Seriously unimpressed
11 Helpful / 0 Not
Pros: - 18 holes
- mix of open and wooded shots
- most tees are paved and level
- some holes have signs that are fairly descriptive
- There were a few fun holes. #16 was pretty cool.....low ceiling left turning hole with a small but steep downhill drop to the basket.
Cons: - front 9 is easy and boring, mostly wide open.
- none of the longer holes were "grip it and rip it" style holes. I threw mids and fairway drivers off every hole. I think there was a single hole I threw something faster than a Crave (speed 6.5).
- something like 12/18 holes aren't visible from the tee, forcing the player to do an obnoxious amount of walking back and forth to have a good idea of the target green since the signs are either missing or not very descriptive.
- it's not an 18 hole course. it's two 9 hole courses in two different areas far enough apart you have to get in your car and drive from 9 to 10. they just gave it the same name and called it an 18 hole course, but it really isn't.
- the worst navigation out of any course I've played (150+ at the time of writing). 11 to 12 took me over 20 minutes, I nearly gave up and left the course. I found 18's basket before I found any other basket or tee past 11. Found 17's basket before the tee.
- no tee signs for most the front 9. the back 9 has signage but its not always accurate, e.g. one hole was described as a dead straight shot but it was a gentle right turn the entire fairway.
- no next tee signs. there's sometimes 5-8 trails after a basket on the back 9 with no indication of where to go. it's bonkers.
- mountain bike trail is in the same area as the back nine, which is why there's so many different trails. even specifically looking for bike tire trails to figure out which trail to use didn't help.
- there was a massive swarm of 200-300 bees near 10's tee. never seen anything like it.
- 17 plays near some sewage drains and literally smells like shit.
- lots of awkward shots and weird pars. there's a flat, wide open 380' "par 4" on the front 9. the par 5, I flicked a Crave (slow fairway driver), then had a 120' upshot for a drop in "eagle."
- lots of trash on the back 9.
- Old, rusty baskets.
- No benches at all on the entire course.
Other Thoughts: I thought this course sounded fun on paper. Mix of open and wooded shots with some par 4's and 5's.
It wasn't nearly as fun as I had hoped.
The biggest issue is the navigation. It's so bad, I'm knocking off at least 1 star for that alone. I spent over half an hour during my round just trying to figure out where to go between holes, and another 15 walking up and down fairways looking for the basket tucked just out of sight, again.
This course has potential. It could be good, but I'd re-design it and get new signs. I'd consider making the back 9 its own course and adding 9 more holes to the front half. There's certainly space.
I think the rating is a touch higher than it deserves. Maybe I'm being overly critical, but just about every other 18 hole course I've played in a 50 mile radius from it was more fun.
I recently rated Gaston Christian School 2/5 as well, and while I'd say the lines at this course often were more fun, GCS did nearly everything else better. Better flow, better navigation, less dense rough, etc.
11 of 11 people found this review helpful.
Two 9-holes courses a short drive away from each other
13 Helpful / 0 Not
Pros: It's a beginner-friendly course with lots of clean lines on the front-9 and many large concrete teepads. Many of the front-nine holes are wide open and provide a great opportunity to try whatever types of shots you'd like.
There was only one other person on the front nine, and nobody on the back nine on a surprisingly warm late Thursday afternoon in December.
Hole 18 is a surprising elevated basket location, and throughout the course (particularly 9 and 10) weaving through the electrical poles was a fun challenge for my wife and I, who are both beginner-to-low-intermediate-level.
Risk of disc loss is virtually none, as the park is well upkept, and the bramble-filled undergrowth is limited to spots on the back nine.
Cons: Existing signage is old and in places no longer existent. There are no "Next tee" arrows. We had to rely on UDisc GPS to find several teepads, as the paths aren't intuitive, especially on the back nine. Basket bands could use a fresh coat of paint for visibility as well.
On hole 4 it's very easy to throw at the basket for 6, not realizing that you're aiming at the wrong basket until you overshoot the correct one.
