Pros:
- Focus. If you don't focus (and play "golf") on every shot, you will pay with strokes on your scorecard. Punishment for anything less than perfect shots is everywhere. Of the 100 course I've played, maybe only three others required as much focus as Renny Gold.
- Accuracy Required. 13 holes are dictated by "forced" landing zones (or multiple forced landing zones - par 4's and 5's) in that missing the landing zone will require some expert finagling (which will probably get you into more trouble) or a pitch out to the zone so that you can have a decent next shot.
- Par 70. Thank God they didn't try to call it "Pro-Par". The Par 4's are hard 4's... and the Par 5's are even harder 5's. With the aforementioned "forced" landing zones on these holes, you have to link several PERFECT throws just for the opportunity to get a birdie.
- Maintenance. The disc golf club has really done a fantastic job with the infrastructure: stairs, numerous bridges, elevated pin positions, OB markings, mandies, benches,...
- "Yardage" Poles. (I say "yardage" because it's actually "feet")... On the long holes, just like on Ball Golf courses, they have installed "yardage" poles mid-fairway that tell you how much further the pin is. Excellent touch!
- Overall Course Design. EPIC shots... Risk/Reward pin positions... Landing zones... OB... Need for perfection... "Golf"... Dual layouts... Etc...
Cons:
- Signage. For a course of this caliber and prestige, the signage was Atrocious! Some were legit, however most were painted on wood, or were little engraved plaques, or were laminated pieces of paper... others were non-existent. With holes as complex as Renny Golds are, it would be nice to see professional tee-signs that show an overview of the hole, with OB's, distances to major features, pin positions, Par, elevation, etc... labeled.
- Consistency. From various forms of signage to various numbering techniques (plastic house numbers, metallic mailbox stickers, tiny plaques), to the size, shape and placement of the OB stakes, or the materials the retaining walled pin locations were built out of... there didn't seem to be any consistency in any way, besides great golf shots.
- Clutter = Ugly. At several points on the course it seems cluttered with stuff: multiple tees, crappy tee-signs, multiple labels on one post that say the same thing (?), unsightly OB stakes, yardage poles, extra baskets... I know I'm going to get ripped for this, but some of the "stuff" was Ugly.
Other Thoughts:
- Local Routes. You need to have played this Renny Gold more than once to shoot well (and even then???). There are soooo many local routes and precise layup zones where the next shot should ideally be played from, that it is impossible to figure out in one try. Therefore, if it's your first time....
- Walk the Holes. It's hard to do sometimes because the holes are so long and the doglegs (on many) so severe that walking the holes becomes impractical. However, if you don't (like me), you will pay for it on the scorecard (like me). There are just too many spots where you need to throw a perfect 300-350' shot to a landing zone so that you are able to throw your next shot 90* (left/right) through the window another 200'+... or else be forced to pitch-out and bogey (bogey+).
- My 100th. I purposely saved Renny Gold for my 100th course and I'm glad I did. This course was fantastic and lived up to the hype. An EPIC day.
- My Charlotte Rankings. If you're planning a road trip to Charlotte, here are my rankings (of the courses I've played): Renny, Hornetts, Sugaw, Kilborne, Reedy, .....................Veterans.
- My Score: +8