Chattanooga, TN

Shepherd Rec. Center DGC

2.915(based on 27 reviews)
Filter course reviews

Filter reviews

Filter reviews

Shepherd Rec. Center DGC reviews

Filter
8 0
Shadrach3
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 6.1 years 339 played 322 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Rec Challenge at the Rec 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Dec 23, 2020 Played the course:once

Pros:

A short (but not overly short) and wooded (but not overly wooded) 9-holer that makes for a good warm-up or wind-down.

Shepherd has decent amenities, with concrete tees, fine baskets, and tee signs that include a verbal description of the hole shape. The terrain is also pretty good, with some short hills and plenty of well-carved woods to introduce challenge, but a couple of holes that feel a little more open. Other than the (3)-(4) and (4)-(5) transitions, navigation was pretty easy and intuitive.

The gameplay is a difficult recreational-level challenge. The woods will require accuracy, but the distance is short enough that it's still accessible to non-advanced players. The course opens with simple RHBH hyzers, but in the second half requires touchy tunnel shots and a right turn. The elevation definitely plays in to the mix, as a birdie drive will need to have decent angle control to stay parked and not make for an awkward straddle putt. (The elevation will also challenge you to see how comfortable you are at putting on non-flat ground.) I didn't really get in trouble here, but I think it would be fairly scramble-able.

Overall, Shepherd is a pleasant little course. It's got a little meat on the bones that make it not a total birdie fest, but there's definitely the possibility of trying to post a great round as well. As noted above, I think this would be a great course to warm up for or cool off from a day of disc golf--interesting, but not exhausting.

Cons:

The first and main con is definitely the maintenance here. Two baskets were missing when I played, which really sucks some joy out of a short course; they should ask East Brainerd for two of theirs. (UPDATE: Baskets have been replaced, which is a nice surprise!) I can't remember which ones, but at least two tee signs were gone or unreadable as well. Overgrowth looks like it could be an issue in the summer months if you ricocheted off a tree.

The baskets and tee sign situation also made for a little bit of tricky navigation in the (3)-(6) range. I found the basket to (4) before the tee. Then, it was a long, unmarked walk to (5), then a short backtrack to (6), which wouldn't have been an issue except that there was no sign to look for.

I have a couple of gripes with the design as well. (4) is the main offender, a dogleg so sharp that you'll need to play for a tree ricochet to be parked. The shape of the turn on (6) also seemed a little off to me, but not as bad.

There are also some safety things. I very nearly clunked the building, which is definitely in range of a reasonable shot on (7). On (8) you'll need to watch for walkers. In terms of the player's own safety, there are lots of tree roots and slippery pine straw hills that could easily roll an ankle.

It's also worth pointing out in the cons that this is a limited course. Nothing over 300' constricts the gameplay possibilities quite a bit. It's good for what it is, but it's not disc golf wonderland.

Other Thoughts:

Shepherd is one of those nine-hole courses that is just fine but doesn't have much uniqueness. It's like having three crystals of sugar placed on your tongue--faintly sweet, but not a memorable experience. Come and play some simple woods holes, then move along to an 18-hole course to actually have your game challenged.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
3 3
outlaw7
Experience: 4 played 4 reviews
4.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 18, 2018 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Great 9 hole course to work on technical skills.
Beautiful forested area.
Challenging elevation changes on many holes.
Helps improve your technical work, you really have to plan your routes here to avoid trees, helped improve my vision and planning.

Cons:

Don't expect to throw any long shots.
TRACK YOUR DISC or it will get lost.

Other Thoughts:

There is no sign directing you from hole 4 to hole 5, which is hard to find, you have to backtrack towards the tee to find the path to hole 5.
could be improved by more holes and a sign pointing to hole 5.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
11 0
wellsbranch250
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 10.8 years 694 played 680 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Don't Throw It In The Dog Park 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 23, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

(2.123 Rating) An entertaining short and technical 9 hole course.
- TEES - For a nine holer, really nice tees. Concrete and 5 feet wide by 12 feet long and all of them were in great condition. Tee (2) however did have the back of the pad's foundation exposed.
- RAW BEAUTY - Above average. Seven of the nine shots are fully wooded and pleasurable to play. Not 5 star looks on these holes but I'd give them a solid 3 overall. There is a chain link fence from the dog park that comes in view but its impact was minimal. Hole (7) and (8) were the only slightly below average looking holes.
- ELEVATION - Every hole on this 9 hole course has some elevation to it. Nothing all that major but every hole varies between 10 and 25 feet. Hole (3) was my favorite being a 20 to 25 foot down shot pocketing to the right.
- SHOT SHAPING - Just about every tee shot has a defined line that will require the disc to move. (4) is an insanely difficult uphill left bender where it seems to border on fairness.
- QUICK PLAY - Like just about every 9 hole course, it seems like you can get in and out on this course in 30 minutes solo. Figure a group of four in less than an hour.

