Burnettown, SC

Langley Pond DiscGolfPark

4.515(based on 34 reviews)
Filter course reviews

Filter reviews

Filter reviews

Langley Pond DiscGolfPark reviews

Filter
16 0
Moose33
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 13 years 245 played 242 reviews
4.50 star(s)

How is this not talked about more?

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 3, 2024 Played the course:once

Pros:

I've heard a few people talk about this course a bit as a nice accessory to the IDGC courses or as a pretty good spot, but it's just stinking great.

It's near elite in terms of variety and well assembled woods course.

It's a disc golf park course which means you will always have good turf pads, signs and the disc golf park baskets that are basically disc catchers with only one inner ring. I like them and the only spot you don't want to miss is side/low since the chains move slightly less.

The holes are mainly shot shaping through somewhat thick woods, in a way almost reminiscent of Steady Ed, and just like that course it features some water carries that while are not incredibly punishing do add some flavor to the course.

There is a good amount of elevation, especially through the middle section and some long legit par 4s. They are a little soft from the shorts but the longs typically have an element that makes them just a little more demanding. Wether that be just the shot shape or added distance.

The variety of lines and shot shapes you need to score made this such a fresh play for me and the lake views on several holes really highlight the beauty of this property.

Cons:

Cons are few but there are a couple, long walks between the holes on some spots, especially from the short tees. And though there are signs sometimes directions are not super clear. Or maybe I'm just a little dumb.

There are also a few of the turf tees that could use some leveling as the rains of winter have left some wrinkles in the turf.

It's not a real con I suppose but look out for wildlife. Some decent size snakes near the water.

Other Thoughts:

This is a legit top course and I don't know how I haven't been anxious to play it sooner. It's a little out of the way compared to some but totally worth the 20 minutes off the highway, and if I'm back this way with a free two hours I will be trying to beat my first score.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
14 0
Urmomsbf
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 15.7 years 801 played 119 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Thought I was playing a John Houck course.

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 23, 2023 Played the course:once

Pros:

This course was so fun and well designed, I thought I was playing a John Houck course. Multiple routes on several holes are available including a couple of water routes to bypass the tight pine tree lined fairways if you're brave enough. I love these teepads. In fact, the discgolfpark style of teepad is my favorite.

The eight holes with water hazards are manageable with plenty of bail out or play it safe options. There are plenty of elevation changes as well as varying distanced holes throughout the course. Hole 11 being the most unique teeing from a hill traveling over a gully to two basket options near the water. The designers did a great job of mixing hole lengths to not get repetitive.

I believe I saw multiple pin locations on each hole. There are short and long tees with excellent signage. We played the shorts for time management purposes. The longs looked excellent, also.

The area for disc golf seems dedicated to disc golf besides a few trail walkers.

Cons:

While playing short pads, expect a ton of walking between holes.

The par 4's seemed to be soft par 4's as I was getting birdie opportunities (Rec rated player here).

The trees could be a con if you don't like traditional woods golf.

I'd really be nitpicking to list more cons.

Other Thoughts:

This course was two 18 year old kids' first rounds. They handled it well, and have already commented the courses after were much easier! I've been wanting to play here for years, and was not passing up the chance!
Was this review helpful? Yes No
25 0
Shadrach3
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 6.2 years 339 played 325 reviews
4.50 star(s)

A Must-Play with Great Lake Features 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 9, 2022 Played the course:once

Pros:

Far and away the best use of water I've ever seen, along with Excellent woods holes.

-Amenities: Large, wonderful turf tees. Signs with all info and maps for both long and short tees. DISCatchers. Extensive next tee signage. Cleared out paths and boardwalks where needed.

-Multi-Tees: Long and short tees on most, if not all, holes. A good differentiation between difficulty.

-Water Use: Just wow. I have never seen such extensive, good use of water. The pond (which is basically a small lake) is a major play factor on (1), (7), and (10)-(15) - almost half of the course. Sometimes it's a deterrent backdrop to the basket or fairway, sometimes there are water carries ranging from short to long, and a couple of holes have beautifully perched baskets on small peninsulas. Along with this are incredible views. Any one of these could be signature holes on a course.

-Remaining Terrain: Hills and woods fill in the rest of the course and make for a good place to play. Plenty of elevation shots, and the trees are a nice consistency to be a major challenge but also scrambleable.

-Shot Shaping/Gameplay: A really fun course that is simultaneously difficult but easily playable. The woods holes have decently wide fairways, so it's not a crapshoot to stay out of trouble, but many birdie lines will require committed line drives that might narrow the gaps a bit. The lake holes aren't all as safely playable, but most of them have decent bailout routes. Quite a few of these water carries are not just about the carry, but also about placement for subsequent shots, or a putt, if searching for birdies. The course includes six multi-shot holes that are total blasts, and the par-3s are a mix of long and more birdieable. Even barring the water, the shapes included are easily good enough for Langley to be a solid 4.0 course.

Cons:

-Transitions: As many have noted, the walks between holes are frequently pretty long. They aren't unpleasant, just longer than normal. I only got confused on one, which was (15)-(16). Go all the way back past basket (2).

-Conclusion: The weakest holes at Langley are the final three. They aren't bad holes per se, but (16)-(17) are fairly bland woods holes and (18) is a great hole except for its total hideousness and lack of dedicated fairway to stand in.

-Aura: For lack of a better word, the area around this park feels a bit dumpy. The sound of industrial equipment wafts through the air like a faint hint of burnt rubber. Several between-hole transitions feature barren piles of dirt obviously dumped after landscaping. Holes (8) and (18) are bordered by vast fields of sod like so many factory-produced tee shirts. The views of Langley Pond are more than worth it, but this isn't a disc golf sanctuary like the Best of the Best.

-Water: Obvious, but the water is likely to claim discs. I threw two in and was able to retrieve on (both on hole (15)).

-Snakes: I saw multiple water snakes during the round. I don't know zoology well enough to say if they were poisonous or not.

-Two Holes: (6) and (16) weren't terrible, but they didn't have birdie lines from the long tees.

-Tee Encroachment: Some tees are being overcome by dirt/sand. On the other hand, a lot of tees had clearly been rehabbed from the encroaching elements, so hopefully maintenance continues and this doesn't become a real problem.

Other Thoughts:

I love Langley. Like, really love. The water use here is one-of-a-kind in my experience, and so many holes are etched in my memory as signature shots. Portions of the environment are a let down, and there are some less gripping holes (especially towards the end), but on the whole this is an incredible course. As of this review, I have it as my #9 overall, and four of the courses in front of it are Top 10. Play it, and I doubt you'll be disappointed.

-Notable Holes: It's been a while since I included individual hole descriptions, but some holes here are worth it. (1) is a thrilling downhill with a basket perched at the top of a short slope to the lake edge. (4) is the first of many good par-4s, a downhill tunnel leading to a split fairway with a left to right slope. The par-5 (8) is a dogleg right leading to a slowly meandering fairway traveling up a big hill to the basket. (10) is one of the two most signature holes, a big downhill tunnel leading to a peninsula basket with the best course views. (15) is the other big and iconic par-5. This hole somehow creates a split fairway over the water, with long and short water carry options. From there, it's a straight, downhill marathon with water on the left and trees on the right.

