The new tee pads and baskets are a nice upgrade from my last visit a few years ago. Really nice course in a cool setting. The aspect of playing on a sand dune is unique and challenging, most sand dunes are protected areas that you can't even hike through so it's definitely one of a kind in the area.

Nice blend of open-air throws and wooded lanes.
Well-designed layout overall (see * comment on back 9 in Cons). It is a nice and together without feeling like the holes are on top of each other.
Very nice tee pads for both white and blue, with excellent signage to show you the hole.

Baskets are older, and can be difficult to see since there's not much color on them. Also, slightly rusty. This is mostly an aesthetic thing, as I've not seen it affect throws or discs.
*There is very little marker to get from one basket to the next tee. This is especially tricky on the back 9 going from 13 to 14 to 15. UDisc is a lifesaver here.

Just over half of the course involves playing on sand. I'm not entirely sure if this is a pro or con. On the plus side, it can be helpful for rookie players to avoid sliding too far past your basket, especially on holes 2 and 6 where the basket is a bit elevated on a hill. On the down side, it can make footing very tricky for those who like to aggressively throw, and it makes rollers on those holes impossible. So goods and bads. Personally, I'm a fan.
The trees in this course are very thick. I have had several friends lose discs because the foliage loves to hang onto discs. If you are careful and throw low or make sure to stay away, this shouldn't be an issue, but it is definitely a risk.
This course is rather hilly with dunes. Some baskets will be literally impossible to see the basket from the tee (looking at you, 7). Trust the signs and the baskets will come out once you are down the fairway.

Overall, this is worth the price of entry to the park for me. All of the courses in lower DE are fine courses, but if you can only make it to one, come to Cape Henlopen.

Cape Henlopen is one of those courses where a list of pros and cons seems irrelevant as the same items can easily end up on either list depending on reviewer preference/bias, and in some cases both... "Pro: You get to play in the sand" and then, "Con: I got sand in my shoes." "Pro: Cool throwing over the dunes" and then, "Con: Blind tee shots over the dunes." It's the kind of course you're most likely either going to love or hate. I'm one of the people that loves to play Cape Hen. I played a couple of rounds here almost two years ago and played it again last weekend. The new trex tee platforms are a huge improvement over last time! I love that they only attach the back side of the fly mat so you can lift up the front to clean the sand off. The wind had them cleared off when I was there.

There's always a special feeling to a Steady Ed course and Cape Henlopen is no exception. He somehow found a way to cram more course into a small area than should be possible while at the same time picking out the most interesting terrain features to highlight. When I heard about the course at the beach I wasn't expecting the amount of elevation that plays on almost every hole. And it's not just the rolling hills that the dunes create, the trees and scrub pine play as elevation unlike any other course I've ever played. In fact, my first time here I had to learn a new way to throw, namely up and over everything. Most of the wooded courses around place a premium on keeping your shot low to fly below the branches and leaves on the trees. For the most part, this one is the opposite, often the smart play is to throw over the trees that stand between you and the basket. Learning to work a disc that you are sending 30-40' higher than usual in gusty swirling shoreline winds can be a lot of fun, or I suppose quite frustrating. For me it was A LOT of fun!! But it's not just a bunch of up and overs all day, there are some tunnel shots through the woods and throws from an open area through an opening to the green. Hyzers, annies, flicks, hammers, thumbers, bring 'em all to Henlopen because you'll need 'em. There's even a 500' wide open bomb to finish up with.

If you're traveling and playing courses on the road, I would say Cape Henlopen is a MUST PLAY because of its uniqueness. It's not the best course, nor the most challenging, but there's really nothing else like it that I've seen up to this point and it's just a ton of fun! Plus, how can you pass up a chance to play a course that is almost 40 years old and was designed by the guy that invented the game and built the first course? (And yes, I've played that one too) There's a pretty well made 2 tire basket hanging from a tree in the middle of the course... wonder if it was one of the originals?
Yes, Delaware charges for their state parks... But this one is at the beach! Make a day of it! Heck, buy the pass here and then go play Killens or Trapp or any of the other courses in the state if you want. At some point I'm definitely going to stay at the campground here, I can't think of a better day than waking up at Cape Hen, drinking my morning coffee while throwing a round and then playing in the ocean all afternoon when it's hot. And then an absolutely perfect course for a moonlight glow round!!!

Multiple tee pads for players of all levels. Distances ranging from 200-500 feet. All types of shots used on the course. Very unique terrain to play on. Rubber mat on tee pads is only connected on one end to allow clearing any sand off. Many elevation changes throughout.

Many baskets can not be seen from the tee pads making it difficult to know where to throw. Tee signs are not 100% accurate. Some show a straight shot when it actually turns at some point. The sand makes for a tiring walk up and down the many dunes. The mats on the tees are heavy and if by yourself makes it difficult to clean off.

