Fountain Inn, SC

The Firecracker DGC

3.065(based on 17 reviews)
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5 0
MrFrosty
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 31.6 years 764 played 387 reviews
3.00 star(s)

This Firecracker is Dynamite ! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 10, 2020 Played the course:once

Pros:

The Firecracker is an 18 hole disc golf course located on the grounds of Fountain Inn Elementary . There is plenty of parking when school is not in session near the hole #1 fairway . There are no bathrooms for the disc golfers .
The Equipment - There are multiple tees for this course , so there is everything from makeshift tee pads using sidewalks , to natural to carpet tees ( longs ) . The signs can be hard to sport for non locals , so you need to print a map and look for the tee signs on posts , trees and some on the building walls . The baskets are yellow banded and numbered Discatchers .
The Landscape - intriguing if not remarkable . Cement , curbs and even a chain link fence is used as OB . There are sections of woods and trees at the school that make up this course . They have added several woods holes in the back . Usage of sides of the school for tee pads , and the very back for a tunnel shot , returning to the side of the school for the last 2 holes . There is some elevation present , and enough grounds at the school to support 2 +500' holes .
Course Appearance/Atmosphere - There were 2 sets of players on the course when I played on a Saturday morning . The school looks very nice , the grounds were cut and woods holes branches have been maintained and fairways cleared . Appearance is good , and atmosphere is light . Hey , this is an elementary school .
Highlights - Plenty of good holes on this course . #1 starts you off with a wide tunnel shot 314' from the longs . #4 is a slightly uphill shot ( 235 ' longs ) to an elevated basket . #10 is literally a tunnel shot from a tee pad sitting in a school tunnel connection 2 buildings , throwing uphill to the basket at the edge of the woods . #13 is an island hole . Throwing from the woods with a canopy , it is downhill a midrange/putter shot ( 185' longs ) #14 ( 484' mid , 530' longs ) throws from a slightly elevated tee over a fenced in school play area to the basket sitting in the open on a little rolling hill . You can bail your drive to the left on a strip of ground between the fence and the rough if you don't think you can throw over the fences . #18 is a down sloping 290' ( longs ) finishing hole to a basket sitting directly in front of a steep dropoff .
Signature Hole - #15 only 153' , it is an alley putter/midrange shot between rows of trees on both sides . I swear they look like there are 3 feet apart from the tee pad .
Disc Risk - Low . The course design cleverly avoids any overgrowth , and the grounds are kept in great shape . Maybe hooking a drive the left on long #14 into a fenced in back yard or the woods might be a problem , but nothing else .
The Time - It took me just over an hour to play the course , but on a few of the holes , i was trying out new discs . A foursome will get through here in less than 2 hours .
Great design incorporating bits of the school and playground into it's course . It makes the course separate , but not so separate .
Lots of variety here . They throw everything at you short of a hanging basket from a tree , making the Fun Factor high .

Cons:

#1 Safety ? This is kind of ticky-tack since you are only allowed to play when school is out , but you do throw over roads on several holes , Make sure you are clear before throwing .
#2 Navigation - Print a map . I still had to be pointed to the first tee by a local . You can easily miss holes without a map or a solo out of town player . #5's tee is up against the school and throws over a grass circle .
#3 Hours Of Operation - This can't be helped , but it's a shame that some players will miss out on the opportunity to play here because it is on school grounds .

Other Thoughts:

What a course for an elementary school to have ! I have played many school courses , elementary to college , and I have seen few better than this . I am used to 9 hole elementary school courses that are 1300 - 2100' and very basic . This has everything to keep younger players interested in the game . I want video of these kids . They must be Amazons to be able to play a home course that has both 2-500' + holes and parts of a course that test tight technical abilities . Course designer Josh Bryant gets straight A's for his work . I read the Facebook page , and the course just went to 18 holes recently and added the woods holes . This is a great opportunity for Fountain Inn Elementary to introduce themselves to the city and county ( even country ) , and provide something for the community students to enjoy . They should have a challenge tournament incorporating all of the elementary schools in the county . Please be respectful of the time allotted for disc golf play from the school .
My Recommendation - With its multi tee setup and variety , this is a great intro course , and a fun outside activity for school age kids. This is the kind of setup for families , dates and locals to enjoy . I think that even though most of the holes were created with the Less-Seasoned in mind , I think even they will be amused by some of the gimmicks the course has to offer and try to see how far under par they can shoot . Travelers and Course Collectors that are on I-385 can get an hour in if school is out . You have to see this to believe it ! I say Play It !!!
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6 0
MadGame32
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 7.8 years 69 played 69 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Great School Course! 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Feb 27, 2021 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

-Good mix of hole types
-Tee signs
-Nice baskets

Cons:

-Navigation without map or app is confusing
-Some carpet tee boxes
-No bathroom facilities evident
-Can't play during school hours

Other Thoughts:

I finally got the chance to play The Firecracker! I had heard tons of great things about it, so I was eager to take a look.

