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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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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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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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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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3 4
benny34
Experience: 18.5 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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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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9 0
Muskiebite
Experience: 14.5 years 174 played 29 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Blue ribbon worthy 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 11, 2016 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-Baskets are in great shape, and have visibility flags
-Tee Pads are in good condition, brooms on the tees
-Fairways are always mowed and in the winter time they are plowed
-Pro shop at Hole 1, Snack Shack in the middle of the course you pass twice
-Trash cans on almost every hole, never overflowing
-All bodies of water have rakes nearby to find lost discs
-Pro shop has lost and found and will contact disc owners
-Plenty of variety of shots needed
-Course is constantly tweaked, holes combined, added, dropped, pro shop is usually pretty good about notifying the changes
-Sunday mulligan league, hosts plenty of casual tournaments, ace pool

Cons:

-The holes crossing over the middle are repetitive
-Almost no elevation
-It gets busy, and with long holes like hole 4 backups are common, rounds can take 3-4+ hours

Other Thoughts:

This course makes for a great day of disc golfing, as you can see in the pros section there are a lot of amenities that make this course truly special and enjoyable. As you drive up there is an actual MNDOT highway sign directing you to the course, how many courses have that? Plenty of diversity in holes and different lines to hit to get to the basket. The constant tweaking is one of my favorite parts since it's always slightly different course. Most holes in the woods have their own unique features to them, there are a few basic straight forward clearing holes but they are few and far between. The holes that cross over the middle are all mostly wide open shots and play the repetitive hyper shot ,but BRP has made efforts to break these up by making some island holes, adding OB sand traps, distance markers and elevated tees, and the ever present wind always plays a factor in these holes. The owners and staff and all very welcoming and friendly people.

It seems since the Majestic people have commented BRP is soft, to many gimmick holes, but it's plenty challenging for a majority of the disc golf population, and even if a majority of the holes are birdie-able that doesn't detract from all the features and care that goes into this course. It's always a treat to play here and I'm always looking forward to the next opportunity I get to play here.
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7 10
Funleavy90
Experience: 10.8 years 13 played 6 reviews
5.00 star(s)

LOVE. THIS. COURSE. 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Aug 9, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

Gorgeous course just on the north side of the Twin Cities.
-Course offers 27 holes with a variety of wooded and open shots, and water in play
- Every shot is as technical as the next.
-Well maintained with almost all holes have "landscaped" features including a hanging basket.
-Course is easy to follow for the most part
-Extended hangle rakes next to water features.
-Two land island greens/One water island - Hole 27 was being altered to be surrounding by water on all sides

Cons:

Don't have any cons. Couldn't be more satisfied with my first visit here. For sure won't be my last!

Other Thoughts:

This is a pay-to-play course but $5 for an all day pass is very well worth it.
-Well stocked Pro Shop containing variety of discs.
-Snack Shack located half way through the course (only open during weekends :/ )
-Trash/Recycling cans at every tee.

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2 16
Charlie Deville
Experience: 16.5 years 37 played 7 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Best course ever! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 25, 2016 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Beautiful property, manicured fairways, ladscaping everywhere, uniquely designed holes, lots of par 4s, concession stand at half way point, the list goes on and on.

Cons:

Not closer to where I live!

Other Thoughts:

I have been told for years to go play BRP. I arrived full of doubt and left a believer! This is the most ideal course you could ever hope for. Every detail has been paid attention to. Every hole is challenging yet memorable. A true disc golf destination.
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5 5
redvinesfrolf
Experience: 11.5 years 8 played 5 reviews
5.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 6, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

-Baskets and tees are in great condition. Multiple positions for most baskets, and although there are many tee types (concrete, brick, artificial, circular), the are all immaculate.
-Great variety and every kind of hole. 140-760 feet holes, tight and technical to bomber holes, left- and right-turning holes.
-Benches and trash cans on nearly every hole.
-They had people on the course doing maintenance in multiple places. I haven't seen course work this impressive anywhere I've been.
-Great facilities, huge disc selection, drinks and snacks.

Cons:

-Tee signs are pretty basic and not as helpful as they could be. For a course of this level, it's an area for improvement.
-Little elevation, but that's not their fault.

