First, Flip City has one of the best disc golf atmospheres I have ever experienced. There are some courses that make you excited just to be around other disc golfers. This is one of those places. It is secluded, quiet, and serene. I have played a few private courses that give off this vibe. Bud Hill in the Memphis area comes to mind. Exclusive property for disc golf.

Second, the variety of the course was astounding. The land is perfect for disc golf, and it was used phenomenally. Elevation was used on a number of holes. There were holes that were long and holes that were short.

Third, the equipment (pads, tees, shelters) was in great condition. The shape of the tee pads took a little bit of time to get used to, but were not bothersome in any way. Brooms were available at certain tee pads to sweep off debris. There were plenty of benches and other places to sit along the way.

Flip City does not lack for signature holes. If I had to choose one for this course it would be Hole #11 with the rock art statues in the valley of the fairway. However, Holes #2, #7, #1a, #2a, #6a, and #13 could all be considered as signature holes at most other courses.

Holes #3a and #5a need to have some sort of clearly defined path to the basket. Both have the basket behind a wall of trees and require luck to get through. A few stairs would be nice as well as the paths are slightly eroded in places.

My goal in this review is to go deeper than the many drive-by reviews done of this course. With 107 reviews and what seems like thousands of message board posts, it seems as though one might know exactly what to expect at Flip City. Before I played the course, I read about 5 reviews and most of the message board debates regarding the course. This review is meant to be as objective as possible.

In my opinion Flip City is definitely classified as "the best of the best". It is the most enjoyable course that I have ever played. It is the best-maintained course I have ever played. For a player of my skill, the course was challenging. I shot a 77 on my solo round, which I felt pretty good about. There are many who have stated that there was very little elevation change...I have no idea where this claim comes from. There were a considerable number of hills. Many pin positions were situated on hills creating risky putts. Hole #4, #10, #6a, and #17 all have significant uphill elevation. There are a number of other holes that play slightly uphill (#2 and #16 come to mind). Hole #2a plays along rolling hills as well.

I played the course through twice on the day we stopped by. The first time, I went through with a competitive mindset. The second time through, I played relaxed and tried to soak in the course. I am glad I got to play it twice. I can remember each hole vividly, and I have no idea how some have left with the perception that the holes are repetitive. There is ample variety in distance, shot-shape, and elevation.

Flip City is enhanced by the amazing aura surrounding the course. The property is beautiful and pristinely manicured. The shelters are functional and provide good places to take a break. The whole place revolves around disc golf...and I loved every minute I was there.

I won't delve into all the, "This is the best disc golf course ever, and if you don't think so, you're stupid" debates. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion as long as their opinion is based on observed data and not heresay. This was the best disc golf course that I have seen to date. Therefore, in my mind, it deserves a 5 disc rating as "the best of the best". I fully expect to play other amazing courses as I travel around, but Flip City did not disappoint me...and I had anticipated amazing things. Some may have a different perception when leaving the course. Maybe it didn't live up to the hype. In my mind, it was everything I had hoped it would be and more.

-Absolutely beautiful scenery.
-Very well maintained. Mowed fairways, rock sculptures on most if not all holes. Broom on every tee pad.
-concrete tee pads for the pro tees.
-Great flow. You will never get lost or throw onto another hole's fairway.
-Amazing variety of long/short, up/downhill.
-The atmosphere feels really good. You are so far away from civilization that disc golf is all you care about.
-Just about every hole could be the signature hole at any other course.

-The signs at the tee pad have only the hole number on them. The score card has a map and the distance so it's not a huge deal. But I'm lazy and don't want to pull out the score card before I throw on every hole.
-Some of the rough is pretty nasty if you throw into it. Just don't throw into it and you'll be fine.
-Only the pro tees have concrete pads.
-some of the tee pads have rough spots and are uneven
-hole 2A is a very hard par 3, and 3A has absolutely no line to hit, just a bunch of trees. These holes back-to-back are frustrating.
-Lacks variety that I've seen on other courses. It has long/short and uphill/down hill; but not much left/right variety. everything is within 15degrees of "straight"
-No water hazards, which is a con for some. I am undecided on whether that is a con.

