The simple course at Harrisburg Elementary School matches expectations by offering age-appropriate distances and challenges on a nine-holer that might feature more walking in between holes than actually course distance.

The teepads are natural but they're flat and marked by a simple sign and plastic indicators in the ground. When I played, the grass had been recently mowed and the course areas were well maintained – except for Hole #7.

The course starts out straight-forward: the first two holes are open and flat. But Hole #3 introduces a downhill throw; Hole #4 features a tricky uphill hyzer throw to a blind basket and a couple other holes offer a chain-link fence and OB road as obstacles.

The course starts in front of the school and proceeds in a clockwise manner around the school, so navigation is fairly obvious.

You might opt to leave your bag or cart in the vehicle. Just carrying a couple putters should suffice. The average distance per hole is about 150 feet, with only two holes hitting the 200-foot mark and Hole #8 being only 90 feet.

Speaking of, Hole #8 is a bit gimmicky. Sure, it's only 90 feet, but the basket is perched on a little hill with rollaway potential leading to an OB road on both sides not far from the target. I landed my putter a couple feet from the basket, but it bounced, then wobbled, then rolled uncaringly down the little grassy hill and into the road. Bye-bye, birdie.

The course is unavailable to play during school hours, and even after hours, a few cars or individuals on the grounds might make a couple holes challenging to play.

When we played, there was a bunch of stuff around the base of the Hole #7 basket.

Harrisburg Elementary offers the opportunity to chase a perfect round. One of my playing partners (helix_rider) made a "2" on every hole and secured his 9-down round. Also, this course makes bagging a new state a possibility, as it's located a couple thousand feet from the South Carolina-North Carolina border. One of the guys in my group had never thrown in the Palmetto State, so we visited this course for an easy "warm up" before hitting the Elon Park courses (Eager Beaver and Angry Beaver).

Disc golfers with any experience won't return here unless they're seeking ace runs. And while the course is nothing special and warrants a low rating, Harrisburg Elementary is well-designed for its audience.

Harrisburg Elementary is Lancaster County's foray into school courses. It's got just enough variety that it'll entice you for more.
- This is a simple, winding layout around the school building. The basket's for #1 and 9 end a jump putt's distance apart in front of the building. It's holes #3 - 8 that give this course its appeal.
- #3 is the best hole on the course. A downhill 183-foot, open shot. Anything long and you're in the rough. This is the hole you'll want to throw multiple discs on.
- #4 plays back up the hill and serves as the course's toughest, most creative layout. At 210 feet, it's a dogleg left around the edge of the rough. A high, sweeping hyzer for the RHBH will cut you back to the basket. An easy three, but the only hole here that requires a good shot to earn your birdie 2.
- #5 & 8 are the holes you'll empty the bag if you're gunning for a cubbie ace. #5 is only 105 feet and is slightly downhill. It only requires a soft shot to park it; whereas an aggressive run at an ace could sail 40 feet past. #8 is only 90 feet. It's an island green (if the parking lot/road is OB). Again, an aggressive run at ace may end up OB so players get to choose if they want the easy 2 or make a run at a 1.
- Great course for kids. They'll struggle with the length of #4 and 6, but should enjoy some of the other layouts. With an average hole length of just under 150 feet, many kids should be reaching baskets and/or seeing good scores in no time.
- Very easy course to navigate. Tee signs are easy to spot.

The layout has one incredibly dumb design flaw. It makes no sense for #1, 2, and 9 all to play in front of the school. Look at this logically.
- You park along the side of the building, walk to the front to play #1 & 2, play #3 - 8 around the building, then head back to the front for #9.
- There's an incredibly simple fix to this issue. Make #8 the first hole, then play #9, 1, and 2 in a row, and end up on #7, which is right next to #8. A much simpler flow to the current design.
- There's also room here to replace one of the front-of-the-building holes with one that incorporates nature & the terrain better.
- A couple holes could also be improved by simply lengthening them. Extend #5 & 7 by 75 - 100 feet and they're not automatic deuces. They're still good holes for kids without being insultingly simple.
- You've got long walks along the sides of the building as you go from #4 to 5 and from #8 to 9.

Harrisburg Elementary is clearly aimed at kids, but there's just enough to like here for regular players.
- #6 is the third good hole. At 201 feet, slightly uphill, and ever so slightly a dogleg left, you can either park your shot or deal with another par if you have too much hyzer. This is another hole that would be better if extended. As is, another hole worth throwing a second disc on.
- #7's appeal may be seeing if you can richocet a disc off the fence back to the basket. If not for that appeal, this is another simple hole.
- With neighborhoods all around here, I could see the course getting a lot of play by families on the weekend. On that front, this is one of the BEST family friendly courses in the Charlotte area, especially of the school course variety.
- I could easily have played the course with a single disc. I'm glad I carried two as I threw both on more holes than expected.
- As for the thirds, #3, 4, and 6 are the enjoyable holes, #2, 5, & 8 have a little charm/creativity to them, and #1, 7, & 9 are the simple, open holes.
- The course serves a purpose, and it hits its intended mark. Once the kids have mastered this course, you're less than 10 minutes away from Elon Eager Beaver.