-Beautiful property with a very well designed and maintained course.
-Very secluded and wooded (this is Manistee national forest after all!)
-Fantastic mix of shots. This is a RH and LH friendly course, with some holes greatly favoring one or another. Some ace runs in the mix as well. Don't let that fool your though, this is a technical course.
-For its current state of infancy, this course has a pretty well "played in" feel to it. I find that typically courses that are less than a few years old feel a bit rough, and that there are lots of small stumps to stub toes on or to trip over, that was not the case here in my opinion. Off the fairways is pretty on par with what you would expect from a wooded, technical, Michigan course, at least from what I've experienced.
-The overall mix of challenge here is great. There is some water (permanent) that comes into play, lots of elevation that comes into play and there is a solid mix of distance variety between holes.
-The owner (Seth) is a super friendly guy, and was happy to go out of his way in the middle of a weekday to come down and let us play and get us started on his private course.

Very few cons here for me with this course. Couple obvious ones though, and thats nitpicking the course.

-Natural teepads on most of the holes. There were a couple holes (if my memory serves me correctly) that had rubber or brick paver pads. I'm sure Seth is aware of that, and is working on it, but in all reality, I really don't have anything negative to say about the quality of the natural pads.
-Bugs are brutal, and I played this in mid may. Mid July you'd probably need to bathe in deet to keep from getting eaten alive.

I feel foolish for not realizing that this was a private course, but I am extremely thankful that someone had listed Seth's number, and that he answered and allowed us to play.

This course is a killer addition to the western MI courses. You could make a solid road trip and hit some of the courses along the lake in SW MI and then play flip city, Mason County Park in Ludington and this one, if you obtain permission, of course.

I definitely want to come back here if I can. I make a pilgrimage through michigan every year, and am always looking to add a few new courses to the list. Flip City has been a mainstay on the list of course we play when we come up this way, but we skipped it this year (which I'm sad about) and played a few other new ones, this one included. When this course wears in well, and there are pad options, this will be amongst the top five courses in Michigan, no doubt about it in my mind.

Final thoughts: I used to LOVE writing reviews, but lost focus on it after a serious injury took me away from disc golf for a while. I'm getting back into the wing of things, and told myself and my friends when we left this course, that I was coming out of review writing retirement and was going to write one for this course. Thats how much I liked this one.

PS - At this point, I'm sure you realize, but as a reminder, is a private course! Respect that, and pack out ALL of your trash. Cigarette butts and all. Oh, and don't be like me. Call before you head here to make sure it's okay if you play here.

-Set in a National Forest
-Nature at it's finest
-Quiet
-Easy to navigate
-Very aesthetic

This virgin course will challenge your technical skills unlike many others (a la holes 6, A, B, 16, 18). It doesn't punish you unfairly. Good mix of shorter and longer holes, they are appropriately spaced as well.

-Tee pads

OK, I'm being a little nit picky here for a course that is only about 1 year old. While many of the pads are some of the best dirt pads I have ever played on, there are those 3 or 4 that are of softer sand - not a consistent surface. Shaky footing on looser sand makes those technical shots even more difficult to place, especially when thrown with power.

Wow. The beauty starts before you realize it. Soon after you turn off Rte 10 you find traffic noticeably thin and the dirt road underneath you. As fields and rolling hills suddenly disappear the road you're on is now hugged by dense, tall pines that make up the Manistee National Forest. Arriving at your destination, the entrance is welcomely subtle. Unbeknownst to you at this time, you are greeted with foreshadow: (spoiler alert) everything on this course seemed to be built by nature, including the parking area. Step out and you are merely a few steps away from the first tee.

But first, we were greeted by Seth.

I can't thank Seth enough for his hospitality. He has opened up his property to the community and should take great pride in his masterpiece that will evolve into one of the greatest courses you may ever play.

