Huntsville, AL

Univ. of Ala. Huntsville (UAH)

3.55(based on 26 reviews)
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19 0
Cerealman
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 15.6 years 571 played 173 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Too much space and no need to retrace

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

Pros:

Just west of downtown, the University of Alabama in Huntsville course features plenty of long holes over well-manicured campus lawns with several holes near the University Lake bringing the threat of baptism by immersion into play.

The course conditions are fairly nice. The teepads are well done, the new signage is attractive and helpful, and nearly all the holes are on grassy areas that are easy to traverse.

There are options for basket locations, even though the options are "long" and "very long." The course also recently made three holes permanent, so now it's a par 72 (long) or par 80 (very long) track with 21 holes.

The wide-open course does disappear into the woods for Holes #3 through #5, which were my favorite holes on the course, and the latter two holes are par 4s require finding ideal back-to-back placements to have a chance at birdie.

The Hole #18 basket is a challenge and a great photo op to end the round. The basket is elevated and includes a rocket nose cone above and rocket fins below as a nod to the university's outer space research.

Cons:

Note: Some of my listed cons for the course reflect highly on my personal preferences and opinions on course design.

The course is way too wide open and long for my liking. Only three of the 21 holes are under 300 feet. Most of the holes would be defined as "lightly wooded" or less. There's very little shot shaping required for most of the holes. Even for the players with bomber arms, this course gets redundant quickly. In addition to the course length, there are several transitions that require a couple minutes of walking to reach the next teepad.

The basket locations for the holes closest to the lake (#11 and #17) are way too challenging for anyone below intermediate level, prompting cautious play. Also, the road can easily come into play on several of the holes.

The navigation was a bit confusion regarding the recently added holes after Hole #15. Holes #B and #C appeared to be over or near the water, and we ended up skipping them due to the excessive wind and the desire to not lose a disc.

Ultimately, the UAH course isn't going to attract many newcomers to the game. I prefer college courses that appeal to their student population by including less-challenging designs.

Other Thoughts:

While I've visited Huntsville several times for disc golf, I had avoided this course for years. I'm glad to finally check UAH off my list, but I have no desire to return. For my noodle arm, this is incredibly boring disc golf. I played 19 of the 21 holes, and I made par on all but three holes. Just so much of the "drive, safe upshot, make putt" routine. While my rating is an attempt to be objective about the course and its quality, I would rate it much lower if "fun" was the sole metric.

The UAH course reminded me of a combination of Camp Jordan (near Chattanooga, Tenn.) and the Log Cabin Course (near Rome, Ga.)
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7 0
wericsson
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 10.8 years 53 played 45 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Links-style indeed 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Feb 24, 2018 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Big concrete tees; if anything, they seemed a touch longer than "standard" (whatever the heck that is). Tee signs at every tee, and brand spanking new Discatchers. Several holes (1, 2, 8, 10, 12, A, B, 17) have two baskets in the ground. Holes 7, 10, and 13 also have one unoccupied sleeve each. Hole 18 has an elevated basket with additions above and below in the shape of a rocket. You will not forgot this is Huntsville. My only complaint about the baskets is that they aren't silver anymore! Then again, that paint job always did inspire a diversity of opinions, so maybe this is for the better.

The tip-to-tip layout is 11392' (par 81) for 21 holes, so approximately nobody is allowed to say it's too short. The principal challenges, aside from the distance, are water and OB roads/sidewalks. The majority of holes have some penalty strokes waiting for players who think "well, I'll just throw it kinda that way, but hard." There is some tree cover throughout, but only holes 3-5 read as truly wooded.

These three holes, however, are some of the most beautiful spots on the course, and quality holes as well. Hole 3 is a short but sharp turnover with teeth, hole 4 is a 650' tunnel finally breaking out to a green immediately left of the far end, and 5 is a lovely dogleg par 4 with Brahan-style pines defining multiple options sandwiched between rough right and an OB creek left. The same creek comes into play on 6, 7, and 8 as well.

