Charlotte, NC

Sugaw Creek Park

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3.25(based on 49 reviews)
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19 0
Shadrach3
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 5.5 years 318 played 306 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Average but Well Done

Reviewed: Played on:May 11, 2022 Played the course:once

Pros:

A basic park course that has competent, flat, and non-startling design.

-Amenities: The Charlotte treatment. Sponsored brand new DISCatchers, Charlotte-style signs with complete maps, long concrete tees, next tee signs.

-Maintenance: Impeccable maintenance of both grassy and wooded fairways.

-Flow: Great, logical flow with every hole following from the previous one and ending back at the start. Combined with the maintenance, that makes Sugaw Creek an ideal beginner course from the perspective of ease of play. It's a pleasant place to be.

-Mix: A nice combination of wooded and mostly open holes. Doesn't get too repetitive.

-Skill Level Friendly: Sugaw Creek isn't going to be where new players go under par, but it should be welcoming enough that they make good progress on it. Similarly, it's not so simple that intermediate/advanced players won't enjoy trying to birdie holes.

-Shot Shaping/Gameplay: A slightly forehand-favoring collection of mostly about 300' holes. Wide tunnels are fairly common, as are basically open holes with a treeline or scattered clusters to avoid. A lot of the holes are typical design-wise, but definitely some stick out, such as the ultra-low ceiling on (7) or the downhill to elevated basket of (14). The style is similar throughout, with just details changing. About intermediate level due to needing 300' of distance to score well.

Cons:

Hard to complain.

-Distance Similarity: Holes are mostly between 250-350', which doesn't offer a lot of variety of disc type off the tee. Probably a favorite neutral fairway driver is usable on easily more than half the holes.

-Elevation: Or lack thereof. The flattest I can remember playing in Charlotte. Good chance to work on rollers I suppose.

-Road Risk: (1), (2), and (18) put the driveway and sidewalk at major risk.

-Pizzazz: Sugaw Creek mainly lacks any kind of attention-grabbing features or holes. It's solid and unremarkable.

Other Thoughts:

Sugaw Creek is basic but very well done. If I was to point to a single disc golf course as the standard, flat, city-park style course, this might be the one. The maintenance and pleasant variety of basic throws makes it enjoyable, though hardly unique. As you could guess, this one gets the Typical rating all the way from me.

~Similar Courses: Frog Rock (Austell, GA); Brahan Spring Park (Huntsville, AL); Dallas Island (Hixson, TN).
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11 0
RamsFan1
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 13.5 years 91 played 91 reviews
3.00 star(s)

An Enjoyable Play 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 26, 2018 Played the course:once

Pros:

Nice multi-use town park 18 hole course with working Chainstar baskets and adequate sized tee pads. There is a practice basket, bathrooms and kiosk on site. Sugaw has good signage and is easy to navigate. Presents a mix of open and wooded holes, along with manageable distances. There are some neat features here, most notably hole 14- a basket mounted on tires in a cluster of trees; hole 6- an elevated basket on a square platform encased by 4x4s, and hole 7 which requires a low release point off the tee to clear a large horizontal tree branch.

Cons:

The course is a bit cramped and plays in tight quarters with considerable OB and several fairways running parallel to one another. Erosion a factor here, as it is at many of the Charlotte area courses which receive extensive use. A lot of OB sidewalks, roads and mandos at several junctures of the course. Will not appeal to the big guns who like to grip and rip. One must be "head's up" for pedestrians, cyclists and dog walkers.

Other Thoughts:

Sugaw does present a more "city" feel to it than other area courses, but comments about the course "being in the 'hood" are comical. As one who lives in the Northeast, I can tell you this AIN'T the hood my friends! Sugaw is what it is- a decent course located in a more urban area that nonetheless has charm and character. It is not as difficult a course as the Nevins, The Hornets Nests and Bradfords of the world, but it still is an enjoyable play where the average player can achieve success. As with other courses of its kind, getting your birdies and avoiding the OB areas with controlled throws are the keys to scoring well here. An ideal play for casual rounds, players learning the game or those pressed for time. Would play it again if in the area.
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11 0
pmay5
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 20.8 years 480 played 245 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Solid course, middle of the road for Charlotte 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 17, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

Decent concrete tee pads and good, visible baskets. That really helps on the more wooded holes.
Good mix of open and wooded holes, more wooded holes, but the open ones in the middle break the course up very nice.
Good mix of left, right and straight holes. Mandos create some of these on the open holes, but they are also to keep you away from the nearby roads.
Even though there are other activities in the park, ballfields, tennis courts, playground, the DG is by itself and there are very little interactions with other park users.
A few unique basket placements, to keep things interesting.

Cons:

#1 Tee pad uses the sidewalk, seems a little crowded, and #16 Tee was a little crowded in the trees. #18 is a so-so finishing hole.
Located in a not so great neighborhood, it wasn't a problem for me, but I kept my head on a swivel when I was playing.
More than the average amount of trash in the park.
Nearby roads are close on several holes, one is high speed, high traffic and the other just a small neighborhood street. Wouldn't want to hit a car in this part of town.

