Lansing, WV

Ravens Ridge

3.095(based on 16 reviews)
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8 0
EspressoPatronum
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 18.7 years 232 played 223 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Hidden Gem Doesn't do it Justice - New River Gorge DG

Reviewed: Played on:May 12, 2023 Played the course:once

Pros:

- stunning natural beauty playing DG on the edge of the Gorge
- Innova DISCatcher. baskets with yellow rims are visible and in good shape
- some elevation change incorporated
- some good technical challenge in the woods
- the uniqueness factor is next-level
- no notable safety hazards; area isolated for disc golf

Cons:

- tee signs essentially don't exist any more
- rubber tees are not great; some are very short
- no real navigation aids, and course is a bit hard to find
- no real amenities
- many may feel it is too short/too easy
- depending on your view, the opportunity to lose discs into the gorge could be a con, or just a challenge

Other Thoughts:

This was one of the "must play" courses on my recent 6 state trip, and it probably was one of my favorites. This short 9er was one of your favorites, you say? But you played Woodshed... Whippin' Post... Idlewild... Moraine State Park... Deer Lakes... yes! I did not say it was the best of the bunch... it's not. However, the uniqueness here really cannot be beat by much. Ever since I saw the view of the Gorge from the course I knew I had to play it.

Most views this good take a mile-plus hike. Not this one. Make sure you backtrack behind the #3 tee as others have mentioned to get stunning views and photo opportunities of New River Gorge and the bridge. Watch your footing... you truly can fall to your death easily here. This is one of the coolest views on a disc golf course I've ever experienced. I feel like I rushed through this course a bit to get to a hike in the National Park, and I urge you NOT to do this. It's a super short/quick course anyway, so enjoy it.

This course gave me a bit of a headache to locate. My GPS tried to tell me 1 Ames Heights was right off the highway after you turn, and it's not. As the directions indicate you have to go down the road a ways to Adventures on the Gorge. The path to the course really isn't marked any more. Go to the parking lot for AOTG furthest down Ames Heights from the highway, and you'll see a rocky path from the parking lot into the woods, still near Ames Heights Rd... this is the entrance to the course. Nobody seemed to care that I was using the AOTG parking lot, and the course wasn't busy.

The equipment is useable, but the tee pads leave a lot to be desired. The rubber pads can get muddy/slippery, and some are way too short for a proper X step or similar. Additionally, I saw one tee sign on 9 holes. Thankfully, navigation is pretty straightforward, but a little TLC would be welcome on this course.

The course is fun and incorporates some elevation change and wooded challenge. While on the precipice of the Gorge, most of the course is fairly flat. However, if you make a bad shot on a few holes you definitely could lose a disc you will never retrieve, as there are steep dropoffs off to the side. There is more downhill than uphill on the course, due to being up at a decent elevation. The challenge here is not significant, and most of the holes are quite short. This is a really fun pitch n putt round in the woods.

With some better tees and tee signs, I'd be tempted to score this a 3.5. Objectively, I'm not sure that's deserved, and I think my 3 is more appropriate. The uniqueness here ups the fun factor for me a lot. It's a fairly averaged wooded 9er otherwise, but if you are visiting the Gorge I can't imagine not playing this one.
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12 0
The Last DJ
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 16.5 years 318 played 18 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Mellow Wooded Course with Gorgeous View 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 15, 2020 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

+ Nine Hole Course near New River Gorge: Innova Discatchers have bright yellow bands so they are easy to see from a distance. These baskets are showing their age but still catch well.

+ Easygoing Layout: This course is wooded but it's played enough that the fairways are well-defined and there aren't many places to lose a disc. New players will have fun and more experienced players will still find some challenging lines to hit. Several holes make use of elevation to give players interesting tee shots.

+ The View: DON'T MISS THE OVERLOOOK OFF OF #3's TEE PAD!!! Just downhill from the 3rd hole is a beautiful overlook of the New River. In the summer months you can watch rafts navigate the rapids. Plan on spending a few minutes here. This is a great place for sunsets!

