Pros:
Basics:
- high quality Dynamic Discs baskets, a Kansas staple
- excellent full color tee signs with maps
- long concrete tees, a little narrow
- beautifully maintained property with incredible scenery
Amenities/Extras:
- really cool cable bridges to cross creeks/ravines
- ample parking
- flags on top of baskets
Course Design/General Thoughts:
- good incorporation of elevation change
- leans more open but also has a few good wooded fairways
- good incorporation of creek as water hazard
- rocky hills make for challenging shots and strenuous terrain
- good variety of hole distances on the longer side
- breathtaking views of Flint Hills region away from civilization
- good incorporation of some low tree ceilings to add variety
- logical flow with variety of shot types necessary
Difficulty/Uniqueness:
- one of the most unique courses I have ever played
- bison are a huge highlight as is the rocky terrain of Flint Hills
- on the longer side with a lot of accurate distance needed
- feeling of this experience is incomparable to any other course
- multiple instances of baskets perched on the edge of dropoffs
Cons:
- bison pies! (I found this endearing but maybe I'm just a weirdo)
- interacting with bison has some obvious safety hazards
- may be too challenging for some players, with only a few holes under 300 ft.
- fairly fixed course with no multiple tees or pin positions
- no practice basket, no garbage cans, benches on the course
- could be extremely tricky on a windy day
Other Thoughts:
THIS is the experience I came to Kansas for. I believe every state has something to offer, and once thought Kansas was one of the most boring, flat states it was possible to visit. I looked for something that spoke to me, and found Clover Cliff Ranch. Flat this course is not. This was one of the highlights of my trip and maybe my 2nd favorite course ever, with over 250 played.
I should mention I love animals so I just about died of delight when I saw bison roaming ON the course. If you don't like animals this may not be the place for you. The bison have tons of land to roam so I felt very fortunate they were in the middle of the course when I arrived a bit before sunrise. This spawned a new experience for me, "hole unplayable due to bison." On hole 3, the herd was blocking the entire fairway. When it became clear the bison were not going to yield the ground to me, I moved off to play hole 13 through the end and came back to hole 3, by which time the herd had moved off.
As others have said, the initial views here are breathtaking, and I strongly encourage arriving right at sunrise for great views and a course to yourself. Note, as this is private and pay to play, it is closed many weekends for weddings, etc. Check in advance before driving out into the middle of nowhere. That said, I can't imagine this course getting very busy given where it is. Despite what I expect is low revenue, the land is very well maintained, and appeared to have recently gone through a controlled burn which made for a cool mix of rocky outcroppings, charred black grass, and fresh green grass. You can't see this just anywhere. Views of the surrounding Flint Hills are amazing and give a true taste of eastern Kansas.
The course itself is so unique, with wobbly bridges over all the creeks/ravines, gates you open and close yourself to keep the bison in, and a ton of good terrain change. The course isn't as steep and hilly as others I played on the trip, but it is deceiving and you will be huffing and puffing a bit on some of the rocky uphill holes. There are trees on several of the holes that give light to moderately wooded shots, plus the water hazard of the creek. The course is challenging but not punishing... on a calm day. I'm glad I wasn't here a day earlier when Kansas had 20 mph winds or this could have been a very frustrating experience.
The equipment here is all top notch. Not much in the way of special amenities, but this course is so unique and such an incredible experience I felt it warranted a perfect 5. Most of my cons are very minor. There ARE bison pies literally everywhere. They probably have 100 of the things and, well, they poop a lot. Do watch where you're stepping as a fresh one of these would envelop your entire foot. Mostly the bison seem to want to mind their own business but obviously keep your distance, disc golfer vs. bison = you lose.
I loved climbing up and down the rocks here and making the high risk throws to baskets perched on the edges of rock outcroppings. You go from feeling like you're in a wooded area to the great plains to rocky mountain foothills all in the matter of a few holes.
While there is no practice basket, I expect most people use hole 18's basket for warmup which is easy enough if the course isn't busy. I felt the course flowed pretty well and was mostly intuitive, though I did consult my map a few times. The addition of some navigation aids wouldn't hurt.
The holes here are longer, with most 300 ft plus, and a few very long. You will need some distance to your game and several holes require multiple drives and are beyond par 3. Some of the par 3s are very challenging as well. You'll need some uphill and downhill control as well as the ability to shape shots around obstacles. In addition, you'll have to contend with dropoffs and rollaway hazards. There are more difficult courses out there but this one does require a fairly complete game.
All said, I can't think of a single negative thought I had during my round here. This course is spectacular and way, way underappreciated due to its location. I drove an extra 3 hours out and back off my main route for this and it was absolutely the right decision. Play this course if at all possible; I haven't found anything in the continental US that compares to it.