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East Bethel, MN

Blue Ribbon Pines - Main

4.715(based on 138 reviews)
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Blue Ribbon Pines - Main reviews

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12 0
Thomashasfun
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 22.7 years 495 played 493 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Long considered a destination course

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 12, 2024 Played the course:once

Pros:

- This place has all of the amenities you could ever want in a course. A really nice, very well stocked pro shop at the front by hole one and also a little snack shack near hole 9 or 10 I believe. Tee signs, paver pads, sometimes turf pads (a favorite of mine, that and carpet) and a decent job at navigational tools as well. As a guy in his mid 40's now with ankle and back issues, having benches on every hole is much more appreciated than it's ever been and I think I even spotted a lazyboy? Perhaps a mirage, I didn't use it as I was afraid I would want to stay haha.

- Pretty good variety in terms of holes lengths, shape, open, wooded, water, etc. and the tight woods holes were very challenging as well. The par 5 hole 2 with a gap smaller than Mike Tyson's front teeth is about as punishing as Mike Tyson finding out I said some stuff about the gap in his teeth. Hey Mike I'm a fan, please don't play Phil Collins' In The Air Tonight and drum fill punch me, k?

- Other holes are just damn beautiful like the slightly downhill hole with trees in a straight line defining the fairway for some 400 feet with rough and OB on either side. The par 4 hole with the hyzer tee shot then a water carry up a small hill with trees protecting the basket, the list goes on.

- I'm not usually a huge fan of water carries in disc golf unless it's fairly easy to get them out. Luckily unless you throw it in the exact middle it should be fairly easy. They have this big metal rakes, like 8 feet long or so that just drag up everything with them as they scrap the pond. I threw a putt in there and got it out easy, I threw a drive in one dead center and tried for 10 minutes than gave it the screw it, I've got back ups treatment. I think they add so much to especially the par 4 holes for placement and strategy off the tee and as you approach from the fairway. The mental obstacle alone is enough to add strokes to some players with only the very lazy (me included) not getting back their plastic.

Cons:

- There are a couple of what we call "clown holes" on this course; gimmicks, not great design but are something to talk about. I think it was hole 5 or 6, somewhere in there with this double mando hard right turn then basket tucked way into the trees in an improbable spot to hit birdie from and most of the time you're going to hit par on. There were a few wooded holes like this, 1 or 2 max but they don't add anything design wise, kill scoring separation, and detract from otherwise amazing wooded holes

- The open part of the property throws across a large field with a tree lined creek running through it and is a big field. You see when throwing from on top of the mound on the far end throwing back towards the woods that there are markers every 50-100 feet showing you far you've thrown and the numbers get to 800 If I remember correctly. Nothing wrong with this hole specifically but there are a number of holes in the open that did not need to be there. I loved the wooded holes, love throwing through there, don't love throwing 250 feet to a tire basket with an artificial OB of about a 20 foot circle. There are plenty of open holes, don't need holes like this one even if I did almost ace it.

- Almost zero elevation is almost always a bad sign and though the trees and ponds and generally good hole design, and natural beauty helps, it still shows when many of your approach shots are no brainer, don't have top throw high or worry about the angle of disc as it lands, etc. Just takes a little bit away from the decisions and strategy involved that elevation brings with it.

- A few times during the first 1/3 of the course it was somewhat confusing with so many different layouts here and many tee pads saying they were not in use with the current layout. I played the 30 hole layout for some upcoming tournament and felt like there were 4-6 too many. I also felt like we were walking through fairways a few times to get to the next tee pad and had a few close encounters with other golfers discs whizzing by our heads!

Other Thoughts:

Overall it is a very good course, especially the wooded holes. I do feel the 30 hole layout is too many holes but if you're trying to make room for more players and impact pace of play the least then I understand it from that perspective. However, I am not looking at it from a TD's mind or a player who is playing in that tournaments mind but rather from a course baggers perspective so keep in consideration when reading my thoughts on the course. One of the very well know courses and top courses for a very long time and one you can make a destination out of. I've played better courses but this is a very good one and does have the amenities if that's what you're after. You really can't go wrong here though, not really sure who wouldn't at least like it if not love it. Just remember to bring some bug spray!
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13 0
DFrah
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 6.4 years 300 played 283 reviews
4.50 star(s)

The Blue Ribbon of Twin Cities Disc Golf!

