The work being done on the course to clear out the overgrowth is unbelievable. It is night and day from just six weeks ago. I can't say enough for all that has been accomplished. Great course with a lot of variety in terms of elevations and the types of shots required.

Would have been the overgrowth and the ease with which you could lose a disc. That is changing now.

If you haven't played this course in the past two months, I highly recommend going out for a round. You won't recognize many of the holes.

+Phenomenal variety of challenges here. S/S is good for reasonably-experienced players (note: *NOT FOR BEGINNERS*) or as a warm-up/getting accustomed to the layout of the course; S/L will challenge almost anyone - these are the two layouts I played back-to-back. From what I've heard, L/S and L/L will challenge up to the pros, and I can believe it.

+Tee signs, tee pads, and baskets are all terrific and in great shape. A local from the NOVA DGC recently updated all the tee signs and they are likely the best I've ever seen (with regards to information and detail). Two tee pads and two baskets permanently per hole.

+Holes present a variety of challenges - big uphills and downhills, tunnel shots, OB, etc. Mostly plays through a meadow, with - uh - death on either side of it. Definitely not repetitive. A few (at least on S/S and S/L) will give you a bit of a breather before the next monster.

+Beautiful setting with some nice panorama views, especially on 15 long pin and 16 short tee.

-Well it's been documented before, and I'll document it here: I have never seen thorns so bad in my life. The OB is there for a reason. This course will eat your lunch and your discs. Despite playing solo, I managed to only lose one disc in two rounds...but I got lucky. At least 3-4 other times I got off the fairway by 2 feet and was **lucky** to find my disc. This is part-and-parcel with Giles (know what you're getting into), and the OB is there for a reason, but still it's a little TOO unfair.

(Note: NOT FOR BEGINNERS. They will become utterly discouraged and/or lose all their discs before the end of hole 7.)

-A few pretty long hikes between holes, particularly 2->3, 7->8, 14->15, 15->16S tee, and 16->17. Don't start a round with less than 90 minutes to go before sundown - you might finish a perfect round without hunting for a disc, but c'mon, it's Giles...you're hunting for a disc.

Park in the gravel parking lot in the middle of hole 2, just downhill from the guard tower and traffic circle.

WEAR LONG PANTS AND BOOTS. Twelve months of the year. Or else make peace with losing discs that you can see in the rough but will never be able to retrieve (with all your skin on). I've realized that this will only be a September thru April course for me...too hot in May-August for the apparel required.

I struggled a bit with 3.5 vs 4.0 overall. As long as you know what you're getting into - and can make peace with the thorns - this course is pretty fair. With the exception of 16 L/L, if you get lost in the rough, it's because of a bad shot and not because the course is too tough. And it really is a fun, challenging course to play with differing layouts that present differing challenges.

Again - DON'T. BRING. BEGINNERS. Or else, skip the holes with death thorns surrounding them (well over 50% of the course).

Play solo at your own risk. You will almost certainly lose a disc (or else play some supremely boring golf).

Beautiful, real hike in the woods, lovely stream, challenging in length and layout, constantly sloping fairways, solid pads, two pads and two baskets per hole for variety, solid baskets. And I believe some patio chairs on the back 9 still remain (thank you!!).

Thorns, thorns, thorns!! Always wear (even August) long sleeves, long pants (denim!), hiking boots. Bring a stick or cane. Bring garden gloves. Poor directional signage. Print course map here; take it with you if this is your first outing. Hole layout signage is good, however. Hole 3 (old no. 4) is a conundrum for me; hardest to even approach par. A careful but strong hyzer flip, I think.

Steep terrain in both groups of holes: 1-7 with 17 and 18; 8-16. Expect to climb up and down continuously. Old big parking lot now converted into condos. Smaller lot near hole 2 green still available. Can come into the course from Lorton Rd. If preferable, one can still enter from Silverbrook, driving through Liberty Village (previously, the DC Reformatory). Or can park in the area further north off Lorton Rd (more below). Open meadows don't necessarily mean a wide, strong shot will be safe. Constantly sloping fairways! (smile) Lock-grip is deadly. Slopes mean discs can easily roll into the thorns. Be aware of other trail users: Walkers, runners, mountain bikers.

