Spartanburg, SC

Pipeline DGC

4.095(based on 23 reviews)
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11 0
Tom_oconnor
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 10.2 years 63 played 24 reviews
4.00 star(s)

One of the best in SC 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 9, 2020 Played the course:once

Pros:

After playing this course for years and getting more exposure to dozens of other courses, it made me realize how fortunate I am to live 25 min away. This course has plenty of unique challenging holes.
Two practice baskets at parking area. Course is disc golf only so you won't see hikers.
Excellent use of terrain.
Accuracy is needed, but lines are mostly fair. There's many examples of 8-10 foot gaps. If you are off your line, it will be a long day, but hit your mark and you will be rewarded. None of the holes feel repetitive. Plenty of signature holes. Hole 7 is one of the toughest with a narrow fairway that bends and slopes right to left. Hole 15 is unique and a fun tee shot, hitting a gap about 150 feet away before dropping down 50 feet and then opening up into a field about 270 feet away. Then its a very uphill approach that can play 100 feet father due to elevation. Its very unique and can make or break your round. Chances for a 3 or a 6 based on your drive. 17 is also a good one and plenty of other top notch holes.

Cons:

Not anything to complain about, but Im going to be picky here since I've played it alot:
Only 1 "real" tee pad per hole makes this not the most friendly course for beginners. There are some red tees marked by red tee blocks, but having a "real" tee pad would be better. Hole 18. The last 100 feet of the hole doesn't have a clear line, plenty of phantom branches. But it is a par 4 and clearing it up and having clear lines would make it perhaps too easy. The original pin position was changed because of erosion and danger with the hill being steep. Tee pads are better now that there's turf, but they could still be better.

Other Thoughts:

This is a solid 4 star course. With concrete tee pads and a second set of tees on about 9 holes this would be a 4.5. This course is a workout. With great use of terrain, your legs will feel it. I use a cart, but hole 16 and 17 you have to be careful. If you are in the spartanburg area you don't want to miss this.
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10 0
Cerealman
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 16.4 years 665 played 192 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Tons of trees in the Pipeline 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:May 16, 2020 Played the course:once

Pros:

A few miles south of Spartanburg, the Pipeline DGC at Old Canaan Road offers a rugged up-and-down trek through some lovely wooded and open areas.

The Pipeline features technical, mostly-wooded disc golf where fairway placement is paramount to scoring well. Its highlights include a couple fantastic holes in the open with significant elevation, such as Hole #3, which is 507 feet and goes through a valley. Hole #11 might be the signature hole; at 399 feet, the basket is down a huge hill to the right and across a small meadow, with a huge drop-off and meandering creek guarding the backside of the hole.

The Pipeline will definitely offer challenges to one's accuracy. Areas off the fairway aren't unmanageable, but recovery shots won't be easy. The average length per hole is just under 350 feet, and if you're hitting lots of timber, the course will feel longer.

The practice area for the Pipeline is excellent, as there are two practice baskets probably 100 feet apart next to the parking lot. The carpeted teepads are a nice addition too, though they're not all perfectly level.

Cons:

The most significant drawback to the Pipeline is the plethora of trees in some of the fairways. Straight shots that stay in the fairway can still end up in "jail." Also, the expected lines on several of the holes are ridiculously tight and might need some luck to finish in an ideal spot. Holes like #1, #6, #14 and #18 rely a bit too much on the "poke-n-hope" strategy. And the design for Hole #7 is a bit silly, as the fairway gradually turns left most of the way, yet the basket is tucked in on the right side.

The short (red) tees shave more than 1,300 feet off the original design. However, the red tees are marked by red boards in the ground or painted stumps, and they are difficult to find. Also, these tees are natural. During a disc golf road trip, my group planned to play from the red tees to conserve time, but that plan was quickly discarded. The long (blue) tees are probably a better design and decision, as searching for the inadequate short tees isn't an appealing option.

Par is definitely challenging. A 1000-rated round is two-under-par. Several of the par 3s are in the 350- to 400-foot range, yet with the tight lines, birdies will be tough to come by. As BrotherDave said in his 2016 review, a couple of those holes could be considered par 4s.

Other Thoughts:

The Pipeline isn't for the beginners or faint of heart, as only four holes are under 300 feet.

You can see why the Pipeline is rated as a top-5 course in South Carolina. While the course delivers big elevation amid the wooded challenges, the course could be improved by removing some more trees. For example, Hole #18 has the potential to be an incredible finishing hole, but the vast quantity of small trees cluttering up the supposed fairway, especially closer to the basket, take some of the shine off this closer.

One definition of "pipe" is "a narrow tube made from wood," and at times, you might feel that description fits many of the fairways you'll encounter at the Pipeline.
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1 6
BigMIKE1
Experience: 25 played 1 reviews
4.00 star(s)

One of Upstates best DGC 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 30, 2018 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Nice carpeted tee pads with good hole descriptions. Offers multiple challenges from elevation changes to tight wooded throws.

Cons:

A lot of up hill and down hill walking.

