Once upon a time two old school DGCR course bagging diamond reviewers (sillybizz and cefire) made a pact; they must give up on quantity (at least for the day) and go and play the #1 rated course on the esteemed website. So they gathered their discs, snacks, sunscreen, bug spray and traveled far far away from home - 8 whole hours each just to have a fun time in the woods in Northern Idaho. They got to a magical place with rolling green hills and tall trees and extremely well designed holes using double fairways on par 4 and 5's with basket locations only the truly imaginative could come up with. Their eyes veered up and to the surrounding mountains and their ears filled with only the sounds of birds chirping and putters clanging metal and it was glorious. Many bogeys to be had perhaps as many laughs but in the end they played happily ever after.

Perhaps the course isn't challenging enough? The holes are very well done but on some it felt as though a bad drive wouldn't always make saving par difficult, perhaps because the course is less treed than you think and there is very little underbrush. I felt like most of the course the two pads weren't much different from each other and perhaps you don't need them both out here? $15 is a lot to pay to play disc golf for some but honestly not a con for me. Thought I'd at least mention it if you skipped over that info in the course page.

Honestly there isn't much wrong with this course and very much right with this course. This piece of terrain is amazing by itself that even a designer with little knowledge could design at least a half way decent course but that's not the case here. Paul has designed an amazing course and really has an eye for designing. Speaking of that he is currently working on another course on this property that he says will be "the hard course." I can't wait to have a reason to come out here again! Even the town of Sandpoint is worth checking out, the lake there is stunning and the downtown area has a public beach and stores, restaurants, etc. as well as a few courses in town that don't suck too. Is this the #1 course in the world? IDK but it's damn good and deserving of the '5' rating. Has some of my favorite holes of all time and I'll put this in my top 5 for sure.

I had anticipated a course that was too hilly for me to fully enjoy being an intermediate player. I was wrong. The hills that are incorporated into this course blend well and are not too demanding for the average player like myself. Don't get me wrong, I struggled, but had a great time playing it and learned a lot about elevation towards the end. The split fairways gave me options even if I didn't put my drive where I wanted. The tee box area is awesome with benches at every hole and signage that is very detailed. The turf tee pads are nice to throw from and now I see why they are becoming more popular. I thought the course played fair with plenty of natural OB that made me pay when I got hooked but nothing I couldn't pitch out from and move on. The natural benches and rolls of this property was fully taken advantage of and blended together on holes to create for some fun shot making. I had to use every shot I knew and had to learn a few along the way which I need more work at. Although I shied away from playing here because of the diffuculty, I'm glad I did, it was a blast and only lost one disc.
It was a hot day when I played and the course owner was thoughtful enough to have water out on the course which was great! There are extra info signage on the property on old school snowshoes that were discrete and off to the side. These signs identified just about every plant and tree on the course, I thought it was a nice touch to briefly educate those who were interested.

Hard to come up with a list of things I didn't like about the course. There were a couple places off the fairway that seemed like they could use some thinning out, but I was off the fairway a lot…lol, mostly felt very fair. Hard to nitpick about anything here. Super nice folks running this place!

After buying a punch pass and playing many times, I have fallen in love with this course and noticed many things about the layout, the course forces me to improve my backhand and forehand as the holes are tactfully almost alternate to lefty or righty. My game has improved drastically and I have been able a times to birdy a couple holes. My favorite way to play the course is to show up and play with others that can give me insite on how they read the course and get another perspective on how to improve my game. This is my favorite course in N Idaho!

After playing close to 600 courses, it was great to see someone be able to put the design engineering into a Disc Golf course that would normally go into a Ball golf course, but without converting a ball golf course. Caliber is a unique opportunity for any avid disc golfer. The turf over wood tee pads are level and strong, yet are not too stiff or hard. The manicured fairways are amazing and still have plenty of trees to navigate, often with more than one way to get to the basket.With multiple tee pads and baskets on most holes, the versitility allows you to play a different way with out having to wait for another visit. The course has everything! Lots of elevation but not all at once and a water hazard over a fountain! Definitely in the top 3 courses I've played and look forward to playing it many more times in the future.

Can't think of any Cons, but even though the course is cart friendly, I chose the back-pack straps since the cart would be a little heavy for the elevation changes, but I'm old.

Paul and Jill are most welcoming and give everyone who visits the feeling that they built the course especially for them. "Motherload", their second course is about half complete and "Outlaw" is is already turning wheels in Paul's head! Three courses on close to 70 acres will be a dream realized in the Idaho panhandle!

The natural beauty of this property is hard to overstate. The course plays through a forested area, up and down significant slopes, over luscious grassy fairways, with views of snow-capped mountains. The course is rather isolated, with very little traffic on the nearby road and little mechanical noise coming from anywhere, with the possible exception of neighboring houses that can be vaguely seen at a distance through the trees near a few fairways.

