Bud Hill , THE RIDGE , is one of 2 courses on private property . Be patient finding this place . Your directional guide can easily mess up out there , and this place sits pretty far from everything . There is a long gravel driveway leading up to the clubhouse and the course . The Clubhouse features a guestbook , memorabilia and places to sit and swap stories with the locals between and after rounds . There is a Port O Let near the parking lot . The parking lot isn't big , but the owner will let you park in the grass in case of an overflow of cars . The Ridge course starts behind the clubhouse about 40-50 yards . It is on the opposite side of the gravel drive pointing towards the pond .
The Equipment - There are cement tees now . They are smallish at about 6-7' X 3-3 1/2 , but they are a step up from worn carpet .There are 2 tees on most of the holes . Signage is adequate in the short positions , giving just what is expected . The baskets are older Chainstars , but catch well .
THE LANDSCAPE - This course doesn't roll as much as the Original , but there is some decent elevation here . Mostly woods holes , but fair lanes . This area must have been a bear to clear out . Not quite as scenic as the Original course , but still a great walk . Water only comes into play on hole #1 which is really a hard deuce . The grounds were mowed for the big amateur tournament the following day and the trees were cut back nicely .
THE HIGHLIGHTS - This type of course will not feature those . If you want highlights , play the original . If you want some fun factor , play here . The toughest hole was #1 . The tee is elevated , and the basket sits on a lengthwise ridge with the pond on the immediate left and a sloping hill on the right . No sense losing a disc on the first hole . There was a hole ( I think #15 that was a downhill run at a high hanging basket . Some risk/reward there . . Many of these holes are short and technical . You might get away with a couple of midranges and a putter . There are still many varying and right to left holes .
THE TIME - It took me over and hour to play , but only because there were people at most of the holes . On an emptier day , you will cruise this course in 50 minutes .
If you don't make a run at the first hole and dig your drive into the hill like I did , then your disc risk is low . There are several blind basket placements at the Ridge , , but the course is pretty cleared out and as long as you watch your flight path and not land up in a large tree .
This could be an excellent warmup for The Original , or just a laid back round without much exertion .

#1 Challenge - Many will think the course is too easy . Well , it's supposed to be . Don't be all geared up just to be let down .
If the course gets crowded on a weekend and evryone flocks to the Ridge , make sure you don't throw around a bend and catch someone looking for their disc off the fairway . Don't make it a bad day for either of you .
LACKING AMENITIES - It was okay with me , but instead of nice blue waste cans and benches , they had random chairs at a lot of the holes and some regular trash cans. Not a problem with me , but worth mentioning .
CALLING AHEAD - Many are used to just showing up at a course instead of asking permission . Hey , The course owner and wife are great people . Honor them with courtesy .
Make sure you bring bug spray .

This is a great alternative to the Original . Something more low key , and you are able to make it a quick play if you become pressed for time . Long time course owner Danny Daniels has put a lot of time , money and effort into making this private playground an experience . I met him while he was mowing , and he is one of the nicest guys and represents disc golf well . There is a donation box near the liability waiver papers . It is expensive to keep up a private course with no outside funding . Make sure you donate some money to a great cause . I am sure most all of it goes right back into the course . Private course like these make you feel as if you are part of something special , and more welcome than Rec. Commission parks . I bumped my rating about half a point because, " how many private course that you will play in your lifetime feature 2 separate and full 18 hole disc golf courses ? "
My Recommendation - The Ridge is just that little " extra addition " to this property . I played alongside a whole lot of rec players , good players with less talented girlfriends and wives , newbies still getting their feet wet . There were also some better players that were just working on their short technical game . Pros might find this course too easy and boring , but still could use a few holes as a warmup for the Original .Coming to this course is less about The Ridge , and more about the Destination . PLAY IT !!

This 2nd 18-hole course is a great complement and contrast to the original Bud Hill course. It is primarily a short wooded technical style course. Baskets are all quality and navigation was a breeze. Each hole has a basic numbered tee sign beside the short tee. Every hole supposedly has a 2nd longer tee (I saw most of them, but since we were playing from the signs, I just forgot to find them all.) For most holes, a 3 is fairly easy, but here the battle is for birdies, and quality shot making is required to score low.

