18 holes, with every hole offering at least two tees (many have three) and two basket positions (a shorter, yellow DIScatcher; then the longer Disc Golf Park baskets) on every hole. The course plays through a large park on the outskirts of Roanoke offering every kind of shot imaginable. Tunnel shots? Yup. Big open fairways? Sure. Tight to open and vice versa? That's here too. Challenging OB and natural OB? Also here. Elevation? Plenty of it, and it's utilized to the fullest extent. Extremely well maintained. Tee signs were excellent and navigation was also excellent, no need to pull up UDisc. Very nominal honor system $3 fee for playing, was far beyond worth it. Great finishing hole (if you finish on 18). Many par fours and even a couple of par fives, and also some shorter, technical holes.

Course can be muddy after a rain (non-factor when I played).
Chance of a lost disc in the tall bamboo off to the right of hole 9; but otherwise the lost disc chance here is low. Bring water/drinks. I didn't see a restroom on site.

I don't hand out five's like candy; so if I give a course a five, it is because it is worthy of it. This course is worthy of a five. You have everything from a very hard, championship level course; on down to a fun, but challenging course if you're playing red pad to yellow basket. I played the white pads and enjoyed the beatdown on both my body and my scorecard (the elevation is tough on a large Floridian, let me tell you). I'd play it again in a heartbeat. If you're anywhere near Roanoke, this needs to be on your must play list.

Beauty--the setting, the tranquility, the views, all top notch.

Very well maintained, fairways well cut, very clear, even the wooded holes have well defined lines, some even have grass fairways. In fact, it had rained a lot the prior 24 hours, but our shoes were barely wet the fairways were so well manicured.

The rough is very tame (compared to the 2 courses in the title for instance)--undergrowth in mid-June was quite sparse, so disc loss risk is minimal.

Even with the recent rains, course seemed quite dry overall, which it would have to be, because of some of the steep slopes to ascend and descend.

Incredible shot and distance variety--perhaps the best I've ever played (150+ courses to date). A couple 150' shots from red shorts to over 1000' from blue longs. I used 14 different discs in my round.

Awesome use of elevation. There were uphill shots left, straight, and right. Downhill shots left, straight, and right. Sloped landing zones and greens (which were all well cleared out). Shots into woods, through woods, and out of woods. Great mix of open, open with specific lines and/or natural borders (like a woods line), and wooded holes. There were 3 holes with shot shapes/characteristics I had never seen before. Many holes slope one way or another both in the fairway and/or on the greens as well, so angle control even on pitch ups comes into play.

No water carries--some may dislike this, but at $20 a disc anymore, I really don't prefer water carries unless they are under 200'. Again, some may count that a con, but for me...There is a creek in play on a few holes, but it was quite shallow and narrow, no issue other than possibly being O/B.

Speaking of...there was no fake O/B, there are some O/B lines, but they are natural, like forest lines or deep rough. No stringing off otherwise open fairways.

There are 3 sets of teepads, and two pins in the ground on every hole--well 3 holes only have two because red and white share a teepad. The reds are well geared toward rec players (my son me both were under par, 3 and 9, I won't say who got 9). The blue longs will definitely challenge even 1000 rated players and higher.

Solid teepads and baskets. (more in cons)

Tremendous tee signs, with elevation changes and distances from every tee pad and pin position. That said, these are only on the white tees, which was fine because the normal course navigation takes you directly there most of the time.

If you like wildlife--we saw deer, rabbits, a groundhog (hole 8), and a family of skunks--den near basket 17. But, get this--almost NO other people. This was on a beautiful Monday at 1PM in mid June. Low 70s, partly cloudy, winds about 10 mph.

We just had a ton of fun playing this course. This is an intangible, but it really does have that 'fun factor'.

Only $3 to play? Get out of here.

Slim pickings here, but it is noted there is only a port-a-potty on site, no water, and the only trashcan I recall was at the parking lot.

The pay station was missing its lock, so had to pay online--no sense giving a random stranger $3 when I want the park to have it.

Course navigation--I like to see next tee signs at the basket, but that's me. The teepad signs clearly show where next hole is, for each tee.

Only the white tees had concrete pads, red and blue were nice turf style, grippy enough, but they were dry, can't speak to how they would be wet, but they must drain well, because none were wet despite the recent rains.

I hand out very few 5's. Idlewild and I think Harmony are my only ones to date--Maple Hill would be another but haven't reviewed it.

This is a long, grueling course, with several quite steep slopes both up and down. I don't mind this because I like elevation so its not a con to me, but certainly worth mentioning. Most slopes do have some sort of steps, but I imagine they can still be slippery with lots of recent rain. Good grippy shoes are recommended. Definitely not a cart friendly course. I took mine, and kind of wish I hadn't.

Speaking of fair warnings--the par 5 hole 18 rewards the weary golfer with a long downhill trudge to a very long semi-wooded fairway which ascends like 1/2 mile (seems like it) to the basket. After 2.75 miles of hiking up and down hills, going up this long last big hill may cause some fatigue throws. Take a deep breath. It is the course in microcosm.

The course is only 15 minutes or so from Roanoke, but it is well worth a much longer drive, IMHO. This is the only top level course I have played in VA, so I can't compare it any other state courses. But, it had us on various holes comparing it to a mix of Toboggan, Idlewild, and even Maple Hill. This is definitely a top 5 course for me, and honestly competes for the top spot. Already thinking about how to get back there soon, even though it is 6 hours away.

The couple of cons would have me rating it at 4.75 or 4.8, but I can't see lowering the overall rating to 4.5, so I am sticking with 5.

