-Best Signage anywhere (full map of hole, elevation change, marker for which location the basket is in, QR code links to video overview of hole, marks for where the next tee is)
-Good use of terrain and location, off by itself in a mostly disc golf only part of the park
-Multiple all concrete tees for many holes
-Multiple pin locations (At least 2 for each hole and as many as 4 for some)
-Rough not so punishing as to lose discs
-Good Map
-Benches and trash cans are plentiful
-Upkeep is good, on going, and mostly volunteer
-Winter layout upgrades to 30 holes (See notes at bottom)

-Couple of areas need work on steps that have been washed out (down #11 and #12)
-Beast of a course to hike up and down for the Am/Rec player
-Light on facilities

TL: DR - Amazing course, go play it!

On many top ten lists for many reasons, Wildcat Bluff plays in the western part of the Wildcat Bluff Recreation area located just a few miles south of Urbana, IA.

The mechanics are top notch. Concrete tees are in place for every hole with 13 of 21 having alternate tees, all in concrete as well. Most tee boxes have benches, brooms, and trash cans. The signage is superb including amazing, detailed descriptions and even a QR code that leads to a flyover video of the hole. (Cell service IS a little spotty in area, so be aware.) Just under each sign hangs a letter designating the pin position for each hole. The bright orange Mach X baskets are relatively easy to see and catch well. Every hole has at least 2 pin positions (rotated regularly) and some have as many as 4.

The space lends to good challenges and wonderful views. The course opens in a small field but winds the rest of the track though a moderately wooded area with lots of elevation. Fairways are decent in size with lots of trees to challenge your shot. The signature hole is #11. A set of stairs (aptly signed as the "Stairway to 11") top out at the red tees with a look over a long shot down and up a valley. You can take a right and go up further for the shot from the blue tees. Even in this valley, water doesn't often come into play. There is a small stream to shoot over on the blue #1 tee that is also behind the #12 basket, but that is it for water hazards. What was the other signature hole here, unfortunately, lost a bit. #20 had an arching fallen tree crossing over the fairway. It succumbed in 2023, to much sadness. However, it would be a signature hole on many other courses as it stands now. Your track finishes up in a literal grid of trees with a couple of nice carvings of mushrooms at the back.

The course is a challenge, yet approachable. The Red tees run a little over 6500' with approximately 18 floors of climb. It will wear out the rec player. Blue tees run that to over 7600' and 24 floors. This course takes time and patience. As a rec player, I'm lucky to average a bogey per hole, even on the red tees. With the ever rotating pin positions and varied tee boxes, it's a little different every time you throw here.

Facilities are a bit lacking here. One set of toilets near the tee box for #21 is all that there is. The parking lot can seem really small on a busy day (and it does get busy here). There are couple sets of stairs that need some work (although I'm sure the Wildcat crew has them in their sights). The steps down from #11 red tees need some work and could use a few more to get to the bottom. The #12 steps are getting washed out. Small dings in an otherwise amazing course.

What keeps this as my top course ever played is the fact that I want to go back, again and again. It's a big deal to get here. My work takes me in the area a few times a year and I always hope to have the time to play it before the sun goes down. It's a tough course, and I'm an old, fat man with questionable knees. Let's go play this. Then next time we're in the area, let's go play again.

30 Hole Winter Layout
During the time that the campground area is closed, Wildcat bumps this up to a 30-hole track. 5 holes are added in the campground. 3 of the longest holes put pins in both the shortest and longest pin position and add a tee in the middle (#7, #17 and #20) and the practice basket becomes a hole after #12. All of these use a rubber mat for a tee box. The Wildcat folks leave updated scorecards with the map for this run near the locked gate at which you park at. The 5 in the campground and the one after #12 are mostly open shots, but still add to the joy of playing Wildcat and pushing it out to an almost 9000' layout. If you get the weather and the time, go out and get this one in, too.

Perfectly laid out with new baskets, easy to navigate and hard to throw, varied shots, varied elevations.. I love it. Easily a 4.5 but I wouldn't argue with someone giving it 5. You wind back to the parking lot a little over half way through as well which is nice if you need to re-up on sunscreen, mosquito spray or beverages. Very good wooden maps of each hole with garbages throughout the course. Wildcat Bluff has it all for every player and even beginners would enjoy this course for its beauty and enjoyment.

