Top Courses of 2014

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The 2014 Only list required 8 reviews to make the cut. I had it at 10 but only had like 30 something courses in the list so I bumped it down to get it up to 50+.

 

[jasonc]

i was interested to see the top courses added in 2014 so i browsed it using a 5 review qualifier.

1. Lake Claiborne_Whitetail - 4.67
2. Coyote Trace - 4.58
3. Fairfield Park - 4.55
4. Villas Crossing - 4.38
5. Greenfield DGC - 4.29
6. The Canyons - 4.28
7. Tyger River - 4.2
& Megiddo River - 4.2
9. Tall Firs - 4.17
10. Bad Rock Creek - 4.1

Three of those are in Illinios so props to you guys for getting some good courses in or screw you for being like Colorado and overrating courses.

Although it is my home course, Fairfield Park is not overrated. Chuck Kennedy did a fantastic job with the redesign. One of these days, I will post a review.

The Canyons course is a new gem as well...I wish it was closer to home.

We still need a few more great courses here in the greater Chicagoland area to balance things out and get rid of our reputation as the home of the nasty niner.

FWIW, I was lucky enough to play Blue Ribbon Pines, Beaver Ranch and Holler in the Hills this year as well.

 

[Cgkdisc]

I think 4.5 for Fairfield is about right. There are definite improvements I'd like to encourage the Park Dept to pursue over the next few years such as several more trees on the open holes not just for challenge but for shade, especially near the tees.

 

[mashnut]

I think 4.5 for Fairfield is about right. There are definite improvements I'd like to encourage the Park Dept to pursue over the next few years such as several more trees on the open holes not just for challenge but for shade, especially near the tees.

I haven't gotten around to reviewing Fairfield yet, but I'd agree that 4.5 is about right. It's not perfect, but it's a really really good course.

 

[Mando]

It would be hard to put up an argument that Wisconsin is not the best state for disc golf; with 8 courses in the top 50.

 

[mashnut]

Wisconsin is up there with Michigan and N Carolina in my personal experience.

 

[tomdizzlefizzle]

I'm surprised there is not more Iowa courses.

 

[Mando]

Wisconsin is up there with Michigan and N Carolina in my personal experience.

Well, that's interesting since MI and NC only have one course in the top 50...

 

[bjreagh]

18/50 overall. I really, really, really need to get to Selah!!!

 

[scarpfish]

Well, that's interesting since MI and NC only have one course in the top 50...

Perhaps MI and NC folks rate their courses more critically. Perhaps.

It should be pointed out that three of the WI courses are at the same complex, and any one of them might not get such accolades if they were stand alone courses.

Also to note, the one MI course (sitting at #3 after all this time) almost has more reviews than all of the WI ones combined.

 

[strattick]

3/10 (Rollin Ridge, Highbridge Hills - Highbridge Gold, Blue Ribbon Pines)
9/10 (3 above plus Highbridge Hills - Blueberry Hill, Highbridge Hills - Granite Ridge, Winter Park, Colorado Mountain College - Glenwood, Zoebel Park, Bryant Lake Park)

 

[jeffmonty]

You have to understand that the 2014 only list is basically a list of the courses that got 15+ reviews throughout the year, which there probably wasn't many more than 50 to begin with. Because courses made the cut doesn't make them great courses...

The 2014 Only list required 8 reviews to make the cut. I had it at 10 but only had like 30 something courses in the list so I bumped it down to get it up to 50+.

Ok, thanks, now I understand why that shook out the way it did.

 

[Mushin No Shin]

It should be pointed out that three of the WI courses are at the same complex, and any one of them might not get such accolades if they were stand alone courses.

I too, have wondered about this before.

Blueberry is 50/50. There is a hole there for everybody

1 9 and 18 are weak, but in between there is an awesome variety of holes: wooded, open, elevation, water, rocky. The greens with rocks are some of the best naturally used course architecture, imo. Holes 4 8 & especially 17 standout. Various water spots all over Bberry, most famously the multiple tiered ponds on 13. Holes 5 10 & 11 have water either in the middle of the fairway or bordering it. Hole #8 should be in the Smithsonian Institute of DG.

Granite is in.

Holes 8 & 11 play parallel and similar in length, but different shots. 10 & 18 are huge, long, uphill holes, but not wide open. 15 & 16 both have the pin behind a fairway island of trees, but one plays uphill and the other slightly downhill.

Great use of elevation, especially 3 and 9 (top of the world bombs with challenge). Additionally the elevated Teepad feeling on several of the early downhill holes. Course has a few more open holes than wooded ones, and people love watching their Discs fly! Water hazards: huge pond on #7, marsh between 9 and 14, creeks throughout 12 n bordering 13, swamp behind 16's basket, and the pond off left on 17 (don't ask). !2 plays open into a wooded corridor where a creek crosses the fairway at the treeline. Further there's a couple more creeks crossing the fairway, with the basket tucked away at the other end of the woods behind the last creek. It's where I want my Discs to go

Gold is probably in.

10,000+ feet! Not the toughest greens, but half are wooded and 1/3 are on hill sides. No top of the world shot, but 8 fills the epic void. No real water holes, there's an Island hole 16. Great mix of open to wooded and wooded to open holes. #1 thru 3 are an awesome introduction to the challenge you're in for. Scoring a 3 on holes 3 5 6 10 11 15 & 18 will leave you feeling truly accomplished (can't get a 3 on #6 for the life of me). 18 is a great finisher on a unique green.

If Bear was a stand alone course... it'd be top 50 fjord sjord!
It'd get more play and maintenance, causing the rough to dwindle away, leaving the course friendly and cuddly like a Cub

 

[Qikly]

It would be hard to put up an argument that Wisconsin is not the best state for disc golf; with 8 courses in the top 50.

Wisconsin is up there with Michigan and N Carolina in my personal experience.

I'm a total homer, and not as well traveled as many of you gents, but Pennsylvania at least belongs in that discussion, too. Top notch courses in both the east and west.

West Virginia should get an honorable mention as having possibly the highest course quality per capita. Not a lot of courses but there are some real beauties: Orange Crush is a memorable monster, and I've never played another course on par with Whippin' Post's level of epic-ness.

 

[harr0140]

Does anyone from way back in DGCR days know of any other courses that were at some point #1 . . . besides Idlewild, Flip City, Selah, Flyboy? I think Bracketts Bluff was at one point but am not 100% on that.

 

[mashnut]

I think BRP might have been at the top early on too, but I'm not totally sure of that. Highbridge Blueberry might have been up there briefly as well.

 

[Cgkdisc]

Pretty sure Blueberry was #1 at one point. Not sure if Brackett's got to #1.

 

[DiscinMiller]

it continues to make me sad that my local course, New Quarter Park, fell off the top 50 list a few years back and never returned. I have played milo, dela and a few other truly premier places and think new quarter can give them all a run for their money

 

[adlacro]

If everything gets done on time like they are saying down at Tyler State, then that will make two courses instead of the one. Interesting to see when and if this actually comes to fruition.

As far as the lists are concerned, I have number 10 and 12 on the top 50 overall (MH and Tyler). For 2014 reviews, I have numbers 6, 8, and 17. Both Wickham in CT and Tamend in PA are on the 2015 stop list, and perhaps Sabattus in ME.

 

[New013]

Well, that's interesting since MI and NC only have one course in the top 50...

You of all people should know some of the best courses in NC are now extinct or just never listed.