Outstanding, challenging, well-laid out course. Mayflower Hills is one of Virginia's elite course.
- I absolutely loved this course. When you're having a blast while throwing one bogey after another, it's got to be good.
- Whether it's the first, second, or third hole, you'll notice quickly how elevation is this course's signature aspect. As will be the case throughout your round, elevation factors can be your best friend or worst enemy.
- #4 gives a great sense of the elevation factor. A steep hill is along the right side of the fairway with that slope continuing sharp downhill along the left side. Too much air coming into the basket, or a big skip, or an unlucky roll, and you may find yourself way down the hill. A relatively simple layout that's going to yield plenty of birdies, but also bogeys due to poor throws or bad luck.
- #5 is a scenic, short layout. If you haven't birdied yet, this is your chance. For the average player like me, if you miss this birdie chance, it's going to be awhile before seeing another chance.
- #8 is a big bomber downhill hole. Get your distance off the tee but be sure to save your accuracy for subsequent shots. Now, if you have distance and accuracy, you're in great shape with your second shot.
- #11 is a great disc golf hole for many reasons. You can't appreciate the hole from the tee. It just appears as a big sweeping dogleg right off the tee. When you make the turn, suddenly a vast downhill fairway appears. Mountains serve as your backdrop. And in the distance, along the far back right side of the fairway is the basket. I threw one of my best shots of the day (126 holes played that day), parking a long approach shot. As I approached the basket, I kept looking for my disc, only to find that parked disc slid down hill. Two putt instead of a tap-in. Still, I'll believe I threw the perfect shot with a perfect view and perfect layout.
- Tee signs are elite. You need elite tee signs to navigate this course as a first-time player. My round wouldn't have been nearly as much fun if I didn't have great navigational tools. The tee signs hit the mark.
- I loved that this course has a natural feel. There are very few other park amenities here so you're not dealing with crowds. You're close enough to the city that it's not a drive. But it's far enough that you have that 'out in nature' feel.
- Upkeep is high. With so many climbs up and down hills, you need good steps and paths. Local club is killing it with its work on the course.

I'm not sure what you can do to this course to make it better.
- Park has no amenities. Biggest issue is no functioning restrooms or water. There's a porta jon, but with a bunch of disc golfers, I'm not sure about that.
- Course will beat you down in the summer. Play here on a sunny July afternoon, you'll be sweating in the first three holes. I'd also imagine ticks would be a big issue. I found one on my pants on a 43-degree, damp Saturday morning in early April.
- There was a barb-wire fence surprisingly close on the left side of #14's fairway.
- Good shoes are a must here. I could imagine slipping, tripping factors could be high trying to climb hills, especially if you get in the rough.
- There are places disc navigation could be difficult and/or frustrating. Basket on #6 is really close to thick bamboo. The walk down #15 was the most questionable one on the course. Granted it had just rained all day the day prior.
- Course may be a challenge when all the leaves fall? As if there aren't enough challenges, now try finding a disc that slid under leaves. Can you tell the issues are few and far between?

There is so much to love about Mayflower Hills. Keep it up and you've got the best course in this region.
- The temptation is to tinker. Keep doing what you're doing. Don't cut that tree down to open up a new line. Don't move a basket simply to move one. Keep it as is.
- That said, there was only one hole that felt like filler. #6 just didn't do it for me. Perfectly fine hole, I'm sure. It just was. And that's ok.
- Some people are going to love the big bomber vibe of #14. If your round is off the rails and you need to unleash some anger, here's your final chance. Next two holes require a lot of accuracy.
- I used to be a big proponent of wanting courses to loop back to the beginning after #9. I hardly noticed that #10 starts right back at the beginning. I mention that because I feel this course has to be played in order to get the full effect and appreciation. Imagine playing #18 then realizing you still have nine more holes to go. Imagine #9 being your closing hole. That'd be a bit of a letdown. It fits perfectly in the middle of a round, but it's not a closer.
- Here's my controversial take. I live in Charlotte. If it's not the best disc golf city, it's top 3 at worst. I'd trade any of our courses for Mayflower. We need a course with elevation and challenge like this. We're not in a mountain-esque/foothills-y region to produce layouts like this. Put this course in Charlotte, and now the best disc golf city has a layout unlike anything else.
- If you don't love the walk down #11, if you don't love the hike up the hill from #2 to 3, if you don't love standing on #8 looking down towards the basket, if you don't love the walk downhill from #17 to 18 and start realizing you're going to have to throw back up the hill (and higher) that you're walking down, then you don't love disc golf.
- This is a course that everyone involved with should be proud of. This course doesn't just happen or sustain its excellence by accident. I didn't notice trash on the ground. I didn't notice overflowing trash cans. I noticed a group of guys showing up to play singles on a cool, damp, wet Saturday morning.
- This goes in my favorites list. Out of my 510+ played courses, this will easily be in my top 20.
- It's an absolute must play. It's worth getting up at 3:30 and driving 3+ hours to be the first one on the course. Do yourself a favor and play here.

-The atmosphere at Mayflower Hills felt like summer camp. A little more open than wooded, tranquil, and tons of elevation change. This course is a display of how beautiful Virginia can be. Whether you are teeing off on #1 staring at those pastures a mile ahead. The downhill drive on #8 toward some mature trees. The whole look of #9 from the long tee pad in the woods to the yellow pin to the right up on the hill. #15's green to the blue pin was a standout being over a tiny creek on a mossy little green. Not to mention the hole is very steeply downhill.

-At Mayflower, you will be playing long holes no matter what, but there are three sets of pads on many holes and dual pins on every hole here. You have six different options on what to play on most holes here. I played all longs, but some of the short pins are better than the longs or some of the short pads are better than the long pads. Either way, it's a real blast!

-It's an adventure for sure. You'll be trying to throw as far as you possibly can on some holes. Such as #2 being over 800' even from the white pad and almost 1100' from the blue pad to long pin. Or #14 being long and slightly downhill the entire way. There are woods on both sides of this hole, possibly making room for hesitation. You need to really bomb one to get a secure par on this hole. None of the open holes are short. There are a few par threes in the open, but they usually play around 400'. The shorter holes here are all wooded.

-Other holes will make you pay big time if you miss the lines. The wooded holes aren't easy. Obviously some are less punishing and more forgiving than others but they are all very individual and idiosyncratic. For example #7 (especially to the long pin). It's only 260' from the long pin and shorter in the yellow but it's a beast. You tee off over a clear valley and up the fairway through a path. I missed the fairway and kicked left. I was in the open, and had a BRUTAL second shot through dense woods while I wasn't even in the woods. I missed the fairway and really got in trouble. #15 is a steep downhill par three that's dead straight to the blue pin and slightly to the left on a drop off from the shorter white pin. Throw your most reliable putter! The woods are very punishing. The last hole (#18) summarizes Mayflower Hills very well.

