Highbridge, WI

Highbridge Hills - Highbridge Gold

4.515(based on 34 reviews)
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23 1
DFrah
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 6.4 years 300 played 287 reviews
3.50 star(s)

A Gold Standard Being Revitalized

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 27, 2022 Played the course:once

Pros:

Highbridge Gold is one of five 18-hole courses on site at Highbridge Hills Disc Golf Megaplex in northern Wisconsin.

Anyone who plays this course is going to remember hole 8. This 1440' monster is the longest hole I have ever seen on a course by about 250' - and the longest hole on a layout I actually played by an even wider margin. From the tee, there is a nice view of a large wooded hill way off in the distance. My imagination ran wild and envisioned the basket somewhere up on top of it, even though I knew that was silly since that hill is at least a mile or two away. The actual fairway is straight and relatively wide, dotted with a couple of large trees. The terrain gently rolls up and down, with an overall slight downward incline. No idea what par is, but I played in a headwind and slight rain and wasn't even mad about scoring a 10.

The finishing hole is nice too, playing maybe 500'-600' up a slight incline. It's another wide fairway with a few large trees, and this one is also broken up by several small sections of rocks. Turn around when you reach the basket and you'll be treated to another great view.

Hole 8 is admittedly an outlier, but the hole distances here are championship level throughout. The first six or so holes are relatively technical, but after that it mostly opens up to the wider fairways described above. There are always at least a couple of trees to work around, and some potential water hazards on a few holes as well (they were mostly dried up when I visited in late September). There are appreciable elevation changes on several holes, although overall I would say it's a little less significant than on other HH courses. For most DG'ers, the distances will more than make up for it. I suspect the wind often plays a role as well.

The basket situation here is varied. Holes 1-7 and 17-18 have two baskets per hole. The long baskets are yellow banded DISCatchers with the band spray painted gold. The longer baskets are red Chainstar Pros. The remaining holes have only one basket each, and the make and model varied by hole as of my visit - but all of the baskets were in good shape.

Cons:

Of the five HH courses, this one was clearly last on UP Mountain Man & Co's list to bring new life to. I think I was actually one of the first players to play the full 18 since the change in ownership several years ago, as signage on site indicated that the "back 9" of the course (actually holes 8-16) had recently reopened. This explains the hodgepodge of baskets and lack of second baskets on those holes. But it also means that the other infrastructure I experienced here is even more mediocre than elsewhere at HH:
- Some holes had older concrete tee pads in fine shape, but other holes had pads that could use a re-pouring and others yet had just turf for pads.
- The "Front 9" holes had hand painted tee signs, although the pin locations seemed to be missing from the painted maps. The "Back 9" holes just had the hole number and distance Sharpie'd on white PVC pipes.
- Navigation was OK on the "Front 9", but tricky on the "Back 9". I recommend taking a photo of the map at the pay station, as it has the correct hole locations for this course Sharpie'd on.

Overall, even though this is an old course it essentially feels like a new, unfinished course right now. This is totally understandable, but I have to review based on the current state of the course.

As a standalone course, I could ask for a few more short/tight fairways to balance out all of the long/mostly open ones. In reality though, I could just walk across to
the Woodland Greens or Blueberry Hill courses on site to get that. So not really a major gripe.

A second set of shorter (not too short on this course) tees would be a nice upgrade.

Other Thoughts:

The following notes apply to all HH courses:
- Large dirt parking lot at the top of a hill, which itself offers views better than you'd find on most courses.
- Multiple porta potties.
- Multiple practice baskets scattered around.
- Kiosk info at pay station including large map of all 5 courses.
- Signage says pro shop and food are sometimes available, but I got the vibe those were holdovers from previous ownership. Maybe they are open for special events.
- Onsite camping available.
- Pay to play: $20/day or $10/round or other options that I won't go into here (check course website for latest info). Can pay with cash, check, or Venmo. Signage at the entrance to the course says to display a receipt on your car but you don't get a receipt from the pay station - this was a bit confusing. I paid via Venmo, had fine cell phone service throughout the complex, and was one of the only people there throughout my visit so I figured I would be contacted if there were any issues.

IN ITS CURRENT 2022 STATE, this course is way overrated on here at its current ~4.5 average. BUT, once this course is dialed in again it is going to be epic. Give it a year or two and a return to 4.5 rating is definitely not out of the question.

In the meantime, I strongly recommend a visit to HH overall. As noted in my other HH reviews, my recommendations in order are:
1. Blueberry Hill
2. Granite Ridge
3. Woodland Greens, especially if you have a noodle arm.
4. After that, if you still have time it really comes down to what type of course you prefer. If you like tight technical courses, you'll probably prefer The Bear over Highbridge Gold. But if you prefer wide open bombs, you'll love Highbridge Gold. Of course, the best option is to stay a little longer and play all five courses. :)
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2 10
mmcfly101
Experience: 17 played 16 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Pro course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jul 24, 2018 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Epic course at the Disc golf Mecca. This is probably the course that the Pros love the most. It is much longer than the other courses. Expert course. Carts are recommended (seasonal).

