Spotsylvania, VA

The Blockhouse - Tiki Course

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3.575(based on 23 reviews)
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The Blockhouse - Tiki Course reviews

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16 0
lee76007
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 4.6 years 112 played 111 reviews
3.50 star(s)

A Unique Putter Course

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 13, 2022 Played the course:once

Pros:

-A private 18-hole pitch and putt course with a mixture of miniature golf and funhouse holes. Ace runs to be made, maybe.

-Miniature golf such as short doglegs, narrow gaps, and a poke and hope. There are trees on the course, and short foot bridges.

-Funhouse such as a tiki guarding a basket on a spinning motor, putting thru a net, highly raised basket, and hanging baskets protected by obstacles to mention a few.

-A spectacular course to be played at night with lighted baskets, fairways, and Christmas lights.

-Tee signs white numbers on background red with hole number and measured in inches perhaps for the funhouse effect. From 68 to 129 feet. Don't worry about navigation impossible to get lost.

-Tee pads are turf just long enough for a pitch, the best tee pads I've played on any putter course.

-The fun factor is high for all types of players, families, campers, birthday parties, and even a work outing. You'll only need a putter.

-Other activities on the property primarily camping and a pro shop. Chairs and tables set up to just chill out. There are 2-18-hole courses on the property Sunnyside and Darkside. There are other amenities on the property.





Cons:

-The baskets look at least a few decades old and rusted, ripe for an ace run chain out. But maybe that's intentional to protect against an easy ace.

-It's been the most difficult private course to gain access, it's a high membership fee for the facility, and just a few guests are going to get to play during peak membership usage. I don't include this con in my final review rating.

Other Thoughts:

The Blockhouse Tiki Course is by far my favorite putter course based on pure fun. I can take any new to disc golf friend or family member including a 4-year-old grandson and they'll have fun! The funhouse effect will put a smile on their face, and they get a taste of a disc course on a miniature scale. Play the course at night and the lights will make the fun more spectacular. I have no personnel cons on the course, and my only personnel preference is if I come back to play blockhouse, make sure it's in the afternoon to take advantage of the Tiki Course in the dark.

Availability: I contacted the owner late summer 2021 to play and was asked to call back in the beginning of 2022 indicating less membership usage in the winter. When I called back in January the course's suffered severe wind damage with several hundred trees down, which was cleaned up when I played. The course was closed several months, and when I called back Sept. 2022, I was given a yes. If you decide to book camping its possible there may be easier access? The owner does offer non-member group rates. Just call the owner to inquire, great guy, spent a few moments chatting with him.

After I played my first putter course a few years ago, I had decided to cap them at a 3.0, but decided for Blockhouse Tiki to lift that cap. Based on the exceptional fun factor for a putter course I decided to place my rating at a 3.5.

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16 0
KenanFlagler01
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 14 years 195 played 190 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Putt Putt Fun 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 9, 2019 Played the course:once

Pros:

If your travels take you anywhere near central Virginia along I-95, The Blockhouse is a must-play. All three courses are fantastic, including the famous Tiki Course.

Nothing about this course is typical. It's tough to rate it in a traditional way vs. more standard courses. Think putt putt golf vs. regular ball golf. You'll need a putter or two. That's it. Holes are measured in inches, not feet. But one category where the Tiki Course can be measured -- and rates off the charts -- is the fun factor. I had a smile on my face for most of my 20-minute round. Each hole has unique features. Examples: a super high basket, a "clown mouth" entry to a basket, a narrow tunnel, a narrow bridge, etc.

+ Super fun and creative course, well-conceived with wooden barriers protecting some tees and baskets that are close together.

+ Ace runs! Each hole is par 2. This is the best chance you're gonna get to hit an ace -- or a couple aces -- in a round.

+ If I had a course like this in my backyard, I'd practice putting a lot more.

+ FUN

Cons:

Not designed or intended to be a regular course, so it's hard to dock it. It succeeds perfectly for what it is designed to deliver: putting fun! I'll list some negatives simply to give readers an idea of what to expect.