Cons:

A solid 9 that most will wish it were18.
- NAVIGATION - Mostly not too bad but it could be much better. I spent about five minutes looking for tee (5). There is no course map on site and the one on DGCR is particularly confusing on the (4) to (5) transition. Backtrack back down (4s) fairway for about a hundred feet and there's a 6 foot wide unmarked tunnel pathway. The course could really use a few well placed directional cues.
- CHARACTER - The basic are good. Nice Chainstar baskets and solid tees as stated in the pros. However after nailing these two items, everything else comes up short. For starters, the hole signage is almost useless. No extra tees or alternate basket locations or practice basket. No seating at the tees either.
- UNIQUENESS - Not to be confused with shot shaping (see pros), Shepherd lacks the diversity of your average 18 hole course. There are no water features other than dry washes and elevation as mentioned above, is limited to 25 feet on any one given hole. There are no dogleg holes or par 4's or 5's. There is one big left bending shot, but no shot however bends that much in the opposite direction. The only time I didn't throw RHBH was on (3) where I flicked one.
- FORGIVENESS - Not all that bad but missing your shot can be quite punishing on a few areas of this course. The overgrowth can be thick but its generally not oppressive.
- SHORT - Wow, the longest hole out here is 270 feet. Many players will need nothing more than a midrange unless they throw half effort drivers for large arcing plays.
- LACK OF CHALLENGE - Although I didn't shoot well, I still feel that this course seems most appropriate for rec level players. In addition to the short length, the lanes are adequately spaced for those rated over 850. Figure the average rec player will shoot around par out here. Advanced players shooting this course will probable average 5 to 6 down.

Other Thoughts:

A fun little 9 that will entertain those that live within a few miles. I have it rated about 1/4 point higher than two other 9s I've played in the area, Portland Park and 9 on Top. Unfortunately Shepherd is not going to test a players skills like that of The Sinks or Camp Jordan, but I'd be willing to bet that the purpose for this course was to be more rec friendly, mission accomplished. The course will work well for those newer to the game and build up a player's skill so they can go play the before mentioned courses. In all however, this is not a destination course for those outside of town unless they are trying rack up as many courses as possible.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
2 0
benwilly
Experience: 11.4 years 28 played 14 reviews
2.50 star(s)

alright course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 5, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

-signs at every tee telling you the distance
-good trail leading to each tee off
-decent technical skill development with curves and trees to avoid
-good tee off pads
-nice chains that are numbered so you are sure to throw to the correct one

Cons:

-heavy brush in some areas
-signs show distance but often show a picture of the chains to the right when they are actually on the left
-all tees are pretty short with not a lot of variety of distances

Other Thoughts:

overall a decent course to practice your tactical game especially for a beginner
Was this review helpful? Yes No
11 0
FlyingSouthDG
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 14.5 years 52 played 29 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Intimidating, but Worth It! 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 18, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

- Tee boxes and baskets are in good condition.
- There is a sign at every hole (excluding #5) that displays yardage, which is helpful, but... *
- Most holes are short, but require very technical shots; it is not difficult to wind up off the fairway and behind a row of trees.
- Although the course is heavily wooded, which can be intimidating, there is little to no underbrush, making it very difficult to lose a disc.
- Course has a good flow to it. Fairways never cross and you will loop back around to the parking lot at hole #1.
- This course WILL make you get better. With tight fairways, a mix of uphill and downhill shots, and tough putting, it's very easy to learn here.
- All in all, a fun course for the intermediate/expert disc golfer, but... **

Cons:

- *... the picture displayed on each hole sign is always the same, showing a straight shot to the basket. This is not the case, so do not go off the picture on the signs.
- I am no expert on plants by any means, but there is a solid chance there may be some poison oak/ivy back in the woods in spots. Just be weary if you notice the tell tell signs.
- No benches or trash bins present on the course, but since it's only 9 holes, maybe not the biggest issue.
- No true variety of shots, I got away with a mostly par round driving only RHB.
- **... the beginning player may have difficulty playing this course, which frankly can take a lot of fun out of a round. If you are a beginning player, or have a beginner with you, in the Chattanooga area I recommend Jack Mattox Rec. Complex in Ringgold, GA.

