It has all been written in the 80+ reviews. If you are a serious disc gold player you MUST play this course. It is diabolically evil, long, butt kicking most awesome fun!

5 hours from my house

I could wax eloquent about Idlewild for paragraphs, but as I wrote above, it has been said. Hands down my favorite course. Combined with Lincoln Ridge (Banklick) for one heck of a day/weekend of disc golf.

Thanks to all the folks that keep Idlewild up and running.

What a great course! I played Idlewild while on a road trip from Fort Worth to Chicago and absolutely loved it. This course is very well maintained and is truly one of the premier venues in our sport. The layout is fantastic and challenging with several true par 4s and 5s. There is a great deal of variety here with a wide range of distances and some holes that are open while many are technical. The course plays in and out of the woods beautifully. Good placement and hitting your lines will be required to score well here. Those that like to let her rip on a big drive along with those that like to have to hit lines in tight, narrow fairways will all have their appetite quenched on this course. Elevation change is an element that is common throughout the course that adds a great deal of fun, challenge, and visual appeal to the course.
Some of the great features of this course include quality Mach3 baskets, level and long concrete tee pads, descriptive and good looking signage that offers par, distance, and an idea of what the layout of the hole is as well as pin location. There are benches and trash cans throughout the course. Multiple tee boxes and pin locations on several of the holes. There are wooden bridges, retaining walls around the winding creek near several pins, and islands around some pins. The woodwork and stonework add greatly to the aesthetic appeal of the course. Idlewild is very well maintained and clean.
There are several truly amazing holes here. Hole 15 was my favorite. There was something very inspiring to me about walking up to that tee box. The risk/reward on the drive over all of the tall rough on the sides of the fairway made it a thrilling hole to play. Two accurate drives are required to get near the pin and then the basket is on an island tucked into the trees. Awesome hole. There were several other inspiring holes as well. Holes 3 and 5 were two others to come quickly to mind for me.

If you do not have a map with you for your first time, there are a couple of tricky navigation areas where the next tee box is not easy to locate. There are a few blind holes that take extra time walking to scope out on your first time to play the course or to see which pin placement the basket is in.

Lincoln Ridge is another awesome disc golf course and it is within 30 minutes of Idlewild. Truly a great area for disc golf!
Idlewild is an amazing course and is a must play for any disc golfer that has the opportunity to play it.

-Challenges you to throw accurately. Very high risk/reward.
-This is the best maintained course I have ever played. I live a couple miles away and play it all the time, and there are constantly workers mowing and trimming the fairways.
-You will probably use every disc you have in your arsenal.
-There is a wide variety of holes, varying in length and direction.

-None really, other than the fact that the course beats me just about every time I play! The weeds on hole 15 on each side of the fairway will grow to about 6 or 7 feet by the end of July, so if you throw it in bring a machete.

If you are in the area and want to play a truely challenging round, this is the place to go. Give your self a couple hours to play, 3 if you are with a larger group or if you are not as experienced. It is frustratingly difficult at times, but it is very, very fun as well.

-The course was in fantastic condition, I was most impressed with their signs at each tee box that laid out the hole and showed where to go for the next whole when you were done
-The course, even though very challenging, was so much fun
-Longest hole I've ever played on #15, 1001 ft..whoa!

NONE

I had to travel about an hour and 15 minutes to get to this course, and it was definitely worth the drive. I will be going back and playing very very soon.

-It is a very well kept course
-It is a course that really challenges you
-Very beautiful course
-Every hole is different (some are in open areas while others are far back in the woods where you need great accuracy to get it through).
-Every hole is a new challenge
-It shows where every hole is on the map
-It shows what the distance is on the map
-Anybody can play here
-It is a pro course so many tournaments can be played here
-The concrete from where you through it is very nice and well kept
-It brings the best of you out on this course
-It has what par is and also shows what the pro par is
-It shows what is out of bounds

-It is very easy to lose discs because of the water and because of the woods
-They will move the pin around every once in a while
-The map shows where all of the different pins are and it is kind of challenging to know which one you are actually going for
-The out of bounds can hurt you when you are playing because it will hurt your score
-It is hard to do good on the course because the course in general is the most challenging that i have ever played on

It is a very fun place to go and the whole family can enjoy it. Anyone can play. I have played on many courses in my life and there is no doubt in my mind that this is the best one. So i hope that one day each of you can get out there and play on the BEST COURSE EVER!!!

