Paw Paw, WV

The Woodshed

4.265(based on 31 reviews)
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12 0
EspressoPatronum
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 19.3 years 316 played 298 reviews
4.00 star(s)

First Time Seeing A Tree Collapse!

Reviewed: Played on:May 12, 2023 Played the course:once

Pros:

- owners are great, accommodating people
- some excellent incorporation of elevation change
- beautiful mountain views
- course is pristine and very well maintained
- equipment is generally in good condition
- front 9 is heavily wooded and very technically challenging
- long holes and generally quite difficult, but fair
- some flags on poles above baskets for help with blind tee shots
- some next tee arrows on baskets, but not many
- some good amenities such as ice for sale, port o potties
- good incorporation of creek hazard from 14 onwards
- pond hazard on hole 1 and again later in course
- some nice built-in bridges across creek
- rough is generally very forgiving in woods; easy to find discs

Cons:

- turf tees and Mach 3 baskets are just ok
- some tee pads are sloped which is not great for power/ankles
- navigation was confusing at times
- temporary tee signs only for WV Open; typically no real signs
- some baskets have missing or incorrect hole numbers
- hole 15's fairway is unrealistically tight

Other Thoughts:

Where to begin... I almost can't believe I actually have visited Paw Paw, WV and have played the legendary Woodshed. This has probably been on my Wishlist for 10 years as one of those "well, maybe someday next to never" courses. Two years ago I started traveling just to play disc golf and here we are. It's a trek out to this property, as others have mentioned. The drive is actually really cool, provided you have some patience - and 4 wheel drive doesn't hurt, though it wasn't really necessary on the day I visited.

The owners were extremely friendly and I am very envious of the amount of land they have and so grateful they open it up to the disc golf community. $10 to play is more than reasonable for the staggering amount of maintenance it must take to maintain these two courses. Ice is available for $5, and sure that's a little on the higher side for a bag of ice, but you really are in the middle of nowhere, and I was extremely glad they offered this. I didn't really meet Spencer, but his wife (Gabby, I believe) was very kind and gave me a map to help with navigation. The owners are not as young as they once were but the courses still look impeccable. Make sure when parking you do not block the gravel roads, as the owners have neighbors who have to drive through their property to access theirs. I was told parking on the grass was fine. It's unclear to me if the port o potties are a permanent fixture or just were there from the tournament, but it's nice to have a bathroom option - there is nowhere you can stop nearby.

For courses of this caliber, the equipment was a bit surprising. The turf teepads are just ok, and the Mach 3 baskets work fine, but are the typical "haven't been updated in 20 years" course baskets. The real issue is the tee signs, which were temporary and fine when I was there, because I lucked out playing near the WV Open. At other times, I'm not sure if they have any at all, and navigation was already a bit confusing for me; I imagine at other times it may be pretty tricky. All that said, it is well worth the drive out here to play these courses despite these issues.

When I arrived around 7 AM, I was the only person here, which was cool. I got to enjoy the West Virginia solitude in the rolling hills and just listen to nature. I was surprised that when I left about 4 hours later (after playing both courses), I was STILL the only one on the course. This was a Friday morning, but I'm amazed the owners can keep this course going considering in half a day they brought in $15 from me - and that appears to be it. It's not exactly a convenient area to get to, but please consider making the trip to ensure we can enjoy this course for years to come.

The water hazards at Woodshed are neat, with a small pond forcing careful shot selection on hole 1, followed by a creek hazard in the thick of the woods later in the round. Holes 3-7 are pretty deep in the woods, and the course wraps around back into the woods on hole 14, emerging later for the end. While the wooded fairways are tight and very challenging, I felt they were all fair except for 15, which has so many trees and no real discernable fairway it starts to feel like more of a luck shot. The terrain on these wooded holes will wear you out, and I recommend some boots with ankle support. After the Woodshed, I guess it was only appropriate I headed over to Whippin' Post for some more punishment.

While I was near hole 15 or 16, a dying tree collapsed in the woods maybe 50 feet from me. For all the fallen trees I've seen disc golfing, I've never actually seen it happen. Sure gives you a bit of a heart attack until you realize you're out of harm's way! Wrapping up the course on hole 18, the barn forces a bit of a mando shot to the basket between it and the road, which makes an otherwise open shot fairly challenging. A lot of the holes at Woodshed are very long par 4s and a couple of par 5s; you will get a workout and an intense challenge.

Overall, I struggled to rate this course. I would like to place it around a 4.25. Compared to some of the great 4.5s I've played, I think the so-so equipment and confusing navigation held this one back a bit. It is a fantastic challenge and is on the more unique side in terms of setting and natural beauty, so the 4 feels a bit unfair, but that's where I came down. I had a great time and encourage anyone to visit - just prepare for some punishment!
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24 0
Cerealman
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 16.3 years 660 played 186 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Massive, mountainous and memory-making!

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 16, 2023 Played the course:once

Pros:

The Woodshed delivers an impressive mix of bomber holes over rolling pastures and tough-as-nails holes in the woods on a course that lives up to its namesake in an extremely rural and isolated setting.

The entrance road features about six miles of curves and constantly changing elevation on a heavily wooded mountain. Just as the kinda-paved road starts to convert to gravel, the road pops out of the forest to reveal the rarity of open land and the entrance to the classic Woodshed and Whippin' Post courses. The immediate and incredible views of ponds and rolling hills are combined with a peaceful ambiance that is uninterrupted by the noise of civilization and everyday life as a reminder that you're in a special place.

The first impression doesn't disappoint either, as The Woodshed serves up a 7,600-foot, par-66 challenge that is the shorter of the two courses.

The turf tee pads are in pretty good shape and a welcomed feature of the course.

My favorite holes were Hole #1 and Hole #13. Both are downhill drives. Hole #1 includes a pond in front of the basket, which is perched on a narrow ledge on the far side. Hole #13 is a bomber downhill, but it requires some accuracy to align with the gap in the valley to approach the basket, which is up the hill on the other side. Either of these two designs could carry the banner as a signature hole.

The picturesque Woodshed pond looms to threaten your drives on two holes, and a stream is present on Holes #14 and #16.

There are plenty of multi-shot holes on The Woodshed course, as nearly every hole is over 300 feet and a majority of the holes are par 4 or 5. The mix of holes is good too, with plenty of uphill, downhill and valley holes. There are very few holes that would fit the "flat" description.

The course was mowed and in really good shape, though we were blessed to play in mid-March instead of the summer.

I paused to get a photo with the large metal Maryland flag in the woods on Hole #14. Shout out to my birth state!

