This is an amazing course and i could go on all day about the pros but by this time you've already read them all. Just a great course

The cons are few and far between. The only things I have a problem with are a few holes that are near impossible to hit unless done 100% perfect and my big one is the I played awhile back and on hole I think 21 (one with the water hazard on top of the hill) my disc went in water. When I saw it there was a snake by it, the snake seemed un-fazed as I threw sticks at it to get it away. After finally giving up and going on I talked to owner about it. Not only did he know about the snake, he was proud it's there, and bragged about another snake on another hole. I will play again but that is a very annoying thing because all it takes is one person getting bit to ruin a reputation and good experience.

Lots of pros. Extremely well maintained. Great for big arms and average arms (like mine). Difficult shots and lay up shots abound with 23 baskets. The impossible shots are more makeable than the treelines suggests...with exception to basket 18. Conjugal Visit is where disc go to die. A basket in the pond and a rowboat to retrieve is brilliant but the actual basket is behind the pond.

Shawshank Redemption is one of my top 10 favorite movies and playing the course was an absolute blast.

Lookout for basket 21. You don't see the water hazard from the tee box.

The baskets are hard to see with exception to the Innova yellow baskets.

Huntsville State Prison and the home of Shawshank Disc Golf Course is brilliance. Hats off to Steve for having the creative genius to marry the two. Great experience.

With the Texas prison system headquarters in nearby Huntsville, designing Shawshank with a jailhouse theme was pure genius. From the signage to the hole names (The Green Mile, Parole Board, Conjugal Visit...) this is a unique disc golf experience.

Hole lengths vary from 189' out to 598', but for the most part they were less than 325'. With rolling terrain providing uphill and downhill shots, three ponds adding challenge and danger, and endless trees requiring accuracy and distance control, there is no end to the variety.

This course places an absolute premium on accuracy and control, rather than raw power and distance. Since I don't have a big arm (300' ish) I enjoyed the challenge a great deal.

Holes range from somewhat open to incredibly tight. Holes 4 and 5 (Jail and The Tunnel) play between planted rows of pines that are less than 10' apart. Your challenge is to see how far you can throw an absolutely dead-straight drive. I didn't get to the basket cleanly on either hole, but sure enjoyed the challenge.

All three ponds will eat your discs. I tried the "safe" play on Hole 6 by throwing a anny off to the right, only to hit a tree that kicked it directly into the pond. But I threw in from the drop-zone on the dock for a circle three! Small victories...

Course infrastructure is very good. Mach V (mostly) baskets catch fine. The tee pads are large, flat, and covered with rubber mats. Very well built and perfect to throw from. Tee signs all share the same Texas Department of Criminal Disc Golf motif, and provide hole name, number, distance and par. Plenty of next hole signs make navigation a snap.

This is pay-to-play disc golf at it best!

I played on a bright, sunny morning, and the DGA baskets were practically invisible in the dappled shade. This being my first round out there, I ended up walking 2/3 of the way up on many (most?) of the holes to determine where the basket was located. The two Innova baskets out there showed up great. Love the yellow bands!!

The tee signs are unique, but lack any kind of hole diagram. Kind of goes along with my comment above that first-timers will spend a lot of time walking forward to determine lines and basket locations.

Huge shout to the the Defrane family for building this course and making it available to us for the princely sum of $5. Such a beautiful property and a great experience.

Didn't get to play with Steve, but his German Shepard "Hadley" accompanied us through the course. He is well behaved and doesn't chase discs, and was amusing to watch as he chewed the padding off of the trees, swam in the ponds, and carried a Box Turtle around for a few holes until we distracted him long enough to rescue the poor thing (unharmed).

-Good mix of holes- uphill, downhill, left, right.
-Beautiful location.
-Long rubber teepads (on some holes and will soon be all, I believe).
-Water holes that are fair but challenging.
-Very well manicured, especially for tournaments (Steve loves his rollers).
-Possible to camp on-site (and play glow, I think).
-Tin cup hole # 23. Plays as an island with the driveway circle as OB. The basket is a fountain in a pretty rock arrangement. VERY cool.
-23 holes
-Playing in a tree farm is different from playing in normal woods- very cool and unique experience on those holes.
-Trash cans and benches on most holes (maybe all, I wasn't really counting).
-Very friendly and helpful course owner.
-Drinking in moderation is allowed. Leave sober!
-Private course a little out of the way means less "riff-Raff," meaning a cleaner course and a very good chance of recovering any lost discs. But the chances of losing a disc here (other than in the water) are pretty low.
-At tournaments, golf carts will take you from your car to the tournament headquarters. That's service!

