Amazing and challenging layout for each and every hole. This can be a very humbling experience from the Gold and even some of the Blue tees. Losing discs hasn't been an issue as most of the wooded holes are loaded with just trees and not too much undergrowth or shrubbery(very well maintaned imo). As most of previous posts say, beautiful scenery, a good variety of uphill/downhill, wooded and open shots. Never seems too busy as i cant remember ever being backed up more than 1 maybe 2 times and usually get waved thru when playing up behind slower groups

No tee pads or trash cans on the course.

Simply a must play. Bring some water and pack a lunch because after your first time through you will probably want to redeem yourself

Course layout is varied, challenging, and beautiful. It's obvious great attention was paid to the design of fairways and the placement of tees and holes; you'll find a use for every disc in your bag and shot in your arsenal.

Update: Since I started playing, the local volunteers have done some serious work on this course. The course is now one of the best maintained I've ever played, especially considering how wooded it is. Whether you're a pro on the gold tees or a newbie on the whites, you won't find a better blend of difficulty, scenery, and excitement on any course on this coast.

Still under development in some regards. Tees are mostly dirt, although new rubber pads and gravel are being installed this year. A few holes get treacherously swampy after storms.

Update: Most of the swamping issues have been resolved through some creative ingenuity in draining the fairways. Cement tees would still do a lot to make this course an 5 star in my book (and more sustainable in the long-run, as the dirt tees are getting worn).

Whether you're a beginner or a pro, Moraine offers an exciting course the provides the perfect blend of fun and challenge.

This is a course that people drive to play. Many of the regulars drive an hour or more, bypassing other very good courses to do so. If you're in a nearby state, there's no good reason no to take a day trip to this disc golf haven.

the care that is put in to the course is great ...the holes are some of the best in the world this is the best course I've ever played hands down (I did not pay well) and still had a great time

my score but that is on me so no real cons

hole 15 the best view just go to 15 and look out over the lake and the trees hands down the best view in disc golf

You utilize many shots between anhyzers, hyzers, forearm or sidearm and back hand.

Well marked out of bounds and I believe they are put in good locations to mix up game play

Good mix with wooded holes and open holes

Very challenging I must add and some holes should really be spotted for if you can drive over the hill on number 15

It is a definite course you need to play if needing to travel to it or you live within a reasonable distance

No cement teepads but what I have heard some might be installed soon in the future

Everytime I have been to the course there has been other people playing which is nice to play a round with people from different areas and of different skill levels

Wow! All i can really do here is confirm what has been said below. A course that was obviously well thought out! Every drive must be well planned.
Probably the only course i've ever seen with Specifics on O.B. . Several holes have outlined O.B. with yellow string around those areas.
Also one of the only courses I've noticed that has distance markers along the fairways.

Multiple pins offer multiple decisions . First time out i went with blues.

Scenery seems to constantly change as does the elevation. Low ceilings (#6) for example has a wide fairway but is clear on one side and heavily populated with trees on the other. Not to mention the ceiling semms to get lower the closer you get to the hole.

7 was also pretty cool. Tee of from 50ft up..down into fairway littered with trees into dogleg left. Real easy to catch cross wind there.

13 was pretty brutal . An isle of trees that seems to narrow in as goes further in, making a long drive almost a crap shoot

15...Hands down the, most beautiful hole, (and now probably my most favorite) on the course . The only hole you'll be able to get off an undisturbed long drive. From blue or gold over looking the mountain and the lake.

16....Just a note to the newcomers to the course. Unless your feeling lucky , just play it safe ...TRUST me! it get worse over the hill. Conservative players will just stick to a midrange, and try to plan this one out . Its Beyond hard. Its ruthless!

18 was kinda of different . once again O.B. is labeled, and if you land in the O.B. There is drop spot specifically marked to the far right behind the stream with a 2x4 and a sign to mark it.

All signs indicate multiple pin locations marked A,B,C. One can assume these change regularly so it probably wouldn't be a bad idea to walk these off just to make sure.

