You drive into the park and there is an expansive parking lot available for this course. Whether recreational day or a tourney, you'll never find yourself parking at the other end of the course. There is no running water here, but there is a portable toilet available year round. There are plenty of benches and garbage cans along the way, so if amenities are your thing, those are here as well.

The course plays, literally, on the college's old ski lodge so you can pretty much understand what you're getting into before you even show up. This course is one of my favorites in the local area in terms of the beauty of the course. There is a pond with ducks right beside the 1st Tee. You play through a nice creek area that leads out to your first experience where you play a couple holes running up one of the old slopes. By the time you get to the top and turn around you see a vast, gorgeous horizon view that looks like it goes on forever. This comes into play multiple other times as you tee from the tops of these slopes twice. Up on top of the course is beautiful nature. It's a good mix of pine and leaf trees, with plenty of fungus and Ghost Pipes and other natural fauna to check out. I have seen deer here almost every round and there is plenty of bear evidence as well, though I've yet to see one here.

I love the variety of shot that this course brings. 1 is a challenging hole that makes you keep it between woods and an OB road. 4 is very similar to NoBo 3 with a hard drive straight up a ski slope. You get three chances at a downhill run, with 18 being the most fun. This is a real stand on top of the mountain and hurl it kind of moment that makes you want to unload your bag trying it. The 14th Hole is one of my favorites anywhere. This must be an old logging road, or something similar, but you play down a trail that then leads back uphill. There are woods on both sides with severe elevation that can take your disc soaring off the fairway. It's good a great mix. There are open holes and tight holes. There is distance and there are must make birds. Every hole feels unique.

There are three sets of tees here so any skill level should be able to find a configuration that fits them. The upkeep is also very nicely done here. The grass is always mowed and the tees are kept in the best shape they can given the natural tees.

The equipment here is old school. There are no concrete pads and most don't have any turf or anything. For the most part, you're driving off dirt. I will give them credit that at least most of them are level. Nothing I despise more than running uphill sideways on a dirt tee. The baskets are older style and could use an upgrade. Probably the biggest upgrade needed is in the tee signs. These things are straight out of 2000, with the handmade sticker-style tee signs that don't actually tell you much. I would just defer to your app for best information there.

This course has a great deal of nostalgia for me. I have been avid since the late 90s. Back then we had two 18 hole courses available - Knob and Schenley. IUP Lodge was the first new 18 anywhere within an hour of town. It was mind blowing then and still holds up today.

There is a no drugs or alcohol policy that they take serious. Saw a dude get booted from a tourney once upon a time for cracking a beer in the parking lot. Don't push your luck.

+ Stunning venue with well-maintained grounds. The player will encounter regal hills and dense forested fairways.
+ Link9 finishes near the parking lot.
+ Bright red guiding signage with tee-colored circles within them.
+ Each tee has its own sign. The signs are simple but present and passable.
+ Stock paper scorecards/map available for the taking.
+ Two tees per link and three possible pin positions per fairway for a lot of variety, but...

- ...There is no system in place to indicate which position the basket is in.
- With two or three exceptions, the tees areas are just dirt or mulch.
- The baskets are old and more than a little rusty, but at least they're numbered.

Over the years, a disc golfer learns what they love, like, tolerate and detest regarding courses.
Me? I love courses that have a lot of elevation challenges and put a lot of woods in my way, and I like it when courses have dependable wayfinding signage to help players navigate the course.

IUP has those things. I loved looking at link8 because of its grand downhill grassy hallway underneath the carefully trimmed tree boughs. Link9 was the same way, except totally out in the open. Link18 was a nice endless downhill finale that combined the open nature of 9 with the fairway trees of 8. Link15 is a diabolical maze of pines that will either delight or horrify you.
Link14, my personal favorite of the course, plays within a steep valley with plenty of trees. All along the left of that fairway, there is an ocean of tall ferns, shrubs and grasses that can easily hide from view a disc of any color. I spent twenty minutes searching for a bright orange disc in that area.

