First and foremost, this course is immaculate. This is a huge pro in my list of many for this course. I do not recall one piece of trash being on the ground. The care that people put into this course on a regular basis shows.

Multiple pins on each of the holes with appropriate signage that shows correct distances to each of the pins are a big help, especially on the longer holes that you cannot see the baskets from the concrete tees.

Although I would describe this course as mostly wooded, there are a fair number of more open holes that do not require the same degree of accuracy for your drives. Shooting into and out of woods is also common on a few holes and well spaced out. Water carries are fair and there are multiple tees on some of the riskier holes for the less risky water shots.

The rough is not too rough (with the exception of the longest hole, 16?). Many fairways were well groomed and even though we heard the mowers while we were there, they did not interfere with our play.

Hole shapes range from short and straight, doglegs, double doglegs. Elevation came into play on almost every hole. Throwing over gulleys, uphill, downhill, over hills, no two holes were exactly the same.

Baskets are all in great shape, and there are benches on many holes.

Course flows nicely and the lettered holes are easy to get in as well.

Parking is more than adequate and it looks like there was a practice basket by Tee 1 which was a welcome sight.

I have thought for a few weeks how anything could be improved at Idlewild and I honestly could not think of anything. This place is a beauty.

I love this place. The sacrifice of an Ion on Hole A and a Valk on Hole 16 was well worth the experience of playing at this place. Going to make a road trip weekend next time and play the top 3 there.

The Park itself is extremely large and very well kept.
The course layout is 2nd to none. This is what disc golf is supposed to be like. It is as if the park was built to show off the disc golf course, not the other way around.
The course has all the essentials. It has nice big tee-pads, accurate signs, a practice area and a portable toilet. The course also has lots of benches and trash cans.
The layout does an exceptional job of exposing the flaws in a players game. The use of angles, trees, hazards and change in elevation create a test that is tough but fair.
There are some holes that allow you air it out. Hole 1 and Hole 15 will let you fling it as far as you can.
There are lots of areas that are OB on this course. They are very well marked and the drop zones are easy to find.
There are lots of small things on this course that separate it from other courses. Brick walls on the edge of greens, nice bridges, island greens, brightly painted baskets, and nice landscaping are some of the things that come to mind.
This course isn't for a beginner. I played the long tee and long baskets just like I do every time I play a new course. This course will beat you up.
There are several other reviews that list each hole and the type of shots needed to play it. The point that needs to be made here is that the course will require you to "MAKE SHOTS" on every hole.
The course is difficult to walk and that isn't a con. It is just very long and the elevation changes require a good effort to play it.
One of the most unique aspects in my review of this course was that I felt that the course didn't put a great premium on putting. We all have played courses that felt like pitch and putts and your score was going to be determined by how well you putted. That is definitely not the case with Idlewild. My score was determined by the time I arrived to the circle area on each hole.
This course will make you think on just about every shot. You need to have a plan to play each hole. Now that plan may change after your tee shot, but a 'Grip and Rip' style at Idlewild will net nothing but high numbers.

I found a problem with a tee box or two being slick.
As stated before, there are different types of baskets on this course.

My kids had been talking about Idlewild for months. I can honestly say that the course more than held up to the hype. I was honored to test my game on one of the TOP courses in the world. It is a must play for any avid disc golfer. Bring your game and a strong mind. Only once in the entire round did I have a shot that I thought was unfair, but after hole 1, there are NO free shots either.

what is there not to say this course is amazing.
best tee signs I have seen yet
huge tee pads
bright lime green baskets u can see for miles
huge course
new holes are a great addition
pro caliber and will make you a stronger player

baskets are not all the same
wish there was a brochure for this beautiful course
not really much else to say for cons

remember this is def not a beginner or amateur course it will kick your butt so if you are looking for a fun relaxing time maybe this is not for you but if you are looking for a truly amazing all out course with everything this is for you.

All basic amenities present in abundance! Multiple tees, pin placements, benches, trash cans, etc.

Cleanest public course I've ever played by a fair margin!

Attention to little details. Brick lined greens, astroturf greens, etc. Many small touches like this add up to a completely unique experiance.

This is a course that forces you to bring your A game. Don't play here if you're tired, run down, or just feel like a casual easy round. You will be challenged, and if you're on you'll love it!

Really, there are no cons. I could nitpick about non-matching baskets, but I don't care. I could complain that a few of the lines seemed like they required more luck than skill, but I don't believe that, I believe I need to get better. So really, the only con was that I had to pay out of pocket for a hotel room to play this course more than once.

I'm currently in Columbus for a few weeks on business, and after discovering this site, and that there was a top rated course within a few hours I drove down on a Saturday to play Idlewild and Mt Airy. I made the mistake of playing Mt Airy first and was a little worn out after the car trip and a round at Airy, when I got to Idlewild. Consequently I didn't shoot as well as I'd have liked, and decided to stay the night to take another crack at this course. After a good night's sleep and 2 more rounds at Idlewild I can safely say this is the course that I'd want to play in disc golf heaven. I live near 2 of the other top rated courses on this site, but I prefer Idlewild to either of them. All 3 are great courses, and maybe it's a case of the grass being greener elsewhere, but when I can play this course for free, as opposed to paying fairly big bucks(for disc golf at least) to play those other courses, Idlewild wins hands down. Seriously, this course was good enough to get me to pop for a hotel room out of my own money, just so I could play it when I was fresh, as opposed to tired. There are just so many memorable holes that I won't even try to list them all. If you're anywhere within a few hours, this is worth the trip!