I think one of the testaments to this course is how many holes are reminiscent of iconic holes from other Phenomenal courses. The water carry (7) is a mirror image of Hobbs Farm (13), the sheer elevation and narrow tunnel of (10) somehow reminded me of Harmon Hills (17), the perched baskets of (11) screamed Bucksnort (5) at me, and (13) opens from the woods to the lake a la Brazos East (4).

~Similar Courses: See previous paragraph. After playing Langley, I played IDGC Headrick, and they are quite similar to each other. The water holes are pretty unique among what I've played. Closest match otherwise is Hobbs Farm (Carrollton, GA). I've never played there, but the wooded holes are what I imagine Northwood Park (Morton, IL) to be like from pro tour coverage I've seen.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
21 0
Bennybennybenny
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 13.8 years 322 played 303 reviews
4.00 star(s)

That's No Pond.

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Feb 7, 2022 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

-No it's not. That's a lake. A very large one too that has you throwing over several inlets throughout your round with some sort of demand for accuracy or adequate distance in order to miss the lake if you play from the longs. The shorts offer a 6000' par 61 layout that give more birdie opportunities but still have you throwing near the water. Many of the longer holes from the shorts seem to have generous distances. Like holes #4 and #5. Both are under 400' but are still difficult. #4 short is very tight and #5 short plays as a dogleg left on an angle less than 90 degrees.

-Langley can show you mercy if you aren't overly aggressive. If you are, well you better wear a tropical shirt and a bathing suit because there are several holes that'll lead you to water if you aren't cautious. #7 is one of the scariest water holes that I have ever played from the new gold tee. It's a 350' hyzer over the lake on to an island green with OB stakes in play on the entire left side. The water is in play the entire right side. The other two pads offer a straighter view to the basket but the water carry is still present and the left side is closer to you. I lost a putter in the water due to me throwing it too hard. #15 was a daunting par five at 839' from the gold pad. You throw over an inlet of water. Across the inlet, you have two paths to choose from. The left path is much closer to the lake, since the lake is all along the left side of the fairway once you cross the inlet. Seems perfectly rational to go on the right path. Well maybe not. There's an OB rope to the right side and the path turns sharply left after crossing the water from the long tee. The short pad has you facing the path on the right side. You have to throw a quick hyzer up the hill without putting too much turn on it since the rough right before the water is unpleasant.

-Many pin locations close to the water. Making upshots rather intimidating at times too. The first hole looks simple. It's open and pretty significantly downhill. The basket is on a long and narrow ridge that drops off immediately to the lake. Any bad ground action can turn a good hole to birdie into a bogey real fast. #13 was a nice hyzer left up and over a hill toward the lake. #10 is probably the main signature hole. And my favorite hole on the course. It has elevation, water, and a tight but manageable fairway. It gently bends a touch to the right side, so
drivers will tend to turn more. You will want to throw a stable mid range and be left with maybe a 250-300' straight approach. There's no getting away with a lack of accuracy. The green is also the best. You see nothing but water and you are surrounded by it. You will feel like you are on a lost island when you stand on the green. #11's green was also a real treat being on a flat platform near the water yet again.

-Elevation is a factor. It's consistent. Many holes exceed 20' in elevation change from the longs. #10 has maybe an elevation loss of 35' and #8 rises probably at least 35' at the end of it. #9 may surprise you too. It looks flat on the media, but it's a pretty big elevation drop from the long and still significant from the short. It's 348' and reachable with a mid range for most players. Some would go long with a mid and will need to throw an overstable putter.

-The elevation is a direct impact to the challenge. The fairways are well defined, but many are not straight. #9 turns sharply to the left and throwing downhill makes it tougher for your disc to turn at the right timing and not go too far if you hit the line without hitting any trees. #8 has many scattered trees to avoid on the second half while you are throwing up a pretty large hill. You have to really think how your disc's flight could change due to elevation. #10's fairway is tight and the hill drops pretty quickly from the tee pads. Players that love elevation may have a better advantage here at Langley Pond. #3 may encourage you to throw a more understable driver, or a driver with less speed if you play the long. It's 366' and uphill with a gentle right fade. Many more apply to this. Those holes are just a few examples.

-Nice tee signs and carpet tee pads. The signs give hole information and detailed hole diagrams.

-There were benches on most holes if not all. Langley is a work out, and the walk can be pretty tiring due to elevation. It isn't the longest course ever, and the elevation isn't dramatic, but it's longer than average and has more elevation than average. Put those two together and you will find the need to sit.

-Practice field for distance shots. If you can throw over 300' accurately on different fairways, then you may have an advantage at Langley Pond. You will need to throw some practice drives before you start your round.

Cons:

-They got tired of the water hazards so you end with a safety hazard. Sure #18's hill is fun to throw off on, but it may deter you from practicing in the field since it is parallel to #18's fairway along with the entrance that takes you to the parking lot.

-The disc catcher baskets have low rims, which could mean a greater chance for spit outs and roll aways because of a barely missed putt that rolled down a hill. They seemed to catch fine, but I haven't played here enough to assure you that the low rims do not make spit outs more likely.

-The rough on some holes makes a serious attraction for snakes. #15 all on the left hand side is a mess. #12 from the long pad can be a nuisance, since you cross the water throwing left to right off an elevated tee. If you throw high, you'll likely hit some overhead branches and fall straight into the water.

-There's a sign at the lake beside hole one that says that alligators may live here. Just to think I went into the water to retrieve a putter. Just to think a local jumps in there and has retrieved hundreds of discs. I'm terrified of gators!

Other Thoughts:

-I love Langley Pond. The gold layout is truly a blast and a very rewarding experience. The shorts were pretty fun, but I enjoyed the longs more (like I usually do). #15 is a real separator and even more of one from the long pad since you are faced with a water carry that's more than 250'. It's still a par five from the short pad and is still difficult to birdie on the short, so the long is indeed a monster with water in play for over 800 feet on an "S" shaped fairway.

-The construction project caused #8 to open up a lot on the left hand side on the second half. So that probably makes it a little less challenging. It's still a tough hole from the long, but you now have the option to throw a wide anhyzer as an upshot.

-Even par on blue layout probably rates around 900-910. Even on the longs would be at my guess 990-995. The reason why is largely because of the water carries, dangerous pin locations, and some of the consequences for missing the fairways. Holes #1 and #11 are very attackable from the longs and even more so from the shorts. The left pin position on #11 and the pin position on #1 will probably determine whether or not you land inside the circle for a birdie. Go long, and you'll be down the drop off and in the water. You'll want to throw something with less skip. Other holes, such as #2, and #6 offer more forgiveness. #2 is just over 300' from the long and #6 is only about 240' from the long and downhill. #2 is pretty wooded with more flexibility on how you throw your shot. #6 is tight, but gives a clear enough sidearm route. There are many trees, but both times I played this hole I birdied it after hitting a couple of trees. The water holes are the main challenge and do not allow any room for aggression. Play them more cautiously, and you'll likely spare a couple strokes.

