Well groomed fairways, brand new tee-boxes, short and long, 27 technical fun holes, surrounded by huge trees, and good people.

Risk reward shots on almost every hole, where an average player can work on their throws and a veteran can know they're doing it right.

Good people. If you show up, there's bound to be 1 or a dozen guys/gals (1 in particular is there everyday, you'll know him when you meet him) there to give you a hint or just play a round.

Craig gave a good example of the course layout, but to me it is just a relaxing, fun, getaway that everyone should experience.

Tee box signs.

I said tee-box signs, however I am torn about the idea....too many signs nowadays

Sing it with me...
"D C G
Signs, signs, everywhere signs
D G
F'n up the scenery, messin' my mind

I prefer Peter Frampton....get a friend and sing...
Oh won't youuuu, show me the way.

27 holes with multiple pin placements, multiple tee boxes, lots of forest/greenery/rolling hills, improves your game

not really a con but hard for a righty, seems like a more right turning holes than left. if my buddy wasn't with me, it would have taken a few tries to find some of the next tee boxes.

one of the best i've ever played in VA/MD/CO, but i've only played about 10 total courses to date

If it weren't for the couple of minor cons below this course is easily a 5 rating. With just one play it's now in my top 3 with Lincoln Ridge/Banklick in KY and Cedar Hill in Nashville.

I like it so much because it is in such a beautiful park. The scenery is just what I'm looking for: lots of rolling hills and trees and even a small stream on a couple of holes. The woods holes (1-6, 13-18) are probably my favorite of the course because of both the look and the challenge they offer, but even the open holes are not easy due to no completely open field shots. 13 and 14 are the stand out holes of the course for me because of the shots, especially 14's tee shot: a great view which opens out to a clearing only to have the basket nestled in some trees at the end. Some people mention the walk from 14 to 15, but I didn't find it overly long or that strenuous, but if you are not in good shape it definitely could be a strain.

Each hole has two tees and multiple basket locations for variety. One of the best things I can say about this course is I found it challenging but fair. When I had a bad score I felt it was due to my mistakes rather than the course punishing me for my disc being a foot off of where it should have been. In other words, I didn't feel there were any forced pitch 'n pray shots when you stayed on course.

The course is well maintained and I didn't have a problem with any of the baskets. Each standard had a flag on top to assist in locating it. The grass was kept short and the woods are mostly clear of undergrowth.

I managed to navigate the course without a map or assistance thanks to "next tee" pointers and hole # markers by the pads. However, I can definitely see the navigation being tricky, especially if you're new to disc golf, because there's some crisscrossing going on through the middle of the course area.

Because the pads do not have tee signs that show the hole layout, par, and length, I had to run ahead in a few places to find out where I should be throwing. Combining the map and the scorecard would help fill in the gap here, but two different documents is a bit too much on the player's part in my book. Note that there are a couple of holes with old tee signs; I'm not sure if they are completely accurate anymore. The baskets have orange tape with the hole number in black on the middle pole inside the chains, but a couple have the hole number on top and--I may be remembering this incorrectly so forgive me--I think a couple of these top signs had the wrong number. Only a couple of times are you unsure of which basket to throw at so this isn't too big of a deal, just run up until you can read the tape. The holes I recall having this problem were 9 (I could see 27's basket) and 10 (again, 27's basket).

Finally, as I've mentioned in other reviews, I'm not a fan of parks that pay for entrance. I understand the need, but I don't have to like it. I played on a weekday and fortunately did not have to pay, but a few bucks to play this course is worth it in the end.

Seneca Creek is a very large park with lakes, hiking trails, picnic areas, etc. Very beautiful place, I'd like to explore it more if I'm ever in the area again.

I played it for the 1st time after the 27-hole layout was installed, and I was impressed by the transformation from a roller-dominated, cedar-shrouded course to a diverse gem comprising numerous technical holes, several air-it-out long holes, hyzer holes, anhyzer/turnover holes and, yes, even a few roller holes. Accuracy is key on most drives, with trees of various sizes lurking to take your drive out, but the predominance of cedars that defined the old course has been expertly reined in. The course is popular,so there should be a pretty good chance that you could just show up and have someone to play with.
Even with the number of people, the 27-hole layout in 3 loops provides separation: I played the first nine all alone and only saw or heard a few other people on the adjacent loop(s). The course is well-marked, and the paths between basket and next tee are well-worn, so it's pretty easy to find your way-at least on the first loop.

