Charlotte, NC
Hornets Nest Park Share
Uploaded By: DiscChainBasket18 Hole #15 (Taken 3/2009)
3 / 320ft.   3 / 320ft. Par / Distance:
Hole #15 Basket (original layout)



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Reviews: 62
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A Genuine Classic

5+    9/30/2012   1/24/2013
Review By: TOURNEYPLAYER
Played: 44  Reviewed: 8  Exp: 4.3 Years
6 Helpful / 0 Not
Pros: This is one of the most balanced courses that I have ever played. You will need every shot in your bag to shoot well at the Nest and that may not be enough. as soon as you start to feel like you are in control, that is when the course takes over. Basically the course is split in half, Front nine is more open long holes, and medium touch shots. The back nine is in the woods, and its Charlotte Golf at its best. I am mainly reviewing the Original layout because I have only played the Web once. I have played this course at least a dozen times and something different gets me each time. the elevated baskets on 8 and 9 are tricky, I have taken very high numbers getting greedy. The gauntlet hole always gets me, I do not have the shot necessary to get through those gaps! Like I said earlier it mixes everything. you get opportunities to rip your longest drive on hole 2 and have to throw a touch putter or mid shot on 4. hole 7 is a nice par 4 that really tests distance and accuracy. Hole 12 is a BEAST. a genuine 3 shot par 5 that i am happy to take a 6 on.
Cons: As others have said it is a busy park, but if you can handle your plastic then you should have nothing to worry about. Yield to pedestrians and educate them when you get the chance.
Other Thoughts: Its obvious why this course is the most played course on DGCR. It is fun for every skill level and keeps you interested by mixing up the shots needed. anyone who has not taken the trip to Charlotte needs to, and make sure you get a round in at the Nest. you will be a better golfer for it. If you show up at the right time, you might catch MJ (Michael Johansen) parking holes with his Comet!

6 of 6 people found this review helpful.

Beginner/intermediate-skilled review of Nest

1    1/21/2013   1/22/2013
Review By: apparition
Played: 29  Reviewed: 22
5 Helpful / 0 Not
Pros: + Well-documented, popular, and clean course
+ Not confusing, even with Nest and Web layouts (Nest this way, Web that way)
+ Comfortably difficult, not over the top crazy, which made it very enjoyable
+ Good variety of long/short holes
+ Happy surprises (8's basket placement, the hole with the huge and steeply curved dogleg right)
+ Hole 10 starts at hole 1, which makes good use of the restroom facilities by the tennis court
+ Practice basket
+ Charlotte's Web looked killer!
Cons: - Holes 1-7 could be unplayable if the park is really busy
- 1-7 also not great for brand new throwers at risk of wild throws
- Throwing by the ballfield on #3 and #4 limited throws, but no more so than trees/rough
- Throwing next to roads/parking lots isn't that fun
- Hole 15's tee sign is kind of misleading
- Same rocky textured tees as Renny, which I personally didn't like
Other Thoughts: A good way to describe Hornet's Nest, even in the winter, is that it's a groomed and exciting course that can definitely surprise you. Every hole was like, "Ooooh, what do we have here?!" My main take-away thought from Hornet's Nest is that it deserves to be played through twice to play it decently. I would have thrown the course differently if I played a second time. Maybe I could have had a couple more birdies and a decent round overall (only birdied #6). In hindsight, what I learned was that emphasis is placed on calculated approach shots. For beginners/intermediate players that are still working on decently accurate drives, you have to know that the pace of Hornet's Nest isn't drive-putt, drive-putt, then drive-putt again. It ia approach-approach-putt and sometimes approach-approach-putt-putt ;) I think I was so excited to be finally playing Nest that I didn't take enough time to slow down and enjoy the round as much as I could have if I gave it more thought. Perhaps I was still in Renaissance-mode with holes that required long drives, long approaches, and/or long putts.

Hornet's Nest was as nice as everyone says it is, though. I wasn't surprised by how clean and groomed the course was. And I know not every disc golf course can be self-contained, but the integration of the front 9 as part of a sometimes-busy park is definitely worth highlighting for this otherwise stellar course. We played on a Monday morning around 9-9:30, (2 beginners, 1 intermediate player) and had the park to ourselves except for employees and two other golfers playing Web. If the course was busy, we wouldn't have been able to play it because the risk of wild throws from our beginners would have been too high. Once we hit the back nine around 10am more people showed up, so that might be something to keep in mind for beginners.

