Mahwah, NJ

Campgaw Reservation - Green

3.55(based on 30 reviews)
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13 0
HyooMac
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 6.7 years 415 played 382 reviews
3.50 star(s)

A Very Good Part of an Excellent Whole

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 5, 2023 Played the course:once

Pros:

The shortest and most beginner-friendly of the three Campgaw layouts. The woods and dramatic elevation changes might overwhelm true newbies, but bold beginners and experienced intermediates will find this an enjoyable course


Campgaw is a well-kept set of courses in a county park. The layouts wrap around a public ski facility (up one side, across the top, down the other side). The Intermediate (Blue) and Advanced (Black) layouts incorporate the ski trails on a few holes


Signage is excellent (The signs for the Black are shaped like diamonds - get it? [ski hill]). Most of the Green tees are poured cement; baskets are DisCatchers. Some of the tees are shared by the other layouts, but the signs include good maps, and all baskets for the green layout are visible from the tees. This is a par 27, after all


There are benches or stools at most tees, brooms at all the concrete tees, and evidence that the local club is continuing to work on the course. Navigation is excellent: green wooden arrows hanging from each basket, and plenty of navigation signs guiding to the next tee


Holes vary with balance between uphill, downhill, level, left-to-right and right to left. Although the course is in thick woods, the fairways are wide, and while offline throws will get treekicks, you're never really in jail. Missing the fairway will eliminate birdie, but par saves are straightforward


The two most memorable holes are the ones with the most dramatic changes in elevation: #8 is only 200', but it's straight uphill; #17 is 411', and it's a throw off the side of a cliff at a basket at the other end of a narrow fairway through the woods (you;re throwing from treetop level down to the ground)

Cons:

- The only Con is that several of the tees on the back 9 are just frames with uneven dirt. But there are a lot of wheelbarrows and buckets around, so I suspect improvements are always happening


- Avoid playing the course after heavy rains. There are a lot of wet areas as water makes it's way downhill. And avoid playing the Blue/Black courses in the summer: the holes that use the open ski slopes become meadows of hip-deep grass, and swallow up discs


Other Thoughts:

~ The woods are full of hiking trails, but they don't seem to intersect with any holes

~ While the Green is very good, the overall complex is excellent because of the variety of challenges it offers, the memorable holes, deep woods, basket locations on top of, or behind rock formations, the care it receives….and throwing down a ski slope!

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1 0
MEmond
Experience: 8 played 6 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Great course all things considered. 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 27, 2020 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Well marked holes and plenty of parking. The course is almost entirely in the woods so it's a great respite from the sun beating down on you in the summer. As it's on a small mountain there is one hole that you're going vertically up the mountain and another hole where you throw down the mountain. Both holes present their own set of fun challenges.

Cons:

Could use a bit more of an obvious path from hole 18 back to the parking lot. Also there didn't seem to be a place to put found discs. If one exists, it should be more clear.
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4 0
elast27
Experience: 7 played 2 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Solid Course Overall 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 6, 2019 Played the course:once

Pros:

-Very nice elevation changes
-Challenging yet rewarding hike up the front 9
-Great mix of hole layouts
-The view near the 13 tee box
-Hole 17 is a huge drive about 60 feet downhill and 450 feet straight ahead. A ton of fun to play
-Nice path after 18 brings you right back to the parking lot

Cons:

-Holes 1-9 and 17, 18 can get very muddy
-Only 1-4 have concrete tee pads, the rest are dirt/gravel
-Next tee signs are few and far between but it usually isn't too difficult to find where you need to go
-Green 18 is also Blue 10 but only marked as the latter
-A few downed trees makes it slightly difficult to navigate through certain holes

Other Thoughts:

This course was honestly a lot of fun to play. The course is built around a ski slope, with 1-9 going up the left side, 10-16 hang out at the top of the hill, and 17 and 18 bring you right back down. It's a really nice hike and if you play quickly as I did it will be evident how much climbing you're really doing on the front 9. Certain holes do get slightly repetitive, but overall theres a great mix of BH/FH and elevation changes, 8 and 17 in particular (8 goes straight up, 17 plays very long back down). Be sure to check out the view from the top of the slope at 13s tee box.

