Pros:
(4.168 Rating) A destination course with a lot of splendid lines.
- RAW BEAUTY - Westside is cut threw some of the best disc course terrain I've ever seen. Big slopping contours, thick heavy woods and a little creek... that sadly wasn't used. For those in the Chattanooga metro area, it would be as though The Sinks all of a sudden found an 80 foot ridge within the park. Overall, I scored the beauty right up there with some other beautiful Georgia courses like Hobbs, Mulberry and Etowah, but behind Lula and Steady Ed. That stated, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
- UNIQUENESS - Excellent and has the potential to be phenomenal. Lots of elevation movement through-out the course. There are big bomb opportunities and shot shaping needle line throws. Lots of par 4s, of which two are 90 degree placement benders. One goes left and the other goes right. Although not marked yet, hole (12s) long placement has got to be a par 5. Its probably only 600 feet long, but it plays like 800 due to it rising up 60 feet in elevation and it's also got two subtle doglegs. The only missing element on this course is water.
- CHALLENGING - Westwide requires a wonderful mix of power, finesse and smart game-play. I'm about a 920 rated player (Intermediate) and I threw +3 on a mix of front and back basket locations. I recently read after my play that they added an additional 16 baskets so that now most holes have two permanent options. Playing the longest configuration is a no doubt Advanced level course where there 950s will struggle to stay pace with par. The short to short configuration I would expect to be Intermediate level. Skilled players that enjoy demanding layouts will likely love this course.
- CHARACTER - A boatload of money was dropped on this course. Top of line baskets. Big turf tees with excellent stone and timber terracing to level and raise the surfaces from run-off. As stated, 16 holes have two permanent baskets, although the location of the pair will be problematic on some holes due to the short separation and the ideal incoming angle of attack. Also benches on every hole and great tee shading. The biggest missing thing here is multiple tees. I personally would have rather had two tees over two baskets.
- NAVIGATION - Appealing course map and tee signage showing everything you could have ever wanted except for the first con noted below. There are also navigational cues between a few of the longer transitions. I had no issue getting around.
Cons:
Only a couple minor complaints and preferential issues
- SIGNS INSTALLED TOO SOON - Again awesome detailed tee signs and course map that look very expensive. Unfortunately they are all already outdated cause they added baskets.
- SAFETY HAZARD - Overall really great spacing. One minor adjacency issue on (2) with the ball field fence and shed on the right.
- FORGIVENESS - Missing a shot early and having a bad ricochet where there's slope, could be horrifying to retrieve. The odds of losing a disc will be possible for those not willing to look for a half hour. there's a marshy areas behind (1) and along (3s) right side. The overgrowth is heavy along some of the sun bleached edges. The course requires veteran skills to not come away defeated.
- BEGINNER FRIENDLY - This is not a beginners course. You probably need to be at least an 850 level Recreational player to enjoy it. Perhaps masochists south of the 850 level will like the abuse the course can dish out.
- TERRAIN - The terrain is similar to that of Lula and Etowah. Undulating terrain with a few rocks and protruding roots. Those with walking impairments should avoid playing here. The course is somewhat cart friendly.
- PARKING - Hole (18s) long placement is a 700 foot walk back to the parking area.
- TIME PLAY - An hour and 35 minutes for my two-some. I figure 75 minutes for a solo course bagger.
Other Thoughts:
Loved it. Epic land, a beautiful landscape and zen like feel. It's as if Lula and Etowah had a quickie in Dalton and left the baby to grow up on the west side of town. If the metropolitan area of Chattanooga can claim the Dalton area, this is now the top dog in the region, far supplanting The Sinks. For those of you who have been considering going back to the Chattanooga area due to the unwarranted glowing reviews of Dallas Island. Skip that one and come here instead. This is what a destination course looks like. Despite all my gushing praise, this landscape could have delivered a 4.5 course with an experienced designer's eyes. See below.
- DESIGN - There are some really great design aspects with Westside DGC, but also some boneheaded mistakes. I'll start with the good. The lines presented match plausible flight patterns extremely well. When you hit some of the tougher lines, it's both satisfying and exhilarating. The course requires a full arsenal of shots types as well as some needle line precision and some substantial power. Shot planning and course management is key on many holes. On the flipside however, there are some rookie mistakes. Ending the course 700 feet from tee (1)? Did they get to hole (17) and realize they miscounted? Loads of available epic terrain and hole (2s) far placement is located next to a shed. Why? There is a tree slumping over tee pad on (11) that effects the run-up footwork. There's a perfect sized creek that looks too shallow to lose a disc, but also large enough to register in thought process. The creeks usage was mostly ignored, and it only comes into play on fringe mistakes. As noted in my pros, beautiful well-designed expensive tee signage and course map, yet being only five months old, it's already outdated due to the new basket placements. The alternate basket placements on several holes are essentially the same shot, requiring the same angle of attack, but adding or subtracting 25 feet. Why even spend the money to dig another pole hole for almost no added value to the course? Despite the massive money dropped on this course, there is only one set of tees. Modern well-funded and well-designed courses need to have two sets of tees, anything of the contrary is a sign poor leadership and a misuse of funds. I'm not sure how much the Whitfield County Parks invested into this project, but if they are the main contributor, they deserved more than this. A talented designer like Houck, Hosfeld, or Kennedy, would have delivered a 4.5 course. Why they picked to have a busy talented touring pro design this, is questionable. I wonder how much involvement he actually had. A landscape and budget like this, requires full attention and some patience. Any average designer with this much epic land and this much money could have delivered a 4.0 rated course.
- 500 - This was the last stop of six course one-day roady with GMcAtee. This was his 500th course.