Morgantown, WV

Dorsey's Knob DGC

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2.715(based on 12 reviews)
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7 0
armiller
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 8.9 years 273 played 60 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Too much of a good thing? 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 6, 2020 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

- good baskets (Discatchers), decent course flow
- two sets of good concrete tee pads, adequate tee signs (both relatively recent improvements)
- elevation change?
- very unique golf and unique course overall

Cons:

- lots of walking up, down, and along slopes
- a fair amount of thick grass is kind of annoying to walk through and surprisingly easy to lose discs
- no real top of the world shot
- no benches that I can recall

Other Thoughts:

This might be one of the most unique courses out of the nearly 200 that I have played. The majority is open, playing up, along, and down the relatively steep hillside. There is absolutely no flat golf. Even holes without tee-to-basket elevation change have sloped fairways or nearby slopes that can severely punish errant throws. The slopes make you use and benefit from shots you'd rarely need on other courses, particularly some of the steep and relatively short downhills, or baskets placed on rather steep slopes. This also happens to be the only course I can think of with an uphill finish.

There are a few really excellent holes out here, though the course is undoubtedly limited by being a little too open. Hole #1 is a nice, wooded shot (long tee shoots over a swamp) into some difficult but excellent pin locations. Hole #5 is by far my favorite, the closest on the course to being a "top of the world" shot, though still a relatively gentle >400' downhill shot. Hole #8 is a short (~250') but fun right hand backhand hyzer onto a sloped green, and hole #13 is also a fun little downhill. It also has some holes that seem plain crazy, e.g. #10 and #12. Again, even these crazy holes have the benefit of being unique and challenging, particularly #12.

Running through the holes actually reminds me that this course is very fun. However, this brings me to the main downside of the course: it's exhausting without quite enough disc golf upside. I can think of several other courses where the elevation fun factor was worth the elevation exhaustion. Orange Crush (in nearby Fairmont, WV), Armco Park (Ashland, KY), Branson Trails Blue (Branson, MO), Coyote Point @ Lake Casitas (Ventura, CA), and Shark Tooth Mountain (Bakersfield, CA) spring to mind as having physically taxing up and downs but having awesome holes in which the disc golf more than compensates for any intra-round suffering and end of day fatigue. As I mentioned above, Dorsey's Knob has some good and unique golf, but nothing that quite makes up for the physical toll that it takes on the golfer. In particular, the absence of a real top of the world shot is notable. I can understand why there isn't such a shot, given the steep slope of where the course is situated, as well as some thickly wooded areas between the course's most elevated areas and flat lower areas. Designing course flow to accommodate such an epic throw would sacrifice course flow significantly, not to mention introduce significant safety concerns.

There are a couple things about playing here that can be downright annoying. Even walking the "flat" holes often involves walking on right-to-left slopes. Many of the holes have thick and tall (at least 18") grass. It's possible to lose discs in this stuff even when the course is tournament ready, so make sure to use whatever landmarks exist (bushes, the few trees, etc.) and be careful throwing multiples. Also, a couple of the slopes are treacherously steep and can be slick. The area just below the parking area is one example, but hole #12 may be the worst. It's fun, but it's one of the steepest fairways I can recall on any course. If it's muddy it requires a butt-scooch to get down safely. Speaking of mud, tread carefully on all the course's slopes when it's raining.

Out of curiosity, I just had to look up the elevation change on this course. A quick comparison between Google Maps, the course/park map, and the current USGS topographical map shows about 80'-90' elevation difference between the course's highest (practice basket and parking area) and lowest points (#14's long tee). In terms of lateral distance on Google Maps, the distance between the same two points is about 320'. That leaves a slope around 15 degrees overall, giving some idea of how steep this hillside is. On most courses, having two nine hole loops is a big plus. On this one, looking back down at the back nine can dissuade players from finishing with a second down and up. More than once, I've decided to call it a day after just the front nine. I've noticed plenty of apparent first timers out here, and I've seen at least a couple groups quit after hole #9. Being in Morgantown, this course ends up being a first disc golf experience for unknowing WVU students. One set of close friends played their first (and only) disc golf on this course with multiple catch discs on a slightly windy day. In their words, "we stopped when we lost all our frisbees."

I've played many times in all seasons. This is one course I like almost as much while playing in winter. It might be even better, because the grass annoyance is somewhat mitigated, and the course is already so open that the lack of leaves doesn't make too much difference. The elevation change provides enough challenge to have a fun round. When it's rainy, however, I avoid Dorsey's Knob. It's just too open and too slippery on the slopes.

