Pros:
- Terrain: A disc golf course on a ball golf course has its given pros and cons, but a definite pro here at The Pasture is the terrain. The course has a good balance of flat, uphill, and downhill shots, with even the blind tee or blind approach once in a while. The course is fairly well manicured by way of the ball golf fairways and greens, and you will have to work around a good bit of trees and the occasional water hazard.
- Baskets: Big thanks to Will for getting top of the line baskets in place here at Tunnel Hill. Lime green Prodigy baskets are set, all of which still look and play brand new. Although I think a lot about color when picking out discs, I never really considered it for baskets, but the lime green band and cage really do catch the eye.
- Hole Length: Although The Pasture may be described as a "bomber" course, there really is a decent mix of hole length throughout. The first hole may require back-to-back distance drivers (especially for players like me), but just two holes later you're looking at a 250 ft. shot off the tee that's going to have to fly straight the entire time or else wind up in a tree.
- Aesthetic: As with many courses in the southern Tennessee to north Georgia area, The Pasture DGC is aesthetically very pleasing. It's on a decent piece of land surrounded trees on most all sides, so you feel a little closed off from the rest of the world once you get past the first few holes. Visually speaking, it's a beautiful course to play.
- Challenge/Difficulty: If you've read any of my other reviews, you'll know that the ability of a course to challenge its players is always a topic I discuss. Whether it's like The Pasture and asks for a sprinkle of technical play on top of your field work entree, or a wooded 18 where you're at risk of crushing low-grade plastic on the first tree available, I love courses that really ask you think and ultimately help you become a better golfer.
Cons:
- Shot Selection: Although I did try to give the course some credit in the aforementioned "Hole Length" section, it doesn't take away that The Pasture really is a hyzer-fest. I got away with a par round, but if you've got the arm for it you can grab your fastest discs and run just about every long putt for birdie. For someone who may want to get in practice with slower speed discs or work on more technical play with both backhand and forehand, this course may not be right for you.
- Practice Basket & Warm-up Area: Simply put, the only way to get on the cons section with this item is if there is no practice basket or warm-up area like a practice hole or driving range. And that's exactly the case here, you exit the clubhouse and get straight onto hole 1.
- Tee Boxes: This might be the biggest area of opportunity for The Pasture DGC. As it stands currently, each hole's "tee box" is a small tee sign low to the ground and a block of wood with the Prodigy logo to designate the front corners of the tee. I understand that the course is right beside a ball golf course, so it limits the materials that can be used, but a turf tee box would be a major and immediate improvement to this course.
- Signage: As mentioned in the tee box section, there really isn't much signage as far as the holes themselves go. As you'll find in the "Media" tab on the courses page, the tee signs are low to the ground and offer the usual shot shape line and the distance. There are a couple "Next Tee" signs throughout the course, but not a sufficient amount to keep you from getting a little lost going from hole to hole.
- Crowd: Not as big a negative as the others on this list, the crowd will just come with the usual amount of ball golfers that come through and play. I went on a Saturday morning and to my surprise the courses were rather empty. Perhaps I just got lucky and caught it at the right time, but for the most part just be mindful of not only other disc golfers playing around you, but the ball golfers as well both playing and on carts nearby.
- Flow: This might be my second-biggest qualm with The Pasture. Although some baskets lead you rather nicely up to the next tee, at least half leave you scratching your head after putting wondering where to go next. Some signs that help guide you through the course and some maps to keep in your bag while you play would again be a pretty simple and immediate improvement to the course.
- One Tee & One Basket: This final item is just as it reads, there is one tee and one basket per hole. On one hand, that's really all that's required, but on the other it does keep this course from having two things, (1) more appeal to beginners and (2) more variety to keep disc golfer interested and coming back. Some beginner-level players may see the distances and be turned away, plus others who do come will be able to solve the course rather quickly because of the minimal technical play. The baskets are already top-tier, so I would recommend starting with improving the current tee boxes then using the same material to input a second tee on each hole.
Other Thoughts:
If I could give The Pasture a rating for its potential, it would probably be somewhere around 4.0. Between a clubhouse, a golf course that should be well manicured, and plenty of opportunities for signage and tee pads, this course may need a new review in a couple years. Unfortunately, at least for the time being, there are just too many negatives that keep this course from being more than average. Being from the Chattanooga area, I will continue to play a little closer to home for now, but I do look forward to coming back to Tunnel Hill and trying The Pasture DGC again in a year or two.