I consider myself a beginner still; shall for at least a couple more years. This course is not for the faint of heart, and you have to take some risky shots often to make par or bogey. Consider the lesser evil and aim there!

There isn't much conservative play to be had and make a decent score, particularly on holes 6-16. Once I have better skill, I suspect I have a different opinion. However, I found that I sometimes just needed to throw that bomb to the lesser evil side of the fairway,

Long sleeves, long pants, garden gloves, some sort of stick. You can get your disc back.

UPDATE: Old nos. 1-2, 4-7 are now 1-6. New no. 7 is left of old 7. It has a sloping, partly open fairway; trees to contend with mid-flight. If the fairway here is regularly mowed, this will be a sweet drive. The new park area near nos. 12 & 14 offers better, more parking, picknicking, and a small, paved circuit trail to walk or run. If parking here, play nos. 12-18, then 1-11. Starting with 12, 14, 15 (have been good to me) is just fine. And if I can regularly dare to hyzer wide down the 16 fairway, I can make a good score there as well. While 10 is a bear, ending a round on no. 11 also would be optimistic (another hole that has been good to me).

A great track of land. rolling hills a lot of open spaces Coarse is designed to accomidate the long thrower as well as an average player. there are two sets of tees as well astwo baskets per hole.

On a windy day I would not play here.If your disc goes into the ruff you may not be able to get it the thorn bushes are herrendise through out the coarse. to play a round you will walk about 3 miles+. It is possible to get lost. If you could get a map or talk to a local. to find trouble spots there is between I think it is 6 and7 or 7and8 it is along walk and you have to cross acreek

I though a lot of the coarse.It was fun to play.Control is a must.Fairways were more than fair.If your disc goes into the brush. You will find that you unable to go into brush to get it thorn bushes are really that bad.

Nice course, but thorny as hell! Fairways are wide open but keep it straight or you will end up in the throny bushes that remind me of the movie SAW. Good mix of holes, up hill, down hill, lefties, righties, lunch eaters, aceables.Playing with a pair of grabbers is advised.

Um, the thorny bushes that will eat your discs. It's a long course to walk, no the distance of the holes but more so some of the walks between holes. Be mindful of throwing your favorite discs out here. Your sign that this course will wreck your day and game is the lost & found box, it's an old postal mail box. And it's jammed full. The only thing that I didn't care for was the Out of Bounds lines, they're painted with white paint, at least when I played, and seemed to change depending on who paints them. I would like to see a more permanent OB line with stakes and rope, so there's no guessing and wasting time.

I liked the course when I played in an Ice Bowl tournament there. I will definitely try it again when it warms up.

Two pins and two tees on each hole give you several different ways to play and cater to different skill levels. The baskets are sturdy Mach 3 types and the tee boxes are concrete. There are a wide variety of hole types here, from short ace runs to 1000 foot grip and rip holes. There is a good amount of elevation change on this course for the area. The course is almost always empty and I've never had to wait more than a minute or two here. The area is quite beautiful as well.

Thorns and lots of them. If your disc is more than ten feet off the fairway, prepare to venture into them. I have a specific pair of jeans and a ratty shirt I always wear to this course, as the thorns will snag even denim. The course layout is confusing for first-timers. The signage is only so-so, with some holes missing a good deal of info. Ticks are everywhere in the summer.

Most holes are fairly wide open, but there are a few that have either tight fairways or some trees to make it interesting. I'd recommend printing out the map if this is your first time playing the course, but you can also find your way by paying careful attention to the arrows on the baskets and some on the ground. There is a long (but enjoyable) walk after hole 7 and again after 16. There are trails in the park that mountain bikers use; you won't really have to look out for them while playing but be aware of them when you're walking from hole to hole. I see people with their dogs here all the time, so it must be a good place to bring them. Please pack out what you bring in, as I've been noticing an increasing amount of bottles next to tees recently.

