Carrollton, GA

Hobbs Farm Park

4.595(based on 33 reviews)
Filter course reviews

Filter reviews

Filter reviews

Hobbs Farm Park reviews

Filter
12 0
Countchunkula
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 18.5 years 230 played 79 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Hobb Nobb

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Aug 14, 2023 Played the course:once

Pros:

Hobbs provides a mixture of park style and wooded golf with a lean toward former. Each hole has between 2 and 4 tees and 6 holes have a second, permanent, gold basket. All this infrastructure allows for 4 layouts of increasing difficulty, but playing to the same par. While some players prefer additional tees to change the shot shape required for more variety, I prefer additional tees to make the same hole playable, in the same way, for a range of skill levels. Most of my rounds are played with my family, so this type of course design allows us all to compete on a more level playing field. A group of roughly the same skill level could also choose to challenge themselves one round on one of the longer layouts or take it easy and play something more suited to their skill level.

There are a few really good holes at Hobbs. My favorites were: 4, a wooded par 5 that doglegs right to start and then continues straight and slightly downhill to the basket on the far side of a small creek; 7, an uphill, two-throw hole with dense woods/schule on the right side and mature trees overhead that gets steeper as you approach the basket; and 13, a short, slightly downhill throw over a marshy pond with enough trees to prevent a righty from hyzering around. That's not to say those are the only good ones, just the ones that really stood out to me.

This course plays pretty fair. If you throw well (and play tees fitting your skill), you should have bride putts. I can't recall any really fluky elements.

Tees are concrete and adequately sized (except for 17). Baskets are Prodigy and differentiated by color when there are multiples. Signs are located at each tee and have a detailed map showing red, white, and blue tees and the intended flight lines to the basket. The gold tees and baskets seem to have been added later and are not shown on signage at other tees.

Cons:

Hobbs has quite a few bland, field holes with only a few small trees to contend with. I don't mind a mostly open shot or two to breakup a course with a lot of forced lines, but there are too many here and they're mostly on the back 9. Only a few holes really punish bad shots.

While there is some elevation in play, we don't get a significant downhill drive. Hole 8 starts near the top of the hill, but is a relatively short par 3 with a right finish.

The layout here is a bit goofy on the front 9. You cross a road after 1, after 6 you cross 2's fairway and the same road from earlier to get to 7, and 8 plays between 7's basket and 18's fairway. There are these nice, elegant signs with arrows pointing to each tee, but they are about 2"x8" and not readable until you are quite close. I'd much prefer something that doesn't look as nice, but is functional.

While the signs look very nice, the illustrations don't do the best job of reflecting the actual foliage and especially water features. Holes 3-6 appear to have grassy fairways with trees at the edges, but these are actually in fairly dense woods with no grass, some tighter lines, and a complete tree canopy. Looking at the map, the holes in the dense woods, under the mature trees, and in the field don't appear to be much different. Water features were dramatically overstated compared to what I witnessed in August. I'm sure the water lines are higher in the spring, but 17 throws over a cattail marsh, not an inlet.

While we are talking signs, some seem in poor condition, with grime or moisture behind the plexiglass cover obscuring the pretty pictures. This isn't the end of the lack of maintenance that was surprising for what seemed like a clean, well maintained, community. The wooden bridge between 8 and 9 and containing the tees for 17 is decaying. There is a hole in the decking near the end by 17s basket and a hole just to the left of the white/blue tee. The tees on 17 are undersized rubber mats on (slippery when I played) wooden decking. The short mat is larger than the long one for some reason. It's a shame, because 17 could be a fun shot if you didn't have to focus on not slipping. The footing was bad enough that if the marsh wouldn't have been almost completely dry, I would have just skipped it.

For some reason, the course starts from a church parking lot with signs indicating that it is for church use only. There's a smaller lot in the actual park, between 15 and 16. For what seems like a course with a lot of investment in infrastructure, I don't know why it would start from a seemingly sketchy parking situation.

Other Thoughts:

This course was designed by John Houck. He's one of the most well known designers in disc golf and offers the total package of custom signage in addition to the design. Houck courses are known for a relatively high proportion of multi-throw holes, multiple routes on many holes (in some cases with totally separate fairways), and multiple tees and baskets setup to allow multiple skill levels a similar experience on each hole. Due to his high profile, his courses get plenty of love and hate. This was the first Houck course that I played and I enjoyed it. I don't think the land available allowed for a truly great course. Hole 13 is the only one that had anything approaching wow factor and I think that's more due to the bland stretch preceding it. Don't get me wrong, it's a pretty park, but it's not going to dazzle you.

For reference I played whites and the rest of the family played reds.

TLDR: a very good course, but not a destination
Was this review helpful? Yes No
18 0
edfaits
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 14.2 years 92 played 43 reviews
5.00 star(s)

From the Rec Player Perspective 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 2, 2022 Played the course:once

Pros:

-Layout: With PDGA color layouts for Red, White, and Blue (and occasional bonus Gold Baskets), this is a course that can be played and enjoyed by just about any skill level. I played the "Red" layout, I had birdie opportunities throughout, but if I messed up, I could quickly card a bogey (or worse). The property is scenic and though not blessed with "mountainsides" it makes effective use of whatever elevation changes are there. There are holes that favor RHBH, forehands, Lefty Backhands, maybe even a chance to work in a Tomahawk or Thumber. Parts of the course are "technical" and reward accuracy, but there a few holes that favor the "open bomber" skills too. Overall a good balance.

-At par 66, the many par fours and a couple of par fives create lots of risk/reward decisions. With water in play on a half dozen holes, course management is as important as throwing skills.

-Well suited for beginners. Though there is water on several holes, there's usually a "safe" route that doesn't have a high risk for a lost disc if you don't take risks, and even in the "thicker" woods it wasn't too hard to find a disc a bit off the fairway. I played in late winter, I suspect it gets a bit gnarlier after spring leaf-out.

-Baskets: Decent "Pro" Prodigy baskets, Green color shows up OK (a few "long" bonus baskets are gold). They catch pretty well, though they are not the "disc swallowing next generation pro baskets" that some vendors now offer. All are well mounted on "fair" greens, though some occasional well-placed trees and some slopes will force you to choose some risk/reward calculations.

-Three brushed cement tee boxes per hole. Even the Red Tees are "full size", with signs, and many have brooms and benches. They felt safe to throw off, with no "drop offs" to worry about.

-Tee signs informative and accurate. Show distance and flight path options to the hole. Course routing was easy, though once or twice I did look at the UDisc map.

-Beautiful town park, free to play. Rest rooms, hiking trails, nature, plenty of parking. Place seems to have a solid core of local players, and is also a destination course that gets out-of-towners like me. On the weeknight I played there I caught up with a few groups of friendly and helpful players, and never had any serious backups or waits.

-For a multi-use park, I felt there were no safety issues. Though paths occasionally crossed with other park uses, I was never throwing near anyone.

Cons:

-Parking was a bit confusing... the primary lot was marked with signs that said "Church Use ONLY", which the locals told me is either wrong or totally ignored by everyone. I parked in a lot a little further up, and since I was pushing "sunset" I started on hole 16 and finished my round on 15. Still made of a nice loop and I hit every hole, but I would have liked to have played it in the correct order.

-A few signs of drainage and erosion issues. I played a day after a moderately heavy rain, and a few fairways were "squishy" in spots.

Other Thoughts:

-Overall a great course. My wife usually doesn't walk courses with me, but she caddied for me on this one "because it was pretty", and she commented that I was smiling the whole time I played, though I seem to remember getting grumpy after hitting a couple of trees on hole 14.

I've now played over 80 courses from California to the Canadian Maritime, and Hobbs Farm is in my top five. It's one of the few "top tier" courses out there that pays as much attention to the Rec Player experience as the Pros.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
8 12
dickwolf
Experience: 28.5 years 50 played 21 reviews
3.00 star(s)

this will get a lot of thumbs down 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Oct 20, 2021 Played the course:once

Pros:

nice course, mutliple tees/ baskets.
flows well, easy to navigate.
interesting layout, no fluff or trickery, just a good course!

