Palisade, CO

Riverbend Park

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3.565(based on 25 reviews)
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5 0
noexit33
Experience: 26 played 7 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Hardest course in the Grand Junction Area 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 10, 2018 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

- Nice, big, level concrete tee pads in Pro position. Am pads are a little smaller but that they have them at all is pretty cool
- Good signage. Every pro tee pad had a sign showing distance and basket positions and next tee. Also a course map at the beginning. Made for pretty easy navigation first time playing.
- Good parking area w/ restrooms (none on course) and a couple practice baskets right by the parking.
- Mix of wide open bombers and some pretty technical tunnel/wooded shots that require a specific throw.
- Mandos make play more interesting.
- Benches by almost every hole
- Multiple tee and pin placements.
- Mostly fair fairways w/ a good landing zone (though can be punishing if you miss your line)

Cons:

- A lot of dog and foot traffic, especially on the back nine, from folks who are often oblivious. Imagine it gets especially bad on weekends.
- No elevation change (topography really doesn't allow)
- Some holes are just wide open 400-600' shots that aren't very interesting.
- If you do get off the fairways into the bog/muck/cat-tails, it can be very challenging to find your disc.

Other Thoughts:

Have kind of been avoiding this course for whatever reason but went out and played it today and had a great time. A good number of interesting holes that I think will really help my overall game so will be back to play more often. This one is a similar quality to the other courses in the area (Watson Island, Fruita, Matchett park), but I think is the most difficult due to the distance. A big arm is definitely helpful on this course though all holes are par-able without it.

Biggest issue was pedestrians and dogs. Had one dog come out of nowhere to pick up my drive and the owner didn't really even react.

I know this course is pretty well maintained year round due to an active local disc golf club, but I really enjoyed playing it in the winter due to the fact that a lot of the foliage had died off making the rough a little more forgiving and the lines a little cleaner.

A previous reviewer mentioned some holes being taken out but they are definitely all currently there. Online map accurate for 1-9. 14-18, but 10-13 have been changed, though with pretty intuitive flow. Keep going past 13's basket for 200 yards on path to get to the tee pad for 14. Next tee also listed on tee-signs.
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8 0
travelsurflive
Experience: 6.8 years 40 played 20 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Long holes, be careful of over shooting into water 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 16, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

PLAYED IN WINTER
- nice tee pads, lots of area, beautiful scenery
- good mix of both lefty and righty favored holes
- Fun and challenging basket positions
- Easy to find
- Dog friendly
- Lots of trash cans and bench's

Cons:

- somehow missed a hole or two in the back of the course
- Back 9 can get busy with people walking the paths
- Water hazards on quite few holes if overshot
- Few holes with really tricky mando's

Other Thoughts:

Overall fun course with long holes which are nice to just huck it. Great weather and nobody on the course.
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4 0
Unlimited
Experience: 11.8 years 9 played 8 reviews
3.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 5, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

Mix of technical and long arm holes
Very dog friendly(no leash laws)
Great Views
Multiple tee pads (in some spots) for advanced and begginners
Plenty of trash cans and clean course

Cons:

Disjointed on back half (holes taken out due to pedestrians getting hit)
Some smelling murky water in play close to some baskets (summer only)
Lots of clueless pedestrian traffic in areas


Other Thoughts:

Great place to have a relaxing round, holes with heavy traffic have benches and shade. Be prepared to relax a bit during prime park times on weekends.
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4 1
ricklev
Experience: 30 played 30 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Pretty course on the Colorado River 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 11, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

-Plenty of parking
-Nice grass on some holes and pretty scenery
-Smells like nature
-Some narrow fairways, if you like that kind of thing
-Colorado River -- Cool!

Cons:

-Signage could be better
-In summer, mosquitoes have short season near the river. One dive bombed me, even though I had deet on. Carry "After Bite" or some other after bite stuff.
-Can be very hot in summer

Other Thoughts:

I only had time to play 4 holes, but if I lived here I would play often. The course was a challenge for an intermediate senior player like myself, so I would enjoy getting better here. It's awesome to be able to play on the Colorado River.
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4 3
Mbrad43
Experience: 29 played 2 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Fun city park course. 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 20, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

Great tunnel shots 3-7. Decently maintained. Lots of green. (Not typical of the area.) Stretch the arm out on 8-10.

Cons:

Holes 11-13 do NOT flow. Could have better next tee signage and better use of available land. Holes 16-18 unplayable during a sunny weekend day due to oblivious dog owners and foot traffic on the walking path. This one dude had six dogs running loose and no one gave a sh$! about me trying to tee. I'm not into hitting people with discs or having a dog put some holes in my plastic.

