The first thing that strikes you as you play this private course, situated in a Christian camp, is the fact that almost every hole has a view of the beautiful lake. The disc golf course plays fairly safely away from other camp activities, and the views are usually open enough you have plenty of warning if folks are coming by. There is a practice basket, and blue and red tees (with trash receptacles) for 18 more new DisCatcher baskets. The course map indicates up to three pin positions for each hole, so there is the potential to play some variety here. The course and the camp are clean and well maintained (I met the guy who mows the whole place, and he was apologetic (don't be!) about being out there, but the equipment had been out of commission for a couple of weeks, and he was playing catch-up. Neat guy).

The hole distances range from 142' to 568', with seven shots from the red tees being under 199' (run for aces, if you dare!), and five from the blue tees over 433'. Excellent use of the rolling terrain means you have shots up, down, and across the hills, and in and out of light woods and lanes, with enough clearing to keep losing discs (at least to the brush) to a minimum. I'm pretty sure they were in the standard (B) position when I played, so the short pins (A) would be for learners, while the C pins might be a bit brutal! As a budding intermediate player, I was having fun out here shooting under 50 from the short tees, but I can see enough challenge here for Recreational to Advanced players to have some fun. I would think Open players will only want to play Blue to C pins. You know those guys...

You check in at the brick building entering the complex and they provide you with a day pass, and all the info you'll need to get back into the property to play the course. You can park by the west end of the lake and work your way around to the right. The tees posts and of course, the yellow-banded baskets, are pretty easy to spot.

There aren't a lot of good caliber, beautiful courses like this near the Ohio/Indiana border, and so easily accessible to I-70. While not a 'destination' course, this is a very nice spot to stretch your legs and spirit a little.

Some folks don't like to pay to play, and some are skittish about signing a waiver and agreement about conduct on someone's property, but I don't have a problem with the $5 to play ($8 all day), and I figure: their place, their rules.

The course does work counter-clockwise around the lake, with many holes including the risk of losing an over-zealously thrown disc in the lake, especially for those of us who are predominantly rhbh, and all our shots fade left. The downhill pin positions on holes 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 17 & 18 all have wet potential, especially on windy days (and I lost a disc running down the ridge on 7, as it sits on a peninsula with rollaways in three directions). And holes 15 & 16 have a surprisingly deep ravine just beyond the woods to the right, so be careful there, too.

The design of the holes does force a preponderance of straight and left-fading holes, in order to run the loop around the lake, so there weren't many opportunities to design shots that run to the right, limiting the variety here, and causing some folks to criticize the design for being repetitive. The natural grass tees have good footing, but future upgrades in tee pads will be welcome. I don't recall seeing any benches on the course, even if it plays relatively quickly around. They've held tourneys out here, which usually play slower, and a spot to sit is always nice.

Not necessarily a con to worry about, but this is the only place I've ever gotten stung by a ground hornet. Playing the fourth hole in August, I guess I just got lucky. Yeowtch! It may be because of the earlier-mentioned catching up on the mowing that allowed them to make a home there in the summer heat. Hopefully that was a just one time problem. I'm sure they don't want that to be an issue for any of their campers or visitors.

I don't usually write reviews based on a single visit, and this is the first time I've written one more than a week or so after playing the course (it's been a couple of months). But I'm getting out to a two hour drive in any direction for courses I haven't reviewed...

Blue and red tees, three different basket locations. Beautiful land, course playing counter-clockwise around a large lake. Longer holes on front nine. More technical woodsy holes for back nine. Tee's are marked by wooden stakes and marker disc's on the ground. Navigation is fairly simple. Rarely crowded. Nice new baskets with yellow top easy to see. Unique peninsula hole #7. Water in play to varying degrees on about half the holes. Took less than 90 minutes for two to play.

Natural tee pads. Course in need of upkeep. Grass around baskets growing wildly. I also think a little trimming of trees in some of the fairways is in order. Basket on hole # 15 is way too close to a huge cliff. There is some caution tape up but I know some will go down there. Do not go to the right on #15, and if you do don't go down that cliff.

Holes #2 and #3 play down toward the lake. Overshoot a bit and you're wet. Holes #4 and #5 play along lake. #7 is the peninsula hole. Shorter hole but land slopes sharply toward water in each direction. #11 is a short tunnel shot straight downhill toward water. #15 I mentioned above, don't go right. #18 plays with water along the left, cliff through tree line to the right. Fairway slopes toward water making it a tough finishing hole.

Foremost, This piece of beautiful Real Estate! A HUGE lake with mature trees and rolling terrain. The newest DISCatchers, with 3 sets of chains. Two tees and Three positions per hole. My rating of 3.5 comes from the fact that every level of player can enjoy this course. With 6 different Configurations possible. Only 5 minutes from I-70 the course feels very Secluded. A Motel and truck stop at the interstate Exit. A Pro Safari course could be rather easy to make at least from holes 1-9. Play #1 to #2 Discatcher. #3 to #4 Discatcher. #5 normal layout. #6 to #7 peninsula. #8 to #9 Discatcher. That's the first 5 holes I came up with. I'll work on 4,or more, holes on holes #10-#18

Grass tees, for now. Concrete tees MAY NOT happen?Lacking Benches and trash cans. The grass needs cut. The fairway grass needs cut more often and correctly. By, correctly, I mean "Ball Golf Greens short" at all possible roller pin placements. The post tops are painted with hole numbers on each tee.

