Matthews, NC

Squirrel Lake Park

2.975(based on 32 reviews)
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10 0
Bennybennybenny
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 13.1 years 305 played 287 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Driving Squirrels Nuts!

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 13, 2024 Played the course:once

Pros:

-Use of elevation. The elevation utilized at Squirrel Lake is brilliant. Good mix of up and downhill. Multiple holes exceed 20' in grade change. #9 is probably the signature hole if you love elevation the way I do. This is a tight downhill tunnel over a dried creek off an elevated pad. This is my favorite hole. It's a little more simply put, but it's a fun one to throw some putters and mids on.

-Well designed par fours. While none of them exceed 440', all four of them are very technical and require different shot shaping strategies. #10 was my favorite of the par fours. This one is tight, probably the tightest of the four par fours. It's a slightly downhill dogleg right. The landing zone is only about 180' from the tee while the total length is about 440'. I'm a righty with very limited sidearm ability. That was my only option due to the sharp turn and the tight fairway. It's ideal to throw a lower speed fairway that's overstable.

-The variety of fairways make for a for a round with the entire bag here. The first two holes are both dogleg left par fours. The first hole has a much more severe turn than the second, allowing a little more opportunity for distance. The only straight holes were #3, #8, and #9. The rest all had a least a slight turn to them. While Squirrel Lake is exclusively wooded, and designed to be an accuracy tester that tests your shot versatility, it does end with a wooded hole more suited for power. #12 is a slightly uphill 360' par three that's mostly straight and fades a bit left to the green. This is a well thought out driver shot. Tough finisher as it's a long par three, but the fairway is probably the widest of them all.

-Well taken care of. It's in a safe part of town and the locals keep the course in good shape. Plenty of benches in case you get tired.

-The concrete tees are long and level. Nice disc catcher baskets.

-There's a greenway for park attendees. Nice option to walk through the woods. There's also a tree with some bird carvings into it, very cool piece of art you don't often see! You'll see it when you finish #12.

Cons:

-Gets swampy. #11 was very muddy and wet when I played since it's on the lowest part on the course in terms of sea level and also has a creek. While we are at it, #11's green is awfully close to the greenway. Hate to say it cause I enjoyed this hole and the looks of it. It's just more hazardous.

-Parking lot is very small for the park. Often times, you may find yourself parallel parking on the side of the gravel road, which goes pretty gradually downhill. I had to parallel park and it was tough getting out since there was a car in front of mine and one behind me.

-I usually don't mind shots near roads because as long as there is nothing coming, there's nothing to worry about. But since the side of the road is basically parking lot #2, there's a chance you'll have cars on the side of #6's fairway. The previous reviewers already said it, #6 is very close to the road

Other Thoughts:

-Few weird fairways. I'm somewhere on the fence between Shadrach and Wolfhaley. I do agree that #4 is a little bit mystifying with its tight trail and its early left fade from the tee. It's not designed for a backhand thrower at all. It's clearly designed to be a sidearm hole where right handed throwers will be flicking something understable. I don't think it's a bad hole, but very limited opportunity for birdie for a 275' footer. #5 is the opposite. Very gentle right fade down a very narrow path. I don't think these holes are impossible; I think they serve some sort of purpose, but they can be a bit frustrating.

-Course is heavily populated with squirrels. I saw tons of them when I played. I got really close to a few and they startled me as they ran off when I got real close.

-You'll see better elevation here than you will at The Scrapyard and Dry Creek and you'd see a better mix of it than you would at Cane Creek (even though Cane Creek has a few bigger hills). It's a little bit more welcoming for newer players than the courses mentioned as well, despite some odd shaped fairways. There are no daunting water carries and the shorter par fours make for more options on how to navigate them. It's still enough to challenge, which makes for a fair challenge. You'll be wanting to practice some flip up shots and some backhand anhyzers.
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18 0
wolfhaley
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 19.9 years 970 played 542 reviews
3.00 star(s)

This Squirrel's got nuts

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 29, 2023 Played the course:once

Pros:

Squirrel Lake is probably the best 12 hole course I've ever had the pleasure to play. That being said, I'm not sure how many 12 hole courses I've actually played. This is better than a surprising amount of 18 hole courses I've played though.

The baskets are Innova Discatchers, all mounted level and catch great. One basket and pin position per hole from what I remember. Discatchers are my favorite basket in thick wooded courses due to the visibility they provide off the tee. Not to mention they catch great.

The tees are concrete. Nice and grippy, level enough and of sufficient length and girth. One tee per hole.

The tee signs are similar to many other Charlotte courses. They contain all the necessary info. Hole overview map, hole #, distance, par, next tee and any applicable OB. Loved them.

The course is essentially entirely wooded. Lots of elevation here. I think the only flat hole was also the only "open" hole, which is hole 6.

Tight lines, which is the name of the game around here. Fair mix of right to left, left to right and dead nuts straight. Best you can do for 12 holes to be honest.

I've seen others mention the lack of "fair" lines as a con. I don't get that. Sure the lines are tight. Gaps are there and require precision sure. This course is as fair as any of the other Charlotte courses I played over the last week. I can't think of a single course that DIDN'T have a hole that made you go WTF? when stepping up to the tee. It's kind of the deal down here it seems. I love it. Other's might see that as a con though. I don't

The course is permanent, free to play and probably not as busy as most other courses nearby due to it only being 12 holes. The course starts and ends pretty close to the parking area too, which I'm all for. The design for the space available is top notch IMO.

