Billings, MT

Diamond X - Original

4.065(based on 33 reviews)
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24 0
wolfhaley
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 19.9 years 970 played 542 reviews
4.00 star(s)

2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 13, 2021 Played the course:once

Pros:

Diamond X is a course that I've been wanting to play for awhile now. Never actually thought I'd get the chance, but I finally did this year, and it was absolutely worth the wait. Pulling into the parking lot gives you butterflies in your stomach. It's like Christmas morning for a course bagger like myself.

The baskets are all Diascatchers. All with the yellow bands which definitely help with spotting them along the cliffsides and amongst the pines that line much of the course. These are all older but all catch fine. No complaints on these.

The tee pads are natural. There are numerous alternate pads mixed around on different holes, but I'd be hard pressed to tell you how many and on what holes they'd be for. Not the greatest, but all were pretty level and worked fine for my shorter run up.

There are a few tee signs scattered around, but not at every hole. These are pretty basic. A hole number and a distance. Better than nothing, but lots were missing. Numerous next tee arrows which is always helpful. Though I was told that many were recently vandalized and stolen. Unfortunate, but not the courses fault.

The shots required here are numerous. dead straight, left to right, right to left, uphill, downhill. You name it, it's probably here. There are lots of holes, probably about a third of the 27 that we played, that basically play along the side of a cliff to one side or the other. Hell, there was one where the basket was out on a penninsula with cliffs on both sides and deep. The pucker factor is real here.

The natural beauty here is the number one pro. There are great views from all over the place out here. With it being such a rugged course too, you're likely to not see too many other people out there. Very quiet and serene place to play a round at.

The course is permanent and free to play which is always a bonus. Plenty large parking area with Port o potties by the south end of the lot.

There's apparently a nine hole tone pole loop, but it sounds like it not really maintained anymore. There's more than enough golf to be had on the other 27 holes though. It's also nice that you can play this in a few different combinations of loops, which I would almost assuredly do the majority of the time if I was a local.

Very friendly and awesome local course guides too. Shout out to Brentjacobs and Throwbot for playing the sherpa role. Never would've figured it out without their help.

Cons:

As has been mentioned multiple times over already, this course is a HIKE. Literally it's about 2/3's hike and 1/3 playing discs. There even feels like some free climbing in spots. Not a con per se, but this course can't be played by everyone. You need to be in solid shape or better to make it a full round out here. Be sure to bring lots of water. You'll need lots of it out here.

The course is very tricky to navigate for first timers. Even if you were to use the maps on Udisc it'd be extremely difficult. Highly recommend having someone guide you through the first time you play here.

The tee pads being natural may be a con for many. I personally didn't have any issues, but many have rocks scattered around, some are on the narrower or shorter side etc. Worth noting.

Lots of prickly plants to be found here. Many treacherous uphill and downhill climbs with ample opportunities to lose a disc or 5. Especially on the cliffside holes. Highly recommend wearing sturdy shoes and long pants, or at least higher socks to protect your legs.


Other Thoughts:

This course instantly jumped into my top 10 today after playing it. Top 5 even probably. It's just such an epic, ass kicker of a course. This is a must play kind of course for any serious players that are in the area. I drove over 15 hours to play here as the focal point of this road trip. I lived up to all the hype I've heard about it over the years. Exceeded it even.

I wanted to give this course a 4.5 so bad, but there's just a few too many things holding it back from that as far as amenities. I try to rate everything I do subjectively, and I think I did here. But this is a 5 star course in my mind. It's one of those courses that you will remember forever. And that's priceless.
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20 0
soft focus
Experience: 23.8 years 82 played 4 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Incredible 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 10, 2021 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

- The land that the course is designed on
- The types of shots required
- The elevation changes
- The variety
- The Danger in throwing a poor shot
- The excitement as soon as you pull in to the lot
- The way your thoughts and attention are magnified
- I literally love everything about this place

Cons:

You get tired playing here, but who cares..... you just got to play here.

Other Thoughts:

Diamond X is a video game course brought to life. Reviewers complaining about navigation and tee signs need to understand how fortunate they are to have the opportunity to play here. Mostly first timers, or poor golfers who aren't built for the challenge. If you are not a good golfer who can make the disc go left and right, up hill and down hill, this place will chew you up. That doesn't make the course bad, it magnifies your golfing weaknesses. I understand that this place isn't for everyone, but if you like to be pressed, stressed, challenged (mentally and physically), you will love this course. Navigation is tough..... the first time. There are markers for next tees. One time through and it's easy. The hardest thing is resisting the temptation to throw multiple shots. How could anyone complain about either hole 18? (Blue/black). They are incredible. Simply incredible. If you wrote a bad review for this course, I give you a bad review. Your taste is poor. If you like adventure and extreme environments, get out to Diamond X. It's worth a plane ticket in my opinion. Unmatched!
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32 0
brentjacobs
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 22.6 years 641 played 59 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Diamond X - My first true love 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Nov 7, 2020 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-26 DISCatcher baskets in decent repair and level mounting. You'll find a myriad generations of the timeless yellow banded basket as these were fundraised for, donated, and/or purchased at varying times over the course's existence. All are double chained but none are the new 28 Pros. An additional 9 PVC tones exist on the White 9 however lack of play has left this track a bit hairy and last I checked #8 was missing.
-All holes have mostly level natural tees, many with an alternate tee box. Mostly packed out dirt with a few that tee from sandstone. Certainly not the best but I've played worse. The alternates are newer and offer anywhere from rather neat unique 2nd looks to just basic change it up looks.
-A mix of tee signs cover the main 27 holes. Mostly basic with hole number and distance but likely improved over what many previous reviewers have experienced as they're a more recent addition. More than anything, they'll help ya find the tee.
-Improved navigation. Local volunteers have been hard at in recent months. All holes now have tee signs and next tee arrows(for main and alt tees). I'd still always recommend a guide but between the new signage and well mapped UDisc layouts, the X is more playable for travelers than ever before.
-Terrain and elevation. The course plays around the rolling prairie and gullies below, up the side of the cliffs and and eventually on top of a large sandstone bluff that is the glorious piece of land known as Phipps Park. Not all holes have drastic elevation change but most have noticeable elevation change in play or scary elevation change if you miss your intended landing zone. This challenges a number of facets of players' games from basics shot requirements and thoughtful approaches to the green to some of the scariest risk-reward options I've experienced on a golf course. Some of the greens are insanely diabolical and touchy.
-Available trees were used pretty well. It's certainly not a heavily wooded course and over the years many trees have fallen to where lines are far more forgiving. So while elevation and placement are the main challenges, the trees will require shot shaping on a number of holes.
-Good mix of hole distances for upper-intermediate to advanced players.
- Re-play variety. After playing the Red Front 9 you end up equally close to both the Black and Blue Back 9s allowing you to choose your own adventure. Looping 27 together is also fairly easy with a little extra jaunt(see UDisc 27 hole lauout). Add in the White Front 9(really get a guide if you want to hit this) and alternate tees that have been added all around the course and you can mix and match for days.
-This course has the "WOW" factor. Whether you're just looking at the massive bluff you're about to tackle, throwing at a basket that's mounted 12' off the ground on the edge of a cliff ledge, playing a fairway where half of it drops 60'+ off a cliff or teeing from one the 2 signature Hole 18's off a multi hundred foot cliff to the bottom of the valley, you're going to want to stop and soak it in. Clear days offer gorgeous views of the surrounding areas including the epic Beartooth Mountains. For a course that can turn mostly tan with dead grass and sandstone, this place can be absolutely breathtaking.
-Free to play.

Cons:

-This course is ROUGH and RUGGED. Don't come to the X expecting anything near a normal disc golf experience. The course and entire park are covered only in natural grasses, cacti, yucca(super sharp and stabby), dirt, and sandstone.
-Not beginner friendly. Tough distances and too easy to lose discs if you don't have fairly consistent control.
-Lack of vegetation maintenance. Fairways and surroundings can get rather overgrown in the summer, particularly the front(Red and White) 9s. Very rainfall dependent on how wild this gets. As this is city property outside of the city limits, the parks and Rec department has taken a rather "let it be natural" stance. A few holes occasionally get trimmed by loving volunteers but not something to count on.
-Natural tees, while rather serviceable, are still natural. Not good when wet and a few can get a bit rutted between maintenance sessions.
-More open than I'd prefer for great golf. Used to be better before massive wind blow downs but so it has gone.
-Signage and navigational aids are quite basic. As mentioned, signs really only have hole number and distance. This can be bothersome for first timers as spotting some baskets can be tricky and there are a few blind holes. Again, I always recommend a guide. Way better than in the past but nothing near top tier infrastructure at many great courses.
-The course will be viewed by many as more of a hike than a disc golf round. Decent little walk from the parking lot to hole 1/practice basket and few decent treks between holes. Personal take - unless it's in mid-summer heat or somebody isn't in good shape, it's not that strenuous. Really, the front 9s are mellow outside the few holes that get you to the top. The top is mellow unless you make errant throws(off the top). So the hike for a few holes up and the hike down from 18 are challenges here.
-Safety is certainly a concern. The hillsides and cliff edges can be rough and crumbly. There are opportunities to severely hurt or kill yourself. A couple tees are quite near large drop offs. Paying attention to where you're walking is key to avoiding slips and falls as well stepping on or too near a snake(there are rattlers and bulls out there).
-Phipps Park is open all year however the course is mostly unplayable if there's snow.

Other Thoughts:

Reviewing Diamond X has always felt weird to me and this turned out as long as I was afraid of. I grew up in Billings and this was the course where I truly cut my disc golf teeth. I had just begun writing reviews when I left town and didn't feel I had the perspective to offer a fair assessment of a course so near to my heart. 350+ courses later, it still holds a huge place in my heart so here we are...

