Very good to excellent tee pads and baskets
Good course flow
Easy access off a major highway
Some variety
Good course for transition from beginner to intermediate
Low chance of lost discs

Eight holes are crammed into one open area
Many holes that lack character or challenge
Lacks a good warm-up area or practice basket
Surrounded by better courses

One of my favorite stories about the army came from an acquaintance who was a faculty member at West Point in the English department. Apparently, one of the brass thought that rather than pay some Madison Avenue ad firm to develop a new slogan they'd have the brilliant minds of the military academy come up with something good. After many seconds of intense brain-storming, they suggested "The Army – It's Not As Bad As You'd Think."

So if I started off describing Boone Woods by saying, "It's a par 3 course and all of the holes are straight shots and most of them are in open fields" you'd probably be thinking two stars at best. But…

A few of the holes feature tricky wooded lines. #6 is a nasty piece of work that I've given up on trying to drive and now hope to settle for an approach shot into the heavily guarded basket. A bad or unlucky drive can leave you with absolutely no shot at getting close to the basket. It's listed at 390', but feels like 450'. #13 (long tee) and #15 are woods holes that need a degree of accuracy and can present some tough putting options if you fail to park the drive or approach. Neither are particularly long, but I've never been able to birdie either of them consistently.

How about holes that almost anyone can ace, but are far from sure of birdying? Yep, Boone has a few of those. #4 is a downhill hole with the basket guarded by a large tree to the right and rough to the left. Most of the time, I'll attempt a big hyzer in front of the nearby outdoor stage. Most often, I'm swatted down in contempt by the guardian tree. #8 and #10 are downhill shots to elevated baskets. In general, I'm not a fan and find these a little gimmicky, but a few times during bad rounds ace runs are about the only thing I could really get excited about and both of these holes can provide them.

Got a sense of humor? Apparently, someone else did as well. The #3 basket is adjacent to a playground with a swing set inside C1. I'm not sure there are many things tougher on the ego than laying up to avoid the kids only to have them laugh when you boink the subsequent putt.

Something else? Boone Woods is a good choice for bringing your friends who have thrown a few discs and maybe played a round or two at the local par two courses. They can air out their throws and generally not have to worry about losing a disc or being buried. They might even experience an ace run or two. I also think it's a good "ramp-up" course for players moving from beginner to intermediate. Combined with Lincoln Ridge, it can be a great tune-up for tackling Idlewild.

I guess it's worth mentioning that Boone Woods is surrounded by better (in my opinion) courses. Idlewild is to the west, Devou to the north, Lincoln Ridge to the east, and to the south, the slick little nine holer, South Fork. That said, Boone does have a role to play, A course where you can go out and just throw the disc without worrying about blind shots, water carries, fighting through the brush, or 100' roll-aways. It's ok to have courses like Boone Woods. It gets the job done.
So maybe give Boone Woods a try. It might not be as bad as you'd think.

- New tee signs
- Alternate baskets and tees
- Significant recent course maintenance, including quite a bit of new mulching
- Close to Idlewild, and easily accessible from major highways
- Mostly disc golf-only space, aside from a couple of holes on the back 9
- Low risk of disc loss

- 4 & 5 seem like filler holes...straight downhill on 4, and back up the hill on 5. They kind of remind me of 22 & 23 at Lincoln Ridge
- Alternate basket on 6 is within just a few feet of three small trees, and isn't really necessary, as this is already one of the best, and most challenging holes on the course
- Mounded baskets on 8 and 10 are understandable, but a bit much (probably taller than necessary, especially on 8)
- Being all Par 3s, a couple holes in the long position are unreachable for a majority of players. Especially 9, being uphill all the way, at about 420 feet.

This course is definitely improving for the better, and as previously mentioned, has seen a number of new trees planted, which will eventually change the character of the course dramatically. It's a pretty good layout, with the only potential interference coming between the long baskets of 7 & 9, which are both currently in place, and in relatively close proximity.

