Short, Technical, Elevation Changes, Variety of Shots, Relatively Easy to Follow, Beautiful Scenery

Akita's Run is the smallest of the 3 courses on site, but definitely not to be taken lightly. Virtually every hole is extremely wooded, tight and technical. You really need to carve lines through the trees to score well here.
Though most holes are <300' there are a couple epic holes that are on inclines so steep that ropes have been installed to help you make your way up to the basket - better hope you don't roll... There are also a number of holes that cross over and around the creek that runs through the property. It was dry when I played it, but would make this course much harder when it is full.
Since the course is cut into the woods on the side of the mountain, fining your way from hole to hole is relatively easy since all you really need to do is follow the trail from one basket to the next pin. However, once you get to the clearings, a map is useful.

Natural Tee Pads, Baskets, Common Amenities, All 3 courses on the same land

Its pretty tough to list any cons since the complex as a whole is so awesome. However, there are a couple things that could be added that would push this course/complex off the charts.
Most holes are short, so they don't require a long run up, but concrete or limestone tee pads would be nice. The baskets are not professional grade. But, a lot of times you're not in a position to run putts because of where you're putting from, fast greens surrounded by large drop offs, water or otherwise dangerous circumstances for missing.
Lastly, there are no bathrooms, facilities or trash cans. None of these are a huge deal as long as you know this going into it. However, this may change as the property is under new ownership and I believe the new owner is looking to update the property with these amenities.

Overall, if you enjoy disc golf, hiking, natural beauty and rugged terrain, the Ozark Mountain Complex is a must visit. Though all the holes are Par3, its best not to enter the round with expectations of an easy round.

Traveler's Tip: Bring lots of snacks and drinks, a good pair of hiking shoes and discs that you don't mind banging up on trees, rocks and possibly loosing in the water. Lastly (please) Pack it in and Pack it out - take nothing but pictures and leave nothing but footprints!

The course plays through beautiful hilly terrain that's mostly wooded. Almost all the holes have some kind of technical line to hit, there's not really any grip it n rip it shots here. Some are extremely tight while others offer a little more fairway but the same thick punishing rough. Every hole is reachable off the tee, but that doesn't mean this is an easy course by any means. There are all kinds of challenges that make it possible to rack up bogeys and worse in a hurry.

The elevation ranges from moderate to extreme, with few flat holes. Two holes go straight up and down a very steep hill, by far the steepest holes I've ever played and a very unique experience with a rope needed to get up and down the fairways. Many other holes offer great elevation and some fantastic pin placements with rollaway potential. There's great variety in the lines you'll have to hit, this course plays very balanced between left and right turning shots with some creative line shaping needed to score well.

The course is only really cleaned up twice a year for tournaments and that shows. The tees are very rough, many are full of rocks or roots and several are steeply sloped. That makes it tough to tee off on some of the more sloped holes when the tee shot feels like an awkward lie fairway shot. The rough is thick enough that you will generally be pitching out, there aren't a ton of opportunities for creative saves after missing the fairway. The temporary nature of the course means that signage and navigation are a bit neglected, you'll definitely need a course map and even then it can be tough to figure out where some of the holes are without a guide.

Beginners will find this to be the most approachable of the three courses onsite, it's shorter and doesn't have the same length and multi-shot holes present on Ozark and Spencer-Davis. That said, it's still a hike and presents a lot of challenges, the rough is thick and a less accurate player will end up there often. More experienced players will love the potential for any score between a 2 and a 5 on every hole, if you're on it's certainly possible to score really low but if you're not hitting your lines the strokes will add up quick.

I highly recommend a trip here, all three courses are a ton of fun and well worth driving out of your way. A truck or SUV will make it a little easier, the road into the property can get rough.

- Course is set in a large, large piece of property that is dedicated solely to discing. The only possible interference might be from wild animals here!
- This course is entirely made up of par 3's, with shorter hole lengths that are all reasonably deuce-able. Of course, that does NOT mean that they are all easy 3's!!! Course has also undergone a few changes, including a new hole #1.
- Good mix of wooded and open holes. #1 starts it off with a steep, blind, downhill toss that is finesse over anything else. Going too far left, long, or right, will end in some trees. #6 is a very tight, slightly downhill shot with thick sloping jail on either side; one bad kick is all it takes. #7 is pretty tight, a downhill hyzer with a gap to hit off the tee. #10 is straight up a wooded hillside, and #11 comes back straight down that same hillside. Ropes are attached to the trees to help get up and down these steep inclines. The course finishes with uphill holes through the woods - short, but still tricky.
- Holes out in the open still have good character. #2 has a few trees in the fairway, and narrowing woods as you get closer to the basket. #3 is blind RHFH hyzer over a thick patch of rough and a creek, and a few more are fairly tight RHBH flex shots. Plenty of rough to the sides of the fairway to punsih errant shots.
- A few other holes play near or over a creek, with some small windows to hit. #8 is a low ceiling shot with a few trees to get under by the basket; #9 is a hyzer with water behind/left of the pin, and #14 has a little creek below a tight gap.
- So, although the hole lengths are a little short, there are plenty of features to make things interesting and challenging. Some extreme elevation changes on three holes, very nasty rough or jail on many holes, water hazards here and there, plenty of tight gaps/lines to hit, scoring well here is no joke.

- Course is definitely rough around the edges; teepads are designated with spray paint, and can be sloping, rocky, slippery, etc. Definitely helps to have the map as well.
- Private and temporary, got to time it right to enjoy this one.
- Shorter hole lengths is the only real knock.

