A Wooded Course with Variety
11 Helpful / 0 Not
Pros: -An 18-hole course winding around the perimeter of a park that's primarily ballfields. A variety of woods light, medium, and heavy. The course plays up and down a few gently sloped hills, and a creek with ditches draining into it come into play. There are gaps to hit, and roller greens to consider.
-If you haven't played the course in a while, it looks like alternative baskets have been added on about half dozen holes, a few may have been added in 2021 and others prior years? The alternative Baskets are a bright orange and add distance. I wasn't expecting them when I arrived to play.
-The majority of the holes have two concrete tees, and a few shared tees. I played long tees, and alternative baskets when present. Tee signs have hole number, par, distance from both tees and baskets, and map graphics include best line from tee to basket. There are C1 whiskers around short baskets.
-A variety of distances and generous pars. The course offers a variety of woods golf. The F9 is memorable, and stronger portion of the course.
-#6 a short Par 3 offers a unique challenge from tee to basket, a poke and hope.
-Navigation is clockwise and easy to spot next tee from basket played. I didn't need UDisc navigation.
-From the bag on the tee I used a variety of putters, mid's, fairways, and drivers.
-Beginners and Recreational will find the short tees very doable to navigate tight fairways. Intermediate and Advanced if you love woods golf, you'll love the variety coming out of your bag.
Cons: -The B9 not very memorable, looking back on the round prior to starting the review only able to remember 10-12, and 16 with 10 a transitional hole and the dullest hole on the course a straight down the fairway, mostly open, and only the alternative basket giving the hole a boost. Had no memory of 17-18 closing holes, and that never helps with rating a review. I like playing memorable and strong closing holes.
-The majority of the holes are solid with challenging gaps, fairway play, and basket placements. But only a handful featured as unique, some holes I've "seen them before" reminding me of holes on other courses.
-If you're playing alternative basket on the first hole, to reach second tee, you're going to be walking right back up the first fairway towards tee on a dogleg. The basket you're walking from is hidden from the tee, keep your eyes toward the tee.
-Even from the long tees the pars are too generous. All five of my birdies came from short par 4's. For my round I reduced par by 5 strokes as I evaluated each hole.
-Lost disc potential is going to be high, especially in the foliage months. There is heavy brush off most fairways, ditches that may have water, and blind shots. A tree deflection can send your disc flying out of sight.
-A bit of a walk from 18th basket to parking by 1st and 10th tees. About 3 minutes on a direct line thru ballfields, if a game being played add a little more time. Parking is next to 10th tee, about 2 minutes to 1st tee. I started my round on 10 when I saw a threesome teeing on 1, nobody else on the course on a weekday morning.
Other Thoughts:
Barnet Park was one of those few courses that leaped up and grabbed me Un expectingly and wasn't expecting to favorite the course. I wasn't expecting the six alternative baskets at the time I played and gave the round a big boost, and the F9 was stellar to play, and have no cons for the front. Played a memorable recovery shot on #7. Without the alternative baskets the course would of sit on a 3.0 to a 3.5, with the baskets an extra point, and the fun factor for the entire layout brought the course to a 4.0. My personnel con is the finishing holes 17-18 kind of sort of an "ok" moment.
My overall rating is anchored on the alternative baskets, fun woods golf, and the F9 at a 5.0. The time to play was 65 minutes, and I managed to catch that threesome as they tee #10, and I was coming off #9 my 18th hole.
Notable Tee:
-#9 long tee has a scary gap just 30 feet off tee, no more than 6 foot opening mid-level flight. On the left a few pines all the way to the short tee at 80 feet, an on the right two trees crossing each other like an X in front of you and a few skinnies behind them, and then the fairway opens up. You're on a down slope, and just line up to the short tee and all is well. Very gently glided a Star Leopard 3 and had a longer approach.
Notable Holes:
-No. 4 Par 4 at 423 feet long to alt basket, short basket is 330 feet shared tee. From the tee an upslope hole heavy trees and brush both sides narrow fairway at 15 feet. At about halfway up the fairway doglegs right at 90 degrees. To the alternative basket meanders left uphill crossing a creek with heavy brush around basket within C1, very scenic. To short basket pick two lines with trees in the middle. I played alternative, but thought the short basket seemed more difficult to reach.
