- So much fun you will want to empty your bag trying for aces
- Every hole is a gimmick but none more than the "gimmick hole"
- Every hole has a name and a theme
- Course infrastructure is outstanding
- Lots of sick artwork and pictures to be taken
- Another course on site to stretch out on
- Pro shop has discs, cold drinks, and snacks
- Very unique course, great idea, tons of fun

- $10 to play both courses when you can get multiple 5 star courses on the same property elsewhere for this price
- Really, really short holes, average length of 105 feet per hole

I think this course is more fun and worth it more than the bigger course on the property. With all of the fun and aces to be had it's still a very short course. This getting more than 4 stars here and something like a 4.7 on Udisc is a bit much for me. I can't see rating this similar to some of the best courses in the DFW area no matter how much fun it is. Do I think you should play it? Yes. Do I think it's worth a multiple hour drive to play it once? Yes. Should it be rated in the top 3-5 in Texas? Oh hell no.

Who would have thought? I finally have a better thing to associate armadillos with than belly up roadkill holding empty beer cans. This place is pretty amazing. Aside from a killer pro shop, food truck, 4 story gazebo/watch tower, and camping onsite the Flying Armadillo has 36 hole of disc golf. The Gold Course is perhaps the most whimsically unique 18 I have ever played.

It's the only par 2 course I have encountered, and the only other place I can draw out of 500+ courses for some kind of comparison may be the Hippodrome in North Augusta, SC. The gimmick here far exceeds anything happening in the Palmetto State. It is a folk art wonderland that is worth the price of admission even if you're not called to the siren's song of a disc hitting chains.

The bench next to the first tee is marvelous and the adventure doesn't stop there. Dinosaurs, snake pits, signage overloads, lighthouses, ostrich nests, roller ramps and a miniature Alamo are just a few of the marvels that await you at the Flying Armadillo.

It may not be an epic 8000' strategic masterpiece of a layout, but you will not find a more fantastical disc golf journey. I loved the unusual basket placements. There may be a few new features added since the previously posted photos. The basket on the second hole is nestled in a cozy playhouse that cost me a couple of strokes. Getting a straight look through the front door is best, but you can put a putt through the windows on either side. A sunken basket on hole 6 is one of two I recall amongst my travels. I called it the snake pit but that might not be the best draw to the uninitiated. The elevated tee and island green on hole 8 are very cool. The outcropping of signposts on 9 may seem unfair, but they're pretty hilarious, even if you can't get a deuce. I wasn't sure if I would be able to retrieve my disc from the basket on the lighthouse hole but it all worked out in the end.

The bird bell hole is my favorite, visible from afar but not imaginable in dreams. It is in the wallpaper rotation on my phones Lock Screen. LOVE IT!!! The ultimate gimmick hole on 13 is a dream ace. Roller ramp would be another great play if it works out as called for in the plans. I just went for it old school airmail, didn't make it. The tank was unusual, but the mini Alamo was a fitting end to the run.

Shooting a 43 and being 7 over par was discouraging. Good news is you can take several cracks at this one in a short amount of time for one low price.It isn't a classic top of the line Maple Hill or Harmony Bend caliber, but it may equalize the odds for short game specialists out there.

It's just a lot of fun. If Gold is not your thing, there is also another more traditional eighteen hole course on site that is outstanding.

My lady and I drove down from Austin on a weekend trip and had a great time. We enjoyed a great burger and seafood tacos from the food truck in between rounds. The pro shop is great and the people and animals we encountered were as good as it it gets. Vibes are so good you may wish you lived a little closer.

-- Flying Armadillo Gold is an all-par-2 course that is some of the most fun you can have with a disc in your hand. The basics here are excellent (except natural tee pads). Tee signs are colorful and informative, and the baskets are DISCatchers. Navigation is easy with trails and signs. There are even a markers in the ground near the basket indicating the direction to the next tee.
-- This course goes for kitsch, and it delivers. Every hole is named. A few holes are basically tough angles on short approach shots, but you've got plenty of memorable holes. The Lighthouse hole offers a basket in the top of a 20-foot tall lighthouse. Obviously, you are shooting for the ace, but missing likely leaves you a long putt. When you make your putt, your disc drops through the bottomless basket, and you reach through slots in the lighthouse to retrieve your disc. The Ultimate Gimmick hole has a roller ramp, car hoods and a grate. The Sign holes has, well signs. Dozens of them in the "fairway" and around the basket. Some holes have baskets in structures; you've got a basket in the ground, a hanging basket and a basket guarded by large hanging bells.
-- A port-o-potty is available.
-- The pro shop is well-stocked, offering a wide selection of discs and a small selection of snacks and non-adult beverages. If you want the adult variety, bring your own.
-- This is basically a disc golf country club. You've got a big covered seating area out behind the pro shop along with a 3-story tower that offers additional seating and a beautiful view. You've got bocce ball. A full-sized course on the same property tops it off.
-- Camping on site.
-- Practice baskets. Not that you really need them for this course, but they are available.

