+ The whole course plays within its own quiet and hilly section of dense woods. It's disc golfers only.
+ The fairways are clear with OB areas unmistakably marked.
+ Three tee pads per link made of sturdy, flat, long and wide concrete.
+ All tees have metal signs depicting the fairway ahead, distance & elevation changes expressed in feet and meters, the three possible pin positions and a reliable system in place to tell players which basket position is in play.
+ The baskets are bright orange MachX models with color-coded 'next' clips in the cage where necessary, but...

- ...They felt a bit too rare. Most of the time it was obvious where to go, but sometimes it wasn't. More on this later.
- Maybe a few of the fairways were a little samey.

Lakeview DGC at Moraine State Park. What a treat. I finally understand now why there is a friendly rivalry between Moraine and Deer Lakes for the title of best course in the Pittsburgh area (if not all of western PA). The course has a fair few fun challenges and is pretty pleasant to look at.

For looks, it's hard to go wrong, but my favorite instances were links6 and 17. 6 is a pleasantly framed park-style fairway with such lush greenery. (Keep your eyes open for those distance markers implanted in the ground!) Link17 resembled a shadowy haunted cluster of trees. But no matter where you are here, the attention paid to this whole place has had a spectacular result. It almost felt like I was walking in a painting.

For playing, it's also hard to go wrong. It's disc golfers only at the course. No bicycle trails. No hiking paths. No oblivious dog-walkers. Trees are almost always presenting obstacles and puzzles for the player. My favorite link to play was 15 even though it's wide open because of that grand downhill fairway. Not to mention that view of the lake right in front of the player is pretty special. For honorable mentions, link12 has a fun slanted fairway with a gradually increasing tree cover, and link18 is a fun farewell finale fairway for its woods and waterways intertwining. If you are a power player, this course tries to accommodate you with longer wooded fairways, but trees will still smack down your throws.

I do have to vent some anger here about that walk between links10 and 11. There was absolutely no way that I could have found it without external help. Perhaps I wasn't looking in the right spot. That's certainly a possibility, but I saw no wayfinding signage during that walk. They were also absent sporadically throughout the course. It wasn't a deal breaker by any means. However, that might be something that Moraine could work on.

And, as always, a wooded course such as this one runs the risk of feeling samey among some of the fairways. Link6 is just a longer version of 5. Links9 and 8 strongly resemble each other, even though 8 is longer. But that's kind of it.

It'll be a long while before I'm out this way again, so I made sure to play from the blue tees just to leave no stone unturned. Moraine's stones were worth every turn. The fairways are great not just for their cleanliness but also because they vary with all kinds of distances, elevations and tree densities. The infrastructure is pretty good with great tees and informative signs at every single hole. It was also a smart move to use bright orange baskets in woods like these. A lot of time and effort have gone into this place. It all comes together to make of the very best courses Pennsylvania can offer.

I emphatically recommend you play here if you are ever planning a trip to the Pittsburgh area. So! After all of that, am I going to weigh in on the whole Moraine vs. Deer Lakes debate? Sure! But not in this review.

- picturesque and well maintained park along Lake Arthur
- good amenities including picnic tables, ample parking, bathrooms
- three practice baskets across entry road from parking
- great technical challenge with many wooded holes
- holes range from heavily wooded to semi-wooded; not many are wide open
- fantastic elevation change
- three tees per hole and three pin positions per hole
- high quality Mach X baskets
- current pin position marked on tee signs (thank you!)
- excellent full color tee signs with maps at every tee
- large concrete pads for virtually all tees
- hole numbers on baskets and next tee indicators on baskets; navigation is very well indicated
- hole variety and varied distances will challenge you to use every shot in your bag
- fairways are challenging but still realistic
- away from major roads out in the middle of nature
- hole 18 loops right back to the start/parking lot

- perhaps not a true con, but this is a very large park and you can end up very far from the course if you don't pay attention
- beginners may get discouraged by high difficulty level and lack of short holes
- some areas that are very muddy
- no trash cans on course; carry in/carry out

Where to begin... I've had my eye on this course and Deer Lakes as Pennsylvania "must plays" for awhile now. The timing worked out well for Moraine State Park to be my 150th course played, and it did not disappoint. I rarely, rarely give out perfect 5s, but this course is pretty close. The 4.6-4.7 average rating is earned, and I think the best way to explain that is: no detail is overlooked here. You get multiple tees, multiple baskets, different lines from those multiple tees, huge distance, some (though not many) shorter holes, high levels of technical challenge, a mix of hole types, highest level elevation change, and more.

There are not many courses gutsy enough to put 600-700' holes in the middle of the woods. Moraine does it. Navigation aids are a huge plus here - this is one of the things that often knocks a near perfect course to a 4.5 for me, and Moraine did this exceptionally well. I was warned by locals of ticks; this is the nature of wooded disc golfing in my opinion.

There are some thorns to look out for on this course, but overall the rough wasn't too terrible. Hole 15 for me was probably the signature hole, a long bomb shot on level ground followed by a downhill blind path towards the basket and the lake with great views. Holes 13 and 14 also stood out as absolutely brutal fairways to try to play through with tons of tree hazards. Sometimes I think this is a bit much, but Moraine is made to be a world-class challenge, and I don't fault it for doing just that. Birdie opportunities will be few and far between on this course.

Come expecting a hike. There are muddy areas that I suspect in the shaded parts of the wood often stay wet, and the elevation change will wear you out. This course is as fun as it is challenging, however, and I love that you're away from the highways enough to really hear the nature here. I didn't see any really standout animal encounters, but you can hear them around you in the woods; it's a very peaceful setting. Don't make the mistake I made and solely rely on your GPS - follow the instructions on DGCR. This is a HUGE park and I ended up on the wrong side of the lake, requiring about 15 minutes of driving to backtrack, cross the lake, and get to the correct side of the park. Woops!

