Clearwater, MN

Sportsmans Hill - Old Layout

3.335(based on 15 reviews)
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1 3
jfraney43
Experience: 7.9 years 25 played 3 reviews
4.00 star(s)

dope 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 28, 2019 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Awesome tees, fairways, and baskets

Cons:

None

Other Thoughts:

Really fun combination of finesse and distance to test your game. Good signage and clean overall
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1 2
BirdieMachine
Experience: 33 years 58 played 9 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Top 5 in MN 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 11, 2017 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Great concrete tee pads. Phenomenal layout and design. I like this course better then anything else in the St Could area.

Cons:

Some thorns and poison ivy make searching for discs tough. Could maybe use a few longer holes.

Other Thoughts:

I really love this course and was astonished how low it is rated on here. A lot of older reviews maybe don't account for the new tee pads and how well the course has broken in maybe.
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3 1
wolfhaley
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 19.9 years 970 played 542 reviews
3.50 star(s)

2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 30, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

The course is set in a disc golf exclusive section of the park. You won't be running into any other activities with the exception of the softball field to the right of hole 1 which would require a bad drive/tree kick to be in play. This is always a plus. The baskets are mach II's that were all in real good shape and caught fine. There is also 4, I believe elevated baskets which makes putting a lot more challenging. The bottom of the cage is about 6 feet up on these. There are 2 sets of nice level and grippy concrete tees at every, I believe, or at least almost every hole. These were perfect here. The shot variety is well rounded. There are right, left and straight shots throughout. There is a pretty good amount of elevation change as well. That with the fact that it's all pretty wooded makes for a very technical round. Accuracy is rewarded. You will be punished for errant shots. I took a triple bogey off a bad tree kick drive because I could not get out of the rough. The course was very clean and the park was very well maintained too. The tee signs are very well done here on the long tees. They have a hole layout diagram, hole #, par, next tee arrow, distances from each tee and an elevation indicator. Very well done with these. The course is up all year and free to play which is always nice. As mentioned earlier, hole 17 is probably the signature hole with a huge dogleg right. It requires a well placed shot uphill to the landing zone and then another very accurate downhill shot to the pin. Very challenging hole unless you're Simon Lizotte and can throw over everything and crash down on the pin. Most of us are not Simon though. There are a number of benches and trash cans around the course which helps to keep it as clean as it is.

Cons:

The rough here is pretty brutal in most spots. There are a lot of thorns off the fairway. If you stay on the fairway you're fine but good luck with that over 18 holes. The potential to lose a disc isn't too great but you could end up searching for a while. The elevated baskets are nice and all, but to have 4 or 5 on an 18 hole course is a bit excessive. Navigation is a little wonky in a couple spots. Most areas by the baskets seem to have at least 2 trails leading away. If you bring up the map on your phone it's not a big deal but we had to do that 4 or 5 times I feel. A couple next tee arrows would be helpful. I know they have them on the sign but you often forget to look or forget if you get to searching off the fairway.

Other Thoughts:

This is an all around well designed, technical and challenging course for new to intermediate players. We played this along with Hidden Lake in a day and it made for an excellent day of golf. And with all the other solid courses nearby this is a great destination area for a weekend of disc golf. Even if you're just passing through on I-94 this is only a couple minutes off the freeway and is definitely worth a round. Course wouldn't seem to ever be overly busy either so you can get a round in in under an hour (if you stay on the fairway).
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5 1
Spike Hyzer 23
Experience: 30.7 years 92 played 87 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Nice Little Track 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 5, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

The course is easy to find and very well laid out. You never have to backtrack or cross other fairways to get to the next tee.

The signage is excellent, even if I was initially baffled that each contained indications of elevation (the first nine are practically flat though are highly technical, yet fair and with a good mix of distances and with none of the impossible fairways so commons to courses in MN).

The back nine is where the fun really begins, with terrific elevation changes and tricky side slopes. The mix of right to left is great, and the holes are nearly as technical and wooded as the front nine.

Particular favorites were a 13th that might seem easy for a righty but was very gratifying to deuce as a lefty. The 14th was similar in that regard, and the 17th--particularly from the pro tee--is the signature hole, one of the best designed I've ever seen.

There are about 5 baskets that are double the normal height, which makes a great challenge on some of the easier holes, and is especially tricky on #12, where there is a densely wooded hill that slopes down 30 feet (and you'll go down there if you go a mere 5 feet long on your putt).

