Jeffersonville, VT

Smugglers Notch - Brewster Ridge

4.565(based on 50 reviews)
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20 0
Sethamphetamine
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 82 played 12 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Top of Smuggs Notch drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 15, 2022 Played the course:once

Pros:

+Woods. Woods. Woods. Tight lines, par 4s and even some OB to bump up the challenge level. When people picture disc golf, it looks like this. Excellent contrast in comparison to Fox Run. +More elevation than you may expect. Plenty of downhill tunnels, uphill bombs and everything in between. +Multiple tees. Choose your challenge. Gold are pavers and the best quality but the rest seemed level and safe. +Manicured to perfection. Just like Fox Run the pay to play aspect and the resort staff and money lead to ideal conditions. Clean. +One of the shorter holes (14?) had an alternate pin to test a new hole design. Input taken from players in the pro shop. Cool to see an established and world famous course trying new things and changing based on what players like.

Cons:

-No garbage cans. Pack it in pack it out. Not really a con for me but would be an improvement. -Most holes have one line. Doesn\'t mean you can\'t forehand, backhand, turnover, hyzer, roller etc to achieve scoring, but not a lot of options as far as multiple fairways. The line you see is what you are aiming for. -No water hazards. Nature of the land the course occupies.

Other Thoughts:

As close to an ideal disc golf course as one can get. If you consider this as one property and include Fox Run, there\'s few places better. Brewster will provide you with elation for hitting a line, devastation for missing one and pain when you are pitching out the the landing spot or trying a hero shot that more often than not fails. Ideal drives can result in an ace or set you up for an easy upshot on a par 4. Errant throws can sail over an OB rock wall or come to rest barely behind a tree. Your creativity on this course will not be from off the tee, but rather when you inevitably need to scramble from a bad lie. You quickly enter the woods and remain there for 3 hours. When you come out the other side on hole 18, you\'ll be overjoyed or frustrated with your score, but you won\'t be able to have avoided the fun that is a guarantee when playing this course.
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20 0
HyooMac
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 6.8 years 419 played 387 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Woods, sure...but it's the elevation that gets you

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 4, 2022 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

+ Iconic New England wooded course with lots of elevation change. Regular stop on the pro tour and occasional site of the World Championship. You can "play the same course as the pros" - the Gold tees are there and waiting


+ Clear and very fair lines on the wooded holes, and there are some mostly open ones sprinkled in


+ Hole by hole, Brewster presents a puzzle to be solved as you stand on each tee: what's the correct angle I need - but equally important, what's the correct height? Because elevation change is so often part of the hole, Brewster requires constant consideration of height as a variable in the throw


+ Four sets of tees (Gold / Blue / White / Red): the Whites are pretty tame for an 800 rated player, and the Blues aren't terribly punishing for shorter arms - because Brewster's challenge isn't as much about length as it is about accuracy and control. The Red tees are so short that several of them are just chip shots; they're truly beginner/family friendly


+ Located at a resort with another world class course (Fox Run Meadows), pro shop and all the amenities


+ There's a 9 hole short loop for a quick round that avoids the toughest of the hill climbing. The great thing about the short loop is that it includes #16: an iconic wooded downhill with a dramatic tee placement


Cons:

- The variance between the tee surfaces is pretty stark as the quality drops off dramatically. The Gold and Blue are paved, large, and equipped with amenities like brooms, benches and hooks. The Reds are just barely patches of dirt, and the Whites are somewhere in between. The signage is excellent at all tees, but the surfaces don't match up. If you're playing from the Golds or the Blues, this con won't affect your game or experience at Brewster


Other Thoughts:

~ Aging Innova DisCatchers; excellent signage and navigation to the next tee. The short loop is clearly marked; there's a bit of a twisting trail hike from basket #6 to tee #16


~ Greens all featuring fresh wood chips


~ Elevation means erosion; erosion means exposed roots; exposed roots mean unpredictable groundplay (D'Oh!)


