Pros:
Night Heron is a simple, straight ahead nine-hole layout. It's also the easy place to divide the haves from the have-nots.
- This is among the simplest, easiest designed courses I've played. You play a backwards C loop around the outskirts of this park and you've got a quick round.
- For such a simple course, I found myself throwing multiple discs on every hole. Granted they were attempts at cubby aces, but this was the best part of this course.
- Short layout is perfect for kids, beginners, and mid-range game players. Average hole length is 221 feet. Take away hole #1 (308 feet) and #5 (270 feet), and the other seven average only 201 feet.
- Easy to navigate. Pulled into the parking lot and first saw the baskets for #7 & 9. Took all of 4 minutes to walk backwards, find the first basket, then the tee markers for #1. It was also very easy finding the tee markers after each hole the remainder of the course.
- Holes #1 - 3 & 5 are virtually wide open; holes #4, 6 & 7 have minimal tree/branch protection between the tee and basket. #8 is easily the hardest hole as it's the only with legit obstacles. #9 finally ends with two trees protecting the basket.
- I played aggressive, essentially taking the most direct path towards each basket. Even with trees/branches knocking down discs on several holes, I had EASY up and downs on said holes.
- Picturesque park and local. You are on Kiawah Island after all. With that comes money. Other than the hired workers, I don't think I saw a local under the age of 70. Let's just say it was easy to say that I wasn't a local.
Cons:
Biggest negative would be the relative simplicity of the course. There is no risk and all reward here. Unless you somehow go 200 foot right on #3 (into the wooded area); 200 foot right (into the condos); or 200 foot right on #7 (the road), there's no chance of danger or lost discs.
- Biggest obstacle may be getting past the guards at the front. Followed the instructions on here about where I was going, and the girl was fine letting me in. You're not likely to find any problems while playing. If you start loitering around after you're done, you may start getting noticed.
- Because there may not be much else to do on the island, if you're coming here simply for the disc golf, it's a long way out and back. I drove 30 minutes from downtown Charleston, played one round in 15 minutes, and drove 30 minutes back.
- Advanced players are going to destroy this course. Sure, you can use the open portion of the park for practice. You could also create a safari layout. But really, you're probably playing here to catch a glimpse of Kiawah and/or to pad your stats.
Other Thoughts:
Picture a simpler, shorter version of Park Circle. That's what Night Heron is. I almost missed crossing all the side streets as is the case with Park Circle.
- As simple as this course is, this is the type of course you wish were in your neighborhood park. After a day at work, we'd all enjoy walking across the street for a quick 9 or 18 holes. Or field work. Or 30 minutes of putting practice.
- Somehow this course just 'fits' in the Charleston disc golf scene. I feel like every course in the area is 15 - 20 minutes from the next one. This just happens to be the one on the outskirts.
- This really was too simple of the course. The only 'dogleg' aspect to the course was having to throw a disc around a tree/branch. That said, if you throw under the branches, you could throw straight towards the basket on every hole.
- The surrounding beauty can't hide this course's simplistic layout. If you're trusting the ratings of others and thinking this course is above average, or even close to average, you're in for a surprise.
- It's a fine course for what it is. It is enjoyable. It is however, a very simple & rudimentary design. Even by 9-hole standards, this course doesn't meet the requirements of an average rating. This is on the lower end of the Charleston disc golf scene.