Riverside Park

A variety of short and long shots, righty/lefty shots, and a variety of elevation changes make Etowah one of my favorite courses. It’s probably one of the prettiest courses in Georgia, as well. Hol ... show more ›

A variety of short and long shots, righty/lefty shots, and a variety of elevation changes make Etowah one of my favorite courses. It’s probably one of the prettiest courses in Georgia, as well. Holes climb the mountain and skirt the Etowah River, to make for a very scenic round of disc golf.

Sometimes drainage can be a problem in the low areas on the first few holes. Some of the teepads are a bit short, but most folks can get a good pull for the distance required on those holes. Playing Etowah dry verus after some rain is a very different experience.

Sam Barfield and the Corps of Engineers do a fine job maintaining it and helping everyone have fun.

Etowah was a very nice course with only a few negatives. There is a lot of swampy areas that you have to navigate through, but they have built pathways that help you through it. There are a couple of ... show more ›

Etowah was a very nice course with only a few negatives. There is a lot of swampy areas that you have to navigate through, but they have built pathways that help you through it. There are a couple of really short tee pads, well actually only one that should be larger. Other than that, we loved it and will be back.

Played for the first time this morning and was really impressed when we started on hole #1, and the excitement grew from hole to hole. Couldn’t wait to see what the next hole was going to look like. ... show more ›

Played for the first time this morning and was really impressed when we started on hole #1, and the excitement grew from hole to hole. Couldn’t wait to see what the next hole was going to look like. Guess that’s the “seal of approval” for this course. Very beautiful, pictuecse, scenic looking. The whole park in general is clean and pristine. The flow of the course was great, up and down, then over and under, just a continuous array of variety. I have no cons for this course. I know we played during no rain or snow, so only reviewing based on play today. Was just spectacular, a great usage of this beautiful land. Will definitely be playing on a regular basis, may even buy a year pass! Great job Sam, great job!

Pros: Etowah DGC is a very scenic one-of-a-kind course. It is set in the beautiful Riverside Day Use Area situated at the base of the Allatoona Dam on the Etowah River. The views from many of the hole ... show more ›

Pros: Etowah DGC is a very scenic one-of-a-kind course. It is set in the beautiful Riverside Day Use Area situated at the base of the Allatoona Dam on the Etowah River. The views from many of the holes enhance your experience and blend the feeling of a foothill hike with a round of disc golf. The rolling hills around the park are thickly forested with a variety of hardwoods, ornamental trees, shrubs, and ferns. Look out for some stunning rock features and other scenic landmarks as you work your way through the course. Not unlike a couple of the later holes, where you play as the Etowah River hurries along beside you, you'll also play near and over a tributary creek on three of the holes. This course truly offers some scenery not found at any of the other metro Atlanta courses.

Etowah cut its teeth as a modest 18 hole, 5233-foot, par 56 course. Since then, the course has matured well and has "broken in" nicely. Meanwhile, the designer, Sam, has never been one to be content with idle hands. He seems to always be up to something out on the course. Beyond the ever-important maintenance and upkeep, there have been some meaningful additions as well. Today you will find what is considered the "regular 20-hole layout" ringing up at roughly 5580 feet and playing as par 62. So far, just holes 8 and 20 have alternate pin placements. Hole 8 only adds some marginal distance up the hill, but also offers different options on the split uphill fairway. Meanwhile, hole 20's longer placement takes a relatively easy birdie shot and will have you fighting for par with a mando while flirting with some tricky out of bounds. It will add about 140 feet to the much more manageable 220-foot original position. In addition, a few longer pads have been added (dubbed the "super tees"). You will find them on holes 11 through 17 (16 and 17 shares long pad). Overall, they add roughly 975' to the course and although par is not officially established by the designer, many would argue that 12, 15, and 17 become par 4's.

You will find a parking lot dedicated to disc golf with ample space. While there, be sure to check out the informational kiosk that relays course info and an overhead map. The kiosk is also home to the lost disc drop box. It is hoped that folks who find discs can drop them off in hopes that they will be reunited with the rightful owners (look for lost discs posted on the Etowah Facebook page periodically). Trash receptacles including aluminum and plastic recycling bins are at the edge of the lot for everyone's convenience. Note that there are no trash containers on the course and that is by design (pack it in and pack it out). There are clean restrooms with a water fountain across the road near hole one. There is also water spigot during the warm season at the pavilion between 11 and 12.

