Winged Deer Park Disc Golf Course in Johnson City, TN

Basic Information

Course Location: Winged Deer Park

Geographic Location: north side of Johnson City, TN (36.39224, -82.36827)

Date Visited: March 2025

Number of Holes: 18

Course Length: 5803/4414 feet, par 55/54

Cost to Play: free
Difficulty Level: recreational, high

Carts: usable, but expect a few steep areas

Beginner Friendly? no, too long and wooded

Potential to Lose Discs: medium due to dense woods

Park Information: https://www.johnsoncitytn.org/business_detail_T5_R8.php

DG Course Review Page: https://www.dgcoursereview.com/courses/winged-deer-park.2029

UDisc Page: https://udisc.com/courses/winged-deer-park-mh32

Course Walkabout Video, Front 9:

Course Walkabout Video, Back 9:

Driving Directions: In Johnson City, take I-26 to SR 381 (exit 19).  Exit and go north on SR 381.  After 1.2 miles, where SR 381 ends at US 11E, merge onto US 11E north.  Drive a total of 3.4 miles from the interstate to Carroll Creek Road and turn left on Carroll Creek Rd.  Drive Carroll Creek Rd. west 0.4 miles to the signed park entrance for the disc golf course on the left.  Turn left to enter the park, and park in the large blacktop parking lot at the end of this park road.  #1 tee is uphill to the northwest of the parking lot.

Course Constructions:

Tees: concrete, 1 per hole

Baskets: 2 per hole; some holes have multiple basket positions.  Short baskets are Mach III and showing their age; long baskets are Veteran and excellent.

Signage: hole sign on each tee, course map at parking lot, signs pointing to next tee

Amenities: bench on each hole, practice basket, some trash cans, walking trails, other amenities elsewhere in the park

Summary Review: 5 Stars (out of 5)

The disc golf course at Winged Deer Park occupies a hilly piece of land with some dense woods and some more open areas.  The course is very well-balanced with plenty of variety.  4 holes are what I would classify as tight and heavily wooded, but the course isn't persistently poke-and-pray.  3 holes play over 400 feet, but the course doesn't overwhelm you with distance.  The area is basically completely devoted to disc golf, so safety hazards are minimal.  The course constructions are excellent except for the short baskets: they are really showing their age.  Also, the short baskets are shorter but not necessarily any easier: many of them require a sharply bent disc flight to reach.  I never had to use the course map at the parking lot to help me navigate the course.  This course is popular: I saw several other groups playing the course when I played here on a nice Monday afternoon in early March.  The course maintenance was flawless when I came here.  While certainly not the longest or hardest course in the area, Winged Deer offers a very balanced and enjoyable recreational test, and it stands out among east Tennessee's sneaky-good collection of disc golf courses.

Hole-by-Hole Review 

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

Hole #1: 229/164 feet, par 3 (Basket in C position)

Comments: When I saw the opening hole go steeply up a heavily wooded hill, I thought this round might be a real mountain-trek hike.  As it turns out, this hole plays up the steepest hill on the entire course.  There are 3 possible basket positions, and they require very different disc flights.  The C position shown here requires an accurate slight right-to-left disc flight with enough arm to get up the hill.  It's a tough first throw, but a good throw will be rewarded with a birdie opportunity.  #2 tee is to the right.

Hole #2: 246/220 feet, par 3

Comments: a tight heavily wooded hole that plays down and up across a shallow ravine.  Judging from all of the logs laying in the rough, there used to be even more trees on this hole.  Today there are several possible lines, but all of them are very tight.  You will need a very accurate throw or some luck to get your tee shot close to the basket.  It's only 246 feet, so pick a line and use your most accurate throw.  #3 tee is behind the basket and to the left.

Hole #3: 280/218 feet, par 3

Comments: another very tight hole, this hole plays gradually uphill.  A line of trees stand directly between the tee and basket.  I chose to go right of the trees, but you could also go left.  Either way will require a long and accurate throw if you hope for a birdie.  #4 tee is to the right, possibly a little too close to #3 basket.

Hole #4: 385/280 feet, par 3

Comments: now we exit the woods for the first mostly open hole.  This hole plays gradually downhill, and it is a slight dogleg right with dense woods and a steep ravine to the right.  There is plenty of open area to the left, so don't miss right.  #5 tee is across the park entrance road behind the basket.

Hole #5: 257/178 feet, par 3

Comments: a fairly straight hole that plays through a narrow strip of open land with the park road downhill to the right and dense woods to the left.  Some overhanging limbs and a single cedar tree directly between the tee and basket complicate your decision-making; short and right are better than left and long.  I chose to attack the basket from the right, and it more or less worked.  This hole feels wedged-in, and it's one of my least favorite holes on this course, which doesn't have many weak holes.  #6 tee is behind the basket and slightly uphill to the left.

