A stunning course, nestled into a secluded corner of the mountains.

On a backyard course like this, I don't go expecting great equipment, but Bucksnort has solid gear. The tees are natural but well marked, with good chains, phenomenal tee signs, and abundant next tee signage. Don't worry about maintenance, either.

Of course, anyone who has played here can attest to its beauty. It's a fine drive to get here, and the views in the (5)-(9) and (14)-(17) ranges are incredible. You can see across a kind of valley, with hills rising on the other side and rugged rock formations. The bigger mountains loom in the distance. The course as a whole, apart from views, is still a treat. The terrain is mountainous and you spend all your time surrounded by evergreens.

The personal experience is not to be downplayed. The hosts only take two groups per day, so you have the course essentially to yourself. The property is explained thoroughly, and you're provided with very clear course maps and hole tips. The hosts also left dehydration-fighting drinks at a couple of spots. Personality is written all over, as well, thanks in large part to the thoughtful tee signs that seem to have an anecdote for every hole.

Its mountainous location gives Bucksnort a great variety of terrain to work with. There are a handful of flat shots, but also valleys, steep downhills, uphill slogs, cliff greens, caves, plateaus, and every gradation. Combined with the pines and various rock formations, this is ideal ground for fun discing that rewards precision with thrill.

And, yes, the shot shaping lives up. Paulie and Lowell used this terrain extremely well, and I think it's fair to say that it's a one-of-a-kind experience. There are short putter runs with treacherous greens, doglegs in the woods with curvy slopes, downhill thrills, plateaus where an errant shot will never be found, obstacle-guarded greens, perfect gap shots, and many different shapes. It's creative and varied use of phenomenal land.

Bucksnort is an incredible experience. I explored a lot of places in Colorado, but rarely did I find myself in land with such a feeling of seclusion. See, even when you hike a mountain all by yourself, there's a feeling of openness and continuity with the surrounding area. However, the valley, and this course overlooking it, feel hidden from the rest of the world. And it's a blast to throw, with some of the most unique holes I've played.

I have one major complaint with Bucksnort: it's all par 3s. I would have loved nothing more than to see some great multi-shot holes in this same style. I think this is a limitation of the property, which I understand, but it's just that - a limitation. The very best courses I have played include this extra diversification of hole type that, to me, elevates the actual disc golf portion of the experience to its maximum potential. Bucksnort doesn't quite have all of that - it's a niche course, though clearly the ultimate of niche courses.

It's worth noting that the environment can pose some safety issues. Some holes at the start and end have extremely loose soil which, when combined with steep slopes like the greens of (2) or (5), can make it mighty difficult to keep a footing. Occasionally, there's a bit of easy rock climbing needed to get to baskets. This is a workout at 8000 feet, so altitude sickness needs to be prevented. Also, they are very transparent that they have seen a mountain lion at least once in the gorges below the property.

It was definitely disappointing to have the Himalayan 5 closed. I would have enjoyed these holes with even more extreme elevation.

You could complain that the course finishes off with some of its weakest holes. The last handful are shorter and, while a touch gimmicky, less thrilling than many of the preceding shapes.

As noted, reservations aren't particularly flexible, so be willing to sacrifice your whole day if you come here, and reserve well in advance if you need a specific date.

Bucksnort is iconic. It outstrips all the other courses around. Yes, Beaver and Bailey and Dreamtime are phenomenal, but the variety and ruggedness of Bucksnort make it an even more memorable experience. Don't pass it up if you get the chance - but remember your best hiking boots and bring spare discs!

On a different note, this was the last of 27 courses from a summer in Colorado, and to anyone that has the means of taking a disc golf trip there, do it. Playing in the mountains is a different world than all the great courses I've seen in Georgia, Tennessee, Texas, and elsewhere.

Bucksnort is one of the most beautiful courses I have ever played (136 as of this review). The steep rolling mountain hillsides give you incredible views from inside the Rockies. Being from the Gulf coast, I love anything with elevation and mountains, and this course is that.