The older baskets are prone to cut-throughs - I had two in the first 9 holes plus a ring-job bounceout that cost me three strokes. Of course, I could blame it on my putting.

I found it handy to carry the course map (on my Blackberry, along with all of the course photos from this website). The 2nd loop has a number of elevation changes, including the honker-of-a-hike from 14 to 15 that reminded me of hiking Yosemite: just look down and keep putting one foot in front of the other until you reach the top! I'm glad I hooked up with some regulars on the middle 9, or I might have been walking around a lot more looking for the next tee. All-in-all, lots of fun and pleasantly challenging.

I'll reluctantly resist the temptation to peg this course as a 5 since that should be reserved for epic tracks like Paw Paw but there's just nothing not to like about this course. Gorgeous setting, challenging layout, multiple tees and pin settings, private feel, elevation changes, active group of volunteers and supportive Park management all make this a must play. Beautiful at any time of year, if you can catch it in late April/early May you'll get to enjoy the native Dogwood trees (even if you hit one or two). Each of the three 9 hole loops have a different character and allow you to work of different parts of your game. My favorite holes are #13 (old #11), #6 (pinball alley), #3 (gravity sucks) and #22 (open, or is it?). Trail is marked nicely in most places and where it isn't obvious there are signs to the next tee. Course is kept very clean.

Most holes tend to slightly favor the lefthand backhand line, but as mentioned earlier there's plenty of room to shape other shots. You may have to shoo deer out of the fairways. The walk from 12 to 13 isn't intuitive and there's a busy intersection after #7 and #24 but the signage is improving. Long walk from #14 pin to #15 tee (there was to be a hole or two in there that weren't permittted due to environmental concerns), lack of the epic downhill shot (see environmental concerns).

UPDATE; alcohol is no longer permitted (as of April 2009) in MD State Parks without a permit. Please help maintain the course's good standing with management by complying.

The old layout favored the roller on on most holes if you didn't have a monster air to take all the trees out of play. The new layout still has roller opportunties but generally offers more chances to fly. Maryland has four gems in Seneca, Patpasco, Rockburn and Druid with Seneca being the crown jewel imo.

Multiple tees and pins allow for accessibility by all skill levels.
Loops starting and finishing at parking areas makes getting on the course easier for everyone during busy times of the year.
Hard surface teepads (almost finished!) keep maintenance and erosion to a minimum.
Elevation changes on 15/27 holes.
Flags on all the baskets is a great addition - vastly improving visibility.
Dedicated area to disc golf means zero conflicts with other park users. Scorecards and maps are usually available in a box mounted to the course information board, but can also be downloaded and printed from the course website at senecadg.net

New tee signs have just been installed and are some of the nicest tee signs anywhere! Check the course info for an example of what they look like. These should help tremendously in navigating the course - we have plans for additional wayfinding markers to make it even easier.

A few teepads still need to be built
No permanent shelter or bathrooms

This course has been a labor of love for me. I designed and installed the original course in 1990 with John Powell. And did the re-design in 2007 with John Gregory. The course remains one of the highest SSA courses in the world relative to its length. Where most other high SSA courses rely mostly on distance, Seneca relies on a combined distance and accuracy seen in very few places. I've played upwards of 250 or so courses, and there are several I rank above Seneca, but through all my discoveries of other wonderful places to play, Seneca has remained amongst my top 10. I take no greater joy than seeing a players game develop and be influenced by the challenges this course presents. If you are ever in the DC area and are looking for a place to play - don't pass this one up!!

