At 24 holes, the Beast has a ton to offer....so I can fully see why so many rave about this course! There is so much to cheer about but at every turn, but there was always something that seemed to continually nickel and dime me downward in the overall playing experience. I will do my best to justify my seemingly low rating below. One note: I gave the Beast a grade of 86 - which is just a smidge below 87 which would be a B+ and a 3.5 disc rating.

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. == C
(This course is very straight forward - average at best in this department. Very, very few choices or decisions to be made. The challenge has got to be the wind - although there was not even a breeze the day I played it. And, punishment for errant throws is almost non-existent. If you get in the middle of some of the shrubs it is possible to have no real throw out, but I do not remember too many of them placed strategically - like sandtraps are on a golf course.)

2) Holes that have rewarding birdie opportunities for me. I'm a Blue level player (950ish skill) who throws 300' accurately, 360' max. == B-
(About half the holes present a perfectly fun and challenging experience for me lengthwise. But the other half are either too short to be fun or are too long to be interesting - bomb a decent drive and then you're left with a doinker upshot (see #5 for more on this). Combine this with the overall lack of shot shapes required and the lack of punishment and this course lacks for me in the area of scoring euphoria.)

3) More wooded than open - lots of variety of shots required caused by hole shape and topography == B-
(Other than a few holes, this is not a wooded course and most of the course is either open or just through low shrubs. There is variety in left/right/up/down hole shapes, but not enough of the kind that force you to shape your shots accurately and consistently.)

4) Natural beauty (Appalachian beauty preferred) and seclusion. == B+
(The area that this course is in is strictly for disc golf and as such you do feel like you are getting away from the hustle-bustle. With many glimpses of Lake Michigan and beautiful trees and terrain, you are constantly reminded of the beauty of nature. The problem for me in really getting refreshed by my experience on this course is twofold: 1) the park road and parking lots (and a road outside of park property) are prominent on the vast majority of holes, and 2) there is a huge dam looming over the course - the backside of a reservoir. It casts this ominous feeling over the course like a giant hovering over your shoulder and surprising you every time you glance over your shoulder. Hole 14 is stunning! With a white birch on one side and a beautiful fir tree on the other, things were just perfectly and beautifully framed as I approached the tee just in time to see a deer ambling across the fairway about 150' away. #1 Kodak moment of my disc golf career!)

5) Bonus points for multi-throw holes with defined landing zones, good risk/reward and multiple options to play them. == NA
(Although hole 1 would seem like a two-throw hole, the elevation loss makes for such a short upshot that it is a tweener hole - a par three with no hope of a birdie for me. Same with 484' #11 and 425' (uphill) #18 - ~325' drive and then ~150' doinker to putting range.)

This course is one of three amazing courses in Mason County park. It is called the Beast...I don't know if that is tongue in cheek or what...because it in my opinion was far more breathtaking than it's sister course on the same property named Beauty. It was easily one of the most beautiful courses I have every played. The trees were in full color...there are some amazing views on top of these large rolling hills overlooking Lake Michigan. Wow...didn't know disc golf could LOOK this amazing...the tee on hole one sets the tone for the rest of the round...and it sets the bar high. The fairways were very well manicured (even though the gates were closed and park was officially shut down for the season). The fairways were so groomed that I commented to one of my playing partners that it looked like a ball golf course.

I know it is rather cliche...but this course has so much variety in it's shots. Every hole was truly a unique challenge. I have way too many discs in my bag admittedly...but I used more on this course than any of other courses on our road trip to this area...due to the amount of variety of this course.

I really liked some of the greens on the course. They had several greens that were tucked away up in a group of trees on a hill...just very unique.

The baskets were very good and the course flowed very well. We navigated the course without any major issues.

The teepads were concrete...but they were not uniform and a few of them were too short for my liking.

That's it...I can't remember anything negative other than that...and even that was easily overlooked.

This very well may stand as one of my favorite rounds of disc golf that I have ever played. I was playing with some great guys at a beautiful time of year...add to that a top notch disc golf course and you have a recipe for a fantastic day of DG.

