Highbridge Hills - Wisconsin

[jeremyhilss]

Over/under for when this place inevitably closes down?

Dunno, its weird because for years now (judging by the age of this thread), things have stayed pretty much the same. Yet here we are and its still going.

Does anybody have an idea as to whether a top disc golf company could pull off a purchase and maintenance of a place like this? That would be cool to see. In my head I can see "Innova Disc Golf Superplex" or something. Doubtful, but is there any clues as to whether something like this could happen, ever?

 

[DanJon]

That would never happen.

Not only because of the fractured ownership, but why would a manufacturer invest in a place that's in the middle of nowhere?

It would honestly be cheaper to buy land in a populated area, with existing clubs/infrastructure, and just build new courses from scratch.

I give Highbridge one more summer.

 

[tbird888]

They get free advertising by selling their baskets to courses. Why take on all the headache of maintaining a course when they get the best bang for their buck while making a profit?

 

[joecoin]

...

Does anybody have an idea as to whether a top disc golf company could pull off a purchase and maintenance of a place like this? That would be cool to see. In my head I can see "Innova Disc Golf Superplex" or something. Doubtful, but is there any clues as to whether something like this could happen, ever?

Wrong climate.

 

[Anon]

I thought this thread would make the landfill a couple of weeks ago with talk about jobs with hands. Now that Mary Jane has made an appearance, it is only a matter of time before posts are deleted and/or the entire thread is landfilled.


Since the Highbridge facilities now resemble a landfill, the DGCR landfill seems a fitting end for this Highbridge thread.

opcorn:

If discussing the truth of a situation sends a thread to the landfill I'd say somebody isn't interpreting the spirit of the rule correctly.

Without this thread I think I would have naively gone to Highbridge expecting some real "Disc Golf Mecca" ****. Not the case any longer.

 

[roggenb3]

I give Highbridge one more summer.

I think 2.5 years is a good over/under.

I'll take the over bc like Jeremy said, the place has defied logic for years by still being open. I'd bet that continues for a while yet.

 

[jeremyhilss]

That would never happen.

Not only because of the fractured ownership, but why would a manufacturer invest in a place that's in the middle of nowhere?

It would honestly be cheaper to buy land in a populated area, with existing clubs/infrastructure, and just build new courses from scratch.

I give Highbridge one more summer.

True, true. I can dream though

 

[SonicGuy]

Over/under for when this place inevitably closes down?

When the county takes it on a tax lien and auctions it off.

Can you imagine what would have happened if that place actually got turned into a ball golf course?

 

[da Crippler]

This ones just outside of Highbridge. Where are you coming in from smarkquart? There may be significant detouring.

I just saw on the news that Highway 13 was washed out near Highbridge. I wonder how Mountain Man's course did during the storm, I hope there wasn't any damage.

 

[turbine712]

I am going to be there starting Thursday and staying until Sunday. I always take my camera and camcorder with. I will try to capture the better looking side of the courses, but if something really stands out, I will take some pictures as evidence.

I sure hope you can provide a full report on your trip. I thought long and hard about going up there with my Grandson to have a great experience with him. However, after reading what is and has been going on there, I'm glad I decided to forgo the league trip.
I hope all of my league mates have a enjoying time there and are able to provide plenty of pictures.

 

[jeremyhilss]

I just saw on the news that Highway 13 was washed out near Highbridge. I wonder how Mountain Man's course did during the storm, I hope there wasn't any damage.

Played the front nine Wednesday evening and that is 100% in good shape. Assuming the back nine is just as good, storm kinda split Ironwood and came back together next town over. Starting a league there and at Mt. Zion next week

 

[jeremyhilss]

I sure hope you can provide a full report on your trip. I thought long and hard about going up there with my Grandson to have a great experience with him. However, after reading what is and has been going on there, I'm glad I decided to forgo the league trip.
I hope all of my league mates have a enjoying time there and are able to provide plenty of pictures.

I'm throwing a round at noon w his group today on Blueberry. I'm sure we'll have quite the discussion and analysis.

 

[superberry]

Hoping all of you in NW WI and the Western UP survived the storms with little to no harm. I know we sent some crews over to Wakefield for mutual aid restoring power to the area. Can't wait to get to Mountain Man's place!

As far as Highbridge, I was poised to make an offer and try living the dream out there at the Watch it Bend disc golf complex. Keeping up on maintenance, finishing and focusing on the courses, and eliminating all the non-DG stuff that seems to be eating up time and effort. Anyway, with his other investors, all the individually owned lots, and liens and defaults, it was not a sound business decision. The land/complex was overvalued in that Zillow listing as well. Someone could make a run at it, and try like hell to get it to work, but the seasons (or lack thereof) play a big part in revenue, and the cost was ridiculous compared to other defunct golf courses you could buy, or other property where you could start from scratch and build your own northwoods mecca without all the Highbridge baggage. Or...wait for the sheriff's sale...

