Ludington, MI

Mason County Park - Beast

4.135(based on 38 reviews)
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Mason County Park - Beast reviews

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12 1
DFrah
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 6.4 years 300 played 287 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Awesome course, with some head-scratching issues 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Nov 2, 2021 Played the course:once

Pros:

Beast is one of three courses on site at the Mason County Park near Ludington, MI (the others being Beauty and Goliath). It is labeled as the "Intermediate" course here, but definitely presents plenty of challenge to keep any disc golfer interested.

This 24-hole course plays over rolling terrain near the reservoir for a pumped-storage hydroelectric power plant. The most memorable hole here might be the 575' opener. To reach the tee pad you will have to climb a steep hill. At the top you'll be rewarded with a view over the entire western half of the park, and beyond that Lake Michigan (less than a mile away). Water never comes into play on this course, but depending on the weather and wind you may be able to hear the waves crashing in the distance. You'll launch your disc off this tee towards the lake. The basket is located down the hill, across a valley, and up a smaller hill to the left on the other side.

I'm not remembering any other signature holes from the remainder of the course, but the disc golf is solid throughout. The elevation changes range from none to mild to extreme. There are a great mix of distances, from a couple tricky sub-200' shots through tight woods to several more open holes that are longer than 400'. The wooded holes have a nice blend of left turns, right turns, and straight shots.

The baskets are red Chainstar Pros, which I believe is a recent upgrade.

The tee signs also look brand new. They are beautiful - showing the hole layout, distance, par, and even an elevation profile. As a part of this change, the hole numbers have been renumbered 1-24 (previously they were numbered 1-18, with "extra" holes a-f mixed in throughout). I approve of this change - unless "extra" holes can easily be skipped what is the point of labeling them as extra? The signs are mounted to posts which are painted blue, contrasting with Goliath's green posts and Beauty's red ones.

The tee pads are all concrete. They vary in size/condition, but for the most part are adequate.

The navigational signage is okay. I used the map uploaded here a couple of times but overall it wasn't bad. A few more signs would be an improvement.

There is a picnic shelter at the parking lot which has restrooms and a water bottle filler in it. There is also a large kiosk with maps of all three courses on site.

Cons:

My two largest Cons of this course are ones that I don't think I have had to list yet in my 100+ courses played.

The Goliath course on site plays over the same land as this course. Not next to it, but actually on top of it. 18 of the 24 baskets are shared between the two courses. Goliath is essentially a layout that plays the Beast baskets in reverse order, with a couple exceptions mixed in. This means that on many holes, you could be throwing directly at someone playing the Goliath course - and there are still enough woods here that plenty of those throws are blind. Also, because you are not playing "parallel" to or behind/in front of groups on the other course, it will be much more difficult to be aware of their presence. In theory, players on Beast always have the right-of-way - but how can this rule be enforced, especially when the players could easily not even be aware of each other much of the time? I am docking a full half disc for this safety issue alone. Say it with me: A potential safety issue, is a safety issue!

The other weird issue is accessing the course. The parking lot, along with the kiosk and aforementioned picnic shelter, are inaccessible for about nine months out of the year - anytime before Memorial Day or after Labor Day. This is because they are about 3/4 mile into the park, beyond a park gate which is locked. I have to assume the gate is locked due to proximity to the power plant - the viewing platform for this is only open during the summer as well. Fortunately, you can park in another lot that is near the middle of the Beast (and Goliath) courses, to start your round there without too much extra walking. It's still very strange and inconvenient though.

I have a couple of smaller safety concerns too. Hole 10 (labeled as c on the most recent map here) plays close to a road. Several other holes play near or over the park drive - though I guess this matters less than usual if the drive is rarely open to traffic!

The rough here is thick, and completely unforgiving in many places. It also felt like that rough was intruding onto the intended fairway on a couple holes - and I visited in early November. You could definitely lose discs here, especially in the summer.

I did not see a practice basket anywhere, and there is plenty of room for one near the parking lot. Especially with three courses on site, one or more warm-up baskets would be nice to have.

A couple of the concrete pads were a little bit too small in my opinion. A couple more were in poor condition.

Other Thoughts:

This course costs $1/day to play, which also covers Beauty, Goliath, and even several other courses in the Ludington area.

Cell service here can be spotty to nonexistent. Plan accordingly.

With the course being relatively open in many spots and close to Lake Michigan, wind can be a major factor. It was whipping when I played on a cold, dreary November afternoon. On the plus side, I had the course to myself. :)

The par is listed as 3 on all holes. Personally I think that a couple of the 400'+ ones should be par 4.

This course has been around a long time, and it shows. Work has clearly been done recently to refresh the course (new baskets, renumbered tees, etc.) but hopefully this work is not yet complete. I very strongly believe that the Goliath course should be pulled - and a second set of tees could be added for Beast in its place. A second Beast layout would keep the allure of a "different" course, while eliminating most of the safety issues.

The park staff could also swap the Beauty baskets (which are blue) with the Beast baskets, so that this refreshed Beast course would play from blue tees to blue baskets (and Beauty would play from red tees to red baskets).

As mentioned above, the presence of Goliath alone is currently knocking my rating down from 4.0 to 3.5. Pulling Goliath and addressing some of the other Cons above might be enough to put me in the 4.5 range, and if the designers were to implement a second set of Beast tees I can see this being a 5.0 course. If you are a serious disc golfer visiting the Ludington area, you should absolutely spend an afternoon at Mason County Park!

UPDATE JULY 2022: Played the course again on a beautiful summer day. One thing I didn't mention above is benches at tees. There are a few but they seemed to be focused near the beginning and end of the course. I was wishing for some in the middle! Navigation was also a little bit trickier with all the foliage grown in. More Next Tee signs are definitely needed throughout the course. The navigational signs that are there are also in an inconsistent style, and some call out the old hole numbers which now just makes things more confusing.

I stand by everything I said above, including my rating and my explanation of how that rating could be higher. This course is really fun to play, and the new baskets and tee signs look great. If Goliath were just pulled without doing anything else, my Beast rating increases by 0.5. If all new tee pads, a few more benches, new navigational signage, and a practice basket are also added, my rating increases by another 0.5. That gets us to 4.5. Do all that, plus a well-placed second set of tees? It's probably over the 4.75 threshold even with the weird park access issue and the holes next to the park drive. That's how good this course is, and where I think its ceiling could be.
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19 0
wolfhaley
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 20.5 years 1165 played 745 reviews
4.00 star(s)

2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 6, 2021 Played the course:once

Pros:

The Beast is the medium difficulty course at Mason County. The course plays 18 of the 24 Goliath baskets just in reverse order. The other 6 baskets are holes unique to the Beast.

