Excellent design with a variety of holes rewarding control and shot-shaping
Beautiful wilderness course with lots of wildlife
Quiet and remote with very light traffic

Winter-only course (currently some holes will be available during the Summer for the on-site AirBnB customers)
Some people may find the hills and creek crossings to be strenuous
Must contact the property owner to play (some open weekends may be announced on the Facebook page)

I get it. My first "frisbee golf" adventures were with a few friends picking targets in a wooded park and trying to avoid all the obstacles along the way. After a few trips we developed our own course and the competition became more about designing the most interesting holes. Perhaps fortunately, considering my sadistic early designs, I moved on to other interests and obsessions and left disc golf course design in better and slightly less cruel hands.

Hidden Ridge is a trip back to those days of basic course design and experimentation. The teepads are a mix of artificial turf, level ground, gravel, and wood chips (although some concrete pads are planned). The baskets are second-hand, but in good shape. Transitions can be a little tricky as there isn't enough traffic to create the well-worn paths between holes that we're familiar with on heavily played courses. Many holes have "next tee" signs, but they can be difficult to locate. Additionally, Tim will occasionally tinker with the layout (he is currently working on a land swap with a neighbor to add an additional three holes) to improve or freshen things up.
The biggest surprise at Hidden Ridge, though, is how good the design actually is. Tim started playing at Lincoln Ridge (Banklick) and Idlewild, and it is possible to see the inspiration for many of the Hidden Ridge feature holes in those two great courses. There are just too many memorable holes to list here, but I'll point out a few of my favorites.

#3 is a straightforward 260' par three, but will showcase what the course is about. It's a straight throw across a gulley with a number of trees and branches to avoid. There are a number of lanes available and a birdie is a possibility for many players, but hitting those lines is tricky.

#10 is 604' par four featuring a gorgeous view over a meadow and creek, requiring an enticing downhill drive. It's pinched enough so you'll need to throw a fairly straight drive. Big arms will want to cross the creek at the bottom of the hill for the up-hill approach to the basket. Most of us will play to the meadow at the bottom of the hill and hope to put our second shot somewhere on the hill. As usual, there are a number of well-placed trees around to swat away an errant shot.
If you survive the test of #10, the difficult 760' par five #11 will be a further challenge. You'll start by threading a drive between some giant trees. Those with a more modest game will be happy to clear the trees and land in an open field, but those wanting a real birdie opportunity will play left for a second shot down the fairway or right for an approach down the road. Either route will lead you (hopefully) to a tricky approach to a very tight green protected by the creek and (of course) a few trees.

In my opinion, you'll enjoy the course if you are either:
- An advanced player who can throw precise lines with decent (350+') distance.
- An intermediate player who is comfortable with facing adversity on most holes.
- A novice who enjoys the experience of playing a challenging course and can handle holes where par seems like an outrageous joke (me).

You probably won't enjoy the course if you:
- Have trouble climbing steep hills or negotiating muddy or slippery terrain. Carts will be a chore on this course.
- Need even, level teepads with lots of room for a run-up.
- Require precise signage to play and navigate the course. (The UDisc map was up to date and accurate on my last play.)

In summary, Hidden Ridge is one of the top courses I've played. It is definitely worth a visit if you are nearby when the course is open. A true labor of love, it's the work of one disc-golfer and a small team of volunteers. I'll keep returning. The good old days? These are them.

Design: 5
Beauty: 5
Tee Pads: 3
Amenities: 4
(re)Playability: 5

Personal rating of 4.4 ... I'm rounding up to 4.5.
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I preface this by saying, I have personally known Tim for something like 6 or 7 years now. We actually met in the VIP and course design forums here! Having said that, Is my review biased? Certainly. However, I really don't know how to remove that bias... and I don't think it is that far off.

I played this course yesterday with 6 kind of dinker/ birdie or die holes thrown in. I will try to discude those holes from this review... But I will say that they were fun. Some of them really went with the flow of the course, while others (Temp hole A and C) didn't really add anything other than help with flow and to avoid backup.

Design: What can I say that Sisyphus hasn't already said? This track in particular is great at weaving in and out of small (but fair) gaps, and then opening back out to the open. Often you are teeing off throwing wayyyy down hill through a tiny gap and into another slightly less wooded gap (5), or teeing off in the open trying to hit a tunnel gap 200 feet in front of you (17). If you are uncomfortable on the putting green, you better park the basket... which is typically perched on a knoll of some sort, or hanging, or with mega downhill or OB behind it.

My personal 2 favorites were the creek hole (not sure on the numbering on this... it is the tee with the carpet on the gravel driveway). Also really enjoyed the hole before that where the perfect shot is straight through the tunnel, and then a spike over the cedars (reminiscent of Charlie Vettiner course).

