Basic Information
Course Location: Dacusville Elementary School
Geographic Location: east of Easley, SC (34.91293, -82.54436)
Date Visited: March 2021
Number of Holes: 18
Course Length: 2295-5745 feet, par 55-59
Cost to Play: free
Difficulty Level: recreational, high
Carts: Some very steep terrain makes playing with a cart difficult.
Potential to Lose Discs: low to medium; dense trees on many holes
DG Course Review Page: https://www.dgcoursereview.com/course.php?id=9053
Driving Directions: From the intersection of US 25 and SR 183 on the west side of Greenville, drive SR 183 west/south 4 miles to Thomas Mill Road and turn right on Thomas Mill Rd. Drive Thomas Mill Rd. north 1.7 miles to Dacusville Elementary School. Turn right at the school's last entrance, and park in the small faculty parking lot on the northwest side of the school.
Course Constructions:
Tees: 3 tees per hole; mostly carpet or dirt tee pads
Baskets: Innova Disccatcher; they are in excellent shape. 1 basket per hole except for #1 and #16, which have 2 baskets.
Signage: information board near parking area; signs on every tee; many signs directing you to the next tee
Amenities: 1 bench, on #11 tee; practice basket
Special Note: Because this course is located on the property of Dacusville Elementary School, it is closed when school is in session. Plan a weekend or holiday visit.
Summary Review: 4 Stars (out of 5)
The disc golf course at Dacusville Elementary School lies north of the school building on a heavily wooded plot of land that features a steep ravine. The fantastic wooded setting made me feel like I was playing in a park even though this is a school course. The front nine plays mostly in the ravine, while the back nine plays mostly on the ridgetop. Every hole has 3 tees: blue, white, and green in order from back to front. The multiple tees give players great flexibility in terms of choosing their difficulty. The blue tees are a tight championship test, while the green tees reduce the course to a beginner/putter course with almost every hole under 200 feet. The signage is abundant and excellent. Even though there are a couple of long walks from basket to next tee and a couple of route quirks, I had no trouble finding the next tee. The constructions need improvement, especially the tees, and restrooms are also a needed addition. Overall, I came here with low expectations: courses located adjacent to schools are typically not the best. That said, this course easily exceeded my expectations, and I consider it an under-rated and up-and-coming course in the Upstate.
Hole-by-Hole Review
Distances taken from hole signs. Picture sequence for each hole is 1) white (middle) tee, 2) approach, 3) basket to tee.
Hole #1: 340/200/130 feet, par 3 for short basket; 525/385/315 feet, par 4 for long basket
Comments: the blue tee is located near the practice basket; the white and green tees are located down the hill and across the road. The road is OB, as it should be. Somewhat thrilling for an opening hole, the steepness of this land becomes apparent on the very first throw. When you are climbing down into the steep ravine after your initial throw, being careful not to fall, you may be wondering what you have gotten yourself into, but only a couple of holes are as steep as this one. Both baskets are protected by a small creek, your first of many encounters with this creek. The pictures above are of the short basket. #2 tee is through the woods to the right just past #9 tee; the course route crosses itself at those tee pads.
Hole #2: 260/230/110 feet, par 3
Comments: this hole plays across the ravine. Be thankful for the wooden bridges that allow you to cross the creek dryfoot; they looked rather new on my visit. The basket at the edge of the woods has a clever location in a small flat spot on the steep hillside. #3 tee is in the woods to the left.
Hole #3: 350/260/120 feet, par 3
Comments: a flat but very scenic hole. The fairway crosses and re-crosses the creek before reaching the basket, which is slightly uphill to the right. #4 tee is uphill behind the basket and to the right.
Hole #4: 210/200/110 feet, par 3
Comments: another short hole that plays across the ravine, similar to #2 but heading north instead of south. #5 tee is through the woods to the right.
