The Dalles, OR

Tree Top DGC

3.625(based on 17 reviews)
Filter course reviews

Filter reviews

Filter reviews

Tree Top DGC reviews

Filter
10 0
Dadio
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 39.6 years 174 played 75 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Wear showing 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 23, 2022 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

This Course is a nice medium length park course on the bluffs overlooking the Columbia Gorge. This is a well established course that has very nice pads, well made signs, and a good flow overall. While there is no longer a map at the kiosk it is fairly straightforward to follow. There is a walk out across Rose Garden between 9 and 10. Only odd one is tee for 13. Regular tee is by tennis courts throwing across ball fields to corner but there is an alternate tee closer to pin if ball fields are in use. Other change is there is a new tee pad for 17 without a sign to the left of the old one. Old pad points you to pin of 18.
These are some nice changes, improves the flow and gives you a longer downhill throw on 18 to finish the course. While it still has many of the drawbacks of a park course it is a big park and they have made good use of the space and elevation changes available.

Cons:

There are a few. Most have to do with the course getting older and it is starting to show. The tee signs are missing on about a third of the holes. There used to be big numbers on the pins that made navigation very easy that are now gone. The most unfortunate one is that the trees are ageing out and having to be removed but it doesn't look like they are planting replacements. This lowers the difficulty and more importantly cuts down on the shade that made this such a nice place to play. Still a pleasant place, just not quite as much.
And the usual for this area, wind can be brutal and it is a popular park, have to watch out for walkers.

Other Thoughts:

If you are traveling east of Portland there are not very many courses to stop and play if you need a break and this oasis is still one of my top choices. I first played it many years ago and it is still worth the stop.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
4 0
Breh
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 13.8 years 191 played 189 reviews
4.00 star(s)

2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:May 26, 2019 Played the course:once

Pros:

Nice tee signs and pads
Baskets our in good condition and mostly visible from tee box
Layout is very well done no crossing fairways easy to follow
Hole 13 has a long par 4 or short island hole if baseball fields our in use cool throw
Good mix of long and short holes and forehand/backhand
No real chances at lost disc ground foliage is easy to find everything
Really beautiful views some minor elevation change. Good tree placements and overall a solid course

Cons:

Not many it's a great course it just dosen't have that super wow factor, or signature type hole. The elevation change is pretty minor and the course can get busy with other park users so might have to wait for them to pass. Course dosen't have many super hard holes, easy to recover on most even with bad drive.

Other Thoughts:

All in all this a great cours, not the best in Oregon but for sure worth a play if you're somewhat close! Another great addition Oregon has to offer and very fun round
Was this review helpful? Yes No
9 0
markmcc
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 11.9 years 278 played 254 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Green Grass and Great Views 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 30, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

If you've played a few city park courses, you've played one that looks just like this. Lots of widely spaced mature trees with limbs starting 10' up in the air, and acres of mowed grass. No shrubs, no brush, no rough at all.

Good baskets with HUGE homemade number plates on top. A couple were facing the wrong way, but most were very easy to read from the tee.

Decent, if smallish, concrete tee pads. Good tee signs with usable hole diagram, distance, par and sponsor name. Next tee signs on the baskets, though some were not oriented correctly.

This is a well groomed course in a pretty park. Great views of snow-capped mountains (Adams and Hood) and nice looks across the Columbia River at the grassy hillsides of Washington. Ample parking, restrooms, water, etc. are all available.

Hole 13 offers two wildly different tee positions. The long position plays from an edge of a sports field and drives diagonally across the field to a basket tucked into a small corner of the park, resulting in by far the longest hole on the course at 571'. The alternate tee position starts in the same corner as the basket resulting in a very short (less than 150') hole. The tee signs say to use the alternate tee only when the field is in use, so it makes sense that they've got the alternate tee just in case.