Cons:

For a course called The Woodshed, there isn't as much woods as I imagined. About half the holes fit the definition of "wide open," though most of those holes offer significant elevation. After playing the demanding Holes #3 through #6 in the heaviest wooded section, the open fields might be a welcomed sight. However, a couple of the open holes are fairly non-descript and feel like filler holes that serve as a connection to a much more interesting hole.

Many of the holes featured a basket that you couldn't see from the teepad because the basket was so far away or it was obscured by the elevation and trees. There were several times on the most wooded holes when a drive or next shot felt like I was throwing in a general direction versus trying to hit a target.

Navigation wasn't always intuitive for me. The baskets are tough to spot in the woods, and my playing partner and I walked to the wrong teepad a couple times before remembering to consult the map provided by the host.

Other Thoughts:

Playing The Woodshed (and the Whippin' Post) is a worthy-of-storytelling, once-in-a-lifetime experience. The hospitality was pleasant, the mountain road to the middle of nowhere was noteworthy, and the mammoth course was memorable. These courses have been on my wish list for many years and I'm thankful for the kindness of the property owners to allow us to visit.

That said, this isn't a course I would choose to play frequently, even if I lived nearby. The Woodshed was demanding and tiresome, and the punishing wood holes combined with the occasional struggle to navigate the course took a bit of glimmer off the fun but not the awesome experience.
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25 0
wolfhaley
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 20.5 years 1165 played 745 reviews
4.50 star(s)

2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 30, 2020 Played the course:once

Pros:

I have wanted to play these two courses for years now. I didn't think I'd ever actually get to. I mean, why would I ever be by Paw Paw WV? Well I finally just decided to do it. And man was it worth it. These 2 courses instantly jumped into my personal top ten. Just stunning being able to play disc golf on this property. It's got that magical feeling that I've only felt at a couple places. Two other places to be exact. Highbridge Hills and Flip City.

The baskets are Mach 3's that aren't the newest or best baskets out there, but they caught fine. I had no issues with them. Many baskets have some type of flag mounted on the top of them to help spot them. Very helpful, especially in the woods. Some of the holes have multiple pin positions. Hole 1, 3, 6, 9, 10 and 18 from what I can tell by the map.

The tees are artificial turf. All are level, or at least level enough. A couple teeter on the edge of the hillside. These are built up with 4x4's to level out a spot on the edge of the hill. They got the job done. One tee per hole.

The signs are just laminated sheets with the par, hole #, distance, sponsor and the nickname of the hole. All tee signs were present. Nothing special.

The Woodshed has a solid mix of mostly open and Heavily wooded holes. Almost a 50/50 split it seems like. Water comes into play on holes 1 and 10 in the form of the pond. A creek runs through the property but probably isn't really an issue. It was bone dry on our visit. The wooded holes are tight,tight,tight. Hit your line or pay the price. And I can promise you won't always hit your line. So you better bring your scramble game. You're going to need it. There is quite a bit of elevation here. It's not overbearing but it's very present. You'll realize it on the open holes as you stare across the sprawling valley. Hell, you'll realize as soon as you pull into the lot.

The flow of the course is actually pretty easy to follow. I got a map from the owner before I started. It was helpful in a few places but I probably would've figured it out without it. Definitely doesn't hurt to have one though. The map on Udisc seems to be accurate as well. There was NOT an accurate map for Whippin' Post on there though.

$10 a day per person to play is an absolute bargain. Camping is available onsite for $5 per person per night. And they even have an ice machine in the clubhouse/barn.

The design of the course is very well done. With the front and back nine both ending near the barn and restrooms. The Woodshed plays on the western half of the property with Whippin' Post being on the eastern half. All types of shots will be needed if you want to scorw well here. Great mix of left, right and straight shots. Some holes require all 3 on the same hole.

The course was in great condition when we played. The grass on the open fairways was all mowed and the course was just all around beautiful. A number of benches are located throughout too. You'll need them, especially in the heat of the summer.

Cons:

I personally don't have much of anything for cons. But I will say that not everyone will or does like turf tees. They were dry when we played, but I can't speak on how they'd play if wet.

My main con was trying to spot the baskets in the woods. The Gray baskets do not stand out very well, so I had to do a little scouting ahead a few times. Nothing major but worth noting.

As other's, all the other's, have mentioned. The drive into here is sketchy. At least if you're not used driving on the side of a mountain. The road starts out paved and curvy. Then gets thinner and curvier. It then proceeds to turn to gravel, gets thinner and gets, somehow, even more snakelike. Very memorable to say the least.

Other Thoughts:

I was so excited to play these courses finally. They actually exceeded my expectations. The golf is great, but what's even better is your surroundings, the aura, the experience. I can't recommend this place highly enough. I would drive HOURS out of my way to play this. Easily. I already want to come back even though I live like 15 hours away. Put this one in your wishlist now. Destination worthy, must play course.
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23 0
BogeyNoMore
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 20.4 years 512 played 183 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Equal measures of pain and pleasure at the Woodshed 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 11, 2018 Played the course:once

Pros:

Spectacular combination of disc golf and scenery.

• Variety: Phenomenal - wonderful range of fairway types, shapes, and distances. Well-balanced in terms of wooded/open. Most holes present a few different lines from the tee, forcing you to choose your best strategy for getting from tee to basket and executing. Strikes a great balance between holes that require shot shaping, holes that favor big D, with a few that reward both.

• Elevation: Phenomenal - abundant and nicely employed in a variety of ways. A key factor in some way on most holes, but there were a few where it wasn't a big deal. Nonetheless, players that aren't fond of all sorts of elevation change should avoid this place (and the entire state of West Virginia for that matter).

• Challenge: Excellent - wonderfully challenging without feeling absurd. Some of the wooded holes are tight, but they all seemed quite executable and didn't have much of a plinko feel to them... FROM THE TEE! Miss the line on your tee shot and you can easily end up with a lie that leaves you wishing you had a "Get out of jail free" card, but that seems fair to me. Definitely punishing in a few spots, but each time it happened, I honestly felt like my shot deserved it. Execute off the tee, and the rest of the hole seems reasonably executable.

• Equipment: Good - nothing stellar, but good enough to be a non-issue. A good number of the tees are concrete, and the ones that aren't were fine. Baskets were in good shape, and there was decent signage at most (if not all) tees. Both courses were nicely maintained (which is really saying something, given the vastness and nature of this property).

FWIW - the signage looked like it might not last long, and for all I know, it may have been freshened up for a recent event. But it was in good condition and quite useful for my visit, and that's all I can say about it.