I can tolerate bad or unreliable tee signs as long as they give me a loose idea of where to throw. But I detest bad tees.
IUP has those things. While the blue tees' signs do indicate the three different pin positions, there's still no system in place to tell which position is in-play. How can a player know where to throw? Yes, yes, Udisc exists. But there are players who don't have it (yet). Also, it is the responsibility of the course to give players information about the course. After all, any course is updated sooner than its Udisc counterpart, if it's updated at all. And the dusty dirt or mulched tee pads don't do it for me. They were bumpy. Mulch snuck into my shoes every third tee-off. I felt unsteady. On a course this good, that was disappointing to see.

But that's as bad as it gets because even the disappointing links here are fun. Link5 is a simple and straight wide open throw, but there is a steep slanted fairway that could send your disc rolling into oblivion. 6 is the same way, except basically flat. Link1, my least favorite, has the park entrance road on the left, and the fairway doesn't do much beyond the park-style trees. Yet, honestly, all of the fairways here are engaging.

Lastly, I noticed that most, if not all, of the links had wooden beams painted red sticking out of the ground, which I assume is a proposed shorter layout for the course, which I think is a great idea. That would make IUP less intimidating for the newbies.

Overall, I strongly recommend IUP. The tees need an upgrade for sure, and the signage could stand to be replaced, but the disc golfing is a ton of fun if you like hills and trees. Far-flingers will definitely have to take it down a notch here. The terrain is varied, and the faiways are clean & clear. Just be careful on the steeper fairways, and you'll have a fine time.

+ The lodge itself. It's called "College Lodge" and it's situated in a park space that is maintained by IUP. The lodge has electricity and plumbing, tables, chairs, nice deck, and a view of 4, 9, and 18
+ Parking. Lots of parking in a paved lot
+ Right outside the parking lot is a nice sign that shows you the pin locations of each hole, along with a little bin of scorecards.
+ Distance and elevation change. I averaged 7000ish steps each round, which takes you up and down the ski "mountain" twice. Granted, it's not a ski hill like Seven Springs, but still, the terrain is well utilized
+ Short holes are wickedly tricky. The three shortest holes (3, 10, 15) are all only 160ish, but 3 is rollaway city, 10 is a very tight tree pinball-fest with OB right behind the pin if you manage to sneak one through all the way, and 15... well... think about a plinko game. Now imagine you're starting at the bottom of the game and going straight up the plinko board. That's 15. Both rounds, my whole card drilled a tree off the teepad of 15.
+Bombs away! Hole 18 is your chance to rip your favorite driver, and oh is it glorious. But even if you screw it up, the underbrush in the woods on each side are mostly ferns. We even found a medium green disc that was pretty much the same color as the ferns it was hidden amongst.
+Requires good thought and preparation. You are rewarded on your good decisions (and executions) and you are punished mightily for your bad choices.
+Benches throughout the course
+The view from 18 and 9 are very nice, where you are atop the ski hill looking down.
+Fairways are fairways and very well maintained grass

- The only thing missing that would make this course a 5 for me is a concrete tee pad. It's not that the rubber pad on the whites is bad, it's just that this course is so close to perfect that I don't know what else could be done to improve it besides the concrete pads...

I couldn't have been more impressed by this course. I wish it were closer to my home because I'd love to play it more often. Some people might complain that the lack of a true water hazard detracts from it, or that Mach III is an outdated basket but I disagree on both accounts. I love that this course tests both RH and LH players, BH and FH players, power throwers and control masters. Laser straight throws, big hyzers, thumbers, ground hugging hyzerflips, intentional skip shots, cut rollers, thumbers... this course throws so many things at you that you are going to call on everything you got to make it through, and then you finish with that sick bomb on 18 and you can go relax on the deck of the lodge and relive all of your glorious shots you forgot you had at your disposal.

My first experience with IUP College Lodge was a tournament round in 2016. I was playing the course blind, and as I pulled into the parking lot at 8 o clock AM, I knew the course was something special.

Walking up to the tournament headquarters (a building next to hole 10) I saw a large open valley with rolling ski hills pouring grass into the center. With the sun rising up over the hills providing a beautiful landscape, only one could dream of such a wonderful scene.

