At this point, with 83 other reviews of this course, it's impossible to say anything that hasn't been said, but let's start with the natural features of this park. This is an incredibly beautiful park. From the moment you drive in, you are greeted with large ponds, teeming with plantlife and people activity and that's before you even get to the parking lot. You work your way through some gorgeous PA forest and then out into the open spaces of 7-9, which is a nice vista view of the land. On the backhalf, most of the course plays around yet another large lake, which you do eventually throw over.

This course earns it's rating because there really is a little bit of something for everyone. There are few courses I have ever encountered with this much variety of shot. You get tight wooded holes that require you to throw precision lines. You get a mix of hyzer and anhyzer shots. There are several wide open fairways that let you wind up and crush a disc. Yes, there's a water carry. If you can think of a hole style, it's pretty much here. There is elevation but actually fairly mild for most courses in this area. Yes, if you're coming from Kansas I can imagine this is a lot of hill, but compared to NoBo or Big Beaver, it's not close. Mostly what I appreciate is that this course makes you think in terms of placement. There are few holes that you can just gun it to the circle. You have to consider where you want your drive to land so you are setting up your next shot and then getting your upshot into the circle. This will make you a better golfer.

There are three sets of concrete tees on every hole, which is awesome. This course has some of the best baskets in town, also. I love these colorful Mach X baskets that really stand out visually. The tee signs are well made and there is plenty of navigational signage as well. Even on my first walk through this course, I never struggled to find the next tee. The parking lot is expansive and has plenty of space. There are year round restrooms here and even a water fountain on the 18th hole that has running water during the summer season. Plenty of benches and garbage cans, etc.

There are very few negatives to this course. If I was going to gripe about a hole it's 14. We have one of these on every Pittsburgh course. Yes, there's a lane to the basket. That can't be argued, but for most sub-900 players (which is 75% of us) that hole is daunting and has too many trees.

This course gets very busy on weekends. Understandably that's a good problem to have, but if you are traveling into town and looking to explore courses, just know that this is probably one of the Top 3 most played courses in town, so you will wait on cards ahead of you on a summer Saturday.

Probably the biggest gripe I have on this course is that god awful "bridge" on the 15th hole. This is a bridge in the loosest term because what they did was drop a series of concrete pylons separated by a foot or so. At any time of the year, it requires careful foot placement. On a rainy day, this is downright dangerous and people have already fallen and got hurt. They seem to have completely forgotten that a chunk of disc golfers use carts because you'll have to pick it up and carry it while stepping from pylon to pylon.

I can't par the 3rd Hole. That's not a complaint, just a statement of fact. One day I will par that hole and that day will be a triumph

3 different tee pads for all skill levels with 3 pin locations on each hole. Very challenging wooded course that has open holes that use the elevation perfectly. Amazing teepads and some of the best baskets in the game.

It can get muddy in the wet seasons

amazing layout, well-groomed, and good facilities. all three tees are challenging, so don't skip the short tees because of your ego!

no food nearby! a bit out of the way, but that makes it a great experience being out in the woods and secluded.

do not miss this course!

Great tee signs. Great tees. Multiple basket positions. Beautiful forest with a well designed and maintained course.

I played The Hunt at Deer Lakes so that gave me 3 rounds here (one for practice and two in the tournament). What a beautiful and spacious course with everything you'd want to challenge you. It was better than I expected, even for a 4.62 rating.

There are three tees (blue is long, white is middle, and red is short). The course designers did an excellent job keeping scores even by putting the red tee in a place where an old guy like me can compete against the younger big arms from the blue tees. Of course the PDGA round ratings tell the real story, since my rounds were under 800 and the same score over par in the tournament from the blue tees are rated over 900.

Hole 15 is one of many signature holes, but my favorite. The blue tees are throwing from the elevated position down through a corridor of trees and then over a pond. The basket is just on the edge of the water on the other side so it is common to get over the water but still end up in it since the ground there slopes back to the water. The white tees are halfway down. The red tee is level with the basket for a short touch shot less than 200 feet over the water. If blue or white throwers end up in the water their drop zone is the red tee. I played the red tees since I'm over 60. My often repeated comment was heard again here on 15, "I'm loving these red tees." I birdied 15 in both rounds of the tournament.

Hole 2 is not bad for red since it's a short uphill that works well for my RHFH. From blue tees this is a tough shot. But even from red plenty can go wrong since there's trees on both sides and slopes everywhere.

