Milan, IL

Camden Park - II

4.495(based on 44 reviews)
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3 7
blkwizardsonny
Experience: 22.5 years 88 played 5 reviews
4.50 star(s)

well taken care of 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Nov 2, 2013 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

This course is carved out of the woods for the entire course except a couple holes.Multiple par 4s and a 5 or 2 ,multiple pin placements,course is always being improved,excellent elevation,ravines,very challenging.offers another disc golf 18 hole course right there same parking cam 1.One more thought carved out sculptures on multiple holesof mushrooms and such.

Cons:

Not many cons but,No bathrooms throughout the course is one

Other Thoughts:

there is a dedicated crew that is there daily improving the course in every way .
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8 0
namar
Experience: 27.4 years 46 played 8 reviews
5.00 star(s)

good clean hard frustrating fun 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Nov 2, 2014 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

*update 11/4/14* Signs are in, which makes Camden 2 worthy of a 5 rating in my eyes. There are also some new pin placements since I last played, and general landscaping improvements throughout the course. **
This is woods and ravines disc at its finest. Bring your A+ game to Camden 2. Where Camden 1 gives you plenty of chances to air it out and is fairly forgiving, Camden 2 requires constant precision and will positively punish you if you allow it. Other reviews claim unfair or lacking lines through the trees, but I'd have to disagree. The layout here values shot placement and diligent use of landing zones over grin-n-rip drives, and rewards you accordingly. That's not to say you can't bomb it here, in fact you need to in a few places, but there is almost no room for error and no space for any sort of sweeping S shot. One will have the most success here with a strong Buzz/Roc game, or whatever you can throw on a rope out to 300'.

Cons:

*update 11/4/14* really scratching here, but there are a couple places where a decent walk is required from a basket the next tee. There are no ziplines or chairlifts, so my legs are a little sore today.... I got nothin, Cam 2 is just plain great.

Other Thoughts:

the local crew puts in a crazy amount of work to keep this place in the excellent shape I always find it in. There are trash cans throughout, at least every other tee, so please use them.

Benches at nearly every teepad (which are GIANT 10'x10' concrete slabs, bottle openers hanging from a tree or sign at every pad (at least during Camden Triples), and very informative signs provide those extra touches that bumps this course to a well-deserved 5 disc rating.
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12 0
Shade Seeker
Experience: 20.3 years 111 played 10 reviews
4.50 star(s)

A magical world 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 27, 2013 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Walking into the woods and up to the first tee at Camden 2 is a magical moment. As you peer down into the ravine you realize you are in a different sort of place - a special environment crafted just for disc golfers. One can almost imagine a tribe of gnomes fashioning this wooden world of stairs, bridges, ladders, terraced greens, benches and "stump sculptures."
Beyond the beauty, this is a great disc golf course. It's been designed for the thinking man. The fairways have been cleared to offer choices for flight lines. The risks are truly risky - those ravines are much deeper than they appear from the top and there are steep slopes beneath some of the baskets. Proper placement is a consideration on both tee shots and upshots.
The character of this course is lots of trees and lots of elevation. Yet even though the ravines make for some cardiac climbing, the course gives you plenty of chances to catch your breath with shorter ridge-top holes. One of my favorite features of Camden 2 is its unique barriers like fallen trees and deep, pit bunkers at the bottom of the ravines.
My favorite holes are the ones that cross the ravines - #1, #7, #10 and #12. Hole #4 deserves special mention because the drive is so challenging - you have to hit the line, cross the creek and then turn right to land on the creek-side path. Fall short and you're descending a ladder to retrieve your disc. Go long and you're on the wooded slope beyond the path and pretty much trying to salvage a bogey. I also love #2 with its "whale" bunker - a huge fallen free between tee and basket - and #13, the long downhill bomb and the only hole that's not in the woods.

Cons:

The major con, which is a temporary one, is the lack of signs. A world class course deserves world class signs, and, according to the website, they are on the way. The only other negative I can think of is that #18 is almost too difficult. The fairway is mostly creek for the length of the hole - one of those deep "pit bunkers." The only safe landing zone is a narrow path that runs between the right bank and steep slopes above. You have to be almost perfect, or really lucky, to stay out of trouble on this one. Any kind of hyzer action on your drive or your upshot and you're playing from the pit. That said, I guess it's a testimony to Camden 2 when the only con is about such a unique and cool hole.

Other Thoughts:

I'm not sure this course gets the respect it deserves. It should be on the national radar when it comes to courses in the woods. The only woods course I've played that comes close in terms of tender-loving-care is 7 Oaks in Nashville. Camden 2 is one of the major reasons that the Quad Cities area is such a great disc golf destination.
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3 8
FightingIllinut
Experience: 11.5 years 24 played 6 reviews
5.00 star(s)

I enjoyed this top rated course in IL 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 25, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

The extra wide 10 x 10 tee pads allowed for shot shaping and selecting your line. VERY well cared for with ALOT of hours of volunteer work shining thru on every hole!

Cons:

hmmm, splitting hairs here but at least 2 holes require 500-1000 foot walks to the next tee box with no arrows. Although there are arrows at most key locations I could see one or two places where they would be helpful. Speaking of signs...no tee signs except one or two holes is rather weak for a course of this stature...Im just sayin' c'mon City of Milan or someone...lets get sponsors for high quality tee signs and arrows

Other Thoughts:

more later just a rating for now
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3 1
Dan Ensor
Experience: 14.7 years 62 played 11 reviews
4.00 star(s)

The Rumble 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 11, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

This is a beautiful course. It was taken care of very well. If you stay on the course, there's very little (if any) significant underbrush.
It's moderately hilly and wooded; and the elevation and trees were both utilized. There are some up-hill shots, some down-hill shots, and some over-the-valley shots with several pins in risky positions.
There was a good mix in fairway width. One or two holes let you bomb it without trees in your way, lots of holes would shoot you down if you strayed too far, and a few holes forced you to be VERY accurate.
You can shoot well at this course playing conservatively or aggressively. There aren't many courses that pull that off (especially wooded courses); a lot of courses this wooded have very thick underbrush that can kill a round. at Cam-II, I never felt like I didn't have an opportunity to play down the fairway if I wanted.

