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Shelby Lake Park reviews
12
0
PastorofMuppets
Silver level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience:
4.9 years
150 played
118 reviews
Gone in 60 Seconds
Reviewed:
Played on:Jan 14, 2023
Played the course:2-4 times
Pros:
***This course is only open for 2 days the second week of January each year for the Shelby Shootout
1) I saw no reviews for this course (probably because it is a temp course and pretty exclusive since you have to play the event to play the course), so I figured I would show it some review love because it is a fun and challenging layout and an event that I enjoy every time I am able to get in to play.
2) Set amidst Seviere Lake, (and over it, and around it, and unfortunately probably in it at times) this gorgeous park property offers a ton of picturesque holes, views, and challenging disc golf shots right in the middle of downtown Nashville with million dollar homes guarding the perimeter.
3) Course usually has 3 layouts which consists of just longer and more difficult tee pads (a Blue long layout, a White Rec layout, and a shorter Purple Novice and older folks layout). This definitely makes the event open to anyone to enjoy as the various tee pad locations are really well done based on the skill level intended to use them.
4) Course utilizes existing paved parking lots, roads, sidewalks, etc for tee pads in almost all locations. There are a few temporary turf tee pads (mostly for the shorter tee pad locations) where needed. Portable Discatcher baskets, and they hand print and laminate tee signs. Not the greatest amenities, but still a positive, especially for a 2 day temp course.
5) Wonderful use of elevation and TIGHT natural OB. You are 5 holes in before you throw your first relatively flat shot, and it's is a skinny fairway left to right shaping shot that slopes left to right.
6) Two elevated baskets that are tastefully done and do not feel gimmicky. The first is set atop a stump on the downhill hole #2, and being elevated allows you to see the band from the tee (the green is VERY downhill sloped), The other is a similar hole shape on the back nine and the basket is again elevated on a tree stump on the backside of a pair of guardian trees. This raises the basket high enough that if you land short of the twin guardians, you can still have a putt between them as this green slopes away hard as well.
7) Sloped greens... This course isn't about huge distance, it's about controlled distance, landing zones, and the angle you land your disc on. Without exaggeration I'd say 14 of the 18 greens are heavily sloped, and the remainder are pushed right to the edge of OB. The scoring separation and blow up holes this created for the events I've gotten to play was immense.
8) Some Iconic Island or semi Island Par 3's. Hole #4 starts you out playing downhill 80 feet tee to green. The green is tucked in a small circled corner of the access road where it looks almost like a round a bout. The in bounds green area is smaller than circle one and protected by a long giant Maple. From the tree you can see most of downtown Nashville, the nice homes, and even Titans stadium off in the distance. It is common place for cards all over the course to be watching you through this tee shot as well, as you are at the highest point of the course. Hole #9 you tee from the elevated stone infield of an ampatheatre, surrounded by stonework walls and a large flat field where you can imagine thousands of people watching a concert and you feel like you are on stage. 450 feet away awaits your semi island green, guarded by large trees on both hyzer lines, but leaving wide open middle gap over some bushes directly in front of the pin. OB roads left, right, long, and directly in front of this green make hitting this green intimidating. Hole #13 remind me of a reverse "beach hole" at USDGC. This one curves gently right at the end, instead of left, to a small beach on the edge of the lake. Beautiful hole visually and very fun to play, assuming you don't lose a disc in the lake... Hole #14 is an actual island, as you will tee off to an island in the middle of the lake, various lengths of water to carry based on which tee you play from but the long tees has a 325 all water carry and the pin is in the back corner of the island on the downslope. Have fun. The party doesn't stop there though, as Hole #15 immediately makes you throw from the Island to the bank on the other side now to, you guessed it, another basket placed right on the edge of the water on the downslope. This is a much shorter 270 or so foot shot with a 200 foot all water carry, but by this point in the round, you might be out of water discs.
9) Course smartly gives you multiple risk/reward options, driveable Par 4's but tight and early OB so if you make the slightest mistake, you are punished and practically re-teeing. Attackable Par 3's that punish aggressive shots that are a little off, but also provides very safe landing zones if you just want to make a Par on everything.
10) A course that doesn't reward the big arm and doesn't punish the noodle arm. The farther you throw, the more risk you bring in. Accuracy is king on this course, and I love that, especially since this isn't a heavily wooded course which is where you would normally see accuracy matter this much. It allows the big arms to go as big as they want, and risk it, so you can open up if you want/need to. But it certainly isn't required to compete here.
1) I saw no reviews for this course (probably because it is a temp course and pretty exclusive since you have to play the event to play the course), so I figured I would show it some review love because it is a fun and challenging layout and an event that I enjoy every time I am able to get in to play.
2) Set amidst Seviere Lake, (and over it, and around it, and unfortunately probably in it at times) this gorgeous park property offers a ton of picturesque holes, views, and challenging disc golf shots right in the middle of downtown Nashville with million dollar homes guarding the perimeter.
3) Course usually has 3 layouts which consists of just longer and more difficult tee pads (a Blue long layout, a White Rec layout, and a shorter Purple Novice and older folks layout). This definitely makes the event open to anyone to enjoy as the various tee pad locations are really well done based on the skill level intended to use them.
