Shaver Championship is an outstanding, ugly course. It's like the hole-in-the-wall burger joint. It's may look sketch, and it's questionable whether it's even sanitary. But, wow. What an experience.
- I played Shaver original in 2014 and did not like the course. Perhaps it was due to playing in the rain. Perhaps it was due to the course being prepared for a race. Perhaps it was because of a lack of sleep due to camping. Regardless, I was unsure how well I'd like the new course.
- I was getting uneasy that this was simply a longer version of the original. By the second hole, I was having to decide which of the two wide paths was the fairway and which was the path for the running/off-roading trail. And yet, within a coupe holes, I pulled a 180.
- Once you overlook the rawness, there are some outstanding holes. #5 is a downhill, dogleg left 320-foot hole. From the tee pad, it looks like there isn't much fairway to work with. Once you're down on the fairway, it seems three times as wide. To the point, if it wasn't an adventure climbing back to the tee, I would have re-thrown and been much more aggressive.
- Course does an outstanding job of incorporating the small creek that winds through the layout. Multiple holes have baskets just before or behind the creek (#8 & 14 were excellent), have the creek bordering the fairway (#10), or play across the fairway (in the perfect spot on #16, just past the turn on this dogleg left, uphill par 5).
- #11 plays straight uphill. It's only 194 feet; however, it's a legit 25-30-foot uphill shot. It seems steep standing on the tee; it seems steeper as you're climbing up the hill; it seems steepest when you turn around and look back down to the tee pad. It's sad throwing what seems to be a good shot and still being 40 feet short.
- The course features a series of multi-shot station-to-station setups. Holes such as #8, 10, & 13 require (or at least strongly encourage) tee shots to be placed on the correct side of the fairway to set up your approach shots.
- Tremendous risk/reward layouts. Between the creek, tight portions of fairways, thick rough, and heavy tree lines, shots that go offline, sail a little too far, or end up wet are going to force players to scramble to salvage decent scores. Along those lines, the course is a grind mentally and physically. This course will play exceptionally tougher in the summer between the heat and leaves on trees. Several lines I hit in early March will be gone later in the year.

Course is raw and rugged. A lot of work needs to be done in terms of clearing for aesthetic and safety purposes.
- My biggest gripe is the lack of signage and difficulty of navigation due to 'in progress' feel. As stated above, on holes #3 & 13, you can't tell which of the wide paths are the fairway and which is the trail. Signage will be crucial.
- There are safety issues that need to be addressed. Walking down the hill on #5 was slightly dicey, and this was 3 days after rain. Walking uphill on #8 & 10, stairs are really needed. Walking uphill on #10 will really be a challenge if the course is wet. And, with the course being heavily a red-clay based layout, dirt + water = mud.
- Tee signs need improvement. Back to the blind tee shots, they're important for people who aren't familiar with the course. Also, a few more arrows/signs on the long transitions would be helpful.
- Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but I do not recall seeing a single bench or trash can on the entire course, only back next to the parking lot. A few benches would come in handy on a 7300-foot layout.
- You're not bailing out after #9. You can play a weird combination of holes for a shorter round. But, if you're looking for something easier, play the original course.

Shaver Championship really offers an excellent course to the local disc golf scene. Grand Central Station is the focal point of the local scene. With a little polishing, this may become the co-focal point. I hope maintenance gets completed here. This course has so much potential that you don't want the roughness hampering it.
- Fun, challenging, and well-constructed. I see that a lot of time and planning went into the design of every hole. One of the highest compliments I can give is that there doesn't seem to be a filler or waste hole. Every hole has a purpose and presents a different look and/or challenge.
- Many holes force you to play the smart shot not necessarily the shot you want to throw. Simple math shows that on a 500-foot hole, throwing two straight 250-foot shots and either one or two-putting is better than throwing 350 and landing deep in the rough. On many holes, par 3 or par 4 is a solid score. I know the SSA on this is far from accurate. But, at the end of my round, one where I was scrambling to salvage par time and again, I ended up with one of the highest SSAs I'd throw in a long time.
- #18 feels like a well-deserved escape from the jungle. I finally felt like I could catch my breath with a wider-than-normal fairway. And for the first time since seemingly my first tee shot of the round, I saw grass again. That said, I was a little melancholy that my round was over.
- This is a marathon course. Come prepared. Of everything I've played, this is a poor man's Nevin (Charlotte) and Langley Pond (Burnettown). It's a notch below those, but there are many similarities.
- This is an easy 4.0 - 4.25-level course for me. Having played all DGCR's top 10 courses in South Carolina, this course easily belongs on that list. It's a must play for Upstate players and others in the region.

