Durham, NC

Leigh Farm Park

3.235(based on 39 reviews)
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7 0
David_George
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 3.8 years 50 played 17 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Underrated Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 5, 2020 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

I am probably a bit biased since this is my home course, and where I learned to play. If I am being completely objective, it is probably a 3 instead of a 3.5. Nevertheless, this is an under-appreciated course which is worth a play.
+ Three levels of play, each of which are quite different. The more advanced courses have entirely different holes from the beginner course.
+ A legitimate beginner course of short par 3s - not terribly exciting for more advanced players, but a good place to learn to play in the woods.
+ For the intermediate and advanced courses, a mix of short and long holes, par 3, 4, and 5.
+ Great use of elevation, with opportunities to throw up and down steep hills.
+ Very historically interesting piece of property, a former plantation which also has Revolutionary War history.
+ For the most part, the holes aren't all that long, but will certainly challenge you to shape your shots and miss trees.
+ Is rarely crowded, and you often have the course to yourself if you go at an off time.

Cons:

- Navigation is a mess. The beginner and advanced courses overlap and the signage is very confusing. Expect to get lost if you haven't played it before. Bring a map or someone who knows the way.
- The rough can be pretty rough, and it is very easy to lose discs in the high grass and brambles.
- Is a bit trashy - has never been completely cleaned up after its former life as an illicit dump site.
- Can be quite muddy after it has rained. Precarious footing in places.

Other Thoughts:

Though certainly flawed, this course has a lot of character, and continues to improve thanks to the work of volunteers. If you haven't played it in a while, give it another chance.
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11 1
Rastnav
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 55 played 12 reviews
3.50 star(s)

A great course for noobies! 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 14, 2020 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

This is a review of the rec level/red course only. I want to provide some navigational tips for it, see those in "Other Thoughts" below.

As a player of only a few months experience, with a noodle arm, I heartily encourage relative new players to try this course, despite the navigational difficulties.

- Overall the course has much wider fairways than other course I have played, while simultaneously requiring definite shot shapes to get the best result. Most of the gaps you are required to hit are quite generous from the rec course. This is a big advantage when trying to learn the game.
- The first 5 holes really ease you in to the course, which then gets more challenging as the round goes on.
- There is variety in length of the holes, but the distance requirements aren't too big even for a noodle arm like me.
- As mentioned, the holes require some specific, and varied shot shapes, but many of them give you more room on the "wide" side, letting you really "go" for the shot shape, without needing a super precise line. Again, the earlier holes are more forgiving on this, and later holes start to tighten up, while not being too punitive.
- I found that the rough was punitive, but not excessively so. You usually have some sort of out or possible recovery that lets you scramble for par unless you have really gone deep.
- Unlike most other courses in the area, this one is not nearly as heavily trafficked, even on a weekend, so you can take your time without inconveniencing other players.

Cons:

- The only real negative to the course is the navigation. But see my hole-by-hole navigation below.
- If you aren't a rec level player, you might find many of the rec level holes to be boring compared to some rec level course that are a little more technical throughout.

Other Thoughts:

Navigating the rec level course, a guide (layout as of 2020-06-14):

- The rec level course sits "on top of" the advanced course, and about 12 of the holes split an advanced level hole in to two different rec level holes. You play 5 of the advanced course holes, and one stand alone rec course hole.
- All of the rec course tee pads have a wooden marker with the rec hole number painted on, with a red stripe on the top. These are currently just placed on the ground resting against something.
- On 6 of the holes you will play from an advanced tee to a rec level basket. These are either a plain steel basket, with no top band, with a red stripe on the pole OR a blue banded basket, usually with a white stripe on the pole.
- On 6 of the holes you will play from a rec level tee that is right next to one of the rec level baskets mentioned above. You will then play to a yellow banded basket with a white stripe and a red stripe on the pole. These baskets will also have a white stripe and red stripe on the bottom of the basket that points the way to the next tee.
- The 5 advanced course holes that you play are the same yellow banded holes with white and red stripes pointing the way to the next hole.
- The one stand alone hole has a blue band and white stripe.

