Arden Hills, MN

Bethel University DGC

3.85(based on 20 reviews)
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10 0
Naenae
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 10.7 months 38 played 38 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Come to Jesus!

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 12, 2023 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

1. The acreage dedicated to this course on a smallish Christian campus is not at all insignificant. It's still wide open to the public. If religion looked more like this when I was still paying attention, I might have stuck around longer than I did...to golf anyway.

2. Those who have played courses I have reviewed will know that I am very capable of fondness for courses that are works in progress, shine despite rough edges, or that have problem holes. This course is not that. It's finished and polished, in its own version of a perfect state.

3. Dual concrete tees per hole with signage on each; more than one basket on most holes (some, I suspect, had been removed for winter on my mid-November visit.

4. Excellent use of trees and elevation.

5. Seems to have a dedicated parking lot for the disc golfers, although it's possible that the students just have plenty of enough space to park elsewhere.

Cons:

A public bottle filling source and restroom would always be a welcome addition to any course.

Other Thoughts:

In my now 40 round rookie season, this is the second course situated on the campus of an Evangelical college (the other being Crown College in St. Bonifacius). Both are good, but this is the better of the two IMO, and far more accessible to the Twin Cities, being just 5 miles north of Saint Paul.

It is a completely wooded course, by which I mean there is not an open field throw on any of the 18 holes. The nearest thing to a possible exception is #16 which is still relatively narrow, lined by trees on both sides, and cleared a bit in the approach area for some power poles/lines (but blind on approach up a very large hill). Most of the time you are throwing through moderate to narrow gaps or angling around a seemingly endless supply of mature guardians. If you don't know what a poke-and-hope shot is, you will by the end of your round. I am certain that I got off very easy by playing this when most of the leaves were down. It was still very, very challenging. Bethel has some of the tightest gaps you'll find in the Twin Cities.

Plan a little extra time. You will certainly not cruise through the course without spending some time searching the woods, thickets or thick rough grass for an errant disc. It is simply impossible to hit all of these fairways. In fact, my only regret in my 36 hole visit is that I lost a perfectly good Fission Wave that obviously found a nice hiding spot in some tall grass (call me when you find it!).

What else? I love that random stumps near the tees were labeled as disc charging stations. We pushed each other's discs out of the way hoping to get our fair share of good vibes prior to teeing off.

Campus rules prohibit booze and smoking. For what they are providing to the public (including outright heathens such as me), I think it is not to much to ask that we respect that.
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9 0
wolfhaley
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 19.9 years 970 played 542 reviews
4.50 star(s)

2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 29, 2019 Played the course:once

Pros:

Bethel University is a course I've been wanting to play for awhile now. I'm SO glad I finally got the chance. This is the best course I've played in the Twin Cities so far (haven't played Bryant Lake yet). There are excellent concrete tee pads on every. These are all plenty long enough, level and grip nicely. Many holes, about 2/3's I'd guess, have two tees per hole. What's nice about these is that most drastically change the way the hole would be played. Some of the longs are a few hundred feet behind the shorts while others are aimed at the pin from a completely different angle. The baskets are Mach 3's that are in great shape and catch just fine. Hole 16 had 2 baskets for the hole. One in the short A position and another in the way longer B or C position. All holes had at least 2 pin positions per hole with many having 3 per hole. This is always awesome to see and adds to the replay value here. The tee signs here are some of the best I've seen in awhile. They feature a very nice looking hole map showing any OB and tree lines. It shows both tee locations with the yellows or golds being the longs and blues being the shorts. It shows all pin positions with distances to each pin from each tee, which is a nice touch. They also have the pars listed for each location and there is a next hole arrow on every hole as well which makes navigation pretty straightforward. There are tee signs on every tee pad as well, not just one or the other. The course is free to play and open to the general public. The course is also open year round which is always nice to see. The design for this course is top notch. You'll be required to throw all different types of shots to be successful here. You'll need to be accurate as well. There is water in play on a couple holes as well. The elevation here is pretty drastic in spots, well most of the course really. Lots of undulating hills throughout the course. And the course itself is just very visually appealing. It's very clean and mowed beautifully. Gorgeous piece of property.

