Chattanooga, TN

The Sinks

3.765(based on 70 reviews)
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11 0
billtm
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 9.6 years 37 played 26 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Good Technical Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 17, 2021 Played the course:once

Pros:

Good concrete tees
Nice baskets
Demanding fairways, though never unreasonable
Decision and guardian trees are located at critical points along the fairway and around the greens
Mix of straight, left, and right curved holes

Cons:

Not many long holes
Not much elevation change

Other Thoughts:

I played the short tees and on the holes with two pins played the shorter pin. I only used my putter for the entire round and shot par. Considering that was my first time playing the course, I felt it was a bit too easy. The long tees/pins did look fun though. I'm not a huge fan of multiple pin positions as it often looked like one of the pins made for a better hole than the other ones. Overall, the course was well maintained and I had a good time. If I go through Chattanooga again, I'd like to play the long tees with my full bag.
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16 0
Shadrach3
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 5.5 years 318 played 306 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Friendly Hub with Good Woods Play 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 23, 2020 Played the course:once

Pros:

The well-stocked Chattanooga DG center, featuring a very solid, entirely wooded 18 holes.

-Amenities: On the course they're pretty good. Concrete tees, tee signs with a reasonable map and distances (and novice pars, which is a nice touch), acceptable old Chainstars, tons of benches throughout. Off the course, they're exceptional. A huge seating area, several practice baskets, and a short driving range.

-Upkeep: A well-loved course should get lots of upkeep, and it looks like the Sinks does. The signs were in good condition, as were the fairways and even the rough.

-Shot Shaping/Gameplay: A good, but not outstanding, collection of woods shots. There are very few startling and creative holes, but there are also very few that are problematic. Straight tunnels, left turns, right finishes, and some longer holes with multiple options. Distances range from pitiful from the shorter shorts (which makes for fun ace runs) to par-4 distance from the longer longs (which makes for enjoyably demanding shots). Some holes require some risk-reward consideration, and some have extra hazards like an elevated basket or a pertinent sinkhole. I enjoyed it, but not strongly.

-Bonus Holes: I hear there are some extra holes making a loop somewhere near the beginning of the course. My guide wasn't playing them, so I didn't either.

-Multi-Tees/Pins/Baskets: All three. The multiple tees are mildly good (mostly the longs just require more distance), the multiple pins are very good, and the multiple baskets are fine.

Cons:

Little exceptional in the gameplay, and some ticky-tack.

-Monotony: I just don't understand why everyone loves the Sinks so much. The woods golf is good, but it doesn't have much to offer that many other courses can't supply. I think a lot of this is caused by its prevalent flatness, and also by the fact that basically every hole is a par-3, excepting a couple of the longest longs. Even the titular feature--the Sinks--wasn't that significant in my playthrough, other than the water-filled pair on (12). It seems that if you're going to make a course that has only one environment, you need to show a really special kind of variety within that environment, but I just didn't see that at the Sinks.

-Blind Shots: Not something I take points off for, but there are a lot of blind tee shots here. It was pretty frustrating as a first-time player, but with a couple times through wouldn't be a con at all.

-Navigation: There are a lot of cleared areas, and sometimes what looks like the next tee path leads into another fairway instead. It's nothing horrible, but a bit annoying.

-Updated Signage: This one is a bit of a pet peeve. With signage this good, I expected that every pin position would be accounted for, but a couple of holes had long positions that either weren't noted or were just sharpie-d in. Also, they are fading. Some high-quality maps on new signs would be a worthwhile investment through and through.

-Crowds: I hear it gets insanely busy. I didn't experience that, but thought I should still mention it.

-Hokey Doglegs: I found holes (3) and (18) to be poke and hope doglegs left and right, respectively.

