North Carolina Courses

[BraveThrower43]

Huh? Who did I attack? Kenan?

I'm genuinely curious what I've missed about the course, because every review of his I've read of a course I've played has been spot on with my impression. He has way more experience than I do, so I respect the difference of opinion and wanted to point out that I may have just missed in my assessment.

But if that's not coming through, maybe I need to edit the review.

I do not remember many of these issues at Middle creek when I played the but that has likely been 7 years ago or so. Could be a lot of additions to the park over the years.

I do remember a lot of left to right holes though so that definitely hasn't changed haha.

Think my personal memory of that course I would rank. 2.5-3/5 so not too far off.

 

[BrotherDave]

Update on this - I'm now hearing chatter that it really is Rock Creek becoming permanent, and that the wooded holes would be the first to receive teepads. If so, that's great news! Depending on layout details from year to year, Rock Creek is often one of my favorite courses in the state.

I wonder how they'll handle the walking paths and camping areas that interfere then.

Yeah, it'll be very interesting how they'll go about this. Thanks for the info.

When you're writing reviews, you'd earn more respect by not attacking people by name in them. Keep the personal attacks to yourself, or at least out of there.

I don't think he's being too disrespectful or attacking there. If we're to take reviewing seriously, we can't be too thin skinned in regards to debate or disagreement.

I do not remember many of these issues at Middle creek when I played the but that has likely been 7 years ago or so. Could be a lot of additions to the park over the years.

I do remember a lot of left to right holes though so that definitely hasn't changed haha.

Think my personal memory of that course I would rank. 2.5-3/5 so not too far off.

Yeah it's been too many years since I've played there to really weigh in on this. I remember the course running along some parking lots and ball fields but nothing worse than usual like Springwood TPC.

 

[aredoubles]

I played Middle Creek DGC down in Apex yesterday. I wrote up a review and while I was doing it, I was wondering why my impression was so different from others who have played there. I thought it was a little bit of a train-wreck given all of the other aspects of the multi-use park, but the average review is over 3.

Anyone else played there recently? Looking at the pictures, part of the issue is that the number of fields, sidewalks, etc. in the park have grown by a massive amount since the course went in, so maybe that explains it?

Yes, there are a lot of conflicts with other park users. It's my least favorite aspect of that course by far.
That said, it's not too hard to find times to play it that are more quiet. Also, there are still something like 14 other holes on the course that are tucked away in the woods, and don't conflict with the rest of the park at all. And those holes are all quite good.
The conflicts are a drawback for sure, but not a fatal flaw, since they're avoidable. I'd probably give the course something between a 3.0 and 3.5, around the current average I guess.

By the way, if there are bystanders on a hole and you don't feel safe or confident throwing in their general direction, I'd encourage you to just skip the hole entirely, and move on. The risks just aren't worth it. You can always revisit these holes later.

Also worth noting that I think the local club are redesigning some parts of this course, which may improve some of these issues. I don't know the exact details of what they're considering.

Nearby Jones Park is another course that suffers from similar issues, though it's a bit better. I'm pretty sure there are reviews for both courses that address this, so it shouldn't come as a surprise if you read up in advance.

 

[Rastnav]

Yes, there are a lot of conflicts with other park users. It's my least favorite aspect of that course by far.
That said, it's not too hard to find times to play it that are more quiet. Also, there are still something like 14 other holes on the course that are tucked away in the woods, and don't conflict with the rest of the park at all. And those holes are all quite good.

If it really was just 4 holes, I would say I was off base in my assessment.

By my count 13 of the current 18 holes have one or more of the following problems:
- Throw immediately next to or over the road (0, 3, 17, 18)
- Tee area is on a sidewalk immediately next a busy main road (6)
- Tee area is on a sidewalk that is in the park getting heavy use by walkers, joggers, etc. (10, 15, 17, 18)
- Throw over/into the sidewalk or walker's path (8, 15, 18)
- Holes interfering with each other or the walk to the next tee (4/5,11/14,15/16)
- Throw blind into an occupied area of the park (8 long, which I did not throw, but could not see what the landing area was like until I got to the short tee and we had to ask people to move off the fairway).

It's also hard to overstate how absolutely packed the place was, including the course itself. I think it's likely going to be that way every evening and weekend, given the number of facilities there. You certainly weren't going to be skipping around to find holes that weren't busy.

I'm wondering when this park isn't in heavy use? Google seems to think Tuesday evenings are fairly typical traffic for the park.

Also worth noting that I think the local club are redesigning some parts of this course, which may improve some of these issues. I don't know the exact details of what they're considering.

If they are redesigning the course in part to address the issues, that would tend to lend weight to the idea that these are actually issues, I would think?