~ Pro shop stocked with all major brands (and some smaller brands like RPM!)


~ As good as Brewster is (and it is!), I don't think it's as much of a "standout course" today as it might have been some years ago. I haven't yet played Maple Hill, which is the obvious New England comparison. The growth of the sport has brought some worthy challengers in the category of purely wooded Northeast courses (I'd offer Rockwell in CT and Wilcox in NY as matches - they just aren't at a resort, and aren't next to Fox Run Meadows)



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18 0
lcra0825
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 17.7 years 152 played 39 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Top Destination 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 26, 2021 Played the course:once

Pros:

- All the holes are very interesting and fun
- Most of the holes are in the woods but there are two or three open holes.
- All the the different kinds of shots are required
- There are 4 different tees to accommodate all players. The different tees aren't just changes in distance. For most of the holes, the different tees provide different looks at the holes as wells.
- impeccable signage. The provided map and scorecard was hardly needed
- All the wooded holes were completely fair. You always had a lane to get back on the fairway if you found yourself off the beaten path.
- The area surrounding the course is amazing and offers lots of other things to do like biking, hiking, and skiing.
- There is a great pro shop on sight for all your disc golf needs.
- There is another championship level course on sight which provides a very open disc golf experience. The two course compliment each other very well

Cons:

- The non gold tees could be cement as well. I think the red tees are just stakes in the ground ( very minor problem)
- I did not rate this course a 5 because although all the holes are interesting and fun. I didn't really see any hole that just made my jaw drop like I have seen in some courses like Flip City. However this is still one of my favorite courses that I have played and if I lived in the area not 6 hours away I would be back to play many more times.

Other Thoughts:

This is the first course I have played with tee times. Although it is a little inconvenient not to be able to drop in on the fly, it is really a good idea to keep the course from getting to congested.
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14 0
MrFrosty
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 31.1 years 764 played 387 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Put The Notch On You Bucket List 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Aug 17, 2020 Played the course:once

Pros:

Driving up straight from Cincinnati , I could tell this was a Pro setup from the start . The parking lot was adequate , ( Port O Let outside ) but the pro shop and its ground is first class . There are multiple picnic tables with umbrellas on a concourse , and a large pro shop stocked with discs and also having snacks and cold drinks . The nice men behind the counter arrange a tee time for you ( you might want to call ahead for a tee time during summer weekends ) . He put me on this course , Brewster Ridge , first . I played mostly the golds because of the challenge .
The Equipment : The equipment must have taken an upgrade since it has been hosting A tier tournaments like Green Mountain every year and hosting the 2018 Worlds . There are 4 tee pads per hole . The gold ( longest ) are great looking pavers ( a couple turf ) , the blue are mats and White has crushed rock and red are natural . There is descriptive signage at pretty much all of the tees with distances from each tee . The baskets look new , Maybe Mach X and have flags on top to spot easily . . There are plenty of Next Tee signs to keep you on track . Nice putting basket near the pro shop .
The Landscape - The course is meticulously kept . Mowed , trimmed and no sticks in the fairways . Brewster Ridge has some elevation on this course . It runs through an attractive woods that would make you take a nature walk through it if you weren't playing . It was quiet during my round and you could see wildlife throughout your round . There are some rock formations on the course that add to the scenery Mature trees provide natural tunnel shots on some of the holes . . This is one of the more picturesque courses that I have ever played .
The Highlights -. A lot of this course is highlight . One of the nicest things about this course is that when your drive wanders off the fairway ( and it will ) , you still can find a lane to drift back onto the course . #2 ( 550' from golds ) is an S drive ascending a long fairway that slopes up the whole time , with a wall of rocks on the left and little more open on the left The basket is in a small green protected by thin trees .#11 ( 615' golds , 450' blues, 350' whites ) was an incredible downhill left to right bender to a level green at the bottom protected by mature trees . #12 has a left to right drive with a downhill and creek lurking on the left of the fairway The green is tucked away in a small tight area of the woods .
Signature Hole - #13 par 4 520' golds , 340' blue . . moving slightly left to right . The fairway is thin and the slight uphill approach is even thinner .
The Amenities - benches everywhere , the pro shop , the concourse to relax after a round .
The Time - It took me an hour and a half to play . I took my time just because of the scenery . A group of 4 playing the golds will take around 3 hours .
Disc Risk - Low . Surprising for a course that has blind shots and ricochets , but this course is so clean and well kept , that you might lose a disc under leaves in the fall or way up in a tree, but that's about it .
I like the 4 tee system here . It enables older or younger players to experience this and not have to burn their arm put trying to throw from the golds . This course will challenge you with its tight but fair fairways , and give you a lot of variety . It seems there are equal left and right holes here . Play at least 1 hole from the golds just so you can say that you were in the same tee box that the best players in the world threw from .