-- Tee pads are mostly natural. Given the length on the holes, that isn't a big deal.
-- Four holes (3, 6, 7, 9) tee near a road. Seven and 9 have trees to block the sight and noise, but 3 and 6 don't, so you can lose that ambience of being out in nature.

-- If you finish a round here without both cursing and laughing, check your funny bone; you might need a transplant.
-- This is a pay-for-play course. Current prices are $5 on weekdays and $10 Saturday and Sunday, but those prices are going up as of July 1, 2023. The price get you all-day access to both courses.
-- This might be the best course to introduce new players to the game. You are throwing real discs at real baskets, but the length is so short as to be inviting to even the youngest players. And with everyone on the card having fun, the newbie is likely to want to try the sport again.
-- Like other reviewers, I struggle with the rating. The course is a blast, but when the course has no holes longer than 150 feet, and luck is a factor on many holes, how do you rate it? The fact that this has a higher rating than the quality full-sized course on the same property gives you an indication.

Flying Armadillo Gold is, from what I know, a one-of-a-kind course. It's all par-2s, mostly under 100', but some of the most compelling golf I've ever played.

The basics here are solid. Tees are natural, but tee signs are what they need to be and there are DISCatchers throughout. Navigation is easy with trails and signs.

The character is over the top. It's a disc golf country club, so plenty of posh but homey vibes. Tons of practice baskets. Each hole is named, but in an accurate or humorous way (no "Fairway to Heaven"s out here). The decoration at this course is more than anywhere else I've seen, ranging from the tasteful to the garish. In fact, that's kind of the whole shtick - it's basically a playground for disc golfers, and accordingly has all sorts of brightly colored plastic objects throughout.

Par-2 golf can raise red flags for many. Sounds boring, right? Well, not here. There are a few boring holes in here, but most holes use their surroundings and man-made obstacles to create a very specific, fun challenge. There's a roller ramp, a throw off the top of a gazebo, a shot into the Alamo, a skip-ace run, and of course the iconic Ultimate Gimmick Hole, which lives up to its name.

The possibility of an ace is ever-tantalizing, and most players would be disappointed not to strike metal at least once in the round. But for all that, it's remarkably difficult to go even.

Only the very small.

-Natural Tees: After a rain, water can pool on the dirt tees, which is just frustrating.

-Variety: It's all par-2s. So, yeah, no full sends, and little strategic gameplay. This course is one big serotonin rush, not an intellectual puzzle.

-Less Stellar Holes: I guess? Some holes out here are pretty straightforward and not too exciting. I think the only hole that really rubbed me wrong was (3), where it looks to me as if the trees have grown in to replace the original spike hyzer ace line with an impenetrable canopy of luck.

This is a true gem of a disc golf course that I would recommend anyone play. It's very difficult to rate in comparison with other courses--if you have perfect fun factor but less variety, what should your grade be? I decided a solid Excellent. A couple more of the bland holes replaced with more hilarious concepts, and tee pads that don't flood, could well see me give it a higher rating. Nonetheless, it's a wonderful course that any person - disc golfer or not - may love.

First of all- this is a putt-putt course, and since i've never rated/reviewed one before, I'm doing it on that merit.

This is the most unique course you'll probably ever play! It's very short, but there are no pitch and putt holes, except maybe hole 1 (which was still one of my favorites). There aren't really any skill-based ace-runs, it's literally all fun and games.

I'll hold off on describing all the memorable holes, but I will sum them up: lighthouse, ramp, plinko, Alamo, dinosaur, skyland (sky tee + island), sign-o-rama.