The course is maintained okay, and the signs at each hole are fairly accurate. While heavily wooded, there's very little risk of losing a disc as long as you watch them the whole way.

This was my first time playing alone and I had a really great time (and only shot +4 for a first time on the course). 3.5/5 due mostly to what I've mentioned in the Cons section, definitely a course worth trying out especially because there are so few in the area
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3 0
Ryal
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 6.8 years 216 played 182 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Not Yet Keen On Campgaw Green 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 2, 2018 Played the course:once

Pros:

+ Tee signs have a color and shape of their own, distinct from the two other layouts that share many of the same fairways, so the player always knows which sign to refer to.
+ Next tee signs, while not plentiful, are a welcomed sight and point the way.
+ The whole course has that eerie and energizing 'lost forest' feel by limiting what you can see around you. The player will likely forget that there is a ski hill nearby!
+ There are very many rocky hills to add to the challenge: some steep and some steady.
+ Trees everywhere force the player to focus on aim and accuracy rather than brute force.

Cons:

- Most of the tee areas were muddy messes during my session.
- A few of the tee signs were flat-out missing. Holes 14 and 18 come to mind as examples of this.
- Trees everywhere cause most of the holes to feel samey and repetitive.
- Some of the next tee signs were broken or altogether missing in places where they could really be helpful. I did not see one between holes 9-10 or 16-17, and I found the sign between 2-3 shattered and discarded on the ground. I got lost twice here as a result of the lack of signage.
- Deadfall trees are very prevalent. A few holes felt as though I was playing in the rough from start to finish.
- Very many exposed roots, hidden tree stumps and slippery leaves on rocks. Walk with caution.

Other Thoughts:

My favorite hole at this course was definitely 8. I liked 17, too, but I liked 8 more because of how deceptively simple it is. The short distance of the hole tricks you into thinking that it won't be so hard, but the sheer height of the cliff throws that notion on its ear. 8 is a fun challenge to overcome.
My least favorite hole here could be the very first one. It felt plain and underwhelming to me.

As for the course as a whole, Campgaw Green is a course that, to my mind, has yet to reach its stride. This isn't to say that the course is bad. The venue is pretty with a dynamic landscape of rocky hills and trees. I played in early December. I can just imagine what it looks like in spring and summer.
The course is a good challenge, but the endless forest does feel repetitive after a while. Hills and oaks continue as far as the eye can see. While it is, indeed, pretty, it becomes commonplace before long. However, I would rather see the trees stay where they are instead of having them mindlessly chopped down just to carve out a perfect fairway.

Yes, this is definitely wooded disc golf with a few hybrid holes thrown into the mix among holes 11 and 14. I would sooner recommend this course to the accurate tacticians out there before the power arms for obvious reasons. Granted, though, all can have a good time here because it is disc golf, after all. And I do want to say that I did have fun with what is available, but there is still so much more to do.

Tee pads would be a great start. I think it would be a good thing to have something solid for the players to tee off on instead of mud in the days following a rain.
Another good addition would be sturdier signage. The 'current tee' signs will probably be fine as they are for a while longer, but the 'next tee' signs should get an upgrade.

In closing: Campgaw Green is a decent course that takes the player through many variations of the wooded disc golf experience. There are hills to conquer and hundreds of trees to avoid. There are even some stand-out holes for sure, but the monotony of everything else coupled with the soggy tee areas and absent signage may dampen the fun for some.
Go throw at Campgaw if you like an uphill battle.
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1 0
MikeSKY
Experience: 9 played 9 reviews
3.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jul 11, 2018 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Nice layout that gives you great exercise as it is up the side of a ski slope and down the other end. Heavily wooded which adds difficulty. I only played the Par 3s (green), so not to long distances. Watch your disc carefully on hole 17... Take a peek out of the woods by hole 13 its a gorgeous view from atop the ski slope, wow!

