Boyne City, MI

Avalanche Preserve

Permanent course
3.235(based on 28 reviews)
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2 1
rbrown87
Experience: 16.5 years 18 played 5 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Beautiful. Challenging. Haphazard? 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 24, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

Very picturesque course. More challenging and technical than courses I typically play in the GR area (Riverside, Brewer, etc.).

Navigating the woods is both infuriating and satisfying when you choose/execute the right throw.

Not crowded, except a couple joggers.

Cons:

Not sure whether the pin placement was out of my league, or if they just weren't trying very hard.

I was surprised we didn't tee off down/up more of the hills.

Inconsistent and confusing length/direction between holes.

Dirt tee pads pretty well eroded.

Overall, course design falls short of great potential.

Other Thoughts:

Most of your first throws will be blind. Generally, a fun challenge, except most of the signs on the back nine are gone, so you're blind in the strictest sense.

Quite a hike. I enjoyed the walk, felt like a work out, but I imagine this could be a detterent to some.

Would've really liked to play again. I think I would've enjoyed it more the second time, knowing what to expect.
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1 8
Gmasterandy
Experience: 7 played 4 reviews
1.50 star(s)

mmmmmm 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 15, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

not bad of an course

Cons:

there is to much hiking involved inbetween holes where at some spots of hiking their could be alot more holes putt in on this course not very well mapped since most of the course tee pad instructions are gone dont know any distances or how the hole runs

Other Thoughts:

course isnt bad nice and clean not alot of trash laying around on the course so its a nice clean course with alot of hiking
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11 1
volklgirl
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 16.2 years 110 played 56 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Coulda, woulda, shoulda! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:May 15, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

All the holes on this course were interesting and challenging with holes ranging from short little doglegs around trees to wide-open big-arm shots that required missing isolated trees and bushes in the fairway on the front 9. One hole (#8) was a veritable pinball fest with the tiniest straight fairway to the basket. Holes from #11 on are mostly wooded until you on reach #17. Both #17 and #18 are back to being mostly open, with a really nice view from #18 and 2 large decks for resting before slogging down the 400+ stairs back to the parking lot.

I felt that this course required not just a full range of shots, but also some serious consideration of "the best" shot combination for any particular hole. Bad drives on a couple of holes on the back 9 could mean chasing your disc rolling down some very large hills.

The remaining etched slate tee markers were beautiful and well constructed, although at least one (#6?) was etched backwards making it look like the hole was a dogleg right when it was actually a left. With the exception of crossing the No Trespassing signs at the now defunct hole #3, navigation was simple since the course follows the main hiking trail and Next Tee signs were installed on the longest hikes and other areas where required. The terrain was varied and amazing, and the entire park was spotless as far as trash. The restrooms at the parking lot are also quite nice.

Cons:

BUT........

This park is waaay under-utilized for disc golf, with huge pointless uphill hikes between several holes, stunning terrain changes that weren't incorporated in the course, and shots along and across the main hiking trail. Huhn??? At least twice we almost hit hikers on the trail. In addition, I really can't figure out why they make you walk down 400+ stairs at the end instead of installing a signature hole with a beautiful downhill glide. This course could easily accommodate an additional and completely unique 12-18 holes without changing the basic course routing or interfering further with the hiking or biking trails.

Vandalism has robbed the course of any tee markings after hole 9, and the dirt tee pads with nice rock edging, while beautiful and perfect for this rustic setting, were not well tended, with dangerously rutted loose dirt.

Other Thoughts:

This course coulda, woulda, shoulda been an amazing experience (on a par with Myles Kimmerly), but a serious lack of planning during course design and deficient continuing course upkeep makes this merely a strenuous uphill hike with some discing thrown in.

Once we were back at the parking lot, locals told us there are three alternate holes in the build process, accessible by hiking back up the trail from #18 toward #17, then a right turn and follow the new trail. We didn't feel like clambering all the way back up, so we skipped them this time, but I'll report back on them next time we go.

