This is one of the best courses Colorado has to offer. 38 very technical holes at 8000 ft. elevation in the Colorado Rockies. Not too far from the city, and not too far from the backcountry. Up to five hours of play, with a quality work out at the same time. The first time I played here I played two rounds in a bit over five hours with one friend. The second time I played one round in five hours with four friends. A typical round is expected to take five hours and is a voluntary donation of $10.00. Each donation is clearly put back into improving the course. Current renovations include new tee boxes on the last 6 holes, the addition of a mini-disc course, closest to pin signs, and 3-D maps of every hole at the tee box. Once the course has the additions, I will rate it a 5.

The vibe here is awesome, and you can tell the courses owner as well as all who play there truly love disc golf. The rules here are to relax, have fun, and respect the land. The course starts out with a personalized greeting from the owner, Paulie. He will give you a tour of the course, bring you into the pro shop to check out discs and do some paperwork, and escort you to hole one. Hole 1 is a one-of-a-kind basket made out of aspen wood and real chains. While it may not be PDGA legal, it is one of the coolest things you will ever see on a disc golf course, and it feels like an honor to be playing it. When you finish hole 1, Paulie offers to take a picture of your group with the basket. Hole 4 is also a cool and unique wind-chime basket that makes an awesome sound when you nail it.

From here on out the course dips and dives up, down, and around the steep property. The course is extremely technical and is a true risk and reward style course. While only 5 or so holes range over 300 feet, the technical aspects of the course will have you on your toes. Phantom falls requires every kind of shot you have in your bag (and if you're missing any kind of throw, it requires that too). You will throw long straight shots over valleys, short and long hyzers and anhyzers, tomahawks, scoobys, and thumbers (I cant throw the last two, but Paulie advises them). With 38 holes, there is little to leave out. There are a million tight gaps to hit, and even more trees blocking the way. There are extremely short shots with large drop-offs. There are extreme uphills and extreme downhills. There is an EXTREME chance of rolling, so controlling the disc's landing is key here. It is easy for a birdie to become a bogey (or double bogey) from a 250 ft. downhill roll. Risk & Reward. Don't forget to use the "cheat sheet" Paulie gives you!

With 38 holes, some of which play back to the same basket, you may think this place might get confusing. Paulie claims he has "idiot-proofed" this place, and he is correct. There are arrows and hole numbers telling you precisely where to go at the end of every basket. The fact that a few baskets are used multiple times is almost unnoticeable in the fact that each shot is extremely different.

Paulie offers you:
- "Make yourself feel at home" vibe
- Personalized tour of the course
- Quality, plentiful, and inexpensive lunch between holes 13 & 14
- Fully stocked cooler with water, and chips (all for a very reasonable donation)
- One of a kind pro shop with many one of a kind discs. There are rare discs from rare companies, discs with extensive and expensive dye work, custom Phantom Falls DGC discs, average discs, and a huge variety of used discs
- Paulie's got the know-how on every disc in his shop and how it will fit into your style of throwing. Don't be afraid to ask questions... because he will have the answers, and the proper disc.
- The course to yourself... three tee times a day ensures you get to go at your pace, no matter what that may be.

Some people say a few tee boxes are too small and made of uneven dirt. Paulie has a rake at every hole to make the tee boxes to your individual liking. It's also not a true mountain course without a few small tee pads!

Phantom Falls is not for the casual discer. When you come here you should be prepared for around 5 hours of hiking, throwing, and a few bad rolls. It is a voluntary donation of $10 and is about an hour drive from the city, leaving the course for more serious players. The pro shop is a must see, and the course is a must play if you're into mountain courses and hiking. The vibe and course are truly one of a kind. I will be back here again and again... and again.

Phantom Falls is a disc golf "ivory tower"... respect it and keep it that way.

