Martin, TN

Harrison Road Park

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3.075(based on 15 reviews)
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8 0
PastorofMuppets
Silver level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 4.7 years 129 played 115 reviews
1.50 star(s)

Not a Homerun Course

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 5, 2023 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

What to Expect: HB Clark designed park course on a smaller than normal piece of property in Martin, TN. Aesthetically pleasing course with well maintained mowed grass fairways and purposefully thick unmowed rough to shape holes. Rolling elevation changes, moderately wooded in places, open fairways in other with either tight tree lined tee shots, tree guarded greens, or both. Quick playthrough course if you are hitting the fairways.

Amenities: Sports complex with bathrooms, port o johns, trash cans and benches spread out through the course. Single tees play to a single basket location.

Tees/Signage/Baskets: As with almost all HB courses he knocks this portion out of the park. Large course map Kiosk near Hole #1 with all relevant information. You probably won't need to take a photo of the course map, as all the holes are easy to find, but it is there anyways. Tee signs are large and full of all the relevant information complete with a full color hole map. Baskets are Yellow Discatchers and in fairly used but decent shape. Large concrete textured tee pads in good shape (Hole #7 had a tree fall on it and break it if I remember correctly from the last time I played here, but whichever Hole it was, the tee pad had been repaired this time around). Next tee arrows on baskets.

Design (Pros): Two separate 9 hole loops that start and finish back at the parking lot. Course utilizes unmowed rough areas to shape and define holes, which aesthetically make sense and help you see the intended shape of the hole. This is particularly useful on Holes 1 and 2 as they are pretty close together. Mostly a LHBH dominant, RHFH designed course which is an oddity for HB (sorry to all my only RHBH players, but this course might make you want to set your disc bag on fire). Excellent use of the space allotted for disc golf. Solid mix of wide open, tight technical, and wooded tee shot to wooded guarded green, difficult pin locations, and elevation changes.

Signature: I would pick Hole #1 as it is a very pretty hole, quite difficult to score on, and shapes beautifully left to right through multiple mature hardwood trees to a pin tucked up against the OB entrance road. You have a few gap choices off the tee to attack the pin but need to hit your line clean and plan for ground play on the green on this medium distance Par 3. I like having to hit a gap early, shape the disc to hit a mid flight gap, and still clear the guardians around the basket (even if I can't execute it all the time), it is a very solid hole design when used fairly.

Cons:

Tee Pad Placements: Tee locations are very gimmicky, shoving the tee right in between trees that can come into contact with you during your throw and/or follow through, and tee signs being placed in similar intrusive locations. It can affect you mentally trying to make sure you don't strike one and affect how you release the disc as a result. There are many times there is a massive tree within 10 or 15 feet directly in front of the tee pad (making you choose right or left of it) but not much else to impede on the shot.

Spray and Pray: Several of the wooded holes have a ridiculous defined intended gap, that often defies the laws of physics, and requires you to get creative and lucky through the dense woods. The course really doesn't reward "good" shots as you will still have to scramble and execute to make par. It rewards excellent shots and solid putting instead, making it a little too gimmicky.

Hidden Baskets: A lot of baskets can not be seen from the tee and you can only see the intended line (which is often not a good route to take) and with the addition of exaggerated hole shapes, first timers will have a difficult and possibly frustrating first play through.

Hole #3: This is one of, if not the, worst designed holes in recent memory. It is so punishing and borderline unplayable that I knocked an entire point off my rating of this course because of it. The Hole is shape like a capital L laid over on its side. You pitch out 45-60 feet to get past a mando that forces you to stay left and doesn't allow you to cut the corner. There is knee high tall grass down the left side and a small mowed strip fairway for you to land in. 100-125 feet directly in front of you off the tee pad, the fairway ends, cut off by a super dense woodline that runs perpendicular to the tee. So you pitch down past the mando, then you have to throw down a narrowing low ceiling tunnel to a pin on top of a crowned tiered plateau that drops off to Narnia behind it. Approach shots, missed putts, your disc golf cart, small children and pets, anything that lands close to this basket without going in will take off like your ex-wife down the hill. And it's a Par 3. Have fun. I watched a kid (beginner) on the group in front of me lose all 3 of his starter pack discs in the rough on this hole once, have a minor meltdown, and leave.

