Highbridge, WI

Highbridge Hills - Blueberry Hill

4.675(based on 64 reviews)
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22 0
DFrah
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 5.8 years 227 played 224 reviews
4.50 star(s)

A Berry Good Course in Transition

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 26, 2022 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Blueberry Hill is perhaps the crown jewel of the five courses on site at Highbridge Hills Disc Golf Megaplex in northern Wisconsin.

The course design and variety is fantastic throughout the HH complex, but especially on this Blueberry Hill course. The layout transitions seamlessly from technical wooded fairways to mostly open fields, and everything in between. There are always at least a few obstacles to keep things interesting. Elevation changes are present and used well throughout the course.

There are also water hazards that come into play on several holes. The water hazards here are unique in that none of them are a larger body that encroaches on multiple fairways - they are all small ponds that are in play on only one hole each. The bad (or good, depending on your perspective) thing about this is that they may be mostly dried up depending on when you visit. That was the case for my visit in late September - but I was thankful for that when I saw a couple of my poor throws veer directly into them!

Some memorable holes in my book:
- The first hole has you throwing off the top of a hill, with a very nice view of the surrounding forest off to your right.
- Hole 11 plays off of a slightly elevated tee pad onto a wide fairway with a couple of large trees. Very picturesque.
- Hole 17 plays uphill along a right turning fairway in the woods. The fairway also slopes from left to right as you approach the basket. Several large rocks and this slope add some extra challenge to approach shots.
- Hole 18 plays up another hill but this time in the open, with an approach up a sloping rock face. After reaching the basket, you will turn around to another fantastic view of the surrounding countryside. I imagine wind could be a major factor on this finishing hole.

There are two baskets per hole. The short baskets are yellow banded DISCatchers with purple taped around the outside of the bands. The long baskets are Mach VIIs with the basket rungs painted blue. The bands are labeled with various sponsors, quotes, and hole nicknames. I could not figure out the relevance of quotes to the hole in question - if any. I think some of them are just supposed to be entertaining - I noticed one basket that is "Sponsored by Tick 20002"!

Each hole also has long and short tees to create four different layouts. Each layout is named after a different type of berry! The long tees are mostly concrete in good shape. The short tees are mostly rubber. The rubber seemed to be good quality, but concrete would still be a nice upgrade. I also saw extra concrete pads in some places - probably from an older course layout. I played one round from the long tees to short baskets, and another from the short tees to long baskets. Both of these rounds play at an appropriate level for competent recreational players, which is what I consider myself. Average hole distance is between 250'-300'. I think the overall difficulty of these two layouts is roughly comparable to the Woodland Greens course on site, but there is a wider variety of challenges here. The short to short layout has an average hole distance of just over 150', so it would be a great way to introduce novice DG'ers to Highbridge Hills - or function as a mid/putter only round for better players. The long-to-long layout looks more challenging and has a couple of holes over 400' - although I suspect it still plays easier than the remaining three courses at the Hill.

Cons:

Most of the other course infrastructure is just okay. Trash cans and benches appear periodically around the course, but I thought a few more would be nice. There are "Next Tee" signs nailed to trees in some places, but several more arrows would be helpful. It looked like a redesign of a few holes in the middle of the course had recently taken place, and I got turned around a couple times in that area. It also took me a couple minutes to find hole 2 after playing hole 1.

I wasn't a huge fan of the tee signs, even though they are probably the best of any found at HH. They are white PVC poles installed at each tee with custom stickers on them. The stickers have distance and par to each basket from that tee, plus a rough line. These aren't bad, but in my opinion could be more detailed and permanent. A couple of the poles were on the ground when I played, and some holes still had older vintage signs from a previous layout (now incorrect).

The parking lot and dirt drive are in play on errant throws off the first tee.

Other Thoughts:

The following notes apply to all HH courses:
- Large dirt parking lot at the top of a hill, which itself offers views better than you'd find on most courses.
- Multiple porta potties.
- Multiple practice baskets scattered around.
- Kiosk info at pay station including large map of all 5 courses.
- Signage says pro shop and food are sometimes available, but I got the vibe those were holdovers from previous ownership. Maybe they are open for special events.
- Onsite camping available.
- Pay to play: $20/day or $10/round or other options that I won't go into here (check course website for latest info). Can pay with cash, check, or Venmo. Signage at the entrance to the course says to display a receipt on your car but you don't get a receipt from the pay station - this was a bit confusing. I paid via Venmo, had fine cell phone service throughout the complex, and was one of the only people there throughout my visit so I figured I would be contacted if there were any issues.

This was my first visit to HH. I know there is a lot of history here, and that more recently UP Mountain Man and some others have done tremendous work to keep the place going. That work is appreciated, and I loved the course. That said, I do think it is somewhat overrated at its current ~4.67 average/#12 in the world DGCR ranking. The golf here is very good, but all of the infrastructure besides the baskets is merely passable. I was honestly thinking of rating the course a high 4.0 for most of my first round, but the last two holes and the quality of the multiple layouts sold me on a 4.5. If I could give a 4.25 for this course in its current 2022 state, I would.

