Reno, NV

The Ranch

Permanent course
2.685(based on 25 reviews)
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8 0
renoDave
Experience: 3 played 3 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Biggest Little DGC in the world

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 16, 2023 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Great course for intermediate to expert disc golfers.
The newly installed concrete teepads make this the ultimate course for learning how to create shots but also provides for ample possibilities for experts to fine tune their short game. Both without the hazard of hitting trees or landing in a pond.
Integrated in to the natural hilly rough terrain of a high desert (4500ft) makes for a challenging round of golf.
Easy access, Great signage. Great hole variation. Lots of elevation change. Clearly marked OB and mandos including the triple mando on #7. Great views of Reno and Mt. Rose.

Cons:

On #9 you may have to wait for hikers to walk across the fairway as this course is part of one of the finest recreational areas in Reno. The land was a ranch which was donated to the county and was converted to multi use which includes the DGC, 20 acre dog park, a 15 acre human park, a 15 acre arboretum, 10 acre discovery park for kids, a museum, and a quad ball park.
And, a trail head for a 5 mile hike/bike through the DGC and up past the Basque Monument.
Disclaimer: The acreages for the various areas are estimated.

Other Thoughts:

Bring water and be prepared for changing weather conditions.

The Reno Balloon races are held at the park and (at least last year) they use the #18 fairway as their target zone plus there will be 100's of people walking/camping around the front nine to observe the races. There were some people tent camping on #1 teepad last year.
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5 0
Kinsman
Experience: 14 played 6 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Good for winter play 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 29, 2020 Played the course:once

Pros:

Wasn't expecting much from this course, but it's a decent spot for a quick round.
-Convenient location right of N. McCarran with a large free parking lot
-Mostly just DG users around the course when softball fields aren't in use
-Variety of shot lengths
-Mix of flat, uphill, and downhill shots
-Smart use of mandos to add some shot shaping to a few holes
-Surprisingly clean considering the lack of trash cans
-No trees to ruin your shot
-Every hole seems to have multiple pin placements

Cons:

The biggest cons, as other reviews suggest, can time and day dependent. Mostly due to the sun and wind exposure.
-No trees to to ruin your shot. This is a pro and a con. It's fun to have wide open holes but this does make it repetitive, boring, and easy at times.
-No signage pointing to the next tee. Most holes you can see the next tee but it takes some guessing when you can see multiples. Holes 8-9 could use some direction
-Tee signs didn't appear to indicate basket position... or at least I didn't notice any.

Other Thoughts:

I was suprised to see so many low reviews for this course but since DGCR considers 2.5 to be decent/typical, I think that's fair. I wouldn't go out of my way to play this course, but considering it's location, it's not really out of the way for anyone in north Reno or that far from the freeway. I like courses that use the natural terrain and environment as opposed to overly manicured parks. Sage brush and wide open landscapes are just a fact of life in the Great Basin Certainly I wouldn't play this course at 1pm on a July afternoon, but for a quick round in winter, I really can't complain. Even in summer, early morning before the sun gets too hot also tends to be less windy in Reno, so that would probably be the best time to play. For a city park I found it surprisingly clean but I suspect that's partly do to the lower amount of users this time of year.
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6 0
Breh
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 13.8 years 191 played 189 reviews
3.50 star(s)

2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 11, 2019 Played the course:once

Pros:

Tbh I was expecting a lot worse when I arrived at the ranch. I showed up on a calm no wind day and can say it was probably a relief. This course is wide open!!! Yet I feel there's enough elevation change, and couple mandos to still make it enjoyable. Hole 7 is a very fun double mando hole that I feel is for sure a signature hole. One par 4 but lots of holes to air it out/ plus a couple holes for an ace opportunity. Multiple pin placements for sure can change up the course and a couple small top of the world shots. For being wide open the elevation makes it less repetitive at least. Baskets were in good shape, and tee signs were decent showing distance. Be sure to look at them as they show you direction to next tee pad as well. Practice basket by hole 1 and 18. Cool statues in park and great views or surrounding mountains

Cons:

Wide open!!!! No technical shots at all. Hole 1 and 2 pretty much share fairway. Lots of sage brush it's literally everywhere. Glass on course as well as sharp rocks that will chew up discs. Graffiti here and there.

Other Thoughts:

If this course has any wind it would be absolutely brutal. I'm sure I got lucky on the day I came it was better than I feel it's reviewed to be but probably closer to a 3.25 however I can imagine with wind my round would have been way more frustrating as there's no trees at all, I'm sure the heat in summer would be brutal as well.
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2 0
Xroads76
Experience: 1 played 1 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Convenient, fun layout, but not ideal 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 13, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

Nice forgiving wide open shots, visibility of the baskets is great, good practice for windy conditions, some hiking to make you feel like you did a little something that day.