-Only one set of teepads.
-Out of the way- actually kind of a pro in my book, except the long drive.
-No chance to really crush an open drive for you big-arm folks.
-No pro-shop and nothing very close for drinks, snacks, etc.
-Costs $5 to play. Well worth it, but I gotta be objective.
-Tee signs aren't good, but the available scorecard should usually suffice.

This is easily one of my favorite 3 courses, the only other "top course" I have played is Flyboy and I would only rate the entire experience 0.25 discs lower than that. Great mix of holes that will test just about every shot in your bag, except maybe your huge hyzer bomb. Three water holes that are fair and fun, and your inked discs will typically be retrieved and kept in the lost and found. I like "fair" wooded courses and Shawshank has many holes that fit that description, but there are also a few that are more open. But as I mentioned, you won't be throwing a hyzer bomb further than ~350 ft here, and there are only about two holes that need that. However, that is the necessary shot on those holes, which I think shows how diverse of a course Shawshank is, other than the lack of really long, open holes.

Some of the wooded holes play through a tree farm, meaning the trees are very evenly spaced and similar in size. This is very cool and really adds to the whole "jail" experience.

Shawshank really is a "must-play" course, and well worth devoting a weekend to go check out. After you go once it most likely won't be the last time.

What can you say about Shawshank? It's amazing. Teeboxes, holes, fun throws, water shots, tunnel shots, unique fairways, downhill, uphill, flicks, hyzers, rollers, everything is here. The land is absolutely amazing, the family is absolutely amazing, the teeboxes are just as good of not better than concrete, it's just awesome. I've played numerous Houck courses, and this one is just as good if not better than the best of them. Steve has done an amazing job.

The baskets could be better, I understand wanting to do them slightly portable and not wanting to concrete Discatcher 28s in the ground, but it is a con.

Signage. This course could use better signage. Some of the holes you have to walk ahead to see where you're throwing.

Shawshank offers a one-of-a-kind round, playing literally in Steve Dufrane's backyard. First off, I think that it is awesome how hospitable Steve and his family are. It is evident that he is extremely passionate about the sport and I applaud him for sharing his passion with others with this awesome course. I feel that the term "fun-factor" is an overused description for a course, but Shawshank is the definition of this. It is clear that Dufrane has put in a ton of time and effort to make this course as technically and aesthetically perfect as he possible can on the land given. Pulling into the Dufrane's driveway, you can get a sense of the vibe that surrounds the property. During mine and my brother's 13 course road trip through Texas and Louisiana, no other course had nearly as many people playing it as Shawshank did. People clearly love this course and - like we did - travel a long way to play it.

The course is so well taken care of and Steve even has a work crew that maintains the course. The jail theme is constantly present and creative on the tee signs, hole names, and even on some of the punishing holes. Another unique part of the course is the solar-powered lights on top of the front 9 baskets that give players the option of nightly glow rounds. It seems that the course continues to evolve and improve, with new holes and landscaping added within the past few years. The hand-drawn tee signs with chalk further show Steve's never-ending improvement mindset: he can redraw the holes as he redesigns them.

All the basic amenities are met here, with a bathroom, water coolers near holes 10 and 17, very nice rubber tees, and quality baskets. Multiple signs point you in the direction to the next tee as well, so navigation is a breeze here. Also, the course loops back to the parking lot and bathroom twice during your round.

