Fall Branch, TN

Harmon Hills

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4.715(based on 77 reviews)
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18 1
jdawg24
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 25.9 years 103 played 58 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Must play course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 29, 2017 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

I'll keep it fairly short since it's well covered in other reviews. I've played here twice, both times mid-week, and I was amazed that I was the only person playing on both visits -- even though this is 5 minutes off the interstate.

Epic setting on beautiful private land; perfectly hilly with a nice mix of woods and grass. Great mix of holes (on the front 18) that are very fun to play and make good use of the terrain. True fairways on most holes with obvious and fair throwing lanes. Very well maintained.

Cons:

Very minor things -- I don't like the teepads, which are short and very rough concrete. Navigation is pretty easy, although a couple of holes were missing signage.

Bigger - I really didn't enjoy the back 9 holes. Where the front 18 is incredibly fun to play, the back 9 is grueling. I think 7 of 9 were blind ... not blind like its hard to see the basket, but blind where you have to walk halfway down the hole to see the throwing line. Only a few holes where you can see much of the fairway from the tee, which means you don't get to watch your shot, and will be looking for your disc. No signage. Holes mostly on the long side considering the width and shape of fairways - i'd bet really low % of birdies on most holes. A chainsaw would improve the throwing lanes in many places. Very cool terrain with big rocks and hills.

Other Thoughts:

I've played the front 18 twice and had time to play the back 9 on this visit. It might be because the front 18 is so nice, but I really didn't enjoy the back 9. The front 18 is fantastic and this is a must visit if you're travelling along I-81.
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4 4
Nashvillejerm
Experience: 71 played 3 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Best course I have played 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 11, 2016 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

First off hospitality of the people who own and maintain this place is unmatched. I went with a few friends and camped out for a couple of nights last summer and from the second we got there they made us feel very welcomed. From the tee shot on hole 1 until the final putt on 27, there is not a boring shot along the way. The course was very well maintained and just a beautiful piece of land. Most courses have a "signature" hole or a couple of them, but it felt like almost every time i walked onto one of the tee pads that they all could be signature holes. Harmon Hills is challenging and makes you throw every shot you have in your bag. Make sure to bring your "A" game and try to keep it together for all 27! I will for sure be making a few trips a year to play Harmon. It is well worth the 4 hour drive.

Cons:

I really have a hard time trying to think of any cons.

Other Thoughts:

Don't pet Blue! Cant wait to get back to Harmon and throw.
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24 1
Upshawt1979
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 20.9 years 550 played 429 reviews
5.00 star(s)

The Hills are Alive with Chain Music 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 5, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

There are very few disc golf courses that compare to Harmon Hills. In the holiday spirit, to quote the classic American film 'A Christmas Story', "A++++++!!!". And the sad part is I didn't get to play the entire thing. The wonderful Saturday afternoon that I wound up playing there, happened to be the same day as the Cross State Doubles tournament brought players from around the region to this oasis of disc golf. I had to bail when the horn blew at 2 PM, after finishing only 20.5 holes. The TD did offer to find me a partner and let me join in, but I was traveling, and needed to move at a brisk pace to maximize disc golf courses played and amount of miles traveled.

Even if there were only 18 holes this would be a top flight course. Jerry Harmon and company have a really great thing going there. It is long, 27 holes, with 10 of the holes par 3, 16 are par 4, and the final hole is a par 5. It is also scenic, well kept, challenging, fun and well designed with an efficient layout. The elevation change is often present and can be very pronounced. Fairways are sometimes heavily wooded, but always fair.

The concrete tees and signs are a bit rustic, very solid and more than adequate. Baskets have caught a lot of discs by the looks of them, and still work just fine. What really makes this place so spectacular is the lay of the land, and the perfectly carved disc golf lines that pass up and down over the grass covered hills and around the great stands of trees. Variety is abundant, and each hole has good strategic points that reward good throws, usually without wrecking you if you miss one once in a while.

Cons:

I am willing to overlook anything listed in the cons segment, because this course is money all day, every day. Since there is space to fill, parking was extremely crowded by the time I left, due to the tournament. It was only me when I arrived, but I almost got blocked in while I was out there.

