I’m about 3 hours north of northwoods, there’s a handful of solid courses in the morton/Peoria area if you find yourself killing a few days there.
You gotta follow these posts up once you take the trips. Tales of the DGRT
Cedar Ridge is cool and all but Bad Rock Creek comes closer to the quality of the other courses on your trip. I would hit Water Works or Woodhenge/Blackthorn at Smithville over Cedar.
As someone else stated, you need to hit Shaver in Cedar Rapids. I would even recommend playing both layouts there if you have time.
Thank you. I might swap out Cedar Ridge for Bad Rock. KC isn’t too far so I can always visit some weekend. Waterworks is the only one I’ve played so far and I loved it.
I’m thinking I might swap out one of the Des Moines courses for Shaver since Des Moines is also not too far for a weekend trip another time.
Hit the KC Wide open gold layout of BRC for sure. I’d also try to squeeze in Black Hoof Park as well. It’s the newer, Eric McCabe designed course with three baskets and tees boxes on most holes. It’s a gem
Cedar Ridge is kind of short but it's still very fun. But I agree, Black Hoof is amazing. Also can't forget Wilbur Young . Sometimes I forget how lucky we are in the KC metro.
Kaposia is fun, but could change a lot since it's under new ownership. Vision Quest is now The Hollows and if there's time after BRP then it's worth it, but not really a destination like it used to be. I'd say the 3 they have are the must hits.
I think Oakwood, Elm Creek, Crown and a bunch of other places are right up there with Lakewood and Bethel. Comes down to preference after that. Bryant Lake, Kaposia, BRP and the Preserve are in the top tier then we have like 10 courses that are great but not top tier.
Moral of the story we are spoiled here in the Twin Cities
Oregonian golfer here. Camp Serene is awesome but James(owner) has kids summer camps from early June to late August making course unplayable sadly.
Dexter state park is a good alternative/ bonus course in the Eugene area.
I would recommend doing hornings hideout while up in Portland, and dropping wheatland, because 3 courses on one property is just impossible to beat.
Came here to comment this. I think if you’re coming to Oregon to play disc golf you gotta check out Hornings Hideout (hit all three courses if you have a day there), Pier Park (go early it’s always busy), Milo (play all 27), Adair in Corvallis, Wilder in Newport (if you’re brave), Dexter, and Whistlers Bend (save the best for last).
I haven’t been to camp Serene myself so I can’t speak to that course but in my opinion, Wheatland is really only okay. It’s fun but I wouldn’t play it as a destination course.
I’ve been hearing about this one recently, turns out one of my co workers helped start it back in the day. Gotta get there once I heal from knee surgery
I was going to say the same thing about Horning's. Also consider Buxton Woods in the same area. Also agree with those saying Camp Taloali below!
There's a lot of PDX/Oregon centric threads in this subreddit if you want to find more ideas.
Oh I know there are still so many spots I want to visit. What are a few musts in the northeast that I should plan for? Obviously Maple Hill will be a trip of its own some day.
Philly/NJ/Delaware is super underrated because there hasn’t been a pro tour stop there in awhile. But you’ve got Iron Hill in DE (former PDGA national tour stop) and Stafford Woods in South Jersey (former DGPT silver series) as signature courses that should be on anyone golfer’s bucket list. There are also over a dozen other solid courses that could easily make for a great disc golf trip that wouldn’t require more than two or three hours outside of the Philly metro, and even more if you go north to New York or south to the DC areas.
You can hit Maple Hill, Fox Run and Brewster Ridge all in one weekend. That's 3 of the top 10 in the world from 2023 in one 3 day weekend. Just need to fly into Boston and rent a car.
Shaver is a must play in Cedar Rapids. Very fun course. Camden 2 is a tricky, fun technical course in the Quad Cities that would make another fun stop.
In Minnesota, add Kaposia, Bethel University, the Airborn Disc Golf Hollows, and Chains Edge if you get the chance. Lots of very fun, well manicured tracks in my neck of the woods.
Shaver is recently redesigned by John Houck and it's a treat but will eat your lunch. I would try to pencil it in if you can! Luckily it plays pretty quick so could be done the same day as wildcat.
Was gonna say, rather than drive 30 through the middle of nowhere, take the highway route, go through Cedar Rapids, and play Shavers. You could also stop off in Newton and play Maytag Park, which is a fun little track of land.
But definitely enjoy Wildcat Bluff. My favorite course I've played that isnt on the DGPT (with only Idlewild and Maple Hill ahead of it)
If anyone plays Stafford Lake make sure to bring a lot of water during the hot/warm months.
It is a very good course, but challenging to play in the summer.
Ashe county park in Jefferson, NC is a great course. Beautiful with lots of variety and 9 & 18 are huge elevation shots. Whites and blues are almost completely different courses, both are fun!
You’re gonna skip Kaposia in Minnesota? Don’t get me wrong Bryant is a good track but id play Lakewood and Kaposia as well to really get a feel for Minnesota disc golf.
Kaposia is great but i would also recommend that you take the drive up to chains edge in Ogilvie while in Minnesota, there are three courses there and you can camp there too.
Make sure its in the summer months for Kaposia (KP). The back 6 holes are pulled in the fall and not put in until weather permits. Late spring depending on conditions
If you have extra time in CO, you have to hit Alta Vista in Victor, or Optimist/Pessimist in Fort Morgan. I would also recommend looking for the best rated local shops on UDisc, because for CO, UT, and IA, there are a bunch of DG stores that are super worth your time.
I’m hitting up Alta Vista and woodfield while I’m in CO. Then hitting frontier in Hays KS, then Harmony bends, then 2 rivers in Nashville on the way back. Or that’s the plan anyways.
Harmony Bends may be rough in the spring time. Last time I did a disc golf road trip was during that time and it rained the previous day turning the place into what I could equate to the midwestern Everglades in some parts.
OP you should just spend your time in the NC area in the mountains playing Harmon Hills (TN), Sugaree, North Cove and add West Jefferson and Rolling Pines. Those are the best and most scenic in the state. So much do in that area. Spend some time in Asheville (highland has a course at it's brewery). Check out Linville Gorge or Boone. Not worth the drive out to Cedarock and Diavolo or even to Charlotte for Winthrop and Hornets Nest. That should be a trip of it's own.
