Each year for the last 10-plus years, my Dad’s side of the family takes a vacation to Minocqua, where my aunt and uncle own a cabin on Amber Lake. Little did we know, Wisconsin’s No. 1 rated disc golf course was just six minutes away.
Prior to playing the course this year, I had heard the hype from other disc golf friends — it was the No. 1 course in Wisconsin; friends were jealous that we were playing on it — so naturally I was excited. But this course far exceeded my expectations.
Each hole has a concrete tee pad, long enough for my extended approach. Attached to each tee sign is a broom to sweep away any fallen debris — a feature I haven’t seen on any other course I’ve played. The tee signs are much like those at Monroe’s Twining Park Disc Golf Course with a suggested line of play, basic landmarks and basket locations. After sinking a putt, baskets have signs pointing to the next hole. Normally, a wooded course has a muddy surface, but this one was bumpy and mossy, giving way for friendly skips. In fact, my brother eagled a hole on a skip shot.
UDisc lists nine smart layouts, and my family and I played the Northwoods Open Loon Silver. It is a par 82, 6,077-foot course with 27 baskets. It is described as technical and short on the app. There are other courses that are only 13, 15 or 18 holes.
Holes 1, 2 and 3 are less than 200 feet, so I was able to birdie them using a midrange. Those holes were also relatively flat, but hole 5 is the first real elevation challenge. Players must first get up a steep incline and wrap right to the basket. This hole challenged me on height — I didn’t even make it halfway up the incline — and location — my anhyzer needs work. Somehow, I managed par.
I began to unravel a bit toward the middle with some longer shots and holes that were more left-hand backhand or right-hand forehand friendly. I have the discs to make the shot — MVP Orbital, a beat-in MVP Wave or even my WiscoDisco stamped Diamond — I just need to release later and lean over more.
Hole 16 was another statement hole at 315 feet downhill. The short basket is not visible from the tee pad, so there is a long pole with a flag on top extending from the basket to give players a visual.
Unfortunately, this is also the point on the course that was the buggiest. As I’ve mentioned in previous disc golf course reviews, I am a mosquito magnet. It is not an overstatement when I say I returned from this vacation with three dozen new bug bites. There was no throwing mulligans or extra shots for the heck of it; throw one shot, run to the disc to avoid standing still and finish the hole as quickly as possible.
After hole 20, we skipped 20A and 20B, assuming that holes 26 and 27 were open. We really didn’t feel like playing 29 holes in one go. Had we read UDisc carefully, we would have found out that those holes — which are close to the lake — are closed from early June through late August. So instead, we ended up throwing 25 holes, which is still no walk in the park.
Another statement hole is 22 — not for its elevation changes or even position of the basket. It has a rusted old car in the fairway — a decoration I haven’t seen on any other course, either. Holes 23 and 24 play along a trail, so players should be cautious of walkers or even people on golf carts. The final open hole loops back to the parking lot and its basket is positioned in front of a small cabin, making for the perfect backboard if a player can throw it more than 235 feet.
I finished with an 89, which was seven over par and only three strokes more than the average score on that layout. I enjoyed it so much that my Dad and I went back to play the Walleye Long Blue layout the next day. We won’t talk about that round, though. It was rough. An extra 1,635 feet really makes a difference.
In addition to a course with nine different layouts, the location is a resort with a shop and Wisconsin Disc Golf Hall of Fame. Players can book one of seven cabins and play for free while staying. Otherwise non-guests pay $5 each round. Rates and booking information can be found at sandypt.com.
The shop has a wide variety of brands and discs. There are also mini’s, special stamps, pins, stickers, jewelry, towels — you name it! I got a new mini, stamped with the layout we played, a pin to go on my disc golf bag and a new MVP Insanity. That was with a little self-control. I could have easily spent hundreds of dollars in that store.
Sandy Point is also home to the Wisconsin Disc Golf Hall of Fame. I may or may not have geeked out while viewing all of the plaques, photos, newspaper articles and discs displayed in the building. The building is open to the public.
Needless to say, each year we vacation in Minocqua, we will be returning to Sandy Point to play a round or two of disc golf.
— Natalie Dillon is the sports editor of the Monroe Times and can be reached at 608-324-3617 or
ndillon@themonroetimes.com.