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jul 26, 2023 Played the course:once

Pros:

Blue Ribbon Pines is a disc golf icon located surprisingly close to Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota. There's an official directional sign at the turn from the main road (MN-65) which is very nice. The last 3/4 mile of the drive to get here is on a well-maintained dirt road.

Depending on the layout that is available when you visit, BRP features somewhere between 18 and 30 holes of disc golf. I believe the "standard" layout has 27 holes (called "No Combos" on UDisc). There is great variety here - you'll find everything from 150' thread-the-needle throws in tight woods to 625' wide open bombs. I really enjoyed how the course essentially consists of two wooded areas that are split up by an open field - and the routing takes you in and out (and in and out) of the field, sprinkling in different types of holes evenly throughout the entire round.

The other notable feature of the discing itself here is the water hazards. I think my personal favorite hole was #7, which is a 500' dogleg left in the woods with a pond guarding the approach to the basket. There is a different pond that complicates the approach to #22, and most significantly comes into play off the tee on #18. Here it is right in the landing zone for someone like me who tends to throw 250' ish. The fairway is pretty tight leading up to the pond and there are couple of tree trunks on the near edge, making this an intimidating tee shot even for bigger arms. I chickened out and laid up. On several of the open field holes, there is a small creek that goes across the fairway - but here too the water falls near the landing zone for many players off the tee.

The baskets are Prodigy T1 models painted blue with the BRP logo on the bands, and with orange flags on top for extra visibility. A couple are elevated/hanging for extra challenge. One installed per hole, although multiple pin positions are indicated on many of the tee signs. This course appears to undergo constant refreshing, as maintenance staff move baskets between different pin positions and even increase/decrease the total number of holes in the playable layout. I visited on a morning that the layout was just shifting back to the "normal" 27-hole layout from a special 18-hole layout for the Bass Ribbon Pines music festival that had happened on site the previous weekend. A maintenance employee was actually driving around on a cart somewhere in front of me, moving baskets and changing signage as he went.

The tee pads are large and concrete. One per hole. I saw a couple of extra pads as well, but the ones not relevant to the current layout were always accompanied by signage stating "This pad/hole is not in use". Trash cans and benches appear at most (if not all) tees.

The tee signs look a little dated, but they do still squeeze in the required info at the bottom along with a photo and a fun nickname for each hole. I do wish that these called out OB a little bit better. There is plenty of staked OB and mandos on this course, but on the tee signs I looked at closely none of this was indicated.

Similarly, the navigational signage is decent. I questioned the route to the next hole a couple of times, but I mostly chalked it up to the layout changing the morning I was there.

There are plenty of extras here that don't exist on most courses. Besides the practice basket, kiosk, and strategically located porta potties, there is also a driving range net, a fully stocked pro shop with snacks/drinks/scorecards, a separate 9-hole putter-only course, and even a snack shack. These last two items are both located in the middle of the main course, and can be easily accessed from multiple points during the round (the snack shack is only open on weekends). I also noted and liked the large nets in a couple of places around the course, positioned to prevent possible safety issues between holes.

Cons:

They tried with a few elevated tees and baskets, but this course is largely flat. And maybe it's related to that, but while all the holes here are great nothing really blew me away. The aesthetic is nice, but nothing particularly memorable. The course is challenging enough to keep virtually any disc golfer interested, but it's not insanely difficult (at least the layout I played). The great amenities and impeccable maintenance, if anything, are what I'd write home about.

New tee signs would be a nice touch. Also, are all of the red painted woodchip areas supposed to be OB in addition to all the other OB? The tee signs that I remembered to examine closely didn't say. Some, but not all, of them appeared to correspond to alternate pin locations so I wasn't sure. The appearance of these areas was unique, but if they have some other purpose besides that then I'd like to see that purpose called out more clearly.

Other Thoughts:

The course costs $8/day to play. You can pay via credit card in the pro shop if it is open, and you'll get an orange index card pass to carry around with you.

I didn't have the crowding issues that others have mentioned, but then again I arrived at 9 AM on a Wednesday. It took me about 2.5 hours to get through the entire course solo, and while there were a couple other groups out I didn't really have to wait for anyone.