Technically, this course is designed for players who have accurate - but not necessarily huge - arms. The front 9 are located in the front yard and initially start out kind of casually but as you hit hole 4, you realize that you are in jail. This is a very challenging and seemingly poke-and-pray hole, but a tree or two have been cut in the appropriate spots to make the line to the basket somewhat possible to hit. Holes 5, 7, and 8 also play within these extensive rows of enormous trees, but each utilize the trees very differently. My favorite stretch of the course is from 10-15. Two of my favorite holes on the course are 10's downhill bomb with the pond behind the basket and 12's uphill left to right shot with multiple lanes to the basket. The other holes offer some of the hardest shots on the course with tight lines and sharp turns. "Tin Cup" is one of the most fun finishing holes that I have played and is a great way to end the round! A fountain-basket to close out your round?! Come on, where else are you going to find that?

Pretty much every type of hole design is incorporated throughout the course, whether it be holes 6, 18, or 21's different looks on pond shots, 10 and 17's downhill bombs, 5, 11, 14, and 15's tight lanes, 12, 16 and 22's steep uphill shots, hole 7 and 9's long and open shots, etc., etc. The course has a tremendous variety and offers some pretty unique holes. I have never played a hole remotely similar to 21 and I appreciated the many different aspects of its design including a mando under the board and blind uphill shot over the pond.

-I am someone who enjoys having multiple options off the tee and for my approaches to the basket. I like to have the option to be creative and play a hole differently each time. This course has many holes that, while being very technical, require you to hit the line very accurately or you will be punished. There are many holes that are tight and have only one lane to throw through. Even Steve said, "You're in jail on some of these holes, you have to follow the rules." I do appreciate the specific shots that are required on many of these holes and they are very well designed. However, the best of the best course (for me) needs to allow more chances to be creative. This may not be a detractor from your round, but is just what keeps this course from being a perfect 5 for me.
-I would have liked more opportunities to play some longer, multi-stage par 4's that change terrain in some fashion throughout the hole.
-There aren't many holes on this course that I wanted to unload my bag on (other than trying to land on the green on "Tin Cup".) There are many fun and unique holes, but none that I would consider to be in my favorites.

I can't say many bad things about the course. It is in immaculate condition, it offers a tremendous variety of hole types, it is a great balance of fun and challenge, and is as creative and unique of a course that I have played. I strongly believe that the course design uses the property to its maximum potential. Some cons that keep this course from being the best of the best in my eyes, however, were the lack of opportunities to be creative in how you approach the hole and the lack of challenging multi-stage par 4's. They're there, but not as many as I would like in a perfect course.

Either way, I strongly encourage you to go out of your way to play this course. I really can't imagine someone not enjoying their round at Shawshank.

One look at this awesome course and you can tell the designer takes the sport of disc golf seriously. Mr. Defrane took this property and turned it into possibly the finest course found in this part of the state. There are no two holes alike on this course. Even the first three holes are different in their own right. There are so many holes and so many shots that have to be made here to score well. I will highlight my faves here: Hole 4 "Jail" a Par 3, 305 Ft. shot off the tee into a thick forest of trees! Get your roller shots ready or prepare to play ricochet among the trees. Hole 7, "The Green Mile" a 600 Ft. shot through the middle of two rows of trees on each side of the fairway. Hole 18 "Conjugal Visit" A 261 Ft. Hole that is all pond. And Hole 15 "Death Row" a 276 Ft. narrow fairway that winds in two different directions before you reach the basket. (One of the most excellently designed holes I have ever seen). There is so much more here, but the holes just mentioned are my faves. There are several holes here that are like signature holes including 23 the "Tin Cup" with its basket as an interesting water fountain. So much fun here to be had. This course has to be played to be appreciated!

The only con I can see is the course is so far out from any major city, but that only increases the anticipation even more to play this magnificent course once you reach there.

Excellent course. Fine attention to detail. Thanks, Steve. I look forward to playing this great course again sometime!

Everything about this course is amazing. The layout is utterly beautiful. a must-play for any serious disc golfer. The shots make you think to always question the way you're going to approach the hole.

Waupon..... Hole 6. 'Nuff said.

I enjoyed the dog, he was the best course guide ever.... even though he drank half of my bottle of water.

1) This course is on private property and will never see a ton of traffic so you should always be able to get a nice calm round in here.

2) Steve - the designer and owner is very passionate about his creation and the sport of disc golf. He loves to talk about his course, how it was built, and his game.