Directions are fairly simple, and there is a park building that has a restroom (it was always open in non-COVID times, at least). It's also conveniently located near I-68 and a convenience store. The small park road leads through the sizable parking area (and past the practice basket) and makes a loop to return to the main road. In winter, the second half of the loop is often closed, so be aware that there may be two-way traffic on the narrow entrance to the course.

Also, make sure to check out Sky Rock on Dorsey's Knob (maybe the highest point in Morgantown?) for good views of Morgantown, the Monongahela River, or a beautiful sunset after your round.

Rating: 3.0 for "Good." This course is simple, relatively short and frustratingly exhausting, but it's unique enough and fun enough that I have no qualms giving this rating. It's definitely worth a play, but know what you're getting into and I'd stay away if it's raining.
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12 0
Horsman
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 17.6 years 222 played 100 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Short and Hilly 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 18, 2019 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

- Two sets and concrete tee pads, short and long

- Innova discatchers that have short and long positions

- Very good use of all the mountain golf. Every single hole out here plays on the side of a mountain and every hole has some sort of elevation. It might be up or down hill or the whole hole might just slant left or right.

- This would be considered a more open course but the trees that are in the park are mostly utilized.

- I really enjoyed how different yet similar a lot of the holes are. Everything is on a mountain so you have to constantly be aware of angles and where the wind is coming from so even though this course is quite easy it doesnt feel as easy as it should because of it. Lots of fun to play.

- The course has 2 9 hole loops that bring you back to the parking lot. This is good and bad. Good so you can play only 9 if you want or get more supplies after 9. Bad because you have to go all the way up and down the mountain twice.

Cons:

- So far from what I have seen there is only a one lane road in and out of the park and you run into people all the time. Not too much of an issue but still an issue.

- Not sure how much room for improvement there is on the course. Looks like there is a property fence that surrounds the course that would limit some holes from expanding so Im not too sure how this course could get more difficult.

- This course is on the side of a mountain and as a first timer you end up walking up and the slopes more often when you are looking for the next hole. Its pretty simple to figure out where to go next but I did have some confusion at times when looking for some of the long pads.

Other Thoughts:

This is the closest course to where I will be for the next year and Im pretty happy about that. Now there are a lot better courses then this out there but I throw a lot of different shots on this course and I like that about this course. From the shorts its a fun pitch and putt that doesnt feel like a pitch and putt because of the elevation and the longs just add a bit more distance. Overall this course is going to make me a better player because of the variety.
I find myself not having too many putts that are on flat ground. I dont know if I will ever get used to mountain golf but the one thing I miss is having a putt that is on flat ground. Not really a pro or con but different.
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5 0
leath
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 10.8 years 141 played 17 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Elevation, elevation, elevation 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 3, 2017 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

- Two sets of tees on every hole. The long tees are concrete, and were a new addition to the course in 2015. The shorts are still gravel. This should make the course more interesting for advanced players.
- The Innova baskets are periodically moved to different pin placements. Holes 1, 2, 5, 13, 14, and 16 each have 3 sleeves in the ground. The rest have A and B placements.
- The course is part of a nicely maintained park close to I-68. The fairways are mowed regularly, and there are some scenic views. There is a nice restroom in the building between the parking lot and the course.

Cons:

- The gravel short tees are no longer flat, and the low spots hold water after it rains. Rain also makes some of the steep paths quite treacherous.
- The temporary tee signs are marked with the distance to each pin placement, but there's nothing to suggest if the basket is in A, B, or C. Even if you know how far away the basket is, the significant elevation drops/gains on some holes make this information nearly worthless. Players would really benefit from tee signs clarifying the pin locations and listing distance AND elevation change.
- While the fairways are mowed regularly, the rest of the grass gets cut once or twice a year (no easy task on the hillside). It can grow waist or even chest high, and some areas are pretty thick. There are stakes with flags scattered around to aid in finding a wayward disc, but it can still be extremely difficult.
- The trees are very sparse on about half the course, so bad tee shots are not always punished.

Other Thoughts:

The course works back and forth (and up and down) along the side of a hill, and it's quite a workout to play here. Both 9-hole loops end by playing uphill, so be prepared for a climb at the end. There is a picnic table near the practice basket, which is a nice place to rest mid-round. There are also benches at the long tees for holes 4 and 14.