Though you can get by with only mids and putters, the course still requires a variety of shots- straight, left, right, up, down, level. Fairways are well-defined and narrow enough to require an accurate line to get your birdie. There are several mando trees to avoid "short-cuts" to the holes around the bigger bends, adding to the risk/reward factor of these holes- go for birdie or risk a mando penalty. There are opportunities to get creative off the tee and try shots you might not use regularly (side arm, tomahawks, high hard cuts, etc.)

The basket locations are superb, tucked away around a corner, placed behind trees, on the ridge by the pond, etc. I don't generally prefer hanging baskets, but the one on this course just makes sense being on a downhill slope makes you really think about going for it or playing it safe.

The signs didn't have distances, which I would have liked, but since the holes are all under 200' one should be able to judge distance with the eye.

The tees are either natural or rubber pads (concrete to me is always preferred, but are not really necessary here as a run-up drive is not needed, and I totally understand not pouring concrete all over this privately owned wooded hillside.)

There were 2 newer trial holes inserted in around hole 4, but these 2 holes play in a wide open field and to me, being a different style from the rest of the course, detract just a little. But they are set up to where these holes are optional with no extra walking or confusing the navigation.

I found this course to be really fun as: 1) it was not exhausting physically or mentally, 2) it still requires thought-out and well-executed shots, and 3) it features many ace runs and birdie chances. The Ridge is designed to be exactly as it is, and I believe is an excellent example of how to design a course of this style.

It only takes about an hour or less to play this course, and is a nice warm-up to or change of pace from the original course. Danny, as always, was great and so kind to open his courses for play. Having 36 holes at Bud Hill only makes this an even better destination area and one of the best places to play disc golf in the country.

Nice short addition to the full-length Bud Hill.
Good 'Skill Check' for Big Arms.
Many women and ams use the course.
Fun walk in the forest.
Many challenging putts.

SOOO many left to right shots!

Keepin it short cause 'Mr Mirth' gets it all right on. See his review. I would again add though: Nearly every shot is left to right. Otherwise, a really nice addition to the longer Bud Hill course. And the overall Bud Hill complex is one of the best ANYWHERE. A must visit. Try to get to the 2 Forest courses just down the road too. You can get a full 3-4 day visit in without running out of great disc golf.

The Ridge serves as quirky little bro to Bud Hill, proffering a rapid fire challenge through thickly forested hillside. Largely left to right narrow lines with constant elevation, some extreme doglegs and numerous mandos, each shot requires thought and skill. Don't be misled by the short length of these holes (all but one less than 200') as you must hit the lines to get the birdies! It's not poke n hope: Throw straight or expect a pitch out; Miss the mando, take a stroke and putt from the drop zone; Hit the mando long or wide and expect a challenging upshot/ putt, or worse, suffer a hard kick with likely "plinko" effect. A few tricky pin placements (steep incline, enveloped in bush, guarded), a handful or more ace runs, a hanging basket and arching tree tunnel, all bolster this tee-to-green experience.
Most tees are of adequate size with rubber surfaces, although the pro pads are natural, not entirely finished and subject to change. Several tees are wooden decks with non skid surfaces protruding from the hillsides; necessarily, these make for some fun downhill, aroundhill, uphill lines. Baskets are a decent mix match of hand me downs from big bro and catch as expected. The signs say merely "hole1, hole 2, hole 3, etc." with the distances written on them. Never the less, the course flows well enough and is easily followed.

Ordinarily I might criticize the signs, the tees, the potential for throwing onto or "plinko" into other holes, but this course makes for a fun challenge and a fine contrast to its big brother. Although a little immature and rough around the edges, The Ridge will no doubt grow into something worthy of Bud Hill's brotherly pride.

18 holes in 43 minutes was, I think, a first for me. All but one of my tee shots, and a handful of single step forehands, was a stationary throw. The holes flew passed (pun intended) and I enjoyed the fast flowing challenge of these short, technical, skill-honing touch shots. Leave your bag and have a drink before teeing off, you'll be back soon enough. Pick a putter, perhaps a mid, maybe a multipurpose disc; One or two is all you'll need with this quirky quick compliment.