I definitely envy the players who throw such excellent courses on a regular basis. The guys in front of us on Charlotte's Web seemed to be having a much more difficult, but fun round. That's an added bonus and I think a big part of the appeal that keeps people coming back. I know it would keep me coming back!

5 of 5 people found this review helpful.

A Tale of 1 and 2 1/2 courses

2-4    11/10/2012   11/19/2012
Review By: Spiral
Played: 45  Reviewed: 2  Exp: 12 Years
6 Helpful / 0 Not
Pros: The course is laid out into one pro level course (The Web), one urban park setting half (the normal front 9), and one natural in the woods half (the normal back 9). The web layout is definitely the most challenging and, in my opinion, the most fun because I prefer longer more technical courses.

The front 9 on the normal course can be fun when the park is not crowded. Mostly open fairways with a couple OBs for the ball field and road, with the road OB being the most prevalent. The best birdie and ace opportunities for the course are here.

The back 9 on the normal course is a great exercise in shot shaping and control through the trees. It throws about all the shot types and distances at you whether is 500 ft dog legs to the right with a fairly wide fairway or a 200 ft tunnel shot where no trees were harmed in creating the fairway.

The course is easy to navigate with the both hole #9 and hole #18 ending near the parking lot.

With The Worlds having been in town this course got a bit of facelift with some landscaping and new baskets. Some of the tees are a little worn but not enough to be a problem.
Cons: The normal front 9 has all of the cons on the course,and to me they can be major. When the park is busy the front 9 can be all but unplayable because of picnickers and road traffic.

I not a fan of throwing near groups of people that have no idea what I'm doing and are not aware of the potential danger that they are in (not that I'm that bad, but I'm prone to bad shots at the exact wrong time).

Also the parks road can get busy. I prefer to wait for cars to get out my threatened are before I throw and when the park is busy that window of opportunity isn't long. On the flip side it seems some other golfers aren't aware or don't care about the road traffic. When a disc comes close to or actually hitting a non-discgolfers car that's bad P.R. for all of us.

I also would like to have seen the pond factored into course in a more meaningful than just window dressing.

As a personal preference I'm not a fan of placing baskets on top of pyramids. It just seems gimmicky, like the windmill at a putt-putt course. If it's used once in a course I can let it slide, but there are 3 on the normal course here.
Other Thoughts: Do not even try to play the front 9 when the park is busy especially the 4th of July weekend.

Overall this course has almost everything a disc golfer could ask for. All that's missing is a serious water hazard.

6 of 6 people found this review helpful.

Oh World

1    7/12/2012   7/12/2012
Review By: TalbotTrojan
Played: 80  Reviewed: 80  Exp: 4.7 Years
8 Helpful / 1 Not
Pros: Brand new baskets! Good use of park land and wooded areas. Good variety of shots. Trash cans at just about every hole. One of the cleanest courses I have ever seen. Consistent tee pads. Several baskets were raised to provide an extra challenge. In a park with lots of other ameneties including tennis and ball fields. Well marked paths to get you from one hole to the next. Tee signs at every tee box, including the special web layout. Bathrooms near the start. Plenty of parking. The front 9 and back 9 start in the same place and could be two independent loops for those who might want to just get a quick 9 holes in. The fun level on this course is pretty high and I can only imagine new players getting frustrated at times with the long and tight holes.
Cons: Some of the tee pads are starting to look well used to the point of breaking down a bit. There are a few tee pads in the more wooded areas that are rather slippery. In only a couple of places you will find that park traffic might be crossing or near certain holes. These are all pretty small issues considering how good this course really is.
Other Thoughts: I am reviewing this after my practice round in advance on the 2012 Am World Championships. This course definately has the charm of a historic course. I think the new baskets are a great start to updating this course and better upkeep of the tee signs and tee pads would go a long way to making this course even better. I cannot speak to the issues of traffic on this course but for the quality of it I would imagine that it gets a lot of use. If it doesn't, it should. I am always a little bit concerned about playing courses that have a rich history, but this course lived up to the hype.

