~Serene, natural state park environment
~Wonderful layout
~Short & long tees can be mixed up for all skill levels
~Elevation changes throughout
~Ample parking
~Nice baskets with signage on posts

~Dirt tee pads
~Additional clearing and tree removal would be beneficial
~Some basket to tee coordination issues, map recommended
~Plinko effect on a handful of holes

Played a full round from the short tees on a pleasant summer afternoon. Layout is really nice and remains predominantly in dense woods, while a handful of holes do open up. For me it's a mid range and putter round as the woods leave little room for less controllable discs. The front nine is in very good condition, and the back nine is still being developed as it's relatively new. Very peaceful with beautiful surroundings. Dirt tees can make for some uneven footing, but due to the need for control I didn't use a run up too often. While I played from all short tees I did spend some time admiring the long tees, and they would provide for an epic round once I gain better control and confidence. Plenty of steep slopes and elevation changes along with the presence of the lake amongst some areas. Numerous turns and tight lanes off the tee, but the clearing is good enough that your up shots will almost always be available toward the basket. Another fantastic addition to this area, and I look forward to visiting often.

Excellent course design with thoughtful level of challenge at nearly every hole
Good use of mixed elevation and water hazards
Extremely accurate tee maps
Pro and Am pads that not only vary in distance, but do so significantly, and significantly vary in difficulty
Beautiful mixed use park with plenty to do for non - players

UPDATE!: Here is a message I received from the course designer or an aficionado of the course:
"thanks for the review on DGCR. It's obvious that you didn't read the preview of this DGC on DGCR as if you did you would of noticed the pink duct tape in the basket well pointing the player in the direction of the next tee. It's a cheap method but it works, if you use your _____. I've played over 800 DGC worldwide and have played many of DGc that use this method. and then you have the tee signs, they also have the next tee printed on them, but I guess again that you didn't use your __________. and was looking for school guards to hold your hand and take you to the next tee area.

Your going to have sand and beaches. PL DGC is at a beachhead, thus alot of sand.

Of course since you don't mind offering your opinion, you probally would mind donating some $$ for better next tee signs. I agree that this DGC isn't a 5, but it's not a 2.5 that you offered.

# 6 is a sweet hole. But then it's not my adopitive hole, as it's somebody's elses. But if it was mine I'd have the area that you we're in OB. and if your up to your teeth with muck, why didn't you just jump into the lake to wash off.

# 14 is my adoptive hole, thanks for the kind words. I'm going to make it even tougher so beware.

The DGC is virgin, it's not even a month old and people are knocking it. Oh well..... I know what it is and I'm very proud of all our efforts despite other people's opinions.

We have *** night doubles ***. maybe we'll see you there sometime. and planning a*** tournament < more details to follow> "

ORIGINAL REVIEW
While the course flows well for the most part, notable exceptions are from holes 6 to 7, and holes 8 to 9. Some more prominent arrows, a course map, or arrows on the tee signs would go a long way.
Less a fault of the course designer(s) than that of the state park's: no signs indicating how to get to the course. While this is true of Findley State Park in Wellington, Ohio, at least the course at that location is on the main road. This is on a branch road, and if it weren't for this site we may not have found it.
Quicksand (or mud!) on hole 6!

UPDATE: Have to admit, love the game of disc golf, but hate how people can be so thin skinned. When this person is done crying over a bit of criticism perhaps they will see that multiple people saying the same thing might have a point. As I stated in my review, a tiny bit of effort and this becomes a destination course. I would have gladly donated to the cause, and invited my friends to do the same before this outburst. Best wishes in finding your funding. Grow up and get to work instead of flaming people for their honest opinions.

ORIGINAL REVIEW
Portage Lakes State Park near Akron, Ohio is a solid technical course that should provide a good challenge to experienced players while not frustrating people just starting out. 16 of the 18 holes play in or through deep woods under heavy canopy, though the fairways are wide and generous. You'll certainly hit your share of trees, but the woods aren't claustrophobic, like Parma can be. The front nine each sport a nicely printed and extremely accurate tee map at both the pro and amateur pads, and while the back nine contain only hand - drawn maps at the pro pads, my feeling is we'll probably see those professional looking maps there as well soon enough. The front nine play through fairly short and technical, though you do have the occasional 500 footer. (hole 5) Hole 6 became a personal nightmare for me. Not for the play of the hole, which resembles a shortened version of hole 3 at Parma, but because I learned first hand that there is quicksand about halfway through the fairway, at the right edge. As I was looking for a lost Valkerie (since found) I began sinking with each step, until I was in extremely black and viscous mud up to my waist. It took my friend Billy pulling me up with a tree branch to pull me out. So, there's a heads up. The group that played through said the same thing happened to them the previous day. Speaking of hole 6, while most of the course flowed very well, the path from 6 to 7 was not obvious, and our group had to backtrack to find it. Perhaps a more prominent arrow to the next tee would be useful there. Holes 7 and 8 are a bit "lazy," as they play through an open field with little in terms of obstacles, and then getting to hole 9 is a test in navigation, as the tee is located in the woods to the right of a road quite a ways from hole 8. After being lulled into a sense of ease by the previous two holes, hole 9 packs a punch in terms of distance and challenge. We rushed through the back nine due to time constraints, but I must say that 10 through 18 was very cleverly put together. Hole 14, in particular sticks in my mind for the strategy necessary to par out on it. The basket is on a small earthen ridge only about 2 feet wide, but 150 feet long and bending right. The small drop over the ridge, coupled with the lake on the right make this a challenging and creative hole. Hole 15 impressed me as well with its sheer embankment made entirely of sand right by the lake. Of course, I LANDED on the embankment, making for a difficult putt.
Overall, this is an enjoyable course that with a few minor tweeks can become a stellar course. I look forward to seeing this course improve and become one of the destination courses in northern Ohio.

