Glenn Hilton - Hickory, NC...

[TripleB]

I'm not sure how many people here live in NC or play the Glenn Hilton Disc Golf Course (24 holes) here in Hickory, NC, but I wanted to let you know that it is probably going to be closed for a good while...I would guess weeks if not longer.

A line of severe thunderstorms and tornadoes came through the area late yesterday afternoon and I believe the Glenn Hilton Park area took a direct hit.

I have not seen the course first hand yet, but according to several veteran players the disc golf course was "destroyed, with only a couple holes that are actually playable." If you've played Glenn Hilton you know that about 22 out of the 24 holes are heavily wooded. I have been told that there are "100s of trees down throughout the course."

Some schools in the area are closed today, power lines down, tens of thousands without power, trees across roads, etc. So the park is not on the priority list (nor should it be) so the reconstruction of the course probably won't happen for a while.

I'll try to keep you updated as I found out information but I wanted to make sure to let anyone who might be traveling to play this course that it is currently closed.

TripleB

 

[_MTL_]

Best to the UFO club.

We had a Hurricane destroy Cedar Hills in 1997. It actually created a new fairway and allowed us to make a longer tee on a hole.

It takes time and effort, but if there is any club that can do it, its the UFO.

 

[pmay5]

Best to the UFO club.

We had a Hurricane destroy Cedar Hills in 1997. It actually created a new fairway and allowed us to make a longer tee on a hole.

It takes time and effort, but if there is any club that can do it, its the UFO.

Please tell, I'm always interested in the history of the courses.
What holes at Cedar Hills were affected?
opcorn:

 

[_MTL_]

Please tell, I'm always interested in the history of the courses.
What holes at Cedar Hills were affected?
opcorn:

Cedar original layout:

1 - Short Pin

2 - Pin was about 70 foot short of the current short pin. The small ditch about 30 feet short of the pin was actually about 40 feet past the pin.

3 - same

4 - same

5 - same

6 - The gap you throw to the right of was completely blocked. The shot would have been dead straight down the gap and the hole was only about 180 feet. However, the shot was a L to R between the trees you likely throw to the right of currently (gap opened during Fran.)

7 - Originally, was to the left of the lake in the grassy area. However, the current hole has been there since the mid 90s.

8 and 9 - originally, just hole 8 existed. After 8, you walked to what is now 10 (this is why the transition from 8 to 9 is a little funky). Then, RADL added the tee and left pin for hole 9 to have an open hole on the course. These holes were, pre Fran, 8A and 8B. This is also why the transition from 7 to 9 is pretty easy.

10 - same, just used to be 9.

11 - same, just used to be 10.

From this point on, the course was completely different than it is now. Easiest way to explain is to use original hole numbers and compare to current holes.

11 - teed from current 12 long tee. Pin was about 150 feet short of the current pin. Dead straight.

12 - teed where the group of small branchless trees are short left of the 12's current pin. The hole played down the walkway from 12 - 13 (another explanation of a weird transition). There was two fairways, a straight to finish right (current walkway to 13) and a R to L RHBH hyzer. When you play 12 now, you sometimes yank it right, get through everything and get a putt from about 60 feet. That open area is where this side fairway was.

13 - Played up current hole 14 and was the hardest hole on the course. You teed from the bottom of the hill behind 14s pin and the basket was about 50 feet short of the current tee from 14.

14 - teed from the bathrooms and played perpendicular to 13's green and threw down to where the short tee of 12 is now towards the parking lot. Basket was in those group of 3 or4 trees on the right side of 12s short tee.

15 - played in 13s fairway in reverse. The last gap before approaching 13s pin was the tee (remember, there was 14s fairway behind you). The shot played down 13 and the pin was at the edge of the hill on 13s current fairway. This hole played very similar to current 14.

16 - the pin was very close to 15s current pin, but back left in the grouping of trees. from 15s pin, look back towards 13s current tee and you will a fairway wide open gap. hole was only about 180, but the left side of the fairway was OB.

17 - the pin was in the same place as the current 17s pin, however, the walkway from 17 to Long 18 was the fairway. You teed near where 18s tee currently is and threw up the hill as a turnover. It was MUCH more open than it currently is.

18 - After 17, you basically walked to where 17s tee currently is. The hole teed from there and threw to 16s current pin and once again, explains a weird transition to 17 and why you are right by hole 1. It was a RHBH turnover and was very tricky on that hillside.

Fran completely destroyed hole 16's current fairway and teeing area. Obviously, there was nothing disc golf there at the time. The idea to put in a long tee for original 18 came up.
Also, 6 was super easy with no longer needing to go through the trees so that needed to be changed. 2 opened up a lot too (you can see a lot of stumps between the old pin and current short pin).

The area of the course where 15 16 and 18 were was really messed up and created the ability to extend the course.

When old 11 (current 12) was lengthened to the current pin, we lost old hole 12, which made the need to play both 8A and 8B necessary.

 

[spahnandsain]

Any updates on Glenn Hilton? What holes are messed up?

 

[DiscGolfCraig]

Played the Bear 3 weeks ago. According to the locals, thousands of trees were knocked down in the park. There's a good chance course is gone for good and may join the RIP club.

 

[Mushin No Shin]

I got to play Glenn C once. Fantastic place for a DGC! Besides Sugaree, was my favorite course during a Charlotte trip

Sad to hear this news

 

[BrotherDave]

Played the Bear 3 weeks ago. According to the locals, thousands of trees were knocked down in the park. There's a good chance course is gone for good and may join the RIP club.

That sucks. It was a really fun wooded course.

 

[DiscGolfCraig]

That sucks. It was a really fun wooded course.

Yup. Always felt RL Smith was Charlotte's version of (or tribute to) Hilton. Couldn't replicate the original.

 

[Sintonics]

I walked the course two days ago, hole 2-3 are gone. We played 4-11 I'd say and we're fine but then I believe it was 12-13 maybe 14 were also wrecked so we just walked the course out and it seemed like most of the end holes were ok to play. Just some random trees across the fairways but crossable. I actually joined here today to let people know. They are working on it though it's just happening slower for the course because the play grounds and the board walk and bridges are the parks priority I'm sure.

 

[Docxen]

3 is still there it's up on a hill 2 is gone and where i lost a roller disc i wasn't ready for anyway didn't make it as far as 11 (fat and lazy)