Hoover, AL

Inverness Disc Golf Park

4.225(based on 37 reviews)
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12 0
Moose33
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 12.2 years 203 played 201 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Epic wooded track

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 30, 2023 Played the course:once

Pros:

As far as disc golf with a very intentional wooded design this is an excellent example. From the long tees it's somewhat intimidating but fantastic course. It begins with a true multi shot par 4 and it doesn't really let off the gas from there.

Teepads on this one are straight enormous, huge slightly tapered that I think even James Conrad could throw from comfortably, and with two on every hole it must have been quite the labor.

There are two sets of baskets, older looking But nice Innova baskets and new blue Prodigy T2s. I think the older ones are mainly the "longs" but they aren't always longer. So it's a little complicated for a first time player.

Elevation a huge feature here with having some up and down on nearly every hole, and some having multiple ridges involved.

Signs were nice and made it fairly easy to navigate and understand what to do off the tee.

Overall, this is a complete course that has something for most players, but in its longer configurations can test anyone.

Cons:

There are a few spots that navigation is tricky. 5-6 comes to mind. I also would have like a clearer distinction between the long baskets.

A few times the rough is a huge drop off, where if you aren't very careful you could have a rough time with falling or climbing back up.

Other Thoughts:

The premier course in the Birmingham area is what I've been told and I think that holds up.
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17 0
golfdawg221
Experience: 4.7 years 5 played 5 reviews
4.00 star(s)

A Proper Woods Experience for Anyone 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 19, 2021 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Variety: Each hole feels like a new and exciting challenge. From narrow, tight, short lines you have to hit to long shots where you need to hit your target, every hole demands what feels like a unique throw from you.

Challenge: Inverness is a very difficult course, but the perfect kind of challenge. The long tees and short tees offer two unique experiences and neither are easy by any stretch. Thankfully, the short tees make most holes reachable even by weaker arms like myself. But you must hit your gaps at Inverness. There are very few unfairly punishing lines (except the greens, occasionally). Unless you are an absolute beginner or have no control, you will be fairly challenged at Inverness.

Landscape: The course designers use the terrain brilliantly. It is beautiful, challenging, and a wonderful oasis in the middle of the suburban jungle of Hoover.

Pin Locations: Two pin location on each hole, often offering a unique challenge. Some pins are a little frustrating (looking at you, far left pin on hole 1), but for the most part, I like the change every once in a while.

Tee Pads: You can always rely on a nice sized tee pad on each hole. There are also benches on every hole! You'll need them - it's a hike.

Accessibility: Right of 280 in the Birmingham area. Amazing that it is such an oasis in the middle of the city. Great to have a course like this in the area.

Cons:

Punishing Greens: At the end of the day, I think its nice to have somewhere that forces you to make smart decisions while putting. But a few of the holes have greens that are so sloped and so root-y that even a 30-foot layup shot could bounce a hundred feet down the hill, out of bounds. Be ready to hit your putts, or face consequences. Minor docking point here, but can be quite frustrating when you are playing, and can feel a bit more luck-based than I prefer.

Park Amenities : There are none. No bathrooms, no water, no pavilions, etc. Also, the parking situation can be a little weird, and it's not a highly trafficked park, so I wouldn't leave any valuables in my car while I play. I suggest parking near the front of the park near the road, and not near the first tee in the back.

Accessibility: It's a pro and a con. Being on 280, it can be a nightmare to get there during rush hour, especially if you are coming from the city. Makes playing rounds after work a pretty rare treat.

Terrain: Like others have said, it is an absolute hike to play here. You can take it slow, but you can't really take it too easy. I personally love this, but it can make that unbearable Alabama heat even more miserable. Bring towels for you hand, and for yourself before you get back in your car.

Other Thoughts:

Inverness Disc Golf Course is an absolute gem in Birmingham. George Ward and Inverness complement each other very well and we are lucky to have these in the area. Inverness is a top notch course that offers the perfect challenge to any disc golfer intermediate and up. Even relatively new players will enjoy many of the short tees here.
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15 0
Bennybennybenny
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 13.1 years 305 played 287 reviews
4.50 star(s)

The Reason Why I Signed Up For the Magic City Mega Bowl in the First Place 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 28, 2020 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

-Saw this course last year on the site and instantly wishlisted it. Ever since, it was the main course I wanted to play. So me, a North Carolina resident, decided to register for the Magic City Mega Bowl and it was an awesome time! This course is outstanding! You are playing disc golf in a hilly terrain forest. It's extremely challenging. Course has an epic start with a scary first hole playing entirely on a ridge touching a monstrous yet scenic hill. The finisher is a fun steep downhill placement shot over a creek.

