LaPlata, MD

Turkey Hill DGC

Permanent course
4.15(based on 26 reviews)
Filter course reviews

Filter reviews

Filter reviews

Turkey Hill DGC reviews

Filter
2 0
samxyx
Experience: 5.8 years 31 played 30 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Good quality course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 29, 2021 Played the course:once

Other Thoughts:

Good quality course in good condition. Almost 2 tees and 2 baskets for every hole accommodating for a wide spectrum of skill levels. The course itself wraps around and through a large public park with soccer, football fields, and ponds. The first 2/3s of the course consists of open and lightly wooded holes notable for their substantial length. The final stretch of the course gets more technical and fun with some tight wooded holes. There are 2 holes with 300 foot water carries if you play from the long tees.

Overall this was a fun and good quality course, but not a top tier course as many in the area led me to believe. The holes are good and provide substantial challenge, but for the most part this feels like traditional park golf you find in most places. The difference is the distance of the holes and the vastness of the park provide a step up from usual park golf. The designers did an excellent job making each hole unique. The switch to woods golf at the end is a good change of pace. The holes are all quality and well designed. It just doesn't have that "it" factor. If you want good quality golf and live in the area, or have a big arm and want to test your accuracy, this is the course for you.

Score 7.4/10
Was this review helpful? Yes No
5 0
FunkyDung
Experience: 23 played 12 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Where is everybody? 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 25, 2021 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Fantastic signage - if you get lost here it's your own fault. Several porta potties. Very clean, well maintained park.

Cons:

If I HAVE to put something, it's the walk between #1 and #2. My first time here, I thought that was a really bad sign, but none other are like that. You just have to get away from the dog park.

Other Thoughts:

First time here today, started at 7am and there wasn't anyone else playing. That combined with the long walk between #1 and #2, and I took those two things as a bad sign of things to come. But man was I wrong. I love this course! So much so, I played three rounds back to back to back. There are red and blue tee boxes with large, concrete tee pads (#10 has one tee box), terrific signs, two baskets per hole (except 11 - more on that later), and very short tee box markers that are a little tricky to find if you're using those. One through nine is pretty open, with a tree patch here and there. Number 10 takes you into the woods, number 11 is a death tee shot. DO NOT OVERTHROW THIS HOLE! - unless you have your repelling gear. It's very easy to, it's short and downhill. There is a serious empty creek downhill past the basket and it is tricky to retrieve (as me how I know). #17 will really make you sweat with your approach. #18 should only be one basket. The short is trickier than the long for some reason, because it's much closer to the pond.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
11 0
n8director
Experience: 8 played 8 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Solid Golf in Southern Maryland 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 5, 2020 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-Park and course VERY well maintained by the county and local DGC.
-Practice basket adjacent to parking situated in an area big enough to throw warm up approaches.
-Routing/Navigation clear.
-Excellent signage.
-High quality baskets and tee pads.
-Two tees on almost every hole, two baskets on every hole. Plenty of layout options.
-Water carries on hole 4 and 18. Short tee pads on both allow newer players to opt out of this.
-Not too much "poke and hope". The course demands and rewards skill.
-There's often multiple ways to attack a hole. Different routes, types of throws etc...
-Nice decorative brick work on hole 1 and 18.
-A couple elevated baskets. One is on 18. Circular pedestal with a brick surround. Looks great. I believe the other is on 14. It's placed on a circular grass mound. The top is flat and only 8' in diameter. So, putts are usually about 20-25 feet long to chains 8-10 feet above you.
-Good mix of semi-open to technical woods shots.

Cons:

-There is some elevation change, but it doesn't often affect shot making. Overall the course is fairly flat.
-Hole 11 and 12 aren't up to the level as the remainder of the course. 11 is an awkward little pitch down a short hill where you gotta hit the first gap, then get lucky to thread though a number of bigger and smaller trunks. A few of the smaller trunks could stand to go away, IMO. 12 is a fairly short, firm putter or midrange uphill drive off the only tee on the hole. Not much to it, long or short basket.

Other Thoughts:

The course isn't too penal for errant shots. Hard to lose a disc if it isn't in the water. Though the brush isn't brutal, if you are out of position off the tee you will be scrambling to make par.

If there's a signature hole, for me it's 17. The baskets are tucked down a long narrow chute, woods on the right, water to the left. To get the best look down the chute you need a 300-350' drive that brings the woods on the right off the tee into play. You can throw left safely off the tee, but that only makes the approach harder.

The local club runs doubles and singles leagues on different days of the week. These are well attended and run. I've never seen the grass high, or trash anywhere on the course. Though not an epic piece of land, it's pretty and the way it is maintained and has been put to use is impressive.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
8 0
gtg888h
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 17.8 years 40 played 27 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Southern Maryland Gem, worth the drive 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Aug 15, 2020 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

+Course is in A+ condition and upkeep. Signage, teepads, baskets, and grounds are all phenomenally done/maintained. Props to Charles County Parks and the Southern MD DGC for their work.
+Two teepads and two baskets on every hole. Having played all the layouts now, each of them provides a very different look at the course and a different challenge. S/S (red->red) can be done in under an hour and rewards good shot placement, while still providing two par-4s. S/L avoids going over the ponds and throws in additional par-4s on holes 4, 13, and 14 while making the other holes from S/S much more challenging. L/S only makes hole 4 from S/S a par-4, and brings water into play. L/L is a true championship golf track. Really a challenge for every skill level.
+Variety of holes and challenges is terrific. Two water carries (4 and 18 from long), some grip-and-rips (1, 8, 17), and great pin placements (red on 3, yellow on 9, red on 13, red on 14, both on 17, elevated pin on 18) make for a great challenge.
+Separate parking lot for disc golf, with a putting green/basket that could only be hit by the craziest of approach shots to the long basket on 18. Practice area has plenty of space to practice upshots and short midranges too for warmup.
+Turkey Hill also has a great dog park on-site (fenced area between holes #1 and #2), so your furry friends will have a fun time).
+Most holes play away from pedestrians, with only hole #3 and the long pin on #18 having danger of hitting non-players, but the number of pedestrians is generally very low to none.