Three of the teepads are drawn with spraypaint on existing asphalt roads and paths, and some of that paint is starting to fade. Be on the lookout for trucks there, and for cyclists using the mountain bike trail on the back nine.
I'm not sure what kind of disposal plant is located down Disposal Plant Rd, but Hole 17 is very close to something that smelled of sewage, so play that one quickly.
Other Thoughts: The biggest complaint that people have about this course is that it's boring and simple. That might be the case if you're a solid golfer dropping 400-foot bombs, but for two people who aren't that good, we had a great time.
The other big complaint is that you need to hop in a car to get from from the front-nine to the back-nine. This one is a completely justified complaint, and although it's just two left turns, it could be enough of an inconvenience to turn off people who had a bad time on the front or people who just don't know that they need to hop in a car to finish 18 holes. At the very least, it would be nice to have a sign near the basket at 9 giving you directions on how to drive to 10.
In the end we had a nice time, and will probably play here again when we return to Statesville... We have scores to beat now after all.
13 of 13 people found this review helpful.
Great course
1 Helpful / 2 Not
Pros: Good mix of all types of shots, open, wooded, long, short, low canopy etc. Good use of elevation without beating you to death. Course is very well manicured with few places to lose a disc for good.
Cons: Drive between front and back nine.
1 of 3 people found this review helpful.
Two rotten brothers named Fert and Bernie
11 Helpful / 0 Not
Pros: -The front nine and back nine are very different from each other. Starters will receive a good foundation of what disc golf is like. Good mix of fairways, and the open holes are good practice for throwing what you typically don't throw and want to improve on.
-Hole nine might be fun for beginners. 175' ace run around the power tower. Hole seven is a pretty good challenging par three. It's just over 400' and is gently tucked in the woods. Hole 13 was unique too. 450' with a very low ceiling the entire way, but down a fair fairway.
-Few other solid holes, and some of the baskets perched on hills are nicely placed.
-And..... that's really it.
Cons: -Oh dear. I don't know where to start here. Fert, the front nine, is pretty repetitive and boring. To add to that, it's completely flat. Bernie, the back nine is wooded and has a few absurd fairways (11, 14, and 18). I think what is even worse is the fact that the big downhill hole no longer exists. I think it was the old 16. I didn't know that until I got there. I got done with what's now #16 and looked for the elevated tee pad and it isn't there. I found a basket for #17 and saw that aside from the cool basket placement tucked into the woods and perched on the hill, it's relatively disappointing hole along the road.
-Hole 11 is a mainstream signature Schwarz hole on a mainstream Schwarz course. Throw around the telephone pole that's literally in your face, but don't hit it! The fairway cuts hard left. There are many branches to the left side of the hole that eliminate the idea to throw a slower hyzer. Your best bet is to throw a real wide ring round the rosie type hyzer right of the pole and right round the corner far left. Don't you ever get sick of doing that Russ?
-I really don't understand Russell's rationale regarding par. Hole seven is a 415' par three (as it should be I think) that is tucked in the woods. Hole eight is a 379' par four that is completely wide open. There's an OB road but that's it. Dead straight, very easy three. Both of them are clearly par threes from my point of view, but if one of them has to be a par four, it has to be seven. It's a harder hole to get a two on than it is on hole eight.
-Starts off just like Frank Liske. Holes one and two are painfully bland and boring. Hole one has NO obstacle at all. Hole two is slightly harder but still very bland. Then you get to hole three. Hole three here at Bell and Howard is better than three at Frank Liske but same objective. Throw a skip shot into the woods and say your prayers.
-Locals in Statesville may not have this issue, but first timers that don't live in Statesville probably will get confused. I did. The first hole I found was #10. I played the back nine first and had to use my navigation just to get to the front nine after I played hole 18. The address given on this site will take you to hole one. The Bell and Howard Chevrolet address will take you to #10. If you start on the front, just go out where you came in. Then take a left and then take another left. You'll see some baskets in the woods.
-Some holes are missing tee signs. There are markers on every hole, so it's not a big issue.