Great Course Design - Although Phantom Falls isn't on a huge chunk of land, it's clear a lot of time and effort were put into making the course work so well on the land allotted. You'll play to the same baskets a few times, but it's hardly noticeable until you're right up at the basket making a putt. No two holes are the same and there are ALL kinds of shots: uphill, downhill, hyzer, anhyzer and blind shots. He says the course is "idiot proof" which is true; the course is very well marked and making your way around is an ease. You go back to your car/his house multiple times, so there's no reason to overstock on beer or supplies. Being a shorter course, this is ideal for girls who simply can't keep up on the long-drive courses. While he advertises baskets 30 to 35 as being underdeveloped, they are totally playable.

Challenge - This is a huge risk/reward course. Since the terrain is so hilly and steep, you can go from a birdie opportunity to a double bogey in no time with an ill-fated roll. Overshooting baskets can be big trouble in many cases. In my opinion, some of the toughest holes were the shortest (>150 ft) because overshooting it will lead to disaster.

Limited Tee Times - PFDGC only offers 3 tee times a day which must be reserved in advanced. This means it's likely you and your party won't see anyone the entire time you're there and if you do it's not a big deal. The first time I went my friend and I had the course to ourselves for two rounds and the next time our group of 5 had limited run ins with the other group, which weren't problematic in the slightest. Unlike some other courses where you may feel rushed because of other people, you're encouraged to take your time and enjoy this course.

Pay to Play - the $10 customary donation is well worth it. The $10 goes to the upkeep of course and future improvements Paulie's got planned. Also, this keeps people who aren't quite as serious about disc away.

Pro Shop- What other disc golf courses have their own pro shop? Definitely bring some cash because Paulie's got a fully stocked pro shop with a wide range of new and used discs. He's got a ton of specialty dyes, custom discs and some discs you can't find anywhere else in the US (for real!). He's incredibly knowledgeable on all the discs and will be happy to give you a recommendation. He suggested the Flick and the Stalker to me, which have since becomes favorites of mine.

Hospitality - Paulie's really on to something here. From the minute you arrive until you leave, Paul is an incredibly gracious host. He'll give you a brief run down/tour of the course and give you valuable tips for some of the more challenging holes. He'll even make you a hot meal that you can enjoy on his beautiful deck between 13 and 14.. Last time I got the Italian Sausage, or something of the sort, which was well worth it..

I'm hard pressed to think of any beside it being over an hour from my house...but it's WELL worth the drive.

Phantom Falls is easily a 4.5 and will be a 5.0 in a few years after some small improvements are made. My favorite course in Colorado and I'll make it here as much as I can.

If you're planning on going to Phantom Falls, plan on making a day out of it. Both times I went I left thoroughly satisfied yet exhausted from all the hiking and throwing.

PFDGC is truly a disc golf sanctuary...lets keep it that way. Respect the course and it's rules and this is sure to develop into one of the premier courses in the country.

The best course I have played in CO. Being female, the shorter holes are awesome!! But they are very technical. I like fact that only one group at a time plays so that you can take your time and not worry about running to a bunch of other groups. The scenery is beautiful and the hospitality is top notch.

On some of the inclines its hard to get good footing/balance for your throw.

Overall awesome course and great hospitality and I will be going back as much as I can!!

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to own a mountain house and build a course in your backyard? Me neither, but here's your chance to find out! Paul built this course with the same people who built the nearby Conifer, and you can feel some similarities.

It is now 36 holes, although the tee pads on the last few holes are not completed. The holes crisscross the property, up and down steep, gravelly hills. You often play to the same basket twice, but you don't even realize it until you're putting and thinking, "Wait, haven't I been here before?" But due to the big elevation changes, you get very different looks.

The holes are generally not long, mostly in the 200-300 foot range, although the uphill holes play long. You'll need your drivers for the uphill shots and can safely stick to your putter and midranges for the others. Accuracy is rewarded. There are a lot of birdie opportunities...but a lot of double bogey opportunities. If you clang a putt or overthrow a drive, you could have a very long comeback shot.

