A championship caliber course that will test skills…and endurance. Nothing really flashy, no trickery - just 18 holes that say: "Go ahead - make the shot."



+ Two sets of tees with significant difference in distance and some different looks. The Silver tees are 6000', and the Gold tees push the layout over 9200'. But the difference is unusually well compensated by adding 9 strokes to par. As others have noted here, an intermediate player really can play Golds and expect to do about as well against par as playing the Silvers


+ There are some really intimidating uphill holes here (#3, #15, #17), but the course doesn't keep beating on you with the same challenge, hole after hole. Depending on the hole, you'll need distance…or angle control…or groundplay control (or some combination). Each hole is it's own fresh challenge, and while not all the holes are excellent, none of them feel exactly the same


+ The overall layout is designed with great balance. The first three holes alternate elevation (up, down, up) and shape. They're followed by a pair of short flat holes in the woods along the ridge, and then a handful of open holes before returning to the woods, and ultimately finishing in the open.


+ Large, level poured tees, excellent signage, intuitive navigation supplemented with clips on good DGA baskets. The maps use lines superimposed on aerial photos and they're not particularly helpful at explaining the details of the hole, but most baskets are visible from the tee. The signs also include elevation change (like + 66 and +71…that's where the endurance comes in)


+ Pay extra attention when throwing for the baskets on wooded holes #10 and #12: the greens are terraces at the edge of steep drops - you could end up with a 100' rollaway. Small rock walls to keep the slightly errant shots on the green; these are terrific examples of designed risk


+ Muddy Run is a huge multi-use park, but with the exception of a few grills near the first green, disc golf appears to be entirely off by itself

- What's there is perfect, but it's missing a few things like water features, alternate baskets to create more varied layouts, or an iconic hole (the downhill holes are dramatic, but not visually striking). Muddy is phenomenal, and maybe it's unfair to criticize a course for what it doesn't have, but I'd rank it slightly below the very best newer courses like Ryan Kelly Green Monster or top multi-basket layouts like Brakewell Steel. But Muddy was good enough to host Am Worlds, it remains a destination course, it should be on your bucket list

~ The steep hills are not cart-friendly, and if you're off the fairway on some of the wooded holes, your cart will become a liability. Although much of the course is smooth rolling, I would advise against using a cart unless you really don't mind dragging it uphill


~ Pro Tip: There are a number of places where you can leave your bag to play out a hole and pick it up on the way to the next one. Some of these are obvious to the first time player, but the best ones for experienced players come near the end of the round: After your tee shot on 15, you can leave your bag and carry just a disc or two as you climb the hill. The 16th tee is all the way back down. Similar on 17 and 18. You'll avoid having to carry up two of the steepest holes on the course, and save some energy as you near the finish


~ Championship caliber, and the two layouts are really well calibrated to a wide variety of players. Intermediate players on Silver will find plenty of birdie opportunities - then there's the Gold to challenge advanced players


~ Of the 160+ courses I've played in Eastern-to-Central PA, Coyote Hills, the Green Monster and Muddy Run stand out above the rest. This, in an area that also has Kline's Run, Tyler East and West, Prompton Lake, Camp Sankanac, Quaker's Challenge, Jordan Creek and so many others. Muddy Run is not flashy, but it's a destination course that earns every bit of praise it receives

Totally fantastic course.
Lots of elevations, big down bombs, nicely space trees that allow for long wooded shots. Totally fantastic course. I played during World Ams so course conditions and maintence was top notch.

Nothing bad, just a bit far from everything.

Top notch course, play it you can.

The signage is one of a kind because it has:
a. Wildlife that can be found in the park on each sign, with
a description of the animal
b. elevation change
c. the total feet both too the basket and from the tee pad at
the start of a turn
Epic holes that have huge downhill shots.
Multiple concrete tee pads.
Great mix of tight technical shots vs big bombs.
Good mix of par 3's, 4's, and 5's.
Great elevation change.
Not crowded.
Very peaceful and scenic.
Benches on a lot of the holes.

No trashcans
One pin per hole

The park also has foot golf, which would be awesome to play too!