- Beautiful park that appeared to be well maintained at all levels. Very scenic both inside the woods, and out in the open.
- Seemed like a lot of other people use this area for fishing, jogging, and such, but are separate from the disc golf area.
- Nice mix of wide open holes with strategically placed trees, lightly wooded areas that beg for a full power shot, and densely wooded areas that require pinpoint accuracy. Good use of trees off the fairways to punish errant shots, without using thick rough to do it.
- Very good use of elevation changes throughout this course. This goes for the open areas, as well as the forest. I was especially impressed at multiple elevation changes within individual holes. That is, you could have both an upshot and a downshot to get to the pin. Very enjoyable.
- The longer forest holes, complete with elevation changes and long doglegs, are truly first class. One of the only times I actually looked to see what the par is, as these holes legitimately merit a pro par above 3.
- Good mix of hole length and difficulty. The shorter holes still make you work for it.
- Complete mix of left, straight, and right shots, usually both uphill and downhill for all.
- Open holes also provide their own challenges. Hole 1 is as easy as it will get. The 1001' hole has an undulating fairway that could force a second shot out of a small valley. Distance and accuracy are important, even out in the open.
- Island greens are a nice touch, with well marked OOB signs, and drop zones for shots that land out of play. Just getting within approach range is not enough on these holes; they demand near perfection to score low.
- Water is in play on many holes, mostly because of the small creek that runs throughout. It is clean and clear, thanks to the stones and logs that prevent mud and erosion from entering the creek. The amount of time spent on this aspect of the course is obvious; it is both visually appealing and useful. Many bridges make crossing a breeze.
- The seclusion aspect was phenomenal. Large course layout, bountiful forests, and even secluded open areas (it's true!) really allow you to get lost in the game itself, and focus on the hole you are on.
- Excellent hole signage, listing all possible basket locations and distances.
- Multiple baskets were a nice touch. I wish I had known about them going in, but that's my own fault. I don't know who would want to go for the shorter basket, but it provides additional variety from round to round.
- Good tees, good baskets
- I liked the distance markers on the fairway of Hole 15, so you get to see how far you got the drive out there, and how far you have to go. Probably the most professional hole I have every played.

- One spot was a little tricky to navigate, even with the course map. Had to backtrack on 11's fairway to get to 17, possible blast zone if you aren't paying attention.
- I think the fairway grass was a little long at times, but that might have been because of an upcoming tournament. Only a con becuase it was covered in dew, and I ended up with some soaked shoes.

- "Remember, a "5" is considered the ultimate. There is absolutely nothing that could be done to improve the course. It is perfect in every possible way."
- For as limited as my courses played list is, I have no qualms rating this course the max number of discs. I am glad I got to play this one before reviewing any other courses, Idlewild puts things in perspective.
- This course had holes that reminded me of many of holes in Illinois... laid end to end. Holes like 6, 10, and 18 absolutely rocked my world. I am getting teary-eyed writing this review; I know it will be a long, long, time before I get to experience anything like it.
- The forest itself was gorgeous, with grass fairways throughout. The tree canopy was not intrusive at all, and most (but not all) windows to shoot through were large enough to not be too frustrating.
- I teed off at 8 AM on this course, so it was probably as empty as it will ever be. I got the impression that it would have still been ultra secluded, on a hole by hole basis, even had it been packed. And, even if it was completely overrun, I would gladly sit back and eagerly wait my turn on each hole.
- I can see how some people may say this course is too hard... good. Go somewhere else. Even though I won't be playing it anytime soon, do other people a favor and play at a pitch n' putt. These holes force you to make long, accurate shots, and will reward you greatly if you can do it. Seeing a full length drive fly through the forest, evading tree after tree, and fading exactly where you want it to IS A PRIVILEGE NOT A RIGHT.