The park was very clean and well maintained when I played it. There's a small parking area with a playground and restrooms.


Cons:

There's a few places that you can get turned around. Using a map isn't a must, but it wouldn't hurt to have one available in a few spots. We missed holes 7 and 8 and had to backtrack after playing 9 unintentionally. I wondered how we caught up to that group so quickly.

Along those lines, a few tee pads are pretty close to some greens. Likewise a few fairways play parralel to each other so it could get squirrely out there it it's ever packed.

Hole 6 has the feel of a filler, kind of get you from point A to point B hole. It also brings the park road into play. It's probably the main con and biggest shortcoming I noticed on the course.


Other Thoughts:

If I lived near here I'd play here all the time. This was honestly one of my favorite stops on my recent trip. Just a damn fun course. Not beginner friendly, but it should slot in nicely for the intermediate and up crowd. Quick play too. I really fits into Charlotte's web of courses perfectly. Harder than most/all of the 9's but a quicker play than most of the 18's.

I'd recommend this one to everybody reading this. Don't judge it strictly by the number of holes. It plays closer to an 18 hole course than a 9 IMO. I'd play this again in a heartbeat. Not as good as the Scrapyard but much better than Crooked Creek Crossing.
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12 0
Shadrach3
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 5.5 years 318 played 306 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Squirrel-Size Fairways?

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 25, 2022 Played the course:once

Pros:

A course with an unusual number of holes and unusual ideas of what constitutes a good shape.

Squirrel Lake, like a good Charlotte course, has plenty of basic amenities. There are mid-size concrete tees, a mix of single- and double-chain DISCatchers, thorough tee signs, and sufficient next tee signage. The course loops properly and doesn't have major maintenance issues.

A fully wooded course, Squirrel Lake has an enjoyable environment. It's thickly wooded, hilly, and lush throughout…perhaps too lush, as we'll see later.

The conceptual shaping layout here is nice. There are four short par-4s and a variety of tunnels that promote straighter shots and some right turns. On paper, it's a very impressive 12-hole course with interesting tree patterns that provides some challenge and some reward.

Cons:

To me, it just doesn't deliver.

-Tightness: From hole (4) on, the lines seem unreasonably tight. In some stretches of fairway, it's little wider than a walking path. There are few feelings worse than throwing a beautiful turnover that slices through the first 80% of a fairway perfectly before striking another tree jutting dead into the flying lane. I try not to be overly critical of tight courses, but Squirrel Lake frequently crosses the line in my estimation.

-Hazards: On hole (6), cars parallel parked are tantalizingly easy to drill just off to the right, especially on a shot that begs for a wide hyzer. Then, hole (10), a lovely downhill turnover, has a play area within C2 on the backside of the basket that could be at risk from a smash.

-Upkeep: The paths between holes are not clear with the extensive leaf cover. There are also lots of small shrubs on fairways and rough. The fairways don't feel like "ways" so much as pathfinding.

Other Thoughts:

Squirrel Lake is, surprisingly, the second 12-hole course I have played. The generally open and beginner friendly Dillon (CO) Family course was, unfortunately, better. Squirrel Lake needs a little breaking in and probably more trees taken down. If it did that, it could be a nice course. As is, I consider it Reasonable.
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11 0
Blobfish
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 7.7 years 24 played 13 reviews
2.50 star(s)

The blind squirrel has a home here! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 30, 2019 Played the course:once

Pros:

+ Requires a lot of thought here on shot selection
+ Nice and shaded
+ Hard to lose a disc; despite the number of trees, the underbrush is clear enough to locate errant discs
+ Slow large turn/fade discs like a cobra can pull off some crazy slalom shots
+ Benches throughout... the atmosphere is very peaceful

Cons:

- Walking paths make a couple shots (hole 6 in particular) a little dicey without a spotter.
- Parking could be a problem
- The transition from 9 to 10 is (very mildly) inconvenient

Other Thoughts:

The 12 holes don't really make it a problem for me, so I didn't list it in the "CON" section. When I played, it was relatively empty in the park, so I had easy parking and nobody was on the course... well, no disc golfers, but I'll get to that in a moment.

Initial thoughts: Wow, there's a lot of trees here. On hole 1, I opened with a RHBH zone on a hyzer and was rewarded. I thought, "hmmm, this course shouldn't be too hard."
And then the fun began. These trees are tight. I'm used to wooded holes and threading some narrow gaps, but this course started to border on ridiculous. I come from the mindset that in the woods, you can shoot gaps with laser straight discs (throws), but there isn't a gap to hit that's long enough to reward such strategy. There are so many trees in your way on this course that the best lines are often the ones you can weave around the obstacle, making discs like a cobra outperform a mako3. And did I say there were a lot of trees? Don't miss off the fairway, because if you do, sometimes your only option back in is with a grenade over the top. But that's not a con, either. It's not a long course, so it rewards skill over power (I have neither, but this was a refreshing change of pace from some longer courses I've played).
One thing that was a little concerning was the walking paths which ran along 6 and also near the basket of 6 and the teepads of 9 and 10. Hole 6 is the one that you can really let fly with a big power hyzer (you really need it to cut left or your upshot will be in trouble), but people are often walking on the OB pathway there. You can see them though. My approach was made a little blind and kicked off a tree almost drilling an elderly couple by the #10 teepad. I didn't know there was a walking path that ran up that way. When I played, there were no other disc golfers, but there were plenty of walkers.
Overall, the course is nicely maintained and I'd love to go back and play it again. It's a very frustrating course, and it tests your mental game well. On multiple occasions, I opted to lay up instead of running it only to get a new lie that was just as crappy as if I missed a run. And that is probably what keeps people coming back to this course: that tantalizing but elusive low score that they KNOW they can get here.
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2 2
James21892
Experience: 16.1 years 6 played 4 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Fun for quick rounds. 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 7, 2019 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-plenty of benches, well kept up with, concrete tee-pads, and accurate signs for each hole.

