- Amazing complex to play disc golf on.
- The most challenging course at Highbridge.
- Lots of gap hitting required.
- Plenty of long holes to test your distance and shot shaping.
- Risk vs Reward comes into play big time!
- Baskets and tee pads in good condition.

- Some of the gaps are...well...a bear to hit.
- There's a few shots where the line is a little unnatural.
- The rough was pretty thick

The Bear is easily the most difficult course at the Highbridge Complex. Very heavily wooded and challenging, this will test your gap hitting and shot placement abilities!

The Bear is one of five courses on site at Highbridge Hills in northern Wisconsin.

From the name, you might guess that this course is challenging - and you would be correct. Of the five HH courses, it is the longest course that is almost entirely wooded. The distances are championship level, with holes *averaging* around 475' and two holes in the 700'-750' range. There are a couple of nice shorter holes sprinkled in to provide a little respite during the round.

Most fairways are relatively narrow and carved out of a rolling woodland area at the back of the HH complex. It will take a wide variety of discs and throws to score well. The elevation changes are utilized on almost every hole to add even more challenge. A couple of water hazards come into play in the middle of the course.

My favorite hole was actually the opening one, which plays downhill in thick woods with three distinct fairways that diverge, then converge again at the basket. I also liked hole 12, which starts in the open but plays straight ahead into a narrow valley. Then, maybe 350' off the tee the fairway kinks sharply to the left and climbs a steep hill another 200' or so to the basket.

The baskets are Prodigy models, I think? I know that they were painted bright orange with a Northern Lights DG sponsor band, and in great shape. One per hole.

The tee pads are concrete and in fine shape. Generally there was one per hole, although some holes also had short rubber tees. In comparison to the Blueberry Hill (BH) and Granite Ridge (GR) courses on site, the short tees here seemed less like an attempt at a second layout and more like an offer to shorten the longest holes for noodle arms. Trash cans and benches are located near several of the tees.

Like other HH courses, the tee signage could be improved here. Many of the holes had simple hand-painted maps with the distance and par, which I believe were up to date. These were nice! However, several holes were missing them as of my visit (late September 2022) and were only marked with the hole number on a small orange painted post. The short tees that existed were only marked with red painted posts.

Navigation was confusing in places. There were some Next Tee arrows, but more are needed in my opinion. It took me a couple minutes on multiple occasions to find the next hole. The course map posted at the pay station is also partially incorrect, which didn't help. It looked like holes 3-12 or so have been redesigned since that map was made.

The middle of the course plays next to what appears to be a "junkyard" at the edge of the property. Basically what looked like an abandoned mess of scrap metal. I don't know if this is a relic of HH's troubled past or what the story behind it is, but can only say that it did take away from the beautiful wooded aesthetic of the rest of the course a little bit.

I think an argument could be made that the variety here is a little bit "worse" than what you find on GR or BH. Specifically, those courses both have several more open holes mixed in whereas The Bear only really opens up at the end of hole 11/beginning of hole 12, to my recollection. Very minor, since if you want more open holes just walk across to GR, BH, or Highbridge Gold!

The following notes apply to all HH courses:
- Large dirt parking lot at the top of a hill, which itself offers views better than you'd find on most courses.
- Multiple porta potties.
- Multiple practice baskets scattered around.
- Kiosk info at pay station including large map of all 5 courses.
- Signage says pro shop and food are sometimes available, but I got the vibe those were holdovers from previous ownership. Maybe they are open for special events.
- Onsite camping available.
- Pay to play: $20/day or $10/round or other options that I won't go into here (check course website for latest info). Can pay with cash, check, or Venmo. Signage at the entrance to the course says to display a receipt on your car but you don't get a receipt from the pay station - this was a bit confusing. I paid via Venmo, had fine cell phone service throughout the complex, and was one of the only people there throughout my visit so I figured I would be contacted if there were any issues.

The Bear was the fourth (and final) HH course I tackled in a single day - after Woodland Greens, Blueberry Hill, and Granite Ridge in that order. I feel that in terms of overall challenge, The Bear > Granite Ridge > Blueberry Hill > Woodland Greens - although the order could be debated depending on which layout you play for GR and BH. I mean, I threw a +14 round on The Bear (according to pars here/on UDisc) and the DGCR system put that at 900 rating. Highbridge Gold (which I played the next morning, and will review soon) is probably the hardest of all for most of us - although I think big arms who struggle a little bit with accuracy might actually think The Bear is most challenging.

