Roseburg, OR

Whistler's Bend - Old Layout

4.545(based on 52 reviews)
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1 11
Dieno
Experience: 32 played 16 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Nice Signs 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 11, 2011 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

haven't played here since '08 .... love the new tee signs and tee pads ...... real nice improvements ..... just so spectacular to play ... thanks to all who keep this jewel primed and ready to play

Cons:

a little confused on 4 hole ..... sign doesn't reflect what's happening out there .... maybe a new google map would be approriate to show hole locations, something that can be printed and taken with you. I imagine because of the calibre of the course many come from around the world to play it and a new map may help those taking it on.
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8 2
bthoma1
Experience: 17.4 years 46 played 16 reviews
4.50 star(s)

a little bit of everything 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 16, 2011 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Whistler's Bend is a great course. It will challenge your arm as well as your moral.
There is great scenary and I could only imagine playing it in the summer time.
There is camping on site
Bathrooms and showers
Trash cans throughout the course.
Many different shots from doglegs left ad right to shots straight down and up hills.
A few shots have the placement pretty close to the river, giving it a great risk/reward factor.
are you gonna lay up or go for it baby?

Cons:

only a few tee signs. I could see this being a problem for your first few times here.
long walks, which don't bother me because I am playing Disc Golf, but some people might be annoyed by this

Other Thoughts:

All in all Whisters is a great disc golf course.
It is a pro level course, as it is not easy and requires a lot of skill.
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3 9
Discbear
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 24.8 years 1579 played 25 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Whistlers Bend Roseberg Oregon 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:May 17, 2010 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

For disc golfers this place is hallowed ground. The scenery is great. It borders the beautiful N.fork of the Umpqua River which makes for a great dip after a hot summer round. There are on site restrooms with showers. There is on site camping. This is the only course that I have seen a great horned owl on,and up close. There are bald eagles and deer and who knows what else. It's a special place even before you put a disc in your hands. As you progress through the round you will find it to be the Field of Dreams. The tee pads are great. The tee signs are great.The elevation shots are fun. There are beautiful forested holes, some really long ones, a few ace opportunities, a spectacular Top of the World shot on #14, and #9 is a daredevil hole. You could try for an ace but a little too far and your in the river. It is a destination course and well worth the effort to get there. I've never seen many people here except for tournaments. It's nice to have great drinking water at the parking area. The variety of holes is very appealing as well.

Cons:

It is too far from my house so I can't play it near as often as I like. There is no con about the course in my opinion.

Other Thoughts:

If in Oregon, play this course.
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14 38
Apothecary
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 27.4 years 66 played 36 reviews
2.50 star(s)

It Ain't All That 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 13, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

Scenic. Good mix of open bombs, short technical and long technical holes.

A few tee signs.

Cons:

Only 5 (often inaccurate and misleading) tee signs. Safety issues on the long downhill bomb...I bet a lot of cars get wacked while driving by in the summertime. Poison oak,

Other Thoughts:

This was a cool course. A good mix of hole design. Something for everyone. A few birdie opportunities for throwers to salivate over. Tons of roller holes. I love me some rollers.

The course is all over the place though. Piss-poor course flow has golfers hiking a ways to the next tee (sans tee sign).
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18 3
JR Stengele
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 24.5 years 255 played 191 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Whistler's Bend 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Aug 2, 2010 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Established in 1991, Whistler's Bend is an 18 hole disc golf course nestled along the mountainside 30 minutes east from downtown Roseburg. With the Umpqua River located in the background of many of the holes, this course is stunning and makes for one truly unforgettable round. Throughout the entire round, wildlife can be seen, whether it be by land, water, or sky. Along with the wildlife, the remoteness of the course allows for thick vegetation in the backdrop as well as throughout the course, especially the front nine holes.

The first nine holes were tightly wooded, with elevation changes, narrow windows, and guarded pin placements. Much of the challenge on the front nine was based off accuracy, not power. As the Valkyrie Kid mentioned in his review, hole # 3 had one of the better pin placements on the entire course. It is not until hole nine where the course really opens up. However, due to the placement of the pin along the edge of the cliff, long drives will find themselves sinking to the bottom of the Umpqua River. It is quite a rush trying to park a hole that has such a high risk, high reward.