Other Thoughts:

I've been past this course a couple of times on the way to Another Round DG, finally got a chance to play it. It looks like it is used quite often in Charlotte tournaments, including the Masters events. I've read its not as punishing as some of the more well-known Charlotte courses, but a fair, challenging course. Pretty good summary.
#6 was a cool hole, coming out of the woods, with large bush trees down the right side, #7 had an unusual horizontal branch causing a low ceiling right in front of the tee, but my favorite was #15, adequate clearing through the trees for the drive, then the fairway curves left and downhill in the open, fun hole. Of course, the unique pin location on #14 can't be forgotten.
Overall, a fun course, not punishing, but challenging and pretty easy to get to off of I-85.
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12 0
KenanFlagler01
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 14 years 195 played 190 reviews
2.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Mar 18, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

Sugaw Creek is decent course in NE Charlotte. By Charlotte standards, it's very run-of-the-mill, but in most other places, it would get more acclaim. I am giving Sugaw a 2.5 rating, which is below its 3.2 average. However, I tend to be a slightly tougher grader than the DGCR community as a whole. My average rating is 2.5. And I'm giving Sugaw Creek, and average course, a 2.5.

Pros:

+ Lots of variety and challenging hole layouts to test intermediate and advanced players alike.

+ Very nice mix of open holes to really bomb and tight, wooded holes for accurate, creative lines.

+ There is good variety of hole designs: a couple of slight downhill holes, some wooded and some open.

+ Several nice greens with baskets situated on ridges or hills to increase the difficulty.

+ The problems I have with this course are mostly about safety and location, not the technical layout. This is a decently long, challenging course.

+ Much to my surprise, since the area and the upkeep of the course itself isn't good, the community center at the park was very nice. Good restrooms. Other amenities there, like indoor basketball, rooms for classes, etc.

Cons:

Cons:

- For me, far and away the biggest problem with the course is its proximity to a high-traffic road. Granted, it takes a pretty bad shot to land in the road, but I played this course with beginners and one of them DID land it in the road! It was a true miracle that it happened to miss a windshield. (It landed in the middle turning lane, thank God.) Several holes are just way too close to that road. Not only that, but they are close to perpendicular to the road, so an errant drive -- a grip-lock or unplanned turned over disc -- really could hit a car (as I very nearly saw for myself).

- In addition to the safety concerns, for about a third of the course, you're close enough to the road to hear the constant roar of traffic (and people shouting their greetings to you as they pass by). There are some peaceful sections of the course, but a big chunk of it is not fun at all.

- Getting back to safety and peacefulness, or lack thereof, this is a pretty bad part of town...and it shows on the course. There were 5 different homeless people on the course when we played. None of them caused any problems (in fact, we had a fun conversation with a couple of them about disc golf), but still, not what you want in a course. Also, the upkeep wasn't great. There was a good bit of trash and debris. Aesthetically, the park is below average.

- We played this course after some rain and the drainage was poor. I'm not sure how it is on a more typical day, but my experience, after some rain, was pretty sloppy. Lots of mud and some standing water.

- The baskets were old and pretty cheap.

- Some of the tees left a lot to be desired. Walking paths are used as tees on a few holes; there was mud and water on many of them.

- There were no "Next Tee" signs or maps, that we could see. For most of the course, it's not a problem, but there were a couple of places with long walks in between holes and we had to guess (wrongly, as it turned out) where to look for the next tee.

Other Thoughts:

Overall, this is a decent course to try out if you live in Charlotte. For out-of-towners, it's not going to make your top 5 courses to play here. However, because of it's central location, it's a passable option if you're visiting the Queen City. Of the Charlotte courses I've played so far, I'd rank them as follows:

1. Nevin (not far away, N CLT) - 4.5
2. RL Smith (W CLT) - 4.0
3. Kilborne (very close by in NE CLT) - 3.5
4. Eager Beaver (southern tip of Meck) - 3.0
5. Bailey Road (N Meck) - 3.0
6. Renske (not too far, S CLT) - 2.5
7. Sugaw Creek - 2.5
8. Pinewood Elem. (kids' course) - 0.5
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4 2
Klingmeyer
Experience: 7.7 years 23 played 18 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Let it Fly! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 4, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

This is set in a recreational outdoor park setting. Most of the holes are open and the majority are 300 feet or more. there isn't much elevation change at all. I threw two discs on each hole and finished in just over 1 hour. The signage to the next tee is up for most holes. The tee pads are rough concrete. The hole layouts are easy to read.

Cons:

The tee pads aren't smooth. A few of the holes are along a busy street. The scenery at this time of year, early March, isn't anything to speak of. The baskets are some times not easy to see, being grey.

Other Thoughts:

I'm glad that I played this course at least once. I may go back with a friend. It does test your distance quite a bit and throwing backhand or forehand is an option on many holes.
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11 1
BrotherDave
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 16.6 years 192 played 188 reviews
3.50 star(s)

For the Kombucha Mushroom People 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:May 30, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

Just a plain fun course to play. It's a breeze to navigate due to being so well established, plus signage, and is extremely well balanced. This is the kind of course that is going to appeal to probably the widest variety of disc golfers. Beginners will find it a tad difficult and experts will find it a tad easy but all should have a good time ambling through the park.

You've got wooded holes, some open holes and some typical city park style holes galore. The wooded holes are a little technical but fair (even hole 3) and the open holes still require a modicum of line-shaping at least rather than mindless bombing. The amount of OB and sprinkling of mandos and raised or guarded baskets helps spice up the design enough to keep it from being bland.

Tees and signs are good, although the tees are getting some age on them. Not a terribly long course but there are enough open holes worth keeping a distance driver or two in the bag and enough fairway variety and obstacles/rough to warrant carrying a good arsenal of discs. You could carry just a putter, midrange, and driver and tear the course up but occasionally you'll want more distance or need to pull something off trickier.

Despite being Memorial Day, I didn't notice much of a crowd and the course didn't take long to play, especially since it starts and ends right away near the entrance of the park.

