Redding and Northern CA, June 28 to July 8, 2013

[pauldst]

Any recommendations for fun courses to play in Northern California?

My wife and I will be in Redding, CA in a couple of months. Our flight gets into Sacramento midday on June 28th, and we will be leaving midday on July 8th. We will be staying in Redding, except for a two night trip to Yosemite.

Besides courses to play in and close to Redding, I am looking for a possible course to play:

1. on the way into Redding from Sacramento;
2. on the way from Redding to Yosemite, probably a 9 hole course for the sake of time, and about halfway;
3. on the way back to Redding from Yosemite;
4. on the way to the airport, again being careful of time;
5. 1 or 2 day or half-day trips.

I am a novice with a noodle-arm, and my wife is a beginner, so courses with lots of long holes are not so much of interest. It would be nice to not have a lot of potential for lost discs. It does not matter otherwise if the terrain is a bit rough, or there is a good hike involved. The more scenic the better. I do not mind technical, preferring it, in fact. I also like different. (Already, though, a lot will be different, since I have never been to CA before, and have only played in the Midwest.)

Some I am looking at already are:

1. University of OB in Weed, along with part of the Mt Shasta Disc Golf Complex;
2. the courses in or near Weaverville;
3. Blak Butte Lake;
4. and Anderson River Park.

Any thoughts?

 

[humchris85]

You are going to be in the wrong area of Northern CA, IMO.

 

[jimbosprint]

Come through Chico when you're between Redding and Sacramento. We have Peregrine Point in Chico, Lava Creek in Paradise, and Riverbend Park in Oroville.

Black Butte is definitely a good one. We are putting concrete tees in later this week, and some new pin placements have been installed earlier this year.

Send me a PM when it gets closer if you want a guide. Links to all these courses in my sig:

 

[pauldst]

You are going to be in the wrong area of Northern CA, IMO.

Ah, well, not much choice at the moment...

Come through Chico when you're between Redding and Sacramento. We have Peregrine Point in Chico, Lava Creek in Paradise, and Riverbend Park in Oroville.

Black Butte is definitely a good one. We are putting concrete tees in later this week, and some new pin placements have been installed earlier this year.

Send me a PM when it gets closer if you want a guide. Links to all these courses in my sig:

Thanks, Jim!
My wife is a bit of a water rat, so Black Butte looks good for family harmony, too! :thmbup:

I've looked at the other three. Lava Creek was supposed to be the 4th on the 2nd list, but I put down the wrong one. :\ Of the three--Peregrine, Lava Creek, and Riverbend--how would you rank them, keeping in mind our skill levels and limited discs due to flying in?

Oh, which reminds me... Just in case I need a disc or three, any good stores in Redding or elsewhere thereabouts?

 

[jimbosprint]

There's a disc golf pro shop at Lava Creek, and it's my favorite place to play. Private ball golf course and well maintained.

Peregrine has amazing views of the valley and is fun for all skill levels. There is a cliff shot that takes a lot of discs, and the rocks are hard on baseline plastic. Hot and dry in the summer, and tall grass that can hide discs.

Riverbend South in Oroville is a shorter, more technical course (though not too difficult). It has potential, but hasn't been maintained lately so it's a little rough right now - missing some tee signs and a bit overgrown. The north course isn't really worth the walk due to missing baskets and the fact that it wasn't that great to begin with.

 

[Hazer]

To rank the courses you mentioned, I would say: Lava Creek, Peregrine Point, Anderson River. Black Butte Lake has potential for lost discs with steep cliff edges on a few holes, but is a great course and you definitely should hit it up. I personally think it is better than all of the three above courses. But, like jimbosprint I also am a big fan of Lava Creek: it is very nice and is a ball golf course so it is very well groomed and there is little worry of losing discs. I personally also really like Buckeye in Redding; it has tone poles instead of baskets but they are nice and wide, marked metal poles and it has cement tees. It may have tee signs now too since they were about to add them the last time I played there in February. If the signs aren't up, there are some drawn in (in sharpie) hole numbers and layouts on the sign posts. Technical course with some distance but mostly right around 300' and easy to navigate with well worn in paths and very friendly locals all around. Rough is hard to shoot out of but not too tough to find discs. From Redding to Yosemite there really aren't any great 9 holes right along the way, but there is a nicer 18 hole in Lodi right off the 99 that's a quick 18. Micke Grove; It's a pay to play ($6 per car weekends, $5 weekdays), but decently technical with lots of trees and OB and a couple holes that play around a big pond. If you're looking for something really quick Elk Grove has a really open and flat 9, but it's pretty boring. Woodland has a decent beginner 9 that is short and would be just a little out of your way. McClatchy Park in Sacramento is right off the 99 and is a decent city park 9. It is not in the nicest of areas though, so I would avoid playing there mid-afternoon to dusk if possible. The park is very nice though and the golf is decently challenging and technical. It's a very well groomed park with tall mature trees and well maintained grass throughout so there is virtually no chance of losing a disc. It's the closest course to me so I play there often but usually in the mornings or late at night to avoid the "locals", lol. It's definitely the best 9 right off the route from Redding to Yosemite. If you have time and want to play a good course in the Sacramento area, Shady Oaks and Rocklin are your best bet, in that order. If you plan to hit any of the courses in the greater Sacramento area up please pm me and I will meet you for a round and show you around the course(s). Have a great trip!

 

[zofo]

norcal suggestions

If you stop in Chico and you have time try Sherwood forest. It's called a kiddie course but fun for quick casual 9 hole. Great for beginners and ace runs! Stop at Sierra Nevada brewery for good food, atmosphere, and beer. Enterprise park in Redding is a fun 18 hole park course. Front 9 wide open back 9 technical with trees and such. Have a great trip!