+ Location: This course is close to Fayetteville and plenty of outdoor recreation opportunities. This course is close to biking, rafting, hiking, zip-lining, camping, etc. Just off of Route 19 you'll also have easy access to restaurants, shopping, lodging, and entertainment.

+ Proximity to Other Courses: Raven's Ridge is within 30 minutes of other quality courses including Chestnut Creek, Wonderland, Collins Park, Twin Oaks, and Fayette County Park.

Cons:

- Signage and Navigation: Although this course is short and you're unlikely to get lost some extra signage would be nice to have for visitors. Some signs are missing and the ones that remain are worn and difficult to read. Once you lap this course one time you'll know where you're going.

- Tee Pads: There are only a couple holes you might want a run-up on but tee pads are either natural or rubber. They are uneven and could be slick after inclement weather.

- Lack of Variety: This layout is entirely made up of short wooded holes. More advanced players will have birdie chances on most of the holes. If you'd like a real challenge consider checking out nearby Wonderland or Fayette County Park.

Other Thoughts:

This is the perfect course for beginners. More advanced players will appreciate the potential for practice on hitting lines in the woods with midranges and putters. You can get through a solo round in under 20 minutes. Try out some three disc challenges or take a single disc you'd like to work with and navigate the course with a limited bag.

If you need a camping spot check out Chestnut Creek which is immediately across Route 19 from Raven's Ridge. The caretaker is a disc golfer with a private nine-hole course near the campground. There are primitive camping spaces for solo travelers and groups.

Other local recommendations for after your round...
For Food: The Burrito Barn, Pies & Pints, and Cathedral Cafe
For Drink: Freefolk Brewing and Bridge Brew Works
For Hiking: Long Point Trail or Endless Wall Trail



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2 2
hondaguy85
Experience: 11.8 years 109 played 5 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Hidden Gem 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 25, 2020 Played the course:once

Pros:

This course provides a variety of great shots and hidden views. Hole 3 is simply amazing if you hike down the back and take some pics. I love this short 9-hole adventure in the woods and can't wait to go back and play it again!

Cons:

Could use some better signage and maybe add so e directional arrows to next tee. Still very easy to navigate without.

Other Thoughts:

You must make it out to try this course if you are ever passing thru. Completely worth it!
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5 0
williams363
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 9.8 years 79 played 37 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Beautiful Area, Fun Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 22, 2020 Played the course:once

Pros:

- Good signage and easy to navigate.
-Beautiful lookout spot behind #3's teepad. Great view of the river and gorge.
-lots of parking.
-easy yet challenging

Cons:

-mostly clear, but summer could be thick brush (im speculating)
- not much sun on the course, so there was some muddy spot.

Other Thoughts:

I'm a fan of well maintained 9-hole courses. This is a short and fun one. Not much distance, but some tricky, narrow, challenging lines. It's an easy course to find, and I really enjoyed it.
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11 0
dndelli
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 16.7 years 134 played 131 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Ravens Ridge

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Sep 7, 2019 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

After kayaking the Upper Gauley River, I decided to play a quick round at Ravens Ridge before driving home. Just a couple of minutes off of the interstate, located at Adventures on the Gorge, Ravens Ridge is very accessible! The course is a fun 9 hole layout with tight, technical fairways that will test your ability to throw your disc on line. For the amount of space the designers had to work with, I think they did about as well as they could have.

The course makes excellent use of elevation. Not only are there some excellent uphill and downhill holes, but there are also holes that utilize the ridge as a fairway - where if you miss the fairway, or take an unfortunate kick, you are probably going to sail/roll far down the hill. Hole 6 is easily the signature hole on this course, it is a sharp uphill shot that slightly bends right, but the tee is located on a tiny little ridge, that creates a death putt from almost any angle as it is sharp downhill in both directions.

Even though you'll never really need anything faster than a midrange here, the course packs enough variety into every tee shot that it never manages to feel repetitive. With the added benefit of featuring a breathtaking overlook of the New River Gorge with an outstanding view of the bridge.

