Pros:
-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)
Cons:
-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
Other Thoughts:
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.