Phoenix, AZ

Buffalo Ridge Park

Permanent course
3.745(based on 62 reviews)
Filter course reviews

Filter reviews

Filter reviews

Buffalo Ridge Park reviews

Filter
16 0
endermetal
Experience: 9.9 years 40 played 8 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Initially Discouraging but Ultimately Enjoyed It

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 16, 2022 Played the course:once

Pros:

Rugged, beautiful, and unique, Buffalo Ridge was the final course I played on my mini-vacation to Phoenix in December. The course is near an unassuming local park and plays close to and around some small mountains--or would it be more appropriate to call them large hills? They're either small mountains or large hills, so for the purposes of this review I guess I'll refer to them as mountains.

Buffalo Ridge hits its stride once you reach the mountains starting near hole 6. Despite not having many obstacles forcing you to hit specific lines, you still have to contend with elevation, wind, and rough landscape, with the landscape often requiring you to land your shot in a specific way to avoid rollaways.

The fun factor was through the roof from holes 6-16, which all play around mountains. Great elevation play and some really unique and spectacular views of the desert landscape; it's not often us disc golfers play near cacti!

Great teepads. From what I recall, every single one was textured concrete and in good shape.

Cons:

This is probably the least consistent and most paradoxical course I've ever played. I was so discouraged after playing the first 5 holes that I almost wanted to leave; they are repetitive, boring, mostly blind holes that really serve no purpose other than to get you from the parking lot to the fun part of the course.

Navigation was substandard and unintuitive, especially for the first set of holes. Even with the benefit of Udisc, I had a good amount of trouble determining what basket I was throwing to. I can't imagine playing this course without Udisc or a guide. Signage wasn't too helpful either.

I can't recall a single shot shape I had to throw because of trees/bushes/flora. I had to throw a handful of turnover flex lines or hyzer flips, but that was entirely because the baskets were at the far end of my distance potential.

Other Thoughts:

I opted to play the main 18 hole course and disregarded the alternate 27 hole layout, as I felt it would have been too confusing to try to navigate the expanded layout. I would recommend other out-of-towners do the same, but I'm just that: an ignorant out-of-towner, so take this suggestion with a grain of salt. You do you.

This could be an AMAZING course with a few tweaks to the layout and better amenities, so here are my suggestions for course changes: Completely redesign the first 5 holes to get the player to the fun part of the course as quickly as possible by removing some of them or combining a few into par 4s. Of course, infrastructure upgrades would also help, such as better signage, benches, navigational aides, trash cans, etc.

I was also disappointed to learn that another mountain wasn't part of the course. After 16, the last couple holes circle back to the opposite side of the park to the parking lot rather than playing around the final mountain. Expanding the course to include play near this other mountain would be absolutely fantastic.

This is a difficult course for me to rate because I had such a miserable time initially but ultimately had a blast. This is true desert golf and a unique experience that I recommend to most disc golfers minus those that are out of shape or just starting out. The good outweighs the bad by a significant margin, so a 3.5 for a VERY GOOD course seems to be the best fit.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
8 0
Treeplant
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 8.8 years 109 played 62 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Fantastic Course, Good Signage and Tees, Little Confusing on 27 Hole Layout 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 3, 2019 Played the course:once

Pros:

- Fantastic, disc golf only course with minimal public interference other than a couple of holes and random hikers. Apparently the hikers can be a little busier at peak times, but there aren't defined trails like there are at a course like Fountain Hills, for example.

- Good (not great) signage.

- Clean course with no garbage we came across (which is a bit of a thing in Phoenix area with the flood plain disc golf courses we played).

- Good (not great) tee pads.

- Great use of the hills for elevation, some really fun shots.

- Parking and restrooms at the start.

- Some long bombs for people who really like to unload and huck it. Also, the elevated long bombs makes you feel good about your distance :)

- Saw some cool lizards!

- Good cart course, no issues using a cart.

