Highbridge, WI

Highbridge Hills - Blueberry Hill

4.675(based on 64 reviews)
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Highbridge Hills - Blueberry Hill reviews

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23 1
EspressoPatronum
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 18.7 years 256 played 238 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Very Good, But Great? 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 30, 2021 Played the course:once

Pros:

- very picturesque courses in a beautiful setting in northern Wisconsin
- near the equally beautiful Copper Falls State Park
- concrete tees
- trash buckets
- onsite camping
- some benches
- good quality baskets (DGA Mach 7)
- great elevation change
- some interesting water hazards
- high challenge, varied course

Cons:

- extremely wet in the spring
- navigation early in the course is fairly confusing (some next tee signs, but more needed and some very hard to see)
- pay to play, though well worth it for the number of courses
- temporary tee signs should be upgraded

Other Thoughts:

I'll caveat this by saying this course was very, very wet and sloppy when I was playing due to spring thaw in Northern Wisconsin, so perhaps I didn't catch it at its best. While it's a very nice course, I struggle to appreciate all the perfect 5 ratings it has gotten. In certain intangible ways it just didn't blow me away. While I enjoyed the course, there's plenty of others I have enjoyed more. I'll probably get some hate for the "low" review score, but this is my honest feeling on the course with nearly 100 courses played.

This is a very picturesque course with some excellent elevation change. One of the highlights here is the Highbridge Hills complex having so many different disc golf courses to try. I recommend coming later in the season so things have had some time to dry out. Playing with wet feet just gets old after awhile.

I will say while this is a very nice course that will challenge you to throw every shot at your disposal, the Highbridge courses were considerably rougher around the edges than I was expecting based on all the hype. From what I gather, the courses started to go downhill and were let go a bit, and since new ownership has taken over, things are improving. I did see the staff working on improvements while I was there, so I'm hopeful all of this is headed in the right direction. Perhaps I will return in a few years and reassess.

Blueberry hill has some minor water hazards, and a nice mix of open and wooded holes, with a bit more emphasis on the wooded shots. It was challenging but fair. My favorite holes were probably near the end, throwing uphill on the boulder-strewn hillside on 16 and 17.

One of the toughest parts was navigation was SUPER confusing, particularly on the first few holes. Some next tee signs would go a long way (some tee signs, like hole 2, were just plain missing). Some of the staff explained the first few holes to me but with all the crosses over the road some signage would really help.

The pro shop was closed while I was here, possibly due to COVID. I do recommend checking out Copper Falls State Park nearby, which is truly a hidden gem and absolutely amazing.

On a side note, I do recommend overnight camping here. I was essentially the only person here overnight and had deer all around my car, it was a very cool experience. There is just no power, running water, etc.
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3 11
Tahoe Cowboy
Experience: 4 played 4 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Mosquitos! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 28, 2018 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Very quiet course

Different courses to choose from

Great layout

Cons:

MOSQUITOS! - bring bug spray, wear long sleeves, cover yourself they are brutal!

Not mowed very often

You will lose a disc if you play here enough times, however, you will find a disc or two!

Other Thoughts:

This is definitely a course you should add to your bucket list!
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24 5
bjreagh
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 27.7 years 350 played 321 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Blueberry Hill 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 7, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

[The Complex]- There are presently 5 complete 18-hole courses, with 2 more still being constructed. I like the fact that the courses are designed to be at varying levels of difficulty (hardest-> Gold-Granite-Blueberry-Woodland-Chestnut <-easiest) so if you come and play them all you will have a well-rounded experience of both challenging ¬skill-testers and more relaxing, fun rounds. Each course has different colored baskets that correspond to the course's name. The courses are set on an amazing piece of land that is huge and contains many natural features that are ideal for disc golf (open, woods, elevation, and ponds). The land is dedicated purely to disc golf and is so isolated that only disc golfers will be here, and chances are you will have these courses all to yourself. Huge props need to be given to the course designer for placing all the courses where they aren't on top of each other, each has its own character, and individual hole design is very creative and well-done. John, the owner, is very nice and loves to have people come and play. He works extremely hard on the courses and on the facility as a whole.

[The Course]- The scenery of Blueberry is beautiful. The course plays in the open and in the woods, there are several ponds, thick rough, and lots of elevation- up, down, flat, and tiers. The baskets are blue and are super nice. The tees are grippy concrete and get the job done. The tee signs were small and looking old, but still informative, and I always like the extra touch of giving every hole a name. The course design is excellent with 17 solid holes that flow nicely. I would not say every hole is a signature hole, but each hole is unique and interesting, and there are no throwaways or fillers (except for #1). And, of course, there are a few memorable signature holes, I especially liked #2 & #3 which are majestic downhill holes with great views, #10 with the multiple levels and ponds, and #17 with the basket up on the rocky hill.

