- Amazing course as others have said

- Erosion and drainage issues are becoming more noticeable as time passes.

- Was expecting a lot more with this high of a rating. A great course but is not a top 10 in the USA course.

Just in Missouri, courses that are "equal to Harmony" in my opinion:
Branson Trails, Ozark Mountain (Eagle's Landing Property), Water Works, McClelland Park, Indian Foothills, Jefferson Barracks, Bad Rock Creek

the greatness of the course has already been well described in other reviews. i'll just say that if you're a traveling disc golfer, which many people who use this site are, and you're looking to play a course on your way through a town, a course you've never played before and you don't know any locals, THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR IN A DISC GOLF COURSE.

the signage is perfect. the teepads are gigantic. there are tons of teepads. navigation makes sense. the perfect signage makes it impossible to get lost. every ability level can enjoy the course, it's both challenging and rewarding. beautiful, dramatic, varied hole design. i'm not sure you could ask for much more.

some areas of the course obviously don't drain water well. to the point where i imagine it would shut down tournaments. the course is pro-tour caliber all day, so that could be a problem for a course like this.

passing through columbia and want to play some disc golf? harmony won't disappoint. there's a tee pad for every skill level, and the signs tell you exactly how to get to every tee on every hole(most holes have 3). recent strong rain is the only thing that should deter anyone from playing here, otherwise it's as good as you could ask a course to be. enjoy!

UPDATE: After my last 2 times playing here, I had to downgrade the course due to lack of upkeep. This place is huge and needs a level of maintenance that the city/county/club/whoever are clearly not able to provide. It's getting run down and overgrown. No solutions for drainage issues, standing water all over. Place needs serious help.

Three Huge Concrete Tee Pads on Most Holes (A Handful Only have Two)
Beautiful, Well-Organized, Extremely Informative Tee Signs at Every Tee Pad
Great Use of the Terrain, Trees, Streams, Elevation
Amazing Variety Of Shots from Every Tee Pad
Both Wooded and More Open Shots
Area is a Disc Golf Specific Area, Not Shared with Other Activities
Nice Parking Lot Near Hole 1
Excellent Course Sign With a Great Course Map and other Course Information
Benches and Trash Cans Throughout the Course
Great for all Skill Levels Due to the Multiple Tees and Pin Placements
Beautiful Scenery Around the Course
Excellent Innova Pro Discatcher Baskets
Port-O-Potty On-Site
Pavilion Near Parking Lot and Hole 1

Needs Mowed More Often

Harmony Bends lives up to its rating in every way. It's one of, if not the most, versatile course I have ever had the pleasure of playing. With most holes having three tee pads, a handful only have two, and two pin positions it's really a course for all skill levels. The differences from tee to tee on most holes is incredible, one of my favorite design features on a course is the ability for the pro tees to not just make the hole longer, but to actually change the hole and this course delivers on that.

You can see the quality and care that went into the course as soon as you enter the parking lot. The parking lot is a nice, fairly large paved parking lot, with restroom and pavilion located near the first hole. Along with these amenities, before entering the course, you can see their beautiful course sign with an extremely detailed map of the course, along with a list of the holes and distances for each tee. You can also see the detail that went into the course from the landscaping near the parking lot and park sign. The really did a great job of showing off the course right from the start.

Once you enter the course you will be even more impressed. Not only do they have a variety of tees to choose from, they are some of the largest and nicest tees I have seen on a course. The quality of both the tee pads and the tee signs is up there with some of the best in the country. The signs include the distance, par, pin placements, all the information needed to navigate the course really efficiently.

The course itself will test nearly every shot in your bag. The designer(s) made excellent use of this amazing property using the foliage, elevation, river and streams at every opportunity. This course really has it all, wooded and more open holes, water hazards, uphill, downhill, it will test you both emotionally and physically throughout the entire course.

All-in-all this is definitely a must play course for any disc golfer. I will be playing this one every chance I get. I was extremely hesitant on playing it the first time as I had read so much hype I was afraid it wouldn't live up to it, but it definitely did. I can't think of anything that could make this course any better other than more regular maintenance, as the last time I was there the grass in some areas was a bit taller than you would like. It wasn't lose your disc tall but it wasn't as short as you would like for such a perfect course in every other regard. Check this one out as soon as you can, you won't be disappointed.

