Pros:
Rocky Mount Sports Complex is an interesting, varied layout. It has some enjoyable aspects when it comes crashing down. And just like Hulk Hogan, it does hurt inside.
- First off, this has the bones of a fun, quality course. It takes advantage of the various obstacles throughout this portion of the park: woods, minimal elevation, and water.
- It's a massive park. And for the most part, this course doesn't overlap with other park activities. I say that, and some local will point on that the course shuts down during baseball tourneys, or something like that.
- Hole #2 should be the true opening hole. Current #1 is a glorified practice basket. I mean, if we need that basket for a full 18, then keep it. Hole #2 is a short, dogleg left throwing towards a pond, before fading to a basket tucked in the woods. Elevated basket with water/drop-off in play if you go too far left. Pretty shot that could be one of the more memorable opening holes in the state.
- After some basic holes weaving through the woods, you get to a great tee shot on #7. Water to the left, woods to the right. Basket doglegs slightly uphill to a tiny peninsula to the left. You throwing over the water or playing safe straight/to the right?
- #9 & 10 use the one hill on the course, in case you're wanting to get a little mount (as in Rocky Mount) feel.
- Holes #12 - 14 play around the same pond. Each gives a different look. Of these, #13 is the most sphincter tightening tee shot with a narrow fairway/no realistic bail-out locale to the right. #14 is the most open of these holes....but, that also makes it most vulnerable to a cross breeze, creating an added challenge.
- There are also 3 bonus holes between #13 & 14. I didn't play them because I didn't select that layout on UDisc. It's a little bit of a walk to play three more water holes. If you do, that does give you six straight holes with a chance of losing a disc.
- #17 is one of the two best wooded holes on the course (along with #3). But, after playing the horrific #16, you're stuck with a bad taste in your mouth.
Cons:
Course does itself no favors. It's already limited in terms of space and variety. But, by missing key things, such as tee signs, next hole arrows, and one horrid hole, it takes away some of the course's high points.
- For some reason, there are 4 layouts listed on DGCR. Unless there was a separate layout for a tourney at some point, I have zero clue how the green layout exists for this course. Hole #5 has a 559-foot alternate tee? Hole #7 has a 575-foot layout? Are we throwing in circles here? I didn't even see tees for the two layouts listed on the tee signs, let alone a crazy, longer layout.
- Navigation is lacking. If you don't have a map (printed or interactive disc golf app-based), you are not playing all 18 holes here. Yes, you may play 18 holes, but you're not playing them in a row. You're not playing them from every correct tee. Or, you can prove me wrong and add 2 hours to your round walking around trying to find every tee.
- Upkeep in the wooded holes (#2 - 6 & 18) could be better. It had been recently mowed when I played. But, based on the unevenness of the grass, it was either the first time it was mowed in 4-8 weeks or the blades on that mower hadn't ever been sharpened.
- First time in a long time I had to play around a car parked on a tee pad. I'm not talking about hole #15, where the tee is in the parking lot. I'm talking #8 where the guy had to drive through the grass to get to. Seemed fitting for this course.
- #16 shouldn't exist. Never. Ever. Never. Discs don't fly the way this fairway is designed. You're throwing directly to a baseball field with a tall outfield fence, then take a sharp turn to blind shot on a walking trail, then turn 90 degrees to a basket behind trees. From what I can see, there are 3 possible shots here: 1. Throw a high right-to-left shot where you're throwing over the baseball field. 2. A roller shot that will end up somewhere on the walking trail portion of this hole. 3. Throw a low shot directly into the fence and let it carom where it may. This risk with #1 is if your disc ends up on the field. #2 probably involves the most skill. #3 is the safest and most luck-based shot. I opted for 3, and was able to get a simple up and down for a 3.
- #16 is the type of hole that gets a course pulled immediately. Hit someone you can't see, or you can see and throw a bad shot, they sue, and so long course. This hole has so many safety flaws that lawyers would be lining up to collect their money from the city/county about the risks of this dangerous layout. You could ask anybody with a pulse to look at this hole, compare it to the previous hole and ask which one is safe and which one is dangerous.
- If the option is to pull this course and end up with a 17-hole layout, this course needs to be a 17-hole layout. There wasn't anyone around, and I still threw cautiously because it didn't feel safe. Why not just put the basket on the pitcher's mound or the middle of a playground?
Other Thoughts:
For all the good will through the first 15 holes, much of that is lost with #16's layout. It's that bad and dangerous.
- Some people have pointed out (complained) about the amount of water holes on the course. I will say those holes are not beginner friendly. On a breezy day, or a bad throwing day, you could easily lose a couple of discs. That was th reason I wasn't a big fan of Luther Britt in Lumberton. Wind + lots of water in play = lost discs = not a fun round.
- Instead of having three straight holes alongside water, maybe #13 should play over the water instead. Throw over the narrow corner near the hole's basket so anyone can clear the water. It's still a 'water' hole, but you've taken the risk out of play.
- I'll throw out the idea this course would be better as a 9-hole layout. Essentially take the best aspects of holes #2 - 9 plus 17 - 18 and put all your efforts there. You'd still have three water holes. You'd have wooded holes. You can have an open hole still. But you're eliminating most of the course's bad parts.
- On a different day, my perception of the course would be different. A lost disc or two, and I'd be griping about the poor layout. Landing my disc steps from the water instead, and I'm thinking this is a creative layout. On #14, I aimed my tee shot far right. It got caught in a gust of wind and blew 150 feet off line. So, I get how there's a strong luck or total fluke factor here as well.
- #17 is such a great tee shot. It's one of the course's best two or three holes. But it's overlooked being stuck directly behind one of the worst holes in the state. It's an unfortunate victim of collateral damage.
- This was the second course I've played in Rocky Mount. This course was safely in my top 2 for the city. While there are parts of this course I really liked, I would hope the city's remaining courses are closer to Sunset Park's quality than Sport Complex's.
- I'd recommend playing other courses in the city well before playing here. Being a bagger, it'll be a long time, if ever, before I play here again.