3) I was laughing out loud numerous times on the course because I could hear the cows int he pasture. They sounded like they wer ebeing led to slaughter and for some reason I just couldn't shake the laughter. It sounds sadistic that I would get enjoyment out of cattle slaughter, but I had just come from the Texas Prison Museum where I got to see "Old Sparky" so perhaps the souls of those killed in that chair got to me.

4) Well designed course incorporating some really cool parts of a really cool property. There are no wide open holes just holes with some forgiving lines, holes with tight dense woods in spots, holes that are throught he middle of a tree nursery with the gap being only about 5' wide. There is elevation used tremendously well on this property. Boy it is fun to throw down holes #10 and #15.

5) Pond on Hole #6 is a true risk reward. There isn't much of a safe play on that hole however because if you want to go right of the pond you have some serious tight gaps int he trees to deal with. odds are you will get knocked down and then have to throw a pretty risky approach to the green which may or may not force you back over the water you were trying to avoid in the first place.

6) The holes are all named, having something to do with Jail or the movie The Shawshank Redemption. The owner's name is even Dufrane like the guy in the movie.

7) Benches and garbage on many holes. It is nice to see a private course as clean as this one too, so obviously either people are using the garbage cans or someone is walking around picking up the garbage all the time.

8) Nice attractive sign announcing you are at the course. It is nice to see someone take all level of their course to the top level!

9) Riser poles on a couple of the baskets to help you see the baskets over the rise. That is a nice touch and it helps the first timer for sure.

10) Steve has been out overseeding with Ryegrass . . . how often do you see this? Well I saw it one other place . . . Bud Hill in Memphis . . . another private course where the owner takes a lot of pride in the conditions.

11) 23 holes now as Steve has added 2 more holes into the design 12A and 12B. Its always nice to play courses with a lot of holes, it just extends the fun!

1) The tree behind #6 basket seems a little close to me. I typically would like to see at least 15' around any given basket because I feel like those should be automatic putts, or at least free of obstacles.

2) The rubber tees were a little bumpy in spots probably due to settling. I never had a problem with them being slippery just lumpy and uneven on a few occassions.

3) There is some rust on some of the chains. It doesn't seem to affect the catchability but it is noticeable. If I remember right he had a couple different kinds of baskets. SOme may have been homemade but I am not 100% sure on that. Too many courses in too short of time for me. Sorry!

4) Hole #13 was kindof a goofy hole. I tis like a 90 degree shot both shots are under 100' and the gap is only about 8' wide. It just seems a little gimmicky. Noone will make a 2, most will make a 3, but a few people who get off the fairway will take a 4, that doesn't necessarily mean it is a good hole.

5)

This was a really fun course. Steve said it was designed for Masters players which although I am not 40 I throw a lot like the better Masters players would. I do not throw far, but i am pretty accurate. They are hosting a big Masters tournament this year actually. It should be interesting to see how those people play in that tournament. Its a challenging tough course, there are some birdie opportunities but a lot of risk/reward that can lead you to take bogeys or worse in some spots.

This is just another great private course that leads me to believe the future of disc golf is going to be pay to play. People that want to play ebtter courses will need to be willing to spend a few dollars. If this is the course that i get to pay for a $5 fee, well then I am all in. I love the quality the cleanness, the private property aspect meaning nobody else around typically. It also reaffirmed I need to buy some land to live on that has some land like this so I can make my own private course. It would be a lot of fun to do the work on my own and design a course on my own property.

This course is definitely a 4-4.5 disc course. It has the amenities of a 5.0 disc course, but I just cannot give it that score. Ideally I would say I could give this a 4.25 but that is not possible, but I almost feel like giving this course a 4 would be too punishing considering all the things they have going on here. I guess I would consider it to be one of the lower 4.5 disc rated courses I have played. Concrete tees would help because they are more consistent, but there isn't much else I would recommend to upgrade the course from the 4.5 rating. It is hard to quantify, I just don't quite feel it is worthy of a 5.

