+ Concrete tees, decent signage and baskets. Alternate basket positions throughout, with some alternate baskets in place


+ Nice use of trees, good variety of open and wooded holes; good use of elevation. This isn't a long course (~5000'), but the variety makes it better than a lot of Par 54 courses. They get a lot of challenges out of the layout. For example, Hole #13 is short (200' or 250') but it's uphill with an OB road and power lines along the right side and hard woods along the left


+ The course finishes strong. Hole #16 - #18 are solid (especially the long positions), with a pretty across-the-valley teeshot on 18

- The layout maximizes what's naturally available with hills and trees, but it comes at a cost to navigation. The layout isn't especially intuitive, and there are a few long walks where a first timer might wander around (especially 8 to 9, and 15 to 16)


- Hole #14 alternate pin is so deep in the woods that it looks abandoned - I honestly couldn't see how it's playable


- I played on a rainy day in December, but it looks like the park gets a lot of non-disc golf use during nice weather - and the layout isn't really separate from other park areas

~ One clue to the age of a course is erosion around the teepads. A bunch of the concrete pads at Buchmiller require "stepping up" from behind


~ Buchmiller is a good course even if it's not particularly memorable. It rewards the knowledge that comes from multiple plays: knowing exactly the lines and the height necessary to score



RECOMMENDED COMBINATIONS:

Pair Buchmiller up with nearby Herr Park, or head down to Ship Rock. For a fun change of pace, hit Hobson Mini - but be sure to bring actual mini discs and not just marker discs (the length of a lot of holes at Hobson is a bit much for markers)

One of the best around for those who want to learn. Variety of shots. Elevation. 2 pins on most holes. Concrete pads. Nice baskets in short pin positions.

The problems come from too much popularity. Erosion problems all over. Compacted soil. Too many people crowding the course on nice days. Also, those nice concrete pads were installed 25 years ago - they are no longer flat and don't always point in the right direction.

Love this course! Classic design from mid-90s, all par 3s (except hole 9 long pin, which is easy par 4).

beautiful scenic park in lancaster, PA!
i was there the day before a tourney, so there were OB flags EVERYWHERE. playing the course with all the mandos and OB made for a pleasantly challenging experience!
very few "long" holes. there are some downhill shots that "appear" long, but it turns out a putter/midrange will float that far.
conversely, some of the uphill holes look close but play FAR.
i liked how the rough/ob areas were not tangled webs of impenetrable branches and pricklies!
also NO ONE else playing course on a friday mid day. and only came across a sole other park goer.
elevation change is always a plus in my book, and this place HAD IT

minus the OBs, the course would really be rather easy and much much less challenging.
you will need to download/printout the layout or you are in TROUBLE when it comes to navigation.
some holes had 2nd baskets, which can be confusing, especially on blind holes.
am not sure a single tee sign is accurate distance wise

really interesting tourney layout. otherwise it is a very nice beginner/amateur course!

Course consisted of 18 holes in a beautiful park in Lancaster, PA. I really enjoyed the long bombs you got to throw on some of the holes (like 5, 7 and especially 18). There are also some nice technical holes thru the trees.

The tees are in excellent condition! They are big, and concrete! I have yet to play a course with better tees than these and frankly that makes a huge difference.

The course wasn't too crowded for a nice Friday afternoon. There were a couple players out there with a handful of discs just practicing. All of them politely let me play thru. Honestly if I lived closer, I'd be doing the same thing. There are no muddy areas and the grass is in very good condition.

The course is a smaller 18 holes, so you should be able to hammer in a round within an hour or so if it is just 1 or two of you.

Don't be afraid to send your group-mates ahead on some of the holes that turn in the wooded areas (such as 9 and/or 12) so you don't lose your disc.

As you have already read, some holes are very close to the main road, and the main road is super busy. You'd practically be crazy to throw a backhand hyser on Hole #3. I read some complaints about Hole #13 as well, but frankly the road there is in the park and the cars traveling on it are few and far between. You rarely have to worry about clubbing a car coming at you at 45 mph.

