Pros:
+ The whole course takes place in a gigantic and very pretty campground setting with areas of quiet deep forest, breezy wide-open meadows and a strong river or stream always nearby.
+ There is a nice warm-up putting area close to the parking lot and hole 1 that is far away enough from the action. There is a lost disc box underneath a sturdy course info board, too.
+ There is a nice balance between open, wooded and hybrid holes at this course.
+ Quite a few elevation and water features add texture, character and challenge all throughout the 18 holes.
+ The tee signs are colorful and detailed with pars and distances. But...
Cons:
- ...Some of the tee signs show holes with two baskets in play instead of just one, but, try as I might, I couldn't see both. This would be a let down to any newer players or those simply seeking an easier round.
- As it is private property, the course has a limited window of playability.
- The tee pads are hit or miss. Some of them are luxuriously long and wide pads of concrete. Some of them are constrictive narrow pads of concrete. Three or four of them are just rubber mats plopped down on the ground.
- The next tee signage is inconsistent at best. Most of the time, they are wooden arrows passively resting atop the baskets. It is obvious that they used to be anchored to the baskets with zip ties or whatever, but that is no longer the case. Some are missing altogether, and the course could definitely benefit from intermediary signs during the longer walks such as between 8&9 and 13&14.
- Some parts of the woods are utterly covered in thorns. Stay on the fairways!
- No trash cans on the course itself and just a few benches. (Please don't litter, folks!)
- That staircase on hole 11 is rickety.
- The final few holes are somewhat dull.
Other Thoughts:
My favorite hole here to look at is definitely hole 12 because it is a perfectly framed image. There is a basket straight ahead of you on flat ground. A wall of trees on both sides of the fairway block your view of anything else and force you to see only the basket at the end of that grand hallway.
My favorite hole here to play is hole 11. Yes, it is the shortest of the whole course, but a whole lot can go wrong during those 183 feet. There are the initial trees to deal with, the stream to fly over and the imposing uphill to land on. Will your throw hit a tree, land in the water or roll endlessly downhill?
My least favorite hole is hole 15 because it was wide open and direct with no challenges along the way.
This was my first time playing here but my third time visiting the place. Camp Sankanac is a tricky course to grab hold of because of its specific hours of operation. They really mean it when they say that the course is closed. If an employee sees you playing or about the play when the course would be closed, they WILL ask you to leave. Avoid this course during the months of June, July and August when the summer camp is in session. Seriously. Play somewhere else.
But once you time your arrival right and get the chance to play here, you will probably be delighted by the scenery. This course really does play among a summer camp. There are small cabins, larger lodges, dining halls, a lounge, a meeting hall and many other rustic wooden and/or stone buildings that remind me of a few summers in my youth when I would spend a few days sleeping in a bunk bed, taking nature walks and walking on rickety bridges with other kids my age. All throughout, there are some nice trails to explore, hills to climb and rivers & streams to gaze at. It's a cinch to feel at ease here.
It isn't just pretty to look at, though. There is plenty of challenge to be had at Sankanac. The terrain has a controlled rugged texture. It rises and falls without being too imposing. The trees vary in density without making you feel completely hopeless or constricted. And the rivers and streams are cleverly incorporated throughout the course. I would recommend this course to those players who have at least a year under their belt and especially those players who prefer wooded golf, but any player will find something to enjoy here.
The course isn't without faults, though. Those next tee signs ought to be addressed. Most of them still exist, which is good, but they aren't exactly eye-catching, and someone could swipe them since they aren't attached to anything.
Also, it would be a help to players who don't have or use any disc golf apps by providing more helpful directional signage during the longer walks. I was lucky enough to have a Mike, a regular there, guide me through part of the course.
The course's availability is a slight negative factor, but that is easy enough to work around.
All in all, Camp Sankanac was a nice course to experience. The holes were varied. I rarely felt as though I was playing the same hole twice. The different configurations of trees, elevation, water and open space made for a nice grab bag of disc golf possibilities that many courses wish they could match. It's rough around the edges with some glaring details and safety issues, but it's definitely a course worth playing as often as its weird availability will let you.
Warmly recommended.