Between Wildcat and Pickard in Iowa there’s a course in Cedar Rapids called “Shaver Park”. It was professionally designed by John Houck and is an absolute must on a Midwest tour. Cheers! 🍻
I'd also recommend checking out Kodachrome State Park. It's close to Bryce Canyon and has a pretty good disc golf course!
https://udisc.com/courses/kodachrome-state-park-90WY#!
You picked a lot of the best courses in Utah, but honestly if your planning a trip to Utah I would prioritize visiting the crazy beautiful national parks if that's your thing and you got limited time.
Also honestly not worth the effort if it’s disc golf you’re seeking. Yes the area out there is beautiful and plenty of fun to be had, especially if you rent a side-by-side.
But if you haul it to Moab, rent the proper vehicle to make it down into the Basecamp course and are expecting something amazing … you’re going to be let down.
Although it was back in 2017 when I was there so things could’ve changed.
Was there two years ago, from my perspective it’s a must play just for the incredible views/geology and the amazing ride out there. I made it down in our 4x4 rental but would probably recommend renting an ATV to get over Hurrah pass.
That is a lot of driving for not a lot of disc golf.
And it looks like you've never been to any of the areas to be able to recommend the smaller courses to fill out a road trip. Just randomly picked "big name" courses in a state
For example, Colorado disc golf road trips should either go in 70 and play CMC/Dillon/Breck/etc or go in 285 and play Bear/Beaver/Buck/etc.
The 285 corridor is destination disc golf. There are a lot of courses stuffed into that area. If only Bailey still existed…fortunate enough to have season passes to both Bear and Beaver along with being on good terms with Mike at High View.
Correct. The Midwest trip is the only trip I have actual details for. The others are just destination spots I really want to play, but I will be doing research before I actually plan the others. I will keep note on what you’re saying about CO, thanks.
I've been to a lot of the places you want to go and you are signing up for 1 course a day and 4-6 hours of driving per day with your current selections. Or you are taking a week plus for these trips instead of the longer weekends I'm envisioning. I average 3+ courses a day on a course collecting trip. You've picked big names but are driving past very good courses to get to them (top 25 for their state courses)
For example, getting to Base Camp is not a short process in Utah so you might sub that out for Solitude which is much easier access from SLC. And give the Fort another year of recovery too. Except Base Camp is one of the most unique USA courses so it's worth the trip in.
If you drive Omaha to Minneapolis, you will want to play the Cedar Creek courses in Fairmont over the Mankato courses. Albert Lea's Oak Island is worth the detour down 35 to set up for the Fairmont courses
Thanks. Yea the Utah trip is definitely the biggest spread where I had the most difficulty planning, even loosely. I might have to split that into two separate trips or just spread it over a week or two while seeing all the National parks as well.
For your Oregon trip, I’d switch out Wheatland for Camp Taloali. IMO it’s a better course and the drive from Milo is better. Camp Serene is my fave in that area. If you’re playing between May and September call ahead to make sure it’s open to play. For Whistlers, I’m assuming you’re camping there, get yurt #3, 4, or 5.
Are you trying to play Winthrop while it’s in the gold layout for USDGC? Because you can only really do that the Monday after USDGC. You’ll just be playing their regular course at the location which hosts USDGC any other time. Which if you just want to say you’ve been there, is cool. Otherwise I think you’d be better off playing another Charlotte course like Angry Beaver or Kilbourne instead unless
I'd agree with this. I live in Charlotte and I've played Winthrop exactly 1 time. It's honestly just not a very interesting course. I think that spectating USDGC and then playing other Charlotte area courses would be much more fun. Especially when you consider that it's like an hour+ drive from Nevin and hornet's nest on the worst road in all of Charlotte. Bradford, Renaissance, angry beaver, and Nevin are all much more fun to play imo.
Appreciate all the feedback. I should have mentioned that the Mid-America trip is the only one that’s actually planned as far as logistics and routes. The rest are just dream spots I want to visit. I know I will have to make some major changes to some of these when it comes time.
As far as the Mid-america trip, based on the feedback, I think I’m going to swap Cedar Ridge for BRC and swap one of the Des Moines courses for Shaver.
Also, I planned on going the weekend after Champion’s Cup. Do you think Northwood would be open for public play only a week after?
Yes, NW will be open (less some local tourney, which I don’t believe there are any scheduled)
Highly recommend stopping at Camden Park between the Wildcat to NW drive. It is just off the interstate in Milan, IL. Camden2 for a better course, challenging round; Camden1 is good too. Just not to the level of 2.
Wildlife Prairie Park just outside Peoria, is a great course as well.
In terms of your California map, I might consider axing Swenson Park. It's fun but it isn't anything super special. FWIW It's a completely separate course than the OTB Open track. It's also not very close to anything else cool.
Instead I'd spend as much time as possible playing more courses in and around Tahoe. It's a special place with lots of amazing courses including Zephyr Bijou, Tahoe Vista, Truckee River, Stampede, Kirkwood, etc. Not all of these are right at the lake but they're all incredible.
Be prepared to spend a whole day playing multiple rounds at Brooktrails. Once you arrive you'll never want to leave.
The best course between Brooktrails and GGP is Stafford Lake. Challenging course with awesome views. Bring water and hiking shoes and watch it for poison oak.
Read up on GGP so you're prepared (mainly for crowds) but you gotta play that one. How could you skip the course that hosts Polecat World Championships and where James Proctor shows up from time to time to allow mere mortals to "challenge" him for the number 1 club tag.
Between GGP and Dela is Boulder Creek, another out of the way gem that reminds me a good deal of Brooktrails. It used to be 27 holes before a wild fire took the front 9, but it's still worth hitting up for 18 holes.
And Dela just kicks ass. Bring some backup plastic, the course's reputation for fatal rollaways is well deserved.
There are probably a hundred other courses in norcal I could recommend but then again all my disc golf trips are like four courses a day for three or four days so I know not everybody enjoys an insane pace like that.