On a personal note, BRP was my first course played in the state of Minnesota which is my 14th state overall. It was also my fifth course played out of the current DGCR top 10 (Flip City, Rollin Ridge, Idlewild, and Maple Hill). BRP is a great course, but I'd put it pretty firmly in 5th place out of those five courses. Of that group, it reminded me the most of Rollin Ridge - but with less elevation change, and only one layout in play at a time.

Nonetheless, with so many fantastic courses in the area the Twin Cities region is definitely worth a visit - and this course may be the "blue ribbon" feature. Highly recommended!
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9 0
Johnsondere
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 1.3 years 136 played 83 reviews
4.50 star(s)

About as good as it gets! drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 4, 2021 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

- Plenty of parking.
- Pro shop has a nice selection of discs, snacks, and drinks.
- Tee pads and baskets are fantastic!
- The "Shack" offers mid-round snacks or drinks! Usually has a special meal during the weekends to enjoy.
- Quite a number of iconic holes!
- A variety of layouts that are shuffled throughout the year.
- The vibes are immaculate.

Cons:

- Gets extremely busy if you play at popular times.
- Some holes may be considered "gimmicky" for competitive play.

Other Thoughts:

There isn't a whole lot that needs to be said about BRP...It's amazing! From the amenities, the course itself, to the amazing people that work and play there, you cannot get much better.

I gave it a 4.5 because at the end of the day, nothing is perfect. My cons are super nit picky but there's always something you can find.
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18 0
knobby325
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 9.3 years 335 played 252 reviews
5.00 star(s)

In the Top Ten For a Reason

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 16, 2023 Played the course:once

Pros:

-Decent Tees
-Signage OK
-Decent Baskets
-Iconic Holes
-Snack Shack
-Pro Shop
-Only $8 for 30 holes of bliss (mostly)
-Places to sit and trash cans at almost every tee
-Flexible enough layout to have changes made (Now 30 holes)

Cons:

(Nit picking)
-Signage needs updated
-Needs a rake for discs at the first water hazard (lost a disc there) (current #8)
-Gets very busy, our round was over 4 hours

Other Thoughts:

Blue Ribbon Pines....wow....just wow. Made my trek here and it did not disappoint. The layout has been recently adjusted to 30 holes. So many that would be iconic at other sites and they just kept coming here. The current #5 (old #4) though the tunnel of trees. Current #8 with your first taste of a water carry. Current #11 with its sharp right turn (watch the Mando). Current #12 with a little jump over the water to get you to your first taste of the snack shack. The hanging basket at #18. The Hawaiian themed #20. The "driving range", now #21. The Tee off #23. The finish over water on #25. Your third and last swing past the snack shack to tee over or under the tree on #28 (third tree in that location, I'm told). The 3 tiers up to the basket on #29. Finishing with the island of #30. Worth every penny of the $8 to play. Well stocked pro shop, full bar at the snack shack. The amenities put this over the top for me. Made up for a few of the nitpicky things. The re-design seems recent with better signage needed for the first 4 holes and a reprint needed on the remainder. I did lose one in the first water hazard, but the duckweed was like a blanket on all the ponds. It's been dry enough that the small stream that bisects the field was mostly dry. It was insanely busy on a Sunday afternoon, but that was not surprising. Those complaining of little elevation, there are plenty of other technical things to work around, you won't be bored. The wind was whistling on parts of the course, made the driving range a tricky one (or my noodle arm, but that's another discussion). If you're in the area and have the time, this is a can not miss. The round took over 4 hours and that was just how the things were stacked up with the groups in front of us (we were playing just the 2 of us). Might be faster on a weekday, but then you don't get the snack shack (or so I'm told). There are hours posted, but that's really for the pro shop to be open. You can drop your $8 in the slot and play anytime. They also keep this place open all winter, which is no small feat in central Minnesota. Was actually good to see some work going on to make some small changes. Keeping things fresh along with multiple pin placements on several holes. Take the time to drive here, the time for a full round, and enjoy some of the best disc golf anywhere. I would definitely play again, when in the area (probably not in winter, though).
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10 0
eakadima15
Experience: 27 played 17 reviews
5.00 star(s)

One of Disc Golf's Crown Jewels 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 1, 2022 Played the course:once

Pros:

The course is so visually stunning its unreal!