That said, with four other great courses right here on site Highbridge is easy for me to highly recommend overall. It is a destination that every travelling disc golfer should make a point of visiting at least once. More than worth the pay-to-play cost for a full day of discing. Even if things may be in transition, come check out this berry good course!
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23 1
EspressoPatronum
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 18.6 years 232 played 223 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Very Good, But Great? 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 30, 2021 Played the course:once

Pros:

- very picturesque courses in a beautiful setting in northern Wisconsin
- near the equally beautiful Copper Falls State Park
- concrete tees
- trash buckets
- onsite camping
- some benches
- good quality baskets (DGA Mach 7)
- great elevation change
- some interesting water hazards
- high challenge, varied course

Cons:

- extremely wet in the spring
- navigation early in the course is fairly confusing (some next tee signs, but more needed and some very hard to see)
- pay to play, though well worth it for the number of courses
- temporary tee signs should be upgraded

Other Thoughts:

I'll caveat this by saying this course was very, very wet and sloppy when I was playing due to spring thaw in Northern Wisconsin, so perhaps I didn't catch it at its best. While it's a very nice course, I struggle to appreciate all the perfect 5 ratings it has gotten. In certain intangible ways it just didn't blow me away. While I enjoyed the course, there's plenty of others I have enjoyed more. I'll probably get some hate for the "low" review score, but this is my honest feeling on the course with nearly 100 courses played.

This is a very picturesque course with some excellent elevation change. One of the highlights here is the Highbridge Hills complex having so many different disc golf courses to try. I recommend coming later in the season so things have had some time to dry out. Playing with wet feet just gets old after awhile.

I will say while this is a very nice course that will challenge you to throw every shot at your disposal, the Highbridge courses were considerably rougher around the edges than I was expecting based on all the hype. From what I gather, the courses started to go downhill and were let go a bit, and since new ownership has taken over, things are improving. I did see the staff working on improvements while I was there, so I'm hopeful all of this is headed in the right direction. Perhaps I will return in a few years and reassess.

Blueberry hill has some minor water hazards, and a nice mix of open and wooded holes, with a bit more emphasis on the wooded shots. It was challenging but fair. My favorite holes were probably near the end, throwing uphill on the boulder-strewn hillside on 16 and 17.

One of the toughest parts was navigation was SUPER confusing, particularly on the first few holes. Some next tee signs would go a long way (some tee signs, like hole 2, were just plain missing). Some of the staff explained the first few holes to me but with all the crosses over the road some signage would really help.

The pro shop was closed while I was here, possibly due to COVID. I do recommend checking out Copper Falls State Park nearby, which is truly a hidden gem and absolutely amazing.

On a side note, I do recommend overnight camping here. I was essentially the only person here overnight and had deer all around my car, it was a very cool experience. There is just no power, running water, etc.
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22 0
Mushin No Shin
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 19.1 years 1192 played 67 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Nobody Doesn't Like, Blueberry 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Oct 7, 2021 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Played HBH shortly after 07Worlds. This experience forever changed my DG goals, preoccupations, and flylifestyle

Mountain Man & Co !!! Can't imagine better Caretakers, HBH is Peaking right now :D

Purple Course, offers Shorter Tees and Pin placements
It is awesome having Purpleberry for a morning Warmup round option

Blueberry features more unique Water holes than any course, I can remember. Most courses with Water features, will just be 1 or 2 bodies, and used maybe multiple times on numerous holes. Where as Blueberry has Numerous holes with a different unique Water Pot/Kettle/Pond/Bog in play

The View at 18s Green
Can see the Gogebic Penokee Range on a clear day from there. Some of the oldest Iron Rock in Wisco

View from 1s Tee
Looks across a Valley on another side of HBH

Blueberry is the rare kind of course that 'Has a favorite hole for Everybody'. Something about the Design on this Property just appeals to everyone. Kudos to Chuck Kennedy

When I've brought Friends and Family to HBH, they all seem to like Blueberry best. Always what gets played first on my HBH Trips :)

'Top of the World' starter hole, with an awesome terraced Green. If you miss this, there's an upshot up over Boulders onto an elevated peninsula. This part of the Hill is usually Windy too

---------
Can't say there's many more Pretty courses out there, with all of Blueberry's Wet areas

Small Kettle Ponds, behind 3s Purple Basket and in 4s fairway

11 is where the 'Mecca of Water Holes' begins
Basically the Fairway and Landing Zone are surrounded by Water. There's a Pond to the Left, where Rhbh Hyzers leek. On the Right side is perhaps the Roughest Wetland out there, but it's kinda awesome over there too :)

12 has the option of playing Safe, or throwing a 200? foot straight shot at the Basket, over a Wetland area, with large Pines and an old growth Oak protecting the Green. One of the most satisfying Deuces, in the entire Milky Way

13 has a little Boggy/Soupy area near the Landing zone, by the Treeline. Makes a difficult 3 even more challenging

Da Double Ponds Hole ... LEGENDARY!!!
---------
Greens of Granite Rock:

Hole 3 is a beautiful Green to approach. Hit your gap and get on the Rock, or a three is doubtful

Hole 5s Green
Fairway shapes throws Down into a Rocky-Rollaway situation
(Old 8 was one of my personal favorite Vendetta holes. Never could 3 it, never will. Nice to see the Green is still playing)

16 has a rememberable Fairway. Throw uphill dogleg right to the landing zone on a hillside covered in Rocks. If playing to Purple placement, this hillside is also the Green, making a Funky Putt situation!

Finish with a huge uphill Hole, where half the Fairway is a giant Granite Rock Face

Cons:

New Holes are still new

Other Thoughts:

Redesign eliminates old 1 3 5 8 and 18
New Holes 2 and 10 leave a bit to be desired, but new 8 and 9 are excellent Par4 challenges
Also, Old 1 is still there and makes for a Great Warmup

Walk up after 'Earth Angle' now, up past 8 is 7s Tee

Besides Granite, Grass will Dry out here earlier than other courses at HBH

Trees seem to just be entering their prime. Future looks bright for Highbridge
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3 11
Tahoe Cowboy
Experience: 4 played 4 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Mosquitos! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 28, 2018 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Very quiet course

Different courses to choose from

Great layout

Cons:

MOSQUITOS! - bring bug spray, wear long sleeves, cover yourself they are brutal!

