Bozeman, MT

Bohart Ranch X-C Ski Center - Lower

3.885(based on 24 reviews)
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Bohart Ranch X-C Ski Center - Lower reviews

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1 1
MountainMan
Experience: 44.5 years 104 played 17 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Beautiful and Very Fun! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 27, 2017 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Just a gorgeous course, both in terms of how well maintained it is and the mountain setting.

Good variety of shots, with tons of mid-range shaping and scrambling opportunities. You will be well rewarded if you can throw both backhand and forehand.

Very fair for newer and average skilled players, with several good birdie opportunities.

Lots of elevation change on the course, which makes for several cool uphill or downhill holes.

Cons:

Almost entirely a par 3 course (there is one par 4), so very little chance to really air out your drivers.

Woods are deep enough that losing a disc is very possible, especially if you play solo or without a spotter.

Short playing season due to snow.

Other Thoughts:

While the Upper course gets more love, and is much more challenging, the Lower course is an awful lot of fun.

Extremely well maintained, with mowed fairways that clearly define where you want to throw.

Really nice concrete tee pads.

To get a good feel for the course, Central Coast Disc Golf has several rounds of coverage on YouTube. Search for Rocky Mountain Championships.
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0 4
hikermk
Experience: 2 played 2 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Disc Golf Paradise 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 31, 2016 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

An awesome course with amazing scenery. Nice teepads and new baskets. Mowed fairways. Lots of technical shots, which I like. Shots with elevation, both downhill and uphill. Bathroom and drinking water near the starting point.

Cons:

The first time I played I lost my way a few times on some of the holes. When playing the second time it was much easier to navigate.

Other Thoughts:

I have played quite a few courses in several states and the upper and lower course at Bohart is my most favorite course. It is very challenging and you are guaranteed to have a good time. I live 8 hours away, but it is worth the drive to play this course.
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2 6
weatherstation
Experience: 2 played 2 reviews
5.00 star(s)

One of the best mountain courses in the world 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 16, 2016 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Two beautiful courses each with their own personality. There is no other mountain course out there that is so well maintained. It's mowed weekly, has fair fairways and rough roughs. It will test every shot in your arsenal, from 200 foot tight liners, risk/reward par 3s, and par fours that demand strategic shots and smart golf.

The course layout is spot on and does a great job of keeping a feeling of exclusivity and immersion of nature. Even on crowded days you'll feel like you're the only people on your own private nature course. The views are absolutely breathtaking.

There is no cell service, so disc golf is the only thing that exists while you're there.

Cons:

There is no cell service.

It's not my local course anymore.

Other Thoughts:

Bohart really is my favorite place on the planet. I'm two states away now but still make sure to come back for disc golf vacations 3 - 4 times a year.

I'm counting the days until my next trip back to disc golf heaven.
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1 4
StimpiSteve
Experience: 165 played 11 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Love Both Bohart courses 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 9, 2016 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Well layed out. Fun holes, yet challenging. Lots of elevation changes. The fairways are wide, yet the rough is tough to throw out of.
It's proximity to the Upper Course make for a perfect disc golf day, playing two rounds.

Cons:

I can't really think of any cons, other than the decent on hole 2, I believe. Very steep downhill "slide", i'm sure is fun on skis, but dragging a disc golf cart makes for a precarious decent.

Other Thoughts:

Beautiful ranch dedicated to disc golf during the summer months, and the views and solitude make for a great experience.
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5 0
brentjacobs
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 23.2 years 700 played 59 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Very fun golf in a beautiful setting 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jul 30, 2016 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-18 Hole course with 1 set of level concrete tees, tee signs, and DiscCatcher Pros in nice condition that stay in one location.
-Great use of elevation. Almost every hole has a noticable elevation change.
-Differing shot shaping requirements. Some holes dictate your line, some offer multiple lines, and some look like they should be RHBH or LHBH friendly and really aren't. Love this aspect of the golf.
-Fairways are very fair and the rough is manageable. Fairways get mowed frequently and the rough has been cleared and drastically improved in the last few years. You can still find yourself in the proverbial cabbage but if you're there, you probably deserve to be.
-Diverse terrain. The course plays through meadows and woods as well as along hills, ridges, and a creek.
-Beautiful scenery. Course is located at the base of the East side of the Bridger Mountain Range. Spectacular views from a number of places on the course.
-$5 per day for this and the Upper Course. The owners really do invest in the property so I've never felt bad about the fee.

