There is an awful lot to like about this course. The park is great, and huge. The scenery is very nice on almost every hole. Trash cans are abundant, there are benches at (almost if not) every hole. I love the fact that the DGC does not interfere in any way with the rest of the activities that take place in the park. A few holes cross paths, but beyond that the only thing in our way is other DG'ers.

I found the holes to be very well thought out. The layout does a great job of taking advantage of the best of the natural terrain, with good use of elevation on many holes.

Course signage is outstanding. I played all 18 without a tour guide, and didn't get lost at all. I especially liked the mid-fairway distance indicators

I am a novice player at best, and I came nowhere near par, spending quite a bit of time in the rough on either side of the fairway. The good news is that the underbrush is quite thin, and I had no trouble tracking down my errant plastic.

I understand some other reviewers were frustrated by this course, and I have to admit standing on a tee pad or two and thinking that the hole in front of me was a bit sadistic. But when you rip one straight down one of these chutes and it lays down right where you wanted it, it is incredibly rewarding.

There are a large amount of details that make navigation safer on the course. That includes what look to be new bridges over the deeper ditches, steps built into some of the steeper hillsides, and it's obvious that quite a bit of care goes into keeping the prickly and poison things from being a nuisance.

My biggest grumble all day came from tripping and stumbling over Stumps hiding in the leaf litter! Watch your step.

Some of the holes seem to be a bit long for no reason other than to say they're long, playing right over some very nice basket locations in the '450 to '550 range.

The worst thing on this course was my ability. But my frustration with my play had nothing to do with the course, the course just helped to point out weaknesses. Saying that is a fault of the course is like blaming the disc for my shot.

This is truly a destination course in my opinion, and I hope you find time to play it should you be in the area.

Thanks to everyone who has a hand in taking care of the course, you all should be proud of what you've accomplished here!

Everything about this course was fun! Great signs and concrete teepads. Nice baskets! Well layed out and very well thought out! This course was pleasantly challenging!

No cons! Easy to follow!

Great job CDGC!!!!

Nevin is likely to damage your self esteem right out of the gate, but if you can manage to pick yourself up off the canvas, you can be friends with it. More than any other course I've played, this one has the potential to make me a better (i.e., smarter) player with each attempt. One day soon I will own it. For now, Nevin owns me.


The first time this course mocks you, you'll be tempted to think it was just fatigue or poor execution that made you tank; don't fall for it. Nevin is designed mess with your head, not your arm. It's engineered to trick you into choosing shots that are too aggressive, too subtle or too clever at the wrong times. There are at least 18 unique riddles to solve here, and you will need to bring all your discs, all your shots and all your wits to get it done.

Memorable Features:
-Loooong holes that twist and turn, up and down, in and out of the woods from shot to shot;
-Baskets you can't even see until your third shot;
-A narrow double mando gate at 130' on #14;
-Blind dop offs behind the baskets on 3 and 7;
...and a dubious "Ace" claim written on the bench at the #9 tee. Really? It's 600' uphill under a canopy with a dogleg right at 450'. Who did that? How, exactly?

Watch your step. There are holes everywhere. The parks department has done an excellent job clearing trees to make fairways, but they left hundreds of deep 10"-30" diameter holes all over the place that will break your leg if you're not watching where you put your feet.
Beyond that, I wouldn't change a thing.

Nevin's footage is not out of this world. Lesser armed players still stand a chance; if they can negotiate the fairways. This is perhaps my favorite thing about this course (as opposed to Renny, which has more of a big armed player feel; to me). This is not a short course; but neither is it a big arm track. Stan designed original concept here; but extreme kudos should be given to Mark and Matt (with some applause for various other contributors). M and M have logged enormous hours at this course. Mark also involved with a number of other area disc course projects; and seems (like a number of Charlotte individuals) to work non stop on making this area an even better destination point than it already is. He is also the main person responsible for enlarging the scope of Nevin towards an eventual par 72 layout. My original comment about length being fair for shorter arms, I think will still be valid to some degree; but Mark is sadistically laughing at the opportunities for even more length to challenge the risk/reward options for gold level players. I really think this is going to be a crown jewel by the time worlds comes to town....
I enjoyed this course from start to finish. There were four of us traveling on this trip; and we played some fine courses along the way (14 total courses in three states; per this site; 4 3 rated courses, 1 3.5, 4 4 rated, 1 4.5 rated, and four home grown; which were all at least 3.5's IMHO); and, we thought Nevin was the best/toughest of this group. Since then, some of the pin ball action has been removed from Nevin; but one of the course designer's reveals that very tight fairways are the "feel of the course" and will not be opened much.
Talk about a thinking man's course....Talk about a shot making course....Talk about a course to keep your wits about you after your second or third trip to the schule in succession...
You are asked to make narrow shot after narrow shot. If you're off the fairway, you need to spend a shot to get back into the fairway. Schule is thick off the fairways.
There are dog legs associated with this narrow steerage. You not only have to make thin shots; but you have to finish one way or another, to lead to your next shot.
To me; it was a beautiful walk in the woods; with great disc holes thrown in. I have been assured that the early spring look is nothing compared to the greenness of summer!
There are places for deuces; but, most often, you must make a good drive off the tee (meaning fairway; regardless of the distance), and then plan another excellent second shot (again, staying on tough fairways), follow this advice again, make a putt; and move on to more of the same.
The combination of length and technicality is simply out of this world. And, you will have to use every shot in your bag; right hand shots, left hand shots, uphill, downhill, tomajunk, forehand, escape rollers probably...etc. to maneuver your way around this test of skill.
There is not a huge down hiller here. Nor is there a great water shot. This is a rating based on great wooded shots. Hole after hole of them. Signature after signature hole of them.
Believe it or not; there is some mando here. Also, telephone pole(s) to hit on #18; in case there were not enough trees for you.
Two sets of nice, new, roughened and long, tees. Course feels longer than pure footage would indicate; due to narrow lines needed.
Other activities available in park; see other reviews.