Cons:

Playing it the first time, there were several fairways I couldn't see. From the tee or pin. I felt like several fairways were split in places that knocked down a lot of very good shots. I felt there was only 1 hole that a long, accurate drive was rewarded (If I was more accurate I may have felt differently).
There are a few stumps in the middle of the fairway. Maybe they're supposed to define split fairways, but they didn't seem tall enough for that unless a drive was released a little low. I saw a few nice drives go directly over them, and I also saw one or two hit the stumps.

Other Thoughts:

I thought this course would have been a lot better if I was a gold level player. I could not hit a lot of fairways, no matter how conservative a shot I attempted. It was a lot of fun playing dubs, but playing singles at the tourney knowing I was throwing a crap-shoot type shot wasn't much fun.

This course is on my short list of courses to play again in QCI.
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21 1
Sprague16425
Experience: 27.4 years 1 played 1 reviews
4.50 star(s)

World Class Wooded 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 6, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

A beautiful trail system with giant oaks, manicured grass covered fairways, navigable rough, dramatic elevation changes, terraced greens, trails, bunkers, generous tee pads, and a variety wildlife. This once overgrown briar and thorn tree forest has been reclaimed and restored to feel more like an oak savanna surrounded by heavy woods.

The course was designed for more experienced golfers as the terrain is demanding - be prepared for a hike. It is setup as a multiple loop trail system, so you can cut your round short at various points and hole 9 tees off near hole 1 allowing for half rounds.

Multiple pin positions means a variety of course layouts (each layout is given a unique name with course records tracked on the website). The layouts range from a par 55 in the shortest to a par 64 in the longest, allowing for a lot of flexibility for tournaments, leagues, and daylight issues.

The fairways are extremely well manicured and and the rough is 'navigable' with trails, steps, ladders, and terraces where necessary. The tree canopies are cut clean and high in an effort to allow a larger range of shots.

Strategically cleared rough allows bad shots to finish their flights leaving the players behind a wall of trees instead of hitting the tree line and dropping safely into the fairway. Players that wisely sacrifice distance for control will be rewarded with a shot for birdie, while players that are lured into throwing further will often find one these 'bunkers'.

Many of the par 4's and 5's are doglegs where the prime landing brings the basket into view and many have a fallen tree that gives you visual cues where to land. The prime landings are usually about 250-275ft to the front edge and 350-400ft to the back. This makes control more important than distance, while allowing both as an option.

Creek ravines have had hundreds of volunteer hours restoring their natural flow, removing splash dams that cause erosion, and building check dams to retain rocky sediment. A once quick sand filled ravine is now a dramatic elevation drop that acts more like a bunker with waterfalls, pools, steps, terraces, and ladders to get you in and out efficiently - a rare disc golf feature.

A highly dedicated crew averages over 25hrs per week improving course conditions and adding amenities. A work log has been maintained since November of 2007, documenting the creation and maintenance of this 90-acre behemoth.

Cons:

Signage - the original plan for our signs fell through, but we are currently working on plan b for the signs which will closely resemble those at The Maple Hills course in Leicester, MA. The signs will have photos to illustrate the landing areas especially on the blind dogleg par 4's and 5's. The photos will be from prime landings looking down the second half of the fairway.

Tee pads - The Village of Milan selected 10x10 street forms for the tee pads. Some players are bothered by the short length, so the Camden Crew has been working on terracing the tee pads adding an additional 2ft to the front and back. On a positive note the 10 wide tees offer a wider variety of shot angles and selection. Also, some tee pads were poured slightly off line from the way they were marked, so we are also working on expanding the tees to allow a proper angle at the run up.

Other Thoughts:

Such a big course takes long term vision and dedication, and the Camden Crew repeatedly assesses and reassesses our goals and progress. There are few Cons that are not on our list of 'things to do'.

Please keep providing feedback, it helps us prioritize our goals, and just know that we have no intention of stopping the momentum - this course evolves weekly sometimes daily!

Thanks for all the positive support and thanks to all the disc golfers who embrace the course by keeping the trash cleaned - we hardly find trash anymore! Keep spreading the positive energy!

Course design was inspired by John Houck, Harold Duvall, Stan McDaniel, Dave Dunipace, Chuck Kennedy, Greg Hosfeld, Steve Dodge, Justin McLuen, Doug Peyton, Des Moines Disc Golf, Timmy Gill, the Wildcat Bluff crew, and the over 300 course I've played...thank you!
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5 1
IHearChains
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 20.4 years 211 played 34 reviews
4.50 star(s)

a QC must play, woods and ravines 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 5, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Camden Park has two courses and the newer one, Camden II, is a great wooded course with fair technical lines and some dramatic elevation change. It requires all types of shots. There are several par 4s (4,5,6,8,13,17), depending on basket positions some are par 3s. One of these (hole 4) has a par 5 long basket position where a 5 feels like a birdie (to me at least). It requires a pinpoint precision downhill left-to-right drive to a narrow landing zone along the opposite side of the ravine, then a couple of fairway tunnel drives up a steep hill to get to the putting area. A three on this hole would be heroic. There are a couple holes where large downed trees are left in place to prevent skips or rollers from reaching the desired lie for the approach or putt, a nice feature.

