Knoxville, TN

Morningside Park

3.395(based on 31 reviews)
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13 0
pmay5
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 20.8 years 480 played 245 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Good inner city course that was probably really good one day. 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 20, 2021 Played the course:once

Pros:

Large Trapezoid concrete tee pads on most holes, several of the others use sidewalks that are available.
The DISCatchers are still in good shape, not great, but I didn't have any issues with them.
Excellent use of the terrain available in this inner city park. Elevation change on nearly every hole, lots of downhill, some uphill and several sidehill holes to challenge you. The elevation change was so prevalant, that nearly every hole felt different. Isn't that what makes a good layout, a different challenge on every hole?
Two different sections of the park were used, each with 9 holes. #1-6 and #16-18 play in the ""front"" section of the park, where you may encounter other park users, then #7-15 play in the "back" section, pretty much the DG only section of the park. A short walk, and crossing a residential street connect the two sections, glad to see Stan used both sections of the park.
Dual baskets on many holes and most of these provide a very different look of the hole.

Cons:

The most obvious issue is the neighborhood that Morningside is located in. I've seen online that some KNX players have had their vehicles broken into while parked here. I showed up early on a weekday morning and wasn't comfortable with the emptiness of the park. I came back later in the day (after playing the other 63 holes in town) and there were a few people around. I did not have any issues while playing (except noted below) but feel this needs to be recognized.
It looks like there were good tee signs here at one point, but that has been a while. The ones that are still around are either damaged or illegible. Plan to use UDisc to get around this course. The backside of the course can be pretty tricky.
There are several holes on the front side that either use the paved walking path as the fairway, or cross that path. This could be dangerous or cause delays if the park is busy. Probably no hole is this more dangerous then #5, you tee right in the middle of the park and the fairway goes downhill, to a hidden basket, going right past a large shelter and over at least 2 sidewalks. I walked the "fairway" of this one, to make sure no other park users were in the way.

Other Thoughts:

I am glad that I changed my schedule of Knoxville courses and returned to play Morningside. As mentioned above, the total uniqueness of nearly every hole from the one before it made this a very fun play. Up and down hills, side hills, a few mostly flat holes and even a couple you want to throw many drives on.
The first 3 holes start out with a sidehill, uphill, then downhill holes, so it begins right off the bat.
Then #4 is the first of those unique holes, elevated tee at the end of the park, basically you are at the bottom of this horseshoe shape and go over the walking path (15'-20' below) to the basket on a sidehill (about the same elevation), about 285' feet away.
After crossing over to the ""backside"" 9, #7 is just awesome, 303'/375' downhill, past large old growth trees, to the long basket about 15'-20' up on a circular mound. The short basket is just short of the mound, protected by bushes.
#9 is another downhill bomber hole, much more open than #7 with a large, new Condo building on a hillside overlooking the right side of the fairway. If I lived there, I'd always be on my porch watching that hole, 348' and 555' long.
#13 is one of the more unique holes I have played, at the top of the park, there is a paved path crossing in front of the tee about 30' away. After crossing that, there are a few large trees to beat, then the fairway drops down to a sidehill slope, with the basket in the back, right corner of the park, on two sidehill slopes, right to left and back to front. I threw about 5 drives, and still couldn't get a good one!
I did have one unusual encounter at Morningside, while crossing the street from #6 to 7, there were 4 KNX police officers standing there talking, near a semi trailer, I walked up and asked if everything was OK and one said things were fine. Then as I walked away, he said, "Be careful out there" (very Hill Street Blues style), I replied that now I was worried. As I came back by, from #15 to 16, they had a Semi wrecker there, hooking up the trailer. Must of have been a stolen rig that was dropped there, of all places!
After playing 79 holes in Knoxville, I had probably my best shot on hole #80. #17 is 290', mostly straight over the walking path, to the basket on a sidehill. I threw a perfect drive right at it, that came up 5'-6' short and stayed on the hillside!
I'd love to have the chance to play this course again, if I lived in Knoxville, I would definitely play it again, but probably not a lot. The variety and design of the holes ranked very high with me, but all things considered, I can't rate this course as high as I would like to.
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16 0
wellsbranch250
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 10.1 years 652 played 629 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Guten Morgen 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 27, 2020 Played the course:once

Pros:

(3.328 Rating) A city center course with some adrenaline pumping lines.
- HOLE VARIETY - The terrain at Morningside is awesome for a city park course and thankfully the layout takes full advantage of the natural features here. The course starts off with a rather vanilla park style shot, but after that, the layout is fantastic till hole (15). There is a ton of elevation change on this course. From checking the topographic maps, the grade change is in the 50-foot range on a couple holes. Holes dive and rise, and bend left and right. Hole length variation is great too, from +500-foot par 4s to technical sub 200-foot par 3s. The course is a little light on the wooded technical plays, but the one example on (14) is killer.
- RAW BEAUTY - Parts of this course are serene. I'll bring up hole (14) again, which was my personal favorite. This hole is a heavily wooded tunnel shot with slanting elevation and crevices. Add in the fact that ornamental ivy has taken hold on many of the fairway flanking trees, it made this already eye-catching hole look even that much better. Without question this was my favorite hole during my entire work trip, which included two additional courses. In addition to (14), the overall landscape is a joy to observe and walk along. I liked the open downward tee shot view from (9) with the new apartment towers along the right. The creek mound on (7) was a neat basket placement too. Unfortunately, there are a couple drawbacks though. There was an excessive amount of trash littered throughout the park and the park maintenance, excluding mowing, was poor in sections.
- CHAINS - Older DISCatchers, but still superior to new baskets of other models. Two baskets are in place on more than a dozen holes. A couple even had three baskets in play.
- CHALLENGING - I played to a mix of front and back baskets, and it was the perfect challenge for my Intermediate level skillset. There are some really tough basket placements on this course and it tickled my brain when trying to formulate a plan to score well. Throwing to all the back basket placements is going to produce an Advanced level layout where the 930 to 940 rated players will hover around par the entire round.
- TEES - Big concrete tees, although built backwards with the widened portion in the front.