-No. 6 Par 3 at 162 feet is a straight away hole with heavy trees all the way there. 15 feet in front of the trees is a gap to pass that's 28 inches wide, past it no line I can find. The basket sits on top of a mound open within C1. I had posted photos of the hole on the thread "post a cool disc golf photo" and one of our members suggested throwing a thumber. What's funny is the threesome ahead of me I could hear three tree hits and laughter. I was wondering "what hole is so funny". I made it thru the gap and deflected to the right.
-No. 7 Par 3 at 295 feet long to alternative basket is a straight away tee to basket fairway with two lines offered. There are heavy trees down the middle with lines left and right of them meeting back at short basket, heavy trees outside of lines. The alternative basket sits elevated on the other side of creek, trees around creek, and a set of stairs to cross creek to reach basket, stairs are within C1. Very scenic hole. I deflected to the right about a hundred feet down into the trees and had a very narrow gap high up in the trees to reach C1. Threw a Star Leopard3 and watched it sail past the trees and wedged into the steps, just one of those shots I may never forget.
Signature Hole:
-No. 1 Par 4 at 408 feet long tee to alternative basket is a meandering to the right fairway past the short basket at 294 feet with a gentle down slope. From the tee about a 100 feet fairway a straight fairway gap of about 15 feet with short basket a target or RHBH and LHFH can go around right with plenty of open space. There's a splattering of trees as you proceed past the gap. At C2 past the short basket is a creek to get over to alternative basket, past the creek heavier trees with canopy. Very scenic hole, the alternative basket is not seen from long tee, I was actually gunning down the middle gap for the short basket not noticing the alternative basket, when I looked up to measure my birdie putt is when I noticed the alternative basket "oh, I still have a way to go". The hole represents the course well open tee, slope, trees, creek, and an alternative basket.
Trouble Hole:
No.12 Par 3 at 288 feet long tee and one basket. Maybe the most elevated down slope hole on the course or could be #16. From the longs a dog leg right at the shorts at 111 feet. The tee has open space, the fairway dips past the tee, and dips again past a very narrow gap about 60 feet past short tee, the gap is about 25 feet wide trees and brush. The fairway drops all the way to an open basket a roller green, within C1 a steeper drop to the creek with heavy brush and trees on the way there. It's blind from the long tee, so if you go for it over the trees, you're risking your disc. I got a good look as I passed by the short tees and decided a putter and putter would do. My approach ran the green and putted for par from the brush.
11 of 11 people found this review helpful.
Good, solid woods course!
13 Helpful / 0 Not
Pros: Good, multi-use park course that is laid out in areas away from other park users.
Baskets are in good shape, not the newest, but they catch well.
Concrete tee pads on all holes, most had two. On about half of these, the long tee pads provided a completely different look. There are also a few additional, permanent baskets.
Good tee signs on all holes.
Several holes were near creeks, nothing too wide or deep, so pretty easy to retrieve a disc from.
Good variety of holes, both up and downhill and turning both directions and straight.
Cons: The holes play around the perimeter of the park, but 18 does not quite get back near #1 tee. I imagine the locals park in between the two and use the ballfield to warm up drives on the way to the practice basket.
Did not see any restrooms or water near #1, there probably were some at the ballfields.
Several of the back nine holes were very short, and the long tees bring deep rough into play, big difference in the layout on these.
#13 fairway was pretty soaked the day I was there, even though it was a hot, summer day, the rain they had a few days before, was still around. Since it is near a creek, and mostly shaded by trees, I imagine this is normal for this hole.
Other Thoughts: Barnet reminds me a lot of Cedar Hills in Raleigh, without the rock covered fairways, thank goodness. This actually has a better variety of hole layout with a few scattered tree fairways, more of a mix of left and right holes and a true Plinko hole (#6, not my favorite).
The front nine had several of the scattered tree fairways, #2, 3, and 7. These are interesting holes to play, usually not much of a set, cleared fairway, but enough space between the trees to shape your shot.