Cons:

There honestly aren't many cons here. One potential issue would be you have to throw over a road on hole 18. But if you're careful It's a non issue really. Another thing worth mentioning is that the rough can be THICK in spots, like hard to even pitch out thick. This isn't necessarily a con per se but staying in the fairway is paramount here. One other thing is that it's not designated which pin position is currently in use. I know this is nitpicky but it would be nice, especially on the longer holes.

Other Thoughts:

This is an absolutely fantastic course and is worth a round if you're anywhere near here. While I haven't played all the courses in the Twin Cities yet this is the cream of the crop so far. It's not a great place for beginners but if you're intermediate or above you will absolutely love this course. I loved every second of my round here on a cold, windy and rainy fall morning. It was my 400th played course and was worth waiting for to play. I'd highly recommend this place . I can't wait to come back and play in ideal conditions and there is absolutely no doubt I will. Great design and Phenomenal course.
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4 2
iceberg707
Experience: 1 played 1 reviews
4.50 star(s)

The best kept secret in the Twin Cities 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 10, 2018 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

This course is absolutely incredible and I think one of the best in the state. It has recently begun gaining traction as more and more tournaments have been held here. The course is open to the public even though it is on university grounds. That being said however respect that it is a religious university and keep it clean.

Onto some specifics:

Concrete tee pads - short and long pads
Super well maintained course
Signage with pin locations
Great hole variety - a few bomber holes, some technical shots, and a few easy birdies
Pin locations move just frequently enough to keep things interesting
Super Scenic Course
Water holes that are not obnoxious in difficulty

Cons:

Getting to the course parking lot can be a pain if its your first time
Not maintained in the winter, but still playable
Can get pretty muddy after rain/snow
Occasional group of college students relaxing on the course during the school year

Other Thoughts:

The faculty really care about the course and are always making improvements. Overall this might just be the best free to play course in Minnesota, just treat the course with respect so everyone can enjoy it for years to come!
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1 2
Rotala
Experience: 12.8 years 33 played 5 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Awesome course! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jun 7, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

1.Concrete teepads (most holes have long and short locations)

2. Multiple pin locations for variety (some holes have multiple baskets)

3. Very well maintained

4. Allows for variety of shots (roller on hole 4 worked for me, bunch of forehands, etc)

5. Nice elevation changes

6. Tee signs and signs pointing you to next tee pad

Cons:

1. Tee signs are laminated paper stapled onto a wood plank. I appreciate the effort though!

2. Would be nice to know which pin locations are being used.

Other Thoughts:

I definitely recommend this course for North metro.

The app only has it listed with 10 holes on the scorecard. Everything is par 3 except long tee/pin on holes 3 and 15.
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6 0
djschnabel
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 27.2 years 253 played 27 reviews
4.00 star(s)

full 18 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 20, 2017 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Variety of distances, flight paths, and plenty of elevation changes, which is unique to Minnesota (especially Metro) disc golf.

If you haven't played the new layout, you have to. The holes they added (3?, 4, 5; 10, 11, 12, 13, 14) are fantastic.

Many holes are true par 4's (3, 5, 15) and some of the 3's are difficult to par (14).

Water comes in play on holes 7, 10, and 12. Maybe on 5 if you throw a goofy shot. Wind can/will play a factor, plays along 694 and under power lines on a few holes.

For the most part, tee pads are plenty long, and in some cases, ridiculously long.

Multiple pin placements are cool, a few holes have multiple baskets (3 and 15 today).

Very clean property. College Campus with strict rules, so no alcohol or tobacco or other stuff.

Pack it in, Pack it out.

Cons:

No tee signs. Use UDisc for pretty accurate distances.

No signs for next tee; could get lost on a few holes; best played with someone who has played or walked it once.

No garbage cans.

Slippery today; it did rain quite a bit yesterday though. A few spots on hills could use staircases.