Cons:

-not 18 holes and parking can be scarce sometimes
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11 0
nevets4433
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 12.1 years 62 played 60 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Tight Clean Lines drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Aug 20, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

Squirrel Lake is an interesting little 12-hole loop outside of Charlotte. It is tucked in the middle of a small nature park. The course itself has one major theme - tight lines!

Almost every hole requires a very precise drive through a tight, but usually fairly defined path. Hitting the lines yields birdie, but as I often found, missing the line can be punishing. The punishment is fair, brush is extraordinary well trimmed in most spots, and disc loss risk is minimal. The trees off the fairway, though, are often thick enough themselves to require punch outs.

This course has a lot of the little things - long concrete tees, nice hole signs (though unfortunately some have been vandalized), and ample navigational signs which help the golfer get from hole to hole. Baskets are in very good shape.

In my opinion, when I played Squirrel Lake I found that overall, for a <18 hole course, it tended to have superb maintenance and the fairways were very well kept.

Cons:

A few small cons here:

There is a mando on the left of hole one that could stand to be a bit more clearly marked. I didn't notice it from the tee.

Hole 6 is slightly awkward. It shares a tee pad at 90 degrees to hole 4, but it plays right up the park entrance road. It forces shots a bit too close to cars for my liking. Otherwise the hole was a bit refreshing because it is out in the open for the first half.

That brings me to my main con for the course - even for a 12 hole loop the woods got a bit monotonous. It would have been nice to have 1 or 2 more open holes just for variety.

There is also an unsightly trash dump behind #8 tee which is a bit of an eyesore, but it appears to be off of the property of the course so not much the course can do about it.

Other Thoughts:

For a <18 hole course, Squirrel Lake was pretty fun. Layout was probably average, the upkeep was great. I really had a lot of fun playing the course but was left wanting a bit more. In other areas of the country, this course would probably get more traffic. In the Charlotte area, however, it seems to get overlooked. Our group had the course to ourselves on a beautiful weekend day.
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14 1
Bampa
Experience: 16.9 years 35 played 5 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Unique, but falls short 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 20, 2014 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

ATMOSPHERE - Small, family friendly, forested park in a designated "natural habitat" area. Chiefly hardwoods, of mature and adolescent ages. Suburban surroundings, with that "backyard" atmosphere. Borders the Four-Mile Creek greenway.

CHALLENGE - Despite 12 holes, a very technical course requiring fairly advanced-level accuracy.

AMENITIES - Bathrooms, water fountain, trashcans on 2 or 3 holes, several benches or psuedo-benches.

TEEPADS - OK. Concrete and appropriately sized.

ELEVATION - Superb use of NC Piedmont hills. Fairways vary up and down, with the topography ultimately descending into the Four Mile floodplain.

DIRECTIONALITY & DISTANCE - Good variety, including a few longer holes and par 4's.

BREVITY - (Also a con; see below) Allows for a quicker game without resorting to beginner-level 9 hole courses.

ROUGHS - Surprisingly well-worn in and forgiving for the most part.

Cons:

FAIRWAYS - Many are tight, tight, tight. Throughout SL trees were left in the fairways to preserve the canopy (this park being a designated natural habitat). Often your throws just come down to dumb-luck. Very frustrating even for expert players. Many holes would be dramatically improved by the removal of 1-2 trees.

BASKETS - Many are single-chain. Your putts can and will slip through.

LITTER - Garbage and broken glass in some places.

SIGNAGE - Less than ideal. Only show par and distance, with no fairway maps.

NAVIGATION - May be confusing. Double-backs and short trails. First-timers bring a map. (Though there are small signs pointing to the next tee)

HOLE 6 SAFETY - This hole's fairway now runs parallel to a walking path and road. Bad drives could easily hit a car or passerby. Play with caution and respect.

EROSION - Already looking bad in some spots. Steps ought to be taken to mitigate this.

BREVITY - Only 12, now and forever.

Other Thoughts:

Ahh...Squirrel Lake. The "black sheep" of Charlotte. Everyone loves to hate and hates to love this course. I grew up playing here and it has a special place in my disc-lovin' heart.

SL defies classification. Some holes are easy and for beginners (1, 8). Some are stupidly tight and/or have no fairway at all (3, 4, and parts of many). Other holes...others are magnificent...the kinds of holes you dream about (2, 7, 12). This eclectic mix attracts a variety of players, but it makes you wonder about what the designers intended.