The back half of the course is much more links-style than the front. OB is a huge factor, with roads and sidewalks exerting substantial control of the lines available. The course features water carries on 11, A, and 17; the pond is also lurking long on 16 and alongside B and C. B is one of my favorite golf holes: big risk/reward par 5, with the thought of an eagle there to drive people to glory and/or stupidity. 18 is a great finishing hole: a reasonably gettable par 4 with a truly unique and memorable elevated pin (rocket, see above) to spice it up.

There are a few mandos throughout; all serve to protect something like an athletic field or parking lot, and all seem to make rather than break the hole. Very tasteful.

Cons:

After 5, aside from rough along the creek on 6 and 8, vegetation is more toward the light park-style end of the spectrum. I could have used so much more of the woodsy stuff, although there isn't really room to add any more, so I can't fault the design.

As for facilities stuff, the only things to possibly knock would be the few natural tees: 9 long, 11 (tee is natural, drop zone is paved), and B. Of these, only 9 is significant, being on squishy ground.

If I were going to call a hole out, it would be 11, with OB water, an ill-positioned root (rolls things down), and an OB culvert all lurking next to the basket within about 10 or 15 feet - a bit too close for comfort.

If I were to pick unfixable nits, I would say the pond is icky, but how many aren't? It is unfortunately easy to lose a disc, though.

Other Thoughts:

About hole 17: if you want to actually attack the basket, the water carry is approximately 345'. I agree with the numerous previous reviewers who have asserted that that is somewhat intimidating for mortals, being mortal myself. However, where I do not agree is the assertion that the bailout zone left is unreasonable. It is touchier than most, in that there is also OB left, but it seems more than wide enough to make; however, shooting for this area left of the water is a true layup in that the water is still threatening on the second shot as well, even if much less so. Overall, I don't feel that this makes the hole unfair or unplayable, but the scoring separation between people who can carry it and who can't will be wider than on many water holes. Then again, the rest of the course has already done plenty to reward big, controlled drives, so it isn't really out of character; in fact, it might well be somewhat of a signature hole for the course, albeit one I can't truly love at my skill level.

As a bizarre anecdote, I once had to wait on not a pedestrian, but a boat on hole 17.

I used to say that Indian Creek was better than this course. It was, but after the recent improvements here, especially the addition of holes A-C as permanent features, I think the OG is back on top.

Grab the map if you're going to play alone. It flows well enough, but there are a few confusing spots, and it's a long enough walk without mistakes.

History buffs: ask around for pictures of the culvert course.
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19 2
wellsbranch250
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 10.1 years 652 played 629 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Rocket Man 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Apr 29, 2019 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

(3.275 Rating) (REVISED - visited April 2021) Huntsville's Pro Style Course.
- UPGRADES - Up until November 2019, I had observed this course being on a slow and steady decline over a two year period. Lavone Wolfe, course designer, has single handedly put this course back on the map. Brand new hole signage and thirty Pro 28 DISCatchers are now installed as of this revision. In addition, the 3 bonus holes from Rocket City Blast have been permanently added to the layout and the overall layout has been tweaked in a positive direction.
- UNIQUENESS - An 11,455 foot par 80 beast. The Gold layout has thirteen par 4s and two par 5s. Any player that enjoys lightly wooded to open multi-play holes will love this course. There's a very long 340-foot water clear on (17) and several holes have parallel water features. Nine holes have multiple baskets in place offering different looks and challenge. There are a few woodsy holes on (3), (4) and (5) too. The course is generally set-up as a links style course, being very long and open, over being short and technical.
- CHALLENGING - With the lengthening edits in late 2019, this is now a solid Advanced challenge worthy of a championship billing. Although 950 rated Advanced players who throw 400 feet can shoot 6 or 7 down here, they will also shoot over par. The course layout requires tremendous shot placement and risk reward analysis. A great training grounds for tourney players. Eagle McMahon has been spotted out here several times when he comes to town. Players who can't throw over 350 and have a mediocre mid-game will struggle here. Unfortunately, very little technical shot shaping requirements.
- SIGNATURE HOLE - No doubt (17), but it's not played often by casual players due to the water risk. I suggest getting a floater or a Kwik-Stik.
- NATURAL BEAUTY - I scored the course a 3.625 out of 5. Well maintained and some professional landscaping on a few holes. Holes (3-5) is a solid wooded stretch. There are several pleasing water holes like hole (17) noted above, and also on the new 3-hole loop. The walk to hole (B) has a tranquil 30-foot wide waterfall element in view. The drawbacks are minor with well-maintained and well-constructed roads and buildings in play and in view.
- SIGNAGE AND NAVIGATION - As noted in the Upgrades Pro, the signage is new and looks really good. It has all the appropriate info except next tee direction. I had heard that a community board with map was planned, but I did not see one installed yet as of April 2021. The map link on DGCR is updated for the new layout. Most transitions to the next tee can be seen from the prior basket, but first-time players will need a map after basket (2, 11, 12 and A)
- MAINTENANCE - The grounds have been either all or mostly mowed for all 6 of my rounds here. Like most University courses, this one appears to be constantly trimmed and manicured. There has been a little trash here and there at times, but it's not epic bad. Pack in and pack out, there are no garbage cans along the layout.

