Camden II is one of two courses onsite. This one, nicknamed "The Other Side", is the newer and more challenging of the two courses here. It's a completely (almost) wooded course with elevation at every turn. It's set in a section of the park that is disc golf exclusive. There will be no distractions out here from other park users or activities. It's just you against this beast of a course.

The elevation is apparent right out of the gate. The valley that runs throughout the course too. So are the trees. If you don't like what you see from the tee of hole 1, you'd better turn around because it's 17 more of these. The design here is top notch. There wasn't a single hole that felt forced, and more importantly every hole had at least one fair line. More than can be said about the other course onsite. There's lots of up and downhill holes but theres enough flattish holes sprinkled in to let you catch your breath. There's bridges and stairs everywhere they're needed on each hole as well as the trails between holes. As long as you stay on the fairway that is.

The baskets here are beautiful, brand new, red Mach X's. These things are great. Love these baskets. The bright color makes them pop in the shady woods. There's one basket per hole but up to four pin positions. Apparently they're all in the shorts in the winter, which is to be expected. They're rotated around in the warmer months. Today there was a majority in the longs but numerous others where in one of the other, shorter positions.

The tees are concrete. These are strangely shaped. They're not the longest pads I've seen but they get the job done for the type of shots you're throwing here. What's odd is how wide they are. This was nice on a few holes were I'd prefer the far left of the pad while my wife would use the far right. These open up the angles better for different shot shapes/styles as well as suiting different angles better depending on the pin placement. Nicely done with these. One tee per hole.

The tee signs are solid here. Big and bold with a nice hole map showing all the different pins, landmarks on the fairway, and trails leading to the next hole. There's also the pars and distances listed/color coded for each basket. There's also random pictures of sections of the hole which aren't really helpful at all, but do look cool. The best part is that on every post/tree the sign is attached to has a bolt with a colored square denoting the basket placement currently. This was fantastic and saved a lot of extra walking up the fairway. Again, very well done.

The creek can come into play in numerous spots adding to the risk factor out here. It was pretty dry when we played luckily, though I surprisingly didn't land in it. I was close a few times. This is just a beautiful piece of property for a course. It feels like you're in the middle of nowhere when in reality you just outside of a pretty decently sized metro area.

The course is free to play and in the ground year round. Ample parking with a few practice baskets and a pavillion and restrooms by the parking lot. One other major, major plus was the fact that the course brings you right back to the parking lot after hole 8. Hole 9's tee is less than fifty feet from the lot. Very nice to replenish on fluids.

The chance to lose a disc is very real out here. The rough is pretty dense in spots, also sharp and itchy. Lots of thorns and nettles in the summer. My wife rubbed up against something that gave her a little rash on her arm. And if the creek is high there's that too.

Not really any signature holes and the last hole is just kind of average compared to the rest of the course. But that's still a compliment since the rest is so good.

There's a few fairways that play very close to the next tee pad if the baskets are in the longs, which numerous were when I played. There's also some longer walks between holes. Understandle, but you'll be sucking air just getting to the next hole in a few areas. Well worth it though.

Camden II has been on my wishlist for years. I've actually been in the area twice and was stormed out both times. The first time I was literally IN THE LOT when the sky let loose. Third time was a charm and man was it worth the wait. Definitely a top 3 course in IL. You could debate for hours and never agree on the top one but this one is right up there.

Must play course. If you're anywhere nearby this needs to be at the top of the list of courses to play. Just fantastic, memorable golf. Loved it. And of course there's the fact that there's another solid course right here. Get out here if you haven't already.

- Very challenging wooded course
- Rotating pin positions
- Open year round, pin positions in short for winter
- Variety of shot shapes and distances required
- Such great use of the elevation

- There isn't necessarily a "signature hole". Plenty of solid holes though
- The hills can get super slippery during the winter and early spring.

Not much to complain about with this course. Camden 2 is such an amazing play! Challenging in all pin positions, plenty of variety, and overall just a great time!

Camden II is the second 18 hole course to be installed at Camden Park in Milan and oh what a sequel it is. We're talking Godfather II here. The original course is a solid park course with plenty of elevation, but Camden II is a treacherous, wooded beast. The course is nicknamed "the other side" and as compared to the original course this is a perfect description. This is no walk in the park. Camden II features mostly grassy fairways cut out of the woods, a ravine that winds it's way through the course (sometimes running parallel to the line of play, sometimes perpendicular, and sometimes snaking every which way), and the kind of elevation changes perfectly suited for disc golf. There is one hole that begins in an open field, but otherwise this is a totally wooded course. The course is laid out with one tee and 3-4 basket locations per hole. Not all positions on a given hole are given the same par, so the potential variety here is off the charts. The tee signs are some of the best that I've seen and do a good job of showing the locations of all pin positions. A color coded washer mounted on the sign post let's you know which location the basket is currently in. Due to the wide variety of basket locations, the concrete tees are way oversized and square. The Mach III baskets, while not state of the art, catch just fine.