Is it worth playing? Yes. SL isn't a "great" course, and SL doesn't give a damn. It'll make you angry, and then you'll make yourself angry by playing it again and again.
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9 0
reposado
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 12.7 years 278 played 273 reviews
2.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 16, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

It'd be easy to overlook this course in Charlotte. With all the titans looming in the area, it's easy to miss a squirrel. It's only twelve holes so eyes can easily pass it by on the course browser. I'm not saying that it should be played over the better-known city courses by those with limited time budgets. I am saying that overlooking it completely is a mistake.

It's a fun course that plays quickly despite surprising amounts of challenge and length. Twelve holes can be played in a short amount here because of two factors: the ease of navigation and the short walks between holes. Very little time is spent not throwing here, which is a very good thing. Well three things. The course doesn't seem to get a ton of play so it's quite possible to be the only group there.

Squirrel Lake would definitely fall into short and technical wooded category that is so prominent across most of the state. And it is technical. It was much less beginner-friendly than I was expecting. Eleven of the holes play through the woods and most of them are quite narrow, with tight gaps to hit all over the place. Lines here are not easy. Still, five of the holes are over 300 feet. On this terrain, with the amount of trees present, that's quite a long way to go.

It's also a very nice park, set on a lake. The lake does not affect play but it makes a nice backdrop for a very scenic experience.

Cons:

I do have to admit, that the fairways need some work. A bunch of holes have no line at all and would fall squarely into the plinko designation. It's not something I minded because the course is more than I expected, but selective tree removal could make this course really good. There are just too many square in the middle of fairways, to the point where its hard to say where the throw is supposed to go at all.

The signs don't help much either because while they look really nice, they only give the length and bear no indication of where the basket might be. On a course with some not-so-easily-discernable fairways, that is a bit of a problem. Many baskets are not visible from the tee so a fair amount of guesswork is mandatory.

But the worst part of Squirrel Lake is hole six. This just needs to go. It's 410 feet, the first 350 of which parallel the park road. The tee is about fifteen feet to the left of the road. This straight throw across flat ground traverses a fairway about twenty feet wide. The road is just to the right of that, meaning if a throw moves fifteen feet to the right of the tee at any point it will be over the road. A road which cars come up a hill from a point where they can't be seen from the tee. It's among the more dangerous holes that I've seen. It would be better if this was an eleven hole course than to have this throw included.

Other Thoughts:

I only played this course because I stumbled across a league day on my Charlotte excursion and had to find a quick replacement course. Glad I did as this was a nice find and a quality round.
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8 0
curmudgeonDwindle
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 44.6 years 20 played 18 reviews
3.50 star(s)

"Nut-Buster" 2+ years drive by

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

Other Thoughts:

Course sits in a park of about 30 acres in rolling piedmont terrain with mature canopy throughout most. Park is unusually well appointed for a municipality this size and has a fair amount of traffic overall, although the course is lightly trafficked. As the name implies the park lies in the watershed for the namesake lake, which should be a heads up regarding play here during and after rain events. Course consists of the unusual 12-hole format, which is the most likely reason for it's low play volume.

Tee pads are appropriate and solid, although some may feel them undersized. Course also features a fairly unique double tee pad for #'s 4 & 6 (an easier pour no doubt). Targets are mixed Innova Discatcher single and double chained models (note: the single chain Innova Discatcher catches surprisingly well, quite a far cry from the now ancient DGA Mach 1 baskets, notorious for the 'nutra-sweet' effect. My putting style is a bit on the more forceful side and after watching a few putts react with the single chain baskets, I had no real fear of 'rub of the green' moments with these targets). Amenities are also a bit mixed and inconsistent, but well above average overall. Drainage/erosion issues and volunteer availability are Squirrel Lake's largest maintenance problems, as it's easy to observe the effects of the heavy scouring water from rain events everywhere on the course. None at the present time seriously affect play. Course was dry and very playable. Several holes also had play affecting downed wood, of the kind NOT intended by the designer.

Course has only one set of tees, but even a high level player will find sufficient challenge here. Average hole distance is about 310' with a single hole over 400'. Half the holes are between 275 & 325', which seems to be the distance sweet spot. As previous reviewers have stated, course is VERY tight and restrictive off the tee and frequently the approach as well. The tee shot on #9 might be the best example; how does hitting a 10' wide gap at 200' sound? Well, that's just to earn a look at birdie, but at least it's a straight shot downhill.

From the tee, shot shapes are balanced overall but as the round goes on counter spin throwers will be slightly favored. 8 of 12 holes are blind or semi-blind. Greens are largely neutral with only one example of pronounced clock spin receptivity and frequently either pocketed or gated. Green site selection is one of this course's outstanding features. Straight flat shots up to about 250' will play very well here, especially when trying to save par. This course sets up perfectly for the finesse player's game, as 'alternative routes' of the kind often 'found' by power players do not even exist at Squirrel Lake and even staying in the fairway when trying to score is difficult. Roughs are somewhat variable dependent on the hole and the type of throwing error one makes, but the penalty for errant shots generally matches the size and type of error. Scrambling and recovery chances are ample and in some places enhanced for the clock spin thrower via select clearing. OB areas are limited and intuitive - only a major gaff will land one there.