-I drove two and half hours to play here after church. It was well worth the drive!
Was this review helpful? Yes No
7 3
Onailer
Experience: 5 years 3 played 2 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Truly a professional quality course. 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 6, 2021 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Discatcher baskets in great shape. Tee pads are phenomenal. Very clearly marked in between holes. Excellently maintained fairways, except 8 and 18. Pro and am tees with se optional basket positions on a few holes.

Cons:

They are doing some work at the entrance putting in a water park. Some holes have some construction issues, specifically hole 8 there is a giant mound of sand in the middle of the fairway.

Other Thoughts:

Overall the course is in fantastic shape except for hole 8 and 18. Clearly marked and Discatcher baskets.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
22 0
Qikly
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 12.5 years 181 played 150 reviews
3.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 5, 2020 Played the course:once

Pros:

Langley Pond's best attribute is its variety: it runs the full gamut of hole lengths, pars, obstacles, and terrain, as well as some interesting combinations thereof. Overall the course plays wooded and technical, but there's enough variation therein that it never feels repetitive or oppressive: more open tee shots with tight landings, multistage par 4s and 5s navigating into and out of tree cover with the lake in play, tunnel shots with impactful elevation, holes with multiple lanes where you can pick your poison, etc. The bordering holes provide some nice counterbalance in the form of more open shots. In total, there's a wealth of ingredients here, so that pretty much any disc golfer is going to find at least a hole or two that they love. For me, those favorites were a few of the longer par 4s and 5s like 15 that require careful play and a balanced negotiation of risk versus reward. For others, it may be the challenging water holes or the bomb's away hole 18. There's something for everyone here.

Course navigation is smooth especially given the unusual layout thanks to persistent signage. There are one or two notable exceptions to this, but the overall experience deserves positive recognition.

The tees are unusual but do the trick. Grooming was excellent when we were there, no small feat for the time of year.

Cons:

My personal read on this course was that there were a couple stellar holes, a fair few good-not-great ones, and some duds.

There are a lot of instances where you either make the shot or your don't, with little possibility for outcomes between complete success or total failure, as well as scant opportunity to recover from bad outcomes (a key feature in designing longer technical holes IMHO). The holes that have water most directly in play are the perfect example of this, requiring precision flight, finely-calibrated landing (including one that is a modest skip away from landing OB in drainage), a big arm, or some combination thereof, with little to no recourse to negotiate whatever technical limitations exist in your game. These water holes are rarely if ever actually interesting shots, and seem to get by on tension alone, feeling awfully simplistic to me: in truth they were some of the worst water holes I have ever played given the all or nothing nature and high technical requirements, and a lot of the course seems to lean into them.

Part of the lack in calibrating difficulty on these and other such holes comes from the large disparity between the short and long tees. The course is clearly designed for the latter, with many holes losing much if not all of their character when played from the shorts. Having a target audience is fine - many of my favorite courses are outrageously demanding - but then having short tees that are largely not actually integrated into the design seems like a limp gesture. As such, I can imagine a lot of not fun rounds and a lot of lost discs here, without a balancing upside in play.

As stated navigation is largely smooth, but a few spots on the back 9 get ambiguous, which led to some speculative navigation and reversing course on our part. One additional sign demands that we "leave our bags here," presumably because of subsequent doubling back, but given it was our first time playing we had no idea what discs were needed in the intervening stretch so the sign did little more than serve as an emergent joke.

Other Thoughts:

My sense of this course is perhaps the most out of step with other reviewers that it's ever been on this site. While offering a good round for sure, this course was nowhere near among the best I've played, or the next best, or even the best of the rest. The few stellar holes were simply outnumbered by the various shortcomings I mentioned. To each their own, but it's partly why I wanted to weigh in.

I've played one other course designed by DiscGolfPark (LHC in Baton Rouge, LA), which had a similar predilection for advanced play favoring those with big arms, but I feel the style worked better there given the more open park setting. At Langley Pond, this style seems to come more in direct conflict with the wooded and watery obstacles, making for what for me was a less effective mix.

The setting is certainly pretty with some great, expansive views of the lake, but it also felt a bit more municipal in spots than I was expecting given some of the comments here.

Our round at Langley was a supplement to two days at the IDGC, which made for an awesome trip! I highly recommend visiting there if you're this close.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
14 0
markmcc
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 12.6 years 278 played 254 reviews
4.50 star(s)

A (Long) Walk in the Forest 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 22, 2019 Played the course:once

Pros:

This is my first "Disc Golf Park" designed and installed course, and I am impressed.

With the exception of the opening and closing holes, this course is cut through some magnificent forest with enough elevation to keep things interesting. Fairways are about the perfect width, with nothing I'd consider poke-n-pray but plenty of penalty for hitting trees and getting kicked sideways. There are some serious thorny plants in the rough, so beware!!

There are a great variety of lines and fairway shapes, from skinny and straight to wider bends and doglegs. A couple of holes drive up over a small rise and then drop back down to the basket, creating some intriguing blind drives.

From the short tees there is a nice variety of holes from easily reachable Par 3's to longer, multi-shot Par 4's and 5's.

IF the pond had been there (see cons) there would be water very much in play on several holes, offering some interesting risk/reward choices.

Hole infrastructure was excellent, with my favorite Innova DisCatcher baskets and their bright yellow band showing up in the shadowy woods. Tee signs were small but adequate, though I'd prefer some indication of "Pro" and "Am" at the tee itself.

This first experience with the Disc Golf Park artificial turf pads was positive. They are flat and level, and allow confident run-up and follow-through. Certainly easier on the knees and shoes than concrete.

Navigation was very good, with plenty of signs to the next tees. That being said, just a couple more on some of the longest walk-outs would be welcome reassurance that you're still on track.

Cons:

The Pond was MIA during my round. Work is being done on the dam and it is drained way down. You could clearly see where the edge of water had been, and it would have been fun to actually play over the water.

The turf tees are starting to show a bit of age. The Hole 1 pad had grass beginning to grow up through it, and many of the pads were loaded up with sand and debris. With no brooms there wasn't any way to clean them up.

As others have mentioned, there are some long walk-outs between holes, enough to add some fatigue to the round. I was pretty charmed by the early ones, as I was enjoying my walk in the woods. By the time I finished the long walk from 15 to 16 I was over it. I imagine on a hot, humid day you would wish things were a bit more compact!

I didn't hate Hole 18 as it was a great opportunity to air out a RHFH drive. But it is currently playing down a skinny strip with construction equipment and materials lining the left side. Not the best way to finish a technical, wooded course.

Other Thoughts:

I just realized that this was my 250th course. A good one to do it on!

Overall a wonderful course, and one that is so close to the IDGC that you might as well add it in to the mix!

I'd love to come back and play it once the lake is up to normal elevation.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
13 4
MadGame32
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 8 years 69 played 69 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Aiken County Open 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Feb 24, 2019 Played the course:once

Pros:

-Great tee signs
-Great tee boxes
-Well cared for by P&R
-Easy to navigate
-Short tees present a sane challenge
-Long tees would be a significant challenge

Cons:

-Only one open chance to crank a long drive on short tees
-Lake has been drained for a bunch of dam work. Making course more forgiving.

