Drake Evans

I've played all over the country at some of the best courses there are–and this may be my favorite. Every time I've played it they've made significant improvements. There are three layouts perfect for a variety of skill levels. The longest layout is massive (~1000ft longer than toboggan). I've played both Blue ("The One"–their longest course) and White ("Long"–their mid-tier layout and my favorite) and thouroughly enjoyed them. Notable holes: 1 - Start the round from a large hill th ...
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I've played all over the country at some of the best courses there are–and this may be my favorite.

Every time I've played it they've made significant improvements. There are three layouts perfect for a variety of skill levels. The longest layout is massive (~1000ft longer than toboggan). I've played both Blue ("The One"–their longest course) and White ("Long"–their mid-tier layout and my favorite) and thouroughly enjoyed them.

Notable holes:
1 - Start the round from a large hill throwing over 550' of water and a great view.
4 - Massive par 5 that allows you to open up and still challenges you to play intentionally
10 - Par 4 along the water that masterfully temps you towards danger.
18 - You could call it a gimmick, but the double island hole is really fun to play in my experience

The teepads are the best I've ever played on (12' circles on every hole). Benches at each hole with bag stands on the back. Great views everywhere. Quality tee signs. Pro shop. Food and drink.

Great facilities. Beautiful property. Worth the $10. I will be buying a season pass next year.

(Even par on the White layout played as ~950 rated in the first tournament on the course)
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Pros: Designed in partnership with Joe Gill, and if you've played Blue Gill, you know he's great. This course is mostly long and mostly open. The Championship Course is aptly named. It is a beast. The woods sections have fair fairways but have some teeth in the rough. They force you to throw some very specific lines if you want to park them. I was worried when it opens up (around hole 7 or so) that this course would get boring. Most of the holes from then on are placed in a large, slightly ...
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Pros:

Designed in partnership with Joe Gill, and if you've played Blue Gill, you know he's great. This course is mostly long and mostly open. The Championship Course is aptly named. It is a beast. The woods sections have fair fairways but have some teeth in the rough. They force you to throw some very specific lines if you want to park them.

I was worried when it opens up (around hole 7 or so) that this course would get boring. Most of the holes from then on are placed in a large, slightly hilly, field that is peppered with large mature tress and some rough patches.

I was wrong. Almost every one of these holes has something more to it than just an open drive. Elevation change is used beautifully on the holes without trees or rough. 12 is an awesome risk/reward (and picturesque) mando hole in the open. 16 forces you to overcome the small gap at the teepad to get back out to the fairway. 17 and 18 both dangle birdies in your face but make it very easy to leak OB.

This course looks good too.

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Cons:

No tee signs/maps/numbers. The course was rearranged this year so I assume this is coming? Honestly might be my only complaint about this course.

If you're looking for a woods course, this is not it. There aren't many densely forested holes at all, and almost half of the holes are 400+ feet long.

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Final Thoughts:

I love this course. It's a new favorite. Top 2 on my list. I'm a sucker for bombers that still require a good game plan. The "woods" holes are my favorite kind of woods–fair with a challenge. If this course gets a nice map and some teesigns, I don't know how I could not give it an A+.
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Pros: Like Yetisburg, elevation changes on every hole. This is a newer course and brings more of the woods into play. The fairways and baskets are more guarded and the rough here may as well play like an OB stroke, because it is ROUGH. I don't have the scorecard/map handy, but there were some really great holes. Hole 3 plays off a cliff at what I believe is the highest point of the property. You throw down into a valley that contains more hills, a pond, and a green on a well manicured circle ...
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Pros:

Like Yetisburg, elevation changes on every hole. This is a newer course and brings more of the woods into play. The fairways and baskets are more guarded and the rough here may as well play like an OB stroke, because it is ROUGH. I don't have the scorecard/map handy, but there were some really great holes. Hole 3 plays off a cliff at what I believe is the highest point of the property. You throw down into a valley that contains more hills, a pond, and a green on a well manicured circle guarded by walls of trees. Hole 6 (I think) Is a big rolling downhill slope and back up to a green tucked into a treeline. Some of these holes are masterful combinations of elevation changes, guarded baskets, and punishing rough. 16 (again, I think) is a beautiful mowed fairway to a basket 50' up to a 5 foot wide landing zone. Every once in a while, I walked up to the hole and just took a minute to enjoy how well-thought out and beautiful they were.

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Cons:

No concrete tee pads. Once these go in, I feel like a lot more people will be interested to play the course, and will bring the traffic it needs to "beat in." Signage also isn't in yet, so navigation is more difficult, but nothing that will get you lost. Yetisburg was a wonderful course through and through. Little Bigfoot is more of a roller coaster. Some holes were world class, but some others fell short. The back half plays along a treeline and tried to incorporate some tighter lines on a mostly open property to mixed success. I think the fairways just need some playing to beat them down and maybe a few trees out. On the other hand, hole 7 was one of the best woods holes I've ever played. From the teepad, it looks like an impossible birdie. It plays downhill through a TIGHT tunnel, but gives you a generous landing zone if you make it. If you put even more power on it, you can hit the gap and allow the hill to carry you to a green that catches anything that gets to it. An incredible example of risk-reward golf in the woods. Some of the weaker woods holes incorporate mandos, but they didn't really excite me in any way. This course is also a lot more tiring than Yetisburg to play through.