Seneca is a spectacular course, and unlike any other I know of. This is the only place I know of where the 2-meter rule is still in effect, and will always be in effect. And before people start grousing that the 2-meter rule is an unnecessary or unfair penalty, let me explain a little about Seneca:

Hole design at Seneca is dependent on an amazing number of really beautiful and devilish cedar trees. About half the holes are strategically designed so that cedar trees become a serious obstacle and a penalty to shots that miss the fairway or miss the right line to the basket. And these are sticky, sticky cedars. I'd estimate that 1/3 of discs that hit cedars stick in the cedars. So there is a sharp incentive to avoid them. And the risk/reward of having the 2-meter rule in effect on these cedars adds immensely to the challenge of the course.

To offset the effect of the cedars, Seneca is the best rolling course I have ever played. The holes with cedars almost invariably have amazingly well-groomed fairways with well-trimmed grass and very, very few roots or other debris on the ground. Rollers are glorious here, and the rolling hills throughout the course meant that rollers have to be carefully placed -- you can't just huck a roller out and hope for the best -- you have to learn finesse. And I know of no other course in the country that will be so helpful in teaching you how rollers should work and what discs can do when they hit the ground.

The half of the course that isn't cedars/rollers is mostly beautiful shots along a shallow creek with 150' trees towering overhead. Wildlife is plentiful -- I've seen countless deer, as well as foxes, beavers, racoons, turtles, snakes, lizards, etc... around the course -- most of them near the water. These shots don't have cedars to worry about, but the OB creek forces precision.

Other reviewers have mentioned that the 27-hole layout favors lefty throwers, and I have to disagree with that. Seneca does require a good balance of right-and-left turning holes, but the holes that are "lefty holes" almost always have very high-ceilings and wide enough fairways that there is no trouble throwing an anhyzer shot. To me, the only time a course becomes a "lefty" course is when there are a lot of low-ceiling, right-hooking holes that mandate a lefty-shot to have a birdie-run. Here, that's not the case. Holes are fair to every player and usually offer plenty of room to get to the hole by several options. And there are a lot of very hard-3s (or easy-4s), where shot placement for the 3 is much more important than trying to hit a deuce. From the long pins, you can shoot ~970 golf here without every taking a deuce. Which is just awesome.

Other pros for the course: Three nine-hole loops, multiple tees and pin-placements for every hole, incredibly-well maintained, good parking, dedicated disc-golf-only area, so there are never any hikers or other folks competing for space, and perhaps foremost: a great bunch of locals dedicated to the constant improvement of the course.

Seneca is the closest A-list course to my house (about 45-50 minutes without traffic), and in the two-years I've lived here, I've seen it go from an okay set of 18-holes to a Pro-level 27-hole course that improves every time I make it out.

While there are still some holdouts who favor elements of the old layout, the redesigned course improves many elements of the course and has also served to provide a stronger draw for players of all skill levels.

The volunteers who maintain and continue to improve the park (can't name them all here -- I don't want to leave people out) have done an amazing job, over the last year especially, continuing to improve what was already an epic course. New signage (AMAZING) and a few more pin placements secure the course a 4.5-star rating, placing it among my favorite places to play in the country.

Each hole has an average of 3 teeboxes (though the yellow novice pads are VERY short and not always well marked (though that is getting better), and usually 2-4 basket placements, which means there is a lot of variation to the course. The recent addition of screws/hooks to indicate current pin position is a huge help.

The park itself is incredibly well maintained and has lots of other activities as well -- a perfect place to spend a day with a family or plan a family reunion, company picnic or other large get together.

It's hard to find many cons for Seneca. The biggest one for me is that there are not multiple baskets on every hole. That could take this course to a 5-star rating. The course has so many possibilities that it just begs for a permanent "longs" layout (similar to Patapsco, also in MD). The long-to-long layout on this course is truly awesome and a tremendous challenge. But with only one pin per hole, it is never set up in it's most challenging layout except for occasional tournament rounds. This is in keeping with the goal of appealing to varying skill levels of players, which is a great goal. But in a perfect world, this course would have permanent long pins.

Other minor issues are inconsistent signage. The new signs are among the best I've ever seen at a course (check out the pictures), but they are not on every teebox, and are not consistently on a certain teebox (sometimes reds, sometimes whites).

