Very well designed. Huge shot variety. Massive elevation change. Beautiful scenery. Super tight lines on about half of the holes, which makes for some great flight path viewing (if you can make the shot). Well marked with beautifully detailed signs. Easy to navigate. Great way to get some exercise along with your disc golfing (it's a hike). Awesome thing that the church and local golfers did to make this course possible and maintain it.

There's hard, and then there's over the top. The latter applies to this course, which goes too far in its difficulty. Unless you are the type of player who never makes an errant shot, this course will annoy you more than you will enjoy it. Save for 3-4 holes, one bad shot (especially a bad tee shot) sets you up for at least a bogey without any chance of having a recovery shot (unless it's a miraculous one) to save par. The trees are brutal and plentiful. The mulch tee boxes don't make for the best footing. The amateur tee boxes are simply a shorter distance to the pin; conversely, the pro boxes are just longer, not necessarily more difficult or technical.

It's not that I don't appreciate the design, but the same things that this course wants to have going for it work against it, especially for mediocre or casual players. I can't imagine how awful it would be to come out here with someone who has a short temper. The difficulty of this course detracts from the enjoyment of it.

***As of this time, only holes 1-13 are open due to construction on the back fifth of the course.

Absolute variety of shots. from low and technical, big throws, water shots and a truly epic elevation change coming down off B. They definetly deserve the 'this course has it all' sticker on their signs. I reccommend going with at least one friend for moral support. By the time you climb the hill to the top of A you'll need that backup.

14-18 closed for parking lot construction

After a few years of the Austin DG scene walking the trails and fairways this will be in competetion for the title of 'best in the ATX'

This is one of, if not the best course I've ever played. This course has it all, great shot selection, beautiful and difficult holes, sweet ace runs, elevation, breath taking vistas, and water, lots of water. The finishing stretch of 3 holes is one of the best and most fun I've played.

Although the tee pads are great right now, I fear in time without installing concrete pads they might get rough. That said, as they are now, they work great and I'm sure they'll put them in at some point.

Play this course, best course is Texas.

A diversity of shots. This course has uphill, downhill, narrow and open shots. I used just about every type of shot here, foreheand, backhand, thumber...you name it. Also just a beautiful course with marked tee boxes except for #12.

The amateur tee boxes are not all clearly marked and the baskets are not clearly marked with numbers, it makes for the first trip out to be a little confusing. The first tee is a little hard to find.

I really, really liked this course. The shots were very challenging and the views were amazing. I liked that the level of difficulty seemed to build up, because nothing starts off a game worse than having a near impossible first hole and being in a funk from the get go.

I would suggest you come out here with no more than 10 discs. Granted with the diversity of shots you will likely use every disc in your bag - however this course can be a little rough on the knees and ankles so my recommendation would be to go light. There isn't a lot of cacti and a lot of the underbrush is cleared out because of the rocky terrain and all the wood chips spread about. Also if you got hiking shoes that would work best because there's a lot of rocky terrain and steep inclines/declines.

If you have the time I would also recommend you play the extra "A" and "B" holes. The view from the "B" tee is well worth the extra effort. Once you get up there don't be afraid to let it rip.

The #12 tee box does not have a sign, just a big wooden post where the tee box sign should be. I wrote a 12 on that post with the sharpie I hope to someday use to mark an ace (someday dangit!). I hope that will come in handy till a sign goes up.

Overall this is a beautiful course on church property so I would like reiterate the other posts here and say to all who come here to be respectful, pick up your trash, and treat it as if you were a guest on someone else's property, because that's exactly what you are. This course already had quite a few people on a drizzly Wednesday afternoon so I expect the crowds to only get bigger as the word spreads on this great park.

I gave this park a 4 out of 5 only because not all the tee boxes are clearly marked and the baskets are not numbered, however this course is still pretty new so I expect that to change with time and for this park to only get better.

Best course in the area, like the other world class courses around here but with a huge hill presence
not often crowded, the difficulty prob keeps some ppl away.
mastering, if possible, this course will take your game up a notch or two, or ten.

if not in good shape or ready to commit the better part of the day it can mess you up
not many trash cans, even on holes close to street, so many stumps of cut trees 3-4" above ground hurt when you step on or trip over, cut them to the ground please!

when are the worlds gonna come to austin?
being in good shape makes a huge difference on this course.

It's like a supercharged combo of Circle C and Manor. Alot of elevation and some sick tunnels. Chances are if you have it in your bag you'll use it but, don't carry to much or you'll be exhausted. The hike is well worth it for the bonus holes and the reward is at the top when you get there. The view is the best of any course in Austin which feels like you could throw a mile away. It's a diamond in the rough still in it's infancy but, don't think of it as a baby cause it packs a punch like Mike Tyson. There's a nice mix of holes that require big drives and others that just need the finesse. A good recovery shot is a must have as well as controlled accurate drives and upshots.

Watch out for one another you could loose an arm or leg crossing a fairway or even in the box from a shot coming downhill. Need a few bridges and a path with a sign pointing the way to Hole 1.

