+ Stunning venue with well-maintained grounds. The player will encounter regal hills and dense forested fairways.
+ Link9 finishes near the parking lot.
+ Bright red guiding signage with tee-colored circles within them.
+ Each tee has its own sign. The signs are simple but present and passable.
+ Stock paper scorecards/map available for the taking.
+ Two tees per link and three possible pin positions per fairway for a lot of variety, but...

- ...There is no system in place to indicate which position the basket is in.
- With two or three exceptions, the tees areas are just dirt or mulch.
- The baskets are old and more than a little rusty, but at least they're numbered.

Over the years, a disc golfer learns what they love, like, tolerate and detest regarding courses.
Me? I love courses that have a lot of elevation challenges and put a lot of woods in my way, and I like it when courses have dependable wayfinding signage to help players navigate the course.

IUP has those things. I loved looking at link8 because of its grand downhill grassy hallway underneath the carefully trimmed tree boughs. Link9 was the same way, except totally out in the open. Link18 was a nice endless downhill finale that combined the open nature of 9 with the fairway trees of 8. Link15 is a diabolical maze of pines that will either delight or horrify you.
Link14, my personal favorite of the course, plays within a steep valley with plenty of trees. All along the left of that fairway, there is an ocean of tall ferns, shrubs and grasses that can easily hide from view a disc of any color. I spent twenty minutes searching for a bright orange disc in that area.

I can tolerate bad or unreliable tee signs as long as they give me a loose idea of where to throw. But I detest bad tees.
IUP has those things. While the blue tees' signs do indicate the three different pin positions, there's still no system in place to tell which position is in-play. How can a player know where to throw? Yes, yes, Udisc exists. But there are players who don't have it (yet). Also, it is the responsibility of the course to give players information about the course. After all, any course is updated sooner than its Udisc counterpart, if it's updated at all. And the dusty dirt or mulched tee pads don't do it for me. They were bumpy. Mulch snuck into my shoes every third tee-off. I felt unsteady. On a course this good, that was disappointing to see.

But that's as bad as it gets because even the disappointing links here are fun. Link5 is a simple and straight wide open throw, but there is a steep slanted fairway that could send your disc rolling into oblivion. 6 is the same way, except basically flat. Link1, my least favorite, has the park entrance road on the left, and the fairway doesn't do much beyond the park-style trees. Yet, honestly, all of the fairways here are engaging.

Lastly, I noticed that most, if not all, of the links had wooden beams painted red sticking out of the ground, which I assume is a proposed shorter layout for the course, which I think is a great idea. That would make IUP less intimidating for the newbies.

Overall, I strongly recommend IUP. The tees need an upgrade for sure, and the signage could stand to be replaced, but the disc golfing is a ton of fun if you like hills and trees. Far-flingers will definitely have to take it down a notch here. The terrain is varied, and the faiways are clean & clear. Just be careful on the steeper fairways, and you'll have a fine time.

This is overall an amazing course. An old ski hill provides a ton of elevation, the course moves and flows in and out of woods and along what I assume is an exercise trail (though when I was out at 8am in the summer, I was alone).

Specifics things to praise this course for:
- Nice baskets that catch well
- Two tees on every hole
- Multiple pin placements (though only playing it once I can't speak to how good the other pins are...)
- This is the first course I have played that has a legitimate rough. On most holes, there is a beautiful fairway, and if we get off, you are in trees. Unlike many courses I play with trees filled with thorny undergrowth, there is another stretch of trees with no undergrowth. Makes finding discs a snap. If you really have a bad throw (which I had a couple) you will get into some deep undergrowth, but the stuff I trudged through weren't thorns or ivy so I will take that every day of the week.
- Benches on almost every hole
- Even with the steep inclines, this course is pretty easy to get around with well maintained paths and a couple spots with stairs to help for those a little more limited mobility wise. Saying that, I should also note that even with nice paths and such, the course is still a pretty good hike, so take advantages of the benches when you need to!
- A lot of parking, as there are a number of amenities at the Lodge.
- I forgot to mention the maintenance here at the Lodge is amazing! I went before the grounds crew was out, and I thought the fairways were pretty well kept, but by the time I finished up my round, they were cutting them. Definitely no overgrowth on this course, which is a welcome sight to say the least!

- The biggest, and really, my only complaint is the navigation of the course. The tee signs were only on the White tees (that I noticed) and they were relatively small, and took me about half the course to realize there were directions to the next tee on them. There were also SMALL signs along the main path with indications of where the next tee was, the problem with that, was I was often not on the main path, and the signs weren't always near the basket so I missed quite a few. Mostly, the path leads you where you need to go, but there are definitely a handful of holes that left me scratching my head.