 

[DiscJunkie]

Castle Hayne Park in Wilmington closed for several weeks due hurricane damage and cleanup.

 

[pmay5]

Also worth noting that I think the local club are redesigning some parts of this course, which may improve some of these issues. I don't know the exact details of what they're considering.

I believe the redesign by the local club, CADL, involves adding 9 more holes. 4 or 5 to the left of 2,3 and 4 and another 4 or 5 to the left of 7 (right of 8). Have not heard any talk of getting rid of any existing holes, so they are looking at having 27 holes there.

Hole 0 was added when 8 was out of commission for a redo of the soccer fields. I'm surprised to hear that people are hanging out on 8 fairway, to watch soccer practice/games. Hopefully thats not an everyday thing.

I could see that park being busy at certain times, you must have caught the perfect storm of interferences.

 

[Rastnav]

I believe the redesign by the local club, CADL, involves adding 9 more holes. 4 or 5 to the left of 2,3 and 4 and another 4 or 5 to the left of 7 (right of 8). Have not heard any talk of getting rid of any existing holes, so they are looking at having 27 holes there.

Hole 0 was added when 8 was out of commission for a redo of the soccer fields. I'm surprised to hear that people are hanging out on 8 fairway, to watch soccer practice/games. Hopefully thats not an everyday thing.

I could see that park being busy at certain times, you must have caught the perfect storm of interferences.

There were 4 people there watching practice and 2 more walkers came through on the sidewalk while we were were playing the hole. The sidewalk/exercise route pretty much guarantees that people are routed into the area of the green and fairway.

Really, the same issue exists on 15. We had to wait for a walker to climb the stairs before we teed off to that blind basket. I don't know where he came from.

I may have to go out there again, to see what it looks like at other times.

 

[tirepizza]

Castle Hayne Park in Wilmington closed for several weeks due hurricane damage and cleanup.

Is it really going to be that long? I gotta get some practice in for the azalea am! Where are people playing? haven't noticed any real extra traffic at the kb course

 

[DiscJunkie]

Castle Hayne Park in Wilmington closed for several weeks due hurricane damage and cleanup.

Is it really going to be that long? I gotta get some practice in for the azalea am! Where are people playing? haven't noticed any real extra traffic at the kb course

Actually not sure how strongly it is being enforced.
Went out for field practice on the baseball field and saw maybe a dozen people playing.
It's a multi-use park, so the gates aren't locked and only a strip of yellow caution tape across the entrance to the first tee.
So...

 

[BrotherDave]

There were 4 people there watching practice and 2 more walkers came through on the sidewalk while we were were playing the hole. The sidewalk/exercise route pretty much guarantees that people are routed into the area of the green and fairway.

Really, the same issue exists on 15. We had to wait for a walker to climb the stairs before we teed off to that blind basket. I don't know where he came from.

I may have to go out there again, to see what it looks like at other times.

Keep in mind that the pandemic has generally increased the volume of park goers.

 

[KenanFlagler01]

Rastnav-
I didn't read your review as a slap at any other reviewers. In fact, I liked it! You raise some good points. I gave Middle Creek a 3.0, while its average is 3.29. But there are certainly some safety issues which could come in to play there. I probably (incorrectly) glossed over some of those because I've generally played here at off-peak hours and didn't have any issues. I think one issue you're running in to here is just how often this course gets changed. I read that foot traffic here dramatically increased during the quarantine. I haven't played there recently, so that may be one problem. Another problem is the number of holes that have undergone redesigns or are currently being changed. Your experience at the course from year to year or even month to month could be dramatically different than others. All that said, the point of reviewing is to rate the course based on *your* experience at the time. So you are well within your right to give the course a poor review if that was your experience. Keep on reviewing!

 

[Rastnav]

Rastnav-
I didn't read your review as a slap at any other reviewers. In fact, I liked it! You raise some good points. I gave Middle Creek a 3.0, while its average is 3.29. But there are certainly some safety issues which could come in to play there. I probably (incorrectly) glossed over some of those because I've generally played here at off-peak hours and didn't have any issues. I think one issue you're running in to here is just how often this course gets changed. I read that foot traffic here dramatically increased during the quarantine. I haven't played there recently, so that may be one problem. Another problem is the number of holes that have undergone redesigns or are currently being changed. Your experience at the course from year to year or even month to month could be dramatically different than others. All that said, the point of reviewing is to rate the course based on *your* experience at the time. So you are well within your right to give the course a poor review if that was your experience. Keep on reviewing!

Thanks for the kind words. I try to do reviews when I have a different experience from others, the course hasn't had many reviews, or if the course seems to have changed from previous reviews. I expect that means that I'll frequently have a slightly different take from other reviews.