8 of 9 people found this review helpful.

COURSE MAP

1    5/26/2012   5/29/2012
Review By: Buschbacher
Played: 14  Reviewed: 8  Exp: 2 Years
3 Helpful / 0 Not
Pros: Definitely a fun course with a nice mix of distance and technical shots. I have enjoy working on precision and airing it out so I had great time.

You can not complain about the course amenities. Trashcans at nearly every hole and as the course wraps through a nice park so there is easy access to restrooms from a few holes (which is especially nice for the female players).
Cons: The on-course maps need to be updated and they should add directional guides. Luckily I read a review that recommended printing and map as I had to reference it on two occasions in order to find the direction to the next hole.

Very crowded course and many small groups (1-2 person) that push the speed of play. I am not an extremely slow player and have never had as many people riding my tail as what I experienced here. I don't have any issue letting people play-through but just a heads up on what you might find.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful.


5+    1/31/2012   1/31/2012
Review By: xcrunner134life
Played: 62  Reviewed: 12  Exp: 5.2 Years
8 Helpful / 0 Not
Pros: This course will test your skills. There are holes that play in the open and holes that will make you hit windows in the woods. You'll need to be able to make a lot of different shots if you get off the fairway in the woods.
Lots of length to the holes. Shorter holes either have O.B. close by, or you have to make the perfect shot to catch a birdie.
There are trash cans and benches on almost every hole.
Holes 1 and 10 are right next to each other, so you can start on the back or the front 9.
Cons: Some of the signs are a little old and have faded.
Could use a few more signs up to tell you where to go next. There is no sign that helps you get from hole 1 to hole 2. The signs that are around the course are also showing some age.
Other Thoughts: There's a reason this is going to be the signature course for the 2012 Worlds. It's pretty awesome, and at the same time frustrating because you know you can shoot well here, but then you slam your disc into a tree and take a bogey (if not worse).
I haven't played the long course yet (Charlotte's Web), but I plan to the next time I head down to Charlotte.

8 of 8 people found this review helpful.

Put Hornet's Nest on your wish list!

2-4    6/21/2011   6/29/2011
Review By: denny ritner
Played: 157  Reviewed: 103  Exp: 15.1 Years
This review was updated on 7/5/2011
6 Helpful / 2 Not
Pros: With the Web overlap course, this park provides a very complete test of golf for all skill levels. There is great variety in hole shapes and looks and some of the most beautiful fairways anywhere. The front nine is fairly open and "park-like" and then loops back to the parking lot. The back nine, in particular, provides a fun, unique challenge with many gorgeous shots under an awesome tree canopy.

Hole 10 is a nice, uphill left to right shot. Halfway up the fairway is a picture postcard view of the basket framed by a gorgeous tree canopy. This view sets the tone for one of the best nine holes in disc golf.

Hole 12 is among my "best of the best" disc golf holes anywhere. (although it's a par 4, not a par 5 as listed)

"The Gauntlet" is a great little hole that provides nice contrast and adds a lot to the pucker factor. (Hint: throw a tomahawk)

Hole 15 is a very strong par 3 that can be birdied with a great drive, but can also result in disaster. It's one of the scariest tee shots in disc golf.

Hornet's Nest has many dynamic putting "greens" that create the potential for three putts. Most notable is hole 9. It is a very short, straightforward hole that has been diabolically augmented with a very tall, raised basket. The terms risk/reward apply to this hole like few others in the sport.
Cons: The navigation is a little tricky from hole 1 to hole 2, could use a couple more signs.

Holes 6 & 7 run down the busy park road and create a high likelihood that cars will be hit.

Having Web hole 15 play over two holes creates a long, wonky hole and then creates confusing routing. Web 18 is an island green in the middle of the parking lot that is a huge safety issue. The course(s) are great; it really is a letdown to see the Web end on a hokey, unsafe note.
Other Thoughts: Hornet's Nest is a great part of the awesome Charlotte area disc golf scene. At present, North Carolina doesn't have any courses on the DGCR top ten list, but overall I don't see any city that stacks up with Charlotte in terms of the number and quality of disc golf options within a short drive.