-#18 is a beast of a par five. It's actual length (no more than 700') makes it seem simple but the elevation increase given on the tee sign is reportedly over 100' feet uphill in elevation. One thing I really enjoyed was the long downhill walk to this hole after #17. It was quite long and the walk zigzaged some, which made the walk seem longer. It's a real indication on what is coming for you. Now on to the tee shot, it starts off pretty gentle. Leaves room for distance, and starts off with a very slow incline. There are some trees in the middle of the fairway that are more of a factor than it seems. It's very ideal to be on the right side while this hole turns a bit to the left.

-The second half of #18 is where the elevation is the most present. It takes more than one good and accurate shot to make it up to the short pin. The long pin is even further up and out of the woods. Hole is like a mango habanero sauce. It's mild with a tropical sweet flavor that's more common in a coastal region, and when you think it isn't as hot as it's said to be, your mouth bursts into flames. You don't really see how uphill this hole is until you stand beside the blue basket out of the woods. From the bottom of the hill, I was thinking it was maybe 80' up but when I got all the way up there, the view looking back at the fairway seemed like it was miles below. Hole very well might be over 100' in elevation. I was blown away by this hole. One of the most memorable holes I've ever played! And my favorite hole at Mayflower! The suspense that the long and sketchy downhill walk really shows the intensity.

-The tee signs are incredible! The diagrams are extremely detailed with the fairway appearances and even give the elevation changes on each hole from each pad to each pin. A few seemed a bit overstated, but I could be wrong about that. Love seeing the extra numerical data!

-Some miscellaneous additions such as a course kiosk, some ads posted about the Roanoke Disc Golf Club. Awesome way to get more involved. Everyone in Roanoke should at least be aware of the fact that one of the greatest courses that disc golf has to offer is in their hometown.

-Fairway diversity. Every hole here favors different throwers and they have different looks. #16 is under 400' from the long pin but it's a tough par four still as it's uphill on a rolling hill. It's a tough dogleg left. #11 is a long par four that more open, but plays as a legit dogleg right. Some fairways are deceptive tight (#6). The drive looks like a simple skip hyzer but it turns quickly to the left and the fairway opens up a little bit onto a green that's guarded by bamboo.

-The long pads are an afterthought at least for now. They don't have any signage. I do not think they need signage as excellent as the signage by the white pads, but they could use some sort of indication. Especially considering the fact that they are just carpet and the green color often blends in with the grass. To be fair, the diagrams on the whites are very accurate. I do think markers that are visible would make it easier to spot the long pads. I thought I teed off of the right one on #6, but that was actually #11. So there was some confusion.

-A few of the long pins are not at all in the same league as Mayflower as a whole since it truly is a destination course. #5 and #17 come to mind. #5's long pin is sharply to the right up a steep hill toward the end of the hole. The ceiling is rather low, so it's extremely hard to reach. #17's upshot to the blue could use less trees. The line to get there is pretty weird. I had a great tee shot and an errant second shot because of a last tree kick and a weird line on my third shot. Speaking of trees, #12 could lose a few as well. The shot is gorgeous being down a big hill in the woods; the very tight gap from the white pad creates a good challenge but creates a HUGE barrier from the long pad. The barrier really takes away the purpose of a downhill wooded hole. It's very challenging, but in a way that isn't very fun. This hole could be better with a few lost trees. Wasn't fond of the long pad on #13 either because the line is incredibly weird. Short pad is a great hole on #13; just play that one.

-The fence on #14 is less avoidable than it seems. Especially if it is windy. Hole is open and downhill. There was a head wind that caused me to throw an overstable driver and it skipped about 100' to the left and over the fence. Do not undermine the OB fence on this hole.

-Mayflower exceeds expectations on so many levels. I had a few cons for it, but you could simply play the white pad on #12 and it would be a better hole. Or just play the short pins on holes #5 and #17 and you probably enjoy them. I was initially going to give it a 4, but it is better than that. I think a couple of the long pins could be a little bit better and the long pads could be better marked, but that's really it. It seems monotonous to play long open holes, but it wasn't that way at Mayflower because there are some wooded holes to maintain the variety and all of the open holes have different shot shaping requirements and distinctively different appearances. I'm very glad I made the four and a half hour drive. The $3 fee is generous for a course like Mayflower. It's very well kept, no two holes are the same, and the atmosphere is hard to beat.

-#18 is legit. It has the most elevation on the course and was gorgeous being in those mature woods up that wider fairway that splits in the middle. Holes like this one are the ones you grow to love rather than loving from the get go. It doesn't seem as fun to throw 100' uphill than it does to throw a long way downhill, but in my personal opinion it can be as fun. It effectively plays over a thousand feet but it was still forgiving because I had a bad tee shot and an even worse upshot but I still parred this par five because of a great mash of a third shot up the hill.

-#11 was a close favorite of mine. It's an awesome dogleg right out of a wooded shoot and into a grassy open area down a steep hill.

-All and all, it's pretty forgiving. There isn't a whole lot of OB here overall. The rough is probably the main obstacle at Mayflower Hills. Being able to throw rollers or tomahawks will spare you some trouble if you can throw them well enough out of woods. If your distance is limited, you'll still enjoy Mayflower Hills because of it's red tees. The designers put so much thought into this course and you can really see how much they care about course design and how much they love the game and want it to grow.

Clean and well maintained.
Great variety in hole design.
Really nice trails to tees.
Main tees are made with paver Stones.
Rough areas make open field holes more challenging.
Good mix of pars.

No Drinking water available in park.

Very close to parkway and Roanoke city.
$3 seems very reasonable for cost to play

