Frenchtown, MT

Echo Valley

Permanent course
1.75(based on 5 reviews)
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3 0
Dadio
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 39.7 years 174 played 75 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Locals only? 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 24, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

This course is set in a beautiful forest with some nice viewpoints off the edge of the course on the top. It starts with a couple holes that are well marked going up the hillside.I really wanted to like this course and was thinking maybe it was in better shape than during previous reviews. I was wrong.
Holes were fairly easy to follow with the notable break after hole 3. Discovered later that hole 4 has been removed. It picks up with 7 holes to the right on the top of the hill then drops back to the original layout

Cons:

This course has seen wear and tear over the years and little maintenance. Many signs are missing and new holes are marked with red paint. Most holes are straight ahead from between red tee markers. The drawback is that most shots are straight down a corridor of trees. Holes cross bad around 3. Tees are natural and some are rough. There are only 16 holes with the added ones, hole info here is for original 9, one of which is missing. Last 2 holes are across road and throw back to parking lot. I threw hole 1 then back to pin by parking lot to round out 18 holes.
No Signs, maps, garbage cans, water, bathrooms, or up to date info.

Other Thoughts:

This course could be very cool. great place to lay one out. I talked to 2 locals that really like the course and one of their favorite parts is that you really need to play it with someone who knows it. I doubt improvements will happen as long as this attitude persists. If you want to party with locals or really like working out odd configurations try this one. Otherwise there are better and friendlier courses in Missoula area.
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6 0
AndyJB
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 32.9 years 52 played 42 reviews
2.00 star(s)

no crowds...and little fun too 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 19, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

---Lots of obstacles
---Easy to find the first tee
---Even though it uses tone poles, they are easy to find
---Good mix of shots

Cons:

---No maps available, and the few teesigns that exisist are in horrible disrepair
---no teepads, just bare earth and some aren't marked
---horrible, non-sensical layout
---almost every hole is a right dogleg...definetly favors leftys and forehanders
---off the beaten path, but no signs making it very difficult to find

Other Thoughts:

This course was created by a group of high schoolers way back in the late 90s, on public land. My wife was friends with them and said the course used to be much better. However, over the last decade and a half there has been little to no maintence on the course. There are only 9 teesigns, and over half of them are broken or rotted away. The teepads are not clearly marked and, as no course map exisists, it's damn near impossible to navigate.

We ended up playing several holes out-of-order, as well as finding teepads going all the way up to 16, but only 9 tone poles. This course was originally named "Fort Wenty" so that should give you a hint as to the designers mindsets and predilictions.

The only positives I can say are that you can drink beer without any hassle while playing this course, and that I aced hole 8 my first time out, which was not an easy feat.

This course can be fun, but don't go out of your way to play it.
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3 2
lanningmorgen
Experience: 27.7 years 45 played 7 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Echo Valley (Fort Wenty) 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 28, 2009 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Not as busy as other Missoula courses.

Extra holes in the middle of the course.

Wilderness feel. Dogs are welcome. Small creek runs through the beginning and end of the course.

Cons:

Easy to lose a disc. Lots of obstructions.
Mosquitos in June-July.

Other Thoughts:

Nice to have this course as an option from Missoula.
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