The cons are the holes that don't have a gimmick- just some crazy sharp angle or something at a very short distance. Or just short distance plinko. I would rather see a lot more of the unique holes with admittedly some luck, but have that carnival game aspect of you really think you can be good enough to get it in yourself!

The tees, but really just because it was so wet when I played. They're natural, and it's such a dry part of Texas I bet there's usually no issue. But being unimproved can also just make it hard to see exactly where the tee is sometimes.

I like playing this solo so I didn't have to keep score, and i could throw a few shots at the baskets on the fun holes, like an arcade game where you just go for a high score or something.

This is a fun round. If I visit Flying Armadillo again, and could only play one course, I would probably do this one. If I could only play two rounds, I'd probably play this one twice. And that's really on the strength of about half the course, but it's the half I like more than the holes I like on the big course, and more than I don't like the other holes on the small course

As other reviewers have mentioned, we need more courses like this. This course is one of two that sits on a piece of property just outside of San Marcos. The average hole length sits right about 100'.

Each hole is unique. You probably cannot find holes like some of these anywhere in the country. The first few are just straight forward: lefty holes, righty holes, straight holes, using all of the different types of shots you would find use in disc golf. Then each hole has a signature piece to it, a lighthouse, a tank, signs, sunken basket, etc.. This course is extremely gimmicky, but that is to be expected.

My favorite holes were the Lighthouse hole and the Ultimate Gimmick Hole. The lighthouse has a basket about 10' up, but what makes it awesome is that there is no bottom to the basket, so it drops down to reachable height. Very ingenious. The Ultimate Gimmick Hole features a roller ramp, car hoods and a grate blocking the entire basket. It magnifies what this course is all about.

The course is short enough that it can be played very quickly, and with a $5 all day fee, you can play this course a bunch and try to play for that elusive even par, or a 36, as all the holes are par 2.

All of the tee signs were colorful, and had a poem of sorts on each giving you a hint how to approach the hole, which I thought was really unique.

The tee pads were inconsistent. Hole 1 has a small concrete tee, the elevated tee was wood, some others were gravel, but most were natural. It really is not too big of a deal being a course where you do not need to run up on your drives unless 100' is your max drive.

Hole 17 has a pond that is not filled with water, and the tee sign said "under construction," which is too bad. It would have made it a really challenging hole.

Giving this course a 4.5 was a little tough for me. I have played courses this short and never given them more than a 2.0. This course was different though and had a high degree of fun, which I think is what put it at a 4.5 to me. A lot of work went into this course, and it is evident.

There is also a pro shop onsite that just recently opened and has a small variety of discs for purchase. There is also camping offered on site for a full two days of playing two great courses.

I highly recommend anyone to come out to Flying Armadillo. It is an incredible piece of property, and you won't play anything like the Gold course anywhere else.

- The course decorations evoke the same feelings of fun and whimsy that mini-golf/putt-putt courses often do
- The course plays pretty quick, you can finish it in about 45 minutes
- Each of the hole designs attempts to teach you the different aspects of playing/throwing in disc golf
- You only need a putter, maybe a mid if you're still just starting out
- A great course to just have fun with and feel great by ending it with a win
- Porta potties

- The inconsistency of teepads, there was one concrete circle pad, two plywood board pads, and one treehouse pad; the rest were dirt
- No water in the bean pond
- Gotta be careful of dog poop on the course

It's $5 to play both courses, and they accept cash or card.

The course's neighbors have dogs who tend to show up and follow players. If you're a dog person, it's a fun romp having a dog friend with you and your group.

Hey guys, maybe pick up your trash? The owners decided to use their land for disc golf, the least you can do is throw away your cans of Lone Star in one of the trash cans provided at almost every hole.

Pokemon Go: no stops, no gyms.

This is such a fun course. Initially I was worried about a 'Par 2' course being gimmicky or just hastily thrown together. After playing multiple times, this course is the opposite- it is creative and challenging while also maintaining that 'mini-golf / fun-land' style. Each holes has a theme or fun obstacle to overcome, whether it's the tee, fairway line or the basket itself!

Some highlights are a sink-hole basket (very fun to try and roll into), a lifted platform tee throwing onto an island, a lighthouse basket, and a roller ramp to a basket.

