Winter Park, CO

Winter Park Resort

3.935(based on 15 reviews)
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4 2
adazm
Experience: 33 played 32 reviews
4.00 star(s)

awesome course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 24, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

such a beautiful course!
easy to navigate.
tiresome but not exhausting.
ski lifts = fun
a few long bombs.
several comically short tight challenging holes.
the short tee pads are excellent for newbies, kids, etc.
and alpine slide ride back down the mountain is awesome.

Cons:

very few cons.
a tad pricey 10-15$.
occasionally punishing tree areas.
obviously keep your eyes on your disc.
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10 0
Lightbringer
Experience: 16.5 years 11 played 7 reviews
4.50 star(s)

A day well spent. 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 15, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

Excellent location on Winter Park's ski runs, with great views and a solid hike.

You get to ride the lift up, play a round and then take the Alpine slide back down. This is pretty fair for $15.

The course is very long with some fairly long hikes between some holes. If you are not up to hiking, the terrain may prove difficult for you.

There are a well balanced mixture of long, wide open fairways and some very tight, wooded shots, often on the same hole. Some of the holes are extremely long - over 700 feet.

The course is so large that even if you tee off between groups you will likely end up so spaced out that you can hardly notice that anyone else is there.

The amenities in the resort village should have anything you forgot to bring (water, beer, snacks, even clothes or shoes if you came unprepared for the terrain).

There are clearly marked paths to each tee, so getting lost if not a problem.

The tee markers are simple but informative enough to help you find each basket, even when it's over 500 feet away over a hill and in some trees.


Finally, this course is just epic in general. There are some massive driving opportunities and enough varied shots to really test you, but the course is well designed so that the massive distances involved never seem too daunting.

Cons:

The vegetation is totally natural, so expect lots of bushes and tall grass that can eat up discs. Make sure you are watching each other's shots or you can spend a lot of time looking for discs.

Because of the length, remote location and mountainous terrain, you will be forced to bring extra gear and supplies you may not require at other courses. This isn't the kind of course you should play just holding a few discs in your hands and wearing sandals. Bring a big disc bag with lots of storage or at least a back pack, and bring plenty of water.

The resort itself, though not the course, can be very busy and packed. When you go down the slide at the end you may get caught behind small children.

The tee boxes are not the best, but they aren't horrible either.


Other Thoughts:

This is another one of the great mountain courses in Colorado, and is undoubtedly one of the largest. It takes at least two hours to play but could easily take three of you are looking for errant discs or taking breaks. The course design uses the existing retain of the ski runs to great effect.

If you are not prepared for a moderate hike of a few miles on mountainous terrain, this is not a good course for you. Make sure to bring a couple of liters of water. Wear hiking gear like some good shoes or boots and consider sun screen as the sun is more intense at this altitude.

All in all this is now one of my favorite courses and is well worth the trip. I would play it again without reservations.
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3 1
Jimzilla
Experience: 12.5 years 3 played 3 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Uphill, downhill, all fun 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 10, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

Good variety of technical and long throws.

View is amazing!

Even if you throw below your expectations, the course makes it hard to hate.

Outstanding guidance for tee pads, next holes, and basket locations.

Cons:

Chairlift can be dangerous to those who don't ski. (perhaps I just lacked that skill) :)

Newcomers may be confused where to park etc. We asked folks at the Starbucks who readily helped.

Other Thoughts:

This mountain course should challenge the best of players. Be ready to hoof! From the little uphill first tee to the monster 715ft fifth tee to the technical holes inside the forest, this course has it all. I will risk my life on the chairlift to play this one again. It was worth the price of the lift to watch my drive off the fifth tee.
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3 1
hopalong
Experience: 41 played 3 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Fun Mountain Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 1, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

I had never played a lift access course and was excited for lots of elevation change and scenery! There are phenomenal views and beautiful foliage all over this course. Some short holes, and some very long ones.

Cons:

There were only a handful of holes that made use of the elevation changes. A few of the later holes (back 9) started to feel repetitive, and many had a small window to shoot through with mandos. I do appreciate the technical aspect though!

Other Thoughts:

The pros certainly outweigh the cons on this one. I will be back, and it is worth the drive from Denver. Plus you get a fun cool-down alpine slide ride at the end of the day!
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3 5
MNThrower
Experience: 30 played 1 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Don't waste your time 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 19, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

Course has amazing views of surrounding mountains as it is on the ski hill.