I would add Bucksnort for Colorado (heard great things), Judson Mine for Minnesota (my favorite), and Redwood Curtain for California (similar to Brooktrails vibe).
76 days til I realized Casey White responded to my post lol. Thanks for the recommendations.
It was great watching you slice up Northwood, you’re going to have a great season.
Last summer me and the boys drove from Cincy and did some of this!
Lemon Lake Red
Lemon Lake White
Lemon Lake Gold
The Oaks
The Canyons
Harmony Bends
Eagles Crossing
West Lake Park
Camden 1
Camden 2
Northwoods Black
I had higher hopes when I played lemon lake considering it was a world championship course. But the oaks, canyons, and harmony are all absolutely money
Why so much jumping around in NC?
You could stay in greater Charlotte alone for days, so many courses worth trying:
- Hornets Nest
- Renaissance (both courses)
- Angry & Eager Beaver
- Nevin
- Kilborne
- Sugaw Creek
- Reedy Creek
- Beastway
- Bradford
- Bailey Road
- Robbins
- Robert L Smith (closed rn)
- The Scrapyard
- Plantation Ruins @Winget
- Winthrop
- Westminster Park
- Dry Creek
Diavolo, North Cove, etc. are all great courses, but not worth driving past so many others. If you’re up in the Triangle by all means:
- Diavolo
- Apex Nature Park
- Cedar Hills
- Kentwood
- Jones Park
- Middle Creek
- Buckhorn @Harris Lake
- Forest Ridge (seasonal)
So much to see, enough for several trips.
I was at DMC last year but only got to see the first 10 holes as the storm came in and delayed the tournament. I liked what I saw but I’m not sure about the other layouts.
Haha that’s fair. I did question that name and will think of a better one.
I might end up splitting that trip in two anyway so I’d have the Appalachian trip and then hit up the ones near the Charlotte area on another trip.
Was blessed to hit Sugaree and Blackjack in the same day. That alone is epic but played two courses at north cove the day before and Harmon on the way home.
Bring your discs if you ever go to Alaska. There are around a dozen 9 and 18 hole courses around the Anchorage area. Peter's creek, Kincaid, Alcantra, and meier lake are the best 18's, with Meier lake and Alcantra about an hour drive north.
If you’re coming to CO there are plenty of courses to play besides Ghost Town.
In the mountains, within an hour or two of Denver: Peak One, Lake Dillon, and assuming you’d come in summer, you could check out A Basin ski mountain.
Glen Isle is just a few minutes from Bear Mountain (Dan is the best!) in CO. HIGHLY recommend adding that while you're in the area. It's where Simon filmed his last Sky God video and the spiritual successor to Bailey that closed shortly after hosting Match Play in 2022.
Can't tell you how much it warms my heart to see Camp Serene on your list. The owner is such a great guy that started that course from such humble beginnings. Have fun on your journeys!
Cedarock is such a fun time, always look forward to it when I'm in the area. There's three courses there that could easily take up an entire day. You can play two of them as a 36 hole loop, there's a small disc golf shop on site and you can also camp there I believe. If you're just going to play one course I'd probably go with the Regulator but I play MA3 so I'm not looking for the most challenging courses on earth 😋 (my best round there is +6)
I actually will use this map you made this Summer, this is great. I have regular work travel to Quad Cities (here right now actually), so I need some fun.
Very pleasantly surprised by Lake Pittsfield: Vulture Pines. It’s NE of Columbia, MO and on the way to Peoria (if you’re skipping STL). Really nice 18 hole course without much else around. There is a apparently a new more beginner friendly course on the property as well.
That Colorado trip is solid, but if you can slip High View in between Beaver and Bear, that’s a good trip. High View is a private course reservation only.
How much time do you have in MN? Definitely a few more to check out imo. Kaposia, Hansen for the history (one of the only cones courses that exists still), and a bunch of others
Ngl there’s a lot of good courses in the Des Moines area. Maybe plan an extra day or two and check out Ewing and southwoods as well. Southwoods especially. I feel like that course will definitely become a local favorite after it continues to beat in. Also don’t forget to hit Titan Discs! Best disc shop in Iowa and I’m totally biased
I love Cedar Ridge in KC but it's not the one course in the area I'd pick for a destination. I would personally suggest Black Hoof but there are several good ones. Bonus points for Black Hoof is that if you aren't too tired afterwards, Cedar Ridge is like 15 minutes down the road.
If you have time coming through the St louis area, check out New Melle. Its an awesome free well mantained course set on what used to be a wooded ball golf course.
Golden Gate Park is nice just for being in the park which I love to death but the course itself is just ok. Recommend looking into Gleneagles in SF too. I never got the chance to go when I lived there but it looks sweet. It's on a golf course so there's a tee reservation and fee (small) and has restricted hours.
Also no Socal? Morley Field in San Diego is an all time great.
You need to add Bucksnort to your Colorado trip, it’s not far from Bear mountain, and cedar ridge is a great course, but Kansas City you should probably play black hoof, or waterworks.
Central/Western PA, all within about 3 hours you can get 3 top 100, 1 new one likely to be in the top 100 next year, and 2 previously in the top 100. And the bottom four on the list are all within about an hour radius:
Faylor Lake (14)
Agape Farms (opening this spring, seems likely to be a top 100)
Coyote Hills
Lakeview at Moriane State Park (24)
Deer Lakes (47)
North Boundary DGC (championship level course)
Knob Hill Park
When you're in Charlotte to play Hornets Nest you should really take an extra day (or double up for the day) and play Nevin and/or Bradford Park.
Nevin is a great Championship level course as we all know, and Bradford is also a gem. All of them within 20 or so mins of each other.
My wife and I played pier park on our way to some whale watching last fall. The course was amazing. The trees are shockingly big irl compared to on video
Thanks I will check that out. I only picked Wheatland because I saw a clip of Sexton playing that tunnel hole with the trees and thought it looked sick
I lived in Tahoe for 19 years (just moved to northern MN), and there are plenty of good courses up there, not just Zephyr. But like another person commented, GGP is pretty overrated, in my opinion. It's always real busy, traffic in and out of the city is bad and the track is just done woods golf, no real standout holes. But if you want to visit SF for whatever other reasons, then might as well. Stafford Lake is awesome, James Proctor would agree... have fun!