Cons:

-I could imagine the athletic fields making hole #2 (which splits the two main fields) and #3 (playing along the main walking circuit) a little trickier on school nights due to more people being around. I've personally only been on Saturday mornings and had no issues with pedestrian traffic.
-Hole #6's fairway can get quite boggy after a solid rain, but that's the only hole where the playing area is really affected by rain.
-Hole #11 is kinda gimmicky, thrown in there to get to 18. Did what they could with the terrain they had, I guess.

Other Thoughts:

There are organized, random-draw doubles on Saturdays @ 10 AM and league play on Monday evenings.

I live in northern PG County and this is WELL worth the drive once or twice a month (~45 min on a weekend). Played it twice with my 5-y.o. son and he's thoroughly enjoyed it as well. Beautiful grounds, challenging layout, great variety, well-maintained...everything you could ask for.

I'd probably give it a 4.25 if I could, but I feel like a 4 would be shortchanging it. Given that the course is only 6 years old, a lot of the younger trees will soon present even greater challenges.

Unlike a lot of commentors here, I actually like holes #10 and #13 quite a bit. There aren't many fully-wooded holes on the course, and #10 provides a tight (but fair) gap to hit - and if you pipe it, you have a good birdie opportunity. #13 is beautiful with lots of huge, mature trees but a very high canopy. I'm a predominantly forehand player but love throwing my backhand there.

If you live in the DC metro area or Fredericksburg (accessing via the Potomac River Bridge), this is well worth the trip.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
10 2
DumfriesLizzie
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 5.5 years 111 played 101 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Added to my favorite local courses list 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Dec 13, 2020 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Beautiful, expansive park with varied hole play spread out in the fields and in the woods. I love that both the experienced and the newbie can have a great time here. Very clean, well-maintained all over. Best next-tee signage I have ever encountered. Nice tee pads (some are little small though) and hole signs to determine your strategy. Hole 2 through trees in an otherwise open field is neat. Hole 7 off pavement and over bushes into a small open field is perfect for rollers and anhyzers. Big long 8 lets you air out your throw 2-3 times (smile). I tossed a midrange hyzer flip down the wooded slope on no. 11 on my first visit and nearly birdied it. Big open field into the narrow peninsula at 17 is a very creative design. The narrowing approach makes you strategize.

Cons:

They gave me two pars (short baskets), but nos. 11 and 12 are sort of junky holes. Hole 12 to the far basket is more legitimate than to the front basket. No. 9's green perhaps is just too heavily guarded. No. 13 was the worst hole for me. The sloping, densely-wooded fairway was torturous. The ability to roll into the creek is distinct all the way down the fairway. It's a gorgeous hole but tortuous. Needs to be a par 4 for both tees and both pins IMHO.

Other Thoughts:

As a newbie still, I have managed 16 pars here so far; that is encouraging for a mediocre player. Whenever one can sort out how to play specific holes, you feel like you are really getting your game together.

I understand and see this was a ball-golf course, converted to a multi-sport park. I really like such and have played a few now. I think Turkey Hill is the best conversion I have played so far. Quite the excellent job in reinventing this space for disc golf, picnicking, soccer, football, dog park, etc.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
4 0
Crazypete
Experience: 1 played 1 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Best Course in Southern Maryland 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 4, 2018 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

- Excellent Signage
- Very well maintained
- Long and short tees and baskets for almost every hole
- Easily accessible, located right off of main road
- Not crowded, have almost never waited on a single tee box
- A few water carries that are easily managable for amateur players, but also have short tee's that allow beginers to completely avoid them
- Nice mix of open holes and as well as wooded holes

Cons:

- Long walk from #1 to #2, signage for someone who has never played there not great
- Hole #11 "Long Tee" is really more of a get lucky and hope you don't go O.B. type of shot
- Hole #12 Red basket is directly in the way for drive to Yellow basket, have hit it three times, would be nice to move Yellow basket further back and locate Red basket to the right about 10 feet

Other Thoughts:

Overall best course in Southern Maryland, the multiple tees and multiple basket allow for a couple of options to keep coming back and not just playing the same course over and over again which is nice because there is really only one other course in the area 'Hot Shots'. Park maintenance does a great job keeping everything mowed and tee pads cleared. Disc golf scene is very big in SOMD so course is really never crowded, would be nice to get some events going on there.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
4 0
bnbanbury
Experience: 80 played 17 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Great SOMD course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 14, 2017 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

- Excellent signage, tee pads, and baskets. Always nice when a course hits all three of these.

-Pretty park setting that, over a number of visits, does not seem to have much overlap between park-goers and disc golfers.

-Really nicely laid out par 4 holes on the open and lightly wooded stretches.

