Tomahawk, WI

Treehaven

3.315(based on 13 reviews)
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4 0
wolfhaley
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 19.9 years 970 played 542 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Pretty heavily wooded yet very fun 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 15, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

The course I set up on a forestry research campus east of Tomahawk and south of Rhinelander. There are 20 holes here with you being able to play just 16 then 17 or after 16 you can play 16a and 16b before heading to 17. The sunken basket on hole 7 was really cool. The basket is buried level to the top of the lower cage. Never seen this anywhere before. The baskets are Mach 5's that were all in fantastic shape and caught great. These are some of my favorite baskets. The tee signs were present at every hole and had hole #, distance or distances, a basic hole map with any alternate pin placements where necessary. There are multiple pin locations on many of the holes and multiple tees on a few others. There's a large kiosk at the parking lot with a whole course map and a smaller version before hole 1 and after you cross the road for hole 7. The flow of the course was very easy to follow with the exception of 16 being slightly confusing at first. The red taped links on each basket's cage show the direction to the next hole which is the best way to do this. There is a great mix of left, right and straight shots required here. Better than on most courses. There's also a great mix of different distances here. The shortest is 168' on hole 16a all the way up to 416' on hole 14. Most are between 200' and 300' though which is perfect in this type of setting. There are a few benches throughout the course too. The tees are natural gravel framed into 2x4's and are all actually still in real nice shape. They're pretty level, large enough and do the job surprisingly well. There are no trash cans at all on the course which may be the best pro of all as there was literally NO TRASH at all on the course. That means people actually pack the trash out that they take in. The course is free although there is a donation box at the kiosk. I donated and I'd recommend donating if possible for a course this nice and well taken care of. It's pretty much in the middle of nowhere so it's very peaceful. Also pins in the ground year round which I love.

Cons:

There are a lot of ferns and mildly thick brush in spots so finding errant or even decent shots can take some time. Just be sure to try and really watch your shots to speed up finding discs. Not really a course con but something that can be if you don't watch your throw. You have to yield to classes but I don't know how often that really even happens but is a con I guess. Hole 16 was a bit confusing as there is a trail that I thought the pin was down and the sign is next to. You actually throw east back into the woods and then can play 16a and 16b before 17. Not a big con again as there are a few signs alerting you to this but I was confused. A few minutes of scouting and it was all sorted out though.

Other Thoughts:

I was very surprised at how good this course was. I was thinking from other reviews that it was just close your eyes, throw and hope for the best. That's not at all what this course is like. I should've known better because of who designed it. This is a really fun course if you like wooded technical courses. There aren't too many nearby courses but Almon Park in Rhinelander is only about 15 minutes away which was another surprisingly cool course. I also played Black bear creek the day before making for a really fun weekend of discing. I'd recommend this for anyone coming to northern WI. It's not beginner friendly but for serious disc golfers it's a great course. If you can't play here then most courses you wouldn't like up here. It's northern WI and it's heavily wooded.
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1 3
shay swim
Experience: 11.9 years 5 played 4 reviews
2.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 11, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

it was a fun and challenging course and for anyone who was in rhinlander tomahawk area on may 11 will under stand it was crappy all day wind rain snow ne way good fun challenging course

Cons:

couple of the alt tees or some of the diagrams for the hols are wrong ie alt 16 tee is completly wrong

Other Thoughts:

it is a great coures a lil more care on the course would be nice like cut grass for fair way or green something like that but it could just be the time of year we went i love hole 7 tho amazing
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1 4
Tyler Bastian
Experience: 18.5 years 50 played 1 reviews
4.00 star(s)

check it 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 26, 2013 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

A good mix of challenging 3's, with some birdie holes sprinkled in. If you can sneak through holes 1-6 at even, your doing well.