When I got there, I immediately noticed that there were no bathrooms available to public (especially during the Covid19 era). There is also not much in the way of secluded wooded areas for guys to take care of good ole' #1. With this course being VERY intertwined into the school surroundings, I did not exactly want to get caught taking care of business where kids could be present even if it was after hours. No one needs a criminal record for exposing one's self to a minor. So if you come play here, keep that in mind and prepare accordingly.

I had to ask around, but I finally found the first tee box. I am guessing with it being on school property, they probably did not want huge gaudy signs to help people find their way. The school itself also has a lot going on, so the tee signs don't exactly stand out from the surroundings.

I was meeting a group later so I wanted to preplay/warm up while my phone charged. I started on hole 1 which is a doozie of a starting hole requiring a long straight drive to the basket for any decent birdie opportunity. That hole went fine, but the trouble started at hole 2.

I found hole 2's tee sign sure enough, but I could not for the life of me see how the geography on the sign lined up with what I was seeing behind the sign. I could not see the OB it described at all. Also, the distance to goal was not even close! I pondered on this for a while as I tried to figure out what I was missing. Then, I turned around. The goal was actually to the left and not directly behind the tee sign! So once I got that figured out, hole 2 played just fine.

I went on through holes 3 and 4 with no issue, but then I hit a wall. I could not find hole 5's tee anywhere! I could see the basket, but walked around for a good 5 minutes and could not find the tee! The little old lady dropping off her recycling watched me like a hawk. She probably though I was going to mug her or something, but I bet I did look pretty strange just wandering around in circles for no apparent reason. It was almost time for my group to get there, so I gave up and when back to hole 1.

Luckily, there were locals in my group that knew where everything was. When we got back to hole 5, I realized the tee was literally right against the school wall! I have never seen a school course so intimately intertwined with a course.

We continued playing playing through each hole until I found my absolute favorite. Hole 14 is a bomber hole. One of those where you have plenty of space to let a drive RIP. Due to the OB field and fence in front of you, you need to be able to throw at least 360 to clear the height of the fence, or you go to the drop zone at the red tee. I bombed my drive and it felt so good watching it fly! Ended up with an easy 3.

I guess hole 15 is the signature hole with the tight line between the pines. I had seen pictures online and it looked terrifying. Good news! It was not as bad as I imagined when I saw it in person. It is an easy 3.

I know a lot of people love The Firecracker. It is a good course in an area where the next closest course is Simpsonville which pales in comparison. But in my opinion, it would be tough for this one to hold up in comparison with the greatest courses in the Upstate. If you are in the area, and want a good disc golf experience, I would definitely recommend The Firecracker, but I would not say it is a destination course at this time.

To improve, I would suggest posting information about restrooms (if they are even available), and putting next tee indicators on each basket for newbies that wonder through.

8/24/21 Update:
Out of the 69 courses I have reviewed, this is where this course ranks along with similarly rated courses:
Rank-Course, Location
27-Veteran's Park, Arlington, TX
28-Griffin Park, Norman, OK
29-Boyd Pond Park, Beech Island, SC
30-Riverview Park, North Augusta, SC
31-Trails DGC, Anderson, SC
32-The Firecracker, Fountain Inn, SC
33-Earlewood DGC, Columbia, SC
34-Granbury City DGC, Granbury, TX
35-Owens Field Park, Columbia, SC
36-Pecan Grove West, Sherman TX
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4 0
mainer76
Experience: 23.4 years 16 played 2 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Fun School Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 21, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

Very fun for a school course.
Not overly long (pro and con)
Some tees are very close to other tees but have very different required throws
Love the island hole!
Would be very hard to lose a disc

Cons:

Parking lot/walking trail close to hole 2 basket
tee pad in road on hole 4
Need some next tee signs- hole 8 to 9
Varied tee pads- carpet, natural, concrete,rubber, and pavers
School property

Other Thoughts:

This is probably a top 10 best school course in the country. Most importantly it is a fun course and requires different throws. You can play 27 hole very quickly. This is not a course where you need to throw it 400+ but requires accurate tee shots to get the birdie. The course is obviously on school property which is its biggest weakness
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2 0
FrontRimBanger
Experience: 9.5 years 26 played 2 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Firecracker 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 20, 2016 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-Great use of available space
-Not overly easy
-Beautiful holes
-Easily accessible from I-385
-27 tees which provide a completely new look at each basket
-Mandos and an island hole keep play interesting
-Great course to learn or teach on

Cons:

-Closed until 6pm on weekdays (excluding the summer)
-Relatively short course, it can be played completely with a midrange and a putter
-Several areas of thick brush where you could potentially lose a disc
-Rubber tees slippery when wet

Other Thoughts:

This course is well thought out with interesting and challenging holes. That being said there are several "gimme" holes, but that helps you boost your confidence if you're playing a bad round. This isn't your run of the mill elementary school course, and can really catch you by surprise at times.
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2 0
1DGer
Experience: 3 played 1 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Firecracker go boom 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 23, 2013 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Great course. Not your typical kid course but it is perfect for the new player, average player, and advanced player.