The par 3 holes provide a variety of fairway shapes and elevation challenges - no two are alike. Some of them also include choices of different lines to throw from the tee to get to the pin.

The par 4 and par 5 holes offer choices from the tee and also choices of routes for approaching the basket. There are many risk vs. reward decisions to be made on the par 4 and 5 holes, especially in regard to narrow and more direct paths vs. wider paths that are longer. The slopes also factor into this decision-making process on many holes, with the direct line featuring a more sloped landing area and the longer route offering a safer one. This game of puzzle-solving and shot-shaping on 2 or 3-shot holes is one of my favorite things about the sport of disc golf, and Caliber features it everywhere.

Also, the par 4 and par 5 holes are manageable for players who throw normal human distances. Placement shots are the name of the game off the tee and landing on the correct angle in the fairway is preferable to going longer and missing the fairway or missing the angle and rolling away.

The green areas are sometimes sloped, often guarded, but always fair, in my estimation.

Solid, new-looking Innova Discatcher baskets that fulfill their name and purpose well.

Artificial turf tee pads that were all level and pointed in the right direction. I found them to be grippy and comfortable to throw from. There are two pads on almost all the holes, though a few holes share the same pad for "pro" and "am."

Gorgeous hand-painted tee signs, with specific details, such as distinct colors of green for different types of trees and the distance (in feet) of the ideal landing zone from the tee on par 4 and par 5 holes, plus pins for the tee and basket locations. Each tee sign is a work of art. There are also fairway trees marked with the distance (in feet) to the basket from that tree and at least one sign pointing the way to the next tee after each hole.

There are wood chips in the area around every basket that is not completely surrounded by thick grass.

I did not use a cart, but I believe the course to be cart-friendly, despite the significant elevation changes. I saw several places that offered an obvious cart path to the side of the area where I was ascending or descending.

Players are not only playing a round of disc golf, but (if they so choose) learning about the plants and trees found on the property through educational and illustrated signage placed on upright snowshoes throughout the course. "Toss a Wraith, learn about Idaho White Pines," or "Throw a Buzzz, study a Thimbleberry," I always say! I found the signs interesting and often a good way to rest my body and engage my mind during or after an uphill climb.

Pro shop, restroom, and shower on site along with friendly family pets and a friendly family. Paul and Jill were excellent hosts and it really felt like they were hosting us and not "running a course." We enjoyed discussing discs, the history of the sport, and life in general. As it was our first visit, Jill even walked us up the hill to the first tee! I mentioned something similar in another recent review, but it really felt like old school "Frisbee Family" at Caliber, and that was nice.

Several of the baskets are set high. Not to the level that they seem to be intentionally "elevated baskets," just that phenomenon where they are not set in the ground at the right level. It's more like shooting at a basketball hoop that is 10 ½ feet high and less like, "Oh, this basket is elevated as a design feature."

There were a few times I was wishing for a longer tee pad. The turf pads are great, but sometimes too short.

The long tees and the short(er) tees do not offer different lines to throw, only different distances. I might have considered this a "con," but Paul explained his reasoning, which is that he wants everyone to see and play the same holes, some players just can't throw as far. So the design is to create a situation where players throw from their appropriate tee and everyone is trying to hit approximately the same landing area off the tee. Then the hole plays out from there. He did not want to have different players essentially looking at different holes (on the same hole) because they were playing a different set of tees.

The personal attention and care given to this course by the designer who lives on site is not unique, but it is certainly noticeable and appreciated.

They graciously allowed me to play ten holes of another course that is in the works. So far it is rough and has only temporary signage, but after experiencing it, I know I need to start planning my next trip to Northern Idaho!

What can I say? I've played a lot of great courses and I thought my personal top ten list was essentially set. Something needs to get bumped. High baskets and tee pads that are slightly shorter than I prefer don't factor in much in comparison to the beauty, challenge, and overall experience of Caliber. It's a 5.

Excellent tee pads; varied terrain and shot selection; well-maintained throughout the course; clear tee signs and guidance signs to help find the next tee; beautiful terrain and flora; nice people; water and restrooms provided.

Not many cons... baskets were professional quality in good condition, but I guess they could upgrade to Mach X at some point for a slight improvement?

My biggest gripe is that it isn't closer to home (Spokane) so I can play more regularly. An hour and 45 minutes makes it feel like a full day to really go enjoy it. Worth the drive though.

We played on the last day of the season. Beautiful late-fall weather and scenery and a really memorable and fun day of disc golf. Highly highly recommended if you can make the trip.