This is , for sure , a destination course . Mayflower Hills is an 18 hole wonder . So much time and effort was put into this course . It boasts 3 tee pads per hole , nice paver , ( gravel for the shorts ) or turf , plenty long and wide enough , 2 permanent pins per hole , yellow and blue Discatchers ( no bounce out putts here ) , and informative signage that will tell you hole# , par , flight path and distance to each pin position . Plenty of next tee signs , so you shouldn't get lost here . I printed the map just because it was the nicest on my trip . The parking lot is plenty big enough to hold a tournament . Nice benches throughout the course . Port O Johns are up by the start of the course . There were some garbage cans on some of the tees , Also , there were 2 practice baskets near the start of the course near an honor box and nice kiosk .
The course has well defined fairways that look cut regularly , and it looks like the park is well maintained . This section of the park looks dedicated to disc golf only . I never saw anyone here that didn't have a disc in their hand ( unless they were looking for it in the brush ) . The course rolls and has a pretty good amount of elevation . Baskets can sit on plateaus , tucked into a green surrounded by trees , sit on the side of of a hill . You get my point . Hole design was well thought out . Mayflower Hills has a good balance of right-left holes , and open and woods holes . A couple of the holes will allow you to rip a big drive at least twice ( see 1090' par 5, 2 hole sitting on an uphill shot plane ). You will empty your bag here because all of the holes are more than different , unique . Canopied trees and creeks will come into play during your round . . Check out the #7 hole . A drive between 2 trees on either side of the tee ,downhill into a tight doorway .to a fairway and and open green on the other side . A big arm will help on some of these holes , but precision and control will keep you out of trouble here . Another memorable hole was #8 a rolling uphill drive with unforgiving rough to the right to baskets sitting behind and on either side of a clump of trees guarding it . From #1 , which will test you right out of the gate with a drive that goes over a small part of a hill then descends to the baskets on the right that is guarded by a low canopied group of tees ( 625' from the longs in the long pin position ) , to #18 , a great finishing woods hole that has a fairway littered with trees to throw around , eventually moving upwards to the baskets sitting up the hill tucked away in different cubbyholes , you will take something away from this . The course isn't so challenging that it scares away the casuals . I saw 2 families and at least 2 one-discers throwing the course on my round .Bring your water with you . The shorts are still almost 5500' and the longs are 9240' . You can refill at your car after hole 9 , as it comes back close to the parking area , which is a plus .
A newer course ( 2018 ) , Mayflower Hills still tries to improve . I talked to a local , and he said that the $3 collected at the honor box near the first tee goes right back into the course . I believe it .Plus , the fee might keep the " immature " off the course .It took me an hour and twenty minutes to play from the middle tees . Figure a foursome taking 2 1/2 , depending on the pin and the tee . Everyone's signature hole could be different because there were many to choose from . My favorite was hole #12 , a killer tight fairway ,with 2 different lanes to choose from creek on your left , taking you down slowly to the pin , which is over creek at the end to one of 2 greens . One is right over the bridge with water in front and on the right , and the harder pin which is back over the creek on the right and hidden in a canopied grove of trees .

Not much to say . Amenities ? a better bathroom than a port o let and a place to fill your water bottle .Bugs can get bad during the summer here ( isn't that at most places ? ) . I do have to mention that there is a $3 fee to play , but IMO , I think it is a big plus . Wind can l be a factor here . Disc Risk : Moderate . As clean as this park is , throwing through nooks and slots on these long holes can create a ricochet off a tree or a fade into some brush . Take turns if you can , spotting for each other on a few of the holes .

I hope I just played the best course in Virginia . Mayflower Hills sets the standard for disc golf . If I lived within an hour of Roanoke , I would be playing this course every weekend .How can you beat 3 tee possibilities with at least 2 permanent pin positions that can also change at will . It checks every box . The course sits just off of I-81 , and can be coupled with Moneta , just 18 miles away , for a whole afternoon of challenging disc golf . Aside from the challenge part , there is a great amount of fun factor here . The scenery here is picturesque , Blue Ridge Mountain Style .
Thank you Explore Park , Roanoke Disc Golf Club and a shout out to course designers Joe , Noah, Rodney and Mitch , for allowing me to play a memorable round here .
My Recommendation : Okay for families and newbies , but great for the locals , disc golf crazies , intermediates , pros . Course baggers , travelers , : even though it plays long , you want a taste of this course . PLAY IT !!!!!

Excellent course that plays across several large, rolling hills. The majority of the course has you throwing either up, down, or across the resulting crests and valleys. A big arm is required and there are many par 4s on the course. Most holes will have you throwing a substantial amount over an open, grassy Hill side. Precision is required on the end portion of the flight as the baskets are cleverly tucked away behind well placed trees. I did not find this course easy. There are a decent number of forested holes, particularly on the back 9 which play in the valleys of the hills. 3 sets of tee pads provide an option for all skill levels. 2 baskets per hole provide variety. Wind was a major factor on my round as large gusts ripped across the countryside. Imagine yourself on a hike across the Virginia countryside. That's what this course is.

Overall I would describe it as serene. Gorgeous views and a good challenge. 8.7/10

This is a course for people that like to play disc golf because they like the challenge. If you want to get better, come here. Conveniently, you also get to experience the beautiful world we live in.

Hole Design. If you want to learn different shots, this one has a lot, and many are uncommon. Doglegs that turn after 1/3 of the drive rather than 2/3 of it. Low ceiling shots that increase in elevation after the ceiling ends. Downhill bombs with tricky landing zones. Shots where the ideal landing zone is right beside OB. Uphill tunnel shots. Trees have been added in certain places to really improve hole design. This course encourages players to be well-rounded while not forcing them to be (you aren't screwed if you don't have many different shots, but it'll certainly be much harder without them)

Multiple pins and tees. Essentially you have six different layouts with only 3 tees on most holes and 2 pins. Some of the pins change positions from time to time. This also contributes to the range of difficulty that the course can accommodate (it can accommodate anyone, even a noodle arm). You could also play with friends of different skill ranges on the same course.

Aesthetics. You're playing in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Other nice additions are a bench on many holes, a front 9 loop and a back 9 loop that all begin/end together, well-maintained fairways (and even most rough areas are well-maintained), fences to protect you from trespassing on other property, well marked information, detailed tee signs marking the next hole, possible fairways, elevation changes, etc.

Ticks and poison. most of the time I play here I find that I've encountered one or the other. The most recent times I've went, I haven't encountered either, so it seems like the local club is doing something about it.

The others are all pretty small and unimportant to me, but might be important to some. No drinking water, only bathroom is a port-a-john, blue tees are turf (I prefer this but some don't) and slightly uneven in places, some signs are unclear concerning OB (5 is inconsistent with the course marking, 9, 10, 11, 16, and 17 have white rope on the hole but no marking on the signs), 2 signs don't have the C pin position length listed (only 9 & 18 have C positions currently).

I've only played the blue tees, but I've thrown some drives from the shorter ones as well. Anytime I have a free day to play, this is the course I go to. This is also the first review I've written in probably 5 years. I've never given a course a 5, but this is certainly the closest a course has come to getting one.