Hole by hole navigation:
- #1 through #4 are on holes one and two of the advanced course.
- #5 Turn right from #4 and go up to the advanced course sixth tee pad. # 6 is in sight down the fairway.
- #7 is the stand alone hole. You tee off at 90 degrees to the advanced course seven tee pad, a short downhill severe fade. To get to 8 go down the obvious path, but there aren't signs currently.
- #8 and #9 are on hole 11 of the advanced course.
- #10 is the first hole where you play one of the advanced course holes (AC number twelve).
- #11 tees off from the tee pad for AC thirteen, and goes to a short basket near the tee for #9.
- #12 is the trickiest hole on the course at the moment, navigationally. Keep going down the thirteen fairway looking for stairs up to bluff on your left. Note where thirteen basket is. At the top of the bluff is just a dirt patch where you play a short putter shot down to thirteen basket, which is obscured by trees. Don't be confused by the basket you can easily see off to your left when you get to the top. You don't play that basket.
- #13 through #15 are advanced course holes fourteen through sixteen.
- #16 and #17 are on hole seventeen of the advanced course. You have to go down the left hand fairway to access the #16 basket, which is tucked even further left.
- #18 is hole eighteen on the advanced course. Don't get confused by the blue banded basket here. You are going to the short yellow banded basket that is tucked left off the tee.

As mentioned by another commenter, play this course twice and you won't be confused anymore.
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5 0
lola
Experience: 8.7 years 32 played 1 reviews
3.50 star(s)

hidden gem 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 30, 2019 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-Technically challenging for both righties and lucies
-Crowds, nah
-6 is a par 3 fyi and a hard one at that.
-loops right back to the parking lot
-One of the most underrated courses in the Triangle

Cons:

Placement shots all around this course--
As of lately you'll want to bring a cache of light discs as Fall is abound-
On rainy days them teepads get awfully slick.
let your voice be heard on 18 when teeing off as you are throwing blindly to another low elevated basket.
still snake season watch where you step.


Other Thoughts:

not going into detail that other reviewers have already pointed out..but for those who haven't played this course it can be confusing as far as the layout--my suggestion is to play it again. and again. Now you know the layout. Or play with a familiar golfer. Here's my take..
1) downhill, tunnel shot basket at bottom
2) let'r rip and hope you have semi clean look at basket for upshot, birdie opportunity
3) uphill, basket right there if you can slalom pesky trees
4) par 5, again place the drive in the middle and you're looking at splitting trees (twice) for birdie or once for eagle
5) for a righty flick anhyzer and hope it comes back for a good look at 2--LHBH slight hyzer
6) here's your par 3--try to get past the thick and onto the road..touch shot, putt and there's your par
7) double choice after drive-- both rewarding if you can get a three.
8) par 3, up the hill basket on left-backhanders get a good pull for a two
9) watch out you don't get caught up in the wires for this downhill touch shot
10) choices choices..huge hyzer for RHBH gets you a birdie look..nice LHFH does the same-basket hidden on left down in woods
11) tee shot key to set up into a tunnel shot (par 4)
12) downhill, two fairways good luck getting close for that 2
13) tunnel drive gets you in the open for a placement shot to get close. skip works nicely on shot #2
14) drivable par three, a little mustard so you don't finish in the creek
15) Tunnel to an elevated basket (on left)..easy for a rollaway
16) RHBH hyzer or RHFH/LHFH..birdie opp
17) par 4 two fairways to choose, definitely birdie possibility provided your disc doesn't roll too far on this descended basket
18) blind tee shot, basket placed downhill on left.
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2 1
rvanderpool3
Experience: 18 played 2 reviews
3.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 9, 2017 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Challenging, but fair heavily wooded holes. 15 of 18 holes are heavily wooded tunnel shots. if you are missing your lines, it's gonna be a long round. There are a lot of 'real' par 4s on this course which is somewhat unique for the area.

Cons:

The signage is a little rough/nonexistent, though this is getting better in the past few weeks. The teepads are smooth rubber. when dry they are fine. if they are the slightest bit damp, they do not provide much grip.

Other Thoughts:

This course is very much worth playing. I play here once or twice a week. Very fun course which will make you use all the shots in your tool belt.
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4 1
adambenson87
Experience: 23.8 years 12 played 11 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Tournament Potential 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 18, 2015 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

A good mix of long and short holes: par 3's, 4's and two 5's.

