Dahlonega, GA

Yahoola Creek Park

Permanent course
2.635(based on 12 reviews)
Filter course reviews

Filter reviews

Filter reviews

Yahoola Creek Park reviews

Filter
6 0
Urmomsbf
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 15.6 years 800 played 119 reviews
1.50 star(s)

People make it unplayable

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 1, 2024 Played the course:once

Pros:

There's baskets and some makeshift teepads. The park is very scenic The creek is awesome!

Hole 16 is a really fun shot!

Cons:

The #1 con is most holes are unplayable due to other park patrons. Most holes traverse popular gathering areas and some fairways double as walking paths. On hole (15 I think) looked like the entire fairway was a walking path that is blind towards the basket. I decided not to throw, and a family turned the corner right into the fairway. Had I thrown, I would have hit them for sure.

I remember playing to the same basket a couple of times. Holes 7 / 14 and 9 / 15 share the same basket. There's also an extremely long walk from 15 to 16 like a hole was removed.

Holes 17 and 18 feel like they were added later. Both have odd long walks to the teepad, and 18 finishes away from the start of the course necessitating a long walk back.

Other Thoughts:

In my opinion, this course needs to be pulled and a professional designed course should be built in the wooded areas far from park patrons. The land is excellent. It just needs to be utilized correctly.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
10 0
KenanFlagler01
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 14.6 years 198 played 192 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Fun course, yield to pedestrians 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 27, 2021 Played the course:once

Pros:

Yahoola Creek is a fun park style course in Dahlonega, GA. This course is slightly above average on the fun meter, average challenge for intermediate players (on the easy side for advanced players), but loses some points for course safety and sharing common areas with a busy community park.

+ A fun course that takes advantage of a small river running through the park with several water holes, including three water carries across the river. There are also a couple of death putt greens with the basket perched on a hill or ridge. Fun risk/reward elements.

+ This is mostly an open course, but there is good variety in hole lengths, some elevation, natural OB (water) and manufactured OB (roads, fenced areas, etc.). Fun course and decent challenge.

+ There are a wooded holes on the course and some technical shot-making is required.

+ A couple holes have elevated tees or tees on the top or side of hills to allow for long, sweeping, open downhill tee shots. Those are always fun.

+ I imagine wind is a factor frequently at this open, North Georgia foothills course. It was when I played. This adds to the challenge, especially on the greens.

+ Well-maintained and pretty park

+ Good baskets, easy navigation

Cons:

Overall, this course is fine -- and worth playing if you are in the area. But there are some cons:

- The biggest con is safety. Quite a few holes are very close to picnic and pedestrian areas. In fact, a paved walking trail winds through several holes. Hole 19's basket is right beside a picnic table. That hole should be pulled, even though it adds a water carry hole. Another hole is near a picnic area, with a double mando to attempt to direct you away from picnic goers. It's not an issue so long as you're watchful and yield to walkers, joggers, and park visitors. Just be aware. And be okay with skipping holes if pedestrians make it unsafe.

- Some of the turf tee pads are pretty slippery.

- While a fun course for beginners to rec players to intermediate throwers, advanced and up will get bored and won't be too challenged.

Other Thoughts:

Worth playing Yahoola Creek if you can! North Georgia Canopy Tours is less than an hour from here, so that's the destination course in the area, but this is a good alternative if your travels don't allow for other options.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
8 1
Jeffrey2636
Experience: 14 years 45 played 18 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Extremely updated course - 8/2021 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 29, 2021 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

All the tee pads are now permanent concrete and covered in thick astroturf. All baskets are regulation (innova/prodigy) Nice blend of shot shaping holes, interesting hole layout.

Cons:

Busy park on weekends means throwing around people, a little hard to follow on a few holes.

Other Thoughts:

I played this course a few years back and is wasn't very good. They have done a ton of work on it and it is now a really decent course. The sigange is really good for the most part but there are a few holes we had to search for the next tee pad. Not a lot of trouble to get into on this course but on weekends there is a lot of activity there so you have to be a bit careful with some of your throws. If you haven't played here in a while, it's worth another round. Hats off to the work done to make this a nice course.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
10 0
Cerealman
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 16.3 years 660 played 186 reviews
1.50 star(s)

Boring holes and chains on poles 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 18, 2019 Played the course:once

Pros:

While Southern Living magazine refers to Dahlonega, Ga., as the "Perfect Christmas Town," the north Georgia city has earned that moniker based on its holiday gatherings and festive events, not on the town's only disc golf course. In fact, Yahoola Creek Park is the only disc golf course in about a 20-mile radius.

