Millington/Memphis, TN

Meeman-Shelby State Park - East

Permanent course
3.725(based on 27 reviews)
Filter course reviews

Filter reviews

Filter reviews

Meeman-Shelby State Park - East reviews

Filter
16 0
wellsbranch250
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 10.8 years 694 played 680 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Newly Ruined By Unnecessary Course Tweaks 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:May 23, 2022 Played the course:once

Pros:

(3.210 Rating) An old-school wooded course on awesome terrain.
- RAW BEAUTY - One thing that most courses have little control over is the beauty of the landscape. Thankfully for the two courses located at Meeman-Shelby, the natural environment here is exotic. A wooded paradise with moving terrain and dicing dry washes. Normally I would score a course with this level of blissful features 90 percentile on my beauty ledger, but I slotted it just below 85 percentile. The course conditions were borderline terrible and unnecessary unnatural happenings vandalized the potential tranquility.
- ELEVATION - With this course and park located along the Mississippi flood plain, I had predicted a very flat course. Turns out that the course is just outside the flood plain area and this course has constant modest grade changes up and down and side to side. This is punctuated on hole (15) which throws over a 30 to 35 foot deep valley. I was very surprised to see this much elevation change in the Memphis area.
- CHALLENGING - Its near impossible to score well here if the new basket placements I experienced stay. Perhaps those that enjoy courses with a masochistic element will enjoy it. Mommas boys are going to throw tantrums and abandon ship before the end of the round. If they were to abandon the distasteful edits and go back to the easier placements, I would quantify this one as an Intermediate level technical course. Now it's a super flawed Advanced or Pro level course.
- AMENITIES - The core equipment items are fantastic, DISCatcher baskets and concrete tees. The course also has several benches and a hoard of basket placements. The original placements are mostly good, but all of the new ones are very poorly placed. There is also a pavilion near the start of both courses and a faded course map that is no longer readable.

Cons:

A basket placement fairy is wrecking the course.
- DESIGN UPDATES - The East layout has apparently gotten a ton of new unmarked basket updates recently and it has unequivocally ruined the course. The new placements pay no regard to how a disc flies or what a plausible line is. Basket placements could have randomly fell from the sky and it would have been better than this clown show of an altered course layout. The placements I got, which were zero original and zero marked alt placements, were often tucked into spots where amazing shots couldn't get within 50 feet. 80 percent of the placements I had to deal with I would define as plinko plays. Players will need to bring a rabbit's foot or their favorite lucky charm, cause their 'A' game and skills are not required here.
- NOT FUN - I can see how the original course layout was fun. Tight but plausible adrenaline packed lines where birdie was achievable on a very accurate throw. Now it's a round full of tree kicks into unsavory positions and then scrambling to try and save par. The constant searching in the overgrowth and vines got old. I didn't have one decent birdie look the entire round.
- MAINTENANCE - As noted, lots of recent work has been done here to ruin holes with new hideous placements. Other than this unnecessary course construction update, it appeared no other work had been done by the locals to keep the course in check. Every line was hairy for my late May 2022 visit. The grass height along the couple small open patches was shin high. Many of the benches and signs were falling apart. Money and wisely spent labor is not going into this course at the moment.
- SPRAY PAINTED MANDOS - As noted in the pros, the one remaining clear pro for this course is the raw beauty of the landscape. Apparently in north Memphis, it's OK to destroy beautiful landscapes by spray painting big trees with neon orange to make mandos. Two holes have 6 feet of vertical neon orange paint on trees making a once appealing and photogenic tee shot a turd.
- NAVIGATION AND SIGNAGE - Due to all the unmarked placement updates, this one is going to be a nightmare to try and follow until new signs are installed. I walked around aimlessly several times. The beginning 4 or 5 holes are somewhat straightforward to follow, but after that, it was a sh!tshow.
- TIME PLAY - Solo first time players will need to set aside more time than they think. It took me over 90 minutes first-time solo.
- OVERGROWTH - Discs are going to hit trees here and fly well off-course and into hard-to-reach areas. I think the disc loss potential is slightly higher here than a normal course despite no water features. Likely lots of mosquitoes after wet periods and also ticks and snakes. Poison ivy was also prevalent in many areas.
- BEGINNER FRIENDLY - This is probably not a surprise to those reading the entire review, but this is not a good course for beginners. I don't take off points for this.

