Oak Ridge, TN

Groves Park - The Mounds

3.575(based on 37 reviews)
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10 0
lukedpt
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 24.2 years 71 played 50 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Wide open Tennessee disc golf

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 23, 2022 Played the course:once

Pros:

-Good diversity of distances that range from 400+ bombers and even ace runs
-As the name implies, the use of elevation is creative and quite fun
-All tees had teepads, some were concrete and others were pavers
-3 holes put water into play, 1 of them a water carry but it can be easily played safe for beginners
-Very nice tee signs, but no marking for which pin position is in play
-The course flows very naturally, and there are next tee markers on the bottom of each basket
-There are multiple tees for each hole, but it isn't very clearly marked on the tee which tee you're on. In fact I think a few are missing the second tees all together

Cons:

-No water available
-No bathrooms available
-Some baskets were discatchers, others were prodigy, also of different generations
-Smart layouts not active on udisc, and this would make a world of a difference. I hope a course ambassador could make this happen...
-Parking is just off the side of the road and fairly limited
-A couple trees are down and have caution tape up around them, as well as a few large holes with snow fencing around them, and the right side of hole 13 has a fence topped with barbed wire to stop disc retrieval from power company land.

Other Thoughts:

I played this course since we were visiting the Cumberland Gap and wanted to get some TN disc golf in. It's quite open for what I expected, but definitely fun to play. I had a beginner who joined me and it was very enjoyable for him as well. My biggest complaints are the inconsistencies in the baskets as well as their placements, leading to confusion when there are multiple holes where 3 baskets appear they could be our target. Now that I know the layout, I'd be happy to play again, especially since it appears there is a healthy league and tournament scene in the area.
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11 0
autocrosscrx
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 6.7 years 27 played 27 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Bring your drivers

Reviewed: Played on:May 2, 2022 Played the course:once

Pros:

- Good local disc golf community. If you want to play a tournament or a weekly at this course, or just find a local to show you around, it shouldn't be a problem.
- Dedicated disc golf property.
- Lots of chances to see your discs fly. It is a stark contrast to a lot of the 18 hole tournament courses that you get in east Tennessee.
- Several fun shots. You have a mix of downhill bomber shots, water shots, and a few more technical shots.

Cons:

- I found navigation very confusing. There are multiple tees, but they aren't marked very well. I only saw one set of actual tee pads.
- There are multiple pin locations (which could be viewed as a pro), but generally only one basket, which adds to the navigation confusion.
- The distances on the signs don't appear to be very reliable at all.
- Tall grass in the fairways. This place is infrequently mowed. If you spend time on local facebook groups, there are memes about how often the place gets mowed and it is a noteworthy event when it does get mowed. It is also notorious for ticks.
- You need some distance to fully enjoy this courses. The tall grass in the fairways doesn't help this at all. You are going to need 400 feet of distance in the air to get to the pin that may be marked 310.

Other Thoughts:

This place isn't marked very well at all. Driving along Tuskegee, you'll see some gravel off to the left. You'll most likely see a few stickered up Subarus and Tacomas and other vehicles that disc golfers tend to enjoy. That's really the only hint that you've arrived.

Then you walk thru a cut path in the trees to see a wide open field. There are 2 kiosks, but no Welcome to the Mounds or course map or anything. Just bland boards with a lonely advertisement for the Tuesday night dubs. There are also a group of tables and chairs off to the right. I suppose it is a "permanent setup", but it looks like abandoned tables from a recent event.

Further along, you see a single tall mound. Climb to the top and you'll see the pad to hole 1 and then it is time to start bombing drivers and hope you are throwing to the correct pin.

Also, of note, someone posted about the fence and neighbors that will shoot. This course borders the Y-12 National Security Complex. You likely won't get shot if you try to retrieve your disc, but you will get on the news.