I played 19 holes on my visit, and almost all of them were great and unique. The design is overall pretty short, but with a lot of variety given the elevation changes, use of large rocks. I don't think any two holes were the same, or any of the ones I could see on the closed holes.

The course signage, info, map, was all top notch. There weren't any hole maps at the tee, but they weren't super necessary because almost every blind shot had directional arrows on the trees nearby, and an explanation on the back of the very detailed map.

Baskets were red Black Hole Portal's, and they were brand new and shiny! There were water coolers every few holes, which was great for being on the mountain at a high elevation (for someone from sea level). This course is a HIKE and I had my dogs with me, and we all needed water when we got to them.

There was also a very friendly dog named Bella from a neighboring property who came and walked with us for most of our round. Every course should have a dog tour guide, in my opinion.

The main problem I have with the course is the same as everyone else: gravel tees. The whole mountain is gravel, so they're pretty much natural pads, but they tend to be very slippery, and often uneven. There's pavers on three of the holes I played, and they were great.

Another con for my round, maybe not for you by the time you play, is 9 holes were closed. About a 1/3 of the course. One hole was closed for erosion concerns, and the others because they were being replaced with new baskets. I would have rather played on old baskets than had to skip a decent amount of the course that was pretty pricey to pay.

Not a pro or con about the course, but when I called to make my reservation, I was told that since I wasn't a group of 4 (I was traveling on my own from Louisiana), I would be charged as if I was, and only have to pay $20 for an individual (since it's usually minimum $80 and a minimum group of 4, which I didn't know until I called). But when I got there I was charged $40 for a solo round. I was a little irritated at having the price doubled when I showed up, especially since I couldn't play an entire third of the holes.

The money thing didn't factor into my rating, and the hosts did give a very favorable impression of their hospitality, and how much they want their guests to have a good round. Just looking at the amount of detail on the map they give you should prove that!

But it is hard to rate a course a 5.0 if I only played 19 of 28 holes. It was up there with Harmony Bends, Harmon Hills, and Bailey in terms of most beautiful properties I've ever played on. But without the full course being open, and tee pads being a nuisance, I can only review on my experience there. Hopefully I can make it back (with three more players) and see the course in full strength.

-20 MVP Portal baskets all set nice and level. A few holes have multiple pin locations.
-20 mostly leveled tee boxes. A few have been completed with pavers and were very nicely done. The rest are natural dirt that get plenty of attention and were very playable, if not perfect.
-Many of the holes have tee signs with all pertinent Hole info.
-Great mix of varying styles of holes. Tunnels, left and right turns, touch and power shots, the course keeps you on your game. Perhaps a bit on the shorter side but elevation does a nice job making up for that.
-Speaking of elevation, Bucksnort has it all and uses it well. Very few holes without noticeable change from tee to pin. Really adds challenge, variety and entertainment to the course.
-Risk-reward all over the place. Precarious pins, steep sidehills, tight gaps, etc will allow you make the choice to play aggressively or try avoid disaster by being conservative.
-Exclusiveness. Only 2 groups of golfers per day get the pleasure of having the course entirely to themselves. Such an awesome treat. At $20/player, I feel this is a great value.
-Pavilions are provided at three different points on course. Plenty of seating and shade for a nice break on a physically demanding course. These are also the designated smoking areas which is a nice bonus to have that be allowed on such a great piece of property.
-Navigation is easy. Yellow arrows directing players to the next tee make it possible for all but the most incompetent humans to find their way through the course. Players are also provided with a caddy book containing all necessary Hole info for any of the holes that don't have the nice updated signs yet. Any blind holes have an arrow pointing to the basket location which can be cross-referenced with the hole map on the sign.
-The views are killer. Amazing scenery from numerous locations on the course.
-The rock formations. These are one of my favorite aspects of the course. You play under giant rock walls, over and on top of large to enormous boulders with a few pins tucked into and up against really cool formations. Hole 5, The Throne, was a personal favorite. Bigly elevation, ridiculous level of risk reward, and one of my favorite shaped rocks on the course.