The only way to understand how exceptional this course truly is, is to play it.

I highly recommend anyone of any skill level to give Harmony Bends a go. It has several tee pads on every hole so that anyone can enjoy, regardless of their level of skill.

Pros will love it from the blue pads just as much as beginners will love it from the red pads.

Did I mention the pads are so big that even James Conrad wouldn't run off of them?

Every hole offers multiple routes whether you are throwing backhand or forehand. Harmony Bends will force you to think about your shot but can also be forgiving.

It's the most well balanced course I've ever played and it's gorgeous to boot!

The ONLY 'Con' I can think of is that it is a monster of a course. So, there are no quick rounds here. By yourself, with low traffic, plan at least an hour and a half to finish.

Please, don't forget to stop and look around on this course. The scenery is enough reward in itself.

-3 sets of tees allows players of different skill levels to enjoy (not just play) the course. None of the tees are an afterthought; all 3 offer fantastic holes.

-Beautiful serene setting. Rolling hills, woods, creeks and a few grassy fairways present varied types of beauty that I never tire of.

-Excellent tee signs display distances for all tees and for gold baskets from the back tees for holes that have one. If playing gold pin from Red/White, simply add the difference in distance of Blue and Gold to the distance on the sign. Par 4/5 holes have desired landing zones illustrated on the signs as well. This is a great touch!

-Hole design, hole design, and hole design (see Other Thoughts)

-On a flood plain. This horse has been beat to death in other reviews and on the forums. Some areas hold water, primarily #2 and you may see puddles on holes 10-15. If the creeks flood #1, 2, and 18 may be unplayable.

My point of view: I have been a very casual player for a long time, and have used DGCR to plan disc golf road trips over the years. I am an intermediate level player at best, perhaps more recreational. To a certain extent it seems like the course ratings on this site correspond to their difficulty level. When I go out it is to play disc golf, not to sit on benches or return to my car every few holes. Amenities are nice but completely unnecessary to me. I rate courses primarily on 3 factors; design, fun factor, and replay-ability. This course knocks all 3 out of the park!

I have played the red and white tees. I'll play the blues someday when I'm feeling bold. I played the red tees to gold baskets just after this year's MId-America Open. Each layout I've played would rank in my top 5 courses., and I've played 7 of the current top 10.

Harmony Bends consistently presents you with risk/reward decisions. The creek on hole 1 can get you if you try to bite off too much from the tee or leave your approach just short. Hole 3 is an ace run but with a cliff just right of the basket and another big drop-off behind the hole. Hole 9 is a par 5 that meanders through the woods. I've not played that hole once that I didn't have to invent a shot. Hole 10 is a par 5 that demands 3 well-placed shots to have a birdie look. Most 900+ foot holes I've played are wide open. This one has a generous fairway but is tree-lined and has a slight dogleg and "pinch point" 250-300 feet from the basket. Hole 15 requires an accurate tee shot to set up an angle to attack the pin. Miss the landing zone and you'll have as hard a time making birdie as Forrest Gump did in school. Hole 18 is it's own masterpiece in that there is no safe shot once you are off the tee. The fairway is narrow, has trees in it, and slopes toward the creek on the left. Kudos to John Houck and his team as I could argue there are as many as 8 signature holes on the course that would improve any course in the country if you plopped them down there.

Many of the holes are difficult but all have at least one defined line you can hit to get the birdie or par. Fairways are fair and generous in the woods with a few exceptions noted above. There are a few ace runs mixed in that feel like must-get birdies as well.

This course is FUN!! I have a great time each time I play whether I'm playing well or not. This course will devour you if you dwell on past shots; you need to be thinking about your next shot to score well here. I have taken 1 or 2 beat-downs with a smile on my face. I'm confident the city of Columbia will add some new hole locations down the road as well which will only add to the high replay factor.

As far as fun factor the only course I've played that comes close is Rollin' Ridge, but I'd say hole design at Harmony Bends is better 1-18. Great use of elevation changes and available water hazards.

