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Rocky Fork State Park - South Beach reviews
9
0
Pretty split personality 2+ years
Reviewed:
Played on:Dec 28, 2012
Played the course:2-4 times
Pros:
Rocky Fork Lake is beautiful, uncrowded, and worth the visit just for the scenery visible from the disc golf course. About 15 minutes southeast of Hillsboro, Ohio (trivia: comedian Drew Hastings is the mayor!), this course has a very open front eight holes with the 'difficulty' coming only from the seasonal grasses defining the rough, and the possibility of lake breezes floating your disc into the water on holes 2, 7 & 8 (just 12' long on the 469' long hole two, and you're wet).
With 12 holes between 198 and 272 feet, this course is well suited to the Recreational to Intermediate disc golfer, but be forewarned: nine of the holes overall (#s 9, 10, 11, 14, 15 & 16 added to the above list) have the potential to get wet!
The beauteous dichotomy of the course starts with a pond-crossing tee shot on 9, a rolling #10 that ends at a pair of cypress trees hopefully protecting your disc from the inlet behind the basket, and then the inlet-crossing #11 that shoots into the woods. The 12 hole is the first without the quality trapezoidal concrete tees, but the gravel tee boxes in the woods are nice, too.
For those who like a challenge, hole 13 runs 275 feet up a 40' slope, effectively making it equivalent to a 400 foot hole. Oh, did I mention there are dozens of trees in the (un)fairway? Don't go long on 14. The 15th hole sweeps to the left along the edge of the lake in the woods. Take out a high speed driver & kick off a tree right here, and I hope you brought swim trunks! Be careful also on 16, as the basket is out at the tip of the ridge, and trees guard the approach, mid-fairway.
With a nice practice basket (all are good 24 chain catchers), a course design that loops you twice back to the main parking area, and excellent park maintenance, all the elements are in place for a fun outing here. There is a shelter, playground, beach, and amenities for the rest of the family to stay entertained here.
With 12 holes between 198 and 272 feet, this course is well suited to the Recreational to Intermediate disc golfer, but be forewarned: nine of the holes overall (#s 9, 10, 11, 14, 15 & 16 added to the above list) have the potential to get wet!
The beauteous dichotomy of the course starts with a pond-crossing tee shot on 9, a rolling #10 that ends at a pair of cypress trees hopefully protecting your disc from the inlet behind the basket, and then the inlet-crossing #11 that shoots into the woods. The 12 hole is the first without the quality trapezoidal concrete tees, but the gravel tee boxes in the woods are nice, too.
For those who like a challenge, hole 13 runs 275 feet up a 40' slope, effectively making it equivalent to a 400 foot hole. Oh, did I mention there are dozens of trees in the (un)fairway? Don't go long on 14. The 15th hole sweeps to the left along the edge of the lake in the woods. Take out a high speed driver & kick off a tree right here, and I hope you brought swim trunks! Be careful also on 16, as the basket is out at the tip of the ridge, and trees guard the approach, mid-fairway.
With a nice practice basket (all are good 24 chain catchers), a course design that loops you twice back to the main parking area, and excellent park maintenance, all the elements are in place for a fun outing here. There is a shelter, playground, beach, and amenities for the rest of the family to stay entertained here.
Cons:
Having played here in June and December, it's worth noting that the summer has insects and goose poop galore, or wind off the lake and goose poop. The bridge at hole 11 crosses a swampy, still inlet that can get pretty smelly, and increases the insect problem. It's also the only place where you need to watch for other players, as they cross the fairway trekking from the #17 basket to the 18th tee.
Interestingly enough, the holes that can get the most confusing (in terms of flow) are out in the open. Watch for the rough to lead you around like a corn maze, and look for the next tee sign after hole 3.
Interestingly enough, the holes that can get the most confusing (in terms of flow) are out in the open. Watch for the rough to lead you around like a corn maze, and look for the next tee sign after hole 3.
Other Thoughts:
The region now has three great courses for Rec-Int players: Rocky Fork, Pike Lake, and Paint Creek. If I owned a camper, this would make a really nice weekend in early summer! Or, knowing there's a great group of folks promoting disc golf here, perhaps a nice B-Tier event?
Apologies to the creator of the nice hand-drawn map: I added an Aerial Map, thinking both would be kept, but the site moderators decided to replace the earlier version. Sorry.
Apologies to the creator of the nice hand-drawn map: I added an Aerial Map, thinking both would be kept, but the site moderators decided to replace the earlier version. Sorry.
5
0
2 courses in 1 2+ years drive by
Reviewed:
Played on:May 5, 2009
Played the course:once
Pros:
Some excellent wooded and water shots in the second half of this course
Well Kept
Challenging but not Frustrating
Good mix of shots and distances
Well Kept
Challenging but not Frustrating
Good mix of shots and distances
Cons:
The first half of this course is pretty ordinary and loaded with goose poop
A bad throw on the first half of the course could easily send your disc into some very tall overgrowth
Wind coming off the lake can be a factor
A bad throw on the first half of the course could easily send your disc into some very tall overgrowth
Wind coming off the lake can be a factor
Other Thoughts:
The open field part of the course is pretty plain. Although I've noticed I say that often about the open field part of a lot of courses, you could probably blame that on just personal preference. I you enjoy open field holes then this one will probably be fine with you.
But once you get out of the open field the rest of the course really takes off. There are some tremendous holes over some ponds and some great elevation changes in the woods. Accuracy in this part of the course is a must because some of the shots are tight. But they are clearly and reasonably defined fairways
Over all I liked this course a lot. I drive around and play Disc Golf all across the state for my job, so I've hit a lot of Ohio courses. I would put this one a notch or two below the elite tier of courses, definitely worth your time. I would be willing to make a return trip to this one and would recommend it for a road trip to anyone within an hour or two of this course.
But once you get out of the open field the rest of the course really takes off. There are some tremendous holes over some ponds and some great elevation changes in the woods. Accuracy in this part of the course is a must because some of the shots are tight. But they are clearly and reasonably defined fairways
Over all I liked this course a lot. I drive around and play Disc Golf all across the state for my job, so I've hit a lot of Ohio courses. I would put this one a notch or two below the elite tier of courses, definitely worth your time. I would be willing to make a return trip to this one and would recommend it for a road trip to anyone within an hour or two of this course.