The perfect combination of wooded shots and open field rips

Fantastic navigability. It's so easy to go from hole to hole

Plenty of benches and trash bins

Perfect amount of water carries

Signage is terrific

Terrific pro shop

Despite the technical challenges of hitting many of the fairways, the course doesn't really eat discs

The course is impeccably maintained. Hard to imagine a course being more beautiful or well-taken care of

Cons:

The lack of elevation is not really a major con because there are still so many other challenges you have to take into account when shaping shots. My only negative experience here was when one man was cutting the grass and was pressuring me to throw on him. While it was a kind sentiment, he should have taken a hint and figured out I was not going to do it as that mad me really uncomfortable.

Other Thoughts:

Playing here is an unforgettable experience, and I am grateful I had the opportunity to do so.
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20 2
Sethamphetamine
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 82 played 12 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Hard to not like 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Feb 24, 2022 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

+Impeccable upkeep. Not a time in my ~100 rounds here where anything that can be done to improve play wasn\'t done. Winter included. +Amenities. Food, drink, plastic, carts. Anything you need for any type of round can be purchased here. Shack open for league nights and weekends provides hot food and cocktails. +Frequent changes. Pins moved regularly and several combination holes help keep the course fresh for locals and those that play frequently. Combo holes have improved greatly over the years and seem more cohesive than the past. +Different shots. Tunnels, placement par 4s, water carries and open fields are all here. +Professionalism. Not too many places let alone courses where you see green grass in the middle of the woods. Add in mulch, benches and trash cans until the place reeks of a professional operation.

Cons:

-Lack of elevation. Consensus factor holding the course back from a higher rating for many reviewers. Spots of gentle incline and decline and a couple elevated pads but nothing that doesn\'t fit the description of "flat". -The field holes. About a quarter of the holes play across a field bisected by a creek. Better than just walking across a field to another hole, but I understand how these holes are seen as fillers/boring. I will take these holes over the strange mando hole any day!

Other Thoughts:

Take your favorite northern Minnesota course. Add in the resources and dedication of the BRP team and you have a 5 disc rating. The property\'s topography simply doesn\'t have enough variation to push the rating higher. At this level of nitpicking I am getting a Lexus for my 16th birthday and complaining that it\'s not a BMW. Alas, having a top 1% course on Earth calls for this kind of thinking.BRP is fun, challenging and kept in top notch shape at all times of year. You\'ll throw a 450 foot dead straight tunnel shot, putt into a pit and up at a hanging basket. You\'ll throw over creeks, ponds and dense OB schule. You\'ll play tough par 4s, long holes and ace runs. It has everything you want from a disc golf course plus a wealthy business and staff to support its function. It just lacks a few more hills. Must play when you\'re in the area, and worth a replay if it\'s been awhile. Flex leagues Sundays all year and Thursdays in the summer.
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24 0
EspressoPatronum
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 19.2 years 305 played 296 reviews
5.00 star(s)

The Undisputed Pinnacle of Minneapolis 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:May 1, 2021 Played the course:once

Pros:

Course Design/General Thoughts:
- championship level course with absolutely breathtaking natural beauty
- impeccably manicured course with pristine fairways, no trash, and no details overlooked
- high technical challenge on many wooded shots
- multiple water hazards including multiple ponds and a deep creek/retention gully
- many tee areas are given special attention with woodchips, rock retaining walls, etc.
- almost no muddy areas, turf/wood chips applied wherever needed
- towering pines give this course its iconic feel and name
- multiple pin positions that are changed regularly

Basics:
- blue prodigy baskets in good repair (some people don't like these, but they caught my discs very well)
- very large brick paver or concrete tees
- very reasonable $8 price tag
- next tee signs where needed

Amenities/Extras:
- practice basket and practice netted driving area
- pro shop with wide variety of discs, apparel, drinks, and other souvenirs
- bathrooms
- benches at many holes
- snack shop at halfway point open on weekends (includes alcoholic beverages)
- garbage cans
- some baskets on moveable bases to reconfigure holes
- rakes provided to get discs out of deep moat
- mini kids course by snack shack
- protective mesh on many trees that could be damaged by drives

Cons:

- pay to play could be considered a con by some, but the $8 is extremely reasonable for the level of maintenance on this course
- almost no elevation change
- some of the holes crossing the open field are pretty basic/repetitive, but the deep moat adds some intrigue
- maps on tee signs could be a bit more detailed
- can be extremely busy
- have to enter hole 3 fairway to get to tee
- low lying open areas around moat can get a little wet

Other Thoughts:

This course was unquestionably the highlight of my road trip and the primary destination through northern Wisconsin/Minneapolis. While I've played other courses of similar technical complexity and pedigree, what pushes Blue Ribbon Pines over the top and earns it my first ever 5 is the genuine care and attention to detail. For $8 a person, they are doing a heck of a job maintaining this course. No detail has been overlooked, with pristine fairways and basket areas, no garbage, good water drainage, etc.

The amenities list here is a mile long. Things you don't see most places include the snack shack, mini kids course, driving range, and moveable baskets out on the open holes.

Most of my cons are nits. This course really is almost as close to perfect as it's possible to be. There are a few minor safety/navigation issues, but they're minor. The layout/design of this course is fantastic, with the pontential low point being the open field holes connecting the 2 sides of the course. However, the moat out in the field adds some challenge, as it's right in that distance where a lot of people's first drive will land. The moat is pretty nasty - you do not want to go in there. The course provides rakes on very long (10'?) poles to drag discs out.

The biggest con here is the lack of elevation change - I think the course designers did the best they could with the land available, and this is such an incredible course that I think it still warrants a 5 despite this.

I found hole 4 particularly brutal - but I also think it's an iconic hole on this course, a narrow shot through rows of towering pine trees. It's exactly what you think of when you hear "Blue Ribbon Pines." Unfortunately, my performance was anything but blue ribbon - despite playing quite well on this course, I scored an 11 on this hole, which I think is a new record for me.

Hole 16 is supposed to have a hanging basket which currently isn't hanging. Hoel 18 had a mandatory landing zone around the basket to mix up the openness of the hole. I find things like this a bit gimmicky, but it does make the otherwise open hole more challenging and it can be fun.

Depending on the configuration of the day, hole 15 can be incredibly long - throw across the field and moat, into the woods, and then back several hundred additional feet in the woods to the basket.

This course will challenge your game, but it is fair. At 27 holes, it's a very long course and there is usually a wait behind other groups. I would budget at least 3 hours to play here. I was alone but it didn't speed things up much since there are so many people playing. Don't let that scare you off, though. This course is too amazing not to put in the time. I highly recommend making this a destination no matter how far away you live. This course is right up there for me with Idlewild as the best I've ever played. Hats off to the owners of this incredible disc golf gem.
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1 9
dkaisertpt
Experience: 10.4 years 15 played 1 reviews
5.00 star(s)

All you could ever want. 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 25, 2020 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Immaculately kept. Huge variety of challenging holes and exceptional amenities. Bring your A game because this course asks for everything you got. Definitely the best course in the state and certainly amongst the top in the nation.

Cons:

Bit of a drive from the twin cities.
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22 0
Surge5
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 10.2 years 175 played 174 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Definitely a Blue Ribbon 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jun 5, 2020 Played the course:once

Pros:

Absolutely top-notch maintenance. Fairways are pristine, greens are mulched, signage is always current.

The front 11 provide the toughest challenge, which is a good thing when the course has 27 holes.

There are several holes you will always remember playing. Teeing off right by the clubhouse on 1, the pines hole, the gimmick hole. the hanging basket, 17 coming out of the woods, the driving range hole, the stepped green on 26, and finishing off at the island green on 27. It's an incredibly memorable round.

The water is a real challenge on several holes. 7, 11, and 22 present some real lost disc danger. Fortunately, the course will send you a message if they fish your disc out of a pond.

So many of these holes (especially the par 4s) are very clear as to where your shots should land. Hole 7 you'll tee off and stay short of the water, then shoot across the water and try to get through the guardian trees for a putt. Hole 22 you can run the risk of crossing the pond for a birdie putt, or lay a nice fairway driver down off the tee for a straightforward par. hole 17 (my favorite) you'll shoot out of a thin tunnel and over the water off the tee, then have a nice fairway driver shot the finishes down the hill. The holes don't feel stuffed into a piece of land, they feel like they were built to leave a grin on your face... because they were.

