Sparta, WI

Justin Trails - Classic DGC

4.125(based on 34 reviews)
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11 0
EspressoPatronum
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 19.3 years 316 played 298 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Little Brother

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Mar 2, 2024 Played the course:once

Pros:

- good elevation change with incorporation of rolling hills
- pond incorporated for water hazard on 2 holes
- good out and back design hugs hillsides for some wooded shots
- practice basket shared with Big Brother
- great amenities: bathrooms onsite, port o potties on course, snacks for purchase, garbage cans
- variety of hole lengths
- variety of shot types with mix of open and wooded holes
- new baskets coming soon
- older but large concrete tees
- well maintained and picturesque course
- rough is very manageable
- last few holes add significant technical challenge with steep dropoffs
- good layout and great navigation/flow
- camping onsite

Cons:

- baskets are about 25 years old and are showing their age
- wind is a significant factor, particularly on first few holes
- tee signs are just ok with small maps
- can feel a little repetitive

Other Thoughts:

Justin Trails Classic is a respectable course, though not in the same league as Big Brother. The owners said they have ordered new baskets, so their 25+ year old baskets will likely be upgraded very soon which will be a nice facelift for this course. The tee signs, like Big Brother, are a little underwhelming for a location of this caliber, but they are serviceable, and the concrete tees are large and functional, though a bit weathered.

Classic has respectable elevation change that would probably impress on most courses, it just happens to pale in comparison to its Big Brother. You don't tend to traverse the epic up and down hills, but there are plenty of uphill or downhill shots. The first several holes are very open and prone to the wind having its way before moving into some more sheltered trees. At the farthest point there are a few shots around a pond where Classic and Big Brother come within spitting distance of each other. After that, you head back towards the start. The last few holes were some of my favorites, playing up higher on the hill with large dropoffs to your right.

Hole 17 was a cool throw over a little uphill rise, then down over a small ravine. I always find these "downhill but with an uphill obstacle in the way first" shots challenging to choose a strategy on. Hole 18 may have been even better, with another slight rise followed by a downhill shot onto the hillside. This one was absolutely brutal to park with rolls off the basket area down the hill being hard to avoid. The built in stairs on hole 18 were nice and something I'd like to see a bit more of on these courses where there are really steep grades.

Overall, the mix of hole types here is still respectable and in some ways this course plays closer to a 4. However, it isn't the same caliber and level of unique play as Big Brother. If you can't handle long walking distances, Classic is the course to play at about 1.5 miles of walking vs. 3.5 miles for Big Brother. Ideally, anyone making the trip all the way out to Sparta should play both. While Big Brother took me about 2 hours, Classic was more in the 1:15 range (both solo). Classic will not wear you out nearly to the level Big Brother will.

One thing that impressed me here was that Classic and Big Brother get close to each other at a few points, but don't interfere with each other. You can almost see the whole layout of Classic playing out in front of you as its a very linear out and back traversal; it's very logical and was well thought out to avoid the property's lower lying farmland but still work cool holes into the trees and hillside.

The owners of the property are delightful and seem to really care about these courses and their maintenance. There are snacks for sale as well as some discs and shirts. Justin Trails is well worth a visit; maybe not for Classic alone, but with 2 excellent courses here, it's a great place to spend part of a day.
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3 0
RiversideDG
Experience: 2 played 2 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Justin Trails Classic Course - Updates drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 15, 2023 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Amazing panoramic views on this property. Alot of course maintenance has gone into the disc golf courses the last 2 years. Brush clearing and dead tree removel.

Bathrooms, showers, Cabins, Camping, Bed and Breakfast onsite and so much more. www.justintrails.com

Cons:

I wish I was closer to play more often.
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7 0
Johnsondere
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 1.3 years 136 played 83 reviews
4.00 star(s)

One of the Best in Wisconsin drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 19, 2020 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

- Plenty of parking space.
- Elevation change galore.
- Not too challenging but brings some distance into play
- Beautiful scenery!
- Great use of ponds, tree lines, and elevation
- Camping on site

Cons:

- Baskets tend to spit out.
- The rough gets very tricky
- Not a whole lot of scoring separation.

Other Thoughts:

Justin Trails Classic is a very solid course for casual and competitive players alike! My only big complaint is the baskets. They tend to spit out a decent amount. Had a dead center ace run on hole 2 spit right back out and break my heart.