Other Thoughts:

Meeman-Shelby East was once a really good layout. Likely very similar to Seven Oaks in Nashville and the Sinks in Nooga. This was likely one of the better courses in Memphis for quite some time, especially to those that enjoy wooded courses. Fast forward to today and to observe the wanna-be designer destruction of a very good technical course was extremely depressing. Had I played here before the lunacy edits, I likely would have scored this one a strong 3.5. I think enough bad design choices have been made to shave off a quarter point from every prior review. I went back and forth on whether to give this one a low 3.5 or high 3.0 and decided on the latter. The value of Meeman Shelby is still going to be the natural beauty of this place and that's never going to change. Anyways, for those living in Memphis who have still yet to play this oldie, I would say check it out between January and April. For those from out of town, I would head to nearby Bud Hill instead of here.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
6 0
MrFrosty
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 31.6 years 764 played 387 reviews
3.50 star(s)

A Chunk Of Disc History 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 7, 2019 Played the course:once

Pros:

I pulled into Meeman-Shelby on a Sunday morning at about 9:40 , to a half full parking lot . Most times , that means there is a tournament or league doubles playing in the morning . If you are a traveler , you want to avoid these . The guys gathering for this were very nice , gave me some directions and turned me loose about 15 minutes ahead of them . The start of the East Course is to the far left as you are facing the shelter . The baskets are a mix of old yellow Discatchers and regular Machs . The tee pads are cement or carpet on top of cement , which were adequate . The tee pads were a little shorter , but they may have been from 40+ years ago . This is widely considered the oldest course in Tennessee ( 1978 ) . If you research it , that's the way I read it , too . The signage is faded but readable somewhat . There are 2 pins per hole on many ( I didn't see where on the signs which position the pin was in ) . The amenities include a nice water faucet to the left of the shelter . The shelter is mostly used by disc golf and has a bathroom in it . Trash cans and benches are throughout the course .There is a kiosk , that I originally thought was useless , but was shown the key to it and it makes sense . I won't go hole by hole , but I will try to guide you as the nice Sunday group guided me for the first few . left of the shelter , #1 wraps around the woods and brush to the tee's right . #2 is the tee that kind of stares you in the face when you are teeing off #1 straight ahead . #3 gets tricky . After playing #2 , the inclination is to go a bit right and pick up the next tee you see , but #3 is actually behind the #2 basket and in the woods . You will figure it out . Then the course starts to flow a little . You can use common sense to get where you are going from the on . The fairways are mostly short but tightly wooded . #7 goes over a gully . There is some elevation on this course , but it isn't extreme . Challenges aren't huge on this course , but the lines force some shot shaping . You might want to leave your bomber drivers , heck , maybe all of your drivers behind for a few of you . Pros & good Ams will need only Some good midranges and a putter . What it lacks in hole by hole challenge , it more than makes up for in fun . The lines change from hole to hole , encouraging creativity . This course is a fast play . I played the course solo in just over an hour . Disc Risk is low on this course . Even though most of the course is set on woods , only some areas of the forest floor will leave you temporarily looking for your disc . #18 is a nice finishing uphill shot . Since I didn't have an online map to print , I am going to guess that my favorite hole was #15 ? A downhill controlled drive that comes back uphill some at the end .

Cons:

#1 Navigation . This course needs an online map , a couple of NEXT TEE signs , and maybe a bolt on the tee signs telling the golfer which pin position the basket is in so they don"t need to walk up the fairway to figure it out . #2 Bugs . Spray up in the summer and fall months . #3 Very short , and technical . Not really a con , but ,,,, also , make sure you complete your calls by the time you get close to the course . I lost coverage about 4 miles before .