Lost Discs: As mentioned before, the combination of massively high rough, thick underbrush in the wooded areas, and two creeks that play alongside, over, and around (that can either be dry or flood stage) means you might go home with a much lighter bag even if you didn't throw that bad of shots.

Drainage: Course holds water and can be muddy and very slippery after rain, especially starting on Hole 4 and playing down near the creeks.

Other Thoughts:

This is not one of HB's better designs, although it isn't attrocious, it just can't get out of it's own way from trying to make the course "challenging" instead of a beginner friendly course which is probably better suited for the land available. The property is small and forces a lot of odd shaped holes and gimmicks to increase difficulty. I found this course rather difficult as a new player, but as time grew on it just became a hit a gap, pitch up, make par course that wasn't exciting to play. Course also isn't helped by being relatively out of the way, though in a small college town. If you were going to school here, or in the area for some other reason, this course is a quick play through. Otherwise, I'd avoid this one and drive on to Nashville, Morristown, or Knoxville to get some throws in.
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0 0
Gradperk
Experience: 8.8 years 11 played 6 reviews
3.50 star(s)

solid course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 29, 2015 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

tough shots to test your abilities
Nice baskets
fairways are in good shape

Cons:

tough shots to test your abilities
rough is very long

Other Thoughts:

Good all around course. Tough shots in the woods. LHBH/RHFH dominant course.
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0 1
Hawgman
Experience: 15.8 years 161 played 14 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Great Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 29, 2015 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Nice Tee pads, great baskets.
Ace runs on a few holes.

Cons:

Hole 3 needs a better tee or a different pin location drive is pretty much wasted. Hole 17 not visible have to walk out to find it.

Other Thoughts:

Overall fun course.
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1 0
Grapesoda
Experience: 13.5 years 18 played 1 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Home Turf! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 21, 2013 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

This course has a wide variety of shots. Most holes are fairly open with possible ace runs on several! Nice tees, good baskets, and friendly players across the course. We just put in new women and children tees!

Cons:

Driver and putter course. No mid game really. Some holes have extremely hard looks. (17)
Can be buggy during the spring and summer months. Tough course but I began here so its Home turf!!

Other Thoughts:

I love the course it was the one I learned to play on. Stop by and play a round with us!
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1 0
Wood Chuk
Experience: 43.9 years 372 played 34 reviews
3.50 star(s)

I am a botanist 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 20, 2013 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

This course has a sense of humor about itself. A simple shot into the rough will involve looking for your disc for a few (or more) minutes. There are abundant opportunities to throw into the 'rougher rough' where you may look at little longer. Blind shots into woods?? This course has that! This course is definitely well vegetated in a very pleasant way. If when you get to the ninth tee box and see a tree right in the middle of your release, if you do not laugh you are taking yourself way too seriously. This is a great course for teaching you to throw controlled shots and for teaching you that you play disc golf for fun. I am glad this is my home course.

Cons:

The pros for this course are also the course's cons: much vegetation, tight shots, and humiliating tee box trees. If you play 18 holes and do not hit any trees, you are a very good golfer. It is possible to lose discs on this course.

Other Thoughts:

Bring a positive attitude!
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2 0
6.5swede
Experience: 29 played 4 reviews
3.00 star(s)

6.5Swede's review 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 2, 2013 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Short/quick playing course, close to home, challenging. Play smart to score well. Lots of elevation changes.

Cons:

Lack of lines, tight fairways, rough is left unmowed so discs can be hard to find on a few holes, forget about a roller. A bad drive can punish you.

Other Thoughts:

I play this course a lot and the only real problem I have is the lack of hyzer shots available rhbh. When I play other courses that's where I struggle playing the hyzer shot. It's a anhyzer, flick or lefty friendly course.
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1 0
matsfort
Experience: 13.3 years 2 played 2 reviews
3.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 20, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-Holes 1,9,10 and 18 are all by the parking lot making it easy to play just nine holes.
-Good variety of holes with 12+ holes in wooded areas.
-Signage on all holes and Concrete tee pads are well above average.