Other Thoughts:

BRP is top-of-the-line disc golf. A lot of fantastic holes, especially 4 (the tunnel), 16 (the hanging basket), 18 (760' bomb) and 26 (hole on the rock hill). It's the closest course I've seen to a ball golf course in its maintenance and facilities, which is a high compliment. Everything at Blue Ribbon is done right and it's hard to find negatives about a course like this.
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8 1
pfpro
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 55 played 42 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Finally made it here.... 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 28, 2016 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

+ Great variety. 27 holes, so an extra 9 compared to a "normal" course. I didn't feel like I was playing the same hole over and over again. More wooded than open, but a good mix. I played the short configuration, so the course wasn't overly long.
+ The course design was good. For the most part, the tee placements and routes were fair. The wooded holes were not easy. Some have complained the open holes were boring. I feel like they were different enough, and being able to air it out was refreshing. There is many OBs, well defined - it's easy to know if it your disc is in or out.
+ This course was manicured. The fairways were well defined. Many greens had new mulch. This is disc-golf done well. Many of the teepads were built up and landscaped. Many greens had boulders or pavers. Although you are in the MN woods, the rough was not punishing. When I did end up in the rough, I wasn't worried about not being able to find my disc in overgrown rough. I'm sure there are some spots, but in general, the rough has been beaten back. It looks like they are developing 27 into an "island" green. Since it's under construction, it's not quite up to snuff with the rest of the course.
+ I liked the flow of the course. I feel like there are several points where you could skip forward to get to a shorter round, if you are under a time crunch.
+ Benches at every tee. Garbage cans at most (all?). Port-o-potties in several places throughout the course. Pro shop with a ton of discs (didn't check the prices, assuming they are competitive), snack shop (wasn't open when I was playing).

Cons:

These are all nit-picky, as this is the best course that I have played on (in my 50+ courses). There are really very minimal cons, but will put them here.
- There is no/minimal elevation change. There's not much they can do about this. There are a few artificial mounds.
- The black flies are somewhat annoying.
- The signs are descriptive enough, but several times I had to refer to the map on the back of my scorecard to make sure I was throwing to the right basket (the first time through the course).
- It's not super convenient from a location standpoint, but, it is a destination course.

Other Thoughts:

My corporate headquarters are in the Twin Cities, so this course has been on my list since I started playing disc golf. Its been 6 years, and my schedule finally worked out. It was a blast, I made it out on a weekday, got there at 11:30, played two rounds in about two hours. The course was not full (maybe a dozen or so groups on the course), and played through about a half dozen groups in the two rounds - everyone was super cool about letting me play through. It was awesome. The course kicked my butt. Was playing with a downsized bag, and threw my driver in the pond the first round (am really hoping I get it back). Didn't matter, had a blast. Of the 27 holes, other than the mando short dogleg right, I felt like they were all legit holes.I met the owner(?) on top of the teepad hill for 19, got to thank him for such a beautiful property. Don't know what the "signature" holes are. #4 (the Tunnel), 440' - brutal. The two pond shots - these seem like "typical" MN holes. The bomber holes? I would love to get to play here with my full bag. I hope to get back before another 6 years. I highly recommend getting the BRP if you are in the area.
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6 17
Spike Hyzer 23
Experience: 31.2 years 92 played 88 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Blue Ribbon 2+ years drive by

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

Pros:

Exceptional design and flow for 27 holes.
Great mix of distances and highly technical, also featuring some hanging and elevated baskets.
Water in play and lots of OB.
Very large tee pads with paving stones to stop erosion.
Pro shop with great disc selection.
Course dog.
A nice guy named Ray who will stop to chat.

Cons:

There really are no cons to a course like this, though there is almost no elevation to speak of, which is not the fault of anyone involved with this fine facility. We all have to work with the land we are given, and this is a spectacular use of the land.

Other Thoughts:

If I had a con, it would be those long tunnel holes with a row of trees on either side (why are these so common in MN, when I've never seen them anywhere else in the US?). These holes are simply patently unfair in terms of disc golf. Hole #4 here, in particular, has some sort of access path to the left. A righty will hyzer and finish on that path and have a clear anhyzer to the basket for a second shot (probably under 200 feet). The lefty fades right into deep, dense woods, and any attempt to move the disc forward and leave it on the narrow (10 or 15 feet at most) 'fairway' will be met with another hyzer or kick to the right.