The course includes several holes near the lovely Yahoola Creek, which are some of the more picturesque holes on the course. The opening hole goes over the creek and is a potential ace run. Several of the more interesting holes are near the water, including the partly wooded Hole #10, which has a mando left, but a ricochet off a tree could bring the stream on the right side into play. And Hole #17 is the longest hole on the course and winds around the bank precariously close to a shallow part of the stream.

Cons:

The teepads are natural and marked by parallel two-by-two wooden beams. Also, the ground in between the markers is rutted and well-worn in spots.

Navigation is a little confusing due to several broken tee signs and directional signs. Also, the current course map on DGCR does not reflect the current layout and numbering, though some of the holes indicated still exist. Thankfully, the photos uploaded by lazrman778 are accurate.

As well-documented, Yahoola Creek Park DGC features 15 baskets … and three poles adorned with a few shreds of broken plastic chains. This provides a novelty but not the good kind.

Despite all the mountainous terrain around Dahlonega, this course is fairly flat and its design is mostly mundane. Several of the holes are typical of wide-open park courses, which bring obstacles into play, including chain-link fences, high-rise scoreboards, picnic tables, walking paths, pedestrians, utility wires and vehicles.

There are several holes with peculiar designs.

OK, I'm being kind. The designs are poor. The basket for Hole #2 is guarded by several plastic-covered utility wires in the front. Hole #6 involves throwing over a garden of tall flowers on its most-direct route. Hole #7 includes a group of trees right in front of the teepad, likely forcing a sharp dogleg-right drive near the walking path. Hole #8 has almost no fairway from the long teepad and forces a drive over the outfield fence of the baseball field. The teepad for Hole #15 is next to a tall chain-link fence and fairway obstacles include metal poles and possible vehicles in a parking area with the basket just feet from the deeper part of the creek. This course definitely feels like it was squeezed into limited real estate.

The course would ideally end at Hole #17, since it's near the parking area and the first teepad. However, Hole #18 requires throwing back over the creek and then walking a few hundred feet to a bridge to complete the last hole.

Other Thoughts:

There's too much wrong with the Yahoola Creek Park course. There are too many holes in areas where flying discs could endanger park visitors. The course is flat, mostly open and not very interesting. Several bad holes exist.

Unless you're a course bagger or in the area, there's no reason to make a special trip to the Yahoola Creek Park DGC. The DGCR information doesn't include a course designer; perhaps the "yahoo" who created this course didn't want their name attached to it.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
2 2
williams363
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 10.4 years 79 played 37 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Fun if your in Gainsville, GA 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:May 20, 2018 Played the course:once

Pros:

I really enjoyed the holes that cross the creek. Made a good challenge without being unforgiving. Nice area, plenty of parking. Mostly open holes, but the ones in the woods are not too difficult.

Cons:

Granted, I didn't know anything about the course, as i was from out of town. That being said, it wasn't clear at some points where the next hole was. I also ended up replaying a couple where couldn't find the basket. (there are a couple poles that are painted and have chains hanging, THIS IS A "BASKET") .

It's a public park in many areas, and I had to throw near people who were just playing in the park or swimming. It was awkward.

Other Thoughts:

The Cons I list did not effect my overall experience. I liked this place a lot, doubt I'll make it back since i live far. I'm glad I took the time to play it though.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
4 0
MarcB
Experience: 8.2 years 9 played 3 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Nice Day Trip 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 25, 2016 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Beautiful Area, Course Layout if very good. Nice course for different disc in your bag. Nice break area with bathrooms between 9 & 10. Course is very well maintained. It would appear that the course layout has changed some from some of the other reviews. Awesome to start and finish throwing across the water!

Cons:

Depending on the time can get very crowded with other activities in the park. Played a few months back and on Hole 3 cars parked in front of tee box for Kickball (soccer) game. Had to throw from the road adjacent to the tee box.
Still have post for baskets 6,8,12, but fewer now then they did. Summer months the Baseball fields can come into play (OB) - and Soccer the other months. Should have more sign postings to warn people of Flying disc.