Cons:

Not recommended for beginners or the meek. You will throw a lot on this one. It's a very long course. My group rarely plays this one with all the other options.

Other Thoughts:

There are also layouts that use alternate tees, Blueridge, granberry, ect.
The main courses are Gold, Blueberry, Woodland Hills, Granite Ridge, Bear. There is also a course at the campground.
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20 0
mrclc
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 11.2 years 785 played 47 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Real Gold Doesn't Tarnish 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 6, 2018 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Highbridge Gold is the confluence of everything that makes this venue the legendary, infamous delight that's captivated golfers across the Upper Midwest and the nation. The host venue for Nate Doss' 2007 Pro Worlds victory, Highbridge features five primary courses on-site, plus a bonus campground course used primarily for glow rounds. The five courses on the hill are the main draw, with each one unique enough to showcase a different flavor of the richly diverse land. Gold is a bit of everything combined into one long, difficult, championship routing. The design, like the rest of the courses on site, is a Chuck Kennedy masterwork, interweaving placement-focused technical holes (Hole 14, for example) with long distance grinders (the legendary Hole 8, a 1426 foot par 6). However, the true character of Gold lies in its many holes that combine the two elements. Hole 3 is a brutally long hole that gently constricts the fairway with every shot before completely stovepiping it into a tightly wooded approach that could be a brilliant standalone hole in its own right. Hole 11 demands a choice of layup or crush off the tee to position around a small pond and set up for a challenging approach to a sloping, protected pocket green. Even relatively open holes like 18 provide a lot of fun and, in this particular case, one of my favorite greens in all of disc golf - a small rectangle protected by a front-facing rock wall that forces placement and power control to make your approach sit up where it needs to be for a clean putt. Fun to play and extremely photogenic as you look back down the fairway.

All of the courses at Highbridge are beautiful, and even the least scenic points on the property blow away most other routings by a country mile. Gold is probably the least pretty course here, but that doesn't stop some great drives (Holes 8 & 12) and approaches (Holes 2 & 18) from reminding you that you're in the middle of the gorgeous Wisconsin Highland. Also, I hold the unpopular opinion that the half-completed structures and failed Jokinen projects that line the fairways of Gold give a sort of spooky charm. Look for my current favorites -- the abandoned car and cabin on Hole 11!

There's two sets of concrete tees on every hole, with the golds dramatically more maintained than the whites. The course uses DISCatchers in good repair.

Assuming you can find a golf cart that works, Gold is a ridable course. I prefer to walk, but riding would probably save a lot of strength and time.

Cons:

When you put aside all the drama and nonsense surrounding Highbridge, which are a con unto themselves for most (see other thoughts), there's really only one complaint that stands head and shoulders above the rest - Highbridge's inferior maintenance. It's a roll of the dice if the grass will be mowed on any given day, and tree trimming & rough control appear nonexistent. To make matters worse, Highbridge is approaching a relatively advanced age (14 years for most of the complex) where decisions should be made regarding tree removal, which will almost certainly never happen. When the courses are maintained, the level of maintenance is usually inversely correlated to its difficulty. You may come across an open fairway that's been mowed impeccably, only to play to a soggy green with waist-high grass. In all fairness to John, taking care of five courses with limited help is a rather difficult task, but that doesn't change the fact that unfinished mowing and trimming is a gigantic headache for us players. Depending on the status of the maintenance when you play, a course's rating could fluctuate by as many as two or more discs. Timing your visit to coincide with the intermittent mowing is just par for the course here. The Highbridge Hills - Wisconsin forum thread on this site is extremely helpful for providing detailed course condition updates.

For Gold in particular, there have been a couple of design compromises that neuter some special holes. Hole 12's green and the entirety of Hole 13 have been relocated out of a swampy area on the right hand treeline into the drier and easier to maintain open pasture. I assume these original locations would be salvageable with a little maintenance TLC, so it sucks to see them changed just because they're a pain to mow/trim. As a result, I've dropped my rating one half-disc.

Gold is currently the hardest course to play blind. First-timers will almost certainly want a map and some hole distances, as the newer tee signs here are the weakest at the complex.

Other Thoughts:

With more twists and turns than a telenovela, the saga of Highbridge Hills has captivated golfers in the Upper Midwest for years. Regardless of where you fall between the two extremes of "John is a con artist" and "John is a harmless dolt whose reach exceeds his grasp", it's hard to visit here and not be charmed by the ramshackle enthusiasm of it all. Sure, it'd be great if a competent management team took over the complex, maintained it to perfection, and charged $20/day in greens fees to play what is probably the greatest collection of courses at a single site in the entire world. But where's the fun in that? Up here, disc golf still feels firmly tied to its DIY roots, as one man tries to hold it all together with chewing gum and string. Even as people (including myself) complain about the neglect of these world-class courses, it's important to remember that this version of Highbridge holds value as well. If you're looking for a true frolf adventure, Highbridge is the best place to find one. For now, it's best to enjoy what we have and hope for better days down the road.

