Course is in what appears to be a regional level park featuring rolling piedmont terrain with mature canopy. As a typical park in this area, it is 'buffered' and it also features a long entrance road, along which facilities are developed. Select clearing and then grassing has occurred around the more traditional park activities and the course's front 9. Park is about 150 acres. Course is, in the main, sequestered from other park activities and appeared well maintained at the time of play. Equipment, tees, amenities, and signage are above average, although vandalism appears on some shared 'Web' layout tees.
This is the first time this reviewer has played the course in nearly a decade, so some comments on the course's condition and development will be in order. Since that time, the course has undergone a major revision, substantially or completely changing almost 1/3 of the course. The course's essential character has remained the same and has softened gracefully. The biggest difference in play value is the 'forgiveness' of the roughs, which were downright penal, even for minor errors, 10 years ago. Course is significantly more 'playable' today, meaning that chances for recovery while scrambling have greatly improved all over the course. Also notable, aside from the 'Web' layout (the subject of a future review), is that many trees have since matured and clear cuts have begun to refill the open canopy spaces. The result is an additional need for accuracy, as some route options are not feasible anymore and other key windows have tightened up. There is also more shade, which yields a more consistent 'feel' throughout the course (and cooler play time during summer months). Also, before this reviewer played, the turf was recently mown, opening up the roller game. Significant play affecting wind still is a factor on this course, especially on the front and less so on the back. Interior paths are well worn and an appropriate width for fairly comfortable single file bi-directional foot traffic. Way finding was easy although some transitions are extended and longish. Few play affecting drainage problems are evident, despite the course's proximity to a large creek.
Hornets' Nest is almost perfectly balanced between the extremes of tight woods and 'open' parkland, which greatly adds to its playability, 'fun' and fairness. Course will richly reward straight flat shots of up to 300', with even more scoring opportunities if one can extend that to 350'. Average hole length for the 18 is less than 350', which means that only average to good power is needed to score well, even though long throwers will always get more scoring chances. Nine holes are less than 300'.
Elevation differences between the tee and the target are fairly subtle at Hornet's Nest. There are no tough uphill tugs or majestic downhill pumps. Perhaps the greatest elevation difference one traverses from tee to green, on any one hole, is 2 meters, with the exceptions of #15 & #16.
From tee to green, the golfer most commonly approaches a slightly elevated green (12 holes). Everywhere on Hornets' Nest, but especially on high handicap holes, there is a very strong emphasis on placement and distance control, as it is nearly impossible to overpower these holes and the results of many conservative plays will not even yield an 'open' line to the target. Reviewer appreciated the relatively limited ob areas, all of which are well enough away from play, clearly visible and/or intuitive (if not explicitly marked). 7 holes are completely blind from the tee and 3 of these are the top 3 handicap holes; their landing zones are well apparent from the tee. All fairways are well defined and approach an almost standardized width. The routing's flow is intuitive enough. On 2 of the 3 three 'road holes', stable counter spin shots are favored with regard to landing ob.
Greens do not feel as potentially punishing as some other Charlotte courses. 2/3 of the course features greens that are between 0% and 3% average slope and all are generally unobstructed within 10 meters. Don't worry though - there are ample chances to get stuck behind a tree at Hornets' Nest. Greens are either neutral or generally more receptive to the fade of counter spin tee shots/approaches.
Perhaps the most controversial issue regarding Hornet's Nest would be the 'elevated' baskets (also present elsewhere in Charlotte). Reviewer really appreciates these experiments; this sport is not yet so hidebound, that such elements be automatically disregarded on some 'formal disc golf' basis. Reviewer also appreciates this trend toward more specifically constructed features in disc golf, but the articulation of these specific elements is generally crude and begs for improvement. The current appearance is likely due to budgetary and time constraints; they function well enough however. A direct comparative example is available at Hornet's Nest. If you visit, please compare the masonry erosion protection wall around #5's pin with the elevated target feature on #'8's green and decide for yourself which solution is more 'professional' and 'safety conscious'.
#9 is a very playful hole, but seemingly out of character with the rest of the course, which might lead some to the term 'contrived', but a regular player of Hornets' Nest might quickly learn to develop a new type of putt to add to his/her 'bag of tricks', specifically to deal with an 'elevated' green's unique 'topography'. It is for the reader to decide the value of this trade-off.
#14 is certainly one of the top-ten 'short' holes (<275') in the world, a super-fine division between the limits of human skill and the grace of luck.
Perhaps a response to 'fairness' criticisms, #15 now features an added fairway route to the left, a fairly labor intensive method to silence the naysayers, but it adds at least one more 'important' decision to the round. Before this change, this reviewer felt #15 was one of the toughest tee shots in the city for a hole of this length (320'). Eminently reachable from the tee, it is/was one of the few holes that forced a player to get the disc relatively high into the air and exercise flawless fade control through a typically narrow fairway over that entire distance. This is tough for either spin, as extreme throwing angles relative to horizontal will not work well with these constraints. High speed discs do not work so well either.
