Pros:
Overview:
The course is set on the well-maintained campus of Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. The 1st tee is set at the rear of the campus. Parking is right next to the 10th tee box, and Hole 1 is across the road on the walking path. The course plays around a small pond, along several lightly used roadways, and incorporates clearly defined fairways. The difficulty level is designed for recreational and intermediate level players. As a campus course in an area new to disc golf the course design will provide a challenge to the intended skill level while offering a rewarding experience at the same time.
Pros:
The course is new and has excellent blue Innova Discatchers. The natural tee boxes are more than adequate, and marked by white posts listing the distances. There are several holes where water and road OB comes into play. The fairways are open for the most part. The front nine is longer with only large trees as obstacles. The back nine are shorter more technical shots with a couple of exceptions, but do not severely punish errant shots. After finishing Hole 9 you will be back at your vehicle so the design is conducive for a quick nine or stop for refreshments. Holes that stand out are #'s 3, 4, and 11.
Cons:
The most glaring issue is some navigation concerns and distance between several baskets. After the 3rd hole, you need to walk along the path back over 1's tee box and continue around the pond and then to the left. From the 5th basket, there is a very long walk to the 6th tee along the road and then across the intersection. From 8 to 9 is another long walk as you cross back over the same intersection and in front of the BSU building. The other negative for me was the lack of diversity and complexity of shots. The front nine are more open with some distance. The back nine are more technical but lack length to punish poor shots. Thankfully, the course is not heavily used or there could be danger risks since 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15 all play very close to each other. Personally, I am not a big fan of blind drives on the 1st hole. The basket is set about 300 in an alley cut out of the woods across the pond. Amenities such as benches, and trashcans are not readily available but I do not usually use either anyway so no issue for me. Many of the holes (see below) require the same type shots and are easily reached by an experienced player with simple midrange shots.
Other Thoughts:
Overall, this is a course that plays well for players developing their skills. It also has a fun factor that higher skill level players will enjoy because of the ace runs, although several shots will be very similarly unchallenging (2, 6, 8, 9, 13, 16, 17). The course is new so I imagine as the local club continues to develop, changes and amenities will be in consideration.