Carthage, NC

Hillcrest Park DGC

2.25(based on 23 reviews)
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7 1
slingmoore2
Experience: 22.9 years 13 played 1 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Like a fine wine getting better with time 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 10, 2008 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

This course makes you think before you throw. Disc selection is important as well as the type of throw you will use. The average player will use many throwing techniques during a round here. There is balance where some holes can ruin your round and others give you a chance for redemption. A few holes have the appearance of not having a fairway, but they are there. You need to play the course a few times to learn where they are. Tee signs are very nice and more will be added as sponsorship is obtained. Hole # 17 has a green surrounded by OB on three sides. It has a high risk vs. reward factor.(Note- the tee pad shows you the direction that you need to throw for this hole. Do not throw over the road. If you do, then you are the only silly thing about this hole.) The tee pads are in great shape (screenings) but golfers need to repair any damage that they do to the pad on their drives. As with most courses the pads will be updated when funding allows.

Cons:

The course has a few holes that need some grooming. Flow is disrupted between holes # 9 - #10, and # 17 - # 18. Can be hard to go from hole to hole due to the lack of signage but this problem is being resolved. Some people may consider holes # 12, 17, 18 to be dangerous to park patrons. These holes are only dangerous if you play them in a dangerous manner. Remember, you need to think before you tee off. Holes # 5, 7, 8, maybe 9, and 13 are considered by some to have the need for a logging crew to come in and have their way. If you like tight wooded holes then these are for you. (Hint) There are several obtainable flight paths for most of these holes. Once again, think (and look) before you throw. Can be hard to play during baseball season due to the amount of people attending the ball games. These games are normally played from 6:00 p.m. on. Any other time you are lucky to see more than 3 or 4 people at the park. Course needs play to keep underbrush down.

Other Thoughts:

This is a new course that is still being tweaked. It is not, nor was it intended to be a championship caliber course. It is a course that will make you learn how to throw types of shots. If you are looking for wide open spaces where you can bomb a driver off of every tee thoughtlessly, then this course is not for you. You will need to play the course a few times to understand what the course is all about. This course is worth the drive as it is today but will get better with time!
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6 3
johnt1969
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 40.9 years 166 played 25 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Needs maturity and slight redesign 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Aug 15, 2008 Played the course:once

Pros:

I have to preface this review by saying that this course is brand new. It has not been 100% completed yet so it is a little hard to follow. It will get better with time and play. The locals are working hard on it and it's changing rapidly.

This course has potential to be pretty good. There are some nice tight wooded shots here. Most of the holes here are in the woods and require a great deal of accuracy. Those aspects of your game will improve by playing here. You're scrambling to get out of trouble will improve here as well. I threw a number of forehand and straddle putts while playing this course because there are trees everywhere. The first 3 holes have very nice tee signs. When the rest are purchased and installed the course will be marked very well. The baskets are brand new and in great shape. They're also installed with sleeves so it looks like there might be a chance for multiple pin positions in the future. The course is not super long so beginners will be ok here but they might get a little frustrated with how tight it is. Big arms will not have an advantage here either.

The course designers mentioned that there are course maps in the park office. I didn't know that when I played the course but they would definitely be helpful.

There are restrooms in this park and there was also a concession stand that looks like it is used occasionally. It was not open when I played the course.

Cons:

There are aspects of the design that could be a little better in my opinion. I think the course will get better as it matures but there are some holes that didn't seem to have a discernible fairway. In some cases there is plenty of room to place the tee where there would be a fairway. It would be a very hard shot but at least there would be a fairway.

Holes 17 and 18 run along the entrance road to the park and I believe there will be cars hit here. When I played the course there was not a marking for a mando on either hole so I chose to throw over the road because it was the easiest shot and guaranteed a chance at a 2 or an easy 3. I have since been informed that there is a mando on 17 that keeps you from throwing over the road. Hole 17's pin is within 10 feet of the entrance road on one side and a parking lot on the other. I think that cars will get hit here because of it's placement. It's placement makes the hole harder but I think there is too much chance for hitting cars or people. While I was playing it took me quite a while to play holes 17 and 18 because of the amount of traffic coming in and out of the park.

