San Marcos, TX

Flying Armadillo - Big Course

3.645(based on 11 reviews)
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8 0
Ryal
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 7.4 years 240 played 202 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Trying Mellow Flying Armadillo

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 4, 2023 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

+ Splendid welcome area and plenty of quality of life features throughout.
+ Guiding signage in all the right places.
+ Tees are all long, flat and wide concrete. Three on nearly every link.
+ Durable metal tee signs are colorful and informative with all the right info.
+ Impressive landscaping and upkeep both on and off the fairways, but...

Cons:

- ...The course has somewhat dull terrain and obstacles.
- After a while, the player begins to get déjà vu with the similar fairways.

Other Thoughts:

Every once in a while, you play at a course that leaves its mark on you. This happens more for some people than for others, but it typically occurs when a course does something so well and/or is so well-presented, that it is burned into your memory. This is not to say that it is a perfect course but rather a course that impressed or influenced you to make you never forget it.
For me, Flying Armadillo is one such course.

A player can't help but appreciate the welcome area. Windchimes. Statues. Yard ornaments. Lounge chairs. Metal decorations. Multiple info boards. A lot of effort has gone into making this place comfortable and welcoming. There is a sense of exciteable calm all around you. An old train car (or was it a bus?) has been repurposed as a shop where you can buy gear, souvenirs and pay for your round. On the other side of the shop there are three practice baskets, a driving net, foosball, tables & chairs for your comfort, a food truck and a pyramid of baskets that someone can aim at from the tippy-top of a three story wooden tower! You can see for miles up there. I took five or six shots from the top. My last throw skipped off the top of the highest basket, which caused a bunch of witnesses to applaud...?! That's a special feature that no other course I've played has come close to replicating.

A good welcome area is nice, but how is the disc golfing?

Pretty good. But let me start with the negatives first. This review is from the perspective of the white tees.
The course can feel repetitive. The topography doesn't vary too much from 1 to 18. You've got your bumps, dips and slopes, but we can all agree that this course is mostly flat. Link9 was my least favorite because it was so straight, flat and wide open. Link11 is the same way but three-quarters the distance. The dusty rocky fairways from start to finish don't add much to the experience, either. Link16 may be the biggest offender. The rocky fairway chews up discs. Watch your step there. All of the trees are pretty short. Link12 is an example of this. The fairway is shaped to be a tunnel... but... you can just throw over everything and be fine. I realize that most of my criticisms are landscape-based. It isn't Flying Armadillo's fault that it is so close to the 98th meridian (look it up).

On the upside, I can say that those same short trees are spindly and grabby. It is impossible to hope to throw through them, which demands better throws from players. On the fairways where the trees cannot be ignored, they add a lot to the challenge. Link8 forces a player to deal with a narrow tunnel before opening up to a wider fairway. Link14 is even more narrow and barely opens up. Link15 might be the most sadistic of them all with a triple mando to start followed by a maze of grabby trees to slink through. It's only 150 feet to the basket, but you'll be holding your breath every second the disc is in flight near those trees. I enjoyed the optics of that fairway the most. A noticeable downhill and shadowy trees make for a nice view. For playing, I need to mention link10. The first seventy percent of the fairway is open and harmless, but then you need to deal with a man-made wooden cage that keeps out ace runs and approach shots. Sure, it's kind of gimmicky and benefits from beforehand knowledge. But what a fun feature to experience. Honorable mention to link17. It balances fairway width and tree rough in a pleasing way. You can try throwing over everything, but keep and eye on it...!

This was my first encounter with cactus on a disc golf course. I live in New Jersey. Cactus doesn't really exist up by me. So that's one big reason why Flying Armadillo sticks out in my mind. It felt like some sort of natural version of 'culture shock.' Combine that with its short sprawly trees and a welcome area that has few rivals to get an experience that is burned into my memory. I strongly recommend Flying Armadillo. Tacticians will like it more than power throwers, but I think it is worth adding to anyone's wishlist. There is a much smaller putting course on the same property that I'm kicking myself for not playing. I guess I'll have to visit Flying Armadillo again in the future. When you visit, stay for a few hours and experience it to the fullest. Throw from the tower. Buy a sticker. Get something from the food truck. This place feels like a small disc golfing resort. Come check it out and see for yourself.
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14 0
aclay
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 40.1 years 341 played 270 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Big Flying Armadillo

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 1, 2023 Played the course:once

Pros:

-- Flying Armadillo Big Course is a full-length course on the same property as a miniature, kitschy 18-hole course.
-- The pro shop is well stocked, offering a wide selection of discs, bags and other disc golf accessories; a small selection of snacks and non-adult beverages is available. If you want the adult variety, bring your own.
-- This is basically a disc golf country club. You've got a big covered seating area out behind the pro shop along with a 3-story tower that offers additional seating and a beautiful view. You've got bocce ball. The miniature course on the same property tops it off.
-- Multiple tees per hole. All except No. 6 have at least two, and some have three. The long tee pads are almost all concrete (a few are compacted gravel), and the shorter ones are a mix. Tees are listed as blue, white and red, but some holes combine blue/white or red/white.
-- Quality Innova baskets.
-- Distance variation is good. From the blue tees, six holes are 250 feet or shorter, and six are longer than 350 feet.
-- Tee signs are colorful and informative.
-- Camping on site.
-- Practice baskets.