- Uses a nice mix of different elements - left and right breaking shot shapes, water, elevated greens and pins, ect.

-The 4 possible layouts and ability to mix on any hole you want keep this course really fresh. My review is mostly my thoughts on the gold layout but i have played all the availalbe layouts and found them enjoyable.

Cons:

-Really the only thing keeping this from being a 4.5 or even a 5 for me is the wooded holes - holes 10-13. I'll expand on that a little in the thoughts below.

Other Thoughts:

I really like this course. I want to be over the moon about this course but the middle stretch of 10-13 is holding me back from the big numbers.

I'll start with the holes I love...
#4 is a signature-worthy hole on some other courses. Pretty multi shot hole over a small pond and then finishing left to right. Not much technical danger off the tee but nice aesthetics.

#8 great gold par 4, right to left off the tee and left to right back to the pin with danger on the drive and approach if you bite off too much.

#9 From the gold its a really fun but technical anny flex (or really mashed hyzer if you've got it). Get it too turned over though and you end up in the frog pond :)

#17 What a great hole. You have to control where you land your tee shot to give you the approach you want to the peninsula (water on one side and woods on the other). combined with the elevated pin this is maybe the most technical hole on the course.

#18 Not too technically demanding but a pretty closing hole over water to a beautiful raised pin location. In casual play i rarely can resist emptying the bag here.

For the stuff thats holding me back...

#10 From gold its a flukey tee shot. Poorly defined fairway where similar shots can get very different results.

#11 The short tee here is actually the much better shot. downhill with OB behind the pin so you really have to control your speed. The gold tee is poke and hope and then when you get through hopefully you don't end up wet.

#12 This hole is a decent wooded hole. My complaint with the gold layout here is that the short pin is right in the way of a good shot to the long. I have seen more than 1 shot to the long piped up the fairway that has hit the short basket.

#13 The short here is again a much better shot. The short hyzer from the longs leaves you a random second whether you execute it fairly well or fairly poorly. I love the woods back here and love the short pad but I do not like the layout from longs.

So that's it. the only reason I took the time to detail the holes that i feel don't work as well is because i feel like this course is really close to being a real 4.3-4.6 rated course and i hope it keeps getting better.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
1 0
DuBose
Premium Member
Experience: 4.8 years 137 played 16 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Great options 2+ years

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

Pros:

- No crowds. Had course to ourselfs.
- Great options with the 2 pads and 2 baskets on almost every hole. Very nice pads also.
- Nice setting and scenery. Very clean!
- Great signage and mapping. I didn't even use the map I printed from web site. (Even for hole 2 which isn't that bad of a walk to pad. I've had worse.)
- Well use of land they had. Decent variety of lefts, rights and elevation change available.
- Loved the mix of open shots and wooded.
- Most of course is very forgiving of mistakes made. Good for beginners from red pad.

Cons:

- We were the only ones at park on Good Friday but I could see some potential conflicts with other park users on a busy weekend. Especially on the open holes.
- Could use some trash cans. ( This wasn't a problem but as the course gets more popular it could be)

Other Thoughts:

This is a solid 4. The dual pads really change the holes. I used the red pad to yellow baskets. Mostly cause I had 3 bigginers with me and it worked REALLY well for all of us. It gave me enough of a challenge as an intermediate player but still made it fun for them. If it only had red to red, I would probably not come back. If I make it back here again (from California), I would want to play blue to yellow. I agree with the other review, I would be hesitant to throw over the first pond. Unless you throw a floater or you land near the edge, I'm not sure you would get you disc back. Looks close to 280' across and it's not clear water. The 30' pole they have to use is awesome, but not sure I would risk it. ( I know, what a wuss) Worth playing if your in the area.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
4 0
discNDav
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 37.9 years 436 played 91 reviews
3.50 star(s)

great amenities....3.5 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 3, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

less than 1 minute from highway 301...DG sign indicating to use the 2nd entrance...very clean port a john...2 cement tees on most of the holes...2 baskets on most of the holes...open front 9 and wooded back 9 making it feel like 2 different courses and 4 configurations are available..color coordinated tee signs (red/blue) and baskets (red/yellow)...wooden bridges built over wet area's...

Cons:

the walk btw 1 and 2 as mentioned by many isn't all that bad as I was expecting it, it's well marked...twice the sign showed a right to left long pin position and I threw accordingly without seeing the basket but the long basket ended up being on the right...when playing long baskets on 14 and 17 the walk to the next tee was backtracking the hole just played...tee mats on 10-13(?) were un-level and slippery (why not cement like the others?)...#15 felt completely like a filler hole...you throw over a non-OB park road twice (3 and 18)...

Other Thoughts:

I understand why this course gets a 4 star rating from most golfers as the amenities are great but the golf shots were rather repetitive.

I played short tees to the long baskets. I used the same driver on about 15 of the 18 holes. I skipped playing a 2nd round of long to short as planned and continued on to my next course over an hour away.

The water carry required from long tees 4 and 18 were about 300', I throw only 270' max right now and didn't see a bail out route that could be used if throwing from the long tee.


Was this review helpful? Yes No
Designer response by jrawk
There are no 300ft water carries. That is enormously overly exaggerated.

Hole 4 is a 230ft carry at most, much shorter in summer when the lake is low. Hole 18 250 ft carry is easily bailed out on the left side of the lake any distance you are comfortable with since it is a triangular lake. Cut the corner for 160 ft. Split the different for 200ft or run at the short basket which is 35 feet from the edge of the water.