Cons:

Maybe upgrade the non gold tee pads .
I was warned that some hikers and trail bikers might cross paths with you ( I never saw any on a Monday afternoon ) .
Bring liquids . You don't return to the start until hole 18 ends .
Cost - Worth mentioning . $10 per round . $15 for a day pass which includes Fox Run . A bargain for most , but maybe not for a family or someone on a tight budget .

Other Thoughts:

If attainable , this destination should be on everybody's bucket list . World Class disc golf on a beautifully maintained course . Brewster Ridge is a technical course and will test your resolve and force you to create while maintaining your concentration . It was hard to do this because of the beauty of a Vermont forest , which is why it cost me shooting a +7 here ( i'm going to stick to that story ) . I think that the idea at Smugglers Notch is to create the perfect disc golf course experience , and they are moving close . 2 courses within 50 yards of the parking lot that are world class and offer varying experiences and lines .Make sure that you avoid the many gatherings and tournaments held here by checking out the homepage and local club pages so you don't waste time or a trip .
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1 6
gcmcgurn
Experience: 13 played 3 reviews
4.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 29, 2018 Played the course:once

Pros:

Great variety of terrain, ups and downs, shots and challenges
Country club level maintenance.
Beautiful forest
Excellent facilities/amenities

Cons:

Not a whole lot holes for a non- pro to attempt an ace run.
A bit confusing finding the next hole at times but not too bad.

Other Thoughts:

It's turkey a championship quality course and the cream of the crop for the east coast.
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14 0
jjtwinnova
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 8.8 years 246 played 97 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Everything's Better at Brewster Ridge 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 4, 2018 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Smuggler's Notch Brewster Ridge is quite possibly the epitome of what wooded disc golf should be. A large variety of lines, elevation, and distances, this course has everything.

I played in the United States Junior Disc Golf Championships, and my division played the all gold tee layout, the same layout that the Pros will be attacking at the World Championships, and the gold tees are incredibly challenging.

Extremely tight, but fair, lines through the trees, with a single kick possibly sending you into the dense forest.

The holes are not even incredibly long, but they demand very well executed shots to score birdies on them, making any score right around par, usually a few over, very respectable.

The paver gold tees are nice, as they grip quite well, but also have a pleasent aesthetic look to them. The tee signs are informative and colorful, and the course has shiny Mach X's with a nice flag to aid with visibility.

While I believe the Gold Tees are the best option for a travelling player, there are some great layouts for local players to try out, or players who struggle with hitting lines, or just want to relax and play. There are three other tees, ranging from the short red tees, to a still very challenging blue tee layout.

Cons:

This course is World Class. Top Notch. (Pun Intended) However, there are a few cons.

The course does not loop back after the front nine, or ever, so pack everything you need to complete the round.

The red, white, and blue tees are not all the same quality as the paver tees, and can provide for some tricky footing.

