Dublin, VA

Randolph Park DGC

3.575(based on 27 reviews)
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12 0
Bennybennybenny
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 13.1 years 305 played 287 reviews
3.00 star(s)

The Strip Down

Reviewed: Played on:May 7, 2023 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

-To clarify, this has nothing to do with nudity........

What I mean by "The Strip Down" is that Randolph is simplistic. It's a plain novelty course without Virginia's elevation or Virginia's tendency of having more difficult courses that rate higher. I haven't played many basic courses in Virginia. Of the ones I had played so far in Virginia, Randolph is most rudimentary. Have a fun day planned with a group of people? Come to Randolph.

-There are two baskets on most holes. I think all of them except for three (#11, 15, and 17). The yellow disc catchers are the long pins and the white dynamic veterans are the shorts. Many layout options, as there are two sets of pads as well.

-The white pads are marked with concrete and the tee signs have hole info on them.

-I liked how the back nine gives a clear indication of a change in direction. The entire front nine is wooded and the back nine starts off in the open. #10 is long par three just begging you to rip a driver. #11 and #12 throw over and then back over a dried out pond in an open field. #13 is the longest hole at about 800' and plays over ANOTHER dried out pond and over the meadow. Very nice multi shot par five. Back nine ends at the course's roots in the woods.

-Signature hole would probably be #16. Without question my favorite hole at Randolph. It's long (about 675') and downhill a good bit for the first half. The second half is wooded but down a pretty wide and accommodating trail. Not only is the tee shot a lot of fun, but the overall look of this hole is in a whole different league. #11 long is another great hole. Elevated pad in front of the parking lot. This is probably the bag emptier at Randolph.

-Nice bamboo triple mando on #15. Without it, this would be a pretty boring hole. It's a 285' straight and flat shot that's pretty open. Makes you question your distance capacity when you have to keep it low and straight.

-There's a waterpark at the entrance where you'll first see holes #14 and #15.

Cons:

-The fun is pretty limited here if you are used to the more hilly terrain courses in Virginia. It's not that Randolph is completely flat; most holes have mild elevation. #11 long and #16 both dive down more than 20' but that's the most you'll see here.

-The long pads have no signage or concrete pads, so they are difficult to find. They are just marked by blue wood chips.

-The tee signs could use an upgrade since the white veteran pins are relatively new. The tee signs give hole info for the original design and I think for both pin positions, but not for the long pads. U disc is a necessity. There are next tee arrows that make navigation a little less tricky, but they can still be hard to spot.

-Honestly just a little too plain for my taste. The wooded holes to me are pretty insipid. A couple of them were okay, but a lot of them were bland. Some of the fairways to the long pins are kind of jagged and funky. #4 is pretty bizarre. The fairway breaks off right past the short pin and the turning point is pretty unclear. Same with #5 and #7 in the long pins.

Other Thoughts:

-I wasn't too fond of the front nine. Most of the wooded holes are very bland and don't really have a spark to them, even though they aren't considerably bad hole. Just crusty and dry. #11-13 are all good holes with more of an edge since they all play over the dried ponds. #14 is another big grip and rip with the water trenches in play. Gives a pretty neat look.

-The other course in Dublin is $25 to play. It's a lot more fun and has some sweet downhill shot, but $25 is very expensive for disc golf. Princeton, WV is about forty-five minutes from here and has an amazing course at Glenwood Park. There are a couple of private courses listed on U disc in the Blacksburg area about thirty minutes from here. Contact the owner and see if he'll let you play them you'll certainly have a blast at those courses. Dark Hollow and Dire Wolf. Both are hidden gems.
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6 2
jaredsmith
Experience: 1 played 1 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Fine Course drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 16, 2023 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Wide variety of shots from hyzers to anhyzers.
3 sets of teepads on most holes.
Mix of wooded and open holes.
Good for a variety of skill levels.
Nice amenities benches, trash cans etc.
The Innova baskets are nice.