Cons:

A great layout can only cover-up so much.
- NAVIGATION AND SIGNAGE - This aspect was real disappointing. First off, no course map posted on the big disc golf community board. Then when arriving on tee (1), the sign image was no longer present on the wood backing board. There are maybe a handful of intact signs left, and they are all in bad shape. I got turned around on the course a couple times too as there are no navigational aids. It will be near impossible to follow the layout without a navigational app on the first go around.
- LOCATION - Not in a good part of town. I felt super uneasy about leaving my car unattended. There were several sketchy looking individuals in the park as I threw my round. I would not advise leaving valuables in the car here.
- MULTI USE HAZARDS - The course layout encroaches on a lot of other activities as well as on itself. Several holes have walking paths in play. A multi-use field boarders the right side of the fairway on three holes. Even putting a disc into a road is possible on a couple tee shots. Overall, the set-up is not ideal, but I've seen far worse examples.
- LAYOUT FLOW - There's a substantial flow gap between (6) and (7) and then again at the same spot between (15) and (16). Low traffic city roads have to be crossed four times. Six times if you count going to the parking lot.
- MAINTENANCE - Large branches were down on numerous holes. Perhaps I came right after a big storm. There was a built-up pile of branches on (12) where the mowers were going around. This site left me pondering if maintenance is spotty.
- BEGINNER FRIENDLY - To complex for young grasshoppers. It will be hard to lose a disc here however.
- TERRAIN - I found the undulating terrain here to be flipp'n awesome. If I had knee or ankle pain issues I would likely not play here.

Other Thoughts:

Overall this is a really great course. What makes this course ranked as high as it is, are the holes themselves as this aspect sort-of covers up some of the flaws. I could see myself easily dropping a 4.0 rating just based on the hole quality. However, there is just a slew of moderate to minor issues at Morningside that detracts a bit from the experience. I really think a new navigational overhaul effort would bring some much needed sparkle back to the course. I've only played 3 courses in Knoxville as of this review and this is my favorite by far as my other two, Inskip and Sarah Moore, are beginner courses. Regardless, I would have to believe this has got to be one of the better ones in the area considering the awesome gameplay. Any Recreational to Advanced level player passing through town should definitely come check this one out.
- TIME PLAY - 69 minutes for this quick solo during a weekday afternoon.
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8 0
FlyingSouthDG
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 13.9 years 48 played 26 reviews
3.50 star(s)

A Hike in the Park 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 6, 2020 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

- Concrete tee boxes and baskets are in good condition.
- Two baskets on multiple holes allow for some variety in difficulty throughout the course.
- Great variety in hole length and variety in terrain and landscape throughout the course. Moderately wooded through the majority of the park, but there is a solid mix of tree and hidden obstacles.
- Great course for players of all levels of experience. I'm an intermediate player and brought along a couple friends who are new to the sport, and we were all challenged and had so much fun throughout the day.
- Technical challenges through the course. You will have to use multiple types of shots and get creative with your approach.
- The park is easy to find, fairly simple to navigate even without proper signage, and you can easily begin your day on almost any hole and end up back at your car.
- This course WILL make you get better. With tight fairways, a mix of uphill and downhill shots, blind shots,and tough putting, it's very easy to learn here.

Cons:

- Lack of sufficient signage for individual holes and course navigation. For the most part, these aren't needed, but can be frustrating when it's needed.
- The road and walking trails run throughout the park, so you must be vigilant. Do not take shots when a runner is passing by and be weary of those out for a picnic on a pretty day.
- Although the majority of obstacles are trees, there is some heavy brush scattered around the park and a disc can get lost.
- Not the best flow to the layout. Holes cross one another and you will have to cross the road a couple times. Not necessarily a bad thing, but prepare yourself for a hike.
- No graffiti, but you will find the occasional beer bottle or water bottle laying beside of tee boxes.