Cons:

The first con for me is that I didn't play the pro tees. It's almost--not quite, and I'd give those a 4.0 rating--a championship caliber course from that distance.

The only other issue is that the distances are indicated only on those pro tees and because it hadn't been shoveled, it was sometimes unclear if the secondary sign was exactly where the am tee was really located. There was one hole on which you were forced to backtrack because of this.

Other Thoughts:

The directions are out of date. It's actually 2 miles from the freeway exit and closer to 1.5 miles from the turn onto highway 75. It's no longer a KOA, but a Good Neighbor Sam campground and following the signs that say country park will get you there.
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6 0
David Mellies
Experience: 26.6 years 112 played 6 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Best Friend/Worst Enemy 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 14, 2014 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

This is one of the best free courses in MN. There is a pavilion with clean bathrooms at hole one and a port-o-potty after #14. Due to garbage cans at almost every hole it is very clean. They have made countless improvements to Sportsmans Hill over the recent years. All holes are clearly marked with concrete am and pro tee pads at every hole w/ accurate yardage signs. Very challenging to throw through heavily wooded terrain. You really have to hit your spots. Moderate elevation changes on a few holes makes for a fairly dynamic course layout. Most holes also have alternate pin locations. Due to lack of traffic this is a pretty fast play with little waiting. Only a few holes have grass, otherwise the dirt offers an opportunity to keep your disc down and bank on nice skips (2 of my 3 aces out here skipped in). They recently added elevated pins on #8 and #12 (which has a steep hill behind the #12 basket to add high risk/reward). The signature #17 hole is shaped like a U up a hill then back down, and requires 2 perfect shots to have any chance at par. Clearwater is extremely fun but potentially hazardous to your self confidence :)

Cons:

A softball field located to right side of fairway #1 can be a drag. I hate jumping that fence. There are enough trees to dodge out here and I'm not sure if the 2 mandos are really needed. If you like to air out bomb drives this course will not satisfy. A few long holes are in play but trees still can spoil a great shot. No water hazard. There is some poison ivy so even more incentive to control your disc. They have cleaned up a lot of the brush here but if you get a bad kick of a tree it can take a while to find a disc in the woods. The layout is good but there is some land behind the course after hole #12 that could improve the layout with more elevation throws. If they did this and made Sportsmans hill a 27 hole course it could be pretty cool.

Other Thoughts:

This is the best kept secret in MN. I am bias with my review because I probably would consider this my home course but I still drive an hour to get here. I have thrown between -5 and plus 15 out there. If you hit your lanes there are plenty of ace looks/birdies but if you get off the path the woods get thick. This is not for beginners learning how to control their disc. Some of the other reviews are outdated on here. Many of the holes are longer and even more challenging than just a year ago. I've thrown a lot of MN courses and this is my favorite free one. I live 15 mins from Blue Ribbon Pines and I still make it out here more. My dg buddies and I started throwing best disc out here because it's nice and more fun to get picked up by your teammate when you hit a tree 20 ft in front of the tee pad. Also, I bring my wife and kids out here a lot and the small playgroung on site ussually equates to me getting that extra round in. Between this and other fun courses in the St. Cloud area this is worth traveling for.
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7 0
Money_Shot
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 19.8 years 125 played 39 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Love This Course! 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Aug 18, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-Most holes on this course have ace potential, however, most holes can also result in a bogey with a drive gone bad due to all the trees
Short holes = short play time usually. I do find this theory on the course is a function of how long you are looking for a bad drive. Typically, I can play this course solo in about 30 minutes and 45 minutes with a friend. I have played it many times, though, am a decent player and would consider myself a fast paced player.
-Fine tune your short/technical game. I have definitely become a better player because of this course.
-Makes most other wooded course seem like a walk in the park.
-This is the course to play in the area on a windy day, hands down. Tornado-like winds have nothing on all but 2 holes of this course.
-Bathroom facility is second to none on disc golf courses. Don't worry about turning around if you have the rumbly tumblys on your way out to the course, use generally clean facility at the course.
-Far enough from St. Cloud to get rid of high traffic. A typical day will put you on the course with 1 maybe 2 other groups. Most beginners don't come back due to getting discouraged their first time out. Therefore, typically only people who care about the sport come out.