I think anyone who's played here can understand why reviews vary from elated to offended. To me, the park is such an amazing piece of land and I couldn't feel more fortunate having played the various iterations of the X. The golf challenge isn't the greatest from a traditional standpoint. But really, nothing about the course is traditional and the actual golf certainly isn't a walk in the park. Tourney players will likely say it's unfair terrain or too gimmicky with all the cliffs, hillsides, and precarious greens. Novices will struggle with distance and losing discs. Folks in poor shape will curse the rugged terrain and most modest of amenities. Traveling players like me will revel in the uniqueness in both beauty and various hole designs that you won't see elsewhere. Who doesn't want to walk up to Hole 18 for a 700' bomb off of a 150' cliff face?

I don't think I could justify the 4/5 for any certain 18 hole track here. But when considering the entirety of what Diamond X offers, "Excellent" seems most appropriate. If you're up for it, find a local guide, pack your bright discs, lace up the hiking boots, and get after one of the most magically unique places to throw frisbees. With the greater Billings area also offering 4 9ers and 1 18er(none great but all easy, quick spins), course baggers should consider the Yellowstone Valley as a prime stop with Diamond X being the crown jewel.
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6 14
astomps
Experience: 12.6 years 76 played 42 reviews
2.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 5, 2020 Played the course:once

Pros:

+ first 7 holes are pretty good and fun. not hard to navigate, tee signs are present for most

Cons:

-"designed" in 1997 and looks like it hasn't been touched since
- the holes up the side of the cliff are incredibly dangerous. Who is this course designed for? It's unplayable for children, older folks, anyone overweight, afraid of heights, etc.
-seems like back 9 is just designed as a way to get to hole 18, which is one of the dumbest things I've ever encountered on a disc golf course. A rock, not a pad for run up, of which you throw from the top of a 300ft+ cliff, down to a valley about 300 ft out, might as well be a blind shot that could go anywhere and hit someone below
-borderline unplayable in wind
-scavenger hunt navigation
-after you play 18, you have to scale down the side of this cliff, which is not a nice way to finish a round

Other Thoughts:

this isn't really a disc golf course; it's a gimmick with some baskets that badly needs a re-design and some renovations. The first 7 holes show some promise, and it just gets worse from there. It really does feel like a place where someone could die.
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8 0
takman
Experience: 22.4 years 122 played 25 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Beutifully frustrating! 2+ years

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

Pros:

-Breathtaking scenery and totally unique layout
-Short and long layout depending on your skill and time constraints
-Ultimate physical and mental challenge
-Chance to tie for the longest ace ever

Cons:

-Hard to navigate without a local
-Tees were less than desirable on the holes that I played
-Very little shade during most of the day, but that's X

Other Thoughts:

Another Mecca course for me after seeing photos over the years. played about 2/3 of the short tees but could only dream about the longs for now. Feels more like a nature hike than a round, would like to spend all weekend there on my next trip out west.
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12 2
Upshawt1979
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 20.8 years 548 played 429 reviews
4.00 star(s)

A Diamond You Can Dig 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 26, 2018 Played the course:once

Pros:

What an amazing place for playing disc golf. Diamond X is located in Phipps Park, around an incredible rocky bluff that provides an excellent hiking area that is really beautiful. There are extreme elevation changes, and rolling hills covered with tall grass and scattered trees. Rocky boulders and wild basket locations will also be in play.

The tee signs on the red portion of the course were ok, indicating the hole number and distance. The tees are dirt, and were not muddy or slick at the time. I liked the pin placements relative to the tees, almost all of them having some elevation difference, and usually tricky lies when you get near the basket.

The easier red portion covers the bottom part of the course, using the hills, and lower edges of the ridge. Holes 1 and 2 are kind of in a ravine, with fun drives that are reachable for birdies. Holes 4 and 5 run along the bottom of the ridge with downhill looks that are fun. 5 is fairly short. 6 is a longer hole, over a low area, with a pin on top of the other side. There are trees that make the approach a little more difficult. Hole 8 is once again running along the side of the ridge, and the target has little room for error. Steep slopes can cause nasty roll aways, and rocks and trees block the lane.

Cons:

I was not familiar with the layout, and could have used some help finding the tee for hole 9, even with a map. More baskets were visible atop the mesa, and I am sure I didn't get to play some of the best holes. The climb to the top looked potentially dangerous for my dog (he is getting older), and I didn't want to waste time searching for the path with rain moving towards us.

The tees are not perfect, and the signs could be better. I will overlook this usually, but a little directional help or a guide could have let us get to play more of the course possibly. If the older reviews are still accurate, half of the 36 holes have tone poles. I have never played a course featuring these targets, but it seems like they might not be as satisfying as a normal basket.

There is a lot of potential to lose discs here, with all of the tall rough, and cracks and crevices in among the rocks and boulders. Not great for a new player.

Cell phone service could be poor to non existent (mine was anyway).

Other Thoughts:

Diamond X was the first course on day two of my road trip. I didn't get to play every hole, but saw enough of the course to know there are some very cool holes. I camped in Harden, packing up my gear as the rain began to fall. I drove through constant rain to Billings. The weather was behind me when I got to town and the course was in decent shape.