Harmony Bends is my new gold standard for disc golf courses. You could nitpick your way into a lower rating, but the quality of the holes shines through for me. I am so fortunate to reside within 10 miles of it. If you're coming to town to play Harmony Bends, hit up Indian Hills across town. You won't be disappointed.

- Red/White/Blue distances (plus gold on about half) to challenge players at multiple levels - Houck white tees are about right for my game, blue still beats me up
- tee pads so big that I kept throwing from the middle (maybe I need a longer run-up?)
- hole after hole is amazing disc golf; I enjoyed having some solid "one good shot" par 3s along with some epic Houck par 4s & 5s
- easy access and parking, with free play (very close to I-70)
- good map and overall easy navigation (many helpful signs; e.g. one after 12 informing you to look right while crossing 14's fairway)

- 11 with some muddy puddles and poor footing throughout, and 12 & 14 pretty swampy when I played (not sure how recently it rained)
- easy to throw to 16's basket while on hole 9
- adding elevation change would be a minor improvement to the tee signs

In short, it's a Houck classic worthy of the praise it has already received in its brief existence.

Somehow the lack of course fee or clubhouse makes the course seem like an ordinary city park course when you arrive. Perhaps this is also because the terrain and trees obscure all view of the course except for the first tee and practice basket. Hole 1 immediately dispels thoughts of an "ordinary" or relaxed disc golf round, with a difficult par 5 crossing the creek multiple times. I tried to put this in words with my title of "unassuming excellence." Your socks will definitely be knocked off, but simply by the golf (and beautiful surroundings, typical of this part of Missouri) rather than by frills, the obviously expansive grounds or water shots (e.g. Selah), or physical demand (e.g. Branson Trails, Orange Crush, Coyote Point at Lake Casitas, Sharktooth Mountain...).

It's strange to say this about a par 68 course, but one thing I love about HB is the fact that it has such great multi-shot holes while still including some fun ace runs and "hit your line for 2" par 3s. I think some courses try for too many par 4s and 5s and miss some of that line-shaping fun. My first round (from white) I ended up shooting 2 under par, but my putting was on and I was hitting my lines. I tested the blues for my second round, and I was 5 over after just six holes! I must have been tired. I liked 'em all, but here are a select few: I loved hole 4's straight downhill shot with ace run potential (parked it with a pured Pure). Hole 5 was one that I'd love to play again, requiring a decent initial shot to get above a rocky shelf and then leaving a tough approach. 7 (par 3) and 10 (par 5) both had downhill tunnel tee shots, of which I never tire. 10 required choosing between two layup zones, either of which gave good approach lines to the green. 15 was a tricky obstructed tee shot requiring you to get some decent distance before a tough uphill woodsy approach. The finale of hole 18 was possibly my favorite par 5 anywhere. Downhill tee shot, followed by the possibility of risking the OB creek bed for glory or laying up to the right. I went for glory on my 2nd shot, but barely caught the bed's lip and fell OB. In my case it would only have given me an easy birdie, but still... so close!

Like other Houck courses I've played, HB tends to provide a couple available lines both off the tee (hole 10's long tee was a particularly good example, offering a tempting RHBH sky anny or RHFH, as opposed to the tight downhill tunnel) or along the fairway. Great design, throughout, was impossible to miss. My impression is also that Houck likes to force some forehands (hole 13 practically requires a forehand). I benefited from having a decent forehand/backhand combination.