A great corps of volunteers puts a lot of work into this course, and it shows, every time I go there is a new landscaping feature or bench or sign or erosion control measure. Several holes play along or across deep ravines, and discs can be tough to retrieve, so the course crew has worked hard to put in lots of steps at common access points to access the bottom of the ravines.

The course is a double loop design back to the parking area after hole 8. Therefore it traverses the two sets of ravines twice, and its a lot of up and down. You need to be prepared for some exercise at this course, and that is a pro in my book.

So far I have played 5 of the top 40 courses listed on DGCR and this ranks right up there. There's a great collection of courses in the Quad Cities, several are well worth a stop, and Camden II and West Lake are the two absolute must-plays.

Cons:

A minor con, really a potential long-term con, is that there are some erosion problems in the ravines, where the creek banks are getting traffic from people trying to climb down to get their discs. Without constant maintenance, this could become a big problem in the long term.

The park amenities aren't usually a big factor in how I rate a course, but the two disc golf courses, and a picnic shelter near the parking area, all see a lot of use, and there's one portable outhouse. And it is a long and difficult walk up and down two big ravines to get there from the outlying holes.
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8 1
alcstradamus
Experience: 13.1 years 31 played 5 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Best Quad Cities Area Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Oct 4, 2012 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

--10X10 foot concrete pads don't provide a ton of room for run-up, however it is really not needed on this course (hitting lines is what is truly important) and instead the side to side movement allowed by the wide pads is much appreciated in order to hit various lines through the trees

--SICK elevation changes, mostly running over an empty creekbed which is intimidating yet still friendly to play around--and in :)

--Wooded holes are cut out well to provide fair lines. I don't think there is a single poke-n-hope hole here, and if you think there is you probably have the wrong idea of what challenging disc golf should be like

--Although there is only one open hole, it is a sweet anny bomb down a sledding hill so the couple of minutes of relief you get from the woods is pretty awesome.

--Depending on the pin placements, this is a course for everyone from intermediate to professional. The shorts are probably too short for the best players to have fun on, but the longs can be pretty damn tough. Note the difference between the 3 pins on #4 and your jaw will drop. A par 3 to par 4 to true par 5 transformation!

--The rough is amazingly manageable, especially considering the work that was necessary to make it that way. Something would seriously have to go wrong to lose a disc here,

--Handmade steps and bridges help increase the safety factor. This is NOT an easy course to walk, it is very steep and hilly and you are often traversing slick terrain, especially if it has been raining. The work put into adding these safety features is very appreciated, and I'm sure it will be even better in another year

--THE SHOTS....oh man...THE SHOTS.....so incredibly beautiful watching your disc fly over the ravine on multiple occasions. There are also 3 or 4 holes that could be called "signature"...take your pick of which those are. I suspect if you bring 4 people in your group, all 4 will have a different favorite hole.

--Loops back to the parking lot after the front 9 to refresh yourself

--Great exercise due to all the hills. Not busy, so you can take as much time as you need for rest and enjoyment

Cons:

--I know it has been beat to death, but the lack of signage is a tough pill to swallow on this course. At minimum, there needs to be a hole number painted on the teepad. It is confusing even with a map when you get around the 11, 12, 17 area. Very easy to mistakenly throw off 17 when you should be throwing off of 12. When the leaves are fallen, the paths from basket to basket are less obvious as well and it is easy to tee at the wrong hole. I have played this course numerous times, and I still accidentally skipped a hole recently. Don't get me wrong, I like how the lack of signage helps keep the bad people out, but for someone who may be playing without a guide it would be tough. I also would really like some accurate yardage for the different pin placements without having to hunt on forums for a list.

--You could argue that there isn't enough variety here due to only 1 open hole, but I wouldn't make that argument. There are enough different types of shots throughout the woods to provide variety. This is not a con for me, just pointing it out to people who may love to bomb. There won't be much bombing here.

Other Thoughts:

This is currently my favorite course. Other than lack of signage, there is only one reason why I did not give it a 5/5. That reason is that I just haven't played enough high rated courses to give myself perspective on what a 5/5 should be. Currently, the only top 40 courses I have played are Wildcat Bluff and West Lake. Camden 2 is superior to both of those for me, just barely squeeking by Wildcat Bluff. I need to play a couple more top rated courses before I am comfortable giving out 5 disc ratings.

If you visit the course website www.camdentwo.com , you can find the updated pin locations that are currently in place. There are course layouts from the mid-50s for par up to the mid 60s (true par for an advanced golfer). I generally prefer the high 50s layout just because I'm not an advanced player, but the highest I have played is a par 62 and it definitely was a mental and physical beatdown!

Make no mistake about it folks, Camden 2 THE OTHER SIDE is a brilliant course and one that I am proud to have in the Quad Cities area.
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4 1
4_Of_Spades
Experience: 16.4 years 36 played 28 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Camden II- The Bad Cop 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 16, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

Nice big tee pads.

Multiple pin placements.

Amazing scenery and varied shot selection from tee off to holing out.

Densely wooded and great shots over ravines and up and down hills, great elevation changes.

Skill and shot placement necessary on every throw. You will be punished very badly for almost any mistake on any throw.

Isolated from everything except disc golf. Great atmosphere and a very challenging course.

Very nicely laid out and it takes much more than just a good drive to get a good score unlike many other courses.

This is the best course I have played and it is what I would see as a championship level course though I am not a tournament player. You need the skill, the power, the finesse, the right decisions, the disc selection, execution, and the confidence to just get par here and it changes how you view other courses that you thought were good before you played here.