Seth provided some quick tips, what to look for on a few holes and off we went. Quickly getting an idea as to the unique footing; walking on a bed of pine needles and sand as pine cones sprinkled the forest floor. White arrows made from vinyl siding nailed to the trees were incredibly simple and efficient trail guides from one hole to the next. Tall pines allow for clean, but tight gaps as you navigate your way through tastefully laid out change-of-pace holes ranging from a 200' par 3 to a tough 670' par 4 with a basket 5 feet from the edge of a cliff. Oh, and there's that, cliffs. More accurately, acute elevation changes. And it's beautiful. The downhill throws from the tee are the some of the most fun I have had in the woods ... especially Hole B, throwing out of the woods to an island green that resides on the lake beneath you. 20' left of the basket and you're wet.

*Side note prop for Seth*

Accompanying us on a couple holes prior, watching us enjoy his course, he was waiting for one of us to dump a hyzer in the water on hole B. We succeeded. Seth put on the waders and fished out said disc 20' left of the basket. Seth returned to tending to his pride and joy shortly thereafter as we went on our way.

We continued to be amazed by the aesthetically pleasing, lengthy, sometimes straight view from tee to basket holes that consistently tested every shot you released. So much fun we didn't even realize our legs were burning from the workout they were getting on the sandy, mountainous terrain. Finishing with a perfect closing hole that's short, tight, technical, downhill, bending right, basket on a slope...if only I could FH a putter...we are then only a few steps away to the parking area where our car was still the only one there.

Final thoughts:
-check with Seth before you go, it's his personal, private property
-bring bug spray (we were there in an very dry mid May and the skeeters were out in force already)
-bring plenty of water
-trail shoes help with the steep, loose sandy terrain.
-pack your trash out, including cig butts, it is after all private property that is a National Forest
-whenever Seth can get concrete pads in, this will no doubt be a 5-star course
-the baskets have only been in about a year. It's hard to believe this course is as good as it is in its infancy.

Beautiful scenery and lots of technical shots.
So. Many. Trees. A good mixture of long and short holes. a decent amount of elevation changes and some water holes.

So. Many. Trees.
Must carry out your own trash. There are random buckets every once in a while but half were turned over and garbage had fallen out. It is better to just carry it out.

This course was designed with the help of the owner of Flip City who also did Branstrom Park. Thankfully with so much tree cover, the undergrowth is minimal so discs are pretty easy to find even if you go off the fairway...but that never happens...

Spectacular holes... all 24. This course is a dream course in it's infancy. Brand new chainstar baskets, well maintained fairways and rolling forest holes that have tight lanes, but will only challenge, not make you swear. Some tighter lanes here, some wider lanes there... Clean fairways... Great 'letter' holes near the water that include a 200ft down hill, window shot to a basket next to the water... landing area is 'the circle', no fairway. Just a great course!

Natural pads. Though not really a negative as the beauty and awesomely manicured fairways make this a must play.

If you have ever pictured a disc golf course in your head... this is the course. 180-almost 600ft holes... this course will challenge and reward you at the same time. Ran into the owner that was working the course in preparation for STates next weekend... was really nice and excited that players were starting to come and appreciate the playground he created.


I was happy to pay the $5... this course is well worth it!

Well laid out, good use of land. Each hole has good charisma, and appropriate level of challenge for hole length. I love the flavor this course brings to the table. It can be punishing for errant shots, however, plenty of opportunities to erase bogey strokes. I will definitely look forward to playing here again.

Only con is tee pads are natural and will get rutted out without regular tee manicures. I'm sure this is in the works so it's not that big of a worry for me.

The picturesque holes and amount of challenge this course offers, more than makes up for a more rigid tee pad. I had no slippage with them mind you. This is a destination course most assuredly. Once the course is worn in, it will definitely get a bump up the scale as far as the rating goes.

Technical fairways.
Good combination of long and short holes.
The course forces you to be accurate.
Great layout going right back to the parking area.
Beautiful, rolling fairways situated next to a lake.
Easy to navigate with all the arrow signs.

Tons of debris (in the cleanup stage from the looks of it) in piles.
Unmarked stumps.
No signs that show position or distance. (plenty of arrow signs telling you where to go, though)
No concrete tees yet - almost fell a couple times where the sand is deeper.