A variety of shots and elevation, open and wooded holes.

The wooded holes are open enough for there to be a discernible route, which makes these holes more like UNC's course and less like Southern Community course. Some holes start in the open and end in the woods and some start in the woods and end in the open, which makes for fun variety and shot making.

The par 4's are pretty interesting holes. You don't have to be a power player to reach them. A lot of doing well here is placement.

Cons:

When it rains, you can hurt yourself slipping on the rubber tee pads if you're not careful. I noticed that many people have moved the tee pads off of the tees.

In the summer time, you have to worry about ants near the tee pads. Plenty of people have been turned away by this course, because they got ants all over them at some point.

If you're a visitor without a course map, it'll be hard to find the tee pads on some holes. So, visitors, print a map or use your phone.

Other Thoughts:

Next Tee signage, new tee boxes, and getting rid of the ant problem would improve the course.

#15 is a strange hole. I'm not sure that this hole is a con, but I think the gold tee is.

This course mostly has Innova Disccatchers, but now they have silver metal baskets (DGA?) on some of the long placements. I think they'll end up changing them around, but if you want to play the long version, look for the DGA baskets on a few (5?) of the holes.
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10 0
nyrblue2
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 14.1 years 28 played 23 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Long and Grueling 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 23, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

"Pro Level" 18 hole course, mixed with "Rec Level" 18 hole course (courses share some tees, fairways and baskets) in a quiet, mostly wooded section of a "nature-y" area

***I played the pro course from the long tees while I was here so my review will be mostly based on that, but I'll touch on a few rec course things I noticed

- Grueling - this course (the pro/advanced course) is long and challenging - it's both an endurance challenge and a disc golf challenge and will test your skills
- Parking right near hole 1 - bulletin board/kiosk with rec course map, pro course "sketch", basket position for pro course and a few flyers
- 2 tees for the pro course (white and gold - shared on some of the holes) and 2 basket positions
- Tees are rubber flypads for uniform surface
- Baskets are DisCatchers (some wear/age) with yellow band to help to pick out of the wooded backgrounds (rec course has blue ribbon over the yellow band to differentiate from the gold course)
- Very nice tee signs showing an accurate hole map, distances and par for each tee and basket position combination - these were some of the best I've come across (but surprisingly not the best during my visist - nod to Middle Creek for theirs)
- Good variety of hole types - numerous tightly wooded holes and numerous open holes - some long playing as true par 4 or more and some short ace runs
- Good elevation changes - from soft wooded downhill (#1), to a big bomb off the top of a hill (#8), to an uphill drive to a blind basket up over the lip of a grassy hill (#7), to a gradual uphill through trees (#4)
- Some real nice views in the middle of the course - basket #7 and tee #8 are up on a big hill giving you a nice look at the fields and trees around you
- Cool elevated basket (built up on some sort of step pyramid thing) on hole #8 (I think) - made for a challenging putt (which I probably missed)
- I thought some of the woods holes were really cool - hole #14 stood out to me as my favorite - precise drive needed through the trees with the basket perched on the other side of a mostly dry creek bed protecting from lazy layups - hole #17 was also very fun with the unique obstacle of a big, old barn smack right in the middle of the fairway, given you lines around both the left and right, but more trees await behind it between you and the basket

Cons:

- Navigation "within" a hole - this course may be the most confusing one I've played yet in terms of some of the holes, in and of themselves (once a hole was figured out and completed, navigation from basket to next tee actually wasn't horrible, even without a map) - the interwoven rec course made for a head-scratching walk up and down some fairways - for instance, on hole 1, from the gold tee you can see the rec basket with the blue ribbon around the chastity belt, but the gold basket is beyond it hidden from sight - there is a rec tee up and left a bit, in between your tee and the visible basket, but I think that is actually the tee for rec hole #2 (so you backtrack uphill if you're playing the rec course) - I think rec hole #2 plays to gold hole #1's basket? Then I think gold hole #2 plays along the same fairway as rec hole #3? Very confusing - this needs to be explained better online, at the bulletin board or somewhere, probably with better maps for both courses, maybe overlaid on top of each other
- No overall course map for the pro course (the sketch online and on the bulletin board don't quite cut it) - to me, this is a must for any top-level course - even though hole to hole navigation wasn't too bad overall, I had to hunt a bit for some pro tees (holes 5 and 16, I think, come to mind)
- Parking lot was in pretty rough shape (potholes and muddy)
- A few of the fairways and areas around baskets were a bit mucky (I think behind basket 10 and the area around 16/17/18 and the walk back to the parking lot)
- Fairly high chance for lost discs, especially if playing solo - I know this is an inherent risk playing solo, but the many blind shots enhance this issue - spent a while looking for my disc in the tall grass at the bend on hole 3 and partway down the fairways on holes 5 and 9
- I admittedly don't have a huge arm and don't prefer super-long holes, but I've come to accept them and deal - however, holes 4 and 5 here I thought were annoying since they each almost played like 2 different holes - start with a big, wide open drive and then you have to play into a precise wooded entrance only to be greeted with more hundreds of feet of wooded golf - I dunno, maybe others will view this differently (as a cool, good feature), but it seemed like a "cheap" way to have a super-long hole or two on your course - maybe this could be a way to add more holes to the complex? I'm not sure how much additional un-used land there is to work with
- Hole #3 - doglegs are fine, but u-turns are annoying
- The rough was pretty abusive and I walked away with less blood than I came in with (starting on hole 1 on a RHBH that turned too much, too early into a big thorny bush)

Other Thoughts:

- Course was overall pretty dry when I played, so I can't really say how the tees fare in wet weather
- Benches on a few holes, but probably not the majority
- Tight, gravel entrance road - don't bring your fancy, newly-washed car
- For the relative "remoteness" and isolation, it was interesting to climb the hill on hole 7 and see a modern office complex and parking lot out off the edge of the property
- Could have been an anomoly, so I don't want to list it as a "con", but when I finally found my drive on hole 5, my disc was covered...I mean covered...in ants - put my bag down in what I thought was a clear area maybe 20 feet away to clean the disc and take my second shot, but come back to find that my bag was now covered - not a fun way to spend the rest of the round, picking ants off you, your bag and your disc

This course was...unique. It was challenging and had variety, but was fairly unpolished. It seemed like a cross between an educational nature center, a rustic farm and a backwoods moonshine complex. The confusion over the first few holes was mostly an afterthought once the sign guided you to the rest of the pro course (except for the few other holes where they co-mingle again with multiple tees and baskets). This was probably the toughest course out of the 6 I played on my visit to the area. Normally that doesn't deter me, but in this case, it wasn't for the right reasons (confusing navigation, high chance for lost discs in abusive rough/foliage, etc.) - I'd rather play other tough courses that are in better shape and more refined (Buckhorn in this area, for instance). I think there is a lot of room for improvement and I think there is a lot of potential. If some things get fixed up (clarity on navigation, trim up the firways/rough a bit), I'd be interested to try it again and seeing some of the other reviews from frequent players mentioning improvements gives me hope that it will become even more spectacular over time. However, given my one-time fly-by (even considering the navigation issues that I know would be less of a issue playing a second time), I probably wouldn't go out of my way to play this one again if I'm only in town for a short visit again, given the many other solid course options in the Triangle. However, I give a lot respect to whoever built these courses. Installation of 2 courses over a wide spread of land, however rough they may be, is no small feat - hats off to you.
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8 2
sloppydisc
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 15.4 years 201 played 147 reviews
3.50 star(s)

This isn't going to be pretty 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 8, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

18 challenging holes set in a wooded property right of I40 in Durham. Multiple tee pads. There are an Advanced and Gold position as well as Rec positions marked with red rocks.

Blue baskets for Rec layout and Yellow for Advanced and Gold. Signs at each pad showing positions and lengths.

Technical wooded course with a little bit of everything. Woods, hills, creeks, ups, downs, and many tough lines to hit.

Good variety of hole lengths. There are a few short ace run type holes and there are some long tough holes that wander through the woods. Don't expect to come out and play your typical Par 3 round of golf.