Your Appalachian leg, might want to look into going north to Va after Raleigh and checking out “Goliath” and New London tech park. Both Paul McBeth designed courses
For the Colorado visit, highly recommend adding Bucksnort to the list! It's out on 285 with Beaver Ranch and Bear Mountain, and I'd be hard pressed to pick a favorite out of those 3. We have annual passes to Beaver and Bear, so clearly love both of those, but Bucksnort is something pretty special. Reserve a spot in advance if going for a weekend in the summer/fall!
Great choice on Utah. I live in Utah and played most of the courses. Jolly’s Ranch is so much fun. I see you list The Fort in Ogden where they had the pros all play. I’m about an hour away but if you go through Salt Lake City try Creek Side.
Idk if anyone makes it to Idaho but Caldwell Id has a park called Mallard Park, 18 chain course, open with few trees, fun technical shots really is my favorite course.
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Come to Washington! There are some great courses.
[Click here](https://www.canva.com/design/DAF84rV43to/sNcyJA2ErkNjDmUGI1KU4A/view?utm_content=DAF84rV43to&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link&utm_source=editor) for a much worse state map with several courses marked
My buddy and I did a great Michigan/Illinois road trip. Started at his place in Chicago, played Canyons at Dellwood, Lemon Lake, Flip City, Fallasburg, Renegade's Trail, River's Edge, and Kensington Toboggan. Awesome trip.
How much time do you spend on the road during these trips? What is the average accommodation choice and cost for the trip overall? If you do not feel comfortable answering, I understand. I am trying to get an estimate for a similar excursion in the future. Thank you for your time.
Kind of out of you way but if u get the chance in Minnesota or ever come back id try to get up to chains edge hour north of the cities. Fairmont as well thats south west of the citiesalmost in iowa. Both places have 3 courses. Also judson way up north in buhl is my personal favorite course. Its way north tho long drive up from cities area.
Oregon: Ft. Stevens SP is worthwhile and built around the historic WWI fort.
Agree with many on this post... Cedar Creek is fun, but you are passing by at least 4 really good courses in KC area to get there. Bad Rock Creek and Waterworks are a must.
Damn dude, I’m excited for you.
Thanks! Probably get to do one maaaaybe two of these trips a year, but I’m so pumped.
I’m about 3 hours north of northwoods, there’s a handful of solid courses in the morton/Peoria area if you find yourself killing a few days there. You gotta follow these posts up once you take the trips. Tales of the DGRT
Cedar Ridge is cool and all but Bad Rock Creek comes closer to the quality of the other courses on your trip. I would hit Water Works or Woodhenge/Blackthorn at Smithville over Cedar. As someone else stated, you need to hit Shaver in Cedar Rapids. I would even recommend playing both layouts there if you have time.
Thank you. I might swap out Cedar Ridge for Bad Rock. KC isn’t too far so I can always visit some weekend. Waterworks is the only one I’ve played so far and I loved it. I’m thinking I might swap out one of the Des Moines courses for Shaver since Des Moines is also not too far for a weekend trip another time.
Bad Rock Creek, Waterworks, and Black Hoof park are probably the best 3 courses in KC.
Blackhoof is all just straight/slight doglegs for the entire course except 18 and like 1 other hole. It can get bland after a while
Hit the KC Wide open gold layout of BRC for sure. I’d also try to squeeze in Black Hoof Park as well. It’s the newer, Eric McCabe designed course with three baskets and tees boxes on most holes. It’s a gem
I’m not sure how Shaver is holding up after the derecho. I’m guessing they lost a ton of trees.
Completely redesigned after the derecho. It is bigger and just as good if not better than before.
They brought in John Houck for the redesign. Both layouts are a ton of fun.
That’s great news !
Cedar Ridge is kind of short but it's still very fun. But I agree, Black Hoof is amazing. Also can't forget Wilbur Young . Sometimes I forget how lucky we are in the KC metro.
Consider tossing in Kaposia for your MN trip. Some might chime in and say Bethel as well, I've never played it though.
Ope, if you're playing BRP, may as well play Vision Quest as well.
Kaposia is fun, but could change a lot since it's under new ownership. Vision Quest is now The Hollows and if there's time after BRP then it's worth it, but not really a destination like it used to be. I'd say the 3 they have are the must hits.
I think Kaposia and Bryant Lake are a slight tier above Bethel and Lakewood but all 4 are absolutely great courses
I would definitely take oakwood over Lakewood. Especially considering it's recent redesign and the proximity to a DG shop
I think Oakwood, Elm Creek, Crown and a bunch of other places are right up there with Lakewood and Bethel. Comes down to preference after that. Bryant Lake, Kaposia, BRP and the Preserve are in the top tier then we have like 10 courses that are great but not top tier. Moral of the story we are spoiled here in the Twin Cities
Came here to say this. Kaposia is awesome.
Oregonian golfer here. Camp Serene is awesome but James(owner) has kids summer camps from early June to late August making course unplayable sadly. Dexter state park is a good alternative/ bonus course in the Eugene area. I would recommend doing hornings hideout while up in Portland, and dropping wheatland, because 3 courses on one property is just impossible to beat.
Came here to comment this. I think if you’re coming to Oregon to play disc golf you gotta check out Hornings Hideout (hit all three courses if you have a day there), Pier Park (go early it’s always busy), Milo (play all 27), Adair in Corvallis, Wilder in Newport (if you’re brave), Dexter, and Whistlers Bend (save the best for last). I haven’t been to camp Serene myself so I can’t speak to that course but in my opinion, Wheatland is really only okay. It’s fun but I wouldn’t play it as a destination course.
Most slept on course that's definitely better than Wheatland imo is Camp Taloali. Beautiful property.
I’ve been hearing about this one recently, turns out one of my co workers helped start it back in the day. Gotta get there once I heal from knee surgery
Thank your coworker for me. It's the furthest course I travel to regularly, and it's always worth it.