- Not difficult (it's not meant to be)

- Doesn't test any disc golf skills other than circle 2 putting (in weird, zany, fun hole layouts).

Other Thoughts:

The Tiki Course alone isn't reason enough to make the Blockhouse a destination disc golf country club, but when combined with the long, technical, difficult -- and also fun -- Sunnyside and Darkside, the entire disc golf experience here is off the charts. Make plans to go here.
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10 0
apdrvya
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 13.9 years 350 played 293 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Tiki Fun 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 8, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

I will dispatch from much of my regular review tactics for this one and instead write a narrative.
Tiki is fun. Most holes are <100' and require mainly a putter with a light for night time fun. Fairways are lined with boards and filled with mulch to help better define them in the dark Virginia woods. All baskets are lit to be able to see them in the dark. Baskets are old and not in great shape but, for what they are used for, there is no need for bright shiny baskets. Much destruction of the Tiki course is a good portion of the reason for the "closing" of Blockhouse. All fairways used to be lit and overhead lights worked. Now, much of this is gone. the first couple fairways are lit and none of the Christmas lights are lit. This DOES detract from the overall ambiance of the course but the spirit lives on.

The back 9 starts with an over the bar shot into a tall basket, the rest of the back 9 is very dark as this is where a lot of the damage has been taken. holes 12-18 are very dark and you really need to watch your disc, light or not. Water is in play on the back 9.

Cons:

No real cons here. Just remember that you are playing a pitch and putt course for fun. This is not a gold level course. Read some of the signage that tells you of some of the tourneys they have on the Tiki Course, it's very interesting stuff.

Other Thoughts:

If you ever have the honor of playing Blockhouse, DO NOT PASS IT UP... and furthermore, if you have the honor of getting out here, don't mess the course up, treat it as the true treasure it is...
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17 1
sidewinder22
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 17.7 years 297 played 197 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Tiki Madness = Mini Golf and Nightlight 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:May 30, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

Private course with 18 very short holes to challenge your putting skills 24 hours a day/night. There are defined wooded puttways and obstacles to shape your putt ace making ability on every hole. There's straight putts, doglegs, gentle turns, an actual netted tunnel shot, massive raised basket, and even a spinning basket. Decent signage, navigation and 2 loops of 9 holes. Very nicely built course with astroturf tees, wooded fences, boxed mulched fairways, netting, metal structure, and lighted fairways and baskets for night golf!

Other amenities include 2 other awesome regular size courses on site, arcade, concerts, camping, pool and bathroom.

Cons:

Uhhh....there's no drives off the tee?

Other Thoughts:

The Tiki Course is really hard to rate because it's not a traditional disc golf course, it's a mini disc golf size course with regular size baskets like Putt-Putt is to traditional ball golf courses. The amount of work and love that went into this mini course was anything butt tiny, it's massive! Inch for inch I'd venture no other course in the world has had more work done on it. The electric, lights, nets, and wood work are all very impressive. As a putt putt type course or if it was scaled up this would be a 4.5 or 5.0.

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3 2
J-Mo
Experience: 28.9 years 27 played 7 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Ha! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 10, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

A blast to play. Take the whole family! Awesome use of the imagination and disc golf. It was like "putt-putt" for DG'ers! Measured in inches, instead of feet. Lots of obstacles...nets, fences, holes, cages...they even have one basket that is about 30 feet in the air (your disc comes down in a net-tunnel thing...it's crazy).

Cons:

None.

Other Thoughts:

They should have a theme for each hole...that would be cool!
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4 10
_MTL_
Experience: 30.8 years 162 played 17 reviews
4.00 star(s)

2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 30, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

- Without a doubt the most fun course I've ever played
- Great short game practice

Cons:

The only con about this course is it is 4 hours away from me.