I also had some difficulty finding my way from tee to tee and finding the holes. I didn't find the tee signs helpful at all. The walk form 8 to 9 was especially confusing because you walk past the tee for 11 and the hole for 10 on the way to #9 tee.

Finally, while all holes are marked as having 2 baskets, I was only able to find them on a handful of holes. So either the second basket isn't there for some reason, or it's darn near impossible to find (probably led to my difficulty in reading the tee signs since the sign showed 2 holes, but I could only find one).

I grew up in Lancaster, PA 25 years ago. I wish the sport had been around then because I would have been there every other day. The course is literally just miles from the house where I grew up. The park is well maintained and safe. The course is just outside of and south of the city so if you're driving south thru the city, don't be frightened because the course will not be that scary.

I did have some trouble finding the first tee/hole. If you are coming into the park off of Rt 72, then drive your way thru the park until yo get to an intersection where you must turn either left or right. Turn left and immediately park on the left. Right smack in front of you will be the first tee! Happy discing!

Located in a nice park. Nice mix of wooded and open holes. Concrete tee pads.

All hole signs show two baskets on each hole but most only had 1 when I was there.
Some holes are really close to the road especially number 13.

Was a nice course and in good shape when I was there. Most of the holes are not real long which makes it good for newer players. Not close to home but would play there again if I am in the area.

-Pretty, well kept park makes for a nice walk during your round

-Good mix of shot shapes and elevation. I felt that most shots a person would throw (with the exception of the 450' bomb) were represented on this course. The use of elevation was excellent and made the round much more interesting.

-Tees were in great shape and the signage was thorough and informative.

-The wooded holes that were sprinkled had well defined fairways and were a nice change of pace.

-Hole 18 was a nice way to finish a round. Big sweeping hyzer from an elevated tee that you can empty your bag on.

-Hole 13 presented a bit of a safety concern for me as the easiest route for a rhbh player would be to throw a spike hyzer up the hill and over the road. As the pin is at the crest of a hill and the pin below it you can't see oncoming cars from the tee.
-Lots of non discgolfer's near fairways the last time i played which isn't a big con but requires caution on some holes.

I have really enjoyed my rounds here at buchmiller, pleasant is the first word that comes to mind to describe it. The layout is well done and none of the holes feel boring or like filler holes. It isn't overly challenging and even with the long pins the course is pretty short, but I think its about as well done as a true par 54 golf course can be. If you're an intermediate player you can come and enjoy challenging par and if you're an advanced player you can certainly get it in the forties here.

-Tee Pad: Nice concrete pads
-Layout: Good use of the terrain, some nice elevation changes, good use of woods/trees as obstacles, no two holes felt the same.
-Maintenance/Facilities: Bathrooms available, water available, picnic tables, well maintained fairways. Course was very clean too.

-Safety: Holes 3, 6, and 13 run along roads with a good risk for an errant throw going into traffic, it's especially dangerous on 3 as that is a busy road. Not much can be done about this so keep an eye out for cars and send a spotter on 13 before throwing.
-Baskets/Tee Signs: Not a major con as the baskets are generally in good condition but some could use numbers painted on them and the tee signs could use a little updating. The long pins could be better identified. Kind of nit picky but it would help first timers and out-of-towners.

Buchmiller was a blast to play! It's a beginner friendly course so it might not offer a great challenge to experienced golfers but it does offer a good time to all golfers. If you do want more of a challenge there are long pins on several holes. We had a nice morning round and saw a few locals out, one was very helpful in pointing us in the right direction to the next tee on the two occasions we needed it. The course did seem to have a slight RHBH bias but not to the point were lefties would get frustrated.

Overall, this is a nice park with a very fun disc golf course. I recommend playing it and we'll definitely look to hit this course up whenever we're in the area!

Nice mix of elevation with a variety of open fields, with wooded "roughs".

If you're accurate off the tee, you'll have a nice walk though the park!

This course is very good for beginners! It's not short enough to be boring, and it's not long enough to intimidate any beginner or child.

Many holes are great "ace run" practice for the advanced and pros.

If you're playing solo - you can zip through the round in an hour.

All teepads are concrete - and teesigns are are accurate with distance, and shrubbery.