Cons:

Noodle arm hell.
- NOT FUN FOR MORTALS - This is a Championship style course. It's intentionally built for Advanced and Pro type players looking for gameplay to match their skill level. For the sub 900 rated players, this course is going to be frustrating and perhaps even boring. As somewhat noted above, there is a lot of long open bomb-it shots that just won't appeal to many players. Players that can't throw over 300 feet will rarely birdie here, even from the shorter red layout. In addition, the odds of losing a disc here is very high with water in play on 10 or so holes. The water in play is generally clear and a Kwik-Stik will get a lot of them back. Last I'll note Hole (17), which is an iconic hole for the Huntsville area, but it's a terrible hole for those without Advanced level skills. Hole (17) is 390 feet and it parallels and clears water for the entire length. The green is unreasonably small too with OB roads along the left the entire way. Hole (17) is simply a disc give-a-way hole. I know of numerous people that absolutely hate it and skip it or won't even play here altogether just because of this hole. As has been told to Lavone numerous times, the drop zone should be the Red tee.
- SAFETY HAZARDS - Wow do the roads come in play here and they parallel several fairways; (2) (9), (10), (12), (15), (B), (C), (17) and (18). In my rounds here, I find myself constantly stopping for cars to pass. In addition, several of these roads also have paralleling sidewalks. So joggers and walkers can sometimes hold up the flow of play as well.
- NO BENCHES - The longest course in town and yet not one bench. Being on university property, the school has decided not to allow their installation. As of 489 courses played, this is the longest course I've ever played without a single bench.
- ELEVATION - Not all that much. Perhaps hole (4) changes by 20 feet and a couple others vary by 10 feet or so. Hole (18) has a raised basket that's been built to resemble a rocket. It's a photo worthy finishing touch.
- NOT BEGINNER FRIENDLY - Any two disc beginner coming here will lose all their discs. I recommend these two area 18 hole courses instead; Southside and Brahan Springs. Calhoun, Stavemill and Dublin are also nice nearby beginner 6 and 9 hole courses.
- TIME PLAY - I'm not able to play this one in under an hour solo and I consider myself a quick player. Figure a group of four could be here 2 1/2 hours or more just to play the original 18. Add another twenty minutes for the 3-hole loop, which I completely recommend playing on first go around.
- WIND - With most of the holes having an openish feel to them, expect wind to play a big factor here.