The first highlight comes at 3, playing out of some trees, into an open space, at which point, the hole crosses a ravine/creek, and finishes uphill and to the right. I imagine you could place a nasty flex forehand through the gap, and across the ravine, but for most, this is going to be a par.

The next hole of note is 6, playing through a wooded area, again down and across the same creek, and then sharply uphill to the basket. Currently, the pin is in the long position, and as previously noted, is very closely guarded by some small trees. This is a really nice hole.

#10 is a nice 200 ft. downhill ace run, with a guardian tree to the front right of the basket.

Perhaps the biggest single change is on 14, which previously was a wooded, straight-ahead 200 footer, again going across a ravine. However, a new tee placement has been set off to the right of the original tee, and is closely guarded. It was very difficult to spot this basket from the tee (as in, I couldn't see it at all). A really cool wooded hole, but the line to the new basket is going to be difficult.

Lastly, I really like the change they made on 17, moving the basket a little more downhill, and to the right. This was previously a wide open, boring putter into a wide open green. The new basket brings a little more variety to the hole, and definitely gives it a little more character.

All in all, this course has improved substantially, and should continue to do so, as time goes on. This is an enjoyable round for a wide range of skill levels, and a solid contributor to the NKY disc golf scene.

Layout is good for beginner/rec course. Much of front 9 is old 18 hole layout select holes some just designed backwards. Personally know the designer spend a lot of time working on Idlewild for him. Will review some of the cons with him and parks to see if some can be addressed.

Course is clearly a rec course how is it labeled a white course on DGCR?

~Nice, clean and expansive park with a lot of features
~Easy navigation, plenty of signage
~Open & wooded holes creating a decent mix
~Concrete tees and pristine baskets
~Long & short tee shots also add to the variety

~On the easier side of the difficulty spectrum
~Holes are either long and open or short and wooded
~No. 13 basket appears to have been pulled
~Some proximity to housing & other park activities
~Could use some additional creativity and obstacles

Played on a very warm and sunny Autumn afternoon while heading back to Ohio. The entire park was bustling and for good reason as there are numerous options on how to spend some outdoor time throughout this complex. The 1st handful of holes are long wide open bombs and could use some additional trees or other obstacles to up the difficulty. Minor elevation changes throughout, but fairly level for the most part. After about the first half you delve into a more wooded area and the holes throughout this section are fairly short and straightforward shots. Putters or mids off the tees are plenty to give birdie opportunities and easy pars. The last couple of holes open back up and lead you right back to the parking lot. Got around easily and quickly even with a handful of other groups playing. Worth a stop for a casual round.

A nice course for begginers and pros alike. All holes are par 3 so keeping score is very easy. PLay by yourself and should only take an hour. Play with friends and only adds aboutt a half an hour too it. This course is located about three miles From Idlewild so it plays as a great warm up course to get loose for the big one.

Not many Cons but from repetitive play I have noticed the variety of ppl that play the course and some of these people are to say the least immature. A couple of the Tee's have latex paint splttered on them making the drive a little sketchy not wanting to slip on the paint. Also a couple of the tees signs have been defaced or even removed

All in all a nice easy course to play especially after a long day at work

Quiet, simple, friendly course with just enough to make a good course:
• Basics well in-hand: baskets, pads and signs all in good shape.
• Moderately rolling terrain makes holes play longer/shorter than posted distances.
• Pretty straightforward, with just enough trees to add reasonable difficulty (to what would otherwise be a point and shoot course out in the open).
• Just enough distance on the Front 9 to make drivers worthwhile.
• Just technical enough on the Back 9 where control is really an asset over distance.
• Nice flow from to hole and wonderful signs make navigation pretty much foolproof. Tee markers provide distance, line, and point towards the next tee. Just check the tee sign to see which direction to head after you putt out and walk till to see the next tee marker.
• Front and Back nine are two separate loops which start/end near the parking lot. Easy to play quick rounds, finish a round you started, or play a couple of rounds on the longer more open Front, or the shorter, more technical Back.
• Not much time searching for discs.

