Pros:
Stub Stewart Park located in Buxton, Oregon is yet another wonderful example of a championship caliber disc golf course. The potential is endless here, and Stumptown Disc Golf Club has done a great job getting the course approved, designed, and installed. The design incorporates elevation on every hole. With elevated tee pads and baskets, along with tight fairways, drives and approaches require a lot of accuracy. Although there are some holes that dogleg left, the majority of holes were straight on shots or dogleg right, especially on the back nine. Each hole has a fairly smooth transition, having players wind down the hillsides and eventually back up close to the parking by the end of the round. There are few walkouts, and those that do require a little are clearly marked by little orange flags.
The baskets are all orange DISCatchers that allow the baskets to stand out on the course. I wish more courses were like this, especially in the northwest since baskets tend to blend in with the heavily wooded background. The baskets all have two pin positions (red/blue), are new, and in great shape (with the exception of hole 17 that is currently missing and is a red painted post). Tee pads are pavers, and seem to grip extremely well. However, a few I feel could have been extended to allow for more of a follow through. For the most part though, they were perfect! Par for the course is 59, with five Par 4's, and 13 Par 3's.
Although there were many holes that stood out to me when I played, hole #16 was my absolute favorite. Lined on both sides with trees, this tight shot was about 20-25 feet wide and about 400 feet long with the pin dead on. It reminded me a lot of hole #15 at Pier Park as well as hole #4 at Blue Ribbon Pines. It required perfect execution and power in order to make par, and was absolutely stunning to look at.
Cons:
As the last reviewer stated, this course is still in its infancy, and because of this, the fairways on the back nine are still a bit rough. With piles of wood and brush all over the place, footing can be quite difficult. Players having a tough time staying on the fairway will find themselves trekking all over the course and will become exhausted. With all the elevation and rough off the fairway, hurrying your shot will prove costly.
Navigation was fairly easy getting from hole to hole, but eventually more accurate tee signs will improve the overall feel to the course. Often, there were blind holes and we had to walk down the fairway to figure out where we were to throw. Again, this is something I know will be taken care of by Stumptown as they ALWAYS seem to get everything right when they install a course, it is just a matter of time and money. For now, just use spotters.
Other Thoughts:
Because Stub Stewart Park is so vast, finding the course might be an issue at first. I am sure that eventually there will be a sign from the road as to where to park. Until then, make sure to stop in at the Ranger station when you first enter for directions to the top of the hill day use park. Once you arrive you will find plenty of places to park, as well as benches and tables to sit, eat, and enjoy the amazing views of the snow-capped mountains. There is also a nice restroom there and a kiosk where people pay $5 to park.
As this course continues to grow and fairways continue to develop, I could see me rating this course higher. I look forward to the next time I have a chance to play this course and appreciate all the hard work that has gone in to putting this course in the ground. If you have time, I recommend also making your way to Horning's Hideout. Between the three courses on their property and this one, it makes for an amazing getaway!