Cons:

there are no real "cons" with this course other than its ratings/rankings. i just dont get the hype.

nothing about it really stood out aside from the dock tee.

Other Thoughts:

we both scored well, so this is not based on a bad day on the course. clearly me and my buddy are in the minority on this one.
this course is the karl anthony towns of disc golf courses. overrated.
there are courses i like better with a shorter drive from atl.
yes, definitely, if you are an avid disc golf freak like i am, go play this course, but do not let the ratings/ rankings trick you into driving out of your way to play this course. top 50 in the world? no. best in georgia? bless your heart, no.
that being said, YES it is good, very good and fun, just not amazing like a lot of the reviews will lead you to believe.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
1 17
cantstopthechop
Experience: 11.5 years 5 played 1 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Best course in the southeast 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 23, 2021 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

The best course in the southeast. 3 tee pads, concrete, multiple baskets.

Cons:

Very long with some unforgiving rough.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
24 0
Shadrach3
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 6.2 years 339 played 325 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Beauty and Line to be Phenomenal 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 27, 2020 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

You probably already know the pros of Hobbs Farm, since it gets a bit of attention nationally. The course has significant portions of entrancing beauty and consistently challenging disc throwing.

-Amenities: There are 2-4 complete tee-off stations at each hole, with great signage, broom, and benches. Spiffy Prodigy baskets (very weak on the weak side), next tee cues, and a practice basket to complement. Nice walkways/bridges on a few holes.

-Natural Beauty: Don't let the lackluster parking lot fool you. Some holes are pleasant, like (1) or (9). Some holes are secluded and special, like (2)-(6). Then there's hole (13), which on my first Spring appearance was the most beautiful hole I've ever played--downhill out over an inlet of a lake that stretches with nothing but nature in sight. (My second visit, in winter, the water level was down and it wasn't quite so scenic.) Overall, after playing at opposite times of year, I think Hobbs Farm rates highly in this respect, but not necessarily in the elite tier. I sure would love to see Houck design more courses with this terrain instead of some of the ho-hum Texas plots I saw in Austin.

-Elevation: Consistently used throughout the course to great effect. There are a handful of holes where you'll be like, "That's a big downhill," and others where the elevation will blend seamlessly into the terrain to create an elusive unity.

-Water: Of several types. Creek crossings mid-fairway and near the green, a kind of lake to throw over, and a bog dead ahead or parallel on (7), (9), and (17).

-Multi-Tees: With multiple tees on every hole, the difficulty can be varied tremendously. I played blues for the full experience, and my second time played the reds, which were dramatically easier and on their own would not be as good a course as the longer tees. Hobbs Farm is probably one of the rare courses that can truly be a blast for everyone from novices to pros.

-Shot Shaping/Gameplay: A lot of really great holes. Super challenging and rewarding from the blue tees. I could go hole-by-hole and exude about many of them, but I'll try to summarize instead.

I think the trademark of Hobbs Farm is how gentle the holes are. There are no super sharp turns, no real cliffs, no tiny gaps or claustrophobic woods tunnels swatting your disc horizontally. Rather, the challenge is to be as smooth as possible--to throw with finesse, to throw smoothly on the exact same scale as the course, to gently settle into the fairways, to slowly curve around a lengthy turn. And that's an immense challenge. To truly be gentle, you have to exert superb control. When you tee off in the woods, it won't matter how well you can bomb or how well you throw sharp doglegs or how well you hit initial gaps if you can't smoothly hyzer at the somewhat precise distance point Houck designed. (I used a lot of midranges, despite the substantial length, for this reason.)

-Variety: There are several different personalities at Hobbs Farm. (1), (7)-(8), and (18) near parking are pretty open but make all sorts of work out of the hills. (2)-(6) in the dark green woods are some of the finest holes in existence, including two monster par-5s, with killer tee shots, downhill thrills, creek crossings, and magical woods approaches. (9) and (12)-(14) are almost at the same level--in tighter, yellower woods with continuing elevation use, they present lots of trouble for any errant throw. The remaining holes feel like connectors, playing through diverse parts of the park and each having a little something to be interesting.

Cons:

Only the very small.

-Slump: Why not a 5.0 for Hobbs? It slumps, badly. (10)-(11) and (15)-(16) aren't particularly beautiful or interesting. These aren't bad holes, and a course full of them would still probably make a 3.0 course. But it does mean that Hobbs Farm could be better, so it's not a 5.0. The only course I have rated 5.0 is completely unrelenting.

-Drainage: (2), (5), and (6) were marshy both times I played.

-Time Play/Exhaustion: One of the longer courses I've done. Don't expect to be in and out real quick. Playing with a partner from the blues, I definitely noticed my game slipping towards the end due to the effects of prolonged heat.

-Disc Loss: High probability. The bog and lake take lots of plastic, and there are some holes where a shot deep in the rough may never be located.

-Parkgoers: A walking path could result in waiting, especially on (11) and (16).

-Navigation: A couple of not-quite-intuitive transitions, mainly from (15)-(17). You can figure it out without a map though.

Other Thoughts:

Hobbs Farm is Phenomenal. Writing this review was a lot of fun just thinking back over my favorite parts of the course, from the hilly opener to the dream hole par-5 (2) to that sweet par I swung with my mids on terrifying (12). Based on my current experience, it doesn't belong in the top 20--it's got flaws and weaknesses, but boy are parts of this spectacular. Play it, no question.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
20 0
Mark R
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 22.5 years 118 played 90 reviews
4.50 star(s)

2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 7, 2020 Played the course:once

Pros:

Solid fun with terrific variety all of the way through. Three or four sets of tees or pins on each hole. If you are a golfer looking for a long and challenging round, the gold or blue tees should fit the bill. Even the red (shortest) layout is by no means a short course at nearly 5900 feet.

Holes are often hilly, with some hidden pins. Highlights include Hole 4, with a long dogleg right leading to a precarious pin position across a creek; Hole 7, a steep uphill drive with serious hazards on the right hand side; Hole 11, an open hole that allows you to grip-and-rip, but that also has a hidden and protected pin over a small hill; and Hole 13, a water hole with just enough room to negotiate without getting wet. Hole 2 is also noteworthy, with a 994 foot shot from the Gold tee leading to a tunnel across a creek.

Indeed, there are no filler holes-just solid consistent fun. Prodigy baskets are visible from a long distance, but may spit your putt out if you don't nail the target. Tee pads and signs are also first rate, including Hole 17 with a platform walkway in a small swamp.

Cons:

There are few cons about this course. Supposedly some of the lowland holes from Hole 2 to Hole 6 are unplayable after heavy rains. Though the course has no filler holes, none are truly stunning as you might find at the world's best courses.

Other Thoughts:

This is a free course, but still has terrific maintenance. Though this course has a restroom, it's not until Hole 15, so prepare accordingly.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
26 0
Bennybennybenny
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 13.8 years 322 played 303 reviews
5.00 star(s)

A John Houck Masterpiece 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jun 29, 2020 Played the course:once

Pros:

-Word on the disc golf streets is John Houck is the best course designer. I always thought that was probably right, even before I got to play one of his courses. Truth is, I spend a good amount of time on this site and while browsing, I have seen many high quality courses designed by him. Most of his courses are not in the Southeast. To all my fellow Southeastern folks, it's worth a long drive to play here! Looks nice on the media and looks a thousand times better when you are actually out there at Hobbs Farm (No offense to lazrman778. Great pics! It's just that many things often look better in actuality). After playing this course, I think John Houck is probably the best course designer in disc golf! Hobbs Farm is top notch with three or four sets of tee pads on almost every hole. Six holes (#2, 3, 10, 13, 17, and 18) have two pin positions that are both in play. You get to pick which one to play!