Always very well groomed. In all the times ive played, i never remember any "hayfields", so get some practice with your rollers!

Water fountain on the back nine!

Navigation is a snap, and parking has never been an issue in the years i've played there.

As with every "multi-activity" park in the summer time, the non disc golfers will wander onto the front 9 fairways. Be patient, they are enjoying the park just as we are. give em a courtesy shout.

Two holes come a close to the main road (heavy traffic...seemingly endless) It's not an issue unless you're prone to shanking. It's really just the constant sound of cars that gets to me.

The walk from 9 to 10 and 15 -16 is a bit long when compared to the rest of the course - but it isn't obscene. Trust me - i've walked some obscene distances from one hole to another - but if you're a "first-timer" just follow your nose.

There's no benches. But it's also not long course. A minor ding - I know.

If youve never been to the course, just keep your eyes peeled for the turn into the park! it can come up fast with no warning. that that isnt the course's fault.

Truly a lancaster gem. I've started many beginners on this exact course that have moved onto competative play.

This course uses elevation change and out of bounds areas to its advantage. The tee pads and signs are very nice. The fairways themselves are extremely well manicured. The park sits in a hidden area off a main road just outside Lancaster. Very beautiful park with many amenities. More of a technical shot course with maybe one or two big arm tee offs. Course will require one to throw many different shots that will require some point of accuracy. It has alternate pin locations for longer/shorter games. Course is extremely beginner friendly and intermediate to advanced players will have a blast hitting birdies and possible ace runs.

Single Chain Baskets with very shallow catcher will cause putts to fall out or not stick. The tee signs are slightly faded but still alright. Some holes play very close to others but not to bad for the most part. Other than that, i really cant think of other cons.

This course is PERFECT to bring the entire family out for the day. Plenty of area for picnicking, water, bathrooms, pavilions and of course Disc Golf! Like i said earlier, very nice course for individuals just getting into the sport. Not very intimidating for a first timer and will more likely enjoy the experience and get them hooked I thoroughly enjoyed playing this course and will be returning with friends to play it again. Great job to the Lancaster guys that made it happen! Keep up the good work!!

18 hole course located in a nice, family-oriented park on the outskirts of Lancaster. A couple of peeks into the woods, but mostly open, well-manicured course with defined fairways and mature trees to challenge you throughout. Rolling hills and elevation a big plus and add nicely to the experience. Colored signs at each hole indicate number, distance and desired flight path. Navigation very easy and course has good, natural flow. Cement tee pads are oversized and more than sufficient. About half the holes have both a long and short basket placement.

Many of the baskets have shallow catches and/or single chains which hurt me on several occasions, spitting out perfectly good putts. Most of the basket numbers are missing or worn off. Course will not appeal to those who prefer great distance, as most holes are in the 250-350 range. Some holes play close to each other so be careful.

Buchmiller presents a very enjoyable play- manageable for all skill levels, and you'd be hard pressed to find anyone who dislikes the course. Though good for tournaments, it is an ideal place to introduce someone to the sport, play a casual round or work on rollers, flicks, etc. The local club has worked hard to improve and enhance the Lancaster-area courses. Do yourself a favor and play here before taking on the challenge of playing the considerably more difficult Roland Park across town.

A variety of shots and paths for each hole. Good course for learning the basics of a shot. Cement tees are very nice and yellow signs are relatively clear where the pin is. Park is maintained year round by the county.

Alternate pins are changed erratically. Definitively some tweener holes especially hole 7 alternative pin. Relatively short course, can bird almost all holes with a mid and a putter. Is a county park so anyone and their grandmother come out on nice days to walk and picnic in the fairways. Single chain baskets with rust. Getting out of parking lot onto the highway is tricky.

Hole 18 is a very good hole to end on and often me and my friends empty out our bags multiple times on the tee to try and birdie it.

Buchmiller Park is a very nice park easily accessible just south of Lancaster, PA. I really enjoy playing here...it's simply a nice park with small rolling hills and mature trees, and you're walking on decent grass almost the entire round.