-Even par was 1020 on the longs and about 940 on the shorts. None of the holes, even from the longs are super long. Longest hole is just under 600', but the course is very wooded with demanding fairways and serious consequences if you miss them. When I think of a 1020 rated course, I think of 900' par fours and 1200' uphill par fives with OB stakes everywhere and maybe a couple of considerably unfair holes. This course isn't like that. Some amateurs will have the capacity to shoot their best round here. It's short from the shorts and the fairways are all fair and wide enough. Trouble arises when you fail to discern whether it's worth going for a death putt or laying up. The longs are longer, obviously, and more demanding than the shorts. If your putting is on point, you'll probably be satisfied with your round here. It's probably one of the most manageable pro courses you'll play. It's like a fine Russian Tea. Tangy and sour, but tastes divine with its polished fairways and scary greens. I think I had the capacity to shoot under par on the longs and have my highest round yet. I made many mistakes but still a 975 rated round.

-Elevation is well used and plays a part in making the course the monster that it is. Many steep elevation changes. The first hole has a slow incline in play the entire way. The next two holes play across valleys (you throw over two valleys if you play #2 long). Holes four and five are both big downhill shots. The higher elevation changes are consistent on the first five. But you'll see many more. #10 short is a super fun major downhill ace run that you gotta love! #11 is a huge uphill hole with the shorter pin being barely perched on a mound. Many dangerous pin placements on steep hills as well that make the elevation more of a challenge, especially if you are throwing back uphill. #18's downhill finish is probably the most enjoyable generally speaking.

-Not a ton of water in play. However, the creek is very smartly used. #5 in general is an awesome hole. Straight downhill and throwing over the road that's partially guarded by a fence. The B pin (the longer one) is just a few feet from the creek. Awesome green and awesome tee shot out of the woods. The creek is entirely in play on #6, making its green a little bit more demanding as well. #18 is very difficult from the long pad to the A position, since that one is over the creek. You have to throw a slow, almost nose down hyzer that turns a little bit left. If you go too far left, you'll probably be in the creek. The creek is only about 30' short of that basket. Very difficult to reach for a 275' straight downhill hole. The short pad is much easier since the hole is straight ahead.

-Two sets of pads and two pin placements on every hole here. Course is challenging regardless, but it can be played as a 4000' course or a 7000' course or really however you want to play it. Coming from a player that strongly prefers to play the longs, I will say that some of the shorts looked extremely fun and maybe funner from those pads. #10 comes to mind since it's a lot more downhill from the short pad than the long. The short pad is straight ahead from the long pad and to the right side up a big hill as you approach the basket. If you've played here, you may have different holes that you enjoy more from one pad than the other. You could play an awesome mixed layout of your personal interest here!

-Overall, this course is brutal. But has some very attackable holes that can help your score. Don't let your guard down! There's redemption and room for forgiveness. The first two holes are extremely hard. I parred both of them in the tournament (played longs) and bogeyed #4, even though that hole is a lot less difficult than the first two. After the first two holes, you'll play a few that are a little less brutal even though they are challenging still. They are shorter and don't have as much potential for trouble. Holes #13 and #16 are short (under 250') even from the long pads. They are tight with difficult lines to hit. They are very reachable. A birdie or a double bogey awaits you on those holes. #18 is pretty similar in comparison to those two.

-Nice lengthy tee pads. Nice tee signs too that give descriptive hole information.

-Plenty of benches beside the long pads. Could be a con, as there are none by the short pads, but many of the short pads are further up the fairway. You could sit on a bench on many holes here and walk to the short pad.

-My favorite hole is actually #15 in the long pin. From the long pad, it is 463' long. With Inverness being the pro course it is, I think this is a par three, even though it's difficult and long enough to be a par four. I was able to get a two on this hole once. The fairway is straight for the first 375'. After that, it fades left. Strongly favors righty backhand throwers to have a chance for two here. You could throw a more stable, higher glide driver that'll fade left at the end. The pro division averaged over 4 on this hole. There's a ton of risk going for it but often times when you throw a distance driver, it'll go straight and fade left. This hole is much easier from the short pad. The short pin is straight ahead and more of a legit par three from the long pad, and is a very simple ace run from short to short.

Cons:

-Walking past the baskets on holes #13 and #16 is dangerous. There are drop offs past the pins on both holes. I've heard of snakes being around on #16 past the basket. There is water past the dropoff on that hole so I believe there are snakes around that dropoff. An issue because if you land short and then miss the putt, you'll likely roll down the hill. There are probably snakes past the basket on #13 too. I went long and was in some weird lie loaded with debris and thorns. I rushed my upshot on this hole cause I was nervous standing in that stuff. The rough in some other places can be extremely hard to escape from too.

