Napa, CA

Skyline Wilderness Park

3.895(based on 49 reviews)
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10 2
sillybizz
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 22.2 years 429 played 393 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Turkey Shoot 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 28, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

This is a fun course with decent challenge, wildlife, and good views. You drive in and pay at the guard station and then begin the half mile walk to the first tee but not before reading the warning signs about rattlesnakes and mountain lions (they call them cougars in Washington). On this little dirt path you walk past the archery range on the right and in my case a bunch of wild turkeys on the left. There is a neat little honey bucket on wheels just before the first hole so take advantage of that.

Hole one already has you planning your route, landing area, and more important how you land. Big dumb RHBH hyzers do not work for every hole on this course like some others so a bit of thinking and shot selection is required. Otherwise you're gonna be complaining about how hard the course is and how many roll aways you get like it's bad luck or something but if you are smart you can avoid most of it but I digress...

A challenging mix of up and down, left and right but if you've played a decent amount of courses you have probably played something similar. If you learned from those courses then this place won't seem so daunting. I heard the turkey gobble from my friend after his third consecutive birdie in row even though we've told him that's a bowling thing but whatever. This won't challenge 1000 rated players much but most intermediate to advanced ams will find challenge and fun here for the most part; however don't take someone new or those who aren't used to hills, and dry, hot weather. When we played the wind was howling and make those downhill throws that much more challenging.

Baskets are in fine shape, especially my favorite on top of the wine barrel. Although I have seen this in one other place before I still really appreciate the uniqueness of putting on it and hope it is kept this way. Tee pads are mostly rubber and do a fine job although gravel and dirt surround them. Luckily there are brooms and benches at every hole.

Cons:

There isn't anything super special or unique in any way be it a hole or something else just a solid course. While not really something annoying or would keep me from playing it does limit my opinion (and rating) of the course. I also feel as though the course could be much harder, whether they need to use more land or shorten the amount of holes is probably controversial I feel it could improve it.

Other Thoughts:

The multiple pins idea is one I'm not so sure about. Although you get variety for those who play it a lot you also can be disappointed when you wanted to play the 'a' position and it's in 'b' or 'c' or what have you. I almost feel as though if they have enough room for that they have room to add length to some of the holes to make some epic downhill, uphill and cross hill holes. There are I believe four different pins for each hole which is a little overboard; I think I might be alright with two, maybe three but then again if there is room for that is there room to make one location for the basket that is better than the four they have? Remains to be seen, just my not so humble opinion.
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1 7
mikehohyo
Experience: 11.2 years 22 played 1 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Better in the winter 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 20, 2016 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Great views, lots of trees, longer holes, lots of elevation change, good baskets, rotating basket positions

Cons:

Heavy dead grass, lack of trash cans, course not kept up with mowing, super dry

Other Thoughts:

Watch out for mountain lions!
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4 0
mattdabbs
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 20.8 years 104 played 61 reviews
3.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 24, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

The first thing you need to know is how to get in the course. From the entry gate look to your left toward the archery range. To the left of that range there is a gate that is pictured in the course pictures. That is where you walk in. For some reason that just didn't seem right to us with the archery right there but that is where you go in. Just want to keep you from walking around aimlessly!

After a decent hike around the backside of the archery fence you will find a porta potty and just up the hill from that his the tee for 1 right next to the basket for 18.

One unique feature of this course is that many of the tees are unique and really cool. I saw this as a complaint about inconsistent tees elsewhere but it is actually really cool. Some of the nicest tees I have played off of.

Another thing that is pretty unique about this course is that many to most of the holes play straight to right with quite a few being blind shots on hills. We kept saying, "another one to the right?!? Seriously!" While that did get old after a while it challenged a part of my game that rarely gets challenged and that was welcome.

The holes are not super long. Most are reachable on your drive but they are blind and will require 1) a course map to really figure this course out and 2) extra walking down the fairway. You can usually pick the pin out pretty fast so not too bad here.

