Pros:
When Creedence Clearwater Revival sang about catfish biting and bullfrogs calling, I don't think they had the Green River in Munfordville, Ky., in mind. Nor the disc golf course in Thelma Stovall Park, which was created nearly 50 years later, and while it borders Green River, the waterway doesn't come into play.
The nine-hole course plays near a walking path that winds around the park in a convenient out-and-back format. Most of the holes are around 200 feet in distance and with just enough trees to make it interesting, making the Munfordville course an ideal pit stop.
The teepads are natural, though if you didn't mind fudging the intended teepad area - marked by the posted tee sign - you could throw from the walking path on a few holes.
The course is located in a lovely, low-lying area. I was a little unsure about my directions when I got to River Road, which is a tight, downhill road, but it does lead to the park. There's a decent-sized parking lot and Hole #1 starts nearby.
The Green River bridge is definitely the highlight of the round. The basket for Hole #2 cozies up to the bridge supports, and Hole #3 involves throwing under the bridge through the enormous trestles. The trees in Hole #2's fairway force a high toss with the chance to bounce your disc off the gigantic bridge supports on an ace run.
The course signs indicate par is 29, but Hole #9 is definitely a par 3 (280 feet, fairly open) even with the nearby branches creating a ceiling off the teepad. Hole #8 is also listed as a par 4 and feels like a tweener; however, it's 420 feet and several trees interfere with the direct line to the basket.
Navigation is fairly easy, as most of the baskets are close to the next teepad.
Cons:
Not too much variety is on display here, though it's decent park-style disc golf for novices. For more experienced disc golfers, you can probably play this course with just a couple discs and speed through a round in 20 minutes.
When I played, there had been some recent rain, so a couple areas were quite soggy and the footing was a bit treacherous, especially around Hole #4 basket. I'd imagine that the course doesn't drain well. Also, the grass might tend to be long since mowing can be challenging in a marshy field.
The bordering walkway might be the biggest issue on the course. I encountered several walkers while playing and paused a few times before throwing. If there were multiple disc golfers on the course, I'd want to keep an eye out for them too, especially since Hole #3 is squeezed in between Holes #2 and #8.
The lines aren't exactly pure considering the basket placements near trees on several holes, so you might need to be creative with your shots. I could see rollers, skip shots and sky hyzers being options out here. But that might be a plus and a welcomed departure from typical park-style designs.
Other Thoughts:
The Thelma Stovall Park fills a nice void in this central Kentucky region and along I-65, as the closest courses are at least a 15-minute drive away. And while you can't pick up a flat rock and skip it across Green River, you can pick up some flat plastic discs to throw …