There are some holes around the country that make or break a course, it does not matter what the other 17 holes were like, there is that one hole that you will remember as making the course great. These are the signature holes, you may take a triple circle 11, or brag to your friends that you took a 3! What are these holes which you have played?

#5 George Ward Park; Brimingham AL, 719ft Par 4
Wide open for 420ft. Two large Oak trees on the right at 420, and 500ft create hazard for errant turnover shots. OB on the left the entire way. Starting at 600ft, fairway turns left down a 50ft wide tunnel with heavy shule on each side. Pin is in the far right corner slightly elevated ~ 1 extra foot on a downward slope.

#11 George Ward Park; Birmingham AL, 410ft Par 3
Ideal first shot is a 320ft turn over shot onto a large open area where the short pin placement is, fairly large Oak trees spaced at 30ft intervals encompass the area which you have to navigate through. There is OB on the left side which swallows shots that fade out to much. Next shot is a tunnel shot made for an ideal side arm. The tunnel is 15ft wide and approximately 40ft long. The basket is at the end of the tunnel slightly downhill and to the right. A guantlent of sapling trees guard the pin and can slap down upshots leaving the player with a 20ft downhill putt. There is an alternate route if you have the arm for it. A low ceiling hyzer route about 380ft through a 30ft gap between Oak and Pine trees. If successful, the player will be left with a 30ft overhand pancake shot over a large bush to the basket. If the player hits an early tree or throws the disc too high (15ft), the player will struggle to get 4 as a three is nearly impossible from that far back on the right side of the fairway. This hole has never been dueced.

#18 Colorado River Course; San Saba TX. Par 5 756ft
"The Island Hole" Everywhere there is OB. First island is down an 80ft drop in elevation to a 75x100ft island 300ft away. The next island is 75x300ft on the left side 400ft from the pin. The basket is on a roped off 30ft circle that is on the other side of a creek. A good chance at an eagle for the accurate long arm. However failure to land in bounds results in a re-tee. A group at 2005 World Doubles took 20 shots to finally land inbounds off the tee box. Brutal.

One of my favorites is hole 13 at the East Carolina University Course in Greenville, NC. It's not because its long or that you might take a 11 on it, it is because of the simple concept and look of it. The hole is only about 270-285 long but it is a straight shot down a fairway lined with pine trees. The trees are about 10-15 feet apart side by side and the fairway is about 30 feet wide the whole way down. The trees use to have limbs that hung low enough that on the outside of the hole they touched he ground but they have grownn up higher now. It is still a nice hole (this course was designed back in the 1980's) even with the current craze for longer wilder holes. I guess there is something I like about throwing a disc and watching it fly straight the whole way on a hole like this. Simple and pure but very pleasing to the eye..

Hole # 17 Wellspring in Burlington NC
700+ ft
This hole plays slightly downhill with pond on the right. It has a pretty big fairway but on either side there is woods or the pond. There are three big trees in the middle of the fairway just an awesome hole in the middle of a woods course. The pin is past the last tree probably 75 ft.

Hole #16(Tha Beast) Riverside Park Victoria,TX
This isn't that hard of a hole, but can take a toll if not careful! 700 ft. Through tall Pecan trees with the Guadalupe river on the right and an o.b. road on the left. the fairway is about 75 ft wide.

Memorable/signature hole - #18 Hickory, NC, not particularly difficult, been aced a hundred times, probably more, but one of those holes that the first time you go there no says a thing about it, or maybe says something along the lines of, "You might like 18", just so you get the surprise effect walking up on it, you are walking across a sidehill trail in dense woods and suddenly pop out onto a tee pad cantelevered into a hillside looking across nothing but big open air and small creek bottom at a pin set under large beech and oak on the opposite hillside, it's hole #18, empty your bag, drivers, mids, putters and minis. I think throwing the minis across are probably the biggest hoot. Might lose some in the kudzu, but, hey, that's what it's there for. :cool:

Fountain hole hole at Hampton Park, Charleston, SC (annual temporary course; hole # changes each year but if you've seen it, you'll remember it).