A lot of people really love this course. And I can see that. But I have to ding it solely based on navigation. I think that makes it a tough course to fully enjoy if you are only playing it once or rarely playing it.
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9 0
Bennybennybenny
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 13.1 years 305 played 287 reviews
3.00 star(s)

The Mounds? Nah, Just One. 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 2, 2021 Played the course:once

Pros:

-Solely disc golf here. This course is on a part of a demolished golf course. It's an advantage for bigger arms because it's open with some shorter par fours that could be reached by pros. Plenty of birdie chances for newer players too such as #4 being under 150'.

-For an open course set in a grassy open area, this course does great with some of its greens. #4 is the shortest hole on the course, but plays entirely on a narrow ridge. Miss a putt and you might go down the ridge and be left with a brutal comeback putt. #8's pin position on the man made platform is excellent too as well as authentic. A couple of pin placements are within 30' of the pond, bringing a water hazard into play.

-Fair challenge. None of the holes are outlandishly hard. A few are very difficult (notably #7 and #13) but all have multiple ways to be birdied. I played the white pads and most of the pins were in the shorter pins. Par was 60 I believe and I shot a 51. The first two holes are both easier par fours. #1 is a long way downhill just over 500' to the second pin (only hole with two pins in play). #2 is just over 400' and slightly downhill with a lower ceiling. If you can throw reasonably far while keeping it below the limbs, you could have an eagle opportunity. Many newer players will be able to birdie this hole. Course gets tougher once you get to #5 with some easier holes coming in here and there.

-Some very fun tee shots. #9 is downhill off of the mound and facing the pond. Very fun hole. #10 is maybe 500' and over the pond. This is a par four with a real barrier. It's a pretty easy hole if you can throw at least 300' and comfortably over water, but if you don't have that distance, it'll be a very tough hole. #12 long and #13 are very fun and difficult back to back par fours. #12 is downhill leaving enough room to throw a long drive in the open with some trees to avoid. #13 is out of the woods and uphill. A very tough hole being over 600' and uphill with woods in play the entire right side.

-There are two pin positions on most holes if not all. I don't know how frequently they are moved, but this place seems to get a lot of love. I would think they move at least every now and then.

-You have the option of playing the original 18 or playing 27 holes. There's another nine in the woods after playing hole #9. That's the other course on site. Grove Park - The Woods. Very fun nine holer with tons of elevation change.

Cons:

-Hole four to me is a little bit out of character and arguably gimmicky. 116' on a narrow ridge. Holes one through three are all over 300'. The first two are like 520' and 410' and hole three is maybe a bit over 300'. Then you play a 116' footer followed by several par threes that are all over 300'. The second shortest hole here is over a hundred feet longer than this hole. Just a weird distance spread between the par threes. Most of them are around 300' if I had to guess.

-Not much variety regarding fairways. Many of the holes here are either straight or slightly to the right side. No big turns or anything. Would've been nice to see a dogleg or two.

-The fence on #13. Don't cross it. I heard that the people on that side will shoot you even if you are just retrieving a disc. I know its their property but I lived right next to a park and someone were to set foot on my property just to retrieve something that belongs to them, I wouldn't shoot them. I wouldn't want someone to die or be severely wounded when they aren't actually putting my life in danger.

-Many of the old blue pads you see on the hole diagrams no longer exist.

Other Thoughts:

-The Mounds is a fun open course. Isn't the best in Tennessee but it's worth the stop for sure. There isn't much to say about it aside from the fact that it can be played as 27 holes. It does have a good amount of elevation and is more challenging under unfavorable weather conditions. I enjoyed #10 over the water, and #14 was a fun uphill wooded hole perched on a small crest.

-Bit of a cookie cutter open course but still has some enjoyable holes that are fun to play. Nothing too mind blowing at the Mounds; you'll actually see more shock value on the nine holer at The Woods. Still a good course.
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3 2
Radcock
Experience: 1 played 1 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Top 3 in the state 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 1, 2019 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

This course is easily #1, 2, or 3 in the state. Take your pick - the top 3 are all amazing courses. The Mounds has everything to offer. 11 wooded holes, 17 sparsely wooded holes, water hazards, elevation, distance, technicality, beautiful at all times, somehow - sunup to sundown - it's mind blowing sometimes, complete serenity with it being a disc golf only park, and with a well chosen layout, could challenge the best disc golfers on the planet. If you want to test it, there are some wonderful events held annually worth attending. This course should be rated a 5 but until the rest of the tee pads are installed, it's a phenomenal 4.5. Currently, the course is in the best shape of its life, and improving in strides. The city of Oak Ridge and the local club (IVDGA) have been doubling their efforts to maintain and improve the course in the last year or so. More tee pads being installed very soon also!