• Aesthetics: Best of the Best - You can't help but notice the views the minute you arrive. Beautiful Appalachian countryside featuring rolling hills, mature trees, and a winding creek. This place was already beautiful... then they added baskets! Does a wonderful job showcasing the property's natural attributes - you'd be hard pressed to find a better setting to get away from it all.

• Navigation/Flow: Very good - I played with a guide that knew their way around. While nothing struck me as difficult, first timers should print the map because a few transitions aren't super obvious. The two courses are nicely segregated, so there's really no overlap or confusion as far as that goes. I particularly like how Woodshed transitions from open to wooded a few times to avoid feeling repetitive. Like chapters in a book, the order holes occur in makes a difference in the total experience.

• Memorable Holes: Many. Starts with a great hole, finishes with a fun twist. Throws a bunch at you in between. Several of them will stick in your mind.

• The clubhouse is a great place to sit and eat lunch between rounds, tell stories and soak up the atmosphere with your friends.

Cons:

Really hard to find legit complaints on this course.
• Plan on some lengthy forays up fairways to spot baskets. This can be a drag on hilly courses (especially if it's your 2nd round)... but they're worth it.

• Pack a lunch, plenty of water, and anything else you need for a full day. There's no such thing as a quick trip to/from this place.

• More informational than a con: This ain't the place for beginners. I can picture beginners feeling overmatched and frustrated... possibly even moreso given the time and effort it takes to get here.

Other Thoughts:

Am I kinky if I enjoyed getting paddled at the Woodshed? This course could turn me into a masochist.

Both courses are truly wonderful, and thoroughly challenging. Personally, I prefer Woodshed to Whippin' Post. The holes seemed fairer off the tee and the transitions from open/woods/open provide a change of pace that helps keep it from feeling repetitive. Just my take - YMMV.

As has been mentioned before, this place is removed... from everything. Whether that's a pro or con all depends on your point of view, but it's a fact.

The drive in/out is anything but quick and easy... it's a genuine excursion, up/down and all around some road right out of a Dr. Suess book. I urge you not to plan on arriving or departing after sunset. Travelling that road at night could be dicey if you're not familiar.
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21 0
DiscGolfCraig
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 20.4 years 622 played 569 reviews
4.00 star(s)

I was taken behind the Woodshed, and I survived! 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jun 10, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

The Woodshed is an elite-level course. Sure, it's in the middle of nowhere, and it takes miles of winding, back roads to get there. But, oh man, is it worth the trip!
- As soon as I pulled onto the property, I could see this place is special. You immediately notice the large fields, hills, woods and two ponds. And in case you don't know where you are, you're greeted with a 'Welcome to Paw Paw' sign. The kicker, however, is the clubhouse in the barn. I'm sure plenty of post-round stories and drinks have been shared here.
- The course immediately starts off with a challenge. It's a 498-foot layout with a fairway that plays to the left of one pond and a basket that plays to the right of the second one. From there, it's a 484-foot, uphill shot on #2. Don't worry, it can't get any tougher.
- Oh wait. You're now in the woods. If your round is off to a slow start, there's no time to mope. This section of the course offers everything you'd expect from wooded holes. If you're accurate, you'll do ok. If not, you're at the mercy of tree Plinko to find out where your disc will stop. I had the mother of all fortunate bounces on #4. My disc was going to sail long and left, down the hill. Instead I hit a tree and end up with a 10-foot putt for a 3.
- There's a great mix of the wood and open holes. Just when you get sick of the woods, you can let out your frustrations, beginning on #7. This is a fun, wide-open, downhill par 3 approaching 600 feet. Two solid shots and a short putt later, I felt I earned my 3 here.
- The back 9 has more open holes in the field. On #17 & 18, the biggest obstacle might be your endurance after your rounds (or rounds, if you've already played Whippin' Post as well).
- #16 is a fun, shoot-the-gap hole in the woods. It's a slight dogleg left, 338-foot layout, with the road to the right. At the tee, you'll see a 'No Fishing from the Bridge' sign. You get to the basket, and there's a small foot bridge. A pleasant touch to an excellent hole.
- The course challenges all aspects of your game. Bad tee shots will kill your score, especially in the woods. You've got to make your putts, especially if you want to capitalize on solid tee and approach shots.
- The course also tests your patience and mental game. If you're not careful, you'll let one bad shot, or a bad hole, turn into multiple bad holes. More than almost any other course I've ever played, you must forget the prior hole - good or bad - as soon as you step on the next tee.

Cons:

The only thing that really was bothersome, for both courses, was the amount of blind tee shots. After a while, it gets tiring walking the fairways to find the basket. The course is already grueling enough. On multiple occasions, I ended up just taking my chances, throwing a mid-range disc 200 feet or so straight down the fairway, hoping it was a smart shot placement.
- The wooded holes are tight at times. It can be frustrating for sure.
- Its a given, but it's worth stating the obvious. These courses are in the middle of nowhere, so come prepared with drinks, food, sunscreen, bug spray, etc. Also, don't forget your money to pay or you can be the sucker driving the winding roads back into town.
- Watch your steps throughout the round as you're walking up and down hills. Also, be careful of roots, stumps, snakes and anything else that could put a damper on a round.

Other Thoughts:

Woodshed is a fantastic course. I've been wanting to play this course for years. It not only lived up to the hype, but it exceeded my expectations.
- Either one of these courses would be most region's signature course. Just think, the second-best course in Paw Paw, West Virginia (population 494) is probably better than the best course in your hometown.
- It was a pleasure meeting Spencer and hearing him talk about the course. This is clearly a passion-project for him. The thousands of hours of work he's put into the course over the past 15 years cannot be appreciated enough.
- As great as this course is, I feel it lacked a signature hole. I can make an argument that holes #1, 7, 9 or 10 were most memorable. Perhaps the fact the most memorable holes were all so early in the round might slightly hurt the course's reputation.
- Yes, there are two 18 hole courses here. I want to meet the person who came all the way here to only play one course and not the other. That said, it's hard to compare one course to the other when everyone is essentially playing one 36-hole loop.
- The course easily deserves its lofty rating. It's simply fantastic. Either one of these courses would be most region's signature course. The fact that they're on the same property is even better. Just think, the second-best course in Paw Paw, West Virginia (population 494) is probably better than the best course in your hometown.
- The Woodshed alone is worth the trip. Throw in Whippin' Post as well and this is a must-play destination for everyone in the region. I drove 6.5 hours, leaving Charlotte at 3:45 on a Saturday morning to get here. All told, I drove more than 900 miles, played other courses along I-81 just to get here. And, I'd do that again in a heartbeat.
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15 2
Hector Chain
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 16.4 years 222 played 191 reviews
3.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 8, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

The biggest pro here is the scenery and general atmosphere. Getting here requires driving through beautiful West Virginia countryside before entering the woods and driving a very hilly, narrow road that winds its way to the course. The course itself is hilly and partially wooded. The open sections have great views of the surrounding hills. On the day I was there, the fog was dipping in and out of the hills in an eerie but beautiful scene.