Not mowed very often

You will lose a disc if you play here enough times, however, you will find a disc or two!

Other Thoughts:

This is definitely a course you should add to your bucket list!
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4 10
mmcfly101
Experience: 17 played 16 reviews
5.00 star(s)

1# course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 24, 2018 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

This is widely considered the best course at Highbridge. It uses seven holes from the final round of the Pro Worlds when the complex hosted the event.
Amazing layout. Downhill bombs, technical shots, this course is perfect. Beautiful area. Must play for any disc golf fanatic.

Cons:

Courses are well kept but the campground and lodgings are run down.
Water is in play on several holes on Blueberry.

Other Thoughts:

There are also layouts that use alternate tees, Blueridge, granberry, ect.
The main courses are Gold, Blueberry, Woodland Hills, Granite Ridge, Bear. There is also a course at the campground.
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23 0
mrclc
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 10.6 years 730 played 46 reviews
5.00 star(s)

You'll Never Be Blue On This Berry Good Course! 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 5, 2018 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Blueberry Hill holds the widest appeal of all the Highbridge courses, and boasts off-the-charts fun factor and aesthetic beauty. The host venue for Nate Doss' 2007 Pro Worlds victory, Highbridge features five primary courses on-site, plus a bonus campground course used primarily for glow rounds. The five courses on the hill are the main draw, with each one unique enough to showcase a different flavor of the richly diverse land. Blueberry pitches to a difficulty level that's just right for the vast majority of us, an int/advanced layout that won't crush the hopes and dreams of rec level players. Nearly every hole is memorable in some fashion, be it downhill drives (Holes 3 & 10), tight greens (Holes 4 & 12), or dastardly hazards (Hole 13!). There's enough long but reachable Par 3's here to keep noodle arms like me from getting discouraged, but birdies are never a gimme. Hole 2 deserves special mention as the most well-designed parking lot hole I've ever played. Playing from an elevated tee down to a plateau green is unique and super fun, especially in the near-omnipresent wind. Even holes like 9, which feels like filler compared to the killer elsewhere on the course, can pleasantly surprise with the havoc-wreaking angle of its hillside fairway/green. Holes like this are extremely fun to throw, highlighting Blueberry's biggest positive. Gold, Granite, and (especially) Bear can feel like a kick in the teeth after a bad round, but Blueberry never loses its charm, even if you're struggling.

Blueberry is arguably the best looking course at Highbridge, with Hole 17 serving as the crown jewel. If playing up the rock face/boulder garden wasn't enough, the vista behind you seals the deal. This snuck up on me the first time I played, and that wow factor at the end of the round cemented Blueberry among my favorites. Other highlights include the terrific Hole 3 drive, idyllic Hole 4 green, and the heavily wooded Hole 18 approach. Even on the rare occasions when it isn't superlatively beautiful, you'll wish you had just one hole that looked like these on your home course.

The concrete pads on Blueberry are fairly easy to find and have some of the best tee signs at the complex. All holes play to gorgeous blue Mach IIIs that catch pretty well.

As the most played course at Highbridge by a wide margin, Blueberry feels a little more "weathered in" than the other routings, which helps ease the pain of the perpetually subpar maintenance.

Cons:

When you put aside all the drama and nonsense surrounding Highbridge, which are a con unto themselves for most (see other thoughts), there's really only one complaint that stands head and shoulders above the rest - Highbridge's inferior maintenance. It's a roll of the dice if the grass will be mowed on any given day, and tree trimming & rough control appear nonexistent. To make matters worse, Highbridge is approaching a relatively advanced age (14 years for most of the complex) where decisions should be made regarding tree removal, which will almost certainly never happen. When the courses are maintained, the level of maintenance is usually inversely correlated to its difficulty. You may come across an open fairway that's been mowed impeccably, only to play to a soggy green with waist-high grass. In all fairness to John, taking care of five courses with limited help is a rather difficult task, but that doesn't change the fact that unfinished mowing and trimming is a gigantic headache for us players. Depending on the status of the maintenance when you play, a course's rating could fluctuate by as many as two or more discs. Timing your visit to coincide with the intermittent mowing is just par for the course here. The Highbridge Hills - Wisconsin forum thread on this site is extremely helpful for providing detailed course condition updates.

Routing can be a little confusing, but the biggest struggles come at the beginning and end of the course. The natural inclination is to start at Hole 2, as Hole 1 is set back behind the clubhouse with no signage to direct you. Both times I visited I ended up starting at Hole 2's pad and backtracking the Hole 1 fairway to reach the starting tee. Hole 18 is a bit confusing as well, mainly because it differs dramatically from the map. The tendency is to walk straight ahead from the 18 teepad toward Hole 1 before realizing that the 18 basket is heavily protected, sharply downhill and approaching 90 degrees to the left.

Other Thoughts:

With more twists and turns than a telenovela, the saga of Highbridge Hills has captivated golfers in the Upper Midwest for years. Regardless of where you fall between the two extremes of "John is a con artist" and "John is a harmless dolt whose reach exceeds his grasp", it's hard to visit here and not be charmed by the ramshackle enthusiasm of it all. Sure, it'd be great if a competent management team took over the complex, maintained it to perfection, and charged $20/day in greens fees to play what is probably the greatest collection of courses at a single site in the entire world. But where's the fun in that? Up here, disc golf still feels firmly tied to its DIY roots, as one man tries to hold it all together with chewing gum and string. Even as people (including myself) complain about the neglect of these world-class courses, it's important to remember that this version of Highbridge holds value as well. If you're looking for a true frolf adventure, Highbridge is the best place to find one. For now, it's best to enjoy what we have and hope for better days down the road.