- 18 DISCatcher Pros with yellow bands that are well set. There's a mix of portable bases and permanent mounts. The perm mounts are a touch taller than average but certainly not "elevated".
- Turf tee pads on substantial crushed mix bases. These things are incredibly impressive. Not all the turf pieces are super long(some maybe only 7'?) but the grade between the turf and base mix is seamless. My backhand run ups are...longer than average and I didn't have any issues. The actual turf is great and felt super easy on my occasionally shoddy knees. Most holes have Pro and Am pads with maybe 3(?) that share the same tee. The pads are designed for high level Ams and Pros to have a similar feeling challenge on the same track rather than offering a different look or alternate tee box. After playing a round from the Longs and then another from the Shorts, this was well executed IMO.
- The terrain use is superb. Set on ~45ish acres of rolling hills and ridges, every hole has elevation change to manage. Many holes have multiple stages of elevation change. One of the most unique and varying set of 18 holes I've ever tackled from this perspective. If you love elevation change on the golf course this place will give you the feels.
- This course has been carved out of old growth trees, both deciduous and coniferous. While I'd consider this course "heavily wooded" it isn't akin to what I've found in parts of Wisconsin or the Carolinas. The fairways are fair while the rough remains fairly wild. Certainly no extremely tight wooded lines so, for some, it may seem different than the heavily wooded courses they play at home.
- The fairways, as mentioned are quite fair but rarely just straight forward. Each has some nuance to attacking it and all the multi-throw holes will reward certain landing areas to set up the next throw. A number of holes have multiple fairways to choose from which were done brilliantly.
- Speaking of the multi-throw holes, there are 4 on the front 9 and 4 on the back 9. They are excellent, true Par 4's and 5's, offering unique challenges from one another.
- Signage and navigational aids are great. The hand painted tee signs were meticulously designed having been plotted tree by tree. They offer very accurate hole depictions, often with key distance markers noted. Next hole signs throughout the course make getting from pin to next tee simple.
- Two water carry holes and they play quite differently from each other. The shorter downhill Par 3 island Hole 13 is followed by the spectacular Par 5 Hole 14. Only gripe is they're back to back but not much to be done about that. There was a canoe by the pond with a retriever stick. Not sure if it's available for general use or if they clear out the pond themselves.
- The little things are all done right. OB tether is well staked and defined, the drop zones have mini turf tees that are well built, the various fairway distance markers posted throughout, the all clear bell for the the blind hill on the Par 4 Hole, benches all over, etc. I'm probably forgetting some things but you get the idea. So much love, effort, and attention to detail at every level of this install.
- 2 top level blue Prodigy baskets in the front yard for warming up the putts. Also a well water spigot, it's delicious. Bathroom is available inside as well. Our group didn't use it but it's in a house so I imagine it's above average for DG course facilities.
- The Stiller family is a great team of operators. We met and interacted with all 4(dad, mom, both daughters) as well as both dogs and both cats. Such a welcoming group of people and animals that team up to offer their amazing "back yard" to traveling golfers. At $15 per round it felt like a great value.

- There are a few places where the next hole is a little close to the previous. Mesh safety barriers were strung for these. They're dark and forestry in color so don't detract a ton from ambiance. Hole 7 green to Hole 8 tee is probably the worst offender. I'm guessing this is mostly for event play as they limit traffic/tee times so we felt zero pressure during either of our two rounds on a gorgeous Saturday of Memorial Day Weekend.
- It's a hikey course so if you're in poor shape or have physical limitations this could be a challenge. I'd just played all 36 Holes at Swards Ranch the day before so 36 at Caliber felt like a nice stretch of the legs. Unlike many mountain courses that will make you work, there's actually oxygen to breath at this elevation. So not a Con for me, but it will be for some. Players should certainly wear good boots/shoes and bring a snack.
- There is some decent ground coverage rough off of the fairways and a handful of blind throws so if you're throwing lost colored discs or just not paying attention the potential for lost discs is quite possible. Our group of four did a little spotting but nothing excessive.
- An access road and a power line break the natural beauty at a couple points.
- Turf drop zone for Hole 14 is a bit short considering you still have most of the 747' Par 5 left to play.
- $15 for a round. Great price in my experience but most frolfers are cheap af so...

Just frickin wow. Caliber DGC is pretty well everything that gets my disc golf juices flowing. The exclusivity, elevation use, carved and manicured fairways, fun and unique greens, mental and physical challenges; amazing holes just keep coming at you one after another. Our group stood on countless tee boxes just soaking it in and admiring the gorgeous view down each fairway. The whole place is put together, from design to maintenance to infrastructure, in such a professional manner.

I found it interesting that different reviewers have mentioned the rough as both overly forgiving and rather unforgiving so I left this for "other thoughts". I found the rough to be right in the middle of those assessments - scrambling is generally possible, but you'll usually lose your chance to birdie the second you leave the fairway. On occasion I had nothing better than a short placement pitch out.

