Greensboro, NC

Guilford Meadows

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2.295(based on 26 reviews)
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10 0
Why are trees
Experience: 6.1 years 5 played 5 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Untapped Potential 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 21, 2022 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Guilford Meadows is located right next to a small private college and is near a ton of excellent dining options in Greensboro. For most people in Greensboro, this is probably the course closest to them, and it can be a good spot to play a quick round after work or in the morning. It is not a championship-level course, but the design itself is well done, and the course could be (we will get to this later) an excellent course for beginners and for more experienced looking to practice tighter wood shots.

Variety: For a short course, Guilford Meadows still allows you to throw multiple different shot shapes and even has a few holes where players can open up. Very much a course where some holes are designed for backhand (4, 8, 13) while others are forehand friendly (2, 7, 14) and while the course doesn't have a ton of elevation, it does a good job mixing uphill (9, 15, 18) with downhill holes (2, 5, 11, 16).

Fun holes: Hole 1 is a relatively short tunnel shot to a basket with a drop-off behind it. 5 is a fun downhill shot that incorporates risk-reward where a player can choose to go for a two and risk going off the fairway into a pretty unforgiving forest or play it safe and card the easy three. Hole 7 is a relatively unique blind, over-the-top, right finishing shot. 16 is a medium-length downhill shot that allows for a more aggressive tee shot.

Cons:

Beginner unfriendly: The short length of most of the holes makes the course appear to be a beginner course, but it isn't because of maintenance issues. Getting off the fairway is harshly punished, and there is a high chance of losing discs on a lot of holes. Several holes are particularly good examples of this problem: 4, 9 (when not mowed). 15, 16 and 18. In the past, I have taken new players to the course and they have all been frustrated by the course. Obviously, that is anecdotal but it is a big problem for a course that seems designed with beginners in mind.

Maintenance: Whether or not the open holes are mowed is very hit or miss. Unlike other local courses, Guilford Meadows is often trashed (and there were signs up for a while threatening to pull the baskets, if people didn't pick up after themselves). Beyond these superficial issues, some of the holes need serious work. Some fallen trees need to be moved on 1, the overgrowth on 4 and 18 needs to be trimmed, the area around the tee pad on 7 needs work and hole 16 need some pruning. Unsurprisingly, these issues make it challenging to find discs, and the last couple of times I've played the course, I've found ticks instead.

Tee pads: The rubber tee pads are probably some of the worst that I have ever seen. They are a real slip risk when wet, and several should be completely replaced (7, 10 and 17 both come to mind). I don't usually care about tee pads, but these are dangerous.

Some bland holes: While most of the wooded holes are interesting in design, several holes blend together. 6 is a generic forehand hyzer, 9 is the classic, throw as far as you can in a field and have a short upshot for your birdie, hole. 11-12 are both short open field shots and 17 is a short generic hyzer. I don't hold the generic wooded holes against the design, but I think more could have been done with the field section to make those holes stand out.

Other Thoughts:

None of the local clubs hold events at Guilford Meadows, and the lack of care is reflected in the level of course upkeep. It seems like people, even those who play it, don't seem invested in the course, and it gets trashed more often than other courses in the Triad.

Still, the course itself can be quite enjoyable, especially in the winter, and the design is solid. This course could easily complement the red tees and patriot or the whites at Johnson for beginners if the issues with the tee pads and the rough were addressed.

I think the course could be a 2.5 or even a 3.0, but the issues I've addressed in the review limit it to being somewhere between 1.5 and 2.0. There are enough redeeming qualities that I decided to round up my 1.75 to 2.0.
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12 0
NCfrolfin'
Experience: 12.1 years 39 played 3 reviews
3.50 star(s)

The Woods Where I Grew Up- trees, meadows, and farms with some awesome holes! 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 25, 2021 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

- Semi-secluded course that combines mostly woodland with meadows, and some holes that fuse elements of both!

- Minor course renovations during 2019 alleviated many of the erosion issues on most of the launchpads as well as gave new wood bridges where needed

- Course has come a LONG way since 2012, when it was scrappy and unkempt woodland where you could barely throw a disc... forest has come into its own and maintenance efforts have 'opened up' much more of the land to make it playable. So, I'm happy to say that other reviews that talk about the intense rough and claustrophobia are now outdated, especially after 2019's renovations. The course has seriously opened up and is worlds better than it was just a few years ago.

- Very rustic vibes while not being completely unkempt; maintenance is not all over the place nor is the course often packed, it is a very easy-going course to build up your game and not feel rushed.

- Gates aren't going to shut and there's no true closing time where you're going to be chased out... don't overstay your welcome but also don't be afraid to finish some holes in the twilight!

- There are 16 Par 3 and 2 Par 4 holes and plenty of diversity in holes and terrains, perfect place to practice your game!