Good signage considering there was not map or scorecard available

Good use of elevation - if you are looking to take a hike on a ski mountain and play disc golf this is the place

Cons:

The '2 options to play' advertised here and on their website that this course is "free" is no longer accurate We showed up on opening day as we were camping and skateboarding by Breck and Winter Park and were not pleased with the entire situation with this course.

First of all, they will charge you to play the course no matter what. So it is no longer free. Also, you can not just pay for the Alpine Slide and use the course as the description on this website (and theirs I believe) states. I mentioned to them that several websites state that this is the way it is there but the staff refused to honor it. And were quite upset I would even mention it.

The course itself is less than exciting. The views are great and there are lots of up and down shots, but none really took advantage of the terrain I felt like. Lots of small filler holes and not much strategy needed for many shots. Just throw a mid-range as straight as you can and hope the wind doesn't knock your putt out. Then throw a big hyzer and hope to slide between the trees just right or you're rolling down the hill back to the tee.

Other Thoughts:

No signs in the entire resort to point you to the right area. The staff didn't seem to have a clue what to do when we said we were there to play disc golf. They were slightly rude, as I was as well since they changed the cost to play the day we got there with no warning or explanation/

Overall, I don't think this is a good use of money spent towards disc gold. Of course, this is just my opinion coming from Minneapolis and experiencing it on opening day. Perhaps others have enjoyed this course more and find it to be one of the better courses in the area. However, I am not a fan of courses on ski hills as they are not very exciting and usually run by people who don't play disc golf.
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3 2
xskatx
Experience: 14.7 years 22 played 16 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Phenomenal 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 2, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

You get to take a chair lift up the mountain to play this course, then the alpine slide back down. The views are incredible, the difficulty is tough and there are some very technical holes. It's a bit of a hike but nothing too strenuous. The course is beautiful and not very many people out there. Everything is very well marked and maintained.

Cons:

The only thing that could make this course better is the layout (a lot of the holes are very spread out that don't need to be) and maybe if there were some water (rivers or ponds) it would top it off but not much bad to say about it.

Other Thoughts:

I would drive back out to winter park to play this course again. Beautiful mountain course with amazing views.
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4 1
Peer
Experience: 11.5 years 13 played 6 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Great Mountain Tees 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 9, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

- Great views on top of a great ski resort!
- Difficult and VERY far holes!
- Accuracy is a must!
- Many different obstacles and lots of curves and turns.
- Nice and friendly staff
- Not very busy making it seem like you are on the course all alone!
- Free alpine slide at the end of the course

Cons:

- Costs $15 to get a lift ticket to get up to the course (Includes free ride down the apline slide.
- No maps provided can make it difficult to navigate
- Lift has a wait at times because of the alpine slide that is next to tee 1.

Other Thoughts:

This is a great course for disc golfers looking for a challange. Lots of steep terrian and many trees and bushes. Great mountain views from many of the tees. Many distance holes make it more difficult to shoot under par. All in all this course is a lot of fun but remember you have to pay to play this one!
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3 3
StimpiSteve
Experience: 165 played 11 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Funnest course in Colorado 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 4, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

Views, great course layout, with challenging holes and great variety. After a very fun round of golf, you get to ride the Alpine Slide back down the mountain.
Very fun in many ways.

Cons:

Maps weren't available, which made following the course harder than it could have been.
One tee placement was in a very dangerous position in relation to an adjacent, uphill hole, which would be a problem if there were many people playing at once. There could be injuries. Other than that, a super fun disc golf experience.

Other Thoughts:

Mountain courses never seem to have great teepads.
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3 2
csrammie
Experience: 14.3 years 31 played 1 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Take another look 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 5, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

This course if for those seeking a challenge, not for the casual player unless you can handle a big score. Most of the tee length's on this site are NOT correct (may be junior tees). This course is WAY longer. Also, staff was very friendly and helpful.

-You will throw every shot in your bag. Lots of tunnel shots, plenty of enormous trees and a lot of forced ani/forehand for righty's
-Beautiful views
-Every hole is different

Cons:

-Rough terrain but you should be expecting it anyway. Bring good shoes/boots and plenty of water
-Waiting in line for the lift on a busy day but who really cares, you won't once you start playing
-A little tough to navigate, but not too bad.

