Any place that's called the ROC must have a disc golf course, right? Right?? RIGHT??? Well...(shoulder shrug).
- The best way to sum up the Rutherfordton Opportunity Center course is that it's perfectly decent. Think of most of the school nine hole courses around, and you're in the same ballpark for this course's quality. And on #9, you're actually playing on the ball field.
- Holes #1 - 5 play in the field in front of the school. These holes are all good (relatively) as they all incorporate some level of tree coverage for obstacles. You're also throwing over/along the school road on each of these holes. So there is an added level of challenge if you're playing it as OB. And, to top it off, you're throwing right over top of some playground equipment on #4.
- Holes #6 - 9 play in a separate field behind the school building. After #5, you have a little walk around the building. You get to #6, which is at the top of the hill. This is a wooded, sharp dogleg right, downhill layout. This is probably the best hole on the course. It's at least the most varied. It's also the only one I was wanting to throw a second disc for fun.
- If you like throwing dogleg right layouts, you're in luck. The final three holes follow this format. As this is a wide open field, they create challenge by having the fairways hug thick woods/underbrush along the right side of each fairway. Based on this growth in late Spring, I wouldn't want to climbing too deep into the growth to retrieve a disc.
- In terms of interesting layouts, you'll be hard pressed to top #9. It starts out as the aforementioned dogleg right tee shot. You walk around the corner, see a ball field, and see the basket that's inside of a fenced in area (old dugout perhaps)? My second shot landed hole high 15 feet away, which put me just inside the third base foul line. But, because of the fence protecting the basket on three sides, I had to throw a loft shot at the basket.
- Tee signs. Quality descriptive tee signs including arrows to the next tees. However, several were either broken or on the ground.

A general lack of upkeep. The five holes in front of the building get essentially 100% of the attention and care. I don't think that back field gets much attention. The final four holes, and the field in general don't get much attention. Even the grass back there was much taller.
- The last four holes could be better with simple maintenance. Cut back some of the overgrowth. Clear out the greens. And most important, on #9, cut the branch overhanging the basket. You already have a cage on three sides of the basket, and you're blocked by the branch in the front.
- I was a little more alert playing these last four holes. There's a definite isolation feel to this field. There's a single way in and out of the field barring running through the overgrowth. Just saying, you'd notice if someone else showed up to the field.
- I didn't like having the playground in the fairway of #4. You're not (or SHOULD NOT BE) throwing if there are kids playing. It's more the look of having discs smacking playground equipment.
- Limited parking. There's a small lot on the left side of the building. There's an even smaller, unmarked area on the right side of the building. At least with this lot, you're more centrally located.
- The course has a general run down feel. That probably has a lot to do with small stuff: lack of mowing/maintenance, missing tee signs, broken/leaning basket on #9. A little TLC will spruce this right up.
- Now the standard disclaimer. This is a school course so no bathrooms, benches, or water fountains. Pack in and pack out. And, limited hours.

For a nine-hole school course, the ROC has potential to be enjoyable. It's got some good variety, with holes ranging from 171 to 430 feet.
- The trees play as good obstacles on some holes. #1 & 3 offer nice challenges - #1 with the basket under a tree creating a low ceiling; #3 with the basket alongside the road and throwing around trees means you're either starting your shot OB and fading back or you're throwing towards OB.
- #2 is a good multi-shot par 4. It's 430 feet with the OB road around 300 feet from the basket. To remain left of the road, you can either throw short or throw long but be way left. Or if you want to cross the road off the tee, you better get enough air or cross the road early and have a long second shot with more trees as obstacles. Plus, you can't go too far right or you're bringing the building into play. I took the short tee shot, essentially going 250-175-putt.
- A couple tweaks would make this course better. Move a couple baskets and/or tees, and you improve the overall quality.
- In the end, this is a simple, straight forward layout. For my local comparison (Charlotte area), I liked the general construct more than many of the local 9-hole school courses. It gets dinged for poor upkeep.
- It's not going to get much play because it's somewhat remote. Despite being less than 2 miles off US-74, you're not going to get many people to make a quick detour to visit. If you're in the area, might as well add one more to the played list.