Other Thoughts:

This course is laid out very well and offers one of the upstates best challenges. Usually takes over 2 hrs. to play with multiple players.
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9 1
MadGame32
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 7.9 years 69 played 69 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Beautiful in spots 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Sep 23, 2018 Played the course:once

Pros:

-Tee signs on every hole
-Good signage leading you to course from road
-Good variety of lines
-3 BEAUTIFUL holes
-Two practice baskets
-Lots of elevation change

Cons:

-Almost entirely wooded
-Very tight in places
-Tee pads are mix between what used to be gravel and carpet (although footing was not an issue on tees)
-Not particularly cart friendly

Other Thoughts:

I highly anticipated playing this course based on what I have heard, and it is a very good place to play.

Course is mostly wooded with relatively small windows that define flight paths. All the lines are there...hitting them is the problem. This is definitely a challenging course that will really make you consider each shot.

All holes have tee signage and navigation was fairly easy due to the well worn in paths. Tee boxes appear to have been filled with gravel at one time, but that is mostly gone. What is left behind is some sort of grid substrate that is flat and stable. It looked worrisome, but held up just fine for me. There is very little water in play besides hole 11, and it would be hard for someone like me to get into that trouble.

I believe my favorite hole was 17 with the high tee off to a long pin position with a tight lane to hit for the drive. I guess my least favorite was probably hole 1 simply because it is a tricky shot for me. But, I do look forward to figuring that hole out!

All in all, this is a great course, but I would have liked it to be a little more open because I am not good enough to consistently hit the lines that were required. But, some guys that played with me hit them well, so it can be done be high level disc golfers. I would recommend the course for intermediate level players and up. I think Rec level players would really struggle here.

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
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2 4
DylanLJolley
Experience: 4 played 4 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Great course. Will be on the rotation. 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 4, 2017 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Different hole designs. Not repetitive. Requires different shots.

Challenging but so fun that its okay.

Thick woods at times but didn't lose a disc.

Not hard to navigate or walk.

Offers two of the most unique holes i've ever played.

Cons:

Some par 3's should be 4's. IMO One hole it would take the most beautiful S curve to get the disc to navigate the trees to even get close to a par. (But again, unique challenging holes so it was fun)

Other Thoughts:

I really enjoyed playing here and will be back for sure.
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1 10
acekingking
Experience: 16 played 1 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Pretty good 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 26, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

Had some good variety of holes.
Mostly wooded with some open

Cons:

Some thick parts along the course that could be cut down some
At the time I played, the grass was really high

Other Thoughts:

Nice wooded course. Really need to hit your lines.
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2 2
Polecat-Meow
Experience: 13.3 years 44 played 11 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Excellent & Unique 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Nov 1, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

-This course has a very one-of-a-kind feel
-Lots of Elevation
-Challenging but still gettable, type of course you really need to throw a few times before you'll know what disc is best (couple tunnel shots into fields with tough to read breezes)
-Really nice setting, very beautiful spot overall
-I like the boxes and pin placements a lot
-every whole feels unique
-easy to find course
-two practice baskets to throw between
-plenty of trash cans and benches

Cons:

-Some of the signs are misleading in terms of pin placements so we had to scope out pin location carefully, I think we threw to the 15 basket on hole 10 because of this and had to start over
-layout brings you back on top of some other holes, necessary to play quickly I guess and maximize the space

Other Thoughts:

Really interesting tee pads, I liked them a lot. I can't wait to play this course again, what a gem.
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13 0
BrotherDave
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 17.4 years 192 played 189 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Full of Surprises 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 11, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

Finding Pipeline DGC is kind of like finding that hip dive bar whose location is kept somewhat hidden to keep out all the tourists and yobbos. You know the kind, in the seedier part of town, down the dimly lit alleyway, past the sedated monkey riding the tricycle and down into the cellar guarded by a Duck Dynasty reject. When we arrived at the park, we pulled up to the park's main entrance, you know, like normal people. Nope, no course there. Keep driving up the hill, past the ball fields and down the rough driveway into the back corner of what looks like a maintenance area. Park at the gravel lot in front of some pipeline related utility area and you're there. You know you're there b/c there are two (2!) practice baskets and a disc golf sign near the picnic table. Walk past the fence and the hidden gem is revealed.

Boring necessary stuff: Tees are those rubber doodads with the gravel in them, installed well but meh. Signage is informative, yippee. Baskets are shiny and heavy chained Discatchers. Transitioning from hole to hole is a snap. The course is no mountain hike but there are some laboring treks on occasion. A few benches sprinkled here and there if memory serves.

Mostly wooded with a quarter or so open bomber holes. The woods are fairly tight on occasion but generally a good width. These holes can be pretty tough if you can't throw lasers off the tee and many are dubiously lengthened out of plausible birdie range. The open holes utilize the pipeline run and they are pretty cool and nice respites from the lumberjacking. Seriously good use of elevation as fun downhill holes are plentiful and at times extreme.

Cons:

In lieu of cons I'm doing a brief hole-by-hole:

Hole 1 has a lot of trash and brush piles between the gap and the pipeline, plus noobs could flip one over the fence. Otherwise, good hole playing open to wooded with a fast green.

Hole 2 is the starter hole a hole too late. One splitter tree(s) early to force an anny or hyzer on an otherwise open, shorter hole. Solid.

Hole 3 is great; 500'+ slightly downhill par 4 down the pipeline. Nice rolling terrain.