There is not a hole on this course that I would consider open, meaning you will be hitting lines, and bringing trees into contention on every shot. However, the Fox Run course, literally across the street, is a great course to challenge your open distance.

For me, the biggest thing holding this course is the lack of par 4s and 5s. THere are some great par 4s on this course, six to be exact, but not a single par 5. There are lots of opportunities to extend some holes into Par 5s, but for now, they are all quality holes.

Other Thoughts:

Recently, they removed two holes, old hole 6 and old hole 9, making a new hole eight and hole nine, both incredible holes and improvements that I feel made this course even better than it already was. I feel very lucky to have had the opportunity to enjoy this course, and Fox Run Meadows, two courses that are incredibly deserving of the Disc Golf World Championships!
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3 1
mike3216
Experience: 8.7 years 13 played 8 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Challenging, Technical and Beautiful 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jul 24, 2018 Played the course:once

Pros:

First off, the location is gorgeous, right in the middle of the Green Mountains. You don't see quite the vistas you do on the more open Fox Run course, but it is still an an amazingly beautiful place to play.

Pro Shop: The pro shop has a nice selection of discs. Everybody I talked to there was friendly and helpful.

Elevation: The course makes great use of elevation, with a number of tight technical uphill holes and also a number of touchy downhill throws.

Fairness: There are only a couple of open holes on this course; the vast majority of tee shots are tight and technical. That being said, I saw lines on every hole. There were a lot of lines that I didn't have the skill to hit, but I didn't see any holes that could be considered unfair. A course that is laid out like this makes you want to be a better player.

Wind: It was very breezy in Vermont on the day I played, but there was hardly a whisper of a breeze on the course. You don't need to worry about wind on this course.

Cons:

Signs, signs, everywhere a sign (not): I realize that they are working hard to prepare for Worlds, but some signage, even temporary markers, would be helpful on the new holes. The guy at the pro shop warned me about the new holes, which was good, but having on course signage would be a lot better. The existing holes were pretty well marked.
This is definitely a mixed-use area, and you have to be aware. I mostly ran into this on the back nine. I ran into two groups of mountain bikers,two groups of hikers, and almost hit a golf cart piloted by two course workers with my GStar Mako3. You have to be really careful with the blind tee shots. That being said, the woods are quiet, and you often can hear others before you can see them.

Other Thoughts:

Tee Boxes: With the exception of two newly-configured holes (8 and 9, I think, which currently have astroturf over sand), the long tees are all pavers. The shorter tees are a mishmash of rubber mats, rock dust, and at least one starts on a wooden bridge. I like the footing of the paver boxes, so I played them, even though they exceeded my ability level somewhat.
Discs in the woods: The underbrush was cleared out enough on the holes that I had no trouble locating the ten or so discs I threw off the fairway. Bright colors are definitely a plus. Your results may be different if you are throwing a tie-dyed Roc3.

Overall layout: For me, the front nine is quite a bit more difficult due to the long uphill par 4s, but there are several technical holes on the back nine that can blow your scores up quickly. Hole 16 kills me every time. My favorite hole is probably 11, a beautiful downhill 615' par 4 that is very gettable if you are straight off the tee.

This course is going to be way beyond amazing when all of the current work is done, and it is already my high water mark.

I was wondering why my drivers weren't acting as they normally do (I don't have a strong arm, but I can always get a little flip on my Champion Sidewinder), and I realized that this course is about 1000' higher in altitude than where I usually play in Virginia.
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15 1
sidewinder22
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 17.8 years 302 played 198 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Punky Brewster Ridge 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 6, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

Set on a wooded ridge surrounded by beautiful mountain peaks on private resort property consisting of 18 Chainstar baskets with single pin positions and four tees per hole. The Gold tees were recently upgraded to nice concrete tees and these were the only ones I played. The course has very good variety of par 3 and 4 holes and distances mixed and used the available elevation and terrain well. The front 9 mostly plays slightly uphill. The back 9 was my favorite playing mostly downhill. Navigation is fairly easy and signage is good.