The Parks department is addressing the rubber tee mats in the woods. Concrete is not an option there right now as those parts are protected forest areas, but that may change in the future.

For those reading this, the course was designed around the blue tees. If you are a disc golf junky wanting to play the best, most diverse layout, play the blue tee pads. If you're simply a weekend warrior wanting an easy time, play the red tees.
7 1
DNap4
Experience: 10.9 years 9 played 3 reviews
4.50 star(s)

One of the Best in the Area 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 15, 2015 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Perfect Signage for every tee, basket and inbetween make it easy to find baskets and not get lost when moving along the course. Very open course layout for people that love to drive long shots with min-mod technicality. The open layout is great for novices and intermediate players, and a good warmup/style course for advanced players. The water features are all playable, and unless you drive it into the center of the pond, you can easily get your disc back because of the 30-40ft poles that are positioned on each major water feature. This is a great course to practice driving over water shots (4 and 18) without fear of losing anything because of the recovery poles. There is a little of everything on this course tees on/towards hills/elevation (12, 14), driving downhill (11), technical woods (some of 10/16 and *13), over-water drives (4, 18-B), low-technical open distance drives (6, 8, 17, 18). It is pretty impossible to lose your disc on this course, there are no inaccessible terrain features or overbrush that will consume your worn plastic.

Cons:

There really isn't too many cons for this course. This course does a little of everything without being the best in any of those areas. A lot of the more technical shots or interesting shots are short sub-350ft range. There is a small natural ravine bordering the wooded shots that make it difficult and mildly dangerous to retrieve your discs if they end up in them. The ravine is noticeable behind 11, which is the only significant downhill shot, and one that can easily be overshot into the ravine, and also noticeable on 13 if you try to drive around the path from the blue. Another note on 13 is that it feels completely different from the rest of the course, almost like walking on a completely new course. That feel is because 13 is really the only true wooded technical shot in the entire course, well, half of 16 and 10 as well (but both are relatively short).

Other Thoughts:

This course fits my style. I'm an intermediate player with a little over 2 years experience playing in Colorado, Virginia and Maryland. I'm still working on my driving control and this course fits my need while not being a complete technical challenge. The two girls I played with, who had limited experience playing loved this course because of the lower technicality and it also gave them confidence in their drive and release. Overall course traffic seemed to be low, which may be because of the course being relatively new and also it being Winter (but hey, I would play in my snowshoes in Colorado..). As for the amenities around, there's a mall within 5miles of the course with a food court that has pretty good food. There are a bunch of liquor stores in the area, and restaurants to grab a beer within 5-10mi.

Overall, it is a great course that has a completely different feel from a lot of the other courses in the area and a worthwhile drive to try it out. I currently drive an hour from Fairfax to play here, mostly because my girlfriend (and also I) love it, but also because it beats out my local courses Bluemont, Burke Lake and Bull Run in a variety of ways.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
Designer response by jrawk
Thanks for the review. The course does play significantly easier in the winter without leaves on the trees. Also there are many young fast growing trees that will continue to grow and tighten up some of the lines as years pass. And hey, I'll have to try playing in snowshoes sometime. Sounds like fun!
2 3
HawaiiJack
Experience: 19 played 17 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Patapsco & Seneca Creek: Move Over! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 18, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

Great signage. Lots of variety and flight choices with 2 tees and 2 baskets on most holes. Nice scenery and environment. A lot of thought and work went into this course.

Cons:

The course is sort of a perma-bog but as the whole park is a wetlands area that kind of fits. Plenty of reptile and amphibian life can be spotted on a round. It's a bit of a stretch but everything else here is so great I'll mention the traffic noise from Rte 301 and tees that are on an asphalt roadway on #7.

Other Thoughts:

The course designers probably just couldn't find a good solution for wanting the course to start and end at the same place with #18 as a magnificent finishing hole. Hole #1 is an unexciting bog and then there is a looong walk to #2. Most other things here though are at an A level and this brand new course is one of if not already the best in Maryland.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
Designer response by prerube
Charles County has recently made several improvements to drainage. If you play a course in April, it will tend to be wet. "April Showers bring May Flowers".

The course was designed to have it's own private parking lot. Hole 1 was an obvious plug and play, but we could not play anywhere near the dog parks. The walk is under 700 feet and appears after the first hole, so there is not time to be tired yet.

The tees on Hole 7 are still on the asphalt, but have recently been painted in the color of the tee that you are teeing off from.

Thanks for playing.
5 0
davidafoss
Experience: 5 played 2 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Play this course, it was great! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 21, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

* Very well maintained with excellent baskets and excellent signage.
* Great mix of open grip-it-and-rip it shots and wooded, technical shots.
* Multiple pads and baskets on every hole make this a great course regardless of skill level.
* Easily accessible with plenty of parking.

Cons:

* Long walk from #1 to #2 around the dog park - directions from 1 to 2 could be better for a first timer, but I was playing with someone who had been there a couple times.
* A couple more trash receptacles would be good, but this is a minor quibble

Other Thoughts:

Went out with a friend who has been here a few times before and raved about it every time. The experience didn't disappoint. I had a fun time on the course despite being severely punished on a couple of wooded, uphill putts I missed. This may be a 40 minute drive and across a state line for me, but I would gladly make that drive to play this course again. It doesn't quite have the scenery like you would find at Seneca, but I think the course is just as enjoyable as Seneca's original 18.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
3 3
Apsey
Experience: 66 played 11 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Wow! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 27, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

-Very well maintained
-Great tee pads
-Great disc catcher baskets (two on most holes)
-Great man made course accents
-Informative club/course map and bulletin board
-4 unique course layouts depending on the pad/pin combination that you play

Cons:

It's reaching to come up with a con...but I guess some of the walks from tee to tee were long. Not bad though compared to a lot of courses out there.