Cons:

-Only one pin location per hole. There's a lot of extra space to create new pin locations. This could add more unique looks, some difficulty, and really, overall course value as this is one to come back and play time and again.
-While technically challenging due to elevation change and line shaping, the course lacks in the distance department.
-Seasonal course. Due to geographic location and use as a cross country ski/biathlon complex, the course is only open during summer and fall months.
-Early season can be a bit swampy on some holes which also leads to it being a bit buggy.
-$5 per day. Some folks don't like to pay, regardless of quality.

Other Thoughts:

-Really nice mountain course that bridges the gap between traditional mountain golf and manicured fairway park golf. While on the shorter side of great courses I've played, the Lower Bohart Course will still present a challenge for all skill levels.
-Playing at over 6,000 ft of elevation will cause you to adjust you game(unless that's what you're used to).
-Amenities include 3 "forest service" style bathrooms and a ground water tap with some of the most delicious drinking water I've tasted. There are also 2 pavilions if you need to have a sit in the shade. One is at the base before you walk out to the course and the other is on the Upper Course between holes 10 and 11. Some benches have been added at tee boxes as well.
-Bohart is a little out of the way being 20-25 minutes from the town of Bozeman but I drive about 2 hours from Billings to play there because it's awesome golf. If you're even remotely near the complex, do yourself a favor and play Bohart Ranch.
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1 2
Risshan
Experience: 4 played 2 reviews
4.00 star(s)

I am coming back for you!! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 31, 2016 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

This is just a beautiful scenic course set in the mountains of Montana. If you hit your lines you can definitely score well on this course. but if you miss there are definitely still opportunities to scramble and save par.

Cons:

DO NOT HIT TREES. haha but seriously there are no real cons except bad play will not be forgiven score wise. and hole 4 completely ate me alive and I want retribution!!

Other Thoughts:

The testament to this course is I played decent and only got eaten up by a few holes and immediately when the round ended I wanted to do it againg!
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0 12
RCigler
Experience: 2 played 2 reviews
5.00 star(s)

A Great Disc Golf Experience 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 31, 2016 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Fairways are always manicured and a lot of work has been done to thin up the rough. DISCATCHERs on all holes and concrete tee pads. This is the easier of the two courses on the property (par 55) and is a great place to play for novice players and experienced players alike.

Cons:

None.
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0 8
michael bacon
Experience: 2 played 1 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Scenic Mountain course 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 23, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

Well maintained scenic course with concrete tee pads and innova baskets.

Cons:

Far too many OB's. OB on hole one on lower course. Plenty of space to design course without OB's even if it does wind through a ski hill. Charge per play even though you have to deal with pycho dog on course. Don't care dogs and Discs don't mix. Your dog may be friendly to you but not others.

Other Thoughts:

Another course that favors RHBH throwers on the whole but plenty of holes that favor left handers and forearm throwers. Not in favor of course where no clear shot exists when you hit the "green.". Problem with many Disc Golf courses - no greens.
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4 1
ThrowBot
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 18.3 years 331 played 23 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Worth The Trip! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 28, 2015 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

+ All Concrete Tee Pads, All Discatcher 28's as of Last Year
+ Great Variety of Shots: Elevation Change, L-to-R vs. R-to-L, mix of Open and Tight Fairways, some greens are easy whereas others are punishing.
+ High level of maintenance and consistent course improvement. Mowed fairways, somewhat cleaned up rough (still punishing though!)
+ Very Discerning Course: expect a wide variety of scores on most holes and the overall score. This is NOT a course where everyone gets par on every hole--it's a good measuring stick to let you know how well you've thrown.
+ Decent level of signage. Most of the signs have tees with distances and pars noted. It's not too difficult to find your way around the course, even playing it blind.

