Pros:
+ The peace and quiet were plentiful here amongst the hills, fields, trees and bodies of water.
+ Benches and trash cans everywhere.
+ Multiple layouts and each one has an assigned color for its tees and baskets so there is never any confusion about start and stop points.
+ Astonishing pro shop on site!
+ The tee signs are illustrative and informative on all holes.
+ Tees are all solid concrete in a sufficiently long and wide keystone shape, but...
Cons:
- ...some of them are noticeably damaged.
- The pars are kind of weird like at holes 1, 5 and 11. I felt those were a bit too generous.
Other Thoughts:
Few would disagree that many people who have never played this sport think about disc golf and its proponents in a rather dim light. They imagine certain clothing, certain music and certain glassy-eyed gazes induced by certain consumables all enjoyed by under-employed slackers all day long. This, of course, is a negative stereotype that stands in stark contrast to the larger reality. Still, when a stereotype grabs hold, it's difficult to shake. So thank goodness for places like Sabattus. This magnificent course tucked away in the northeast corner of the country is just the place to introduce the skeptic newbie who thinks that disc golf cannot be reputable.
For one thing, I have to mention the huge pro shop right alongside the enormous parking lot. It's got to be the biggest I've ever seen in my six years of playing. Granted, my experience is limited mostly to the northeast. However, I don't think I'm wrong to suspect that Sabattus boasts one of the very few equipment shops with two levels featuring every kind of disc, peripheral and gear item you can imagine. That alone might change the mind of a skeptic. A dedicated team member is always behind the counter ready to give advice, research their stock, accept payment for your round and receive lost discs. Don't forget to buy a yourself a souvenir mini or sticker!
Nice pro shops are nice, but how does the course play? This review is based on my experience with the Eagle layout in late July 2022, but I think it still holds up because of how consistent and splendid everything was. Sabattus Eagle isn't a course that specializes in any one thing, but its variety is done so well. I can't speak for the other layouts that Sabattus offers, but Eagle has an exciting assortment of hills, fields, trees and water features.
And many of those features are present at the same time. Hole17 illustrates this well because it has a fun valley fairway with a stream at the bottom. On both sides are walls of trees to be avoided. Hole4 has a nice hybrid fairway, a pleasant downhill slope and a guarded death putt of a basket. Water just beyond the pin await a poor putt. Good times.
But you know me. I love my wooded disc golf, and hole8 is the best example of that here. It doesn't have a dense or claustrophobic tunnel, but the gentle rise in elevation at first effectively hides the rest of the hole. That way, it is a nice surprise to see the pond in the second half of the fairway. It was my favorite to play here.
The fairways are as clean as can be. Just about every hole has a clearly defined path for players to follow. If you should land in the rough, things aren't hopeless, and shots can usually be saved. Hole1 exemplifies this well. It's so pretty and well-maintained that you almost want to purposefully throw a bad shot just so you can spend more time admiring it in greater detail.
But, on a course this good, the flaws, however small, stand out like sore thumbs. For example, the tee signs for holes5 and 16 were damaged or disconnected from their anchor stands. The tees at holes 7 and 16 were visibly damaged, too. But it would surprise me very much if those issues weren't addressed by now. Also, hole14 was kind of boring as a wide open field and nothing more.
The other holes more than make up for that, though. The course isn't just pretty and dynamic. It tests your techniques and power control. Hole11, for example, puts you at the bottom of a quarry. To reach the uphill basket, you've got to be confident in your approach. Hole13 makes things interesting with several mandos to challenge your control. And hole18 is just the perfect 'final boss fight' of a farewell hole. Elevation, trees and that omnipresent waterway all work together to make your life hell, and I love it.
It's so nice to come across a course that is this well-presented with a great assortment of challenges to boot. A nice-looking course with no challenge is pretentious. A tough course with no presence can feel like a homogenized letdown. Sabattus is the best of both worlds. It's got the curb appeal down pat, and the challenges are well-crafted. Now, all that needs to happen is for you to pay it a visit. We'll have those skeptics taking back their words in no time. Emphatically recommended!