The baskets here are Chainstars. While not one of the top of the line targets nowadays, these all caught pretty well and fit the old school course vibe you get playing here. One pin position per hole.

The tee pads are all concrete. These work fine for the most part. They vary in sizes which is kind of odd. But it's definitely better than rubber mats or natural pads. One tee per hole.

The tee signs are some of the more basic ones I've seen in a while. There's an outline of the state of MI, Hole number and distance. The signs are mounted on blue painted 4"x4"s. The blue painted signs denote holes for the Beast, while Green painted sign posts denote holes for Goliath. This helps greatly with differentiating which tee pad is which in a few spots. There are also next tee signs on almost every hole, but especially where you really need them.

The elevation is used tremendously here. Hole one kicks it off with a 500 foot plus downhill bomber. It meanders up and back down for the remainder of the round. It feels a little less extreme than Goliath, but not by much. It probably helps that there's more of it on the front half as opposed to more on the back half of Goliath.

The course is permanent and, while not free, is only $1 to play for the whole day. Not sure if they mean $1 for each course you play or $1 for playing any amount of courses you want to play that day. Either way, it's well worth the price.

The course was well mowed and pretty clean when we were out there, especially for the lack of trash cans. There were a few benches throughout, which is greatly appreciated after some of those uphill walks.

There are a few beautiful views of Lake Michigan here and the wind blowing off of it can be a lifesaver on a hot, humid day. At the same time it is one of the biggest challenges of the course. It whips your drives all over the place and makes putting, let's just say interesting.

Cons:

As I mentioned in my review of Goliath, The rough is starting to claim back the fairways in many spots. Hole 8 I believe it was is a prime example of this. It's the shortest hole on the course but is one of the tougher 2's to be honest. I'm sure 10 or so years ago there was a line to the pin. Now the pine tree to the right of the initial gap has enveloped that whole gap. An overhand or FH or BH spike hyzer is about your only option now. And just hope it filters down somewhere near enough for a putt.

The tee pads are kind of wonky, in that they vary in sizes so much. They're also on the small side. Not really a con for me, but it may be for some.

The rough can gobble up discs if you're offline even by a small margin. There are numerous blind holes here. Using a spotter is advised on these.

The design itself is a bit strange. Not the safest in that Beast and Goliath share 18 baskets with each other. That can often mean that fairway run nearly parallel to each other. Or two groups could be playing to the same pin, from different directions without even knowing it.

Other Thoughts:

Just like with Goliath (which we played first) I was not disappointed with this course. It's pretty much a toss up as to which of the 2 I prefer, but I'd probably give the nod to the Beast. Just an all around fun course. It just has that vibe to it. Hard to explain, but you'll feel it if you play out here.

Is this a destination course. Absolutely it is. Couple that with the fact you have 2 other courses onsite, and numerous other good to great ones nearby and this is a disc golfer's dreamland. I would recommend this course to anybody who is into tough technical courses. Excellent describes it perfectly.
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18 0
davetherocketguy
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 20.3 years 114 played 105 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Beast Mode 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 5, 2020 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

- Excellent terrain. Not every parcel of land is well suited for disc golf. Not true here at Mason County parks. This is perfect.
- Chainstar baskets are in decent shape.
- Navigation could be improved in some spots but really not too bad overall. It was usually fairly easy to pick out the blue posts for Beast.
- The view on hole one is just stunning. There's not much to compare to a top of the world shot and be able to see Lake Michigan with all the rolling hills.
- Tee pads are fine most of the time.
- There aren't benches on every hole but there are enough.
After climbing all over the hills here this is appreciated.
- Elevation is used EXTENSIVELY throughout the course. And in some cases rather brilliantly. This adds to a lot of the challenge.
- No real filler holes here. Every hole is purposeful and flows really nicely from one to the next.

Cons:

- I felt like several of the holes were just dumb. In particular, #8: This had no defined fairway whatsoever. Just a 160' short hole with a giant wall of trees. I also did not care for hole C. Unless you are a 900+ rated player with a 350' hyzer bomb just skip this one. Plus, I really do not care for how close the C tee was to the roadway. Seems rather sketchy to me.
- The rough on a lot of the course spots is just really really rough.
- It is time for this course to get some new tee pads. While they were constructed well many years ago a lot of these are just way too small.
- 5 is a safety hazard IMHO. There are several spots where the tee shot goes over roadways and those are okay because the tee is so high, this hole is an issue. The paved walk path about 100' from the basket is very reachable. I did witness some non-dg'ers almost get hit by a drive in this spot. Be very careful teeing off here.
- While I did not play Goliath I really did not care for the criss-crossing nature of the two layouts. I'm fairly confident there are several rather unsafe situations here.

Other Thoughts:

Beast is not for the timid. This course will work you over if your game is off in the slightest. In fact, I didn't really care for this course at all because between the grueling nature of the elevation changes here and the quite narrow fairways this was not a very fun dg experience for me. This did not feel like a relaxing way to spend an afternoon - it felt like work. Hard work. That said, I am not going to allow that to alter my score. I still feel like it checks all the boxes for a quality course here in Michigan.
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10 0
MrFrosty
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 31.6 years 764 played 387 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Great Disc Golf In a Large Park 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 8, 2019 Played the course:once

Pros:

There are not a lot of places in the Midwest where you can go to play disc golf , park your car , and walk in 3 directions to play one of three different courses , all 24 holes each . I played the Beast Course first . Just so I don't forget to tell you , the bathrooms are located in the shelter next to where you park . Also , the charge you $1 to play all day . It is an honor box located next to each #1 tee pad . Nice scorecards are present near the honor box with a course map on the back of it . . Baskets were in good shape , signage was a little lacking , just the course and hole number . There were several NEXT TEE signs throughout the course , especially helpful since intersecting Goliath often . Please print a map . You can wander off a lot if you aren't careful . The course is Old School , meaning that the cement tee pads are way too short , especially since a few of the holes are >400' . The best part , is that you are set to enjoy 24 holes of challenging disc golf . The course is manicured and well taken care of For #1 , you have to climb a large hill to tee off . You are not sure immediately where the basket is , only that it is 574' , a top of the world , trial by fire first hole . The basket actually sits on a smaller hill to the left of the tee box . There is brush and small trees in the fairway to make your first drive challenging .. One of the toughest first holes I have ever seen . The course wanders around to the left of where the basket was ,uphill shooting downhill . The fairways to many of these holes are tight . The rough can also punish you . I lost my Whippet on #6 . Watch you drives carefully . Elevation is not a problem on this course . #5 is a good example . You throw from the level across a road and straight up a hill ( 405' ) . Basket placements are premium here . A lot of thought went into the course design . There are plenty of rough and trees to keep your drives honest . A sign of a good course is sometimes measure by the volume of play . When I was here on a Saturday late morning , there enough groups where you could tell they were out there , but since the course is 24 holes , it spreads out a lot . My round wasn't held up . There are benches next to many of the tee pads . The most challenging of the 3 course on sight , if you are having a bad day or are wearing out , you can always wander over to the shorter easier Beauty . On this course , you will throw , right , then left , then blast a bomber drive , then shot shape . This course will stimulate your creativity . Several of the holes will give you a breather and throw in a tight 150' , or 210' hole . Bring water out on the course . You can dry out in a hurry . There were several holes I liked on this course . Beside #5 , I liked the downhill #3 , a 323' drive that levels off and the fairway if flanked by trees with large canopy tops , dragging you to the right and the basket . C , a tight 375' fairway drive to an open green area to the right , #10 , a tight drive that opens up and runs to a protected basket on the right . #15 , a 323' tight line to a basket with a small enclosed green . 18 is a good finishing hole , a 425' blast from an elevated tee , across the road to a large open space . You will get a workout here , and might also use most of the discs in your bag . What you won't be is bored . Lots of solid course to keep you occupied .I don't know if I would suggest someone starting out to play this certain course . But it is great for everyone else , from the casual player to being competitive enough for the pros . My signature hole was #1 . There was just so much going on on #1 , from the downhill hooking fairway , to the obstruction at the bottom , the risk/reward to try to get to the smaller hill where the basket is . It is listed as a par 3 , but plays like more of a 4 .

Cons:

#1. Navigation . You will see baskets and tees after you finish off a hole and walk to it , only to find out that it is what you will play 5 holes from now . Even on #1 , I had to play it over because I was confused where the pin was . The maps don't always help . #2 The crisscrossing of fairways and baskets with the Goliath Course can be both dangerous and confusing , too . This happened to me twice during my round . #3. Signage . This course has been around long enough to where descriptive course signs should be a given , especially when people are rating the course at a 4 or higher . I would have rated it at least .5 lower because of this , if there weren't 72 holes of disc golf all within walking distance of each other . The park needs good descriptive signs because of the adjoining Beast course And the layout of the other holes . #4 , I know that the course is over 25 years old , but these tee pads are pretty small for a course rated so high . No trash cans , so carry out what you carry in . Also , I'm not the biggest fan of throwing over or so close to roads , and this happens several times .

Other Thoughts:

Other than a few issues with the course , I can see where this side of the park is frequented so often. A play area for the kids and a good sized shelter with bathrooms right next to the start and finish of the courses . 72 holes close enough to where you can play them all in half a day . The Beast has the best designed and strongest holes of the 3 . A must play for people in the general Ludington area . Right off of 31 it is easy accessible . Since I drove up to this general area to play the courses in Northeast Michigan , and making Flip City my primary goal , Mason County Parks was also on my radar . Plan to be here a while , even taking in the other park amenities . The locals are friendly and the parks personnel are great . Will you get a workout ? Absolutely . But at the end of your stay , you will look back and be glad you stopped . My recommendation : PLAY IT !! PLAY THEM !!! PLAY ALL !!!!
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4 4
Russell Gore
Experience: 31.4 years 80 played 38 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Best place on earth 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 13, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

Well maintained and manicured course with tight fairways. Absolutely beautiful park with two other courses. Very tough holes that reward accuracy.

Cons:

Takes quite a while to play a round. Lots of other golfers, huge elevation changes.

Other Thoughts:

I came all the way from Jeffersonville In to play this course and man am I glad I did. I have played a lot of disc golf in my 24 years and seen many courses. The courses at this park are absolute disc golf perfection. The designer thought out everything with precision. This is no bunny course by any means. It will test your abilities at every turn. If you are ever in Ludington this is a must play. Even the view is breathtaking!
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1 3
TeebirdDan
Experience: 21.4 years 90 played 24 reviews
4.00 star(s)

the original Beast 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 26, 2016 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

this course starts on a steep hill that towers high enough to give you a great vista veiw of the park and lake michigan . you drive into the lake michigan head wind to a smaller hiltop 600 ft away . lots of odd fairway shapes a bit less wooded than Beauty but just as crazy in the way of shot selection,and a bit longer

Cons:

short tee pads [old course]

Other Thoughts:

like beauty the first time i played it was blind in a J Bird series tournament . fell in love with the park .after two rounds of tourny play we still had to play Goliath .its that cool.
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11 0
SneakyJedi
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 15.4 years 152 played 84 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Wonderfully Beastly 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 12, 2015 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

- Great variety in both shot types and hole lengths
- Good elevation in both fairways and greens throughout
- Challenging while still offering birdie opportunities
- Part of a well maintained multi-course complex with good amenities

Cons:

- Concrete tee pads are occasionally too short
- Non-descriptive tee signs provide only the hole number
- No water features
- Navigation can be an issue first time through

Other Thoughts:

For those looking to stretch their arms out after playing Beauty's shorter more technical layout, Beast offers a longer, more challenging, but still incredibly fun round of disc golf with plenty of birdie opportunities.

The round starts off with a bang, throwing from the top of large hill 575' to the top of a smaller hill, and doesn't really let up for the next 23 holes. Beast doesn't go through the thickly wooded areas as much as Beauty, but that doesn't mean you aren't going to need to shape your shots and hit lines. The course design is excellent, and you will need most of the discs and shots in your bag to score well.

There is a lot of elevation in play here as well, with the majority of holes playing up, down, or across hills, and many dangerous greens. There are plenty of opportunities to break out your high speed drivers, but they are spaced out well and there are plenty of shorter holes where you can more easily earn your birdies if you don't have a big arm.

Navigation can occasionally be an issue where multiple tee pads are visible from the last basket, and signage has either faded or isn't present. There are also a couple of extra loops that could be missed if you jump to the most obvious next pad. A handful of holes play along or over the road into the park, but traffic is so slight most of the time that this was never an issue.

