Pros:
Red Orchard Park is a well kept multi use park not far off I-65 in Shelbyville . There is limited parking near hole 1 , which is behind a small playground . You pass the nice restrooms closer to the front of the park , about 400 meters from the start of Ryan's Course .
The Equipment - The Equipment is first rate . A nice kiosk with map greets you as you pass the playground . A practice basket is tightly placed just beyond the #1 tee pad . The tee pads are the largest around , about 4 1/2 X 10' . You will need the whole tee pad for this course . The signage is top notch , giving hole# at the top of the sign enabling you to see it from far off , + par , distance and flight path . The baskets are newer yellow banded Discatchers . Print the online map or take a pic of the kiosk before playing .
The Landscape .The fairways were mowed and the course seems to be cared for as much as the rest of this nice park . I don't know when the ponds dried up , but it would have been fun to throw over a couple . Elevation isn't overpowering here , but it does come into play on holes . The most elevation is a dropoff downhill drive on #15 . #1 declines a good deal , too .Trees will mostly be a factor later in the course , starting about hole #7 and going through 16 . Basket placements are very good . Straying from the fairway here will leave you in high rough or unforgiving woods ( more in cons ) .
Scenic - This is a beautiful course . Just enough woods and just enough open .
The Highlights - This course wrote the book on challenge . You have 18 holes at 8140' at your disposal . You get 1 short break at #12 with a tight fairway 290' hole , which is 20' shorter than the next shortest hole . #2 is a level 730' hole that slowly bends to the right with woods and high growth on the left and 6'-8' high overgrowth on the right . The basket is eventually placed to the right of the fairway . #4 425' is off of an elevated tee to a basket behind a grove of smaller trees on the right . #11 495' is a tight fairway with small trees lining both sides of the fairway . #15 is a fun downhill 330' hole that forces you to throw a little left to right and go as long as you can before you hit a tree . Don't kick a drive off a tree and into the rough on the left . #18 670' is a tough finishing hole . Over a gully with a tight fairway and rough on both side , then up a never ending slope to a basket resting next to mature trees .
Signature Hole - #17 520' leaves you with choices . Lay up in front of the dried pond , then go over it to the basket just beyond , or play it safer and throw around a small bending tree line on shot 2 .
Time - You will be out here a while , even if you keep your disc mostly in the fairway . I was here for 2 hours , but I was looking for my disc some . Normally , count at least 1 1/2 hours or more . A group of 4 , 3 hours .
If you wish to test your nerves and mettle , this is the place . If you overthrow or your accuracy is slightly off , you are going to be punished . Keeping up with par will be a challenge for most . 430' par 3's with basket placements in tight fairways or behind trees .
remember to bring plenty of water .
Cons:
#1 The Rough - Absolutely the worst in Kentucky and among the worst I have ever played . I spent 10 minutes looking for my downhill drive that the wind took on hole 1 and lost my driver on #18 . 5-8' high overgrowth on a lot of the course . The course needs foot traffic to make it relevant , because it sits between Frankfort and Louisville . Even with short tees , the strong possibilities of losing your discs looms . I think having 2' high overgrowth could prove your point instead of a wall of No ( Disc ) Return .
Forgiveness - You have none here . I got into a pattern of trowing midranges and Star Terns just to keep in the fairways . If you kick into the woods here , you just lost a stroke trying to throw out . And trying to throw out of overgrowth you can't see over is a joke .
Disc Risk - The highest I have ever recorded . I feel lucky that I only lost 1 disc today .When looking for my disc in the high rough , I think that iI tripped over the bones of some kid that was looking for a souvenir disc in the middle of last winter .
Amenities - The course might benefit from alternate shorter tee pads , maybe a few benches and some trash cans ( carry out what you carry in ) . Maybe a shaded table for the end of rounds .
Other Thoughts:
This course has all the ingredients of being one of the 2 or 3 best course in the state . It has length , challenge , and almost out of control variety . Doglegs , par 4's and par 5's . H B Clark did an incredible job of designing Ryan's Course to be a premier pro-type course . But here is the difference between this course and say - Idlewild (10,964' for 24 holes ). Idlewild is closed at the moment to prepare for the Open Disc Golf Pro Tour . when the tour leaves town , many players of all abilities ( it has 2 tee pads and some alternate baskets ) , will come flocking back to this course to enjoy it . They won't have to spend needless amounts of time looking for discs and probably won't lose their prized driver . I'm not trying to bash Ryan's Course , just showing the possibilities .
My Recommendation - This course should be considered by intermediates and above . Ryan's Course could host a big event right now . Anyone less ? Stay in the fairway ....