-Concrete tees
-Nice Mach baskets
-Good hole signs with distance
-Good course map on the big board
-They had stocked the scorecards with map and distances
-Good layout and use of space and elevation
-Beautiful views and scenery

-Some holes are close to others and some holes are close to building. That could be an issue if it was busy or you have a shot go awry.
-Lacking a little on length and variety of distance.
-Not many benches that I noticed.

We were on vacation and took one morning to go play. It's was well worth it.

There are restrooms and a playground for the little kiddos. Macy and Luke enjoyed that.

-Good tee pads, like said in another review I don't see where they could squeeze in another 9 holes but A second set of tees on each hole would make it a lot more fun to play.
-The flow was OK, it didn't just lead you around but was fairly easy to get from one tee to the other except from the 2 basket to the 3 tee was all the way around a football field.
-Good baskets, most holes could get another pin placement and give some alternate shots
-Elevation change

-Only 9 holes with no secondary tees is an obvious one.
-Somewhat noisy and in a fairly busy park, the day I played their was several parties going on where I played a few shots I normally would not have taken to stay very clear of non players.
- Also previously said, 2 seems a little unrealistic to have a shot at birdie consistently. It has no real "lines" to play its just flick or anny and see which tree puts you where.
-Walk from 9 back to the parking lot is a pretty good trek.

-Gnats were AWFUL the day I played, swarming my parties bags and us too. Im not sure of the reason but bring your bug spray.
-Only concrete tees in the area

This course has everything in one. I love the views offered like on hole 6! That Is why my girlfriend and I sponsored it ! Lol. Check it out when you play and have fun!

Wish it had more holes. And distance between parts of the course to another.

Love it! ABSOLUTE MUST PLAY

Great tees. Quality baskets. Amenities of a great park facility. Elevation change was nice. Good flow. Quick play if you're in Gatlinburg for vacation.

Long walk back from 9 to 1. I can see them squeezing in 9 more. If you get the funds and land, holla and I'll help design lol.

Hole 2 seemed unnecessarily long with no great lines. The basket could of been tucked back up the hill to the right and it would still play difficult but reachable. As it stands now its spray and pray. I had a good anny line going and hit one skinny tree and I was down the hill left behind 1's tee. You could also groom the fairway a little more making the shot more fun. The original opening I'd keep but maybe take out some trees further down the fairway. I see the point there: you have the length so use it. Just seemed unnecessary.

Hole 3 was really fun but the sign said OB path and left for advanced players. I am an advanced player and that seems really punishing considering how far the path curves in on that fairway. At the very least make only the path OB and even that's luck to fall on it. My shot was left of the path pin high about 70 ft. Already I'm looking at a downhill putt w the steep hill behind my shot. My point is that I shouldn't be unfairly penalized by making a good throw. If I had to take a penalty it would be waaaaaaay back where the path curves right and where my disc first crossed it. This concern also applies to hole 4 where the path and supposed left of path OB also come into play. Not as much here but a crazy bad skip left on a hyzer would already penalize you enough. Hole 7 has this same issue with regards to OB and its a waaaay more difficult shot than 3 or 4.

Hole 8 was really fun but reminded me of the unnecessary length you saw with hole 2. Those woods are not utilized properly. I would of put the basket up on the hill so that players could have some runs at it. As it plays now, it's a layup and pitch for three. You either need to remove some trees or rethink the basket location. If you get more baskets, I could see that patch of woods being two holes.

Hole 9 needs one tree taken out to make it really ace run worthy. The tee was also awkwardly aligned to the type of throw most would take. Not a complaint because I emptied my bag here lol.

I enjoyed my round there and if I had all day I would of played all day.

Definitely worth the trip. Don't take my cons as complaints as much as ways this course could be a solid 3.5 nine holer.

I'd also look to put in dual tees if another 9 baskets isn't in the future.

The positives on this course after the 2021 redesign are that it is still on that same gorgeous property that Mills Park DGC has always been on so you still get to experience the Great Smoky Mountains while throwing discs. This is obviously a huge plus. Another plus is that with there being a "short and long" basket on each hole, you can pick whichever layout you want to play, or even throw two off the tee to play both layouts in one loop.