For tournament play there isn't a lot of scoring separation but that is getting nit picky.
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12 0
XC_Eddy
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 17.3 years 30 played 13 reviews
4.50 star(s)

This is What Pay to Play Should Look Like 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 25, 2019 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

My family stayed at the Justin Trails B&B for a few days in August 2019. We stayed in one of the farmhouse rooms. Beautiful property, great facilities, all you could ever ask for in amenities. Life doesn't get much better than waking up, eating a gourmet breakfast, and playing a round on a well manicured and maintained course. The owners are lovely people.

-Practice basket by the clubhouse
-Helpful map provided at clubhouse
-Loner discs available.
-Good culture of returning lost discs
-Nice concrete Teepads
-Open mowed fairways. Course needs to be mowed constantly, and it is.
-Elevation present and used. Uphill shots, downhill shots, valley shots.
-Tee signs exist. There are some next tee signs where applicable.
-2 sets of tees is always a plus. Reds are great for new players. I mostly played whites and was happy. Pins are reachable from both tees for experienced players.

Cons:

-Some of the rough is terribly rough. I got all torn up trying to retrieve a throwing putter on 18. Only went about 50 feet deep of the basket and my disc was nearly impossible to get. Blackberry bushes, stinging nettle, and other thick thorny bushes were all tangled up together only about 10 feet deep of the pin. It's also a downhill blind shot, so going deep into the junk is very easy. I know that the course owners let the goats eats the mess back there sometimes. It's likely a constant battle to keep the tangly mess in the rough under control. Large property is hard to maintain, so it's understandable that not every patch of rough is under control at any given time. BUT being a pay to play course, I'm willing to hold Justin Trails to a higher standard on maintenance. Overall, they do a very good job maintaining the large property, especially the fairways. The rough is tougher to keep up with. It is worth noting that I was there in August: Peak overgrowth season. They did host a tournament a few weeks after my visit, so I imagine a lot of it was cleaned up for their big annual event.

-The Classic Course does not have a ton of distance. No par 4's or 5's. Only one hole over 400.

-Tee signs could be more clear. I heard them talking about new tee signs. They may be in by the time I've gotten around to writing my review.

-The 2 courses on the property are mostly separate, but the first time I played the classic course I accidentally ended up on Big Brother at about hole 12. Definitely user error, but I could see others making the same mistake.

Other Thoughts:

-You can kind of tell the course was designed in 1998 based on the hole distances. That being said, this course is SUPER FUN. Maybe my favorite par 54 course.

-If playing in the morning, prepare for the grass to be dewy and wet.
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4 0
faasda01
Experience: 6.4 years 12 played 6 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Great hidden gem 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 24, 2018 Played the course:once

Pros:

Requires multiple shot types
Good mix of distances for par-3 only course
A couple ace-able holes
Beautiful scenery
Rewards well executed shots

Cons:

A bit hilly if you arent prepared for it
Some of the rough is very wooded and tough to get out of
Not the best tee-markers
Pay to play course

Other Thoughts:

This course is close to family so I checked it out over thanksgiving weekend. The owners are great and friendly the course is very well maintained although it was rainy when I was there so things were a bit muddy. This is a fantastic course for those who arent expert golfers or are warming up for the Big Brother course.
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5 0
cbyroni
Experience: 26.4 years 2 played 2 reviews
4.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 1, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

The Classic Course at Justin Trails is the type of course you can play everyday, alone or with a group. It is a straightforward par 54, and all the holes are "deuceable."
A 1000-rated round is generally around -8 (48).
The course offers excellent shot variety, with uphill, downhill and flat holes. An experienced player will be required to throw drivers, midranges and putters for their tee shots.
Even with the elevation changes, this course is cart friendly.

Other Thoughts:

The property itself is absolutely gorgeous and is maintained beautifully.
The campsites provided in the valley around the hole 7, 8, 9, turn is a secluded and spacious. There are also cabins available to rent.
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2 6
deadbody
Experience: 20.7 years 152 played 68 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Kinda boring 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 11, 2015 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Nice course. Nice tees and pads. Interesting layouts. Shot variety.

Elevation and tunnels. Open bombers and short shots.

Very well maintained.

Cons:

Kinda boring. Especially after big brother.