The tee for hole 2 was closer to the first basket than I expected. I walked over it and didn't notice at first, spent several minutes scouting around eventually retraced the path and found it. Once you know what to look for it isn't that hard to follow. Still, it is good to grab a map next to the drop box when you anti up a few bucks to help keep this place in shape. It is hard earned money and a sound investment if you ask me.

May not be as fun for inexperienced disc golfers. Very lengthy, and some tricky throws with heavy rough in some places.

Other Thoughts:

I can't leave a hole by hole breakdown, it is too many holes, and they're too great to do any justice in writing. I didn't even get to see the last 6, yet I am certain they hold up, somehow. I loved holes 1, 4, 5, 6, 8, and all of it from 10-21. Pictures of the final 6 look to be just as great.

The last nine started with a feel that was more intense than the first 18. I hope to return and finish the course in it's entirety some day, but I had played 18 holes that morning in Alcoa, and wanted to get in 27 in Kingsport that evening before continuing onto the Kentucky leg of the tour. The 21 holes of Harmon Hills I did play were incredible.

I started well, but was falling apart starting around hole 17. After 13 holes I was -2 with only 1 bogey. By the time I finished 20, I was up to +5. I shanked my drive on 21 badly, and was looking for my disc when the tourney kicked off. I found what I was looking for and went back to the truck, a bit disappointed to cut it short, but satisfied and very happy with what I did see.

Many of the holes could be a signature hole at a lot of other courses. I got a few great throws off, the best was a par save on hole 3. I was in a bad place after my third throw, deep in the rough to the right of the fairway, 125' from the pin. A miracle shot filtered through numerous branches, down the hill and right into the chains. Took 3 birdies in all, on holes 9, 12, and 13, all of them par 4. They were offset by 4 bogies and 2 double bogies, and 21 was not looking good for me.

I have played a lot of really good courses in Tennessee, and there are multiple others within a couple hours drive from this one. Harmon Hills is my favorite in the Volunteer state, I think, and only matched in soul by Bud Hill in Memphis. A great spot for other types of outdoor fun like camping, hiking, and fishing as well, I would guess. In my top 10 out of nearly 300 so far. Got to play it if you can.
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6 5
Polecat-Meow
Experience: 12.7 years 44 played 11 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Heaven 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Sep 26, 2016 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

9, 18, and 27 all finish back at the house/lot. I recommend starting on 10, just to the right of the house.
Plenty of parking and a practice basket.
This course is majestic, artful and unforgiving. Although it's long and difficult it's laid out well and doesn't take all day to play. The scenery is top-notch and the course is maintained religiously not just by the caretakers who live on site but by locals who care deeply for the course and its stewardship. This course forces you to become a better disc golfer; even experienced arms will learn something.

Cons:

One of my buddies putts real hard and gets bad spit outs, but I like the baskets. There are no flaws that can't be chalked up to personal taste or lack of skill. So, I got nothing.

Other Thoughts:

Blue, old man Harmon's blue tick healer that still lives on site, is not to be trifled with. When I'm there with my dog he loves me and is real friendly, but if I come across him without my dog he growls. If you decide to give him a pat on the head, don't use your throwing hand because you might lose it.
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22 1
Bennybennybenny
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 13.2 years 306 played 288 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Oh my Lord!

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Sep 17, 2016 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-Harmon Hills is pretty much everything you could ever want in disc golf. The variety, I mean it's ridiculous! If you play all 27 holes, you are playing a par 99 course. The hole distances made me think that I could easily score under.

-When you drive past the private property (which is the 7870 address.) You'll see the sign "Harmon Hills disc golf" and once you make it to the parking area, you'll see the tire practice basket. I was just like, wow! And when I saw hole 1 by the house across the street, I was really like, wow! It's an awesome starting hole that plays around mature trees and goes into the woods.

-This course has 27 holes and seventeen of them are not par 3's. Sixteen of them are fours and the last hole is a five. So this is a true course here. The longest hole is only like 650' long, so typically that's an easy three for me, but when the fairways are tight and when they turn, you can tell that distance doesn't matter here. It does on a few such as holes 10 and 18 but it's mostly just better to stay in the fairway.

-Aaron and Kyle are great hosts. They told me how to get there when I called and they even allow you to camp out if you want to. Wish I met them in person just to tell them how awesome their course is, and how gracious they are as hosts because I have heard so many things about them both. I've played another private course and the owner there doesn't even come close to how great these guys are at Harmon Hills.