The course is very hilly and it can cause some severe rollaways on some holes but nothing too horrible. Come ready to walk and bring water.

All in all, not the very best course in this area (it has some good competition...this is not a slam) of California but better than average and definitely worth playing if you are traveling through.

Cons:

The biggest con was seeing multiple pins from the fairway. That got confusing in a few places. Other than that, I really cannot think of much. Fun course!

Other Thoughts:

Pretty much said it all already. Try this course out especially if you are left handed and make sure to bring a map. It is essential.
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13 0
mashnut
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 22.2 years 831 played 777 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Big hills 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 15, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

The course plays in a secluded corner of a large property. The long walk to the course means that you have that area to yourself, it didn't seem like there would be any interference from non-disc golfers here. The terrain is very cool here, with lots of ups and downs. The hills are used fairly well to create some interesting shots and some tricky greens where roll-aways are definitely a possibility if you don't land your shot carefully.

There is a nice balance here of left and right turning shots, at least in the pin setup I played. The alternate sleeves looked like they'd add some nice variety as well. The rubber tees were in good shape, and provided plenty of traction. There are enough trees on many of the holes that you have to shape some lines. The rough is not all that thick but you will sometimes find yourself having to make tricky recovery shots if you miss your line.

Cons:

The signage was not very accurate. It appeared that many of the pin placements have been changed since the signs were made, so the distances and hole shapes were not very useful. Many of the holes required walking up the fairway to see where to throw, and even then there are a few spots where multiple baskets are in view and it can be tricky to figure out where to go next.

I didn't feel like this land was quite used to it's potential. There were a lot of shots where despite the big hills, you threw at a basket at the same elevation as the tee. I liked the use of hilly greens, but more shots that really make you control a disc up or down some of the big hills would have added another level of fun and challenge. It's a real shame not to have a single downhill bomb type shot with the excellent terrain available.

There was some nasty poison oak in spots, keep an eye out if you're under the trees. Some of the grass was getting pretty long when I played, it gets a bit frustrating searching for discs that land in the middle of the fairway.

Other Thoughts:

Beginners will find this course a bit daunting, with a long hilly walk and some tricky shots, but with limited punishment it's approachable for most players. More experienced throwers will find this course reasonably straightforward, with a few really interesting challenges.

Note that you're a long way from the car for the entire round, bring a good amount of water and some snacks.
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8 0
ashmgee
Experience: 23.9 years 53 played 10 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Beautiful Park 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 23, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

Rubber tees
18 baskets
This course is set in a fantastic multi use park in Napa CA.
Even though it is multi use, the course is set away from other activities in the park.
This scenic park offers great views of Napa and the surrounding area.
The course was not incredibly long, but was a challenge because of the hilly terrain.
Lots of roll away potential.
Offers a variety of shots, and didn't favor any particular shot.
Dense oaks provide tough obstacles if you have an errant shot.
Birdies are available if you can get a disc to stay on the fast greens.
Putting offered some pucker factor because of the fast greens.
Really nice benches at tee boxes were welcomed because this course is a hike.
The place was not busy at all!! (not sure if that is normal)

Cons:

Not a lot of cons to think of.

Never got a top of the world type shot despite the hilly terrain.

The only restrooms are at the entrance which is not that close to the course.

Greens were so fast that it seemed that there was maybe to much luck involved on some of them.

Other Thoughts:

This course was set up in an medium distance when I played it. The flow was nice and the trails were easy to follow. We had no problems with thistles and foxtails, but I heard that is a problem during the summer. This is a hike, but not bad compared to other mountain style courses I have played. That being said, a pair of boots would be a good call.

This place is definitely worth playing if you are in the area!
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5 0
n8director
Experience: 8 played 8 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Some work to do. 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 26, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

-Scenery
-Challenging. You'll use most of your discs and many of your throws.
-Almost always putting on an angle
-Dramatic elevation changes
-Signage and navigation(for the most part)
-Ranger at the gate was SUPER helpful. Thanks!