Part of what makes HB so special is that this land is available almost exclusively for disc golf, aside from an occasional dog walker. Quite simply, it's premium disc golf terrain with tall, mature trees (couldn't find better for disc golf), a creek and elevation changes, all of which are used to great effect by Mr. Houck. The reason for this land's availability, as far as I can tell, is that it's in a flood plain that precludes many other uses. When I was there, it hadn't rained for at least 5 days, but the stretch from 11 to 14 was noticeably affected by the land's flood plain status. Hole 11, in particular, appeared to be permanently affected due to the combination of water-rise and most-of-year shade. That shade is a dual-edged sword, providing an awesome covered fairway but also leaving a floor that is largely mud and bare soil (basically no grass). Even in the absence of recent rain/flooding, that fairway was pock-marked with grooves and ruts, with several puddles and muddy spots. I would imagine a TD being required to make some sort of accommodation for casual relief from these ruts, as my solid tee shot was spoiled by poor footing (that's my story and I'm sticking to it!) resulting in a botched, otherwise simple 180' to 220' approach. Holes 12 & 14 were fairly marshy but I was lucky to avoid the puddles, and the grass (open to sun here) alleviated some of the fairway issues present for hole 11. These issues must get WAY worse during heavy rains, but I can forgive that. I'd imagine it drains fairly quickly, though I worry about erosion damage to baskets, tees, signs, etc. At present, the local disc golf club (and City of Columbia) seem committed to maintaining the course, so I don't believe this has been an issue.

Though the course was surprisingly unoccupied, I met several locals. One guy had a starter pack and had ONLY played Harmony Bends in his first few months disc golfing. Wow! Imagine cutting your teeth on this masterpiece. It would be hard to play anywhere else. The fact that Houck's red tees are playable by such a new player, while the blues/golds would challenge disc golf's best, shows that Harmony Bends has something for everyone. The fact that it works for players of multiple skill levels (and fitness levels) is my explanation for its seemingly unanimous acclaim.

Rating: I really can't justify anything less than 5 for "best of the best." The flooding issues are my only complaint, but I view that as a calculated risk, and the course is better for it. This is not my number one, but it would be a happy day for disc golf courses everywhere when I could justify dropping HB to 4.5. To the City of Columbia, the local disc golf club, and Mr. Houck: thank you for the financial commitment, continued hard work, and dedication to disc golf excellence! Your efforts have not gone unnoticed.

I had the pleasure of playing this course three different mornings. I played the white tees twice and the red tees once.

My first Pro is how well the various tee positions are handled. The course offers Red, White and Blue tees, with an additional option of a Gold basket position that is apparently used only for tournaments. This choice of tees give players of widely varying ability a chance to play the course in a way that is appropriate for them. Each of the tees offers exactly the same excellent teepad and signage so there is no difference in that part of the experience. This is different than many excellent courses that present the "main" teepad, with others included as afterthoughts without finished pads or signage.

This is a hilly wooded course with a complete variety of hole lengths and fairway shapes. There are everything from short, technical uphill holes to long, technical downhill holes. Straight shots, sweeping shots, and doglegs are all present and accounted for. What doesn't change is the trees. They are unrelenting and ever ready to knock your errant shot out of the fairway.

There is a winding creek that plays prominently on Holes 1 and 18, and a larger creek that shapes the drive on Hole 13.

The Red tees on every hole shortened the things up and generally eliminate a set or sets of obstacles presented at the White and Blue teepads. In some cases (Hole 10) the difference in distance was modest and the line unchanged. But for other holes the difference is huge. At Hole 1 the Red Tee eliminates 250', many trees and a creek crossing. At Hole 8 the Red Tee uses a completely different and more open fairway. And at Hole 18 the Red Tee eliminates the raised elevation of the other tees and essentially starts you from the landing area for their first shot.

While five of the holes combine the White and Blue into a single teepad, most holes offer separate White and Blue pads, for a total of 49 outstanding tee positions. The tapered concrete teepads are huge, at around 15' long and 6' across the front and even wider across the back. Each teepad has an excellent John Houck tee sign, with the expected par and distance information, and an extremely detailed diagram showing all relevant trees, creek crossing, OB areas, etc. They also show the various fairways and routes to the baskets, along with direction to the next tee(s).

Innova DisCatcher baskets catch great and show up well in the shadows.

Navigation could not be any clearer. There are next tee signs for every hole, showing the direction to each of the next tee pads. There are clear paths to each of the three subsequent tees. There are sturdy bridges or constructed boulder crossings at each creek, and wooden stairways going down a couple of steep hillsides.

Very difficult to come up with any as this is a fantastic course.

The parking lot was surprising small, with about 15 spots. There are folks using the area for walking and other activities, so busy DG days could result in parking issues. I did not see any other parking nearby.