If you want a warm up, start with Camden I, Camden II throws you right into the fire. You step up to the first tee and have to choose whether to try to clear a fairly deep ravine mid-fairway or try to lay up just short without rolling into said ravine. The hole can be parked with a pure drive, but the potential for disaster is high. The fun and challenge only get better from here. Many (if not the majority of) holes require risk/reward decision making, and I stepped up to the box on many holes only to completely rethink my strategy and rummage through my bag to grab a totally different disc for a totally different shot than I had intended to throw. This is not the norm in my experience and I greatly appreciate the added challenge.

There are too many potential "signature holes" to list here, and the pictures don't do the elevation changes any justice. I came here expecting a challenge, and while I wasn't disappointed, I was amazed at how much fun this beast of a course was. The layout I played featured some of the tougher holes I've played interspersed with others that while not easy, were certainly birdie-able with good execution. I only came across one potentially unfair fairway (a shorter, uphill hole on the back nine), every other hole had a reasonably line (or two).

In my experience, it's a truly rare course that combines challenge and fun to the degree that Camden II is able to pull off. It was hard to wipe the smile off my face (even when I followed back to back deuces with a double bogey).

It's hard to find much wrong with this course, but I'll give it a shot. The below complaints are complete nit-picky, whiny BS, but no course is perfect and I feel I should address any shortcomings.

While the fairways are plenty wide, the rough contains copious amounts of poison ivy. Since I don't get an allergic reaction, I generally end up doing all off-fairway disc retrieval for the group when playing courses infested with PI. At Camden II, I saw poison ivy on most every hole where I (or my son) ventured off of the fairway. Most fairways are very fair. If you are able to place your throws where you intend, you will probably not encounter any PI, but that doesn't describe most of us.

The course lacks a long water carry. I'm sure during rainy times, the creek at the bottom of the ravine gets much higher than what I witnessed, but it isn't quite the same as a >200' water carry when it comes to pucker factor. Granted, I chose to lay up short of the ravine on a few holes, but it is an easy pitch across after the layup.

It was dry when I played, and the excellent bridges and steps here must have been a huge undertaking, but footing is going to be baaad in places when wet. The nature of the course with the excellent use of elevation and the ravine means that there will be slippery slopes when wet. You can't expect stairways and terraces in every possible landing spot.

The ever changing layout due to the multiple basket placements (this isn't an all long or all short scenario; the course stewards use the multiple sleeves to create many different combinations) could be a pro or a con. On one hand, it provides ultimate variety and replay-ability, on the other, you may have to wait quite a while to replay a favorite position on a particular hole. This also makes it hard to chart your progress against previous rounds, when you may not see the same layout again for years. I loved the layout that I played and walked by plenty of fun and plenty of brutal positions.

Prior to playing Camden II, Maple Hill was the only course that I considered a 5. As hard as I tried, I couldn't convince myself that Camden II was a tier below. If DGCR had a more granular rating scale, I would probably call Camden II a 4.75 and Maple Hill a 5, but it doesn't, and Camden II is closer to a 5 than a 4.5 in my book. I've traveled a bit and played a decent variety of courses, and from what I've seen Camden is about as good as it gets.

*8/20/23 update: I've reevaluated some course rankings and as much as I love Camden II, it's not separated enough from the rest of the 4.5 courses (in my book) to call it a 5.*

- Easy to get to. GPS takes you right to the course. Plenty of parking and its easy to find hole 1.
- Potty in the parking lot
- The course flowed pretty seamlessly. Find the next pad was pretty simple thanks to the course being beat down over the years and the signs they put up pointing you the right way.
- Great concrete teepads. They were nice and long and nicely raked. Grip was great.
Teesigns were pretty good. They have the pin location on each sign which is nice to see and the maps are pretty clear.
- Lots of elevation change. It was so much fun playing up and down the hills here. Its not something you see everywhere and even when you do see it its not always done right but this course was definitely designed by a proficient designer and they did a great job.
- Basket placements were great. There was never a time when I looked at a hole and scratched my head in wonder why a basket would be there.
- Lots of trash cans and awesome custom benches that were as unique as each hole was. Stadium bleachers were the best by far.
- Very very tight fairways and tons of trees but there were not any holes where there wasnt a fair way to get to the hole.
- Winding creek through the course with OB making a lot of simple shots seem a lot harder then they are. Just adds to the fun.

- Bugs, the gnats here were terrible when I played. It just slightly took away from the experience but not from the golf.
- At times the baskets kinda camouflaged into the woods. Not terrible but it happened.

I loved this course. It was a ton of fun and had pretty much everything I look for in a course. Some of my favorite golf comes from playing a wooded course with some rolling hills and this is exactly what this course is. The course was challenging but not too challenging that beginners will want to stay away. Its very refreshing to see a heavily wooded course that is fair and has all its trees in the right place. My hats off to the designer. Thank you for this gem in Illinois. Its so hard for me to choose a favorite course in IL now between McNaughton, Dellwood and Camden 2. Great job. Ill be back.

Again this in advance styled review.Very technical ,a lot demanding left and right hand throws, flick ability for both left and right backhand is almost required to score low. Oh... and ability to throw An-hyser's with power was fun, and not something I usually get to contribute in the woods when it's this tight, in some spots.

Only that I can't play it everyday.