I struggled with how I should rate Blueberry, but ultimately settled on the full five discs. Yes, the maintenance on any given day can lower this rating dramatically, but with design and aesthetics as my primary rating considerations, I'd be remiss to hand out anything less than a perfect score. If the object of our game is "he who has the most fun wins", Blueberry is undefeated.

PROTIP: Walk ahead on Hole 13 to plan out your shots and identify the location of the ponds or you'll be sorry.
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11 0
gregwil2
Experience: 12.9 years 61 played 9 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Maybe it was great but now... 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 19, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

Good mix of short and long holes along with a mix of straight, right to left and left to right. Enough trees to make it challenging but also fair. All concrete pads with some basic signage for hole location and distance. There's a place to sit (bench, log, etc) on almost all if not all holes. The baskets are in great shape.

Cons:

You can tell this was once a great course. But it seems to have been neglected for a while. A mow of the fairways and around the tee pads would go a long way to making it great again. Some trimming of the fairways would be a good #2 on the list. The signage is ok, but something a little more detailed would be nice. It was a little difficult navigating between some of the holes, but nothing the map on the back of the scorecard couldn't fix. Seemed like the distances weren't quite right unless they were just in a different pin placement. There were some buckets for trash, but many were overflowing. The main clubhouse was also pretty run down and could use some TLC.

Other Thoughts:

I was playing a few days after some week long concert that just finished so there was a LOT of trash around, random fire pits, etc etc...so I tried to overlook all of that in the review. I'm not sure if the remote location makes it so there isn't much playing traffic or what, but like I said earlier it has potential to be great (...again?). It seemed like the other courses on site were in similar condition.
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13 1
Stardoggy
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 12.6 years 1002 played 214 reviews
4.50 star(s)

The best at the best site 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:May 25, 2016 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Blueberry is an 18 hole course at Highbridge Hills.

Concrete tee pads, one per hole. They're in reasonably good shape, and plenty long, wide and grippy enough. As with most things at Highbridge, they're starting to show some age.

Mach3 baskets, in good shape. Two pin positions on nearly every hole, although I'm not sure how often they get moved, if ever.

Balance. So much variety. Every single hole is something different, in a terrific way. It's nuts how many holes here would be a signature hole on nearly any other course. I could literally go hole by hole and point out the uniqueness of each one, and not feel bad about it one single bit. There's elevation, tight fairways, legit par 4's that force good placement, deuce or die holes, and nearly everything in between.

A couple water hazards on the course, some hidden your first time through (looking at you, hole 13, you godless disc eating whore). If it's your first time, go scout. You'll be happy you did.

So much risk/reward. You can run hero shots on nearly every hole, and if you're playing well, it can result in great scores. It can also put you a bazillion over par.

Elevation nearly everywhere. You'll tee off uphill, downhill, and everything in between. Barely a flat spot on the course. Several pin locations in precarious positions, as well, which make the short holes an adventure.

The scenery. Highbridge is as scenic as can be found nearly anywhere, and Blueberry doesn't skimp in this area.

Cons:

Highbridge is just old and haggard. There's just no way around it. There was a time that half the courses here were considered among the best in the world, and could be again if the powers that be would just concentrate on keeping it clean and mowed more than they worried about half built shacks and zip lines.

It can get buggy here, but it's the WI north woods. If you come here and didn't buy a case of Off beforehand, then that's on you.

Other Thoughts:

Blueberry is a dream. A remote, way the hell out there dream. It's possibly the most wonderfully designed course I've played (or at least top 3), and it's just soooo much fun. It offers beatdown holes, deuce opportunities, and everything else you could want. It punishes and rewards, all at the same time. Honestly, if I were told I could only play one course for the rest of my life, this may be it....it's that good. Hell, if I could only play one HOLE for the rest of my l life, it may be hole 2 here. This last time we were there, our group couldn't walk by hole 2 without throwing it. It's the best course on a site full of top notch courses.

With only one real set of tees, I just can't go 5.0 on it, but if there were an option for 4.95, I'd give it that. I love it, and pretty much everybody I've thrown with there loves it. Go play it, so you can love it too.
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9 4
Spike Hyzer 23
Experience: 30.6 years 92 played 87 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Disc Golf Mecca 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 17, 2005 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

The technical challenges of this course are astonishing, while it remains a fair and balanced test of disc golf. Mistakes are brutally punished out here by a combination of dense woods, steep elevation, wicked slopes in either direction, and fairly well--though not always--guarded greens. This particular track is long, but not overly so, but the elevation and distances between holes makes it a punishing walk (two rounds has seldom taken such a toll on my body).

It simply has to be experienced for one's self, and even the pictures don't do justice to the grandeur of the place (though it does give you some idea of the challenging golf you are facing, though it didn't prepare me quite enough).

Cons:

The single con is that it's so far away!

Other Thoughts:

The seclusion of the northwoods makes it a quiet retreat into nature and the overall elevation of the complex allows one to see far into the distance and appreciate the hills as far as the Mississippi on the Minnesota border.

