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Is Eagles Crossing the Future of Disc Golf Courses?

By Nicholas Wilson | 09/27/2021
Is Eagles Crossing the Future of Disc Golf Courses?

What would the perfect disc golf course entail? Beautiful scenery? Check. Water features? Check. Private land? Check. World-class course design? Check. Dinosaur statues? Check. Art installments? Check. Perfectly placed large tee pads? Check. We may now have the answer thanks to property owner Philip Samuels and course designer David McCormick. They teamed up to create Eagles Crossing Disc Golf Course in Central Missouri. Let’s unpack why this place is so special and what trends it may be starting for disc golf courses all over the world.

The Facts

Eagles Crossing Disc Golf Course is located in Hawk Point, MO about 65 miles NW of St. Louis. The property is situated on 380 acres in the scenic rolling hills and open prairies of rural northeast Missouri. From their website:

“From the 25’ tall pergola entrance, 9 stocked lakes, acres of wildflowers, miles of creeks and life-size safari and dinosaur sculptures, to the abundance of wildlife, including bald eagles, red tail hawks, blue herons, coyotes, and more, this outdoor paradise will take you far away from the hustle and bustle of city life. The most recent addition to the property is an 18 hole championship disc golf course, considered to be among the best and most prestigious in the sport.”

-Eagles Crossing Website

The course was designed by Gateway Discs founder David McCormick. The property has been used as a retreat for guests with various amenities. Owner Philip Samuels then commissioned McCormick to design the course to be “The best disc golf course in the world and one-day host a premier event.” McCormick then got to work designing the course by bringing out temporary baskets for the initial layout and spending 42 of the next 45 days on the property. All of the work began on August 9, 2020, and continues to this day. There is still plenty of work to be done but they are now hosting tournaments at the course.

McCormick has designed and installed over 90 championship-caliber courses over the past 25 years. He is a prolific designer considered to be one of the top designers in the world. Of the freedom he had when designing in this course, McCormick had this to say:

Of all the courses that I’ve ever put in, this is the only one that I’ve been able to put the tees exactly where I wanted them to go. When you get out here and start playing the course you’ll see that there’s like 45 walls built to bring the grade up where all the tees needed to go on the hillsides. Typically no one would spend that much money to put the tees in those spots.”

-David McCormick

Philip Samuels is the owner of the property and when Simon Lizotte asked him about his connection to disc golf he had this to say,” I don’t play disc golf. I’m just a person that decided to build a course because I had a property that I thought would be fantastic for disc golf.” Samuels went on to say this about how he found out about the game,” I saw it on YouTube and fell in love with the game and met David McCormick who is a course designer. He came out and put some stakes in the ground and I did the rest.” Samuels also said once the course is finished he would like to host the PDGA World Championships in 2023.

What’s So Progressive About This Place?

There are over 11,000 disc golf courses in the world, what makes this one so special? Intention and follow-through. The intention for this property is to create a world-class disc golf course. From the moment legendary course designer David McCormick stepped onto the property he was given free rein to create. Property owner Philip Samuels had the capital to bring McCormick’s vision to life. So let’s be honest here, follow-through via big money has a lot to do with why this course is so unique. Course designer David McCormick was able to create this course EXACTLY the way he wanted. As was mentioned earlier, this is the only course where he was able to accomplish this. There is also a designated driving range for warming up to multiple baskets. There are sculptures of various animals and dinosaurs around the property. There are hiking trails and recreational opportunities. Heck, There’s a 20 foot landscaped “Birthday Cake” sculpture with a basket on top of it!

The future of disc golf lies in private destination courses. Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of wonderful public courses out there. But private courses have one distinct advantage; they can do whatever they want with the land. This includes course layout, lodging, and activities beyond disc golf. Look at Sandy Point Resort and Disc Golf Ranch as an example. Mike and Michele Cozzens created the world’s first disc golf resort outside of Minocqua, WI in 1993. They laid the foundation for disc golf dreams and just hosted the 27th Annual Northwoods Open. Registration for over 240 players filled up in two minutes. There is huge interest in disc golf resorts and Eagles Crossing is taking this to the next level.

What The Pros Are Saying?

While this course is still in its infancy, world-class players are beginning to show up and heap praises upon the property. Check out what some of the top touring PDGA professionals had to say about the course.

“This is gorgeous. It doesn’t seem to compare to anywhere else I’ve played disc golf before. Even just the little road driving in, the big arch coming in, you could tell you were coming somewhere special.”

-James Conrad

“It’s almost hard to compare to other disc golf courses because it’s so much better. From the esthetic to the tee pads to the design everything is done right and it’s almost emotional to see.”

-Simon Lizotte

“This place is unbelievable. It’s got the woods, it’s got the open, it’s got the challenge…They have wasted no resource getting this place ready for the best players in the world.”

-Luke Humphries

“This course is absolutely phenomenal. Put this on your bucket list…It’s my favorite.”

-Eagle McMahon

Check out these videos showcasing Eagles Crossing from Simon Lizotte’s Vlog:

Bringing It All Together

We are in the golden age of disc golf. I am giddy with excitement to know that Philip Samuels, who doesn’t even play disc golf, believes in the sport enough to partner with a world-class course designer and pump untold money into the project. This course is pushing the boundaries of what is possible for disc golf. Do yourself a favor and make your way to mid-Missouri and enjoy one of the greatest courses in the world.

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Sweet deal! Awesome business you guys got going on! Stellar customer service!

- Steve B.
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