Shaw AFB reviews
9
0
DiscGolfCraig
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience:
19.9 years
588 played
542 reviews
Shaw Air Force Base 2+ years
Reviewed:
Updated:
Played on:Oct 24, 2020
Played the course:once
Pros:
This might be one of the most difficult courses you'll have trying to get access to play. It took me contacting a series of people, including one guy who was presently stationed in Africa, before I found someone who could get me onto to the base.
- My persistence was rewarded as this is one of the best nine-hole courses I've ever played. It has a secluded park feel despite playing in between a lot of quarters and alongside roads and paths.
- Great variety in terms of hole design. With two tees for each hole, you get a lot of different layouts and shot types throughout your round.
- Course is relatively open with mature trees serving as your obstacles throughout the round. On hole #2, you're either throwing a low shot under the tree's canopy, or throwing a high sweeping shot around the tree's reach. #3/12 & 4/13 have several trees and their branches offering a wide reach, ready to knock down a disc that gets too high or too close to the wood.
- #4 is a semi-gauntlet tee shot. You're teeing off between two rows of trees. Coming from Charlotte, this fairway seemed plenty wide.....yet I still manage to smack one of the branches. Because of course I did.
- #7/16's basket is right alongside a small creek. It's close enough that you need to make sure your disc doesn't sail six to eight feet left (on #7) or skip long (#16), or your birdie chance is now a par at best once you take your penalty.
- Course is relatively easy to navigate. There is one tee sign for every basket that has the pertinent info for both tee spots.
- If you're there at the right time, you'll get to experience a military jet taking off a couple hundred yards away. I think it took me all of five minutes before I asked if any jets were going to be flying, to which I was told 'not today.' Maybe that's the excuse I can use for my poor rounds. I was too distraught/disappointed.
- My persistence was rewarded as this is one of the best nine-hole courses I've ever played. It has a secluded park feel despite playing in between a lot of quarters and alongside roads and paths.
- Great variety in terms of hole design. With two tees for each hole, you get a lot of different layouts and shot types throughout your round.
- Course is relatively open with mature trees serving as your obstacles throughout the round. On hole #2, you're either throwing a low shot under the tree's canopy, or throwing a high sweeping shot around the tree's reach. #3/12 & 4/13 have several trees and their branches offering a wide reach, ready to knock down a disc that gets too high or too close to the wood.
- #4 is a semi-gauntlet tee shot. You're teeing off between two rows of trees. Coming from Charlotte, this fairway seemed plenty wide.....yet I still manage to smack one of the branches. Because of course I did.
- #7/16's basket is right alongside a small creek. It's close enough that you need to make sure your disc doesn't sail six to eight feet left (on #7) or skip long (#16), or your birdie chance is now a par at best once you take your penalty.
- Course is relatively easy to navigate. There is one tee sign for every basket that has the pertinent info for both tee spots.
- If you're there at the right time, you'll get to experience a military jet taking off a couple hundred yards away. I think it took me all of five minutes before I asked if any jets were going to be flying, to which I was told 'not today.' Maybe that's the excuse I can use for my poor rounds. I was too distraught/disappointed.
Cons:
The biggest con about this course is the extreme limited access. I had to meet up with someone outside of the base, ride in with him, and provide identification to the armed guard.
- If you are on the course, you will be playing with someone who has access to the base. If you can't go a round without smoking, drinking, littering, or being belligerent, this course isn't for you. I wouldn't try to challenge the base's no smoking policy.
- There would be certain times the course is unavailable. Although, the course is always unavailable unless you're here with someone in the know.
- Depending on the amount of foot or vehicle traffic, certain holes may be limited or unavailable. At 9 on a Saturday morning, not a lot of people were up and about.
- A lost disc here is a lost disc. Probably also wouldn't want to leave a disc behind with your name and number on it.
- Course does lack one signature/great hole. Lots of good/fun ones, but not one wow layout. The group I played with showed me an unofficial hole they play. That would be the best on the course were it permanent.
- If you are on the course, you will be playing with someone who has access to the base. If you can't go a round without smoking, drinking, littering, or being belligerent, this course isn't for you. I wouldn't try to challenge the base's no smoking policy.
- There would be certain times the course is unavailable. Although, the course is always unavailable unless you're here with someone in the know.
- Depending on the amount of foot or vehicle traffic, certain holes may be limited or unavailable. At 9 on a Saturday morning, not a lot of people were up and about.
- A lost disc here is a lost disc. Probably also wouldn't want to leave a disc behind with your name and number on it.
- Course does lack one signature/great hole. Lots of good/fun ones, but not one wow layout. The group I played with showed me an unofficial hole they play. That would be the best on the course were it permanent.
Other Thoughts:
Playing on Shaw AFB was a cool experience. I've played plenty of courses in my time, and live in one of the two best disc golf cities in the country. Yet, being here seemed special. It was the same feeling I had standing on the first tee of Idlewild.
- It's more of the experience than the course itself. Nobody ever went to Hard Rock Cafe for the food. But, because it's a fun course, I was even more impressed.
- For whatever reason, there's a outdoor fireplace about 20 feet from the basket on #9/18. My final tee shot of the round started fading during its flight. Suddenly, everyone in my group is cheering for it to slam into the chimney. Alas, I had to settle for a drop-in for the chimney, while also missing my birdie putt for the basket.
- A huge shoutout to the group of four guys I played with. Sumter has a small disc golf club. They joked I could join and possibly get a bag tag in the single digits. It's great they were all so eager to meet up and play with an out-of-towner.
- It's a fun course while not being the most difficult. There's nothing wrong with that. Throw in a little bit of elevation, water, and other obstacles, and you have a solid 9-hole layout. It's in the top five of best nine hole courses in South Carolina (Park Circle, Hagood Mill, Fuller Park, and Furman being the others). It's worth making the effort to play.
- It's more of the experience than the course itself. Nobody ever went to Hard Rock Cafe for the food. But, because it's a fun course, I was even more impressed.
- For whatever reason, there's a outdoor fireplace about 20 feet from the basket on #9/18. My final tee shot of the round started fading during its flight. Suddenly, everyone in my group is cheering for it to slam into the chimney. Alas, I had to settle for a drop-in for the chimney, while also missing my birdie putt for the basket.
- A huge shoutout to the group of four guys I played with. Sumter has a small disc golf club. They joked I could join and possibly get a bag tag in the single digits. It's great they were all so eager to meet up and play with an out-of-towner.
- It's a fun course while not being the most difficult. There's nothing wrong with that. Throw in a little bit of elevation, water, and other obstacles, and you have a solid 9-hole layout. It's in the top five of best nine hole courses in South Carolina (Park Circle, Hagood Mill, Fuller Park, and Furman being the others). It's worth making the effort to play.