-Good tee signs with layouts.
-Brand new baskets.
-Many navigational aids on course.
-Welcome sign with full layout.
-Freshly sod and expansive putting/warm up area.
-Imaginative layout

-Carpet tee pads

I went with a local and friend to play in preparation for an upcoming tournament at this new Championship course at Shaver Recreation center. I had heard that this was an absolute beast of a course and I was anxious to give it a shot.

It had been about a year since I had visited the other course at Shaver Recreational Center in Seneca. When I got there, I was pleasantly surprised. A TON of work has been put in out there, and it is clear there is some love at work on this course. Even the putting area was impressive. Fresh sod and expansive spacing was very pleasing to the eye.

When my friend arrived and warmed up, we proceeded over to the first tee which was only about 50 ft away. He warned me it was the only open hole on the course, but it was still a little tricky with a slightly elevated basket on a downgrade of a hill.

After that, the real fun begins. The entire course layout is very well thought out and it brings thinking back to the game. You have to piece holes together here, and I love it. The course rewards hitting your lines and smart placement of shots.

Throughout the course, the signs of love are there. Well placed navigational aids. wood stairs at steep declines. Nicely constructed bridges. This course has the feel of an old and well worn-in course right out of the gate. I was very impressed by the sweat-quity that has been invested here.

To be fair, I may be a little biased because I did really well in my round, but the course is not so bad if you hit your lines and play smart. This definitely falls into the "tough but fair" category for me. Also keep in mind I am a Rec level player at this time so I played the short white tees. The blue long tees present a-whole-nother level of challenge.

I gave this course a 4.5 rating. When they get concrete tee pads, it will be as good as it gets. I already have the course in mind that will have to move back to 4.5 stars when this one gets to 5.

Out of the 65 courses I have reviewed, this is where this course ranks along with similarly rated courses:
Rank-Course, Location
1-Munson Park, Denison, TX
2-Holston Creek DGC, Inman, SC
3-Noble DGC, Noble, OK
4-Selah Ranch - Creekside, Talco, TX
5-Fritz Park, Irving, TX
6-Selah Ranch - Lakeside, Talco, TX
7-Shaver Recreation Center Championship, Seneca, SC
8-Tyger River DGC, Reidville, SC
9-N.E. Lions Park, Norman, OK
10-Grand Central Station, Central, SC

7/13/2020 Update: After a summer of growth, the course has tightened a little as leaves have grown in. There is also a significant amount of debris on the ground on the fairways that is a result of the newness of the course. It is not a huge deal, but a little shine came off the course after my 2nd round through. I still think this is a top course in the state once it gets beaten in. Moved rating down to 4 until it gets a bit more wear.

-Shaver has a son. His name is Shaver Gold. He never showed his face even once and Shaver Original never spoke of his son, even though the County knew of him and wondered about him. For so many years, the son of Shaver was living under the weather. They are two different men with similar traits. Both are scarier looking dudes. Despite that, they are both pretty reserved and don't bother anyone. Shaver Original is a good ol' country fella with a buzzcut. You'll spot him in the backyard on his tractor wearing an undershirt drinking Jack Daniels and he'll wave at you. Or you'll see him by himself at the country music awards and he'll give you a nod and you may have a brief conversation with him. Shaver Gold, however, is a long haired metalhead. He is quite pale because he's been living inside the house too long. He's a lot taller than his father (6'6" or 6'7") and even more reserved than his father; he hardly ever talks. The public is just now getting to know him, and he's a nicer guy. Despite him being more taciturn, you'll see a bigger and better personality in him. He has more to offer and is all about that long woods game with some great elevation changes. Par is either 66 or 67.