- Course is set on private property, so it is guaranteed to be exclusively used for disc golf (property owners trump all, of course). There are a few separate forested areas, a big sloping hillside, and multiple spots with water.
- Four of the first seven holes are set in and around a large cluster of small, thin trees, set in rows to create very very thin tunnels. A few holes require a dead straight shot off the tee to keep in the hallway; anything that strays too far is guaranteed to be in tough jail. #7 has a wider fairway, but a small kink with a guardian tree makes it a very tough line.
- A ton of other holes are completely encompassed in a more gnarly forest, with many different looks. There are some lightly wooded ones, like #19 and #20, some tighter lines, like #11 and #12, and some that are downright ridiculous, like #13. Excellent variety in lines; super straight, big and small s-curves, hyzers, anhyzers, each hole has good character.
- Holes #8 and #9 force an accurate RHBH hyzer, with dense forest on the left and OB to the right/practically straight. Landing pin high is one of the few ways to get a good look at the basket; the thin fairways are tough to hit cleanly. The rest of the holes are set in more open areas, with trees both big and small littering the fairways and greens. The island hole (OB pavement) is a nice touch as well.
- Very good variety of elevation changes on the back side of the course. Two long downhill bombers in the open area must be under control to avoid the numerous mature trees. The uphill shots are mostly in the lightly forested areas, amongst three or four holes. The slopes are definitely noticeable and are a big factor.
- Awesome variety of shots involving water at this course. The first is on #6, which has a drive through a tight window to even get to the pond. #10 has water as a backstop for the bigger arms, as the downslope allows drives to just keep going. #16 is directly over a larger pond, and #19 is a short uphill shot over an tiny bowl (OB if dry too).
- Good mix of hole lengths; there are some shorties, some long ones, and a lot in between. Distance is usually not nearly as important as accuracy, but there are definitely places to really air them out. Probably one par 4, the long and narrow #7.
- Baskets are protected in some spots, to the point where you wonder how they got them back there. Lots of little trees are speckled in front of #2, #9, and an alternate hole (A?). #16 is elevated on a hill, with barbed wire way behind, and #19 has water/OB right in front.
- Unique tee signs have distances; the map shows the way. Teepads are very good, and baskets are in great shape, permanent or not. Navigation is very easy with the map and directional signs.

- While there is a wide variety in hole lengths, there are 4 holes under 210', and 11 more holes under 305'. The average hole length hides the large number of the shorties. As such, there is an overload of shots that value accuracy to the extreme, with distance being a means to an end. Some of the short holes, like #13, are borderline unfair, at least to a casual or even experienced player.

- This course pretty much has everything, minus gargantuan elevation changes and 8000' length. The two separate forest areas are very unique, and very challenging. Some extremely tight lines and tight windows, and some uphill shots with more leeway. The holes by and over water are great as well; laying up is almost as tough as getting it in one shot. The open holes are no slouches either, the long downhill shots and the island green are very enjoyable.
- Heads up for some barbed wire, especially on the long end of hole #16.

First and foremost, the Warden is fair, equitable and the perfect host. Enough can't be said for enjoying the experience of incarceration in this highly technical detention center. It will test not only your skills moving from cell to cell, but it will your mettle and strategy.

The grounds are well kept even in the winter months. The course signage is well thought out and the tee signs are as technically unique as the course. Inmates are guided from cell block to cell block without error. The rubber tee pads are perfect in both wet and dry weather.

The elevation changes support the length of the holes nicely, and the view downhill to the pond is amazing regardless what time of year you are serving time.

Parking is easy and straightforward.

BTW, my cellmate birdied "Death Row" with a monster Anhyzer last week. Seconds before launch shout "Go big or go home". It seemed to work for CH!!!

I haven't served enough time at Shawshank to come up with any reason not to play this course as often as I can. Any arguments about the course being too technical, or absurd, should be immediately detained in solitary for 30 days in the hole.

For my next round of detention, I'm making it a point to serve my time at night, and take advantage of the LED lighted holes.

Shawshank is perfectly located within the boundaries of the Sam Houston National Forest, make sure you plan your directions well.

Call in first and check in immediately at the Wardens quarters.

You have almost every type of shot you throw tested. Great variety, very challenging, and great people. Love the elevation and canopy. Definately a shot-maker course. I am looking forward to playing it again for a little redemption.

Limited parking is the only con that I can think of and that would only be for large venues. This is already being addressed by the warden. So there are no worries.

