jppbkm wrote:If you happen to be driving down/up 77 through Charlotte you would do yourself a great disservice to miss seeing the brand new 521 park Elon(g) Black Course. Also a par 66 layout, this course is the newest edition to a park which already contains a beginner/junior level course (no holes over 350') with an additional set of longer tees which make for quite a fun round of par 3 golf with many different shots required. There are natural teepads marked out here right now but again, with some scout help, we hope to have concrete pads by spring.
The Elon Black Course starts by the parking lot with three sub-300' holes, each with greens backed by OB. Once you get off to an ego boosting start the real challenge starts.
On the par four 4th hole you must make it to a left to right gap about 275' down the fairway for a chance at a birdie three or even a very rare eagle (which has probably not been seen yet here). Hold your horses though, an OB line/low fence skirts the fairway down the right hand side and if you fade out too far left there is a creek waiting to catch your disc. The basket dares you to run it but if your approach shot fades left you are less than 15' from water and OB on the other side.
If your disc golf dreams are undaunted, the par 5 hole five awaits. Your first shot shoots just over 200' straight out of the woods but beware, a retention pond lurks for those who rip a seemingly "great" drive. Better to fade out left where, on your second shot you can shoot over the pond into the open fairway. Don't get too greedy though as the wind can pick up here and send you right into the OB woods if you hyzer out to far or right over another OB fence. If you do manage to stay on the fairway with your 2nd (or 3rd or 4th) shot you can run a long approach shot toward the basket which is on the right hand side of a hill rising from the fairway with, again, tough woods waiting to the left to catch your disc if the wind catches it and you hyzer out.
Hole six is a relatively simple par four with a nice 15'-20' gap just over 100' straight in front of the teepad. If you make it through the gap and land in the fairway a straight 200' to 250' upshot should net you a chance for a bird.
Hole seven is a nice par 3 respite as you only have to make a forehand shot or RHBH turnover for a chance at a long putt as this right turning fairway just keeps going and going to the right.
Hole eight is another tight par four as the creek is even closer on your left. The fairway goes straight for about 250', makes a slight bump to the right, and finishes to the left for the last 150'. Again, beware on your approach as the creek is yet again only feet from the basket. I could go on, and probably will on DGCR, but for now, suffice to say that two more great courses have been added to the Charlotte repertoire.
Come and see and get ready for the Charlotte NC 2012 Pro and AM World Championships!
-Paul Priest
Paul, that wasn't you at Elon on Saturday with Stan 'the man' was it? I throwing my vibram's at the practice basket (my buddies were eating taco bell) when I saw him and somebody else on hole 4 or 5. I wanted to be like "hey man renny rocks" or something like that, but, I figured I'd leave him alone...
Anyways. Stan really has does it again. I had no idea where the 521 park was, until Saturday, and now that I know I'm gonna be there like everyday. It's closer than Renny, longer than Boyd Hill, andd more challenging than Winthrop Lake. The original course has some very Renny-ish holes (like the "right or left" hole), it's almost like Renny Junior honestly.
I only got to throw a couple of the white baskets. I think we played threw 3 at the edge of the water before it got too dark . I was really impressed, I know it's a work it progress, but I love Stan's "risk and reward" design. Hole 3 is a perfect example, that is a very ace-able basket placement. But the basket it on the top of a hill and no less than 5 feet behind is water... Which would mean lost disc = easy circle 3. (Although that would be the plan). What I'm getting at, is, that somebody who goes aggresive at the pin, could get a better score than somebody that planned on a 3. (And wound up with 2 lay ups, 1 missed putt and a come back).
That's what golf should be about. Thinking, planning, shot execution, risks and rewards. Stan really is the best. I've played several Duvall courses, and he's got talent.. . . . it's just Stan is a artist carving flight paths in the medium of forest.