Despite the heavy emphasis on accuracy, with a lot of risk/reward shots available, the course never feels unfair. This is exemplified in Hole 5, a par 4 that is less than 300' long. When you see the fairway you'll understand. It has some of the tightest lines I have ever seen, and there is no real way to regularly drive the pin every round. I did manage to have a long look at an Eagle, but hit off the basket.

The course features tee signs that include the hole number, par, and distance. Each basket is numbered (and there is a practice basket) and each hole has a rubber tee mat. The course was likely designed to cause a minimal amount of environmental impact; I noticed a trash can lid lashed to a fairway tree that I imagine is meant to guard it from taking disc damage.

Located at Adventures on the Gorge, the course has plenty of amenities, and camping available right there. If you end up camping there, there is a pool with its own beautiful view of the gorge! Honestly, thanks to seeing what AotG has to offer when visiting this course, I've decided to try to camp there on one my next paddling trips to West Virginia!

Cons:

It is a shame that the course is only 9 holes, because it is a blast to play! Having said that, I imagine that for the casual players who choose to play here while camping, I imagine a fair amount of frustration is had by players taking bad kicks/rolls here.

One of the biggest issues this course suffers from, is signage. Even following the directions on DGCR, I struggled to find the course. There were signs for everything else and only a sticker on a post for the disc golf course, and I felt awkward randomly walking around the edge of the woods looking for walking paths. I ended up spending just as much time looking for the course, as I did playing it. I decided to add a little to directions to the course, hoping it provides some help to others in the future.

I wish the tee signs were a little more noticeable (I didn't realize they were there until a few holes in) and featured a map of the hole. I wasn't aware of the landscape around Hole 6's basket, so was extremely thankful when my birdie bid hit the post and settled below the basket. If I had missed just a few inches left or right (or had taken a bad roll) I would have been left with a second death putt to save par.

The last three holes, Hole 7 in particular, play parallel to the road. A very unfortunate tree kick could send a disc into our across the road.

While all of my drives were standstill, I did notice that some of the tees were very uneven. Players who need to make use of them might trip during their drives.

Other Thoughts:

I really enjoyed this course! It is a really good place you can stretch your legs if traveling down I-77 while fitting in a quick round and a nice view of the Gorge. As it stands, I plan to give it a 2.0 rating. Which feels fair for a slightly above average 9 hole course. I think that the course would need better tee signs, flatter tee pads, and signage that makes it easier to locate for me to give it a higher rating. Especially since there doesn't seem to be any room for an additional 9 holes, or even second, longer tee pads.

Favorite Holes: 4 & 6
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8 0
Qikly
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 11.7 years 181 played 148 reviews
2.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 10, 2018 Played the course:once

Pros:

Ravens Ridge is a quirky little nine-holer that makes you work surprisingly hard to earn every inch of its 1745 feet. The course makes a short U across a heavily wooded hill, and features narrow fairways and tight windows. Though the majority of holes are 200 feet or less it's hardly a pitch and putt: a skillful short game and perhaps a bit of luck is needed to shoot well. Line shaping and the ability to hit tight windows are both well-tested. The course features well-designed and utilized obstacles such as tree-dotted fairways, tough looks off the tee, and guarded pins. It manages to avoid being gimmicky in the way that short courses that make an effort to be challenging often come across as; the shots and challenges are all legitimate, just on a smaller scale than is usual.

The short holes and accessibility off the highway make this an excellent course to stop and stretch your legs at. Fairways are quite well-worn and the course is easy to navigate.

Cons:

Not much to critique beyond the obvious: at 9 holes and 1745 feet, Ravens Ridge definitely makes for a short round. The combination of short and tight isn't going to be for everyone, and although I found the technical challenges to be well-conceived, some may feel otherwise. There are some tight windows here that some may be critical of. This is not the course to play if you're not in the mood to shape lines primarily with putters.

Underbrush wasn't an issue when I visited in June, but I could see it getting bad as the summer progresses. One bad tree kick could unpleasantly extend your pitstop as you go searching for your disc.