+ Teepads: They are concrete, giant, and in great condition.
+ Tee Signs: Clear and identify all the important info
+ Scenery: The course is in a beautiful park and mixes woods with rolling hills. There are also some lakes and a stream running through the course.
+ Challenge: This course has it by the metric ton. You will need to give everything you have to shoot well here. It takes mental and physical sharpness and a good deal of endurance to be able to execute through an entire round.
+ Other: The course is so clean it sparkles. The locals take good care of the course and it definitely shows. 24 holes, multiple pin positions on many, permanent long basket on a few, long tees on a few, practice basket, port-a-john and water fountain at first tee.

There really aren't any and the two listed didn't affect the quality of the course for me in any way.

- Baskets: They are in great condition and really "pop" with the nice powder coat, but there are different baskets throughout the course.

- The letter holes have a bit of a different feel from the rest of the course. If I were to play here regularly, I think I would skip the letter holes more often than I play them.

I had the pleasure of playing Idlewild twice with a few area locals. Both rounds were doubles rounds and for someone with only a year under their belt, this helped me enjoy the course much more than if I had played singles. That being said, I have a great respect for what this course throws at you. Idlewild is a technically demanding course. You must think about nearly every shot you take and then have the skill to execute the shot with accuracy.

It is very clear that each hole on this course was crafted very carefully. While many of the windows are small, there are often many windows. None of the original holes felt forced into the course. They flow very well and play fair- very difficult, but fair. If you get off the fairway you will want to get back on, there is no forcing a throw from a bad lie at this course, it will only make things worse. If you hit a nice line, you immediately know and that feeling is what will get me back here.

I look forward to getting back to this course and seeing what kind of fight I can put up during a singles round. For any less experienced player who may feel intimidated from the pictures or other reviews: DON'T BE. Put a post in the forums or PM a local, you'll likely get a great guide. Locals also take great pleasure in sharing this beast of a course with others. The course won't be friendly to you, but you will be challenged and learn a lot about your own game and it's weaknesses, and that will only make you better golfer.

Wow. Let's start off. This place is in the top 5 for a reason.

Teepads/Signs - every hole has a teepad which are a lot longer then most normal for both long and short(when shorts are there) along with a nice Tee sign with both.

Shot Verity - This place has everything you could really want, in Elevation, length, open bombers, tight wooded.

Great look - Some of the holes greens have the astro turf green that is great look. Bridges over the creeks. Bricks between the creeks/greens. There has been a lot of attention to detail used on this course.

Upkeep - from how the locals compared it to other courses I think it may have the best upkeep of all the courses.

Trash Cans- there is a bucket at every hole. PLEASE USE THEM!

Locals- They have a ton of them here and they are more then willing to help show you around the course and help you.

This place has two cons, which I think if they weren't in place it wouldn't make this course as good as it is.

1. There are a few times when you have to walk a good distance to the next hole.

2. Not the best beginner friendly course.

This is a great Pro Caliber course. It's the kind of place that beats you up, possibly takes a disc or two from you, but makes you want to come back for more.

I was told that there isn't open drinking at the course, as it shares it with soccer fields and other community stuff, but it seemed like in the wooded holes, it's not a huge deal to have a beer back there by the amounts of cans.

This place has plenty of other reviews that will most likely be more helpful, but you need to know this is a worth while place to come. We had 3 groups of guys coming from over 5.5 hours away to play this course and I don't think any were disappointed.

Some quick highlights (scroll through the other reviews below if you want a detailed, hole-by-hole analysis):

- Amazing hole and shot variety: There's a perfect mix of short, medium and long holes (from 200' to over 1000') and multiple tees and baskets let you "choose your own adventure". There are open holes in a traditional park setting and wooded technical holes that reminded me of the best holes on the world-class courses in Charlotte, NC.

- Unique pin placements and hole design: I lost count of the number of island greens on the course, some of them in a traditional par 3 setting, but many of them were at the end of long holes, which require you to make two or three long and accurate shots to get into a position to approach the green. There are also several holes with a significant dog-leg which force you to make a perfect placement shot on your drive in order to have a good look at the green on your second shot.

- Elevation: The course runs up and down rolling, grassy hills and a large, wooded ravine, so you're always dealing with some sort of elevation change.

- Course condition: There are benches and trash cans by the tee on almost every hole, gravel and wood chips in all the right places, and I don't think I saw a single piece of trash or debris anywhere on the course. It's obvious that the people who maintain this course care about it and want to give people who play here the best possible experience.

- I played the course at the end of the Winter, after a few weeks of heavy rain and snow, so the course was very muddy and slippery in spots. In wet conditions, this course might be difficult to play for people who aren't in good physical condition or need to use a cart.

- Overall, the course seemed to favor left to right lines (long RHBH anhyzers or forehand drives).