I feel I'm kind of reaching here for a con, but if I had to give one I'd say many holes here would be a signature hole on most courses, it does seem to lack its own signature hole.

This is one of the best courses in the country. I have played 8 of the current top 25 and this course should be up there. It was a great time and I can't wait to play it again.

This amazing course is set up deep in the park in a disc golf exclusive area. The property here is gorgeous to say the least. It is completely away from everything non disc golf and is like you're in the remote wilderness of Alaska it seems at times. The tee pads are fantastic. They are made of bricks/blocks but are all very nice sized, level and were very grippy. Six holes I believe have dual tees. We played all the long tees which are labeled as the hole number B. The others are just the hole number. The baskets here are, again, top notch. They're beautiful, bright, almost blaze orange colored powder coated Mach X's that all catch great and are amazingly easy to spot in the woods which is almost the best part of them. The flow of the course is well thought out and pretty darn easy to follow. The first and thirteenth hole both start and end by the parking lot. This is always nice to have for longer, more challenging courses like this. Actually for any course this is nice. The course is free to play (what?) with restrooms right by the parking lot. The tee signs aren't the most spectacular things I've ever seen but more than serve their purpose. They all have the hole number in bold (and a B next to the number designating the longs), Par, and distances to the anywhere from 2 to 4 pin locations. They also have every pin position currently in play marked with a color coded circle on the post below each sign, which is extremely helpful with so many pin positions possible. All were accurate too. Last there is a basic route tree of possible pin positions on each sign. the course was well maintained, well immaculately maintained and one of the cleanest I've seen to date. There are quite a few benches and steps throughout to help with the overall aesthetic of everything.

There are not too many cons I can think of at the moment. There's the typical ones. The bugs can be bad at times, The rough is rough in spots, blah, blah, blah.... When and if you play here you should expect all these usual cons. That's what you get playing rugged wild disc golf. I guess if I had to nitpick a little I'd say the signs aren't the best I've seen but this is really a stretch to say the least. A more thorough hole map would be kind of nice on a few I guess. A few. And I guess. The parking area isn't the largest? Is that a con? No. It is not. So I guess that's all I got.

I can't speak on if this is the best course in Iowa because this was my first trip there. But this course compares favorably with some other courses I have played. Rollin Ridge, Blue Ribbon, Highbridge complex, Lincoln Ridge, Zobel, Idlewild, Visionquest etc. Not to name drop but I've played some of the top rated courses on this site and this one stacks up head to head with all that I've played. If you're anywhere remotely close to here I'd recommend it for above average players. As for my rating, I gave it a 4 and a half. This is as high as I personally rate a course because I haven't played all the courses out there, therefore I can't honestly give out a 5, which is the best of the best. I've been consistent in my ratings with this. This should not deter you from playing by any means. I can't wait to get down to cedar rapids as this will be on my list again for sure. Must play.

-More than 18 holes
-Beautiful, really well thought out
-VERY challenging
-Easy to navigate
-Can camp just a few feet away from the course and camp ground has water access for boats/kayaks

-VERY challenging
-No water challenge hole, through there are a few small creeks that run through the course when it's not too dry
-Can get busy on weekends

I'm new to the sport but I love this course and I try to challenge myself to it every weekend (I live only a mile north). It's not east and I fail more than I succeed, but it's such a beautiful, well design course that I always chalk it up to experience and a good hike. A lot of experienced players love this course and I see them there every time I go. Not too bad to find, take the southern Urbana exit off I-380, drive into Urbana, turn south onto Union Dr. and keep going south until you see the sign for Wild Bluff Recreational Facility on your right. It's the first road (gravel ) before you cross the river. Have fun!

great land ,with a awsome design , epic downhill fairway with staircase . hole 17 is one that stands out in my mind too

hard place to find ,down some backroads

onlything missing here was a water hole really pretty place

Challenging
Fun
Additional Holes
Additional pads to throw from
Nature

Muddy
Wet (Depending upon last rain)

This year I'm making it an objective to play some different courses and this is the second new course that I've discovered and I'm glad I did. It's the most fun and challenging course I've ever played. Granted, I've played a handful of courses, but it has the credentials of being one of the best I'll ever play.

