Valley Springs DGC

Accompanied by Lauren W. and Ally A., we visited the Valley Springs Disc Golf Course in Durham, NC on Saturday. Weather conditions were approximately 29 degrees Fahrenheit, with 5 mph winds on a partly-cloudy day.

Course Established: 1992
Holes: 18 Par 3 holes + 4 Additional "Fore Moor" Long Holes
Course Par: 54
Tee Type: Concrete
Hole Type: MACH 3
Course Length: 4345 ft.

Valley Springs is an extremely well organized DGC with three tee options (Red, White, & Blue), which provide different distances and angles in which you can play the course. The red tees are rather short in distance, but are great for beginners. Some of the holes have seasonal/monthly baskets, so you'll have to refer to the maps at each tee as reference. The great thing about this setup, is that each month the course is slightly different from the month before. This course features plenty of signage, including course layouts and information documenting seasonal/monthly basket placement.

Available Course Layouts:
Blue layout = Advanced Players
White layout = Intermediate Players
Red layout = Amateurs/Juniors/Intermediate Players

There are benches at the start of each hole for those requiring a resting area. There were even safety considerations built into the course, for example, one of the fairways cuts a 90 degree angle to the tee of the next hole, and they've added a net to protect players on the next tee.

This is a great course in the Durham, NC area. The park has a playground for kids, and some baseball fields for the members of your group that don't feel like playing disc golf. I am truly amazed at how well organized the course is designed and maintained. There are plenty of markers and signage to assist players to navigate the course.

Overall Rating: 8.00
Difficulty: 8
Easy to Navigate: 4
Terrain: 8
Hazards: 2
Thrower Traffic: 6

Pros:
- Well organized and maintained course.
- Full color map, documenting all holes, tees, and baskets on the course.
- Benches available all over the course for those in need of rest.
- Tight fairways and up to 90 degree turns create unique challenges.
- Safety nets available to protect players from stray discs.
- (Qty: 4) Additional "Fore Moor" holes specifically for long drive players.

Cons:
- Heavily wooded course which has a tendency to beat up on softer discs.
- Varying elevations (numerous hills), so bring your comfortable hiking shoes.
- Fall/Winter coverage of leaves on the ground create a slipping hazard.
- Baskets are difficult to distinguish from the surrounding terrain and woods.
- Very few open fairways that aren't surrounded by tight corridors and turns.



*Reviewed By James Wong, Course Played On: 1/17/2009

Hilarious Promo Video from FlashFlights.com!

Flashflight.com, a manufacturer of light-up (LED enhanced) discs, have managed the seemingly impossible. They have managed to make the sport of Disc Golf, and make it sexy! I ran across this video from their website, and I just had to share it with my friends!

So what do FlashFlight discs dream about? You'll find out about 30 seconds into the video! LOL...

Review of Innova's New Champion Boss Driver

Dave Feldberg Champion Boss Distance Driver

Classification: Distance Driver
Diameter: 21.2cm
Weight Range: 172 to 175 grams
Brief Description: "The Champion Boss is a fast long-range distance driver with stability. Designed for maximum distance off the tee. Great disc choice for sidearm or backhand throwers. Endorsed by 2008 World Champion Dave Feldberg. Available Plastics: Champion Best Choice for: Power players. Sidearm throwers. Fast, long distance off the tee."


Last week I ordered some Disc Golf supplies from DiscGolfCenter.com, which included two sets of Innova marker discs, a back strap, and two of the new Dave Feldberg Champion Boss Distance Drivers. Innova boasts on their website that it's their first Speed 13 Rated Distance Driver, and has the ability for improved wind and torque resistance. I was skeptical at first, being that I've worked in Marketing and currently in Communications/PR. After trying this disc out this past weekend however, I am sold on the reliability and performance of this newest Innova disc.

Once again, I made the trek out to Cedarock DGC (a course which is quickly becoming my course of choice), and played a few holes using the Champion Boss. Even with the 15mph winds and occasional 30mph wind gusts, the Champion Boss quickly dominated in speed, distance, and resistance to the moderate to heavy wind conditions on the course.

Many of you know that I am by no account a Professional Disc Golfer, but I do love the sport and I play whenever I can. The Champion Boss will take a little getting used to, but with enough practice and you'll find that this disc has the potential to be your primary distance workhorse on the course...


Overall Rating By Reviewer: 9/10
Pros: Excellent wind resistance, speed, and distance.
Cons: Not suited for beginners. A seemingly much stronger fade than indicated.

Cedarock Park DGC

This past Saturday afternoon was spent at Cedarock Disc Golf Course in Burlington, NC. This magnificent park is best described on the Alamance Parks & Rec website as:

"The crown jewel of the Alamance County Recreation and Parks Department, Cedarock Park and Historical Farm... Home to two Disc Golf courses open and wooded, several trails including walking trails, horseback riding, mountain biking, fishing pond, picnic shelters, beautiful scenery, and an historical farm. Cedarock is a wonderful place to visit!"

Established in 1987, Cedarock DGC boasts an amazing course length of 4,956ft, with an alternative course length of 6,077 ft. There are vast stretches of open grass fairways, covering 10 acres of rolling countryside, including nice elevation changes, lots of trees, and a creek. This is a beautiful, serene course which offers challenges for players of all levels.

Course Established: 1987
Holes: 18 Par 3 holes
Course Par: 54
Tee Type: Concrete
Hole Type: MACH 3
Course Length: 4956
Alternate Course Length: 6077

While playing the course with two other friends of mine, we quickly discovered that navigating the course was much more challenging than anticipated. We did not have the luxury of having a map on hand, so we often found ourselves uncertain of which direction the next tee would be. We highly suggest downloading and printing out a map (above), or playing this course with a friend that has played it at least once.

Overall, I truly enjoyed the course. The weather was beautiful, and the time spent with the ones I love made it all worthwhile (especially since it took approx. an hour and 15 minutes to drive to from Cary, NC).

Overall Rating: 7.25
Difficulty: 7
Easy to Navigate: 4
Terrain: 7
Hazards: 4
Thrower Traffic: 7

Pros:
A perfect compilation of different terrains, included wooded and open areas.

Cons:
Horribly difficult to navigate for new players, No public map/board found.

Official Website:
Cedarock Disc Golf Course


*Reviewed By James Wong, Course Played On: 1/3/2009