You can tell that this course gets a lot of TLC from all the amenities and manicuring down the fairways and walking paths and rock walls...wow! Even playing in early August the underbrush was under control and would be hard to lose a disc except in a few spots. The pro shop is nice as was the guy there at the time.

The course is completely separate from the Smugglers Notch ski mountains which is a pro and the elevation is more moderate. I typically like playing disc golf with some huge elevation, but I'm not a big fan of disc golf on black diamond ski slopes where the best part is typically riding the ski lift up.

Cons:

Not much to complain about. Only one 18 hole loop back to parking lot. The shorter holes seemed to be a little repetitive with more left to right turning shots. Most of the holes are single gap straight forward design - no real multi-fairway holes where you can choose your route. No multiple pins/baskets. No water hazards. Hiking paths interwoven with holes. A little tricky navigating from hole 10 to 11. The Chainstar baskets are harder to see in the woods than the original yellow banded Discatchers, not sure why they changed them. The Village 9 course is only available to those that stay at the resort. A little pricey for p2p, but worth it.

Other Thoughts:

I played Black Falls which is a great course in its own right the morning before playing at Smugglers Notch and found Brewster to be a little more relaxing experience with less bugs and a little more distance and elevation and of course laden with amenities galore. I stopped in the Brewster River Pub right on the corner of the property for lunch before my rounds and had a delicious Vermont burger with some tasty local IPAs. I even came back after my rounds for another burger and beer and was still just as fantastic.

The Fox Run course was still only 9 holes when I was here and I definitely enjoyed Brewster Ridge more and I typically prefer wooded courses although BR doesn't really have a signature hole although they are all solid, but some of those new holes on Fox Run do look pretty sweet and provide excellent contrast to BR. I'd give Brewster a 4.25 if I could, but there is so much here it is easy decision to bump it up to 4.5. My favorite course in VT is North Calais about an hour away. Vermont is definitely a disc golf destination albeit spread out a bit that has been under the radar, but is now starting to have the spotlight shown on it and deservingly so!

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1 1
Knowuh
Experience: 5 played 5 reviews
4.50 star(s)

A notch above 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 8, 2016 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Brewster Ridge DGC is a slice of Vermont heaven for the destination disc golfer. It was designed very thoughtfully and offers an absolute championship level gold course layout. There are old stone walls all around the course like we are so used to seeing to the VT woods. Brewster Ridge is the original 18 hole layout but there is an additional 9 (soon to be 18) hole course across the road called Fox Run which is every bit as beautiful and challenging as BR. With a full time grounds crew it's as posh and refined as disc golf gets. There is a good pro shop on site and a handful of practice baskets around th parking lot.

Cons:

It cost more to play here than other ptp courses. It's charged by round and not by day and it's an additional fee to play the Fox Run 9. It's not going to break the wallet or anything and I don't mind paying for such amenities but just something to keep in mind for first timers.

Other Thoughts:

Bonus for travelers- the drive through rte 108 over Smugglers Notch to get to the course is amazing!!!
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13 1
discNDav
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 37.9 years 437 played 91 reviews
4.50 star(s)

great 4.75 course 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 3, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

So many to list and worth the $10 pay to play all day because:

- pro shop on site with snacks available
- plenty of cold water coolers at the start
- 4 tees per hole
- great tee signs at each tee
- six par 4's
- easy navigation
- phenomenal manicured course (reminded me of Sabattus in ME) with wood chips, gravel, cut grass, rock walls, benches and small wooden bridges
- plenty of elevation...the front 9 plays gradually uphill and then the back 9 is a lot of fun downhill shots
- scenic beauty of Green Mountain
- small stacked rocks (a poor man's Flip City)
- rock walls similar to other great N England courses
- very wooded but nothing too tight or unfair
- the staff called me about my disc left behind
- very clean port a john
- #4 putting area, simply gorgeous
- #7 fun ace run
- #10 fun downhill throw
- #11 fun downhill throw
- #12 good par 4
- #14 reminded me of hole at Hyland Orchard in MA
- #17 one of my 2 birdies

Cons:

- the tees weren't cement, the long pro tees had rubber pads while the others were gravel

- #9 felt like a 'filler' hole, it was the only hole I didn't like

- #18 was rather boring after so many other great holes on the back 9

Other Thoughts:

Be sure to enter or leave the Smugglers Notch area from the south. The drive to this resort is STUNNING through the mountains.