Apologies to the folks in Georgia, but this is far and away the best and most challenging disc golf complex in the world.
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8 3
The1BoomShaka
Experience: 1 played 1 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Frolf is a good walk, enhanced. 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 12, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

Holes are challenging with a few that can be aced.
Good variety of hole length and the longer holes are spaced out.
The environment offers different obstacles on your way to the pin. My best picture of the entire camping trip was on top of a rock formation with the Northwoods-Gogebic woods behind the chains.

Cons:

I can't even complain about the disc golf. It was 5/5. How do you complain when you're separated from everything but your friends and disc golf while drinking a cold beer in the beautiful outdoors and staring up at the universe every night. I'm not attempting to be poetic, but I will say that if you come through the course complaining about anything more than your personal performance, it's likely not worth listening to.

Other Thoughts:

If you're a disc golfer or if you love a disc golfer, you need to travel however far it takes you to get here. Camp absolutely if you can, but if you can't go anyways. The other courses are just as good with the exception of Chestnut Grove which seems geared towards the night round and even that course has it's many charms. This place is more than a disc golf resort. Its an experience and I'll be back again.
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3 5
James McGirr
Experience: 11 played 11 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Fantastice coarse 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 23, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

The fairways are fair some of the baskets are tucked in and around trees and brush requiring a skilled approach shot or tee shot.The coarse doesn't overly reward a player for any exceputal abilitys.An average or above average player can keep a game competitive against a better player by keeping there disc in play. The coarse was well designed

Cons:

I got lost between 12th basket and 13th tee. Other than that a really fun coarse to play. I would say thewhole complex of coarses are fantastice. Although it is located in northern most Wisconsin

Other Thoughts:

I have traveled around past few summers and played a lot of disc golf coarses I have found nothing close to highbridge hills.All the coarses there have fair fairway and are very playable.
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17 1
uwdiscgolf
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 14.6 years 163 played 26 reviews
4.50 star(s)

The Blueberry 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 31, 2014 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Before I begin...I was the course manager for 2014..

* Concrete Tee Pads

* Mach Baskets

*Terrain

* Variety of Fairways

* Course offers more than 18 holes to play.

* Course is freshly manicured and trimmed as of 2014.

*Course is located right on the top of the hill.

*Course begins and ends near the Pro Shop.

*Course has the front nine located around the driveway off of Mile Rd.

*Navigation is pretty easy. Might get a tiny bit confusing when you try to play the hybrid course.

Cons:

* Course retains waters in some areas because of poor design.

* Course lacks signage.

*Course owner is rarely on the grounds to help guide anyone to where the courses start.

* Hole 18 can be very confusing... The hole plays down the hill which you have to walk back up to get back to the Pro Shop.

Other Thoughts:

As far as the cons go there are not many... Blueberry is a great course. As mentioned above the course has been recently trimmed as of 2014. The fairways have been trimmed back and up to about ten feet high on the wooded holes. Blueberry offers a premium mix of wooded/open/long/short/ risk vs. reward.

Hole by Hole breakdown:

#1. RHBH hyzer hole. Its a short hole and easy to start your round with a birdie. You can go left or right of the island trees in the middle of the fairway.

#2. Bomb hole! 375 ft wide open downhill hole. pin sits on a tier from the days when Highbridge was meant to be a ball golf course. Playing this hole will vary as the wind changes. Play the wind and you should do just fine.

#3. Downhill shot with woods to the left and rough to the right. Pin is straight out and in the open. another hole you can bomb your disc.

#4. Hole plays favor to LHBH/ RHFH players, but then transitions into a LH/RH BH hole. From the tee you need to throw around the island of tress to get a good look for your second shot. Pin is guarded by trees.

#5. Plays over a very small "water hole" then up hill slightly and to the right. since the course has been trimmed you can choose a few different shots to get up to the pin. This hole is mostly wooded.

#6. An Ace run hole. LHFH/ RHBH hyzer. A small grouping of trees protect the straight shot from the tee pad.

#7. Hole plays downhill. Once you play the course a time or two you can figure out which trees or rocks to aim at to ensure a parked drive. 7 is not a long hole by any mean but you want to keep your disc low down the fairway.

#8. The longest hole on the course being over 600'. There is an old oak tree that is exactly 400' from the tee pad. Hole is mostly wooded with big boulders surrounding the pin. Hole plays down a wooded fairway for about 375' then opens up and back to wooded near the circle.

#9. Ace run hole. Pin sits on the side of a hill. Hole requires a slight flex shot off the tee.

#10. Long hole over 500' that plays very slightly downhill from the tee pad. Some small "water holes" come into play on the left. Water is shallow.

#11. Risk vs. Reward- tunnel shot offer an Ace run look otherwise you need a hard LHFH/ RHBH anhyzer. There is the risk of water if you take the tunnel route.

#12. Long hole that is open for most of the fairway but then curves right down a wooded fairway. This hole may be wet in the open parts just before the wooded fairway.

#13. WATER!!! please take the time to walk the fairway if it is your first time playing Blueberry. There are two ponds in the fairway. This is a risk vs reward hole. Many who have risked have lost. The pin is guarded by water to the right. laying up is usually the best option.

#14. Some would say Ace run...Hole plays to a pin located on a small hill. Owner has trouble for some reason keeping the grassed mowed near the pin. Where your disc lands near the pin is where it will most likely stay because of the grass.

#15. Nice finesse hole for those that have the right disc in the bag. wooded hole that opens slightly near the pin. some standing water may be on the left side of fairway...about 75' from the tee pad.

#16. Hole plays trough wooded terrain that has many rocks and small boulders in the fairway. Fairway is curvy. Again the terrain does play a big factor on this hole.