It's Thanksgiving Day here in the US as I write this, and DG'ers should all be thankful for UP Mountain Man and the others who have helped to revitalize The Bear (and HH in general). I think this course in its current 2022 state is valued fairly on here (~3.85 average), as I had it slotted in at a low 4.0 myself. It falls below GR and BH on my personal ledger mostly because there is only one layout. Like those other courses, this one could be even better if the infrastructure were upgraded.

I highly recommend a trip to HH overall. If you are limited on time, I would suggest playing BH, GR, and - if you have a noodle arm like me - WG before The Bear. But if you are looking for championship level technical challenge, look no further than this bear-y tough course!

+Newly installed permanent Prodigy targets+Famously tight fairways mowed and trimmed+Rough remains rough but has been made more fair as regular maintenance has become... regular!+Solid and unique hand painted signage+Many long and winding par 4+ with basket in sight from tee+Demands a variety of shots and shapes +Players have options on several holes for alternate/multiple fairways+Little to no artificial OB+Not undersold on difficulty, this course will make you feel good about getting pars

-Hole 1 plays close to tee pad of Gold #1-Can get wet in low spots at the bottom of the hill

The Bear is the most difficult of the Highbridge courses to describe to newcomers. Challenging, wooded, tight, long.... these adjectives do not do the course justice as a whole. Singular holes can be boiled down to a quick description but the mental and physical toll you will feel after a full round of 18 is something that can only be accurately experienced. At the Highbridge Hills complex, The Bear is by far the most challenging course. In the past this was partly due to low upkeep and poor quality of baskets, but those traits have taken a 180 degree turn since the takeover of new ownership. New baskets and clean lines are the new norm at this course and the complex as a whole.The track begins with a "tight" par 5 that plays near the access road and out to a basket in a wood chip lot. The opening hole will lull you into thinking the course will at least cough up easy pars when you have to pitch out of the rough or scramble. Pack a lunch, you will be proven wrong quickly enough. The remainder of the course winds up and down the hill through truly tight lines in the woods. Smart players will reach for neutral flying putters and mid ranges off the tee, but even then mere inches off your landing zone and you will be forced to throw an uncomfortable 2nd shot or take your medicine and lay up for a look at an upshot. Pars feel triumphant, bogeys frequently become best case scenario and birdies can feel like eagles. 13 par 4s and 5s and 8000+ feet of distance that will feel like the longest course you have ever played. Lines are fair and, in most cases, right in front of you. Not many options to go up and over so the course plays as designed. Potential for world championship caliber tournament play is there, and there is no doubt top tier professionals would be tested almost more mentally than physically. 6+ hour tournament rounds, guaranteed. For the average or above average player, this course will play easily over par and more likely double digits. Would not recommend for beginning players. Set in the remote and picturesque Chequamegon-Nicollet National Forest. Nothing but a walk through the woods.

The Bear is the most brutal of the Highbridge 5 on the hill. And it's not really close. This is a good thing though, you know, if you're into epic beatdowns on the course. Seriously though, this is probably the hardest course I've ever played. There's a mix of every kind of wooded shot you can imagine here and then some. There's some monster par 5's here and all kinds of extremely tough par 4's. They'll throw you a break with a shorter par 3 here or there followed by an even more extreme par 5 right after. In a fun way if that makes sense.

The baskets here are a hodgepodge of different makes and models. They all are in solid shape and catch great. No Mach II's or anything like that. Everything has sturdy chains that don't spit.

The tees are concrete. These are all plenty serviceable. They're showing their age on a couple holes but for the most part are still in good shape. These are all grippy and level though. There's a few flared ones where there are multiple lines to the pin.

The elevation here is the most extreme on the property. The majority of the holes have some type of undulating terrain. There are uphill and downhill tee shots and everything in between. It's quite the hike and a great workout just to play a round. There is a great mixture of different distances ranging from 215 ft. on hole 8 all the way up to a pair of 745 footers on holes 7 and 13.

There are tee signs on most holes that have a basic hand painted hole diagram, distance and par. Pretty basic but serviceable. Not all holes have signs currently. There are tons of next tee arrows everywhere that help with navigation as well. You should be able to find your way around fine. Good flow in general and the course starts and ends right by the road the other 3 besides Blueberry start by.