There is also a hole that throws up towards the concession stand. My opinion is that this hole is dangerous because there were a lot of people up in the area where I was throwing my drive. The best shot on that hole is to throw and anhyzer, out in the open, towards the ball fields and concession stand. This hole might have a mando that wasn't marked at the time I played the course. According to the course designers the concession stand is being relocated to a position closer to the ball fields. This will be good because it will take the danger of hitting someone out of that hole.

The tee pads are made of a crushed rock and are in good condition but I think they are a bit too short and some are placed in bad positions. The reason I say that is because there were some holes that I felt like there were trees or bushes in the way of the run up area or too close to the right hand corner of the tee pad. I found myself shortening my arm swing because I was afraid to bang my hand on the tree that was next to the tee box. I'm not sure if I actually would have hit my hand but it was a definitely a concern with myself and the other person I was playing with at the time. The crushed rock tee pads are in good condition but I am personally not a fan of that type of tee pad because your feet stick in them and it creates a lot of strain on the knees. My right knee was very sore after playing at this course because of the tee pads.

There are only 3 tee signs and it is a bit hard to navigate around the course. It would be really nice to have the rest of the tee signs and little arrows on the pins telling you which way to go for the next tee. At the time I originally wrote this review there were not arrows on the pins helping you with where to go for the next hole but the course designers say that those have been installed.

You will not become a good distance thrower if this is the only place you get to play. That could be considered a con if you really are looking to work on your distance. There are a couple holes that are of decent length but you can't really open up and throw hard because of how tight the fairway's are. This course will, however, help you a lot with your accuracy, scrambling and different styles of putting.

Other Thoughts:

At the time I played the course the tees were still marked with orange ribbons. There was also a couple bricks at the front of the tee boxes that had a hole number on them.

A comment regarding my evaluation of courses. I am not trying to insult or hurt any ones feelings when I review a course. I'm just trying to evaluate the course on what I feel are important characteristics of a good course. Disc golf has become a large enough sport that I feel we should strive for better than we have now. Just putting 18 holes in a park isn't enough. 18 pole holes does not make a disc golf course. It requires tee's, signs, maps, solid course design and constant maintenance. Any less than that and we will never advance the sport to a reputable level.
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5 3
Mystery
Experience: 25.9 years 57 played 12 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Could be much better with just a little more. 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Aug 4, 2008 Played the course:never

Pros:

The first three holes are marked with nice tee signs, but they are the only signs on the course. These first holes are short. Hole #6 is great booming anhyzer shot with a ball field to the left, but otherwise an open approach to the basket. Hole #8 is a very long straight shot with the basket tucked to the left at the end. The vegetation thickens considerably about 150 ft from the basket but thins around the basket. Hole #10 is a downhill shot. Hole #11 is another anhyzer shot with the basket within reach. Hole #14 and #15 are easier, with lanes to work the disc to the basket. Hole #16 is could be another anhyzer, or that is what I tried. I worked the disc too close to the tree line and paid the penalty. Holes #17 and #18 run side by side in the same direction with a paved road between them. The road is lined with five foot bushes which can come into play.Tees were crushed gravel and were in good shape. Innova Discatcher baskets were mounted in installation boxes and in very good shape. Basket locations were fair.Overall it was a good experience.

Cons:

They need to finish marking the course with nice tee signs and markings to the next tee. Hole #4 is visible from the tee box, but there is no clear shot at the basket. The only option is a hyzer down the walking path. The only problem is that the path curves near the portion of the disc flight that you expect to turn. This could present a danger. Hole #5 has no clear fairway. Hole #7 has a fairway, but it follows a very tricky s path that is a one in a million shot. The rough is dotted with many trees and very few alleys. Hole #9 asks the golfer to make a field-goal between two trees 30ft from the tee. Afterwards the hole opens up with the basket on the side of a hill. Hole# 12 has no clear fairway to the basket. A golfer could take an anhyzer shot along the edge of the ball-field and try to work back to the basket. Hole #13 is ridiculously tight with the fairway about 4 feet wide at spots. When a golfer finishes 17 he must walk back down the road to the 18th tee and finish the round. Transitions from green to next tee were not as easy to navigate. Each tee was marked with fluorescent orange ribbon but was not always easy to locate.The tee box for #14 was mounded in a manner that made the drive awkward. The course needs tree removal to form better fairways.

Other Thoughts:

Many trees need to be removed and the course needs better marking. I know that it is a new course and many of these things may be addressed. Will be a much better course if they do.Needs to be added to the PDGA Course Directory, which it is not currently in.
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