Cons:

It is a new course still coming together so there are no signs. Some holes have blind long pin placements which will require good signs that have all pin placements on them. Navigation would have been very bad if we didn't play with some locals who knew the course.

Other Thoughts:

This course actually has legitimate par 4s and 5s if pins are in long positions. It was challenging for me when they were in short positions though I am just a casual/ recreational player. If you think you are good at disc golf, play a round here and see what you think of yourself after. I can not wait to come back and see how improved this course will get over time. Everyone should try this course!
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3 4
Printnamehere2
Experience: 13.8 years 9 played 1 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Great course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 30, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Multiple pin locations. Big wide tee pads. Many elevation changes and is well maintained by gene and his whole crew. They've been doing a great job trying to make this a champion level course.

Cons:

Signage..... Just needs more of it
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3 2
steven2361
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 16.5 years 286 played 55 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Great course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 25, 2012 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Awesome design includes concrete tees and tons of pin positions. The elevation used in the course is very cool. Hole 1 starts throwing over a sweet valley. Hole 13 is a HUGE left to right shot off of a ginormous hill. The next hole 14 is a very cool and tricky uphill shot that curves sharply left. 15 is a sweet downhill tunnel shot. 16's green is super steep and makes for a very interesting hole. This course has so many types of shots and is so much fun. Hole 4 is a sweet dogleg right par 4. Later there is a hole where the fairway curves way downhill and left at the end. I have never played a hole like it anywhere else. I could go on and on about the cool holes here but you should just go experience it for yourself. Even the short holes here are interesting with their tight, up and down lines through the woods.

The bridges all over the course are terrific.

Cons:

Rough is rough at times. Watch out for steep slopes and mud when the course is wet.

Other Thoughts:

Chris Sprague and his crew of helpers have put a ridiculous amount of time into making this course great. Check out the course's website http://www.camdentwo.com which includes a work blog, course records, and much more.
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16 1
bygwyllay
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 17.5 years 93 played 78 reviews
4.50 star(s)

A review THREE YEARS in the making! 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 19, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

An ominous sign hung from the veiled opening of the forest as I approached: "Camden II - The Other Side". I felt that I was looking at a totem meant to ward off those not worthy enough to enter. Too bad I had forgotten my fedora and whip. From the massive ten foot square concrete tee pad, I took in the majestic view that was Hole One: an equally gorgeous and horrifying ravine plummeted down before me, slicing through the middle of the fairway. The pin winked at me from atop the hill on the other side, beckoning to me like some long-haired damsel trapped in a tower surrounded by a piranha filled moat. Slim-trunked trees dotted the near side as the terrain sloped down, and I knew why they were so menacing: even a glance from one of these bastards and my disc would topple into the depths below. Should I risk a full launch, pressing my luck? Or maybe play it safe and shirk the edge, using my approach shot to throw over the pit? Either way wouldn't be wrong, I thought. And I let it rip...

***

DISCLAIMER: The following description is brought to you by a wholly impressed disc golfer.

The course plays back and forth over one or two riverbeds (streambeds) at the bottom of the ravines and their corresponding hills. There is a brief break from the thick foliage on Hole 13, which is on the northern end of the forest in a field, but it is still very hilly. Be ready to bring it - this course is not for the weak! There are a myriad of ways to approach almost every hole, with lots of lanes through the trees in the well-sized fairways, as well as three different pin placements on most (all?) holes. I was fortunate enough to play when the shorter ones were in - the longest of the three look absolutely masochistic. Like, why? BECAUSE WE CAN! Ridiculous, LOL. Surprisingly, there is a lot of room to maneuver under the canopy, despite the density of the jungle. You are fully immersed without feeling claustrophobic at all. This alone is very hard to do and blew me away.

The HUGE tee pads (seriously 10 feet square) are (gasp) FLAT! Even if the terrain is sloped! I can think of more than a few courses that can take a lesson from that. So no worries, explorers, about having to adjust the angle of your drive to compensate. And these pads are so huge that two people could literally tee off at the same time, side by side. Grooves were cut into them to ensure solid shoe grip as well. Some of the best tees I've ever seen, hands down.

Most fairways involve steep elevation changes, thick rough, or both, and an obstacle or two thrown in for good measure. Like a giant friggin' downed tree that blocks your view of the target. But don't worry, the fine designers here have equipped a tall, reflective post atop the basket so you know where to aim. Little touches like that exist throughout the course and really shine through. You can tell how much effort has been put into making this course exceptional and one-of-a-kind.

Camden II is truly a work of art in that it has a homemade feel that I have never experienced on a DG course before. While the standard amenities are there - trash cans, benches, etc - the designers took it a step further: I felt like I was playing in someone's back yard. Someone's sprawling, grueling back yard. Rickety man-made bridges take you over treacherous ravines, and a wooden, hand-made ladder offers unlucky throwers an easy path into the trench on #4 (and a way back out). 6 inch thick wooden steps have been wedged into the steep hills throughout, providing sure footing both up and down. Felled logs line paths betwixt holes and shape fairways. Orange spray-painted tree stumps are your guides through the forest, so pay close attention; the clues are everywhere. After a while you feel like you're traversing the African Congo, following eerie markings on twisted trails from tee to tee, like you're searching for some long lost tribe that still speaks in their native tongue...

I was really impressed with how the course felt totally off the grid, and I think the overall feeling you get when you descend into the canopy is phenomenal. It was hard to believe that kids were playing teeball in another part of the park only a few hundred feet away. Never have I played a course that felt so...natural. It truly feels like you the human are the intruder here. Spiders run rampant over the leaves, and everywhere you turn creatures are rustling in the underbrush. I even saw a flock of wild turkeys crossing behind the basket on #2. At least I think they were turkeys...but looking back on it I wouldn't be surprised if they were some ancient dinosaur that time forgot and we all thought died out thousands of years ago.