There's really not a lot "wrong" with this course, but...
• Not very challenging (then again, Idlewild's just minutes away).
• A few holes on the Back 9 have tees that are close to the previous basket, so make sure everyone ahead is well clear of you.
• Back 9 takes you through areas of a multi-use park that are not dedicated to disc golf or close to people's back yards; caution and courtesy are warranted.

Although not epic or demanding in any way, there's certainly no crime in being decent.

Definitely one of the best beginner courses I've seen anywhere. Many beginner courses are simple pitch & putt, featuring all short holes, or holes completely in the open, usually on fairly flat ground. As mentioned earlier, this course just enough rolling terrain for novices to see how elevation changes make holes play shorter or longer. Just enough trees to appreciate that disc golf requires shot shaping, rather than simply going straight at the basket. Just enough variety to require drivers, mids and putters from the tee. Just enough distance (on the front) that most people playing for the first few times will think that holing out in 3 strokes is a healthy stretch. No denying this course is solid, well designed, and stands on its own merit.

The few holes with water were dry when I played, but even if present, would be shallow enought to not present a disc loss risk.

BONUS info: located quite in the heart of suburbia with all kinds of eateries nearby. YMCA right next to course was happy to let me take a shower for a small donation, and Boone County Public Library close enough for me to write this review and post it immediately after my round.

This course did a pretty good job using what land it had to work with, especially on the wooded holes on the back 9. The holes did not seem to favor a specific type of throw, and most holes at least had a couple of defined throwing lanes. I appreciate the use of distance on the front nine, although none of the holes would be long enough to consider being a par 4, and it was nice to have some more technical holes on the back 9. I felt like the baskets, tee pads and signs were in very good shape.

I felt like this course did get a little repetitive on the front nine with all but 1 hole basically being an open driving hole. While the course incorporated some distance (multiple holes over 300 ft), and some wooded holes (a good part of the back 9), there did not seem to be any combination of the two. There was not an excessive amount of challenge, because you either threw it fair, or threw it straight and were in good shape.

I enjoyed playing this course. Having not really played in months, I still shot a 2-under round, which easily could have been 5-under with a couple of mulligans. I did appreciate the fact that I never had any trouble finding a disc playing by myself. This is a nice course and if I lived closer, I would love to bring some of my more casual disc golfing friends to this course as opposed to Lincoln Ridge or Idlewild. Lastly this course does have some variety, in that I did have to consider distances on the short holes, where some courses, you just throw hard and then putt and approach.

Back 9 are the best for ace shots and lowering your score. It is a great course to play a quick round of DG, or just to practice in general. NOTE: Master BW before trying to lower you Idlewilde score.

Front 9 can be aggravating . Hole 4 can be rough because of the trees. I normally throw a sidearm Beast and will hopefully be guaranteed a par opportunity

Tee pads, Tee signs, Baskets, Defined fairways, Variety of holes, Water hazards, Clean, Not crowded, Parking, Restrooms, Maintained, Fun and best of all its FREE!

Short holes, Safety hazards and No practice basket (currently used on hole #5)

The course is located in a county park that is maintained by Boone County. The concrete tee pads and comprehensive tee signs mounted on 4x4 and a hanging bucket makes it easy to navigate. They are consistent throughout the course giving an easy landmark for the next hole. I was the only person playing and had no problem navigating or issues with locating the next tee or basket.
Course offers fairways that are open rolling hills with elevation changes -/+, heavily wooded tunnels, tight doglegs and water hazards. All the characteristics of a disc golf course that we look for it was there just not on a large scale. The back half of the course does have a few short holes with tee pads close to the previous baskets and close to some townhouses, but these are the technical holes. I enjoyed the time playing the course it will challenge a beginner yet satisfy the appetite for an intermediate player. It serves its purpose.
I am not from the area and had punched in the coordinates to several courses and this was the first one it led me to. It wasn't till after I played and was looking at my navigation system to take me to the next course closest to me is when I realized I was only 1.7 mi. away from Idle wild and not far away from Lincoln Ridge either. I was disappointed because it was too late to play either and surprised to have so many quality courses so close together.