None. Perfect course, could use bathrooms that are closer. #1stworldproblems

Don't be scared off by the "wooded course" reviews that you see. In my opinion, this is not a wooded course, rather, it is a course in the woods. When I think "wooded course" I think 10' gaps, thick underbrush and being frustrated for most of the round. Camden II is not that.

It has everything you need to have fun and at the same time to be tested. Every hole has a fair way in the truest sense of the word. You don't need to thread a needle 100' away at any time. There are landing zones that put you in good positions or there are aggressive shots that can yield birdies or bogies.

Plenty of elevation without feeling like you need an oxygen mask to finish the round. However, lots of elevation usually mean lots of awful roll aways. Not here. The stewards have put in an unbelievable amount of time manicuring this place to include logs to stop those rolls in the most strategic locations.

This isn't a "con" per se but rather an observation. Because they are constantly improving the course, there are always areas that are being worked on. I can see the things that were installed 6 months ago and I can see the things that will be great 6 months from now.

There is one tree that I dislike and Sprague knows which one!

I was hosted by the course designer so I got to hear the stories of each hole; what they used to be, what they have changed and what they will be doing next.

This place is incredible and it made me want to be a part of this disc golf community.

Love a good hike in the woods? This course is for you!
The ever-changing bridges and decorative features are great.
The course is a challenge with several pin locations, it's rarely the same thing twice.
The maintenance crew for this place are creative workhorses who have gone out of their way to add directional signage to keep you on course.

The underbrush gets thick in summer. Discs are easily lost. Wear some pants if you plan to go digging for yours or you'll meet up with the poison ivy and itch-weed.

We are lucky to have this place so close to us!

-The course is absolutely beautiful. Deep ravines and near-100% canopy cover
-Lots of different pin placements, and they rotate through fairly often.
-Very efficient use of space. Even though the holes look and feel remote, they are surprisingly close together. The course can easily be played in an hour. Great for multiple rounds!
-Custom woodworking, custom benches, flags on the baskets,stylish foot bridges...tons of attention to detail. Everything seems unique and original.
-10x10 teepads which are a godsend on a course like this. They help to ensure that there will be a decent line off the tee on every shot regardless of pin position.
-Probably the best thing about this course is that even though it is nearly 100% wooded, every single tee shot is fair with a distinct line to aim for. This means that you can score well if you hit fairways. But if you don't....

-Some nettle and ivy cover, but nowhere near the level that exists on most wooded courses in the area.
-If you drove a long way to play and happened to find all the holes in the short positions, you might be slightly disappointed that you didn't get the challenge you were looking for.

This course is carved out of the woods for the entire course except a couple holes.Multiple par 4s and a 5 or 2 ,multiple pin placements,course is always being improved,excellent elevation,ravines,very challenging.offers another disc golf 18 hole course right there same parking cam 1.One more thought carved out sculptures on multiple holesof mushrooms and such.

Not many cons but,No bathrooms throughout the course is one

there is a dedicated crew that is there daily improving the course in every way .

Walking into the woods and up to the first tee at Camden 2 is a magical moment. As you peer down into the ravine you realize you are in a different sort of place - a special environment crafted just for disc golfers. One can almost imagine a tribe of gnomes fashioning this wooden world of stairs, bridges, ladders, terraced greens, benches and "stump sculptures."
Beyond the beauty, this is a great disc golf course. It's been designed for the thinking man. The fairways have been cleared to offer choices for flight lines. The risks are truly risky - those ravines are much deeper than they appear from the top and there are steep slopes beneath some of the baskets. Proper placement is a consideration on both tee shots and upshots.
The character of this course is lots of trees and lots of elevation. Yet even though the ravines make for some cardiac climbing, the course gives you plenty of chances to catch your breath with shorter ridge-top holes. One of my favorite features of Camden 2 is its unique barriers like fallen trees and deep, pit bunkers at the bottom of the ravines.
My favorite holes are the ones that cross the ravines - #1, #7, #10 and #12. Hole #4 deserves special mention because the drive is so challenging - you have to hit the line, cross the creek and then turn right to land on the creek-side path. Fall short and you're descending a ladder to retrieve your disc. Go long and you're on the wooded slope beyond the path and pretty much trying to salvage a bogey. I also love #2 with its "whale" bunker - a huge fallen free between tee and basket - and #13, the long downhill bomb and the only hole that's not in the woods.

The major con, which is a temporary one, is the lack of signs. A world class course deserves world class signs, and, according to the website, they are on the way. The only other negative I can think of is that #18 is almost too difficult. The fairway is mostly creek for the length of the hole - one of those deep "pit bunkers." The only safe landing zone is a narrow path that runs between the right bank and steep slopes above. You have to be almost perfect, or really lucky, to stay out of trouble on this one. Any kind of hyzer action on your drive or your upshot and you're playing from the pit. That said, I guess it's a testimony to Camden 2 when the only con is about such a unique and cool hole.

I'm not sure this course gets the respect it deserves. It should be on the national radar when it comes to courses in the woods. The only woods course I've played that comes close in terms of tender-loving-care is 7 Oaks in Nashville. Camden 2 is one of the major reasons that the Quad Cities area is such a great disc golf destination.