Cons:

-Although I like the natural tee pads, when wet they are slippery and muddy. Simply move off to the side and throw from the grass.
-Mosquitos can get thick so plan dress according to the season.
-Lots of trees = lots of leaves on the ground in the fall. Potential of losing a perfect shot under the leaves in the fall is definitely present on this course. Throw discs with coloration in accordance with the season. I've lost discs that landed within a 10 foot radius of the pin under about a foot of leave coverage.
-Wear pants if it's not scorching hot outside. If you do have to find that bad throw, you eliminate the possibility of getting poison ivy and scratches all over your legs. The area is 95% shade and pants in the summer typically is acceptable out here.

Other Thoughts:

This is the most underrated course in MN imo. Looking at other reviews, only 1 has been given in the last about 5 years. The course has changed a lot since 2011 and has been cleared up a considerable amount. Although i no longer live in the St. Cloud area and only lived there for 5 years i would consider this my hometown course. It is the type of course you can go and rip out 3 rounds solo in about an hour and a half, or 2 hours with a friend. Its short, but challenging. Much like what everyone else is saying, many very aceable holes with plenty of birdies to be had. However, as easy as it is to get a birdie on this course, it's just as easy to catch a double bogey if you get sloppy on your drive. You are always 1 kick away from a disastrous round wrecker of a hole. I have played this course uncountable times by now and can never get enough of playing it. It's a fun course that definitely tests your technical ability. Although it may not be for the hardcore professional thrower, this could definitely discourage a beginner as well. In my early years of throwing i saw numbers like +30 on a round playing all par 3's. It made me evaluate my potential at one point. The ace-ability of this course makes every upcoming drive interesting, and keeps your coming back for more. However, don't let this make you think it's too easy to be worth your time, those aces will come with technical precision. If you are in the same boat as me, play this course, you will enjoy it.
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2 1
ElectricBoogaloo
Experience: 15.9 years 55 played 13 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Treeeeees! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 16, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

--Challenging. Many of the shots require pretty precise shot shaping if you want to birdie holes.

--Baskets are in good shape, and the signage is nice. I wish they would have signs for the long tees though.

--Flows nicely, with well-worn paths and next tee signs when needed.

--Hole 9 ends near parking lot so you can grab a cold drink from the cooler...or leave if you want to.

--With camping across the street, fields for throwing, a practice basket and a shelter onsite, there are plenty of amenities here.

--Really enjoyed #17, which has a hairpin turn and a downhill look at the basket. Usually I dislike sharp turn holes, but this one was nice.

--Bugs weren't too bad here.

Cons:

--Trees, Trees, Trees. At first, I enjoyed the precise shot shaping required. After the first 10 holes though, I saw that that would be the only challenge on the course. It got old walking up to teeboxes, seeing a gap 150' away and thinking "I hope I hit it."

--Hardly any elevation, save the last 4 holes.

--The long tees were all pretty much the same. 50' straight back from the shorts. Sure, longer shots are more difficult, but make it interesting for me.

--Plenty of poison ivy.

--Tees are planks put in the ground, with ruts worn into the ground. Not deplorable condition, just not good.

Other Thoughts:

With all the trees you will hit, bring heavy duty plastic....and a chainsaw.

This course is a good one for a line shaping trial by fire. A good course for a small community such as this.

The frustration factor high for me, as I was getting ridiculously unlucky triple ricochets most of the round. Bring your 'woods' game as well as your full selection of curse words to use at the trees. If a disc golfer swears in the woods, nobody hears it anyways.
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3 0
The Valkyrie Kid
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 45.9 years 1563 played 1507 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Enjoyable, Technical, Rec Course! 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 21, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

I found this to be a very forgiving course. That is, even though this is a wooded technical course with lots and lots of trees to navigate through, I found the fairways wide enough that even a scatter-armed player such as myself could stay out of serious trouble.
I found there to be a nice mix of hyser versus anhyser throws.
As I played on a very dark July morning between rainstorms, I found the orange flourescent tape on the baskets to be most helpful in spotting them through the forrests.

The course is most definitely a Recreational course. The more serious player need not apply.
The regular tee boxes had simple varnished wooden signs with the hole # and and a simple sign.

Tee boxes are natural. I can't comment further on them as they were all underwater considering the huge amounts of rain that had recently fallen over the area. Only an out-of-his-mind, obsessive-compulsive, course-bagger would be out playing on a day like today. Hey, I resemble that remark!

Cons:

Natural teepads might be underwater after two days straight of torrential rainfall.
This course is not for the advanced to Pro player. It is a fun little Rec course with plenty of ACE and birdie Ops.
The technical nature (Trees, lots of trees) might be considered a Con by some).

HINT: Just shout "Duck Tree" when throwing. Many of annoying trees will jump out of the way letting your disc silently glide by to birdy-land!