I was really enjoying the course, but the rocky transition between hole 8 and 9 was hard to find, and my big old dog didn't really have the rock climbing skills to make it up the bluff. I wanted to continue, but poor weather and a very long drive across Montana were still in front of me. I chose to cut the round short, with hopes I will be able to return one day and finish it off.

The limited parts I played were very good, and the parts I didn't get to looked incredible. Bring good shoes for hiking, and find a guide if possible. On a nice day this would be a great place to be. If I had played the entire course, I might be tempted to give it a 4.5, but no lower than 4.
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11 0
Mtn Huckin
Experience: 30.6 years 226 played 17 reviews
4.00 star(s)

One of a kind Mountain Excellence 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 8, 2017 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

All 5 of the 9 hole layouts are super cool!
It is truly a one of a kind experience. The only thing close to it is Base Camp on the Colorado river outside Moab.
This is consequential risk/reward disc golf at its finest.
Tunnels, Cliffs, Steep uphill and downhill shots.
Pins bolted to the sides of rock faces and greens placed on 275' cliff edges are just a couple of the things that make this place AMAZING.
It truly is a mountain golfers dream!

Cons:

Rattlesnakes in the warmer months.

Tees are natural and not great and navigation is challenging.
I state this only as a observation. Ask yourself if you would want to chisel out tees from solid rock and/or drag concrete around.

It is a TRUE mountain golf experience and once you have been around the layouts, navigation is simple and straight forward.

Other Thoughts:

The X is notorious and deservedly so.
It is a bucket list destination that any serious course bagger MUST have checked off on their list.

GO. Your perception of disc golf will never be the same.

The Black (lower left) layout which is the OG layout has been taken out due to the cliff face falling down and destroying holes 2 and 3. The city has made the call to remove it for safety reasons. Quite a bummer as it was easily my favorite of the 9 hole layouts.
A White layout was put in for Spring Fling (annual event) in 2017 but was temporary and promptly removed.
Its not quite as great as it once was without Black but still an absolutely amazing place to huck plastic.
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8 1
Stvnmjones
Experience: 1 played 1 reviews
3.50 star(s)

So much potential 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 4, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

Elevation change. Challenging. Scenery

Cons:

Poorly marked. Not maintained.

Other Thoughts:

I was anxious to play this course ever since I knew I was going to Montana, even driving out of my way to get there. When I got there I noticed the local map posted was different than the DGCR map, with the DGCR being the better of the two. As a newcomer to this course, I came with no prejudgment, but hoping to have a blast playing.
Even with using the DGCR map, it was EXTREMELY difficult to navigate my way around the park (I started playing the red side).
The tee boxes are all dirt and only marked by small flags (same size used to mark gas/water lines).
Each of the baskets has a small arrow pointing in the general direction of the next tee box, but the park isn't well maintained and the tee boxes aren't easily identifiable (by hole number or general location).
I spent an excessive amount of time to go from hole-to-hole. I actually was only able to play about 12-123 holes because the others I couldn't find the tee box.
This course has the scenery and the challenge to be a top notch course but because it is poorly marked, I felt it was a little less superb.
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11 0
SpencerK
Experience: 6 played 6 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Something special 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 13, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

If you haven't experienced a lot of elevation change, get ready for a party. I've played quite a bit of mountain style golf, and Diamond X still stands out among the rest. If you count it as 2 18 hole courses, hole 18 on both sides have 272' and 350'+ of elevation drop from tee to basket on the final hole. Incredible shots.

Well done effort to be challenging, but still have enough fun holes built in to keep everyone involved. Definitely not a beginner course, but anyone with a little experience is going to have a good time here, not just reserved for the big arms.

Lots of hole variation. Some interesting short technical shots, some big hyzers, some turnovers of forehand holes, holes throwing off the cliffs, holes throwing to the cliffs, up the cliffs, around the cliffs, and some great use of risk/reward line options on different holes.

What sets Diamond X apart from the rest and really makes it something special is how they used the rimrock that the course is built on. After playing close to 70 courses, I have never found anything like it. Absolutely something special, and any fans of disc golf will not regret making the stop if you're ever close by.

Cons:

Very rugged terrain. You will be going up and down lots of hills, over rocks, and a couple of times I actually had to take my bag off in order to feel completely safe climbing up or down part of the terrain. Not exactly a bad thing, but you are going to get a workout in, so come prepared for that.

On several holes it would be extremely easy to lose a disc. On the huge shots off the cliff, its not uncommon for your disc to be 300-400' off the line if you get a bad tee shot, which can lead to losing them, or just having to do a lot of walking to pick everything up. There are also several holes that play very close to the edges at the top of the rimrock, and if you miss you line or get a bad roll, your disc may end up at the bottom while you're still at the top. It's really just something that is going to happen when you play a course this extreme, there's not much that can be done to avoid it, and I wouldn't change the holes at all to make it safer, but come prepared.

There are a lot of cacti. Not giant cacti, but little cacti all over the grounds that hide in the grass and have no problem going through tennis shoes. There aren't a lot in the fairways, but it's pretty easy (especially on the cliff shots) to end up wandering around and step on some, so boots are probably a good plan.