Cons:

-- Plenty of holes feel pedestrian with trees and tight lines but nothing memorable.
-- Really rocky ground can be rough on your discs.
-- Navigation is sometimes tricky.
-- No water in play. There is a dry creek bed.
-- Path from 16 to 17 takes you through the 13 tee pad.

Other Thoughts:

-- The holes themselves are pedestrian compared to the amenities.
-- Elevation is decent. It might not be what you expect in the Hill Country, but it's definitely not flat. Six holes have elevation changes of 20 or more feet from the blue tees.
-- This is a pay-for-play course. Current prices are $5 on weekdays and $10 Saturday and Sunday, but those prices are going up as of July 1, 2023. The price get you all-day access to both courses.
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18 0
Shadrach3
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 6.1 years 339 played 322 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Solid Course with Hard-to-Pin Personality 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:May 19, 2021 Played the course:once

Pros:

A very well-done course with few highlights but fewer issues.

-Site: Being located at the Flying Armadillo Club is a big plus. You have a pro shop, tons of baskets, a towering gazebo, bocce ball, local cats, and all sorts of other pleasures and character that this country club offers. Plus, the Gold course is on site, which is always a quick, fun round.

-Amenities: Concrete tees, thorough tee signs, DISCatchers. All the solid stuff.

-Multi-Tees/Pins: Two to three tees per hole, which are well-marked and offer a good variety. The difference between reds and whites is substantially more than between the whites and blues.

-Shot Shaping/Gameplay: A solid, moderately wooded challenge with a mix of par-3s and -4s. Lots of gently turning holes with well-defined but wide fairways and gentle elevation change, often including an interesting basket placements with trees or rocks. There are some more open holes mixed in that are primarily long drives, and towards the end of the course there's a series of shorter ace runs in tighter woods. A couple of holes are a little weird--like (10), which is blocked by a fence with two doors in it, or (12), which is so thick as to require an over-the-top play--but mostly the holes are clear and solid, if unspectacular. What's weird is that despite the fact that none of the holes are particularly innovative, the course feels unlike most other courses. The choices of shapes and terrain set it apart, but not in an amazing way.

Cons:

-Mud: Boy, this thing was messy after a rain. It's not unplayable, just a huge mess.

-Pay-to-Play: You can pay per day or get a membership to the club. Definitely worth the greens fee to play both courses.

-Tee Times: As of recently, you need a booked tee time to play on Saturdays and Sundays.

-Quirks: There are definitely some quirky and gimmicky holes out here. I don't really mind them, but you'll have to recognize that at points this course will be a crapshoot. The non-gimmicky holes, unfortunately, don't have a lot of personality, which is why the course doesn't rise above a Very Good.

Other Thoughts:

The Big course at Flying Armadillo is one of the hardest to describe courses I've played. It's simultaneously unlike other courses I've played, but also not memorable or special enough for me to feel like it's a 4.0. All around, though, it's a solid disc golf experience and pairs perfectly with the Gold course.
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17 0
blake833
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 14.5 years 161 played 142 reviews
3.50 star(s)

six flags over disc golf 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:May 29, 2021 Played the course:once

Pros:

I was pretty stunned when I pulled into the parking lot. There were 15-20 other cars there, the pro shop at the end, and of course the stunning 3 story gazebo. It really makes you love the feel of disc golf enthusiasm- you are among your people.

Once you get through the front of this amusement park, the course winds around the property. It's pretty easy to follow, just make sure you're on the right tee if you're trying to play all the same color. Some are duel white and blue, or white and red, etc.

Most of the holes have nice concrete tee pads. If not, then compacted gravel. The red tees I believe were all compacted gravel. There were also really nice signs on each of the tees, really helping you find the baskets, even if it was blind.

Really, the course is nice, but what some of the biggest pros are here are the pro shop, and the atmosphere. The hospitality, the disc golf comradery, are top tier at this disc golf destination.

Also, there's dogs on the property and I love them more than I love most of you.

Cons:

The course is pretty flat for being in the Texas hill country. Not much you can do about it, since that's just the way of the land is, but keep that in mind as you plan your trip and drive through the hills to get there so you're not disappointed.

I got a little bored of some of the length/shape of the course. It's fairly tight, and I would say almost too tight in some places, so with a few exceptions, a lot of this course is similar shots.

Other Thoughts:

The course is great but it's not particularly outstanding or noteworthy. It's been a week, and when I think back on my round there's a lot of holes I can't remember, only a few that I can and that's just because it was only a week ago.

The "wow" factor here, the thing that's really going to blow you away, is just being at Flying Armadillo, hearing some music, smelling the food, seeing the tower. It's an experience of disc golf community more than it is a destination course, and that's ok. But speaking of destination course- there is the putting course on site! But that's another review
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13 0
c_a_miller
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 12.5 years 299 played 209 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Second Course Wraps up Great Day of Golf 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 26, 2018 Played the course:once

Pros:

The Big Course is the one course on the property that is more traditional than the Gold course. You know, since it has holes over 100 feet.