The only thing I should add is, when you are leaving, if you are walking on the road, be aware that the road drops off about 2 inches to the shoulder, which isn't a big deal if you are paying attention, however, if you are walking off of 18 catching up your Udisc from the previous two holes and you don't watch where you are going... you can easily twist your ankle.

Moral of the story, score first, THEN walk to the car lol

Very fun course to play. I played all 18 holes and didn't see one piece of garbage anywhere on the course. Plays through the woods and some open shots too. Paths are lined with logs. Very well maintained! Worth the drive

The only thing I can think of is the paths that take you throughout the course are used by runners and bicycles alike. It is an exercise trail with exercise stations also. Not really a con but make sure to look out for other people before your next throw.

One of my favorite courses to play. Shout out to the grounds crew! Keep up the good work

This is one of the most well maintained courses I have personally ever played. The course itself and the nature trails around the park are pretty well flawless when it comes to trash and excess debris. The course offers everything from beginner skill level shots to holes that are going to favor the more advanced and experienced players. Lots of elevation change from hole to hole not only offers a great challenge and variety to the course, but you get a good workout while playing also!

Although the white tee's are topped with rubber fly mats, the blue tee's are natural and some of them are in rough shape. Be careful!

With the upcoming 2015 Indiana Open, the course has had some serious fairway maintenance and some new features. The steps from hole 2 to 3 have been completely reconstructed not only making it safer for players but a lot easier on the back getting up the hill! Fairways have been cleaned of great amounts of debris making it easier to find your disc if you get a little off the beaten path, and easier to navigate from hole to hole.

There is a ton of awesome elevation changes. There are a bunch of holes where you can let it rip. There are also a fwe very technical holes. So this course basically pleases anyone. The baskets are great so is the signage. The fairways will rival some golf courses.

The tee pads are a bit skeptical because they are wood chips. Other than that there really are not any cons.

This is a great course I highly recommend it to anyone who likes the sport. I would drive an hour and hit this one plus Getty Heights and pine ridge. It makes for a great full day of disc golfing.

The massive elevation changes and variety of holes make this course a must-play for any disc golfer in the area. Good signs and the most carwfully cared for fairways I haveever seen on a disc golf course.

No major cons to speak of. Wood chip tees make for uneven footing at times. A couple of holes share a common open field, so on a busy day things could get crazy.

Plenty of holes for big armed veterans to enjoy, but also chances for new players to not get left behind. Anybody could play here and have a good time.

Beautiful ski hill course with 18 baskets with dual pins and dual natural tees marked with sign/post and wooden block in ground. Excellent use of elevation and terrain. The grounds are extremely well kept like a ball golf course and not much underbrush in the rough so it's fairly hard to lose a disc here. Two loops of 9 holes back to the parking lot. Two portapotties and a soda machine by the parking lot.

Not much to complain about here. If it was crowded I'd probably keep my head on swivel on the slope to watch for errant flying discs. I'm ok with the natural tees and they were fine, I know that is a con in some people's book. lacks signage for current pin placement. Navigation wasn't too bad, but a few extra signs to the next tee would be great.

Note to get to hole 13 tee walk over the tee of hole 17. After hole 14, the tee to 15 is the woods to the right.

This course titers between a 3.5 and 4.0 for me but the last shot bumped it up. Hole 18 is quite epic down the ski hill 800'+. I also really enjoyed hole 14 downhill through the woods. I think most the baskets were in the short pins, and can see how the B pins make it play really sweet. I guess they keep the pins short as it is more of a beginner course due to its location on a college campus. Part of the beauty of this course is that you can take a rank beginners here and they would not be overwhelmed and more experienced veterans will still have a blast here.

I'd highly recommend a stop if traveling anywhere close by in season. I detoured my trip to Pittsburgh from Baltimore to play and it was well worth it!

An extremely well-designed course that makes superb use of the space. College Lodge will push seasoned players to consistently make a wide variety of shots in order to post a good score. At the same time, the course is welcoming to less experienced players, affording playable tees and holes that aren't out of reach.

The scenery is top notch as well. The course is almost worth a trip through even without tossing a disc!

#18 is probably the best final hole I've ever played on a course. A long downhill shot, it's a fun and beautiful way to conclude a round!

You'll also never have to wait to play here. Even during the school year, IUP students don't seem to take an interest in the course, so it's free and clear at almost any time.

There's a couple blind shots, particularly on #9, so it might take a round or two to get properly acquainted with the course.

Some holes might be considered too simple for higher-level players, but there's still a solid challenge for most of us.

It's also in the middle of nowhere. If you're looking for a weekend trip, don't spend the night around Indiana. There's also not going to be many players to bump into at any given time, which takes away a social aspect of the game that I find appealing at other courses.