Other Thoughts: -Bell and Howard had two sons. Firstborn, Fert (the front nine) and then Bernie (the back nine).
-The front nine (Fert) is painfully boring and has a goofy wooded hole. The back nine (Bernie) isn't fun either, aside from a couple of solid wooded holes. The rest are pretty lackluster and aggravating.
-They could've been doctors, or lawyers, CPAs, engineers, famous opera singers, circus people, Batman (not really), Queen Elsa (more likely), next president and VP, maybe a better disc golf course between the two of them. But instead they are two bickering brothers and their relationship is so strained that Bernie had to move out.
-Instead, Fert lays around on the couch. Won't get off the couch. Won't find a job. Won't go to school online, despite him being intellectual. Sleeps until 1 PM. Drags out of bed and plays Halo all day. He won't talk to anyone in person. He only talks to people online on the xbox, or his beloved pet pigeon. He's very lazy, boring, easily annoyed, and you halo fans better pray you don't come across him while you play halo on the xbox live. If you make the team lose, Fert is going to track down your address and he'll be on the hunt for you. He'll get up if he really wants to.
-Bernie is extremely annoying. Won't get out of the house either. He has good potential while he understandably has a chip on his shoulder. I mean, I've heard of that big downhill hole that used to be here and now it's gone. Bernie lost that special part of him. But instead of trying to get some part of him back, he instead trolls people on facebook all day. You have something serious to post? You better adjust your privacy settings, or simply block him. The only potential he utilizes is his ability to piss people off. That's his outlet. The flow is two small loops and then play 15-18. The walk back to the lot is pretty long, leaving you trolled without any last words.
-There's really nothing to see here. I guess it's more of a casual quick round practice course, but there's nothing that's all fun about it. All you'll see is unfavorable repetition between two niners. Boring holes and mourning holes. Go play Stumpy or contact the owner of Wooded Palms, also in Statesville. If you want to play here once, then do it to get it over with.
11 of 11 people found this review helpful.
Part This Chevy Out
11 Helpful / 0 Not
Pros: Front 9 is like disc golf with training wheels, a good place to learn how to play. It's wide open with holes ranging from really short to decently long so you can see how your new driver behaves. There are a few holes where trees are around and they're relevant but not much of an obstacle except for hole 3 (which is still pretty easy if you know how to skip a disc).
The front 9 is also really easy to navigate and you can knock it out in no time. The course basically loops around, running parallel to the street on one side and then coming back by running parallel to the creek. Old but decent concrete tees keep it worthwhile.
The back 9 gets a lot more technical and a decent test of your trick shots. I think it's hole 13 for example that's a par 5 and absolutely would be a challenge with its many low-ceiling trees and winding fairway...if you didn't know how to throw a roller at all. I threw two bad rollers and had an easy chance at Eagle. Whereas the front 9 is hard to get off the fairway, in stark contrast the back is a scrambler's paradise. Throw a get-out-of-jail shot here, a roller there, turbo-putt, etc.
Cons: The back 9 is fairly dumb. As easy as the front is, the back would be the same except the designer ramped up the flukey factor. Some of these holes are pretty decent/fun but there's disc hiding rough everywhere (lots of cedars too) and the lines get really tight and angled oddly. Like the hole after the par 5 with all the short, low-ceiling trees that is basically u-shaped. The only way this is a par 3 is if you can turn around on the tee and throw overhand over the trees and skip the fairway altogether.
It's hard enough finding the back 9 but then you find it overlapping heavily with a mountain bike trail which leads to lots of navigational headaches. You get to throw down a road for one hole, tee off park roads a couple of times, and walk across hole 12's fairway after hole 18 (said hole also throws over a park road). It's not really ideal land for putting in a disc golf course but it could still be better.