Hole 4 is a short, tightly wooded gauntlet over a valley. Mid/putter laser time.

Hole 5 is a really nice looking gentle turnover/forehand. Good, solid hole.

Hole 6 is kind of a shorter, more downhill version of the previous hole, except more of a forehand since the basket is hooked around the corner a bit more and the approach is guarded well. The only thing that bothers me about this hole is it's got a touch of classic Schwarz "hump" hole going on with your drive annoyingly obscured by a slight rise in the ground. Hopefully the trees between the basket and the tee as the crow flies aren't trampled and destroyed over time, otherwise this hole may lose a lot of difficulty.

Hole 7 is a "do everything possible just to make par" par 3. You're not reaching the green off the tee unless you have a sweeping hyzer to late flip to turnover to roller for good measure in your toolkit. Tight wooded tunnel all the way lined with tree jail. IMO it's a par 4 shaped fairway with a par 3 distance. I'm not crazy about it.

Hole 8 feels like a par 3.5 hole. Straight through the woods again for 350' with a little uphill green. Most can probably reach the green off the tee with a fast driver but the width of the fairway and the thick rough makes that a very risky proposition if you can't throw this far on a very controlled throw.

Hole 9 is a sweeping hyzer slightly downhill thru the woods again. There's a gap ~100' off the tee with splitter trees at the bend. Rewards luck more than skill as you have a good birdie chance if you avoid the random trees.

Hole 10 gives mere mortals a chance to get a birdie again. Long, downhill thru a tight wooded tunnel again but a doable par 4. Why the similarly tight, long and occasionally uphill holes 7 and 8 are par 3 whilst this is a par 4 is kind of a head scratcher but if you can float a disc long and straight you'll love this hole. Michael Johansen would get a boner thinking about ripping the Comet down this fairway. The basket's approach is neat with a high and low road scenario.

Hole 11 as the signature hole? I think yes. Open bomb down the pipeline again but risk/reward is amplified. It's a distant turnover or bomb flick with the pin tucked into some woods between a small creek and a raging river of a creek. Weak sauce gets you in the little creek or thick rough alongside it. Too much pepper and you miss the approach gap to the green or worse, a landing in the rapids. To top it off you have a slightly raised basket on a stump and a really lovely green. Terrific hole.

Hole 12 is another tunnel-ish, straight to fade, this time on the flats with that huge creek looming on the left. It's long and open enough to tempt you to go for it but the creek is foreboding enough to make you uneasy. Fun, pretty hole.

Hole 13: The token hyzer hole. It's short and a good confidence booster, bordering on deuce-or-die.

Hole 14 is like a shorter version of hole 10. Throw a laser down the tunnel. The green has some spots where it looks like it could get weedy but otherwise a nice putter/mid potential ace-run.

Hole 15 is a fun little hole with a bit of a split fairway, the left lane being a tempting ace-run and the right lane a bit longer looking hyzer. More nice and subtle high/low road elevation change.

Hole 16 is the only real "WTF were you thinking, Schwarz?" hole. A challenging to pull off (in terms of design) open>wooded>open hole that starts flat, goes steeply downhill through the woods, then slightly uphill again. This could rival hole 11 as the signature hole but the angle of the passage thru the wooded middle is just too goofy to attempt to carry off the tee. Any "go for it" drive is surely to be punished with a get-out-of-jail pitch back onto the fairway (that's if you can find your drive). I can't imagine any line thru the air where the disc can reach the 2nd open fairway where you can be rewarded for an easy birdie 3. It's a boomerang line that defies natural disc flight. So lay up to edge of the hill, throw another downhill tunnel shot and make a safe approach to the slightly uphill green.

Hole 17 is an EXTREMELY downhill, wooded, tunnel shot. This one will trick people into throwing nose down too much but it's the classic, "float a putter/neutral mid" type hole you see in the mountains a lot. MJ and his Comet are grinning again. Also another par 4 that should be a 3 considering all the elevation change. This is a gorgeous and extremely satisfying hole and the hanging basket between two holes is a lovely touch.

Hole 18 is a beast of a finishing hole and the only one that really forces you to throw steeply uphill. But it starts with a downhill, slightly L>R blast. The elevation also runs L>R with a knoll on the right. If your drive lands on that knoll the hole doesn't play that uphill. Land left and down and you're looking at a daunting approach fraught with roll-away peril. The green is extremely fast and can have you leaving the course wanting to pull your hair out and murder the designer or feeling fortunate and relieved. This is an epic, well-executed par 4 and possibly my favorite. Footing is very tenuous on that green so better safe than sorry.


Other Thoughts:

A little birdie told me that an excellent course designer did the finishing touches on this Schwarz design and it shows. This is a fantastic course and must-play in the area along with the toned down but superb Va-Du-Mar erm, Shoally Creek. Just a few things kept me from rating it higher such as the tees (concrete snob), the occasional enigmatic pars, hole 16's oddly angled fairway and some usual new course stuff like brush piles hiding your discs. The wooded bits got a little repetitive with straight shots through trees but the undulating terrain and pretty woods does a lot to mitigate that. This course can be a workout on a hot and humid day but not too bad.
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10 0
bjreagh
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 28.3 years 353 played 321 reviews
3.50 star(s)

2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 31, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

Pipeline is a challenging yet enjoyable 18 hole course for most any experienced level of disc golfer. It is primarily a tight wooded technical course, but there are a couple of signature holes that are more longer and wide open that play down the wide clearing for the underground pipeline.

