Pros:
- Great amenities nearby with disc rentals, a handy map, refreshments, lodging, and other recreational opportunities.
- I really liked the spread on the red, white, and blue tees. All seemed reasonable for the respective skill levels, but still provided some challenges to make par
- Love the true par 4's and 5's!
- A great place to see your discs' full potential. Naturally, hole #15 (goosebumps) is an epic hole, but my favorite was #3, which is another steep elevation drop into a well-guarded grove of trees. Thus, taming your disc on its steep descent to the basket it only half the battle!
- The corkscrew hole (#6) is definitely one of the most unique holes I've encountered, with a switchback that would give most mountain bikers nightmares. Finding a shot appropriate for this hole is difficult, and makes it all the more exciting
- Best disc golf views in Western PA! You can see for miles on a good day! I can imagine this place being incredible in the autumn months.
- Water hazards! Hole #11 is very fun, as you have to deal with two bodies of water on either side of you. The key is a nice straight shot with a subtle right fade. Will the water mess with your head?
- Finally, there's no better feeling than seeing your disc soar downhill in a gorgeous S-pattern.
Cons:
- I'm not sure if this is always the case, but the grass was very high (> 2 feet in some places) on the fairways -- kind of makes it hard find discs and throw rollers! Speaking of losing discs, I don't think I've ever spent so much time looking for discs. Between my two friends and I, we probably spent the excess of an hour looking for over 25 discs throughout the day. I think this partially due to the dense overgrowth off the fairway and the windy course's tendency to punish bad shots and make overstable discs seemingly understable. Oh, not to mention that you are throwing down some of the steepest holes in the mid-atlantic region! I suppose you're bound to lose track of some discs.
- Hole #14. Feel free to disagree, but I don't like this hole at all. You have to throw hundreds of feet down a blind hillside while trying to avoid the ski lifts. Then, the basket is narrowly placed in between very dense rough and a road that is out of bounds. This road, which is lined with condos, runs parallel to most of the fairway and just seems a little unfair and punitive. It just isn't a fun throw and pales in comparison to many of the other spectacular ones.
- I hate to list he $6 lift fee as a con, seeing as how it's incredibly beneficial to play the front and back nines.
- Missing basket on 12 (we decided to play safari and use a tree as a target)
- I found it a little tough to find the first time, but once I started playing, navigation was pretty intuitive.
- Holes are predominantly downhill and, with the exception of a trace number of holes, no technical challenges; I suppose this is standard for a ski hill course, and throwing uphill at this place would be suicide. Some variation in elevation, however, would make Seven Springs even better. Also, the shot selection seems to favor the south-paws, which I suppose is a pro if you're left-handed.
Other Thoughts:
If you're having trouble looking for the course as a first-timer, go to the main area with the lodging and the lifts and look for the "Adventure Center" -- that's where you can get your lift pass, map, and rental discs if necessary. It's also where you can take the lift to the first hole.
Seven Springs is a great place to go in the winter for skiing/snowboarding, but I have to say that I enjoy the summer even better! This was my first time visiting in the warm months, and disc golf was only one of the reasons I enjoyed being here.
Despite what seems like a low rating for such a rave review, this course is top-notch. What differentiates it from say Moraine/Knob Hill/Deer Lakes is the shot selection, change in relief/terrain, and utter ego-breaking challenge provided. With that being said, this is certainly not your typical ski-hill course and it's characteristic of the superior caliber of the greater Pittsburgh-area courses. Make the visit and have a blast!