Cons:

Not all tee pads have been improved.
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5 1
MrFrosty
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 31 years 764 played 386 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Large Park - Disc Golf Only 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 16, 2019 Played the course:once

Pros:

After playing disc golf here at The Mounds , I am left with more ??? Than !!! . There looks to have been a lot of effort to take this land and make it into a championship caliber course . Let me give you my pros first . There is easy access to the park from the main road ( Tuskegee ) , which is unmarked and gravel . Look for it closely on your left and the park is NOT marked . Once you enter the park , go over a small embankment and turn to your right , you will start to see the 18 hole course itself . Groves Park seems dedicated to disc golf only . I saw a few players on the course and no one else . The course utilizes a lot of land and makes good use of its basket placement and course design There is plenty of elevation , a water carry ( #10 ) , a basket with the same water directly behind it ( #5 ), and 2 holes where a creek is a possibility on #'s 3 and 6 . Some tight alleys . The course has cement tee pads on all of it's long tees many shorts . The baskets were in good shape and the signage was good , with pictures of the course , hole # and distance . I am not sure of the accuracy of the distance , though . The course flow is kind of in and out and strange . Good thing is that if you are only playing 9 , #9 drops you off right next to the start .. The first tee is from a hill to a long downhill bomb to the right , with a lot of brush guarding the basket . The pictures for the course don't help much , so you might not want to look at the media section , and be careful of the course map . It doesn't follow the course real well of the first 9 holes . The #2 tee is kind of in front of where you tee'd off on 1 a few hundred feet . It is yet another bomber hole almost 500' to a basket guarded by a couple of trees . #3 is kind of a door shot across a creek . Do not throw at the basket that sits visible to your left . It is actually sitting in the tree line of your rough over the creek and immediately to your right . It will make sense to you , because #4 tee pad is just up the incline and is a short hole that is set in the fringe of the woods .You actually have a choice to go up the steep hill at this time , to your right if you want to play The Woods part and start at hole #4 of the Woods and the course will drop you off at it's #3 basket , well into your view , so you can finish up the Mounds section ( I should have done this , butt there was nothing signifying it . The hill is to your right and there is a dropoff on your left . #5 throws around and to the right of a large fairway , with some woods that are on your right and pretty much out of play , Be careful when throwing to this basket because if you overshoot just a few feet , you are in the nasty small lake and will lose your disc . Now you have a choice . You can turn to your immediate right and follow down next to the lake line and past the small shed , and take the lower path to hole #1 of the Woods , or go to your immediate left and play the downhill window shot of #6 . #6 is a shot with lots of foliage , and a window , towards a large tree and to the basket that is visible to you on #3 . Cross the creek and throw upwards for the next couple of holes until you get to #9 , a top of the world shot to the basket , with the lake behind it . I won't describe the rest of the course but after the shot which ends crossing the lake on your second shot ( nice hole ) you start to throw up and down grades from now on . You can unload your power drive on many of these holes . The park is serene , with lots of wildlife and nothing to distract you . The fun factor comes and goes on this course , One thing that changes are whether you have to control your drive or just unleash it . The last hole is a long slightly downhill control bomber that runs between some trees to the basket with its brush in the back and a little to the side . The scorecards state that the long tees can carry almost 9000' of disc golf . I am not sure of that but this can give you a lot of variety .Park was clean when I was there .My signature hole was #12 , a long downhill drive that you will have to dip into a descending area on your left , that will level off to the basket 100' beyond and guarded by trees all over the green

Cons:

#1 The map and distance listed versus the actual ones . I think that the map serves as a semi helpful guide at times , but don't depend on it solely or you will waste a lot of time and the distance seemed off some .Some next tee signs and arrows would help #2 Course care . The grass was pretty high when I was there , and the branches might need some trimming . #3 No amenities whatsoever . I saw no port o let , no benches , save some tables and chairs and a picnic table out in the sun , downhill from the #1 tee . , no trash cans ( please carry out what you carry in ) no water , ,,,, #4 . Finding the park . I never saw a park where you have a little gravel area to park near the road and a small opening between some bushes that look like it goes to nowhere , since the embankment is just beyond the opening . The big disc golf sign that is supposed to help you navigate this anonymous opening was torn down and left on the ground when I was there . I blew right by this entrance when I first traveled here .

Other Thoughts:

I left this course puzzled . I commend the Oak Ridge Parks and Recreation Department for allowing a park exclusively for disc golf and all of the work done on the course clearing and design . Water , elevation , hilltop throw , tight fairways , two tees , another 9 holes up on the hill length . This course has it all . It is still lacking . What you DO get here are some good quality looks off the tee , and your own course for several hours . Make a better entrance for your disc golf park , , spruce the immediate area leading to the course and make it THE feature of this park , maybe even make a driving range with putting area prior to the first hole , like Foundation Park . I would still play this course some if I lived anywhere near the Oak Ridge area . The word POTENTIAL needs to vanish from here . This park has now been open for 11 years . You can make it a comparable course like Schumpert or Victor Ashe , or make it the next course down . I am glad I played here . This course was on my radar for years . I just think it could be more . That said , I thank the Parks People for allowing me the opportunity to play their fine courses . My recommendation : Not a destination course by any stretch ,but still 27 total holes of play in a disc golf only park . PLAY IT ONLY IF YOU ARE IN THE OAK RIDGE AREA !!!
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2 5
Baysinger
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 14.8 years 93 played 55 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Groves Park DGC - The Mounds 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:May 15, 2019 Played the course:5+ times

Other Thoughts:

The Mounds at Groves Park is definitely a hidden gem in Tennessee. This course definitely doesn't get the credit it deserves. This could absolutely be a championship level course, and I feel that one day, it will be. There are multiple tees on every hole for all types of skill levels. This is one of those courses where you can go play the shortest layout and have ace runs on nearly every hole, and then you can loop it again and play the longest layout which is an absolute beast and a challenge for any skill level. Beautiful rolling hills, high mounds, water in play on several holes and a great mix of everything you need in a course. From short wooded putter holes to long open bomber holes. This would be an outstanding course to get a hotel near and just play multiple layouts in a two day stretch without ever getting tired of the course. And if the 18 hole layout isn't enough for you, move on to the heavily wooded 9 hole sister course in the same park called The Woods. This course is an absolute must play if you are anywhere near East Tennessee. And if you are the type to drive for DG road trips, this is one you are going to want to stop by! One of my favorite courses in East Tennessee! If you want to see this course on video, check out my crew playing it in the video below...
https://www.youtube.com/watch...ex=2&t=0s
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1 8
casman
Experience: 7.7 years 1 played 1 reviews
5.00 star(s)

NEW TEE PADS!!! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 18, 2018 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Brand New Tee pads on all White positions!!!!!
Cleaned up and has been mowed!
Mowing as been going very well
Large brier patches have been cleared

Cons:

Still a couple rough areas to avoid, but it has never looked better!!
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3 0
seayhorse
Experience: 27.8 years 22 played 16 reviews
3.50 star(s)

pretty good! needs Tee pads. 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 2, 2018 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

large plot; former (ball) golf course
variety of looks- long, short, tight woods, open air
multiple tee per hole
nice quiet spot- there's no other reason to be there, so it's never crowded and feels very private and peaceful.