EDIT: the first time I played flip I rated it a 5. I live 10 miles away and have played it a bunch more since then and I decided to re-write my review and give it a 4.5. Is it "phenomenal?" yes. Is it the "best of the best?" no.

Flip is a phenomenal course and it is worth any amount of travel to play it. While in the area check out Whitehall Township DGC, Henderson Lake Nature Park, Branstrom Park, and all of the courses in Ludington, MI.

So I do this on all of my reviews:

favorite hole: #11. 344'. The rock sculptures are amazing on this hole. It was hard to pick a favorite but the rocks on this one convinced me to pick it.

least favorite: #3A. 306'. There are so many trees in the fairway that it is more "chuck and pray" than choose a shot.

The Best course ever period. Tee pads are amazing. Fairways are beautiful. Bill takes amazing care of his property. Great use of elevation and trees. The course doesn't favor one style of throwing over another. Perfect balance. I played the Farm Classic and did not want to leave.

I really cant think of any. The course is darn well near perfect.

If I died today I expect this to be what Heaven looks like!

FLIP CITY IS AMAZING. I can not put into words how amazing this course is. I couldn't even take picture to do it justice

Not closer to my house

Best course I have played besides the fact that it is groomed and beutiful it is a challenging course.

Wow. What a great course. A fantastic adventure spanning all walks of the game of disc golf. Every challenge a disc golfer is looking for is absolutely found here. Dramatic elevation changes, long bombs, short precise approaches, hills, large valleys, tight tree-lined fairways, risk/reward, and heartbreaking roll-aways. Some of the holes are epic drives off the tee pad that exemplify the very reason we love to play disc golf. Hole 11 comes to mind with it's wide open valley 344ft drive, and hole 6A's basket placement with terrifying putts. Plan a day, plan a week, Flip City is hands-down the best course I've played.

I hate to nit-pick at the cons of such a great course, but a more standard par system sure would be nice. Hole 2A's 670ft par 3 is pretty crazy. A 3 feels great, but it's no easy task. Some of the holes push the limits of the upper 400s and mid-600s. The 3s for ease of score keeping is good, but a 4 on a 600+ foot hole shouldn't feel like a bogey.

Already said many times, but bring bug spray. The alternate holes in particular are a thriving metropolis for mosquitoes and deer flies.

Beautifully maintained, amenities at every hole, shelters from the rain, place to camp, good tees and signs, nice fairways, challenging shots, and lots of hills to throw off or up. Still one of the top courses in the country.

Better be in shape, it's up and down hills the whole way. Nothing else is bad about it, except the occasional mosquito.

Still one of the best in the country. No need to write more, all the other reviews already have said it all. Just go play it.

Well groomed fairways, rough areas groomed, best course I've played. Beautiful area, great elevation changes, great course layout.

none

Can't say enough about this course, Bill has done a wonderful job creating perfection.

I decided to take the trip up to flip city after reading all the reviews on this site and seeing that it was ranked second best in the country. I was skeptical going into it but after playing the course I was absolutely amazed. This truly is the Augusta of Disc Golf. The scenery was amazing and every hole was unique. All the people I met out there were very helpful.

Cant think of one.

I came out with a group of 8 people from Holland, MI. We loved it so much we plan on going back weekly at least for the rest of the summer. If you havnt been there yet, take the time to do it.

You have to see it to really appreciate the awesome scenery. Everywhere you look you see rolling hills with baskets on them. Very well worth the trip to the middle of nowhere.

Don't bother bringing your cell phone cause you won't get a signal. If you do get a signal it won't last. I can't imagine why you would want to be bothered playing this course anyway. Unless you were using it to call your buddies and tell them to come play.

You definetly get a good work out walking up and down the hills. My legs were burning by the time i finished. But it was well worth it.