Remeber this is a private course with free access on church property. Be over respectful and concious of your language, "my biggest problem". Having a course on this real estate is not something to take for granted and unlikely we'll have another this close to town anytime soon if ever.

This without a doubt is one of the nicest, most beautiful courses I have ever played. It is right on par with Houck designed courses (this is also a con). The course design uses multiple landing areas on several holes, a design technique that can certainly enhance the game. The course makes great use of terrain, elevation changes, trees, and water. It really is a nice course!

Here's where the Multiple Personality Disorder comes into play. Though I believe in Houk's Mulitple Landing Area designs, there are several holes that just plain interrupt the flow if the game. The problem is that even from those landing areas the "fairway" is nonexistant. I understand trees are part of the challenge of DG but you shouldn't have to get lucky to do well. There are several holes that luck is more important than skill. If memory serves me correctly, baskets 2, 4, 7, 10, and 13 and a couple others fall in this category.
An other con is this course is not inviting to new players. In its current design, a new player would never return to the course or worse, possibly never return to the game after playing here. As mentioned before, other cons are getting lost without a map and the condition of the tee pads.

I am giving this course a 3 because a five means that there is absolutely nothing that can be done to the course. Taking the stumpy (dirt is not bad) conditon of the tee pads, the overall layout, and the course not being inviting to new players, I can only rate it a three.

Please remember to pack out whatever you pack in. I picked up several cans and trash left behind by golfers. This is beautiful course, let's keep it that way!

The most memorable features of "The Ridge" are the extra two holes. After hole #11 you have to make a choice at the Y in the trail. You can take the trail that goes left to hole #12 or you can take the trail that goes right to Hole A which is the first of two "challenge holes". Hole A is the steepest elevation rise shot in Texas! It's only 261' but it takes two great shots to get to the basket. Hole B is the steepest elevation drop shot in Texas! It's like the hill top shot at Twin Parks but twice as high and twice a steep. It's 270' but a putter will get there with ease.

#6 was my favorite hole. It's a right turning elevation drop shot over a canyon.

Hole #7 is unusual in that it's only 135' but good luck hitting the 4' wide gap.

Hole #12 is another fun elevation drop. You can really air it out over the trees. Just make sure to use a brightly colored disc because the fairway is hard to hit.

Every basket on this course was put in a beautiful location. You could make a disc golf calendar with pictures of the pin positions out there. #3 is the prettiest. It's down by a creek with a bridge and a large rock feature behind it.

The views from the hill tops are amazing.

The fun factor is super high on about half of the course but then gets super low when the cedar lined fairways become too punishing.

There were a few benches placed throughout and you'll need them after climbing some of the hills out there.

I tried to wing it without a map the first time. Don't do this! I wandered around for thirty minutes before miraculously finding hole #1 because there are no signs of any kind helping first timers. To find hole #1 just park at the concrete dam, walk to the far end of the dam where the second gate is, turn left and find the mulch trail through the woods to hole #1. The mulch trail crosses another mulch trail which is the #3 to #4 transition.

The baskets are not marked and are very hard to find the first time you play because the designer put many of them in hidden locations. I imagine most first timers will have to re-tee on hole #1 like I did after throwing toward the #3 basket that you can see through the woods.

The signs show red and blue tees for most holes but most of the red tees seem to be non-existent except for a few holes that have a log and a flag for the red tee.

Only the blue tees have signs.

A couple of the transitions between holes are long walks and hard to find the next tee especially after hole #12. You have to cross the road at the SLOW CHILDREN AT PLAY sign to play the final six holes.

A few of the holes are just too long for their technical requirement. That combined with the hide and go seek nature of the pin placement makes for a long round and even a longer first timer round because you have to go on an expedition to find the basket. At times you may wonder if maybe the basket is missing. Most newer players will be ready to call it quits after hole #4 but hang in there, it gets better, at least for a few holes and then it gets super difficult again and then gets better again for three of the last four holes.

Be careful around the #8 basket, the transition to the #9 tee, and the #9 tee box because this area is the general landing zone for most of the discs thrown off the #12 tee. I've heard they may be relocating the #12 tee pad.

The tee boxes are just pityful. The blue tees are framed with cedar logs but the ground is very un-level, rocky and just awkward to throw from on many of the holes. Trying to throw with pinpoint accuracy off such bad tees makes for a frustrating round. You'll feel like you need to attend the church on the hill after all the cussing you'll do out there.

A few of the fairways are flood prone and you'll find your well thrown shot laying in a puddle of stagnant water.

The water crossings on #2 and #18 are hard to cross but there is a nice bridge on #4.

Bring some bandaids. The narrow cedar lined fairways will cut you to pieces. Even the most accurate of discer will find themself up under a sprawling cedar at some point.

The "challenge holes" make this course a must play but only the most advanced of disc golfer will want to play here regularly.

This amazing piece of property is a free gift to the community from the members of the church. I predict that as soon as the conservative congregation finds out that the majority of the people using the property are a mix of beer drinking and pot smoking hippies and rednecks that tend to litter, graffitti, and vandalize property that has been gifted to them, this course will be removed.

