DGCR research aside, do you ever just know that a course is going to be amazing - before you even tee off? That's the feeling I got when I stepped onto the first pad at Rainshadow DGC.

This 18-hole course is located in the northeastern corner of the scenic Olympic Peninsula in Washington state. It's only a couple of minutes drive off of US-101, the main road that runs around the outside of the peninsula. Once you exit US-101, there are clear signs pointing towards the course as you approach. The course's name reflects the fact that it sits in the "rainshadow" of the Olympic (mountain) Range - an area of relatively low rainfall that is the result of the mountains causing all the moisture to rain out of the clouds on the opposite (Pacific Ocean) side. Reviewer Phlick went into a lot more detail about this below, if you are curious!

Rainshadow DGC is set in a park dedicated to disc golf only. The park is quite hilly, and mostly covered in towering spruce trees. Even in June, I caught a whiff of pine needles on a few occasions. The trees and elevation changes are used throughout the course to create all kinds of interesting holes. You could probably ask five different DG'ers what their favorite hole is and get five different answers. Some of the most memorable for me were:
- #1: The first hole features a beautiful view of the Olympic Range from the tee pad. If you can bear to look down from that, it's only a 224' downhill throw to the basket and the fairway is wide open. You'll probably want to throw more than one disc at this ace run, but beware - the terrain slopes downward into thick rough on both sides. Tough recoveries for par (or worse), or even lost discs would be possible here - especially on windy days.
- #2: The second hole tees off from a safe distance behind the first basket. The first 200' or so of the fairway continues down the same hill, but then it turns very sharply to the right and moves into the woods, back up and over a smaller hill for another 275' or so to the basket. The angle of the turn is way over 90 degrees, but the woods are so dense that cutting the corner off appears to be pretty much impossible. Par 4.
- #5: Fun downhill throw through the woods on a fairway carved out in a gentle "S" shape. Signed as a par 4, but birdies are definitely possible on this 388' hole if you can follow the line.
- #7: This is the only hole with two tee pads. From the long Blue tee, it measures 481'. You will tee off from the top of a very steep hill, with another nice view of the valley below. Your target is a straight but relatively narrow grass-covered fairway that begins about 150' off the tee at the bottom of the hill. Thick rough on both sides. The grassy fairway is about 250' long and fairly level, then the last part of the hole curls to the left to the basket. What wasn't obvious to me until after I threw is that the rough also slopes steeply down from the fairway on both sides - making things a whole lot tougher if you miss the fairway. Disc loss is a very distinct possibility here - use a spotter if possible. I actually gave my RHBH drive way too much anhyzer and it may have been lost to the woods even with my spotter there, but I got very lucky and it kicked hard off a tree right back onto the fairway near the short pad. That short pad is near the beginning of the grassy fairway, and makes this hole a lot more approachable for newer disc golfers.
- #11: This one may have been my personal favorite. It's a 433' throw that initially curls to the left, then kinks back to the right and plays down and back up a valley dotted with trees. Very picturesque.

I literally deleted a couple of other memorable hole descriptions here - you get the idea! Overall, the variety is great. There are left turns, right turns, and straight throws. Obstacle-wise, there is everything from the completely open beginning hole, to #13 (only 158', but with a very tight but fair line to hit in the woods). Holes play downhill, uphill, and along undulating terrain - and a couple are even flat. In general, this is a technical course that will require accuracy over distance. Hole distances range from the 158' to 481' numbers mentioned above, with the average hole distance being about 280'. There aren't any gimmes or easy ace runs here though, other than maybe that first hole. I felt like I threw a very good round overall, and finished three over par.

The fairways are a mix of dirt, and grass that was freshly mowed when I visited. The park appeared to be very well maintained, despite being in what felt like the middle of nowhere.

The baskets are yellow banded DISCatchers - they are in great shape and are easy to spot. One pin position per hole. There is a practice basket as well, on the opposite side of the parking lot from the first tee.

The tee signs have the hole number, distance, par, and a rough map of the hole. There is one tee position per hole, with the exception of #7 as discussed above. There are two different trails from #6 leading to the two different tees, and they are well marked.

That brings me to the other signage here, which is impeccable. There is a huge kiosk at the parking lot that has a detailed course map, park rules, and other information. High quality "Next Tee" signs are pinned to trees wherever needed. When there are other paths leading off into the woods, these are also marked. For example, a service road that is presumably used to maintain the course is identified with signs. There are cautionary signs at what appeared to be a couple of ORV trails that skirt the edges of the park, warning anyone who may enter that way of the potential flying disc hazard. There is even a trail that leads from the far side of the course back to the parking lot that has clear signage explaining what it is for.