If I had to pick 5 favorites, they would be as follows: #7 (The Green Mile), #10 (Alcatraz), #12 (Solitary), #15 (Strip Search), and last but not least #21 (Tin Cup).

This course is an absolute joy.
i got my butt kicked, and smiled the whole time.

this course has every shot ive ever seen, or tried.

2 new holes just went up an they are awesome 12a is 300ish? strait tight shot with a well guarded pin. for a rec player, a beast up the right side will get you in a lay in 3 range.......maybe
12b is tight, not that the previous 11 holes werent already making you want to skip the hole, this one makes you use a light placement shot...get it right, and your making a 50-60 footer for bird....get it wrong....hows your forehand rollers to get into the fairway?

the course is so well maintained i'm surprised the pine needles aren't picked up by hand!

benches everywhere, same with trash receptacles.

the course owner called me i think 4 times throughout the day to see how it was going. to me that means alot about this course instead of just making it very frickin hard. it has personality.

best holes are 4,5,10,15...you'll see

when i was out at the recent tourney watching, i saw some pin placements, not the alternates. a few times i threw to the short placement and was exstatic i hit the line and parked it. then there was no basket....it was another 50 or so feet away. not really a con for a casual round, having those alt distances would make you go up and look a little harder for the basket your first time out. this would definatly take this place to the next level.

other than that....simply amazing

if you never play shawshank your really missing out

the us masters will be there next year, so if anything come out and get a good round in, then see how they do, you might not be far off.
bring your chainsaw.

i think this place gets its highest rating for the hospitality of the family that runs it. they are disc golfers, and they are exactly the kind of people you want to be around when you start and finish a round.

i need to learn the dogs name, he kept thinking he had the box at every hole.

This Course has got everything. from Water to elevation to trees to wide open. I mean this course is a top notch course in the Houston area. This course will make you work for your score. they are working on new tee pads and the one that are done are great. this course gives you opportunities to use every disc and throw that you have.

it is in the middle of no where! Maybe two of the holes are almost just to crazy hard.

this is a course that you should play all the time. I wish it wasn't so far away or i would be trying to get here alot more.
When the Tee pads are done I will Edit this rating up to a 5 star.

Originally a pig farm, Shawshank has 23 solid holes over a 23-acre lot of varied terrain. Apart from a few big downhill bombs on the back end, most of the course is tight playing through alleys of trees, good elevation changes, and over water in big risk versus reward shots.

Holes range from 189' to almost 600', and will push you to be accurate with every shot. For example, hole 5; "The Tunnel" plays through a 208' alley of pines with about a 12' lane to the entire way. If you can keep your disc straight on this course - you will be rewarded.

Each tee box is marked by a homemade hole number and yardage sign usually crafted from wood or granite, and the pins themselves are in good shape for private course standards.

BEST HOLE/S: #5

The tee boxes themselves have been transitioned to rubber pads, and though not as good as concrete IMO, it's a huge step up from the natural and gravel pads Shawshank used to have.

The biggest personal issue with Shawshank is that technical borders on silly with some holes. Hole 4, "Jail" is a 305' hole that involves more luck than skill in attempting to thread your disc down an 8' fairway. If you end up on the left side of the pin you'll understand why this hole was called jail. Also, hole 15, "Death Row" is aptly named since it's 276' of zigzagging putts. A pro might hyzer over the trees if they know the line, however regular players will be forced to make a 126' midrange putt to a 10' square landing area if they want a shot at hitting the next alley and escaping with a 4.

WORST HOLE/S: #3

Shawshank is an excellent mix of technical holes that go from wow to sometimes bordering on the absurd. I found myself wishing multiple times that if holes like 4, 13, and 17 would be thinned out a bit, it would make it much better - but that is obviously part of the challenge. Basically, if you love tight and technical, then this place will rank high on your list.

There is another component of Shawshank that one usually doesn't consider in a course. Personality - and this course brims with it. From the owner Mr. DuFrane, to the course name and hole names like "The Green Mile," "The Conjugal Visit," or "Death Row." There's a playfulness of the course and its design to truly make you feel like you've escaped upon completing the round. I find it compares well in many regards to Dalaiwood, one of my all-time favorite courses up in Washington where you emphasize technique over power. Then you combine it with a flair that only a passionate owner and a privately run course can muster.

