Pros: Super tight par 3s that are not gimme birdies, along with a couple of ace. Elevation changes that are enjoyable, but not terribly steep for a mountain course yet its a good workout at the same time. Every hole except one has some sort of elevation change/risk factor that just adds to the strategy here. Many holes cross the sides of steeply sloped hills which leads to many unexpected rollers, kicks, and if you are hyzering on the wrong side of the hill well lets just say you will probably be calling an "optional rethrow." These sidehill lies also come into mind on your run-up, actually scrach that, there are very few run-up opportunites here which could also be looked at as a con. Oh well Stand and Deliver. There are two sets of tees for a challenge to the advanced player yet begginer pads(currently on the small side) offer enjoyment for the ladies and children. Several hanging baskets provide that "go for broke or the glory" shot. Multiple lines through dense hardwoods, OB in play on 6 holes, and a wide open hole with a pond in play(#6) . The course is set up for an 18 design, and three sets of tees but that will not be complete until next summer of '13. This course requires you to use every shot, and nearly every disc, in your bag. While the front nine is not terribly long, the back 9 (becoming known as 'the north side') is full of loong mountain field shots scattered with white pines and low-lying bushes, many of which are prickly *see cons.
Two sets of tees(three in the near future) give big diversity to the course and offer new lines on a 2nd or 3rd go around.
A quick run through of the holes- 1) Dont go left off the tee, its thick and really out of bounds in tournament play, favor the right side the entire hole and make your sure you hit your putt or you will probally have a rollaway
2) steepest uphill climb on the course, it favors a thumber or tommy because there are several small trees guarding against a backhand or flick. This will be the first chance you have to go for birdie, risking rollaway hoping for a bogey coming back up, or lay-up on the well-defined and constructed green
3) One of my favorite holes on the course, super tight line off the tee that defiantly favors the RHBH player, the basket is perched on a stump so be confident in your putting
4) The hardest hole on this 9, some could consider it the signature because of the view from the fairway but others consider 6 the signature, anyway there are soo many trees on this hole. You can get sneaky through them but you really want ultra precision this entire hole. A par here is very respectable
5) The steepest downhill shot on the course, keep your tee shot low to make the arched tree 'Mando' and the tendencay here is to rise to the top of some huge pines. This hole favors a RHBH anny and would be regarded as an ace run hole if you keep it low
6) My friends say this is the signature hole I guess because it is the only open hole on the 9. The pin is tucked about 10 ft from a small pond that seizes anything short and right off the tee. Its rather short to be so open so def an ace run or birdie hole. This hole now has two positions, one located next to the pond and another that makes it play over 300'
7) An uphill dog-leg right with a mando in play off the tee. The distance here is borderline hard par 3 easy par 4 so I stuck a mando and call it a par 4 for the average player, there is still a lot off trees off the fairway so a 3 is not guaranteed but should be achieved
8) Good luck getting through the first gap off the tee, its about 3ft wide lol. It really is unfair but this course is so short you have to have some sort of challenge. If you make it through, you should have a look at birdie even though it is another hanging basket
9)This hole gives you many different options. Ive played a flick, anny, hyzer,thumber (my personal favorite) and the tommy on this hole. Its kinda short but there are many guardian trees so a two here is rare
10) This is a great little downhill ace run right around the 200' range. For the RHBH player put a little anny on a roc and you should be parked if you can sneak it through the well-defined gap
11) This is the epittimy of disc golf especially at Simple Pleasures. You step up to the tee as your group members relax on the nice bench and you go over what is in front of you. You see a small white flag in the distance tucked into a grouping of Abies fraserii (fraser fir-christmas trees!) a drastic slope hole from right to left, and several overhanging tree limbs seizing anything that is thrown to high. My advice on this hole, pull out the understable driver, release it on a hyzer and hope the wind doesnt turn it over lol. Even though it is a 441' field hole, a mid-range will more likely keep you in bounds
I enjoy and love really all the holes but here is my run through of my favortie to last
1-#16
2-#2
3-#4
4-#1
5-#11
6-#12
7-#6
8-#3
9-#10
10-#7
11-#14
12-#8
13-#9
14-#13
15-#15
16-#5
Cons: Some teebox's are located in the fairway of either the previous or next hole, while I realize this would be a major flaw in the design of a crowded park style course it doesnt really come to mind at Simple Pleasures because if you are able to play the course you wont see any other groups out there, and you will have the entire fairway all to yourself, me and possibly posey dog. Some teebox's are on the small side, I made them as my run-up worked so your's may not. Digging through clay not only causes major erosion but is quite difficult so that is why you will not see many 12'x4' concrete tees. I love concrete teepads but I simply dont have the money for them at the moment. I personally think the teepads work at Simple Pleasures, others may have issues. Many years ago our neighbors decided to dump a lot of old junk cars on the property and they are kind of an eyesore on number 4, yet they most certainly provide just an extra obstacle on your second shot so it can also be looked at as a pro. For this reason I have decided to make this area a buncer so I view it as a pro now. Newer courses are putting these into play and I like the idea of buncers so I decided this area should be one. Because my grandad insists on having cows and horses on my course (lol totally the other way around, because I owe him so much due to those cows) many holes cross a barbed wire fence that is keeping the cows in. I have installed a walk-thru and a ladder at two locations but it is still possible to have your shirt/pants ripped by a barb, keeping that in mind loose clothing may not be the best thing to be wearing when you play Simple Pleasures.
Along the newer additions to the course (holes 13-18) there are still many random prickley plants that will poke, stick and jab ya. Among the dreaded species present are Hawthornes, Japanese barberry, and wild raspberries (not a terrible thing for that late round crash however)
While the hole type is mixed throughout, overall all baskets are fairly consistent (besides #2, it is the only basket I have seen or built that requires an extra bit of energy to stick). It is private and because im a student at ncsu it is only open when im home for break. All of the baskets currently only have one set of chains, while they still catch OK I realize that two or even three loops of chains will do amazing things and whenever I get that $$ my baskets will catch just as good as an Innova DISCatcher!!
Other Thoughts: When the money becomes available this course has the potential to skyrocket. 4 sets of tees and two basket positions will eventually be in place to give even more diversity to the course. When the 18 is complete the front 9 will be mainly wooded and the back 9 will give you plenty of chances to air it out through mountain pastures, although woods are still mixed in here and there. But again this land is on my grandparents private property and they enforce that I must accompany whoever wants to play the course. There are no signs and no one would have any idea where #1 began, where the next hole is(some holes where the baskets are haha) and where it ends without myself so please just send a message and we can try and work out a time
Donations are accepted and would be lovely so I can put the money back into the course. I have big ideas for this place but I will not be able to complete that goal without funding coming from somewhere
So please make some time to pleasure yourself on a well-manicured mountain 11 holer
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andy laws
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June 10, 2013
