Wow! Spiker is an awesome 24-holer located in Canton, Ohio. The course poses many challenging, technical shots. The "Risk Reward" factor on this course is what makes it a blast to play. There are two sets of concrete tees and multiple basket positions. The water comes in to play perfectly. There isn't enough water to make you leave with an extremely light bag, but enough so that it makes you think about every shot when water is involved. The park is one of the nicer ones in northeast Ohio, and is maintained beautifully. The kiosk is phenomenal, and includes a map, scorecards, and a lost disc drop. The course appeals to both the pro player and beginner, depending on what tees you choose. There was a restroom and drinking fountain on site. All of the tee signs were in pretty good shape, and provided all of the information needed to play the hole. The signs were also very accurate. It is one of the few courses that doesn't require a lot of elevation change to be fun. #3, #14, and #16 are my favorites on the course.

I really can't think of many cons for Spiker because I thoroughly enjoyed it. The navigation is decent, but can get a little tricky in a few spots. The baskets are starting to wear, and might need to be replaced in the future. There were a few pedestrians that held up play, but nothing too crazy.

Overall, Arboretum-Spiker Park was a very fun, clean course. This course is in the top 3 courses I have ever played, and I'm glad it's close to where I live. This is a must-play in Ohio, so come out for a fun 24!

Course plays through TWO parks kiddie-corner to each other, with a sleepy, winding road splitting the two.

1-5 are in Arboretum Park and a stellar way to start the round - 1 is a bit downhill with a fairly open fairway and a few aged trees guarding the approach to the pin. 2 is an uphill approach and easy enough to par. 3 is a nice downhill bomber with half a tree hanging perilously in your way. 4 is a nice anhyzer and 5 flies over rolling hills with an open uphill pin shot.

6-14 lie southeast of Arboretum, across the street in Spiker Park, and bombs abound in some absolutely gorgeous and serene surroundings. 6 shoots right-to-left across a smallish, stagnant river, and provides adequate difficulty with its pin devilishly placed on a hill sloping into the pond that feeds the aforementioned river. 7 drives over said pond, and has its pin uphill with a lone pine tree as your main obstacle. 8 is a bomb over open flood plain. 9 is another great anhyzer that follows the edge of the woods, with a solid pin placement just inside the treeline. 10's is the lengthiest hole, and with its tee in the woods, you're staring and a small opening to blast back out into the flood plain. it's basket provides another tricky approach all the way back at the pond. 11 shoots back towards the woods with another great pin placement tucked into the trees. 12 is a great birdie opp over some lowlands, as is 13, which plays over a small hill with some troublesome pines standing guard. 14 finds you back at the river, this time shooting left-to right, with its basket along the far shore.

15-24 are back in Arboretum, and the hits keep on coming. 15 is a birdieable sharp left hook, 16 has some large shrubs blocking your path, and 17 has you drive along the road and down to the open pin. 18 and 19 cross-cross back over some lowlands with mature trees as your enemies. you then cross the parking lot to play 20, a signature shot around a cattail-lined pond and a very tough approach with the pin entrenched into the side of a hill. 21 is an lazy downhill run, and 22 threads through trees to a precariously placed pin in front of a stream. the last two holes are probably the trickiest shots of all, and a great way to close out the experience: 23 is a tight drive with a stream on your right and the cat-tailled pond on your left, and 24 has a lot of low-hanging trees in your way, and another stream that separates fairway from green. a double-bogey here really ruined my score, so stay sharp until the end, my friends.

overall this is a phenomenal course in both design and layout. the parking lot is perfectly placed so that 1 starts and 24 ends less than 100 feet from your car. there are also a number of ways you can play if you don't have time for the full 24. you can play just Arboretum (15 holes) or Spiker (9), you can skip 11-13 if you're in a rush or it's busy (I saw several people do this), and you can stop after 19 as you're back at the parking lot. i played straight through, and the length of this course really started to set in after leaving Spiker...the holes are so long there, i can see why the locals play it in doses.

