Professor Suzuki might comprehend the course map but this simple disc golfing reviewer struggled to understand it. Once I started playing the course sticking to the original layout, I think I did Okay and I understand the lofty rating and appreciate the enjoyment of Highland Springs Reservoir. Legendary course designer Steady Ed Headrick is the man who designed this course. The landscape he used is well suited to a championship disc golf course.

It's quite obvious from the start that someone cares for this course and has put much effort into making it a welcoming environment for the players here. At the start you'll find the large kiosk with the elaborate course map. There are tables, benches, heaters, a lost disc metal container, a metal box for donations, garbage cans and numerous baskets and tee pads. This is where things get a little (?)complicated. The map shows three pin positions and seven (7) tees. They are, in order, Red, Yellow, Blue, White, Green, Grey and Orange. Kind of like the seven (7) dwarfs; Grumpy, Doc, Sleepy, Bashful, Dopey, Happy and Sneezy. I think seven (7) dwarfs is fine, seven (7) tees MIGHT be considered overkill! Because of this course's isolation, I doubt if anyone plays it so often as to grow bored with, say, four (4) tee positions.

The baskets are DGA Mach X with the always hard to read numbers. The tee pads for Ed's original layout are nice level rubber pads, the other six (6) layouts are all natural. In this dry Northern California climate, the natural pads probably hold up well. The basic fiberglass signage has taken a licking out here in no-wheresville. I believe only the original layout has signs and they are a nice wooden sign under plexiglass. They also show the next tee. You just to remember where it was. Unfortunately, many of these signs have been destroyed. There are benches everywhere including a Highlands course record of four (4) on hole six (6).

The original layout plays at a standard recreational level. It's not overwhelming difficult. Navigating it is more challenging than actual playing it. I somehow strayed from the original course at # 9 and then again after # 17. I didn't recover and self-correct after either of these.

I think my favorite hole was # 14 whose bench was dedicated to Old Man John. This, I think, was the hole that played over the gully. Pretty hole!

A complicated course to navigate through on your own the first time.

Being so isolated, I surmise that vandalism will always be an issue. Breaks my heart so I can only imagine what the guy's who maintain and attempt to keep it nice must feel. I feel your pain fellows.

# seven (7) has a large pile of blown down trees and branches which are totally in the way and actually change the complexion of the hole. It would be nice to see it removed.

Although I didn't notice many garbage cans, the course was absolutely free of any litter.

How many players actually know all seven (7) layouts and can find the right tee pad for each? Probably about as many who can actually name the seven dwarfs!

Also, as congratulations are due for Professor Suzuki, they are very much so and deservedly merited for any players who can comprehend the course map. I've met a lot of disc golfers over the years and most of them haven't exactly impressed me with their intellectually abilities. I bet most just follow the crowds!

This course has a pretty huge amount of tees and pin positions. With 5+ tees and a few pin locations on every hole it makes for a lot of different looks. The alternates change some of the holes quite a bit, making for a great mix of left and right turning shots. There were some random tone poles around, I assumed these were even more alternate options for locals.

There are enough trees to force you down the fairways on a lot of the holes, others have multiple lines or opportunities to try high risky lines over the trees. There's not a ton of brush here, enough to make a few bad places to land but not enough to hide discs or really be punitive. Some elevation comes into play, with a couple really fun valley shots and enough ups and downs to keep things interesting.

Some of the long pin positions aren't well designed. They're simply tucked 60' back into brush or trees, leaving holes that are easy 3s but don't have enough of a look for birdie or enough punishment to cause scoring separation. It's too bad, since the course is fairly short overall and a little length seems like a good way to add variety, it's just not done well on a lot of holes here. There are some serious erosion issues on some of the slopes, this course clearly gets a lot of traffic and it's showing.

The signage is pretty terrible, with this many tees and pins you need to make it obvious what tees shoot to what pins. There aren't pin position markers, many of the tees aren't even numbered, and with several blind shots there's a lot of extra walking needed to find your way the first time through this course.

I would love to have this as a home course, the huge variety of tee-pin combinations makes it rank high for re-playability. It would be nice to see a little more effort made to keep it more accessible for new or traveling players. Beginners will find the course challenging but not so punitive that it's frustrating. Experienced players won't find this course long or super challenging, but it has enough different hole shapes to be a great test of line shaping skills and to be a fun round.

Some elevation. There are a lot of "blind" shots. This course is not big but offers a risk/ reward factor whereby good throws will set you up nicely in the open. Bad ones will make you pay dearly in the brush and trees. Near some nice camping spots. Nearby water for cooling off.

It can get very hot.

The Steady Ed tournament is very fun