Lander University DGC reviews
9
0
DiscGolfCraig
Diamond level trusted reviewer
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Experience:
19.9 years
597 played
544 reviews
Lander the Lost
Reviewed:
Updated:
Played on:Nov 22, 2018
Played the course:2-4 times
Pros:
Lander University has a quality disc golf course; HOWEVER, it's the most dysfunctional layout I've ever seen that it takes away from the enjoyment. Unless you're interested in having a quick round take 3 hours.
-**QUICK UPDATED AS OF 1/22: I was back in town to play the final six holes. It only took three years, but I have now played a complete round and have no intention to play here again. Play Greenwood instead. Back to original review**
- I don't know how to properly rate, review, or feel about this course. On one hand, the actual quality of the holes is seemingly good, especially for a short course. You have a fantastic stroll through the campus with some great views, such as playing behind the amphitheater on #6 & 7, and the view from the top of the hill on #10. The course is so segmented and disjointed that you're going to get frustrated trying to figure out where to go next.
- Course takes advantage of the terrain. #2 is a fun, tight downhill layout. #3 is fun for throwing over the creek (once you find the tee sign hidden behind overgrown shrubs). Holes #6 - 10 are in an open portion section of campus, and the final stretch feels a little more wooden & secluded from campus.
- Tee signs are descriptive and very helpful. For some holes, this is your only saving grace as you're on a scavenger hunt for where to go to next. I would recommend next tee signs, but for them to be helpful would require the campus to be littered with arrows. Students would revolt at the site of thousands of arrows every which way they look. It would lead to annoyance and anger. Looting would ensue. Disc golfers would be blamed. And the course would be pulled. Won't somebody think about the children? As a result, there are no next tee signs.
- If you're looking for a slow, casual round, you probably would enjoy the course. If you're in no hurry the multiple 10-minute walks between holes won't be a problem. You'll focus on the quality of good holes here.
-**QUICK UPDATED AS OF 1/22: I was back in town to play the final six holes. It only took three years, but I have now played a complete round and have no intention to play here again. Play Greenwood instead. Back to original review**
- I don't know how to properly rate, review, or feel about this course. On one hand, the actual quality of the holes is seemingly good, especially for a short course. You have a fantastic stroll through the campus with some great views, such as playing behind the amphitheater on #6 & 7, and the view from the top of the hill on #10. The course is so segmented and disjointed that you're going to get frustrated trying to figure out where to go next.
- Course takes advantage of the terrain. #2 is a fun, tight downhill layout. #3 is fun for throwing over the creek (once you find the tee sign hidden behind overgrown shrubs). Holes #6 - 10 are in an open portion section of campus, and the final stretch feels a little more wooden & secluded from campus.
- Tee signs are descriptive and very helpful. For some holes, this is your only saving grace as you're on a scavenger hunt for where to go to next. I would recommend next tee signs, but for them to be helpful would require the campus to be littered with arrows. Students would revolt at the site of thousands of arrows every which way they look. It would lead to annoyance and anger. Looting would ensue. Disc golfers would be blamed. And the course would be pulled. Won't somebody think about the children? As a result, there are no next tee signs.
- If you're looking for a slow, casual round, you probably would enjoy the course. If you're in no hurry the multiple 10-minute walks between holes won't be a problem. You'll focus on the quality of good holes here.
Cons:
Imagine someone passive-aggressively approving the installation of a disc golf course. They decide to make it as inconvenient as possible. Then they decide to have some baskets pulled (stolen/walked off?) and a lack of tee signs. You're just getting a taste of how bad the design is here.
- Hole #1 shouldn't exist. A blind tee shot between campus buildings over sidewalks? And it's in the center of campus so it's not like there's not of foot traffic here. At least it's missing a basket. Or is that #5's basket that's missing?
- Maintenance on holes #3 and 4 is non-existent. It took me several minutes to find the tee sign for #3. It took me longer to find the semblance of a fairway on #4. I tried to throw high over the overgrowth. Didn't' get high enough as my disc got knocked into the rough. Alas I wasn't alone as I found two other discs there. Heard back from one guy!
- I never found a tee area for #5, so I guessed one. Also, had the issue with a possible missing basket.
- I like the vague arrows for next holes on the tee signs. It's helpful when the next tee is close by. It's not so helpful when you have a 10-minute walk. Pointing left doesn't help.
- A bunch of baskets are missing. I'm guessing the basket for #11 hasn't existed for years. You're telling me in the middle of the beautiful, manicured main entrance in front of the main campus building the school wants a disc golf basket?