Other Thoughts:

-Inverness is incredible. As hard as it is and as scary as it can be, it will reward good shots. Some bad shots will still be exculpable and allow you to still have a good look for par. If you come here and decide to play the short pads, do not let the distances deceive you. A lot of them are short and seem pretty harmless but they are not. This course can be really hard on missed putts. Many baskets are on ledges, perched on big steep hills, or have trees blocking a straight putt at the pin. Accuracy is very crucial. There's a chance you'll be putting 30' uphill. However, going safe will often lead to an easy tap in or maybe a 10-15' putt.

-Plenty of epic shots. The first hole is probably the most memorable. The look of it is extremely daunting, especially from the long pad. The hole probably rises close to 40 feet in elevation from the long. As you walk to the short pad, you'll see the bottom of the hill from a different side. The right side of the fairway descends very steeply, while the fairway slowly ascends straight ahead. The elevation rise doesn't look very high as you look at the fairway. The ground around the tee pad to the bottom of the hill on the right side of the fairway is even, so I'm basically saying that the hill is WAY steeper on one side than the other. May not be your favorite hole here, but it's undeniably unique.
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3 0
Spaulding
Experience: 6 played 4 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Very Nice. Very Challenging 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 9, 2020 Played the course:once

Pros:

Very fun and challenging course. Had heard it's reputation as a tough course from the back tees so we played the front. It was advised by the guy with the trunk "pro shop" who was very helpful to not start on #1 but start on #5 (I think). Good advice as the first 4-5 holes are crazy hilly and tough.
Well maintained and exists "on purpose". Not just another set of baskets thrown out on the hills.
The course will challenge your shot making skills.
A LOT of fun!
Very pet friendly. Dogs were ahead of us, behind us, and with us.

Cons:

Not as well marked as I'd like. I had to walk ahead most times to find where we were throwing next.
Very woodsy no "grip it and throw your arm out" shots like in many places.

Other Thoughts:

One of our favorite courses to play. Will play as often as we are in B'ham.
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4 0
samxyx
Experience: 5.8 years 31 played 30 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Elevation change on almost every hole 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 19, 2020 Played the course:once

Other Thoughts:

Fun and challenging course. It plays in a hilly, wooded area. Almost every hole will have you walking up or down a hill so bring plenty of water. Despite being in the woods many holes require one to be able to throw a substantial distance to have a chance at birdie or par. Need a wide variety of shot types to be able to succeed here. I strongly recommend.

Specifics:
Two tee pads for every hole. 2 possible basket locations for each hole although only 1 was set up when I played. Pro tee pads are substantially harder than amateur pads. Slightly difficult to navigate. Par for holes not indicated. Good tee signs.
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11 0
Majshark
Experience: 13 played 13 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Challenging Mountainous, Scenic Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 14, 2019 Played the course:once

Pros:

Incredibly scenic, unique 18 hole course that has alternate pin positions with amateur and pro trees.
This course features some of the most unique holes you can find, as it features lots of elevation changes, with several shots going over significant dips in elevation.
Several shots are incredibly scenic, including a hole on the back nine where a throwing line runs along a mountain bog and the final (18th) hole, which features an elevated tee shot down to a shaded basket on the other side of a creek.
Wide, long concrete pads on each hole; thus far the nicest concrete pads I have experienced.
Nice benches proved by each tee pad.

Cons:

With the elevation change and terrain comes the risks of injury; the slopes can be walked but are steep enough where one can lose footing and slide. No a cart-friendly course.
While the signage for the holes are decent, it is not always clear about the location for some of the tee pads.
Also, some holes may need to be scouted before throwing as the basket is not immediately visible
No restrooms.

Other Thoughts:

This is a great course and highly recommended for the serious disc golf fan and/or those who like hiking in the hills. Nice challenge, distinct holes and the scenery cannot be overstated.
However, because of the physical demands of the course, I would not recommend this for causal discers or families who may be frustrated just a few holes in.
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14 1
blake833
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 13.9 years 160 played 140 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Inverness In Earnest 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 16, 2018 Played the course:once

Pros:

Inverness is a great 18 holer tucked into a suburb of Birmingham. There's two unique tees (the shorter aren't just a truncated version of the long tees), full concrete pads on both, detailed signs on both, and two pin positions (but only one of them has a basket at a time).

The elevation on this course will knock you down sometimes, but overall it's not the most punishing I've ever seen. I enjoyed throwing along the slopes, or just over a hill. It was a great last course to play on what was an epic road trip.

Fairways are for the most part nice and wide, and make great lines for you to hit. The forest is not too rough off the fairway, but stay on the path and you'll love it.

Inverness is going to really test you, and push you. Even from the short tees, you have to hit your line with extreme precision to get your birdie. There are left, right straight, valley's, a little of everything on this course.