- Baskets are new and 'pro,' unlike the cheap metallic kind sometimes seen in courses of similar levels of upkeep and use. They're also clearly labeled with their number.

- Signs exist at each launchpad that do a very good job at pointing out where the baskets are, though the photos may be a bit outdated. The fact that the signs have remained in such great shape the last several years is wonderful.

- Very friendly white cat will often greet you!

- Plenty of restaurants around and nearby for before, after, or in-between rounds!

- As much as I go there, I've never once seen a maintenance crew or lawn mowing squad descend on the course and disrupt play... I get the vibe that if there is maintenance here, it is not obsessive nor in-your-face and that nature largely takes care of itself around here; the rhythm of the forest ecosystem primarily keeps the area in check and not turning into a jungle or prairie.

- Short holes, but NOT packed together as you'd often see with holes of this length; there is plenty of land available here and you won't feel like you're playing the same hole each time, or are right on top of the previous hole you played. Where holes are parallel to one another, you often won't be able to tell due to the way the holes roll with the land and are separated by trees.

- Directions to successive holes are labelled in a semi-primitive manner with plate-signs (Hole 13's directive sign is wrong, though, and points to 13's basket instead).

Cons:

- Rubber launchpads

- Erosion at rubber launchpads once plagued the whole course, but after the 2019 renovations the only holes that truly suffer this today are 4, 7, and 17 (17's is almost completely buried and uneven).

- Holes 8, 9, and 12 (formerly 10 and 11 as well) can become virtual wilds in the warm months; there's a reason the name is the "meadows"! Ticks haven't been a problem for me in these fields (miraculously) but the fields are deceptive and you can easily lose your disc in them. Keep an eye on where the disc goes and run out to it; during the pandemic in 2020 when the course truly was left to nature and regressing back to its 2012 state some friends and I employed a system where, once one of us threw, that person immediately ran out to the disc and watched where others' would end up to help them find them.

- Hole 10's basket is quite close to an electric fenced tract of farmland used by the college; I've never landed a disc behind the fence but this could be a problem for someone who throws a bit too far.

- That is to say, there is a hazardous electric wire fence on the course, rather close to 10's basket and 11's launchpad, also just on the other side of the woods from 13 and 14. Be careful, especially if you have kids or pets with you.

- Nothing wrong at all with beekeeping, but on the other side of the trees from Hole 14 and Hole 15's launch area is an active beekeeping site! It's labeled and not close to paths and certainly not the active course, but bee careful!

- Hole 13's launchpad position is mislabeled when leaving from 12's basket; it appears to be pointing in a direction where it may have used to be but no longer is at... you may struggle to find the start of 13 if you're new.

- Hole 16 currently has the beginnings of a young forest rising in the fairway to your left; at present it already presents a major obstacle should you land in it, having to push past young trees, thorns, weeds to get your disc... but as it grows taller I fear it will make 16 almost unplayable due to its density; you'll have to throw right around the forest (without landing in the already-existing one, which already provides a major challenge in losing your discs) and then around again, under the thick tree that hides the basket. 16 is quite an annoyance to play as it is, but a welcome challenge nonetheless.

- Hole 18's challenge is that, at the launchpad, a sharp incline rises while a thick branch arcs downward, likely to mess you up on your first throw... but who doesn't like challenges?!

- There are no garbage or recycle cans on the course, though you'll find plenty of signs complaining about 'packing out' your trash or face the possible closure of the course.

- There are no bathrooms or porta-potties on or near the course- come prepared.

- Mud can be a major issue on this course after heavy rains, especially in the winter where Holes 8, 12, 17, and 18 are most impacted as to be unplayable when it's really bad while Holes 1, 2, 3, 6, and 16 can be impacted to a much lesser degree.

- Parking's usually not a problem, but overflow may result in some players having to park up the drive near the tennis courts and walk in (New Garden Friends School is starting to crack down on cars being parked in the grass, though I don't believe they actually own the tract...).

- No maps of the course exist on site, nor do any maps or score cards that I know of.

Other Thoughts:

- Holes likely for holes-in-one: 2, 6, 17.

- The shortest holes are 2, 4, 6, 13, 14, and 17.

- The only Par 4's are Holes 9 and 18.

Woodland Holes: 1, 2, 4, 6, 17

Meadow Holes: 9, 10, 11, 12

Mixed Woodland-Meadow Holes: 3, 5, 7, 8, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18


On a personal note, this was the course where I really found myself and my game; having a course put almost in your backyard helps with that! It's a great place for beginners, and I'm the proof of that. It's the sort of place you can come out any day or every day, at any time, and have a very similar game each time. It's not an over-packed course, it's not an over-hyped course... it's the friendly neighborhood course where you and your friends can play a leisurely game and commune with nature all at once!