If you're into night golf, they've got that too. Each basket has a light on top of it that starts up automatically at dusk.

Cons:

There's really not a ton of elevation change. While this isn't always necessarily a bad thing, there are no insane uphill or downhill shots that aren't artificially made (e.g. elevated tees or baskets).

The holes that cross the the "hallway" (13, 14, 15, 20, 24) really become a bore after the first two (15 does have a nice dogleg left once you're across the hallway) unless there's some wind. The creek doesn't provide any challenge to cross so hole 20 and 24 really are just a bomber with no obstacles in the way

The massive popularity can attract some really, really slow groups who don't know how to let people pass through.

Some holes are not very challenging. I know that's a small thing when most park-style courses have boring holes, but 23 and 25 are very underwhelming when compared to the rest of the course, especially since they're toward the back end of the round.

Other Thoughts:

Absolutely worth making the trip north of the Twin Cities for. The $8 is 100% worth it too. Playing here will leave you with many memories. I was lucky enough to play here the day before the Minnesota Majestic and almost had a birdie on one of the combined holes (5 and 6 I believe it was)

It's up there as one of the best courses in the world with shot variety, maintenance, and natural beauty. With a bit more in the way of elevation change this course would be pushing top 3 status. If the creativity put into some of the holes had been applied to all of them, this could easily be the best course in the USA. Regardless, I will be back for more.
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18 5
shyguy30
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 20.5 years 103 played 18 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Bit of a Letdown 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 21, 2018 Played the course:once

Pros:

- Equipment is top notch. Tee pads are fantastic and baskets are all in great shape. Fairways are well-defined and cleared. It is obvious this course is very well taken care of. Signage was good although it got a little confusing around holes 9-11. Benches abound if you are into that sort of thing.

- Some fantastic holes in the woods. 3, 6, 7,10, and 17 are all fantastic holes. Great design and beautiful scenery.

- Variety of left- and right-turning holes, straight holes, tunnel shots, and open shots.

Cons:

- The redundancy of the field holes kills the vibe in the middle of the round. The driving range on 18 is neat but it is still just a 750-foot wide open hole. There is a little OB there but if my group of 6 didn't throw into it, it is easily avoidable.

- The worst part of my experience was the standing water in the field. I realize it had rained quite a bit the night before but there appeared to be no drainage whatsoever. There are almost mini-dams at each end of the field to trap the water in. At one point I was standing in 2 inches of water in the middle of the fairway. If it has rained at all within 24-36 hours of you playing this course you better have waterproof footwear. EDIT: it was brought to my attention that the amount of rain the day before was indeed rather extreme. Perhaps the field wouldn't flood so easily under more normal circumstances.

- Very few elevation changes. I understand that not every course can have elevation but this is a detractor for me.

Other Thoughts:

My reviews are written based on the quality of the holes first and everything else is secondary. We didn't play all 27 holes or the field holes would have gotten even more redundant. My review is based on holes 1-18 and 27. This course has some really nice touches that I didn't get around to mentioning above. The pro shop is very well-stocked and the rakes next to the water hazards on numbers 10 and 27 came in handy. This is an excellent course, hence the 4.0 rating. There are quite a few great holes here as I said in the pros. But there are just as many ho-hum holes and that detracted from my enjoyment of the course. All in all, a fantastic course with just a couple warts.
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9 1
Breh
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 14.4 years 193 played 191 reviews
5.00 star(s)

2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 26, 2019 Played the course:once

Pros:

Where do I even begin!
Best clubhouse I've ever seen with 100s of disc and BRP merchandise. Also you can get shots of alcohol inside the clubhouse. Snacks and pretty much anything you'll need for a round. Not to mention they have a burger shack mid course and also a putt for a buck to win 10 mini game. Restrooms are available everywhere on the course and the tee pads and baskets are in amazing shape. The greens our well taken care of. The course layout itself is incredible and there's not one bad hole to be found. Hole 4 is the signature through the trees hole and is worth a picture for sure. The ob lines on every hole our clearly marked and there's just to many great holes to go over. Couple island shots elevated baskets throws over the water pretty much everything you could want in a course. The driving range hole 19 is awesome throwing over the big BRP sign and so many cool signature shots. Very accommodating workers

Cons:

They do a huge ultimate tourney that closes some of the holes however they were nice enough to let us shotgun start and play everything so not really a con but some holes might be missing if you show up at wrong time. There's truly no cons here but if I had to find something maybe the fact baskets don't have hole number on them and 15 and 25 share a tee pad but it's a massive brick pad and works.