The front nine and the back nine each loop back to the parking lot. Between this design feature and the cutoff trail mentioned above, you could easily play a 9-hole round or some other number of holes if you are short on time.

There is a porta potty available at the parking lot.

The only really firm Con I have here is the tee pads. I think the first two holes had concrete pads, which were great. Most of the remaining ones were large sheets of a rubbery material, set on wood boards. These were large enough, but some of them were a little lumpy especially near the edges. My real issue though was with the maybe 4-5 holes that had metal plate tee pads. In my opinion, metal may be the worst possible material for a tee pad. They are slippery when wet, and even can be slippery when dry. The fact that the first couple pads are concrete gives me hope that the remaining ones will be upgraded sometime soon. UPDATE: I was told in a DM that they are all now concrete!

There are a couple of benches. I think a couple more would be nice. This is probably not the most extreme up-and-down course you have ever played, but it is definitely a workout.

The path down from the long tee on hole 7 is steep and narrow. Some stairs and brush clearing here would be nice. In the meantime, I would recommend just playing the short tee on this hole if you are not sure-footed. In other areas, stairs have already been cut into the hillsides.

The hole distances were more than adequate for me, but touring professional disc golfers who can routinely throw 350'+ with accuracy might feel that there isn't enough distance here. There also aren't any water hazards.

As mentioned above, disc loss is definitely possible in a few places. This is more of a note, and not a serious enough issue to impact my rating.

There are no trash cans here. The kiosk mentions that the course is maintained mainly by volunteers, so pack out what you pack in. Don't be lazy and spoil the beauty of this park and course with your litter. This also didn't impact my rating.

There are some areas nearby with spotty/no cell service, but reception was fine for me at the course itself.

This course was an instant favorite for me. It caught my eye when researching courses in the Seattle/Olympic area, and I came in with high expectations. It still exceeded those expectations. Out of 151 courses I have played as of this writing, Rainshadow is probably in my personal top 5 - and if we are talking about natural beauty alone, it's probably top 3. My girlfriend is not a disc golfer, but she walked this course with me and by hole 6 or 7 she was saying "wow!" unprompted and shooting photos of baskets and scenery with her $1,000 camera.

Does a course need multiple layouts to earn a 5.0 rating? That's the question I will have to weigh if and when I return here to find the tee pads all concrete. My answer right now is that while another layout would almost definitely help the rating, I might feel this one is over the 4.75 threshold even without that. The variety and challenge in the 18 holes is outstanding, and I could definitely have played two or three or four rounds here in a row without getting bored. It might be a little bit on the short side for very experienced players, but I think even those players will be happy to shoot a well-designed and interesting course several strokes under par in such a beautiful setting.

This is a must-play course, period. I recommend planning a vacation to the Olympic Peninsula in general - from the mountain views of Hurricane Ridge to the lush temperate rainforests to the rugged, rocky beaches, there are a wide variety of beautiful sights to take in. If you have even a passing interest in disc golf, you should stop and play this course on that trip. On its own, this is still well worth a day trip from the Seattle/Tacoma area. I can't wait to visit again!

UPDATE NOVEMBER 2022: I did not personally play the course again (I wish!) but I received a DM which stated the local club has installed all concrete tee pads at the course since my visit in June. I guess now that puts the onus on me to return and figure out if I need to up this rating to a 5.0. Challenge accepted!

There's something about disc golf on the west side of Puget Sound. Almost every course I play over here is a favorite. If you asked me to list my 10 favorite courses in Washington state? More than half of them would be over here.

Equipment: It's a new course, so the equipment is what you'd expect. Bright new DiscCatchers in the woods. The signs are all visible and in good shape, and the teepads (while being rubber mats) are grippy enough and long enough.

Navigation: The navigation here is perfect. There's a massive kiosk at the parking lot that has a course map on it. There are maps and scorecards in a weatherproof box too. And there are signs everywhere. A sign leading you to the first tee and next tee signs within feet of every pin. The only thing missing is a moving walkway.