This park is generally in very nice shape. Some grass is a tad long, but given the amount of land to maintain, it was pretty minor. My cons are mostly nits - it's hard to complain about this course unless you've just got a case of sour grapes. It is hard, yes, and muddy in a few places, but I can't say much more than that. This is truly a world class course you'd be crazy not to play if you're in the Pittsburgh area. In my case, I drove from Chicago with this being one of my 2 major areas to play. Between this and Deer Lakes, plus Knob Hill and others which I did not get to, you could spend days just in the Pittsburgh metro playing fantastic disc golf.

I only got to 3 courses in Pennsylvania but I think this was my favorite. You can see the care that went in to the course, and the elevation change is one of the things that really sets it apart. I highly recommend checking it out.

Where to begin. I've had my eye on this course for a long time and finally got the chance to play it. It does not disappoint. I timed it up so it'd be my 500th course played, and first in Pennsylvania as well. I couldn't be happier with this decision. Beautiful park and the course is set in a disc golf exclusive section of the park. It wasn't too busy on a beautiful fall afternoon. Not sure if this the norm, I'd doubt it. But a very peaceful, enjoyable round.

The baskets are nice, new orange Mach X's. These stand out great under the mature tree canopy. Catch great too. These are some of the best baskets I've played on. I'm pretty sure every hole had 3 different pin placements. If not all, then nearly all of them. Offers good variety, especially for local players.

Tee pads are solid. At least the golds and blues. Both of these are nice and grippy concrete. All are level too. Can't really ask for much more from these. The white tees are rubber mats. I didn't play from these, and generally they're not my favorite, but it's better than natural/dirt pads. Three tee pads on every hole.

The course features undulating terrain pretty much all in the woods. A few start in the open before winding through a corridor of trees back into the trees. Besides the iconic hole 15. Overlooking the lake and playing downhill the whole way, 800 plus feet. It's so well known for a reason. Lots of elevation throughout. A few holes are pretty flat, or at least flattish. But not many. It seems like you always throwing up or downhill. Across a side slope, etc. Great variety in the hole design

All shots will be needed to suceed here. I have a garbage forehand and it cost me strokes numerous times, not being able to stretch out from behind a terrible lie and flick it into the fairway. Staying in the fairway is paramount here. A kick in either direction is almost certainly costing most players at least a stroke. There are 2 par 5's, 8 par 4's and 8 par 3's so there's a good mix of everything here.

The tee signs are very well done. Not the best I've ever seen but they have all the essential info on them. Hole #, par, all 3 pin positions, distances to all three pin locations in feet and meters. The locations of the other 2 tee pads on each hole and any applicable OB that may be present. The background is color coordinated for the tee it's for too.

The design of this course is top notch. One of the best I've played. At no point does it let up. You get to a par 3 after a couple tough par 4's and think it'll let up for a second. Nope. All the holes are challenging for the most part and the pars are set accordingly to reflect that.

A couple of the holes play near each other in a couple spots. If you use a map you should be alright. But it could be easy to walk the wrong way in a few spots if you're not careful or don't spot the next tee sign. Worth noting.

My main con is not having a way to show what pin is in play on a lot/most of the tee signs. With 3 pin positions per hole, and so many uphill, blind shots off the tee. It's mildly annoying not knowing where you're trying to throw. A few signs had them. A little metal piece with 3 holes in it, designated A, B or C. Then a bolt through the corresponding slot. But it wasn't on most. At least not the gold signs.

A couple of the holes felt a little poke and hope. Not many, but a few of them. A couple feet off the intended landing areas and you got a wall of trees in your way. I mean, if I had even a serviceable flick, maybe it wouldn't have been as noticable. But I'll throw one from time to time, and in a few places there was nothing but a pitch out.

This is probably one of my top 5 favorite courses played. Not probably, definitely. I'd recommend this course to anyone. It has tees that can suit pretty much every level of player, besides brand new players or children. But this is a championship caliber course, not a pitch and putt. So that should go without saying. I considered giving this one my first 5 disc rating. Really, really, really thought about it. I settled on a 4.5. It really is a phenomenal course. Closer to a 4.75 plus imo. Destination course. Go out of your way to play this one. You won't be disappointed. Like I said earlier, this is the first course I've played in this area, but there's supposed to be some other good to great ones nearby. I'll find out the next couple days. But if they're even half as good as this one it's still destination worthy.

This review is based on a white-level player playing from the blue tees:

Concrete tee pads are spacious and grip well, baskets are all in good condition. Tee signs with pin location indicators on most holes (see cons). 3 pin placements on each hole.

Navigation is intuitive and there are plenty of signs to help out. I would still recommend having a map, but I say that about almost any course.

Moraine is well-kept but not manicured, and I think this adds to its character. Fairways are well-defined and rough is definitely rough. Thorns abound in the rough and there is poison ivy here and there throughout. The prairie grass can really hide some discs; we encountered it on hole #4 in particular. In short, this is not your mama's course and I like it that way!

There are some really cool hole designs here. I'm not a guy who falls in love that easily but I have to admit there are eight holes here that definitely make my list of favorites. (2,4,8,9,10,12,16,18) I didn't even mention the view from the top of the hill on 15. It is quite grand.

Natural beauty on this course is off the charts. Mature trees, rolling hills, grassy fairways, prairie grass rough, and Lake Arthur are all beautiful and the course is secluded enough that I felt like I was in my own little world.

Finally, hole variety is amazing. If you have a shot, this course will force you to throw it. Backhands, forehands, rollers, etc. It may even demand a shot you don't have. Great variety of hole distances as well as fairway shapes. I could go into detail but check out the hole info and pictures for the course instead.

Many of the tee signs either had no basket indicators or they were missing. With three tee pads and three basket locations per hole, I can see how this would be difficult to keep up with, but I think more than half were missing. This could lead to either some blind tee shots or a lot of extra walking. Some maps on the signs were misleading. For instance, #4 looked like it went to the right when it actually curved quite a bit to the left (to the B placement).

No garbage cans or restrooms on the course. There is a restroom and a garbage can near holes 1 and 18 but nothing in between. This is consistent with the character of the course mentioned in the pros section. You are out in nature and it is up to you to plan accordingly.