-mx23ang was there to guide me and my buddy at college so we all had fun! The course isn't hard to navigate if you watch the course fly-by video. I did, and still was totally shocked just on the layout.

-Hole 8 is a great steep downhill sidearm hole. It's extremely tight, just about as tight as it gets on the course. But the greatest thing about this hole is the extra feature to it. Walk down the fairway and at the turn, walk to your right down a small trail and you'll see the cave. No seriously! There is a cave on this hole that is full of water. It's one of the greatest things I have ever seen!

-I could say how great every single hole is here, because the worst hole here would likely be the signature hole at a local park course. It starts off somewhat overwhelming, and continues to be surprisingly great on hole 2, but it gets at one of its many peaks at hole 3. It's a fun downhill par 4 around some old trees. Hole isn't too hard of a birdie if you have a decent drive down the fairway and not go long. The basket position is a little intimidating because of the roller potential. Hole 6 is another legit par 4 that plays as a dogleg left. If you make it down the hill with a least a small turn, you have a steep uphill shot back in the open. The whole set of the first nine holes is legit. So how do you top that?

-The second set of 9 is just as fun! Starts with a long, tough uphill par 4 in the open and into the woods. #11 is an excellent par 3 at 286' that's up and back down a bit. Go for the ace, and you'll probably be quite long. It also closes with two jaw dropping, smack to the ground par 4's. #17 is definitely one of the hardest holes on the course. The tee shot is frightening. The fairway is tight and goes straight downhill. My drive, however, was on that hole was without question. I crushed a trespass down the fairway, well over 400'. It says that hole is 523' but I guarantee you it's longer than that. It's probably 650' because my drive was maybe 180' short and the tee pad was a LOOOONNNGG way away when I approached my disc. The upshot continues downhill and around many trees sporadically placed. #18 continues to sink your jaw. It's a slight dogleg right that is uphill all the way and right around the house. It's a hole where I can really take advantage of my distance.

-Many benches here, just about on every hole. I think if I sat and played slower, I would've played a little better. So learn from that, don't play so fast.

-Some of the holes with sharper turns have arrow highway signs pointing to where the turn is. Really cool aspect.

Cons:

-I came back several more times since 2016. An additional nine was added. I really love the first 18. The final nine on the original layout plus the newly added nine, well is pretty fun but it isn't awesome. The fairways are pretty strange. #22 is a 364' par four that I don't agree with the concept of. You are throwing through maybe a 5'-8' gap from the pad. If you pure it, you're pretty much guaranteed a birdie. If not, you are in some deep rough. #

Other Thoughts:

-I drove 130 miles to play here and drove that distance back. Harmon Hills starts off grand and it stays that way on the first 18. If this is your home course, you are seriously fortunate! Because this isn't in the top 10 courses in the nation for no reason. It's in the top 10 because every hole is very well thought out.

-This is a private course on someone else's property. Aaron and Kyle are gracious hosts, but never take advantage of that. Pay a donation, respect all property as if it is your own, and don't litter on the course (if you litter in the cave and I see it, I will hurt you no joke. If swimming is okay, I'll advocate it because the water is deep.)

-My favorite was #17. It's an epic shot through a canopy! The fairway is pretty tight at the start and makes you rethink throwing a driver. It's long and windy. A gorgeous hole to add to it. You have to throw two brilliant shots to birdie it. The fairway dives about 35' down before rising about 15' up. If you can make it to the other side of the hill, you may have a pretty straightforward downhill approach. #17 is especially gorgeous in the summer when the grass is green!

There are some things to be aware of here:

-The dog currently has a cone around his neck and bites a lot, so the owners will ask you not to pet him.

-On hole 6, there is a DEEP hole that's very thorny. If you land in there, don't be crazy and throw in there because if you go in there, you'll be very hard to see. There are many other steep spots to be alert of on the front 9.

-The parking area is on a small hill, so if you can park further up it.
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1 6
bogeybrother
Experience: 1 played 1 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Speechless 2+ years drive by

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

Pros:

What makes Harmon so thrilling is all 27 holes were designed to be unlike any other on the course, in the area, and possibly the country. Every hole presents its own difficulties and every drive should be carefully examined.

