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Upward Elementary School reviews
12
0
Almost More Open Than Ocho Cinco and Terrell With An Entire Defense on Injured Reserve
Reviewed:
Updated:
Played on:Jun 16, 2024
Played the course:once
Pros:
-There was a nice amount of space available to put in 18 holes at an Elementary School. The first eleven play toward the front of the school while #12-18 play behind the building. For such an open course, there is a great variety of fairways with different shot shaping requirements and some holes with height requirements.
-Interesting height requirements for a couple holes. #2 is only 195' and slightly uphill. It's open, but the basket is directly behind a tree, further behind is the parking lot, making for a tricky short hole. You could throw low and have a tough birdie putt, or you could throw a putter high and have it filter throw some tree limbs and have the flight slow down as you reach the green. #13 is a very low ceiling off the tee since you tee off directly under a tree. So there's a hole you want to throw higher on, and a hole you want to stay low on.
-It's one of those more superior school courses. It's definitely too hard for kids (even though #12 and #16 some could probably birdie). It's a par 55 intermediate level course. Average length of the par threes is 282' and the 18th hole is the lone par four sitting at 540'. There are three par threes under 200' and two that are over 400'. #10 is without question the hardest hole. 454' par three down a line of trees through a double mando. Hole is slightly downhill, but still being a full rip that is risky to go for. There is a sidewalk into play that you tee off on the tee right of, but the basket is on the lefthand side of the sidewalk. #5 is also over 400'. It's much less difficult than #10 because there's no mando and barely over 400', but the basket on this one is elevated! Elevated baskets can be tough in the open, especially if there's wind.
-Mack has been working diligently with the progress of Upward. Tee signs had just been installed. Course was playable beforehand, since it was marked on U disc, but often times through the U disc map, it'll say you are right on the tee box, but the pad may be 30' away from where you are standing. Tee signs eliminate that issue.
-Personally, I love the first hole. Starts off very nicely with a tough downhill par three next to the OB road. There is a mando pointing to the right on a telephole pole near the tee pad that prohibits the wide flick or the power turnover option from left to right. It increases the likelihood of staying in bounds, but there is still risk in going OB long over the road, since the road is in play past the basket, or you could hyzer out too quickly and go OB left. It's about 380' and down roughly 20', so for many players it's a difficult call on whether to throw a mid, or fairway. It's an open hole, but will leave you feeling good if you birdie it.
-Interesting height requirements for a couple holes. #2 is only 195' and slightly uphill. It's open, but the basket is directly behind a tree, further behind is the parking lot, making for a tricky short hole. You could throw low and have a tough birdie putt, or you could throw a putter high and have it filter throw some tree limbs and have the flight slow down as you reach the green. #13 is a very low ceiling off the tee since you tee off directly under a tree. So there's a hole you want to throw higher on, and a hole you want to stay low on.
-It's one of those more superior school courses. It's definitely too hard for kids (even though #12 and #16 some could probably birdie). It's a par 55 intermediate level course. Average length of the par threes is 282' and the 18th hole is the lone par four sitting at 540'. There are three par threes under 200' and two that are over 400'. #10 is without question the hardest hole. 454' par three down a line of trees through a double mando. Hole is slightly downhill, but still being a full rip that is risky to go for. There is a sidewalk into play that you tee off on the tee right of, but the basket is on the lefthand side of the sidewalk. #5 is also over 400'. It's much less difficult than #10 because there's no mando and barely over 400', but the basket on this one is elevated! Elevated baskets can be tough in the open, especially if there's wind.
-Mack has been working diligently with the progress of Upward. Tee signs had just been installed. Course was playable beforehand, since it was marked on U disc, but often times through the U disc map, it'll say you are right on the tee box, but the pad may be 30' away from where you are standing. Tee signs eliminate that issue.