#6 has to be the plinkoest of all plinko holes that I have played. Only 160', slightly downhill and if gaps of only 4-5' is not tough enough (including one right in front of the tee), the basket is raised and on a small mound. My approach here was to just try and hit one of the micro-gaps, fail, then get an upshot close enough to make the par putt.
#5 was probably the best hole on this side, open enough for a solid drive, then some large trees to avoid, to the basket just past the downslope in the fairway.
#10 is the only open hole on the course, bordering a ballfield parking lot, its your one chance to let one rip. This is one of the holes with a permanent second basket, the primary is just around the corner of the treeline down the left, then the second basket is beyond that, further into the trees.
The rest of the back nine was primarily up and down a small hill where the next ballfield is located. The other end of that hill is another creek beyond the downhill shots, it looks like this area stays pretty wet most of the time.
They did use the elevation as well as they could with fun downhill drives and baskets tucked halfway up or on top of the hills.
#16 was probably the best of these, kind of tight tee shot, from a tee of the edge of the hill, down to an ample fairway with scattered trees.
#18 is a good finishing hole, a tunnel off the tee out to a generous fairway, that turns left. A couple of large trees on the right protecting the green and thick rough on the left, if you cut your drive off short, like I did.
This is a good everyday course to play, good variety of shots needed, multiple tees and secondary baskets for that extra challenge. It appears the local club is very active, great tee signs and pics on this site and events held frequently.
13 of 13 people found this review helpful.
Solid Eastern NC Scramble Track
8 Helpful / 0 Not
Pros: Barnet Park is a solid, wooded, technical, Eastern NC "scramble" disc golf course. Most of the course is heavily wooded and requires accuracy, finesse, and power.
+ Well designed course with lots of variety. I used lots of different discs and lots of different types of shots.
+ I love courses with risk/reward elements. Barnet delivers with fast greens, baskets near creeks, and an elevated basket.
+ As the game evolves, more and more courses are going to be par 60+ with multiple par 4's and 5's. Barnet was ahead of the times, built in 1999, but with several multi-shot holes.
+ Three sets of tees to cater to all skill levels: red/rec, white/intermediate, and blue/advanced.
+ The equipment and upkeep are fine: nice tees and baskets. And there's a restroom by the baseball fields.
+ For an Eastern NC course, I was surprised by the handful of uphill holes and downhill holes.
+ While almost all of the holes are heavily wooded, there are a couple of holes that break out into the open and allow for unleashed drives.
+ Maybe a little RHFH or LHBH friendly, but I didn't feel the course was unfair at all, in that regard. I threw a few RHBH hyzers. But more than anything, you just have to throw it straight and hit tight lines.
+ Fun course and challenging, what more could you ask for?
Cons: Barnet is a solid course, but I have it a notch below my favorite courses.
- You either have to park near the hole 1 tee and have a long walk to your car after 18, or park near the 18th basket and have a long walk at the beginning of the round.
- As has been mentioned in previous reviews, there is one very plinko, poke-and-hope hole. I was lucky enough to get through on that one for birdie, so I quite enjoyed it, but it was more luck than skill.
- Lots of ants. It's tough to put your bag down without getting ants all over it.
- Tons of thick, Eastern NC underbrush and briers with ample opportunity to lose discs.
Other Thoughts: This is an oldie, but a goodie. Tons of reviews over the years, so you should know what you're getting in to. I have Barnet a notch below other Eastern NC jewels like Castle Hayne and Glenburnie, but still very good.
8 of 8 people found this review helpful.
2 Helpful / 3 Not
Pros: -Great signage
-Great technical layout for shorts/longs
-Varied shots required
-Some fun ace runs
Cons: -A few of the holes are chuck and pray shots unless you are a local and know about some hidden line
Other Thoughts: Ants weren't bad due to the cold weather, so no complaints there.
2 of 5 people found this review helpful.
Tough but Fair
4 Helpful / 3 Not
Pros: -great signage on every hole and easy to navigate
-good variety of holes using most every shot in your bag
-more elevation than you would expect and plenty of trees to miss throughout
-great course design that rewards you for hitting the right line and punishes when you dont
Cons: -there was signage on every hole however only on the short tees, could definitely use some more signs there however there was a course map at the beginning that I could have taken a picture of
Other Thoughts: Barnett Park is a great course and I cannot wait to go play a few tournaments there in the next year. I've just got back into the sport and have been playing again for about 6 months and found this course a definite challenge. from the long tees I believe it could be a challenge for anyone. cant wait to play there again.