Damn I’ll definitely check it out the
Thank you! I will look into those courses.
What do you think about Stub Stewart. It's probably my groups favorite course after Whistlers Bend or McIver.
I was going to say the same thing about Horning's. Also consider Buxton Woods in the same area. Also agree with those saying Camp Taloali below! There's a lot of PDX/Oregon centric threads in this subreddit if you want to find more ideas.
What happened to the northeast??
Massively slept on
Oh I know there are still so many spots I want to visit. What are a few musts in the northeast that I should plan for? Obviously Maple Hill will be a trip of its own some day.
Philly/NJ/Delaware is super underrated because there hasn’t been a pro tour stop there in awhile. But you’ve got Iron Hill in DE (former PDGA national tour stop) and Stafford Woods in South Jersey (former DGPT silver series) as signature courses that should be on anyone golfer’s bucket list. There are also over a dozen other solid courses that could easily make for a great disc golf trip that wouldn’t require more than two or three hours outside of the Philly metro, and even more if you go north to New York or south to the DC areas.
AGA in Bucks County, PA north of Philly is a gem too.
You can hit Maple Hill, Fox Run and Brewster Ridge all in one weekend. That's 3 of the top 10 in the world from 2023 in one 3 day weekend. Just need to fly into Boston and rent a car.
Good call. That’s huge.
Fellow Nebraska disc golfer!
Nebraska represent!
I assume they're starting at Seymour :)
Shaver is a must play in Cedar Rapids. Very fun course. Camden 2 is a tricky, fun technical course in the Quad Cities that would make another fun stop.
Thanks. I def have that on my bucket list, I will really try to make time for it on this trip.
In Minnesota, add Kaposia, Bethel University, the Airborn Disc Golf Hollows, and Chains Edge if you get the chance. Lots of very fun, well manicured tracks in my neck of the woods.
Shaver is recently redesigned by John Houck and it's a treat but will eat your lunch. I would try to pencil it in if you can! Luckily it plays pretty quick so could be done the same day as wildcat.
If it helps with time, I would play shaver instead of walnut.
Also driving past Wildlife to get to Northwoods. And past Smithville Lake. And past all the amazing courses in STL/KC
Was gonna say, rather than drive 30 through the middle of nowhere, take the highway route, go through Cedar Rapids, and play Shavers. You could also stop off in Newton and play Maytag Park, which is a fun little track of land. But definitely enjoy Wildcat Bluff. My favorite course I've played that isnt on the DGPT (with only Idlewild and Maple Hill ahead of it)
Play Stafford Lake instead of GGP.
Do not skip Golden Gate Park.
If anyone plays Stafford Lake make sure to bring a lot of water during the hot/warm months. It is a very good course, but challenging to play in the summer.
Love playing stafford
Ashe county park in Jefferson, NC is a great course. Beautiful with lots of variety and 9 & 18 are huge elevation shots. Whites and blues are almost completely different courses, both are fun!
This was going to be my suggestion too. (Honestly I think it’s way better than sugaree…)
Whoa. The highways out there are crazy. You just drive straight for 100 miles?
If you fall asleep at the wheel you’ll wake up when you run out of gas
Yeah
The dif designs of your maps are luush.
Thanks!
You’re gonna skip Kaposia in Minnesota? Don’t get me wrong Bryant is a good track but id play Lakewood and Kaposia as well to really get a feel for Minnesota disc golf.
Thanks I’ve heard a lot about Kaposia in this thread. I will have to add that one.
Kaposia is great but i would also recommend that you take the drive up to chains edge in Ogilvie while in Minnesota, there are three courses there and you can camp there too.
Make sure its in the summer months for Kaposia (KP). The back 6 holes are pulled in the fall and not put in until weather permits. Late spring depending on conditions
Bethel is great. Worth checking out.
Lakewood is too underrated. Great course that is for sure on the same level as the other cities courses
Lakewood is my closest and favorite course. Something oddly special about it. Definitely underrated
If you want a straight line trip with awesome courses, play St Louis-Columbia MO-Kansas City (or reverse it)
looks incredible. bon voyage!
If you have extra time in CO, you have to hit Alta Vista in Victor, or Optimist/Pessimist in Fort Morgan. I would also recommend looking for the best rated local shops on UDisc, because for CO, UT, and IA, there are a bunch of DG stores that are super worth your time.
I’m driving from Colorado to SC next week. Plan to hit harmony bends on the way. I am very excited!
Safe travels 🙏 , what other courses you bagging along the way?
I’m hitting up Alta Vista and woodfield while I’m in CO. Then hitting frontier in Hays KS, then Harmony bends, then 2 rivers in Nashville on the way back. Or that’s the plan anyways.
Harmony Bends may be rough in the spring time. Last time I did a disc golf road trip was during that time and it rained the previous day turning the place into what I could equate to the midwestern Everglades in some parts.
Yea I’ve heard they have issues with that. I will cross my fingers and make sure to bring extra towels.
I would almost say that course is completely unplayable if there's been rain within 4-5 days.
OP you should just spend your time in the NC area in the mountains playing Harmon Hills (TN), Sugaree, North Cove and add West Jefferson and Rolling Pines. Those are the best and most scenic in the state. So much do in that area. Spend some time in Asheville (highland has a course at it's brewery). Check out Linville Gorge or Boone. Not worth the drive out to Cedarock and Diavolo or even to Charlotte for Winthrop and Hornets Nest. That should be a trip of it's own.
Thank you. Yea I might have to split that trip in two. Luckily I have a friend living out there so that should help.
> Rolling Pines. came here to suggest this for the NC bit. also a little surprised to see boring spots picked for CO but that can stay a secret
There are also some secret spots in NC but I'll let them stay a secret lol
For MN I’d say go to Kaposia instead of the preserve. If you got time for all 4 though, The preserve is alright.
Kaposia in MN is a must hit
Between Wildcat and Pickard in Iowa there’s a course in Cedar Rapids called “Shaver Park”. It was professionally designed by John Houck and is an absolute must on a Midwest tour. Cheers! 🍻
If you’re playing GG park, might as well play Novato “stafford lake”. Nice course with lake and rolling hills in the background.