There is a great mix of different shots required to shoot well here. To shoot decent even. If you can't throw backhand and forehand you'll probably struggle in spots here. My forehand game is very poor but I've never thrown as many sidearms in my life, by far. You'll need distance and accuracy to score well here. You'll have to sacrifice distance to hit landing zones to score well. The Bear will test even the best golfers in all facets.

The natural beauty and serenity you experience out here, and all the other courses here, is unrivaled. The Bear is tucked way back in the northeast part of the complex, away from everything else. The only people you'll run into are others on the course or on Woodland Greens in a few spots. But for the most part all you'll hear is the sounds of the forest. There are also a few spots where you can see the countryside for miles on end. Stunning.

The courses at Highbridge are $10 for all day play which is a hell of a deal. There is camping available in different spots around the hill for an additional fee as well. Portable toilets located on the main trail and there are multiple trash bins and benches throughout the course.

The number one con in my opinion is the tee signs. With the crazy length and terrain out here it gets tiring walking the fairways to locate the baskets. Tee signs with a nice map would go a long way here.

Not a con per se, but the rough can be brutal here. Staying in the fairway is paramount. If you end up off the fairway you'll be hemorrhaging strokes. The rough wasn't bad at all in early May but by June it'll be ROUGH.

In addition to the rough off the fairways there are a number of perpetually wet spots running through the fairways. A couple of small streams run throughout the bear so it can get mucky in spots. Nothing the designers could've done about this but worth mentioning. I'd imagine it's much drier the later in the year you play but worth noting nonetheless.

The Bear doesn't get the shine that the other 4 courses on the hill get. And really there's only so much love to go around, it's a massive property. The one thing I will say is that the reviews prior to mine were before Mountain Man took over. The first time I played this course was in 2011 or 12 I believe. And it was frustratingly hard to play, borderline unplayable in spots. It looks nothing like the course I first played now. The amount of work and care and love the new owner is bringing really shows. It's about time this place has someone who cares about the courses and maintains them. This is the best I've seen the place look as a whole and the Bear in particular. While it is still a little rough around the edges it's light years ahead of where it's ever been. I gave the course a 4 which is excellent because that's what it is. With some better tee signs it's probably a 4.25, but as of now, 4 it is. You won't regret making the trip up to the mecca. All the courses are top notch and must plays. The Bear will just kick your ass more than the others.

Expert level course. Beautiful area and a very nice part of the complex. The most challenging terrain of the courses. Almost as epic as Gold. Has several really great holes.

Not played as much as the other courses so it get a bit overgrown. Probably the hardest hike of all the courses at Highbridge. No carts on this course.

There are also layouts that use alternate tees, Blueridge, granberry, ect.
The main courses are Gold, Blueberry, Woodland Hills, Granite Ridge, Bear. There is also a course at the campground.

Very good because, like any time you are getting some action, it is very good. But The Bear is like getting some in the mid-1970s.

The bear sortof slides across the disco in some high-waisted skin-tight bellbottoms looking fly as can be. You've been waiting all night for a look at something like The Bear. Something that is really going to make you work for it, but you know the payoff is going to be so worth the effort.

The Bear's got something so sexy and secret about it, and you can't wait to see what is going on in there. You build up your confidence and put yourself out there.

But once you get The Bear's jeans peeled off, the whole damned thing is thicket. There's a beautiful hole in there no doubt. More than one hole, you are certain. Somewhere. In. There.

And it would be so fun to get a good look in there and know how to attack it. Get all up in there and do what you do. But it is totally obscured by tangles and brambles and overgrowth and underbrush.

Sure, you might intuitively know that it is a 4.5, but you shouldn't have to use that much imagination.

Obviously, you have to hit it. I mean, you already put in the effort to get there. But you don't have to hit it twice.

Trim it up all nice and neat though, and you've got magic. You don't need to scalp it bare, but clean it up a little.

Also, (and this is where the metaphor fails), it was too wet when we were there.

Bear is the monster at HBH. 18 holes of "screw you, buddy...you suck at this".

Concrete tee pad on each hole, all in decent enough repair and similar to other courses on site. Long enough, and wide enough, but starting to show wear.

If you like long, wooded, and tough, then Bear is your course. It is a beatdown that doesn't quit, but in a good way. If you're throwing well, you can score decently here. If you're not, well, you may stop keeping score altogether.

Rolling hills abound through this course, and factor into nearly every hole. It's very aesthetically pleasing, to say the least. You'll catch great views on several of the holes, and the holes themselves are quite beautiful, especially when freshly mowed.