Cons:

Only the first few holes have Tee pads, the rest are natural. First time you go might be a little difficult to find the next tees, but its not too bad. During the spring time it can be muddy and extra buggy.

Other Thoughts:

Put on Insect repellent,and get out there, Its fun.
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3 0
schenckc13
Experience: 32 played 4 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Fun and Challenging 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 16, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

Fun and challenging shots with lots of variety. Nearly aced hole #2 with a skip in and out of the chains which may have made me a little biased but then got brought back down to earth on the rest of the course with the narrow woods and tight corridors! The elevation change is great and the signage is adequate, never had to figure out what was next, there was always a sign or path. You park a little far away from the first hole, but you finish right at the lot which is always nice.

Cons:

As noted the tee pads could use some updating, ie: add a pad and I would add another half star, make it concrete with elevation change on the signage, plus updates to the blue and blacks and this would be close to a 5-star course. Some of the tee pad and basket placements were a little close for comfort for overlap, but not overly so. Another thing that got me was every basket was labeled 1, which was confusing on the first two holes but would help further through the course as hole 15 and 16 are a little confusing. It looks as if you're shooting to 16's basket from 15's tee, which granted is much further than the allotted distance, but mind the visual deception. I'd like to see a little more clearing of fairways as there a couple of shots that really are just prayers and luck. All and all not too much bad going on.

Other Thoughts:

I disagree with the previous statement, you could manage this course twice through in about 3 - 4 hours if you bring your A game and water, the hike wasn't too bad and the height of the hill is pretty small, remember there aren't mountains in Jersey! A course map provided at the start would be great, basket numbering, and updated blue and black signage would be a nice way to improve.
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0 0
gregneely0
Experience: 3 played 3 reviews
3.50 star(s)

An easy quick course. 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 23, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

The signage is pretty good, being a first timer without anybody to guide me to the next tee I could find the next tee fairly easily.
The "fairways" have nice lines, not very curvy.
holes 1-4 have nice concrete tees.
Nice big parking lot.
Cool elevation changes

Cons:

I played in early spring late winter so there were just the old leaves on the ground, but... I could see them being a huge problem when summer/fall comes around.
The natural tees are very rocky or short.
Rocky Terrain
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7 0
hawk12
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 33.6 years 272 played 27 reviews
3.50 star(s)

very nice property, close to a very nice course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 28, 2014 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Great piece of land with nice old growth trees, excellent elevation changes and different degrees of slope across the land.
Nice baskets, good tee signage, great views from the top of the hill (not gonna call it a mountain out of respect for real mountains).
The layout/design was pretty cool, good variety, and with the other layouts (Blue & Black matching ski difficulties) it's an overall bonus on the property. But since this is the Green course, I'll stick to that.
Loved some of the holes, made you shape shots, and seemed to play even for BH & FH players, would need more times around than 2 to really get a better feel.
Flow through the property allowed you to experience what all parts of the hill surrounding the ski slopes look like, and the hilly sides and less steep top and bottom holes provided good variety.
Great next tee signs, painted with arrows for Green, Blue or Black, withe the hole #s appropriate for each layout.
Loved a few holes, #4 and #17 just had great lines. Holes 12 & 14 also seemd to play well off each other for the FH/BH and make players throw all the shots. There are more, I'm just pointing out those that stood out to me.

Hole 3s tee pad was the only concrete pad I saw, it was nearly perfect, level, solid and big enough (or very close for those with bigger run ups). More of these please?
I understand this course plays around the ski hill to allow for year round play, outstanding use of space and property for a mulit-use facility.