Some shots that stand out to me (from the blue tees) are:
1: the low ceiling drive that's followed by a slight uphill, followed by a drop off is a tough start, but a great mental warm-up.
13: the hole has a dogleg left about 100 feet in, followed by a 25-30 foot uphill climb. Throwing something that breaks 1/3 of the way into your shot AND rises after that is hard to execute.
14: what an easy downhill bomb ... or so it leads you to believe. for the RHBH player, if you fade out at all, you're likely skipping into the woods on the left or even OB. If you flip your shot over too much, you're playing from against the net or in the Christmas trees.

This, to me, is a perfect course.
All good courses have a wide array of holes/shots, but this one is so thoughtfully designed. No gimmicks, tricks, or shoehorns. Every shot here makes sense, the design gently guides you as you flow through the course, throwing your discs. This is pure disc golf at its finest, like it was meant to be here all along.
And then, as you stroll through your round, the course presents you with one memorable hole after another. The wide-open par 4s (and the stunning hole 2, a par 5) take you onto hilltops with beautiful views of the park and the mountains. Suddenly on the next hole, you're plunged into the woods, shaping shots that land softly next to a beautiful creek that winds around the baskets. I feel like I smile the whole way through my rounds, no matter how I'm actually playing, and barely feel the length or elevation until much later when I've left.

- Only the white tees make sense to play, at this point. The blues have sad-looking turf/carpet, while the reds are loose gravel, and meanwhile those whites are beautiful paver brick, with clear tee signs, and easy flow from one hole to the next. Perhaps these alternate tees will improve in the future, but frankly the whites are thrilling enough that they aren't a priority for me.
- The two basket locations are not all that different on most holes. You're generally throwing the exact same lines, but just need to get 40 ft. further. Locals who play this course often might start to itch for more differentiated basket locations.
- The powerlines on Hole 2 are really unfortunate, and affect most players' second shots.
- Holes 7 and 13 are fine, but not outstanding. That's the most amount of criticism I'm capable of giving on the design.

For me, this a perfect 5/5, the best course I've played.

1. Multiple tee pads per hole (most have 3) allowing different skill levels to compete against each other.
2. Two baskets per hole (yellow is short, blue is longer).
3. Plenty of elevation.
4. Middle tee pads are pavers and all were level.
5. Simply beautiful land dedicated to disc golf.

Hard to find many cons with this course as it's still a work in progress with only one set of tee pads finished.
1. A couple of short holes felt like fillers.
2. Hole 3 will be better when the trees get taller.
3. Some of the longer blue baskets looked amazing and are more difficult. Other blue baskets didn't pose a different challenge (Hole 3 comes to mind).
4. Some long walks between holes, but I immediately forgot about them due to the beauty and amazing next hole.

Amazing how much work has been put into this course in one year! I chose to play the white pads since they looked the nicest, and my girlfriend played red. Both of us loved the course. I look forward to playing the long pads when I'm in the area next.

The holes on this course reminded me of a mixture of Cincy/northern Kentucky with a bit of Idlewild, a bit of Mt. Airy, and bit of Lincoln Ridge. I hope that puts it in perspective for some of you.

Must play course!-Spectacular views-Excellent tee signs-Beautiful paver tees-Challenging layout-3 tee boxes and 2 baskets every hole make it attainable for all levels/challenging but playable for all levels except absolute newbs-Benches at all but one tee- Very well beat in for only it's second year- 2 practice baskets at parking lot with about all putt scenarios practicable .... Uphill, downhill,flat ,long, various obstructed...... Perfect!

-Ticks! -Can get a little marshy in spots after a lot of rain ...but only on a few holes

This is an amazing not to be missed course! In a few years given a little more maturity/ pavers on red and blue tees/white tees only currently, I believe it will be an A level tour stop. This course is a county owned maintained property. It was designed and a lot of monetary support from both county and local donors were given to design this purpose built course. It must also get a great amount of local club love( BRAVO RDGC!!). The 3$ fee is so worth it for the level of play this course offers. I feel very lucky to have this as a local course. Can't wait to see it sued be the pros on Jones soon!.. It is an extreme elevation change course prepare for a hike..bring water... Ticks are rampant prepare accordingly

Great challenge presented with plenty of par 4's and couple par 5's. The grass was cut beautifully to look like a 'ball' golf course in the open and even some of the wooded holes had cut grass in the fairways.

The wooded holes were fair, nothing too tight with tiny gaps to hit.

Cement paver tee pads were excellent. Great signage at both the blue (Pro) and white (Adv) tees.

2 baskets on each hole so 4 different configurations are available to play.

Well marked course, plenty of arrows pointing you in the direction of the next tee. I didn't need a map that I had printed except between 12 and 13.

I'm a rather hard reviewer on courses and this newer course still gets a 4.5 from me, it's that good.

I'd like to see the pro's attack this course, it's championship worthy.

Lots of wooden stairs were built to help you up and down the hills in the woods.

No filler holes, each one was well designed.

Not beginner friendly, this probably belongs in the pro comments

No shade parking.

This course is so worth the $3 honor system fee. I played Greenfield earlier in the week and Rolling Pines in NC the day before and Mayflower was better than both of them which is saying a lot!

The elevation changes are no joke, my iPhone says I climbed 32 floors while playing.

I added Mayflower as one of my favorites and hope to return someday, it's over 6 hrs from my home.

Traffic on I-81 sucks big time, it's only 2 lanes wide and trucks get in your way constantly.

Just a few miles from the Blue Ridge Parkway, a very scenic drive.

This was the first time I have played this course, and I played Blue to Blue, which is the longest layout. First, every hole has multiple baskets (yellow/blue) permanently installed and multiple tees - red, white, and blue. I am going the course a bit of slack of the tee pads because they are currently upgrading the blues to paver style. All of the white tee pads are paver styler, which I thought was well done and looked great. Right now the blues are mostly carpet, but that will change soon, (there was a crew literally working on this when I played) so I am giving them that benefit for the future. The signs are perfect. They have a really nice depiction of he holes that seems very accurate. They also show elevation at the bottom for each tee and basket over the course of the hole. Distances are written for each combination available to play as well, which is appreciated. Also, there is a sign afte pretty much every hole pointing you towards the next holes teepads. It differentiates between the red/white/blue with arrows as well so you know exactly where to go. The paths have nice stairs installed where needed so navigation is smooth. Carts could be tricky on a few holes, but that's just because of the elevation change, and I wouldn't call that a con.