Cons:

- The 27 hole thing is a bit confusing. Feels like it was originally 18 and then it got converted to 27. We played it twice and only ended up playing the same 18 twice. I'm sure if you're local you can figure it out quickly, but we used UDisc and got a little confused.

- Not a lot of short/ace-runs if you like that sort of thing. Definitely not an easy course for novice/rec players.

- Not much in the way of obstacles with height. It's hard to get trees growing in these conditions, obviously, so it makes sense, but there's not much shot-shaping challenge. As a person who throws thumbers, tomahawks, flicks and backhands, I found I really didn't need much more than a backhand on this course.

- Signage is generally pretty good, but some of the pin positions/distances were confusing/questionable.

- Hard to lose discs, but holy crap does this course chew up plastic. I've never had discs cut up like I have playing this.

Other Thoughts:

- Bring some water, Hole 9 doesn't loop back past the parking lot like a lot of courses.

- I was struggling whether to give this a 3.5 or 4. I feel like it's a 3.75 course so I gave it a 3.5 to bring it closer to what I feel it should be. With a few more ace runs, championship level signage/pads and a longer set of tees, this would easily be a 4. That said, we really enjoyed the course and met some really friendly/helpful locals that we really appreciated. Loved the Phoenix area generally and this was one of our favorite courses!
Was this review helpful? Yes No
2 5
Rookie
Experience: 2 played 2 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Loved it! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 17, 2018 Played the course:once

Pros:

It's like going on a hike and playing disc golf at the same time. Loved the rugged terrain, the friendly locals, the challenge of throwing tee shots uphill, and the thrill of throwing airborne hyzers downhill. Some baskets were hard to spot but once you can see them, you will be challenged.

Cons:

None!

Other Thoughts:

It's a half hour drive for me but well worth it. My home course is Vista del Camino and I love it there too. Buffalo Ridge is a different beast altogether.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
17 1
The Katana Kid
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 8.3 years 183 played 56 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Elevation shots with a great view! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Nov 28, 2017 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

From a local, "Buffalo Ridge is my favorie Phoenix course for sure. Love the elevation changes." I agree, but if you don't know the gem of Buffalo Ridge's "elevation" then you may get worn out mining the 27 holes to find the diamond.

If you don't have the time and energy to burn here's the secret: Go straight to the number 6 tee. You will be going UP. Then on 7 and 8 you will be going DOWN. It's helpful to remember to go UP after 6's basket since that's where the 7 tee is, otherwise you may struggle finding it.

Then you go UP on 9 and DOWN on 10, which you may think is the signature hole of this place, but it's only the beginning of the signature elevation holes. Again, remember to go UP after 9's basket. Also, if you don't remember to go UP on 9 then you may get lost, like I did, and end up playing 9A, which plays toward the parking lot (28th hole?).

Now you go UP on 11 and then 12 is the most technical shot because it's downhill and hidden behind a guardian bush. When you're at the 11th tee looking uphill at the basket turn to your right so you can see where 12's hidden basket is since you won't see it looking down from the 12th tee.

Then you go UP for 13 and DOWN for 14 and 15. It's a little tricky getting to 14 since you're not only throwing DOWN, but the basket is perched down there on a tiny hill which is inviting your disc to roll away once you get there.

If you quit after 15 then you would have played just 10 holes but you would have experienced ALL the elevation shots of Buffalo Ridge. If you do have the time and energy, however, then there is more good disc golf to be found here.

Five nice ace runs are 4 (175'), G (200'), H (206'), 7 (256'), and 17 (262'). You can't see 4's basket from the tee but it's buried in some trees to the right, not too far away. I particularly like this one since it strongly favors my RHFH. I ended up parked on both shots of my only 2 rounds for easy birdies and expect I'd eventually hear chains from the hidden location.