Cons:

- The weather can be harsh. Let me explain: I'm not a fair-weather golfer. I'll happily play in a little rain, snow, wind...whatever. Believe me when I say that the weather can be really, truly horrible on this course. It's located just downwind of the Bridger Ridge, which creates a micro-climate zone that gets a lot more precipitation than anywhere within 50-100 miles. For the 2014 MT state tourney, it rained consistently for 3 rounds over 2 days. I went through over a dozen towels, but moisture was actively condensing onto my discs as soon as I wiped them dry.
- This course can and will eat your discs. Some of the roughs have been trimmed back, but many are still super harsh. If you have yellowy-green "Day Glow" colored discs, they are camouflaged in the leafy undergrowth when the sun filters through the trees.

Other Thoughts:

Talking with the locals yesterday, the new name for the lower course is "Saddle Peak". (The name is inspired by the awesome view of Saddle Peak that you can see when it's not too cloudy, especially from the 11th fairway.)

The course is Pay-to-Play. Back when I was a broke college student that was definitely a CON, but now I'm happy to pay $5 for an awesome day of disc golf. All of the money (and then some!) goes into course improvements.

The course is at noticeable elevation (roughly 6100', depending on where on the course you are). Disc flight characteristics are affected by the thin air, and it also makes your cardio-vascular system work a little harder.

You want to wear quality hiking footwear. The terrain is mountainous and rugged.

Bring insect repellent.
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5 0
Mtn Huckin
Experience: 31.2 years 226 played 18 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Bohart Lower Updated 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 1, 2014 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Par 55 - 5,548'
Brand New Discatcher Pros (28 chain).
Brand New 5' x 10' Concrete Teepads.
Lower is a bit shorter than Upper but what it lacks in length it makes up in elevation.
Both the Upper and Lower ask the Risk vs Reward question every time you have a disc in your hand.
Lower is beginner friendly but is also a joy to play by advanced and Open Players.
Some minor changes to the layout have been done over the past 3 years and now the course has a wonderful flow.
Just like Upper it plays equal to the backhand and forehand thrower. Success will be had if you are proficient in both types of shots.
The views are magnificent - Hole # 5 and #11 may be the signature holes for both courses. Views combined with tricky and subtle double fall lines make for a wonderful experience.
Lower also enjoys mown grass fairways in the middle of the forest in the Northern Rockies.
Both courses play over 269 acres of cross country ski trails. The owner likes to be able to open the ski trails with minimal snow so he actually mows every fairway tight.
Its kind of culture shock to look at fairways perfectly mown in the middle of the Rocky's with Mountains tower around you. It is a sight to see.

Cons:

Lower still needs better signage for navigation but when it arrives in the spring of 2015 there will be no more cons

Other Thoughts:

2 Amazing courses on one piece of property in the Northern Rocky mountains of Montana.
Home to the new Elite event - Rocky Mountain Disc Golf Championship
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3 0
Darkgreen
Premium Member
Experience: 13.3 years 452 played 8 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Well designed mountain course 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jul 6, 2013 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Beautiful course. This course illustrates the difference between the courses that are jammed into a space without much thought and courses that are designed by experienced disc golfers that know what they want out of a course. There are a couple of tight fairways but most holes are somewhat open. But even the more open fairways have some challenge to them, whether it is a clever elevation change, a tricky turn, or a few trees standing in such a way to make your shot difficult. Good risk/reward birdie attempt shots. Overall this course is open enough that beginners could have a fun time while at the same time more advanced players can go for tight shots and low scores but be challenged to do so.
I played here last year as well and the course was in a little rougher shape at that time. There are now pads for every tee (if I remember right) and I think some brush and dead trees have been cleared out since last year. It is nice to see effort being put into the course.
I know some people don't like the hoop hole, but I think it fits in with the local charm of the area and the course.
Beautiful mountain views. I wish I could describe them more but I wouldn't do them justice. Go play this course and find out.