Cons:

There is a lot of similarity to the holes on the course. 16 of the 18 holes play from 250' - 350', with little or no elevation. All play through moderately spaced trees. There are no fairways to hit here, you simply have to miss a few trees. And if you happen to pull your drive 10' right or left the odds are good that it will pass on the back side of the critical tree and give you about the same result. You can save par on every hole on the course, even with a tree-kicked drive.

Some odd course flow out here. For instance, Hole 6 plays from near a parking lot across a grassy park area. Inside of playing the reverse direction, Hole 7 requires that you walk all the way back to the same area and play essentially a parallel hole. Likewise, you walk back a considerable distance along Hole 14 to find the pad for Hole 15. I'm sure that if you've played the course once navigation isn't an issue, but for a travelling player some of the transitions were odd.

As noted in some previous reviews, Holes 1 and 18 are almost identical. They are parallel holes playing up the same modest hill. There is a freshly poured elevated tee pad up behind Basket 18 that was intriguing. Might be a alternate tee for 16??

Other Thoughts:

This is a multi-use park with a walking trail that winds throughout the course. We had to wait a couple of times for pedestrians to clear an area before driving, but it wasn't an issue. I imagine that a busy weekend could present an entirely different level of challenge in this regard.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
1 4
thespeedokid
Experience: 9.4 years 110 played 34 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Solid course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 2, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

Nicely wooded with open holes as well. Good concrete tees. Map of course at hole 1. Nice elevation changes. Good DISCatcher baskets. Great veiw of the Columbia River Gorge. Variety of hole distances. Variety of shots required.

Cons:

No hole signs. Hole 18's basket is away from hole 1's tee. Some long walks between holes. There's a par 2, it is short but still.

Other Thoughts:

Solid course with mature trees.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
7 1
JerichoBronco
Experience: 10 years 36 played 19 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Trees trees and more trees 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:May 28, 2014 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

*Nice baskets
*Beautiful park
*No under foliage. All grass for the most part
*Good signage and directions

Cons:

*Lots of trees
*Lots of pedestrians
*This is a busy park and lots of people don't respect the disc golfers, in the way a decent amount of the time
*A few tee pads need to be fixed as they are angled and not flat.
*Often windy
*No benches
*Concrete tee pads are a bit short

Other Thoughts:

This is my home course. I think it's a nice course, and I feel lucky to have it. Very tight fairway, seems like you are always trying to sneak around trees. In 2015 we got signs for all the holes, and arrows under the baskets pointing to the next hole (unless the basket gets rotated). So it's easy to navigate now. Hole 13 has two tee locations: long is by the tennis courts and is a par 4, if the field is in use there is a 13 short with special rules posted on the sign. Holes 17+18 were changed in spring of 16' to improve flow.

Hole 1 is a long uphill drive that you have to keep low under the branches. Hole 2 is downhill need an easy anhyzer or forehand shot, but there is also a backhand route. Hole 3 is a long hyzer in, although there is an anny route, but's its a more difficult path. Holes 4+5 are pretty straight forward then you have an odd transition to hole 6 (Walk towards Mt. Adams in the distance). After hole 6 you walk all the way back in the same direction you just threw to hole 7. Hole 7 you can throw down the middle but many of the locals use a big hyzer route to the hole. After hole 8 you walk across the street for 9. The next several holes have a good flow. After hole 12 you either walk to the tennis courts for 13 long (par 4) or across the baseball field for the par 3. When you get to hole 15 it's the easiest on the course, the best chance for birdie, with a hyzer into the hole. Hole 16 you must throw between 2 trees or get a penalty stroke and drop at the trees. Holes 17 & 18 were changed in March 16', 17 is now a 347 uphill long anhyzer, but it's idea for the long forehand. Walk uphill & across the path to 18 where you throw back down towards the parking lot. Lots of people walking on the path, careful :) 18 is a fun hole as it looks easy but with a low ceiling and throwing downhill it's a more difficult birdie than you would guess.