- The course sits in a gorgeous park
- Variety of holes: short/long, hyzer/anhyzer, open/wooded
- Use of elevation: adds a tremendous amount of challenge
- Amenities: great tee pads, tee signs, baskets
- Though a newer course, the rough isn't an issue in most places
- Highlight holes: I loved holes 10 and 14, and really liked many of the others

One big con that took this course from about a 4.75 down to a 4 rating for me. The high grass on the last 3 holes.

On 16, you tee off from an awesome elevated tee to a blind landing area in a non-fairway (there is none). It is simply a field of knee-high (or higher) grass. With depth perception difficult due to a lack of markers (just grass), I spent 15 minutes looking for my disc and could have spent longer.

On 17, you have a 10 foot wide mowed section with the same high grass on both sides for several hundred feet. I just skipped this part as I didn't want another disc hunt.

On 18, it is less bad, but you can easily end up in the same type fields of grass.

The last 3 holes were a big letdown for me; the rest of the course was fantastic and among the best that I have played.

6/6/19 - I just updated the course from 4 to 4.5 stars as I was informed that the high grass on the last three holes is temporary every year (it is grown and harvested every year to feed deer the rest of the year) and is completely mowed every year after Memorial Day. So, for the rest of the year it is a 4.5 star course. It would be nice if this policy was posted so that golfers early in the year are aware of what they are walking into.

+ All tee pads are solid, sturdy and long contiguous slabs of ribbed concrete. The are generously sized for players like me who take needlessly long wind-ups.
+ Most holes have both long and short tee pads.
+ The 'current tee' signs are among the best I have ever seen at a disc golf course. They contain an overhead satellite view of the general area illustrating the pin and tee pad locations. OB areas are colored differently to make sure the player is aware. In big and bold letters are the hole number, par, distance, and even the elevation change with a helpful vertical cross-section of the terrain ahead. Plus, each hole features a different species of bird and a few paragraphs about them. Cool stuff.
+ All pins are in excellent condition and are equipped with a very tall orange flag at the top to help the player spot it from far away or from a different elevation.
+ The elevation challenges are top-notch. Some are gradual and pleasant. Others are dramatic and dizzying. The flat holes are in the minority here!
+ The fairways are all very well maintained. In the grassy open holes, the wide playing areas were mowed, and the rough was not overgrown or too wild. In the dusty wooded holes, the fairways were as clean as one could expect they could be.
+ The course itself is pretty to take in. Breezy wide open fields and quiet hilly forests wait for you here. A lot of planning has gone into making this course feel as though it is part of the landscape itself.
+ A healthy balance of wide open holes for far-flung drives and wooded holes for precise placement.
+ Get ready for an invigorating walk. 15 of the long tees and 8 of the short tees are longer than 350 feet. Bring water and a snack.

- The practice pin is a bit removed from the action all by itself in the middle of a circular curb island. I suspect this was done to remind the player what 10 meters feels like, but it looks just plain weird to have the practice tee so far away from everything else.
- There are very few 'next tee' signs. This is mitigated by most tee pads being so close to the previous pin. Plus, the next hole's sign is easily visible with their large fonts. However, I've always said that next tee signs are a simple courtesy for the players' ease of use. First-time players especially will heavily appreciate them if they are there because it takes the guess work out of navigation.
- No water hazards. At a place called 'Muddy Run,' I would have hoped to throw over at least one pond!

My favorite holes here were 2 and 16. As I've said in previous reviews, I've got a soft spot for downhill tee-offs, and those two are about as downhill as it gets! If I were forced to choose, I think I would prefer 16 over 2 because 16 has a huge expanse of tall grass that I am sure has swallowed up a fair amount of discs over time. That made it more exciting.
My least favorite hole, if I had to pick one here, might be 9. It is a straight open shot on largely flat ground.

As for the venue as a whole, Muddy Run is a phenomenal disc golf course. Two tee pads per hole mean that even less experienced players can get a round in if they are feeling ambitious enough. Let's be clear; this course is not a simple flat park-style course. Certain holes may feel like that such as holes 6 through 9 with their hybrid-style configurations. But much of it is a test of elevation and/or woods management.