It's a nice course but nothing really special.
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9 0
Martin Dewgarita
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 15 years 1600 played 95 reviews
3.50 star(s)

I love a good Meat Loaf 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:May 1, 2017 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Fun warm up course for Big Brother - or plenty of fun on its own with a decent mix of wooded and open shots, mix of elevation, and some fun water shots.

Unique Amenities that you might not find at other courses -
Camping or lodging on site.
Breakfast available in the morning.
Barn for hosting events or getting out of the rain.

Cons:

Not a lot of variety of shot shapes, you're either looking at open with elevation, right to left, or tunnel shots.

Not a lot of variety in distance.

A little rough around the edges - some places it can be a pain to venture off the fairways.

Other Thoughts:

Maybe not a destination course on its own, but pair it with big brother, and you have 36 holes worth traveling for, make a weekend of it, go for an event, make sure you stop by and play both courses if you ever have the opportunity.
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2 0
ChuckHeiam
Experience: 3 played 3 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Classic course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 1, 2017 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

It has elevation, side slopes, a drop shot over a pond, open and wooded holes, in general a fun mix but still friendly to newer players too.

Cons:

Can't think of any unless all you want to do is throw long. The rough has really been cleaned up other than blackberries on one hole that they pick for canning in the fall.

Other Thoughts:

This is just a plain fun all around course that is a great warm up to play their Big Brother course or a as a stand alone round since it offers you a little bit of everything. It is also fun to play glow rounds on this course. On site camping with free firewood and hot showers and a second more challenging course on the property make it a fun place to stay. If you aren't into roughing it they are also a Bed and Breakfast.
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5 2
Dr.Smooth
Experience: 29.5 years 4 played 4 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Driftless Area Epic for DG 2+ years drive by

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

Pros:

Their is a lot you could write about on this course review. This area of Wisconsin is the driftless area. Meaning extremely hilly with deep valleys. The lay of the land beckons one for autumn drives, hiking and yes- a great dg experience.
When you put a great course on a great piece of land you get an Utopian like setting. An epic disc golf experience awaits.
The classic course offers a basic pitch and putt type layout that utilizes the bottom of a valley here on the farm. So much fun to play!
Big Brother course works its way up a ridge. The extra work of elevation increase is rewarded with amazing views. Best views of any course I have played in the Midwest. Twenty plus years of playing random courses so don't take that statement lightly.
Big Brother will challenge you with long holes. Major elevation changes and greens that can be unforgiving.

Cons:

Very little. I haven't given a course a 5 rating yet. Well, I have realized every course even the great ones will have flaws.

The only flaw here might be if a player has preference leaning towards tight and wooded. The course leans more towards open but defined fairways.

Other Thoughts:

The course is located on a farm slash bed and breakfast. Lodging options exist from economical to lavish.

This is also a place you can take your non disc golfing friends along for the epic views, hiking, etc.

A must play for anyone in the Midwest!!
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5 0
JLHJLH
Experience: 7.4 years 13 played 13 reviews
4.50 star(s)

simply the best 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 25, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

I've played maybe a dozen courses in Wisconsin. My home course is Estabrook in Milwaukee. This is the best. This course is groomed (they planted hostas at the base of some of the baskets) and the pictures (I didn't take any) do NOT do it justice. A few of the baskets are down parts of a Cross Country trail which is maintained even in June. Directions (once you find the first tee) are clear and accurate (everyone says this) including the "mando" signs to keep you honest. Water and wind are the obstacles other than the layout which is extreme, and extremely well thought out.
Have spotters, on a couple of the narrower fairways.

Cons:

Not near anything . . . . closest town is Sparta.
Where long pants as the rough in the woods is a tough go (raspberries and nettles) . . . . just don't go there.

Other Thoughts:

Go out of your way to play this one . . . . .
The "resort" rests on an ancient farm, now fully rennovated and beautiful . . . . the people there are very very nice and there is a great bar two miles away.
We only played the "classic" course . . . twice . . . . there is a second course which is, I hear, a real challenge, not for the feint of heart.
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2 2
recca68592
Experience: 2 played 2 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Fun and Beginner Friendly 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 26, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

Well maintained, multiple pin placements, and definitely beginner friendly! This course has a decent mix of open and wooded holes with amazing views of the valley.