Holes aren't very far. The longest 3 par hole plays a little over 400 if you add in elevation, with the average hole being around 300 feet. The course emphasizes accuracy more than distance. Just get ready to be creatively weaving your way through the trees. It's a fun course though. With the number of trees and varying wind many people have large discrepancies in the scores up here. Personally I have found 5 stroke differences between rounds more often that I'd like, based on hitting more branches and twigs 1 day compared to another. After playing all the courses in the gorge I would rate this the 2nd best course (after N. Bonneville) in the gorge.

If you plan on playing on the weekends or in the summer it's best if you are done by noon as the park gets busy. I find 8:00-9:00 a.m. as optimal times if you are looking to avoid people. It's a city park first, disc golf course 2nd.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
4 0
longandwrong
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 14.2 years 59 played 39 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Great walk in the park 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 1, 2014 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Good use of a city park! Not to bad of shape even in the winter. Had a great view of Mt. Hood from the easiest hole (13). Spring time the cherry orchards are in bloom that is cool. Good parking-bathrooms. Best number signs on the baskets of any course I've played, period! Signs at pads not as good. You could easily play this course with a good driver and a putter. Big trees are the main obstacles, hole 1 and 18 have a little hill that might catch your second throw by surprise...well it does me. Course is otherwise flat. No Oregon fees-it is a city park!

Cons:

Winter bathrooms! No trash cans. Signs to next pad lacking. Map is a little hard to understand...you need to turn it upside down. Hole number 1 and 18 also throw through or hopefully around a playground, today I avoid it both times but I have in the past landed right in it. An exercise class used the playground area this saturday a.m. for their group.

Other Thoughts:

City park might be busy on weekends. A major walk path for those who use it for their walking routines come into play here and there. It is a fairly easy course and is a great place to teach the game.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
3 0
CodeMonkey
Experience: 11.8 years 189 played 14 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Great tee markers!!! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 13, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

The best basket markers I've ever seen, easily visible from the tees. Open and difficult to lose any plastic. Pretty decent flow and pins are well spaced. Overall good course design. Tees are all concrete and marked with embedded with tee numbers. Course has an overall map at start.

Cons:

Overall map is pretty horrible. Why the microscopic numbering? Some holes and tees have changed locations but the map is the same. No tee maps. Next tee markers aren't clear so many new players of the course ended up teeing from the basket instead of looking for the next concrete tee. Concrete for each tee is WAY too short, can affect run-ups. Big gap between holes 12-13 with no indicator of the next tee and 13 is super short (ace practice).

Other Thoughts:

This is another course that has great balance but just comes up short on signage and direction. Good for practicing technical shots around/through trees. No serious hazards, though I've been told it can get fairly windy. Some basket markers have been turned, making them hard to read from the tee when normally possible (since they are so massive).
Was this review helpful? Yes No
0 1
ajjrt
Experience: 14 played 13 reviews
4.00 star(s)

The place to be in The Dalles 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 1, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

beautiful park with great views of the Gorge and Mt. Hood and the 'Klicks'. All most all holes green well kept fairway/park. Pin placement and extra large trees make the throw fun. Example #11 has a nice looking 30 foot full tree directly in front of you making the shot now a hizer or anti hizer. fun, fun, fun!

Cons:

Hole #1 and Hole #18 baskets are on a small hill (that's no problem) but their is a playground set up directly in the line of your throw. Must be careful of others using the park. Lots of kids, softball games, picnic goers and power walkers.

Other Thoughts:

I really enjoy this course. Friend with me who played for the first time really liked the course. Pleasant time in the park!
Was this review helpful? Yes No
1 3
freakyflyer
Experience: 13 played 5 reviews
4.00 star(s)

HOME AWAY FROM HOME 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jul 14, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

This course is always fun to play. Gives all types of players the chance to throw a little of everything. You got the trees and the open fields and a few elevation changes. Plays quick. I like to play two rounds when I go there. .