There are multiple lines for nearly every hole, but none of them are what you'd normally call easy. Layup areas abound, as well as hero shots. At some point in the round, you'll throw nearly every shot you know how to throw.

The baskets here SUCK. Many of them are rusty crap from Woodland Greens, and the rest are a mish mash of junk. The faded yellow/black basket is difficult to find.

Even with a map, you'll need to do a lot of scouting, as the holes tend to be quite long, and there's a ton of blind shots.

What makes Bear so awesome is also what can make it so brutal. It's long. It's tight. It will wear you out, disc golf-wise, and physically. Don't be a moron like me and leave it to be the last round of your day (after copious amounts of libations).

No water...trust me, you won't miss it.

Bear tends to be the last course to get full manicuring, so depending on when you go play it (especially if earlier in the summer), it can be in terrible shape, or great shape. Later in the summer is always better at HBH.

All the courses at Highbridge are different and unique, which is awesome. Bear is the designated ass kicker. If it were a standalone course, it may be rated higher, but at this complex I fear it gets overshadowed by less brutal great courses, and actually suffers from it as a result, in my opinion.

Bear is a course you'll probably play once, and be good with it because of the other courses onsite. But you definitely should play it, just to feel the wrath!

Beauty - This course is one of the most scenic courses on the property, if not the most. Playing along steep ridges on the northeastern side of the property, you will get probably the best views that all of Highbridge has to offer. At one point, you can get a great overlook of Granite's holes 7-11, and it's gorgeous, as well as stunning northern views spanning miles and miles

Isolation - there is nothing like playing disc out in these woods. I'm not quite sure what it is about Bear that the other courses don't have, but it was eerie. This course stretches so far out into the depths of the woods and the sides of what feel like mountains, and leaves you with a sensation that is fantasy-like. Once I finished with the course, it felt like I just exited Narnia or something.

Challenge - this course is the hardest course I have ever played, hands down. The plethora of par fours and fives are definitely true to their numbers. The majority of holes are multi shot, where your first drive is critical in whether you will get to the pin to even have a chance at a par. 99% of the time, if you miss or kick into the trees, it's bogey at best for you. Fairways are very narrow most of the time, and even the wider ones have trees scattered about to make you be precise.

Elevation - there many intense elevation changes here, and they're gorgeous and add some great character to the course. From the long, steep rolling fairways (no. 4), to playing straight, then steep down, then up again (no. 11), and across valleys (no. 12), there's plenty of awesome ups and downs

Signature holes - three holes really pop out in my head as signatures for this course. Number three would be my favorite. While most holes on the complex all together offer one or two routes, this one offers about four. You can go (right hand throws) big hyzer, straighter hyzer, straighter anhyzer, or flick/big anhyzer. I love the options you have on this one. It took me about two minutes to decide what the heck I was gonna throw on this. Number 11 is another I really like. You start off with a relatively flat first shot, then you have to navigate a steep valley, and go back up to the pin. 12 also offers a steep valley, but instead of going down then up, your objective is to go straight over it, and the pin is atop the hill across on the other side. This hole is also one of the shorter ones compared to the rest, a little over 300 feet.

Variety - there are a couple ace runs and mid 300 foot shots thrown in the course to break up the huge holes, as well as all kinds of different direction changes and shaped fairways

Concrete teepads

Baskets - this is my no. 1 con of all for the whole thing. With the switching of Bear's and Woodland's baskets this year (a decision I still support nonetheless), Bear now has a bunch of those awful green baskets. They're ugly, and suck at catching. Just being honest. There is also at the time of this review, three different basket types on this course. The first 6 are the green ones, then 7 and 8 are black (hard to spot) DGA's, then 9 is a green one again, then the rest are Lightning DB 5's. Talk about confusing - I may be nitpicky with this cause I'm all OCD like but man that bothered me. If this basket situation can be resolved, I'll come back and add another half disc to this rating

Un-Fairways - some holes seem to be 95% poke and hope, OR have too much tree overgrowth blocking lines. One of the holes (13), seems to be not much more than a one or two pass mower width path, with thick, long bushes and grass even in the portion in between the trees that is supposed to be fairway. I like challenge, but a couple of these fairways seem to offer little flight room for the disc.