There are some really unique holes here. One basket sits in a dry creek bed and you play at it from above and below on separate holes. You could skip it in from either direction from the banks, and it's possible to roll or slide your "putt" in from above. Holes 10a and 10b (he had to name them that way to avoid renumbering all the subsequent holes and move the tombstone-like tee markers) play to a the top of a big mound with steep sides. If you got for the ace, you won't have a birdie shot. But it's so tempting...

And hole 20 is the toughest 132-foot par-3 you'll ever throw. It's almost straight downhill with the basket on the incline. A careful approach shot can make use of the small shrubs and trees to catch your disk, but it's tough.

Like Conifer, this course makes for great scoring spreads. I was in the lead after 18 holes in one of our rounds...and ended up 4th out of 5 people. This course forces you to play smarter than you're probably used to.

I would never expect rubber tee pads (or concrete, obviously) at a course like this, but natural tee pads can get uneven, and some of them here are very short.

Some of the holes, especially late in the round, start to feel repetitive (throw through the trees and hope), although it's not like there are a ton of options on terrain like this. However, some of the fairways could be trimmed up a little. There are a number of holes that take skill to get the disc halfway to the hole, but after that there's some luck involved. There's not always a clear window. But again, this is maybe 5-6 of the holes out of 36.

The final couple holes are still works in process, but they are more than playable now.

Paul is a nice guy (he seemed a little intense over email with his long list of rules and suggestions, but he's really not), and he may play with you.

There is almost no grass or undergrowth here, so you'll never have to search for your disc. But it also makes things tough on the knees as you slide around on the gravel and dirt.

You have to pay $10 for your first round and $5 for each round after, and you need to set up a tee time (this is what allows you to safely throw at the same basket twice, since no one else will be on the course). This is not a con. The course is on private land, and Paul puts the money back into the course. You can see where it goes. The signage fits the character of the place and makes the navigation surprisingly easy. It took us a little under three hours to play a round, but Paul commented we play faster than most people. He has snacks and drinks available for a donation and will cook you lunch if you want.

It's difficult to describe how cool this place is. The layout, the tough holes, the homemade basket, and the risk/reward on every hole. Conifer is a better course (has more room to work with for multiple positions, etc.), but this place has an atmosphere that you won't see many other places in the disc golf world, and for that I think it deserves 4.5 out of 5. If you make it to the Denver area, plan ahead and play here.

This place is a must play. Paulie is great, his place is so well done, it will have you eyeing a couple holes in your own backyard. The one group at a time policy makes it worth all the precision shots. An experience like none that I have had playing disc golf. (Thanks, for the PBR Paulie!)

I'm from Texas, so playing up the side of a mountain at 8000 ft is tough, and the climbs are steep, but I would do it again tomorrow. Thats about it, and I only mention it because I couldn't leave this empty.

If you are anywhere near this place and haven't played it, you're crazy, and if you are driving anywhere near it, stop. The hospitality alone is worth a donation, add the course, and hell, write him check. Once in a lifetime.

Well thought out course...easy to maneuver even for the first time. Very challenging and technical but even though we were relatively new to the sport we really enjoyed it.

Very tight...30+ holes on 10 acres and you play several baskets more than once. The entire course is very wooded so there are no open areas. Very exhausting course, but that is not really a negative at all. In fact it's hard to find cons to this course!

Paul is very helpful and friendly and puts personality to the course with all his unique and creative touches...you have to experience it for yourself. A must play course!

Callanging course that makes you throw low, high, and accurate. Hospitality second to none. The entire course to yourself! Great disk shop and advice from Paul! Lunch on the deck at 14 was perfect!! Colorado disk golf doesnt get much better than this!! This course is not to be missed!!

Sore legs and arm well worth it!!!

I used a the tried and true Buzzz for most of my shots, a forward hand shots and good tomahawk throws are essential. Boots or good shoes are a must!

