This is a beautiful course, that the parks department maintains nicely. Great setting for disc golf. Great "warm-up/ putt" area. Nice baskets. The bridges are awesome, and help make this place( frank bink harris.). This is The premiere, championship level disc golf park in this area. This course is a must to play. Very Challenging, with a great layout of all different types of shots. Well designed DLG, your the man.

Not much bad one can say about this course besides: is not beginner friendly. Elevation changes are drastic and can be challenging to walk( e.g. # 3,12, 13, 14, 15 ,) The length of the tee-pads should've been built longer. The tee pads should've been poured with a rough finish, instead of the slick finish they have.

All in all, charlie vettiner is one of the finer disc golf courses that i have ever played. If you want to play on a beautiful, championship level course, thats hardly ever crowded, C.V. is a must to try! P.S. you better bring your A game.

The course plays through a hilly wooded park. Most of the holes play through thick woods with thick rough that's waiting to punish an errant shot. A few holes give you a break with a little more open shots, though the woods are usually lurking alongside the open holes with a chance to end up in trouble. There is a great mix of hole lengths and shapes here, you'll throw every shot you have to score well and stay out of trouble. There are a couple shorter holes, and lots of longer and tougher holes, and the course never feels very repetitive.

There are nice large concrete tees throughout the course, and they have enough texture to provide solid footing. The signs are basic, but accurate, and are sufficient to follow the course with no navigation issues. There are stairs and bridges where necessary to make it easier to get around the course.

There is a lot of traffic on this course, both players and other random walkers. This makes for some waiting, and for some potential safety issues when walkers come around blind corners on the course unexpectedly. The traffic has also caused compaction and erosion on a lot of the wooded fairways, so there are lots of slick muddy areas if it's rained recently.

There are lots of blind holes so you'll do some extra walking to see where to throw, and a spotter is useful on several holes. A few of the open holes feel like filler holes, and don't fit in with the feeling of the rest of the course.

This is a very fun and challenging course, and definitely worth a stop if you're anywhere in the area. There is a great variety of holes that keeps you on your toes throughout. Beginners may find it a little too challenging and punishing, but more experienced players will find themselves tested to make lots of different shots and hit some nice tight lines.

This course has some really amazing holes on it. Hole 1 starts off with a very picturesque downhill shot where you have to hit a small opening at the bottom of the fairway to be set up by the basket. I can't remember the numbers for some of the others, but the first few holes and holes 12-18 are tons of fun and are very challenging. The elevation that comes into play add a lot of challenge, beauty, and fun to the course. The course seems to be very well maintained and clean for the most part. This course is very visually appealing and has a good layout. There are quite a bit of improvements that have been done to the course such as staircases and bridges that have been built to help dgers traverse some tricky spots.
The baskets were in good shape, there were appropriately sized concrete tee boxes, and there were detailed signs to help with navigation. The course was pretty easy to follow for a first time player even without a map.

There are several blind holes that require you to walk far ahead to see where the basket is at. This adds a lot of time to your round when playing it for the first time. It became very tiresome for me at some point during the round and it took away from an otherwise very enjoyable round of golf. There are also several holes where it is a good idea to have a spotter on.
The few open holes pale in comparison to the wooded holes. They really seem to just be filler to make 18 holes. It adds to the variety of the course to have some open holes, but a couple of them lack any challenge at all.
I did not notice many trashcans on the course and did not see any restrooms.

The fairways are fair and the roughs can be rough. There is a nice level of risk/reward on this course. Hole 18 is a very difficult hole to finish on. It is basically a U-shaped hole forced by a mando at the corner. (I was definitely thinking thumber over the top of the corner, until I noticed the mando).

Course feels as if you're playing more than 6000 foot total. Not a bomber course; but no short holes either. Every hole forces you to execute lines; and some distance. You earn your threes one hole after another; or, make a very quality shot for deuce opportunity.
Concrete tees, good signs, correct footage, next tee signs where necessary.
Great course upkeep; nice bridges; railroad tied tiered stairways.
We were here in spring and had no mud issues.
Very scenic style (ball golf course style) course; using elevation well.
Roll away greens.
Creek somewhat in play on a few holes.