Cons:

This course can be a little aggressive sometimes. A good design really features holes that follow the path of disc flights, and a few holes here really ask some crazy sharp hyzers out of your discs. Forehand or backhand.Hole 5 was the worst: a ~200ft downhill sharp right. I understand not wanting to go over the street, but just lightly tossing a super overstable distance driver still overshot the basket.

Navigation is pretty straightforward with a few exceptions, but using the map should fix that. That's what I did.

The terrain can be pretty rough, and there are some blind steep embankments off the fairways on a few holes.

Other Thoughts:

This was my last stop on a week long trip visiting friends and family and playing some of the best courses in the Georgia/East Tennessee area. Inverness did not disappoint. I loved breaking the drive from Johnson City to Birmingham with this course. It was quick and fun! I loved its feature of the local terrain and good design.
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13 1
craigd
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 15.7 years 179 played 118 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Inverness Disc Golf PArk 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 16, 2018 Played the course:once

Pros:

I finally got to play Inverness and what a thrill it was! This course is a beast. I had heard great things about it, and I heard it was hard. Being the sucker for punishment that I am, I signed up for a tourney and played it blind. The course was a chore to play and I don't think my experience was unique. Is pressure and anxiety ever fun? Well it is if you are trying to score well at Inverness. It's a battle from start to finish and it will leave you heading to the parking lot with your chin held high or your tail between your legs.

Now, admittedly, I played the short pads. But I saw the long pads and I saw what they are capable of. Both in terms of what I saw with my own eyes and the scores after the tourney. This course is demanding, and it doesn't beat around the bush. Right from the start it asks for some pure lines and good placement. Hole one's out-of-bounds looms on the edge of the hill lined with trees on both sides guarding a narrow fairway. And so it goes. Creative design elements, landscape, and natural features added to the course itself and the scenery. The views from several holes along the course enhance the experience with stunning golf shots that make you take a deep breath before your drive. Elevation changes are common, many are comparatively drastic and incorporate ups and downs of varying degrees. You twist and turn throughout the course with a steady diet of new challenges as it asks for more and more as you go. From the par 62 longs, at over 7000' in the woods, and with wide-ranging elevation and hole shapes, you can expect to ring up a lot of strokes. But you must be careful. Don't kid yourself into thinking you can step out here with guns blazing and throw like a mad man and score well. You must be deliberate. You must execute your drives and placement shots, up shots, and of course good putting will cover a whole host of sins. There are times where (comparatively speaking) easier birdie shots present themselves as well. You've got to take advantage and grab those while you can. Look out for the pond on hole 16 and the creek on 5, 10, and 18. The water is in play as out-of-bounds and by no means will anyone be immune. To a lesser extent, water is also in play on 6 and 9 but easier to avoid. If that wasn't enough, beware of ample opportunities to catch a bad roll away. In fact, you can count on them. But don't let all of this scare you away. As I mentioned, there are short pads. They will shave off nearly 2700' and about 7 par strokes bringing it back to a reachable par 55. These shorts compared to the longs are much more manageable and friendly to less than advanced level players.

Speaking of tee pads, roomy concrete pads are here for both sets. There's the easy to spot and consistent catching DISCatcher's on the course. Multiple pin placements give the opportunity to keep things fresh. Tee signs with pin location markers, benches, and other amenities including a course map and informational kiosk are here and add to the bells and whistles throughout the course.

Cons:

The course won't be ideal for everyone for a host of reasons. If you are thinking of bringing out the kids or a friend for their first round of golf, this may not be the right place. Those who struggle with rough terrain or not in the best of shape may want to reconsider what they are getting themselves into before playing the course.

With carts getting more and more popular, note that they may be more aggravating than helpful on the unstable and hilly course.

No park amenities, bathrooms, water fountains, paved parking, etc. are at the park area. Come prepared.

I just love wooded courses and for me it was love at first sight. I'm able to look at this course through rose-colored glasses so asking me to point out a lot of "cons" doesn't feel natural. I'll let the previous reviewer's perspectives speak for themselves in terms of personal preferences. Note though, some of them are older and a lot of what I have read has been addressed and or remedied. It appears to me that the course is "beating in" nicely.