Some of my favourite holes:
#1 and #4. They are very similar in that you are shooting over a ravine in both cases, although the pin is much farther back and has a slight dogleg right on #4. It's even more challenging than the first hole, as the ravine first cuts across and then travels along the right side of the fairway, serving as a constant reminder of the danger that awaits your disc should it go astray. The ravines normally have small streams in them but with the drought conditions everything was dry as a bone. I will say that when the stream is flowing, there still really isn't a threat of losing a disc. The hazard is more of trying to dig yourself out of the ravine. I would recommend a spotter on these holes especially, so they can track your disc if it goes in.

#9 is a tight jaunt, and #12 is a sharp downhill shot that is surprisingly tricky. #13 is the only break from the jungle, but is an awesome downhill blast over a wide open field, with the pin in the southeastern quadrant, back in the woods a bit.

Signature holes abound here, but #15 took the cake for me. Awesome setting with the homemade "Private Property"/"Out of Bounds" signs lining the left and a steady declining slope under the canopy and toward the pin. Very tricky lines available on your drive, and it is Rollaway Central by the pin, so be wary on the approach. There is a giant tree back here that looks like Christopher Walken is going to come out of it, a la the Headless Horseman. Creepy! The atmosphere contained here really put me over the top.

Cons:

A few cons need to be mentioned, but nothing too serious.

Only a few temporary tee signs were up; laminated pieces of paper stapled to a tree near the tee. I suspect that over time they have fallen off or been ripped down. Not a huge issue as every basket is marked with the hole number and there is zero chance of overlap. Still, some permanent signs would really seal the deal on this beast of a course. Or maybe just a number spray painted or etched on the tee pads? But the signs that did exist were sweet! There had hole number and distance listed, as well as a photograph of the hole. Another nice homemade touch.

A few more next tee signs would've been appreciated. Like I state above, for the most part you can just follow the spray painted stumps to your next shot, but for some of the longer walks between holes (from 4 to 5 and especially 8 to 9) a sign would serve best. There were some throughout the course nailed to a tree or two, so maybe these fell down over time as well like the signage. FYI after #8, you walk back almost all the way to #1 and up a staircase to find #9. And after #11, head left to the top of the hill for #12, instead of turning right, which takes you to #17. These are really the only places where you become disoriented; the rest of the course flows really smoothly.

It would've been nice to have one or two more shots in the big field at the north end of the course. By the time I got to #13 I was ecstatic that I was being given a reprieve from the rough-and-tumble terrain of the jungle. But alas, it was short lived: its pin is placed back in the woods, and #14 is an uphill drive right back into the thick of it. A tee sign would've been really nice on this hole, too, as your line of sight is obstructed by the tree line on the right. I had to walk down the hill and into the middle of the field to find the pin, and then walk all the way back up to throw.

And what's up with the steepest hill of the course not having any stairs in it?!? Normally this wouldn't be a con, since most courses wouldn't have stairs anywhere to begin with, but since everything else had been so meticulously thought out, I found it really odd that the climb from 16 to 17 didn't have any. I mean, we're not talking a small incline here - the hill is friggin' steep! I slipped on the loose gravel surface and almost went down. I'm sure the designers are aware of this, and hopefully they'll think about putting in the 6 inch wooden ties here as well.

My last thought here is that I don't think I would've enjoyed myself had the long pins been in when I played. I could see where they were located, and at just about every one I took a look back at the tee and thought, "How would you par this?" Several looked almost impossible to hit in three shots. Some folks like a challenge, and I can't knock the designers for catering to everyone, but for me it seemed too much. However, I would like to play again with the second set of pins in, as some of the holes were a tad too easy for my taste this time around, with the shortest of the three pins being in place.

Other Thoughts:

I originally came upon this behemoth of a course back in July of 2009, and I was defeated in eight short holes. I vowed to return, but the opportunity did not present itself until business brought me back into the Quad Cities last week. And this time, I came prepared. It is still a bastard to take on, but kudos to all the work that has been done since my last visit! My main complaint when I first played through was that there were no defined fairways. You were literally playing on a forest floor, with all kinds of overgrowth. It was a real chore to play. I played with two other guys and we began the day spotting on every hole, but after a couple we had to spot every TOSS OF THE DISC. We called it quits after #8 and we all agreed it was the worst course that we had ever played. Harsh words, I know. My original rating was 0.5 out of 5, but I knew the potential for greatness was there, and made it a point to try it again at some point. After all, the property alone had at least a three-star course written all over it.

Well, what a difference three years makes! It looks like they tilled the fairways and planted grass seed, as all the fairways were thick and green. It really helped shape and define the holes. On my first expedition, I had a feeling the course was extremely new at the time, as you could tell there hadn't been much foot traffic yet and the course hadn't been broken in properly. It looked as if somebody had placed some tee pads and baskets randomly in the forest and called it good. It was nearly impossible to see the design of the course. Now it is brilliantly imagined and flows with ease. Make no mistake, this is still a helluva course, but I can't imagine how much work must've been put into the land to make it as amazing it is now, and my God was it a beautiful thing to behold! I almost felt like I was tainting the landscape just by playing through. So hats off to you and yours, Mr. Sprague. Truly. I told you I would be back and I was not disappointed!