Impeccable maintenance. Good mix of woods/open. Good use of elevation changes. Excellent signage. Lots of alternate tees/baskets. I don't remember seeing any trash at all on the course. Beautiful meandering stream, forest meadows, and rolling hills of Kentucky.

I played this course with my brother in law this past Memorial Day. I just got back into disc golf this past fall after over 6 years off, and hadn't played this course since 2003 or so. I remembered it being a very difficult, cut through the woods course, but that was about it. What I didn't remember was how beautiful this course truely is. The holes in the woods make you feel like you are completely separated from everyone else on the course, and every other hole for that matter. After hole 3, we only saw another group of people 2 or 3 times. Hole 10 in particular comes to mind. Two drives through the woods, the second of which is out of the woods into a large open, sloping, meadow in the middle of the woods with a guarded basket.

Navigation from 16 to 17 could have been marked a bit better. Especially since you walk right through the middle of hole 11's fairway. Had another group not walked across the fairway (and gave us their map) we might not have found it as quick when we passed through. Other than that, you'd be hard pressed to find any real issues.

All the alternate baskets can be a little confusing at times.

Practice basket is showing some signs of age.

Is the course extremely challenging? No doubt. Accuracy is more important than distance on most holes.

Did I have an absolute blast? Definitely.

Even my brother in law who just started playing this spring, and shot a 116, is ready to go back for another go at it. A beginner with a good attitude can still have fun on this course.

I will be playing this course at least 2-4 times a month from now on.

This course had many long holes with clear directions on where the baskets were located. Beautiful course with great landscaping to make out of bounds obvious.

Tough to think of anything. Didn't realize there were mandatories on some of the holes from the tee but the mandatories were clearly marked once you arrived upon them.

Great course that I am looking forward to playing again.

Well what can be added to what has already been said. The biggest pro is that it is not one of those courses where every hole is a par 3. You have to be on your top game when playing here and it will either bring the best out in you or beat you down. I play this course every so often to really get a gauge were I stand and generally it tells me I have a long way to go. Every hole will use a different part of your game from distance to accuracy. Accuracy being the main goal here over distance even though this is a long course. The tee signs are awesome and the course is well maintained.

The only thing is maybe the RR facilities are lacking but that is a park thing more than a course thing.

If you visit this course remember where and what you are playing. This is a pro course and you should view it as such.

EVERYTHING. If your are an avid disc golfer, and this course is not on your "played" list, start thinking about making a trip. Book a flight, gas the car, call your friends and make the trip. In my opinion, If disc golf was ball golf, this course would be the Augusta National. You and your friends will have a blast playing and will become an addict like everyone else who plays here.

The only cons I can think of, for one, i don't live closer. And two, there is not an office building or a sort of pro shop. At least a building to obtain a map or score card.

The reason I gave this course a 5 instead of a 4.5, Best of the Best besides Phenomenal, Is because I'm sure if a tourney was being played there then the course would be freshly cut and even more maicured than it was when i played it.

I don't even know where to begin. I went into this park knowing that Idlewild was the number one course in the nation and was expecting to be let down (since I'm a big believer in "happiness = reality - expectations") and I had HUGE expectations. Little did I know, that this was going to be the funniest round of disc golf I'd ever play. Every single hole is unique and unbelievably fun and exciting. This course really takes a lot of energy and stamina to get through it, but every single second is so much fun. I drove 5 hours to get here (from central Illinois) and was not let down in the slightest. I literally jumped in joy 5 or 6 times throughout my Idlewild experience because some of the shots were so much fun. I know it sounds ridiculous, but I'm sure that you can relate to me if you think about your first Idlewild encounter. I'm really happy to give this course my first 5 out of 5. It was unlike any course I've ever played. I really can't even describe it, but I promise you I was smiling probably 95% of the time, and the 5% I wasn't smiling was because I was laughing. It was a blast! I HIGHLY recommend making the trip out here, no matter what it takes!

As I said in the pros, this course is very energy draining. I was hoping to play a few other courses the day I was in Cincinnati, but this is the only one I ended up playing.
By no means was I disappointed though!
I honestly can't think of any other cons though, hence 5/5.