There were a few boggy spots on the days that I played, but the weather had been wet.

The teepads in the area of Holes 12-15 are set flush with the ground, and can collect mud in wet weather. On one morning I decided to avoid a single teepad that was still wet, muddy and very slick. By the next day it had dried out.

This is a tough course, even from the Red tees. There is elevation and so many trees on every hole. So while not a particularly relaxing course, it will challenge every disc golfer who chooses to play it.

I travelled a long way to play this course and it was worth every mile. My group (three 900-930 rated golfers) played two full rounds from the White tees. It is a step above any other course I've played - not only is the infrastructure (especially tees) high quality, but the length and variety of shots required, plus the park environment, is spectacular. The four par 5s that require real tactical shot selection made this the closest experience to ball golf I have ever had - holes 9 and 10 in particular are fantastic fun and rewarding to get right. The fairways always feel ... fair - as in, there is always space to make good shots if you stick to them - unlike a few courses I've played where there isn't a clear line to the basket. It's a long course but it doesn't feel like a slog because every shot is a different challenge.

It made me realise I have rated other courses too highly!

Make the effort to play here - you won't regret it!

Harmony Bends is a gorgeous disc GOLF course with great variety that provides a difficult, yet fair challenge to ALL skill levels due to three well-conceived and implemented sets of tees.

The course terrain is optimal for disc golf with plenty of mature trees and elevation changes. The design makes excellent use of these resources to provide a very enjoyable walk through the woods and spot-on fair challenge.

The course is very well balanced in terms of scoring requirements. Course management wells heavily as does shot-shaping and controlled power. There are also quite a few holes where risk/reward "on the green" is greater than the typical course.

For a challenging wooded course the routes are not too tight, but are just right and fair. The older, wider trees are excellent, fair hazards are there are very few tiny "plinko" trees that take away from some wooded courses.

Some notable holes:
Hole 1 provides a moderately challenging par 5. It has a gorgeous look and really invites players in to a very special disc golf experience and challenge.

Hole 2 offers a fair challenge off the tee to set up a very picturesque second shot into this moderately long par 4. The basket is perched up a hill and nicely framed by a rock wall and steep drop-off. Depending on the quality of the drive, the second shot can vary from a scary "must-get" to a very scary risk/reward opportunity.

Hole 8 is a shortish par 3 up a steep hill with basket beautifully framed on a plateau near the steep drop-off. Putts from outside of the circle can really test player's nerves here. The basket location is very fair, however, in that it's flat in the five meter circle with little chance of unfair roll-aways.

Hole 10 is one of the signature holes. The par 5 offers two windows for the tee shot off a tall hill to two distinct routes. Players can execute really fun tee shots here or have their errant throws punished setting the stage for a memorable hole.

On a course with many options, hole 12 is unique in being a wickedly tight, straight 300ish footer. This shot is quite tough, while being fair and provides a nice change-up on the course as a mental challenge.

Hole 18 provides an epic finish to an epic course. A birdie 4 and even par 5 feel really good while 6's, 7's or worse await players who fail to execute and/or make strategic mistakes.

Very few.

The left-side fairway route on hole 10 could be carved out just a wider to make it a truly viable option on the hole.

Hole 15 could use a set of stairs built into the side of the hill leading up to the basket. I played a tournament round here and 3/4 of my group face-planted walking up the fairway here when the ground was a bit damp.

Hole 18 needs to have the creek OB marked up at the top. I witnessed a few players with discs at rest on the sides of the ravine that were dangerous/inaccessible and created some points of disagreement on rules interpretations.

I'd love to see two loops of nine holes implemented here.

Of the John Houck courses I've played, I'd consider this one to be neck and neck with W R Jackson for my favorite. I'll give Harmony Bends the nod due to the multiple sets of tees.

Is this the absolute #1 disc golf course? Maybe. I'd highly recommend that you make the trip to give it a play and decide for yourself.

It's a wooded course designed by John Houck but with a bunch of elevation. Okay, I'm in.