Some of the holes in the bottom part of the valley, before you get up top, can feel a little boring or repetitive due to a lack of obstacles, but all in all they did a very good job with the space.

Other Thoughts:

Some holes had to be removed last year due to landslides, and have not been permanently replaced yet. I believe that they will now be adding par 4's and maybe a par 5, but nothing is set in stone. The map linked here will be out of date soon, but I'm excited to see how the local club does with replacing the retired holes.

All in all this course is a little rugged, doesn't have the greatest tee signs or perfect grooming, but it's an incredibly special course that you will not regret checking out. It is the only course of it's kind that I have ever heard of, and stands alone as some of the most extreme disc golf I have ever played. Not for the faint of heart, but if you are ready, it's a course you will never forget.
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30 0
markmcc
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 11.9 years 278 played 254 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Now I know what "Very Hilly" looks like! 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 17, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

This course is located on an exceptional piece of land. The topography and elevation really make it special.

This course takes full advantage of a tall circular bluff by running holes up, down and along the steep face. The first six holes (I played the Red Tees) start off in the "bowl" below the bluff, but still offer significant elevation changes. Not much in the way of trees down here, but the holes are challenging.

Starting at Hole 7 you go up the bluff, and start encountering more trees. The terrain is very rugged, and you need to closely watch where your discs land or you may not find them.

Depending on which holes you play at the top, you'll either be up on mostly flat ground, or playing holes which drive across canyons to baskets perched on the other side. There are a couple of amazing basket placements on the left (east) side.

The final Hole on each side is an epic drive from the top of the bluff to the basket below. Watch where it goes, because it will take you a while to get down there!

Teepads are natural, but were surprising good. For the most part they were flat and even.

I played just a few days after a weekend B-tier tournament and many of the additional signs and flags leading to the next tees were still in place, so navigation wasn't bad.

Cons:

This course will work you physically. If you are not in shape it will beat you up. My wife finally gave up and went back to the truck at Hole 8.

The permanent signs are very small and mounted low to the ground. I was able to take advantage of additional taller signs left over from a weekend tournament. Without those signs I would have been hard pressed to locate several of the tees.

Other Thoughts:

I would generally rate a course down for dirt tee pads, poor signage, and difficult navigation, but this one is so special based on the terrain and basket placements that I didn't use my normal criteria.

Wear boots, take water, and a spotter would be useful on a few of the holes. This would be an easy course to lose a disc or two on.

Arranging to play with a local might save you some looking around.
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9 3
Masonian
Experience: 7 played 7 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Badass course! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 20, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

This course is stunning and has a lot of diversity in holes. It starts behind the rimrocks and climbs all the way to the top of the rim with a sweeping view of Billings. Then it quickly works its way down the rim culminating in a 720ft 18th hole that can be birdied or maybe even aced. This course combines disc golf, hiking and rock scrambling through beautiful cowboy country.

Cons:

I played alone with the downloadable map, but still couldn't find 2 of the tees. This is because many of the tee markers are small and only rise a few inches off the ground even if the grass is tall or boulders surround it. Need poles instead of these little tee markers. The wind was relentless on top of the rimrocks, with hundred foot cliffs on either side of you, so I actually chickened out on one of the holes. Many of the holes cross seas of boulders so your discs will probably take a pounding.

Other Thoughts:

This is one of those courses you will never forget!
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5 6
windsurf17
Experience: 15 played 10 reviews
4.00 star(s)

A Rough Little Diamond 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 30, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

Fun, diamond-in-the-rough course. Some tees were hard to find, but the course is beautiful, rugged, playing in a bowl with some small sandstone cliffs. Fantastic place to play. Some great holes off the hill, some with drop-offs, around trees. One of the tee boxes is a big slab of rock. Fun course. Watch where the discs go, though, if there is tall grass they can be hard to find.

Cons:

You'd have to be pretty picky to find a con beyond the difficulty finding some of the tee boxes and baskets. I had a printed map which helped. Part of the problem is that it's just a rugged course with lots of rocks and shrubs that can make it hard to find the next tee or basket.
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13 4
warmastar
Experience: 12.7 years 9 played 5 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Phipp's Park 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 12, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

*Hole layout is amazing
*Challenging drives (hyzer & anhyzer)
*Beautiful scenery
*Unique experience
*Great information on each tee as where the hole is in distance / height

Cons:

:*Map was impossible to read due to age / dirt
*Even with the greatly informed signs on the tees it was hard to find the next tee
*Not a lot of shade
*Not a relax course (you will want water)
*No garbage cans or facilities
*The name of the course is deceiving. It's in Phipp's Park, so why not call it Phipp's Park?

Other Thoughts:

You will want to save around 3 hours if it is your first time playing this. Finding the holes and the hike to each hole / tee is going to take about this long for an 18 hole game. We only had about an hour and a half to play and got tired of looking for the tees after hole 9. If I lived in the area I would make this a common trip once I learned all the hole positions but wouldn't suggest this to anyone wanting to sneak a game in between other vacation events.
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9 18
toucan2306
Experience: 13.6 years 52 played 7 reviews
2.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 25, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

-What great scenery
-Unique shots you will never see anywhere else.
-Signs are very detailed to where the hole is compared to the tee.