4 of 7 people found this review helpful.
6 Helpful / 2 Not
Pros: Course plays through open and wooded areas of a city park. The white tees play perfectly at an intermediate level and the blue tees add considerable amount of difficulty, though only the whites are signed. I was surprised at the amount of elevation given the region and the wooded holes featured a lot of gradual climbs. There is also plenty of distance, especially from the blues. Many of these holes are close to par 4s even from the whites but I never felt frustrated. Often a fairway is wide enough so that even a bad shot doesn't leave the field of play but it drastically decreases your chance at a successful approach. Barnet is a course that should be enjoyable by almost any skill level, as long as the correct tees are played.
I'm not sure if there is a hole worth singling out. Barnet doesn't really have incredible highs. Neither does it have very many low points either though. It's a consistent design that makes good use of a variety of hole shapes and distances across both park and forest settings.
Cons: I doubt I will be the first to mention how weird 6 is. It doesn't so much have a narrow fairway. It has a really wide fairway, just with lots of trees in the middle. It might be the most plinko hole that I have seen. Fun raised basket at the end though. Seven is not as bad but it is exceedingly tight for how much the fairway turns.
6 of 8 people found this review helpful.
Barnet Bliss
8 Helpful / 1 Not
Pros: Barnet Park is a one heck of a good course. It has terrific variety in the layout with wooded fairways and some moderate elevation changes. The dual tees are concrete, the baskets are nice and the signs tell you everything you need to know. I played the blue tees, which are always more interesting. Hole 1 eases you in. Then you make a sharp left turn, and 2 socks you in the face. A long, heavily wooded fairway that steadily turns left all the way. Now you're in the battle. Hole 4 is another good one, a much sharper dogleg right. 5 is another long hole with plenty of trees. 6 just made me laugh when I stepped on the box. Only 162' tee to pin, and about 162 trees directly in between. I threw an old school knee-cap sidearm flick (righty) with my most beat putter, and amazingly, it found the crease and landed softly on the small raised terrace where the basket sits. One of my two birdies on the day. On hole 10 I joined up with Anthony, and he guided me through the back 9. Cool guy I enjoyed hanging with for sure. The back was tough on me, and I liked it anyway. The fairways were maybe slightly less wooded, but thicker brush is just as tough to get out of once you go astray. I liked 13, uphill with a straight fairway. 16 had a tee behind several large trees, one being a mando on the right. It was downhill and it was another really good hole. I finally managed another good drive up the fairway on 17, and bagged my second birdie. I finished with a pitiful 66, but I would have loved to try repeatedly to improve on that.
Cons: Not a lot of downside, but there is a whole lot of ants. Luckily they were carpenter ants, not fire ants. Still, my doggie was dancing, and I didn't want to stand in one place for to long. Course was dry when I visited, but I have seen in earlier reviews rain brings some muddy fairways.
Other Thoughts: Barnet Park is a truly great course, despite the ants you can literally hear. If you are nearby get out there for sure. Anthony also turned me onto King's BBQ, and the Pig in a Puppy is just as good a sandwich as Barnet is a disc golf course. So now you have two really good reasons to go.
8 of 9 people found this review helpful.
ecudg
1 Helpful / 6 Not
Pros: Has a great mix of everything. The course is mostly wooded but its open enough to be a high tier course. Par 3, 4 & 5's white and blue tee boxes that are concrete. This is a course that is well thought out and is worth the drive from Greenville.
Cons: Holes 1,7,8,12-18 becomes a swamp after it rains. Hole four is a dumb setup... 100 feet straight shot and then a right angled finish.
Other Thoughts: Sunday @ 2:30 is open to random group play.
1 of 7 people found this review helpful.
A must play...
12 Helpful / 1 Not
Pros:
- Sweet layout! Set in a large park in well-established woodlands, this is a pretty technical course. It offers both tight lines and open lanes with enough kick to give your accuracy and your power a run for their money.