Cons:

Tons of brush everywhere, the hacked down brush was almost like walking on nails at times, the only real challenges are distance and wind, Rattler territory, no shade pretty much anywhere, little flying bugs were rampant through the entire course and I don't mean just a little, the fairways and benches were literally crawling with little flying pests.

Other Thoughts:

Though this is convenient to play a quick 9 hole game after work, I would much rather haul up to Truckee and add 20 minutes drive each way for a funner more challenging golf experience, cooler temps, and some break from the sun.
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2 0
Chris L
Experience: 1 played 1 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Throwing in a desert is....different 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 26, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

You can see every bucket from the tee
Not crowded
Wide open
Free
In town
Friendly people

Cons:

Not very technical
Boring, visually

Other Thoughts:

With out the wind it would be like field practice. I liked it but, I'm used to obstacles.
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3 0
AngelK
Experience: 8.8 years 6 played 6 reviews
3.50 star(s)

No trees 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 24, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

Good basket distances, many opportunities to chuck it across a field. Some hilly areas.

Cons:

Baskets are a little hard to see, course can use better markings. Watch out for the snakes. No trees = no shade when it's blazing hot outside.

Other Thoughts:

Bring water.
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5 0
FrankWilliams
Experience: 23.9 years 17 played 6 reviews
2.50 star(s)

The Nevada Desert 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 31, 2014 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Benches and sponsor names are at every tee so I know DG friendly places to spend my money.

Multiple chain locations and there are tee signs at each hole indicating the distance to each of the chain placements. There is also a dial on the tee sign indicating which location the chains are currently at.

Variety of long and medium distance shots up and downhill as well as into and with the wind.

Several of the 'greens' have been picked free of rocks, which is rather cool. Some TLC went into this course.

You can see the chains from all but a few of their placements.

Cons:

The wind (especially in the late afternoon) can be treacherous.

There is very little shade.

Ground is mix of dirt and rock, which chews up softer discs.

Other Thoughts:

I had a rattlesnake crawl over my driver on #1.
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4 3
VersitileArm
Experience: 18.2 years 60 played 6 reviews
1.00 star(s)

Wind course 2+ years drive by

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

Pros:

Lots of parking and easy to find. Some fun up and downhill shots. A good course to test your max distance drives on. Overall the biggest pro is how challenging this course can be. The best part about the design is that holes 1,9,10,& 18 are all close to the parking lot, unlike some courses (redding) where holes 9&10 are way in the back of the park. Also, everyone I have ever seen playing has been really friendly.

Cons:

The biggest cons are the sun and wind. The open design would be fair & fun but the wind frustrates it. Most of the holes are a little too long for how windy it gets, making it nearly impossible to par in the wind. There aren't many trees either, and the trees that are out there aren't well used. If more tee pads were close to shade the course would be more comfortable to play. The only tee with any shade is 8, but you can tell if they had thought about it many more could be placed in the shade. The shade is so important because the sun can really get you. If it's a hot day you probably don't want to bring your dog.

Other Thoughts:

The course got a 1 from me because of the nice pads, signs, & baskets and because i hate it. I actually play this course a lot, though the reality is this course is ruining disc golf for me. It is the most frustrating course I have played. I have heard from a few locals that they refuse to play it. The people are nice, the area is nice, and there are some fun shots. Discs aren't lost often, but the rocks can chew them. It's a nice course for night golf, either in a full moon or with spotlights for the softball games that will go past 1am and there is little wind at night. I've seen reviews where people complain about the irrigation but it seems they fixed that by digging some canals. The course is also a pretty rugged hike. While the course is not technical per se, the wind adds a level of tehnicality that is frustrating. If the some of the par 3 shots weren't so close to 500 or 600 ft and there were more tees in the shade this course could get an easy 4 or 4&1/2. But as is, bring lots of water and sunblock, and if it's hot you might have to leave Rover at home.
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3 1
nuttinbutchain
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 11.9 years 44 played 23 reviews
2.50 star(s)

What a dog turd course...sorry if this is ur local course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 25, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

-distance
-elevation
...I'm trying to find some good in this course but its hard to

Cons:

-SAGEBRUSH!!! This totally zaps the fun out of this course. (see below for more details)
-no trees...yes i know its in the desert but still

Other Thoughts:

I don't mean to offend anyone if this is their local course and they like it, but this course is whack. Its too bad because the land is decent and so are the distances and basket placements. The major turn off for me is searching for your disc on literally every throw because it gets lost in the sage brush. Don't wear shorts to this course either...you'll get stuck. If they could somehow eradicate the sagebrush I would give this course a 3.0 to a 3.25
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2 1
FMT15
Experience: 10.5 years 4 played 2 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Wide Open Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Oct 8, 2013 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Nice throwing pad at each hole, open spaces, lots of elevation changes. A couple nice downhill bombs and good variance of distance on each hole.