The course tests your decision making from the first throw with your drive crossing over two bends of the snaking creek before a third crossing at the end. The wooded creek feature reminded me most of Selah Creekside and Hummel, although this is better than both of those. Midwestern wooded riparian terrain feels different than other places.

The front half of the course is wooded and very hilly. Hole 5 is one of the best with a big uphill blast to clear some tiered features on the hill before a bending fairway over a hump to the basket. Hole 9 is a 684-foot monster, requiring hitting a reasonable gap before a steep uphill climb. There are a couple ways to get to the basket well beyond the crest of the hill. Feel the wind come out of your sails if you hit one of the early trees.

The course opens up a little to flatter ground for holes 10-14. Hole 10 is a downhill bomb, but the fairway narrows and uncontrolled distance will mean an awkward second shot. Hole 13 was a fun, open shot with one of the creeks to your left (with an imposing bank). The fairway bends to the right before you have to negotiate a tree that is basically growing sideways across the fairway. It was pretty and fun both times I played it.

There are three tee pads on most holes. I played the whites and the reds. The whites are slightly shorter than the blues but usually feature a tougher gap or angle. The reds are significantly shorter with more birdie runs, but they are definitely not easy. Don't introduce your grandma to disc golf on these red tees (in fact, don't introduce her to disc golf at all. She's just happy you paid her a visit and is wondering if she can get you something to eat).

The tee signs are Houck classics, showing the different landing areas and approaches. All tee pads are concrete.

Drainage was an issue on several fairways (2, 10, and a couple others). I was lucky to avoid the big puddles by chance, but they were deep enough that getting my disc back would have been annoying.

Navigation was mostly fine, but on hole 9 I played what I thought was a brilliant third shot and then realized I had parked the basket for 16. The tee sign was obviously correct, but it's a long enough hole with subtle turns in the fairway that I thought I was taking the lefthand gap. Also be careful after hole 12. I accidentally skipped holes 13-14 before doubling back.

Hole 18 was one hole I have mixed feelings on. I'm not sure I found the right way to play the fairway on the right side of the creek, and I'm wondering if the left side of the creek really needed to be OB. Not sure. I don't hold water hazards against a course (I actually really like them), but FYI that the creek can be a real pain to retrieve discs from. I lost two discs here and took about 20 minutes to get one of them back (the other was 5 feet deep).

Since my review will likely drop this course from the #1 spot (temporarily?), I feel I should explain why I don't think this is a 5.0. There are two characteristics that my 5.0 courses have. One, the design is so great that you spend time on the tee box thinking what you might want to throw because you have options to weigh with good risk/reward decisions. Harmony Bends has a ton of this. Two, there are so many memorable holes that you can't decide which is the signature. On this front, Harmony Bends does not quite measure up to Maple Hill, Highbridge Blueberry, Highbridge Gold, or Selah Lakeside. It's a little like explaining why Weird Al Yankovic's "Biggest Ball of Twine in Minnesota" is a little better than "Albuquerque." They're both doing similar things, but one does it a little better. And I don't like arguing with you about Weird Al.

In terms of rating and overall feel, I would say this compares most closely to Sabattus Eagle. It's a superb course with terrific design that is a hair below the best of the best. I got up well before dawn and drove out of my way to get here, and I'd do it again. I've got a funny little feeling I'll be coming back again next year.

+ A true destination course.
+ Subtle details make a huge difference in this course. Shorter holes are challenging and require execution. The longer hole require strategy and execution, choosing a landing zone and hitting it.
+ The longer holes contain a good mix of technical aspects. Some play like safari holes, with 2 or more distinct components.
+ It's very wooded, but the undergrowth has been cleared out well.
+ Great use of changing elevation and natural elements.
+ Good man-made elements (stairs, bridges, creek crossings, rock walls, etc.) to bring the course together.
+ Overall, signs and directions are really good.
+ This course will develop your game. It's very tough, but also fair. There's an emphasis on placement shots, accuracy, strategy, and versatility.

+ Updates: Signage was perfect for the Mid America Open and stairs have been added to holes 7 and 15!