Squirrel Lake's routing shows some signs of compromise with other park activities and seems a tad forced regarding the 'completion of the loop' idea. In addition, 5 holes are of the 'cross the valley' variety which, combined with its overall tightness, can wear on the golfer. #6's tee placement seems to have been a tough compromise, as it is the course's only open power tee shot and it comes into some conflict with a walking path where pedestrians coming the opposite way can be blind to the throwers. This is a fine point however, and the hope is that most golfers are prudent and considerate.

I feel the course's best hole is #2, which is just a straight up tough solid golf hole, especially if it's counted as a par 3 (my information says it's a par 4). It's an up/cross hill, right to left fairway shape where the crossing angle of the hill is receptive to counter spin. The main fairway gap off the tee is at about 120' and severely tempts one to use an extreme hyzer/anhyzer angle to negotiate it (combined with the nose/tail angle needed to gain elevation). The green sits high left and pocketed on a flat ledge. It's a very astutely designed hole.

Overall Squirrel Lake is a bit mixed, but a very stern test of golfing skill. Its strengths clearly outweigh its weaknesses. Some may feel 'fairness' an issue here, as obstructions in the fairways are more plentiful than at many wooded courses, but scoring chances here are plentiful and well earned, which is fair enough. I feel this course is likely overlooked because of its format and location, which is a shame. For the advanced or more skilled golfer, it outclasses several other local offerings in many respects, especially regarding skill building - both in shot making precision and mental toughness.
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13 0
dndelli
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 16.6 years 134 played 131 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Squirrel Lake

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:May 29, 2013 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

I first played Squirrel Lake the day after the concrete pads were installed, since then the park has gone through an almost complete transformation. The course, and my love-hate relationship with it, has not.

You may see the fairway lengths and the amount of holes and show up with low expectations, but this is a beast of a 12-Hole course that will tear you apart if you're unprepared. You know how a lot of wooded courses have that one fairway with a window so small you wonder how you're ever going to park the green? Well, welcome to Squirrel Lake, where 11 holes are all trying hard to compete to become that hole. None of the fairways are ridiculously long, but they are going to require either pinpoint accuracy, creative lines to make it down the fairway, or an incredible amount of luck.

Every hole has a concrete pad, tee sign, and DISCatcher basket. While I wish the Tee Signs were a little more modern, they have all the information really needed: distance, par, and sometimes distance until the fairway turns. You can usually see the basket from the tee, but some have blind turns so, like I said new tee signs would be an added bonus.

While not on the level of a mountainous course, some of the holes at Squirrel Lake do have a noticeable amount of elevation change in play.

The course is in a nice, little park that has been getting a slow makeover since the course was built. It is no longer a small playground and gravel parking lot next to a pond surrounded by a disc golf course. It has a real park feel with really nice permanent structures that can be used for picnicking. There are a few benches, but they are pretty spread out. And the park is really clean, very little litter. On hole 6 you can open up a bit, before slipping right back into the woods to end the hole. Hole 6, by the way, has a L shaped tee combining with 4's, which is a very unique way of utilizing space and saving money.

Cons:

I personally appreciate this course for what it is, but could see some argue that the fairways are a little too tight. If you don't know the local routes for this course, you will probably feel like you are playing Plinko down the fairway, with your fingers crossed you park the green.

The course is really crammed in there. The design of this course is made so that these holes can only just coexist with each other. There is no room for expansion, and if for some reason a hole is removed, the course will likely just lose a hole. The biggest issue I have is the backtracking nature to get to the tees. After hole 9, you actually walk up hole 10's fairway about 30 feet to get to the tee.

When it was new, Hole 6 was a phenomenal hole. It was your one chance to open up and let one rip on a nice hyzer line. Since then the park has seen improvements, and there is a new walking path, fence, and widened road to accommodate overflow parking. This really creates a potentially hazardous fairway when the park is busy. Which it unfortunately can be. I used to come here and would be the only person I saw in the park the entire time I was there for a round or two. Now I struggle to get into the lot (because it is a pretty small one).

Other Thoughts:

I am updating Squirrel Lake to a 3.0 rating. Over the years the park has evolved, and despite the changes that encroached onto hole 6's fairway, the course has mostly remained untouched. The rough has cleared out, but the course remains overwhelmingly technical. I think that this course is still a blast to play and an extremely unique experience. Just make sure you keep an eye out for pedestrians when throwing Hole 6.

Favorite Holes: 2, 6, & 10
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11 0
sloppydisc
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 15.3 years 201 played 147 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Nice little course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 1, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

Nice concrete pads at each hole. Signs with distance at each hole also. Navigation is pretty simple. The only place where it's a little odd is using the dual pad for hole 4 and 6. There are bathrooms on site and some benches spread throughout the course and park.

This course is almost totally wooded and in many places it forces you to squeeze a disc through some tight gaps. I'd call it typical tight Carolina wooded golf.

Well balanced course that has a good mix of lefts and rights. Some elevation is used, and adds to the course in the right spots.

Cons:

Signs are pretty basic, and do not show the fairway layout.

Only 12 holes.

A few of the holes are tight to the point of having almost no line. There are gaps, but these fairways have more of a scattered tree feel.

