Renaissance - Pro Players is the newest layout that has been designed for Renaissance Park. This layout helps serve as a pseudo-replacement for the now defunct Renaissance - Grey. I am going to try my hardest to not let my rose-tinted nostalgia goggles skew my opnion of Pro Players, despite having loved the Grey Course. While this course won't maul you the way Renny Gold will, its teeth are much sharper than RenSke's! If I lived on the west side of Charlotte, this would probably become one of my favorite courses to play because as much as I love playing Renny Gold, it's definitely not the kind of course people want to, or have time to play daily (myself included).

The park hosts a bunch of volleyball courts, tennis courts, biking trails, has restrooms to use, plentiful parking etc. The course has concrete tees on every hole (except 18, which as a rubber tee), color-coded DISCatcher baskets, and tee signs that include a map, distance, par, and the Hole number.

What Pro Players does really well, is streamline the Renaissance experience. Pro Players features many of the classic Renaissance tropes people who love the Gold course have come to enjoy. Tight must make gaps, daunting greens that require nerves of steel when putting, and a fun mix between open holes and technical wooded ones. It also manages to shave off portions of Gold that can become frustrating to play, such as low lying sections that hold water for a while after the rain.

The holes manage to do enough to distinguish themselves from the Gold course, that it doesn't feel like you are just playing the short tees of a longer course. This is apparent from Hole 1, when you are playing a brand new hole, to a basket that is only used on Pro Players. Just like other Renny courses, you'll need a variety of shots to score well here.

There is a lot of work being done to the disc golf courses at Renaissance Park. The course features new wooden bridges, new stairs to Hole 18's green, new benches, etc. If these improvements continue, I'd be a very happy golfer.

Navigation is almost a non-issue at this point. Unless you think you know better than the countless signs directing you to the next tee, it would be pretty hard to get lost here. But Pro Players does still overlap with Gold, so there is always going to be room for improvement. In the meantime, if you want to get a condensed version of the Renny experience, Pro Players is the course for you.

Pro Players largely suffers from the same things the other Renny courses suffer from. The rough here, is very rough. And while most holes do their best to avoid some of the worst areas of the park, there is no escaping the gorge of doom. Every so often work is done to fight back this area of the course, but there doesn't seem to be a long term solution for keeping the course tournament ready.

Some of the tee signs are a bit inaccurate. Hole 4, for instance, is listed as a unique Par 3, but plays the same as Renny Gold's #3, which is a par 4. I prefer to play the par 4 anyway, so it's not a huge deal to me. I don't even remember Hole 18 having a tee sign. If I wasn't familiar with the course, I wouldn't have been able to find it - and I wouldn't have known that it plays as an island green.

Some of the concrete tees could use a facelift. Some are rough and uneven, though that is also what makes them easy to play from when wet.

Many of the holes on Pro Players are actually just one hole from Gold that has been cut into two holes. This was done with mixed results. Holes 17 & 18 ended up turning out real well. Hole 16 on the other hand is clearly nothing more than a filler hole. The gap you're forced to try to hit doesn't really exist and just feels uninspired. It is also a shame that Gold #14 wasn't featured at all on the course, it has a really interesting putting green.

Pro Players's gravest sin though is how it overlaps with Renaissance Gold. It is what causes confusion when you're in the woods behind Hold 3 - and is what creates a hold up while playing on a summer day. Said woods can also be a bit of a hazard to the unwary golfer who doesn't understand the way the two courses are laid out. The fact that Renaissance Gold is a bit of a staple in my eyes, this definitely brings the rating of this course down for me.

Pro Players was designed with the purpose of streamlining Renny Gold's layout so that the park could do a better job hosting tournaments. I think it does a pretty good job of this, but personally still think that Renaissance Gold winds up being the better, more interesting course. If a PDGA Major is ever held at Renaissance Park, I'd rather watch the pros playing Gold.

However, it also managed to create a bite-sized version of the course that is both fun, and manageable for daily play. If Pro Players was on property by itself it would probably deserve a higher rating, but I don't think I could give it more than a 3.5 with the way Hole 8's fairway literally throws over a fairway from the Gold course.

I hope improvements are continued to be had here, because this park is already what I would call a must visit destination for disc golfers, and the option for a quicker round is very much appreciated!