Hole 3 is a long par 5 even from the red tees. I had seen Paul MacBeth's eagle in the 2015 world's YouTube video, but in person it's intimidating. I didn't feel too bad with a double bogey here since even the pros can't keep it in this narrow fairway and are scrambling from the woods on either side or the ditch/river on the right.

Hole 4 is the easiest on the course for red. There's no obstacles, just a straight shot at about 225 feet. If you go long or to the right, however, you're in a thick rough. So there is some risk for the reward.

Hole 5 will punish you if you can't get down the hill and through the trees. You're throwing into a dell, which is full of trees. It's pretty much poke and hope.

Hole 6 is designed for my RHFH with the basket up the hill to the right with many trees to contend with along the way, but be careful since there's OB on the right as you turn the dogleg.

Hole 7 is another one that took away my RHFH line, unless you can thread the needle between a few trees. This again forced me out of my comfort zone, which is a sign of a good course.

Hole 8 is a short par 3 on an elevated basket, but it's behind a tree from the red tee. Although I hit the tree I wouldn't trade it for the obstacles the white and blue tee throwers had to deal with.

Hole 9 challenged my RHFH since the cluster of trees in front of the red tee took that line away before opening up to a grassy field. This par 5 then takes you into the woods and down the hill to the left. It's real easy here to end up down this hill (I did) and then you're scrambling back up.

I could keep going hole by hole through the back 9, but I hope it's clear that Deer Lakes is the "Best of the Best." Hole 16 was my nemesis. It's a brutal uphill that doglegs to the left to the top of the hill. For some reason my discs consistently found the woods on both sides and I was constantly scrambling. They interviewed Paul after his amazing round here and he said the secret is to hit the fairways and make your putts. It is one thing to know that and another to execute it.

It's muddy in many places. I buried my shoes in mud more than once. It had rained a lot beforehand, but from what a local told me, it is always muddy at Deer Lakes. Bring boots or be careful in anything else, but be warned. I am not discounting for mud since I don't think it detracts from the top level experience.

Weather is unpredictable and can be very extreme. Wind, rain, and thunderstorms just happen in this part of the country and I can't discount the score for that. It's an education to learn how to throw the right discs in extreme weather conditions. On the last hole of the tournament I was up by one stroke (there were only two of us in the over 60 category). Heavy wind and rain beat on us and I didn't know how to deal with it so my Katana went OB twice and I ended with a triple bogey and lost by one stroke in my first official PDGA event. I think this adds a skill dimension to the course and doesn't lessen the course's grandeur.

I kept asking myself, "What can I say is wrong with Deer Lakes?" I could not come up with a valid CON and I could not confirm or agree with the others I read about. Maybe one negative thing for some is that it's a little remote so that you have to leave civilization to get to it. I didn't mind that.

The Pittsburgh Flyers Disc Golf Club may be one of the tops in the world. They do a great job maintaining the fairways. I even thought the roughs were in pretty good shape. Moraine and Deer Lakes are both under their care and are top 20 courses. I think they should both be in the top 10, with Deer Lakes being a little higher than Moraine on my list. I've given a "best of the best" score of 5.0 to Selah Lakeside, Milo McGiver, and Idylwild. Deer Lakes is right there with those other top courses. Harmon Hills, however, in Falls Branch, TN is currently ranked #7 with a 4.76 on DGCR and Deer Lakes, currently 4.62, is a WAY BETTER experience. I heard from some locals at Harmon Hills that the owner/creator passed away and the new owner wants to limit changes and maintenance to keep it like it was in it's classic historical state. I played Seneca Creek in Maryland last weekend and it had the same nostalgic feel, and lack of maintenance, that Harmon Hills had. Anyway, those are two separate reviews I should write, but I don't like to write critical reviews as much as encouraging ones, like this one for Deer Lakes and another for Moraine if I get around to it. The Pittsburgh Flying Disc people work hard to keep these courses in top shape and it really shows. Good job guys and girls!

+ Deer Lakes is a stunning park in Tarentum, PA just north of Pittsburgh and southeast of Youngstown. The 1,180 acres contain just about everything you can pack into a park.

+ Top notch amenities are present from the time you pull in to the time you walk away. Large parking lot with restrooms and two practice baskets. On the course itself, there are 3 sets of concrete tees per hole, each with a beautifully designed tee sign. Baskets are high visibility Mach X's, the best on the market. Benches are on several holes if you need a break from the round.

