Best NC courses not Charlotte Area

[BraveThrower43]

I am in Kinston.

Barnet is a great course.

I am going to get down there soon to knock that one off the list.

I would have to say my list of top courses in NC would be something like this(in no particular order)

Castle Hayne
Glenburnie(it's definatly higher because of beauty.)
Fox Chase
Buckhorn
Pinehurst(pretty underated)
UNC DGC
Rockness Monster
Cedarock/Wellspring

 

[BraveThrower43]

I am going to get down there soon to knock that one off the list.

I would have to say my list of top courses in NC would be something like this(in no particular order)

Castle Hayne
Glenburnie(it's definatly higher because of beauty.)
Fox Chase
Buckhorn
Pinehurst(pretty underated)
UNC DGC
Rockness Monster
Cedarock/Wellspring

Mind you I havent played much in the mountains

 

[keltik]

Interesting list. I agree with the ones I've played. Glenburnie is one of my faves. I hit it up when we go to the beach for vacation. they have a good weekly doubles league, but I only get to play it once a year .

heard good things about Pinehurst. Haven't really heard good things about Rockness. Cedarock is about the only place in NC where you can experience NAGS.

and Sloppy you should know better that sarcasm is quickly lost on teh interwebst.

 

[Mattallica]

What?!?!

Please explain.

I too am at a loss. I would rate it right at what it is currently rated.

 

[grodney]

Regarding Castle Hayne being over-rated:

What?!?!

Please explain.

Well, it's personal opinion, of course. It's over-rated. Not horrible. Just not great.

0 elevation on the back 9, very little on the front. That right there knocks it down to start.

#1 is a blah hole. A basket in a park with widely spaced mature trees. Yawn. So now we're down to 17 holes.

Several holes are a terrible length. A wide skill range will get the same score a large percentage of the time. #3 is a good example. #18 too. And a few others in-between.

#14 is a bad shape. Ho-hum 3 for a wide skill range a large percentage of the time.

One or two holes have late trouble that is no good. Must be #6 looking at the map. 341 ft, but a wooded tunnel with a fairly severe pinch-point about 60-80 feet from the hole. Not good.

(The neighborhood doesn't bother me, but I guarantee it makes some people nervous.)

Add all that together, and it's just not great. At all. You're a smart guy, Robert. I know you understand good hole lengths. If you wish, you can nit-pick my individual points all you want. I'm sure many people love the course. That's fine.

I have plenty of fun there with a couple beers and my bro-in-law the once-every-two-years I play there.

 

[grodney]

I too am at a loss. I would rate it right at what it is currently rated.

Yeah, I don't rate courses. But if I did, I might give it a 4. Certainly no higher, perhaps lower. Its rating is, what, somewhere around 4.25? And its fanboy love is around 4.5 or 4.75. So it's over-rated.

 

[_MTL_]

The only things I can say about castle hayne that are negative...

1. No short tees (long rounds, even casually).
2. No elevation / scenic holes
3. Score separation is bad on some holes (14 is one of the worst holes with a defined wide open fairway I've ever seen).

But the concept of risk vs reward is amazing on this course and it's a concept that disc golf rarely offers. If you are on and going for stuff, you can shoot some crazy numbers. But if you are off, no matter what, your round is over quickly.

I've always played the course very conservatively - I love the difference of strategies you see on each hole.

I also love that it's a par 65 or whatever, but distance might be the last thing that matters here.

 

[spikodelhyzer]

Isn't the Castle potentially getting changed up anyway due to the park re-design? So yeah play that if you can since it might be different soon.

 

[sloppydisc]

Interesting list. I agree with the ones I've played. Glenburnie is one of my faves. I hit it up when we go to the beach for vacation. they have a good weekly doubles league, but I only get to play it once a year .

heard good things about Pinehurst. Haven't really heard good things about Rockness. Cedarock is about the only place in NC where you can experience NAGS.

and Sloppy you should know better that sarcasm is quickly lost on teh interwebst.

I hear ya. I will chime in and say that Rockness and Sasquatch are worth a small side trip for. Rockness has some Fox Chase quality to it. If you like woods and elevation you should like it. I haven't played it since its last upgrades, but it is fun. Sasquatch is new, and a little raw still, but still a fun round with some water and elevation. It's not perfect, but it has potential. Plus there is another course about 20 mins away in VA that is decent too. Can't remember the name but it has some good variety with a few opens bombs for those that like that. You can play 3 good courses in a day pretty easily there.

 

[New013]

Castle Hayne is a saint... no bad mouthing allowed.

Yeah Rockness and Sasquatch have some potential but they need some work and play to beat in. I disagree with a lot of the holes at Rockness but Sasquatch has been done very well. Edmunds Trail is the course north of there in South Boston. It's a beautiful piece of property with a lot of really good holes mixed in with like 5 holes that make you scratch your head.

 

[sloppydisc]

Yep, that's it. Thanks for saving my brain fart.

 

[1978]

I only like Castle Hayne because everytime the little one gets annoying, I can just throw in the Clash DVD filmed there and get a little peace. Haven't played.

 

[spikodelhyzer]

Castle Hayne is a saint... no bad mouthing allowed.

Yeah Rockness and Sasquatch have some potential but they need some work and play to beat in. I disagree with a lot of the holes at Rockness but Sasquatch has been done very well. Edmunds Trail is the course north of there in South Boston. It's a beautiful piece of property with a lot of really good holes mixed in with like 5 holes that make you scratch your head.

Are the longs on the back nine at Rockness still crappy poke and hope or lay up shots to the shorts?