- This is a difficult, championship-caliber course, so if you are looking for a pleasant walk in the park chucking Frisbees with your buds, this is probably not the course for you.

I've been hoping to play Idlewild for a long time, mostly due to its high ranking on this site and all of the great, detailed reviews already posted below. So, when I had to travel to the Cincy area for a funeral, I decided to come a day early, renting a car and a hotel room so I could try to get in a round at this legendary course. And, after a 3-hour solo round, here's what I can say -

Believe the hype. This course is a must play for any disc golfer, casual or Pro.

- Idlewild is 24-holes of amazingly difficult, epic, relentless, big boy disc golf. Playing the long tees and baskets is a severe test of will, skill, and keen disc golf acumen. It's often better to hit a landing zone with a good placement for the next shot than it is to try for that little extra distance. OB, water hazards, dense forest, and great elevation all come together in one hell of a design that really hits all the high notes and keeps it coming the whole 24.
- Outstanding use of water. While most of the water hazards allow easy retrieval of wayward discs, a few hazards are deep enough to lose discs in (e.g., #'s 2, D, and E). A shallow stream twists back and forth among multiple fairways and island greens for a good portion of the course. Many greens are protected on one or more sides by water.
- Outstanding use of elevation throughout. Rolling grassy hillsides (#'s 1, 15, and B), steep bluffs (#'s 9 and 11), and the banks/edges of the multiple water hazards.
- Outstanding use of trees. Punishingly tight in spots, while never feeling unfair or gimmicky. The lines are all there to be hit, it's a mostly a matter of execution and smart placement for the next shot. Holes that incorporate defined landing zones include #'s 2, 5, and 15.
- Outstanding use of OB to increase risk and force delicate upshots around the several island greens. These greens are usually brick-lined, clearly marked by surrounding water and/or hillside, and carpeted in green astroturf. Drop zones exist in places for the OB around the greens.
- Outstanding tees. If you have issue with these launching pads, yer bonkers. The short tees offer easier shots as well as changing up the look of some holes.
- Signage makes the somewhat winding layout a breeze to follow. We played the long layout without a guide and, other than a brief moment of confusion when jumping back onto the course after restocking on water at the cars, navigation was a snap. Bridges and stairs in all the right spots make this course relatively easy to traverse.
- A good balance between super long (1000'+) and super short technical ace runs (I believe a couple of holes are under 200' even from the longs).
- After #8, the parking lot is conveniently located to the left through the trees. Perfect timing for a restock on beverages, food, and the like. Also, a great way to alleviate backups at the first tee: one could always start on #9 if several groups show up at once. The option of skipping the lettered holes and playing an easier round of 18 holes also helps prevent course congestion.

- Some of the holes seem fairly close to one another leading to potentially hazardous play. I was informed from in-the-know locals that the course isn't usually all that crowded, but it still seems a bit cramped in places.
- Idlewild is not a "disc golf paradise" if such a thing even exists. The course is ugly in a few spots (although overall it's pretty enough). I was fairly shocked that a course held in such high regard would have so much litter (albeit during the winter...I guess it's cleaner in the warmer months?) This detracts nothing from the actual play, but I thought it worth noting.

- Idlewild wasn't at all what I expected going in (without really having read any reviews or looking in depth at the pics) and I was pleasantly surprised at some aspects while being a bit disappointed at others. In the end, though, Idlewild instantly won me over and exceeded most of my expectations. This course delivers its own brand of punishing yet absolutely fair and rewarding disc golf of the highest caliber. Idlewild is a true gem.

Category I (Essential properties of a good course):
- Baskets in EXCELLENT condition with new highly visible yellow paint
-Tee pads were huge with plenty of room for a big runup
-Tee signs and maps were clear and in great shape
Based on the above, Idlewild easily gets 5 stars in this category


Category II: "Combine with Cat I to make a great course"
-fairways were well defined. Didn't see any holes crossing each other. Flow was reasonable and easy to navigate with a map. No unreasonably long walks between tees. My 35 wk pregnant wife and I played 1-18 then holes A-E in about 3 hrs.
-Course maintenance was immaculate
-Benches and trash bins were on every hole I remember and not overflowing. Woodchips on the ground by the benches could have reduced the mud.
Based on Category II, I still stick with 5 stars.

Category III: bonus attributes to make and excellent course
-Nice elevation changes. Not huge, but very scenic rolling hills. The 1001 ft par 5 was a behemith, but manageable with the downhill elevation change. I just barely missed a long putt for 4 and escaped with par 5.
Hole 5 is a steep uphill par 5, only 510 ft, but felt longer given how uphill it was....scored a 7 on this one.
-So many epic and memorable holes. Other reviewers have already captured most of them so I won't rehash.
-Port-a-poties are located close to the parking lot, but within the course, not so much....find a tree
-Shot selection- used about every disc in my bag.
-Hole length- some short par 3's played at or under 200', and 1 par 5 just over 1000 ft. Nothing seemed too unfair though apart from hole #5.....a par5 on this hole would be amazing I think.
-Overall challenge- as one reviewer put it, Mt. Airy is a fabulous course you could play every day. Idlewild is more of a beast but is the appropriate place to determine the best player.
-Not very crowded when my wife and I were there. Let 1 single play through, but apart from that, we had the course to ourselves........my guess is that was because everyone else was scared of 38 degree weather and nicer days it's probably much more busy.
-Locals- Talked to a foursome playing #2 which seemed to be excellent players, but were very friendly
-The small brook / creek running through multiple holes was very scenic and challenging to avoid, but didn't make us fearful of losing a disc.
-A few of the creekside wooded holes had synthetic turf as well which made for an Augusta National feel...........speaking of, compared to all disc golf courses in the world, this is sort of like the Augusta National of disc golf!