The back nine holes are much more open, with more extreme elevation, and larger windows. Because of this, errant drives don't get punished nearly as bad...nearly. Fortunately, clever pin placements add to the challenge, rewarding accurate approach shots and putts. As many others have stated, hole #14 or "Top of the World" is well worth the wait. It is quite beautiful, and allows you to get a complete view of the area. By the time hole 18 is finished, you are back to the parking lot and hole one.

The course is in great shape, with cement tee pads at every hole (some even have two) that are grippy and in good shape. A few could be longer, but for the most part they worked great. The baskets are all Mach III's, have the inner chains, and catch well. The holes have multiple pin placements, are well balanced (lefty vs. righty), fair, and provide plenty of challenge for all skill levels. Because the course is located right next to a campground, there are multiple restrooms, showers, and an area to fill up water. The camping spots give a wonderful view of the river, are spacious, and provide a bbq, garbage can, and fire pit.

Cons:

As others have stated, navigation can be an issue for first timers. It gets especially confusing on the back nine. Printing off a map is highly recommended. Once played however, navigating the course is quite easy. The issue is tee signs are nonexistent and the ones they do have are few and far between. Hopefully new tee signs will be installed to help solve this issue, as it would make the course look more polished.

Although this is not a con, I wasn't sure why there were only a few holes with duel tee pads. Why have them at all if there are only a few...literally. They didn't add much of a difference with the exception of the lower tee on hole #14.

Last, that fact that there weren't any par 4's or par 5's. Although it didn't detract from the overall challenge or beauty, it would have been nice to have seen a few considering how much land was available.

Other Thoughts:

Whistler's Bend is easily one of the best courses I have played in Oregon, definately top 5 in the state! I traveled from Seattle this summer with a few friends, one who came from California, because of how much hype it has gotten over the years. I wanted to have the opportunity to play some of the best courses that the state of Oregon had to offer and Whistler's Bend didn't disappoint. I added Dexter and Adair to my trip, which made for quite the experience. Although it was quite a drive, it was well worth the trip!

NOTE: Whistler's Bend is located within 2 hours of Oregon's only National Park, Crater Lake. If you have the time I highly recommend it. It is truly breathtaking!
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3 10
ricochetpdx
Experience: 35.4 years 29 played 1 reviews
4.50 star(s)

3 Days of Bliss 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 12, 2010 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

The top of the World is a simply amazing hole to play! The drive out to the park is beautiful, and the weather could not have been better 80 plus all 3 days. Challenging course with a good variety of shots. Campground is right next to the river so you hear the river all night. Glorious!

Cons:

None really, other than the smell of the toilets when it get really hot.
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3 7
demongund
Experience: 14.8 years 15 played 5 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Very Scenic 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 15, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

* Unbelievably beautiful views of the Umpqua river.
* The first 9 holes are very technical through trees while the back 9 offer huge, open, shots.
* Hole 14 is ludicrously fun! The Top of the World hole is definitely worth checking out!

Cons:

* Signs were good up until 12, at which point you're supposed to walk a few hundred feet and cross a road to get to the next tee. After that the confusion was minimal.
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3 7
Andrew332
Experience: 9 played 3 reviews
4.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 15, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

Course contains wooded first nine and wide open fields on back nine. Clean. Gorgeous area. Plays along Umpqua River.

Cons:

Missing signage. Had problems finding holes on 12 and 17.

Other Thoughts:

I played this last Thursday on a visit to Southern Oregon. As a novice player I found hole 14 a lot of fun and challenging, Its a great course and for someone who is learning the basics the course offers shorter holes with shots thru trees then long drives in open fields. Well worth the visit. The other skilled players on the course were very nice. Awesome. Try it!
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11 2
JHern
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 17.3 years 82 played 50 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Nice place, fun course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 27, 2010 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Given the number of times I'd driven up and down I-5 in Oregon, and hadn't stopped to play this course, I was eager to see what all the fuss is about on a road trip down from Portland to California. Stopping here meant that I wouldn't arrive home until 3AM, but it was definitely worth it.

The first thing that struck as I drove in is the natural beauty of the setting. It is really a fantastic location to plant a disc golf course. Good mix of semi-mature trees and open spaces, mixed with nice topography and the river, which meanders around the course and cradles it while it whispers at you with its rush of water.

The next thing that struck me was the mixture/variety of holes. There was a lot of interesting ways the designer(s) found for routes through some of the more dense trees, and their use of the open spaces was a lot of fun. This course covered a lot of shots, and will build important skills for anyone who plays it often enough.