Roll-aways are pretty common, since some of the baskets are on a significant slope.

There's a local club that has done a lot of work to improve the course. They recently planted about a dozen additional trees (holes 3, 7, and 14), and are planning to convert the short tees to concrete this summer.

The tees are listed as white and gold, which doesn't seem quite right to me. I think there is a strong case for changing par to 56 and marking the tees as red and blue. A white tee option could also be created using some long and some short tees.


Family friendly rating - 2.5
PROS: Restroom near the parking lot, and a playground at the back of the park. There's a nice overlook at the very top of the hill, and a number of hiking trails. Pretty short course, especially when the baskets are in A positions.

CONS: Too hilly for a stroller, and a big workout for kids. When the grass is tall off the fairways, you'll spend a lot of time looking for discs. You never get too far from the parking lot, but it's a long, hard climb from hole 13 if you have to leave mid-round.
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3 0
ForearmGalore
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 10.8 years 247 played 42 reviews
4.00 star(s)

A different kind of Great 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 1, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

-My favorite thing about this course is that every single hole challenges you in a way I've never experience so consistently: footing. Good tee pads allow for consistent drivers. But you will stand at so many different angles for every upshot or putt you make. It's a different kind of challenging than just distance or tight gaps.
-Good tee pads and signs make it easy to navigate.
-Mowed fairways make help guide the way.
-Little risk of loosing discs, except for holes 10-12.
-You can learn a lot about your discs and how they do in different elevations. You're throwing up or down this entire course, which is something I've never experienced so consistently.
-Scenic View down a long Hill of West Virginia.
-If you're trying to play fast, you could get this done with 3-4 discs. An uphill driver. A downhill driver. A downhill midrange for upshots/downhill shots if you prefer that. And, one putter.

Cons:

-If you're looking for a variety of shots, this may not be your course. Most holes are open and offer little to no penalty for a bad throw. You'll simply have a longer, open up-shot. Exceptions to this are holes 1, 10, 12 and maybe 16.
-You're on a hill. This is a hike! Plus, if it's wet it gets a little slippery. I fell and was covered in mud. BUT, I thought the course held up pretty well in most spots.
-I mentioned this in the Pro column, but you really only need 3-4 discs to play this course. Some would consider that a bad things. There's really not a large variety of shots.

Other Thoughts:

For a player who has little experience on a course this hilly, I LOVED this course. It challenged me to throw well no matter what angle my feet were on. This course teaches great arm control and release point. If you throw too high you'll fade for days.
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7 0
BigAl724
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 11.6 years 178 played 144 reviews
2.50 star(s)

A casual round on a not-so-casual hill 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Oct 28, 2013 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-Beautiful picturesque setting within the mountains of West Virginia
-Easy access from highway (1st exit off of 68 if you're coming from 79, then a mile or two off the exit)
-Very nice Innova DISCatcher baskets
-Very unique course, I wouldn't expect to ever play another one like it
-Great elevation changes. Holes 9, 17, and 18 are extreme uphill and holes 10, 11, and 12 are extreme downhill. All others have some amount of elevation change as well.
-All 18 holes are located in a close proximity (all on the same side of a steep hill) to the parking lot, so not a bad walk back if you need to leave in the middle of a round.
-A fairly good workout walking up the side of the hill. This may be a negative aspect for some, but I enjoy this about certain courses
-The designers incorporated the trees as much as they could (hole 1 especially)
-Very nice bathroom and course map near the parking lot
-Course is only a few minutes away from downtown Morgantown, where they are lots of great places to eat and drink

Cons:

-As well as the designers placed the holes, the variety can only be so great when every hole is in the same setting on the same hill with minimal trees and without any other kind of obstacles
-I think the length of the tees are good, but some might prefer longer ones. They are shorter than, say, Orange Crush or Seth Burton's tees. Also, they are gravel, and some of the tees need to be filled in a little better. Some obtain puddles of water from rain.
-Grass can get tall in the rough, making it a battle to find discs sometimes (although they do mow the entire course occasionally - which is much appreciated)
-As previously mentioned, almost every hole's drive is faced without dealing with any obstacles other than the elevation, making the course pretty repetitive. You can get away with throwing a hyzer on almost every hole and it works. Not much challenge. I don't use a great variety of discs here, either.
- Pretty bad blind shot on 10, and 11 and 12 aren't too great either. This can be frustrating because there is very thick rough surrounding these holes. My brother had the climb the little fence that was at the edge of the woods to get a disc. Never fun to pass over a fence to get a lost disc.
-Navigation can be difficult. Some tees are placed near each other, with mostly every tee sign missing. No next tee signs either. The first 9 flow well, but then 10's tee is back at the top of the hill and way to the right (facing uphill). Tees for 11 and 17 are right by each other, without signs to indicate which is for which.
-When there are tee signs present, it only reads the hole number and the hole length - nothing else