Cons:

The designer might have found a way to navigate more ups and downs on the 'left' side over by holes 1-10, there is some very steep slopes that could've made an awesome downhill drive (even if its a putter shot), and walked around the steep, to allow for more elevation changes. Maybe that's on the Black course more and I am asking something that is already done elsewhere...
As noted above, the next tee signs are great, but only on about half the holes. As I played in a time of year with lots of fresh leaves down, it was hard to find some of the paths to the next holes... Really got turned about from 9-10, there were two walking paths up top and I choose poorly...

Some of the baskets have suffer frost heave and the posts are no longer level, not an easy thing to dig deep enough on this type of ground, but the effort would really make the chains rest down instead of lean on the side of the posts...

OK, so my biggest issue is the tee pads. I know, hard rocky ground is tough to level out, and geting materials into some of these locations is not easy either, and its a LOT of work on each pad; but they were rutted and had hard pack soil with small stones that slid under my feet a lot. This caused many errant tee shots, and with some work this negative could become a positive.

I know most of my cons are "fixable" and I'm nitpicking to some, but these are factors that contribute to a very good course, and Campgaw is close...

Other Thoughts:

With some tee pad work, more driectional signs, and leveling some baskets this place could be an easy 4, but they were a detractor for me.

These are not easy fixes, and will take time and hard work - but that's what a very good/great course takes.

All that said, I would make the 2 hour drive to this course for sure, and I would come out to play in a tournament here as well. The pros out weight the cons for me and I really enjoyed the setting.
Both the casual player and tournament player can be rewarded with a fun time, and a risk/reward score. Nice course, close to being a very good course.
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4 0
Upshawt1979
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 20.8 years 548 played 429 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Campgaw Reservation Suggested 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 19, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

Campgaw Reservation Green layout is short on the majority of its 18 holes, and this is kind of a plus with the mountainous nature of the land. When you arrive in the parking lot, walk the path past the practice basket, the rental stand, the ski patrol, and past the screened patio to the 1st tee. The first and second holes are in trees at the foot of the hill, but on flatter ground. One is short and turns to the right, and two is longer and to the left. Three is back in the direction of hill, over 300 feet, and straightforward. Four is slightly uphill, and makes you choose a gap in the trees to make the green, but still very reachable around 225'. 5 and 6 pick their way through the trees, gradually up the hill, in short measures. 7 is a bit longer in the 300' range, and requiring a narrow line to the pin. I won't give the exact language when I first saw hole 8, but there was a four-letter word and an exclamation point. 209 on the scorecard, but closer to vertical than horizontal. Ok, thats an exaggeration, but it was steep. 9 and 10 are a bit longer, but returning to less extreme footing, both dogleg left. 11 is a fun attempt to run one close for a birdie, and 12 comes into the open, grassy space climbing noticeably. 13-16 finish the run at along the top of the hill, before making the turn and coming down the mountain. 13 and 16 are shorter, 14 and 15 in the 300' range. Mixed lefts and rights through more trees and around the occasional boulder. Everything prior to hole 17 is disc golfing, but just putting in the legwork to get here. 17 tee box is in a bright patch of sun, high above the basket in the forrest below. 400'+ but reachable if you can negotiate a lot of mature trees, once you reach the point of entry about 100' out of the box. I bogeyed, but on an extra throw I was able to put one 30' past the pin. 18 finishes out nicely through more heavy trees and rocks, not far from the parking lot.

Navigation from hole to hole is not hard to follow, and there are some rudimentary signs that effectively guide you along. All baskets are good.

Cons:

Tee boxes were kind of an issue on a few of the limited times you want to reach back for a little extra power. Improving these would probably make the rating a 4 to me. The 4600' green layout may be a little weak for the big arm, pro level guys. I am curious about the black diamond layout. I saw it on a paper map, and where the signs were pointing as I walked the greens. It looked rough, and much more difficult, with heavy growth and hard to distinguish lines.

