This is a nine hole course, set at the base of a slope in the middle of the resort. The course is short, putter only for those with average distance, although there are some holes where a midrange would be helpful.

The holes are a fun mix of uphill and downhill shots, as well as a few holes that require a small bit of line shaping to make a path to the green.

A few of the greens are quite interesting, as well as unique, including the one perched in the nook of the trees, and the one placed on top of a boulder pile, making for a real risk-reward putt.

Navigation, after finding the first hole, is intuitive, and most of the tees were turf pads. Not great in size, but they were easy to use for tee off.

This course isn't on the same championship caliber that the other two courses within the resort are, nor is it supposed to be. However, to be a perfect pitch-and-putt, there are a few tweaks that can be made.

The Discatcher Sports are not championship quality, as they are just practice baskets for most. They do not catch extremely well, and can cause a few devious spit outs.

Finding this course was not the easiest, mostly because there are no signs, no advertisement, nothing to say that this course even exists. I had to ask where it was, and even then I wasn't sure where to start.

This is not supposed to be a great course, but there are a few things that could have been better. If I had designed this course, I would have chosen an area close to the other courses, easier for beginners, and better signage. For now, it is worth playing if you are staying at the resort, as it is walking distance from everything. However, if you are here to play disc golf, this nine hole course is enough to be forgotten.

The Village 9 was designed with the beginning player in mind. With beginning player in my mind, I would have liked to see this course be more visible and a more easily accessible. Unless you are actively seeking it out (Like a course bagger), I don't think many folks are just going to stumble across it up here. There's not a big course sign and then the baskets just kind of disappear up the hillside.

This course features carpet/natural tee pads and Discatcher temporary baskets with the yellow bands. I'm afraid someone who hasn't played disc golf wouldn't be able to follow this layout easily.

The holes are mostly in the 150' range. There are some unique fun features here starting with the # 5 basket's placement. On this hole, you're throwing across the hill to the basket set in the woods. But the basket is mounted up on a small outcrop of large boulders, just 5-6' high, but making for a much more interesting and creative putt and approach. I feel this particular basket placement is much more creative and interesting than any one of either Brewster Ridge or the Fox Run course.

Then the course has a nice little anhyser shot on # 6. A fairly steep downhill on 7. And # 9 is a 200' downhill is a fun little downhill to a basket just on the other side of the small road just above the BMX track.

And speaking of the BMX track, on the afternoon I played the Village 9, the BMX track was pumping out a really excellent variety of classic OLDIES on their speakers. I want those tunes playing on all my courses!

I'm not sure if true beginners want to hike up and down this small hillside to try out disc golf.

Better course sign would help people get started.

Better and more visible tee signs would really help.

Someone has used the # 4 tee pad in the woods as a fire pit.

I've played some really excellent beginner courses all over the country. The one quality they all have is they make the experience really easy and really enjoyable for the first time player. No chance of lost discs. Extremely easy to follow courses. Open holes under 100'. Playing in nice, grassy parks without much elevation. Very clearly marked pads and signs.

While the Village 9 is easy, I don't see it fitting my description of a really great beginner's course. It might actually be a little bit too challenging with uphill climbs, anhyser throws and 200' downhills. That's why I'm calling it a Pitch & Putt. That's my definition of a course that's a fun warm-up or cool down for more experience players.

This course is perfect for beginning disc golf players looking for a course suited to their abilities. Situated at the base of Smugglers' Notch's learning mountain and right next to the village center, this 9-hole course works its way up some ski trails and back down. All the holes are 135 - 200 ft and mostly quite open. Their is a lot of varied terrain (uphill, downhill, side hill) and some play in and out of woods. It is designed to give beginners and intermediate players a taste of what disc golf is all about and what challenges they can find on a more advanced course. It is also great practice for advanced players looking to work on their short range game. With the ability to be played in less than 30 minutes, this a is a fun and well designed course IMO. Oh and new discather pro baskets!

Too easy to be challenging for some. Village guest can walk through the course without fully realizing it, causing players to have to wait to throw a shot. Be aware! Tees could use a little work in places and there needs to be some better signage. Needs benches!

Full disclosure: I designed and built this course if you haven't realized that yet. However, this review is an attempt to let folks know what the goal of the course was as well as serve a a critique. I did take a lot into consideration when building this course such as: the beginners experience, making it challenging enough to be a useful practice facility for a pro as well as a course a beginner wants to return to master in the future, visibility to resort guest - I was hoping it would market itself be being easily seen. It was also very important for the course to start and end in the same central and accessible location while not being "in the way" or a safety hazard. I am happy with how it came out and feel I reached most of my goals! We will be tweaking the course for the 2013 season and their is a possibility of expanding it in the future!

Ace runs, birdy opps, and another course to bag, as the other on-site course is worth visiting.

Easy to navigate.

Short. Seasonal. Portables.

Bring your favourite short-range disc as all the holes are ~150', +/- 25'. About half the holes are flat/cross-slope, number-3 is very steeply upslope, and 7-9 are steeply downslope.

Basket-3/Tee-4, Basket-5/Tee-6, sit in a small patch of woods between ski lifts, preventing this course from being merely wide open.

It's always tough rating courses like this. It serves a purpose, but when compared to an average "real" course, it pales in comparison.