Other Thoughts:

I played this course on day 2 of the Aiken County Open. We were assigned to the amateur tees and I am thankful. The pro tees would have been a HUGE challenge.

I am struggling with where to rate this course. It has everything you really need, but I was not left with a "Wow" moment other than the long tees appearing to be quite difficult. It may have been because the water was drained when I played making everything look more dismal.

I loved how natural terrain was used without feeling the need to put in a bunch of mandos or OB lines. Maybe I was just tired when I played and that lowered the impression. Also, the driving range that was referenced in previous reviews is no longer there. It is replaced by huge piles of rock and dirt. I bet if those driving ranges had been there without signs of construction, the aesthetics would have been much more pleasing.

I rank all the courses I have played against each other and I assign ratings based on a normal distribution (bell curve). For now, this course gets a 3.5, but I definitely think it can go no where but up from that rating. I plan to play in this tourney again next year, so i will see how it looks with the water back in place. i am sure the rating will go up a little then.

3/29/21 Update:

Out of the 68 courses I have reviewed, this is where this course ranks along with similarly rated courses:
Rank-Course, Location
16-Woodruff Leisure Center DGC, Woodruff, SC
17-Shaver Recreation Center Original, Seneca, SC
18-Foothills DGC, Easley, SC
19-Langley Pond DGC, Burnettown, SC
20-Century Park DGC, Greer, SC
21-Pipeline DGC, Spartanburg, SC
22-Zube Park DGC, Hockley, TX
23-Duncan Lake - East, Duncan, OK
24-Lindsey Park - Red Course, Tyler, TX
25-Veteran's Park, Arlington, TX
Was this review helpful? Yes No
26 0
wellsbranch250
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 10.9 years 707 played 687 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Gauntlet Of Paradise 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 22, 2018 Played the course:once

Pros:

(4.355 Rating) A medium length technical masterpiece where Beginners will be carved-up like the Thanksgiving Turkey at John Madden's house.
- CHALLENGING - This is no doubt a championship style course. I admittedly threw the shorts (Blues). As an Intermediate level player and I think it gave me all the challenge I needed. I only just cracked par from this layout, but I still made sure to take a look at all but one back (Gold) tee line. I skipped (14), which required an extra walk down towards the pond shore, and I was already tired by this point on this long beat down course. The tee shot demands from Gold tee (10) and (15) are absolutely spectacular! I recommend bringing a couple throw-away discs to the player that plans to throw the Gold layout. There's a big difference between the two tee layouts. The Golds are perhaps 8 throws or more difficult than the Blues. I looked up a recent professional tourney at Langley and even par from the Gold tees netted 990 rated rounds. I've played less than 10 courses that offer a more difficult layout than that.
- SIGNATURE HOLES - Some of the most fascinating holes I've ever seen. As mentioned under the challenging pro, holes (10) and (15) are sensational. (10) is a well defined 50 foot downhill tunnel shot par 4 with risk reward fairway options. The left fairway is definitely more open, it just requires putting the next shot over the lake blindly and bringing it back to the right. (15) is a monster par 5 starting with a big water clear and hitting one of two fairways across the lake inlet. After the tee shot, hole management takes center stage as one has to maneuver around trees and terrain changes for the next 500 feet. Holes (7), (12) and (14) are all awesome water plays as well, I just wish the water element was used more effectively on the right side.
- UNIQUENESS AND DESIGN - A 7,863 foot par 62 from the Gold tees. Two par 5s and four par 4s. Lots of water in play if Langley Pond is at a high bank level. Lots of elevation in play. No epic elevation above the 70 foot range, but lots fairways with 30 feet of grade change in them. I think (8) changes the most being a par 5 that runs up 60 to 70 feet. Hole (10) is the biggest down-shot here where the gold tee plays down about 50 feet to the landing area, and then rises back up a bit on the approach. The layout is mostly tunnel shots excluding (1) and (18). Holes twist both ways and some are gradual turns while others are 90 degree placement doglegs. Numerous holes have multiple well defined fairway options where hole management and risk reward analysis will tingle the brain. The only thing missing at Langley is the short featureless open hole.... oh darn.
- RAW BEAUTY - Langley's exotic looks stack up well compared to the best courses I've played. I graded the course a 4.625 out of 5 for beauty, which is roughly 10th on my list of 310 courses played. In addition to the noted holes above, the layout has a lot of eye-pleasing densely wooded holes.
- TEE EXPERIENCE - This is only the second time I haven't taken away rating points for not having concrete tees. (Perkerson in Atlanta is the other) The best built turf tees I've ever played on. It was a little wet, muddy and misty on the morning I arrived and the tees were in wonderful shape. Its remarkable for the course to have been in the ground for over 3 years now and the unevenness to be almost unnoticeable. The Gold tees are 6 feet by 12 feet and the Blue tees are 5 feet by 10 feet. Tee shading was excellent and there were benches on just about every tee.
- NAVIGATION - Unfortunately no course map on site during my visit. However, navigating this course is almost flawless. First off, sweet looking metal arrow plates apparently welded to the base of the baskets. Navigational cues between holes are everywhere. The only time I questioned my path between holes was after (15). This was the only gap where there were no signs for a good 500 feet. My guess is that a directional sign fell down just prior to my round. As for the tee signage, very good. They have all the info one would need, distance, par, obstacles and next tee directions. The aesthetics for them is nice too, but not extravagant enough to break into my top twenty.
- CHARACTER - In addition to the tees and navigation, the rest of the basics and extras are about average. For one thing, the perfect basket for a woods course with the yellow band peaking threw the trees. Thankfully on this long and hilly course there is seating on every hole. There's a nice mid-way point shelter at tee (10) with two picnic tables. Restrooms are near tee (1) but they were locked during my visit. See cons, Under Construction. There is one extra basket placement on (11), but I envision a lot more alternate placements as this course continues to evolve.

Cons:

The issues are mainly limited to the effects delivering a championship style layout.
- DISCONTINUITY - I rarely take off rating points for this, but the gaps between holes on this layout are so over the top that it began to effect my experience. I understand wanting to deliver ideal tee shots and trying to eliminate filler holes, but then why do holes like (1), (2), (17) and (18) exist.
- UNDER CONSTRUCTION - Several prior park amenities are no longer present or available. The restrooms were locked due to vandalism, the drinking fountain was broke, the course map was pulled, the practice baskets were pulled and the driving range was all ripped up.
- SAFETY HAZARDS - I don't get (18). There's so much great land to use here, why end the layout with a hazardous open RHFH shot that goes down a park road and along the open practice fields.
- ANTI-CLIMATIC - In addition to (18), the last 3 holes feel anti climatic. (16) and (17) blue tees are just fairly straight and simple wooded par 3s. Walking up to (18) and looking down fairway was a let-down considering the epic holes earlier in the layout.
- LOOSE DISC OPPS - I feel blessed to not have lost one disc out here. There are a bunch of unforgivable hazards out here, as well as a few nasty impenetrable overgrowth areas. I spent 10 minutes searching for my driver, on just one hole. Playing the short tees only takes away a small fraction of the risk.
- BEGINNER FRIENDLY - Way too difficult for beginners and novice players as well. If you haven't played over a hundred rounds of disc golf, this course will eat you alive. I could see a segment of Recreational population not enjoying this course as well.
- TERRAIN - If you have bad knees or ankles I'd stay clear of this course. There are lots of rocks and roots to stub a toe or twist an ankle on. Several fairways are littered with small branches which will take away the skip play. Players that like well groomed courses may not enjoy this course as much as others. Probably not the best course for the disc golf cart, you'd need some big wheels.
- PARKING - the original parking area is gone and all that remains is a small strip next to the trail heads. I could see some issues on a busy day.
- TIME PLAY - It took me a hair under two hours for a quick solo player in good shape. That's utter ridiculousness for the 5,800 foot blue tee layout. Figure 3 1/2 hours for a foursome. I bet if a league existed, it would take 4 hours. This really limits effective usage from the locals.