Other Thoughts:

I did not enjoy this course the first time I played it: the grass was knee-waist high in the rough and I struggled to find a few of the tees. However, I have come to really enjoy playing here. It is not a course that will challenge you with much variety, unless you aren't used to big elevation. But it is a fun, casual round - type course. I enjoy throwing new discs out here, because of the course's openness. Since I've been coming here, the fairways have always been cut short and the rough hasn't been as bad as the first time I played. This course has beautiful views and is probably unlike any other course you will play. Therefore, it is worth checking out. It is also only approx. 15 minutes away from Morris Park in Pleasant Valley, which has two wonderful courses in Orange Crush and Seth Burton. Stop by Black Bear which is only minutes away in downtown Morgantown after your round, some of the best food I've eaten.
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7 0
crandellfamily
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 19.8 years 27 played 26 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Too much hillside, not enough variety 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 12, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

Great info available on site. Course map is posted, and there were lots of scorecards and pencils in the box beside the bulletin board. The course layout is almost exactly as indicated on the maps.

Lots of hill walking, if that's what you want. A few fun holes: I liked the 8th, and the severe blind downhill dogleg left of the 10th.

There's a different feel to the front and back nine, to limit the repetition somewhat. Front nine holes are primarily back and forth side hill. Back nine has a lot more down and then back uphill. And the holes are all short, which limits the potential for damage to the scorecard, or the heart on the uphill stretches.

Cons:

Entire course set on the same hill. There aren't many imaginative options for hole design, and the result lacks inspiration.

Natural tee boxes were thin, and wet after a rain. There was no hope of even a controlled walkup into your drive, especially with the severe slope of the surrounding grassy areas.

Course opens with a tight chute between trees, with the basket set into the woods to the left. There's no way to aim your hyzer (for righties) to break at the correct moment, because there's no discernable gap to the basket. Just grip, hook, and hope.

The course opens up after that, but it's not an improvement. 2-7 are a mundane stretch of back and forth sidehill shots. The hillside is primarily open, with a few scattered trees, which become default basket locations. It seems almost silly to throw across 200+ feet of open space, only to be smacked around by basket-blocking branches. Even when the branches help your shot, the results are too arbitrary to take credit for.

The layout drops down the hill primarily by slotting each fairway below the previous. There are a few holes that reverse the process, but not enough to avoid a ridiculous short uphill ninth.

Four straight downhill holes to open the back nine. The drop was too severe to expect much control. 11-13 the basket is set up tight against the woods each time. It's easy to let the disc float too far.

The course ends with two more short, obscenely steep uphills. Much harder to aim, when the primary task is to keep your disc from crash-landing. Only 200 feet each hole, but all I wanted to do was reach the top. A very frustrating way to close out a round.

Other Thoughts:

The open hillside can be deceptive, in terms of tracking throws. If you veer off the low-cut fairways, there's a good chance you'll lose a lot of time searching for your disc. The woods can be thick with thorns.
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4 0
Qikly
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 11.7 years 181 played 148 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Worth a Visit if You're in the Area 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 9, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

Dorsey's Knob is located in a very picturesque setting, and its elevation and openness foreground the area's inherent beauty. There were many times when playing here that I simply stopped myself and took in the gorgeous landscape before me. Great views.

The course's unique bowl-shaped hillside location makes for a memorable playing environment.

In my mind, this course's greatest strength and most unique attribute is its extreme elevation. It's on largely open terrain, so elevation changes and smart pin placement are key to generating worthwhile holes, and DK is often successful in this regard. The extreme downhill hyzers on 10 and 11, the uphill, rough-guarded basket on 8, and multiple pins in the shadow of trees provide a few examples of how the course maximizes its inherent features. I've never before played a course so thoroughly dependent on elevation to create interest and variety, so Dorsey's Knob provided a unique experience for me that, while not overly challenging, certainly maintained my interest.