Hard to speak negatively about the course. Sure, some holes to a beginner like me seemed a bit tight, but this is the place to test your game......not boost your confidence!

By far the best course I've played. Also glad it's only 1.5 hrs away so I'll definitely be back.

Where to start... It has everything you can ask for in a disc golf course. It has open holes, tight holes, holes in between, straight holes, left to right, right to left. It's such a big area that you can have par 5s (up to 1000 ft.) It has so many holes that stick out in my mind that I can't list them without saying almost every hole on the course. Not to mention the HUGE teepads, great signs, alternate tee boxes, and multiple baskets. The letter holes go perfectly with the rest of the course. The whole course flows good there was just one time where I had to figure out where the next tee box here.

Just more pros would go here.

This course is truly the best disc golf course in the country. It may lose on scenery/looks to some other courses but if you're just focusing on playing the game then nothing comes close to Idlewild.

I read one comment that complained about how he had driven so far to play this course and wished he had spent all his time at Mt Airy Forest instead. He couldn't understand why the #2 ranking, etc.. Let me put this into context:

1st, Mt Airy is a wonderful course with many strenghts but let me differentiate the two. Mt Airy is a course that you would want in your back yard. A course with great scenery, sounds, holes, and importantly.. manageable in length. Something you could play on regular basis without a whole lot of effort, lots of fun.

IdleWild (endorphins race through my body when I hear that word...) is in a league of its own however. If you have played disc long enough and understand the dynamics of how different discs fly, especially when there is elevation, wind and tight angles, then you know that Idlewild was designed to be a world class venue. If you wanted to find out who was the BEST disc golf player out there you would choose Idlewild and not Mt Airy. Idlewild not only adds more depth and distance to most of its holes but the huge land area allows for the creation of well designed par 4's and par 5's. Many holes you will need more than just a good drive to par a hole out, . You need to strategically plan your route as many holes have multi paths to a common layup point at which point you may have another set of options to meander your way to the pin. Impossible to really figure out a good strategy for each hole your first time through on the course. I could probably write a book on this course but let me get to the nitty-gritty details.

Design: Everything imaginable is present here. Long open shots where you can bomb away without worry. These same holes can turn into woods nightmares towards the end (#15 I have in mind here). #1 is a monster 600+ foot open fairway (maybe 200ft wide) with a slight downhill grade. So much fun to start. Seems like you should be able to bomb away and watch it glide forever. A little head or cross wind may show you other plans. #2 is an example of a hole where you need a great drive through some tough placed trees to position yourself for an approach (100-200ft) shot over a pond to a pin that is just in a corner niche tucked beyond the pond (see the video section for a couple shots of this approach). Definitely do not skip the newer holes (A-E). Some of the locals I played with seemed to skip these when they played but I didnt understand why? They offer some nice elevation, a couple water hazards and sloped pin placements. Great great holes, check out the videos and pictures. The course offers numerous ace runs that make you S curve through tight tree lines. So many fun ones to talk about...

Fairways: were very well kept the 3 times I have traveled to play this course. Some huge wide fairways, some tight, some mixed, perfect variety.

Rough: Plenty of areas to loose discs yes. The tall grass is the most problematic. Keep a close eye and line on stray discs.

Elevation Variety: Outstanding, plenty of slight downhill, treacherous uphill battles, valleys, and bends. Couldn't ask for much more diversity here.

Length : Very long! Expect to spend 4 hours easy if you have more than 2 people. Really depends on your shot quality (could take 3 hrs or could take 5). This is a course that you would NOT want in your back yard, by that I mean it is grueling. Not something I could manage on a daily basis. But really, yeah, I would want it in my back yard now that I think about it...sigh..

Use of Water: Plenty of water holes. They are not particularly difficult water holes but they are beautiful.

Course Beauty: Well maintained, huge, could explore for days. Hardly any trash, set amongst rolling hills in what feels like the middle of nowhere. Amazing environment and feel when you are there. I will briefly mention their signage and tee pads. Both are very nice looking (good concrete and nice signs) however the signs lack detail. That's typical though of most signs...

Overall: This IS one of the best courses in the nation. It is easily in the top 5 and I have it as my #3 favorite ever, just behind BLUEBERRY HILLS WI and FLYBOY AVIATION, GA (RIP). To speak about a course in the same sentence as FLYBOY or HIGHBRIDGE is truly something amazing. I have traveled to some of the most pristine raved about courses in the nation and this one holds its weight. This course is worth every bit of the 10 HOUR road trip I have taken from Mpls/St Paul 3 times now! And its free did I mention (along with all the sweet courses in the areas!!...wow).