-Course has more elevation than it may appear. You start off with a picturesque rolling hill hole #1. You immediately see that you're in for something huge. Tee shot (from all three tees) is pretty open. The blue pad has a couple more trees to avoid, but still isn't risky to really rip one. The decline of the hill is more than the incline. Reaching the top of the hill sets you up well for a good approach shot. Require two good throws to birdie, but only mildly challenging for pros from the blue pad. Intermediates will likely find this hole easier for it's 580' par four length on the white pad. Good warm up that isn't too difficult. #2 from the blue pad is one of the greatest par fives I have ever played (maybe THE greatest one yet!). 903' from the blue pad to green pin and nearly 1000' to the orange pin! The tee shot is a long downhill bomb from that pad. About 55%-60% of the this hole is open from the blue. The orange basket is about 400' into the woods and the green (short pin) is about 300' into the woods as well, so you have to penetrate a little through some trees (many different fair lines to take here). Course ends with an excellent open rolling hill #18. Big uphill drive that later descends downhill to a green under some trees. Orange pin is past that green. I could go on, but I'll mention more of it below.

-Fairway diversity. Some holes are straight while more are not. Not many legitimate 90 degree doglegs (maybe #4), but many slight doglegs that'll spark your interest. Many holes bend to the left or right and strongly advise you to bring a full bag. Even the straight holes have some sort of shot shaping requirements that give you a good feeling if you birdie. Every birdie is a good one here, but at the same time there was nothing I considered to be unfair. I played the blues (would've played golds but my arm was pretty sore) and shot -5. Was happy with that score! Every hole is rewarding even from the blues or golds.

-One thing I enjoy is a fair mix. There is a pro level course outside my hometown with fourteen par fours on it's long layout, which I do not find enjoyable. I usually like a course primarily with par threes and maybe a few par fours, because there are more reachable holes. I like it when reachable holes are at least pretty common on a course. Hobbs Farm has an excellent balance between par threes, fours, and fives. Par is 66 from each layout. There are eight par threes, eight par fours, and two par fives. Lots of reachable holes, lots of multi shot holes, but no overuse of multi shot holes. Regardless of the layout you play, you'll see a few short holes, some lengthy par threes for your skill level, and some multi shot par fours and fives.

-Many of the par threes have some amount of shock or spice to them. #8 was my favorite of all the par threes. I'm very partial to elevation. This hole is down more than thirty feet below the blue pad. Hole is open, with caution required. There's a mando pointing to the right side where the basket is. The mando appears to be senseless but it's really not. Hole is only 291' long and plays just under 200'. It can be tough to be accurate. The mando tree is pretty far from the pad and not far from the basket. But it's straight ahead of the pads and the basket is a good bit to the right hiding past some trees. If you throw hard, you'll risk missing the mando. You could simply go too straight and left of the mando tree and go far past the basket. An easy mistake to make, but a good consequence on a big downhill hole.

-Hole #3 and #13 are both special par threes too with their distinctive merits to them. #3 is the shortest par three but the gap you have to hit is immediate past the tee and you want to hook left or fade right (there's a tree in the middle giving you two route options. Hole only has two pads, but it also has two pins. The orange pin is on a big wooden platform! #13 is the water hole. Has three pads (gold, blue/white, and red) and two pin placements. Unless you play the red pad, you'll be throwing over the water. Lots of risk, especially from the gold pad with it being over 300' and having a more demanding tee shot with more water. Excellent hole with risk that rewards. Was a pretty easy birdie from the 277' pin position.

-There is an enormous bridge you cross to get to #9 that protects you from walking over the creature habitat. It's a bit of a walk, so lots of money was put into that! You also get to tee off on that bridge when you play #17. Another par three with a ton of risk (it takes a solid throw to get over the habitat). The hole is short from the long pad to green pin (254') and 202' short to short, so distance isn't really a concern. It's more of a mentality test.

-Nice prodigy baskets. Great shape and they look very cool. Green pins and orange pins.

-Great signage. The orange pins were added after the tee signs were put in. There are stickers that mark the orange pins. So it's well updated.

-Extremely groomed. Sometimes there's a course where you'll unfortunately lose a disc in a fairway because it's not well kept or polish. Won't happen to you here.

-The par fours have a ton to offer as well. Holes #11 and #15 really encourage you to throw as far as you can while maintaining decent accuracy. Other holes (#12, and #14) are a bit peculiar yet unique and enjoyable at the same time being wooded with split fairways that curve. #7 is really fun being steep uphill with some room to rip a big drive. Both par fives are outstanding and are not similar. #2 allows a rip off the pad while #4 demands serious accuracy right off the tee. You are faced with two gaps. The left gap is wider and covers more distance. The right gap covers less distance but is somewhat harder due to being less wide and closer to the rough. I hit the right gap and was able to birdie this hole without any trouble. The red pad on this hole is a good entry level par five. 543' dogleg right. The tee shot strongly encourages an anhyzer that avoids the immediate trees. You could throw three short shots just under 200' and still have a good chance for birdie.

Cons:

-I really don't like venomous creatures and there may be some here (bjreagh mentioned a large snake in the water and water snakes can be really scary). I was scared to come across one on #13 since it's right next to a marshy reserve. You may see one or more as you cross the bridge. There is a warning sign after #16 requesting that you do not harm any creatures. That's an indication that there are some to keep an eye out for. If you land in the water or the rough off the bridge, do not retrieve your disc. Just buy a new one. That may seem like a harsh recommendation, but nothing like the stay at home order when all you gotta do is wear a damn mask.

-You cross #2's fairway to get to #7 but so what.

Other Thoughts:

-Hobbs Farm is incredible! There are a few scary spots to go near but the disc golf experience is so great that you'll probably forget about the possibility of snakes when you leave. Don't disregard this warning when you come, because there is evidence of different creatures that may be harmful to humans. Stay out of the water on #13 and do not exit the bridge when you cross it until you reach the end of it. That's the best safety advice I can give you. Take caution, but do not hesitate to come here if you haven't yet. I think there's a lot of shock value and a lot of excellent hole design. I wouldn't recommend you bring a first timer here. It's difficult! There's no simplicity in regards to hole design here. And not many courses have the potential to be like Hobbs Farm. Starters need to see the value in courses that are fun, but not as fun as this one. There are many awesome courses in disc golf, yet this one is unarguably one of the best. I think that beginners should enjoy more basic courses before they set their gaze on Hobbs Farm.

-It's a materialistic design oozing awesomeness that is free for all to play. It's well known, it looks awesome, and it really is awesome! Sometimes the best looking product is not as good as it seems in the expensive TV commercials. Especially some of those acne products (we've all had that misfortune!). A lot is spent making those stupid commercials and the product isn't that great. That's not the case here. Many people told me how great Hobbs Farm is and it really is as great as they said it was! So much money was spent making this course the gem that it is, and it's an outstanding course. It's risky to spend a lot of money on entertainment, but this was money well spent! You need to play here if you are not a beginner!!!
Was this review helpful? Yes No
24 0
DiscGolfCraig
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 20.5 years 628 played 574 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Leisure is the mother of philosophy. 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Mar 7, 2020 Played the course:once

Pros:

Hobbs Farm is a destination course. When you're rushing through Atlanta to get to a park in the middle of nowhere, it shows your appeal and quality.
- You want to see the makings of an absolute bemouth of a course? Just try to survive the first four holes with reasonable scores. Holes #2 & 4 are absolute beasts at 994 and 826 feet, respectively. This after getting to warm up on the 660-foot first hole, then catching your breath on the uphill, 270-foot third.
- #2 is the type of hole legends are made of. Idlewild has a hole of this quality; WR Jackson has a killer hole; and perhaps most comparable is Charlotte's Nevin #12. You start in an open field, throwing downhill. From there, you still have multiple shots into the woods and to the basket. I was content with my bogey 6. I guarantee I will never birdie this hole save for a hole-out from the fairway.
- #4 features the best aspects of the entire course into one hole. Long, dogleg right that starts uphill with the tee shot, plays downhill once you make the bend, then plays to a basket across a creek. The fairways are plenty wide with enough room to play around the trees that players can be aggressive with shots. Just don't go left into the rough as you approach the basket.
- Everything is relative, right? After the tough stretch to start the round, you get to #6, a 324-foot slight downhill hole. I normally approach holes like this thinking I've got an excellent chance to birdie this hole with a solid tee shot. Here, this hole seems like a pitch-and-putt shot, with me feeling I'm going to park this shot. A 10 to 15-foot birdie putt later, I was able to make up a stroke.
- #7 very well may be the second most daunting tee shot (after #17). There's tall, thick, lost-disc level of rough the entire right side of the fairway; however, you don't want to go too far left as that makes the approach shot up the hill more difficult. An excellent, station-to-station layout.
- #8 is an excellent risk/reward layout. A quick downhill, 291-foot par 3, with water coming into play for discs that sail long. A conservative tee shot should yield an easy par 3. An aggressive tee shot brings either birdie or bogey (or worse) into play. For someone like me, you're happy with the easy par 3 and will save the aggressiveness for later in the round.
- #17's tee shot is the lasting image for players. After #8, there's a long boardwalk over the water to the back portion of the course. Off that boardwalk are the tees (long & short) for #7. There's more than enough room for a full run-up. If you can throw straight, it's a rather simple par 3. Still, this goes down as one of the most scenic tee shots I've experienced, right up there with some of the top of the world shots at NC mountain courses.
- The final hole to point out is the peninsula water hole - #13. You're protected from the wind as you tee off in the woods. As soon as the disc gets over the water, (at least the day I played) you're at the mercy of winds whipping off the water. I watched my disc get caught up and sail off-line and splash down. The added challenge is that the peninsula doesn't have much depth to it. A shot sailing 25 feet longer than you intend, or one coming in heavy & taking a big skip, may end up in the water. I suspect there's some plastic in those waters.
- Tee signs are top of the line. Playing the course blind, I was able to rely on the tee signs for their accuracy versus having to take long walks down fairways to spot baskets, angles of doglegs, etc. Add to that the tee pads are excellent too.
- Course is surprisingly isolated from the rest of the park activities. The closest the course comes to interfering with other park activities is the path running along the right side of #9's fairway. I had to stop for a grand total of 30 seconds the entire round waiting for walkers.

Cons:

Crossing the boardwalk after #8, I was buying this course's hype. An elite level of holes had been played. Then, the course hits a stretch of open/field holes and take a dramatic step down.
- #10, 11, 15 & 18 are field holes. #10 offers a birdie chance as it's only 333 feet. The others are 500 feet plus, with only the uphill tee shot on #18 offering variety. From this stretch of holes, the most memorable part is the large tree by #11's tee and the partial ladder leading up it.
- #12 & 16 are wooded, but they're straight ahead, not-difficult layouts. I've already mentioned the ease of #17 as well.
- #13 is easily the best hole on the back nine, but that's a far cry from the level of holes #2, 4 & 7 on the front 9. Don't get me wrong. You've got to be a far better player than me to be getting birdie chances on these holes. I was getting one easy par after another without facing the risk of a bad score.
- Prepare for a lot of walking and some long transitions. The short tees are 3400 feet shorter than the longs. I can't imagine walking an extra 2/3 of a mile and not throwing. If you're here and you're going to be doing lots of walking, you might as well throw discs during that walk.
- Not a con, but an observation. This course is not beginner friendly. Bad rounds and bad experiences are the faults of underqualified players, not from the course's quality. Don't make the long drive (I'm assuming most readers of this aren't from Carrollton proper) and not be prepared for a tough course.
- A second observation. My first impression of the course was that of a letdown. Pulling into the compound and I notice the parking lot is on the backside of a church. My first thought, 'wait, don't tell me this is a church course and/or it's a shared space.' I don't know how the church services impact the course on Sunday mornings or during other service times.

Other Thoughts:

Hobbs Farm is an excellent course, no doubt about it. It's easily in the top 5 - 10% of the 300+ courses I've played. In terms of challenge, it's probably higher than that.
- That said, at its lofty 4.6something rating, it is overrated. Just in Georgia, WR Jackson and Steady Ed at the IDGC are both better quality courses. That said, if you are in the same conversation as those courses, you have a fantastic course.
- Bring your patience and lots to drink. This course is a grind. As fast as I play, it still took me nearly 90 minutes. Groups are going to be looking at 3 to 4 hour rounds so sit back and enjoy yourself.
- I hate how the finishing holes of some courses basically seem like they're built simply to get you back to the parking lot. It's as if course designers are backed into a corner and must design a layout with what's left of the land. That's what I felt was the situation with #18. There's plenty of room to be creative with the space for holes #1 through 17, and then suddenly, it's time to be straightforward and create something that leads players back to the beginning.
- I made this a destination course as a part of 37-hour, four state, 10-course trip. I left Charlotte at 3:45 on a Saturday morning and teed off at Hobbs by 8:15 on a crisp March morning. I'd gladly do the trip again just to play here again.
- The course's best holes compare with any course's best holes I've played. If you matched the top handful of holes here to other elite courses I've played (Idlewild, Harmon, WR Jackson, Panther Creek State Park), Hobbs Farm is right there with them. Once you get past that initial 6 - 8 holes, there's a separation from the quality of those courses to what's here. And that's why I'll rank this course a tad lower than those.
- All that said, this is a no-doubt must play. During the Covid-19 (I'm dating my review right here), I've seen on local club FB pages how many people don't even travel out of their own city to play courses. What a shame. If you're within several hours of this course, it's worth the drive.
- There are a few too many bland holes for this to be consider one of the elite. You'll notice a pattern that everyone talks about 2-7, 13, and 17....BUT, there isn't much love given to the other 10 holes. That's a glaring weakness.
- Whether you like my review or not, just remember that words are the money of fools (Hobbes).
Was this review helpful? Yes No
8 2
Foyboy89
Experience: 10.3 years 40 played 18 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Maybe Georgia's Best 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 11, 2018 Played the course:once

Pros:

This course raises the standard in all of the usual gradable categories. Practice Basket, Free parking, Great Signage, multiple tee pads, multiple true Par 4 and par 5 holes, and the list could go on and on.

Cons:

you have to kinds Grasp for straws here. The layout is a little spread out so you have a few long walks between hols but there is plenty of next tee signs to make your round flow smoothly. the park is popular so occasionally you have to wait for a runner or throw around a picnic but would you not want a course in a popular place for the betterment of the sport? I will mention the bridge on hole 5 had a dead Snake that one of the Maintenance staff had killed right before we played the hole so my wife freaked out but it get it Snakes live near creeks.

Other Thoughts:

I have played 29 courses in Georgia and I think this is the best one by far. the one exception may be the 3 courses at the PDGA national center in Appling, GA that I have not personally played but watched the Hall of Fame National Tour tournament there but they are in a whole separate Category. as far as public park Disc Golf this may be the best course I have ever played.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
28 0
wellsbranch250
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 10.9 years 707 played 686 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Big, Bold and Beautiful 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:May 6, 2018 Played the course:once

Pros:

(4.547 Rating) A huge sprawling city park course with loads of variety and amenities.
- UNIQUENESS - Variety is the spice of life. Two 800 foot plus par 5s. Numerous par 4s that vary from placement dogleg rights to tunnel technical bombs to open bomb-its. The par 3s vary from over 400 feet for the Gold layout to less than 150 feet for the Red layout. Horizon wide open holes to needle line technical holes. Pocket shots and tree gaps to split. Several water clears from bogs to creeks to a pond on (13). Lots of elevation change. Several shots exceed 40 feet in grade play. There's not much is missing here and I can only name a dozen courses that I've played with a more diversified make-up. This stated, I would have liked to have seen a well defined dogleg left and a better defined usage of the creek in a parallel fashion.
- SIGNATURE HOLES - Hobbs has a bunch of signature shots. I now keep a 200 deep list of my all-time favorite holes and Hobbs currently has four holes in my top 100 out of 4416 unique holes. Hole (2) from the Gold layout is an awesome open bomb-it play short of a creek where placement is paramount as the hole becomes heavily wooded for the remaining 400 feet to the gold basket. Hole (4) from the back tee is a spectacular twisting ridge shot requiring accurate placement. A great shot will leave an amazing 450 foot downhill wide tunnel shot towards the basket that's perched just across the creek. Hole (13) is a super-fun water clear shot and the gold basket requires hitting a pocket that also requires the disc to stay short of the water beyond. Hole (17) plays on top of a swampy area and it has two well built wood teeing platforms in the center of the bog. The thought of missing the line on this hole is exhilaratingly terrifying.
- TEES EXPERIENCE - A boat load of money was dropped on the tees out here. Most of the holes have three tees that are closely aligned to the PDGA difficulty guidelines. Red equals Recreational, White equals Intermediate and Blue equals Advanced. There's also now four holes that have newly poured Gold level tees for the Pros (poured spring 2018?). Most of the tees also have brooms and tee shading is about 80%
- CHALLENGING - The Gold layout is no doubt at least middle advanced level and I would hard pressed to name 15 courses that I've played that offer a more diversified and difficult challenge. (294 courses played as of this review.) I'd say that the with the new tees, the Gold layout is aligned to a 960 rating, the Blues layout is around 930, the White layout is at 880 and the Red Layout is at 800. When I say aligned, I mean that IMO, that rating level should average about par out here from that layout.
- NAVIGATION AND SIGNAGE - Despite taking a photo of the wonderful course map on (1), I never once looked at it. The navigational markers between holes are everywhere and it makes traversing this course that jumps around a lot, a breeze. The stunning tee signs show next tee direction and all the other appropriate info. Pathways were always intuitive. Anyone who gets lost out here, is blind.
- CHARACTER - In addition to signage and tees, almost all the amenities one can think of are here. Practice basket at (1) and there are markers in the ground indicating distances to the basket. Benches are everywhere. Several well crafted wood bridges and one awesome wood teeing deck on (17). The baskets are heavy duty Prodigy and there are a few extra custom colored Gold baskets for those playing the Gold Layout. After hole (15) there's a very nice restroom building with working drinking fountain and a locked lost disc return box.
- SKILL LEVEL FRIENDLY - Doubling back on the Tees Pro, this course should appeal to the widest swath of skill levels on any course that I've ever played. I could see a 700 through a 1000 rated player enjoying themselves out here. Beginners could even enjoy it too with a skip of the few water holes.
- NATURAL BEAUTY - Currently in my top 20. As has been stated above, lots of elevation change and several water features. Several stoic trees play a major role on a few holes. I saw a pileated wood pecker out here on (9) and some deer. The course is moderately wooded and more park style in general, but there are still a few beautiful heavily wooded holes out here as well, like hole (9) for instance.
- MAINTENANCE - Other than holes (1) and (18) the course was extremely well groomed on my visit.

Cons:

The issues are almost limited to made up problems.
- 1 SAFETY HAZARD - Holes (1) and (18) kind of border one another on a blind slope. However, now that I've played it, I know to keep my drive on (1) tucked up close to mando on the right.
- FORGIVENESS - There are some areas not to throw into out here and if a player does, it could definitely mean a lost disc. The creek cutting thru the layout comes into play 4 times. It's not so bad if it hasn't rained in awhile. I actually threw one almost in on (4), but I'm sure I would have lost it had there been a recent big rain event. Hole (17) can also be very punishing with a miss into the bog for the first 150 feet. Hitting a tree early on this hole will result in a head conversation on whether to even attempt to rescue it. The only good option I can think of is to always throw with that one guy that's always willing to walk into any snake invested pit for just a cigarette or a beer.
- WHITE TEE HOLE 5 - White tee (5) has a bridge partially in the line on the left. I had to alter my throw type from a RHBH to a RHFH to avoid it.
- DISCONTINUITY - The course jumps around a bit. A longer than normal transition between (1) and (2), (6) and (7), (8) and (9) and (15) and (16). It appears that ideal tee shots took precedence over adjacency. OK in my book, but expect several walks between holes over 200 feet. Also note that the walk between (6) and (7) crosses hole (2s) fairway.
- TIME PLAY - I personally threw the white layout in about 90 minutes solo. I figure that a group of four playing the Blue or Gold layout with be out here 3 hours or more.
- LOCATION - I think most people could argue that the course is located to far from them. A twelve minute drive from I20. One hour from downtown Atlanta and an hour and a half from downtown Birmingham. This has zero influence on my ratings.

Other Thoughts:

Hobbs is an absolutely phenomenal course. There are no weak spots with this course and it is the first course, and still only course as of this review, that I've ever graded above a 4.0 in all five of my key areas (Fun Factor, Character, Uniqueness, Raw Difficulty and Raw Beauty) So what's keeping it from a 5? Well, I've structured my scoring method where it's nearly impossible to achieve such a score. Currently I only have Rollin Ridge rated higher, which is a course with a touch more variety, beauty, and challenge. Rollin Ridge does however have a boat load more amenities which is funny cause Hobbs would still rank as my number two for amenities. Hobbs however does offer slightly more fun factor being more friendly to wider swath of skill levels over Rollin Ridge. I played the IDGC courses just prior to posting this review and I still personally feel that this course is the best of the Georgia bunch. However, my personal ratings have it extremely close to both WR Jackson and Headrick. I do realize that others will disagree, and that's ok. I've never meet two players that had their list of top five courses match. Regardless, Hobbs is no doubt a designation course among destination courses in the deep south. IMO it's worthy of Top 25 consideration.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
16 0
blake833
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 14.6 years 161 played 142 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Just incredibly pleasant 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 10, 2018 Played the course:once

Pros:

Hobbs Farm seriously brings it in terms of beauty. This piece of land is rolling hills, sloped forest, and even a couple flat holes through some marshy area. There are a few 'sections' of the course as you go across the road, through the forest, up the hills, and they all deliver.

To get the small stuff out of the way first- tee pads are all big, concrete, brooms everywhere; trash cans everywhere, three tees with signs on every hole (some the blue and white are combined, some have a "gold" tee, but you get the idea); baskets are good condition T1's.

The big stuff and the reason I loved this course was the epicness of a some of the holes. My two favorite may have been 1 and 2. Hole 1 is a medium sized up hill drive, then a nice downhill approach. Hole 2 starts on the other side of the road, and then you have a huge downhill drive off the tee. It's kind of a bummer to have what I think are the two most memorable holes (13 or 14 over the water isn't bad either though) be the first two, but that's better than not having any, right?

Cons:

I do understand the critique a lot of reviewers make of no "wow" factor, or signature hole, and that's fair. Those first two holes did really do it for me, but if they aren't your thing there really aren't any other contenders for something great to dazzle your razzle.

I'm not a fan of the Prodigy T1's. They don't really like any putts that aren't hard and dead center, and that can be frustrating if you're just a little off center, or close enough to just toss it in but instead you still need to kind of slam it. I know they're super cheap for being a Championship Approved target, but I don't know that many people who see them and get excited about it...

Other Thoughts:

This course has got it. It's pretty, it's got all the things you want out of tees, signs, hole design, friendly locals- speaking of one of them said there's a near by disc pro shop near an Ace Hardware, but I couldn't find an Ace Hardware very close by.

I don't think this is a course that's on par with the 'best of the best,' mainly because of the few holes where you just don't feel challenged, or may not be as fair as you wish they could be, and just don't have the design that makes you think, "I can do this, and I'm going to look good doing this." There's just some special blend of being open but not too open that most of Hobbs Farm is just on the wrong side of either way, depending on the hole. That's just the only thing just edging it out of a 5 for me.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
12 0
bjreagh
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 28.3 years 353 played 321 reviews
4.50 star(s)

2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:May 11, 2018 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

I agree completely with Bogey's review below. My thoughts are similar in many ways.

This is top notch course, primarily in the fact that not a single detail was left out and seemingly no expense was spared (like the insanely nice boardwalk built for the sole purpose of crossing the marsh twice and it actually doubles as 17's tee). But the best example of what I am talking about is that nearly every tee has its own pad, sign, bench, broom. Not hole, but TEE. It is quite a sight to see 3-4 complete teeing stations lined up on every hole. Each tee sign post is color coded at the top making it super easy to know which one to head to when coming from the previous hole. (I have played courses where you have to actually step on the tee to find out which one it is, which can be quite annoying- but not so here.)