Other Thoughts:

If there were signs, and even 3 garbage cans, this would easily be a 4.5 rated course. Lack of those is fine in this setting, on a College Campus with a code of conduct for their students.

I am wary of the day when this course has too much traffic, I could see the baskets getting pulled or layout adjusted during school year if knuckleheads take over.

If you play, and you absolutely should, keep it down, be polite, hold off on your drinky drink and smokey smoke, and please pack it out!
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1 0
drscholl14
Experience: 16.7 years 45 played 3 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Great Expansion Job 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 2, 2017 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

They did a great job expanding this course to 18 holes. There is a lot of variety requiring different shot shaping and length. Tight lines, a couple bombers, some ace runs, and a couple holes with water. Mostly wooded holes with 2 holes playing on the shores of a small lake. Extremely fun course.

Cons:

-Still some rough spots on the new holes which is to be expected. Should improve with increased play.
-Signage needs to be added as there is none currently. I'm guessing it will be added at some point.
-A couple tee boxes are in rough shape and the new ones didn't get textured and can be pretty slick in certain conditions.

Other Thoughts:

Great addition to the already quality Twin Cities course list.
-This course is located on a private college campus. Also this is a dry campus so keep that in mind. Do not ruin this course by throwing cans or garbage all over the course or it will get shut down rather quickly. Respect the college's rules so this course will be here for a long time.
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1 1
beeyang78
Experience: 13.2 years 172 played 14 reviews
4.00 star(s)

All about Disc Golf 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 1, 2016 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

This course is now an 18 hole course and has been lengthened. There are a lot of variety of holes and no two holes feel the same. The new 8 holes are a great addition to the course.

Cons:

No signage. There are also a lot of students who sun bathe in the fairway when the weather is nice. There are not many trash cans if any so pack what you bring. No alcohol allowed on campus.Some holes feel like you are in a secluded area while some actually play through walking paths along the campus.

Other Thoughts:

If you want to try something different on your way to BRP, stop by and try this course. You will be rewarded with great disc golf. This is a very fun course that rates up there with any of the great course in the twin cities if disc golf is all there is to a course. With a few amenities like signage and trash cans, it would make for an excellent disc golf experience.
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2 0
owenrae
Experience: 144 played 8 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Now 18 holes 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 22, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

Very nice course with some elevation, water hazard, good mix of long and short technical holes. They are just about done pouring the last of the concrete tee pads for the additional 6 holes (two left I think). There are long and short tee pads on 5 or 6 of the holes. The additional holes have added greatly to the challenge of this course. The designers did a good job in adding the holes and keeping the flow pretty good except for holes 9 and 10. Hole 9 is original hole 7 I think and plays the same, however hole 10 tee is right next to 9 throwing in a 90 degree different direction. So you play hole 9 then walk back to the tee and play hole 10. If the course is not busy it will not be an issue but if there are multiple groups I could see this being a log jam area. Probably not going to happen as it is never very crowded.

In any case new holes 4 and 5 play on a nice hill and hole 5 is playing down a pretty good slope. To the left is the lake so you need to watch the fade of your disc. New holes 11 nd 12 are on the very north end of lake Valentine. Hole 12 is throwing right past the lake on your right - a potential spot to lose a disc. New hole 13 has the interstate fence running on the left side of the fairway so it you let your disc fade too much to the left you will lose it over the fence and in some very heavy weeds - doubtful to be found again. New hole 14 is through a newly cleared space in the woods. The long tee throws over a valley but there is heavy brush off the fairway and the fairway is still pretty rough with weeds and ruts. As they keep mowing this I imagine grass will grow in.

Cons:

If you don't know the layout there are some tee pads difficult to find. No signage at all on the whole course except for basket numbers on the new baskets. A map at the beginning or tee pad signage would be a great addition and I would rate it a 4 instead of 3.5.

Other Thoughts:

Parking in the lots of the north village dorms puts you at the first tee and the 18th hole. I don't know Bethel's policy for playing the course. My daughter is a Bethel student so I play there when visiting her.