Cons:

-It can take upwards of 20 minutes to find the next tee.
-The map is not correct at the entrance of the course.
-No tee pads

Other Thoughts:

My wife and I only made it through 12 holes on this course before marking it off our list as a waste. We walked around looking for tees more than we actually were able to play disc golf. The map being incorrect was frustrating and the signs were near impossible to see when put on the ground. The concept was fantastic and the holes were very well placed. I wish they could just put it all together and make it a great course.
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15 1
BalataGrande
Experience: 12.7 years 10 played 4 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Extreme!! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 2, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

1-Views......this is a breathtaking course with unbelievable views. My phone died after about 5 holes so I didn't get near the photos I wanted.
2-Physical challenge......this course is like mountain climbing meets disc golf. It is a great workout and requires some cautious planning to reach your disc for the next throw.
3-Elevation change.....extreme elevation changes makes shotmaking a blast, even on "flat" holes, there's the fear of a shot going errant and falling off a 300 foot ridge!!

Cons:

The only con I have is it was difficult to know where the next hole is. When you could follow the path, it was easy, when you got into the rocks, I ended up lost, wandering around looking for any teebox.

Other Thoughts:

This was a great experience for me, I had a great time but this is NOT a course for a beginner, or an out of shape moderate player!! It was extremely windy the day I was there as well, making it even more challenging but if I'm ever in Billings again, I will RUN not walk to play this course again!!
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11 7
Joey Pauley
Experience: 25 played 9 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Amazing use of the landscape 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 7, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

- great use of the natural landsscape
- unbelievable views
- a full 36 holes
- 18th hole

Cons:

- finding discs. you may pay for this course in plastic. We lost one on 18.
- route finding is a bit rough
- a few signs could be a bit better. For instance where to go on 18.

Other Thoughts:

It was the perfect was to see the landscape. Unbelievable course. Reminded me a lot of Whistler with a Mesa flair to it. The holes all used creative use of the natural landscape. Also very clean.

Cant add too much more that has not been written except
- We played in the snow. Since most of the course in north facing it was slow to melt out.
- I would gladly pay for a spotter on almost every hole.
- I would also enjoy a rappel from 18. It would cut the walk by 15 minutes.

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48 0
Martin Dewgarita
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 14.4 years 1587 played 93 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Strange Lights in my Mouth 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 9, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

The description of a 4.5 rating is "Phenomenal" that about sums it up.

I do not give this rating for "golf challenge" but for the "awe factor." Any other course that I've rated this high has a variety of wooded holes forcing different lines or with different options for lines. This course has a small variety of trees that shape some of the holes, but most of the challenge doesn't come from tight technical fairways but from navigating through the desert canyons through the boulders and rough terrain. Then as you get up on the rim of the canyon the risk/reward factor comes into play where an errant shot may lead to a half hour hike down the side of a cliff if you want your plastic back, if you can find it again.

This is an adventure course at its best, not for the faint of heart. Get a good night sleep, put your hiking boots on, pack plenty of water, bring some snacks, bring a couple discs you might lose, wear jeans, bring a camera and plan for a full day of disc golf. If you're not prepared or not in good shape all 36 holes might be a bit too much to tackle in a day.

Amenities. Plenty of parking, a dumpster and a info kiosk down the trail are all this course has, make sure you're prepared before heading out there.

Variety. Though many of the holes are open, the variety of boulders, trees, canyon walls, and trees come are used to create a variety of challenging holes. 36 holes, not one seems like another and each one is just perfect for this course. From short and technical to long and wide open.

Secluded. I saw a few other people walking their dogs and exploring this beautiful scenic area. But they never impeded on my game. I often felt that I was by myself on a great journey through the canyons.

Scenic. Beautiful, assuming you're not attached to the lush green scenery of the typical forested courses.

Baskets. 36 of them, in good condition.

Awe Factor. I said bring a camera, several times along the way I found myself pausing to sit and enjoy the view, as you're working up the side of the cliff the view just keeps getting better. Then of course there's the 2 holes 18, it looks like an awesome place to empty the bag but finding the first disc is challenging enough.

Cons:

Wears on plastic. The rough terrain and rocks will chew up discs, especially base line plastic, plan accordingly.

Tee. For a rough secluded course, this is about what I expect. Most teepads do the job, some are pretty rough, and a couple have broken ankle written all over them.

Navigation. Get a map, study it, pay close attention, spend plenty of time walking around looking for the next tee, prepare to get lost. With some detective work I was able to find all of the holes. Or ideally, get a guide, personally I waited for an hour or so, not many other "Folfers" out there (and before you slam me for the term, you must realize that this is the sport they play in Montana, took me a while to get used to hearing "Folf").

Losing plastic. Lots of nooks and crannies for discs to hide, a spotter might be useful, playing by myself was tough, several places had me looking for my discs for a long time, even though they were right in the "open."

Not for the faint of heart. If you're out of shape, the steep climbs and rough terrain may make this course less than ideal.