Bathrooms are readily available and perhaps the nicest I've ever seen at a disc golf course.

Gravel tees were serviceable: I've seen better, I've seen worse.

Easy to find off the highway.

Cons:

The overall condition of the course seems a bit rough around the edges. The rough can get tall, and in its worse stages can make finding discs that have strayed even slightly from the fairway a real pain. Fairways themselves seem to be well maintained, however.

Course navigation can be difficult for new visitors, and there are several reasons for this. First, DK's openness means you're often seeing multiple baskets and tees simultaneously, so it can be hard to tell where to go next. Coupled with the common absence of tee signs - which apparently get stolen often by local kids - and it's hard to know what tee belongs to what pin without piecing it together or asking a knowledgeable local (which, fortunately, seem to be friendly, present, and often visible). The tee signs which are in place provide minimal information - only a hole number and an often-seemingly-inaccurate distance. Graphics would go a long way to tracking down a tee's associated basket. Beyond this, the tee signs are generally crappy: corrugated cardboard attached to a metal pole with zip ties.

From a technical perspective, the absence of numerous or varied obstacles often makes traveling to the basket a singular proposition - straight, left, or right - in which small or moderate deviations go largely unpunished. There's a fairly large margin for error on many of these holes. The lack of variation in regards to woodedness and distance limits the playing experience, and the lack of alternate tees - very desirable given the relatively low difficulty of the current tees - reduces replay value. This would be a hard course to grow with if you were a local, given its low difficulty and quirky nature (due to the extreme elevation). The course does have alternate pin positions which are more challenging than those currently pictured and listed on DGCR, but I'm uncertain as to how often they switch back and forth between these positions. Even so, the course is simply too open to challenge intermediate and advanced players.

Other Thoughts:

Given its openness, wind is more of a factor here than at other courses in the area.

Despite my listed drawbacks, this course was actually much funner than I expected it to be. I think catching the rough at a relatively low height (based on what locals have told me it's capable of being) contributed to this: we didn't have to spend a lot of time looking for discs. Dorsey's Knob plays quickly, and provides a nice alternative to the technical challenges of nearby Seth Burton and Orange Crush, making for a great stopping point on your way to or from those more noteworthy courses. It's certainly worth a visit.
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2 0
JHoleczy
Experience: 12.8 years 72 played 5 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Nice little course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 9, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

You start at the top of a hill that overlooks most of the course. The views of the valley and the hills in the distance are amazing, that sold us on the course before we even started.
Easy to navigate, there are clear paths to the next tee from the previous basket.
Great use of a relatively small space. Great elevation changes, some steep downhills and uphills. Well maintained course with nice fairways and challenging rough.

Cons:

No real signature holes.
The rough provides a great challenge, but it's a nightmare trying to find your discs. It's the thrower's fault for throwing them in the rough in the first place, but I thought I'd mention it. We spent a lot of time looking for discs.
A few tee signs are missing. The course is easy to navigate, but the tees for 11 and 18 are right beside each other and neither are marked. It's easy enough to figure out, 11 goes downhill and 18 goes uphill.

Other Thoughts:

From what I saw online, it looked like all the holes were just straight shots with a fairway and a rough. I really didn't know what to expect, but my brothers and I all loved it. Hole 1 was probably the most unique (and my favorite), so it started out on the right foot. All together a great little par 3 course.
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14 1
Jimb
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 17.1 years 126 played 54 reviews
2.00 star(s)

A cup of tea... just not mine. 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Oct 22, 2011 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Close to many amenities in the Morgantown, WV area... shopping, food, lodging, etc. Very easy to find at just a mile off of I68. The bathroom is inside the building at the parking lot. It was very nice, and warm in there. It was cool outside when I arrived, unlike the hot day mentioned in another review. So the warm facilities were appreciated. Beautiful scenery all around with awesome views of WV mountains!

Once I found tee #1, I actually found the course very easy to navigate, using the map, even my first time around. Without the map, both navigation and basket selection could be confusing. But both the map already posted on here and the map available at the course kiosk are very helpful.

The baskets are my favorite Innova Discatchers with the bright Yellow belts and numbers on each basket. There are basic tee signs at each tee that are far enough away so that they shouldn't interfere with your run-up. The crushed gravel tees are OK. They may be a little narrow, but overall they were fine for me. A couple were a little "rutty" but that could be fixed very easily.