Cons:

[The Course]- The biggest thing that disappointed me was the lack of basic maintenance. The fairways were grown up to the point where we were having to send spotters on every hole. John talked about mowing an awful lot the days we were there, but he only started to mow (other courses) the night we left. A lot of the paths were muddy or marshy, and I understand sometimes it rains a lot, but this course has been around long enough to where there should be bridges or even just some wood planks over the usual soggy spots.

#1 did not seem up to the standard of the rest of the holes. It played down a narrow fairway that had the appearance of being freshly cut and therefore not as mature looking as the rest of it. Then you walk back up the hill you just played down to get to #2. (a redesign, maybe?)

Most of the holes here, though not bad, were only pretty standard. It is a solid course all the way around, but to me it did not completely live up to the hype of being a top 5 course (I didn't think it was even the best course at Highbridge!) I enjoyed Blueberry, but it left me wanting more- thankfully there is a lot more here!!!

[The Complex]- Can be summed up in two words- trashy and incomplete. The land is beautiful but is littered with junk and trash and numerous unfinished projects. And then add on top the most important thing of trying to maintain 5 courses while building 2 more, but nature is easily overtaking things. John is fighting a losing battle with an unpaid staff of 2 that can't complete the things that are already here while simultaneously trying to build more stuff. Things appeared to be breaking faster than they could be fixed. The campground was trashy and smelled of raw sewage in several spots. The Honka House has a lot of potential but the pics of the outside don't tell the whole story- inside it is missing basics like drywall, outlet covers, lights, etc. and seems to be used as much for storage of junk as it is for housing guests.

Other Thoughts:

[The Course]- This is a difficult course for me to rate. It seems that depending on when you play here it might be anywhere from a 3.5 - 5.0. Its design and setting, along with other quality courses on site, are characteristic of a 5.0, but if you catch it on a day with overgrown fairways and muddy paths (which seem to be often) it is quite disappointing. If you are willing to drive 1000 miles+ to play disc golf then are you are going to want a course that does not appear to be abandoned. I think the design and scenery is a 4.25, but I feel like the day I played it was only worthy of a 3.75- I will give it the benefit of the doubt on course conditions, and the fact there are other courses on site also gives it a boost to a strong 4.0 [Excellent, but not Phenomenal and definitely not Perfect.]

Blueberry requires quality shots, but is not a ridiculously difficult challenge- in fact scoring well as an amateur is realistic. Where some holes can punish, there are many holes that do have a large margin for error where recovery is fairly easy. I think this is part of the appeal in that you can enjoy every shot without getting bored or without getting discouraged.

Also, #3's tee is literally right beside the Honka House, so we actually started there, and finished on #2 which made for an awesome finishing hole! At times the wind can really be a factor on #2 since it is so high up and exposed.

[The Complex]- If you like lots of holes and very rustic lodging then you will love it here. If you have high expectations of well-manicured courses and hotel-like lodging then prepare to be disappointed. John's mission is noble as he wants people of all ages to enjoy the outdoors and has plans to have 7 courses, as well as numerous other activities, but he does not seem concerned with creating a first-class disc golf facility. He dreams big, but appears to have bitten off more than he can chew. Highbridge needs manpower, but does not have the advantage of disc-golf loving locals or park workers that most other courses have. Other private courses don't either, but are usually only 1 course, not 7, and much easier to maintain!
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10 18
slash87
Experience: 15.9 years 153 played 18 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Disappointed 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 14, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

This is a wonderful course. Most holes have some sort of challenge and the people playing were awesome help.
The course flow is pretty easy to follow as most of the time there is only one path leading through the grass to the next tee box. The maps in the pro shop only helped a little. There are cement tee pads and the course was nicely done with rocks around greens to mark them and using the elevation changes throughout the course. There are even a few small ponds to throw over. Of the 18 holes my favorite was 17. Not terribly difficult but I just love the look of the rocks before the basket (this is ob if you play by the signage).

Cons:

I heard so many great things about this course and about how this is the best course out there and sadly it isn't even in my top 4. The fairways had long grass and needed to be mowed. Some signs were not clearly pointing you in the right direction either. As for it being a pay to play it was not what I expected. Golf carts are nice but that was the only amenity I saw that was different then any other course. The proshop was nothing but a place to sign in and pay. I think the hype is the fact that there are multiple courses on this land. This is NOT a top 5 course.

Other Thoughts:

I do like this course. I just expected more out of it then what I got. After playing it I was just so bummed out but was cheered right back up when I played one of THE best courses in my life in FLIP CITY. People need to play this course, I just don't think it is the third best course in nation.
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3 28
OakCreekKiller
Experience: 21.8 years 16 played 4 reviews
4.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 8, 2009 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Full complex of disc golfing. What more could you want. Distance and strategy. Beauty and manicured. Blueberry is the crown jewel of this place. We are trying to make this a once a year trip.

Cons:

Middle of Wisconsin away from any conveniences. Details of other immaculate courses missing. Minor points for a great course.

Other Thoughts:

A must visit if in Wisconsin.
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