Other Thoughts:

Need to educate people in the Palisade area of the dual usage nature of the park. Many folks I've encountered had no idea what the baskets were for. It's a beautiful park that could be a great place to golf.
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4 0
tkconlon
Experience: 8.6 years 6 played 6 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Nice course except... 2+ years drive by

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

Pros:

1. Pretty flat.
2. two tees on many holes - makes it more fun for us lesser experienced players
3. Photos at each tee showing where the basket is.
4. Tees and baskets labeled

Cons:

1. Could not find #11 and #13 baskets and #12 tee (twice)
2. Pretty flat.
3. Beginner tees could use some signage.
4. Photos at tee could be better, especially #8.
5. Signs at tees could indicate distance to basket.

Other Thoughts:

Need to locate baskets #11 and 13.
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4 0
adazm
Experience: 33 played 32 reviews
4.00 star(s)

def worth playing 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 21, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

very intuitive layout.
lots of water without danger of losing discs.
great tree hazards.
really cool course

Cons:

more horses on course than i would like.
no elevation change.
high grass off fairway.

Other Thoughts:

needs some T&L, but otherwise ha all the right elements!
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4 0
HammerThrow
Experience: 17.9 years 12 played 2 reviews
3.50 star(s)

One of the better courses in the Grand Junction area. 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 7, 2015 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

-Lots of different challenges for both beginners and advanced players.
-Some holes have tees for kids.
-Beautiful scenery.
-Benches or picnic tables at almost every tee.
-Tees and baskets are in pretty good condition.
-Lots of parking

Cons:

-Could use updated signs. A lot of them are faded, incorrect, or in need of repair. It would also be nice if the signs pointed to the next hole.
-Hard to find some tees and baskets (Mostly holes 11 through 13)
-Sometimes have to deal with people passing through the park on holes 15-18. Most people seem to be oblivious that disc golfers are trying to play.
-Lots of bugs in the late afternoon/evening. I'd suggest bringing bug spray.
-Some trash scattered around the course. Could use a couple extra trash cans scattered through the course.

Other Thoughts:

This course would be a lot better if it was more complete. The confusion on holes 11 to 13 leave a bit to be desired as I feel like I'm never playing a full game. Also just updating the signs at the holes would be a gigantic improvement. Other than that this is probably one of the better if not the best course in the area.
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5 0
Moabrider
Experience: 11.1 years 26 played 3 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Riverbend 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jul 12, 2014 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Good course to practice long distance throws. Not alot of obstacles between teepads and baskets. Pro pads and beginner pads at some holes.Throws through the cottonwoods can be a challenge on windy days.Most of the baskets are clearly marked with numbers. Holes 14-18 located in a flatter' old park' area with giant cottonwoods offers well-established grassy area. Throws are directed around the trees by mandatory signage and are very well marked. Rest of course is less manicured, bordered by Colorado River, Book Cliffs and open space. Dogs so far have been well behaved!

Cons:

Incomplete course, still under construction. Some confusion at holes 11, 12, 13?Looking forward to completion of this course! Signage is in need of repair.

Other Thoughts:

Space is large, open and shared by rafters, boaters, joggers, dog walkers, family picnic people, and disc golfers. Restrooms available. Great place to hang out for the day.
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3 0
dust4tears
Experience: 10.8 years 7 played 5 reviews
3.50 star(s)

good course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 4, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

Beautiful park

Plenty of shots required

Very challenging

If played with the mandos (poorly marked) it add a lil' to it



Cons:

This is my most played course and yet I loose discs a lot

No bathrooms

Nothing really telling you OB, Mandos... like the sidewalk on the back side

Dogs running up to you off the leash. (There are leash laws)

Can get busy with Dgers and other park activities

Other Thoughts:

Overall I love this course and is where I am learning to play. So, it will always have a special place with me so it is biased.
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4 0
bobmcnelly
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 12.9 years 324 played 189 reviews
3.50 star(s)

2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 25, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

-Concrete tee pads
-Nice park with green grass
-Good course to practice you distance on
-Benches at most of the tees

Cons:

-Totally flat
-Pedestrians to get in the way
-Holes start to feel the same

Other Thoughts:

Good Course with lots of good long distance shots. Bring your drivers!
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6 3
bazillion
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 23.5 years 55 played 37 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Disappointing 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 15, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

OK, so before you instantly hate this review because it doesn't glow with praise, please read the whole thing - particularly the "other" section - and drop me a PM. I'm willing to change my review because of the circumstances but as it stands ... well, read for yourself.

As for the "pro"s, this course fit nicely into its land - a long, narrow strip between the Colorado River and another body of water. It's an out-and-back configuration and generally plays in three sections.