Giles Run has professional tees/baskets as well as Recreational tees/baskets. It has something for players of all skill levels. There are good signs at each hole indicating distance and basket location. The course is near highway I95 making it convenient if you are traveling nearby, less than half and hour from Washington D.C. Plenty of friendly disc golfers on the course helped me find my way around and even letting us play through! Lovely use of elevation and terrain. I love this course!

Needs a course map for first time players. Thick thorny growth around several holes making it difficulty to recover discs without getting stuck/slashed. I saw other disc golfers bloodied by these thorns, myself and my friend were bloodied by thorns, in Winter.

Park has a small playground for kids. The park also has running and mountain biking trails. A beautiful park! I will definitely play again if I am in the area.

- Multiple Tees/Baskets
- Excellent Elevation Change
- Open/some wooded holes
- Solid O.B.s
- Decent mix of shots
- Practice cage
- Solid ace runs
- Extremely well kept and maintained, beautiful course

- Sometimes hard to follow with long transitions between holes
- thorns
- primarily open holes

Giles Run is situated on the old land tract of the Lorton Reformatory. The area is currently designated for recreation, although the county is currently seeking approval to convert the old prison to office/warehouse and apartment space, as well as to add more mixed-use development in the area. For the time being, the park is strictly recreational, and includes disc golf, golf and a playground.

The course itself is in great condition, and the garbage that detracts from courses (litter/graffiti/etc) seems to be kept under control here. While the course is not heavily wooded, (from what I understand, this use to be a working prison farm) the designers have used what trees are available. The fairways are well defined and well kept. The O.B.s are all marked, and you definitely want to avoid them, as they are mostly thorn thickets. The O.B.s add in some solid challenges...hole 16 pro tee comes to mind. There is enough variation in the holes that the course does not get monotonous and, from talking to one of the locals that joined our group, the people responsible are proactive about switching things up and maintaining a solid course.

There is a practice cage at the start of the course for warming up which can also serve as a bonus hole, if you know where to play it from. There is also a 15b, again, if you know where to play it from. Multiple holes offer some solid chances for aces, especially from the short tees. The short tees are also very beginner friendly. At any given time, there are two basket placements on each hole, so you can pick and choose your game. Also, from a beginner's standpoint, most of the short baskets are visible from the short tees, so blind shots are not necessary. Also, tees are all concrete, and they are nice and long/wide.

The locals are all super friendly, and the course is beautifully maintained. This is a beautiful, fun and challenging course, which has moved up to my number 1 to play when I am visiting. I would recommend it for novice - intermediate players...I can't say that it would be overly challenging for someone with a pro level game, but that's not me, so I can't fully comment.

If you're not playing with a local, print the course map, because some of the transitions are long walks with minimal signage. The locals are super chill though, and more than happy to join up and show the ropes.

The elevation changes can be challenging if you're used to throwing across gaps or flat ground, so bring your A game. Also, given the location of the course (on top of a hill,) wind can be a factor.

Two tee boxes and two baskets on each hole. Well groomed course.
The holes are set up nice offering some wide open holes for long drives and many challenging and narrow approaches to the buckets.

The out of bounds areas are well marked and placed in challenging locations.

Easy to get to course. I enjoyed the hilly terrain. A nice workout!

No rest rooms, not that it really matter sbut would be nice. No fresh water.

There is some construction on the course but it did not interrupt play.

The path to hole number 9 is not well marked. I highly suggest downloading the map on the official site. Also tricky is getting to holes 12-14......like i said GET THE MAP, and you are fine.

Since it was December we did not have to deal with the thorns and brush however the thros were still thick and if a disc went into it deep it was pretty much lost. There are extensive trails in the thickets to get around. I recommend some type of tongs or a grabber to retreive discs.

We really took our time playing this course and it took us 3 hours.

Loved this course.
I played the white tees to white pins.
It was loooong.
Very much a control and placement course.
Only lost one driver in the lake on #6.
The course was well maintained and in great shape.