Long basket positions are significantly tougher than the shorts and add a whole new challenge to this course. Gold layout can crush you if that's what you're in to.

Seldom crowded as this course doesn't seem to be a favorite of local players. I played on a Saturday afternoon, and was the only person there.

Challenging. Arguably the toughest course in the Raleigh area.

Cons:

Layout and navigation can be difficult. I would advise a guide your first time. I suspect there are still some lost souls out there from when it first opened.

Rubber tee pads. They are functional, but get muddy and washed out with debris at times.

Some would say that a few holes have 'unfairways'. Scattered trees in a few fairways can lead to some shots that are as much luck as skill.

A scenic beauty Leigh Farm is definitely not. Think of this as a reclaimed redneck garbage dump and you get the idea. There is garbage on some of the fairways and rough. This can include a lot of broken glass so wear good shoes.

During summer there are some kid's camps at the nature center. I have had to skip holes 16-18 at times due to dozens of kids near the baskets. It's rare, but possible.

Other Thoughts:

The key to playing Leigh Farm is attitude. It isn't particularly scenic, nor does it offer any memorable holes. Just know that your round won't be a thing of beauty. Chances are you'll have to pull some creative get of trouble shots, and you'll nail a random tree or two. The over/under on eaten spiders is also about 3. As you wander through the woods, you'll most likely encounter a few of our friends that live in webs. It's just part of playing here.

But there are a bunch of challenging holes that will force you to use a ton of different shots. There are some elevated baskets, hillside shots, creeks to cross and many dog legs to navigate. This isn't my favorite course in the area, but playing it on occasion will show you where your game lacks.

The other nice thing about this course is that it does continue to get better. Every time I play Leigh Farm I can see the results of the work being done by volunteers. When this course first opened it was virtually unplayable. Now it is a good course that can offer one of the better challenges in the area.

The parking lot by Hole 1 is fairly small and can be muddy. I usually park behind the office building you'll see when you first pull in. Walk down the gravel driveway and you'll see the pad for Hole 5 on your left. This is usually the best place to start.
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11 0
Olorin
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 45 years 976 played 118 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Variety Show 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:May 1, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

<span class="italic"><span class="bold"><span class="underline">NOTE:</span></span></span> This review is for the old layout. Construction forced some holes to be redesigned, and the newest (2014) layout has not been reviewed yet.

Gary Rains was the mad scientist who cooked this one up in his laboratory and he did a great job. He deserves a great deal of praise. But Carl Shumacher was Gary's tireless henchman who has put in countless hundreds of hours and an incredible amount of work building this course; without him the course wouldn't be where it is today! Please make sure to thank Gary and Carl for all of their very hard work!

*Variety and more variety! By my count there are 12 different layouts. The Advanced course has 2 sets of tees and 4 layouts for each tee (baskets in A, B, A&B, or B&A positions). Then the Rec course has 4 more layouts. If you want to frequently play something different then Leigh Farms is the place to go!
*2 basket positions on all holes!
*2 sets of tees- White and Gold. 11 holes have 2 tees while the rest have one shared tee.
*Length variety is excellent. For example, in the White-Short layout: 3<199/ 8 of 200-299/ 5 of 300-399/ 2 of 500-510. In the Gold-Long layout: 3 of 255-295/ 10 of 300-399/ and 425, 455, 525, 735, 800. By contrast, the Rec-Short course has 14<199/ 3 of 200-265/ 1 of 335.
*Elevation changes on most holes, but most are moderate
*Fairway shape variety is quite good
*Terrain variety is pretty good. Most layouts have about 9-10 wooded holes, 6-7 mixed foliage, and 2 open grassy holes.
*The Rec course would be a good place to bring beginners (if you help them navigate it).
*Tee signs are top quality! They may be the best in the Triangle.

Cons:

-For first timers the course takes a lot of mental effort (and some time) to fully grok how all of the Rec and Adv holes fit together and how to navigate your way on the two courses.
-You can't see 9 baskets from the tee, so first timers will need to do some scouting, but there are excellent maps on every tee sign.
-Map: The Rec course map has a few holes that are inaccurate and need to be redone. The Advanced course needs a better map. Both maps need to have both basket placements marked.