Cons:

Many of the tee boxes aren't even with the ground in the front sides and back and too short for a full run up on the concrete tee pad.
A lot of the newly added alternate pins aren't very creative and vary from adding nothing to the hole to being a considerably worse hole while a few are somewhat creative. Many of them leave me wondering, if this is the best alternate pin they could come up with was there any point in adding an alternate pin.
There is quite a trek between a couple of the holes and if you aren't familiar you could easily lose your way especially with the lack of additional signage.
It's strange to see two different brands of baskets on one course, that said the dynamic discs baskets are a clear step below the Innova in terms of quality and playability.

Other Thoughts:

The stand out holes on the course for me were hole 8, hole 12, hole 13, and hole 17.
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6 0
TerribleDiscGolfer
Experience: 8.6 years 15 played 3 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Rough around the edges but pretty fun 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 13, 2016 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

- Beautiful park setting for course
- Layout is decent: The front nine is terrific - cool run lines, pretty easy to find the next hole (except for #5 I think). It is a fun and challenging short nine. The back nine has what could be some really good holes (#12 - #16) if not for the "Cons" below)

Cons:

- No real tee pads or signage to the next hole on the course make it VERY challenging to play and navigate in some places though I have seen worse - which I found to be part of the allure of the course though well-seasoned (more talented than me) players used to nice courses would possibly hate it
- the tee pads make it so you cannot really rip anything since the likelihood of stepping on a branch or bump or uneven surface and tripping etc is pretty high here - again though - I have seen worse...

Other Thoughts:

Fun casual course to throw - just keep the expectations low here - bring your dog or a friend and enjoy the walk - it is a pretty place...
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11 1
DiscGolfCraig
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 19.8 years 584 played 536 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Randolph Park

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:May 15, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

Randolph Park is an enjoyable 18-hole layout. It's a tale of two designs with the front nine exclusively in the woods while the back nine spreads out across the across the remainder of the park.
- Very solid and fun hole layouts. Layouts range from tight, wooded ace runs to long, open, bomber holes. The first nine holes, despite all being wooded and with many of similar length, do offer different looks, preventing a feeling of repetitiveness.
- Course follows the tried-and-true method of starting with a series of easier, warm-up holes leading to longer and more challenging holes throughout. That is until you get to #17 & 18, which seem out of place. The front nine is easier, so you'll want to be aggressive early to get your birdies.
- Great course for beginners, casual players and the like. With the front 9 being much easier, it's a great way to build up one's confidence before giving said players a taste of a much more advanced level of disc golf. Or, you just skip the back 9 and let them work their way up to the longer holes.
- The wooded holes, for the most part, are a solid lot. #5 is a challenging, 210-foot hole that features a narrow fairway. This is the type of hole that many players could just as easily birdie as bogey depending on whether their shot is on- or offline by a matter of feet or inches. #7 is my favorite of the wooded holes. It's a split fairway, 335-foot hole that does allow multiple shots and creativity. It's not overly challenging. So even a decent tee shot should set you up for a simple up-and-down (or two-putt) for a 3.
- The back nine offers more variety in its hole offerings. My favorite hole on the course is #11. It's a 246 foot open shot that throws over a (believed to be) dried out pond/retention area. If you land short, you have a decently uphill shot to the basket that's close to the edge of the drop-off. It's not an overly challenging hole, but it's a very enjoyable hole for watching your tee shot as it sails to the basket. (Note: you can see the basket and drop-off in front of the basket in the background of the picture for hole #12.)
- Hole #14 also offers a cool layout, even if it's also not the most difficult of holes. On this 445 foot hole, the basket is protected on two sides by narrow trenches filled with rocks. It's part of the water runoff drainage system towards a retaining pond area (separate from the one I mentioned for hole #11). I didn't see anything mentioning if the rocks are considered OB; but, if they are, that would add an element of difficulty to this hole.

