Pros:
(3.263 Rating) A picturesque wooded course boasting modest challenges.
- ROCKING BEAUTY - The Morristown Kiwanis course was blessed with some exotic terrain. Several fairways are blanketed with exposed limestone bedrock and it makes for some excellent photo opportunities. I would describe a handful of holes here as absolutely gorgeous. My favorite 3 holes were (9), (10) and (17), but it'll probably change tomorrow. The course was also extremely well maintained.
- AMENITIES - Like many HB Clark courses I've played, Kiwanis has knocked the basics out of the park. Big concrete tees. I want to say they were the HB standard 5 by 12s. The baskets are the perfect style for a woods course with the easy to spot yellow bands peaking through the foliage. Yea DISCatchers! The tee signs were also solid being HB's standard indestructible metal rectangle signs. The artistic description of the line is rather diagrammatic, but they were in great shape and easy to read.
- NAVIGATION - I thought the navigation and flow was decent to good. First off, a course map is posted between the parking lot and tee (1). Like the tee signs, they are a bit diagrammatic, but it'll work. The tee signs have next tee direction on them, but it often blends in with the pattern of the background trees. There are also a few directional arrows on the baskets and many of the transitions are intuitive. Despite all these aids, I still checked my map 4 times. So good navigation overall, but not perfect.
- SHOT SHAPING - Magicians will love this course. 75 percent of this course is heavily wooded. Some I thought were a touch too luck based, but the amount of fun I had running em kind-of canceled out much of the distain. Bombers that enjoy open courses will likely hate this course.
- HOLE VARIETY - I was 50/50 on whether to list the variety in the cons or pros. The course is definitely unique due to the rock element. However, in terms of play variety, it's rather one-dimensional being almost all technical woods play. The longest hole is shy of 350 feet. Players with big arms might never pull out the driver. Holes do seem to break both ways an even amount and there is some nice moderate elevation change to contend with. No water elements and no true multi-play hole for higher skilled players.
Cons:
A solid technical course with only site related and preferential cons.
- MILD CHALLENGE - I was also 50/50 on whether to list the challenge in the cons or pros as well. I must have eaten my Wheaties this morning cause I started off super strong. I deuced five of the first six holes and supposably finished with a 9 down 49 as an Intermediate level player. Players will need to be precise and have a good scramble game to score well here. Being a long thrower will not be much of an advantage.
- PAR 4s - There are four listed par 4s here that will be an easy 3 to every skilled player. IMO, these four holes were the easiest four holes on the course in relation to par. However, if these holes were re-labled as par 3s, they would be the hardest four holes on the course. The hole lengths and line widths for the par 4s are sort-of in the anti-goldilocks' zone and just aren't good holes IMO. They should be either shortened or lengthened in my opinion.
- MULTI USE HAZARDS - A walking path comes into play on several holes and I personally had to stop briefly twice. I thought a couple times the oncoming paths were concealed a bit from tee view. I ran up the fairway a few times to check and make sure the path was clear before throwing.
- BEGINNER FRIENDLY - Due to the technical nature of the course, I would not recommend this course to newer players.
- TERRAIN - I found the terrain to be a big plus. However, for those with even a slight walking impairment or knee pain, they will likely need to skip this one. Players will constantly be walking along rocks and the ankles, knees and thighs are going to get a full work-out here.
Other Thoughts:
I briefly favorited Morristown Kiwanis for two days, but I played nearby regional gems Tommy Schumpert and Fontana Dam on the same trip and thus decided to bump it out. I did really like this one though. The rocks added a lot of appeal and I found the gameplay to be generally rewarding. I haven't played too many courses like this one. Perhaps slightly like Seven Oaks in Nashville or a rock-less version of the Sinks in Nooga. Overall a tweener 3.25 course to me and it should be a fun stop for Novices through Intermediate level players. Too cupcake of a challenge for Advanced level types and above, but even some of these players may enjoy it for other reasons. Players that find themselves traveling along I81 should definitely consider checking it out.
- TIME PLAY - Average. 62 minutes solo for this quick player at the break of dawn.