Morristown Kiwanis DGC reviews
8
1
I liked the rocks 2+ years
Reviewed:
Updated:
Played on:Oct 15, 2018
Played the course:2-4 times
Pros:
-I don't know what to say really. I guess the fact that there are alternate pin positions could be a good thing (read cons below).
-Starts off with a good starter. It's an uphill ace run that requires height because of the rocks in the fairway. The rocks are honestly the only thing that kept me from walking off on this course. Hole 9 was an okay valley shot. The tree in the middle of the fairway kinda forces a control hyzer. Or you could go through the left gap and try to anhyzer an overstable mid or putter and have it cut back left and leave you with a short birdie putt.
-There's a gatorade vending machine that isn't sold out. That's a relief.
-Teesigns include both pin positions on the diagrams. Course isn't that hard to navigate.
-Honestly, my favorite part of the course was looking at the cave on hole 13. It's pretty cool!
-Starts off with a good starter. It's an uphill ace run that requires height because of the rocks in the fairway. The rocks are honestly the only thing that kept me from walking off on this course. Hole 9 was an okay valley shot. The tree in the middle of the fairway kinda forces a control hyzer. Or you could go through the left gap and try to anhyzer an overstable mid or putter and have it cut back left and leave you with a short birdie putt.
-There's a gatorade vending machine that isn't sold out. That's a relief.
-Teesigns include both pin positions on the diagrams. Course isn't that hard to navigate.
-Honestly, my favorite part of the course was looking at the cave on hole 13. It's pretty cool!
Cons:
-Before you read this section, I need to mention that this isn't my definition of a fun course. I get that. I'm not a fan of short and wooded. I like wooded courses with more variety, length, and better elevation change. However, my experience here was bad. Most of the baskets were in the alternate pins. I looked closely at the tee sign diagrams and the media after my round here and saw that the baskets were indeed in the alternate pins. Most of them are either mediocre, or not my idea of fun. The original pins are a little better, but simply aren't my taste.
-I wouldn't recommend this course if you don't live nearby, just go to Panther Creek or drive to Knoxville. Some issues at those courses are what we have here at Kiwanis, but at least there's a good mix of holes there. And the issues are not as excessive. Some people have said that they don't like the new pins at Rotary and I get it (the long par 3s are stupid there.) The approach shots may be odd to some people. The reason why I like some of them is because most of the new pins are par 4s and give more options on how to approach the hole to get a better look for birdie. Since every hole here is truly a par 3, you are left with some bogus tee shots with little to no room.
-After the first hole, I was looking forward to playing the remaining seventeen holes. I get to hole 2 and it's in the alt pin. I wasn't a fan of it. It's maybe 220'. There's a well groomed and lengthy wooded fairway, but then you realize that the basket is about 40-50' tucked into the woods to the right. Hole 3 was really bad. It's a skip hyzer shot (I'd skip the hole entirely and skip to the next hole), basket was in the alt pin to the left in the woods.
-Hole 5 is where you start to make jokes. This hole should be in the original placement in the open. No debate about this. The original pin is maybe 250' around the orchard of trees. The alt pin is in the woods. The green is guarded by dozens of pine trees. I threw a big hyzer and hit one of them. Luckily it rolled out in the open. Discs get stuck in pine trees, and considering the fact there's no actual lane to get to the basket from the pad, this hole sucks. Not to mention most of these trees are limbless until maybe 25' off the ground. Good luck climbing them. How high can you go? I wonder how high the person who thought this was a good idea was. To be fair though, the original pin is pretty solid.
-Holes 10 and 11 are pieces of art. I'd compare them to those canvas paintings of people jerking off (yes those paintings exist). No idea why artists are compelled to paint something like that, and I have no idea why holes like these two holes were designed the way the were. The only "art" you'll see are the rocks in the fairway. Your best bet on hole 10 is to throw a sideways flick down the right side (if you're a righty). If you're a lefty, I'd stop playing now. I posted on my instagram story a photo of this hole and captioned "How tf do you play this hole??"
The trees in front of the pad on 11 need to go. This hole is uphill and full of rocks. I threw a great hyzer and dodged the trees, but was left 40' short of the pin. You have to throw an extreme hyzer just to find out that your shot ended up just a bit short.
-I literally quit trying after 13. I would throw and be left with maybe a 60' approach. No need to finish; go to the next hole.
-My favorite hole was a wide open 230' putter shot (#17). If I think that's the best hole on the course, then that means I didn't have fun. The original pin is to the right and tucked into the woods, but the basket was in the alt pin, or I guess the short pin. I was having a hard time having a good attitude about this course, so I threw my shield and picked it up and called it a birdie (my drive was bad and I had maybe a 50' putt). The long pin is a well designed sidearm hole. Don't change the pin position to be a boring toss in the open.
-#18 is a strange finisher. It's typical for this course; there's a tree in the middle of the fairway that gives two small gaps and the hole cuts to the right and makes sort of a lighting bolt shape.
-Baskets are old and a bit beat up. Graffiti on a few of them.