If you haven't played here, get here ASAP! This was probably the most fun and most memorable thing I've done in the last 2 or 3 years. As I said earlier, it's definitely worth the drive because this course is just plain awesome. When I saw the signature Y tree, I took like 20 pictures because I was so excited. It's a tremendous course that I can't wait to play again!

There are courses that are just as good as it gets -- Idlewild is one of them. The challenge is extreme and the location everything that a great disc golf course needs. There's elevation, water, unsurpassed landscaping/grounds-keeping, great signs, fabulous tees, risk-taking design, uncompromising excellence.

An on-site disc golf pro shop would help.

I have been unable to play Idlewild lately but I've been lucky enough to have played it several times even though I live on the east coast. I miss it -- playing there is a real challenge.

This course is always challenging, always fair, and always fun. It's a thinking man's course, almost always requiring you to think a shot ahead, and punishing you if you don't. Numerous par 4s and 5s that definitely earn those extra strokes, and yet still can give you opportunities for birdies.

The course itself is absolutely beautiful, and has the greatest water hazards I've ever played. No. 3 and 16 have creeks that zigzag across the fairways and surround the greens, making for tricky upshots where you have to choose to play it safe or go for it. On top of that, the creeks are lined with tiles that keep the water clear, even on rainy days. This makes retrieving discs a breeze, so taking that risk becomes a little easier.

I really can't think of any. This course is definitely not for beginners, but that's not really a con. It's tough and it doesn't try to pretend otherwise and I appreciate that. I've been playing nearly a decade and this course beat me down. On hole #6 I scored +5. I haven't had more than a triple bogey in years! That said, it was a fair hole, and I did it to myself by getting into a bad situation instead of thinking about my shots.

We played in the rain and still had a blast. Tons of effort went into every hole and it shows. My next vacation is going to be up to Idlewild. Of course it doesn't hurt that it's so close to Mt. Airy, but I want several days with this course.

Certainly a must-play course. The course is wonderfully treacherous. This course is most definitely NOT for beginners. It takes a at least a semi-skilled player to have even a hint of fun here. Unless you're a beginner who enjoys hitting trees and throwing six times to reach the basket. However, it does not take a long arm to play this course. You will need to navigate your disc through and around many obstacles. Baskets are placed very well to make every hole completely unique. There is not a single hole that mimics the same shot from another hole here.

Set in the rolling hills and woods of Kentucky, this course is amazingly beautiful. If there was not a disc golf course on this land, I am convinced there would be hiking trails instead. I found myself taking pictures of not only the interesting island hole placements and fairway foliage, but also the walk from the previous basket to the next tee. The well-constructed, simple bridges and stone lined walkways, were indicative of a course that was very much made for disc golf. I couldn't help but appreciate the subtleties. Benches on nearly every hole, provide for a nice rest throughout your hike through the disc golf woods. Everything else is top-notch - baskets and concrete tee pads are in great condition. The tee signs are very detailed with basket placement. Also, they tell you how far out a dogleg or distinctive tree part way down the fairway is.

This course keeps you on your toes and is extremely difficult. This is great, but it's almost to the point of mental exhaustion. But do you call this a "con"? If this is your first time through, it is tough to navigate. Some holes are blind. Get the skinny guy in your group to run ahead to check out where to throw. But it was my first time to the course, and I made it through without any headaches. There isn't much to count as a negative against this course. I mean, this course will punish poorly thrown shots. You'll be looking for your disc often. There are no trash cans or restrooms anywhere. Those are common complaints, but I can't bring myself to count that against this course to make it anything less than a 5 star course.

This is exactly what you want a challenging disc golf course to be. Hole #11 has to be my favorite hole. You must throw through a Y-shaped tree over a creek ~250ft to an open, grassy hill. Then turn 90 degrees left and throw back over the creek another 200ft through some trees to an island green all the while taking in the incredible surroundings. Hardly a review goes by without mentioning hole #15. Easily the longest hole I've thrown, but it was very fun and interesting. I think they added that extra foot so that they could say they have a hole over 1,000ft.

My two buddies and I waited for a group of three to tee off and finish hole #1 before we started. We never saw them again. In fact we didn't see another soul for the rest of the round (except for the man mowing the grass back in the woods who stopped mowing so we could continue). This wasn't because there wasn't anyone playing (the parking lot was full before and after). It's because the course is on such a huge expanse of land. A few of the holes in the back, you are in the middle of nowhere!

