Charlotte here we come!!! MUST PLAY courses...anyone???

[duckbutter]

Dave,
Thanks for your order of dificulty per course. We were wondering about that. You can only know so much from pictures and videos.

 

[1978]

Also, its a shame to play Hornets and not play nevin 3 miles away. Nevin from the shorts is not evil...lol. I know you will be more frustrated with the Angry beaver than Nevin. Nevin's fairways are much wider...just longer. I average around par at Elon and 4-5 under and Nevin shorts as a 980+ rated player. I would suggest you at least walk Nevin or Renny if you don't play it. Hard to go back home and say you didn't even see those 2. Seems wierd to spend a week in Charlotte and not get there...but I understand the reasoning too.

 

[ACESwilddd]

DISC TRIP CHARLOTTE 3/22-3/24

Making similar trip with 4 good buddies to charlotte area with stops in cincinnati, knoxville, boone, and hickory on the way down. What might this secret course be and is it really not worth the trip to rock hill to check out winthrop if it is not set up for the championships? Open to any and all comments. Thank ya.

 

[grodney]

is it really not worth the trip to rock hill to check out winthrop if it is not set up for the championships?

Obviously a matter of opinion. Lots of people who live here say it's not worth it. I disagree. If you have followed the USDGC and/or are a fan of it, I think it's worth it. Here are my comments from another thread:

"
If you are a fan, it is well worth it to go play Winthrop Gold, even without the ropes.

All the tees and baskets are in position (with the exception of #6 not being on the beach). The concrete and the lake and the fences are all still there. Sure, the rope is missing, but who cares? Imagine the rope is there, and then imagine it even tighter, and at that point you've almost imagined it as tight as it really is. The course is actually a lot more "fun" to play without the rope, and still a good challenge for anyone <970ish.

But the most important thing: Get a map! Or a guide. Or both. The course isn't un-marked, it is MARKED WRONG. It is pretty-much impossible to play the correct holes in the correct order without a thorough understanding of the map.
"

As additional info:
- Rope isn't even used on holes 1-8, with the exception of #3 and the right-side of #8.
- Rope is used extensively on 9,10,11,12.
- #13, 888, one of the most famous holes, has no rope.
- 14-18 use rope to some degree (a lot on some, not much on others).

Get a caddybook from last year, and have fun.

Having said all that, the course itself, EVEN SET UP FOR THE USDGC, is NOT awe-striking. It's great, but it's hokey and contrived. I think it's worth it to go see it, but don't be expecting the greatest natural course ever conceived.

 

[grodney]

These are our "Must play courses"
Elon Park, eager and maybe angry - Ben's pick
Fox Chase - Everyone's pick
Glenn C. Hilton Memorial Park - Everyone's pick
Hornets' nest, shorts- Jason's pick
Kilborne - My pick
Plantation Ruins at Winget
Reedy creek
Sugaw creek

You guys really should play Renaissance. It is THE Charlotte course. It is in a different class than all the others. It's not tight and wooded like many of the other courses down here. Yes, a few holes are wooded, but only 2 or 3 make you go "uhhhhhhhh". Go ahead and play the long-to-long Gold layout, and get the full experience. Yes, lots of distance, but you'll be okay. There really are a lot of open-ish shots where you can air out your driver (based on your self-description above).

 

[1978]

Obviously a matter of opinion. Lots of people who live here say it's not worth it. I disagree. If you have followed the USDGC and/or are a fan of it, I think it's worth it. Here are my comments from another thread:

"
If you are a fan, it is well worth it to go play Winthrop Gold, even without the ropes.

All the tees and baskets are in position (with the exception of #6 not being on the beach). The concrete and the lake and the fences are all still there. Sure, the rope is missing, but who cares? Imagine the rope is there, and then imagine it even tighter, and at that point you've almost imagined it as tight as it really is. The course is actually a lot more "fun" to play without the rope, and still a good challenge for anyone <970ish.

But the most important thing: Get a map! Or a guide. Or both. The course isn't un-marked, it is MARKED WRONG. It is pretty-much impossible to play the correct holes in the correct order without a thorough understanding of the map.
"

As additional info:
- Rope isn't even used on holes 1-8, with the exception of #3 and the right-side of #8.
- Rope is used extensively on 9,10,11,12.
- #13, 888, one of the most famous holes, has no rope.
- 14-18 use rope to some degree (a lot on some, not much on others).

Get a caddybook from last year, and have fun.

Having said all that, the course itself, EVEN SET UP FOR THE USDGC, is NOT awe-striking. It's great, but it's hokey and contrived. I think it's worth it to go see it, but don't be expecting the greatest natural course ever conceived.

**Nevermind the below stuff if Winthrop has decided to keep baskets in the long positions, however I have never played them with out ropes so I don't believe they do after the championships.

It is not withrop with or without the ropes...it is 2 totally different courses.