College Lodge is a great course with plenty of appeal for a wide variety of players. The major drawback, at least for me, is its location. If you're coming to play this course, make sure you check out other courses nearby, such as Moraine and Deer Lakes. They're much closer to civilization, and of slightly higher quality.

IUP college lodge is such a beautiful course. Disc golf doesn't seem to be very popular among the students at Indiana U of Penn which equates to thick, beautifully manicured grasses with almost no trash around the course.
All different varieties of shots needed: long arrow shots, dog legs, uphill, DOWNHILL, etc. There aren't more than two holes on this course that i would consider "weak". If it is your first time playing this course, make sure you do your best to stay under par during the easier front nine. The back nine will eat you alive. Holes 14 (down a gently curving path) and 15 ( 180 foot alley of pines) can really add a few strokes to your round if you loose concentration. Of course 18 is my favorite. Its very hard to resist emptying your bag when you approach this monster.

Limited trash cans around the facility

Park closes at dusk

Natural tee pads

IUP college lodge is a very beautiful course in the mountains of Western PA. For stunning views of fall foliage, try to schedule a round in early October.

This course could honestly be a 4.5 if the tee pad situation was taken care of. Just like most courses, I am sure that these will be upgraded when some money comes around.

Variety is what makes this course very special. With the exception of some of the holes on the ski hill, no two holes are exactly the same. There are hyzer shots, anyhyzer shots, downhills, uphills, blind shots, tight wooded fairways, a 700+ft downhill drive, and many others.

This course is clearly maintained well. Signage, parking, the absence of litter, trails, and super manicured greens are evidence of this! (Seriously, though: how do they keep the grass so nice?) In addition, the course is easy to navigate and I had no problem getting around the first time or subsequent times.

Another plus is that the course is in the college town of Indiana. Plenty of establishments and lodging is available.

Some notable holes include:

#2 = a wooded fairway that runs along a very shallow stream, which makes the hole very cool and relaxing.

#9 = blind shot down the ski hill; easy birdie opportunity if you drive correctly.

#14 = Requires a very straight driver or a slight anhyzer if you want to par. Hyzer and you'll see your disk go off a very steep bank!

#15 = very tight fairway passage through a bunch of pine trees. In addition to being a tight drive, the putt/approach requires concentration because the basket is on a slight hill. Definitely a risk/reward shot.

#18 = The last hole may not necessarily be the best, but it's definitely memorable. The slope of the hill allows the discs to go forever! This is a chance to see just how powerful your drives are!

There's a fairly decent sized pond when you first arrive in the park. I wish this was used as a water hazard, but with the rich biodiversity in the body of water (frogs, toads, fish, etc.), I understand why they may not have used the pond as such.

The fact that this course is closed during the winter months is also a bummer.

I can perhaps see the ski hill being a challenge for people who aren't in the best shape. Even I, a distance runner, puffed a little bit going up some of the holes.

Concrete tees would also improve the rating on this course.

IUP students and local residents are really lucky to have this course. It's unequivocally, in my opinion, the crown jewel of DG courses in Central PA. It's just one of those courses that you know is going to be good when you start and it exceeds your expectations when you finish.

I've been here four times now and I've seen very few people playing here. I'm not sure whether this is the case all the time, but more people should definitely check it out!

This is the most perfectly maintained course I have ever played. Manicured like a ball golf course on the slopes. The woods are well taken care of as well. There are at least 9 holes that will challenge the pro in you and the other 9 are just as much fun without the challenge. Holes 4,7,8,9,10,11,12,14,15, and 18 are very challenging holes that leave an impression. The others are fun but not as difficult. Excellent drainage here..I have played ski hill holes where the base holes are a swampy mess...not here. Natural tees are as good as natural tees can be. First three holes play the base and then you ascend up hole 4, switchback the hill on holes 5 and 6 then hole 7 is a pro challenge down a tight fairway to a big ample green...apparently nasty shule does not grow atop the mountain, just trees and low ferns...AMEN! I was in the woods a bit and never dealt with any bad weeds or thorns. 8 and 9 are fun drives down the mountain. 8 has a fast green and 9 is just an empty your bag hole! Then your back at base and rising back up 10 and 11. 11 is a real treat throwing straight uphill through a wooded fairway! 12 is a long uphill tight drive. Eventually you get to 14 which is an amazing drive down the back side of the mountain its a tight but fair chute like fairway through the woods and then back up the valley on the other side to the basket perched on a steep grade. This hole would be a signature hole on other courses. 15 is a pretty cedar grove that requires a skillful drive to negotiate. The cedars are on a slight hillside so if you get whapped you could be in serious rolling downhill trouble. This all brings you to 18 which is an amazing 800 foot crush from the top of the mountain to the base. Words don't do it justice and the pictures don't either. Its another empty your bag hole. Unlike other ski hills this one is no longer a ski resort so the ugly lifts and wires are all gone. There is no evidence of it's ski hill past really evident. The fairways are pretty grass and not filled with snow making equipment lines and equipment. The hill is not so huge to be overly taxing and the hills are not so huge that the hill will shrink your drives. That is a good drive could make it pretty far down the mountain. This is unlike many courses built on ski hills where you just drive off a mountain side and watch your disc eventually turn and then fade back into woods to the left of the fairway. It's like the distance is big and just the right size for disc golf. Peaceful setting here and good mix of open as well as wooded holes. Love the challenge of half the holes with the pleasure of the other 9 makes for a great day.