There are a number holes that either throw over a marsh area or the hole is located right next to a marsh so the risk of getting your feet wet is decent.
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1 2
joh3
Experience: 6 played 2 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Challenging Course with Bad Layout 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 15, 2013 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Bethel is a challenging course with a nice mix of open and wooded holes, elevation changes, and one water hazard. There are some holes with multiple tees and baskets. It has never been busy and despite the fact that it is private nobody will bother you as long as your respectful to the grounds.

Cons:

The layout is terrible - backtracking to get to the next tee and lots of walking in between holes looking for tee boxes if you don't know the course. Some of the holes have two baskets, but they are not marked on the maps which is confusing.

Other Thoughts:

Course could be spectacular with a little bit of reorganization of the tees and baskets.
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1 2
DH Harwell
Experience: 22 played 2 reviews
1.50 star(s)

The Truth 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 25, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

Lots of space to park. nice scenery, nice concrete Tee pads..that's about it.

Cons:

very confusing..no posts or signage. like any other park, you'll have to follow somebody or just try to figure it out..
The hole alongside of the lake is wet..And the Pin placement is too close to the lake. should be relocated. A few of the holes have no Tee pads..or just buryed just way to far back in the woods.. searched all over for a couple!! over all...too much wasted walking just to get to the next Tee.

Other Thoughts:

Could be a nice park. need posts and correct map. course needs complete reconfiguration..Or just stay away..
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7 1
mndiscg
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 15.8 years 480 played 478 reviews
4.00 star(s)

One of my favorite 9 holers 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:May 20, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-Variety, for as crowded as the rest of campus is, this course is fairly spread out and contains all kinds of shots. Uphill, downhill, open, wooded, left, right. You are also unlikely to hit any students except maybe seminary ones.
-Not too crowded as only students are supposed to play it.
-Nice big concrete tees
-Nice baskets with numbers on top facing the tees
-Trees and grass are nice, it isn't played enough for them to get too damaged.
-Multiple tees on every hole. May not be the easiest to find if you don't know the course.
-It was the perfect level of a challenge, not too much that you are frustrated to no end but not that it was boring either.

Cons:

-No signage but it isn't that hard to follow, especially after you play with a student a few times. There are a few weird walks in there though. Could use a map or some on-course signs. Even one right at the start would be nice.
-typical MN summer issues of poison ivy and bugs can arise
-Could lose a disc on a few holes. Especially that one that runs along the lake. 4, maybe?

Other Thoughts:

A friend of mine attends school here so I get to play when I visit him! Make this a day trip and head north to Blue Ribbon Pines! This course is different from the typical publicly owned or pay to play courses. I highly recommend it.

DURING THE SUMMER YOU CAN JUST GO ONTO CAMPUS!! THEY MIGHT BE MORE STRICT DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR.
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2 3
Notorious21
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 13.6 years 103 played 48 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Overrated 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 22, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

- A few very nice holes with mowed grass
- Some unique hole layouts making good use of elevation
- Nice teepads and baskets

Cons:

- Only 9 holes, and no signage
- A lot of wet, marshy areas, especially #4, which is very unforgiving
- A lot of places to lose a disc

Other Thoughts:

This course was rated 4/5, which seems too high compared to some of the other courses nearby, but it is very challenging. If you're a righty, hole #4 is a disc eater - very narrow fairway with trees on the right and a lake on the left
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14 0
The Valkyrie Kid
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 45.8 years 1563 played 1507 reviews
4.00 star(s)

If I Were Younger, I'd Enroll! 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jul 17, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

