Very challenging course requiring lots of control shots, beautiful 3+ hrs in a peaceful forest and lake area,beat in well, lots of fun if you're up to the challenge

Very challenging course requiring lots of control shots(lots of potential for losing discs , many shots are tight woods surrounded by lots of mtn laurel and undergrowth. Tees are uneven ground covered with carpet bi

An absolutely beautiful spring day on this course,got there early on a Tues morning bout 78deg.had the course completely to myself .... Played all the longest tees and baskets . great choices for variety and challenge with 2 tees and 2 baskets on every hole, I came to be challenged,I was, played +10 over par and am stoked! No lost disks no shots in the deep woods, look forward to hitting this again and be challenged to beat my first time score, This course could be a very difficult/frustrating long day for beginners, This course made me use all my control/shape shots ,SO FUN

Great scenery and really nice mix of holes and shots.
2 teepads and 2 baskets per hole that don't just add length but change the layout and nature of the hole
Well maintained
Great elevation and use of the lake on a 17 and 18, 2 is pretty cool also.

If any it's that it could get played more to get more beat in, but more people on the course could be a con.

Local club does a great job with the course and maintenance, one of the, if not the nicest course in VA.

There is a $4.50 per day use fee for noncounty residents but when you consider that this is a county park not state or federal then it's not bad at all, I'm sure they do not get a lot of outside funding.

Be sure and bring drinks and water in, if you're coming from 64 there are no store from the exit to the park, so no where to stop and get anything. Keep that in mind because you're going to need fluids here. The water fountain on the top level of the beach house doesn't really work, if the lower levels are open then you can fill up a water bottle in the restrooms.

This is one of the rare courses that has two tee pads and two baskets on every hole. It's not easy to do, and I love it when it happens.

There is a really an impressive mix of moderate elevation changes, wooded holes, open holes, and even some water holes. Some of my favorites:

Hole 2 has a downhill water carry that is pretty easy from either tee unless you clip a tree.

Hole 17 is an empty-the-bag shot down a steep hill to baskets on a right-to-left slope. It was pretty tough to get the right range on my shots but a ton of fun trying.

Hole 18's long basket creates a beautiful hole (I didn't get to play the long baskets, unfortunately). You need to throw a straight RHBH hyzer to a landing area before negotiating the water carry to a basket just inside the woods on the other side. However, for huge arms, there is a 365-foot water carry to the basket. I could see this being a great tournament-ending hole where someone in Open or AM1 has to go for it to make up a stroke.

Even in wet conditions, the carpeted pads were grippy (they look like Astroturf). I liked that they were blue and green to differentiate the long and short pads. The tee signs are top notch, showing the distances and lines from all basket and tee combinations.

Creekbeds come into play a little more than I'd like, and there is some backtracking on holes to cross over them. They were dry but muddy, and climbing down into them was a pain.

Navigation was sometimes not immediately obvious. In general go toward the long basket and look for a path and you'll find your way.

It's tough to create holes where all four combinations of tee and basket have reasonable lines, and on a few you have to throw a boring short shot to set up a reasonable next shot. This isn't so much a con as a counterpoint to the pro of having two tees and two baskets.

This is the kind of park you could spend a lot of time at. The swimming area looks great and is the kind of place you'd tell yourself you'll hit after a summer round when in reality you'll end up going for a beer again. Still, I liked the vibe here a lot. I can't remember a single bad hole, and even in rainy conditions I had a great time.

Variety, Variety, Variety. You'll find big downhill bombs, uphill bombs, putter tosses, tunnel shots, doglegs, water hazards, everything and then some.

Not only are there variety on the course as a whole, every hole also has 2 tees and 2 permanent baskets. Yes, you heard right, 4 permanent "alternate" holes per hole. There is a seemingly endless combination of layouts you could play.

Inherent with this much variety, you'll be testing every aspect of your game. This isn't likely a place for beginners. It's more of a place for serious players to hone their skills with each shot. Unfortunately, it's a little too easy to be truly "championship" level. It would benefit greatly from a "Gold" layout.