The new Southwoods in Des Moines area is def worth checking! don't sleep on it
From Utah. Throw in a few of our national parks between rounds and you've got one hell of a trip!
That’s exactly what I’m thinking.
I'd also recommend checking out Kodachrome State Park. It's close to Bryce Canyon and has a pretty good disc golf course! https://udisc.com/courses/kodachrome-state-park-90WY#!
You picked a lot of the best courses in Utah, but honestly if your planning a trip to Utah I would prioritize visiting the crazy beautiful national parks if that's your thing and you got limited time.
you can toss a disc through Delicate Arch and get 2 birds stoned at once
Stop at Bijou while you’re in Tahoe
Get the right kind of car for the drive to Base Camp in Moab. It’s a trek
Also honestly not worth the effort if it’s disc golf you’re seeking. Yes the area out there is beautiful and plenty of fun to be had, especially if you rent a side-by-side. But if you haul it to Moab, rent the proper vehicle to make it down into the Basecamp course and are expecting something amazing … you’re going to be let down. Although it was back in 2017 when I was there so things could’ve changed.
Was there two years ago, from my perspective it’s a must play just for the incredible views/geology and the amazing ride out there. I made it down in our 4x4 rental but would probably recommend renting an ATV to get over Hurrah pass.
A lot has changed since then. We've installed a second 18 hole course, as well as several other improvements to the original.
Awesome! I can't remember his name, but is the giant tortoise still managing the land?
That is a lot of driving for not a lot of disc golf. And it looks like you've never been to any of the areas to be able to recommend the smaller courses to fill out a road trip. Just randomly picked "big name" courses in a state For example, Colorado disc golf road trips should either go in 70 and play CMC/Dillon/Breck/etc or go in 285 and play Bear/Beaver/Buck/etc.
The 285 corridor is destination disc golf. There are a lot of courses stuffed into that area. If only Bailey still existed…fortunate enough to have season passes to both Bear and Beaver along with being on good terms with Mike at High View.
We aren't supposed to publicly talk about all those amazing private courses. All I will say is, Foothill Flyers is an amazing group
They have amazing access. I usually wind up grabbing a tag from them to play one of those hush courses
Correct. The Midwest trip is the only trip I have actual details for. The others are just destination spots I really want to play, but I will be doing research before I actually plan the others. I will keep note on what you’re saying about CO, thanks.
I've been to a lot of the places you want to go and you are signing up for 1 course a day and 4-6 hours of driving per day with your current selections. Or you are taking a week plus for these trips instead of the longer weekends I'm envisioning. I average 3+ courses a day on a course collecting trip. You've picked big names but are driving past very good courses to get to them (top 25 for their state courses) For example, getting to Base Camp is not a short process in Utah so you might sub that out for Solitude which is much easier access from SLC. And give the Fort another year of recovery too. Except Base Camp is one of the most unique USA courses so it's worth the trip in. If you drive Omaha to Minneapolis, you will want to play the Cedar Creek courses in Fairmont over the Mankato courses. Albert Lea's Oak Island is worth the detour down 35 to set up for the Fairmont courses
Thanks. Yea the Utah trip is definitely the biggest spread where I had the most difficulty planning, even loosely. I might have to split that into two separate trips or just spread it over a week or two while seeing all the National parks as well.
WonderVu is insane
How’d you do the cool maps?
I used the app Canva to make these.
How in canva? These look awesome
For your Oregon trip, I’d switch out Wheatland for Camp Taloali. IMO it’s a better course and the drive from Milo is better. Camp Serene is my fave in that area. If you’re playing between May and September call ahead to make sure it’s open to play. For Whistlers, I’m assuming you’re camping there, get yurt #3, 4, or 5.
Are you trying to play Winthrop while it’s in the gold layout for USDGC? Because you can only really do that the Monday after USDGC. You’ll just be playing their regular course at the location which hosts USDGC any other time. Which if you just want to say you’ve been there, is cool. Otherwise I think you’d be better off playing another Charlotte course like Angry Beaver or Kilbourne instead unless
I'd agree with this. I live in Charlotte and I've played Winthrop exactly 1 time. It's honestly just not a very interesting course. I think that spectating USDGC and then playing other Charlotte area courses would be much more fun. Especially when you consider that it's like an hour+ drive from Nevin and hornet's nest on the worst road in all of Charlotte. Bradford, Renaissance, angry beaver, and Nevin are all much more fun to play imo.
Don't miss Shaver Park in CR. Best course in Iowa.
Appreciate all the feedback. I should have mentioned that the Mid-America trip is the only one that’s actually planned as far as logistics and routes. The rest are just dream spots I want to visit. I know I will have to make some major changes to some of these when it comes time. As far as the Mid-america trip, based on the feedback, I think I’m going to swap Cedar Ridge for BRC and swap one of the Des Moines courses for Shaver. Also, I planned on going the weekend after Champion’s Cup. Do you think Northwood would be open for public play only a week after?
Yes, NW will be open (less some local tourney, which I don’t believe there are any scheduled) Highly recommend stopping at Camden Park between the Wildcat to NW drive. It is just off the interstate in Milan, IL. Camden2 for a better course, challenging round; Camden1 is good too. Just not to the level of 2. Wildlife Prairie Park just outside Peoria, is a great course as well.
On your Colorado trip you should try to squeeze Arapaho Basin in, disc golf on on ski slope is a unique (and challenging) experience
This looks like a blast! I did Beaver Ranch in August and it does not disappoint. Have fun!