Seth was super nice and came out to talk with me. Some of the family even provided a little gallery for us for our hole 1 tee off.

Overall the property is phenomenal. Despite it being in the cleanup stage, this course is easily in my top 10. With signs, cleanup and large concrete tees, this course would rival Flip and Bluegill.

-Course lies in the heart of mid-Michigan multi-environments.
-Minutes from all the mecca of the Mason County Courses (Beauty, Beast, Goliath, Leviathan, Labyrinth, the Edge, and Whiskey Creek). An hour north of Flip City.
-Has aspects of both placement shot disc golf and run the basket style disc golf.
-Intense elevation changes (comparable to other Midwest courses)
-Secluded from masses
-True water hazards
-The same "Field of Dreams" quality that Flip City has but in it's baby stages.

-Pretty much all the negatives that a new course in its infancy can possibly have.
-You had better be in shape for the course.

This review/rating is strictly based on the few months this course has been available to play and HOW it plays and not the amenities that will surely come in time and with continued effort on the gracious owner's part. I could never give this a 5 until then. Even making this a 4.5 is a stretch but in the end it's about the purity of play.

First off, I am in love with this course. It has been property that's been in the owner's family for years. Seth is a great disc golfer in his own right and has played on this land for years upon years, figuring out the where and hows to lay out a 24 hole professional course on such an incredible and diverse piece of land. I, personally, have never played such a diverse environment course east of the Mississippi till now.

Imagine if god created land with natural fairways and greens laid out in a wooded environment that changes between heritage old woods, pines, luscious young saplings, and a variety of Midwestern growth. Up and down hills, across hills, a basket on a secluded lake, one over a swamp pond...there is just so much here.

Currently the course is marked out in a simplistic way with arrows from baskets to the next dirt tee pad (which happen to be some of the best and longest man made dirt tee pads I have ever played). The course takes you on a ride like no other. There is a perfect mix of lefty, righty, flex, bomb, anahyzer, placement, and run it holes scattered throughout. It caters to the accurate player and at times the power player, but never does it feel out of balance. It also never feels like a hole is just thrown in for the sake of flow. They all fit and you'll always be looking forward to the next hole. You'll step up to a tee and know this was the only place a fairway and hole could be. It literally feels like nature dictated the course before it actually was a course.

Things to keep in mind. This is a long and time consuming course. Plan a half day outing at the minimum. Bring bug spray. Under a canopy 90% of the time so the sun tends not to be huge issue. I would dare to say not quite cart friendly. I'm sure it could be done but I cringe thinking about dragging a cart up the "wall" on hole 12.

I'm not sure where to go on in this review here other than to say this is surely going to be a crown jewel in time with more love, more attention to details, more traffic. As for now it is an opportunity to play an incredible piece of property heavenly made for pure disc golf playing. Seek it out, understand it's still a baby, throw plastic in the woods, and smile.... a lot.

Seth is a Righteous Dude
Thanks for sharing your DG Paradise!!! Thanks for Mowing on your Sunday, Dave

Super Fun Course!!!

Course Map/Scorecard is extra useful for first timers, with extra info about the blind holes

Great Variety of Shots

Awesome use of the Ridge and other Elevation

Smart Design *did I upward spiral outta the Pond!?*

Also... there is a Pond, that comes into play!

Plays Mostly in Pines :heart: Property also has a Hardwood section

Couple 'Unique to Walhalla' Holes... you'll see!!!

Pairs nicely with Flip for a Fantastic day of Frolf... in my experience

Has Mason County Disc Culture

New Baskets

Back of Walhalla Woods has some Stellar Views

Ladies don't have PortaJane options

It's just off Hwy 10, but on the wrong side of the Lake... for Me

Course goes out as one big 24 hole Round, before returning to your Vehicle

I'm indifferent to Tees
The Teepads at Walhalla are currently Natural, Flagged, and in Good Shape... many were like a soft carpet, with all the Pine Needles