Golf wise, the course does not disappoint. It has a mixture of uphill shots and downhill shots, shots that go right and shots that go left, shots through trees and shots in the open fields. Hole 18 is one of the best holes I have ever played. You are throwing downhill, hopefully a crush that will give you a clean upshot towards the basket, with dangers of OB.

Every time that I have played the course it has been in immaculate shape. Mowed fairways, well kept rough, among other things.

Almost every hole is great. Most courses that I personally enjoy have all good holes, but nothing that makes you want to take a picture of it every time you play. However, IUP has those holes.

Every course has faults. Often on great courses such as IUP, these faults are not that major.

First, the baskets are somewhat outdated. I know, I know, Mach IIIs are fine baskets. However, I feel when you have a course as well designed as IUP, you could have more updated and colorful baskets that would be more visible and catch better than the current baskets.

Second, the teepads and tee signs could be updated. The tee signs do not give enough information as to what I would prefer. Updated tee signs are a huge plus on these types of courses. The white tees are rubber and the blue tees are natural. They are well kept, but concrete tees could go a long way. During a rainy week, the tees will be slippery and with testy footing.

Next, the course is missing hazards that aren't the road. There is a nice pond by hole one, but it does not come in to play. There could easily be an added challenge somewhere on the course that would make it even more special than it already is.

Finally, there are some holes that are subpar. For example one hole on the back nine does not have a true line to the basket. Basically, you throw and pray that you don't hit one of the many trees in the middle of the fairway. Hole 10, is also the same way. Not much of a visible line. I am a huge fan of woods golf, but this seems too extreme.

I love the course at IUP. IT has a great atmosphere, and some great holes. With a few tweaks, it could definitely be one of the best in the state of Pennsylvania. It is a hidden gem an hour and a half outside of Pittsburgh, but it is well worth the drive!

This is overall an amazing course. An old ski hill provides a ton of elevation, the course moves and flows in and out of woods and along what I assume is an exercise trail (though when I was out at 8am in the summer, I was alone).

Specifics things to praise this course for:
- Nice baskets that catch well
- Two tees on every hole
- Multiple pin placements (though only playing it once I can't speak to how good the other pins are...)
- This is the first course I have played that has a legitimate rough. On most holes, there is a beautiful fairway, and if we get off, you are in trees. Unlike many courses I play with trees filled with thorny undergrowth, there is another stretch of trees with no undergrowth. Makes finding discs a snap. If you really have a bad throw (which I had a couple) you will get into some deep undergrowth, but the stuff I trudged through weren't thorns or ivy so I will take that every day of the week.
- Benches on almost every hole
- Even with the steep inclines, this course is pretty easy to get around with well maintained paths and a couple spots with stairs to help for those a little more limited mobility wise. Saying that, I should also note that even with nice paths and such, the course is still a pretty good hike, so take advantages of the benches when you need to!
- A lot of parking, as there are a number of amenities at the Lodge.
- I forgot to mention the maintenance here at the Lodge is amazing! I went before the grounds crew was out, and I thought the fairways were pretty well kept, but by the time I finished up my round, they were cutting them. Definitely no overgrowth on this course, which is a welcome sight to say the least!

- The biggest, and really, my only complaint is the navigation of the course. The tee signs were only on the White tees (that I noticed) and they were relatively small, and took me about half the course to realize there were directions to the next tee on them. There were also SMALL signs along the main path with indications of where the next tee was, the problem with that, was I was often not on the main path, and the signs weren't always near the basket so I missed quite a few. Mostly, the path leads you where you need to go, but there are definitely a handful of holes that left me scratching my head.

The only thing I should add is, when you are leaving, if you are walking on the road, be aware that the road drops off about 2 inches to the shoulder, which isn't a big deal if you are paying attention, however, if you are walking off of 18 catching up your Udisc from the previous two holes and you don't watch where you are going... you can easily twist your ankle.

Moral of the story, score first, THEN walk to the car lol

The course is built on an old ski lodge resort.
Amazing variety of shots. Down hills, up hills, open fairways and tight long wooded ones too.
You need a backhand and sidearm to finish with a good score.
Very well kept.
Benches at most holes.

