Pros:
+ Some of the most interesting elevation I have ever thrown, starting from the first hole and continuing as a theme to the final hole. I loved watching my discs glide for an unreal amount of time before fading and touching the ground. It was a very unique experience throwing from such elevated tees so frequently. Nearly every single hole features drastic elevation changes, whether it's the long, downhill bombers like #2 and #12, the short but incredibly steep downhill #8, or the steep uphill finishing hole #18.
+ Tricky pin placements. Most pins were situated on some sort of hill or tucked in a corner of trees. This adds a lot to the risk / reward of the design and helped keep things interesting. In particular I recall throwing a massive rip on #2, then flicking my upshot too high. The result was a missed birdie due to the elevation in play on my putt, which would have been simple were the basket on flat ground. #5 and #10 also has a very nice pin placement, placed on the right side of the fairway hidden behind some trees on sloped ground. I had no issues with roll-aways.
+ Shorter holes help balance The Rock's offerings. Five out of 18 holes are shorter, more typical disc golf length holes. #3, #6, #8, #13 and #18 help add diversity to the course. Sprinkling shorter holes between the multiple 1000'+ holes was a wise design choice that gives the player a chance to relax between max distance rips.
+ Accurate pars. I had to work for birdies, but they never felt out of my reach. If I messed up an approach, I was not rewarded with a birdie, but rather had to shoot for par.
+ Navigation is an absolute breeze with the provided maps and scorecards. No way to get lost with the clearly marked tees and golf cart track running through the course. The Maps provided at the club house accurately depicted each hole's fairway and pin placement, and I was never left wondering where to throw on blind doglegs.
+ Flags on top of the baskets help the player gauge the wind. This is a feature I wish more disc golf courses adopted.
+ Absolutely gorgeous property. It was a beautiful Saturday morning when I played, and the sun shining on the water while I overlooked #2's massive fairway is a sight I will not soon forget. The level of maintenance here far surpasses your typical city course, much less your average private course.
+ The most positive experience I've had at a private course to date. The owners were incredibly friendly, very informative, and exceptionally accommodating. Frank's passion for what he's doing with his course was obvious to me through my conversations with him before and after my round. He provided me with maps, discussed things to look out for on the course, and even offered me a couple of cold water bottles to take on the road to the next course I played. I have never felt more welcome at a private disc golf course, and this alone motivates me to return.
+ Getting to use golf carts was a unique experience that increased my enjoyment of the round. It was my first time using carts for disc golf. Normally I'm the type that enjoys a good, rugged hike while I play, but that wouldn't work on a shared use facility with ball golfers using carts. The benefit is that after my round my legs were as fresh as they are after playing a pitch and putt 9 hole course, despite The Rock being over 12,000' long from the tees I played.
+ Beer is available at the pro shop. It's not very often you get to drive around in a golf cart and legally drink beer during a round of disc golf. I stuck to water myself since I planned to throw different courses until sunset, but it's a nice option to have.
+ The best interactions I've seen between disc golf and ball golf. There were numerous golf groups out on the course, and two or three other disc golf groups. Everyone got along and at no point did I feel second class. We all shared the same tees and fairways, with the greens for each golf type ending in different areas of each hole. My first experience throwing discs on a shared use golf course was at Mulligan Springs in Kent, Ohio. It was made very clear to me at that course that I was to let any ball golfers take priority over my experience, and they've since removed disc golf from their property completely. At The Rock there were times I offered to let a ball golf group play a head of me since I was filming my round and taking my time, and more often than not they'd decline. Everyone was very relaxed and out to enjoy their weekend, and I never got the slightest hint of elitism.
Cons:
- Too long for beginner level players in my opinion. I think someone who throws under 350' would find the course less enjoyable than someone who can throw further. That being said, I think they could still enjoy the huge downhill rips, but they might feel a little overwhelmed. At 12,476' from the longs and over 10,000' from the shorts, The Rock is a beast of a course.
- There is little in the way of technical, wooded gaps to hit. The challenge comes from managing elevation & wind primarily, as well as understanding how to setup your second shot with drive placement from the tee. That's not to say it's completely wide open...if you turn your drive over off one of the elevated tees or throw with too much hyzer your disc could easily fly straight into the tree line...but there are very few obstacles in the center of the fairways.
- The stone tee signs, as beautiful as they are, relate to the ball golf course only. There are maps provided that provide all the necessary information a disc golfer needs, it's just a shame the the most attractive tee signs I've seen to date did not apply to my style of golf.
Other Thoughts:
The Rock is a beautiful, unique experience that left me completely satisfied. I think as long as you know what to expect, i.e. long drives on ball golf style terrain, you'll feel the same. If you want 250-350' technical wooded holes, North Carolina has that in spades. What The Rock offers is something you won't find at many other courses.
Between the epic holes, gorgeous views and remarkable hospitality, I have zero hesitation recommending this as a destination to anyone interested in this style of course.
Frank mentioned another layout he'd like to use for tournament play, one that is more difficult than the layout I played. I would love to try it out someday!
The gold tees at The Rock were easily one of my most memorable disc golfing experiences, and I look forward to playing it again some day soon.