Cons:

My pet peeve are the tee signs here, and other places, that show multiple baskets, but don't indicate which is the current position. For example, F, H, and I throw blind. They go over a swell, which would be nice if you knew which basket position was your destination. It would be so simple and inexpensive to add a nut and washer on the tee sign, like so many other courses do, but I guess they haven't figured this out at the nicer Phoenix courses yet. I also complained about this in my Vista review. Multiple baskets should be a PRO not a CON!

The A through I portion could have included elevation shots that would have made it a lot better. If 9 more elevation holes were added on this side of the mountain then you'd have TWO complete courses.

I wish the tee signs rose up higher. It was difficult to locate them, but this is only a factor for the first unfamiliar round so not a big deal.

Be careful since B is easily mistaken for I, which is what I did.

Other Thoughts:

Bring water or get some from your car after 8, since that's the closest you'll be to the parking lot before you finish and by then you've finished 17 holes if you played A-I. Most of your UP and DOWN is ahead of you.

There's a walking trail around the upper ridge of the higher baskets and it was active with pedestrians both times I was there. When you're throwing UP a hill you don't usually worry about people, but be conscious of them and stay safe.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
3 1
schmidticus1
Experience: 29.2 years 9 played 4 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Best Desert Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 24, 2017 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Love this place (not so much in the summer)!
Good variety of holes and terrain.
Great exercise while you are playing.
Easy to navigate.
Elevation changes.
Scoring opportunities (even for this old guy)!

Cons:

Old-school baskets, too many walkers and dogs on the weekends.

Other Thoughts:

I've been playing here off and on since it was new, even helped put out the forms for some of the pads. Lots of great people out here playing, it is definitely the "go to" course for my son and I whenever we take a visitor out! Fountain Hills is great too (way different style), but this is a raw desert course that is just load of fun!
Was this review helpful? Yes No
9 0
Dadio
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 39.6 years 174 played 75 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Interesting desert course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 16, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

This course is located in a large park on the north east side of Phoenix. It butts up against and partially uses the ridge that gives the park it's name. There is good parking, a nice play area for the kids, some good sized grass areas, basketball courts, and bathrooms. a well appointed park.
The course itself plays out through the natural expanse with a variety of desert bushes and scrub trees providing quite a bit of cover. This adds an interesting degree of difficulty, as they average 4 to 8 feet tall so it is not unusual to have to elevate a drive more than you might like. Add the wind and an easy medium length hole becomes challenging.
Tees are a good consistent size allowing good run-ups and signs are on most tees. Maps of main course and extra 9 holes are well placed and help with navigation.
There are a number of places by the greens where rocks have been gathered and look like bunkers. I didn't see any signs about them, wonder if the locals use them in play somehow.
Many of the tees have different different patterns and artwork in them, often incorporating the hole number. I like this artistic touch.
The designers made pretty good use what elevation there is to make some challenging holes, including 15 which has the pin on a very narrow 8' tall ridge making the choice to lay up or go for it tough as a missed putt turns into a 30'+ uphill challenge.

Cons:

While it was a pretty good use of the area, by the time I made it to F(10 holes in) and some elevation change it was feeling a little rote. I think part of that is I am used to the Pacific Northwest, most courses have trees and elevation to spare.
Holes 8-13 fall into a similar pattern, up the hill then down, could have used one or two on the flat to break the pattern.
The course is verrrry rocky, almost nothing but. I hadn't realized blizzard plastic was that soft until this course. Still usable, but probably put 6 months to a years worth of my normal wear on it in one round.
The tees are a good size but some of them are over textured, almost to the point of being a trip hazard on a couple.
My biggest complaint is the the tee signs, map, and site are all inaccurate for distance and pin positions. Because of terrain I was having a hard time judging distances and on some holes both tee signs and map are wildly off. On 12 I was throwing to pin 15 or 16 because sign showed it on that line. later found it tucked behind a bush.
This is a long course to be away from water, especially with the letter holes taking you away from the bathrooms. Carry extra!