Other Thoughts:

Again, I loved this course. I have got to put it as a must play if you are in the area. Even if wooded courses aren't your thing, it is one that you need to have under your belt. It's a big course, with big challenge and while you may leave the course with a round that looks more like a phone number than a score card, if you like disc golf, you won't say you didn't have fun. Enjoy!
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24 0
wellsbranch250
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 10.2 years 652 played 631 reviews
4.50 star(s)

A Challenging Wooded Gem, Beginners Stay Clear 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 4, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

(4.451 Rating) One of the best courses I've ever played, and no doubt one of the top courses in Alabama, if not the best. I've also played highly rated Clay and George Ward in the Birmingham area, and IMO, Inverness is clearly the top course of the three.
- TECHNICAL ACE RUNS - Several downhill shots that are just filled with thrilling suspense. The front tees have several technical sub 250 foot ace runs. Watching your disc glide through these well defined downhill lines is heart thumping. Most of these runs need a well thought out line with proper execution to run it to the basket clean.
- CHALLENGING - The blue tees here look insanely difficult. Several +350 foot par 3s that weave through a 15 foot lane. Missing the lane early is almost certain bogey or worse. In addition, there are several tight 90 degree placement dogleg par 4s. The doglegs cut both ways and sometimes even introduce a finishing pocket shot with a fast green. My guess would be that only players with a rating over a 975 rating will crack par from the backs on a routine basis.
- SHOT SHAPING - A requirement on just about every hole. You'll probably look in your bag sometimes and wonder if you can throw a disc that will move the way you need it too. I really appreciated the amount of thought I had to put into my throws. Some courses you'll play, any disc or angle will do on many holes. Not the case here at Inverness.
- EPIC HOLES - Several holes on this layout could be the signature hole for 90% of the courses out there. I keep a running list of my top 50 favorite holes and I had to drop 5 holes off the list. My favorite 5 holes in order were (18), (9), (10), (2) and (1). Hole (18) is an amazing downhill tunnel shot that drops 80 feet (source topoquest.com) and it finishes over an eight foot wide creek. What an incredible way to punctuate a layout.
- RAW BEAUTY - Stunning, and in my top 5 as of this review (179 courses played). There are well-designed beautifully carved wooden fairways, loads of elevation changes and a plethora of downhill views. A few views of ponds and creeks as well. There are just about no manmade structures in view through the entire layout. Hole (6) was pretty much the only average looking hole. The other 17 holes are all gems.
- CHARACTER - Full of amenities and extras. To start, a great community board with course map and a disc return box. Two sets of great concrete tees at each hole and they are both long and wide. The tees are also fully shaded along the layout and there is very nice seating at every hole. Hole signage is appealing and informative. Alternate basket placements at every hole and the tee signs incorporate basket placement indicators. As for things I didn't see, no practice basket or restrooms, but I may have missed them in my haste.
- NAVIGATION - Not to bad for a course this wooded. I took a picture of the course map and I got turned around only once, which was after hole (1). Be on the lookout for colored rectangles on the trees. They are everywhere and they will direct you to the appropriate tee. The red rectangle is for the red tee and the blue rectangle is for the blue tee. I'm not sure what the white rectangles are for. Perhaps from a time when there was only one set of tees. Tee signs also indicate path to next tee.
- UNIQUENESS - Well above average. As stated, lots of elevation changes, although a vast majority are downhill shots. Water will come into play on (16) and (18) and possibly (5) depending on the basket placement. There are three 90 degree dogleg par 4s from the blue tees. Two are to the left and one is to the right. There are lots of tunnel fairways, basket windows, tee gaps and pockets to hit. There are also several fast greens where an aggressive putt from the high side could lead to two more throws. Missing items include an open bomb-it play and a par 5. Hole (12) is however labeled a par 5 on DGCR at 593 feet, but I don't count it. (1) and (2) are the same length and are par 4s and are more challenging.

Cons:

Inverness's issues are limited to just the side effects that make a top caliber courses. All my other listed cons are just nit picking and have minimal to no effect on my ratings.
- FORGIVENESS - All the fairways widths and lines to the basket appeared fair to me on my first play. However, missing you line can have disastrous consequences. On my first drive (short tee), I ever so slightly pushed it right and caught a branch 200 feet down fairway and it kicked further right. Not a good place to be as the right side slides down 60 to 80 feet at a 45 degree angle. Getting to my disc was an adventure in its self. This is just one example of numerous places not to throw a disc. The overgrowth can be heavy in spots and losing a disc, or just deciding to leave one in an irretrievable location, is a real possibility. Playing the shorts with alleviate some of this issue, but not it all.
- BEGINNER FRIENDLY - Way too difficult for beginners and perhaps some recreational players as well. If you haven't played over a hundred rounds of disc golf, this course will eat you alive. There are 2 sets of tees, Blues (advanced) and Reds (recreational). But they play more like Gold (pros) and Whites (intermediate). As a player with about a 900 rating, I think the red tees gave me all the challenge I needed. The one downside of throwing the Reds is that only two holes during my round were at placements over 300 feet (2 and 8). Thus player the reds may mean that your driver could spend the entire time in the bag. I personally only brought out a driver 3 times. (1, 2 and 8)
- TERRAIN - If you have bad knees or ankles I'd stay clear of this course. There are lots of rocks and roots to stub a toe or twist an ankle on. Probably not the best course for the disc golf cart, you'd need some big wheels.
- PARKING - Sand and gravel, but I've seen much worse. Don't bring your newly washed Bentley out here, It will get dirty.
- TIME PLAY - Inverness is going to take a chunk out of your day. This one took me over an hour solo playing the front tees. I could see a group of four seasoned players playing the back teed at around 3 hours.