Other Thoughts:

Ravens Ridge was a pleasant surprise during our drive from SW Pennsylvania to Charlotte. It was a great opportunity to stop, stretch our legs, and get a quick round in. My brother and I were both impressed with how well RR was designed; it offers a lot beyond just the novelty of a technical short course. It's a great option to break up a drive.
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9 0
sidewinder22
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 17.7 years 297 played 197 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Take Thy Beak From Out My Heart 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 19, 2018 Played the course:once

Pros:

#1 Pro of Ravens Ridge is the spectacular view of the New River Gorge Bridge behind hole 3's tee. This is the reason I decided to play here and made it worth it. I probably spent more time perched upon the Pallas bust above thy Gorge basking in the serenity, than it took to play the course.

Now to the disc golf... 9 holes, decent rubber tees, ok tee signs providing ominous hole nicknames and distance, and bright yellow DisCatcher baskets. Covered bench and tire swing by hole 7 tee.

Good use of the available elevation and space provided. Some fun ace runs and variety of technical lines to shape in the woods.

Easy to navigate and quick to play. Seems to be decently maintained for the most part, not much underbrush to lose a disc.

Great free beginner course at an adventure resort with all kinds of other activities and lodging. Quick and easy to get to from highway. Fayette County DGC is not far away.

Cons:

Only one tee and basket position. Not much elevation change, and definitely no holes to crank a distance shot on, no water holes. Holes play a little close together, so there's not much seclusion unless you have the place to yourself.

Course seems to be a little rubbishy by design and by people littering. Some poison ivy to beware of.

There are no signs for the course there, so I had to go in to the front desk check in to ask where the course is at. Park at the very bottom of that parking lot next to the road and you will see a trail leading into the woods, this takes you to hole 1.

Other Thoughts:

But the Raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only that one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour. Nothing farther then he uttered, not a feather then he fluttered, Till I scarcely more than muttered "Other friends have flown before. On the morrow he will leave me, as my Hopes have flown before."
Then the bird said "Nevermore."

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6 0
pmay5
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 20.8 years 480 played 245 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Convenient, fun and ohhh the view!! 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Oct 11, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

On the property of the Adventures on the Gorge facility, including on-site cabins and camping. Easy to find, one turn off of US 19, just north of the New River Gorge bridge.
Baskets are in good shape with tee signs at each hole.
Good mix of right and left holes with even a longer Par 4 thrown in.
Upkeep is good, fairways are well defined, easy to get to next tee. It looks like the locals that play here have even added some benches, seats, shelters for their (and your) convenience.
Great view of the bridge from behind #3 tee.
While all holes are wooded, I felt most of the fairways were wide enough to hit your line.

Cons:

Would be nice to have 18 holes, but it is on a ridge above the gorge, so if you strayed to far, rollaways could be gone for good.
A little tough to find on the property - when driving in, turn left into first large parking lot, then right down the first aisle, take the path through the woods at the end of the lot.
Tee mats are the rubber ones, probably get slippery when wet.

Other Thoughts:

This course makes a great extra amenity for AOTG. If we were staying on-site, I would have played this several times.
It looks like the locals play it often, so it has the worn it, tough to lose discs feel about it.
Not a destination course if you are in WV, but if you are driving down US 19, its easy to get to and a quick play. Great facilities on site, to entertain the non-DGers.
A lot easier to find then the course at Wonderland (tried that in early morning fog, not fun)!
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10 0
DiscGolfCraig
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 19.8 years 585 played 539 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Gorge-ous Course

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:May 16, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