I'll also attest that its private but relaxed nature is a godsend... I hate having to rush out of other nearby courses like The Patriot or Haw River right at closing time or risk being locked in or have trouble with the staff; you don't have to worry about that here (at least that I can see). I think that's due to its nature as technically being part of the college's land if not campus and the fact that it's also a full-time farm operation; volunteer gardeners and beekeepers come and go leisurely and on their own schedule, just as you can when you come here for a game.


It is a tranquil place, that much I'd like to voice to you. It's also the place where I made my first hole-in-one, on Hole 2, and my friend made his on Hole 1 (which I'm still shocked by given the nature of Hole 1!). It's the place where I went and still go to collect my thoughts. It's that sort of place, and that's what I hope you see in it too.
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14 0
DiscGolfCraig
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 20.4 years 622 played 569 reviews
2.50 star(s)

A Society of Disc Golf Friends 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 28, 2020 Played the course:once

Pros:

Located in the back of Guilford College's campus is this secluded course. If you're looking for a fun, casual round, this is an excellent course for that.
- A very good, mid-range course. Average hole length is only around 240 feet (DGCR lists at 241; UDisc at 234), with only one hole longer than 315 feet - #9 at 455. You're throwing lots of putters or mid-range discs off the tee here.
- #1 & 2 may be the most fun holes on the course. Both have ace run potential. Both may want you throwing a second shot for fun. #1 at 205 feet also offers a drop off behind the basket; although, it isn't as imposing as it appears from the tee. #2, at only 170 feet (it feels longer than UDisc's listing of 144 feet), is the tighter fairway.
- The front nine seems to have more memorable layouts. I felt holes #1 - 8 all had personality and different looks to them. After the three open holes in the same field (#9 - 11), I felt the course lost some of that luster despite still having some enjoyable layouts.
- #5 is a simple hole, but I love these types of shots. It's relatively open and slightly downhill at 270 feet. It's the type of hole you can throw multiple shots to get to the hole. An aggressive shot will land in the woods. A shot landing short may continue sliding down towards the basket.
- I liked the vibe of #7 and its extreme dogleg right. It's a short hole through a small gap in the trees so get your disc high and have it cut back to the basket fast. #8, at 230 feet, has a basket protected by trees. There's a wide, safe for par route you can take. There's a tighter, go for birdie route you can take. Or you can take the direct line, hit one of the first trees protecting the basket, and take your chances you'll get a somewhat favorable bounce. I opted for the third option.
- Quality tee signs. They were clearly recently added so you know the course is getting some regular attention. And, there are also some much appreciated next tee markers when needed.
- The course is secluded from the rest of the campus. I don't see any reason why you couldn't be here on a weekday. Just watch out for some gardeners or cross country runners (if they actually run here at times).
- I like a course that starts and ends with memorable holes. It bookends the round with good memories. I'm visualizing the first and last holes at Fox Chase as a perfect example. On a smaller scale, these two holes stand out above the other ones on the course.

Cons:

First thing I noticed pulling up is that the parking lot is ridiculously tiny. There were three vehicle parked, and we were taking up about half the space. If the lot is full, I'm not sure where to park unless you can just park along the access road or in the parking lot in front of the school building (if it's not permitted).
- On holes #15 & 16, you do get the sense you are right behind the work sheds as there are mounds of dirt and debris around. If they both had natural feels to them, this would be a great two-hole stretch. Instead, they have a cramped, invading feel to them.
- DISCLAIMER: I MAY BE AN IDIOT. Now to the con. As decent as the tee signs are, they need to let you know which direction you're actually throwing. With lots of paths/fairways between trees, they look similar. On #7, I threw the wrong direction off the tee. To be fair, the image just shows a sharp dogleg right around a row of trees. I had to figure out which way I was throwing on #18 as well. And, on #6, you only see the basket for #17 from the tee.
- Rubber tee pads were mostly ok. On some holes, they're on uneven ground, making them a hindrance.
- This is probably mainly a Winter issue. Course was ridicously muddy. I wore my mud/water boots, which was a major life saver. On some tees (#13 & 18 come to mind), mud was so bad, I couldn't find a spot to set down my bag. So, I left it on the tee and sacrificed a run-up. If you play when it's this muddy and you're in regular shoes, I don't know how you're navigating #18. That said, when dry, this is a solid closing hole. One of the tougher tee shots on the course.