This course has pretty much everything- woods/open (mostly woods); flat/up/down (some really fun downhill throws); water in the form of a big creek that comes into play on #11; variety of shot shapes required (though a majority of the time straight is often your best choice, there are places requiring lefts and rights; length is quite diverse with a combo of some short birdie holes, your basic 3-par holes, and some really tough holes to earn your 3 where a 4 is still not a bad score.

There are a lot of really special holes here. #3 down the hill in the open pipeline area. #11 is another fun downhill with an elevated basket to the right next to the creek (in my opinion is the signature hole here and one of the coolest holes I have every played.) #12 is nice because it is also down in the flat land by the creek and just looks different than most of the other holes. #16 with the unique shot shape or shot placement required to get through from one open area to the other, with a tough basket placement to follow. #17 is a narrow downhill shot. And #18 with the basket up on top of the hill in the dense woods is a challenging finishing hole, not so much the drive, but on the approach which is the difference between finishing with par or bogey. (I thought the back 9 as a whole was better than the front 9. Glad the designers saved the best for last!)

Discatcher baskets are highly visible and in fine shape. Tees aren't concrete (kind of hard to describe) but posed no problems. Tee signs were very good. Navigation signs were well-placed because there are a couple spots that would be confusing on your first round without them.

Very clean course, mowed grass, fairways trimmed and neat, paths from hole to hole were clear. Big bonus is that this course is on land used only for disc golf (no other park/outdoor activities around). You also get the isolated from the rest of the world feel, which I do enjoy.

I noticed that DGCR says this course was built in 2015, so it is in remarkable shape for being so new, as it usually takes more time for courses to get broken in to perfection. I saw there were a couple new hole placements also, which tells me that the locals here working on the course are still looking to make improvements and tweaks.

Cons:

Became a little redundant on the middle section of wooded holes (#4-10) with several holes in a row of similar style. They are all pretty tight and mostly straight, not a lot of room for error, thus shot/disc selection becomes pretty conservative on all of them if you want to score well. I did not feel there was a lot of risk/reward options, but mostly here is the shot, now do it, now do it again, and again. Don't misunderstand, I like tight wooded holes, I just prefer a mix of styles throughout 18 holes rather than long stretches of the same kind of hole and shots in a row.

Parking lot does not look like a place you are supposed to park being in the back of the ball fields by all the maintenance vehicles and old or out of season sports equipment. It is just a gravel lot with no actual lined parking spots. It felt a little uninviting and you question if this an area you are authorized to be in. However, there is a practice basket and after a short walk to #1 tee all is forgotten and the course itself is great.

Does not loop back after 9, so be prepared, this course is not really a difficult hike, but does have some length and elevation that could be tiring on a hot southern summer day. Also, I don't remember seeing any restroom facilities in the disc golf area.

Other Thoughts:

I was very pleased with the quality and variety of courses in this part of the country. You could spend a week here playing a lot of very good courses.

I debated between a 3.5 and 4.0 because I have this somewhere around a 3.8, but with about half the holes being just ok (nothing special and a touch of redundancy), it just lacked the "every hole is unique" factor that I feel is worthy of a 4.0+ rating. However, I can see why others have rated it very highly, and I have no problem with that. If I lived here I would play here often, and I would definitely play again if I was ever back in the area.
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9 0
whitefedora
Silver level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 16.2 years 948 played 36 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Great Design and Great Fun 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 10, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

- some well done quality gravel pads. Gravel isn't my preference, but these are in great shape and well done.
-quality baskets and signage
-warm up baskets by the parking lot
-multiuse park, but definitely in a remote part of the park
-all kinds of shots, long short, few open, lots of fun woods, left/right. All the shots are needed. Especially with all of the fun elevation.
-I saw plenty of wildlife and zero other people when I played which made for a very pleasant experience.
-mild water hazards that make for fun golf. There is one giant/deep river, but even though you see it on two holes, it seems to me it only really comes to play on the second one.
-course follows a pretty fun little tempo of difficulty. It's not entirely progressively harder, but rather a score that rises and falls to a great climactic end.
-fair fairways with a number that have more than one route to take.
-great par 4's that require 2 amazing shots to the green.
-great use of steps when needed and solid easy flow/navigation throughout the course

Cons:

-it's a straight up 18. 18 pads and 18 pin positions. Not a huge con, but it's going to keep it from getting into the elite status of courses IMO.
-No par 5's or super long grueling holes. Not that any of the holes are really freebies or anything, but I like to have a beastly 900' hole mixed into my best of the best courses.
-hole 13. I didn't like that there was an unmarked barbwire fence on the right side of the hole.

Other Thoughts:

I really enjoyed hiking through this course and seeing turtles and deer about. Listening to the water flowing and playing some amazing golf. The elevation changes are used amazingly and the last 3 holes really leave a good taste in your mouth for wanting more. I do think that 16 would be a lot easier for people with cannons for arms though. But since I don't, I had a lot of fun traversing through the first group of trees. 17 has a neat little twist on top of the world tunnel shots by having the fairway almost entirely flat and split into two different fairways right before the green. But really 18 is the most unique hole IMO on the course. The rolling hill fairway that juts way up to the right with a precarious green makes for quite the score card separator.