In my honest opinion the lack of "2's" on this course is overly appealing. Most of these holes are about placing your drive before throwing the upshot that determines your score. A change of pace from many of the courses I have played before.

This course get a 5 star rating for being the most uncharacteristic course in the state and offering a thrilling state of play you wont find anywhere else.

Cons:

Signs from hole to hole on a few of the back 9 holes.

Other Thoughts:

SOMEBODY PLEASE REOPEN FOSSIL HILL ITS A MILE AWAY AND EVERY BIT AS FRUSTRATING AS HARMON!
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2 11
birdgre1
Experience: 1 played 1 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Couldn't Ask for More 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 16, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

The holes were all unique. The workout was good but not ridiculous. The baskets and pads are not new but I thought they played perfect. At the height of the season most weeds weren't thick enough to lose your disc. I thought the pitch fork in the pit added a little extra charm to the Americana views you had around every corner.

Cons:

Poison ivy is what it is. The rough has some in it.

Other Thoughts:

Captain Jack was about only other person playing while we were there. Met him at the party barn and chatted for bit. Since we were on vacation it was nice to meet a local who had helped with such an awesome course.
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26 0
BrotherDave
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 16.8 years 192 played 189 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Head for the Hills 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jun 25, 2016 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Hilly, rolling farmland interspersed with Tennessean forests pock-marked with sinkholes and large. moss-covered boulders sets the scene for one of the best courses around. This course challenges you to hit gaps through the woods, often requiring good distance and shot placement to overcome dogleg angles and sloping elevation.

There are no bad holes here. There aren't even average holes here. The worst hole you'll find is simply good, well-thought out design. There are lots of great holes, too numerous to count really. Practically every hole has a well-defined, well-designed fairway with an appropriate par and length ratio, a fair and skill-rewarding width and angle of fairways, engaging obstacles, top notch terrain (especially the tertiary nine) and variety. No forced lines off the tees, increasing strategy and repeat play immensely. Greens are interesting and fair aka no late trouble or punitively guarded baskets so if you reach the green off a great shot you're rewarded with a make-able putt, as you should be. Lots of great doglegs and multi-shot holes and terrific use of elevation.

A big plus for a private course is concrete tees and Harmon Hills has them. There's adequate signage and highly useful scorecards available. Nice clever touches like big arrow signs on blind doglegs that clue you into how to shape your line. Navigation is mostly a non-issue. The first 18 have old Mach baskets but not a problem unless you rocket putts. The tertiary 9 have new Discatcher baskets that will catch your rocket putts. This lack of basket uniformity also helps delineate the two from each other (the 18 on one side of the road and the 3rd 9 on the other side), the other big contrasting factor being that the terrain of the 3rd 9 is much rockier and mountainous, giving it more of a subtle, adventure-golf feel. Spectacularly, each 9-hole section circles back to the clubhouse like a three leaf clover of disc golf awesomeness.

Easy to find and get to off the highway. I heard this course was a bit outta the way and I found that laughingly off-base. It's a breeze to get here. Even with a tourney going on we had no problem parking. The ease of access is phenomenal for a private course, do not take that for granted. It is truly remarkable that you can play here without reservation or anything. Don't be afraid to donate accordingly for this special treat.

We played during summer and there are some nasty places of rough that can hide discs but for a private course it's very well maintained and much less of an issue than I expected.

Cons:

This course used to have rough tees on the smaller side. This is only true of the 9 hole loop across the road. The original 18 has really nice, large concrete tees now.

The only navigational quirk is finding hole 12's tee. It's really the only transition on the first 18 that isn't obvious. The 3rd 9 is a bit trickier to navigate b/c tee signs aren't available and there are lots of little trails. Hole 19 starts to the right (after crossing the road) and to find hole 26's tee go immediately to the right of 25's green instead of towards the parking lot. Those are the only confusing bits and the scorecard helps a lot. A map for the 3rd 9 would be worthwhile though.

No water features (some may consider that a plus, lol).

Other Thoughts:

I'm so grateful to have played this gem, truly. It is easily a top 5 if not top 3 course in my experience, about as much-play as a course you can get. This is what a well-designed southeastern US course looks like. Its refinement and lack of extreme land features (except for sinkholes) make this more of a player's course than an adventure but it's a definite crowd-pleaser. Highly skilled players will love this course as a fair test of their mettle. Moderately skilled Blue/White players will revel in the challenge of getting par and the occasional birdie. Bad players will just enjoy staying on the fairway, not being made miserable by nasty rough and not having insultingly long or wooded fairways beating them up often.