This was the only course I played in my first time in Vermont after a 6.5 drive the day before. I considered other courses but decided they would only be disappointing after playing here at Brewsters Ridge.

This course has been added to one of my favorites list on this site. I played the blue ADV tees and shot 62.

Bring food with you if you staying for more than a half day, I didn't see any convenience stores nearby.

Another 9 holes (and soon a full 18) called Fox Run of hilly prairie golf is also onsite.
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7 1
bradharris
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 21 years 90 played 46 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Firm, fair and fun! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 24, 2014 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

The first thing players notice about Brewster Ridge is the maintenance. The first hole plays through a nice wide fairway with cleanly mowed grass to a pin surrounded by wood chips and picturesquely nesteled under a lone tree. From there, signs guide players along a wood chipped path to the second tee. The next 17 holes play throughout a series of snowshoe and cross-country ski trails. And new for 2014, the "Fox Run 9" has been added as a permanent addition to the course. This gives players an additional 9 holes in a more open setting with tight OB lines to punish errant shots. The nice manicured feel of the course continues through all 27 holes. The resort employs a pair of maintenance workers who keep the course looking great throughout the season.

I use 3 F words to describe how the course plays: firm, fair and fun. Tricky pin locations create the challenge at Brewster Ridge. I was really struck by the fact that the course never gives players a chance to relax and make a lazy shot. Short upshots that can be mundane and boring at many courses are still very challenging at Brewster, with trees, bushes and elevation all looking to wreak havoc on a lazy throw.

These tough pins are fair though. A good tee shot will set up a much easier upshot or putt. The tees themselves are fairly open, giving players the flexibility to choose their own lines off the tee. This also cuts down the frustration (and use of a certain other F word) of having tee shots cut down early.

And that's where the fun comes in. Players of all skill levels will have plenty of chances to see their discs really fly off the tee. Rather than getting cut down early, bad tee shots will find tough lies that force players to scramble and find creative ways to get to the pin.

OB is used well. In the woods, rock walls provide some nice, intuitive OB lines along tree lines. With thick woods beyond these walls, shots that cross those lines are going to be punished harshly one way or another. At least by making those areas OB, players aren't forced to try to play out from there.

In the Fox Run 9, the OB lines serve a very different purpose. They help to create some interest risk/reward opportunities and turn otherwise boring field holes into interesting challenges.

Cons:

The course can get very muddy. The muddiest areas are kept out of play, but walking between holes can get very sloppy.

It would be nice to see a bit more variety from the different tees. Currently, each layout plays very similarly, with the major difference being the change in distance. A little more variety in the layouts would help to create more repeat playability.

Some of the wooded par 4s (2,4, and 8) could benefit from better defined landing areas. Currently, they require a good tee shot and a bit of luck to line up the second shot just right. Taking out a couple trees to open up the lanes a bit could help take the luck factor out.

Other Thoughts:

Smuggler's notch is quickly becoming one of the top disc golf destinations in the northeast. You can even book a condo at the resort or camp at one of the nearby campgrounds to turn a visit to the course into a family vacation.
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1 1
Vtmountainlion
Experience: 10.9 years 6 played 1 reviews
4.50 star(s)

One of the best 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 18, 2014 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

This course is nestled in the green mountains. The best course close to Burlington that I have played yet. Its about an hour drive from Burlington.