As mentioned by many there are some very thick blackberry patches. If you don't want to bleed play another course (or have more control than me--not hard).
No water available that I saw. Take your own.

I am an out of towner and really appreciated the course directions and advice about the ticks in earlier posts by the locals. Thanks folks. I didn't get lost more than a couple of times and that was because I was playing the white tees.

Two tee (red=rec, silver=pro) locations and two baskets per hole. Each teepad is concrete, long-n-wide. Signs at each teepad listing distance to corresponding basket (rec-to-short, pro- to-long), show location of other pad-basket, and directions to next tee. Flags atop each basket, making them easier to spot, and providing an indication to what the wind is like near the basket. Tape on basket spoke will also direct you towards next tee. Benches. Trash cans. Practice basket.

A couple minutes off I95. Near strip mall with lots of food options. Plenty of parking. Very active group of people improving (i.e beating the thorns back) the course on a regular basis - see http://md-discgolf.com/phpbb3...25&t=1330 for more details.

Whomever invented razorwire must have studied the thorns at this course! Baskets seem just a tad low. Flow is a bit "choppy" - play 1&2, walk across parking lot to 3&4, walk across open area to 5&6, walk past pond to #7, long walk down to creek then back up to play 8-14, re-trace your steps to play 15-16, back down-then-up creek/hill to finish on 17&18. Have the map or a guide with you your first time out - otherwise you may start at #3, or go from 7 to 17.

Course plays on two open, elevated plateaus (i.e. somewhat windy), separated by a creek/stretch of woods (1-7, 17-18 on one side, 8-16 on the other side). A few uphill, over-rise, or flat holes, but a good number are somewhat downhill or across valley, presenting you with many opportunities to enjoy watching your disc fly! This is not a wooded course - other than the scattered trees the entire length of #12, trees typically only come into play for a small portion of a hole, either at the beginning or midpoint of your drive, or somewhat guarding the basket. If you can throw straight, and make necessary changes due to wind and moderate elevation changes, you will do well on this course.

Favourite hole #4. Across-a-valley drive, with a line of trees forming a fair-sized window about 75' before the top-of-hill basket location.

I am a big fan of multi-tee/multi-basket courses, especially when BOTH tees and baskets are top-quality, and these certainly are! For the most part, each hole's two tee and basket locations are quite different from each other, and there's a lot of variety amongst the holes, making this a great course to play when you have time for multiple rounds, and/or players of differing abilities.

- Well designed holes
- Big tee pads
- Baskets in superb condition (Flags to indicate wind and position for first timers)
- Elevation Changes
- Beautiful Creek
- Good for a hike
- Sweet Prison Overlooking the course
- Course is very well groomed
- Pro/Rec Tees and Baskets

- Thorns ( If you throw more than 4 feet into them, in most cases your disc is gone)
- Could've made more use of the pond/creek/woods
- Some of the walks between holes can be confusing

Make sure you take the path left after 7 to get to 8. Get the downloadable map. Anyone within an hour's drive should check this course out at least once.

The first pro at Giles Run is the practice basket - any course that gives me a chance to warm up before a round gets bonus points. Each hole has 2 tees and 2 baskets, providing 4 different course layouts, so playing here won't get old fast. All 36 tees are cement and good length, and the baskets are all pretty new and in great shape as well.

The course was very well manicured when I played - the grass on the fairways is nice and short, and at times it really feels like a ball-golf course. Playing in the shadow of the old prison for the first 3 holes is pretty cool, and definitely gives the course some character.

The course layout is great, too. There's a great mixture of tight, wooded holes for your technical game as well as open holes to air it out some. There are also several opportunities to try a roller, if you're brave enough to risk going into the thorns after it.

The out-of-bounds areas and thick thorns lining the fairways force you to play a little conservatively at times, but that just makes things interesting.

The biggest con here has got to be the thorn thickets. As other reviewers have mentioned, the course is carved into VERY thick thorn patches, which still line many of the fairways. These bushes are sure to cause you some pain during your round, but if you throw carefully (and don't end up TOO far into the thickets) you can often still retrieve your disc. In one round with 3 players, we went into the thickets about 15 times, but always found the disc. A lot of the locals that we saw playing were carrying metal grabbers with a claw at the end to save themselves some trouble.