+ Fun factor is through the roof! There's many signature holes at Deer Lakes, with #15 being the most memorable. There's holes in dense woods, open fields, and anything in between. Good mix in distances and hole shaping, with water coming into play on a few holes.

+ Red and white tees are perfect for intermediate players, while the blues provide a pro tour caliber round. Tees rarely sit right on top of each other, and each provides a unique approach to the hole.

+ Makes two nine hole loops back to the parking lot in case you need to swing by your car, or you only have time for 9 holes.

+ The locals and visitors I met were really incredible people. I might have spent more time talking to locals than I did playing lol. Friendly, helpful, and fun to talk to.

+ The entire course was maintained to perfection. I swear to you I didn't see a single piece of trash on the course.

- For a top course in the world, I was expecting more navigational signs. I got spun around a few times, but luckily a nice elderly couple and their German Shepard showed me where #17 was.

- Flow can be kind of awkward at times, with a few long walks between holes.

Deer Lakes really is a best-of-the-best course. I'd say it's deserving of a 4.75, but I'll round up because I'm feeling generous. It has almost everything you need for a world class course! Still not on the same level as Moraine in my opinion, but it's easily the 2nd best course I've played to date!

- Easy to get to. The drive to the course is nice and scenic and super simple to find. Once in the park there are signs pointing you to the disc golf course.
- This is set in a beautiful giant park. The disc golf course is massive and the park is even bigger. You are playing up and down valleys throughout the whole course. Its a lot of fun up and down the valleys.
- Pretty simple flow to the course. There was never really a time where we got lost but some holes have a few paths to take to get to the next hole. But it flows pretty seamlessly.
- Large concrete teepads. These teepads have some nice raked concrete that grip extremely nice. I could see these tearing up a lot of shoes but thats more then worth it to me to have safe footing.
- There are also 3 concrete teepads on every hole which is awesome.
- Clear, easy to read tee signs. These are some of the best teesigns I have seen out there. They point out everything you need to know about the hole.
- Orange Mach-X baskets are a great sight to see. Finding the baskets might only take a while because they are out of view because of long hole lengths but once its in view its real easy to point out.
- Basket placements were on point. It seemed like a lot of the holes were in the "C" location but they were all in a great position.
- It also looked like every hole had 3 pin positions.
- Every single fairway was fair. There are a ton of trees out there but every hole had at least one fair lane to take and usually a few out of the ordinary routes. Tons of fun to throw here.
- The course looped back to the parking lot after 9 holes. I love when a course is designed in this way. You can restock up on supplies or just play nine hole. This design is superior to most others.
- You are going to need a full bag of shots and tricks here to be able to shoot well. I throw a lot of destroyer shots here but I needed to have all the other shots in my game to get off of holes cleanly. It definitely favors the longer thrower but putting it in the fairway is about all you need.
- This course has everything you could ask for in a course. There are short technical shots and long wide open bombs. Theres OB and hills and water. This course has it all. Just tons of fun to play.

- The course could use some next tee signs but they are not needed. You can figure it out easy enough but they would be a nice added touch.
- It also seemed like a lot of the pin placements were very close to each other. I cant speak too much to this because I only played the course once but it seems like there might be a lot of positions that are pretty much the same shot.

I would have rated this a 4.75 if that was an option but this course is closer to a 5 then it is to a 4.5. The only reason I wouldnt rate this a 5 is simply because you could have a clubhouse, or more bathrooms or next teesigns but they are all things that are not needed to make this course great. It stands on its own as being one of the best courses I have ever played and I am just nitpicking things that could be improved but if nothing is done then it doesnt take anything away from the course.

I 100% want to come back to this course. I onyl got to play the Blue pads but I want to go back and play the Reds and Whites. Overall this course is easily in my top 10 and should be a course on a lot of peoples hit list.

Been wanting to play this course for a couple months now since I really just got back into the game. When I first started playing, my home course was Cal U's course in California, PA. It is a brutal course but great for someone learning to really throw accurately. Since moving back to the Irwin, PA area, my new home course is Schenley.

Deer Lakes managed to mix everything I loved about both Cal U's course and Schenley's course and wrap it up all into one, WITH A BOW ON TOP!

This course is great. The signs are very well done. Some courses have low detail signs, if any signs at all. Honestly, that is the first thing I look for in a course. I hate having to play something blind.