-Easily the best course that I have every played on
-scorecards and pencils next to hole one so you can easily keep your score
-Alternate first six holes (thats how they get to the odd number of 24 holes)
-Amazing use of elevation makes every hole different and interesting
-The holes all differ in lenght and difficulty making the course challenging yet rewarding at the same time
-beautifiul course and it very well maintained even though it is privatly owned
- hard to explain, look at the pictures of the course and see for yourself
-broom and trashcan on every hole so that the course stays clean and trash free

-The only cement tee off pads were for the pro tees and the other tees were just marked by rocks in the grass
-It is out in the middle of no where (but worth the drive)

When you get there you can see how much the regulars love the course, all of them really appreciate what the owner does. This course is a must play for anyone that is really interested in frolf.

well-maintained, variety of obstacles and elevation changes, good traffic flow, well-marked. the course is obviously a labor of love.

watch out for bugs.

this course makes me wish i owned enough land to put up my own.

-Scorecards and pencils make for great souvenirs.
-Great mix of short holes and lengthy holes
-Use of natural elevation changes is phenomenal.
-Trees that are in the fairways are meant to be challenging, but players can navigate around them (or thru them I suppose) without affecting their overall round score too much
-3 holes have blind shots to the basket which makes the hole more suspensful
-Great atmosphere. You here absolutely no traffic. When you run into other disc golfers they are happy to sit down and talk or play and talk. Far enough from Lake Michigan that the breeze isn't annoying, but close enough to make it fun
-Lastly, the course is absolutely beautiful. I can not imagine having a prettier piece of land. There is no trash or beer cans lying around because everyone respects the course. There are trash cans, brooms, benches, some huts to sit and and sign, basically anything you could want on a disc golf course you get, and more. There is even a kitchen sink, no joke!

I have only played it for two summers, but bugs are somewhat of an issue, but wont affect the fun of the game. Bring some bugspray and just encourage your playing parteners to get up and throw if you are getting eaten by mosquitos!

This is a must play. I traveled up from Kansas City to play this course and I have no regrets whatsoever. This is the best course I have ever played. Its a combination of about 7 courses here in Kansas City, and I absolutely love it. If you ever are in Michigan or just want to play the best disc golf course in the country, regardless of how much you played (I took 2 new disc golfers there and they loved it), you must go to Flip City Disc Golf!

What I personally like and how this course stacks up in my list of 18 (and more) hole courses:

1) Holes with good risk/reward. Fair, but harsh punishment for bad decisions or execution. == B

(Overall, this is a very happy course - a feel-good experience to the max!! A big part of that is that for the vast majority of holes, Flip City will not slap you down early and often - it will not add lots of strokes for getting in trouble along the fairway. Where this course will bite you (as it bit me a few times) is on roll-ways on the many baskets that are located on or very near steep inclines. On the vast majority of holes (with a few good exceptions) there is very little decision-making to be made - you see the required throw immediately.....and make it.)

2) Holes that have rewarding birdie opportunities for me. I'm a Blue level player (950ish skill) who throws 300' accurately, 360' max. == B-

(This course will be a ton of fun for people who either have a bigger arm than mine (throw say 450-470') or for those with lesser arms than mine who will be digging the birdies and the fun that comes with that. Both those types have great holes catered to them, but only 3 holes (of 24) do I consider rewarding to me based on a combination of distance and shot-shaping. These are holes 4, 7 (my favorite hole), and 2A (2nd favorite). Bottom line, this course offers very little euphoria for me in the scoring department.)

3) More wooded than open - lots of variety of shots required caused by hole shape and topography == B+

(With 24 holes to work with, there are a great variety of shots required. I especially like the unique up-n-over shots (5, 10, 17), since in all the courses I have played I do not remember being required to throw that shot. But, I wish they were not all essentially identical in the throw required: 175' over a hill and curving to the left. Although this course is in the woods, I would consider it an open course since there are very few classic tunnel shots where misfires are punished early and often. As a LHBH player, hole 7 creates an extreme challenge to get to the pin.....and good possible punishment early-ish if I shank my shot - love it....favorite hole!)

4) Natural beauty (Appalachian beauty preferred) and seclusion. == A-

(I love how remote and removed from the hustle-bustle this course is! Hitting the dirt roads on my way in shot my anticipation through the roof! Flip is a beautiful and impeccably maintained course - major kudos Bill! The grade in this section reflects how I personally like to "recharge my batteries": in natural and green beauty without distractions from all things man-made (naturally, baskets and tee pads and signs get the pass!). While I FULLY appreciate that many love the creative rock sculptures and the architecturally groovy shelters, unfortunately they knock down the grade in this department a little to me. Another unfortunate knock on this course is due to its immense popularity: the erosion that plagues the hillsides in many places.)