- Top notch course; the only thing lacking are the details - pads, signs, etc. Beginners should stay far away from here, and intermediate players better bring their A-game. Experts will relish the challenges here.

From a shot for shot course design perspective, Akitas Run is about as good as Par 3 golf can get. The design uses the the abundant natural beauty of the site for some bad to the bone disc golf. The design is not very long, but so many of the holes shoot uphill that it plays longer than it is. The holes are very technical, and the rough is very rough so if your tee shot strays off course, it can be very difficult to recover. I was forced into using quite a few shots that I almost never use. A few of the holes can be quite daunting at first glance. The extreme elevation used on #8, #9 and #11 is something you probably couldn't get away with on public land. It adds up to a pretty unique course that is really fun and challenging.

There were several holes on the back where I was really unhappy with the tee-off area. They were uneven and rocky. A few of them were on slopes. I don't mind natural tees, but sloping rutted tees with rocks in them bother me.

The baskets are a mish-mash of targets. Some are good, standard baskets. Some are not so good. Two or three of the baskets have the small bullseye basket chain area.

All of the other cons are pretty typical for a private course. It's not all that well marked, and it's pretty easy to get lost out there. There are no tee signs, so you just have to guess at the distance. I don't really consider them a con, just the reality of private courses.

It's not maintained year-round; it gets cleaned up twice a year for events. You have to play it within a few weeks after an event or it will be basically unplayable.

Akitas Run is the sister course to Ozark Mountain, which is arguably the hardest disc golf course around. The combination of the two courses makes this a really outstanding place to play disc golf.

The terrain is not for the timid. You need to be prepared for a hike, as just making it around 18 holes is a workout. A few holes are on such a steep slope that there are ropes to help haul you up or down.

Note: The courses on this property have dirt tees and baskets with a base set on the ground (it would be a real haul to get out there just to steal a basket) so it is easy to move holes around. If you take a few years between rounds, things are going to be moved around somewhat. Any hole #'s mentioned in my review can be ignored as the numbering has changed.

In the end the Ozark Mountain courses are hard for me to rate. There are no amenities, so based on that it's hard to argue that they are of a "best of the best" quality. Shot for shot, they provide fantastic golf. Basically if you like to rack up birdies in flip-flops, this is not your disc golf. If you crave some of the most challenging disc golf you will play, this is a destination spot you should not miss.

This is a very tight, technical course. Holes are VERY well thought out, and you much choose your lines perfectly. This course makes you think, and execute multiple shots, that you would normally scratch your head on. It is truly breathtaking to play this course.

There aren't many. Some of the baskets weren't regulation, and they were almost impossible to putt into, but I'm not really complaining. You gotta be in shape to climb the hills on the majority of these holes.

This is a great course to think about life, DG, and the universe. I was in awe of my surrounding during the round...I just hop everyone who truly enjoys this game can play this course at least once in their life.

This course very quickly became one of my favorite courses when I played it. It is a par three course...but do not let that fool you...you have to earn par on every hole. I felt lucky walking away with a bogey on a few. Very extreme terrain to deal with on this course...think a picture of the Ozark mountains. I certainly wouldn't suggest the course for anyone who was not in good shape...or had knee or ankle troubles...as the up and down hills is grueling. There are places where you would not make it up or down the hill without the aid of a rope. There are some very creatively placed baskets tucked away in nice little patches of trees or up on a cliff with a trecherous drop off (I found out the hard way as I watched a putt barely lip out and roll 60-75 feet back down a hill). There is water (several streams) that come into play on several holes and are used to the fullest. They were some of my favorite holes because an errant throw meant your disc might be caught up in the water heading downstream. One of my favorite holes was the most extreme uphill shot I have ever seen on a course. It is a beautiful hole with the basket sitting up on a cliff tucked away like an eagles nest (really intimidating shot).

Not a whole lot to criticize really. One of the baskets was homemade and possibly the smallest chain area I have ever putted at. Maps would be very helpful out here (although spray painted trees and rocks help out tremendously).

One of the most fun rounds of disc golf I have ever played. Very challenging...but not to the point of frustratingly so. A true gem of a course...throw in it's sister course Ozark Mountain and you have a great day of disc golf.

So much fun!!! I loved this course...it uses similar terrain as the Ozark Mountain course, but the courses play extremely differently. I thought the terrain was more extreme, but there is less course management because the whole thing is par 3's. Definitely some birdieable holes, but there is also the potential for 5 on those same holes. Holes 7-9 are amazing. Gotta be one of my favorite stretches of holes anywhere...period. There are some really steep climbs and declines on this course. If you have bad knees...stay away because this is as physically demanding a course as you will find. The views are gorgeous and much of the course plays in or around a really nice creek (which had plenty of water in it...definitely came in to play throughout.

You must print a map and scorecard off this site before you play because it will be tough to navigate otherwise. There is lots of spray painted stuff to help you find your way, but you will still get lost without the aid of a map. I can't imagine how bad the ticks and chiggers would be in the summer. There was nothing to worry about this time of year though.

I can't tell you how much fun I had adequately. All I can tell you is if you don't get out and play this....you are missing out on a truly special experience.

its a long course, great shots and fun most of all. you have to see the course to take it all in. i'll give you one insight about one hole. hole 8, if you don't use the rope to get up the hill, you wont make it.

hard

this is the best par 54 i have ever played. its steep long and stategic. if you dont have a straight shot, or a miracle in your poket your in trouble.