Other Thoughts:

I was super impressed with the time and money I saw invested in this course. I was visiting from out of town and only had a putter to play with so I played the short/short combination which was still fun. I was eyeing the Long Long course layout as I played and I was drooling over the chance to come back and play it. Looks challenging! Can't wait to make the drive up from Charleston to play a tournament here!
Was this review helpful? Yes No
15 2
jrawk
Experience: 14.7 years 85 played 13 reviews
4.50 star(s)

One of the designer's impressions. 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Aug 27, 2014 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Intro: As one of the course designers, hopefully this won't come across as overwhelmingly biased. I've played many of Maryland & Virginia's best since Turkey Hill was first opened. And now 4 months after first opening the course I honestly feel it holds up very well by its own merits. Turkey Hill will continue to increase in challenge as many areas with immature trees grow up taller and fill in some trivial gaps. Until then, every hole is still enjoyable and unique in its own right. I rate this course "4.5 - Phenomenal" because I feel that is an accurate description of the course.

Equipment: Quite simply, no expense was spared. This course features dual 6'x12' concrete tee pads (Red and Blue) and dual baskets (Red and Yellow as of 8/26/14) on almost every hole. #10 and #12 have one tee pad, and #11 currently has one basket. #12 and #13Red have rubber fly-pads mounted on beautiful wooden platforms. Professional tee signs at each teepad are accurate to fairway distances, measured with both a wheel and laser, which we used only to measure over water and rough terrain. There are benches and trash cans at many tee pads. There's a practice basket next to the dedicated course parking lot. A gigantic course map and kiosk at hole 1, with a beautiful brick patio leading you to the first Blue tee pad. From hole one, directional signage will guide you to the next hole which continues throughout the course, with many foot bridges and even a beautiful wooden stairway-to-heaven between 13 and 14. There are porto-jons by the parking lot, near 2's tee pads, and some behind the tree line after hole 9.

Designing the Course: The course plays as a large counter-clockwise loop around the perimeter of the park. Hole 18 ends where 1 begins, and hole 10 starts on the opposite side of the park. During the design process, we were restricted to where the course would begin and end, so we had the choice of designing clockwise or counter-clockwise. Many reasons were identified why counter-clockwise was the best choice, namely saving the large lake water carry for 18 instead of 1, and also forcing the long walk between 1 and 2 in the beginning of the round instead of the end. Given our options, we chose the proper play direction.

Hole Layout: We started by identifying the best holes on the course and designing the rest around them. Holes that are prime examples of this are #4, #8, #10, #13, #14, #17, #18, which IMHO are the stand-outs. Every hole on the course was designed with the Blue teepad and B-pin in mind first (the long-to-long format), and then the Red to A-Pin (short to short format) second. We made sure both basket locations were diverse enough to allow for 2 permanent baskets per hole without much interference created from each other. Our ultimate goal was to build a course that challenges the adept and entices the beginner. I strongly feel we succeeded at both. One example is that both water carries are forced from the blue tee pads on #4 and #18. However they are not forced when playing from the red tee pads.

Hole diversity: This course will challenge the player to execute every throw style. Long bombs, tight tunnels, uphill, downhill, dog legs, sweeping turns, split fairways, specific overhand options, water carries, ob zones, fast greens, elevated putts, downhill putts. Be careful of some of the more innocent looking fairways. They can be the most punishing, such as hole 11; A short 200ft steep downhill throw, tightly guarded by trees, with an OB ravine 40 feet behind the basket. So carry a diverse bag of discs. You will need them.

Cons:

Having helped with the design, my only true disappointment was not being able to design/play further back into the north woods (where 10-13 are). While that option is not yet completely off the table, there are many environmental hurdles that must be overcome before the course can be extended. Holes 11, 12, and 13 will likely be revamped if the opportunity ever exists.

Many comments have been made about drainage issues on the fairways, namely hole 1, 6 and 14. This year (2014) has been one of the wettest years on record and yes these spots often had inches of standing water days after the last rainfall. To address this issue, the Parks department has installed a swale across hole 1, an elevated wood chip foot path down hole 6, and has relocated the B-pin basket position on hole 14. Drainage has not been an issue since these changes were implemented.

Some fairways as you progress through the course have a feeling of being too wide open, namely Holes 1, 6, 14, and 18. The Parks department has future plans to plant some trees on the left side of hole 1 and 18. Hole 6 and 14 were bush-hogged completely during the design phase and we have identified areas on the fairways where gum trees will be allowed to grow up. Gum trees grow fast. By 2016 the trees should be 15 feet tall and the flight lines should tighten up.

There is a long 700ft walk around the left side of the dog park between hole 1 and 2. It is really the only tricky navigation area, but 3 or 4 signs guide you along the path. Once you play hole 4, the walk is most likely forgotten about.

Holes 2 and 3 play close to practice soccer fields and can be prone to pedestrian traffic on school nights. It isn't terrible, but it can be a concern for errant throws depending on the tee pad or basket you'd prefer to play to. These fields go more or less un-used during the day and on weekends.