This course is not perfect. It is the best course I have ever played. It must be considered one of the "best of the best." It is not a course I would want to play everyday. I would hate myself. But it is definitely worth a trip to check out this amazing disc golf course. If you care enough about disc golf to be checking out reviews of courses, you care enough that you should check this course out before the world ends. Let me know when you do, because I may come meet you there.

Check out the local burger place just outside of the park called The Dug Out. HUGE, cheap burgers with whatever you want on it. Definitely recommend their signature burger (aptly named the Dug Out).

As just about everyone else has already stated, this course is phenomenal in every way. I'll focus on a few of the things that amaze me whenever I play this course.
Hole 11 is about as beautiful of a tee shot as a course can have (see the pic in photos section!). I jokingly think this course was designed around the Y-shaped tree in the middle of the downhill fairway. shoot through the Y downhill though the narrow fairway and hope to avoid the creek. After a 60 degree dogleg left, the hole finishes on a tiny man-made green with OB lurking everywhere.
The crazy amount of MONEY and EFFORT thrown into this park is unbelieveable! there must be a lawn crew out there weekly mowing and trimming around thousands and thousands of trees throughout hilly terrain. You might cross 50 (many unique) bridges while navigating the course. Probably 6 holes have greens placed in bends of the winding creek to make a moat-like boundary around the baskets. Round wooden or concrete shafts tightly hammered together make good looking borders for these "moats." This place has the longest concrete tees I've ever seen and the signs are amazing.

I actually get excited about shooting 18+ (playing everything as a 3). Idlewild does not allow many birdies. That's all I got for negatives

After the most fulfilling day of disc golf that you can have is done, you get to empty your bag shooting 360ft across a soccer field to the soccer goals on the way back to the car (I know I'm not the only one who does this!)--a great way to make sure that you've effectively destroyed yourself for the day. ahhh, can't wait to play it again!!

Pros: By far the most challenging course I've ever played. You'll need your full arsenal of discs and throws to truly master this course.

Great tees, and great baskets. Some holes actually have both the short and long pins in place at the same time - allowing you to choose which one you want to play, I've never seen that anywhere else.

Great flow, no big hikes between holes, and you will easily find your way even if you are playing alone for the first time at the course - great signage that really adds to the feel of the entire course.

One of the most well groomed courses I've ever played. Nothing looked out of place and each tree seemed to show you what disc lines were intended.

The man-made additions to the course add so much. There are many additions that add islands, OB, steps, bridges, benches at every hole, and so on. If you haven't played a course with these visually pleasing areas you'll be blown away.

Speaking of OB - You may have what looks like a great shot, but the OB on this course adds a whole new dimension to the game. Most amateurs may not want to play this course with the OB on their first time through...trust me it'll be challenging and fun just playing the course.

My top 'pro' of the course is that you need strategize your shots. There are true par 4 holes that make you pay for not planning the your next shot. This is something that most courses can't do because they are lacking the land and/or lack of design. Par 4 holes are rare to find and this course has plenty, almost making the game take a new shape.

there is a 1001 foot hole...

I don't think you could ever get bored here.

Some times the strategy element is taken a bit too far. When you need to play your next 3 shots to have a chance at 'par' it gets a bit over the top. You might get agitated if you are playing for the first time without people to guide you.

Great course - a must play just for the incredible new disc golf experience

It is fun as hell to play, and I'd play it all the time if I lived in the area

DISC GOLF HEAVEN ON EARTH!!
Very challenging and scenic, empty there was no one there. Very well kept, No trash anywhere. If you get the chance to play it do it. One you get there you will not have any regrets. It will improve your game.

The basket locations were hard to figure from tee unless you could see them from tee. Even with map it was confusing to understand which basket you would be throwing to until you saw it.

Practice throwing your straight plastic before you visit this course. It will save you some strokes. Make sure that you carry plenty of water with you. Suck it up and use the porta-potty if you need to before the round, you will thank yourself later.