#17. Long uphill hole that has an amazing vista near the pin. Hole plays out from the wooded tee pad in to the open and up a boulder face. placement is not paramount, but be careful regardless. you want to stay in the open. Most of the small saplings that were growing on the rock face were trimmed.

#18. Plays downhill through a mostly tight wooded fairway. You will have to walk back up the fairway to get back to the Pro Shop.

Blueberry Hill is a really fun course that is the probably the favorite of anyone who plays it. The vistas and wildlife are amazing. The course was part of the 2007 PRO World Championships. Course was let go afterwards, but was trimmed by Jonathan West. Players have been raving since the update. Course is said to be looking the best it has since '07' Worlds.


Other Thoughts:

Cabin rentals and camping are available. Course is Pay to Play. Pro Shop located on the top of the hill. Not much of a Pro shop though..Many discs are super light weight and not many popular discs can be found. But the course speaks for itself. A must if you are in the area. IF you're staying on the grounds you are missing out if you dont play the course. I would warm up on Woodland Greens first. Its the short Par 3 course @ HIGHBRIDGE HILLS. Enough reading now get out and PLAY!!
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10 0
BKRanger
Experience: 13.8 years 31 played 2 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Beautiful Blue 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 26, 2014 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Blueberry is one of the most beautiful courses you will ever play. The fairways seem to be the best maintained of any of the courses at the complex, which makes sense as it is the course John will always ask you to play barefoot, which is more than doable if you keep it out of the rough. Also with some new staff up there recently it is starting to turn around condition wise. All of the courses are in the best shape that anyone has seen in many years.
The challenge this course has to offer is amazingly fun. It is just the right amount of challenge yet not an absolute beat down that might upset some newer players. The tees are in wonderful shape and the baskets catch nicely (and they are blue a nice touch). There are far too many signature holes to list but hole two; is an amazing drive over the parking lot to a basket on a raised area (originally a tee for the ball golf course that was never finished there) with a gorgeous view off the tee, and hole 17 a uphill hole where the last 200ish feet are up a steep rock face that plays OB and at the top of the rock face you are rewarded with the best view the entire complex has to offer, which is really saying something! Also getting to hole 3 and seeing the sign for the beginning of the final nine of the '07 worlds is just an amazing feeling no matter how many times you read that sign. Also this year we played this course later in the day and had to finish the majority of the back 9 in glow mode. I was surprised how well the course played for night golf and looking up at the insanely visible stars was such an awesome feeling. If you have played this course before and know the layout relatively well, I highly recommend a glow round here!

Cons:

As mentioned in the previous reviews the navigation is definitely the biggest con to Blueberry. While there are some directional signs, it is not nearly enough especially when there is another course with tees near. I advise grabbing a scorecard even if you're not going to use it as there is a map of the course on the back which will help ease some of the navigational pains. A lot of people mention the course being too wet to play at times which while is certainly true you need to consider the area you are in. This area gets massive amounts of snow and in the spring all that snow melts and with it being such a varied elevation course water pools up in the low areas. I think that the best time to play any of the courses here is definitely during the fall.

Other Thoughts:

You can't help but have an amazing time here if you are truly a disc golf fanatic, regardless of conditions. Where else can you play five world class courses at the same complex? HBH is most certainly the MECCA!
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12 16
nin1002
Experience: 20.5 years 12 played 12 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Great course in dire need of signage 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 25, 2014 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

The course is always in decent condition. This is simply one of the finest courses you will play. The level of difficulty is very high which makes it for an excellent challenge. With so many people coming to Highbridge to play Blueberry, it creates a well developed network of paths through the woods and rough. The variety of holes is wonderful, and Blueberry (along with all the courses at Highbridge) is indeed a destination stop.

Cons:

As wonderful as Blueberry is, there are two major issues with it. The first is the lack of direction from one hole to the next. In fact, the general confusion you will have trying to find the next hole is off the charts. There were multiple (many multiple) instances of having no idea where the next hole was, and this led to our group all splitting up and walking in various directions to check out different baskets and tee boxes. A large amount of time and energy was spent on this endeavor (and it was thoroughly unenjoyable). The course criss crosses over two or three of the other courses at Highbridge, and you will frequently be confused as to what hole/course you are looking at. This situation is magnified as many of the tee boxes have no map of the current hole, and no signage of what the hole is, or even which direction the hole is. At one point, there were FOUR (yes, FOUR!!!) tee boxes, all grouped in a similar location, and only two of them had numbers painted on them (of those two, one had a map). We really hoped to play 18 holes of Blueberry, but instead, we ended up playing 17 holes total, and somehow ended up on the Granite Ridge course somewhere (still unknown to us) on the back 9. The lack of direction to the next holes (the scorecard map is completely useless) and lack of hole maps/signage to what hole you are on is such a major issue that these issues alone knock this tremendous course from a 5 star to a 3.5.

Other Thoughts:

If you go to Highbridge, you best make sure you are in tip-top stamina for what is coming. The terrain and length of all the courses is something that is hard to prepare for if you have not made the trip to Highbridge before. For my team of three moderate to advanced players, it took a little over three hours to finish Blueberry. This seems like a reasonable an average time spent....and Blueberry is the second SHORTEST course of the five at Highbridge! The hills/insects/terrain/length will truly sap your energy along the way no matter how hearty you are, so you absolutely should plan to bring multiple beverages along with you to sustain yourself as it will be a long time before you see your car again.
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20 2
Hector Chain
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 15.8 years 222 played 189 reviews
5.00 star(s)

A sweet, textured berry 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 24, 2013 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Blueberry is one of the best combinations of design, elevation, variety, and challenge of any course I have played.