I wrote this review this way for reviewers to get a "Minds-Eye" Picture of the course.
#1 Blue Tee (A;310'-B;322'-C;332') Located at the S.W. Corner of the Lake. Between the gravel park Road,on the right, and the lake. The shoreline has dozens of mature trees and THICK underbrush. The terrain slopes to the water. The tee is on top of the slope with one large tree at the lowest point of the fairway. The red tee (A;262'-B;292'-C;303') is 75' in front, down the slope, close to the treeline. The "A" position is up the slope with a open shot. The "B" position is a little.more than half way up, tucked just behind a large tree on the left. Two smaller Diameter trees on the right, with underbrush. The "C" position is about 15' from the water with mature trees and short underbrush. #2 Blue Tee (A;342'-B;391'-C;380') is about 100' behind the red tee. Over the park Road and up a small incline. The red tee (A;215'-B;264'-C;251') is on top of the slope just before the park Road. The fairway has four mature trees in-a-row on the right. One tree half way down on the left, no underbrush. The "A" position is close to the road in the flatest area. The "B" position is a little more than half way down the slope and gets steep quick. The "C" position is 15' from the shoreline with underbrush on the shoreline. But, its short and not thick. #3 blue Tee (A;325'-B;362'-C;406') is over the road about 125' behind the red tee. The slope is not as "Extreme" as the first two holes. No shoreline underbrush, the wind becomes a factor. The Discatcher can be seen with no idea how close to the water. The "A" is closer to the road. The "B" is 40' from the shoreline. The "C" position is 20' from it. #4 Blue Tee (A;462'-B;568'-C;663') close to the water, mature trees on the shoreline. It curves into the fairway, about 1/3 the way down. The red tee (A;310'-B;450'-C;547') is 175' up the fairway and near the road. The fairway curves left with about 2/3 the distance to the Discatcher. The "A" position is left of the mature tree. The "B" position is about 35' from the shoreline. The "C" position is behind the other placements about 125' and behind the treeline. #5 Blue Tee (A;440'-B;534'-C;594') The lake is on your left and no underbrush with a mature treeline on the right. The 2nd tree has one branch reaching over the fairway. The red tee (A;303'-B;397'-C;457') is 150' in front of the blue. Under the outreaching branch. Only the yellow top can be seen,with a steep slope behind. The "A" position is by the road between two trees. The "B" has a great chance of becoming a long roller to the water. The "C" position is 30' from the water. No underbrush to stop a roller. #6 Blue Tee (A,B,C;538') until the 2nd position is drilled into the big stone,only one position. Near the road the terrain slopes and sweeps around the S.E. Corner of the lake. A cluster of mature trees and brush at the shoreline. Five mature trees are on the right half way down. The red tee (A,B,C;413') is 125' to the right. The Discatcher is between two large Rocks and behind a mature tree. #7....The front 9's "Signature hole"! The peninsula shot! Absolutely Beautiful! Facing West, looking left you'll see the first five holes played. The rolling terrain, mature trees. Looking right you'll see a few DISCatchers poking out if the woods,next to the water. Giving you a taste of the back nine. #7 Blue Tee (A;246'-B;280'-C;317') located between the road and the farmers fence. A large cluster of mature trees and THICK brush, on the right to the peninsula,which has no trees or underbrush. The red tee (A;208'-B;233'-C;262') has a straight shot to the peninsula,with wind as a major factor. The "A" position is the shortest and away from the tip of the peninsula. The "B" position is about 35' from the tip and water on three sides. The "C" position is 15' away from the very tip. The B and C position have the biggest chance of a roller. #8 Blue Tee (A;262'-B;252'-C;265') next to the roads curve. The shoreline is on the left with mature trees and THICK underbrush...for now? A cluster if smaller trees and a handful of larger trees are in the last 1/3 of the fairway. The red tee (A;183'-B;173'-C;186') is up 75' and to the left. The "A" position is more open with a chance of a roller on the backside to the lake. The "B" position is behind the cluster of smaller Diameter trees. The "C" position is to the left, tucked behind a big THICK bush. Close to the water. #9 Blue Tee (A;384'-B;434'-C;530') next to the road,which is part of the fairway. The treeline comes in from the left narrowing the fairway. Then down a little slope to an open shoreline,the wind will be a factor. The red tee (A;266'-B;306'-C;402') is in front 125' from the blue Tee and a bit away from the road. A,B position are blind shots. The "B" position is close to the water. The "C" position plays up the incline between the road and treeline. #10 Blue Tee (A;229'-B;234'-C;261') Left of the road and THICK brush on both sides. One large mature tree and about two dozen smaller diameter trees scattered throughout the fairway. The red tee (A;179-B;184'-C;211') is up to the right,with one large