Best comparisons I can offer for feel, play, and challenge would be some mix of the Highbridge courses and the Upper Course at Bohart Ranch(may she Rest In Peace) although Caliber's elevation changes are far more substantial and constant. Not sure how else to describe my sentiments toward Caliber other than saying this course is amongst the few that when I walked off the last green, I just had THAT feeling. Construction on the second course is underway and we were fortunate enough to be toured through and play the first 8 holes, 4-5 of which are getting close to finished products. If my initial play through is any indication of the end result, it's going to be another absolute banger. I recommend that anyone with the ability to do so - come find out for yourselves what a treasure has been built in northern Idaho. I currently live about 6 hours away and will soon live about 8 hours away. No question in my mind that I'll be making that drive again and again so long as Caliber is operational.

#1 - Paul
#2 - Professional in every way (Paul & the Course)
#3 - Turf tee-pads are professional done and easy on the knees.
#4 - Course Design is also professional in nature, and challenging for both pro's, and those who do not play this game for money.
#5 - Friendly fun family, and family owned and operated business.

No Pro-Shop to spend more money.

Make the trip, you won't be disappointed.

Every hole is picturesque and masterfully planned out. Words are almost impossible to describe this course. It's a must play and memorable experience type of thing!
Paul and his family are such wonderful people and their level of hospitality is unmatched!

None

Amazingly designed course. Mix of 3,4,and 5's. Rolling hills, elevation change, trees, and overall well manicured. Pros and Am pads that are so well put together and thoughtfully built. Can't say enough about Paul and his dream course. Lucky enough to live 15 minutes away. Well done paul !

The detail that went into, not only the design of the holes, but the overall experience of the round simply cannot be understated.
From the moment you drive into the property you are greeted with a view of Hole 2s immaculate teeing area (and i call it an area on purpose, these are not just tee pads)...its at this moment you realize two things...holy cow thats the nicest tee pad ive ever seen, and two, thats one heck of a hole.
When you reach the parking lot, park and meet Paul, you will instantly be pulled into the majesty of the property. Hole 18 staring you in the face as you pay your greens fee, hole ones chains rattling as the first group of the day putts out. The entire place a buzz with players excited to tackle a hole that ate thier lunch the day before. And all this before you make your way to the practice green......
Sounds to good huh?
Well no joke, this place truly lives up to the hype.
I remember the first time i was invited to come out and see the property and play a round. I was told, " man you got to see Pauls course he's building, its Amazing!" and i replied, "Oh yah for sure! cant wait!" thinking the entire drive up about the previous private courses ive played...full of charm and the property owners unique vision, but more often then not, putting on old retired baskets, chomping thru some thick under brush, throwing off of dirt tee pads... And I love those courses! But what Paul created is something entirely different.
As i Played hole 1...2...3...4..i felt like i was transported to some European course id only seen on videos....rolling fairways full of poplar and aspens...i looked over at my playing partner and asked, "is this like the best course in the world?" Awe struck and feeling the same as me he only nodded his head. "I think it might be."
That was three years ago, and today it is only better:

Amazing tee pads
Well groomed and cared for Fairways
A thoughtful and enjoyable design with hole concepts id never seen
FUN! (its such a fun course!)
And the real icing on the cake, an Amazing owner who is 100 percent dedicated to improving and maintaining the land.

None, i gave it a 5 because i truly believe its perfect

Just a huge Thank you to Paul and the Entire Stiller family for creating this place....i plan to enjoy it for years to come!

This course is simply one of, if not the most, amazing course I have ever played. Probably gave that award to Milo in the past, but this place is literally standing toe to toe with it. Because of the large amount of land and Paul's ability to design fairways via excavator, he has created a truly extraordinary course up there. No overlapping fairways or even much chance of an errant throw landing on a different fairway. Fairways are fair, rough can be punishing if you shank your shot or ricochet off a tree. There are lots of rolling hills, uphill shots and downhill bombers, every arm will be challenged and you better hope you have your head in the game and your body responds in kind! There are new Discmania turf teepads on the course now which are are pleasure to be able to throw off of. Almost all of the holes, save a few, have two tee placements: "Advanced Ams" and "Pros".

As the "Advanced Ams" tee says, this is not a course for novice players. It will stretch you to the limit and then some. It is also VERY physical so bring lots of fluids, a powerbar, good disc golf shoes, and prepare for a beast of a course.

That said, none of those things are cons. Can't really think of any to be honest!

This is a destination course that any lover of disc golf should have on their bucket list. You must see it to believe it!

I don't know what you can really say, it's just perfect. Everything is obsessively well thought out and executed - tees, signs, fairways, greens, you name it. This is the benchmark.

It's too far away from where I live.