I ended up playing 4 rounds of 21 and I still feel like I haven't had enough if that says anything.

Personal Best (out of 18 and all par 3):
0 2 1 2 0 1 0 1 1 0 3 2 2 2 1 0 2 0 (+20)

Definitely a must practice course. If you want to have a tough practice, I would recommend this if you want to improve your game.

Tees are in real good state of repair, benches and signs are really good also.
Great opportunities for a variety of shots (forehand, backhand, rollers, tomahawks). Definitely a course that demands a player think and execute well. Didn't encounter a single hole that didn't reflect good thought (none are boring, simple, straightforward bomb it, putt it kind of holes). You will get a good walking workout and a challenging round.

Parking is a bit limited, but no big deal. Best bet when really busy is to park in the RV area and make the short walk in (which is really only about 100 feet - probably not a problem if you are playing disc golf, right?).

Sure, some drives are very tight and that's expected when playing a tough course.
There are some very cool stump carvings around the course (some appear to still be in progress). Coolest one (to me) is a gigantic morel mushroom.

Definitely a challenging one but, all around great course.

- mostly wooded with a couple open holes
- lots of elevation changes
- lots of unique hole layouts
- multiple pin locations for every hole
- a couple alternate tee options
- well maintained & respected (tee areas, fairways, everything)
- nice tee pads & baskets
- well marked for easy navigation
- scenic
- located in a campground (a couple tent sites available off hole 1 fairway which is neat)

Pretty much the perfect Iowa disc golf experience.

Only minor thing is that the parking can get a bit congested at times

scorecards with map are awesome

I started playing disc golf in NC so I didn't know that I was playing top notch courses until I moved back to Iowa. I wasn't expecting this course to be as good as it was.

- Very Clean
- Good Signage was never lost
- Challenging
- Great use of elevation
- I really liked the bright orange baskets

- I was not able to finish the course due to time constraints.
- It is so far away from me.

Definitely going to make my way out here to play again!

-solid pads (brick it would be super hard to get cement up into the course)
-really well taken care of you can tell that this course gets lots of TLC
-trash cans and benches at every tee pad
-has many pin placements and many holes have pro tees that are really well thought out and make for some really cool shots. so many different ways to play the course.
-built right next to a campsite
-the first hole is really the only easy hole on the course and makes for a good warmup hole
-holes 2-9 a-c all play up and down some good sized hills and make good use of the elevation.
these holes are mostly tight wooded holes that punish you if you do not hit your line.
-hole 8 is awesome shooting across a small valley with several trees on the far side to make it a challenge
-hole 9 is a cool hook to the right that shoots down a hill, back to the start of the course
- 10-18 are a little more open but still lots of woods and have some good tight distance shots
- several good chances for an ace with out making those holes too easy
-17 is awesome. a bomber that is slightly downhill with a hook to the right and has a fallen tree that arcs across the fairway that you have to go over or under.

not many cons really
-bring lots of water with you there are not many places nearby to get water
-some trees that look like they could drop over the fairways(i was talking to the crew there and were talking about cleaning them out)
-the rough is really thick really easy to lose a disc of you shoot off the fairway

-well worth a trip out there one of the best courses i have played
i talked to 2 of the guys who built the course and its clear why this is such a nice course and they just kept talking about ways to make the course better. apparently they change the pin locations constantly and really keep the course nice and clean i don't think i saw a single beer can