Other Thoughts:

I like the Sinks, don't get me wrong. It's a fun woods track with no big issues, and I can see it being perfect for a local hub, as I understand it is in the Chattanooga. That said, compared to many other courses, it has a lot of repetitive flatness and doesn't have the variety that most of my Very Good courses do. Seeing as I rate primarily on design and gameplay, that makes me leave it at the very top of Good.
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17 0
Moose33
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 12.2 years 202 played 200 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Super busy course, for good reason 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 7, 2021 Played the course:once

Pros:

The Sinks at 11 on a Sunday morning was absolutely jumping and I can see why, 20 holes of appealing wooded golf just off the highway.

Two large concrete tees on every hole and multiple pin placements on every hole. Not overly long, with a few holes to air it out, but that's not what you come here for. Even from the longs distance isn't the name of the game, it's line hitting and shot shaping golf and a very good version of it.

It's almost all hardwoods with some tight lines to be hit and even in the winter the rough could be punishing.

Basket are chainstars and a few are elevated which made for some fun holes.

There are also some good next tee signs and mandos that are pretty well done with a cool font as well.

I threw a good amount of both forehand and backhand shots, but I don't think you could use overhead shots very much off the tee and using a roller is never really required nor do you have much room for error with one.

Great huge benches on every hole and on almost every tee.

Cons:

Maybe I'm overly picky about some things, but there were few things that bothered me as a first time player; the tee signs are super faded and the distances for some of pin placements didn't seem very accurate.

The course had seem some rain recently and doesn't really drain at all, all the walkways, most of the fairways and some of the teepads were holding water not to mention the sinkholes themselves which were almost all full to the brim with murky runoff.

Other than those few points I just had a few issues with navigation, which could have probably been easily remedied by playing a layout that had a map in UDisc.(long tees currently do not).

Not much in the way of elevation and the wet sinkholes are the only real water.

Other Thoughts:

Very solid course and I will happily play it again. It is the ideal style course for league play and I understand why it's so well loved.
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11 1
CornerPocket
Experience: 8 played 2 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Fine course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 27, 2020 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Fun course. Wooded and tight. They actually just did some work on the course to remove a few trees. I think it really improved the course and made hitting your line much more rewarding.

Cons:

The signs are.... just god-awful. They have A and B locations, but only one basket per hole (as opposed to having a basket at both locations at all times) and no indication of which one the basket is at. They've added C locations on a few holes, but haven't put them on signs, so no idea of distance or location until you walk halfway down the fairway.

Other Thoughts:

Just updating the signs with all locations, better distances and maybe a small map of the hole would do wonders for this course. Was going to give it a 3, but remembered that they just cut down some trees which I think makes it much better.
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11 0
epicrat
Experience: 8.5 years 14 played 7 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Quaint, quick, solid course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 18, 2020 Played the course:once

Pros:

Despite playing after some pretty ugly weather, The Sinks was still a good time.

Start to finish, it only took us about an hour and 20 minutes to finish (two people).

Pros:
+ Pretty good shape in general, despite bad weather and COVID likely delaying course maintenance.
+ Friendly locals. The course had a few people playing and they were all receptive to letting my partner and I play through.
+ Good mix of holes. Some left, some right, some ~150, some pushing 350.
+ Pleasant "homey" vibe. Some custom etched benches (with some foul etching... you'll see what I mean) and neat signs. Definitely gives a welcoming feel.
+ A lot of trash cans, and people seem to use them. Not much trash on the course. The cans were stuffed full, likely not being dumped regularly because of COVID. No big deal.

Cons:

Only a few, nothing too bad:

-- Tee pads are short. Like, maybe 7-8 feet. Definitely not conducive for powerful throws.

-- Kinda hard to navigate. Really not bad, and don't be too concerned, but we found ourselves walking down one tunnel only for it to go nowhere. Never got "lost" or had any major confusion.

-- The fonts on the tree markets... my god, it's awful. It's still hard to read even if you're standing in front of it.

-- Not the greatest drainage. But hey, it's The Sinks, can't say this wasn't expected.

-- Tee signs are hardly worth looking at. Most are pretty worn out and the pin may not even be at the location the sign shows. Even being overgrown, we could see basically see every pin from the tee. Not a big drawback.

