Pros:
Good flow to the course. When you pull in the parking lot, the only hole you see is #1. From there, there are trails leading from one hole to the next, making for a quick play.
- While the course doesn't offer any length - longest hole is 248; average length is just under 182 - it does offer some decent variety. There are a couple holes with some elevation (#2 & 8 are both solid); doglegs (#9); split fairways (#8) and holes that play really close to the water (#2, 6 &7), especially if you're not careful and/or throw a bad shot. All of this gives you a taste of good disc golf round.
- The key here is accuracy. If you can throw a controlled mid-range shot, you'll see plenty of birdie chances. If you can't be prepared for difficult second shots, bad bounces off of trees and/or possibly having to retrieve discs out of the water. This is good course to practice your mid-range and short game.
- This is a good course for casual-level players. Even the holes where water comes into play, if you play smart/careful, the water mostly shouldn't be an issue. That said, you're probably just as likely to get a bad bounce off a tree and end up in the water, especially on #7, as you are to misthrow directly into the drink.
- Good course to carry only one or two discs, or if you're looking to play a quick round. As long as you have a disc you can putt with and one you can turn over either direction, leave the rest of the bag in the car.
- Good course for a quick round. I played with a buddy, and we knocked out 9 in about 30 minutes. Figure less time if you're solo, or play through twice in 60 - 75 minutes if you're with others.
- Very nice views of Lake Hartwell throughout a good portion of the course. There's also a boat ramp at this park. Other than that, there aren't any amenities, but you're 3 minutes from gas stations and restaurants, so plan ahead.
Cons:
Course is somewhat cramped into a tiny portion of the park. Unless the park has a master plan for expansion - playground, trails, shelters, etc. - there's a lot of unused land here. It's probably enough for a short 18, or a longer, more challenging 9-hole layout.
- Even though I said this course should be good for beginners and casual players, there is a higher than normal 'bad luck' factor here concerning the water holes. On #2 &6, you could potentially see a disc role downhill into the water. Water is only directly in play on #7, where the right side of the split fairway goes right up to, or slightly over, the edge of the water. A bad bounce off a tree could have your disc sail 30 feet out. Like I said, it's not likely, but it is a higher risk than your typical neighborhood, short 9-hole course.
- When I played in May '14, there was a pair of dirt hills on hole 5, on both sides of the service road that the hole crosses. I enjoyed the added challenge and having to putt from on top of one of the dirt hills; whereas, others may not like it. The bigger issue is that it makes the navigation from #5 basket to #6 tee slightly more difficult.
- Not a lot of challenge, especially for more advanced players. Every hole is a birdie chance for more advanced players, or at least 9-straight ho-hum pars. My only bogey was due to shot kicking 50 feet right after barely missing my line and kissing the side of a tree.
Other Thoughts:
Mountain View is a relatively enjoyable 9-holer course. There's a certain feel to this type of course - the aimed at beginners, not overly challenging, neighbor-esque quality - that seems to be the standard for nine hole courses.
- Is the name of the park misleading? I didn't see a mountain. There are other parts of town that provide better scenic views of the southern Blue Ridge Mountains in the distance.
- I also wonder how the residents of this nicer, more upscale neighborhood appreciate having disc golfers and boaters driving here and increasing the traffic on and otherwise quiet road. I can just picture awkward encounters between a professor and a student on his way to the course.
- Overall, for being such a short course, I enjoyed it. There was enough variety and fun layouts to make this fast-played round enjoyable. Don't expect greatness; but, you could do worse.