Other Thoughts:

I used to live in the apartment complex beside of Morningside Park, and unfortunately I played many rounds without keeping record of them. After having played it for a couple years, I'm familiar with the terrain and course navigation, but I understand that newcomers may have difficulty on some blind shots and navigating the park in a couple places. All in all, this is a park where I love bringing friends and dedicating a whole afternoon to play. There's no doubt you'll have fun with the wide variety of hole types, hole lengths, and different types of drives and putts needed.
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2 0
Colonel Sanders
Experience: 15.8 years 3 played 3 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Downtown Gem 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 12, 2020 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-Located in downtown Knoxville
-Beautiful sloping course with lots of mature trees and a nice mix of slightly open to slightly wooded holes.
-Two baskets on almost every hole
-Quality tee pads

Cons:

-It is almost unplayable if it is wet because several fairways and greens are on a steep slope with no grass.
-Two trashcans in the park.
-Not many benches

Other Thoughts:

-This course is a hike with lots of elevation changes.
-Lots of death putts and roll out opportunities on almost every whole.
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3 4
Luke the Pook
Experience: 18 played 2 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Underrated But Lacking 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 17, 2019 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-very fun layout that utilizes the hills and slopes of the park
-lightly wooded with a great mix of open and slightly wooded holes.
-lots of shade
-two baskets per hole

Cons:

-By far the worst thing about Morningside is it's location. Unfortunately, the park is located in one of the worst parts of Knoxville and is super scetchty. I would recommend not playing alone, especially if the park is empty, which is often the case. The last time I played a man and a women were having an altercation. Four days after my brother and I played here a few years back a kid was murdered in the park. A women was beaten and raped in the park as well several years ago.
-There are so many shady people in the park that I often just leave because I feel very uncomfortable. I probably encountered about 6 homeless people the last time I played, which is not inherently bad, but they get in your way (eg: standing in the fairway or setting up camp by a basket.
-No signage at all. The signs have completely faded away. Without any usable signs, navigation can get a bit tricky if you're not experienced on the course.

Other Thoughts:

I truly think this would be the best course in Knoxville if it were not located in such a bad place. It is very unfortunate that such a nice layout has to be spoiled by the surrounding area, but that is the case. Morningside is a thoroughly enjoyable course. If you just consider the course design, I would give it a 4. However, the lack of signs and the park's location really spoil the fun. I still think it is an underrated course.
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2 0
Grayson
Experience: 45.8 years 47 played 5 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Loved it > Hated it, but overall pleased with it! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 9, 2019 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

- Great use of landscape with elevation, trees, etc.
- Challenging layouts for both novice and skilled players
- Convenient location

Cons:

- Signage is an embarrassment to whoever maintains the course. It needs a complete overhaul.
- Due to poor signage, navigation to the correct basket and next tee was near impossible
- Course maps or a main signboard detailing the layouts would have been nice
- Multi basket placements without proper signage

Other Thoughts:

With proper navigation, this would definitely be a favorite course.
Even with having to seek just about every basket and tee, it was still a very fun course to play. I prefer wooded challenges rather than long and open courses. Morningside fit the bill! I would give it more stars if the signage was adequate!
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10 0
MrFrosty
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 31 years 764 played 386 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Morningside Park - A Storied Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 15, 2019 Played the course:once

Pros:

Having played Morningside Park off and on ( on of my first out of town courses ) since the mid to late 90's , I have been seeing morph from an 11 hole short course to its present status as a much longer and challenging 6233' and 18 holes . The oldest version of the course sat where holes 7 thru 15 now sit . A good city course for its time ( circa 1982 , the oldest standing course in the Knoxville area ) , but enough about it's history . It looks like Stan Mcdaniel was given some freedom and more park space to make the course what it is today . There is a small parking lot on your left as you drive a couple of hundred yards down Hazen . You can always park in the shade on your right in parking spaces along the road across from the lot , too . I did not see a kiosk here . Print A map , or you will be all over the course . The map must be older , because it fails to show you the second pin placement . All of the 18 tee pads are long trapezoids and give your shoes a good grip , very important for a course that sits over 6000' long . These are my favorite tee pads . The baskets are Discatchers and in good shape .There are 2 baskets positioned on most of the holes ( 2- 15 , I think ) giving you length and different looks , which is a great feature . It's a nice option for someone who's arm is tiring out , or playing with someone that is not the same strength , to have an alternative . The signage ? Well there are signs on the course but only a couple of them are legible . The grass is well cut and park seems to be maintained well . Branches trimmed and grass cut . There are a few picnic tables , a couple of them sheltered , scattered in parts of the course .There are only a few places you might lose a disc here , the 2 worst being heavy growth to the left of #2's tee , and the left fairway on #15 . The course design is what stands out in this course . The parks natural boulders , hill formations , elevation , and basket placement are very good . Sometimes the elevation can be extremely uphill , like on #2 ,#10 , #12 & especially #18 , but also give you some long slow downhill gifts like #3, #4 , #7 , #9 and #15 . Others go downhill and uphill . Many of these holes are unique , and the fun factor is all over the place here . Bomber holes , roller holes , low ceiling shots . The course is cut up odd because of the course flow , but you can still play 9 holes and be back to the start . You can play 1-6 , then walk right over to 16 and play 16-18 . The course is cut up into odd sections 2-3 play on the same side and down from the parking lot , 1 and 4-6 play right below it , and 7-15 play in the older section of the park . If players want length , concessions must be made . Once you get your bearings straight , the map you printed will start to make sense . #1 can be tricky to find because the pin sits on the opposite side of the parking lot and you tee off on a walkway . This is the only non tee on the course . It is a downhill short drive that runs parallel to the road on your left . #2 makes you cross the street and is a challenging uphill 460' hole that gets steeper , finishing on the left of some deep brush near the top of the park . The next hole descends slowly to Hazen with some canopy coverage ( 445' ) . #4 makes you cross back over the road , with the basket sitting on the side of a hill . #5 , one of my favorites , with the tee pad somewhat close to #1's fairway , is a drive ( don't be fooled by the short tee dug into the brush in front of you , aim to the basket on your left ) throwing left of the trees and brush , slightly downhill to the basket , which is surrounded by park boulders . Makes for a cool green . 6 is a level bomber 360' to the basket , sitting on a light hilly grade . After your walk to the older section of the course , the better holes are #7 A great 375' slightly downhill drive with a few trees and canopies forcing you to control it , to a tall man made mound, with the basket basket sitting on top . #9 is the longest hole , #555 with a hill , then eventually some brush , on the right side and a tree line on your left . The long pin has a green and sits at the very bottom , which you can see. I think that this was #11's fairway in the 90's . #10 ( 440' ) stats you on the level then ascends straight up a steep hill to the pin . #11 is a great hole . It is on the right of #10's basket and throws through a window to either the short pin on the hillside ahead , or a hyzer through the window to the more challenging basket on a plateau , up an embankment and flanked by 2 large trees . 12 tee is somewhat behind the #11 basket and goes straight down a long fairway to the basket sitting on top of the hill on your left .You have to walk back down the left side of the fairway that you just threw , keeping the edge of the park to your right , and you will see #13 tee ,. It is an interesting drive , short but with a canopy at the tee and the less challenging basket in front of you (280 ' ) and the harder placement up against a side of the lower part of the hill to the furthest edge of the park , on your slight right . You have to then trudge up the hill towards the #10 basket to find the #14 tee , in part of the woods , which #15 will send you back the other way in a more open fairway but the basket disappears downhill to the bottom left after you clear the brush lining the fairway to the left . You will cross the street to 16 and 17 , drives that go to the edge of the park woods and partly up the hill . Leading to some possible rollaway putts . #18 is one of the more interesting finishing holes for a course . It is a elevator drive , only 170' but playing like 300' + , almost to the top of the hill where you parked , with a tree or 2 guarding it in the fairway . The risk involved is that at any time during your drive up the hill or your putt hitting the basket or falling out , you could roll into the brush from the tight fairway , or roll all the way down the hill and to the side . I probably talked too much explaining most of the holes , since it was the best to talk about . This course is a great city park course and a worthwhile play in the Knoxville area . Think about coming here . The pros outweigh the cons and you will get some fun and memorable play . My signature hole was a tie between #11's window shot the right and back up an embankment , or #7 , a long downhill drive where the pin is up the manmade mound .