Several holes stuck out to me. Hole 1 is a fun downhill bomb that narrows to a tight fairway on a gentle hillside. A pond sits at the bottom of the slope, so any approach must be carefully executed. Hole 13 is another fun downhill shot that turns into a semi-wooded fairway on the upslope. Lots of ways to approach the basket and set up your second and third shot. Hole 9 is a big turnover (for RHBH) that needs to clear the tops of a few trees to make it all the way down the hill before climbing back up and then over to a tee on the other side. I wish I could have played this one again.

Cons:

Can we talk about design for a second? I have to say, I was not impressed. Other than the holes mentioned above, each hole was strictly open or strictly wooded, and in neither case was the result very fun. Holes 7, 8, 12, 17, and 18 were wide open bombers with nothing to negotiate but distance. The wooded holes were surprisingly tight. Like with a barely identifiable fairway. I got off course on hole 14 and finally saw the basket after three throws...which turned out to be the basket for 3. Great. Hole 4 had a turnover line with very little room to maneuver and no landing area at all. Hole 5 was an uphill drive that felt more "spray and pray" than realistic. After this, you walk back DOWN the hill to throw up the hill again. I don't think I've ever seen that before. Every wooded hole was long in addition to being tight. That combination rarely makes for a superior hole.

Tee pads were pretty poor. Whatever gravel was used looked more like sand with big footprint divots everywhere.

There were no tee signs. Navigation wasn't easy, and without the map I got, it would have been very tough.

Other Thoughts:

Of the 160+ courses I've played, this one played below my expectations more than any I can remember. It's too bad, as the landscape is right up my alley and the kind of place I'm prepared to enjoy. I'm very disappointed that I didn't get to play the Whippin Post (there was a tournament the day I arrived, and I had to play one round over their lunch break), especially given the stellar reviews from reviewers that I respect. I hope to be back.
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12 1
Qikly
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 12.3 years 181 played 150 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Embiggened, Embattled 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 6, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

The Woodshed comes in two basic flavors: long, more open holes with enough obstacles and elevation to test your control with distance drivers, and tight tight tightly wooded holes that require the utmost precision in finding and holding your line. There aren't as many intermediary holes between these two types as one might like, but they nevertheless provide a lot of shot variety between them. I teed off with virtually every disc in my bag here, and I carry a fully-stocked Simian. There's no repetition, and a great ebb and flow between open and wooded. Elevation takes all kinds of forms and really shines here.

Big arms will especially appreciate the more open holes. They're technicality embiggened: lots of engaging line shaping in the 350'-450'+ range. Mere mortals will still find a lot to appreciate - obstacles, elevation, and the intermittent water strongly emphasize placement no matter how far you throw - with the numerous wooded holes offsetting the open ones nicely. Guarded pins and rolling hills plus the few uses of the pond make for some sophisticated, scary approaches. In all it's a great balance of "let's see if I can surprise myself and hit this line" and "let's see how far this disc flies," with solid design, consistent challenge, and no gimmicks.

Great grooming, though still some nasty spots off fairway.

The Whippin' Post, the other 18 on site, is transcendent. You'll feel like a king having these two great courses virtually to yourself.

Cons:

The dichotomy between the two basic hole types mentioned holds too firm for my liking: some interplay between wooded and open sections on individual holes would tremendously add to the design IMHO. As is, the woods holes seem a bit basic to me: they're very much of the "hit this line or else" variety and usually stick to a single curve, with little room for creativity or risk/reward decision making. The woods holes are often simply a matter of survival, and getting kicked off the fairway and into the rough means you probably won't.

The emphasis on longer hole lengths threatens to get repetitive for shorter throwers: if you don't regularly hit 375'+ a lot of the holes are very tough 3s and pretty easy 4s. As a 350' thrower I enjoyed the course more than I expected on this front, but it's probably the course I've most wished for a longer arm on. The lack of am tees magnifies this drawback, though I'm not sure they're the solution for a course where D is so integral. This plus the general challenge level adds up to the Woodshed being one of the most beginner-unfriendly courses I've played.

We had serious problems navigating this course. The absence of many tee signs, common lack of next tee indications, and ability to see multiple baskets simultaneously led to a lot of frustration and some throws from the wrong tee or to the wrong pin, even with the map we were given upon arrival. This was amplified by how long the course was: it just added to the already-ample walking and the round's extended duration. In all I would say that the poor navigation definitely didn't ruin our round, but certainly dampened it at points.

The tees are serviceable gravel, but probably poor when wet. This is especially notable given the predominant longer hole lengths. Some nasty rough that can swallow your disc if you land unfortunately, although this was less of a factor than I'd feared going in by far. Ticks and other critters are especially common; this is the out-and-out sticks, y'all.

Other Thoughts:

The Woodshed did not shine to me as the Whippin' Post did, but it's certainly an awesome course. Just not as much nuance and next-level-ness as its companion, and a bit narrower of a target audience, too. Navigation frustrations also didn't help. But overall, my trip to Paw Paw rocked. The Whippin' Post and Woodshed combined for one of the most memorable disc golfing days I've had, right up there with Selah itself. I can't recommend visiting here highly enough.
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9 0
New013
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 14.3 years 179 played 120 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Take your Spankin' 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 11, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

Layout - - The Woodshed is a course of two extremes. It combines straight up bomber holes over giant rolling hills with extremely tight wooded holes. Multiple pads on some of the holes that give you an option of how you want to play it.

Right off the bat you get a sweet throw off a hill and a pin wedged between a pond and a treeline. You can throw at the pin but it's risky and that type of risk/reward is what you can expect on this course in the open. There are several huge throws that are mostly open but have the pin tucked in a woodline or around a corner that force you to throw big shots but we fairly accurate with where it's going. You can push the pin or you can play it safe. All the while on these holes you're dealing with huge elevation changes up down and across.

Now in the woods here you're in for a good deal of crazy tight and challenging shots. If you like to really be pushed on how accurate you can be while working a disc over shorter and sharper elevation changes while OB looms right off the fairway in some cases... well it's here, enjoy it if you can. I ended up throwing a lot of rollers and you'll need to be creative because you'll definitely end up off the fairway if you can even find the fairway.