Aside from the thorn situation, I really have no problems with this course. It is well thought-out, well-maintained, and has excellent tees and baskets. It is conveniently close to the highway, and only a few miles from Pohick Bay - if you're passing through on 95, try to hit 'em both up!

After just one round, Giles is already one of my favorite courses. It seems to get a lot of TLC, and as it continues to develop it will easily be one of the best courses in the state. I'm looking forward to playing it again at the Wind Up in a few weeks!

-Easy access - Just off 95
-Beautiful, well-maintained park and course - Great job by the county, Timbre and the Giles Run Golfers.
-Outstanding use of terrain & land - Some really pretty views (Check out the overlook at the long pin on 15)
-Great course for tournament play and tournament players.
-2 tees & 2 pins for each hole help keep the course fresh.
-Fairways clearly marked and maintained but not great for rolling.
-Fair tee signs (Some missing), gorgeous concrete tees, pins are clearly marked and flagged (Red & Silver in color), Some OB is clearly marked.
-Picturesque Fairways and pin placements - Very similar to Ball Golf look & play.
-Fresh Blackberries mid to late summer - You may have to contend with a pedestrian picker crossing the fairway.
-Minor course maintenance, mainly cosmetic, back in action.
-A round is a workout - Course is a hefty hike on its own. - Hiking type footwear recommended.
- Playing multiple formats of front nine is an option (1-7+17 & 18)
-Great course! - Keeps you coming back for more!!! - Challenges ALL levels of play. Pro par? Good Luck!
- Friday $5 Random Doubles / 6 PM Tee time
-Workhouse Arts Center near by to send the family while you play.

-You may have to deal with DC/NoVA Metro Traffic - Especially during rush hour.
-Ticks - But they are not as heavy as they have been in the past years - Still take precautions.
-Poison Ivy and other overgrowth itchy yuck.
-Give yourself plenty of time to play - one round could take up to three hours, especially if you are looking for lost discs.
-No Restrooms
-OB Everywhere - Large, thick, thorny Blackberry thickets and overgrowth line most fairways as do elevation changes in the rough.
-Course gobbles disc - Bring Extra Drivers!!
-Long walks between a few holes may lead to some longer walks looking for a few holes.
-Weather - Super Hot & Humid during Summer play - Bring Plenty of water & possibly an umbrella - There is little shade. Some nasty Thunderstorms roll through this area and there is almost always a Breeze/Wind. (Usually wind)

Back in the day, we would travel all over to play and compete. But life and priorities would take me away from the sport for over 10 years. Little did I realize that one round at Giles would bring the sport back to my life with such a vengeance. That's what type of course this is, it kicks you in the tail but you keep coming back for more. You really need to play it to love it.
This is my home course and I play it often. The hike isn't so bad once you know where you are going. There is also the option of just playing the Northern 9 (Holes 1-7 +17 & 18). The course use to be a 9 hole but 8 & 9 became 17 & 18 when the "Southern 9" was added (8-16) So there is about a 1/4 mile jaunt between 7 & 8 that takes you down and across Giles Run and back up to the southern 9. It is a darn scenic little trip.Then after 16, you mosey back the way you came to hook up with the northern 9 again. Also 11 to 12 can be tricky. Make sure to follow the fire road to 12, 13, 14 then back out for 15.
Tips for play:
-Respect the OB - It's everywhere and can frustrate you quickly.
-Try to stay in the fairway! A mistake could cost you a penalty, a disc or a finger. You will learn to hate blackberries!
-Rolling doesn't work well - Those beautiful fairways look like a rollers paradise, especially when freshly mowed, but underneath is a bumpy, rough ground waiting to redirect your roller towards the previously mentioned OB.
-Always make note of the wind
-Remember: The one that has the most fun wins!
I love this course and I'm sure you will too. Thanks for all your hard work Timber!!! This is a "gotta play" in the DC area. Maybe we'll see ya some Sunday.
Conditions UPDATE 10/24/11: Work days have been allowed again. Most OB is back to its original marks. Make sure to keep your eyes on discs. "Looking away may make it go away." With the coming of Fall, the tick issues are low but still take precautions. The course is looking and playing the best it has in a long time. A great place to play, just be careful and have fun!