-Most of the tees are natural. They are maintained fairly well but certainly a far cry from those finished with pavers.
-A number of the holes are bit packed in. The first few holes really play on top of each other and then the course loops right back through that same area at the end. Seems like this could have been avoided or even had a hole or 2 removed, altered, or combined for a better flow. With only two groups on the property each day it won't create much of an issue.
-20 Holes without much for multi throw holes. At some point when a course goes beyond 18 holes I'd like to see more variation to add value to the extra holes with par 4/5 style holes.
-$20 per person per day. I felt it was a fair fee but I'm sure there are some that would disagree. Disc golfers are cheap.
-The older tee signs are just hole numbers and a distance. The Course Map and Notes that Lowell provides has all the info but it will be much nice once the signs are all installed to have that info out front and available without having to refer back to the notes.
-Physically demanding. This isn't a con for me personally as I live at altitude and play mostly mountain style courses. However, if you're a park style course player or in poor physical shape, this may not be the course for you.

September 2020 update:

Just made my first return trip to The Bucksnort since my 2019 family trip to Denver was for skiing. Man do I love this place! The course is currently down to 20 holes as Paulie has moved to ID and with him went his baskets. Lowell is waiting on more to get the rest of the holes back in. Doubled edged sword here. The Rockies 3 and Himalayan 5 have some awesome holes that I certainly missed. But man oh man do I like these new Red Banded MVP baskets. Easy to spot and catch as well as any top of the line targets. Also, the layout flows to where there isn't a disconnect due to the missing holes. Other than that the missing holes, the transition between operators was seamless. Lowell was great and offered top level hospitality!

Bucksnort is an absolutely amazing disc golf experience. Exclusive, private, secluded, gorgeous, entertaining, challenging, and everything good in between. This is hands down, no question whatsoever, my favorite CO course I've played and lands easily in my personal top 10 anywhere. The rock formations and mountain views are outstanding and you get to enjoy them as you navigate a unique and challenging disc golf course unlike any other I've played. Lowell's hospitality is amazing and our group couldn't have been happier. I plan on playing Buck again every summer so long as I have family in Denver to visit. I will look forward to updating my review as work on the course continues. If you don't mind the physical exertion, this is a must play regardless of what type of course you usually prefer. One of a kind disc golf adventure that is more than worth the trip and greens fees.

-Among the most scenic courses in all of disc golf, prepare to have your mind blown if you are not from the mountains
-Variety of shots required, the complete player is rewarded. There were backhands, forehands, overhands (great for sticking the landing on the down-slopes) and rollers thrown in my latest round.
-Variety of elevation changes, sometimes drastic elevation changes that are rarely encountered in disc golf, rough examples: 200 foot hole, 65 feet downhill, plays like 75 feet - OR - 240 foot hole, 80 feet uphill, plays like 390 feet.
-Unique terrain, the course is the rock face and pine forest of the top/side of a mountain.
-Unique hole designs, they put some thought into these, and you will too.
-Remote location in the Rockies where all you hear is the wind in the trees
-You get the course to yourself for the entire day
-Destination style disc golf, very fun with a group of friends
-Other high caliber courses nearby in Phantom Falls, Bailey, and Beaver Ranch.
-The course designer gives an intro and overview to the course before your round. Provides a "course notes" sheet with information on hole length, elevation changes, a "plays like" distance, and ideal landing zones.
-Easy and effective course navigation system based on colored arrows attached to trees.
-Course owners often present. Fun to chat with.
-One of the ultimate courses in par 3 finesse game, most of the 28 holes are short and birdie-able but also bogey-able.
-Premium placed on gap shooting, landing zones, and controlling the speed and angle of landing.
-Truly challenging and cleverly designed par-3's. There are some 100-150 foot holes that you will play for a 3.
-Water buckets at various locations throughout course, and a couple small shelters for breaks / snacking.