Didn't really have any; except perhaps my score: the end of the course hit me pretty hard; so don't let up on your concentration (I took a 7 on #17 and a 5 on the long #18; arghh!)
Sounds as though this course is crowded. We played first thing in the morning and mostly had the course to ourselves.

Dave Greenwell course; and this one is every bit what you would expect from a long time pro and designer. Par 58; and you will earn it.
This one had been on my wish list for a while. This was first course of the second day of a traveling journey. First day, we played Alwoods, Camp Cullom, and Longley Park (in Indiana). All three of these are top notch courses; and yet, Vettiner was the best of the four.

Variety of shots, very technical, strategic OB placement. Great elevation changes, and basket placements bring the elevation changes into play. Can have a great round go south pretty quickly if you're not careful! That is what a great course can do to you.

Open holes (#6, 7, 10) somewhat ho-hum. Other than that, none.

Just a great course. Not for the beginner. Very hilly and that can tire you quickly. Bring plenty of water!

- Varied Terrain, this park has both woods and wide open spaces. It has hills and flats. If you want to experience almost all disc golf has to offer in one course, this is a good place to do it.
- Big tee pads. I have a big run-up when i drive, so a big cement tee pad is nice.
- Long drives. If you love to throw those long bombs, this is the place for you. If you're keeping score, those 300 foot drives are really going to pay off in the more open parts of this course.

- Mandos. I've come to belive that mandatory shots are a reflection of bad hole design. I refuse to use them. Fortunately there aren't many here.
- Crowds. Louisville is a big place. Almost a million people in the greater metro area, and this is a good course...be prepared to wait to play and then be crowded by players coming up from behind on any nice summer weekend.
- Mud. During the wetter times of the year, parts of this course turn into a slip-and-slide. Best bring your hiking boots.

- If you can get there really early or go during a week day you'll beat most of the crowds.
- Hole 18 (par 6) seems ridiculous at first, but unless you're the incredible hulk i don't recommend trying to throw over or through the woods. Just play hard and throw around the bend like the sign says...if you place your middle approach shots well, you should be able to do it in 5, no problem.

Decent elevation changes. Several grip & rip holes. Technically challenging to where you'll need every shot/disc in your bag. A well maintained pro-caliber course. Benches or picnic tables at every tee.

I've spent more time looking for discs with my playing partners than on any other course! Although several improvements have been made of late, there are still multiple areas where there is excessive ground moisture/mud.

Hole #16 is the #1 most aggrivating one I've ever played, and played, and played, and played again and again! };')

Very Challenging course...Varied terrain, elevation changes, great diversity (from heavily wooded narrow fairways to wide open rippers) Plenty of obstacles, Mandos, etc and hardly any water!!

Some of the tee markers are damaged or missing which caused me to walk several holes to find the pin. Very muddy in spots; for example, Hole #2 looks like somebody got their 4 X 4 back their and did a 'yard job.'

Stay on the fairway to have a pleasant game. Trust me.

If there is a signature hole, I would say its Hole #18. Check it out for yourself!!

This challenging pro caliber course combines distance, elevation and obstacle with great effect, necessitating a variety of throws and technical ability. A good mix of open and wooded holes with most risk/reward from the tees or fairways and a few very challenging pin placements. An errant throw on numerous holes will find you in some thick rough, no doubt adding strokes.
Tees (the few alts), signs, baskets and bridges are in good shape with clearly defined fairways; well maintained.
Holes #3 & #8 from pro pads, and #12 are particularly engaging given their elevation and woods-tunnels. .

All in all CV is a great course but given the length and elevation, the lack of access to water, and a few treacherous slopes in desperate need of steps detract from it. A few blase holes could be modified to their betterment - #2, #6 and #7 - simply by moving the pins: #2 to behind the small stand of trees and the others into the treeline which they currently border.
No one hole stands out as "signature."

I play this course more than any other; it's my home away from home. It's always a challenge and fun to play with plenty of birdie ops, but get them on the front 11 because the back 7 can easily take them away.