- There's a large dead tree in the middle of the fairway on 6. I don't really understand why it wasn't removed when the course was built.
- There's a huge, leaning sycamore tree between hole 9's basket and hole 10's tee that looks like a safety concern. It's got the potential to come uprooted during high winds and wet conditions. Leaving it seems like a very unnecessary safety risk.
- The parking lot is too small for the number of players this course is going to attract. During dry conditions there is plenty of parking available in the grass, though.
- I wouldn't mind seeing a few more trash cans added throughout the course. (I only remember seeing 2, along with a few recycling bins.) I didn't see any litter or broken glass, but it's only a matter of time before people will get lazy.

* When I played this course initially, many of the leaves had already fallen and everything was fairly open. It's tighter during May-September, but not overwhelming.
* Some of the unmarked roads caused some confusion and misdirection for me the first time through. It would have been nice if they were shown on the course map to provide an additional level of clarity for first-time players.
* Big benefits to be able to throw both forehand and backhand.
* Holes 9 and 10 can completely destroy a round. They're long and require 3-4 really good shots to reach the pin, but also offer plenty of opportunity to get into trouble.
* I think hole 18 is the toughest on the course. There's a high-risk birdie route along the creek and a safe route around the back side at the bottom of the hill. However, the safe route is ill-defined. I think it would play a little better if that fairway were a little more open and obvious.
* I didn't get hit with a "wow" factor like what you might expect from a top level course, but there's not anything that leaves you feeling underwhelmed. Although, there are probably 6 holes here that would be signature holes almost anywhere else.
* I don't think you can get a great feel for the full experience from a single round. Each hole is so captivating on it's own, that it tends to overwrite the one before.

* Update: Since stairs were added to 7 and 15, I've changed my rating from a 4.5 to a 5.0. (The shots didn't get any easier, though.) The City of Columbia and CDGC has done a tremendous job not only maintaining this course, but improving it.

-well maintained
-great layout
-very scenic
-great mix of lengths and styles
-easy enough for beginners but still challenging

-so many trees to hit
-very tough if a bad throw
-some holes have very steep hills to climb

overall, the course is amazing, it's very challenging but still possible to do well. i've played the longer holes differently each time so i still get challenged differently each time

-teepads are large and each hole has 2-3
-innova disccatchers
-tee signs
-course design
-great property
-practice basket
-bathroom

-play is affected by rain
-some signage could help with flow
-trash cans are for the most part absent
-small parking lot

Harmony bends is the best course i have ever played. It will likely remain the best course u will ever play.

Every hole you can see the process the course designer went through, making each hole challenging and a pleasure to play.

The property is fantastic, elevation, terraces and great use of natural features.

The high rating on dgcr has a had a massive effect on the time and money the local council is putting into the course.

Go play this course.

Three giant teepads per hole with normal and gold positions give the course tons of variation. If you're a rec player, you can play a more casual but still really great, challenging round. Or if you're Paul McBeth, you can play the long pads and still be challenged.
The city has done a great job maintaining the course and it looks great.
Most of the longer and wooded holes have different fairway options so if you're a big side arm or backhand thrower, you'll usually have some sort or route.

The cons are are hard to list and the overall course makes this feel nit picky, but: it needs a bigger parking lot, it needs more trash cans, and it does have potential to flood.

Lots of elevation and multiple tee pads. You will use every shot in your arsenal and disc in your bag to complete this course!

Beautiful views and a great hike!

Pro or joes will have a good time here.

Disc golf only, not a lot of other foot traffic.

Great signage!

Soggy for a few days after rain, it's on a 100 year flood plain.

Some of the signs have been stolen, not the courses fault.

A must play course!!

The first hole sets it all up of what you will face the remainder of the day. Accurate lines and we'll placed shot making is rewarded, through very scenic wooded terrain.
Some may consider the length a con, even myself as a moderate beginner level, but I find it more fun as I have more opportunity to practice while playing longer shots.

Wait 2-3 after any rain event, otherwise you find lots of wet spots in landing areas... especially on the back nine. Larger rain eventa will flood the course and may take a week to dry out.