Cons:

Here goes . #1 The park is full of shady people walking or sitting around the park . People sitting in their cars by themselves , seeming to eye you and your vehicle ( please hide your electronics , luggage wallet , etc in your car ) . Maybe take a selfie of yourself and send it your best friend or relative , so they can post that picture in the city if you are snatched up ( LOL ) . There was a man that was sitting down on the hill next to #1's tee , greeting me while he was sucking down a bottle of vodka . YIKES ! There was also a man yelling at his woman down close to #13's tee because she was too drunk to make the walk through the park . Crazy ,,,,, #2 . Signage . There are sign posts with the flat for the signs , and only a couple of the tee signs inside them still exist , the rest looking like they were vandalized or stolen ( Gee , who knew ! ) . This course would navigate so much better with some descriptive signs . #3 you will have to hold up while some of the park locals drift through . This park is shady , but some of locals are nice and just want to share the space with the disc golfers . #4 I saw No restrooms , no benches besides the picnic table , no water fountain , only a couple trash bins in the park itself , which brings me to the park being trashy , with some broken glass on some of the cement paths and dirt . Carry out what you carry in . #5 Long walks from 6-7 and 15-16 . Pay attention to where you are . #6 . A good part of the course is both steep and dirt . If it has been raining or is raining , there will be many places for you to fall . Be careful. .#7 Teeing off from the cement path on #1 ? You want a makeshift tee like this to start off your course ? Really ?

Other Thoughts:

Any 1982 course that has withstood the test of time like Morningside deserves credit . It is a city park that is convenient to both locals that live or work in the city , or travelers on I-40 or I-75 looking to score a good course just off the highway .Easy in and Easy out . I know I piled a boatload of cons on this course , deservedly so , but the pros outweigh the cons . What you WILL get here is a quality and fun round of disc golf here . If you can be patient and follow your map , control your drives , and take in some of the natural beauty , it will be more than worthwhile for your stop here . There are many good places to eat close to the Tennessee River , like Calhoun's which is a short drive from here ,along with a host of other places off of Neyland . If you are staying in Knoxville , this is a must play , just because it is so close + the fun factor on some of these holes soars . If the course is dry , it is ideal for group play . No amenities , but so what ! It is probably almost a full rating point down from Schumpert and Victor Ashe, but I still gave it a 3.5 rating because of it's heritage , it's fun factor , it's access and most importantly , it's design . My recommendation : PLAY IT !!! Couple it with Victor Ashe , Morningside , The Mounds and/or the Claytons and make a full day of disc golf in the Knoxville area .
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3 0
Baysinger
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 14.8 years 93 played 55 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Morningside Park DGC 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 26, 2019 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Overall a very fun design to play. Concrete tees and discatcher baskets. Great use of parks elevation throughout the entire course. Good mix of open/wooded and short/long holes.

Cons:

Tee signs have seen better days and definitely need updating. Not in the best part of town. Rollaway city.