Everyone will find something enjoyable about this course. Wide open fields for your most powerful throws? With or without elevation? Check. Dense woods to practice your tree-dodging skills? With or without elevation? Check.
I will say that I was a bit bummed out when I realized that I wouldn't be throwing over any water. At around hole 10, a player can clearly see a river nearby, yet it is nothing but a tease. So that's kind of a let-down. However, the course manages perfectly well on its own merits without it. There is already enough to worry about without the need for water to be added to the mix!

In case it isn't obvious, I enthusiastically recommend Muddy Run. It's got the hills. It's got the woods. It's got the fields. It's got the distance. It's got the parking. It's even got dozens of pre-made high-quality scorecards.
Bottom line: Go there. Now.

This course plays through a wide variety of terrain from wide open to heavily wooded, with plenty of elevation included for even more challenge.

Thirteen of the holes offer two tees, gold and silver. While silver is shorter and "easier" it is still a formidable 6800+ foot, par 61 course. The gold stretches that out to 9000+ feet and par 68 for the full "gold level" experience.

I played from the gold tees, with hole lengths ranging from 242' out to 747', with an average of over 500'. Surprisingly, there are plenty of holes that I drove with putters and midranges because of the small gaps and narrow fairways. But there were enough open holes to allow the drivers to fly as well.

The course offers interesting transitions from Holes 1 & 2 which are partially open and partially wooded with significant elevation to the string of Holes 3, 4 & 5 which are extremely tightly wooded. You break out into the open for Holes 6 - 9 before plunging back into the woods for Holes 10 - 15. Hole 16 is a completely open 737 foot "top of the world" shot which drops 80' to the basket. You play back up that hill for Hole 17 before finishing on the raised basket-on-a-pyramid Hole 18.

Many of the woods holes were very tight, and getting off of the narrow fairway made saving par difficult. Often the smart play was to pitch back into the fairway and proceed from there.

With the elevation on the course there was plenty of rollaway potential near the baskets, with Hole 10 having a significant drop-off just behind the basket.

Fantastic trapezoidal concrete teepads are large with perfect texture. Some of the nicest tee signs in the game with the usual expected information and hole diagram along with a large side panel covering a different local bird species at each hole. Somewhat unusual (and welcome) was the elevation diagram included for each hole.

DGA Mach V baskets catch fine but are tough to spot in the woods. Orange flags on most of the baskets are a big help.

Navigation was excellent with most tee pads being close enough to the previous basket to easily spot. A few baskets had next-tee arrows where there was any question of where to go, and paths between holes were obvious. I didn't have a (usable) map and didn't need one.

My main con is a couple of the more open holes. Holes 6, 7, 8 and 9 are mostly open and while that is not unwelcome they do stand out as being pretty ordinary.

Hole 3 might benefit from removal of a tree or two as the fairway was extremely tight.

There is a huge parking lot adjacent to the DG course. A nearby campground store has bathrooms as well as drinks and snacks if you need a little snack.

There is a kiosk at the beginning of the course with maps and scorecards. The map is disappointing in that the hole numbers are impossible to read.

Clear defined fairways, great signage, multiple baskets, long concrete pads, trash cans .

I'll be honest this is the first time I have no complaints on a course.

We played it mid December so I could see there being high grass or weeds during the summer. I would not recommend the course for a beginner. This is one of the best courses I have played in Pennsylvania by far. It has 2 tees almost every hole, great utilization of elevation, clear defined fairways, has a good mix of wooded and open hole's, all holes have big visible signs. Scorecards are available and a lost disc drop box is also there. We played the silver tee's, but had the chance to look at the long gold tee's. This course will challenge all levels of the game and would highly recommend you play this course. Hats off to the designers of this course great course guys!!

great layout with a mix of open and wooded holes and elevation changes

excellent baskets

the best signage of any course I've played

silver tees make it approachable to any skill level

orange flags added to hard to see baskets

Some may find the length and terrain too exhausting

it's a long distance drive for almost anyone.

unfortunately because of park hours, extended rounds may have to be cut short

sometimes not all grass is mowed during summer (not sure if this is being resolved or not)

This course has improved so much since opening and will continue to evolve into a world class course. A must play course to anyone in the area and may become a destination course to challenge and golfer.

