Pickens, SC

Hagood Mill DGC

2.755(based on 2 reviews)
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DiscGolfCraig
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 20.4 years 622 played 569 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Rustic, Picturesque, and Quality Disc Golf

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jul 28, 2022 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Hagood Mill is a surprisingly high quality 9-hole course. With plenty of unused land, this feels like it has all the makings of a high-quality 18-hole layout.
- As it is, this is one of the better 9-hole courses I've played. Immediately, this course is akin to Fuller Park in Barnwell, perhaps one of the best out-of-the-way, in-the-middle-of-nowhere courses I've played.
- Most holes have their own personality and unique feel. #1 is your only wide-open layout. #9 is similar with just one tree to the right of the green playing as an obstacle.
- #8 is the signature hole, the hole everyone will remember. You're throwing from the top of a hill (25 feet up, I'd surmise) to a basket down below. Hole is probably in the 325-foot range. The basket has a small, babbling brook along the right side of the basket and putting zone, and several trees to the left. The creek and trees in play do create enough of a challenge that make the fun and aggressiveness even more appealing. If you're not throwing multiple discs on this hole, you're not having fun. This is the type of hole you also stop and watch the next group throw their tee shots.
- There are other fun, quality holes. #2 is around 270 feet, a straight ahead shot. The basket is protected by a cluster of trees, so players must throw high, wide left or right, or really trust your feel in carving a shot through the trees if you're wanting a 2. If you smack the cluster, you'll most likely be up and down for your par.
- #4 is the only uphill shot. It's flat for 80% of the hole, then the basket is on an upslope. #5 has a split fairway. The direct line is a narrower, tougher route, crossing a 'ravine'. If you sail left, you're back down in the flat area by #3 & 4. If you take the wider, right line, it's a wide, sweeping shot. Just make a run at the basket and play the tighter line.
- Course has a simple flow to it. Once you find the first tee (it is the only one near the parking lot), it's easy to find everything else. There are flags marking the transitions from #5 to 6, #6 to 7, and the goat path on #8.
- Course has a great, small mountain town feel. Honestly, I feel I'm closer to Asheville (or anywhere in the mountains) than 25 minutes to Greenville.

Cons:

Better signage, better tee pads. Really, if you just improve the dirt tee pads, I'd keep everything else in its rustic state.
- Course could use the wooded area better to squeeze in one more hole. If the top-of-the-hill hole was the closing hole, this course would feel even better. #9 is a mundane layout, so nobody would be upset if this hole were gone.
- Not a con, just an observation. Course is out of the way. For most players, you'll have to be intentional to play this course. Because of that, it won't get the attention & love that it deserves. Short courses like Gower & Holmes will get 5x, 10x the play this course does. This course is superior to both of those.
- Creek bordering #2, 3, & 8 is just deep & wide enough that it can be a pain retrieving a disc.
- No basic amenities on the course itself. You are, however, only a couple minutes from town (gas stations, restaurants, etc.) so that's not a big deal.
- With the name Hagood, we're bound to see uncreative puns centering around 'good.' Ugh, a bunch of dullards await.

Other Thoughts:

- There something very calming about this course. Perhaps it has to do with all the local signage about the historical Hagood Mills area. It is peaceful here. And it is fun.
- I think the course comes close to completely nailing its goal. Yes, improve the tee pads and signage/hole markings. Even as is, the rustic feel just seems to fit the area.
- I've always had a soft spot for holes that play parallel to creeks, especially if there's very little chance of losing a disc. As such, #3 is a fun layout. You can start to the left and let your disc fade back towards the basket & creek. You can play right-to-left and choose how close to the water you want to start your throw.
- Course has just enough length that you're needing to use a good portion of your bag. Nothing is longer than 350 feet so if you're a noodle arm like me, you will be throwing driver on several holes. If you must unleash some big drives, you've got plenty of room in the open fields.
- I could find fault with some aspects of the course, mainly it's not overly difficult. Other than an unlucky kick off a tree deep into the rough on #2 (how do you hit a tree in the middle of the fairway and end up 50 feet to the right, in the deep stuff?), every hole was a simple par 3 at worst.
- This is one of the best 9-hole courses I've played. Local Upstate and Asheville/western NC disc golfers would all be wise to make a visit here at least once.
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8 0
Bennybennybenny
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 13.7 years 321 played 303 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Beware of the Chickens. 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Aug 31, 2019 Played the course:once

Pros:

-This is a very well designed nine hole course with great hole variety despite them all clearly being par 3's. It's very interesting and you'll see some fun holes here. Starts off with a wide open, pretty hole just to warm you up.

-Blue practice basket. Different color than the rest of them, so good indication that the blue one is the practice pin.

-You're throwing at nice red disc catchers. Some of them have good pin placements as well. Hole 2 has some large blue object next to it and can give you an interesting looking putt. #4 is up a hill tucked into the woods. If the sun is out, you could be nearly blinded by it and have a frightening looking tee shot. I loved this hole.

-Hole 8 is a fun "empty the bag" shot. It's steep downhill, close to 30 feet in elevation and it's through a corridor. The tee shot is scary through that corridor, but it's also unforgiving if you sail to the right side because you'll either be across or in the creek.

-Good mix of open and wooded. The first 4 are primarily open. And then you are playing two tight wooded holes (5 and 6). Both are nicely designed. #5 was a neat "two route" hole. You can go straight over the steep ravine, or go right to left. #6 is a tight ace run that gently cuts right with serious danger to the left side. I actually flicked a classic suspect on this hole. I almost never flick a midrange. It's really nice that there's a hole for me to do that on. The final three are kind of a a mix between open and wooded. #7 is more open, but has plenty of woods in play. #8 has you throwing out into the open. And hole 9 is a difficult finisher. Uphill and onto a scary green that's slightly wooded.

-The historical site across the street sounds pretty interesting. I initially thought that was where I park, just park in the grass across the road. If you go to the site, beware of the chickens. They are hardheaded and might get in your way while you are turning around with no intention to move. I thought they were going to keep me from getting out of the parking lot. But they finally skedaddled.

Cons:

-No tee signs or hole info. That would be nice if there were signs. The pads are pretty visible and aren't hard to spot since the next pads are typically close to the previous hole's basket. I never found hole 9's pad though. Maybe I would have if I looked a little harder.

-The tee pads are wood with the grass inside them. Grass pads are just fine, but the grass is scrubby and possibly snake infested on a few pads.

The walk down hole 8's hill was pernicious. And we're not talking wicked weed here, even though that walk is through some wicked weeds down a tall and steep hill. It was painful and dangerous. I couldn't find a quicker way to go down than walk to the right side through some tall grass down the steep hill. Take advantage of those trees and hold on to them.

Other Thoughts:

-I was the only person here, and the signs on the road said for me to park in the grass. So I did, and I was the only person there. There was yellow tape wrapped around the parking signs in the grass so I was in a hurry to play here and leave. It says nothing about this course being private or having to call to play, so it shouldn't be a problem if you show up.

-It does say in the hole info that this course could possibly extend to 18 holes. I heard that there are plenty of acres available for use beside the woods on holes 6 and 7. Course also has room for some long pads and maybe even long pins. From what it is, it's a very good nine hole course. It's primarily flat, but the holes with elevation use it very well. #8 was a legit hole. It's worth the play even though the hill is a bit precarious. Beware of that hill, and beware of the chickens.
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