As far as the course design, this might be a new favorite for me. The course does an impressive job balancing tight technical holes with open fairways, and the whole spectrum in between. It's also balanced throughout the round, rather than back nine as one and front nine as the other.

The elevation change on this course is substantial, in a great way. There are some also bombs out onto down hill fairways, and some exhausting uphill throws that challenge your power and accuracy.

The thing I love about the technical holes is that they are difficult, but fair. You won't be asked to hit a 10 foot gap for the first 300 feet of the tee, rather you will have reasonable but difficult fairways requiring shot shaping, finese, and sometimes power.

For amenities, there were bathrooms at the beginning of the course, a nice parking area and a pavilion. There were benches on a majority of the holes, which was good because playing blue to blue wiped me out.

Pars were selected well, and the holes balanced with par nicely. I'm not a fan of tweener holes really (3.5, 4.5, etc.). Although some of the par 3s are really tough, I found them all to be reasonably attackable once you get to know the shot. This was my first time, so I look forward to coming back and attacking them more now that I have played all the holes.

Lastly, the view is awesome. The course feels so professional, like you are playing a tournament every time. It was in great condition. The elevation changes really make it gorgeous.

Hardly any, but if I am nitpicking, I'll list these:

- no snack shop or larger park amenties
- pads are not all pavers yet
- pay to play - $3. But honestly, I will happily pay $3 for a course like that, especially knowing that helps keep it in as good shape as it is.

Kudos to the course designers for making something special here - I definitely can't wait to come back and wish i lived next door!

Great variation in elevation
Open and wooded holes
Shot shaping on most everything
Well maintained
Good sineage and flow to the course
Lots of different shots covered
Nothing felt like a filler hole
Kept us thinking on pretty much every hole
Map of the course at the start

Not much to say on the con side, I know they are installing concrete pads now and I look forward to playing it again when they are in.
There's no drinking water to be had at the park, least that I could find, and I didn't see any nearby stores so not really a con but something to keep in mind.

Really enjoyed the variation in terrain and elevation here, definitely the most was made out of the land and features available. Seems like a lot of nuances are on the course too, the wide open shot that you may not want to land on a certain slope or the uphill anny that though the obvious line probably isn't, the course was really well thought out and in great shape for being so new, seems like newer courses take a year or so to get beat in but this one is great now.

Cost to play is $3 per day, really worth it and I don't think anyone would have a problem with that after a round there. The entrance is near an access point to the Blue Ridge parkway, I found that kinda nice, the parkway is always a cool drive then to be able to hit this course just a min or 2 off it is a plus.

Looking forward to getting back out there and seeing how the teepads turned out and playing it again.

Definitely worth stopping for if you're anywhere in SW Virginia.

Most holes have 3 sets of tees with an excellent tee sign and bench for each hole and easy to spot yellow DisCatcher baskets with multiple pin positions. Easy to navigate and very well maintained. Two loops of 9 holes back to parking area with the front 9 being more open and the back 9 which I liked a little better was more wooded.

Excellent course design integrating the available terrain and rolling elevation. Great mix of mostly open and wooded holes. Good flow between the holes. Scenic course in many places, really liked the backdrop of the mountains behind hole 10 and there's some pretty landscaping as well. There is OB on some of the holes, including the fenced retention pond on hole 1 although it was dried up when I played. Hole 4 has some roped OB. Holes 5 and 6 have the creek and across as OB.

Portapotties by parking lot. Course map kiosk by parking lot and hole 1.

The biggest con currently is the lumpy gravel tees everyone else has mentioned. The carpet on the white tees over the gravel wasn't all that great either. The good news is that there are plans to have pavers installed on the tees in the near future, as well as multiple baskets on each hole.

Tee signs are only on the white tees and appear to be partially in the way of a couple of the blue tees.

OB barbed wire fence on hole 14, can't retrieve discs from. I'm surprised the creek on hole 12 and 15 is casual. I'm surprised there is no OB line between holes 11 and 17 buttressed fairways. There's some poison ivy in spots.

Bring exactly $3 dollars or pay via website.

I'm rating Mayflower Hills as if the tees are already upgraded from gravel/carpet. To be honest as a traveling player I'd wait to play here until after the pavers are installed, then it might be a destination worthy course. I happened to be in the area for work, and MayFlower Hills is the best course in the area, and Greenfield is a great course to pair with. I played the white tees since they appeared to be the most in shape tees and had the signs and benches. I thought the pars were appropriate for white level players.

Overall this is or will be a phenomenal course for all players. I didn't particularly care for hole 15 with it being so steep and tight the best throw by far is an overhand. To a lesser extent hole 4 due to the high potential of bad roll-a-way on a good shot, and hole 13 can be really punishing of an errant shot kicking or bad roll-a-way. The one thing I felt was missing was an epic downhill bomb in the woods, although hole 14 is a nice open downhill bomb that requires some placement landing with OB surrounding the fairway. I was surprised to have the place to myself and really enjoyed playing here and I do recommend to anyone.

An incredible course. It's a remote public course with epic terrain more reminiscent of a private course. You pay $3 for a day pass to play here but it's worth $3 a round honestly, it's that good. Shh, don't tell anybody I said that though. It's a beautiful piece of property that seemed to be an old farm in a prior life so it reminds me a lot of Harmon Hills. Very hilly with lots of wide open bombs to and around well utilized stands of mature trees make up roughly half the course while the other half is full of good wooded holes, many which have the most extreme elevation change. There's also a tranquil creek running alongside 2-3 of the wooded holes. Despite the rustic, scenic nature in abundance the fairways are really clean and well-defined.

Equipment is championship caliber save for the tees. Great catching Discatchers and possibly industry leading tee signs. So much information conveyed on these highly visible, aesthetically pleasing tee signs. They even feature an elevation change profile. "Next tee" signs are well done. I was very pleased with how well-mowed the fields were. Even though the fairways were cut shorter than the rough, the rough wasn't so thick that you're likely to lose a disc or cover your legs with seeds and blood. Thank you. Transitions are well done with great steps cut into hillsides and trails that smooth out the grade and won't erode the crap out of the hills. Three sets of tees I believe. I played from the Whites b/c they had the carpet and the tee signs and they were a terrific mix of challenge and fun. The Blues looked appropriate as far as I can tell.