Technical front nine with the first three holes all leaving the player to really think about the drive and how to negotiate the dense foliage along the fairway. Hole #5 plays slightly downhill to a basket sitting on a small peninsula overlooking a lake...Very nice looking hole. If #5 isn't the signature hole, #7 or #8 could be. Both these holes play on either side of some mature growth hardwoods in an otherwise open area, leaving the player with a very defined fairway.

Very little direction from one basket to the next tee. I became disoriented on several occasions and had difficulty finding the next tee. It would be nice, as the course develops into a full 18, if signs leading the player to the main parking area and some sort of kiosk was installed. As is the case with many state park courses, the sheer size of the park can leave someone who's never been there a bit lost in finding the first tee. Some of the drives have little risk/reward potential. I found myself at many tees trying to find the "lesser of two evils" so to speak and just gunning for it. The tee signs are simply laminated paper attached to a wood base. This will not stand the tests of time and some of the torn off, faded, signs I encountered along the course are bound to become more numerous. The tees are simple boundary lines set in the ground. Though I've seen worse, it would be nice to see actual tee pads put in when this course becomes a full 18.

I hiked along the area where the back nine is being developed. This course has a lot of potential. I'm hoping, despite the cutbacks you see associated with a lot of state parks, that the volunteer base for this course is strong, and the continued improvement of this course will draw me back in the near future! Definitely coming back after the full 18 is in!

-One of the most challenging courses in the area. Playing all 18 holes from the long tees will demand much more precision than Canton or Massillon, a wider variety of shots in your bag of skills, and more distance than pretty much anything in the area besides Dover. It's not unfairly difficult to get par, but there are a ton of trees and numerous places where a bad kick will give you a very rough upshot. You have to play smart and pick your lines well.

-Again, it's challenging. I just want to emphasize how refreshing it is to have a course that makes you think about your drives in relation to your second shot instead of all the deuce or die courses in the area. Arboretum gets mind numbing at times because it's too easy to shoot double digits below par, not to mention even easier courses like Wingfoot. I can't stress enough how much I enjoy having holes where I feel damn good about scoring a 3, instead of courses that are so easy I get pissed if my drive is more than 20' from the basket.

-The park is absolutely beautiful. The back 9 in particular has you literally walking through a forest. The water holes offer very pretty views.

-There is strong shot variety. I think 1 or 2 more slightly open holes would of balanced things out a bit more, but the land didn't really offer that. The designers did an excellent job with what they had to work with in my opinion. There are a lot of right turning shots, which is nice to see. There is good variety in the distance of shots too. There are putter holes, like 1, 2, 5 and 8, and there are holes that even if they didn't have any trees to throw through I couldn't get up to the basket on a full powered drive with my fastest discs like 6, 9 and 15.

-Hole 13 has a fun basket setup. There is a grass island with a road going around it in a circle that counts as OB. Nothing crazy, but it's a nice little touch that adds a bit of strategy. Also, hole 16 has two teepads for the long, and two routes you can take. You can throw over the water and have a better shot at a deuce, or you can take a path that goes off to the left then curves back to the right. I've never seen this on a DG hole before so I thought it was a really neat feature that I specifically wanted to point out.

-The park also has a boating area, (shitty) skatepark, basketball hoops, beech, biking trails, playground, restrooms etc. Dog Park area with another being built I think. Plenty to do.

-Broken glass scattered around the first few holes. Don't fall.

-Thick underbrush in lots of areas, and many stumps in the ground still. The course is new so compared to nearby courses with decades of wear it's still very rough around the edges, especially the newer back 9 holes. As it matures and gets broken in by players and nature it will be even better.

-Some of the teepads are only flat for the first 3 or 4 feet then drop off on a slight decline. This can make a full x-step awkward at times. The tees have been improving over the months to where this will eventually be a non-issue.