A beautiful trail system with giant oaks, manicured grass covered fairways, navigable rough, dramatic elevation changes, terraced greens, trails, bunkers, generous tee pads, and a variety wildlife. This once overgrown briar and thorn tree forest has been reclaimed and restored to feel more like an oak savanna surrounded by heavy woods.

The course was designed for more experienced golfers as the terrain is demanding - be prepared for a hike. It is setup as a multiple loop trail system, so you can cut your round short at various points and hole 9 tees off near hole 1 allowing for half rounds.

Multiple pin positions means a variety of course layouts (each layout is given a unique name with course records tracked on the website). The layouts range from a par 55 in the shortest to a par 64 in the longest, allowing for a lot of flexibility for tournaments, leagues, and daylight issues.

The fairways are extremely well manicured and and the rough is 'navigable' with trails, steps, ladders, and terraces where necessary. The tree canopies are cut clean and high in an effort to allow a larger range of shots.

Strategically cleared rough allows bad shots to finish their flights leaving the players behind a wall of trees instead of hitting the tree line and dropping safely into the fairway. Players that wisely sacrifice distance for control will be rewarded with a shot for birdie, while players that are lured into throwing further will often find one these 'bunkers'.

Many of the par 4's and 5's are doglegs where the prime landing brings the basket into view and many have a fallen tree that gives you visual cues where to land. The prime landings are usually about 250-275ft to the front edge and 350-400ft to the back. This makes control more important than distance, while allowing both as an option.

Creek ravines have had hundreds of volunteer hours restoring their natural flow, removing splash dams that cause erosion, and building check dams to retain rocky sediment. A once quick sand filled ravine is now a dramatic elevation drop that acts more like a bunker with waterfalls, pools, steps, terraces, and ladders to get you in and out efficiently - a rare disc golf feature.

A highly dedicated crew averages over 25hrs per week improving course conditions and adding amenities. A work log has been maintained since November of 2007, documenting the creation and maintenance of this 90-acre behemoth.

Signage - the original plan for our signs fell through, but we are currently working on plan b for the signs which will closely resemble those at The Maple Hills course in Leicester, MA. The signs will have photos to illustrate the landing areas especially on the blind dogleg par 4's and 5's. The photos will be from prime landings looking down the second half of the fairway.

Tee pads - The Village of Milan selected 10x10 street forms for the tee pads. Some players are bothered by the short length, so the Camden Crew has been working on terracing the tee pads adding an additional 2ft to the front and back. On a positive note the 10 wide tees offer a wider variety of shot angles and selection. Also, some tee pads were poured slightly off line from the way they were marked, so we are also working on expanding the tees to allow a proper angle at the run up.

Such a big course takes long term vision and dedication, and the Camden Crew repeatedly assesses and reassesses our goals and progress. There are few Cons that are not on our list of 'things to do'.

Please keep providing feedback, it helps us prioritize our goals, and just know that we have no intention of stopping the momentum - this course evolves weekly sometimes daily!

Thanks for all the positive support and thanks to all the disc golfers who embrace the course by keeping the trash cleaned - we hardly find trash anymore! Keep spreading the positive energy!

Course design was inspired by John Houck, Harold Duvall, Stan McDaniel, Dave Dunipace, Chuck Kennedy, Greg Hosfeld, Steve Dodge, Justin McLuen, Doug Peyton, Des Moines Disc Golf, Timmy Gill, the Wildcat Bluff crew, and the over 300 course I've played...thank you!

Camden Park has two courses and the newer one, Camden II, is a great wooded course with fair technical lines and some dramatic elevation change. It requires all types of shots. There are several par 4s (4,5,6,8,13,17), depending on basket positions some are par 3s. One of these (hole 4) has a par 5 long basket position where a 5 feels like a birdie (to me at least). It requires a pinpoint precision downhill left-to-right drive to a narrow landing zone along the opposite side of the ravine, then a couple of fairway tunnel drives up a steep hill to get to the putting area. A three on this hole would be heroic. There are a couple holes where large downed trees are left in place to prevent skips or rollers from reaching the desired lie for the approach or putt, a nice feature.

A great corps of volunteers puts a lot of work into this course, and it shows, every time I go there is a new landscaping feature or bench or sign or erosion control measure. Several holes play along or across deep ravines, and discs can be tough to retrieve, so the course crew has worked hard to put in lots of steps at common access points to access the bottom of the ravines.

The course is a double loop design back to the parking area after hole 8. Therefore it traverses the two sets of ravines twice, and its a lot of up and down. You need to be prepared for some exercise at this course, and that is a pro in my book.

So far I have played 5 of the top 40 courses listed on DGCR and this ranks right up there. There's a great collection of courses in the Quad Cities, several are well worth a stop, and Camden II and West Lake are the two absolute must-plays.

A minor con, really a potential long-term con, is that there are some erosion problems in the ravines, where the creek banks are getting traffic from people trying to climb down to get their discs. Without constant maintenance, this could become a big problem in the long term.

The park amenities aren't usually a big factor in how I rate a course, but the two disc golf courses, and a picnic shelter near the parking area, all see a lot of use, and there's one portable outhouse. And it is a long and difficult walk up and down two big ravines to get there from the outlying holes.