Cons:

-$ to play
-Surprisingly lacked an epic downhill bomber hole. The elevation would certainly allow for it.
-Some tees felt short, and I don't have a long run-up.
-Holes 15A, 15B, 16, and 17 detract from what could be great experience. Unclear fairways and navigation are the issue here. FIX THIS!

Other Thoughts:

Challenging course that's also a nice workout. I didn't mind the hike in and out. Made for a good warm-up/warm-down. Great scenery and topography. Time for a little more work to be done on holes 15-17, along with some tees that should be longer here and there.
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3 0
humchris85
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 18.9 years 143 played 78 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Roll, roll, rollin away 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 28, 2010 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

-Beutifull location with hills, valleys, creeks, mature oaks, wildlife, and great views.
-Lots of variety, uphill, downhill, sidehill, across valleys, left turning, right turning, etc...
-Secluded seting in the hills of Napa, close to town, but far enough away to not feel crowded by the city.
-Challenging. I saw some of the best players I know chewed up by this course.
-Benches on most holes
-Area of the park thats not used much by other park users
-Fire Extingushers on every hole
-Multiple pin positions on all holes
-Rubber teepads in good condition with brooms on each hole.
-Great Locals, these guys are lots of fun.

Cons:

-Some holes almost require you to throw a thumber (hole 15).
-"Napa Rolls": The art of landing within 20' of the basket (or hitting the basket) then rolling 300' down the hill behind you.
-Signage didn't feel 100% accurate.
-Not a beginers course, as it will beat up on even an experenced golfer

Other Thoughts:

Napa is a beutifull course with many great fun holes that will both challenge and entertain players with some experence in disc golf. For beginers and people who are out of shape this course will frustrate and wear you out. It is full of massive elevation change throughout the course. Some holes I thought were a little unfair if you don't have a big thumber in your bag (hole 15). Everyone it seems, no mater how good you are, will get at least one disc that will roll away and down the hill way far away from where you want it, this is just the way it is, that's Napa for you. Make sure to bring some snacks and water as this will be a long round.
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10 0
martinb
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 44.7 years 183 played 58 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Napa, Skyline 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 8, 2003 Played the course:never

Pros:

Beautiful scenery, private setting away from regular traffic. Multiple pin placements. Well designed course with some hole configurations as a result of wicked terrain, you wont see anywhere else. Camping at the park is available.

Cons:

Wicked terrain. Gives new meaning to the term "Napa Roll". You don't eat it, it eats you. You can make a really good shot and end up over a 100 feet away from undeserved roll-aways. Poison Oak !!!. A hefty walk from where you enter the park, about 600 to 700 yards to the first teepad. Pay to Play, private park (personal bitch).

Other Thoughts:

This course is located in the hills of the Napa valley, ungroomed and unmaintained for the most part. Once you park at the entrance you will need to walk about 600 yards to get to the first teepad. There are foot paths and walkways on the steeper areas of the course, and there are several steep fairways to deal with. Both uphill and downhill holes to navigate, not a course for the faint-hearted. You will need to pack in all the water you may need, and power bars as you will be away from any kind of amenities on the course. There is a mixture of long and short technical holes on the course. None of the holes are unfair, every tee shot has a preferred route to take and its up to you to execute correctly to be successful. Course knowledge and experience is huge, you will score much better after the first time around.
The course design is well above average. Its super fun for the advanced/pro level player, not to say beginners wont like the course, but they may get frustrated with the unintentional rollers that occur now and then. The foliage on the course has mature oak trees, some manzanita and other brush to deal with, which is obviously taken into account in the design and helps the course play better and doesn't detract from your experience. The wind doesn't affect the course too much as it is sheltered from direct wind by the terrain, but sometimes if the wind is up, its difficult to judge which direction the wind is coming from, especially on the downhill shots. Overall the course by itself will provide a great experience for you, at any level of ability. Getting to it may be a pain, but its definitely worth it.
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