Beauty: Where to even start here! My buddy and I drove from Idlewild to HR. The drive is insane. Talk about running ridges. Just gorgeous country with lots of horse farms. It is almost an adventure just getting to this course. The driveway is pretty intense, and the first signal that you are going to need your big boy pants and hiking shoes. Tim's home is a mega beautiful modern farm home. I know this isn't part of the course, but defiinitely completes the Jelly factor. Again a great mixture of open and wooded. Beautiful Cedars. Finish throwing over a pond. This place has it ALL!

Tee Pads: Ok. This is maybe the one lower mark. But hear me out. Look at this property. One dude maintains almost all of this. Obviously with the course only being a few years old... this hasn't been at the forefront. I am sure that Concrete tees will begin going in in the next few years. Then this course likely hit the top 50 or possibly higher. The tees in place now are cedar chips or carpet. It worked great for me. I still managed to throw course par on 24 holes. I swear if you aren't throwing well... it isn't the tee's fault here.

Amenities: As of now, next tee signs are everywhere. It is possible to get lost if you don't open your eyes... otherwise I think the course is fairly easy to follow. Lots of nice benches all over the place. Innova baskets. There is a Port-a-John at the bottom of the hill. Still needs IMO a kiosk with a big course map etc at hole 1. Maybe a donation box there... Maybe attach a course store there.

re-Playability: We played Idlewild yesterday morning, followed up with a small tournament at HR. We wanted to play a second round after... but didn't have time. With letter holes... and another 20 acres in the future... and the interest in a putter course, I really believe this could become a Mecca type course. I'm honestly surprised at the low number of reviews. It must have something to do with Udisc uprising (and terrible Udisc reviews that are inflated by Newbs).

See above

Again, I look for this course to go high on DGCR. It might not be as refined as Idlewild. There aren't 20 people mowing this place or working on every facet. It isn't even on the DGPT! Honestly though, it already makes my top 10. I rate it over Lincoln Ridge. I rate it over Holler. I rate it over Harmon Hills. Maybe I'm biased? But, that's OK.

After seeking out a dream property, and taking the time to hike the woods, ridges and valleys literally hundreds of times, while building a family home, InnocentCrook (Tim Blanchet) began the arduous task of sculpting out the trees and underbrush, working in paths and fairways, adding bridges and stone creek crossings, then tee pads and baskets, with the result being a tremendous disc golf course. Tim's 5 year labor of love is coming into focus and available for others to enjoy (make contact before you go: private course on family land). It is currently a technical, hilly, wooded dream course geared very well between the intermediate to open skill set.

With DisCatcher baskets (acquired second hand from the original Holler In The Hills), and mixed teepads (carpet or mulch at present), new benches, a helpful map, next tee signage where needed, and variety galore, this is fast becoming a nice rural destination course. Hole designs range from an open bomber hole where big arms can gain a stroke on the rest of us, to super technical shorties where the crafty veterans can get that stroke back. The course has everything. The flow of the holes and the layout keep impressing with the fresh, different feel from each hole to the next. Here's a downhill, straight tunnel that you could reach for a deuce opportunity. The next hole is often a longer dogleg where the smart play is to reach that sweet spot landing zone off the tee (if you can avoid THAT TREE!).

The holes meander through the ridges and valleys, and give every look you can imagine (uphill, downhill, ravine crosser, left, right…). My favorite hole was 10, with a sweet downhill lane to the landing zone at or beyond the creek bend, followed by uphill shot(s) to approach the basket. It felt like a slightly more forgiving Idlewild #11 (hence the review title). I complimented Tim on NOT simply throwing in a generic hole that used the utility company's cleared lane, but crossing it instead with TWO holes any course designer would be proud of.

As the course matures, the design will utilize multiple tees and pin positions, and the variety will just get better and better. It's already stellar. Come help mature this baby!

When greened up in the spring, this course might be a bit rough on players from novice to recreational skills. The rough is thick, and it's difficult to stay on top of the amount of trimming and mowing this course would need to be 'park-like', so throw bright colors, keep an eye on your shot until it comes to rest, and if you toss one in the pond on 18, you're joining a 'cast of thousands'. There is potential to lose discs here in the rough or the water. But if you ink them, you're most likely to eventually get a call from a private course owner as he puts in his decades of course work.

Furthermore, Hidden Ridge is a true workout, designed to please the player who expects a hike, not just a stroll in the park. Even if he took another five years installing more bridges, stairs, and access paths, the changes in elevation will be difficult if you're not in at least decent shape. It is likely a challenge when wet… What I'm hinting at here is, it's probably best to leave the carts in the car and carry a bag. …that contains fluids. …and some protein booster!