From what I can tell, the course is still working on completing some of the blue teepads. I know this is a work in progress, to eventually have 4 teepads per hole -- a true yellow(novice)/red/white/blue set of options, but this isn't done yet. Completion of these holes will also help with a 5-star rating; especially if they update the signs to reflect the new teepads.

The novice teepads are now sometimes "marked" with red arrows on trees pointing to the teepads (similar art on the signs). It is confusing at to whether these are mandos or not. I've learned that they are not intended to be mandos -- just indicators of where the novice teepad is located -- but it's not clear when playing the course.

No trashcans on the course. Seneca is a pack-it-in, pack-it-out park. This is actually good in that locals do a great job keeping the course clean, but it's just something to be aware of.

Another minor con is that -- to some degree -- there is a lack of "signature holes." There are some great holes (6, 10, 12, 13, 14, 22, 26 are my favorites), but there are none that light up my memory and make me dream about them at night like some signature holes other places. Seneca's closest holes to "signature" status are probably 10 and 13 (if you only have time for one loop of 9 holes, definitely play 10-18), but they just aren't quite there.

However, the overall balance of holes and the "fun to play" factor makes up for the lack of signature holes. I'd rather have 27 very good holes than the predicament at courses which have one or two epic holes and a lot of filler.

Only other small cons I can think of: the park opens late (around 8 or 8:30) and closes at sundown, so dawn golf and glo-golf aren't possible.

And: despite being a large state park, there is no camping at the course, which would be just make it that much more awesome.

State park with a $3 fee per person to enter -- a pretty minimal fee if you ask me. I'd gladly pay a lot more to play this course and to support the state park -- it's totally worth it -- but for the sake of people coming to play, it's worth mentioning up front to have a few bucks on you in cash.

The teeboxes are good -- not great -- but good. Plenty of traction and adequate in size, if not always perfectly flat. These are volunteer made and laid paving stones, scuffed for better footing. Some people will be picky, but I like them. Occasional teepads are holdovers from the original course, and are smaller slabs of poured concrete (also adequate).

Seneca should be on your "must play" list if you are in the DC area. This and Patapsco share the crown for top MD courses, and are both A-list courses on a national scale, comparing favorably with the best that any state has to offer.

If you want a course with more epic, memorable holes, go to Patapsco and play the "Green Monster" layout. If you want a relaxing, fun, challenging day of disc golf that will encourage you to try new shots and expand your game, go to Seneca. Better yet, go to both.

Seneca is a course that has grown on me over time. The more times you play it, the more you forgive the lack of "stand out" holes and the more you appreciate the incredible balance and consistent challenge that will shape you as a player and force you to reconsider and improve your mental game as well as just your throws.

If you have a chance to play the Seneca Soiree, held every spring, it's one of the best PDGA Pro events in this part of the country. It's worth coming back for.

The Mid-Atlantic Am Championship (MAAC) is on the short list of best am-only tournaments in the country. Any am who can should try to play this every year. Before I went pro, I played several big Am events, and this and the WVAC (West Virginia Am Championship) are among the best I know of anywhere in the country.

I know Seneca is local to me, and I'm biased, but there are few courses in the country that are as much fun to play as this one. It is beautiful and relaxing -- unlike some tournament-caliber courses that can leave you exhausted, this one is more like a gentle, friendly hike in the woods, that just happens to have some amazing disc golf. Seneca soothes the soul in a way few other courses come close to. I hope you get a chance to play -- you won't be disappointed (unless you don't have a roller, then you'll either have to learn one -- like I did -- or start cursing the cedars). In short: an amazing, one-of-a-kind course.

27 holes! Excellent flow between holes. Each round of 9 begins and ends at the parking lot. Sparse vegetation means that discs rarely get lost. Course is in a serene area dedicated to disc golf so there is no playing near roads, picnic areas, etc.

Not much elevation change, a disproportionate number of holes are right-curving, some areas get muddy during rainy periods, some OB areas are not well marked.

This is a very nice course with a mix of wooded and open field holes. The first 9 are mostly wooded and the back 18 are mixed between wooded and open, though the open holes still have plenty of trees to play around. There is plenty of opportunity to use a wide range of discs and throws, though many holes curve right, favoring forehand and left-hand backhand throws. The course is free of charge at all times except weekends during peak season (approx. April through October).