Other Thoughts:

There are things I like about UAH, and there are things I very much don't like. Although I've given this course roughly a 3.25 rating, it's definitely not among my local favorites or anywhere close. My Course rating system structure is set up for course exploring. For example, if I didn't live in Huntsville, this is the kind of course I'd want to play over a 4,500 foot standard issue par 54 course. However, as for a local day to day course, it's simply too brutal and treeless to play over and over again from my point of view. There was no attempt here to try and appeal to Recreational players. The appeal here is for Advanced players with 400-foot cannon arms, and it's an outstanding course example for these players. With new signs, new baskets and a new permanent three-hole loop expansion, I decided to bump this course up to the low 3.5 level. Players with big arms will likely rate this course higher. While players that prefer woods courses may rate it lower. I know several Rec level locals that avoid playing here, except for tournaments. As of this review, I have this as the 4th highest rated course in town after Indian, Monte Sano and Redstone. Many of my Advanced level friends have UAH in their Huntsville top 2 or 3.
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8 1
davetherocketguy
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 19.6 years 114 played 105 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Roller heaven / noodle arm hell 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 15, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

- Aging Innova Discatchers with a decorated chastity belt. Kind of a nice touch. They may be a bit rusty but still catch just fine.
- Excellent tee pads. All concrete with perfect finish.
- For the most part, decent tee signs.
- Nice mix of right to left and visa versa.
- Get your bomb out. If you can crank it out far you'll love it here.
- If you're a fan of rollers well then welcome to heaven. The nicely mowed grass is idyllic for the rolling type.
- Hole 11 has to be the most scenic hole of the course and is what I would consider the signature hole. It's a gutsy shot over water to the front and left through a gap in the trees or a LONG spike hyzer around the other way.

Cons:

Oh boy...

- Navigation is a disaster. With exactly 2 "NEX-T" signs on the entire course it is well short of what is really needed. Get the map off this site and print it out or save it on your smart phone because there is no other way to navigate some of this nonsense. Here is where you'll need the map: Hole 2 to 3, hole 4 to 5, hole 5 to 6, 11 to 12, 15 to 16. Egad.
- 8b and 9a are holes just for the sake of having extra holes. No obstacles, no trees, no nuttin'. Just boring wide open shots. Yawn. Same thing with 10 and 10b.
- Crossing Technology drive is interesting especially going from 11 to 12 with the three way intersection right there.
- For the first time in my life I walked away from a hole. #17. I understand that this course is supposed to be hard but that is redonkuous. Not only is it difficult but that's just a silly safety hazard with busy Technology drive right next to it.
- Benches? Where are the freaking benches? My 44 year old knees hate you UAH DG Course.
- The design seems like it's just long for the sake of being long.

Other Thoughts:

If I would envision disc golf hell, this course would be it right in the middle of a good ole Alabama heat wave. There is a rather notable lack of shade here so water is real important if it is at all hot. If you're a noodle arm this is not going to be a pleasant experience for you either.

To the left of 5 and left of 6 there is a rather nasty drainage ditch with stagnant water so cheating shots to the right a little is a good idea. On 7 there is a sign which states there are snakes in the ditch so be sure to watch where you step there.

This is a nice course if you have A LOT of time to burn and are in the area. Don't drive way out of your way to play here. If you want a decent challenge with good course design in the Huntsville area go to Indian Creek instead.
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2 0
L0ngsh0t
Experience: 8.8 years 23 played 1 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Good Holes, Bad Design 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 23, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

-Lots of activity if you want to play with other people.
-Each individual hole is pretty well designed for challenge. It definitely will separate your average player from the pros.
-Course was very clean, but that may have just been due to the tournament that happened earlier that day.

Cons:

-The course layout hole-to-hole was pretty tough to follow sometimes.
- Some of the holes were very unforgiving for beginners and did not offer many options for safe shots, especially if you want to get anywhere near par.
- Holes 7/8? are along a (what i would guess is supposed to be) a creek, but seems more like a rain water runoff that was pretty bad to get through if you want your disc back.
-Very little thought into the flow of difficulty from one hole to the next. You have a couple of easy holes, then get hit with the hardest 2 holes on the course back to back. Doesn't really make any sense.

Other Thoughts:

All in all, the course was well thought out with each hole, but the course flow (from hole to hole for transitions as well as difficulty flow) was very poor. Still, a course worth trying if you have the time and are not too scared of water hazards.
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0 5
Loomis
Experience: 16.7 years 519 played 14 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Bomber course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 24, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

It's big. Big and you will need max distance to play this course. There are a few holes which are nasty and are tough shots near or over water. The open holes get really boring after the sixth one.