I had a ton of fun playing this course. It's right next to Flying Armadillo's main course, same parking lot. I would recommend doing a warm-up 18 (or 36!) holes on the Mini course then move onto the main course.

Austinites- it is very worth the trip, speaking from experience. About a 40min drive for me.

It's a little dirty, but solely because of geography, just like many other courses out here. The course is maintained very well and a little dirt never hurt anybody anyways- no different from other DGC's in the area.

Not a Pro/Con- need $5 cash for unlimited play all day. Just keep it in mind. I met the two guys that are designing the course. When I was there they were working on a StreamLine trailer and converting it into a Pro-Shop. It'll be great when the resort is finally complete!

(3.785 Rating) (RE-EVALUATED) A chip shot ace run course like none other. This course is a boat load fun for the serious and not so serious disc golfer.
- FUN FACTOR - IMO, the fun factor for this course is off the charts. I still consider the Gold layout to be the most fun course I've ever played and I'm at 330 courses played as of this revision. 18 straight highly entertaining aceable holes. Even though some of these shots are as short as 78 feet, the line always has some sort of crazy obstacle making the throw just overwhelmingly amusing. There's a huge lighthouse basket hole, an Alamo to shoot into, a tank, a roller ramp hole, etc, etc. It's literally miniature golf, but with regular sized discs. To go even further, the vibe here is amazing. Friends of mine who camped here one weekend, threw multiple rounds each day and still had arm left to tackle the big boy course.
- UNIQUENESS - The holes themselves in terms variety are about as unique as you'll ever see. Although the holes can all be played with a putter, it's not always the best choice of disc due to some of the obstacles.
- RAW BEAUTY - The location of the Flying Armadillo property is on the fringes of the broad Texas hill country area. This is not typical flat Texas. Although this section of the property is relatively flat, the scraggly rustic look of all the cedars adds a lot of flavor. The island green on (8) is one the best looking examples I've seen. Overall, the obstacles crafted for the this course are finely done.
- CHARACTER - The course provides a bunch of disc golf comforting items and amenities. There is an amazing community board near hole 1 with a chalkboard for ace postings. It has score cards with a map inside. Most of the tees are shaded, and some seating is provided. The Gold layout doesn't have things like alternate tees or basket locations, but I don't think the Gold layout would ever need them.
- NAVIGATION - I had zero issue getting around on the course. I wish every course gave me a scorecard with a map.
- BEGINNER FRIENDLY - Even though many shots are technical in nature, the course is so short and forgiving that beginners will love it.
- QUICK PLAY - It took me and my friend less than 45 minutes to complete all 18 holes. I think a solo could be done in 30 minutes.
- MAINTENANCE - The owners do an amazing job. There was no trash, everything was mowed and several areas were highly manicured.

Unless a player can't stand short holes, there is nothing of substance wrong with this course.
- LACK OF CHALLENGE - I wasn't sure how to grade this. Sure this is an all par 2 course, but its super doable by the newest of players. I personally shot a 41 with one ace on the Tank hole. Any player that needs a gauntlet of challenges, may not like this course.
- LOCATION - I think most people could argue that the course is located to far from them. A 10 to 15 minute drive from I35. One hour from downtown Austin and San Antonio. This has zero influence on my ratings.
- PAY TO PLAY - If you can't afford $5 to play these two courses, then you need to re-evaluate your priorities.
- TEES - To me one of the biggest issues with some courses is generally the tees. Although most of the tees are dirt on the Gold layout, the fact that every hole is under 150 feet still makes natural tees adequate.

- WHY THE REVIEW REVISION - I talk about this course more than any other I've played as of 330 courses played. I thought this entire review deserved a fresh look from when my first review posted and I had only seen 70 courses at the time. Although everyone is not going to get it or love it, a lot of players will. I honestly feel the Gold layout is an iconic course. I've seen nothing like it to date.

This is a very unique, challenging course. Trick throws are welcome. Think disc golf with a putt-putt course backdrop. Bounce it off car hoods, rollers off the ramp into the basket you name it. Big bomb into the metal Army tank! Fun times. You will learn to back off your throw for a 100 foot T shot. I found myself taking lots of pictures.

It's south Texas - Wear good shoes and socks. If one gets away, be ready to battle with cactus thorns and stiff timber. Also, watch the small tree stumps - trip hazard. Petty stuff this course is really cool.