-I wouldn't recommend this course if you don't live nearby, just go to Panther Creek or drive to Knoxville. Some issues at those courses are what we have here at Kiwanis, but at least there's a good mix of holes there. And the issues are not as excessive. Some people have said that they don't like the new pins at Rotary and I get it (the long par 3s are stupid there.) The approach shots may be odd to some people. The reason why I like some of them is because most of the new pins are par 4s and give more options on how to approach the hole to get a better look for birdie. Since every hole here is truly a par 3, you are left with some bogus tee shots with little to no room.
-After the first hole, I was looking forward to playing the remaining seventeen holes. I get to hole 2 and it's in the alt pin. I wasn't a fan of it. It's maybe 220'. There's a well groomed and lengthy wooded fairway, but then you realize that the basket is about 40-50' tucked into the woods to the right. Hole 3 was really bad. It's a skip hyzer shot (I'd skip the hole entirely and skip to the next hole), basket was in the alt pin to the left in the woods.
-Hole 5 is where you start to make jokes. This hole should be in the original placement in the open. No debate about this. The original pin is maybe 250' around the orchard of trees. The alt pin is in the woods. The green is guarded by dozens of pine trees. I threw a big hyzer and hit one of them. Luckily it rolled out in the open. Discs get stuck in pine trees, and considering the fact there's no actual lane to get to the basket from the pad, this hole sucks. Not to mention most of these trees are limbless until maybe 25' off the ground. Good luck climbing them. How high can you go? I wonder how high the person who thought this was a good idea was. To be fair though, the original pin is pretty solid.
-Holes 10 and 11 are pieces of art. I'd compare them to those canvas paintings of people jerking off (yes those paintings exist). No idea why artists are compelled to paint something like that, and I have no idea why holes like these two holes were designed the way the were. The only "art" you'll see are the rocks in the fairway. Your best bet on hole 10 is to throw a sideways flick down the right side (if you're a righty). If you're a lefty, I'd stop playing now. I posted on my instagram story a photo of this hole and captioned "How tf do you play this hole??"
The trees in front of the pad on 11 need to go. This hole is uphill and full of rocks. I threw a great hyzer and dodged the trees, but was left 40' short of the pin. You have to throw an extreme hyzer just to find out that your shot ended up just a bit short.
-I literally quit trying after 13. I would throw and be left with maybe a 60' approach. No need to finish; go to the next hole.
-My favorite hole was a wide open 230' putter shot (#17). If I think that's the best hole on the course, then that means I didn't have fun. The original pin is to the right and tucked into the woods, but the basket was in the alt pin, or I guess the short pin. I was having a hard time having a good attitude about this course, so I threw my shield and picked it up and called it a birdie (my drive was bad and I had maybe a 50' putt). The long pin is a well designed sidearm hole. Don't change the pin position to be a boring toss in the open.
-#18 is a strange finisher. It's typical for this course; there's a tree in the middle of the fairway that gives two small gaps and the hole cuts to the right and makes sort of a lighting bolt shape.
-Baskets are old and a bit beat up. Graffiti on a few of them.
Other Thoughts:
-What I don't understand is why this course has a higher rating than Victor Ashe, Morningside, and Tommy Schumpert. Those courses are all gems that are full of fun shots. You have the option in playing whatever layout you want to at Tommy Schumpert and are bound to create an amazing course out of your ideal layout, not to mention it's very hilly. Victor Ashe is gorgeous! Has multiple pin positions and and wide variety of holes. And that's a primarily open course. Morningside is hilly and has perfectly designed fairways that require accuracy, but are very rewarding. It seems unreal that this course has a higher rating than the Knoxville courses (all threeare listed in my favorites).
-If I had to compare this course to a band, it would be System of a Down. Many people like them, and I have no idea why. Their music is impossible to take seriously and it seems like they became a band just to be made fun of. The majority of the holes I played here were ridiculous, made no sense, and were impossible for me to take seriously. A few of the holes I played where pretty good (1, 4, 7, 8, and 17) but that's it.
-I'm giving this course a 2. The layout I played yesterday was a 1. Some of the original baskets are pretty solid holes (2,3,5, and 16). I saw the original pins and they didn't look much better. Some holes here (1,4,7,8,9,10,11,18) only have one pin.
-With the high rating this course has, I wouldn't be surprised if you disagree with me if you decide to play here for the first time. If you have read many of my reviews and prefer variety and more distance like I do, I would discourage you from playing here.
-I played again in March of 2019 and was meaning to update the review. The original layout is what we played. It's better, but isn't my preference. It's nice for casual play and has some good holes. But most of them are just okay at best.
-If I had to compare this course to a band, it would be System of a Down. Many people like them, and I have no idea why. Their music is impossible to take seriously and it seems like they became a band just to be made fun of. The majority of the holes I played here were ridiculous, made no sense, and were impossible for me to take seriously. A few of the holes I played where pretty good (1, 4, 7, 8, and 17) but that's it.
-I'm giving this course a 2. The layout I played yesterday was a 1. Some of the original baskets are pretty solid holes (2,3,5, and 16). I saw the original pins and they didn't look much better. Some holes here (1,4,7,8,9,10,11,18) only have one pin.
-With the high rating this course has, I wouldn't be surprised if you disagree with me if you decide to play here for the first time. If you have read many of my reviews and prefer variety and more distance like I do, I would discourage you from playing here.
-I played again in March of 2019 and was meaning to update the review. The original layout is what we played. It's better, but isn't my preference. It's nice for casual play and has some good holes. But most of them are just okay at best.