This is a great example of designing a course to be playable for many different skill levels, even competing against each other in the same group. Of course the different tees and baskets can also be used for variety if playing multiple rounds. (I played a round each from the reds and whites). For the most part the tees provide the same tee shot experience, just at different lengths (rather than a completely alternate approach from the other tee to the hole that some course designs do so well, which is also ok). The Hobbs tees follow more of a ball golf type approach to tee placement.

In addition to all the nice tee signs, there are numerous next tee signs making navigation easy despite how spread out the holes are, which is important for taking you along some of the longer walks.

This course is very spread out over this beautiful property that contains flat grassy fields, large rolling hills, some woodlands areas, more dense forests, a creek, marshlands, and a lake, all of which are utilized for the course. And it really has everything you could want in a round- long and short, par 3's 4's and 5's with a couple ace runs. I felt every shot was totally fair, not always easy but definitely realistic. Some holes force shots, where others have 2-3 options of attack. There are plenty of long bomber shots, but others where strategic placement is required, and oh yeah accuracy is tested on some tight woods holes. Low scores in relation to par are definitely attainable here, but will be undoubtedly be earned.

My personal favorite area was holes 2-6: beautiful section of woods with the creek, featuring par 3s, 4s & 5s.

Cons:

There is very little to complain about here, but a few things are:

It is not completely secluded (though almost) with the road running between sections of the course and some of the areas have the greenway running close to it. (other than that no other activities exist in this park.) The concrete sewer structures on some of the first few holes are somewhat eye sores, and one even smelled a bit. Hole 11 had a power pole and cable as an obstacle (I prefer natural objects vs man made). Hole 16 will be better in 10-15 years when all the planted trees grow up full size- in what is an otherwise mostly long and wide open hole.

Having to cross #2 fairway to get to #7 is not ideal (but understandable in order to get the best hole design.)

Needed mowed on 1, 8, 17, 18 the day I played.

Not sure why the course starts by the church and not at the parking lot by the restrooms. Houck, I guess, must have wanted certain holes to be the closing holes, but it just seems like you should start at the other place. In fact, on our 2nd round we started on hole 16, which to us just made much more sense. You could also easily start on #9 from this parking lot. (Funny story, we pulled up to tee 1, saw no restrooms, went back to the not-so-clean MPG gas station on the corner to use the restroom. Then after playing hole 15 we come across the super clean restrooms on the premises that we had no idea existed, wishing we had used those the first time...)


What really keeps me from giving it that elusive 5.0 is it is just missing some kind of wow factor or truly epic memorable hole. All the holes are good, and many great, just none stand out to me as a real signature hole to make this course stand out from others. #2,13 (especially from the longer tees are close), #4 is really nice, also teeing from the boardwalk on #17 stands out. But no jaw droppers or calendar pictures. (maybe a product of playing so many good courses now, who knows)

Note, there is not nearly as much water as is shown on the course map. Discs in creek are totally retrievable in normal conditions. The water carry on 13 is your only chance lo lose one in the water (note: I did see a large snake swimming across, so it is not advised to go too far in after your discs). Also the map shows this beautiful blue lake surrounding the course property- nope! - what little of it you see from the course is overflow marshland.

Other Thoughts:

If you were to see and play this course and not know, you would assume it was pay-to-play and/or private, but not Hobbs Farm, which is quite amazing to me. I would have gladly paid $5 to play here all day. (for comparison- Idlewild comes to mind as a super nice and extremely demanding free public course). The golf itself reminded of Selah Ranch duo (obviously) but also Harmon Hills (all of which are in current top 10).

Be sure to carry plenty of water and snacks if playing in the hot Georgia summers, especially if starting on 1 as you don't return to your car until after hole 18. There is a water fountain at the restrooms that you pass a couple times later in the round (after hole 15, but you could make the extra walk before playing 9 if desperate). You might spend 3 hours playing a round and there are numerous non-shaded holes and walks.

Overall, a top-notch course- diverse and challenging design with great attention to detail. Maybe not top 10 for me but definitely top 20 (as I am closing in on 300 played). My rating of 4.5 = Phenomenal!

Georgia has somewhat quietly built a nice collection of higher rated courses spreading from the IDGC on one side to now Hobbs on the other, plus so many other solid courses in between.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
24 1
BogeyNoMore
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 20.5 years 517 played 185 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Flying 1st Class! 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 23, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

Superbly executed on a wonderful piece of property - simply a complete joy to play.

• Variety: Excellent. Plenty of variation in fairway shapes and distances, with a nice balance between wooded/open holes. In typical Houck fashion, many holes don't necessarily impose a specific line, but present a few possible lines, and force you to execute off the tee to set up your next shot. Miss your line, fade early, or go long... you'll likely end up with tough next shot.

• Challenge: Excellent. Not the most challenging course I've played, but the red, white, blue (and occasional gold) level tees do an excellent job of allowing you to match the challenge to your skill level. The optional longer pins allow you to tweak to better suite your game. There are a few tight gaps, but nothing stupid or pinball like...it's all quite fair.

• Elevation: Excellent. Plenty of it, ranging from major to subtle, used in lots of ways; downhills, uphills, rollaways.

• Use of Natural Elements: Phenomenal. Creek, marsh, pond, hills, trees, wind... all are brought nicely into play. High marks for routing fairways near (but responsibly away from) the paved trail, so others can appreciate our game without becoming part of it.

• Aesthetics: Beautiful piece of land that would be a great hike without plastic. Plus they really did a lot to dress the course up and make it look nice.

• Equipment/Maintenance: Best I've ever seen, hands down. Top notch EVERYTHING. Concrete tees are generous and level. Color coded Prodigy baskets (green on all holes, with several having a longer orange basket) catch very well, are easy to spot, have the hole # clearly marked, and are flagged where appropriate. Some of the very best signage anywhere shows all tee locations for that hole, and tee posts are color coded to indicate which tee you're at. They even tell you the add'l distance from the green to the orange basket on holes so equipped. Next tee signs keep you moving along. Bridges and catwalks are more than well built. Nice benches are present all along the course, placed so they aren't in the way of other tees. Fairways were well-groomed.

• Routing & Navigation: Phenomenal. Hobbs is a long, sprawling course, with groups of holes playing in different sections around this wonderful property, so expect some long walks between holes. That said, the signage is so good and everything is so well laid out, that if you just look around and pay attention, you'll probably never need the map... but snap a selfie with map at the kiosk as a memento.

• Memorable Holes: Take your pick. #2 - long downhill tee shot followed by a long approach over the creek into the woods. #4 - starts in the woods and opens up a bit toward the end, crossing the other way over the creek, with enough of an uphill finish that some approaches and missed putts could roll into the creek. #13's - water carry Ace Run. #17's bridge shot playing over the marsh is truly unique.

• Drainage: Fair. It rained the night before I played, and 13 of the holes were fine. The low-lying holes across the street (#2 - #6) were somewhat swampy, but not all that bad considering.

• Free to play. They could charge here and only a fool would complain

Cons:

Listing cons here is like looking for blemishes on a supermodel.
• I thought some of the open holes seemed a bit too open, but a few of the have some well-guarded pins.

• Given that the bathrooms and sign are posted at the trail head at the back of the park, it feels awkward starting with hole 1 by the church.

• Crossing 2's fairway to get to # 7... but it's so out in the open, it really shouldn't matter.

• So well executed, you shouldn't take a newb here... honestly. This course will spoil them so badly they'll think ordinary courses seem like dumps in comparsion, and lose interest. You really need a course bagger's perspective to fully appreciate this gem.

Other Thoughts:

The most polished and refined course I've ever played, Hobbs is the Rolls Royce of DG courses. It's what you'd expect if country clubs offered disc golf. Nothing rough around the edges here. No corners cut due to lack of funds. They spent beaucoup $$$$ here and it shows. Everything was done about as 1st class as I've ever seen (including the IDGC). Hobbs is destination disc golf with that epic feel. A must play that's worth a trip.