Don't be surprised to see some wildlife. We saw a mother raccoon and three of her juvenile offspring scurrying about hole 13 or so.
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0 13
spellfish
Experience: 15 played 3 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Perfection in disc golf 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 8, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

Such a beautiful course and perfectly challenging this is how disc golf is meant to be played. Perfect blend of natural plants and trees while still leaving open fairways that reward accuracy. Truly a must visit course.
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3 4
Kilgorettrout
Experience: 3 played 3 reviews
5.00 star(s)

First time was a blast 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 4, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

The course design is just phenomenal. It doesn't hurt that it's in great shape, beautiful and freshly mowed. I found my self throwing a lot of rollers, either to get out of trouble or for extra distance, and I liked that a lot. It really tested my shot versatility. Also a lot of forehand annheiser shots when I got in deep trouble. It will test even the top pros. For average players like me it will challenge you but you will love it if you don't blow up after one bad shot or hole.

Cons:

These weren't cons for me but I could see some snootier golfers being upset with the teepads and baskets(front 18 baskets). I don't need a long or wide teepad, a shorter run up doesn't hurt my stroke. And the baskets on the front 18 aren't disc catchers, they are some older model. I am used to them however and it didn't detract from the playability or overall fun I had. Holes 19-27 do have disc catchers.

Other Thoughts:

I consider myself to be an average disc golfer, as far as my local club goes I fit right in the middle. I shot a 101 my first time out here, par is 99. That says a lot about the par rating, it is dead on in my mind. If you love throwing straight long hyzers off the pad for a 2, don't get your hopes up. This course has tons of turnovers off the pad, and doglegs like you have never played. It seemed like 27 was just a massive spiral it turned so much. That being said, I absolutely love the challenge presented. I feel like it rewards a player who can throw rollers, overhand, forehand, and backhand. If you only have one or two of those shots in your bag you may have a hard time here.
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2 8
Tonester
Experience: 68 played 4 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Very Fun Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 1, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

This course has more par 4 holes then other courses I have played. There are a lot of fun holes to play and it is really mixed up between woods and open field.
The whole course is kept up really well. These guys do a lot of mowing!!

Cons:

The only hole that could use some work is hole 17. Off the tee there are a lot of trees and it is very narrow. This makes for a really tough tee shot to set up for the approach.
Tee pads are a little short making the long shot run ups a little tough.

Other Thoughts:

This was my first time through (only holes 1-18). If I get to play this course again I will know the lines better and will definitely have a better score.
I definitely recommend playing this course.
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4 12
porchmike
Experience: 21.3 years 34 played 19 reviews
5.00 star(s)

everyone's favorite course 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jan 28, 2016 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

i'd say harmon hills is the best disc golf course ever. every hole is like its own world. each hole is unique and the view from every tee makes you wanna throw it over them mountains! almost every hole on the front 18 would be the top signature hole on any other course. holes 19-27 are still wearing in but are equally fantastic due to the genius of the master course designer jerry harmon. all credit to him and aaron prosak, kyle mcmillan, and their families and friends for keeping the dream alive!

Cons:

no way man. there are other courses on this level, but harmon hills is the level. the top level. the hole design is unmatched. no chintzy artificial OB or wack gimmick holes. the ONLY negatives i could say to improve on would be to re-pour the teepads, and... okay, signage. With permission I may actually personally work on that this summer(2019). nothing else. it's the best disc golf course.

Other Thoughts:

if you're any good at disc golf this place will blow your mind. if you're a beginner, you'll have a rough score but a fantastic time in a truly unique landscape.
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1 7
Bahen
Experience: 20.9 years 250 played 1 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Amazing 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 6, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

This course is a true test of skill; with most of the holes being par fours, you cannot rely on luck to get you through. There is huge variety of shots and you will throw most of the discs in your bag. Lots of technical holes that make you think about where you want to land for your next shot. Harmon Hills will make you a better golfer.

Cons:

The teepads are a little short, but other than that it is hard to say anything bad here.