This course has a classic Central Texas feel with rugged terrain, a good amount elevation, shorter trees and a lot of vegetation throughout the course. To me, this course felt like a poor man's Circle C (except you have to pay for this one, but you get the picture). That definitely is not a knock on this course whatsoever.

The course had a good variety of distances including three par 4s. None of the holes are "gimmie" birdies. Each hole has its own uniqueness where you do not feel like you are playing the same hole over and over again. Hole 2 was my favorite hole on the course.

There are three tees per hole with the two longer ones always having great, descriptive tee signs while the shorter tees most of the time have tee signs.

More than half of the tees have concrete tees, and I could tell it is a continuous work in progress. When I played, two tees were blocked off as they had just poured concrete for the tees. Our course dollars at work!

Cons:

The distances on the tee signs are pretty off. A lot of the times 50'+. Not the biggest knock for a causal group coming through, but definitely something to keep a look out for.

I felt some of the more wooded holes were too tight where luck takes over from skill. You can tell this course is a work in progress, so maybe it is all in the plan.

Isolate this course from the other onsite, and you have yourself a really solid course, and it is a solid course. Though after playing the Gold course then here, the fun factor at this course is just not even in the same ball park as the Gold course, which to me brings the rating down the most out of everything.

Other Thoughts:

Playing these two courses for $5 was best bang for my buck I have done playing disc golf. This is an incredible piece of property, with a pro shop, camping and just a short drive away from San Marcos. I highly recommend coming out here to any golfer that finds themselves in this part of the state as both courses will challenge you in their own way.
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13 0
WD09
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 20.3 years 690 played 78 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Bigger Challenges, Bigger Fun 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 4, 2016 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Nice, new Discatcher double-chained baskets in a variety of interesting and often well-protected pin placements.

Three sets of tees, to allow for players of multiple skill levels or just to give a different look on some holes, if you are able to play through more than once. Blue tees are the long boxes, Reds are shorts, and the Whites are in between. The White tees are combined with either the Blue or Red tees on 9 of the holes, with one hole (Hole 6, at 190') having just one tee for all three. So there are 44 distinct tee boxes marked for the 18-hole course. Quite often the shorter tees provide a different look and different challenges, rather than just being a shorter version of the same tee shot.

There is a notable amount of elevation change throughout the course. There are no giant downhill or uphill holes, but the majority of the holes involve noticeable elevation changes that have an effect on the decisions a player will make on the tee. Many of the pin placements are on or near a hillside, requiring careful decisions about approach shots and creating a lot of uphill, downhill, and sidehill putts.

Players will need a variety of different shots off the tee pad in order to score well. There are lefty/forehand-friendly lines and sometimes hyzer lines for RHBH. Overhand shots could be useful on several holes. Several of the holes have more than one route available from the tee.

There are three par 4 holes (holes 8, 16, & 17) that require thought about where to land the drive in order to set up a good second shot to get into the area of the basket. Each of these holes has its own character and provides different challenges from the others. These are among the most fun holes on the course, in my opinion.

There is variety in hole length on this course and the hole distances are mixed together well. No section of the course has all the long holes in sequence and no section has too many ace runs back to back. Also, each hole has its own character; no two holes seem alike and each is memorable in its own way.

A lot of rock work has been done around baskets and tee pads. This adds to the aesthetic appeal, giving the course a nice, more finished feel. It also adds to the challenge on some of the holes, creating extra obstacles to be aware of.

Cons:

The tee pads on the Big Course are all natural and I don't know if plans are in place to pour concrete. Several of the tee pads are rough or uneven. This is more of an issue for the Blue tees than for the others, as players often will want a good run-up to attack the hole from the longer distances.

The course lacks tee signs. Written information is available at check-in to give the distances from each of the three sets of tees and most of the baskets are visible from the tee or with a short walk. However, first-time players would benefit from descriptive tee signs.

The large number of small trees on the property creates a situation where there are several holes where players with big arms will simply throw over the top of everything. This is often hard to prevent and there are some holes where the course designers have placed the long tees where trees block the hyzer line, but it should be noted. (It could be a "pro," if that is the type of golf you prefer.)

Other Thoughts:

The overall experience of Flying Armadillo is fantastic and getting better all the time! There is an amazing three-story gazebo with spectacular views of the property and the surrounding area. The family is working on a new clubhouse with a great-looking deck near the tees for hole 1 and the baskets of 18 for both courses. They have worked hard on this place and continue to do so. I have never been there without seeing them working on the course, clubhouse, etc.

The sandy soil seems to dry out and drain quickly. I don't think mud will be a huge factor in keeping players away after a big rain.

Overall, Flying Armadillo is a great place to visit and well worth the $5 to play. After a fun warm up on the short course, hit the Big Course for bigger fun and more challenges! The short Course is unusual, creative, and a lot of fun. You should definitely play it the first time you visit Flying Armadillo and it is great for families. But the Big Course is the reason to go back there again and again. This course has a lot going for it.
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