Warm up Basket: Yes
Message Board: Yes
Benches and trash cans: Plenty

I first want to quickly touch on the negative comments I briefly read through; THIS IS A COURSE YOU DO NOT WANT TO MISS, DISREGARD ANYONE THAT TELLS YOU DIFFERENT! The negative comments about this course are by and large from players who do not fully understand the game and have little appreciation for complex course design. I can understand how many people are "dwarfed and discouraged" by this behemoth of a course due to its long winding holes, tricky pin placements, significant elevation challenges, mando/water hazards and regular gusts of shifting winds. This may not be a course you would want to play everyday but its also one not to be missed if you want to really test your skills against both beauty and the beast.

Favorite Hole(s): #1, 7, 9, 10...too many to mention..







10 CURRENT FAVORITE COURSE (Played):

1. Flyboy Aviation, Whitesburg GA
2. Blueberry Hill, Highbridge WI
3. Idlewild, Burlington KY
4. Rennaissance Park, Charlotte NC
5. Diamond X, Billings MT
6. Blue Ribbon Pines, East Bethel MN
7. Lincoln Ridge Park, Independence KY
8. Ashe Co Park, Jefferson, NC
9. Highbridge Gold, Highbridge WI
10. WR Jackson Memorial DGC, Intl Disc Golf Center, Appling GA

Granite Ridge, Highbridge, WI
Hornets' Nest, Charlotte NC
Whistler DGC, Whistler, British Columbia
Hudson Mills Metropark, Dexter MI

A Phenomenal course, immaculately designed, completely and utterly challenging. Strategically placed trees, water hazards, hills, and putt putt style carpet surrounding many of the baskets.

A tough course for some,not for everybody.

One of the best courses in the world, every disc golfer should play this. It will hurt them physically, and help them in their game, and it should not be missed.

Awesome course.....Love the holes with real "greens" There is every shot you can encounter here. If you are looking to strengthen your skills all around, this is the one!

Must be ready to exercise!

This course has the Longest Hole Ever...Over a thousand feet!!!

*Beautiful course
*Course has everything (woods, water, field, elevation)
*Tons of signature holes
*Amazing tee signs!!
*Had never seen anything like it before

*Could use some "to next tee" direction signs
*Very tough course that can eat you up in a heart beat

If you want to experience the best with all the little cherries on top, you have to go to idlewild!!!

course opens up with some nice open holes to let you stretch out and then winds you through some absolutely wonderfully orchestrated landscape and excellently laid out holes. Once you get to like #4 there a glades throughout most of the fairways and choosing a path can be difficult at best. Bring tons of water as elevation changes are on every hole and it can be extremely hot in the summer. It was funny to note how all the trash cans were full till you get to like 13 or 14 and they empty out because people just run out of liquid. If you are even CLOSE to the area you MUST make this a stop, be prepared to spend at least 2 hours walking this bad boy.

after hole 2 there are some lettered holes which I didnt find ... didnt really matter cause this course kicked my butt anyway. Also I went after a bad storm and there was debris everywhere but there not much they can do about that .... just my luck of the draw.

If you have half a day you HAVE to check this course out ... WELL worth the play

Idlewild. The name alone rings through the disc golf community like bad mexican food through a tourist. *NOTICE* This review contains sarcasm, comedy and other things to make it interesting for the viewer. I take my reviews seriously. But I don't like to write them as such. So...settle down Francis. Here we go!

1. the tee pads on this course are ridiculous. I've driven on smaller exit ramps. Most of the tee pads are "double length" (that's what she said) and nice and wide. (TWSS). The best part is that a few of the holes have a couple of these monstrosities to use from different lengths. We played the longs all day (TWSS), so I can only speak for those. And I will. A lot. See? I just keep talking about how awesome the tee pads are. Now...on to more.
2. the baskets are fantastic and labeled clearly. All of the baskets caught like Johnny Bench in his prime and were as forgiving as my dear old grandmother. RIP Grandma. well, she's not dead. But you know. Just in case. Several of the holes have a couple of baskets set up. If they don't have multiple baskets, 90% of the holes have at least two pin placements. Many of them have at least alternate holes. Make your own joke.
3. The use of terrain on this course is second to none. Tree tunnels, up hills, down hills, the disc eating heather (not a woman. just grass), and all kinds of water usage makes this course challenging, fun, and incredibly exhausting...in a good way. If that's possible.
4. you WILL NOT find a more diverse disc golf course as far as shot selection goes. This course is the United Nations counsel on environmental impact as far as courses go. 1001 foot downhill shots. 700 foot uphill hyzer shots. 200 foot tunnel shots. water. trees. annies. open bombs. This course has more shots than picasso got paint. (shout out to MCA)
5. There are benches and trash cans at every single tee station. And because of this, there is virtually no trash on the course. Which, especially for a park this size is unreal. Heck, we have played courses an 1/8th this size that were like playing through a landfill. Ever get a skip off of a hypodermic needle? DO IT!
6. Signs are amazing on this course. This place has perfect signs in fact. Every hole location is perfectly laid out on the sign. OB marked. Hazards marked. Drop zones marked. Serious perfection when it comes to the signs. I saw the signs, and the opened up my eyes. I saw the signs.
7. navigation was perfect. PERFECT. The tee signs tell you where to go, and there are signs on trees that tell you where to go. Too, the natural layout of the course is perfect. This course plays over a HUGE park, and we were never at risk of being lost or getting turned around.