Other Thoughts:

This course is a labor of love by the owners. They cut grass for hours every day in the summer. They work hard to keep yin top shape and it shows. Harmon is the gold standard.
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11 2
jjtwinnova
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 8.8 years 246 played 97 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Disc Golf Wonderland 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Mar 30, 2018 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Harmon Hills is one of the greatest disc golf experiences in the world.

Set on a beautiful farm landscape, the course at Harmon Hills challenges every part of your game. Distance drives, Accuracy, Placement shots. Weaving through mature trees and boulders gives every hole a distinct uniqueness that makes the course as great as it is.

The beauty of each hole is enough to make this course great, as each hole has a picturesque view, meaning each hole should be the background for your phone. All natural.

Coursewise, there is a great variety in distance, and you will be forced to throw many different shots. I would say there is not a single throw away hole on the course, and each hole has a unique design.

Cons:

The cons of this course are not based on the golf itself, or the scenery, or the area, it's mostly cosmetic issues that I believe are not to take too much away from a course.

There is only one set of tee pads, one basket location. However, I feel there is no real need for multiple.

The tee signs are left over from the USWDGC, and will need to be updated in the future, as these will most likely not last much longer.

The back nine could use more clearing, and the rough can get wild in a few areas, but there is nothing impossible.

Other Thoughts:

I love Harmon Hills. Two years ago, it was my favorite course after playing only ten.

Two years later, it remains near the top of my list.

Every disc golfer should come and play Harmon Hills once, it is a disc golf heaven.
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0 15
Hippykamp
Experience: 8.8 years 17 played 4 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Thanks! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 4, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

This is what disc golf should be. Laid back, beautiful setting, just a nice walk in the woods and fields with friends. Thanks to all the folks that make this possible. Slow down and enjoy it's the bomb!

Cons:

Some complain about signage but chill and go with the flow. Just poke around it will become clear.

Other Thoughts:

If you are ever within 4-5 hours of here you should probably bring a disc or two and play HH!
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3 8
Rosco
Experience: 12 played 4 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Pace Yourself 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 9, 2015 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

This place has it all except for short easy baskets. Be ready to be tested. This course will challenge you ,and you will love it. the 9th 18th and 27th (19 - 27 are across the street) holes all end near the starting position so it is a very well designed course. The 1st, 10th and 19th holes start near the house. Pack a lunch and enjoy the exercise this course is sprawling.

Cons:

Signs could be a little better, but would have to be very detailed to explain the layouts.. Some Tee Pads are a little hard to navigate to for beginners, and a few of the tee pads could be a little longer.

Other Thoughts:

Please leave a donation in the mailbox at hole 1 if you go. These folks do a great job of taking care of an amazing private course.
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1 12
johngarcia79
Experience: 9.9 years 35 played 11 reviews
5.00 star(s)

It's Harmon... 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 7, 2015 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Big course. Every shot you could imagine. Wide open field shots, super tight wooded shots, tough course. If you can play this course well, you can play any course well. Probably my favorite course.

Cons:

There isn't a brewery onsite. It's a bit out there. But if it did, I might try to live there.

Other Thoughts:

Plan on spending some time playing this course. Even if you fly through it, you'll want to stay and play more.
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8 11
GMcAtee
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 15.1 years 759 played 91 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Great stop to stretch the legs! 2+ years

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

Pros:

27 holes of secluded disc golf on private land! Lots of fun challenging holes. Accommodating hosts.

The terrain on this land is simply awesome and what you expect from eastern Tennessee. Plenty of rocks jutting from the ground, ravines throughout the course, and elevation. Both of the ravines I remember were blind from the teepad.

Cons:

Some of the teepads were short. Signage was non-existent or if it was there, wasn't really helpful for first time players. Next tee signs would be great on several holes.

All the holes were long which could get boring for lesser skilled players. I remember maybe one hole that was deuce-able.

Other Thoughts:

Harmon was a great course and a great stop on our long road trip. Glad we played it in the fall. This course would be brutal with all the foliage on the trees!
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0 13
James McGirr
Experience: 11 played 11 reviews
5.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 11, 2015 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

A great place to play if memory is correct not far off of interstate hwy.A realy nice place for a few guys to make a road trip to.After playing one round you basicly can figure out how to play course.

Cons:

I forget things easie nothing comes to mind.Although it is important to play course to understand how to play your tee shot and upshots.