Other Thoughts:

The Guilford course was a pleasant surprise. As my playing gets more infrequent due to life, I've appreciated playing less grueling courses. The whole two rounds vs one reasoning. And because of that, I'm liking courses that have quality layouts, flow, variety, challenge, and fun. Guilford meets all of those checkmarks.
- This is a solid course for beginners and casual players. A fantastic intro for college students and locals. If you want more challenge, you're not far from the better courses in the area: Keely, Johnson Street, and Patriot amongst others.
- Lots of birdie and ace run chances. If you're a regular, and you play #9 & 18 as par 4s, it shouldn't take too many rounds before you've birdie most if not all of the holes.
- #18 is a par 3.5 in its current setup. I'd move the tee back 75 - 100 feet, and make it a 400-foot, tight fairway par 4. I had a subpar tee shot, a decent second shot, and a 20 foot putt for a 3.
- This had some good vibes of Mint Hill's 9-hole layout in metro Charlotte. If you can keep your disc on-line, you will have a field day on the wooded holes. If you start throwing off-line, you'll be scrambling for pars. The woods are thick enough here that you shouldn't be surprised if an errant throw takes a wicked bounce deep into the woods and you end up with a bogey or double-bogey.
- So, the sign out front of the campus says the college was founded by a society of friends. I didn't realize that's a term used by the Quakers. I like the phrase when it comes to this disc golf course. When you're playing a round with anyone, you're part of our crazy society of friends.
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2 2
Dgnation2013
Experience: 3 played 3 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Great course, especially for beginners 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 15, 2017 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Great for beginners

Good navigation.

Nice variation of wooded and open spots.

Cons:

People leave lots of trash (it has gotten better).

There is only one bomb (hole 9).

Parking is less than desirable.

Other Thoughts:

Overall, great beginner course. I personally think it would be better if there was a club to support and maintain it.
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8 0
KenanFlagler01
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 14.6 years 198 played 192 reviews
2.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 13, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

Guilford Meadows is a fun pitch 'n putt track in Greensboro. It's not a destination course, by any means, but a fun one if you live in the area or have another reason to be in Greensboro. "Mfinchit" has done a tremendous job cleaning up the course and maintaining it for us to enjoy.

+ Fun pitch 'n putt with lots of ace runs.

+ Well maintained: no trash and the grass was cut when I played.

+ While short, there is good variety of types of shots. Good use of a little creek for a few holes. Some fast greens. Some elevation.

+ Good baskets.

+ Fantastic navigation. I never had a question about where the next tee was. It was a little trick to find the course, but I think that was all user error.

+ I mentioned variety already, but I'll add to that just a little: the variety of open and wooded holes was really good. And even being a pitch 'n putt, there were 2-3 holes where you could throw a true drive with a high-speed disc.

Cons:

This being a beginner-friendly course, it's not going to get a super-high rating from me. It's not overly challenging. But the cons here aren't deal-breakers at all. You don't have to worry about this being a goat ranch track that isn't maintained or where you can't find tees, baskets, or your discs. In other words, don't be scared off. It's a decent course and fun.

- Not very challenging for non-beginners.

- The tee pads are rubber, very slippery when I played, and not very big.

- There was lots of mud on the course when I played. Granted, this was after Greensboro got a little snow, but it looks like there had been some landscaping or construction done recently and there was a lot of mud from that.

Other Thoughts:

Again, not a destination course really, but there aren't a ton of courses in Greensboro anyway. If you're more than a beginner and have a choice between Guilford Meadows and the Patriot (Triad Park), go to Triad. But if you're a beginner or if this course is more convenient to where you are, go try it out!
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5 3
prerube
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 17.4 years 275 played 236 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Fun introductory course. 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 9, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

Enjoyable pitch and putt with good flow and easy navigation. Lots of ace runs, fair fairways, and good signage make for a fun time. I emptied my bag on several holes.

Cons:

uneven rubber pads look like they are from the school cafeteria.
2 holes had multiple baskets visable from the tee. Hole 6 you can see basket 17. It looks like an awesome hole until you see the tee sign and realize the basket is less than half the distance away.

The course is more suited for a casual group than tournament play.

single pads

Short review because there is very little memorable about the course. It is a standard par 3.

Other Thoughts:

The course was clean and the grass was maintained, I may have caught the course on a good day, but I had no issues with disc loss, litter, or high grass.
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11 1
Mfinchit
Experience: 61 played 1 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Has a lot of potential 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 23, 2016 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Just an initial statement before going into the review.
#I'm the person that's been maintaining this course and trying to get it to live up to its potential Since December. So, when someone says "They need", I just want to let you know, there is no "They". It's just a disc golfer that was sick of this course being over grown. Now onto the review:

Pros:

* There's potential at this course to be much better than it is. I'm currently working on mapping out alternate blues. Just as others have pointed out, there's really only 1 hole deserving of a driver.

* I know some people don't like the rough on #9, 10, and 11, but it was done in such a way that the fairways on these 3 are roughly 50' wide which will ultimately help those who work on accuracy and not just slinging wildly. It definitely helps me to throw a bullet instead of a huge 'S'.

* Tee signs were created by some volunteers (I believe they may work for Timco, but could be remembering incorrectly).

Cons:

*Littering - The biggest con here is some people really suck. What I mean by that is, I'm always picking up peoples trash, beer cans, beer bottles, etc. I've incidentally run over a couple glass bottles with the mower and cut myself more than I'd like bc someone throws a bottle in the grass. So if the community will call these people out when you see it, that'd be much appreciated. If you're someone who throws their trash on the course, please know that the players are the ones picking up after you. If you could please pick up your own trash that would be great!