Other Thoughts:

Despite the rain, the threat of rain, the drenched course and flooded teeboxes, I really enjoyed this course. Call me a duck. On second thought, I'm from Washington. I'm a UW Husky and I hate Ducks so call me anything but a ******* Duck!

Regardless, I found this to be a enjoyable little throw. I'd come back and play it again and again. Hopefully, there's a dry season in Minnesota.
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5 0
Martin Dewgarita
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 14.4 years 1589 played 93 reviews
3.50 star(s)

A technical challenge that will test your accuracy 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 6, 2011 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

A very fun quick play just off the freeway, this pitch and putt course will test your accuracy, line shaping and recovery shots. Though most holes are quite short, it will test you to save par.

Amenities. County park with ample parking, bathrooms, and baseball fields on site and a private campground across the street (no longer a KOA)

Variety of shots. Looking for a place to let a bomb rip off the tee pad? Go elsewhere, the longest hole may be close to 350, and hole 9 is the only hole where the ever popular hyzer spike will get you anywhere. Every other hole either requires a laser straight throw through the trees or some finesse line shaping, every hole has a line, many of the shots feel like luck, but the lines are there. And yes, hole 17 is a very tough 3 (I'd bet a 2 is possible with a perfect thumber, I can see the line, but I've never seen anybody hit it).

Navigation. Very intuitive, every tee is located near the previous basket with Orange arrows leading the way through the course, very easy to follow. Hole 1 and 10 begin near the parking area, and 18 ends there.

Practice basket.

Fun Factor. Replayability. Challenge. This is one of my "local" courses, I can play this course every day for a month and it still tests me, perfecting my short game and frustrating me every time.

Elevation. The course works well with the elevation there, most of the front nine is flat, 10-12 slope from right to left, 13-14 slope left to right with some downhill, 15 plays up the hill, 16 back down, 17 up and back down, and 18 brings you back to the top.

Cons:

Natural Tee Pads. generally suit this course fine, though are occasionally uneven and some of the lower ones are muddy in a wet season.

Length. Leave the distance drivers home (less a utility disc or two) I often will leave my entire bag in the car knowing I can get by just fine with only a Roc, and again if you're looking to let it rip, that will only lead you into a tree and deep into the woods.

Other Thoughts:

Well worth a quick stop off the freeway, I never miss a chance to play this course if I'm in the area, often I think it's missed for the more popular courses in the area, I'm not saying it's better, but it makes a great compliment to the St. Cloud area courses, throw in Becker and you have a great weekend outing.
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3 0
ejsandstrom
Experience: 12 played 6 reviews
3.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 23, 2010 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

18 holes. 17 is a monster for beginners. 16 is a nice down hill that builds confidence for 17 to take away. 2 tees on every hole. Garbage containers on every hole. You have to think about shot placement rather then just ripping it. Lots of trees to worry about. Not busy. Very good use of a smaller section of park. The holes are laid out in such a way that you don't need to worry about another group or throwing onto another fairway.

Cons:

Bugs. Not a good course for beginners as there are very few lines that don't have trees. It could get very frustrating to bounce a disc off a tree every throw. The course is short. No distance or par on Tee signs. The direction to the next hole could be improved.

Other Thoughts:

The course being short is a plus and minus. You can get 18 or 36 in a very short time. You don't spend all day walking between holes. You could use a mid range and a putter and be just fine. I am not good at all and had 2 deuces. There was also a tourny the last time but the TD was fine with people playing before they started.
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3 0
Bones2039
Experience: 15 years 40 played 2 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Fun considering other options 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 3, 2010 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-Not crowded at anytime I have played this course. With several other great courses in the area this course doesn't get too busy and a round can get played rather quickly.
-Uses the land very well. During the summer you can easily forget just how small of a piece of land this course is located on.
-The course uses the limited elavation changes well. You rarely feel that you throw down a hill to just throw back up it.
-There are bathrooms at the start of the course.
-After the "front 9" the course comes back to near the begining of the course so if you need a break or wish to replay the first 9 again instead of the back 9 you have that option.
-#17 is a challenging dogleg to the right that has to be considered the signature hole if you ask me. If you can't get a good first shot you have no chance at getting a 3 on the hole at all. I love the challenge that hole gives and its reason enough to at least try this course out as the other area course really don't offer a dogleg like this one.