Pro designed obviously shows great mix
for pro and amatuer I thought very difficult and challenging for my level at the time.

just distance for me just a tad which is not a Con for others. Only one i heard was casual park walkers may decide to take a hyzer fairway walk around a tree not knowing where their walking in the face of danger

I can not see everyone who plays this would love it over time and experience.

Great course for all levels of play.Lots nice long shots!and plenty of tunnels thru the woods.Down hill shots..up hill shots..left and right hand..Nice and clean course!! not alot people on course at one time! great course!!!

Hard to find!!Tough terrain for older players with any medical problems

If you play and are in town,...its a must play!! check it out!

What I personally like and how this course stacks up in my list of 18 hole courses:

1) Holes with good risk/reward. Fair, but harsh punishment for bad decisions or execution. == A
(Many of the holes will punish a bad deuce attempt with a bogey. Several holes really make you think about how to approach them and how aggressive is safe enough to not hurt your score.)

2) Holes that have rewarding birdie opportunities for me. I throw 300' accurately, 360' max. == A
(Almost every hole out there feels rewarding when I card the result I hope for.)

3) More wooded than open - lots of variety of shots required caused by hole shape and topography == A
(Great variety of hole shapes and lengths and great use of terrain. The course has 3-4 different vibes depending on where you are on the course - very cool.)

4) Natural beauty (Appalachian beauty preferred) and seclusion. == B+
(Overall very nice. Beautiful woods and meadows. Seclusion is great for half the course and OK for the part running along the park road. The area around the start/finish does feel haphazard or something. I knocked off half a grade since first and last impressions count.)

5) Bonus points for multi-throw holes with defined landing zones, good risk/reward and multiple options to play them. == B
(Hole 18 is really cool even though it caters to the really big arms - either big drive or big overhand 2nd shot is needed to score well. Hole 16 is really interesting too, but more finesse than power is needed. Needs more par 4's and 5's IMO since the ones out there are so cool.)

It's all about feeding the addiction, so I ranked this course subjectively based on my own "personal addiction factor". The grades above tell how well the course will draw me back to itself again and again and again. Since I have played a decent number of courses (149 18-hole, 91 9-hole as of late 2009), my hope is that players/explorers who have similar addiction tastes will find my ratings list helpful as they choose courses to play and explore.

I fully expect others with different tastes/philosophies to disagree with me....that's the fun of things here. See my profile for my rating philosophy.

This course is one of the tougher courses you will come across and will leave you wanting more. This course has narrow fairways and thick brush which make it challenging. It has signs showing hole locations and obstacles in the way. It has nice scenary along the way and will leave you a decent workout. The first 11 holes wrap around and into the the woods and leaves you back near the first tee which is located right next to the 12th tee, so the course is unique in the sense that it has a front 11 and a back 7. The back 7 consist of much harder and longer holes.

This course will eat discs. The brush is thick and one bad or blind throw can leave you searching for an hour wondering "Its got to be here somewhere". The hills can be a pain in the @$$ but in the end its worth it. The narrow fairways make this course not for begininers. The open holes are almost to simple and easy but I guess its to commpensate for the diffcuilty of some of the narrow wooded holes.

This course will leave you wanting more. Anything under par is considered amazing. The course wouldnt be that hard if they changed some of the par 3's to par 4's. The course consist of 1 par 5 3 par 4's and 14 par 3's. 2 or 3 of the par 3's could easily be par 4's Hole #4 for instance should be a par 4. You could throw a perfect beast of a drive and still be blind to pin. Not many par 3's can say that

Very Challenging. A lot of varying grades, uphill and downhill. Enough holes in the woods to challenge and enough open fairways to let you pull back & let 'er rip. The third hole has a challenging ravine to throw across. The eighth starts out open and then turns into a tunnel.

1. The rough along the first three holes is incredibly overgrown. 2. It looks like people have used it as a dumping ground. The second hole ends right by a bunch of trash. 3. Some missing tee signs.

It may have been a great course at one time, but it needs some TLC. Apparently there's an A tier event being held there in Sept. '09. If so, someone needs to get their sh*t together.