Hole #6: 280/199 feet, par 3

Comments: The next 3 holes play southeast with Carroll Creek Road to your left.  This hole is another steep uphill hole similar to hole #1 but longer and more open.  The 2 baskets make this hole play very differently: they are on opposite sides of the fairway with the short basket on the right and the long basket on the left.  There is dense woods just beyond the long basket, and 3 is a good score if you are playing to the long basket.  #7 tee is a couple hundred feet to the left just past #16 tee.

Hole #7: 398/304 feet, par 3

Comments: The fairway on this hole is basically one long chute through dense pine forest.  The hole plays down and up across a shallow ravine, but the long basket is higher than the tee.  Thus, the slope does nothing to lessen the substantial distance.  If your disc strays from the moderately wide fairway, good luck making 3: your next throw will probably be a short recovery throw.  This hole is a real test, especially as a par 3, but it's a fair one.  #8 tee is to the left.

Hole #8: 426/294 feet, par 3

Comments: the most open hole on this course, this hole plays moderately downhill with only a single tree guarding the basket on the right.  Dense woods sits beyond the basket, so don't miss long.  This hole is long for a par 3, but the openness makes the par reasonable.  #9 tee is to the right.

Hole #9: 206/185 feet, par 3

Comments: playing the opposite direction as the previous hole, this hole heads gradually back uphill.  The fairway is tighter than it looks with dense woods to the right and a concrete drainage channel to the left.  Equally problematic is a cluster of trees in the center of the rather narrow fairway.  You will want to hit the tight gap left of the cluster to get to the short basket and the tighter gap right of the cluster to get to the long basket.  This is the shortest hole on this course, but it's not the easiest.  #10 tee is uphill behind the basket and to the right.

Hole #10: 264/217 feet, par 3

Comments: a fairly straight hole that plays moderately uphill.  The long basket will require a slight left-to-right disc flight; the short basket will require a sharp left-to-right disc flight.  A good tee shot will set-up a birdie opportunity for either basket.  #11 tee is to the left.

Hole #11: 305/253 feet, par 3

Comments: The fairway is wide, but both baskets are located in a grove of cedar trees with the long basket deeper into the grove than the short basket.  There isn't much room between the branches, so you will need a low approach throw to get in under the trees.  This is another tough but fair challenge.  #12 tee is behind the basket and to the left.

Hole #12: 288/187 feet, par 3

Comments: a dead straight but super tight hole, maybe the tightest on this course.  Keeping your disc flight straight is more important than distance, but the hole does open up once you get past 200 feet.  When I came here, the short basket was the Veteran and the long basket was the Mach III, possibly by mistake.  #13 tee is to the right.

Hole #13: 345/292 feet, par 3

Comments: now we head back into the woods for a tight hole that plays over a small ridge.  You will need a left-to-right throw to get to the crest of the ridge and then a right-to-left throw to get down to the long basket.  Both throws need to be accurate, and this is another tough but fair hole.  As with the previous hole, the long basket was the Mach III when I came here, which was puzzling.  #14 tee is downhill behind the basket.

Hole #14: 224 feet, par 3

Comments: a gradually downhill hole that is every bit as tight as the previous hole.  Yet this hole is dead straight with a tight but clear line between the tee and basket.  If you can keep your disc flying straight for 200 feet, birdie is possible here.  #15 tee is to the right.

Hole #15: 443/323 feet, par 3

Comments: after 2 heavily wooded holes come 2 more open holes.  This long and straight par 3 plays gradually downhill for its entire distance.  The fairway is reasonably wide, but the woods on either side are dense.  Throw it straight!  #16 tee is to the left.

Hole #16: 577/384 feet, par 4/3

Comments: A slight dogleg left, this hole plays the opposite direction as the previous hole and therefore heads back uphill.  It is also the longest hole on this course.  The fairway is wider than the previous hole, but dense woods still line either side plus some lone pine trees appear in the middle.   This is a worthy par 4.  #17 tee is to the right.

Hole #17: 286/210 feet, par 3

Comments: the last of the heavily wooded holes.  This sweeping dogleg right plays moderately downhill, so accuracy is more valued than distance.  Try to just miss (on either side) the large tree that stands 150 feet directly ahead with your tee shot and hope your disc bounces down the hill for a makeable putt.  #18 tee is behind the basket near #6 tee.

Hole #18: 364/282 feet, par 3

Comments: The line near the tee is tight, but the fairway opens up after less than 150 feet.  The 2 baskets are on opposite sides of the fairway, so your optimal throw shape will be determined by which basket you are playing to.  A long, well-shaped tee shot will lead to a birdie opportunity, and this is fun and fair finishing hole to a fun and fair course.  The parking lot is behind the basket; follow the park entrance road.