Cons:

Number Three pin used to be wet around it but last time I went seems they fixed the problem. I wish there were benches and trash cans near the tee pads. Watching and waiting for people on the path can mess up the vibe of the game but it happens in a park.. Oh yeah the wind, there is no shortage of it , but its The Dalles, what do you expect?

Other Thoughts:

I love this course because it is close to where I visit family, and it challanges me every time I play there. Great people on the course everytime I have been . Their doubles match weekly is fun too. .
Was this review helpful? Yes No
6 1
Dan-hyzer
Experience: 13.9 years 2 played 2 reviews
4.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 20, 2011 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Has some long holes that are hard to drive the entire distance. The holes seem to open up after the drive so you can still save par if you hit a tree. It's also very difficult to lose a disc on this course unless you are a complete beginner with no control.

Cons:

Construction on Hole number 3 spoils the hole. Hole 13 (I think that's the hole) is super short, almost not even worth having on the course. It feels like you're starting with your second shot at the tee box. Park is dual use and if it's a popular time, you'll be waiting for dog walkers, etc at your tee boxes.

Other Thoughts:

Can be very frustrating for a beginner due to the number and proximity of trees. As your accuracy improves, you'll find the course more "challenging" and less "frustrating" because you know you can do it.

Birdies are very possible, even on longer holes. Number 8 would be the toughest to birdie. You'd need a drive of 350-375 at least to hole out in two. Other holes give you a great birdie shot on drives from 300-325'
Was this review helpful? Yes No
9 2
The Valkyrie Kid
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 45.9 years 1563 played 1507 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Mountain Views To Die For! 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 25, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

Sorosis Park in The Dalles sits high above the majestic Colombia River. It has incredible views of Mt. Adams to the north and Mt. Hood to the south along with some amazing Colombia Gorge views. The park kinda has a Pier Park vibe to it with it's green well manicured lawns and scattered mature Oak and Pine trees. There is almost no underbrush to look for discs in. The park is a large multi use one with all the usual park amenities such as ballfields, gazebo, restrooms, a large play castle struture for the kids, fountains and more. The teepads are concrete with metal house numbers inbedded in them. The baskets are discatchers with the biggest yellow number signs on top I've ever seen. They're like 8" x 8" and visible from far away. They really help with the navigation. There is some elevation on most of the holes.

Cons:

While I was blown away with the beauty of the park and incredible views, I was luke warm to the course design. I wasn't real fond of starting and finishing with uphill holes. There weren't any holes that really wowed me. I tried to navigate the first time through by following the next teepad signs on the baskets. That didn't work too well although when I finally decided to use the map, navigation was fairly easy. And finally, I felt there were too many holes where you were throwing uphill or slightly uphill. Most of us enjoy throwing down hills more.

Other Thoughts:

Lovely, beautiful park, take your breath away views of the surrounding mountains and gorge. Nice course! Suitable for everyone from beginners up to more advanced tournament players. This would be a course that most of us would love to have as our home. Just another of Oregon's cache of fine disc golf courses.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
15 1
JR Stengele
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 23.9 years 251 played 191 reviews
3.50 star(s)

High Above the Tree Tops 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:May 2, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

Tree Top DGC at Sorosis Park in the Dalles, OR is one of the most beautiful parks I have ever had the opportunity to play disc golf in. With the massive pines, firs, and oaks spread throughout the entire course, it is the perfect place to be on those hot summer days. What helps separate this course from so many others are the amazing views which can be had high on top of this quaint little city. Breathtaking views of Mt. Adams (WA), Mt. Hood (OR), as well as the massive Columbia River which splits the valley below, separating Northeast Oregon from Southeast Washington.

