> Nice rolling terrain and woodsy scenery.
> Really nice "greens" and basket placements. It felt like someone planned and cared about the course.
> Clearly marked hole maps and directions made getting around really easy on the first time through.
> Most of the holes felt really natural; that is, they clearly demanded one or two specific shots/flight paths.

> No benches or trash cans.
> Not many long holes. All but 1 or 2 were between 200' and 300'.

Really cool course. I'd definitely play it again when I'm in the area. Didn't have time to play the west loop this time. I really liked how a majority of the holes felt like some thought had gone into their design.

1) Fairly well done rubber teepads . . . (see also negatives) but overall these rubber mats are better than bare dirt.
2) Signs have distance and a general hole layout.
3) The leaf cover in the woods is appreciated this time of year, as I am sure this would be a negative in the summertime when there is no leaf cover only bare soil and rocks on the ground.
4) Nice mature hardwood trees on this course . . . something that really makes it beautiful and also presents a challenge.
5) Very unique boulders all over the course . . . must be where the name "Standing Rocks" comes from.
6) Excellent directional signage to get you from hole to hole.
7) Excellent elevation changes on this course including some rolling hills. There is variety even in the elevation change . . . how awesome is that.
8) There is a really decent flow on these 3 sections of one course. They work well going from hole to hole but also from West to Middle to East. The signage is helpful, but it simply flows well on its own even.
9) Excellent distance variation on this course. This is a key design ingredient for me.
10) Excellent shot shaping requirements with the need to be able to throw left to right and right to left. The hills add in additional challenge to the shot making.
11) Nice kiosk at the beginning of the course. It shows a nice layout of the 3 sections of course. You can certainly decide where to start (and I chose west then middle and east) If you prefer a specific 9 or 12 holes you can easily play just those holes as each section plays its way back near the parking lot.
12) There is a pit toilet at the beginning of the West course. It's a lot of holes (33) to be played without the use of one toilet.
13) Very healthy grass even in the heart of the woods . . . keep it up whoever is working on this course.
14) DGA powder coated blue baskets . . .they look nice and help with spotting them in the woods.
15) Distance variation is awesome with holes from the 100's all the way to the 400's and everything in between.
16) Incredibly clean woods . . . meaning very little buckthorn, honeysuckle and other undesirable rough plant material. Keep it that way as long as you can please!

1) The only issue I see with the tee-pads is the fact that the corners of the gravel underneath the rubber is falling away. These will eventually be unusable and the rubber will be worthless if this is not resolved.
2) I imagine during the growing season . . . the ground would be slippery because there is no leaf cover. I played in the fall when almost all of the ground had leaf cover making what would be bare soil or mud (in wet conditions) decent to walk on because of an inch of fallen leaves.
3) There are a lot of stump trippers around the course . . . but at least they have painted the stumps with paint so people can more easily see the stumps.
4) Gravel short tees leave a bit to be desired. Most of them are ok, but a handful of them have eroded enough to be nearly unusable or simple like teeing off of bare ground.
5) Little to no garbage cans throughout the course . . . I guess they expect the disc golfers to pack in and pack out. While the ideal is correct, the realistic view is that garbage will still be found on the course. I did pick up a handful of beverage containers around the course and tote them back to the garbage.

Not much else needs to be said about this course . . . there are so many positives and so few negatives . . . you have to agree this is one of WI finest courses. It may not be top3 in the state overall . .. but it exemplifies what WI disc golf is all about. It has a little bit of everything, albeit heavily weighted towards the tight wooded holes.

I will say this . . . this course is a solid 4.25-4.35 course . . . I just cannot rate it 4.50 or better because some of the negatives are preventable with minor changes or improvements . . . but it hardly took away from my first trip here!

33 holes!!! The variety is endless. The different loops play to all styles of players. If you want a great day of disc golf, that is also rather challenging, all 33 holes is just a blast.

The elevation play is great when you compare it to most courses in central Wisconsin, which are for the most part flat, and the obstacles (mostly trees and rocks) are endless. Accuracy is a must!