4) Course utilizes existing paved parking lots, roads, sidewalks, etc for tee pads in almost all locations. There are a few temporary turf tee pads (mostly for the shorter tee pad locations) where needed. Portable Discatcher baskets, and they hand print and laminate tee signs. Not the greatest amenities, but still a positive, especially for a 2 day temp course.
5) Wonderful use of elevation and TIGHT natural OB. You are 5 holes in before you throw your first relatively flat shot, and it's is a skinny fairway left to right shaping shot that slopes left to right.
6) Two elevated baskets that are tastefully done and do not feel gimmicky. The first is set atop a stump on the downhill hole #2, and being elevated allows you to see the band from the tee (the green is VERY downhill sloped), The other is a similar hole shape on the back nine and the basket is again elevated on a tree stump on the backside of a pair of guardian trees. This raises the basket high enough that if you land short of the twin guardians, you can still have a putt between them as this green slopes away hard as well.
7) Sloped greens... This course isn't about huge distance, it's about controlled distance, landing zones, and the angle you land your disc on. Without exaggeration I'd say 14 of the 18 greens are heavily sloped, and the remainder are pushed right to the edge of OB. The scoring separation and blow up holes this created for the events I've gotten to play was immense.
8) Some Iconic Island or semi Island Par 3's. Hole #4 starts you out playing downhill 80 feet tee to green. The green is tucked in a small circled corner of the access road where it looks almost like a round a bout. The in bounds green area is smaller than circle one and protected by a long giant Maple. From the tree you can see most of downtown Nashville, the nice homes, and even Titans stadium off in the distance. It is common place for cards all over the course to be watching you through this tee shot as well, as you are at the highest point of the course. Hole #9 you tee from the elevated stone infield of an ampatheatre, surrounded by stonework walls and a large flat field where you can imagine thousands of people watching a concert and you feel like you are on stage. 450 feet away awaits your semi island green, guarded by large trees on both hyzer lines, but leaving wide open middle gap over some bushes directly in front of the pin. OB roads left, right, long, and directly in front of this green make hitting this green intimidating. Hole #13 remind me of a reverse "beach hole" at USDGC. This one curves gently right at the end, instead of left, to a small beach on the edge of the lake. Beautiful hole visually and very fun to play, assuming you don't lose a disc in the lake... Hole #14 is an actual island, as you will tee off to an island in the middle of the lake, various lengths of water to carry based on which tee you play from but the long tees has a 325 all water carry and the pin is in the back corner of the island on the downslope. Have fun. The party doesn't stop there though, as Hole #15 immediately makes you throw from the Island to the bank on the other side now to, you guessed it, another basket placed right on the edge of the water on the downslope. This is a much shorter 270 or so foot shot with a 200 foot all water carry, but by this point in the round, you might be out of water discs.
9) Course smartly gives you multiple risk/reward options, driveable Par 4's but tight and early OB so if you make the slightest mistake, you are punished and practically re-teeing. Attackable Par 3's that punish aggressive shots that are a little off, but also provides very safe landing zones if you just want to make a Par on everything.
10) A course that doesn't reward the big arm and doesn't punish the noodle arm. The farther you throw, the more risk you bring in. Accuracy is king on this course, and I love that, especially since this isn't a heavily wooded course which is where you would normally see accuracy matter this much. It allows the big arms to go as big as they want, and risk it, so you can open up if you want/need to. But it certainly isn't required to compete here.
Cons:
1) Only set up for 2 days a year on the second weekend in January for the Shelby Shootout, usually put on by the Nashville Disc Golf Store and the Nashville Area Disc Golf Club. This is a con because it's a tremendous temp course that is very fun and challenging to play and is set in a gorgeous park.
2) Massive risk of lost discs due to all the water involved and the steep deep nature of the water just off the banks of the lake.
3) Various holes where fairways border each other or tees are close to landing zones from previous holes. While not common, there is a risk of errant throws being a hazard issue.
4) Non-traditional tee pads that often utilize roads and sidewalks that can be slick. You also have to wait for cars, joggers, and other park goers to clear out on occasion.
5) Fishermen oblivious to disc golf. You will encounter fishermen on the banks right in your flight path that have no concept of disc golf and despite your best efforts, don't understand that they need to move.
2) Massive risk of lost discs due to all the water involved and the steep deep nature of the water just off the banks of the lake.
3) Various holes where fairways border each other or tees are close to landing zones from previous holes. While not common, there is a risk of errant throws being a hazard issue.
4) Non-traditional tee pads that often utilize roads and sidewalks that can be slick. You also have to wait for cars, joggers, and other park goers to clear out on occasion.
5) Fishermen oblivious to disc golf. You will encounter fishermen on the banks right in your flight path that have no concept of disc golf and despite your best efforts, don't understand that they need to move.
Other Thoughts:
Wonderful temp course and one of my favorite temp layouts to play. Definitely wish this was a more permanent course and that others had the opportunity to play it outside of one even in January every year. I drive roughly 2 1/2 hours every year to play it, and it has always been worth it enough to try and sign up every year since. A definite try to play if you are anywhere near the Nashville area, but a shame it's only one weekend. Course would score much higher if it wasn't a temp course. But, as a result, Very Good is the best I can give it.