Other Thoughts:

Mosquitos bring bug spray for woods but that's any course in Minnesota this time of year. The work put in here is incredible and this should be on every disc golfers bucket list
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8 7
boozegob
Experience: 4 played 2 reviews
5.00 star(s)

One of the best in the US 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 11, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

Scenic views around every corner.
Unique lines on every hole.
Challenging, but not brutal.
Great mix of long and short holes.
Simply a fun course that you'll likely never forget.
Easy to find with GPS
Well marked holes/signage
Good flow from hole to hole.
Nice pro shop.
Too many things to list...This review doesn't do this course justice, MUST CHECK IT OUT for yourself.

Cons:

$8 to play
Gravel road (don't drive your clean ride)

Other Thoughts:

There are some course that I play, where I think if I had 100 acres, I'd build something like this. Well BRP is one of those courses. Simply well designed, beautiful, and fun to play.

Wish I were closer, as I would love to play this one every week.
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3 10
SillyBrute
Experience: 22.4 years 6 played 1 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Best in MN 2+ years drive by

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

Pros:

- variety of tight/open, water/dry, and short/long holes
- pro shop with discs, snacks, and adult beverages
- will store discs found in water hazards for pickup
- snack shack in middle grills burgers & dogs on weekends
- immaculately maintained and always evolving

Cons:

- none really. can get busy but I view that as a positive, and it honestly spreads out evenly as it's such a long course.

Other Thoughts:

Glow rounds here are phenomenal, but bring your Gore-tex. Course often gets foggy with dew on grass at night. Best course in Minnesota, by far.
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4 4
jland969
Experience: 19.1 years 77 played 11 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Premier Midwest Course 2+ years drive by

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

Pros:

-Fantastically maintained
-Diverse throw styles required
-Just enough hazard to add challenge
-Multiple tee
-Mid-course Tiki Bar
-Well-stocked club-house
-Extended play

Cons:

-Minimal elevation change
-Often busy
-Plan to spend money (beer, discs, fees). Not enough to hinder most, though.
-Could benefit from expanded night throw schedule.

Other Thoughts:

If you are in the area, definitely one to check off the list. An all-around great destination course that has a bit of everything for a variety of throwers. Price recently subjected to inflation (early 2017). $8 if I recall?
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3 4
benny34
Experience: 18.6 years 55 played 15 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Most cared for course anywhere. 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Aug 14, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

+ Multiple holes that would be signature holes elsewhere(hole 4, hole 5, hole 6, hole 16, hole 17, hole 18, hole 26)
+ Variety in length, shape, OB, water, open, tight
+ Perfectly maintained grounds
+ Proshop on site stocked with discs, snacks, drinks, scorecards/maps
+ Getting off the fairway is a fair amount of punishment. It will cost you strokes, but not discs.
+ 27 holes
+ Benches/Trashcans at every tee

Cons:

- Tee signs could be improved. Although the maps from the pro shops were very detailed.
- Pretty flat, but has some artificially built up tees/greens.

Other Thoughts:

This is a special disc golf course. You will not find a course that is maintained better than this. Signature holes at every turn. Really tests every part of your game. Hats off to the people who run this course. Many legitimate par 5/5s which require multiple good shots to get to the green. Great job of designing holes which have a line or two in mind but are not too flukey.
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0 17
OriginalGangsta
Experience: 2 played 2 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Excellent Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 12, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

Excellent course, very nicely maintained, great variety and for a modestly skilled player like myself it was very challenging.