Overall, Camden II is a brutal course to tackle, but so worth it! It's very fun and challenging all at the same time. Make sure you come ready for battle: wear comfortable shoes, bring plenty of water and a snack, and pace yourself. This place is not for n00bs, and if you play like one you will be punished like one. You are entering the mouth of the dragon, and as long as you respect him, he will respect you. And when you come out on the other side, you will feel a true sense of accomplishment. This course has been solidified in my Top Five and is right up there with Middle Park, my other favourite in the Quad Cities, and may even top it over time. The blood and sweat poured into this plot of land is apparent in everything you see, and you can't help but be awed by the experience.

Highly, highly recommended. Bravo!
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6 3
Jashwa
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 20.4 years 177 played 88 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Very Interesting Course 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 30, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

Camden II was awesome. Our road trip consisted of several Quad City courses and this one was by far the most wooded, which I found enjoyable. Here are the main pros:

Scenery: As mentioned, a very wooded course, which led to some very nice wooded scenery. Got to see all kinds of nature and felt very isolated from the roads and park around us. A few streams winding through through the park. Felt like I was on a long nature hike the whole time.

Difficulty: Awesome level of difficulty, especially if pins are in the long positions! Very technical course with lots of distance challenge as well. A few deuce opportunities that are extremely rewarding if you can hit the shot.

Elevation: Lots of elevation changes, forcing a variety of shots despite the repetitive tunnels.


Quick note: Hole 13 is awesome! Big hill with heavy woods to the right, which forces a right handed player to throw a forehand or an anhyzer... but gives a big arm a chance to CRUSH! :) My favorite hole on the course!

Cons:

Though they offer some excitement, I really wish the medium placements were the shortest ones this course had.

Extremely muddy and difficult to navigate... very glad I had someone with us who had played the course.

Square teepads here were woefully short... Given the muddiness of the course, I certainly would have liked an extra foot or two to make my approach.

Other Thoughts:

I didn't play Camden I, but this one seemed to look much more interesting. Highly recommend if you are in the quad cities.
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7 3
Steady
Experience: 2 played 2 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Bring your A game! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 13, 2011 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Beautiful track! If you haven't played it this year you haven't played it. Hundreds of man hours have gone into making this course top notch. The rough has been significantly managed so that finding your disc is not an hour job. The terrain is rugged and gives you a good workout. You don't need to throw 500' to score here. This is a thinking man's course. Shape your drives and approaches and you can score. This course is tough but fair. The creek areas have many manmade steps to aid in retreiving your discs. I like the mix of long and short holes. No one wants to be brutalized all day long. LOL The layout can be change to make each hole have a different feel. The various hole locations are well thought out. This course demands that you have many different shots in the bag.

Cons:

Tee signs are needed. Everything takes time so I know this will happen.

Other Thoughts:

This course is not for the intermediate/rec player. It's a top notch course for top notch players. In tourney play the best players will finish at the top, just like any high quality course. If you enjoy testing your skills you must check out this course. Well done Mr. Sprague, well done.
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19 1
notapro
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 21.3 years 571 played 284 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Intermediate/Expert 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 23, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

- Course is mostly set within a deeply wooded, hilly forest. Nothing else going on except for discing.
- Terrain is very, very hilly at this park. This is obvious on the long downhill bomber hole outside the forest, in addition to many holes inside the forest. Adding to the normal hilliness are some very deep creekbeds/ravines, which are in play in many spots. The hole layout provides a great variety of elevation changes, with holes playing over ravines, uphill, downhill, side-sloping fairways, almost every type of shot is accounted for.
- Lots of different variety with the fairways as well. There are some that are pretty clear, some that are very tight, some with low ceilings, some with high floors, some with sadistic rough, others with jail. The course doesn't use the fairways to make up for short lengths; you can have a long hole with a tight fairway and a short hole with an open fairway. Much more character that the usual long/open short/tight formula.
- Fantastic mix of the different types of holes, with many different combinations of left/straight/right, and uphill/downhill, or a few of the above put together. Some of the longer holes in the forest are legitimate multi-shot holes, with twisting paths that beg for controlled, lay-up shots. Lots of blind baskets to encourage the safe route.
- In addition to the tight fairways and nasty rough/jail, there are also many spots with a deep creekbed for a hazard. Water or no water, going into the bottom of the valleys is severe punishment. Add in some sloping/well protected greens, and every single shot can become a major problem very quickly. Accurate shots are needed to avoid this trouble, not just to score well. Overshooting a basket can mean big, big trouble.
- Alternate basket placements at this course completely change the overall feeling and difficulty level. The long pin placements are brutal, championship-level holes that are not to be trifled with. The short pin placements are still brutal, but much more approachable by an intermediate player. Many, many more deuce opportunities and much, much easier to score low.
- Great teepads and baskets. Pending tee signs (some pictures with numbers); very tough to navigate without help. Check out a map either way.

Cons:

- Some areas are very treacherous, like getting a disc out of the deep creekbed. You must be in good shape to play this one.
- While there is a ton of hole variety, there is not much change in the scenery. Only one hole is out of the forest; everything else is pretty similar terrain-wise.

Other Thoughts:

- This course is both a beauty and a beast, depending on the pin positions. They were in the shorts when I played, but I made sure to scope out all the different positions. I was blown away by the large disparity between the shorts and the longs, it is almost two different courses in terms of difficulty. The shorts are super fun, the longs must be super tough. No matter which position they are in, I find it to be a true gem, and only hesitate from giving a 5/5 due to the uniformity of the terrain (94% forest). Fantastic line-shaping needed, and not just because of overly-tight fairways.
- I hope to expand on this after playing the longs, but didn't want to wait.
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8 1
harr0140
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 15.8 years 1512 played 480 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Billy Goat Ranch in a good way 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 29, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

1) This property is incredible. It is so diverse on terrain. Basically there are two or three massive ravines that you throw across, up, down, through, around, over. They are large dropoffs from top to bottom and the actual ravine below the big hills are about 6-10' deep. There is very little water in them (although I played in the middle of the August drought, but it also was just a few weeks from massive Iowa flooding, so I am sure at that time they were flowing rapidly. These ravines make this course what it is.