NONE, ABSOLUTELY AMAZING COURSE.
WHEN I WENT TO IUP I played this course over 100 times.

2nd course I ever played when I was first introduced to disc golf as a freshman at IUP. Fell in love with the rolling hills.
I have been playing for over 5 years now and this is by far the best course I have ever played
LOVE LOVE LOVE the LODGE AT IUP!

Very fun course to play. I played all 18 holes and didn't see one piece of garbage anywhere on the course. Plays through the woods and some open shots too. Paths are lined with logs. Very well maintained! Worth the drive

The only thing I can think of is the paths that take you throughout the course are used by runners and bicycles alike. It is an exercise trail with exercise stations also. Not really a con but make sure to look out for other people before your next throw.

One of my favorite courses to play. Shout out to the grounds crew! Keep up the good work

This is one of the most well maintained courses I have personally ever played. The course itself and the nature trails around the park are pretty well flawless when it comes to trash and excess debris. The course offers everything from beginner skill level shots to holes that are going to favor the more advanced and experienced players. Lots of elevation change from hole to hole not only offers a great challenge and variety to the course, but you get a good workout while playing also!

Although the white tee's are topped with rubber fly mats, the blue tee's are natural and some of them are in rough shape. Be careful!

With the upcoming 2015 Indiana Open, the course has had some serious fairway maintenance and some new features. The steps from hole 2 to 3 have been completely reconstructed not only making it safer for players but a lot easier on the back getting up the hill! Fairways have been cleaned of great amounts of debris making it easier to find your disc if you get a little off the beaten path, and easier to navigate from hole to hole.

The IUP course at the College Lodge is on one of the most nicely landscaped properties that I have played on. A lot of work has clearly gone into the course to make it as well groomed as possible and it maintains this professional level of grooming throughout the round. In addition, there is a huge parking lot that provides a nice porta-potty and is close to the first tee.

Blue and white tees are offered, as well as two pin positions which do a good job of changing the approach. Tee signs and baskets are in great shape and I appreciate how they have painted blue spots on the trees next to the blue tees to make it easier to find them.

There is a good variation and flow of hole types here, as the course constantly takes you in and out of the woods. I really enjoyed how the first few holes had a completely different feel to them then the other wooded holes on the course, though I would've liked to have seen more of these types of holes. There are many chances to throw open shots on holes like 4, 8-10, and 18, but there are also holes that force you hit a super tight line in holes 14 and 15.

The course's best - and most memorable - attribute is the crazy elevation changes. Hole's 2 and 3 play on the side of a huge slope, while holes 4 and 5 take you to the top. Hole 4 is probably the most extreme uphill shot I have ever played on, and the pin position on the fast slope makes every approach scary. In addition, hole 18 is the steepest and longest downhill bomb that I have played. There are also a few holes in the woods throughout the back 9 that incorporate elevation - holes 11 and 14 do an especially good job of combining wooded paths and the elevation present.

The course was very easy to navigate, even with multiple pins in view at certain points. There was hardly any extra walking at all to the next tee and the front 9 nicely loops back near the parking lot/bathroom. This course offers a great round of exercise as there is a lot of uphill climbing (which you are rewarded for with three separate downhill bombs).

-One of the biggest drawbacks for me is that the open holes are, well, very open. I appreciate the uphill and downhill bombs - that's what gives IUP its character, but I would've liked to have seen more opportunities for line-shaping on some of the open holes.

-I played from the blue tees, which presented a few minor problems. The natural tees were sufficient for the most part, but they were muddy/slippery on a few holes. Also, I often felt that they didn't incorporate a very different look compared to the whites. They generally were just placed a little bit back behind the white tee and maybe at a slightly different angle.

-It doesn't seem that a lot of carving was done in the woods as most of the wooded holes play along a path. Some may disagree, but I get bored with this type of design fast when you continually have to hit one single lane and don't have as much of a chance to be creative in how you approach the hole. This is especially disappointing given the vast amount of woods that is there; however, I am not sure how limited the designers were in being able to carve out holes in the woods.