Favorite Holes: 3, 8, 10, & 18

Pro Players is essentially the same layout as the now defunct Renny Grey layout....as long as you consider a worsened, less difficult, more boring, destroying one of Charlotte's signature holes for 2 mediocre holes as the same layout. Or you might not.
Whether you've played the old Grey layout or it's your first time playing, the course gives you a toned-down feel of the Gold layout. Plenty of wooded holes plus enough open layouts to keep you from going insane.
- Course gets easier as the round progresses. If you can hold on during the front 9, especially the wooded holes, you can be much more aggressive on the back 9.
- Course puts huge emphasis on accuracy. Many holes are station-to-station layouts. So if you can hit your lines, even if you're only throwing 200 feet on some tee shots, you'll be racking up the pars and birdie chances.
- There are more birdie-able holes here than at Gold (obviously) and the old Grey layout. A big (negative) reason for that is the addition of easier holes (#1, 15 - 18) at the expense of other/better holes, a la Gold's #14, 17, & 18, which were all parts of the Grey layout.
- This is an excellent course from holes #2 - 13. For any regulars, it's still weird crossing back across the bridge and having 5 holes to go. It's what happens, unfortunately, when you turn your two closing holes into 4.
- Course gives you plenty of places to bail out early on your round. If you've only got time for 9 holes, or 10 (#1 - 9 & classic 18) or 15 (#1 - 10, 14 - 18), you're not as committed as you were with Grey or Gold.

Replacing great holes with mediocre ones is always going to be a negative. I don't even mind turning the old #17 into two holes - #15 & 16. Even the idea of now backtracking from #17 to the (Grey) tee for #18 seems counter-intuitive.
- Hole #17 doesn't belong on this course. You can play the mando around the power pole at Bailey, not Renny. Why not play a shorter version of Gold's #14, and use that in place of #17. Then you play the Grey tee pad for #18 and you've instantly given the course its best hole as well as possibly it's most daunting.
- Signage is always going to confuse first timers, especially those who still refuse to print out a map/play the course blindly. By the second hole, you're playing different numbered baskets - #2 for PP; #1 for Gold. Throughout the course, the numbering is different. Also, both layouts will use the same tee to different baskets and different tees to the same basket. Last time out, I saw a first-time duo who started out about 4 holes ahead of us, then were a couple holes behind us. I think they were arbitrarily picking tees and baskets, and making those combos their 'holes'. They confirmed this while teeing off on #18 by throwing their second shots at #7's basket. Granted, they were an extreme case of not knowing how to read a tee sign, but there's always confusion at the course nonetheless.
- The course now feels 'unbalanced'. Renny has always been split even by the big bridge over the creek, with half the course beginning and ending on the close side, and the other half playing across, beginning with the hole by the watchtower. With Pro Players, only 3 holes play across the bridge, before you turn around and head straight back.
- Renny still needs a fair amount of maintenance work. The bridge on #8 is leaning sideways at a 45-degree angle. Plenty of other steps, trails and/or slopes pose slip risks. I was doing the penguin walk on many of the hills. Some of that can't be controlled due to erosion. Some just needs more and/or better steps installed, like the steps on #18.
- The filler holes are relatively boring. #1 is just there. #15 became a straight, mid-range hole. #17 is a chuck around a power-line hole. Only #16 gives you an interesting look, teeing off over the trees. This makes me miss the two random old holes on the Grey layout because those at least gave you different looks.

I'm confused at what level of player Pro Players is aimed at. By name alone, you think it'd be challenging. It's easier than the old Grey layout, being much closer to RenSke in skill-level than Gold. And because RenSke was clearly aimed at a more casual skill level, it's better designed and more enjoyable to play than Pro Players.
- If you don't play Renny often, it's probably worth your time to throw in a couple of the Gold holes to your round to really get the Renny feel. You don't go on a tour of New York and skip the Statue of Liberty because it wasn't on the online itinerary you printed out.
- I didn't think Renny could be boring, but that's what's happened with Pro Players. I'd rather quit after #9, turn around and play the real #18 and convince myself I was missing out on good stuff. As it is, ending the round on such a downer - #15 - 18 - isn't how you want to cap things off.
- Renny's been tinkered with so many times over the years, deciding what holes are staying and which ones are going. Well, back to the drawing board again. This isn't it. It's a solid 3.5+ rating for the majority of the course.
- That said, if you've never played Renny before, you might not notice some of these problems. Your point of reference is non-existent. For those of you in this category, you will enjoy about two-thirds of your round. You might even enjoy the whole thing. But, somewhere inside of you, there will be a feeling of emptiness. That, my friend, is what your missing with this layout.

