Shoally Creek is a solid, enjoyable course. More important, it's the same course it was back when it was the much more memorably named Va-Du-Mar.
- I heard people talk about how a lot of work had gone into redesigning this course. Well, in the several years between playing it the first and second time, nothing really changed here. One hole was different and a couple had slight tweaks. That's a major redesign? In Charlotte, that's a typical year for Renny. Or Kilborne. Or Elon. Or Hornets Nest.
- This has a general simple yet not easy layout. There's not a lot of frills here (a positive); not a lot of gimmicky layouts (a positive); not a lot of overthinking of hole designs (a positive); and a reliance on the terrain to create the challenges (a positive). Many courses could learn from being efficient with the terrain. Sometimes a relatively open hole with a few strategically located trees can be just as difficult as one that's heavily wooded. You see that playing out on #14 (a really good hole) and #18.
- Excellent variety of layouts - open holes (#1 & 2); wooded (#9 & 10); elevation factors (#7 & 11); great risk/reward layouts - #13 & 17 - where the risk means landing in a varying degree of swampy water. Holes #13 & 17 also requires you to hit your landing spot on the approach (if laying up) or your tee shot (if you're a big arm). Ending up short is a big no-no; going long leaves a challenging return shot.
- Course does a nice job turning up level of challenge throughout the round. The first four holes are nice warm-up holes. At some point around hole #6 or 7, I realized I should have been more aggressive and tried for birdies rather than be content with making easy pars. As the challenge slowly built throughout the round, I never had any blow up holes so thought I was playing alright. It wasn't until I added up my score at the end did I realize how much over par I shot. Well played Shoally. Well played indeed.
- Nice tee signs and tee pads. I also like that many holes have the bag hangers. The course as a whole has a nice, easy flow to it. Even without a map, a first timer should be able to navigate pretty well.

My biggest gripe is that I'm having to rewrite a review because the local scene erroneously determined the Va-Du-Mar layout needed to be retired. Changing one hole and redesigning small parts of several others is not a course overhaul. I'm more annoyed I can't take the easy way out and copy and paste that review I had for Va-Du-Mar.
- I like everything in concept about hole #11. On paper (tee sign), it looks like it should be an elite signature hole. For some reason, it doesn't quite have that 'something' when it's actually being played. Part of that is from the redesign, which turned this hole into more of a target-to-target layout that can effectively be played only one way. It reminds me of #12 at Nevin (in Charlotte) in that quasi-negative sense.
- Having paths as fairways on several holes (as well as playing over the on a couple others) on the front 9 could be an issue. I saw people walking on the path/fairway on #6 only after I threw my shot. This also makes the fairways on #6 & 8 very narrow.
- There's something about holes #17 & 18 that seem slightly 'off' for me. They don't seem like the best of closing holes - I think I'd enjoy them more at some other point of the round. Also #17 just seems like it misses that 'something' that keeps it from being a great hole. For me, the short tee (209 feet) takes away too much of the challenge; whereas, the long tee (353 feet) means only bigger arms can actually make a run. For people who throw in the 300-foot range, you're left throwing far right, eliminating the entire risk/reward facet.

Va-Du-Mar is a more exciting course name than Shoally Creek. If the park is Va-Du-Mar, why the name change?
- Course has a lot of fun and challenging aspects to it. I like that this course is fair while (mostly) not being overly difficult. There's lots of room to recover if you don't throw a perfect tee shot.
- That said, the holes that consider paths/roads as fairways isn't something I'd expect for a course of this level. Having the road as a fairway for #5, 6 & 8 is such a negative that it takes until hole #11 to wipe the stank off.
- Holes #14 - 16 present a great and fun, three-hole layout. #14 is that awesome risk/reward hole. #15 is top notch in terms of its layout & flow. #16 is your finally chance to be aggressive.
- The course is solidly good, it's just not great. There's nothing wrong with a solid 3.5 rated course. I can put this course on the level of Pipeline, Grand Central or (the first 18 at) Holston Creek. I can say this is a solid, slightly less demanding and great change of pace if you're looking for an above average course in the Upstate.