Cons:

The course has an odd flow to it. The front nine is compacted into a small portion of the woods in the back of the park that leads to a quick play. Contrast that to the back nine being spread out across the entire park. You have long walks from #10 to #11; #12 to 13; and #15 to 16. Most of the holes on the back 9 are good, so you understand why they're there. Just be prepared for the total contrast.
- There's a major inconsistency when it comes to tee signs and tee markers. Without a printed map, it would be very difficult to navigate this course for a first timer. That said, even with the map, my buddy and I had difficult times finding all the tee markers. #12, 17 & 18 were the ones we spent the most time searching for. Also, between the long walks and the numerous walking trails that weave throughout the wooded portion of the course, next tee signs would come in handy.
- I wasn't a fan of the final two holes on the course. They stuck out like a sore thumb. After playing probably the most challenging, and arguably best, hole on the course on #16, you finish your round with two relatively basic wooded holes. Why not squeeze in two other holes somewhere else on the course and eliminate these holes? You're already walking plenty on the back 9, so it doesn't matter if current #16 were the closing hole and you had a longer walk back to the parking lot.
- It would have been nice to have more special and/or challenging holes. For the most part, there are a lot of holes in the B to C+ range and almost nothing in the A-grade range. Notice even in the holes I mention I enjoyed I did have to preface them by noting they weren't that difficult, but had more of an enjoyment factor to them. This isn't something that impacts my rating, but it's worth mentioning.

Other Thoughts:

Randolph Park's disc golf course is enjoyable even if it's not flashy. Take away the drop-off of the last two holes, and I was liking what the course had to offer through the first 16.
- The park itself is great. It has a ton of amenities such as ball fields, tennis courts, running trails, playground and a great, big pool/water area. The waterpark is one of the bigger ones I have seen for a community park of this size.
- Advanced players will shot really low here, taking advantage of a relative lack of difficulty. There isn't a lot of risk/reward to this course, which may be part of the overall lack of great holes. Even on hole #6, a 448 foot, dogleg right wooded hole, it's a pretty simple design. I had two very average shots and still had a putt for a 3.
- Overall, my experience at Randolph was a positive one. I was expecting more to this course based on others reviews and ratings. It's not as good as its current rating merits, but it's still an above-average course. Do like I did, and play this course on your way to Mountain Lake.
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0 3
ChainSmoker32
Experience: 12.9 years 52 played 4 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Nice course, needs signs 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 14, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

This was a very nice with a lot of great holes. More advanced players wil, be able to utilize several different discs out of their bag. The course was well maintained and layer out well.

Cons:

No signage or information so you don't know where the next tee is or what the par is.
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6 0
splatbaseball51
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 15 years 182 played 58 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Strokes of brilliance hidden by poor upkeep 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 15, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

This course has a lot to offer if you know where to find it. (see complaints about navigation below)

To start, it combines a lot of wooded and open holes, but only 1 that mixes both. Front nine is technical, wooded and mostly short-medium in length. The long hole is a giant "U" so don't expect to be able to bomb one in here.

You'll probably use a fair amount of your bag on this course. You'll likely be throwing technical mids-putters on the front 9, and then you'll have some wide-open fields on the back to bomb some drivers.

All of the baskets were in really good shape. They were all top of the line Innova catchers, however a few had some rusted chains that may present problems in the future.

There are some REALLY cool shots out here. Namely holes 14 and 15. 14 has you throwing into several rock-lined drainage ditches, hoping you don't chip your plastic. 15 is probably my favorite shot on the course. Just a simple midrange tunnel shot (reminiscent of a hole at Winthrop) but the well manicured trees and park environment add to the beauty of it. Hole 16 is probably the other sweet shot as you'll be able to bomb one out near the opening of the woods and then throw a technical up-shot to finish it out. My advice; Don't give up on this course after hole 10. You really want to play holes 14-16, so pull your best Lewis and Clark and navigate to these if you can.

Cons:

A consideration for future development, I would suggest some navigational signs. Perhaps only a product of the forest floor being covered in leaves, however I was unable to find the next tee in several instances. Compounding this confusion was the fact that the tees were natural, perhaps some with toe boards/frames, but nothing distinguishing them from the rest of the leaf-laden landscape.

Many of the tee signs no longer existed as they had been broken off of their pedestals. This only added to the confusion of finding the next hole. I distinctly remember being unable to find hole 17's tee. I used my best judgement based on the map provided online.

The navigation issues don't end in the woods either. Once you've played hole 10, unless you have a map on hand you'll have a tough time finding 11. An astute observer may have noticed baskets scattered in the fields on the right on the drive into the park. That's where holes 11-14 are, but there is quite the walk between several of these holes, with zero signage. You best bring a map!