Many comments are made about 13's Blue tee pad (par 4) being not positioned perfectly. While yes it could have been better, the 2nd or 3rd time you play from it, you'll find it's not as "useless" as some claim. It definitely requires a skillful throw to make the dog leg and avoid running out of bounds down the side slope of the fairway. Not every hole should be trivial and this one is far from it. As for not knowing where the baskets are when first played, look at the tee signs and go walk down the fairway halfway. A completely blind throw will likely result in a rough experience.

There is still some poison ivy on the course, mainly in the high-rough areas of the fairways. But the Parks department has done a very thorough job eradicating the ivy from the wooded fairways and some other portions of the course. The tick and chigger population in the woods has subsided as well, and will continue to as the course receives more foot traffic.

Other Thoughts:

As many have stated, this course is in a great location and is very easy to get to. There are plenty of nearby food options. If you like craft beer, check out the Red Oak Bistro a few miles south on 301. They have over 70 brands of craft beer to choose from, and even have 4 wines on tap.

The Southern Maryland Disc Golf Club and Charles County Parks Department have entered a partnership in caring for the course. The park has staff & equipment onsite daily to upkeep and maintain the entire park. The guys do a heck of a good job keeping the fairways mowed, including mowing around a couple tee pads that in the woods with grass growing around them. The SOMD DGC organizes clean-up days, prepares the course for events, and runs weekly leagues and volunteer clinics for the public.

Last but not least, there is a very large, well established dog park between 1 and 2 and as such the course is very pet friendly. We are grateful for the local dog park patrons allowing us to invade their existing park land and strive to fundraise for the local Humane Society as often as possible.

The TL:DR version - Turkey Hill Park is full of features that every disc golfer no matter your skill level will enjoy and be challenged by. It's right off highway 301 and is clean, family friendly, and pet friendly. With dual tee pads and dual baskets on [nearly] every hole, there are 4 different playable configurations to try to conquer in one day, or spread it out into multiple trips.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
5 2
neanderthal85
Experience: 9.7 years 6 played 6 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Turkey Hill - She was my first 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Aug 15, 2014 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

This is the first disc golf course I ever played. Must say - this sport is harder than it looks. I was great at ultimate, but this is a whole other beast!

The course itself is very nice. It is spread out in a large circular pattern around a sports complex with baseball fields, soccer fields, a dog park, etc.

The front 9-ish is fairly open and exposed. Starting with the back 9, you are in the woods - a lot, until I think about 17. The woods holes are nice (minus 13 - I hated that hole).

I like that the course is open and is a good course for a first timer. There are two sets of nice tees for each hole, so for someone like me who wanted the challenge of playing from the blue tees, but didn't want to go swimming to find the Frisbee, I could use the shorter tees on 4 and 18 (where there are big water carries).

Cons:

We were lost on a few holes, as there are hidden signs or signs that point and then don't really lead in the general direction. I also hated 13. I see other people love it. I couldn't tell where the hole was at. Lost my disc twice, fell down the hill and was scrapped up pretty badly.

Also, as others said, I kept looking for this second set of holes, but they didn't exist.

18 water carry is pretty easy as long as you stay straight, but 4 is tougher. I cheat up a little, but it's still a tough carry. Lilypads means you can probably find your disc.

Other Thoughts:

I went on a Friday and there were maybe 10 other people in the whole park. They do have Monday night tourneys, so that's a good option for anyone who wants to get competitive. I think once the other baskets are in, it will improve (EDIT: they have been added and are great! Really gives you options and improves several holes, namely 7 and 17). Maybe plant some more obstacles. But for a first course, this was a gem!
Was this review helpful? Yes No
Designer response by jrawk
Hi there. Thanks for the review. The second set of baskets (reds) were installed this past tuesday (8/26/2014). Looks like you played right before they were installed. Check em out the next time you're there!
8 1
prerube
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 16.8 years 274 played 235 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Gem off 301 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jul 6, 2014 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

LOCATION! this course is right off 301 so anyone travelling 301 can easily add this course to their list. There is no other course for over 30 minutes in any direction. Course is just 30 minutes from the Virginia Bridge, 6 minutes from Waldorf mall, and less than an hour from DC.

Great shot variety and variety in hole distances.
2 pin positions and 2 tee pads for nearly every hole.

Tee pads are generous concrete pads. Tee signs on both pads in color.

Specially made stairs created to climb the hill from 13 to 14.

The only 2 water hazards on this side of the bay bridge. Both are moderately low risk and offer a safer option for newer players.

Hole 14 features a mound built specifically for that basket. Hole 18 features a Winthropesque elevated basket.

Practice basket near a parking lot specially for disc golfers.

Porto potties at parking lot, hole 3, and hole 9.

Cons:

Drainage is an on going issue. some steps have been made to correct this, but the course is often wet,

Tee 13 long has a tree directly in front of it that is not very popular, but it does force a different shot than you would normally take on that line.

Walkers can slow down speed of play at times, but it is rare only a brief pause.

Other Thoughts:

Long to long a 55 is about 1000 rating. 50 is around 955, 70 is around 865.

I did not want to review this course due to my involvement in it, but I am writing as a player and hope this does not wreak of bias.

This course is still an infant and some changes are coming in the very near future. But I feel this course can hold it's own with the other great new course, Ditto Farms, and the other top classics.