The park amenities include a large gazebo, which has a large fire pit and several tables, a large clean bathroom, water fountains, two baseball fields, tennis courts, volleyball court, Vietnam Memorial, jogging path, a really neat large wooden playground, and garbage cans spread throughout the course (which is regularly emptied by the onsite maintenance/ caretaker of the course). Because there is someone on site, the course maintenance is exceptional, with beautifully mowed grass fields, trimmed trees, and manicured bushes. Because there is no underbrush on the entire course, losing a disc is really not an issue.

Navigation is fairly simple for first timers thanks to the kiosk where you first park, as it has a large map of the course as well as printouts in which players can take with them. The kiosk also lists local events, and updates on the Hood River Disc Golf Club. The course plays all over the massive park, utilizing the gentle rolling hills, with the exception of hole #1 and 18 which use the larger dirt hill.

Baskets are all DISCatchers, with large # signs on top. They have inner chains which help add to their overall catching ability, holding in faster moving discs which give those accurate tee shots a better chance of staying in for that elusive ace! Many of the baskets also have arrows written on them in black Sharpie indicating where the next tee is located. Tee pads are all large and cement with metal numbers embedded in them, and are all level with the exception of tee pad #15.

The challenge is perfect for all levels at Tree Top DGC. They reward accuracy with birdies, but do require some distance with control as 16/18 holes range between 250-350 feet, with the exception of hole # 13 (135ft.) and #15 (170ft.), which are great ace run opportunities. The course design was fantastic! The designers utilized what they had, shaping fairways through the maze of trees, giving players multiple lines to choose from on every hole!

Cons:

This course was so well done that it is difficult to come up with many flaws. However, without a course map, this course could get a little confusing since players must travel all around the park and sometimes it is not obvious where the next tee pad should be. Fortunately, the local disc golf club does an awesome job keeping maps available at the kiosk near tee pad #1.

Also, hole #13 is a bit of a filler hole, as it is a short ace run which is difficult to not birdie unless you overshoot it on to the road. However, it does have a fantastic view of Mt. Hood so it is worth the trip in to the corner of the park just to play it. Plus, many of the locals (I am told) throw from the other side of the park toward hole #13 basket which makes the hole much longer when no one is playing baseball.

Last, tee pad #15 seems to really be unlevel. It is located in a great spot, and the hole is a lot of fun, but it can be a bit dangerous. Hopefully it can eventually be redone or relocated, but for the time being it works just fine.

Other Thoughts:

This has got to be one of the better courses in all of Eastern Oregon if not the best! There are not too many courses around this area so if traveling through, this course is a must! There are plenty of local breweries around in town, as well as some great restaurants, so it makes for a nice getaway as it is only a couple of hours from Portland. This course truly is something to remember!
Was this review helpful? Yes No
11 0
sillybizz
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 22.2 years 407 played 392 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Routes: Multiple Sorosis 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:May 2, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

One of the stranger names for a park I have ever encountered but it is another gem in the Oregon park system. You are on the top of the city of The Dalles and basically looking down on the hole town in fact the beautiful views of Mt. Adams and Mt. Hood will take your breathe away as well as the views of the Columbia river and surrounding canyons. The course is all mowed green grass that could be played shoes optional. This is a course with many tree obstacles on every fairway and there are several different routes to take on each hole; it reminds me of an upgraded Champoeg State Park with three extra holes, green grass and better scenery for free. The tee pads are all concrete and the baskets are all discatchers with added inner chains to make them catch better. The other brilliant move they made for the baskets was to make big metal yellow signs on the top of the baskets with the hole number on it that you can see from the pad, this is a huge help. Though there isn't a lot of elevation there are a couple of spots that are used very well in this manner; holes 1 and 18 come in to mind right off of the bat. There are plenty of other amenities including bathrooms, a large play area for the kids, benches, a jogging trail that's out of the way of the course, a baseball field, tennis courts and other things.

Cons:

There isn't a lot of variety in terms of distances and it would be nice to see a couple of 400-500 foot holes played out in this beautiful park. Hole 13 is a short little open ace run that felt like a filler all though the view of Mt. Hood from this basket in incredible.