Lots of variety in shots, open, wooded, uphill and down, bomber shots and technical shots.

not a whole lot to complain about here. It can be difficult sometimes to find your drives on 16 and 17 if they haven't mowed in a while, but 16 long is still one of my favorite drives

I really enjoy the long tees here, this course is really well put together. great job.

What a perfect course to round out the perfect road trip, one that includes the likes of Nockamixon State Park and Iron Hill. At first, I was worried that Muddy Run would not be the course for me. I don't throw very far, and the 9,000 feet from the Gold's scared me. I was dead wrong, because this course was well worth it.

The park itself was very nice. All the grass was mowed, the lake on site looked beautiful, and the other onsite activities looked well kept too.

The tee signs at this course are possibly the best I had ever seen. They were absolutely huge, way bigger than I had ever seen, something I could not tell from the pictures. They had local bird information, a different bird for each hole, and the usual suspects, distance, par, and a map that was an aerial view from google maps. I also really liked the way that it added distance to certain parts of the fairway, a nice helpful hint for choosing your disc.

The tee pads were grippy and long concrete, with two tees on most holes. The baskets were new Mach V's, with tall orange flags on top of the basket helping you see the basket from far away. These baskets were very nice and catchy, as well as visible. There were also some nice wooden benches for you to rest on after a long, grueling hole.

Being pretty new, the whole place is in tip-top shape. Baskets are shiny silver, tees are uncracked, signs are not faded. That makes a lot of people happy, including me.

The course design itself was quite fantastic. The elevation that the course uses is magnificent. It had a perfectly good mix of downhill and uphill holes, shots that forced a hyzer, turnover, forehand, anhyzer, s-curve, and absolutely everything in between.

The gold tees were amazing, but the silver tees did look very nice. They offered shorter holes, but still challenging, while providing different looks at the baskets.

Navigation was a breeze, with the next tees never too far out of site. 18 finished not too far from the parking lot that you start at.

There were many holes that I would say are feature holes. Hole 2 and 16 were absolutely amazing downhill crushes, with a need for accuracy on two, and more distance on 16. These are two holes you could sit at, and throw discs on all day long.

The cons for this course most certainly do not outweigh the pros, as Muddy Run is absolutely amazing. I can not stress that enough.

The first con for me is the filler holes. Hole 7 is a wide open 413 foot par 3, which mostly just needs either a crush off the tee for a birdie, or two midranges and a tap in putt. I see it as not much of a chance for a score separator. Hole 9 was a 300 foot toss to a gap in the trees. Not much of a challenge for the 2, but if you miss the gap, it is still an easy cleanup for 3.

The walk was grueling. Definitely not a con for me, so don't take points off, but it isn't something to approach without a water. That can be purchased at the snack bar on site.

No trash cans on the course, and if you take my suggestion of bringing lots of water, you will have to carry your trash out. Please don't be that guy who litters. It's not cool.

The fence surrounding the property had a prison/confinement vibe. Barbed wire, with a gate at the front. I was a little intimidated, as I would not fare well in a possible hunger games type scenario. Especially after that walk.

For me, there is not much keeping me from a five disc rating. The course sees a lot of love, a lot of care, and a lot of blood, sweat, and tears from the disc golfers who play it.

If you are within the area of Lancaster, PA, this course is definitely a must play. I was absolutely blow away with the course, and there is a definite interest in travelling back here to play it again!

-Multiple tees that are well made concrete tee pads
-Fair but tough fairways
-Ease of navigation, Usually Gold teepad within sight of basket
-benches are at most Gold and Silver teepads
-Many different open and wooded holes; really requires every shot in the book

-Trash cans would be a bonus
-complete benches for all teepads
-slight repetition on some of the holes; throw up the hill, then down, then up, etc.

Probably the only time I've ever said that a top notch course has potential to grow even more. I've seen rock walls being put up the last time I was there which gave the course a bit of a Nockamixon feel to it. While I agree that this course does take a few elements from some of the best courses in PA, it has plenty of it's own style. There are not many courses in Pennsylvania that can challenge a golfer in the woods and in the wide open field quite as well as this can. I look forward to seeing what is in store for this course for many years to come!

This course is very well laid out. The tee signs are fantastic and clearly provide all relate to hole information. The tee pads are well poured, level concrete with good grip even when wet. The baskets all have flags atop them so they can be spotted as easily as possible from the tee. All the holes were very well landscaped and manicured, with one exception which I will address later.