PROTIP: Take a moment to rest on the shaded tee at the palate-cleansing intermezzo of Hole 7. The early woods holes can be brutal, and you'll want all your strength for the Hole 8 monster ahead.
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6 22
Dietrich Discing
Experience: 10.6 years 3 played 3 reviews
1.00 star(s)

Run Down 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 18, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

The course has some potential as there are great elevation changes and many trees.

Cons:

My friends and I went to High Bridge expecting a great course but were very disappointed. We got there a few days after a music festival and the course was trashed. There was garbage everywhere, even on many baskets on the course. The course was also just run down. It looked like the course was probably very good years ago but is just run down now. The grass was quite long and it was very easy to lose a disc because of it. It seems that John has too much to maintain. He should cut High Bridge down to 2 or 3 good courses instead of having 6 courses that are all run down.

Other Thoughts:

Overall this course was a big disappointment. I was expecting the "mecca" of disc golf but instead found a course past its prime. This course does have some good potential though. John just needs to get some help.
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4 8
surlyhodags
Experience: 5 played 5 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Highbridge Gold 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 5, 2016 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

High Bridge Hills Complex is incredible, and this course along with Granite are easily my favorite. Great elevation changes, great mix of technical holes and distance.

One of two courses you can rent a cart for and ride the whole way.

Has a 1400+ foot par 6!

Cons:

Likely not the course for you if you throw under 250 feet.

I recommend Spring or Fall for this course as the ruff can become difficult to find your discs especially if you are playing the day/days leading into when they will be mowing it.

Other Thoughts:

John is one heck of a guy and all the courses are worth playing.
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14 0
Stardoggy
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 13.3 years 1038 played 214 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Long and demanding. 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:May 27, 2016 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Disclaimer: This is a review of the course before the idiotic music festival.

Gold is the long, more open 18 at Highbridge Sports Complex.

Concrete tees on every hole. Most have multiple tees, although the shorts tended to be overgrown and not well kept. This is Gold...play the longs, dummy.

Chainstar baskets, mounted well enough. Like everything at Highbridge, they're showing their age, but they still perform. Many holes have multiple pin positions listed, but I doubt the pins actually get moved. One thing the do really well on this course is pin placement, though. Lots of tucked baskets, hillside baskets, and more. You really have to think about where you place your drives to be able to get at some of them.

Gold has distance. Lots of it. Sure, there's a few deuce opportunities (although they require decent shots), but the main attraction of Gold is long placement golf. How many places have a 1400+ foot hole? Not many. You get plenty of opportunities to blast drives, but they need to be accurate in most cases in order to get good lines for a second shot.

The design here is really good for how open it feels. One of the members of our group commented on how there were hardly any NAGS (not a golf shot) on the entire course (at least at our skill level). There's not a lot of tweener holes, which is nice. Also, while it feels open in some areas, even then the obstacles force you to work a certain line.

Plenty of tight tunnels here as well, especially at the beginning. By the time you get to hole 8 (the bomber), you're happy to be out of the woods. The first set of holes has a few that are deuce opps, but it's also littered with long, winding, tight fairways. Control is the name of the game there.

Cons:

The tee signs were the old laminated paper signs, and they're rough. Navigation isn't really an issue, but still.

It's Highbridge. You're looking at 50/50 that it will be mowed and in good shape. Gold does seem to be John's baby, though, so it gets more attention than some of the other courses.

It's hard to get past the fact that Gold feels like the preamble to a horror flick in several places. Multiple unfinished cabins, a small shack that we were sure was used for some sort of animal torture, and just general malaise all over the course.

Oh, and there's a bear den in between holes 8 and 11/12. My buddy and I got chased (chased meaning we cried like little girls when the bear was 100 yards away) up hole 8's fairway the first time we were up there.

Other Thoughts:

Gold is an asskicker. A wonderful, beautiful asskicker. In pristine condition, it's closer to a 5.0 than a 4.5...it's just hardly ever in pristine condition. Big shots, tunnel shots, tough birds, great pin placements...it's all here. Not to mention some great scenery. The fact that it's on a property with so many other great courses helps the cause, for sure.