-Potential to hit cars on hole 4 or 8.

-As of this writing the course is full of very persistent mosquitoes. Between them and all the undergrowth I highly recommend wearing pants and maybe loose long sleeves unless it's a dry time of year or fall has come. They were really bad in early June.

Since originally writing this review, the front 9 has cleared out some more and the back 9 baskets have been installed. I was extremely excited when I first saw what they had planned for this course, back when there were no baskets installed. It's been a lot of fun watching this course mature into one of the best courses in Ohio.

Par 4's and 5's are uncommon in the area, and usually you find wooded or long and open, it's rare to see 400'+, much less 600'+ heavily wooded holes like this course offers. This is a very welcome addition to the courses NE Ohio has to offer.

A lot of the courses in the area suffer from a variety of issues. They tend to be too open, too short, too flat, only 9 holes or too easy in general. Portage Lakes is very special to me because it says fuck you to all those courses and throws long, hilly, densely wooded holes in your face the entire 18 holes. I've mentioned it many times in this review but it really is that important to me. Portage Lakes is so damn fun because it's one of the few courses I've played that I feel can make you work for par at times. It does have some easier holes (1, 5, 7 and 8 definitely come to mind) but this just makes the course well balanced. Portage Lakes is a gem and I will happily raise my rating to 5 discs once everything is a bit more cleared out (And I intend to keep helping with that, too!).

The course is primarily being cleared out by fellow disc golfers, so if you go out and play it put some work in when you're there if you have the time. I bring a machete with me if I'm not pressed for time and hack away at the brush as I play through.

Lots of woods. I like technical courses, so most of the holes were right up my alley. Lots of room for improvement. Hanging posts for your bag at each hole. Nice hole signs.

Plenty of elevation change, wide open and tight faitways, water holes. Great risk vs reward on this course.

With the added back 9, and many improvements to the course I see nothing hut great things for Portage Lakes.

There's broken glass and misc trash on just about every hole.

Be careful locking the bathroom door behind you, it took me almost 5 minutes (of hell) to get out of it.

Some of the holes are hard and that is a good thing! Throwing across a valley and through trees is difficult but fun.

For a first time player at this course it will be impossible to find your way around without a map. Print one off of this site and BRING IT!

There is a lot of broken glass but otherwise it is quite a beautiful course.

I updated my rating from 2.5 to 3.5.
This is a very good course, I think I was just having a bad day 10 years ago!

The holes aren't too jam packed into areas; nice mix of hole types. The length varies enough to keep you guessing and pin locations are challenging. I think hole #5 is a signature hole, with the basket right on the water's edge. This course has a lot of potential to be a great course when the back 9 gets put in and with a little clearing of brush. I really enjoyed playing it, reminded me slightly of Massillon.

There is some clearing that needs to be done. Some of the trees and brush make the holes very difficult and with a few taken out, the course would play more smoothly. Being 9 holes isn't the greatest, but they are planning to add in a back 9 soon and still working on cleaning it all up.

I enjoyed playing this course, it may not the be the world's best, but it was fun and in the future, with some basic work, it has potential to be a strong course here in Akron. There aren't a lot of courses in Summit County and having this course close will be fun.

Two tee locations (natural, front delineated by row of bricks) per hole, long positions by the tall wooden posts, short positions marked by short wooden posts. The map shows that there are plans for 18=holes, but there were only 9 in place when I played - it was pretty useful in helping navigate the course.

From some tees, especially the longs, playing felt like random pinball. Actual signage on the posts not yet in place. Good deal of broken glass on first few holes. Boggy area down-n-right on #6.

The first three holes play across a narrow, densely wooded valley, with very narrow entry-points from the long tees. Number-4 starts in the trees (from the long tees, hardly any initial throwing lane at all), but finishes in the grassy area near the parking lot, basket near very expansive hardwoods. Cross the parking lot to find tee-5, a long but decent-sized tunnel shot, needing a sharp right at the end, but with water not too far in the background. Number-6 is up-n-over-n-across a wooded/brush-filled slope with a very tight window from the longs early and with a bog on the right late. Numbers 7&8 play in the grassy area separating an access road and a parking lot, with two lines of hardwoods to throw between on #7, and a strategically-placed hardwood, with its expansive branches, making you decide if to go around wide right, or straight and underneath. I then finished on #9 ...

... quite possibly the worst hole I ever endured - made me feel as if I was in disc golf purgatory. Nearly 700' of torture, as you are in a very long oval, the overgrown/natural space between an access road and a parking lot. Large trees and thick brush form the outer rim of this prison, isolating you from any sign of civilization, while you are encapsulated within the midst of it. The map indicates the basket is somewhere down at the other end of this oval, but all you see is a diabolical collection of saplings and small trees, with no throwing path imaginable, unless you have the yet-to-be-created "hummingbird" disc which can rapidly change direction as it continues on its chaotic course.

