A QUICK NOTE ABOUT THE SETH BURTON MEMORIAL DISC GOLF COMPLEX: The funding behind the courses is provided in memory of Seth Burton, a young local who passed tragically but whose memory is alive and well. The courses have been around for years, but they are still loved and benefit from locals' (including Seth's dad, Phil Burton) tender loving care. These are courses that the local community takes pride in, and this shows at every visit. Course condition is always good, whether in the peak of summer growth or immediately before the annual A-tier. I've recently moved to the Morgantown area, and I've adopted these as my home courses. Each course has its particular character, and I've enjoyed the distinction of one manicured and more open (SBM DGC) and one wild and super tight (OC).
Orange Crush is the course away from the park road, a hike through the woods rather than a park course. It is rugged with significant elevation change and wooded hillside used throughout. It has that desirable combination of natural beauty (yes, it's Wild & Wonderful West Virginia) and enjoyable, technical disc golf. It's exhausting but a blast.
2020 UPDATE: This course has been one of DGCR's favorites for almost a decade now. While some DGCR "classics" have declined over the years, this course is neither neglected nor forgotten. It has only improved over the few years I've been here. Especially around the time of the annual tournament (the Seth Burton Memorial, in September), this course's rough is trimmed and lines, though wooded, are available. There are also at least a couple new benches since I initially posted my review in 2018. Thanks to Phil and the Fairmont Flyers crew!
BEAUTY: One of the first things I noticed is that pictures don't do it justice. Many course photos were taken from late fall to pre-spring, so the green of summer or foliage of fall may surprise you. All 18 holes have a beautiful leafy canopy, making rounds in early fall incredibly picturesque, rounds in summer pleasantly shady, and rainy rounds surprisingly dry. Deer (fawns, does, and several young bucks) are almost always present and seem to regard disc golfers as part of their natural habitat. Being here is relaxing and refreshing despite the inevitable exhaustion. It's also far away from the park road and park paths for the most part, so there is practically no interaction with other park users, and little chance of throwing on someone.
WOODS THEME: As for the golf, it is tight, technical, and challenging. Holes can be tight enough to feel close to "poke and pray" golf, but they are kept just open enough to be reasonably challenging without being frustrating. Add to this the well-maintained nature of the course, and it's one of the best woods courses I've played.
ELEVATION: As the course is basically on the hillside sloping down away from the park, all but maybe two holes use elevation extremely well, especially from the long tees. As with a lot of these hilly courses, the more memorable shots tend to be the downhills. The back nine had the most memorable holes, with #10 (distance downhill tunnel), #11 (tight, blind downhill), #14 (technical downhill across small creek), and #16 (initially open into steep downhill tunnel to baskets nestled among creek bed) being possibly the four most memorable holes on the course. #3's downhill approach to the green and #4's steep uphill and are also great uses of elevation. I'll stop there, but the use of elevation is commendable here. Combine that elevation with the technical wooded nature, and it's no surprise this course has achieved national recognition.
Any iteration of the course's 2 permanent baskets and 2 permanent tees will be fun, but you have to play from the long tees to get the full Orange Crush experience. Every time I walk up to #10 long I get the exhilaration of trying to execute a nose-down drive, lacing perfectly through the downhill tunnel. When I walk up to #11, #14, and #16 from the long tees, I simply laugh at myself and choose my shot with a "here goes!" and "hope I can find my disc!"
While reviewing past tournament scores, it appeared to me that it is easier to score well on Orange Crush than on the upper Seth Burton course. Perhaps that's because there's less OB, or maybe because there's less distance, or maybe the pars are a bit more generous. At any rate, it feels more challenging to me, while playing, simply because of the technicality of most holes. Take advantage of multiple YouTube videos from the Seth Burton Memorial, allowing you to watch top level pros like Chris Dickerson, Andrew Fish, Tyler Horne, and Brad Schick show off their stuff.
Rating: I'm going with phenomenal (4.5). You'll be hard pressed to find a course with such a good combination of woods/technicality and elevation. It keeps me coming back... get out here!