My Turn for a road trip, please help.

[crouchingwombat]

Hey,
I finally get to go on a road trip, although not the best of times to be flinging discs in the North-East US I'll still duke it out and try out a couple new courses. I'm going from Florida to New Jersey via I-95 and want to play a couple courses on the way there and way back.

I've looked at a couple and would like to play at:
Tom Triplett DGC in Savannah
The Sarge @ Sergeant Jasper Park in Savannah
Luther Britt Park in Lumberton NC
One of the 3 courses in Rocky Mount NC
Maybe a course around Richmond VA
Giles Run @ Laurel Hill Park outside of DC

And something for sure in Spotsylvania VA
- There are The Grange courses and I guess I need to look up a little more info on these. It looks like they are private and I need to call someone before I play... Has anyone played these and which one do you recommend if I can only play one. I recall seeing someone post from Spotsylvania maybe you could give me some advice.

I doubt I could make it to all of those courses but who knows, I'm traveling with my Mother and here 2 little dogs so if any of these courses don't allow dogs I would love to know before I drive all the way there. Who knows they might not even get out of the car because of the cold...
Thanks for any advice.

One more thing, if anyone lives around the Rutgers/Plainfield NJ area and wants to play around or two send me a PM.

 

[IrishCreamer]

There is a really good scenic course in Williamsburg, VA but that might be a little bit out of your way.

 

[ShaZaun]

Wow your mom plays disc golf....that's just cool.....

 

[33tango]

great call on Tom Triplett(GA Exit 102) and The Sarge(SC exit 8), both within 5 minutes of I95. Both also usually have scorecards in a mailbox at the 1st tee.

 

[Olorin]

Where are you starting from in FL?

• Kathryn Abby Hanna Park in Jacksonville FL looks like a really cool 9 holer. I've been in the park, but didn't see the course.
• Good call on Triplett. Hole 4, over water, is a classic.
• Lumberton NC. Excellent choice! 5 minutes from I-95. The most water holes in NC and I've ever played. Bring extra discs and a retriever, though. Hole 17 is one of the coolest I've ever played.
• Rocky Mount. You could prob skip it. Haven't played Rocky Mt. Sports Complex yet nor Sunset. Sports Complex has a higher DGCR rating. Do not go to Englewood. Farmington is average.
• Richmond VA. Bryan Park is the best by far. Deserves it's 4.0 rating. You may run into Jaymon there.
• Giles Run in Lorton has got to be one of Top 5 in VA. Do it. Right off of I-95. IMO, it's way better than any of the Grange courses. But bring extra discs in case you lose one in the thorns. They're so thick you can't get your disc out.
• Seneca in Gaithersburg. 10 minutes from the Beltway around D.C. By all means go there if you at all can. This is one of my all time top 15 courses! Many people like Patapsco, but I think Seneca is much better.
• Play Brandywine in Wilmington DE if you can. One of my favorites!

If you have a limit on the courses you can play here's how I'd rank them: Seneca, Giles Run, Brandywine, Bryan and Britt in Lumberton are tied (depends if you like water holes or majestic old growth trees, grass, and hills.)

 

[biscoe]

gotta disagree a bit with olorin.

play the grange- while giles run may be a better course from a design standpoint, the grange is the fun capital of disc golf on the east coast. 2 full size courses, lighted par 2 tiki course, video arcade, friendly hosts, etc,etc.- 10 minutes from 95. check with them prior to bringing the dogs however, they have had repeated problems with dogs there and have a general dog-free policy at this point.


bryan is good but pretty much wide open- immediately next to the interstate too. roy's big burger is right down the street.

seneca is excellent. rockburn in md is good and in close proximity to 95.

brandywine is 100% wide open on a great big hill- scenic but overrated as a golf course imo. i would rate it below all the rest.