Other Thoughts:

A lot of history here . I found out from the players her that the original 18 hole course was actually made up of holes 1-9 of both the East AND West course . 2 courses in a free state park in Tennessee , 36 holes in all . Nice locals , course amenities . Perfect for a half day of play . You can even stretch it to a full day if you add Bud Hill right down the road . My recommendation : This is certainly a destination area . Meeman Shelby and Bud Hill are the reason I came to Memphis . Local , newbie , enthusiast , traveler , PLAY IT FOR SURE !!!!!
Was this review helpful? Yes No
6 0
Qikly
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 12.3 years 181 played 150 reviews
3.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 29, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

The Meeman-Shelby courses both play through some nice disc golf terrain consisting mostly of woods with mild to moderate elevation changes throughout. Elevation on the East course is a bit more subdued than the West. Both courses focus on par 3s with tight windows and lanes, and are overall similar in style. Both are solid examples of technical par 3-focused wooded courses.

The East course features lots of tight windows and lanes, with lines varied enough to keep things fresh despite the consistently constricted environment. Hole lengths are generally short enough to allow players of most skill levels to attempt them despite their technical nature.

Navigation is easy. The course is well worn in, minimizing the negative impact of rough.

Cons:

Meeman-Shelby East is made up almost exclusively of tight par 3s: while the particular lines aren't repetitive, the overall style is. Holes mostly feel self-similar and can really run together, especially alongside the West course which is largely indistinguishable from the East. These limitations aren't surprising given the year the course first went in (1978!), but at this point their restrictive focus shows its age. I'm a fan of technical golf and the course still wore out its welcome a bit. More variety in hole lengths, pars, and styles of woodedness would be needed to elevate the course in my book. That said, it presents a great snapshot of course design forty years ago and is probably best left as-is.

The narrow focus on short and tight means bombers and newer players might get frustrated with the environment.

Some of the lines here are unrealistic if you don't have forehand/backhand versatility. While the shot variety is a pro, the pervading lack of shot flexibility is a con.

Other Thoughts:

The Meeman-Shelby courses are fun, technical par 3 courses that are worth a visit but also don't offer much that a well-traveled player hasn't already seen. They're definitely worth a play through if you're visiting the excellent Bud Hill and have the extra time. I slightly preferred the West course, but the courses play quickly enough and aren't particularly fatiguing, so playing both is quite viable.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
3 0
lowrie4
Experience: 36 played 21 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Meeman-Shelby East 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Mar 30, 2014 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Great course overall. Mostly wooded holes, with one or two more open holes at the beginning. The wooded holes present a challenge and require a variety of shots in order to navigate. If you miss the fairway though, prepare to scramble in order to get back on. The elevation on most holes adds an interesting element to playing through the course. Overall, a great course that should present a challenge for pros and ams alike.

Cons:

Every hole aside from the first two are heavily wooded which gets old after a while. Playing through this course I never had to pull out anything faster than a Teebird and I used my Roc on nearly every hole. The first time I played this course it had recently snowed which made the conditions tough and because it was my first time, it made course navigation rather challenging. A few more signs around the course would be beneficial for first time players. One other issue is that many of the alternate pin locations simply make the holes ridiculous to play. They make a few holes impossible birdies even after a perfect tee shot.

Other Thoughts:

Overall, a very enjoyable course if you know what you're getting. Expect lots of trees and be ready to work on accurate, short, stay in the fairway kinds of shots.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
2 0
Rosswake
Experience: 27.4 years 21 played 9 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Great course with wilderness feel 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 7, 2012 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

The signage was excellent, trash cans available at most holes, easy to identify where next hole/tee box are (with only one exception). I enjoyed the variety of shots required for this course and the manicured atmosphere as well. Even though I didn't see a course guide online, you can take a picture of the course layout at the parking lot bulletin board.