Old Hole 3 is now Hole 7. Old Hole 4 is now Hole 8. I do like the fact that these 2 original holes are still in play, however now you have to walk behind Hole 8's basket (that players could be throwing towards) to get to Hole 7's tee. Even if you never played the original layout here you would be able to notice that this is a flow of play issue. In addition to this, possibly the most fun hole on the og layout (Hole 9) which was practically a jump putt of the tee with a huge elevation drop and basket on the other side of a creek, is gone. This is a hole that everyone around the area knew and loved. This was just super fun and short shot that made you want to empty your bag on ace runs and it definitely kept this course in your mind after you left. I will forever miss this hole. From what I have heard, this hole was taken out due to safety concerns because of how steep the hill was. However, you still have to walk that hill because Hole 9 now plays up the hill instead of down it. This is silly. In my opinion, there are now more safety concerns on the course than there ever was due there being 18 baskets tightly packed in such a small area. Not only do we have the issues I mentioned with Holes 7 and 8, now Hole 1's "long pin" plays directly towards Hole 2's tee pad. Furthermore, after you finish your round on Hole 9, you now have to walk directly up and through Hole 2's fairway to get back to where you started the course. If safety was the reason for some of the course being changed, the mark was missed.

This review hurts to write. Mills Park DGC in Gatlinburg, TN has always been one of my favorite short little 9 hole courses to play in East Tennessee. I first played the course possibly close to 8-10 years ago and have tried my best to get back to the course at least once per year since then. It was never a big long challenging course, rather more of a short just absolutely fun little layout to play. Just straight up fun! In 2021, Mills Park DGC had a course redesign and for me, it absolutely ruined the course. Two of the original holes are still in play but are now different numbers on the course. Old Hole 3 is now Hole 7. Old Hole 4 is now Hole 8. I do like the fact that these 2 original holes are still in play, however now you have to walk behind Hole 8's basket (that players could be throwing towards) to get to Hole 7's tee. Even if you never played the original layout here you would be able to notice that this is a flow of play issue. In addition to this, possibly the most fun hole on the og layout (Hole 9) which was practically a jump putt of the tee with a huge elevation drop and basket on the other side of a creek, is gone. This is a hole that everyone around the area knew and loved. This was just super fun and short shot that made you want to empty your bag on ace runs and it definitely kept this course in your mind after you left. I will forever miss this hole. From what I have heard, this hole was taken out due to safety concerns because of how steep the hill was. However, you still have to walk that hill because Hole 9 now plays up the hill instead of down it. This is silly. In my opinion, there are now more safety concerns on the course than there ever was due there being 18 baskets tightly packed in such a small area. Not only do we have the issues I mentioned with Holes 7 and 8, now Hole 1's "long pin" plays directly towards Hole 2's tee pad. Furthermore, after you finish your round on Hole 9, you now have to walk directly up and through Hole 2's fairway to get back to where you started the course. If safety was the reason for some of the course being changed, the mark was missed. The positives on this course are that it is still on that same gorgeous property that Mills Park DGC has always been on so you still get to experience the Great Smoky Mountains while throwing discs. This is obviously a huge plus. Another plus is that with there being a "short and long" basket on each hole, you can pick whichever layout you want to play, or even throw two off the tee to play both layouts in one loop. In short, if you have played this course before, please forget everything you know about it and think of it as a brand new course that was just put in. That is pretty much the only way you are going to enjoy this course. This short, fun little near-annual trip for me will no longer happen. If I am ever in the area and have free time and absolutely need a disc golf fix, I will play it again. But I will likely never travel to specifically play this course again. This hurts to say. If you want to see this new layout on video, check out the videos below where I feature both the Short Pins and Long Pins.

Short Pins: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vi8qYIv_ao8
Long Pins: https://www.youtube.com/watch...TA&t=199s

Check out this playlist to see both the OG Layout and both of the new layouts: https://www.youtube.com/playl...k_aeHAq8MIVbX

Closest park to Gatlinburg TN for tourists in the area.

Only a 9 hole course and a football field separates holes 1 & 2 from the rest of the course.

The 9th hole is a treat for a steep down hill throw but there are no built in steps to help get down from the tee.

I went and played this course on my wedding day while my wife got her hair done. The course has a good mix. I really like the hole layout of number 2 because it reminds me of Glenn Hilton. Good tee pads and quite area.

Long walk from 2 to 3. Hole 9 is unsafe to walk down.

