You can come to First Tee's course and play a nice 9-hole round of disc golf. Or you can see what the facility offers to golf and see how its impact could translate to disc golf. That was this place has to offer.
- This is a relatively basic course that hugs the entire perimeter of the golfing facility. The tee for #3 is the only time you actually step onto the golf course. In this golf course university, disc golfers are definitely the townies.
- From the short tees, you've got a simple, wide-open course. Several holes have been modified to make the layouts even easier than what the course map/pictures show. Most notably #6 & 8 went from wooded layouts to open ones.
- The course has two distinct signature layouts - #2 & 7 long tees. The following sentence contradicts everything I've said up to this point about the course being simple. #2 long, at 211 feet, is one of the toughest/most nerve-wracking tee shots I've faced. Your throwing over mostly swamp to a nearly non-existent gap between trees. Your other two options are throwing above the trees, which makes the hole much longer, or trying to land short on a small landing strip of grass. I think this would be an excellent hole if the clearing in the trees was better defined.
- The other scenic, memorable hole is the pond hole - #7. From the long tees, it's a 360 foot hole based on the tee signs (or 420 feet, based on outdated info on DGCR) with all but the last 50 feet being water. You can bail out left towards the short tees. At least the alligator warning sign isn't seen until after you've thrown.
- Fantastic facility and concept. This is an introductory course/practice range for kids just learning to play golf. There's a driving range, putting/chipping green, a short 9-hole course, and hundreds of golf balls just laying around for whoever wants to use them. I passed a group of 4 kids, probably all ranging between six and 10, with their mothers.
- There's got to be a way of incorporating this concept into the disc golf world. Sure, there are school courses. But it still requires kids to provide their own equipment. Why not a disc golf training center at a rec center with baskets, ranges, discs, and an instructor or two on hand?

The disc golf course is clearing second fiddle. Also, be prepared for the looks of being an adult male showing up at a kids golf course. If you're a dad and you've taken your kids to the playground, you've gotten THAT suspicious eye from mothers while you're just sitting there and watching.
- For a kid-friendly course, there's a somewhat high lost disc/be careful factor. The rough along the right sides of holes #1 - 6 is very thick at times. And the whole alligator thing too. And the pond. And the green swamp on #2 long.
- The long tees weren't easy to find on some holes. I'd probably have a more favorable impression of the course had I played more long layouts instead of the shorter, open ones.
- The course may not always be playable, whether in actuality or implicitly stated. If you're showing up, and there are families playing golf, they're not going to care about someone wanting to fling some discs. This is a golf facility first, disc golf course second.

First Tee is a nice option if you're on Hilton Head. If the park is empty, go crazy unleashing some 800 foot drives.
- Course is easy to navigate. There are signs guiding you to the first tee, evidence the park does value the course.
- Being here, there's got to be a way to come up with a golf & golf combo tourney - alternating shots/holes/rounds between the sticks and discs, for example. You do something like that, and this could be a fun destination.
- Besides #2 & 7 (the water holes), the course is forgettable. There's the open hole with woods along the right side on #1. At least the woods/rough is behind the basket on #3. Then don't forget the wide open holes with rough on the right on #4 & 5.
- Hole #9 ends next to the equipment storage area. At least you're on a part of the property the golfers won't be privy to.
- If I had played the long layout, I could say this is an average 9-hole course. As is, playing mostly short tees, this is a basic course aimed solely at beginners/kids.

Very good, like new, DisCatchers.
Tees are marked, two on every hole. Blues are concrete, but a little small.
Nice, golf course like grass on most of the holes. Just watch out for balls on the driving range.
Practice baskets, near #9, not #1 tee.
There is a mix of hole types, they are just grouped together.
Nice facility, friendly people in the office.

White tees are grass, not bad though, since its golf course quality.
First 5 holes are pretty much the same, Annie (RHFH) shots around the perimeter of the driving range/practice holes.
#2 Blue Tee looks insanely tight and unforgiving, good luck playing that one.

This would be a good enough course if you are staying on HHI and don't feel like (or can't drive) off the island to the 18 hole courses nearby. The facility is the Boys and Girls Club of HHI and they run the First Tee program here also, a program to expose ball (and disc ?) golf to less privileged youths. Makes sense that they combine them on the same property.
Well kept property, nice to play a course with well cut grass and it looks like someone cares.
As I mentioned earlier, the first 5 holes are pretty much the same shot. #3 does move the tee away from treeline, so you have a more open drive. Lefties probably really love this course.
#6 is basically a tunnel shot, with (finally) a righty hyzer finish.
#7 plays either over or beside the large pond, with the wind blowing the day I was there, I didn't get too risky.
#8 and #9 finish in some not too dense woods, good chance to work on your shot shaping.
I had some extra time when I was there and used the open space for some field work, hey, it is a golf training facility!
Good quick round, as long as you keep it on the short grass. It looks like they are doing good work here, so check in at the office when you get there and don't forget to leave a donation.