There are 2 many changes to even type here. You miss all the holes around the back of the stadium, the 2 coliseum holes , 888.
Without the ropes isn't as much about the ropes but the way the course plays in the LONG layout. Unless I am mistaken you don't get to play the signature holes that you see on .tv. 4, 5, 8, 10,11,12, 13, 15, 16, 17!!!!!!, 18. Holes 15 and 16 are blah on the lakefront course.

When you play Withrop Gold #5 you see that long bomb over the water if you go for it. When you play lakefront... that is hole 10! and 11 plays to #5 Golds basket. So basically they fit in 6-7 extra holes in the layout that would be used for major events. It goes from a pro-grade level course to a pretty easy course around a lake. The benefit to playing Withrop Lakefront is the scenery of the lake and the women (when it is warm and school is in session). But you will not get the feel of the championship course.

 

[grodney]

**Nevermind the below stuff if Winthrop has decided to keep baskets in the long positions

Like I said "All the tees and baskets are in position (with the exception of #6 not being on the beach)".

Unless they've changed that very recently. The true gold-course baskets have been in position all year round for several years now.

My entire post wouldn't make sense otherwise. (Not that I always, or even often, make sense.)

 

[jkdisc]

postponing my trip for 2 weeks

 

[DavidSauls]

My thoughts on Winthrop, Gold or Lakefront, is that it's worth playing. As long as you don't expect the famous USDGC course you've heard of and seen in videos. It's still good but not the same.

Where it fits in the pantheon of Charlotte-area courses, and how much time you have, is another matter. If you've got time to play a lot of courses, play Winthrop too. It'll provide variety, and you may love it. If you've only time to play a handful of courses, you might better enjoy others.

 

[jkdisc]

i just got back... i spent way too much time in the raliegh area so i didnt get to play many charlotte courses like i planned. scrapyard was better than expected!

 

[RKelly]

i didnt get to play many charlotte courses like i planned. scrapyard was better than expected!

Thanks! What courses did you play?

 

[jkdisc]

Thanks! What courses did you play?

we spent more time in Raleigh than expected so just got to dickerson and scrapyard. We planned elon x2 and bailey road. i have previously played a few others.

 

[DiscGolfCraig]

we spent more time in Raleigh than expected so just got to dickerson and scrapyard. We planned elon x2 and bailey road. i have previously played a few others.

Dickerson??? Of all the courses you could play in the Charlotte area, you wasted time to play a round there? Even if you were just wanting to stay close to the Scrapyard; Eastway, Kilborne, Reedy, Squirrel Lake or even Mint Hill would have all been far and away better than Dickerson.

 

[DiscGolfCraig]

And despite your decision to play Dickerson over everything else, I still gave your review for the course a thumbs up.

 

[jkdisc]

And despite your decision to play Dickerson over everything else, I still gave your review for the course a thumbs up.

thanks, it was getting dark and it was on the way to my parents house. i knew it was not a good idea.

 

[DiscGolfCraig]

thanks, it was getting dark and it was on the way to my parents house. i knew it was not a good idea.

Playing Dickerson at dark = even sketchier.

 

[jkdisc]

the park was dead due to drizzle and looks like im coming back next week to visit my aunt at my parents house

 

[grodney]

When it ain't dead due to drizzle it's not safe fo shizzle.

 

[the_lung]

So last year in California, due to my vacation schedule with work and in finding the cheapest travel, I was only to play one Worlds course - UCSMB. (The Oaks) While this is a fine course for recreational play, it was one of the worst Worlds courses I've ever seen. Fortunately, I had previously played the world-reknowned DeLaveaga course, but in talking with competitors and fellow staff, I really missed out not being able to play the awesome Ryan Ranch or Pinto Lake courses. At least I got to walk some of the Pinto Lake course during Finals that Saturday.

This year, the challenge is daunting: there are fourteen courses in the Charlotte area being used for competition. I have the advantage of having previously played Hornet's Nest and Kilborne Park, but I'm going to need to make some tough decisions about which courses to check out in the very limited time I have before competition starts. Renaissance Park is absolutely the first priority - it's been a gaping hole in my course resume for many years. Of the remaining courses, in what "must-play" order would you rank the remaining courses? My criteria are primarily challenge, beauty, & diversity, and I'm also favoring the courses which the Open and Pro Masters players will compete on.

I'm thinking the following:

1) Renaissance Park (obviously)
2) Nevin Park (The Nightmare)
3) Bradford Park Long
4) Eastway Park Long
5) Elon Angry Beaver
6) R.L. Smith
7) Idlewild Scrapyard

So, Charlotte locals: while it's extremely doubtful that I'll have time to get through even four of the above seven courses, would you agree with those rankings? Is there something about the Winget Plantation, Sugaw Creek, Elon Eager Beaver, Bailey Road or Reedy Creek courses which are must-plays and I'd be absolutely foolish to miss?