Also a putting basket across from the street from hole 1's gold tee. It Has instructions for putting game on top of basket .....Thought that was neat!

1,2,& 3 were pretty muddy. If it had concrete tees i would have given it 5

The best course i've played thus far. I drove 90 miles to check this place out. Beyond worth it. I could not see this course getting boring. Don't try to beast every drive....you'll be sorry

Plenty of other things in the park as well .
70miles worth of trails
Beach
Snack bar
boat rental
Camping......Definitely hope to spend a weekend here sometime

Unique and quite a challenge. This course will make you think and use your brain as much as your brawn. There is a lot of thinking to do out there. I'm sure this, along with it's 8264 ft length and par 66, makes for the legendary long rounds played here. There are 3 tees per hole and despite being natural the drainage here seems to ensure that the tees are always solid and level. Course plays in it's own section of park so outsider interference is non-existant. There is a uniqueness of what appears to be an almost African Savanah landscape with open fields interspersed often with low trees that are spaced apart from one another. This puts a premium on shot selection as there is often the choice to go low ceiling, weave around or attemmpt to fly over these trees. It may not be as beautiful as thick forrests or wide open vistas, but it makes for beautiful disc golf shots. I would love to go back and try different routes to landing areas etc.....seems the options are endless here. There are also quite a bit of appalachian forrest with elevation drops and gains to keep it interesting as well. There are well defined avenues and many to be discovered lanes to be had in these old growth forrest sections of course. Some of the holes combine the savanah with the hardwoods making for epic and exciting transitions in and out of different landscapes. I particularly enjoyed the following holes:
#2-441 ft drive through huge trees and uphill at the end with a ravine OOB to test your approach.
#4 385 ft Starts in open then climbs into a forrest with fair lanes to wooded basket
#6 Never played a hole like this and I hated/loved it. Basically a 934 straight shot on dead flat terrain but having 2 lanes one right and one left. Can you throw straight, can you roll straight, can you throw straight and low consistently 3 times in a row.
#7 Another unique throw I never encountered anywhere else. It plays downhill to the left after tee off but you can attempt to throw over the trees to basket below or go low ceiling and hug the terrain down to the basket. Choices!
#8 long 564 foot throw with several turns in fairway requires long shot placement and line shaping to score well.
#10 fun dogleg left that rises uphill at bend to a protected basket above at 465 ft.
#12 Amazing long transition hole that blends the best of the savanah with a dive into the hardwoods for the last 200 feet. Not many holes anywhere have such dramatic changes as this one.
#13 a solid 300 ft Eastern tight woods hole.
#15 The most famous hole on course and only chance to truly rip into open space. Downhill 852 dogleg right to lake below. Beware the wind and the elevation drop can mess with your mind.
#16 this hole is just hard hard hard. Precise drive uphill to very wooded fairway to a basket with a sloping fast green behind. 624 feet of frustrating fun.
#18 a wooded fairway that if your able to clear the fairway and the high banked creek your sitting pretty looking at the open basket with some steep green around her. Much trouble if you shank your initial drive or end up in the creek.
Plenty of friendly players who enjoyed showing off the course as well giving me anecdotes about the course. Like how Schultz eagled this hole etc. Always makes a round more fun to know some history!

Holes 1,3,5,9,11,14,and 17 though solid did not offer much in the way of memorable disc golf like the prior holes did. I found hole14 to be just long and brutally hard. Maybe I just could not find the lanes or ended up on the wrong side of the fairway?(part of reason I'd like to play it a few times to learn the nuances) Not a fan of the ground rule regarding the tiny drainage halfpipes as being OOB. Seems a bit punitive and random as these are throughout course and unpredictable to a newcomer. Seems they would play better as casual water. I am not against short holes but a few of them really offered nothing special. I like my short holes to have some kind of charisma.