Other Thoughts:

Any player looking for a beautiful diabolical challenge needs to plan a trip here. Players looking for a laid back round however won't find it here, even if playing the short layout. For me, it was an instant favorite and it holds up very well when comparing it to the IDGC courses. The layout delivered one memorable shot after another. As of this review, I have the course rated at my 7th position out of 310 courses played. Had all the missing items noted for my Under Construction con been here, Langley would likely nudge up into my top 5. Please PM me if you know that this construction is complete and that these amenities have returned. I will update my review and score.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
16 0
Cerealman
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 16.4 years 665 played 195 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Furrowed fairways 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 9, 2018 Played the course:once

Pros:

If you're visiting the Greater Augusta area, then the Langley Pond DGP course is a comparable complement to the challenges offered at the three IDGC courses to the west.

Langley Pond can be difficult, especially from the long tees. Most of the course is in the woods and narrow fairways in spots. Wayward shots require demanding recoveries to avoid being punished with bogeys and worse. The par-4s and par-5s are fantastic, offering multiple lines and teasing you with possible redemption.

The first two holes are welcoming and fairly open, allowing time to physically warm up and mentally prepare for the impending forest-laden test.

The diversity of course design on the front nine is exceptional - each hole offers a dissimilar confrontation such as narrow lines or multiple paths or extreme doglegs; there's even a U-shaped hole that requires accurate drive placement to allow a chance for birdie. The beastly #8 might be the best hole: this wooded par-5 offers a wider fairway but concludes with a lovely uphill upshot to the basket.

The turf-covered tees are fantastic and the hole signage is top-notch. Navigation was fairly straight forward; even with some long walks between holes, the green-and-white arrow signs are easy to follow. (Though, the long walk between #15 and #16 could use a couple more signs.) The brooms and benches are nice, and some of those benches will get frequent use after a couple longer walks!

Cons:

With suspicious smells and signs of nearby construction, the entrance to Langley Pond DGP is slightly daunting. Fortunately, the course is tucked away nicely in the surrounding wooded area.

The most influencing con is the fairways, which are heavily littered with wood chips, sticks and uneven ground on several of the holes. While acknowledging that this course is a recent creation, the rutted fairways and assorted debris demand more maintenance in order for Langley Pond DGP to be considered in the upper echelon of courses.

The course is truly a "nine out" and "nine in" design. Returning to your vehicle during the round is cumbersome, so bring lots of water.

A bit of redundancy exists on the back nine, as Holes #12, 14 and 15 have some similarity in their dogleg-right, over-the-water design.

Hole #16 has the potential to be one of the coolest holes on the course, but the blind uphill drive and the undefined fairway over the short teepad make it a "tweener" from the gold tees. As a previous user suggested, the teepad needs to be moved to the top of the hill or back further. With some adjustment, Hole #16 could qualify as an excellent finishing hole.

The course finishes with a slight letdown. Hole #17 is a mundane, straight fairway on a path. And Hole #18 - while giving the chance to air out your last drive - feels like the course designers ran out of room and created a "filler hole" to finish.

Other Thoughts:

Plenty of excellent disc golf exists at Langley Pond. While the furrowed fairways are a concern, that's an issue that can be improved. Expect a grueling encounter that will challenge your stamina but leave you eagerly anticipating your next visit.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
12 0
thrembo
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 49.6 years 245 played 198 reviews
4.50 star(s)

If You Like Disc Golf And Hiking... 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Apr 18, 2018 Played the course:once

Pros:

Fantastic rustic style course with plenty of elevation changes, beautiful forest, and the "pond". A good mix of hole lengths and types. Bridges and staircases to help in rough spots and steep climbs. Some of the best tee signs and next tee signs that I have ever seen. Very challenging, even from the short tees. Brutal, from the long tees. Two sets of really nice concrete tees covered in AstroTurf (Should become the new standard for tees, in my opinion, they really are very nice). Plenty of benches and brooms. Possibly the best chill spot on any disc golf course (a covered pavilion with picnic tables, isolated and with tees for hole ten on one side and the pond on the other). Friendly locals. Well maintained.

Cons:

Not too many cons here. There are some long walks between a lot of the holes. At first, I was digging the nature hikes, but towards the end, it started wearing me down. This course is a long walk around! Probably not the best course for low-level rec or new players. I would also recommend wearing long pants and sturdy hiking boots.

Other Thoughts:

There is still construction going on in the park, but it doesn't really affect disc play too much. Old hole three is now hole one. The greater Augusta area is home to several destination courses and makes for a fine road trip.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
21 0
BogeyNoMore
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 20.5 years 517 played 185 reviews
4.50 star(s)

You’ll never notice the CIA operatives hiding in the woods 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 30, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

Wonderfully executed, championship caliber course.

• Variety: Excellent. Nice mix short, long, and somewhere in between (especially if you're willing to jump between short/long tees). Wonderful collection of fairway shapes, with several interesting holes that play to legit landing zones. Particularly well-wooded, but still features some holes that offer a few lines off the tee, forcing you to choose one and strategy and commit. Balanced in that it requires BH/FH, hyzer/annie lines. Genuinely one of those "every shot in your bag" type of courses.

• Challenge: Excellent. Plenty of legit Par 4's and a couple of Par 5's. The holes may be long, but this course decidedly favors accuracy over distance. I only recall one hole (#18) where sheer distance without good placement is likely to go unpunished. If anything, this course is challenging to a point that might frustrate some players ...(PDGA# 7495 comes to mind).

• Elevation: Excellent. The varied topography is superbly exploited throughout the course to increase challenge, enhance fun, and keep you engaged the entire round. Uphills, downhills, rollaways, and more, including a few holes that basically play pretty flat.

• Equipment: Excellent. Concrete tees with artificial turf drain well and provide great footing. Baskets are actually DiscMania's version of Innova Discatchers, with a shallower tray than current Discatchers, but the same yellow band screaming "Hey, I'm over here!" ...even from a distance in the woods. Top notch tee markers and next tee indicators as needed. Benches, brooms, trashcans, well-constructed steps and bridges round things out to let you know they took things seriously.