Very well maintained. Some of the holes are really swampy and picturesque.

Its only nine holes. One of the holes is basically impossible. Everyone I saw playing this hole lost their disc on the drive off the tee. Super swampy and snaky.

if your in Hilton head and wanna play disc golf this is the place to go.

(For Updates, see the "Other Thoughts" section
+It's new and adds some variety to the Hilton Head Island disc golf scene
+The white tees are clearly marked (except #6 which I couldn't find the first time around)
+The blue tees offer some decent challenge, especially throwing over the pond on 7 (see UPDATE July 2018)
+Lefties and folks who rock the anhyzer will love this course
+There are two practice baskets

--5/9 of the course has no margin for error on the right hand side... as in, get ready to forfeit discs that go there.
--The white tees are really too easy. They should be red
--Course accessibility is very limited

First I wanted to clarify, this is NOT the only course on Hilton Head Island. The other course is Hover Links, which I also reviewed.

**********
UPDATE: July 2018:
This course got a tremendous makeover since I played it last year. I left my original review on here because I wanted to highlight the changes and upgrades:
1. Unlike Hover Links, this course really feels like a "course" and not a bunch of baskets placed around a field. Don't get me wrong, I still enjoy Hover, but this one is more of a "course"
2. The blue teepads are now concrete (white is not)
2a. While the blue pads are concrete, they seem short in length. PDGA specs " Typical size for pads at
the longer tee positions is 5 ft (1.5m) wide by at least 12 ft (3.5m) long." from https://www.pdga.com/files/PD...ch%202014.pdf
These pads feel like they are maybe 8 feet in length because I could get two steps in. I'll try to post a picture of the teepad on 7 because that's the big water hole which kind of requires a good run.
3. The blue tees are EASILY found now, which makes hole 2 maybe the toughest hole I've ever played. The blue tee on 2 sets you back in the woods with a very narrow tunnel shot you have to make the full distance (tee to basket). The "ground" is a concrete lined pond covered in duckweed (ie you won't recover a disc there unless it floats and you have a retrieving device on a rope). The sides are a mix of bamboo, virginia creeper, briars, and other very dense vegetation that you will struggle to navigate. The apex of the tunnel is a tree branch that hangs down just enough to make it really inconvenient. I drilled it with a buzzz which instantly found a new home dead center of that "pond". If I had more discs with me, I'd consider a mako, comet, or some other 0/0 disc to thread that needle instead of trying to power a big hyzer over the lower brush but under the overhanging tree branch. I only had one mako on me though and didn't want to risk it on the early hole.
4. Hole 6 can be found now and it's another tunnel shot that's maybe two arm wingspans wide. The sides again are a mix of bamboo, briars, and other really dense brush which makes it nigh impossible to retrieve a disc that veers too far from center. Again, bring a mako or comet for this hole or play it conservatively.
5. Hole 7 is a blast. Frustrating from the blue tee because the teepad is short and behind the teepad is a hill, so if you have any sort of run-up, you will have to start by running uphill which has to mess with other people's release (not just mine). The pond has "watch out for alligator" signs posted. I saw it in 2016, and I think I did in 2017, but despite dropping my wahoo in the drink again in 2018, I didn't see it this year. I don't have a retrieval tool, but unlike hole 2, if you're patient and not worried about reaching into an alligator pond from the edge, you can easily get your floating disc. It's a Boys and Girls club... I don't really think they'd keep a man-eating gator there so close to where the kids play.
Final thoughts from the 2018 update:
I don't lose discs often. I've lost a total of four over the past two years, but three came from this course alone. The white tees take out all the difficulty from this course. I throw consistently under par on the whites, but I went a terrible 10 over on my first blue round this year after losing two discs and throwing into the water on 7. The blues are a challenge and due to the technique required on 2 and 6, I would argue that while the white is a very easy white, the blue is a very difficult blue. In 2016, I rated this 2.0 stars. I didn't change the rating in 2017, but with the new concrete pads (even though they feel short), easy hole-to-hole navigation, and general upkeep, I upgraded it to 3.0. I definitely look forward to coming back as my scores from here brought my DGCR rating down and I want to avenge those lost discs