I found the "limitations" of this piece of land to be what made the course so interesting. It plays both across and up & down a "bowl shaped" area. This course is an excellent cardio workout. I'd be in trouble in a tournament, though, as it took me longer than 30 seconds after getting to my drive on #9 to fully catch my breath and get composed.

I think it's awesome that on back to back, similar length holes #9-10, how incredibly different they have to be played. I had to throw a full power driver on the 189' #9 due to the extreme increase in elevation to even get close to the green. Throwing at this extreme uphill angle is not natural, or common, on the courses that I've played. Then on #10 I had to throw a <50% putter to keep from blowing 100' past the hole. #17 & #18 present a similar uphill challenge and #11 & #12 present a similar downhill challenge.

#2-8 and #13-16 all play across either totally, or mostly, open fairways, with the fairways cut out of deep grass. The holes, though, have shape and curves to them. I throw RHBH primarily and there are "forced" hyzers, anhyzers and totally straight shots. And elevation change, again, comes into play on most of them. If you just look at the pictures of the course, they can't possibly represent the overall feel of the holes completely.

#1 stands alone as the only truly "wooded" hole. And it's probably the most level, too. It's a nice little start to the course.

Birdie opportunities are available if you can accurately throw close to 300' and putt a little. But rollaways are also distinctly possible on many holes. So make sure your approaches are accurate.

Cons:

Only about 2 trash cans on the course. Fortunately, it looked like most of the people playing there must be considerate as the course was very clean. And no benches other than at the kiosk at the top of the hill. After some of the hill climbs, a bench here or there would be a nice addition.

I love the elevation changes on the course, if you can't tell. But due to the lay of the land, the sequencing of the holes puts a lot of descending and ascending of the hills back to back. #10-12, for example, all play extremely downhill. Then #16, and #17-18 more extremely, gain back much of the elevation change all at once. This is nit-picking, I know. It would just be nice if the land would have allowed the elevation changes to be broken up a bit more.

Even though I like how the open fairways have been shaped, it seems that some wooded areas along some fairways could have been brought more into play. Although it looks like it would be a major undertaking to clear out the underbrush. Having a couple more wooded holes would help break up the feel of the course more, too.

The grass around the mowed fairways was pretty thick when I played, but seemed to be a little beaten down from several days of rain. Definitely focus on where your drives land because I can see this thick grass eating discs pretty easily. ***Don't throw green discs unless they're neon! ;-)

Other Thoughts:

****Update 8-10-13****
I moved my rating down from 3 to 2 for Dorseys after playing it again a couple weekends ago. The up and down, hillside nature of the course, with the fairways just cut into higher grass, that I found "interesting" earlier, was now really more of a let down than anything. The course seemed more repetitive and dull to me this time around. I rarely feel like walking off of a course without finishing, but I felt like it on this day... although I did finish the round.

Several pin locations had been moved, which would normally be a good thing. But I found some issues with the changes. First of all there were no maps at the kiosk so it took some looking around to make sure where I was throwing. Plus most of the signage is gone. So I was totally guessing at distances. Several of the tees were very rutty now and some were also holding standing water in the ruts. These simple maintenance issues really need to be addressed.

The worst thing about the new pin placements, though, was that they simply added length. On several holes, there is a single tree at the fairway... so the pins just got moved behind or under the trees. And on a couple others, they just got moved closer to the woods. Unfortunately, they didn't mow any more grass or clear any area around the new pins. So it simply created a much greater chance for losing discs. Holes #8, 10 and 13 in particular come to mind. They're blind tee shots, with two of them considerably dowhill, and the baskets are basically set right on the edge of the woods with thick undergrowth immediately past them. The new positions simply seem "gimmicky" and detracted from my enjoyment of the course. End of 2013 edit.*******

It was a relatively calm day when I played. But the wind did gust some. I can see wind being a big factor on this course at other times due to the bowl shape.

I was pleasantly surprised by Dorsey's Knob. Again, the pictures on here are very nice. But you just can't get a true sense for how steep the elevation changes are on several holes... or that there are elevation changes at all on some of the others.

#s 1, 8 & 12 are some of my favorites. #1, simply because it's a fun little, right turning, wooded hole. The only wooded hole on the course. #8 is just a "simple" hyzer, not too long, but protected by thick grass to the right and thick woods to the left. Plus this pin sits up high and is a distinct rollaway candidate... just ask gflap. And #12 is my favorite of the big down-hill throws. You're pretty much forced to throw low through an opening between trees. The basket sits off to the right and is guarded by the thick rough to the right, the thick woods to the left, and dense brush long.