-Eroding granite plus fallen pine straw on steeply sloped ground combines to create the worst footing of any course I've experienced. A large percentage of upshots, even well placed upshots, are from places where you will be sliding down basically a rockfall of loose granite gravel and pine straw.

-Part of the magic of this course is the terrain that its built on, and unfortunately there is no real solution to the footing problem. There will always be eroding granite and pine straw flowing downhill at this course. It is a characteristic of the same terrain that makes the course great.

-While irregular footing can be a positive for a course, an extra level of challenge - at Bucksnort it often crosses the line from an interesting challenge into the zone of moderate danger and disruption of play.

-$20/round per person, and only one group per day (this is not a knock against the management of the course, it makes really good sense to limit how many people are on this course at once). Part of the great fun of playing a par-3 style of golf is getting to go back to a course many times and "solve" all the holes, figure out their ideal landing zones, and how to birdie them. For most of us we are lucky to play Bucksnort once a year and never get to dial in our shots on these finesse holes.
-Lack of power shots, out of 28 holes only a few require a fairway driver, and basically none require a long distance driver.
-Physically taxing course, you are almost never standing on flat ground. And almost always standing on a significant grade. Combine this with all the elevation changes and loose footing, and hiking this course is more like mountaineering than typical disc golf. One round here feels like about 3 rounds at most other courses.
-Fairways cross each other in a couple spots, not much of an issues since the course is usually one group at a time.
-Rollaways are a significant factor here. Hundred foot roll-aways from missed putts are not uncommon. This isn't entirely a con, but on some holes there literally is no landing zone for the green and luck is too much of a factor.

Bucksnort is a 4.5 or 5.0 as a destination type course that you'd play once a year or once a lifetime. If I'm asking myself what are the best courses in the world to play once, Bucksnort is unquestionably one of them. Bring a group, have one of the funnest days of disc golf ever. You will sleep like a baby with a smile on your face afterward and have a memory for a lifetime.

But if I'm rating it to truly compare it against all other courses, mostly comparing to top courses in the MidWest and championship caliber courses from the PDGA tour, and how it would rank among the top courses in the world to play 10 or 20 or 100 times, it's closer to a 4.0 or 4.5.

It's tough to get a 5.0 rating from me without having at least 1 hole that tests the player's ability with a long range drive, and the Bucksnort property lacks enough level ground to really make a hole like that.

Overall I gave it a 4.5, but I really wish I could have given it about a 4.2. That's what I'd give it comparing it to other top level non-mountain courses. Just realize that when you're going to Bucksnort, it is what it is: destination style disc golf. It's not champion style disc golf, in that arena it's more like a 4.0.

Bucksnort was a very difficult course to assign a rating to. To date I've given four courses a higher rating (Idlewild, Steady Ed Headrick, West Lake Park, Wildcat Bluff), but I'd choose to play Bucksnort over those courses 100% of the time.

If you call yourself a disc golfer, then Bucksnort is going to be your wildest dream come true. Here are the many aspects of my round that made it one that I won't ever forget:

• Scenery - OH. MY. GOSH. If disc golf didn't exist, and you were to simply hike through the land that Bucksnort sits on, you would still find the journey well worth your time and money. Every hole is a photo opportunity as you hike up and down the mountain. The beginning and end of the course play next to some very interesting rock formations that make for cool disc golf obstacles. The middle of the course plays out more on the edge of the mountain and offers beautiful views of the surrounding area.

• Quality golf - Bucksnort is the epitome of "risk-reward" golf. There are many juicy ace runs out on the course, but if you miss on your drive, your disc could be headed down a cliff never to be seen again. Even if your drive ends up OK, you'll find that the greens of Bucksnort have enough elevation to make you think about going for the birdie (you could end up rolling 50 feet away from the basket). Hole 8 is the most memorable of these. You are throwing off a cliff down onto another cliff about 300 feet away. If your disc goes left or long, then it's gone. If it goes right, then you're taking a 5 at least. But you HAVE to go for it, because if it goes in the hole it will make for the coolest ace EVER.