- Alternate Tee-Pads. It really creates two unique DG experiences. The distance between the two sets of tee-pads is substantial... as reflected by my scores below.
- Quality Shots. Great use of OB, elevation, FAIRways, open space, alternate tees... all around really well thought out.
- Picturesque Shots. If hole 14 was shooting over water instead of a weedy, swampy area, it would be a "calendar" shot... it practically is now. Several other holes are too.
- Great use of OB. The retention pond shots were awesome... they test your ability, disc selection, strategy, and nerve. They're not for everyone and trying to play safe around them isn't a walk in the park either. The creek that runs along several of the holes is used exceptionally well too. You really have to GOLF!

- No Signage! For shots of Va-Du-Mar's caliber, you need signage. I like to know how far holes are, especially long ones. I also like to know the Par, especially on shots where I know it can not be a 3. I also like to know what is and is not OB.
- No Benches.

- EPIC. Now that I replay Va-Du-Mar in my head... this course is Epic. The finishing holes are championship quality, with 14, 15, 16, 17, & 18 all having water in play. Hole 11 (L) is a 500+' bomb with huge elevation, disaster on both sides, and a creek bisecting the fairway. You just don't get to play holes like these very often!
- Short Course. You can really score well on the short tees. By no means are birdies free - plenty of gaps need to be hit, lots of OB needs to be avoided, and shots need to be made - but they're there for the taking.
My Score: -9
- Long Course. The long course seems longer than most other "treed-up" courses, and with OB only 15' away from the most perfect throw a lot of the time, this course is difficult. It is definitely designed for the advanced+ player. There are several unmarked Par 4's (2, 6, 10, 11, 13... at least I hope they're Par 4's). I only had 3 realistic looks at a deuce.
My Score: +9 (using Par 3's) and +4 (using the "Par 4's").
- GPS Directions. The closest houses address to the park entrance is 792 McMillan Blvd.

Ok this is my home course, so I'm not about to bash this course but I will tell you like it is. The first two holes have wide open fairways, good for big arms. I like the hardness of #6 but I have not learned how to throw a disc straight down a path that is only 15 feet wide. Good course could be better with better management from the parks department. Has a couple of football fields to practice long throws on.

There are a few cons at this course, not the best course I have played, but not the worst. The biggest con is no tee signs, so if you are a newbie you will have to walk the course first to figure out where to shoot. Not crowded, yes that can be a con, if you are new its nice to have someone tell you hints about the course and on most days you might be the only one on the course. Lots of wildlife, i'm ok with the rabbits and squires, but be careful when picking up your disc, there are snake holes in the woods and yesterday I saw a snake in the creek so be careful. If you throw into the creek yes the water feels great but look out for snakes. Seems like this park was thought out but never really was finished, On hole #13 the is an unsightly blush pile that was never cleaned up and trash is collecting around it. Be careful on #14 and #17 you might think you can clear the two swamps, but i'm betting that you loose a disc trying to. It's always good to have a few more disc than you need to play a round because you might loose a disc on these two holes.

No par is set for this course. I play it as a par 61
hole #1 par 3
hole #2 par 3
hole #3 par 3 (can easily make in 2 but i don't believe in par 2's)
hole # 4 par 3
hole # 5 par 3
hole # 6 par 4
hole # 7 par 3
hole # 8 par 3
hole # 9 par 3
hole #10 par 4
hole # 11 par 5
hole # 12 par 3
hole # 13 par 5
hole # 14 par 3
hole # 15 par 3
hole # 16 par 3
hole # 17 par 4
hole # 18 par 3

Great mixture of long drives, finesse drives, vertical changes, woods and clear play. CHALLENGING from the pro tees. Park is basically a big, new and confined playground, and a disc golf course -- PERFECT!

Almost a bit absurd in the challenge level on some pro tees. Swampland really comes into play on some late holes with briar patches galore.

Well designed, pin placement was good but again some of the pro holes were silly difficult.

From the long tees, course is plenty challenging. Short tees, which I didn't play, look like they still hold interesting challenges.

Course features great variety, with no two holes being alike. On the front 9 are some wooded holes with extreme elevation; some of the best elevation around this area. Toward the end are several holes with options to throw over or around retention areas (see also "cons"), with rewards but risks if you miss. Elsewhere, there are some fairly open holes with well-mown fairways where the bigger arms can let fly---but still enough trees to punish inaccuracy.