Cons:

-There is posion ivy/oak all around this course during the summer. A bad throw off track into the "rough" (which as a novice myself I'm prone to do) can result in having to deal with the posion ivy/oak that is out there. Some one does mark the poision ivy/oak with blue spray paint, but its still there and a minus in my book considering the other courses that are around the general area that don't have the same problem. (I can't really tell the difference between posion oak/ivy but there are a large numbered of spray painted paints on this course so I am assuming that is why. If it is wrong please let me know so I can adjust me review accordingly, thanks!)
-This is Minnesota, and the state bird is around in bunches during the summer(FYI for those outside of the great state of Minnesota thats the mosquito)
-There really isn't very many "open" holes for this course. Even the "open" holes have several trees to challenge you to place the disc in the right spot. the most open hole is #9. Every now and then I like to have that hole that I can just try to throw my arm off with without worrying about hitting a tree.

Other Thoughts:

The signs on the course are ok, but some could use some improvements. Its a good course to take someone newer to the game to during the spring and fall when the mosquitos are not so heavy to show them what a wooded course is like. Its biggest problem is that its close enough to great course such as Hidden Lake and Riverside that its worth the extra time to drive to those courses instead of playing at this one. I enjoy playing this course, but the other local course out shine this one.
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4 0
mndiscg
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 15.8 years 480 played 478 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Short But Wooded 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 28, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

-Lots and lots of trees
-Full 18 holes only for disc golfers, and there aren't even too many of them on this course.
-A little elevation here.
-Signature hole (and the only on that really stood out): 17, a massive dogleg to the right that is impossible to ace and would take at least a 150 foot approach shot to make a 2.
-Nice signs that were easy to read.
-Nice bathrooms at the start of course
-Loops around so you can take a break after the front 9 if you want
-Easy to find with adequate parking.
-Right next to a campground.
-Decent signage, could have used distances on holes though.
-One of the many great courses in and around St. Cloud.
-Signs for navigating to the next hole were very nice.
-Baskets were quality.
-Dual tees on all but one hole I think. Tees are dirt but serve their purpose good enough as long as its dry.
-The underbrush wasn't as thick as it could have been so losing discs isn't a huge problem.

Cons:

-Mosquitoes
-Although the holes are wooded they eventually all seemed the same. Most were straight ahead and around 200 ft so they got old after awhile.
-If you have a midrange game you can hit trees and still recover to get 3's or better on every hole, longer holes or bigger turns would be cool.
-Tees were just a strip of wood in the ground, could be upgraded. Would be very bad in the rain or spring when snow is melting.

Other Thoughts:

The woods would make this course seem very challenging but most holes are so short that hitting a tree isn't a huge penalty. I hit trees on 5-6 drives and got no bogeys. It was overall a fun course but most holes were way too similar. Remember to wear your bug spray and bring strong plastic because trees will be hit!
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1 7
d4nk
Experience: 15 played 6 reviews
1.50 star(s)

Forest of Mosquitos in the summer 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 25, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Not too crowded usually.
No water hazards.

Cons:

Trees Everywhere, this course is in a forest, some of the "fairways" are 7-8 foot lanes with trees everywhere.

Only one long hole.

Mosquitos ruin this place in the summer, They were eating us through our deet bugspray last summer.

Other Thoughts:

Again I'll say we NEED MORE 18 hole disc courses....why can't we get a disc course that is like a golf course why must all of our courses be poorly funded and put together in "multi-use" parks why can't we have a "Disc Golf Course" and only a disc golf course? It's popular enough...
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2 1
Cradical
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 16.8 years 110 played 61 reviews
4.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 2, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

The course layout is pretty easy to understand and on top of that, there's orange signs on trees everywhere to point you in the right direction.
This course is really heavily wooded for the most part, though there are a few open shots. Most holes aren't too long, just very heavily wooded.
There is a little elevation change on some holes, though not too much.
There are trash cans on most holes. Overall a pretty challenging course.

Cons:

The course is so heavily wooded that it's hard to get a throw off that doesn't hit any trees. Not a good course for beginners.

Other Thoughts:

Make sure to bring your champion or star plastic, dx plastic might not last a round.
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2 2
sir chingalot
Experience: 26.9 years 21 played 1 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Its been awhile 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 30, 2006 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

This is a real tight course with uber trees. Everything has a path so there is chances for birds. Wonderful on windy days cause the whole course is tucked in the woods. very decent!

Cons:

Not made for the beginers, lots of trees could get a bit frustrated. but worth the challenge and drive to get away from others.

Other Thoughts:

Cant wait to get back to give it a whirl again!!
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