3 base holes are nice but pale in comparision to rest of course. Hole 1 uses the street as a hazzard to the left. This raises the challenge but is so ugly compared to whats available. I'd rather see a little pooch shot over the little pond to start the day. This would be another memorable hole and add a true water hazzard to the course. Two of the holes atop the mountain criss cross a bit. I believe holes 13 and 17 seem to confuse people...just be careful and make sure you play the correct basket. The course gets pulled for sledding which is cool but make sure you don't go there during the wrong season. It's a long trip to make and the course not be available. The averageness of half the holes keep this course from being elite. (still a lot of fun here though)

I really was pleasantly surprised by the amount of fun and challenge this course provided. I am sure if it was in a more populated region it would garner more national acclaim. This course is well worth a detour if your playing Western PA courses. Play the long tees for a challenge and your less experienced friends can play the short tees.

College lodge is a great course. The first 9 holes are fairly easy and great for beginners. The last 9 prove to be a good challenge even for the most veteran players. The variety created by having the course on a huge slope is amazing, ranging from the grueling uphill tee on number 4, to the insane gliding tee on hole 18. Mixed with some quality woods holes the course is ideal for anyplayer that wants to get a great variety and a little excersise at the same time

Throughout the years I have played the course, most of the glaring concerns have been fixed. It would still be nice to have some type of soda machine in place because it does involve a great deal of walking up large hills.

Great for players with all levels of experience.

This course is very well maintained, has bathrooms in the parking lot and at hole 10, and very friendly locals if you need help. Once I found were 1 was It was very easy to follow the course. 18 was everything that I a read and more. Multiple tee boxes allow you to choose your poison and the course is great even if you are just beginning. The holes will challenge you in every way and keeps you sharp or you will end up in the brush.

I really don't know if there are any except it would be nice to have running water.....

I drove from State College to play and it was worth the almost 2 hour trip. At this point I don't have a big arm and still had a blast. I truly recommend this course to everybody of any skill level

You might need to use every shot in your bag on this course. Short little technical shots and long bomber shots will be used at the Lodge. One of the best finishing holes in DG. Excellent signage. If you play in the evening hours you'll have a good chance of seeing widelife. Please don't throw at the deer.

Would be nice to have concrete tee pads. Be prepared to hike. Hole #4 is straight up the former ski hill. Baskets get pulled between Dec and April every year for sled riding.

This is my home course and where I learned to play. Since the land is owned by IUP, the local college, there are strict rules about alcohol and whatnot. Please don't mess around!!! The baskets have been pulled in the past because of people not following these rules.

The tees are well marked, the baskets are numbered, and signs are everywhere they need to be to make navigating this course a breeze. This is great since I finished each hole completely psyched to find out what kind of hole would be next. The course has big uphills and big downhills, both in the open and in the woods. This place is a disc golf roller coaster.

There is some overlap of the disc golf course with an exercise trail, but it wasn't too crowded so not much of an issue.

While it doesn't quite have the technical pedigree of nearby championship courses, the fun factor more than makes up for it. If you can handle some big time up and down hill hiking, play this one, and have a blast.

Lots of fun and long downhill shots as well as some challenging holes in the woods. Very well maintained.

Lots of hill climbing (but it is a lot of fun coming back down).

IUP has to be one of the hilliest and quietest courses I've had the opportunity to play. Holes #9 and #18 are the types of holes where you'll just empty your bag throwing down the huge hills. The only thing that could have made those two holes more fun is if the old ski lift was working so I could play them again without walking up the hill!

Hole #15 also stood out in my mind. It was as if someone built a hallway out of trees, definitely a pretty cool hole. Overall I really enjoyed this course. The quiet and peaceful atmosphere there made for a fun and relaxing round. If you have a chance to stop by IUP then by all means do it, I will definitely try to get back there at some point to throw a few more down the slopes.