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Carson Ridge - Stadium reviews
14
0
CIDG
Experience:
9.9 years
34 played
10 reviews
As good as a desert course gets? 2+ years drive by
Reviewed:
Updated:
Played on:Dec 21, 2020
Played the course:5+ times
Pros:
- Literally the best signage I've ever seen.
- Very clear trails with wood chips, rock lined.
- Tee pads are often huge and all are very grippy.
- Tons of elevation shots without being burdensome.
- Rewards rightys/leftys fairly.
- Semi-variable terrain.
- Shorter ace runs and massive par 5 bombers.
- Brooms at most if not all tee pads.
- Bag hooks on sign posts.
- Beautiful old vegetation (Lots of Pinyon Pines and some Junipers I think.)
- Awesome views of the Sierras when looking West.
- Easily accessible (you can see some baskets off the 50 when looking south.)
- Tons of nearby gas stations etc to load up drinks/whatever before a round.
- Lots of trash cans in the parking lot.
- Plenty of places to sit while on the course (flat boulders.)
- Very clear trails with wood chips, rock lined.
- Tee pads are often huge and all are very grippy.
- Tons of elevation shots without being burdensome.
- Rewards rightys/leftys fairly.
- Semi-variable terrain.
- Shorter ace runs and massive par 5 bombers.
- Brooms at most if not all tee pads.
- Bag hooks on sign posts.
- Beautiful old vegetation (Lots of Pinyon Pines and some Junipers I think.)
- Awesome views of the Sierras when looking West.
- Easily accessible (you can see some baskets off the 50 when looking south.)
- Tons of nearby gas stations etc to load up drinks/whatever before a round.
- Lots of trash cans in the parking lot.
- Plenty of places to sit while on the course (flat boulders.)
Cons:
- Only one port-o-potty for restroom (in parking lot.)
- Course is prone to wind.
- No benches (tons of nice flat boulders to sit on at tees though.)
- Navigation/which basket to throw to can be slightly confusing sometimes (but uncommon.)
- Losing discs is a reality due to sage brush and canyon.
- Could be more challenging, but a windy day takes care of that.
- No trash cans once on the course.
- Course is prone to wind.
- No benches (tons of nice flat boulders to sit on at tees though.)
- Navigation/which basket to throw to can be slightly confusing sometimes (but uncommon.)
- Losing discs is a reality due to sage brush and canyon.
- Could be more challenging, but a windy day takes care of that.
- No trash cans once on the course.
Other Thoughts:
As far as desert environments go, this course is tough to beat. Thanks to the Pinyon Pines and Juniper Trees there are plenty of obstacles to contend with, and they very often force you to shape lines here. This course really seems to like flex lines, where a pure hyzer one way or the other won't quite do it, and I like that. The course starts without asking too much from the thrower, but is immediately followed by a huge bomber slightly downhill. It then meanders right up against a ridge with a very punishing drop-off, plays through an awesome canyon, then along an uphill slope, and finishes with a nice slightly challenging shot that needs a good execution to get the birdie on.
Overall this course is pure fun, but maybe not so much if you can't throw more than 330' or so. Even then that doesn't matter because there are a few ace runs/very reachable baskets depending on pin position. One super fun hole is an island hole marked by stones, with a clear delineation also marked by a different soil type the designers put on the "island." The basket is often wedged between a couple trees, and it's super downhill, actually making for a strikingly tough shot to nail for how reachable it is! If you miss the island, you go to a drop zone with throw in potential.
The designers put an incredible effort into the details here. The trail system is amazing, and if in doubt as to where to go next, just follow the wood chip lined trail and it'll take you there!
The signs are mind blowing, with Google Earth style overhead views, all elevation, topography, hazards, landing zones, drop zones, and pin positions clearly labeled. They even have nice pictures of local flora/fauna to educate yourself! The baskets all have a metal arrow at the bottom of them pointing your way to the next tee. By the way, I really dig the Veteran Baskets, they look good, sound good, and catch very well.
It's not the most demanding course in the world, but is still far from easy also. Once the wind is cooking, this course turns into a different beast. If you're driving through Carson City and have time, jump on the 50 real quick and play this course! You WILL be impressed with how well maintained and thought out this course is. Please honor the space and remember DON'T CRUSH THE BRUSH!
To the guys maintaining this course, you're awesome, I've never seen so much attention to detail, not even close actually. Thanks!!
Overall this course is pure fun, but maybe not so much if you can't throw more than 330' or so. Even then that doesn't matter because there are a few ace runs/very reachable baskets depending on pin position. One super fun hole is an island hole marked by stones, with a clear delineation also marked by a different soil type the designers put on the "island." The basket is often wedged between a couple trees, and it's super downhill, actually making for a strikingly tough shot to nail for how reachable it is! If you miss the island, you go to a drop zone with throw in potential.
The designers put an incredible effort into the details here. The trail system is amazing, and if in doubt as to where to go next, just follow the wood chip lined trail and it'll take you there!
