Ashland, OR

Frog Creek DGC @ Shale City

Permanent course
3.585(based on 13 reviews)
Filter course reviews

Filter reviews

Filter reviews

Frog Creek DGC @ Shale City reviews

Filter
3 0
The Valkyrie Kid
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 45.9 years 1562 played 1507 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Baskets Would Only Make This Course More Awesome! 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 19, 2018 Played the course:once

Pros:

The Frog Creek Disc Golf Course is about 10 miles up a mountain road. It's fairly well off the beaten path. I've always been able to pass it by partly because of it's isolation but more because of the "Tone Targets." I've never been a Tones fan and probably won't be one anytime soon. The Frog Creek course plays through a beautiful Southern Oregon forest with great elevation changes, majestic Pine and Fir trees and scattered underbrush. It's a really great locale for a disc golf course.

The course is borderline rustic. The tee signs are handwritten and attached to the trees. The pads are natural but placed in some awesome positions. The tones are constructed by taping three one pound cans together. These make a rather dull thud when struck by your disc. The exception was # 7 which uses an old propane tank for the tone. It makes a much more pleasing melodic sound when hit. Blue paint markings on the trees help guide you through the course.

Obviously, the draw of this course is not the Tones, it's the lovely forest and some really great golf holes. The course has a nice variety of hole lengths as well as different challenges.

Two holes really stand out, # 8 and # 12. They're both similar and both are beautiful, treacherous and would challenge any player. # 8 is 480' slightly downhill through a gap with the Tone visible from the tee. It's just a stunningly beautiful disc golf hole. Then # 12 is so very similar. It's 469' slightly downhill. The Tone is very visible through this tiny gap in the trees. This gap is about 15' across and appears to be the only reasonable way through the trees to the Tone. The gap is almost 400' from the tee. It's truly magnificent.

The course is long and arduous. # 10 is 420' Par 4 and plays up a hillside. Just walking up is a huge workout. I think i'd make it about a Par 8 for me.

Cons:

For me, the Tones are a major Con.

Some of the Tones are coming apart.

For some (not for an impressive physical specimen like me) the course make me a little over the top physically.

I got a little lost after # 16.

Course is pretty rustic for some people's taste.


Other Thoughts:

I'd hate to really crush my drive 475' on # 12 and possibly have it just skim the Tone and have no way of knowing for sure whether you Aced it or not. But first I'd have to be able to drive more than about 250' so this is actually a combination between a dream and and a hypothetical question?

I've been considering a trip up here for some time for have kept putting it off, mostly because of the Tones. I think I've always been intrigued because of the cool name. After finally getting here, I'm impressed. The two awesome downhill holes, 8 & 12, are worth the drive by themselves. Now, I just need to play here with someone who could @actually challenge those two holes.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
1 1
sayler12
Experience: 9.9 years 14 played 1 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Lots of Trees 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 10, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

Beautiful course with a great view at the end of hole ten. Holes were challenging and very diverse. It was basically a two hour hike through the woods. The trees provided great shade for the 95 degree weather we were in.

Cons:

The course was pretty difficult to find and locating hole 1 was tough. There were lots of trees that got in our way and finding the next hole was hard at times.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
1 0
Kamper76
Experience: 10.3 years 7 played 2 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Beautiful 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 5, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

Beautiful wooded course, perfect amount of obstacles and elevation change to add a challenge, get a little work out while walking threw the course, natural look with minimal signs of human tampering,

Cons:

A little hard to find the holes if it is your first time, some of the signs telling you where holes are and their par are missing or worn down, can loose a disk or two if you aren't careful.

Other Thoughts:

A great course, exactly what I would imagine if I pictured an Oregon style disk golf course, and possible to do without a guide, so don't be afraid to try regardless of some of the reviews, it just might take you a little wondering around at first to figure it out.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
0 0
ogdenmoles10
Experience: 7 played 3 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Fun Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 9, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

Remote location in the woods so nice and quiet. Even if there are people on the course you either don't see them very long or you don't hear them. The toms are perfect for this course. I agree with others baskets on this course would take away from the nature setting of this course. You will get a great workout during this course.