Hole 17 is one of the best single holes I've ever played. I can't think of very many off hand that are more fun to throw on than "the Nut's" signature hole. It's a GIANT downhill bomb to the long position (which I recommend playing over the short). There is a creek at the bottom with a nicely manicured rock surrounding (OB). On the opposite side of the ridge near the top of the hill is a giant lake which I'm sure has claimed a lot of plastic.

There are tee signs on most tee pads, but they seem to be pretty old and are in need of a professional update.

Navigation, especially with this many hole layouts involved, is a little confusing unless you're a regular. This was my first time playing and luckily had a local meet me to play. I would highly recommend playing with someone (It's the only course around and there will likely be someone there when you arrive).

The tee pads are carpet/turf type. These aren't the worst, but they aren't the best either. I'd love to see some concrete pads out here, but the logistics of pouring it would be a formidable obstacle to say the least.

Some holes have some nice "natural" benches, but I'd love to see some more seating. I imagine waiting to throw happens often as this is a highly trafficked course, along with the hiking involved.

This is one of the most well rounded courses in Virginia and among the best as well. The landscape is perfect for golf. This course only needs some tee/amenities upgrades to be truly spectacular.

Very nice course, great layout, many options between alternate pins and pads. Good distance and some nice short ones. Technical throughout, but playable for pro to rookie. Beautiful trails along the lake, and beautiful views.

Signs could use a little work, pads are probably going to need attention before long. All in all I can't say much negative about this course. There's a few spots where it can be difficult to find the next pad if you're new to the park, but print a guide and you'll be fine.

Coast-to-coast this is in my top 10. It's peacful, fun, nice mix of up and down, short and long, tight and technical, with some nice open distance thrown in. Depending on the time of year some of the foliage is a little thick, but I've never had too much problem. Never too busy, not littered and messed up, very nice place. If you go during the summer season you have to pay the park entrance fee, I think $3 or $3.50, but totally worth it. #17 is my fav, very long, and from way up the hill, it's pretty cool, just make sure you don't use an over stable disc and break hard right toward the lake - yes, I shot a disc into the water like a meteor from there...

Pretty good variety

Elevation changes make shots interesting

Some open, some wooded

Very pretty park with a pavilion and little beach

The course was really fun to play and I enjoyed the moderately challenging holes, but the layout is just plain confusing at times. The markings are not very clear between holes and the hole maps at each tee are very basic.

Layout - From a strict layout perspective this course is amazing. It gives you a little bit of everything and different looks within each hole.

It starts with two permanent set of pins and two pads on almost every hole. This gives you four ways to play each hole which ranges from beginner to advanced in difficulty.

This course will really make you work the disc in a number of ways; using different shots on a variety of terrains. This course gives you everything from open to wooded, up and downhill, fast greens and more than one brush with water.

The mixture of terrain is paired with holes that really force you to combine your technical game with the ability to bomb. There's open shots here but you'll need to be accurate and when the course gets tight it gets hairy.

This course has some really awesome holes that couple layout with beauty. 16-18 is one of the best 3 hole stretches of disc golf I've seen so far.

Equipment - The pads are large and provide plenty of room. There are bathrooms on the premise.

Atmosphere - Gorgeous park, rolling hills with tons of elevation change. It's a hike to do all 18. It's relatively low traffic in terms of other park users being in your way. The course is built next to a beautiful lake.

Layout - Not much to complain about here. A lot of the short pad to short basket holes are boring but are suited for beginners. Even with the multiple configurations there are a few holes that are solid but boring and bring down the awesomeness of the rest of the course.

The flow of the course can be confusing due to some baskets being farther from the next pad. There's a few spots where it's hard to tell which basket you are throwing to because they're all out in a field. Bring a map.

Equipment - Probably the biggest con to the course is here. The pads are large but astroturf and not in the best of shape.

Tee signs with a map showing the hole and both basket locations would be a huge help.

The baskets are older and not the best, they weren't horrible but worth mentioning. I could also see a few places where an extra bridge or set of steps can make the course safer.

Atmosphere - You do play close to a road a couple times, not that big of a problem because it's a park road. You also have to pay to get in the park at some times, also not that big of a problem cuz it's worth it.