Actually a surprisingly pretty park. Lots of lovely shade trees like the awesome magnolia on hole 7's tee and nicely mowed grass on the open holes. Ivy and running cedar run amok off the fairway, giving a lush and verdant look.

Cons:

Well, it's right across from Hidden Valley community. If you're familiar with the History Channel's program on gangs called Gangland, you may have seen the episode that featured the Hidden Valley Kings, a delightful group of gentlemen that gained enough notoriety a few years ago to get the police to take notice and start cracking down on them. I didn't feel too worried about my safety but I wasn't alone either and the police appear to frequent the parking lot.

Trash wasn't as bad as I thought it would be but it's there and often of the variety you'd associate with inner-city degenerates. Random piles of discarded clothes. Middle Eastern opera music blasting from across the road on hole 10? Why not?

Lots of holes run quite close together and there are plenty of places to cross sidewalks. Extremely easy to go OB on hole 1 and hole 8 and end up in the park's road entrance b/c the baskets are right in front of the road. Hole 1's tee co-opts a sidewalk. Occasionally you can see multiple baskets and get a little confused. Not much of a problem finding your discs in the rough here but there are some spots fairly thick with undergrowth.

I like the raised basket on hole 6. I don't care for the one on hole 14 inside the tree. Seems a little gimmicky. Why? I dunno. Also little to no elevation or water in play, although I think no water is probably a good thing considering what would likely be in it at this park.

Other Thoughts:

It took me too long to play here and cross it off my list, thanks in large part to Charlotte adding one epic course after another (way to go, you jerks) and the course's seedy reputation. I loved this course. It's a really fun round in a surprisingly nice city park, albeit in a bad neighborhood. It feels like a course that's aging like fine wine and I got a lot of the same good times and vibes from playing Hornets Nest here. It's like a cheap fix that keeps the Nest monkey off my back until I can get some of the good stuff again, the primo stuff. Let the good times roll, baby.
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13 0
Notverygood
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 14.6 years 76 played 34 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Fun. Fair. Challenging 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 19, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

The best way I can describe this course is "smooth" if that makes sense? The course flows well, and plays well.

The course is well worn, and has clearly been around for a while. I loved the well worn and walked fairways and trails, making the popular, or preferred routes clear.

There is a great variety of holes throughout the course. Holes in light woods, holes in tight woods, long(ish) open field shots, holes that start in woods and end in the open, then holes that start in the open and end in the woods. Even an elevated basket or two. One is on a pole for elevation, but not ridiculous, the other is perched in a grouping of trees. Both changing how the hole would play with a normal in the ground placement. I like it.

Another pro, but a minor one, was the unique tee shot on the front 9. I believe #6 or #7. The tee pad is under the shade of a large tree with magnificent long, low hanging branches. A nice break from the open field heat of the prior hole. This tee requires a low release to clear a low hanging branch only a few feet from the end of the tee pad. Cool stuff!

The course is very fair. Some courses can be overbearing on times, and the risk/reward ratio highly skewed. However this course, I felt, was a fine balance of risk and reward. Nothing terribly challenging, or extra long, but enough challenge and tight fairways to require adequate control for a decent score.

Fun and challenging use of Mando's on a few holes. I feel like Mando's are often left out of course design, so to see them on more than one hole was great. They're not un-fair, and really enhance what would normally be a boring, lackluster hole. Great job from the design team using the land available.

The course (mostly) flowed well from one basket to the next tee, with semi adequate signage. With a bit of common sense, I pretty easily found my way through the course.

Cons:

Although not a big con, it's still a con...the course is very compact in that there are a lot of close fairways, and baskets close to other tees or baskets/fairways. The designer did a great job and made the most of it, but there are 18 holes in a relatively small area it feels. I can see this being a potential hazard when the course is crowded, but wasn't much of a concern otherwise.

Keeping along the lines of tight spaces, a handful of the holes play along a pretty busy road. This really can add to the noise level, which detracts from some of the serenity and relaxation of playing golf.

Aside from the major road along the side of some holes, a few of the other holes play next to or end up right near the park road. This wasn't much of an issue as the road isn't terribly busy, but felt like "forced" OB if that makes sense?

Other Thoughts:

Great course! I thoroughly enjoyed playing the course, and didn't leave feeling abused like some other tougher courses can do to you. You can play this course with no real idea on course layout and using the clearly worn/cleared fairways and nice tee signs not have much of a deficit. Compared to some courses, where it really pays to have a knowledge of the holes' layout to improve your score.
For that reason, I describe the course as a "Fair" playing course. Doesn't cheat you out of strokes for not knowing the in's and out's of each hole.

Although the tight quarters of some holes, and the noisy road take away from the potential greatness, I still highly recommend and enjoy Sugaw Creek.

It's long enough to not feel like a beginner's/learner's course, but not too long to leave you beat down, sore armed and exhausted. A great course if you're planning on playing others the same day!

Fun fun fun
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7 0
ncbrett92
Experience: 8.9 years 96 played 8 reviews
3.50 star(s)

A tail of two 9s 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 21, 2015 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

This course is a great mix of a tighter and placement shot filled front 9 then a much more open back 9 with some grip it and rip it opportunities. All of the shorter holes have a turn or trees to make it around so none of the holes feel overly basic. All of the holes have good tee signs and big, roomy tee boxes. Neither of the mandos on 9 or 17 are overly hard to make which is a plus.

On the front 9 the course can sneak up and bite you in a hurry with the tighter fairways and the raised basket on 6. Get off the line and you may not always be to pitch out of the woods and save par. The road behind 8 makes the tee shot a extra challenge with the traffic noise.