One con, and I think it actually is a con. There are a TON of civilians that come in to play on this course. a TON. Hole 2's long position plays near a pond where there had to be 2 dozen people fishing. it also plays over a walking path. There were LOADS of people walking on there. There are other holes that play over walking paths blindly, you really could mess around and smack a kid in the noodle out there on quite a few occasions. It's a busy, busy, beautiful park.

also, the place could have used a water fountain. it took us two and a half hours to play his beast. Something would have been nice. Not really a con. But yeah, anything.

it is my opinionation that all sub 900 players should skip out on this course for now. Honestly. this course is NOT for people with non-power arms. Indeed, you are essentially committing VERY slow suicide if you come out to this course and can't throw it accurately out to like 350 feet. I AM NOT TRYING TO BE A JERKFACE! I AM TRYING TO SAVE YOUR PITIFUL SOULS! PLEASE! GET GOOD AND THEN COME OUT TO THIS MONSTER!

It really is like the Event Horizon of disc golf courses. I heard that this place disappeared in to another dimension and came back from hell. It could be a lie...but I buy it.

It's finally time for me to write a review on Idlewild (I've been requiring at least five rounds on a course before writing, because I'm still a rookie at disc golf). Everything seems to have been said about this, one of the finest courses in the world. But did you know that despite being rated as near-perfection, they keep IMPROVING it?

Perhaps the best variety of holes (distances, elevations, water, tight shots, bomb shots...), challenging layout, fantastic tees, baskets, benches, trash receptacles, manicured fairways and 'Augusta'-like landscaping, from retaining walls to bridges...has been enhanced just this year with new full-color tee signs and course map, astroturf (!) on the creekside island greens, and the formal incorporation of holes A-F bringing Idlewild up to an incredibly challenging 24.

Unlike some other courses, the new holes complement the course well, and flow nicely, adding more water hazards and variety (yep, I've put one in the pond on hole D: the mando forces you to go 'over'). Holes A-E follow the long basket on #2 (just go up the hill to reach A), and lead nicely back after E to the long tee for #3. Then after #4, F doubles back very well to #5. The design clearly is intended to enhance the long tee experience, making Idlewild range from a brutal 7200' 18 hole course to a monster 10,500' 24 hole course. Even playing doubles, the Idlewild long course has taken me three hours to complete, but what fun!

We are so blessed in the Greater Cincinnati area with this course. I have to keep reminding myself: most folks don't have it this good. The chance for a beginner to get out here and happily get beaten up by this course is one I won't take for granted. As a first year player, but one who is hooked enough to have already logged 166 rounds of disc golf, I do have a love/hate relationship with Idlewild: it's beautiful, but I don't score well here; it's clearly the top course in the area, but if given the choice (at my skill level), I'd probably divert to Lincoln Ridge. BUT that's not a knock on Idlewild at all, because it's not really a course intended for me. Idlewild is obviously a course designed to challenge the best to bring their A-game every time. It's enough of a challenge to break 100 here on the 24 holes, but there are multiple tees and pin positions, as well as OB options from relaxed to ultra-strict, to custom tailor the Idlewild challenge to the best pro's in the world. Some holes (particularly #13 & #14) double in length (and nearly triple in difficulty) playing the 'longs'.

For me, the signature hole isn't the 1001 foot #15, which punishes your drive if you miss the fairway (the rough can be a disc-eater), and finishes at the base of a hill on an island green across the creek. It's not my nemesis hole, the 588' uphill, tightly wooded #6. It's not even the right-bending meadow-like 609' #10, where I first 'communed with nature' on a disc golf course (late last fall, on a sunny cool day, when I quietly stood in the fairway as deer grazed by about 40' away). For me, the beauty here is the downhill #11 mando through the Y-shaped tree, landing in a moderately wooded glade, still 100 feet from a tiny (the size of a small garage) island green across the creek, with strict OB all around. My best moment in disc golf was hitting this once for par! I would think getting this pretty hole for a birdie would be more of a thrill than hitting a simple, short ace (but then, I've done neither, yet!)

Truly, Idlewild is a wonderful experience, and one of the best courses the sport has to offer. You know, now that I think about it, even the cleverness of the course design is impressive. After your journey through every type of challenge imaginable, you finish on the 651' #18 by working your way up through a long shaded tunnel of trees to emerge at the bright open field finish. If I was a psychologist (actually, I am...) I'd almost interpret the design as intentionally representing rebirth at the finish (...nah, I'm not a Freudian, so it's just a great way to complete the experience, wipe your brow, and say to yourself, "I'll be back!")

You'd have to be fairly nit-picky to find fault here. I can't believe it's free to play this course.

Realistically, Idlewild may be a bit daunting for new players, but just walking it is worth the visit, so is this a negative?