There is a great deal of parking. AND in the parking lot attached to the big disc golf sign, there is a scorecard with a layout of the course. LOVE seeing that.

I had watched a few videos of the pros playing this course from last years Master's and the videos just don't do the course justice. You really need to play it to get a feel for it.

I will be honest, I played the white tee's and some of the holes gave me some trouble, but that is in no way a bad thing. Getting into trouble on the course can only help to make you a better disc golfer.

This course has a great mix of open field shots with some very well wooded shots. Plenty of holes where you can really let it rip and not get into too much trouble.

The par 5 holes are true par 5's. I never like seeing a hole labeled "Par 5" that can be easily made in 3 shots. Don't think they exist? Go check out Monroeville's Hole 8 and play in from the "Pro" tee. Made it within the 5 feet of the basket on my first throw and I definitely do not throw my discs as far as most.

I really enjoyed the water hold. It definitely played with my head. I ended up slicing it so hard that it basically landed on the path to walk around the lake.

Another great feature are the practice baskets. It has not only one, but two. First time I have seen two baskets for practice. Really goes to show that it is a course really made for people who love the sport.

I can't wait to play there again! That being said, no matter where you are coming from, it is pretty easy to get to. Just a few roads once you get off of the turnpike.

I went on a day where it rained early in the morning. It was definitely wet and a little muddy. Never realized how necessary a towel can be until my disc slipped out of my hand on a throw. My only thought, if you think it will be muddy, it probably will be so where shoes you might not care about or some boots. Especially if you think some of your shots could go off course. The fairways are generally fine, but once you get into the rough areas it can be a mess.

-Three, long, wide, smooth concrete tees on every hole

-Mach X's, three pin positions per hole

-Not just benches, but picnic tables on most holes

-Amazing use of Pittsburgh area topography; so much elevation change everywhere

-Clean and well maintained, all grass is cut nice and short, trash was nowhere to be seen when I played

-Beautiful scenery - gorgeous, towering, shady trees, steep and wide valleys, rolling green hills, treacherous slopes, and lakes and ponds grace this course

-Highly detailed, very helpful and informative teesigns on every hole; you won't need to walk any fairways here before throwing

-PERFECT balance of wooded, open, up, down, left, right, long, short, par 3, par 4, par 5, and water shots (DISCLAIMER - in my opinion only one, very well executed, treacherous water hole is needed on a course for me - and Deer Lakes does it perfectly)

-Signature holes - almost every hole here seems to be a signature hole, so I'll only list my favorites

- hole 2 - ace run across and incredibly steep ravine, with putting danger on the backside and left of the pin

- hole 5 - ace run downhill at a steep angle through thick woods

- hole 7 - top of the world - not the tallest drop off ever, but still an awesome drop in elevation off the tee, where you can just rip a fairway toward the pin inside the edge of the woods

- hole 9 - long par 5 where you can rip a long gentle hyzer off the tee, and then take another powerful fairway/mid shot towards the edge of the woods, and approach the pin which sits within 10 feet of a looooonnnnnnng dropoff slope

- hole 15 - another steep downhill, dead straight with trees left, right, and above, to a pin on the other side of a large pond

-There was one hole where I had trouble finding where the next tee was, I believe it was going from 12-13. And I don't recall seeing many, if any next tee signs - I could be wrong though. Regardless, Navigation isn't difficult to get down as whole though.

- A walking path CAN come into play with an errant shot

This is my first 5 disc rated course ever, and I don't think I wasted my first perfect rating. When I think of the perfect mix of different holes, Deer Lakes just nails em' all. You will throw every shot in your bag, and every type of hole that exists in disc golf - wooded tunnels, wide open bombers, water hazards, top of the world, flicks, hyzerbombs, rollers (if that's your thing) dead straight lazers, tomahawks (if you find yourself in trouble), and putter drives. Pin placement is immaculate, making you think about every putt - rollaways and sailing down hills behind the baskets can happen on nearly any hole here. You have the top of the line equipment in the Mach X's (which are orange and super visible), and the giant concrete tees. Every skill level can play here, as the blue tees are just night and day compared to the reds, with a perfect balance in the whites, and if that doesn't provide enough variety, there are 3 pin placements per hole to make sure you never get bored. I'm sure I never would if this was my home course. Well, it is sure ironic that it could've been, as my favorite course to date is in my old hometown of Pittsburgh. But nostalgia is NOT the reason for the 5/5 - this course IS the best of the best.