 

[Pound]

Another new(ish) one is past Weaverville, about 25min, in a place called Junction City (it is not a city at all). I go stealheading (winter fishing) there many times a season. Last time i played J.C. it had tone-poles but i think they installed baskets since then. I played the first 9 before I had to go, and i thought it had some good potential, much better than Lee Fong park (Weaverville) IMHO.

the Trinity River is right there, and about 5 minutes past J.C. is a place called Pigeon Point, it has sort of a "beach" area on the river. Depending on water release, you can swim there in the summer. Pretty area and drive. You can stop in Weaverville for some food and an ol' West feel. Once you past Weaverville... there's not much.

 

[pauldst]

:doh: I should have posted a "Thank you" to y'all earlier. My apologies for not doing so. I got caught up in trying to make a spreadsheet in order to decide on courses to catch and then stalled out. Again: :doh: Ultra-Trip Planner wife got me back on track, though.

Re-reading the above and talking more with wife has it starting to look like:
Lava Creek on the way from the airport in Sacramento (Friday June 28);
Univ. of OB in Weed one of the two Saturdays;
Buckeye in Redding, possibly, Sunday afternoon;
Possibly going to Sierra Pines near Yosemite, rather than trying to catch someplace in Sacramento on the way, or maybe going there on Wednesday (Sierra Pines is less than 20 miles from the campground that we will be staying at);
Possibly coming via Lake Tahoe and playing Zephyr Cove on Friday, July 5th.

Somewhere in there could still be Black Butte, Sherwood Forest, Anderson River, Enterprise, a trip through the Weaverville area, and/or something else, since there is an open Saturday, some possible time close to home in Redding on Monday the 1st, and the possibility of something before the flight out the next Monday.

As much as possible I want to avoid lost and chewed up discs...yet still play courses that are interesting.

 

[jimbosprint]

I'd be happy to show you around Lava Creek on Friday. What time do you think it would be?

I'll send you a PM with my contact info.

 

[pauldst]

Maybe I should make this a separate thread, but...

I've never played with Tone Poles before. Do they not beat up base plastic?

 

[jimbosprint]

Tone poles don't usually have any effect on base plastic, unless there are sharp rocks around.

 

[sansho]

For 1-2 day trips, if you were ever thinking tahoe, Bijou Community Park on the south lake may be the best bet. You are super close to the water for beach access, and close to camping, and just about every other touristy/visitor thing to do on the south shore.

Plus the course is super flat, with a fair amount of short holes which is good for certain playing styles. I play a fair amount with my girlfriend and she likes this course because of that reason. Easier, shorter holes, flat, can't lost a shot of discs. A lot of other courses in Tahoe area can be pretty rugged, with a lot of hiking.

There are tons of other course in the area if you'd like to take advantage.

I can play along/be guide at most Tahoe courses.

 

[jimbosprint]

I'll be in Tahoe all next week. Truckee/Tahoe North on Mon-Wed, South Lake through Friday or Saturday.

 

[pauldst]

We are still debating whether to go to Tahoe or not. The thinking to it is that it is "in between" Yosemite and Redding, the lake scenery and swimming, and playing in another state (Nevada). Zephyr Cove fits in with the scenery and is in NV. We were talking last night about how it would be cool to see fireworks over the lake. I was looking at what is in Reno last night, too.

 

[sansho]

I'll be in Tahoe all next week. Truckee/Tahoe North on Mon-Wed, South Lake through Friday or Saturday.

If you wanna shoot a round at Zephyr or Bijou let me know.

We are still debating whether to go to Tahoe or not. The thinking to it is that it is "in between" Yosemite and Redding, the lake scenery and swimming, and playing in another state (Nevada). Zephyr Cove fits in with the scenery and is in NV. We were talking last night about how it would be cool to see fireworks over the lake. I was looking at what is in Reno last night, too.

Zephyr Cove is awesome, I would recommend it to anyone honestly, it's just a pretty serious hike. Lots of uphill shots, and not very beginner/novice friendly.

 

[TempleOfDoom]

I'll be in Tahoe all next week. Truckee/Tahoe North on Mon-Wed, South Lake through Friday or Saturday.

I'm most likely taking Friday off next week. Give me a call if you want to play any of the south end courses (Turtle Rock, Kirkwood, Bijou, Zephyr).

 

[humchris85]

We are still debating whether to go to Tahoe or not. The thinking to it is that it is "in between" Yosemite and Redding, the lake scenery and swimming, and playing in another state (Nevada). Zephyr Cove fits in with the scenery and is in NV. We were talking last night about how it would be cool to see fireworks over the lake. I was looking at what is in Reno last night, too.

:thmbupO THIS! I would pick Zepher over any other course on your list. But forget Reno. No good can come of going to Reno.

 

[MikePinchico]

:thmbupO THIS! I would pick Zepher over any other course on your list. But forget Reno. No good can come of going to Reno.

The man speaks the truth. If you play Lava let me know how you like it. I would of loved to meet with you and play but I will be playing beaver state fling.

 

[pauldst]

Thanks for all the offers, guys. May very well take as many of you up on it as I can. Still working on itinerary, though...

I am trying to decide on what discs to bring, and luggage space is limited. I understand that at the higher altitude courses I will want to go lighter and more understable. Lighter is not a problem as I have tried to go with lighter discs as much as wind and MVP will allow. Wind here in the KC area is frequent and can be pretty bad. Wondering if, as much as I love them, I can leave my MVP discs at home.

So, how much of a factor is wind there?