- Great tee boxes
- To scale and very informative tee signs
- Well laid out holes. Lots of variation, no "filler" holes, a lot of holes have multiple options.
- Isn't a backhand only course, but there also aren't holes that are forehand only.
- Lots of the holes have several options to get to the pin. A good test of your mental game/decision making.
- The owner, Paul, is super friendly and nice.
- Can't say enough good things about this course. It was overall just a ton of fun.

- The short tees are considered "advanced amateur" and the pro tees are definitely intended for pro level players. Not really a con, but this course would not be very fun for a beginner.

Overall, just a really great course that was put together with a ton of care. I got to play a round with the owner while I was there and he had put so much thought into making it a great course for everyone. This would be a great course without the teepads and tee signs, but those things are the cherry on top of the cake. The course is challenging, but all gives you all the tools to attack it at your highest level.

I could give a big long list of how amazing this course is but I think the fact I logged in for the first time since 2009 just to review a course speaks for itself.

Challenges your shot selection and requires course management skills to putt a good round together. Natural rough that punishes shots accordingly. Lack of gimmicky hole or holes.

This is a clear top 3 all time for me and possibly the best.

The desgin of this course utilizes all the asepct of the property very well.

Paul did a good job bringing the old school ball golf design to work for disc golf. Using elevation and exact angles all while incorporating the natural elements into play; prodominate wind direction, sun light, visual miscues.

The construction of this couse is top notch. Every attention to detail was accouted for; gravel pack around teepad, tuff pad constution, landing zones, saftey mitigation. neighoboring land condiseration

Caliber is a championship level course and is intended to be a place to test your ability, both physically and mentally. This is only a con if you are not at the level of skill needed to make it through this course while being able to enjoy all the challenges that come along with it.

This same notion gives private courses their place as they can cater to a higher skill level while leaving to local municipalities to provide courses designed to be inclusive. It is thought that lower skill level course design impacts a larger user base. (research pending)

This is a destination course.

Hole 1: AMs- Left to right turning downhill. Right side plays as a bunker in the blue spruce. There is a keyhole shot if you dear.
Pros- Plays the same shot shape with the vertical line tightened and the gap narrowed.

Hole 2: AMs- Long straight slightly uphill for the first 400 feet, make the road for better footing, play the open pipeline for an open up, or bail out left and play the long straight tunnel to the basket that is placed on a 30' diameter grass pad scratched out of the hill side.
Pros- Stretches the hole out and makes the first shot play more uphill with a demanding nose angle to maintain center cut and not end in the rough. Avoid rough if you don't like starting a round with a bogey.

Hole 3: AMs- Straight with a some distance/height control as the green slopes left to right punishing a high fading RHBH.
Pros- Stretches the hole a touch and removes the error term on the distance/height control.

Hole 4: AMs- Pick left side or right side fairway for a your placement shot, look at the ski hill and enjoy the beautiful forest. From there, downhill tunnel shots abound, play what feels comfortable, all feed towards a sloping green with a catch at circle 2 (Thanks Paul, so tired of three putting from roll aways)
Pros-Stretches the hole and requires serious height management of the tee if you don't want to worm burn the AM pad and advance a total of 60 feet.

Hole 5: AMs- Uphill with a few fair gaps to pick from guarding the basket on a nice grassy green. If you hit the rough you missed your line. Neighbors along right side, please be respectful. (silver bar, thanks Paul)
Pros- Same shot, 10% more power required.

Hole 6: AMs- Long straight semi-tunneled placement shot. Setting up for another placement the plays left to right downhill to a flat clover terrace with a good attack angle to the basket from there. The green slopes fast and quick past the basket so be confident or layup. Neighbors along right side, please be respectful.
Pros-Stretches the line out by a good factor and makes missing the line to find yourself playing scramble golf only after shot one of a par five a very possible occurrence. Play smart from the start and get rewarded, play aggressive and there are thousands of ways this hole could go wrong. (my favorite hole here)

Hole 7: AMs- Lots of downhill here, shot tricks you into thinking you need to play a hyzer, but easy to catch early and be in the rough. Play the shot to straight and smack the middle cluster of trees, turn it over too much and be pushing OB rough, to be honest I have not figured out this hole yet. Sliding hyzer with a mid has been my best result.
Pros- Same shot, 25% more touch required to execute.

Hole 8: AMs-Sorry, Paul, this is a filler hole. Tight out the gate with a left to right inverse j-hook, miss the gap and chip up to an elevated pin for a tap out par and move on.
Pros- No pro line, or Uline, RIP.

Hole 9: AMs-Shot plays up hill, with good nose control you should make your placement shot, shot 2 is then making a play for the bottom of the hill/green to avoid a death putt for birdie on the sloping downhill green. Play long and putt uphill, or play short and layup.
Pros- No pro pad, par is good here.