The course was a great way to spend a quite morning. I meet a friend on the course that knew the course so that helped. I shot a 3 over. Could break even if played enough for any rec golfer.

a couple wide open, mostly elevation changes and trees.
Nice little course for a quick game.

LONG walk from 2 to 3, it's across the football field.
LONG walk back to parking lot, the course doesn't circle back.

It was fun to play a game before heading into the Smoky Mountains for some hiking.

It's close to town, which is great for a tourists jonesin to play like myself. It has a unique design with great use of elevation. 2 8 and 9 were by far my favorite. 9 I literally said " wow " and emptied my whole bag.

It's very short. Going from basket of 2 to the t pad of 3 is annoying to navigate. Plus the fact that 9 ends so far from tpad 1 is rather frustrating. Some upkeep is needed. A tree had fallen on top of 7 tpad the week I was in Gatlinburg and wasn't removed the entire time I was there.

Overall a great course if you are in Gatlinburg.

It was close to town and clean.
Baskets were in good shape.
tees were nice and longer than normal
a great course for children or begginers.

Very short, no real opportunities to rip a drive (unless you play down the practice football field beside #9 to #6's basket)
No cell service....

Good for Family or learning. Or just a nice realxing day out to practise

Great variety of shots
Several birdie opportunities
Nice tee pads, baskets, and course map
Course map and scorecards available

Long walks
Gnats/mosquitos
No long throws

Overall this was a fun course and since it is the only course near Gatlinburg, it makes it a little more attractive. Most holes require a pretty well placed throw in order to birdie. Holes 2 and 8 have way too many trees and are almost impossible to do well on. Hole 5 is directly behind a tree and unless you get it to the other side of that tree on throw 1 or 2 you have no chance at par.

- Great use of Natural and Man-Made Features. There were several holes that utilized steep hillsides with thick vegetation as punishment for errant shots. Elevation was used quite effectively, with: uphill, downhill, and sidehill danger. Several holes had a walking path that created island/peninsula type fairways and greens. The combination of the steep hillsides, use of elevation, thick rough, fairway shaping via the cement walking paths and pin placements in relation to the potential for punishment made for a few really fun golf holes that required you to throw shots - or else... get a bogey or two and struggle to recover in time to finish better than even Par.
- That it's There. My girlfriend and I were going on a "non-disc golf date" (whitewater rafting, touristy shit in Gatlinburg: shopping, the micro-brewery, the moonshine distillery, etc.). And, somehow I was able to work this 9-holer into our plans. I love when everything works out. (she sat in the car because there were too many bugs).

- Long Walks. There were a few long walks out there that were somewhat unavoidable (park layout and land availability wise) and unforgiveable (are you freaking kidding me?) at the same time. There is a near ¼ mile walk between holes 2 and 3, and an even further walk from Hole 9 back to the car/Hole 1.
- Hole 2. Hole 2 is a 300'+ severe anhyzer without any particular fairway to speak of. They call it a Par 4, but it's still a crappy hole.
Note: Holes 1 and 2 might not even be worth playing because Hole 2 is so bad. Besides, not playing them would prevent you from having to take the long walk from 2 to 3 and the extremely long walk back to the car from 9. If I lived in Gatlinburg, or if I played this course again, I would park in the street parking area between Hole 3 and 9 and opt not to play Holes 1 and 2.

- Overall. I'm glad this little course in Gatlinburg is here... it's a great thing for the local community and a great little course for tourists to check out while visiting the region. The course is as fun as a city park style 9-hole course can be, but has one really quirky hole and a few long walks. It should be pointed out that I never did find Hole 6?? I somehow found myself on Hole 7's tee-pad without having played Hole 6 and didn't really spend too much time looking for it as beer drinking, moonshine drinking (albeit the legal stuff) and rafting were the priorities for the day. If you're on a vacation here, Mills Park would be a fun little course to bag... but, probably not a good course to bag if you had no other reason to be in the area.
- Gatlinburg... was like a little miniature Las Vegas strip combined with Hollywood Blvd and a little bit of Disneyland. There were TONS of things to do: Great Smoky Mountain National Park, Dollywood, shopping on the main drag, the Smoky Mountain micro-brewery, the Ole Smoky Moonshine distillery, and more...
- Rafting. We went down the Pigeon River with NOC's (Nantahala Outdoor Center) Pigeon River crew. We went on the evening run (4-6:30pm) which saved us $20 each and gave us plenty of time to golf and visit Gatlinburg. The rapids were awesome... somewhat simple class 3, maybe-baby class 4 rapids. Lots of fun, warm-ish water, great outfitter... I wouldn't go rafting with any of the other companies!
- My Score: even (unfortunately)

