(3.390 Rating) A hybrid wooded and open course with an extra seven hole loop.
- 25 HOLES - If you're like me and like the thought of more disc golf after disc golf, then you are going to like this one. That's right, there are 25 holes of joy here. After finishing (7), players have an option to add a seven-hole loop labeled (A) thru (G). I liked them as a whole. A couple in the loop play along Youngs Creek. Two holes are fully wooded with monster trees flanking the fairway. A couple holes poke in and out of the woods and a couple are par 4s. Overall, Blue Heron has tremendous hole variety. Open, wooded, lake, creek, hard, easy, gimmicky, classic. The only thing I didn't taste on my palette was elevation.
- AMENITIES AND EXTRAS - Most of the goodies are here. First off, nice tees, concrete and of respectable size. The basket choice was knocked out of the park. DISCatchers with the bold yellow band. Lots of multiple pin placements which I'm sure the locals love. No multi-tees unfortunately and I wish there were more seating areas. I only recall one pit stop on (14) which had two picnic tables in the woods adjacent to the tee. Several tees have shoe scrubbers and there's a practice basket. Restrooms and shelters are in the park too.
- NAVIGATION AND SIGNAGE - Superb. Nice conspicuous course map and community board posted next to the pathway on the way to tee (1). The tee signs themselves are appealing and have all the info one would need including next tee direction. Below the tee signs are pin placement indicators. Many first timers will likely walk from (12) basket to (15) tee as it feels like the correct move. I made the mistake. (12) could really use an indicator right at the basket pointing to the woods path in the southern direction. All the navigational cues made this funky layout way easier to get around.
- NATURAL BEAUTY - I scored this one roughly 70 percentile. As noted in my first pro, there's some pleasing water shots and there are some 150 year old massive trees that left me in awe. Hard for me to pick a favorite out here as none clearly stood out but several were of high quality in the looks department. I liked the appeal of (5, A, F, 11, 12, 14 and 17) and I could probably add a couple others. Very few bland shots.
- MAINTENANCE - The course and grounds in general were in great shape for my visit.

Solid course, mostly just preference cons or site issues.
- FLAT - The biggest drawback of this course is the lack of epic terrain compared to courses I've rated at the 3.5 level and better. This is just not blessed with any elevation to speak of. I don't think any hole fluctuates by even 10 feet in grade. This dynamic will always be missing here despite any modifications that may happen in the future.
- BOGGY - To no surprise, this flat landscape leads to some adjacent marshy areas with stagnant water. I got eaten up and was pretty close to bailing on holes such as (13) and (14) in the woods. I made the mistake and forgot to pack deet on this trip so it's partly my fault. Please note, I never deduct score for mosquitoes and bugs.
- LOST DISC POTENTIAL - In my opinion, losing a disc here is much higher than normal. Several holes have chest high grasses and weeds along the line of play. Youngs creek comes into play a couple times and could easily take away a disc for good. A pond is in play three times as well.
- BEGINNER FRIENDLY - For the above reason, I don't think this course is beginner friendly.
- TIME PLAY - I logged a 77 minute round solo. Groups of 4 are not going to be able to finish all 25 in under 2 hours. It might be closer to 3 hours.

This course has gotten quite a few upgrades in the last 5 years from reading the previous reviews. Blue Heron isn't going to win any national or state-wide awards, but this is a solid course that I'm sure has a sizable local following. It has all the things I look for in a good course and also does a few things even better like that of an excellent course. My rating for this course is nearly maxed out at this point in the course's development history, unless the course can figure out how to grow some hills. Definitely worth checking out if traveling along I65 and also a must play if you live in the Indianapolis metro or within an hour's drive. Not destination worthy, but if spending a few days in town, this is likely a top ten or fringe top 5 metro area course.
- CHALLENGING - This one felt like a solid recreational challenge overall, but a strange example of one. My biggest question to the designers is "What's with all the weak par 4s?" Lots of sub 400 foot par 4s that will be almost automatic 3s for many as its hard to get within 50 feet, but easy to get inside 150. I wasn't keen on the idea of claiming the chest high prairie grasses as OB. The thought of going in it was a deterrent and punishment enough. Perhaps it was a park request. I did not like (16) which is a poke and hope flat sub 250 foot par 4. I also didn't like hole (B) which is a 128 foot dinker in the woods. Hole (18) to end it, falls flat as well being a wide-open par 4 with a raised basket placement. On the flipside, I liked the challenging stretch of holes from (10) thru (14) for example.

Great tee pads (all holes now have concrete pads)
Makes you play a variety of shots, both in length and shape.
Good mix of obstacles (water, woods, tall grass)
Very well maintained park.
Great baskets
New pin positions are being added this summer.