Cons:

The only downside was that there were no other players on the course while I was playing. I played 3 rounds, so expected to have some company at some point. Normally, playing solo is not a big deal but cell phone coverage is not the best and I didn't have service about half the time. Thankfully, I could walk a few hundred feet and get at least a bar (in case of emergency). I wasn't too concerned with safety though because the DNR vehicles and park maintenance folks were not far away. I enjoyed this course and would play it again if the opportunity arises.

Other Thoughts:

I'd say to play the "east" course twice instead of spending time on the "West" course at this park. Just my opinion though.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
2 0
byebyebirdie
Experience: 12.7 years 29 played 6 reviews
3.50 star(s)

The Beast 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 4, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

This course is great for both beginners and more advanced players.

-You don't need a bag full of discs to shoot well and most players can get by using only a mid-range and a putter

-Unlike some wooded courses the fairways are well defined and don't have an abundance of trees.

-Almost all holes have multiple routes open to get you to the basket.

-Course has good signage and benches & trash cans throughout.

-Course has good flow and it's easy to find your way to the next hole.

Cons:

Not so much a reflection on the course itself--but--make sure to bring bug spray! Even with spray I had gnats circling my head often which got annoying real fast.

-The tee boxes were a little short compared to what I am used to.

-Some of the baskets are hard to locate since not all are DISCatchers.

-As mentioned in a some of the other reviews-- a few of the tee pads are carpet and lumpy.

Other Thoughts:

The pros do outweigh the cons. Players who enjoy wooded courses will not be disappointed.

***note: the ball field mentioned in the directions is no longer there. You will see a large flat area where the field used to be but there is nothing left to indicate it was a once a ball field. I stopped at the park's Visitor's Center and was able to get a map and good directions to the first hole. There is a covered pavilion and restrooms on site.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
3 1
TheJackalope
Experience: 15.4 years 5 played 5 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Where did this come from?!?! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 12, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

Nice concise set up. Realistic par 3's Only half of a 36 hole course. VERY beautiful course. Stunning woodlands.

Cons:

Lotta up hill, and down hill. Hiking is a must on this course. Walking to 10 and 15 is confusing, as you have to backtrack weirdly for each one, and each one passes the other.

Other Thoughts:

This course is awesome. There is camping, and hiking, and all kinds of good stuff here. 36 holes total in the East and West course. Would be a great place to go with friends and have a weekend of awesomeness.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
6 0
jongoff09
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 15.4 years 34 played 16 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Great Course for the Dogwood Classic 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 5, 2012 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

-Variety of shot shapes. You will have to be able to make your discs go in every different direction in order to score well here.

-Even though it is through a forest, the lines are more than fair. There isn't a hole where you can't make the disc fly all the way to the basket on. Good technical golf.

-Risk vs. reward is apparent on quite a few holes. Should you try for the birdie from the tee, a small mistake could knock you way off line and you will almost certainly make bogie.

-The tee-signs seemed to be accurate with telling the distances and showing the basket positions.

Cons:

-Not much variety in hole distances. I believe there are 2 holes over 360', one of those being 380', and the other around 470' or so. The rest are all well within mid-range or putter drives for me.

-All wooded. No open shots at all unless you count the first half of hole 2. I like to throw drivers, and the woods plus short distances didn't make me even think about throwing one.

-A few teepads are carpet and are lumpy. Not the easiest to throw from.

Other Thoughts:

My experience at this course was at the 2012 Dogwood Classic. The baskets were all in the long positions, so it probably played a bit tougher than normal. As it was, it was a great course for the tournament. I don't think there were any really low scores, but it certainly yielded some high ones. Par as an AM would move you up the leaderboard quite a bit.

There were bugs!! I got chased out of an area off a fairway (I believe left of #7) by hornets. Chiggers and mosquitoes are also prevalent here. I don't recall seeing any ticks, but I wouldn't doubt that those would be out there either.