Design: Is there a bad hole? Every hole feels different, lots of variety, great use of terrain for greens, fair fairways, etc. Holes 1, 9, 10, and 18 are around the parking lot so you can play separate 9's easily enough. Big arms will relish the open holes but weenie arms can make up the difference with the wooded holes and making putts. I threw everything from distance drivers to putters off the tee. Only a handful of holes felt like they heavily favored a FH or a BH, for the most part the holes are balanced enough to invite multiple lines of attack. The elevation is utilized very well, even the uphill slog on hole 18 isn't too insulting but mostly taxing if the previous 17 holes took it out of you.

Okay the tees are the slightly lumpy, gravel variety that seem to be getting too common. I hope some concrete or well placed pavers replace them and if so I'd seriously consider giving the course a '5.' The existing tees play okay but everything else is so top notch it's a shame that the tees are average.

Pars might be soft on a few holes. Once you get familiar with the course I think it could be easier than it might ought to be, especially on a still day.

There aren't any bodies of water to really complete the epic course checklist. The creek is nice but mostly plays casual except for a hole or two where an OB line is in play. But if you're one of those people that just have to throw over water you might not hold the course in as high regard as I do.

Lots of ticks and flying pests in the summer so keep the repellent handy.

I really wavered on a 4.5 or a 5. I love this course; it's like having your own private course. Even though it's kind of in the middle of nowhere I even enjoyed the super curvy Jubal Early highway we took from Sontag to get here. It should appeal to basically everybody, from novices that will just enjoy the nature to veterans that can really appreciate the design and quality of the holes.

There's not much else here besides a disc golf course. A playground and a couple of portable toilets is all I remember.

If this course is currently not on your radar, put it on it. Put it at the top of your wish list. Make this course a priority to play before you die. It is that good.

To begin, this course has some of the best tee signs in the game. Super large and helpful, with a full color map, distance and par, as well as suggested lines, and elevation change. Really awesome.

Almost every hole also has a next tee post, pointing you to the net tee, making navigation almost completely seamless, and it loops back to the parking lot after both 9 hole stretches.

Each hole also has at least two basket positions, each well positioned to have a risk/reward play. Every hole also has a bright yellow, brand spanking new Innova Discatcher, visible in the wide open, as well as the dense forest.

The elevation on this course is immaculate. As you can see on the tee signs, there isn't a hole that elevation isn't a factor, with the overall slope per hole usually outnumbers 10 feet. The elevation on this course can really create signature holes, with downhill bombs, as well as uphill crushers.


Another great variety is in the shaping of the holes. The wooded holes all require a different line, whether it be a turnover or a hyzer, and approaches to the green require a lot of focus on the angle to the ground, making every shot important in every aspect.

For such a new course, the ground looks like it was made for disc golf. Well made bridges and stairs lead the way through the course, well beaten paths throughout. Amazing.

Some signature holes-

2. Huge RHBH downhill Hyzer, leading to an uphill crush, leaving a putter approach for, what you can only hope, is a tap in birdie. Two of these are some of my favorite shots to throw.


8. For a lefty like me, this 375 foot LHBH hyzer from the whites down the hill was great, and it sure doesn't help that I parked it. Just a really fun, downhill hole.


14. This hole is the most fun for people to air out on. A wide enough fairway to air out, but small enough to caution a huge drive. The farther you throw, the shorter the approach.

The first problem with this course is the tee pads, which are all three gravel, with the white tee covered in carpet, making it the most playable. Gravel tee pads, are in my opinion, the worst, but luckily there will be pavers on the back two tees in less than a year.

Another problem is the fact that there is only one tee sign per hole, so if you want to play the blue tees on your first walk through the course, you will want to visit the white tees to find the correct distances and map.

Not a con, more of a precaution, but this course is a workout, so bring lots of water and energy, or you will pay for it on your walk up that final hill.


A good amount of bugs, such as ticks, can be found on the course, so wear bug spray, and check yourself at the end of the round.

This is the newest championship course. It could easily be at the top of the most experienced players lists, and with the constant improvements that I could tell the course was getting, this will become a true gem, even more than it already is.

I want everyone to know that this course is the real deal...

PLAY THIS COURSE!

This course offers something for every skill level. A course that is fun for the 1000 rated player as well as someone who is out for their first time playing. The signage is top notch with huge signs as well as elevation +/-. Directional signs were good but they weren't really needed. The tee boxes are big and gravel and word is they will be putting pavers in later in the year so they didn't bother me at all. There is only one set of baskets in now but in a month or two there will be 2 baskets on every hole at all times which I love better than one basket being switched from spot to spot. It lets me pick and chose how I want to play the course and I love that. The course overall was great with wide open fairwAys, plenty of elevation change, and fun placement shot holes. The course is very soft but in my opinion that is all relative to other scores. The front 9 has 5 open holes and 4 wooded. The back 9 has 3 open holes and 6 wooded. The front 9 is more beginner friendly but I liked the back 9 better. Hole 14 in my opinion is the signature hole. It is a downhill par 4 that you get to bomb.

As this is a new course it still needs to be trimmed here or there in some fairwAys but not much. The tee pads are gravel but knowing they will be pavers later it really didn't go into my rating of the course. Another thing is the ticks. I have found ticks on me every time I have been playing but as this is a wooded course their is not much anyone can do about that.

This is a great venue for tournaments. The blue tees to long pin positions really make this a championship level course. It also isn't too hard from whites which makes backups for tournaments almost non existent I would imagine.

This course had everything I look for in a course. The tee signs were incredibly detailed and even included an elevation map along the bottom of the sign which was the first time I had ever seen that and was very helpful when playing for the first time. The signs that guided you to the next tee were also very clear and helpful. The paths were incredible, especially for such a new course. Many of them were lined with rocks, there were stairs in areas that might have been difficult to navigate without them, and there were extremely nice bridges across every stream that you were required to cross while playing. The land was beautiful and had a big variety of tree species on different holes which helped each hole have a different feel and challenge.

Now for the play of the course. Hole one is a beautiful and challenging par 4 with great elevation change that sets the bar for the rest of the course. The rest of the course really lived up to the expectations I had after the first hole. The elevation changes on the course are amazing and make for some really fun and technical shots. The course had a great mix of wooded holes, technical open holes, and holes that you can really open up on. Every hole had rough to avoid, but the fairways were all extremely fair and I never found myself upset about fairway trees blocking a good shot.