Other Thoughts:

I liked this course over all, despite some of the annoyances. It was cool to see the design constraints caused by the different environment and how the designers dealt with them.
Be aware this is an area where there could be rattlesnakes. I didn't see any and doubt they will be common in an area this well traveled but be aware.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
3 7
Cnel36
Experience: 7.5 years 2 played 2 reviews
5.00 star(s)

My favorite course played so far in the valley 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 7, 2017 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-Fun layout
-3 separate 18 holes can be played, or a full 27 (which I highly recommend)
-Most holes have very good baskets
-Many holes have alternate hole locations and the people that manage the course change positions frequently
-Great elevation changes which provide fun and challenging shot types
-Very clean course; each hole has a trash bag to keep litter down
-They utilize the scrubs and trees well to make certain basket positions challenging

Cons:

-Can become crowded on the weekends
-The park usually has many hikers throughout the course
-Some holes can get washed out after a big rain

Other Thoughts:

As the title states, this is my favorite course to play in the valley that I've played so far (I've also played Vista, Fountain Hills, and Thunderbird). I'd consider this my home course and play the full 27 at least once every weekend. The layout is great and I love that it is on the side of the hill, so you get a fun hike in while playing. The course is in the desert, and there isn't any grass, so yes, your discs will get beat up a bit, but they're $15 and I'd rather have fun than worry about my disc.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
2 1
pianocomposer
Experience: 26.8 years 21 played 21 reviews
4.50 star(s)

My favorite Course in Phoenix 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Apr 23, 2016 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Spectacular views throwing from up in the mountain. 27 holes of desert disc throwing goodness. Well tended. Some interesting blind shots and cool long shots from up top. Lots of distance illusions cause unforced errors. Nice park facilities (bathroom, water, picnic tables).

Cons:

Tough to find the holes and tee pads when you're a newbie. Not terribly challenging. A bit repetitive and easy to figure out. Bring water and don't play in the summer except early in the a.m. Bring good shoes to combat the broken glass and spiny cactus.

Other Thoughts:

You get to climb into the desert mountains and play disc golf. It is an awesome experience! I have never 'scuffed' a disk out here, but I don't buy soft plastic.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
6 0
laurenalexDG
Experience: 11.2 years 249 played 7 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Buffalo Ridge dgc 2+ years drive by

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

Pros:

•(only played 18 layout) Desert Mtn course that plays up and down the side of a rocky ridge, lots of short cacti and pokey trees making you need good placement.

•Pin positions were cool some raised ground baskets and some tough to putt at with the low lying trees

•Water and restrooms before hole 1 is nice

•Decent signs and fairly easy to navigate with good tee pads

•Lizards are there

Cons:

• Rough terrain may mess up your plastic

• Some janky baskets

• Some repetitive shots

Other Thoughts:

Could use some work but being from MN it was really fun playing a true desert course w/good elevation changes
Was this review helpful? Yes No
4 13
alexbridgeforth
Experience: 9.8 years 28 played 2 reviews
1.50 star(s)

Not the DGC I would bring a friend to 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 25, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

There is baskets out there. Any course is better than no course.

The hills add a nice variety of shots and make it more interesting than just throwing a drive out and then an up shot then putting in a short putt.

Cons:

Par is totally off. You walk up to a hole that is 450+ and should be a par 4 not 3. I would like to see how a 1000 rated player does out there and see them get pissed off because it is off.

There are ZERO fairways. I'm used to a disc golf course that plays like a pro golf course. Even desert golf courses have fairways and are enjoyable to play.

The baskets SUCK. The money used on the "new" 9 holes should have been put toward making the first 18 holes better, including their baskets.

Too many blind shots, it feels like you can't see the pins half the shots and there are 2 to 5 different pin positions for each hole and there is no marking showing you what pin position it is currently in. So you are stuck walking out and finding the pin before you throw your drive.