Multiple tee pads for each hole caters to Pros and Beginnner/Intermediate alike. Great use of elevation and creeks throughout. Beautiful groves of mature trees and great mix of both short and long holes veering both right and left. Plays very fair. This course benefits the "smart" player who chooses position over sheer distance, but that said, a crusher can kill it here if they are on their game. I just can't say enough great things about this course.

The signage between 8 and 9 as well as 17 and 18 needs improvement, but this feels an easy fix. You can't play after rain as the course tends to retain water more than other courses. Mosquitoes... Although you can't really blame the course for this, bring bug spray.

It truly is one of the best courses anywhere I've seen.

Warning: If you play this course, you will never be able to play another course again because this will put the rest of them to shame!

This course is perfect!

3 Huge teepads on every hole. I mean you can put patio furniture on them and entertain several guests they are that big.
Excellent signage showing where the next hole and teepad are.
Mix of very long holes with some short "must get" duece holes.
This will require you to use every disc in your bag.
Great use of elevation.

I feel bad about having cons because this is such a good course but...
There were a couple times where I had to look around for a little bit to find the next teepad (8-9 and 12-13) not too bad though.
The only other small complaint was that I sometimes didn't know what tee pad I was on (blue, white or red). Unless you can see all three, there is no marking on the sign to show what pad you're on.

This course is great. Even with my small picky complaints there was no way I would rate this less than 5 stars. I will be driving out of my way to play this course again!

Holes 1,2,5,7,8,9,10,13,15, and 18 could easily be signature holes at any other course. Water, elevation, multiple tee pads. Easy to appreciate no matter what your skill level is. So many holes and views that are breath taking. Although some holes reward a big arm, there is more reward for landing with a good lie and playing smart. This course is a true test of skill. Very replayable since there is different tee pads. You can play with friends of different skill levels and let them throw from closer pads and still be very competitive. Great course for doubles as well. Usually very clean. Most people at the park are playing disc golf but there are occasional walkers. Signage is very good, easy to navigate.

Small parking lot. Not a good course to play after a rain. Only a few trash cans at the beginning of the course. It's a workout and rounds can take close to 4 hours sometimes. There is deep vegetation along the creeks and some deep water to lose discs. Hole 14 and 16 are not very impressive. Sometimes mosquitos and ticks can be bad here. No running water.

Bring extra water and bug spray. Bring a camera. I travel a lot and have played in over 7 different states. This is the best course I have ever played.

This course was a joy to play. I would given almost anything to have a course of this caliber as my home course.

* Huge park, seemingly exclusively for disc golf
* Two creeks that are utilized throughout the entire 18
* Many, many different kinds of shots required to play this course well
* Excellent signage on the tees
* Great directional signage pointing you to the next set of tees
* City of Columbia is maintaining the tees, fairways, and greens for this course extremely well (they were tending the tee pads when I was there)

* Need more signage from 8 > 9. It's a long walk that passes through many intersecting pathways.
* Tiny parking lot, maybe 15 cars max. It was a ghost town when I was there (noon on a weekday), but for this caliber of course I would expect it to be packed on the evenings and weekends. The parking lot is grossly inadequate
* Zero trash cans anywhere except for the parking lot. This is an extremely long course, people will have trash throughout and shouldn't be expected to haul it all the way back to their car. This is ten times as important for pet waste. Dog owners will either not bother picking up after their dog, or they will just leave dog waste bags throughout the course. Nobody is going to carry that around for 18 holes. Considering how much the city is spending to maintain the grounds, they should be able to account for some regular trash pickup (I saw city vehicles driving on the course, so access isn't a problem)
* More shade in the parking and surrounding area might be nice. There's one covered picnic spot so far, and plenty of shade around #1 and #18, but the rest is baking in the sun all day. I didn't even consider using the porta-potty that is just sitting there collecting heat and funk all day long, every day.

Really loved this course. I stumbled upon it while passing through the area and am so glad I had the opportunity to play a very new Houck course that clearly has a ton of support and love from the city. I've played a lot of Houck courses in Texas, but this is the newest I've played, and it shows. The variety in shots is greater than I've ever seen in his courses, the signage is astounding, the use of natural obstacles is wonderful.

Columbia locals, PLAY THIS COURSE EVERY WEEK!