Other Thoughts:

I haven't played many courses in Eastern Oregon so I can't say for sure but this might be on the top of the list. This will forever be a favorite of mine. This is the best courses around for some miles and being an excellent park to go hang out and do things at when it's nice outside I can imagine that play will be slowed down a bit do to other disc golfers and park users.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
5 1
diskgolfer
Experience: 1 played 1 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Sorosis update 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 19, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Beautiful scenery
Easily accessible
Only decent course within 40 miles
New concrete tee pads
No place for disks to get lost
Usually no congestion on weekdays and weekend mornings and light otherwise
Irrigation must have been fixed because grass was green all summer

Cons:

Other park users sometimes are in the way
Hole #1 and 18 baskets can be muddy in the winter

Other Thoughts:

Good place to play for kids and others: tennis, softball, exercise equipment, covered picnicing, excellent playground, rose garden, Vietnam memorial, jogging path, volleyball court, bbq pits
Was this review helpful? Yes No
11 1
Adam Schneider
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 22 years 126 played 22 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Look before you throw! 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Feb 28, 2010 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

- Lots of tree trunks keep it interesting
- Mowed grass and no brush means zero chance of losing a disc
- Most holes have some (but not much) elevation change
- Big yellow signs on baskets make them easy to see
- Great views of Mt. Adams, Mt. Hood, and the Columbia Hills

Cons:

- Somewhat monotonous
- Park is used by many people for many things other than disc golf
- Tricky to navigate your first time through

Other Thoughts:

Sorosis Park is a mature, heavily-developed city park overlooking The Dalles and the surrounding hills. On a warm spring day, there were people all over the park: walkers, joggers, exercisers, picnickers, softball players, volleyball players, etc. The disc golf course is in the middle of all of this -- and next to a city street as well, so you must be VERY aware of who's around and how far you might possibly throw and/or shank your disc.

The disc golf course weaves its way under full-grown oak and pine trees, and most holes are fairly similar: you'll need to avoid several tree trunks and maybe some low-hanging pine branches to reach the basket, which is usually 280'-340' away and probably slightly uphill or downhill. It's too bad so many holes are so alike, but I suppose it's the nature of the land they had to work with. The good news is that all the tree trunks will force you to find a creative route or two. (If you're familiar with other Oregon disc golf courses, I'd say this course is similar to Champoeg, or #14 through #17 at Adair.)

After each hole, you may have to wander around a bit to find the next tee pad -- but as of 2010, there finally ARE concrete teepads, which is a big improvement over when I played this course in 2009. The baskets have big yellow signs with numbers on them, and that's helpful.

So, overall, a decent course, doing the best it can. If Sorosis had a little more variety or fewer pedestrians, I might give it 4 stars; the addition of concrete teepads bumps it up from a 3 to a 3.5 in my book.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
3 7
mendofrolfer
Experience: 17 years 65 played 2 reviews
3.00 star(s)

baskets are back 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 20, 2008 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

the layout is back together , i like this course,fun park setting, one of the better courses in the area.varying difficulty in holes. not hilly so its easy on the out of shape frolfer , not many people in fall/ winter

Cons:

picnickers in summer lots of walker/joggers on nice days

Other Thoughts:

im glad they fixed this course. outside a company picnic or a family reunion ,i found that most of the time i went it was no problem playing.the new 18 is tough
Was this review helpful? Yes No
2 8
kevin
Experience: 67 played 60 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Up on a hill 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 3, 2008 Played the course:never

Pros:

Open field with enough trees to slow you down.
Overlook of the gorge.

Cons:

Holes 4 and 5 are missing.
The holes thirteen through seventeen go behind the baseball field which are occupied by children during a game. Congested area on the back nine

Other Thoughts:

Could be easily reset up to accompany both golfers and picnic parties.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
Top