Many of the "fairways" are used side by side with holes shooting back at you. This could be very dangerous as players from other holes move forward to throw their second shot.

Not a course I would ever bring someone brand new too. I am a 850 rated player and did terrible out there.

There are no lanes for throwing. All this course requires is you to have a bit of good aim and big arm to get some birdies. If you don't have an arm don't expect birdies here.

Tee pads are not well marked and are a bit hidden at some points, not much of complaint because each prior holes sign tells you where the next tee pads are.

Other Thoughts:

This type of course is why Disc Golf will never grow to be respectable. It is frustrating when it feels like tee pads and baskets are just strewn about the desert and there is zero fairway and zero golf course feeling.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
2 0
josephreese
Experience: 10.1 years 44 played 2 reviews
3.50 star(s)

2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:May 2, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

This was my first time playing a proper desert course, and I liked it. The locals I joined warned me about the rough terrain, and how it would eat up my discs, but I didn't realize how bad it would be. After a few throws with soft plastic I switched to the harder stuff. One one long throw I was expecting a skip, but as it disappeared behind a bush I just heard a loud "thunk" as it hit a rock and stopped dead.

I was shown a "secret" alternate tee pad near the end of the lettered holes, where we had a nice view and a fun throw down to the basket.

There is ample parking. There are bathrooms and water near the beginning/ending of the course, but be sure to bring plenty of water to drink during your round. As you would expect, it gets hot.

Be sure to play the 9 lettered holes. They add elevation changes and some terrain challenges not available in the 18 numbered holes.

I played fairly early on Saturday, and the course was not crowded.

Cons:

The lack of trees made most holes friendly to whatever shape you wanted to throw. I prefer a couple of clear lines, with varying risk and reward for each, but that's not really possible here. It's no fault of the course designer, who did a nice job with what was available.

Other Thoughts:

I played in May, and by the middle of my 27-hole round it was pretty hot for this California kid. Play early unless you like the heat.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
4 0
The Valkyrie Kid
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 45.8 years 1563 played 1507 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Rainy Morning In The Desert! 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 19, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

How could I be so fortunate as to show up at Buffalo Ridge on one of the few mornings when Phoenix experienced a rain shower? So after sloshing around for the first 5-6 holes, getting totally soaked and cold, I was finally able to settle in and enjoy the course. The letter holes A-I were definitely the highlight of the course for me. I felt they were just a step above the original 18 in terms of challenge and interest. I had been told by many players down here about what a hike/workout this was going to be. I was fully expecting to be going up and down this down this mountain a time or two not just just skirting around the periminter.

There's only so much you can do with the design when you don't have trees and/or much elevation to contend with. As previous reviewers have noted, it's hard to get into serious trouble on this course due to the fact that even if you shank your drive badly, you still should be able to be in position to lay and par the hole.

Cons:

I found the navigation to be a little tricky in a number of places. Having the the next tee arrow on the tee sign is helpful but I always seem to remember to look for it when I've finished putting out. A little late then. I would love to see some simple little rock arrows like someone has placed at Red Mountain or little concrete block signs like Paseo Vista has.
The desert terrain eats up discs.

Other Thoughts:

As usual, I'm agreeing with Mashnut's expert opinion that I enjoyed the desert scenery but the disc golf didn't rock my world. It's definitely a course to play in the early morning hours. It's a nice little workout. Sturdy shoes and water are a must. And it'll probably do wonders for your self-esteem as most players should score well here.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
5 0
stratedge
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 10.8 years 70 played 22 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Great desert course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 11, 2015 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Although it's a desert course, there's a lot less "up and over" shots here than you'd expect. There are a fair number of trees, and the brush is high and thick. Placement of the tee pads and baskets make good use of the available natural obstacles and the terrain. The "letter holes" that added an additional 9 holes to the original 18 are superior and really take the course up a notch, so if you don't play the full 27, make sure you play these holes. Many of the baskets have tall flags above them so that you can see where you're aiming even if the basket is hidden, which I really like. Lots of drastic elevation changes, a couple of really fun and challenging downhill shots. Great tee pads and basic facilities on site.