1) Nice Practice Area (although one basket has been damaged . . . not sure if that was from the ice storm but it is all mangled and the chains are gone. UPDATE: 3rd basket is still missing

2) Nice signage on most holes. (#5 tee sign was missing) Next tee signs to direct you to the next holes were helpful and placed well.

3) Awesome variety in holes. Some downhill holes, some uphill and even more on sidehills! I really enjoyed the basket locations on those sloped holes. They really made it fun (but the ice around the baskets did not). There are a few holes where it is wide open, but none you can really just rip loose because they are short. But a couple of them have a forced layup or a mando to navigate to get a second shot down the fairway.

4) Some very nice tight wooded holes forcing layups. You really need to be able to shape your shots around the wooded areas.

5) Very scenic. I really enjoyed the stream behind #9 green. It leaves you with a nice peaceful thought as you try and tee off on #9. The wooded areas were a nice walk on their own.

6) Nice infrastructure. DGA Baskets were in good shape, and the teepads were even better. Nice size to the teepad. I have played on concrete tees that just aren't wide enough, these had plenty of room. Signs are in good shape too.

7) Alternate tee locations on a few of the holes allowing for the beginner to at least have a shorter throw.

8) All in all this was one of my top 3 courses . . . granted I have only played 11 now, but this hits the mark (UPDATE: Still one of my favorites and I have now played 171 courses) . I am sure once the limbs are cleaned up and the ice melts this course is phenomonal, so I rated it as if these things were taken care of. I am sure getting power to the locals is morei mpoartant than the disc golf course. This course is one of only a few courses I have rated at 4.5! I like the challenges it presenets and I look forward to coming back in season to play this course again. I know I can do better. I think the ice cost me 5 shots because my disc kept sliding down the hills around the basket.

UPDATE: 9) I do not remember this the first time but there were some nice railroad ties steps put in place around Hole #13 and #14. Perhaps the first time they were under the ice, but they certainly are worth a mention as they greatly help a very steep part of the course.

1) Not very beginner friendly because of the majority of the holes having tight fairways, multiple hazards like streams and such and many chances to have bad rollaways on some of those hills.

2) Terrain of the course could be difficult for some to walk. Be sure to have good traction in the snow or when its gone, I am sure it gets slick when wet.

3) A few holes have alternate tee locations, but I think a handful more could use another tee also.

4) Too many blind baskets from the tee. First timers will really struggle to find where they are going.

UPDATE: 5) 3 inches of snow a few days prior to my second time playing this course had half of Louisville out here to go sledding. There were numerous throws I had to shortarm to avoid the areas where people were standing or sledding, and I think these people had no idea what it was I was doing out there. It would be nice if they designated certain areas of the park for sledding and slightly removed from the DG course.

I played this course after the Ice Storm that hit Kentucky. Despite the ice on 5 or 6 holes really affecting play, and the 5 or 6 holes affected by down trees and dead limbs, I still had an awesome time.

UPDATE: I played this course again about 1 year from the first time I had played it. I enjoyed it more this time because the 3 inches of ice was gone . . . it was replace with a fresh 3 inches of snow when I played this time.

Charlie Vettiner is one of the top courses in the local and surrounding areas. This David Greenwell design offers a challenging par59 layout that requires accuracy and creative shot-making throughout the course. Bring your "A" game, otherwise you could be in for a long and frustrating round of disc golf.

Course Essentials:
-Baskets: The courses uses DGA baskets that are all in good shape. Single pin placements on all 18 holes.
-Tee Pads: Level, concrete pads of adequate length on all holes, alternate (Am) pads are located on holes 3, 8, 11, 13, 17, and 18.
-Tee Signs: Signs are present on most holes and tee pads, signs are missing on a few holes. The available signs show hole layout and distance.

General Course Design & Layout:
-Length: 5,958 from the longs tees (331/hole avg); 5,478 from the am tees (304/hole avg)
-Elevation: Minimum to moderate throughout the course, used effectively in course design. A few holes on the back nine have more severe elevations that can be difficult to navigate, especially when the ground is wet.
-Fairway Variety: 5 technical holes; 10 semi-technical holes; 3 open holes.