For food you can go north a few miles for a small plaza that features a few options, or drive 6 miles south into waldorf and have your pick of any time of food you want.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
1 3
the_ox
Experience: 23.6 years 75 played 3 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Enjoyable and forgettable 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 18, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

-Signage. The signage is fantastic. It was easy to find the course, easy to find a place to park, easy to find each of the holes. This shouldn't be a big deal but on new courses, it often is. The designers have spent the time and the resources to ensure that you don't get lost.
-Hole 13. By far, my favorite hole on the course. If they had 8 more of these mixed in with some open, the course would be world class. It reminded me of hole 1 at RL Smith in Charlotte, one of my top 5 favorite course
-Forgiving. The course is fairly forgiving in regards to shot placement. The rough, when there is some, is still easy to find your disc, you can take an am here and they will still find it enjoyable, unlike a course like Giles Run.
Teepads. Concrete and well built.

Cons:

Lack of Challenge. The bulk of the long holes require a controlled 300-350 foot drive, a mediocre upshot, and a putt. If you can do this consistently, you will shoot well. At no point did I find myself having to make multiple golf shots in a row to shoot well.

Openness. The bulk of the course plays through fields with clumps of trees that are easily avoidable. I found myself throwing over trees rather then around them to avoid any likelihood of getting into trouble.

Forgettable. I played the longs and the shorts back to back and the only holes I wanted to play again where holes 11-13. I only wanted to played 11 & 12 again for the ace potential, while hole 13 is noted above.


Other Thoughts:

I enjoyed the 2 rounds I played at the course, but can't see myself visiting the course again. If you're in the area, it would be a great place to play for casual rounds but to call this course championship level (as was stated somewhere else on the site) is just not true.

Was this review helpful? Yes No
Designer response by jrawk
Jrawks response: As of 8/26/14 the course now has double baskets. 18 Red Discatchers in the A's, and 18 Yellow discatchers in the B's. The course can now be played to anybody's skill level. I hope you will return to see the other changes as well.

Prerubes earlier response: I hope you will return when the baskets are not all in the A (short) Pins. You played the course while it was set up for a Vibram Birdie Bash. It was set up to be purposely easier.
2 0
gregorco
Experience: 15.1 years 1 played 1 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Great mix of woods and openness. 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 17, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

Love the tee pad post signs identifying the A & B basket positions and the signs directing you to the next holes, and the creative use of the grounds around the park for positioning the pads and baskets. Having the course loop around the park allows for three different places to park and start playing.

Cons:

Very few cons. It would be convenient for tee pad post signs to have a moveable indicator to identify in which position the basket is currently set. There are some holes that happen to cross some spans of ground that don't soak up heavy rains very well, so your shoes will get wet or muddy walking to the basket. The other thing is that some of the wooded holes are shorter than expected, so birdies are not too difficult - if you can avoid the trees.

Other Thoughts:

Very grateful that any new course nearby is constructed. Thank you for designing and providing yet another great course to enjoy in the region.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
6 1
sidewinder22
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 17.7 years 297 played 197 reviews
3.50 star(s)

The Great Turducken Hill 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Sep 3, 2014 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Dual color coded Discatcher baskets with nice red/blue concrete/flypad tees per hole. Practice basket, plentiful benches, trash cans, sweet tee signs and navigational signs make this course great for the first time visitor and is an excellent intro course to an area of Southern MD that has been devoid of any courses and should serve as a model for future professional course construction in the area. Good use of the ponds and the features of the more open holes in general. Nice mix of distances from ace runs to solid par 3 and a few generous par 4s. You get a chance to air out the disc on a few holes and it generally comes with some risk the further you try to go. Other holes will test your accuracy and hitting the line. Really enjoyed holes 3, 4, 6, 8, 15, 16, 17 and, hole 18 was fun to end with over the pond. The park and course was nicely manicured and easy on the eyes. Port-a-potty in the parking lot. Easy to find the course.

Cons:

Nothing major that should keep anyone away, overall the course is fantastically playable. These are just some mentionables. The Waldorf Rt 5 / 301 area is prone to heavy DC area traffic. The course plays through some shared areas of the park and there are other park users that dgers need to be aware of and may need to wait for the hole to be clear. The fairways are generous for the most part, but the rough can be tough get into to retrieve discs even if you see it. Moderate chance of losing discs, more-so on the holes that play sneakily near water rather than the ones that play obviously over water. One big loop of 18 holes, bring H2O for the whole round. The only decent elevation on the course is in the woods, but the few holes in woods leave a bit to be desired. The flypads in the woods get slippery. A few of the short baskets get in the way of the long baskets and the short baskets are often much better placements than the longs. A couple of the long baskets really don't add anything to the course. Some of the actual basket placements are different from the tee sign and map. There a number of longish par 3s that are not going to provide much scoring separation or a reason to attempt going for a 2.

Hole 1 from the blue tee to long basket is going to yield a lot of 3s with little variation and basically a NAGS approach. Fenced in Dog park behind the basket, beware of dog poo around the basket. IMO reversing the hole would be better to tee close to the dog park playing away from it rather than throwing toward it. The walk transition from hole 1 to 2 is a little long especially for the first holes of a course.

Hole 2 playing between the practice fields is a bit weird and a little concerning if/when they get used.

Hole 3 plays over walking path and near practice field.

Hole 11 is more like short upshot than drive.

Hole 12 short basket is right in the way of the long basket.

