The Woodsman 18 Hole Disc Golf Course sits in Ontario Ohio , just out of Mansfield in Ontario Marshall Park . The park features several fields , a track , tennis courts , swimming pool , basketball courts and a concert area . The Woodsman fortunately sits away from all of it . There is a huge parking lot across the street from the course entrance . I spotted a Port O Let close by , and there are better accessible bathrooms a short drive into the park .
THE EQUIPMENT -- I ran into one of the better local players when I parked , and he said that the putting basket was stolen a short time ago . I told him that I hoped it was a prank and it is returned soon . There is a nice kiosk at the entrance to the course with a large map . Take a picture of it or print the online map . I doubt you need it other than a sport or 2 , though , because it is so well marked . There are 2 tees to every basket . Both are roomy trapezoid cement tees pads at least 8' long . The tee signs are even better and at both tees . They are brownish looking , sit on posts and give all the useful information you want . The baskets are yellow banded Discatchers , which are easy to see in the woods . For navigation , there are plenty of Next Tee signs , plus arrows on the trees ,
THE LANDSCAPE -- Other than a couple of popouts , like long 18 , or leaving the trees briefly on 2 and a couple of other holes , the course is otherwise woods . Not a lot of elevation , but the course rolls and basket placements take advantage of slopes and small hills . Some gullies come into play , like back to back holes 4 & 5 . The fairways can be tight but fair . The course was clean from most sticks , and what grass there was here was mowed . A nice feature was the wood chips and sand that was distributed in flat fairways that receive most of the brunt of hard rains .
THE HIGHLIGHTS -- This is where the course shines . I don't know if any of these holes will make your " best of " collection , but the holes here are solid . If you favor left or right handed shots , they give you some dual fairways so you can choose . Most of these holes are unique , and force you to think on how you want to attack each fairway . I played some longs and shorts , and the longs not only give you length , but most times give you different angles or a different fairway . Don't pay much attention to the scorecard ( it needs some updating ) . The first hole starts you off at over 400' for the longs and about 360 from the short , both merging into the same fairway part of the way down , with the fairway bending left . The #2 tee pad starts in the woods and opens into a clearing , with the basket perched on an elongated ridge with dropoffs on both sides . You can easily take a 4 on this short hole if you miss your putt . #5 is a gulley drive , where you have to throw a narrow path between 2 trees near the tee pad , and across a creek . #12 is a downsloping drive into a narrowing fairway , where the high elevated basket is slightly left . #13 ( 369' from the short position ) , is a dogleg left , down a slope to the basket that sits just above a dry creek .
#18 finishes you off , either from the longs that sit outside the woods near the road , or just inside the woods from the shorts . The fairway is open , but the basket is tucked into a group of trees in the woods .
SIGNATURE HOLE -- #17 was my pick . 399' , bending and downsloping left . The elevated basket is sitting on the hill , and you can easily blow right by the hole either on an approach or your drive .
DISC RISK -- For a long course in the woods , with lots of chances for a ricochet , it is lower than average . The course is clean of most overgrowth . I might see a small problem in the fall , when the leaves are on the ground .
THE TIME -- I bounced around a little , playing some longs and shorts . It took me just over 75 minutes to play this course . A group of 4 ( depending on short or long tees ) could take over 2 hours .
These 18 holes are easy to follow because to the navigation signs . most signs tell you where to go for the long AND the short tees . On the long walk from 9 to 10 , make sure you don't stop at the first tee pad that you see . That is the long tee for 17 .
The course is popular . There were no less than 25 people sharing the course with me during my round .
The 9th and 18th holes finish near the parking lot , which give you options of playing either 9 , all 18 , or dropping by the car for a beverage or 2 .
They have a lost disc box at the entrance to the course . If you have your name on your plastic , the local club will call you .