Other Thoughts:

While the course was being built I heard some grumbling (but many disc golfers grumble anyway). I think the problem was that the designers had a vision for the finished course that they could see in their minds, but most others couldn't look at the current state of construction and see or understand where they were going. Then the work to produce the vision proceeded in an unusual way that appeared haphazard, so some people got frustrated trying to figure out what was going on, and they gave the course a bad rap. Now that the course is finished I think we can all see more clearly what the designers were envisioning. The course has turned out very nicely especially as it has gotten more amenities and navigational aids. I only hope that some of the bad vibes don't linger because I really like this course.

~My favorite hole- Advanced 14. A straight slightly downhill wooded hole that requires you to hit your line. The basket is guarded by a small creek bed in front.
~Course beauty is above average overall. Some holes are very scenic while others are merely average.
~Tee material: concrete is not allowed so they have large rubber mats. They work well, but may not be everyone's favorite.
~Location: the course is 3 minutes off of I-40 so it's very easy to get to if you're in that area.

Overall this is a really good, solid course that offers tons of variety. Pros and Advanced players will enjoy the long tees, Intermediate players will enjoy the white tees, and beginners will like the Rec layout. Leigh Farms is well worth a visit to play!

<span class="underline">A note about my rating:</span> My rating is a subjective measure of my <span class="italic">enjoyment</span> of the course, on the day I played it, and it is NOT intended to be a measure of the <span class="italic">quality</span> of the course. My Enjoyment Ratings are given "on the curve" in relation to all other courses I've played.

Look in the "Links/Files" section for my files with Hole-by-hole ratings and a more detailed Overall review. You can also read more of my review philosophy and rating notes at Disc Golf Course Reviews
----------
I'm always trying to improve my reviews, so if you mark this review unhelpful or you find a mistake, please send me a Personal Message to tell me what is wrong with it. I'll be grateful for the feedback.
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6 0
mx23ang
Experience: 13.3 years 75 played 23 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Lost in 'Leighs Lair' 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Apr 1, 2012 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Starting off I like to let everyone know what Im personally looking for in a course. I love the scenic aspect of disc golf (this includes boulders, lakes, wildlife, and plantlife- I do study horticulture). With that being stated, I rate a course based on a combination of the scenic factor and the overall course aspects (this includes layout, fairway lines, divesity of holes, and amenities)
Diversity, diversity, diversity! I found myself throwing every shot in my bag the two rounds I endured on the lair. This includes flicks through super tight lines, backhands throughout several open bomber holes, and some overhanded shots trying to scramble to save par.
Super challenging fairways lined with all sorts of native shrubs, grasses, and geophytes.
Several elevated baskets that most certainly provides for the risk/reward shot.

Cons:

I am not a fan of the rubber tee pads, I feel like they get slick with just the slighest amount of moisture and mud/dirt/particles. On many of the holes when it has been raining a day before you should stand and deliver, or risk busting your bottoms.
I enjoy woods golf, and will not complain or view tight fairways as a con.. There were just a few scraggly trees that I may cut down if it were my course, it is good to keep a course tough tho.. Eventually some of the fairways may open up and if it does look for some high calibur tournaments here..
Me and my buddy played first day of April and the inchworms/silkworms(not sure of the species of lepidoptera) were really bad. Like we played singles first round and then doubles the second round and by the time we came back through the main fairways were once agian covered in these larvae

Other Thoughts:

Overall I really enjoyed my experience at Leigh Farm. Personally I think some of the other reviewers were to harsh on this place, and their review probably reflected on hitting many trees and becoming frustrating with tight line after tight line. It seems I am running into alot of courses that stack up in between the numbers, I would call this one a 3.75 in its current state. Trying to be optimistic I will vote up and give it a 4
My Score first round +5 course par and I'll take it and run
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5 1
pfpro
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 55 played 42 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Confusing layout, but Great course (plus potential) - UPDATED 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Mar 24, 2014 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