Cons:

Rough terrain- rocks and prickly bushes. Hole distances are fairly long and an entire 18 holes can be alot of walking and hiking

Other Thoughts:

Easy for beginners as there is no trees or huge obstructions on any hole. It can get pretty hot out there without any shade to help but there are water fountains around.
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5 1
JMONEY
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 14.8 years 227 played 41 reviews
2.50 star(s)

DGC in the high desert 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 17, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

: Lots of parking, Practice basket, Putting game at the practice basket, Dog friendly, H2O and port-a-potty near hole 1,Tee signs with multiple placements and pin dial, local DG club support, +/- elevation change and best of all its free!

Cons:

Chews up discs, No shade, not enough obstacles, can be very dry and dusty during summer months.

Other Thoughts:

On nights when there are softball games being played , you can play holes 10-18 with the stadium lights. Wind is a factor at the course giving you a chance to hone your skills in the wind.
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2 0
Hammer26
Experience: 5 played 5 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Wide open 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 27, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

The course is very wide open with very few trees. Hole 1 really is the only hole with trees on it and they are utilized on that hole. The rock wall on 4 and 6 make for a good OB line as before the sage overran that hole it was easier to skip OB or roll OB on either. Mando on 6 makes shortest position interesting. 7 and 8 make for decent roller holes. 8s all about placement shot making it a good par 4. Back 9 is mostly up and down hills which on a calm day is fairly easy but wind changes this up a lot and makes those holes much more interesting. Hole 13 gives a great view of Reno. 17 and 18 finish flat but with obstacles including a mando on 17. 2 rounds in a day could bring very different scores as the wind could become a major factor in the afternoon.

Cons:

Lacks trees but cant do much about that. Completely wide open which can cause some very errant shots. Some tee pads are a little short and are a slight tripping hazard but only a few. Irrigation in the fall makes the course a little wet in spots.

Other Thoughts:

This course can be quite hot in the afternoon with the lack of shade. Some of the back nine has loose rocks that could cause a rolled ankle if one isnt careful. The course only has 1 set of tees but multiple locations that . change how to play the hole. Just bring a good pair of shoes , sunscreen and plenty of water and youll be fine here.
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7 1
The Valkyrie Kid
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 45.9 years 1563 played 1507 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Why Are They Watering The Dirt? 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 17, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

It is the only course in Reno. There are some outstanding views of the surrounding areas. The course is set in a high desert park?, well, or more like a large vacant lot area. It does feature a nice amount of elevation to contend with and leads to enjoyable, if not quite epic downhill tosses on 13, 15 and 17. Unfortunately, you have hot, dusty, tiring climbs to get to those tee pads.

# 1 and # 2 holes are fun and challenging disc golf holes. Then from 3 on to about 13 the holes were overly long, hot, dusty, and mostly boring.

In the courses defense, we probably made the mistake of trying to play in the heat of an August afternoon. By the time we reached the three downhill holes, the course had totally beaten us down. My partner refused to hike up those hills. I managed to climb them and teeing off them was almost worth the climb.

Cons:

For some reason, an irrigation system was on and the course was semi-flooded. Vast expanses of the dirt had smelly, sewer water trickling down the hillsides creating slippery, sticky messes which stuck to your discs and was extremely tricky to cross without falling on your buttocks. After a few crossings, my shoes were a goey mess and I was ready to shut it down for the day.

Too many of the holes are unnecessarily long. You don't need a 750 foot wide open uphill hole when a 600 footer would do the same trick. These long wide open holes quickly grew boring and redudant. And the wind wasn't even blowing.

And finishing at baskets stuck out in the middle of a dirt field creates no interest at all. It's here that the course developers could take a look at being a little creative and insert some manmade obstacles. Check out Brent Baca DGC in Alburqueque, NM, holes 2 and 11. They inserted railroad ties vertically in the ground surrounding the basket in a similiar desert terrain to spice up an otherwise very boring hole.
Another course to check out would be Schaefer DGC in Denver, CO. There, the course designers stuck dead trees trunks in the ground surrounding a basket to create an artifical forrest around the basket. It's very cool and makes an otherwise boring hole much challenging to play.

Other Thoughts:

IF we had played in the early morning or evening and IF the irrigation had been turned off we might have enjoyed this coursed a little more. I'd really like to see someone shorten many of the holes and add a few manmade obstacles to a couple of the more boring basket locations. The course terrain is ugly but with a few improvements it could be made more player friendly.
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1 0
ajjrt
Experience: 14 played 13 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Fun in Reno 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 30, 2012 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Wide open shots. Good mats for tee boxes. Pretty easy to get around (couple of holes could use direction arrows from 4 to 5, from 11 to 12, and looking down at 13 basket). Sunny, great views, easy location, few lizards.