--10X10 foot concrete pads don't provide a ton of room for run-up, however it is really not needed on this course (hitting lines is what is truly important) and instead the side to side movement allowed by the wide pads is much appreciated in order to hit various lines through the trees

--SICK elevation changes, mostly running over an empty creekbed which is intimidating yet still friendly to play around--and in

--Wooded holes are cut out well to provide fair lines. I don't think there is a single poke-n-hope hole here, and if you think there is you probably have the wrong idea of what challenging disc golf should be like

--Although there is only one open hole, it is a sweet anny bomb down a sledding hill so the couple of minutes of relief you get from the woods is pretty awesome.

--Depending on the pin placements, this is a course for everyone from intermediate to professional. The shorts are probably too short for the best players to have fun on, but the longs can be pretty damn tough. Note the difference between the 3 pins on #4 and your jaw will drop. A par 3 to par 4 to true par 5 transformation!

--The rough is amazingly manageable, especially considering the work that was necessary to make it that way. Something would seriously have to go wrong to lose a disc here,

--Handmade steps and bridges help increase the safety factor. This is NOT an easy course to walk, it is very steep and hilly and you are often traversing slick terrain, especially if it has been raining. The work put into adding these safety features is very appreciated, and I'm sure it will be even better in another year

--THE SHOTS....oh man...THE SHOTS.....so incredibly beautiful watching your disc fly over the ravine on multiple occasions. There are also 3 or 4 holes that could be called "signature"...take your pick of which those are. I suspect if you bring 4 people in your group, all 4 will have a different favorite hole.

--Loops back to the parking lot after the front 9 to refresh yourself

--Great exercise due to all the hills. Not busy, so you can take as much time as you need for rest and enjoyment

--I know it has been beat to death, but the lack of signage is a tough pill to swallow on this course. At minimum, there needs to be a hole number painted on the teepad. It is confusing even with a map when you get around the 11, 12, 17 area. Very easy to mistakenly throw off 17 when you should be throwing off of 12. When the leaves are fallen, the paths from basket to basket are less obvious as well and it is easy to tee at the wrong hole. I have played this course numerous times, and I still accidentally skipped a hole recently. Don't get me wrong, I like how the lack of signage helps keep the bad people out, but for someone who may be playing without a guide it would be tough. I also would really like some accurate yardage for the different pin placements without having to hunt on forums for a list.

--You could argue that there isn't enough variety here due to only 1 open hole, but I wouldn't make that argument. There are enough different types of shots throughout the woods to provide variety. This is not a con for me, just pointing it out to people who may love to bomb. There won't be much bombing here.

This is currently my favorite course. Other than lack of signage, there is only one reason why I did not give it a 5/5. That reason is that I just haven't played enough high rated courses to give myself perspective on what a 5/5 should be. Currently, the only top 40 courses I have played are Wildcat Bluff and West Lake. Camden 2 is superior to both of those for me, just barely squeeking by Wildcat Bluff. I need to play a couple more top rated courses before I am comfortable giving out 5 disc ratings.

If you visit the course website www.camdentwo.com , you can find the updated pin locations that are currently in place. There are course layouts from the mid-50s for par up to the mid 60s (true par for an advanced golfer). I generally prefer the high 50s layout just because I'm not an advanced player, but the highest I have played is a par 62 and it definitely was a mental and physical beatdown!

Make no mistake about it folks, Camden 2 THE OTHER SIDE is a brilliant course and one that I am proud to have in the Quad Cities area.

Nice big tee pads.

Multiple pin placements.

Amazing scenery and varied shot selection from tee off to holing out.

Densely wooded and great shots over ravines and up and down hills, great elevation changes.

Skill and shot placement necessary on every throw. You will be punished very badly for almost any mistake on any throw.

Isolated from everything except disc golf. Great atmosphere and a very challenging course.

Very nicely laid out and it takes much more than just a good drive to get a good score unlike many other courses.

This is the best course I have played and it is what I would see as a championship level course though I am not a tournament player. You need the skill, the power, the finesse, the right decisions, the disc selection, execution, and the confidence to just get par here and it changes how you view other courses that you thought were good before you played here.

It is a new course still coming together so there are no signs. Some holes have blind long pin placements which will require good signs that have all pin placements on them. Navigation would have been very bad if we didn't play with some locals who knew the course.

This course actually has legitimate par 4s and 5s if pins are in long positions. It was challenging for me when they were in short positions though I am just a casual/ recreational player. If you think you are good at disc golf, play a round here and see what you think of yourself after. I can not wait to come back and see how improved this course will get over time. Everyone should try this course!

Multiple pin locations. Big wide tee pads. Many elevation changes and is well maintained by gene and his whole crew. They've been doing a great job trying to make this a champion level course.