Other Thoughts:

An absolutely astonishing course. Inverness is a technical player's dream layout and it had me reliving my shots for nights after. This course was briefly the highest rated course I had ever scored but I played Rollin Ridge (Rated 4th in the world on DGCR as of this review) 4 days later. Inverness does do a couple things better or on par with Rollin Ridge. For one, the most fun downhill technical ace runs I've ever played. Two, the fast greens at Inverness are thrillingly gut checking. Lastly, I think the back tees at Inverness are just as challenging as Rollin Ridge's black to black configuration.
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6 2
UnopposableThumb
Experience: 7.7 years 9 played 7 reviews
4.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 29, 2017 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Very fun and challenging course. Pro tee pads are challenging, no matter how good you are. And AM tee pads are very fun, still technical, and are not freebies. My second favorite course in the Birmingham area, Clay is my favorite.

Cons:

the tee pad signs are not very accurate. Some of them do not look like the hole you are playing at all.

Other Thoughts:

Heavily wooded, so discs will hit trees. Very hilly so you will be hiking a whole lot. This course will wear you out quickly, great exercise. Some of the steep hills can be treacherous (I fell down one, in dry conditions, and it hurt a lot). 100% recommend this course though. It is a must play.
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1 6
Flicker55
Premium Member
Experience: 10.1 years 63 played 6 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Great course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 19, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

Well setup, beautiful area plenty of good tech shots Preety well marked only had trouble finding one pad and I think it was 12

Cons:

If you are a flatlander and not used to hills get ready for this. I play quicker than most and it took me 3 hours to do this course and I was not looking for many discs. Not used to the hills I guess

Other Thoughts:

Restrooms would of been nice
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15 0
wericsson
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 10.8 years 53 played 45 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Spectacular Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jun 26, 2017 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

The short tees would make a respectable technical course in their own right: tight woods, large elevation changes, treacherously fast greens, some nice water holes, alternate pin positions for variety, good signage, new DISCatchers, and large concrete tees. The long tees, though, take it to the next level. The distance grows to about 7000 feet, the lines get tighter, and the elevation changes get yet bigger. A few of the longs play as 90º doglegs with narrow "joints" requiring accurate placement over a sizable distance - and then yet more distance.

More than one hole left lasting memories. 1 long is an immediate manifesto of sorts for the course, playing up a steep hill to the short tee - along a narrow fairway with a big dropoff right - and then turning ninety degrees left and running almost 300 feet further through the woods to the pin.

Hole 12 long is an honest par 5. The fairway would most definitely fail a field sobriety test: it bends and twists and generally can't stay straight along the 593 feet to the basket. Flat overall, but not without its ups and downs along the way.

Hole 18 from either tee is just plain fun: downhill to a basket slightly off left of straight, with a 10-15 foot wide creek running across the fairway immediately short of the green. Absolutely gorgeous, too, which brings me to the next point.

This course is a beautiful forest, a wonderful nature trail that frankly has no business in the commercial heart of the city... yet here it is. Feels wonderfully secluded, a truly remarkable feat considering the fact that US 280 is within two miles.

Cons:

Parking is minimal, though it wasn't an issue while I was there (a Sunday). Still, though, I have no clue how you would pack folks in for a tourney or such. (NB: I am told DGB does it; I just don't know how.)

Some stepping stones or a foot bridge/log across the creek on 18 would be nice.

The tee signs don't always seem to have everything strictly to scale, but they're good enough to show the line well regardless.

Other Thoughts:

Next tee signs are in the form of blazes on trees - red for shorts, blue for longs. Conveniently, the tees have a big paint dot of the corresponding color to identify them.