-Personally, I love the first hole. Starts off very nicely with a tough downhill par three next to the OB road. There is a mando pointing to the right on a telephole pole near the tee pad that prohibits the wide flick or the power turnover option from left to right. It increases the likelihood of staying in bounds, but there is still risk in going OB long over the road, since the road is in play past the basket, or you could hyzer out too quickly and go OB left. It's about 380' and down roughly 20', so for many players it's a difficult call on whether to throw a mid, or fairway. It's an open hole, but will leave you feeling good if you birdie it.
Cons:
-There's some blandness to it. Few wide-open holes that could be thought of as mundane. #4 and #5 are wide open. #8 is over a hump across the running track, but it is still pretty much wide open. #11 and #12 are short, and very short and open without much distinctiveness. #15 through #18 all have different shapes to them, but they aren't entirely memorable. They have little to no elevation. #15 and #16 have a little elevation, but they are both short and right in front of you. You don't see anything but fields aside from #7.
-It's pretty flat. Most holes have very minimal elevation.
-While I enjoyed this hole and think it's a nice narrow wooded hole (in fact the only legit wooded hole). #7 could have some serious overgrowth issues. Was a bit messy when I played, and it has poison ivy which could be a perennial problem.
-A few of the holes have you teeing off on the road (#6, #13) maybe a couple others. Some others have you teeing off right next to it. Not much of a safety concern, I'll make that clear, but it does get old.
-It's pretty flat. Most holes have very minimal elevation.
-While I enjoyed this hole and think it's a nice narrow wooded hole (in fact the only legit wooded hole). #7 could have some serious overgrowth issues. Was a bit messy when I played, and it has poison ivy which could be a perennial problem.
-A few of the holes have you teeing off on the road (#6, #13) maybe a couple others. Some others have you teeing off right next to it. Not much of a safety concern, I'll make that clear, but it does get old.
Other Thoughts:
-Parking may be confusing for the first time. The parking lot I found was small and directly behind the bus parking area. I initially thought that it was bus parking only so I drove further down the road (where #12-18 are) and came up emptyhanded. I parked in the spots in front of the school.
-Course is nice for casual rounds and has some cool holes. But it was mostly flat and very open. I like Mack's design at Flat Rock Middle better since there's a little more elevation, more distance requirements, and more uniqueness to it. I think Mack did an outstanding job with what he had, and having known Mack for five years, I know he would've designed an awesome course if he had more land and terrain to work with. I think he did the best he could with what was offered. There was barely enough room for eighteen. There may be a lot of pros and there might not be many cons, it's just that the blandness is pretty persistent.
-Another hole I enjoyed was #14. I liked the use of the green under the big pine trees (I think they were pines but I seriously don't remember). Basket is hard to spot from the tee due to being in a dark spot just behind a tree. Tee off into the open and watch it fade out into the dark! This is one of the highlights to the course and a possible signature hole. There were a lot more pine trees on this one and many were in play on the right-hand side. Very fair hole being right at 300' with a lot of danger.
-No tee pads for now. Just a heads up. Natural pads are tougher but still being very new, this is to be expected. I don't know if they will come or not, since a lot of school courses that I have played in the past did not have tee pads.
-Course is nice for casual rounds and has some cool holes. But it was mostly flat and very open. I like Mack's design at Flat Rock Middle better since there's a little more elevation, more distance requirements, and more uniqueness to it. I think Mack did an outstanding job with what he had, and having known Mack for five years, I know he would've designed an awesome course if he had more land and terrain to work with. I think he did the best he could with what was offered. There was barely enough room for eighteen. There may be a lot of pros and there might not be many cons, it's just that the blandness is pretty persistent.
-Another hole I enjoyed was #14. I liked the use of the green under the big pine trees (I think they were pines but I seriously don't remember). Basket is hard to spot from the tee due to being in a dark spot just behind a tree. Tee off into the open and watch it fade out into the dark! This is one of the highlights to the course and a possible signature hole. There were a lot more pine trees on this one and many were in play on the right-hand side. Very fair hole being right at 300' with a lot of danger.
-No tee pads for now. Just a heads up. Natural pads are tougher but still being very new, this is to be expected. I don't know if they will come or not, since a lot of school courses that I have played in the past did not have tee pads.