- Epic elevation, tightly-wooded fairways requiring accuracy and precision, several dual-tee setups that significantly change the look of the hole, longer holes requiring the use of designated landing zones, multiple pin positions that significantly alter most holes, and an breathtakingly beautiful natural setting make Wildcat Bluff nothing less than a "must play" destination course.
- Elevation. Epic. Too many holes with outstanding use of massive elevation to list them all. Standouts are the massive downhill valley shot on #8 and the shorter but tighter #8B, #2's challenging uphill wooded fairway, and #17's epic gradual downhill hallway of ancient trees.
- Wooded technicality. Bring your "A" game when it comes to hitting the fairway, or risk a long brutal day of hacking through the significantly thick woods. Nothing is unfairly thick or difficult to get through, but the punishment is severe enough to make recovery shots a dicey proposition, at best.
- Balance and variety. Basically, this course successfully explores the heavily wooded, very hilly aspect of course design, with brilliant results.
- Top notch upkeep and amenities. Obviously, a *ton* of work has gone into this course, and it shows throughout. Stairs, bridges, pathways, and signage where needed. Intuitive and easy to follow design makes the round flow seamlessly, while offering up an interesting and challenging array of terrain and shot archetypes that will challenge all levels of golfers.

- Supposedly there is hunting allowed on property during hunting season. I do not know how much this actually affects play, or if one should really wear blaze orange in order to disc safely; however, I do know any time there is the remotest possibility of me being shot, I tend to think of that as a bit of a con. :I :I :I
- A few of the shorter holes seem a bit commonplace, but remain solid golf holes. They probably stick out a bit compared with the utter awesomesauce comprising the vast majority of Wildcat Bluff.

- Gorgeous terrain. Peaceful, secluded, and a great hike. Definitely not your average walk in the park, and among the most beautiful courses I've played.
- Wildcat Bluff offers several unique holes of titanic proportion that will certainly stick with you long long after you've played the course.

1) Nice signs with Hole # Distance and a general map of the hole.
2) Benches in spots to sit down from time to time. On a course with massive elevation change it is definitely appreciated. I imagine it would also be nice if the course was full of people and the play was slow.
3) The tees are made out of pavers which is better than dirt or grass . . . but look at the negatives too. Still better than dirt.
4) Plenty of garbage cans around the course to drop your garbage or help clean up the course from those who litter.
5) Orange painted baskets are somewhat helpful to see in the woods although I would imagine they are tough to spot in fall with all of the mature trees turning colors. They seemed to catch just fine and seemed very close to Chainstars.
6) Very mature hardwood forest. Some of the best property for disc golf if you ask me. I wish we had more of it in WI.
7) Elevation is incredible here. It makes some of the shot very challenging and also very dramatic to throw. Couple the drop-offs with the mature hardwood forest and you have a sure success.
8) Distance variation is awesome with holes in the 200's, 300's, 400's and even 500's. It is a long course but the variation makes you know how to throw all sorts of shots . . . including throwing from a standstill!
9) The stairways seem to be pretty well built. I would not say they are perfect in terms of safety but they are fairly safe to use. This is something I am really focusing on because properly built stairs will last a long time, while poorly built stairs will deteriorate and become dangerous and unusable over time. The teebox complexes and stairs here seem to be done appropriately and would thus be more sustainable than most other construction we see on disc golf courses.
10) They have used an abundance of railroad ties on this course. There are attractive and also very solid material that will not deteriorate rapidly like some other wood will. +1 for sustainability.
11) Challenging course to say the least. I love being challenged as long as holes are fair. I would much rather play a challenging and fair course than a boring wide open course or an unfair course with impossible to hit lines and terrible unkept rough.

1) Hunting is permitted from September 15th through May 15th so I would avoid this course during that timeframe or wear blaze orange and maybe carry a radio with you . . . as I am sure no wildlife carries along an Ipod with speakers! This isn't necessarily a negative but it would be if I got shot.
2) Some of the rough on this course is a little too rough. There are areas of decent rough that isn't as punishing, but there are also patches that are really terrible.
3) In more than a few spots I noticed dangerous snags (broken limbs in trees waiting to come down in a wind storm). That is something that is always a risk on mature courses like this, but it sure would be nice to never have a course shutdown because someone was injured or killed from one of the falling limbs. I suppose there is a certain liability on any course that goes with whatever park district or municipality is responsible for the course, but I still wish the trees could be taken care of by professionals.
4) While the paver tees are better than dirt of grass . . . they do leave a bit to be desired. Many times I found one or two bricks on a tee that were not level. They were definitely able to trip you on your run-up if you misstep slightly. Pavers take a lot of work to install properly for sustainability . . . trust me I did my entire patio and sidewalk and did my father in laws driveway, and sidewalks. It is a lot of work and the process has to be perfect or shifting or settling will occur.
5) This course is far from beginner friendly, which is something I like to see on all courses. Sure there are some alternate tees but not easy enough tees to make it playable by anyone new to the game. In my opinion, the best course in the world will give a beginner a taste of what the sport is all about while keeping them from being frustrated.