- varied shot selection - good practice
- ace & birdie opp's
- ready facilities, comfortable to play
- 1st day of vacation and beat the croud. Fantastic views of the Smokies

- They make it pretty easy for you to have a good time, so who can complain

Pretty sure #6 will be my first ace - missed by 5 feet both first times. Check in with you later...

This is a fun little course to play. Once you know your way around its really enjoyable to play.
- Concrete tee pads, even though a little on the short side, are better than not concrete tee pads
- Baskets are in good condition
- Big course map at the start and it always has scorecards available
#6 has a really wonderful view of the mountains as you throw a nice high hyzer down to the basket.

- Only 9 holes so not much variation over 18 holes
- Tee pads could be longer but at least they are concrete
- #9 is flat out dangerous to go down, especially when its somewhat wet
- the really nice signs they show in the media section are mostly not there anymore, which sucks because they look nice

After finishing #2 walk around the track by the road and up past the softball field to find #3. After that, navigation is really easy. If you are in Gatlinburg and looking to play some disc golf, it is a worth while course to play. I think my friends and I played 63 holes on a birthday weekend.

It was close to town and clean.
Baskets were in good shape.
tees were nice and longer than normal
a great course for children or begginers.

Very short course
not a good flow
signage wasn't very good

It's not a bad course just probably the best that could have been done with the amount of land they were given. I'm not sure i'd play it again.

Nice, scenic location. Well kept facilities.

Hard to navigate.
Inaccurate map/signage.
Danger of hitting park users.

It was confusing finding the tees even with the map. 2 and 3 were inordinately far apart, and 9 is a long way from the main parking lot.
1 & 2 are adjacent to a graveyard. the day I played there was a fresh grave dug which I greatly feared losing a disc in.
Some of the signs on the tees where loose and seemed to be in the wrong places.
I did not find hole 9 amusing at all, especially since it was wet and muddy.

All the holes were too short and easy considering the punishment I went thru to play 'em.

Possibly the course is being worked on, hopefully it gets better.

Concrete pads, interesting holes, very well maintained. Great use of available land.
No cell service

Long walk from #2 to #3
Very short, no real opportunities to rip a drive (unless you play down the practice football field beside #9 to #6's basket)
No cell service....

This was a fun little course...
no real tough holes except #2...and #9 is just a classic shot that you rarely have in DG.

It is very short, but the holes are designed well enough that you have to have some technique to get into birdie position.
Very well maintained park this is a MUST play if in G'burg...but still hard to justify a trip to the middle of the smokeys for just a 9 hole PnP but I can guarantee that you'll have fun with the course.

Good course map at hole one and good signs at every hole. Pleasant park environment with a variety of holes. Level, clean tees and good baskets. Elevation changes throughout and some demanding shots. Ample parking, public restrooms.

Course layout can be hard to follow on first visit. Course ends far from parking.

I looked forward to playing this course while visiting Gatlinburg on a family vacation, and it did not disappoint. I played two rounds the morning after my arrival and enjoyed the experience, though finding my way around the course was a bit tricky despite the helpful maps. When I first arrived I took a digital photo of the course map with my camera which I ended up consulting twice during the round.

The trickiest spot was after hole two, where there's a fairly significant walk to the tee for number three, which is on the other side of the track (fenced). Once you've finished hole two, face the track; you want to head to your left (i.e. towards the road you drove in on) to go around the track and reach three. Go the other way and you'll end up bushwhacking and/or wading.

Hole two was the most difficult for me, requiring a curving shot through the woods; it was a wake-up after the relatively benign opening hole. A couple of shots are good ace opportunities, including six, despite the fact that it's a blind shot -- quite nice. And several people have commented on number nine; it is a short, steep downhill that's a real treat. Just be careful going down after your disc, as the slope can be quite slick.

