Basic Information
Course Location: Richard B. Russell State Park
Geographic Location: northeast of Elberton, GA (34.17609, -82.75466)
Dates Visited: July 2022, December 2022
Number of Holes: 18 hole "main" course plus an adjacent "Woods 9"
Course Length: 5464/5853 feet, par 55/56
Cost to Play: $9 ($5 park admission plus $4 disc golf fee)
Difficulty Level: recreational, medium
Carts: should be fine on the main course
Potential to Lose Discs: low
Park Information: https://gastateparks.org/RichardBRussell
DG Course Review Page: https://www.dgcoursereview.com/course.php?id=522
Front 9 Walkabout Video:
Back 9 Walkabout Video:
Back 9 Walkabout Video:
Driving Directions: From Elberton, take SR 77 north. On the north side of Elberton, turn right on Ruckersville Road , SR 77C. Take Ruckersville Rd. 7.9 miles to the park entrance, and turn right to enter the park. Pay the fees at the park office and continue along the main park road another 0.5 miles to the gravel disc golf parking area on the right. First tee for the main course is to the right (west) of course map sign.
Course Constructions:
Tees: concrete, 1 per hole
Baskets: Innova Discatcher, 1 per hole although some holes have multiple possible basket locations; in good shape on my visit
Signage: course map at parking lot; tee sign on every hole
Amenities: benches at many tees, bleachers for spectators; restrooms and other amenities are available in the park but not at the disc golf course.
Summary Review: 4 Stars (out of 5)
Richard B. Russell State Park offers 27 holes of disc golf accessed from the common parking area given above. The holes are grouped into a "main" 18 hole course and another 9 holes called the "Woods Nine." One disc golf fee allows you to play all 27 holes. The "main" course and the Woods Nine seemed different in almost every way to me, so I have chosen to review them separately. This review covers just the "main" 18 hole course, while the Woods Nine was covered in the previous review.
The Main Course plays over a lightly wooded rolling plot of land. An observant player will see some remnants of the farm that existed here before this park was built, and they give the course some character. The area is exclusively devoted to disc golf, so outside intrusions from vehicles and pedestrians will be minimal. I saw no major maintenance problems, although the grass on the lowland holes (#13 through #15) was getting a little long. Also, a large blowdown tree on #15 made the hole very hard to play. Most holes are fairly open. They are long enough to entertain a skilled player but open enough to not frustrate weak recreational players such as myself. Most holes are either long par 3's or short par 4's, and the thought occurred to me that a couple of shorter more technical holes (such as those found on the Woods Nine) would make the course more interesting by creating some ace opportunities. The course map near the parking area comes in handy occasionally: there is usually nothing else to point you toward the next tee. The extra disc golf fee is annoying, but it is standard for a Georgia state park. Overall, I enjoyed my round here, and most players will do the same.
Hole-by-Hole Review
Distances taken from course map. Picture sequence for each hole is 1) tee, 2) approach, 3) basket to tee.
Hole #1: 348/370 feet, par 3
Comments: a slightly downhill mostly open hole, only a couple of large red cedar trees guard the front right side of the basket. Thus, a left-to-right disc flight would be favored here. #2 tee is behind the basket.
Hole #2: 278/347 feet, par 3
Comments: one of the tighter holes on the main course, an accurate right-to-left or sweeping left-to-right throw will be required on the tee shot. The ceiling is rather low on the right side. The area around the basket is fairly open, so a good tee shot will set-up a birdie opportunity. #3 tee is in the woods behind the basket.
Hole #3: 211 feet, par 3
Comments: now at the northwest corner of the disc golf area, the course route turns to head south here. This is the shortest hole on the main course, but a couple of strategically placed pine trees stand between the tee and the basket. Thus, the ace opportunity here is minimal. Also, be sure to note the old wooden farm building (possibly an old tobacco barn?) to the left in front of the tee. #4 tee is through the woods behind the basket.