Played the long course which is still in the works. Huge throws with lots of elevation change. Fairly rocky but it's all part of the scene. Had one of my longest drives off 2 a big lefty downhill. Two putted in.

Pace of play.....you can get through a round with a 4 card in less than 30 minutes. You can get through 2 rounds with a 4 card in about an hour.
Unique.....Try to find a disc golf course with this amount of uniqueness....you won't. It's a blast!
Pride of ownership.....The folks that built and maintain thos course took a LOT of pride and had a lot of fun building this course, it shows. The day I was there they were out making improvements. They were very kind, very friendly and they even stopped working while we played through.
Well thought out/implemented design......It's pbvious that some time went into obstacles, placement of pad's and baskets, lines, etc etc.
Well maintained....Granted we were there in the winter when all the grass, weeds, tree,s are dead or bare, but still, it's apparent that the folks who run it take pride in keeping it nice and clean.
Cleanliness....Speaking of clean, this is the first course I have played where i did not see ONE SINGLE ITEM OF TRASH on the ground or have to pick up one cig butt etc. Great job!

Tight in most places....I record all my rounds, this one was a challenge as there is not a ton of real estate. Granted we had 6 people on the card but on some holes it would have been tight even with only 3. It was also a little difficult setting up my Zuca (has my video recorder on it) to get all the shots....again, I think this is simply because the holes are short and there is not much room to move around.
Parking...Parking is tight, could definately use some more room there.
Pay to play......I'm mixed about this. The charge to play is $5 and you can play all day. It is set up on an honor system if the owners are not there. I can totally understand why there is a charge, a TON of work went into this. When we went I did not get to play the long course and we only had time for 2 rounds. I would probably have no problem paying 5 bucks if I lived closer and were able to play it a lot more often (I live in San Antonio). I really did not mind paying for the experience and I would probably consider a yearly payment plan again, if I lived closer and could play more. I don't know that I would call it a "con" but it certainly bears mentioning.

As stated before, we are from San Antonio and we only had time to play the short course. That said, as long as you understand the short course is for entertainment and meant to be a unique experience and that you won't be busting out any 400 foot drives on it, then you will have a blast. We certainly did. I will be editing the footage I took that day and uploading it to my YouTube channel soon. When I do I will post it here so folks can see the course. Great job to the owners and thank you for a great day of fun!

It's not disc golf, it's miniature golf with discs.

Every hole is unique.

Every shot is needed.

Lots of cool art and stuff around the course.

Did I mention you through one shot from a club house / elevated deck area.

Did I mention there are 2 different ramps on the course to ramp your discs into the hole, also a slide and several hoods of cars.

Lots of cool bells / wind chimes

The most unique course I've ever played

Looks to be setup well for night golf.

It's not disc golf, it's miniature golf with discs.

Natural tee pads, but not really a factor since it's all short holes

After reading the other 2 reviews, I had to post mine. This is the review if the mini course, not the regular course. There should be 2 entries as there are 2 distinct courses. First, this is a great property a great course, and a GREAT TIME. I went with my friends and we just did ace runs twice at every basket. I got an ace, saw 3-4 splash outs and a friend got an ace. The obstacles on the course make this a one of a kind experience. Again, don't misunderstand the following as anything negative about the course. Its a great time and you should come play this course. I plan on playing it regularly. If you are passing through on 35, this is the course you have to stop at and play.

All that said, at the time of this writing the mini course was rated as a 4.5. This isn't a 4.5 course. In fact this isn't really a disc golf course, it's miniature golf for disc golf. Courses like Winthrop gold, and seleh are 4.5's, that factored into my rating of just a 3. If you are rating this against how good of a time you'll have or the uniqueness or a bunch of other characteristics this is a 5 out of 5. Just don't show up at the mini course and expect to play disc golf, its all trick shots, skippers for aces, throws off of ramps and hoods of cars for aces. That doesn't take away from the experience or the fun that this place is. It was so fun we played it twice and then played the big course. The big course is also really nice (again there needs to be a separate course that on here too, it deserves it's own ranking). The big course was about 3/4 done when we played and I liked it a lot too. The tee pads on the big course suck but I'm sure in time they'll add concrete for that as you are throwing some long shots.

All in all it looks like the owners take a lot of pride in the course. I liked it and will be back for sure.