I have never played a course that recommended I wear blaze orange from September 15th through May 15th . . . that is because it is on a wildlife preserve of some sort so hunting is also allowed. I imagine I would be pretty scared to play during those months for fear my graceful walk through the woods makes me look like a deer.

-The course is very easy to follow with a map and scorecards at the beginning. All basket locations are marked on the sign with an appropriate colored ring below the sign on the post.
-If you like a challenge the fairways are somewhat narrow, with most having a clear route to the hole. There is a variety of left, right and straight shots.
-Basket locations are varied between red, blue and yellow....And the baskets were painted bright orange which helps with spotting the basket.
-If you veer off of the fairway you are punished. Almost every time I went off the fairway I had no clear line to the hole. I was forced to pray I could get through...which I didn't most of the time, or lay up to the fairway. I don't think I pared a single hole I went off the fairway and a few times I ended up with a double or worse.
-Benches are by the tee pads

-Didn't like a couple of the tee pads, the brick didn't seem to be a problem, but on a couple I felt like the gaps between each brick made me a little uneasy about footing.
-Could remove some weeds off of the fairway. The ample amount of trees in the way is enough of a challenge, don't need to make it a challenge to find my disc.
-This is picky, but I wish they would change the numbers on the signs.....5, 6, A, B, C, 7, 8.....just make all of them numbers and end with 21 not 18.

This is definitely one of the best courses I've ever played. With the different basket locations it could be a completely different course. It isn't the most physically demanding course I've played on, but has a few hills that will make you work. It is probably the most skill demanding course I've played on. Long shots mean nothing if you can't control it. The course is out of the way but worth the drive. Most people are probably not used to driving on a gravel road to get to a course.

The course is set in a hilly wooded park, the disc golf course didn't seem to share space with any other park activities. Elevation comes into play on many of the holes, with a few tough uphills and a few really fun downhill shots. 17 is a fantastic shot, with a long right turn down the hill through a wooded tunnel that's big enough to rip a drive but tight enough to punish mistakes. Throughout the course you can get in real trouble off the fairway but the rough isn't so thick that you won't have the chance to make a recovery shot.

There is a ton of variety on this course, I threw every disc in my bag and there are some really interesting and different lines to hit. The pin setup I played felt nicely balanced with left and right turning holes, as far as I could tell the other pin placements wouldn't change that. There is a good amount of distance variety as well, with a handful of ace run holes all the way up to some multi-shot holes that play long and wooded and make you execute a couple good shots to get to the pin.

The alternate pin placements change things up quite a bit. I played a mixed setup, it looked like the shorts would make the course easier without losing too much of the fun factor, and all longs would be a tough challenge for anyone. 5 holes have alternate tee pads as well, adding even more chance to mix things up, there's a really high replayability factor here. The tees are good, and most have nice benches. The signage is great, no navigation issues and the pin positions were marked so scouting wasn't necessary on the many blind holes.

A few holes felt a little less epic, I hesitate to call them filler holes but they didn't quite stand up to the rest of the course. The letter holes are three short holes in a row that felt a bit similar. Other than that there aren't a whole lot of cons here. There is still quite a bit of downed wood from storms, but the locals are obviously working hard to clean that up so I didn't take that into account in my rating.

I had a blast here, and would definitely recommend stopping if you're in the area. Beginners might find it a bit much even in the shorts, it's tight and long and there's not a whole lot of room for error. More experienced players will find great challenges here, a complete game including accuracy and distance on a variety of lines is necessary to score well. There's a nice little camping area right near tee 18, making this a nice spot to spend a weekend.