• Aesthetics: Quite a picturesque course, with several holes featuring beautiful views of the retaining pond/lake. I wouldn't quite call it rugged, but the varied terrain makes for a scenic hike through the woods.

• Routing/Nav: Very Good. My guide was intimately familiar with the course and quite engaging, so all I can say is, nothing struck me as particularly difficult. There are some long walks between holes, but everything is well-marked, so if end up at the wrong tee, it's obvious immediately, rather than wondering if you've skipped some holes. If you're playing for the first time, print the map beforehand or snap a pic with your phone at the start.

• Memorable Holes.
I enjoyed 7's island green.
#15 has an epic feel to it.
#18 After playing lumberjack the previous 14 holes, letting one (or more) rip from an elevated tee is a very satisfying way to end your round.

• Bonus: Driving range and Practice baskets

Cons:

admittedly nit-picky
• I like technical, woodsy, hilly courses, but the stretch from 3 -17 starts to feel a bit long on the tooth. One or two, somewhat open holes playing to a well-guarded pin toward the latter section of the course would provide a respite from the haunted forest, and provide a better sense of "pacing," while making the course a bit more complete.

• More a recommendation than a con: 1st timers might want to avoid solo rounds in late spring/summer. Well-defined fairways really tempt you to get down there, but with the twists, turns, and terrain, a bad kick could easily leave you with no clue where your disc ended up once everything's grown in.

Other Thoughts:

Langley's long, very well-wooded, hilly holes reminded me a bit of Nevin, but maybe even nicer. The timing of my visit (late Dec) was a double-edged sword; no doubt I played a much more forgiving course in the winter, but I didn't get to appreciate how nice this course must surely be come spring/summer.

Several reviewers mentioned long walks as cons. Maybe I didn't mind because I had a guide, but I can say this course successfully avoids lame filler/connector holes. Sometimes, a few long walks between holes is the price you pay for that.

This course is a 4.25 that's so well-designed and executed, and so pretty, I can see my way to a 4.5.

Less than an hour from IDGC, and basically just outside of Augusta (with several other highly rated courses).
Was this review helpful? Yes No
8 2
JSDG
Experience: 29.4 years 4 played 4 reviews
4.00 star(s)

How's your accuracy? 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Oct 6, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

-Extremely challenging course
-Professional and amateur tees
-On site driving range

Cons:

-Unforgiving terrain in rough
-Occasional rough terrain to traverse between tees
-Easy to lose discs if inaccurate

Other Thoughts:

Wow. This course is amazing. If you're the type of player who feels you have a solid game, come here and find out. Langley Pond will not hesitate to humble. This is the sort of course that will tempt you to break out all your tricks, but be warned, the course is very unforgiving. My very 1st time playing this course I lost 2 of my favorite drivers. (orange Innova Shyrke, green Innova Beast). While looking for mine, I found 2 drivers belonging to others! The rough along the pond is riddled with mud pits, debris and saw grass. You do not want to deal with this. After 30 minutes of digging through the above mentioned conditions, I emerged covered in small cuts, blood, mud and plant debris.
If you're an accurate player with a lot of finesse, you will excel here. If you're working on becoming that sort of player though, expect this course to frustrate. In my opinion, this course is one of those 'if you can make it here, you'll make it anywhere' type courses. I left Langley Pond sore, tired, sweaty and full of smiles- something only a devoted disc golfer would understand. I don't care if it takes 1000 discs, I will tame this course!!! :)
Thanks to everyone who made this place a reality.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
3 30
natreyk
Experience: 1 played 1 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Great Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 4, 2017 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Long, wooded, but fair. Staying on the fairway is a must, but can produce birdies

Cons:

It can get hot in the summer, and there is no water on the course. But you can't really expect more from a free course

Other Thoughts:

5/5
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)

Pretty nearly perfect 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 1, 2017 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Two tees per hole, except for the Top of the World shot on hole 18. Each tee offers a new way to approach the hole as well, for added variety.

Teepads are wonderful artificial turf; so much grippier than concrete, wear less on your shoes, and are so much nicer on the joints. I can't say enough good things about these tees. There are even brooms under the benches to sweep the tees off.

Tee signs are informative and show the required lines well. They are also easy to read. The course map by the driving range is well laid out, easy to read, and informative. Course navigation follows the green arrow signs, and while a couple more would certainly help, combining them with the course map makes navigation pretty straightforward.

Benches on nearly every hole, and plenty of stairs and other infrastructure to aid traversing the course.

18 Discgolfpark Discatchers in good shape. These are different from the Pro 28 discatchers in several ways and are slightly less forgiving of poor putts, but they're fair and catch the good putts very well.

Two practice baskets and four driving range teepads with 200, 300, and 400 foot markers.

Good use of elevation and woods; the big, old trees are featured prominently in the design to create lanes and what I like to call natural mandos. They are also used well on several of the greens. It's a very pretty course, and will be even more so when the lake is back to full height.

Most tee shots are demanding, but fair. Pretty much every hole is super fun to throw. Par 4's and 5's have well thought out landing zones which offer a good look at the second or third shot if you get the placement correct.

There are a few garbage cans throughout the course; they are in spots which you walk by a couple times in the round though and are empty pretty regularly so no issues though.

Nice picnic pavilion off of ten's tee to catch your breath; gorgeous view of the lake.

There are some seriously fun shots to throw out here. My favorites are the tee shots on hole 2 long and hole 15 long, as well as the second shot on hole 8 long (basically the tee shot for hole 8 short).

Overall a good flow and balance to the course. Pretty much every hole is demanding, but each in its own way. There are no deja vu sections where you basically throw the same hole twice in a row, and while a couple holes seem to have the same basic design idea (hole 13 and 16 spring to mind right away), they execute that idea in very different ways.

Cons:

Langley Pond is currently down while the dam is being fixed. Once it's fixed, the water carries will have actual water in them. Of course, that then means there will be loads of plastic lost on hole 7.

County will occasionally close part or all of the course for events going on at the park, such as car shows and 5K runs. Pay attention to the Facebook page for both the park and the county parks system to be aware of these happenings.

With two practice baskets, they could have been spaced 100-200' apart to allow for upshot practice throwing from one to the other then back to the one.

Fairways are still rough; run ups are very difficult on the holes which have lots of the large woodchips scattered all over them (specifically hole 15).

Rough is still extremely rough; be aware of thorns.

A few holes (hole 5 long and hole 16 long) have somewhat ridiculous tee shots. I don't quite see how you can get in the right position off hole 5 to have a decent look down the fairway unless the throw is just PERFECT. Hole 16 is a throw and pray hole. The line is there, it's just one that's kind of ridiculous to ask a disc to fly because discs don't really fly like that. However, I could see someone being able to throw it.

There isn't much water available, and the course is a sort of out and back figure 8, so you need to pack out all the water you'll need. Hole 17's basket and hole 18's tee are right by a BiLo though (and there is an entrance not 100' from the park entrance), so water and Gatorade are very easily obtained before, during, or after the round.

A few of the transitions are moderately to extremely long (hole 2 to 3, hole 7 to 8, hole 12 to 13, and hole 15 to 16). Additionally, the signage can be somewhat confusing for 12 to 13.