I chose to move it only 50 feet forward, across the fairway and to that cart path to the left of the tree line over there. Then I had a 125 foot hyzer to the pin and got my 4.

Still, unless you can throw 450 on a frozen rope 3 feet off the ground, there is no chance of a deuce and very little chance of a 3.

Holes like this should be banned.
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9 0
Airborn Leiviska
Experience: 2 played 2 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Blue Ribbon is a fitting name! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 1, 2015 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

This course and property has an atmosphere unlike any in the country. Everyone is so excited and happy to be at the place that put pay to play disc golf on the map for MN.
So much thought, care and work has been put into every hole with landscaping, colored woods chips and water features, that really make every hole have a lot of character.
Technically, one of the more challenging courses in the world, with a premium placed on getting off the tee clean. It can make for some long holes if you hit early trees.
A good variety of par 3s and 4s. Regular hole 7 is my favorite on the course (besides hole 4 of course). It requires a straight tee shot that you don't want to hyzer left on or pull right because you are playing to a lay up zone short of a man made pond at about 400 feet from tee. Your shot to the green plays around 400 over the pond, another shot that you need to finish straight instead of hyzering off the green. Green is lined with logs that will prevent you from scooting to far past the basket if you keep it low. This is a hole that even the most skilled players have to play the lay up shot, and it is the definition of a true par 4.
Snack shack halfway through the course where the grills are usually going and beverages are served.
Bonfire pits throughout the course for the cold winter leagues.
Pets are welcome!
This course is always evolving and getting even more character, and it is going to be fun seeing this place continue to grow and get better over the next 10 years and beyond...

Cons:

The only con I can think of is that it is getting so popular. On a nice summer weekend day, there are ALOT of players out there and it can get slow at times and can make for a longer round than anticipated.

Other Thoughts:

This is where the finals of the MN Majestic were held in 2015, and the skins match. A fitting place for such a large gallery.
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4 2
TimMcD
Experience: 16 years 128 played 5 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Heaven on Earth at BRP! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 2, 2015 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

There is a feeling you get when you go to Blue Ribbon Pines that is surreal. So much love and passion for disc golf radiates from this place. The community is great and welcoming.

Pro shop is awesome! Excellent variety. Angie, Mitch, and Ryan all do a great job running the shop.

Hole 1 is such an iconic hole. Thousands and thousands of shots have been thrown at that hole. People empty their whole bags and everyone sits around and watches, waiting for chains to be hit. What a fun experience.

The rest of the course has such great variety and will force you to throw many different shots. The landscaping is unparalleled and really brings the professionalism that we need in our sport. Tees are all nice and grippy.

BRP is a disc golf experience unlike any other. Go check it out.
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11 0
Donovan
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 37.6 years 302 played 188 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Manicure, Pedicure, Courseicure 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 8, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

This place is beautiful. It has water, risk/reward, OB, Mandos, wooded holes, open holes, and layouts that force a huge variety of shots. Nice wood chips to prevent muddy areas, benches everywhere, and the architecture of the holes are amazing. Viewing the photos, will show you what I mean. On the weekends, there is a snack and drink area half way through the course and a "putt for dough" mini basket that is quite "interesting". The tunnel shots are some of the best I have seen and the pin placements are tough but fair on many of the holes. They have a hanging basket and one hole as driving distance signs from a slightly elevated tee. They have a nicely stocked clubhouse with discs, snacks, drinks, accessories, and more.

Cons:

The only complaint I had was without a map or guide I did get lost a couple of times, but that is really my damn fault. I should have had the map up on my phone starting alone at day break.

Other Thoughts:

The Fun Factor was truly the layout and hole designs. I can not express enough how nice the tee pads and pin placements were. It felt like you were really being spoiled with the "courseicure" presented course. I have to say that the right-angled dog-leg, short hole was a long thin wooded tunnel shots were my favorite. I will certainly go back if I am ever up there again and it was well worth the 45 minute drive and $5 to play all day.
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