* Tee pads - They aren't my favorite. On humid days you stick to them, and on rainy days you slide right off. To top it off, they aren't level and just waiting for you to sprain your ankle. I haven't had any luck convincing Guilford College to allow me to put in concrete pads so as of right now my next best effort will be to level them and try and get more rubber so they can all be the same length/width.

*Vandalism - This goes hand in hand with the first con. The signs were put in less than a year ago and I already have to concrete them in because people are either just entitled, destructive, or terrible at disc golf (taking their anger out on the signs). So if it keeps up, they'll be gone as well.

Other Thoughts:

Volunteering my time to maintain this course can be discouraging when there is so many people throwing there trash all over the place, leaving it for others to pick up. If people would be interested in volunteering to help me keep this course cleaned up you can PM me, email me at [email protected], or I'm at the course throughout the week (always on Sundays at 1:30). If you see a yellow Jeep there, I'm there.

The more people that we can get out who care about maintaining the course, the better it will be.


Currently working on:
updating the tee pads
concreting signs
mapping out blues
cutting back shrubs/overgrowth
cutting grass
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4 0
pmay5
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 21.4 years 568 played 261 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Through the woods to get to the Meadows 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 20, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

Really nice tee signs and next tee signs. The tee signs have a picture of the hole and two aerial map photos on each hole. Along with the hole distance and par, these are very nice. Not sure how long they will stand up to the elements though.
Baskets are in good shape, the yellow bands really help spotting the basket in the woods.
Mostly wooded holes with 3 open meadow holes in the middle then a couple toward the end.
Good location at the edge of Guilford College campus, moves around the campus garden area, with only minimal interaction.

Cons:

Several of the front nine holes are very short.
Tee pads are pretty short rubber mats. Not a big issue on the shorter holes, but need to be longer on the open holes. Also, these look like the kind that can get slippery when wet, and some are uneven.
Small parking lot and no restrooms or drinks available.

Other Thoughts:

For a college campus course, this is not too bad. The wooded holes are pretty short and most are tight. Tight but fair, so I didn't list them as a Con. If beginners are playing they shouldn't get too frustrated.
As I mentioned, there are several holes in the open meadow and a couple others with limited trees, so it does provide some variety.
The course also uses some straight clearings through the woods for multiple holes, not a bad place to put a fairway, but be careful if you kick into the woods.
Upkeep is being done on this course, almost no trash around and the grass on the open holes was mowed to a reasonable level.
I really enjoyed #16, tee shot is downhill, over dirt mounds dropped for the gardens to a basket protected behind a tree. Cool change of scenery on this one.
Overall, not a must-play or challenging course, but a fun one to play. From what I read in previous reviews, the quality of the course has definitely improved.
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1 2
Pymm
Experience: 8.8 years 42 played 5 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Tight and technical but fair 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 14, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

Great signs and easy to navigate.
Nice variety of holes. Many left to right and a few right to left holes through tight tree-lined tunnels. Some longer open holes through the meadows. You will need to throw forehands and some fairly big hyzers in addition to your standard backhand. If you aren't accurate, getting out of the trees may require some creativity. I threw two or three from my knees, a couple of tomahawks, and a low forehand skip to get out of trouble. That said, I made a couple of birdies and my playing partners made more. You can score if you can hit your line; accuracy and intelligent play are certainly more important than distance here.
Baskets are all in good shape and fairly placed.
Some small elevation changes and some uphill/downhill putts lend interest to the course.
Not crowded at all; we saw one other group as we were leaving and that was it for the entire morning.

Cons:

Tee boxes are awful. Tee pads are slippery and too short. We teed off from beside them where possible but on a few holes there was no choice due to trees right by the box. Absolutely the worst tee boxes I've seen.
Rough is really high in the meadows holes, leading to some searching for discs.

Other Thoughts:

I played my best round ever here and am very happy to add this course to my normal rotation. My group all played really well, actually. I like that this course forces you to use a lot of different tee and approach shots with a focus on accuracy and disc selection over distance. I liked playing here and will play here quite a bit in the future. If the tee boxes were replaced with something better than the rubber mats currently in use or if the mats were simply removed, the most significant negative to the course would be rectified. Overall, a really good place to play.
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2 2
skadoosh0019
Experience: 19.4 years 11 played 3 reviews
1.50 star(s)

Fix the Tees and Rating will Improve 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 29, 2016 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

- A different sort of course from nearby Johnson Street and Patriot. Tight, heavily wooded, and technically challenging in several places.

Cons:

- Unreasonably thick underbrush on many holes. Guilford Meadows will murder you if you miss your line.

