Palisades Tahoe DGC reviews
12
0
Epic Destination Course 2+ years drive by
Reviewed:
Updated:
Played on:Aug 3, 2012
Played the course:once
Pros:
-BIG Boy Course (Some holes definitely seemed longer than what's stated on the map)
-Solitude
-Major elevation
-RISK/REWARD
-Serious, serious variety
-Not Crowded
-Rubber tees and tee signs
-Big arrows everywhere telling you where to go
-Solitude
-Major elevation
-RISK/REWARD
-Serious, serious variety
-Not Crowded
-Rubber tees and tee signs
-Big arrows everywhere telling you where to go
Cons:
Big arrows everywhere telling you where to go are ugly and unnatural
-DGA Baskets (more about this later)
-Tram Schedule makes it difficult to play more than once
-Serious problems if you get injured
-Course Flow: 1, 2, and 18 don't match the rest of the course at all. The 3 up top should be extended into a 9 hole executive course for the High Camp Tourists, and 3 holes should be added to the insane-o course on the mountain. They would compliment each other nicely.
-DGA Baskets (more about this later)
-Tram Schedule makes it difficult to play more than once
-Serious problems if you get injured
-Course Flow: 1, 2, and 18 don't match the rest of the course at all. The 3 up top should be extended into a 9 hole executive course for the High Camp Tourists, and 3 holes should be added to the insane-o course on the mountain. They would compliment each other nicely.
Other Thoughts:
Squaw Valley DGC is located at 'High Camp' in the most alpine setting you can find in California for a disc golf course. Scattered pines dot the granite covered region, with various vegetation covering any ground that isn't granite. The course works its way down what is considered black diamond runs at the Squaw Valley Resort.
The sheer size of the course is something that really needs to be mentioned to emphasize the difficulty of this place. Unlike most courses, it begins at it's highest elevation and works its way down and back up to the 'High Camp.' In fact, the vast majority of this elevation loss occurs at hole 3, where you not only walk down a steep hill to get to the tee, the hole itself loses about 300 (?) feet of elevation. This is the point where we noticed many at the high camp deciding that maybe hanging out at the pool is a better idea. We saw several people venture down this hill (which, by the way, you literally slide on your ass down), and never saw them again. We saw a kid with a grandfather and no water, and never saw them again the rest of the day....once you play hole 3 there is no turning back.
Holes 1, 2, and 18 are all basically flat and rocky and exist at the main high camp area, and are all visible from the tram station. Hole 3's tee is directly DOWN the hill from 2's basket, and is where the true adventure begins. 3 is probably the biggest hole I have played, with such a large spray zone at the bottom that I knew better than to throw any more than one disc. The course then works its way to the right of hole 3, around this granite outcropping that defines the 'center' of the course.
So by hole 4, you have realized that the course has worked its way all the way back down to the elevation of the first tramway tower, and you may be thinking to yourself 'the rest of the course is going to be uphill!' The course in fact remains full of variety, with ups downs valleys and ridges. The combination of extreme terrain with trees is one of the most intense displays of fairway development I have seen outside of maybe Diamond X in Montana. The granite rocks create a fast roller-generating ground near the pins but the regular forest ground exists as well, bringing the disc to a complete stop. Shot selection and keeping the disc in the air is of utmost importance.
As you wind around the valley that the course exists in playing all of these incredible holes, you really get a solitary feel and understand what makes this place unique. You are alone down here and it's nothing but you, your team, and the sport. I don't recall any holes under 300 feet but they may have existed. Some of the uphill holes were brutal, particularly a par 4 with a dogleg through this mess of woods and boulders.
Hole 7 looks like a dogleg to the left, the sign says its a dogleg to the left, and the neon pink flag you see in the distance is out to the left, but this is not the case. It's the other basket dead ahead down the hill with no flag. That other basket is hole 8. This brings up my point about DGA baskets...I'm not sure if North Tahoe got some kind of deal on these but man, they make pin-finding difficult for first time players. The pink flags were nice, but in situations where they didn't exist we couldn't find the pin. The difference between playing here and Kirkwood was like night and day without the yellow bands. All alpine courses should have DISCatchers...the yellow band is a great tool for not only easily finding the basket, but for determining exactly how far it is. And plus, who really enjoys all of those DGA spillouts anyway.
Hole 17 plays up a hill and leaves you about 150' in elevation from the top of the hill. Partial relief sets in as you realize that the course is not going to force you to throw all the way to the top of the rim, which to me would be a pretty sad and anti-climactic ending. Instead, you can take the trail up to the high camp (or just shoot straight up the hill if you feel so inclined), and you can play hole 18 when you eventually arrive at the top and catch your breath.
Locals told us 'Oh, you won't want to play Squaw more than once' and they were right. I would have loved to play the whole thing again, but the dramatic elevation loss that occurs on hole 3 is truly exhausting and deters a second round. Additionally, we took 3+ hours to play the course and the tram is only open for 6, so any lost discs or anything like that on the second round would have to be abandoned.
