The most challenging local course in my area just got a 1.5 from a local beginner. Seems that it just will never get a good DGCR rating due to it getting slammed by Noobs. These are quotes from the only 4 reviewers who gave it below a 4 rating(the other 19 gave it a 4 or above):
-Cons: too long. too convoluted and confusing. the holes are too long even for experienced players to not get a sore arm.
-Cons: Incredibly hard (maybe I'm just a newbie).
- Cons:Almost every hole is unforgiving, which is a real con for beginners (like me). This course will eat you alive!
-Cons: Only a handfull of the holes here are fun for staters to play the rest will leave you very very annoyed and chasing after your disk, this is not for people just starting out.
So I'm at the conclusion that for being difficult Nockamixon loses any shot at a top rating...Nocky has flaws..it holds water, it's rocky and muddy in places....we need to build some more boardwalks and bridges etc. but being too hard? C'mon that should not be a con. My goal when I play Nocky is to break 80...to me thats a good day. Most Pros throw in the 70s there and par is a difficult earned 67. (doesn't happen often.
With the recent trashing of Austin Bible Church....which seems a very challenging wooded course and the history of Iron Hill in Delaware and Renny in NC getting dinged for being too challenging (Long fair but unforgiving fairways w trees) I am starting to wonder if the top 10 rated courses are wussy friendly and never get the newbie trashing treatment. Maybe Noobs dont go out of there way to distant remote places like Paw Paw and Flip City....I realize the ratings mean nothing....Im just starting to think that Flip etc.. might be easy courses that are just well maintained.