I'm not a big fan of hole 11. There isn't much of a line to the basket and it seems like the kind of hole that is an easy 3 but near impossible 2 for the intermediate player.

Risk of disc loss is moderate, and pretty high considering no water is in play. The aforementioned rough and prairie grass can swallow them up. My group of 6 lost 1 disc in 36 holes, so not too bad.

I am an intermediate level player at best. But when I go out it is to play disc golf, not to sit on benches or return to my car every few holes. Amenities are nice but completely unnecessary to me. I rate courses primarily on 3 factors; design, fun factor, and replay-ability.

Moraine is now in my top 3 courses, behind only Harmony Bends and Rollin' Ridge, and I'm considering moving it up to #2. I put it ahead of the Selah courses, Idlewild, Flip City, Bucksnort, etc. The golf is fantastic!! You are presented with risk/reward decisions at every turn and hole design is tremendously well done. I actually put off reviewing the course for a few weeks because I knew my 4.5 would drop its rating. I enjoyed this course that much.

Fun fact: Consumption of alcoholic beverages is strictly prohibited in Pennsylvania state parks. We had a tense few holes after one of the workers weed-eating brought that to our attention, especially when it seemed like the two folks with weed-eaters were following us for a few holes. Do yourself a favor and leave it in the car unless you are willing to risk a citation.

This course beat me up a little, but I couldn't wait to come back for more the next day rather than playing a different course. I regret that I won't be able to play it again for some time, as it is a long drive from home. If you are on the fence come to your senses and go play this course!

I travel a lot and wrap my travels with a lot of disc golf , and had my eye on playing Moraine State Park for a long time . I had the course to myself ( started at 6:40 on a Saturday morning so I could take it all in ) the whole time . I pulled up to the parking area ( plenty of parking ) , noticing a nice kiosk , 2 practice baskets , place to drink or fill water bottles .The course sits off to itself , meaning that you should almost never see a non disc golfer on the course There are 3 tee pads per hole . The gold and blue tee pads have larger than normal cement tee pads that are grippy .Some crushed gravel is behind many of the tee pads .along with brooms , which are a nice touch . longer holes . The shorter ( white ) tee pad is a basic rubber . They can be slick when wet . Be careful .There are some benches behind the longer holes . The signage is great , showing the pads and the 3 possible pin positions per hole . The baskets are the newer Mach X that catch fantastic and are easy to see , which is a big plus since you are in the woods most of the time . 3 pin positions that supposedly change constantly , giving you a slightly different look each time The golds rate out at 1000 and blues 950 and it shows .This was the site of the 2015 Worlds . There are 2 par 5s 8 4s and 8 3s , I mixed some golds in with mostly blues , so I will evaluate from this . The course itself boasts elevation( 2,4,7,10 and especially 15 ) , tight but fair fairways , and a chance for some creativity . My advice would be to NOT gamble on throwing your air-it-out driver on these holes in order to make up for the distance . Accuracy is rewarded , and you will be punished a time ( or 5) for taking chances . There are a couple of streams the come into play that you might not see when throwing from the tee . There are also several out of bound areas that are roped off for added aggravation, but in a good way . There are only a couple of par 3's under 300 ft , most in the low to mid 300s . You will face a new challenge with every hole you play , but you will have a fun time doing it . My signature hole should come as no surprise : hole # 15 . a top of the world 847 ' downhill shot with a couple of trees in the fairway to keep your drive honest , to the basket with is on a long level area . A great picturesque view of the lake behind it .

You shouldn't need a map for this course , but print one anyway . I made a mistake going from 10 basket to 11 tee . This should be the only time you have to cross a tee pad to go to a tee pad . I teed off on 4 , thinking it was 11 .11 is visible as you walk down the path on your right , so remember to walk straight past the 4 tee pad another 120' or so .Only time I was confused . No trash bins on the course , so remember to carry out what you carry in .

The course design was superb , The flow was good , even though some walks were long ( a good thing . no one will hit you with an errant shot ) . Lots of care goes into this course , and it shows . I doubt that there is a better course in Pennsylvania than this . A destination course for sure and is going into my favorite course list as soon as I submit my review . My suggestion : The multiple tee pads and changing pin positions are going to be attractive to everyone . Drive Here And PLAY IT !

What a fantastic course! Well worth the drive down from Canada! I've been waiting to play this course for quite a while, and it lived up to expectations. So many great qualities to find all at one course. Elevation changes, both throwing uphill (2 & 4) and downhill (18th). Very tight fairways. Bomber hole that narrows to the basket( 15th).Dog-leg left (11th) and dog-leg right (10th). Incredibly tree obstructed fairways( 6th). And many having combinations of two or more of these features.
Three different teepads for each hole, as well as three different basket positions!
Good signage at each of the tee positions, and the course seemed to flow nicely from one hole to the next, So even though in a few spots there were signs indicating the direction of the next tee, I would have been fine without them. A good shot was rewarded, and a bad shot was pretty well eaten up by the rough. Happy I got out of Dodge with all the discs I showed up with! A good mix of holes in the woods and open-air shots. Bring your roller disc too. There are a couple of holes that it was a necessity.

No issues with the course itself at all ! The only thing that would be helpful would be some sort of indication at the teepads of which of the three basket positions is in use. There were a couple of occasions that I had to walk out to see the basket because the difference in location would definitely matter to the shot. Maybe a clothespin on the teepad sign could be used.

Amazing place for a round. If you can get around without a cart, give it a try. The ground was very "rooty" and there were spots I wished I had just carried my bag (I"ll know for next time). Plenty of parking, a couple of practice baskets to warm up, and lots of other facilities if you're spending the day. My favorite place to play is Cliff Stephens in the Tampa area, but with this totally different style of course, I think I now have co-favorites!