2) Garbage is available on some holes but I can see emptying the garbage to be a tough process for some of the deeper holes in the woods.

3) Tee signs are temporary laminated photos. I like the way they were setup in that the basket is photoshopped into the picture showing your line. It shows different vantage points on some of the pictures to help you decipher where the basket it. I am sure if they incorporate those into permanent signs that would be phenomonal. Hole and distance are listed, but I did run across a few that didnt account for alternate basket distances.

4) Mach baskets in good shape with the number plate facing the tee which is always appreciated in a tight wooded course like this where you struggle to find the baskets.

5) Flag on the #2 basket is visible from the tee because of the tree laying across the fairway blocking the view. This could be helpful on more baskets or at the very least some bright paint to help find the baskets.

6) Challenge at every turn! There are no weak holes here and there is a good variety of shot types and hole types. I always appreciate a course that challenges me in a fair way.

7) Bridges are pretty well built. Some of the stairways are well done, some are a little shoddy, but overall for the terrain the amenities for navigation are good enough.

8) Large concrete teepads are a plus. I was a little surprised to see them all the way through the course because I can only imagine how difficult it was to get them in there. Thanks for the hard work whoever did it!

9) Fairways are well defined despite the very dense forest you play through. There are even some clearings and grassy fairways int he middle of these woods which look to me like they were cleared and planted, but I am not sure. This is a really cool feeling to play down a grassy fairways surrounded on both sides by tight dense hardwood forest.

10) 4 basket practice area located in between Camden I and II. Great feature!

11) Navigational arrows help you get through the course. There are a lot of areas that would be confusing if you didn't know the course, especially when alternate baskets are 200+ feet in between the two baskets.

12) An 8 hole loop and a 10 holes loop allow for a half round for some. I luckily played early in the morning but it was literally 90+ at 9:30 when I played. I had already played West Lake and Camden I so I was getting hot and tired. I had planned on like 7 courses on this day but had to go back to the hotel after the first three courses (ending at Camden II) to take in the AC and rest because this course had me feeling like a hot sweaty irritated Billy goat.

Cons:

1) This course is one of the least beginner friendly courses I have ever played. Lost discs, broken ankles, heart attacks, are all possible here. This course is not for the faint of heart or if you don't really love disc golf you might want to skip this course! This is a negative for these people but in the end it makes it awesome to me.

2) Hit one of those trees lining the fairway and you are bound to end up in the bottom of the ravine. You are able to get down to your disc if this does happen but it is tough especially when it is wet. I ended up in the ravine 2 or 3 times int he entire round. It didnt bother me that I had to crawl down there, but it would slow people down, and would frustrate the weak hearted.

3) I love a challenge, but there were not many tight technical birdie holes. You still have to throw long discs. You can choose controlled midranges over drivers, but ti is hard to play the whole course with that mindset, you want to be able to try and make some good drives for birdies.

Other Thoughts:

What a great property, good amenities, a constant challenge, but always fair fairways. It has it all. The elevation changes, the ravines, the tight wooded holes, risk/reward shots all over the place. It is simply a great course that is well done. It is a great design and use of the property, there is planty of diversity, I jut wish there were some shorter technical holes. It just seems like it is all long and requires a lot of drivers and less controlled mid-ranges unless you consider how often you will only get half the distance you want on any shot because of hitting a tree. I love it and I will be back for sure. I just should do it when it isn't 90" and not when I plan on playing 20 courses in 3 days!

This course is getting a 4, but it is one of my top 4 disc courses. It is so close to a 4.5 I just think it needs a little more clearing, maybe a way to trim the grass from time to time on those wooded grassy fairways. There also would need to be improvements to access to the ravine as well as improved stairways. It isn't a huge deal but those are the differences that take a course from good to great. Based solely on the disc golf I love it, but a few more improvements would be helpful. I like the temporary signs and look forward to a permanent sign with all pertinent information.
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10 1
lazy42
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 15.3 years 40 played 39 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Fantastical, on its way to the top!! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 26, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

Elevation, lots and lots of elevation changes. Ginormous tee pads. Bridge crossings over creeks. Lots and lots of trees. Though this was a heavily wooded course, it had prominent fairways on some holes and they seemed to be maintained fairly well. There are practice baskets that are shared between both Camden 1 and 2. Plenty of trash cans. Very secluded feeling while on course, except for the occasional air traffic from the nearby airport. Great effort by designers on the bridges and steps to help navigate through course, I can't emphasize this enough. Course flow is actually pretty good, but the Next Tee Signs help tremendously on a course this heavily wooded. Multiple blind pins add to difficulty. What a way to start a course, Hole 1 truly sets the tone and lets you know this course is not to be messed with. This hole had a tight tree lined fairway with a deep ravine to add to the pucker factor, the pin is sitting there just teasing you. I also like the fact that after hole 9, you were next to the parking lot and could refill on water, use the porta-potties, or end your round early if need be.

Cons:

Not many cons for me. Signing would be nice, the picture signs are nice to get you by, and on a couple of holes they were needed as a visual reference with their multiple pictures, but permanent signs would be great. Rough is really rough, would be helpful to bring a spotter for those occasional throws you wish you could have back. Even though some of the holes had nicely distinguished fairways, some of them didn't, keeping the rough out of the fairways would push this park over the top.

