Pros:
- almost every hole is unique
- unbelievably cool and unique natural scenery
- fantastic elevation change
- good incorporation of water hazards
- major workout due to all the uphill and downhill walking (could be a con, but i mostly enjoyed it)
- great technical challenge
- fairly lengthy course, but a good mix of hole lengths overall
- difficult without being unfair
- garbage can/donation slot by course entrance
Cons:
- some of the most impenetrable rough you'll encounter
- most tee signs are missing or damaged
- rubber tees and so-so baskets are just ok
- navigation is fairly challenging and quite tough without a map
- maintenance is pretty nonexistent
- no real amenities
- major hazards where discs can be lost (not exactly a con, but an FYI at least)
Other Thoughts:
Ok, The Tailings is actually right outside the city of Iron River, but I'm not sure you'd ever know it once you're on the course. This one wins for most brutal rough I've ever played. Other reviewers were right when they said it's virtually impenetrable in places, and can be thorny on top of that. Somehow, I came out with all my discs in the end, which I'm considering a huge win.
I really loved this course, and it hurt a little to give it a 3.5, because it absolutely deserves a 4 with a little TLC. It's hard to touch on more than the previous reviews, but "unkempt" is a perfect way to describe this course. Most of the tee signs are missing, and the remaining ones are mostly damaged. The rough is crazy and with all the rocky outcroppings and elevation change, maintaining this course isn't as simple as hopping on your riding mower on a Saturday morning. This course is free to play, but there is a donation box at the course sign and I'd encourage everyone to at least throw a few dollars in for some desperately needed new tee signs.
The Tailings scores high marks for exquisite natural beauty. When I'm nearing 150 courses played and can say I've never seen another course like this, that's what traveling to try new courses is all about for me. I almost didn't make the trek over here from Iron Mountain because of how punishing I knew it was going to be at the end of the day, but I just couldn't pass up the opportunity. The elevation change is spectacular, and water hazards along and over the Iron River are incorporated as well. This leftover mining area has been reclaimed by nature and is one of the coolest settings for disc golf I've seen in the midwest.
Make no mistake, this course will use every shot in your bag, and is quite difficult. It is absolutely possible to shoot near par here, but mistakes will cost you - mostly in the form of hunting for discs in literal thickets. Amenities here are pretty limited. Tees are rubber and baskets are basic, and the maintenance leaves something to be desired - and I still loved it (the short tees are concrete, but as things were so poorly marked here, I stuck to the longer rubber tees).
It was completely dead when I was at The Tailings and I suspect it is almost never busy. It's kind of out of the way and is a tough course you aren't just going to hit for a quick, casual round. I still think I managed it in just over 1.5 hours solo, so it didn't actually end up taking that long, but you'll get an intense workout going uphill and downhill on most holes. There are some more open shots, but they still have relatively contained fairways. A lot of holes are pretty wooded and several have crazy height differential.
There are a few hole notes to be aware of - on hole 6, there are insanely deep pits off to the left that are fenced off. If your disc hooks over here, you will not get it back, and if you try to, you honestly might be risking your life. There are some no-joke slopes over this way and they are fenced off for a reason. The pits also have water at the bottom of unknown depth. Similar pits exist to the left of hole 9. Walking along holes 7 and 8, I was looking up at these crazy stone bluffs on the left between the pits and thinking how cool it would be to have holes way up on the bluff - but it sure would be a trek up there.
Hole 11 is a really cool shot from crazy high elevation down to a semi-open area along the Iron River. The landing area here could really benefit from a rough cleanout; with the elevation, your disc can go so far and around a somewhat blind dogleg left that it's a miracle I found my lie.
The course has a few benches but you're going to be doing a lot of trekking without relief. It really is worth it; the scenery here is just so different from most courses, I'd rank this in the top 3-4 of the 12 courses I played on this trip.
After throwing across the river on hole 17, the walk to the basket is a bit long since you have to go down to the bridge, but it's not a huge deal. This feels like a long round of 18 holes, but it's an excellent use of the land available without forcing extra holes in like some courses try to do.
The only safety hazard I noted was hole 1's fairway interferes with a walking path a bit. This area was pretty empty so it's not too big a deal. From the parking lot to tee 1, you do have to cross a path used by ATVs a lot, so just be aware of some very fast moving vehicles. Navigation was pretty difficult here. The course map made it possible but the complete lack of tee signs on most holes and mostly nonexistent navigation aids definitely didn't help things. Signage improvements really would put this course on a new level even without cleaning up the rough.
Overall, it's pretty obvious I really enjoyed this course. I strongly encourage anyone remotely close to give it a try as long as you have some patience and can accept The Tailings for what it is, an absolute diamond in the rough that, well... is still in the rough, big time. This is what I came to the UP for.