- Shot Selection: I really want to give 9 on Top credit where I can, and despite the short distance on almost every hole, this course does require that you get creative with your shot selection to hit gaps. I've VERY predominately RHBH, with a workable tomahawk thrown in, but I had to throw forehand, patent pending scrambles, and overhands.

- Practice Basket: Not much to say here, there is one practice basket to the left of the pavilion just before hole #1. For some reason, perhaps cost, the practice basket is the only one that isn't a Discraft Chainstar.

- Surrounding Area: As you're driving along atop Signal Mountain, it's easy to see you're in a safe and fun place. There is a grocery store and a couple restaurants before you get to the parking lot, then a large playground and pavilion, thus all in all the surrounding area makes for a fun trip.

- Accuracy vs. Distance: Although the overall challenge of the course will be discussed later in the "cons," 9 on Top does a good job of balancing the lack of distance with a heightened need for accuracy. Personally, as a guy with a small arm who loves hitting gaps, this is a plus for me, but if you're someone who prefers more of a golf course feel then this may not be for you.

- Crowd: Lastly, other than some children and their families at play in the nearby playground, I did not see another person at all for 8 of the 9 holes.

- Terrain: This course is a HIKE. Given that this was my first time playing and the chance of losing a disc was high, I decided to walk the course before playing. That was a mistake. By the time I got back to tee #1, I was tired. Where this really becomes a "con" is simply that, for those with mobility issues this course may be unplayable altogether.

- Tee Boxes & Signage: Starting with the tee boxes, although they are a nice turf, they are unfortunately shorter than the average tee and do not drain water well. It has been a couple days since it rained here and the turf tee boxes were very soft. Also, hole #2 was missing a tee completely! Regarding tee signs, for the holes that have signs they are actually very nice! Not the most informative, but they absolutely do the job. Sadly, the sign for hole #7 was missing.

- Baskets: As I hinted at in the "Practice Basket" section, all 9 baskets are Discraft Chainstars. This may just be a personal preference, so if you're a fan of Chainstars disregard this point, but they simply are not for me.

- Course Navigation: This is one of the big reasons I decided to walk the course before playing, 9 on Top can be pretty difficult to navigate. It being my first time playing, I parked and just walked towards the practice basket and pavilion hoping hole #1 would reveal itself to me. It did, but as it is the only hole you can see because of the downhill terrain, you really don't know where you're going. Even at the end of hole #1, there are three paths leading away from the basket and no signs of where to go next. I guessed left, thinking that the course may be a clockwise circle, and fortunately guessed correctly. Throughout the entire course, there is a whopping ONE sign (really just a carving on a wooden board) directing players of where the next tee is found.

- One Tee (most of the time), One Basket: Well, there you go.

- Overall Difficulty: Ultimately, if you can hit gaps, this course really isn't hard. It doesn't require much distance, essentially just throw 150-200', don't hit anything early, and you'll have a birdie look. I threw a -1 for the day, and that was after giving myself a bogey for skipping hole #6 due to the amount of children playing nearby.

Despite it's "pros," unfortunately 9 on Top is just not at the top of Chattanooga-area courses. If you're looking for a top-notch 9 hole course nearby, I recommend Portland Park, Shepherd Rec., or Black Branch Trail down in Fort O. This course was my last one to try here in the area, and looking back I certainly don't regret that decision. I may play 9 on Top in the future if I'm near Signal, but ultimately this is not a recommended course for many golfers.

(1.860 Rating) Not your customary city park 9 hole course.
- CHALLENGING - I've played 3 nine hole courses in the Chattanooga area (Shepherd and Portland) and 9 on Top I felt gave me the most rewarding challenges. Although the holes are very much on the shorter side, the lines are tight enough to make up for it. Lots of short shot shaping ace runs that can easily turn into a 4. The course to me reads as a tweener between rec an intermediate during the summer but the challenge will vary greatly depending on the season, with the winter being much easier.
- ELEVATION - Really nice terrain changes for such a small course. There's at least ten feet of grade change on every hole other than (3) and (4). Hole (2) is very fun 25 to 30 foot down shot.
- RAW BEAUTY - The course has an appealing rustic mountain feel to it. A fully wooded layout with only a few manmade structures peaking threw the gaps in the tree coverage. A couple holes have rock outcroppings and the overall elevation undulations were pleasing. I also saw a white tailed deer hopping thru the woods.
- QUICK PLAY - Should be playable in under 30 minutes solo and under an hour for a 4 sum.
- THE DRIVE - I drove up to 9 on Top from Portland Park DGC and it has to be the most amazing drive I've ever made between courses. How did I come to this conclusion? It's because I've never done a pro called "The Drive." I took W road which has numerous scenic vantage points over the Tennessee Valley and it's full of spine tingling hairpin turns.