tree on the left. The "A" position is hidden behind one THICK brush area, by the water. The "B" position is up the slope, to the right with a small opening for a short dogleg. The "C" position is behind the "B" placement, between two large trees. #11 Blue Tee (A;165'-B;200'-C;229') Imho is the back nine's "Signature hole". The tees between the road and treeline and left if the tunnel shot. The red tee (A;121'-B;159'-C;188) is center of the tunnel shot. A downslope fairway with a long pine branch forcing you to keep it low. The line of sight is awesome! Just a silhouette of the Discatcher with water behind. You have no idea how close it is to the water. And Im not gonna tell you here!.....take some DX plastic you don't care about. #12 Blue Tee (A;177'-B;171'-C;195') THICK underbrush in both sides of the fairway. The left goes about 50' then opens to the water. A large area of mature trees and brush at the shoreline. Another opening to the right. The red tee (A;135'-B;142'-C;166') is in front 35'. Scattered mature trees throughout the fairway. The "A" position is close to the water. The "B" position is up the slope with two smaller diameter trees in front. The "C" position is tucked in the cleared out area, up the slope to the right. #13 Blue Tee (A;221'-B;251'-C;289') A fairway with an hourglass shape. The red tee (A;176'-B;205'-C;243') 50' in front. In the middle of the hourglass shaped fairway. The "A" position is close to the water and if the grass was cut short enough it would be a roller. The "B" position has a dozen small Diameter trees with one low branch forcing a low putt. The "C" position is up the slope with a dogleg right and two trees protecting the Discatcher. #14 Blue Tee (A;159'- B;180'-C;218') from the shoreline up the slope with two mature trees on each side of tee. The fairway gets flat with about a dozen trees. The red tee (A;149'- B;170'-C;207') is to the right. Also by the shoreline up the slope. Fewer trees from red tee. The "A" position is the shortest and the most open, Just before the road. The "B" position is slightly hidden by the brushline. The "C" position is 35' "behind" the "B" placement. Between the brushline and road. #15 Blue Tee (A;282'- B;347'-C;451') across the road by the treeline with THICK underbrush on the right. The red tee (A;172'-B;244'-C;345') is 100' in front to the left by a large bush. The fairway has 6 large trees on the left. 3 more trees on the right,just a few feet in the fairway from the treeline. The fairway narrows to 30' wide. The "A" position is just before a bush on the left. The "B" position is 75' behind an closer to the STEEP Drop-off to the creek....I see someone's disc. The "C" position is 100' behind the "B" placement. #16 Blue Tee (A;187'-B;218'-C;224') depending in #15 placement back tracking could be a little long. Cross the road with THICK brush on the left. A lone Branch protrudes out into the fairway 50' in front. The red tee (A;148'-B;169'-C;175') is under the protruding branch. The fairway in is made up of clusters of mature tree with underbrush. The "A" position is a dogleg left,just behind one cluster. The "B" position is a straight shot with the Discatcher protected by a handful if smaller diameter trees. The "C" position is over the road and no more than 15' from the edge of the STEEP cliff...careful! Placement is key! No underbrush to stop a bad throw. #17 Blue Tee (A;258'-B;317'-C;327') a long walk from #16 B,C position, left and toward the water. The tee area is cut out of THICK brush and sits behind two trees. As it opens up to the sloping fairway clusters of smaller & larger trees with underbrush. One massive older tree on the right. Along withmore brush. The red tee (A;154'-B;197'-C;209') is 125' in front and out of the red "tunnel" a bit to the right. The "A" position plays to the massive older tree. The "B" position is behind the last cluster of trees. The "C" position is 30' to the left and much closer to the water. A small opening gives the chance of getting wet. #18 Blue Tee (A;357'-B;433'-C;475) imho is the toughest hole. The shoreline and park road narrows the fairway to 35' wide. The wind will be a factor. The terrain gets more & more steep as the placements get longer. Trees either in front or behind the placements. The "A" position is close to the road and in front of two trees. The "B" position is behind two trees with no underbrush at the shoreline. The "C" position is 45' behind the "B" placement. The fairway narrows to 35' and no shoreline underbrush. Give yourself up to 2 and a half hours for a round. Until the tee signs are installed and a system of marking the Discatchers pin placement. Enjoy your 2nd round!
****As of 11-5-12**** The Church is going through a tough financial time,as is everyone else. I knocked down my rating due to STILL no tee signs or concrete tees. And basic upkeep (cutting grass) as been lacking. My Org. Rating was 4.5 Was high. But, from a INTERMEDIATE player and playing LONG tees in the LONG pin placements, its still a very good course.
After finding out things have NOT been going as planned with the course, I've lowered my rating to 3.5