- I think I found the area where #12 should have been located. I wandered around then gave up. For all I know I was supposed to walk another five minutes.
- Hole #1 shouldn't exist. A blind tee shot between campus buildings over sidewalks? And it's in the center of campus so it's not like there's not of foot traffic here. At least it's missing a basket. Or is that #5's basket that's missing?
- Maintenance on holes #3 and 4 is non-existent. It took me several minutes to find the tee sign for #3. It took me longer to find the semblance of a fairway on #4. I tried to throw high over the overgrowth. Didn't' get high enough as my disc got knocked into the rough. Alas I wasn't alone as I found two other discs there. Heard back from one guy!
- I never found a tee area for #5, so I guessed one. Also, had the issue with a possible missing basket.
- I like the vague arrows for next holes on the tee signs. It's helpful when the next tee is close by. It's not so helpful when you have a 10-minute walk. Pointing left doesn't help.
- A bunch of baskets are missing. I'm guessing the basket for #11 hasn't existed for years. You're telling me in the middle of the beautiful, manicured main entrance in front of the main campus building the school wants a disc golf basket?
- I think I found the area where #12 should have been located. I wandered around then gave up. For all I know I was supposed to walk another five minutes.
Other Thoughts:
The parts are greater than the sum at Lander. This shouldn't exist as an 18-hole design. On the far right side of campus, near holes #6 - 10, or the far left of campus, near holes #14 - 18, should be one 9-hole layout. Heck, make 9-hole layouts in both areas and have a split 18. Then it's just one car ride, or long walk, between the holes.
- I ended up driving between the hole clusters. After driving around 10 minutes, I finally determined the cluster of holes for #1 - 5. Then I drove to the section for #6 - 7, then the cluster of #8 - 10. I drove back to the area for #11, determined it was gone, had a fruitless drive searching for #12, before finally driving by #13 - 18. So, if you want to drive the course, prepare to hop in the car six times assuming all baskets are in the ground.
- I don't even know where one would park most of the time. Many lots are permitted. On Thanksgiving I drove where I wanted and parked where I wanted.
- I see the bones for a good course. That said, the course needs to be compressed. Even if you sacrifice a couple of fun holes, you need to have a logical, compact 9-hole course.
- What is it with spread out courses in mid and upstate SC? This course, Fleet Links, Laurens County Park, and Easley HS are all sprawled out with extremely long walks throughout the course.
- This course could be played in 45 - 60 minutes if it were laid out like most courses. You're walking more than that between holes with the long transitions. I might even be more accepting of the walks if this were an elite level course? For a course that would top out at a 3.0? No way.
- I did a quick measurement of the course and the transitions between holes. It came out to about 2.2 miles. You're walking as much between holes as you are the holes themselves - 5900 feet.
- Take something prior to playing to take the edges off your round and visit. This is going to test your patience and navigational skills. Such a shame because there's a lot to like here. A more concise laid-out course would be a 3.0. In this amalgamation, it's a 2.0.
- I ended up driving between the hole clusters. After driving around 10 minutes, I finally determined the cluster of holes for #1 - 5. Then I drove to the section for #6 - 7, then the cluster of #8 - 10. I drove back to the area for #11, determined it was gone, had a fruitless drive searching for #12, before finally driving by #13 - 18. So, if you want to drive the course, prepare to hop in the car six times assuming all baskets are in the ground.
- I don't even know where one would park most of the time. Many lots are permitted. On Thanksgiving I drove where I wanted and parked where I wanted.
- I see the bones for a good course. That said, the course needs to be compressed. Even if you sacrifice a couple of fun holes, you need to have a logical, compact 9-hole course.
- What is it with spread out courses in mid and upstate SC? This course, Fleet Links, Laurens County Park, and Easley HS are all sprawled out with extremely long walks throughout the course.
- This course could be played in 45 - 60 minutes if it were laid out like most courses. You're walking more than that between holes with the long transitions. I might even be more accepting of the walks if this were an elite level course? For a course that would top out at a 3.0? No way.
- I did a quick measurement of the course and the transitions between holes. It came out to about 2.2 miles. You're walking as much between holes as you are the holes themselves - 5900 feet.
- Take something prior to playing to take the edges off your round and visit. This is going to test your patience and navigational skills. Such a shame because there's a lot to like here. A more concise laid-out course would be a 3.0. In this amalgamation, it's a 2.0.