This course is really an amazing course and despite my cons remarks I would rank it easily in my top 10. Western PA has some amazing disc golf options and should be on any disc golfers radar to be explored one day.

Fantastic variety; well kept; friendly locals; hole 15 is a top-ten hole; rewards placement (just because you CAN throw 350 doesn't mean you should); restrooms; mostly easy to follow as there are "next tee" arrows on the signs and in ground by basket (or just print a map); pets allowed

I played two rounds from the longest tees, and there was no concrete (although I wouldn't want walk around that course setting pads!); I don't recall seeing any trash cans; signs were detailed, although some distances just felt slightly off

All around a fantastic course; I played Moraine, Deer Lakes, and Knob Hill in 24 hours, and this was my favorite of the three; some blind holes, so bring a friend and spot each other; concrete and trash cans just might make this a 5-disc rated course, although to be fair a lot of the tee boxes were in good shape for natural tees; some rough is thick, but it was my fault for being there; cheap camping nearby; somewhat difficult to find the start as this park is pretty big; go to the South Shore and follow the signs; pack a full bag; first time there from back tees took us 2 full hours

Absolutely a great and beautiful course. Plenty of challenging holes, including several long holes that give you a good chance to really lob a disc out there more than your average 250 ft par 3 you'll find most other places. Try to time your game so you play hole 15 around sunset.

Natural tees can be a little sloppy depending on the weather.

I can't wait until they build the second 18!

Variety of holes from narrow tree lined shots to semi open fairways, makes you use every disc in your bag, beautiful park, challenging and rewarding to play. There is almost always someone else on the course to tag along with or watch. Make sure you have a good sidearm, backhand, and over head before heading out, it will make your round a lot better.

natural tee pads, some holes can get very soggy after a rain, lots of spiked foliage (keep it on the fairway and it shouldn't be a problem)

Some rubber tee pads are slowly being installed. Bring water, as this course can be brutal in the summer. There are tournaments every month so check the Pittsburgh flying disc society for info.

Amazing fairways, awesome greens, fun and challenging. One of my favorite courses. Great use of elevation.

Could use a little better markings, got lost crossing the street the second time(of course it could just be my fault). Pads

Played the course on my way to worlds in 08. Now I want to talk some people into going back for a tourney. Simply an amazing course in an amazing park.

: ) :

Championship Course! This is an excellent and well-designed course that will challenge you. There is an excellent mix of open and wooded holes, good use of elevation, and wide variety of distances. You may have to use every variety of shot and every disc in your bag. There are multiple sets of tees for varying levels of difficulty. The generous portion of land used is very nice and designated purely for disc golf.

Every hole was unique and there were several memorable holes. There were many holes that were unlike any I have played. There was one, #7, where the tee is above the trees and the basket is way down in the middle of them and one shot choice is to throw out over the treetops. Your 2nd shot on the signature #15 will truly be memorable with the lake in background. The whole course is filled with cool disc golf moments like this.

What is neat about this course is that not all the holes are par 3. You really have to think about each shot so you can set yourself up for the next one. I really liked the mental side of this aspect along with having to execute the shot you have envisioned. Some holes play a lot like ball golf, you are not getting to the basket off the tee and possibly not on your second shot either.

The natural tees are the only minor thing I can think of that could be improved on.

This is one of my favorite courses I have ever played. It is challenging, but not impossible. I enjoyed every shot of every hole. It takes a little longer to play than your average course, but it is totally worth it. This is one that is worth a longer drive to come and play.

• Located in a beautiful, secluded park. Course for the most part is away from other park activity areas, trails, etc.

• Easy to navigate for the most part. Three sets of tees for all skill levels. Clever and challenging holes without being "tough for tough's sake".

• Basic tee signs with maps, new tee signs and baskets, and most holes had arrows directing you to the next tee.

• Dirt tees, and they were exceptionally muddy when I played there. Major letdown. Had to play to the side for most of the holes.

• Some holes can be difficult to navigate to from the previous basket, and there is quite a bit of travel from baskets to the following tees.