Cons:

no tee pads. that's a big deal.
particularly in summer it's not mowed or groomed nearly enough. grass can get taller than tall man.
poor signage. course map is helpful online, but if you aren't familiar, you might miss a few tees/holes

Other Thoughts:

This is almost a really great course. I wish it would be mowed and kept better. Tee pads would go a LONG way- this could be a real gem, but it's hard to throw your best from a mud puddle. +tees=+star
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5 1
Polecat-Meow
Experience: 12.6 years 44 played 11 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Wide Open Disc Golf Magic 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 5, 2016 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-Biiig open course on an old golf course
-Secluded, beautiful setting
-forgiving, easy to save par, but so long it's not easy to get under all the time.
-nice elevated spots to throw from, nice greens to putt on
-great course for beginners
-this course feels special, it's hard to put a finger on it but the mounds (or the groves, as some locals still call it) is a unique course for several reasons, you need to play it to understand.
-it's just disc golf, no sports fields or parking lots or anything. Just a big ass disc golf park to go throw in.

Cons:

-natural tee pads, I don't mind it but most people dock points for it
-the city dumped a bunch of huge ass dirt piles right at the entrance, totally sucks and ruined the experience of walking into such a beautiful park. Once you start the round they don't matter though.
-it's kind of a hangout spot for high school asshats that litter and steal shit. Local disc golfers pick up litter and keep trash bins around but we can only do so much.

Other Thoughts:

When this course is finally complete and the city does something with the big heaps of dirt (or if they just grow into grassy mounds) then it will be much closer to perfection than it already is. As is, it's a hoot to play and one of my personal favorites that I have ever thrown.
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6 0
murf1087
Experience: 14 years 366 played 17 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Paradise, well, soon anyway 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jul 4, 2016 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Endless possibilities from the multiple tee pads and former hole locations - play with a local out here and you will never get bored.
Beautiful property on an old ball golf course and dump site, hence the nickname Mounds.
This course is well cared for by the locals.
Very active club with regular league nights, glow rounds, and meet ups (search IVDGA on Facebook)
The wooded nine are a perfect compliment to the open holes - rough, rugged, steep and challenging.
Brick pavers teepads, new in 2018.

Cons:

Swampy at times, limited shade during the summer heat, the pond is rather disgusting (don't go in it!). You shouldn't have a problem finding one of the many tee pads. There are vandals that hang out at this course but they stick close to the fire pit. Broken glass bottles are often found near the gathering area at hole one. It's a long walk if you forget something at your car.

Other Thoughts:

The local club is very active at The Mounds, donating their time and equipment to keeping up with mother nature. Hard work, money, blood, and sweat go into maintaining this course.

In the spring, look out for one of the most insane unsanctioned disc golf tourneys you will ever play, the annual Chuck Norris Roundhouse Kick to the Face-Off. Four or more hours of massive bombs, miniature disc golf, mando tomahawks, hanging baskets, sunken baskets, and very creative holes that uses the entire course property.

Don't go into the water at the pond or you will regret it. Don't retrieve discs thrown over the ORNL fence at hole 13, they will throw it back over. See Knoxville Disc Golf Lost and Found or IVDGA site on Facebook if you have lost a disc.
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1 2
Rissa019
Experience: 6 played 1 reviews
4.50 star(s)

My favorite course thus far 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 29, 2016 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

-Very peaceful, gorgeous landscape
-Perfect split of wooded holes and open ones
-Variation from normal courses in the "mounds"
-Very open, large course
-18 holes "The Mounds", plus 7 wooded ones "The Woods" that just had tee signs added

Cons:

A little muddy in spots. That is with any course.
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3 0
Dickie B
Experience: 10 played 10 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Wide Open! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 19, 2014 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Beautiful scenery.
Well manicured fairways.
I think this used to be a ball golf course which would explain its lay.
One hole, I can't remember which one, the tee box is on top of a 30 ft mound. You get to really huk one from here and watching a disc in flight across this course is a pretty awesome thing.
Another hole that plays across a creek has a blackberry patch that was so loaded, we just stopped and basically had lunch. I know, I know, "careful what you eat from the land in Oak Ridge", but I'm okay, so I think it's safe to eat the black berries :)
A challenge that requires all the shots and discs in your bag as well as all the finess and power in your arm!
The course is easy to find.

Cons:

Unless you have someone with you that has played the course a few times, you might need a map.
Need more trash cans. There were a few tee boxes that had left-over containers.
Need concrete tee pads.