-Runners use the wooded holes' paths at many different points - we almost drove off the tee as runners rounded a corner near the basket. I'm sure this is a bigger issue when school is in session as well.
-Not a con for me, but there is a lot of uphill hiking on this course sure to exhaust even the more fit players. I don't often feel the need to sit during a round, but I did here.

I have played many of the area courses that were designed by the Dropcho's and I always really enjoy their courses. I would've liked to have been presented with more opportunities to be creative within the woods, but holes 1-3 start out the course with good looks at this. Locals are passionate about this course and it seems to often be a favorite for out-of-towners. This makes sense, given its unique layout, and I recommend anyone passing through the Pittsburgh area to go out of their way to play the beast that is IUP.

IUP's College Lodge course makes its mark with some unbelievably dramatic elevation changes. Whether its the uphill shot on 4, the rolling hills on 14, the sloped terrain guarding numerous pins, or the immense downhill shots on 9 and 18, elevation changes are found on nearly every hole and in nearly every possible fashion, and really serve to enliven the course. Of the nearly 60 courses I've played to this point, none has the extent and variety of elevation that IUP does, and few come anywhere close. It's the course's selling point.

The challenge here is nicely balanced and well varied. There's a great mix of levels of woodedness, and the elevation changes and OB help to lend the most open shots some degree of interest. Approaches feature guarded pins and many instances of sloped terrain, which can make for some epically nasty rollaways: 4 could easily result in a 400' rollaway that brings you back past the tee, so don't get greedy. For as long as the course gets, especially from the pros, there are few if any grip it and rip it shots off the tee. Even 18's downhill monster requires control to clear the tree line bordering the fairway's initial third. At the opposite end of the spectrum, holes can get tight, like on 7, or very tight, such as in 14's downhill-then-uphill trek through the woods or 15's borderline-unfair tunnel shot through some pines.

The pro tees bump things up a bit with added distance and more awkward angles, but preserve the basic design of the whites, which the course seems centered around. The tees themselves are well-marked and well-signed - navigation is a snap - and get the job done. The pro tees are natural, but level and very useable. I imagine the course drains well, too, given the elevation.

The environment is beautiful, grooming is great, parking is plentiful, and the portapotty on site is one of the cleanest I've ever seen.

IUP's course seems like it stuck to preexisting trails and pathways, which means the lines cut through the woods often seem unnatural for a disc's flight. The straight shots are fine, if a bit straightforward, but 90 degree turns appear much more often than disc-appropriate curves. These paths seem like they're used for jogging, too, so I'd be mindful when in the woods. We had a pair of runners surprise us in the middle of a hole on the back 9.

Overall, the course doesn't offer very technical lineshaping outside of accounting for the dramatic elevation changes. There are some places you can try to force it, but placement and staying in your lane are more emphasized than shaping lines through corridors. This left me with a feeling that the potential of the wooded holes wasn't fully realized: while the dense woods offer a nice alternative in setting to the more open shots found elsewhere, they don't offer as much or register with as much character as the signature shots up, down, and across the main hill.

I would have liked to have seen a few more multistage holes here: except for 14 and to a lesser extent 7, the other non-par 3s are simply a product of distance. More movement into and out of the woods within a single hole could help develop this feel, and greatly add to IUP's offerings.

I enjoyed my round at IUP. It's shorter than western PA's two titans Deer Lakes and Moraine, mostly because of a lack of numerous multistage par 4s and 5s, and less technical than Knob Hill, which makes it a bit less attractive destination in my eyes. Still, it's very solid, and has some uniquely dramatic elevation that is utilized very well, and is far from the gimmick it could have been. It's definitely worth a visit!

There is a ton of awesome elevation changes. There are a bunch of holes where you can let it rip. There are also a fwe very technical holes. So this course basically pleases anyone. The baskets are great so is the signage. The fairways will rival some golf courses.

The tee pads are a bit skeptical because they are wood chips. Other than that there really are not any cons.

This is a great course I highly recommend it to anyone who likes the sport. I would drive an hour and hit this one plus Getty Heights and pine ridge. It makes for a great full day of disc golfing.

