For a course with decrepit portable baskets, I actually liked this layout. Am I having a mid-life crisis by enjoying easy courses too much?
- This course was much more fun, and a whole lot better, than it had any right to be. When you're a course built on hilly terrain, you've got a built in advantage.
- This reminded me of a private, backyard course. Between the portable baskets and not the greatest of upkeep, this isn't what you're used to seeing if you come from an area with an active DG club.
- Elevation is the course's saving grace. Six of the nine holes have elevation factors that directly impact a hole's layout. The other three are less severe where it has minimal impact.
- #1 is a decent uphill, dogleg left. It's 360 feet, but plays a good 50 - 75 feet longer due to the elevation. A solid opening hole.
- #3 is a fun, shorter downhill hole. From the tee, you can barely see the top of the basket. This hole, along with #2 offer back-to-back tee shots that allow players to be aggressive from the tee.
- #4 is the course's best hole by far. 420 feet, downhill, with a slight s-curve, basket to the left at the end. It's a semi-narrow fairway with thick, tree-line rough on both sides. It was thick in December, so I reckon it's very unforgiving come Spring and Summer. 3 is an excellent score on this hole. This hole stands out like a sore thumb in terms of being so much better that you could easily put this hole on many of the state's best 18-hole layouts and it would still be a quality hole there.
- #5 is a slight downhill. Fun tee shot. #6 is an uphill shot where you're throwing over top of #5's basket. These two holes both allow players to be aggressive off the tee.
- There is so much untapped land here. Walking the course, I couldn't help but think of what a great layout could be had here.

Baskets are dreadful. Imagine leaving your portable basket outside in your backyard for years. Now, imagine having nine of those and using them for a course. I've seen some iffy baskets at private/backyard courses. I think they're all better than these.
- Lack of quality tee pads. There's a short one on #1, then a lot of natural tees throughout. On the longer holes (#1, 4, and 8), concrete pads would be appreciated.
- There is a long walk from #9 back to the parking lot. It's a long walk from #9, then after a minute or two you get back to #1's fairway. You walk backwards on #1 to get back to the trail.
- Signage could be better. The signage on the course consists of: a single sign beyond the course's walking trail for the course. This is 75 feet before the first tee so a little late to be of help. After that, each hole has a sign with a number: 1, 2, 3, etc. Not even a par or a distance, or even an #. Just a single number. If you don't have a map or know the hole lengths or locales, could be a challenge for first time players.
- No amenities on the course itself. The rest of the park has benches, trash cans, and restrooms.
- The rough is THICK. An errant tee shot in the summer could be difficult to retrieve and/or result in lots of scratches.
- #7 is just a poor hole. It's only 103 feet. It's a simple up and down. You're more likely to get a 3 if you're making a run at the basket and sail 30 feet past. If you play it safe, it's an easy 2.

I don't typically penalize a course for a singular weak aspect. In this case, the baskets are that much of a detriment, it nearly eliminated all the positive vibes I had about Shoals. On the flip side, I really liked this simple layout DESPITE atrocious baskets.
- There's a simple way to eliminate part of the long walk from #9 back to the beginning. Eliminate one of the holes on the course and add one after #9. You could eliminate #2 by making the first hole a dogleg right instead of dogleg left. You could eliminate #7 by slightly lengthening #6. Either way, add one more hole in this transition, and you improve the layout even more.
- #9 is a nice, quality closing hole. It's only 260 feet, but you're teeing off between two rows of trees to a dogleg left basket. Get your disc between the trees and you're birdie putting.
- This is a short to mid-range layout. I'm not trying to oversell the quality of this course. The nine holes average 248 feet. Take away #7 and you're still averaging 'only' 267 feet.
- The elevation and well defined fairways are the course's calling card. And, depending where you are in the park, you may get some nice views of Pilot Mountain.
- The one benefit of walking from #9 back to #1's fairway is that it makes it easy for a quick second 9. Depending where you're coming from, it may behoove you to take advantage of that and play it twice.
- Compared to many of the nine hole courses I've played, the fun factor is much higher here than most. There's much more variety than what you'd get at most courses. It's a nice round overall.