The greens on the course are pretty well done in the open. As I said they found a way to put them in just the right place to make them challenging to reach while avoiding danger and in many cases they're on slopes so being on the wrong side can give you a death putt.

This course really is meant for people with huge D; if you have less than 400' of power you're not going to be able to reach a lot of the par 3's so you'll probably end up with some boring approaches. However for someone like myself I really enjoyed being pushed to air something out and be accurate.

Likewise the more open multi-shot holes are also well done in that your second shot is usually still a good enough distance and with enough obstacles or elevation to make it challenging.

Equipment - Baskets were in decent condition, didn't seem to have a problem catching. There are some hole maps on a few holes though they are fading. If you're lucky enough to catch the owner you'll get a map though come prepared with one just in case. The course isn't as hard to follow as I was led to believe but having the map really comes in handy when trying to figure out how the holes play.

Atmosphere - It's a private course on top of a mountain with open rolling hills, ponds and woods all in one. It's just awesome. The owner greeted us when we got there and gave us the rundown; just really seemed like they have put a ton of work in to this course and giving it the love it needs to shine. The mowing necessary to keep this course is up is quite insane and honestly I don't think the $5 they ask for is enough. I'd gladly pay more to play here again because it's worth it.

Cons:

Layout - The wooded holes here are just way to tight. It is what it is and I'm sure there's a reason for them to be that way as this is the original course and perhaps it was meant to be like that in the beginning... but they're just to tight. There are some that I didn't have a problem with but overall they're not what I call a fair challenge and some luck is involved. I threw a lot of FH rollers just to keep the disc skinny and have a better chance of getting as far up the fairway as possible. If they just took a few trees out and made those holes more accessible this course would be instantly much better.

Perhaps a few to many huge more open bomber holes, if they could of mixed in some shorter shots with more obstacles it would have more balance. It's just some of those holes aren't as exciting or good as the others.

Equipment - The crush and run pads are showing age; they're uneven in spots and beginning to be overgrown in others. I teed off from the grass when possible just to have more sure footing. The teesigns here are also showing age and didn't really give you a great idea of the hole when they were still readable or there. Again make sure you bring a map or use the one provided.

Atmosphere -- If long walks up big hills is a problem for you then this might not be the course for you. It's nothing overly strenous however it's not a cakewalk to walk around this monster. I don't see it as a con but something to think about before coming.



Other Thoughts:

This is one of the two courses at Paw Paw and in my opinion the lesser of the two. There's less overall balance and the wooded holes just aren't fair or all that fun considering.

Remember that this place is kind out of out there so bring whatever you need, it's not a short trip back to civilization.
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7 0
BigAl724
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 12.2 years 179 played 144 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Super Fun Course, Super Fun Place 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 6, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

The Woodshed and Whippin' Post put together one of the best possible days of disc golf out there and do a great job of balancing each other out. They are located on an awesome piece of property with rolling hills and dense woods that was made for disc golf. Far from anything else, you will most likely have this land all to yourself. While I didn't meet Gabbi when I was there, I had a very helpful phone conversation with her as she gave me precise directions for how to journey to their property. She was kind enough to have her son welcome us, give us a course map, and show us where each course began.

"Rustic" doesn't quite adequately describe the property, which offers bathrooms and a practice basket near the parking area. There are couches to relax on between rounds and they even set out jugs of water for us in the barn.

The Woodshed starts right in between the parking area and the barn and stays on that side of the property the entire time. It plays slightly shorter than its sister course (not that there is anything feminine about it) but actually felt longer to me with its many long, open holes. Elevation is pretty much a constant here with the rolling hills on holes 7-13 and the extreme sloping on holes 1-6 and 14-17. The course does a nice job in mixing up different pockets of hole types, as you go from open-wooded-open-wooded-open holes.

There is a great deal of risk/reward shots here which also adds to the course's ability to be replayed. Holes like 4 and 16 give you no choice but to try to hit the line, utilizing extreme slopes and road O.B. that bring unavoidable danger if you land off the fairway. These are similar looking holes, but I appreciate how one was a FH line and one was a BH line. Holes 1 and 10 do a great job of using each side of the pond and combine elevation and tight pin positions to put even the best-placed drives in some danger. Again, these holes initially appear to be similar, but were designed differently even while using the same section of property.

My favorite parts of the course were the two sections of wooded holes, 2-6 and 14-16. While some of these lines are borderline insane, I always felt that I was playing a fair hole that required more skill than luck. Even the very tightly wooded hole 6 had a specific line to the basket. The Gauntlet was easily one of the most memorable and hardest holes I have played, as well as hole 15.

The tee pads were in good shape, gave good support, and were free from any ingrown weeds or grass. Course maintenance was awesome for the most part: fairways were freshly mowed and discs were easy to find in the dense woods. All of the baskets have numbers on them, which helped some navigational problems.

Cons:

-Navigation was one of the biggest detractors for me here. I highly recommend using a map, as there are a few times when multiple baskets are in view from the tee and many tee signs are missing. Even with the course map, navigation can be tricky and is not nearly as intuitive as it is on Whippin' Post.
-Grooming was immaculate for a course this size, but there are a few spots that can suck your discs in pretty easily.
-For me to move up the rating any higher, I would've liked to have seen more holes that were multidimensional, combining different technical elements. Holes 2 and 13 are great examples of multistage holes, but I would've enjoyed more of these on this side of the property.
-I wouldn't want to make the trek to this course in the rain or snow, but even my low-riding Altima with worn-out tires was able to make it here fine. Getting here isn't an issue, but the steep, winding roads encourage careful navigation. As others have said, come prepared with food, water, and gas, as not much is around this area at all.