Cons:

It can be tricky finding the next teepad on a couple of holes, especially where some of the teepads are close to each other and the course layout crosses itself. This isn't a huge detraction, it might just take you a minute or two to find your way. Once you've played the course, after that you will find your way easily. There are arrows pointing you to the next teepad on some holes, but I don't think on all of them. There is a map that you can grab at the sign in area that does help a little bit, but if you can I recommend printing out the nice one in the links/files tab.
I also wish there were better tee signs that gave the distance to the basket and a better idea of the hole layout on some of the blind shots. Again, not a huge problem after a little scouting. If it is your first time playing this course, some of the blind shots you would want to scout even if there were good tee signs.

Other Thoughts:

I played here once last year and three times this year while on vacation. I played the upper course as well, and the upper makes this spot even more of a great disc golf destination. I hope the course owner and the local group continue to make improvements on the course. Good on them for what they have done so far. I will definitely be back next year.

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0 6
Eric123
Experience: 17.3 years 121 played 3 reviews
5.00 star(s)

First course I ever played 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 2, 2013 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Very challenging well developed with nice elevation and wooded shots. Beautiful scenery and wildlife on the course. Great location 20 minutes from bozemon.

Cons:

None come to mind

Other Thoughts:

Made trek from denver to replay this course awesome experience.
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8 0
jharr
Experience: 86 played 2 reviews
4.00 star(s)

biased 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 17, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

.all lower teeboxes are now poured, 10x5 concrete
.hole2 got longer and a lil straighter, still has left to right shape
.hole 3 moved back behind skitrail, but the fairway has also been cleared of several stumps and a downed tree, this is the "straight up a hill" throw, still an easy 3 with two 930 rated throws
.11 teebox shifted right off skitrail, makes the tilted fairway more pronounced and brings right side trees into play, still one of the best views on the lower
.15 teebox bumped left uphill and basket pushed a lil straighter, an easy rhbh hyzer no more, needs some D late trees to swat down pure hyzerbombs
.16 also shifted off skitrail to the right, pinching the throw, demanding a straight to turnover (rhbh), another rhbh mindless hyzer tweaked into interesting

the rest of the teepads have been poured in their traditional locations, plans are to pour maybe 9 of the upper this fall

Cons:

.always more to do, we've got brushpiles layin around so hope you dont land in or behind them, we are moving what we can and will burn some in the winter
.$5...thanks for the support, buy a season pass early for best value next yr, free play may return as teebox sponsership becomes a reality in the future
.no dogs... sorry but that is a huge can of worms in this uber dog-friendly town, your reward is no fido-poo piles and a greater chance of seeing wildlife

Other Thoughts:

been doing lots of other work for our upcoming tourney, he just mowed again and we've been doing huge cleaning esp. on the newer upper course, mostly just deadstuff but should be more humane in the areas just offthe fairways-this also applies on the lower...
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3 0
OldDog
Experience: 48.4 years 49 played 8 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Beautiful and Thoughtful 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 26, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

Beautiful setting in the forests and mountains of Montana
Very easy to follow - a tribute to the designers because this is not an easy feat in a ski area
Challenging and yet reasonable. I walked away wanting to play it again, even though I struggled with many holes.
Nice length for my arm with various lengths
Concrete T-pads were about half installed when I was there
Great map made finding the holes a snap
Curves both ways, hills up and down, tight forested holes and open ones, too.

Cons:

Be in shape to hike the hills!
Big arms might consider it too short for 4 stars, but I would disagree.
It costs $5.