Tees off underneath a centuries-old live oak, through 2 enormous limbs above and below the flight path.

About 150' out, crosses a circular cement pond, about 100' diameter, with a 40' geyser of a fountain right in the center of the flight path that can blow a disc right out of the air.

The pond is circled by OB sidewalk. On the far side of the cement pond, a wall rises some 6' out of the water, with a 4' iron fence above it. Clear this, or you plunge back in the water.

Beyond all of which, a row of Crape Myrtles to clear....and then the basket!

hole #19 Hickory Hills, Traverse City-MI.. ask anyone whos played it and youll know why its such a badass hole. ~600 feet down a skihill, rough OB woods/droppoff on left side, rough wooded area on right side, and a huge oak? tree in the middle half way down the fairway. theres also another HUGE hill behind the basket that goes another 4-500 feet, but not OB. its a makable drive and has an INCREDIBLE view of Lake Michigan and surrounding area.

Waterworks hole #1 on the long pin
Rosedale down under #16
Boomer lake #9
the melon hole at the octoberfriz
to name a few.

Camgaw: #13, 18, 4 would all qualify and are all quite different as well.

#5 at the Golden Hills in Christiansburg, VA - the toughest 150' in the state of VA.

sorry jeff, the toughest 150' in VA (135 actually) is pachinko (#17) on the grange sunnyside.

signature holes at hawk hollow- 1,3,4,5,7,8,10,15,16

The most beautiful course I've played has been Whistler's Bend down in Roseburg, OR. There are certainly more developed courses with more challenging holes but I think Whistler's has the biggest 'wow' factor when playing there. There are some great shots and scenery along the river (eagles grabbing fish out of the river while you play) and a 800+ft top of the world shot with ob on the right and a long gradual slope to the left (mess up and you're 300+ft to the left of the pin or ob).

I'm incredibly jealous. I grew up in Myrtle Creek OR in the 70s and have been to Whistler's Bend many times (before there was a course there). I would love to play this course and have never had the chance.

The Willmont in Houston TX is defined by hole #8. This hole is only about 420 feet or so but it starts out through a hole that is about 15 foot in diameter (the top of the hole opens up but if you get high you will be in the tree branches that are further down the fairway. If you hit the shrubs surrounding the hole during the rainy season you drop into a 30 foot wide 2 foot deep puddle. Once through the gap you have to keep it tight and straight. Each side of the 15 to 20 foot wide fairway is sprinkled with numerous trees. A kick to the left puts you in heavy shule (15 to 20 foot high) that lines the fairway all the way to the basket. If you stay straight, at about 360 feet, the hole leaves you a clean run up to the basket (more later). To the right there are just enough trees to make it difficult. Once you clear the trees you are laying up a 15 foot high rise to the basket. The rise plays to the left so even if you play straight and long and get through you will be well out from the pin. The pin is on the top of the rise which in flanked on two sides by a small bayou and a drainage ditch. The bayou is down a 25 foot drop off that is 5 feet beyond the basket. The drop off is steep and if you are over, you are in the water. The drainage ditch is perpendicular to the bayou and down a slope that while not as steep as the dropoff to the bayou, is still plenty steep.

To reitterate, the hole is set up so that you end up with an 80 to 150 foot upshot, up a rise to a basket that is flanked on two sides with severe dropoffs. A par is very good and 4 is the norm for good players. Many come out with circle 6s and quite a few come out with 6 to 8 strokes without every going in the water. Coming out of the water is the worst. The rise is so steep that many bounce of the abundant shule or trees and go right back in.

I still remember my first par on this hole, what a rush.

Lyle's description of hole#8 at the Wilmont is excellent!

As compared to the rest of the course, the tee shot is one of the tightest windows you'll be required to hit. However, golfers of moderate skill, and especially those used to playing wooded courses, should not have diffculty in executing a 300-foot or more drive that leaves you an open window for the approach.