-You'll see him standing beside his father in the parking lot and he gives more of propitious demeanor. He starts off in the open. First hole is pretty much wide open unless you grip lock. 340' and downhill. Basket is on a tiny mound. It's not an awesome hole, but is a pretty good starter and better than the starter on the original Shaver, a 165' downhill toss. The first hole gives an indication about the decision Shaver Gold made for himself, he walked outside of the house and became visible. Once you see him, you get to see what Shaver Gold is all about. Length, challenge, and his hatred for insincerity. He is his own man that aspires to show his best self by appealing to more serious players for an appreciation of a pro course. The next three holes are all pretty challenging par 4s to say at the least, with hole 3 being the hardest of those three.

-The fairways here are alike from the fairways at Shaver Original. They are shot shaping, and your options to throw a long way are very limited. Don't let that bring you down. Shaver Gold is a hard course, but he's easygoing at the same time. There are some tricky lines that turn, but aren't impossible or unfair. Most of the ones with tricky fairways are par fours or par fives. #10 is a difficult double dogleg par five. It's the longest hole on the course and the creek is in play most of the way on both sides. What's scarier is the fact that not only is it on both sides, but it runs through the ditch in the middle of the fairway a good distance away from the pad. You start off throwing downhill down a wide wooded fairway turning hard to the left side. If you throw a nice drive with a driver and miss the creek and are not next to a tree, you could very well tame this hole. I think this hole sums up the object of this course quite well. Some distance can help, but try to really know the fairway. Some holes are short enough to be a stroke below par, but they are wooded with interesting turns.

-The elevation is better at Shaver Gold. Quite a few holes really capitalize on the available elevation. Some of the hole signs give the elevation change (which I really appreciate cause I love numerical data). Either the elevation changes listed are a little greater than what it said on the signs or 20 feet is more I thought it was. A few holes have greater elevation changes with two of them playing on a big hill with an angle that's barely obtuse. On to some of the holes. #8's basket placement is sweet! The upshot has you facing big and highly guarded mound. #9 is a super fun tight steep downhill that plays almost like a split fairway. The tee shot is daunting. I think it's more friendly for a righty flick or lefty backhand. The hill goes straight down like a wall over some water. 90 degree decline (or I guess 270 from your standpoint on the pad). There is a tree in play on the bottom of that hill; there's no safe way to get down there. If you grip lock, you may lose a disc. If you are worried about those trees close up, do whatever you can to dodge them.

-Redemption: Lots of available redemption here. The first five holes are all pretty challenging at the least. #6 and #7 have a better of a chance for birdie, even though you have to be precise. Hole two is a difficult station type hole down a tight fairway with trees in the middle of it. If you get past those trees but go into the woods, you'll probably lose your birdie opportunity. But if you hit the gap nicely, you could possibly get down there on the second shot and be left with a birdie. #3 is a dogleg left par four and is one of the few moments where distance can be useful to you. Throw straight and low down a reasonably wide fairway in the woods. If you get to the landing zone, well over 300' from the pad, you might have a chance for birdie on this par four. If you hit a tree on the first drive, you will scramble to save par. The upshot is still wooded but the trees are well spaced out and it takes you to a more wooded green guarded by some trees. #4 isn't as hard in my opinion, but if you are a righty, you will need to be able to sidearm because it's a dogleg right in the woods. #5 is the hardest hole on the course. You have to throw either a flip up or a flex flick down the hill and over the creek. 420' par three seeming almost like a four. After these holes, you go to #6.

