Like DC's cherry blossoms in spring and fall foliage in New England and Kid Rock's summertime in Northern Michigan, there are some things that are special because you can't always enjoy them. Hunt's Mean 18 is in that group. Unless you're paying to rent out the majestic castle (the owner built a castle in the 90s, which is awesome in its own right), your only chance to play the course is for the September NEFA tournament here.

It is a blast from the past. The tee signs are faded and ancient (in disc golf terms, anyway). You've probably only seen that type of sign in a municipal park in a city that embraced disc golf decades ago. The holes are all short, with nothing over 320 feet.

Perhaps the best part is the people who think that -since the holes are all short - they can just bring their putters here. Hahahaha. Yep. You do that. This is a tough course, and in the tournament no one shot under 50, and most rounds were nowhere within sniffing distance of par. The angles aren't always natural. The lines are fair but tight. The elevation changes are dramatic. The chances for horrible rollaways are everywhere. I threw an uphill thumber on one hole that landed on its side and rolled a long way. It was bad shot selection that was punished justly.

There are a lot of fun holes here. Hole 14 is maybe 200 feet but straight up with two different lines to take, the shorter one being much steeper. Holes 7 and 17 are downhill forehand routes that could be ace runs, but you better understand exactly when your disc will fade when it's going downhill. Hole 18 is one of the few with OB and has a guardian inlet of the reservoir 20 feet before the basket. This fairway is a slight left-to-right turning, downhill shot. It's fun, and it's terrific design.

Navigation is pretty easy. But if you're playing here, you're probably with 90 other people, so there won't be much trouble.

The tee pads are natural and mostly awful. Nearly all of them have roots poking out, so even though you're throwing from a standstill (you really don't have much choice), your footing is awkward.

The design in a few places is odd. Hole 1 virtually demands a boring 80-foot layup drive so you can take a steep uphill shot through the gap to your left. There is a lot of risk and no reward, which makes for a subpar design. I'd rather see the tee pad moved up.

Hole 16 is another weird one. The fairway is a narrow S shape that no normal shot could possibly negotiate, so you throw a boring hyzer dump shot and hope you don't end up being some trees (there is no landing zone) so you can lay up.

A lot of the holes are on top of one another, with tees located maybe 30 feet from the last pin.

If you played this course every week, it might not be as special. But it is cool to walk the fairways, see the moss-covered rocks, and know that virtually no one has been here since you last played it.

If you want into the tournament, you better act fast. It sold out in just over 1 minute this year.

Hunt's Mean 18 is a true disc golf time capsule. As you drive through the narrow gravel road towards the parking area, you are transported back in time, towards disc golf's infancy. A time before things like Blizzard plastic, discs made of rubber, and even the beveled edge driver.

This gives the course a unique feel that is rarely seen on courses today. The entire course emphasizes precise shot placement with very few straight lines available from the tee to the pin.

There is very little repetition here. Every hole has its own unique quirks. There are some nice ace runs and opportunities for players to be aggressive as well as some risk/reward holes where aggressive play can be punished severely.

The fact that this is a closed course for 51 weeks of the year creates an almost untouched feel to the landscape. Free of litter and vandalism, nature dominates out here, with moss covering the landscape and a small creek running through the course ever so peacefully.

In a lot of ways, this course is a novelty. It highlights some of the key aspects that made the game of disc golf great in its infancy, but lacks some of what makes it popular today. There are no chances for big arms to really open up and power players are likely to get incredibly frustrated here.

There are some holes that, in today's game, are considered uninteresting. Particularly two-shot putter holes. While these do test a particular skill, they struggle to create score separation unless players try to be too aggressive expecting to be able to park every hole under 300 feet.

Enjoy this course for what it is. It's a journey back in time with fun disc golf emphasizing precise line-shaping. For the most part, the throws required here are fun. There is just something about watching a mid or putter glide through the exact line you were looking for. Don't try to overplay the course and it will show you how much fun disc golf was before drivers were even invented.

Obviously there are aspects of today's game that are missing here, but changing the course for that would be a travesty. This is a well-preserved piece of disc golf history that everyone should enjoy when they have the chance.

Private course - not being able to play this course freely makes playing it that much better. Beautiful scenery.

Layout - Tight technical play. Put your drivers away folks, you may only throw three drives in an entire round here. Plenty of birdie opportunities with a well placed mid range shot. Plenty of Double bogie opportunities when an otherwise well placed shot misses its line. A few water hazards to beware of making for some excellent hole layouts (18, over the river!)