Idlewild stands out as THE most creative disc golf course design that I have played in nearly 500 total courses. Not only is the course blessed with great terrain features, but the locals are individuals who have put in massive amounts of effort to make this one of the best courses out there. Off the tee, players will find a massive variety of shots, distances, elevation, real risk/reward and several multishot holes which challenge a player to not only make a great drive but evaluate landing areas and make a great approach/putt for birdie '3' or '4'.

Both a 'pro' and a 'con', the presence of a couple of extremely short and straightforward holes add and takeaway from the course. On the positive side, these holes help make the course more accessible to a wider variety of skill levels who have the opportunity to match higher skilled players (by carding the same 'birdie') and to get perhaps a much needed ego boost to counter the largely beatdown nature of Idlewild. At the same time, I feel these holes detract from the experience of higher level players to whom these holes are practically gimme's and offer no ability to separate scoring based on differential skill levels.

As of 2011, Idlewild maintains a spot on the top 10 list and for good reason I think. The course has something to offer everyone from the seasoned professional to the weekend warrior or DGCR course-bagger. Competitive golfers will appreciate the challenging layout and opportunities to make decisions on the course about how aggressively or safely to play. Course-baggers will appreciate the utter uniqueness of holes and creativity which went into the design.

Where to begin? Let's start with the course itself. Amazing. Many top-rated courses are rated highly because they are in the middle of a well-funded park and are moderate in difficulty, therefore appealing to all. Idlewild is not one of these. You have to love the game and have supreme technical skill to succeed here. The course doesn't just pummel you with length; every shot needs to be shaped just right to navigate the often tight (but always well-defined) fairways. Hole 2 is a tight anhyzer tee shot followed by a lake carry; hole 11 goes down through a y-shaped tree before making a 90-degree left turn into the woods before crossing a creek onto a virtual island green, hole 14 is a brutal 450 feet uphill through encroaching woods; hole 15 is 1020 feet down a wildflower-lined meadow and over the creek; hole 16 has 6 forced carries over that same creek. I could go on and on. Even the easier holes are extremely exciting; they give a rare opporitunity to take a chunk out of your score, but they are not afraid to knock overambitious shots deep into the woods.

The land itself is beautiful. I have never seen a more peaceful place on a disc golf course than the shady green of #11 (and it's only about a quarter mile from the neighborhoods of Northern Kentucky). The "walk of fame" is a great tribute to all those who helped make disc golf what it is today. As for the park itself, disc golfers couldn't ask for more. Everything else in the park is out of the way of the course, and you won't find anyone who doesn't recognize that on the course, disc golf has priority. For a course of this caliber, it's surprisingly uncrowded, even on saturday afternoons in late summer. There's never any need to worry about getting stuck behind beginners, who mostly (for good reason) avoid this course. And it has the usual necessities for a great course: all concrete tee pads with very impressive new signs, weekly cleared and mowed fairways, bridges to take you over steep sections and the creek, varied pin positions (though never confusing), and the latest in baskets.

As just about all disc golf courses are either maintained by parks or individuals, courses as a rule are not going to be perfect. However, it's hard to find flaws with this course. Like all disc golf courses, it can get buggy in the summer. Discs that fly too far off course could be lost in the woods, a task easy to accomplish if you don't heed the slope on some holes. If you really want to nitpick, there are only a couple of porta-potties, as opposed to your standard park bathrooms. That's all I can truly think of. Many nitpicks about other highly rated courses don't apply here.

I'm not rating this a five to up its score on the front page. I'm rating it a five because it's the best course I've ever seen. Not sure how much higher praise I can give it.

Took me a few years of playing in Cincinnati to get the courage to play this course. I have picked many high rated courses on the disc golf trips I've had in the five years I have played and still haven't found one that I felt was "better" than this course. The layout alone would make it worth playing but it is also so perfectly manicured and in several places aesthetically pleasing as well.

While it is quite tiring to play this course I have never found myself wanting to end a round early or skip a few holes. The excitement from playing this course negates the lack of energy I might experience.

More people should play this course. The stops I've made for tournaments outside of this area I always find people that have been playing for a long time, have heard of Idlewild, but still have not found there way to the course.