Beautiful setting
Easy to get to
Sufficient parking
Well maintained and manicured
Dual tee pads and dual permanent baskets for 4 different layouts
Good mixture of short holes and long holes
Good use of limited elevation changes
Excellent use of natural obstacles (like massive thorn patches) to create challenge
Very good signage
Very creative design...proof that an excellent course can be put just about anywhere
Good risk/reward fairways
A good physically demanding, all around solid course
Little extras that really help...wind flags on baskets, little signs to help direct between holes, hanging markers under the basket to point you in the right direction...good downloadable map

A little tough to navigate for a first timer on their own...MAKE SURE you print out the downloadable map

Make sure you bring water on this course if it is warm out...you are out in the sun almost the whole time and you will walk quite a bit
Try to play your first time with some locals, it will be WAY easier to navigate...it isn't a design flaw, just a fact...mad props to whoever thought up how to put 18 holes on the given terrain...amazing
Take seriously the tips to wear shoes and long pants...I usually play in Chaco sandals and shorts, but broke out the tennis shoes and long Ex-Officio pants for this course and am SOOO glad I did...the thorns are brutal...I played in the afternoon with some wind and had to trek into some thorns/briars--very dense and brutal--somehow I was even cut through long pants
My personal preference is technical, wooded courses and this course wasn't the type I HAVE TO play if I travel to an area, but it is a great course, well designed for the given terrain and very challenging if you play the Pro Tee/Pro Basket configuration and well worth seeking out
It is a good idea to bring a back-up "favorite" driver if it's windy because the thorns/briars can be extremely dense and it is impossible to get into some of the patches to retrieve a disk (RIP 150g Champion Leopard)
This course is freeway close and I think it is well worth the effort to play if you are going through the area...

I'll play it at least every other time I'm in the area

The old prison next to the parking lot is a cool vibe

Course layout excellently displayed, concrete tees, maintained regularly, and next to an abandoned PRISON!!!

If first time, difficult to find a few holes such as 7 which is by itself, then 8-16 due to the trek down the hill, across the bridge, then up the hill which seems like a mountain lol.

Best holes...9/12/16/18

I really enjoyed playing this course, the use of the land and the layout of the course are unbelievable.
There is ample parking and the course is easy to find. I've never seen an old prision like the one on the property so it was nice exploring before my round. I was luckily enough to play with someone so navigation wasn't an issue but the signage is supurb so I would have been fine otherwise. There are mutiple pin and tee pad locations so you can get a different game everytime you come out.
The pro pads have some insane shots, 900+ ft over acers of brambles... crazy! Threre is a good mix of hyzer and anhyzer shots so everyone is happy here. I also like the fact that you have to
get some exercise in here to get from hole to hole. The elevation used here is also excellent, uphill is a lot harder than it looks. I also loved the wind flags on most holes, I didn't know what I've been missing out on until now.

Well other than nature this course is great. The brambles are wicked and I bet they are even worse in the summer. The guy I was with said it used to be worse! wow. It's a long course so for those lazy dgers, this course might not for you.

Had a blast playing here, lost a disc on 2 in the lake! I didn't know it was there. There is a lost disc fourm for this course so maybe my baby will come back to me one day... This is a must play if you
are in the area, everytime I come to DC I'm stopping here.

The obvious pros: two permanent concrete tees and two permanent baskets on every hole result in four ways to play the course, ranging from ridiculously easy to brutally difficult. I'd guess the course has an SSA in the mid 40s on the shortest layout all the way up to an SSA in the mid 60s on the longest layout -- probably a full 18 stroke difference. The four layouts are well designed to complement one another and provide a huge range of shots -- every layout offers different routes, challenges, skills and shot selection.