Hole 13's blue tee unfortunately was not put it the correct position, and renders it borderline useless, which could have been a really sweet hole. Also on 13, currently without bridging/steps, getting into and across the creek to retrieve discs is difficult, and anyone using the blue tee will likely end up there unless you go at the wall of trees and hope or throw a layup. Poison ivy on 13 as well.

Hole 17's approach to the baskets is a bit narrow with good chance of losing a disc if it fades out or gets kicked toward the pond. The short basket is right in the way of the long basket.

If I were designing the course I actually would have reversed the entire course. Holes 18 and 4 backwards would make better use of the ponds for more risk vs reward, and many other holes would actually play better reversed IMO. The flow would also be better to start on hole 18 as the weird long transition would be avoided from hole 1 to 2.

Other Thoughts:

In the world of great culinary creations, one triumph reigns supreme during the holidays: the Turducken. For those not intimately acquainted with this meat masterpiece, the Turducken consists of a de-boned chicken stuffed inside a de-boned duck stuffed inside a de-boned turkey. Each layer is padded with stuffing. This new beast is then prepared as a traditional turkey would be: roasted, braised, fried, grilled, barbecued, it's up to you. In its glory days, the Turducken was popularized by the great Chef Paul Prudhomme, but no one is exactly sure who invented it. We do know it originated in the specialty meat stores of South-Central Louisiana. There is some evidence that it may have found its American origins in a meal created by the unnamed owner of Corinne Dunbar's, a Creole restaurant in New Orleans.

While its past can be debated it's safe to say that the future of the bird-within-a-bird-within-a-bird is in America. Some chefs have taken the recipe and made it bigger by adding a small pig into the mix - it essentially swallows the Turducken and is then cooked. Others have tamed the monster and made it more elegant. The Quaduckant is the upscale version consisting of a quail stuffed in a duck stuffed in a pheasant. The fowl-based Frankenstein monster may be viewed as a symbol of American decadence, but its history suggests so much more, so eat up and know you're participating in a great tradition.

Speaking of food, I stopped in the Red Oak Bistro for some good beer and food, highly recommend this place! They are sponsors of the first tournament here, so I support those companies that support disc golf. They have a really nice selection of craft beers. I really liked the Schlafly Pale Ale, and the Jailhouse Double IPA. I had the crab tacos and they were delicious! The bartender is also an avid disc golfer so we had a lot to talk about between beer and disc golf!

Much like the Turducken, courses will have variations of the recipe that maybe bigger, longer, and stuffed with other ingredients that some will like better that others. Turkey Hill is stuffed with the all the variety and professional niceties you can ask for and reminds me of a slightly longer Scarboro Hills with less elevation, they are both more geared toward intermediate level players, and do a great job in that regard. I could sense the influence of John Houck in the design as I had some deja vu of Harry Myers in places, but shorter.

That said, I prefer playing more elevation and harder layouts in general. I also prefer playing through more mature wooded areas with a shaded canopy. Turkey Hill reminds me too much of Texas style golf with unshaded open fairways and thick rough to the sides. If I were to rate this course on the professional build and amenities alone I would rate it 4.5, but personally these niceties don't mean much to me in any of my reviews. The design is excellent for beginners to intermediate players to the short baskets and I can understand players of this level giving it a high rating, but IMO the course is lacking for more advanced to pro level players. Turkey Hill also reminds me of New Quarter in Williamsburg which is an excellent course I rated 4.0, but I have a hard time justifying giving Turkey Hill the same rating because it's not quite on the same level, I would give it a 3.75 rating if I could. At any rate I would definitely recommend Turkey Hill to anyone in the area looking for a great course to play, you will enjoy it!
Was this review helpful? Yes No
Designer response by jrawk
I prefer my Turducken deep fried in peanut oil, served with white wine and tarter sauce.

Thanks for the constructive review.

The practice fields are rarely used. The parks department is prepared to modifiy the facility without impacting the disc golf hole if the fields become an issue. Hole 4 and other recovery options will be opened up as we vet and fine tune the course. Hole 1 and 6 drainage is being addressed by the Parks Department. HOle 11 is planned for expansion beyond the ravine in the future. Hole 12A pin is awefully short, i agree. The B is much more diverse. Hole 13 concrete was set slightly out of original position as i understand it was necessary for a proper foundation. From the blue tee the throw is a down hill RHBH left fade shot to run along with the side of the hill, which is not a hard throw to execute. There is more room to navigate the fairway than it appears from the Tee. We will explore adding more signage to deter first time players from intentionally throwing accross the creek.
1 2
bluearmy
Experience: 10.6 years 4 played 1 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Possibly Maryland's best course. 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 6, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

Overall, it was a joy to play this course. I really liked the variety of holes: some through the woods, some over water, and some open in fields. All concrete red and blue tee's was also a really nice touch.
Some notes:
Hole 3: Nice scenic basket placement near water.
Hole 4: Blue tee throws over water.
Hole 7: Painted tee box on abandoned road.
Hole 11: Incredibly short hole to the extreme right.
Hole 12: Uphill and short.
Hole 14: Basket on a mound.
Hole 17: Basket A is brutal. Approach is through a narrow, curved path that leads to the basket off of the fairway. Woods on right, water on left.
Hole 18: Two tiered retaining wall "wedding cake" style that the basket is placed on. The water on 18 is very intimidating and hard to clear.

Cons:

When I played in early May, there was only one basket on each hole. I am looking forward to having both sets of baskets on each hole.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
Top