Multiple tee pads and pin locations on nearly all the holes. The new holes are still under a little bit of construction but overall they are coming together very nicely. The tee pads were uneven on a lot of the original holes, but they have gotten leveled off and compacted before the park was closed this year.

The terrain and the area is simply beautiful (A fall trip should be a must if you plan on visiting). I love playing this course every time I am there. The name is Standing Rocks for a reason.

The landscaping and work done on the holes is hard to overlook. Randy and the volunteers have done a great job on this course and have obviously taken great pride in the work they do on it.

I love the accuracy and finesse required to play this course. It may not have many long holes, but you can't come to this course and just chuck it and expect to score well. You need to have a strategy and know your bag.

You get the bang for your buck. I have played 18 hole courses that charge you upwards of 5 dollars. 3 dollars to play 33 holes??!?!! You can't ask for a better deal if you ask me. The season pass did go up to $25 this year, but you can see the money is being put right back into the course, which makes it worth it.

I could go on and on about the positives of this course, but it is my home course (I feel VERY privileged to live within 15 miles of it) and it is a great course that everyone should play if they get a chance.

I love this course, but there is a reason its a 4-disc review, for there are a three major cons:

Lack of distance. Granted the new loop has some long holes, they are still holes you need to have an accurate 200 to 300 foot drive and then have a great up shot because of all the obstacles. This loop was built to make golfers utilize all parts of their game. STRATEGY!! Ace runs on the west loop are pretty much non-existent. There are a lack of shots you can just open up and wing it without worrying about hitting a tree. I think every course should have at least one or two holes that let you just chuck it without worrying about hitting something. I really wish the parks dept. would allow the use of the ski hills by the ski lodge for some holes!!! The new west loop does play the edge on one of the holes, but to be able to throw down the hills all the time, not just in tournaments, would make this course a 5 discer, no questions asked. Then Bear lake would also come into play as well!

The general flow of the course, even though it is much improved with new signs, proper hole numbers, and maps at a kiosk in the parking lot, is very confusing for newcomers.The course can be confusing if you have never played it. I direct people to the proper holes almost every other time I am there. I remember the first time I played it and I struggled finding the next holes in a few spots. But, like I said, it has improved drastically towards the end of the summer.

Lack of a water hazard is my last major bug-a-boo. The lake on the property is not a legit hazard, unless your disc gets a mind of its own and overcomes the odds to dodge about a hundred trees on the two holes on the east loop you can see it from, (east loop #'s 8 and 9 - which are two of the easier holes on the course) you are staying dry on this course.

One minor con for me is that it is out of your way to make it to the course, even though it is worth it. Most people probably overlook this negative, but it is still a negative.

The hole numbers in the pictures uploaded by tenaciousMV are now invalid. The whole course is renumbered properly in three different loops:

The west loop-12 is the newest addition and has some very technical shots. These are holes that require you to bring your A-game to really stay around par when playing your standard par-3. Good Luck!

The mid-loop 9 (minus the newly added first two holes and the very last hole) and the east-loop 12 is the original 18-hole course. You can play these 21 holes and do fairly well if you can control your drives and make putts. The holes are all shorter, with mid-loop #8 being the longest at over 400 ft (aka the Barry Schultz hole) and hardest par on that part of the course.

Play with a local if you get a chance, you will probably learn a lot about the course and the dedication and hard work that goes into maintaining it.

Standing Rocks is gradually becoming a premiere course to visit not only in central Wisconsin, but in the entire state if you ask me. Some people would probably already say it is. Big props go out to Randy and the Ace Holes from UWSP and all the hard work and man hours they have put into the course. It shows.

Don't forget the bug spray and something to drink, for there is some hiking and the bugs are bad in the summer after rains.

