There are some courses that are just fun to play and for me this is one of them. I really enjoy the variety of shots required to take on the holes. Course has seen drastic improvements inlcuding 18 new concrete tpads and after playing yesterday there is also alternate pin placements which is really exciting! A lot of work has been done on this course and it really shows. Fairways are really coming together and a lot of growth has been cleared away. I live in the area and right now this is my favorite course to play even if I have to drive further and pass by unc dgc to get there. If you have not played this course in a while, you will be pleasantly surprised when you play it now!
My favorite holes are the uphill #4 . #7 which is really one of the sweetest holes on the course and a real challenge to get up and down. #13 and #14 on the back are also great holes.

No major cons

I really like how the front 9 and back 9 start near the parking lot. If #1 is crowded just start on #10.

I need to start by saying that when I played this course (June 2011) everything seemed well maintained, in contrast to earlier reviews. The grass in the field that #1 and #9 play through was cut, paths were clear, and the baskets were in excellent shape.

The course has good use of the elevation available, with both down- and uphill shots. It is a wooded, technical course, which I like but is not going to be everyone's cup of tea. Despite the woods, the trails are clear and obvious and signs pointing the direction to tees guide you on every hole. The woods are fairly clear, you're mostly just competing with trees, there is very little undergrowth on the course as a whole. There is a good variety of long an short holes here, though you don't get any chances to really let a big drive rip on a fully open hole.

There are many enjoyable holes here. #9 is a great close to the front nine, with a narrow tee shot through woods out into a field. If your drive gets out of the woods a 3 should be well within reach. #18 follows a similar pattern of opening up after a narrow tee shot, but then has a basket guarded by a few trees. #13 is a a fun throw-over-the-valley shot where a good sidearm or turnover shot (again, RHBH) will set you up with a great chance at a birdie or even eagle.

This is a course to get a fun round in and test your skills a bit. I would not take someone who is new to this course because they will not have the precision and shot selection necessary to play this course well.

No tee pads is a big drawback and no course these days should go without good pads, and the same goes for tee signs that lack hole maps (you only get hole # and distance). For instance #9 has a pond to the left of the landing area for your throw off the tee, so a RHBH shot is going to fade towards it, but you cannot see the pond from the tee and without a hole diagram a new player may throw a disc in unwittingly.

I also think the course is a little too tight at times. I enjoy a nice tunnel shot, but at times I felt the course was overly punishing without offering much risk/reward. There appear to be trees marked for removal so once these are out I think the course will improve considerably. The shots tend to favor straight or left-to-right shots, so there is not as much variety as I would like, I found myself doing a lot of sidearm shots.

Nice park accompanying the disc golf course.

Nice technical layout in a huge park. Restrooms and water near the dog park, large soccer fields and playground near back nine.

Cool layout with true front and back nines, both looping back to the same parking area. Great use of elevation change and available land. There are uphill, downhill, L-R and R-L sloping, and flat shots. Water in play on #9 as well as a small creek that runs through the fairways of #13-#17.

New alt pin placements on most holes.

Tee boxes - although there are new concrete pads, they are fairly small and raised above grade on most holes making them a tripping hazard on full run-ups

Overgrowth - The back nine still needs a lot cleanup, but it's coming around. Front nine is in much better shape, except for #7. Poison ivy is everywhere, most places a disc could land are within 3' of it.

Signage - Tee signs are hole # and distance only, and the distances on most signs are off b/c of the two pin placements. No direction from front to back nine, which is across the street and to the left.

Few trashcans and no benches except b/w #9 and #10.

Best Hole - #9, 492' Par 4, uphill slightly with water in play on the left. Basket will eventually be protected by a grove of recently planted trees. Brutal, but a three is well earned. New alt/short position brings the basket closer to the water and a steep hill.

Most Fun Hole - #15. Downhill around an old uprooted tree with a creek cutting across the fairway and down the right side.

Course is really coming around. The front nine, especially, is a lot of fun to play.

There is a nice mix of long and short holes, as well as a good mix of straight to right shots.
Very scenic and in a nice section of Chapel Hill. Dog park next to hole 1 and there is a ton of wildlife running through the park - although that could be a con
Updated...
The course now has 18 tee pads, while a little on the shorter side, it is something that was needed for this course..
All 18 holes (including #18 - yay) have been cleared of the unrealistically tight fairways - while still very wooded - they are now very fair and solid and forces you to use more shots in your arsenal.
The signs were a con, but they are being updated with the actual distances.
Multiple pin placements - on a number of holes, there will be multiple pin placements - this really makes the course have some variety that is sorely needed.