There aren't many, if any at all, risky shots that you can be rewarded on. Zero water hazards, no major chance of OB. Your standard fare.

I couldn't tell if some of the park amenities (benches mainly) were for the course or for the walking trails. After seeing several benches pointing away from the tee pads, I assumed the latter. Thus, the park is lacking some of the typical stuff I'd like to see on a course. Navigation signs, benches, trash cans, non-natural pads, etc...

Other Thoughts:

This course was a real treat to play. Honestly, holes 14-16 are what made it stand out to me, otherwise I probably wouldn't play it very often. Since I travel down I-81 fairly often, this will probably become one of my normal stops (along with Steele Creek in Bristol). The park is beautiful, the course is fun, you'll have some shots at aces and hopefully a good time. Plenty of food and other things in the area as well. I do recommend it, despite it suffering from a few of the things above.
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2 0
TATCCITW
Experience: 14.8 years 24 played 4 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Worth A Trip 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 29, 2013 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

1. Hole Variety. Holes that go left, holes that go right. Long and short. Woods and open. Even a hole that start in the open and you must go through an entrance to end deep in the woods. You'll have a bunch of different looks.

2. Very clean underneath. The wooded holes do not have a lot of underbrush so you can have a variety of approach shots on most holes.

3. The open holes have small obstacles. Too many course just have no challenge in their open holes. This course did a good job of making ending some of the open holes with a few trees around the basket or a gap to throw around. They are still wide open shots but make you think a little around the basket.

3. Nice park layout if you're looking for a good way to spend a day with the family. If you're interested in taking the kids to a pool, or playing some hoops, Randolph park is a great place to go with a variety of activities for the whole family.

Cons:

1. Tee signs are missing. Hole length can be hard to determine for first time course players. I think there is a map available at the clubhouse by the pool so be sure to check that out if you have not played Randolph yet.

2. The open holes are all very open. I like a little challenge from the tee personally and find little challenge off of most the open holes on this course. Unless you are severely left of right off the tee you don't run into much challenge.

3. Another personal preference of mine is elevation change. The course is very flat. I know there is not a lot of elevation change on this course, but I do feel that a little more could have been placed to increase the challenge and make some uphill and downhill shots.

Other Thoughts:

If I lived a little closer I would play this course more often than the once a month I make it out there. It provides enough variety to keep throwing new things at you and has a good amount of risk reward holes. Rounds play quick, have not lost a disc out here yet and rarely am searching (except in the fall when the leaves do their thing). Worth the trip if you're in southwest Virginia.
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4 0
ntguthrie
Experience: 15.6 years 103 played 10 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Great Variety 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jan 2, 2014 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

- Good mix of holes, about 2/3 wooded and 1/3 open, left turns vs. right turns, long vs. short, etc.
- Located in a very nice park with athletic fields, pavilions, swimming pool, and restroom facilities
- The wooded fairways and paths between holes are well-maintained and free of debris. There also isn't much undergrowth in the woods, so if you get off the fairway you can still recover.
- The baskets are well-placed, even on the wide open holes the basket locations offer some risk/reward shots.

Cons:

- Tee signs are a little lacking and missing on several holes.
- Several of the tee boxes are uneven, especially on the open holes.
- There are some long walks between holes (10 to 11, 12 to 13) due to the park layout as it plays around a roadway & baseball/football fields. If you're new to the course make sure you bring a map, it can be hard to navigate between these holes.

Other Thoughts:

Overall this is a very solid course. It provides a great variety of holes for both big-armed players as well as those who prefer tighter, wooded courses. No two holes are the same, and there aren't really any "filler" holes. Definitely worth checking out if you are in the area. Favorite holes are 6, 14 and 16.
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2 3
Chris Carpenter
Experience: 6 played 5 reviews
3.50 star(s)

A Great Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 10, 2013 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

+Awesome variety of open and wooded holes
+Long and Short holes
+Nicely kept paths
+Maps available near first tee
+Red, White, and Blue tees
+Several paths have been cleared into brush-heavy areas to make disc hunting easier/more successful

Cons:

-The break between hole 10 and hole 11 is quite a walk and could be hard to navigate without a map
-Some of the course signs have been unearthed and tossed by brutes or cavemen (sasquatch also a suspect)
-Poison ivy can get you here, pants or long socks advised.