Other Thoughts:

I only get to play this course when I visit Knoxville, my home town. Unfortunately, this only happens a few times a year,
Be prepared to walk on this course. It is a long one.
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2 0
BTPdiscgolfer75
Experience: 4 played 2 reviews
2.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 26, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

-Long Holes
-Good baskets
-Beautiful scenery
-True mix of all shots
-Challenging
-Downhill and uphill shots

Cons:

-Poorly marked, played with a friend who had played multiple times and still got confused on where the next tee box is.
-The wooded shot is a total chance shot, since they changed the tee location.
-Toxic sludge but seriously if a disc goes in the water might as well leave it and buy a new one.

Other Thoughts:

It would have been an awesome experience if it was well marked but the poor marking made it very frustrating. Takes a while to play which was fun, but you definitely need a couple hours to play the entire course.
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1 2
Gibbsinator
Experience: 4 played 4 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Open with 4 Tee Choices 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 31, 2013 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

18 Front holes. 9 Back. Skill can help you choose your tee off color, and move up in the future. Signage is pretty good. Open course with many good Tee offs.

Cons:

Can be Muddy in many spots. Dirt Tee Pads. Water Hazard on 10 is the entire hole.

Other Thoughts:

The 4 Tee pads make playing scale-able and easier to hit par. Check out maps before going. Great park for Oak Ridgers. Worth trying for other areas.

http://www.ci.oak-ridge.tn.us..._brochure.pdf

http://www.knoxdiscgolf.org/i...moundsmap.jpg
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3 1
Impssble
Experience: 11.9 years 2 played 2 reviews
3.00 star(s)

a work in progress 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 1, 2013 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Plenty of distances to throw from on each hole, the challenges are finding them. Usually having one or two clear Tee's marked. It is the biggest course I know of with 27 holes. 9 are in the woods near the pond. The entrance being at basket 8. Which is just awesome, but not marked very well, I am sure due to finances. There are plenty of restaurants near by to grab a bite to eat before or after the game.

Cons:

You really need to go with someone who has thrown here before if you have not played it yet.
Course gets muddy due to terrain layout and the Tee's are mostly dirt so if it's rained for a day you might want to wait on this course till it dries out. It's a golf course, easy to lose some discs if you are an aggressive thrower like me, but that's part of the fun. I don't think one can complain about high grass and foliage, this is disk golf. :)
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7 0
DiscGolfCraig
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 19.8 years 584 played 536 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Not quite Victor Ashe

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:May 19, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

Groves Parks is a mixed bag course. There's potential for a solid course, but right now it's more of a conglomerate of confusion than anything else.
- The course is mainly wide open. If you want to swing your sword by showing off your big arm, this is the course for you. The course is on the grounds of an old golf course, and some of the hole layouts seem to follow the ball golf method.
- The course does a good job of using the terrain to provide a good challenge, taking an advantage of the limited obstacles that are prevalent. There are limited trees on the course, so you'll see a lot holes with baskets place behind them - holes #2, 3, 4, 5, etc. Are you noticing a theme? There's also use of water, from a creek on #4 & 5, to a pond in play on #8 & 10.
- The rolling hills (yes, they're more like mounds, or Mounds) provide a little more challenge. #7 is a great example of a tougher uphill shot. You'll also see baskets placed in between miniature mounds and/or rough - #9 & 18 are good examples here.
- Tee signs are great. A suggestion to improve their usefulness would be to place them at the same layout on each hole - i.e. the gold, long layout.
- And, this might be the best thing this course has to offer: this is a disc golf only piece of land. I haven't come across a public park that is nothing but disc golf. What a huge bonus, and a tremendous sign of support from the city. As an out-of-towner, I don't know if it will remain that way. But, for the time being, it's awesome to have this swath of land solely dedicate to disc golf.