The course plays through a hilly and forested area dedicated to disc golf. It feels very secluded and peaceful when you're on the course, with no interference from non-players. The elevation is used well to make some great holes, including a couple fun downhill ace runs. Nearly all the holes are wooded with well-defined fairways and moderate brushy rough that didn't seem to eat discs too badly. The holes force a great mix of different shots to be successful here, and will often punish an errant drive with at least an extra stroke. The alternate tees on one of the loops add even more variety; several change up the shot quite a bit.

The boulders throughout the course add a really nice touch, especially where extensive work has been done to build retaining walls and other course features out of the rocks. A ton of work has gone into this course, and it seems to be an ongoing effort with lots of improvements made in the couple years between my visits here.

The hole signage is decent, with basic maps and distance. The rubber tees are nicely leveled, and the ground is compacted well underneath them to prevent settling. The baskets are all in good shape and catch well. The flow within each loop of holes is easy to follow, with obvious trails between holes, and a great staircase to take you up one particularly steep path.

Navigation can be a little funky with 3 loops and some decisions on how many holes to play. Make sure to check out the map by the parking lot, and perhaps snap a picture of it for later reference. The loops have different characters, which is cool but can lead to each set of holes feeling just a little repetitive. The signage is a little weak, the lines shown are pretty generic and don't really give you a great idea of where to throw.

This is a fun wooded course, with lots of tight lines and great elevation shots. You will need to hit a variety of lines to be successful. Beginners might find the woods and brush a little daunting. More experienced players will find some great challenges despite the lack of length on two of the loops. I would definitely recommend a stop here; it's a fun round and a beautiful place for a walk in the woods.

1. Reading through the reviews will give you the overall impression....more than anything else.....that just about everyone that plays here; enjoys their time spent. I believe this will sum up your overall experience. (you can now go to the cons section; if you want to see what will be lacking in the big picture; then, come back here for good point summation.)
2. You will use all of your shots. These holes are designed to allow even opportunity for rhbh and lhbh (or forehand opposites). I throw a few overhand here as well. There are some shots that will forces all but 980+ players to have a long straight glide; with a finish, left or right, on the end. This is even more present on the "newer" set of holes.
3. There are often more than 18 holes in the ground here. Soon; two 12 hole and one nine hole loop will be present full time. (go to cons...4)
4. Rock formations built around baskets and tees in a beautiful fashion. This feature is one of those "this is about as good as it gets" for this style of design. (It's not quite all that; compared to the very best; these days; but not far from the best that anyone is doing in this area.) The formations, fit with the landscape in a remarkable manner; and you may barely notice that they've been constructed; and were not always there. The "crew" has done an extraordinary job in this department. This feature also makes quite a few tees very nice, when they would otherwise, more than likely, have serious issues.
5. A number of fall-a-way greens. Some of the shortest shots require a solid landing....disc landing angle is an important aspect of scoring here...or you're rolling places you don't want to be!!!
6. Which leads to the simple fact that this course has very nice elevation; and yet, somehow, does not kill you. You are led around; up and down; rarely saying "that hill was brutal".... As has already been noted; all factors of design were well thought out here. (The biggest exception I can think of...and I get to give a shout out to a fellow FREAK here, though the sign was gone last time I was there; is that he came up with the name for; "stairway to eleven." This is a bit of a harsh breather hill and staircase.)
7. The "original" course does not have a major "lose your disc" aspect. Undergrowth not bad. There are holes on other layouts, that are quite a bit scarier. Some tourney holes; and these may be in the newer layouts, offer great risk/reward opportunities as to whether you're in the middle of the blackberry patch; or over it to the bucket; or, do you play it safe and require and upshot?... Berries are very nice tasting in season!
8. Knowing many course designers in this state; and others; and having participated in both design and especially maintenance, of many courses as well; I can tell you that Randy is among the "most hard working men is disc golf." The fool was out there hand planting schroom spores on tree stumps two years ago. No....not the "real special kind".....but a very unique feature all the same. This is the type of attention to detail you will find in all aspects of Standing Rocks.... (he he he....except for tee signs with correct information and arrows pointing you to the next tee!!!)