Overall, it was a fun course. I would definitely play it again. I give it a rating of "Very Good."
Was this review helpful? Yes No
4 0
SirRaph
Experience: 74 played 17 reviews
3.50 star(s)

The Beast 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 8, 2011 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

A combination of technicality and length, Shelby Forest East, (or the "Beast" as the locals call it) requires an array of shots and skills from a player. Shots range from downhill putter drives with a drop-off behind the basket, to 360' drives through the woods, to a spike anhyzer/roller on hole 1.

There are public bathrooms and shelter, as well as chairs and benches on the majority of the holes.

Cons:

Some of the teepads have some room for improvement. Hole 4 (I believe) is sawed off a good bit short, and is almost square in shape. Some of the other teepads are carpet. This creates some surface bumps on some of them, and makes for a slippery surface after a decent rain.

Some of the baskets are a bit gnarly. I'm not sure what model or brand they are, but I saw a lot of spit-outs at Dogwood 2011.

Other Thoughts:

Bring your most potent bug juice. And be prepared to deal with some kamikaze gnats that tend to wait for your back-swing to dive-bomb your eyeballs.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
7 0
AdamE
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 21.1 years 269 played 148 reviews
3.50 star(s)

2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 21, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

Meeman-Shelby has a nice shelter with bathrooms by the start of the two courses. Water is available and there's a large bulletin board with a map of the two courses inside. Most of the holes have concrete tee pads and tee signs. Some of signs indicate there are multiple pin placements on the course.

The East course starts off with the only open shot, a wicked anhyzer to let you know it's going to be a challenging course. There's nice balance of hyzer and anhyzer shots here with multiple routes to the basket on some of the holes. Like the West course, this one is almost exclusively in the woods. The difference is the East course is longer, more technical and challenging. There's a good amount of elevation changes here on many of the shots.

This a very old course and back in the day there was only one course in this park. There are still some of the old tee signs from the original course which gives it a nostalgic feel.

Cons:

Some tee signs are missing and I believe a few of the tee pads are carpet rather than concrete.

A lot of people mentioned navigation issues here, but I didn't really have a problem getting around here.

The basket on hole 2 is dangerously close to hole 9's tee pad.

Other Thoughts:

Overall this is a fun and challenging nostalgic course and is the better of the two in my opinion. With two courses in one location it's definitely worth stopping here to play.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
1 3
carrioke
Experience: 15.3 years 36 played 8 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Great course! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 13, 2011 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Many holes reachable for newer players, but still technical enough for seasoned players. Benches and garbage cans @ virtually every hole. Concrete tee pads on 14 holes. Signs on every hole.

Cons:

Hard to navigate if you are new to the course, easy to lose a disc, dangerous if it is wet.

Other Thoughts:

This is a beautifully upkept course! It is one of my favorite courses. There are only a couple wide open shots, but even the shots in the woods are easy enough to get a good drive. This course will make a disc golfer out of you with it's technical shots and elevation changes.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
8 0
mashnut
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 22.7 years 831 played 777 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Flatter, but more interesting 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 21, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

The course plays through a mostly flat forested area with a few nice elevation changes. There's less elevation than on the west course, but there are still some nice tricky greens and a few fun up and downhill holes. There's a really nice balance of hole shapes here that will make you hit all kinds of lines to score well. It felt pretty balanced between left and right turning holes. The woods are dense enough to have good punishment for errant shots, but the holes are still fair with reasonable lines.

Many holes had decent signs with the distance and hole layout, including multiple pins. The alternate placements changed up several holes quite a bit, and add some nice variety especially if they're changed up on a regular basis. The tees are concrete, and are a good size with ok texture. The baskets are mostly in nice shape and catch well.

Cons:

There are some navigation issues here, especially with some holes having two signs (one for the original 18 hole course), some having one, and some having none at all. A few times it was unclear where to go next, and there were some blind holes where it would be nice to know where the basket is, or what pin placement is in use.