It's a long round. Your arm will be tired. And then you'll want to play it again. A must play.
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13 1
bigbeano
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 18.5 years 34 played 28 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Gold has seen better days 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 9, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

-Good mix of length (although it is skewed more towards longer distance)
-Good mix of shot shaping required
-Good mix of tight, wooded holes and open holes
-Camping onsite

Cons:

-Fairways are in awful shape, grass gone on many holes. In it's place is lumpy mud.
-Garbage is everywhere.
-In general, the course and amenities are badly in need of repair.
-Signs are at each hole, but mostly destroyed
-Benches are at each hole, but mostly destroyed

Other Thoughts:

As much as I wanted to like this course, I couldn't. The basic structure and layout are definitely there to be a championship caliber course. If you look at the photos of the course on here, look at them with a grain of salt. Yes, the holes are still that length and shape. But, imagine it with garbage everywhere and multiple fairways destroyed from car tire tracks turning it into a mud pit. Not only that, but the buildings on the property are in serious disrepair. The "clubhouse" at the beginning was filthy with broken glass. The concession area was not open and from the looks of it you wouldn't want anything from it anyway. This was midday on a Saturday by the way, so everything should have been open.
On to the course itself, I can't stress enough: the layout, distance and hole shapes are all top notch. This is definitely a course for the more advanced player, especially because of the severe distance on several holes. There were additional challenges presented with the terrain in such terrible shape, not as though the course needed more challenge. Additionally, the course has had issues with being mowed lately. On this particular day, it was badly in need of mowing. The first nine holes were worse than the last nine. There were times when the grass was thigh high and that was supposed to be the fairway. All in all, I was thoroughly unimpressed with the course and actually quit the day of disc golf early because of the condition of the Gold course. I had planned on throwing at least one more course and maybe two, but enough was enough. In it's current shape, I cannot recommend this course. If it gets fixed up (which would take a lot of time and money) then by all means I would come back. But until that happens, I will not be back.
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1 7
drewmahowald
Experience: 2 played 1 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Best Course, Best Compound 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Sep 6, 2015 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Great range of hole types, nice range of distance (including the 1650 ft. hole... hell yes).

Very well designed holes. Never encountering anyone else - total privacy and leisurely pace.

Cons:

Occasionally the grass is long - literally, that's it.

Other Thoughts:

Highbridge Hills is the most incredible place in the world. So much so that most people end up making an annual pilgrimage of it with their best friends. I will come here at least 1-2x per year for the rest of my life and it is my #1 priority every year.

John, the course owner and manager, is a special soul and incredibly has never played a full 18 holes on the complex - a complex that is among the best in the world. He is a wonderful enigma.
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1 10
James McGirr
Experience: 11 played 11 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Total disc golf destination 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 22, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

Highbridgehills over all is a top disc golf destination. The gold coarse is more for the top line player.Distance off tee is must some tee shot require accurate placement to set up accurate 2nd shot to basket. Out of all the coarses there this would be the more difficult one. A pro I think would need to throw over400 feet from tee to compete.

Cons:

Can't say to much there. Although if one player has a substancial advantage off tee in distance you would have hard time tring to compete.

Other Thoughts:

I traveled around the last few summers playing disc golf coarses. the highbridge hills complex is the best place I have played hands down
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17 3
mittbull
Experience: 24.4 years 173 played 5 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Highbridge=Disc Golf Heven 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:May 31, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

The Championship Level course at Highbridge brings all the elements of the course together with tight fairways, big bombers, ace runs and water holes. this course has it all without any little dinkers to fill it in. This is a must play if you make the trek to highbridge (which everyone needs to do).

Cons:

There is no system to keep track of what pin position the basket is in, strongly suggest playing with at least three preferably four or more so you can team up to take on this monster and split up scouting/spotting duties.

Mosquitoes can get bad from the end of May to through June so bring the bugspray and long sleeves. Since this is a multiple course complex keeping up on the mowing can be a bear, check with John to make sure it is in decent shape.

Other Thoughts:

I may be a little jaded just returning from my first highbridge Adventure. We played this beast in teams of three and I managed to hit in ace on hole 4, but on the way up we hit Blue Ribbon Pines, Bryant Lake and Mont Du lac and while those all have their perks, there is nothing like
Highbridge in the world with 6+ Courses on one property, and this being the signature course (some might argue its Blueberry, but there is a reason this is the gold course),

**Updated: This review should be taken with a grain of salt as Highbridge has gone under an ownership change and has been forced to redesign this course. I still wouldn't hesitate to make the journey to Highbridge given the opportunity, but do your research before making the Trek. I've adjusted my rating from 5 to 4 as leaving it blank isn't an option.**
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19 1
Hector Chain
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 16.4 years 222 played 191 reviews
5.00 star(s)

The gold standard 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 23, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

The course begins with six or seven holes with long, pleasant, tree-lined fairways that are not terribly wide. These are truly a test of how far you can throw with excellent placement. If you are the macho guy who only throws high-speed drivers off the tee, you are in for a humbling experience. The rough is not the worst I've seen by any means, but it will punish you. Many of these fairways also have small trees interspersed throughout the fairways, so playing multiple times will give you an idea of ideal landing spots for your next spot. You need to be thinking ahead.

