Noti, OR

Camp Serene

Permanent course
3.575(based on 7 reviews)
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9 0
Lonhart
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 30 years 422 played 38 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Serenity Now! 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 14, 2020 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

-Signs indicate the hole number, and have distance of basket positions written in pen for about the first 8 holes. No indication of which pin position is in use. James said improved signs are in the works.
-Baskets are Innova Discatcher, big yellow band on top.
-Tee pads are cement, with a gridded pattern to improve grip, usually large enough.
-Benches were, for the most part, absent, but I never really had to wait to play, so this is not really an issue most of the time.
-Trails and flow between holes and along fairways are generally established, and it is fairly intuitive to figure out where to go for the next tee. Watch for roots.
-Natural obstacles are trees - and lots of them! Generally they can be avoided, but they really shape the shot, and going off into the woods makes it really tough to shoot par.
-Elevation at this site is minimal, but there are a couple of gentle rises and falls.
-Very scenic. Oregon woods, green, mossy, ferns galore, and a water but not likely to eat a disc. Just a beautiful setting.
-Water obstacles can come into play, but for the most part only punish really errant shots.
-Visibility of baskets from the tee was low, so the first time you play you will be going up the fairway a bit to figure out where the pin is located.
-Very few people on the course, which was nice.
-Trash cans were not on the course, but pack it out anyway!
-Bathrooms consisted of the facilities used by campers, like at a school. They were open and clean.
-James is great, super helpful and enthusiastic about disc golf.

Cons:

-Once the signs are improved, this will be a complete course.
-Distances are mostly in the 250-300 ft range, but given the tight fairways, this is ok. This is not a grip it and rip it course, but instead relies on a good flight path, almost exclusively in the air. No rollers here!

Other Thoughts:

This course is about 35 minutes northwest of Eugene, Oregon. On the way there, you could stop by Pitney DGC, which is essentially en route and would only take about 20 minutes to play. The drive up to Camp Serene is scenic. You'll see a sign for the camp (Lutheran Retreat, Camp Serene) on your left as you approach. James, the caretaker and course manager, has a white house you'll drive next to, then you will see a sign welcoming disc golfers on the right, with parking off the gravel road. $5 to play, either by putting in a box near hole 1, or hand off to James if he is around.

I listed the distance from the signs, but there are now multiple pin positions, so some distances may be off a bit since I was not sure which hole I was playing. However, this gives you a general sense of the distance.