- Immaculate, well maintained
- Nice concrete pads and good baskets
- Tremendous variety of holes (water, woods, open)
- Shorter and longer holes nicely distributed
- Excellent use of elevation, best I've seen on a course
- Several challenging basket placements
- Lots of memorable, highlight holes (3, 9,11,13,14,15,16)
- Need to use all your shots to score well
- Hole 9 basket is close to the parking lot

- The old shuttered up, bombed out bathrooms on several holes are an eyesore, they ought to just knock them down and remove them

- Loved this course, did a disc golf week-end from Buffalo, NY; played Moraine (4 times), Deer Lakes (2 times) and Knob Hill (once)...Knob Hill I found to be an above average course but nothing special...Deer Lakes and Moraine are both best of the best type of courses, I just liked the highlight holes and basket placements slightly better at Deer Lakes than Moraine...so it is getting my first 5 star rating...though I'd give Moraine and Brewster Ridge (in Vermont) a close 4.75 stars as the next best courses that I've played...
- I just love hole #3; this is just about my idea of a perfect hole...
- I was shocked (pleasantly) by how few people were on this amazing course on a nice Saturday morning in August...

-
-Outstanding layout, course utilizes land well
-Beautiful and scenic area for disc golf
-Outstanding signs
-Outstanding tee pads
-Outstanding baskets
-Superb variety
-Wide open, elevated, wooded, and water holes
-secluded park, dog friendly (with poop bags!)
-No snakes were observed

-
-Only 18 holes :-(
-6 hours away from my home :-((((
-navigation to the course was less than stellar but manageable

-
-I have played a lot of courses and after playing this course I came away so impressed it is my new number one overtaking flip city.
-Signature and epic holes galore! Each and every hole is memorable and exciting. Usually the best courses have 3-4 signature holes, this course is honestly in the double digits of sig holes. Totally awesome and unexpected.
-The course is fun, challenging, and fair.
-Huge fun factor, you will never be bored on any set of three tee pads. The designers did an excellent job with the layout.
-Very challenging course. This course offers so many types of shots on each hole. I found it very challenging yet very fair. There is a line on every hole and each hole can be a birdied or bogeyed depending on the shot.
-The amount of variety on this course is superb. It has all sorts of different types of holes. Long elevated, tight wood holes, and an excellent water hole.
-Well done to the designers of this course! It was a privilege playing this course. The atmosphere is excellent, abundant wildlife, a bird watchers paradise! It was a loud cacophony and chorus of birds singing to me the entire round and I loved it!
-I never had so much fun playing a disc golf course and I have been playing for awhile now. Do yourself a big favor and play this gem in Pennsylvania you will not be sorry!

Few courses anywhere have any holes that could approach any one of ten or more holes at this magnificent example of disc golf ecstasy. The grassy-yet-rocky terrain bordering a major stream such as the Allegheny River makes for a near-perfect, moderate-to heavily wooded disc golf experience. This includes top-notch forest holes (Holes 1, 6, 14 and 16), protected grassy fairways (Holes 2, 8, 10 and 12), hilltop tees that let you air it out (Holes 7 and 17), and plenty of elevation change for those hungering for it. On top of that, you also have ridge top views that are somehow wind protected (Holes 4 and 5), the best-executed water hole I have ever seen (Hole 15), and a long tunnel hole that rivals the best you will find (Hole 3). Hole 9, a super-long compound hole with a long meadow leading to a tee on a ridge in distant woods was also notable.

Other perks include excellent signs at all three cement tees, bright orange baskets easily seen from several hundred feet away, picnic benches, clearly marked out-of-bounds areas that are rarely a problem, and no mandatories. The course design is terrific with great pin and tee placement; I couldn't find a single course design change I would make given the opportunity. This course was conceived of by true disc golf lovers who know how to make a course with just right levels of difficulty without sacrificing any fun factor. Appears to have full access for free, yet another reason to recommend this course.

Bring what you need with you, including discs, snacks and drinks. The drive up to the park is winding and slow, and is a long way from the nearest gas station, let alone a disc shop. A couple of hole interchanges were slightly tricky to follow, but nothing horrible in terms of navigation.