Reach out to Tim on Facebook, message and set up a time to play (or better yet, volunteer AND play). Bring course donation $, and/or buy some merch. It's all going back into the course, and it shows.

Tim mentioned it, so I'll pass it on: there are DGA baskets viewable, but they're out there for the kids and family, so don't get confused. You're playing to the DisCatchers with the bands (he's currently in the process of applying a set of attractive "Hidden Ridge" vinyl wraps).

I gave Hidden Ridge a 4.0 rating because it's comparable to the others I've done that for, at least in terms of design fun, challenge, and to some extent, potential. I was tempted to go as high as 4.5, but it's being still a little rough. It's definitely worthy of ratings in this range.

I made a reservation to play this new addition to the greater Northern Kentucky scene not knowing what I would get . This 18 hole course is situated right in the middle of Grant County , but accessible to both I-75 and I-71 . Parking is still in it's formulating stages . Course owner and designer Tim Blanchet told me to park just off of his driveway and he would catch up with me when he came home from work . When he okays you to play here , he sends you directions to his house , and a scorecard with informative details to move you from hole to hole . 5 years ago , Tim had a dream to make a course on his vast property , and it is coming along great . The tee pads are either natural or carpet , and there is little signage , except some NEXT TEE signs or arrows to help you navigate . The baskets are different throughout the course , but are in good condition and catch real well . I never like being the first one to review a course , mostly because that means the course is still being broken in ( ca. 2018 ) , but after playing here , I couldn't escape the creative design and the natural feel of this course . Even without tee signs , I was able to navigate this course pretty easy with the scorecard . The course is unique with it's variety of shot selection . There is some good but not overly extreme elevation on some of these holes . They can incorporate a creek , mando , pond and landing zone . This course plays technical from the word go . Hole #1 is a good warmup hole ( 293' ) with just a little obstruction , but one that will get you to stretch your knees . #2 & 3 are to your left and go out and back in tight woods . #4 follows the road on the left , then breaks to the left , with rough dividing the course to the hole . There is a cool rock bench next to the fairway , just in case you want to take a seat for a minute . I won't go hole by hole , but will tell you that I had a good workout playing here . A few of the holes will give you a break , only followed by the next hole that will break you . Tim and his dog caught up with me at about hole 14 , and we talked for the rest of the round .He has dual pin placement and many alternate tees . There are so many different looks that the course gives you . an example would be #10 which is a long downhill drive that forces you into an uphill up shot to the basket sitting protected by some trees . Follow that with #11 , which forces you to eventually bring your drive right to left and set it down to where you can approach the basket into a narrow woods passage to the basket sitting on the right , about 100' in . After your dose of tight holes and elevation , the course finishes you off with #18 , a downhill drive over a pond , with the basket protected by 2 trees . You also have the option to wrap your drive around the pond to the right , but you have have to content with some deep rough if you miss your lane . This is one of the better finishing holes in the area . I don't know if the course is set up for the newbies or the kids , but I feel that the rest of the disc golf world will enjoy this setup . There is a WOW factor here . The course is private , so you usually have the course to yourself , or with 1 other group . Give yourself about and hour and 15 minutes or so if you are playing solo . Maybe 2 - 2 1/2 hours for a foursome . Signature Hole : #11 which takes you from woods to open , a little downhill back to tight woods . Great basket placement .

#1 this course is going to be a tough walk after a rain . The ups and downs of this course combined with woods will equal a possible fall and a lot of caked mud on your shoes . #2 amenities . The course can use some signage and some tee pads , but these will come in time when Tim can have some cash flow coming in . #3 Disc Risk . I can see losing a driver or a long approach disc here . The rough can be heavy in spots , and rollaways and blind shot baskets can add to the fray . Use a spotter or watch your disc's flight .

I am glad that I was able to play this course in it's early stages . There is some work to be done , but the foundation is set and the hard part is out of the way . I can see a tournament played here within the year .The design combined with being far from the city really makes this worth coming to. Tim has aspirations of making this a destination stop for the disc golf world . Kind of like Field Of Dreams ( or Field Of Discs ) .I have played a lot of private courses , and he is one of the nicest I have ever met . He doesn't say anything about it , but it is a private course . Reach in your pocket and give some money . All of it goes right back into his course . My Recommendation : I normally have a wait and see attitude about new courses and being broken in before playing them , but this course changed my mind . A solid course for travelers or baggers coming up or traveling south on I-71 or I-75 , or locals , enthusiasts intermediates to pros . Catch this course early , so you can experience the progression , and meet the owner . PLAY IT !!