Ah, but the green and that approach is what defines this hole. Throwing a disc that nestles itself near the polehole without flying over the back/side into the bayou or drainage ditch is exceedingly challenging. The last time I played the hole I lost a treasured dyed Champion Firebird that I purchased on eBay. I got a larger skip than expected and went flying into the canal which was full at the time.

I think the secret to this hole is to just lay up near the bottom of the hill and hope to make a long putt. You'll probably miss and take a 4, but that beats the circle 5 or worse you'll take if you find water.

Lastly, as great as hole#8 at Wilmont is, I do not consider it the signature hole at that course. Elevation changes in that portion of Texas are rare, and the 16th hole at Wilmont tees from the top of a man-made amphitheater seating area. The hole itself is fairly straightforward, a wide open crush of about 580 feet, but with an elevation drop of 35-40 feet, you'll empty your bag trying to reach the polehole. It's definitely one of the best (and one of my favorite) holes in the entire Houston area.

Hole #27 at Dela aka top of the world

Interesting that a lot of people are posting difficult holes as their definition of 'best'...

good choice picking #1 at waterworks in KC, that is one of my fav holes as well, no matter what pos its in.

Hole #27 at Dela aka top of the world



Awesome. I have a picture I took of hole # 27.

Took my camera , set it up , took my Orange Aviar and cranked a line drive at the hole. The Aviar is clearly visible , holding a flat line at the basket !!!!!

You can clearly see the entire hole , other parts of the park and the coastline of Monterey Bay with sailboats in the background !!!!!

Interesting that a lot of people are posting difficult holes as their definition of 'best'...



that is because holes which are difficult AND fair (as well as unusual, beautiful,etc) ARE the best.

my favorite hole in all of DG is the signature hole fifteen (http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/Dome/8338/Rockburn/rockburn.swf) at rockburn.

that is my favorite course and IMO best in the state of MD, but i will not be returning until the poison is gone come sept or oct. the prednosone is finally starting to clear this mess up :(

I also love hole #15 at Rockburn and it is certainly the signature hole of that course.

Two of my favorite signature holes:
#11 at Seneca (long tee to C-pin)
#10 at the Woodshed (short tee across the pond)

I'm from Austin Tx., and recently had a chance to play the Waterworks course in K.C. I agree that #1 is a beautiful hole, as is the rest of the course. We also had the opportunity to play Walnut Ridge in Des Moines and it was a nice course as well, but I think The Waterworks may be the prettiest that we have played so far. We have some really nice courses close to home ( Circle R Hill and Meadow courses are both incredible ) but those courses out of state were a nice change of pace.

Hole #1 at Prompton DGC Honesdale PA

About 390' or so, downhill to a pennisula with the beautiful Prompton Lake as a backdrop. If you want to pin this sucker you'll have to flirt with the water some. If your disc flattens a hair too long you're wet and most likely out a disc.
Incredibly beautiful, nice risk,reward action and a little suspense and anticipation as you walk down to the green to see if you have a head banger deuce or a putt for circle three.

Excellent choice Steve!

The distance is actually listed at 434 feet. I don't know if that's straight to the basket or following around the contour of the peninsula. With an elevation drop of 30-40 feet, one's thing for sure is that it plays a lot shorter than it really is, especially if you turn your disc over even slightly.

Here are a few of my NorCal favorites:

Highland Springs - 18 from the blues. This is short elevation change hole where your choices are dropping it in from above through the trees or hitting the small 5ft tunnel window all the way to the basket which is in view. Great shot to step it up and ace the drive. I avioded the window in June's tourney and was dreaming about it forever. Had to return to hit the window. No ace though..

Dela, 27 top of the world has been mentioned, also the Refrigerator hole...hole 12. http://www.delaveagadiscgolf.com/content/view/45/77/

Another raised elevation tee to lower elevation basket where you have to drop the shot down to a raise basket on a hill.

Stafford Lake - make or brake hole is 6. 400ft from the top of the hill to baskets on another hill. Fun.

Also at stafford, hole 17 makes for nice views in the pictures.
http://www.cabdesigns.net/gallery//Disc-Golf

Wilits KOA
Holes 15 and 16. Both are placed on a ridge where wind is no joke. On 16...if you end up on the wrong side of the ridge and wind....you can only putt forward about 10ft without risking the disc catching the wind and flying above your head and back! Not fun or easy, but a great test of your mental game.