Other Thoughts:

All the elevation changes made me really take my time. I had to stop and catch my breath a few times on some of the steep hills, not a big deal, just worth noting. Most wooded courses I have played have shorter holes that you would use a midrange or a putter on, NOT HERE!! Several of long holes that will test you to keep your drivers in the fairway. I don't know the actual distances on the holes, but I remember some of them being 300' - 500', IN THROUGH THE WOODS!! Awesome! You will need to bring everything you've got in your arsenal of throws for this course, back hand, forehand, anny's, tommy's, the works. There are lots of great holes on this course, but besides hole 1 which I already mentioned, I liked 4, 7, and 13. 4 is a brutal downhill hole over a creek, then takes a sharp right turn and another couple hundred feet to the pin along the creek. 7 is a very steep uphill with trees everywhere. 13 really let's you air it out. Starting on top of the hill, you throw within the trees and bushes on the tee, to a very large open grassy field. The elevation change is huge here and your disc just floats forever, a good shot here will be near the opening that brings you back into the woods. Also, I got my first Ace on hole 12, so I will always have a bond with this course.

This course is not a family friendly. On occasion, my kids and wife come with me to walk the trails of courses like this. I think this one would be pretty tough on them and I don't think I would let them come (wouldn't want to listen to the whining from the younger ones during play). I lost a disc on this course, and one of the locals called me said that he found it. I didn't have a chance to get it from him for several months and didn't call him back for a while. He called me back to make sure I didn't lose his #. Thanks Frank!! Great locals, another reason to play this course. During play, I found myself thinking and getting excited about the next hole - what could they think of next, what are they going to throw at me now, how are they going to challenge me on the next one. Wow, can't wait to play again!! I wanted to give 4.5 stars, but couldn't do it without permanent tee signs.
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4 3
dspeer88
Experience: 7 played 2 reviews
4.00 star(s)

must play 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 30, 2010 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Heavily wooded with excellent usage of elevation, concrete tees, as well as pictures of hole locations for all holes except 17, great course a must play, can't wait to get on it again, after the first 8, or 9 your choice if its been too much for that day, they are near the parking lot

Cons:

If the course is wet BE CAREFUL ITS TREACHEROUS!, the climbing and descending of hills becomes very dangerous with wet conditions, some blind throws so prepare a spotter

As far as bathroom and water facilities well there are porta potties and thats about it, only at the parking lot,

no breeze to help you stay cool so bring lots of water with, you
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12 5
mashnut
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 22.7 years 831 played 777 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Huge potential, almost there 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 9, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

The course plays in a hilly forested area in a large park, and the course doesn't share the land with any other uses which adds to the feeling of seclusion. The hills are used very well in the design to makke you play up and down hills and across valleys, with roll away pin positions to add trouble late in the hole. All the holes have tree lined fairways, and most have low ceilings, but very few felt so tight that it was luck to get down the fairway. It was a great risk/reward course though, because the further you try to get down the long fairways, the more chance you have of punishment from the thick rough.

You will need lots of different shots to score well here, with a great balance of left and right turning holes, and very few straightforward and easy holes. There are some great legitimate par 4 holes that will make you work for par, a birdie 3 feels great, and a poor drive or second shot can easily land you a 5 or worse. The creeks running through the property come into play on several holes adding an ob possibility but not one where you're going to lose your disc permanently.

The flow of the course is very good, with signs marking the way when it's not really obvious how to get to the next hole. The concrete tees are huge and brand new with great texture for grip even when wet. An enormous amount of work has gone into making steps and bridges up and down the ravines and over the creeks, so even when the ground is a little muddy it's not that tough to get down to a disc that ended up at the bottom.

Cons:

Though navigation between holes is well marked and easy to follow, some signage work needs done for the holes themselves. There were some picture signs up on some holes, but they weren't very clear and didn't make it any easier to figure out the hole standing on the tee. There are lots of long holes in the woods here, and nearly all of them have elevation, so it makes for a long round when you have to walk ahead to scout every hole. Also, some holes that did have signs were not in the pin positions indicated on those signs adding to the confusion.

Some of the fairways need some work still, as this is a relatively new course. Some debris needs cleared, and there are places where small stumps etc. are still there to trip you up. Both of the major cons here are temporary though, as it seems like a lot of work is going into the course, hopefully these issues are resolved soon and I can update my review and rating.

Other Thoughts:

The design and terrain of this course are fantastic, and make for some awesome throwing with great elevation and a tough but fair layout that will test every part of your game. There are some issues that need some work, but they are definitely fixable, and when they are taken care of this course is easily at least a 4 disc rated course.

Beginners will find this course very difficult and long, with lots of punishing rough waiting to snag errant drives. More experienced players will find the course challenging with lots of variety and unique holes, this is great wooded golf fi you like to be tested.

This course is definitely a destination if you visit the disc golf hot spot here in the quad cities, with two different but fun courses and the best practice area I've seen all in the same park.
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2 10
chelseahawk3
Experience: 22.4 years 28 played 10 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Tight and challenging course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 18, 2009 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

This is a new course. It is cut out of a heavily forested area just across from Camden I. Of course, the pads and tees are nice and new. Layout is innovative and challenging.

Cons:

A new course, so not many pathways are cut out yet. That also means not a lot of shot pathways have been cut out either. Can be treacherous when muddy. Also can be confusing if you don't carefully follow signs/paths. Some holes can really test your patience. Can be very overgrown in the middle of summer.

Other Thoughts:

Overall this course is a real chore to play. However, you have to give it the respect it deserves. It is a very closed and wooded course, which can make for a challenging and frustrating round. I would recommend playing Camden I if you are short on patience or time.
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