The back 9 opens up and holes 10,11, and 15 offer a great chance to stretch your arm out and the 9 as a whole is a nice change from the front side. The basket in the tree on 14 is an awesome idea and makes you really think about your putt on that hole.

None of the foliage is so thick that you can't go hunting for a missed drive and only hole 5 has much undergrowth to lose a disk in. All of the grass is cut short and your disks can get a good skip for some extra distance.

Cons:

While there are no crossing fairways there are threw out the course holes that come close to each other so always be aware of who is around you. Holes 1,2,3, and 8 have walking paths threw them so be watching for walkers at the park. The road into the park comes into play on 8 and 18 if you overshot the basket. High school age kids tend to walk threw the back 9 to get into the park vs walking around.

Only about half of the holes have next tee sighs and with the back 9 having so many holes in sight of each other you can get crossed around if you don't get a map from the office at the park.

Other Thoughts:

Because this course does't demand to much of your arm and it being all par 3s it's great as a second round after Killborne or Eastway or as a first round then you still have enough in the tank to play another round later in the day. Or as a stand alone course it's a really fun round and a great place to work on a good mix of shots.

In the 3 course set of Sugaw Creek, Eastway, and Killborne I would rank this course #2. Behind Killborne but in front of Eastway.
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6 0
Pirate35
Experience: 9.8 years 52 played 4 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Great Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 12, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

This course is very fun. It offers a great layout that is very easy to follow. It was my first time playing this course, I had heard many great things about it from friends so I had to go check it out. There is a practice basket which is nice. Hole 1 starts right at the parking lot which is also nice. The fairways offer difficult shots but are so difficult that you just ping pong between trees. There are multiple lines to take on each hole to get to the basket which is very fun.

One basket is located in a tree which is a very cool aspect.

Navigating the course is also very easy. Tees for the next hole are very close to the basket of the previous hole.

If you do happen to kick off a tree and off the fairway, getting to your disc is very easy, with much of the brush taken out and many paths to travel along to get to it.

Baskets catch pretty well.

Tees are a good size.

There are bathrooms located in the building at the center of the park which is always a good thing.

The course is fairly clean..for the most part

FUN COURSE, I had a blast playing this course

Cons:

This is a great course. But it is not in the best part of town. There were some very sketchy people walking around the course. I didn't have any problems with them but just a be cautious. I said the course is clean for the most part, but it does still have its share of trash throughout the park. (beer cans, bottles, old metal scrap)

Other Thoughts:

This is a great course for players of any skill level. It offers open and tight shots. Forcing you to make many different shots.

I would say that if you are a right handed player you will score better if you have a decent flick. I do not, but still had a decent score throwing RHBH.

Like I said this course is very fun and would recommend it to anyone, I will certainly be back to play more rounds here.

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16 0
dndelli
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 16.6 years 134 played 131 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Sugaw Creek: The Sweetness of Charlotte DG (Updated) 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:May 13, 2013 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Sugaw Creek is an excellent course, and is very close to many other popular Charlotte courses. (Reedy Creek, Kilborne, and Eastway.) Beware, this course can be deceivingly tougher than it appears, but still isn't too demanding- making it a great for both beginners and intermediate players. This set up allows you to experience a lot of Disc Golf on a nice Saturday. Sugaw has a variety of shots and lengths, and even environment (with about a 50/50 split on open and wooded holes). However, there is little-to-no elevation change. The way the course designers have made use of a couple elevated pins, and integrated Hole 14's pin into a tree feel very fresh and are creative. The added mulch on Hole 6's pin makes retrieving your putter easier, while also adding a slight challenge to your approach.

The OB flower beds on Hole 9 and the large amount of Kudzu has been cleared away, making it harder to lose your disc. None of the OBs or Mandos are too restricting, and their combination with a course filled with both technical fairways and grip-and-rip fairways manage to give the course its distinct feel over the other courses nearby. Another definite plus is the large amount of Police presence thanks to training programs that occur in the park regularly, making the Parking lot much safer than the rest of the neighborhood.

UPDATE: A lot of shule has been getting cleared up as of late. Once the debris from these projects is completely removed, this course will be pristine

Cons:

Sugaw Creek isn't in the safest of neighborhoods. (Although it is getting nicer and nicer each year.) Even with the police presence mentioned above, it is advised to not leave valuables lying out in your car. A few benches have had to be removed to prevent unsavory folks from congregating around Holes 11 & 17, and so far it seems to have worked really well.

Be careful about turning your RHBH bomb over more than you want on Hole 10 or over shooting the green on Hole 11 (if you can manage that much distance), as there are new homes over there. Fortunately the course was tweaked a bit to try to prevent this.

Other Thoughts:

I am giving my initial rating of Sugaw Creek a small bump up to 3.5 because I realized two things: I may have underrated the course originally as it was my second review & the work the parks department has done to clean the park up have made the course much better.

The Am League that is held on Thursdays at 5:30pm is a great way for newer Disc Golfers to get into the competitive scene. Using a nice handicap scoring method, the host has managed to create a relaxed, yet competitive atmososphere that leads to large amounts of fun.

For a 9 hole loop, play: 1-8 & 18. Or play a 10 hole loop: 1 & 9-18.