- Yes, its called Guilford Meadows. But the course needs to be better maintained on the grassy holes, specifically 9-13. Several holes you are forced to walk through knee high grass to get to your disc, because there is no real mowed "fairway". During the summer months this is not going to be a pleasant experience.

- Tees. Oh, god, these tees. They use a rubber frame that from what I understand is supposed to be installed in a wooden box with gravel underneath. It holds the gravel in place and gives a nice even surface somewhat like concrete when installed correctly. What actually happened at Guilford Meadows is they just slapped the rubber frame mats on the ground and called it a day. They're too short, and if there has been any sort of precipitation lately you will be unable to trust your footing on your tee shots. They really need to re-do the tees.

Other Thoughts:

I gave it a 1.5 but I still play Guilford Meadows all the time. They've recently installed new tee signs, which are quite nice, and cleared out some small trees on a few holes (#1, in particular, is now a much more reasonable hole after the work they did). I think if they fix the tees this quickly jumps up to a 3 for me, as it provides a unique experience compared to the other courses in the area.
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6 0
nevets4433
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 12.8 years 62 played 60 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Out into the Meadows and Back Again 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Feb 13, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

Guilford Meadows is an interesting little course situated at the far corner of the Guilford College campus. This secluded parcel of woods and meadow land is a nice getaway and a fairly interesting place to play disc golf.

For an eighteen hole course, most of the holes here are actually quite short. This is made-up for with mostly well thought out tunnel shots through the woods. I was impressed by the good balance of both left and right hand dogleg holes which test both players' forehands and backhands. Many of these short holes are definitely able to be birdied with a good approach. Often, on courses where there is overall little length variety, play can become monotonous but I actually felt like most of these holes presented unique challenges.

All of the tees are laid out in rubber mats which for the most part are in pretty good shape. Baskets are in good shape and a really nice attempt at tee signs has been made (though see below, they are mostly destroyed). Kiosk at the small parking lot helps guide players to the first tee.

My two favorite holes were 1 and 8. 1 is a nice straightaway hole through and ample tunnel to a basket that sits on a raised mound. Long putts are a fun risk/reward situation. 8 is a really pretty RHFH hyzer up hill to a basket nestled between two rows of trees..

Cons:

Upkeep at this course is a major con. There is trash and litter strewn about. The hole signs, which looked to have been handmade and probably took some significant work to make, have almost all been knocked over or destroyed. That is unfortunate because they looked to have been high quality work. They would have also helped navigation because a few of the baskets are blind from the tees, and finding the rubber mat teeboxes is sometimes a bit difficult without navigational aids. I would recommend bringing a map, especially for a few tricky walks on the back 9.

There are a few holes that are headscratchers. 7 is a short snapshot dogleg to the right. I really struggled to see an actual path for a disc to fly to navigate that curve because the start of the hole requires a very straight flightpath. 13 is another short hole that appears to be a short RHBH hyzer down to a tucked basket, but getting down to the basket the golfer realizes there is actually no approach to the basket whatsoever other than the poke-and-pray method due to all of the trees. I got lucky and ended up on the green with a tomahawk, but even on the green, I was almost completely blocked out from the basket and had no putt.

As has been mentioned on other reviews, there is certainly a lot of "late trouble." Many of the baskets are tucked in very tight locations and some greens have a lot of small trees on them - I was faced with a few putts that forced me to lay up to the basket. I am not sure being forced to pitch out while being on the green is necessarily a good design feature.

Much of the underbrush here is very thick. I noted above that there are a lot of birdie opportunities, but there are also plenty of places where a stray kick off of a tree can land a player in serious trouble and needing multiple throws to get back to the fairway.

I was also not a huge fan of the holes 9-11 out in the "meadow." It was a weird transition to go from tight lines on nearly every hole to three straightaway holes out in a huge field. Hole 10 needs a redesign - there is an electric fence that is on the back of the green and I don't really think that is a safe idea. If fitting 3 holes into that field is a necessary course feature, there has to be a way to do so that keeps the electric fence out of play.

The last con is access. The course seems to be closed down at times for cross-country practice.

Other Thoughts:

Guilford Meadows is a fun course. Even though the hole length variety is minimal, most of the holes really kept my interest. There are a few screwy hole designs; overall the course seemed to be a fair, balanced test of disc golf. The difficulty is high enough to keep a player's interest but not extreme (except for some of the rough that I mentioned above).