Other Thoughts:

The owners clearly love hosting these awesome courses and do their best to enhance your experience. Even though these courses gave me a severe beat down, I would come back in a heartbeat. The Woodshed was slightly below my expectations, but still had some of the most challenging and fun holes I've played with the wooded holes. Don't let my 4-disc rating stop you from coming here, as I think I would enjoy this course a little more if I had a bigger arm. Combined with the Whippin' Post, this makes for one of the most memorable days of disc golf imaginable. On our way back home, we saw a bear run across the road. This was Paw Paw's way of saying, "Yes, you were truly in the middle of nowhere. Yes, this is a one of a kind experience. And, yes, it was awesome!"
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7 4
JohtoVillage
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 24.6 years 160 played 74 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Scenic but need a guide! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:May 31, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

It was truly a unique experience to play this course. I will start with the drive to the course - WOW! If you thought Flip City or Chainbiters were off the beaten path think again. Getting to the course was almost as unique as playing the actual course. You had to travel down a winding path through the mountains and it was about 7 miles. Once you get to the property you can tell it was made for disc golf. Props to the owner for meeting me and describing the course and giving me a map. She was extremely nice and kind. This course truly had stunning beauty. Hole 1 was an incredible first shot that played nearly 500 feet with a pond to the left. The green is on a small sliver of land and the right offers a huge bailout area. Hole 10 was probably my favorite hole - its right in front of you for the taking. Its 389 feet and it takes all of that to carry the pond that guards the green. You can bailout to the left or you can try to go for the hole. Having multiple holes with water on the course truly ups the experience in my opinion. I love being able to air out drives and this course offered that opportunity. In particular, holes 7 through 13 really allowed you to air it out while still providing obstacles in the fairway. The variety on this course was truly there. There were some long and open holes and some incredibly tight holes. Hole 3, titled the Gauntlet, was truly one of the tightest holes over 500 feet that I have ever played. This hole, even though its only 534 feet, could easily be labeled a par 5. I threw three awesome shots and made to make a 30 footer for a 4. The course offered some nice elevation as well. Hole 2 had a large uphill drive and a couple of the back nine holes offered some downhill shots. Truly a great property that was seemingly made for disc golf!

Cons:

I truly would love to give this course a higher rating but unfortunately I had too many cons. The main issue with the course was navigation. For me, this was mitigated because two locals showed up and I played with them but it would have been tough to navigate without them. Also, the owner gave me a nice map (not the one listed on this site) that helped with some of the distances and some navigation. Unfortunately not all holes have tee signs so finding some of the boxes would have been difficult. It was also difficult to tell the distances on the map, so I was guessing on some distances. If you play this course I would recommend playing with a local and printing the distances from this site. The day I played the grass was a little long but the owner said they were mowing that afternoon. The baskets are beginning to show some age but caught ok. The tee pads were gravel and I imagine could get very slick. Finally, some of the holes were very tight. I am okay with tight but a few of the wooded holes felt very constricted.

Other Thoughts:

What an experience it was to play here. It was a really fun course with some truly awesome holes. I would highly recommend playing this course in a group or playing with locals because of navigation issues. Please keep in mind that I am rating this course a 3.5 which is considered very good. Also, the longer grass did cause some issues with losing discs. I unfortunately lost two discs the day I played and looked for another one for 20 minutes before finding it. The owner also warned me that the courses have had more snakes than usual because of some logging happening near their property. I would have loved to rate this course a 4.0 or better, but unfortunately the navigational issues are evident on the course.
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6 1
Kent18
Experience: 15.6 years 193 played 17 reviews
4.00 star(s)

A gem that needs some polish 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 19, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

This private course is one of two courses in a remote section of West Virginia. Breathtaking views. Lots of tee shots with fun elevation changes. Baskets in great condition. Good balance of wooded to open holes. Has water element, two ponds that come into play A huge "shed" with lots of disc golf nostalgia with a place close by to camp with most of all the amenities that go along; fire pit, clean out-houses. Has the fun factor along with the gorgeous landscape. Lots of holes require two great shots to save par. Really friendly and accommodating private owners.

Cons:

Tee signs are in bad condition. (Yes they have maps but still prefer tee signs) Tee pads could be spruced up with fresh fine gravel. There has to be something wrong with hole 3. We found the tee box and the basket just never seemed to locate the fairway? Decent number of downed trees on the wooded holes. Course flow would be tricky for first timers even with the map provided. Not that it's a con but not too may short holes here and along with that very few birdie chances.

Other Thoughts:

The Woodshed was my favorite of the two courses located on the property and probably plays slightly easier as well. You can tell this course has seen a lot of good times in its history and can't help but wonder if its glory days are gone now? The demands of running/maintaining one let alone two private courses of this size has to be a challenge. Without knowing the situation it would be great if the local disc golf club (if one exists) could have 1-2 work days to spruce this baby back up. The course is very playable as is but with fading tee signs lots of downed trees you can't help but to also hurt for this gem of a place of what it can still be. Its a 4 1/2 star course at least in barely 4 star shape right now. My friend and I camped on the property and had a great time. (Make sure you pay$!) Apparently later this year they plan to have a huge 20 year celebration tournament. I would gladly go up a half a star if tee signs, tee pads, fairways cleared of unfair debris and benches were attended too.
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16 0
sidewinder22
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 18.3 years 331 played 198 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Totally Friggin' AWESOME!!! 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:May 26, 2012 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

18 Championship caliber holes (36 really) on a private course with some of the most ideal terrain and scenic quality you can imagine to play on. The variety of open and wooded holes combined with the distance and elevation really test a player's mastery of skill through the air and mental toughness. There is rolling on elevation on most holes which always makes shots more interesting. There are big downhill and uphill bombs, as well as some long holes through the tight woods, and shots over and around the pond. Baskets are well placed with high risk and reward in most cases. Some huge flags on the baskets where they are blind from the huge elevation change. There were some tee signs.

The Woodshed features some of the best open holes I've ever played with it's huge rolling elevation, pond, and few trees coming into play. The wooded holes are some of the tightest holes I've ever played and definitely push the boundary of luck and your sanity. I love the way course plays to extremes and mixes things up. The Woodshed consists of two loops of 9 holes back to the parking lot.

The course is typically groomed like a 5 star ball golf course when I've played on Holiday weekends. There is tall grass off the fairways on the open holes, but the fairways are really generous like 50' wide, and there was little underbrush off the tighter fairways in the woods, so losing a disc is fairly hard unless it's a really bad shot or really unlucky.

Camping is available on site, so you can spend the weekend. Two very clean portapotties by the shed.

Cons:

There are cons to the course, but I don't really care about amenities when the golf is the best of the best. For the uninitiated first timer to the course, the number one issue is navigation. The signage is lacking here, but if you have a map it's not hard to figure out. The other issue people may have is with the natural/gravel tees, while not ideal, it's sufficient.

Don't know if it's con but this course maybe too much a beginner or intermediate player, it really wasn't designed as such. It was designed for the best of the best. With that in mind I know some local beginners that do play the course and do ok, but can get frustrated.

Other Thoughts:

For anyone traveling through Berkley Springs the experience begins with the drive to the course. It is simply breathtaking overlooking the valley of the mountains with the Potomac river below. The roads do get a little scary as you get closer to the course, but it also adds some thrill and anticipation. In some cases you may have to pull off to the side to let vehicles pass from the other direction. I would not want to drive here in the snow, it's scary enough in the dark or even daylight. If you are arriving from the west side of Paw Paw the drive is even scarier and not as scenic.