- Well manicured and litter free
- Very nice, descriptive tee signs
- Excellent concrete pads for multiple tees
- Mix of hyzer/anhyzer lines
- Variety of hole length, shorter holes give relief from more challenging holes
- Mix of wooded, semi-wooded and wide open bomber holes
- Comes back somewhat close to parking lot after 9 holes
- Course is isolated from other activities in the Park
- Wonderful use of elevation
- Several great holes (2, 4, 6, 12, 13, 15, 16, 18).

- Some noise from local highway is noticeable throughout the course
- A few holes that felt like filler (3, 5, 11)
- Not as many memorable basket placements as other courses, missed opportunity here

- Played on Friday morning, Saturday afternoon and Sunday early morning...never had more than about 5 or 6 other groups on the course...I was pleasantly surprised....
- Tremendous course and worth traveling to (I did a Pittsburgh disc golf weekend from Buffalo, NY)...played this course 4 times in 3 days and never lost interest)...
- 15 and 16 are just tremendous back-to-back holes...despite the length of #15, I made 5 each time, but never got better than 6 on the somewhat shorter but grueling uphill through trees #16...
- I would like to give this course 4.75 stars; better than a 4.5 course but slightly preferred Deer Lakes over the weekend, so I can't give this one a 5...

Moraine State Park is the perfect place for a disc golf course. Mature trees, Rolling hills, scenic views. When matched with a world class design and spectacular amenities, Moraine State Park takes disc golf up a notch.

To start, there is a complete variety of challenges. Holes that require shot shaping to the right, shot shaping to the left, throwing uphill, throwing downhill. There is so many different shots to throw, you will never throw the same shot twice when you play this course.

Each hole has three tees, two concrete and a shorter rubber tee. The Golds are insanely difficult, and challenge the best pros across the World. However, for mortals who want the best experience, the Blue Tees encompass what this course is, and takes a score of only par to play 900 rated golf.

As of recent, the course replaced the Discraft Chainstars that were put in place for 2015 Worlds, and put in bright Orange Mach X baskets, which are, in my opinion, one of the top baskets. The course has three pin positions per hole, and the baskets are changed frequently, so locals never get the same course twice.

Hole 15 is the signature hole of Moraine State Park, the signature hole of Pittsburgh, and quite possibly the most signature hole in disc golf, well recognized from the PDGA commercial, with Paul throwing over the trees with the gorgeous lake in the background. A beautiful downhill drive, forcing either a layup giving a difficult approach, or a long drive to play for an easier upshot.

This course is easily a course that should make your must play list. There is such variation, beauty, and uniqueness to make this a destination.

The short tees could be concrete, as they get slippery, and are harder to play on for wet tournaments.

This is a wooded course, so you will not have a super wide open hole other than hole 15, and most holes require controlled distance, not grip it and rip it distance.

There are a few par 3's that don't meet the standards of the rest of the course, but are still great holes. Just not absolutely fantastic.

Moraine State Park is one of the best courses in my repertoire, and I am lucky to have it as the course I play the second most. I have ran a tournament here, helped install the new baskets, and put in countless hours of work. However, when put up against the other great courses I have played, not much can compare.

Play this course!

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-Excellent tee pads
-Excellent signs
-Great baskets
-Good variety of holes (wooded, open, and a few water holes)
-Highly challenging
-Longest hole I've ever played
-Clean and beautiful
-No snakes observed
-Dog friendly, big parking lot, and bathrooms on site

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-trash cans are almost non existent
-no score cards on the premise (they were out)

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-A great and beautiful course I had the pleasure of playing.
-It provided many challenging shots
-Some really nice signature holes, hole 14 reminds me of hole 1 of the beast in ludington MI
-Some of the best wooded holes I have ever seen, they were awesome, long, and creative.
-Great layout, the course provided clear paths, errant throws were very punished!
-Pretty good fun factor, not as high on my list as Deer Park but it was still fun nonetheless
-I enjoyed my trip to Moraine, I did not come away overwhelmed.
-I would put this course in my top ten courses I have played
-This course has some really memorable holes in it, I did find myself saying wow a couple of times.
-A destination course, worth playing if in the area and traveling too.

Moraine is a very fun, scenic course located in Pennsylvania. The course was so unique, and was really fun to play. The course was in phenomenal shape! I paired up with a couple locals. They were extremely helpful and kind.

The only con that keeps me from rating Moraine a 5 is the tees. They were not grippy at all, and I had a very tough time keeping my feet from sliding. A few holes I just tees off from next to the pad.

If I could give a rating between a 4.5 and a 5 I would. This course is so close to perfect, and is truly an amazing course. If you are looking for a great disc golf expirience, look no further than Moraine.

It's been over a year since the last review on Morraine State Park, and I'm here to say it's still outstanding. Very challenging, layout with extreme elevation changes at times, some very dense woods that are mainly on the back 9, long distance on several, and after rain, a little water too. Each hole has multiple staggered rubber tees, and signs to help you out. The Mach 3 baskets are still in great condition. From the first hole to the last, interesting technical throws, not repetitive on any stretch. A little more open in some spots, usually at least some elevation change, and requires consistent accuracy. This course is truly outstanding, as so many people have indicated before me. I won't get too into details, but 15 is sick. The fewest trees of any hole, giving a fantastic view of the lake, over 850' from the long tee and way down hill. Two boomers and one putt if you do it right, I had to take an short approach from the rough near the basket, and made a four. 18 is a mother of a final hole, with a lot of trees, that knocked my disc straight into the muddy water in front of the basket. The whole park was very scenic and free of litter.

There was recent rain leaving behind mud, quite a bit on the last hole. No camping in the park. Leash law in effect.

A terrific place for disc golfing, and utilizing th land perfectly. There is very little weakness in this course. Unforgiving, but presents such a great challenge. A must play if you can make it, worth traveling to. I played one round, and went for 76 (+10). Would have loved to try and improve on that, repeatedly. Just not enough time to play it more than once.