Signage..... Just needs more of it

Awesome design includes concrete tees and tons of pin positions. The elevation used in the course is very cool. Hole 1 starts throwing over a sweet valley. Hole 13 is a HUGE left to right shot off of a ginormous hill. The next hole 14 is a very cool and tricky uphill shot that curves sharply left. 15 is a sweet downhill tunnel shot. 16's green is super steep and makes for a very interesting hole. This course has so many types of shots and is so much fun. Hole 4 is a sweet dogleg right par 4. Later there is a hole where the fairway curves way downhill and left at the end. I have never played a hole like it anywhere else. I could go on and on about the cool holes here but you should just go experience it for yourself. Even the short holes here are interesting with their tight, up and down lines through the woods.

The bridges all over the course are terrific.

Rough is rough at times. Watch out for steep slopes and mud when the course is wet.

Chris Sprague and his crew of helpers have put a ridiculous amount of time into making this course great. Check out the course's website http://www.camdentwo.com which includes a work blog, course records, and much more.

An ominous sign hung from the veiled opening of the forest as I approached: "Camden II - The Other Side". I felt that I was looking at a totem meant to ward off those not worthy enough to enter. Too bad I had forgotten my fedora and whip. From the massive ten foot square concrete tee pad, I took in the majestic view that was Hole One: an equally gorgeous and horrifying ravine plummeted down before me, slicing through the middle of the fairway. The pin winked at me from atop the hill on the other side, beckoning to me like some long-haired damsel trapped in a tower surrounded by a piranha filled moat. Slim-trunked trees dotted the near side as the terrain sloped down, and I knew why they were so menacing: even a glance from one of these bastards and my disc would topple into the depths below. Should I risk a full launch, pressing my luck? Or maybe play it safe and shirk the edge, using my approach shot to throw over the pit? Either way wouldn't be wrong, I thought. And I let it rip...

***

DISCLAIMER: The following description is brought to you by a wholly impressed disc golfer.

The course plays back and forth over one or two riverbeds (streambeds) at the bottom of the ravines and their corresponding hills. There is a brief break from the thick foliage on Hole 13, which is on the northern end of the forest in a field, but it is still very hilly. Be ready to bring it - this course is not for the weak! There are a myriad of ways to approach almost every hole, with lots of lanes through the trees in the well-sized fairways, as well as three different pin placements on most (all?) holes. I was fortunate enough to play when the shorter ones were in - the longest of the three look absolutely masochistic. Like, why? BECAUSE WE CAN! Ridiculous, LOL. Surprisingly, there is a lot of room to maneuver under the canopy, despite the density of the jungle. You are fully immersed without feeling claustrophobic at all. This alone is very hard to do and blew me away.

The HUGE tee pads (seriously 10 feet square) are (gasp) FLAT! Even if the terrain is sloped! I can think of more than a few courses that can take a lesson from that. So no worries, explorers, about having to adjust the angle of your drive to compensate. And these pads are so huge that two people could literally tee off at the same time, side by side. Grooves were cut into them to ensure solid shoe grip as well. Some of the best tees I've ever seen, hands down.

Most fairways involve steep elevation changes, thick rough, or both, and an obstacle or two thrown in for good measure. Like a giant friggin' downed tree that blocks your view of the target. But don't worry, the fine designers here have equipped a tall, reflective post atop the basket so you know where to aim. Little touches like that exist throughout the course and really shine through. You can tell how much effort has been put into making this course exceptional and one-of-a-kind.

Camden II is truly a work of art in that it has a homemade feel that I have never experienced on a DG course before. While the standard amenities are there - trash cans, benches, etc - the designers took it a step further: I felt like I was playing in someone's back yard. Someone's sprawling, grueling back yard. Rickety man-made bridges take you over treacherous ravines, and a wooden, hand-made ladder offers unlucky throwers an easy path into the trench on #4 (and a way back out). 6 inch thick wooden steps have been wedged into the steep hills throughout, providing sure footing both up and down. Felled logs line paths betwixt holes and shape fairways. Orange spray-painted tree stumps are your guides through the forest, so pay close attention; the clues are everywhere. After a while you feel like you're traversing the African Congo, following eerie markings on twisted trails from tee to tee, like you're searching for some long lost tribe that still speaks in their native tongue...

I was really impressed with how the course felt totally off the grid, and I think the overall feeling you get when you descend into the canopy is phenomenal. It was hard to believe that kids were playing teeball in another part of the park only a few hundred feet away. Never have I played a course that felt so...natural. It truly feels like you the human are the intruder here. Spiders run rampant over the leaves, and everywhere you turn creatures are rustling in the underbrush. I even saw a flock of wild turkeys crossing behind the basket on #2. At least I think they were turkeys...but looking back on it I wouldn't be surprised if they were some ancient dinosaur that time forgot and we all thought died out thousands of years ago.

Some of my favourite holes:
#1 and #4. They are very similar in that you are shooting over a ravine in both cases, although the pin is much farther back and has a slight dogleg right on #4. It's even more challenging than the first hole, as the ravine first cuts across and then travels along the right side of the fairway, serving as a constant reminder of the danger that awaits your disc should it go astray. The ravines normally have small streams in them but with the drought conditions everything was dry as a bone. I will say that when the stream is flowing, there still really isn't a threat of losing a disc. The hazard is more of trying to dig yourself out of the ravine. I would recommend a spotter on these holes especially, so they can track your disc if it goes in.