-Hole 14 is a signature hole- the green is very unique sloping downward (must see).
-Hole 7 is a sunken basket (must see)


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7 0
harr0140
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 15.2 years 1508 played 475 reviews
3.00 star(s)

"Tree" Haven . . . you aren't kidding me! Lots of trees. 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 2, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

1) Gravel boxed in tees are in decent shape. For the most part they were not a hazard to throw from and are better than bare dirt/grass.
2) Nice sturdy benches scattered in spots around the course.
3) Nice DGA baskets.
4) The grass growing on the wooded holes is in pretty good condition. It is a little surprising because turf doesn't usually do well in the shade.
5) Excellent property with tall evergreen trees and some deciduous trees in some areas.
6) Excellent variety of shot shaping required on this course needing to be able to work your disc both directions and throw straight.
7) Decent variety in terms of the foliage and obstacles with some moderately wooded holes, some really tight tree lined (and sometimes scattered tree) fairways and it finishes with a hole that plays across an open field, but starts in the trees and ends in the trees.
8) Excellent distance variation here with a bunch in the 100's, 200's some 300's and 1 in the 400's.
9) A few alternate positions to change up some of the holes . . . I always appreciate options to avoid boredom with a hole.
10) The course also has an elevated basket to help break up the monotony.
11) Pine straw creates a nice ground cover to help cover up any bare soil to keep the course from being muddy during wet periods.
12) Kiosk is available along with a donation tube for your fees. There is some information at the kiosk and a map of the course for your convenience.
13) Next tee tabs painted or wrapped on the basket pointing to the next tee. Directionals are always helpful for the travelling or first time disc golfer.

Cons:

1) Signs are pretty rudimentary . . . Hole #, distance, and a simple line as a map. It also has some information on the signs, but I didn't read many of them, I just looked at the distance and the line and got the info I needed to throw the hole.
2) No garbage cans on the course because they expect people to pack it in and pack it out. It is a negative but really doesn't impact my rating, just worth noting you should plan ahead and please do not litter. The course seemed to be very clean of garbage so it must work ok.
3) A couple of spots are little dangerous where you throw very close to other holes and fairways. There were 3 or 4 times I was most definitely on another hole because of a bad tree kick . . . it is going to happen with that many trees on one course.
4) A few of the holes are really rough off the fairway . . . this can lead to disc searching, lost discs, some extreme climbing up and over branches, downed trees and general underbrush.
5) Baskets are tough to find at times. They had some white PVC risers above the basket that helped but the gray baskets are just tough to see sometimes.
6) Lots of old stumps and some minor trippers scattered all throughout the course.

Other Thoughts:

This was my second course (after Standing Rocks) on a 16 course weekend including some really good Northwoods courses. This course was short enough to be fun, but tight enough to still be a challenge at times. It was a middle of the pack experience for the 16 courses I played, but only because there isn't a lot of variety. While the distances and the directions change, the holes all feel pretty similar except for #18 and #12 and #13. The property is cool and unique and it is definitely removed from civilization so it is a great experience. I would come back if I am passing through.
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4 0
Frank Dreban
Experience: 26 years 2 played 2 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Treehaven - I have mixed feelings. 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 31, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

Privacy: This course is thick and heavily wooded making it very private which is great.

Technical: Although this course is certainly not a "long" course it does require much technical skill in order to have any success. An errant shot could result in a few extra strokes as well as some scratched up legs.

Cons:

Fairway Upkeep: It's hard to distinguish the fairways from the rough on most holes...the thick ferns and grass make locating your disc hard on any shot, good or bad.

Few throwing lanes: I can appreciate a technical hole forcing you to do one thing or the other but some of the holes here are too indecisive with no real options.

Short Holes: There are not many opportunities to "open up" and really let loose on your drive/s. With this much land I think there's some opportunity to add a few "long' holes without losing the overall feel / objective of the course.

Other Thoughts:

I have a cabin near Tomahawk, WI so the fact that this course is available to me makes me very grateful. I will continue to play this course and hope to see some improvements made to the "cons" section in the future.

Also, this course is a lefties or side armers dream..if you are a traditional right handed thrower (like me) I hope you are brushed up on your side arm / forehand.
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4 0
mashnut
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 22.1 years 831 played 767 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Mixed feelings 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 23, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

The course plays through a pine forest, and has a nice secluded vibe with no signs of civilization on most holes. The trees are dense enough to force some nice tight lines throughout the course, with only a couple holes offering more open looks. You'll need a good mix of left and right turning shots in your bag, and several holes call for dead straight shots. The underbrush is limited here, most areas of the course punish errant shots with the density of pine trees to navigate off the fairways.