• Privacy - When you play Bucksnort, you rent the course out for the day. That means you can stay on hole 8's tee-pad until you GET that ace (or until all your discs are down the cliff). It also means that if you want to just sit and take in the beautiful scenery around you, you don't need to worry about someone yelling at you to get off the fairway or someone's disc conking you in the head. Lastly, it means that if you want to sing for joy at the top of your lungs, no one will look at you like you are a weirdo.

• Service - The folks that run Bucksnort are extremely nice and are good for disc golf. It's clear that they are passionate about the sport, and they are true ambassadors to the game.

Since Bucksnort is easily the most memorable disc golf experience I've had to date, it doesn't really seem right to give it a rating of 4.5 when I've given other courses a 5.0. That being said, the course is not perfect. With the exception of a few holes, the tee-pads here are natural, which made for some shaky footing on a hole or two. Also, there is not much opportunity on the 28 hole course to use a bathroom, except for at the very first hole.

The tee-pads and the bathroom issues are somewhat nitpicky, but the more significant reason for the 4.5 rating is that the course does not offer championship caliber disc golf. Bucksnort is mostly a true test of your short game, and there are no real opportunities for bigger arms to let loose and rip.

The fact that this course is pay-to play should NOT be considered a con. The revenue that this course generates is used to keep the course running and improving, so I actually felt like I was getting a great deal.

Make a trip out of it by devoting another day to visiting Phantom Falls course!

Amazing and unique course. Basket locations and never seen situations that take advantage of the beautiful property. This is a Big Risk/Reward course. If you run it and miss, it could cause a few extra strokes. I love the elevation changes and the natural(not over cleared) layout. Fresh water provided at the multiple rest spots. They also have benches with trash cans every couple of holes. The calmness is amazing when you are the only people there. Play fast, slow, throw multiple disc, take pics, and enjoy your buzz with peace of mind! Great arrow system that makes navigating a new course nice and easy. Its worth the money once and a must play for any serious player. Decide yourself about how to rate it based on what you want from a course. I loved it. Lowell and his wife are a blessing to make it possible and allow others to share the joy of this private course. Pauly is great, thorough, and has help design a lot of courses local to that area that you should consider while in the area.

Natural inconsistent tee pads but great basket/next tee pad arrow system.
A few crossing fairways but that is why only one group a day is allowed to play.
4 person minimum at $ 20.00 per player($80 minimum)(we only had three in our group,so we split 80.00 three ways).
Once you go in the property you can't leave and come back so go overly prepared for a full all day workout.(water,food,ext.)
Had to decide whether to play Bucksnort or phantom falls next door. We only had one day in that area. We would have had to reserve in advance and pay for reserving both courses to play one round at each bucksnort and phantomfalls on the same day.($160.00) for three people is too much when the other course was not in use. That was harsh after spending a $100.00 in the pro shop and covering the 80 bucks for a round.

Seems expensive,but for a vacation/resort experience that cost alot to maintain the property at the amazing condition it is makes it worth it for a one time experience. I will come back and try to bring people with me. They have a decent pro shop at Pauly's house with lots of Buck snort stamped plastic and lots of shirts. You will need a descent SUV/truck to get up there in the mud season! Respect the property, have the experience, and decide. I would not care for it as a local, but will indulge as a vacationing patron.

Awesome views
All kinds of shots
Water provided along the course
2 rain/sun shelters
Lots and lots of benches
NO crowds
The course is all yours for the entire day!

Remoteness
$20 price tag
Dirt tee pads, but hey, it's up in the mountains. I sure ain't dragging cement bags and water out to some of these tee spots.

