Pros:
Union Academy offers a fun, wooded layout on-campus. This may be a school course, but it's not just for the kids.
- I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of this course. It's 90% the level of Scrapyard in terms of challenge and length, meaning you'll see some birdie runs here.
- Majority of holes are in the mid-range length. 10 are listed between 200 - 299 feet, with another (#2) also in that range (tee sign overstates the length) and another at 198 feet (#7). Throw in the shortest hole - #13 at 169 feet - and you can be throwing putter or mid-range off the tee most of the course. That's a bonus on some of the tighter fairways.
- Excellent variety in hole design. Course takes advantage of the elevation, with two of the most daunting approach shots being downhills with water behind the basket - #3 & 18. Two other holes take advantage of the water - #4 & 12 - with the former playing over a pond and the latter having a creek running to the left of the fairway. You have one chance to unleash a big drive on #17 in case you've felt too confined up to that point.
- Course alternates between encouraging smart, safe tee shots and aggressive, go-for-broke shots. #2 & 8 are ace runs. Holes such as #16 have tight fairways where you're better off landing in the fairway and getting an up-and-down par 3.
- Course is easy to navigate. Even with trails interweaving the course, and leaves on the ground, I had no problem finding the next hole.
- Excellent tee signs. Very descriptive pictures of the layouts including bridges, water, and trails. If you need help navigating, signs show the direction (which I never noticed until uploading photos).
Cons:
Course drains poorly in parts. I played nine days after the most recent rain. Getting to and from #4's tee I had to walk through mud and around standing water. Exceptionally muddy around holes #13 - 15 and 18. Based on earlier course updates, these areas take a long time to dry out.
- Course has some low stumps and roots that can pose as tripping hazards. I'm hopeful they'll be addressed as the course is broken in.
- There are no benches or trash cans on the course. You're on school property so pack out your trash. Don't jeopardize access to the course with ignorance.
- There wasn't an obvious transition from #18 back to the parking lot. I backtracked up #18's fairway and along the school building back to the parking lot.
- Course felt like it's missing a signature hole. #4 or 18 could be that with their proximity to the water; however, #4 is a simple par 3, and #18's challenge seems in part to poor drainage.
Other Thoughts:
Union Academy is a good overall course. It's in the running for the second-best course in Union County behind Dry Creek. Being outside of the jurisdiction of the CDGC, it may get lost in the shuffle.
- Course was very new when I played it. Over time, it will be interesting to see how much attention and upkeep it gets. If it's properly maintained, this will be a fun weekend play.
- I played the course with only three discs, the three junk discs I always carry in my truck. None is a go-to disc. That said, I still shoot reasonably well here - several birdies and no bad blow-up holes. Experienced players are going to have a field day. That said, the course will play differently when leaves are on the trees.
- This is an excellent compliment to Dry Creek. This feels like a course designed for disc golfers, not a disc golf course aimed only at beginners, a la Creekside Park in Indian Trail. Time and effort were put into the design and flow of this course, which I can't say about Creekside.
- Maybe because of some of the other courses in the area, my expectations were low. Instead, I found a quasi-hidden gem in Union Academy. This is slightly above average, comparable to many courses in my 3.0 range. It's worth a visit for players in the area.