Not many other courses nearby.

Not for beginners. The holes in the lower part of the canyon could be a great place to practice and learn the game, but the holes along the rim offer plenty of chances to turn a disc off into oblivion. Personally I had what I thought was a "perfect" shot on the blind basket 15 along the left side, all I can determine is that it rolled off the cliff, never to be seen again.

Other Thoughts:

This course isn't necessarily on my top 10 list of favorite courses for design/challenge reasons. But on my list of phenomenal courses that one should experience in life, this is number 1. If you're ever presented with the opportunity to play this course, don't pass it up.
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30 1
sillybizz
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 22.1 years 400 played 385 reviews
4.50 star(s)

OMG CRAZY! 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 9, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

This is unlike anything I have ever played. The pictures make the course looks pretty crazy and funky but they really do not do justice at all. The amount of climbing up and down and over large rocks, bushes, sticks and other things is just incredible. There are many tee pads that are on sides of cliffs or on top of a large boulder or in just a generally out there location. There are many places here where you could easily lose your balance or trip and hurt, maim or kill yourself accidentally. Also there are rattlesnakes during the Summer months so being vigilant and aware of your surroundings is a key factor out here.

There are actually two separate eighteen hole courses out here that are split into nine different hole using four different colors; red, green, blue and black if I remember correctly. Navigation really isn't too bad when you bring the map but some of the tee pads don't have anything telling you are tee pads other than signs of previous people throwing from the spot.

So the course plays up and down the rocky canyon walls with many large up and down hill throws with the largest obstacles besides the elevation actually being huge rocks and boulders with trees coming in a distance third. There are lots of holes on this course where your best option is to actually try and bounce your tee shot off a rock for a better position.

Aw yes hole nine on the left course (Green or Black course I believe) is a cool hole with the basket bolted into the side of the rock face. This is one of the more talked about holes from this course but I found it fairly easy to get the distance to be up on the rock, the big problem was if it was going to stick and if it doesn't how are you going to make this crazy vertical putt? This is a very unique hole and just down right fun to play. Hole eighteen on this course plays from on top of the mesa on the LARGE rock top with the tee pad being only a couple feet from certain death if you fall. This may be the largest downhill shot I have ever taken; the top of the world shot at Whistler's Bend in Oregon is pretty darn high up as well and I don't know which one is higher but my guess is hole eighteen on this course. I actually like the right side hole eighteen better as you can really air it out.

The scenic beauty here is down right stunning. You get the other side of the canyon, the distant mountains and the town of Billings all well below your vision at the top. Bring a camera if you want some tremendous pictures but one that isn't too heavy to haul around all day long.

Cons:

There are a ton of blind tee pads here and the first time out you will need to walk the hole first which is normally annoying but with hot weather, elevation, snakes and other scary things to watch out for you might not want to be walking every single hole twice.

I really don't like the basket location for hole eighteen on the left course (Black course I believe) which shares a basket with hole eighteen on the right side course. Yes it is a more than 100 foot drop in elevation but the hole isn't nearly long enough and it comes down to if you can throw short enough for the basket. You can play safari and aim for just about any basket you want I suppose and this will fix the problem, either way the right side hole eighteen is much more fun In my opinion.

This is not for the weak at heart or weak at anything else either. This is not just huge elevation hiking it has some rock climbing aspects to it as well. I am a casual hiker as well and after playing this course I don't think there is any backpacking trip I couldn't do! We saw some people with a kid who was playing with lid, I felt bad for those people as I heard that frisbee scrape against rock! Anyway don't bring kids or anyone who isn't agile or in at least good physical condition.

There are lots of scary things to look out for here including snakes, falling of a ledge, dehydration, falling and breaking a bone or some other injury, etc. This is a rugged, nasty course so keep that in mind when showing up to play. It's 1/3 Disc Golf, 1/3 hiking and 1/3 rock climbing and it is epic!

Other Thoughts:

This became an instant favorite of mine right off the bat. I was teetering on the edge of giving this a five star review but held off based on a couple of things already mentioned. It can't be said enough: stay alert, be careful and take this country serious or you could end up in trouble. Bring tons and tons of water on hots days, more than you think you need because you can't carry too much water. There a number of crevices on some of these large rocks so be careful of that as well. Prepare to have a fun time and enjoy yourself and take it all in because you're not going to find this kind of experience anywhere else but Diamond X.
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22 0
alexaaron
Experience: 13.9 years 388 played 14 reviews
4.50 star(s)

The Destination 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 22, 2011 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

As stated by previous reviewers, this course has unbelievable and breath-taking views. The terrain is certianly unique for me. The course has more elevation than you could ask for and will take all your energy to complete.
I drove from Minneapolis to play this course and will be going back next year. I took two days and played the right 18 the first day and the left 18 the second day. In my opinion, the course on the right (I think its labelled Red 1-9 and Blue 10-18) was more fun, but that may have been because it was my first day there and it was all new to me. The left course (I think they call it Green 1-9 and Black 10-18) was certainly just as scenic and challenging, but I was extremely tired that second day. 18 on both courses are probably the best end to any course I've played.