Cons:

Some of the wooded holes have fairly rough roughs but other than that, the only thing I would change is the details of the hole signs. They are good enough, but could be better on both courses on the property.

Other Thoughts:

This course is good to play year around, but in the winter it is best to play Big Brother as a majority of the Classic fairways are groomed for cross country skiing.
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8 0
Stardoggy
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 13.3 years 1038 played 214 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Nice appetizer for the big course... 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 10, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

Classic is the shorter course on the Justin Trails property. This is disc golf/bed and breakfast exclusive property. The course has been redesigned since the pictures were uploaded here. Many of the holes are the same, but not all.

Concrete tee pads, one per hole. These are all good to go. Long, wide and grippy. No problems whatsoever.

Mach 3 baskets...the older type. They still perform well, and are mounted well. Several spots with hillside baskets, so lots and lots of rollaway opportunities. From what we could tell, there were dual pin placements on several holes.

Once you figure out where hole 1 is, navigation is pretty simple. The signs are very crude, just hole number and distance, but nearly all baskets are visible from the tee.

Classic is not nearly the butt kicker that Big Brother is. There is a nice mix of open and hilly, and tight wooded lines. Nearly every shot has some sort of elevation involved, as well.

This isn't the longest course around, but it has plenty of distance for the amateur player. A couple spots to let it fly, but plenty of spots that require smart decision making as well. Even most of the short holes have some danger involved on errant shots.

Cart friendly, for the most part. There's a few hills that a bit sketchy, but they're maneuverable for the most part.

Cons:

There aren't really a lot of cons for this course, outside of it not being super difficult. There is some openness to it in a lot of spots.

The wayward tee pads from the original design can throw you off a bit.

Searching for discs in corn fields...meh.

Other Thoughts:

This is a fantastic partner/warm-up course for Big Brother. I can also see this being a super fun glow course if you're camping/bunking on site.

On its own, due to location, this isn't a course I'd drive long distances for. With its partner in crime, however, it makes for a true destination. At some point, I'll be camping, carousing, and groovin' for a weekend here...and you probably should, too.
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2 8
Spike Hyzer 23
Experience: 31.3 years 92 played 88 reviews
5.00 star(s)

My Favorite Tournament Experience 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 15, 2007 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Justin Trails is a course that is fairly open in many parts, owing to the farmland it is situated on, but offers startling and breathtaking elevation changes (you can see for miles). Once you graduate from the first few open holes, you will face a variety of tunnel shots that are complicated by severe slope in both R to L and L to R orientations. There is a pond to navigate from an elevated tee, which makes the disc choice difficult for determining distance, not to mention that the pin is plopped only 15 feet past the water.

The slope is what makes the course so fascinating in most cases, a mere consequence of the elevation.

Cons:

While many courses tend to challenge the right handed player by creating a lot of anhyzers, this course is far more righty friendly than most and was a bigger challenge to the left handed player.

That's not really a con, but I AM left handed!

Other Thoughts:

It's one of the best places because this old soybean farm--the older couple who owns the place spotted in the soybean field on the 5th hole and encouraged me to pick some to eat throughout my second round--is also a bed and breakfast. They now have a second course that is supposed to be far more challenging (called Big Brother).

I can't think of a better way to spend a weekend than to stay with your loved one and play disc golf.
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4 0
tonyroberts
Experience: 12.2 years 93 played 10 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Lovely Place to Play & Stay 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 28, 2015 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Justin Trails Classic is a beautiful, well kept course in a delightful setting -- the rolling hills of a former dairy farm turned B&B and destination wedding venue. The owners are friendly and helpful, and they work hard to maintain a first-class operation.

The course is mowed regularly and includes, concrete tees, trash receptacles, good signage, and ample restrooms along the way. The "Lodge," just off the parking area, offers maps and course information and makes snacks and beverages available.

The course includes a mix of open and wooded holes, has plenty of elevation to contend with, and a pond to throw over.

Cons:

A minor flaw is that the course can seem a little repetitive. For example, after starting with four open, hilly holes, you have three open flat holes, then three holes with tight-wooded fairways.

A few of the holes are bordered by cropland, which can make finding errant throws a challenge. However, in most cases there's plenty of room to stay out of trouble with a reasonable throw.

