Windmill Park Disc Golf Course at Banks County Parks and Recreation in Homer, GA

Basic Information

Course Location: Windmill Park

Geographic Location: Homer, GA (34.31380, -83.48875)

Date Visited: November 2023

Number of Holes: 24

Course Length: 6439 feet, par 73

Cost to Play: free
Difficulty Level: recreational, medium

Carts: usable, but beware of some steep areas

Potential to Lose Discs: low to medium; some densely wooded areas

Park Information: https://www.bankscountyga.org/parks-rec/page/park-maps

DG Course Review Page: https://www.dgcoursereview.com/courses/windmill-park.13516

UDisc Page: https://udisc.com/courses/banks-county-rec-department-S3UZ

Course Walkabout Video, Front 9:

Course Walkabout Video, Middle 8: 

Course Walkabout Video, Back 7: 

Driving Directions: In northeast Georgia, take I-85 to US 441 (exit 149).  Exit and go north on US 441.  Drive US 441 north 4.2 miles to Thomson Street and turn left on Thomson Street; there is a brown road sign for Banks County Parks and Recreation here.  Drive Thomson St. west 0.8 miles to the last entrance for Windmill Park on the left; #23 basket is located near this entrance.  Turn left to enter the park, then park in the disc golf parking lot on the right.  #1 tee is at the asphalt trail at the rear of this parking lot.

Course Constructions:

Tees: dirt/grass, 1 per hole

Baskets: Discatcher, 1 per hole, like new on my visit

Signage: tee sign on each hole

Amenities: 3 hole junior/practice course, restrooms near ballfields, tennis courts, recreation center

Summary Review: 2 Stars (out of 5)

The disc golf course at Windmill Park forms a loop around the park's ballfields.  It has a nice mixture of open and wooded holes.  Some people would say this course has a few too many short holes, and in fact most of the holes are rather pedestrian.  Only 2 or 3 holes on this course will hold the attention of skilled and experienced disc golfers, and several holes have safety issues, as detailed below.  The course plays over some nice rolling to steep terrain.  The course route forms one big loop around the perimeter of the park, and there are a couple of longer walks from basket to next tee that could use some extra signage.  The last few holes play along the road through the developed area of the park, which creates both a safety hazard and some not-so-great disc golf.  The thought occurred to me that they might have been better off routing all or most of the holes through the wooded area behind the ball fields like Shoally Creek, a 5-star course I recently reviewed near Spartanburg, SC.  Both the course and the park receive some traffic: there were 2 other groups on the course and several other users in the park when I came here on a chilly Thursday afternoon.  The lack of multiple tees or basket positions limit this course's replayability and adaptability.  Course maintenance was fine when I came here except that a downed tree had knocked out the 15th tee.  Overall, Windmill Park has a passable course with a lot of potential, but it fails to reach that potential more often than not.  This course does not stand out for skilled and experienced disc golfers nor does it beckon you to play it repeatedly.

Hole-by-Hole Review 

Distances taken from hole signs.  Picture sequence for each hole is 1) tee, 2) approach, 3) basket to tee.

Hole #1: 225 feet, par 3

Comments: on the first 3 holes the fairway coincides with an asphalt walking trail, which creates both safety issues and potential damage to your disc.  Fortunately, the walking trail did not appear to be heavily used when I was here.  This hole plays downhill through a heavily wooded area with a moderately tight fairway.  The basket is just off the left side of the walking trail.  #2 tee is to the left, further down the asphalt walking trail.

Hole #2: 233 feet, par 3

Comments: this hole plays down and up across a steep ravine.  The asphalt walking trail creates a fairly generous fairway, but the basket is 20 feet right of the asphalt.  The shortest route to the basket goes off of the trail through a tight gap between two trees.  This would be a nice hole without that asphalt.  #3 tee is further uphill on the asphalt walking trail.

Hole #3: 207 feet, par 3

Comments: a steeply downhill hole with the basket 15 feet off the right side of the asphalt walking trail.  The tree branches make a low ceiling, which is accentuated by the downhill slope.  A low straight throw will be rewarded here provided your disc doesn't keep rolling down the asphalt past the basket.  #4 tee is on top of the steep hill behind the basket.

Hole #4: 266 feet, par 3

Comments: finally we get off of the asphalt walking trail, but not before it cuts across the fairway.  You need to keep your disc to the right of the asphalt for the shortest route to the basket.  This hole plays steeply downhill at first, but it plays gradually back uphill when you enter the woods and head for the basket.  Though not really open, this is the most open hole on the front 9.  #5 tee is behind the basket.

Hole #5: 204 feet, par 3

Comments: the asphalt walking trail cuts across the fairway (yet again) right in front of the tee.  Across the trail, this hole plays gradually downhill with a slight dogleg left.  A small creek on the inside of the dogleg and dense woods discourage you from cutting the dogleg; I recommend a right-to-left disc flight around the dogleg instead.  #6 tee is behind the basket.