That said, I do try to keep in mind that my take is definitely going to be colored by my lack of experience, and if I see areas where my reviews might be off because of that, I don't want to misrepresent the course. I don't think that came through in the initial review enough, so I modified it slightly. In any case, thanks for the feedback, I truly appreciate it.

 

[BrotherDave]

Thanks for the kind words. I try to do reviews when I have a different experience from others, the course hasn't had many reviews, or if the course seems to have changed from previous reviews. I expect that means that I'll frequently have a slightly different take from other reviews.

That said, I do try to keep in mind that my take is definitely going to be colored by my lack of experience, and if I see areas where my reviews might be off because of that, I don't want to misrepresent the course. I don't think that came through in the initial review enough, so I modified it slightly. In any case, thanks for the feedback, I truly appreciate it.

This is not directed at you specifically because I think a lot of people are in a similar boat but I think a new review of any course is always appreciated even if it's largely redundant just because it's giving a fresh timestamp. A traveling disc golfer could be wary of a course just because it hadn't had a review in a while and be wondering if it's still a similar course to the last people that reviewed it because storms/park development/etc can really change courses sometimes. Plus every reviewer sees a course through a different lens so it's still a different perspective.

Just wanted to say that for anybody reading that's on the fence about reviewing any courses.

 

[aredoubles]

A temp course has been put up in Dorothea Dix Park in Raleigh, and will be available to play from now through September.

https://dixpark.org/pop-disc-golf-course

Beautiful park, and looks like a fun layout.

- - -

Also, a heads up that the fun temp course at Festival Park in High Point will available to play on Friday. This weekend, it will host the Oak Hollow Open tournament.

There's a course preview on Dan Hastings' YouTube channel, if you're curious to see what it looks like this year -

 

[pmay5]

A temp course has been put up in Dorothea Dix Park in Raleigh, and will be available to play from now through September.

https://dixpark.org/pop-disc-golf-course

Beautiful park, and looks like a fun layout.

- - -

NICE!! Thanks RDubs!! :hfive:

I know a lot of people (me included) would love to see a permanent course there, but this Temp layout will have to do for now. I hope everyone is safe and courteous on the course, to show how respectful we can be!! :thmbup:

 

[JKieb704]

A temp course has been put up in Dorothea Dix Park in Raleigh, and will be available to play from now through September.

https://dixpark.org/pop-disc-golf-course

Beautiful park, and looks like a fun layout.

Sweet! I'll be in Raleigh next month - I'll have to check this out.

 

[strunk flugget]

The Dix Temp course was really nice. I enjoyed how open it was as we don't get to see too much of that in this location. Does anyone have word on whether or not this will become a permanent thing?

 

[rwgatorfan]

Wellspring DGC at Cedarock Park in Burlington has reopened.
Check out this review from the original designer:
https://www.dgcoursereview.com/reviews.php?id=1089&mode=rev#84730

To summarize: All the teepads, short and long, have been completely repoured, concrete 6X12s. Trimming of the fairways, tee areas and greens have cut back the summer growth.

So, along with Cedarock, the Figure 8 of 36 holes is open again.

There is also some great history of these courses and DG in the Burlington area, PLUS the carrot on the stick that there may soon be a 3rd permanent course at the park. If you play all three consecutively, would that be a snowman?

Thanks for all you have done Rob Nicks, Alamance P&R and others mentioned, and continue to do. You are all THEY!!

We did a recent day trip to these courses. We played Cedarock in the morning, got some lunch and then played Wellspring in the afternoon. I think we picked the correct order as Cedarock is long and open while Wellspring is short and tight. We'll definitely make this trip again in the future.

 

[rwgatorfan]

The Dix Temp course was really nice. I enjoyed how open it was as we don't get to see too much of that in this location. Does anyone have word on whether or not this will become a permanent thing?

I read somewhere that the temporary course was a prototype to see how popular a permanent course would be. We played it 3-4 times and it was very active every time we were there. I expect we'll see a full permanent course there once they decide what to do with the park.

 

[pmay5]

I read somewhere that the temporary course was a prototype to see how popular a permanent course would be. We played it 3-4 times and it was very active every time we were there. I expect we'll see a full permanent course there once they decide what to do with the park.

Hopefully there will be a permanent course there, but I wouldn't hold your breath. A lot of money has been spent for that park and a lot of money has been raised to develop it. The Master Plan has no mention of DG permanently, even though several suggestions were made during the planning process.
I think there may be an 18 hole layout there next year, but still a Temp course. '

I understand the 9 baskets were to be moved to Forest Ridge Park (off Hwy 98 and Old Falls of Neuse) for another Temp layout there, until next spring. I haven't been out there yet to see if that course is back for its 3rd season.