Pros:
- Amazing course infrastructure -
First the concrete tee pads are present for both the long and short pads and are more than adequate. Tee signs are are great, well built, nice design on them and give you all of the relevant information. There are next tee signs at both courses out here and they are all color coordinated. If you're playing the short tees, follow the yellow 'next tee' signs, if you're playing long pads then follow the black 'next tee signs', really simple. You will never need Udisc out here after finding the first hole because the infrastructure is so good and the course was designed and flows in an intuitive way. There are benches at almost every hole and many spots to sit down at through out the course as you walk so if you need a moment to sit down to tie your shoe or whatever always something close by. One thing I thought was cool was the big wooded blocks behind the tee pad that act as a shoe scraper during the muddy season as this Texas mud is no joke! I needed it in early January!
- How the design challenges you -
There are many ways in which this course can and will run up the number on your scorecard.
First is distance: even the "short" pads aren't really short and have many par 4/par 5 holes on it as well as a variety of par 3 distances but no easy gimme deuces on the course. From the long pads these distances are increased significantly.
Next up is elevation: Many holes out here have small elevation changes and one of my favorite features of the fairways and greens on some holes are these little ditches right before baskets with the basket on the high point of the hill. These act as mini bunkers of sorts making your upshot or putt be uphill and just that much more difficult. I could see that over time, the more you play the course the more you learn where you need to land in order to maximize your chances of staying out of these bunkers and upping your opportunities for lowering your score. The rolling hills, mostly down hill on the more open, grassy section of the course is not only pretty but is a chance to really let rip big drives and those rollers you've been working on. Some interesting basket locations in this section as well with a few in valleys from the fairway with trees guarding it or slightly perched up from the fairway so learning how to navigate the elevation here is key.
Next up is hole shape or dogleg holes: The doglegs on this course are amazing, some with double doglegs and some fairways with double routes means you have many ways of finding advantages over the next guy. On par 4 dogleg holes figuring how and where to land to make your next throws as easy as possible is a fun challenge that one playthrough just isn't good enough. The variety of these doglegs favors only those who can manipulate a disc like the flick of a lighter manipulates flame. If you only know a RHBH hyzer you're going to struggle, A LOT here so better learn a FH and a turnover because you'll likely need all of those with these nasty dogleg holes.
Next is stroke adding obstacles, talking about water and OB. There are only a few holes where water comes into play but the ones it does it REALLY comes into play! The short pad for I believe it is 8a or 9a, can't remember at the moment but it throws straight over the pond you see when you drive in and is a 210 foot water carry and even further from the long pad. The other lake hole is the hole that plays in the opposite direction from hole and throws with the lake covering most of the right side of your throw with the basket tucket up in the trees on that little bluff. This one you can at least avoid the pond with a very safe shot that probably guarantees you a 4 at least. If you want a birdie on this hole gotta risk it for the biscuit as they say. The hole after this is a long, more open grass shot to a basket lower than from where you throw and the OB is on the left the whole way. There are a few other holes out here with OB marked off but not many as the trees do enough to you that OB just feels super mean on top of that!
Last is trees: The trees here are unforgiving and start pretty much straight away but get serious on hole 3 with only a few let ups through out. There are many double fairways here which I love so much and you can find the right one for you. If you hit one of these trees though your disc is getting kicked off into the rough somewhere nasty where your next shot is quite difficult and getting up and down is very difficult. The amount of punishment the trees do here to bad throws is really really awesome, too many courses allow you to throw badly and still get par but not here. Every time I got a par here it felt good and a birdie felt amazing.
- The pro shop/restaurant -
Nicky at the shop is awesome! Really friendly and welcoming guy! My back was aching and he saw me trying to stretch my back against a tree from across the course and drove the golf cart out to me to make sure I was alright, offer me something, a ride back. Had a great conversation with him about disc golf, life, just shooting the shit, good dude. Anyway the shop has snacks and drinks and if you're there near or on the weekend they fire up the grill and make some food. They have new and used discs there as well, some with a Hideaway stamp which was a good idea, I walked away with one. You can also rent a walking cart to save the back which is what I should have done!
- Other stuff -
Of course he has now has the shorter and somehow even tighter lined Scorpion course on site with many of the same amenities as the this course and is a fun warm up or cool down to this course. Don't get me wrong it's still challenging! There is also a driving range near the parking lot that has distance in feet measured out that I didn't use but a good spot to warm up at. Several practice baskets all around the clubhouse/pros hop area as well.
Cons:
- It was REALLY, REALLY muddy when I played it in early January and it hadn't even rained in a while either
- It's not a very accessible course, in that I mean it's not a place you take a new player to unless they are way too cocky about getting a birdie that one time at the local pitch n putt and you need to humble them a bit... or a A LOT
- I actually saw a bit of litter just off the tee pad and fairway for hole 2! There is a special place in hell reserved for people who would litter on a fantastic piece of disc golf only property like this one, what a shame!! My guess is it's recent and that by the time you've read this Nicky will have cleaned this up
- The grill is only on during Friday, Saturday, Sundays and the pro shop could be stocked more? I don't know there aren't many cons here and nitpicking is actually difficult.
Other Thoughts:
Not trying to pick a fight with the other reviewers here but if this place isn't a 5 star course nothing for you ever will be. This is close to the perfect disc golf property and one of the best, most fun, and most challenging course I've ever had the privilege of playing. Totally worth the drive from DFW or anywhere else really, especially when combined with all of the other amazing disc golf courses in Texas. If I had drove from Idaho all the way to Terrell just for the Hideaway, I don't think it would have been a let down but I was lucky enough to play several other great courses, meet up with some old friends and meet some new ones. I think this place and DFW will be in my memories for a long time.