This well laid out 18 hole course plays through thinned pine forest on a private ranch about 25 miles east of Missoula just off I90. The turn into the course is well marked and there is a great,distance marked driving range with practice basket right by the parking area. When I saw the grass field I was concerned about cheat grass(a bane to shoes and socks in much of the West) but didn't see any on the whole course, a very pleasant surprise.

Unlike the other main Missoula course, this one doesn't have very many long holes or huge elevation changes. The challenge here comes from the tighter woods and, especially in the alt layout, good use of OB and Mandos. 11 in the alt position is a reachable downhill keyhole shot but mandos punish errant shots to either side. A good putt from the drop zone can still reach for an OB3.

There is a good variety of up and down hill shots, only a couple of which are very steep. Just enough to make it interesting.

My favorite hole was 16, a long open downhill shot of either 500' or up to 800' depending on pin position. Deceptively easy shot as long as wind isn't up.

One of the best points of this course is the shade. The woods have been cleared enough to have good throwing lanes but will remain nicely shady during the summer months. A big plus as this area can get very hot in the summer.

There are only a couple. While there is a good course map that is kept up to date, it is by the tee for 4 and holes 1 and 3 are changed in alt layout with no indication at tee.

For Alt layout pads are not always in well built boxes but laid out in roughly prepped areas.

While baskets are good ones, since they are on portable bases they get moved by owners, and can be a ways off from where tee signs indicate.

18 throws across driving range, will have to be careful if course is busy.

No water, bring extra on a hot day.

It is good that there is another full time course near Missoula, and a good one at that. While $5 is a good price for a day, I am unlikely to play more than one round in a day. Course is worth it, and you can get a year pass for $60, well worth it if you are local. It looks like the money is being spent to maintain and improve course.
Torn on rating, I like the alt layout but didn't like that pads were rougher and not as well marked. This is an excellent start on a potentially great course.

* Stunning setting
* Fresh new tee pads, signs, and baskets
* Amazing warm-up area with putting basket and marked out distances for drives (with distances marked in both directions!)
* The cleanest porta-potties I've ever seen

* Lots of holes are straight uphill
* Hella hard for noobs
* Holes 1 and 2 were in some sort of different layout
* Hole 8 isn't played, but doesn't say so at the tee (only says so on the map)

This is a beautiful setting for a course, winding through forest and up and down slopes. Be warned though: it's a hike (bring water) and it's hard. If, like me, your max distance is about 250 you will be severely challenged on many of the holes as they go straight uphill.

When we played, hole 1 was in some far off position more than 200' farther than stated on the tee sign. Hole 2 was about 30' away from the hole 2 tee pad, with no indication of why or where the real tee location was supposed to be.

Definitely worth a stop on your way by!