Hole 8 changes pace in a dramatic way. It is over 1000 feet long down a gently rolling fairway. This hole gave me a feeling I usually only experience when skiing: the chuckling admiration of beautiful terrain you're about to rip through. Or in simpler terms, the feeling of "Whoa...really?" There is a pretty wide fairway to do your damage on, but it's thin enough that you need to keep it in control. You'll feel like a schmuck if you go in the rough and have a boring out shot on this hole. I'm anything but a grip-and-rip fanatic, and I loved this hole.

Hole 10 was one of my favorites, a long drive out to a left-sweeping fairway with an OB road on the right and a troublesome grove of pine trees to the left. They have no branches from the ground to about 4 feet, so you'll have a shot if you land in them, but it could be a forehand roller from your knees or a weird upside down shot. Fun hole.

The rest of the course features holes that are pretty similar to Granite Ridge: fairly long holes where staying on the fairway was crucial. Some of them were prairie fairways, others more wooded. Despite the monumental length, there were one or two ace runs as a nice respite.

Cons:

Given the length, you never knew which position was in use, and you sure aren't going to walk these fairways before driving. Play this one more than once if time allows (I only got to play it the one time, unfortunately).

As with all the courses at Highbridge, the tee signs are mediocre. Some will show a straight shot when the fairway obviously bends. I'm skeptical of the distances shown (I think they underestimate the true distance). Some are faded and difficult to read.

All of the Highbridge courses have some issue with searching for discs. If you can play here with friends, do. I played this course more carefully and successfully avoided much of the tall grass, but it's not fun if you don't.

Other Thoughts:

After playing Blueberry and Granite Ridge the previous day, I decided I was going to try to stay on the fairway no matter what, even if it meant a really unaggressive shot. I'm glad I did, and I'd recommend the same to anyone else. If you try to throw full drives, you'll end up in some bad spots and won't enjoy the course, and your score will suffer. I have never been so happy to shoot an 83.

I max out around 300 feet and don't usually enjoy ultra-long courses. I don't like playing in strong winds, and the day I played had sustained 30+ mph winds. And yet despite this, I had a blast playing this course. This is one that makes you realize what you need to do to get better. It's not about how far you can throw your warp-speed driver, it's about how far you can throw your putter and have a safe landing. If you have great long-distance accuracy with a faster disc, you just picked up some strokes.

I wish I could have seen the pros handle this at Worlds. And I can't wait to play it again.

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2 2
metalheaddiscs
Experience: 18.5 years 101 played 4 reviews
5.00 star(s)

A slice of heaven 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 3, 2013 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Another amazing course at HH. Long and tests your game in every aspect, shots, stamina, and mind. Not much to say that others haven't.

Cons:

...........A couple bigger trash cans but I'm sure that would help the bears more then us.

Other Thoughts:

It might not be prefect in every possible way but its as close to perfect as any course I've played,(91 and counting). If you haven't made it to HH plan a trip, pack lots of food and drinks. Come to a wonderful inviting complex. It might not be your perfect city park but guess what its better. Your more with nature and the peace in your soul. Take a few minutes away from the disc golf to take it all in.
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8 0
krupicmd
Experience: 5 played 5 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Gold review 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 25, 2013 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Gold is a spectacular course. I have come up to Highbridge almost every year for about 6 years now (since I began playing disc) and Highbridge Gold was never a course I enjoyed a lot, until recently... now it is my favorite course on the grounds. Beginners Beware! Gold is not overly technical, just long. Pros will be challenged but should score under the posted par. There are multiple opportunities to rip drives into wide open fairways-. The first six holes are through the woods and so are holes 14 and 15. The rest of the course is fairly open and long- mainly 400+ foot holes.

Signature holes:
•#8: 1400+ ft hole, wide fairway, slightly sloping downhill almost the whole way.
•#11: Basket near a bear den (I believe it is not active...)
•#16: 270 ft hole with an island green- surrounded by a moat

Bombs- opportunity to rip drives into wide open fairways- especially hole #8.

Few crowds-
I've played this course about ten times ~6 different trips through varying times of the year and I don't think I've even seen another group on the course, let alone have wait for them on a hole.

Great tee pads- large and grippy.

Carts-
John (the owner of Highbridge Hills) has golf carts available to rent for this course. It is a great course to kick back and drive to your disc- especially if you can bomb them.

Cons:

Me being very picky- Hole 16 is not 100% surrounded by a moat. Actually there is a fairly wide strip of land in front of the green- I asked John to remove this and make it a true island green- tell John he should do this if you agree.

