Pros:
Greenfield is a top-level course that can challenge players of all skill levels. Capitalizing on the rolling terrain, this course is in Virginia's top-tier.
- Fantastic terrain and terrain-inspired layouts throughout the round. You think #1 is a nice downhill opening hole? Wait until you start your back 9. Hole #10 combines elevation (downhill); accuracy (tight gap to hit); risk/reward factor (layup near the gap vs going flying through it); and some penalizing rough for errant shots. This hole summarizes everything great about this course.
- Course has a tremendous flow throughout. From the parking lot, holes #1 - 9 play towards the right; #10 - 18 are to the left and back. Just with these two loops, you get a taste of plenty of elevation, woods, open fields, and thick rough all squeezed into one round.
- As part of the flow feel, course does an excellent job of offering easier, more birdie-able holes shortly after the most challenging of layouts. If you start feeling like you've had a chance to catch your breath, another difficult hole is coming up. Also, you don't feel like you're playing the same layout as the designers wisely alternated hole designs: open holes, doglegs, wooded, elevation factors, etc. Don't expect anything to be routine here.
- One example of this variety is the stretch of holes #7 - 9. #7 (from the white tee) is a 440-foot uphill layout that starts in a field that goes towards a basket back in the woods. A smart, accurate tee shot is needed if you're going to hit the opening in the woods.
- #8 then is a 215-foot wooded hole. A solid tee shot equals a birdie putt. A safe, simple one leads to your par. A poor shot means you're looking at a bogey heading into another tough hole - #9. On this 490-foot layout, your tee shot must either hit the opening in the trees, or go over top of them. Once you clear that, you're in an open field that leads to a basket protected by some thick rough on the left. All told, your scoring separation on these 3 holes on good vs bad days could easily be a couple strokes per hole.
- Excellent tee signs. Virginia course designers know the importance of tee signs. During a two-day trip, I played 7 courses in the commonwealth. Time and again, my rounds were made easier thanks to great tee signs.
Cons:
My biggest gripe is that there's a natural walking trail that plays throughout the entire course. Multiple times through my round, walkers came strolling down fairways, including one appearing over a ridge just as I about to tee off. On holes #2, 4, 7, and 13, I came across at least 6 walkers during my round on an early Saturday morning. There does seem to be a potential risk of accidentally hitting someone. And based on history, we know what happens in the disc golf vs other park activities argument.
- Baskets were not consistent in being in long vs short pin positions. It's only an issue on blind holes, especially when the prior hole(s) were all in one position, then you come across a basket in the other position. Don't try to be clever. Just be smart. #16. Why were you in the short position? This had to the potential to be a solid, tough layout. Instead I stumble upon a boring par 3.
- I don't recall seeing many, if any, benches or trash cans throughout the course. I'm sure it'll be a bigger issue for some players, especially on hot summer days.
- It would have been nice to see more of the elevation being implemented, specifically referring to the hill that's used for #1 & 10. I was expecting #18 to play straight uphill. Rather, I got a hole that didn't incorporate much elevation. I really liked the hole as it is. So maybe that hole is better served as #17, then we play an uphill hole for #18.
Other Thoughts:
Greenfield is an excellent addition to the Virginia disc golf scene. There are some other excellent courses in the region - Mountain Lake, Walnut Creek, Falling Creek - and this is another course that belongs in that group.
- There really isn't anything bad to say about this course. I think it's about as close to perfectly designed as you could get here. It's not going to reach elite, championship caliber level. It's a notch below that, and that's a great place to be.
- #11 & 17 both offered great, strategic use of the limited water on the course. #11 is a short hole - 215 feet - that plays over the edge of a pond to a dogleg left basket that close to the edge of the pond. It was a simple mid-range shot, so the water is more for looks than anything else. On #17, however, the water is close to the basket and is a factor for approach shots. Any shot long and/or left is going to be tempting water. On the second to last hole, I doubt you want to end the round searching for a disc.
- Be aware of the thick rough that comes into play on several holes. I got to experience it big time on #12 & 13. As I said earlier, after an easy birdie on #11, I was suddenly challenged on the next hole with a tight fairway.
- #10 is such a creatively designed hole. It's a perfect example of how you don't need length to create a challenging design. It's 'only' 375 and is downhill, so it plays much shorter. That said, I could see anything from birdie to triple bogey coming into play for the average player. Me? I wasn't too upset with a bogey after my tee shot bounced off a tree and into the woods.
- This is a 4.0 rating for me. It's a notch below Mountain Lake and New Quarter Park in terms of the commonwealth's elite. It's an easy 'must play' for everyone in the region and a course I hope to be playing again in the future.