Basics - Arizona Snowbowl sits deep (high maybe?) within a long and winding forest up the side of a mountain. Extremely long drive in to the park, but it is filled with amazing views, wildlife at every turn, and a real sense of privacy and immenseness. Hole #1 starts you out around 9'000 feet of elevation (about a 1/4 of a mile hike from the parking lot) and I believe the highest hole is just shy of 11'000 feet (if the locals we played with are to be believed lol) You will be playing directly up, side to side, and down ski slopes. Come prepared with hiking boots and TONS of water.

Visuals - Make sure to stop off just shy of the lodge and take a few pictures from the visitor parking lot area. The endless span of rolling hills, distant mountains, lush valleys, and open desert blend into an oil painting vibe. Dense mix of massive Ponderosa trees and Birch with the occasional grove of White Ash mixed in for those who love the beauty of trees (when our discs aren't smacking into them). The view off Hole #9 is spectacular. Northern Arizona pretty much lay out before you as you play a mammoth Par-5 off the side of the mountain. Course deserves 5 stars (or more honestly) on visuals alone.

Tees/Signage/Baskets - Tees are mostly rubber matting (as I'm sure concrete would be problematic for skiers) but didn't seem to be much of an issue. Signage was great once on the course (tee signs and next tee signs were clearly visible and had all the relevant information). However Hole #1 was difficult to find from the parking lot as there were no signs to assist. We ended up using U-Disc to GPS navigate to the starting hole. Baskets were Discatcher Pro 28's and in great shape for the climate and conditions they are subjected to.

Amenities - The newly redone ski shop was incredible. Gift shop, bar, resturaunt were all top notch. There was a climbing wall, inflatables, and all kinds of other activities going on outside when we arrived and the place was packed. No water, trash cans, benches or bathrooms once out on the course.

Course Design - This course tries to balance the challenge of what feels like a vertical ascent of a ski slope with the need to not be too challenging of a disc golf course. It does that fairly well. The listed Pars can be very soft for more skilled players and it appears they were set for the casual player. That doesn't mean the course doesn't have teeth, but there are a lot of similar holes, shapes, and tons of birdies to be had.

Signatures : Hole #9 is probably the signature hole (though one could argue that the intimidation you feel looking up the mountain from Hole #1 gets the initial signature reaction of what you are about to undertake). This gorgeous Par 5 shoots off down the side of the mountain while you gaze off into the endless Northern Arizona High Desert in all directions.

Others: Nothing that I would consider gimmicky or unfair about the design. The course is fair and can be tuned (by adjusting par) to your level of proficiency. Balancing the extreme elevation and hiking on this course adds a completely different level of difficulty that most disc golf courses can't offer. Well worn foot paths that lead you down each hole and to the next tee. These make navigation so much easier and were a welcome sight to see.

The Drive - It took us about 45 minutes from downtown Flagstaff to get to Snowbowl, and most of it was a very lonely winding road up the mountain with nothing around.

Rubber Tees - I'm not a fan of rubber tees (on a course of this level) but I do understand why they are used here. The tees were well used and well loved meaning they were a little on the slick side for us.

Parking - If your round doesn't finish before 4:30 PM you need to park outside of the gates to the park (even farther from tee #1). They will close the gate on you when they close and you will be trapped inside. We were almost victim to this, but met a group of locals on the course and they warned us to move our car.

Availability - This course is often unavailable due to conditions on the mountain that may differ from nearby Flagstaff. We really wanted to play the course but multiple sources stated the course was unavailable. Finally we called the course and they said they were open for play. Please do call and check as this course still had light amounts of snow on it at the very top. Even in July the weather up there can be very harsh and change rapidly.

Final Hole - Hole #18 was a big let down. It was a steep hike with like shoulder high weeds and bushes for a pretty pedestrian Par 3. I was afraid to throw it because of losing a disc and having to search for it. I'm guessing mowing at that elevation isn't much of a concern, lol.

I had heard this was a world's course in 2003 and I guess I could see it. I'm assuming the Pars were different back then. This was a bucket list course for me simply due to it's elevation (my first course over 9'000 feet). I'm not sure what I was expecting going in, but this course was both more than I had imagined, and less. If a person can be both pleased with a course, and disappointed with one, Snowbowl left that feeling with me. It was good, but I wanted more. The scenery checked all the boxes, the temperature drop, the crazy wind up there, the shortness of breath as we hiked along, everything I expected. But the course itself, the shots, the lines, they were underwhelming. There was a lot of the exact same shot, a lot of side to side on ski slopes wide open hyzers. I guess I kind of expected that but was somehow let down when I played them. Hard to say. But, for those of you traveling near Flagstaff in the months Snowbowl is available, it's definitely a destination course. Maybe not for it's challenge, but certainly for it's beauty and uniqueness.

Awesome course and beautiful views.

You will be out of breath numerous times throughout your game, but worth it.

asdfljasdlkfj;laksdflkajsdlfkasldfalskdflaksdflasldflaskdflkajsdlfkalskdfjlkasdflkajsldfklaskdjfl aksdflkasdlfalksdflka asdf lkasjdflkjsadlk sad.

Very challenging - played up/down steep ski slopes, some very long holes, amazing views.

Must keep it in the fairway otherwise easy to lose a disc.

Best to play in late spring/early summer before the grass greens up and makes finding your disc even harder. Use a spotter!

Beautiful scenery and really fun in that the course was designed for champions. It was had great basket placement and nice maps outlining everything. Not to mention the the restaurant and bar that are between hole 18 and the parking lot!

It's quite a hike. A lot of uphill shots, we had just hiked out of the Grand Canyon the night before so it's probably not as bad if you decided to go throw after a nice rest.

I'm just glad I get to say I played it. Coming from Omaha Ne, I really liked the mountain scenery.

Spectacular views, unbelievably fun downhill shots that sail forever, brutal uphill tugs, and did I mention the views? Unique surroundings.

Weather is highly variable, with heat and sleet in the same day. Easy to lose plastic.

One of my all time favorite rounds of golf was $20 buy in triples during the finals of the Worlds. Watched (Filmed) Joe Mela drop in a fifty footer for a deuce on the 800 foot downhill 18 to win triples (Elaine King hit the basket off the tee during the tournament!). Bring super flippy plastic.