Cons:

-There is no purpose for the tall "rough" areas on the open holes. Easy to loose a disc when tall.
-Tee pad location of 3 is pretty much a wiasted throw.
-Several holes have trees right in the middle of the tee pad, while more of a personal issue or me, removing them would still keep the itegrity of course and make a little enjoyable to play on.

Other Thoughts:

I play on this course about 2-3 time a week and while an under par score is not out of the question, I have to work for a +4 on the course. There is good variety of holes with several open hole to show off your distance and a lot of wooded holes to work on your accuracy.

All in all this is a challenging but fun course to play on. Would recommend any avid player visit to test your skills.
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1 0
Beanfield Suiter
Experience: 1 played 1 reviews
4.00 star(s)

My Home Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 7, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Paths to goals are easily found. Have to use every disc in the bag on virtually every round. I like that you don't have to be 6'4" and weigh 240lbs to compete. You need to be adept at all the possible shots. It pays to be creative.

Cons:

The drive on #3 is pointless. Compare it to having to use a wedge to drive on a par 4 in regular golf.

Other Thoughts:

Please do not kill the snakes on this course! They are harmless, and it is against the law.
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2 0
bjreagh
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 27.6 years 350 played 317 reviews
2.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jun 25, 2018 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

The land the course is on offers a good variety of open holes and woods of varying densities with a good use of elevation- up, down, gentle, steep, sidehills, and a couple flat holes as well. I appreciated that each hole had a unique look to it off the tee. Besides trees and elevation, other obstacles include a creek, a road, a ditch with a small bridge. There is a decent variety in hole length where a 3 would be a great score for most people on several holes (and to me it even played longer than it looked).

There are the usual expectations of concrete tees, signs, and baskets in good shape. There was a kiosk with large course map and plenty of scorecards. No difficulties in finding the next tee either. And the course comes back to car after 9 and 18.

I found this course to be deceptively challenging. A lot of the holes may not look like much from the tee, but then I found myself scrambling for pars and bogeys. I would enjoy playing this course several times looking for ways to shave strokes after you get to know it a little bit.

Cons:

You rarely have that "getting lost in the wilderness" feel with city parks, and this is no exception. Though the course is on land purely for disc golf, it never gets real far removed from the other things and sometimes it borders uncomfortably close to non-disc golf stuff. For example, hole 2 plays beside some duplexes (that probably get hit off the tee more frequently than they would like) and there is no separation or distinction between fairway and duplex yard. Later you play along a road and then a ballfield. The course itself does not interfere with other park activities, but you never get that out in nature feel. As a result, this course also lacked the aesthetic qualities that top courses have.

Some of the holes seemed to require a less than realistic shot off the tee (or at best it varied from the norm, for example, you throw a short shot off the tee followed by a long upshot- I suppose this is ok, but it is not the type of hole design people expect.)

Though lots of variety, there are often consecutive holes that are very similar, rather than an alternating rotation type of mix.

Other Thoughts:

This course is in a college town in the middle of nowhere. There is really no reason to come here unless you go to UT-Martin or are visiting somebody- then in that case, this is a decent course to get your DG fix.

I would rank this course somewhere around a 2.5+. There are several holes that are worthy of a 3.0-3.5, but then there are a few that are slightly below average as well.
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2 1
tdortch
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 16.8 years 84 played 34 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Great course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:May 7, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

Nice teepads/signage. Arrows pointing to the next tee. Guarded baskets. Nice benches. Risk/reward shots on nearly every hole. Elevation change. Reachable baskets IF you can find the line. Awesome course.

Cons:

Hole #3. I would have rated this course higher if not for hole 3. It is probably my least favorite hole I've ever played. You throw a light flick about 30 feet and let it turn and land. Then you get to play the hole (the rest of which is actually fine - a steep hillside right behind the basket and trees guarding the entrance). But, the reasoning behind just wasting your tee shot is lost on me. I'm hoping the local club builds an alt tee pad that just takes that little part out of it.
My only other gripe is the narrow fairways they mow. I never understood this practice. Unless the tall grass is OB, it does not add anything. It does, however, take away rollers and make it hard to find your disc even in the fairway. The grass outside the little strips (anywhere from 10 - 20 feet wide @ the teebox to the full 30' around the pin.) is around knee height and really hides discs!