Cons:

I've never described a course as hard to navigate before, but I am now. This course is very hard to navigate. I showed up by myself with the map in hand, and just finding the first tee and basket took like 5 minutes. Fortunately, wandering around the first hole let me to meet some locals and get a guided tour. As we progressed through the course, I couldn't imagine having done it by myself. The tees are hard to spot because there's so much brush you have to be close before it's visible. This course needs someone to make a better map, badly. All that having been said, there were enough people playing middle of the day on a weekday, that someone should help show you the way fairly quickly.

Tip: If you look at the course on Google maps satellite view, you can make out the tee pads from above pretty easy. Use this on your phone while there to figure out where the next tee pad is relative to you. Tall flags near the tee pads to mark them, like the baskets, would be really useful... though I guess local DGCs aren't particularly focussed on making the course they already know like the back of their hand easier to navigate.

Other than that, not much to complain about. As usual, desert courses will really beat in your discs fast.

Other Thoughts:

This course isn't going to knock your socks off, especially not the regular 18 numbered holes, but you will enjoy it. It's worth a drive out if you're in the Phoenix area, and makes a good day trip in combination with Fountain Hills. I think behind Fountain Hills and Maricopa Meadows, it's the 3rd best course I've played in the area.

Goes without saying, but bring lots of water, and a phone with a data connection for access to satellite maps. Or, until a better map appears, try approaching a local for some guidance, everyone I met was (as usual) really friendly and helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
1 4
thespeedokid
Experience: 9.4 years 110 played 34 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Desert course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 5, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

It's a good desert course. 27 holes. Good distances. Nice elevation changes. Not many people play it. Good hole signs. Alternate baskets. The baskets are in good condition.

Cons:

No trees. Hard to find tees. Its a desert course which I personally don't care to much for. (I like grass).

Other Thoughts:

Good course if you know where the tees are. I spent a lot of time hunting them down.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
2 7
DaRk CReePs
Experience: 8 played 2 reviews
5.00 star(s)

The ridge will grow hair on your chest! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 4, 2015 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

The guys who take care of this course do a superb job all around. It has been my home course since i started throwing three years ago. There are a big variety of hole lengths, some throwing off of cliffs. Also, hiking up and down the mountain is great for your cardio.

Cons:

Like any true desert course, your discs will take a beating at the ridge.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
5 1
Outdoor Craziness
Experience: 11.9 years 19 played 14 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Awesome course, worth the drive 2+ years drive by

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

Pros:

The elevation change: you can't throw off a mountain on any of the other courses in Phoenix!

The openness: you have unobstructed views of the basket (and your disc) for all 27 baskets. I've never lost a disc out here!

Cons:

The landscape: the rocks will definitely scuff up your discs.

The location: I've had trouble getting to the course using the 101, as there's no exit for Union Hills. Turns out you can just get off the 101 about a block early either way and take the frontage road to Union Hills.

The layout: if you're just playing the standard 18 baskets, then it shouldn't be too hard to find your way (except for 1-4, those are a little challenging). However, the extra 9 baskets on the north side of the park can be difficult to navigate - bring a map if you can.

The pedestrians: there's plenty of joggers and walkers in the park, please don't hit them!

Other Thoughts:

It's always a great time at Buffalo Ridge Park!
Was this review helpful? Yes No
7 0
mashnut
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 22.1 years 831 played 767 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Wide open spaces 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 21, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

The course plays through a large rocky park with no real conflict from other park uses. There is some nice elevation, with the middle section of the course playing on the side of a large hill. That makes for some fun downhill shots and some tricky uphill shots. There are a couple throws across the hill as well, with the chance to fade or roll down the hill if you don't land your shot correctly. A couple cool pin positions make for some challenge in the short game with rollaway potential as well.

