Pros:
-An 18-hole course along the scenic Neuse River with moderate woods, elevated tees and baskets, and roller greens. The F9 the river can be seen from all holes and meanders up and down the elevated bluffs, the B9 plays deeper into the park. Trees are peppered thru most fairways having to hit gaps down fairway from the tee, and a few holes with tight woods.
-All F9 holes are memorable including in my top 10 for scenic play. Often found me looking towards the river. #7 ranks in my top 50 for scenic holes, and #8 in my top 25.
-There are two tees on most holes, some holes share a tee, and I only saw #2 with a long basket. The roller greens are mostly on the F9 including a few death putts. #12 basket is raised. I played long tees when they were present.
-The newer tee signs have hole number, par, distance, and excellent map graphics. Navigation is counterclockwise with most tees seen from played basket. Didn't need navigation help.
-The Spanish Moss is mostly present on the F9 providing unique flight experience, and my first on a course.
-A unique object on the fairway of hole 15 to fly past, an ocean buoy.
-From the bag on the tee a mid, fairways, and drivers.
-Parking about 10 seconds after shutting my car door, flipping my legs over the rope, and onto the #1 long tee. I think that could be the quickest I've made the first tee from parking.
-Beginners and Recreational will be tested enough from the shorts. Intermediate and Advanced from the longs it will be fun! And a good test of your all-around game, enjoy those views!
Cons:
-#18 is a limp finishing hole compared to the previous 17 holes. The long tees are open with the fairway uphill crossing the park entrance road to an open basket with a few trees to work around. The hole doesn't fit in with the rest of the course.
-Some of the B9 holes are not memorable such as prior to writing the review I can remember the raised basket on 12, and the ocean buoy on 15, but nothing about the entire holes themselves. Regardless the B9 is fun wooded golf just not memorable.
-The flight of the disc from #8 long tee crosses in front of #7 green area.
-There are concrete tee pads in need of repair, there's portions missing or cracked. I had no footing issues, managed to avoid that portion of the tee pad.
-On busy days there could be distractions waiting on passing cars on the #18 fairway. The F9 has picnic tables, pavilions, and a playground proximity to fairways. With the attraction of the river, you may have walkers on fairways. On a weekday morning I was the only one in the park.
-Lost disc potential can be high with the roller greens into the heavy brush or even making it into the river on the F9. Heavy brush here and there on the B9. Also a few blind throws from the tee.
Other Thoughts:
When I did my homework on Glenburnie Park, I had a good feeling this was going to be a fun bag, and a possible favorite. With the elevation, gaps off the tee and down fairway thru woods, well placed baskets, a scenic river, and the new experience Spanish Moss I wasn't disappointed, and I was left with a few memorable tee shots. Even an ocean buoy to remind of those days punching holes on Submarines. Glenburnie Park is a course I hope to play again someday, and if I lived within an hour would be a monthly visit. I still have the personnel con which belongs to the finishing hole #18 for my purposes the weak link of the course, but I didn't see any other way without screwing up the previous 17 holes. Picking up my disc from the #9 basket the course was a 5.0, the B9 started slipping down the 4.5 ladder, and #18 sealed the deal at a 4.0.
My overall rating is anchored on a 5.0 based on a phenomenal F9, the scenic Neuse River, and the experience of Spanish Moss. The time to play 70 minutes.
The Spanish Moss:
-The moss on the course was wispy, just clinging from the branches primarily on the F9. On the elevated 4th tee watched my disc pass thru the moss and brushing it to the side with my disc unfazed. Just mesmerizing to watch expecting my disc to get struck down, only to glide thru. I hope to have that experience again and will remember this one.
Notable Holes:
-No. 5 Par 3 Longs at 360 feet is an elevated tee to a basket that's elevated higher on a hill. From the tee the fairway slopes down to a wall of trees about 90 feet with spacing about 10-20 feet pick your gap. The fairway drops on a dogleg right and sloping right with a diagonal valley leading to the river, to reach the valley about 200 feet. The rest of the way takes you uphill to the basket with guardian trees, with a green roller backed by heavy brush and trees, and could reach the river. Very scenic hole, and dangerous behind the basket.
-No. 7 Par 3 Longs at 268 feet is a downhill fairway with a beautiful backdrop of the river behind the basket. The fairway is very well shaped with a scattering of trees on both sides. At 60 feet out a bulge of trees on the right will push you to the left, and then doglegs right straight for the basket. The basket a green roller sits open with some brush, a few trees, and the river behind the basket at about C2. The most scenic hole on the course.
Signature Hole:
-No. 8 Par 4 Longs at 473 feet elevated tee straight away to an elevated well protected basket. From the elevated tee the fairway slopes downhill left to right into the river. On your left trees, with the river on your right high grass and trees not until about 220 feet down with a tree line across the fairway as well. The rest of the way are scattering of trees with gaps of 10-40 feet. Beautiful C1 setting basket sits center right and back on a small hill with guardian trees. Depending on where you are in the fairway you may only see a portion of the basket. In C2 to the left heavy brush and a cluster of trees, to the right of basket a death approach or putt into the river. River borders C2. A set of wooden steps up to the green and adds charm. Very scenic hole! I ripped what is still my best Star Wraith, was licking my chops just outside C1 for birdie, but as I walked up the steps onto the green and saw that drop to the river, dump putt.
Trouble Hole:
-No. 3 Par 3 Longs at 295 feet is a straight away uphill hole not seeing the basket from the tee. The left side of fairway is safe, on the right is a drop into heavy brush, trees, and the river. About 100 feet out is a wall of trees with a cluster in the middle a left and right gap of about 20 feet each. The right gap you're flirting with the drop, the left is good. Around the green area on the left a cluster of trees where you may have tree blockage on a putt or approach. Any disc landing to the right of basket could skip or roll down the drop towards the river. As a lefty stayed left, walking up to my disc in C2 and seeing the river behind the basket, my first dump putt of the round.