Cons:

If you are coming from Klamath Falls past Hyatt Lake on Dead Indian road when you turn onto Shale you need to follow it down to the other end because that is where the course is. It's hard to find the next hole on some for example we got to 5 and we thought the basket was to the right and when we got to the toms we discovered we were on hole 8 so we skipped 5-7. Again I believe it was hole 13 it's confusing where tee 14 is and where the tom is.

Other Thoughts:

Make some new signs for each tee and at the end of each hole have a sign showing you which way the next tee is. Or at least have a map of the course online so you can print it out before you go.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
1 1
wildrivers
Experience: 14.7 years 19 played 19 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Ashland course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 15, 2011 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Gorgeous old growth with some meadows to hike through. Lots of elevation changes. Water shots! Lots of OB areas. Pretty clean area. Quiet too. Most shots are under 400ft. Lots of varity for throwers, up hill, down hill,over trees and around obstacles.

Cons:

Finding the first tee may be hard for newbies. Once the first tee is found it is fairly easy to find the trails to the next tee. Can be wet and marshy in spring or shortly after wet weather. No baskets. No cement tees. Its a BLM forest and the locals made the best use out of it.

Other Thoughts:

This course is a rough one in an old growth forest. Be prepared to hike and look around for the toms/baskets. Some tees have signs some do not. At this time I could not find hole 18 and it may not exist. The rock pile on hole 17 has been removed. Not an area for strollers. It is a great spot to take the dog! Very challenging course. Enjoy.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
5 1
trashmonster1985
Experience: 17 years 130 played 14 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Don't let the tones deter 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 10, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, I love this place. If it were all about location, this would be one of my favorites.
-Fun and unique course. Lots of stuff you don't see at your average disc course. Water hazards, gun traps, you name it.
-Great for those days when you want to get out and hike around while you disc.
-For where it is, the pathways are pretty easy to follow.
-Quiet, secluded, very peaceful.
-Fun elevation changes throughout. Dogleg lefts, rights, fades. A little of every shot.

Cons:

-Not so great if you want a quick mellow round.
-Some trash from local riff raff, I believe scorchy may have pegged the culprits.
-DON"T GO IN THE WATER! If a disc goes in just say good-bye. You don't want some nasty disease.
-Might not want to play course during hunting season. I used to hunt up that very road with my dad when i was a kid. This last year while we were up there playing we heard a few rifle booms, so decided to play it safe and head down to Bear Creek.

Other Thoughts:

I'm really partial to wooded courses in the first place, so for me this place is borderline perfect. Even the tones don't seem to bother me out there. Most courses they are kind of a bummer, but at frog creek, it almost seems to work better. If it were to get 18 baskets, this place would immediately shoot to a 4. Get some tee-pads and it's a 4.5. I can't say it enough how much I like this course. Really mellow people at the course. If you even see anyone else while you are there. So don't let the tones deter you, this is a spectacular course worth playing all summer long.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
4 0
orghitman
Experience: 1 played 1 reviews
3.50 star(s)

this one is out there 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 30, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

unlike any other course i have ever played but this is also the first course i have played since moving to the west coast. great scenery and very peaceful atmosphere. only course close to ashland, or which is where i now live. thats kind of a bummer.

Cons:

hard to find the first tee. no baskets but the coffee cans are a very cool idea. if something happens out there you are screwed. i have a feeling the little white signs showing each tees direction dont stay in the same place very long. if you play for the first time w/o someone who knows the course you really need to have a spotter for some of the holes or you can spend a while looking for your disc. DO NOT PLAY ALONE!

Other Thoughts:

went out after a long day of sitting around my crappy hotel after the electric lock broke with all my stuff (keys, wallet, bike, money, etc) locked inside. drove right past it at first and almost gave up but then we saw a small pull off and noticed a beam with something shinny on it from the road. turns out it was the second goal. we only got threw the first 6 holes before having to go back bc of darkness. you can easily get lost once it gets dark. everything said i am really happy i played it and plan on going back out there once i find someone that can show me around. if you can find the course it is worth it in my opinion.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
Top