When one gets out of the woods and into the open, 2 excellent gut check holes await. The first plays slightly down hill about 400', but with the river canyon on the right. There are windows along the cliff through which an overly turned-over disc will pass and good luck ever retrieving your disc again! Then there is another shortly after that plays dowhill about 300' with the river canyon/cliff just behind the basket position, with the basket itself planted on very loose soil making a fast green (caution: watch your step around this hole! I lost my footing twice there.).

There are some really fun long holes in the back 9, some of them very challenging. There is a big downhill hole that plays from 2 tee pads (I didn't notice any significant difference in challenge or distance between the two pads; wind was a much bigger factor that day).

Cons:

The course is not nearly as challenging as I had expected. I'm a par player on most challenging courses, but at this course I scored 5 deuces on the first 8 holes without feeling like I had played the holes particularly well, or any better than I play other courses back home. This course is too easy. Perhaps the other pin positions could be a tad more challenging, but from where I saw the alternates located I don't think it would have been very different.

There is nice signage as you begin the course on hole 1, but these soon disappear as you continue into the round and get deeper into the course. In the back 9 the course is poorly marked and very difficult to follow the first time you play it. Find a local to guide you and tell you where the tough transitions are, or else you'll end up walking around an awful lot.

Other Thoughts:

Excellent course, but for me it wasn't phenomenal or best-of-the-best. I was slightly disappointed given the hype about it here at DGCR. Poor signage and low level of challenge are problems this course would need to overcome to bump itself into higher categories in my judgment. Other than that, it is a very fun course, and everyone who plays here will have a lot of fun.

The big downhill hole (14) is fun, but not nearly as epic as some of the reviews make it seem. (E.g., I wish they would move the basket further away.) It is fun, but not as great or in the same league as many others I have played at Horning's hideout (e.g., Meadow Ridge #8), Delaveaga #27, New Hogan Dam #17, Toney's Mountain #4, Zephyr Cove (several epic downhills), Snow Bowl (and multiple other ski run courses), etc.. Folks, if you like this hole, play some of these other courses, and you'll be very happy, indeed!

Notes of caution for those traveling to the course: The road to the course from I-5 killed the windshield of my car. There was a funny sign that said "watch for flying rocks" and it is no joke! Watch out for trucks. Watch out for speed traps as well, the speed limit on that road is excruciatingly slow, but that's what makes it prime pickings for traffic cops.
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22 2
The Valkyrie Kid
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 46.4 years 1562 played 1507 reviews
5.00 star(s)

My Jessica Alba Course! 2+ years drive by

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

Pros:

Whistler's Bend is Jessica Alba's face, Megan Fox's body, Angelina Jolie's lips, Farrah Fawcett's hair, Josh Groben's voice, Jerry Rice's hands, Mike Tyson's stare, your favorite Baskin and Robbins ice cream flavor, the Sistene Chapel, Paris in the spring and your faithful dog, along with your favorite bar all combined into one glorious central Oregon disc golf destination. It's the Rolls Royce of Northwest Disc Golf. From the drive heading to the park, your senses go on overload with the anticipation of the course and sheer beauty of the area. I don't know if there can be a more perfect physical setting for a course.
The course is so well designed. The holes that are not epic or masterpieces are simply wonderful, well designed, incredibly beautiful and enjoyable. The pads, signs, maintenance and cleanliness of the course are all a tribute to the local disc golf community.
Everyone raves about # 14, Whistler's most famous "Top Of The World." I've thrown DeLeaveaga's famous "Top Of The World" 18th hole and this is higher and so much more picturesque.

While # 14 is the signature hole here, # 3 was definitly my own personal favorite. It's about 260'-275' drive downhill through a 40' wide gap to a basket just waiting to be aced. You gotta be able to keep it straight.

Cons:

My cons all seem so petty to me. I agree the first teepad on # 14 could be a bit longer without the dropoff at the end. It is a ways from civilization, stores, etc. And I'll agree about the lack of signage on the back nine. I don't know what happened here. The signs are excellent on the front nine.

