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Gauntlet 9 reviews
12
0
Solid 9-hole course
Reviewed:
Played on:May 31, 2024
Played the course:once
Pros:
A nice, new 9-hole track for the Triangle! This one has some bite. It's more like 1/2 of a legit 18-hole course instead of a beginner-centric 9-hole course.
+ Much more challenging in terms of technicallity, shot-shaping, and even some distance than what is typical for a 9-hole course.
+ Well maintained and inviting public park with lots of other nearby park amenities (nice public pool, ball fields, paved trails, playground, picnic shelters, dog park, large open space for concerts and events, etc.).
+ Good course design and elements to dial up the challenge and risk/reward (e.g. some unplayable rough areas to avoid at all costs, challenging gaps, protected greens, OB pond near greens, etc.). Good variety of distance, right-finishing, left-finishing, and dead-straight hole layouts.
+ Easy flow and navigation.
+ New and more-than-adequate concrete tees.
Hole 1 - 255 feet, wide open tee shot and fairway, but finishing with a green carved into the beginning of the woods with a RHBH hyzer finish
Hole 2 - 435 feet, part 4, "S" shaped fairway carved out of the woods with two routes approaching the green from the first fairway landing zone
Hole 3 - 249 feet, slightly wider fairway, but with an obstacle "V" shaped tree diretectly in front of the tee, leading to a gap in the woods on the right to access the green
Hole 4 - 234 feet, another tight fairway, finishing to the right...beware of the railroad tracks to the right (only with an errant tee shot) and the pond directly behind the green and basket (which I didn't notice and almost went into)
Hole 5 - 169 feet, short hole with trees obstructing the middle of the fairway, forcing you to choose a nuanced hyzer or anhyzer line...but be carful of coming in hot if you're finishing to the left -- the pond is there
Hole 6 - 345 feet, big RHBH hyzer hole where you have to hit a gap in the trees before finishing to the left...but not too far left or you're in the pond
Hole 7 - 471 feet, par 4, just a long and straight fairway that is deemed a par 4 due to it's length
Hole 8 - 186 feet, tiny tunnel fairway to get through before it opens up at the green
Hole 9 - 291 feet, sharp dogleg left. I'm not sure how you're supposed to play this hole and be near the green with an accurate tee shot. The dogleg bend is so sharp and so early on the fairway, it really plays more like a par 4 with a landing zone and a short approach shot.
+ Much more challenging in terms of technicallity, shot-shaping, and even some distance than what is typical for a 9-hole course.
+ Well maintained and inviting public park with lots of other nearby park amenities (nice public pool, ball fields, paved trails, playground, picnic shelters, dog park, large open space for concerts and events, etc.).
+ Good course design and elements to dial up the challenge and risk/reward (e.g. some unplayable rough areas to avoid at all costs, challenging gaps, protected greens, OB pond near greens, etc.). Good variety of distance, right-finishing, left-finishing, and dead-straight hole layouts.
+ Easy flow and navigation.
+ New and more-than-adequate concrete tees.
Hole 1 - 255 feet, wide open tee shot and fairway, but finishing with a green carved into the beginning of the woods with a RHBH hyzer finish
Hole 2 - 435 feet, part 4, "S" shaped fairway carved out of the woods with two routes approaching the green from the first fairway landing zone
Hole 3 - 249 feet, slightly wider fairway, but with an obstacle "V" shaped tree diretectly in front of the tee, leading to a gap in the woods on the right to access the green
Hole 4 - 234 feet, another tight fairway, finishing to the right...beware of the railroad tracks to the right (only with an errant tee shot) and the pond directly behind the green and basket (which I didn't notice and almost went into)
Hole 5 - 169 feet, short hole with trees obstructing the middle of the fairway, forcing you to choose a nuanced hyzer or anhyzer line...but be carful of coming in hot if you're finishing to the left -- the pond is there
Hole 6 - 345 feet, big RHBH hyzer hole where you have to hit a gap in the trees before finishing to the left...but not too far left or you're in the pond
Hole 7 - 471 feet, par 4, just a long and straight fairway that is deemed a par 4 due to it's length
Hole 8 - 186 feet, tiny tunnel fairway to get through before it opens up at the green
Hole 9 - 291 feet, sharp dogleg left. I'm not sure how you're supposed to play this hole and be near the green with an accurate tee shot. The dogleg bend is so sharp and so early on the fairway, it really plays more like a par 4 with a landing zone and a short approach shot.
Cons:
If you follow my reviews, you know that I'm perhaps harsher on 9-hole tracks than I am "full tracks." The very best of the best 9-hole courses I've played top out at 3.5 ratings, whereas I have a chunk of 4.0 and 4.5-rated 18-hole courses. Why? 18-hole tracks just have more opporunities to throw different things at players. 9-hole tracks also tend to be beginner courses and not overly challenging. The Gautlet 9 doesn't really fit that last part. It seems like a challenging 18-hole course that was chopped in half. That said, here are a few of my nit-picks:
- Some of the holes are like playing Plinko, with tiny gaps or green access points (e.g. the entry point to the green on hole #3).
- I did not like hole #7, which is just a long, decently wide, straight fairway where you have to throw a tee shot and an approach, if you don't have 500-foot controlled distance. This is just a boring, not fun hole design, in my opinion.
- I also did not like hole #9, which has the sharp left dogleg. I don't have a problem with technical dogleg holes like this per se, but with the sharp turn so soon off the tee, I'm not sure how the hole is meant to be played, like even for a very advanced player. But maybe my skills are so lowly that I'm mistaken on this.
- While a challenging course, it wasn't off-the-charts on the fun meter.
- Some of the holes are like playing Plinko, with tiny gaps or green access points (e.g. the entry point to the green on hole #3).
- I did not like hole #7, which is just a long, decently wide, straight fairway where you have to throw a tee shot and an approach, if you don't have 500-foot controlled distance. This is just a boring, not fun hole design, in my opinion.
- I also did not like hole #9, which has the sharp left dogleg. I don't have a problem with technical dogleg holes like this per se, but with the sharp turn so soon off the tee, I'm not sure how the hole is meant to be played, like even for a very advanced player. But maybe my skills are so lowly that I'm mistaken on this.
- While a challenging course, it wasn't off-the-charts on the fun meter.
Other Thoughts:
This is a worthy course to add to your wishlist, especially if tied to other park amenties you can add to your visit.
7
0
Duncanator
Experience:
14.1 years
207 played
13 reviews
Adventurous 9 hole course drive by
Reviewed:
Played on:Sep 4, 2023
Played the course:once
Pros:
Scenic course, tight wooded fairways, good distance, some tricky lines. Good sized concrete tees with grip. Easy access from interstate. The course is mostly separate from the rest of the park.
Cons:
Several par 3s are unreachable. Hole 1 woods portion is very tight and bent to not be accessible. Hole 7 distance wouldn't be bad, but with that narrow and tight of a fairway is a very long hole for a par 3. Hole 9 after the bend is a 7' wide fairway that is only accessible from a 5'x5' landing zone. Hole 8 and Hole 9 play toward walking paths and throwers should take care. The walking path to get to Holes 3 and 6 has a stone area that is starting to washout. Take care.
Other Thoughts:
A friend ran across this on a morning dog walk and got us out for a round. Friendly walkers in the park seem knowledgeable and welcoming to disc golf. There are a couple of opportunities for additional holes or some challenges like water carries (hole 5 tee to hole 6 basket?) after the course gets more use and the design team grows in confidence.