****end of 2018 update****



This course earned a 2.0 from me whereas Hover got a 1.5. Aside from the monstrous water hazard on #7 here, this course is much easier than Hover. I had fun playing here, but it was just not that memorable. I'll give you a walk through to explain:
1. Nice and straight, starts off at the far end of the ball golf driving range. The dense brush lines the right hand side, all open on the left.
2. Nice and straight. The dense brush lines the right hand side, all open on the left.
3. Nice and straight. Starts out on a diagonal toward the dense brush, which eventually lines the right hand side, all open on the left.
4. Nice and straight up to the very end, the basket is tucked away in a pocket. The dense brush lines the right hand side, all open on the left.
5. Nice and straight, fortunately no dense thornbushes now. All open on the left. Basket tucked away in a dense thicket of wood chips which squish underfoot.
6. Good luck finding the tee box. When you do, it goes through some trees
7. Good god, there's a big pond. If you play the white tees you skip it, but you go right over it on the blues. This is the most memorable hole on the course.
8. Now you get to throw back up towards the building, I think. At this point the map is a disaster and is not consistent with the tee boxes and baskets. I played what I think is the true #8 which takes up up to the other locked gate (not the one you enter, this one is perpetually locked)
9. This is an ultra short hole very straight through some trees.

My point in that walkthrough is that none of the holes except 7 are actually that noteworthy. I am VERY HAPPY that this course is here and for any disc golfers visiting Hilton Head, it's worth playing just for variety. But there's a catch: you can only play in the afternoons. First Tee uses the area for ball golf clinics in the morning, and by evening, the whole place is locked up. I would give it another half star if it could be played in the mornings or evenings. I completely understand why it is locked up and I support the Boys and Girls Club as well as First Tee, but still, accessibility is limited on this course.
The fact that it's new and has visible markings for tee boxes can't outweigh how easy it is to play from the white tees here. Perhaps that was the design to make it more recreational, but then they should be red tees, not white. The white tees per the scorecard are (in feet): 219, 198, 234, 186, 248, 231, 165, 156, 171. I believe that the blues would pose a much better challenge but it was closed when I came back to play them.

Final thoughts: I wanted to play this course again but it was closed at 6:45pm. Because it follows the perimeter of the driving range and a small golf course, the quality of the grass is very nice and maintained. I wish it the best of luck to help grow the sport on the island. Even from the blue tees I don't think it would be as challenging as Hover Links (the other course on the island). A new map online would help, as the current one is hard to read.
It's a nice little course. I'd like to play it again before I go home.

-The golf course has 2 sets of tees for varying degrees of difficulty
- nice mix of shots over water and open field
- was not crowded when we played
- nice new baskets
- good practice area
- the map here is really nice

- 6 is not playable from the map location due to high water
- 5's basket was in surrounded by a foot of water for 30-40 feet out.
- new course so not everything is cleared yet
- weird vibe coming into the course (see my additional comments)
- lacks a bit of fun factor with many open holes and simple lines (even from the blue tees)
- some of the tees are in "interesting spots" (on number 3's tee, there is a grate right in the middle of where you would want to step.)

- Let me start by saying I am glad to see another course on the island. The website was no help for me personally so I just called while on vacation and it was easy to find a time for my dad and I to play. Here's where it got interesting. This is actually at a boys and girls club on Hilton Head. Since it is so new, they are not used to disc golfers yet. The facility you walk through is locked on all sides (we had to knock on the door to get out). The young lady who let me in was nice but wanted information from us (Name, City and Zip) because they will be "applying for a grant." Not a big deal but it took a few minutes to get that done. We went out to play the course and you do not want to get into the woods or the rough at all. Lots of stickler bushes and a very deep creek run beside a lot of the holes. The course itself is placed around a ball golf course and was just OK for me fun factor wise. It's mostly open or just shoot out of a lane into the open type of holes. If other people or kids were there it would be tough to use. I am an intermediate player and shot 4 down through 9 my only time out so not super difficult (unless you find water). After hole 9 my dad and I were walking back to the building and a guy who was talking on a cell phone stopped us and told us to "check in with Nick." We told him lady already got our info and he proceeded to give us unfollowable directions to Nick's office. When we tried to go back through the building the way we came the door was locked. The sidewalk next to entrance was padlocked so we couldn't get out that way. We headed back knocked on the locked door and a lady comes up and says rather curtly, "who are you?" I replied we just finished playing disc golf and we just wanted to head back to our car. "There is a sidewalk for you to walk around." "It's locked, I replied." "Oh it is?".... She reluctantly let 33 year old me and my 58 year old dad back in so we could go through the building to the car. We were wearing dryfit polos and regular shorts so hopefully that attitude will change in the future as more disc golfers come to play. The experience was just uncomfortable for both of us....hard to explain. The receptionist was polite as we left and we never stopped by Nick's office. I don't know if it was because we were 2 adult males trying to go through the boys and girls club or what... Both my dad and I agree Hover Links is a bit more enjoyable to both of us. I tried to give a $10 donation and the receptionist knew nothing about it. So we did play for free. I did have to use the map on my phone as none were there printed in the office. It was a bit flooded when we went but playable (barely). The course definitely has some potential but the biggest key in the future will be access. It's tough to get in right now and you have to call (in my opinion) to find out when you can play. It is not worth "pay-to-play" but the donation to a good cause may be worth it for you. I would recommend Hover Links over this personally but it could be a nice little 9 hole course with better access, a little more clearing on the walking paths and some clearing of the "stickler" bushes in the rough (ouch).