I'll be checking out Paw paw, seneca, rockburn and patapsco in early sept.

have fun all,
...nick

Excellent choice Steve!

The distance is actually listed at 434 feet. I don't know if that's straight to the basket or following around the contour of the peninsula. With an elevation drop of 30-40 feet, one's thing for sure is that it plays a lot shorter than it really is, especially if you turn your disc over even slightly.



Stepped up to that tee and PROMPTly threw my driver straight out into the deep water. Do not pay attention to the listed distance ... it plays much shorter! I do love that hole though...

Hole 8 at Vallarta/Ast, Deforest, WI
Hole 18 Earlewood Park, Columbia, SC
Hole 12 Hornets Nest, CharloTTe, NC
Holes 3, 5, 12, and 18 Winthrop Gold, Rock Hill, SC
Hole 1 The Country Course, Louisburg, NC
Hole 8 Castle Hayne, Wilmington, NC
Hole 13 (aka I-5) and 27 DelaVeaga, Santa Cruz, CA
Hole 24 Sandy Point, Lac de Flambeau, WI
Holes 1, 12, 16 (aka The Nipple), 18, 25, 27 The Gran Canyon, Brooksville, FL
Hole 18 Warwick Park, Warwick, NY Long to Long
Holes 3, 5, 9, 18 Zebulon Park, Zebulon, NC


To name a few

Hole 8 at Vallarta/Ast, Deforest, WI
Hole 18 Earlewood Park, Columbia, SC
Hole 12 Hornets Nest, CharloTTe, NC
Holes 3, 5, 12, and 18 Winthrop Gold, Rock Hill, SC
Hole 1 The Country Course, Louisburg, NC
Hole 8 Castle Hayne, Wilmington, NC
Hole 13 (aka I-5) and 27 DelaVeaga, Santa Cruz, CA
Hole 24 Sandy Point, Lac de Flambeau, WI
Holes 1, 12, 16 (aka The Nipple), 18, 25, 27 The Gran Canyon, Brooksville, FL
Hole 18 Warwick Park, Warwick, NY Long to Long
Holes 3, 5, 9, 18 Zebulon Park, Zebulon, NC


To name a few



no hhawk hhollow hholes schhweb? :p

Hole 8 at Vallarta/Ast, Deforest, WI
Hole 18 Earlewood Park, Columbia, SC
Hole 12 Hornets Nest, CharloTTe, NC
Holes 3, 5, 12, and 18 Winthrop Gold, Rock Hill, SC
Hole 1 The Country Course, Louisburg, NC
Hole 8 Castle Hayne, Wilmington, NC
Hole 13 (aka I-5) and 27 DelaVeaga, Santa Cruz, CA
Hole 24 Sandy Point, Lac de Flambeau, WI
Holes 1, 12, 16 (aka The Nipple), 18, 25, 27 The Gran Canyon, Brooksville, FL
Hole 18 Warwick Park, Warwick, NY Long to Long
Holes 3, 5, 9, 18 Zebulon Park, Zebulon, NC


To name a few



no hhawk hhollow hholes schhweb? :p

I said to name a few, but since you said something.

holes 1, 4 my favorite, 8, 10, 12, 15.

I'll second the sentiment re: #15 Rockburn Branch, #27 DeLaveaga, #11 Seneca Creek, and #6 Stafford Lake - those are all beautiful and fun signature holes. I'll add an underappreciated gem from here in Central VA - #17 at Walnut Creek. Beautiful view of lake and surrounding foothills, tee on top of a steep, steep hill, long straight shot to a basket either just inside the treeline, or, even better, further along down the hill to just before a deep, fast stream. A great hole and a great view, and a good finish to a beautiful course.

Here's the signature hole#15 at Moraine State Park outside Pittsburgh, PA. After emerging from the woods, an awesome expanse opens up in front of you of Lake Arthur and the Rt. 422 bridge crossing.