Upon arriving I put $20 in the can in the shed where the money to play and camp goes. I was only here to play both courses one day, but just looking at the property and work that has gone into here I felt obligated to pay more, and have payed more for some dinky courses comparatively. Gabby came out almost immediately to greet me with a smile and give me course map. This map is better than the ones on the website here. She also gave some quick pointers about the course and warned to watch for copperheads as one of her dogs was recently bitten. I know there are also bears, bobcats, and coyotes in the area.

Come here prepared not only as far as your golf game goes, but with enough water and food for your stay. There is hardly anything locally, and you really don't want to venture away for a few good reasons.

Spencer Thurman created The Woodshed to pay homage to the Boylan Christmas Tree Farm DGC which was one of the first epic North Carolina Blue Ridge Mountain courses that had par 4 and 5 holes and everyone was throwing lids. Since the Woodshed was also created when lids were the drivers, the pars on the course are a little inflated and created some tweeners, but this is truly the best disc golf experience I know of, and if you consider yourself a disc golfer this is an absolute must play and totally worth the journey from wherever, and I will hopefully be back sooner rather than later! What more can I say other than Paw Paw or as some call it Wap Wap is totally friggin' AWESOME!!!
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1 8
dschley
Experience: 14.4 years 29 played 3 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Well worth braving the treacherous road in 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 13, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

Simply amazing! It's all there! I can't wait to play whippin post we ran out of time.

Cons:

None worth mentioning.

Other Thoughts:

Thanks to the owner for their work maintaining such a long private course your efforts are much appreciated.
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13 0
culinarywiz
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 36.2 years 316 played 67 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Paw Paw rocks! 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 5, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

Fantastic natural beauty. The terrain rolls throughout a large West Virginia landscape that includes awesome vista views from hilltops to hikes through wooded trails with ravines and moss covered stones to clear ponds and a wild assortment of foliage. One of the reasons I took the trip here was to experience this beauty. This place exceeded my expectations. Truly fantastic.

Another reason for playing was the renowned reputation of the elite challenge this course represents. Again, this course exceeded expectations. Not only was it incredibly challenging, it was more fair than I expected. Tales of the "Gauntlet" and the long wooded holes had me skeptical because I've never been a fan of convoluted fairways. Yes, there are stretches of very long and very tight holes, but I was able to find lines consistently. Tight lines...but DEFINED lines. Thats all I ask for. These technical holes are complimented with a host of absolutely gorgeous open holes. Distance is your biggest obstacle. Wind will likely play a role here as well. Some of the pins are on sloped greens making fades and skips a factor.

The elevation is top shelf. There are several 400+ ft. drives from vistas that allow you to maximize distance and watch your disc sail for days. This elevation is relevant on pretty much every hole. In woods, you are not just dealing with density but upshots and slopes as well.

This course flows well. It pours you in and out of the woods all round long. You finish the front nine back near the barn. Always a fan of seperating the front and back nine at a central starting point.

Character. Vibe. Fun factor. Call it what you want, but this place "feels" great. I'm calling it the Paw Paw factor. It will last long after your gone.

Cons:

Slim pickin's here. To find flaws I have to reach toward signage. The signage is old and tatered, when present. Plenty of the signs have been swept away with weather.

Some of the woodwork (bridges, benches...etc) are also showing age. Frankly, all the man made components are quite worn.

Other Thoughts:

As soon as I pulled in, Gabby came out with her 2 dogs and greeted me with a smile. She provided a map and gave a detailed descrption of the course and the current settings. This was very much appreciated. Her yellow lab actually joined me on several holes through the round. Good stuff.

It should be noted, that even though I stand by the nice flow of this course, there are times multiple pins are in view. You will definitely need the map to ensure you are aiming at the proper pin.

All in all, I found this place exhilarating. It was extremely demanding yet giving at the same time. I read the reviews of everyone making it out to be a negative that this course was "in the middle of nowhere". That is one of the things I liked best about it. I drove over 12 hours, roundtrip, just to play...and it was well worth it. This is absolutely a destination course. I will be back.

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3 6
The otto
Experience: 8 played 8 reviews
4.50 star(s)

One of the Best 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jun 9, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

This course has everything. Elevation change, beautiful scenery, amazing variety of shots and tons of risk-reward. This is a course that will test you mentally and physically. I have played all over the country, and I can name the courses on one hand (Warwick maybe) that would compare to the level of difficulty and experience that is disc golf at the Woodshed and it's counterpart, the Whippin Post. Camping is available on site but I strongly recommend calling ahead to ensure availability.

Cons:

Not much around, so you need to plan ahead - bring coolers with food and water. These courses can be a harsh reality, so be mentally prepared!

Other Thoughts:

This course is worth the travel no matter where you are coming from.
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2 12
tehrain
Experience: 24.4 years 12 played 10 reviews
5.00 star(s)

This course is a dream 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 30, 2011 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Great big, privately run and groomed course. Plenty of challenge on this course, and beauty to match it. It's in the middle of nowhere but well worth the road trip.

Cons:

Middle of nowhere... but wait, that's good!

Other Thoughts:

Literally, this course is a dream. Put it on your wishlist.
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25 1
discRabbit
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 25.4 years 1329 played 136 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Paw Paw 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 13, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

The Paw Paw courses in rural West Virginia are without a doubt one of the top disc golf destinations in the US. Not only is the disc golf fantastic but beautiful scenery and wildlife abounds.

Both courses, Woodshed and Whippin' Post have extreme variety in the types of shots, both off the tee, and off the fairway. If you haven't thrown a sidearm, flick roller, tomahawk, etc. during your round, you probably weren't paying attention because you likely were in a position where 'X' shot could have saved you a stroke. This course will expose any weakness in your game, skillwise and especially mentally.

Do you have confidence in all of your shots? Can you make them under adverse conditions (footing, intimidating lines)?

How do you deal with a bad kick? Can you shake it, can you recover from it even under pressure?!?

The course also demands that you 'learn it' rather than just play it. Many of the holes have subtle scoring differences that aren't immediatly apparent upon first glance. A hole that may appear to be a tight hyzer might in fact yield better scoring to a turnover sidearm. Some landing zones might be in unexpected places requiring several rounds to figure out or careful study of the hole. Some might say that this creates a bit of "home-boy" bias, but putting in a few rounds of work to figure out the course is well worth the time. I'd recommend to play with a player who knows it and you will get an idea of where to attack and where to be conservative. The usual knock on this course is that it is all "luck" because of the tight fairways but you will find players who can consistently shred this course. Luck? I would argue that they put in the work, developed the skills, and mindset to succeed where others lose patience.