You'll have the place to yourself! Lots of birdie and ace opps. Huge risk reward on putts. Lots of obstacles and score variability. Great club house. (Check it out!) Honor system for beverages and snacks. Owner, Paul Rothley, keeps course gorgeous and fresh with a hanging basket hole, a chime hole, gnomes everywhere and surprises (it has the craziest short downhill hole I've ever played.) Flat out Fun!

Not a spec PDGA course: there are shared baskets, cross-overs, and a few hand made baskets. Didn't bother me, (who cares about crossovers when you're the only group on the course?) however, it might bother some.

I'd give it a 5, if it wasn't for PDGA spec issues, see above.

Unique and Special. A must PLAY. Great Host. Nice Pro Shop. Be prepared to hike and have FUN. Flicks, backhands, hammers, thumbers, sliders, call it what you want, you had better bring your variety pack of throws. DISC GOLF extravaganza! 30 holes! No rush b/c it's just your group on the course. Service.

I like this course. It is set up for variety and skill. If you are looking for a quick, flat, open, long-throwing, course, GO somewhere else. The PLAY is fluid. Some holes are used more than once but keeps the course flowing smoothly. Thanks-a-ton Paulie!
GO PLAY DISC GOLF at Phantom Falls it's FUN!

Let's see, beautiful mountain environment, technically fun challenge, great host and unique. No matter how you throw you'll need every shot in your arsenal except for the long bomb. There are uphill shots with options for straight through narrow gaps in the trees or longer anny or hyzer routes. ...same for downhill. The opp for placing the a rock or gnome for CTP is really unique. Serious golfers will appreciate the "no pressure" atmosphere of having the course to yourself other than the other members of your group. No need to feel guilty if you want to take that additional drive try by a different route because nobody will be waiting on you to clear the hole. There are plenty of opportunities to grab a beverage or change gear as you loop back to the house.

Ummm, it's not in my back yard?

Paulie is a gracious host and he will warn you about putting flat. I earned the nickname 'Captain Rollaway' at this course for good reason. If you play this course and Beaver Ranch back to back you'll have played too amazing, challenging and unique courses and have stories to tell for years! Just go play it!

Great Technical shots unlike any in colorado
Every hole has a new challege
Great Location and Paul is a great host

I cant think of any

Great Great course if you are coming to the mountains or ever colorado you need to play this course

Very fun wooded course. A great challenge, requiring you to bring all the shots in your arsenal, yet enjoyable. Paul is a great guy, and the entire experience was relaxed and fun. Highly recommended

Not for those who are unable to climb hills, yet the refreshment breaks available after every few holes keeps the game fresh.

30 Holes made it worth it for almost any drive.

Well marked and easy to understand tees/baskets. The tees were diverse and challenging. Paul, the owner, is very positive, honest, and respectful. The limited tee times provide a secluded and relaxing atmosphere.

Its illegal to clone Paul meaning there can't be a Paul in every state.

Check the tree tops for your lost frisbees. WEAR HIKING BOOTS! It's a good idea to pack food and make a day of the event.

My wife and I played this course while on vacation. It is easily in our top five courses. The variety of shots alone makes this course worth playing. Paulie is extremly hospitable and walked us through the course prior to us playing it to help us understand the flow. The course is well marked and easy to follow.

Killer uphill shots rough on a flat lander. 1100 plus miles from home. Would love to have a second shot at this course.

Paulie said the average first round is 11 over I shot an eight so was happy. Feel like I could improve about eight strokes if I played it again.