Other Thoughts:

I sound like a broken record when I keep harping on same thing, which is Oregon's wealth of 5 star rated courses. As much as I loved Pier Park, Mil McIver, Horning's Hideout and Dexter, Whistler's Bend stands in a class of it's own. But really, that's like having your choice between Jessica Alba, Jessica Biel, Megan Fox and the Sports Illustrated swimsuit models, can you really go wrong!
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3 12
nonono
Experience: 5 played 5 reviews
5.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Apr 3, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

first couple of holes are shorter and more fun than the long ones cuz i can get a par or 2. its near the river so there is good views on the top of the big hill for the throw down. i think you can camp near if you like that

Cons:

its really hard and windy and its a long way from the city so you cant goo here all the time. its hard to find and to find your way around too so ask someone the way to go

Other Thoughts:

if you go to roseburg its a good course but its too far to drive in one day
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9 2
Bikinimower
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 22.2 years 174 played 67 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Wow 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 3, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

Great Great mix of shots.
Hole 14
Beautiful
You can tell a lot of pride goes into this course, Well taken care of.
Challenging but not frustrating
The river is amazing and comes into play a few times
Met lots of friendly people

Cons:

The only problem I could find was that the Top of World Shot on hole 14 had a short Tee Pad with a huge drop off. Wish it could have been more friendly for a run up. But to be fair there is Pro Tee Pad nearby that I didn't know about at the time, it was probably better suited for a running start

Other Thoughts:

This course has it all. Every type of shot could you hope for, Long, Short, Open, Wooded, Elevation changes, Scenery, and a great view of the river. It comes into play a few times but not in a you gotta throw over it kind of way but more of a if you over throw the Disc Catcher your screwed kind of way.

Number 14 was one the best holes I've ever played. Some of the views out there are unforgettable

The people I met out there were really friendly and the Park itself was well thought out taken care of. The only reason it doesn't get a 5 is because it falls just a little short of Flip City, but it comes as close as you can get. Definitely one of the best ever and I would recommend it for a road trip.
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15 3
humchris85
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 19.4 years 143 played 78 reviews
4.50 star(s)

This could be the best course ever... 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 25, 2009 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

-Challenging long holes, that felt like they tested the limits of control and power
-The sceinery is amazing, with beutifull views of the Umpqua river on allmost all sides, mountains surounding it, and wildlife abounding.
-This course uses the land it was given in beutifull ways, there is an uphill more challenging than any I have ever thrown, only to be rewarded with a downhill that makes Top of the World at DeLa, seem like childsplay.
-There are lefts, rights, and straight shots evenly spread between the course.
-Good mix of medows and woods
-Risk / Reward shots that play close to the river
-Friendly locals
-Never felt rushed by other people on the course, nor ever held back.
-Camping on site
-Restrooms / Showers
-Water
-Swiming in the river
-All nice concrete teepads
-It's only about a 4 1/2 - 5 hour drive from home
-Easy to find my way around, even when I didn't have a guide.

Cons:

-Some of the holes in the back 9 felt too open and long, just not as exciteing as the holes on the front.
-Signs are getting old and falling apart in some places. The signs are also missing the multiple pin placementes on most holes, which can be quite a bit longer.
-A little far from town, but it keeps the course more for the people that want to realy golf.
-Some poison oak

Other Thoughts:

*When I played the baskets were all in their long positions, due to a tourny that had happened recently. Hole 2 was in an alternate for hole 3*
This is one of the best courses I have ever played. The challenge is unmatched in most places I have ever been, without being imposible. The holes in the front start out with more tightly wooded holes that weave through the woods. In the back it opens up quite a bit, and the last few holes fell a little bit repetitive with long straight throws over open fields to a basket tucked up in the woods.
The things realy holding this course back from a 5 are it's lack of accurate signs, and maby a little more variety in the end of the course. Even with that though, I would recomend this course to anyone who wants a challenging, but rewarding round of disc golf, that will most likely kick your @$%, but leave you wanting more. It's only about a 30-40 minute drive from the I-5, so it would make an excelent stop off for someone traveling either to or from CA, and a great destination course for anyone looking for a disc golf vacation.
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12 3
forehandfranz
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 32.4 years 226 played 128 reviews
4.50 star(s)

One Of My Top Five Favorites! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jul 22, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

One of the most scenic places you will ever play disc golf! The course begins its way into large oak trees then into a forest of large old firs (I've seen owls here). The 3rd hole is the first signature hole - a short 260' drive from a slight elevated perch down to an ace-worthy pin nestled down at the end of a 50' wide fairway. After winding through the woods the course busts out to a section of oaks and grassy field along the bend of the mighty Umpqua River. The second "signature" is hole # 9 - downhill about 300', the basket sits on a cliffs edge with the river about 80' below; beautiful and treacherous! The terrain is similar until you get to 14, then you are "Top of the World" and launching your entire bag at a pin that is 600' long from a hill that's about 100' high! True beauty lies in the fact that you will seemingly have to this place to yourself - it's rarely crowded, and away from the world.