Other Thoughts:

If you make it up to the Highbridge Hills complex, chances are you drove a long way, so it doesn't make sense to play just one course. The great thing about the courses at HH is that they vary in difficulty and styles, so pending on your skill level or what you're in the mood for, there is a course that will most likely fit your needs. As standalone courses, three are still absolutely amazing- Granite, Blueberry and Gold - if one of the courses doesn't satisfy you, you only have to walk a couple hundred feet to a totally different course- The Bear- long, tight and woodsy- very hard, Gold-very long, mostly open, Granite- mostly open, fairly long, Woodland Greens- short technical course through the woods, numerous ace runs, Blueberry- open and woodsy, some long, some short technical holes. The grounds are organic, beautiful and calm.
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8 0
wolfhaley
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 20.5 years 1165 played 745 reviews
4.50 star(s)

The Gold standard 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 1, 2013 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

This is a very long, challenging course. It starts out more wooded at the beginning then opens up on the second half. There are large, level and grippy concrete tee pads on every hole. Most holes have two sets of tees however not all short tees are concrete. There's a good mix of left, right and straight shots and the distances are nuts here. The shortest hole is #2 at 260 feet and the longest is a monstrous 1426 feet on hole #8. The baskets are disccatchers. They are all in excellent shape and catch well. There are garbage cans and nice homemade benches on nearly every hole. The navigation here isn't a problem with there being next tee signs where they are needed. They provide scorecards with a solid map on the back of it in the pro shop as well. If it's your first time it wouldn't hurt to take a map for any of the courses you want to play. The signs are just like on all the other courses on site. They provide a basic hole map, hole #, pars and the different pin locations and distances for each. There's not as much elevation variation here as there is on Granite Ridge, however that doesn't mean it's completely flat either. There's enough to keep it interesting. The wind is the main factor on most holes on the Gold. The rough can be pretty brutal in a number of areas so staying on the fairway is key. errant shots will cost you here as much as any of the other courses. You can rent golf carts for this course as well as Granite Ridge too which is pretty sweet. The course starts north of the pro shop near woodland greens and granite ridge. You will need to use all your different shots when playing the Gold. Great mix of left, right and straight shots. The views are fantastic on this and all the other courses. It's by far the most peaceful place I've ever seen to disc golf at. It boggles my mind how anybody could not enjoy playing here.

Cons:

Just like the other courses here or anywhere in northern Wisconsin the bugs can get bad. Again not really a con since there's nothing they can do about it. Just be sure to bring plenty of bug spray. Also liquids because these courses will take their toll on you. Other than that nothing I can think of.

Other Thoughts:

As I've said in all my other Highbridge reviews, this is a must play for any serious disc golfers out there. You will not be disappointed with your trip to Highbridge. I rated this a 4.5 because I haven't played every course out there so I can't say it's the best of the best. That's why I don't give out 5's. But any of these courses up here are about as close as you can get.
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3 2
mjwilson
Experience: 15.4 years 89 played 1 reviews
5.00 star(s)

A terrific challenge 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:May 22, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

I thoroughly enjoyed the challenge of this course. It was a long, grueling course that required multiple good shots on a lot of holes. Even though the holes were long most required me to throw something other than a distance driver off the tee so I could keep it in the fairway. You really have to be smart about your disc selection. There is one very long, open, downhill hole that allows you to bomb a drive or two as far as you can.

I know some people don't like how far from just about everything this course is located but I love it. There aren't many people there and you can just appreciate the natural beauty of the area.

Cons:

Ticks are everywhere just like the rest of northern Wisconsin.

Other Thoughts:

I know the course can be a bit swampy if they get a good amount of rain and its hard for one man to keep up with maintaining all those course but the conditions were great when I was there. Just lucky I guess, and because of that this is one of my favorite courses. High bridge is definitely worth the trip for an avid disc golfer looking for a challenge.
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7 7
Money_Shot
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 20.4 years 128 played 39 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Bring A 2nd Arm 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Oct 3, 2012 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

-Geat mix of holes on this course. some with elevation challenges, some with tree challenges, some with water challenges, some with wind challenges and most with distance challenges.
-You can take a cart on this course....who doesnt love that?
-Well maintained.
-great signage
-great surrounding landscape, making the course visually appealing.
-All around a solid course meant for the advanced- pro disc golfer.

Cons:

-Impossible for an experienced (not pro) thrower to walk off the course after playing the longs and feel good about themselves. Just too long on most holes.
-wind on the long holes makes them more frustrating than they already can be for someone without a cannon for a throw.
-Did i mention this course is a beast, it just keeps coming at you with distance?
-Some of the roughs can be very rough and buggy.