Other Thoughts:

I enjoy this course a lot and you should too. Good variety makes for an interesting 18 with several ace opportunities if you're at that level.
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1 3
aimonetony
Experience: 25.8 years 30 played 5 reviews
3.50 star(s)

neat course and drop the family at the impressive water park 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 25, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

maps available at the waterpark
mix of woods and open space
had a nice group of locals to play with
close to freeway

Cons:

could use a little more up keep and love
needs more risk/ reward
some more markings could help otherwise you need the map
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3 2
jordanferg92
Experience: 12.6 years 43 played 29 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Long holes 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:May 5, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

1. Signs show distance and par
2. A few holes Tests how far you can throw
3. Forces you throw sidearm as well as backhand
4. Course is never crowded
5. Neat elevation changes
6. Great mixture of wooded and open holes
7. Fun obstacles on the open holes
8. Pars all seem really fair

Cons:

1. Buggy
2. Some fairways could be cleared better
3. Undergrowth is minimal but still there in some places
4. Only one trashcan and litter is heavy

Other Thoughts:

This is really a nice park and a nice course. If you can throw far and accurate you'll do great. This course will really test your abilities in the wooded areas. This is one of my favorite courses to play just because it really tests my arm. Would recommend to anyone.
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4 1
harr0140
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 15.2 years 1508 played 475 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Represent! Randolph! 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 17, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

1) Yellow banded discatchers are certainly appreciated on this course, but mostly on the wooded holes. It makes the baskets so much easier to find in most of the year (except maybe in full color of the fall).

2) Simple laminated tee-signs have Hole #, Distance, sponsors, next tee locations, and an OK map. The map is basically just a line showing the routes available, but no trees or specific obstacles are really indicated.

3) There are 3 tees on some holes. I found Red, White, and Blue tees marked by 4x4's in the ground. I played the white tees because that seemed most suitable for my abilities, but I love that you can go out there and play a couple different courses by playing different tees.

4) There are some directionals that help with your navigation of the course and I always appreciate it when courses do that because I travel a lot and only get one impression of the course.

5) On the wooded holes the fallen leaves create a really nice cover for what I would assume would just be mud.

6) Excellent variety in hole distances. There are holes in the 100's, 200's, 300's, 400's, 500's, and even 1 in the 800' range. This is such a great feature in this courses design that really makes it a well designed course. You will have so many different shots and discs needed to execute those shots.

7) There just aren't any completely weak holes out here if you ask me. They all bring in some sort of challenge and obstacles or terrain to make them unique. The two holes that would seem to be weak would be 11 and 12 but they use the retention area well to create an interesting throw. Plus on #11 they perch the basket just a little bit above the massive slope down to the retention area so there is some real risk/reward in gunning right at the basket.

8) I like the slightly elevated basket (up on a mound) to finish the round. I like that when it might matter most (on hole #18) you have to concentrate harder to make your putt.

9) This is as close to a "championship" type course as I have seen in a while. The distance, the tight woods, the risk/reward, and the true variety of every shot and every hole make this a great place to test people's overall disc golf skills. It has every test out here and will bring the best disc golfers to the top.

Cons:

1) Gravel tees are always better than dirt, but not as good as concrete. I prefer a surface that is just a little bit more consistent.

2) There is a walk path through a lot of the course where interaction with walkers and other park users might happen frequently. I avoided any issue, but at certain times I could image this might make playing this course difficult or at the very least frustrating.

3) No garbage cans that I remember seeing and some tee-signs are missing.

4) The walk between #10 and #11 is about ½ mile and there is no sign directing you to where the next tee is located. The rung painted on the tray of the basket is not enough help to find that tee.

5) I noticed some barbed wire along #6. Sure there is a way around the barbed wire but it is awfully close to the fairway and in the area where the fairway bends and could easily see a lot of foot traffic in the area.