Hornet's Nest is a solid course, with no terrible glaring defects. The technical skills and power required to play well here, while not especially deep or varied, can easily lead to success on most any other course in the sport.
UPDATE SECTION
This review update concerns the Web layout at Hornets Nest Park and based on this layout's ambition alone, I feel a higher rating is in order for the entire facility. In my earlier review, I more or less ignored the Web layout, as it is nearly a different course entire. This merits a separate treatment. Let's start with the technical details...
Course has 10 par 4's, 3 par 5's and 5 par 3's and the average hole distance is just under 510'; 13 holes are 480' or better. This is much more in keeping with a standard golf course in every respect, but most importantly strategically. While this may seem obvious to some, it's important to keep in mind this course is a fairly early example of this type of disc golf course and overall is still fairly rare in the disc golf world. When Hornets Nest opened in '96, 6000'+ permanent courses were somewhat rare and now this average distance is a standard expectation for advanced and above level golfers. The Web layout offers some new expectations for those with the fever, and thus we have strategy working on a few different levels here...
Regarding how the course plays, much of my earlier review talking points still applies, but is amplified. Straight flat shots up to 350' are the most richly rewarded play over the entire course. Placement of tee shots is crucial to scoring, as 7 holes are un-cuttable doglegs. Note that there are no holes with distances between 320' and 486' and how that might affect scoring chances for those with above average power. Of the straight shot shape par 4's, all have various restrictions, obstacles, height restrictions, incredible length, etc., which further blunt a power player's advantage off the tee. From a competitive standpoint, this enables a wider range of players to be in the hunt. Noodle-armed control players don't lose heart!
Course overall is generally balanced regarding spin advantage with a slight advantage going to stable counter spin shot shapes from the tee and approach. This advantage is most pronounced on the front 9 and shifts to a stable clock spin advantage on the back 9. As with the Nest, a few more greens are counter spin receptive than clock, but most are neutral. As the Web is younger and also receives less play, the roughs are generally thicker and more penal. Your ability to scramble and recover will depend a lot on both your humility and the breadth of your 'bag-of-tricks'.
Naturally, with all these long holes most holes are blind or semi-blind. Web first timers may have some difficulty off the tee, as many of the best landing spots are not immediately apparent or obvious from same. #17, in particular, has a devious visual perception trick, due in part to the slightly depressed tee box. If you have poor depth perception, I advise pre-walking the fairway here for a better look before you throw. Web first timers would also be well advised to print a course map as way finding isn't quite as obvious as with the Nest, and some transitions are long and a bit awkward/non-intuitive (#13-14).
Specific holes worth mentioning:
#4 gets a lot of flak for being too close to the baseball field, which is a valid, but there's nothing to really be done about it. There's no such thing as a 'perfect course'. Well, maybe in heaven.... Otherwise, I feel it gets a bit overlooked for its cleverness. At about 550', it's in range for a legitimate putting eagle for those with exceptional power from the tee, BUT, the tee is slightly depressed and pocketed, hiding the wind direction and speed from the golfer. There are also both height and width restrictions off the tee; these factors effectively nullify any 'big air' type of attempt. In addition, the drop-off-and-roll-away slope with ob behind make the approach dicey for everyone, especially clock spin dominant players. This hole epitomizes the risk/reward concept from the approach, as a routine birdie (for the good to gifted) can easily turn into a bogie or worse.
#16 in my opinion, easily the most difficult hole on the course, is an absolute nightmare for a counter spin dominant player. Not just because of its length, constricted fairway and harshly penal rough throughout, but because these factors are compounded by the left-to-right downward slope, the ridgeback green (which repels fast shots from all directions) WITH an elevated basket and its place late in the round. I've personally carded many relatively simple 3's on the Nest's #16, but can scarcely imagine that result on the Web's. Good thing it's a par 5. Think again if you believe this designer doesn't have a mean streak.
Since this is an overlay design on a popular course, conflicts and confusion may arise between players of different tracks, but how is this different from any other busy course? On crowded park days, some areas of the course are a bit close to other park activities/goers, which may be an irritation to golfers, but the trade-off is more exposure to the uninitiated. I still feel #9 is a 'sore thumb' hole, out of character for the rest of the course and I like to think the designer built this hole on purpose with the express objective of provoking controversy and irritation. That's fine. #18's tee box is blind to the benches and tee boxes for #'s 1& 10, and although it's a short hole, this is a conflict for a conservative play on the most congested area of the course.
The Web most closely adheres to the strategic and penal design schools and while some may feel the dearth of heroic opportunities here a negative, for most 'normal' golfers it's more than challenge enough. Played well, in the manner intended, the Web sharpens the golfing tools which will bring the most success and enjoyment in the long term: mid-range consistency, course management and a solid mental game (solid putting is not really course dependant). Most of my negative criticisms address minor points, as in the main, the Web is a solid offering that aspiring designers and golfers alike can go to school on.