upkeep was oustanding as well. here's something i've NEVER seen on a course before: underbrush actually cleared out beneath bushes! the bushes themselves are still there and in your way, but you can easily see underneath them if your disc happens to go in...i thought this was awesome, and as a result your chances of losing disc on this course is practically nil, unless you chuck the river in Spiker. there were some trash cans in Arboretum, although none in Spiker. even still, i didn't spot any excessive trash.

the main (am) tees were all concrete, and all holes had a pro tee, and very many had novice tees as well. these were all clearly marked on the outstanding tee signs, which listed the distance from each tee and also had a map detailing the path to the pin from all tees. there were also pegs sticking out of both sides of the signs to hang your bag on (i love this).

the parks themselves are in a ridiculously wealthy-looking neighborhood, with mansions dotting the landscape throughout. in the distance, church bells tolled out the quarter-hours as I threw in the dusklight... it was both eerie and beautiful and really added to the overall ambiance of the round.

my main complaint is the age of some of the baskets, especially the ones in Arboretum. rusted out chains and small rims on the baskets make them a little tougher to aim at, and they do not grab your putter very well at all. i had two bounce-outs that hit dead centre...other baskets are brand new so i'm not sure what the deal is here but if they replace the older ones this course would get 5 stars from me - no joke.

the only other con i can possibly think of is that some people may think this course is too easy/static. everything plays fairly open and leaves a lot of room for error on your drives, with the technical side of things coming more into play on your approach. i personally love courses like this because you can let 'em rip from the box and then really work your mids. there are no pesky tunnel shots to worry about, and you're never in a dense forest that that requires lady luck to be at your side. as i said before, there really is no chance to lose a disc, and the water hazards, while challenging, tend to be a little TOO managable... however the layout is superb and you do need to be on your A game in critical spots. while it is not daunting, this is not, IMHO, an "easy" course.

this is one of the best courses i've played, period. as the reviewer said below, this is absolutely a destination course, and extremely enjoyable whether playing a round by yourself or with a large group of friends. take a day and come down, go the the pro football hall of fame (less than a mile away), and throw some plastic. i will be back, and that is both a threat and a promise. AMEN.

- Plenty of parking at hole #1 with a pavilion for gathering
- The entrance is well marked by the disc golf course sign
- The billboard provides a lot of information and also has boxes for scorecards and comments. You can tell that the people who maintain this course really care and put a lot of effort into it.
- The map was very accurate and helpful. #6 long tee could be added to it though.
- Practice basket with round the world game
- Two tees per hole. #6 long is natural with a wood kickboard.
- Concrete tees
- 24 holes!
- Nice tee signs
- The flow is done well and utilizes the full space provided on this very large park
- Excellent mix of hyzer and anhyzer shots
- The scenery and landscape are pretty with rolling hills and water holes with stone sides and bridges
- Bathrooms are located at the parking area
- Trashcans are provided around the course and the course is very clean
- There is no vandalism
- I think the grass could be cut more often as it can get somewhat high but overall the course has good upkeep. The wooded areas are kept clear.
- The distance and elevations are absolutely spectacular! Arboretum-Spiker is one of the longest courses in Ohio. Rolling hills on long holes, obstacles causing you to use a different throw than you might have otherwise used, water hazards on 7 holes!

- There are only a few benches around the course. This long course could really use a few more.
- The baskets are a mix of mostly old and a few newer, with a mix of good and rusty conditions.
- Those that love the technical wooded course, you will feel this is too open. This course can favor the big arms much more than the risk/reward seekers.
- Use a map the first time. You have to cross over to the different parks between holes #5 to #6 and #14 to #15.
- More strategically placed trees would be a huge addition!

- This is a very technical and challenging course for everyone. The disc golf course covers two different parks, Arboretum and Spiker. Beginners beware, the water hazards will be very dangerous for you.
- There is some traffic by walkers and those sitting around the water holes on benches. There is a lot of traffic by disc golfers. Very busy course. Because of the courses size, I do not count this as a Con.
- The most challenging hole is #20. The pond really makes you consider playing this birdie hole safe and going way around to the right towards the road.
- The water hazard around holes #20, #21 & #23 probably has around one thousand (PLUS) discs sitting at the bottom. Be extra careful on these holes because you cannot retrieve your discs from this very stinky, swampy water. I would love to be there when that pond get drained one day!!!
- My favorite hole is #14. Absolutely beautiful and it scares the hell out of me at the same time. I choose the not so safe path of across the water from the long tee... and I've dropped right in the water before. You will think about this hole 30 minutes before you get to it, and probably 30 minutes after you leave it.
- Set a day aside, make the trip, you will be grateful you did. A truly fantastic course!
- DESTINATION COURSE, DESTINATION COURSE, DESTINATION COURSE!

