Pros:
More than 4 months after playing here, my feeling on the Regulator keep growing. I think this is a keeper
- Course starts and stops with absolute bangs. Hole #1 offers all the best aspects of this course: length, terrain variety, and sharp angles. Excellent par 4 to start the round, that reminds me a lot of Mayflower Hills up in Roanoke.
- Hole #17 is probably the most fun and, possibly, the most scenic, hole on the course. Downhill shot over the water to a basket tucked amongst trees. There's enough room that a birdie 2 should be an expected score, or at least, a strong possibility. Then, #18 is a quintessential station-to-station, par 4. This is one of several holes on the course where par 4s require well placed teeshots over length if you want better angles for your second shots. With the basket alongside a rockwall, it's a scenic approach to end your round.
- Course offers tremendous variety in layouts: quality elevation, length, open holes, wooded holes, water holes, severe doglegs, high risk/reward tee and approach shots. The only course in the Triad that comes close to this is Keely. NOTE: Neatman is in the class as Regulator, but that's not a Triad course.
- There are some nerve-wracking basket locations. You go slightly long on #1, you're going down a hill. Same thing happens on #7 & 12. Then, you have baskets placed close to water. #3 is your first taste. It's taken to an entirely different level on #5. 20 feet past the basket and you're landing in a creek. And finally, as mentioned above, on #17.
- Water is also a dominating factor in several other holes as well. The creek runs along the right side of #3's fairway. It runs along the left side of #10's fairway. With water on the left and woods on the right, standing on the tee on #10, the fairway looks about 20 feet wide. A surprisingly tough tee shot. Give me a mid-range to simply keep my shot dead-straight.
- Then there's #13. This is going to be a love-it or hate-it hole. I don't think there's going to be a middle ground. 583-foot hole with a tee shot that goes straight towards the edge of a pond. From there, you're taking a dogleg right, uphill and over the pond. It's safe to say that a poorly thrown tee shot may result in you throwing a short (as in 100 foot or less) second shot to give you an angle over the pond. Realistically, you're wanting to throw 300 - 325 to get close to the water without running into a risk of landing in the water. Or, you're needing to go 475 in the area with your disc having enough height to go over the trees and fade back to the right to clear the pond. I think most people will opt for the first choice.
- Tee signs are excellent. The limited directional signs on the course have the look and feel of being in place for a major tourney. Let's just say that more are needed.
- Oh yeah, in case you didn't know, there are two other fun courses on site. A fun day (or half-day) of disc golf to be had in one location. You don't see that in North Carolina. NOTE: I don't count the three courses at Renaissance Park in Charlotte as the three courses have so many overlapping holes that you're not playing 54 unique holes.
Cons:
Signage was very inconsistent. I think it's safe to say that during the major here two months ago there were enough people helping with navigation for the players. Some of the long transitions with signage lacking may not have even been noticed then. Well, it's noticed now.
- I guess there are supposed to be paths leading from #9 to 10. I ended up wandering through the woods, crossing over #2, following UDisc's map to find my way. On the blind tee shots, especially when you're throwing into the woods, it would be nice to have arrows to make it clear what opening in the woods is the fairway, and which one is a path. I found this out the hard wa on #6, then again on #13.
- The course ends on a down note. Holes #14 - 16 are three of the simplest, most boring holes on the course. #14 is a tough tee shot, then gets very easy for your second and third shots. #15 is a rather mundane par 3. Sure, you're throwing into the woods. But after everything earlier, it's an easy par 3 with a (relatively) wider, simpler fairway. And #16 is open and long. Distance will be the separator here. Those who throw 450+ will be at the basket in two throws, those who throw shorter, will be reaching the basket in 3. Then, the raised basket can be another stroke separator.
- A higher than normal lost disc aspect to this course. Case in point: I found two discs during my round. Reached out to both numbers to get them returned. And, I also got to spend 15 minutes retrieving my disc from the creek past the basket on #5. Also had a disc land in the creek after a bad bounce on #10.
- Not beginner friendly. Not a negative per se; rather, a simple observation. At least this park has a fun, beginner friendly course.
Other Thoughts:
Regulator is a very good course. I saw one touring female pro call this her favorite course. I wouldn't go that far in my praise of the course.
- The best parts of this course are outstanding. It's a very varied layout with some quality looks I haven't seen too often. I don't remember playing a layout similar to #13 anywhere else. The downside is that there are a few too many simplistic holes that bring down the course's overall quality just a smidge.
- I played #5 cautiously. I intentionally threw my tee shot 40 - 50 feet short. I left myself a simple lag putt. An extremely dry, slick ground, and my disc slides right off the ground and into the creek. I really want to see the scoring separations here. Do most people just play cautiously like I attempted to and take a simple 3? Or, is there a high level of risk with players actually making a run for a birdie 2?
- There are so many outstanding views on this course: approach shot on #1, tee shot and approach shot on #3, tee shot and putt on #5, approach shot on #7, tee shot on #10, second shot on #13, tee shot on #14, approach on #16, tee on #17, second shot and putt on #18.
- This is now the only true three course destination in North Carolina. Renaissance Park in Charlotte doesn't count as its 3 courses overlap so much that there are not 54 distinct holes there.
- This course has so many similarities to Pipeline in Spartanburg, SC. That's one of favorites in South Carolina, and is a massively underrated course.
- This is the best course I've played to date in eastern NC. I know a lot of people are fond of Diavolo in the Triangle. This is a clear step above that.
- Cedarock Park, with its three courses of varying difficulty, is now a must play destination in my book. My question is why is there only one 'R' in Cedarock? Shouldn't it be Cedar Rock? So, yeah. Play the Regulator.