#6 is a relatively straightforward par four. You still have to have good placement, but a safe shot with a mid range could possibly be enough for you to birdie. #7 is an ace run over the creek. Only about 220' to 240' but the creek is no more than 20' short of the pin, being a penalty if you don't throw hard enough. An ideal two could become a four very quick. These holes are a nice break before you get to #8. A tight and scary par four on a mound where par is impressive enough. So you'll want to really think on how to birdie holes six and seven. You'll play a few shorter holes (#9, 11, and 12) before you get to holes 14 and 15, a couple of par threes.

-#14 and #15 are both relatively short. #14 is likely a signature hole. It's 275' so not particularly an ace run, but it's straight downhill over a creek and plays less. Like #7, it's all about placement. I took the left gap and threw an anhyzer with a putter. It turned over, hit a tree, and I was short of the creek. If you disc up with a driver, you won't want to go left. #15 is the shortest hole. Only 166' but a challenging hole. You'll probably throw the most overstable disc in your back because it's a very sharp turn. A three on the shortest hole is not a bad score. Enjoy the break while it lasts, because you are heading for the final three.

-#16-18 are all frightening holes. Two out of those three are par fives. #16 doesn't sound like it should be a five since it's only 637'. Just wait until you see it. Some will enjoy it and some will hate it. I enjoyed it. I love the whole thought behind it. An advanced or pro player obviously wants to get a birdie. The tee shot gives the rationalization to throw far to the right side down the hill. It's a dogleg right, and the landing zone is less than 100' from the pad. I threw an anhyzer and it turned too quickly. I was left with an uncomfortable second shot. The remainder of this hole is up a large and slow incline hill once you pass the creek. The fairway is not fully formed yet, so a four is very difficult. But is still possible. #17 is the hole that'll determine whether this course is par 66 or 67. It's an uphill dogleg right, only 375'. The sign says it's a par four but the hole info on this site says it's a par three. I think if there were more trees cut, this would be a very difficult par three. But as of now, it would require some luck to get there. #18 is only 582' and is a "C-shape" par five. It's a tight finisher that wooded almost the entire way. The basket is elevated on a black tube in the open. If this were to be one of the hardest courses in the world, this hole would probably be a par four. But Shaver Gold being the big and easygoing guy he is, it's more of an easy par five.

-Shaver Original is jagged, and so is Shaver Gold. This is definitely a place that would attract snakes, and I'm about 100% sure there will be a lot of them around in the summertime. I'd be wary of copperheads. There was vegetation here in October, so that means it'll be there in the summer.

-New course issues. It's pretty dangerous in places. The walk down #9's fairway is daunting. You can't go straight down there because the cliff is more than 20' tall and thorny. You have to walk to the right side down a smaller but steep enough hill and follow the trail. Other issues would include some drag piles, and dense woods with thorns.

-Plays along a walking trail in parts of the course.

-Carpet pads on uneven ground. This is a work in progress, so be careful on your run ups.

-As of now, this course is a 3.5. But I typically give a higher rating if it's a new course. I believe this course will be the 4 that I am rating it now. I love it! I hope that next year's tournament will be held here because it's better than the original. The repetition is fantastic. You start off in the open and then you play a few par fours in the woods that brings you to the hardest hole on the course that is hole five. The next two are a bit less difficult but can still hurt you if you miss the fairway. Then you see a brutal par four on a mound, followed by a steep downhill par three that's under 300'. After the front nine, you see the repetition continue with par fives. After the longest hole, you play two par threes. One with sweet elevation change and the other being a fun hallway type shot. After that, you play a unique par four and then a well diverse ending five hole stretch.

-Shaver Gold is a cool dude with a personality like no one else. Glad he finally got out and showed his face. For years we knew Shaver and that he had a son. But we didn't know he was around at the complex this whole time. If you knew he was here this whole time but haven't seen him, go see him. Great course with great elements to it in the mix. The sum of your previous experiences at Shaver Complex will change and you see a different part of it that you weren't aware of.

-Not sure on what my favorite hole here is. But I strongly suggest you come here because it's a really fun and well designed course. It's not fully complete, but it's close enough for me to consider it a favorite.