It's great to have this disc golf course near the amazing assortment of other attractions in Gatlinburg and nearby, not least of which are the multitude of mini-golf courses. It's in a park near the downtown hustle, but provides a quiet getaway. Now if only Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge had as many disc golf courses as mini-golf courses....

Mills Park DGC was a nice relief to the touristy hustle and bustle of Gatlinburg. Located a few miles from center city, its an easy trip over here to enjoy this one.

Course is equipped with Mach 5 baskets, two layers of chains. Baskets catch very well. Tee pads are concrete, of sufficient size for most holes. Ground behind tee pads are level and flush with the pad, making an extended runup easy. Wooden tee pad with griptape on #9 is quite small, but when you get there you'll realize that you won't need anything more. Tee signs depict hole, map, par and distance. Map and distances are accurate. Large map of the course displayed at hole 1(located just off the parking lot), along with scorecards/maps available at the kiosk, a nice little extra.

Layout of the course is fairly technical. A few wooded holes force precise lines, open holes utilize change in elevation to add a challange. (Optional)OB can make this course even toughter. Course is balanced when it comes to uphill/downhill shots and left/right/straight shots. A great mix with no repitition. Most baskets are visible from tee pad, #2 and #8 play blind, but the map on tee signs are accurate.

Practice basket located next to the pavilion in an open, unused area. CLEANer bathrooms than I've seen at other courses, located under the pavilion by first tee. Some places to sit along the way include picnic tables by the start, more tables by hole 4.

Course is well manicured, and the park as a hole is well kept. There were no obvious problems here in the way of litter, deterioration or vandalism.

Above all else, the gnats were a problem(at least in the spring/summer months). Bugs in the eyes sure doesn't help your accuracy.

Walk between holes 2 and 3 could be a problem if you aren't carrying a map. After hole 2 take a walk along the far side of the track, enter gate onto track and walk to the opening on the opposite side where you will find tee pad for hole 3. Walk from hole 9 to hole 1/parking lot is a slight hike, and the map could also help.

9 holes, and appears that there is no room to expand.

This is a tough course for me to give an accurate rating, but I've done my best. I bounced back and forth with this one. Equipment in great shape, holes short and some uneventful. Great use of OB and obsticles, paths along fairways. Rough walking towards the end, but treated to the best <200' holes I've ever played(hole 9).

For me, Mills Park comes in a little over a 3, but not quite 3.5. Garbage cans, lack of flow in a few areas, and length of holes keeps this one from anything higher. Holes range from 165'-300', but change in elevation adds a great challange.

There are no trash cans within the course, so at least pack your trash to the end. Cans near pavilion at start.

Difficulty - Not a bad course to introduce players to the game, with some short holes to boost confidence, but a few tight lines which can show newbies the importance of throwing a disc where you mean to. Intermediates will enjoy some unique lines and the use of elevation to add a bit of difficulty. Pros will use this as pitch and putt practice, and will cure the itch if a round is greatly desired, but no long bombs and only one super tight line here. All levels will appreciate the beauty and creativity of hole 9.

I wouldn't venture out of the way to play here, maybe if you're just passing through or visiting the area. The closest course is almost an hour away, so its worth playing if you're trip doesn't venture away from Gatlinburg for sure. But for a 9-holer, definately not bad.

• Long, level concrete tee pads on every hole.
• Terrific, accurate signage on every hole.
• Very clean, well maintained, safe local neighborhood park.
• Good use of limited space available.
• Mostly open holes with lots of trees for obstacles, plus a few tighter wooded holes.
• Decent variety of shots and great use of elevation.
• Beginner/family/kid friendly.

• Course layout is hard to follow; course is in three different sections of the park.
• Course plays adjacent to walking trails so beware other park users.
• Walking down the steep #9 fairway can be dangerous--be careful, we slipped numerous times!
• Some areas were very squishy even a few days after the latest rainfall.
• We were swarmed by gnats and mosquitoes when we played; so many that I had to shake them off of my sunglasses.

This is a fun little course right in the middle of Gatlinburg. While I would not travel out of the wy just to play here, it is definitely a good place for an enjoyable round of DG while visiting the area or passing through. Most holes are carefully laid out although not too challenging. I really liked #2 (long, gently right turn through tight woods) and #9 is a sharp downhill ace run even with your putter. The designers of this course did a great job with the available real estate. That said, the layout of the course is hard to follow without the map; with the map you will have no problems at all.