The massive elevation changes and variety of holes make this course a must-play for any disc golfer in the area. Good signs and the most carwfully cared for fairways I haveever seen on a disc golf course.

No major cons to speak of. Wood chip tees make for uneven footing at times. A couple of holes share a common open field, so on a busy day things could get crazy.

Plenty of holes for big armed veterans to enjoy, but also chances for new players to not get left behind. Anybody could play here and have a good time.

Beautiful ski hill course with 18 baskets with dual pins and dual natural tees marked with sign/post and wooden block in ground. Excellent use of elevation and terrain. The grounds are extremely well kept like a ball golf course and not much underbrush in the rough so it's fairly hard to lose a disc here. Two loops of 9 holes back to the parking lot. Two portapotties and a soda machine by the parking lot.

Not much to complain about here. If it was crowded I'd probably keep my head on swivel on the slope to watch for errant flying discs. I'm ok with the natural tees and they were fine, I know that is a con in some people's book. lacks signage for current pin placement. Navigation wasn't too bad, but a few extra signs to the next tee would be great.

Note to get to hole 13 tee walk over the tee of hole 17. After hole 14, the tee to 15 is the woods to the right.

This course titers between a 3.5 and 4.0 for me but the last shot bumped it up. Hole 18 is quite epic down the ski hill 800'+. I also really enjoyed hole 14 downhill through the woods. I think most the baskets were in the short pins, and can see how the B pins make it play really sweet. I guess they keep the pins short as it is more of a beginner course due to its location on a college campus. Part of the beauty of this course is that you can take a rank beginners here and they would not be overwhelmed and more experienced veterans will still have a blast here.

I'd highly recommend a stop if traveling anywhere close by in season. I detoured my trip to Pittsburgh from Baltimore to play and it was well worth it!

awsome tee locations, lots of different shot looks, mostly woods but a very good course to play, if you haven't played it is a must if you live in or visiting the area

nothing to complain about

grip it and rip it

Two (natural) locations per hole, good signs at the whites, showing the location of the blues, distance info, and directions to next tee. Additional signage throughout the course to help navigate. Three downhill bomber holes, but plenty of woodwork, too. Very pretty and well-maintained.

Parcourse and 5K information scattered about - don't know how often they may prevent disc golf play.

Plainly and simply, this course was a lot of fun to play! After the first three fairly flat three and wooded holes make you work on your control, it is straight up the hill to a surprisingly challenging basket-4 position (woods on left, steep runaway slope on right). #5 takes you up/cross open slope to a basket also near woods, then you get to flat holes 6 (open until end, basket tightly ringed by trees) and 7 (broad tunnel at midpoint, opens up at basket). Numbers 8 & 9 are both downhill, #8 being somewhat framed by narrowing treelines, and #9 quite open. 10-12 take you back up with hill with an open right-turner, a straight with very fair but wooded throwing lane, and then a longer gradual climb up a generous path sided and topped by tree cover. 13, 15-17 are flat, with 13 and 17 being similar (short, trees early and late), 15 (a hallway shot between two tight lines of trees), and 16 (very hard right-turn early)

Favourite holes: #14 & #18: On #14, the basket is just over 400' away, needing an ever-so-slight left-turn at the end. Between you and the basket, you have a 25' wide path, downhill, right-to-left slope, large hardwoods on both sides - quite the challenge, but quite the thrill if you succeed to keep your disc on the straight and narrow.. For #18, who doesn't like to bomb away down a long hill? Two mini-forests create a bit of a funnel at the midpoint to prevent it from being just a wide open bomb.

Navigation: For tee-1, go left after exiting parking lot, tee-1 on right, plays parallel to the road you just came in on. Optionally, can start at tee-4 (slight right out of parking lot, near building, plays straight uphill, woods on left) or tee-10 (follow path to right, eventually find tee on the left, with basket-10 in the open before the woods. Other tips: After finishing #12, the basket to your right is #16 - go left, past tee-17, to find tee-13. When playing #14, thrown down the hill with trees on both sides, not the flat, broader path the opposite direction - I did so, only to discover I had parked my drive next to basket-7!