The tee pads, while dirt, are very maintained and level. They are also plenty long enough. You don't have to stand within the 3ft beams placed at the end of the tee pad. Those are just a guide for where it does end.
A destination course! Make the effort and you WILL be rewarded!

-Huge amount of elevation change. There are straight downhill shots, straight up-hill shots, side hill and couple valley type shots. This land had a lot of good elevation change available and it was used well here.
-There are a lot of fun really tricky pin-positions here. A lot of the pin are placed on rocks, behind rocks, or near big drop-offs. This adds a lot of risk vs. reward on approach shots and putts.
-There are a lot of tight fairways on this course. There are a lot of trees on many of the holes. In order to score well you have to be able to hit some tight lines, but the lines never feel unfair, just challenging.
-The rocks on this course are one of the best features of the course. They add a lot of challenge by creating barriers between you and the basket, serving as interesting pin-placements, or knocking down errant drives.
-Benches and trashcans at many of the tee-pads.
-Course is very easy to navigate. There are yellow arrows pointing from the last basket to the next tee. They are very well placed and make it very easy to find the next tee. For baskets that are hidden from the tee, there are orange arrows pointing where the basket is, so you don't have to walk up the fairway to find it.
-There are a lot of very memorable holes on this course. Hole 4 is short shot to a basket tucked very tightly into a tight cave. Hole 7 is tight downhill shot through the trees out onto a rock that looks like a moon rock. Hole 15 is an ace run, but if you over throw the basket very far, your disc will be flying very far down the hill.
-Baskets are in good shape and caught well. I always enjoy the wooden basket that some of the courses in Pine area have.
-Requires a good variety of shots in order to score well.
-Wonderful views

-The course could use one or two longer holes. None of the holes feel overly long, especially since some of the longer ones are downhill shots.
-The tee-boxes are ok, but could use a little work. I felt like I wanted a little more room on a couple of them and a few of them felt a little slick.
-Hole 13 felt a little gimmicky to me. It is a basket tucked in a shed or house like structure and it just felt a little unnatural compared to the rest of the course.
-There is definitely a chance to lose a disc on this course in some of the underbrush

Overall, this is a spectacular course. There are a ton of amazing memorable holes. This is an amazing piece of property for a disc golf course and the potential of this property was used very well in the design. This is easily one of the best courses, I've played. If you enjoy fun disc golf, make sure you visit this course.

-Awesome rock formations all over the course. Many baskets are placed in or around these rocks for added challenge, fun and uniqueness. It starts off strong with the basket against a massive rock across a little valley. Hole 2 is back down the valley with an ace run against a rock back board. Hole 4 and 5 are some of the most interesting on the course. Hole 4 is into the cave/crack and is a tough tee shot and tough putt. It is also one of the famous pine baskets. Super short but not an easy 3. Hole 5 is another downhill with a fast green behind the rocks.
-Tees are natural but worked just fine.
-Lots of elevation and risk/reward shots. Not nearly as severe punishment for poor judgement as PF but you can still throw a disc off a cliff by accident.
-This course is designed to be able to hold events unlike PF which is good. It appears to be a larger property with less holes so it is less crammed and no baskets are shared. There is definitely room for expansion and I hear there is expansion in the plans for this summer. I was picturing some more awesome shots all over this property.
-The basket in the building was pretty cool and unique. Even though it was a manufactured obstacle, it was still a legitimate challenge.
-This course is up on top of the hill above PF so the views are a lot better. You can see forever. Holes 8,15,16 especially were memorable views.
-This course is designed with intermediate players in mind but I think that it could challenge most players. You still need accuracy to avoid trees and to place your discs where they wont roll. You also need to think about your next shot as many greens are tricky.
-Paulie is a great host and course designer. It is fun to hang out with him for the day and have him tell you the ins and outs of the courses. He is a great advocate for the sport.
-No junk holes here, all of them are fun and pretty unique.