#8 has a tree about 20' in front of the pad. Dead center. Kind of strange.

Pretty much a technical wooded course. No real length or holes where a big arm could have some fun.

Other Thoughts:

Overall this is a good little course. 12 holes is different, but I could see where with the limited space available the designer decided to make some decent holes that are 300-400' instead of forcing in more short filler holes. I really enjoyed several of these holes. #6 plays from the open field down into the woods, tightening as you get closer to the basket. #9 is a 290' tight downhill shot that was pretty cool. Straight ace run if you can squeeze it through then trees. #10 is also a decent downhill shot that curves right. Perfect FH or turnover line down the hill. Decent little hole.

This course was about 10 minutes from my hotel somI gave it a shot. I'm glad I did because it is a nice short course to squeeze in a putter round if you are short on time. I'd play it again.
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5 0
albert8fish
Experience: 25 years 17 played 16 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Squirrely Hike 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 26, 2011 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Good use of land and a weird number of holes make this pretty cool. You can kill twenty-four holes here and have a great time. This course is way easier in the winter than summer considering the foliage. Tight and short is the way, use your midrange and park holes, or pay for your tree-son.
Might want to flip a couple of thumbers to take out some distance, it is cheap but it is effective.

Cons:

This is a short course by six holes, or a longer nine hole course with an extra four. Either way you cut it,
she is unique. If it had a couple of par four/five it would rate a four for sure.

Other Thoughts:

I would go back and play this, twice one day. But, I would rather hit up Idewild if I am over that way. Would be a good day to play both. I like the squirrel, it can be difficult and is a short hike in the woods.
This course will teach you how to throw straighter with slower discs.
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6 0
Toro71
Experience: 13.9 years 76 played 11 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Squirrel to the Face 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 5, 2011 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-Short and Sweet, compact, it's possible to get around twice in about an hour.

-Repetitive look, but good shot variety, with some elevation, and tight, tight lines. All tightly wooded except for 1/2 of #6.

This course is great for 1) midrange practice. total accuracy, hitting lines from hand to basket at a premium. 2) for the beginner to intermediate player, a good intro to what you'll need to be able to do with your game when you play some of the larger-scope, advanced-level courses in the area (Nevin, etc.)

Cons:

Don't be fooled, this isn't really a rec-level course. There are some of the tightest lines in the county on this course. If you show up thinking about a nice, fun, casual round, you might wind up feeling a palpable sense of betrayal from this course. Luckily, most of the rough is relatively thinned out from all the traffic in there, so finding errant shots isn't too horrible in most places. (missing to the left on #11 is about the worst spot I've seen.)

Tee shot on # 4. it just won't make sense to my eye, and I can't find a shot that'll work for me, other than getting lucky on the local skinny route.

Other Thoughts:

This course is sort of a "tweener," not really a beginner-friendly P & P, not quite a full-on course. May not be room for another 6 holes, but maybe. 6 more brutally tight holes here would make this a great course for midrange-in-the-woods practice, as well as improving mental-game discipline.

Combining this course with the 9-holer at Mint Hill Park, right up 485, is a good mix of golf action for a day, if you're "tired" of the same old dozen courses around town. LOL
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16 1
Jukeshoe
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 14.6 years 315 played 266 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Redefines the term "Heavily Wooded" 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 1, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

- Squirrel Lake might be a bit of a misnomer. I saw neither squirrels nor a lake while playing this course, but then again, I was so occupied attempting to avoid the plethora of trees clogging up the "fairways" that I just might have missed them. Quite the oddity, Squirrel Lake provides a punishing beat down for anyone not on their "A" game. Most of the course is heavily wooded, with only the slightest definition of fairways in some places. It never quite felt like playing through virgin woods, but man, the people that put this course in the ground have quite a sadistic streak to them, in a good way. When I started the course, I asked "Why only 12 holes?" As I finished, my thoughts were much more along the lines of "Oh thank god it's only 12 holes" because this course can beat you up, again in a good way.
- Tight, tight, tight. Grease up your discs before you head out...they'll need help getting through some of the gaps presented. Missed shots are punished by zinging off trees into the woods, leaving you with even less of a shot for recovery. If you like trying to hit narrow gaps, this course is for you.
- Good concrete tees, sufficient signage (but lacking a hole layout map), and trashcans located in the park.
- Some really good risk/reward spots exist if you keep your eyes open for them. A wealth of multi-line holes where you can pick and choose how you'll attack the hole.
- One or two holes are more open in spots, requiring anyone without a massive arm to hit a defined landing zone in order to properly set up the approach.
- Very challenging as a par 3 course.

Cons:

- Fallen trees, rotting logs, and other downed branches all over some fairways and in the rough. Some greens had tons of stumps where the cutting was roughly done. Definitely watch your step, as many tripping hazards present themselves throughout.
- Not really a beginner's course, unless said beginner has deep-seated masochistic tendencies. I don't consider this a con, but others might.
- No Squirrels, no lake (that I saw). I got gyped! (I kid, I kid).