This is one sweet nine hole course for the students here. The baskets are DGA with the red numbers facing the right way. It has great trapazoid teepads although a couple were a slightly smaller version. There are no signs although I was able to follow it easily with the help of the on-line map and by asking a future man of the cloth. Holes 1,2 & 3 play in a lovely section of the campus with green, rolling hills and old growth trees. 4 & 5 then play along wet marshy areas and then 6,7 & 8 play up the power lines. 9 and 10 were either brillant or confusing to me. I'll get back to them. The first three were absolutely charmingly, great disc golf holes. I loved them. # 4 was a fairly long straight hole (maybe 300 ft.) with wetland tight on the left side and not much of a fairway. The risk/reward here was scary. I liked # 5 a lot but not today after recent heavy rains. It's a tricky little downhill anhyser flip shot through some trees, probably only 160 ft, but today the water was up to within 10 feet from the basket. There was almost no room for error today. # 6 plays uphill then # 7 is a powerline bomb from an elevated, landscaped teebox. I got confused when I reached # 9. If you play it, you have to turn around and backtrack all the way back to play # 10. Or you can skip # 9 and end with # 10 which is a very cool finishing hole indeed. It's the signature hole here, IMO, about a 285 downhill throw through the trees to a basket in the lawn far below. I think maybe the idea here is; Where your dorm is might determine which hole you finish with? If you live this way in this dorm, finish with # 9. If you live in these dorms, finish with the signature hole # 10.

Cons:

Besides the fact that it's private and we're all sneaking on and playing it. I observed a beer bottle on # 2. Either harr0140 left it or a seminary student wasn't following the rules. There were a couple of longer walkouts.

Other Thoughts:

I saw some coeds of the female variety and they were smoking hot so I've decided if I were younger, this would be the school for me. A great little course to play and lovely coeds. I'd enroll, play golf by day and chase the christian cuties by night until they caught onto my scam. Then they would send my heathen behind out the back gate. Maybe tarred and feathered. Who knows? It might be worth it!

UPDATE: April 2017. The course is now 18 holes so I've added another 1/2 point to my rating!
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11 0
harr0140
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 15.2 years 1508 played 475 reviews
4.00 star(s)

I'll pretend to be religious to play this one! 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jun 18, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

1) One of the best 9 hole courses I have played to date.

2) Nice DGA Mach baskets with the number plate always facing the tee . . . nice to see it done right!

3) Some alternate pins appeared visible to me, unless it was just an old sleeve I saw???

4) Nice design to incorporate some really diverse pieces of this property.

5) Nice trapezoidal concrete tees although some seemed to be narrower than others.

6) Nice variety of shot required, there are holes that go either direction, straight, uphill, downhill.

7) There are some nice moderately wooded holes, some more open park like holes, and a couple tighter wooded shots. I love to see variety as much as anything in course design, that way you don't feel like you are just stepping up to the same hole . . . hole after hole.

8) Water in play on 2 holes although one is a creek that didn't have a lot of water and was barely in play unless you hit an early tree. The other hole was a really risky shot because of the skips going towards the water or perhaps a big anny over the water. A long hole made great because of the risk/reward.

9) Another design element I have seen a lot of lately (on my trip to NC and also TX) . . . and that is the Power Wire Right of Way. Some great holes seem to be able to be designed underneath the massive overhead power wires that run across our country! It makes me want to approach the power companies and ask about the availability of that land.

10) Nice landscaping done around a few of the tees and also out on the course in a couple places.

11) Nicely mowed course and it is obvious that they take your tuition (which I can only imagine how much this University costs) and they spend a fair amount on the landscape and maintenance.

12) Dual tees on this course plus a couple of shorter red tees.

Cons:

1) Layout is a little goofy with a long walk from #3 to #4, a disjointed hole from #7 to #8 and then a long backtrack to #9, although it is quite possible that #8 was only temporarily moved during the construction, but it is hard to tell.

2) Private course . . . not really a negative in my rating, its just a negative because it is such a good course and I will feel guilty if I ever go back there. I played quick because I didn't want to get caught . . . fortunately it was an empty campus because it was just asfter the school year ended. It also may make it better that the Seminary people must live there year round that way you aren't the only car in the area.

3) Some of the tees seemed to be narrow. I wish it was a standard that was consistent, but it seems sometimes people change the size and shape of the tee.

4) No tee signs and no directionals to direct you around the course.