- Course is set within a large, large county park that has tons of activities. Luckily, pretty much nothing interferes with the disc golfing. The only conflict might be parking, but that's about it.
- Almost every hole is located within a large forest, and each has a well defined line or lines that have to be hit. A very wide variety, especially with dual tee pads on some holes, and multiple pin positions on every hole. The pads do a good job of spicing things up, but the different basket positions make a world of difference. A few add 150' or more to the hole, as well as forcing some pinpoint shot placement and tough approaches. Everything from big RHBH annys (#7 - 400' 90 degree turn downhill), to sharp hyzers (#10 - 406' hole with a tough kink off the tee, uphill), to RHBH flex shots to RHFH flex shots, or multiples on the same hole.
- Lots of potential par 4's here; #6 is a snaking, carved 485' hole with a tight finish, #10 is 406' with the hyzer to start, #11 is 479' that likes a RHBH flex off the tee, to a hyzer approach, #14 is another long (564') shot that is tight the whole way. Distance and accuracy are both absolutely, without a doubt, critical to scoring well on these holes.
- Constant changes in elevation to be found here as well. Uphills aren't too bad, there are some shorter ones in the beginning (#2 and #3), a little bit on #10, and a decent hill on #12. Many holes have bumps in the fairways, as well as valleys. The downhill shots are the highlight here. #8 from the top pad is a HUGE, tight downhill shot at 450'-500' that plays somewhere closer to 300'. A RHFH flex shot made it down there for me, but it took a while to get there!!! #17 is another good one, a much longer, gradual downslope that allows for longer, smoother shots.
- Good variety in hole length here. There are a good amount of short ones to start off with, but they do not last. Definitely depends on the basket positions, of course, but a lot of the holes are long no matter what position the pin is in. And, some are short no matter what position the pin is in. Either way there will be some shorties, like #A-#C, and some monsters, like #14 and #17.
- Fairways here are very fair, for the most part. The lines are well defined and the luck factor is kept to a minimum with few random trees to punish an otherwise good shot. Instead, the bad shots are punished by being sent into dense forest and/or valleys with lots of brush and jail. Missing a line will surely cost a stroke, at a minimum. Many baskets are protected as well, either with slopes (a few), or trees (a lot more). The big tree that's down in front of #12 long really adds some challenge!! Not sure if that's a permanent addition.
- Tee signs are simple but effective, and have a colored marker stating the pin position, which is a HUGE plus with the longer, blind shots. Excellent teepads, benches at every hole, lots of garbage cans, baskets with patterened orange paint, everything is tip-top. Two loops (front 12 and back 9).

- Hole #13's teepad is definitely in play if #12 is in the long position. You can see them, and they can see you, so keep an eye out.
- The scenery doesn't change that much in the course; you are in the woods from start to finish. I am reaching with that one. Some very scenic views from the top of a hill, but there is only one shot that takes good use of it (#8). Probably no choice when designing it.

- Tough to come up with cons for this course. It starts off a little bland, and has a few dinky holes mixed in, but that is more than balanced with some of the beasts out there. The pin positions have a profound effect on the difficulty of the course, from challenging to professional-caliber. I played with 19 of the pins in the short position, and was almost glad for it.... almost. I am giving this course the 4.5, after much thought, as it is always going to be fun, challenging, or both, no matter what the layout is. Just gets in there with the short layout...
- I would say beginners might want to practice a bit before coming here, just to avoid being frustrated with some of the tighter lines and thick rough/jail off the fairway. Everyone else, bring those drivers.

When you arrive, you feel as though you are going to enjoy it right off the bat. It is a very well kept place and you can tell that people really respect the park. Whom ever built the course or maintains the course really has put a lot of time and effort into it. Never once did me or my girlfriend feel unsafe. (Walking across logs, down steep hills. Very nice path and steps going down and up hills.)

I really enjoy how there are multiple pin placements for each hole. Although I have played this course 4 or 5 times and they always seem to be on the very far pin location on each hole (My guess is for a tournament) but makes this course extra hard.

River views on the front nine are awesome.

Hunters allowed on course until May 16th. I'm not trying to get shot playing disc golf by some stupid person with a gun.

The back 9 is a little long. Lots of shrubs that make losing your disc very easy, which can throw off your game if you spend too much time looking. On that note some holes should be considered par 4.