While I prefer the consistency of Whippin' Post to the Woodshed, you'll find better variety of holes on Woodshed along with a few of the most creative ones such as "Circles".

CIRCLES!!!
One of the most dangerous holes in the course, Circles is a (relatively) short 319ft, tight turnover across a sidehill which drops to an OB road. Off the tee, you have a multitude of options, although none are easy or safe. The hyperaggressive turnover driver route may yield a birdie or easy par but shots that are off the mark are nearly always punished with a skip and drop OB. A little safer yet, players can toss a putter or short sidearm around the tight corner to assure the chance for a 3 or 4. After the pitch though, you'll still be looking at an intimidating approach through a tight window which absolutely cannot hyzer out (RHBH). Finally, if you are really sweating it off the tee or need to protect a good round you can go safari through the woods with a vertical tomahawk. This route pretty much concedes the 4 but avoids the pitfalls and stress of the fairway. Play for positive distance with this route, hitting the largest windows through dense trees and worry about approaching the basket on shot 3.

Certainly one of the most intimidating holes I've ever played - It is not uncommon to see two or three consecutive OB penalties on this hole and scores frequently range from the rare 2 to 10 and beyond!

Cons:

With new disc technology, a couple of the field holes are beginning (only beginning) to show a little bit of give. The open par 4's, while still requiring great shots, are becoming more routine birdies.

Tee signs/tee pads also might be a cool improvement, but at the same time, might detract from some of the natural beauty of the course.

Other Thoughts:

As other reviewers have stated, these courses really should be experienced at some point during a disc golfers career.

The owners are some of the best folks you'll ever meet, they have put and continue to devote a big piece of their lives to Paw Paw, so feel free to kick in an extra few $$$ if you appreciate the course!
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17 0
swatso
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 16.3 years 776 played 417 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Classic West Virginia 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 18, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

The setting is idyllic - a large, sloping, V-shaped open space with two small ponds and a smattering of large trees scattered along and across the fields. Thicker woods on the edges define the property boundary, and the combination of the two provides the raw resources for a course that offers a blend of both openness and tightness, while mixing in elevation changes. Owner Gabi was quite friendly as she came out to meet us with a map, explain the current basket configuration, and forewarn us of potential navigation issues. Red arrows on some trees to aid in navigation. Two port-a-johns on site. Another 18=hole course at same location.

Cons:

In mid-September, plenty of bugs - gnats in the open, mosquitoes in the woods, and chiggers near the barn. Natural tee locations are a bit short and rough, but within character for the course. Tee signs are well-battered, like a DX disc that has interacted with too many trees. At least thirty minutes from any sign of civilization, and about an hour from the nearest interstates (I70 and I81), so come prepared, because food/petrol/other options are NOT nearby

Other Thoughts:

Two 9=hole loops, both beginning with throws towards a pond, then the first loop taking you in a clockwise direction, while the second is primarily counterclockwise. A map is a necessity for a first-time/infrequent visitor, as some holes (1, 3, 6, 9, 10, 18) have multiple pin positions, and the most visible basket may not be the one you should be playing towards - the day we played, basket-9 was the most-visible from tee-1, and when playing #3, we saw basket-15 before we saw basket-3.

Approximately 2/3rds of the holes are primarily open, with obstacles (trees, pond, barn) somewhat guarding the basket positions. These open holes are plenty long, and have lots of elevation change. Other than right-turning #4, the wooded holes have a bit of a left-turn bias, and are not quite as long as the open holes. Favourite holes: 1, 9, and 13 are all long and go down the slope, providing you plenty of time to enjoy the flight of your disc, and the pond and/or trees in the background. Least favourite hole: Number-3 is about 500', densely wooded in its entirety, and I never could discern much of a path to the basket.

The length, pond, and tightness of some of the wooded holes makes this course inappropriate for beginners, low-level intermediates, and those who can't tolerate a few very challenging wooded holes. If you like your courses long, rough-n-tough, and away from it all, certainly make the trip to play both courses at this location.
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19 78
Redneck Machismo
Experience: 131 played 23 reviews
0.00 star(s)

Unbelievable 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 19, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

None that I am aware of.

Cons:

This course contains some of the worst holes I have ever seen. The "gauntlet" is not a "hole" at all but just a basket and and a poorly placed tee pad in the woods. There is no line and certainly no fairway. Sadly there are several more holes very similar to this one. How anyone could think these holes are good is just beyond me? Not only are they bad and not fair but they aren't fun either. Furthering the misery, the open holes are not well done either. On top of all this the course is in completely the middle of no where. When you think that you just can't go any further the road becomes gravel. Over all this course really is just horrible.

Other Thoughts:

If the course wasn't abysmal enough as I was leaving yet another insult was in store for me. I could never figure out where to pay my $5 for the "pain" of "playing" this "course." I rambled around in the dilapidated barn by hole one forever trying to figure out where to pay to no avail. Finally I gave up and just left. The next thing I know I was being chased down in a car by the owner who apparently was spying on me as I got done with my round. Yes you read that right I WAS INVOLVED IN A CAR CHASE WITH THE OWNER. It was a scene right out of Deliverance. I was scared for my life and was forced to block the road to stop an oncoming car for my safety and to get this lunatic away from me. Play this course at your own risk.
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19 1
jkdisc
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 16.1 years 117 played 110 reviews
4.50 star(s)

2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Aug 2, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

The Woodshed is very challenging and fun. The $5 it costs to play is very much worth it. The property owners are great people.

Course Pros:
-long open shots and tightly wooded shots
-great use of land and elevation
-risk/reward including 2 water hazards
-beautiful mountain scenery
-well maintained
-flags on the baskets help with locating and reading wind direction
-secluded and peaceful
-the woodshed doubles as a comfortable clubhouse

Camping Pros:
-5$ per person is a bargain
-soft ground for sleeping and walking barefoot
-firepit
I saw more stars in the sky than I have ever seen before. It was amazing and I must have seen half a dozen shooting stars.

Cons:

The road in is narrow and it seems like there cannot be a disc golf course back there. As stated previously, it is far from most places but I do recommend camping there. You do get 2 first class courses when you play the Whipping Post right next door.

-beginners may get frustrated
-tee signs aren't very good (bring a map and you will be fine)
-some overlap but it isn't too busy anyhow

Other Thoughts:

My favorite hole was #1, nearly 500ft down a hill with a pond waiting for you near the basket. The pictures don't show how much foliage actually grows in.
Paw Paw is worth the trek. Bring your food, drinks, and camping gear!
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