- This has the potential to be the best course in Durham.
- Super convenient to interstate 40, and new paved parking lot has tons of parking (although I would park on the left so you don't catch an errant drive from advanced 16).
- There is a lot of variation. You have the short Rec course - which has two basket positions. Then you can play the advanced course, which has the two positions, and at least half of those holes have Pro tees. I am probably slightly off, but there are probably almost 100 potential hole layouts (half of which you can play in one set-up when you hit the 3 tees). The A & B pin positions actually make the holes quite different most of the time.
- There are some unique pin positions - on little bluffs, elevated baskets (RIP #7 on the pyramid -it is now a "death putt" from the top of the hill), letting the streams make island greens, etc.
- There are benches at most tees.
- When playing the long set-up (and/or the pro pads) this has some of the longest golf in the triangles.
- This is a tight challenging course. You could play a putter only round on the recs (as an advanced player), and you will be forced to hit your lines. Not necessarily a beginner course.

Cons:

- The course is confusing. The actual map (on this site) is for Rec and is accurate. You will throw to both yellow and blue bands. The sketched map was accurate (will see what they are going to do with the construction). You will only throw to yellow bands. The signs are on the advanced pads and are accurate. With the construction, several holes have been modified, and those signs are not up (they are laying on the ground). I am assuming that once construction is finished, the signs will be updated.
- It's still early spring, so the rough hasn't started to grow, but the rough can be really rough. Hopefully, with the re-opening after the two year hiatus, traffic will beat it back a little. I am a little concerned though.
- There is still a lot of trash (I sort of can't believe that they do kids camps here - is your tetanus shot up to date?).
- I'm concerned that some of the improvements to the Farm will bring more summer camp traffic. On 12, I would have decapitated someone sitting in the circle of benches. Some of the hiking trails are fairways.
- It's a little soft after precipitation.

Other Thoughts:

OK - so I was super pumped to get back out and play this course as it was closed for almost two years. My game has changed and improved, and I wanted to see what this course really was like (as I was a novice when I wrote the original review).

Verdict - there are some changes, but I still think this course has some of the best DG in the Triangle.

I actually lowered my rating to 3.5. With the re-layout I'm confused a little bit, some of the teepads aren't permanent and I'm not sure if there will be two pin positions - or how they will layout without crossing fairways. I'm assuming it will be awesome, then my rating goes back up to 4 (or 4.5). I'm confused about the basket on 5 - it's a blue band - do I play it in rec? I still see the old "short" pin at ~700'.

I see issues with foot traffic from the summer camps - don't know if holes will be modified to work around. I'm sure that with no disc golf, the campers now have squatting rights.

With the changes to hole layouts (advanced) - the new 6 becomes harder, as the basket isn't on the top of the hill - it's right on the edge. I like 7s placement, but it is close to potential camp activities and the basket for 10. I'm sad about 16 - it used to be a tunnel, with a sharp turn at the end - now if you don't hyzer, you're going to catch a windshield (and they cleared a ton of trees).
- My favorite holes are 14 (great tunnel with some strategically placed trees you have to snake to an "island" green across a creek), 15 (short hole, tight tunnel to elevated pin) and 17 (pin position B plays over/around a historic log cabin).

I know this isn't a Charlotte course, but, to me, it's the closest thing to it in the Triangle. I hope they complete the work and are able to coexist with the camps.
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7 1
grizzles
Experience: 1 played 1 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Great new course, challenging 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 16, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

I played the advanced layout from the gold tees (where they exist). I found this layout to be very interesting, challenging and rewarding. Lots of placement shots, well guarded baskets, and elevated or otherwise interesting pin locations. There is adequate signage to find your way around the course (no problem finding all 18 w/o local knowledge). There is a good mix of open/wooded and long/short holes. Fairways in the woods are tight but fair and will continue to evolve with traffic.

It is great to have a course with legitimate and interesting par 4's and 5's (definitely some 4's, maybe a 5?). These are achieved with more than raw distance as well; forcing very interesting placement shots and doglegs to setup subsequent shots.

Cons:

Rubber tee mats are cool and make course redesign easier, but have a tendency to be lumpy. This will get sorted out with more traffic. There are currently no hole signs indicating distance/layout/par. There is a good bit of broken glass and otherwise hazardous debris out there. Of course, everyone can help out with that...