Other Thoughts:

Take your time playing this course. Walk up and get a look at the pin and the obstacles. For most, this course is really about placing your drives, not just crushing them. You're playing for 3 on most holes, but there are plenty of birdie opps if you play smart.
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4 1
bobmcnelly
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 13.5 years 356 played 203 reviews
4.00 star(s)

2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 19, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

This course has a great variety of shots. It will make you throw every disc in your bag. There is alot of elevation change to add some real challenge to some already hard shots. There quite a bit of technical tree shots on the back 11 that found to be real fun.

Cons:

The tee pads are in pretty rough condition. Most of them are pretty small and allow much of a run up. The course could also use some better signage, all the signs in the pictures are gone. But its still pretty easy to figure out with a map.

Other Thoughts:

This is one of the most intense mountain courses that ive played, i would suggest hiking boots and lots of water. There is a bathroom with water fountains by the #7 basket.
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3 1
onoo
Experience: 14.1 years 1 played 1 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Great Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 18, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

Plays across the ski runs so there is always an elevation change on every hole. Throwing from way up high down to the hole and watching your disk fly for what seems like forever is a great sight. The views are amazing looking over the mountains. Several of the holes run through tight paths in the trees which require very straight throws. The slide down at the end of the round is also an added bonus.

Cons:

The last 2 holes are not complete yet and they just dump you at the end of 16 and you have to know where your at to be able to make it back to the slide down. Several of the holes do not have any tee box marking or direction of where you need to throw and when you cant see the hole that is a problem.
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10 0
TalbotTrojan
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 16.2 years 112 played 104 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Local Love 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 12, 2010 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

This is a ski hill course that is just spectacular. The views on just about every hole are breath taking. The course itself is layed out well to protect the natural plant life as well as provide a challenge that is worthy to be up there with some of the best mountain courses. Because it is on a ski hill there are some local workers at Winter Park that take care of this course which includes the occasional mowing of tall grass on the fairway. This makes finding discs significantly easier and negates one of my biggest complaints about ski hill courses. Quality baskets on every hole. Shorter tees on every hole to make the course a bit more family friendly. This course has shot holes and long holes. The short holes are super technical and the long holes are long and mildly technical. There are signs everywhere to help you know where to go and sticks on the ground to help mark the path to the next hole. If you are a hiker you will even notice some cairns. There is a lot of elevation change on this course providing for an extra challenge on many holes. The maps that you can get at the first hole are great because they show distance and elevation change. There is a local starting point that you can hike to in order to avoid paying for a lift ticket. If you do buy a lift ticket though you get to ride the alpine slide down, that is a huge pro! Oh and there is an open bathroom after hole 7 that you can take advantage of with running water and everything. There are plent of other activities to do at the Winter Park base including mini golf. Winter park is also huge for mountain biking so you could do a little of hat as well. There are plenty of food options at the base as well.

Cons:

The tees are still being worked on and are natural making them somewhat unpredictable. There are a few long walks between holes though the paths are very well marked. It would be very easy to loose a disc on this course if you do not know how to throw downhill or if you can't throw it straight. There are lots of trees to steal discs. This is not the begginer course the resort hoped it would be but shroter tees still make it fun for all. There are a few baskets that have been damaged slightly be snowcats driving over top of them during the winter as the baskets are stored outside. You have to pay for a lift ticket if you want to start at hole one. You will have to be careful as you play this course as there are a few mountain biking trails that come close to the course with riders flying down the hill you want to make sure you look both ways before walking on or crossing any bike path.

Other Thoughts:

This course could very easily become one of my favorite mountain courses. Even though I didn't necessarily play well on this course the unique aspects and good design made it a lot of fun. Hole 5, 700+' downhill is one of the most memorable holes ever. It is a good hike but I never really felt as if I were overly exhausted from the hike. This course is also at very high elevation so plan accordingly. This really is a course to make sure that you play at some point.
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6 1
jsaturley1
Experience: 47 played 8 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Fun course (if you're not too picky)/Disorganized Staff 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 16, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

- Fun, challenging course with gorgeous views.
- Only course I've seen where you get to alpine-slide at the end of the day.
- Not many people; no waiting and no risk of getting hit by a disc.
- Changes in elevation and tricky shots through narrow groves of trees are impressive and make it a challenging experience.
- The shots you will encounter vary from long, open meadows to tight paths through the trees. You'll need a slew of different discs to succeed.