-Like Phantom, this course has a hodgepodge of various baskets. Many of them are nice but some of them are single-chained and will spit discs out now and then.
-Could lose a disc here with a really bad shot. The undergrowth is a little worse than Phantom being a newer course but it is much better than most wooded courses. I did find a disc in the open. If you want it back, PM me with a brief description and we'll see if we can get it back to you.
-Definitely a physically challenging course with lots of hiking up and down hills at high elevation.
-Like PF, this course is pay to play ($15) and there is only one tee time every day. This is a pro because you aren't going to be rushed and a con because it can be hard to get onto. I would say that this course is a must play regardless of the cost.
-Tees are natural (see pros)

-You probably should take a few days to visit this area if you are from out of town. This course as well as Phantom, Bailey, and Conifer are all must plays for everybody.
-I camped for free about 10 miles away from here in the Buffalo Creek National Forest area. Highly recommended. Especially for free.
-Paulie allowed me to play this course after Phantom and I was joined by two others, thanks to Dan and Stephanie for the camaraderie and great round.
-This course had a super high fun factor for me. I look forward to returning someday and maybe bumping this rating up to a 5.

Of the five big courses in the Conifer/Pine/Bailey area, Bucksnort takes top honors in a number of different categories: scenery, unique topology, creative design, and best of all, fun.

There are a lot of signature holes here. Hole 4 is only 118 feet long into a tight crevasse. It's probably possible to ace, but even getting a birdie is pretty tough. Great shot placement hole requiring a good drive and a better putt. Hole 5 is a steep downhill shot with a stone "backboard." If you miss the thin landing area or the backboard, you won't be getting a birdie. But going for the ace is really tantalizing. My sidearm thumber narrowly missed.

Hole 7 has a few tight, low-ceiling gaps opening up to a "green" that is the largest boulder I've ever set foot on, which has a terrific view of the surrounding mountains and gigantic rock outcroppings. Hole 8 tees off from this rock on what Paulie calls a disc-eating hole. We didn't have any trouble finding our discs in the forest below, but if you air it out carelessly, I could see it never coming back. This is a hole where you could easily get an ace, birdie, par, bogey, and maybe worse. Hole 9 is a final hole along the side of this boulder, with the basket sitting on a ledge along the rock wall. It looks like an easy forehand ace or birdie opportunity, but for some reason we didn't get a lot of birdies on this hole.

Hole 21 is a steep uphill toss at a basket set in a corner. It is aceable (my friend did), but hitting the rock wall behind it could send the disc rolling back to you.

Navigation was easy, using the same yellow "next tee" signs used at the other courses that Paulie designed.

This probably has the least amount of elevation change of any of the five courses in the area. It definitely plays up and down, but you won't be catching your breath like at Conifer or Magic Meadows.

I don't think using the natural features of the terrain is gimmicky (they are used to excellent effect here). But one of the holes does have you throwing to a basket situated in a wooden shack where you are either throwing through the open roof, one of the three windows, or through the one side with no wall. This hole, while kind of funny, felt artificial.

This isn't a championship style course, if that is what you are after.

Tee pads are all natural, and some are short. Again, I don't expect concrete on these holes.

The charge was $10 ("introductory fare"), and Paulie leads you up the hill from Phantom Falls and gives you the lowdown. It was well worth the cost. You get the course to yourself, just like at Phantom Falls or Magic Meadows.

If your favorite part of disc golf is throwing your Destroyer as far as you can, this might not be your cup of tee. I love wooded courses, but my accuracy was off the day I played, and I encountered a lot of Dikembe trees, slamming my disc to the ground. This is not a pitch and putt course (seriously, try playing without a driver on the uphill holes), but your big arm won't serve you well here. If you are accurate, you will score well here. But there are plenty of places for mistakes, and my two friends and I saw a lot of lead changes.

To me the sign of a great course is how badly I want another chance at the holes. We couldn't wait to play this a second time. And even though I had a 7-hour drive ahead of me that evening, I decided we needed to play it a third time as well. It was too tantalizing.

This course is the most fun of any I've played.