All in all, this course is really top notch. With multiple tees/pins I would easily give it a 4.5. If I could give it a 4.25 now, I would. Definitely worth the stop and even to travel a good bit out of the way for. Kudos to all those involved in making this South Carolina gem.
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4 1
mierze
Experience: 54 played 6 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Well Rounded Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 8, 2015 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-All holes have fair routes to the basket, albeit tight and challenging
-Diversity in lines and angles for each hole
-Great baskets and teepads
-Elevation comes into play on many holes
-2 practice baskets for back and forth short approaches
-Near soccer fields, for practicing upshots and drives
-Very remote and quiet, don't have to worry about hitting people with discs or being bothered while playing
-Beautiful scenery

Cons:

-Slippery when wet, between the elevation and the dirt becoming slick, it can be dangerous to navigate
-Many drives go out of sight and it can be easy to lose a disc if you aren't careful

Other Thoughts:

I love this course, it is close to home and a great course to play if you are looking for a challenge. It's no walk in the park by any means. There are a few pretty open holes, but most everything is pretty tight and demanding. I would like to see perhaps 1 more openish hole to give a little breathing room, but it really isn't necessary, as it stands it's a great course!
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7 1
Upshawt1979
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 21.5 years 562 played 429 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Diggin' the Pipeline 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 20, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

Pipeline DGC is amazing. Challenging to say the least. Takes all kinds of throws to successfully traverse the fairways that are frequently in dense woods and also changing elevation, sometimes drastically. Maybe the best course in the state. The equipment is all good. Tees are concrete, and baskets are still like new. The layout is easy to follow, and the signs are pretty good. There are a few benches and trash cans along the way.

The first hole eases in with a mando as the fairway moves from the open into the edge of the hilly woods. Hole two is slightly uphill and from the woods into an open area. The third hole is where it starts getting good. Open fairway with woods lining either side down a fairly steep hill about 500'. A par 4, but a 2 isn't out of the question if you punch a good drive out there. I did nail it, but couldn't get the 40 foot putt to fall. Hole 4 is a shorty through narrow gaps in the trees, with the fairway dropping and then climbing to a pin above the level of the tee. Managed a birdie there as well, but thats where my good fortune ended. Bogey on 5, a nice hole with plenty of trees as well. 6 really zinged me, a downhill right to left, with a tough line through the trees. I lost a disc there (a sidewinder, transparent white with a green stamp), and three putted to top it off. 7 and 8 dealt me bogeys after I continued to struggle to avoid trees. 9 and 10 were also lengthy and wooded, but I managed to get pars. Hole 11 is another cool look from the tee, again downhill a considerable distance, in the same open line that hole 3 is placed in. This time the basket is set to the right, at the bottom of the hill in front of a good sized creek in a fairly deep ravine. There is a large tree directly in front of the pin, and brushy clusters of smaller trees on either side. 12 is flat, along the edge of the ravine, with a few mature trees on the fairway. 13 returns to the wooded hill sides, but is fairly short. 14 is a bit longer, but still par 3. 15 is another short hole with trees, slightly uphill. Was thinking birdie, but wound up with bogey. No gimmes. The last three holes are very memorable, all par 4 with serious elevation and trees. 16 has some airspace to work with but a right turn downhill, and then back to the left and back up again. 17 is an elevated teepad that drops off immediately and steep to a flatter area with a lot more trees. It is difficult to throw the flat line drive through the tree tops and get the distance required. 18 is woodsy and rolling hills out of the box, but turns right and climbs a steep hill to the pin. I was licking my wounds as I tallied my score. 13 over, 72. Wish I could get a few dozen more rounds here and a more respectable score.

Cons:

Not beginner friendly, and probably pretty muddy and a bit treacherous after rain. Other than the lost disc, I have no regrets about this one.

Other Thoughts:

What an amazing course. Love the elevation changes. The fairways twist and turn all directions through scenic but challenging woods. There are a couple of average holes, several very good holes, and a few great ones. Spartanburg has multiple course of high quality, but this is my favorite for sure. Possibly my favorite in all of South Carolina. Definitely top 3. Kicked my butt and left me wanting to do it again. Get your gear and check it out. The last three holes are as tough a finish that I have seen in a long time.
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2 1
jamesdevin
Experience: 20.5 years 85 played 22 reviews
4.50 star(s)

not what I expected from south carolina 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jun 28, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

challenging for all players
good elevation changes
easy navigation
area is exclusively for disc golf
good tee signs
awesome finishing hole
clean park and new course

Cons:

none

Other Thoughts:

This course has everything. Short holes though the woods, long holes down hill, and lots of elevation change, and water on a couple holes. Easy to navigate and fun to play. if you love disc gold then you need to play here. it was completely different than every other course I've played in SC (Charleston area) and I will be back next time in heading down on vacation. I highly recommend this course to all.
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10 3
filobedo
Experience: 19.5 years 297 played 21 reviews
5.00 star(s)