This course is a really good one. What stops it from being great is a few filler holes coupled with some equipment problems I mentioned. I'll say again that this place is gorgeous and 16-18 really is an amazing stretch of disc golf. I highly recommend coming here just to play those three... and try to park the 18 long basket off the short tee, I did.

Similar to others:
Nice variety, scenery, mix of woods and open, some long holes.
Great hike as well as golf round.

Signage could be clearer and indicate where baskets are.
Sign from parking lot to tee 1.

Great course for anyone in the C'ville area. I've taken to visiting whenever I'm down there.Looks like it would be a nice park to do other activities as well, like canoe, swim, walk.

Great course with a variety of elevation, distances, and directions. Multiple tee locations were often very different. Some holes played like 4 unique holes.
Magnet system in the kiosk to show which pin locations are in.
Course is set up in 2 nine hole loops incase you need to take a break or refill your water bottle.
clear gravel boxed in tees with tee signs.
Bathroom under the large pavilion by the pool.
Water in play on a few holes, but little risk of disc loss if you choose the safer basket. Hole 18 far pin was really the only hole were I thought I could lose a disc. I suppose you could shank it in the water on hole 17 and flub a shot on hole 2, but the risk is really not high.
This is an attractive tournament quality course and is a must play for anyone in the area. It ranks up with many of Virginia's finest courses.

Some tee pads were overgrown and in rough shape, many others were uneven and tough to throw from.
No sign to find hole 1.
Some navigational issues. Hole 3's tee looks up the hill to 6, but the real basket is in the woods. Hole 13's map appears as if you play striaght through the tight trees, when the baskets are really a sharp right.
Baskets were tough to see in the woods, yellow number plates like White Bank has installed would be perfect.
You have to write down which holes had long baskets, some had 2 baskets, others only had one in place.

This course is physically tough. The elevation combined with lack of shade gave this course a spot in the top 10 physically demanding courses I have played.
If every hole had both baskets in position I would have stayed all day taking occasional breaks to cool off in the water.

If you arrive before the pool opens up they do not charge. They began charging at 11 the day I played.

-Multiple tees and pins keep the course fresh, and the longs make for a challenging round.
-well designed pin locations require a full range of shots
-beautiful woooded setting, it would be a nice walk in the woods here even if you weren't throwing discs
-great use of water and elevation to add challenge and wow factor to several tees
-finishes with a bang, as 16, 17, and 18 are three awesome and memorable holes
-good signs at every tee box

-signage between tees could be improved as the trails can be a little confusing
- i personally didnt have a problem with the crushed gravel tees, but concrete would still be an improvement

what a great day of disc golf! while the case can certaily be made for some other VA courses like the grange and new quarter being more technically demanding, i have never had a more enjoyable overall experience playing a round of golf. both the course and park are beautiful and well maintained and the layout it challenging without being laborious. worth making a trip to play here for sure.

1) Great flow to the course when you figure out where it goes.
2) Beautiful park setting with lake
3) All baskets were in great condition
4) Most holes have two pins and two teepads for variety
5) Good mix of anhyzer and hyzer holes
6) Lots of elevation use
7) Loved hole 17 and 18

1) No firm teepads, they are all made of loose gravel
2) Some signage missing on holes and in traversing to the next hole
3) Ticks are present
4) Can be hard to find the next teepad due to lack of sinage

This course was so much fun to play but at the same time I was sad that a course of this caliber has not invested in concrete or rubber tee pads yet. By adding a more stable tee pad solution here and fixing some signage issues this course could be a top 25 course. This course would make my top 3 if it had a better tee pad situation. There are alot of blind shots here if its your first time so allow more time if you want to shoot well. The longer tee pads present a much harder challenge to reach par which I like, its almost a completely different course. Definitely worth the trip but be prepared for teepads that could be wet and are warped. In terms of natural beauty this course is near the top and stands alone among many other courses out there as is.