Other Thoughts:

Overall this course if very good and worth a drive to play. Downtown has a lot of nice shops and great places to eat. I will not complain about the people, just adds to the fun. Love throwing over the water on 1 and 18 for sure. Take the drive and enjoy the day.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
6 0
lazrman778
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 13.7 years 264 played 100 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Yahoola Creek Park 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jun 10, 2017 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Has tee signs only indicating hole number

Some holes have an alternate short pad

Good mix of open/wooded fairways with doglegs and slight elevations

Has some mandos throughout

Has next tee signs posted on the baskets and targets throughout

Course flows pretty well except for between holes 10&11 and 16&17

Water comes into play on many of the holes where holes 1, 16, and 18 are water carries over the shallow, wide creek - small factor in losing a disc

Well-maintained

Free parking

Restrooms

Water fountain and soda machine

Cons:

Safety issues - course has a few holes that play across and near the road and park's amenities

Has 3 target posts (had 6 the year before)

Some natural tee pads are not flat - recommend teeing off on the grass/dirt around them

Course design and flow could use improvement as hole #17 intersects with holes 1&18; hole #6 has a flower garden area in its fairway and OB fenced area - may be worth skipping

No variety in pars - par 54

Course can get crowded at times as it's popular with parkgoers

Other Thoughts:

This is nice, fun multi-use 18 hole course in Dahlonega that I enjoyed playing on a Saturday afternoon. I played here the year before and noticed that the local club replaced three targets with DISCatchers - making it a 15 basket and 3 target course now. Hopefully holes 6, 8, and 12 will get baskets soon. I also noticed hole #1 was redesigned and it now plays across a creek and is about 175 feet instead of the 326 feet. The hole #1 tee sign is on the kiosk and is easy to spot and is between the paved parking lot and creek. The major con for this course is that there are lots of parkgoers here - either to relax along the creek or attend the ball games nearby. Hole #15 is unplayable when lots of parkgoers are here. Some of the natural tee pads needs to be flattened and it would be so much nicer if there were concrete tee pads instead. Some of the course design could use improvement as hole #17 stretches through holes 1&18 and hole #6 has a tall flower garden in its fairway. I got to see a couple of groundhogs for the first time in the wild scurrying out of that garden. All holes play like a par 3 so no variety in pars or hole lengths here. It's not a destination course but it's decent to play. I made a day trip with Meeks Park and this course.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
1 0
Foyboy89
Experience: 10.2 years 40 played 18 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Decent but not the best 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 25, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

this is a Really Pretty course on the North GA landscape with the Stony creeks and mountains all around the course. The layout makes a good bit of sense the holes go in order and there is not too much of a walk between any 2 holes. The park is well maintained with no areas overgrowth. Many of the holes are very dynamic and Challenging with fun trees creeks or other obstacles to navigate while not being insanely hard.

Cons:

6 holes do not have baskets (4x4 poles that are painted). The holes are often across high traffic places so there were many delays on a relatively calm Saturday and on 18 there was a family having a picnic right in the middle of the hole so we had to play the shorter tee.

Other Thoughts:

A good course and the only one I know of within 15 miles of itself but not one I would drive too far to if I didn't have a good friend that lived in Dahlonega.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
13 1
craigd
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 16.3 years 182 played 120 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Yahoola 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 4, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

The Yahoola disc golf course is set in a nice multi-use park in Dahlonega, GA. It's a somewhat scenic area set in a valley of the GA Mountains. You'll find yourself playing through several different areas in the park making for some decent variety. While maybe lacking in big distance shots, the reconciliation is the fun short holes. Several holes bring the nice sized creek into play and incorporate some other natural features into the layout as well. You'll find a pretty balanced shot type throughout the course too.

While only having nine Innova DISCatchers at the moment, the other 9 homemade targets aren't so bad. They're 4x4's with yellow painted tops with some recently added yellow plastic chains that help widen the target area. While they may not be ideal, they do the job nicely. Tee signs help you spot the next tee with the help of scattered next tee indicators pointing the way. There's plenty of parking, clean restrooms and water fountains.

The course is very family friendly or good for newer players to learn. It's a very easy course but there's enough trouble here and there to keep experienced players on their toes but not so difficult to be frustrating for newer players. In that respect the course is perfect for the type of park that it's located in given the other family activities.