Overall this is a very nice course and a must play for all disc golfers. Played my first round alone and had some difficulty locating a couple baskets and tee pads, however, the course flow is very good for the most part. Located right next to the beach with campgrounds within walking distance. I always look forward to every round I play here...

Very fun and variable course! Many holes with challenges, but also holes with wide open shots! Many birdie and par shots throughout the course! Beginners may want to wait and play smaller courses that can build up to this course, but all-around very fun course!

I played from Red tees and they were worn down and looked very torn.

Lots of trees, so very easy to lose a disc

Good variety in hole design. Very scenic park. Course is played completely in sand. Multiple tee pads for each hole. Decent elevation changes for a Delmarva course due to the sand dunes.

Sand gets on tee pads and makes it easy to slip. Some tee pads have a huge drop off at the end. Equipment is in bad shape. Holes can be confusing to locate unless you have a map. Park entrance fee. Discs can slide under the sand and get lost.

This course is unlike any other I have ever played. It is a fun challenge to play on the sand dunes. The course is very scenic being next to the Atlantic ocean and being is a nice park. Most holes are not very long in distance but the sand makes it seem longer since power is lost in throwing. The real appeal of this course is the uniqueness of playing on a sand course, and the great location. Don't expect to play your best here, but if you're looking for a break from the typical disc golf courses around the area, this is the one to play.

By the beach. So different from other Delaware courses. Sand dunes.. just cool

From hole 9 its hard to find hole 10. Its back by the first tee.

Its almost a 2hr drive for me but I will go back for sure. The pars are kinda easy. Im no pro & I got a -11 & a -15 the day I played. Worth checkin out!!!!

1)Beach no more than 300ft away from the course....
2)Not like any other course you will ever play...
3)New Baskets
4)Skilled shots are needed to play this as a 54 par course...

1)Bugs are really bad in the middle of summer...
2)Expect to get sand in your shoes your basicly playing on the beach...
3)Course is kinda hard to follow first time playing....(but the locals are maintaining it nicely)
4)At one time the baskets were out dated.. making long puts were impossible to stick...

This was my first course I have ever played. Going camping at the park and being able to golf is very nice.. Including having the beach within distance makes this an amazing beach vacation experience...

This is a completely unique course, most of which is laid out on or into a set of sand dunes. Each hole is different, and almost all are technically challenging.

All but one tee has a sign and if you know someone in the area who plays it is not terribly hard to follow. There is now a course layout map by the practice pin and first tee, so taking a look at it should clear up any issues.

The par is really lax, but if you play a pro par the course becomes much harder.

Also, it is right by the beach, so after you are done disc golfing, you can chill in the waves or take a nap in the sun.

First time this course is hard to follow, but now that there is a map of the course, it has become a lot easier for first timers.

Sand: I would suggest bare-footing it on cooler days, or finding a sand proof shoe of some variety, because you are playing on a dune, so there is no avoiding the sand.

Older tees and pins may annoy some, but everything is there, and a new set of tee platforms have recently been put in.

Watch out for trees. Pine trees are annoying to retrieve discs from, and several holes you have to shoot over or around a bunch of them.

Overall a great course. Aged though it may be, there is still the aura of novelty about it, that I have not found in any other course.

Also: if you come in the off season, like October to late March, you do not have to pay to get into the park. Other ways to get around the $8 out-of-state fee: ride a bike in; get lots of people to go; get to know a local.

I highly recommend this course if you are looking for something a little different in your schedule, just be prepared to compensate for the setting.

If there's one thing I dig its playing a totally unique course and Cape Henlopen is just that. Course weaves up, down and around sand dunes and through a maze of scruff pines. A few holes are wooded and there's a long open one as well. Though short course can be quite challenging and 2/3 of your drives are blind. Playing in the sand gives a bit of a twist as your shots will, for the most part, stay where they land, no skips or rolls. Wooden platform tees work nicely. A number of holes force you to drive up and over a wall of pines. A totally unique playing experience.
***UPDATE***
Two and often 3 different tees on every hole! The locals have been putting in many hours and excellent work here. Tees are slowly getting truck bed liner rolled onto the front of them to increase grip on the wood. multiple basket placements are also being added. Also, dead trees being removed and baskets repaired.

Course navigation is a bit hard the first time out. As stated, many holes are blind shots, so do yourself a favor and take a moment to walk up and locate the basket your first time here. With the exception of the open hole, from which you can see the basket anyway, the holes are short so you don't have to walk that far up.

Cape Henlopen is a fantastic park overall. Close by the course is the beach, nice hikes and pier fishing. Being right next to the beach I can even get my girlfriend to come play here with me. Lots of wildlife here, during the summer tiny lizards can be seen running around the course and in the afternoons a heard of deer containing an albino can usually be seen in the field across from the nature center. (Which sells discs) Yes, there is a park entrance fee, but if you plan on playing Delaware state park courses more than 5 times a year just buy the State Park Pass and it will easily pay for itself. Nothing beats playing here in the off season, when its nice and quiet, and throwing to the sound of the waves crashing.