Cons:

This is where the confusion rears its ugly head. In essence, holes overlap each other, the signage is poor, hole distances are inaccurate, and there's a feel of repetitiveness. And that's just in the first five holes.
- The root of all these issues was the poor signage. Starting on hole #1, the listed distances are way off. My buddy and I teed off from the blue tee, which is listed at 471 feet. I threw a dud tee shot, and just cleared the red, short tee, which is listed 320 feet from the basket. I then landed my second shot, a Roc that I normally throw in the 225 foot range, 10 feet past the basket. Based on the listed distances, I threw my drive about 170 feet (from 471 ft tee to just past 320 ft tee), and my mid-range disc about 300 feet, or 75 feet longer than normal.
- On #2, we spot the tee sign, with no indication what layout it's located at, and then a blue tee about 40 feet behind it. We tee off from the blue tee, only to soon realize that was the blue tee for #4. We'd have known that if the signs were better marked. We finally found the blue, white and red tees, some of which were marked by with paper plates. Yes, on multiple holes, the tees are marked with numbered paper (or maybe they're Styrofoam) plates.
- On #3, the gold and blue tees are almost parallel to each other, but their distances are listed at 486 and 393 respectively. Hmmm.
- And issues like this kept creeping up throughout. When something like this comes up on almost every hole on the front nine, you quickly sour on your disc golf experience.
- The other 'negative' about the course itself is the thick grass. As soon as my disc hit the ground, it stopped right there. The lack of rolls/skips takes away extra distance, which makes some of these holes play even longer.
- When I say this is a disc golf only piece of land, I mean this is a disc golf only piece of land. There's a port-a-jon near the unmarked parking lot, and that's it for amenities here. No real bathrooms, water fountains, drink machines, etc. The parking is right off the side of the road, and if you're not careful, it'd be easy to miss the course.

Other Thoughts:

Grove Park, in its current state, is an example of the parts being greater than the sum. I had high hopes for the course and was really disappointed. Knoxville's other
open course (Victor Ashe) does a great job of making an open course fun & challenging. Grove Park, on the other hand, comes up short.
- This seems to be a love/hate course. Some will love the wide open fields and the ability to let tee shots fly. Others will probably sour on the repetitiveness of the course, and the somewhat lack of variety here. Again, Victor Ashe succeeds in making similar, open holes feel different.
- This is the first course I've ever played where I walked off before finishing every hole. With nine extra holes, it now stands at 27. And with the frustration I was having here, I had gotten enough without playing all of those.
- Most of the problems I listed above can easily be fixed with a little work from the local DG club. Regular players tend to miss some of these issues because they're so familiar with the layout. Here in Charlotte, outsiders notice the poor signage at Renaissance, while most locals have never noticed the signs were wrong or missing altogether.
- As I said, a lot of holes, in and of themselves, are good. #1 is a fun starting hole; 2, 3 & 4 all offer some challenging layouts. But, when you're trying to sort through the clutter of finding tee pads and determining distances all the time, they lose their luster.
- #9 was a cool layout. Having the basket surrounded by mounds of tall grass gave a great risk/reward second shot.
- Despite all the issues, I can still recognize the positives this course has to offer. It probably speaks well of the course, that a low score for it is only a 3.0. That said, I feel this course should be closer to the 4.0 range. In due time, I hope it gets there.
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5 0
DGphanatic
Experience: 15.1 years 16 played 12 reviews
3.50 star(s)

the wooded 9 holes 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 23, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

I will not go into the regular 18 holes but rather the new 9 holes that are tucked away behind the pond. When you get to the cage on hole 8 you will be beside the pump house. There will be signs that point to the wooded 9. Once you get to hole 1, its a gradual uphill, straight about 300 ft. then curves right up to a pedestal where the cage lies. Hole two play to the top of the ridge, above hole 1. its a par 3 straight. Hole 3 lies downhill from 2's basket. This hole is tricky. serious dogleg left down a steep hill. Using a putter is recommended. Hole 4 is located over the hill from 3's cage. This hole plays uphill through trees, there are two lines to take on this hole. you can flick if you accurate or hyzer around the trees which could score big or cause a loss of disc in the brush. Hole 5 is another two line shot off the tee. You can rip it across a pit that is OB and very risky or follow the path around with a long hyzer drive. Hole 6 is called The Glory Hole and for good reason. You stand at the top of this ridge and you are shooting down the ridge to the cage straight and the trees are cleared out all the way down to the hole but if you throw off track...your in tree trouble. Hole 7 is a mando flick hole with a restricted tee box for flicking and this hole lies uphill and far to the right on top of the ridge. Hole 8 is called Ode to Richmond Hills and true in the title. This tee is posted on top of one side of the ridge and the cage sits on the opposite side of the ridge. Footage is about 350 to 400 ft. Straight on drive but this hole is not an easy par. Hole 9 is a sweet hyzer mid range drive. It tees off on top of the ridge and follows the ridge around to the left. I used a buzz on this hole and touched chains off the tee. Beware, if you overshoot this hole, there is a huge drop off 30 ft behind the cage. This is a beautifully made wooded 9 and brings variety to this wonderful course.