 

[crouchingwombat]

wow, thanks Olorin. The advice is great, I have a drive up and back with no rush to get there or back! So I'll be playing a couple a day and hopefully it'll take 2 days up and 2 back! I need to find something to retrieve lost discs, I'm usually pretty good about keeping my discs on the fairway but you never know. This is great, I can't wait.

 

[gottafixit]

i've done that drive

I haven't played alot between FL and VA but from VA pretty much everything off 95/295 all the way to NY. Bryan park is all around nice and has some water to play with, and is a minute of 95. The grange is a triple course play ground, toss them a five and play all day, dogs might need to stay in the car or on a leash, it is a little off 95 but a great place. Giles run has all the nicest things you could hope for but it is a long course, and thick brush/torns, but being a minute of 95 it's an easy stop. Seneca is a very nice park and gives you 27 holes to play, haven't been in a while but enjoyed myself the last time i was there, it is a little trip up 270 off the beltway. If your going to get off 95 for any distance then the one most worth it is Bradywine in DE, just all around beautiful, and this time a year i think they waive the park fees. And just so if you goal might be to play one in every state, first exit into Jersey after the delware memorial has a simple but nice little 9 hole, and if you journey into south vineland NJ there is a very nice woods course in there. Happy throwing.

 

[valkyriefb11]

First off why on earth would anyone travel toNJ?
Also when and how long will you be in NJ?

 

[t i m]

In Spotsy, the Grange is worth your time for the experience, but I also have a very high opinion of Loriella if you've got time for both. Awesome course.

Giles, bring extra discs and prepare to lose one or two in the thorns -- leave your expensive plastic in the car.

Seneca -- 27 holes of wonder. well worth the detour around the Beltway. It's one of the best courses anywhere near 95.

In addition to Brandywine in DE, consider playing Iron Hill... if your're a masochist. Of 130 courses, it may be the hardest layout I've played anywhere in the country. Beastly long through trees and hills. It's very close to 95, so I would highly recommend playing at least the front 9 holes, which isn't quite as brutal and includes some amazing shots. Back 9 gets more repetitive and frustrating.

And, of course, if you are heading up 95 to NJ, it means you are going to be near Tyler State Park in PA. AWESOME course. Probably in my top 10 (and still #8 in the DGCR top 10)...

If you've got a little extra time, it's SO worth driving into PA a bit to play the Allentown courses - Nockamixon, Lehigh and Jordan Creek. This trio of courses should be a disc golf mecca, IMHO. especially since it's close to Tinicum and Tyler State Park. Those 5 courses are within about an hour and encompass one of the most amazing varieties of courses and holes anywhere in the country. It's worth adding a day or two to your trip, if you can.

Have an awesome time.

 

[crouchingwombat]

First off why on earth would anyone travel toNJ?
Also when and how long will you be in NJ?

Visit family, I know what a crappy place to go. I'll be there for a week or so, so no real time line since we're driving.

Thanks everyone for the advice, hopefully there will not be any nasty ice storms and I can get out a few times while I'm up there too, PA sounds nice.

 

[swatso]

Maryland courses within 11 miles of I95:
Miles/Course/Comments

2 Rockburn
Easy to find, near amenities, variety of holes/shots, certainly in most anyone's top five of Maryland courses

3 Calvert
Easy to find, near amentities, flat, short, large trees/mandos provide greatest challenges

4 Druid
Another Maryland top-five, fun with gentle landscape, more awkward to find, so-so neighbourhood

4 Pine Grove
Easy to find, near amenities, 9-holes/18 tees, difficult to navigate w/o map/directions (available online), variety of challenging holes.

6 Goucher
Easy to find, near amenities, 9 holes, short, most holes play similarly.

9 Silver Creek
Seven holes, so-so to find, not played much by anyone.

10 Scarboro Hills
A bit hard to find and out of the way, not too close to amenities, but challenging, 1/3 open, 1/3 invloving moderate woods, 1/3 very woody.