Again, I was pleasantly surprised by Dorsey's, and really enjoyed it. It should be playable for most anyone willing to undertake the "hike" nature of the course. Beginners should be able to play it... and will quickly learn how far a disc will go downhill... and how far a disc won't go uphill. The length won't really test big arms at all, but shouldn't be too short to be enjoyable. I throw about 325' on level ground and had plenty of opportunities to air it out.

I wouldn't call Dorsey's a destination course. But if you're going to be in the area definitely hit the course. And if you're playing Seth Burton and Orange Crush in Fairmont, if you have a little extra time I would definitely recommend the short trip up the highway.

I can't believe I waited this long to mention it, but... I aced #13 on my first round. Maybe that's why I enjoyed it so much.

Lastly, I gave this course a 3.0, Good, rating. If 2.5 is typical, I found this course to be anything but typical, due to the unusual layout. I am not questioning the other ratings at all. I just really enjoyed the course. (And Swatso already called what my rating would be. You were right, buddy!)
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6 0
swatso
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 15.6 years 755 played 414 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Up, Down, and Around 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 29, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

Easy to navigate. Two, 9=hole loops. New, quality baskets, including a practice basket.

Bathroom on site, in an air-conditioned building, which was much appreciated on the 9o+ degree day I visited!

Cons:

Tee locations a bit small, and gravel-filled. While the map indicates there are two tee locations per hole, there appears to be only one.

Other Thoughts:

Course plays up, down, and across the end of a horseshoe-shaped valley, with the tee locations marked by easy-to-spot yellow signs, containing basic information..

After number-1, a short/tight right-turner through a patch of woods, down and right from the practice basket, holes 2-5 are quite open, as they slowly work you across/down the slope, heading for the back-right edge of the park.. Numbers 6-7, also open, play across the midpoint of the slope, and begin to bring you back towards the start. Number-8 has the patch of woods along its left side. Number-9 is short but straight uphill, with the basket out of view, near the woods on the left (most visible baskets from tee-9 will be #18 and the practice basket.)

Tee-10 is to the left of the practice basket, and, while open and short, plays blind down a steep hill. Numbers-11 and 12 continue the steep downhill trend, introducing a large tree (#11) or fairway defined by groups of trees (#12). Now near the bottom of the valley, flat-n-open #13 continue to take you away from the start. Number-14 regains some of the lost elevation and begins returning you to the start, and open numbers-15 and 16, playing parallel to but below numbers 6-7, head back towards the start. Numbers 17-18 are both straight uphill for an exhausting finish.

Definitely on the open side, the primary challenges coming from the extreme elevation changes found on ~1/3rd of the holes. The shorter distances make the course playable for intermediate- players, and advanced+ players should have several birdy opportunities. Not far off I68, so if you like your courses open and don't mind some steep slope walking, certainly worth a visit if passing through the area.
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9 0
tistoude
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 15.7 years 198 played 60 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Up, Down, then Up again! 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:May 21, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

This newly installed course has great proximity to the booming college town of Morgantown. This course is very accessible from either interstate 68 or 79.

The baskets are brand spanking new Innova Discatchers!

There is a packed gravel tee in good condition on every hole.

Decent facilities for such a small park. Bathrooms etc.. near tee number one.

A good kiosk right next the the practice basket, which usually has maps and scorecards.

For a course that is located exclusively on a steep hillside it is well maintained. The fairways were wide and mowed well.

The course designer took advantage of literally every thing available on the property.

Cons:

This course is located on a very awkward piece of land. The entire course is on a steep, mostly wide open hillside.

Many of the holes are very short and the course overall is very easy. It would be no stretch of the imagination that a good player could go 18 under on this course.

This course has a little bit of a navigation issue. Not because the tees are far away from each other but because you can see so many baskets and tees all at once. Since they are now hosting PDGA tournaments here there are now some temporary tee signs and navigational aides around the practice basket area. These are helpful but there can still be confusion in the 1, 9, 17, 18, 10, 11 area of the course.

Really for how short the course is, with all the hillsides, you really have to work for it at this course. A round of 18 or 36 on a hot day might just wipe you out.

Very repetetive. I have no suggestions to improve this on the given piece of property.