Monotony - while I did state there IS variety with a couple short holes thrown in, I do think things could've been done to make some of the multi shot holes less repetitive. Like said in previous reviews, it started to get stale after having so many holes where you shoot to a dogleg left or right, then shoot to another, then another, then the pin. I wish a few of the par four/fives would've been a little bit more open with a few more options. Also, while holes 8 and 9, which are both aceable, provide a nice break from the long grinders, it would've been nice for them to be spread out a bit more, instead of two right in a row.

Signage - Almost all if not all tees had no signage left at all - but of course I am working to fix this issue in the near future

THICK ROUGH - some of the holes would seem almost hopeless to search for discs in if you shanked one. This course has the thickest and worst rough of any at the hill.

Very physically demanding - this course took me about 2 and a half hours to complete, and there was LOTS of strenuous hiking with all the elevation changes. Not necessarily a bad thing per say, but it's something to keep in mind if you're not up for a long, workout type round.

***** UPDATE *****

I am updating my review as of 9/27/20 - after playing a couple tournament rounds on this course, as well as another beautiful autumn round it is time my disc score reflects it's current shape. I played last week and it still had a mix and match of baskets, but a day or two after said round, they received brand new orange Prodigy T1 baskets. The pictures I saw looked SOOOOOO sexy and they fit this course perfectly. That, combined with the astonishing upkeep of the course, has led me to up this course's rating from a 3.5 to a 4.5. All the pros listed in my original review remain the same, but the messiness is largely gone - the fairways are fair and the grass is low. When there is professional signage added to this course, and maybe some alternate pin positions, it could possibly be a 5 star course in my book. And I usually don't like to give a 5 to any course that doesn't have a bit more variety of open vs. wooded holes, or some water hazards, yada yada yada. It is that good.

I was very interested to see how this course would be after reading other reviews and descriptions, and man it holds up. Even though this course throttled me, I still loved it - even with all the pros I've listed, there's just something very difficult to put your finger on, that's just mystical.

I'm happy I decided to give it a go before winter, and I'll surely be playing it again in the future. Just when you think HBH can't get better, then you find the Bear, lurking in the deep woods, ready to show you you're not as good at dg as you think, but to also teach you that it's still awesome regardless.

This course is a much welcome and needed addition to the property. While I still think Gold is my favorite course, this one has the potential to be the best course. The shot variety, both lateral and vertical accuracy needed and distance control make this a true test of your disc golf skill. Many holes will have you feeling grateful for a 4, and if you have an errant shot many times even a 4 would be impossible.
I thought this course was superb for top level amateurs and pros alike.

I would guess this course is probably not much fun for beginners. So if you're newer to the sport and are easily discouraged by a high score this would be a poor course choice. The lack of tee signs and sub optimal mowing (of lack of mowing) really took away from my experience on bear. I don't blame John for not being able to maintain this course at the level of gold/granite/blueberry, but to have a course with this much challenge and potential virtually un-mowed is really disappointing.
If you were to play this blind your first time in its current state know that you will be in for a long grueling and potentially frustrating round wondering where to throw to.

If this course has high quality tee signs, was kept up as good as gold, and had distance indicators or landmarks marked with distances on the tee signs it would be a shoe in 5 rating.
Having played the courses at Selah ranch, Justin Trails, Mont du lac, Giants Ridge, Rollin Ridge, BRP, Milo McIver, Horning's Hideout, Hidden Lake, I would say this is the hardest of them all without question to score well on.
I shot 11 strokes better on Gold than on Bear, and that felt like it would not be uncommon if I was able to play here more often.
If you are a competitive disc golfer I would prioritize this course above all else in organizing my days. While every course on this property has merit, Bear is hands down the most interesting and challenging on site. Gold has glimpses of great holes like Bear, but bear is the real deal.

Among the most beautiful courses I've played, The Bear is played through long, winding wooded fairways and along the east-facing point of the mountain that houses all of the main Highbridge courses. And as with all of the other courses on this complex, the combination of natural beauty and eerie solitude contribute to the course in a very special way.

This is the consummate thinking-man's course. Even the most powerful players will be forced to lay up and play strategically; and even intermediate players will be tempted to gamble with a distance driver. Scoring well here requires a gambit of shots (including rescue shots.)

After being absolutely awed by the front 9 of this course, I found myself swearing under my breath on much of the back 9. The satisfication of teeing off with a midrange on a 700'+ hole to lay up to a tight landing area becomes monotonous after a while.
Even some of the holes in the 300-500' range, which should be par 3s, could be played as par 4s due to the incessant winding/turning of the fairways. It felt like I spent most of the round laying up, only to turn the corner and find that I had 2 doglegs left before I could get a shot at the pin.
As I recall, there was only 1 or 2 holes that were possible birdies for a player with <500' of accurate power.