Multiple Baskets - It was clear from the extra PVC pipes sticking out of the ground that many of the holes move from time to time. I only played the 1 layout but nice to see that next year it will probably be different.

Layout - Bring your hiking boots. This may not be a con for a lot of people, but don't expect an easy walk through this one. Very hilly, very wooded.

Baskets - Old baskets, some rusty, shallow baskets, a few chains don't sit right here or there. Not a huge deal, just something to be aware of when throwing at them.

Benches - None? I don't remember any, and certainly sat on the ground a few times. With the tiring terrain this would be an excellent addition.

Tee boxes - No mats, not that it was a huge problem. Most tees packed smooth dirt, but a fair number had roots/rocks to deal with.

A must play if you ever get the opportunity. Respect the course and don't go without permission.

Watch out for that nasty hill on 1. Rolling down that spells disaster.

Having an overstable mid range will save your life.

Fun course, tight fairways. Stepping back in time, old baskets and signage all working great. Bonus: 9 pin putting game

Private course only open for tournaments. Hard to find gps or not it's not on the map

Felt like we were in the Shire all day wandering around this mossy, evergreen filled course. What a beautiful location, the landscape lends itself to some great up and down hilly shots with tight but rarely too tight shots. I'm more of a finesse player and don't have a huge arm for the bombs, so this course really worked well for me! Happy with my +6 for my first game at this course, I'll be back.

Bring your anhyzer game if you're a right handed back handed golfer, use a flick if you've got one. Lots of shots off to the right of the tee box, that got a little repetitive but I like to throw like that.

Do yourself a favor and throw your GPS out the window when trying to find this one. Use your technology to get to Perkins Rd, and use the written directions after you get there.

*Un-touched and prestine, so much so that trees and bushes are growing over the alternaive pin spots
*Relaxing yet tricky at times
*Uses pines and mild elevation to enhance courses skill level
*Wide variety of Holes
*One of my favoirte courses, if not my #1

*Almost eery how calm and empty it was, reminds you a little of Deliverance when you go back a seemingly endless dirt road until you see your friends (the baskets)
*Overgrown and no seating for breaks anywhere along the course

On a slightly snowy day i stepped out of my friends car and couldnt believe how awesome and out there this course was. i started putting around and shooting for #18 across the water which was a fun little warm up and a solid putt. I played alone that day and found a relic disc that seemed to have been sitting there for years. i played on, but every now and then i would get an almost eery feeling that some one was watching me and the overgrown alternative pin spots led me to believe that i was the only guy who had played it since the 90's. I was truly impessed by the creativity and use of the land throughout this course and couldnt help but smile as i hiked through the surrounding pines and down through chunnels of trees. this is the type of course i could only dream of having in my backyard and i look forward to returning someday soon.

P.S. even the towns people didnt know of this course, so it was really cool bein one of the few privlaged enough to play it.

First and foremost there is ample parking. This is crucial because you are on private property and the NEFA NH States tourney is held there. There are nine practice baskets: which are set up like a game. You get various points for depending on which basket you make it in. The game is called around 9 putting. Each hole offers multiple pin positions (although there is only one basket per hole). They are all in the same area, but do offer the ability to change your approach each time. The paths between the holes and fairways are very clearly marked and easy to navigate through the woods. The hills (most holes alternate up and down) offer a great array of shots from the tee that you normally don't get. The fairways are nice and open, with clearly designed rough. There is a third set of chains added to the Mach II baskets. Short holes (longest is 320`) make a quick round very plausible.

The largest and most glaring detraction of the course is the tee boxes. Fortunately there is a lack of big arm holes as they are all wooded, finesse shots so a run-up isn't really necessary. The tee boxes need to be flattened and worked on as more than half of them have tree roots sticking out and are dangerous. The red stakes that mark the front line also need to be repainted and pulled up out of the ground. Lots of the tee signs are chipping and peeling (this might have something to do with the date on the signs - 1980). The course is only open to the public one week a year; the week before NH States. Unless you want to pee in the woods there are no public bathrooms. there is no signage in between holes. some holes will require some hunting. some of the tee pads are almost on top of the last basket. While this could be dangerous the course is very lonely so I doubt you will have any issues.

The course is closed during winter time to make room for the cross country course that is on the same property. When you finish hole 5 turn around for tee 6. Hole 9 is across the road and to the right. Hole 10 is near where you park. There is a very nice little creek that runs through several holes and adds a certain beauty to the course that I am not used to.