Ravens Ridge is a fun nine-hole course. You can squeeze in a quick round here, or you can find yourself (like I did) stopping mid-round to soak in the amazing scenery just a throw away.
- Ravens has some fun and challenging holes. Test your skills on a tight, downhill throw (#4), a heavily-wooded mid-range hole (#5), a wonderfully challenging & the course's namesake hole #6, or a fun risk-reward closing hole (#9). These holes stood out for me, whereas some of the others were more of the filler variety.
- Course puts all the emphasis on accuracy. This course plays exclusively in the woods. If you can't hit your lines, an otherwise seemingly easy course will prove frustratingly difficult. Hit your lines, and you'll see plenty of putts for birdie throughout your round.
- For such a short course - average hole length is 193 feet - this course does offer a fair amount of challenge. Some of the fairways are on the narrow side; however, with the holes being playable with a mid-range or putter, I feel they were appropriate. If they were any wider, this course would lose most of the challenge and turn into a simple birdie-fest.
- Good risk/reward course, again due to the fairways and number of trees. Take a downhill hole, such as the short hole - #4 (154 feet) or #7 (194 feet). You can get aggressive and make a run at the baskets. You hit your line and you're looking at an ace run or birdie. You're slightly off-line, and you're taking your chances with which way a disc will bounce off a tree. I saw one fortunate bounce and one bad-luck bounce off the trees here, resulting in a two-shot swing.
- Let's be honest, the appeal of this course has nothing to do with these nine holes. If it weren't for being part of Adventures on the Ridge and just as important, having the amazing view of the New River Gorge and its bridge, this course would be an afterthought. Take both of those things out of the equation, and I doubt many people would drive this far out of the way to play here. That said, the facilities here are top-notch. The scenery of the Gorge; however, are even better.

Cons:

Nothing major wrong with the Ridge. For such a small plot of land, they pack in as much punch as could realistically be expected. That said, here were the couple of things to point out.
- It took a little bit of time to actually find the course once my buddy and I got to Adventures. There's signage for everything else at the property (restaurants, cabins, specific adventures, etc.), but nothing for disc golf. It took several minutes to track someone down who actually knew where the course was. Once we got there, the signage to the course was pretty poor.
- The course is either confused as a walking trail, or it intermingles with a trail. I say that because during my round, the only people I ran into were people walking their dogs on the course. I bring it up more as a word of caution than as a point of contention.
- There was too much clutter on the holes. I get the designers were trying to be creative by having various objects on holes to add to feel. On several holes, there was way too much of it, to the point, it felt like it was trashy. Speaking of trash, for being in such an amazing part of nature, I was disappointed by the amount of trash (bottles, beer cans) on the course. I'd expect sportspeople, even disc golfers, to respect the land. Also, I hope people don't try to chuck discs off the overlook.

Other Thoughts:

Ravens Ridge was a nice nine-hole course. It was slightly above average in my book, but nowhere close to its current 3+ rating on the site.
- I wasn't a big fan of the hole nicknames. Each hole had a nickname, all of which were bird related. I get giving the toughest and best hole the Ravens Ridge signature title, but when you're giving a hole name 'Rockin' Robin', the creativity is running dry.
- This course could be good for a quick round. I spent more time at the overlook between holes #2 & 3 than I did actually playing. That said, not that it was difficult to find, but I was a little surprised the gorge overlook didn't have better signage. There's only one trail leading to the overlook, but, I could see somebody being totally clueless about that view and totally missing out on it.
- This course is best played by leaving the bag in the car and just carrying a couple discs. I carried three with me, and that was even one too many. Two mid-range discs were all I needed.
- Decent course overall. If it weren't for the view of New River Gorge or its proximity to Wonderland, I'd never had made the trip here. If you don't care about the other stuff, you will find comparable nine-holers all over the place, so you can save yourself a trip.
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4 0
DaDiscDude
Experience: 2 played 2 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Ravens Ridge 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 12, 2013 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

-Free
-Variety of shots, hyzers, anhyzers, and straight shots
-Go behind the hole 3 tee, and you have a beautiful view of the new river gorge
-Birdie opportunity on hole 5, where it says par 4
-The course has little items like tire caps, kayak parts, and little knickknacks that gave the course character, look around and see what you can find
-Practice basket
-Handy signs
-Innova Baskets

Cons:

-YOU WILL HIT TREES
-Only 9 holes
-Difficult to find with given directions
-Hole 6 has a hill behind the basket, I learned the hard way
-There should be more signs telling you where to start

Other Thoughts:

Wear jeans, you don't want poison ivy.
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3 0
EvCal10
Experience: 10.9 years 7 played 3 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Great Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 10, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

Beautiful scenery with clear pathways to follow hole to hole. Very short holes are good for beginners and fun for more experienced players with a chance for a hole-in-one. Right next to a gift shop that sells discs. Free to play.