SC is becoming a disc golf destination due to courses like this 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 1, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

Best course in SC and this course will only get better. The municipality appears to be all for disc golf in their area and this is a gem as I believe this is the best course in SC (I have played 93 courses in SC). Hole descriptions are by RHBH
#1 - Great starting hole! Slight hyzer from open tee to wooded gap with basket up on hill. Starting with a 2 or 4 is possible.
#2 - Hyzer or anhyzer route around tree to guarded target on edge of woods
#3 - Bomb down the pipeline rolling hill from right tee to a left basket near woods line
#4 - Fun ace run through narrow gap to slightly up hill target
#5 - Great slight anhyzer tee shot down tightly wooded fairway to open green
#6 - Play for 3. I heard people complaining about how unfair the hole is but you cannot birdie them all. I you have a flick, use it for best results
#7 - Could be one of the best holes on the course but green is surrounded by woods and guarded. If some trees were taken out by target, and basket moved back or to the left, this would definitely be a gamechanger in tournaments. Still a great hole but make sure your tee shot lands in the middle.
#8 - Great hole and one of the most beautiful on the course. Up and over the hill to target that plays downhill through challenging trees
#9 - Another great hole, slight hyzer with some distance and challenge. Do not end up left off the tee
#10 - Wow, super challenging teeshot through narrow alley to target straight down the tree lined fairway. Stay clean and in the middle. A 3 is a game changer and a 2 is phenominal for ams
#11 - One of the funnest holes on the course from elevated tee with anhyzer to guarded target in an old tree stump near river
#12 - Most likely signature hole along river with prettiest fairway on property. Slight hyzer to protected green
#13 - Very challenging and could use some maintenance. There is a straight route and less risky than hyzer. Very deceiving and unforgiving hole if not accurate.
#14 - Awesome hole for ace run if you are accurate and straight with a midrange or putter. Make the tight fairway clean and putting for 2.
#15 - Great hole, slight hyzer uphill with a few hidden branches to catch high shots.
#16 - One of the most unusual holes I have played. Tee across the pipeline through a strip of narrow forest that drops about 20' in elevation. I threw backhand and thumber off the tee and never got to the fairway out of the forest. If you can get to the opening out side of the trees, you have an extremely long uphill shot to a an open green on a hill. I am so glad the designer placed the target on top of the hill across the ditch as it prevents roll aways which would make the hole super frustrating and not fair.
#17 - Candidate for signature hole. Tee from elevated area about 50' - 75' above the fairway. Get through clean and ams have a chance at 3 and possibly 2.
#18 - Best finishing hole in SC (Chester State Park is a close second). Slight anhyzer tee shot to open area and approach to highly elevated green on hill (think of #17 at Richmond Hill on steroids)

Cons:

There are not more new courses as well thought out as this one

Other Thoughts:

The municipal leaders and Russell showed up for ribbon cutting at the first event and they seemed motivated to build more courses so please be appreciative and respectful if on property and thank any staff. I have played many Russell Schwartz designs and this is by far the best! I stress to get good directions because it is a little difficult to find out in the country and bring snacks and lots of water and gatorade. Stay away from the Beacon and eat at Ike's near Converse if you like that kind of food.
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2 8
VernTBone
Experience: 2 played 2 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Very Good Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 14, 2015 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

- The Pipeline is a really nice, well-designed course. ----- There is a good balance of short, long, and really long holes.
- Holes 11, 12, and 17 are among some of the most picturesque holes in DG, especially 11.
- Great woods-y type course, with more than its share of tight, technical shots.

Cons:

- If you're not a technical player, this course isn't for you. There are only a couple of "grip it -n- rip it" style holes and both require a RHBH anhyzer. It's tough to call this a "con," because the course is designed to be a test. That being said, if you look on YouTube at the courses being played by the pros each week, there is much more of a balance between technical and long-game shots.

Other Thoughts:

Again, this is a very good course and quite enjoyable. If you don't have an acceptable technical game, then expect to (1) get frustrated with 7+ strokes on many holes, (2) spend lots of time looking for discs, and (3) lose a disc or two...or three.
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10 1
sjberry2017
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 11.5 years 51 played 19 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Wow 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 15, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

- Gravel tees! I like these so much more than concrete tees; they're easier to rotate on while still providing excellent grip, and are easier on the body. These tees are definitely done right
- Two practice baskets.
- Brand new Discatchers.
- Excellent woods holes. Tight gaps, elevation change, but easy to recover from.
- There are some absolutely beautiful holes; holes 4, 11, 12, 16, 17, and 18 immediately spring to mind.
- Legitimate par 4's; some holes will require a placement shot to begin with.
- Benches at most holes.
- Next tee arrows on the baskets; they make navigation so much easier.
- Blind tee shots. on several holes. I put this as a bonus because they can be fun, and the land seems to be solely used for disc golf so there's little chance to hurt someone on a blind drive.
- On most holes, it's possible to recover from a bad tee shot or unlucky kick.
- Good, descriptive tee signs.
- Arrows pointing you to the next tee on longer walks between holes.
- Love the elevated pin on hole 11; this is what I would consider to be the signature hole on the course, with the elevated teepad and beautiful putting green, plus the elevated pin. However, hole 18 may be the signature hole as well, with the huge final approach up a nearly vertical hill.