Other Thoughts:

Campgaw Reservation Green was fun, and had two or three great holes. Cool course, but not at full potential. Natural tees subject to erosion and poor footing was a factor on a hole like 8. Installing better tees would be hard work, and may have maintenance issues, but would be nice. Glad to get the chance to play, and worth a look, but don't expect too much and you won't be disappointed. I scored a 56 (2 over par) on a birdie and 3 bogeys. I missed too many putts, as usual. Lots of room for improvement, under par by several shots isn't unrealistic.
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2 1
DEG III
Experience: 16.2 years 173 played 6 reviews
3.00 star(s)

I love progress!!! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 21, 2013 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Signage exists now and is a huge improvement!!
I still strongly suggest a map if you've never played. Really fun course, great exercise!!

Cons:

Need tee pads badly especially hole 1, it's close enough to the road that concrete shouldn't be an issue there, and it is always flooded in the winter because of the snow making and weather.

Other Thoughts:

If you are used to playing the black/blue course this is a definite step down in difficulty. Also, be aware that the rocky terrain can bang your disc up quite a bit, even the greens around the baskets are very rocky.
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2 3
EWSdiscgolf
Experience: 10.6 years 89 played 28 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Hard but fun 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Oct 20, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

-Really nice view on 16
-Holes are short, but challenging due to trees, elevation, and boulders
-Hole 17 is awesome..., it is so steep!
-It wasn't crowded
-A lot of parking
-nice baskets

Cons:

- The tees are faded so it's hard to know where to throw from
- Lots of garbage on the course
- 15 was hard to navigate

Other Thoughts:

This was good...
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5 0
Marcis
Experience: 10.8 years 26 played 1 reviews
4.00 star(s)

A wonderful course, I can't wait to play all 3 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Oct 23, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

I loved this course, I am from Pennsylvania, Sellersville location. The green course was like a combination of South Mountain, and Blue Mountain.

Thanks Eric for showing me around, had a great time!

Cons:

only one (see below). I played with a local so every hole was easy to find. I think that if I played by myself I would have had no trouble finding each hole. for the most part tees can be seen easily from the end of the hole, and if you can't see the tee, a clear path is available. If I was playing the big monster course this may have been a bit more challenging, but the green course was well marked.

The only reason I gave this 4 stars instead of 5 is because the Tees were natural, I would love to see rubber, or concrete here. That is really my only complaint, I love this course otherwise, can't wait to come back. FOR ME natural tee's are not a problem, I currently don't have a run up so I have the luxury of standing still, this only cost me 20-50 feet compared to people I play with who do the run up.

Other Thoughts:

I loved it, reminded me of 2 of my favorite home courses mixed into one. I highly recommend playing this course!

I almost aced hole 17. I am not a pro, or anything close to that. I threw a comet Mid-range disc straight down the fairway 10-15 feet past the basket on the left. My furthest drive ever. I just got the comet disc, and it was my 3rd time ever throwing the disc!
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0 4
luckless_pedestrian
Experience: 11 years 40 played 14 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Nice course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 24, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

Beautiful under the mature trees.

Elevation changes are not too extreme, except for 8, which is short enough that it's kind of fun.

Cons:

Hole layouts are confusing. I missed one around 15-16-17 and had to go back to figure it out.

Too many fallen trees around 18 but I imagine that will be cleaned up.

Other Thoughts:

I would definitely come back here when I'm in the area.
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5 2
raynger27
Experience: 12.6 years 62 played 19 reviews
2.50 star(s)

identity crisis 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 9, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

This course is located in a section of NJ that otherwise lacks a course, so that is a plus. From the main roads, there were "Disc Golf" signs to point you to the parking lot. Speaking of, there was tons of parking available. The Discatcher baskets stand out on this highly wooded course, and overall the tee signs do a decent job of giving you the general trajectory of the hole (you just have to find the sign first). I found the tee signs to be clear compared to over reviewers, so it appears a recent update was made in this area. Underbrush that would hide a disc is minimal.