Cons:

Rubber tee pads are too short so running up is hard and fairways are very narrow so a lot of precision is needed. Also, this was the first time I have played anything but 18 holes because this course has only 9, they should add another 9.

Other Thoughts:

Fun course for the whole family, I highly recommend it for any passionate discers in the area.
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1 1
mbailey25904
Experience: 2 played 2 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Enjoyable 2+ years drive by

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

Pros:

>Great for bigginers like myself
>easy to find tees and disc
>great chances to score a hole in one

Cons:

>hilly
>needs cans for trash

Other Thoughts:

>great place to learn how to play
>just started last week ans truly enjoy the exercise from playing
>needs more holes
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5 0
knettles
Experience: 13.7 years 163 played 26 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Farewell Flying Squirrel 2+ years drive by

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

Pros:

-Well thought hole placement. Has uphill, downhill, hyzer, and anhyzer.
-Solid, visible Innova baskets.
-Some slightly difficult wooded fairways.
-Rubber teepads provide good traction in the dry (haven't experienced in wet conditions).
-Easy to follow path.
-In a cool location. (New River Gorge rocks!)

Cons:

-Not much room for big open drives.
-A couple tees didn't have much room for a run-up.
-Rubber teepads may get slippery when wet. Not sure on that one.

Other Thoughts:

I was really close to giving this a 3, but variation is really important to me. The holes do vary some, but they're all wooded, and mostly pretty short. I know that's the land they have and there's not much they can do about that, but it still matters. If they put another 9 in, and especially if there were some longer shots, I would definitely give it a 3 or 3.5.

Also, there used to be a course across the street from this one called The Flying Squirrel. They tore it down (I believe to install something else) and rebuilt it here. While it is sad to see one course die, it has been reborn as an equally good course. If you're in the area, play a round, have a beer, and enjoy the view of the gorge.
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2 1
theotus
Experience: 27 years 26 played 2 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Great wooded course!!!!!! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 11, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

This course is laid out upon a view-esc ridge that over looks the new river. Our group played all holes as a par 3. Nice elevation changes. We had a guide (Scott Emory, the designer) so we were taught about the holes and the development of the course. Off of hole three there is a clearing with the best view i've seen on the area. perfect for getting your game face on....

Cons:

With all the land surrounding this place, I'd like to see an installation of 9 more holes.

Other Thoughts:

Special shout out to Scott Emory. You are the man for your hospitality. Thanks alot for showing my group a GREAT time...
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4 0
snoogenz569
Experience: 14 years 104 played 3 reviews
3.00 star(s)

RR 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 10, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Ravens Ridge is a great little course.
The holes are mostly short but dont let that fool you, it can be pretty challenging.
There are a few elevation changes to keep it interesting.
The fairways are pretty solid but there are several trees to hit.
Good mostly even rubber tee pads.
The course is free to play and has the most amazing views i have ever seen on a disc course.
About 150 feet behind hole 3's tee pad is a rock point overlook, its an expansive view of the New River and the New River Gorge Bridge.
The basket for 6 is on hill, over drive or go deep on a putt and you'll be sorry.
The trails are wearing in nicely and there are little paths here and there.
The drives mostly demand accuracy instead of power, which is good for a lot of players.
Improvements are constantly being made by the awesome local community.
Overall the course is very fun to play, they did a good job of designing with the small amount of land they were given.
If your live nearby or just love disc golf you should check it out.
The course is actually on an adventure resort, on the new river gorge.