#9 is a tight jaunt, and #12 is a sharp downhill shot that is surprisingly tricky. #13 is the only break from the jungle, but is an awesome downhill blast over a wide open field, with the pin in the southeastern quadrant, back in the woods a bit.

Signature holes abound here, but #15 took the cake for me. Awesome setting with the homemade "Private Property"/"Out of Bounds" signs lining the left and a steady declining slope under the canopy and toward the pin. Very tricky lines available on your drive, and it is Rollaway Central by the pin, so be wary on the approach. There is a giant tree back here that looks like Christopher Walken is going to come out of it, a la the Headless Horseman. Creepy! The atmosphere contained here really put me over the top.

A few cons need to be mentioned, but nothing too serious.

Only a few temporary tee signs were up; laminated pieces of paper stapled to a tree near the tee. I suspect that over time they have fallen off or been ripped down. Not a huge issue as every basket is marked with the hole number and there is zero chance of overlap. Still, some permanent signs would really seal the deal on this beast of a course. Or maybe just a number spray painted or etched on the tee pads? But the signs that did exist were sweet! There had hole number and distance listed, as well as a photograph of the hole. Another nice homemade touch.

A few more next tee signs would've been appreciated. Like I state above, for the most part you can just follow the spray painted stumps to your next shot, but for some of the longer walks between holes (from 4 to 5 and especially 8 to 9) a sign would serve best. There were some throughout the course nailed to a tree or two, so maybe these fell down over time as well like the signage. FYI after #8, you walk back almost all the way to #1 and up a staircase to find #9. And after #11, head left to the top of the hill for #12, instead of turning right, which takes you to #17. These are really the only places where you become disoriented; the rest of the course flows really smoothly.

It would've been nice to have one or two more shots in the big field at the north end of the course. By the time I got to #13 I was ecstatic that I was being given a reprieve from the rough-and-tumble terrain of the jungle. But alas, it was short lived: its pin is placed back in the woods, and #14 is an uphill drive right back into the thick of it. A tee sign would've been really nice on this hole, too, as your line of sight is obstructed by the tree line on the right. I had to walk down the hill and into the middle of the field to find the pin, and then walk all the way back up to throw.

And what's up with the steepest hill of the course not having any stairs in it?!? Normally this wouldn't be a con, since most courses wouldn't have stairs anywhere to begin with, but since everything else had been so meticulously thought out, I found it really odd that the climb from 16 to 17 didn't have any. I mean, we're not talking a small incline here - the hill is friggin' steep! I slipped on the loose gravel surface and almost went down. I'm sure the designers are aware of this, and hopefully they'll think about putting in the 6 inch wooden ties here as well.

My last thought here is that I don't think I would've enjoyed myself had the long pins been in when I played. I could see where they were located, and at just about every one I took a look back at the tee and thought, "How would you par this?" Several looked almost impossible to hit in three shots. Some folks like a challenge, and I can't knock the designers for catering to everyone, but for me it seemed too much. However, I would like to play again with the second set of pins in, as some of the holes were a tad too easy for my taste this time around, with the shortest of the three pins being in place.

I originally came upon this behemoth of a course back in July of 2009, and I was defeated in eight short holes. I vowed to return, but the opportunity did not present itself until business brought me back into the Quad Cities last week. And this time, I came prepared. It is still a bastard to take on, but kudos to all the work that has been done since my last visit! My main complaint when I first played through was that there were no defined fairways. You were literally playing on a forest floor, with all kinds of overgrowth. It was a real chore to play. I played with two other guys and we began the day spotting on every hole, but after a couple we had to spot every TOSS OF THE DISC. We called it quits after #8 and we all agreed it was the worst course that we had ever played. Harsh words, I know. My original rating was 0.5 out of 5, but I knew the potential for greatness was there, and made it a point to try it again at some point. After all, the property alone had at least a three-star course written all over it.

Well, what a difference three years makes! It looks like they tilled the fairways and planted grass seed, as all the fairways were thick and green. It really helped shape and define the holes. On my first expedition, I had a feeling the course was extremely new at the time, as you could tell there hadn't been much foot traffic yet and the course hadn't been broken in properly. It looked as if somebody had placed some tee pads and baskets randomly in the forest and called it good. It was nearly impossible to see the design of the course. Now it is brilliantly imagined and flows with ease. Make no mistake, this is still a helluva course, but I can't imagine how much work must've been put into the land to make it as amazing it is now, and my God was it a beautiful thing to behold! I almost felt like I was tainting the landscape just by playing through. So hats off to you and yours, Mr. Sprague. Truly. I told you I would be back and I was not disappointed!

Overall, Camden II is a brutal course to tackle, but so worth it! It's very fun and challenging all at the same time. Make sure you come ready for battle: wear comfortable shoes, bring plenty of water and a snack, and pace yourself. This place is not for n00bs, and if you play like one you will be punished like one. You are entering the mouth of the dragon, and as long as you respect him, he will respect you. And when you come out on the other side, you will feel a true sense of accomplishment. This course has been solidified in my Top Five and is right up there with Middle Park, my other favourite in the Quad Cities, and may even top it over time. The blood and sweat poured into this plot of land is apparent in everything you see, and you can't help but be awed by the experience.