From the blue tee, the hole is a pro par four, listed at 852 feet, with significant elevation drop the whole way. A long but safe 425' drive is needed to reach the landing zone, which is bordered by an OB road on the left and small trees on the right. From there, you throw another crush of equal length down to the polehole situated just in front of the lake. You can fire over the small trees on the right, or take the direct route right at the polehole, which can be spotted in the small dirt circle in the second picture. Recording a birdie three on this hole is something to really savor!

http://www.centxdglove.com/uploads/MoraineHole15smaller.jpg

http://www.centxdglove.com/uploads/MoraineHole15approachsmaller.JPG

All of these holes are listed b/c there is some reason they left an impact on me....

Tar River - Louisburg NC - 15 17 18
Buckhorn - New Hill NC - 1 (long) 8
Hornests Nest - Charlotte NC - 6 8 14 18
Renny Gold - Charlotte NC - 2 10 14 15 17 18
Barnet Park - Kinston NC - 2 5
UNC - Chapel Hill NC - 5 18 (on the orginal course)
Glen Hilton - Hickory NC - 18
Yadkinville - Yadkinville NC - 6
ECU - Greenville NC - 13 16
The Meadow - Greenville NC - 15
Green Pines - Knightdale NC - 9
Ace Run Ranch - Suffolk VA - 1
The Grange Sunnyside - Spotsy VA - 12
Hawk Hollow Spotsy VA - 1 4 8 10 15 18
Golden Hills - Blacksburg VA - 3
Stillwaters Farm - Govan SC - Truth Hole (depends on layout which hole it is)
Hampton Park (temp course) - Charleston SC - 17
Ealrwood - Columbia SC - 5 15 16 18
Crooked Creek - Chapin SC - 2 7 8 9 16
Withrop Gold - Rock Hill SC - 1 3 5 6 8 16 17 18
Tom Triplett Park - Savannah GA - 5
Z-Boaz - Ft. Worth TX - 2 4 9
Circle R-2 Colorado River - San Saba TX - 16 17 18
Circle R-2 Strawbale Field - San Saba TX - 10
Grandview - Des Moines Iowa - 10 17
Carol Marty - Des Moines Iowa - 1 18 (17 at worlds)
Ewing - Des Moines Iowa - 10 11 18
Walnut Ride - Des Moines Iowa - 9 18

I'll second #17 at Walnut Creek. One of those holes where you empty the bag the first time you play it.

the nut is a great course. hole 17 is one of the best holes in va and maybe the most fun single shot in va. (told bonday that when we were designing it) the blue ridge dgc will host a c tier- the mountain jam- weekend of usdgc for those interested. the brdgc has done a great job in a relatively short time of jumpstarting dg in the greater charlottesville area.

moraine looks/sounds great and is a heck of a one-two punch when combined with knob hill (which i've always loved).

#1 at ace run is a forgotten classic- maybe still va's best hole. 600 feet with a 10 foot high manmade berm down one side and ob down the other to a slightly elevated island green!! :) i saw it have its impact on mtl. :o

hole 1 at hh had an impact on that big ole noggin'. :o

Sure is nice seeing a hole that I helped design in here.

Moraine sure is beautiful!!!! Anyway, I remember when I first saw that hole. The 2 people who were scouting out the land showed me the view. But at that time the hole only played to the end of the fairway in the 1st picture. I kept saying it needs to go down there...as close to the lake as possible. They kind of laughed at me. At this time it was hole 4..lol Anyway I took J Gary out the next week and I remember showing him what they thought would be a good hole. And I said, I think it should go down...before I could finish my sentence, J Gary said " it should go down there, by the lake" And that was that. After 6 more months of designing and redesiging, the hole was born #15. Thanks to the prison crew who worked to help clear the hillside of all the trees.

If you havent played it yet, make sure you ake the trip. Every bit as nice as Knob Hill, but even more secluded...at least for now.

Oh yeah....if you want to sponsor that lake view hole for 3 years, the cost is $300. You can have anything on the teesign that you would like...except for alcohol related stuff. $300 for 3 years..what a deal. Especially for you disc vendors because the closest place to buy discs is 35 miles away right now!!!