The signs have been replaced and are very nice and help you with hole lengths and pin positions!

Cons:

This is minor - but holes #16 and #18 are almost identical in their makeup - long, open and pins are set into some protected trees. Having these two holes so close together is rather obvious. They are also the least exciting of all holes unless you like wide open bombers.

It's so damn far away from most of the world (see pros) - 30 mins. out of Roseburg, OR (it's right on 1-5, but it is also quite away from most of the world!)

Other Thoughts:

The camping here is truly outstanding, and they have a couple of yurts for rent on site too. Since it's so far away for some - I recommend staying here for at least one night and making a weekend out of it.
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5 6
thrownow
Experience: 49.8 years 9 played 7 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Bend in the River - Disc Golf Adventure! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jul 25, 2009 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

A beautiful piece of land at this bend in the Umpqua River. Rent a Yurt or camp by the river and play a great course. Then jump in the river and float down to the campground. The course has good variety; open holes - some with good length, a nice wooded section that comes out to a couple of scary placements above the river (go downstream for the easy trail down). You will need your whole bag to solve the puzzle of which flight is best on the BIG downhill - #14.

Cons:

It was hot there - but foolish to whine with the river right there! Wish it was closer to Corvallis - so I could play it when I visit there.

Other Thoughts:

This is a Destination Adventure Disc Golf course. You can plan a disc golf vacation just to play this course and not be disappointed. Please note that I place a premium on natural beauty in my reviews - this course locale is the most beautiful that I have encountered.
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13 3
Thomashasfun
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 22.8 years 496 played 494 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Excellence 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Aug 14, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

Whistler's Bend is a beautiful park in the remote foothills out in the middle of nowhere in Roseburg. The first six holes were my favorite, they were wooded tee shots that were all less than 300 feet or so. After that the holes really open up and become much longer. Hole fourteen is an amazing 600 foot downhill bomb into an open field area, not many courses have a hole or holes like this one unless it is a mountain course and this is better because there is little chance to lose it from here unless you really throw one offline so feel free to empty your bag as long as you are willing to go and get them all. The scenery is excellent and this is well worth the drive from anywhere to play here.

Cons:

OK hole number nine has issues. I like risk versus reward but I don't like throwing away plastic and if you do anything but lay up the disc is off the cliff and into the river below, this is not only a horrible pin placement but a huge safety hazard. The first six holes are short and the last three or four holes are long, open and boring.

Other Thoughts:

I would say this is not the place to take the kids or the family out to play on as this course is build for the advanced to pro level players. If you don't like hikes or losing discs I would say skip holes seven,nine,thirteen and fourteen. You can camp right at the course and there is another eighteen hole course twenty minutes away so this is a great place to plan a road trip like I did. Also the wind is a killer, I'm not sure if you consider this a pro or a con but even in the dense wooded portion of the course the wind was blowing freely.
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7 9
oregon disc
Experience: 37 played 1 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Amazing 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 7, 2008 Played the course:once

Pros:

The course layout was fantastic (i was here last fall), very challenging, and incredibly capivating views. Top of the World, was one of the most fun holes ever!!! 12-15 second hang-time on a disc (we video recorded a few drives)!!

Cons:

It's a bit of a drive (unless you live close to roseburg).. if you go, it's best to camp or at least play two rounds.. bring lunch, there is no vending within miles and miles..

Other Thoughts:

I wish this course was my local course..
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17 4
mike shoys
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 18.2 years 25 played 25 reviews
4.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jun 30, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

-location. this course is set on a pristine piece of land by the river. The course starts in the forest and ends with some big meadow shots.
-course progression was awesome. first 10 holes play mostly through the trees, while the last 8 are mostly 400+ meadow shots with a couple smaller trees to negotiate.
-restrooms, water, camping, swimming. all the positives that come with a course being in a well-cared-for park. (free parking)
-every shot needed. i have an inconsistent forehand, but a few times i had no other choice.
-this course DEMANDS great accuracy and distance for a good round.
-watching the disc sail, sail, and sail off top of the world.
-nice tee boxes and baskets all the way through
-often more than one route you can take off the drive.