Cons:

Dull. Not really worth playing given the focus on distance. Also, the back holes are not maintained and you should skip them. Hole 5 had no basket.

Other Thoughts:

If you love to crush shots this is your course. Go out and show off to all your buddies. If you can't throw 400 feet this course is a nightmare. There will be no deuces for you.
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0 1
loraski
Experience: 12.8 years 110 played 7 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Lora 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 29, 2012 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

This was a very challenging course for myself, who is still a novice. I really enjoyed it, the campus is beautiful.

Cons:

I don't know if I'll EVER be good enough to par some of the holes. Seems like more than a few should be par 4.

Other Thoughts:

Really fun course and a beautiful walk.
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12 1
3OrangeWhips
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 14.6 years 96 played 40 reviews
3.50 star(s)

UAH 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 15, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

- Beautiful college campus setting
- Well maintained grounds and course
- Lots of OB increases difficulty and adds interest
- Great signage on every hole
- Big concrete tee pads on every hole
- DisCatcher baskets are like new and have big, bright yellow flags for easy spotting
- Nice layout and course flow, with a few blips (see cons below)
- Decent variety: many long and open, some through trees, a few wooded, plenty of water to avoid by going around or over
- Many of the open holes are great throws: super long fairways with rolling hills and just enough trees and/or water to make you have to think
- Great water hazards on holes #13 and #17

Cons:

- Hole #3 is impossible to find without a map
- Must cross busy street between holes 11-12, 13-14, 14-15, 16-17 and 17-18
- The holes along the creek get a lot of standing water for days after heavy rain
- Holes #1 and #2 are located on intramural fields and can be unplayable when games are in progress

Other Thoughts:

This is a fun course located on the University of Alabama Huntsville campus. While some players may find the open holes a bit repetitive, what the course lacks in variety it more than makes up for in beauty. The campus is pristine, the course is well maintained, and I really love the green grass fairways on rolling hills built along the wandering creek. Be sure to check out the numerous photos on this site that better illustrate what I am talking about. It was a bummer that the first two holes were relocated to an open field because this seems to be a downgrade from the previous layout. It also appears that some of the long holes have been further lengthened. For example, hole #10 is shown as 453' but is clearly longer than the adjacent hole #11 which is 609'. Finally, I absolutely loved the two over water holes (#13 "The Leech" and #17 "The Dragon"). Both offer challenge to the advanced player (a tight tree-lined opening on "The Leech" and a 350' shore-to-shore throw on "The Dragon") while offering less daunting yet enjoyable options for the less talented player such as myself. I look forward to playing UAH on my next visit to the Huntsville area.
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1 1
aj_777
Experience: 15.8 years 7 played 1 reviews
3.50 star(s)

uah course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 8, 2011 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

The course is nice to play if you can throw 250 to 350 ft. It is a good course to practice on getting more distance. I trained on it almost 3 times a week and it was definitely a good challenge. I enjoy playing 1-8 the most. Most of the holes require basically the same throw.

Cons:

Some holes are near roads, which one road is quite busy. And some are by the creek/lake, which can be really annoying especially on a windy day. People lose discs in there quite frequently. That's why I like 1-8. Only problem is 3-7 are back in a slightly wooded area and they don't always cut the grass frequently.
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11 0
bjreagh
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 27.6 years 350 played 317 reviews
3.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Apr 22, 2011 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

UAH is a challenging 18 hole course set around the perimeter (not buildings) of campus. There is an excellent mix of hole style here as it plays across both manicured campus lawns mainly around the lake and then in an area that looks like park land and not part of a college campus. Most of the holes would be considered more open, but there are several tight wooded holes too. Though relatively open there are usually some trees to avoid, lots of O.B. usually in the form of paved surfaces, of course wind, 2 creeks are in play on 3-4 holes, and the lake is a major factor on another 4-5 holes. Solid mix of hole distances, but most holes are at a length (400'-500') that most people will be playing for a 3 as there is no chance for a birdie as most people will have long approaches. This to me is a strength of the course testing your ability to approach accurately with your fairway drivers and mids, unlike so many courses where it is all about getting it under the basket off the tee on every hole.