The first section is deep in the woods, reminding me of Oak Grove in Pasadena, where lots of trees and heavy schule make shot precision a priority.

The second section (holes 8-12, IIRC) are 350-ish and more-or-less wide open.

The third section plays on groomed grass with mature trees that encourage shot-shaping. Think "park" and you'll have it.

Cons:

Despite the scenery, I didn't find anything particularly interesting about this course. It's pretty average, in my opinion - certainly no signature holes.

The main problem I saw was that certain essential course elements were missing. For instance I could not find baskets on #1, #11 or #18, no tee pad on #11, and no signs on #12, 13 or 15. Judging from the other ratings this course has gotten, I may have played it on a bad day (see the "other" section) but still.

Other Thoughts:

I played this course late in the afternoon after driving pretty much non-stop for the previous 28 hours. What this means, of course, is that it didn't take much to set me off.

The other thing that may have affected my playing experience was that they were having a wine-tasting festival of some sort at the same time. This could conceivably have been the reason why the pins on #1 and 18 were missing - I don't know.

If you're reading reviews to get an idea of what this course is like, I'd certainly take what I said above with a grain of salt - it could very well have been that NO course would have fared well, all things considered. Still, my experience was what it was and given that, I stand by my rating of "reasonable", at least for the time being.
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4 0
Wise Fool
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 15.1 years 125 played 116 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Beautiful Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 9, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

-Very nice concrete tee-pads
-Tee-signs show a picture of the hole that give a good overview of the hole
-Some of the holes play through a nice wooded area next to a small stream and have very nice challenge
-There are water hazards (including throwing over a lake on hole one) on several of the holes
-Many of the holes have benches on them
-The course is set in a park with some beautiful scenery and great views of the Colorado River.
-Most of the fairways are well kept (there is rough rough on the sides of the fairways but the fairways are wide enough to avoid it most of the time)
-The course has very nice bright baskets that are easy to see from the tee-pads
-There is a nice map of the course near the first hole
-With the one exception, the course is very easy to navigate, it is easy to know which hole to go to next.
-Many of the holes have AM and PRO tee-pads (the AM tee-pads help avoid some of the more difficult obstacles on the holes, which is nice if you are playing with a newer player)
-Pretty good variety of distances on the course
-Alternate pin positions on many of the holes

Cons:

-While there are many well designed holes on this course, I also feel that it has a few too many wide open holes with very few obstacles on them
-The tee-signs don't list the distance of each hole, which is a shame because otherwise they are nice tee-signs
-There were several holes on the course that were missing there tee-signs
-Hole 11 didn't have a concrete tee-pad for the PRO tee-pad (I assume i was in the right spot, there was a tee-sign there and the picture showed a concrete tee-pad but there was no concrete tee-pad there, I did find a concrete AM tee-pad for the hole).
-There is a walking path that comes into play on some of the holes
-The tee-pad for 17 is almost right next to the tee-pad for 16, so you have to walk back up the fairway of 16 to get back to it. The tee-pad for 18 is right next to the basket for 16 so it can be a little confusing finding hole 17.
-I feel like the course design could have taken better advantage of the available water to add more risk reward to the course.
-There is a somewhat long walk back to the parking lot from hole 18, where you either have to walk back down the fairway of hole 1 or go a ways around the fairway to get back to your car.

Other Thoughts:

I wish I could rate this a 3.75 because I don't feel like it is quite a 4 but I feel like it is a little better than a 3.5. This course has a lot of fun well designed challenging holes but I also feel like there are a few too many wide open holes on the course. This is definitely a course to stop at though because it is a very beautiful, enjoyable round.
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1 2
nightwing
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 15.8 years 273 played 56 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Unique Watercourse. 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 11, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

-Wide variety of water challenges.
-Some left right and tree shots
-Setting between The Colorado and The Palisades.
-Playable pads, baskets, layout. Nice easy time.

Cons:

No up or down shots and some discs that won't get found.(Not that the designer could have changed this. It's just the way it is on a flat layout by a major river).

Other Thoughts:

Bring beater discs or just throw it straight.
Enjoy this beautiful and unique setting.
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1 3
eryn
Experience: 12.9 years 6 played 2 reviews
4.00 star(s)

palisade april 2012 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 2, 2012 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Very open area. Lots of twisty tree filled fairway's.

Cons:

Bugs, sun, wind, water. Lost 2 discs first day, came back next day. Disc were retrieved and no calls. :( don't lose your disc.