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Final Thoughts:

I think this course will be great. Yetisburg is a must, but if you have the time & energy, this course is worth it. It's more up and down in terms of hole quality, but the good ones are truly great holes. Can't wait for teepees and signage to go in.
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Pros: The elevation changes are rampant. After playing it twice, it's secured its spot as a top 3 course in Michigan for me. It's pretty wide open, but because of the elevation changes and well placed baskets, it rewards the right lines and well placed drives. There were a lot of holes where par was relatively easy, but the birdie made you work. This is what I liked about the course. It forced you to play smart golf and into specific lines while still letting you put some real power behind yo ...
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Pros:

The elevation changes are rampant. After playing it twice, it's secured its spot as a top 3 course in Michigan for me. It's pretty wide open, but because of the elevation changes and well placed baskets, it rewards the right lines and well placed drives. There were a lot of holes where par was relatively easy, but the birdie made you work. This is what I liked about the course. It forced you to play smart golf and into specific lines while still letting you put some real power behind your drives. A lot of greens were reachable, but a small mishap could send you 200' down the side of a hill. 18 was a beautiful finisher, looking 500+ over a valley to a well manicured green surrounded by trees and thick rough. A lot of holes were beautiful like this, and the course is a beautiful hike on its own. Teepads were great. Course navigation was pretty intuitive and well marked. There are also lights on all the baskets and signs, which is a great feature for night golf.

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Cons:

Tee signs could be a little more detailed. If you don't like hiking, you'll want to shy away. Lots of up and down intense hills. We played 54 holes on the property over 2 days and it was a workout, but nothing that will kill you. It's a little bit in the middle of nowhere, but it's not too far of a drive from the major MI cities. We stayed in Cadillac and our hotel was just a 15 minute drive up the highway to the course. I really don't have much to say about the course in terms of cons. I loved it. Par may be a little soft, but in the bigger picture that doesn't really matter.

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Final Thoughts:

Come play this course.
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Pros: A great course tucked away in the dunes of Saugatuck. This is a personal favorite of mine. It features some big holes that reward big arms, but also some technical sections that require real finesse. The course signs are pretty basic in terms of information detail, but teepads are nice, and so are the baskets. There are two layouts on most holes, so it keeps things exciting for the two round tournaments there. It's pretty obvious navigation, so you shouldn't have trouble finding your ...
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Pros:

A great course tucked away in the dunes of Saugatuck. This is a personal favorite of mine. It features some big holes that reward big arms, but also some technical sections that require real finesse. The course signs are pretty basic in terms of information detail, but teepads are nice, and so are the baskets.

There are two layouts on most holes, so it keeps things exciting for the two round tournaments there. It's pretty obvious navigation, so you shouldn't have trouble finding your way to the next hole.

It provides, in my opinion, the perfect mixture of wooded holes and open holes. The wooded holes aren't an afterthought either... they each have routes that are difficult to hit without real commitment and reward you when you get them right. The open holes mix up elevation and OB to make it important to think about where you're putting your discs.

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Cons:

Tee signs could be upgraded to include a map of the hole and more info, but it's not going to hurt the experience with the current stuff.

For a course that's relatively short, it takes a long time to play a round here.
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Pros: Well designed woods course! I had a lot of fun playing. The beginning holes are wooded but have pretty clearly defined fairways and routes. Loved that it brings elevation into the mix that courses in the southern half of the lower peninsula are usually lacking. There was a slightly forgettable middle section, but 9 was a really cool hole. I liked how the course opened up at the end and gives you a chance to unleash on the final hole. _ Cons: The alternates are along the "path ...
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Pros:

Well designed woods course! I had a lot of fun playing. The beginning holes are wooded but have pretty clearly defined fairways and routes. Loved that it brings elevation into the mix that courses in the southern half of the lower peninsula are usually lacking. There was a slightly forgettable middle section, but 9 was a really cool hole. I liked how the course opened up at the end and gives you a chance to unleash on the final hole.

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Cons:

The alternates are along the "path" of the course, so you either have to play them or walk them unless you're very familiar with the layout (I was not). They aren't bad holes, but they're less "broken in" than the rest of the course... which is totally fine for alternates. The tee signs were pretty good, but alternates are marked by a painted post at best. Hole 9 didn't have a sign, so we didn't know it was an actual hole of the 18 until we saw the number on the basket. Gravel teepads are a downside, but they never really bothered my run up. The last hole needs more space behind the teepad. It's the only long and open hole you can pump a distance driver out on, and it sucks not being able to work in a full run up.