Favorite Holes: 7, 10, 14, 15
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6 0
Mortis Canyon
Experience: 13.8 years 31 played 13 reviews
3.00 star(s)

In the middle of the pack for Charlotte courses! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 15, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Course caters to beginner / intermediate players.
Course is easy to navigate.
Good mix of open and wooded holes that require an array of shots to score well.
Benches and trashcans at most holes.
Course has other amenities like tennis courts, baseball fields, playgrounds, basketball courts, etc.
Nice tee signs with layout of hole.
A couple of raised baskets (#6 & #14) with #14 being placed in the middle of a tree adding some variety.
Park is smaller in terms of acreage, however makes good use of the land that is there.
Haven't witnessed the course being over crowded like Reedy can be at times.
The mandos on this course are reasonable.
Police will patrol the area often.

Cons:

Park is not in a great area of Charlotte.
Slim to none elevation change.
Course has trash lying around.
Only one tee pad and pin per hole.
Walking paths and entrance road come into play on several holes. Some holes also play along a major road in Charlotte with consistent traffic.
No tee on hole 1, but you are able to use the sidewalk so not a huge con for me.

Other Thoughts:

Course is more catered to RHFH and/or LHBH players.

The course brings a challenge, however not quite the challenge like you will get at Reeny or Hornet's Nest. I'm by no means am the best disc golfer out there, so I will find this course a challenge to break par. Having said that, I believe that luck is needed more than at most Charlotte courses.

Front 9 consists of more wooded holes for technical shots while the back 9 is more open for a "grip and rip" feel.

Course is also nearby other parks with disc golf courses. Eastway and Kilborne.

Make certain that you leave no valuables out in plain view in your vehicle.
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10 0
Upshawt1979
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 20.8 years 548 played 429 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Sugaw-ahh, Yeah! 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 1, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

Sugaw Creek is home to a fun and well implemented course. Layout is compact and easy to follow. The terrain alternates between fairly open to moderately wooded with a couple of mandos, or a peculiar basket location here and there for fun. Minimal elevation change, and water not much of a concern. Not over powering in terms of distance (my only birdie was on the second longest hole, at 358'). Good mix of left/right holes, used the backhand and sidearm. Most holes had character, and were nicely framed.

The tees are concrete, with nice signs, and short transitions between holes that are also clearly marked. Baskets are new condition and pretty sweet. Park was deserted and pace was fast, had a lot of fun. Like other courses in the area, very nicely marked and well thought out.

Cons:

A couple of filler holes sprinkled in. Mud made the ground slick, but considering it had rained that morning not too bad. I guess there could be problems outside of disc golf concerns that are associated this city park. I had no trouble on this holiday morning, but I have had an attempted break-in on my truck at Hornets Nest, so I know how it can go in a city park.

Other Thoughts:

Sugaw Creek is the first new course of 2013. Based on one visit I really liked this course. Not super difficult, but really fun and somewhat scenic. I know if I could play several rounds, I could score way better here. Preferred Sugaw to nearby Eastway, valuing fun-factor and difficulty in terms of shot making instead of strength. Similar to good old Earlewood in Columbia, SC except with far less elevation change. My New Years Day new course streak is at 3 years in a row now, since the rain stopped long enough to sneak in one more round on my trip to Charlotte. A fine new tradition!
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11 4
Bennybennybenny
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 13.1 years 305 played 287 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Sugaw isn't sweet like sugar 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:May 12, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-Sugaw is a nice par 3 course in Charlotte that is a moderately challenging disc golf course. The course has some wooded holes and some open holes. It has straight holes and holes with different shaped fairways.

-The course is very easy to follow. I do remember a couple next tee signs for the walks to the next holes that are a bit confusing and there are diagrams of the hole by the tee so you will know how to play the hole

-The course has new baskets that are in good shape and they are double chained. The course was in need of new baskets and now we have 'em.

-Some designs at Sugaw are very unique and memorable (Especially on #14). Hole 14's basket is in a tree and that is what makes the hole a tricky birdie attempt. Get close if you want the birdie. Another memorable hole is #7. Your teeshot is under a magnolia tree and it requires the teeshot to be low

-The course has plenty of garbage cans and bathrooms are in the building close to the first hole. It's in front of the parking lot.

-Practice basket is next to the parking lot. It's very close to hole #1.

-Every hole has at least a small birdie opprotunity. Having said that, there is a way to birdie every hole. Some holes require Righty backhands and some require sidearms.

-Every hole is very punishing and a birdie opprotunity can turn into a 4,5 or even a 6. In exception to #18, that is a sweet finishing hole. It's a bit downhill and it goes into the woods. If you throw into the woods and land in the fairway a good bit past the opening mouth into the woods then a birdie will probably come.

-Thursday League is up here. It's pretty fun.

Cons:

-Holes 2 and 8 play painfully close to a sidewalk. It's OB because I've seen people walk on it. But the holes are just too close to it. It also makes both holes painfully irritating as they are both very technical and you are bound to hit a tree and kick OB. And it's painfully close to hole 1's fairway. I just think it's ridiculous for good shots to be penalized.

-A bit of graffiti on the baskets here and there. I'm not that rednecky player that swears up a storm on the Charlotte dgc facebook page or says "So-so, I'm gonna kick your (expletive) and shot cha witha shotgun if I find you boy!" But it is disappointing that some locals will vandalize property.

-The design for #3 is pretty silly. You have to throw the most perfect hyzer and avoid a ton of trees. Good luck getting a two here.

Other Thoughts:

-This course is kind of a water taste compared to most Charlotte courses. It's not as good as the others in my opinion. Don't get me wrong, I love holes 6 and 14 and there basket positions. And #16 is a sweet uphill keyhole. But aside from those few holes, it's just kinda generic. But the tee signs are great, and the course is well kept.