The rough is punishing, no doubt, but so is the fairway in some areas. Lacing a shot up the middle and still having to root around in tall grass is frustrating - though I don't fault John for not having every inch of the fairways mowed, as it would be a full-time job considering the shear size of the complex.

Bring a great pair of shoes, a lot of water, and try to keep your groups down to minimum size. Playing with 6 people, it took us over 5 hours to complete our round. And most of us were out of water/gatorade after the 3 hour mark.

This course is both challenging and fun. It really challenges your accuracy with tight fairways and tons of trees. There are multiple lines to the baskets so I will be playing again to really get a good feel for the course.

As of today, the course is still incomplete. When it is complete it will be amazing. The entire course was really wet and a little tough to navigate. Also bugs were overwhelming today.

Its really a beautiful course but needs to be completed. Bring bug spray. Stay at the honka house!

When I played on 3/9/11, only the first seven baskets were in the ground and the others were just laying about 60 feet behind the 7th basket.

This course is very challenging. John, the owner of HHSC, promised that the last 11 holes will be just like the first 7, so I'm convinced that Bear will be a tremendous course when it's finished that definitely has the potential to be considered one of the hardest courses in the world.

It's a tightly wooded course with the longest of the 7 holes at 735 feet. This course definitely fills the niche of the "long/wooded" course that the HHSC was lacking before it was installed.

The bright orange baskets are very easy to spot from a distance and are unlike any basket I've ever seen. They're really cool.

We played here when there was still snow on the ground and the temperature was pretty low, but I'd imagine that bugs will be pretty annoying here.

Also, the Highbridge Hills Sports Complex in general is pretty far away from any stores. So make sure you stock up on food and water and that sort of thing. The closest grocery store is around 20 miles away.

Another con is that it gets dark in Highbridge...I really wish it would be light out all day long so you could play these courses all day! But seriously, make sure you plan at least two full days to play all the courses at Highbridge. They're all wonderful and totally worth playing.

All of the courses at HHSC are beyond awesome. The owner, John Jokinen, is a really, really nice guy and will go out of his way to make sure that you have a good time during your stay at the disc golf mecca. It's definitely worth a trip here, no matter where you are!

Feel free to message me if you have any questions about the Bear or any course at Highbridge or Highbridge in general and I'll be happy to try to answer them.

When I played here on 7/7/10, it was only 7 holes and I understand the rest will be installed soon. I know this might sound ridiculous, but based on the 7 holes I played I feel semi-comfortable rating this course as a 4 and here's why.

These are some of the toughest and most challenging holes I've played. They have long, winding, tree-lined fairways just daring you to go for it so the strokes can pile up when you realize you aren't as accurate as you think you are. These par 4 holes and the one par 5 are the kind of holes you feel great about getting par on and getting a birdie probably feels incredible. But I wouldn't know because I was no where near a birdie on any of the par 4+ holes.

Only 7 holes.

A little rough around the edges compared to the other courses here, but that's hardly a con.

John claims the rest of the course, when complete, will be just like the first 7 holes. If that's true, this will be more difficult than any course that currently exists at Highbridge. When complete this course has the potential to be 4.5-5.

The course is not finished, a little less than half of it is in, but it is already a challenging and unique addition to the Highbridge complex. It is long and tightly wooded, with hilly fairways cut through thick brushy woods. There is awesome risk-reward on this course, with fair lanes but harsh punishment that makes you really think about how far you think you can get down the wooded tunnel without going off into the rough. If you do miss the fairway, it will almost certainly cost you at least a stroke.

Many of the holes have multiple lines carved through the woods that each offer their own challenges and different levels of risk and reward. This is a fantastic design feature you don't see too often, and makes it so you want to throw multiple drives to try out each of the possible shots. The elevation and trees are used well to create a good amount of variety so none of the holes that are currently in feel at all the same.

There are the standard Highbridge concrete tees on this course, and the usual basic hole signs with hole number, basic hole map, and distance. The orange baskets are pretty new and catch great.

The course isn't finished, and that's the biggest thing holding my rating down. A finished course with the same level of challenge and variety could easily be a 4+ course, I can't wait until it's finished and I can get back up here. As it is, you only get to play 7 holes then you're routed with a long walk onto the last 11 holes of Woodland which takes away from the flow of the round a little. There are stumps and brush still in many of the fairways, adding to the unfinished feeling of the course.