Other Thoughts:

- After getting thoroughly beaten down during our round, the best discer in our crew exclaimed "Squirrel Lake is not for children!" I concur.
- The "L" shaped tee pad (used for two holes), is interesting. I could see back-ups perhaps occuring here on busy days, but I'm guessing it's not as much of an issue as it might seem.
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2 3
mcannon246
Experience: 13.7 years 65 played 9 reviews
1.50 star(s)

trees trees and more trees... pro only to shoot par 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Nov 26, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

lots of scenery and lots of squirrel's. if you like hard you got it. if your highly skilled and you want to put your self if a challenge you got it.

Cons:

trees trees and more trees. Ive never played in a course quite like this. If your good at a hammer throw then maybe you will like this course. this is not a friendly beginner course well its not a very friendly intermediate course either. the fairways are super tight. the only ones that would be able to play this course are super pros with highly accurate.

Other Thoughts:

I think every time i threw it hit a tree. and thank god it was only 12 holes
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2 3
jnuzz17
Experience: 14.1 years 9 played 5 reviews
3.50 star(s)

WHY 12? 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Aug 8, 2010 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Nice little course. Not too difficult yet not too easy to play either. No water on course which is good if you dont want to lose a disc but odd because course is called squirrel LAKE.

Cons:

Fairways are super tight. Print a course map if playing for the 1st time. Hard to see baskets from tee box so without a map you may have trouble to start

Other Thoughts:

Nice park setting. Good course to bring whole family. Challenging enough for skilled players yet not to difficult for 1st timers.
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12 2
BrotherDave
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 16.6 years 192 played 188 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Drier than it sounds 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 15, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

A rough around the edges type of 12-holer, this course is predominately wooded. It flows pretty well with some informative signs and paths and has really nice, level concrete tees. Tee signs available at every hole and are aesthetically more pleasing than your typical, 'half-assed drawing of the fairway, taped to a pole'-type of sign.

Playability: Left-to-Right variety is very well done as is the distance so no two holes feel repetitive. A few holes, #1 specifically, require thought about disc placement rather your typical, "spray and pray," holes. Benches and seats are available on most of the holes. Tough but fair is very apt here.

Elevation: Slightly better than average.

Cons:

Roughly half of the fairways need some foot traffic and defining done a bit, because occasionally you kind of scratch your head a little on the tee wondering where exactly the fairway is. No water holes, which is kind of a let down since it's Squirrel Lake and all. Would really appreciate a picture of the hole shape on the tee signs as it is not visually apparent right now from the tee.

Not necessarily a con, but I couldn't help but chuckle since every tee sign, which consists of engraved wooden pieces, have one piece that reads, "Squirrel Lake" on them, as if we would forget what course/park we were at or something.

Other Thoughts:

Favorite Hole: #6. I'm a sucker for holes that play into/out of woods and this one delivers, tee off in the open and try to hit a gap to the left into the woods with a hyzer if you're RHBH.

Feels Like: Southern Community except with better flair/little things like tees, etc. This is probably what Wellspring in Burlington looked like when it first opened up.
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2 2
Uke831
Experience: 2 played 1 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Squirrel Lake! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 22, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

Fun course, good for all level players. Regardless of your ending score you will have had a good time playing this course. Most holes are challenging but still able to be par. Lots

Cons:

Lots of trees to hit. If you do end up hitting a tree, good luck finding your disc in the woods. Personally, I have lost a disc or two at Squirrel Lake. Fairways are too tight.
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2 5
ReedyCreekProduct
Experience: 23.8 years 19 played 4 reviews
1.50 star(s)

Thumbs down. But there's great potential here. 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 19, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

Set in the woods (and near neighborhoods). I imagine it's very shaded in summer. And there's definitely some challenge here.

Cons:

I don't think there are enough well-defined fairways. I found there to be too many holes where I was just throwing into a mishmash of trees. I had to do way too many "Hammer" throws instead of the backhand and side-armed throws that I associate with disc golf.

Also, even though there were a lot of trees, some of the fairways were laid out in a way that a player could easily be hit by another player at a different hole. Keep in mind that I played it in Winter with no leaves.

Speaking of leaves, I cannot imagine how challenging this course would have been with them. And I mean "challenging" in a negative way.

Other Thoughts:

Great potential here. I love playing in the shade. And I like to see courses within walking distance of housing.

Strategically eliminate a few trees to create a few more well-defined fairways.

Do something to counter the potential for players to get hit by discs from other fairways. Maybe convert it to a 9-hole course or make a couple of the holes shorter for better spacing.
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14 1
harr0140
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 15.2 years 1508 played 475 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Doesn't get the acclaim it should! 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 16, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

1) Course is set entirely in the woods. I prefer this type of course because you really have to execute shots. I do not like holes where the only challenge is pure distance. I like to pick a disc to hit a specific line and try hard to execute what I have thought out. That is why this sport is so addicting to me. I am an analytical fiend and that contributes to my addiction.

2) Elevation is used dramatically on multiple holes. This elevation along with the wooded property create a constant challenge. You not only have to throw through the woods but you also have to evaluate what the elevation chaneg is going to do to your shot selection. An excellent combination of features!!!

3) Concrete tees are needed and done very well on this course. The elevation changes require confidence in footing on your drive and since that is the most important shot on each hole the concrete is essential.

4) The leaf cover on the ground can often times be considered a negative, but in this instance they actually keep the compacted soil underneath from being slick and muddy. It had rained the day I played and a lot the few days before too and the holes were not dangerously slick in many spots. Sure there are always going to be sections where the slope is extreme, but that would be slick no matter what. The leaves simply help keep the soil from being muddy.