While the baskets are in good repair and catch well, and benches are usually present, the rest of the equipment leaves a bit to be desired. The tee pads at Beast are not quite as short as many at Beauty, but they are still on the small side. This won't be a problem for many people, but those with longer run-ups or longer legs may have issues.

The tee signs aren't bad, just non-descriptive. If the scorecards and maps are available at hole 1, this isn't much of a problem, but on my last visit there were none available, and there are many blind holes from the tee where a distance and direction to the basket would be helpful.

No water obstacles to worry about here, but that can't be helped and they aren't really needed.

There are bathrooms, water fountains, and picknick tables at a pavilion near the parking lot, as well as a small playground with a slide and swings. As my group finished our most recent round, someone from the park district or other organization interviewed us for about 5 minutes about our experience at the park and thoughts on the amenities. The park is already well maintained, and it looks like whoever is in charge wants to make sure it stays that way.

Beast is my favorite of the courses at the Mason County Complex, and strikes a good balance between the easier Beauty, and the occasionally punishing Goliath. The golf and scenery are great, and with two other courses on site there is something for everyone, and playing all three makes for a great, long day of Michigan disc golf.
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13 1
Stardoggy
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 13.3 years 1038 played 214 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Beast, for sure... 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jul 18, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

Beast is the "middle" course in terms of difficulty at Mason County park...but don't let that fool you into thinking it won't live up to its name.

Concrete tee pads at every hole...grippy, and mostly in good repair. They were fine, length-wise, for me, but somebody with a big run up might have to make the grass to concrete transfer many times here. One tee pad per hole

Discatcher baskets, in good repair, and caught well. One pin position per hole.

First things first. While there's a decent amount of shorter (<250') holes, the thing you'll remember here is the multiple "air it out" holes. Right away on hole 1, you're throwing a bomb off the top of a sizable hill. Darn near every hole on the course has some sort of elevation factored into it.

A good amount of obstacles on most holes, especially the shorter ones. While there are a few wide open bombs, they are placed well in the flow of the course; you won't get bored with them. Lots of tree lines and thickets make placement crucial. For how open a lot of the holes are, I was surprised at the amount of shot shaping required. Beast is sneaky that way.

24 holes, with tee rudimentary (but nice) tee signs. Navigation is mostly easy...we had a few drinks and only got crossed up a couple times.

Cons:

Again, one tee/one pin position is a bummer, but with three courses on site, it's not as big of a deal as it could be at singe course sites.

With all the open elevation, wind can be a complete butt kicker here...and with Lake Michigan right next to you, I'd imagine the wind is almost always blowing. Damn you, Mother Nature.

If you don't have a big arm (at least 300'), this course is going to beat you up a bit. Even the shorter holes can take some arm, with elevation factored in.

There's some opportunity for lost discs here, especially on a few holes (3 comes to mind). Errant tee shots can be punished fairly hard in some instances.

Other Thoughts:

P2P ($1), no big deal. Ample parking, pavilion w/ bathrooms, 1972 playground next to it. There is camping onsite, but you'll need to reserve it in advance...it usually fills up.

With the fantastic views of Lake Michigan, multiple bomber holes, and plenty of technical shots to be had, Beast is really a top notch course. Add some benches, throw in some extra tee pads, and improve the signs, and you've got an easy 4.5 on your hands. I tried to rate it as a single course, but it's tough to do with two outer fantastic courses onsite.

Beast is a long test of skills, and you won't be sad that played it!
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7 0
Puckstopper
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 23.4 years 36 played 36 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Beastly indeed! 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 20, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

Beautiful scenery

Baskets in good condition

Variety of shots needed

Great natural scenery

Very good local convenience store with a solid selection of beer and discs.

Cons:

Short teepads

Poor signage

Many blind shots

Other Thoughts:

Beast is a great compliment to Beauty, and has many of the same pros and cons. Despite this it is a course that stands on it's own and feels much different. Beast starts off with a massive shot from the top of one hill, down a valley and back up another hill. This is the signature hole on the course, and is a great beginning to your round. From there you will play several hilly holes, followed by flatter more open holes before you head back into the hills again. Lake Michigan is in view more often on Beast than Beauty, so if you want to enjoy lake views this is the course for you. On the other hand, this course is more likely to be affected by stiff breezes off the lake as it is more open and exposed. There was no significant wind either day we played here, but talking to locals I was told it can add an additional layer of difficulty many days.

Beast also suffers from Beauty's shortcomings. The teepads are short and the signs are nothing but a number. You do not play near the road as often as Beauty, but there are still a couple of shots where it could come into play.

If Mason County dropped money into good signs and extending the teepads both Beauty and Beast would be 5 star courses. Given the high level of disc golf enthusiasm in West Michigan I hope at least one of these things will happen soon. I would be willing to pay $2-$5 per round for these amenities. As the course stands it is well worth $1 per round.

As I mentioned in my review of Beauty, Pere Marquette Expeditions has a solid selection of discs from MVP, Axiom, Discraft, Vibram, Innova and other brands. They also carry a great selection of beer and cigars including my personal favorite the Acid line from Drew Estate!

http://www.pmexpeditions.com /
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5 4
nickrockey
Experience: 18 played 18 reviews
4.50 star(s)

I love the Beast 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:May 4, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

+WOW!
+ cement tees
+ really challenging well thought out holes with the exception of maybe 2
+ Plays well for both strategic and big arm players.
+Good signs
+Really cool topography
+some really wide open shots let you try out some crazy stuff!
+Really good light hiking
+Pretty good ratio of trees to wide open
+Not sure if I really have a favorite hole here, most are pretty well played
+Risk vs reward is pretty good, most holes are pretty forgiving
+Really is just a great course I can't wait to get back to!
+good course for all types of throwers
+Pretty clean and maintained

Cons:

-Can't really play if it is windy
-One of the holes you have to pay thru / over a parking lot then another is really close to the parking lot which could be a pain if there were cars

Other Thoughts:

^bring bug spray
^Play with bright discs!
^One of the holes plays on a blind 2 track that people often hike up, so watch for them
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8 0
bygwyllay
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 17.5 years 93 played 78 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Cruelty and the BEAST 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 18, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

Beauty is pretty and Beast is ugly.
Beauty is dainty and Beast is...beastly!

You are pretty much in Beast Mode from Tee One as you tower over the entire park from the mammoth hill at its centre. You can see everything from up there - the tops of trees, the giant reservoir, even all the way to Lake Michigan. It's as zen as you can get. The wind whips around you and howls past your ears as you line up your throw straight into it. AND THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING.

