Pros:
• Discplay:
+ Begins with several short technical holes requiring finesse and placement. The landscape opens up as you work toward the newer, additional holes (8-16), which require more distance while avoiding some very well placed trees.
+ Runs the gamut; from short, well-wooded, technical holes to one fairly long, open hole, with the majority filling the void between those extremes.
+ Holes that force a specific line combine with holes that allow for a variety of lines to cover a wide variety of shot making requirements, creating a degree of balance for the course overall.
+ Decent range of distances from the blues. Kind of short from the whites (but that's how it's 'sposed to be).
+ Blue and white tees do a decent job of creating different looks for holes 8-16 (but pretty much only add distance on the orig 9).
+ Some well-guarded and nicely tucked pins.
+ Challenge: Well-suited to beginning and intermediate players. Advanced/Pro players won't find this particularly challenging, but could have a blast running pins and hunting for birdies.
+ Not much disc threatening shule.
• Equipment/Maintenance:
+ Baskets: #'s 1-7 + 17-18 are equipped with Chainstars in good shape. Holes 8-16 (i.e. new holes) feature baskets made from wood - very cool and rather artisan looking. They have metal chains, catch great and are anything but rinky-dink or cheaply made. To say they add charm doesn't do them justice.
+ 36 concrete tees (18 shorts, 18 longs) are large enough and in great condition.
+ Color coded tee markers (white for shorts, blues for longs) show hole # and distance are simple yet effective, and together with next tee arrows get you around with minimal effort. + Course was well- groomed and everything was in tip top shape. Don't recall seeing any litter on the course.
• Routing/Nav: Practically effortless. The beginning's pretty intuitive, and while the more open section (7 - 18) has the potential to be tough to follow, they've done a great job with next tee signs and tee posts to make things a snap. As a result - no map required (which is fortunate, because as of this review, the map only shows the original 9 holes.) Well done!
• Play all 18 or jump from 7 to 17 (skipping the newer holes) to play an abbreviated round on the original 9.
• Aesthetics: Quite pleasant and laid back. Plays like a park-style course taking you through pine woods and fields dotted with clumps of trees.
• Memorable holes: The downed trees and resulting wall of roots on #3 is unlike anything else I've ever seen. The other holes were pretty good, but none of those seared any lasting images into my mind.
•Extras:
+ Another, more challenging 18 hole course on site
+ clean bathrooms in the clubhouse/lodge
+ scorecard/map
Cons:
- Risk/Reward: Not much, but what is there is mostly in the chance of losing a disc if you really huck one a ways off the fairway.
- Pretty much devoid of any elevation to speak of. While the ski hill course offers elevation in spades, it'd be nice if the kinder, friendlier course gave beginners a taste of how elevation affects the game without having to get their butts kicked on a course they aren't ready for.
- Wooden baskets are a bit wider and perhaps a tad more forgiving than most. I can't help but wonder if this wasn't done intentionally to ensure there aren't a lot of bad bounces... which would most definitely result in a bad rap. Point is, they play fair for all. Mentioned more as an FYI than a con.
Other Thoughts:
While it's nothing spectacular, Pine Knoll is a good course that's solidly desinged and quite fun to play. Just challenging enough to provide a nice intro to the sport, as it requires shot shaping and control, yet isn't so frustrating that it will discourage new players from coming back for more (which some courses can) as they develop their skills... if challenge is all you seek, go play big brother.
Wind likely to affect shots on holes 7 -18.
Most of the original 9 have a decidedly pitch-n-putt feel to them, and while they aren't bad, I actually think the new holes with the wooden baskets are the more interesting holes on this course, as you can get a more full disc flight and have to compensate for the wind. I think 18 holes like the original would be typical (i.e. 2.5), as would 18 of the new holes. Happily, we have bona fide case of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts, as they supplement each other well enough to provide a more balanced variety than either set does by itself.