At the time we played; things were fairly primitive in terms of amenities.

Bikinjack (from this site) was our guide this round; which helped our enjoyment level. Also helped on the navigation. We played in March. Course fairly new. I believe Jack had only played it once previously and we didn't have any troubles.
I have to say that N.C. is one of my favorite areas for disc in the U.S. Nevin is, after one time through, my favorite of this bunch!!! I will be back to see the progress with the amenities, and to play this awesome grouping in the future.
All of those who reside in a cold winter state, as I do, should put Charlotte N.C. and Nevin, in particular, on their escape winter weather trips. March and April are one of the best times of the year to be playing here. Southern spring is way ahead of us....things are green in March/April; but schule is not near as thick as it will be a month or two later....

I am going to leave the minute details to those who wish to nit-pick the finer points. I have played a good many courses in my life; more than some, less than some. Charlotte, NC is (and has been) a supreme and premier area in the WORLD for disc golf, and for quite some time. This course is an EXCELLENT reflection of that fact... and is absolutely world-class. Do not be deceived. If you have the opportunity to play this course... do so.

This course does not favor any handedness or throw style over another. The tee signage and maps are great. It's a beautiful course (especially in Spring/Summer), FUN, well designed, balanced, diverse, engaging, and at times, complex (without being frustrating). The course profoundly balances a need for both shot-making and distance throws almost perfectly.

The tress on this course are some of the oldest and aged in the entire area and region... by far. It's very impressive in that regard. This may well be described as a future equivalent of Augusta in ball golf.

This course will challenge you to grow in and improve your game, within an excellent environment... while still providing a lot of fun. What more may we ask for in disc golf... ?

The pics currently posted for this course are not the best or true to it's current state of vastly improved development. This is not a punch-off the tee and shoot for birdie course. It represents a pure, fair and formidable challenge. That said, again, it's not discouraging.

It helps to have a spotter on a few holes (2-3 of them), but that's a con only to some.

Get you some of this one. It is, without a doubt, one of the best.

Location: 1 mile off the highway.
Design: Featuring both lefty and righty holes. There are a couple of holes that can be 2'd.
Challenging: Lots of par fours and harder. Wooded and long.
Navigation Friendly: Tee signs at every hole. Easy to navigate. Fairways are clearly defined making it easy for a first time course player to throw toward the basket on a long hole where basket can not be seen from the tee.

Fantastic work designing and building this gem of a course. One of the best and most challenging I've played. On par with the Jackson course at IDGC.

brand new concrete tee pads, brand new discatchers. in a great park with tons of land, with plenty of elevation. one of two new courses in the charlotte area(elon long). a real test for advanced to pro caliber players. accuracy is a must here, tight fairways leave very little room for errant shots. alot of par 4 holes and the few par 3 holes are tough.

there are alot of holes in the ground from rotted trees. they are slowly being filled in, but you must keep your eyes on where you step. or you could hurt yourself. a few of the transitions are a little soggy, but we have had alot of rain lately, so not that big of a con.

there are at least 4-5 holes that would be considered signature holes on any other course. it is winter, so the fairways are a little more forgiving, cant wait til spring to see the difference in difficulty. mark and matt have busted some major ass to get this course where it is now, they deserve alot of credit. nevin is across the highway from hornets nest, so if you want play multiple rounds at different courses,... i consider it a plus