While I can't say it gets "better" from here (because this is the best rip in the entire complex), Beast certainly lives up to its name. Much tougher tossing compared to Beauty, the lines are taut and the distance is measurable. It is challenging every step of the way, and unlike Beauty, it is much more difficult to recover from errant shots. With several signature holes throughout, Beast does an excellent job of utilizing the park's varying terrain. Here are a few of the highlights:

#1 - Bombs Over Baghdad (no further explanation needed)
#3 - Throwing down into the grove with the massive reservoir as the backdrop, the line is deceivingly cramped; a trick of the mind.
#4 - Super tight line to follow unless you try and heave your disc over the orchard and into the clearing for birdie.
#A - A sharp hyzer following twin gravel tracks, be careful of the steep drop that follows the fairway on the right. Great risk/reward.
#5 - Truly epic launch over a fairly open field, over a road, and then up a big hill to the pin. The wind can really catch your disc here, and not in a good way. Make sure you plan for the headwind.
#D - Great rip & pray hole; a short clearing throws you dead into a thick pine tree line. There is the smallest of openings; not big enough to call a fairway. Just hope you've got enough juice on your drive to get a nice drop for birdie.
#16 - A crazy cramped 50 feet off of the tee, you must arc your shot to land in the clearing beyond. The pin sits cozy in the sand under some pines.
#18 - Beast ends almost as well as it begins with one of the longest holes on the course. You are firing back over the main road into a clearing patched with trees and brush. The first shot is the most important because if you get stuck behind (or in the middle) of those sparse bushes, your approach is blind and can cost you fatal strokes. And look! Beauty #1 is right there. Hmm...guess I'll start another round!

Cons:

Two Cons here:

1) Goliath is Beast backwards, so be ever vigilant as you play through; I almost took off a guy's face. Luckily we only came across one or two groups as we played through. Be courteous and wait your turn to throw, and all will be well.

2) Hole #B. This is a pretty bad setup, firing blind onto the pavement of a parking lot. My disc was cut up before I realized it. Seemed like they tried to squeeze this one into the back of the complex.

Other Thoughts:

Like I said in my review of Beauty, this complex is top notch and the best set of courses in our great state of Michigan. Everything lived up to my expectations, and in some cases, wholly exceeded them. I will be back to play Goliath on my next trip up to Ludington. Kudos, boys!
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1 9
fenixtxfan11
Experience: 21.4 years 56 played 3 reviews
5.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 27, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Elevation changes, great mix of trees and open terrain, tests every type of throw you can make and uses all of the discs in your bag. Very well maintained and clean. Beautiful views of the lake

Cons:

None.

Other Thoughts:

View from hole 1 is unreal
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10 0
jhgonzo
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 26.4 years 92 played 46 reviews
4.00 star(s)

6+6+6+6 = Beast 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 27, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

1. Variety. From the signature first hole with a breathtaking view of Lake Michigan, the looming reservoir, and a gorgeous downhill bomber shot of 574', you're sucked into this course. The next few holes are a lot of fun, but it wasn't until #B (the sixth hole if you're playing all 24) that I was like, "Wow" again: A blind RHBH anhyzer with an OB parking lot running alongside most of the left fairway to a pin 315' away (I'm glad my wife was with to spot for me and vice versa!). Elevation is present on nearly every hole, and the wind here is no joke! Seriously, when I played it was the type of in-your-face screaming headwind that would take a cocky overconfident nose-down putt from 40', pick it up, and throw it 60' back at you (okay, so that wasn't happening over and over, but it happened to me and my wife on the same uphill putts on #5, and the wind was a HUGE factor on most of the holes). Hole #C was a really cool risk/reward tee shot with some nasty-looking OB in the fenced area. Even the short holes (8 under 250' with 3 of those under 200') each had their own unique challenge, so none of them really seemed like filler; #8 is probably one of the "Top 3 Toughest Holes Under 150'" I've ever played! I found myself forced to throw a variety of distances and angles of RHBH anhyzer shots, which was great as I had been focusing a lot on that shot before my vacation, and was able to continue to work on it here. It feels good to let loose with a driver and a big hyzer on #11 (I think I'd been teeing off primarily with my MVP Axis aside from #1 and #5), taunting the OB road, and #15 presents a pinch point of twin pines about 50' off the tee on a 333' hole favoring a RHBH hyzer. Hole #18 I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with: Gorgeous finishing hole with a demand on precision off the tee to a defined landing area (I got cocky and almost wound up in the T-intersection of the road but was safe just at the corner), and if you pull this off you should have a reasonable chance at your upshot through the paths up to the green to save par; I got extra cocky with my second shot and bombed my Ace Race Hornet up to a blind pin, no one in my group saw it, and it was declared lost after a half-hour of searching; I took a 7 on the hole and left the course upset, but having had a beastly blast of a round (and I was contacted on DGCR by AikoAdam not 2 days later, who offered to send it back; thanks, AikoAdam!!!).
2. Maintenance. The county presumably takes care of a lot of the upkeep here, but the MCDGO is obviously very heavily involved. The entire complex was in top-notch shape for the tourney, but I understand that high level of care is typical on these popular courses. Players seem pretty mindful of using the trash cans, and I'm sure the Michigan bottle deposit plays a role in keeping broken glass and plastic bottle litter to a minimum.
3. Pay to play. All of the Mason County courses, as well as Flip City, are a measly dollar (that's right, $1) per person per round. There's an honor system of "checking in" where you put your money in an envelope and sign it, and then during your round you may be subject to spot checks to verify that you have indeed paid (with the punishment of being kicked off for a year if you're caught sneaking).
4. Multiple courses on site. Two awesome 24-hole layouts (Beauty and Beast), as well as a very challenging reverse course (Goliath, which is Beast played backwards from unique tees), make this a disc golf destination, and with Leviathan a few miles up the road, the fun Scottville course nearby, and Flip City within a half-hour drive, you'd be advised to rent a house or camp somewhere and make a little disc golf vacation here (which is precisely what my wife and I did)!
5. Tee signs. New colorful signs have been added to all of the Ludington courses (including Leviathan). Beast has blue signs, Goliath has black, and Beauty features red. The signs have no depiction of hole layout (which is a con when playing Beast or Goliath and needing to scout ahead), but feature the "mitten" of Michigan with the course name, hole number, and distance. Sufficient enough.
6. Tees. Nice concrete tees on all 24 holes that for the most part were installed properly and level.
7. Baskets. I seem to remember Chainstars out here, although the course page lists DISCatchers (looking at my vacation photos, they certainly LOOK like Chainstars, too!). Whatever they were, they were all installed properly, were in excellent condition, and caught well.
8. Navigation. Aside from a few tricky areas noted below, the paths, signage, and course map (if you have a scorecard) were sufficient in navigating this course.
9. Amenities. This large park is pretty dedicated to disc golf, but there is a playground, some picnic areas, restrooms at the pavilion, multiple parking lots (you may want to utilize different lots as a local depending on when you play, which course you're playing, and where you decide to hop on the course), and I believe dispensers for scorecards/course maps near the check-in. I highly recommend stopping at the Pere Marquette Expeditions supply store on the way in - great microbrew selection, as well as discs or whatever else you might need!