Charlie Vettiner has a smooth, flowing layout that is easy to navigate. The course is comprised of 2 loops (1-11, & 12-18) that both return to the parking area. The fairways are clearly defined and offer a good variety of straight, right to left, and left to right layouts. Elevations are minimum-moderate throughout the course, but a few key areas have more severe elevations that are a little more difficult to navigate (Hole12, from 13s basket to 14s tee, basket on 15, 15s basket to 16s tee, and hole18).

The rough can get very thick during the summer months, especially on the back nine, accurate drives are crucial to low scores. A couple of holes are designed to encourage strategic placement of your drive and/or approach shot; these holes reward accuracy over length, a great design feature of the course (in my opinion). There are 3 holes that are basically wide open (6, 7 and 10) and offer a chance to get a couple of easy deuces. Hole 10 does have an artificial O.B., but really should not come into play for any seasoned player.

There are a few mandos in place to help protect other players and pedestrians that may be in the area. Holes 9-11, and 18 run close to the road where vehicle and pedestrian traffic may be present, and a shot wide right off the tee for 5 could potentially interfere with players on the tee for hole 6. The mandos are located on these holes to help reduce the potential danger through these areas (I don't play this course often, I know there is a mando on 5, 9 and 18, possibly 10 & 11, I apologize if I missed any).

A practice area is located near the first tee, plenty of room to practice long putts and short approach shots. Practice basket is located on a slope, so you can also practice up/down and sidehill putts. Trash cans located around the course, and restrooms are available on site.

Epic Holes:
Hole 1- I love the opening hole at CV. A short, downhill and relatively simple hole with a sweeping left to right fairway. Fairly straight-forward, but miss the fairway you could end up in some thick brush and turn what should be an easy 2 into a 4!

Hole 3- Great hole with an "S" shaped fairway. A right to left shot off the tee that ends up in the fairway leaves a pretty straight-forward left to right approach. Throw to far off the box and you end up in the trees, a good example of placement over length design.

Hole 8- This hole is almost like a funnel, a wide open tee shot requiring a left to right flight path into the woods. A reasonable opening at the entrance to the woods that narrows to a tight, straight fairway requires both distance control and accuracy to score well. To much, or not enough on the tee shot will put you into some thick woods.

Hole 12- A tight, straight downhill fairway to an open pin. A accurate drive leaves a good look at a 2, but miss right or left, and you could be scrambling for par. The pin is located on the side of a steep hill that is prone to roll-aways.

Hole 15- Relatively simple hole, but the pin is located on a severe side slope. A missed putt here has the potential to turn an easy three into a 4 or worse.

Hole 16- Another strategy based hole where placement off the tee is crucial. Clear the narrow tunnel and tight gap off the box, then you are left with a moderate uphill shot to a well protected basket.

Hole 18- Fantastic finishing hole. A long "U" shaped fairway that plays uphill with thick woods along the inside (right side) of the fairway. Length is important here, but also placement. If you hug to tight to the inside, you can easily be blocked out for your approach. This hole has a narrow green with the road (O.B.) on the left and thick woods to the right. Position is key to leaving a good line into the basket and having a chance for a 4.

-Tee signs missing on some holes/tee locations

-Steep elevations can be difficult to walk on even in dry conditions, these areas are much more challenging in wet conditions, proceed with caution through these areas (Hole12, from 13s basket to 14s tee, basket on 15, 15s basket to 16s tee, and hole18)

-Several blind tee shots. Someone playing this course for the first time will most likely have to scout out pin locations before playing several of the holes (1, 3, 4, 5, 8, 13, 15, 16)

-Some tee pads are a little slippery in wet conditions

Overall, Charlie Vettiner is a well-designed course that will challenge players of all levels. I would not consider this a beginner friendly course, so if you are new to disc golf, and new to this course, don't be discouraged if you struggle your way through the layout. Of all the local courses, this one has proven to be the most difficult for me. Even after playing for 4yrs, I still find myself struggling to get a decent score on this course. Charlie Vettiner is a fantastic, fun and challenging course, if you are in or near the Louisville area, don't miss this one, a definite must play.

This is a very challenging and technical course that requires many different shots and accuracy. While there are some longer holes on this course, nearly all of them favor accuracy over distance. There are two pro par 4's and one pro par 5 here and they really add to the challenge of the course.

