Pros:
Plantation Ruins might just be the most beautiful wooded course in all of the Charlotte area. The course weaves around the remains of an old plantation, which is where it derives its name, and through a mossy forest. This makes for a unique, almost eerie experience unlike any other course in Charlotte. The woods here often feel nothing like any of the other wooded courses in the area. Many of the fairways have a secluded, almost intimate feeling about them.
However, like other Charlotte courses, there are concrete tee pads, informative tee signs, baskets that are in good condition, and even a practice basket to warm up your putts. Winget Park itself, offers a variety of amenities, including picnic areas, a playground, walking trails, ball fields, restrooms, potable water, etc.
In terms of difficulty, the course fills a vital role for the westside of Charlotte - offering for beginners who are looking to step their game up to the next level or for intermediate golfers who really want to hone in on their ability to play placement golf with properly thrown lines. Of course, the fairways can definitely be tight at times, so Advanced players will probably not only enjoy their time spent here as well, but will even see improvement in their all around game as well. The fairways have all been sculpted to create fun golf, where placement reigns supreme. The par 4s in particular tend to have some interesting shapes, but won't require a huge arm to score well on. The course also did a great job of utilizing the natural landscape and elevation changes to create a fun layout.
There were a couple of open holes interspersed throughout the course, which will give players quick reprieves from the wooded holes. Luckily the course is designed so that you don't hit all of the open holes, then play all of the wooded ones. The best part of the open holes is that they still have obstacles and aren't just open bombs in a wide open field.
Cons:
Navigation can be a bit tricky at Plantation Ruins, at least for a first time visitor. Fortunately, I was playing with someone who was familiar with the course when I played - because it may have taken me an embarrassingly long amount of time to find Hole 1 if I was by myself. Plantation Ruins could use a sign in the same vein as Hornets Nest or Nevin, directing players to the start of the course.
There were also a couple awkward transitions between holes. They aren't the worst, and they aren't often - but they exist. While this can mostly be mitigated by the arrows hanging beneath the baskets, an unobservant player would easily find themselves skipping Hole 3 because the tee for Hole 4 is right next to the basket for Hole 2, with a trail between the two. While Hole 3 is not even in eyesight from Hole 2's basket. Plus you have the long walk through an open field to Hole 15.
While this course features some of the prettiest and most unique looking fairways in the area, many of them are lined with the nastiest shule in the area too. I passed two seperate groups who appeared to be bushwhacking through the thick rough, looking for slightly errant shots. The most unfortunate thing was that neither group seemed to be in a place I'd deem uncommon for a beginner to accidently toss a disc to.
I found myself using the same discs over-and-over again due to the course's lack of distance variation. While the course seems like a great place for beginner/intermediate players to hone their skills, there would need to be more holes that require the use of a driver for me to want to include this course in my weekly rotation. (It is worth noting, that I would likely feel different if the course was not 30+ minutes from my house.) DGCR has a set of blue pads listed, which I looked for and was unable to find. If someone could message me (or if I return and manage to find them) I will definitely reevaluate this, but would then just add it to the list of how the signage could be better at this course.
A few of the holes play right next to an Elementary School. While not quite on their property, I'd feel uncomfortable playing when school was in session, personally. And I would certainly not want to get caught in the line of cars for drop-off and pick-up in the mornings and evenings. So if you're traveling to this course, keep that in mind, so you don't get stuck in traffic.
Other Thoughts:
Plantation Ruins is a good course, and a great addition to the Charlotte disc golf landscape. I highly recommend anyone in the area to make sure to check it out! It had been on my to-do list for years, and I regret not playing it sooner. The course creates the perfect challenge for people on this side of town who find RenSke too easy, and Renny Pro too hard. I am going to give my initial rating a slight bump, up to a 3.5 because I realized my scale had altered some after having played more courses. This course has a really high ceiling to easily become one of the better courses in the state.
Favorite Holes: 3, 9, 10, & 15