Other Thoughts:

Although course is wooded in spots the trees are mature and there is a lot of open spaces between tree trunks. I only played 18 holes I did not play the other 9 holes
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BigAl724
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 11.7 years 178 played 144 reviews
4.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jun 4, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

Harmon Hills is a premiere disc golf destination and certainly deserves the hype it receives on here. As we made our approach from the country roads onto the property, my excitement grew - nothing better than purely secluded land that is dedicated to and made for disc golf. And, I'd imagine with its remote location and the course being so spread out, that you usually feel like you have the course all to yourself. Just the setting alone is worth experiencing. But let's be honest, you come here to play quality golf. And that's what you get here throughout the entire round.

The greatest quality to HH is its consistency. It offers such a consistently solid and varied round and that says a lot for 27 holes. No two holes were designed similarly and none feel like throw-away holes just to move you along. While the setting maintains a similar feel for the front 18, there is a great variety of looks, shots, and risk factors. You have holes where you have the opportunity to reach the green from the tee (though not easily), like hole 1's downhill shot through trees to a tight pin position among rock outcroppings. You also have multi-staged holes like 3, 6, 12, and 17 that change dimension from tee to the basket; these kind of holes at HH are what really make the course stand out. And with 14 par 4's, 1 par 5, and holes ranging from 177-646', you get a blend of everything in between.

The variety on this course really is amazing. There are plenty of chances to navigate through short, tight holes in the woods, like 5 and 8, as well as numerous opportunities to open up on a wide fairway, like 2, 7, 10, and 18. But really, you have a combination that equals "all of the above" at HH.

Elevation is a huge variable in the course's fun factor with the constant rolling hills. There are too many downhill, uphill, side hill, and across-the-valley shots to count. Add in the many sink holes and some sketchy pin positions (like 7's drop off right behind the basket) and this aspect of your game will be greatly tested. Hole 20 is a fun one that stands out, playing steeply downhill and sharply to the left, almost making a horseshoe. It's fun being able to watch your disc soar down the fairway but it's still very tight and technical with little room for error.

While 1-18 are challenging and IMO the more enjoyable loops, 19-27 offers probably the toughest stretch of holes I've played. It's not like there were too many trees without clearly defined lines either. The holes are nicely carved with purpose out of the thick woods. They just provide some crazy tight and distinct lines, massive sink holes, and long multi-staged holes that require you to hit necessary landing zones. Definitely a stretch of holes you have to experience to understand and play if you love to challenge your game.

For being an enormous private course run by two guys who have other jobs (along with not charging a mandatory fee), the course was in tremendous shape. I was a little worried about the course conditions since we showed up after only a day's notice, but the fairways were freshly mowed.

The course is conveniently set into three 9-hole loops that take you right back to your car. This is definitely a place where rest and refueling is needed throughout the round, plus it gives you the option to play each 9 in the order that you'd like. If I played the course again, I'd probably play the last 9 in the middle of the other two loops.

Again, just a beautiful, peaceful, special piece of land that is dedicated to disc golf.

Cons:

Normally I wouldn't mind having simple tee signs - it does add to the rustic charm and I'm not one to knock a course just because it doesn't have John Houck-level tee graphics - but players would benefit in having more descriptive tee signs. We had to do a lot of scouting before we threw. The back 9 would really benefit in just having tee signs. The tees could've been longer in a few cases too with the long, open shots. I understand that this is a private course and these factors hardly took anything away from my experience, just things that could be improved.

With there only being one set of tees, you're forced to tackle head-on the beast that is HH. I think this limits who would enjoy playing here a little bit. I wouldn't bring new players here. While this speaks for the entire course, I'm especially thinking of the last 9.

Other Thoughts:

HH's current rating very accurately defines the level that the course is at. I'd give it a 4.75 if I could and I can see how many have given it a 5-disc rating. It wasn't like I was disappointed when I played here, but I also wasn't completely blown away like I have been when playing courses I've given a 5. I didn't feel that there was anything too transcendent about HH, but it does offer a consistently awesome 27 holes. I really enjoyed my round here and it is one of the more memorable disc golf experiences I've had. I just don't quite think it's in that top echelon. Still, I encourage you to head to the hills and play this great course. I really can't see any avid disc golfer not enjoying their time here, regardless of personal taste.
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