Cons:

The wooded 9 do not have good signage or maps. Still in the making and probably gonna be a real sweet alternative to playing the back 9 or front. Wish they would concrete the regular 18 hole tees.

Other Thoughts:

Still one of my favorite local courses.
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2 6
Chris H.
Experience: 13 years 2 played 2 reviews
2.00 star(s)

ok at best 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 7, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

The only pro to this course would have to be that it is peaceful, unless you start thinking about all of the nuclear material nearby.

Cons:

The place is so far out, and so hard to find, that it made the experience horrible. it needs concrete tee pads and a lot of signage. they need to put up a sign for the course so it is easier to find. course map would be nice, numbering the baskets would help, there needs to be something other than paper plates to indicate the tee location, from hole two you see three different baskets with no way of knowing which one to throw at. Sorry if I sound a bit upset, but it took me 3 hours to get there and it was muddy, so I hated it. Maybe next time I will leave a better review.
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5 0
kinger
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 14 years 101 played 101 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Grooving in Groves Park 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 5, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

~4 sets of tees to appeal to every type of player
~Great flow in a wide open natural setting
~Baskets are in good shape
~Quiet, serene atmosphere that is very peaceful
~Beautiful views of surrounding hills
~A monster of a course requiring power and accuracy

Cons:

~Natural tee pads provide loose footing
~Minimal signage, but tees have colored indicators
~No official indicator that you found the course
~Very primitive and basic amenities (which can be a pro)

Other Thoughts:

I found myself at peace with the surroundings and completely satisfied during a long pleasant round at this exceptionally beautiful course. Played with a friend while visiting Oak Ridge on a warm, cloudless Saturday Autumn morning. We drove up and down the road a couple times as there really is not official indicator letting you know that you've arrived. Hopped out, geared up and played from the Blue Tees which proved to be a fairly long and utterly enjoyable experience. The natural tee pads were mostly muddy and slick so we threw from the grass beside each tee box. Footing was solid, but concrete tees would help with confidence on the long drives this set demands. A medley of holes ranging from long open bombs to wooded areas with a heavy dose of mature trees mixed throughout that traverses gradually sloping terrain. Water comes into play here and there. Don't let the openness fool you as skilled lines and a handful of throwing styles are needed throughout. A spectacular setting with ample room for many groups to roam. Highly recommended...epic experience.
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3 3
m34tba11
Experience: 13 years 25 played 4 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Mounds is fun and long but laid out great! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 24, 2011 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Despite the setting and length of this course it is laid out very well. much better then Victor Ashe (down in Knoxville).

As noted..Long open holes but the new 9 in the woods do give you some added variety.

Great use of an abandoned golf course. They can probably add a few more long open holes on other parts of the golf course and make this even bigger if they wanted to...However not everyone is into 50 holes of power...

It's still under the radar for the most part. I've yet to run into crowds when I play here.

A lot of elevation changes.

Great use of the water hazards.

Cons:

I have to drive forever to get there?

It's sitting on nuclear waste?

Watch out for the snapping turtles if you have to take a swim for a disc.


Other Thoughts:

I cannot wait to hit the new 9 up in the woods. It will also be nice when dgcoursereview gets that information added.

This is one great little gem in East Tennessee that is off the radar and you can really get out there and work on your power/long game.
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