Cons:

1. Navigation. Only one major area of concern, where there is confusing signage after #6 pointing to #C and #7. Let's just say that I figured out where to go eventually (after finding #8's tee), but I couldn't describe properly to a first-timer how to get through this section of the course. You apparently go left after holing out on #6, and then have to backtrack after #C to find #7's tee. Better signage (or more visible signage if it's there) will instantly alleviate this.
2. Tees. MOST were in good shape, but the follow-through area on #5 (big drop-off!) made me poop a little thinking about what would happen to me if I wasn't careful.
3. Litter. I know I mentioned the cleanliness and maintenance, but this is worth mentioning - cigarette butts. Even during a sanctioned event with players who seemed to know their PDGA rulebooks, I observed countless players (from rec divisions up through open!) disposing of butts not on the ground, but IN it...the predominantly sandy soil in Western Michigan is apparently viewed as a large ashtray, and players tended to make a little hole with their foot, dump the butt, and then cover it up, as if this negated the "litter effect." Now, I'm aware that this is not "the norm" and that many Michigan golfers are respectful folks who don't litter, but I felt it was worth noting since even in the rec divisions I've played in Wisconsin, people KNOW that if you even drop a butt on the ground, you can be DQ'd.
4. Design. I guess I was just a little disappointed with the "big picture" of Beast when I stepped back and took it all in. I think I was expecting a bit more, and I know my wife certainly was expecting a LOT more (she's easily intimidated, but don't tell her I said that!), because she walked away amazed at the reachable hole distances and her score (yes fellas, my wife keeps score when she plays!). That's not to say it's an unimpressive course, but I think there's definitely potential to "beef up the beast" by adding some awesome new alt tees and pin locations.

Other Thoughts:

Beast is 24 holes of enjoyable, difficult, but surprisingly not-too-arduous disc golf at the fantastic Mason County complex. After playing 2 rounds of Beauty during the 2012 AJ Open (my wife and I were traveling and decided to enter this tourney at the last minute rather than "play around" the event schedule, and I'm glad we did!), I was itching to finally make that trek up the hill where I'd watched so many groups hike up and tee off down what I knew was going to be a memorable first hole. It's imperative to take a rest on the bench at the top of the hill, and understandably there will be a temptation to throw more than one shot from up here, but I was comfortable with my tee shot and anxiously rushed on, eager to see what else was in store for me. I had convinced my wife to tag along, but she remained hesitant for the first few holes -- a fear that subsided once she saw that there were some very doable holes for her skill level as well.

Mason County is a true Midwest DG Destination, up there with the Highbridge complex, Lemon Lake and possibly even Charlotte (I have yet to experience the latter two)! With 3 excellent courses here (I didn't even have time and/or the balls to tackle Goliath on this trip, but will definitely be back!) in addition to Leviathan a few miles away (which plays like 3 separate courses IMO), Flip City, and a brand new course that will rival all of them in the works at a nearby community college, as well as a few "okay" courses, plan a vacation here and plan to have a BLAST! The nearby state park makes a great side trip with some spectacular dunes and views of the Lake, and the entire city is very "touristy" and full of friendly people and lots of activities or just a chance to relax and soak in some great sunsets.

If you're coming from Wisconsin, plan a trip across on the S.S. Badger, which leaves from Manitowoc and lands right here in Ludington! And to all the disc golfers in Western Michigan, hop on the S.S. Badger and come check out our lakeside courses...we've got Silver Creek, Winter Park, and Rollin Ridge all within reasonable distance from port, and I guarantee you our locals are just as friendly!
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11 0
mykeg44
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 15.4 years 72 played 45 reviews
4.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 29, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

Beast is a phenomenal course that features awesome variety, challenge, and scenery.

The course starts out with a "top of the world" shot where you tee off from the highest point in the park. This is the easily the best hole 1 tee shot I've ever played. From there pretty much every aspect of your game is challenged. There is a ton of elevation, short and tight wooded shot, long flat shots, and a multitude of different angles off the tee.

For most players, I would recommend playing Beast if you only have time for one course at Mason County as it combines the techinal nature of Beauty without the relentless punishment of Goliath. All three are awesome, but Beast is the Goldilocks of the three... it's just right.

The course flow here is better than Beauty, and there are only a couple navigation issues, but nothing major. The tee pads are all concrete and provide plenty of room for a run up.

The land itself is some of the most beautiful disc golf only land I've played on.

Cons:

Beast was by far the most crowded of the three courses the day I played. Count on having to wait for other groups to play, as well as keeping an eye out for players on Goliath throwing at the same basket.

As is the case with the other two courses, the signage is pretty weak. Numbered sign posts exist everywhere, but they offer no discription of the shot, so if you're unfamiliar with the course, you're forced to walk the fairway until you see it, which sucks on some of the hilly shots.

The navigation from #6 to Hole C then back to #7 is pretty confusing, and it's easy to skip C if you don't know where you're going.

The distance and challenge makes this course pretty unfriendly for beginners and weak armed players. Due to its proximity to the lake, wind is likely to be a factor most of the time.

