Glacier Point, AK

Glacier Point

Permanent course
55(based on 1 reviews)
Filter course reviews

Filter reviews

Filter reviews

Glacier Point reviews

Filter
53 3
Djza
Experience: 22 years 61 played 11 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Glacial Golfin 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Sep 18, 2008 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

One of the most exclusive courses in the world, due to its remoteness. Played by less than 15 people a year, probably. This can also make it tough to find your way around without someone who knows the course(there are no signs of any nature).

Devil's 9 plays through the thick rebounding growth spruce forest and devil's club, serene and beautiful. Ferns, mushrooms, all sorts of rainforest flora and fauna. It can be a bit damp and swampy in there, so wear your extra-tuffs. A few ace runs await, as well as one monster of a tough dogleg left.

Nootka 9 plays through the strawberry/nootka rose fields with jaw dropping views of the upper Lynn Canal and Davidson Glacier in the background. This nine is definitely more open and prone to less mosquitos. However, thorns from the rose bushes make some heavy duty pants a must. Holes one and two begin in the woods and provide the best ace opportunity as they are sheltered from the wind. Once out of the woods you can stretch out your arm, but errant shots can be tough to find in the roses, which grow to six feet plus in the peak of summer. The local glacier guides who live here do minimal cutting, as preserving the natural state of Glacier Point is important to them. Hole 6, "Riscos de los muertas" the Cliffs of Death plays out over the tide zone. Tides fluctuate by as much as 25 ft. here in six hours, so you could be playing over a large beach (60-100 ft. wide) or the ocean. I don't know how many other tidally affected holes there are out there, but I'd be curious.

Good arm, good control, good wind game all a must.

Cons:

Tough to access if you don't live on Glacier Point. (Kayak out from Haines on a nice day)
Bears on the course may be awesome, but also present a bit of a hazard. Many rounds on the Nootka nine have been cut short by strawberries distracting from the game. Humpback whales sited in the fjord can be a bit distracting as well.

It can be tough to find many things out here, if you aren't hooked into the local scene. For example: 1) a ride out to Glacier Point; 2) the layout of the course, no map, no signs; 3) your disc in the thick roses and other flowers; 4) your will to leave this majestic place and go anywhere else.

We did find all discs lost this year, and a few lost the previous year.

Other Thoughts:

I am definitely partial to this course, as it is out at my "summer home" while I work as a guide at the Davidson Glacier. When you have no roads or neighbors hardly, but you have 18 holes in a beautiful setting, it is hard not to play favorites.

Still it you are truly dedicated to playing this course, here are my top tips.
1)Bring your tide book to know when to play the "cliffs of death" hole out over the tide line. 2)Also wear thick sturdy clothes preferably with a hood to protect against mosquitos and thorns(devil's club and rose).
3)Waterproof footwear(extra tuffs)...remember this is the northern extent of the temperate rain forest.
4)A bottle of whiskey(to encourage your guides and show them some love from the outside).
Definitely worth playing if you can get a ride out and a guide to show you around. I may be available to help this summer (2009).
Was this review helpful? Yes No

Latest posts

Top