Other Thoughts:

I have played all over the US and this is one of my favorite courses, blending aethetics with challenge.
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3 1
dmbfan
Experience: 13.1 years 8 played 8 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Lower = Easier 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 21, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

-Great use of a cross country ski course in the summer!
-Not many junk or throw away holes. Most holes seemed to be thoughtfully designed and require a gap to be hit or a shot to be shaped a specific way.
-Plenty of birdie-able holes to keep things interesting.
-Course was easy to follow from one basket to the next tee.

Cons:

-All the tee pads are dirt and some are real small and most were pretty uneven.
-There are a few plain holes on the back nine. I guess they are a good opportunity to shave strokes but they also could be made to be more challenging.

Other Thoughts:

I would have given this course a 4 or 4.5 if it had cement tees. I heard that cement tees are in the works which would really improve this course. Other than the small dirt tees I liked everything else about this course, especially the views! Most of the holes are both fun and challenging at the same time. Definitely worth the 20 ish minute drive from Bozeman/ Interstate 90.
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8 0
Thomashasfun
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 22.8 years 496 played 494 reviews
3.50 star(s)

I Want More Courses On XC Ski Resorts! 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 8, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

This is the easier of the two courses on site with all of the holes being reachable from the tee pad if I remember correctly. Lots of great elevation both up and down and you can really feel how high up you are with all of the heavy breathing at 6500 feet or so. The good news is you get some really fun holes and along with the breath taking hike you get some breath taking views as well! Some of the uphill holes to start out with are very challenging with how far up the hill you have to travel. A couple of my fellow reviewers speak of navigation problems and we had a couple but nothing that took the wind out of our fun sails. Hole 18 is a nice big downhill open throw to the basket with a nasty bit of rough and a ravine or some kind of water behind and right of the basket so plan accordingly when judging your tee shot.

Hole nine is a so awesome, it combines a couple of different things that I really enjoy about playing new courses in that it has an iron hoop as a target and a risk versus reward elevated tee. The hoop is very large and getting an ace is very possible but if you blow by it with any speed you are looking at a par or even a bogey. I was playing with my friend who just moved to Bozeman and he hit the hoop on the top and it skipped the disc down the hill and he missed his birdie. Love this type of unique target, never seen a giant steel hoop as a target; I really hope they never replace that with a chain basket.

Cons:

There is enough room out here to move some baskets back a few hundred feet and have some really fun and challenging par four or even par five holes out here. Most of the holes were fun and somewhat challenging with only one hole coming to mind that was a little strange. I can't remember what hole it was but it was a very short hole where the basket was cemented into a tire. This hole is a 150 or so foot throw with the basket in the most open part of the fairway, just moving this hole left or right ten feet or more would add one or two of the small trees on the edge of the fairway. There a lot of trails out here and though we didn't have much trouble I think some could be confused so a sign or two in the strange spots could help with navigation. The tee pads though they didn't bother me might get slippery after some rain but I'm not sure how much it rains up there, either way they didn't bother me much.

Other Thoughts:

So here is a life saving tip for you: DON'T PLAY HOLE 18 ON THURSDAY! Apparently they have biathlon training on that day and the shooting range is open which is very close to hole 18. Trust me you don't need the birdie that bad that you are willing to take a bullet! The course costs $5 a day per person for non locals and locals can get a seasonal pass for $75. Some will argue that this is a steep price but you get two awesome courses and you don't have to play Rose Park all year!
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1 0
bayoubola
Experience: 16.2 years 16 played 2 reviews
3.50 star(s)

bohart lower 18 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 21, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

-Great setting and nice views.
-Challenging course with lots of trees
-Risk/reward shots next to the ravine
-Fairly well maintained for a seasonal mountain-type course

Cons:

-Dirt tee boxes, short, uneven, and have stumps... rubber or cement would go a long way
-A little difficult to follow for first timers - several of the pins are not visible from the box, be sure to grab a map from under the sing-in sheet
-there are no tee box signs with pin distance and basic map
-needs overall better design and pin placements for some of its holes