Cons:

I found the layout to be lacking in several aspects including but not limited to safety, flow, and hole design quality. Several holes are very congested with other park infrastructures, park users, and perhaps the most disappointing, other golf holes. Holes play through walking trails, over park roads, picnic areas, near play grounds, ball fields, and even over the river full of families swimming and sunning. There are also a couple of times where I feel like the targets are too close to tee pads. The most pronounced is the target for three which is basically right in front of four's pad. Other times pads are just too close to the baskets.

The concrete tee pad enthusiasts may also be disappointed at what even some natural tee pad tolerant folks might consider "rough". A few are unleveled/on a slight slope or are really narrow.

Of course the 4x4 targets aren't as desirable as actual baskets but I was thankful for the nine real baskets that were there.

Other Thoughts:

While certainly not a destination course. It is quite sufficient for the local players or for a quick round if you're passing through. It would appear that, as in a lot of cases, this course is probably designed and installed by volunteer disc golf players. So for that we are all grateful. I think some more tweaking of the course and continued improvements are probably forthcoming based on the two times I've been here about 6 months apart and noticed subtle improvements. I noticed a new bridge or two, the chains on the posts, and maybe some new next tee signs.

As I mentioned previously and was noted in other reviews, the course is crowded during peak times with other parks users. This creates a safety issue and could potentially cause lots of problems should someone get injured by a disc. Unfortunately this is one of those things that will not improve with time but rather will likely get worse as the park gets more popular. It makes me wonder if there are other areas in the park more suited for golf holes. Be careful out there!
Was this review helpful? Yes No
10 0
KrayzeeD
Experience: 14 years 17 played 3 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Go early or don't go at all 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 23, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

-Most parts of this course are beautiful.
-Some well layed out holes.
-In the mountains, so most of the weather will be very nice other than the coldest parts of winter.
-The park appears to stay very well kept.
-Restrooms.

Cons:

-With any foot traffic, your game will be hindered. With a lot, you may not even play.
-No signage other than some (sometimes) difficult to follow "Next Tee" signs and infoless tee markers.
-Basically all par 2s, maybe a couple par 3s, definitely no par 4s.
-Some pins are currently marked posts instead of baskets. I'm sure this will change before too long, so I'm not letting it effect the rating for now.
-The beautiful main creek that runs through the park can also be the end of your disc with a bad shot.

Other Thoughts:

Let me say this first and foremost - don't even bother going to this course on a Summer weekend with nice weather. You will maybe be able to play 10 of the 18 holes, and will probably have to wait on foot traffic even then.

As other reviewers have said, most of this course utilizes grounds of the park that are the main traffic areas of the park. Walking paths, picnic benches, roads, etc. all ineract with basically every hole here. #1 throws over a walking trail, #2 throws over a walking trail, #3 same, #4 throws over a concrete walking path and a field I assume is used for recreational purposes on busy days - and so on and so on. Seriously, #6 throws over a walking path, 2 picnic benches, and the pin is about 10 feet or so from the playground fence and the restroom building is about 20 feet to the right from there.

We played on a Tuesday morning in April and the park wasn't really busy at all - yet there were still 3 or 4 instances we had to wait for walkers/joggers to pass. I cant even imagine what it would be like on a Saturday afternoon.

The creek is beautiful and after a good rain is full and fast and loud. This also poses a bit of a problem - in these conditions, if you put a disc in there even 4 or 5 feet from the shore, you might not get it back unless you go swimming. The current is very strong and at the points where you're throwing over it, it is very deep in the middle (at these parts, it's also about 30 feet across). Fortunately you only have to throw across it twice, but you're alongside it another 3. There are other smaller creeks throughout the course that will pose no serious problem as far as disc loss goes.

Most of the shots here favor any type of throw, there's only a couple that would hinder a forehand or backhand. As I said before, every hole is pretty much a par 2, though no official pars are printed. I cant see any reason all but one or two of them should be a par 3 and definitely none worthy of a par 4. There's not a huge amount of challenge here. In fact, there are, if I remember correctly, 4 or 5 holes that are litterally just shooting across open field (again, assuming there's not family's playing and picnicing on them).

All in all, if you can get to this course on a weekday, probably early in the morning, you can definitely have a good experience here. If you get there and see a lot of cars in the parking lot, you will be in for a rough round and possibly not be able to play much at all. #6 will definitely be unplayable with even mediocre traffic.