Other Thoughts:

Morningside Park DGC in Knoxville is a very fun course. It gets a bad rep locally at times because it's not in the best part in town, and because of the amount of baskets on hills which can cause lots of rollaways. But this is a course that I really enjoy. There are multiple pin locations which is also a plus in my opinion. Concrete tee pads and discatcher baskets which is pretty common in this area. If you play this course, yes... you are going to have more than your fair share of rollaways on drives and putts, but thats part of the sport. The course has some short ace run holes and some long open holes that you can really open up on as well. Great use of the elevation in the park and just an overall fun course design. I have played this course more than a handfull of times and I definitely plan on going back many more times! If you want to see thsi course on video, check out my crew playing this course in the video below...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ye6EVK8sgXs
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2 0
RyanRio1324
Experience: 3 played 3 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Ok place to sling some discs 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 9, 2019 Played the course:once

Pros:

- Open spaces
- Easy disc finds
- Downtown location
- Nice tee pads, generally

Cons:

- Terrible info signs at tees (old, rotted, etc.)
a) Hard to find hole path
- Course layout is odd
- No great features
- Vanilla

Other Thoughts:

Fairly good course for a downtown location, although better signage at the tees is a must. Be sure to take a picture of the course on your phone.
Park doesn't seem especially well cared for, but decent size course. Mostly par 3s, toss in a couple par 4s, maybe.
I wouldn't go out of my way to play hear again. Would rather make the drive up to Panther Creek State Park.
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3 1
thrembo
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 48.8 years 242 played 194 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Could Use A Little TLC 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Oct 2, 2018 Played the course:once

Pros:

A medium to long length course set in a very hilly inner city park with plenty of trees to work around. The course features generally one decent concrete tee and two full-time baskets per hole. (Hole 8 had three baskets for some reason). The course is very challenging and has some cool looks.

Cons:

The course needs some TLC now though. The baskets are dingy and roughed up. There are trash and broken glass on the course. The tee signs are deteriorating to the point that several of them are unreadable. Baskets are misnumbered. There are downed branches in several places on the course. The sidewalks are crumbling apart in places and covered in mud in others. There are fairways that play dangerously close to sidewalks, pavilions, playgrounds etc.

Other Thoughts:

Even so, there is enough cool golf here to make this course worth playing. If this course was modernized and polished it could be something very nice. The elevation is extreme on a few holes and with the length, I would caution new/rec players and those with weak constitutions.
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8 6
Bennybennybenny
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 13.1 years 305 played 287 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Updated Review 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Nov 11, 2017 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

-Course is fun. It has many great elevation changes and a great mix of open and wooded. It's not an easy or very difficult course. It's very fair, but does force you to play smart. Many courses won't penalize you a ton if you aren't careful, but this one will. One special aspect of Morningside is that many of the pin positions have high risk for rollers. About half of the holes have dangerous greens that force you to be careful.

-You can play an easy nine hole loop here. You could play hole one through six, and then the next tee pad you will see is number sixteen. If you are playing here in a tournament blind, I would recommend playing this loop.

-There are some par fours, not many but some. There are mostly pretty soft. For instance, #2. It's 460' long and uphill the whole way on the side of a hill. But it's actually not very hard to birdie. The gap past the pad is wide enough to through a rip on without a whole lot of risk. If you miss, you may still have a pretty good chance for par. #8 is probably the toughest par 4. It's slightly uphill the whole way. Like #2, it isn't super long; it's under 500'. There is a low ceiling and OB on both sides. In tournaments, only one of the sides was OB, so that kind of made this hole less difficult. #9 is slightly downhill the whole way. When the whole way is 555', that means there's a big elevation change. Some pros can reach this hole because it plays maybe 470'. #10 is flat for the first half. #10 to the short pin is actually flat the whole way. The long pin is at least 30 feet below you. The pin placement isn't all the way up the hill. You know what that means. Scary pin position that's almost on top of the hill. If you go long enough, you will have a terrifying death putt.

-#14 and #15 are both excellent holes as well. #14 is in my opinion the hardest hole on the course. It's wooded, it's mean, and you'd have to park this hole in order to make a confident birdie putt. It's 290' and a bit uphill. The fairway is quite fair, but the rough is really brutal. The dropoff past the pin is extremely brutal. The hill is steep and the deep woods aren't too far past it. #15 is a unique hole. Something I haven't played anything real similar to. It's a 330' touch shot. It's flat for most of the way and then the hill goes straight down like 30 feet. I've thrown putters 100' past the basket on this pin placement. The other one is more traditional but it's still straight down the hill. You have the option to go left or right around the tree.

-The last three holes are all under 300', #18 is only 170'. You don't want to get on their bad sides. #16's pin is probably the least intimidating, but it's still enough to turn a two into a four. On #17, you can either go up the gut and hope your disc rests on the steep sliding hill, or you can try and throw a skip hyzer (preferably if you're a rhbh thrower). If you land right by the pin, you probably will roll. #18 could be the scariest 170' you ever play. Steep uphill! The hill is really steep. From a side view, the tee pad area and the basket probably form an angle that's no more than 105 degrees, meaning that it's barely obtuse. Almost feels like throwing up a wall. Disc golf feels like rock climbing here.

-Ample parking. Many parallel spots but if you hate parallel parking like I do, there is another parking lot.