5) Bonus points for multi-throw holes with defined landing zones, good risk/reward and multiple options to play them. == C

(I would consider holes 2 and 2A to be 2-throw holes....and both really good 2-throw holes. 2 is pretty easy to get a 3 on, so the frustration is a good thing if I screw up and do worse than that. 2A pushes me to the max and scoring a 4 feels good.....and a 3 means I am playing as well as I can. These holes add about 3 grading bonus points and gets me from a 3.5 to a 4.0.)

It's all about feeding the addiction, so I ranked this course subjectively based on my own "personal addiction factor". The grades above tell how well this course will draw me back to itself again and again and again. See my profile for specifics on my rating philosophy.

I fancy myself as a connoisseur of good course design and I am a competitive Blue level (950-ish rated) with mid-level power (accurate to 300' with max D of 360'). Since I have played a decent number of courses (150+ 18-hole, 90+ 9-hole as of late 2009), my hope is that players/explorers who have similar addiction tastes will find my ratings list helpful as they choose courses to play and explore.

I fully expect others with different tastes/philosophies to disagree with me.....and that's the fun of things here.

Good course layout. Wonderful views. Bill is a wonderful host. Overall a great course to play.

None really, if I had one, and its no ones fault but the throwers, is that the rough can be long in some spots.

You can tell that much care and love is put into this course, and any level of player will enjoy themselves.

Well maintenanced, good shot variety, optional holes for shorter or longer rounds, nice elevation changes, the owner seems like a super cool guy, and plenty of shaded areas to keep the sun at bay. It's also close to some other totally awesome courses, so it's conducive to a phenomenal disc golf weekend if you put it all together like that. I also thought it was easy to navigate for someone not familiar with the course.

It's too far away from where I live to justify driving there just for the course alone. Although the surrounding courses make up for that a little. It didn't blow me away like I thought it would. The hype was, and is, huge and I just didn't see it. I thought it was a great course, but definitely not five stars. There were no water hazards, no 1,000 foot holes, no giant hill shots; I mean come on. You can't possibly give this course a five star rating. It doesn't even have a pro shop!

The rock formations and piles on top of stumps were too cool! Very picturesque and beautiful. It had a down to earth and "homey" vibe that made me feel very comfortable even though I'd played ther once. With some modifications, I think Flip City could be a five star course.

everyone already said everything so ill keep this short.the pros for me start with the drive in.After u make that transfermation from street to dirt ur almost there.The morning dew was just leaving the ground and out of the fog i could see the first basket.After basket 3 i found a meca of rolling hills, lofted tee pads,and a shot selection that was second to none.truly a spiritual journy.Played my first ever glo round in my life here.i seemed to do better than i do when i can see everything.One more pro would have to be the owner. Never met a more hard working guy.thanks bill.

the course has no cons however i did camp w a couple of people who were obnoxious but hey when ur crossing states and all u want is another knotch in ur belt in the way of courses,it would be kind of hard to appreciate it.so no cons on the course.

I would recommend this course to anyone.As someone who lives in the midwest i am fortunate to say i stayed and played 6 rounds of flip in 2 days.i just could not thank bill enough.1 last thought is that although this is free,if u do play it drop the guy at least a dollar per round.it was amazing to hear how people would come and not leave anything.its a dam shame.PS thank u bill for the baby powder,my boy said it came in handy ha ha.

Course Owner:
Both times I played Flip City I saw Bill, the property owner, doing course maintenance. He keeps this course so clean and well groomed he doesn't get to play it very much himself. He lets anyone play on his private backyard course, and I think his generosity is the main reason so many people love this course. Not many people would take their land, build an absolutely gorgeous disc golf course on it, and then let anyone play on it for free. Bill, to me, symbolizes what I think disc golf should be about. Ok, on the the course itself.

The Little Things:
On the first tee pad there is maps, scorecards, and pencils next to the donation box. Every tee pad is identical, and has a broom nearby to keep it free of obstruction. There is also a trash can on every tee pad. There is seating at all but 1 tee pad if I remember correctly. There are a couple of gazebos strategically placed where several holes meet. These gazebos are equipped with ash trays, bottle openers, and trash cans. There are several port-a-potties throughout the course as well. The little things go a long way in my book, and really contribute to the overall experience. Bill has done a top notch job with this.