Other Thoughts:

The Sinks is a great little course. I highly recommend stopping by. I'd say its more of a 3.5/5 right now cause of being a bit unkempt because of the quarantine and weather, but its definitely 4.0 material when maintained.

Give it a try! It's worth the detour if you're stopping by.
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1 2
Jakenewcomb44
Experience: 12 played 12 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Quirky, fun, something for everyone 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 24, 2018 Played the course:once

Pros:

Very, very well maintained. Lots of options for players of all ability levels. Excellent signage. Really cool layout. All woods course, but not too tight.

Cons:

Sinkholes filled with water can be treacherous, and I got confused about where the basket was on one hole, but otherwise it's one of the best I have played.

Other Thoughts:

Must play.
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10 0
KenanFlagler01
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 14 years 195 played 190 reviews
3.50 star(s)

The Sinks = Unique 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 22, 2018 Played the course:once

Pros:

The Sinks is a fun, unique track that I recommend playing if you're in Chattanooga or just passing through.

+ Very unique property and landscape, with sink holes dotting the course much like sand traps in ball golf.

+ Lots of opportunities to change things up on this track. Dual tees (both concrete and adequate size). Dual basket placements on many holes (and some with 3 positions). Rec to Advanced players will find plenty to challenge them and to enjoy here.

+ Good navigation, with tee signs with layout, yardage, and pin placements (I do think that many of the yardage estimates seemed to be off and in need of updating). Next tee signs and easy walks between holes.

+ Lots of left to right holes (more than the average track), so lefty friendly or good for practicing anhyzer lines. Also nice variety with hyzer lines and more technical and straight lines.

+ Nice extras here: practice basket, driving range area (with basket), benches throughout, trash cans.

+ Despite being a heavily wooded course, there isn't a lot of underbrush or briars. Low risk of disc loss.

+ The fun factor here is pretty high. It's unique, it's pretty, it's well-maintained. It's more of a technical, finesse course, but back up to the long tees and the challenge increases. Plenty of ace runs from the shorts. Not much not to like about this course!

Cons:

I would say The Sinks is a very good course, but lacking the wow factor or signature hole to make it an excellent course.

- While navigation is intuitive and the tee signs helpful, the multi pin placements can get confusing, especially with the yardage being off (in my opinion) on some signs. It would be nice if there was some type of explainer or indicator of pin locations on holes with only one basket that switches between positions.

- Drainage and mosquitoes are issues in the summer and after rain.

- Not a *super* challenging course, but decent.

- Lots of fun and unique holes, but I wouldn't say there's a memorable standout.

Other Thoughts:

Definitely one to check out. No issues that would cause me concern. Fun and decent challenge.
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1 3
Nigel_Tufnel
Experience: 23 played 12 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Fun Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 1, 2011 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Great Course with a lot of fun technical holes. Good community of locals. Well maintained. Secluded. Lots of places to sit. A good putting area to warm up. By far the best course in Chattanooga.

Cons:

*Easy to lose discs.

*Can get crowded
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11 0
wericsson
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 10.8 years 53 played 45 reviews
3.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 28, 2018 Played the course:once

Pros:

Before you even hit the course, it boasts a nice course map, announcement board, and even a small driving range/practice basket for warming up. There was also a dude in a camper selling discs in the parking lot, but I didn't have time to look into that.

On the course, there are decent tee signs, plentiful directional cues, and well-maintained Chainstar (I thought they were Mach V, whoops) baskets. Some holes have multiple baskets down, and all have at least two sleeves which appear to make for fairly different holes. All holes also have two tees - one that seems rec level, the other somewhat longer. (Disclaimer: I only got to play the short tees, but I will try to go back and update this when (not if) I play here again)

Every hole on the course is in the woods, and every fairway is fair, but not massive and boring. There are a fairly even mix of bends left/right and straight shots. Demanding technical work, and holes which separate smart golfers from, well, me.

The sinkholes all over the course are probably its most unique element. Some are shallow, some are ten feet deep, and they're often used near greens to suck errant discs down and force tough putts.