Having played Clay now, I'd have to say that while the two are surprisingly similar in many ways, and both are courses of a high caliber, this is the one to pick if you can only play one.
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14 0
Chained Evil
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 13.8 years 1091 played 232 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Excellent Course with a secluded feel 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 22, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

This is an excellent course in the city but you wouldn't know it was in the city due to the secluded feel. The tee pads here are more than ample and the signage is great too. Multiple pin placements on most holes and the tee signs have a piece of wood with A or B on a bolt that will tell you what pin placement the hole is in.
The elevation here is extreme and adds to the challenge of your round. Very wooded course but there are lines and gaps that can be hit. You must be accurate in order to score well here.
Hole 6 had a bit of "park golf" feel to it and will let you air it out a bit. Great mix of both dog leg L and R holes. Good mix of short, moderate, and longer lengths holes.
There are trees that are painted, like directional arrows, to show you were the next corresponding tee is.
Some baskets set on the sides/slopes of hill so the roll away threat is present to add to the pucker factor. Hole 16 had water behind the basket to make you think before you ran your putt or upshot.
The finish hole 18 is swwweeet! Downhill to a island basket that has a lower ceiling and a stream to cross right before the basket.
There are also benches, which come in handy during your round especially if you aren't used to the elevation. Trashcans here or there as well.

Cons:

There are no other park amenities here so pack and prepare accordingly.
There might be a stump or two that isn't flush with the ground so watch your step.
Also I could see the terrain becoming slick after a hard rain so footing could be tricky in spots.
These are minor cons however.

Other Thoughts:

Overall this is a super fun course that will test both your mental game and your accuracy game. There aren't many holes in which you would just rip into a high speed driver here but instead your will need to be able to hit gaps and staying in the fairway will be highly beneficial.
There are 2 sets of pads which provide different looks at the hole and each set of tees provide their own challenges.
This is one of those courses in which you will want to play multiple times to really take it all in. I can't say enough good things about this course. I highly enjoyed my round here and would play it again in a heartbeat if I was ever back in the area.
If you are within driving distance of the greater Birmingham area, or just want to take a road trip to play a stellar course then you owe it to yourself to get in a round here. You will be glad that you did.
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3 6
RollingRoadkill
Experience: 14 played 3 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Long and Difficult Challenge 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 27, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

Well laid out. Serious challenge.

Cons:

Long. Extremely technical. Very steep. Slippery when wet.

Other Thoughts:

Enjoyed the course. It was very hard and required a lot of shot making. Want to go back and try it in nice weather. Was cold with light rain when I was there.
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12 1
MikeK
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 28.8 years 330 played 128 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Extreme Disc Golf 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 29, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

I'm a huge fan of steeply elevated disc golf courses and so Inverness to me is a beauty. Long, steep, and very woodsy. The fairways are all wide enough to avoid the luck factor that plagues some wooded courses. Huge concrete tee pads on both the short and long tees, and benches on almost every hole. Two pin placements on every hole. High-quality colorful tee signs and a nice map in the kiosk by hole 1. In a nice part of town too. Hole 1 pro tee is a monster right out of the chute and will grab your attention. Another favorite hole of mine is the par 4 #7 which plays up a hill and over a ridge to a basket over the ridge which makes for a fast green with plenty of roll-away potential.

Cons:

Not for beginners even from the short tees, and can be dangerously slippery when wet because it is so steep and slick. Even when bone dry, hiking shoes should be worn. This potential for injury is really the only thing that keeps me from rating Inverness a perfect 5. I don't think it would be realistic to stop the erosion problems though so it's always going to be an issue.

Other Thoughts:

Perhaps some stairs could be built on some of the steep hillsides and that would catapult Inverness into the top 25 on DGCR.
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11 0
Upshawt1979
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 20.8 years 548 played 429 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Inverness Interests 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 8, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

At Inverness Disc Golf Park you will see a lot of heavily wooded fairways and a whole lot of extreme elevation change. There are nice concrete tees, long and short, and there are good baskets on all holes. There are often tight runs through trees and dangerous pin locations rolling down hillsides. Multiple times I wanted to throw more than shot, but the oppressive heat and humidity mostly stopped me to prevent unnecessary climbing to retrieve extra discs. I did have birdie chances on two or three holes, and enjoyed the very challenging course while struggling through much of it.

I won't do a hole by home summary, but I really like holes 1, 2, and 4 starting out, and from about hole 8 to the end this course really rocks. I played the blue tees, but the red are good for different looks and shorter distance. I would rate difficulty at very high.

Cons:

There were puddles, and a little mud after the rains earlier, but nothing really too bad. A few branches down and limbs covering one tee. Wet conditions and oppressive heat made it even harder and drenched me with sweat, but I would totally do it again.

Other Thoughts:

My score for the first and only round was +11, with 2 birdies (holes 2 and 15), 6 pars, 7 bogies and 3 double bogies to go along. Ouch. This is a perfect place for a disc golf course, very well designed and fun to play. Some of the poor footing and bad rolls were frustrating, and I nailed several trees too. Perhaps with better conditions and maybe after a round that I fared better on the scorecard, my mood would have been good enough to call Inverness a 5, but it could use a little clean up, and is still a monster. Really great course with lot of different looks requiring power and precision.
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16 0
danhyzer
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 36 years 2296 played 124 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Cheated myself by playing from the short tees 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 31, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

But even playing from the short tees this course ROCKED!! The greens we're fast (meaning the baskets we're placed in a position where a missed putt could roll away and possibly far away). and even playing from the shorts one wasn't playing a gimmie course and was challenged to even score a par on some holes.