There is some limited elevation change that comes into play on a few holes. It's not anything spectacular, but it adds a little variety. The sunken basket is a fun touch, and when used only once like this it doesn't make the course feel gimmicky. The orange and white posts on top of the baskets help with visibility. Navigation is pretty easy here, with decent tee signs and painted rungs on the basket pointing the way to the next tee.

Cons:

The gravel tees are not in the best shape, and several are sloped or rutted, not providing the best tee surface. The course is a bit overgrown, with weeds and ferns growing on most of the fairways. Poison ivy is rampant here, when I played there were forests of it off the fairways and small shoots of it surrounding the tees and carpeting the fairways on the first 6 holes.

The course is pretty short, with a lot of the holes under 250' it starts to feel a bit repetitive after a while. There seems to be room here to get a little more creative with hole lengths and shapes to keep it a little more varied.

Other Thoughts:

Beginners will find this pretty tight, though the distances are pretty reasonable. The brush isn't terribly thick, but it can still hide discs if you miss the fairway. More experienced players will find some great short game challenges, but won't be tested all that much.

I don't normally mention poison ivy in my reviews, but the amount found here is about the worst I've seen. If you're sensitive to it like I am, you're going to want to wear long pants and be really careful here.
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2 3
WiscoDiscer
Experience: 12.7 years 6 played 1 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Myview of Treehaven 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 14, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

A challenging 18 hole that will please just about any disc golfer. Nice, quiet, and very clean.

Cons:

A little rough for a beginner, and very unrefined. Can be a little confusing at times.

Other Thoughts:

A wonderful course that I will play again and again.
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1 1
Sneaky Alligator
Experience: 23 years 30 played 2 reviews
3.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 5, 2011 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Highly technical. Every hole is very wooded and over half feature elevation changes. The short holes are guarded well, with trees placed almost perfectly on the ace routes. Extremely fun for serious and recreational players.

Cons:

Relatively short on distance (only one 400+ ft hole and most <250). Gravel tee pads with 6 inch drop offs at the front. Tee signs could be improved. Can be hard to find discs as fairways and roughs are not refined and feature large amounts of underbrush. Hole #18 has no discernable fairway.

Other Thoughts:

This is an excellent course in the making, and has its very own UWSP Aceholes to maintain and improve it. There is plenty of space for longer pin placements and a second set of tees, and maybe even another 9-18 holes.
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3 1
VoodooDangerbird
Experience: 22.6 years 5 played 5 reviews
4.00 star(s)

UWSP Treehaven course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 4, 2011 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Tight alleys and a beautiful setting.
A student-built course that affords educational opportunities along with disc golf recreation.
Unique flora and fauna abound on this course.
No easy ace runs at this course.

Cons:

There are many trees but not too many for experienced disc golfers.
Some of the holes appear short, but the challenging shots can make the holes more difficult then they appear.
The tee boxes have been renovated recently, but the gravel can become loose if not tamped down by foot traffic or tee box maintenance.

Other Thoughts:

The red pine plantation (Pinus resinosa) portion of the course can have many small branches that can fall and create some tripping issues.
There are many trees in this naturalized setting but many of these pulpwood species trees will be removed by 2016 creating more lanes and continuing the evolution of this beautiful, student-built course.
Some more orange tape on the baskets would make a few more pins easily identifiable from the tee box.
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8 3
superberry
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 25.9 years 336 played 95 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Treehaven, but mostly jackpines 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 2, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

Location. Quiet, scenic, beautiful, and remote. You'll feel good as soon as you turn off Cty A.
Good balance of left/right/straight and many holes with multiple routes (2, 8, 6, 9, 16, 17).
Some slight elevation brought in on a few holes (8, 13, 16), but nothing huge and no sharp drastic dropoffs.
Hole #2 starts you off quickly with a hole that offers multiple routes to the green. I love options and the needed to carefully contemplate your drive based on which fairway you'd like to attempt. When you finally get to the pin, there is a gorgeous lake in the background (but not in play whatsoever).
Hole #12 has a nice tee that is "framed" under a canopy of low spruce/fir branches. It offers a bit longer distance (290') and a nice drawn out anhyzer (RHBH).
Red tape on the basket wire shows the direction of the next tee nicely.
A new PRO of mine - no garbage cans on the course! In a time of budget cuts and economic concerns, why can't you pack out your own trash and not have to pay for a parks personnel to spend their time collecting trash, or moreso, volunteers wasting their time on your trash instead of course improvements!