Although outdated by newer champion level courses, I've come to appreciate the layout more and more as I've improved to an advanced am golfer. Most holes play between 225' and 275' with an elevation change and some trees, one or two of which makes a specific challenge. I disagree with the reviews stating that too many holes are too hard to birdie, yet unlikely to bogey. If you can throw your mid-range discs around 250' and your drivers a little farther, you'll be attacking the "regular"-position pin from the tee on 15 holes (all except 3, 7, and maybe 18). This course actually should fit blue-level players very well, although I can see design issues for other skill levels.

The course has three really enjoyable open downhill holes. #5 is a little over 300' and allows you to throw down the sloping hillside at a pin on a mound on the right. #11 is similar but the pin is nestled in a grove of evergreen trees, with which you must contend at the end of the disc's flight. #18 is longer than 400' and allows you to launch a driver down the hill and let it bend left with the fairway to approach the basket as you make your way back up toward the parking lot. Each of the other holes is unique and usually finds an interesting and fair way to force you to "make a shot" around one or two trees.

The park seems to be kept up very well, and some people have helped mulch and install helpful stone steps in a couple places relatively recently.

There are a couple spots on the course that present some danger to other users of the park. On #13, a park road runs to the right, and drivers could come quickly and blindly over the hill. On #18, it's really fun to launch a drive, but it's possible someone unseen could be hidden from view where the drive lands. There's a pavilion nearby, and groups often spill over into the (hidden) landing area of a 350'-400' downhill drive on hole 18.

It's still a 1990's Par 3 course, and space limitations will probably keep it that way. However it does appear someone's working to make some of the holes more challenging.

Baskets have only a single layer of chains.

There seems to be some experimentation with new and different pin positions on #9 and #11, so double-check because the tee signs could be old. The new (2nd) alternate basket is 50-100' past the old one on #9, and the new alternate basket on #11 is to the right of the regular basket out in the open (the sign does not reflect this). Otherwise, check the pin position document on the bulletin board, and the tee signs should be a good guide.

With the grass and trees and hills, this course really brings out the joy of sending a disc flying through the air! I'd be happy to Buchmiller as my home course, even if it's not quite championship caliber. Installing three pin positions Pittsburgh-style around a green could instantly refresh the course and allow for some design tweaking.

If you're playing without anyone else in the park (for safety/park etiquette), this course lends itself to an awesome gold/blue-level safari course. Here's how I play it:
1) 1 Tee to 2 Basket, Par 4, 565 ft
2) 3 Tee to 7 Basket, Par 3, 310 ft
3) 4 Tee to 5 Basket, Par 4, 560 ft
4) 6 Tee to 3 Basket, Par 5, 580 ft
5) 8 Tee to 10 Basket, Par 4, 555 ft
6) 11 Tee to 12 Basket, Par 4, 540 ft
7) 13 Tee to 14 Basket, Par 4, 420 ft
8) 15 Tee to 18 Basket, Par 3/4, 250/400 ft
9) 16 Tee to 17 Basket, Par 4, 420 ft
10) 18 Tee to 14 Basket, Par 4, 495 ft

This course is always incredibly well maintained. There is great use of elevation on this course and a good mix of wooded open holes. I would say that this course caters to a RHBH or LHFH dominate player because most of the fairways are pretty straight or require a left fade. I do not see this as a negative because it requires me to work on that aspect of my game and allows me to see the progress I am making.
For me the 18th hole is my favorite and it is also a great measuring stick for the progress of my BH. When I first started playing this course I was lucky if I could get my drive to land downhill in the middle of the fairway and needed at least two approach shots to get it within putting range. Now I am able to lift my drive high enough to clear the right most trees on the left of the fairway and then have it fade nicely down to the fairway in line for an easy approach and par putt. Maybe in time I will be trying for a birdie on that hole?

It has been mentioned that the baskets are single chain but I do not really think that hurts the course that much. I agree that many of the holes do feel like "tweeners," difficult to birdie but hard to do worse than par. This can be a very good thing for developing players or if you are playing with a group of varied ability (it keeps the game close). I guess the only think I would say is that the course would benefit from one or two longer holes or placing permanent baskets in a few of the longer alternate positions. Other than that I think this is a great course.