Mandos and OB provide some added challenge.

Great tee signs on every hole.

The redesign has made this course much better. New shots are required. You can shoot low scores here.

Favorite hole is #5. Short but technical. It can easily jump up and bite you.

Plays quick. You can easily get three or four rounds in without any trouble.

Cons:

Not close to other quality courses.

Not open during the week. This is understandable due to being on a school campus.

Some rubber tees get slippery. Not a real big deal but needs to be noted.

Other Thoughts:

Great addition to the greater Greenville area disc golf scene. It's worth a play.
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2 0
AlexClemmy
Experience: 3 played 3 reviews
3.00 star(s)

A fun course for beginners 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 31, 2013 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Uses all kinds of terrain. Creatively laid out around the school. Fun to play and very pretty. Particularly hole 10, the way the pin sits through the trees is just very alluring. It's a nice thing to have a new local course in the area.

Cons:

A lot of brush. I've lost only one disc here thankfully, but still is an issue at times. The tees are sometimes very close to wooded areas, making things very prone to get shot into some weeds or thorns. And the second time around, the shots aren't too crazy different, which is okay, but takes some of the fun out of new perspectives of the course. Being closed during school hours doesn't help much, but isn't really a bother.

Other Thoughts:

Overall I really like this course. As an on-off player for a few years, this was really exciting to have so close to my home. This course has brought my love for disc golf back in a much brighter flame. I like the shots and how they're starting to make me a much better player (For real, first time on this course I shot a 76, the most recent, I shot a 56. Huge improvement.) Though I really think some holes could get a bit more distance on them, I find this a great course for beginners to play and learn on, and really nice for some experienced people to just enjoy a round of disc. It's great. I am not disappointed by the course in any way, and I love the challenge it presents. Good job to Josh for all the hard work you put into designing this course.
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4 0
atay87
Premium Member
Experience: 13.8 years 146 played 4 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Great Short Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 1, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

-Makes great use of the available land.
-The multiple tee pads lets you play a full 18 hole round on a otherwise 9 hole course.
-Good for beginners and kids but still fun for experienced players.
-Easy to navigate.
-Nice tee signs with distances listed.
-Nice new baskets.
-Starts and finishes at the parking lot.

Cons:

-Not playable during school hours. (understandable)
-Some of the "back 9" are very similar to their front 9 counterparts.
-There was a good bit of mud on some of the rubber mats, and some were uneven.
-Brush to the left of holes 3/12. It is very dense. I went in looking for my disc and found three others.
-Like S.Cann said, there are no shots that turn right to force the RHFH or turnover shot.

Other Thoughts:

The kids at the school should have a blast at this course. I wish I had something like this at my school to get me into disc golf earlier in life.
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6 0
S.Cann
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 15.5 years 158 played 83 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Not Your Typical Elementary School Course 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jun 19, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-This course has a couple of the prettiest holes off the tee. Hole 10 stands out the most which is longer and framed by trees on either side.

-This is a great place for lower level players to gain experience and learn the game.

-Amenities such as bathrooms and water fountain are readily available at the Recreation center during business hours.

-Baskets are brand new DISCatchers in excellent condition.

-This course has a great flow and plays in a circle. Parking is located right between holes 1 and 18.

Cons:

-Although this aspect has improved, there are still only a handful of holes that play through the woods.

-Only a couple of long throws for the big arms.

-Rubber Mats are ok on most holes but there are a couple that are uneven that the ground below needs to be leveled out on. There is a possibility of slipping when pads are wet.

-The biggest con for the Firecracker is that there are limited hours of play. You cannot play the course during school hours. This limits you to after 6:00 pm on school nights. The course is only playable on weekends during the school year, but is open all day during the Summer months.

Other Thoughts:

This course is nearly perfect for what it was designed for. This course places a premium on accuracy. The intention was to provide a great place for inexperienced players to learn, but also provide enjoyment for your more veteran players and this course does just that. The Firecracker will never host Worlds, but may be the starting place for a kid who one day plays in Worlds.
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