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Kenan Park reviews
7
0
Worth a stop 2+ years drive by
Reviewed:
Played on:May 9, 2019
Played the course:once
Pros:
Is Kenan Park a destination course? Of course not. Is it worth a stop off of I-40 in between Raleigh and Wilmington? Sure!
I don't know what the technical definition of a "practice area" is on DGCR, but I unclicked the "Practice" button for Kenan so it will get a little more notice in DGCR searches, as it at least has 9 baskets and is in a pretty, well-maintained park. I've played a few true "practice area" courses. Kenan is far better than each of them.
Note: the course does not have marked tees. It's essentially a safari style course. However, 7 of the 9 baskets are numbered -- and you can figure out what the other two would have been numbered. Based on those numbers, you can pretty much ascertain what the imagined course design would be. And on the plus side, the tract of land is big enough -- and there won't be any other golfers there -- so you do have the option to create whatever course you want to play...and even make it decently long.
+ Pretty, well-maintained public park
+ Park style golf with some mature pine trees as obstacles, manicured grassy grounds
+ Good DISCatchers
+ If you judge this course as a practice area, it's the best you'll play. (I haven't seen any other practice area tracks with 9 baskets, much less in a well-maintained park.) If you judge this course as a regular 9-hole track, it comes up short due to lack of tees and signage...but still, you can make it as short and easy or as long and difficult as you'd like to make it. Sooooo, why complain about that???
I don't know what the technical definition of a "practice area" is on DGCR, but I unclicked the "Practice" button for Kenan so it will get a little more notice in DGCR searches, as it at least has 9 baskets and is in a pretty, well-maintained park. I've played a few true "practice area" courses. Kenan is far better than each of them.
Note: the course does not have marked tees. It's essentially a safari style course. However, 7 of the 9 baskets are numbered -- and you can figure out what the other two would have been numbered. Based on those numbers, you can pretty much ascertain what the imagined course design would be. And on the plus side, the tract of land is big enough -- and there won't be any other golfers there -- so you do have the option to create whatever course you want to play...and even make it decently long.
+ Pretty, well-maintained public park
+ Park style golf with some mature pine trees as obstacles, manicured grassy grounds
+ Good DISCatchers
+ If you judge this course as a practice area, it's the best you'll play. (I haven't seen any other practice area tracks with 9 baskets, much less in a well-maintained park.) If you judge this course as a regular 9-hole track, it comes up short due to lack of tees and signage...but still, you can make it as short and easy or as long and difficult as you'd like to make it. Sooooo, why complain about that???
Cons:
If you don't want to put on your thinking cap and come up with a fun layout or two to play, you might as well skip Kenan. But leaving that aside, it's worth the stop to play it. And if you live near here, I don't see any reason not to play it regularly and come up with various layouts.
- No tees or tee markers
- Intentional or not, only 7 of the 9 baskets are numbered. You can kind of figure out a layout based on these, but still, it would be nice to have at least one template course -- with tee and basket numbers to guide you.
- There is a playground adjacent to the park, so be careful approaching 2-3 of the baskets and don't overshoot (or come up with a hole design for those baskets that takes the playground out of play).
- Many or most of the "fairways" would be overlapping and cris-crossing if this were a moderately played course. As it isn't, this isn't much of a con.
- Other park amenities, like a basketball court, playground, picnic tables, etc. would be hazards if people were using them while you play disc golf. Yield to pedestrians.
- Unless you have the time and imagination for good course design, you'll likely end up playing a pretty short, unchallenging layout.
- No tees or tee markers
- Intentional or not, only 7 of the 9 baskets are numbered. You can kind of figure out a layout based on these, but still, it would be nice to have at least one template course -- with tee and basket numbers to guide you.
- There is a playground adjacent to the park, so be careful approaching 2-3 of the baskets and don't overshoot (or come up with a hole design for those baskets that takes the playground out of play).
- Many or most of the "fairways" would be overlapping and cris-crossing if this were a moderately played course. As it isn't, this isn't much of a con.
- Other park amenities, like a basketball court, playground, picnic tables, etc. would be hazards if people were using them while you play disc golf. Yield to pedestrians.
- Unless you have the time and imagination for good course design, you'll likely end up playing a pretty short, unchallenging layout.
Other Thoughts:
There's no reason not to bag this course on your way from Raleigh to Wilmington, or vice versa, or if you live in this area. It's not one to go out of your way to play, but it's a clean, pretty park with baskets. Enough said.
2
1
takman
Experience:
22.5 years
122 played
25 reviews
Where do I start? 2+ years
Reviewed:
Played on:Nov 27, 2014
Played the course:once
Pros:
-Baskets firmly planted.
-Small but nice section of park used.
-Easy to find.
-Small but nice section of park used.
-Easy to find.
Cons:
-No signage whatsoever, no map or kiosk.
-Baskets seemed just randomly scattered in a circular pattern over about 2 acres. Two baskets were not even numbered.
-Baskets seemed just randomly scattered in a circular pattern over about 2 acres. Two baskets were not even numbered.
Other Thoughts:
I suppose there are parks like this that put no planning into their "course". This could actually be a decent pitch n putt course with some tee markers and re-numbering of the baskets. Until then it's really just a practice range. It has potential.