The course does suffer from lack of upkeep and that was one of the major detractors I noticed - broken down tee signs and tons of trash scattered about. It does seem that there is a DG club from reading some of the signage and I hope that they are able to keep discs flying at Guilford Meadows. I thought this course was most certainly more enjoyable than the reputation it tends to have in the area. It is by no means a worldbeater of a course, but it is certainly a serviceable loop. With more upkeep and a few of the "little things," it could be much much better.
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5 0
reposado
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 13.3 years 278 played 276 reviews
2.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 22, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

Well maintained course that offers a nice variety of open and wooded holes that caters to newer players. There is a bit of length here but nothing above the three hundred range and experienced players should find they can go at most pins from the tee, while rookies should not have to undertake too many throws to reach the basket. The wooded holes offer turns to both directions and even some quick elevation changes to introduce new players to different types of throws. Number 2 is particularly nice: the hole starts in the open where the player aims for the entrance to the woods then it is down and up to the pin. 3 plays alongside a shallow creek, introducing a little water challenge with too much danger.
A few of the signs are down but the majority of the holes have a well-done wooden placard with a drawing of the hole and an arrow pointing to the following tee. Even if you forget, it is usually fairly obvious where to go. Nice flow with no real navigation issues.

Cons:

My least favorite type of hole is the open hole where the fairways are mowed out of tall grass, leaving "rough" of knee-to-waist high grass. These are still open holes: the disc can fly unobstructed, no matter where you are throwing from. All this does is make you walk through high grass. I have occasionally seen this done to an ok effect, at a difficult course where landing zones are mowed on par 4s instead of straight fairways. But on a course aimed at beginners, all this will do is add frustration. And there are about six of these holes here. Combine that with a hole or two that will have said beginners throwing down fairways lined with grabby pines and you've got a bunch of elements that don't quite line up with the skill level aimed at here.
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4 0
hoppedup
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 10.6 years 104 played 27 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Looking better! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jul 26, 2015 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

This course is on a really nice piece of property next to a community garden.

The Innova Discatcher baskets are in great shape.

I have played this course several times and have only run into one other person playing. So it is not likely to be crowded.

The fairways are in much better shape than they were when I played this course last year. That one other golfer I met is named Rob and he has been doing some work on the course, with the permission of Guilford College.

The signs are new to me and pretty cool. Some were missing and others laying on the ground beside their makeshift posts, though.

There is a nice mix of left, right and down the middle basket placements. You can air it out on 9,10,11, where fairways are clearly mowed and the rough is only 7 or 8 inches high, so finding discs is no issue.



Cons:

Some of the baskets (particularly 3,4,13) are surrounded by trees that make them like a fortress. Possibly the only option at an ace run is to throw a spike and hope for the best.

The rough here is rough. The only saving grace is that in most places it is so thick that your disc won't go far into it. The trees here are grabby. I've had more discs stuck in a tree on this course than all others I've played combined. There are a few other places where you are forced to throw way high or low due to limbs.

Some of the lines and gaps on this course are tight, tight, tight. This may be a pro for others, but I'd prefer a little more room to maneuver.

There was trash all over the course. I will be armed with a trash bag when I return. It is probably not students doing this as there aren't many here over the summer.

Navigation is not intuitive, so take a map or go with someone who knows the course.

The rubber mat tee pads aren't that bad, but some are really short.

Other Thoughts:

This course is fairly wooded other than 9,10, 11 which are in an open field. There are sharp turns left and right to baskets. Hole #1 provides the hardest gap as you throw about 60 feet in the open to a six foot gap between some trees into the woods.

On our second round we took turns spotting, as there are a lot of blind throws. On hole #6 the basket is blind and to the right. Do not throw to the basket you can see straight ahead, that is 17.

Even with the negatives, this course is fun and could be a real gem with a little more TLC.
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6 0
New013
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 14.3 years 179 played 120 reviews
1.50 star(s)

Well... it's unique! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 13, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

Atmosphere: The course encompasses a few different areas that have a mix feel to them. The first couple holes have a grove feeling with undulating terrain. Then you pop out in to an area of congested cedars and the course thins out as you go farther in until you get to some open meadows. Then you reverse that towards the end. It's a quaint little area that sits next to a community garden, pretty cool digs for this type of course; it also has a small creek that runs through parts You probably won't run in to many other people out there.

Layout: Overall it's a short course with tight lines and a few open holes thrown in.

For the most part I think the course strives to create some challenge given the general short length of the holes, and it achieves that goal as well as giving you some interesting lines and gaps to hit.

You definitely have to think about how you're going to attack a few holes by working some unusual lines or just pureing a tiny vertical/horizontal gap.

I think this is a good place to come work on your short game because it exaggerates the technicality of true courses in some areas.

It does mix up the shot types and hole types which is a plus, you have some tight holes some less tight holes and then some open ones.

There's not a lot of elevation change but some interesting bits of it as you go through the place.

The flow is good and the few parts that can be confusing are short walks either way so you should never really get off track.

Equipment - Rubber mats, the eh kind but better than nothing. Baskets seemed in good shape. Some tee-signs on some holes, not all. Course map at the beginning.

Cons:

Atmosphere - Not the most secluded place ever, next to a school and some houses back up next to part of it. I could see this place being grown up during parts of the year if nobody is caring for it.