There are some erosion issues, especially in the hillier areas. This leads to some footing issues while walking, and would be pretty bad in wet weather. At times the course feels a little repetitive, a little more length variety would be nice to mix it up.

Other Thoughts:

I really enjoyed playing here, especially with two courses on site. This is the better of the two, though the other course is worth playing too for the fun elevation changes. Beginners will probably find it a little punitive with thick rough. More experienced players will find some nice line shaping challenges and will need a balanced set of shots to score well.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
2 2
Dahlemj24
Experience: 18.5 years 10 played 10 reviews
3.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 26, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

This was a very fun course to play. Heavily wooded and pretty hilly. Made for a very fun round. Very well signed. I didn't have a problem with finding the next hole to play.

Cons:

I don't really remember any negatives about this course. A couple of longer holes would have been better, but I understand you can only do so much with the land that you have and it could be very punishing with all those trees.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
5 0
bjreagh
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 28.2 years 353 played 321 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Solid Woods Course 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 4, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

MS- East is an excellent technical wooded course. The first 2 holes are more open (but not gimmes) and then from #3-#18 you are in the woods. The holes are not repetitive, however, as they utilize different shot shapes and nicely incorporate the extra challenge of elevation on many holes. There are a lot of trees waiting to deflect your disc the wrong direction as you would expect, but there is always a reasonable fairway. The course is an older one, but this actually helps it as it has had plenty of time to mature.

Tees, baskets, and signs were adequate. Navigation was not a problem.

This is a nice, secluded course that is challenging yet fun. The disc golf courses are their own area of the park, so there is no interference with other park activities. There is the added bonus of 2 courses that begin from the same parking area (for36 total holes). Also at the parking lot is a detailed course map of the complex, a covered picnic pavilion, and nice restrooms.

Cons:

This is an older style course, technical, but not real long. Once it goes in the woods on #3 it stays in the woods until you are finished, so there is not a lot of variety between open and wooded holes like you get at nearby Bud Hill. Also, I remember being amazed at how the mosquitoes would not go away, even in the pouring rain, so be sure to bring your bug spray!

Other Thoughts:

The Meeman-Shelby courses are solid courses that will challenge players of all skill levels, but aren't too difficult for casual players and families who also come to the park for other things like camping, hiking, and fishing. It is also really nice that there are 36 holes all in one spot, and these courses are not too far from one of the best courses anywhere- Bud Hill, which complement each other very well.

I preferred the East course over the West, if you have to pick one. But I recommend both if you have the time.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
2 3
dirty8224
Experience: 15.3 years 13 played 9 reviews
4.50 star(s)

woods woods woods 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 5, 2010 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

I like these courses a lot!! They are tight and wooded. Plenty of birdie opportunities if you can keep your disc from hitting the trees. Didn't notice very many ants or poison ivy or anything like that. Good signage.

Cons:

Accuracy is a must.
Carpet tee pads are lame.
Some holes you're basically getting thrown at from other holes. While playing the 2010 SNAC there I almost got smacked in the face with a guys drive and I was just sitting on the bench of our hole waiting to drive.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
1 5
anthonygobot
Experience: 17 played 1 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Fantastic Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 10, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

I highly recommend this course for beginners to even advanced. I love the fact you can play 18 and just walk across the ways to another 18 hole course (East and West). Give this course a shot and you will not be disappointed.

Cons:

The holes need better signs with more directions to find the next hole. This isnt a MAJOR draw back at all just something to work on.