At the start of the course there is a nice big course map, with printed scorecards and pencils in little cubbies. Personally I like scorecards, and was happy to see them here.

I played the golds. I consider myself to be a pretty average player, throwing right around 300 bh/380fh. I felt from the golds all the pars are fair. There is a lot of elevation change, with some straight uphill shots, and some nice bomber holes. There is a good mix of open, semi-wooded, and heavily wooded holes. This course doesn't favor any one play style, but rather challenges you to take every shot you have out of the bag to do well. Par, I felt, is attainable, but requires smart play and good course management.

It's a nice course, with good scenery, in a very nice park. There is camping, lots of picnic tables and grills (even a few right next to some holes) and a pretty big lake. Even though it's a mixed use park, there is little overlap from course areas to other usage areas.

There were no trash cans I saw, which I always feel there should be at least one or two out there.

While the tee signs are very nice, I could see someone mixing up which hole is next. Adding any sort of indicator for the next hole direction would be nice.

The one big issue I had with it was the fairway on number 16. It's a 750' or so hole that plays from a hilltop out of the wood line and over a big open field. There was no mowing done in this field. The silver tee had a nice path cut in between tee and basket, but nothing of the kind for the gold tee. I don't like throwing out into waist high grass for a number of reasons. First, the risk of losing a disc goes way up, and it takes much longer for players to find their lie. Second, we do have quite a few snakes and ticks in this part of the country, notably copperheads and rattlesnakes that love this type of environment on warm days. Third, in the rain (it was light rain and mist when I played) you will get soaked from the waist down. I was dry and comfortable up until this point and after was soaked from walking through the tall wet grass.

This really is a great course. It's fun, fair, challenging, and has something for everyone. It's close to a cool disc store, the park has lots of amenities, and it is overall well maintained. Definitely worth a trip to play if you are in the area. I drove 2 hours to play it and likely will make the drive again. Seriously check this course out. Given that it is very new, and this fantastic already, I see it only getting better and becoming a top course in this part of the country.

Challenging, but fair layout. Almost no spray and pray kinds of shots.

- Concrete tees are very well done and full sized
- Tee signage had maps that seemed very accurate
- Beautiful park, huge rolling hills all along a ridgeline that runs through the center of the course
- Good mixture of finesse and power shots.
- Some really fun downhill bombs

There are several holes with big risk vs reward options. Hole 12 is a perfect example of this. 580 feet on a gentle downhill slope. A Big arm could have an eagle putt, but if you fade out left more than 20 feet your disc will go WAY down a deep ravine and probably never be seen again.

- Although there is water surrounding the course, it never really comes into play. That's the only thing that could make this course better for me.

If you are in terrible shape, this course will not be a fun hike for you.

Phenomenal terrain for a course and excellent balanced design integration featuring some massive elevation changes playing up/down and across a wooded mountain ridge with long open sweeping slopes. 18 holes almost 50/50 open/wooded with nice gold and silver level concrete tees, signage, navigation, and Mach V baskets. Very little underbrush in the rough and appears course has great club and park support. Disc golf only area of park.

The course gives you lots of variety - par 3's, 4's and 5's, awesome fun downhill bombs, requires distance to make the long uphill holes, and demands the utmost technical accuracy in the woods. The most well rounded player will be rewarded here.

Muddy Run starts off with massive elevation and distance and then smacks you with the woods then ebbs back lulling you with some more open holes then smacks back again in the woods and finishes off with a big bang in the ebb and flow.

Wildlife - given the amount of deer, geese, and Punxsutawney Phils, you may also find Wynona's big brown beaver here as well somewhere around the scenic reservoir. Nice bathroom facilities and course map in parking lot.

Really not much to complain about here. As you might expect given the park name it can be a little muddy in places, but really not that bad and hopefully the brand new tee areas will be nicer once some grass grows. Not sure how much grass will be mowed in summer months. Only one big loop of 18 holes back to parking lot.

Baskets can be hard to spot in woods. IMO holes 3, 10 and 12 from the long tee might benefit from a more generous fairway. Some might say no water holes, and no benches(yet?). Feels a little weird with the fencing in places and I'm sure some throws will go over eventually. Hole 2 has the parking lot and park road to potentially be interfered with.