Other Thoughts:

I have been waiting a long time to play this course. The "Heavily Wooded" symbol is nervewracking, so I put off playing here until a friend told me more about the course. It is not nearly as intimidating as the pictures make it seem; although the fairways are narrow, the holes are short, so it is easy to dig yourself out of a bad drive or approach. Also, as aforementioned, the trees may be many, but it is difficult to lose a disc here, there is little to no underbrush. I am slowly approaching the intermediate level of a disc golfer, and I walked away with 3 and then 4 over par after two round. A true intermediate player should throw just above par, and the expert might be able to walk away a couple under. I certainly recommend this course for anybody in Chattanooga who has yet to give it a try, you may be just as surprised as I was!
Was this review helpful? Yes No
4 0
Mateuis
Experience: 3.4 years 35 played 3 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Rec Center 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 2, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

Shaded
Good variety of holes
Nice baskets
Holes fairly easy to find

Cons:

Quite a few mosquitoes and spiderwebs
Hole markers do not show actual hole layout

Other Thoughts:

This is your typical wooded course. Some holes have a nice clearing to throw through and others have a few more trees. It has a nice variety of holes that require different shot types. I would advise scouting where the basket is before throwing as the hole map does not reflect the actual layout. This is a nice course to practice on and is never crowded. It kind of has a run down sort of feeling, but it is a fun course.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
2 2
ahanley89
Experience: 12.8 years 4 played 1 reviews
4.00 star(s)

great technical course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 27, 2014 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Small 9 hole course, very technical.. One of my favorite courses in the area, conveniently located off of HWY 153, right off the exit. Love the shaded woods. Played this course twice for the first time on Sunday 7/29/14..Great for the kids as well as they have the best playground i've seen around this area

Cons:

Only downfall I would say is the Hole Information signs, there is no correct description of the sign. Example: Basket is around the corner to the left.. Sign still shows the basket is on the right. This should be fixed, no other complaints

Other Thoughts:

Was less than 5 feet from Ace'ing Hole 8 and Hole 9.. Flicked hole 8 forehand style with my StarTern(171 weight) and Tomahawk'd Hole 9 with my Champion Mamba(166 weight) and should've ace'd them both.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
5 12
xbn1
Experience: 12.7 years 1 played 1 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Fun Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 15, 2013 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

I love this little course. It is somewhat technical in spots, and has some great open shots.There are a couple holes that you aren't spoon fed a birdie. There are hills for your disc to roll down, but I find it fun and an added challenge, despite some reviews.

Cons:

I can not think of a con. The pads are concrete and I have no problem with them. The signs are not anything great, but I always walk the course to see where the trees are anyway, so it isn't even a small deal to me. As far as scenery, there are mosquitoes as large as teradatul and a ton of turkeys.

Other Thoughts:

I have to disagree with all the reviews on this page, because I love this little course. It is fast and fun and gives you a variety of shots for a small 9 hole. You have straight, left, right, impossible, uphill, and downhill.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
4 3
chrishank
Experience: 15.5 years 34 played 11 reviews
3.50 star(s)

good course that is located near i75 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 19, 2011 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Convientally located of i75, no more than 5 miles. The course is set up at a rec center so there is playground for children and basketball goal in parkinglot. Also bathrooms located inside the building. The course has 9 holes, with a mixture of shots. The course also has a few mandos making it a little difficult to birdie every hole, like hole 4. Also they have been working on clearing some of the holes out like hole 3. Concrete teepads on all the holes. Excelent 9 hole course.

Cons:

The signs at each hole are generic. They do not always tell the location of the basket correctly. Only having 9 holes is also a con, but I do not think there is room to add more holes.

Other Thoughts:

This a a fairly easy course but does have its challenges. Like the few mandos and hole one, up the hill and to the left. Not difficult but does need some skill to end with a negative game.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
2 5
vidyogamer
Experience: 20.7 years 7 played 4 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Camping fun 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 19, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

Great utilization of the land available. Amazing mix of shots and elevation. Concrete tee pads on every hole with well defined fairways.