The course itself feels like it floats somewhere between the 4.0 and 4.5 mark for design, creativity, diversity, and difficulty, but it's the overall Shawshank experience that just pushes it up between a 4.5 and 5.0, and something to seriously consider when choosing to play this course. Sure, you're just playing a round of disc golf, but the overall experience is you what you wish all disc golf experiences should be.

One of my favorite courses, Shawshank is one of the better balanced courses that I have played. The course provides a very wide variety of challenges forcing you to throw a bunch of fun and interesting shots. You will throw down hills, you will throw up hills. You will throw hyzers and anhyzers. There are three holes going over water and quite a few that provide some of the tightest and trickiest tunnels you will find in the area. If you have a good controlled drive you will be benefitted by the layout of this course. If you are just a big arm who maybe struggles some with your lines, this course can eat your lunch. This course will give you your money's worth and whenever you get the chance get out there.

There are some holes which go a little beyond the challenging stage and end up in the category of just plain silly. I think particularly of one hole which S-curves taking nearly ninety degree turns after about 100 feet. It is in a very tight tunnel and if you miss it by as much as a couple feet you will find yourself being torn up by the thorny rough.
The only other con that I can think of is the fact that this is a private course and primarily played only at tournaments. I am convinced that if this were my home course and I was able to take on its challenges with regularity, I would be a much better disc golfer then I am today because of the way that it makes you execute tough shots.

Among the highlights of this course are a hole in and out of a pine forest. Unless you are impeccably accurate or can throw a controlled roller you will be doomed on these.
This course is the type that scores can swing by wide margins very quickly. At the latest tournament a player shot 1 down in the first round followed by a 23 up in the second. With the potential to pick up big strokes on holes you have to stay focused and approach each hole with a plan and using your head. Once your head goes out here, you might as well kiss your butt goodbye!

An impressive array of holes make this a very enjoyable course to play. Lots of tricky holes will challenge your ability to accurately place a disc. Two big downhill holes and three uphill holes make good use of the elevation on the property. There are two holes that are perfectly straight shots to the basket down ~8ft wide fairways with walls of trees on both sides. One hole is literally a maze of trees that cause an errant throw to ping-pong from tree to tree. Three different holes require crossing ponds; none of which are hard to cross by themselves, but either pin placement, elevation, or distance from the teebox make it challenging. One hole features a tree walled fairway that makes a 90 degree right turn and then slight s-curve to the basket. The signature hole is the "Tin Cup Island hole" that requires you to land your tee shot on a grass island (bounded by concrete driveway) from ~250'. After three misses (with penalties) you then have to throw, lying six, from a metal cage ("jail") about 60' out. Scoring 8's is not uncommon on that hole. Tee signs have had hole distances added to them as of Nov 2008. "Next Tee" signs for all holes added Nov 2009. Also in Nov 2009, large solid rubber tee pads/boxes added to several holes greatly increasing footing on some previously treacherous boxes. Course also has LED flashlights strategically placed for lighting the front nine fairways for night golf.

With a lot of trees this course favors players with a good short and mid-range game. There aren't many holes, by my count: four, that really let you air out your drive for some distance with little fear of hitting a tree, or two, or three. No course map led my group to play one hole to the wrong basket. (Course map added May 2009.)

Several of the holes out here, specifically #4 and #14 rely significantly more on luck than golf skill. Holes like that can ruin a round. Another hole (#15) is a 282' par 4, that is best safely played with consecutive 120' shots and a couple putts. That hole takes a lot of heat from critics.

While I enjoyed playing this course a lot it had a few too many trees for my taste. Hole #4 was just a maze of trees with virtually no fairway and I think that plays a bit too much on luck vs. skill. I would like to see a couple more open holes to add balance for players who can chuck a driver for distance.

The course creatively plays off the movie "The Shawshank Redemption" by naming each hole relative to something from the movie, or a prison theme.

This course is on a private residence. While it is not open to the general public you can call Steve to schedule playing times. It is the site of the annual "Great Disc Golf Escape" Tournament, and hosted the 2011 PDGA US Masters Championships.