrop all have 2 layouts, but the holes overlap.
- Starting at #6, when you really get into the woods, the course really takes off. Four holes stood out to me as true classics. #8 & 9, mentioned above, and #4 &18. All are fun, all are challenging. All deserve credit.
- This course opened the same month as Nevin, so fair or not, the two will be getting compared to each other (at least for locals.) With that said, it's a slight step down from Nevin in overall toughness, layout, fun factor. Par for the 2 courses are relatively close (Elon 66, Nevin 68), but Nevin is almost 1500 ft longer.
- In terms of Charlotte courses, Elon ranks behind Renny & Nevin, and compares very nicely to Hornets Nest. It's a must play for everyone.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
15 0
sloppydisc
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 15.4 years 201 played 147 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Another Charlotte Gem in process 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 30, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

Challenging course with good variety of shots necessary to play a good round. A couple short holes that give the player and Ace or birdie opportunity and a bunch of longer holes that require control and a plan. No real bias as to backhand or forehand. A decent amount of risk/reward shots. Various hazards including pond, creeks, fences and a few possible road OBs. Fairways are cleared and offer good, descernible lines for each shot. Nothing unfair. But not much easy either. Very rudimentary signage, but enough to keep me from getting lost. I was never confused or lost. Located in the back of a park. Quiet and secluded form surrounding area.

Cons:

A work in progress. Doesn't play like a new course, but as you play you can see where new additions such as bridges and steps have been added, and you can see where new features will be added. There are some great concrete pads, and there are still some natural pads that have roots and uneven surfaces. Some pads have the frame built for concrete to be poured so you know this course will only get better. Signs and navigation are very basic right now. You won't get confused, but you won't be impressed either. A good course, but it offers no real scenic beauty if that's your thing. Not any huge elevation or beautiful lake vistas. Just good ole Carolina woods.

Other Thoughts:

Course starts out looking like a nice short easy course. The first holes offers a standard straight shot through some trees. A tough ACE, but a hole you could birdie of you play it well. Hole #2 is an Ace calling your name. Short and wide open. But there is a pond right behind it that you can't see. Don't overthrow too far! #3 is a big RHBH hyzer or forehand around an island trees. Fun shot with a road behind the basket. A big arm could overthrow it easily or ace it. #4 finally starts the long distance plan of Elon Long. Through the woods you go. OB creek on your left. #5 also offers some water in the form of a small pond once you get out of the woods. #9 is a cool tight fairway that goes over a small creek, uphill and then takes a sharp left turn. It requires good control to stay out of trouble. #10 is downhill across the creek again and out of a very tight fairway. #12 and #13 are also up and downhill shots with tight fairways. There are no bad holes on this course. Just solid Carolina disc golf. Worth a stop if you are in Charlotte. It's not quite Renny or Hornet's Nest, but it is pretty good. Enjoy. Once all the pads and features are finished on this course I'd gladly give it a solid 4. Nice job again Chalrotte, and thanks for everyone that has obviously worked very hard to get this course good so quickly.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
16 0
harr0140
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 15.3 years 1508 played 480 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Still to rough and new to give a 4 or higher! 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 24, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

1) Very nice layout of this course. It has a nice variety of holes making it a pretty diverse course. There are some more open holes like the first 3 holes, then you head back into the woods. There is a pond in play on the second hole if you overshoot the basket and a stream comes into play on multiple holes in the woods also.

2) Blue ribbon marks your path to the next holes which is always helpful especially on such a new course.

3) The course has some pretty good directional signage in spots to help with navigation. These things are most important now as so many people playng the course have never been there before.

4) Nice new style white rimmed discatchers. This seems to be customary for the Charlotte area to have the white baskets for the longer layouts.

5) Concrete tees are in the near future. The forms are up on almost every hole and it should be done int he coming weeks. I assume that it is hapening after Nevin which was supposed to be today January 23rd.

6) Shot shaping is a requirement here which is an awesome feature for this course. There are multiple double doglegs which make you hit landing areas in order to have a clear shot to make the next dogleg. Multiple shot holes are huge in my book.

7) Temporary tee signs are decent and help you figure out each hole. I am sure they will have good signage on this course when all the other construction is complete and the funds have been raised.

8) Challenging wooded course just like the other Charlotte area courses. This is lower on my list than the others but I see the potential for it to be a great course over time.

Cons:

1) Currently the setup of this course is a single tee and a single basket. Eventually I am sure they will throw in some shorter tees because this course can be brutal on the best players.

2) This course is still a little rough. It needs to be played in for better fairway definition. It needs to be trampled in to show the rough areas in terms of navigation so that the problem areas can be solved. There already are spots where blocks are put in place to help walk across a drainage way but they will need to have more permanent fixes for these areas.

3) Too much luck is necessary on this hole because it is simply that tight and tough. I prefer courses that allow a slightly less precise shot. I am not saying I want them wider and easier, because I love the challenge, but often times your score on a hole might be determined more by luck than by skill.

4) Risk/reward is less of a factor on this course. Sure you risk ricochets off the trees lining the fairways, but the baskets do not really offer a major risk/reward type of shot. Overtime they could make some better basket locations which will become more apparent the more the course gets played.

5) There are still a lot of roots, stumps and other trippers on this course. These should be taken care of over time because they will only get worse as the soil compacts more and more.

6) Wire fence was visible and dangerous ina few spots along with some erosion control fencing. These things perhaps needed to be in place while the construction of the course and the drainage was being worked on, but should be removed eventually.

7) Course is not beginner friendly, but that is what the SHORT course is for. At least there is a course for all people on one site!

8) Course is very wet in spots and muddy. These areas need some drainage or at the very least some more permanent walkways or steppers.

Other Thoughts:

I am assigning this course with a 3.5 disc rating given its current condition. I think it is a well designed course on a pretty cool property that has a lot of variety and challenge. Within 1 year I expect so many of the negatives I have mentioned to be taken care of and I will rate this course accordingly, but I can only truly rate the course based on its current conditions. If you have a problem with this type of reviewing let me know and I can further explain it, but there is no way to "KNOW" what the course will be like after 1 year of play. I think to rate this course nearly as high as Renny or Hornets Nest is a disservice to this site. Sure it may be that good of a course when all is said and done but right now it is not. It is too rough and needs more play and traffic to help it improve. The DG alone is great right now, but even that will get better within a year as it gets played in a little. Please give it some time, and I will be sure to update the review when I see things have changed. I have noted the important things here and as I see them change like tee signs and concrete tees and as phots get updated I will be sure to raise my grade. I also do plan to be back to Charlotte every year or perhaps every other year so I will be able to update the review based on what I see down the road, but like I said this rating is how I feel about the course as it is right now!

I realize I played the course after only 1 month of being open, so I am being a little lenient, but I do not see this course being equal to renny, hornets nest or some of the others without some more work. It is on the verge of a 4 disc course after teesigns and concrete pads are in, but without some work on the drainage and walkways, along with some natural breakin of the course it will top out as a 4 disc course IMO. If they take care of everything and it breaks in nicely this course could be a 4.5 disc course but I think it is a little ways away from that rating.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
Top