Quite simply this course is VERY close to being a 5.0 in my book. I have played this course three times and every time the rating increases in my mind. I would actually rate this course somewhere between a 4.5 and 4.75. I have given 4.5 ratings to courses such as Idlewild, Deer Lakes, Warwick and others. I would actually rate this course ahead of Deer Lakes and Tyler State Park and just behind Idlewild and Warwick. This course is perhaps the second best course in PA and that's saying a lot considering the wonderful abundance of courses located in PA. Here are my pros:

1) Three sets of tees offer three very different courses, ranging from 5800 feet to the championship level tees at 8200 feet. I have not played the shorter tees but took a good look at them the last time I played. It appears that all three sets of tees offer vastly different playing experiences, which is what you want with multiple tees.

2) This course, maybe better than any course I have ever played, offers multiple options to the basket. This course is not an open course by any means but the course was designed in such a way that doesn't constrict you to throwing a specific shot. A lot of the holes have multiple obstacles in the fairway that doesn't provide for "one" defined fairway but multiple fairways. Some may think this allows for luck shots but it really doesn't. The perfect example of his is hole 6 from the back tees. There are multiple, distinct options on this hole that offer very different challenges. Hole 9 may even be a better example. Even though its a short hole there is no "true" fairway in that you have to throw an exact line to get to the basket. The hole allows you to throw a higher shot, a lower RH flick shot, a turnover or even a roller. This is disc golf design at its finest.

3) Does it get any better than holes 6 and 15? In particular, hole 15 is not only a signature hole on the course but one of the most scenic disc golf holes I have ever played. I am not sure it gets any better than throwing down that huge hill with the lake in the background. Its a monster par 4 that is such a memorable hole. Hole 6 is also a true signature hole. Its 934 feet of greatness from the back tee with multiple options to the basket. It can make or break a round. Great courses have great holes but to be a 4.5 or better course you need to have holes that stand out as being some of the best in the country. Moraine State Park has at least two holes that say "this is one of the best courses in the country."

4) This course has phenomenal variation. The aforementioned hole 15 is a fairly open HUGE bomber hole that allows you to air out a disc. Hole 16 is a shorter hole than 15 but is potentially the hardest hole on the course. Its a SUPER challenging, uphill par 5 through the woods. So you go from being downhill and open to uphill and tight. This course is not all about distance, either. There are 8 par 3's that give you some chances at deuces. So even though this course is very challenging there are some chances for deuces. The course really has some nice variety between wooded and open holes.

5) The tee signs are marvelous. They point out the potential lines, distances, etc. This is a huge plus for me as they are extremely detailed.

6) One of the great things about PA is that the state allows disc golf in state parks. This allows for some significant beauty. The park is manicured VERY well and has some gorgeous scenery. Its tough not to enjoy yourself in this park as the holes are really beautiful.

7) I try to mention the non disc golf things the park offers and this one has some good ones. I am a huge fan of beaches and after playing a round in the 90 degree weather who wouldn't love a beach? Its literally a 700 foot walk to the beach so that's a huge plus for me.

Favorite Hole Not Mentioned Above: One of my favorite holes on the course is hole 7. Your tee shot actually overlooks some tree-tops and its actually a shorter hole. You can thread a shot under the tree tops and get a little lucky with a skip and have a jump putt or you can hyzer bomb it HIGH over the trees and hope to be in the circle. This course is what makes Moraine a great course: it gives you options!

Its tough to find much here in terms of cons. Honestly this course is an immaculate course and my cons are nitpicky. I can't quite give the course a 5.0 rating because in my opinion its a slight step below other courses I have rated a 5.0 (Flyboy, Highbridge, Nockamixon) but don't let that take anything away from the course. Here are my cons:

1) This isn't a huge deal but the teepads are rubber. This isn't a huge con for me because every time I have played this course it has been VERY dry but its worth mentioning.

2) From what I could tell and read there are no tee signs for the white tees.

3) Some of the rough was very punishing. Obviously I would tell you to stay out of the rough but hole 15 in particular has some of the roughest rough on the course. I did lose a nice disc to the right of hole 15's basket and looked 15 minutes and found a disc the next time I played. I think during a tournament this hole will probably have a spotter so its not a huge deal during a tournament but during a casual round I would advise playing with someone and talking turns spotting on this hole and a few others. Because its a downhill second shot there are some significant opportunities for the disc to glide.

Between Deer Lakes and Moraine State Park the disc golf in the Greater Pittsburgh Area is extremely solid on the top end. Moraine State Park is a true gem and honestly I would travel 2 hours out of my way to play this course. It can certainly get hot playing in the summer so bring lots of water.

This course is a beautiful 18 hole course, located in an equally beautiful and very quiet state park. This is a pretty low traffic course, especially compared to others in the area (looking at you Knob Hill). There are three tee pads and three pin placements for each hole (One basket, 3 possible placements). The holes are well marked, with the trickiest being the transition between 10 and 11 (if you aren't paying attention you'll start playing #4 again)

The course is very well kept and you can tell the course maintainers are very active. Towards the end of this past summer (2013), they trimmed back a huge amount of thick brush on a few holes, most notably hole 15. This drastically improved the enjoyment of this hole, since its one of the few holes where you can really let one fly. It also allowed the B and C placements for hole 15 to be used. I believe that all 18 holes now have three available placements making it a unique experience every time the basket location is changed.
Every single hole on this course is a quality hole. There are only 8 holes that could potentially be aced from the white or blue tee pads (1,3,5,7,9,11,13,17) although when the holes are configured in the more difficult placement, this number would be 4-5. There are no throwaway holes here. None of them seem cheap or repeated, and there are no gimmicky mandos. This course was designed from the gold tees and it shows. The longer tees never feel tacked on, and offer a good variety to the course after working your way up from the whites.