Cons:

Morning is the best time to play because of the wind and the heat (August). Direction signs to teeboxes and baskets would help. Bring plenty of water...the one fountain wasn't working. Portable bathroom very very very hot in afternoon.

Other Thoughts:

Enjoyed playing the course. Will play again.
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1 3
lturner
Experience: 20.3 years 19 played 1 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Nice and open 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 24, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

Nice shots from different altitudes, very easy to navigate, nice view of downtown and mountains, well maintained, not too crowded

Cons:

Not extremely challenging, few trees, lots of sun

Other Thoughts:

Definitely will play again!!
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2 6
freakyflyer
Experience: 13 played 5 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Reno Trip 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 26, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

FOR ME THE PROS WERE THE OPEN SPACES WAS ABLE TO THROW DISCS I NORMALLY WOULDNT THROW JUST TO TAKE TIME TO LEARN THOSE HARD TO THROW FAST FADERS.

Cons:

WIND , IT KEPT ME SECOND GUESSING. ALWAYS GO WITH YOUR FIRST PICK IT IS USALLY THE ONE TO GO WITH

Other Thoughts:

GO EARLY MORNING OR EVENING IN THE SPRING, HEATS UP QUICKLY . BRING H2O AS WELL. AND MOST OF ALL FLICK FOR FUN, DON'T BE A BUM
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2 10
man in red
Experience: 3 played 3 reviews
3.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Nov 1, 2011 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

mixture of long and short holes, and a game of round 9 to practice putting. Change pins evey day.Right by a store that sells discs (Bicycle Bananas)

Cons:

Discs get beat up, Cannot do rollers, Rubber tee pads, and easy to lose discs.

Other Thoughts:

Best Holes 1,7,8,14,13, and 18. Front nine is long. back nine is short.If you play here use a fairway Driver.Every time I go to the Course I find minis. I have ten now.
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4 3
toucan2306
Experience: 13.7 years 52 played 7 reviews
3.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 23, 2011 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Great use of altitude. A long walk, but a nice walk and well set up. I really enjoying playing here, might be because it is the only one in town but it is nice enough to play over and over again. Good use of multiple pins.

Cons:

No real obsticles. I wish there were some more Mandos or something to force hard shots. The only real hardship is wind, which is there most days. But where it hurts some holes, it helps others. Can be really hard to find discs, they get stuck in sage or when the grass isnt cut can just sit in the grass hiding from you. Cant wait for real tee boxes either, kinda dangerous with the rubber ones.

Other Thoughts:

I have played this course almost every single day for the last month. I dont get tired of it, when you get used to it they change the pin spot, making it a whole new course. Different than any course i have played, all about altitude and wind speed/direction. I enjoy it, i like to go on not nice days only because that is about the only time it isnt busy. WHEN WILL RENO WAKE UP AND MAKE ANOTHER COURSE!
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4 2
Chefkitty
Experience: 13.5 years 9 played 1 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Finally Finished! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 2, 2011 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-All pins and tee pads are now in.
-There's three pin positions per hole.
-Great use of elevation where possible.

Cons:

-Wind, and sometimes the dust that it kicks up
-Not enough garbage cans
-Afternoons, and spring can be insanely windy

Other Thoughts:

Reno is in a desert, and as such, there's few physical obstacles to use. The ones that are on the course are used well. The elevation gains and losses are also used well, and give the course some interesting holes.

This is a distance course, as opposed to a finesse course. It's great for beginners, in that there's no trees to shoot around, and plenty of open space to learn how various discs behave. However, at the same time, it's also not very beginner friendly in that some of the longer holes (4, 8, 16..) can be very demoralizing to play because of how many shots it takes you to get to the pin.

It's not the best course by far, but it's a lot of fun to play.
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4 2
elton807
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 13.7 years 56 played 56 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Windy, Hilly, & Fun 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Oct 26, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

Plenty of land, a creek, a national monument, and ground undulations that provide interesting terrain, unique views, and a great workout. Easy to find, plenty of parking, variety of shots and hole configurations. The back nine is very fun, with a unique straight uphill shot on 12, and a 500+ft downhill downwind teeshot on 16.

Cons:

Baskets 4, 5, and 6 are missing making this section of the front nine a little frustrating. That being said, holes 1-3, and 7-9 are quite interesting.

Other Thoughts:

I don't understand the knock on this course. The first 3 holes start off beautifully, but then the basketless 4-6 are a little disappointing. 7-9 finishes the front nine nicely and gets you ready for the super-hilly at times back nine. I'm looking forward to playing here again!
=================
Uniqueness: B+ (tons of space & variety of holes)
Difficulty: A- (long; elevation changes abound)
Fun factor: B+ (you'll get a workout; rewarding birdies)
Aesthetics: B+ (deserts aren't lush; awesome signs)
----------------------
Overall:B+
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