Other Thoughts:

There aren't a lot of negatives about this course other than flow and layout as well as no signs on the course and no directionals.

It is a great design, it has pretty good flow (outside of the two issues I mentioned) presents a constant challenge, and has awesome variety in shot selection, distance variation and overall fun factor. I just dig this course . . . too bad it is private and cannot be shared, but I totally understand why this non land grant University wants to keep it for itself . . . liability!

I think this is my first 4 disc 9 holer even though I consider it to be about a 3.75 course.
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7 5
a_beautifulplace
Experience: 21 years 36 played 8 reviews
3.50 star(s)

The need to sneak? 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 26, 2010 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

-Very quiet
-Nice Campus
-Great layout (for the most part)
-A wide variety of challenges in shots.
-It has a pretty nice flow
-There is a lot of wildlife and the course offers a very nice hike
-I've never been caught playing there :p

All and all the pros of this course outweigh the cons, drastically.

Cons:

-It's private
-They really need to mow a few sections
-^There is a lot of poison ivy/oak
-The tee boxes on some holes are very obvious, where on some it is very hard to find where the short/long/pro tees are.
-ONCE AGAIN, IT'S PRIVATE (A LITTLE SELFISH FOR A CHRISTIAN COLLEGE EH!?)

Other Thoughts:

This course is very fun, and offers a feel unlike any other course in the metro. It is, however, unfortunate that it must be private. To anyone at Bethel College: Please reconsider opening your course to the public so others can enjoy this excellent course. You are one of two courses in the area (and there are a ton of courses around) that are PRIVATE (no option of even paying) Why is this? I know that a major concern is the crowd and litter that grows as you open it to the public, but with the right receptacles around, a lot of courses tend to stay pretty clean. You already have obvious foot traffic marks (which is inevitable at any course) I really would also like you to consider how hypocritical it is to be a Christian (Catholic?) College and won't share your precious Frisbee course with anyone on the outside.

I will continue to play your course and on a weekly basis. I will also continue to keep my foot traffic to a minimum and garbage to zero. Most frisbee golf players are very respectable of the land and mean no malice against yours!
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8 1
Limp Forehand
Experience: 23.8 years 125 played 4 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Taken Aback 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 19, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

Id just like to say that I've played pretty much every course in the TC metro region apart from this one bcus of the whole private thing. I was in the neighborhood and decided to see if I could. I met some students at hole 9 and they said it was cool. First hole was ho-hum (not bad) but everything else was amazing. The variety of technicality of the holes impressed me to the point where I was trying to think of a better 9 holer. Those back to back stretchers (7&8 I think) were incredible- very challenging and very beautiful.
I just wanted to emphasize how nice this course is for a 9 holer.
Another pro is that its mostly litter-free.-Not even cig butts.

Cons:

Its private

#9 tee is a little cramped (boo-hoo right)

Other Thoughts:

Hitting one basket for a near ace and getting 5 birdies left me with an under score- for this course I was pleased. For me, it was a magical round.
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5 5
Craton
Experience: 21.8 years 32 played 2 reviews
4.00 star(s)

BU 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:May 1, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

The course is secluded, quiet, and low traffic; more than likely because it's a private course reserved for use by students, faculties, and guests of either. The scenery is pretty fantastic, and allows for a variety of different shots: open fields, water hazards, elevation changes, and moderately wooded holes. Concrete tee boxes are a plus on the yellow tees and two of the blues. Pin placements change once in a while for most of the holes, and with two avid disc golfers and a decent DG community, the course is continuing to grow and develop still.

The course plays pretty straightforward, and is fairly useful for just about any level of player, from the beginners to the pro's.

Cons:

The blue tees, which offer a challenge, are poorly marked, hard to find, and not maintained much at all. They are just grass/dirt that has come through with erosion of the players who have found them.

Lack of garbage and the emptying of the few there are on the course can cause a bit of garbage to find itself laying around- but usually it's a very clean course.

Other Thoughts:

Challenging course, friendly community, dedicated people working to make it better.