The signs are mind blowing, with Google Earth style overhead views, all elevation, topography, hazards, landing zones, drop zones, and pin positions clearly labeled. They even have nice pictures of local flora/fauna to educate yourself! The baskets all have a metal arrow at the bottom of them pointing your way to the next tee. By the way, I really dig the Veteran Baskets, they look good, sound good, and catch very well.
It's not the most demanding course in the world, but is still far from easy also. Once the wind is cooking, this course turns into a different beast. If you're driving through Carson City and have time, jump on the 50 real quick and play this course! You WILL be impressed with how well maintained and thought out this course is. Please honor the space and remember DON'T CRUSH THE BRUSH!
To the guys maintaining this course, you're awesome, I've never seen so much attention to detail, not even close actually. Thanks!!
16
0
sansho
Experience:
13.1 years
63 played
6 reviews
A Northern Nevada Gem 2+ years drive by
Reviewed:
Played on:May 23, 2020
Played the course:2-4 times
Pros:
-Putting area with 2 baskets
-Great selection of shot type
-Big elevation change
-Tee maps are exquisite (very accurate with elevation change for each pin)
-Red DD Veteran baskets catch nicely and can be seen very well
-Great views of Carson Valley and eastern Sierras
-Arrows in every basket to next tee
-Trails and maintenance of course impeccable
-Great selection of shot type
-Big elevation change
-Tee maps are exquisite (very accurate with elevation change for each pin)
-Red DD Veteran baskets catch nicely and can be seen very well
-Great views of Carson Valley and eastern Sierras
-Arrows in every basket to next tee
-Trails and maintenance of course impeccable
Cons:
-A few holes can play close together depending on pin
-Sometimes you see multiple pins from a tee and need to re analyze map
-Not much shade
-Sights of Highway 50 and power lines can be unaesthetic
-After hole 9 you're not near the parking lot
-Sometimes you see multiple pins from a tee and need to re analyze map
-Not much shade
-Sights of Highway 50 and power lines can be unaesthetic
-After hole 9 you're not near the parking lot
Other Thoughts:
This course is part of the new Carson Ridge DG Park which is an overall gem! The city really took their time with the whole design. A big parking lot, 2 basket putting area, 9 hole pitch and putt and then an 18 hole pro course. An excellent combination for all levels of play.
Dynamic Discs Veteran baskets are very nice. 18 red baskets for stadium course, 9 gray baskets for pitch and putt course, and 2 white practice baskets. 27 holes, and 29 baskets in all! I've never played a course with red baskets, but I really enjoyed them against the desert colors. Very easy to see them even at par 5 distances. Also all baskets have a white metal arrow at the bottom to signal direction to thenext tee. Very useful.
The general look of the course is similar to a lot of Northern NV desert courses with some trees and lots of manzanita and rock outcrops throughout. But it's the flow, elevation change, and ability of the designers to make the best of the land provided that makes this one of the best desert courses I've ever played.
Par 3 - Par 5 distances make this course play very different depending on pin positions.
Lots of elevation change done in very smart ways. I felt there were more shots across ravines and dips which lead to more hiking uphill instead of just shooting straight uphill. Definitely makes for more enjoyable play while still obtaining those fun downhill shots.
The tee maps at this course are some of the best I've ever seen. Very detailed. Very accurate. Elevation change for each pin. Vivid colors. Nice plastic. I could see these signs costing 100 a piece, easily. Also hooks on every tee. Some had brooms. Large rocks at almost every tee to be used as benches.
Utilization of the trees on the property is quite incredible for a desert course with an obviously limited quantity. I could not say more about the design and how well they used the land they were provided. Props to everyone who was involved. In addition to hole design, the trail structure to navigate the course is very dialed for such a new course. They promote "Don't Crush the Brush" here at this course so they want people to stay on trail and they've done this with woodchip trails down the fairway from the tee on almost all holes this would be possible.
I have never seen a new course (~12 months) look this manicured this quickly in a rugged terrain environment. It usually takes a long time for courses like this to "break in." The amount of work with different gravel types, rock moving, trail making, woodchip laying, etc. is just incredible. I honestly had no expectation of this level of quality.
Dont have notes for all holes, this is just from memory. Sorry!
Hole 2 was playing as a 800'+ par 5 downhill then back uphill. Hole 2 also has two tees depending on how you want to play it.
Holes 7 and 10 have a shared 'L' shaped teepad. Might be some backup here on a busy/tourny day.
Hole 12 is an awesome downhill shot to a "Landing Zone" green, otherwise a 1 stroke penalty. Woodchips and a dialed rock boundary make this green look very impressive with some trees in your way protecting the basket.
Hole 17 has a circular tee which is something novel.
Hole 18 is a cool RHFH tunnelish shot to finish on a hillside.
Tee pads leave a bit to be desired with that hard type of aggregate but they all played very well. I know it's practically impossible to have concrete tees anywhere in the Tahoe/Northern Nevada area so I get it. However, I could see some deterioration in years to come.