- Excellently maintained: Great benches, woodchip paths between holes.

- Easy to navigate. Good signage.

- Hole variety, I'm a LHFH and it has some holes that play into the lefty flick and some holes that turn the other way.

- Staff, the person who works the front desk is positive and knowledgeable.

- 27 holes!


Cons:

- A drive from anywhere, unless you live in one of the small hamlet towns in North Central Vermont.

- If i am really reaching, there can be some wet ground between 9-10, but they usually put boards down. Nothing boots can't handle!

Number 7 can be tough, not much of a fairway. Pray to the tree gods and huck!


All in all this is a beautiful course I would recommend driving up to 2 hours to play at.

Other Thoughts:

Check out the surrounding area! There are some other courses nearby that could make a good disc golf vacation!
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2 5
polishedmarvel
Experience: 10.9 years 36 played 9 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Great local course, worth the $ 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 24, 2013 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

This course is 18 holes of well thought out, well maintained disc golf in the beautiful green mountains. I started playing dg this spring, and of the 13 courses I've played, this is probably my second favorite.

Cons:

It does cost $5 per person, and it's not super close to anything but the ski resorts in Smuggs/ Stowe area. But the $ is worth the nice job they do keeping the course up.

Other Thoughts:

Continue to support this course, they're going to build us another one with the money we're giving them!!!
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6 0
JimBailey175
Experience: 11.7 years 43 played 8 reviews
4.50 star(s)

As challenging as it is beautiful 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 6, 2013 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

+Clean and professionally maintained.
+Top notch tee pads, signage, and baskets.
+Multiple tees to accommodate different skill levels.
+Beautiful setting nestled in the mountains of Vermont with vistas on many holes.
+Gold layout is very challenging with a combination of length and tight lines.
+Well stocked pro-shop.
+Well-designed with a great mix of elevation, left/right doglegs, and length. You need a well-rounded, controlled game to succeed here.

Cons:

Nothing significant but if I'm looking for downsides:
-Like all of Vermont can be VERY muddy in the spring. In fairness I played the course for the first time after a historic spring rainfall.
-Alternate tees don't add variety to the holes, just change distance. More variety from additional tee/basket positions would be a cool addition.
-Bow hunters on-course in October made me nervous.

Other Thoughts:

One of the most challenging courses I've played - right up there with Maple Hill. I'd play all the time if I lived closer. Definitely worth the drive from New England and beyond. Our group of 4 rented a condo at the resort overnight and had great accommodations on the cheap.
Check out the "Green Mountain Championship" coverage on Youtube for a great preview of the course as played by the world's best. Look for them to make the adjacent 9-hole "Fox Run" (added for 2013 GMC) a permanent addition in 2014. 27 holes of this caliber would really be outstanding.
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1 3
wpifarmer
Experience: 11.1 years 65 played 5 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Stunning course! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 5, 2013 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

- Beautiful location
- Excellent variety of holes
- Very clean and tidy
- Multiple tees to accomodate varying skill levels
- Very well maintained.
- Nice rubber tee pads
- Good signage on holes with information and layout.
- It appears that the resort has dedicated real resources to the maintenance of this beautiful course.

Cons:

- A couple spots could use better or brighter signage to point you to the next tee.
- Hunters. Whlie I was there I was taken aback that there were bow hunters on the course. I recommend wearing bright colors during hunting seasons.

Other Thoughts:

I wish this course were closer to me so I could play it more often! This is what a disc golf course should be. I played here in the fall during foliage season and it was incredible. This course is pretty centrally located to quite a number of disc golf courses so it is easy to make a weekend of disc golfing.
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2 5
Shamis
Experience: 13.8 years 74 played 14 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Beautiful 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Oct 4, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

Great layout. Good mix of wooded and open shots. Requires accuracy. Several nice long holes. Several great down hill holes.

Although heavily wooded, nothing was ridiculously tight. There was room to work your shots.