Never noticed anything I would consider a safety issue at all. Nothing but the course is in this chunk of the park, which is nice.

Cons:

Tees are definitely short, but they are close enough to flush that hopping up on then isn't a big deal.

There were several deja vu moments playing this for the first time. There's only so much variety you can have with nearly all sub-300 woods holes, especially when all are flat aside from the sinks (one hole gains five feet, another drops about as much, but that's pretty much it). Water only comes into play once, and it's in the form of two glorified mud puddles.

Fairly short, with a couple ace runs more than I would've hoped from the short tees, but I guess that's what the long tees are for. Even those measure up barely past a mile.

Other Thoughts:

I went on a Wednesday afternoon, before peak getting off work time, and there were probably 40 people there. Good vibe, I had a group adopt me before we even teed off.

The signs list also a novice par for the short tees (4 for many holes). I don't know how to feel about that; my usual advice to beginners is to play the hole however you think best and not worry about the number on the sign.

Plays quick - smartly laid out.
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14 0
wellsbranch250
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 10.1 years 652 played 629 reviews
3.50 star(s)

The Class of Chattanooga 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 23, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

(3.575 Rating) A fully wooded gem that's cherished by the locals and beyond.
- CHARACTER - I loved all the great amenities at The Sinks. It starts when arriving. There's a course map, community board and locked disc return box. The community board is used and has event and league info. I loved the sign calling out those who litter. There's a practice basket and the spacing around it looks ideal. Lots of alternate basket locations and a few holes actually have two baskets in place. I was informed that the extra baskets rotate around. Also a potta-potty on site and an open practice range.
- TEEING EXPERIENCE - Two adequately sized concrete tees on every hole. Every tee had its own signage and ninety percent of them had nice large benches as well. There are basket placement indicators using screws and sharpie lettering. All of the tees are shaded and there are trash cans and brooms at a few holes as well. In all, one of the better teeing experiences in all of my travels.
- RAW BEAUTY - Staring down (1) I had a hunch that this course was going to be looker, and the remainder of the layout didn't disappoint. Visually speaking only, the view from each of the tees ranged from average to excellent. I paused to pull out my camera several times to snap photos of the fairway designs. I'd put The Sinks in my top 40 for beauty (219 courses played as of this review) but outside my top 20.
- CHALLENGING - I started off playing the back tees and as an intermediate level player, I struggled to keep pace with par. The fairway lines are well defined and tight in many instances. I often found myself scrambling for par outside of a hundred feet due to hitting a tree way too early. Numerous holes require a good amount shot shaping and hitting 10 to 15 foot gaps 200 feet down fairway. With many of these wooded holes being over 350 feet in length from the backs, advanced players are going to be adequately challenged here. The front tees appear to be the perfect challenge for rec players or a fun birdie fest for higher skilled players.
- NAVIGATION - Other than walking over to tee (9) after finishing (1) I didn't have any issues traversing this layout. As stated under the pros for character, great course map and also adequate hole signage. The hole signage has next tee direction arrows and there are other navigational cues along the layout as well.
- SINKHOLES - What an awesome element to be able to design a course around. The depths of the sinkholes ranges from just a few feet to almost fifteen feet. Several baskets are positioned around these disc suckers and it made my plan of attack that much more interesting.
- SKILL LEVEL FRIENDLY - Due to the two tee set-up this course works well for advanced players through recreation. Not long enough to be pro difficult and also probably not the best place for beginners, although both of these skill level may still enjoy a round here due to all the other aspects of the course.