#11 George Ward Park; Birmingham AL, 410ft Par 3
Ideal first shot is a 320ft turn over shot onto a large open area where the short pin placement is, fairly large Oak trees spaced at 30ft intervals encompass the area which you have to navigate through. There is OB on the left side which swallows shots that fade out to much. Next shot is a tunnel shot made for an ideal side arm. The tunnel is 15ft wide and approximately 40ft long. The basket is at the end of the tunnel slightly downhill and to the right. A guantlent of sapling trees guard the pin and can slap down upshots leaving the player with a 20ft downhill putt. There is an alternate route if you have the arm for it. A low ceiling hyzer route about 380ft through a 30ft gap between Oak and Pine trees. If successful, the player will be left with a 30ft overhand pancake shot over a large bush to the basket. If the player hits an early tree or throws the disc too high (15ft), the player will struggle to get 4 as a three is nearly impossible from that far back on the right side of the fairway. This hole has never been dueced.



Why can I not remember this hole? What holes are near it? From what I can recall, #10 is walking back across the parking lot. #11 is usually in a short position, isn't it? I thought I remembered it having 3 positions - left, center, and right, all under 320' or so?

# 4 old settlers is pretty cool

Chris, do ya'll play the cart path on #4 as OB? Meaning you have to stay to the left of the path once past the bridge.

yes and you have to stay left of the tree line before the bridge. there should be some orange paint in line with the side walk heading back up the fairway in line with the trees.

#11 George Ward Park; Birmingham AL, 410ft Par 3
Ideal first shot is a 320ft turn over shot onto a large open area where the short pin placement is, fairly large Oak trees spaced at 30ft intervals encompass the area which you have to navigate through. There is OB on the left side which swallows shots that fade out to much. Next shot is a tunnel shot made for an ideal side arm. The tunnel is 15ft wide and approximately 40ft long. The basket is at the end of the tunnel slightly downhill and to the right. A guantlent of sapling trees guard the pin and can slap down upshots leaving the player with a 20ft downhill putt. There is an alternate route if you have the arm for it. A low ceiling hyzer route about 380ft through a 30ft gap between Oak and Pine trees. If successful, the player will be left with a 30ft overhand pancake shot over a large bush to the basket. If the player hits an early tree or throws the disc too high (15ft), the player will struggle to get 4 as a three is nearly impossible from that far back on the right side of the fairway. This hole has never been dueced.



Why can I not remember this hole? What holes are near it? From what I can recall, #10 is walking back across the parking lot. #11 is usually in a short position, isn't it? I thought I remembered it having 3 positions - left, center, and right, all under 320' or so?



This is because Tom Monroe and I designed this new position this past December, it was fully installed in March. It has become a favorite by locals.

Clowns Mouth USDGC

Im surprised no one has mentioned #10 at Ewing Park, Des Moines yet.

That's partly because it was not set at the right length for Worlds based on Houck's pre-Worlds recommendation. It needed to be a little bit shorter to produce better scoring spread among Open players. Played safe, it was a pretty routine 4 and the risk reward wasn't enough to risk 3 for most Open players. If it was set shorter, trying for the 3 would have been a worthwhile risk.

Im surprised no one has mentioned #10 at Ewing Park, Des Moines yet.



Look up a few posts at my long list of holes!

are you sure your talking about 10??
10 was a very easy 3....based on what I just read I think you are talking about 12 (the road hole)

You're right, I was talking about Ewing 12. Ewing 10 looks very cool and is fun to throw. But it's also a tweener on distance for Open. It's just out of range of most Open players which makes it a fairly routine 3 for most. It's a much better hole for amateurs from a technical standpoint and GMs like me, at least in the Worlds pin position.

Im surprised no one has mentioned #10 at Ewing Park, Des Moines yet.



Look up a few posts at my long list of holes!



Ah I see it now. I think its the funnest hole ive ever played. Its very safisfying emptying the bag just to get a few in the trees!