The course is listed as having a set of short tees, and the course signage shows them, but they are not readily apparent. I was told they were marked by flush-to-the-ground landscape timbers, but I didn't see many of these along the way. I was happy playing from the concrete long tees as I suspect most would be. This doesn't seem to be the course where you'd take new players to introduce them to the game.

Other Thoughts:

Though this course was challenging for me, some more advanced players might consider it tame and/or short. If so, they have the option to play Justin Trails Big Brother just across the valley where they can really air things out.

Although I played for free while staying as a guest at the B&B (which I highly recommend), the $5 fee for use of the course by non-guests would be well worth it. It's a pleasure to play such a well cared for course in such a peaceful setting.


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1 3
Bogie Bee
Experience: 8 played 7 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Great course with great scenery 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 22, 2015 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Beautiful views, variety of looks, elevation changes.

Cons:

Somewhat easy.

Other Thoughts:

Given the land they have to work with, this course was very well constructed. Considering the lack of good courses in the area, this is the best course nearby. I play this course every time I'm in the area and love it.
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1 6
blazerico
Experience: 19.4 years 321 played 37 reviews
3.00 star(s)

meh 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 5, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

Course is on a great piece of land and the owners are super friendly and helpful. since there is a b&b on-site, there are really good amenities in the "clubhouse". the classic course is very well maintained and is easy to follow.

Cons:

tunnel shots. one or two or maybe even three is cool on a course, but there were, I think, six of them here. I'm sure this was a great course when it was put in the ground, but it is really outdated and not much of a challenge now.
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6 1
IHearChains
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 20.4 years 211 played 34 reviews
2.50 star(s)

fun casual course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 28, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

There is another course onsite that provides the big par 4 and par 5 golf, and it's a destination course. This course is more about par 3 birdie golf. Almost every hole can be parked by an advanced-level or intermediate-level player. Still requires a few throws over 300 ft. There are some interesting greens built up on manicured grassy knobs or slopes, leading to rollaway potential. A lot of tunnel shots along old road, mostly straight, a few slightly right or left finishing. One throw over a small pond, but it's a midrange shot, downhill and wide open. This hole would be way better if the tee were moved way back and up on the ridge to the left (facing from tee to basket). Hole 14 was a downhill tunnel shot that opened up at the end, fun shot.

Cons:

The course is definitely unbalanced and favoring right-hand backhand. I usually throw about 30% forehand from the tee on a typical balanced course, and I only had one hole that called for a forehand on this course. It isn't a great challenge to play, but it still has a fun factor. I wouldn't make the trip from out of town for this course alone, but it's definitely a fun casual course. Play it if you're in the area. We had fun playing it after getting fatigued from challenging the bigger course onsite. But if this were the only course onsite it would've been disappointing.
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2 5
Blair
Experience: 12.2 years 9 played 1 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Outstanding 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 6, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

Excellent variety of hills, close in wooded fairways, and open power shots. ( a novice myself, but still fun to just let the disc rip) Family owned and operated (Extremely nice people) and they take alot of time and pride in both of their courses. Very quiet countryside with no traffic. oh and Lama's, a new standard for every disc golf course.

Cons:

Have you ever seen the picture of "the impossible stairs" keeps going up without raising elevation? LOL, somehow this course seems to accomplish that.. Maybe it was the rum and beer..

Other Thoughts:

I believe they have an Open Tournament in Sep. I strongly recommend checking it out, you wont be sorry... Unless you find yourself fishing a disc out of the pond.
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3 2
M_Bortz
Experience: 11.5 years 138 played 3 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Intense Course 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 22, 2014 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

I think this is one of the greatest courses here in the La Crosse Area. This course will challenge you on all levels.

Holes are very well designed, which make for some interesting shots, through the trees and especially over water (hole 11 I think).

Amazing views and rolling hills. Just a beautiful place to play!


Cons:

WIND!
Since it's located in a valley, it's terribly windy. Both times I've played there it's always a huge factor in how my scorecard turns out and how I throw a disc.

Other Thoughts:

This is definitely not a beginner course!!!

Took me about an hour and fifteen minutes to play alone.

Lots of hiking involved.

Has a nice shop providing scorecard/maps. Food and refreshments. They have discs for purchase and even loaner discs to borrow.

Also has hiking and XC trails here throughout the farms property.
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