Other Thoughts:

This course has some very cool holes on it. It's challenging, but it's also one of the best in the area. You will need a variety of shots on this course. There are trees dead center in front of pads. There are sweeping downhill shots that run through semi-dense forest and have baskets placed on hillsides. But, all in all, what it boils down to is a fun course. I enjoyed the change from hole to hole. 100% worth making the drive and it's about an hour away from me. I will be back.
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4 1
carrioke
Experience: 14.7 years 36 played 7 reviews
4.00 star(s)

An excellent course for new and seasoned players! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 15, 2011 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Concrete tee pads Garbage cans and benches periodoicly throughout the course Great elevation changes Wonderful use of space Decent hole length

Cons:

Not enough places for garbage Some dangerous slopes when wet/muddy

Other Thoughts:

An excellent course for new and seasoned players. There are enough easy holes for beginners and enough challenges for more experienced players. Being a woman, I love the length of the holes. Most of them are reachable for par! (Of course, you have to miss the trees first!) I think I was 20 over the first time I played (6 months ago) and I was 10 over March, 15 2011. I wanted everyone to see the beauty so I posted the pics on here.
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2 0
andrewlin18
Experience: 2 played 1 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Great Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 8, 2010 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

The tee pads are concrete and really nice. There are some baskets 400+ feet, so get ready to show off your distance. Great variety of holes both in the woods and open. Great looking course, always mowed and enjoyable to walk.

Cons:

Very difficult to play on first time, because alot of the baskets are hidden.

Other Thoughts:

I shot 21 over par on 18 my first visit, but after learning the course I have shot even. Although there are many baskets in the woods, the woods are forgiving and not overly dense, unless you cross the creeks lol. Love the course.
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3 0
Nailscars
Experience: 11 played 4 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Trees, Trees, and More Trees 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 11, 2010 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Holes 1, 9, 10, and 18 are all together at the parking lot, makes playing just 9 holes easier. There are a couple of very nice long shots and a few shots that are challenging, but seem fair and fun.
I personally love DISCatcher baskets, and the concrete tees were nice.

Cons:

This course is very tough. The first time through can be especially hard because most baskets aren't visible from the tees.
For a right handed player who throws mostly backhand the course seems even more challenging. Even the straight holes have trees or overhangs that call for an right turn throw.

Other Thoughts:

This is not a course to bring a bunch of drivers and see how far you can throw. It is a tight, challenging course that rewards replays.
While I found the course to be hard, I still had fun playing it (even though my first round was 30 over par). I think over time as players clear out some flight lines and trample down some underbrush it will be an even more enjoyable course.
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2 1
sdervan
Experience: 14.7 years 41 played 41 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Not that great 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 11, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

There are not that many.
the paths are cut down well and the baskets are nice.
1 and 18 are by the parking lot.
that's it.

Cons:

I'm up for a challenging course but quite a bit of this one didn't even make sense.
I love elevation changes, gaurded baskets, and trees but evey hole should not have all three. Some of the pad placements were just dumb. I think if someone who has never played before started here, they would quit.

Other Thoughts:

I love a course where you are rewared for a great shot but this course makes you make the shot of a lifetime on about 11 of the holes before you have a outside chance for birdie.
FYI-at the tourney this weekend, the winning pro was 2 or 3 down after 2 rounds. he was a pro.
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3 1
memphisrider93
Experience: 15 years 16 played 5 reviews
1.50 star(s)

Bad layout 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 11, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

I liked some of the good long drives in this course.

Cons:

I didnt like how there was no route on about 90% of the holes. All you could do was throw and pray it got through all the limbs and around the groups of trees. There was one thing that i really didnt like and thaat was that on about 4 or 5 holes there were trees on either side of the tee box and then one dead straight in front of the tee box which made for a difficult shot.

Other Thoughts:

I think this course was poorly layed out and probably didnt think about it too much before putting up pin placements and tee pads.
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