The Course Itself:
You can play 18 holes here, but there is also 6 bonus holes that flow right into the course if you want to, and trust me, you want to. There is Am and Junior tees that make the holes shorter than playing from the Pro tees, but I recommend playing the Pro tees regardless of your skill level. I'm pretty sure I used every disc and every shot in my bag. It has a nice layout of shorts, longs, and everything in between and every fairway is mowed and groomed beautifully. Disc Golf is the only thing that goes on here so there is never going to be people picnicking on a tee pad, or right next to a basket. I've only played it twice, so I can't say for sure, but it seems like traffic would never be an issue. The course is in the middle of nowhere, and when I was there, I only saw 2 other groups the whole time.

The biggest con for me is that it is a 2,182 mile drive from my house. I suppose there could be multiple pin locations, but with the variety of holes found here it seems to me that it is not necessary.

In closing, this is my favorite place on earth. It makes me want to move to Michigan. For me, Disc Golf is as much about the total experience as it is the actual playing. I realize there are more challenging courses out there, but to me, it just doesn't get better than this. It should be glaringly obvious if you're still reading that this is by far my favorite disc golf course, and I will visit every time I'm in Michigan.

If there is a "zen" disc golf experience, this is it.
I've played this wonderful game for over 12 years. Played over 150 different courses in 17 states. This is the second course on private property that i've had the privilege to play. The first was Dahliwood (Very cool course) outside Seattle Wa. I played both these courses alone. I have to say that these were the two best Disc golf days in my life.
Cant wait to play Flip City again.
Great Condition!
Great Baskets!
Great Tee Pads!
Great Layout!
Great Weather!
Great Challenge!
Great Game! Shot a 72 for the 24 holes from the pro pads

Thanks Bill
You've set the standard!

It's not in my backyard

Couldn't give a 5 due to that there was no beer girl and I'm still waiting for Augusta National golf club to put in a Disc Golf course. Hey I can dream can't I.

Don't miss playing this course. Be sure to bring hydration. No water or stores near by.

Concrete Pads
*Easy to navigate
*Brooms on the teepads
*Easy to read signs
*Use of every shot you have (bombers, touch, hyzers, anhyzers, flex shots, tomahawks, thumbers, forehand, whatever you can do!)
*Camping
*Course Beauty
*The course truly goes with the flow of the land

Nothing

This course is out in the wild country on private property and is very well kept. There is very good variety in the way of challenge, sheer fun, and overall awe inspiring beauty for the disc golf enthusiast. A variety of terrain and elevation changes make this course shine. The hills on this course provide the opportunity for some really pretty shots and heady views. The course makes good use of the land and has a good flow as it winds through the property. Alternate holes are solid and well planned and not just some crammed in afterthoughts as often occurs at other locations. Overall, the course plays pretty well open without much luck requirement if you have the skills. There are a few open fairways that end in a tree congested pin placement, but most of the holes are quite reasonable and fair. It seems to play quite long and overall I would sum it up as vast and awesome. I am grateful to the owner and keeper of this place for his hard work and generosity in sharing this place with all of us. Players seem to show the land respect as there is not a proliferation of litter and other destructive humanoid processes stealing the wonder from the land. I view this place as sacred ground.

As for cons, I can't really think of much to report. There are not any water hazards here. This bothers me not, but I would be remiss in my duties if I didn't mention this fact. Some would argue that water is an essential piece of a truly great course. I am perfectly satisfied without any water at Flip City, but to each his own. This course is a hike! Be prepared to cover some ground in all directions. Bring water. Bring bug spray just in case, as nature happens.

This is a great course. It is likely that it is among the best in the world. It is amazing and a joy to experience. The owner is visible on the premises and in speaking with him you will find that he is aware of the reviews on this site and has sought to rectify any cons that were within his control (such as the addition of concrete pads or providing a place for people to go to the bathroom). This place is for disc golfers by a disc golfer. I am so grateful that it is close to my home. Well done.