Definitely worth a visit if even remotely in the area. Had so much fun, didn't even notice I had to climb the hill twice in 95-degree weather!

Beautiful course, immaculate, very peaceful. There are a variety of terrains used:

Some holes are on a "ski slope", more of a sledding hill. Tall, open, with lush well-mown grass. A few chances to sail shots down the hill, as well as some going up.

Some are in a wooded are of very large trees on a mountainous slope. These include some pretty tight shots and some adventurous shots. (The aesthetics here are that you're far away from anything else).

A few shots on well-defined fairways, grassy, reasonable width but with doglegs, and thick woods if you're off the fairway.

Mix-em together and you've got a really fine disc golf course.

Oh, did I say it was beautiful?

First few holes are pretty average and give you little idea of what's coming.

Well worth playing if you're in the area. Glad I was, and did.

An extremely well-designed course that makes superb use of the space. College Lodge will push seasoned players to consistently make a wide variety of shots in order to post a good score. At the same time, the course is welcoming to less experienced players, affording playable tees and holes that aren't out of reach.

The scenery is top notch as well. The course is almost worth a trip through even without tossing a disc!

#18 is probably the best final hole I've ever played on a course. A long downhill shot, it's a fun and beautiful way to conclude a round!

You'll also never have to wait to play here. Even during the school year, IUP students don't seem to take an interest in the course, so it's free and clear at almost any time.

There's a couple blind shots, particularly on #9, so it might take a round or two to get properly acquainted with the course.

Some holes might be considered too simple for higher-level players, but there's still a solid challenge for most of us.

It's also in the middle of nowhere. If you're looking for a weekend trip, don't spend the night around Indiana. There's also not going to be many players to bump into at any given time, which takes away a social aspect of the game that I find appealing at other courses.

College Lodge is a great course with plenty of appeal for a wide variety of players. The major drawback, at least for me, is its location. If you're coming to play this course, make sure you check out other courses nearby, such as Moraine and Deer Lakes. They're much closer to civilization, and of slightly higher quality.

IUP college lodge is such a beautiful course. Disc golf doesn't seem to be very popular among the students at Indiana U of Penn which equates to thick, beautifully manicured grasses with almost no trash around the course.
All different varieties of shots needed: long arrow shots, dog legs, uphill, DOWNHILL, etc. There aren't more than two holes on this course that i would consider "weak". If it is your first time playing this course, make sure you do your best to stay under par during the easier front nine. The back nine will eat you alive. Holes 14 (down a gently curving path) and 15 ( 180 foot alley of pines) can really add a few strokes to your round if you loose concentration. Of course 18 is my favorite. Its very hard to resist emptying your bag when you approach this monster.

Limited trash cans around the facility

Park closes at dusk

Natural tee pads

IUP college lodge is a very beautiful course in the mountains of Western PA. For stunning views of fall foliage, try to schedule a round in early October.

This course could honestly be a 4.5 if the tee pad situation was taken care of. Just like most courses, I am sure that these will be upgraded when some money comes around.

Variety is what makes this course very special. With the exception of some of the holes on the ski hill, no two holes are exactly the same. There are hyzer shots, anyhyzer shots, downhills, uphills, blind shots, tight wooded fairways, a 700+ft downhill drive, and many others.

This course is clearly maintained well. Signage, parking, the absence of litter, trails, and super manicured greens are evidence of this! (Seriously, though: how do they keep the grass so nice?) In addition, the course is easy to navigate and I had no problem getting around the first time or subsequent times.

Another plus is that the course is in the college town of Indiana. Plenty of establishments and lodging is available.

Some notable holes include:

#2 = a wooded fairway that runs along a very shallow stream, which makes the hole very cool and relaxing.

#9 = blind shot down the ski hill; easy birdie opportunity if you drive correctly.

#14 = Requires a very straight driver or a slight anhyzer if you want to par. Hyzer and you'll see your disk go off a very steep bank!