Some of the pins are placed well, using the low brush as a better obstacle than I expected. There's some length variety, with a few ace runs and a few holes where most players will pull out a max distance driver. The tees and baskets show a little age, but are in fine shape.

Cons:

This course is wide open. You can throw whatever your favorite shot is on every single hole out here and score just fine. Nothing forces you to shape any different lines, and there's no punishment for even really bad shanks. You can recover for a 3 from anywhere with no trees and no rough that's tall or thick enough to force creative recoveries. Even the holes with elevation feel pretty repetitive when you're just throwing up and down the same hill over and over.

There's a lot of broken glass throughout the course, as well as some areas where trash has been dumped. The signage is inconsistent at best, navigation is pretty tough without a map or local guide. Several of the holes play really close to one another, especially a few holes on the added loop of 9 letter holes.

Other Thoughts:

Beginners are going to find this course a little long but very approachable with no real punishment for a lack of accuracy. More experienced players can use this course to work on placing hyzer shots, but won't find much of a test of other disc golf skills. I liked the desert scenery here, the disc golf just wasn't very exciting.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
3 2
jthacker48
Experience: 11.1 years 33 played 2 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Great course and people 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 12, 2013 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

This is my new "home" course. It has 27 holes now. The group of guys that manage and play the course regularly really do a great job of keeping things fresh and clean. It's got beautiful views as you get up the side of the ridge. Offers a great experience of the desert. Lots of wildlife (lizards, quail, rabbits, and occasional snake). Core group plays regularly. They are very friendly and very talented.

Cons:

Until you know the layout, it can be difficult to find your way around. Nothing more can be done to help though. It's just the nature of a desert course. Discs can get pretty beat up too. Once again, just the result of any desert course.

Other Thoughts:

Being new to the sport, I'd only played Vista del Camino before moving north. It took a little getting used to but now that I have, I absolutely love it. I'd definitely recommend it. Give it a shot, and see if it's your cup of tea.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
6 4
Mr. Butlertron
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 21.1 years 659 played 131 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Middle of the pack 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Mar 7, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

Great tee pads. Plenty of drop shots with a variety of up hill holes. Nice layout that doesn't overlap and is easy for players new to the course. The variety of hole length was pretty decent . Local flora does a good job shaping each hole for lower throws

Cons:

No ceiling. Without trees the holes are somewhat one dimensional. Tomahawks are probably the best shot for every hole. Baskets were hard to see when the path wasn't obstructed by bushes. A splash of color on the baskets would help. No shade from the sun.

Other Thoughts:

I was in the area and popped in for a round. This was the first desert course I have played. It's was very scenic and relatively uncrowded. It was a refreshing change to what I normally play. Be prepared for the carnage your discs will receive on this rocky course. My toughest discs got chewed up. Leave the DX plastic at home.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
7 1
discgolfkyle
Experience: 11.8 years 15 played 2 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Best Course in Phoenix 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 28, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Buffalo Ridge is in a great desert setting with cacti and palo verdes. This is true desert disc golf. Almost all of the holes have a different feel, except for one or two that go straight up the mountain. You can really air it out here and have no trouble getting birdies. The baskets are in really good condition and the teepads are great (each pad has a different design). There are some well protected baskets and some wide-open ones. The new 9 (A-I), are great also. Hikers rarely interfere with disc golfers.

Cons:

Very hot during the summer months. But what do you expect, it's Phoenix. There's no need for much of a line-shaping game here, as there are very few trees that get in your way. It can get a little difficult to find your disc if you don't keep an eye on it after you throw. The teepads are a little hard to find for the new 9, so try to find a local or take a picture of the map at teepad A.

Other Thoughts:

This course is very beautiful and a blast to play. Bring lots of water. The course is a good form of exercise also. This is the best course I have been to in PHX.
Was this review helpful? Yes No

Latest posts

Top