Highly, highly recommended. Bravo!

Beautiful track! If you haven't played it this year you haven't played it. Hundreds of man hours have gone into making this course top notch. The rough has been significantly managed so that finding your disc is not an hour job. The terrain is rugged and gives you a good workout. You don't need to throw 500' to score here. This is a thinking man's course. Shape your drives and approaches and you can score. This course is tough but fair. The creek areas have many manmade steps to aid in retreiving your discs. I like the mix of long and short holes. No one wants to be brutalized all day long. LOL The layout can be change to make each hole have a different feel. The various hole locations are well thought out. This course demands that you have many different shots in the bag.

Tee signs are needed. Everything takes time so I know this will happen.

This course is not for the intermediate/rec player. It's a top notch course for top notch players. In tourney play the best players will finish at the top, just like any high quality course. If you enjoy testing your skills you must check out this course. Well done Mr. Sprague, well done.

- Course is mostly set within a deeply wooded, hilly forest. Nothing else going on except for discing.
- Terrain is very, very hilly at this park. This is obvious on the long downhill bomber hole outside the forest, in addition to many holes inside the forest. Adding to the normal hilliness are some very deep creekbeds/ravines, which are in play in many spots. The hole layout provides a great variety of elevation changes, with holes playing over ravines, uphill, downhill, side-sloping fairways, almost every type of shot is accounted for.
- Lots of different variety with the fairways as well. There are some that are pretty clear, some that are very tight, some with low ceilings, some with high floors, some with sadistic rough, others with jail. The course doesn't use the fairways to make up for short lengths; you can have a long hole with a tight fairway and a short hole with an open fairway. Much more character that the usual long/open short/tight formula.
- Fantastic mix of the different types of holes, with many different combinations of left/straight/right, and uphill/downhill, or a few of the above put together. Some of the longer holes in the forest are legitimate multi-shot holes, with twisting paths that beg for controlled, lay-up shots. Lots of blind baskets to encourage the safe route.
- In addition to the tight fairways and nasty rough/jail, there are also many spots with a deep creekbed for a hazard. Water or no water, going into the bottom of the valleys is severe punishment. Add in some sloping/well protected greens, and every single shot can become a major problem very quickly. Accurate shots are needed to avoid this trouble, not just to score well. Overshooting a basket can mean big, big trouble.
- Alternate basket placements at this course completely change the overall feeling and difficulty level. The long pin placements are brutal, championship-level holes that are not to be trifled with. The short pin placements are still brutal, but much more approachable by an intermediate player. Many, many more deuce opportunities and much, much easier to score low.
- Great teepads and baskets. Pending tee signs (some pictures with numbers); very tough to navigate without help. Check out a map either way.

- Some areas are very treacherous, like getting a disc out of the deep creekbed. You must be in good shape to play this one.
- While there is a ton of hole variety, there is not much change in the scenery. Only one hole is out of the forest; everything else is pretty similar terrain-wise.

- This course is both a beauty and a beast, depending on the pin positions. They were in the shorts when I played, but I made sure to scope out all the different positions. I was blown away by the large disparity between the shorts and the longs, it is almost two different courses in terms of difficulty. The shorts are super fun, the longs must be super tough. No matter which position they are in, I find it to be a true gem, and only hesitate from giving a 5/5 due to the uniformity of the terrain (94% forest). Fantastic line-shaping needed, and not just because of overly-tight fairways.
- I hope to expand on this after playing the longs, but didn't want to wait.

This review is coming from a professional player who loves the most difficult challenges.

Camden 2 is located on the East side of the property. The course plays entirely in heavy woods. There are some excellent elevation changes and nasty ravines. A small creek runs through the ravine and comes into play on many holes. This course is a pretty good hike so be careful. Several bridges were constructed across the ravines and they are very impressive. Many staircases and walking paths have been created as well.

There is a good sized practice area off the parking lot. There are 4 practice baskets.

This is a Championship Level wooded course. It is one of a kind in Illinois. It will challenge the best players in the world. There is a wide variety with multiple pins. Several par 4's/5's add difficulty. If each pin is in the hardest location this course is down right nasty!

They have done a great job of cleaning up many holes. The landing zones are wider and the rough isn't quite as nasty. It has become more player friendly.

Great use of elevation.

The concrete tees are awesome. They are 10X10 feet. I have never seen a course with anything like them. Depending on where you stand on the tee pad it changes the line of the hole dramatically.

Navigation has improved tremendously. There are next tee signs on every hole. They are white with a red hole # painted on them. They are placed high in easy to see areas.

Brand new Mach 3 baskets.

This course lacks tee signs. With them I might push my review to a 5.

*This course is designed for Adv/Pro calibur players or those who can control a disc. Staying in the fairways is a must. You also need to be in decent physical shape to hike up and down and get into and out of some difficult places.*

This course is still a work in progress. I am amazed with what has been accomplished since I last visited 2 years ago. It just keeps getting better.

Both courses compliement each other nicely with Camden 2 being very challenging.

The Quad Cities has some very good disc golf. Plan a vacation here and play as many course as you can. You will not be disappointed.

Check out my Illinois Top 10.
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