My rating is based upon the condition of the course the day I played it. Nine more new holes, signage across the board, and a bit more trimming, if permissible, on some of the more densely-treed holes, would certainly raise this course's rating.

Despite my distaste for #9 , kudos to the locals for working to put this course in - I know they have faced some hostile locals - and wish them the best in improving this course. I grew up in Akron, and plan to visit cousins in the area on a semi-regular basis, and look forward to seeing the course get better.

7/13/13 Update: Now 18 holes. Most of the new holes take you up, down, and across the wooded slope which leads to the lake, with the final two playing across an interior wooded area. Many holes offer different lines of attack, and may have multiple pin positions. Two concrete tees per hole, 12' long from the long, 8' long at the shorts. Signs at both tee locations, baghooks at longs. Scattered benches.

Much improved from three years ago, and one of the top, if not the top, courses in northeastern Ohio.

Tall signage indicates the Long tees while the short indicates the short ones. Pretty easy to figure out

Holes 1-3 run back and forth thru a very narrow valley of trees

Hole 4 Shoots out of the woods into an open Field.

5 Is a straight on shot with no room for over shooting, as the basket sits 5 ft from the waters edge

Hole 7 Is the best on the course thus far. Shoot s about 225 + Thru a narrow field with Very LARge trees on both sides.

Map of the Entire course Is at hole 1

**Lots of invisible stumps on the fairway. Major tripping hazards...so watch your step.
**Lots broken glass around.
**Signage maps still needs to be put in yet

**Hole 9 looks much better now

Precision Precision Precision!!!!
This course demand accuracy

Lots of trees!!, so don't bring cheap plastic, or it will get chewed quick


6/15/11...Update 18 baskets are in. Tee posts are up for both long and short tees.

10 starts directly across from hole 1 . and 11,12,13 play back and forth through the woods, with gradual elevation changes.
Hole 11 had a Swamp 10 ft off the tee...watch you step

Hole 13 basket was placed in the center island of the road, which i thought was kinda neat.

Hole 14 shoots from the top (Long tee) of hill . Im guessing it drops maybe 25 feet, with the lake on the right side. Im sure this could be a water hazard to an errant left hand throw.

15 is pretty long with a hill in the middle of it, and ends with basket up on top of a hill . Over shoot a putt , and your swimming !

16 has to be the signature hole. 2 options here! The Fair way plays dog leg right ...or take high risk short cut through the trees over the lake, and you'll be putting on your next shot. Awesome hole !!

17 & 18 are basic long fairways through wood with 18 's basket the side of a hill . Steps built to help walk up the hill.

This course is still fresh, but just seeing the improvements on the front 9 , and seeing the back today ....This course in time will be a gem. This course will definitely rival the courses of Canton Medina and Wooster.

While it may not be broke in yet im giving it a 4 because the potential is there. Hats off to the guys who worked their butts off to give us such a challenging course !!





Dog park, Playgrounds, swimming bathrooms, basketball , skatepark, are among the amenties here

• Secluded from the rest of the park activities for the most part.

• Technical, challenging course that plays well off the moderate elevation of the park.

• Brand new baskets

• Course is still under construction, so the fairways aren't fully cleared

• Dirt tees (for now)

• Tee signs are not yet complete (the posts are up, but no hole maps).

• Baskets are not marked as far as which hole they are, but relatively easy to figure it out.

• Not the easiest to navigate for first-timers

Tough to review this course as only the front nine is complete.

However, this course has a lot of potential. They did a good job for the space they had to work within. For the most part is stays clear of the other park goers, although there is a bit of overlaps but nothing major and you won't be throwing over walkways or other common areas.

Hole 6 & 9 are monsters, most likely as the clearing is not yet complete.

The front nine are mostly technical holes. You'll be using many different discs and throws. Some can be a bit frustrating, but again until the clearing is complete it's hard to say what the holes will end up like.

The design makes good use of the moderate elevation in the park, and offers some nice secluded wooded areas to throw some disc.

The park itself has lots of other amenities for non-disc golfers, playground for kids and public restrooms.

There's no drinking fountain near the Hole 1 tee, but perhaps there's one somewhere else in the park.

There's a rough temporary map posted by the Hole 1 tee, be sure to take a look and/or snap a photo with your phone so you can refer to it for your first time out.

Baskets are sweet. Long and short tees are nice. 2 and 3 were a blast. 4, 7, and 8 are pretty. 5th was scary throwing a $16 disc with the water sooo close! lol

Holes 6 and 9 are pretty much tree eating wastes of time at the moment. Obviously needs some more clearing. Watch your footing walking along 9, those little tree stumps will trip you everytime.

Just needs some more work, once tee signs/distance markers get put up, I can see it being played constantly.