The course is equipped with your standard concrete tees (except for new 1 and 2), great signs with map and distance, and 2-tone DisCatchers with sponsors on the band. In the grass island where #1 used to be the disc golf kiosk and a practice basket.

Cons:

The redesign/move of #1 and #2, which used to be some unique and difficult holes have been deleted and moved to an adjacent open field. They are now nothing more than a good warm up, are pretty boring, and currently have natural tees. I would guess the holes were changed because of safety as the main campus road bordered both 1 and 2, however, the road easily comes into play on another 4 holes at least, so I am not sure why these had to be changed only. Navigation is a little confusing because #1's tee is still there by the kiosk, but it is now unused. #3 is always hard to find (and even harder with the redesign). Check out the course map as it is accurate from holes 3-18. Cross the street and cross the bridge towards some buildings and the tee is up what looks like a maintenance path in the woods.

UAH lacks any major elevation changes (not the course's fault, the land is just mostly flat) with #4 slightly downhill, #10 on a small sidehill and #11 slightly uphill, but that is really all there is. Every time I have played here, holes 5-6 were marshy because it is lower ground and is close to the creek, and, as a result, the fairways were not mowed. As the course plays around the lake use caution when throwing around the roads and sidewalks.

Con for some- there is good chance of losing discs. They are usually retrievable in the creeks, but the lake will swallow discs up.

Other Thoughts:

UAH has hosted the PDGA Worlds twice (in 1983 and 1993), but it is a good indicator of how the game has changed so much since then. Just keep this in historical perspective as it is probably not the caliber of course that would be used for Worlds presently.

Park in the lot by the practice area island (what used to be hole #1). Huntsville may not have any top 50 national courses, but it does have several solid courses each with their own personality and style and they are all pretty close together. (For a good variety play more than one when you are here.) UAH used to be my clear cut favorite in Huntsville, but without the old #1 and #2 UAH loses 0.5 points in my rating for getting rid of what was possibly the most intimidating first tee shot on the planet and replacing them with junk filler.
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1 0
SirRaph
Experience: 74 played 17 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Revered course earned my respect...and my discs 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 20, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

A well designed course considering the grounds. I'm sure it's not easy to ask the school to let you cover their front lawn with yellow baskets.

The holes nearest the road feel picturesque, with the pond and fountains to close.

Cons:

The day I visited the course, it felt pretty dilapidated. The grass was nearly all dead looking, there was a lot of undergrowth in the rough (had a briar needle penetrate my shoes!) and there was litter here and there.
I expected a bit more from what I'm told is a champion level course. Anyone with 500ft of driving power could murder this course on a calm day.

There's really not a lot of shot selections required. Even if it weren't as windy when I played it, I probably would have used only 1 or 2 different discs off the tee. Driver straight, appropriate approach disc, putter, repeat. Certainly, there are a few holes that this doesn't apply to, but I guess I was just expecting more.

Other Thoughts:

This course takes an ugly turn after the front 9. You'd better get your birdies before you make the turn.
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0 5
chainbanger14
Experience: 10 played 10 reviews
3.50 star(s)

UAH DGC 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 12, 2009 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Beautiful coarse on UAH's campus. Long vast holes with great pin placement.

Cons:

roads are right next to coarse, wasnt a big fan of it.

Other Thoughts:

Bring ur waiters for hole 2 and 9!!! Oh and dont choke on the water holes
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11 0
The Valkyrie Kid
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 45.8 years 1563 played 1507 reviews
3.50 star(s)

A Course For The Big Arms! 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 5, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

The course plays through the woods, across the fields and then around a pond on the University of Alabama-Huntsville campus. This is most definitely a challenging course. The worlds were played here in 1983 and then again in 1993. You need to have the big arm to score well on this course. Most holes are long and out in the open fields. Between the length and the wind, it'll bring you to your knees. The signature holes are probably the two which play across the water. I like the fact that on both of these they have shorter alternate tees for us weak armed players or those who don't want to go fishing for their discs.
But I think the signature hole is the 698 foot # 4, I think, which follows a fairly narrow fairway until it opens up at the end.
The course has excellent teepads and the baskets are fine. There are tee signs at each hole. It's easy to navigate. Easy to read (from a distance) numbers on the baskets helped with first time navigation.