The course is magnificent in every way. The land is epic with a huge amount of variance in elevation. The tee at 1 is the most incredible thing I have ever experienced in disc golf. I could have spent all day there just taking it all in. You basically look out and see trees all around you with an amazing view of Lake Michigan behind it.
The course itself plays mostly with a park-like setting, although there are a few holes more heavily wooded and a few holes that are big and open. An amazing balance of distances within those different playing styles. I thought that the course flowed really well...especially considering there are 2 other courses intermingled. Goliath's tee's are all around, but it is very obvious what is Goliath and what is Beast. The goliath tee signs are greenish-yellow to make it pretty brainless to follow. I can see how there could be issues throwing into people, but I certainly didn't experience anything like that out there.
The tee pads were very good concrete tees that were definitely long enough (with a very few exceptions).
You will need to use every disc and every shot in your bag to tame this Beast. Each hole offered something different and it really kept me off balance and challenged.
The course was immaculately manicured even with us playing out there during the off season. Words cannot accurately describe the beauty of this course which is ironic, because it was the one named Beast--- There were so many times where I just stood for a moment to take it all in.

A few tee pads were too short. A few minor navigation issues. The end.

When we headed out to the area to play disc golf from Missouri I had high expectations for the courses in this area, but I assumed that Flip City would steal the show. My experience at Beast FAR exceeded any expectations I had.
This course absolutely blew my mind. I am sure that part of my impression was helped by the fact that I went out there to play when the leaves were at their most brilliant, but this course is one of the most breathtaking experiences I have ever had. I was very surprised that I was the first one to give this a 5 star review...maybe I picked the best time possible to play, but for me, this was disc golf heaven. Playing this course made me want to go back and reevaluate my other reviews of courses. It was that awesome and I will never forget it.

This course has a more open feeling than beauty, and some more length and length variety. Many fairways are grassy with some brushy rough, but not so many low ceilings or tightly wooded holes. There are a few wooded holes, and they are nicely scattered through the course to add variety. There are some really nice elevation shots, and that starts on the first hole with a great view and a fun shot from the top of a large hill.

The design uses the property extremely well to create a variety of hole shapes. This course is more about shot placement, and makes a great complement to the line shaping needed on Beauty. The rough is punishing enough to make you pay for an errant shot, but not so much that it eats discs. There are some ace chances, and some long bombs, and great variety throughout that keeps you guessing.

The baskets are in decent shape and catch well. The concrete tees on the main 18 holes were nice pads, and apparently the letter holes have concrete now too. The park is beautifully maintained, and makes for a very scenic and relaxed round.

The navigation here can be an issue with Beast and Goliath sharing the space, and it could also potentially result in some safety issues with people playing both directions. A little better signage would be really helpful on all three courses here. The holes along the road and old parking lot lose some of the secluded feeling, and could be a safety issue when traffic is heavier. The letter holes aren't quite up to the standard of the rest of the course yet, but it seems like they're still a work in progress.

This course by itself is a fun and challenging place to play, and when combined with the other two great courses in the park is definitely a destination course. Beginners might be frustrated by the thick rough and some of the longer holes. More experienced players will find some great challenge and variety, it's not the toughest course around but it will make you pay for poor shot placement.

Variety of holes. Some were downhill and long, some were short downhill, some uphill, good amount of dog-legs. The variety of shots was fun. Also had a good mix of open shots. Playing along Lake Michigan was great, both the views and wind. Good place to help teach someone how to play.

The hike up to hole 1 is intense, but the throwoff is well worth it. Sometimes its confusing where to throw from and where to throw to since there are 3 courses in the park

If you don't like wind, this is not going to be the easiest course. Then again, no place right next to a huge lake would be. The people who take care of this course really do care for it. Try to play your first round here with locals, it will really help ya out.

The first positive aspect that comes to mind regarding Mason County - Beast is the groundskeeping. Fairways are mowed and the roughs are most often taller grasses. Baskets and tee pads are in good condition. The view from the first tee is amazing. We played Beast before Beauty and this view was a wonderful introduction to the property. Much like Beauty, the course was designed to test a number of different shot-shapes. However, unlike Beauty, there was sufficient variation in hole lengths.