No elevation changes.
A couple of "filler" holes with no real obstacles (8 and 18 especially)
Busy park with lots of people using the pathway that runs through the park. Most are not paying much attention to the disc golfers throwing.

Overall I really enjoy this course more every time I play it. Some of the new pins look like they are going to really add a new challenge to the course which I look forward to. Definitely worth playing if you are in the area.

*Great tee pads Nice, level pads on most holes that provide ample length for run-ups.
*Good quality baskets.
*Multi-use park that (or at least on the day I was there,) looks to be well-maintained.
*The designers of the course, while presented with mostly open parkland, have done as much as they could have done to maximize obstacles to provide a challenge and add interest.
*This may be something other people would list as a con, but I would like to commend the designers for adding several short holes. I know "bigger, longer, farther," seems to be the current trend in disc golf courses but I still like having a hole here or there that gives me that rush of excitement that comes from the potential to card an ace--and the short holes here are not just crammed in to get you from one long hole to the next; they actually are some of the more interesting holes on the course, with multiple flight lines and plenty of obstacles that can turn deuces into fours.
*While there is not a lot of wooded area with which to work, what is available has been put to good use. I'm a particular fan of holes that may start in the open and end in coves cut out of the woods, and you have several of those at Blue Heron.

*As I mentioned before, there is a lot of open space so some of the holes are bit bland. It's not a design flaw, it's just the result of working with what land was available. I played in November so it wasn't an issue for me on the day I was there, but I could imagine a round in July or August could be brutal with a lack of shade (not an issue for younger players, but we old, fat guys don't always do well in the heat.)
*Speaking of the heat, there was no water available that I saw (I apologize if I'm wrong on this.) Bringing your own isn't a big deal I suppose, but this is a 25-hole course and you don't get back near the parking lot until you finish so that may require a couple of bottles.
*Again, this isn't a design flaw so much as a fact of nature but there is virtually no elevation change. This matters to some. Not a huge deal to me.
*As the land is flat with a few small dips, I'd suspect that drainage could become a real problem if there's been a lot of rain.
*Some of the pars listed on the signs seem incorrect. There are "4"s where it doesn't seem any need to be a four. I am not a person who thinks "everything is a par 3" like some disc golfers, but many of these fours seem unnecessary.
*There are a couple of oddities with the flow, but if you just follow the signs you'll be fine (although I do think there could be some means of putting in a hole between 12 & 13 instead of just walking across that open field and past the #15 tee.)

1-155'
Start with an easy throw, but you need to have some accuracy here. There is a line of about five trees to the left and the basket is behind the last of those trees so you'll need a bit of a hyzer for a RHBH. There are paths to both sides of the fairway that are OB, but shouldn't really be an issue. If you go too far there is a pond about 15 feet beyond the basket.

2-310'
Narrow fairway. The pond is to your left and there is deep grass (although it was cut down when I was there--you can still easily differentiate between fairway and OB,) to the right that doesn't give you a lot of real estate in which to land. The basket is at the end of the OB grass.

3-270'
This hole continues on along the right side of the pond and plays to the end of it. As the pond appears to be man-made, the ground is built up along the outside of it. The tee pad is up on top of this small elevation. A direct line to the basket would take you over the corner of the water but most will try to play it right-to-left, as the basket is tucked in behind a couple of pine trees about 30 or 40 feet past the end of the pond.

4-446'
Your first chance to kind of "grip it and rip it." Listed as a par 4--probably a "tweener" as a 3/4. There is OBto the left that only a really bad shot should find. Right off the tee there is some pampas grass to the right that shouldn't be an issue but will probably catch a throw or two. There is a bigger tree out in front of the tee a bit to the left that keeps you from playing your drive left-to-right, but shouldn't be a major obstacle. The fairway is wide open and there's a large planting of pampas grass about 400' from the tee. The basket is behind that.

5-290'
Wide open with a line of trees growing down a bit of a drainage ditch about 250' from the basket. There's a bit of an opening you need to hit in that line of trees to get to the basket, which is just right of that gap. It was dry when I was there but this area looks like it could easily become muddy and messy.

6-326'
Kind of an interesting use of the line of trees down the drainage ditch. You throw past the line of trees and need your disc to turn right once you get through. If you cut it back too far you'll be in the trees. There's no real punishment for going long other than being farther from the basket, as it's a big open field.

7-280'
You throw back across the drainage ditch, but the larger trees aren't growing at this part of it. The portion you need to clear here is more scrub and tall weeds than trees. The tree sits in the middle of three trees.

