Pros:
-From the minute you walk out of the owner's house you see incredible views of the rainforest, the ocean to the west and the mountains to the east.You really cannot beat the views here.
-As far as course amenities go, it is hard to beat Permaculture Country Club of Costa Rica. Right by hole 1 are pools, fountains, water, a bathroom covered in tropical plants, and even a shower. There are gardens with fruits and vegetables by holes 1 and 2. In the future there will also be a bar and restaurant in this area.
-The signs are top notch metal signs and the baskets are the best homemade baskets I have ever played on. They are all made by a local welder to PDGA specifications and catch great.
-The wildlife here is rivaled by few other courses. There are sloths, poison dart frogs, toucans, macaws, parakeets, hummingbirds, monkeys, and many types of butterfly.
-This is not currently a busy course and you are likely to have the course to yourself. Justin, the owner, can also show you around the first time.
-Camping is permitted on the property and there are 2 airbnb properties right by the course.
Hole 1: The tee is underneath a lemon tree with pools and gardens to your left and just in front of the tee. It plays slightly downhill with green houses on the left and a sharp drop off beyond the trees to the right down into the rainforest.
Hole 2: You tee off below a small group of trees with the rainforest on the left and gardens on the right. The basket is placed underneath a couple of trees on the side of the hill.
Hole 3: Hole 3 throws from an elevated tee down into the rainforest over the river bed. The basket is lined with palm trees in the backdrop.
Hole 4: The tee pad is in the rainforest with the river to your left and the hillside lined with trees on the right.
Hole 5: Up the hill and to the right of hole 4's basket is an elevated tee. This hole plays from the rainforest over some rolling hills to a basket by some lemon trees in the open.
Hole 6: This hole tees off from the pasture and throws around a large palm tree. It forces you to pick a line and hit it. There is danger down to the left.
Hole 7: Hole 7 has several trees lining the left side of the fairway. There is a route through the trees as well as a BH hyzer route on the right side.
Hole 8: Is a short shot to a basket by a palm tree. This is a must birdie to score well.
Hole 9: This hole may be my favorite hole on the course. This is a top of the world shot to a basket tucked to the right. There is thick rainforest on both sides of the fairway.
Hole 10: Hole 10 tees off from the side of the gravel road and down into the rainforest through thick trees to a basket by the river bed.
Hole 11: This is a long hole that is lightly wooded with significant drop offs on both sides of the fairway.
Hole 12: This is another long hole out in the open with the basket tucked to the right.
Cons:
-Unfortunately one of the biggest pros of the course, the location, is also one of the biggest cons. This course is hard to get to! The cheapest option is flying into San Jose, the going to the bus stop in front of the airport and taking it downtown. Then you take a taxi to the Tracopa bus station, and get on a bus for about $10 USD towards Manuel Antonio. Get of at the Parrita bus station and call Justin to pick you up from there. This option takes about 3.5 hours and will cost ou about $20 USD. The other option is to get a rental car and drive there.
-The terrain here is quite challenging and is definitely not for the faint of heart. Traversing these hills and hiking through the rainforest is difficult and taxing for even the most experienced disc golfer. Prepare for a rustic, but rewarding disc golf experience.
-There are certain spots on the course where it is difficult to find or even difficult to retrieve a disc from a steep drop off.
-Tricky transition from hole 8 to hole 9's tee. You walk past 9's basket and up a hill to get to hole 9's tee.
-Spiders, scorpions, snakes, africanized bees, and wasps.
Other Thoughts:
I highly recommend a trip to this course to anyone who loves disc golf and is looking for a truly unique disc golf experience. While definitely for the more adventurous, you won't be disappointed as long as you don't come expecting pristine, manicured fairways. I gave this course a 4.5 now that the second 9 have been installed.