Maybe it's just getting tougher to move my needle, but there just wasn't quite enough "Wow Factor" to get me all the way to 5.0. As nice as all the touches are (and this place is nice), they don't actually affect discplay. It comes close, but not quite. That said, this Houck fella's getting pretty good at this.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
6 8
Bflinn
Experience: 39.9 years 74 played 3 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Top notch 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 20, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

3-4 tee pads per hole, all with great signs, benches, and brooms. I played all long tees (except for the few that had puddles around them), to long baskets. I started playing this course 20 minutes after a massive downpour. Very playable. Huge but fair holes. Cart friendly bridges and steps, beautifullly groomed fairways, and directional markers where needed. I didn't have a map, and didn't need one. I will go out of my way to play here whenever I'm heading south.

Cons:

12 hours from home, can't play it every day.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
15 0
sjberry2017
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 11.5 years 51 played 19 reviews
5.00 star(s)

One of the Best 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Dec 17, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

(A note: I played all blue tees to green baskets)

Great baskets which catch very well

Most holes have two baskets, green and orange.

Multiple tees on all holes, most have three but some have two or four tees. Tees also have brooms for clearing them.

Practice basket with cool brick ring around the base.

Great mix of holes, lots of placement golf, a few grip and rip holes, some technical short shots, and many holes where you need to link multiple good shots together.

Fantastic mix of types of golf; no holes feel like a repeat at all.

Great ground play; lots of holes play into or with a hill side, so you need to plan for where your discs land.

Most holes in the woods have tight but fair lines, really fun.

Several unique greens. The wooden structure for hole 3 orange, hole 4's placement on the side of the creek, hole 8 down the hill, hole 9 surrounded by mulch and a wooden barrier, and most greens have some mature trees which help define where to land for a good putt.

Gorgeous and varied land; field holes, wooded holes, play out of the woods to open and from the open into the woods.

Well manicured and taken care of; not much litter and nothing overgrown.

Benches on most, if not all, tees.

Great infrastructure: awesome bridges and plenty of next tee signs.

Tee signs are super helpful; blue, white, and red signs have distances and pars for all three tees listed on each sign. I didn't check the gold ones.

Tees, signs, and benches are out of the way of each other. Not once during the round did I step up to a tee and find that the white or red tee was in my way.

Baskets have flags to help with visibility.

Mandos are well marked.

Hole 18 finished maybe 100 feet from hole 1's tee. Also, hole 18 can be easily reached from hole 8's pin, so it's easy to play a nine hole loop. Holes 2-6 can also be easily bypassed, so any amount of time can be accounted for in a round.

Hole 13 has a pole on it to help with retrieving discs from the water.

Heated restrooms and a map and info board between hole 15 and 16. 6/7/2018 Update: played the course for the second time today, this time in good weather. The little wooden kiosk past the practice basket has a course map as well. Still far from hole 1, but not nearly as much of a trek!

Cons:

A couple of the transitions between holes are long. Specifically 1-2, 6-7, 8-9, 11-12, 15-16, 16-17.

6/7/2018: My gripe about the map is no more, as there is one at the wooden kiosk by the practice basket. Still a touch out of the way, but not nearly as bad as being at Hole 15/16. That map is still there as well.

I played while it was raining (mostly drizzle and light rain) and after the course had been soaked, so it was super muddy in spots, but overall did hold water well.

Some holes have the possibility of losing a disc; I actually managed to lose one on hole 13 in the water.

Some tees on the longer holes are a bit short, but there's plenty of room to run up to them.

I was the only golfer on the course, but many of the fairways are close to each other, as well as pins and tees, so I imagine there are opportunities for some holes to interfere with each other. Mandos and design should minimize this, but we all know some folks love to ignore mandos and errant throws do occur. This is throughout the course.

Some will have a problem with a few of the holes being in the fields, but there are enough trees on these holes combined with elevation change and enough woods holes to where the chance to really lean into a disc and let it fly is super fun. Also, these holes have greens which are well defined by trees and elevation so there is still some placement involved.

This course is not in my backyard.

Other Thoughts:

Hobbs Farm disc golf course was a fantastic way to take break in the middle of a long interstate drive, playing around and through a large open park with a wonderful walking and biking trail. From the first hole to the final putt it was raining, but every tee shot was fun and every hole challenging. Many holes on the course require linking several shots together to get the birdie, with several tough but fun par 3's. Trees and elevation abound throughout Hobbs Farm, defining fairways and making it an extremely fun course to play. There is a lot of great infrastructure here, with fantastic tee signs, tees, bridges, directional signs to the next tees, and other various course equipment. Each hole presents a unique challenge and none of them feel like a repeat of a previous hole on the course. Some of my favorite holes from the round were:

Hole 1: a long par 4 to start off, hole 1 plays up a hill along mature trees, with a dogleg right at the top of the hill back down to a guarded basket. Slight elevation changes and a few big trees around the pin make the upshot an exercise in placement golf, a theme of the course.

Hole 2: The tee shot is a booming throw down a hill from trees into a wide open field. However, placement is key because the next shot crosses a creek thorough a tree line to a small meadow, then through another stand of trees to the pin.

Hole 4: following a short and tight hole 3, hole 4 has three lines off the blue tee to a fairway down a hillside. The pin is perched on the other side of the creek, maybe about twenty feet from it. The creek bank is uniquely carved out and really fun to play from.

Hole 7: following a couple fun woods holes, hole 7 is across the road and plays up the same hillside as hole one. Several mature trees to the left and a swampy area to the right define the narrow fairway. Throwing along this fairway and playing into the side of the hill, the upshot plays up the rest of the hill and among trees to the pin perched on the side of the hill.

Hole 9 plays up a tight wooded fairway to a dogleg left, with the green placed at the bottom of an elevation drop. A small wood frame filled with mulch surrounds the pin.

Hole 11: The blue tee plays from a somewhat sheltered area beneath a tree with a lower ceiling down an open fairway. The landing zone is a pick your own adventure area, with several different ways to play down to a pin surrounded by somewhat lower to the ground trees.

Hole 16: Plays down a tight wooded corridor, just a fun shot.

Hole 17: One of the signature holes on the course, Hole 17 tees from the boardwalk which connects holes 1-8 and 18 to the other holes. A short midrange shot, there's also a forehand flex line (right handed thrower). Reaching the other side isn't that difficult and it's also easy to retrieve a disc. Not the most difficult hole but really pretty and a super fun shot.

Hole 18: One final grip and rip hole. It plays up a hill and then back down. It's mostly open until the green, where several large trees define where the upshot needs to land. The orange basket is up a little mini cliff, making the upshot to that pin even more crucial.

There really isn't a whole lot more to say about this course, it's an extremely well taken care of and gorgeous course with a variety of fun shots and great baskets which catch well. The cons I could find are mostly nitpicky and if you have a chance to play this course, you definitely need to take it! I played with a steady rain and still had a blast!
Was this review helpful? Yes No
15 1
thrembo
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 49.6 years 245 played 198 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Best Course In Georgia? Yeah, Could Be! 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Sep 2, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

Amazing course with tons of elevation changes, water hazards and mature trees. Possibly the best designed course that I have played on. Generally three sets of tees per hole, each with its own tee sign, bench and broom. Looks like some new baskets have been added giving a few holes two baskets to throw at. A wide variety of hole types and lengths. Scenic signature holes including 13 (elevated tee to cool water feature) and 17 (elevated tee on a fricken bridge!). Navigation is a breeze and this course features the most next tee signs that I have ever seen. The course is very well maintained. And of course the main pro: This course is FUN to play. I could go on, but trust me, PLAY THIS COURSE!

Cons:

The only con that I can even think of is that there is some longish walks between some holes.