While I know my review reads more like a disclaimer than a review, I have to say that this course was truly epic and one of a kind. I have never felt more satisfied dropping $29 on one round of golf than I was here...they certainly give you quite the workout, and the memories to go with it. It is not a bad idea to purchase the pool option with your lift ticket. We didn't, but man after hiking around those hills that was one of the most refreshing looking pools I have ever seen. As far as vacation planning around Tahoe, this course should not be missed as it truly defines the region. Plan for one round and maybe another at Bijou or Incline Village afterwards. I rated this course 4 stars because it is epic in every sense of the word, yet it is not really accessible and I honestly don't see many people wanting to play it more than once or twice a year, even if they were local. BRING A MAP!
The sheer size of the course is something that really needs to be mentioned to emphasize the difficulty of this place. Unlike most courses, it begins at it's highest elevation and works its way down and back up to the 'High Camp.' In fact, the vast majority of this elevation loss occurs at hole 3, where you not only walk down a steep hill to get to the tee, the hole itself loses about 300 (?) feet of elevation. This is the point where we noticed many at the high camp deciding that maybe hanging out at the pool is a better idea. We saw several people venture down this hill (which, by the way, you literally slide on your ass down), and never saw them again. We saw a kid with a grandfather and no water, and never saw them again the rest of the day....once you play hole 3 there is no turning back.
Holes 1, 2, and 18 are all basically flat and rocky and exist at the main high camp area, and are all visible from the tram station. Hole 3's tee is directly DOWN the hill from 2's basket, and is where the true adventure begins. 3 is probably the biggest hole I have played, with such a large spray zone at the bottom that I knew better than to throw any more than one disc. The course then works its way to the right of hole 3, around this granite outcropping that defines the 'center' of the course.
So by hole 4, you have realized that the course has worked its way all the way back down to the elevation of the first tramway tower, and you may be thinking to yourself 'the rest of the course is going to be uphill!' The course in fact remains full of variety, with ups downs valleys and ridges. The combination of extreme terrain with trees is one of the most intense displays of fairway development I have seen outside of maybe Diamond X in Montana. The granite rocks create a fast roller-generating ground near the pins but the regular forest ground exists as well, bringing the disc to a complete stop. Shot selection and keeping the disc in the air is of utmost importance.
As you wind around the valley that the course exists in playing all of these incredible holes, you really get a solitary feel and understand what makes this place unique. You are alone down here and it's nothing but you, your team, and the sport. I don't recall any holes under 300 feet but they may have existed. Some of the uphill holes were brutal, particularly a par 4 with a dogleg through this mess of woods and boulders.
Hole 7 looks like a dogleg to the left, the sign says its a dogleg to the left, and the neon pink flag you see in the distance is out to the left, but this is not the case. It's the other basket dead ahead down the hill with no flag. That other basket is hole 8. This brings up my point about DGA baskets...I'm not sure if North Tahoe got some kind of deal on these but man, they make pin-finding difficult for first time players. The pink flags were nice, but in situations where they didn't exist we couldn't find the pin. The difference between playing here and Kirkwood was like night and day without the yellow bands. All alpine courses should have DISCatchers...the yellow band is a great tool for not only easily finding the basket, but for determining exactly how far it is. And plus, who really enjoys all of those DGA spillouts anyway.
Hole 17 plays up a hill and leaves you about 150' in elevation from the top of the hill. Partial relief sets in as you realize that the course is not going to force you to throw all the way to the top of the rim, which to me would be a pretty sad and anti-climactic ending. Instead, you can take the trail up to the high camp (or just shoot straight up the hill if you feel so inclined), and you can play hole 18 when you eventually arrive at the top and catch your breath.
Locals told us 'Oh, you won't want to play Squaw more than once' and they were right. I would have loved to play the whole thing again, but the dramatic elevation loss that occurs on hole 3 is truly exhausting and deters a second round. Additionally, we took 3+ hours to play the course and the tram is only open for 6, so any lost discs or anything like that on the second round would have to be abandoned.
While I know my review reads more like a disclaimer than a review, I have to say that this course was truly epic and one of a kind. I have never felt more satisfied dropping $29 on one round of golf than I was here...they certainly give you quite the workout, and the memories to go with it. It is not a bad idea to purchase the pool option with your lift ticket. We didn't, but man after hiking around those hills that was one of the most refreshing looking pools I have ever seen. As far as vacation planning around Tahoe, this course should not be missed as it truly defines the region. Plan for one round and maybe another at Bijou or Incline Village afterwards. I rated this course 4 stars because it is epic in every sense of the word, yet it is not really accessible and I honestly don't see many people wanting to play it more than once or twice a year, even if they were local. BRING A MAP!