On hole 10, you have to double back up the fairway to get to 11's tee. Admittedly, it's pretty obvious to see people doubling back, but there's always that one guy.

A few holes play close to the walking trail, so be aware of people walking. While they shouldn't be on the fairways, a bad kick could still be dangerous. I've also seen some horse manure on the fairways, and Aiken is a big horse area, so please be on the lookout for people riding horses.

Other Thoughts:

I seriously, seriously wish I could give this course 4.75 discs (if I get exact, it's more like 4.825 discs). Give it another few years to really get played in, and it'll be just about perfect. However, given that the little issues are mostly part of the course and are things which other players may not mind or find challenging, I feel rounding up to 5 discs is more appropriate than rounding down to 4.5 discs. This championship caliber course was Aiken County Parks and Rec's first disc golf course (Odell Weeks and Perry Park fall under city jurisdiction, while USCA belongs to the university), and paired alongside Boyd Pond, provides a great resource for county residents to be introduced to and progress in the sport. I'm super lucky in that when I'm home from Clemson, Langley Pond and Boyd Pond are both about 15 minutes from my parents' house. Langley Pond itself has two sets of tees, and while the shorter tees are still demanding, they are slightly more accessible for the recreational and advancing player than the longs. The long tees are one of those humbling experiences which remind you just how hard this sport can be. The rough is pretty thick in places and the fairways are still being beaten in, so some shots can be tricky. However, overall this is a must play for the area and combined with the IDGC and all the other courses available in the area make the CSRA a great disc golf destination.

Favorite holes:

Hole 1 & 2 together are a great starting pair. Hole 1 plays down a hill from the long tee to a basket perched along a ridge above the lake, while hole 2 long is a straightforward straight to fade shot. Both are seriously fun shots and you'll want to get a bird on at least one of these, as birdies can be in short supply.

Hole 6 is a demanding but short par 3 after a couple very tough par 4's; it's a simple RHFH flick shot, but the trees are very tight and failing to hit the exact line will result in anything from absolute jail in the rough to a 85ish' upshot.

Hole 7 is another fun shot; a basic backhand hyzer, it's a good ace run hole.

Hole 8 is a monster par 5 that, while on the shorter side, is a true shot-shaping par 5. The tee shot is a placement forehand or turnover shot to a second fairway, which can be an opportunity to either play for placement or try to bite off a big chunk of distance, depending on how the tee shot goes. A short hyzer opens up a long third shot to try for a putt, while a pucker factor longer straight to fade shot will provide an easier third shot, provided you can navigate all the trees precisely. The basket is perched on a very steep slope with thick rough about 7 feet behind it on one side and several trees on the other. Blow by on a birdie bid or fourth upshot and you'll have a genuine death putt, while hitting cage or band usually means another long, if not longer, putt. Definitely my favorite hole on the course.

Hole 14 and 15 are also seriousy fun tee shots.

Good and bad hole: Hole 5's tee shots, from either pad, are somewhat iffy. I don't quite see how you can get into a good spot from the long pad unless you throw literally the perfect shot; just too stable and you're in the woods, just too flippy and you're long, and the same with the power levels. Like, I get it, but come on. And it's a shame, because the second shot from the right landing area is seriously fun. I would have moved the short pad into this LZ and called it a par 3, as you basically just throw a giant spike hyzer from the short to get a look. The green is probably the best on the course, with two giant trees flanking the basket (the course's logo). There's a ditch just in front and a drop off behind, so your upshot or layup needs to be perfect, and any birdie putts won't be like those in your backyard.

WTF hole: Hole 16 is a pretty ludicrous teepad. I mean, discs just don't really fly the type of line you're being asked to throw. If the hill were not as steep as it were, or the basket wasn't as long or as left as it is, it would be fine. But I just can't imagine any shot that will get your within the putting range that I think should be achievable for a par 3. I mean, there's a lay up zone to get a pretty decent 80-90 foot putt, but even that is a seriously precise shot and it should be rewarded as such. I guess I could see someone being able to throw the line to get inside the circle, but for most mortals, it seems pretty much impossible. The short pad, however, is a fair but demanding shot, so I guess that's ok.

Overall, if there had been some ongoing maintenance on the course since it had opened to thin out the first cut of rough from the fairway and the fairways, the actual course would be insanely perfect. This is about the only thing that can really be fixed from the cons, unless more tree thinning to open up hole 5's LZ and a redesign of hole 16. However, these little issues aside, you can really tell someone thought out all the extra little amenities at the course, the fairways are mostly fair, all of the greens are amazing and challenging, and the tee shots are fun at Langley Pond. It's DEFINITELY worth the trip to play.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
10 1
bhadella
Experience: 26.4 years 175 played 5 reviews
4.50 star(s)

It's Almost There 2+ years

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

Pros:

Note: This review is for the long (Gold) teepads.

- This course has the most consistent level of challenge of any course I've played. No gimme birdie holes. No un-parable holes (well, 4 is really tough and 16 is just a poor hole). If you get a birdie, you earned it.
- Good use of shot shapes. Well balanced between left to right and right to left holes. Challenging but achievable distances on holes.
- These teepads rule. Very large and grippy. I never thought twice about them (and I generally think about even well installed concrete pads).
- Great tee signs and directional signs. The tee signs were accurate and informative. The directional signs were well placed and easy to see.
- Good use of elevation and water. I think that the water holes had both right turning and left turning shapes was brilliant as it challenges players to hit both types of shots.

Cons:

The only poorly designed hole was 16, the teepad is tucked into the backside of a hill leaving a completely blind 376' teeshot down a tight gap to open area and then a tightening green. It's a tweener and it's a very easy two shot hole or a very flukey one shot hole. The teepad should either be pushed back 75' and turned into a par 4 or the teepad moved up 75' on top of hill.

And I think the first water hole with an island green (#7) should have a drop zone. If failing to hit island from longs, move to short teepad. If fail to hit from short teepad, move to drop zone.

Other Thoughts:

If not for 16, this is a 5.0 course.

Although excellently installed, the course needs a club or group to handle the period maintenance. Several of the new fallen trees have not been maintained.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
4 3
adamwn9
Experience: 11.5 years 63 played 11 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Difficult, But Fun 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jun 24, 2017 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

-Accurate and informative tee signs
-Well kept turf pads on each hole - there are even brooms on the backs of each bench
-Nice benches at every tee pad
-Navigation is not difficult, there is an arrow in each basket pointing you in the right direction - there are even painted roots to make sure you're walking the correct trail
-Natural OB and obstacles keep things interesting - marsh, pond, elevation, trees

Cons:

-I can't think of anything that stuck out as a negative - the rough can be pretty rough in spots
-I read some people were confused with long walks between a few holes, but it was nothing that took away from how great the course was
-If you throw in the marshy area on a few holes it can be tough to traverse, I've lost one disc in 3 rounds

Other Thoughts:

One of the best courses I've ever played. It is obviously very well maintained and taken care of. The driving range was cool, before they started construction. I've played it three times now, shooting well above par from the long tees and enjoyed each round. This course is worth going out of your way for.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
1 2
cgprush
Experience: 4 played 2 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Challenging well-maintained interesting course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 27, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

This course has every challenge and shot you could possibly want with the possible exception of a good roller hole. Tee pads and signage are excellent and the course is well-maintained with bridges, steps, and boardwalk paths where needed. A nice practice putting area and driving range (marked out to 400') are right next to the parking area. You can warm up with some putting then throw some drives before heading to the 1st tee past the far side of the driving range. All holes except 18 have separate short and long tees.