Layout - Some of the holes are just a bit to tight for my liking, I think part of that has to do with the cedar branches growing in to the fairway and nobody cutting them back. They also cut some greens in to really tight little areas, I like the idea of it and where they were going it just seems a bit to much in most cases.

Some of the holes are just to short to be that interesting and are open to just dropping an OH over the top instead trying to navigate a really tight line. A few of the more open holes are more like ace or die kind of shots.

Equipment - The rubber pads could be better. Some holes have no tee sign.

Other Thoughts:

Again I think if you're local this is probably a fun place to come throw every now and then, maybe get some practice in. Overall it's not a well rounded course and definitely not something to go out of your way to play.

There's some really cool landscapes and features within the course but overall it's just not big enough to sustain a larger and better course, it is what it is.

I do think they could of maybe put a 9 holer with short/long pads and possibly better utilized the area but again, it is what it is.
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1 9
TheTeeboxCo._Levi B.
Experience: 9.4 years 3 played 2 reviews
0.00 star(s)

Sad state of affairs 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 20, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

location

Cons:

everything - no one maintains this poor thing.

supposedly the student body has a group who "runs" the course but no signage, pads, baskets, etc. have been updated in far too long

Other Thoughts:

great location and could be a little gem but complacency and lack of interest have taken their toll
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2 4
Colicus
Experience: 30.4 years 127 played 7 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Finesse is Best 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 16, 2015 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

This is the best course no one knows about. It will test your accuracy. Offers both left and right handers a test. It is both wooded and open.

Cons:

Rubber mats get slick in wet conditions. The signage is passable, but, needs improvement. Course is on Guilford College land, so maintenance can sometimes be iffy and there is no developed program here.

Other Thoughts:

This course is NOT for big arms. There is only one hole you can really let it rip. It is a great fit for me and I very much like playing here.
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1 12
JoeStewart
Experience: 16.5 years 12 played 4 reviews
0.00 star(s)

So, so bad 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 5, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

None at all.

Cons:

Tee's are rubber mats that you would find outside of a store, and loose on the ground. The Tee's are not marked or numbered. There are no maps of the course.
There is no logical flow from hole to hole. Fairways are not well groomed.

Other Thoughts:

Do not play here. It has been open for two years and in all that time no one has bothered to but a single sign. No post for the tee's, no maps, no benches. I can't believe someone from that course had the nerve to even register this as a course on this website.
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1 3
LeeLK
Experience: 16.4 years 68 played 53 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Great use of the land. 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 2, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

Great baskets. Variety of shots required: wooded, open, downhill, both doglegs.

Cons:

Rubber tee mats can be dangerous after rainfall. No signage at all. 2 tee missing pads completely. Very few opportunities to swing for the fences.

Other Thoughts:

Great use of the land, could just use some good pads and signage.
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3 3
finesenotstrength
Experience: 11.4 years 5 played 1 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Good but needs so much work 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 1, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

There is a wide variety of shots and conditions to use to practice with. There is only #2 holes with long bombs so if you havent developed your range yet it will not pay into your score too much.

Cons:

Finding your way from tee to tee is unnerving. This course is horribly marked and when it came to asking people while I was there where the next hole was I got very rude answers.

Other Thoughts:

A group of disc golfers came up to myself and my group asked where we were from. We told them. They said that we didnt belong there and that they were trying to make it so it was a college only course and that people like us were the ones who destroy courses. Funny story is they wreaked of weed and couldnt play to save there life.But because of this I will only be going back if I have little time and want to get a quik game in.
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4 3
YoMambaSoFly
Experience: 12.7 years 22 played 3 reviews
0.50 star(s)

Ehhh 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:May 31, 2013 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Ok course if your board, has a couple of good holes. Convenient to Greensboro area. First hole is great, #5 is good, hole 8 is a good technical hole with a couple of line options, hole 9 is really not too special, gives you a chance to throw a long shot straight ahead for an easy birdie on your approach. Hole 15 is a good hole if you throw from the pro pad that isn't supposed to be there. : )

Cons:

Hole 2, used to have a good tight line to the basket then someone decided to try and knock down the tree down the fairway and pretty much ruined the hole. Hole 4, oh my, what a pointless hole thanks to the engineers in charge. Tee pads are on site but probably won't be in for who knows how long if they don't get stolen first. Hole 7, poorly designed, basket should be placed farther back in my opinion, 16, ehh, the mountain of dirt is getting smaller. Piles of wood scattered through out the course, assuming they are for benches, ugly rickety benches. The occasional stoned, dirty students wandering through leaving beer bottles behind. If you take your dog out, pick up their poop!!

Went out 7.5.13 and played. Uggghhhh. Its a jungle out there. Nothing is mowed, sloppy muddy mess.

Other Thoughts:

Course needs to be tweaked by someone who knows what they are doing, current students in charge don't really understand what makes a good course. Not completely terrible like I said, has a few good holes but nothing special.
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