Congratulations to the Pittsburgh area for having the best course I have ever played in 14 years of golf (numbering 90 courses in eight states and one province), dethroning perennial champs such as Flip City, Leviathan, Coyote Point and Lincoln Ridge. This is my new personal gold standard for disc golf. This course was good enough to visit twice in one year from six hours away, and a second round continued to impress, reinforcing the notion that this is the best course I have played. Holes 2, 3, 7, 9, 12, 14, 15 and 17 are all good enough to be signature holes.

In addition to disc golf pleasure, this is a bird watchers' paradise. We saw a rufous-sided towhee right next to the basket for Hole 4, common flickers, blue jays, a red-bellied woodpecker, and a pair of pileated woodpeckers on Holes 3 and 5. At the basket for Hole 7, a huge hawk swooped down and perched on a tree 50 feet from us.

Great mix of wooded and open shots, great elevation changes.

None.

Been playing this course off and on since it was installed, but I have really been playing it a lot lately. This is my home course so of course I'm biased.

-Extremely wide variety of holes. Open and long, open and short, wooded and long, wooded and short, etc. Bring your distance drivers because this course will challenge you to throw far. You'll also need accuracy in order to land on the fairways.

-I've played on heavily wooded parks like Deer Lakes where the vegetation/ trees are too dense to make it interesting, but Deer Lakes does not fall victim to this. Many holes are heavily wooded, but I never felt like I couldn't find a line to throw at. Also, Deer Lakes is good for making you bust out both your fore and backhand with the curvature of the holes.

-Very few, if any, throwaway holes. Even the short par 3s have many trees or elevation changes to make them interesting. The only generic hole I can think of is hole 4, but it's honestly a nice changeup after the long hole 3.

-Top of the line signage and tee pads. Every hole has three tee pads, each complete with its own sign including distance, preferred line, hole placement, and a guideline for the next hole. As of 8/15/15 they were all in great shape.

-Piggybacking on my third point, the holes themselves are very, very nice. They used a certain kind of weaving or knotting or something with the inner ring of chains to make them very "catch-y."

-The paths between holes are marked extremely well and are well maintained. Most holes have signage pointing to the next hole, and the park employees have put up wooden boards and such to keep your feet out of the mud. Very helpful.

-The course is kind of like a hike. There are some really steep inclines and declines. I personally found it fun to hike, jump, and run around them. It made me feel like a little kid in a great way.

-The end of hole 9 puts you right back out by the parking lot where you started. This is a huge plus for me because it lets you either get a quick 9 in if you live close or, if you see a few groups starting off at 1, you can start on the back 9 and miss the crowds while still playing 18.

-I loved this course so I'm going to struggle to find legit cons, that being said, if you have a hard time getting around due to weight or a lower-body issue, this course will really take its toll on you. Like I said in the pros section, Deer Lakes is a legit hike. You're going to be climbing steep hills and jumping over fallen trees and such. Be prepared for that mentally and physically.

-If you're a beginner, this course might be a little intimidating. It's long, wooded, and has some impressive elevation changes. As an intermediate player, I felt perfectly challenged, but I could imagine beginner players being frustrated by this course.

-If this course isn't a 5 star course, I don't know what is. It's free, located pretty close to downtown Pittsburgh (we got here in about 35 minutes from the Avalon/ Bellevue area), and offers some of best holes I've played. If you live anywhere near Pittsburgh or are visiting, do yourself a favor and play this course. You will not regret it.

This course is in my top three along with tyler state park and iron hill. In my opinion it ranks slightly above tyler but is slightly less awesome than iron hill. All in all it is a great course and i hope to be back soon.

Beauty and seclusion- this course is in a secluded area of the park where disc golf is the predominant activity. As far as i know the only other activity that this area is used for is hiking via the numerous trails. Every hole feels unique and apart from everything. Every hole is majestic and outstanding in its own way. This course IS beautiful! 3 as well as 7 and 15 provide beatiful looks through forest as well as some spectacular mountain views. 3 is a fantastic tunnell shot downhill with trees on both sides. 7 provides a downhill bomb with mountains in the background. 15 is a downhill tunnel shot over a lake to a pin 25 feet from the edge.

Elevation- if i remember correctly, ever hole had some elevation change. The elevation was well balanced throughout the course. There were downhill bombers as well as huge uphill shots. If i had to estimate, id say the largest downhill was -60 ft and the larget uphil was +75 feet. I found the elevation on the tight wooded holes to be extremely challenging and provided a challenge like no other.