• While I listed the seclusion of the park as a plus, for some the extra drive into the park may be a bit long off the freeway exit to the park.

Overall this was an excellent course to play, and worth the 1.5+ hour trip I made to play it. Each hole is unique, none feel arbitrary, and the overall course really challenges all your throws and will have you pulling out every disc you have in the bag. Lots of doglegs, S/Z curves, up hill and downhill holes.

Probably two holes compete for the course "signature hole" -- either hole 15 where you Z-curve down as you approach the spectacular lake in the background, or hole 18 where you are throwing down a slight downhill gauntlet of trees and elevation changes.

Quite a bit of elevation changes throughout the course, and you'll throw both uphill and downhill at times -- but nothing too ridiculous.

As I mentioned above the course is deep in an expansive park, and the seclusion on the course is a very nice factor. The course plays naturally through the woods, so you really feel as if you are out on a hike with a disc golf course as a bonus. Or vice versa Some holes however are very near or cross the park road system, breaking up the solitude.

Holes are primarily technical, with small tree obstacles. The longest-distances holes for the most part all include a downhill factor as well, so you get some added distance at no extra cost.

I did not have time to check out the other activities available at the park, but there seemed to be lots of other things to do like fishing, boat ramps, swimming, camping, etc. The park was huge and the disc golf course was just in one area on one side of the enormous inland lake.

The hole one entrance kiosk didn't have a course map, but did have free scorecards which seemed to be leftover from a tournament or event so not sure how long those will last.

Large parking lot right by the hole one tee, and the course loops back around to the entrance on hole 18.

Some of the holes were a bit confusing, as the course wraps around some holes run parallel and I had trouble finding baskets; however it was my first time out and I just threw blind based off the tee maps. Tee maps were the small basic type, but were new, clean and for the most part pointed you in the right direction. Play this once and you'll have it all down in your head.

In summary, if you are anywhere near this course it's a must-play course. Top-notch, and once/if they get permanent pads in place it will be even better. Kudos to the guys on this site that built this, you can tell it was created with care, and by disc golfers.

Oh, and the photos currently on DCGR as of this review really don't do the course justice. Most/all were taken from the Gold tees, where you really don't get to see what the hole looks like/plays like. Much more personality to the course than the photos imply, having now been there in person.

I am a new player over 50. This course was absolutely great. A very good walking course. Very challenging drives and approach shots. All the holes seem to have openings for the good shot and trees, steams, rocks etc. to make you pay for the bad. A definite must and I'LL BE BACK.

Truly unique, long and tough holes playing through diverse beautiful terrain. It makes a top Pro wonder if they can pull the shot off when they step onto the tee. Very punishing for bad shots sometimes, but often fair and doesn't reject the great shots or allow the bad ones through. A 900' downhill shot towards a lake. A 900' tunnel hole with woods on both sides, literally packed with pines in the middle most of the way, requiring several smooth tricky drives just to get to the upshot stage. Well marked.

It was semi-tough to find the correct park entrance and course. It needs cement tees so you can really get that perfect shot every time and not slip, yet it's probably the only course that can get a 5.0 rating even without them! (And I heard they are supposed to go in soon)

Three sets of tees make the course different every time if you want. Huge variation in shots and fairways which is really excellent. Great views and almost every hole seems like a signature hole.

Some of the risks in the course are far too great. If you don't hit the first small hole on a couple of holes, you're at an instant 5. They are defined, but it really isn't "fair". If you're off the fairway on half the holes, you're in a ton of trouble - not exactly fair. No tee pads make a rainy day a difficult experience.

Good course. Take out a few trees and it's still challenging, but still awesome.

The course is in fantastic shape. Very challenging, requiring all your shots. I threw many forehands, backhands, thumbers, and tomahawks while making my way through the course. Beautiful setting. Great use of elevation and obstructions.

I can't think of any right now.