A-501' -par 4
The first of the new holes. There is a mando about 200' off the tee that keeps you to the right to avoid a park shelter, but it's not any difficult effort to avoid missing it--you'd probably play it that direction anyway. The fairway will turn to the left and the basket is tucked back in an area cut out of the woods.

B-128'
This hole is short but it's still not a guarantee that you'll be there for a drop-in. You have a narrow line through several tall, old trees that will force your throw to curve to the right from the tee. If you hit one of the trees you could careen into areas that leave you with little room to work.
I did just that and ended fairly close to the next teepad, too, so that's something about which to be cognizant if there are others on the course (I was fine--I don't think there were two or three other people there, and none near me.)

C-345'
Tee shot is in the woods. There's a pretty narrow tunnel to get you out into the open fairway, but once you get out into the open there are only a couple of trees that should provide minimal resistance for your approach to the basket. This hole is listed a a par-4 but doesn't quite seem like it needs to be.

D-342' (par four on sign, but seems incorrect.)
Tee shot is out in the wide open, with a couple of small trees that shouldn't be a problem to get around. The hole is tucked back in an opening in the woods. There are a couple of spots that look like they could be where you need to go, so make sure you're throwing at the right spot.

E-150'

Narrow line in the woods that arcs to the right. Hit a tree that sends you to the left and you might end up in the creek

F-354'
Par four, which seems like it would be unnecessary for a 354' hole, but given that it's a double-dogleg it really is an accurate designation. You have a narrow gap to get out of the woods but you need to turn pretty hard to the right as soon as you get out. The fairway runs along the woods and you need to turn left again to get back into the woods to get to the basket. You'll have to enter pretty low to get under the canopy to a well-guarded and you can't run much past the basket or you'll roll down into the creek.

G-298'
Pretty wide open hole. This one will become much tougher with time, as there are a few trees in the fairway that will mature but for now they aren't that big. The fairway curves a bit to the left and there is deep grass that is OB to the left.

8-287'
This is, to me, probably the most bland hole on the course. Wide open with no real obstacles other than the OB walking path left of the basket.

9-179'
Tricky little ace run. Looks easy, but then you realize that a straight shot has to stay extremely low to avoid the overhanging trees that run the length of the hole along the left side. A couple of trees out in the fairway keep you from getting too far right to avoid the canopy, and there is an OB path that runs to the right and curves around behind the basket. You could get an ace if you run at it...or you could skip over the path.

10-220'
Fairway is pretty narrow with woods to the right and a path to the left. At the end of the fairway the hole is back in a clearing that turns right. You can't hang your disc out too far to the left to bring it back this direction or you'll hit a tree that might drop you OB.

11-243'
This hole doesn't currently have a sign, but it's close enough to 10's basket that the natural flow should send you right to it and the basket is visible from the tee. Throw over the corner of a pond with lots of cattails and other weeds growing along the edge. A natural hyzer should lead you right to the basket but if you go too far before you hyzer you'll go into a couple of trees that knock you down; hyzer too far and you'll get into more weeds--don't know if they're OB or not since there was no sign.

12-324'
Listed as a par 4. More difficult than you think it's going to be. There is a pond to the left with lots of spindly, reedy "trees" about 15'-18' tall growing along the edge. There is a line of pines to the right that seem to make the fairway narrow as you get to the end of the pond. Some will probably be able to throw over the pond and go straight towards the basket but that's a tough decision, as there are more pines at the end of the pond blocking a direct line to the basket.

13-147'
Short ace run that winds down a narrow path in the woods. Plays as just a bit of an "S" shot.

14-218'
Another ace run curving to the right through the woods. Not a lot of a line but there is one there.

15-246'
Interesting little hole. You have to play around the corner of the pond, but going in it isn't probably an issue unless you clip the pine tree that's near the edge of it and roll in. You have to play a pretty mean hyzer, as a drive that goes too far straight will get into weeds/woods. The basket is tucked in pretty well near some larger trees.

16-245'
Very narrow off the tee, and stays narrow for a majority of the hole. It does open up a bit closer to the hole but there are also trees protecting the basket. It's almost straight to the basket but it does go slightly to the right.

17-199'
Another narrow fairway through the woods. The fairway turns to the left at about the 120' mark and the basket is behind a mound.

18-572'
Basically a wide open hole. There is a path way to the left that's OB but if you got over there you deserve the penalty There is deep grass behind the basket that is also out of bounds.

The nicest course in Johnson County, Indiana. A well maintained park with walking paths, a playground, and lots of space. Concrete tee pads with varieties of distances, obstacles, and shot shaping opportunities. Modern Discatcher baskets. The walk over the bridge between 9 and 10, over the creek, is one of the nicest disc golf course settings around.