**If you play this course, please DO NOT destroy the trees or course. The disc golf community at Bethel has tried very hard at getting this course going, and it won't take too many events of people continuing to rip up trees or littering or causing a ruckus to have it removed. If you are visiting, try to be on your best behavior please and thanks.**
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6 0
varzac
Experience: 22.9 years 5 played 3 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Great course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 17, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

I agree with posborne a lot. I am also a student at Bethel and get a chance to play this course almost everyday, and often times twice a day. I find Bethel's course significantly more diverse and challenging than many of the other courses in the area (Hansen and Silverview for example).

Good mix of distance as well as the type of shots necessary.

It's not a very busy course.

Cons:

Most of the blue tees still don't have cement tee pads.

At the wrong time of the year, it's easy to end up in a big patch of burrs.

If you are unlucky enough to throw into the water (or get a bad bounce off of a tree into the water), the weeds can make it hard to find even if you are willing to go wading and looking for it.

Only one trashcan on the course.

Other Thoughts:

This is by far one of my favorite courses. It is a lot of fun, close to where I live, and generally not real busy. I do, however, have to pick up trash almost every time I play the course. If you do play this course please throw your trash away, and not on the ground.
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7 0
posborne
Experience: 1 played 1 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Solid Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 11, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

I am a student at Bethel and have played the course nearly every day this past year (barring the winter months). I have played a number of other courses in the area but still continue to love and be challenged by this course every time I play it.

The course has 9 pins but one can play 18 holes straight through if they play the 'yellow' tees followed by the blue tees. These are not very well marked, so it might be beneficial to go with someone who has played the course before. Neither the yellow nor the blue is the 'long' tee. They should be of comparable difficulty with blue being easier some of the time and yellow being easier some of the time.

All yellow and some of the blue teepads are now concrete with possible plans to cement the remaining blue tees (or possibly add 9 more holes).

Course Highlights:
* Tricky shot between a group of dense evergreens on 1
* Lake on 4 forces a tricky, long heiser shot for RH/BH players. I've lost a few discs here.
* Close but tricky drop shot on 5 through trees (with yellow tee). This is the only hole I have aced.
* Tricky gap to hit on 6 with one of the tee positions being in a gap in the woods to the right.
* Long drive from high up on 7 lets you unload, while still forcing you to stay within the 125 ft fairway with dense woods on either side.

Cons:

Signage is missing from the course, so it is essential to go with an experienced player (since it is a private course, probably a student).

During the late summer the woods and grasses get thick and it is easy to lose discs. Make sure to have a spotter if you are playing in a group. Just a little extra motivation to keep it on the fairway.

Other Thoughts:

This is an excellent course and there is still student and faculty interest (including a credited Disc Golf course) in keeping it going/growing. If you play the course please do not leave trash on the course and be respectful of the course.

We would like to keep the course growing but this is impossible if the course is not adding positively to the campus ecosystem.
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Texconsinite
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 16.1 years 138 played 77 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Good Course in A Clean Environment 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:May 22, 2008 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Three Tees for every hole: the white and blue, then red for short. Especially with the white/blue setup (see below) this course has a very nice variety of different, unusual, and even unique shots. Tunnel shots, steeeeeeeep uphill long drives (holes 6, 7 & 8), steep doglegs thru trees off the top of a hill, a super-long hole underneath giant power lines, this course has everything. The only thing this course is missing is a true water hole, since the lake only comes into play on hole 4, and the wide fairway and reeds make it very easy to stay out of the water. Lots of interesting hills. College keeps their campus well maintained (not neccesarily for DG).

Very pretty setting, and its never been close to crowded when I've been there This course is a hidden gem, though it is clear that the students who made this course went through a lot of effort to make it happen, and continue to work with administrators to keep it going.

Cons:

With all the variety and challenges on this course, it is on the brink of greatness. However, in some cases, it seems like the course is too hard (blue tee on hole 6 requires a loong tomahawk up a hillside just to get to where the green starts.