Hole #5: 335/290/140 feet, par 3
Comments: the first of two consecutive open holes, the only two open holes on this course, this hole plays along the edge of Dacusville Middle School's ball field. This is a nice change-of-pace hole. #6 tee is at the top of the hill behind the basket, but they want you to loop around the more gradual trail to the #6 tee rather than walk up the super-steep hill.
Hole #6: 515/515/235 feet, par 3/4
Comments: the combined blue/white tee is elevated 20 feet above the fairway, which is literally as wide as a soccer field. So it's time to let one rip! This is more or less the only opportunity you get to really drive a disc on this course. Don't get too aggressive with the approach: the terrain drops off steeply to the road behind the basket. #7 tee is at the edge of the woods to the right.
Hole #7: 300/190/120 feet, par 3
Comments: back in the woods, this hole is another tight wooded hole across the creek, but the terrain is pretty flat this far down the ravine. #8 tee is several hundred feet away across the creek and to the right; follow the trail markers to reach it.
Hole #8: 275/190/100 feet, par 3
Comments: a tight, gradually uphill wooded hole. Other than the two open holes across the ballfield, this is the first hole that does not involve the creek in some way. #9 tee is several hundred feet behind the basket; again, follow the trail markers to reach it.
Hole #9: 185/145/80 feet, par 3
Comments: another short hole that plays across the ravine, this hole is very similar to #2 and #4 and slightly similar to #7. This is a good hole concept, but it gets a little redundant when you have seen it the third or fourth time in 8 holes. The basket is behind some small trees on a very steep hill, every bit as steep as the pictures indicate. #10 tee is uphill and along the road near the parking lot.
Hole #10: 270/190/115 feet, par 3
Comments: a short uphill hole with the basket at the edge of the woods. The road is OB, as it should be. This hole (and most of the back nine) has a very different feel than the front nine, and I like the change of scenery. #11 tee is behind the basket in the woods.
Hole #11: 260/170/125 feet, par 3
Comments: The next few holes play through what looks to be a pine planting: the pine trees are close together and all about the same size. Some of the trees have been cut down to make the fairways better defined, which is a good thing in my view. #11 is short but slightly uphill and a dogleg left; pick your line carefully or the pine trees will gobble up your disc. #12 tee is to the left and behind the basket.
Hole #12: 235/200/135 feet, par 3
Comments: an interesting downhill hole with a double fairway: the blue and white tees play down separate fairways. #13 tee is to the right.
Hole #13: 340/255/110 feet, par 3
Comments: slightly uphill through more pines, this is one of the tightest and hardest holes on this course. #14 tee is in front of the basket and uphill to the right.
Hole #14: 280/230/150 feet, par 3
Comments: another very tight hole, this hole plays up and over a low ridge. Like #11, you have to pick your line through the pines carefully. #15 tee is downhill behind the basket.
Hole #15: 430/280/170 feet, par 4
Comments: short for a par 4, this hole is a sharp dogleg right from the blue tee but straightaway from the white and green tees. Several pine trees stand directly between the tee and the basket. #16 tee is across the hill to the left.
Hole #16: 260/200/110 feet, par 3 for short basket; 380/325/230 feet, par 4 for long basket
Comments: the next two holes are my favorite holes on this course. This hole plays steeply downhill with a slight dogleg left, but there are no trees close to the basket. Thus, the short basket is aceable with a good hyzer throw. I'm not really a fan of the long basket on this hole. #17 white tee is back up the hill in front of the short basket and to the right; the #17 blue and green tees are along the creek to the right.
Hole #17: 185/185/70 feet, par 3
Comments: another hole with ace potential, the three tees offer three very different angles to approach the basket. The white tee is another dramatic downhill throw similar to #16 but doglegging to the right. The blue and green tees play from opposite sides of the creek. #18 tee is behind the basket, uphill and to the right.
Hole #18: 410/410/165 feet, par 4/4/3
Comments: a dogleg right, the tee shot is starkly uphill and almost blind. After you throw out of the ravine, it is a gradual uphill route through the pines to the basket.