Cons:

No issues of substance with The Sinks.
- VARIETY - About average, but for courses I've rated this high it would fall below average among those courses. The sinkholes are definitely a unique aspect. However, after this element there really isn't much to distinguish the holes amongst themselves. 18 fully wooded holes with a couple nice benders in both directions. The course is comprised of all par 3s varying from 450 feet to sub 200 feet. Water never comes into play or at least I never saw any. Perhaps some of the sinks fill with water. There is no elevation other than playing from the bottom of a sink. I played Camp Jordan the same day I played The Sinks and I could still visually remember every hole at Camp Jordan months later. I couldn't do that with The Sinks and I had to refer to my notes and pictures a bunch of times to write this review. A lot of the holes here will blend together in memory with just the one play.
- ELEVATION - Great for those with a disc golf cart and adequate for those with bad knees, however not so great for those itch'n to throw 30 to 40 foot down shots. As mentioned above, the only elevation is really in the sinks themselves. I found myself at the bottom of one of the larger ones on (12) and it was definitely an interesting blind putt to the basket.
- DRAINAGE - A few areas look suspect. Hole (4s) fairway was very muddy and I didn't recall any rain in the area in the days prior to my visit. As flat as this course is, I suspect that the play can get dicey after a heavy rain.

Other Thoughts:

My favorite of the five courses I've played in Chattanooga as of this review and clearly the local and visitor favorite as well. Players traveling along I75 or I24 should highly consider swinging by this course as it's only a 10 to 15 minute drive off of the interstate. The course is great for larger groups due to the two tees but also perfect for solo players as well. I personally started out solo on my round but ended up finishing the last 7 holes with fellow DGCR member helix_rider. What a great guy to talk about disc golf with in addition to throwing a round. In addition, on (18) we mob golfed it out with at least ten players where apparently four different groups had merged. That's the sign of a great course.
- TIME TO PLAY - The Sinks falls right in the middle in the time required to play. Figure just over two hours for a group of four. A solo player that can finagle their way through other groups should be able to complete this in about an hour.
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9 0
lazrman778
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 13.1 years 264 played 100 reviews
3.50 star(s)

The Sinks 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 19, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

Has practice basket

Has concrete tee pads

Has tee signs with locations of the various basket placements

Multiple basket placements on every hole

Has many benches and trash cans throughout course

Wooded fairways with some doglegs which will be challenging to the casual player

Almost all of the holes are under shade where this can be really appreciated in the hot and humid summers

Course flows pretty good

Park is exclusive for disc golf and you won't see other parkgoers

Really no water hazards here to lose your disc (currently there's a drought)

Nice split of the front and back nines in case you want to start on hole #10 first

Well-maintained

Porta potty

Free Parking

Cons:

Old tee signs could use some updating - had to use a lot of math in calculating the distance from tee to basket

Multiple baskets on some holes can be confusing for the first timer

Baskets can be hard to locate from tees until you find the orange paint on the poles

Needs more next tee signs at some baskets

Course is mostly flat

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

Lots of mosquitos here (even during a drought in mid-October) - bring some insect repellent

Other Thoughts:

This is a nice course that I enjoyed playing while visiting Chattanooga. Seeing the collection of sinks at the putting area gives the course its uniqueness that you won't find at other courses. I went during a Wednesday morning and was surprised to see other players there as well - I can't imagine how busy the course is on the weekends. I wish the course had more of a mix of open and wooded fairways but they're mostly wooded. Also, a par 54 for the long tees is setting the bar pretty high here...should be more of a par 56 in my opinion. Given the length of 561ft and a narrow fairway, hole #15 just seems to be impossible to get a par 3. Definitely a must play if you're in the area.
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1 3
Taylor510ce
Experience: 10.1 years 15 played 12 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Get your putters and mid ranges ready! 2+ years drive by

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

Pros:

Battle your short game technique and consistency! Helps dial in your tight and technical shots, teaches you to use your putter as a driver. Also teaches you how to throw straight.

Cons:

Could get boring if you're into a variety of distances and obstacles.