I just played in the Ironwood Open at Moraine. I've now played multiple rounds there on three separate occasions and can definitely say that this course is top notch. A good round can go south quickly if you lose your focus or take too many reckless chances.

I find myself saying "What a beautiful place" just about every round I play at Moraine State Park.

--- A good mixture of holes to test every level of player.

--- 3 sets of tees

--- 3 sets of pins

--- A true Par 66 course

--- Every hole requires focus and execution

---Out of the way location from major areas keeps the crowds small, though it is starting to get pretty popular these days.

--- www.northcountrybrewing.com is 15 minutes down the road and makes some of the best beer in Pennsylvania. And about 60% of the employees play disc golf. Even the Brewer!!

--- I think it is the most beautiful place in the world to play disc golf. Great people, great course.

--- Need more benches (I'm working on it!)

--- Probably slightly hard to navigate without a map your first time there

Moraine State Park was built be myself along with the help of Leo Liller, Bryan Wright, Tim Wright, J Gary Dropcho and KB Clark. The course took about 2 years to complete, with the first year devoted to changing holes, making better holes, tweaking/modifying and checking our par to make sure that it was accurate. After about a year, we began the long process of clearing the course to get it in usable shape. Thousands of hours were spent cutting trees, moving debris, walking through huge patches of briars and braving what was some of the roughest land you could imagine. All the while, trying to throw discs at stakes in the ground while walking through this crap. It was amazing in every way, I'll never forget standing up on Hole 15 and throwing discs off of that hill knowing full well that you would probably never be able to find it in all the rough down below. The hole used to actually play from the other side of the flat top part to where hole 16's tee is. After a few weeks, J Gary and myself were standing on what is now 15 gold tee, and I said " I think the hole needs to go way down there". He responded by saying "no, even longer, all the way to the lake if we can". But there is a bike path there and we could not send the hole all the way to the lake as we would have liked. Nonetheless, 15 turned out to be a beautiful hole.

I have so many memories building and helping in the design of that course, it will always remain my favorite place to play. It is challenging (was designed from golds) round after round, and makes golfers really have to dig down deep to play a round of par. Every hole requires well executed shots to earn a par or birdie. If you fail to stay in the fairway for any hole, you will most likely end up with a bogey or worse. The fairways are fair, and the golf is great.

The article in the first issue of Flying Disc Magazine on Moraine has to be the biggest compliment ever to those of us who designed this course. It was many years in the making, I believe 7 or 8 since the first time we contacted the park till the time it was completed.

This was a challenge in every sense of the game. I triumphed, I crawled, I whined, I pumped my fist. All in all I walked out with a 68 which I was proud of. There are some beautiful views of the lake especially on one hole (can't remember which number) but I think it was around 14.

A few holes ere slightly overgrown but i chalk that up to us being there at the beginning of the summer. I am sure it is normally fine.

We played this course on the same trip that we played Idlewild in Kentucky. These courses are phenomenally challnging and worth every minute of the 3.5-4 hours it takes to play them.

Positional disc golf at it's finest. Parking a drive doesn't mean under the basket. You need to hit every shot to score on this course. And on a nice day, you can go to the concession stand between rounds and get a burger and a shake.

Sometimes the lines are long at the concession stand. The only reason it's not a 5 is because of the tee's. They are not bad, and are the best natural tee's that I've played, but they could be and will be better soon. then it's a 5.
The fly pads are in and now is my best of the best.

It has it all for everyone. The gold tee's are 1000 rated 66. and there are 950 and 900 tee's as well. The beach and lake and miles of bike trails makes this course my #1.

This is a challenging course where placement is key. This course will take a bag full of shots and require you to hit your lines. You will walk away from here remembering several holes. There are a variety of holes from wide open to wooded. Overall this is a great course.

I do not care for the hole that has an OB stream in the middle of the fairway(I can't remember the hole number since I have only played it once) taking away a good drive but that might just being to picky.

I have only played this course once so far so I still don't have a great feel for it. After playing it several more times I will update this review.