The surprising thing about the Charlotte area courses, or, at least the highly-rated ones that I played on two-day tour, was how different they all felt from each other. Hornet's Nest is the everyday, workman-like course of the bunch. That's not a bad thing. Hornet's Nest is the one that I could play a couple times a week. Hornet's Nest could be your local course. Renny might provide more thrill. Nevin might produce more challenge. But if I lived in Charlotte, I would play more rounds at Hornets Nest.

This is just a good course. Nine holes out in fields, circling around a busy park. Nine holes in carved through the woods. There's a ton of variety. Distances from under 200 to over 600 and everything in between. While there are a lot of technical shots, some of the fairways are even wide enough to pull out the bomber.

While there may not be a bad hole at the nest, there are not really any spectacular holes here. The front nine has a few that aren't imaginative and a few that run a bit too close to heavily used parts of the park. On Seven, I waited some time to find a break in passing cars. Similarly, Four is entirely too close to a baseball field. While I like the variation in surroundings here, chances of hitting moving cars and baseball players should ideally be 0%.

Hornets Nest is extremely playable, much more so than the other Charlotte courses I've seen. While it's not as much of a destination as the other big names in town, it's a fun course that should allow you to throw a bit of everything.

-Hornet's Nest is a nice challenging course in Charlotte that is very punishing. It is one of the oldest courses in Charlotte and it is one of the best courses in the world.
-The course has nice teepads that are long enough for a big drive. Some of the longest in Charlotte.
-The course got new baskets from what I heard. I didn't play it since then but I will say, the old baskets were not in good shape.
-Benches and trashcans are around the course.
-Although #9 is very short, the basket is super tall. I have to stick my hand out under the basket to get my disc. But I'm only 5'2". I still think that it's a cool hole.
-There is variety when it comes to the distance on the course. #9 is 165 feet and #12 is an 80 degree dogleg, (curve is a little severe) that goes into the woods. It's 638 feet but it's a Par 5. It's not long for a par 5, but don't be disappointed if you par this hole. It has a sharp turn to the right and you have a long tunnel shot. I love this hole, easily my favorite.
-The fairways are nice and cut but there still is OB and woods occuring which makes the course nice and fair.
-Although #12 is the best hole according to more advanced players. If you are a recreational or beginner, #5 will probably be your favorite (If you avoid the pond past the basket). If not, it's probably #9.
-Most fairways are away from the other sports areas like the dirtbike track and the basketball court.
-If you have played Renaissance and found it a bit too hard. This course is a little more lay back. It's the course for intermediates and experts.
-#14 is another amazing hole. The gauntlet requires a midrange throw which I should be throwing. Some of you would throw a putter but I can't throw a putter that straight. Also, the creek is not OB.
-UPDATE Next tee signs for the longer transitions and for the Charlotte's web layout.

-#4 long's tee pad hampers #3's fairway.
-If you play the web layout, the walk might be confusing to get to #17 long. It's a narrow teeshot about 180" feet and #18's original fairway is #17 long's fairway. Heads up to the players who play the original. When you tee off on #17 or #18 short. Be worried if you get hit in the back. The players who play web might hit you by accident.
-If you think a tweener hole is less than 500' feet. Well think again, #10 long is an utter bust and it's a dogleg right. Getting to #10 originals green is a great shot but it gets very hard once you get to your approach shot. If you land in the woods then good luck finding your disc. This hole is just a dud and not exciting.
-Baseball stadium is OB and it's too close to #4's fairway causing to make this hole a bust.
-You might get confused if you are playing the web layout on your way to #11 web. Go to the left and follow the trail and once you the the fairway, turn right.

-Hornet's Nest is an easy course for professionals but not for recreationals and amateurs. About my title for this review, I'm just saying, This is Hornet's nest park. If you don't hit the fairway, you could get badly stung.