1. Course is short.
At this point, I wanted to say something to the effect; "in a competitive situation, there will be low scores." In other words....you will need to be making birdies; because they are there. (Now, go back to pros...2)
2. This course is difficult to navigate. It always has been. Randy (course designer) Schukar, was one of the earliest proponents of course alteration. I am speaking of full 18 hole course alteration. Nine hole groupings have been altered and/or moved fairly often.
3. Course movement has made tee signs nearly useless. First of all, many current tees have no sign. Of those that do, many are numbered incorrectly. Correct yardage?....ya gotta be kidding me! (now go to other thoughts....1)
4. Until signs are updated (announced for 2010 or early 2011); you may need all your navigational skills to play here. Don't worry, if you wander in any direction from lot, you will shortly find a pin. Play that one....and the next....and so on. What is supposed to be #1 in the current layout, is labeled as #15 and is found off the right edge, as you park, of the lot, and in; @150 ft. You may find another pin first; depending which of the many path options you choose. This is all part of the fun here....he he he he....
I've played this course many times, over many years, and I can say, as a "local" (1.25 hours away); that I'm often searching for that first pin. But.... just for a few moments. Once you find one; the course flows for the most part. If you run into a little lost time; just settle down and concentrate on how much you're loving the atmosphere of the course and the hole design, etc. Beauty is all around at S. Rocks...don't let a little tough navigation get you down. I do want to make a point of this in the cons section, because it's been a tough course to navigate almost since it's inception. Even for semi-locals; due to the amount of change that occurs here for tournaments as well as, "regular play" course(s); it's tough to ever zero in on exactly what is in the ground at any given time. If you can get in touch with a local or grab one at the parking lot; do so. I will also keep on Randy to get a map or a contact, or something up on here for info. This is one of those courses, that they are so busy upgrading an already good experience; that they can't keep up with a lot of the stuff that first timers would like to see in place. These kinds of courses are really some of the best around IMHO. As I've already noted; the atmosphere here is to be enjoyed. Don't let any navigational issues stress you. Find a pin, play it. Find the next tee; play it....once you get going, the flow is pretty intuitive.

1. Distances from all tees, to all pins, for at least 33 holes have been measured and noted; for tee signs in 2010/2011 (hopefully 2010). It is very likely that this part of Standing Rocks legacy will finally be ended in an awesome fashion.
2. I need to point out, as a number of other reviewers have; that tournament layouts are in the 4 to 4+ range at Standing Rocks. Pros attend the Standings Rocks Open, from fairly large distances; due to strength of course, payout, long standing, excellent tourney atmosphere, and the fact that it usually is one of the first two "big" tournies of each year, on the state tour. (In Wisconsin, the spring is always a time for happiness!! Especially getting to a wonderful course to throw plastic again.) This event long ago split into separate days for pros and ams; and ams enjoy themselves just as much as the pros. Also, somewhat in relation to this; and relating to the mentioned shortness of the "original" course, versus some other possible layouts you may find here; Troy Campbell held the record for a number of years, for the longest tourney ace, @570 ft.....at Standing Rocks. There are some nice, big, down hill shots in certain configurations....
The annual chilli cook off and tourney in the late fall, is also a full event; and well loved.
3. Excellent beverages at the Central Waters Brewery nearby.
4. You can see, with all I have written; that it is difficult to give you a general overview of Standing Rocks. Conditions change here... For the time being, you are never really sure what you will encounter. However,every layout here is worth play. The "original", which is the mainly discussed version, in reviews so far, is perhaps the weakest overall design; and the average rating for this course; as I write, is 4.5. Due to the navigation issues primarily, and course yardage secondarily, I have not rated as high as most. Non-tourney design does not have a 5 "Wow" factor. However, I agree with everyone here, that this is a second tier, destination spot. Plan to take extra time to play. Plan to play it twice; once you know we're you're going; second round will move right along.
As mentioned in other reviews; another Schuhkar designed course, Yulga, is fairly nearby; make a day of it. That course is a very fine example of 3 sets of tees usage. No elevation at Yulga, but straight driving is at a premium.
After all the cheers I've given to S. Rocks, and Yulga; I will none-the-less, point out, that; IMHO, Big Eau Pleine County Park is the best in the area.
This trio, in Central Wisconsin, won't leave you disappointed; unless you're looking for 4.5 to 5 courses. These are all 3.5's, up to possible 4 for Big Eau Pleine. Also, keep in mind, that 33 full time holes are very possible for 2010 and beyond.

