Overall, The Claytons is a very nice course. I had a blast and will probably play the course again if I'm ever around Knoxville in the future. The multiple permanent pins allow for a lot of variety and you can mix and match baskets as you please to play exactly the layout you want at any time. The course is definitely not championship level difficulty, more like a tough intermediate to advanced level course as most, but the quality of the design and the (generally) very good maintenance and condition of the course makes it feel championship worthy. I'm very torn between 3.5 and 4.0. A 3.75 is really the perfect rating for this course. Though, I feel that there is just good stuff going on and the fun factor is high enough to go with the 4.0.
At the time of my writing the two most recent reviews seem to paint a picture of a course that's nearly a dumpster fire and that's just not the case in anyway whatsoever. The few people I ran into the morning I played all said they think the course is great, including one who told me it's the best course in the Knoxville metro. Maybe the most recent reviews are just a case of a vocal minority, or maybe that was the people I ran into on the course, but I digress. Either way, I greatly enjoyed the course and highly recommend a stop at it if you are in the area.
If you don't have time to play both layouts, or only wish to play one round, during your visit this is my (Lefty, max distance just over 400ft, and forehand only good out to about 250ft) recommendation for the most fun pins to play;
Hole 1 - long: Tricky tee shot, tight dogleg right, then steep uphill to the basket.
hole 2 - long: Steep downhill, plays maybe like 250ft, small creek behind basket but no lost disc worries.
Hole 3 - short: Sharp dogleg right, basically a forced LHBH/RHFH. Bigger gap on the left, very hard to get to the circle; small risky gap on the right for a more direct line.
Hole 4 - long: Straight, slight finish left, a little downhill with fairway sloping left to right.
Hole 5 - short: Simple soft left to right shape, elevated basket.
Hole 6 - long: Downhill, short par 4 (maybe should be a par 3, but I digress). Great eagle opportunity for longer throwers, pretty hard to bogey without an early tree hit.
Hole 7 - short: Straight, deuce or die.
Hole 8 - any: Both pins very steep downhill. Short is mostly straight, long is to the right and blind.
Hole 9 - short: Long open par 3. My only birdie during my round on the shorts. -_-
Hole 10 - any: Both basically the same shot, one a bit left one straight, straight one is slightly longer.
Hole 11 - any: Same shot, long is just longer. Maybe play short so you don't grey ace the short while trying to throw to the long like I did. LUL
Hole 12 - long: Good, open par 4. Needs a well placed tee shot to be able to stay clear of the woods on the left during the approach. Basket on a small ridge.
Hole 13 - long: Short par 4, downhill, tight landing zone for average power players. Another possible eagle for (very) long throwers. Rough is thick, most technical hole on the back (excluding the aforementioned long pad on 15)
Hole 14 - long: Another short par 4 and uphill with a blind tee shot. Basket in the tree line on the hillside.
Hole 15 - short: Little RHBH/LHFH pitch hyzer. Deuce or die.
Hole 16 - long: Long-ish crescent shape par 4. 500ft if you throw straight at it over the prairie grass, two well placed 325ft shots will have you parked if you stay in the short stuff.
Hole 17 - long: A bit uphill and long, but a par 5. Pretty easy eagle for anyone who consistently throws 400+. I short armed my second shot and had a 50 footer for eagle, missed it, of course.
Hole 18 - short: Perfectly framed up basket from the tee, throw down the middle or over the top. 400ft, downhill, probably plays 350ish.