-Designed and built by Hilton Head First Tee! This course will have a major impact in introducing young people to the wonderful world of disc golf.
-Two practice baskets.
-Two sets of tees. White for the youth and rec players, blue for more of a challenge.
-Layout encourages a variety throws, but favors right hand forehand.
-Beautifully trimmed, grassy fairways on most holes. No litter.
-New Innova baskets.
-Easy, counter-clockwise flow around the perimeter of a ball golf training area. Holes do not overlap or crisscross.
-Property is gated for security.
-Super, friendly staff.
-Discs, maps, and scorecards available in the First Tee office.
-Online scoring app available.

-Baskets were not numbered the week I was there. But remember, the course is new, and the layout may not be final.
-The online map, while helpful, is very low resolution and hard to read. The #9 hole layout does not appear to match the map. I was also unable to locate the #2 blue tees. In fairness, the grass had recently been mowed and some of the tee markers had been moved. Please post a higher definition map if available.
-Sections of holes #5 through #8 are susceptible to flooding after heavy rains. This is a common problem with most coastal disc golf courses. There was still standing water four days after a heavy rain.
-Holes #1 through #4 are a little repetitious, but still fun to play. (minor con)
-The blue tee at #7 seems a little unfair for the average golfer. The distance from the tee, just to carry over the lake, is 354 feet (laser measurement). I'd like to see the tee mover out of the woods to the edge of the lake. This wouldn't shorten the hole very much, but would give you the option of laying up to the left. Otherwise, if you don't want to take a chance, use the white tee on this one. On the other hand, if you consistently rip it 400+ feet, you'll love this hole. Mark it as a pro instead of a con.

The new Hilton Head Disc Golf course is a great addition to the island. It's not the only game in town, there's also Hover Links which is also located on private property. Both offer limited public play, but between the two, plus a side trip up to The Sarge, you should be able to get your dg fix while on vacation. Between the three courses, I played every day while the wife was hitting the shopping outlets.
The course is new, and will only get better with time. There is a fence around most of the property which provides security for the youth. You'll need to check in before playing, and perhaps leave an optional donation to support the many worthwhile programs which are provided by First Tee and the B/G Clubs.
It was very wet the week I was there, but the island had just come through tropical storm Bonnie. Hopefully someone will post some additional photos after it has dried out. The online map is somewhat problematic because of the low resolution. Since Google Maps hasn't updated Hilton Head Island in a very long time, I found it was not feasible to create a gps based map. I did, however, map the coordinates of the baskets and tees, and may be able to post an additional course map at a later date.
I initially intended to list the very limited hours for public play as a major con. However, after talking with several staff members at First Tee and the Boys and Girls Club, which shares the building and property, I completely understand and support their reasoning. If you are not familiar with First Tee, please google it. The organization does an outstanding job of teaching life skills to our youth, primarily through ball golf. The First Tee of Hilton Head has the reputation of being one of the finest in the state. The fact that they have now added disc golf to their program should make us all stand and cheer. What better way to grow the sport than to get more young people involved.

I helped design this course and did 95% of the work to install. I guess that's my disclaimer.

1) It's the only course on HHI and it's only 9 holes.
2) The White Tees are super easy for family games and tourists.
3) The Blue Tees are surprisingly challenging with wide open holes being long (350+) and short holes all require good technical play. Our opening day tournament the winner Open Division shot -6 for 36 holes. His SSA is 975.
4) Any fees paid go to support the First Tee of the Lowcountry
5) For being on an Island in the Lowcountry there is surprisingly some small elevation changes
6) Super easy to navigate and course has an app for scoring at app.hiltonheaddiscgolf.com

1) It's a new course and needs beating in - woods are thick and have prickers
2) There is lots of water (this might be a pro for better players) but you might loose a disc if you play the Blue Tees
3) It's on private property and hours open to the public vary - see website for hours.
4) Natural surface tees ... mostly grass - all flat - not much of a con, but true.
5) Course plays in and around a field bordered by woods and a creek - counter clockwise - we did our best to make a variety of right to left and left to right shots, but being counter clockwise tends to have more RHFH - not necessarily a con, but also true