I love the amazing beauty and scenic tranquility of SR. The rolling elevation and terrain under a wooded canopy of trees is PRIME for disc golf in my opinion. I love this type of course. You get an good mix of left, right, short and long holes.

The landscaping is really great with elevated tees and terraced greens surrounded by hundreds of local boulders that weigh a ton.

I actually like the crushed stone tees with rubber pads. I don't worry about stepping off the edge like erosion around concrete, and the rubber is not too slippery. It also provides that definite front edge for foot faults (something the crushed stone tees at Winter Park lack cuz Scotty G ALWAYS steps 2' past the obvious front edge of the tee when he drives!)

One of the highlights is a bent and distroted tree on Hole #2 (6 when playing from the new parking lot) that perfectly frames out your shot from the tee. I love this and when/if that tree ever falls it will be sorely missed for what it provides to that hole.

Despite the good variety of play, the wide open bombers are missing and so are water hazards and OB on this course.

Being a fairly popular course will certainly attract the worthless and useless idiots who come out to be disrespectful, break things, leave gargbage behind, and grafiiti. It is a shame for such a beautiful course to see cigarette butts and glass all over, but the locals have HUGE pride in this course and do a great job maintaining it to best their abilities.

For a begginer the signage is definitely lacking, but I've played TONS of times. Tee signs are not available on all holes, and vary in their locations. Signs between holes are non-existent and there are some long walks here.

My biggest con is with the shear vastness of poison ivy all over the course. If you go off the fairly, you WILL be in ivy. BUT, there is also patches all over in heavy traffic areas right next to tees, paths, and greens. This should be killed off when it is right next to a tee or green. THERE IS A TON OF POISON IVY EVERYWHERE! It really detracts from a good round here! Playing here in the fall and spring is more advisable anyway because with less foliage on the trees, you can score a bit better under that canopy.

The club is working on another set of holes which will be rotated into play on some type of annual basis to help limit erosion on some of the other holes. You can be guaranteed that these new holes will be just as awesome and at any given time you will be able to play 18 of 27 holes their which are second to none.

During the spring Standing Rocks Open tournament, you must make it a point to attend as an entirely additional 18 hole course is created using the cross country ski trails, and 6 more holes added to the classic course which travel up and down the ski hills. During the SRO, disc golf gets NO BETTER and this tournament setup is a 5-disc experience! You get all the variety, challenge and beauty you could ever crave during one weekend.

This course would be a 5 in my book based on how many times I have come back to play, how often I want to play, and how many times I make a special trip 2hrs to the course just to play. But the standard layout just does not offer the required variety to make it a 5. The standard layout lacks water hazard, OB, large elevation change, and open rippers. The secluded park setting is top notch in allowing yourself to get lost in a round. This probably works out to be a 4-disc course in my mathematical review of courses. Despite being SO FUN to play, the main course is a just below a 4-disc rating due to lack of total variety. The setting, tournament layouts, and fun factor offer up a 5. The expanded layout (12 new holes??) will make it a SOLID 4.5! If the new holes on the ski hill were made permanent, bringing in huge elevation, water, and open rippers, I'd rate a 5 without hesitation!

The mountain bike trails at SR are amazing as well. They are another reason I plan special trips to the park.

This is an incredibly beautiful course; uber scenic with great rock walls and such. The course is extremely well manicured and is never busy. It is also an extremely creative course and utilizes the land it is on very well. It has tons of different elevation shots that make a player think before he/she throws. Simply awesome, and love playing it when i can.