This course is one of the first that I played when I started playing disc golf because it was close to my parents-in-law. I therefore play it infrequently and can easily see the developments in my game.

Everything already mentioned in the reviews is very true! I enjoy playing here a lot. The alternate basket positions, tee signs, yellow baskets that can be seen from the cement tees are all a plus. Elevation changes on almost every hole. The tee shot on 18 is GREAT. This is probably true anywhere but I will say precise drives here are well rewarded if you can putt.Very clean well maintained park with cut grass.

I hate to nick pick...single chain baskets...hole 16 might be hard to find, after 15 follow the road left and downhill and find 16 on your right.

Play here and Roland in nearby Akron and you'll have a nice disc golf day.

Beautiful park setting. I believe that a lot of this course was cut out of an old ball golf course... and it shows. To look at it, it still has the feel of a ball golf course. The grass is great and the fairways are lined with trees.

There are restroom, tennis and playground facilities on sight. Hole #13 comes back around very close to hole #1 and the parking lot. And hole #9 isn't too far of a walk if you have to cut it short after the front 9.

The concrete tees are nice. The baskets are in good condition. The on course signage definitely helps you find your way around effectively.

Although not particularly long, the course is very entertaining. The fairways are mainly open and clearly defined, but have "shape" to them. Your tee shots require controlled hyzers, anhyzers or S shaped shots, working around bends and elevation changes on the fairways. #17 & #18 are prime examples of this. Check out the pics of these holes, although they can't fully do the holes justice. The pins are mostly protected by trees. Plus there are about 4 holes that play a little deeper into the woods, although I wouldn't call them "heavily" wooded. Another 3-4 holes play up hill a lot, adding length beyond what the footage says.

This course is well suited for all varieties of players, from the greenest of green to the old pro. Ther are only a few holes where the beginner might feel overwhelmed and only a couple that an old pro might sleepwalk through.

More distance would be nice. Some water or more heavily wooded holes would add a little more variety too. But it's hard to complain with what they've done with the available land.

And as mentioned in a previous review, getting out of the parking lot and back out onto the highway, especially when trying to make a left turn, can be a bit of a chore... if not a nightmare. The traffic is relentless. It might make sense to make a right hand turn out of the parking lot and then turn around somewhere down the road.

If you haven't been to Lancaster, PA there's a lot to like in the general area. Harrisburg is the state capital and is just a little trip up the road. Hershey Park is only about half an hour away or so. Dutch Wonderland is even closer. There's an A+ train museum. And the old town itself is really nice. Plus check out this site's course directory to find other courses that aren't too far away. I played Akron which is also most excellent and Riverside in Harrisburg which makes great use of a really interesting piece of real estate. And if your into mini disc golf, apparently Lancaster is the mecca of that version of the game. There are several mini courses in the area.

Cubby has some videos of the course on Youtube if you're into that kind of thing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?...&index=10

If you're in the Harrisburg area and have the time, I'd definitely check out Buchmiller. And if you're actually in Lancaster and don't stop by, that's just not right.

This is a great course to learn how to play on. its well kept and features cement tee off pads at every hole. it is also very easy to navigate. The signs placed at each hole are very detailed and well done. There are alternates for all the holes but a select few never get used. There are also some nice elevation changes mixed in with a few nice dog legs.

The only real negatives i see to this course is that it is rather short, with only 2 holes that measure more then 400 ft it feels almost like a pitch and putt course.

this is my home course i play here probably 3 to 4 times a week.

18 holes with concrete tees. A good deal of mixture with some elevation and some tighter wooden holes (10 comes to mind). All holes par 3, but all holes are makeable three's. Will yield quite a few birdies, depending on the hole position. Course is well maintained. Water fountains provided, but probably shut off during winter.

Hole 3 throws kind of close to the highway (Rt.222), any throw that goes wide left risks carrying into the highway. I also found it diffucult to make a left hand turn out of the park.

The course is a short drive out of Lancaster, a few minutes from Rt.30. It is also about 25 minutes away from Roland Park in nearby Akron. Any disc golf trip to this area of Pennsylvania should include BOTH of these courses.