This parking area has a perfect place to warm up. On the left side of the parking lot in the grassy field, you will find the practice baskets/driving range (look for the red banded baskets). Take note of the distance markers on the parking lot in increments of 50' to up to about 350' to the deepest red basket. The second red practice basket is nearer to the parking lot and situated in such a way that it is ideal for brushing up on your pre-round putting. Some folks take advantage of throwing from the longer basket back to the shorter while sighting in their upshots. Then they are able to finish by finally working on that putting routine at the short basket.

Moving back to the course, you find it outfitted with turf tee pads, another feature not found on many courses. Now that they have a few years of use, they have proven themselves to be durable. They feel great and do the job nicely. Unassuming tee signs with only hole distances and par will also welcome you at each pad. Sturdy composite benches on each tee come in handy, especially after some hikes in the heart of the course. DisCatcher baskets of course catch well, but the yellow bands also make finding the basket easy in even the thickest part of the course. After you finish each hole, look out for directional arrows on the bottom of the baskets or other cues pointing the way to the next tee.

As far as the holes are concerned, you will find a diverse layout with holes ranging from 185' to 585'. The land provides plenty of elevation and the designer took advantage of that with uphill, downhill, and valley shots. Of course, you will find sweeping left and right shots as well. There are several memorable holes, but hole four, the cave shot, looks to be the crowd favorite and you will be fighting the urge to unload your bag on this one! Not to be outdone by hole four, the other holes have a lot to offer as well. Ace shots present themselves to just about everyone who plays at one point or another along the way. Being that the course is on the shorter side, there are birdie opportunities galore. Ringing up as many as you can early in the round will help cover a multitude of sins in the long run. Advanced/open players will likely have a chance on every hole. With that said, it has some challenging shots that can test even the sharpest of shooters. On the par fours, look for clearly defined fairways that demand good placement shots. Some of the shorter shots tighten up in the woods and if you are off your line, just saving par can be challenging. And for those who find the tighter woods shots to be grueling, you will find some relief on the finishing holes as things start to open and add some variety to the course.

Note that you will find some OB from time to time along the course. The designer intends that the course play under a relatively new OB option. During a PDGA event this OB rule is available at the discretion of the TD: you play from the closest in-bounds point (similar to a lateral hazard in golf). Sam and those who run leagues use this option. As such, most locals follow suit and play "lateral in" when playing casual as well. For clarity, when out of bounds using this provision, your next lie would be based on the following from the official rules of the PDGA. "A lie designated by a marker disc placed on the playing surface at any point on a one-meter line that is perpendicular to the out-of-bounds line at the point that is nearest to the position of the disc".

As far as the difficulty is concerned, the designer mentioned the layout is geared with the recreational, intermediate, and low advanced players in mind. He went on to say that his goal was that advanced to open players should still enjoy the course. Although I do not fall into the latter category, I happen to agree. Based on feedback I have heard from a wide range of skill leveled players, everyone seems to really love all the course offers. Having said that, do not be misled into thinking that this is just another pitch and putt course. It is much more than that. There may be courses with a bigger "wow factor" and/or championship caliber but with the intended design, amenities, and overall ambiance of the course, I'll still give it a 4 out of 5.

At tournament time, there is a possibility to use one extra hole for a 21-hole layout using 12' s long pad (referred to as 11-b) to a temporary basket placement in grassy area to the left of the parking lot. Nice pavilions are available and serve well as tournament central as needed. Given the park infrastructure, this is an ideal park and course for tournaments.

Oh yeah, for those that find it important, alcohol is allowed in the park and is another feature you won't find at many public metro Atlanta courses.

Cons: The biggest con you will find is some drainage issues on the course, particularly holes 1-5. This is mainly on the low-lying areas. After a lot of rain and/or the winter season, expect some soupy and possibly flooded areas (better described as large puddles). Efforts have been made and are likely to continue to make footbridges and steppingstones to help cross the areas. In the dryer summertime season, you probably won't even notice.

Some may consider the moderate hike that it takes to navigate the hilly side of the course a tad bit strenuous. Those with physical limitations need to beware. It is not overly taxing, but it should be noted. Most folks leave the carts at home for this one, but I have dragged mine through and its certainly not impossible.

While I think the course layout is great considering the available land, there were some limitations. A few holes play across/beside the park roads. Typically, in course design, this would be an issue that is best avoided. Unfortunately, this was not possible given the allowed and available areas in the park for the course. The consolation is one road is ordinarily closed and with the low park use, the main road is not very busy. Even so, you can see any infrequently approaching vehicles from a safe distance before you throw. With any common sense and old fashion courtesy, this should not be an issue.

