Pros:
I'm sure the Mid-South Community College disc golf course is on a lot of travelers radar , since you can pick up Arkansas , Tennessee and Mississippi courses in less than a day . It sits a short drive from Memphis and , I don't know much about the college itself , I do know that they wanted to make a believable campus course . I thought they succeeded in their goal . When you pull into lot , the kiosk and first tee greet you to the left . i have been to many courses that sit on college campuses , where most just offer some after class throwing around to unload a students anxiety . Lots of colleges lack the big picture . Prospective students and adults travelling around playing courses may create a buzz about your school , bringing about maybe a prospective student visit and an enrollment here or there . I would have never heard of this school had I not seen it on DGR . The tees for this college are the best I have yet seen . Long wide cement green tees flush with the ground , and Mach 3 baskets with the numbers on the holes on the circular top . The tee signs look like they are made out of rock ( I had to feel the first one and it was actually metal , but it will fool you ) , with hole number , distance and flight path . This has to rank as one of the best sign designs that I have ever seen . The front 9 plays around the perimeter of one of the college's lawns where the holes hug close to the fence line . Not much of a chance of throwing your drive out on the road , but you might go over the fence on 3 if you clip a tree and 4 if you overthrow the basket . I don't know if there are big memorable holes , but they will at least get your attention . Saying this , a good player will beat this course up , but Mid-South probably isn't going to host a B tier tournament here . The online course map is pretty well drawn and includes your score card with it .The course grounds are well mowed and manicured . I am not sure why some of the reviewers stuck it to this course . instead of making long open bomber holes in the middle , they try to incorporate surrounding trees and water into the holes . Example. #3 is a very narrow tunnel shot 333' through a tight tree line on both sides . The trees look fairly new . #5 , I can't remember if I threw off the only hill they have on campus , but the basket sits wedged in by a campus road with OB on the right and back . #6 is a hyzer down a tree line with the basket tucked in at the end ( 276' ) . #7 is a water carry to a basket only 224' away but blocked by trees right after the water . #8 has that same water as a hazard to your right as you tee off .You can take the water out of play by wrapping your drive around the light poles and trees to the pin . #9 is a right to left bender round the trees to the basket that sits a little close to the parking lot . Now is the time to tell you that you need to cross a 4 lane highway to finish your round . My advice is to jump back in your car , drive across the road and park at the lot immediately to your left and almost next to the #10 tee . Cars go flying past here at 50+ . Don't chance it , plus the rest of the course is all on this side anyway . #10 is a low canopy throw to the basket that sits a little lower than the tee . #11 is the shortest hole on the course at 186' . You can eith hyzer in and take to poles out of the equation or throw around part of the lot on the right and bring it in from the side . Easy birdie opportunity . #15 plays through the only real natural grouping of trees on the course . The basket is guarded by a lot of them and it looks as if any line to the basket is closed up .#16 is the longest hole on this course at #431' .It has a tree line guarding the left with a road close the trees , and open space to the right . You turn right to face the buildings to #17 and throw between trees with a lot of branches making for a low canopy shot , or force you to avoid the direct route by throwing around it . Stay to the right of the building in front of you and the tee will be just beyond it . It is pretty much a straight shot to the pin , but with a line of trees guarding it a little more than halfway out . After finishing the hole , take a minute to admire the fascinating sculpture to your left . It might even be worth taking a picture of . The course is almost pancake flat , but that isn't Mid-South's fault . They had nothing to work with , and it's easy on the legs . It is a fast play . I did it in about an hour , which is fast for a traveler . This is a perfect play for newbies , casuals , locals , any college kids interested in disc golf ,travelers , and even amusing for some better players. Disc Risk : losing a disc here is about zero , unless a newbie or young kid limp wrists a drive into the water on 7 , or your drive ( really approach ) ricochets off a tree and into the water to your let on 8 . The college is right off of I-40 and I-55 , so you can be off and back on the highway in a few minutes . Signature hole : Maybe the tight tree lined #3 .
Cons:
#1 pedestrian/car danger . If you are here and choose to play during peak class time , even though the front 9 is away from any buildings there are walkways around the pond . I am sure that you will have to avoid students walking across the course.and your #9 drive comes perilously close to a walkway and the parking lot . The back 9 could face more of a challenge with #11 , #12 #13 #17 and #18 coming within reach of some students or or in #11's case a car , too . #2 Course separation . I know they couldn't make an 18 hole course without it , but to either walk across 4 lanes of highway or drive across the street could be risky at busy times . I hadn't had to get in my car to go to a back 9 since Georgetown Ky. DRIVE ACROSS . #3 Some holes play close to the fence line and a couple of roads . A lot of the course is out in the open , so I imagine that it can get windy here . A good gust can make you have to jump a fence or make your drive a projectile for a passing car. Be careful . It's better to not be involved in a fight concerning disc golf as it can be fuel for a course to be pulled.
If you are into elevation , then this isn't your course . If you are interested in bombers or even woods courses , it's not here .I imagine that if it rains hard in the Memphis area , this course will be soggy since it is so flat . These aren't cons but suggestions Any amenities at all would be appreciated . Benches , water , I didn't check to see if one of the buildings was open in the off season for bathrooms , trash cans ( please carry out what you carry in ) .Bring water .
Other Thoughts:
Mid-South has a nice campus and has gone to the Nth degree to make a nice little campus course for the community and travelers just looking to get off the highway and stretch . The equipment and course care are first class . Not challenging for the 900 rated and up clan , but enough to keep many travelers, locals , and especially the college kids interested . I never remembered a flat out open hole drive that didn't involve some shot shaping . Mid-South uses everything handy on its campus lawns to try to spice up the hole . Can you score here ? Absolutely . The course gives you ample chances to recover from a bad drive and par , and many of the holes are short enough that you can find a birdie here and there .Once you get a good grip on this course you can graduate to Disc Side Of Heaven or Bud Hill .I didn't like the way the course was dissected in the middle , but hey , they could have just quit at 9 holes instead of 18 . There is a little fun factor here . Kudos to Adam and Austin for course design and with working what little was available . My Recommendation : Not a destination course by any means , but a good play for tourists in Memphis , travelers driving I-55 or I-40 , great for locals , newbies and the college kids . probably less traffic around the course from memorial to Labor Day and the weekends . .