Other Thoughts:

Wear substantial sunscreen. After 2 days was cherry red with sunstroke!
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5 0
TalbotTrojan
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 15.6 years 112 played 104 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Know Thy Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 15, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

A beautiful setting ont he western slope of Colorado. The course plays right along the Colorado River for better or worse. The tee pads are consistent cement pads. There are some very fun holes that provide a diverse playing experience that ranges from open holes to open holes with trouble near baskets to tight wooded holes. There are some great holes that play right along the edge of the Colorado river that make you appreciate the power of the river. Other water ont eh course keeps things interesting with OB in play on about half the holes. The course is in a nice city park that does have other amenities though the amenities are on the other side of the park. There are some really nice benches on a few holes. Descent hole signs and a good flow to the course. There are short tees for more novice players. These tees do make a significant difference in the difficulty of the course.

Cons:

While all the baskets are nice, they are inconsistent due to the loss of some baskets due to major floods this year. There is very little elevation change and there are a few too many open holes. There is a biking/walking path that runs through some of the hoels along the Colorado river so there is some pedestrian traffic. There are some nice random ditches around the course that prevent straight line walking in a couple of spots from one hole to the next. There are a lot of mando signs around the course. Most are in play and really do not add a whole lote to the course. Some mandos are apparently for only the long or short tees but there is not much to tell you about this.

Other Thoughts:

The course has undergone a redesign this year as part of the course was wiped out by major flooding this past spring. The course itself is really nice with the supposed new and redesigned holes playing well. Rumor has it that the course is typically more windy in the morning than later in the days becasue of where the course is located. Wind makes the holes along the river very interesting. Between I-70 and the course you will pass a number of farmers fruit stands which are well worth the purchase if you are there in season. This area is also known for its wine vineyards and there are a couple of tasting rooms to stop by as well.
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4 0
ryyedogg
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 47 played 33 reviews
4.00 star(s)

One of the best courses in western Colorado. 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 25, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

Beautiful course along the Colorado River which was once the place of the Colorado State DGC and I can see why. Great views of the nearby mountains, mesas, and the river itself. The park is easy to find and a sign is posted at the beginning of the course to show the overall layout of the course. The shots are a nice mix from open meadow to tighter wooded shots and a few have the river in play. Holes are mostly in the 250-350 range, with a few being longer. The tees and baskets are very nice and everything is well marked with signage. About half of the course has alternate pads for amateurs and most holes I noticed had multiple basket locations. Nice public park nearby with bathrooms. Two parking areas and two practice baskets are nice, with potential to use one as an alternate location for #18. This course can be enjoyed by beginners and pros alike.

Cons:

This course can be crowded with pedestrians getting in the way on the back nine. The course is mostly flat with few elevation changes(this can be a plus if you have a stroller or push-cart). The river doesn't come into play as much as desired, like another reviewer said.

Other Thoughts:

Overall, this is a must play if you are heading through the area on I-70.

Favorite holes: #3, #4, #5, #16
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1 3
FonzTYC
Experience: 14.2 years 8 played 3 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Riverbend 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Oct 10, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

great course. Good mix of distance and accuracy holes. Amazing scenery and a breath taking view of Mt.Garfield.

Cons:

Lots of dogs running around with no leashes picking up your discs.

Other Thoughts:

Thanks to the Grand Valley Disc Golf Club for and awesome course.
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2 0
plus4db
Experience: 17.8 years 9 played 9 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Just played it 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 21, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

So much has already been said. Make sure you take a look at previous reviews. This course is very challenging. Maybe not so much challenging as it is terrifying. There are so many ways to lose a disc that even just as a casual round I really felt the pressure. There is the Colorado River on all of the back nine, a deep and swift irrigation canal on the front nine, and a murky, marshy creek down the middle that plays on nearly all of the holes. There is even a "canyon" filled with water near the basket on eight. If I had known it was there when I threw my tee shot I would have certainly either thrown way short or gone in and lost my disc. My wife put a disc in the Colorado on twelve and she skipped most of the remaining holes. Twelve threw slightly away from the river and she still bounced in so she found a new way to lose a disc. It was either thirteen or fourteen the tee and basket were both just a step from the steep bank of the Colorado. How do you play that with any confidence? There were nice tee pads and most holes had two tee positions. Most holes had multiple basket locations. The scenery is spectacular. Definitely a top-notch course.

Cons:

It gets very muddy on the lower grounds, but it wasn't too bad. Russian Olive trees suck! Look them up. They really suck.
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1 4
Brad T
Experience: 19.8 years 8 played 6 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Best of the valleys 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 6, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Very nice setting near the river. Seen a few friends toss a couple in the mighty Colorado. Long open shots and some through the trees so you get both. All other reviews hit it right. There is a practice basket by parking lot you can warm up or toss a game of horse at the end.

Cons:

No bathrooms in the middle of the course, so use the ones by the parking lot.

Other Thoughts:

Traveling through I-70 stop and give it a toss.
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