Other Thoughts:

Everytime I play this course, there is something new or some new feature or some new way of playing it. What is not to love about a course with measurement in inches?!?Can't say this enough - by far the most fun course I've ever played. I'm also proud to say I have shot 34 on this course.
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13 6
discgolfne1
Experience: 45.9 years 2 played 2 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Nothing else like this Tiki course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jan 20, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

As is I said...there is nothing like this course anywhere. The owner (Mike Trapasso) has spent countless time and energy making this the unique course that it is, and it just seems to get better all the time. This course is great for warming up, or to just test out your approach shots and putts.

Cons:

Well, Mike hasn't built a roof over it..yet...but other than that there really isn't any cons in my book.

Other Thoughts:

I really don't understand some of the reviews. This is in all essence a "putt putt course" and should not be compared to a full sized course. The lengths of the holes are NOT intended to be be long or drawn out...just tricky. Mike has incorporated many obstacles on these 70'-130' holes to challenge your every throw. Shooting par (they are all par 2's) is an accomplishment, and does not happen very often.

Please respect The Blockhouse. Take care of your own trash. Mike has been kind to offer this unique experience to all of us and it is hard to maintain without everyone's help in doing their part.

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9 15
swatso
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 15.7 years 755 played 414 reviews
1.50 star(s)

R2D2 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 8, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

On the same site as two 18=hole courses, disc shop, clubhouse.

Cons:

Hole lengths measured in inches :), a typical distance being ~70'.

Other Thoughts:

Multiple chances to work on your unusual putting game, as the variable-height baskets are guarded by a variety of obstacles, forcing very specific windows to be hit to have an ace run.

This is an awkward "course" to rate. I can imagine it has a high fun factor, at night with the lights on, relaxing with friends after a couple of rounds on the other two courses.

However, when comparing this equivalent of a miniature-golf course to multi-acre, regulation-sized courses, it just doesn't measure up.
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9 3
Aupps
Experience: 13.8 years 32 played 23 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Tiki Party 2+ years drive by

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

Pros:

-A truly unique experience
-You don't have to carry your bag. Bring your putter, it's all you need.
-There are lots of cool hidden things to see on the course.
-You can play glow golf without glow discs
-Most of the baskets are works of art
-A great way to introduce someone to disc golf
-The signage is hilarious
-Even though the holes are all par 2s, they can still be challenging

Cons:

-Nothing much, just that the nets can almost become invisible and leave you wondering why you disc just fell dead out of the air

Other Thoughts:

A course like this would do great on it's own anywhere in America. If putt putt golf can thrive so can this.
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2 11
coolhand
Experience: 23 played 23 reviews
4.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 6, 2010 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

every disc golf course should have one of these. 2 championship level courses and i couldn't wait till dark to play some tiki golf. no glow discs or sticks needed. great practice for the approach game.

Cons:

i had an ace chain out.
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17 2
prerube
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 16.8 years 274 played 235 reviews
3.50 star(s)

unique experience 2+ years

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

Pros:

More fun than some much higher rated courses. The grange itself is an amazing experience and the tiki course is one feature that makes it awesome.
You have to really think about playing it safe or going for the ace on every hole.
Course is filled with novelty holes measured in inches, so each hole has character, but none require much more than a putter. On hole 1 a rotating tiki man can reject your shot, cages and fences come into play making some make or break obsticles.
Hole 10's new basket is 15 feet high and the disc falls down a net back to regular basket level.
Night doubles was possibly the most fun I have had with a disc all year.

Cons:

It is not a traditional course, if you want to carry a bag and launch you new driver, sorry. This is strictly a fun little novelty course.
Pay to play always sucks, but The Grange is worth it.
Catching area of the baskets were very shallow, the outside edge of many of the baskets was far too short.