This is going to be an awesome course when it's finished, and already adds a unique flavor to the overall Highbridge experience. Right now it's definitely worth playing while you're at Highbridge, and my rating will certainly go way up when the rest of the course is done assuming the final 18 holes have the same challenge and variety of the current 7 holes. Beginners will hate this course, with long tough shots and unforgiving rough. Experienced players will be faced with a lot of thinking and some tough shots, and will definitely be tested here.

The Bear Course at High Bridge may simply be the hardest course in the world when the back 11 holes open up in a few weeks. John Jokinen - the owner/manager/caretaker of High Bridge - has the baskets in hand for the Bear course, the fairways all cut, holes in the ground for the baskets....suffice it to say the course is nearly ready to be playable. John gave me a personal tour of the back 11 holes of The Bear, and the course will simply be an amazing challenge. John calls it the 747 course - 7 wooded holes, 4 open holes, and 7 wooded holes. While John does have the baskets in hand, the back 11 holes do need to be seeded and laid with hay, and this will be done over the next two weeks. After this is done, the course will be fully playable, albeit on hay as the grass comes in. The Bear is truly a "bear" to play, and I happened to see a harmless black bear while walking the course! (with pictures to prove it) The Bear is an extremely tight course that will play between 8,000 and 9,000 feet, depending on the final locations of some of the baskets. Some of the holes are extremely frustrating - while the Gold course features length, it is mostly open. The Bear course is unlike the other courses in that it features length and tight fairways. The course truly requires you to have reserve - you can't simply grip and rip the holes like you can at Gold. You need to be more concerned with placement. Of the current Bear holes that are playable, the second hole is perhaps the best hole on the entire property (will become the new third hole on the full course, as a short wooded hole will be between 1 and 3), as it offers three distinct and separate fairways. The third and fourth holes are brutal wooded holes (somewhat fair), while 5 and 6 offer a nice little respite from the distance. Hole 7 is another long par 4 through the woods (though a little more open). The back 11 holes will offer some amazing views and true challenges. I am giving the course a 4.5 rating without having played these holes, but having walked them and heard from John himself about the holes, I am confident in my rating and would consider upping the rating to a 5 after I got the chance to play them. However, John had already cleared the holes and created the fairways. This course is close to being done. The 4 open holes are going to offer some awesome risk/reward shots around and over ponds with fairways traversing the sides of hills and curling around protective trees. The back 7 holes will be similar to the front 7, with tight fairways and some distance holes. However, the fairways won't be unfair - it will simply be a true challenge. Hole 18 on The Bear may be the second par 6 at High Bridge, depending on the final location of the pin. As I walked down the fairway and after looking at course maps from John, the final distance looked to be between 900 and 1100 feet, carving through the woods and uphill with a gentle left curve. While this will be a wooded hole, it did look fair (as fair as a 1000 foot hole through the woods can be). The Bear, when completed in a few weeks, will truly be an amazing treat at High Bridge. John is going to send me pictures in a few weeks with the back eleven holes, but in the meantime I may post some construction pictures (and the picture of the bear I saw on the course!)

To put it bluntly, this course is not going to be a ton of fun. This course will be the most challenging course at High Bridge and may be one of the most challenging courses in the world. The Bear will require disciplined drives and will force you to play conservatively by not trying to throw 400 feet on a 650 foot wooded hole. In addition, the rough is and probably will continue to be very rough. Also, The Bear probably won't get as much play as the other courses (and therefore as much maintenance attention), and so the course may take a few more years to be fully beaten in. The rough will be rough, and the fairways may be a bit rough as well. The course will frustrate and challenge you, but it will also make you think. I have never played a course where it took me five minutes to decide what to do on the tee.....hole 2 did that to me.

My rating is dependent on the course having the last 11 holes playable in the next few weeks. The beautiful thing about High Bridge is the variation that is offered by all of the courses - Woodland is a short and technical course, Granite is a long and mostly open course, Blueberry is the fun course that combines a little bit of everything, Gold is the long and challenging course with some wooded and some open holes, and the Bear is the beast that is carved mostly out of the woods. While some people would bash the wildlife at High Bridge, I thought it was awesome that I saw a Bear near the Bear course (it was actually walking right up the fairway of number 10 on the new Whitetail course). High Bridge is a must! Bring your bug spray and be prepared to be physically exhausted.