The course seems to still be a work in progress.
- FORGIVENESS - 9 on top will no doubt test the placement of your shots and your temperament. Several tight windows under 6 feet in width. Hole (6) starts wide for the first couple hundred feet, but starts to turn into a mild poke and hope shot. Being off your mark by a few feet sometimes isn't good enough. In addition, if/when you a hit tree, the resulting punishment during the summer could very likely be more than one throw.
- OVERGROWTH - Although I played in November, it doesn't take a genius to conclude that this gets thick vegetation during the summer. I had thankfully had pants on for my round and I could hear the thorns scraping my pants legs.
- POISON IVY - I spotted poison ivy in several locations along the layout in November. It must be everywhere during the summer.
- DEAD LEAVES - Playing here in late fall will present conditions where the course is just buried inches deep in dead leaves. I spent several minutes trying to locate my disc due to this.
- NAVIGATION - Trying to find (1) is can be an adventure if you don't read the directions on the course page. I walked through the center of the pavilion, saw (9) basket and then wandered around for 5 to 10 minutes trying to find (1). The path to (1) is on the north side of pavilion. There are also no next tee directions on the signage and there's no course map. However once on the layout, the holes to do seem to flow together a bit intuitively, but please note that it helped that the vegetation was dead.
- TERRAIN - Some steep terrain that's probably too raw for most disc golf carts. Those that have bad knees or ankles should stay clear of this course. Lots of roots to stub a toe or twist an ankle on.
- CHARACTER - Not much, There's a shelter with tables, nice signage and nice baskets, but that's it. No alternate baskets or multiple tees. No seating or places to keep a bag off the ground. There is a lost disc return but it wasn't locked on my visit.
- TEES - Natural tees and uneven at a couple locations. Hole (2s) Natural pad is a bit abbreviated where only a standing throw or one step throw works.
- UNIQUENESS - The most unique of the Chattanooga nine holers I've played thus far but still lacks the diversity of your average 18 hole course. There are no water features in view or play. There are no dogleg holes or par 4's or 5's. There are few well done left bending shots, but no shot bends more than a couple degrees in the opposite direction. The only time I didn't throw RHBH was on (4) where I flicked one.

Not a destination course by any means as The Sinks clearly has that title wrapped up for the area. However, 9 on Top would be a great pairing partner with nearby city park style course Portland Park. They are only a 10 minute drive apart and it would make a fun 18 hole round of opposing styled 9s.

Fun short 9 hole course of the wooded-technical style. Holes are not very long but still offer a good challenge through narrow but clearly defined fairways. Holes play straight, left, right, up , down- in all different combinations. I really like that, despite the space limitations, there are no two holes the same. Good baskets and tee signs. Natural tees are clearly marked.

Good for beginners/families. Experienced players will have the opportunity to work on controlling distance and shaping their mid-range shots. Several opportunities for ace runs and birdie opps.

Natural tees- I always prefer concrete, not just for footing but they make a course look more official. (I would not be surprised to see concrete tees added in the future, however, as every course in the area that starts with natural tees end up concrete eventually!) This course is set in a very small area (but good use of it). Views of houses the entire time, almost feel like you are playing in people's back yards rather than on a wooded mountain.

The land was very trashy, piles of trash on most holes somewhere, like this land used to be a dumping ground for old tires, scrap metal, etc. and has not yet been removed.

This course is very close to the Portland Park course- more of an open parks style, so pair it with this technical wooded course and you get a nice set of 18 holes. These two are on the same road, one on top the mountain, the other at the bottom.

Overall, even though it is not all that much, I liked this course. It was really fun and enjoyable, especially for a really quick round. Props to the designers- job well done!