 

[BraveThrower43]

Interesting list. I agree with the ones I've played. Glenburnie is one of my faves. I hit it up when we go to the beach for vacation. they have a good weekly doubles league, but I only get to play it once a year .

heard good things about Pinehurst. Haven't really heard good things about Rockness. Cedarock is about the only place in NC where you can experience NAGS.

and Sloppy you should know better that sarcasm is quickly lost on teh interwebst.

Yea. My list looks much different when charlotte courses are added lol.

Bradford, hornet's, Renny, and scrapyard make there way onto the list. Maybe RL Smith as well.

I thought Rockness was a solid course and I want to go back. Pinehurst is definatly a good course just needs teesigns pretty badly.

Another one I'd add opti if you find yourself traveling from jacksonville east is Luther Britt. It is a very different change of pace course.

That is if you are not scared of the water.

 

[BraveThrower43]

Regarding Castle Hayne being over-rated:


Well, it's personal opinion, of course. It's over-rated. Not horrible. Just not great.

0 elevation on the back 9, very little on the front. That right there knocks it down to start.

#1 is a blah hole. A basket in a park with widely spaced mature trees. Yawn. So now we're down to 17 holes.

Several holes are a terrible length. A wide skill range will get the same score a large percentage of the time. #3 is a good example. #18 too. And a few others in-between.

#14 is a bad shape. Ho-hum 3 for a wide skill range a large percentage of the time.

One or two holes have late trouble that is no good. Must be #6 looking at the map. 341 ft, but a wooded tunnel with a fairly severe pinch-point about 60-80 feet from the hole. Not good.

(The neighborhood doesn't bother me, but I guarantee it makes some people nervous.)

Add all that together, and it's just not great. At all. You're a smart guy, Robert. I know you understand good hole lengths. If you wish, you can nit-pick my individual points all you want. I'm sure many people love the course. That's fine.

I have plenty of fun there with a couple beers and my bro-in-law the once-every-two-years I play there.

I could understand a lot of the points made here. I think there are a lot of Tweener holes at castle. Especially for MJ Lol. It is still a great course and one of my favorites but there are some holes there that I disagree with.

 

[bhadella]

Just checked out photos of Castle to get a taste of it. Finally a good lefty hole on 14. Oh, and are those teepads or parking spots?

 

[BrotherDave]

Just checked out photos of Castle to get a taste of it. Finally a good lefty hole on 14. Oh, and are those teepads or parking spots?

Tees, large, wonderful tees. :thmbup:

 

[DSCJNKY]

Opti,
Definitely hit me up when you are coming through. I'd love to repay the favor and meet you for a round.

I can probably travel to any of the courses you pick within a 2 hour radius of me... but my preferences would be for:
Harmon Hill in TN
Sugaree
Ashe County
Richmond Hill
Stumpy

and depending upon the time of year you come... you might get to play one of my new designs in the Asheville area. It's going to be great golf! The course should be mostly installed (but still raw) by the end of spring.

DSCJNKY

 

[BrotherDave]

Regarding Castle Hayne being over-rated:


Well, it's personal opinion, of course. It's over-rated. Not horrible. Just not great.

0 elevation on the back 9, very little on the front. That right there knocks it down to start.

#1 is a blah hole. A basket in a park with widely spaced mature trees. Yawn. So now we're down to 17 holes.

Several holes are a terrible length. A wide skill range will get the same score a large percentage of the time. #3 is a good example. #18 too. And a few others in-between.

#14 is a bad shape. Ho-hum 3 for a wide skill range a large percentage of the time.

One or two holes have late trouble that is no good. Must be #6 looking at the map. 341 ft, but a wooded tunnel with a fairly severe pinch-point about 60-80 feet from the hole. Not good.

(The neighborhood doesn't bother me, but I guarantee it makes some people nervous.)

Add all that together, and it's just not great. At all. You're a smart guy, Robert. I know you understand good hole lengths. If you wish, you can nit-pick my individual points all you want. I'm sure many people love the course. That's fine.

I have plenty of fun there with a couple beers and my bro-in-law the once-every-two-years I play there.

The only things I can say about castle hayne that are negative...

1. No short tees (long rounds, even casually).
2. No elevation / scenic holes
3. Score separation is bad on some holes (14 is one of the worst holes with a defined wide open fairway I've ever seen).

But the concept of risk vs reward is amazing on this course and it's a concept that disc golf rarely offers. If you are on and going for stuff, you can shoot some crazy numbers. But if you are off, no matter what, your round is over quickly.

I've always played the course very conservatively - I love the difference of strategies you see on each hole.

I also love that it's a par 65 or whatever, but distance might be the last thing that matters here.

First off, you can't fault them for not having elevation. It's eastern NC, the whole park is flat.

How is the scoring separation on 14 bad? It takes most people that play there forever before they can consistently par that. Plus, often there is a strange wind thing going on that you can't feel from the tee.

3 in the longs is extremely difficult for Intermediate and below to par. #18 is a bad length, I'll give you that one. Everyone can get par pretty easily but the risk/reward comes into play a lot more if you go for a birdie.

#6 is a great hole. Without the late trouble, everybody would par it easily.

(what neighborhood are you talking about?)

 

[Dave242]

FWIW, Castle Hayne was my favorite flat course (I consider courses like Kilborne flat - even Angry Beaver is flat other than 1-2 holes) until it was edged out by Magnolia when I played it last winter.

Castle Hayne is a really really good Blue level course. I do not think it is nearly as good for Gold, as their overall skills do not really buy them better scores in direct proportion to their better skills.