This is the middle child between Gold and RenSke. Gold is basically that tall drink of water at the bar with the supermodel good looks that shoots down your best pickup line with sinister delight. In contrast, the PPC is the more approachable gal you actually have a shot with, and arguably more fun anyway. Don't get me wrong, Renny Gold is a Mt Everest everyone should attempt to climb but you don't want to play it all the time. You don't want to eat your favorite dessert all the time either, or at least shouldn't. That's where the PPC comes in. It's a kinder, gentler Renny for the rest of us. It's still a sports car except now it has traction control to keep your non-driving ass from careening over the sides of the ravine into a fiery ball of death. It's much shorter than Gold too which is great for those of us that prefer our disc golf to not emulate a trek across Mordor. It's toned down Renny but all the usual Renny goodness is still here. You've still got tough gaps to hit, butt clenching death putts to save and some of the best terrain in Charlotte to tackle. You can still go for big drives off the tee occasionally but it doesn't really feel like a course that favors big arms as much as placement.

The PPC flows well thanks to plentiful "next tee" arrows, color coordinated painted baskets and with a map navigation is a breeze. Just ignore the tee signs until they get updated. I enjoyed the wooded holes more than the open ones but that might have to do with getting tired of looking in the briers for my bro's disc.

Not really a bad hole on the course and plenty of lines and fairway shapes to manage. I threw a bit of everything but more importantly I enjoyed it the whole time rather than feel like I was getting a continuous beat down. We played here right after a round at Nevin and the PPC was noticeably more relaxing than the constant challenge of Nevin. You can "take plays off" here and get away with it a bit.

It took way longer than it should've for two guys to find my drive inside the circle on hole 1. Just a carpet of schule around that basket.

Some of the bridges are getting kind of rickety. I fear for the safety of our heavier frolfing brethren. Also this course can be a bit muddy/slick in spots so footing can be problematic on the steep parts. There's usually steps somewhere but not omnipresent so be careful if you're not used to adventure golf.

Hole 16's fairway is kind of odd. If anything feels like a weird filler hole, it's this one.

Hole 18's tee is easy to miss if you don't have a map. It's (I think) a bare muddy spot right in front of the ravine. If you have a tendency to stumble forward off of tees, don't. Just don't. Or you might be booking your next tee time with St. Peter.

If I were a local I'd play this layout often. It's a good mix of challenge, length and fun. It just lacks the extremeness of Renny Gold. If you're road tripping to Charlotte with a lot of buddies of varying skill levels, I'd seriously consider playing the PPC if you don't want to devote most of a day to one course or see grown men on the verge of tears. Once the tee signs get updated I expect the rating of this course to rise quite a bit b/c that piece of confusion is about the only glaring fault of the course right now.

-The last two reviewers, 1978 and SpainKiller pretty much said what I'm about to say here. This is a good course! So much better than what the first three reviews have said. This is basically the shorter course that we had a few years back. Except the longest hole is 378' long. It's still not much different! We still have the downhill rock hole that is tucked into the woods (#10), the long sidearm hole around the power tower (#13). I don't see why this course has a low rating!
-Renaissance has always had great pin positions to make it more interesting. Some are very well guarded, behind drop offs, or on rocks. None are "exotic" but are very unique.
-It starts off with something new! Hole #1 is a very cool starting hole. It is perpendicular to #1 on the gold course and the rock is in front of the tee. The basket is further down closer to #1 gold's tee pad. The basket is barely outside of the woods where #2's tee pad is. #2 is the old #1's starting pad and the basket is on the hill just 70' short of #1 gold's basket.
-More of an intermediate player's course where even (56) would be maybe 915 rated. Many holes here can easily be birdied. It's pretty much the medium course with Renske being the easiest and gold being the hardest. This course also has its rough edges, plenty of OB!
-Well polished and well kept. There are new tee signs so the signage is good too. There are next tee arrows too. The baskets you are throwing to on this course are white.
-Practice basket beside hole 1. Call me Happy Gilmore because my putting is pretty bad and my drives are rather long.
-I love #15. It is a straight 271' midrange shot down in the woods (also #17 gold). It is pretty tight so it's definitely not too easy of a birdie but it's a very doable 3. Definitely one of the more fun accuracy holes I have played in Charlotte. Another great hole is #9. It is a very short par 4. Under 400' but plays as a legit dogleg right that first goes downhill and then back up at the landing zone.