I really enjoyed the use of terraces here (a feature also used on Gold). On many holes the green or part of the fairway is raised above the surrounding terrain, creating some nice landing areas and a different feel.

The are a number of memorable holes here. Hole 2 is an open drive onto one of these terraces. Hole 8 is a challenging uphill shot through a fairway that won't allow for your max distance drive. Your next shot is a full shot through a gap into an open area, followed by an accuracy-testing approach into a wooded area. My slightly inaccurate shots left me awkward shots along the edges of the fairways.

Hole 9 is a sort of ace run but requires an arching turnover shot or forehand (for RHBH) to a steeply sloping green. You could ace it, but if your putt rolls the wrong way, it could be a bogey.

Hole 13 was maybe my favorite in the complex. A wall of trees blocks the landing area, another terrace that can be reached with a spike hyzer, a big forehand, or an accurate shot through the one gap. After that you approach the basket beyond a pond that is on another terrace above you. You have to walk this entire fairway beforehand, but it's so scenic that you won't mind.

Hole 17 is an epic uphill hole with the basket perched above a natural granite wall. I could go on with more of the holes but will spare you.

The course makes great use of fairways that go from wooded to open areas or vice versa, risky putts on slopes, narrow fairways alternating with long bombs that still require placement. There are multiple tees on most holes, but I only played the main tees (the white ones, I think). Navigation wasn't bad, but you'll want to have the scorecard/map with you.

Cons:

Same as with Gold, you never knew which position was in use. If you are going to play any course more than once (and you really should give yourself enough time to play all of them multiple times), I'd recommend Blueberry. The second time is more fun as you remember which route you want to take.

As with all the courses at Highbridge, the tee signs are mediocre. I'm skeptical of the distances shown (I think they underestimate the true distance). Some are faded and difficult to read.

All of the Highbridge courses have some issue with searching for discs. If you can play here with friends, do. Blueberry is not the worst for this issue, and the fairways were perfectly mowed when I played. But the woods will leave you searching if you get far off the fairways. Bring your bright orange discs.

Other Thoughts:

This seems to be the most played course at the complex, and for good reason. It is difficult to think of any element that this course lacks, and moreover, any element that it doesn't use really well. As I went through the course pictures before writing this, I had a lot of moments of "Oh, yeah, that hole! I forgot about that one, that was a good one, too."

Although this is the most recreational-friendly of Gold, Granite Ridge, and Blueberry, this isn't an easy course and true beginners might be frustrated. But this course would stand near the top of the heap even if it wasn't at Highbridge with all these other great courses.

When you're writing a review and get sad that you're back on your couch rather than getting another crack at those tough shots, you know you're reviewing a great course. This was one of my favorites.
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12 2
krupicmd
Experience: 5 played 5 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Blueberry almost perfect 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 26, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

If you are to play one course up at Highbridge Hills, it should be Blueberry Hill. It probably is the course that gives you the most of what Highbridge has to offer- incorporates the styles from of every course on the complex added with amazing views and striking landscapes. All baskets stick out with their Mach 3 dark blue color.

Beginners would probably enjoy this course, but it is for slightly more advanced to pro players. A variety of shots will need to be utilized since the holes have a nice mix of diversity- long holes, short wooded holes, downhill, uphill, left, right, etc. Unless you have well over a 400' drive, 1/3 of the holes are unreachable off the tee, leaving you with decisions to make on how to set up your next shot.

Signature Holes:
#2- downhill hole with a rock-wall-lined tiered green
#13- Hole with two large ponds- one right up next to the pin that you have to shoot over.
#17- uphill pump set among a large grouping of rock- John (the owner) is planning to put in a waterfall here.

NOTE: Some of the holes are very unique, with large moss-covered rocks amidst the trees. Hole #4, #16, and #8 have the pins set amongst this setting and could almost be signature holes themselves.

Solitude-
I rarely see anyone on this course and I've played it many times throughout the year.

Landscape/ Vistas-
Amazing views of the surrounding country side. Hole 2 and 3 have great views overlooking the Chequamegon National Forest- the best time to play is in the fall when the leaves change color. The landscape is a great setting with the rocky outcroppings among the trees.

Tee Pads- great large grippy pads.

Cons:

This course can get wet, so if there has been a lot of recent rain wear out some waterproof boots.

Other Thoughts:

Lastly, I will comment on the complex-Highbridge Hills. If you make it up here, chances are you drove a long way, so it doesn't make sense to play just one course. The great thing about the courses at HH is that they vary in difficulty, so pending on your skill level or what you're in the mood for, there is a course that will most likely fit your needs. As standalone courses, three are still absolutely amazing- Granite, Blueberry and Gold - if one of the courses doesn't satisfy you, you only have to walk a couple hundred feet to a totally different course- The Bear- long, tight and woodsy- very hard, Gold-very long, mostly open, Granite- mostly open, fairly long, Woodland Greens- short technical course through the woods, numerous ace runs, Blueberry- open and woodsy, some long, some short technical holes. The grounds are organic, beautiful and calm.
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6 5
wolfhaley
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 19.9 years 970 played 542 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Highbridge's Finest 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 2, 2013 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