Cons:

Although the road signs helped point me to the lot, once I got there I had trouble locating the first tee. Luckily, I ran into two helpful gents who pointed me in the right direction. This course doesn't seem to know what it wants to be. With the blue/black and green courses intermingling in the same real estate, navigation was a severe challenge. There were some signs of help, tiny next tee signs here and there, but overall the course just lacked flow and a sense of harmony. To me, it played like baskets in a forest with not much rhyme or reason. Due to the overlapping courses, the baskets also lacked number labels, adding to confusion for a first timer. The tee boxes were natural and dreadful. Roots, water puddles, ruts.

Other Thoughts:

There weren't too many memorable holes overall. That being said, hole 17 was neat, a downhill 405 ft par 3 in a narrow tunnel where you could really let one fly and watch it go and go. I played two days after a heavy rain and the course was a wet mess; impossible to avoid mud and water puddles. Bring a towel for your discs and a pair of shoes to drive home in. It was that bad and unavoidable. Not sure if I just picked a bad day, or if it is always that way after even the smallest rain.

The course would benefit from trimming some saplings just off the fairway. On about half the holes, a decent shot that is unfortunate enough to hit a tree and sail off the fairway can find itself with zero opportunity to get back to par because there is zero throwing lane other than the fairway. I am all for punishing errant shots, but as it stands, this seems cruel and unusual.

I came from the Lehigh Valley in PA, so maybe I am spoiled with some of the courses I play here on a regular basis, but this course seems way overrated to me based on the average scores of other reviews, Maybe that is due to its location in a disc golf dead zone, I don't know. I grew up in NJ (moved before I discovered dg) so this is my home and I was excited to check this course out. Definitely left disappointed.
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1 3
TKdicker
Experience: 10.9 years 5 played 3 reviews
3.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

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

Pros:

Nice signage, relatively clean (garbage bags on every 2nd or 3rd hole), lots of shade (almost entire course), nice use of terrain (a few serious uphill/downhill holes), nice accuracy challenge for beginners (most holes are narrow and heavily wooded), huge parking lot, yellow band across top of basket easy to locate from a distance.

Cons:

Rough terrain, down trees, rocky, watch your step, wet in spots, but not too bad, every hole is par 3 (a couple longer holes would be nice...I guess you can play Mighty Gaw layout for that)

Other Thoughts:

Only the 3rd course I've played, so my rating could change as I haven't much to compare it to.
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3 0
Magiken
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 14.7 years 74 played 74 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Green aint too mean 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 22, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

• Good shot variety
• Interesting forest scenery
• Interesting wildlife here and there
• A fair course for beginners to average players

Cons:

• Tees are mostly dirt
• A little tricky to navigate in spots
• No restrooms/water that I could see
• Lotsa bugs (could be seasonal)
• The ski run area has high grass that is VERY WET (again, likely seasonal)

Other Thoughts:

Tips:
• Bring a map
• When you arrive, park and head towards the ski lifts. When you see buildings, walk in front of them and go all the way to the left into the forest to find tee #1. This wasn't totally clear to me on the map(s).

Random Thoughts:
So obviously you need to read both the Green and Blue/Black reviews to know what you're getting out here although this is one case where the three courses really are quite different. To start, this was my first 'ski lift' course and I was really looking forward to seeing what that would be like. Overall I was not disappointed. Fortunately, this was a small ski lift so it was more attainable from a physical exertion standpoint. Having said that though, be prepared. This is a good 2-3 hour hike, and I said 'hike' back there, not walk. It's pretty steep and pretty rocky in places, so wear proper foot wear and take care where you step. As for the course, my first bit of advice would be, don't think you're going to play more than one course at a time. Despite the sharing of some fairways and baskets, it's really not realistic considering the distances involved with the Blue/Black courses. Just stick to the Green and you'll be ok. Unfortunately, there aren't any 'top of the world' shots on the Green course; the closest is #17 which is a fun long downhill shot, but you can always go back to the top of the hill and play those scenic ones after. The Green course is really quite fair from a par perspective. It does demand accurate throws of the variety that are mostly straight for the first half of the flight, but even nicking a tree doesn't mean you can't make par. I found that as long as you didn't string two bad throws together, par was very attainable. Navigation is pretty easy although there are a couple spots where finding the next tee did get tricky due to the distance between holes and the overlapping courses. Keep your head on a swivel and you'll see signs. Note to course maintainers: These navigation signs would be much easier to see in neon orange or something. Dull white makes them blend into the forest a bit. There was also a basket missing (I think #15 maybe?), and I mean just the basket part. The chains and pole were there. Odd and a first for me. =)