Mentioned in the Pros - the tee pads are slightly short - at least for myself - and raised, so those who might use a run up on the longer 2 holes might have an issue. On holes #15 and #16 there is a small plant type covering the entire ground along the fairways and near the tees. It is VERY easy to lose a disc here.

Big kudos to Andrew George who has headed up all the work out here - from installing pads, heading up the clearing and making multiple pin placements. This course has went from an afterthought to a decent option. No, it is not an epic course, but definitely one to play when in the Chapel Hill area.

After playing with a friend who throws RHFH, I realize that many of the lines favor this shot (or LHBH). New bridges have been built to cross gulleys, including a nice new one on #13. Aesthetics and functionality keep it down from the others.
I always walk out of here with numerous thorn scratches, seemingly more than other courses. Although, this is likely from my straying from the fairways often . That said, long pants are helpful - when the weather allows.

One of the newer courses in the area and certainly a tribute to the tight wooded courses that dot Chapel Hill. I've been playing ever since the course was under development and it is finally what qualifies for done. The signs are extremely informative and there are now path signs to help you navigate the course (there is a nature trail that also criss-crosses the disc trail a couple of times).

The front 9 are nicely set. Tight, wooded, and technical shots. There are some particularly brutal upslope key hole drives (Hole 4). Hole 1 and 9 being the only open field shots on the entire course are a nice break from being in he woods. Hole 13 is nice long 380 ft. shot across a ravine in the middle of the woods with a moderately forgiving fairway on both sides.

All in all it's your typical area course: Tight wooded shots with a couple of memorable ones. Hole 9 is by far the most interesting, being a keyhole drive out of the woods, with a steep hill on the right and a water trap on the left. Throw a forehand if you are a RHBH player and sit your disc right on top of that hill.

Beyond hole 9 and 13 most of this course is forgettable. It doesn't set itself apart from other area courses. Hole 18 needs an absurd amount of work; it's way too tight and there's no way to Hyzer around all of those tress.

Discs get eaten up like nothing else. I would love to see CH Parks and Rec go in with some leaf blowers and fill out the boundaries. I've lost a few discs on this course, even though I saw where they dropped. Lots of underbrush and pockets of leaves for your worm burners to get lost in.

If I had a choice, I'd make the trip to UNC or Leigh Farm, as they tend to inspire improving your game on a challenging course. This course can be frustrating on an off day, since the fairways mostly don't exist save for a 6 ft span to drive down.

I played this course for the first time probably 8 months ago not too long after it opened up. Played it today for only the second time.

- Nice elevation changes that come into play on about half of the holes.
- Really nice signage has been installed since I first played it. Tee sign on each hole and directional sign at the end of each hole. It made navigating the course much easier.
- Holes 1 and 9 add some much needed variety to an otherwise extremely tight wooded course.
- Holes are pretty fairly balanced for lefties and righties.
- Holes 1, 4, 9, 10, 15, 17 are the only holes that I found to be both fair and enjoyable.
- Placed in a very nice park....stretching for pros now, moving onto the cons......

- Too many poke and hope holes. The fairways are not well defined on holes 7, 12, 14, 16, and 18. The rest of the holes minus hole 1 are tight at least one point in the fairway if not the entire length of the hole
- No variety in this course. Just a bunch of holes with either a tiny choke point, an unreasonably tight fairway or very little fairway definition.
- Debris from tree removal not taken off the fairway in some spots and not far off the fairway in other spots. This should clear up as the course gets worn in and time passes.
- Natty pads, which isn't always a horrible thing, but there seem to be a lot of roots around a lot of the pads. Can make up for some awkward run ups.