5) Risk/reward of trying to thread the needle from tee to green is huge. You know you could layup a nice straight midrange shot then toss up a simple approach and make your putt but you know you want to try and duce the hole so you go for the drive that gets through all the trees, around all the corners, and park it under the basket. I only had 2 dueces on this course and I had 5 4's. Half of the 4's were on holes that certainly required multiple shots where you couldn't thread a disc all the way to the basket. The other half were on holes where I got a bad ricochet off a tree with my wide rimmed drivers. I would be interested to see how I would shoot if I only took a stable midrange out there and a putter.

6) Hole distances are varied. Although there aren't really any short ace runs, there is a good variety between 1 and 2 shot holes. There are legitimate par 4's which I like to have because it places an emphasis on the first shot getting to a spot to allow for a straight or easier approach.

7) I had the best birdie I have ever had on this course. Hole #11 where I threaded the needle all the way to the bottom of the hill and then I nailed a good putt from about 35' for the duece. What a tough hole. This is a positive to me because I executed exactly what I wanted and I was rewarded with a good birdie. These opportunities are everywhere on this course.

8) Next tee signs are visible on most if not all holes. This is a benefit to a wooded course like this.

9) A variety of discs are needed to play this course well. You will need to shape shots both directions especially if you get off the fairway. You will use your mid ranges and drivers, but you might also throw in some non conventional thoughts like throwing an overstable driver for an approach because you need to thread a needle and get more cut out of the disc.

11) There is a kiosk with info at the first hole. Plenty of shelter near the parking lot in case of rain, a portopotty in the parking lot. It is a cool park with a playground and a pond where I saw someone fishing too. Spend all day here with the family and experience the whole park!

12) Discatchers in this park are key because of the dense woods. The yellow band makes them very visible and helps in figuring out your shot.

13) Logs lining walking paths between holes. I have always like this idea, but never given credit to other courses that have these. I guess I didnt think much of it but it certain helps with navigation, and it helps clean up fallen limbs from fairways.

14) Course is actually a fairly quick play despite how denselt wooded it is. It is a small property and the holes flow very well so it helps to contribute to the feel of the course.

15) Course is removed from all other activities. The only place where a disc might be troublesome is on Hole #6 where you throw up the lawn (along the entrance road), but the desired shot cut back into the woods. However an accidentally flipped drive could take out a windshield.

16) Underbrush is not a problem on this course. I am surprised that the wooded area has not had an influx of undesirable growth. It may be naturally kept out becuase of the dense woods shading out those plants or it may be from labor of removing it. It is hard to tell but you won't encounter many areas that aren't in good shape.

Cons:

1) This course is not beginner friendly. Charlotte has some awesome courses but almost none of them are friendly to the beginner player. I think they need to start investing in some courses on school grounds or in more open parks to allow for beginners to come out and learn the sport before throwing them into the gauntlet that is all other Charlotte courses. Beginners need courses too it is what helps promote the game to more people.

2) There are a handful of trippers on this course. Small stumps and roots that will definitely catch you off guard. These things could be easily handles with a special machine that grinds the stump down and will just leave the ground up stumps and soil in a pile. This can be packed right in place and remove many of the safety hazards that go along with the trippers.

3) Wet slick clay is visible in a few spots. For the most part the leaves doa good job but there are some spots where slipping may ocurr.

4) I do not mind that the entire course is in the tight dense woods, but I would like to see an ace run available, and/or perhaps a hole or two where it is more forgiving and a wider fairway. This would bring the difficulty down, but increase the diversity a little. It is a negative but it is a little nit picky because I would play here every day if I lived nearby.

5) Signs do not have a hole layout. I would prefer to see a general fairway width and line with key trees in the fairways marked for distance. It is very tough to decipher how fr out some trees are when ll you see are trees. This would help immensely to the beginner and even the regular who is trying to figure out new lines or shot shapes.

6) The L shaped concrete pad was a bad idea. Sure they saved a few dollars because they used 25% less concrete to make this a shared pad, but it will create issues for people from time to time. I hate to see a couple dollar savings as a reason to create possible logjams.

7) Garbage cans are not plentiful enough. The course seemed fairly clean but I would like to see a few spread throughout the course just to help motivate people to throw things away properly.

Other Thoughts:

I absolutely loved this course. It is what I would call this Charlotte Junior. It isnt as difficult as Nevin, Hornets Nest, Renaissance, Brackett's Bluff, or Kilborne, but it has a fair aount of challenge. I was surpsied I was able to shoot a 39 (+3) after finishing the round. It took some good shot execution and it took an awesome birdie on 11 to do so. I had a wonderful time here, and was so happy I had time to get to this course despite the flat tire I had coming into town. I would have missed out on a gem. It may not be considered the ultimate course because Charlotte is already so packed with awesome courses, but I consider it to be just as fun and I would be just as likely to return to Squirrel Lake as any of the other courses. It makes you feel good when you can play well here and it might help you to get over the bad scores you might suffer at many of the other local courses.

P.S. If you are into geo-cacheing as another hobby my wife and I started our first geo-cache in this park. I think she called is Bite the bullet. If you have questions just send me a note and I can help you out.
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