-The teesigns are nice and accurate. The pads are long enough.

Cons:

-Few filler holes here and there. Not very many, as there are dual pin positions on some holes. I wasn't all that fond of #13. It's a flick shot along a sloping hill, but all in all is kinda bland. Some people may disagree with my opinion here, like what you like.

-Course plays along a cart path and a sidewalk. I know that there are many pedestrians that hang around here. Most sidewalks are played casually in tournaments. And I'm not sure if they were intended to be casual.

-This course is pretty sketchy. There's no convenient bathroom, and there's a good bit of litter. Some of the locals really don't seem to care here.

-Because of some sloping fairways and dangerous greens, it can be dangerous after a rainfall. We didn't play 18 and it wasn't even that wet. I think 18 needs stairs for safety. It's very dangerous to play. It's scary enough to walk up on when it's dry.

Other Thoughts:

-This course is for anyone. Most holes aren't very hard for most advanced or pro players, but they aren't the easiest holes you'll see either. The greens and your putts will most likely be the reason for how you play here. It's nice to see a course with that interesting of an aspect. The elevation changes make this course really fun as well. I love it.

-I recommend this course. It's a great one! If you were to play here often, you're confidence in making 30' putts may be strong since this course has many scary pin placements. If you come here for a day, I'd try to play all three 18 holers in Knoxville. They are all special in their own way and should please you somehow.
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7 0
murf1087
Experience: 14 years 366 played 17 reviews
3.50 star(s)

2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Sep 20, 2017 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Nice and large, mostly flat tee pads with good grip even after rain. Elevation change on every hole, some significant at 30+ feet. Good variety of shots and various routes to take which adds to the fun. Some easy twos and ace runs but also a few you can air out your fastest drivers if you're playing longs. Two baskets on some holes with talks of getting more sleeves and baskets in the ground soon with hopes of getting two baskets on all 18. Three cement picnic tables with covers, a small pavilion with roof, and a large covered pavilion that is great for hosting events or getting out of the rain. Water spigot near the pavilion with a clean porta-potty that has appeared recently. Recycling and trash cans at the park. Grass height is maintained frequently enough. Practice basket with elevation change. DisCatchers are showing wear and a little rust but not enough to make it any type of issue.

Cons:

The paved trails are littered with fallen branches. The drainage ditch on holes 7 and 10 is so eroded it could swallow a disc golfer. Lots of non-disc golfers use this park. Lots of broken glass so forget rubbing your hand in the dirt for grip.
This is not a cart-friendly course whatsoever. The walking paths are steep, slanted, and can be slippery due to high clay content in the soil. Benches are few and far between so bring a seat. Not the best course to play alone cause of all the riffraff.

Other Thoughts:

This place is somewhat of a haven for the city's drunks, prostitutes, and drug users. That being said, it's a great course for beer and such as cops and the city kind of ignore the everyday craziness at Morningside, for whatever reason.
This course will really wear you out on a hot/humid day. The hikes on holes 10-15 will even cause the physically fit to huff and puff. Rollaways can be very frustrating here, but I don't see it as a con, rather it just adds to the challenge and forces you to learn how to recover. Locals often say "Morningside" or the like, following a rollaway, even when at nearby courses, lol. The fun factor is high, especially on league dubs nights. I'd estimate 25-35% of locals would call Morningside their favorite Knoxville Course.
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5 0
dr.chainslove
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 24.9 years 330 played 42 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Tons o' Fun if you have a map! 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 14, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

Others here stated that this course would be better if it was in a different setting. I think that's way overblown. Yes, you'll find some broken glass here and there but it's not in an area to worry about your safety. Morningside is a classic city park course with lots of creative lines and elevation. Several holes have MULTIPLE perfectly fine Innova baskets just for fun. I especially enjoyed the boulder-guarded 5, the mound-topped 7, the long 555ft downhill 9, tough-windowed 11, Idlewild-style tight wooded 14, and the deceptively difficult super-uphill 18. Tee pads are fantastic. Maintenance is strong. You'll have some great views of downtown at 12's basket. Each hole had plenty of character and I'd be proud to have this course in my hometown.

Cons:

Navigation is the biggest issue here. I had the DGCR map ready to go from the start but I still wasn't ready to find the transition from 13 to 14 (you'll have to walk up the 11 fairway to get there, bummer). Clearly, the designers went with ideal hole design at the expense of goofy navigation. Signs need a major upgrade too.

Other Thoughts:

If Morningside had great signs and better navigation aides, this would be a 4 star course! Definitely play here if you can. I'm very impressed with the Knoxville disc golf scene and the investment they make in their courses. Make sure to play The Claytons and Tommy Shumpert while you're in the area.
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5 0
Polecat-Meow
Experience: 12.6 years 44 played 11 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Great Course in the hood 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 8, 2016 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

This is a terrific disc golf course, lots of fun to play and makes you use side arm throws, rollers, turnovers, giant hyzers, all of it. It's challenging but you can still go low. Lots of pin placements give a chance to roll back down so it teaches you to play smart. Good baskets and great big concrete pads. Course really makes good use of the space it has. Basket locations move around pretty regularly.