Nevin is one of the most challenging, longest courses around. It's going to humble even the best of players, but also make you want to come back for more. It challenges you both physically and mentally:
- Physically: Accuracy and distance are both a premium here. Lots of walking; long rounds, even when playing solo, rounds have been taking me about an hour and a half. By comparison, I can play a solo round at Hornets Nest in about an hour. Also, your endurance will be challenged by lots of walking; long rounds, even if playing solo. You better come prepared, especially once the hot weather rolls around.
- Mentally: There are very few holes where you can relax, unwind and just throw. On almost every hole, you're throwing tee shots, not as much for distance, but to set up your next shot(s). You have to put bad holes behind you because this course will humble you. You don't want one bad hole snowballing into a stretch of bad holes.
- Course has some tight fairways. As difficult as the course can be in the winter, when there are no leaves on trees, it's going to play even harder in the spring and summer.
- Nevin forces you to be a better player. Any weakness in your game will get exposed here. Your tee shots fade too much at the end? You'll be deep in the woods on almost every shot? Can't putt (like me)? There goes any chance for birdie. Can't throw far? You'll be spending extra throws just to get to the pin on the long holes.
- Course has a bunch of great, creative holes. A lot of holes at Nevin would be the signature/most challenging hole at other courses; here it's just another hole. For example, everyone who's played Hornets Nest knows #12 - 638 foot, dogleg right par 5. At Nevin, holes #5, 6, 10, 16 & 17 are all at the same level, or close to the same level as #12 at Hornets. Even a hole like #1 - 491 foot long, narrow hole with a downhill, dogleg right basket, which I think is a great hole, easily gets overlooked at this course.
- The course has a good variety of hole-layouts, non-open holes excluded. Doglegs both directions (both severe and gradual doglegs); straight holes, open baskets; tightly guarded baskets; holes with good elevation changes (by Charlotte standards) both up and down.
- Park has lots of other amenities - baseball & soccer fields, playground, picnic shelters, walking trails, horseshoe pits and even bocce ball and shuttle board. The park is nicely laid out into different areas - ball fields and disc golf all the way to the back; playground, bocce ball and shuffleboard in another; and picnic shelters in the front.

These first two items will contract my pros and are not negatives for me nor do they affect my rating. I'm just mentioning them so people know what to expect before playing. That said:
- This course can get frustrating. As stated, this course is meant to be a difficult, pro-level course and is not for beginners. Still, this course has almost no reprieve. When things are going good, it's fun tackling one tough hole after another. When things are going bad, it's easy to dread one tough hole after another.
- Narrow fairways will frustrate others. On some holes, there's thick underbrush/trees/plants, right along the fairway. Miss here and you could spend lots of time searching for your disc. The lost disc factor here is definitely higher than normal, so plan accordingly when you throw.
- The lack of open holes will also frustrate some people. #11 is relatively open, but it's under 300, so not smart to grip-n-rip here. #12 is open, for the first half, before playing through the woods. #14 is in an open field, but you first have to clear a mando between two trees.
- Parts of course seem to remain muddy long after it rains. This may be a "new course" issue or it could be a bigger drainage issue. The most notable areas are along parts of #15 & 16.
- Tee signs need to be upgraded. I'm a fan of Mark and his hand-drawn signs, but I'm guessing real signs will be an improvement and appreciated by more people.
- No amenities in the disc-golf portion of the park. You don't pass a water fountain and/or drink machine while playing, so you'd have to stop in another part of the park before or after your round. There's a bathroom near hole #13, which is opened year-round, and one near #9, which is only in spring & summer.
- Lots of long walks throughout course. Not an issue on the front 9, but there are some considerable walks on back 9. Also course doesn't loop back to parking lot after #9, so you can't easily start on #10 to play back 9. Because the course is so spread out there are no easy/natural places to skip holes if needed.

Nevin ranks right up there with Renaissance as the two toughest courses I've played. I might give this a slight nod simply because this course is more wooded than Renny.
- Toughest doesn't always equal fun, so not everyone is going to like this 18-hole marathon. I equate extremely difficult courses with the U.S. Open. Rounds at the Open are always a grind and you see the top golfers struggling/being overwhelmed with the course. Instead of shooting 20 under, like they do at the John Deere Classic, golfers are shooting par at best.
- Know what you're getting yourself into before playing this course. Don't expect a lot of birdies and be happy with pars. Don't beat yourself here by wasting strokes with foolish shots. You'll already find yourself scrambling enough throughout the round, so don't add to it.
- The course has a bunch of great holes, it's hard for me to pick one. I love the design of the downhill/drop-off holes - #1, 3, 7 & 16 and how the play. #1 & 16 are both long downhill doglegs. If you don't keep your shot low, it will go sailing offline as the fairway curves away. #3 & 7 both have big drop-offs right behind the basket. What may appear to be a great tee shot or putt could end up 50 feet past the hole.
- Nevin gets added love for its location and convenience. It's 3 minutes from I-77, 5 minutes from Hornets Nest, and 10 minutes from Sugaw Creek. You can easily knock out the 3 courses with little drive time. In terms of proximity and quality of courses, Nevin and Hornets Nest is the best 1-2 combination in town. You're not going to find 2 better, tougher courses in Charlotte so closely located, which is perfect for out-of-towners. In the Charlotte-region, only Winthrop's 2 course layouts - Gold and Lakefront - are on the same level of location and quality for courses.
- This is a definite must-play for all DGers. You might not like the course layout, but at least you'll have to appreciate the difficulty this course offers for 18 straight holes.