Other Thoughts:

Mason County Park is the best concentration of disc golf coures in a single location I've played to date. Make time to play all three when you come here, because they all offer something different.
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11 2
notapro
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 21.3 years 571 played 284 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Intermediate 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:May 29, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

- Course is set in a large park that has lots of hills and some forested areas. This course shares baskets with some alternate tees, so there could be a conflict there. Otherwise pretty much devoted to disc golf.
- Majority of the holes are in open fields/hills with large trees and other bushes to provide obstacles and force some line shaping. There are some more open ones that really demand a specific line, like a big RHBH hyzer on #1, #A, or an anny like #B. Other holes have more options to get to the pin, but have a lot more obstacles. With some serious hole lengths, these are more about good shot placement to set up a clear approach.
- Other holes are much, much tighter and demand a certain line to reach the pin. This ranges from tiny, tiny windows like that on #8, to some moderately tight tunnels, to general hyzers and annies. The main hazards here is thick rough off of the fairway on either side, or big trees also to the side. Many spots where backdoors are hardly present.
- Constant elevation changes to be found here, of many types. #1 plays from hill to hill, #B is an elevated teepad with a blind shot to the right, #5's basket is perched on a hill, and there are some valley shots mixed in as well. Lots of blind pin placements due to the elevation changes and/or twisting lines. Rollaways definitely present as well.
- Lots of variety in hole length; lots of short shots, but also 4 over 400'. Average hole length at 295', good mix above and below that.
- A ton of different shots needed, with plenty left, straight, and right lines to be found. Some shorter holes probably have a great OH route as well, especially up and over hills.
- Good teepads, baskets, and numbered posts. Navigation is pretty straightforward, except after #6 (#C's teepad is next to the road).

Cons:

- My biggest gripe with this course is the constant terrain. Lots of open air with patches of forest and stuff in the way. Very, very few areas inside a forest, if that. It gets pretty repetetive after a while, and the challenges remain the same from start to finish.
- A lot of shorter holes, with 10 being under 250'. That's nearly half the holes, and the lines aren't interesting enough to keep it fresh. After playing a few times, I could see it getting very stale once the lines are dialed in.
- Biggest hazard here, other than some dense rough, is a bunch of road OB. It is used well, especially the blind empty parking lot on #B, but it's not a huge challenge to avoid it.

Other Thoughts:

- I am a little confused why this course is called Beast, with so, so many short holes. There are some bombers, no doubt, but they are overshadowed by the many approach-length holes. Not too much in the way of obstacles, either, usually just big trees on the long ones and rough on the short ones. That said, there are a ton of different lines to hit here, and shot placement is definitely important. More experienced players may be a little bored, everyone else should have a good time and try to score well.
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16 0
Jukeshoe
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 15.2 years 316 played 268 reviews
4.00 star(s)

A Beastly Good Time 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:May 29, 2011 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

- Beast starts off with a monster downhill bomb that forces players to stay out of the dense woods and thicket while going back uphill to a precarious pin position. This sets the tone for the rest of the course. Massive elevation change, dense and punishing (yet very fair) woods and thickets, stunning scenery, and a wealth of technical challenges designed to test even experienced discers' games await those willing to challenge the Beast. Wind howls off of Lake Michigan, a stone's throw away. 24 holes of Beast will leave you worn but loving disc golf with every fibre of your being. Seriously epic disc golf.
- Good amenities on well-maintained site: clean bathrooms, water fountains, observation decks on top of the reservoir, decent signage, decent concrete tees, etc.
- Outstanding use of elevation. Great risk/reward throughout in almost every possible configuration minus water hazards.

Cons:

- The signage could benefit from having a map of each hole. Many holes are blind and need a walk to check the basket location the first few times through.
- Not for the faint of heart or those with limited mobility.

Other Thoughts:

- See my reviews for Leviathan and/or Beauty for additonal pros of the general area in which Beast is located.
- Just go play Mason County already, geez.
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8 1
apdrvya
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 14.5 years 354 played 299 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Beast 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jun 3, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

Aesthetic-perhaps the three most scenic courses in the state are in this complex. With great views of Lake Michigan throughout.

Signage-Accurate and plentiful. Next tee signs were plentiful. I also think though that the lettered holes (a-f) should have the same signage as the numbered holes.

Routing-see above

Variety-meh, theres a fair amount, but you will also see this in the cons.

Risk/reward-While there is no water, there are plenty of tree-ponds that present an OB presence (hole C is the best example).

Baskets-Discraft, thank goodness. Visible when you can see the hole.

Cons:

Variety-While this is listed above, I also believe it belongs here. There just isn't enough left fades to go along with the multitude of Right fades... strongly favors left handed (or forehand players)

Blind shots-tons and tons, had to know exactly where the pin is without scouting. Introduced my dad to the term "huck and hope."

Uncontrollables-Wind wind wind wind wind... Crazy windy both times we've played in this complex...Bugs, biting flies and mosquitoes are plentiful

Other Thoughts:

all in all a pleasant experience... just need to play goliath to finish this complex up!!

edit: I may have been a bit selfish and subjective in my initial review. I may have spent a lot of time searching for discs on an extremely windy, rain threatening day to write the review same day and for that, I am upgrading it by half a disc. My review is accurate, but my rating may have been low.
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7 1
jarnson
Experience: 14.4 years 27 played 27 reviews
4.50 star(s)

A Beast of A Course! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:May 28, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

- The second hardest of the 3 courses, with plenty of holes to challenge even the most seasoned player
- More flat than Beauty, more open too
- First hole is a large drop off a hill and is a great distance (574ft.) and the last hole, 18, is teed across the road and you drive it over the road and over trees. Watch out for head wins, they will KILL your score
- Cement pads, 24 holes again with A B C D E F holes.
- A great course that offers a variety of changes, ranging from difficult narrow paths through trees, to wide open fields, from high elevations to large hyzer and anhyzer throws to hidden chains.
- It will test you from the usual 3 par courses, stressing your skills and your mental AND physical abilities

Cons:

- Again, Smokers and Drinkers, a problem for some
- Losing discs is a very possible thing, lots of trees and bright colors so that is against the usual thumb of rule to have yellows, glows, and greens
- Tee pads are shorter than most cement pads, making this awkward for those of us (if not all, right) who are used to longer ones. Some can be extended from the dirt.
-No signs... what-so-ever, and the little red signs are confusing for Goliath and Beast are on the same patch of land then Beauty, so you will thing one pad is the next but its for Goliath.
- High weeds, so if it rains, mud, wet pants and shoes, makes 24 holes un-enjoyable

Other Thoughts:

- OB's are the roads, fence on C and out of the park (which sorta is the road :p )
- A dollar fee (they do check)
- Rest rooms, trash on almost every hole

*STATED at a tournament 5/28/2011 for the J-Bird AJ Open, they WILL BE MAKING CUSTOM SIGNS for Goliath, Beauty (if not done already) and Beast. This is great for Beast, and I believe they will have maps and where to go next signs, a BIG plus!!