UPDATED REVIEW (12.25.2009):
Course is placed on a beautiful track of Texas Hill Country, loads of Oaks and Cedar trees everywhere. Drastic elevation changes, as well as a creek that runs through the first 3 holes of the course, a second creek that runs through hole 13, and a clearly defined mini-lake on holes 17 and 18. I haven't seen a nicer overall concept for a course in the Austin area yet. This course simply has it all. I'm a huge fan of what John Houck has done here, as well as adding the two bonus holes (A and B) that give you the steepest uphill shot I've ever thrown, to be complimented with a breath taking view from B's teebox overlooking the entire park. This course goes beyond technical to outright skill, and is a challenege for every skill level. I highly recommend this truly amazing course to EVERYONE! Once this course is finished I think it will be an utterly amazing addition to the Austin Disc Golf Scene.

UPDATED REVIEW (12.25.2009):
I really can't think of a con for the course itself, the Red (Amateur) boxes aren't in yet, so I haven't had the chance to play from them and see if there is anything I do not like, but I doubt it on a course level. The only true con I can give about this course is probably going to end up being the parking lot. This course isn't even opened yet and I've played it about 5 times, and the last two times I've shown up the parking lot was completely full. Other than that, this is a truly amazing course.

- I'm not sure but I think the installation of hole 1's Amateur box is on the wrong side of the fairway, based on what the tee sign shows, I'm not 100% sure, just going to have to wait until it's finished.
- Just can't wait for this course to be done.

Fun....Challenging....Beautiful....this course has it all! Most holes are pretty tight off the tee. This course will test you and requires thought and creativity. There are elevation changes throughout the course, highlighted by the "bonus holes", between 11-12. (i think). Bonus hole "A" is straight up a hill and then you turn around on "B" to go back down. The view from the "B Hole" box is breath taking.

Bring a map!!! It can be tough to find your way around if no one is there to guide you .

I wish they would change the location of, or clear out a couple trees around, the basket of #4. As is, there's really no clear line.

Course is still in it's infancy. Lots of mulch still to be spread and it looks like they are going to lay more fairway/path timbers(think Circle C), so that should help with finding your way.

Overall, just a spectacular course!!!

where to start...This course has everything but a wide open field shot, and only one flat fairway. One of my personal flaws as a golfer has been not to throw as hard as I can and pick a spot to land my disc on. this course has helped me with that. when you pull into the parking lot, look at the highest hill in front of you. Right below the green water tanks is the basket for hole A. You can see the yellow band above the chains. this gives you an idea of what you are in for when you throw this course. The first time you play here expect to leave with a wedgie and no lunch money because it will bully you. as you get to know the course you cannot help but throw smarter rather than harder and you finish your round with two chances to donate plastic to the water gods. the course in its entirety was done by volounteers and donations. each hole was designed with love and mathmatics in respect to where you will want your disc to land. There is plenty of distance to cover, but throwing too far will cost strokes in the final tally. The view and the scenery are amazing and the water is the clearest I have seen in texas. How often can you see the bottom of a 15 ft deep pond in TX? There is ample parking for now. I can forsee the lot being full on more than one weekend of the year. The signage is now up and is topnotch

It is almost unfair to list this as a con but the tees are currently mulch. I have spoken with people who work for the church to convince them of the need for concrete pads. I think they are making the right decision in waiting to make sure the tees are where they want them to be. The course is not completely finished yet but things happen very quickly. Cut brush is being removed and chipped on a regular basis. There are no restrooms in the course area, but if they were to install concrete tees, this course would move into the "best of the best" category

A lot of people worked VERY hard on this course for free and most of them do not play disc golf yet. PLEASE use the trash cans they put out for you. This includes your our cig butts. Watch out for the bee tree on the right two thirds of the way down hole 16. When you play the A and B holes remember to turn around and take in the view. Do not be afraid to go up to the church and tell them thank you for building such a great course on a great piece of hill country. If you play in the summer take the amount of water you expect to drink and double it. Austin does not have another course with this much elevation change.

I have been talking with the office at the church to start a lost and found collection of discs. Although there is not one set up yet, I have a collection of discs that need to get back to their owners.I currently have a spreadsheet of found discs. Does anyone have any suggestions about how to post this so everyone can see, but leave out some info so that wareagle type people don't try to take advantage of this? if so shoot me a pm

-Course is on a great chunk of Texas hill country
-Some of the most dramatic elevation changes of any course in or around Austin.
-Every kind of shot required.(hyzer, anhyzer, tomahawk, long, short, open, and serious tunnels)

-woodchip teeboxes

I'm a sucker for elevated tee shots, and this course does not dissapoint. The two challenge holes are the two steepest holes I've ever played . One straight up and the next straight down. After each hole, my buddy and I both sat back and said, " man that was a sweet ass hole." 20 holes in a row. This place is brand spanking new, so no tee signs yet( so bring a map the first time.) I saI'd when the metcenter opened that i was stoked to live in a town that kept opening up great new courses, but this place is above and beyond. Its already my favorite course in the Austin area.