Cons:

- It's still rough in spots, since the course is so new.
- The mandos aren't marked on the tee signs; I replayed hole 1 because I didn't see the right mando arrow until I walked up to the opening.
- Some of the walks between tees are a hike; the next tee arrows and navigation arrows are great, but hopefully the city maintains the arrows. Otherwise, navigation for a first timer will be kind of tricky.
- Hole 12 plays along a cliff down to the river, so if a disc goes over, it's gone. I'm going to miss that Claymore.
- Some of the woods holes have really tight gaps (specifically hole 10). They're fun, but can be really frustrating as well.
- A few holes get kind of repetitive. They're still fun to play, but repetition is repetition.

Other Thoughts:

Pipeline DGC, playing along and around a pair of Natural Gas Pipelines behind soccer fields, is the newest course in South Carolina's Upstate, and probably my new favorite course in the Upstate. It has a very different feel from every other Upstate course that I can't quite put my finger on; I've heard comparisons to RL Smith in Charlotte, and while I've never played RL Smith, I've watched coverage of the 21 Hole Salute by McFlySoHigh, and the Pipeline does seem to have the same feel.

The mix of open holes to wooded holes is nice, and the open holes aren't boring. Hole 4 is a really long, bombing hole, and hole 11, as I noted above, feels like the signature hole. Hole 16 is also a great par 4 playing across both Pipeline areas. The use of elevation is incredible, with many elevated teepads and huge shots up hills (hole 16 and 18 come to mind on the second point immediately).

However, some features feel repetitive; there are several straight down the hill shots, for example. Also, some of the woods holes have incredibly tight gaps (5, 6, and 10 spring to mind immediately) that, while fair, take away some of the fun of the course, to me at least.

Overall though, I think the difficulty and beauty of this course outweigh the rough around the edges and occasional repetitiveness to make this the best course in the Upstate. With more play, this course should break in nicely to truly be the best the Upstate has to offer.
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8 0
Bennybennybenny
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 13.8 years 322 played 303 reviews
4.00 star(s)

It felt like throwing through a pineline at times. 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:May 24, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

-With it being a brand new course down Old Canaan Exit at a soccer complex, I thought for sure I would struggle finding this place, but I finally did and this was an outstanding new course experience! It felt like RL Smith with a touch of Grand Central Station.
-I appreciated that there was a sign with an arrow pointing to the course at the entrance. It took me to the practice baskets, which I also liked. There is a hill and that is where you will find #1, there is also a sign.
-I like the grassy fairways in the wooded area.
-Nice tee signs and tee pads. There are some long transitions but the "next tee" signs completely make up for it.
-Variety is incredible! Course is very hilly, there are some uphills, a few valleys and many downhills. it's mostly wooded but has a couple of open holes, none of the holes are super long but the lengths still vary. Some of the greens are really sweet with one being exotic!
-Course starts off as a nice warm up, well mostly. Hole 1 was kind of tricky because it has a mando gate and the basket is on a rollaway green. It shows you what to expect but it isn't too tough. #2 is a deceptively easy par 3 that plays slightly uphill around a couple of trees, pretty easy 2 and a more forgiving hole, gives a little bit of redemption. #3 forces you to see distance, but it still is pretty easy if you can clear the fairway. The woods can be unforgiving but this hole gives you the chance to rip it. #4 is the shortest on the course at 169', but it is pretty tight and demands good accuracy. The first four can be a breeze but hole 5 comes next and it is really hard!
#5 starts to kick it up a notch! It's a tight 325' footer that requires a slight anhyzer. The trees can really make it even more rough if you let them. This hole is followed by many more difficult holes. Like #10 being a really test to your accuracy! It plays significantly downhill so it plays shorter but the fairway is very narrow. The first basket you will see on this hole, without question, will be #15's because it is straight ahead. #14 can make or make you with its steep downhill shot. It reminded me of #9 at Stumpy Creek but it's not as steep. Now the longest hole is something else...
-#16. This hole is brutal and nasty. It's barely over 500' but it feels MUCH longer. It plays as a double dogleg. First thing's first, hit the gap because there is a double mando, and make sure the disc you throw is good with anhyzers. This hole goes straight downhill into the woods and requires a certain path. There is death written in the woods and the fairway goes to the right and down the hill. By the time you are out in the open, You throw back uphill and the basket is tucked into the woods. Great hole but beginners won't like it. My friend from Church Will described it as "Grotesquely difficult."
-The final three hole stretch is outstanding! I already mentioned #16 and the uniqueness of challenge, #17 is a straight downhill par 4 in the deep woods. There is a lot of trouble in the right side. Many good drives on this hole can be sabotaged. But the tee shot is stunning! #18 is in rough shape at the moment but it's still very playable and easy to enjoy. This hole is brilliantly designed! The tee pad is on a hill and goes slightly back up further down the fairway. The second shot is ridiculous! But it is incredible nevertheless. The pin position is what I consider "exotic." It's on a steep rollaway hill like at least 25' tall! This is a super frightening approach and if you go left, you will lose at least one stroke. Very frightening ending but it ends very well. I thought the back nine was better than the front.