6) One thing I would have done possibly rather than running 1-9 (9 of the tight wooded holes) altogether would be to leave a couple more wooded holes at the end of the course and a few at the beginning so you don't get bored throwing all the wooded holes in a row. I like the variety to be continuous, and the routing looks like this would have been able to accomplish, where basically there would be 6 holes wooded to start, 6 holes in the open and longer holes, and then finishing with 6 more holes in the woods. It's a little nitpicky, but if it could have been done that way I would have routed the course in that manner.

7) I wouldn't say this course is beginner friendly because the tight wooded holes are pretty tight and even some longer ones thrown in there, then the open holes are pretty long making them frustrating to beginners too. I personally like the course the way it is but this could be a negative to many people.

Other Thoughts:

This is an interesting course with an interesting layout. The first 9 holes and 2 of the back 9 are set on an area of the park that is fairly dense woods. There are all sorts of different shots through the woods and they designed an excellent course. Then on holes 10-16 they use a more open park-like piece of the property but there are some interesting features used to make these holes fun also. There are what look to be 3 different rainwater retention areas that help to create some interesting throws and basket locations. This is also where the course gets really spread out in terms of opening up your arm to a full power throw.
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3 1
11abush11
Experience: 14.1 years 82 played 12 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Pretty park; nice shot selection 2+ years drive by

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

Pros:

-Gorgeous park with tons to do with disc golf included.
-Shot selection is great never got bored at any hole.
-Great new Innova discatchers.
-Nice mix of wood and field.

Cons:

-The walks from holes I.E. hole 10 to hole 11 is ridiculous 13 to 14.
-Horrible signage, Some with no par some with no diagram at all signs between holes very small hard to find next hole (first time playing) . Which almost makes me think that a 9 hole was originally here and then tried to stretch another 9 across the whole park complex to make it a 18 hole course.
-No concrete tees

Other Thoughts:

The horseshoe hole is kind of a crazy type of hole that I wasn't expecting at this park.
If Im in the area I'll play again now that I know where all of the tees and baskets are.
Get some better signs some tees and just make it a 20 something hole course to fill those gaps between the good holes on the course and call this a 4 disc rating course!
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9 1
DSCJNKY
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 22.6 years 682 played 129 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Moments of Greatness 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 1, 2011 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

- Multiple Tees. Every hole at Randolph Park has three sets of tees (Red, White, Blue) allowing the user to determine the course they want to play. I found the Whites to be the most "finished" set of tees in terms of construction of the tee-pads... while the Blues and Reds were there to be used, but not as "finished".
- Open / Wooded. The Front-9 at Dublin played through an extremely wooded section of the park, while the Back-9 played primarily through a wide open section of the park. All the wooded holes fairways were completely fair, and the open holes were designed in such a way that they were not boring. Actually, the open holes used some drainage basins quite well to tighten up some otherwise wide-open shots (if played as OB).
- Long Stuff. There were some long holes on the Back-9... 700'er... 900'er... etc... I love having to play GOLF where you're required to throw to an optimal landing zone in order to have a successful attempt at the next shot. And, with wide open skies, you really get to air it out and watch the disc fly.

Cons:

- Trashed. LITTERally. Parts of the course were trashed - LITTERally. My buddy and I would pick up all the trash we could find on each Hole and deliver it to the next tee-pad (as there were no trashcans in the woods, and there was no way we could carry it all out). Hopefully, our recentralization of the litter at each tee-pad convinces some local to go for a round with a trash bag and finish the job.
- Long Walks. There are some amazingly long walks out there. One that has to be almost a ¼ mile between Hole 10 and 11... and then an 1/8 mile walk between Holes 12 and 13... and then another long walk to 16. Luckily, I had seen the baskets on that side of the park on my way into the course and knew I would have to walk in that direction.
- Ends Weak. For a course with so many great shots, I feel that it ends weak... as if they were just trying to get back to the car. Several of the Holes on the course are "Championship" quality Holes... and then Holes 17 and 18 are just there. I hate when courses do that.