Cons:

It's in the hood. Signs get beat up there is broken glass, litter and nastiness all about. If this course was on a farm in the mountains, all else being the same, it would be legendary. As is, the neighborhood takes away a point+ off the rating, it's a factor. There are walking paths through the course and sometimes you have to warn people you are throwing. Watch out for dog poop.

Other Thoughts:

This is my home course, I play it once a week at least and was tempted to give it a higher score just because I've grown to love it. Play it, see what you think.
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1 1
RyKimDG
Experience: 20.9 years 57 played 4 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Diamond in the rough. 2+ years drive by

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

Pros:

1. Tees: level, large, well marked for the most part.
2. Variety: Short, Long, Uphill, Downhill, Left, Right, Rollers, Risk/Reward.
3. The course itself is great. It challenged me and it was downright hard for my girlfriend who had 9 holes under her belt prior to us playing this course.

Cons:

Locale: I wouldn't go near this course after 4pm. I'm not an alarmist, thats just common sense. Broken glass, other debris around the course. If it had more garbage cans I would have been inclined to pick up alot of trash. Theres a dangerous piece of something like re-bar about a foot and a half long sticking out of the ground on the back nine. Sorry I can't be more specific, it was last week. Interesting characters walking the park and it was before noon. Walking paths, roads, fitness stations, drainage ditches, apartment complexes, picnic tables, there are extra considerations all over this course.

Other Thoughts:

I am no pro. Intermediate who throws about 400-450 RHBH. Flat n level alot less. I've been playing off and on for about ten years. Picked up the game in Montana. Go Griz!
The course itself is great. The neighborhood might be considered dangerous by some. Be aware of your surroundings at all times, general rule.
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3 1
TBabb
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 18.6 years 65 played 56 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Great course all around 2+ years drive by

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

Pros:

Morningside Park is a beautiful eighteen hole course very close to downtown Knoxville. Baskets are mostly in great condition. The concrete tee pads are level, large, and seem relatively new. A sign at the head of the course makes it easy to find where the course starts. Tee signs on every hole have a map of the hole, distance, and par information. When I played, the grass was recently mowed, foliage was well kept and there were few places where one was susceptible to losing a disc. Some tees have benches. Elevation is used very effectively with lots of holes playing up and down rolling hills and elevated basket placement. Great variety of hole distances ranging from 170 to 555 feet as well as straight, right, left, uphill, downhill, and flat shots. Hole 9 is the longest and a real standout hole. Many holes have two pin positions. The park has many mature trees that provide challenge through low ceilings and tight windows especially in the summer time. Wasn't crowded when I played and it didn't seem that disc golfers had much interference with other people using the park. Plenty of parking is provided.

Cons:

No map at the front of the course. Some signage was in rough condition. One or two baskets weren't quite put in level. Navigation could be tricky for a first timer; I had a local to show me through the course. A few holes sit close to the road and one or two are close to the highway. There's no danger of throwing on the highway, but the noise could be distracting or undesirable for some players. Not much to complain about frankly

Other Thoughts:

This course is well designed, well kept, and a lot of fun. Aside from a few minor setbacks, this is a really solid course. It has plenty of challenge for experienced players to work on their chops without being too frustrating for beginners. Easily accessible from downtown for a round after work. Knovillites are spoiled to have Morningside Park as their home course.
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2 0
ajbova
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 18 years 112 played 94 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Solid Intermediate Course 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 5, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

Intermediate level course set just outside of downtown Knoxville.

Baskets - 18 grippy discatchers. They were easy to see. There is a practice basket as well at the bottom of the hill near the pavilion.

Tees - 1 large concrete tee per hole. They are shaped like a trapezoid with the wider end towards the end of the tee pad to allow you to throw in different angles if needed.

Signs - Billboard had info on disc golf but did not have a map. The signs for the holes were great. Showed distances, par, and a map. A few signs pointed you towards the next tee (7, 14, 16).

Variety - Course was very spread out and had some sort of elevation on every hole except 5 and 17. A few of the baskets were placed on hills to add elevation to the holes. Every hole had mature trees to shape the line. 2 and 14 had a thread the needle type of shot. A few holes had a small creek run through it but it was literally a few inches deep. No two holes were the same. A few blind shots due to elevation. 11 and 18 had extreme elevation.

Nice scenic park that had a view of the skyline from hole 12.

A port o potty and some trash cans after hole 4.

Playground on site.

Benches after hole 1 and 4 as well at the tee for 7.

Trash can after hole 4.

Peaceful park with some cool features (statue, paths, etc).

Cons:

Course needs signs pointing you towards the next tee. Navigation can be tricky for a first timer, especially after the following holes (2, 4, 6, 10, 13, and 17).

Broken glass throughout the course on the ground.

Ground can be very soggy and muddy after rain. Leaves the tees to be slick as well as the walk uphill on 11 and 18.

Needs a course map at the billboard showing the course as well as the location of the practice basket.

Could use a few trash cans. Trash throughout course.

Walking path can cause delays if course is busy.

Other Thoughts:

This is a great course. Most holes were reachable within 2 shots with the right throw. Plenty of obstacles to shape lines that can make or break your day. It was slick, soggy, and muddy when I played but I still enjoyed myself.

The elevation and the variety helped me to enjoy this course.

Would definitely recommend if in the area or passing through like I was. It is right off the highway.