The tee pads have gotten much better from when I first played this course last year. They have made a lot of them wider and even longer but some are still short or awkward when teeing off.

Poison Ivy in the summer. Wear pants

This is a beautiful course and anyone who is considering playing this course should do so. If you play bad, well it ends up being a very nice hike in the woods.

21 holes is perfect! Gets me that little extra disc golf fix I need.

Amenities. Bathrooms, hiking trails, hunting.

Camping. Onsite camping only a few feet from hole 1! Can't complain. $8-12.

Well Maintained. The local crew puts a lot of work into this course and it shows, everything is in top notch shape, fairways are clear, no trash to speak of.

Winter Maintenance. A shovel and broom could be found at hole 18 tee pad, tee pads were clear of snow and debris.

Technical Variety. After an open hole 1, every hole is a tight technical shot, a great place for an advanced player to work on accuracy. If big arm open holes is your thing, avoid this course. If you enjoy tight, technical, placement shots, do not miss this one.

Birdies are achievable but feel extremely rewarding, triple and quadruple bogeys might sneak up on you with one bad shot.

Scenery. Beautiful about sums it up. The front 9 plays along a ridge with a large variety of scenic holes, the biggest jaw dropper being hole 8. A huge downhill (across a valley) shot, especially from the long tee, it's hard to find a comparable hole. Bring your camera.

Local Scene. Tournaments, leagues, and active locals.

Elevation. Huge drops, fast greens and punishing rollaways add a significant challenge.

Signage. Every hole has a sign showing hole # and distance with a colored washer marking the pin placement.

Navigation. Relatively simple to follow, in any place where it might be confusing there is a sign directing the way.

Baskets. All are in good shape. Multiple pin placements on all holes. No practice basket available.

Punishing/Frustrating. The fairways are not very forgiving, unless you have perfect placement and can hit your lines every single time, this course will be punishing, a shot off by a couple inches can catch a branch and get sent hundreds of feet down a hill requiring several shots to get back on track.

Not beginner friendly. For the reasons stated above a beginner could get very frustrated here (I brought a rec level player and he nearly swore off the game forever because of this course, not to mention that my round was slightly less enjoyable because he spent the entire time complaining).

Definitely worth the stop if traveling past, would be a great destination course with 21 holes on site and camping available it is a perfect place to spend a short weekend.

where do i even begin with this course...as soon as we pulled into the parking lot, i knew i was somewhere special. you can just feel it about the air...you are in a sanctuary built to the sport of disc golf. the course is absolutley pristine: the teepads are made from creative brick patterns, the signs are hand carved and in perfect shape, the baskets are perfect and always kept in great shape. so many things to say about this course...

- first of all, you can tell that every disc golfer who plays this course has incredible respect for it. there is NO vandalism, nearly no trash (not even cigarette butts) or litter at all (I've only seen a beer can once!). each teepad has a bench and a garbage can. this is the cleanest disc golf course i've ever been to.

- the guys that built and maintain this course know what they are doing: we're talking about a group of guys that love disc golf more than life itself. they are always mowing, weed-whacking, trimming, and keeping the course groomed to championship caliber season-round. this isn't only the cleanest course i've ever been to, but the most inspired. the way the course is carved into the bluff is brilliant.

- this is a very special, technical disc golf experience that will test even the most advanced of players. with multiple tee pads on the front 9 and frequently changing basket locations, you can tell the guys who manage it are frequent discers themselves who have the time and manpower to make this course one of the best in iowa. the course is easy to navigate, a map is available for viewing at the first hole.

- when basket locations change, so does the marker on the sign, so you'll always know exactly where you are going

- be prepared to have your breath taken away when you get to the pro pad for hole 8

- forces you to hit big, tricky lines and stay on the fairway. everything off of the fairway is almost nothing but skinny trees that are nearly impossible to throw through

- one way to describe this course would be "humbling". if you think you've got game, this is the course to come to and test your moxie. long, booming holes with well thought-out lines.

- a great community within the course. the guys there are constantly returning lost plastic (even when unmarked) they find in the park when doing cleanup duty and playing their regular rounds

- course is never crowded, tucked a few miles off the interstate. take as much time as you need with your shots.