The best piece of land I have seen for disc golf. A bunch of wooded hills on the side of a cool little lake. All set in a nice little park. There is also some some creeks running through the course. A perfect location for a course. Multiple tees and basket positions. Signs indicating basket positions, distances and next tee pad. Great variety. Course does not favor forehand or backhand players. I had to use a little bit of everything to complete a round. Great use of the available land. Not one basket position that I didn't like. The few straight shots had either trees guarding the basket or elevation so the shot played to a blind basket. Both woods and water are used to add difficulty on almost every shot. Several shots that must go over or near the lake. Great risk/reward opportunities. Hole #2 is the first chance to go over the lake. You must throw out of the woods and over a small bay. Fairly easy from the white tees, but the blues add distance and more water. Hole #17 has got to be the signature hole. A beautiful bomb of 460' off of a hill overlooking the lake. The throw must go over the dam and end up down the hill on the baskside. But a turnover would go right into the lake and a poorly placed shot could go down the hill and into the dam overflow pool. The basket sits right next to the overflow and creek. Just a great hole. Bring your camera. Hole 18 plays back across the dam or over the lake. Basket is located on a small hill side next to a small point of the water.

Gravel tee pads. No concrete. Uneven and not great for winter play. Hate to sound old but almost a safety hazard when they have some snow and ice on them. It just about makes it not worth playing in bad weather. Navigation and signage could use some improvement. Either there were some baskets I couldn't find, or some in the long positions were missing. I am not realy sure. Hard to tell from tee pad where the basket was. Some holes had 1 basket and some had 2. Or I missed something. Either way, it could use a tweak. There are also trails throughout the course that are for bikers, hikers or walkers. Make sure it is clear before you throw.
UPDATE
After playing for the second time I still had some issues understanding which baskets are for what holes, but it was a little more clear. After a few rounds this probably becomes a non-issue. Bette signs and some indication on the baskets would really help.

This is the toughest review I have done. I absolutely love the course, but disliked the tee pads so much I had to downgrade the overall grade. Right now I'd really give it a 3.75 if that was an option. It is just a great place for a course. It is almost a crime that it doesn't have concrete pads. If they add that and make the navigation a little better I could easily give this course a 4.5. Add a pro shop, restaurant and bar and it would be my first 5. In good weather I would definitely consider this a destination course, worthy of a good road trip. In the winter it's probably not worth it.
UPDATE
After playing this course in good weather, if 95+ is considered good, I still like this course a lot for it's good qualities, and the natural pads play much better in the summer. Without ice and snow I had no issues with footing. Scenery and basket positions are so good at this course, that they overshadow the few faults that exist. With a little more work this course would be one of the very best. Just a real fun and challenging place to play a round.

I also saw one of the largest snakes I've ever seen outside of a zoo. It had to be about an 8' black snake working its way down a creek bed. Scared the hell out of me!

It's a little out of the way, but if you're anywhere close make sure you get to this course. You'll be happy you did.

-dual tees
-lots of elevation
-very well kept park
-easy to follow
-very challenging
-not crowded
-nice restroom facilities nearby
-maps & scorecards available on the billboard near tee 1
-lots of water and very pretty views, and the course is on a lake, so if you play on a hot day you can take a dip afterwards (hopefully its not to get a disc back!)
-all types of hole imaginable
-its a very pretty drive to get to the course on curvy Shenandoah mountain roads
-pretty easy to follow because the paths are well worn in

-dirt tees. a course of this caliber should have cement pads.
-poor tee signs
-many of the fairways in the woods have lots of little pieces of debris and roots and twigs that will affect the flight path of what you think should be a well thrown disc. these should be cleaned up.
-tees are only marked with colored blocks and aren't always labeled well on the signs, so they can occasionally be a little hard to find your first time here

its only an hour drive from Richmond, so its not that far away from anything major, just make a day trip out of it. Its also very close to UVA, so I'm surprised that more college students don't come here to play. Someone from the Charlottesville area should do some recruiting on campus and get some more people into the sport. Walnut Creek would be a great place for someone to learn and their skills would develop very fast.

This course is easily in my top 50, and is the best course in Western Virginia

The setting is absolutely beautiful.

A wide variety of holes. Open fields and wooded areas. Challenging water hazards.
Multiple tee & pin placements allow many variations on the course.
Maps & scorecards available on-line. I highly recommend the map. Some holes are better marked than others.

The view from the 17th tee takes my breath away every time.