Cons:

Other park amenities in close proximity to fairways. Little bit of a litter problem on the back side of the rec. center building.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
8 0
JSurmann
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 16.2 years 76 played 28 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Pitch, Putt, Good times 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 24, 2011 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Baskets are in great condition for being here a few years. All Innova discatchers I believe. Tee pads (only 1 per hole), are all concrete and are of normal size. None are cracked and all are level. Signs are there but only give distances.

All fairways are extremely well groomed with mulch. The brush on the sides, are kept to a minimum. The 9 holes make a great loop and you end up where you started at.

Even though this is a short course (average 216' holes) elevation comes into play on every one. Holes 1 and 2 play uphill and make for longer shots than they appear. Hyzers and anhyzers are required to do extremely well on this course. Trees come into play as well on every hole.

A few holes have mandatories which makes this short course a bit more challenging.

Plenty of parking is available here 50+ spots, not that I have ever seen it have more than 10 cars there. It is at a youth recreation center so most traffic will be in and out of the building. A playground is on site so bring the family.

Cons:

The signs are a bit lacking as others have said. Too much money was spent for them to be so generic. No benches are out there either. Occasionally a large group of people will be out there but not too often

Other Thoughts:

This is known as "The Sinks" little sister course. I play this 2 times a week usually so I claim this to be my home course.

Signature hole: Probably Hole #8. Straight from the tee, downhill 210', between 2 mandos and into a grove of mature trees. Plenty of ace opportunity here.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
4 1
JohnnyWang
Experience: 14.3 years 45 played 4 reviews
3.50 star(s)

great little used course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 3, 2011 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

love this course(and hate as always;) )good variety of throws needed, nice hills, good double chain baskets, free, concrete tees, a few holes need accuracy, fear of radiation is always a good thing....close to highway, mulch on the trails, have NEVER had to wait on a group and have played countless times! plenty of parking except on election day.and most importantly-no sinks snobs! you see more gentle hippies and city dwellers if you catch my drift

chatt town's less known basket haven

Cons:

no long holes......

...only nine baskets? not too much bad to say about it other than the signs leave some to be desires and the trash on the holes the rec center users are on or nearby.

Other Thoughts:

bring the baskets from carver over here and make it an 18!

please! if there is room up the hill there....or we could always commandeer one of the cemeterys
Was this review helpful? Yes No
3 0
omightytimm
Experience: 19 played 12 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Nice course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 4, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

Somewhat good variety, with mix of straights, slight doglegs, and one or two larger doglegs, in each direction. They also appear to be doing strategic thinning of brush and small trees, which is a good thing (both that they're doing it, and they're not doing too much of it).

Cons:

Maybe a little small and compact, though this is probably due to space constraints.

Other Thoughts:

A nice little course that works well with the space they have. The signage could be better, wasn't always clear where the pins were from the tees, and the uphill/downhill variety meant that you couldn't always see them from the tees.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
3 2
RICKY BOBBY
Experience: 18.6 years 47 played 4 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Short course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 3, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

It's free.
It's not crowded.
A variety of shots needed to ace the holes.
Ample parking.

Cons:

It's 9 holes.
No place to practice really.

Other Thoughts:

Just a basic course. I wish they'd add another 9 holes, but overall, a decent place to play if you're in the area. I wouldn't drive more than a half hour to play it.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
3 1
TreeBurner
Experience: 15.4 years 7 played 5 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Improved 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 16, 2010 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Mulch throughout keeps the course dry even after a recent rain. Some work has been done to the course recently and now all the teepads are concrete. Putting is challenging at Shepard because most of the baskets are on some sort of slope. There are a few nice ace runs on this course too! #7, in particular, will have a beginner thinking they're about to bang the chains.

Cons:

Not a very scenic course because of the nearby rec center and roads. Only 9 holes. Extremely hilly.

Other Thoughts:

There is a shiny new fence next to the tee on #5 that nearly castrated me during an attempt to rescue a bad drive, so beware.