Other Thoughts:

Overall this is a fun course. Difficult yet fair. I could tell that the course has been maintained during the summer. The fairway grass was trimmed, and there wasn't much brush and logs and such along the fairway edges and tree lines. Many holes need more of a mid-range technical shot rather than big arm drive. The 'hoop' hole is a really cool ace opportunity. The crosswinds and updrafts were unbelievably strong and make an interesting dynamic to the game. The locals were really nice and pointed me in the right direction when I got lost on the back 9. The course needs only to improve its tee boxes and tee box signs.
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5 8
Feli
Experience: 10 played 10 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Nice challenging course, but too wooded and tough navigation 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 16, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

If you like "roughing it," this is an ok course, but bring plenty of water... and maybe bear mace (you will see lots of tracks). This is a decent, senic course off the beaten path (near 16 mile marker in Bridger Bowl), but it needs major improvements in signage, tree overgrowth, and overall course layout to be a high quality course.

It's $5 in the drop box to play for the day (two 18 hole courses), and it does have fair quality chain baskets. There's a basic 18 that's heavily wooded and an "upper 18" that is also pretty wooded but also in a field of long grass a portion of it. You will get lost frequently due to it being a poorly mapped course, so set aside about a half day and bring a lot of water if you plan to play both 18s.

Cons:

Bohart ranch DG is pretty challenging due to frequent elevation changes, some long holes, and dense forests. You will beat up your discs on the trees since you'll have no idea where you're shooting on about half the holes. There are signs with hole number/par, but it's a total guessing game as to distance, hole layout, and then where the next tee will be (you will figure out very fast that the handwritten map is basically junk).

The tees are far from great: a dirt patch with a few boards or logs as a border - some lack enough room for any real run-up, others have roots to trip on. The course's signage is even worse: tee signs that tell you hole number and par, but there's no indicators as to distance, dogleg direction, etc. Since you won't be able to see the basket on most holes, that gets old very fast - esp on the holes where the fairways are full of trees. When you finish a basket, the next tee box is usually a good distance away, so it becomes a guessing game as to which way (again, trust the map at your own risk).

All in all, it's basically a XC ski and horse ride trail system where they threw down some logs and boards as tees, walked ~400ft aroudn the next corner, and put up a basket. The elevation is a challenge, the dense forests are a challenge, and the poor signage is a challenge. With the three combined, it really becomes a chore to play this course and misses what was (hopefully) the original goal: a fun day of DG.

Other Thoughts:

Bohart really ends up being a bit too much for most casual players. If you live in the area and will play it many times, maybe it's better... probably still heck on your discs with all the trees, though. Apparently they have tournaments here, but I probably would've considered asking for a refund after my outing.

The nature environment is nice, but taking down some random fairway trees and/or at least having decent signs would go a long way. When many holes already have significant elevation changes and blind doglegs, it'd be nice to not have so many random fairway tree clusters to damage and lose discs among.

It's a nice idea and good location, but the DG course here is basically just thrown together. If you go, bring plenty of water, wear good shoes, and try to have (or follow) someone who knows the layout fairly well.
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13 0
Danger
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 15.3 years 105 played 70 reviews
4.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 25, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

-Most beautiful terrain I have played on yet
-Baskets on every hole, except for 'the hoop' on hole 9
-'The Hoop' on hole 9
-Seclusion
-Variety variety variety
-Benches at most tees
-Marked tee pads, and map provided at entrance
-Very fun to follow course flow
-Natural tees are flat and safe enough for run-up's

Cons:

-Natural tees
-Flow may be confusing for first timers that forgot to grab a map
-While there is lots of variety, the variety is not spread throughout the course
-No Smoking (hey, I follow the rules)

Other Thoughts:

Bohart Ranch is an absolutely beautiful course situated on a private ranch in the shadow of the Bridger Bowl Ski Area. Dense pine forests with interspersed meadows and ski trails really add to the seclusion of the course. The yellow and purple wildflowers found in the meadows (at least this time of year) were amazing.