Cons:

-layout confusion after 11. All of the previous holes have well-worn paths or signage leading to the next tee, but after hole 11 the paths disappear and most tee boxes are a good distance from the previous basket. Seems like the flow could be improved a bit. No crossing fairways though.
-lack of signage or course maps (unless i just missed them)

Other Thoughts:

- as previously mentioned, the pics don't do this course justice at all... and the pics are beautiful...
-i couldn't believe i was the only person there enjoying this course (weekday mid-day) I felt over privileged for sure.
-this is the type of park i'd still come to hang out at if it didn't have a course.
-my inner DGer is so happy right now. This course is worth a long trip to play. The on site campgrounds make it even better for out of towners.
-this course gets a 4.5 because the only improvement i can think of is signage and extended walks to tees, and a bit of redundancy later in the round. It could easily be reconfigured into a 5 by making you play a couple of the meadow holes earlier in the round, then return to the woods.
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12 7
BullBurner
Experience: 17.4 years 9 played 3 reviews
5.00 star(s)

...Wow. Speachless. 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 12, 2008 Played the course:once

Pros:

What can I say that hasn't already been said? Out of this world beauty wrapped by an angellic bow that is the Umpqua River. This course makes me proud to be an Oregonian :D

The course is a nice mix of short technical holes and long open ones. Yes, there are a lot of the open ones in succession on the back 9 but I like it.

I believe it is hole #14, the "On top of the world" hole......holy crap. Now THAT'S an awesome hole. You know, when I played this course I had no idea that it was rated so high (I didn't even know about this site until yesterday) but I had a feeling that Whistler's was 1 version of Disc Golfing Nirvana.

Cons:

None. But if you don't like 90+ degree weather I wouldn't go in the middle of the summer. Try Spring or fall.

Other Thoughts:

The pics of this course on the site just don't do this course ANY justice at all. It is just absolutely jaw dropping to experience Whistler's and I consider myself very fortunate to be only 1 hour away from this amazing course.
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24 2
Adam Schneider
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 22.6 years 126 played 22 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Probably the best in Oregon 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 10, 2009 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

- Best scenery of any year-round Oregon course
- First 9 holes are fantastic
- Most of the course is challenging but not impossible, even for non-pros
- Elevation is a huge factor
- Good mix of lengths & openness
- Easy to navigate
- Well-maintained

Cons:

- Back 9 has too many long, similar holes
- A bit far away from stores, restaurants, etc.
- Some poison oak

Other Thoughts:

Whistler's Bend may be the best disc golf course in Oregon. It's a long drive from most population centers, but with camping on-site, it can be a weekend destination. It's also an easy detour for those heading up or down I-5. The scenery is beautiful at any time of year; the park is nestled in a steep valley along a horseshoe-shaped bend in the rocky Umpqua River, so that you're surrounded on almost all sides by the beautiful blue-green water. (The river only comes into play on a few holes, however.)

Holes #1-#6 and #8 are in pretty heavy woods, with numerous doglegs both left and right, and a couple of uphill & downhill shots as well. #7 requires you to navigate a long corridor of oak trees, with the basket dangerously close to the river. #9 is an amazing signature hole: a grassy downhill slope, bordered by shrubs and trees on either side, with the basket in plain view but just a few feet in front of a 30-foot cliff that drops down to the water. If you go over the cliff, there's a rocky shelf that might catch your disc, but it's not an easy shot back up.

The massive downhill shot on the famous hole #14 (600' out and 120' down) is fun, but seldom mentioned is the tough uphill low-ceiling shot on #13 that gets you there. Both are unlike anything else in Oregon.

My only complaint about Whistler's Bend, apart from its remoteness, is that most of the holes in the back nine are very long and don't have many obstacles (and a surprising number of them require you to shoot at a basket you can't see, just down a gentle hill or over a small rise). Out of #11, #12, #15, #16, and #18, the shortest hole is about 350'. I don't have a huge arm, and I don't find these types of holes as much fun, especially with so many of them in quick succession. That's the only thing keeping my rating from being a full 5 stars.

The good news is that while the back nine may be long and (in my opinion) a little boring, you're unlikely to lose a disc there, and those long open holes are pretty predictable -- by which I mean they're more skill than luck, and a solid shot isn't going to get deflected off course by a capricious tree. I think even beginning disc golfers could enjoy a round at Whistler's Bend.
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