If you're a mountain biker, definitely take your bike. The bike trail parallels much of the DG course and it looks to be quite a ride with big climbs, plenty of off-camber and side-hill stuff, whoops, switchbacks, climbs, and rockin' downhills......riding the bike trail should offset the disappointment of the DG course (oh, and I didn't see any obvious sand pits!).
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2 7
Mark R
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 22.4 years 118 played 90 reviews
3.50 star(s)

2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:May 27, 2006 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Has a nice variety of different holes. Nice Chainstar baskets. A fairly private park, but does have a few other players and pedestrians. Has some great meadow holes on the front nine such as Hole 5, 6 and 9. Higher fun factor than other Northern Michigan courses, with slightly more elevation changes than River Road in Petoskey. Hole 13 is a woods hole that is worth the upwill walking effort needed to get there, with a mini-ravine buried in the side of a hill and diagonal path for drives. Hole 17 exits back into the open with a well-maintained fairway with the basket perched at a scenic spot. Hole 18 takes a light touch to keep from rolling into severe rough.

Cons:

Very hard to navigate on back nine, with a tough uphill walk between several holes. Iffy tee pads and signage; Some holes on the back nine could be missed because of the considerable distance between holes 11 and 12, 14 and 15, and 16 and 17. Though not a major fault, players should be prepared for a long day of walking. Those expecting a big downhill Hole 18 will be disappointed.

Other Thoughts:

Slight improvement would make this course first rate. However, it does need a little more work to make easier to follow on the back nine. If they could cut out the long walk between some of the back nine holes, that would be an improvement.
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8 1
taxman
Experience: 32.4 years 5 played 4 reviews
3.50 star(s)

ready for a hike? 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 9, 2008 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

the front half of the course has a little more variety than the back 9 with holes alternating between nice fields with good but avoidable obstacles to wooded shots with narrow shot passages. if you want a very nice short course play the first 9 and then take a short walk back to your car.

if you continue on to the back 9 the rest of the course winds up the back side of an old local ski hill. the trail continues on a steady incline from hole to hole. where the front 9 is more congested with smaller diameter trees the back is much more wooded with larger trees. although the fairways are narrow disc loss is not a large worry as there is little ground cover other than some leaves. once you reach the top of the course you are treated to a wonderful view of the southern end of town and the lake. there are two large decks built so that you can relax on a bench and watch a beautiful sunset. then walk down a set of stairs and your back to the parking lot and your car.

Cons:

the only real detraction for the course would be the shear amount of walking that is required to finish the course. the front 9 is fairly flat, but the back 9 is a steady climb up the back of an old ski hill. if you are out of shape and don't like walking you may not enjoy it. but if you do stick with it the view is to much to put in words.

Other Thoughts:

there are quite a bit of blackberry bushes near holes 6 & 7 and it can be a little trouble to find a disc thrown in the thick of the thorns. the trail you follow along the disc golf course is shared with other people walking, riding mountain bikes, and the occasional person on horseback. so you will sometimes need to wait for people to pass.
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4 2
NEWBY1151
Experience: 20.4 years 100 played 39 reviews
3.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jul 3, 2008 Played the course:once

Pros:

Nice mix of wooded holes, view from hole 18 is amazing,

Cons:

Hard to navigate at times, long walks between some of the back 9,several holes share fairways with a hiking trail watch out for people walking through and not realizing their on a DGC,walk down from 18 is a steep 10-15 minutes of stairs

Other Thoughts:

A course map would be great for your 1st time,course is pretty long with a lot of up and down walking bring water,
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7 1
Caribbeing
Experience: 25.4 years 18 played 12 reviews
2.50 star(s)

A fatal flaw 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 1, 2006 Played the course:never

Pros:

The one highlight hole truly is spectacular. It offers a view that you'd be hard pressed to match just about anywhere - a spectacular vista of Lake Charlevoix.

Beyond that, there's some good variety and a couple of interesting holes, but...

Cons:

The one time I played this course, my partner and I got lost multiple times. The markings are so poor we literally had no idea where the next hole was - several times.

When we finished, we actually felt like we were lost in some deep woods. We managed to find a road, and after following it for a long, long time, we stumbled onto the parking lot again.

Other Thoughts:

If you have a cell phone with a camera, take a picture of the course map - it's posted near the parking lot. You're going to need it.
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5 2
FoleyT
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 19.4 years 86 played 85 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Going Up 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 25, 2006 Played the course:never

Pros:

Nice variety of holes, beautiful scenery, breathtaking vista when you reach the top of the mountain with easy stairs back down to the parking lot.

Cons:

Some of the holes on the back 9 as you are following the road to the top get a bit monotonous. Lots of pedestrians when we played it using the same 'trail' that the disc course is located on or near.

Other Thoughts:

Design-wise, the elevation could have been better utilized considering how much of it is around there, and it isn't convenient to play just the front 9 or the back 9 without walking the whole course.
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