Bottom Line:
A really good beginner course that demands control over distance. It very much reminded me of the forest courses we have here on the West Coast. I can't imagine what it's like playing in the winter time but I would love to find out.
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3 3
prerube
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 16.8 years 274 played 235 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Overrated average course with one signature hole. 2+ years

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

Pros:

Signage, some holes had long and short tees. Discatcher baskets
Lots of wooded holes with some nice elevation changes. The rocks add a good bit of scenery as well.
Hole 17 is the clear signature hole with the basket extremely elevated throwing down to the basket.
Holes 8,13, 15,16, and 18 were enjoyable or memorable holes.

Cons:

Serious lack of maintenance.
Signage is falling apart, the backs of the signs are totally different holes, so it could cause confusion.
tees were in rough shape with rocks and roots creating problems. Signature hole 17's tee pad was basically 4 feet by 4 feet because that was all that was usable. Tee 1 was a dirt tee, tee 3 was concrete, tee 4 was gravel.

Baskets are unlabled, all have velcro for numbers, but no numbers (probably due to the 2 layouts)

Grass was up to knee high on several holes. Holes 12-14 were nearly unplayable with out a spotter, which is a shame because 13 had the interesting boulder infront of the basket.

Lots of garbage scattered around baskets.

Set up on the site as 2 courses, this is not 2 courses. This is a seasonal course that changes layouts.

Other Thoughts:

I read about the amazing views and holes that made you want to clear out your bag, but hole 17 was the only hole where I was tempted to throw a second disc. (holes 12-14 I was tempted not to throw at all) I was also hoping for 2 tees on each hole to play it twice, but there were not 2 tees and even if their were, I would not have played it again.
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5 0
mashnut
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 22.1 years 831 played 767 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Wooded hills 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 24, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

The course circles the ski hill in the surrounding woods. The Green layout stays completely in the trees, offering technical lines and some punishment for errant shots with light rough and lots of trees. There is elevation on most of the holes, and it's used pretty well to keep things interesting. There are a couple steeply uphill shots and some fun downhills. Elevation and rock piles around greens add some challenge to the short game with rollaway potential.

There is some length variety, most holes are fairly short but the elevation changes make some play longer or shorter. There is basic signage for both layouts, and a good set of course maps online. We didn't have a problem following the green layout at all.

Cons:

The tees are terrible. They're natural pads that are rutted out and have roots and rocks sticking up waiting to break your ankles. At times the signage can be a little confusing, with the black sign on one side and the green on the other, make sure you look at both sides. There are some long walks that would have been a bit confusing without the course map.

The course has a lot of holes with left turning shots, it seemed like there was room to design a more balanced course with a little better hole shape variety. A few areas of the course hold water and can get a bit swampy. Some of the steeper hills have erosion issues and can be difficult to walk in wet conditions.