Cons:

It's pretty far away from the South Metro. Quite a haul, but I truthfully have no real quarrels.
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17 5
wolfhaley
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 20.5 years 1162 played 742 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Lives up to the reputation 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:May 24, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

As the title says, this course lives up to it's reputation. The course was in phenomenal shape from 1 through 27. The baskets are excellent Mach V's that are all in great shape and catch nicely. These are some of my favorite types of pins. They are all powder coated blue which doesn't necessarily help spot them but look nice to the eye. The tee pads are mixed. Almost all are concrete but a few are brick. Makes no difference (at least in May) as all gripped fine and were level and plenty big enough for most players. Hole 14 and 25 share a huge brick pad by the snack shack. There is a great mix of left, right and straight shots here. Hole 4 IS crazy as said before. It's a dead straight par 4, 444 ft. tunnel shot with maybe a 12 foot corridor the whole way. Fantastic! Speaking of the snack shack. It wasn't open when we went (on a Wednesday) but is an absolute awesome feature. How cool is it that you can play like 10 holes, order some burgers, play a couple more then end up at the shack to take a breather and eat then just continue right along where you left off? That's amazing. The Pro shop here is on point too. This is the biggest I've seen I believe. The only one close is Rollin Ridge but I think this is slightly larger. The course is $8 per person per day which is totally worth it. They offer excellent maps/scorecards in the pro shop too. Even without them the flow is pretty intuitive. The course is permanent and the tees are apparently shoveled regularly too which is always awesome to see. There isn't too much elevation but what is here is used well. There are couple ponds that are used on a number of holes to make things interesting and a small creek runs north to south in the middle of the course. There is a cool hanging basket, a basket in a pit, an elevated driving range style basket with markers every 50 ft. that's over 700 ft.....I mean c'mon. Enough said.

Cons:

A few of the holes are basically just wide open shots. Even then this is nitpicky as they add unique features to make these more challenging. Like the 700 ft. driving range hole and couple island style holes. uhhhh....I can't actually think of anything else.

Other Thoughts:

I've played over 230 courses, mostly in WI, but around 20 in MN and this is one the best in either state. Besides Rollin Ridge I'd say. I don't give out 5 discs because I haven't played every course out there but this would be a 4.8 minimum if I could rate it as that. Closer to a 5 than 4.5 for me. If you are near here just play this. You will NOT be disappointed I promise. The twin cities in general have some just ridiculously great courses but this is the gold standard, blue ribbon winner for sure.
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5 2
EJBusch
Experience: 13.3 years 13 played 3 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Minnesota's best course -- And there are many 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Oct 31, 2016 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-27 holes -- and they're always utilizing different tees/pins/holes to make sure basically every time I go to the course it's slightly different, fresh and exciting.
-$5 for all day pass, it could be $10 for the day and still be an amazing deal
-EVERYONE who works at BRP is amazing. They work incredibly hard, they are very friendly and they always want you to have a great time. Can't say enough about how great these people are!
-Very near VisionQuest, absolutely worth playing this one and then that one if you want an amazing day full of disc
-There is a shack that you pass by a couple of times in your round that has a nice sit and eat/drink area. It's great to be able to snag a brat and a beer and take a quick break before returning to your round.

Updated: This course is also fantastic in the winter.

Cons:

-Although Mach V baskets aren't terrible, once you get used to Mach X, Prodigy T1, etc. they don't seem quite as nice. That said, all of the baskets are in great shape.

Other Thoughts:

A must play. It's the best course in Minnesota, and that really is saying something. Hole 4 may eat you alive and yet you will still be forced to appreciate how beautiful it is.
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13 41
mmblink86
Experience: 14.4 years 24 played 10 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Meh 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Apr 1, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

No doubt about it, this is a well maintained course. There are some holes that are unique, and the facilities are nice. I enjoyed my time there but...

Cons:

This course does not come close to cracking my Top 20. There were too many times where a BH or FH hyzer were necessary to beat the 'risk' of the hole. Lots of repetition both in the woods and on the open holes. On errant shots, I was expecting more difficulty in returning to one's objective on the hole. Pretty bland in terms of OB water & elevation.

Other Thoughts:

I was expecting this course to stand out. It's pretty clear the rating is due to lots of local lovin'
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1 11
Bitter Mouse
Experience: 29.4 years 92 played 14 reviews
4.50 star(s)

One of the best courses I have played 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 2, 2016 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Great variety of holes, you will use all your shots and all your discs. One of the best course I have played.

Cons:

The only thing this course is missing is elevation.

Other Thoughts:

In my opinion either this or Bryant Lake is the best course in MN (with VisionQuest just a hair behind).
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