Other Thoughts:

We drove 3hrs to play the local courses and I was impressed and cant wait to go back. Thanks for the great course guys.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
6 0
NDABRUSH
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 16.8 years 58 played 47 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Wooded and wonderful 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 1, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

Pretty easy to navigate. Secluded and peaceful. Free!!! I don't know about the rest of the Tenn state park courses as far as entry fees go. Plenty of ace runs, but some are technical. Decent elevation on several holes. Like the west course, the east courses t signs tell you where to walk for the next hole. There are even some of the original signs off to the side on some of the holes. You can tell they are from when the course opened, because for example 1 of them read" 265 ft. par 4". That to me screams STEADY ED!!, which is perfect for those that prefer wooded courses, just not 10000 ft. ones. It was weird looking at 2 different signs on a hole. Some courses have none, this one has 2 on some and always 1. Most pads were concrete except for a few that were carpet. 3 dif pin positions and today they were a mix of long and med and 1 or 2 shorts. The terrain ranged from flat to medium elevation with a couple of empty the baggers.

Cons:

Like the west course, this one is not very long while still longer than the west. It will not present much of a challenge to pro level players. I bet it can get muddy in the winter like most Heavily wooded courses.

Other Thoughts:

For what it is which is a shorter old school wooded course, it's an average 4 in my book. If I were holding it to today's course standards, I would prob give it a 3 1/2 or 3. For being over 30 yrs old, it holds it's own with rec players like me. For upper level players, it will probably rank 3 or down if you consider challenge to be a major factor in grading a course on this site. If you love wooded courses, you will enjoys these 2. Out of 36, 32 are wooded and 4 are more open.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
3 1
sdervan
Experience: 15.3 years 41 played 41 reviews
3.50 star(s)

what a great course tucked away 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 23, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

Great course for those who love tight wooded shots with elevation changes.
-The course plays for right and left handers. At some holes you get thinking, "what line can i possibly hit here." it test your touch like no other course i have yet to play. the east course opens up with two "open" shots and then the next 16 will eat your disc alive if you throw poorly. quite a challenge and a lot of fun.

Cons:

bugs in the summer will carry you off. a bit of a drive out to the middle of no where and then you have to go 8 more miles. ;)
Was this review helpful? Yes No
5 1
shyguy30
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 20.5 years 108 played 18 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Good test, but nothing spectacular 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 9, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

-Used every disc in my bag, good variety of shots left and right, uphill and downhill
-Tee signs are great with all pin locations and distances clearly marked
-The General Store at the Park Entrance is worth the trip to this course . Thanks to the ladies there for a delicious lunch and outstanding hospitality.

Cons:

-A few of the tee pads were covered in mud and very slippery
-1 or 2 of the baskets looked a little rough and may need to be replaced soon
-Almost all in fairly deep woods
-Can be confusing as to which basket/tee you should head to in a couple of spots

Other Thoughts:

I enjoyed playing this course (except for all of the trees I hit) but nothing jumps out at me as being stellar. Lots of variety as far as lefty and righty holes, a few uphill or downhill, but seemed like a lot of them were around the same distance. Hole #2 is the exception, just a monster. 500+ ft into a tight channel in the woods for the last 200 ft. If you want to practice hitting a precise spot off the tee and don't mind being punished if you don't, this is the place for you. A good, solid, rugged type course.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
3 2
odysseus81
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 27.4 years 99 played 35 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Pretty Tough 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 9, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

Very tough wooded course. I came out quite humbled. Most of the holes are fair, but I had a rough day and it felt tougher than it was. A nice variety of shots required for a wooded course. They did great job making this course, because I can only imagine how much work was needed to make this the course that it is. It is in the middle of nowhere. Be ready to get your butt kicked from the get go because #1 is rough. A good control player will be able to pick this apart...unfortunately, that is not me. Tee pads were great.

Cons:

Mosquitos were insane. We played in rough rain and they were still all over us. I found that is was tough to find certain pins off the tee and a few of the tees were tough to find.

Other Thoughts:

I agree with the review that said it is a very nice course, but there is nothing extremely memorable about it...no signature type holes, but a very consistent, well made, and well maintained course. Probably 2nd best in the area (after Bud Hill). Make sure you go to the Shelby Forest General Store for some delicious cheeseburgers. They also have a very cool disc selection there (for sale). Lots of cool custom dyed discs. The people there are awesome!
Was this review helpful? Yes No
Top