Cons:

The holes are mostly short, it would be nice to be able to let loose on a hole or two.
The trail from parking lot to course can actually be dangerous, very slick when wet. I have seen a few people take a digger.
There are no maps for the holes, which will make it difficult for first timers on a few holes.
No distance signs either.
Only 9 holes

Other Thoughts:

The best part about Ravens Ridge is the die hard local community. A good bit of us have put a lot of our own time building and improving the course.
There are so many friendly people to play with and little knick knacks hidden all over the course.
Don't be surprised if you see a herd of people throwing, the games can get pretty big.
You need to check this place out and throw a few rounds.
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6 0
harr0140
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 15.2 years 1508 played 475 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Raven's Ridge Rules 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 18, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

1) Rubber teepads are in decent shape and are better than dirt and mud in the woods.

2) All sorts of little figures and such hanging in trees and in hollowed out cuts . .. not sure this benefits the disc golf but it sure made me laugh multiple times.

3) Nice covered area with a firepit and benches by #9 . . .it looks like a good place to spend an entire day if you ask me . . . play a round every so often and relax when not throwing the plastic.

4) Parking lot has plenty of parking by the Adventure Ridge place. I had no idea if I was ok to just go play or not, but it was late and the sun was going down so I just played as quickly as I could. I did drive like 25 miles out of the way to be the first person to review this course. I have an illness!

5) Nice new Innova Discatchers are always welcomed on a wooded course like this . . . it makes it so much easier to pick out the basket in the woods.

6) The fairway falls away to the left side of a handful of holes on this course. Hit a tree and kick left . . . you might have to just toss back to the fairway. You could go way down the hill if you aren't careful. It's hard to not try and park the drives, but sometimes maybe playing placement golf might be smarter!

7) Little 3" x 3" squares on the trees by each tee. You shoudl not lose track of what hole you are on so the signs aren't essential but at least they did something.

8) Leaves create a nice cover for the soil under the trees. If the leaves disappeared this might be a tougher walk when wet.

9) Incredible scenery around this course. The bridge over the massive river gorge is amazing. Standing within a few feet of a basket you can hear and see the river below rushing loudly. The drive from here to Charleston, WV is incredible if you take the backroads. . .9% grades, hundreds of switchback and a 1 lane road where if you have a passing vehicle you need to pull off to the side . . . someone is at risk of going off the edge. Again not part of the course but it helps leave an impression.

10) Garbage can at the entrance to the course and a few homemade benches or places to sit throughout the course.

11) Practice basket is even available but there is no flat 30' putt to be had . . . I suppose it is preparing you for the putts you will likely have . . . uphill, downhill, and guarded closely by trees.

12) Beginner friendly for the most part because the holes are no longer than about 280' even though they are wooded . . . beginners won't get too frustrated with the game because of some tree kicks.

11) Decent variety in shots needed. There are a couple straight shots, some that force a turnover or a flick, and a couple of gentle hyzers.

Cons:

1) Distance variation is only minimal. Most holes are in the 150-225' range and all have a lot of woods on them so you end up playing more placement golf than strictly throwing drivers. Lots of mid-range driving needed to score well here.

2) No tee signs to show you the hole specifics . .. while they are all short I still like to see an effort into laying out the hole for first timers. I know this will probably be taken care of over time since this is a brand new course but I have to review it based on the conditions I noticed when I played.

3) A little repetetive . . .while they are all fun shots, the course just feels like 9 slightly different holes.

4) Dangerous in a couple spots due to overthrows or bad kicks off trees.

5) Although the leaves create a pretty good cover for the soil, there are a few spots that might be especially susceptible to mud and compaction issues.

6) As it sits right now the course could use a little more cleanup. Trees and brush that was cut down might still be in your way if slightly off line. Again as far as I can tell any of these maintenance issues will eventually be taken care of as it looks to have a decent local crowd who would play here. Plus the property is so small it wouldn't even be that much work to make it perfect!

Other Thoughts:

This was a fun short wooded course with absolutely incredible scenery. The disc golf was fun and still somewhat challenging, the design was pretty good for the small parcel of land they had to use, and the construction seemed adequate. I had a lot of fun squeezing in this course before the sun went down. It was my 20th state played, but the reason I came here is partly because it hadn't been reviewed yet. This course is by far one of my top 10 for 9 hole courses.
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