Pros:
Do you like to work out? Need to feel strong? Is it legs day and you don't feel like being inside? How about legs day in an external wind turbine? Ask yourself. Does your car drive over cattle guards with out a problem? Do you like throwing discs? If you answered yes to any of these questions then Stoney Gorge is the place for you!
Stoney Gorge is a beautiful location up in the foothills. The area around the disc golf course is a multiple use area. BBQ pits, boating, fishing, camping. The course is located between the boat launch / day use area and the Grimy Gulch campgrounds. Parking is located in the day use area. We where informed not to park in the rangers work area.
The course layout plays across a few of the drainage valleys and up and over a large hill. Most shots are up hill and down hill. Just a few holes are actually flat. Those that are, will usually result in several roll away opportunities. A couple holes play out to the reservoir, but most are dry. There is no real left or right hand dominance. Almost every hole had multiple ways to approach the hole. There is also scattered OB throughout the course. Heads up to those that use them, this course is not terribly cart friendly. Them steep hills are murder on tow capacity.
Pros:
Concrete tee pads. Roughed up pretty nice. Once they get some traffic they will be pretty solid.
Great mix of shots. I have a minimal bag, but I went through all of my discs. I think the only thing I didn't really throw was a roller, due to the grass being pretty thick this time of year.
Almost every hole makes solid use of the numerous trees. The fair ways can be pretty thick. And I am pretty sure every basket is near a guardian. Even on the short holes, you need to hit your line or your squirrel fishing.
The course has several iconic holes.
Hole 3 plays 375 or so out to a peninsula surrounded on three sides by water.
Hole's 6 and 15 are both pretty solid top of the world shots. 6 being the longer bomb, and 15 being a bit more technical trying to land the shot.
Hole 5 is pretty much straight up a 200ft hill with the basket perched on the edge. I can already feel someones pain from the roll away putt.
Hole 10.. I can't call it anything else besides the Tangle. There "is" at least two routes to the pin. But getting there through the mess of trees is impressive. (Only hole I birdied today)
Hole 11 looks like a double mando (it's not) unless you can throw a mean overhand.
Cons:
Please remember that at the time I wrote this, that the course has probably had less then 20 people play it.
The tee pads where roughed up very nicely, but they are on the short side. Some of them have some slight pitch and roll issues as well. Nothing that is going to harm your game, but you will notice it.
A noticeable amount of short holes. Short being defined as less then 150ft. Mind you these where fairly technical holes. Though if you don't hit your line, you will end up with a three or worse.
Course flow can be pretty rough. It is not obvious where the next tee is going to be. The baskets themselves are numbered which helps. Tee signs and some markers near the baskets pointing to next tee will resolve this rather quickly. Most likely they are already on their way. Make a copy of the course map and use it.
According to my Fitbit I traveled up and down 30 flights of stairs during this round. There is a LOT of hill climbing. Some people may have an issue with this, but to get those awesome views and top of the world shots, you got to get there somehow.
Trails still are not well defined and areas can be very rough. There are several places that this time of year you will be jumping over the run off streams in the valleys. Again, it's still a new course and once trails are established this will be less to no issue at all.
I saw a lot of sticker plants that have not turned into a real problem yet, but come summer they will.
Stoney Gorge can get pretty warm in the Summer. Please bring plenty of water. All that hill climbing with out liquids would be bad.
The area is also known for a large rattle snake population. Please keep your eye's, ears, and mind open. See all those ground squirrels making giant holes in the course? Yeah. rattlesnakes eat those. Let them eat.
A couple of holes do get a little close to each other. Though precautions are being taken to resolve that. There is some fencing up on hole 5's tee to protect people from teeing off from errant throws on 15.
Stoney Gorge itself is a fairly out of the way location. Travel time can be a consideration.
Other Thoughts:
For me, this course was a lot of fun. The holes where varied. The shots are mostly tight and technical and consequences can be painful. There is a lot of hiking to get around, but for some of the more scenic holes that's what you have to do.
I am really looking forward to playing this course again in the future. I want to see what it looks like after it get a little more beat in.