-Great course to be relaxed yet still challenged.
-Great for practicing and perfecting any Disc Golf technique.
-Hole to hole you are challenged in a new way and it helps you grow in the mental aspect of disc golf.
Examples:
I. Hole 1 is a nice warm-up hole that you can approach in a variety of ways.
II. Hole 2 has slight trees in the fairway and can be easily Hyzered.
III. Hole 3 & 4 challenge you with hilly terrain and trees.
IV. Hole 5 is a bit longer and usually requires you to read the wind and throw accordingly. Many times I have thought the wind calm only to find out that 100' down the fairway your disc gets ripped to the right.

The back nine add finesse challenges with narrow passages through trees yet the course finishes off nicely with holes 16-18 being open and longer.

Only a few holes are over 300' not much of a challenge for distance.
Can get very muddy very easily!

Since the renovation in 2009 the Boone County Parks system has always been making improvements on the course. They recently added 2 bridges and have been keeping the course nice and tidy when needed. This course is well on its way to becoming a 3.5 rated course that every disc golfer should check out if possible.

Any level player can enjoy playing here, sometimes I will take only my KC Pro for 18 holes and do great!

very fun and quick course, great for beginners, the tee pads are kept in great shape and easy to see next holes. the front nine are average 300 ft. and open and the back nine are average 150 to 200 with tricky shots for good practicing

not many cons just could be bigger

This is a short course, so I can take beginner friends or my girlfriend there. Back nine is shorter than the front. Holes 3 & 4 are the hardest on the course. #4 is the only hole that COULD be considered a "par 4" by a good player. The new design of 13 is much better. A big pro for me is that I live 3 miles away.

It's short. Holes 10-17 are easily deuceable. 11, 12, 14, and 15 are really short. My girlfriend, who has played maybe 10 times, has hit the basket off the tee on 12 and 15 in the same round.

At first I didn't like the new design, but the more I play it the more I like it for what it is. You can play a round in under an hour. It doesn't let you rip it off the tee every hole, but it is good practice.

Boone Woods Park has a nice little 18 hole course that is a nice contrast to Idlewild that is about a mile away. This course is located in a great little park that has a bunch of stuff to do like tennis, soccer, horseshoes, and has a great playground with a huge fort for the kids. There are also a couple of bathrooms along/near the course that are very convenient. The course has very nice baskets, tees tee signs and garbage buckets on every sign. There is a very nice mix of open and wooded holes. Although most of the previous reviews mentioned how short a course this is there are 7 holes that are over 300 feet and let you air it out a little bit. Most of the wooded holes are very short but have little to no underbrush to worry about. On most holes there is at least a little bit of shot shaping required but still a lot of different lines to the basket. There is not a ton of elevation on this land but it was used to good effect for the course. Also you can see that this course is well maintained. The fairways were mowed and there was no trash anywhere on the course. Also there are some very nice bridges that have been built exclusively for the disc golf course. This course was a very fun play and I really enjoyed holes number 3 and 4. #3 is a 330 ft hole that weaves goes over a wooded gulley to a slightly sloped pin. This is followed by #4 which is 350ft and tees off from the open over a little creek and slightly up hill to a well protected pin.

This course is definitely not a overly challenging play, especially when compared to other courses in the area. It would be great for a beginner or intermediate player. A couple of the holes have townhouses or yards of homes near by and could come into play on a bad shot or a windy day. Holes 11, 12 and 13 felt very cramped together in the woods and the walk between 9 and 10 was a little disconnected. Holes 5, 6, 7 and 8 were very wide open and kind of boring.