Other Thoughts: I felt like Goldilocks playing this course. The front was too easy, the back was too hard. Well, hard's not the word because it ain't that hard just annoyingly designed and full of fun-sucking vegetation. Not of enough holes were just right in terms of having a balance between fun and challenge. Your front 9 challenge is to birdie every hole and your back 9 challenge is to leave with all your discs. Throw in all the headaches of getting around the back 9 and it's just not a really worthwhile endeavor. Play here once and just skip it unless you live nearby and need a quick practice round.
11 of 11 people found this review helpful.
Wait...there is a back nine?
10 Helpful / 0 Not
Pros: For two separate parcels of land that at face value don't seem to be the easiest to create a DG course, Bell and Howard puts forth a reasonably fun test of disc golf.
The front nine features mostly wide-open holes that give golfers ample opportunity for birdies. Holes 3 and 4 are standouts on that nine. 3 is a short but difficult to navigate RHBH hyzer through the trees to a tucked basket - a very nice hole. 4 is more of a longer tunnel shot that is also pretty fun to navigate.
The back nine is completely different. Mostly deeper woods, tight lines, and sharp angles. In my opinion, the standouts on this side were 15, 16, and 18. 15 is a well designed ~290 foot RHFH hyzer with a well cut path and is definitely rewarding to navigate successfully. 16 is a great par four. It is roughly 300 feet straight out through the woods, but then a snap dogleg down the hill which seemed about another 70 feet. Basket is slightly elevated on the slope. There are tons of options of how to approach that basket. 18 is a fun uphill RHFH hyzer with a basket on a small green on an earthwork hill. This hole's green complex was really fun and I appreciated the stairs to help golfers get safely up the hills.
Most of the holes at the course have nice signage and the teeboxes are large and well laid-out.
Cons: It is really nice to have multi-course sites. This is unfortunately a multi-site course.
Navigation here is very difficult. On the front nine, many holes can be seen from any point. Mostly, the navigation was intuitive, but some signs would have been nice. This really became a problem after hole nine. There is no sign or any indication whatsoever that a back nine even exists. Even when you drive the few minutes to the other bike trail site, there is no indication on that sign that there is disc golf at that facility. The navigation on the back nine is also really difficult. The bike trails often lead players in the wrong direction and there are absolutely no navigational aids. Luckily I played this side with a few local players which helped, because I think I would have definitely been very lost. The transition from 16 to 17 was especially difficult.
Though most of the teepads were very nice, holes 3 and 8 are on the paved bike path. This sets up for some potential interference. On that side, hole 1 plays close to the entrance road and many other holes play close to the bike/walking trail. Holes 2 and 8 also play across basically the same fairway space and create further opportunities for interference.
The front nine, as noted above, is largely an open field. Other than a few holes, most aren't terribly interesting or memorable. Hole 9's obstacle is actually a large high voltage power line/tower. It is actually a pretty interesting throw, but high voltage lines aren't necessarily a picturesque obstacle.
The back nine has its own sets of problems. The main obstacles on holes 10 and 11 are power lines and the support wires that cut directly across the fairway. These holes are also bordered by an ugly fence on the right which gives the holes a cramped appearance. 11 also has a really nasty briar patch on the right which was not fun at all.
Hole fourteen is a pretty interesting sharp dogleg hole to the left. There is an important mando that is unfortunately not marked on the course and is only written onto the hole sign in a sharpee. It would be best if that were clearly marked on the course, since it would be easy to miss that on the sign.
The layout of hole 17 is pretty nice. It is a long, straight hole that plays to an elevated green on the right. Unfortunately, the most of the fairway is a paved entrance road which is rough on discs. The teebox is also located on this road which is not necessarily great. This hole also plays very close to sewage lines and the smell was purely rotten.
Baskets are starting to get a bit old. I noticed 1 or 2 that are missing a chain, but overall they still catch well. Unfortunately there is a lot of graffiti on them, especially on the back nine. The same goes for the hole signs, and a few are in disrepair. Graffiti on the course signs and on the surrounding buildings definitely decreases the visual appeal in places.
Other Thoughts: Rating this course is very difficult. I will go so far to state this is not a course - it is two. The layouts on the front and back are extremely different, located a significant car ride apart, and there is no indication on the front nine that a back nine exists. If I were a local, I think I would find myself visiting the back nine facility much more than the front.