Cons:

Single tee. The front 9 tees are framed in and filled with gravel. Yes, loose gravel. The fact that they are framed it means they are elevated and although the back is not framed in, you still need to take a step up if you have longer footwork on your drives, because the sides are 8' long lumber. Looks like the back 9 will also be getting framed in, but they're not right now and are lumpier than the front 9, although not as loose. Adding a longer tee does not look feasible in the layout.
Single pin position. The greens are pretty wide open and level, but some offer a little bit of guarding by trees and some slight slopes for rollaways (risky and protected greens are a PRO in my book). Having alternate pin locations could introduce some riskier greens and also add some distance.
Poor balance of open/wooded, and long/short. This course is 100% wooded and very short.
The entire course is littered with old stumps and lumpy terrain for very uneven footing. Bring good shoes.
Hole 9 is confusing at first. It was tough to see the Mach baskets in all the gray of the late fall northwoods (the orange tape on pole was not highly visible due to 'SP' stickers). The obvious fairway is to the left but right at the next tee bench. The alternate fairway is a huge bend around the right that is actually much more of a dogleg than it looks (spot the pin BEFORE choosing a route, it may not be obvious based on the wider fairways).
The walk from 14 to 15 offers a neat up and down elevation opportunity under a great canopy of low spruce/fir branches. A hole in here would have been great, much better than lackluster RHFH #15.
On hole #16, you might need the map to know that you play back up into the jack pines and not along the road (in either direction) as you might be craving to do in order to have a bit more variety.
Hole #18 is a BS crapshoot. The 405' length is entirely pinballish through the woods. Your best bet is to plunk one onto the softball field and have a wide open upshot.

Other Thoughts:

The beautiful setting on a remote dead-end road in Tomahawk will get your heart pounding as you drive in on Pickeral Creek Rd, but that's the last time your heart will pound. This course is just mediocre, and uncharacteristically bland compared with the rest of the Point area designer's courses. There are a few holes that look really good, but overall the land available for use must have been limited. You're not really playing in a treehaven, just a jack pine plantation. Utilizing the hardwoods area, and the spruce/fir area to the right of #14, along that dropoff ridge and into the open field below would have brought some needed variety and balance to the course. The course is very short, even considering that fairways are narrow and pinballish. The layout does not appear like any additional longer tees will be incorporated. All in all, it's a 100% wooded course, in a remote area, that is quiet, scenic and beautiful. Considering Jack Lake, Buck Lake, and Black Bear Creek are all the same type of courses (solid 3-disc mainly wooded courses), you could make a trip out of these 4 to make it worth your while. IMO this course is bland compared to Buck Lake because of all the jackpines, it is not as varied as Jack Lake, and is not as unique and fun as Black Bear Creek.
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3 2
Ian Goldberg
Experience: 28.9 years 167 played 5 reviews
3.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 1, 2010 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Good flow and variety of shots. Nice course maps and signs on each hole.

Cons:

Still quite rustic but contines to show improvement on all fronts.

Other Thoughts:

The baskets are now marked with sweet yellow targets with SP in purple.
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5 3
koogs
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 14.6 years 130 played 19 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Treehaven--appropriate name 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 30, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

18 Holes of all varieties set in a beautiful forest. The first 6 are flat with clearly defined fairways. Then you cross the road and get into a hilly section, nothing drastic, but on this side, many of the holes didn't really have a fairway, you just try to find a line between the trees. Plenty of right turning shots as well as left turning, straight and narrow. Distances range from a short of 176 on hole 13 to a long of 405 on hole 18. Tee signs at every hole and a bench at most of the holes. The baskets had a strip of red tape on them to point you to the next tee--simple and effective. There is a course map at the beginning and a practice basket near the parking area

Cons:

The first (6?) baskets had a strip of bright red tape around the pole, making them easier to spot, but after that, the tape was only occasional. The baskets without tape were sometimes hard to find through all the trees. It wasn't always clear if I was throwing at the right basket because they weren't numbered. I used my map a lot, (from the link on this site). The tees are natural--loose gravel and dirt. They weren't terrible yet, but with more play, they will need constant maintenance or they will be, unless they have plans for something more permanent. The fairways and paths from basket to tee are very rough, full of holes, small stumps, downed trees, etc.