There are really only 2 cons that I can think of. First, the navigation is very confusing. Goliath intertwines with the Beast and on a number of holes multiple baskets are in view from the tee. The best example is Hole #8 in which the fairway seems to follow a slight hyzer path up a moderate hill. There is a treeline down the right side of the fairway. A basket is on top of the hill. However, this is a basket for the Goliath course. The correct basket is through the wooded treeline on the right with no gap. This hole was pretty ridiculous. The good news is that this was the only hole on this course which I felt was poorly designed. The second con was the maturity of the extra holes. Like Beauty, they just seemed thrown together. No concrete tee pads had been poured. In a few years, natural processes will probably rectify this, but for now there is a noticeable difference.

I really enjoyed this course. I thought there were some excellent holes. While researching which courses to play on our trip, I guess I had envisioned Beauty being short and fun while Beast being long and difficult. I was right on with Beauty, but Beast really surprised me. It wasn't as difficult as I had expected. It was challenging, but not over-bearing. In short, if you are a moderately skilled disc golfer, don't be scared away by the name.

I enjoyed the layout of this course much more than Beauty. This course had some wooded holes, but was mainly open with designated fairways. You needed to be accurate to stay in the fairway, but there were multiple options off the tee. Many of the fairways were lined with dense bushes. I didn't list this as a con (because I like that the rough is punishing) but it could be difficult to find errant shots. Even if you can find it, expect a thorn or two as you retrieve your disc.

There are some really amazing courses in Michigan and the Beast at Mason County is no different. It is well worth the stop if you are in the area. Considering you have Beauty and Goliath on-site, and Leviathan and Flip City within a short drive, this is definitely a destination area for disc golf. These courses are well-maintained and fun to play.

Beautiful scenery on huge rolling hills belies the fact that this course lies next to a landfill. Challenging fairways that have you trying to hit the perfect s-curve to get to the basket tucked away in the woods. Some absolutely insane holes. Hole 1 is a 500+ foot shot off the top of a big hill to the basket on another big hill far to the left. A few deceptively short holes with thick trees let you try some finesse shots through brutal cover. And fairways well chosen to take advantage of the natural windows.

Will have your knees creaking from all the hills. Rather difficult to find your way around. It's easier to find the signs for the Goliath holes (also on site) than it is to find the next Beast tee. On the other hand, it's so pretty you don't mind having to look around for the tees your first time. I'm pretty sure that a lot of the distance markers are way off, and was told that the course has been redesigned somewhat since the holes were measured.

This course is clearly the work of a mad genius who both loves and hates disc golfers. As I walked around the course, trying to spot the baskets, I'd say to my friends "I bet the basket is tucked back there, because that's the most sadistic place to put it." Sure enough, the basket was there every time. It lives up to its name, giving you a challenging experience, and leaves you feeling proud to have vanquished the Beast.

- well manicured holes
- great mix of woods and open fairways
- lots of elevation changes
- amazingly beautiful park with 3 courses
- good mix of long and chalenging short holes
- nice baskets
- lots of "thread the needle shots."
- a few big hill bomb shots that are amazing views.
- benches at most holes

- favors left handed throwers
- rough is very rough and punishing
- extreemly confusing layout, you will never figure this park out without a solid map or a guide who has played it before
- some rubber pads
- minimal signage, the ones that are there are pretty crappy and simple made.
-thick rough that loves to hide discs, coming out of the rough you definitely will be bleading from your legs or arms because of thorns and sharp vines everywhere. You are forced to play safe and keep it on the fairway.
- I dont like the fact that the "goliath" is just the "beast" played basically backwards, seems like a horrible idea where people are throwing at each other often around blind corners and over hills. Its a little unsettling.
- no cell phone signal available, if your well into the woods and get hurt you are in big time trouble for sure.