Cons:

Really, I don't see anything glaringly wrong with course. It's kinda comes packaged this way. 500 foot holes across open fields are not my favorite but with a creek, OB's, trees, the wind and the ponds, there are more than enough hazards to challenge most any player.

Other Thoughts:

I wouldn't particularly want this as my home course only because my current playing level/style/tastes doesn't mesh well with this course. If you are a player capable of throwing 400-450', then you'll probably like this course a lot. This is just one of those excellent courses that doesn't neccesarily appeal to everyone. But that doesn't make it a bad course!
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0 4
roc54
Experience: 4 played 3 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Bring your wading boots! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 20, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Many different challenges. You can just fling it for everything you have on a couple holes. Beautiful.

Cons:

Very challenging for a beginner like me. High risk of losing discs. Bring a pole. Longest hole is low lying and is in a marsh during the spring or after rains.
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1 4
wdemick
Experience: 28.8 years 4 played 4 reviews
2.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 14, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

holes 3,4,6,14 and 18 are good dg holes.

Cons:

most of the course plays along a busy road or are 700' open field shots.

Other Thoughts:

Boring! Much preferred the old course. All the nearby courses are much more fun to play than this one.
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12 0
jdawg24
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 25.8 years 103 played 58 reviews
3.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 24, 2009 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

*Challenging - has long holes, water & wind that will test all levels of players
*Some awesome holes -- over water that make you think about what disc you're gonna throw -- and a long, multi-shot hole down a narrow path and into an open area
*OB comes into play on ~50% of holes....shot selection is important, as well as playing the wind
*Good signage with distances
*Fun combination of long & short holes
*All holes have valid fairways.

Cons:

*Plays around a busy road
*More than a few 'tweener distance par 3.5 holes that are 450-500+ feet....you aren't going to get a 2, you shouldn't get a 4....these were probably legit par 4's when the course went in, but aren't now
*Much of the course plays along a road, on campus, or in sight of both -- not secluded at all
*Only one set of teepads; would be a really tough course for beginners

Other Thoughts:

This is an excellent course that i will always look forward to playing when visiting huntsville. I've played casually and in a tournament; for tournaments the course is setup with roped OB & poles to retrieve discs from cedars & water & is very groomed....playing it today casually, these elements were not there and the course seemed kinda overgrown, especially with privet in the wooded areas. Fun either way. All holes have valid fairways & most are visible from the tee, which is a huge perk. This is an open course with high exposure to the elements -- if it's sunny, you'll get plenty, and the same goes for wind.
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10 0
AdamE
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 20.5 years 264 played 143 reviews
3.50 star(s)

2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Mar 22, 2009 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

UAH is a beautiful, well maintained course that will challenge both your distance and accuracy (through long up shots, placement holes and avoiding OB). The majority of the course is very long with half the holes over 400ft. Most of the course is wide open, but there are a couple wooded holes and a few other holes with strategically placed trees. There is OB in play on over half the holes in the form of roads, sidewalks and water.

While big distance can really help you out here, it can also get you in trouble if you aren't accurate. Distance is helpful, but I believe a player who can throw 300-350 ft accurately can do well here.

Course has great signage, long tee pads, the baskets are in good shape and even have flags on top of them.

Cons:

Very little shade, bring water in the summer! It would be nice to have more trashcans and benches here.

The course has a very nice flow from hole to hole, however there is a bit of a walk from 13 to 14 and 14 to 15. It isn't difficult to find the next hole, but it's not obvious like it is on the rest of the course.

Other Thoughts:

Keep that in mind this is a championship caliber course, not a par 3/ace run course. If this is the kind of course you're looking for, you won't be disappointing.
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4 2
wirerat123
Experience: 15.7 years 6 played 6 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Meh..... 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 17, 2008 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

3 or 4 interesting holes, well maintained.