Also, to note - when you go in, park in the lot up the hill and to the right of the wooden bridge (main entrance). The path from this lot will take you down into a garden area and #1 tee is just beyond that and on your left. #18 basket is just to the left of this path before the garden.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
7 0
davmer2303
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 12.1 years 25 played 24 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Mountain Gem 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 27, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

* beautiful area makes for a picturesque course!!
* most holes are well thought out and present challenging but doable shots!
* The makers of the course are very active, play often, and are continously improving.
* Layout is not hard to follow and is very logical.
* good variety of long and short, hyzer and anhyzer. You will use all the shots you have!

Cons:

* no signs on the tees. Yardages are best guess. A few have some yardages inked on the tee post, and its not that hard to pick your disc. I'm sure this is part of a future upgrade.
* tees are marked but no actual pads.
* nine of the eighteen holes use targets rather than baskets.

Other Thoughts:

I loved playing this course! Its in a beautiful setting and its obvious that the architects took their time with the layout. You start out with some gorgeous, tight wooded holes, play along side a small creek and then come to some beautiful, but scary holes. Depending on rainfall, Yahoola creek can be clear or fast and muddy. I came after rainfall and the creak was swollen and dark. Well, several holes play right beside or over the creek. And, let me tell you, they're wonderful holes. I could really appreciate the though that went into the course layout. Finally the last few holes skirt a montain and forest edge for some interesting shots, before ending by the creak again. It was a wonderful course with something for everyone. I met the designers when I played, and they explained that they are taking sponsorships for the final nine baskets. This is a super layout which could easily get 3.5 to 4 stars. And once the pads, signs and final baskets are in, I'm sure it will. Even without, its a course that I would love to play again.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
9 0
3OrangeWhips
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 15.3 years 96 played 40 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Yahoola Park 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 27, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

Great park in the beautiful foothills of north Georgia at the southern edge of the Chattahoochie National Forest. 18-hole course plays through various areas of the park including woods, trails, open areas, and along/across the clear running waters of Yahoola Creek. There are nine DisCatcher baskets and nine targets made of 4x4 posts painted yellow at basket height. Not sure why, but I really enjoyed the change of pace brought about by throwing at a target instead of a basket. There is lots of water in play; even the holes away from the creek have smaller ditches with running water in them--be sure to keep an eye out for these as most are not visible from the tee pad. Holes 6-7-8-9-10-11 play along and across the creek and are the signature holes of the course. The creek has swift running water but is clear, so a wet disc is not too difficult to retrieve. I played the course with my kids and they both successfully crossed the creek with their drives on 7 & 9--should have seen their faces! The layout is easy to follow but only if you take a look at the map posted on this website beforehand. Navigation would have been tricky without doing so. The tee pads are marked with the same 4x4 posts that are used for the targets, and every basket had a very helpful "next tee" sign.

Cons:

There is a lot of congestion with other park activities making several holes unplayable. Many holes play along/across walkways, some play through picnic areas, and four holes (2-3-16-17) use the walking trail through the woods as their fairway. This is dangerous and requires a spotter to insure there is nobody blindly coming towards you when you throw! We were unable to play holes 14-15 because they play across the busy soccer field parking lot. My favorite hole of the course (8) plays along the bank of Yahoola Creek but has a picnic table mid fairway. Fortunately it was empty when we played but as we were leaving there was a family situated there. The tee pads are natural with white landscape timbers along the sides. Most tee pads are flat and in good condition, but there are a few that were narrow, sloped and slippery. Several tee pads have sharp drop-offs at the front edge that required starting run-ups well behind the actual pad. There is a long walk from the parking area to the first tee, and you really have to know where its located (using the online map) before you get to the park if you hope to find it. There are also long walks between several holes, especially from 11-12. You have to backtrack down the fairways of 2, 7 and 15 to reach the next tee.

Other Thoughts:

This is a nice course but the congestion and layout led to a very frustrating round. As it turns out, we were actually pretty lucky to play a few holes when we did before other park users showed up. It feels like the course is wedged into existing areas of the park that were designed for uses other than a disc golf course. Atlanta area disc golfers will be reminded of the congestion that caused the same problems at Wills Park prior to the 2010 rebuild. There appears to be a lot of unused land in the park that can be taken advantage of. Regardless of the issues, I am thankful that some folks put in a lot of effort to bring another disc golf course to the north Georgia area.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
Top