Trees!
Was this review helpful? Yes No
7 0
craigd
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 16.3 years 182 played 120 reviews
2.50 star(s)

The Sink's little sister 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 26, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

This is a very nice, predominantly wooded nine hole course. Concrete tees, signs and newer baskets are all here. Besides being very short, there is a great mix of holes with left, right, and strait shots. The woods and some drop offs beyond the fairway added to the challenge. A little elevation also comes into play as well. Overall, with the exception of hole 7, the course requires a fair amount of accuracy and finesse. There are abundant ace and birdie opportunities as well. The course flows well and is easy to navigate.

The course is pretty clean and I felt pretty safe although the recreation center was empty when I visited.

Cons:

The signs are disappointing. What I mean is that someone spent a lot of time and money for them but instead of actually mapping out the individual fairways, it just has the same old picture of a tee pad, trees, and a basket. After playing a few holes you realize that the fairways are not mapped at all. It's just a generic design repeated on every sign. Hole distance and numbers are there and they seemed accurate though. The baskets were hard to spot in the woods and could use some flags.

Those who dislike short holes will be disappointed.

Other Thoughts:

This is a very enjoyable little course in the metro Chattanooga area. I was surprised at how much I liked this course. I just expected another boring nine hole course. Don't let the shortness fool you, the twos are not all gimmie's. However, I do think if you are a local or play here often enough it would be easily mastered though.. Some alt pin positions could be used to help solve burnout as far as that goes.

I believe it is worth a trip to play while you're in the area. It's like the Sink's little sister. It makes a good warm up course if you are trying to hit both of them in one trip. Enjoy!
Was this review helpful? Yes No
5 0
ShopTom.com
Experience: 16.4 years 33 played 15 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Introduction to wooded 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 27, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

Concrete tees, challenges your mid range shot selection, easy to follow course flow, even a bad shot off the fairway gives you a chance to advance instead of justing tossing it back to the fairway, plus Melinda Gordon might stop by.

Cons:

Some steep drop offs for bad shots, no distance signs/map, the trees moved between rounds to mess up my game.

Other Thoughts:

This was our introduction to a wooded course and we had a good time. The narrow fairways added difficulty without being overly intimidating. We will be back, and soon!
Was this review helpful? Yes No
5 1
Part-Time Ninja
Experience: 18.8 years 54 played 14 reviews
3.00 star(s)

We have concrete 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 18, 2009 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Great use of the land available!!! For just being a 9 hole course they did a great job.
Concrete tees. Variety of throws technical enough to make up for the short course. nice baskets. Clean

Cons:

length
9 holes

Other Thoughts:

As everyone I love a course that truly works every throw in your bag but for a 9 hole short course this was great. Must play if you live in the area. Or like me I work up here once a month.....its great.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
9 0
Fender088
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 17.4 years 25 played 25 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Shepherd Rec Center 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Mar 18, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Another course to add to the Chattanooga flying disc scene. Great use of the land and lots of elevation changes. The course has a very wooded and technical feel. Although it's only 9 holes, you feel like you've played more because of the distance and all of the hills. All of the baskets are in great condition and it looks like the developers are going to lay concrete in the tee box areas soon. I really liked that I got to throw up hills, down hills, and a few flat and open shots. Variation is key.

Cons:

Although things look ready for concrete to be poured, the task has yet to be done. This makes it very inconvenient when the best spot to tee of from for each hole is virtually unusable. I either had to shorten my run up or throw side arm. Also, the are no signs so I had to walk ahead of each hole to see what direction the hole was in. The course also crosses a walking path on a few holes. This isn't a huge problem because there usually aren't that many people out, but it is something to be aware of. I also found the course to be a little difficult to find from the directions posted. The first tee is located near the road to the far left of the Rec Center.

Other Thoughts:

Like I said, just another course to add to the bag of courses popping up around Chattanooga. Not as good as The Sinks, but a good technically challenging course none the less. Very similar to The Sinks, in that most holes have a tight fairway with trees on either side. Hole 6 is a great opportunity to let your mid range coast down a large hill.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
2 3
wi2ny05
Experience: 27.4 years 200 played 13 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Nice course with potential 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 11, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

Develiping course with, as others have noted, no tee pads poured yet. Easy to find your way through and though it's not long, it challenges even the more experienced player.

Cons:

Not finished yet and a little shorter than other courses. #4 appears to double back on itself in order to get to the tee for 5.

Other Thoughts:

I love the inclusion of the "next tee" arrows to the pole holes.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
Top