Franklin, NC

Macon Middle School

1.675(based on 3 reviews)
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8 0
DiscGolfCraig
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 20.4 years 622 played 569 reviews
1.50 star(s)

Nice mountain backdrop; otherwise, it's just there.

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Apr 27, 2024 Played the course:once

Pros:

A pleasant, simple 9-holer playing on the back portion of Macon Middle School.
- For students, this is an excellent course. Mid-ranged layout, not a lot of obstacles, decent variety, and a great background here.
- Lots of mids and putters thrown here. Holes average 216 feet. Take away #3 at 406 feet, the other 8 holes average 193 feet.
- As a result, lots of birdie and ace runs.
- #1 is a nice little uphill shot. #9 turns around and goes right back down the hill, with its basket back close to the first tee.
- #7 is a fun little shot, with the basket barely sticking out above a slight ridge.
- #4 & 5 are both short, slightly downhill holes.
- Course is easy to navigate. There isn't much else around, so the wooded tee stakes are easy to spot. Your must difficult navigation might be going from #6's basket to 7 tee. Obviously, with the online map, it's a piece of cake.

Cons:

Not much in terms of challenge. I had plenty of birdie putts, including more than a fair share of gimmie putts. The most difficult tee shot is on #6, due to being blind and throwing around a shed.
- Dirt tee pads. Only need a longer runup on #3, and maybe(-ish) on #8, being a slight uphill tee shot.
- Being on school property, only available during non-school hours. If cars are in the parking lot, #6 may be unplayable.
- Amenities are lacking. But you're a mile or less to a large shopping center, including restaurants.

Other Thoughts:

One of the best attributes of Macon Middle is that it's good for a quick round. Another good quality is that you can play quite nicely with only a putter or mid-range.
- Even with its flaws, or lack of strengths, it's the second-best maintained course in Franklin. After coming directly from Macon Early, it was night and day difference between that course's struggle with regular maintenance.
- #9 is fun because it's one most likely people are going to throw multiple discs on.
- The entire course is laid out in a rather compact space. With the area the designers had to work with, this is probably about as good as you could expect. Sure, a couple holes could be lengthen some. But does a 200-foot hole really play that much different from a 150-footer?
- Franklin has 4 total courses. Franklin's courses have a total of 33 baskets. Just saying.
- From the time I pulled into the parking lot to the time I left, it was just under 20 minutes. Call it 20 minutes well spent.
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11 0
wellsbranch250
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 10.8 years 694 played 680 reviews
1.50 star(s)

Reverse Fitism 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 24, 2019 Played the course:once

Pros:

(1.583 Rating) A quirky chip shot ace race course with one par 4.
- FUN FACTOR - I normally don't comment on this aspect, but since I was reaching for nice things to comment on, I'll start here. The short tee layout is currently set up as a birdie bonanza for players that can throw 250 feet. The ace potential is high and losing a disc in overgrowth or water is not possible. Unlike nearby Old Siler Farm, this one is great for newer players as it's very forgiving to poor shots.
- NAVIGATION - It's just numbered posts as of this review, but the course layout is so open that even without a map, players will figure it out real quick.
- CHAINS - I agree with the prior review, DISCatchers are always a pro.
- QUICK PLAY - A twenty minute pit stop for course baggers.
- GROW THE SPORT - Unlike the other course in town, The Macon Middle School course has the potential to grow the player population rather than crush their spirit.

Cons:

New course issues and site constraint shackles.
- MULTI USE HAZARDS - On my travels to older disc golf courses I'll sometimes find new outdoor park fitness equipment placed in existing disc golf lines. The Macon Middle School course switched the roles on this, by incorporating the existing equipment into the line development. Holes (4) and (5) have the equipment sitting on the direct line. I'm not a fan. In addition, the dogleg on hole (3) hooks around a pavilion and the tee shot on (6) plays over a shed and pockets adjacent to two ball field fences. I took off about a quarter point for all these issues.
- LACK OF CHALLENGE - The short tees are a borderline novice level layout were eight of the nine tee shots are under 250 feet. There are obstacles on every hole, whether its elevation, trees, buildings or fitness equipment, but the plays are rather simple. An 850 rated played should be able to birdie them all over ten rounds.
- CHARACTER - Other than nice baskets, the remaining basics are sub-par and the extras are non-existent. The tees were natural on my visit, also no course map or descriptive tee signs.
- UNIQUENESS - Unless a player finds throwing around fitness equipment as a novel idea, I don't see how someone who's played five courses will be left with their jaw hanging down to the floor. I threw a putter on seven holes and I don't throw that far. Hole (3) is a nicest shot IMO, requiring a placed tree gap split and then a long jump putt to make eagle. I liked hole (7) as well, were the basket is placed in a mini cove. Hole (9) is pleasant 20 foot down shot to finish off the course.
- PARKING - There is very little parking near tee (1). Maybe room for 3 or 4 cars on the grass. There's an alternate parking area about 350 feet away.
- SPACING - The 9 hole course occupies maybe 4 acres and has adjacency issues with roads, fences, buildings and the other holes.
- RAW BEAUTY - Manmade objects are in view the entire time. Several holes feel like open field shots. Not enough trees for my preference. I scored the course a 1.375 out of 5 for beauty.

Other Thoughts:

Macon Middle School is already a good choice for younger and newer players in town, and it can be a laid back ace race round for skilled players. As noted in the previous review, there was a local plan to mark off a second set of back tees and this apparently occurred soon after my visit. Honestly, I don't see how that was possible on this small site without creating further adjacency issues. Only holes (4) and (5) I thought had room to extend further back without issue. Regardless, I went ahead and gave the course credit for the extra tees despite not seeing them. This is a young course and it still has additional growth potential. Since the course has a quirky fun-ness aspect to it, a conversion to concrete surfaces, proper signage and alt baskets, would make me entertain the idea of raising my score above the 1.75 threshold for a 2.0. I'll update my score if I find out enough updates have occurred.
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9 0
Bennybennybenny
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 13.7 years 321 played 303 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Gonna be a good one 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Aug 21, 2019 Played the course:once

Pros:

-This course is nice for beginners. If you decide to play here soon, please keep an open mind because another set of pads will be installed soon. Pads for players that are a little more skilled. The FDGC is a very initiative club full of awesome people and they do a lot to make their courses interesting. As of now, this is a solid pitch and putt with a few holes that aren't as short.

-Few neat holes already in store here. #2 is a soft hyzer with a low ceiling on the side of a hill. #3 is the only par 4 here. It's about 350' if I had to guess so on a challenging course, it would be a very tough par 3. It has you throwing through a fair gap toward the open. The fairway cuts pretty well to the right so this hole is very tough to 2 unless you have a mean sidearm. But can still be arranged for a righty backhander with a good turnover game.

-#7 and #9 are both interesting par 3s that are longer than the rest. #7 has you throwing over a dip (over a hill and to the bottom of it). It's more of a righty flick or lefty hole since the basket is behind a hill that increases just to the right of the pin. So if you are a righty backhand thrower, you could go a bit right and be left with a short but steep downhill putt. #9 is the best hole here. Downhill with a low ceiling tree right in front of you.

-Disc catcher baskets. Always a pro and never a con.

-Good chance for an ace on a few holes here. Few easier holes for beginners with a few holes that are a little tougher just to give a better expectation of the game. Hole 5 was aced a few days ago by a local.

Cons:

-A few baskets are very close to the next hole's tee. That might make up for the fact that the tees are not numbered yet. If this course were played for gym class, then the kids would have to yield to avoid hitting other kids.

-There might be soccer practice on hole 7 a couple hours after school.

Other Thoughts:

-The only address I could truly find here takes you to the front of the entrance. But the course is behind the front of the school. The long pads should be coming very soon and will be more appealing to most players. A few holes here are very short and aren't very fun, but will probably be more fun once we have extra tee pads here. From what the locals told me yesterday at doubles, they sound like they are serious about making this course more interesting and have great ideas for long pads.

-Good course for upshot practice. Has some shot shaping holes even in the open. I'm giving it a 2, which is good for a nine hole course. It has some promise to it and I think the locals will make it better soon.

-Update: There are long pads on every hole now. Some are vaguely marked, but offer a funner and more interesting layout. Hole 3 is a fun but brutal pro par 4. There is a mando we play at doubles to the last pine tree and you must throw left of it. In a straight line, this hole is about 450-500'. But with the mando, it plays as a legit par 4 and plays about 550-600'. #9 is very fun downhill mid-range/putter shot.
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