Hole by hole description from 14 JUNE 2020 for RHBH
#1. 400ft. Cement tee at top of slight hill, straight shot down to a flat, wide fairway, with a pond behind the pin and edging towards the right side. You need a big arm to reach water on the drive, but an errant upshot could get wet if it is too long. Grass along the entire hole, mowed and manicured.
#2. 285 ft. Cannot see the basket from the tee. Level drive, needs to bend right towards end of flight. The basket hidden is behind trees and in the woods on the far side of a cul de sac meadow. Straight or slight left to right shot, but drooping branches guard the last 30 ft.
#3. 300 ft. The tee is slightly raised up, with steps heading down to the fairway, which is quite tight. Straight shot with a large guardian tree near end of fairway to right of basket. Creek is about 30 ft behind the pin, so be careful on approach. Creek is shallow and clear, but moving at a good clip. Can see the pin from the tee.
#4. 245 ft. Creek is on left, out of shot, and fairway heads into a grove of skinny trees and large ferns. Basket is tucked behind a couple of trees, but a decent mid-range drive should give you a chance to birdie. Pin is not easily seen from the tee.
#5. 240 ft. Creek is again on left, but trees line the fairway, essentially a straight shot. Pin is in full view.
#6. >330 ft. Narrow window off the tee, with two offset but large tree trunks in defining the path of your drive. RHBH hyzer, with pin not in view, off to the left. Pin nestled in ferns, stump, and small trees, protecting it.
#7. 225 or 255 ft. Basket is 6 ft in air, suspended from a moss-covered tree. Multiple trees near the basket. Another straight, mid-range shot where accuracy is key.
#8. 220 to 335. There is a natural arch (tree), which is a mando on the short position. The pin was in the long when I played, and it is hard to reach the pin on the drive due to trees filling much of the air space. Little walk from pin to tee of #9, with footbridges over a creek. Cannot see the pin the long position until about mid-fairway.
#9. 300 ft? Walk to this tee is very scenic, very green, moss-covered trees, and the feel of a temperate rain forest. Cannot see the pin from the tee. Straight shot, then needs to fade right, pin is protected by a row of 6 small tree trunks.
#10. >300 ft. This may be the most technical hole on the course. Trees come into play immediately, with fairway curving slightly right, then bending left, but then taking a hard right after that. Cannot see pin or reach it from tee. Essentially a mid-range drive to ensure you are on the road/fairway, ideally past the first curve, then you can reach the pin on the second shot with a secondary drive. Pin up the road, narrows as you approach.
#11. 250 ft? Tee is on small ridge, basket is below and to right, not visible. Straight shot with fade to right.
#12. 300ft? Slight uphill, with basket on left, tucked behind a wall of skinny trees. Drive straight, with a fade to left. Pin is up the gentle rise, with lots of trees surrounding it. Pin not visible from tee.
#13. "250ft? Tee is atop a ridge again, similar to tee #11, and this is essentially the mirror image shot, with a straight shot fading hard left, across a little canyon and up on the far side past some logs. Pin not visible from tee.
#14. 270 ft? A trench runs along right side of this hole, with clear running water, maybe 1-2 m wide. Slight fade to right can get a birdie look but also can put in the water (disc easily recovered). Pin (cannot see from tee) is in a stump, just past the footbridge that crosses the creeklet.
#15. 250ft? Wall of trees visible from tee, with flight path a RHBH gently hyzer, with slight downhill slope on latter third of fairway. Pin not visible from tee.
#16. 300ft? Mostly long, straight shot, with slight fade left, pin tucked near edge of pond, but should not come into play. Pin not visible from tee.
#17. 270 ft? This has the highest pucker factor, since the tee is on the edge of the pond, and the pin is on the far side next to the pond's outlet and the bridge. There is a large, safe landing area on the left, but if you have any hope of a birdie, you may get wet. Great risk/reward hole.
#18. 300 ft? Next to a shed, close to pin #1, and driving towards trees on far side of mowed area. Pin is visible, up the slope slightly, tucked into leading edge of trees.

I really enjoyed this course, both for the scenery and shot shapes. James was great, and I hope this course can keep going. The $5 fee was worth it, and I played through twice. The second time took only 40 minutes and was as much fun as the first time. This place is worth coming to!
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5 0
Breh
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 13.8 years 191 played 189 reviews
4.00 star(s)

2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 16, 2019 Played the course:once

Pros:

This place is what Oregon disc golf is all about!
Lovely course through the woods with a few open shots like 1/17/18
This is a course that will reward accuracy. Most holes our driveable but not a pitch and putt. If you hit your lines you can score well but go off the fairway par will be hard to save. Some very cool signature type holes. #1 down towards the water is great, hole 13 great, hole 17 over the lake and 18 also very cool. Some cool elevated pins that aren't overdone and even one in the ground that is great. Good variety of backhand/forehand as well as distances. This is truly becoming a top level course and the more it gets beat in and played the better it's going to get. James the camp host is great guy as well. They have a mini storage thing that has discs for sale and a great lost and found return policy. Scenery here is great and they do offer camping part of the year

Cons:

Not many to be honest only couple small cons...
The tee signs could use an update with every basket place and distances. Most of them have it but some our missing the distances
Not every hole is collared or locked in. Which means pins out not always set in sturdy or can be moved which aren't indicated on the tee sign so might have to walk up to try to find and layout can vary a little to much. Also couple bees nest here and their but that's common this time of year on most courses.

Other Thoughts:

Overall great place to play only getting better and great addition to the Eugene ish area for disc golf
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3 1
royvin
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 7.8 years 188 played 66 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Worth the drive 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 18, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

- provides a good challenge and is well laid out
- calm, quiet, woodsy setting away from town
- nice use of raised baskets and some holes with elevation changes
- 16 of 18 holes now have nice concrete tee pads
- course map available, and signage was decent
- heated cabins available for low cost

Cons:

- Very woodsy- it's not hard to lose a disc here. Only a couple holes were wide open shots.
- Course not open during summer months when the camp is busy with other stuff

Other Thoughts:

Enjoyed playing the camp fire open here last weekend. James had the course in excellent condition. If you can stay on the fairways you'll be in decent shape, but throw a little left or right and you can get in trouble fast.
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3 0
crsinger
Experience: 21.8 years 26 played 1 reviews
4.00 star(s)

One of my favs 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 7, 2015 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

I love Camp Serene and it's one of my favorite places to play. Pros include: beautiful scenery with a nice variety of shots (downhill and uphill drives, turnovers, over the water, etc...) throughout the 18 holes; accuracy pays off more than power here as you will need to hit your lines to score well --- playing here will make you a better disc golfer!.