**NOTES: Bring lots of water, come when drier, sunny and it will be fine
- Bring some discs you aren't afraid to lose

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5 6
deezler
Experience: 24.4 years 15 played 4 reviews
3.00 star(s)

mixed bag. 2+ years drive by

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

Pros:

Most other peoples "pros" are accurate so I wont re-hash them all. This is a great piece of land with a lot of fun holes. Great views of Lake Michigan.

Cons:

Ugh. I was hoping not to have any material for this section but unfortunately there is a lot. DISCLAIMER- I played before Memorial day so "technically" the park was not open yet. However all the literature I have seen for this park clearly states you should feel free to come play in the off season.

1. Signage was awful to non-existent. Some tee pads were literally just a small square of concrete in the middle of a field. Really had no idea where to throw or where we were on the course on numerous occasions. What signs that were still in existence had listed hole lengths that did not even match the score card. How does that happen? Further confusing things is how the Goliath course completely bisects the beast dozens of times.

2. Felt like 21 out of the 24 holes were blind. Seriously. No signs and all blind holes? This meant we had to walk every single hole twice. Not fun, really breaks up your rhythm.

3. Course had not been mowed, so with a light rain we had totally soaked feet/legs. This point is excusable though due to the park not being officially open yet.

4. Tee pads are only 4 feet long. Pretty hard to get in a full wind up when you are thinking about stepping onto and off of the pad.

5. This course is billed as being "longer" than beauty, but look at the hole info tab. Loads of holes under 250. They are just blind 90 degree holes up and down steep hills. Kind of a strange and erratic hole layout, especially on the last 12 holes.

Other Thoughts:

Still had a great time just because of the land and scenery. With mowed (read: defined) fairways, it would be easier to know what to do. But if charging a dollar a day to play does not generate enough revenue for sign posts, charge more. Because playing a course with no idea where to go next or where to throw off the tee is frustrating.

SOMEONE WHO IS A LOCAL GET OFF YOUR BUTT ALREADY AND MAKE A COURSE MAP!
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10 0
bjreagh
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 28.2 years 353 played 321 reviews
4.00 star(s)

2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 8, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

The Complex- Beast is one of 3 courses at the Mason County disc golf complex (Beauty, Beast, and Goliath). The courses are spread over a generous and gorgeous piece of land near Lake Michigan that contain hole styles in all combinations of 1) flat, up, and down; 2) varying degrees of open to densely wooded; 3) left, straight, and right; 4) long, medium, and short. The courses all begin at the same large parking lot. The 3 courses themselves are at different levels so that everyone will have a course suited for them if you had to pick one. However, the courses also complement each other well, to give you a very well-rounded overall experience if you do play multiple courses (recommended). At the parking lot is a covered picnic pavilion with really nice restrooms. The pay-to-play boxes are conveniently located next to hole 1, and at only $1 day to play it is easily worth that price. The courses didn't appear to see a high volume of disc golfers, so if you are looking to get away from the over-crowded big city courses, this is a great place to come.

The Course- Beast is longer and more demanding than the Beauty course. Hole #1 sets the stage as you walk up a very, very tall and steep hill from the parking lot to #1 tee, and as you reach the top (almost like the first ascent and crest of a roller coaster) you see the amazingly long spacious downhill opening tee shot (or shots because you will have to throw more than one). And as you look around you see much of the course terrain, and then, finally, on the horizon you see Lake Michigan. (It is also a bonus to get that climb out of the way at the beginning rather than on hole 18 when you are beat.)

Overall the course is more wide open, with isolated trees and bushes as most obstacles. There are a few tighter fairways mixed in though, and the rough on these holes were pretty thick in spots in mid-summer. Hole distance encompasses a wide range from 160' to 574', but Hole #1 is the 574', and it plays down a steep hill making it play shorter, and then the rest of the holes are under 500'. Not every hole has elevation, but the ones that do utilize it to the max, both up and down. I enjoyed the different feel that each hole offered and that you had no idea what the next hole was going to look like until you stood on the tee. It almost was like holes from different parts of the country were transplanted here, with the varying terrain that features a variety of trees and grasses. (The only other course I have ever played that gave me this feeling is Morraine S.P.)

Cons:

The Course- We found navigation a little confusing with the Goliath course intermixed in: criss-crossing fairways, possible sharing of tees and baskets (not sure), you definitely see extra baskets that you are not playing to and never play to, and when looking for the next tee you see extra tees that are for the other course. (tees are clearly marked as to which course it is for, but it is hard to see from a distance.) Also, we were unable to find #16 (we looked everywhere and never found a basket or tee. We think it was in the woods but we never found a path leading to a hole.) Somebody, please make a map!!! The inserted newer holes did not look like official holes, but more like poorly planned holes designed by locals that only the locals play, may not be the case, but that is what it looked like to me.

The Complex- I expected to find better signs and baskets at a place this (i.e. Lemon Lake), but unfortunately the baskets are showing age and the signs definitely need to be improved. Navigation was not too much of a problem, but things like more informative tee signs, other signs along the way, and a course map would have been beneficial and would have improved the overall experience. The parking lot looked old, and the pay-to-play boxes were dented and rusted. Sadly, the overall appearance was one of neglect. We played in mid-summer and never say another person on this course.

The courses did not appear to get top priority maintenance, which is unfortunate considering the potential for having truly special disc golf experience here is amazing. I am usually not a fan of changing a course from 18 to 24 or 27 if the flow and layout make the course confusing and unnatural. And why not renumber the holes from 1-24 instead of inserting a letter hole here and there?

It is odd that the courses lie between Lake Michigan and the big Reservoir that towers over the course, yet there are no water hazards anywhere ("Water, water everywhere and not a drop to throw a disc over/in!") The reservoir itself is kind of ominous looking as we thought it was a prison because of steep walls, barbed wire fences, multiple watch towers, and warning signs to keep out. (Found out later looking at satellite images that is was water, not a prison!!! During our round a siren horn went off, making us think a convict had escaped, but it was just the signal that they were about to let water out of the dam into Lake Michigan!!!)

Other Thoughts:

The Complex- Don't let the names fool you. Beast is not scary, stupid difficult; and Beauty is not super-lame easy! Both are quality courses that will challenge everyone. Obviously having 3 course layouts on site in one area is a big bonus. Plan to spend the day here. These courses, along with Flip City and Leviathan also in the area make this one of the top DG destinations in the country.

The Course- This is a tough course to rate, because the holes are excellent and it gets bonus points for not being the only course here. However, no maps, poor signs, and the overall layout with the extra holes and sharing things with the Goliath course keep this from being an elite course. I gave it a 4.0 (Excellent).
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