Cons:

About the only thing I can come up with is that there are a few long walks that could have used one or two more directional signs along the path but this is more of a nitpick than an actual con.

Other Thoughts:

A great addition to the course roster in the Aiken, SC, area. I'll play it every time I'm in town visiting the in-laws. Well worth your time.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
15 0
Chained Evil
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 14.5 years 1199 played 232 reviews
4.50 star(s)

What an awesome course 2+ years

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

Pros:

This course has a great mix of short, moderate, and longer holes. Both uphill and downhill holes are accounted for here. Dog leg L and R shaping holes.
Protected baskets and lower ceiling shots are here as well.
Multiple tees and pins placements. Both sets of tees provide a different look at each hole. Signage is good and the Kiosk is in excellent condition and provides all the information needed.
Tees are plenty ample, made of astroturf(providing a unique factor)and allow for a proper run up.
Brooms on the back of the benches so you can clean off the tee pads. Benches at many holes. Bridges in the appropriate spots and stairs where needed as well.
The elevation is awesome and will add to the challenge of the round.
There are a couple of holes where water may or may not come into play so that adds to the pucker factor a bit. You won't want to over shoot on say hole 1 or 11 especially.
Directional arrows on the baskets to keep you on the right path.

Cons:

There several places where there are long walks between holes.
3's basket to 4's tee, 12's basket to 13's tee, and 15's basket to 16's tee come to mind. Sometimes the walks are longer than the holes themselves. This slows the flow of the round down a bit.
There is also a bit of a walk from the parking lot to the first tee and from 18's basket to the parking lot.
There are a couple of stumps here or there that aren't flush with the ground. Paying attention would be advised.

Other Thoughts:

This course offers so much shot variety and the round will be challenging both physically and mentally.
Even though this course has a couple of cons the shots more than make up for it. This course is one of the best in the area and is super fun to play. This course starts out with a nice downhill shot towards the lake before you make your way through the woods to play the next 16 holes. Hole 18 is an epic elevated tee shot with the basket positioned on the side of a hill. You can go out over the driving range with a big anny(RHBH) or could rip a giant FH(RHFH) to try and reach the pin. The trees that line the fairway can be thrown over as of right now but in the coming years this may prove to be more difficult.
What other course have you ever been to that has had a DRIVING RANGE? Yes you read that correctly this course has a driving range with distance markers and multiple tees with benches to set your bag on. You will be looking for a place to pay green fees, but rest easy non are needed here. Very unique addition to this course.
If you are in the area this is a must play course. Do yourself a favor and play this course and then head over to Boyd Pond Park. If I ever get back to the area both of these courses will be on my replay list.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
17 0
DiscGolfCraig
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 20.5 years 628 played 575 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Big time experience on the long wood. 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 5, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

Langley Pond is an elite course. It's easily in my top 10 of more than 230 courses played. And it might, just might, be South Carolina's best course.
- Pure brilliance throughout. This course has everything a championship caliber course should have. You're going to face some brutal, long, and frustrating layouts. You're going to be fighting for pars. You're going to have to make solid throw after solid throw just to survive. And you will love it.
- You get a chance to warm up before it gets tough really fast. Just like any horror movie, everything appears calm at first. Holes #1 - 3 should all be easy pars. It's not until hole #4 that you really get to see what this course offers.
- From holes #4 - 10, four holes are longer than 500 feet. Hole #4 starts it off at 714 feet. Halfway down the fairway, you must pick which route you're taking to the basket. Choose wisely.
- One of the shorter holes in that stretch - #7 at 285 feet - plays over the marshy part of the pond. Even when you think you can relax, you still need to throw well just to save your disc.
- Then there's #8, an absolute beast of a hole at 753 feet. Just when you think you've survived, the last third of the hole plays uphill to the basket. At this point, remember you've still got 10 holes to go and there's nowhere to bail out.
- By this point in my round, I'd given up any hope of carding a birdie. The course does offer places for you to catch your breath. You know a course is tough when you're glad to be getting easy 3s. Holes #9, 11 & 12 all offered a chance to catch my breath.
- The course has plenty of benches and trash cans. Benches are needed. Also, a small, ingenious part of the course was its transitions markers. There are green next arrow signs; however, along the paths, the tree roots are also spray painted green throughout these walkways. Clever touch.
- Ummm, there's a ton of unused hilly, wooded land throughout the park. If you can have 18 elite holes, you can also have 36.

Cons:

This course has one glaring weakness: the ridiculous amount of walking between many holes.
- Yes. The course is elite. That said, at what point is a course taking liberties by using excess land to create 18 holes? Can you use an entire large park to create an 18-hole layout? What about a city? When you're backing tracking the length of an entire hole plus another 500 feet, is that excessive? I can't think of any other course I've played where I've had that much walking between holes. The course length is 1.5 miles, and I bet there's close to another mile of walking throughout the course.
- As bad as the walk is for the pro layout, imagine playing the shorter layout, and having to walk that extra 2100 feet?
- This is a grueling, exhausting course. With all that walking, all that walking up and down hills, and number of throws required, the course will wear you out. I played a solo round, played reasonably well, and it still took me more than an hour and a half to finish my round.
- It'd be nice to see #7 have an easier land-access point, especially from the short tees. There seems to be a high lost disc factor on this hole, which can be frustrating.

Other Thoughts:

Langley is a top-notch course. It's one of the best I've ever played. In fact, I think it might be the best free, public course I've ever played (Renny & Ashe County are also in the conversation).
- We all wish the course layout were more compressed. No one likes the long walks between holes, but don't let that take away from this course's beauty.
- This is the best summation of Langley. I looked back at my online score for my round. I had 19 total putts for the round. Even if I was off by a couple of putts, I didn't have that few because my putting is that great. It's not. It's because I was often scrambling to salvage par and/or throwing approach shots from 100 - 150 feet out. The point being is this course tests every aspect of your game.
- A slight annoyance is that two of the weaker holes are #16 & 17. You're coming through an epic stretch of holes and have the hill in front of the tee pad on #16 and a simple, straight, uphill shot on #17. #18 is a fun hole. It just a complete 180 from the rest of the course.
- #15 is great in that it offers two split fairway options. Right off the tee, you've got to choose how you're going to play the hole. And then you do it again mid-fairway.
- There are some great views of the water. I love the look from the tee on #10. It's a great downhill hole. Also, enjoy the view from the tee on #15. You get to look into the eye of the storm before it comes crashing down on you.
- I'm giving this course a 4.5 rating. I wanted to give it a higher mark, but it's not the level of the 5.0 rated courses I've played. It's comparable to the IDGC's Jackson layout. This course alone is worth a trip to the Augusta area.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
Top