Unfortunately, this course is still a work in progress, but what holes are done are amazing!! if the last 11 are like the front 7 I played, this could become my favorite course at highbridge.

However, in the meantime, i must mark this down for only being 7 holes of an amazing course. I base my opinions on what holes there are already, which are quite good, and presume with my comments that the rest are of the same mold.

Like all highbridge courses, the bear has great baskets, teepads and signs, each with a clever bear-themed hole name.

The bear is as described: long and wooded. As I stated to my companion, if woodland greens and Gold had a kid, it would be the Bear. Like woodlands, but with length, and much more complexity, this course delivers legit par 4 and 5 tight wooded shots, up to usual highbridge standards.

What the bear does better than any of its brothers, is provide risk reward. On many holes, the fairway is split into several distinct tunnels through the woods, which i think is wonderful and adds tremendously to the replay value of the hole. As usual, baskets are well protected by trees, adding some zest to normally easy putts and making you think before you can just park it.

Like the other highbridge courses, the pars are attainable, but not easy, especially on the longer, par 4s and 5s, since you have to bomb it through tree-covered fairways, instead of the open fields of Gold or Granite.

These 7 hole made me think almost as much as any of hte other courses at highbridge, which I really like, and gets me excited for when this masterpiece is completed.

ONLY 7 HOLES DONE. Right now, you play the first 7 of the bear, then hop over to the last 11 of woodland greens, which i also love, so I was happy, but still, i was expecting the whole thing, and was a bit dissapointed that it wasnt ready to go.

AS can be expecting with a course in development, this course feels unfinished, with many stumps still to be ground up, and brush to be hauled, a symptom shared by other newish courses like Brown Deer and some of the Lemon Lake courses.

However, these are minor details as the first 7 holes are very playable and ready to go, if a little rough around the edges

Each of the courses at Highbridge is a different flavor of great course, which one you prefer will depend on what types of courses you prefer in general: Championship, Open, Hilly, wooded, technical, etc.

As this is tightly wooded like Woodland Greens, perhaps moreso, and certainly longer and more difficult, this will understandably never be everyone's favorite course. Not everyone likes hitting trees as much as I do. But if you cant get enough technical wooded holes, this course will seem sweeter than honey.

This course is a MONSTER. In my opinion it is the second best at Highbridge (second to the technically phenominal Blueberry course, and a lot better than Gold). The layout and use of tight woods and long fairways is excellent, exactly what I look for in a course. There is a decent amount of elevation and even manmade water hazards. Many holes (if not all) offer various routes to the pin. Extras like elevated tees and elevated pins make it all that much better.

WTF?! It's not really 18 holes, and never has been! For the last three years 2006-2008 I have been to highbridge eagerly awaiting what the website describes as "navigating the maze of trees on the 888' hole at the Bear". But there are only 8 holes complete and playable. After that, you transition over to and play the last part of the Woodland Greens course. While woodland greens is kinda neat and technical with lot's of trees and character, it is very short. I'm still eagerly awaiting the full layout (have not been here in 2009 yet). The Bear wasn't even playable for the 2007 Worlds!

Most of the course (on the entire property) was made by plowing through the woods with heavy equipment like dozers. Thus, the terrain is not level and fairly rutted. Tee signs are only okay. For a "Disc Golf Complex (Mecca)" like highbridge, I would expect more!

Highbridge is an amazing experience in general. Real rugged disc golf on an amazing piece of property with excellent terrain, great views, scenery galore, peaceful tranquility, and excellently balanced and designed courses with only MINOR flaws and nit-pick personal dislikes. Your total expereince at Highbridge will be memorable if you stay there, make a weekend out of it, and disc ALL DAY for multiple days in a row. Be prepared to put yourself to the test.

Despite having only played the 8 holes of the Bear onm numerous occasions, I love it, and can't wait for it all!

When they finally complete the full 18 hole layout, I WILL be updating my rating to a 4.5 or a 5.

UPDATE: I cannot rate this a 4 any more. It's only 7 holes. Independent of the fact that the course is at a disc golf complex, it is still only 7 holes! While great, they don't deserve a 4. Now a 3.5 to be more in line with relative rating of other courses I have reviewed, and I'll change to a 4.5 or 5 once 18 are installed. And honestly, I am beginning tho think that once The Bear and Whitetail are done, that they may shift my overall course rankingas by so much (i.e an undisputed 5-disc course), that all other reviews will have to drop by comparison.