Muddy Run feels like it was the love child of Mountain Lake Resort in Pembroke VA and Brakewell Steele Animal in Warwick NY which are two of my favorite courses, but not quite as fair or scenic. I thoroughly enjoyed my round playing the gold tees and airing out some long distance shots and even while I had a little trouble on some of the wooded holes. Favorite holes 1, 2, 5, 14, 15, 16(probably the signature hole), 17, and 18.

Muddy Run is another epic and unique pro caliber beast that ranks up there with the other top PA courses like Moraine, Deer Lakes, Tyler, and Nockamixon, and not far away Quaker's Challenge and Camp Sankanac, and not to mention Ship Rock nearby and Roland Park on the other side of Lancaster making Amish country a great disc golf destination with excellent food! Remember to watch out for the horse and buggies on the roads and enjoy having another free PA disc golf wonderland!

- Will challenge EVERY part of your game!
- Even distribution of right/left, wooded/open, and upslope/downslope holes.
- Large concrete tee pads

- Requires ~3 hours to play a round.
- Not meant for beginning players -- could be discouraging.
- Several baskets could use flags to make them more visible from a distance.

As a member of the club that designed this course, I had the opportunity to play it before it was officially open. What follows are my observations, ramblings, gripings, and feeble cries for mercy that were the result of playing the course late in the fall. Since I played this round, the fairways have been cleaned nicely, tee pads have been installed, and the course map and tee signs are in place.

Those improvements did not make this course any less of a BEAST!


Hole #1
Gold Par: 4
Distance: 474'
Elevation: +50'

Silver Par: 3
Distance: 232'
Elevation: +35'

Description: Holy crap! This is Quaker's Challenge #1 WITHOUT the benefit of starting at the bottom of the slope. Threw my drive and only made it to the short tee -- and I considered that a successful drive. Got my third shot into the circle -- but DAMN, that's a tough one to start with!! And, on top of that, there's the walk up the hill -- and for those of us who are not in the greatest shape, that walk deserves a rest before the next drive.


Hole #2
Gold Par: 4
Distance: 712'
Elevation: -38'

Silver Par: 4
Distance: 562'
Elevation: -32'

Description: Don't hit the tree, don't hit the tree, don't hit the... whew! Cranked out a drive that made it out of the trees. Didn't drift right as far as I wanted, so I ended up left -- but in the fairway and well within range for an approach. Approached to within the circle (which means that I missed the SECOND set of trees), so I'm pretty pleased with the first two holes. It's a fairly long walk to the third tee.


Hole #3
Gold Par: 5
Distance: 600'
Elevation: +71'

Silver Par: 4
Distance: 443'
Elevation: +66'

Description: I like the "fool's temptation" that coaxes players to throw past the first dogleg in search of that backdoor path to the pin. That's going to catch (and punish) a TON of the "screw-the-risk" players! The first turn is a dogleg left, so of course I hit a tree and kicked right, I had a long second shot up the hill and a short third shot around the right hand corner. I totally misjudged the pin placement and still had about 80' for my approach. Got my approach near the circle, missed the putt, and managed to come away with a 6. That has to be the longest 600 feet that I've ever seen!!!


Hole #4
Gold Par: 4
Distance: 496'
Elevation: +15'

Silver Par: 3
Distance: 243'
Elevation: +4'

Description: A straight fairway driver got me to the bend in the fairway, and a lucky anhyzer fairway driver got me to within 50'. Missed the long putt, so it's another par on the card. This one will be tricky to get in three from the gold tees -- one bad tree kick and you'll be posting bail. This hole stays with the theme of "Good shots will get you a par, but it'll take GREAT shots to score the birdie!"

(Sidebar: By this point, I'm in full sweat. I don't know if its because of the elevation changes, the roughness of the hike up and down the fairways, or if I'm just old, but I already sound like an old steam locomotive.)