Hole #6: 109 feet, par 3

Comments: this tiny hole plays slightly uphill, but the picket fence of trees in front of the basket is the real challenge.  The gaps between the trees are tight, but hitting one of them just right might lead to an ace!  #7 tee is to the left.

Hole #7: 217 feet, par 3

Comments: a moderately downhill hole through a tunnel of trees that is tight but not super tight.  This is a nice but conventional hole.  #8 tee is to the left, on the current side of the creek.

Hole #8: 176 feet, par 3

Comments: a short straight hole that plays straight uphill through dense woods.  This is the most uphill hole so far, and there is a young tree growing right under the basket that will need to be exterminated in the near future.  #9 tee is uphill behind the basket.

Hole #9: 258 feet, par 3

Comments: another cross-ravine hole similar to hole #2, but the ravine is not as steep down here.  Also, the asphalt walking trail makes an unwelcome return.  At least the trail's bridge keeps your feet dry as you walk across the creek.  #10 tee is a couple hundred feet to the right and uphill near the entrance to the baseball fields.

Hole #10: 285 feet, par 3

Comments: now the course breaks out into the open but with a very uninspiring hole.  This hole is very flat and plays across a wide open mowed-grass field.  Maybe the baseball field to the right is an obstacle?  #11 tee is to the left beside the park road.

Hole #11: 314 feet, par 3

Comments: another fairly open hole, this hole plays uphill with the basket a few feet into the woods on the right.  The park entrance road is close on the left, but you would rather miss there than in the dense woods to the right.  Thus, you need to check for cars on the road before you throw.  #12 tee is deeper into the woods to the right.

Hole #12: 184 feet, par 3

Comments: the last heavily wooded hole, this dogleg right plays up and down across a ridge.  The fairway has reasonable width for a wooded hole, so a good throw will set up a birdie opportunity.  #13 tee is behind the basket out of the woods.

Hole #13: 190 feet, par 3

Comments: this uphill dogleg left has dense woods guarding the inside of the dogleg, so don't get too greedy trying to cut the dogleg.  The entire world seems to accommodate a miss to the right.  #14 tee is to the right beside the park road.

Hole #14: 263 feet, par 3

Comments: this hole plays across a ravine with dense shrubs at the bottom.  A carry of about 200 feet is required to clear the shrubby area.  Big arms can probably clear it without a problem, but weak arms like me will need to consider laying up.  The same park road as on hole #11 remains a safety hazard to the left.  #15 tee is behind the basket.

Hole #15: 540 feet, par 4

Comments: the longest hole on this course, this hole is a dogleg right with dense woods on the inside of the dogleg.  There are no obstacles on this hole other than the woods.  #16 tee is a couple hundred feet behind the basket on top of the hill but before you get to the running track.

Hole #16: 277 feet, par 3

Comments: an interesting utility shed sits just right of the fairway, but that is the only obstacle on this hole.  The steep hill on which the basket is placed is this hole's main defense.  #17 tee is to the left back toward the bottom of the hill.

Hole #17: 249 feet, par 3

Comments: a 90-degree dogleg right with the park's tennis courts and the hill on which they sit on the inside of the dogleg.  This hole feels very contrived to me.  #18 tee is behind the basket and to the right.

Hole #18: 482 feet, par 3

Comments: now we start the final leg of the course, which mostly parallels Thomson Street on the right.  This long slightly uphill hole is very open, but a large oak tree guards the right side of the basket.  Bring out the big arm and let it rip!  #19 tee is across the park road behind the basket and to the left.

Hole #19: 306 feet, par 3

Comments: clusters of trees stand either side in front of the tee, but otherwise this is a very open hole playing across a small swale.  #20 tee is to the left.

Hole #20: 227 feet, par 3

Comments: the most uphill hole on this course, two large trees guard the front of the basket, one on either side.  Trying to get through the trees and under the limbs is a fun but fair challenge, and this might be my favorite hole on a course where I don't really have a favorite hole.  #21 tee is behind the basket.

Hole #21: 278 feet, par 3

Comments: playing across a deeper swale than hole #19, a baseball field's outfield fence is tight on the left, and a rough gravel road crosses the fairway only about 20 feet in front of the basket.  Thus, this hole feels forced into the park's other amenities.  #22 tee is to the left near the baseball field's outfield fence.

Hole #22: 284 feet, par 3

Comments: you can barely see the top of the basket from the tee, but it is right beside the flagpole you can see.  This hole is threaded between the baseball fields and clubhouse on the left and Thomson Street on the right, and it even plays over an entrance road for the ballfields.  This hole feels just as forced as the previous hole.  #23 tee is behind the basket.

Hole #23: 400 feet, par 3

Comments: just as forced as the previous two holes but longer.  At least a couple of trees guarding the front left side of the basket add a little strategy.  #24 tee is to the right, across the gravel road.

Hole #24: 265 feet, par 3

Comments:  Another hole that plays in a narrow strip of open land between a baseball field on the left and the park entrance road on the right.  I liked some of this course's earlier holes more than these closing holes.  The parking lot is behind the basket.