This is arguably Highbridges best course. There are large, level grippy tees on every hole here. The land at Highbridge is second to none. The views and just the feeling of solitude alone make this a must play course for any serious disc golfer. The navigation here is pretty easy as well. They offer scorecards with an accurate map on the back of it at the pro shop building too. This would probably be recommended for first timers, but you'd figure it out without one. They just recently replaced most of the old signs with new ones. The signs show a basic hole layout, hole #, The different pin locations, and distances and pars for the various pin locations. These serve their purpose just fine. All the holes were recently mowed or being mowed when I went. The mowing of all these courses alone is pretty much a full time job here so if its a little overgrown you're just gonna have to deal with it or go play the Ashland elementary school course. There are beautiful blue powder coated mach 3 baskets on all the holes that are in great shape and catch well. You'll need every type of shot in your arsenal at this course as well. There's an excellent mix of left, right and straight shots here. There's also a great variation of different distances with the shortest being hole 1 at 210 feet all the way up to 605 feet on hole 8. The elevation changes are also a big factor in scoring well here. They do a fantastic job of using the available terrain and incorporating it into the course design. 6 of the 18 holes have at least one type of water hazard on them as well. This always makes for a more challenging round. The rough is also pretty brutal in most spots, so for blind shots a spotter would be highly recommended. There's a good mix of tightly wooded and more open holes, with some of them having both. They also have garbage pails and homemade log benches on nearly every hole as well. As I mentioned earlier but can't say enough is that the peacefulness of this course is, and for that matter any of the highbridge courses, pretty much impossible to match.

Cons:

The bugs can get bad but as the previous reviewer said, this ain't your typical city course. You're way up in the middle of nowhere. Bring bug spray and you'll be fine. As I mentioned earlier it may not be mowed to everyone's standards but take into consideration all the courses on the property. With this being said I've never seen it even remotely too overgrown to play. These are all just nitpicking really though. Also not even a con but make sure to bring plenty of water or Gatorade. This course is no joke. Again not a con but hole 1 starts a little ways east (behind) the pro shop with hole 2 being right in front of the pro shop throwing over the parking lot. I usually just start on hole 2 and finish on 1 which brings you right back to the parking lot.

Other Thoughts:

This course as well as the Gold and Granite Ridge are must play courses for any serious disc golfer. I make at least one trip up here every year since I first played it five years ago. If you're not into camping or only like school/city courses this probably isn't for you. I should say DEFINATELY isn't for you. This is a big boy course so you'll need to put on your big boy pants to play it and the other on site courses. One of my favorites and I strongly recommend it to anyone that takes disc golf seriously.
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5 6
metalheaddiscs
Experience: 17.9 years 101 played 4 reviews
5.00 star(s)

This is the forest stay home pretty boys. 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 4, 2013 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Beautiful and totally peaceful. Yeah you might get a tick or skeeter bite but hey this is the northwoods. Over half of the holes would be a signature hole at most courses so enjoy the greatness. Great mix of shots. Views abound.

Cons:

Being picky: signs could improve a bit and a little better moving at times but its good enough when your next to a national forest. I didn't drive to the sticks to play in a city park.

Other Thoughts:

If you haven't been to Highbridge go, unless you can't live without your hair products and skirt. I'm not sure who the guy is giving this place a half disc but he must have a grudge. Highbridge is what disc golf is about. Great people, great piece of land, 4 courses that will challenge every level and 2 other courses and John the owner is very friendly and wants everyone to enjoy the outdoors.
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15 3
Money_Shot
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 19.8 years 125 played 39 reviews
5.00 star(s)

What Doesn't This Course Have 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Oct 13, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-Great signage throughout the course
-Has several holes that satisfy every disc golfers taste.
-Very clean
-Well maintained course
-Requires every shot and ability a person can have to have a good round.
-Natural beauty. I've played this course in spring and fall and this course has several holes that warrant a camera.
-Will challenge a good disc golfer while giving average players enough satisfaction to keep them coming back for more.
-Honestly im trying to think of one thing this course doesn't offer besides great winter play. However, i have not played any course in the northern winter that reaches anywhere near its summer potential.
-This course offers distance holes, short holes, up hill throws, down hill throws, water hazzards, prairie throws, rocky landscapes, hyzer drives, anhyzer drives, finesse shots, and anything else you can imagine. Play it!

Cons:

Ummmmmm....I guess the only thing i can come up with is i like heavily wooded, heavily technical, short holes and this course only offers 4 holes that fit exactly that description. Oh yeah and perhaps the mosquitos im sure get bad at the right time of the year but welcome up north.

Other Thoughts:

If you play this course and don't like it. Clean your discs, put them in your bag, pack it up and put a price tag on it because there is no way you like disc golf. This isn't my favorite course, but i would definately put it in my top 7 or so. I could only rate it a 4.5 or 5 so i rated it a 5 but it deserves a solid 4.75 from almost any disc golfer preference. Do not be turned off by the guy who rated this course a .5. The only person who would bother rating this course that low is someone who doesnt know what they are talking about. I don't care what "tour" this guy is on with his girlfriend, this course is top of the line by all standards. To rate a course a .5 because of wood ticks and long fairways (as the only two negative things that guy could point out about the course.) shows me the guy either hasn't played it or he thinks a course he lives by should be the best. Blue Ribbon Pines is a nice course. I have played them both about 10 times, but Blueberry Hill is a better course imo. Definately is not 4 point rating difference between them and i can guarentee that.
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2 8
WOTI
Experience: 11.7 years 104 played 4 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Winter Wonderland 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 23, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

A very good variety of shot needed for this while still providing multiple options for almost every hole. The course has very good elevation changes and the occasional pond. Going off the fairway can be punishing. This course also offers views that are picture worthy.

Cons:

This course is not a suitable winter course unless you are looking for a good workout. Expect knee to waist deep snow with buried obstructions. Only 2 or 3 tee boxes had been cleared completely with the remaining of them having a 2x3 foot spot cleared.

Other Thoughts:

I can't wait to camp out there next summer and play all day everyday.
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