The proximity of the course surrounds historic Cornell College as it winds through the campus providing a modest nine hole challenge for disc golfers of all skill levels. Most holes were distanced around 300 ft, ideal for the par 3 player. Most holes were there for the taking with regards to birdie or par chances. Slight elevation changes on holes #7, #8, #9 give you an additional challenge. Hole #9 was my favorite hole as your forced to throw across a pond; uphill, at a basket placed about 11:00. Beware--- Holes #3, #4, have the potential to strike a car or house if your disc goes off course to the left where a street encompasses the campus. Golfers get a taste of the college atmosphere as evidenced by the architecture of buildings and swarms of students that frequent the campus and surrounding course. If you're a people person that enjoys attention; then this is the spot. Surely, your likely to encounter a diverse range of people.

Virtually, no signage exists anywhere. Furthermore, their are no tee pads anywhere! Rather, there are patches of dirt that serve as makeshift tee pads. As a result, I spent about an half hour trying to decipher the course layout to no avail. I ended up having to ask a couple of students after becoming increasingly frustrated. Hole #5 had no visual tee box forcing you to judge or make up a spot to throw. Hole #6 abruptly ends near the street but gives no indication where hole #7 is. Hole #7 is on the other side of the campus as I later found out. Few amenities are present on campus such as: benches, water fountains, restrooms. This makes the course feel unwelcoming to "tourists," or "outsiders," that aren't students.

This course has so much potential! It would be a great asset to the college campus and Mount Vernon overall, if the student population or powers that be,get their act together and properly facilitate this course with the property it needs to be fully functional. Otherwise, if you do plan on playing; then go with some friends that have played here before to avoid being a "deer in the headlights." Bring some spikes because you will slide on the dirt throwing service causing many throws to go straight into the ground.

This course has nice usage of mature trees. There are also many attractive flower trees located all over campus. They're currently blooming and they smell sweeter than any flowers I've smelled in my entire life.
There's also decent variation for a 9 hole course. Holes #5, #7, #8, and #9 all make good use of elevation change. #5 is a fairly steep uphill shot. #7 is a distance shot over a long sloping hill, near the top. #8 is a rather creative shot... it requires a medium anhyzer (rhbh). Its a short but tight shot up a small slope; you must avoid hitting a thick squad of trees and a small house on the right side of the fairway in order to park a birdie. Hole #9 is a "valley" shot next to the lake.

This course is very confusing for a newcomer. The tee pads are mulch so they don't stand out as much as concrete. There are no tee signs. A lot of tee pads are right next to the basket where the previous hole finished, with a few big exceptions however. After hole #5, I wasn't quite sure where to go and I spent a minute or two glancing around before I spotted the next tee pad. After hole #6 I was COMPLETELY lost. Its very unclear where to go for hole #7. TIP: Continue straight from tee pad-basket path, down steep hill to the street corner at the bottom of the hill. The tee pad for #7 is located there on the corner underneath a pod of trees. Hole #8 is a little tricky to find but not terrible.
There are too many people. Hardly anyone else was playing but students, joggers, and faculty members were traveling the concrete paths that wind throughout the first 6 holes. The majority of holes also play near fairly busy roads and houses. A griplock or early release could easily end up hitting a car or house.
Oh yeah... and concrete in the fairway or anywhere near the fairway is a big negative. I absolutely hate scuffing my discs up and ruining them, and nothing does it better than concrete.
The first 3 holes are pretty much the same.

Setting is on a small college campus with 1st 4 holes in front of school buildings on a hillside with road OB to the left on each hole. DGA mach 5 baskets. Mature trees used creatively as obstacles on each side of fairway. Moderate elevation changes throughout.

Difficult to locate teepads as there are no tee signs. When I played there was about 4 to 5 inches of snow. There may have been markings in the ground however they were not visible. Fortunately, I had a map printed from this site which made it easy to guess where each teepad was placed. Sidewalk pedestrian traffic could be an issue on some holes. Some buildings come into play on hole 6 and 8. !st 4 holes are very similar.

Overall, the round here was very enjoyable as the holes range in distance from 217 to 352 feet with interesting lines to the baskets. Favorite hole for me was #8 the shortest hole uphill with a huge cedar tree on right and the BACO house to the right of the pin with trees guarding the left approach. Cornell College is about 1 mile north of US 30 12 miles east of Cedar Rapids.