Favorite Holes:
6 - A long fairway split in two by a stand of pine trees. It will require you to throw tight lines while covering a long distance. For beginners and experienced players this hole will test your course management skills. If you birdie this hole, it will be something you can be proud of.
7 - You overlook the treetops and a small clearing with the basket sitting below. You have two options, throw a hyzer bomb over the tree tops and drop it near the basket, or thread a shot under the branches for a long putt or a short upshot.
15 - The signature hole. A long right then left S-Curve with a drop in elevation of about 50ft halfway through. Spectacular view of Lake Arthur from the tee pads, and one of the few opportunities to really grip it and rip it.
18 - The final hole is also one of the most technical and interesting holes. There are two OB creek beds that break up the fairway. From the tee you have the option to lay up before the first creek, or try to clear the gap. Once across, two of the placements require a skilled and careful upshot to avoid the second OB gully located behind or in front of the basket (depending on pin placement).

Your course management skills will be tested here. You will be forced to select the right disc and type of shot for each hole and situation, while still allowing different approaches for different plays styles. Bad shots are punished, but not unfairly. The layout of the holes is top-notch, I can't wait to watch the pros tackle this course at the worlds in 2015.

It would be really nice if there was an indication on the tee sign of which placement the basket was at. In the summer its pretty difficult to see where the basket is on the longer holes, and can affect what shots you take before getting close enough to see the basket.

No trash cans, I'm guessing this more of a DCNR restriction. I think they could probably set one by the road near hole 4 so that people could use it between holes 10 and 11 also. It would be easier for Park Maintenance or waste management to collect if it was placed right beside the road. Also maybe they could put one near the exit, after 18 in the parking lot.

White tees don't have tee signs.

It would be nice to have more tee pad brooms, just for the tees that have heavy tree cover (2,7,13,14,18)

This one is ticky-tacky. A few of the paths between holes could be made more clear. Between holes 12 and 13 there should be one distinct path to walk down the hill, I think there should be one clear trail down to the next hole instead of a few "deer trails". Also between 16 and 17, there is a nice gradual trail beside the washout that leads to 17, the trail could use a little placard or something right beside it to let people know that's where the path is.

You should be able to identify poison ivy before playing this course. It's very common to find it amongst the weeds just off the fairway.
There are bathrooms at the far end of the parking lot near the beach. Useful after a round to wash off your legs and remove the oils from the poison ivy, or you know, go to the bathroom.

After playing this course 20+ times, I'm still coming up with different shots or lines to try to improve my score. I think that really is a testament to how well thought out this course is.

- Great Layout - The course makes good use of elevation changes, features a number of right-to-left and left-to-right (and straight, too) holes, and generally routes you around pretty nicely. You face open shots, tunnel shots, technical shots, and more. You will use every shot in your bag, from flicks to sky hyzers to rollers and more. Truly, I could go on at length about the shot values here, but you'll have to play it to believe it anyway.

- True Par Fours - I'm one of those who believe that for disc golf to become "better" not every hole is a par three, and if you play at Moraine, you would agree. There are several true par fours on the course that require two good shots just to get within a range where you'd consider running a putt or laying up beneath the basket. There are plenty of true par threes, and few of the gimme birdie holes that plague courses with artificially high pars. The par is rated 66 from every set of tees, and there aren't many holes with which you can argue the stated par - particularly when the 559/692/852 foot 15th is (correctly) rated as a par four. Anyway, like I said, a bunch of true par fours. Disregard the PDGA app telling you they're all par threes.

- Good Signage - Except for the lack of signs on other tees (see a nit-picky Con below), the signs are nicely marked with trees, hole locations, measurements to the center of the "green" area (for all three baskets), and so on. They're small and unobtrusive, yet placed right where you'd expect to find them. They point to the next tee accurately as well.

- No Throwaway Holes - That's not to say there are no easy holes - the third hole can play relatively easy depending on the basket location, for example - but there are no throwaway holes at Moraine. Every hole - every single hole - presents a challenge that must be overcome. The use of OB on three, a few trees on 17, the sheer magnitude and views and downhill and wind on 15, the awesome downhill spike hyzer approach on 7, they're all good holes with good balance. There are holes with tighter fairways, but the green sits in a little clearing and on relatively flat ground. The tougher greens usually have the slightly easier fairways. You won't dread playing any hole here - not because of poor design, anyway! You may dread it because you don't have the shot for that hole, however!

- Great Baskets, Well Naintained Teepads - As you would expect at a top-tier course that will play host to Worlds in 2015, the tee pads are in great shape, as are the baskets. There are brooms on several teepads should you need them. They're not concrete - they're the flypad style - but they are in great shape and play well even when wet. The baskets have a bright strip of orange tape that makes spotting them relatively easy, and catch well without being overly generous.

- Limited Disc Loss Opportunities - Aside from 15, where you get a LOT of airtime and your disc can go over the hill, you shouldn't lose a disc at Moraine unless you're REALLY bad at either throwing (300' and 45° offline?) or you routinely play with camouflage discs and leave your contacts or glasses in your car.

- Parking Aplenty, Nearby Beach and Bike Rental - Just what it says. Lots of parking, because the parking lot for the disc golf course doubles as the parking lot for the beach area, so it's HUGE. The beach is right there, and there are several other places nearby to rent bikes, bike trails, kayak, etc.

- Grove City Outlets 20 minutes away - If your wife or girlfriend (or boyfriend/husband?) doesn't play, Grove City's outlet mall is a great way to kill two, four, or more hours, and it's close by.

I have to be really nit-picky here to come up with any cons. There are only three, and they're really not that important:

- Other tees could use signs. On most holes the tee signs are only located on the blue tees. While this encourages more players to play blues rather than golds, when you choose to play white you have to walk back each time, and then there's no indication (that I'm aware of) as to whether the pin is located in A, B, or C.

- No garbage cans/restrooms on course. It's a carry-in, carry-out park, which I can respect. Some garbage cans near 4 and 11 tees wouldn't be too difficult to empty, though, as they're right by the road. Restrooms can be found 300 yards from the 18th basket and first tee down by the beach.

- Really stretching now, but the parking log closes during the winter and you have to park outside and walk 1/20th of a mile down the road to start on holes 4, 5, or 11. Like I said, really stretching here! If there were more cons it wouldn't be a 4.75 course!