The pictures originally uploaded to the webpage seem to differ a bit from the ones I have uploaded. The most recent photos (as of June 2010) are the ones uploaded by myself and have a tee sign in each picture.

Every hole incorporates some type of elevation change, and most holes have a very definite line that you have to follow. As most courses are in this region of the world, side-arm friendly holes dominate the majority of the holes, although there were some lovely backhand shots.

While there is a ton of variety, as I mentioned in the 'cons,' they all seem to come in groups. The beginning of the course has some nice, long shots that really make you pull that big arm out in a hurry. Holes one through 8 were all quite long. Hole 3 was a very long uphill shot, although there was an alternate tee if the main one intimidates you. In fact, most holes had an alternate, easier tee to shoot from if that's your thing. Hole four was a fun, narrow tunnel shot across a ridge. If a tree doesn't stop your wayward disc, it will roll into oblivion. Five is a 'signature' downhill with a narrow beginning, open middle, and protected pin.

I personally thought hole 9 was really cool. Instead of a basket, there is a large red hoop begging to be aced. It's a long, relatively open downhill shot. The great thing about it, is if you decide to 'go for it' and miss, you will be shooting for par or bogey in a real hurry. While tempting to go for the hoop, this is a very easy birdie shot if you just convince yourself to lay up.

Holes ten through thirteen continue the same trend of the first nine, although the fairways open up quite a bit and flatten out. They are still fairly long shots though, and are hard earned par threes.

Holes fourteen through seventeen are all extremely short. Some were ace runs, but the majority were birdie runs because the pins are relatively protected. Nonetheless, its seemed to me that they are more or less 'filler holes' that could have been a bit longer (not that I am complaining!). I would have instead liked to see some of these shorter holes interspersed throughout the course instead of back to back, as they really are good, they just don't belong together, and all at the end.

Hole 18 is an awesome awesome awesome downhill shot that is relatively unprotected. Nonetheless, a small tree in front of the tee and a few farther down really make you think hard about your backhand shot. A few on the left also add some difficulty to a sidearm. Great downhill throw.

Holes 17 and 18 are closed on Thursdays from 4 to 8 because the biathlon course is open at that time. I could not find the 'upper meadow' final 9, so that may just be a locals thing for the time being. The course is open from 8am to 8pm, so keep that in mind. Be sure to pay the $5 and sign in. This course is an absolute must if passing through the Bozeman area due to its fun design and fantastic beauty.
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forehandfranz
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 32.4 years 226 played 128 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Gorgeous Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jun 28, 2004 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

One of the most scenic places you will ever play - just the drive up Bridger Canyon alone is worth the price of admission! I used to play this course for years before it had baskets and was glad to see that they had them finally in '04. The course uses the cross-country ski trails to make many of the fairways and several open cuts of field bordered with rugged MT forest and elevation changes to make shots honest. The view from the elevated tee of hole #5 (called "The Dead Horse Hole") looks out to the Bridger Mountains and is one of the best in disc golf. Hole #9 (the one with no basket - just a big hoop) is a great example of risk/reward. Most will go for the ace, however, since the tee is elevated and the fairway downhill, if you miss the target, you will sail away down into the trees beyond and may have trouble getting the birdie at this juncture. The scenery is what makes this course the best, but it is a very enjoyable throw as well.

Cons:

Tee pads are natural and can get slippery when wet.

Most of the fairways are much like ball golf and lack trees IN the fairway. I wish more of them had a peppering of trees to create more shaped shots.

Other Thoughts:

I never saw bears in the many times that I played there - but that does not mean they don't exist in the region. I just don't think you're nearly as likely to see a grizzly as you would up toward Glacier Ntl. Park or in the Bob Marshall Wilderness.
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