Other Thoughts:

This course is NOT for a newbie to the game. I have played many years and this course kicks my butt. There are a few holes that give you an ace look, which is a nice change of pace on this course, but like I said only a "few". All said and done i will say this course is absolutely a great course and makes me jealous of those that do have the arm to put up a solid score. I, and i highly doubt im alone on this, am an experienced thrower who played this and walked away feeling like less of a man. From a pro thrower standpoint, this course has got to be a 5. The course and how it satisfies the range of discers out there really only caters to the big throwers or those who prefer long hole after long hole. I recommend those that don't have a bazooka for an arm to throw from the shorts. We had much more fun when we felt like we made progress each throw on this course. Will not rate it a 5 strictly because this course does not offer something for all disc golfers. Beginners will definitely get very frustrated on this course. All said and done, however, it is a great course and deserves the rating it has.
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16 0
#19325
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 23.4 years 351 played 178 reviews
5.00 star(s)

GOLD $$$ 2+ years drive by

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

Pros:

I'm going to start out with this. If you have not been to Highbridge make your plans now. You are missing out if you have not been there. Plan to spend at least 3 days to enjoy what the golf offers.

Gold is exactly what it is designed to be. It's an absolute beast designed for the best players in the World. At the 2007 Pro Worlds the best round on this course was a 55. After you play it imagine shooting a 55 on this par 69 course.

That land has a great mix of rolling hills, open, woods, and everything in between. Although there are a handful of standard par 3 holes you get bombarded with par 4's and 5. #6 is an absolute monster of a par 6. Yes, Par 6!!!

Great long and level cement tee pads.

Awesome Innova Discatcher baskets.

Adequate tee signs with A & B pin locations and par.

I like the use of the elevated ball golf tee area. It makes for a great green on #9.

If you like throwing a power driver this is the course for you. You are going to get many chances to mash!!!

Along with the mashing you are going to get brutalized by some of the longest and nastiest wooded holes. 6 is just downright filthy!

The Island Hole on #16 is a great concept.

Cons:

These don't hinder my rating of this course. Although not the best the tee signs could be upgraded to the best of the best.

Highbridge is a huge piece of property. Depending on when played the grass can be somewhat long. It depends on when John mows.

Other Thoughts:

I absolutely love Highbridge. There is a course for everyone here. I have Blueberry, Gold, & Granite as 5 disc courses. It's my #1 favorite place to play disc golf. Keep in mind that this is in the middle of nowhere. Be prepared (food, water, etc...) and bring some good hiking shoes. Bring a friend and spot for each other. This is no walk in the park. I have spent over 2 weeks at Highbridge and the golf is fantastic!
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10 2
bjreagh
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 28.2 years 353 played 321 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Highbridge Gold 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 7, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

[The Complex]- There are presently 5 complete 18-hole courses, with 2 more still being constructed. I like the fact that the courses are designed to be at varying levels of difficulty (hardest-> Gold-Granite-Blueberry-Woodland-Chestnut <-easiest) so if you come and play them all you will have a well-rounded experience of both challenging ¬skill-testers and more relaxing, fun rounds. Each course has different colored baskets that correspond to the course's name. The courses are set on an amazing piece of land that is huge and contains many natural features that are ideal for disc golf (open, woods, elevation, and ponds). The land is dedicated purely to disc golf and is so isolated that only disc golfers will be here, and chances are you will have these courses all to yourself. Huge props need to be given to the course designer for placing all the courses where they aren't on top of each other, each has its own character, and individual hole design is very creative and well-done. John, the owner, is very nice and loves to have people come and play. He works extremely hard on the courses and on the facility as a whole.

[The Course]- The Gold course is definitely a Gold Level course. The baskets for this one are the standard yellow band Discatchers. It consists of 18 challenging holes, a lot of it set on land that was a ball golf course. The biggest aspect that makes it harder is its length. There are 2 sets of tees (white-shorter, gold-super long), with the exception of only one tee on a few of the shorter holes. The white tees would still make it the hardest course at Highbridge, and the Gold tees are designed for those blessed with the really big arms. It is more wide open than Blueberry and Granite and the rough was not as thick, but there are still many spots where accuracy is necessary. This course is also more affected by wind as it is on the side of the ridge that faces the lake and it is more exposed to the elements due to being more open.

Some things I personally really liked about Gold: 1) there is a superb mix of alternating between open and wooded holes; 2) not being a long thrower I enjoyed that there were several shorter holes mixed in at just the right time providing for a great contrast from hole to hole; 3) there were a few pond water hazards as well as the unique island green of #16 surrounded by a moat; 4) it is not boring wide open long, but legit par 4/5 style where you have to strategically play your way down each fairway; 5) the views of the scenery are the best on the Gold course; and 6) though designed for gold level players it can still be enjoyable by intermediate players.

Cons:

[The Course]- The only minor con (for me) was the day I played the wind was insanely gusty making it even harder (probably was the strongest wind I have ever played in) to the point that it took away from the total enjoyment just a bit. A worker said the wind often picks up quite a bit on summer afternoons.

Basically the only thing keeping this course from being a 5.0 for me is the lack of attention to amenities and lack of completion of the complex as a whole.