This was a fun course that I think would do very well in a place where Idlewild and Banklick were not so close. Although not remarkable I would still suggest to anybody to give it a try. This would be a great park to bring your kids to so they can enjoy the sweet fort while you go discing.

There was a very bad storm the day before I played this course and quite a few trees and branches were down although not many effecting the disc golf course. Unfortunately basket #1 got dinged by a branch and while still usable it has a slight bent top that makes for a narrower entrance to the front of the basket (closest to the tee). The local public works department already had most of the debris cleared by the time we got there to play so other than the basket it should not be a factor. I never saw the practice basket that is supposed to be there so I have no idea if it survived the storm.

Good practice par 3 course. Brand new baskets/tee pads as of late 2009. Redesign greatly improved an aging course. Good mix of open / wooded. Beginner friendly. The bridges on the back 9 are very well built (late 2010) and new tee signs were installed as well. As the new trees and plants begin to mature, the course is becoming nicer.

Can be very crowded with casuals on evenings and weekends. Need trash cans or at least buckets on some of the holes on the back 9. Vandalism has become as issue as the basket for hole four was stolen and subsequently replaced with the practice basket. Practice basket has not yet been replaced. A lot of the open holes are pretty boring.

At times, there are "Boot Camp" style workout people running around the course oblivious to the fact that people are throwing discs all around them. Mostly evenings in the summer.

This is the park where I started disc golfing. I used to come out here 2-3 times a week when I first started because it was close and I could bust through a round in 45 minutes or so. The course started to get pretty beat up through the years. The redesign couldn't have come at a better time and drastically improved the course.

Good par 3 course for a quick casual round. The front 9 is mostly wide open. The back 9 is short, but you get a good dose of fun woods holes with some cool tunnel shots. Nothing spectacular, but worth the stop as a warm up for Idlewild right down the road.

(7/3/2011 update) A few holes have been redesigned since the original 2009 redesign. #3 now plays a little longer since the basket was moved about 40' farther up the hill. #6 basket was moved a bit to the left to help keep errant throws from going into people's yards. They also planted 2 trees in front of the new basket location that should add some difficulty in the years to come. #13 was completely redesigned, moving the teepad back and closer to the park boundary and the basket farther away and also closer to the boundary. Makes this hole much longer than before with a challenging shot through a tight line to the basket. The pad for #14 was moved forward about 30' and to the left just a bit, with the basket moving left as well. #17's basket was moved out of the reclaimed nature area and to the right making it a little shorter but not terribly different than before. For the most part all changes were for the better, but I'd still rate the course a 3.

Nice park with tennis, basketball, volleyball, soccer, bocce, horseshoes, playgrounds, and a cool fort for the kids to play in.

This course has been upgraded with nice baskets, tee pads and a new configuration They utilized more of the park making it more spread out. They took the course back into the woods behind the playground. These are short holes though but most are tunnel shots and definitely could be called ace run alley. I don't believe it has a hole over the 350' mark but still has some challenging holes and a few blind shot holes. It's still a beginner course but even some of the better players during the ace race and day glow liked the new layout. The course was payed for with the grant money for the drainage restoration project going on. If you go play now the place is still a mess from this project. I don't see it really being back to normal until next summer.
This adds a new course to the idlewild/lincoln ridge area that makes it that much more of a disc golf destination.

4 short holes but really about the best they could do with the land provided and I also heard that they will be adding multiple baskets to these holes eventually. One hole that comes close to the play ground and another close to the road/parking lot.

Overall a major upgrade to this course that was sorely needed. I feel really lucky to have idlewild, lincoln ridge and now boone woods all within a 15 minute ride from my house.
If you venture out to this course in the upcomming weeks and months just remember that a mjor project is still in progress most if not all the teepads and baskets need landscape work done to them but I think in the end this will be a course that you will want to visit.