We were very confused for about the first hour here until we bumped into friends who were willing to guide us through the park. There are very few signs to help someone who hasent played there before. You will see several tee pads and several baskets from one spot and its a little difficult to figure the right hole to throw at. This is an extreemly long punishing park, it will punish you from begining to end. I had blisters on my feet after hiking through the course but I had a blast anyway. Its very beautiful right along lake michigan and some of the vantage points from the holes is amazingly beautiful. With better signs the park would probably be more more fluid to navigate. Plan on a whole day if your going to play more than one of the 3 parks at mason county complex. Its a great course but has potential to be better.

well marked.
it is tough but the best suited for my type of lefty play.
it has lots of diffrent types.
keeps you interested and slightly chalanged.
there is more then one course here so once you are done you can go on to another one.

if you get a disc not on the "fairway" on some holes most of the time you will not see it again. I have lost a total of 3 discs on this course in one round, no other has gone even close.
not many trash cans along the course.

this the bst marked of all the courses in mason county park. I got lost once on both of the other ones.

- Epic elevation changes
- Well groomed and defined fairways.
- Some very memorable holes.
- Great tee signs with distance and hole number posted
- Challenging and interesting holes that utilize the terrain brilliantly
- I felt like each hole was a new and interesting challenge
- Some long holes with air space to really let some rip.
- Contained some smaller more technical holes.
- The park was very clean and tidy.

- Several tee pads are too short and have steep drop offs
- Wind can be tricky
- The main gate is only open between Memorial Day and Labor day
- Same with the bathrooms.
- Some of the brush is thick and seems to swallow discs, watch your disc finish to avoid losing one.

Beast is a great course, fitting it's name, most of the holes play much longer then the posted distances. Those who are new or don't throw very long may be frustrated by some of the longer holes. Though the fairways are defined there is enough aerial space to throw some long sweeping hyzers or anhyzers allowing for great variety. My group played through a light rain most of the round and the tee pads were not slick, and we still had a great time. #1, #3, D, and #18 are all highly memorable holes. Better tee pads, an open gate, and scorecards could push this course to a 5/5 for me. Coupled with Beauty, and Goliath (never played Goliath) the Mason County courses are definitely worth traveling to play.

*Update: My family visited the Mason County courses again the March and they had nice scorecards.

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-Hole one is the most scenic hole I have ever played!
-Great scenery
-24 holes of Epic disc golf.
-Most tees have concrete pads.
-Baskets are sufficent.
-Highly challenging, favors power, distance and accuracy.
-High FUN factor!!
-Never busy, land is quite large and groups spread out quickly.
-Polite locals who are willing to help you out if you ask them.
-GREAT elevation changes. You'll shoot downhill and uphill in this mighty course.

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-Needs more benches, I'd like to take in the scenary,
-Windy days can be a hazard for your discs (it could also be a huge advantage).
-Needs better signage (navigation is an issue if you've never played it) and markers.
-No water holes, one hole in which you hit concrete is considered out of bounds. It does not make up for lack of H2O.
-Alternate holes have poor signs and not all have paved concrete tee pads.
-The rough is truly rough, sometimes a spotter can be worth it. There is tall grass that will consume your time looking for it. There are cliffs you shoot off blind.
-Overall the course needs better improvements to be 5.0, but still worth playing
-Navigation can be an issue, take your time the alternate holes are worth playing.

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-One of the highest fun factors I have ever played.
-GREAT course for BIG throwers
-Fun double tourney course or single tourney course.
-Lots of wildlife and in close proximity.
-A truly great course and a destination spot for the state of Michigan. This park has 3 excellent courses and about 3 miles away Levithan awaits!
-Very fun course to play
-I LOVE this course, the holes are truly epic and memorable. You will be challenged at any skill level playing this course.
-Each hole is different and unique which in my opinion is the best thing about this course.
-Some of the best scenery for Disc golf awaits you here!
-I would love to give this course a 5.0, but improvements in anemities are necessary in order for it to be perfect.
-If you are in the area or are planning a trip this is a course WORTH playing!
-Remember there are 3 golf courses at this park so plan a full day for the great experience!

Dog friendly area. My dog chased a fawn around in a circle for 10 minutes on hole 1. I finally got her to stop chasing and the fawn made it safely out of the Rotts game. After the round she slept soundly.

The view from 1st tee!! (it's also a great hole to play, regardless of the view). You have to play this hole - the photos seem lame by comparison.