Other Thoughts:

- Convenient. Randolph Park is located right off the I-81 and is extremely close to gas, food, and other stores. It's an ideal road-trip course to grab if driving down the I-81.
- Overall. I thought Randolph Park had some great golf to be played. I've played it from the Whites and Blues and had a blast on both, but preferred the Whites. The Blues are definitely designed for the Pro-level golfer in mind, providing very few bridie opportunities (except for the longest of arms), while the Whites are designed more like a standard disc golf course in terms of length and difficulty. The trash, long walks and natural tee-pads definitely take away from the course in terms of rating, but the course is still fun and has some championship level golf to be played.
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3 1
gerp
Experience: 13.6 years 2 played 2 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Balanced course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 10, 2011 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

- this type of course is what comes to mind when you think of a balanced course. Front 9 in the woods, back 9 in the clear, a decent amount of elevation on some holes

- the distance (both throws and total walking) is a good amount. This course will take you 2 hours to play through

- the course is located in a well maintained county park. Nicely maintained for the most part. The course is wooded, but not overly so.

Cons:

- you need to consult a map the first time you play, the hole locations are not exactly intuitive. The front 9 in the woods wind a little. Look out for between hole 10 and 11, it's not easy to find.

- white tees are clearly visible, it's hard to find the blues or reds on most.

- there are no par markings on the holes. Print a score card. we always just score as a par 3 course then subtract off 6 at the end. You should be able to tell where the 4 and 5's are.

Other Thoughts:

The park is relatively busy on most afternoons/evenings, but it seems the holes are far enough out of the way there isn't much interference. There are walking paths that wind through the front 9, but there are rarely people in the way.

The woods are not too dense (except for leaves in the fall), lost disks should not be a terrible problem.

There are some fences in some places. Look out for the electric fence to the left of 16.

Pads are natural, some filled with stone. Obviously would be nice to have real pads, but you can't complain too much.
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4 6
roadtrip
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 28.8 years 200 played 22 reviews
4.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 20, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

Beautiful. Peaceful. Right off the highway. Great variety of shots/lengths. Never too crowded. Etc Etc

Cons:

About a year ago I played it for the first time. I pulled up right before a tournament started. I asked to play, they said no - for club members only. Hopefully this has changed, otherwise these guys are dipsh*ts.

Other Thoughts:

Vareity (shots) 4.5/5 - Front 9 wooded, back 9 opens up.

Variety (length) 5/5 - shorties through bombs. Also nice that the length varies in the woods, as well as out in the open.

Beauty - 5/5 - You ever go to the Grand Canyon and think, "Holy sh*t, there's no way you can capture this in a picture." Maybe I just suck at photography, but this place is way prettier than the pictures.

Trackability - 3.5/5 - Could use a little help here. More signs? I gave it some extra credit because it's so easy to track from I-81 (and so close)

Lost Disc Hazard - 3/5 - The woods, obviously, but the back 9 can hide a disc too

Vibe - 4/5 - Front 9 can have a lot of walkers. Otherwise peaceful and serene. Great way to break up a road trip.

Safety - 4.5/5 - Little security office on your way in. The locals seem to be small-town friendly. I only docked 1/2 point because there were some laws I wanted to break on the front 9 but I was nervous about the people and security in the area.

29.5/35 = 4.21 = 4
I bumped it up to 4.5 because I like it so much. Very highly recommended to anyone driving up I-81

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1 3
stsiler
Experience: 18.6 years 31 played 10 reviews
4.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 2, 2010 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

- Great balance of open and wooded holes.
- Course will test both your distance and accuracy.
- Park has a great pool open to the public. Jump in after your round to cool off during the summer months.

Cons:

- Course doesn't flow extremely well. A course map is very helpful for first-time navigation.
- The park has many other amenities that make it congested during summer months. However this doesn't interfere with most holes.
- Tee signs don't list pars. Just be sure to print a scorecard from DGCR.

Other Thoughts:

- For a full day of disc golf, play Randolph Park and then drive over to the Golden Hills course in Christiansburg and enjoy the full New River Valley 36!

Score Breakdown:
Variety:4 Balance:5 Strategy:3 Character:3 Fun:4 Avg: 3.8
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5 1
mashnut
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 22.1 years 831 played 767 reviews
3.00 star(s)

An interesting mix 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 13, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

The course has a big variety of holes which makes for a fun and interesting round. The first half of the course is mostly through fairly dense woods, while the second half plays through mostly rolling fields around drainage ponds. The elevation available was pretty minimal, but it was used well where possible to make things more interesting.