-If you go to the area, I'd play Eastway. It's a great 18 holer. Yes it gets rough and yes there are snakes, but they are easier to avoid than many other dangerous species. This course is fun with a group, and it's fun at singles, but it's probably not going to be your "go-to."
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12 2
BraveThrower43
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 14.1 years 729 played 59 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Another day in the ghetto 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 1, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

The course is very beat in and is easy to navigate.

There are benches and trashcans on almost every hole.

Design wise this course is solid. There are a few negatives or things that I disagree with but for the most part this course will test your game and specifically your accuracy

There are a few unique touches on this course that I have never seen anywhere else such as the tee under the magnolia branch on 7 and the basket in the tree on 14.

There is a good mix of open and wooded holes.

Brand spanking new baskets!!

Cons:

as far as design goes many of these aspects could not be avoided with the land given. The course is sqeezed together and thus has multiple fairways that run parallel to one another and require OB and Mandos. While these speed up play they do not protect from discs flying into other fairways.

I personally do not like the design of hole 3 at all.

This course is in the Ghetto and there are usually bumbs sleeping on benches, sketchy dudes(non-dgers) rolling joints, and overall sketchy people around the course. I have never personally had problems but I have heard some rough stories. Be aware as you play.

The course has a lot of trash most of which is not from DGers .

Other Thoughts:

This course is a solid course but lacks the fun factor to me that other courses in the area give you,. I struggled with a rating of 3 or 3.5 but ultimatly lowered to 3 due to the roughness of the area. The design is more along a 3.5

Thic course is well worth your time and with the proximity of Kilbourne and Eastway it makes for an easy 3 in one day combo
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12 0
New013
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 13.6 years 179 played 120 reviews
3.00 star(s)

The Sugaw Shack 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 2, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

Layout - There's a solid mix of open and wooded fairways as well as a decent mixture of distance. There's no absolute bomber holes but you'll probably pull out a driver more than once.

For the most part the wooded fairways are short and technical with trees within the fairway. The course won't really test your game but you will have to work some shots different directions and maybe pull out some OH's. You will need to be accurate through gaps as well as avoiding some well placed OB.

The more open holes still force you to make solid shots, they're not just wide open spaces with straight on looks.

There's a few neat twists thrown in the course. A couple of raised baskets, one on a hill one within a tree. There's also a very unique tee right behind a low branch that doesn't affect your throw but gets in your eye line and makes you think a bit.

Equipment - New baskets and decent sized tees for the distance you'e going. Good signage. The mandos are very visible.

Atmosphere - There's some nice looking holes out there. It definitely has a city park look to it but there's some areas that have more diverse foliage than I'm used to. Nice mix in that regard.

Cons:

Layout - The biggest con layout wise is that there's a lot of holes really close and it does give you that crammed in feel in a few places. I had a guide but I could see people getting confused. The crammed in deal also causes the course to use more mandos than i like to see to keep you separate from other park activities, other fairways and the road.

Some of the holes have one tree to many in the fairway and it's creating more of a luck situation. I don't say that about many courses but you'll find it here.

No elevation changes really. It's flat out there.

The greens aren't cleverly designed like you see in a lot of Charlotte courses; and because it's in the Queen City you notice more.

The course would seem to fit beginner and intermediate players more but I could see this course not only confusing new players but frustrating them with some unfair holes.

Atmosphere - The course has this feel of "hey it's there" to it. That may have to do with the neighborhood and clientele that frequents it. I was told it's a ghetto course and although I didn't really experience anything that stood out to me I got that feeling. There's more pristine courses in Charlotte for sure.

Other Thoughts:

It's a fun round and isn't that the best compliment you can give a course? Even though some holes have some BS factor I didn't mind not making the gap, it's not a course that will frustrate you to death. It kind of gives you that low expectations feeling so when you had fun it just makes it that much better.

However, I can't really look back and say that any hole really stood out to me. There's a couple I remember but none that wowed me.
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9 0
curmudgeonDwindle
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 44.6 years 20 played 18 reviews
3.50 star(s)

'Sweet' Advanced Level Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 28, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Other Thoughts:

Course is situated in a neighborhood level park of about 50 acres, which, typically for this region, features rolling piedmont terrain and semi-mature to mature canopy. Large areas of this park have been cleared and grassed, so the course has only a few holes exhibiting the 'tunnel carved through the forest' style. Park also features a recreation center and many other amenities, which are buffered by the park's land.

It should be noted that this park is located in a Charlotte neighborhood with a very dangerous reputation. Extra care should be taken regarding personal safety and the security of valuables, especially near nightfall. Use common sense and remain alert when playing here.

Course is fairly well sequestered from other park activities although some walking paths are interlaced with the course on the front side. Although this reviewer has only rarely experienced play delays at Sugaw, it is obvious at a glance that this course receives a fairly high amount of foot traffic, as worn areas around tees and targets are starkly evident. Some of these issues have been ameliorated with the addition of mulch. Course is well drained and no serious issues are evident, even soon after a rain event, but the course can get somewhat sloppy after same, especially in the more wooded areas.

Park's amenities are superior, as are tees, equipment and signage. The course features a practice basket, a returning 8 (front) and returning 10 (back), separated by the entrance road. Sugaw Creek DGC is very compact spatially and the park's topography is primarily flat, with fairly subtle and gradual elevation changes throughout. Most all fairways are amazingly flat. A great deal of this course's design was dictated by the existing cleared areas, meaning the course was primarily installed (as opposed to built - wholly carved out of virgin forest). This method certainly reduces the time, expense and labor of realizing the finished product, and as a result, many holes and tees are secreted in tree lines, while fairways play out over the cleared and grassed areas. Holes are also often played between 2 open grassed areas, with a 'gate' in the tree line being the major restriction in the fairway.