-Well suited to experienced players. Some holes make you pay for errant throws. Challenging, but still fun to play.
-Nice use of terrain to get wonderful. and well balanced shot variety. Not just a course for big arms (but distance definitely a plus on some holes).
-Those with a good tomahawk or thumber will find it useful on a few holes.
-Concrete pads on most holes.
-Not much repetition, each hole stands on its own.
-Score cards provided.
-Pavilion w/restrooms and picnic tables next to paved parking lot.

Navigation: more difficult than Beauty. Had trouble finding next tee on several holes (gets a bit more confusing on holes shared with Goliath). Couldn't find hole C at all.
-Some holes with no tee pads (A-F if I recall correctly).
-One hole required throwing across a road.
- Moderate possibility of losing a disc.

LOCALS: Course navigation could be greatly enhanced by painting the spoke on each basket that points the way to the next tee pad. Maybe one color for Beast, and another for Goliath.

Some will find the wind off the lake challenging, others frustrating. It definitely added some strokes to my score, but listing it as a "con" simply doesn't seem right. However, the ability to handle wind well would be a big plus on this course. Same with blind shots, and there are a few - not necessarily a con (although they increase chance of disc loss, which is always a negative).

An usual, but incredibly symbiotic relationship exists here: this is a county park, but the property is owned by the local utility company. Yet all 3 courses in the park were designed by and are COMPLETEY maintained by local enthusiasts entirely on their own, with no funding or assistance from the county or power company. EVERYTHING about this course is literally a grass-roots effort: from mowing and weed-whacking fairways (and you think you got it rough doing your yardwork?) to tee pads, signs, score cards, gas for the mowers, trimmer line, etc. All of it was and is done by them, paid for by player donations ($1/day), or out of their pockets. What a GREAT example of peaceful co-existence. Kudos to the locals for making this happen - a major win-win!!
P.S. If you're hungry after playing, well worth the 7 mile drive north into downtown Ludington to soak up some local hospitality and grab a great burger at the local micro-brewery.

Beast sits in a scenic multi-use park with plenty of discing opportunities for everyone of all ability levels (3 different 24-hole courses).

Beast definitely rewards power throwers with plenty of longer, open field holes and lots of uphill or downhill flight time. Beast's end of the park is closer to Lake Michigan making those wide open and elevated holes subject to some serious wind gusts. The long, free-flying drive from #1 is one of the highlights of this course, and is representative of its overall quality. The wooded and more closed-in holes on Beast offer more risk than those on Beauty, punishing errant throws pretty effectively with some seriously ugly lies. Beast also offers the challenge of a few blind holes for added fun. The course and surrounding park is very well maintained and there were very few places with ugly shule in the rough. Wooded holes are nicely thinned with definite fairways on most.

This course is a nice balance of open, partially wooded, and thickly wooded holes with plenty of elevation changes for added fun. The course layout makes excellent use of all the myriad of terrain and vegetation changes available on its end of the park and incorporates a great mix of straight, fade, turn, "S", dogleg, and even overhand shots. Paths between holes were well worn and obvious, for the most part.

The various entry points to the course were well marked and had rules signage, multi-course scorecards, and obvious pay-to-play boxes with a sufficient stash of envelopes.

Holy cow, that climb up to the #1 tee is a doozy!! Stairs of some sort would be really nice, but the view and drive from there is amazing!

More consistency in hole and "next tee" signage or a map would be a benefit for first timers and cement tee pads for all the holes would earn this course a significant jump up in ratings. The alternate holes have a very definite "after thought" feel with minimalistic (often hand written) hole signage, few directional signs, non worn-in paths, and rubber tee mats. We walked right by some holes a couple of times! The lack of good signage is particularly frustrating on Beast given the fact that Goliath plays in the same area. Arrrgh.

The main road into the park and a parking lot comes into play on a couple of holes, so watch for cars! Hikers and dog walkers also frequent areas in and around the disc golf courses.

We went early in the season, before the park was officially open so not all the scorecard boxes actually had cards in them and the restrooms were not open yet, but the supplied port-a-johns were clean and stink free. Even this early in the season, Beast was pretty busy and the parking lot across the street was full by 3:00.