Even though I live in Erie, PA where we have ZERO in terms of disc golf, I feel blessed to have Moraine within 90 minutes of me. I can't say enough good things about the course.

Undoubtedly I gave short shrift to the actual design and play in the Pros section above. Frankly, I did so because I could talk about how great each hole is, but I figured nobody would want to read all of that! Suffice to say I really enjoy each and every hole out there, even if I don't have the best scores on some of them most of the time. The course is a blast to play, with true multi-shot holes, challenging and varied shot requirements, and good scenery.

It's the best disc golf course I've ever played, and I don't know that my opinion will change on that very soon, and even when/if it does, Moraine will be in the top five for a long, long, long time to come.

Beautiful pro-level 18 hole course set in the woods and other unused areas of a large state park.
- Gorgeous setting right from the start - distant view of the lake from the parking lot, practice basket nearby, nice framed entrance into the woods for hole #1, lush grass, etc.
- Kiosk right near first tee has a really good course map (also available online), flyers, scorecards, tourney results, etc.
- Restrooms available at far end of the parking lot; beach, grills and picnic tables nearby for non-golfers, along with (I'm sure) the countless other park activities
- I could hear the lawnmowers in other parts of the park, so I'm sure the grassy areas are well maintained
- 3 level, flypad tees on each hole - gold, blue and white - each giving different lines/looks on most holes (hole #6 is a good example - long tight alleys, but you pretty much are lined with with the right alley from blue and left alley from gold and white)
- 3 basket positions on each hole - sometimes significant variation (at least how it looks on the tee sign) to create variety when playing frequently
- Mach 3 baskets in great shape
- Tee signs at each gold and blue tee (not 100% sure, but I don't think white tees had them?) with an "ok" hole map/flight path, distance for that tee, par and next tee arrow
- Almost all (if not all) holes had a "next tee" sign/arrow/post right near the basket locations
- Sign directing you back to the parking lot after hole #9 (didn't take it, but looks like a short walk from the course map)
- Hole #18 brings you right back to the start/parking lot
- Not much "obvious" OB (pond, road, etc.), but there are a few select "natural" areas that create a challenge - a little stream/drainage runs through maybe 4 or 5 of the fairways and definitely in play on holes #2 and #18 closely in front of the pins; there is a little protected depression around the baskets on #3, which creates an added feature to an otherwise short hole; high grass designated as OB on the sides of #15 keeps you from bombing a drive with no concern for where it lands
- The feel of these holes was spectacular - I love "grove" type holes with a smattering of trees that provide obstacles and force shot lines, but don't put you in jail - it seemed like 99% of the course had this natural feel (not created by removing or adding trees) and it was wonderful - I'd love to sit for an hour and unload my bag off the hill on #7, a nice downhill hyzer over the tops of beautiful trees
- To keep it interesting, holes #2 and 13 are more heavily wooded the whole way; hole #15 is the big turnover, downhill bomb
- Not a high chance for lost discs as the course is not covered by layers of leaves or lined with thick brush
- A lot of shot variety on this course - uphill on #2, 4, 10, 16; downhill on #7, 15, 18; right on #4, 15, 17; left on #7, 10, 16; straight tunnel on #6, 13, 18
- This course has many holes that would stand out as the "best hole" on lesser courses - #6 is a long tight, flat tunnel drive followed by a long approach with trees more scattered, but fair enough to give you lines; #7 (mentoined above) is a downhill right to left 275 foot (from the blues) hole that lets you soar your disc over the tops of the trees to hopefully park next to beasket settled amongst them; #8 requires a precise drive right to left to a bottleneck followed by your approach that goes left to right and needs to avoid the grove trees; #9 is a flat grove hole that probably generally leads to a big sky anny out over the tree tops and hopefully cut through the woodline trees guarding the basket (wow - seriously - after typing this, what a freaking stretch of wonderful holes that is from 6 to 9); #15 is the big bomb left to right open field drive and then your approach (depending on drive length) and then a fun downhill approach to a relatively open green; #18 is a tight wooded hole with an even tighter section just in front of the basket with OB on either side of that path; even after typing all of those, I feel I could go on and on about so many more specific holes

- Hole map on the tee sign is not overly detailed - tough to tell where the pin should be sometimes if you couldn't actually see it (#11 comes to mind - compare the signs at blue and gold tees for instance - is that chunk of trees in front of A and B pin positions really there?)
- I'm sure it's nice having the significant variation of the 3 basket positions, but since they appear to be so varied, the distances on the tee sign (to center of green) seem like they can be pretty far off from the actual distance that day (#11 comes to mind again - blue tee to the A position felt like about 250 feet when I played, but the sign lists 303 feet - based on the sign, C position looks like it could be 350 feet or more)
- Would also be nice if the tee sign had an indication of which position the basket was currently in, as well as which tee you're at (the colored blocks in the ground were worn out somewhat) and where the other tees are relative to yours, in case you stumble upon the wrong one
- It had rained a few days before I was there, so it was pretty wet (not muddy) down near basket #15

- Benches on a handful of holes
- No trash that I saw anywhere, so the carry-in/carry-out rule works, but it would be nice to have a garbage can or 2, at least near the parking lot
- I generally like the bands on the Innova baskets due to visibility, but these baskets were very easy to pick out in the varying backgrounds

This course was simply amazing. If I could give it like a 4.9 rating, I would. It sucks having to "drop" it to a 4.5, but as the review tip mentions, save the 5-disc rating for the ultimately 100% perfect course. However, this was damn close. As I mentioned, the "grove" feel to the majority of the holes is what my disc golf dreams are made of. Thanks so much to the designers, people who maintain/improve the course and whatever state agency let you guys put this gem in. I can't wait to get back and play it again.

Open and long shots all in the same course.
long holes are really long but its a great course to play from all three tees in a morning!

Hills add distance to some of the "shorter" holes.

Go for it, never know when you will have a good lie.