Cons:

-Typical new course problems. #16's fairway out in the open is overgrown and needs to be cut. It's REALLY high and itchy. There are also drag piles that are a hindrance to #10's green. A BAD hindrance, they sabotaged my approach and it was looking good! There are some overhead branches here and there.
-Few holes seem incomplete like #13 for instance. I think the fairway could open up just a little bit. Same with #18, the middle of the fairway barely provides a legit route. Grass is rough here and there throughout the course.
-Not many trash cans yet on the course but that doesn't bother me.

Other Thoughts:

-To sum up. I counted up eight signature holes!! There is so much in store here at Pipeline. This course just rocks! I love Spartanburg golf! This and Tyger River make me want to start camping out here. Two destination courses in the same area, and in the country make it well worth your time.
-Favorite hole (#14)-Very fun steep downhill with a chance of sailing past the basket! It was a close call between #11 and #12. #11 is the most known here. A super fun "Top o' the World" tee shot that anhyzers. #12 is a pleasant surprise with a low ceiling. The water is to the left side. This hole is majestic!
-Play this course! It's well worth your time.
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3 0
hellbound
Experience: 16.5 years 91 played 17 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Great course for the upstate 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 16, 2015 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

What a great course. Spartanburg Parks department hit a homerun with this one.

This 18 hole course is set off to the side of a soccer complex that does nothing short of giving disc golfers a place to play without having to worry about any real foot traffic from other sports players. Hole one starts you out with a pretty simple par three for a warm up, followed by another until the real work comes in. You will be looking at holes where discing down and placement shots will be key to keeping a low score. The fairways are fair but challenging with landing zones for most intermediate players and above. Plenty of signs to guide you to the next hole with out too much trouble. Some of the fairways also have been seeded with grass to give you a feeling of what disc golf courses will be like in the future.

Cons:

Not too many cons at this point. Would be nice if there was water available close by for filling up between rounds but you can take a little bit of a long walk to the bathrooms to get some water from the drinking fountain.

Other Thoughts:

This course has easily made my top ten. I have played across three different states and I have not seen this many different type of signature type holes in one round. As the course matures this will be a easy top five for me. Anyone within a 4 hour trip should come and see this course. Bring plenty of water with you if you come during the summer.
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1 4
Thoward1970
Experience: 9 played 3 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Gem of the Upstate 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:May 10, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

-Very challenging
-Great variety of shots.
- Spectacular views and love the grassy fairways
-Great use of the terrain.
- Nice Practice area
-Good Parking

Cons:

- Not a fan of the tee pads (but did not have any trouble out of them when played)
- Some limbs do need to be trimmed or cut totally out of the way.

Other Thoughts:

I had heard tons of people talking about how great this course was but until I finally laid my eyes on it did I grasp that concept. I have only played a few courses and most all of the ones in the upstate and this course by far is my favorite.I played horrible my first round there so I am going back today to try and redeem myself LOL. The Spartanburg County Rec department is doing a great job. Tyger River was a great Course and this one was even better I can not wait until Holston Creek is done. I think The upstate is becoming a destination that is a must for disc golfers.
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7 1
Jaysauls
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 15.5 years 129 played 71 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Spectacular Course! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 9, 2015 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

There are soooo many positives for this course! It's tight, technical, beautiful....yada, yada, yada. Great benches, easy to follow. very scenic.

Some courses are lucky to have 1 signature hole. This course has several. In my opinion 17 & 18 are the best finishing holes in golf. Tough, cool, stunning (at time of this writing!) with thick dark rye grass in the fairways. Either could be a poster child for Signature holes.

Backing up...hole 16 is just...wow. Tough anyhzer shot into a gap that drops 30' into through the woods and into a lower fairway, where you then have to throw a long uphill shot to the left.

Skipping back to the beginning...Great use of bright yellow arrows that point at baskets. Not mandos, but if you don't pass near the arrow, you will wish you had! Holes 2 & 3 are kind of filler holes. Not great, not bad. But when you reach hole 4 the course comes alive! From here through hole 10 you're twisting and turning, throwing anhyzer/hyzer shots. Better be on or you're toast!

Hole #10 is where you had better be ACCURATE! 500+ feet down a tiiiiight fairway with trouble all over. Best finish streight or right. Left is no good at all.

Hole #11...take a break, pull out a dozen discs your want to throw and let'em fly! Awesome, long down hill anhyzer shot to raised basket in a stump. Basket is below the bettest tree to you 1 o'clock position

Hole #12 is (was, could be winter when you read this) gorgeous. Long, slightly turning shot toward a basket near the the river bank. Don't crush you upshot unless you want to say goodbye to your plastic.

Hole #14 another blast of a long, slightly tigh down hill shot. Give it a run with a putter or neutral midrange.

This brings us back toward 16-18. This is the gauntlet that's gonna drive you to the lead or back of the back!

Cons:

At this point, very, very few to none. This course just opened so there's still a bit of pruning needed for limbs high off the fairway and the occasional small tree that needs removal. Hole 6 needs tweaking, but besides that. Nada. Near perfect in my humble ol' opinion.

Other Thoughts:

When this course matures it could be a solid 4.5-5.0. Definitely going to be one of the top 3 courses in the state.
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