Cons:

- As other reviewers have noted, the tees only consist of a couple wood blocks that have the tee number painted on them. You are not given any direction as to where the baskets are or where you should go to find the next tee. I suggest bringing a small pair of binoculars with you so you can search for the next basket. The tee pads are not level and are very short; making it a challenge to wind-up for your throw.
- The pine beetles have had their way with the forests in this area. It will be a depressing site for out-of-towners that came a long way to see lush, green forests. However, the site of beetle-kill will not be as shocking to the locals.
- This is one of the only "free" activities at the resort, therefore, staff and management don't care about it because they aren't making any money off of it....

Other Thoughts:

We played this course in July 2009 and had a great time! However, I was extremely disappointed when I traveled two hours to play a round yesterday (6/20/10), only to find out that the course wasn't set-up yet. According to the Winter Park web-site, the course is open 6/12 - 9/6. Apparently, this is not accurate. I asked three different employees when the course would be set-up; none of them had an answer and I'm pretty sure that two of them didn't even know the resort had a DGC!! This only reinforces the idea that this course was an afterthought. It really is a shame because with just a little extra equipment and labor; this could be one of the best courses in CO. When I played it last year, it was a great hike around the mountain and I was more than happy to deal with lack of signage and the rugged terrain. Personally, the poor tee pads don't bother me a bit... I'm more than happy to sacrifice the level pads at the courses in the city for less people, beautiful mountain views and fun hiking terrain. If you've been spoiled by the city courses or don't enjoy a good hike, you're not gonna last long on this course. If I would've reviewed this course after playing last year, I would've given it a 3.5/5. However, after experiencing the ignorance and complete lack of compassion from WP staff yesterday, I had no choice but to drop the rating down to 2.5/5. I live next to the Beaver Ranch (Conifer) course and I admit I am spoiled by the incredible maintenance at the park, the constant improvements taking place and the perfection that is demanded from the volunteers - the Conifer course sets the bar high, and this is another reason why I couldn't justify giving this course anything more than a 2.5/5.
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14 2
superberry
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 26.5 years 364 played 98 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Not a destination course, a neglected 'extra' at a ski resort 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Aug 4, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

Great job by any and all of the hard working volunteers who got this course (or any course for that matter) completed! The views are indeed amazing. The ride down the alpine slide afterward is pretty neat. This course has been changed from whatever it was prior to August 2009. The mountain top terrain offers a great workout and challenge, both physically and with your shot execution. My review is out of date based on current conditions and changes made.

Cons:

You either have to walk up the mountain side or pay $15 to ride the lift up to the top, but employees didn't seem to know about the course when we asked around.
When I played there were no maps, no tee signs, and no defined fairways which may indicate which direction the hole may play (because they can't be expected to mow the TONS of small trees and alpine brush on the side of a mountain). Lack of tee signs and generally poor directions (or ability to see next tees or what basket to throw at) is the first con.
Next, the tees need some work like clearing and leveling. They are marked with flags and a wooden post with a number on it (no tee sign type of hole direction or distance). Plus the tee surfaces are uneven side to side, front to back, back to front, etc., and usually still full of brush and small trees growing on them.
[Looking at the hole info in 2010 now, it appears some redesign may have been done and some longer holes added].
The baskets themselves are also old and bent and in need of a little maintenance, they are the old Discatchers with just a single layer of chains.

Other Thoughts:

I appreciate all the volunteer effort everyone everywhere does! Don't misinterpret my review and make claim that I don't just because my experience wasn't up to par.
Simply put, I didn't like the course (for MANY sound reasons which may have been changed by now)
If you put a ton of volunteer work into it, I still commend you!
My review is based on 2009, check above.
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11 2
climber3201
Experience: 16.4 years 18 played 9 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Winter Park Resort 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 12, 2008 Played the course:once

Pros:

This course amazed me with its incredible vistas and expansive views of the Rocky Mountains. On the first hole, I felt the unbelievable thrill of driving a disc from literally the top of a mountain, down it's slopes. I found myself throwing more than twice as far as on flat ground back home in Texas. This course includes open holes, very tight holes, and everything in between. The layout of the holes offers diversity, challenge, and interest. All holes are well marked and an accurate course map makes navigating between and on holes simple. This is a beautiful and fun course.

Cons:

Although unavoidable, winds blowing over the mountains can decrease precision on long drives. Some of the longer holes seemed to offer little to no chance at par.

Other Thoughts:

Allow two to three hours to play this long course. It includes one hole over 1300 feet long, requiring many long drives to reach the hole.
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