Tons of variety in the holes with some shorter and longer ones. The course winds its way through the woods which is enjoyable. Has rubber tee pads and great baskets. The course also has great signs about the holese and to direct you to the next hole. There is also a big board before hole 1 explaining the course. The course is very well maintained. The out of bounds areas are very clearly marked off with string.

The tee pads seem alittle short at times when doing your run up. Some of the holes it is easy to lose a disc because the "rough" is very thick.

If you are from around Pittsburgh it is an easy 50 minute drive that is worth it. This course will challenge all types of players.

18 championship calilber holes with mach III baskets and multiple pin positions. Three sets of rubber tees with tee signs and each are designed for specific levels of players. Excellent use of the rolling elevation and terrain. Great mix of shot type requirements as well as multiple fairways through some of the woods. Phenomenal risk vs reward on many holes. Nice mix of hole lengths, and pars. Navigation was decent. Benches.

Not much. No basket position indication. The drainage pipe that runs across the course. A few holes seemed to reward a player with a big gun throwing over the obstacles too much. From basket #10 you cross the fairway of hole #4 to get to hole #11.

Moraine was my favorite course on my trip to Pittsburgh. I was about as close as you can titer between a 4.5 and 5. I really don't think you can go wrong visiting any of the top courses in the Pittsburgh area like Deer Lakes, Knob Hill, Linbrook, and 2 Mile Run, and they all are up there on my list of favorites. IMO Moraine has more memorable holes especially hole 15 and all it's beauty. I also really liked holes 2, 7, 8, 12, and 18 which stand out among my trip. Moraine is a better tournament course to test overall skill with some phenomenal risk vs reward shots, also has better separation/seclusion between holes and an aesthetically pleasing surrounding.

Beautiful course that plays through a well wooded section of a large state park.
• Challenge: truly championship caliber. Rewards good execution and punishes bad shots equally well.
• Shot variety: OUTSTANDING. Significantly more wooded and tight than open, but when you do get the opportunity let rip, what an opportunity it is! Nice mix of fairway shapes, types, and distances. Sure it's cliche, but Moraine really is an "every shot in your bag... and then some" type of course. Some holes start out fairly open, and tighten up at some point on the fairway (like 16). Others have open fairways leading to well-guarded baskets (12), or start out tight to make you hit a window off the tee, but open up nicely further down the fairway (11).
• Elevation: masterfully used to enhance challenge and aesthetics. Features several elevated tees and/or pins.
• Multiple Tees: White, Blue, and Gold fly pads aren't just longer versions of the same shot. They present different windows to hit, and may require different shots. On a few holes, blue and gold are on opposite sides of the fairway.
• Multiple Pin locations: adds variety and keeps things from feeling like "the same'ol course." Wish my local courses employed more optional pin placements.
• Quiet and secluded: if you want to get away from it all, this is the course for you.
• Natural Beauty: one of the more scenic courses I've played
• Feels organic: Fairways seem relatively natural, as if they were already there. I could be wrong, but it doesn't seem like many trees were removed to put this course in... that's a nice plus in my book.
• Equipment: well done. Baskets were in great shape. Fly pads were level and solid, footing was a non-issue. Tee signs show layout, pin locations, distance. Long fairways equipped with markers to let you know the distance remaining to the basket. Next tee signs to help move you in the right direction.
• Memorable/Unique holes: many; 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 12, 15, 16
• Navigation/flow: pretty intuitive for the most part - the only place I had trouble was after 10 (almost played 4 again, but had I checked the map, I'd have figured that out).
• Amenities: Large park offers plenty of other activities.

Admittedly nitpicking here:

1st hole wasn't bad, but doesn't seem up to snuff on this course, and 13 seemed a bit "Poke and Pray"ish. A few benches and trash cans every 6 holes or so would be nice, but the truth is, there really isn't much to rag on.

Absolutely loved this course (even if that love wasn't returned).
Hole 15 is truly spectacular: Looks nice from the elevated Gold Tee, but if you don't stop at the landing area to appreciate the view, check for a pulse.

Absolutely loved the uphill upshot on 2 (I think pin was in position B), throwing through the tree tops on 7 (couldn't resist the urge to throw a few to see how close I could get), and the corkscrew on 8. Hole 6 will teach you all about placement over distance.

On certain holes, straying from Moraine's fairway's holes can be downright brutal (6 being a prime example). Not really suitable for beginners or those who don't have a fair amount of control - certain frustration.

Really enjoyed playing other courses in the area, and nothing off Deer Lakes or Knob Hill (both wonderful courses), but I have to say Moraine's definitely my favorite in the area. I hemmed and hawed about the rating, and would have given it a 4.75 if I could. Can't put my finger on it, but there's just something about the 5's I've played that I just didn't feel here... maybe it's just getting harder to move my needle that far. Nonetheless, this is a fantastic course, a must play for intermediate or better players visiting the area.

For good eats after your round: North Country Brewing.

Well maintained State Park. I know by reading reviews that many of you like the State Park courses as they tend to offer a better overall experience. One of the biggest pro's is that are 2 other highly rated courses near it; Deer Lakes and Knob Hill. Nicely wooded course that has a good flow to it, starting with some easier holes on the first nine and ending with progressively harder shots on the back nine. It's a pretty big course so bring some drinks, takes about 2hrs to play a round in a relaxed, unhurried group. The locals are friendly and very proud of this course. Great for year round play.

Poison Ivy, Oak and other fun crap like thorns and jaggedy bushes abound in the woods of Western PA, so sometimes you get a prize for throwing poorly. Come prepared, while not completely in the middle of nowhere, stores and restaurants aren't exactly handy. The course is very clean, but could use a few more receptacles.

This is my home course and where I learned to play 3 years ago and this is my first review for any course. If you're thinking about road trippin here, my advice would be to stay in Cranberry Twp as it offers many hotels and restaurants. Moraine is about 20 minutes north, Deer Lakes is about 20 minutes southeast and Knob Hill is in Cranberry. I've played Lincoln Ridge and Idlewild in Kentucky and Buckhorn and Mazerek Park in North Carolina and if you like these courses you'll be happy here.