If you like tight, technical courses then you might like this course. Then again you might not because there is just too much luck involved in this course. This is the type of course that frustrates me to no end since I believe in fairways being well defined enough to make a course more about skill than luck. I would have like to have seen more variety in types of holes too. Holes 1, 4, 9, 13, 15 stand out to me among a bunch of 180ft-250ft tight fairways and poke and hopes. I would hope a few more trees could be taken out, but it looks like very little clearing has been done since I first play the course over half a year ago.

nice short woods. not as chalenging as carboro, or as fun as chapel hill.its another piece they need for the chapel hill tourney. no hole stand out, favors side arms in tight places. try it once but more than that not necessary

short but fun with friends

great park with trails baseball fields and soccer fields

Challenging course that requires accuracy, but still has some distance to it. Mostly a good course for RHFH players or LHBH players, but not so much as to give them a huge advantage. Not heavily played so it's easy top get a round in. Good typical NC narrow wooded fairways. Distance and Par signs at tees.

Raw. Still fairly new with fallen trees and brush in some fairways and near some baskets. Not sure about accuracy of some of the distance signs. No tee pads. Still just has flags in the ground. Uneven and heavily rooted natural tee pads suck. A few chuck and pray holes with an overly narrow fairway.

I first played this course early last summer. It is better in the winter without leaves, but it is still tight and tough. But it is getting better. Tee pads would be a huge addition. Back 9 has signs directing you to the next hole so hopefully the front nine will get some soon. With a few more signs and some tee pads this could be a really good course. Still worth playing if you are nearby, but not quite up to snuff yet with some of the other close by.

I have played this course 3 times since my original review. They have added some nice signs and the fariways are a little bit more playable. Still a work in progress, but it is getting better. If they ever get concrete pads this course will be another Triangle gem. It is coming along nicely. If UNC is busy thi sis close and worth playing.

August 2012 Update - New basket positions have been added. There are some tough new long positions as well as some short beginner type positions. Depending on the set up this can be a very nice course now. Signs are now in need of improvement to keep up with all the changes, but this is definitely a course to check out.

Good variety of holes, nice use of elevation, no interference from other park users, signs marking the holes (although the lengths are a bit suspect). A couple of open holes as a nice change from the woods. Hole 9 is right by the parking lot where you start, so mid-round trips to the car are easy. Much less crowded than UNC. Less than 15 minutes from at least 2 other courses, and probably less than 30 to 5 others. Located in a big, nice park with all the expected park facilities, including a dog area.

No teepads, can be a little confusing, no real signature hole, although 18 is close.

Very tight, I'll let you decide for yourself if this is a pro or con. The duck flies at midnight.

DISCatcher baskets, Great elevation differentials on holes, many going straight up hill or down and back up, No concrete tee boxes as stated before but the tee boxes are very solid, compacted dirt. Course also varies in length on holes, seemed the front nine consisted of a lot of holes in the 250 ft range, as the back nine holes got progressively longer and more challenging.

Lots of paths back in the woods that lead to nothing. Also plenty of fresh green ivy and small weeds all along tree lines of the fairways. These tall grasses made it difficult to find discs on the back nine especially.

Other than the multiple paths and heavy weeds, it was a very pleasant DGC. Also as stated before I would definitely not suggest for beginners, for the reason most fairways are very tight and could be discouraging.

The front nine seemed to play much easier than the back nine. I would say the back nine was a lot tighter of fairways, and adding around 100 ft compared to some front nine holes.

Also they have added in a few signs that are made out of white pvc piping with arrows drawn on them to attempt to help navigate.

Good length. Nice park. Well defined fairways. Mostly wooded but a couple were open, play out of the woods type holes, hole 9 is a good example. Be wary of the little pond ~200 ft down and to the left of the tee on hole 9. Very natural course. This is the quintessential course where you feel like you are walking through the woods except there's baskets along the way. Very verdant, very pleasing on the eyes. Although it's very woodsy, there is very little underbrush here so losing a disc takes dedication. Hole one is cool if you throw on the big mulch pile . I doubt that is permanent though. Good variety to the holes, balanced between straight, straight and just left, and straight and just right. A few mild dog leg rights but nothing you couldn't reach the basket off the tee. Holes run from just under 200' to over with a few in the 300'+ range, typical NC wooded course distances. Good flow now that there are tee signs and next tee signs. Good amenities, dog park, etc.

Fairways are quite tight but very fair and manageable as long as you can throw straight. Some of the holes could of presented multiple lines from the tee as there is plenty of land for it but I'm nitpicking here. Good moderate to advanced course, could be brutal to beginners. No benches but there are a few fallen trees and cut stumps to sit on here and there.