The course teepads are awesome -- large, well-roughed concrete that should be good year round in almost any conditions. It's rare to be on a course with two permanent tees on every hole -- especially when all the tees are top-notch and well laid out.

The course map is also excellent. Course designer Timber has upgraded his computer more than once just to have enough processing power to keep up with the incredible map he's made for the course. His maps are also in use on the teesigns, which do a great job showing the OB as well as both teepads and baskets.

The course also offers great parking and good signage to help guide you through the course. I played for the first time without any locals, and had no problem finding my way through (I did have a printed map).

This course will do more to force improvement to your MENTAL game than almost anywhere I have ever played. There is more OB here than any course I've ever seen. Shot selection is a must. Many holes often have crazy wind. And when you combine wind with lots of OB and countless thorns, you have a perfect scenario for bogeys, blood and frustration. If you can keep your head together on this course, you can keep your head together anywhere.

The course also benefits from some really beautiful vistas. There is lots of elevation change, and some points on the course (like near the silver basket on 15) offer benches and a place to look out across the course and the surrounding woods -- very peaceful and beautiful.

The biggest cons to this course are the thorns and the ticks. In winter, ticks are no problem, but the stories I've heard from locals are legendary during the summer and fall: 20-30 ticks per person, per round is pretty common. I won't play in those tick-infested conditions. It just isn't worth it to me.

Year round, the briars are the worst I've ever seen on a course. I highly recommend bringing work gloves and -- if you have one -- a machette when you visit this course. The work gloves will at least minimize the pain when you have to reach into the OB to retrieve a disc.

It took my brother and I -- in a team effort -- almost 10 minutes to retrieve a disc we could easily see that was only 5' into the briars, they were so thick. You couldn't use sticks to pry the disc out -- we had to use big branches to prop up and shape a tunnel out of the briars (they are so sticky they almost Velcro to one another when you move them) so we could go in and reach the disc -- and it still cost some blood and thorns. Word of warning: TAKE EVERY DISC WORTH MORE THAN $20 OUT OF YOUR BAG BEFORE PLAYING THIS COURSE.

Few things are more frustrating than losing discs, and this course eats a lot of them. Bring some extras and don't throw your favorites. On the upside, there is a good local community that is great about returning discs -- just post your loss on the local forums (visit www.novadiscgolf.com ), and the locals will help you out.

Other than the ticks and thorns, the only other downsides have been mentioned by others: the walks between 7 and 8, and 16 and 17 are long (but worth it). The course has lots of airshots but not a lot of shots in the woods (it could benefit from a few woods shots). And the course is DEFINITELY NOT BEGINNER FRIENDLY. If you are new to disc golf, play somewhere else (or wear chain mail to retrieve your discs).

If you can keep your head together and play smart, this is one of the most challenging courses you will ever play. I've played more than 120 courses across the country, and Giles stands alone as a unique experience -- nothing else like it. So it is worth playing for the experience and for the thrashing that it will give your mental game. Definitely recommend playing it when ticks are not in season (if you want to play in summer/fall, wear long pants, long sleeves, tuck your pants into your socks, and spray yourself head to toe with Permetherin and DEET). When the next tournament rolls around, sign up and venture up here -- and be prepared to bleed. It's a great challenge, if you're up to it.

Giles is a premium DG course in NOVA. The tees are top of the line, the baskets are clearly marked red for recreational and silver for pro. Open field baskets have 3 wind speed markers for quick reference on wind speed. The course provides an excellent hike and workout, bring the camera, it is a spectacular view once you reach the back 9, but great view from the rest of the course as well. The course provides short(recreational) tees to short pins and long(pro) tees to long pins, you can mix and match for more excitement and variety. You get to test your skills to the max, you are going to LOVE this course if you have a big arm and more especially accurate throws, if not, you will have to play short pins until you get there, but you can do it all in the same course. There is a lot of wild life, you can see deers, rabbits, foxes and all kinds of other cool things like hawks and falcons on the hunt. This course has a lot of potential for holding pro events as the long(pro) version of the course is an incredible challenge and requires focused course management in order to score low. Lots of elevation, you can really see the full flight of your disc. Great course arrangement and there is 1 practice basket near tee # 1 for putting warm up. There's a small picnic area and a few benches throughout the course.