Hole 10: AMs- Uphill mid pump, or fairway 60%, over a granite boulder that takes away the easy release angle, if you beat the first gap and don't glance off the last set of blockers, you will be in easy birdie land on a nice flat terraced and chipped green.
Pros- No pro line, don't miss this birdie or you will be missing out.

Hole 11: AMs- Paul's signature hole. This is a double-double option. It's a double figure eight that plays left or right sloping down hill to your choice of landing zones, then chose left or right secondary fairway to a 180 foot ridge line straight shot to a sloping away green with an elevated basket. Par 5, birdies feel great, eagles are special.
Pros- This is still in the works, but will challenge the best of throwers to make the demanding landing zones when it is completed (Thanks Jill for this pad placement)

Hole 12: AMs- This is a great downhill tunnel with a ceiling. Requires touch to not blow past the elevated basket, don't lose control and miss the line here, because your card mates will be getting birdies and you just missed out.
Pros- Increased downhill nose angle and reduced ceiling. Hit the green and the clover will catch it, you want to get this hole, but a par is still a par.

Hole 13: AMs- Tight downhill straight gap through the cedar tress with a pond carry onto an OB style island green.
Pros- Typical Paul pro pad that takes away all the error term the line provides. Get a birdie here and score.

Hole 14: AMs- Challenging long straight carry over the corner of a pond to a landing zone that then plays a straight bob and weave style fairway slight uphill to a tucked away green, playing right to left towards the end. Par five feels great here.
Pros- Stretches out the shot and adds just enough elevation that any error in the nose angle will be punished. New mando will keep people from cheating the hole up and over to moose meadows for a sky roller over the 25foot pine bank for a creamy eagle. (sorry Paul, but that's what mandos are for, you figured it out bud)

Hole 15: AMs- Tight gap vertical and horizontal with the basket attackable, but watch out for a bad tree kick into the rough. You want to get this hole, but rarely feel like you do..
Pros- No pro pad, stop and hit the cooler as this is the closest you will be to the parking lot until 18.

Hole 16: AMs- Downhill touch, basket is straight, but you will need some sort of flexing shape to be able to attack the basket without ending up downhill and chilling in the ice house.
Pros- Makes the nose angle the key factor for continued progress down the fairway. Miss the angle and end up in the rough, there was a great thimbleberry patch to help fight hunger while you looked endlessly for your disc, but an angry string trimmer went bonkers. Give and take I presume.

Hole 17: AMs- Plays a lot like hole 9 without the punishing downhill at the end. Control your nose and wing angle and you will be in the landing zone looking at an easy approach to a rocky green. Save your soft plastics for the grass and clover.
Pros-Pulls the line back and tightens up the height control needed to get to the landing zone.

Hole 18: AMs- Last chance to play aggressive and take the win. Long straight tunnel gap the plays to a sloping green. Shot one is a placement and shot two is all about speed control as the hole continues to play downhill for the entirety.
Pros-Stretches the hole out and makes any nose up hyzer stall out into the rough, get a birdie from here and you took the lead by one.

Mother Load is still unfinished.

If you travel and play any course west of the Mississippi, do yourself a favor, and play this one.

- Perfectly level DiscGolfPark turf tees surrounded by compacted gravel, which is then further surrounded by mulch.

- Easy to navigate, very intuitive, paths and white arrow signs to the next tees.

- Practice basket by the start of hole 1 to warm up your putt as well as plenty of space to warm up with approach shots.

- Hand painted tee signs with outstanding detail and painted to perfectly reflect the size and location of all trees/rough/water.

- There is a bell to ring to signal when clear of blind greens so the next group (if applicable) knows when to throw.

- Distance markers on the fairway of the longer holes so you know exactly how much distance is left to make it to the basket.

- Technical placement golf. There is zero poke and hope here. A well-executed shot is highly rewarded while a poorly thrown shot gets a proportional amount of trouble to how bad of a shot it was.

- Tucked away mostly out of the wind.

- Innova DISCatcher Pro 28's. The best baskets around and an industry standard I think.

- Some sort of elevation change on every single hole whether that is an uphill hole, downhill hole, a hole that has ups and downs, and even holes that play on sloped fairways.

- Breathtaking scenery in every direction.

- Water in play! Holes 13 and 14 play over a pond and, in my opinion, having water in play is something that needs to be there to really put a course into the top tier of courses.

- Challenging greens that demand angle and speed control.

(as a caveat before you read the cons - these are pretty nit picky, though worth mentioning, and hardly affect my opinion of the course, thus the 5/5 rating)

- No benches (yet). They are definitely needed with how long this course is and all of the hills. According to Paul, the benches are coming.