Take note - it seems at some point the back nine was rerouted because some of the holes that are noted in the pictures on this site either don't exist or have changed hole number.
10 of 10 people found this review helpful.
Fun, but...
5 Helpful / 0 Not
Pros: This course, being right near where I work, is great for playing 9 holes after work on the way home.
The back 9 is night and day different than the front 9, and is more fun and challenging. Wrapping in and out of the mountain bike trails, the back 9 holes use the land and woods well.
There's generally few, if anyone else playing the course. Every time I've played the course I've had it to myself, which is nice!
Cons: The front nine and back nine being separate is a big negative for me. You can walk to the back nine after playing the front, but it's just easier to drive.
The front 9 is pretty basic. Given the land where the first holes are located, they did the best they could, but there just isn't much challenge on the front 9. Mostly open field shots in varying length.
The back nine has considerably more variation in the holes, and is more challenging, however some of the holes seem artificially challenging. Meaning, the fairway is nothing but trees, or the basket placement just doesn't make sense.
If I could rate the front and back 9 separately, the front would get maybe a 1.5disc rating, while the back would be maybe a 2.5. Averaging the two together is the reason for the 2 disc rating
Other Thoughts: Overall, worth playing if you're up for a quick round, or just 9 holes. I wouldn't go out of the way to play the course though If you're from out of town, or on a golf road trip as Charlotte has much better to offer.
The separation of the course is a big negative and inconvenience, with the first 9 being mostly open, boring holes. The back nine redeems the course somewhat, and is fun to play.
In summary, its a fun, fast, and easy playing course.
5 of 5 people found this review helpful.
Hmmmmm...
2 Helpful / 2 Not
Pros: nice tee pads
pretty easy to navigate
nowhere to lose discs
easy to get to
Cons: back nine kind of weird, not bad just odd
Other Thoughts: well first off, i would like to add that you can walk to the back nine from the front. Its about 10 min and your on the side of the road for a 100 ft or so but it is very easy to do...
The front nine is an easy open field style of course with 2-3 holes presenting challenges in trees. However, anyone who is worth their salt at disc should be able to get par easy and maybe better.
The back nine however is a different beast. Its not exactly what i would call hard, more impossible. Par is still relativly easy to accomplish but birdies and better not so much. Some of the holes are simply...impossible. What i mean is that to get great drives you would have to have discs that can literally bust through heavy brush or make bends so physically impossible, einstein would be rolling in his grave.
Its kind of unfortunate because the peice of land this place is on has some nice potential if it was redisigned. either way though it is a fun course .
2 of 4 people found this review helpful.
2 Helpful / 5 Not
Pros: A good course for beginners.
Cons: The par scores on most holes are okay. The two par 4's on the front should be 3's. The par 5 on the back should be a 4. The par 4's on the back seem about right, with decent distance and really tough trees to navigate. Of course, only my opinion.
2 of 7 people found this review helpful.
3 Helpful / 0 Not
Pros: The course has a nice layout (apart from the separation of the front and back nine) leaves good time to be able to make a quick 9 hole loop or play it all. The front nine is good to just be able to swing out wide and not have much to worry about because of the wide forgiving fairways. By the time your ready to play harder holes, you head to the back nine which are definitely more challenging. The presence of lots of plants lining the fairway leaves you looking for discs sometimes. Other than that its nice and I play it all the time, it being my home course
Cons: Separated back and front nine, which isn't bad when you get used to it. Lots of high grass and plants lining the fairway so that your legs stay cut and itchy. Bad smell on hole 17 (stagnant water. smells a lot like sewage)
Other Thoughts: It's my home course and I play it a lot and I am probably impartial to it. It did claim a disc of mine on hole 6. Careful there if you like to throw right sometimes.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.
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1 
12/24/2019 
12/24/2019
Review By: Bennybennybenny 
This review was updated on 12/28/2019
Hole #1 (Taken 2/2009) 
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