There are about 4 holes in an open field, but OB, tree lines and hills are used to keep them interesting. The rest of the course is wooded. Elevation comes into play on many holes and putting greens often have elevation changes to add to the challenge.

Some of my favorite holes are hole 3, the first par 4 where you first shot is over a ravine. Hole 8 is a downhill turnover into a wooded tunnel. Hole 9 is a flex shot out of a gap with the basket just on the other side of an OB ditch. Hole 13 is a very unique hole, it's a great RHFH shot over a hill, through a tunnel and the basket is on the right once you clear the tunnel. Hole 16 is the next par 4 requiring a short but accurate drive out of a tunnel to a landing zone, the next shot is a big uphill hyzer. And hole 18 is a monster par 5 with a huge uphill bomb off the tee, get past the mando and you'll have a look at a RHBH anny shot then an approach to the basket but watch out, OB road boarders this hole after the initial drive.

The course has nice tee signs, although one of the signs is missing since it was hit by the lawn mower. Baskets are in great condition.

The hills at this course can get very muddy when they're wet.
***UPDATE***
Steps have been taken to control erosion on the hill by hole 14 and 15 and steps have been installed. Thanks to the boy scout troop who helped out! Gravel has been spread in many other areas like hole 8, 12 and 13 to help control erosion and mud.

There aren't many trash cans on the course. There is a small walk from hole 11 to hole 12, but it shouldn't be a problem to find since hole 12 is right next to hole 1.

A few of the tee pads can get slick when wet.

This is a par 58 course with holes 3 and 16 being par 4 and hole 18 is par 5. Shooting par here is very good, a 58 is rated in the 950's.

This Dave Greenwell designed course will challenge all aspects of your game, regardless of your skill level, and is well worth going out of your way to play.

Beautiful course which offers a lot to the players. Some distance is good but don't sacrifice accuracy (especially on #18). This place gives you the opportunity to go-for-it and either rewards or punishes you based on your shot. I love courses that present the opportunity and challenges players to try a shot. Great hole designs which present every type of challenge imaginable - The fairways are there you just better not miss. Played this course for the first time this year and my first round was in a the CV Open - Boy did I throw a lot of forehand rollers. Bring every shot and be ready to use them. Hole #3 can be a beast if you miss your line and #18 is a punishing finishing hole.

Not many - A few holes can be a little slick because of erosion (Hole #1 I believe is pretty slick) and can get muddy in a few places so come prepared.

Beautiful course and can't wait to get back there in '09. Well taken care of and a lot of though in the hole designs. Great work.

This course varies greatly with awesome elevation changes on 1-4 and 12-18. Several nice tunnel shots to test how straight you can keep your flight. Awesome scenery without a whole lot of disc-grabbing greenery, although on number 1 (downhill and blind) if you overthrow you might spend quite a while finding your disc in the creek bed. Playing in and out of the woods the entire time, and very creative fairway design and pin placement. Also, some of the bridges across the creeks have been recently installed/renovated to improve the look and ease of travel of the course.

Tee signs need to be replaced/improved.

Also, not major cons, but the bathrooms and other amenities in the park are not close to the course.

Approaching the tees on 13 and 14 are steep and if the ground is slippery can be quite treacherous. There are a lot of OB areas all over, so you really have to watch your placement. I really suggest wearing hiking boots for playing this course.

I love this course and the challenge it presents. This course is the closest to my house so I try to play as often as I can. I also hear there will be an A-Tier at Vettiner for 2009, should be awesome.

This park has a wide variety of shots and holes with a nice use of terrain. Combines some good woods holes with some wide open shots. Beautiful well maintained park. The tees that were not obvious from the previous hole were well marked with pointer signs. Good concrete tees

Older course and equipment. Tee signs were rather uninspiring and a little unclear on long shots. A little potential for lost discs but not bad.A couple of unfinished bridges not nice now but will add to the course when completed.

A lot of right hand fades. Looks like the course has suffered some storm damage that hasn't been cleared as of fall '08. I loved the long last hole. I would definitely play this hole again if traveling through the area.