Other Thoughts:

I had a hard time deciding what adjectives to use to describe this course. Amazing spectacular etc. I heard that they spent $100,000 to build this course, $25,000 of it on just the bridge/tee feature. The course also caters to all skill levels and should be enjoyable to all except the most feeble. This is the first 5 that I have awarded a course, and it is certainly one of my favorites.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
17 0
craigd
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 16.4 years 183 played 120 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Hobbs Farm 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 13, 2017 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

I was excited and curious to play my first John Houch designed course. Who wouldn't be? After all, we've all read a lot of buzz about his designs in the past. When I learned a course of his would be coming just outside of Atlanta, I was stoked. Turns out so were the locals. After much pregnant anticipation, the course finally went in and for the most part, no one was disappointed. This is a challenging course on some beautiful property and it is well stocked with all the bells and whistles.

As far as this par 66 course goes, expect a steady diet of challenging holes with a mix of longer open and technical holes. There's generous amounts of elevation change throughout the layout. There's a great mix of everything ranging from rolling grassy landscapes, to fairways peppered with large mature trees, to heavily wooded holes. There's a great mix of left and right turning shots. There's plenty of holes that demand accurate placement shots, sometimes multiple times per hole. Most of the longer holes offer (if not entice you to take) different lines off the tee. Some of the tougher lines can offer a reward if well executed but can make your lunch taste bad if not. You will find some tough par 3's, 4's and even two par 5's. Look out for a few must make birdie's sprinkled in that are necessary to erase some trouble you are sure to find throughout your round. If all that's not enough, you'll find water in play on several holes keeping you on your toes. They're highlighted by the scenic swamp hole 13 which is a beauty. Really, there is a little bit of everything out here!

As far as the before mentioned bells and whistles, there's plenty to talk about. The green Prodigy baskets will be the first thing you notice as you pull in the park and start spotting them scattered around. Next, there are three thoughtfully placed concrete pads on nearly every hole (4 holes share pads on the mid and long tees). The longest tees will have you playing almost 8600' while the shortest one's tone it down to 5900'. Each pad has its own tee sign with all the info you can shake a stick at including a map of the hole. Next tee signs point the way around the course making navigation pretty easy. There is generous parking near hole one at the church or alternatively, you can park near the back of the course and start the round on your choice of a few different nearby holes. You'll find a bathroom and water near this lot as well. There are nice bridges where needed with an awesome board walk/tee pad deck on seventeen that you just need to see for yourself. Benches are everywhere and do the job nicely. A practice basket and enough room for some upshots is available near hole one.

Cons:

I would have to get unreasonably critical for the most part to find any major cons. Most of the complaints you hear are going to be minor criticisms you'll always seem to hear on a golf course. Mostly just random personal preferences.

I must say, I was surprised to find myself crossing two's fairway to get to seven. Not a huge deal really (probably not even in a tourney given the way its laid out), but I was just surprised by this as there is such stigma about the notion of having to walk across a fairway going from hole to hole.

Other Thoughts:

This course is well worth even a lengthy drive to play. If coming from the Atlanta area there is an opportunity to mark a few more courses off the "played list" by checking out the Douglasville courses as well. The Westside of Atlanta disc golf is really growing but this is the jewel of them all.

This is a nice park with a trail head to a green belt and a loop good for walking or biking. Even if the family isn't into golf, they can still be occupied while you play your round if you are just passing through. There is a pollinator's garden and plenty of places for some good photography.

Enjoy!
Was this review helpful? Yes No
3 3
hcrebel34
Experience: 1 played 1 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Great Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 18, 2017 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Awesome well designed course, John Houck design.
Offers something for many different skill levels with three different pads (Red, White, Blue).
We are able to have competitive matches with friends of different skill levels because of the different levels.
Nice open fairways that can be forgiving for entry level players.
The Blue Pads (Pro) tighten those fairways up a bit.
Hole 13 throws over water onto a peninsula. One of the coolest holes I've ever played.
Very nice signs on EVERY hole.
Directions to next pad are clearly marked and the course flows nicely. A first timer could easily find their way to the next basket.

Cons:

The course is still filling out. Some trees are still growing into place to complete the design of the course. Once these trees (dogwoods I believe) fill out it will make holes 11 and 15 more challenging and fun by creating some lanes rather than having a wide open fairway.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
11 1
Cerealman
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 16.4 years 665 played 192 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Commendable choice in Carrollton 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 24, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

: The city of Carrollton is blessed with a beautiful and challenging disc golf course. Hobbs Farm offers tons of variety and the three teepads per hole make the course accessible for all skill levels. Hole diversity is paramount to excellent course design, and the assortment of short versus long holes, flat versus hilly holes, and tightly wooded versus wide open holes demonstrates why Hobbs Farm is currently the highest-rated course in Georgia.

The signage is top-notch and the navigation is the best I've seen. Navigational instructions are near each basket to indicate the location of the next teepad.

There are no bad or ridiculous holes, in my opinion, as each fairway seemed reasonable. At least half of the holes bring elevation into play. I don't recall any mandos either (which are normally a result of poor design).

The course allows a bit of warm-up, as Hole #1 is hilly but open, and then a downhill bomber drive is required on Hole #2 before reaching the woods.

As several previous reviewers mentioned, shot selection and placement is vital to scoring well at Hobbs Farm. The mental challenge presented is a great attribute of this course. Choose your disc wisely - selecting a mid-range might be a wise option on several of the holes.

Cons:

For first-timers, the basket location might not be clear from some of the teepads. (Which means you need to play this course multiple times.)

A recent rain could result in plenty of mud and standing water on a few holes.

The "traverseability" on this course might be challenging for some disc golfers considering all the elevation and wooded terrain.

Holes #11 and #15 are fairly flat, straight-ahead "filler" holes, but I'm being nit-picky.

Other Thoughts:

The best disc golf courses feature physical AND mental challenges. With that standard, Hobbs Farm doesn't disappoint. The diversity of hole elevation and lengths is proof that this course offers something for everyone, from the amateur to the professional.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
12 0
Noahlearner
Experience: 12.9 years 61 played 5 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Another Houck Masterpiece - MUST PLAY! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 22, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

-- Superbly laid out with multiple tee pads with multiple lines to the basket.
-- Excellent Signage
-- Excellent wide cement teepads
-- Course is Hard AND ALSO fair. I never found myself feeling like there were any tweener holes or any luck box holes. All the fairways were fair ways.
-- Tight lines through woods demand midrange accuracy. Discs like rocs, buzzes, truths, cores, warships, compasses come to mind as weapons of choice.
-- whilere there are hyzer line (righty backhand) holes, there are also lefty or forehand holes too (10,13)
-- There are some surprising rollaway opportunities. Hole 8 was an easy putter downhill anny drive followed by a little fluffer upshot, that you can easily roll away down to the pond just below. This was especially hard to take when my drive was only 45 feet from the pin.Bird was lost.
-- Same scenario on the challenging hole 12. I laced my drive into the left gap and had a nice little forhand approach that landed 10 feet fom the basket but hit too much on edge and rolled 100 feet away. Bird was gonzo.
-- I especially enjoyed holes 1, 2, 4, 6, 12(sick),13, 14(sick), 16, 17 (the crosswalk and teepads are wow), and 18 was a great finishing hole.
-- Other holes allow you to bomb without fear. Think 2, 11, 15, hole 13

Cons:

-- Wish there was a bathroom by Hole 1.
-- The course isn't located near where I live!

Other Thoughts:

-- My original home course was his Nantucket disc golf course and when I travel, I always play Houck courses if I can(Selah Ranch, Harry Myers in Texas, Tall firs in Washington and now Hobbs Farm in Carrolton, GA).
-- This course feels like the Pinnacle of Houck Course design and it epitomizes a lot of the methods that he writes about in discgolfer magazine. It feels like this is what the future of disc golf should be like. Forget about just blasting drive after drive on a ball golf course. This course requires you to shoot for landing zones, sometimes with putters or midranges in order to score well.
-- You also have to stay inside your game and play patiently. On hole 5, I saw the line and when I threw hard I inevitably smashed into a tree and had a two stroke swing, but when I just saw the line and hit the line (and let the disc do the work, it all worked out great).
-- Other folk had mentioned that there were a number of blind drives. It wasn't as difficult as I expected based on their reviews, but I definitely suggest walking down the fairway on some holes when in doubt.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
Top