Hole #4: 240 feet, par 3
Comments: this sharp dogleg right plays gradually uphill. The woods to the right are dense, so you have to be careful how much of the dogleg you try to bite off. Another strategically placed red cedar tree stands directly in front of the basket. #5 tee is to the left.
Hole #5: 292/390 feet, par 3
Comments: a straight and fairly open hole, although trees do encroach on either side. Notice the single row of red cedar trees separating holes #4 and #5; these tree probably mark an old property or farm field boundary. #6 tee is to the right.
Hole #6: 334 feet, par 3
Comments: another straight hole, this hole plays slightly uphill and through a relatively narrow (for this course) gap in the trees. A pair of broadleaf trees guard the front right side of the basket. #7 tee is down a wooded trail to the right.
Hole #7: 338 feet, par 3
Comments: the most downhill hole on this course, a large pine tree guards the left side of the fairway. Also, the basket is located inside a ring of trees, so an accurate approach shot will be necessary. This might be my favorite hole on this course. #8 tee is across the swale to the left.
Hole #8: 330/340/355 feet, par 3
Comments: the inverse of #7, this relatively tight hole plays back up the hill. The length, tightness, and uphill nature of this hole make it possibly the hardest par 3 on this course. #9 tee is uphill through the trees behind the basket.
Hole #9: 319 feet, par 3
Comments: following the 2 best holes on this course are (possibly) the 3 worst holes on this course. This hole continues the uphill march of the previous hole. It is very open with no real obstacles between the tee and basket. #10 tee is to the right. Also, the parking lot is behind the basket if you only want to play 9 holes.
Hole #10: 385 feet, par 3
Comments: completely open, somewhat downhill, and as uninspiring as this sentence. #11 tee is beyond the trees behind the basket.
Hole #11: 280 feet, par 3
Comments: very similar to #10, but now a few pine tree branches hang just over the front of the basket. #12 tee is behind the basket, downhill in the woods.
Hole #12: 326 feet, par 3
Comments: finally a more interesting hole. This hole plays up and over a low ridge. A large number of trees need to be negotiated including several just in front of the tee and a couple in front of the basket. Some accurate throws will be needed to make birdie or maybe even par here. #13 tee is down the wooded trail to the right.
Hole #13: 267 feet, par 3
Comments: now come the two lowland holes routed beside the creek. Though short, a smattering of trees stand between the tee and the basket. These trees also form somewhat of a ceiling, so you have to either keep your disc low or be very accurate with your throw. Notice the pond off to the right of the basket; this is probably an old farm pond. #14 tee is to the left.
Hole #14: 279 feet, par 3
Comments: very similar to #13 but routed the opposite direction. Watch your disc height due to the subtle slope down to the basket. #15 tee is behind the basket.
Hole #15: 335/445 feet, par 3/4
Comments: now for something a little different: a long uphill par 3 or a short uphill par 4, depending on the basket position. The fairway is mostly wide but it has a narrow pinch near the top of the hill. A large blowdown tree blocked the fairway when I played here, thus rendering the hole difficult to play. I like the change of pace this hole offers. #16 tee is a couple hundred feet behind the basket.
Hole #16: 435 feet, par 4
Comments: similar to #12 but longer and with a wider fairway. The basket is tucked in the edge of the woods, so disc flight and angle of attack on the approach shot are critical. #17 tee is to the left along the edge of the woods; #W1 tee on the Woods Nine is into the woods to the right.
Hole #17: 217 feet, par 3
Comments: a sharp dogleg right, this hole plays dramatically uphill at first but flattens out when you get close to the basket. Trees overhang the right part of the fairway, so you have to either go left or keep your disc low. Also, the woods to the right are dense, so be careful how much of the dogleg you try to bite off. #18 tee is to the left.
Hole #18: 250/315 feet, par 3
Comments: a slight dogleg right with more dense woods to the right. Otherwise, this is a fairly open hole with plenty of room to the left, and it is a somewhat boring finishing hole.