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1 1
TennDG
Experience: 17 played 7 reviews
4.00 star(s)

My Favorite Course in Knoxville 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 2, 2015 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

*Excellent course design with lots of opportunities for power drives and challenging elevation shots

*A tournament favorite, so the course itself gets lots of love from the city and from KDGA.

* Convenient to most parts of inner-city Knoxville, so its possible to hop over for a couple of quick holes on a lunch break at work.

*One of the most challenging courses in the area

*Peaceful and relatively quiet during off season/off hours

Cons:

*Most shots are situated facing to the West, so there is significant glare playing in the afternoons.

*High traffic on weekends and afternoons with good weather, so lots of waiting to play through.

*Not in the best part of town, so playing there alone or in small groups requires some situational awareness - particularly towards dusk (never had any problems personally, however).


* The divided layout requires lots of walking and adds time waiting for other groups to play through, and since its a multi-use park, you have to be cognizant of pedestrians walking through.

Other Thoughts:

Love this course! Its convenient and fun to play - quite challenging. Its definitely in a more urban environment, and you'll see some grit, but nothing that isn't prevalent in other inner-city disc golf parks around the country. For both traffic and lighting reasons, I prefer to play here in the mornings when there aren't many other people out. Though the park itself can be somewhat trashy, KDGA does an excellent job maintaining the course. Its a tournament-favorite, so you will notice a marked up-tick in traffic as tournament dates approach as folks practice. Bring shades if you play in the afternoon, as the sun can blind you on several shots. It can also be quite crowded on nice days, but I still think its less trafficked than Victor Ashe.
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8 2
numbernine
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 14.7 years 103 played 49 reviews
2.50 star(s)

An amazing course, ruined by the terrible layout 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Oct 30, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

I am sure that I am going to get "this review isn't helpful" because people disagree with my take on this course. But was it helpful? Did I actually review the course? Yes.

Right off the bat, let me tell you that COULD be one of the best courses that I have ever played. Have as anyone ever dated a super crazy, super attractive person? Morningside is that person. Yes, it's great to look at and it's fun to touch...but it's going to snap for some reason that you can't explain, and someone is going to end with a knife in their face. So...let's bust out the details -

Baskets- Great catching baskets from Innova. No graffiti on any of the chastity belts, no missing chain and all of them caught like a young Carlton Fisk. Props. +1

Tee pads - Every hole had a tee pad that flaired out to give you plenty of room to throw off of. Everything was nice and level, in spite of the incredible elevation changes.

Shot types - Every shot type was represented out there. Long, sweeping anny shots. GIGANTIC down hill bomber throws. Huge uphill shots, both super short, as well as incredibly long. Truly, the variety on this course is astounding. The holes themselves were laid out to make maximum use of the elevation changes. Along those lines, NO BASKET sits on level ground, outside of one or two of them. Everything is a risky up shot and will destroy you if you miss the putt. This was one of my favorite parts of the course. Lots and lots and risk/reward.

Intangibles - The park itself, if you don't look outside of the confines of the course, is very pretty. It's set within a lot of mature trees. I also love that there are a couple of signature holes. 18 goes uphill about 200 feet, on what I think is close to a 60 degree angle. Unreal!

Cons:

And this is where I have a feeling that some people are going to not like this review...Sorry guys.

Layout - This is the single WORST course design that I have ever played. It just is. OK, 1-2-3-4 makes sense. Got it. Then...where's five? Ah yes, cross the entire park and then throw down hill. Then you play 6 and walk WAY down the road, and cross a street.
From there, the rest of the course is a mess. fairways are criss crossing. you are throwing on top of other baskets. you are throwing over streets. I do not think that there is ONE hole on this course that doesn't throw over a walking path. Other holes throw across a busy pavilion area, an ultimate Frisbee field, and exercise equipment. Truly, I can't see going back here to play unless it as for a tournament and the rest of the park as shut down. Even then, you are crossing over other holes. Between the walking paths and other sports being played, it was a tough course to play with any sort of tempo.

Also, this course is in not a great neighborhood. There are apartments right on top of a couple of holes, and there are shady characters all over this course. PS, I LOVE hood golf...but this is not a disc friendly place. I would not be there after dark by myself.

Other Thoughts:

If I could take this course and put it out in the middle of nowhere, it will literally be one of my favorite courses of all time. But everything counts in a review. And for me, the layout MURDERS this course's review. I hate it when I have to wait to throw on every hole. I hate it when holes are right on top of one another. I hate it when navigation doesn't make sense, and this course has all of those.

Personally, wanted to love this course. But at the end day, it's not a good playing experience. The holes are SO INTERESTING! But there are so many other things going on in the park, and there are so many other people in the way, and the layout is SO terribly bad...Sorry guys.
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1 1
optimalben
Experience: 25.8 years 67 played 15 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Satisfying 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:May 23, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

Plenty of holes where you can let your drive rip. The hilly terrain makes for a nice workout. Intuitive layout and I really enjoyed myself. Would make a great everyday course.

Cons:

All the yardage measures were exaggerated. Made for a challenging first round. The advertised views of the river were also exaggerated. Still pretty scenic though.

Other Thoughts:

Rewards driving accuracy and caution in the putt/approach game. Most of the course is very uneven terrain and there are major risks of losing strokes when your disc rolls down a hill. I'm not that used to this kind of hazard and I could see it getting frustrating if you get victimized by too many bad rolls.
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