The main reason this course is not five star was due to the par being a little bit soft for a championship course. This could be fixed by playing the blue tees, but the course was designed with the white tees in mind. The blue tees were not as bad as many that you will find, but they also were not as good as the white tees. It was also hard at times to know which pin position the basket was in and the signs would really benefit from a pin position indicator. The final issue I had with the course was hole 13 seemed to not fit in with the rest of the course. It seemed like the hole was just thrown in to break up the walk.

The course is incredible for how young it is. The tees are currently gravel, but there are plans for that to be updated so I did not consider that as part of the review. Another thing that I do not consider a pro or a con is the amount of hiking that is done when playing this course. It is well worth it, but the course is definitely a workout. In my opinion, this course could definitely be the top course in Virginia once it breaks in some and gets some more play. This course is definitely worth a day trip to play and will also be a great tournament course.

Mayflower Hills is the second championship level course in the Roanoke area along with Greenfield. This course utilizes rolling hills and plains, as well as thick woods with winding creeks. It is obvious that tons of labor went into course, as three well-made gravel tees, two of which are being converted to pavers in the near future, are present on most holes. Many memorable holes are scattered throughout the course, and I feel that it is best to describe each hole individually (these descriptions are from the white tees to the whichever pins were installed first):

Hole 1: A beautiful opening par 4 with around 300' of flat plains before a significant downhill with the basket set around 80' into some trees.
Hole 2: The longest hole on the course, this bomber hole (810' White Tee to A Pin) features a downhill drive and an uphill approach. This hole is very reachable in two for big arms in the short pin. A common theme on the course is sloped greens, and this hole is no exception.
Hole 3: An open, short par 3 with some sparse, small trees scattered throughout the fairway, the real danger on this hole is the heavily sloped green, which makes rolls very possible.
Hole 4: The first wooded hole is a short, downhill par 3 with a severe right-to-left slope and an out-of-bounds area on the left.
Hole 5: An easy 200' left-to-right with a significant uphill. This hole has a creek on the left, which makes it a memorable hole for the sheer beauty.
Hole 6: The first wooded "par 4" is a short 350' S-shaped tunnel shot. With a great drive, this hole is realistically reachable off the tee. The only trouble is an OB line right of the fairway and bamboo long of the pin.
Hole 7: Hole 7 is a valley shot with the basket finishing significantly higher than the tee. The gap is a ways off the tee, but kicks often end up at the base of the hill.
Hole 8: Hole 8 is one of the most beautiful holes on the course. At 375', the significant downhill makes it reachable with a mid. The right side of the hole is lined with thick trees, and the green slopes hard left-to-right.
Hole 9: One of the truest par 4s on the course, a big tee shot leads to a relatively easy uphill approach, unless you find yourself behind a large cluster of trees straight off the tee. The only real mistake to make is to leak right into a thick bamboo forest. It serves as natural OB for this hole.
Hole 10: Another open, longer par 3 that is easily reachable due to the downhill. This hole allows many different ways to access the pin, as it is essentially wide open with a cluster of trees just short of the basket.
Hole 11: This par 4 is deceptively short, but still requires 2 great shots for the birdie 3. The recommended play is a RHBH hyzer out of the gap that finishes far left. This allows the best look at the pin. It is possible to get aggressive and bite off a ton of distance, but the risk-reward favors the simple hyzer.
Hole 12: What I would consider the best wooded par 4, the approx. 500' hole has many different lines. Anything off the fairway is trouble, and all but removes the 3 from play. The green is lined on the right with a creek, making for a beautiful upshot.
Hole 13: My least favorite hole on the course, this severely uphill left-to-right shot requires a high hyzer, which can be knocked down by the branches and lead to a catastrophic roll away. This hole really feels like it serves no purpose but to fill a gap between 12 and 14. It is legitimately the only hole on this course that I don't like.
Hole 14: Possibly the signature on the course, 14 is a wide-open 700' par 4 that slopes downhill gradually the entire hole. The fairway is lined with thick trees and an OB line just inside the woods.
Hole 15: Another contender for the signature, 15 is a 250' straight hole with around 50' of downward elevation change. The tight fairway frames the hole perfectly, and the creek just shy of the pin only elevates the memorability.
Hole 16: The difficulty of this hole comes in the form of a 90 degree turn just up the fairway. A good tee shot should lead to an easy birdie 3.
Hole 17: A short par 4, this hole begins in the open, but veers right into woods about halfway.
Hole 18: A very memorable finish, this 600' par 5 plays all of 900'. A relatively flat tee shot puts you at the base of a hill, with the basket about 100' higher than the tee.

The amenities of this course are unmatched. Along with multiple tees, I've heard that two permanent pin placements for each hole are in the works. The tee signs are some of the most informative I've ever seen, including an elevation profile of each hole. The bridges, stairs, and paths between holes are amazing, and just go to show how much work was put in on this course. The real plus for me at Mayflower is the utilization of elevation. There are hardly any flat holes, which makes this course a very memorable play. It feels as though most of the holes could be signatures at other courses.

The biggest flaw in the course to me is the challenge, or lack thereof. Holes 2, 6, and 17 feel soft at their respective pars, but could go either way in terms of higher or lower par. The other par 4s on the course seem to be easily birdied, as a good tee-shot leads to a putter upshot on nearly everyone of them, aside from the forced layups like 11 and 16. Some par 3s on the course also feel a little easy. I can't say that this affects the rating significantly, as the presence of longer tees and different pins looked as though it would make the course much more challenging. The simplicity of some of the holes made birdies feel more like pars.
The only other complaint for the course is the intense workout achieved when playing a round. The only drawback of having an elevation-heavy course is that you have to walk it. There are some very long walks between holes here. The gradually-sloped paths make walking much easier, but a round here in the summer is definitely going to require a lot of water. Our round was measured at 2.8 miles of walking, so definitely remember to plan accordingly.
Also, 13 really is a sour spot on the course in retrospect. The holes before and after it are among the best and most memorable on the course, and it really does ruin that section by being a gimmicky RHBH hyzer through some woods on a severe up-slope.

Mayflower Hills truly is a must-play course, and could possibly be one of, if not the best course in Virginia. The course is still in its infancy, and I'd imagine this course will be astounding once all the early-stage kinks are ironed out and the fairways and roughs have been beaten up some. I would definitely recommend making a trip out there.