The Forest Greens Disc Golf Course in Triangle, Virginia, officially had its ribbon cutting in June 2023, marking the second disc golf course in Prince William County, with the first course located in at the Lake Ridge Golf Course. With the combination of how large Prince William County is and the growing popularity of disc golf in northern Virginia, the opening of this course brought a lot of excitement to the community.
Disc golf is played similarly to regular golf. Players will attempt to throw their disc from the tee pad to their target, which is typically a basket with metal chains. Players will take their next throw from where the previous one landed, with the goal of getting the disc in the basket in the least number of throws possible.
Disc golf offers a diverse range of benefits for players, including physical, mental, and social benefits. Disc golf is a low-impact, yet physically active sport, for both the lower and upper body. During a round of play, players can walk anywhere from 1-3 miles, depending on the number of holes. The throwing motion helps strengthen numerous muscles in the upper body, making disc golf a great sport for fun physical activity. The sport also allows you to be outside in nature, which can help increase your mood and boost confidence.
As someone who casually plays disc golf, I can attest to the fact that the disc golf community is very friendly and open to new players. The sport can be played solo, but playing with a group of others is what is most enjoyable to me. Whether it is simply being able to hang out with friends for a few hours or being able to learn and improve my game, the welcoming community makes it easy to do so. The social benefits of disc golf can go a long way for players; there are plenty of Facebook groups that will gladly accept new members and make playing the sport even more enjoyable.
As someone who casually plays disc golf, I can attest to the fact that the disc golf community is very friendly and open to new players. The sport can be played solo, but playing with a group of others is what is most enjoyable to me. Whether it is simply being able to hang out with friends for a few hours or being able to learn and improve my game, the welcoming community makes it easy to do so. The social benefits of disc golf can go a long way for players; there are plenty of Facebook groups that will gladly accept new members and make playing the sport even more enjoyable.
To start the experience at Forest Greens Park, you need to check into the clubhouse and pay $10 to play on the course. The beginning of the course is very nice, with a great warmup area with two baskets and two driving nets. From the 10+ courses I have played, I have never seen driving nets at a warmup location. Most places I play at will typically only have one basket, some having none, but having two baskets to warm up with is helpful for a larger group or multiple groups of people starting around the same time.
Before the first hole, there is a map showing where each tee pad and basket is for every hole on the course. This is helpful to have so people can either take a picture or just be mentally prepared for which direction the course is going.
The course has at least two, with some holes having three tee pads and two baskets per hole. Having multiple tee pads and baskets allows for a unique experience each time someone plays the course. It also allows players to choose the challenge they want to have on the course. With some tee pads and baskets farther back and harder lanes to throw through, this course can be as challenging as a player wants to make it.
Before each hole, there is a sign with the pathway and direction of the basket, which makes it easier to find the basket since there are some holes that you cannot see the basket from the tee pad due to the basket being hidden behind trees.
This is one of the most unique courses I have ever played. Most courses I have played on are fairly open, including some obstacles and trees in the way, but Forest Green’s course is completely in the woods. Despite the course being in the woods, there are lanes that are possible to shoot down, but there are a fair number of obstacles to manage on each hole. The holes are unique in that some are completely downhill and range from over 400-500 feet in distance from the basket, and some are completely uphill holes but only 250 feet from the basket. This allows for each hole to be like no other but also makes each hole manageable.
With a lot of holes being up and downhill, it truly feels like you are on a hike when playing the course. The course is also completely in the woods, which allows you to be surrounded by nature during your play. Whether this be trees shading you or animals in your periphery, this course is full of natural beauty.
During our playthrough, there were not a lot of other disc golfers on the course, allowing for a calm playthrough.
Overall, this course is fun to play as a casual disc golfer. It is important to note that this course can be a challenge for the brand-new player. Some of the more challenging holes are over 600 feet (mainly downhill) which is some of the largest distances I have ever seen when playing disc golf. I feel like more competitive disc golfers would enjoy this course with the varying tee pads and basket distances.
If you enjoy playing disc golf, you should also check out the course in Lake Ridge, at the Lake Ridge Golf Course. It is a 9-hole course located on top of a golf course, allowing for an enjoyable experience with minimal obstacles to work around.