Other Thoughts:

You really don't even need a distance driver at all, so if you're into variety, you'll enjoy it, but want more.
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8 0
SuperDave1981
Experience: 8 years 17 played 11 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Fun Course - Will Be Back 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:May 22, 2016 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Some courses may feel as though a pin and tee pad were randomly placed and called a hole, but not here! It's obvious that a lot of time and thought were put into the design of nearly every hole. Each hole has not one, but two tee pads (one amateur and one pro). Signage and benches are at every hole, and trash cans are at most, which keeps the course mostly clear of litter. The course is also very well maintained. The fairways are clear and stump free and trenches have been dug to clear areas where standing water may accumulate. Another great feature to this course are the friendly locals. My fist time playing, I ran into a group of 6 or 7 at the first hole. When they found it was my first time playing there, they let me play the entire course with them. This course might be challenging for beginners because some holes require an accurate line through some trees. Others have narrow fairways and out of sight pin placement. Each hole has at least two pins and many aren't visible from the tee pad. Another great feature are the practice pins located near the parking lot. They're great for warming up before playing, or for practicing afterward.

Cons:

Each hole has at least two pins - While I listed this as a pro, because I feel it adds variety to the way the course is played, I also feel it adds confusion to the way the course should be played. The signage at every hole indicates a "Novice Par 4" and "Advance Par 3" but does that mean that it's a Par 3 if you play the closest pin and a par 4 if you play the furthest? Is it solely determined by your skill level? Or is it dependent on which tee pad you throw from? I've only been playing a few months, and finished this course 11 - under par according to the Novice Par 4 standard. Had I calculated each hole a Par 3, I would have finished 7 over, which is generally closer to where I finish at other courses I play more often. Some of the holes are in very close proximity to others, which can make it fairly easy to accidentally throw a stray disc and interfere with someone else's game. This seems to be a fairly popular course among the locals, so don't be surprised if its a little crowded at times.

Other Thoughts:

The first time playing any course, I expect to finish poorer than I would after becoming more familiar with it - so I was surprised when I finished as well as I did my first time here. I like the fact that there was signage at every hole because not every course offers that, but I think some updating can be done on their design. I also think it'd be nice if each pin had the hole number and direction to next tee on them. Being that there are more than one on each hole, they should also be labeled "A","B", or "C" etc. I try to be hard on my critique because I think pointing out areas of improvement will really help to improve the course, but there's really not a whole lot you can complain about with this course. Can't wait to come back and play again!
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12 0
mattdabbs
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 20.7 years 104 played 61 reviews
3.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 23, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

This course has a feel unlike any other course I have played. It feels very down home, super nice people, driving range and putting area right by the parking and super easy to navigate. There were a lot of people there but they were all very friendly and were good about letting me (by myself) play through. I was concerned that it might be hard to navigate but the course runs all through the woods and it is very well marked so that I only got confused in one spot where I could see 3 baskets all in the same general area. The map wasn't all that helpful because the layout was so easy to follow that I didn't really even need the map.

The fairways are pretty technical with a definite line on each hole that makes an advanced player have a look at quite a few birdies. Everything is pretty short but not in a ridiculous sense. The challenge is in shaping your shot and playing quite a few blind holes. The course is also very flat and I found it pretty easy to find my discs even in the rough (which was pretty rough in a few places).

The driving range and putting area is a huge plus and is a pretty unusual feature for a DG course.

Tee pads were adequate as was the signage...not outstanding but helpful and enough to give you an idea. This is an all around good course with plenty to keep you coming back and convenient access off some major roads. I would definitely play it again on the way through town.

Cons:

Spot a snake on 1's fairway and from other reviews and updates looks like there are a fair amount of snakes on the course. No big deal. Hard to know where the nasty puddles were on my first time through. Managed to miss them all but could have easily ended up in them. A few mosquitoes on the course in the rough that surprised me...I think that was around hole 16.

No major cons...nothing major to write home about on the down side.

Other Thoughts:

The park could use some updated signs. Other than that I think they did a great job with the space they have. Some great people on this course that are very helpful. Definitely play this if you are in the area trying to decide which course to play.
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19 0
markmcc
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 11.9 years 278 played 254 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Very Good Wooded Coarse 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Apr 5, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

This is a fine example of a wooded course that has been designed to be challenging, but fair. In my mind the width and shape of the fairways is just right. No so tight as to be ridiculous, but tight enough to require accurate drives. A good mix of straight, left-finishing and right-finishing holes.