The aesthetics are nice; beautiful woods and rolling open areas, in a section of a very large park set aside for disc golf.

The great variety includes 3 or 4 absurdly-tight holes, to the point of diminishing the experience (to my taste).

The retention areas (see "pros") are essentially waterless ponds. Strategically, they make great obtacles. However, if you throw into a pond you know your disc is lost; here, it's probably lost, but you feel obligated to search through mud and 10' high weeds to try to find it.

When I played (2008) course was still fairly new, and probably still is. It's certain to get better as traffic breaks it in.

What I personally like and how this course stacks up:
1) Holes with good risk/reward. Fair, but harsh punishment for bad decisions or execution. == A
2) Holes that have rewarding birdie opportunities for me. I throw 300' accurately, 360' max. == B
3) More wooded than open - lots of variety of shots required caused by hole shape and topography == A-
4) Natural beauty (Appalachian beauty preferred) and seclusion. == B
5) Bonus points for multi-shot holes with defined landing zones, good risk/reward and multiple options to play them. == C

It's all about feeding the addiction, so I ranked this course subjectively based on my own "personal addiction factor". The grades above tell how well the course will draw me back to itself again and again and again. Since I have played a decent number of courses (125 18-hole, 64 9-hole as of mid 2009), my hope is that players/explorers who have similar addiction tastes will find my ratings list helpful as they choose courses to play and explore.

Over time, I expect to fill some of my reviews in with more descriptive verbiage...if what I can add anything to what has already been written. For now, my list is more important to me than the verbiage of my reviews.

I fully expect others with different tastes/philosophies to disagree with me....that's the fun of things here. See my profile for my rating philosophy.

The other reviews are spot-on. This course is long and awesome. The woods are not heavy and really make the holes fun/ challanging.

I began playing the longer set of tee pads and had a time trying to find some of them. Once signs are installed my rating of this course will go up indeed.

I live in Greenville, so this is a little drive for me but worth it every time. I love the wooded holes...reminded me somewhat of East Roswell Park in GA. They are tight but so tight as to make it less fun. Hole 17 is a very difficult hole for me as the landing pad is essentially a earthen dam on which the basket is placed. OB is all along the left side and is very intimidating. Laying up here can save you a search and/or several strokes if you 'go for it'. 18 is coming back along the same swampy area and is a little easier to deal with. Over all, this is definitely one of my favorite courses in the upstate.

Multiple Teepads add a great variety of shots to the course. The Short tees still offer a challenge due to the tight fairways and OB creek that runs thru the course. The course design takes full advantage of the elevation the park offers and makes for some great risk/reward ace runs. The longer version ups the difficulty quite a bit and offers different and tighter lines for some of the wooded holes.

Can be tricky to navigate and could use better Tee-signs.

This course is well worth the drive and effort to play. Unlike some parks the Blue tees here give the course a whole different experience instead of just making it longer. Great playground area and plenty of open space make this park a good place to bring the family aswell.

-Short and Long version of every hole
-Nice use of elevation change
-19th hole makes for a nice "tiebreaker" hole
-technical course that allows players to use a wide array of shots
-the degree of difficullty is underrated

-no tee signs
-course can be difficult to navigate for 1st timers
-a couple of the holes are too short from the short position (I jump putted from the tee on two holes)

enjoyed the course from both the long and the short. Its worth the 1hr15min drive once or twice a year. Would play more if I lived closer

Great mix of open and tight woods, elevation changes, 2 tee pads /hole. Longs are extremely challenging, shorts are challenging but still fair. Tight woods are not so "rough" that you lose a disc or get in briars.

Need permanent signs for tees. Have to look for long tees. Could use some "next tee" signs for a few holes.

Love this course EXCEPT Hole #17. The shorts you have a fair shot at the basket, but the longs you have such a small landing area, and part of it is a creek bed with large rocks.

Pro & Am pads are clearly different & are separated by 100ft or more on some holes. Good mix of open & wooded shots. OB & water hazards abound. There are elavation changes but it's not a difficult hike. Beautiful surroundings with new double chain Innova baskets. Sepatare "19th hole" basket.

Need some benches. All tee signs were not in yet. No course maps or scorecards available yet. All this is coming from what I've heard.

There are several large open fields adjacent to the course for practice throws. There is a large kids playground there to entertain the youngsters.