Pros:
A Colorado course with views, slopes, amenities, and challenge--in other words, an ideal mountain course.
-Amenities: Very good. Concrete tees, DISCatchers, thorough tee signs including pin position indicator, next tee markers, brooms and benches throughout. Pro shop on site. It has a bit of a country club feel.
-Multi-Tees/Pins: Primarily pins, as there are three locations for most holes out here. Two holes have short tees.
-Scenery: My introduction to the Colorado mountains, and I loved it. A couple of spots you can see a long way, but Beaver Ranch is more the cozy side of the mountains, where the rugged pines are all around and slopes pop up in your view in unexpected places.
-Elevation: Frequent, and sometimes extreme. I couldn't help but laugh as my second drive picked up and rolled 300 feet down a side hill. Hole (7) is the biggest downhill bomb, and (8) is a huge valley shot. Other holes have substantial elevation out here, too.
-Shot Shaping/Gameplay: Quite excellent. Especially when the pin positions are mixed up, there's a good variety of short and longer holes. The pines are ever-present, but the width of fairways ranges from thin to very broad. It's mostly par-3s, but some of them are on the long end and need a confident drive that shapes to the slopes well. Speaking of, the elevation isn't just blasted in your face always; it is often incorporated into the fairway shape in such a way that any shot choice will have varying consequences if not executed perfectly. There are also some beautiful greens, framed by foliage short or tall. The pacing of the course is also great, and it stays fresh through the whole round.
Cons:
-Backtracking: A few of the long pin positions require backtracking along the fairway to get to the next tee. This is a confusing element for navigation, and also slows down groups behind you.
-Lost Disc Potential: Not negligible. Steep slopes mean that shots go out of view and can roll or get caught in unpredictable places. I had a couple of long searches myself.
-Few Multi-Shots: What, in my mind, keeps Beaver Ranch from being one of the best. The number of par-4s and -5s is disappointingly low. Would love to have more strategic, multi-shot holes in this beautiful setting.
-Exertion: This is one of the more physically demanding courses out there with lots of climbing. I found it quite strenuous having just arrived at altitude the day before.
-Pay-to-Play: $12. Totally worth it.
Other Thoughts:
To me, Beaver Ranch/Conifer is an ideal Colorado mountain disc golf course. It's got views, isolation, elevation, varied terrain, and fun shaping. Plus, it's got excellent amenities. Its reputation is well deserved. I think it only really lacks more long holes. If you're on the south side of Denver, it's well worth the drive here.