Hole #5
Gold/ Par: 3
Silver Distance: 333'
Elevation: +2'

Formal Description: TUNNEL SHOT baby!!! This flippin' little hole is deceptive in it's length. Its a nice birdie opportunity, as well as the opportunity to totally SCREW your score with an errant shot and a bad kick. I went off the fairway left with about 100' to the pin, and the upshot was tricky, but I managed to get into the circle. It was a satisfying three. The difference between the fairway and the "not fairway" is huge, with thick underbrush and thin trees ... LOTS of thin trees! Note to self: Stay in the short stuff!


Hole #6
Gold Par: 3
Distance: 398'
Elevation: -44'

Silver Par: 3
Distance: 287'
Elevation: -26'

Description: This is favorite hole #1. That being said, there was a headwind, so I expected my RHBH drive to turn right when it came out of the woods. Instead, it went left -- FAR left. I was able to approach into the circle, so I escaped with a three -- but that odd disc action is something that I'll want to be careful of. This is one of most picturesque holes so far -- reminiscent of #6 at Nockamixon, which looks out over the marina and lake. Nicely done, guys!


Hole #7
Gold Par: 3
Distance: 413'
Elevation: +10

Silver Par: 3
Distance: 337'
Elevation: -14'

Description: Nice "little" uphill hole. Tried to throw a flex drive, but it hyzered WAY left. Managed to miss the circle long left with my approach, so I ended up with a 4. This hole is probably easier than I made it. I like the protected pin position, and I'll like it even more when I don't put myself out of position for a decent approach.


Hole #8
Gold Par: 4
Distance: 747'
Elevation: -40'

Silver Par: 4
Distance: 439'
Elevation: -36'

Description: Threw a nice drive into the middle of the fairway, and my second drive made the corner, but it was still 80' or so from the pin. The approach lane to the basket is around the corner -- and there is a tree in the middle of that opening. Of course, I was behind it. I had to scooby around some trees to get into the circle for a 4. This seems like one of the easier par 4 holes with a little less danger than the wooded ones.

(Sidebar: I'm already through 1 of my 2 bottles of Gatorade. It's overcast and in the low 80's, so it ain't the heat. Maybe it's the other two rounds that I played this weekend. Or maybe I'm just old and out of shape.)



Hole #9
Gold/ Par: 3
Silver Distance: 296'
Elevation: +14'

Description: Another one of those deceptive holes - I think it's a nice, smooth fairway driver shot, and I end up about 60' short. My approach puts me in the circle, but this should have been a birdie chance. Bah!



Hole #10
Gold Par: 4
Distance: 580'
Elevation: -34'

Silver Par: 3
Distance: 368'
Elevation: -25'

Description: Favorite hole #2. I love this fairway. Of course, I didn't stay on it. I went into the woods right, then my scramble went into the woods left. A third shot got me back on to the fairway, but now I'm laying 3. Not wanting to throw past the pin position and down the hill, I "Sally-ed" my approach (apologies to anyone out there named "Sally"), and ended up about 60' out. An approach into the circle gave me a 6 for the hole. STILL a favorite hole, but DAMN!



Hole #11
Gold Par: 4
Distance: 435'
Elevation: +32'

Silver Par: 3
Distance: 300'
Elevation: +12'

Description: This is a sweet hole! There is a risk/reward tease for trying to cut the corner, but a bad kick there will really mess with your day! So for me it was a forehand fairway driver to the corner, and an unusually accurate backhand anhyzer midrange to get BARELY within the circle for a 3. The fairway is a complex curve, and it makes for a challenge.


Hole #12
Gold Par: 4
Distance: 537'
Elevation: -21'

Silver Par: 3
Distance: 259'
Elevation: -27'

Description: Favorite hole #3. Here is the hole's weather report: Mostly challenging, with a chance to be brutal! I was able to throw a drive and a LONG approach and get into the circle. I was proud of that 3 -- as it was my one and only birdie!!! (Editor's Note: I've played the course a dozen or so times since I did this preview... and I haven't birdied this hole since!)

(Sidebar: Gatorade dwindling, and I still have the big holes left. Not good.)


Hole #13
Gold/ Par: 3
Silver Distance: 242'
Elevation: +34'

Description: This hole is a chance to breathe between the technical #12 and the "Oh-My-God" #14! Then again, it's uphill, throwing out of the woods, to a nicely protected pin position. I threw a forehand driver (because I was tired of falling short.) I ended up about 40' short. Approach into the circle for a 3. Sigh.