Other Thoughts:

Currently, the only downsides to this course are related to it being relatively new. Signage will improve (although it's adequate now), fairways will widen and groundcover will be trampled down, tee boxes will level out as folks take the time to repair the divots and lumps, and there SHOULD be less trash on the course with each playing.

For me, the 5-star standard bearing course is the Web at Ho's Nest (Charlotte, NC). Leigh Farm will, no doubt, improve to a solid 4-star course with traffic, additional signage, and clean-up. It lacks the inherent aesthetics of a course like the Web (although it definitely offers similar shots) which would prevent it from being a 5-star course for me personally. That will not keep it from being in my top 2-3 courses in the area, though. I'm feeling mighty spoiled to have UNC and Leigh Farm as my local courses.

In short, I loved this course and am thrilled to have it in the area. I expect to be playing this course quite often. This course will get better and better as more people play it. So, bring your friends, your straight fairway drivers, and have a blast.
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8 1
simonsaysncsu
Experience: 1 played 1 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Work in progress... 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 13, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

Loved the layout of the holes. Good mix of straight-on play, corners, short, and long. Also enjoyed the elevation changes and ravines that affect decision-making.

Some baskets are very close to drop-offs, but these were my favorite holes because of the added challenge. I think a few of the later holes, 14-16, were among the most challenging (and most fun) due to length and basket placement.

This is a heavily wooded course, and you get a good sense of being back in the deep woods on some of the holes. It quickly became dark at sunset when I played because of all the tree cover. Fun stuff.

Cons:

It's still in need of some work, but this course is already fun to play! It's hard to find some of the tee boxes as they're not well-marked. It doesn't cause too much of a problem though; usually you can find a trail to follow.
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10 1
kerplunk
Experience: 16.2 years 42 played 17 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Teesigns installation in progress 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Oct 13, 2010 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Long and short course integrated, with the long course using a few holes from the short course and combining another few, plus adding 6 that are unique to the long course. Map for both is on hole one (and online I think), and indications of which way to go are found at the more confusing points on the course. Teesign installation is in progress, I think about half are in at this point, but I think they are only for the long layout. The short course is good for a pitch and putt round or for less experienced players, and the long course will challenge even the best players with its length and toughness. Two teepads and pin positions for almost every hole on the long course. I like the rubber teepads, some are still a little uneven but will level out over time. The rubber teepads can be moved if necessary or desired, an obvious advantage over concrete. Also much easier on your shoes. Not very crowded, but getting worse. Good variety of left, right, and straight holes. Discatcher baskets. A few memorable holes, including the one off of the hill to an elevated basket and one where an old barn comes into play. Not much else happening at this park, especially on the course, so you are unlikely to run into other park patrons other than near the parking lot. <15min from other good/great courses in the area- southern village, anderson park, chapel hill, cornwallis, and valley springs.

Cons:

As others have said, teepads too close to baskets in a few cases, but this place is usually fairly empty so not much of a problem yet. Apparently parts of the course were used as a dump, so there is old trash around in some places. The long course can still be a little tough to figure out in places. Some of the roughs are still pretty nasty. The long grass on some holes does suck, I recommend pants or long socks. It can be easy to forget what position the basket is in and alot of them aren't visible from the tee, but I think the layout is posted on hole one. Not much parking near hole 1, especially since other park patrons use it, but there is plenty by hole 8 (the big hill).

Other Thoughts:

STOP WHINING! This course is made in the NC tradition, meaning it is very wooded, but was also made with champion caliber players in mind, which means it is long. If you don't like tight courses, don't come play here, go to UNC as others have recommended. The "tweener" argument is simply not true, a number of the holes are true par 4s and the par 3s are mostly reachable with a very good or excellent shot, although this depends a little on the layout. The long course can still be a little tricky, so please contact me if you need a guide. This course is still developing, so I expect my rating will go up to 4 eventually. You can park by the office buildings and start on 8 or 9 if you have a low car or the lot is full. Singles are twice a month, with a handicapping system. I was doubtful at first, but is is actually very fair and still rewards a great round no matter how good you are. Check out the DORDA website for dates/time. The duck flies at midnight. This course is fun, challenging, and much less crowded than the more "polished" courses, like UNC, but if you want to go play with a million frat boys by all means skip this course and go there.
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