Even the fairways that occasionally retain water (I can only remember it being a problem on 10 & 18) were noted this spring by Fred on GCFDA's forums (see) as places he was planning to add French drains... so if a con is worth mentioning, it's usually something the course designers and maintainers are already working on addressing. So... wow!
[edit: just played there last night, and I'm fairly sure the freshly dug up dirt on #10 means this work is happening]

If you're not in decent shape, the length of this course can get to you. Bring plenty of fluids if it's warm (or, in our region, humid), and take your time. Enjoy. The locals will understand slow play: you're experiencing Idlewild!

Aside from the hiking trail, a practice basket and a soccer field you can use to warm up your arm, I hadn't realized it until writing this review that there was more to this park! Shelters, stocked fishing, baseball and soccer fields, a dog park (!), and miles of mountain bike trails are highlighted in the county website (I added a link, edit: but it was taken down? oh well). Their map is the one already linked here at DGCR, but the full-color map situated at hole #1 is very nice if you want to snap a photo for your handheld device, as well.
If you haven't been here in a while, come back to Northern Kentucky to play the full course. It just keeps getting better.

(edited 10/18/13 for readability and to mention: it's still true - they keep enhancing this course - bright yellow powder coat paint went on all the baskets this year. They now stand out GREAT on cloudy days! And some of the letter hole tees have been extended/ enhanced. It always seems like there's an upgrade happening. And on a personal note, working up to intermediate skills, I still prefer the short tees here for my ego, but still think the long 24 here is the toughest challenge of the 123 courses I've played.)

(edit 8/19/17: Still BETTER! All new DisCatchers throughout, a solid month and a half of clearing, cleaning and setup by Bill Alich and Fred Salaz, plus a lot of other volunteers got this ready for the Disc Golf Pro Tour event this weekend. Check the videos! The pros were definitely challenged by this gem!! I'm still counting this as one of only four 5.0 ratings I've given. It's worthy!)

Where to begin. I had put this course on my wish list long ago. Being as I am going to be a father in about a month, I finally made the over 3 hour drive to finally play it as my time to play it was running on thin ice for a few years haha. This course, just like everyone below me has said, is the epitome of disc golf. Everything was thought out to a T, and executed with almost flawless precision. You will pull out every disc out of your bag. You will shoot every type of shot imaginable. You will deal with every disc golf obstacle you can imagine. This course is all encompassing, and boy does it deliver! The scenery is fantastic. The teepads and signs are top notch. The water shots are challenging and stunning. The astroturf on several greens were amazing. From ace runs to a BEAST 1,001ft hole on 15, you will feel like you've done it all on these 24 gorgeous holes, and you will be correct on that assumption. Every hole almost is signature in its' own right. If there ever was a destination course, this is it. I could ramble on and on, but everyone below me has said it. Just play this course.

Cons? Whatever. It's not close to me.

This course, completely kicked my ass, and I enjoyed every minute of that butt whooping. This is why you play the game!

You will need every shot in your bag for this course. I would recommend playing long tees, long baskets, and strict O.B. you truly get an idea of where you are compared to other players. Getting yourself out of trouble is extra important. There are a wide mix of hole types. A few open, longer holes. A few short precision holes. A few throwing over disc swallowing ponds. A few that run along and over a snake-like creek that serves as O.B. the extra six holes are a nice addition (A-F). Though these holes are of average length (300-350) range, there are some tricky shots. #A plays up and down through lightly wooded fairway with the basket over a swampy non-O.B. creek. #B is a straight shot 300 footer with a tree guarded green. #C has a 2 tree tunnel tee shot and then the basket is 30 feet behind a very large tree. Plus, go over the basket and you can roll into a pond. #D has a mandatory that forces you to hit a high window and go over a pond. You need about 200 feet to carry the pond, but miss your line and clip a limb and say bye-bye to your disc. #E tee shot goes over a pond and same pond lines fairway to your left. Also be aware of cat-tails from tee. If you don't tee high enough you won't make it over them. #F is a tunnel shot from tee and then a prairie lined fairway. Go left or right and it can be tough finding your disc.

Not really any cons to me. Course is just very tough. I think some of the fairways are a bit crazy with the amount of small trees you can easily hit. But, I guess that's the charm of the course.

I played in mid-May when leaves were thick. I played all longs and strict O.B. (3 penalty strokes) and shot a 109. I think the goal here should be under the century mark. You shoot under 100 and play tournament rules, you have done well.

1) Distance variation on these holes is tremendous . . . 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600 and even 1000' holes. There is so much variety here that you will most certainly throw every single kind of shot available as well as using your entire bag.

2) The variety of the holes out here is tremendous. There are tight wooded holes, water holes with OB greens, 1000' holes through the prairie, rolling hills in a park-like setting, etc etc etc. There are so many kinds of holes you will never get bored and you can never relax.

3) There is a kiosk at the first hole with a nice map of the entire course. There is also a place for tourney and league information.

4) The tee-signs are nice with Hole #, distance, par, multiple basket locations, and a map. These are Houck signs and are the standard in my opinion for the future of the sport. They are attractive and they have all of the information you could possibly want to see.