Hole #14
Gold Par: 5
Distance: 732'
Elevation: -41'

Silver Par: 4
Distance: 574'
Elevation: -59'

Description: And here we go... Favorite hole #4. And it's a sign of good design when my first drive (and it wasn't a bad shot) only made it to the short tee. The second shot is tough -- I only got about 1/2 of the way down the hill before I hit a tree and went left hard. My 3rd shot also hit a tree, and my 4th shot went long, so my approach into the circle and putt netted me a 6. And I was happy about that. This is a HARD hole because it's so long and tight, but it's such a FUN hole that I don't think people will mind the difficulty.


Hole #15
Gold Par: 4
Distance: 373'
Elevation: +65'

Silver Par: 4
Distance: 311'
Elevation: +58'

Description: ANOTHER uphill hole!! Holy hell!!! My flippin' arm is going to fall off!!!! Players will be cursing your names, your mothers, and your obvious sadistic leanings for this hole! Not that it's all that hard -- but after the last 14 holes, there will be some tired and grouchy people looking at yet another uphill drive full of trees and various assorted other uglyness. I throw a desperation drive up the hill -- with no idea where the pin was. Figured that it was at the top of the hill, so I just pitch to the top and hope. Ended up about 60' left, but approached into the circle and took a 4. I'd smile at my par on that hole, but I don't have the energy left to move my facial muscles.


Hole #16
Gold Par: 4
Distance: 737'
Elevation: -80'

Silver Par: 4
Distance: 569'
Elevation: -30'

Description: From the tee pad I realized that the meadow grass was armpit-high. I knew that I would never find a disc that fell into that mess, so I walked out into the meadow grass to see how far out it went. And flushed a fawn. I'm not sure, but I think that we BOTH almost had a stroke!! With all that adrenaline, my drive easily cleared the meadow grass and landed in the lawn. Threw my approach to about 50' feet, then into the circle for a 4. Fun hole. A little scary, but fun.


Hole #17
Gold/ Par: 4
Silver Distance: 519'
Elevation: +63'

Description: Crap. This is hole 1 on steroids!!! And I'm tired! What I said about #15 goes for this hole as well. I see this one as a spirit-crusher. For a lot of players, the last third of this course will be more mentally challenging than physically or technically challenging. It really isn't a hard hole - it's just deceptively long and visually intimidating. My drive #1 gets across the field -- well, 3/4 of the way across the field. 2nd drive went 1/3 of the way up the slope. 3rd shot went past the pin position by about 40'. Approach into the circle; and that's a 5. A. very. tired. 5.


Hole #18
Gold/ Par: 3
Silver Distance: 420'
Elevation: -36'

Description: Finally. A nice finishing hole to a very challenging course. Not a hard hole, but after getting tree-slapped for 2.5-3 hours, it's just hard enough to provide players with one more chance to get punished for a poor choice. And then there is the raised basket -- just high enough to make you tentative. I throw a forehand into the open, well short of the pin position. I don't have the heart (or the arm strength) to run the long putt, so I put a layup to within 15'. Then I miss the putt and end up with a 4. Now it's time to drag my weary backside to the car.



Final thoughts:

1) This is a long course. I played tournaments at Iron Hill Gold twice this year -- and wasn't this tired after *2* rounds there. It's the elevation. Its brutal.

2) The fairways are fair, but tough. Get off the fairway, and you are hosed.

3) The course design is spot on. Nice flow. Nice mix of lengths and left/right turns.

4) Make sure you have enough to drink. Then take more.

1. Great signs and pads
2. Honest, challenging fairways...nothing gimmicky. You have to hit the lines that exist in the woods. Sometimes while dealing with elevation changes.
3. Offers both gold and silver tee shots.
4. Beautiful park setting that is well kept.
5. Without signs designating next hole, the flow is obvious and there
are no long walks between holes.
6. Great mix of wooded and open holes with a few must get birdie holes peppered in.

1. Trash cans and benches would complete this gem of a course.
2. Be prepared to invest some time to play this course. Not necessarily a con, but it should be mentioned. Expect an averaged 2.5 hours to complete the gold layout with four people.

You'll want to get out and play this course!