This scenic, well-kept park with great views of Lake Michigan is a fabulous place bring a picnic and hang out for the day! If you plan to stay all day you may want to pack a light jacket/sweater/hoody as the cold wind off the lake tends to pick up later in the day making sweaty, sunburned bodies chilly. When taken as a whole, the combination of courses at this park would rate at least a 4 or 4.5, and a minimal amount of course work and attention to detail would elevate this to a 5. However, as a first timer there, the frustration of trying to find our way around really took some of the joy out of being here.

We also made the mistake of playing Beast after Beauty, late in the day. Not a bad idea in and of itself, but as the day got later, the wind picked up significantly making the holes on the lake end of the course quite a challenge.

*** Update 7/23/11 ***
All tee pads have been updated to concrete and a few "Next Tee" signs have been added. While this raises enjoyment of the course somewhat, I still feel missing tee signs and getting lost on a pay-to-play course of this caliber, in a county park, is inexcusable and beyond frustrating. That said, I have elevated my rating by 1/2 disc to reflect the changes.

This course is not as technical as what the beauty is, but more of a course to see what kind of big shots you can send out. Which can be a good thing to see how far you can really throw, just don't get careless lots of trees so it's not hard to lose a disk. Also this course has probably the hardest 140ft par 3 you will ever see, which I think is a great challenge. It's a great way to play and learn more inventive ways of playing in my opinion. The first hole of this course gives you a great view of lake michigan and just overall is a great looking course. Not really designed for beginners, but hey you have to get out and learn right. Come and throw this course you will have fun and get a great challenge.

Lots of trees and bushes, easy to lose a disc and poison ivy. Since you are next to lake michigan it can get very windy.

Hole Variety/Course Layout--
Mostly a "big arm" course. Good amount of open holes with GOOD elevation, also alot of holes are open with random trees or bushes, still some good tech holes though!

Course Atmosphere--
THE BEST!! A very picturesque course with views of lake michigan and woods from hill tops. Very upnorth feel, youll probably feel like you want to camp on the course and play again the next day!!

Course Maintenance--
Good, the property is huge and theres no vandalism, very clean too. There are mostly concrete tee pads on every hole, but a few are rubber.

Course Navigation--
The only con to this great park. There are no maps but it shouldnt take you too much extra time to locate the next hole in a few "iffy spots" (next time I go I will note and identify the "iffy" spots on this review).

--The only thing holding this course back from a 5 rating, is 6 more concrete tees and better signs.

Hazards--
The rough can be thick in spots along the far edges but besides that theres no water or any other bad hazards.

--"Mason County Park" is amazing!! No one could go to this course and be upset (no matter how far you have to travel). This park as a whole (including Beauty, Beast, and Goliath) caters to all playing styles! If this courses rating was all in one and not 3 seperate im sure the overall rating would be a 5.

Amount to play--
$1 (paid in wooden box at holes #1).

--Its Close to Flip City!!

Makes a case for 'best course on Lake Michigan shoreline', and the all-around best of the three courses at this site.

Hole 1 is all-around world class. Has a beautiful view of Lake Michigan with an elevated tee over a grassy valley to an elevated basket, with heavy woods clearly delineated on the left. Empty the bag on this one.

Hole #3 is another highlight, with an elevated tee through a window to a straight 350' fairway with short grass and short tree hazards (some shelter from the wind here, I've seen groups of deer on this hole).

Hole 9 is a short, straight downhill with deep rough on either side. An easy bogey, but also an easy birdie.

Holes 11-13 are fairly flat, white sand holes with skinny, windblown white birch trees and shrubs that offer just the right amount of challenge.

Holes 14 and 15 have enclosed tee pads and difficult pine tree hazards that look like big Xmas trees, and are hard to shoot out of if you caught in one.

Holes 16 and 17 have shorter narrow fairways in woods that are fair and fun, with birdie or bogey possibilities.

Has a narrow cement path that doesn't detract from the holes in play (5 and 11).