Shoals DGC , located on Shoals Community Center grounds , is a 9 hole course sitting with several courses in the Rt 52 corridor near Winston Salem . The start of the course is somewhat hidden . Park next to the bathrooms of this small park , walk towards and past the pavilion , to an opening in the woods . There is a disc golf sign that will greet you when you start to walk on that path . There is also a kiosk near the bathroom , too.
Once you find the entrance to the woods , you really don't need a map . The grass could have used some cutting and branches trimmed here , especially since many of the fairways play tight on this course. The tee boxes are wood with some crushed rock or cinder filler in the middle . The signage is as plain as you can get . a number on a small post next to each tee pad . The baskets are , well , baskets . More about them in the cons section . Whoever was in charge of the course design got pretty creative on some of these holes . A couple of good doglegs , blind shots , and a few risk/reward spots . #1 is a good started hole which is an uphill woods drive , trying to bypass some small trees and rough , to a more open fairway and green to the left ( 360' ) #2 is a more plain short dogleg left . As long as you clear the brushline on the left , and make the band , you will have an excellent shot as a birdie .I won't go hole by hole , but will tell you that the rest of the course goes more narrow and woods . There is a mando on hole #8 , close to the tee pad , put there as a safety valve to keep players finishing up on 7 from getting hit . The course flows pretty well and there are a few technical pin placements after #2 . The course is not right off of rt. 52 , but close enough to be able to find pretty easily . My Signature hole would be #4 ( 420' ) . The starts you off on a flat narrow fairway to about 225' with a string of small trees in the fairway , and makes a 90 degree left turn to a slightly descending tight fairway with a basket at the end . The hole will make you work to get a birdie . The course sits off by itself , so you shouldn't get any traffic except other players . If you don't have to look a lot for a disc gone awry , the course can be played in under 30 minutes . A group of 4 can be dome in an hour .

The course has some flaws here .
#1 Safety : There are several blind shots or shots coming off of drives that could hit someone . Also , There is an okay shot on #6 that starts up on a grade and ends on a small hill , but your drive will pass directly over the #5 basket . If you miss the mando on #8 , you might catch a player in the back finishing up #7 . Please be alert when throwing .
#2 Equipment : I can live with the basic number on the signage , and the uneven tee boxes on some of the holes , but these baskets are some of the worst . Rusted out single chain baskets , with no manufacturer identification on them . They probably came by in the middle of the night and scratched them off . I last saw baskets like these at Mundy Park in Tennessee . Pretty much the worst .
#3 Disc Risk : The fairways are narrow and the blind shots can lead you into some deep rough . I would say for a 9 hole course , losing a disc could be medium to high . This is NOT a course to play at dusk .
#4 Course upkeep . It was passable when I was here , but with dragging a mower back here and pruning branches along the course , this course could go downhill in a hurry .
Challenge factor : some interesting holes , but many will break par here with just a midrange and putter on all but hole #1 . It could really use something WOW Factor wise . The course is pretty flat .
Bring bug spray with you . they are all over you with rough everywhere and having to reach down into it for an errant throw . The bathroom up near where you parked was locked when I was here . Maybe they only open it when renting the nice pavilion .

The design is what saves the course here . Even though the cons here leave you scratching your head , this is really an okay play , and I was happy to play here . There is some fun factor , and I could see packing and eating a lunch at the pavilion after a round or 2 . There are so many courses on the other side of Rt. 52 to couple with this course that are a short drive away , that it makes the course seem worthwhile .
My Recommendation : a good course for park attendees , , locals , course baggers , enthusiasts , travelers and even okay for newbies to learn control . Probably not so good for intermediates or pros . If in Winston Salem or passing down 52 , Give this course a look .