Shot variety- each hole demanded its own shot and line but had multiple lines to follow in order to execute the given shot. There were some holes wher i ued 7-8 drivers just to test out all the different lines. I used all of my 11 drivers, all three of my mids and 2/3 of my putters.

Distance variety- there was some massive hole lengths as well as short rewarding birdie opportunity. Hole lengths ranged from 275-850. If you played the longer holes well and executed your shots you could have a look for birdie on almost all of the holes.

Amenities- large concrete tees on every hole provide good grip and help you get the extra power you need on some of the holes. Each hole had three teepads all of them being concrete and had intricate tee signs that displayed the lines to the basket, the direction pf the next tee as well as distance and par for the hole. Two loops of nine holes that each lead back to the parking lot. Sometimes i could see only wanting to play nine holes of this massive course. There are bathrooms as well as porta potties close to the parking lot.

This course will challenge our mental and physical game. Elevation tests your mental game and i could see one shot ruining a hole and if you ant stop the bleeding, i could imagine it uining a round. This is the kind of course where 5's and 6's are not uncommon. Elevation changes as well as multiple shot holes can really test you. You habe to work for your birdies and get them when you can because there arent to many out there.

Some navigation issues if you do not use the tee sign to locate the where the next tee is. Walk from 9-10 can seem a little wandering.

Overall my experience at deer lakes was awesome! I played this cours after 7.5 hours of driving on my way to philly and it was well worth the stop. I enjoyed every moment of this wonderful experience and would love to be back soon. Beware, there is no cellnphone ervice in the park.

This course has it all. You get a fair mix of tight woods shots and open bombs, an equal blend of straight, left and right, and a lot of elevation change. Every time I play here, I get to throw every mold in my bag! I make it to this course at least twice a week, and it never gets old. I also appreciate that during the summer months, you can always see improvements being made and baskets being moved to keep holes fresh.

Great signage, easy to follow paths, and excellent flat teepads that setup different lines for different skill levels. This is how a course is meant to be run.

Well there aren't really any in my eyes. Hole 15 over the water seems to eat a lot of people's discs, so I wouldn't be surprised that others dislike this one. I just bring some old junker disc to toss here and if it goes in the drink, not a big loss.

This really is one of the Crown Jewels of the Pittsburgh area. If I didn't live near by, I would still drive quite a ways to play this course frequently. I wish it had 9 more holes, as there is still plenty of land.

This course is excellent! It has many challenging shots and is very fun! The holes vary in difficulty and lengths. The course is well maintained. I like what they have done with the cement tee pads.

As with other reviews, the only thing I find a problem with this course is that there are 3 different cage placements an no indication on where the cage will be.

The course is layed out well and has a ton of variety to the shots. If you didnt play the course it would make an excellent hike as this is probably the most tiring course I have ever played. There are funny signs on the course that says Knob Hill 20 miles, Moraine 30 miles, with a direction they are in. I played all three courses and they were all fantastic. It has been a couple weeks so I can't give a very detailed review but I can assure that this is one of the bests courses and is a must play.

There are only 4 or 5 comparable courses here in Michigan! So the con is that its 6 hours away .

The only other con, and this is for all three courses, is that there are three pin placements and no way of telling which one unless you can see the basket or walk the hole.

Since this course is so tiring I would not recommend playing this course and moraine in the same day. I would do moraine and Knob in the same day or deer lakes and knob. Moraine is just as tiring and awesome, you want to be at your best for both courses.

I wish I kept score with a card but my friend I just played doubles.

The best camping ground we found after 3 hours of driving was Breakneck campground right next to moraine on cheeseman road. It was $8/ night per person with tent. My moraine review gives greater detail on where the campground is.