Cons:

Only 2 cement teepads with most "teepads" now just carpet patches. Teepads are on the wishlist as well as permanent baskets.

Other Thoughts:

James and volunteers work really hard to make this a special place. It's well worth the drive from Albany/Corvallis, especially to escape the crowds on most area public courses. New hole placements are currently in the works to bypass the common camp areas, which will allow the course to became a year-round haven for disc golf.
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4 0
Matt B.
Experience: 31.6 years 73 played 14 reviews
3.50 star(s)

So Serene! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jan 19, 2015 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

I love playing at Camp Serene. Such a classic Western Oregon location and setting. Forest, streams, pond. James is an awesome host and the experience is well worth the fee. Lots of effort, love and care put into this very young and still developing course. Technical, wooded and fun, with some variety in the open areas and water in play on several holes.

Updated review: This course keeps getting better and now has several permanent tee pads, more pin positions, and 18 permanent baskets

Cons:

Course is short and still maturing. Permanent tee pads are being installed as funds are available. A little bit of punishing rough but nothing out of the ordinary. You might lose a disc in the water and pout.

Other Thoughts:

Camp Serene is a very fun disc golf outing! You are really in the woods here and it is indeed Serene. Not crowded. Peaceful and fun are the description here. Well worth the drive and the fee and getting better every week.
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2 0
Ian Goldberg
Experience: 28.9 years 167 played 5 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Camp Serene disc golf! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Mar 3, 2021 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Amazing topography and variety in a nicely secluded area. Course is now 20 holes after a recent redesign, with two shots over the pond. Two holes are bound by the Long Tom River. Concrete tees and multiple pin locations on most holes. Flags mark walkouts from each hole, and all the foot bridges have been recently upgraded.

Cons:

No cell phone reception (or is that a pro?). Signs are still "on the way".

Other Thoughts:

$5 per day to play, pay at the gate. Course is open all summer of 2021 as there will be no camps.
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4 2
The Valkyrie Kid
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 45.9 years 1563 played 1507 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Accommodating Folks Here At Camp Serene! 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:May 26, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

Camp Serene, the name just seems like something out of a Stephen King novel. Actually, it's a very pleasant Lutheran based camp of 40 acres located about 22 miles outside of Eugene. Because they had temporarily loaned out four of their baskets to another course for a tournament, the course was a little difficult to follow. So James and another staff member personally guided me through much of the course.
The course is fairly rustic. The baskets range from brand new Discatchers to temps. They do have a practice baskets along with a couple of minis to throw at. The tee pads are mostly carpet.There is no signage but much of the course is intuitive in nature. Other parts were confusing especially with the four missing baskets. Part of the course plays through the middle of the camp and # 18 throws into a horse corral.
The course plays as a difficult recreational level with many blind basket placements, one very long (450') and extremely tight hole down near the small creek and one fairly routine throw (#11) over the lake.

# 1 was probably the coolest hole right now. It's a long downhill throwing over grass to a basket perched fairly close to the lakeside.

Cons:

Much trimming and removal of brush is being done at this time. I don't think this course will ever get enough use for it to get "beat down" as many courses do therefore I think it will always be slightly in "need of a trim."
No signage.
Carpet pads.
$3 to play.
Very rustic.
Lots of blind basket placements.
Thick underbrush-stay on fairways.

Other Thoughts:

This is another of the camp courses that I believe that completely missed their target audience, which is their campers. This course is way too wild, long, difficult and overgrown for campers to enjoy. Campers want short holes with the basket in sight and no chance of losing their discs in the brush.

There are some tournaments held out here. James is a great guy and is working hard to make this course playable but "Wow" that's a lots of brush and fairways to keep cleared. I say "Good Luck" to James and Camp Serene.
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