October 3, 2022 | Permalink
The sport of disc golf is alive and growing in Tennessee, especially within our Tennessee State Parks! Players of all ages and walks of life can immerse themselves in the natural beauty of our parks while tossing discs at a basket, whether it be for recreation or for competition. Read below for some of our must-play disc golf courses!
Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park
Address: 910 Riddick Road, Millington, TN 38053
Number of Holes: 36 (two 18-hole courses)
Course Landscape: Moderately hilly, heavy wooded
The park is home to one of the largest and most beautiful disc golf courses in the Southeast. The 36-hole wooded course is divided into two 18-hole courses (east course and west course) that offer beginners and advanced players a challenging game.
With two separate courses, this is the perfect park to stay overnight so you can play both courses! Visitors can choose from camping or cabins to best fit their style. And, the park is only 13 miles north of Memphis, so you are just a short drive away from world-famous restaurants and a fun city to explore!
Big Hill Pond State Park
Address: 1435 John Howell Road, Pocahontas, TN 38061
Number of Holes: 18
Course Landscape: Heavy wooded, narrow lanes
Established in 2022, this is Tennessee State Park’s newest disc golf course! The course is Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA) approved and is open daily from sunrise to sunset. You can find discs, course maps, scorecards, and other merchandise inside the Big Hill Pond State Park Visitor Center. Hole 1 starts by the gravel parking lot next to the basketball courts, and all holes have concrete tee pads.
With over 20 camping sites at the park, you can stay overnight to enjoy other fun activities! Big Hill Pond State Park has one of the few mountain biking trails at a Tennessee State Park. There are also numerous hiking trails throughout the park ranging from easy to moderate. You can also paddle or kayak on Big Hill Pond Lake to take in the sights from the water!
Pickwick Landing State Park
Address: 116 State Park Lane, Counce, TN 38326
Number of Holes: 9
Course Landscape: Mostly flat, lightly wooded
The course was designed to be beginner friendly while still providing an element of challenge for more experienced players. Some tees utilize existing hard surfaces and some are carpet. Each tee is marked with two red wooden blocks. The park features a lodge, restaurant, and campground players can utilize. Course maps are available at the front desk of the lodge or at the park office.
While at Pickwick Landing, make sure to check out the newly renovated lodge and restaurant! If you are looking for a more rustic getaway, they also have lots of cabins and campsites to choose from. Since the park sits on Pickwick Lake, there are lots of water activities including boating, swimming, fishing, paddling, and more!
Cedars of Lebanon State Park
Address: 328 Cedar Forest Road, Lebanon, TN 37090
Number of Holes: 18
Course Landscape: Mostly flat, heavily wooded
The course was designed with help from Ed Headrick in 1977. “Steady” Ed Headrick, the Father of Disc Golf, introduced Disc Golf to the world in the late 1960s. In 1976, Headrick founded the PDGA, which promotes disc golf through player and spectator participation, maintains rules and competitive standards, and pursues outreach.
Cedars of Lebanon’s disc golf course is an 18-hole short course landscaped through cedar woods with limestone karst topography. The throws needed are short but technical. The course stays busy year-round and is used frequently by local disc golfers, as well as hosts to a few tournaments throughout the year.
Henry Horton State Park
Address: 4209 Nashville Highway, Chapel Hill, TN 37034
Number of Holes: 18
Course Landscape: Mostly flat, moderately wooded
There is an 18-hole disc golf course inside the park that is free to the public. With level terrain and well-defined fairways, this is one of the best disc golf courses in Tennessee. Fairways range from open to narrow and are often mowed shorter than the rough in summer defining the course nicely. New baskets were installed in 2019 and there are concrete tee pads for every hole. With the upgrade in baskets, Henry Horton State Park is now able to host disc golf tournaments and recreation-based programming to the community.
Henry Horton State Park has lots of other amenities to offer disc golfers. The Duck River flows through the park and is one of the biggest draws. You can go for a nice kayak after playing a round to relax. They also have a newly renovated restaurant for you to dine and grab a cold one after a day of playing. If you would like to stay overnight to really immerse yourself in the park, Henry Horton has campsites, cabins, and a lodge.
Panther Creek State Park
Address: 2010 Panther Creek Park Road, Morristown, TN 37814
Number of Holes: 18
Course Landscape: Very hilly, moderately wooded
Panther Creek State Park is home to a beautiful 18-hole, championship-level disc-golf course, which opened to the public in May 2017 in Morristown, TN – which has named itself the Disc Golf Capital of Tennessee. This course was designed in compliance with PDGA guidelines by one of the premier disc-golf designers in the country. This world-class course is one of several excellent courses in the area played during the Tennessee Disc Golf State Championship each year. The course offers great elevation changes, challenging holes, and a mix of open and wooded fairways.
With so many other disc golf courses in the area, Panther Creek State Park is the perfect basecamp for your disc golfing getaway! Panther Creek State Park also has boat ramp access to Cherokee Lake, so kayaking and other paddling activities are popular things to do while you take a break from the discs.
Warriors’ Path State Park
Address: 490 Hemlock Road, Kingsport, TN 37663
Number of Holes: 27
Course Landscape: Moderately hilly, moderately wooded
The disc golf course is a very popular recreational facility at the park. It is a fun and challenging course with 22 holes. The local disc golf association maintains the course and holds frequent competitions. The course is considered as one of the best in the state!
When you visit this course, stay a while and enjoy the whole park! Warriors’ State Park has 94 campsites, each with water and electric hookups, picnic table, and grill. There is also the new Cedar Creek Hammock Campground! There are 3 campsites that hold 6, and one site that holds 24 hammocks for larger groups. Each site includes access to water, a stone picnic table, fire ring, lantern hook, and grill.
We hope to see you out on the course, and in the words of Steady Ed Headrick – “Whoever has the most fun wins!”