- Alternate tees! They give both beginners and advanced players an opportunity to enjoy this course without either being overwhelmed or giving enough of a challenge.
- Easy navigation. Tees signs were plentiful and gave enough of an idea of where you were throwing to keep you on track. Even from blind teeshots.
- Elevation changes. Not your run-of-the-mill eastern NC course. Barnet Park offers some nice hills to exercise both your uphill shots and downhill rollers.
- Beautiful! A very scenic park that is not only clean, but picturesque. Seriously, Ansel Adams missed out when he didn't paint this front 9.
- Amenities galore. Plenty of parking, concession stands, bathrooms, and water fountains are available on site.
- No gridlock! ZERO traffic on the course (that day). No waiting, and the one group we did see were extremely helpful to us newbies who were playing the course for the first time. Great atmosphere all around.
Cons:
- Park map. Had a hard time finding the first hole after parking. Wandering around for long enough got us to #1 through trial and error. Incidentally, #1 is located between the two softball fields towards the woods.
- Pro (blue) tees lack signage. I only know this because my buddy decided that we'd play #1 from the blues and we had to walk down to the whites to get the distance. Usually this doesn't even make my radar because I'm playing from the whites (reds & greens too, if they have 'em), but I noticed and this might be an issue for some.
- No topless Hooters girls frolicking along the #8 fairway.
Other Thoughts:
Barnet Park is definitely a must-play if you're traveling through eastern North Carolina. It almost feels like Castle Hayne with hemorrhoids: Same-same, but lumpier. If you find yourself in Kinston, do yourself a favor and check it out. Definitely worth the stop.
12 of 13 people found this review helpful.
Diamond in the Kinston rough.
16 Helpful / 2 Not
Pros: Barnet is a well designed technical course set in an old growth forest.
The layout features a variety of hole lengths with a solid mixture of shots around the course. Mixes in lines that turn sharp or more gradual.
The course has a lot of tight gaps and the fairways are shaped to make you work the disc throughout the flight. Really makes you think about disc selection and possible lines; multiple paths on some fairways add to that.
The par 4s make you play accurate placement shots to turns to set up your approach.
Most holes have two tees which sometimes give you a completely different path and line. 2 alternate pins on 7 & 8. Some blue tees are really tight off the pad; they're suited more towards experienced players.
Short tees are a mix between mildly challenging and easy.
Good elevation out there, no major up or downs but there are rises/drops throughout the fairway giving holes a multilevel effect.
Elevated pads and some elevated greens with some drop offs; nice and risky but nothing extreme. Very well placed baskets and green design overall.
A creek runs through parts of the course giving some OB trouble.
A couple more open shots are thrown in to give balance. 9 brings you back to the parking lot.
Equipment - Nice large and level concrete pads that are clearly marked with paint. Informative signs at the short tee with hole map. Directional signs show you where to go. Aging disc catchers but still catch well.
Benches, bag holders and cans all there.
Atmosphere - Nice old growth forest type course. Not much heavy rough right off fairways. Well taken care of place.
Course keeps you away from the rest of the park in most places. You get a secluded feeling in parts.
Some cool natural features; I mentioned the creek & elevation. 15 has a cool canopy topped tee.
Cons: Layout - Biggest complaint here is that about half of the course is more suited for RHFH or LHBH.
Some lines may ask to much for the length combined with the angles and gap width.
6 is gimmicky, only place on the course but it's there. Super tight RHFH line to a rollaway green.
A few holes on the back 9 aren't spectacular especially from the reds; some dinkers. 17 & 18 are forgettable finishing holes.
Awkward flow in a couple spots, 18 ends kinda far from 1.
Equipment - I wish the long tees had the signs, makes you walk up. Some chains were showing rust.
Atmosphere - Ants all over the back 9. Course gets some traffic because it's the only one in the area.
Other Thoughts: A fun and challenging course with some memorable shots, it feels good to Birdie here. Definitely a must hit and one of the better NC courses.
When I walked off the front 9 I would of given it a 4.5; though the back doesn't keep it going. Wish it ended better but overall I'm a fan.
16 of 18 people found this review helpful.
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1/14/2022 
7/13/2022
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