Pros:
(2.263 Rating) A 2,749 foot 18 hole disc golf course.
- ACEABILITY - Well, well well. Any player looking for their first ace should set up camp here. I could see the local ace addict running 4 continuous rounds here on a free day. The ace potential on a hole to hole basis is substantial and continuous throughout the entire layout. My gosh, 11 shots under a 150 feet and 16 shots under 200 feet. Rec players will ring up the chains here every 25 rounds or so. Advanced players with technical instincts, could tally one every 10 rounds or less. Honestly, I came away a bit dissatisfied that I didn't hit metal one time.
- FUN FACTOR - This course is going to be oodles of fun for beginners and novice level players. In addition, it's going to produce addicts out the ying yang. Sure the terrain is a little scraggly here and there at the moment, but almost all the heavy low lying overgrowth has been removed. Very little searching for discs and low disc loss possibility. However, for the players needing a serious challenge to be satisfied, this course won't ever deliver.
- RAW BEAUTY - I was impressed that such a short layout could produce this many nice looking lines. Mostly heavily wooded and with constant minor elevation movement. The course is fairly secluded with very few manmade structures in view. There are no epic looking holes here, but no eyesores either. My favorite shot was on (18) where I got to see my car behind the basket. If anyone ever wanted to see what I roll with, they can check out the pictures on DGCR for this hole.
- CHAINS - Personally not my favorite style of basket, but for a course this short, perhaps it was wise to not use a big generous model. MachIIIs with yellow power coated tops and bottoms, with the typical hole number placard sign on top.
- NAVIGATION - Great for a brand new course. Course map and tee signs are already in place. Not the most detailed ones I've seen but adequate enough to get this solo player seamlessly through on first attempt. Most next tees can be seen from the prior basket. I do wish however that they had put next tee direction on the tee signs.
- QUICK PLAY - I took pictures of all the fairway lines and tee signs, and still got out in 45 minutes. Figure 90 minutes for a typical foursome. This is one of the quickest 18s I've ever played.
Cons:
Not really too many complaints other than a complexity deficiency.
- LACK OF CHALLENGE - I shot 42 and came away dissatisfied. I warn all experienced players to stay away from here unless they are ok with the idea of running 18 putter shots. An Advanced bomber who reviews this course might give it a 1.0. This is a beginners course and it with teach them accuracy no doubt. To recreational players and above, this is an ace race course with no need for modifications.
- SKILL LEVEL FRIENDLY - With a layout this short, Ethan Page will struggle to attract players above the Recreational level. If I lived in the area this would not be a course I'd frequent. Throwing putters on just about every hole gets old.
- UNIQUENESS - In addition to a string of 18 shorter holes, the appearance of many of the fairways feels the same. Lots of straight heavily wooded fairways. A few have some slight breaks or lightly defined pockets. Elevation movement is nice for a short course, but it's not like I was scrambling for my camera to send pictures to <span class="italic">DiscGolfer</span> Magazine.
- MAINTENANCE - I'm sure the course will continue to improve over time, but right now there is a ton of small dead branches lying all over the ground. I'm sure if a club takes root here that this will get addressed. If I had knee pain issues, I'd stay away from this course until this gets addressed.
- SPACING - a bit of squeeze job to get 18 holes in, but it seems like the designer pulled it off without having any egregious adjacency playing hazards. I found myself near other fairways a couple times and ran one up on a next tee once.
- PARKING - A smaller than normal gravel parking lot. Don't park next to the basket at the far left of the parking lot. That's hole (18s) basket and it's a downhill shot from the tee.
Other Thoughts:
I'm really not sure what to make of the course. It will definitely find some usefulness in the community for the newer player or for those that have below average arm strength. There are three course now in Mt Juliet and although this is clearly the best example of the three, I don't think I'd be here very often unless I lived within a 5 minute drive. I totality I gave the course roughly a 2.25. I think for Beginners thru Novice this is a 3.0 course, but for the typical Advanced player it may be a 1.5 course. It reminded me a bit of the Cane Ridge short course. Ethan Page trumps Cane Ridge Short for infrastructure, but Cane Ridge short has 5 or so holes that would top the best hole a Ethan Page. I'd give a slight edge to Cane Ridge for these two courses that target similar audiences.
- TEES - Adequate tees for such a short course being 4 by 8. I think 4 by 10 with a tapper to 5 in back would have been ideal though. That's about 40% more concrete and about 95% less disc golfer complaints for the short tees.
- CHARACTER - Adequate. All the basics are fine (tees, chains, navigation, signage and 18 holes.) However there are no extras beyond this. No multi-tees, alternate basket locations or practice basket. Seating was at maybe one hole, but I think it was a walking path bench.