Other Thoughts:

I'm a fan of wooded courses, but this may be too much. The walking (and searching for discs) was difficult.
This is definitely a course where control and accuracy is way more important than distance. Try to play this with a partner if possible, a spotter would have been handy. Walk carefully and it wouldn't hurt to wear shoes with good ankle support. I enjoyed it enough to play it again, but better tees and a little more work on the fairways would be good. And add some color and numbers to the baskets to make them more visible.
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4 2
Dr Derek
Experience: 18.8 years 153 played 7 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Treehaven - A UWSP student project. 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jul 26, 2010 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Update: Course improvements are in!
Alt long pins on # 2 (290 ft), 6 (351 ft), 7 (230 ft), 14 (416 ft)
Alt tee pads on # 8 (289 ft), 15 (236 ft), and 18 (267 ft)
New holes #16A (168 ft) & 16B (169 ft) uphill & downhill respectively
A sunken basket on # 7 (see pics)
All teepads have been extended and framed, and many fairways and trails have been improved.
Treehaven is still bumpy and full of stumps, so continue to watch your step!
__________
Treehaven has a good mix of long and short holes, with a RH & LH friendly design.
The course offers some great scenery as well as some fun risk/reward shots, there are ace runs and there are definitely some challenging pars out there. The course is only 15 minutes off of Hwy 39/51 (exit 231).

The red tape in the basket bottoms points you to the next tee and makes navigating the course simple.

The gravel boxed-in tees are finished and will be carpeted spring/summer 2012.

The alternate tee on hole #15 may be tough to find at first, (it's down the hill from #14's long pin - to the right of the canopy trail), giving hole #15 two entirely different fairways and looks.
To play an extra hole, play original #15, and backtrack up the dirt road to alt #15, and play the same pin again. (CAUTION: if your disc goes to the right of the road from alt #15it's likely gone forever.)

Some fairways are very tight, but the red pines are scheduled for a thinning in 2016, so play THIS layout while it's here, and come back for the re-opening in fall of 2016 to see an entirely new look to the course.

The bright orange and white posts on top of the baskets help with visibility, though some holes remain blind (#4, #12, #18 long).

Overall the course plays very nicely and stays interesting, i.e. scores are all over the place here, I have shot some of my best and worst golf on this course, it's really about accuracy in an otherwise unforgiving woods. Enjoy the challenges, the scenery, and the wildflowers.

Cons:

There is thick vegetation off the fairways that can easily lead to lost discs. -Watch your shots & throw bright colors if possible. Tie-dyed discs are an especially bad idea here.

There is also lots of rugged and bumpy terrain along several fairways.
--Wear good shoes and watch your step!--

Overall this course is a lot of fun, but it's not exactly a beginner-level course. Despite plenty of shorter holes, technical is the name of the game here, remember to watch every shot to avoid wasting time on lost discs.

Other Thoughts:

This entire course is an example of sustainable forestry combined with sustainable park management. Materials used on this course were primarily recycled, produced on site, or donated by generous sponsors (including UWSP and DGA).

Please abide by the "pack-it-in, pack-it-out" policy on this course, and note that there are no pets allowed on the Treehaven property due to the fact that they disturb the natural wildlife. There is also a strict "no glass" rule.

Not all of the UWSP professors and students love disc golf as much as we do, so please be respectful and yield to them at all times. It is important to understand that these students and faculty are engaged in a rigorous 8 credit Forestry field experience program, which is the primary purpose of this property and runs from May to August. For certain portions of UWSP classes, students will be working on holes # 7, 9, 10, 16, 17. They also have orange stakes on some of these fairways which should not be disturbed
(discs won't hurt them).

Please throw a few sticks off fairways during play, and stomp on a few ferns while you're at it. The course has a suggested donation box, but why not donate your time instead? Any help is greatly appreciated either way!

This is a great course on the brink of the Northwoods, easy to visit on the way to Sandy Point Resort or Highbridge Hills,
Treehaven is only 15 minutes off of Hwy 39/51 (exit 231). There are also some other nice courses in the general vicinity (i.e. Almon Park, Jack Lake, Black Bear Creek, Brandy Lake). Check it out!
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