-There is excellent shot diversity. There are multiple left and right turning holes, straight shots, more open holes and fairly wooded holes. The multiple pin placements adds to the variety of lines the course demands.

-Brand new baskets.

-Very high quality concrete tee pads that are sufficient in length for throwing long drives. The teesigns feature well drawn diagrams and accurate distances (Except #10). There are benches by 1, 6, 7, 10, 12 pro tee and 24's basket.

-It's mostly wide open with sparse trees in the fairways, so it's pretty easy to keep track of a disc and avoid losing it. There are a few rough spots to potentially grip lock into (#3, #4, #9) but they're easy to avoid.

-The course is well maintained. The club has been active in installing the new pin placements, replacing the baskets and fixing some bridges and teepads. I try to keep the paths maintained with my machete.

-Some nice elevation changes keep things interesting. In particular, driving hole 10, 15, 17, 18 and 21 from the longs feature fun elevation to play from.

-Beautiful scenery throughout the entire course. Plenty of mature trees from a variety of species, with Spiker being lined with some beautiful houses.

-Overall the course has been too wide open to present as much of a challenge as it could. Currently though the course is evolving to try and remedy this problem. New pin placements have been devised to try and take advantage of the trees the course offers, and trees are being donated by the city to be installed on holes like #10 and #8 to increase their challenge. The course offers a lot of diversity and the challenge will vary greatly depending on tee choice and pin placement. Throwing from the shorts in the original pin positions things will be pretty open and easy and deuce opportunities are everywhere, but throwing from the longs with the new pin positions will demand a lot more line shaping, distance and a diverse upshot skill set.

-The backside (#6-#14) can sometimes have dog walkers out on the fairways, but most of them have learned which areas to avoid by now.

-Gays creep out in the parking lot / bathroom near main entrance at times. Beware of a man in his 40's that drives a silver Dodge SS Avenger with license plate EFD 6456, he chased me around with a steel baseball bat threatening to kill me. The police have been notified.

-Hole 4 throws over hole 5's teepad. With the new pin placements, some baskets will be close to the next hole's teepad, such as 1b and 2 short, 16b and 17's tees etc. Keep care to look for groups a head of you.

-Don't go in the water. It's some stinky shit. Not worth it unless you have some good waders.

-Gets pretty crowded during the middle of summer. Rightfully so, but expect delays. Backside usually isn't as crowded.

This is a damn good course, one of the better ones I've played. It was the first one I ever threw, and two years later I spend as much time here as I do at my own home. Some of the longer holes were pretty intimidating as a noob, but it still made for a good introduction to the sport. Lets you work on a nice variety of shots.

Once the new pin placement putting greens have broken in and the trees are installed on holes 10 and 8 this will easily be a 5 star course. The club has been responsive to the most frequent criticisms of the course (Old baskets and holes too open / easy) by replacing the baskets and creating more challenging pin placements for the holes. The course is maturing into a more challenging and diverse disc golf course.

One thing that's nice about the layout, is you can play the front 10 in under half an hour by yourself, or you can do 19 or 24 hole rounds in about an hour if you move quick. Or do a 24 followed by the front 10, two 19's etc.. It's a fun park...it's easy to do two full rounds.

This is a damn solid course and alone would make a destination course. The fact that Massillon, Dover, Portage Lakes and numerous enjoyable 9 holes like Louisville and Malone are just a short drive away make this area a requirement for any serious disc golfer in the area. Make a weekend of it!

This course has everything from some holes that require accuracy with water and other hazards, to just wide open shots. 24 holes and big. Well marked. Every hole has a sign with the holes layout and "par" which most of them are 3 with a couple 4s with the really long holes. Signs telling you where the next tee is...This course isnt just plopped down and sitting there like some I have ben to. It is well kept and caters to disc golfers rather than just be a side note for a park that has other purposes.