A lot of water is in play. So much that I bought two Innova Dragons and one Innova Wahoo. Not the best layout, but not the worst I've seen either. 5 and 6 can be challenging because the path to get from tee to basket can flood. Also, for the tree holes, after finishing 12, what looks like the next tee is actually 15. Go past 15 into the woods, do 13 and 14, then back out for 15. A lot of unnecessary walking.

Being closest to my house, I consider this my home course. Accordingly, I make it challenging by playing all 18 holes and working though my water and tree issues (I get poison ivy just thinking about it). When I need to make it easier, I use the 5 teepad to go to the 6 basket (especially if the path is flooded as mentioned above), skip tree holes 13, 14, 16, and 17. I'm glad it is close by.

19 grippy Innova Discatchers that have hole number on them. (18 holes + practice basket).

Concrete tee pads for most holes (see cons).

Challenging intermediate course.

Signage: course map. Signs for each hole include an individual hole map, par, distance, and location for next tee. Signs around the course point you to next tee if any potential for confusion.

Variety: long open bomb holes, short holes with obstructions (trees, etc), blind shots, wooded holes, anhyzers, hyzers, and several water hazards (a pond, creek, and a marsh). Each hole (with exception of the open bomb holes) are unique.

Many baskets are protected by trees, tall grass, or brush.

Water hazards: holes 1-3, 11,12, 15, and 16 have a water hazard. Always adds to the mental game.

Course map and disc golf info at kiosk.

Practice basket.

Trash cans and benches on site.

Solid course for the area. Not as many courses on south side of metro Indy area.

Easy to navigate for the most part (see cons).

Easy to get to.

Bathrooms on site. Very clean and beautiful park. Peaceful.

One throw pad per hole. This hole course would be so much better if there were alternate tee pads on each hole. They could be same distance, shorter, or longer. It would add that much more variety.

Holes 13, 14, and 17 have natural tees. Although I don't mind natural tees, this takes away from the unity of the course.

Backtracking / extra walking: hole 13 and 14 tees are next to each other going in opposite direction. Have to walk distance of hole 14 to get to 13. After hole 13, you have to walk the distance of 13 to get to tee of 14. After hole 18, you have to walk entire distance of holes 1 and 2 to get to parking lot. This could be solved if additional holes were added. There is room to expand.

Some poison ivy and burrs in the rough.

I really enjoyed this course and will play it if I am in the area again (rare).

I honestly think this course needs to expand to 24 or even 27 holes. There is enough room and it would make this course that much better and would take away from the extra walking. 1 or 2 holes could be added between holes 6 and 7. A hole could be added between 7 and 8 on other side of tall grass. A hole needs to be added between 12 and 13 that ends at tee for 13. Hole 18 could be divided into 2 holes if the tall grass / wildflower area on other side of path is utilized. Two holes could be added after hole 18 that end at parking lot.

If alternate tees were added, a few more trees were planted on open holes, and additional holes were added, this course would definitely be a 4 out of 5.

It has room for growth and improvement. I will definitely play it again if I take a road trip to the south side. I would recommend it if you are in the area or looking for an intermediate course to play.

Holes 11, 12 and 15 are some of my favorites around a marsh.

Nice concrete tee pads

Good signage

Very nice baskets

Good intermediate level challenge

Good length on several holes

Good chance at birdies or even aces on some of the shorter holes.

Hole 2 is a tough start with the pond on the left and OB on the right....maybe borderline unfair especially for beginners

Front 9 can be quite windy, though as another reviewer reminded me, it's part of the sport!

Holes 13 and 14 have a quirky layout

Bring a floater frisbee for the front 9. Signs are posted all along the pond not enter to retrieve discs, but at least a floater can be quite easily retrieved.

- Great variety of holes from open to wooded to protected by water.

- The back 9 really shines on this course with holes that curve around a small pond and jut into the forest.

- Good signage for the most part.

- Grounds are kept in great condition.

- Hole 2 is borderline unfair with OB in the wildflowers on the right and a large pond on the left. Leaving a pretty small fairway. (update: They recently mowed down some of the wildflowers effectively doubling the size of the fairway on this hole. It's much better now.)

- The front 9 is pretty open and can get rather windy. Though wind is part of the sport so I feel bad complaining.

- The layout for the back 9 is a bit awkward since you have to walk past 15 and into the woods to get to 13 then back track out.

- The tees are not great, I'm hopeful that they get replaced soon by concrete ones.

- There seems to be a lot of low cut stumps all along the paths for the wooded holes. These should be cut down or pulled out. (watch your footing on these holes)

Overall I would say that this course is a lot of fun to play and would recommend it to anyone with the possible exception of people just starting out. The possibility to lose discs is pretty high.