- there is nothing wrong with this course at all. i cannot think of a single plausible con. if i'm going to get extremely picky, i suppose i could say that the mosquitoes get very thick on humid days in the summer. THAT. IS. IT. this is an incredible disc golf experience

- this wasn't a problem for me, but it seems to be for other players. some of the teepads feel a little snug, but they were still manageable. it appeared too that a lot of them had been expanded to be longer and accommodate a longer run-up

to me, and to many iowa disc golfers, THIS course is the mecca of wooded courses. writing this makes me want to make the drive up north to shoot it again. if you are in the area, you HAVE to play this course. i cannot overstate what a beautiful place this is thanks to all the hard work the crew puts into the place on a regular basis. this is THE championship disc golf experience.

- First off its absolutely beautiful. Tucked away in a nature area about a mile from town, great wooded course with a lot of full grown trees, streams, and wild life. The Wildcat Crew devote a lot of time to this course and it really shows. There is never any trash or fallen limbs on the course for more than a day before its taken care of. You also never get caught behind other groups and have to wait.

-21 holes that were well thought out. Minimal walking in between holes, and its incredibly easy to navigate even if its your first time playing. Tons of different angles and lines for a wide variety of shots on every hole. Most holes have 1 or 2 alternate pin placements and alternate tees, so the course changes up a lot. Awesome use of the elevation and terrain, Hole 8 is one of the coolest disc golf holes I've ever played. 400-500ft holes in woods isn't easy to accomplish and there are multiple ones here. I cant imagine the amount of work they put in to accomplish this.

- A lot more difficult than surrounding courses. I go to UNI in the Cedar Valley and I head straight to Wildcat whenever I get tired of the easier courses there. You will need to bring every shot in the bag for this course. I never throw overhand or sidearm but they are well tested to get out of trouble at WC. The challenge of the course is very fun, and I find myself throwing a number of drives off the tee until I hit that line just right.

-Benches are at almost every hole, including some unique makeshift stumps, fallen trees, and logs. There are also trash cans scattered around the course, so you don't have to haul your empties with you the whole time.

-Although a really bad shot on a number of holes and leave you looking for a while, rest assured the Wildcat Crew WILL find it and return it to you or post of its finding on Iowadg.com forums if its without a name.

In my eyes there are only two cons to this course, both being pretty minor.

-Although the teepads look aesthetically appealing, they aren't very practical. Some of them work well and have no problems. While playing in the dubs tournament there last weekend some of the cement tiles the pads are made of were loose and shifted with my weight as I would tee off. Some of them are a little on the short side, but I was told by the Wildcat crew that they were planning on extending them.

- Too far away from Cedar Falls that I cant play it everyday! =P. So in all fairness, the only flaw in my eyes would be the teepads.

Overall it is well worth the drive to play Wildcat Bluff. The tournaments there are awesome, I played in the doubles and will be playing again next year for sure. Among the large number of Iowa courses I've played this definitely ranks in my top 3. Its my understanding that this course was made in memory of the Wildcat Crews friend that passed away, I'm sure I speak for a large majority of players that have played your course by saying he would be proud of the work you guys have put in. Keep up the good work, I'll be playing it for years to come!

Where to start right? First off the course layout and design are amazing. The baskets are colored with blaze orange so they stick out. Multiple basket locations. Some holes have A and B tees as well. I believe it was maybe three or four of them. Benches at almost every tee. Which is nice because hiking up the hills gets a little tiring. Hole signs are perfect for the most part. Lots of elevation changes. The steeper hills have steps built into them. Garbage cans throughout the course. A sense of isolation when you play.

The only con I can really think of are the tee pads. Some are just too short. It is kind of out of the way but the directions to it are spot on. If you are coming from Urbana you turn right before the river.

This is one of the most well cared for courses I have played at. The people who built and designed it did an amazing job and you can tell they have a lot of pride in their course. It is also one of the most unforgiving courses I have played. Keep your drives in the fairway for sure. We will be making this course a regular stop on our way to play the cedar rapids courses. Looking forward to many more rounds here.