Cons:

Terrain is tough so be prepared to not just hike but climb with your hands and feet.
Additional signage and an updated map would be great. The map on the website and at the course didnt show the first 9 holes on the right side (i'm assuming those are newer to the course).

Spent lots of time searching for baskets and tees. Took 5.5 hours to complete first 18, about 4 hours to finish the second 18 the following day.

Some tee pads are unmarked as of our playing but footpaths are usually helpful in getting you to the next tee, or at least in the vicinity.

I lost 3 discs on this course due to throwing around bends and boulders and steep terrain that can make a disc roll for days.

I wanted to give this course a 5, as it is the most challenging and beautiful course I've played, but the lack of signage between holes really slowed the game down.

None of these cons are a big deal and certainly didnt take away from our enjoyment of this legendary course.

Other Thoughts:

Take a trip to this course. It was worth the 6 days of driving and sleeping in tents for us. The icing on the cake was at the end of the second day, as we had just finished hole 18 and were headed to the car, a lady hiking the trails on the course came up to us and asked if we wanted a disc she had found up on top of the mesa. Turned out to be my custom dyed star excal I had lost the day before! The disc golf gods were smiling on us that day.
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29 1
DSCJNKY
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 22.6 years 682 played 129 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Feeding the Chipmunks 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 9, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

- Unique Destination Course. How often do you get to play up and down a mesa, where baskets are bolted into the side of a boulder, perched on the edge of cliffs, and hidden behind huge rocks? I guess if you're a local at Diamond X the answer "all the time". But if you're like the rest of us, this crazy concoction of basket placements is a unique disc golf playground, and destination. The uniqueness of the course made the 6 hour drive worth it for me, as well as the ability to bag another state... but, I'm weird like that.
- Talk about Top of the World Shot. That's how you finish a course! So many disc golf courses have ho-hum finishing Holes... Not Diamond X. A huge 500+, cliff shot with ~100' of elevation loss. It takes 5+ minutes to walk to your disc... that's how big it is. I wish I could have enjoyed it more (see below).
- Hole 9. The infamous Hole with the basket bolted to the side of the boulder-cliff was all that I hoped it would be. A gorgeous little shot with extreme consequences. I threw two discs at it and birdied it with both of them (one with a 20' putt from on top, and the other with a 20' steeply up putt from the bottom). Both putts were hard and had major consequences for missing. Definitely one of the most memorable holes I have ever played.
- Two Course, 1 Spot. I didn't have near enough time, or the stamina, to go for the second loop. It appeared as if both courses were extremely similar. I played the left side (as seen from the parking lot). It seemed as though this was the better side (since that's the side I saw some locals finishing up on when I was starting).
- Lots of Wildlife and Scenery. You wouldn't think it, standing in the parking lot, but there is an abundance of wildlife out there. My buddy wasn't golfing, he was instead taking pictures. He got a bunch of different birds and insects... and some wonderful scenery shots.

Cons:

- How Many Blind Baskets is Too Many Blind Baskets? I didn't count, but there must have been 14 blind basket locations on the course. I have two issues with this at Diamond X. 1. You have to walk nearly every fairway twice... a strenuous task. And 2. With so many blind pin positions, navigation becomes rough.
- Navigation. Because of the number of blind pin positions, and natural tee-pads, navigation for a first timer is extremely difficult. (And, I had a MAP... AND, I've played tons of courses, in a lot of places, by myself). Here's how the course goes:
You have to locate the natural tee-pad (small signs help you know you're arrived when present). But, since the pin is blind, you have to go scout for the pin, climbing up, over and around rocks... then you have to walk back and throw your shot... turn around and climb back up, over and around the rocks to find your disc... finish out. Then, usually, you have to go scout for the next tee-pad. (repeat process).
Usually I wouldn't get irritated at this sort of thing, but the strenuousness of the scouting takes it toll... scouting, combined with the heat, and some nasty ass Taco Bell lunch, let's just say that I fed the chipmunks when I...

Other Thoughts:

- Puked My Brains Out on the tee-pad of 18. I had been feeling woozy since about the 5th Hole, after my 5th scouting mission... bit I guess my brain told my body to hold off so I could finish out the course that I had driven so far to bag. Literally, seconds after I threw my drive (the amount of time it took my disc to hit the ground), I let 'er rip. It was amazing! (the vomit, not the shot - the shot was decent).
- Breweries. Billings had several breweries in a nice little downtown area. We went to Carter's Brewery... 12 different beers on tap and in a little hole-in-the-wall location. My beer tasted good... even though I had puked my brains out in their parking lot ten minutes prior (still a little wore out from Diamond X... or was it the Taco Bell???).
- You Could Die. I mean... you could easily fall off a cliff and die. Or, you could suffer from heat exhaustion and die. Or, if you're out of shape (like I guess I am now), you could go into cardiac arrest and die! Or, you could get bit by a rattlesnake, go into cardiac arrest while suffering from heat exhaustion and fall off a cliff and die. But, FUCK IT, It's Diamond X... a great destination course.
My Score: a miserable -4.
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