Don't be a dirty discer, leave the course cleaner than the way you found it.

6 of 8 people found this review helpful.

 So close to perfect

1    3/8/2011   3/8/2011
Review By: Sabooo
Played: 19  Reviewed: 5
10 Helpful / 0 Not
Pros: There are so many things going for this course. From Big to small:

The park itself is a treat. There are clean public restrooms available, along with drinking fountains. Parking is plentiful. The park is fairly clean, with some trash cans visible on the holes that are in the shared spaces of the park. The terrain on the course is good, with enough soil compaction to expose roots, but not make them a tripping hazard for the most part.

The overall course layout is well thought out, with a variety of terrain, elevation, and use of woods. 1, 10, and 18 all play within a short walk of the parking lot/restrooms. There are some tighter, more technical holes, and some "grip it and rip it" wide open fairways. There are a few holes with "artificially" elevated baskets that add a unique challenge to play. I especially enjoyed the back half of the course, and I thought the holes were challenging without being ludicrously so.

I really appreciated the though that went into the dog-leg holes, with 250' or so to the bend, and then a strong mid-range shot to the tee. These distances just felt 'right' to me, and i felt like I was left with a good "golf" shot on every hole.

The tee pads are in great shape, as are the baskets.

The presence of benches on many holes was a plus, as were the bag hooks at the tees.

I found the players to be very polite and respectful to each other. I showed up alone and grabbed a tag-along spot with a few others. On several instances, we had a two-some catch up to our (admittedly too large) group, and there was no hesitation on letting the others play through. This is important because it's obvious based on the crowd that the word is out on how good of a course this is.


Cons: Fairly long walk between 1 and 2. I'd love to see arrow signs in the area of the baskets directing players to the next tee.(apologies if it's there and I missed it.) The map and my local guides made navigation less painful than it would have otherwise been.

I know this is a matter of personal preference, but to me the elevated basket thing gets old pretty fast. I would prefer a dogleg or distance instead of a short hole to a basket that plays 12' higher than the fairway in front of it. (#9 I believe?)

There are a few holes that play along the park roads on one side, and as noted in other reviews, the park is quite busy. One needs to stay aware of the traffic to avoid mishaps.


I've love to see more trash cans in the woods. There are quite a few cans and bottles thrown about, and I'm happy to help clean up if there's an obvious receptacle to put these in. The trash cans that were there were heaped and overflowing in some cases.


Other Thoughts: I love the fact that this course and Nevin are only a few miles apart. While Nevin is challenging and forces your best on nearly every throw, Hornet's Nest is a bit more forgiving, allowing a poor throw here and there to be saved by taking a chance. The two courses are fantastic counterparts to one another. Add in Renny, and you just might have the perfect disc golf weekend. If I only have time to play one of them, Hornet's Nest will be my choice.

I had a fantastic experience and enjoyed every throw today. I find myself wishing I could pack this course up and take it back to PA with me. Since I cant, I'm putting this course on my must play list for my next trip to the Charlotte area.

10 of 10 people found this review helpful.

 Charlotte's Web and the Nest

5+    2/20/2011   2/27/2011
Review By: bikinjack
Played: 96  Reviewed: 18  Exp: 4.2 Years
14 Helpful / 0 Not
Pros: Great variety is on offer both in terms of length and direction of fairways and shots, there are also two layouts, offering a very challenging experience (The Web) and one that, while it's still challenging (Original), doesn't just beat you down. Quality golf shots abound. If you throw well here, you will be rewarded, if you don't execute quality shots, you will be punished.

The front nine plays through the more open parts of the park, while the back plays more in the woods. Terrific use of the available land and terrain has been made, and the course flows well from hole to hole. You don't look around and wonder, why didn't they put a basket (or tee) over there?

Holes 7 and 9 stand out in my mind as signature holes on the front nine, along with 12 and 14 on the back nine, Hole 7 is a par 4 beauty which runs alongside the park road, which is OB, while hole 9 offers a Stan McDaniel signature elevated basket, creating real risk/reward decisions to be made. Hole 12 is a wonderful multi-throw hole with well defined landing zones, and hole 14 is the infamous Gauntlet, which is as tight as its name implies, yet still offering fair lines to hit.