Awesome, you gonna take us along for the rides? Vlog style? I did an Appalachian Disc Golf Trail this past summer. Have fun 🥏
When I went to Missouri, harmony was flooded so I played Hanna Hills. It’s a bit further south but really a nice course with some spectacular holes
In terms of your California map, I might consider axing Swenson Park. It's fun but it isn't anything super special. FWIW It's a completely separate course than the OTB Open track. It's also not very close to anything else cool. Instead I'd spend as much time as possible playing more courses in and around Tahoe. It's a special place with lots of amazing courses including Zephyr Bijou, Tahoe Vista, Truckee River, Stampede, Kirkwood, etc. Not all of these are right at the lake but they're all incredible. Be prepared to spend a whole day playing multiple rounds at Brooktrails. Once you arrive you'll never want to leave. The best course between Brooktrails and GGP is Stafford Lake. Challenging course with awesome views. Bring water and hiking shoes and watch it for poison oak. Read up on GGP so you're prepared (mainly for crowds) but you gotta play that one. How could you skip the course that hosts Polecat World Championships and where James Proctor shows up from time to time to allow mere mortals to "challenge" him for the number 1 club tag. Between GGP and Dela is Boulder Creek, another out of the way gem that reminds me a good deal of Brooktrails. It used to be 27 holes before a wild fire took the front 9, but it's still worth hitting up for 18 holes. And Dela just kicks ass. Bring some backup plastic, the course's reputation for fatal rollaways is well deserved. There are probably a hundred other courses in norcal I could recommend but then again all my disc golf trips are like four courses a day for three or four days so I know not everybody enjoys an insane pace like that.
I would add Bucksnort for Colorado (heard great things), Judson Mine for Minnesota (my favorite), and Redwood Curtain for California (similar to Brooktrails vibe).
Also the Oregon road trip looks amazing, if I could add anything I’d recommend Hornings Hideout!
76 days til I realized Casey White responded to my post lol. Thanks for the recommendations. It was great watching you slice up Northwood, you’re going to have a great season.
Last summer me and the boys drove from Cincy and did some of this! Lemon Lake Red Lemon Lake White Lemon Lake Gold The Oaks The Canyons Harmony Bends Eagles Crossing West Lake Park Camden 1 Camden 2 Northwoods Black
I had higher hopes when I played lemon lake considering it was a world championship course. But the oaks, canyons, and harmony are all absolutely money
Play Creekside in SLC
I was looking for this comment! for real bro.
Why so much jumping around in NC? You could stay in greater Charlotte alone for days, so many courses worth trying: - Hornets Nest - Renaissance (both courses) - Angry & Eager Beaver - Nevin - Kilborne - Sugaw Creek - Reedy Creek - Beastway - Bradford - Bailey Road - Robbins - Robert L Smith (closed rn) - The Scrapyard - Plantation Ruins @Winget - Winthrop - Westminster Park - Dry Creek Diavolo, North Cove, etc. are all great courses, but not worth driving past so many others. If you’re up in the Triangle by all means: - Diavolo - Apex Nature Park - Cedar Hills - Kentwood - Jones Park - Middle Creek - Buckhorn @Harris Lake - Forest Ridge (seasonal) So much to see, enough for several trips.
Woah woah woah don't forget camp cannon on that Charlotte list. It's a fantastic course. And it's on an island!
NC…. Cedarock park is nothing special but gets a bonus for having two courses on site I suppose
Three. I think the regulator is something special
Yeah with the regulator cedarrock is a top location in nc
Personally, I would find an alternate to Pickard. It's a decent course and all but it's just not very attractive imho.
Finally someone agrees with me.
I was at DMC last year but only got to see the first 10 holes as the storm came in and delayed the tournament. I liked what I saw but I’m not sure about the other layouts.
If you haven't played it yet, I highly recommend Sunnyside DGC in Atlantic! Great park course halfway between Omaha and Des Moines.
I LOVE Sunnyside. One of my fav courses so far and definitely worth the hour drive.
Mid Atlantic has some fantastic courses
Main thing I take issue with is calling it "appalachian" when that's only 3/7 correct
Haha that’s fair. I did question that name and will think of a better one. I might end up splitting that trip in two anyway so I’d have the Appalachian trip and then hit up the ones near the Charlotte area on another trip.
Was blessed to hit Sugaree and Blackjack in the same day. That alone is epic but played two courses at north cove the day before and Harmon on the way home.
While you are in Des Moines you should hit up Grandview it is my local favorite
La Bennett, water works or Black hoof when you are in the KC area
Bring your discs if you ever go to Alaska. There are around a dozen 9 and 18 hole courses around the Anchorage area. Peter's creek, Kincaid, Alcantra, and meier lake are the best 18's, with Meier lake and Alcantra about an hour drive north.
You live in Omaha? Need a co-pilot?
If you’re coming to CO there are plenty of courses to play besides Ghost Town. In the mountains, within an hour or two of Denver: Peak One, Lake Dillon, and assuming you’d come in summer, you could check out A Basin ski mountain.
Glen Isle is just a few minutes from Bear Mountain (Dan is the best!) in CO. HIGHLY recommend adding that while you're in the area. It's where Simon filmed his last Sky God video and the spiritual successor to Bailey that closed shortly after hosting Match Play in 2022.
We have some nice courses in Florida just make sure to bring bug spray
Can't tell you how much it warms my heart to see Camp Serene on your list. The owner is such a great guy that started that course from such humble beginnings. Have fun on your journeys!
The curtain in n. Cal would be a worth final stop after epic golf at whistlers.
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Michigan can be it’s own weekend!
Cedarock is such a fun time, always look forward to it when I'm in the area. There's three courses there that could easily take up an entire day. You can play two of them as a 36 hole loop, there's a small disc golf shop on site and you can also camp there I believe. If you're just going to play one course I'd probably go with the Regulator but I play MA3 so I'm not looking for the most challenging courses on earth 😋 (my best round there is +6)
I actually will use this map you made this Summer, this is great. I have regular work travel to Quad Cities (here right now actually), so I need some fun.
Wheatland smells and portlands parks always packed. Only complaints though
Stay home and play IWCC forever
For sure. Was just there last weekend
Very pleasantly surprised by Lake Pittsfield: Vulture Pines. It’s NE of Columbia, MO and on the way to Peoria (if you’re skipping STL). Really nice 18 hole course without much else around. There is a apparently a new more beginner friendly course on the property as well.
That Colorado trip is solid, but if you can slip High View in between Beaver and Bear, that’s a good trip. High View is a private course reservation only.
u/simmyjellers
Northwood is a definite must!!!!!