Disclaimer
As the course designer, I went back and forth about whether or not to review the Flying Armadillo Gold Mini Course. I'm not sure if other designers review their own courses, but there's some information about the course I'd like to pass along and don't see a better option than including it in a review. I should also mention that this is my first and only DGCR review so far, so please take my rating with a grain of salt.

Background
The original idea for the course came from the Blockhouse Tiki Course, which is a short, par 2 putt-putt type course intended as a warm up before playing one of their full size courses. Like the Tiki, the Gold Mini course includes 18 holes, is full of fun obstacles, and includes lights for night play. I have not had the opportunity to play the Tiki, but from what I can gather there are some differences as well, including a longer total course length and more elaborate obstacles on the Gold Mini course.

In addition to providing a great way to warm up, the Gold Mini course was also intended as a fun course for kids and adults just learning the game. For that reason, the first half dozen holes were designed to allow new players to practice basic disc golf shots such as throwing around an obstacle, throwing left and right dogleg fairways, a high hyzer, a long straight shot, and throwing through a tunnel.

After that, we added a roller ramp to practice roller shots, holes to practice throwing at different heights (the sunken basket, lighthouse basket, elevated island hole, and hanging basket), plinko type holes to practice tight wooded throws (the tank hole, the persimmon hole, and the sign hole), the Alamo Hole cause it's fun to throw inside a building, the pond hole to practice throwing over a water hazard, and the ultimate gimmick hole because, well, it's just plain fun to try and ricochet a shot off a car hood for an ace.

Par
The full size course at the Flying Armadillo includes blue, white, and red level tee pads, yet the mini course is a gold level course, a designation typically reserved for very long, professional level courses. We gave the mini course a gold level designation though because it's a par 2 course with an average hole length of over 100 feet. The Close Range Par Guidelines indicate that only gold level players can consistently get up and down in two strokes at a distance of over 100 feet. At the time of this review, the best score on the course is a par, made by a top player and with 2 aces on his card. And of course, kids and new players can play the course as a par 3 if that better suits their level of play.

Pros
As far as I can tell, there are no other courses quite like this anywhere. The Blockhouse Tiki course was similar, but is currently closed to the public. The Gold Mini course provides scorecards and has tee signs on every hole with a map and a tip for playing the hole in the form of a short limerick. Many of the holes include benches and metal yard art sculptures can be found throughout the course. In fact, some of the obstacles on the course could be considered sculptures themselves.

Cons
The tee pads are all natural, which is ok for a mini course, but concrete tees would be better. We'll be adding round concrete pads as soon as the big course is complete and we have more time. The Pond Hole currently has a hole, but no pond. We plan to add a pool liner and fill it with water in the near future. Also, only about half the holes have benches, but we're slowly adding more each month.

Rating
Coming up with a fair rating for the Gold Mini course is challenging. Should It be compared to other full size disc golf courses, like Selah Ranch? To me, this would be like comparing apples to oranges, but if that's the standard I would have to give the Gold Mini course a 1.0 or 1.5 rating at best. If, on the other hand, I compare it to other par 2 mini courses, then it's rating should be much higher since it is the premier mini course in the country, at least as far as I can tell. As you might guess, I'm going with the second option and giving the Gold Mini Course a rating of 4.5. As good as the course is though, it still needs some finishing touches to deserve a better rating, and besides, I don't think any course deserves a 5.0 rating because every course can be improved upon and no course is perfect.


Summary
The Flying Armadillo Gold Mini course is very challenging, par 2 course full of unique and interesting obstacles. Every hole can be aced (in fact, every hole has been aced at least once), but none are easy aces. Whether you are a new player just learning the game or an experienced player shooting for aces, the mini course is fun, fun, fun.

Short, but gimmicky in the best of ways. Great use of existing open and wooded areas. Very very technical shots. The kind of course u wanna play at lease twice per visit in the summer time and more in the winter. Maintained with benches on almost every hole to relax and enjoy the natural and artificial beauty of the course. Grass mowed regularly and baskets in good condition. Good mix of left and right shots as well as straight down the gut.

Short course. If you wanna throw a world record distance this course is not for you. The big course is on the property though and it definitely makes up for what the short course lacks.

All around ausome place to bring friends and family who dont play much or to have a great time with ur regular golfing buddies.