Another thing I like about the Nest is that there are almost always other folks out playing, but the course itself (unlike the park in general) never seems too crowded. You can almost always show up and find somebody that wants company for a round.
Cons: Not a lot, but here goes, the Nest can get crowded. Not the disc golf course so much, but the park in general, especially on weekends, and on the front nine. There are many things going on in Hornet's Nest park, and consequently, lots of folks around. If you're road tripping, I would recommend not playing the Nest on a nice weekend afternoon, because the park will be crowded between tennis players, BMX racers, and pic-nic'ers. Weekdays and mornings are the best times to play here to avoid crowds of park goers.

Some folks won't like the elevated baskets. I personally enjoy the scoring challenge they provide, and the risk/reward of do I go for it or do I play it safe.

Navigation (for the Web, mainly) can be little difficult for the navigationally challenged, so if there's any chance that's you, print out a map for your first trip here.

The back nine can get pretty muddy and slick after a bout of wet weather.
Other Thoughts: There are trash cans and benches, and even a few pic-nic tables, all around the course. There is a restroom facility by the parking lot, adjacent to holes 1, 10, and 18 (Web). There is a water fountain next to the restrooms.

There are basketball courts, tennis courts, a BMX track, lots of pic-nic shelters, softball fields, and a playground at Hornet's Nest to go along with the disc golf course.

There are multiple stores and restaurants along Sunset Road, about a mile south of the park.

All the tees are concrete, all the baskets are DISCatchers. The white baskets are for the Web layout, and the yellow ones are for the shorter original Nest layout, while some holes share a yellow basket. Some of the holes share a tee, but use different baskets, while some share a basket and use different tees, and some are exactly the same for both layouts, while one hole (#11) is completely different for the two layouts. So again, I'll say, it may be a good idea to print a map, or recruit a guide for your first trip here, but it's not really that bad to navigate.

This is a great course, and truly destination worthy, especially when combined with all the other great courses in the Charlotte metro area.

14 of 14 people found this review helpful.

 Two Courses in one

1    2/5/2011   2/6/2011
Review By: culinarywiz
Played: 127  Reviewed: 66  Exp: 24.7 Years
6 Helpful / 0 Not
Pros: Love both layouts - long and short

Balanced angles and length's

Sexy park

Unique pin placements

Nice concrete pads and amenities
Cons: A little monotonous at times

Some minor backtracking involved
Other Thoughts: Good times had by all.

One of the best attributes of this course is that you can choose what you are into each round. If you are with beginners or just want a quick or casual round then the Hornets Nest layout is for you. If you are advanced or want to push your skills, the Web layout will test you.

The original layout, though somewhat short, has plenty of style. I played the Charlottes Web layout, and I can say without doubt, it was challenging and demanding. This was my first time in Charlotte and I came from Nevin to this course. Nevin truly beat me down. I was hoping the Web layout here was going to be more fair. It was. I felt that while the layout called for precision and length, there were clear and achievable fairways.

Some of the holes are joint Nest and Web holes. The Web baskets, with the exception of 17/18 I believe, are white, while the Nest pins are typical yellow Innova. Many of the pins are perched on hills or pedistals to create risk/reward shots either off the tee or in the putting circle. There is a sweet hole in the back nine that can easily be reached with a putter, yet it is pearched on a mound and then elevated another 4 feet by a post. You want to run at it, but if over thrown even slightly, you have a challenging come back putt. Sweet.

I found hole 18 to be totally out of place for the Web. It is a very short hole placed within a grass circle of probably 25 foot diameter. If you miss the circle, re-drive. If you miss your second attempt at the circle, you putt from a drop zone for a 5. I guess in theory that makes up for the ease of the hole, but I would argue that most folks playing this layout could easily land the circle. I almost aced it. Its really just a long putt.

Folks in Charlotte clearly like it long and tight. This course calls for precision and length. You have to be able to control a driver, or you have no chance at par on most holes. I say that because using mids to compensate for fade, wont generally get you the 600+ feet you need for par.

I will be back for this one. It is a true destination course.

6 of 6 people found this review helpful.

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