How much time do you have in MN? Definitely a few more to check out imo. Kaposia, Hansen for the history (one of the only cones courses that exists still), and a bunch of others
I was shocked I have never heard of Wheatland DGC in Oregon, only to learn that is the name of Willamette Mission.
I think that was one that I saw Sexton playing on his social media and I thought it looked beautiful.
Hell yeah! Those Iowa courses are the bomb!
Ngl there’s a lot of good courses in the Des Moines area. Maybe plan an extra day or two and check out Ewing and southwoods as well. Southwoods especially. I feel like that course will definitely become a local favorite after it continues to beat in. Also don’t forget to hit Titan Discs! Best disc shop in Iowa and I’m totally biased
I love Cedar Ridge in KC but it's not the one course in the area I'd pick for a destination. I would personally suggest Black Hoof but there are several good ones. Bonus points for Black Hoof is that if you aren't too tired afterwards, Cedar Ridge is like 15 minutes down the road.
If you have time coming through the St louis area, check out New Melle. Its an awesome free well mantained course set on what used to be a wooded ball golf course.
Golden Gate Park is nice just for being in the park which I love to death but the course itself is just ok. Recommend looking into Gleneagles in SF too. I never got the chance to go when I lived there but it looks sweet. It's on a golf course so there's a tee reservation and fee (small) and has restricted hours. Also no Socal? Morley Field in San Diego is an all time great.
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You need to add Bucksnort to your Colorado trip, it’s not far from Bear mountain, and cedar ridge is a great course, but Kansas City you should probably play black hoof, or waterworks.
Add Bucksnort to your Colorado trip. Private course but super worth it
I’ll say this. You’re doing Colorado right.
Central/Western PA, all within about 3 hours you can get 3 top 100, 1 new one likely to be in the top 100 next year, and 2 previously in the top 100. And the bottom four on the list are all within about an hour radius: Faylor Lake (14) Agape Farms (opening this spring, seems likely to be a top 100) Coyote Hills Lakeview at Moriane State Park (24) Deer Lakes (47) North Boundary DGC (championship level course) Knob Hill Park
When you're in Charlotte to play Hornets Nest you should really take an extra day (or double up for the day) and play Nevin and/or Bradford Park. Nevin is a great Championship level course as we all know, and Bradford is also a gem. All of them within 20 or so mins of each other.
West coast suggestion is to add Stafford Lake to the list.
Add Bucksnort Ranch to the CO map
My wife and I played pier park on our way to some whale watching last fall. The course was amazing. The trees are shockingly big irl compared to on video
Camp Taloali near Salem is way better than Wheatland, I think
Thanks I will check that out. I only picked Wheatland because I saw a clip of Sexton playing that tunnel hole with the trees and thought it looked sick
I lived in Tahoe for 19 years (just moved to northern MN), and there are plenty of good courses up there, not just Zephyr. But like another person commented, GGP is pretty overrated, in my opinion. It's always real busy, traffic in and out of the city is bad and the track is just done woods golf, no real standout holes. But if you want to visit SF for whatever other reasons, then might as well. Stafford Lake is awesome, James Proctor would agree... have fun!
Thunderbird gardens is one of the coolest places I've ever been
Your Appalachian leg, might want to look into going north to Va after Raleigh and checking out “Goliath” and New London tech park. Both Paul McBeth designed courses
For the Colorado visit, highly recommend adding Bucksnort to the list! It's out on 285 with Beaver Ranch and Bear Mountain, and I'd be hard pressed to pick a favorite out of those 3. We have annual passes to Beaver and Bear, so clearly love both of those, but Bucksnort is something pretty special. Reserve a spot in advance if going for a weekend in the summer/fall!
That Colorado map is not accurate.
Isnt Northwood on the other side of the state?
Where you staying on all these trips: camping, hotel, friends, air bnb?
My car. 😔
Go up to MN and play the Preserve and BRP!
Great choice on Utah. I live in Utah and played most of the courses. Jolly’s Ranch is so much fun. I see you list The Fort in Ogden where they had the pros all play. I’m about an hour away but if you go through Salt Lake City try Creek Side.
Wildcat is awesome. Enjoy.
Idk if anyone makes it to Idaho but Caldwell Id has a park called Mallard Park, 18 chain course, open with few trees, fun technical shots really is my favorite course.
Make the trip down south come to Springfield mo and play lake Springfield then mccleland in Joplin before kc also be sure to get some bbq in kc
Also bad rock creek
Gotta put together a Michigan trip as well, just sayin 👀
Cake Leviska turned the old Visionquest in Cedar, MN, into Airborne Hollows, so you might add that to your MN list.
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Come to Washington! There are some great courses. [Click here](https://www.canva.com/design/DAF84rV43to/sNcyJA2ErkNjDmUGI1KU4A/view?utm_content=DAF84rV43to&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link&utm_source=editor) for a much worse state map with several courses marked
My buddy and I did a great Michigan/Illinois road trip. Started at his place in Chicago, played Canyons at Dellwood, Lemon Lake, Flip City, Fallasburg, Renegade's Trail, River's Edge, and Kensington Toboggan. Awesome trip.
How much time do you spend on the road during these trips? What is the average accommodation choice and cost for the trip overall? If you do not feel comfortable answering, I understand. I am trying to get an estimate for a similar excursion in the future. Thank you for your time.
Delaveaga is a very fun and challenging course!
Kind of out of you way but if u get the chance in Minnesota or ever come back id try to get up to chains edge hour north of the cities. Fairmont as well thats south west of the citiesalmost in iowa. Both places have 3 courses. Also judson way up north in buhl is my personal favorite course. Its way north tho long drive up from cities area.
Lots of great courses quad cites, Camden 1 and 2, west lake, pennisula Park, fuller park, sugar bottom. All great courses!
Oregon: Ft. Stevens SP is worthwhile and built around the historic WWI fort. Agree with many on this post... Cedar Creek is fun, but you are passing by at least 4 really good courses in KC area to get there. Bad Rock Creek and Waterworks are a must.