Other Thoughts:

T i m said it best that this is mini golf for disc golfers.
The Grange is a must for any disc golfer,Tiki may not be your cup of tea, you may think the other 2 courses are mediocre, but the environment and the experience rival a 5 disc course for me.
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3 27
esdubya
Experience: 28.8 years 106 played 23 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Play it with a football! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 15, 2010 Played the course:2-4 times

Other Thoughts:

First time I played the tiki course it was with a mini football that was slightly low on air. It was really hard, the bounce-aways were killer. The football-golf course designer is a genius. I highly recommend you leave your discs in your car and play the course with a football next time.
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16 1
tmahan
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 40.9 years 86 played 31 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Most fun you can have with a putter 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 26, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

Diversity. No two holes play alike (well, almost) which is tough with all holes under 150'. Graded turf tees (not that you really need them for such short holes). Some really cool novelties, like the rotating basket, bird cage hole (pin hangs from the top of the cage), narrow gate hole, swimming pool hole, over the tent shot to pin mounted atop a stump hole. It's pretty well balanced with a fair number of both right and left turning fairways in addition to a number of straight (but tight) runs. You might not believe it when you first look at it but par (36) is pretty good score here.

Cons:

The old baskets don't swallow. These are the old homemade pins from the original Grange course that became the Sunnyside (for all of you historians).

Other Thoughts:

DCGR really needs a new category for "novelty" course because I'd love to rate this little course as phenomenal. When I last played the Tike course there were only 9 holes, the new back nine takes the whole thing to another level. When you take a closer lookat it, an amazing amount of work has gone into this course. Just hooking up the servo motor to the rotating lit basket had to be a huge chore by itself. There are several bridges across the dry creek bed that runs through, including a 50'er. Netting between the adjacent fairways protects players from errant shots (80% of the course is heavily wooded and players are encouraged to play while holding the beverage of their choice - for balance;-) It really is the perfect way to unwind after the possible pummeling you'll take from playing the two championship courses.
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2 15
luv2throw
Experience: 14.7 years 30 played 4 reviews
5.00 star(s)

How cool is that 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 16, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

Well designed with tons of obstacles like shooting into a caged in area with a net on the top so you gotta get right in front of the door. Or shooting into a giant bird cage on 18.

Or throwing over a building on 10.

Cons:

none

Other Thoughts:

This is a great warm up course to pratice your putting but play it in the dark and it becomes a great round of challenging golf.

A must play while your at the Grange.
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2 22
Riverhouse82
Experience: 20.1 years 50 played 11 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Cute 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 21, 2008 Played the course:once

Pros:

Lights are coolIt doesn't get any easier.

finally something i can shoot under on.

Cons:

can there really be any for a course like this.
It get's a little muddy.

Other Thoughts:

You can't handle that s**t on strong acid man!
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13 1
dobsonr
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 15.8 years 40 played 33 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Putt Putt DG 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 27, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

Ahhh, the Tiki Course. This 18 hole, 2-par putting course is one of a kind. It is made up of older baskets with worn in chains, which are lined with Xmas lights for night play. The course is perfect for a cool-down after playing Sunnyside and Darkside, or as an interesting way to practice your short game.

Many of the holes are very interesting: one throws from a clearing through a small opening in a fence that encloses the basket. Another plays over a large tent. There are several doglegs, and even a "water hazard". All holes have signs showing the length (in inches).

Cons:

There really aren't any cons here. The course is so creative and unique that playing it is a very enjoyable experience, and any potential cons will likely go unnoticed.

Other Thoughts:

The Tiki Course adds a lot to the character of the Grange. It can be used as a warm-up round to practice puts, or as a chance to unwind after playing the big boy courses.
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14 1
forehandfranz
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 31.8 years 226 played 128 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Enchanting walk in the Dark! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Nov 10, 2009 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Imagine Christmas every day of the year combined with the (only?) putt putt course in disc golf and you've found The Granges Tiki Course. There are 18 full holes, each with tee boxes and footage markers (make that INCHES markers), white Christmas lights strung up in the air to add a mild glow to the fairways, and real colorful Christmas lights wrapped around all the baskets. Everything is par 2 and can be played with one disc in rather short time. Many of the pins are cleverly placed inside fenced areas, over ponds,etc. I would reccommend buying an LED light from one of the gumball machines at the pro shop (I nearly lost my putter that strayed off one of the longer fairways). This setup was absolutely magical and a great way to practice your putts and long approaches. Nearly all the holes are ace-runs, but beware- an ace run can easily become a bogey! The name of the game is to be accurate and get the par.