The wooded holes had a great mix of straight holes and holes with bends and doglegs left and right. They forced many different types of shots in order to score well, and put a premium on accuracy. The open holes were more about shot placement and controlled distance to have a shot at the hole and stay out of the retention ponds (empty when I played, but they could be a cool water feature at times). There was a good mix of lengths, from ace run holes to some good places to air it out including one hole at around 900'.

The signage on the course was very good,with good hole maps that were very descriptive of how to find the next hole when there was a long walk or it was otherwise not immediately obvious. The baskets were in good shape with painted spokes to point the way to the next tee. The course loops back near the parking lot in the middle which is always nice.

Cons:

There are a couple holes that have silly fairway shapes in the woods, especially #6 which was very long and basically boomerang shaped with a sharp dogleg down a very tight fairway. It would be nice to have the open holes and wooded holes more mixed rather than half the course of each, but that would be very difficult to incorporate into the design, so it feels like a couple different courses put together.

There are some very long walks between sections of the course to avoid other park features. I definitely prefer that to having the course interfere with paths and sports fields, but it still breaks up the flow of the course. They are well marked though, which keeps it from being too much of a navigation issue.

None of the holes really stood out to me as anything really special, and the course seemed a bit repetitive at times.

Other Thoughts:

This course has something for everyone, from easy to hard, long to short, and open to tightly wooded. The course is approachable for newer players, but would be pretty tough. More experienced players will find some fun challenges, though the open holes don't have enough chances for bad shots to be punished to be very tough.

I definitely would play this course if you're in the area, but it's not really a destination course that I would drive a long way to play.
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6 1
jackrbailey72
Experience: 14.8 years 16 played 6 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Saturday in Dublin, VA 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 12, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

I REALLY liked the mix of wooded and open holes. Even with the wide-open fields, you needed to shot shape. The signage was outstanding with a couple of exceptions (#6 and some directional signage), and that was great. Another nice touch was the QUALITY of the signs, course markers, and even the scorecard/course map...very accurate and helpful. Another PRO is the maintenance and upkeep of the park and course. Good job to those folks in Dublin.
The online docs were great (as stated above), but headed to the #1, there were also copies available...that shows upkeep and pride...good job parks and rec, as well as the local club.

Cons:

Hole #6...I hated this hole from beginning to end. It goes against the entire personality of this course. There is NO WAY in (guess the insert here) that you can even get close, much less lucky. Come on guys...re-think this one...it has potential.
Hole #13...just because you have 900' to play with does not mean you have to use it. Don't get me wrong, it was a fun hole, but realistically, this was another hole that was out of the personality mold.
Final CON...PLEASE erect some signage showing directions to the holes..I had good info on 11 and 12, but 15 was a mystery...couple of good arrows...

Other Thoughts:

This was a CHALLENGING course and had a lot to offer ANY level of player. The wooded holes were relentless if you missed your line and I like that risk/reward element. The open field holes were cool, too. I would HIGHLY suggest sneaking holes in between 12 and 13...that is a perfect little line to put a sneaky little basket tucked away...
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5 1
Vicarious
Experience: 14.8 years 8 played 8 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Best of Both Worlds 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 27, 2009 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

This course offers the best things for people who like wooded courses as well as open courses. I found that this course favors the strong arm because once you get through hole nine, it gets very spacious. Hole 12 rounds 899 feet which can be a bit of a trouble for a player who prefers par 3's and 4's. The park is very well maintained and very scenic.

Cons:

The signs need to be replaced because some have been broken and some don't list the par. Also I think one of them was facing backwards. It can be quite easy to lose a disc if the retaining ponds were full and if you don't watch where your disc lands while in the woods.

Other Thoughts:

Favorite holes were 9, 15 and 18. 9 is the last of the first set of wooded holes, i like this one because i nearly have aced it twice. 15 is a good straight open shot with a row of trees running parallel along the fairway.and finally 18 is a favorite because the pin is located on a mound of dirt that can be challenging for a longer putt.


Least favorite hole has to be 6 because there was no sign telling how the hole is layed-out and you have no idea what par it is. The hole makes a dog leg right and becomes a bit too difficult.
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