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Final thoughts:

I prefer more open courses personally, but could appreciate this really nice wooded course. It's a heavily wooded course with elevation and good length. It has some small issues, but would definitely recommend it to a friend.
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This is a very pretty and well-maintained course. It starts off strong with one of my favorite holes in the area. Technically a par 5, but more realistically a par 4. Hole 2 is also a great hole, but certainly should be a par 3. Same story for hole 3, great hole—easy par. From hole 4-9, it's a simple course with some OB to make it more interesting. The beautiful landscaping continues. The first few holes might trick you into thinking this is a "pro" level course, but it quickly mellows o ...
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This is a very pretty and well-maintained course. It starts off strong with one of my favorite holes in the area. Technically a par 5, but more realistically a par 4. Hole 2 is also a great hole, but certainly should be a par 3. Same story for hole 3, great hole—easy par.

From hole 4-9, it's a simple course with some OB to make it more interesting. The beautiful landscaping continues.

The first few holes might trick you into thinking this is a "pro" level course, but it quickly mellows out and becomes more of a "family-friendly" 9. If you're a regular disc golfer, you'll find the par easy... but that makes it a lot of fun too.

I'd definitely recommend playing it at least once. It's a quick and easy round. A bit out of the way otherwise I think it would see more traffic.
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Pros: The more I play this course the more I love it. I live very close so it's one of my main practice areas. It doesn't have the most variety (see below) but the length accommodates more experienced players. Mostly open, but incorporates a fair amount of trees to force you to shape your shots accordingly. Nice concrete teepads and baskets in good shape. The fairways are pretty regularly mowed in the summer, so it's a pretty nice looking course. Great for practicing your teeshots/drives. ...
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Pros:

The more I play this course the more I love it. I live very close so it's one of my main practice areas. It doesn't have the most variety (see below) but the length accommodates more experienced players.

Mostly open, but incorporates a fair amount of trees to force you to shape your shots accordingly. Nice concrete teepads and baskets in good shape. The fairways are pretty regularly mowed in the summer, so it's a pretty nice looking course. Great for practicing your teeshots/drives.

Hole 5 is a great hole. OB fence right catches more hyzers than you would expect and the trees will cut you off on your second shot if you're off either side of the fairway. Takes two accurate 300 foot shots or you can push your drive to 400 and take some pressure off the upshot. Getting further is difficult because the trees limit the lateral movement of your flip/flex. Probably should be a par 4 but I like that it offsets some of the more simple birdies from hole 1-4.

Hole 8 is long but unremarkable. Plus side is you can absolutely rip one as hard as you can.

It's mixed use, but I'm rarely waiting for people on the course, most activity is focused more towards the center of the park and this wraps around the outside. Rarely have backups and rarely have people crossing fairways.
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Cons:

Most of the shots on this course are RHBH hyzers, but there are a few holes that have more interesting forced lines (6 and 7 come to mind). No elevation changes. A little on the easy side. A few holes make up for lack of obstacles and OB by adding length.

Seems like there is plenty of room to figure out a back 9... would love to see more holes!
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It's a beautiful course and will punish you with its intense OB and rough. It has some of the more memorable water holes that I've played. Great tees, great signage, baskets are in good condition, and the fairways are always looking freshly mowed. Besides disc golf, this is a BEAUTIFUL park. In summer, when the plants are in bloom, the fairways mowed, and the sun is going down... there is maybe nowhere I'd rather be. Yesterday I ran into a family of deer on pretty much every other hole while ...
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It's a beautiful course and will punish you with its intense OB and rough. It has some of the more memorable water holes that I've played. Great tees, great signage, baskets are in good condition, and the fairways are always looking freshly mowed.

Besides disc golf, this is a BEAUTIFUL park. In summer, when the plants are in bloom, the fairways mowed, and the sun is going down... there is maybe nowhere I'd rather be. Yesterday I ran into a family of deer on pretty much every other hole while playing. It can feel like a magical place.

The rough is very rough, so there is definitely a risk of losing (a lot) of discs. When the course is wet and swampy, it's less enjoyable. I've lost many discs here not only to the water but also to the tall grass. It's good to have a spotter on holes where the basket is blind (and there are a few). When we've had a lot of rain, hole 2 can get soggy and hole 16 can partially flood. This is pretty common and you can usually still play them both with careful paths through the drier areas... but it's definitely better when everything is dry.

As for the actual layout, it lacks some gusto on the back 9. It finishes less excitingly than it began, but I still love a lot of the holes. It's really the last 2 that don't have a ton going on. Otherwise, it's hard to complain about this gem.



Highlight Holes:

2 - It's an easy par 4, but one of my favorites because of how beautiful it is. The rough to the right is swampy and tall, but hyzer too much off the tee and you'll find the water.

8 - Forces you to play golf. Get to greedy and you'll be wet. Play a smart shot to the landing zone and you'll be rewarded with a birdie.

9 - Best water hole I've played. 380 foot water carry is scary for anyone. Birdie feels really great.

11 - Coolest green around. Just a solid par four. Throw a good drive and you'll have a shot into the green. It's got plenty of openings, but the ground is slidey and the basket is tucked back in pretty far.

16 - The only hole I've never birdied. It's a challenging par and a well designed hole.
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