11 Seneca
Easy to find, near amenities, 27 holes (three 9-hole loops), $3 to enter park, certainly a Maryland top five - many would say #1!

Taking everything into account for a traveller, I'd rank them:
1) Rockburn
2) Calvert or Seneca (depending upon how far you want to venture from 95/how challenging a course you want - Seneca if you want way more of both!)
4) Pine Grove (PG if you go with a local/use the online directions/map)
5) Druid
6) Scarboro
7) Goucher (probably don't bother)
8) Silver Creek (definitely don't bother)

I live near Rockburn and often am near Pine Grove, so PM need me if you need a guide.

 

[sonny]

...snippage...

• Rocky Mount. You could prob skip it. Haven't played Rocky Mt. Sports Complex yet nor Sunset. Sports Complex has a higher DGCR rating. Do not go to Englewood. Farmington is average.

• 
  
  Hey! You've played 2 out of the 4 courses in my town and you just write off Rocky Mount as not worth the trouble? What's up with that?
  
  I believe you'd enjoy trying out Rocky Mount's courses.
  Englewood is an above average short little neighborhood pitch n putt.
  Farmington is a lovely course that admittedly needs a little bridge badly (two have washed away so far), but I feel it's underated on this site.
  Sunset is another very pretty course and a lot of fun to play. Natural tees though.
  The Sports Complex is still a work-in-progress (less than 6 months old), but it has a great mix of holes - short, long, tight, open, and a pair of water holes.
  
  No problem bringing dogs to any of the Rocky Mount courses. PM me if you need a local guide.

 

[biscoe]

i agree with tim about loriella- from the long tees it's very good to excellent and about as exacting as a course with legitmate fairways can be. i just don't want to come across as too self-serving, plus the grange is more fun for the average golfer.

 

[Olorin]

Hey! You've played 2 out of the 4 courses in my town and you just write off Rocky Mount as not worth the trouble? What's up with that?

Sorry. I guess that's not fair. I haven't even played the 2 better courses. I apologize.

 

[biscoe]

"legitimate"

 

[Olorin]

i agree with tim about loriella- from the long tees it's very good to excellent and about as exacting as a course with legitmate fairways can be. i just don't want to come across as too self-serving, plus the grange is more fun for the average golfer.

Then again I rate Hawk Hollow as a 4.5 and consider it better than any of the other Spotsylvania courses...if he can play there. Farther from I-95 though.

 

[DWill]

I recently played the 4 Rocky Mount, NC courses, and would recommend them all. They are all very close to one another, so not a lot of driving between them. The sports complex I thought was the easiest, while Farmington was the hardest. All were kind of swampy after a day of heavy rain. Also very convenient to 95.

In VA, Bryan Park is right off 95 and is very picturesque, a nice place your mother might like. The Grange, with multiple course and closeness to 95 is also ideal. Giles Run is also close to 95, has two tees and two baskets on every hole, so it gives a lot of versatility.

I would go around the DC beltway, the counter clockwise way. It's shorter and less crowded (if that's possible on the beltway), so Seneca is probably out, but you should hit Rockburn, just south of the Baltimore Beltway.

In Delaware, Iron Hill is the place to go, and very close to 95. While you are at Iron Hill, Lums and White Clay are very close by.

Hope this helps.

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[thatguy]

If you want to meet up to play The Grange and Giles run, just let me know, I love both of them and would be more than happy to answer any of your questions about either course. You can PM me with any questions that you have. Let me know when you're comming through so we can hook up. Also if you're looking to boost the number of courses that you have played, there's a course about 5 mins from Giles run that takes about 20 mins to play if you want to be able to put another notch in your belt!

 

[crouchingwombat]

wow guys thanks, I think my head is spinning trying to decide which courses to play... I have a list but i'm going to go over it one more time before I make any decisions. I'm hoping I can get it two courses and some distance with the short days... we'll see thanks again everyone.