The front side's routing is a bit convoluted but there are no vex some way-finding issues, while the back circles the park's north side in a counterclockwise fashion. Average hole length for the 18 is just over 300'; 14 holes are between 240' and 350', which means that not only does the course suffer at bit from relatively static hole distances, but also, only fair to average power is needed to score well. This aspect of the course combined with the course's overall 'flatness' might help more inexperienced players gain consistency with throws in this general distance range. Lower speed discs can work very well at Sugaw Creek Park DGC.

7 holes are essentially 'straight', with 4 of these featuring obstacles in the middle of the fairway. This yields options for the golfer's preferred shot shape from the tee and generally this reviewer finds these types of holes more 'fun'. Options are good for the golfer. The remainder of the holes is well balanced between each spin's stable shot shape. The roller game is also a strong option for more than 50% of the course's holes. Course features double mandatories on 2 adjacent back-side holes, no doubt to channel play in the desired direction and to 'protect' the 18th tee. The more wooded fairways are plenty wide, certainly considering the hole distances, and are of an almost uniform width. #7's tee deserves a special mention, as it is a rare example of a severe height restriction right off the tee. The entire tee box sits under a mature southern magnolia and one of its large limbs extends directly over the front of the tee, perpendicular to the line of play. The limb's height is about 5'. Obviously this tee shot is nettlesome for the golfer, as and the limb is well covered with bruises and puckers from errant (point blank) tee shots. The hole is 300'. This type of flight restriction is rare in the piedmont. One wonders if the designer was attempting to reference the so-called 'Indian Trail Trees' found throughout this region. This reviewer enjoys tests like this, but each player will have to decide for him/herself.

Greens are primarily flat and open within the circle. Two greens are elevated, one a top a mulch mound and the other inside the spreading limbs of a crape myrtle. Reviewer has seen the latter idea in play at one of the iterations of the Oak Grove DGC in California and has some reservations about the durability of this particular species for this use. This green, #14, is very fun to play and the idea is sound, albeit underused in disc golf generally. Greens in general are more receptive to fades from counter-spin shots, although the advantage is not excessive, owing to the aforementioned 'flatness' of the course overall.

Roughs are very forgiving overall and recovery chances are excellent throughout, although there are a few 'jail pens' just to keep the golfer honest. These areas will be readily apparent after the golfer's initial round.

#18's target is blind from the tee, but #1's target is clearly visible from same. This might cause some confusion the first time through, although a 'short' drive at #1 from #18's tee could result in a surprise birdie at #18 to finish the round. Reviewer is uncertain if this 'feature' was intentional or the result of the space limitations at the park.

Sugaw Creek DGC is another solid offering in the Charlotte area, as I'm certain many readers are 'envious' of hearing and represents a good learning platform for golfers to ascend to more challenging courses. Scratch golfers may be disappointed, as the course could almost be classified as 'deuce or die'; really only scores in the low 40s would be competitive here. Perhaps they might try playing off-hand...
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3 0
Jaysauls
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 14.7 years 129 played 71 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Fun, moderately Challenging 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 4, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

Absolutely had a blast playing! I'm not a great player, but am fairly good, and found this course to be fun, fair and challenging. The fair ways were kinda tight (on the left side of the course), but not so bad that you had no-shot trying to get back on the fairway.

The course was also very well marked. We didn't have any problem navigating it even though it was our first time. It's also flat so you don't burn yourself out climbing up and down hills. Some might find this as a negative, but I play a ton of hilly courses, so this was nice.


Cons:

From my opinion, none really. The tee pads were a bit short, but if you don't have a long run up (which I do) the short pads are no issue.

Other Thoughts:

Hole one is alongside the entrance, so a disc that flips, or goes long can get in the road and run over. Same on hole 10 (I think, to the right of the entrance) where you tee off with the highway within range of a flipped disc or a roller gone very bad!

Totally enjoyed the course and if I had enough time, would have played it several times.
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12 0
harr0140
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 15.2 years 1508 played 475 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Pour some Sugaw on Me 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Feb 16, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

1) Another wooded course with discatchers is always appreciated because they are by far the most visible baskets for this type of course.

2) Kiosk at the first hole for information and league postings etc.

3) Nice recycled plastic signs like the older Charlotte courses. These signs have Hole #, distance, par and a general map of the holes. The maps aren't the best in the world but they at least give you an idea of the layout of the hole.

4) Just another solid design on a mostly heavily wooded property. There are some more open holes here in terms of turfed areas but there are still plenty of obstacles to worry about on those more open holes. I would say the holes are not as open as the open holes at Eastway, so they maintain the integrity of still needing to execute golf shots and not just distance.

5) This course has a ton of variety because of the varying density of trees and the obstacles. There are a good balance of tight wooded, to somewhat open with key trees, to just a couple with only one or two things to consider on your drive. All in all balance helps make a course better than if it was just one type of hole.

6) While challenging, this course is still fairly beginner friendly. The wooded holes aren't super long so beginners can escape trouble and still be able to recover for pars and bogeys. There also are quite a few holes that are moderately open . . . still some key trees to avoid but plenty of air space to allow for the beginners throws.

7) Very cool trees and plant material on this course. There were a handful of Magnolias on a few places on this course which is a very attractive tree. I also noticed a lot of Ivy in he woods that was climbing some of the mature trees and it was very attractive and depending on the variety in the fall it could look outstanding as they change colors.