Fully dedicated course - no bikers, hikers, equestrians, scout camps, nothing but disc golfers. Course was converted to 27 holes in April 2007. Two tee pads and 3 pin placements per hole. A third tee will be added to many of the holes in the future. Lots of elevation. Two concrete tee pads on every hole. There's a water hazard (creek) on five of the holes (3, 4, 5, 13, and 14). Good mix between wooded and open holes. The 2-meter rule is ALWAYS in effect at Seneca. A wonderful Park staff that supports the local volunteers and does a great job of mowing the course in the summer.

It's not 36 holes. No golf carts are available. The Park hasn't built a pool yet. The course isn't lit at night. Only 1 of our parking lots is paved. The 2-meter rule is always in effect at Seneca. No camping. As of Spring 2009, alcohol is no longer permitted in MD State Parks. Some feel that Holes 4 and 5 plus Holes 13 and 14 are similar to each other.

I'm a local whose been playing Seneca since September of 90. I'm so biased, there's no possible way for me to be objective (see my Cons), so I'll talk a little recent history. On February 23, 2008 the course was re-configured. Hole 8 and Hole 13 were removed. A new hole was built parallel to 8 (new 26) and Legacy (original) Hole 10 was re-introduced (it's now Hole 25). There has been LOTS of new signs installed all over the course. Navigating the course is easy now.

As of June 09, there are 2 concrete tees on all 27 holes. Now that all the tee pads are installed.... dare I say SCSP-DGC is the best course in MD!

The original course was very much a Righty course. When the course was converted to 27 holes in April 07, it became a lefty course. With the first 17 years of Seneca being a Righty course, having a lefty course for the next few years balances everything out. When new tee pads and pin placements are being considered, the current abundance of LHBH shots is always in the decision process.

Beautiful setting and landscape, full range of challenges except true water hole. Long on amenities.

Not many - some navigation challenges maybe, and some rough tees. Definitely some lost disc risk.

Seneca Creek has long been considered one of the elite disc golf courses in the Mid-Atlantic region, and rightfully so. The landscape is just about perfect, with the course playing over a set of gradual hills rising from Seneca Creek. The course is well maintained, can play not too long from am tees to close pin placements to exceptionally long from pro tees to far pin placements. Within its 27 holes are many of the best pure woods holes I've ever played, but also a fair number of more open holes. And finally, you need the whole range of skills here - length, right and left hooks, a precise approach game, putting to tough placements, rollers, the whole bit.

Seneca Creek is long on the amenities that make a good course great, in my opinion. Three nine hole loops that all come back to the parking lot. Three pin placements for every hole, making for excellent variety among the holes and among visits. Bright yellow flags atop the baskets to alert you to the current placement. A course map at the beginning and one excellent sign for every hole. At least one and usually two concrete tees per hole, plus yellow markers for natural pads for beginners. Benches where you need them. Rescue poles in case a cedar tree eats your disc.

It's hard to find something negative to say; some of the tees are a bit rough I suppose. A few extra tees left over from an earlier version of the course, plus some long transitions between holes, could create confusion. The holes running along the creek may be a touch odoriferous after a heavy rain. And I suppose a nice lake or a towering view of the surrounding countryside would improve Seneca, but not much.

Like Patapsco, the other elite course in Maryland, the worst hole at Seneca Creek is still better than most of the disc golf holes I've played. Really, there are no bad holes here. The true woods holes are challenging but reasonable, with appropriate fairways. Outside of the woods, the holes still feature tree hazards, including a large number of disc-eating cedar trees. The run of holes along the creek are truly picturesque in landscape and playability. While the course is lacking one hole that is a pure downhill chuck, the course does make good use of the elevation available. Overall, this course is as flexible as any I've played, going from somewhat long to really long depending on where you tee off and how the course is laid out.

Based on landscape, playability, and amenities, Seneca is definitely among the elite courses I've played; residents of the DC/Baltimore megalopolis sure have some truly distinctive disc golf course to choose from.