Powell Station Park Disc Golf Course near Knoxville, TN

Basic Information

Course Location: Powell Station Park

Geographic Location: north of Knoxville, TN (36.02730, -84.03330)

Date Visited: March 2025

Number of Holes: 9

Course Length: 2458/2415 feet, par 27

Cost to Play: free
Difficulty Level: recreational, medium

Carts: usable, but there are 3 sets of wooden steps

Beginner Friendly? yes

Potential to Lose Discs: low

Park Information: https://www.knoxcounty.org/parks/park_map/locations/PowellStationPark/index.php

DG Course Review Page: https://www.dgcoursereview.com/courses/powell-station-park.8498

UDisc Page: https://udisc.com/courses/powell-station-GGEg

Course Walkabout Video:

Driving Directions: North of Knoxville, take I-75 to SR 131 (exit 112).  Exit and go west on SR 131.  Drive SR 131 west 1.4 miles to Emory Road and turn right on Emory Rd.  The park entrance is 1 mile ahead on the left.  Park in any of the parking lots; #1 tee is southwest of the parking area behind the course map sign.

Course Constructions:

Tees: concrete pavers; 1 per hole, but 2 holes have 2 tees

Baskets: Prodigy, 1 per hole

Signage: hole sign on each tee; course map near parking lot

Amenities: practice basket, splashpad, amphitheater

Summary Review: 2 Stars (out of 5)

The disc golf course at Powell Station Park is set on a compact and fairly flat piece of parkland.  Most of the course is lightly wooded, but 2 holes play through a more densely wooded area.  Most holes measure between 200 and 300 feet long with the longest hole measuring in at 331 feet.  Every hole is a par 3, and there are no particularly memorable holes.  I would like to see more hole variety, but the reality is the designers didn't have much room to work with at this park.  On the bright side, several holes have doglegs that add some shot-shaping variety.  Despite the lack of hole variety, this course is popular: I saw 3 other players on the course when I came here on a fair Friday afternoon.  The course had a few muddy areas from recent rains, but overall the course maintenance seemed fine when I came here.  I had no trouble following the course route without the aid of the course map.  I didn't see a lot of safety hazards other than hole #9, which plays dangerously close to the park's amphitheater.  In sum, this course offers a relaxing half-round, and it is beginner-friendly provided you don't get frustrated at hitting a few trees.  This course is a nice add-on if you come to play at nearby Tommy Schumpert Park, but as a stand-alone it is too short, flat, and mundane to really get excited about.

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: 300/273 feet, par 3

Comments: This hole has 2 tees.  It is slightly longer and a slightly sharper dogleg left from the B tee compared to the A tee, but really the 2 tees require similar shots.  The tiny stream about 125 feet from the tee is not really an obstacle, but the dense woods inside the dogleg is.  There is also dense woods just beyond the basket, so don't miss long.  #2 tee is to the left and back toward the tee.

Hole #2: 241 feet, par 3

Comments: a gradually uphill hole, there is a super tight direct line through a cluster of sycamore trees, but most players will use a left-to-right disc flight on a much wider line.  You will have to miss some trees using either line, but a good throw will set-up a birdie opportunity.  #3 tee is behind the basket atop a low ridge.

Hole #3: 257 feet, par 3

Comments: The tee shot plays from an elevated tee, and this is one of the few holes with any elevation on this course.  A stream sits at the base of the hill 50 feet in front of the tee, so technically this hole is a forced water carry.  The fairway has a smattering of trees on either side with a couple of limbs creating a low ceiling, but the fairway is reasonably wide and there are no obstacles near the basket.  #4 tee is to the left.

Hole #4: 330 feet, par 3

Comments: very flat and completely open except for a few trees around the basket.  The gap through the trees is fairly wide, and this is not a hard hole if you have a big enough arm to cover the distance.  #5 tee is to the left.

Hole #5: 224 feet, par 3

Comments: now we get to the 2 heavily wooded holes.  This tight hole is a slight dogleg left, and despite this hole's shortness it will take an accurate right-to-left throw to set-up a birdie opportunity.  #6 tee is to the left.

Hole #6: 210 feet, par 3

Comments: similar to the previous hole but a sharper dogleg and a slightly wider fairway.  #7 tee is behind the basket at the edge of the clearing.

Hole #7: 300 feet, par 3

Comments: playing across the corner of a mowed-grass field, use a left-to-right tee shot to avoid some low hanging branches on the right.  There are a few trees guarding the left side of the basket, but this is a rather open hole similar to hole #4.  #8 tee is to the left.

Hole #8: 265/249 feet, par 3

Comments: the other hole with 2 tees, this hole can be played as a tight straight hole from either tee.  Alternatively, the left tee allows access to a more open area to the left, thus making this hole a sharp dogleg right.  Playing this hole twice, once from each tee, is not unreasonable, especially if the next hole is unplayable.  #9 tee is up the wooden stairs to the right.

Hole #9: 331 feet, par 3

Comments: the longest hole on this course, this long dogleg right plays through a lightly wooded area with the park's amphitheater inside the dogleg.  For safety reasons, I would not play this hole if people were sitting at the amphitheater; instead I would play the previous hole twice, once from each tee.  The basket is in a tight area with a couple of trees right and a couple long, so you will need an accurate approach throw.  This is by far the hardest hole on this course.  The parking lot is behind the basket.