Hole by Hole
#1 web. Your teeshot has to go around 250' feet and your next shot goes in the woods uphill.
#1 original. Same as #1 long except it doesn't go in the woods so you can bomb a big drive. Basket is elevated on a hill and going for the putt further than 20 feet can blow you up.
#2 web. Same fairways and the back tee is on the gravel. Hit the fairway or your in OB, the basket is by the fishing pond.
Original. Just bomb your drive! It's easy to hit the fairway and the basket barely goes in the woods.
#3 web. Wow! A U shaped fairway in the woods. You better hit the fairway or you're in the REAL woods. At least it's wide.
original. Same basket but different fairway and tee. It's uphill and open and nothing like #3 long.
#4 long. Not as bad as original because it's easier to go right of the original tee. Ballfield is left. Throwing a hyzer to the right of the trees and hoping it goes left is risky since the gravel is beside the fairway.
original. Hard to avoid the ball field. Sidearm would be necessary so you can avoid it. The basket is on a hill and there is a drop off past it.
#5 web. Great par 4! Different tee but same basket. Avoid the trees and keep your tee shot at least five feet high. Any lower and you could hit the fence.
original. Great as well, birdies are very common. Just don't go too far or you're in the pond. Road is left and it's OB.
#6 web. Same tee but different basket. The big tree can mess you up on your putt. A sidearm is needed for your approach.
#6. Shorter and nothing to it except avoid the tall grass to the left and don't hit a tree from the tee.
#7. Brilliant design! The road is to the left and the woods are to the right. A herd of trees are in the middle of the fairway. You still have a good bit of room.
#8. In the woods and very challenging. A sidearm should do it since it's to the right. Don't park beside the basket and you have a tricky uphill putt since the basket's elevated. Also don't go right if you don't throw over 200' it's hard to get out.
#9. Pretty good and easy until you get to the green. It's on a small hill and the basket is about 8 feet tall. Aces have happened here but not from me.
#10 long. NOT a tweener. You are lucky if you par this hole. It's a dogleg right and the only chance for a birdie is if you get close on #10 originals basket.
original. Sidearmers can easily birdie this if it doesn't turn or fade. Throw a bit left and let it turn right.
#11 web. Narrow and very hard. It's hard to hit the fairway and if you don't, then you might get lots of poison ivy. It's not a long par 4 but it's not pleasing and the woods are super thick. Play the original course if you lose discs frequently.
original. Downhill ace run that goes left after 130' feet. Go right of mando and still give a big but not long hyzer.
#12. Maybe the most memorable par 5 you will play. Your first drive should go about 260' feet and go a little bit to the right. If you go too far then you might want to give a small shot in the woods so your next shot isn't so hard. Nice -20 foot drop.
#13 web. Bad dogleg left par 4 that is almost impossible to birdie. You have to get close to #13 original's basket for a small chance in a birdie. If you don't get there, you don't have a clear 300+ second shot.
original. Slightly goes left and a RHBH can get you a birdie. A sidearm probably will get you in the woods to the right.
#14. Super narrow and only 239 feet but the fairway is only like 5 feet wide. The creek is NOT OB. That would be a great shot.
#15. Awful and I can't see why people enjoy this pain in the butt. The teeshot is frightening because you go through a small gap. If you don't, good luck getting out of the woods. Good elevation though. -20-30 foot drop.
#16 web. People say it's the hardest but it's not bad. It's a fun par 5 that goes striaght until you hit #17 original's tee and fairway. You basically play straight until 287' feet is left. It's narrow though until you find #17 original's tee.
original. A 426' foot par 4 that is still a standout. The first 275' or so is tight and punishing to the right, the second shot at the landing zone is uphill and a little bit tighter. 3's are makeable but 5s and 6's will come too.
#17 web. Throw your drive out of the woods is good enough. Then you are in #18 original's fairway. The rest of this par 4 is open.
#17 original. Seems like #16 long's approach shot. It's pretty steep uphill and it turns left quite a bit. It's the first elevated basket in charlotte. A hyzer from the tee is a good idea.
#18 web. It's shorter than #18 original because #17 long is #18 original's basket. It has an island green and just avoid the road and small trees and you should be close on this ace run. My friend Joe is 14 and he hit the basket on this hole. He made 4 aces as well.
original. Downhill and then uphill approach shot. The fairway is wide enough and since the fairway goes left then right so a sidearm or anhyzer would be a better shot.

