Pros:
Greenwood offers an overall (mostly) quality course. For the most part, I liked it. There are many fun and/or challenging holes creating a solid round of disc golf.
- Several tight, short layouts in quick succession (#10 - 14) make for some excellent risk/reward disc golf. In the blink of an eye, you're either feeling excellent about some great shot making or left wondering how you wasted good chances to score well.
- The variety extends to the flow of open versus wooded holes. Essentially the front portion of the course/park is open. The back is wooded. In this case, that means 1 - 6 and 16 - 18 are open and the other nine holes have varying degrees of tree coverage.
- Take a look at this course on a satellite image. See how little tree coverage this park actually has. There's very little in the back and sides. That's where the nine wooded holes exist. It's impressive they were able to squeeze in nine holes in this area.
- Holes #1 - 5 allow players to air it out, especially #3 at 637 feet. These are all relatively simple, straight ahead layouts. #4 is the most challenging as the basket is tucked away in the tree line that hugs the right side of the fairway. You actually need to place your disc in the correct spot if you want a line to the basket with your second shot.
- #6 is the first fun hole. Downhill 311-foot island green (I think the gravel road is OB) with a tall baseball fence on the right side of the fairway and thick brush left and long. A tempting hole to throw multiple discs on as you just know you'll park your tee shot.
- #9 is a simpler downhill layout. Depending on the time of year, this could be a very scenic backdrop. Follow that up with a split fairway, heavily wooded, 165-foot hole. Even in December, my disc got knocked down on this low ceiling. When the leaves are on the trees, this is going to be a tight gap.
- #11 is a creative, excellent gauntlet hole. It's 300 feet with an OB fence on the left. Oh yeah, there are train tracks there. The OB tree line on the right is just there without the risk of your disc being flattened by a train. There's just enough room for an s-curve if you throw it just right. Birdie two here requires an outstanding tee shot.
- #12 - 14 all offer short, tight-lined shots. #12 & 13 have you throwing over a small bridge. #13 has a basket in a tree stump. #14 is a hanging basket. #13 is the s-curved fairway. Each one is fun. By #14, it might feel slightly repetitive. But still, I thought this was a great change of pace section of the course.
- #18 gives an homage to Winthrop with a mando tee shot through the opening in the wall to get to the basket. It turns a field hole into a fun closing layout.
- Quality tee signs. Kiosk at #1 has the entire course map. Then you get the same hole layouts at the tee pad.
Cons:
Course is spread out. Several long walks between holes. You essentially have #1 - 3 in two sections of field, then a long walk across part of the parking for #4 - 6. #7 - 16 play along the back perimeter of the park, followed by another long walk for the final two holes. By the time you're done, you've walked the entire park.
- Along those lines, there are a couple filler holes. I wasn't a fan of #3. It had to do with the simplicity and the fact I could see how long the walk would be to #4 the entire time.
- Bring your patience. Between the long walks and tight lines, there are factors that may disrupt one's normal flow of play.
- Several holes play close/alongside the walk trail, parking lot, or park road. You'll need to be aware of people who probably aren't paying attention to disc golfers.
- Thick, unforgiving rough in sections. When the rough is nasty in December, you know it'll be bad during the growing season. Don't go long on #6. Don't go right on #7. Don't go left on #16 or 17. On #7 & 17's case, that's because of the barb-wired fence along the side of the fairways. Seems like that's excessive, but I don't know the reasoning for the excess.
Other Thoughts:
Greenwood is a generally solid course. It does lose luster for being so spread out and for some of the simple layouts. But that doesn't take away from the more enjoyable aspects.
- Course still needs clearing in some areas. But, generally, it feels well established.
- #15 is the best of the longer, 400 foot plus, layouts. You need to get your tee shot between the gap in the trees, 300 feet away. Do that, and you're in great position for a birdie 3. Miss the gap, end up short or in the woods, you may be scrambling to salvage par. Overall, a well designed layout, and one of the best three or four holes on the course.
- With how many activities that are at the park (ball fields, walking trail, farmers market, etc.), the course is pretty isolated from other activities. Sure, on a Saturday, I could see people parked in the grass or teams stretching in the open space by 1, 2, or 18. But, I suspect even on the busiest of days, most if not all of the course should be playable.
- If you're looking for a quick round, you could play #7 - 16. You'd have a long walk somewhere in this situation. But, this is your best bet for a condensed group of holes. Or, you could play #1 - 3 multiple times.
- Only a couple minutes to Lander University's course. That one is a disaster. So this is it for locals looking for quality disc golf.
- A good course. I enjoyed my round here. If it wasn't so far away, I'd be happy to play here again. Just know you're making a commute to play other courses if you're from out of town.