- No top of the world shot or huge open downhill carry. It is something I'd like to see with how hilly this course is and possibly give the player a chance to truly air one out after navigating their way through so many wooded fairways.

- No signature hole that I can think of, but this is actually a pro because all of the holes are so incredible. I can't think of one that is truly a cut above the rest, and that speaks to how excellent the course is. As I think about it more, I would probably have to pick either hole 13 or 14 as those bring the pond into play.

- Some/bunch of baskets are elevated, but not in a typical elevated basket fashion. The bottoms of the poles are in concrete and then left resting on the ground (look at the course pictures). A lot of the baskets play about 12-18" above the standard height. I'm not sure if this is so baskets can be brought in during the winter or so they can be moved around on the course without having to dig them up?

- The design slightly favors RHBH. I would like to see more fairways that bend to the right that cater to RHBH forehand or turnover shot. Overall, a pretty balanced course, though.

- Some of the tee pads play close together (holes 7/9). This could create issues during a tournament or if play gets busy during a weekend.

- 4'x8' tees. For a course like this, I'd prefer to see 5'x10' tees. The tee boxes are a half inch to an inch above the compacted gravel. When playing a course as magnificent as this I want a bit more space on the tee for demanding/power shots. I also don't want to start off the box and then have to actively think about making a step up onto the pad because that distracts me from trying to hit the technical line at hand.

- The flow of the course doesn't get back close to the parking/car until hole 15's tee pad. This isn't necessarily a con for me, but for some people it might. Just something to be aware of so plan ahead accordingly.

- No trashcans. Not an issue for me (pack it in, pack it out!), though some people might want them. I think it is better this way as it preserves the beauty.

At the time of playing this was my 162nd course and it is now #1 on my list of favorite courses. Upon arrival, you see the Caliber disc golf sign to know where to turn and the excitement begins to build. There are some parking lines painted on the ground and you are greeted by a very accommodating and pleasant host (Thanks, Paul!).



The course is nestled into the northern Idaho mountains a stone's throw from Schweitzer Mountain. Gorgeous views are abundant through the trees with sights of snowcapped mountains when I played in June.



The course was meticulously and methodically carved through the woods. It is extremely well thought out, with every tree left standing or removed for a specific shot shaping reason. You'll end up using a majority of the discs in your bag and tons of different of styles of throws to get into scoring position. I've never had to think so hard about how to play a course. It left me mentally exhausted by the end. You constantly have to play a game of chess with the course by picking your landing zones and knowing how you are going to meander your way up the fairway. You must always be aware of the angles of the disc to match the angle of the land otherwise you could be in for some rollaway potential.

Overall, I can't speak highly enough of Caliber Disc Golf Course. Paul is a wonderful guy and I hope to be back in the future to get another round in at Caliber and to play the new course he is working on building on his property. Caliber DGC is a true destination course and if you live within 300 miles (or more!) and don't make a trip to come play here, you are making a serious mistake. I've played a lot of 'famous' disc golf courses (Milo, Pier, Whistler's Bend, etc) and this one takes the cake.

+innova discatchers
+level turf tees, pro/am for almost every hole
+tee signs (hand painted)
+mature varied species trees
+shot variety: length, left/right, up/down, par4s & 5s,
+benches on a few holes
+excellent maintenance
+navigation: next tee signs for all
+practice basket

(nitpicking)
-bugs
-ptp/private $ (you get what you pay for)
-no top of the world/ panoramic/ amazing view /throw from above the trees
-no map
-gunfire in the distance
-missing benches after some uphill hikes to a tee, that's when i need the rest
-signs not sturdy enough to hang my bag on
-tall grass where the mower can't get to (water around the pond)

i played in the spring & everything was green & beautiful. The pond was full of water making 13&14 extra gorgeous with its glassy reflection of the manicured course around it. i would say these 2 holes were the highlight of the 2 rounds i played; that beauty and risk/reward of throwing over water is just great fun for me.
utilized every disc in my bag with all the different shots needed. it will test every part of your game; smart play rewarded, mistakes punished. stay in the fairway & par(or better) should be achievable, go into the woods & you might need some heroics to save par. i had to chip out of the woods more than once. there are a few holes that it's hard to know where to throw on your first go around (a sign can only do so much). 18 is a fun downhill par 4 with a sloped green that finishes next to the house providing a possible gallery to put that added pressure on your last putt. it is pretty long & up and down, so bring your water & hiking legs.
paul is building another adjacent (longer)course. If he makes another great course like caliber, sandpoint will be a top disc golf destination.

- Best host I've met in my travels. 12 states and over 200 courses.

- Nicest tee pads in the country. No transition. Perfect amount of sand to turf ratio. Extremely compacted front and rear gravel sections.

- Pro and Am pads on nearly every hole.