Where do I start?
When you first get to Paul's house to play, you see a couple of baskets, lots of woods, and a happy dog that gives you quite a warm welcome. Me and two of my buddies played this course as an early birthday present. It was awesome! Paul was so cool and you should seriously check out his new shop. He has quite a selection of some hard to find rarites! I got a Phantom Falls Buzz disc and almost "Made the Chimes Ring" from the teebox! (You will see what I mean). Another nice thing is you get to come back around the house like four times so you don't have to be lugging all kinds of stuff with you the whole time, and you can keep refreshing your cold-beers! When he says you have the course to yourself, you truely do. It was very cool and weird to be playing a course with no one else on it! You use the same baskets on some of the holes, but you can't tell at all. He does have some "Closest To the Pin" (CTP) rocks and nomes, but realize this is HIS course. So you pretty much have no chance of moving any of the rocks. You will need ALL of your discs and ALL of your skills. Look for the Aspen-Tree Basket, the Hanging Basket, and The Chimes. There is a reason that this course rates so high. Play it and see why.

Some would say the $40 dollar donation for reserving half a day (either at 9A.M. or around 2P.M.) at a course is a bit steep ($10 a person with a mandatory 4 person or more rule) but he does barter and trade for items and if you buy some of the stuff in his store he may give you a break on the prices.

Ask Paul for directions to Zokas. Good food for about $10 a person. ( I think Paul and the owner of Zokas should set up some package deal with the course and the restaurant). Then get directions for the back way to Conifer/Beaver Course and play that one.
I call it "Tha Dirty 50"
(30 at PF and 20 at Conifer)
Truely an experience!!!
Thanks Paul. Ill see ya soon.

Awsome course in the mountians with lots of trees. Great host, pro shop on spot. Only two tee times so the course really is yours to enjoy. I must play if in the area.

A bit of a workout but well worth it

Paulie is the man. After a tour of his great collection of discs and gear for sale he walked us through this challenging, techincal and beautiful course on the mountains off 285. As a group of 3 we couldnt have felt more welcome. The weather was perfect, beers were cold and everyone on site was really into hitting chain. Holes are very clever and entertaining, and most have a safe route and a suicide shot for those of you with "balls." Threading a disc through these trees without contact is such a rush! Dogs are welcome, groups have the course to themselves, and lunch is even available at the turn. If you live within 300 miles, you have to come play this course.

tee boxes are very well built dirt in wood frames but i would love it if they were cement. other than that this course is fantastic in every way

This course is awesome. I have played many times over the years and Paulie always manages to make it better each time. It is challenging, beautiful and fun. It is a must play if you live in the area or if you are a visiting. Everything else has already been said in the other reviews. A must play!

Probably not for beginners or people that don't like awesomeness.

Fantastic course...Paul has clearly spent hundreds of hours putting this masterpiece together...he must have a very understanding wife!! Love the ski benches, aspen and wind chime holes. Ravines galore make some holes very challenging. If you're lucky Paul will show you his man cave.

A bit out of the way but worth the effort.

Go to Zoka's or the Bucksnort for drinks or a meal afterward. Both are within 5-10 minutes of Paul's course and are both worth the trip (Zoka's is great food/ambience yet not too pricey; Bucksnort is a backwoods burger dive saloon).

Wow, well where do I start. First of all Paulie is a great guy ( with quite a sidearm throw). what an amazing course. If I had this in my backyard, I would go broke and loose my job. This course gives you a taste of everything. Short and technical shots, long and crazy shots, dog legs, uphills, down hills, everything you could ask for. I couldn't pick a favorite hole as each one has its own unique characteristics. With mature tree's, amazing wooden baskets, 30 holes to play, and a breathtaking location all make this course one of the best in the west. If you are coming to CO to play, do not pass up the opportunity to play one of Colorado's premiere courses!!!!! Bring your burgers and steaks because Paulie lets you use the Disc Golfers grill 1/2 way through the course. Thanks Paulie for such a great day!!!!!!

There was no water holes for me to make a disc donation to the Disc water gods!!!!!. Make sure to give yourself 4 + hours to play. Not a con if you have the time.

Paulie said he will be opening a pro shop in 2010. Maybe a Phantom Falls Exclusive Disc would be great for the incredible memories!!!!!