From some tees you can see multiple pins which is always a bit annoying. However with the accuracy of the pin location on the map, along with elevation change information, it was quite easy to determine which pin to shoot at.
There are no trash cans throughout the course, just in the parking lot. Not really a con, just pack in and pack out.
Big handicap porta potty is only bathroom on site and it was actually very clean with dates of cleaning service inside.
I played this course in May with highs in the 70s and it was perfect, but I could see this course in the dead of summer being pretty brutal if there's no cloud cover.
The views of Carson Valley and the Sierras are awesome, but having power lines/the highway in your sights occasionally could be a turn off for some.
Bring sunscreen, a hat, water, and I'd suggest wearing long pants and hiking boots.
Overall, this course surpassed my expectations greatly. From hole design, to manicured trails and certain greens, expertly designed tee signs, this course hits just about it all. Even the little things, like hooks on tee signs, and arrows on the basket to navigate to the next hole. Two baskets to practice putting and a tiny 9 hole warm up pitch and putt. They did it all right. This has become my new favorite Northern Nevada disc golf destination other than Zephyr Cove (which is a Tahoe course anyway). I suggest anyone in the area to check this place out!
Dynamic Discs Veteran baskets are very nice. 18 red baskets for stadium course, 9 gray baskets for pitch and putt course, and 2 white practice baskets. 27 holes, and 29 baskets in all! I've never played a course with red baskets, but I really enjoyed them against the desert colors. Very easy to see them even at par 5 distances. Also all baskets have a white metal arrow at the bottom to signal direction to thenext tee. Very useful.
The general look of the course is similar to a lot of Northern NV desert courses with some trees and lots of manzanita and rock outcrops throughout. But it's the flow, elevation change, and ability of the designers to make the best of the land provided that makes this one of the best desert courses I've ever played.
Par 3 - Par 5 distances make this course play very different depending on pin positions.
Lots of elevation change done in very smart ways. I felt there were more shots across ravines and dips which lead to more hiking uphill instead of just shooting straight uphill. Definitely makes for more enjoyable play while still obtaining those fun downhill shots.
The tee maps at this course are some of the best I've ever seen. Very detailed. Very accurate. Elevation change for each pin. Vivid colors. Nice plastic. I could see these signs costing 100 a piece, easily. Also hooks on every tee. Some had brooms. Large rocks at almost every tee to be used as benches.
Utilization of the trees on the property is quite incredible for a desert course with an obviously limited quantity. I could not say more about the design and how well they used the land they were provided. Props to everyone who was involved. In addition to hole design, the trail structure to navigate the course is very dialed for such a new course. They promote "Don't Crush the Brush" here at this course so they want people to stay on trail and they've done this with woodchip trails down the fairway from the tee on almost all holes this would be possible.
I have never seen a new course (~12 months) look this manicured this quickly in a rugged terrain environment. It usually takes a long time for courses like this to "break in." The amount of work with different gravel types, rock moving, trail making, woodchip laying, etc. is just incredible. I honestly had no expectation of this level of quality.
Dont have notes for all holes, this is just from memory. Sorry!
Hole 2 was playing as a 800'+ par 5 downhill then back uphill. Hole 2 also has two tees depending on how you want to play it.
Holes 7 and 10 have a shared 'L' shaped teepad. Might be some backup here on a busy/tourny day.
Hole 12 is an awesome downhill shot to a "Landing Zone" green, otherwise a 1 stroke penalty. Woodchips and a dialed rock boundary make this green look very impressive with some trees in your way protecting the basket.
Hole 17 has a circular tee which is something novel.
Hole 18 is a cool RHFH tunnelish shot to finish on a hillside.
Tee pads leave a bit to be desired with that hard type of aggregate but they all played very well. I know it's practically impossible to have concrete tees anywhere in the Tahoe/Northern Nevada area so I get it. However, I could see some deterioration in years to come.
From some tees you can see multiple pins which is always a bit annoying. However with the accuracy of the pin location on the map, along with elevation change information, it was quite easy to determine which pin to shoot at.
There are no trash cans throughout the course, just in the parking lot. Not really a con, just pack in and pack out.
Big handicap porta potty is only bathroom on site and it was actually very clean with dates of cleaning service inside.
I played this course in May with highs in the 70s and it was perfect, but I could see this course in the dead of summer being pretty brutal if there's no cloud cover.
The views of Carson Valley and the Sierras are awesome, but having power lines/the highway in your sights occasionally could be a turn off for some.
Bring sunscreen, a hat, water, and I'd suggest wearing long pants and hiking boots.
Overall, this course surpassed my expectations greatly. From hole design, to manicured trails and certain greens, expertly designed tee signs, this course hits just about it all. Even the little things, like hooks on tee signs, and arrows on the basket to navigate to the next hole. Two baskets to practice putting and a tiny 9 hole warm up pitch and putt. They did it all right. This has become my new favorite Northern Nevada disc golf destination other than Zephyr Cove (which is a Tahoe course anyway). I suggest anyone in the area to check this place out!