Cons:

Mostly open, gets burning hot in the summer, not enough benches trashcans, or shaded areas. I despise courses that toy with busy roads, and that road tends to be BUSY. The water holes are nothing special really. The challenges bring a risk of nothing more than a ruined or lost disc if your throw is errant, and the valid possibility of denting someones car, or breaking their car window which adds challenge, but I don't think that kind of challenge is sensible.

This course is highly over rated, yes it's well maintained, yes it tests your arm, but other than that, it's nothing special. Monte Sano, Mastin Lake, and Redstone Arsenal are much more enjoyable courses.

Other Thoughts:

Also the reviewer below said the people are rude. Sorry about that, I hate it when people ruin our reputation for southern charm and hospitality, UAH is where all the egos go to play disc golf. Go to any other course in the area and you'll be pleasantly surprised by how great the people are.
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9 0
SimonCarr
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 24.9 years 115 played 57 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Well maintained course, pro caliber 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 13, 2008 Played the course:once

Pros:

The UAH course is a dream course for golfers that can crush. There are plenty of opportunities to rip a drive. Many of the long holes (400-500 feet) require a good placement shot for a 3.

This course has good use of O.B. with the road coming into play on 4 shots, and another 3 or 4 where water comes into play. The course is mostly flat, with only slight elevation changes and sparse trees throughout.

There is one true par 4 that is a little over 600 feet. The fairway is about 30 feet wide with woods on either side - the shot is slightly downhill for the first 550, with a sharp cut to the left for the remaining 80 feet.

The 2 shots throwing over the edge of the pond (13 and 17) were awesome shots. Hole 13 plays about 270, with a slight anhyzer over the edge of the water required to land next to the basket. Hole 17 was around 400 feet - and a line drive shot would have to clear about 370 feet of water to reach the other side. Another nice feature was a 20 foot long disc retrival pole at the edge of the water.

Cons:

The road/traffic comes into play on several holes. It wasn't a problem for me, but I imagine that when this course gets busy it can be dangerous.

There were several fairly straight and open holes that I did not care for. They could have benefited from planting a few trees/bushes.

Other Thoughts:

This is a tough course that pros will love (mostly for the distance). I would not recommend this disc golf newcomers.

Anyone who can throw 400+ will really have an opportunity to score well here. This course could be a 4.5 with a few alternate tees. I will definitely play this course again if I am in the Huntsville area.
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4 1
BmaEngnr92
Experience: 15.4 years 17 played 11 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Long, Championship Caliber Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Dec 12, 2008 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Championship caliber course that will test most aspects of your game, but none more than your middle approach shots. There is good signage and concrete tee pads on every hole. The course flows naturally, so finding the next hole shouldn't be a problem. There's also a lot distance for those with big arms, but it's not just a grip-it and rip-it course. It was designed to be a pro-level course, so a lot of the trouble is magnified when you start throwing it 400+ (which I don't ;)). It's right on campus, so it's usually well maintained, and you're close to stores and the like.

Holes 4 (The Beast), 13 (The Leech), & 17 (The Dragon) are demanding, but really good holes.

Cons:

There are no trash cans or benches on the course, which detracts a bit, because there is no shade other than a few holes, and having a place to sit and rest would be a nice addition. It also borders a few busy campus roads, and one very busy road, so it can be a bit distracting sometimes. However, this isn't a big negative, because the roads allow for some strategic OB lines on a few holes.

Other Thoughts:

Bottom line, this a good course, but isn't necessarily beginner friendly. Most of the holes are very long, and several equally require good accuracy and big D. I enjoy playing the course due to it's challenge, and it's also a special course in the area because it has held USDGC twice, and the USWDGC. If you're looking for an easy pitch and putt course, this isn't it. However, if your looking for a good course that will challenge every facet of your game, then this is the place for you. I definitely recommend this course to anyone in the area, or anyone looking to take a day trip for some disc golf.

Favorite Holes: 2**(the old one), 4, 7, 9, 13, 16, 17, 18

**Update: 2 was a great hole, but now, due to the layout change, it leaves a lot to be desired.
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