Picnic areas and a beach. Fishing.
Bathrooms (changing rooms), water fountains and vending machines

Multiple pin placements may cause some confusion

Natural tees can be treacherous

I will never get over the stunning beauty of this course. It's a must if you are in the Charlottesville area. For a good throw and a good hike.

Bring your swimsuit and take a dip in the lake after throwing on a hot day.

In the foothills of Charlottesville, this course has it all. It is the perfect example of challenging. Most shot aren't easy. You will go through trees, cross lakes, brave the wind, and walk up steep hills.

It's signature charm is also it's fault. Depending on your skill level, you may get annoyed with the intense obstacles. Experienced players will eat this course up, while beginners may struggle. Make sure you have a decent disc inventory and some good traction shoes.

So I need to say what I learned at this park. It's terrain is majestic, but though it never occurs to us disc golfers, it can in fact be dangerous. My experience at Walnut Creek was cut short. I was in the woods on hole 7. There were dry leaves that covered a mud slick. It was the perfect "natural boobie trap". While trying to retrieve a disc I slipped and took a nasty fall into a steep ditch. I sprained my knee and ankle. I was playing alone, so I had no one around to help me up, not a good scene. I had to crawl on my hand and knees to get out of the slippery sink hole, and then I had to limp back to my car. So, unless you are extremely saavy in these types of situations (not many people are), or it is your first time at this course, be sure to bring a friend just in case the majestic terrain decides to claim you. This course was laid out my some intense minded players, boy scouts possibly. Remember the age old rule your mother taught you and BE CAREFUL. Once my injury heels, I intend to return to Walnut Park, WITH A FRIEND THIS TIME, and finish what I started. This course is too beautiful NOT to conquer.

See the review above. I also really enjoyed myself here. Plan a day of biking, fishing and discin'.

Landscape, setting, varied challenges per hole. Excellent signage and nice tees. A good number of truly distinctive holes, including one of the best in the state.

Thickets and underbrush, especially on the back, could lead to a fair amount of time searching for discs.

Located a few miles south of Charlottesville in rural Albemarle County, Walnut Creek is among the most scenic disc golf courses I've played. The course is wonderfully laid out and takes full advantage of its natural setting, and requires the full range of disc golf skills. The course is also rough around the edges and unforgiving, with thick, punishing rough on many holes. So bring your camera, some spare discs, and bug spray, and enjoy this beautiful course.

Walnut Creek is a mostly woods course set among the beautiful Central Virginia foothills and overlooking a picturesque resevoir. The layout of the course is well considered, with a good variety of longer holes interspersed with holes requiring left or right hook, or up or downhill shots, or a combination of all. Extensive work has obviously gone into clearing the fairways, which are challenging without being unreasonable. Watch out if you veer off the fairways, though; the woods are thick and unforgiving, and nasty thorns add an extra penalty on some holes Even when you don't have a view of the lake, which is most of the time, the woods are exceptionally beautiful and serene, however, with lots of established hardwoods. This is also one of the hilliest courses I've played, with lots of steep up and down. The finish of the course is the best, with an interesting hole 16 requiring a shot down into a gully along the side of a steep incline followed by the steep hike up to the tee for 17, one of the best holes I've ever seen, with perfect view of the lake, beach, and foothills, and a long, significantly downhill shot to a basket nestled against a mountain stream and the treeline. This hole is actually comparable to the famous Top of the World shot at DeLaveaga - the hill is just as steep, nearly as high, the hole is almost as long, just the view isn't as expansive, but I think it's just about as beautiful. #18 comes back across the edge of the lake and requires precision and features a great view too.

Finally, Walnut Creek is long on playability. Two tees and two baskets and two perfect signs for every hole. Many interesting and challenging pin placements. Two water holes, including a potentially unique #18 that long-to-long requires two separate water carries. Long, stable tee pads. Along with the excellent variety of holes, wonderful landscape, and great views, Walnut Creek has to be one of the better courses in the region, if not the country. Overall I rate this course as Excellent, and well worth a road trip to play.

Favorite Hole - #17 - Tee on top of a steep, steep hill with a beautiful view of lake and surrounding foothills. Wide open shot across field to basket protected nestled against a mountain stream and the treeline.