Standing Rocks unfortunately does not have cement tee-boxes...and due to the course's hilly nature, some of these tee-boxes have become worn and uneven from usage and run-off. It has lots of short holes, so if you're looking for the ultimate disc golf challenge course, this isn't the one.

All in all, i believe this is one of the best courses I've ever played. It has a $3.00 usage fee, but it is well worth it. Also, for $20.00, you can buy a summer pass, which is a great deal. new holes at standing rocks are actually in the works and for those who were disappointed with the course's length, will be pleasant to know that they are much longer than most of the holes and should add some extra fun to the mix. Also, this course is known to host some pretty sweet tournaments too. The Standing Rocks Open in the spring, and the even more fun, Chili Blowout, in the late fall. What could be better than disc golf and a chili cook off eh?

Excellent variety of challenges; will force a player to use shots they're uncomfortable with; very little tall grass/thick brush in areas a miss may fall; creative hole design; short walks between holes; beautiful rock formations created for the purpose of the course (see the pictures I added of some tees and baskets); dual tees; signs that show distance on most holes; baskets have orange highlight to make location easier; rubber tee pads (as opposed to nothing); gorgeous area; elevation is used well and can be significant (see the picture I added of the 8th basket); generally easy to find the next hole (follow the beaten path); each basket displays the hole number; no two holes are terribly similar

The ground under the rubber tee pads can be uneven; while you can start on the first tee if you park in a certain area, the main parking lot will start you on the 15th hole; difficult to discern which tee you're on and where the other tee is on some holes; some holes are missing signs; sometimes difficult to locate the basket, as the signs on the holes lack that level of detail (no obstacles are shown to give you perspective); some tees are missing rubber pads; even from the back tees, the course isn't terribly difficult - my guess would be a scratch player would score between 44-49; only one hole (14th) can be considered 'long' and it's not much over 400'; you have to pay, but I don't consider this when scoring a course

We had a lot of fun and some very relaxed rounds of disc golf at Standing Rocks. Each hole was enjoyable to play and we didn't have to deal with any frustration around poor design or finding our discs in heavy brush. The topography, the creativity of the hole design, the beauty of the area, and the effort put in to some of the holes leaves this course with the potential to reach the level of perfection - 5/5. This course is such a blast, but due to the cons listed below falls a bit short of being disc golf heaven. For those people fortunate enough to play this course, I recommend you also play Yulga, which is located near by and is also excellent.

The combination of the strengths of Standing Rocks and Yulga could create a course that would be at a 4.5/5. Standing Rocks has the excellent variety, exceptional creativity, and elevation that Yulga is lacking. Yulga has the consistent quality of tee pads, signage, and reasonable difficulty that Standing Rocks is missing. If you can make it to the area, you need to play both - your collective memories will be near perfection. The only real shortcomings that both courses share are the lack of long holes and holes that will truly take your breath away.

Standing Rocks is 2.5 hours away from me. We visited it as part of a disc golf road trip to Central Wisconsin. With several dozen options that are significantly closer, I plan to make future trips to play this course. Standing rocks is excellent - 4.0.

This Course is fantastic. Very tight technical wooded course with multiple teepads with multiple routes to the pin. On most holes you get a chance for a risky ace run or a safer deuce. After a bad shot it can be tough to find an easy route to the fairway let alone the basket.
It is obviously very well taken care of with concrete teepads, great landscaping, and very professional tee signs. The fee is reasonable ($3), it is pretty easy to find, and to navigate the holes. Even without huge vistas, it still looks great.

This course would be perfect if it was a little bit longer. From the long tees it only clocks in at 4700ft so the fun passes way too fast. There is only one hole that is over 300ft. On the bright side I guess it does let you get more for your money as playing twice is very do able and it is very beginner friendly from the shorts.

This is a fantastic course. Well worth the effort to get too. I just wish they could add a couple more holes to the ski runs on the back of the course like they do for the Standing Rocks Open. That would bring it up to a five big time