Other Thoughts:

There is pretty good fun factor here, the technical lines and elevation combined with the rocks make for some interesting shots. Beginners will find the distances reasonable, and though you can get kicked pretty far off the fairway on an errant shot there are lines for recovery shots. More experienced players won't find it terribly challenging, most of the course is mid and putter practice for better players. I would definitely stop here again if I'm in the area, especially during the season when the black layout is available too.
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Peterb
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 30.9 years 81 played 32 reviews
3.50 star(s)

technical challenge 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 26, 2011 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

- awesome terrain changes
- beautiful trees
- well designed challenging, yet gettable shots
- never crowded despite being close to NYC
- plentiful parking
- nice baskets
- sense of seclusion pervades the entire course
- good mix of straight, left, and right turning shots
- excellent use of elevation changes. Several uphill shots on the front nine, accentuated by the difficult 8th hole, which is a fairly extreme uphill shot. Nice drop offs and basket positioning on several holes. Hole 17 is indeed a gem of a tunnel shot, quickly dropping at least 40 feet from the tee and then sloping gently most of the fairway to the basket.
- other amenities available, like bathrooms, and a soda machine with gatorade
- benches at most tees

Cons:

- tee pads are mostly natural and a bit rutted. Perhaps understandable in the context of the ski hill course, but concrete would be a major upgrade here.
- signage is inconsistent and unless you know the course, can be difficult to follow. This needs to be rectified for this permanent course. The kiosk says that all the tees will be marked with the green circle (to maintain consistency with the ski hill system) but as of 10/26/2011, the signage doesn't readily indicate this.
- course drainage is a problem on the holes at the bottom of the hill. This affects holes 1-4, and holes 17-18. Boots are recommended
- a few too many RHBH hyzer holes. Overall the course has good but not great balance. A few new basket positions would cure that.
- no need for drivers. The entire course can be played with midranges and putters. Maybe a little more length would be good? Though I suppose if you want length, the mighty gaw gives it to you.
- the infinite amount of boulders and rocks make groundplay unpredictable and will chew up your plastic.

Other Thoughts:

All in all, campgaw is a very nice course. If it had concrete tees and was a bit more balanced out I would give it 4.5 stars. I highly recommend playing the course in the autumn (though do not use orange, yellow, or red discs!) as the scenery of the leaves in full foliage is unforgettable. I like to take a jog and play this course with 2 or 3 discs, though the footing is tricky for anyone, so be careful out there. I do love how easy it is to get to from the NYC area, and how seemingly unpopular the course is (especially compared to other courses in metro areas). Has the disc golf bug not hit northern jersey yet? I know there are some amazing courses, but perhaps the bada bing! is a bigger draw...
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RamsFan1
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 13.5 years 91 played 91 reviews
3.50 star(s)

No Walk in the Park 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 6, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

18 hole course which is a shorter version of Campgaw's "Mighty Gaw" layout, although it incorporates some of the same holes. Very technically challenging with terrain, elevation, trees and other obstacles which test your skills. Distances ranging from 200-350 feet make it manageable for most players. Tee boxes and signs are present at each hole, and there are benches/logs at many of the holes to rest. Baskets are all in good shape. Is appealing to both the advanced as well as the intermediate or recreational player.

Cons:

Despite the presence of some "next tee" signs, navigation can be tricky in spots and pathways aren't always clearly defined. Crushed stone/dirt tee boxes are often uneven. Some of the signage consisting of temporary foam placards is in poor shape. Rough terrain prevents run up shots on most holes. Ammenities like trash cans and poles to hang your bag at each hole would be welcomed. Can be a muddy, icy, slushy mess depending on the season.

Other Thoughts:

Don't be fooled by the shorter distances of the holes; the Campgaw layout is a grueling exercise in disc golf. The terrain is tough on a GOOD day; it can be absolutely brutal in bad weather. Twice I've played here in driving rain/ice and footing can be treacherous. The rocky surface and elevation make it essential you are prepared to play before entering the premises.

Trying to install cement tee pads or provide other amenities at each hole on a course like this is no doubt a major headache, as access up the mountain is awfully tough. Despite this, there has been talk of the Skylands Disc Golf Club trying to pursue these ambitious goals.

One can't objectively rate this course higher than the Mighty Gaw layout, as the distance, travel up the mountain (once instead of twice), and overall layout and level of challenge isn't quite as demanding. But Campgaw is a rugged, challenging course which is totally worth your while and can humble good players.

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