Water hazards can be a pro or a con. Pro is as stated, adds the challenge. Con is; well, no one wants to lose discs so its eitehr throw a beater or lay up safe, but there is only a couple of holes with this. The shot by the busy street does make me nervous; as I have played from someones lawn across the street before.

Have to add in, some of the water hazards really stink. By that, I mean they smell bad.

Actually, I would suggest this for a beginner and pro alike. Gives amateurs a diverse course to experience many different types of throws and a lot of wholes; they can just not worry about it and let some fly. just as long as they dont expect to be a pro the first time and accept it took them a ton of throws to get there, but the more throws for a beginner the better in my opinion.

For a pro type player, it lets you really open up and spread your wings with your distance throws while at times still challenging your technical precision.

I had to update this as I just went again. If you have any chance of visiting this course, dont think twice and GO!

What can possibly say about this course that hasn't already been said.
Awesome layout . 24 holes,Tees for long and short. Its all about distance and accuracy here. This course offers several holes you'll have to have a good anhyzer, several holes on distance , several holes with water in play, and several holes that are ..ace-able. Brand new tee signs added recently.

The water. Parking lot can be overcrowded on nice days. Some people will go in the water....i won't . I've seen the water moccasins ...yup...i'll just go buy another disc.

This course is the best maintained in stark county. One of the best overall in my opinion. This park is definatley a good hike. Take a water bottle with on hot day, Better yet have a retreiver handy just in case.

Great course layout, plenty of challenging holes, park maintained nicely. New tee signs are great! Water comes into play on several holes. Seen these ponds eat a lot of discs, but avoiding the water is half the fun! Always seems to be other players here. Very popular destination. Some technical holes, some open, long shots to test your arm out.

New signs help with navigation. Park is usally clean. Just wish the Bud Light drinkers would carry their trash out with them. Not sure what's so difficult about that.

Park is right in the middle of a large residential neighborhood. Non players are always friendly.

Well maintained course with great scenery. The course ranges from wide open shots, to some tougher shots through trees, bushes, etc. The new style tee signs are wonderful for quick an easy hole description. Also the free pencils and scorecards at the start of the course make it much easier to keep track of things. Of all the times I have been to this course, there has yet to be a large amount of people. Great for all levels of disc golf players.

The water I know from experience can cause some trouble, interrupting the flow of play if you sink one. The water is not only deep in some spots, it is also dirty from the ducks leaving their marks. Apart from the water I have found no problems on this course.

The course is simple to travel to being located close to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Very pretty and well groomed. Excellent dual concrete tee pads. The Pro tee pads very challenging and Am tee pads very easy by comparison, yet the basket placement still provides equivalent challenges. Seems like a fair balance of lefty vs. righty holes. Awesome new tee signs with nicely drawn maps on each. Good course info board at first tee, plus scorecards (with map on back) & pencils. Several of the baskets recessed in the trees provide fun, challenging approaches. Retriever pole by the pond on #6/#14. Ample parking. Not much chance of pedestrian interference except for people crossing #24's fairway to get to restrooms.

This course has a couple holes (#10 Long and #23 Long) which <span class="italic">might</span> best be played by throwing your accurate "upshot" first to get to a good landing area... then throwing your drive. An interesting twist. [UPDATE Aug 2009: #23 was ruined by the utility company when they cut down all the trees in the fairway :-(( ]

Quonset Hut at 3235 Cleveland Ave NW is less than 2 miles from the course and has an impeccable selection of Innova discs. They also stock the essentials from Discraft, DGA, and Quest.

Some distances posted on tee signs are off of accurate line-of-sight values. Long walk between #5 & #6. Copious amounts of poison ivy. Murky water on #6/14 makes discs almost irretrievable. Could use a few of the holes being more wooded to balance out the mostly open aspect of the course.

24 holes all very well done, not much repetition of holes. Note that #6 only has one tee pad shared for Pro & Am. One of the best courses I've played so far. This course kicked my butt when I played for the first time from the long tees. I stood on the tee pad and thought "I've got to hit that gap, and then turn that way!?!". I really want to come back and play again to see what I can do now that I know better what to expect.