Two concrete tee pads for each hole. The pads are good and level, with a nice texture. They are not exceptionally long, but the course doesn't require big run-ups. Tee pads even have mud scrapers embedded next to them to wipe the mud off of your shoes. Nice touch.

Two or three pin positions for each hole. The morning I played there were two, and sometimes three baskets actually in place on some holes. That made it a little confusing for a first-time traveler like myself, but for the locals I can see that it adds flexibility.

Navigation was pretty straightforward, with several "next tee" signs in strategic locations.

Most of the holes are in the 200' - 350' range, and all drives are down a wooded fairway with fairly thick woods on each side. Some of the brush hadn't leafed out yet, but I imagine it gets thicker later in the season.

Nice large parking lot, with a big bulletin board, Practice basket and driving range next to parking give a great spot to warm up.

Cons:

The tee signs have seen better days. Much of the detail has been faded off of them, so they are basically there to give hole number, par, and distance info. Many have been "updated" with a sharpie to show line to the basket.

There is a sort of single dimension to the course. I think that the design is very good for the area they are working with, but there was no elevation to work with, really no water significantly in play, and not a lot of length.

The ground can obviously get muddy. There were low spots that were quite mushy and a little standing water.

Other Thoughts:

Hats off to the local club that maintains this course. It was in great shape, with plenty of benches and trash cans. No trash on the ground the day I played.
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7 0
TennDG
Experience: 17 played 7 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Great Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 9, 2014 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

*Nice, technical course

*Easy to navigate for out-of-towners

*Nice change-up from standard Tennessee courses

*Well-maintained by the locals and the park service, with a practice basket and driving range on-site.

Cons:

*Unforgiving if you miss your line on certain holes - this course has eaten a couple of my discs.

*Bugs and heavy undergrowth in the Summer

*Can be crowded in peak times

Other Thoughts:

This is overall a great course. Most of the cons of this course can be overcome by strateigically selecting when to come (winter, off-times, when it's dry). It is highly technical, and some lines I found quite challenging - the "sinks" themselves are more depressed mud-pits than actual sink-holes, and there were rakes on the course to easily retreive discs from them. For me the greater hazard is the dense undergrowth along the fairways that can easily swallow a shot-gripped disc. All and all, this course is fun and its level elevation and tightly wooded design is nice departure from the open, super-hilly courses like we have up in Knoxville.
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10 0
rphancock1
Experience: 11.3 years 34 played 8 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Strange Attraction 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 6, 2014 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

All the amenities mentioned in other reviews.. Portolet, benches, multiple tees and multiple pin placements. Driving range with basket, in addition to putting basket. Guy selling discs out of his RV at 10am on a weekday. Very good variety of shots required off the tee. Fair and obvious routes to the pins, but some choices to be made.

Aaaaand.. Sinkholes!

Cons:

Sinkholes. Mosquito breeding muddy water-filled sinkholes.

Signs are oddly descriptive.. There are distances from the two tees to the two basket placements, and then like "+50' to C position", with this super weird pro/novice par listed. I don't understand having different pars.. I saw this at Camp Jordan too, and never anywhere else. A par 3 is a par 3; if you got a 4, then keep playing and eventually you'll get better and get a 3. It's absurd to have different pars.

Signs would be better if they listed tees to pins distance and par. It's almost always a par 3 no matter what combo you play, but maybe on two holes with the long to long being over 400' I could see it being a par 4.

Like many southern courses, the rough is unplayable. Unless you're right on the edge, you're lucky to even be able to pitch out. Not a fault of the course exactly, but be prepared if you're sensitive to certain plants and you tend to get off the fairway. No real elevation changes.

Pretty much always crowded unless you go early on a weekday. Even then there were several others playing. And everyone seems to bring a dog, and sometimes the dogs fight. It's an odd place.

Other Thoughts:

This has to be the only course I've played where the unique landscape feature is a mud filled hole. That would seem to be a large deterrent, but the course is so much fun that it's more of an interesting but preferably avoided oddity. Again, the sinkholes combined with the red raw landscape make this an odd place to want to be.. It's like playing disc golf in a Flannery O'Connor short story. I kept expecting some tragedy to be taking place around the next bend.

