Pros:
Sunrise UMC ( United Methodist Church ) 9 hole disc golf course sits just west of Winston Salem . There is plenty of parking near the first hole . There was a kiosk near hole #1 , but no map or items . The first tee pad was made up of pavers with a wood bast , the other 9 was crushed rock . The signage was adequate enough , giving tee distance and a drawn flight path . The baskets were yellow Discatchers . The course was mowed and the grounds well taken care of . It looks popular with the locals , as there were multiple groups on this course while I played ( ps. the locals were friendly ) . I did not see a bathroom on the course , and I don't know if the church allows people to come inside for that .
The first hole is on the front lawn of the church and is flat and uneventful . After that you take a hard left ,walking down an embankment and ending up on the edge of the woods. The last 8 holes play in there . ( print the map just for this ) .
I can see why this course is so popular . It plays very short , but is entertaining , to say the least . Everything that hole #1 is , the rest of the course is just the opposite . Plenty of short easy but more technical holes , with a fair amount of elevation and a creek that comes into play on 4 , 8 and 9 . The course continues to flow well after finding #2's tee pad .
Some interesting holes woud be #4 a gulley throw across the creek . #5 a downhill run with the basket partly up a mound . #9 is a good finishing hole . at 285' , it is the longest hole with it's fairway rising upwards and to the left , and a stack of rocks in the middle of it . a picture hole would be the downhill 222' #8 , with the small green surrounded by water on the sides and in the back . Disc risk : very minimal . The holes are so short and mostly putter runs , that you will never lose much sight of your flight path . The creek water is low and you can fish your disc out of there easily . This course is a superfast play if not crowded . I played it in about 20-25 minutes . foursome in under an hour .
Cons:
#1 Safety . The course can bunch up in a hurry during peak play times . I almost got hit while fishing my disc out of the basket on #8 . Many of the players are going to be casuals and newbies . Try to be patient .
# 2. Short ans easy . This course isn't catering to the players that are trying to become tournament players . A good am could shoot about a 20 here . You can leave your drivers in the car . a midrange and a couple of putters are all you need to carry .
a bathroom and a couple of benches at the end of the course would be nice . Other than that , the course is what it is .
Other Thoughts:
Saying it is what it is and giving this course a 2 should in no way be insulting towards the course . For a 9 holer in a condensed piece of woods that the church owns , it is going to be perfect for some . The minister and the families of this church should get together for a picnic every month , play the course , then send their best 5 over to Bethel Church for a friendly challenge . The course is open to the public ( be respectful and not play Saturday evenings or Sunday mornings ) . This course also caters to dates , casuals , newbies , course collectors ,travelers looking for a quick leg stretch , one disc players . This is the kind of course that if I lived within a couple of miles , I would come here after dinner to burn my meal off . The woods is serene and scenic . You may not be challenged here , but , for a short course , you will like it .The church courses here astound me . Don't go out of your way for a 9 hole course , but if staying over or traveling through the Winston-Salem area , this is a worthwhile play .