*Update* The tee signs are nice but they lack a general picture of the fairway and the distances seem way off, either that or the public school system failed me in a big way.

**Update** The back 9 needs some clearing of fallen trees and branches and undergrowth (including poison ivy) in a big way. It's perfectly playable, it's just starting to get a little jungle-ish out there.

This course is slowly cementing itself in the top 3 of the Chapel Hill area, just behind UNC's and I'd rather play multiple rounds here than anywhere else in the area. As far as a destination course, I would have liked to see some more extreme dog legs to the extent of having some par 4s or 5s b/c I think there's land for it. This course reminds me of Valley Springs except it's prettier and just as fun if not more so despite only having one set of tees.

**update** This is becoming my favorite course in the area. It's easily the prettiest round of disc golf of the 3 (UNC, Anderson) and although UNC is obviously a better course, SoCo's combination of tight lines and wonderful woods make this a fun challenge.

Park features plenty of amenities (Tennis, Fields, Dog Park, etc...). Extra long holes on the back nine. Definitely a challenge with tight fairways, and moderate to hilly terrain.

Unfinished Course. Heavily Wooded Course. No Signage (as of currently). No Benches (as of currently). Difficult to find markers/tees. Too many paths which don't always lead to the next tee. Tees have not been poured (assuming they plan to have concrete tees).

It is important to note that the Southern Village DGC has not officially been completed. The baskets have been installed, but the tee pads and fairways have yet to be fully completed. In fact, the tees are marked only by a rectangular patch of open dirt, and two small orange marker flags. This review will be extremely detailed, only because there is no signage, no maps, and there are various paths that run through the course. I spend much of my time yesterday lost on the course. My hope, is that this review will help you navigate this unfinished course...

Please use caution, as the heavy leaf coverage, downed trees, and cleared trees have been left as is, and this makes this course quite dangerous for those whom don't pay attention to where they are going. I personally finished this course with a injured ankle, a bloddy wrist, and the frustration of not knowing where the next tee was... Please play this course with caution!

When you first arrive at Southern Village, you'll be turning into Dogwood Acres Road from 15-501. You'll want to park in the parking lot on your immediate RIGHT, otherwise the road continues into a neighborhood, and you'll no longer be in the park.

Tee #1 is to the left toward the dog park, and you'll see the first basket just inside of the wooded area to the right of the furthest part of the dog park. Again, remember that the tees are simple dirt patches with two small orange construction marker flags.

After hole #6, follow the path to the left of the "Oak Datum" an indention of Earth surrounded by cut wood logs, arranged in a circular pattern.

Hole #7 is heavily wooded, and only allows for a 6' wide window of a fairway, with a sharp drop off to the right. After Hole #7, the path hits an abrupt T-intersection, you'll want to go right.

Hole #9 is the only open field hole on the entire course, and is right near the parking lot, opposite of where Tee #1 is located. After you finish Hole #9, you'll need to follow the sidewalk path across Dogwood Acres Road. Follow the sidewalk to the left, and look for a dirt path on the right for Tee #10.

After Hole #13, don't cross the street. Stay on the path to the right to find the next Tee.

After Hole #15, follow the path to the right.

After Hole #16, the path hits a fork and you'll need to go right at the fork.

After Hole #17, follow the path behind the basket to the right which parallels the bottom of the tennis courts to find the Tee for Hole #18.


Overall, I think that the Southern Villahe Disc Golf Course has the potential to be Chapel Hill's version of Buckhorn DGC (New Hill, NC). The terrain is well mixed, but with no water hazards like Buckhorn DGC has. Therefore, the scenery is much more like Cornwallis DGC in Durham, NC or Kentwood DGC in Raleigh, NC - just on much more land, and segmented.

There are currently no benches on the course, I would assume they simply haven't been purchased yet. This makes sense, as the fairways have barely been outlined by the cutting of trees, but not the removal of them.

I would definitelty not classify this course as a beginner's course, regardless of what state the course is in. The heavy woods will have a tendancy to eat up discs, while the heavy leaf coverage will also conceal your discs, so keep a keen eye on them. You'll also want to bring comfortable shoes that will support your feet on rought terrain, as part of the course require going up and down fairly graded hills.