However.. There are some great and difficult holes, and you'll have to pull out pretty much all the shots you have to score well. That said, if you are a more advanced player it will still be a fun course, but not especially challenging. With a few notable exceptions, the holes are short (even from the long tee) and the lines not that hard to hit. It's a fun course, but advanced players will probably break par without too much difficulty.

Again, I really enjoyed the course,and look forward to playing it when I visit the area. Recommended to all skill levels.
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17 0
jaymon1
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 22.8 years 86 played 85 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Don't Fall In and You'll Be Fine 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 18, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

Tee pads, signage, benches

Other Thoughts:

The Sinks at DuPont Park is certainly unique. Ponds, inclines, and thick woods and undergrowth are the usual disc-eating dangers, but here it's sinkholes, which may or may not have water in them when you visit. These sinkholes add a strange flavor to a course that is otherwise long in amenities but more average in terms of playability.

The pros of this course are the amenities. First is the driving range right there at the parking lot; I'm going on 80 courses played but that's a first for me. Then every hole has nice signage, nice concrete tee pads for both the long and short tees (a big plus in my view), and there are next tee signs in many places. I believe every hole has at least two potential basket placements, and a bunch of holes actually have two baskets. So the potential for course variety between visits is high. Benches at every hole and enough trash cans such that the litter factor is very low are also big plusses.

The most important measurement of a course is the holes themselves, however, and by this metric The Sinks is good, but not great. There's no elevation to speak of, all 18 holes play in the woods, the only water challenges are basically big, deep mud puddles, and while the region is extremely scenic, the course is not placed to take in any of this scenery. The individual holes do have excellent variety, in terms of straight, left, right, doglegs, plus of course the variety of multiple tee pads and baskets, but it's still basically a par 54 course, even from the long tees. Each fairway is totally reasonable, in my view, and several holes have options in terms of approach. Overall, this course is a case of the designer and the local caretakers doing a fantastic job of making the best of what is, other than the sinkholes, an unremarkable piece of land.

Overall, I rate the Sinks Very Good, with that last half point due to my confidence that this is the sort of course that will improve for you with multiple plays due to the moving baskets and varied demands of the individual fairways. If you're anywhere nearby, the Sinks will be time well spent.
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1 3
jonray82
Experience: 25.2 years 10 played 3 reviews
3.50 star(s)

sink holes? yes sir!!! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 17, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

The sinks!!!! Yes it ate my disc, but it was well worth it! I had a blast at this place despite the raining on and off.... I had a pretty good round from the long tees for my first time playing.. a two over par... there are plenty of trees so if u like precision then this course is for you. There are nice concrete tee boxes for pro tees and am tees.

Cons:

The only thing I can think of is it gets pretty muddy out there after the rain and also if you play this course be sure to bring some OFF spray.. its in the woods and mosquitoes are bad!!

Other Thoughts:

If ur driving through you should pay this course a visit...and whats up LEON!!!! Thanks for playing with me!!! Great round!!
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4 1
Rockyraccoon
Experience: 23.9 years 9 played 3 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Awesome course. 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 8, 2013 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

This is a great course with many perks. Each hole features two concrete tee pads, benches and multiple pin placements.....some even have multiple pins. Great variety of shots requiring straight, hyzer and anny lines. Mostly wooded holes all offer throwable lines although some are tight. The course is well maintained and also has a practice basket and a driving range also with a basket. Several trash cans are located along the course. Small water hazards/sink holes add to the challenge.

Cons:

Not a lot to list here. The course can get a little muddy after rains but its not horrible....even after the recent downpours. The sinkholes can eat a disc but most are small and have rakes nearby to help retrieve sunken discs. The brush can be thick if you get off the fairway.

Other Thoughts:

This is one of the best courses I've played as it is fun, challenging, and has something for everyone with many layout options per hole. The local club apparently does a great job taking care of this course. Well worth a visit anytime your in the area.
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