-The best all around course I've played. Deer Lakes really doesn't disappoint anywhere. I played it the day before the PFDO, so I saw it at it's best, and the local club really deserves mention. The upkeep was stellar on every hole, and I'm now spoiled by this course. I really wish I had played it more while on the East Coast!
-Two practice baskets
-Three perfect concrete tees at every hole, each one changing the dynamic of the hole and each having it's own sign. If the tee is on a hill, it has been leveled, using beautiful brickwork to shore it up.
-Three pin locations on each hole. Between the tees and pins, you will have a ton of replay value, and a wide range from beginner friendly to pro caliber.
-A beautifully maintained park setting, with very little non-dg traffic to get in the way of your round.
-The hole variety is superb. There are wide open bombs, and tight holes throughout the course.
-The terrain here is fantastic, with rolling hills and a very deep gorge to play around.
-The pond on 15 presents a very real hazard, with losing a disc a great possibility. Really ups the ante from the pro tee.
-Navigation is a non-issue, as the course flows intuitively from one hole to the next.
-The "giddy" factor is very high here. Every tee seemed to give me butterflies in my stomach as I looked down the fairway. When I messed up a throw, I wasn't upset about my scorecard. I was upset because I really wanted to hit that gap, or really wanted to see the disc hit that line. Every hole leaves you begging your disc to do as it's told, just so you can see it's flight.
-Moraine and Knobb Hill are nearby, making this a great disc golf trip. Deer Lakes isn't quite as challenging as Moraine, but the fun factor is on a whole different level. I guess that's what I really loved about the course. It doesn't seem to be designed to punish players. There's definately a challenge here, but a fun and amazing round of disc golf seems to be the name of the game, and Deer Lakes delivers that in bucketloads!

-I'm really digging for a con, as they've really covered their bases making sure there are none. That said, the last few holes didn't end with a bang, but more of a fizzle.
-I hate to use the cliche "I wish it was closer" con, but damn...

The Pittsburgh area has really become a gotta play, and Deer Lakes has bumped the ever powerful Moraine as the crown jewel of the area. It's worth noting again that I played it the day before a N-T, so I saw it at it's best, but the entire park looked spectacular and I have a feeling the upkeep is generally top notch. I have never played a course that really has no legitimate cons. After hosting the AmWorlds in Rochester, I thought I knew where the bar was set on great courses, but Deer Lakes just shattered my expectations.
On a side note, I got to play behind Avery, Val, and Doss for my round. If that doesn't make for a memorable day, I give up!
Kudos again the the club for getting this course in, it truly deserves every 5-star rating it gets!!

Tee positions are extremely well placed and provide a variety of perspectives for varying skill levels. Pros face tighter lanes and more difficult elevation changes, while beginners have shorter drives that nevertheless permit practice of a number of shots, from hyzer to sidearms to rollers.

Fairways are well-kept, as are the all-new cement tee pads!

Hole 15 provides a beautiful, challenging shot over a lake.

For the white/blue tees, you'd better have more than a couple shots in your arsenal. You'll need to be able to throw backhands and forehands if you want to post a solid score!

Gets messy, especially on hole #2, 3, 13, and 14. This is a long, rough course, so bring water.

There aren't always obvious fairways (and some holes don't appear to have any real lanes), so be prepared to hit a few trees. Stock up on that Star plastic...this isn't a course for DX discs!

Simply finding Hole #9 can be a bit confusing. Just walk straight across the random gravel parking lot after #8, and you'll find it.

*Still the best course I have played, and my basis for rating all other courses. 5.0!

The course plays through a beautiful hardwood forest with great mature trees. A few holes come out into more open areas to let you stretch out your arm and add some variety. The majority though play at least partly through the trees and offer everything from long tree lined drives to tight technical holes with enough rough to make you work for a quality recovery. There is some elevation on nearly every shot, and it's used well to keep the course interesting and challenging throughout.

There is a nice mix of hole lengths here from each set of tees, from a couple potential ace runs to well designed multi-shot holes that force accurate distance and shot placement to score well. You'll need all kinds of shots to score well here, it plays nicely balanced with left and right turning shots. There are multiple pin placements that change the course up and add some extra variety. The three sets of tees offer very different distances and levels of difficulty, so players of various skill levels can find appropriate challenges here. The signage is nice, with hole layout and distance at each set of tees so you never have to walk extra to look at the sign.

The park was beautifully maintained. The wooded fairways were cleared and the fields were all mowed. The tees and baskets were all in really nice shape.

I don't have any real issues with the course design, it's challenging and fun and is what makes this course special. That said, I do have a couple minor complaints. The pin placements could be a little more different, many didn't change the hole all that much. On the ones that do, it would be nice to have the current position marked. Navigation signs around 7-9 would be helpful, it can get a little tricky.

I've only played a handful of courses with this level of thought put into a fun and challenging layout, especially one that plays so well from different sets of tees. True beginners may find this course a little long, but recreational players with some level of control can certainly enjoy the short tees. More experienced players will find themselves tested from the middle and long tees, it's not quite as tough as Moraine but it felt a little more complete and still offers enough variety that even verycgood players will need to bring their A game to score well.