Gold tees were in pretty good shape.

When played sept 25- 0ct 10th this is probably one of the most beatiful courses in the world.

Cons:

Could use better signs and concrete tees.

Many of the shorter tees were tiny.
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4 2
Paintray98
Experience: 10.8 years 10 played 2 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Well designed 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 2, 2013 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Course is well designed, has four different tee pads to choose from. Gold - Championship; Blue - Pro; White - Imtermediate; Red - Beginner/Kids. Played the course around 1.5 rounds (rained out the first time through on 8/1/2013 and made it only 10-11 holes)

Cons:

Muddy, the two maintenance guys are working hard to solve the muddiness issue but have not as of yet. They were in the midst of chipping up some wood to lay out on the muddy sections when I played through.

Other Thoughts:

Stopped by the pro shop at Hole 1 (started playing at hole 12 as it was closest to our condo) and talked to the guy there, they are looking for more people to play the course as they only get around 30 players a day currently and would like to see somewhere closer to 60 players a day. He also mentioned that they are starting to build a small beginners 9 hole course across from the pro shop this week and have plans for 3 more 18 hole championship level courses in the next 5-6 years. I wish I lived closer to the resort (around 4.5 hours from where I live) because I would play this particular course a lot. Really well done even though it is still a work in progress mostly.
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2 7
larry kirk
Experience: 45.8 years 1744 played 2 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Great experience 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 13, 2012 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

I like the easy basket to next tee box as well as the fairness of the fairways. If you hit your shots you will be rewarded.

Cons:

Good course flat out

Other Thoughts:

I have played over 400 courses and this is my first review now go play this course
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3 3
mountainrider211
Experience: 1 played 1 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Great Improvements 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 9, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Great Tee Pads
Clean Fairways
Fair fairways

Cons:

Tweener pars - think it will be fixed with the slight extension of a couple holes
Wobbily benches
Many tee shots are throw straight 300 with a touch of fade(rhbh)

Other Thoughts:

A great course. Finally a quality course close to home.Lots of work had been done and smuggs is supportive of disc golf. I look forward to continued evolution of the course.
If you haven't played the new course you have to check it out!
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6 1
Farmer Maggot
Experience: 12.9 years 6 played 3 reviews
4.50 star(s)

A New Course!! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 8, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

- Very nice and accurate T-signs, with level rubber mat layered pro T's. The Am T's are gravel still, but looked playable. Only a couple of the pro T's were gravel, but they are soon to be changed. I played the pro layout.

- Course flows naturally, and challenges you with the elevation. Good mix of right, left, straight, low ceiling, etc holes.

- Awesome baskets and as I mentioned above, course has both Am and Pro T's.

- Design is a good mix of par 3 & 4 holes. Hole 14 (I think) is a 525 up hill dog-leg left, then dog-leg right, par 4. Nuts!!! My first thought was that it should be a par 5, but now that I think about it, I believe it should be left a 4. Every great course has at least 1 par 3 and par 4 that make you work for the par. well done!

- Holes 1 &'18 start within 50 feet of each other. Convenient.

- The course is FREE!!!!

- Course is safe and everyone is crazy friendly. Family enviornment is a major plus.

Cons:

- A small thing.... Need trash cans on the course.

- Had to wait on some hikers and a few runners, so heads up, but it also was a small thing and they were patient and friendly.

- Benches need better stability....topple over if sat on without caution---I know the course is still new, even saw guys working on it when we played. Just a heads up.

Other Thoughts:

Immediately disregarded the course after reading the 2 year old reviews. Im a visitor here, so it wasn't until I was pestered by a friend to go and re-play it that I realized it had been totally reworked.

Smuggs hired a local pro to come and replan it...he and his team did a very good job!


- Need DESPERATELY to add pics and correct T layout on this review. The 2010 reviews and info nearly kept me from playing the course.

- Pro shop needs more discs.
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