-I have no idea where #18 is. I hate to admit it! I eventually decided to just play old #18 that's like 573' and up the hill. I know that the basket you play to is the one on the left but I couldn't find the tee. It might be the drop zone for #18 gold but I'm not sure.
-#16! This hole is bad. It's a silly severe hyzer shot. It is up #17 gold's hill but the tee pad is right behind a cluster of trees that leave small gaps and it forces you to throw over the growing trees further up the fairway. I love #17 gold and the approach shot but this hole's tee pad just needs to be moved to the right or at least cut down a few more of those trees directly in front of the tee pad.
-A few really thorny spots. I don't think pain and a rough time with thorns should be the consequence to a bad throw or kick.
-#11 needs a bridge because I have overthrown and have gone over the creek and it's difficult to cross. The creek can get really deep at times. Like over 18".

-This course really is good. It just isn't as hard as the gold course. It is also a good bit easier than the old original course that was around next year (which is still technically playable.) If you are an intermediate player, then you should definitely enjoy this course. It's a lot of fun and it's way better than a 2.10. I think it's easily a 3.5. Sure Renaissance changes a lot but many of the signature holes are still here on this layout. There are still the rock holes (#10 and #14.) The S curve hole (#4) is still here and the fun challenge is still here. I'm reaching the dividing line between intermediate and advanced (forget what my PDGA rating says.) and shot a "not the greatest" 57 (playing 18 from the drop zone.) If you can easily shoot under here, you should probably play gold more frequently but if you are like 900 or lower rated on PDGA. Play this course! It's really fun. It's way better than a 2.10!

Standout holes:
#1: New unique 234' footer that goes past the boulder and the basket being outside of the woods. Definitely a surprising and pleasing start.
#4: The S-Curve and an awesome guarded basket!
Need I say more?
#9: Cool par 4 down the hill and back uphill to the right and out of the woods.
#10: The big downhill hole with the rock green! Very treacherous but also really sweet!
#12: Uphill par 4 past a huge rock and plays down a tight fairway and onto a guarded green.
#13: Big downhill sidearm around the power line!
#15: Fun straight accuracy shot down a tight fairway.

-Many signature holes here. A lot of fun to be had. If you feel like playing all three, Renske, Pro Players, and Gold. By all means do it!

Renaissance Pro Players Course is the tournament course when both Renske and the medium sized course are used in tournaments. Today it is the medium level layout at the property. Clearly previous reviewers have left less than helpful reviews. I hope this review does a slightly better job.

Renny PPC - has gotten a bad rap because it is not the course that many remember. Its like the holes people loved to hate have now been chopped into smaller pieces with new unfamiliar holes added in. This is all done with little to no signage for this specific course. (gold and renske are 2 of the best marked courses in Charlotte, btw) So play here can be extremely confusing since there are literally no resources (online) to aid in the new design. Old Renny Grey, Black, and worlds layouts still direct you to places where baskets no longer rest. THIS will change in November when all new signage for next tees will be installed. currently there are NEW tee signs at every tee at the three courses and baskets have been marked in one of the more creative ways you will see. PPC baskets are WHITE if they are white / gold then these are shared Renny Gold baskets. The correct number is on the basket. The PPC number in the white section and the Gold or Renske in the Gold or Red sections. All tees have concrete teepads except 18 which has a flymat.

The play. The play is basically Renny without all the risk. The precarious parts that Renny is known for are reduced for quicker, safer tournament play. Additionally, a number of the holes that are eliminated in this layout are just too swampy to maintain effectively for good tournament play and see huge backups. They are available in the Gold layout. You still get to play the rock hole and wind your way through the open and wooded parts of the renny Gold just sometimes you will have 2 par 3s instead of a par 4. Sugaw and Kilborne and some of the shorter Eastway holes are what this layout reminds me of. If you want to play in this park, I do not think you will be disappointed playing this layout if it is your first time. If you have expectations of a killer course and a challenge, play the GOLD layout. The differences will be clearly marked by the practice basket and throughout the course starting in November. Renny PPC is a good solid course. Probably a 4+ in most disc golf areas. Fairways are fair, wide, underbrush is generally low in the woods and mitigated due to the shorter layout and alternate holes.