There are some areas where it is tough to get a good footing on the holes, especially on the before mentioned hole four. You will need to be careful in a few spots. There are some nice steps in place to get from hole to hole, but at times you may find yourself on some steep and slick slopes. There is also some potential for a bad tree kick or errant shots to send you into some areas where disc retrieval can be tough or at least aggravating. This only comes into play on a couple holes. This is not so much a con as much as an FYI as some will not mind and others will.

Some folks grumble about a few of the shorter than normal tee pads and/or some drop-offs at the front. They are certainly manageable by most players as generally run-ups are not necessary on these particular holes.

Although the course is free for unlimited play, there is a park fee of $5 per car (note as of Sept 2020 there is no charge due to Covid19 provisions). This is reasonable given the amenities at the park but historically some disc golfers like to keep their wallets closed.

Besides that, there are not a lot of cons in my view.

Other Thoughts: Big thanks to all involved including the Corp of Engineers who allowed the installation of the course. Although he prefers to stay out of the spotlight, Sam Barfield is the workhorse behind the course, and we all thank him. It was a nearly 4-year venture to get the course installed. Beyond the red tape of getting the course approved, Sam, along with the help of many other disc golf enthusiasts, put in literally countless hours to get the course where it is today. Instead of the impossible task of counting the hours, it is more accurate to measure his time and labor in weeks and months. There are few folks I know who have the determination and patience it took to get the course where it is today.

Speaking of Sam, he is the course liaison and Corp contact. He views the course in much the same way I imagine he treats his home. He loves to have visitors. If you are lucky, you may run into him on your visit. He is really a one-of-a-kind character. He is good-natured, jovial, friendly, and he really needs no other introduction. Believe me, you will know him when you meet him. If you have ever wondered if you have met Sam, you haven't met Sam. He is sure to greet you with a smile, give you a warm welcome to the course and a hearty handshake (not during Covid season, of course). He will probably ask you your opinion of the course, maybe tell you a story or two about the course's history, or just chit chat for a bit. You will know he really likes you if he heckles you for hitting a tree or laughs that unmistakable "Sam laugh" while your disc takes an unfortunately roll down the hill. He is the only person who can do that while somehow not being offensive. On the other hand, he does want you to do well too. If you get an ace, be sure to reach out as he has made up some mini bag tags inscribed with "Etowah Ace Club" to help you commemorate your achievement.

He wants everyone to enjoy the course and by his own admission he has always put a premium on fun. He loves to see folks from all walks of life, age, and gender enjoying the course whether local or travelers. He particularly enjoys seeing new players, families, and those who enjoy the sport recreationally. But he does not overlook the weekend warriors with a more competitive spirit. On occasion throughout the year he throws amateur tournaments targeting different interests, age groups, and skill sets. I think his favorite (and mine too) is the "Etowah Masters" event geared and limited to only players aged 40 and above. Later in the year, there is the popular "Fall Salute" which is open to all amateur players. During the rainy spring season, he takes advantage of the wet and muddy forest floor and holds a bring your own partner doubles event dubbed the "Mud Swap" which also coincides with a lunchtime swap meet where players can trade and bargain for one another's disc golf gear and paraphernalia. There is even a beginner friendly "Trilogy Challenge" event where participants get three new discs as part of their entry that they must use during the round. Other times throughout the year, some of the locals who have been under Sam's tutelage have begun league play. They have even incorporated a weekly PDGA sanctioned league (check Etowah social media for days and times for any events).

The park itself is nice and for the most part underused. However, there are certainly things to do here for those that might be bringing non-disc golfers along. Fishing, swimming/wading/kayaking in the river, hiking, playgrounds, picnicking, and more are all here. Being 5 min (3 miles) from the Red Top Mountain exit on I-75 makes this an easy course to tag if you are traveling through, and again, plenty of things to do to keep the non-golfers busy while you play. Camping or other activities are also at the nearby Redtop Mountain State Park is also available.

Local tip - this course is particularly fun played with a group, but it is also hidden gem for a solo round to get away for a while if you catch it during non-peak times. I'd put it in the "must stop" category if you are traveling through and need a break.

I've read that the park is home to raccoons, opossum, bobcats, red and gray fox, white tail deer, squirrels, chipmunks and of course snakes. From time to time, you could even spot a black bear so keep your eyes peeled for some wildlife. I have also been told a couple of eagles have even been spotted.