Decent Chainstar baskets, few players, unique and unrivalled Lake Michigan scenery.

Brand new cement tees on all six alternates (Sept. 2010).

Not well marked and difficult to navigate in many spots. A major problem with players new to the course. Find a local or someone familiar with the course for your first time out. Winds over 20 mph make this course almost unplayable.

No maps on the scorecards. In particular, it is hard to find your way from Hole 6 to Hole C to Hole 7. It is also easy as mentioned to shoot at the basket for C from the tee for Hole 8.

Some blind tee shots are disc-loss hazards, best to use a spotter. The winds are often prohibitively strong off of Lake Michigan, negating some of the shoreline appeal.

Existing cement tees are a bit short and narrow, but are grooved and drain water well.

Hole 18 has some odd design features, and could use a redesign.

Shares land and baskets with Goliath, which could be confusing. A slightly-older course that is beginning to show its age.

Take your time, don't get lost and have a great day on this one. Though the navigation is tough, you'll be rewarded with a terrific disc golf experience. Versus Leviathan, it is less challenging and diverse, but has an equally high fun factor on the very best holes. It's amazing how two completely different courses could be so close to each other.

Be sure to play the alternate holes, despite the so-so navigation (Holes A and B after Hole 4, Hole C after Hole 6, and D/E/F after Hole 14).

Hole D is one of the best tech holes, a short throw downhill through a small hole in the trees (almost exactly like Hole 5 at Yucaipa Park in CA). E is a tunnel hole that is short but definitely worth the time.

Course is more fun starting on Hole 6 (by off season parking lot), leaving the epic Holes 1 and 3 for the end.

A minority of 'cheap' holes (A, B, C, 8) and difficult navigation are the worst flaws with this course. Compares favorably with other top notch courses I have played. Don't miss this course if you're in the area

Beautifully maintained. Solid tees, markers,baskets. Variety and just plain beautiful outdoor sandy location right next to lake Michigan. Perfectly balanced in my opinion.

Tee#1 overlooking Lake Michigan is one of my all time favorite holes to drive from. Elevated shot to an elevated basket. Have seen monster drives here.

18 main tees with and A-E holes thrown in for a little more playing action.

Some "next" hole locations not clearly marked. With Goliath intersecting Beast it's easy to get confused every now and again.

Holes A-E have no cement tees and feel kind of thrown in.

Hole #8 is really messed up in my opinion. Since there are no maps I had always played it as a nice 190ft hyzer shot to the left. Found out I was playing the wrong basket. The real basket makes for a 150ft over tall pines shot that feels completely out of place for the entire course. Suggest changing "official" basket to left, but this would make Beast C obsolete(a bad hole anyway).

Same con as previous reviewer. Some of the rough is TRULY the rough. Two days playing, two of my fave discs lost. Low lying grape like vines and leaves make it damn near impossible to find wayward discs in some locations....BUT they do add to the beauty of the course.

When it's windy here, it's windy!

Of all the courses I have played, this is my favorite all around course (besides Flip City in Shelby, but that goes without saying). Long drives here and there, doglegs both ways, technical, etc etc. Some holes feel like a par 4/5 others a two, most a three. In reality all are par 3. so basically what the Beast gives you, it taketh away.

Play late in the day and hole number one will give you just the most amazing view of a Lake Michigan sunset. Love this course.

Almost a five for consistency and great great upkeep. The rough is slowly being cleaned up as I type this, only getting better!

nice tees, challenging course, many elevation changes, trees, and good variety of holes. Beautifully maintained and designed.

some of the 'rough' is a bit unforgiving. use a 'spotter' on several of the blind holes or you'll be spending a lot of time searching for discs in the brush.

we played 'beauty' and the 'beast' all in the same day during a tour of Northern Michigan disc golf courses in '06. This was our favorite of the trip. There is one more course here, named 'Goliath' which utilizes the same baskets as 'beast' but with different tee placements, but we didn't get a chance to try that one.

Update: Revisited this course recently in '08, and it is every bit as good as I remembered, especially, since I've seen a lot of courses to compare it to in the meantime. This is still one of my favorite courses in the state (aside from Flip City).