This course has great manicured feilds and an array of open an tight holes. I like the front 9 more than the back just because of how tight it is.

the back 9 had to many trees and it was very long.

they need to put a new tee sign on hole 12 because there is only one pin.

awesome course, everything has been said before, just wanted to give a review, the new design is hard to adapt to because I loved the old course just as much

could use more signs, I hope to change this review to a 4 or higher very soon!

Course has a variety of open and wooded shots. The course is set up to be two courses in one - The original Hornets Nest and Charlotte's Web. My review focuses primarily on the Hornets Nest layout. The course is clean and trash free. The front nine holes are mostly open while the back nine are wooded and a few have narrow tree gaps which can turn an obvious par 3 into 5 real fast. Several of the holes have elevated baskets. Fairly good signage directing you from hole to hole. The overall course appears maintained well with excessive brush cut back.

The course can be a bit confusing until familiar with it. Especially around holes 16, 17 and 18. To me, the Charlotte's Web basket for 18 just doesn't make any sense. The course is pretty soggy after rain so be forewarned if going to play after a rainstorm.

We ended up playing a hybrid of the original course and the Charlotte's Web course. I think a mix of the two would be challenging for any amateur. All in all it was fun and we plan on returning.

The Hornet's Nest is mega challenging and I'm hearing that Charlotte's Web is even tougher. The course is well maintained with extra long teepads and two sets of baskets. The front nine is more open and the back nine has some seriously tight holes through the woods. To score well on this course you not only to have be able to thtrow straight but you better have a nice fade shot if your a righty. Finally, on the back nine there were a couple of right hyser friendly holes. As a first time player, I appreciate the next tee signs and also a couple of the faded little signs which gives you pointers on how to play the hole. I played early in the morning and almost had the entire park to myself. I was the only one on the course.

It was a little confusing to navigate in places. I'm not generally a fan of the raised baskets and two in a row is too much. And the extremely raised basket on # 9 is more of a gimmick to me than serious disc golf. On the other hand, the raised basket on # 17 stands out to me as a classic hole with the terrain surrounding it and the slightly, raised basket I liked it a lot but I'm not sure exactly which course it belonged to. The two courses overlapping each other probably messed me up some. A couple of the holes were very tight throwing through the woods.

I can definitely see the attraction here. If I had a stronger, more accurate arm, I would have enjoyed my experience here much more. But there is no doubt that Charlotte has a wealth of wonderful disc golf courses to play. I stayed here three days and played 18 in those three days. Long grueling days but well worth it.

This is a very fun course. Lots of variety, fairly challenging but not a struggle.

Distinct front & back 9s, looping back to parking lot. Front 9 features semi-open holes around ballfields and picnic pavillions; a bit crowded with non-disc-golfers on the summer Saturday I was there. Back 9 is in a beautiful hardwood forest.

Some tight but always fair holes. (Well, almost always). Some tight holes with tough doglegs rewards those who can throw backhand & forehand, as there's not enough width to throw anhyzlers.

One great hole, to my taste---hole 12---but lots of good-to-very-good holes.

3 baskets are artificially raised, 2 on poles at the top of already-tall mounds, which may result in some straight-up putts. 1 would be cute; 3 seems a bit gimmicky.

A couple of long walks between holes.

I've heard about this course for years and finally saw it, and am glad I did.

Navigation fairly easy, even without a map; only once or twice did we walk off in the wrong direction looking for the next tee.

I didn't play the more challenging "web" layout, which overlaps the normal course, but look forward to it someday.