Also, some of the tees are very hard to find. They should post a map. Some of the stone block tees buried in the groud are hard to find, and many of the painted on distances are rubbed off the tees. I have added what hole lengths are still ledgible on the tees, and paced out the rest. Added 180ft to hole 7's posted distance because the tees reflect the old basket placement (a 180ft difference)

The Course designers have expressed a need to keep changing the course, and making it a little more difficult each time, which is unfortunate since the pin and tee placements are wonderful just the way they are. The only thing removing them from perfection is the lack of signage and the large pathes of long grass in the middle of some fairways.

(ed: 6/12/08) The never seems to be mowed, and keeps getting longer. Its like playing in a cornfield if you land off the fairway, if cornfields had itchweed and poison ivy in them. Wear longsleeves.

Since the tees are hard to find, heres a guide for the whites and blues, the reds are all pretty easy to find ( usually about 150 ft from pin)

TEE PLACEMENT GUIDE

HOLE 1: Both will shoot at basket through a gap in the wall of trees separating hole #2 from view of the parking lot.
White- Dirt patch just right of the walking path as you leave parking lot, near sewer cover.
Blue- From white tee, turn right, and follow the mowed strip along the black fence-thing parallel to edge of parking lot. You will shoot with little drainage ditches in front of and behind you.

HOLE 2:
White- From Basket 1, go left along hillside, just in front of treeline closer to parking lot walking path
Blue- to the right of Basket 1 a bit downhill, by the walking path closer to lake (the one you cross for hole 3)

HOLE 3:
White-in low area btw hills of baskets 1 & 2, (close to Blue tee #2) shoot across jogging path, thru gap in trees on riverbank (where there are stepping logs to cross), dogleg right to pin,
Blue- on same side of creek as pin, (cross walking path downhill from pin #2) shoot straight slight left fade, creek & trees on right, wooded hill on left

HOLE 4:
Whit- closer to playgorund, on the raised area by the park bench
Blue-the worn dirt spot by the lakeshore/reeds (path from hole 3 leads to them, youll see worn spot on left, uphill to the right behind a tree is other)

HOLE 5:
Blue- slightly left of lakeside path from previous basket
White- Climb hill on your right (before canoe rack) to get to small stone wall

HOLE 6:
White- just left of lakeside path from previous basket
Blue- furhter down lakeside path, blue will be on left (yes its a tough drive up the hill)

HOLE 7:
Blue- Concrete pad next to woods on the right near pin 6,
White- Stone wall area by woods on left, just uphill from blue tee #6

HOLE 8:
Blue- obvious concrete tee pad on the right just after vegetable garden
White- Before garden, follow trail into woods on the left, pin is on second rise, looking out over, the big marshy valley with long grass, and a narrow strip mowed on the right

HOLE 9: This can be tricky to find at first. From pin 8, follow gravel path to the right, through woods, back towards concrete tee for blue #8 & garden
White- is back by the vegetable garden past to Blue tee #8 (follow thin strip of grass up the hill btw garden and treeline at hills edge),
Blue- turn left into the parking lot at the bottom of the hill just below the garden.
In both cases, shoot across road into open field, & watch for joggers and cars!!

Other Thoughts:

There's no "long tee" just white & blue, then red is the short ones.

As confirmed by one of the students in charge of its design, neither white or blue is the "long tee". Varies from hole to hole, but it is designed so that playing the nine whites is comparably difficult to playing the blues. Thus the course is meant to be played as 18, or an equally hard 'back' and 'front' nine, rather than just hard, medium and easy tees for 9.
The best way to do 18 is play all blues then all whites, or vice versa. The two sets play differently from each other on every hole, and one is significantly harder in most cases, but trust me it evens out in the end.

Use a spotter, especially on holes 6-8, or be prepared to look for a long time in the woods and long grass for your disc

!!!!!!!!Most importantly, remember that this course is at a Christian College & Seminary, so be respectful and keep the controlled substances and lewd behavior at home, or they will close this amazing course!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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