- Intricate greens. None of the greens sit in a field. All greens are intentionally designed with consideration given to each specific hole's scoring average. Most greens with roll-away potential have been terraced to eliminate some of the "luck factor".

- Well-delineated fairways. Each hole has a unique shape and the holes do not blend together. They are each memorable in their own way because they require a specific set of shots to achieve desirable results.

-Perfect use of elevation change that requires a firm understanding of nose angles.

- Intentionally designed landing areas allow for opportunities to "learn the course" over time for improved scoring.

- Manicured fringe, semi-rough, and rough. The better the shot, the better the result. The alternative is also true.

- Discatchers. One of the better targets on the market though I personally prefer the Prodigy T1. No real complaint here.

- Some elevated baskets to enhance the intricacy of putting greens and create scoring separation on some holes.

- MASSIVE ACE POT each season.

- Thousands of pounds of broadleaf clover has been planted.

- Incredible variety of tree typology. Every tree that grows in the Inland Northwest is on this property.

- Stunning views of Schweitzer Mountain.

- Negligible wind even when local town is 30+ mph. The course is tucked back into the woods.

- Nice clubhouse and disc selection.

- Seasonal.

- It should cost more to play.

- No carts....yet.

For some perspective, this course is nicer than Pier Park, Blue Ribbon Pines, VisionQuest, Horning's Hideout, Wildcat Bluff, Hanging Oaks, Shady Oaks, SeaTac, Blue Mountain, Milo McIver, Shelton Springs, Rolling Ridge and so many other "coveted courses" I've played. To play something of comparable quality, one would have to travel Highbridge, WI and catch the courses when they are in perfect condition. Paul never lets the grass get above ankle height. He is a madman and is working on the second installment at his property.

Excellent Overall Design - Fairways are well designed with landing areas for both sets of tees taken into consideration in the design of the par 4's and 5's. Long tees are designed for 425'+ throwers, short tees for 300'-425'. Strategic small groups and single trees in most fairways make the decision of shot shape and choice of desired landing area very important. The majority of all holes have adequate room to work a disc R to L or L to R off the tee.

Elevation Changes - For a good number of the shots faced elevation will need to be a major factor in disc and shot selection.

True Par 4's and 5's - The forest canopy makes playing high, over the top shots on all but one of the par 4's and 5's extremely difficult. The punishing thick rough also makes this playing style very risky. Eagles on this course will be very rare.

Tees - The turf tees provide an excellent teeing surface. The turf is the same material used for DiscGolfPark tees.

Balanced for Lefties Versus Righties - Overall, throwing left finishing versus right finishing shots seems to be well balanced on this course.

Dedicated Owner - This is by far the best feature of this course. It is hard to believe one person could accomplish what has been done on this property. An estimated 3,000 trees were felled and stumps removed on some challenging terrain to make this course possible. Improvements are continually being implemented. Plans are in the works for novice friendly tees, a clubhouse, and best of all, a second even longer course on adjoining property which has been purchased.

Rough - The rough can be very punishing. Thinning along the fairways and around the greens is planned. A significant amount of time is likely to be spent looking for errant shots.

Signage - Tee signs are planned for a future improvement.

Unnatural Elements - The dirt road down hole # 2's fairway, and the power line crossing the fairways of # 13 and # 14 are minor detractions from the overall natural beauty of the rest of the course.

Two and a Half Hour Plus Rounds - Not a large drawback, but this is not a "play a quick round after work" type of course.

Fitness Factor - The elevation changes make this course very challenging for anyone with mobility issues.

8,736' from the long tees and 7,772' from the shorts.
Premiums are placed on hitting fairways and being able to scramble when a shot is missed.
350'+ power required for a decent chance to shoot under par from the short tees.

Blatant Personal Opinions:
I estimate I have played over 3,000 distinct holes. My number 1 (#11, 776' par 5) and number 2 (#4, 612' short and 717' long par 4) all time favorite holes are at Caliber. If I sat down and made an actual list, I think another 3 or 4 from this course would make my top 15, and only 3 or 4 here would not be in my top 100.

I have the distance to birdie every hole from the short tees, but finishing a round at even par feels satisfying. My guess would be that even par from the short tees would be a 960ish rated round.

I am a big fan of courses with significant elevation changes. I really enjoy the additional challenge of trying to determine how the disc will react to traveling faster downhill and slower uphill. Caliber hits the sweet spot of just the right amount of elevation change for me.

Once the finishing touches are in place, I am positive a 5 star rating will be justified and I will increase my rating at that time.

Update: A year after my original review and the addition of tee signs, benches at almost all tees, and thinning of the rough justify raising my rating to 5.

Second Update, May 2021: OB added on multiple holes, primarily on downhill shots behind the pin and along property lines. OB is stakes with strung rope. Mulch added around baskets to help prevent skips on approach shots.