8) There is a loop of 1-8 that goes near to the parking lot and then 9-18 goes out and comes back again. I like this feature as a bonus for those hot days or anytime a bathroom might be desired. I would never take away from a courses rating if this wasn't available but I think it deserves bonus points for having this as a feature.

9) Bathrooms are available inside of the rec. center and I am sure there is some sort of refreshment machine too if that is desired.

10) This is a relatively quick play because it is on a fairly small property. The back 10 opens up a little bit and stretches things out compared to the front 8 holes.

11) Typical to Charlotte . . . there are a couple of raised baskets. One is set up on a little mound which doesn't really change the hole much unless you skip off the mound or hit the basket and roll down the hill. A little gimmicky but better than a wide open boring basket in my opinion.

12) Decent variety in shot shaping here. It requires you to throw both directions off the tee and also some varied types of drives not just straight down the fairway. You can throw a roller or two out here, you can even throw a couple of putters on a few holes. All in all good balance and variety on the shots needed.

13) Nice concrete tees are always a
positive.

14) Benches and garbage cans are also plentiful enough to keep the course clean and give you a place to rest.

15) Directionals in a few areas to help guide you around but it is mostly intuitive.

16) I was able to use a Top Gun Reference and the title of my review is a reference to Def Leppard (THANKS BROTHER DAVE) . . . how much more can I reference the late 80's and early 90's.???

Cons:

1) Distance variation is not that great. All of the holes basically range between 200'-325' with a couple of outliers. I know this is the old style disc golf course and it does a good job using the property, but a true top notch course has a little of everything including distance.

2) There are a lot of places where the amount of play has taken its toll on the course. There are a lot of worn out areas which are due to the compaction from all the activity will lead to erosion if not repaired. I am trying to be a proponent of courses taking care of these things before thye become a big problem and a detractor for our sport.

3) Walking path comes into play as does the entrance road and even the main round on the perimeter of the course. These are always situations that can and should be avoided if at all possible. Sometimes I understand it just cannot be avoided but it still takes away from the course. This is the reason we need disc golf designers should be involved in the park planning commissions so that these situations can be avoided in the design process.

4) This course is just imply one of those courses where many of the baskets are just slightly out of reach for my best drives which afforded me a lot of drop in pars after a simple upshot. While this may not be a negative for everyone, it is for me. It takes away from the fun and challenge because there is basically no chance for me to birdie many of the holes.

5) The tightness of the course and the compact holes creates a few danger zones (taken right from Top Gun). Fairways running past tees or baskets could be a problem with errant shots.

6) I know this isn't the best
neighborhood, but I didn't have any problems. I suppose I was maybe a little suspicious going in because I had already been warned about it, so when I did encounter people (specifically by the bus stop) I simply got up to the tee and threw quickly. One guy actually asked a little about the sport and where I was throwing to which I pointed at the basket and gave him a very short answer about the game.

7) Vandalism and theft is apparently an issue because #11 basket was gone and I know it was recent.

8) Underbrush can be a problem in a few places around the course. You might be really punished for an errant shot here or there.

Other Thoughts:

All in all this is not a bad course. Sure it is not in the greatest neighborhood but the design, flow, and variety of the holes keep it a solid course. It is not championship level (whatever that means) but it is a good Rec/Intermediate course or a virtual deuce or die for Advanced and Pros. It isn't the cleanest course and it is lacking a few things that would set it apart, but it is still another solid Charlotte disc golf course. As compared to the rest in Charlotte it is miles away from the best and maybe that it why it might be underappreciated by the locals, but still enjoyed by first timers.
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5 1
xcrunner134life
Experience: 16.1 years 81 played 14 reviews
3.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 5, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

Technical course with some distance too. The holes that are shorter require accuracy. The longer holes require some accuracy, but open up more. If you do get off the fairway, you can still save par. Very forgiving course, but you could put up a big number if you're not careful.
The course does allow you to be creative with shot selection without too much repercussions if you mess up.
Signs at all tees with distances.

Cons:

Seems to be a busier part of town. First few holes play near a busy street, so there's lots of auto noise.
I had a guy ask me for change on one hole and a women ask if I had a cell phone she could borrow on another.
Many of the baskets and tees are close to one another. This is fine, but if you happen to have a group playing up on you who are not very good, you'll be watching over your shoulder a lot.

Other Thoughts:

I liked the course overall. The course itself is very easy to walk. There are signs at all the tees and a few that along the course that point the way. The course is played enough that there are worn paths that you can follow. I had never been to Sugaw before and I found it to be very easy to get around.
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2 0
BobStutts
Experience: 19 played 18 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Sugaw 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 9, 2011 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Easy to get to. A lot of wooded shots at the start that require more than just distance to shoot well. The back portion is more open and allows for some longer throws. The combination should allow various shots. Left hand/right hand neutral. The course is easy to get to and if you feel athletic there are really good tennis courts nearby to hole one and the rec center. I started at 8;30 on Saturday morning and was the only one playing. When I finished there were at least 4 or 5 groups. Go early which I like to do anyway.

Cons:

Hole one does not have a tee unless you consider the sidewalk. No basket on hole 17 the day I played. The pole supposed to be holding it was there and I played to hit the pole. Not a lot of hole to hole guidance so follow the most obvious path through the woods.

Other Thoughts:

I am 67 and only been playing since March of 2010. I had only played three rounds at home on the coast when I played in Charlotte while on business. While I cannot throw like the youngsters I now can at least break posted pars. I encourage people to go back to their earlier discouraging course. I had improved 16 strokes.

Try to get people to play. I certainly wish I had started earlier and have already found that disc golf players are like fishermen. You don't find many who are not friendly.
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