Cons:

Fairways are long and dark enough at points, that you can lose a disc off the sides if you shank one (and don't have a light on them). They sell little LED's in a gumball machine, so make the sacrifice and put one on!!!

Other Thoughts:

The icing on the cake, that is The Grange. Way to finish off a day at this place, as it's not tiring and will be in the cool of the night.
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15 0
Disc Dog
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 16.8 years 109 played 48 reviews
3.00 star(s)

It is not as esy as you think. 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 21, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

This is a putt and approach course with a 2 par on every basket.

It is by no means easy but is great for a family or for practicing your approaches and putts.

The tees have Christmas lights strung through them so it is a popular pass time here in the evenings when the stage has the band here playing and the food and drinks are flowing.

The throws are both open and very tight with some mild doglegs thrown in. You will find several novelty ones like number 12. You are throwing into netted cage and the opening is small.

The baskets are old and have some rust but they catch well.

This would be a great place to bring a 6 to 10 year old to get started. They could really do well and have a great time with dad and hopefully mom.

One of the funnest parts was that the distances are measured in inches instead of feet. I can now tell someone I had a deuce on 2 baskets that went for 1500.

Cons:

Not to many.

The rusty baskets.

The one, I think it was 10, that goes over the top of the cooking and eating area could be a big hazard. I saw a 10 year old boy send one right into the tent and get lodged in the tent supports. Other people were in there when it happened.

Other Thoughts:

This course is the perfect way to end a great day of disc golf. You can come in and use it to cool down. Kind of like a walk after a long run. Or as I did to get some confidence back.

This course is not designed to be a great day at the course. But to be a great way of practicing the putt and approach, and spending time with friends and family joking and playing.

The reason I could only rate it a 3 is because it is not a true disc golf course. I would not be fair and talk about rating inflation.

There is also a nice in ground pool here. So bring the family and they can swim while you play. Then dive in when you or all of you are done playing golf.
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16 1
t i m
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 26.8 years 285 played 43 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Mini Golf for the Disc Golf Crowd -- Massive Fun 2+ years drive by

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

Pros:

Tiki Golf is just about as much fun as you can have with a putter. 18 old rusty baskets decked out with Christmas lights are your ticket to late-night fun. With distances measured in inches instead of feet, these 18 holes can't total much over 2000', but the challenge is legendary. Tightly-treed alleys, mesh nets, cages and elevated basket placements will challenge your skills and your patience on this par-2 ace-fest.

Biggest pros: private land and Christmas lights, so you can play the whole course in the middle of the night with your friends, beer in hand. The course is short and won't wear you out, but presents enough challenge that you'll still have to aim -- every shot has an alley you've got to hit, so there are no gimme deuces, and you can play all night aiming for those aces.

The Grange itself is a unique experience, and the Tiki course is an integral part of the fun. It's hard to describe, but difficult to overstate -- you'll have a raucous good time no matter when you set foot at The Grange.

Cons:

* old rusty baskets don't have quite the same chain action as fresh baskets

* taking a three can tank your score -- this is deuce or die at its finest

* it's one-of-a-kind, so most people will never have the chance to experience the greatness that is Tiki Golf

Other Thoughts:

If you're at The Grange, don't miss Tiki Golf just because it's a short course -- it's also the best course, and the most unusual of what's out there in my opinion. Of all the courses I've played across the country, there is nothing that is quite like Tiki Golf -- one putter, beer in hand, you can play all night long. And there will likely be live music in the background as the soundtrack for your aceruns.
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3 10
Virtual PBandJ
Experience: 35.8 years 95 played 12 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Putt Putt DG 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 5, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-Lit front 9
-fun for people of all skill levels
-perfect warmup to tourneys on big courses
-perfect for playing all night
-back 9 offers some fun shots

Cons:

-cant play all the time

Other Thoughts:

my first hole in 1 was with a mini on the long hole 6 (150 ft)

: ) :
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