Design: The design is where this course stands out. I don't know who designed it, but I want to hug them. This course has everything. Wide avenues and narrow fairways. Elevation galore (uphill and downhill). Short and long. Straight and doglegs. Right and left turning. Open and wooded. Wind and trees. And just enough variety to keep a casual player from hucking their grocery bag of discs down a hill. There's very little underbrush to contend with and none of the fairways really encroach on each other. Even better, none of the teepads are in danger from any other holes. That's hard to do in the woods. The flow of the course is amazing too. You play around the outside for 9 holes, and then you can either do it again to make it a 27 or you play on through the middle of the property for the back 9. Both hole 9 and hole 18 finish by the parking lot, and there's even a trail running through the center of the course if you need to leave mid-round. They also did a phenomenal job of taking what would be fairly forgettable holes and making them more challenging. Like hole 2. That hole should be a smooth uphill shot through the trees. And it is. If you manage to park your first shot at the turn, because it's the meanest dogleg I've ever played. There are also a couple of holes where an average designer would have placed the pin at the bottom of the hill. But not this one. This one makes you play on up the following hill to an essentially elevated pin. Signature hole has to be hole 7 with a narrow fairway that falls away to the right and left so you have to focus on shot placement. There's a massive downhill blue tee or a more accessible red tee at the bottom. But neither one is a gimme. One gust of wind and you're wasting strokes climbing back up that hill. In essence, the designer makes you think about every part of every shot. What line do you take? Where is your skip going to take you? What are the weather conditions? You can't just spray and pray here, and that's amazing. As I've said many times before, the best compliment I can pay a course designer is that if you play their course it makes you a better player. This is never more true than it is here. I applaud you.

Equipment: The 6 basket had a lean to it already. This is a disc golf exclusive portion of the property, but it has that look that baskets get once teenagers start climbing on them. And I guess the rubber teepads can be a con. They get really slick when there's sand on your feet, and I only saw one broom on the course.

Navigation: No cons to list.

Design: I have a hard time complaining about the design of this course. I wrote a gushing bit about it just above that you probably read. Some might consider hole 2 a con because it's so tough to get into the right landing area to play back up the hill. But that's a challenge that you don't often get. Just like the wind here. It's a challenge you don't often get. If it's a con for you, then work harder on that part of your game. I think the closest I can come to a design flaw here is that there's only one hole with multiple teepads. There's enough space here for red tees on many of the holes too, and probably red tees with entirely different looks. But what do I know? I only played it once. Someone who knows the property better than I could very easily disagree. One might also complain about the lack of bomber holes. You get a variety that includes longer shots, but the longest holes are downhill so they play shorter than they sound. That's it though. Complaining done.

That has to be the shortest con list I've ever written. This course is great and easily a top 5 for me. I found myself craving another round before I even got on the ferry to go home. I highly recommend it. Well worth the drive no matter where you're coming from.

1. Could not be easier to follow for first time player. Signage and flow is top notch.
2. Requires many rounds to figure out how to throw all the holes.
3. Big advantage on this course for locals.
4. Only one flat hole, good use of elevation.
5. Nice combo of tough and easy holes.
6. Good workout making your way around.
7. Unique holes.

1. There is a time of the year when the stinging nettles (not poison oak) are around. They sting for a few minutes. Wear pants and have someone point them out to you. They don't bother me, but those unfamiliar will pay the price once or twice.
2. Course is remote and has very low usage.
3. Not many bomber shots.

1. This course is just gonna get nicer and nicer as the area "beats in" and as the rhody's and other plants and trees fill in.
2. As a local here, I get to talk to folks who made their way out to the course. I keep getting people telling me that this is their favorite course period. The feedback from the visitors is very, very positive.
3. Pack it in and pack it out. No trash cans here. But there is a port-a-poty.
4. Is this a destination course. It is a question people keep asking and providing their feedback. I've thought about this and my answer is this: Combine a trip to Rainshadow with a weekend on the Olypmic Penisula and for sure it is a destination course. Port Townsend/Sequim/Port Angeles are all nice towns and there are lots of outdoor activities including another course over in Port Angeles at Lincoln Park.

- Beautiful Scenery. Its like the best of hiking and DG combined out there. So beautiful.
- Good baskets. Cannot stress this enough. After playing rusted out Milo and wobbly baskets at LA courses, these were a real treat.
- Easy access off highway.
- Free to play
- Fun, unique shots Ive never had in my years of DG. I dreamt about several of these holes for a few days afterward. Left that good of an impression.

- Poison Oak (or poison something, my leg was burning)
- Don't go off the fairway on the downhill shots. Ugh...just don't. Throw a putter.

This was one of my favorites on a 12 day West Coast DG road trip with some friends. I was very pleasantly surprised by the quality, the use of terrain, and the challenge level of Rainshadow. The weather was perfect. 71/72 with light clouds. Finally some nice weather! Was over 100 at Whistlers and 99 at Estacada the day before. Had to play by 9am. At Rainshadow we started at 3 and barely broke a sweat.