5) Garbage cans and benches in many places around the course.

6) There were a mix of Mach baskets and Innova DIscatchers. I am not sure why some holes had two baskets because that can be confusing, but I played all of the long baskets just because I wanted to truly punish myself on this course.

7) Very nice large concrete tees are always my favorites.

8) The creek on the property is absolutely a key feature to this course and it makes 5 or 6 holes absolutely awesome and memorable. The creek acts as OB and it also helps to create island (or peninsula) greens. These are really risk/reward depending on where you are throwing your approach shot. I played the whole round aggressively and never ended up OB which probably would have made my score much worse if I was off on my upshots.

9) The infrastructure here is amazing. The bridges were well done and in good shape. The Astroturf greens were awesome (something I have only seen done once before (Plymouth Creek in MN). The concrete retaining walls were both attractive and functional.

10) For the most part the other activities and places in the park where you would encounter other people are kept to a minimum. There were only a couple spots where you might be crossing a walkway but there was plenty of room to know when it is clear or not clear to throw. Since this is one of the most popular courses on DGCR, I would think there are always people there and discs being tossed, so I would think the locals who use the park for other things (they must be crazy) would know where to be aware of disc golfers.

11) Awesome variety of hole type and foliage density ranging from tight wooded fairways to moderately wooded park-like holes, to some open rippers too. It's nice to not have to throw the same shot or feel like any hole could have been placed anywhere on the property. It is nice when each hole feels natural like it was meant to be there rather than just being there because that is where the routing of the course puts it.

12) You have got to be able to shape your shots both directions. You will want to throw anhyzers and hyzers and an occasional flick shot too. You might need to throw a roller or two to get out of trouble or to try and eat up some of the distance on the longer open holes. Scooby shots can be helpful to get a skip when throwing a recovery shot. Throw in a couple tomahawks or thumbers and you will have thrown everything. A true test of your overall disc golfing ability.

13) Portopotty located in the large parking lot by the first tee. Someone said there was a practice basket but I didn't bother to look I was too excited to get out there and play.

14) I heard they were putting in more Astroturf . . . right after I played there and I think it was on Hole #3. What a lot of work to prep an area for that and to make sure it holds up to the abuse. I can really appreciate the amount of work that gets put in to this course by volunteers. THANK YOU ALL, LOVE THE ENTIRE DISC GOLF COMMUNITY!

15) I shot a 98 on this course and played all the long tees and long baskets. Why is this a positive . . . because I kept it under triple digits!

16) This course is truly a collection of signature holes . . . normally a course has 1 or 2 signature courses that make the course memorable. Here I would argue that there are no less than 10 signature holes out here and the beauty . . . the reasons are not always the same. It isn't like they did just one thing right, they did many things right.

1) The tees were inconsistent in size and texture which I did not like. It's nice to get used to a type of tee and expect the same thing throughout an entire course.

2) French drains or drain tile could go a long way here to help take the water out of some of these low areas that seem to hold water.

3) The course is really muddy and messy in the woods. There is turf growing on many of the fairways that go through the moderately wooded sections.

4) A couple of the gaps and fairways didn't quite seem fair. I knew this course had a lot of shots like this coming in, but a couple of those tightly wooded holes with all those small little trees lining the fairways edge seemed a little aggressive.

5) I do not recommend beginners come here unless they want to go home crying . . . that is all.

6) I had to walk up a couple fairways to try and get a feel for where my true landing zone was . . . if I couldn't tell I'd just rip my driver and try and bite off as much as I could chew. That's probably why I had two 6's and a 7, but I had fun attempting the perfect shot.

7) The rough area on the prairie holes including the 1000' hole were fine when I played because it was fall, but apparently in season you might get lost in them, or at least lose your discs.

This was the highlight of my winter trip to Florida which included a stop in Charlotte to play a bunch of the 2012 Worlds courses and a whole lot of great courses in between Milwaukee and Key West in both directions on different routes. I played 50+ courses on this trip and this takes the cake. I played a lot of awesome courses on the trip but this one is just head and shoulders above the rest. It has everything, variety, water, unique holes, creative baskets and green locations, challenge, distance, tight woods, elevation and anything else you could want in a disc golf course. It falls in just behind my favorite course ever (Brackett's Bluff) but it only narrowly misses perfection . . . due mainly to the conditions of some areas on the course. These things could be fixed if there was money available but it isn't like disc golf courses are always perfect and pristine. I would also imagine this course gets significantly harder in season when all the tree and shrubs have foliage on them. I played in the winter so the leaves were bare and I was able to see details you wouldn't normally be able to see in season and I am sure that helped me decide on my shots. I know there is a lot of argument over the rating of this course but remember I rate courses based on how likely I would be to return. I am not necessarily saying that this course is perfect by giving it a 5 (actually I had to differentiate it from the others at the top of my list) so I am saying it was 4.95. If I lived next to it, I would play it daily and would rarely need to go to a different course because this has everything all into one. I played about 6 holes with a couple locals and they said they only play 2 or 3 places . . . Idlewild, Mt. Airy, and Lincoln Ridge . . .what more could you ask for than to have those 3 courses within about 20 miles of each other.