[The Complex]- Can be summed up in two words- trashy and incomplete. The land is beautiful but is littered with junk and trash and numerous unfinished projects. And then add on top the most important thing of trying to maintain 5 courses while building 2 more, but nature is easily overtaking things. John is fighting a losing battle with an unpaid staff of 2 that can't complete the things that are already here while simultaneously trying to build more stuff. Things appeared to be breaking faster than they could be fixed. The campground was trashy and smelled of raw sewage in several spots. The Honka House has a lot of potential but the pics of the outside don't tell the whole story- inside it is missing basics like drywall, outlet covers, lights, etc. and seems to be used as much for storage of junk as it is for housing guests.

Other Thoughts:

[The Course]- The Gold course is designed to test the very best, and it definitely does. I think it is the most complete of all the courses at Highbridge. This is one course where you can rent a golf cart, but it is not really necessary. And John told us later that there is a bear den on one of the holes. (We joked later that it would have been nice to know that before hand and not afterwards!!!)

[The Complex]- If you like lots of holes and very rustic lodging then you will love it here. If you have high expectations of well-manicured courses and hotel-like lodging then prepare to be disappointed. John's mission is noble as he wants people of all ages to enjoy the outdoors and has plans to have 7 courses, as well as numerous other activities, but he does not seem concerned with creating a first-class disc golf facility. He dreams big, but appears to have bitten off more than he can chew. Highbridge needs manpower, but does not have the advantage of disc-golf loving locals or park workers that most other courses have. Other private courses don't either, but are usually only 1 course, not 7, and much easier to maintain!
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17 1
ElementZ
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 15.5 years 221 played 209 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Gold 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 9, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

Highbridge Gold is very likely the longest 18 hole course I've ever played. If you play from the gold tees, the holes average around 550 feet, which is 200 feet more than I'm used to. But several of these shots are not just open field where you have to just bomb it. Some of them, like #6, play either 730 or 920 ft. through a wooded area. It's a very challenging and potentially frustrating course. My group and I were more frustrated than we were happy about our shots but we thoroughly enjoyed every second we were playing here. It really humbled us and taught us that we still have a long way to go...

Hole #8, in my opinion, was the signature hole at a distance of 1325 feet and justifying a par 6. It's a great feeling to crush a disc if you have some built up frustration from the prior holes, and this is the perfect hole to do it.

Gold is a perfect championship course and therefore warrants a perfect 5.0.

Cons:

This is definitely not a beginner's course. If you can't throw above 300 feet consistently, this is not the course for you. If you're used to your local park where the holes vary between 150-300 feet, you're in for quite the surprise here.

Also, the Highbridge Hills Sports Complex in general is very far away from any stores or restaurant, so make sure you stock up for your stay with lots of food, water, alcohol, and that sort of thing.

Other Thoughts:

The HHSC is an amazing place to go. The scenary is wonderful, the people you'll meet are amazing, and the courses here are nothing short of being the best in the world.

If you get the chance, say hi to John Jokinen, the owner and care taker, and thank him for everything he's done. He's a very nice guy who puts in a ton of time with the courses, the cabins, the honka house, and the entire site in general.

Feel free to message me about any of the courses or HHSC in general and I'll try my best to answer any questions. :)
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13 0
discRabbit
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 25.4 years 1329 played 136 reviews
5.00 star(s)

No Fools Gold Here 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 20, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

I drove up to the Highbridge complex of courses fully expecting to be underwhelmed - sure they had bunches of courses, but were they really the cream of the crop? The answer is a confident 'yes' - these courses and the complex itself lives up to expectations!

Although Blueberry Hill is currently rated top dog at Highbridge, the Gold course managed to grab the top spot for me. The Gold course, while not having the variety of holes that Blueberry does, had the most consistency and challenge. Chuck Kennedy's careful design work and attention to detail really stands out on many of the par 4 and 5 holes. On each, I felt that I had several nearly equal options off the tee to mix and match with knowledge of course conditions and personal confidence. Landing zones are apparent but not easy to reach and plenty of opportunities are available for aggressive play or defensive play depending on player strengths and weaknesses. The Gold course will test not only the shots in your bag but knowledge of strategy. Liek Blueberry Hill, all staple shots will be needed for this course (and probably a few unorthadox when in trouble) and it will expose weakness with punishing rough and some well thought out elevation hazards. Blueberry isn't the only course with 'wow' - few tees impress and intimidate as much as the 1325' eigth.

Cons:

Gold lacks a bit of the variety and accessibility of Blueberry and appeals to a slimmer range of skill levels. At the same time, part of what makes this course stand out so much is its consistency and unrelenting nature.

Other Thoughts:

To anyone who is wondering if this place is worth a trip - definitely! Although I only had a day to play all of the courses, I feel like I could have easily spent a week here without getting bored. Camping, wilderness, golf carts, and tons of natural beauty all make this place one of the best destinations in disc golf.
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