Just for everyone's point of view, here is Abby...

I'm sure it would be obnoxious to have an uninvited straggler hanging around during your visit though...

 

[smarkquart]

I will give a longer report later, as I am using precious data on my phone, but here are the basics after one day:

1) Trash everywhere, but it has been piled up and at least moved off the fairways. Most of it is discarded canopies, tents, chairs, and camping garbage.

2) Several of Gold's fairways are ripped up. Now it appears it was from a bulldozer, so it may have been worse and now it is being leveled out. With all the rain, it is incredibly muddy. We are going to have the carts out on Saturday. Most of Gold should be fine, but Holes 8 and 9 are going to be tricky.

3) Unfinished buildings everywhere. It makes you wonder what the plans are, but I have already come across three unfinished buildings in the middle of nowhere. We are talking about 60% finished.

4) No maintenance on Bear, especially after Hole 10. We played the whole 18, but there were parts where in the fairway the weeds and grass were at least waist, if not chest-high.

5) Wet. It has been drizzling and raining off and on since we arrived. The shoes were soaked after one round. We have five more scheduled to go. I packed 15 pairs of socks, but I am also going to spend a week at Scout camp with my son immediately after our Highbridge trip is over. I am afraid I do not have enough socks.

 

[tbird888]

5) Wet. It has been drizzling and raining off and on since we arrived. The shoes were soaked after one round. We have five more scheduled to go. I packed 15 pairs of socks, but I am also going to spend a week at Scout camp with my son immediately after our Highbridge trip is over. I am afraid I do not have enough socks.

When we were there, we faced the same kind of water. If you're staying in the Honka, there should be a space heater that makes a great shoe dryer when coupled with the mini basket.

 

[Discette]

5) Wet. It has been drizzling and raining off and on since we arrived. The shoes were soaked after one round. We have five more scheduled to go. I packed 15 pairs of socks, but I am also going to spend a week at Scout camp with my son immediately after our Highbridge trip is over. I am afraid I do not have enough socks.

New Socks FTW! :hfive: These days it seems the only time I buy new socks is when I run out of clean ones on long road trips and can't do laundry! Ain't nobody got time for that!

 

[SonicGuy]

3) Unfinished buildings everywhere. It makes you wonder what the plans are, but I have already come across three unfinished buildings in the middle of nowhere. We are talking about 60% finished.

This was the thing that struck me most when I played there. Like, WTF were the buildings going to be for in the first place? And then you let a bunch of half finished buildings just sit in the elements for years? Pretty bizarre.

 

[BKRanger]

Are you from Central WI?

Yes I'm from Antigo. I have seen you play before and believe I played in the BEP ice bowl with you 2 years ago, although in a different division, not to sound stalkerish lol. I just see your posts all the time and I'm pretty sure I've connected your face.

 

[DanJon]

Yes I'm from Antigo. I have seen you play before and believe I played in the BEP ice bowl with you 2 years ago, although in a different division, not to sound stalkerish lol. I just see your posts all the time and I'm pretty sure I've connected your face.

Cool, I remember you as well.

 

[jeremyhilss]

Was supposed to play BB w smarkquart at noon but never saw him at the tee, so I went and played Granite.

Keep in mind I have only played Blueberry since that festival, and it wasnt too bad, so I didnt know what to expect from the other courses. First thing I noticed is that the whole thing just felt really rough around the edges for the first 7 holes. Not horrible, but rough, and not the "out in the middle of nowhere rough", more like abandoned. Lots of knee - waist high grass on hole 5, and the trees have grown so big on the downhill beginning of hole 3, that almost all lanes are blocked. Same with hole 15, except worse - your only option is to go over 40 foot tall full grown trees.

The first half of hole 7 is pretty muddy and wet, and there is a huge wooden teepee kinda thing on the right side of the fairway, and a giant pile of trash on the left. On hole one, the festival goers left a spiderweb of neon silly string type stuff going from the bench to all the trees, looks really stupid imo and takes away from the charm of the course from the get go. This kinda stuff just makes the place LOOK bad, even though it doesnt necessarily affect play horribly. T

The second half of hole 12 is borderline unplayable due to the grass; resembles the velociraptor scene from Jurassic Park 2 except much wetter.

The only pristine section of the course is holes 8-11.

Some ****head took the sign I just finished this spring for hole 15.

This is the first time I have played Granite (tied w Blueberry as my favorite on site), and not enjoyed it much. It just seemed abandoned and left for "nature" to take over. Of course the recent storms play a part in all this but I still feel very disappointed.