#15 = very tight fairway passage through a bunch of pine trees. In addition to being a tight drive, the putt/approach requires concentration because the basket is on a slight hill. Definitely a risk/reward shot.

#18 = The last hole may not necessarily be the best, but it's definitely memorable. The slope of the hill allows the discs to go forever! This is a chance to see just how powerful your drives are!

There's a fairly decent sized pond when you first arrive in the park. I wish this was used as a water hazard, but with the rich biodiversity in the body of water (frogs, toads, fish, etc.), I understand why they may not have used the pond as such.

The fact that this course is closed during the winter months is also a bummer.

I can perhaps see the ski hill being a challenge for people who aren't in the best shape. Even I, a distance runner, puffed a little bit going up some of the holes.

Concrete tees would also improve the rating on this course.

IUP students and local residents are really lucky to have this course. It's unequivocally, in my opinion, the crown jewel of DG courses in Central PA. It's just one of those courses that you know is going to be good when you start and it exceeds your expectations when you finish.

I've been here four times now and I've seen very few people playing here. I'm not sure whether this is the case all the time, but more people should definitely check it out!

This is the most perfectly maintained course I have ever played. Manicured like a ball golf course on the slopes. The woods are well taken care of as well. There are at least 9 holes that will challenge the pro in you and the other 9 are just as much fun without the challenge. Holes 4,7,8,9,10,11,12,14,15, and 18 are very challenging holes that leave an impression. The others are fun but not as difficult. Excellent drainage here..I have played ski hill holes where the base holes are a swampy mess...not here. Natural tees are as good as natural tees can be. First three holes play the base and then you ascend up hole 4, switchback the hill on holes 5 and 6 then hole 7 is a pro challenge down a tight fairway to a big ample green...apparently nasty shule does not grow atop the mountain, just trees and low ferns...AMEN! I was in the woods a bit and never dealt with any bad weeds or thorns. 8 and 9 are fun drives down the mountain. 8 has a fast green and 9 is just an empty your bag hole! Then your back at base and rising back up 10 and 11. 11 is a real treat throwing straight uphill through a wooded fairway! 12 is a long uphill tight drive. Eventually you get to 14 which is an amazing drive down the back side of the mountain its a tight but fair chute like fairway through the woods and then back up the valley on the other side to the basket perched on a steep grade. This hole would be a signature hole on other courses. 15 is a pretty cedar grove that requires a skillful drive to negotiate. The cedars are on a slight hillside so if you get whapped you could be in serious rolling downhill trouble. This all brings you to 18 which is an amazing 800 foot crush from the top of the mountain to the base. Words don't do it justice and the pictures don't either. Its another empty your bag hole. Unlike other ski hills this one is no longer a ski resort so the ugly lifts and wires are all gone. There is no evidence of it's ski hill past really evident. The fairways are pretty grass and not filled with snow making equipment lines and equipment. The hill is not so huge to be overly taxing and the hills are not so huge that the hill will shrink your drives. That is a good drive could make it pretty far down the mountain. This is unlike many courses built on ski hills where you just drive off a mountain side and watch your disc eventually turn and then fade back into woods to the left of the fairway. It's like the distance is big and just the right size for disc golf. Peaceful setting here and good mix of open as well as wooded holes. Love the challenge of half the holes with the pleasure of the other 9 makes for a great day.

3 base holes are nice but pale in comparision to rest of course. Hole 1 uses the street as a hazzard to the left. This raises the challenge but is so ugly compared to whats available. I'd rather see a little pooch shot over the little pond to start the day. This would be another memorable hole and add a true water hazzard to the course. Two of the holes atop the mountain criss cross a bit. I believe holes 13 and 17 seem to confuse people...just be careful and make sure you play the correct basket. The course gets pulled for sledding which is cool but make sure you don't go there during the wrong season. It's a long trip to make and the course not be available. The averageness of half the holes keep this course from being elite. (still a lot of fun here though)

I really was pleasantly surprised by the amount of fun and challenge this course provided. I am sure if it was in a more populated region it would garner more national acclaim. This course is well worth a detour if your playing Western PA courses. Play the long tees for a challenge and your less experienced friends can play the short tees.