I loved the elevation on this course and how the designer used it to each holes advantage. I don't think there was a "flat" hole on the course. As each hole had some kind of protruding rock or hill popping out on each fairway or the basket was on a hill's crest or ledge. but the fairways we're very fair for well placed shots. If your shots weren't well placed you we're scrambling and that is good :)

Good signage to where I could find the short tee @ the long tee sign

benches on this course is a must, but at some holes they had 2 sets of benches. Very cool !!

Multiple basket locations that allows the course to differ from time to time and not become mundane or allow erosion to happen.

The course flowed well, no repetitiveness. Lefty holes we're mixed up well with either an occasional ACE run or a grip and rip through a fair fairway through the woods or a righty hole with the same flair. I liked most of the holes as each had their own great merit, but I liked # 16 short and # 18 short as water came into play as well as elevation.

As much as I prefer DGA Mach 3 or 5 baskets. The Innova Discatcher baskets made it very easily to located the basket in the thick woods. I think if DGA baskets we're used at this course that my rating would be a notch lower.

OB was well marked

Cons:

I didn't see any restrooms and little parking for a course of this caliber.

not for your novice player, this is more an advanced course as the holes are challenging and the land is pretty treacherous (no flip flops or sandals or even tennis shoes should be used on this course, as this course is definitely a hiking boot course).

Other Thoughts:

I don't know what more one would want after playing this course <and I played from the shorts>. This park in itself is majestic and beautiful in it's own right, then you add a championship caliber Disc Golf course and------- - + Abundant awesomeness all around !! I know the next time passing through Birmingham, I'm going to play this course from the long tees to really test my game. This course is a must play if in the area. It's in a Nature preserve and a very well to do neighborhood. Very little worries for this traveler.
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8 0
Jiggy202
Experience: 13.8 years 63 played 25 reviews
4.50 star(s)

One of the areas best courses 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 24, 2015 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-Course design is excellent, terrain/elevation is showcased in an great way on many of the holes.
-Well defined fairways that made finding the baskets easy on the blind tee shots.
-Tee signs with plenty of information and a pin placement designator on every sign. Although I noticed a few pin placements were marked incorrectly on a few holes.
-Multiple Pin locations and 2 concrete tee pads per hole with very different approaches from either pad.

Cons:

-Navigation can get a little difficult between some of the holes. I noticed markers painted on trees to help navigation to the next tee and a few of those tress were laying down on the ground.
-Not a great course for beginners as the short tees are still significantly challenging.
-Terrain can be quite difficult, trekking up and down some of the hills especially on the first few holes can be a little hazardous if you are not prepared for it. It would be nice to see some steps added for some of the steeper elevation changing spots.

Other Thoughts:

This is an excellent, challenging, and technical course. There is so much variety here, every hole is unique and different. The fairways are moderately tight with well defined lines to the baskets. The risk/reward factor is present here and the risks are constantly changing. The red tees are a decent challenge for the average player. The blue tees add a whole lot of distance and they really add a high level of difficulty to the course. The terrain here is quite hilly and the rough can be unforgiving in many spots. Be prepared to trek up and down a few large hills multiple times throughout the course. Overall this is a great course and a must visit course.
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3 8
spotswood
Experience: 2 played 2 reviews
5.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 15, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

Amazing course! Beautiful environment and very well maintained. Played from the short tees. Very well designed holes with great use of trees. Lots of elevation changes for nice gliding shots.

Cons:

It rained a little :)
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8 0
AlphaGenerator
Experience: 13 years 97 played 7 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Birmingham's Best Course....can't miss 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 7, 2015 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Amazing course that has multiple pin locations and tee pads. The local course pro & Disc Golf Birmingham (club), do an amazing job with course maintenance. Lots of signage for next holes...though the course is very intuitive in its design. Tee signs are very informative and well designed.

Long fairways cut through the woods, make for gorgeous lines that you must hit. Fairways are wide enough to be considered "fair" by most peoples standards. Undergrowth isn't really an issue in most spots.

Its a very technical course with disc placement being very key to your overall score. Enjoy!

Cons:

Parking lot isn't the greatest. No on site restroom. Unfortunately the course is situated just off hwy 280....traffic sucks.

Other Thoughts:

This course is a must play!

Its a great hike through the woods! Holes 1-5 are the ones that traverse the steepest terrain....take rest breaks =P. Beware you are hiking in the woods...be aware of your surroundings. I have seen a snake or two on this course, near the stream around hole 10.
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