When you try to go big and test out your arm and find that the wind, which is a typical factor in these LONG open fields, does something funky with your disc, you will likely find your disc is embedded in some incredibly dense thorns. If you can see your disc and it's only 2 feet deep, that's already deep enough to be pricked to the point of bleeding unless you beat it down A LOT first. Again, when it's slightly windy elsewhere, it's seems much worse at Giles, especially on those long open throws that NEED to hold the line. In the summer ticks will crawl in into the very inch you missed spraying the repellent on. There have been sightings of copperheads so look before you reach...In the summer you need to bring TONS of water and backup water in the car if you plan on doing more than 2 rounds. You're in the middle of nowhere should you be injured or need immediate assistance. The day goes bay so quickly after only 2 rounds and you wish you had more time to play this AMAZING course more often.

It really is a professionals course and you should be proud to play it. There are many gas stations and shopping centers close by to stock up on water. Many restaurants close by as well to find food. If you want more that tight wooded course, Pohick Bay Park has an 18 hole course, TIGHT woods, only 10-12 minutes away. As the course evolves, the OB will become more manageable. If you never played it before and are planning to, please visit dgcnv.com and go on our forum and post that you plan on playing and someone should be able to meet up with you to guide you around. It is a good practice to not play alone as you are literally going be the only person out for miles, there is a good chance of it at least.
http://www.geocities.com/gile...esmapage.html

that is the map, use it, you'll need it!

Oh yeah, don't kid yourself, play conservatively the first few rounds, unless you like buying new discs and love getting pricked.

18 holes. 2 sets of tees. 2 sets of baskets. That means you can play the course 4 different ways, so it's like a 72 hole course.

Lots of elevation changes. Uphill holes, downhill holes, holes across valleys.

The course is very fair. If you make smart shots, you can score low. If you don't, the course will punish you severely. The key: don't be a hero.

Luck doesn't play much of a role on this course. While there are some trees out here, they are not the main obstacle.

The course is nicely maintained. All the tees and baskets are brand spankin' new.

Challenging, but not miserable. Long, but not killer.

Excellent course for those seeking some physical activity from their round of disc golf. It's quite a walk.

A lot of nice scenery. The old prison near the first three holes is cool.

The course is nicely divided. Beginners can enjoy the first six holes and 17 and 18 as a nice mini course that is not insanely long and difficult. These holes are all together and flow nicely. If you're bringing kids out here to play, that's nice.

Thorns. Lots of them. My buddies and I speculate that the thorns were placed there intentionally when the prison was in use to drive any potential escapees in a particular direction for easy roundup. When the course first opened they were much worse, so hopefully this situation will continue to improve. Wear long pants when you play this course or you will go home with blood on your legs. **UPDATE** Timber (the course designer) and a lot of the local players continue to improve the course by beating back the thorns. They are doing a great job and the place is looking better and better all the time. Pretty soon, this is going to be one of the real gems of the mid-Atlantic region.

Ticks. Lots of them. During the summer months, they have been out in force. Bug spray is a must. In the early spring and fall, they weren't an issue at all.

The course can be hard to follow for first timers. The walks between holes 6 and 7, 7 and 8, 11 and 12, 14 and 15, and 16 and 17 are not as well marked as they could be. Several of these walks are of a significant length. If possible, take someone who has played the course before with you your first time out. (The walk between 7 and 8 and 16 and 17 covers about a half mile each because of the twisting path through the woods.)

Not a lot of stuff in the immediate area. There is a BK down the street a bit as well as a couple of mom and pop restaurants, none of which really distinguish themselves. Two exits south on I-95 you will find the Potomac Mills area, which has just about every restaurant chain known to man as well as just about every retail store you can imagine. It's a great place to leave your non-disc golfer spouse while you're frolfing your life away.