There are no amenities as of yet on the course like benches, garbage cans, or descriptive tee signs.

Other Thoughts:

Dorsey's Knob is really just a very tiring pitch and putt located on the side of a mountain. I have talked to the designer of this course and have been told that this was not the location that was originally set aside for a course and some form of bait and switch occured leaving him with very little to work with.

Regardless it is always nice to have a new course installed in my region and it was nice to see so many people out on this course getting their first (hopefully not last!) taste of disc golf. I think this would be a great place to bring a beginner since they will have plenty of room to work with and would be able to reach some of the baskets o nthe downhill holes.

If you are coming to play this course please keep in mind that even though the holes are fairly short, overall it is still a work out. I am a regular runner and I still felt a little burn in my quads walking up to 18's basket.
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10 0
Scazmatic
Experience: 13.8 years 12 played 11 reviews
2.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 13, 2010 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

- Convenient location a short drive from WVU campus with ample parking and other park facilities.

- Variety of elevation changes.

- Mowed fairways and recently installed tee boxes.

Cons:

- Course is very repetitive, as most holes are straight and wide open.

- No signage indicating start of course, and no signs on the tee box or to direct you to the next hole. While finding the next hole is generally pretty easy, making the turn does not follow an obvious path and can be confusing.

Other Thoughts:

Though I attended college at WVU, I was somewhat surprised to return to the area on business and find a newly installed disc golf course at Dorsey's Knob. From what I've read on the web it looks like this is probably the first summer that the course has been up and running, and I can definitely appreciate the effort that locals have put into developing the facility, which should be a huge boon for students.

The course is located in an area park and is installed, for all intents and purposes, on the side of a hill in a hayfield. This is definitely a course that is somewhat handcuffed by the real estate that they have. Though I'm sure things will improve as more time is spent developing the course, such as signs and alternate tee pads, there probably isn't much that can be done as far as the course layout itself.

The first hole is somewhat hard to find. Though the practice tee basket is right off the entrance road and many other baskets can be seen on the drive in, the first tee box is tucked away below and to the right of the practice pin in a small thicket. Signage here would be a big help. The first hole is a tight anhyzer through a small grove of trees to a short pin location, but this is really the only "wooded" shot on the course. Though overhanging branches come into play on a few other holes and some pins are nestled against tree trunks, the course is almost entirely out in the open. While this makes for a great opportunity to work on your drives, especially in the brisk winds that come with playing on a hilltop course, there's not a lot of variety and the course gets pretty monotonous. The front nine works back and forth along the hillside, so you will have to throw both backhand and forehand drives to avoid dropping down the slope of the hill, and with the unmowed "rough" being fairly substantial, there is some added value to keeping you drive accurate.

Hole 9 is a short yet almost vertical shot to a pin on the left hidden behind trees. Without signs, this hole is very hard to find, especially since the tee box is directly next to the Hole 17 tee, making things confusing. Luckily I snagged a couple locals who pointed me in the right direction, but without that insight it's not at all obviously where to head from the Hole 8 basket. Hole 10 is likely difficult to find, as you actually have to go back up near the practice basket for a steep hyzer shot down to the basket. That was probably my biggest complain about the course, as it is very unlikely that someone unfamiliar with the course would know to head back up to the top of the hill for this hole. Given, there is a course map available on the web as a printout, but for anyone who doesn't have that, navigation can be tough at times.

Holes 10, 11, and 12 are basically straight downhill, while Holes 9, 17, and 18 are straight up. I haven't played at a course that had more severe changes in elevation so far, so that was particularly challenging. It's very hard to keep your drive settled on the downslope greens, so take care when teeing off not to come in too hot.

The course information mentions alternate tee boxes, but I didn't find any. So far, only one set of permanent tees is installed, with packed gravel in landscaping timber which works pretty well. There might have been alternate tees marked with orange flags, which I saw sporadically as I play my round, but I can't be sure. Again, I'm sure this is something that will come with time.

Overall, this is a fun course and I was glad I could take an hour away from the hotel to come over and give it a try. I can only imagine how much time I would have spent here if it had existed when I was in school, and I really appreciate the investment of time and money that has been put into putting this facility in place. It's not a pro level course by any means, and a top player will probably get bored with the shorter distance and repetitious nature of things, but give the space that the course designers had to work with, I think they did an excellent job of maximizing what was available. Though I wouldn't make a trip specifically to play this course, it's definitely worth playing if you're in the area.
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