Newtown, PA

Tyler State Park - East

4.555(based on 38 reviews)
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14 0
Pierparknut
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 10.8 years 89 played 85 reviews
4.50 star(s)

drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 19, 2023 Played the course:once

Pros:

-The beautiful Tyler State Park is home to 36 holes of amazing disc golf. The East Course traverses the wooded ridge above Neshaminy Creek, crossing the popular Tyler Drive Pedestrian Trail on several occasions. Amenities include concrete tees, Mach VII baskets, two practice baskets, and restrooms. The course is full of character and intrigue without being flashy or over-the top. The open drives on holes 16 and 17 are a nice change of pace at the end of the round.

-Tee signs are elaborately carved out of wood blocks. The distances are accurate, but the hole diagrams are not particularly helpful. Each tee sign has an indicator for the basket position and par. There is also ample Next Tee signage which is quite necessary.

-Each hole has three basket positions (A, B, and C), which add an incredible amount of variety to the course. Many holes can be short birdie opportunities one week; long, winding, and challenging the next. Several holes also have multiple tees. Only four holes play as a par three in every position.

-This course is tremendously challenging. Just because a par four may be 420 feet does not mean it is easy. The tee shots require hitting tight lines on a variety of angles, and even a good drive is typically no guarantee of a birdie chance. The elevation change, steep drop-offs to the creek, "bunkers" of log piles, and tight basket positions add every degree of difficulty to the course.

-The course is usually set up in a mixture of pin positions. I assume it is only set up in all long pins for tournaments, as such a layout would be outrageous for most players, requiring two or three perfectly executed shots per hole. Every hole is birdie-able with 350' power — but it might take 20 tries!

-Strategy and shot selection is critical, as the optimal landing zone on many holes is not clear from the tee. For your first time, I highly recommend 1) playing with a local, 2) walking up every fairway, or 3) scan the QR code on the tee sign for a hole flyover video (excellent feature).

Cons:

-The enjoyment level is rather closely related to ability. For newer players, the course is simply too demanding. For average players, the strategy is "hit the line off the tee and everything else is secondary," which can become repetitive. For excellent players, it's a true test of technical ability and angle control. Playing well is always more enjoyable, but especially so here.

Other Thoughts:

-The course is worn in enough that most shots just off the fairway are easily findable. There are plenty of thick rough spots, however, especially near the tees.

-Both courses are long and rugged with long walks between holes. If you're visiting, bring multiple bottles of water and plenty of snacks. I played all 36 in one day, which totaled 8 miles walking.

-Makes You Want To Come Back — to experience the different pin positions and figure out the trickier holes.

-Tyler East is a tremendous test of game, endurance, and fortitude. It's relentless; a few mental mistakes or misfired tee shots, and you'll start to get battered. Still, there are enough birdie chances that you should never feel completely defeated. Prepare for a roller coaster round, hang on, and Enjoy!
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21 0
jjtwinnova
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 8.7 years 246 played 97 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Tyler is Tons of Technical Fun 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jun 27, 2021 Played the course:once

Pros:

Tyler East is a great representation of what woods golf and East Coast courses should be like. Set in a beautiful state park and right next to another fantastic course in it's own right, this serves as as a destination course in a destination area.

Technical lines but not overly tight is the name of the game here. You will throw a lot of different shapes down fairways filled with trees that probably met with William Penn himself 300-some years ago. A great variety of hole lengths and shapes means you'll be throwing most shots you know how to. Depending on the pins, holes can range from 150 feet to over 800.

To elaborate on the pins, this course has more diverse layouts than probably any course I've ever seen. Three pins per hole that change frequently can have a hole play as a par 3 one day and a par 5 the next. Locals can surely never get bored with the options that are given to them, and if they do, they can play one of the other ten thousand courses within 45 minutes of here.

The scenery at this course is better than I anticipated as well. While it is in a state park that had a lot of people moseying around, there's a lot of wildlife to enjoy as well. The mature trees that I mentioned before, a creek and dam, as well as rocks and boulders to traverse. Pair that with the log pyramids that line a majority of the fairways, you have a lot of natural features to feast your eyes on.

Cons:

Tyler East is a must play course in an area with many of them, and it took me my second trip out here to finally play it, and I wish I had played it sooner. Many of the cons I'll list are either not the courses fault, or personal preference.

With as many pins and layouts as they have here, it can definitely get confusing. First time players will have to walk down a lot of the fairways to get a good idea of where to throw to. Another problem with this is the people who only play the course once won't get to experience the best pins available. There were a couple times where I played a non-memorable hole just to realize it could've been a magnificent one if I had played last week, but such is life.

There were a decent number of walkers on and around the course, as well as numerous large groups playing. Combine this with a few blind shots, it's possible to throw in on people if you aren't careful.

There were a lot of navigational signs to help us along the way, but because of the layout variety we had to look at the UDisc map a few times to get our bearings.

Other Thoughts:

Overall, Tyler East is a beast and a beauty of a course that I could play over and over again and never get bored. I didn't get a chance to play the West course, but if it's anything like this, then it makes Tyler State Park one of the top disc golf destinations in the country.
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1 8
Tiwal
Experience: 10 played 10 reviews
4.50 star(s)

It's a destination course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 20, 2016 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

To play here is to be copacetic. When you go here, you don't care about east or west course, but how much daylight is left. It is what many designers dream their course to be.

Cons:

Still searching for that blind turn disc I threw.

Other Thoughts:

It made me jaded against the courses that are near where I live now. It spoils you with disc golfing pleasure.
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15 0
Sketto
Experience: 12.4 years 147 played 10 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Excellent Variety 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 24, 2020 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Tyler East offers excellent variety throughout all 18 holes. Though it's one of the oldest courses in PA, it still beats most of them by a mile for variations in hole configurations. It requires a great mix of shots throughout the round. It's the kind of course where you have to think before you play and decide what discs you want in your bag for different holes you will encounter.

Shots Needed -
Successful rounds can include any or all of the following: long-distance open field backhands, wooded straight midranges, many forehand opportunities, tunnel shots and low ceilings in the woods, open air field throws or rollers, water OB, high grass OB, uphill, downhill, blind drives, many unusual greens and putting looks, and multiple legit par 4's and par 5's.

Hole Variety -
Most holes have two tee pads with different looks, not always just long/short versions of the same shot. Every hole has three pin positions (A/B/C) of different lengths and challenges. They may all be par 3 or one of each par 3,4,5. The club moves the pin positions on a regular basis, about once a month, so every trip to the course presents a new layout. If you're local, you get to play them all and it never gets boring, as some courses do. The tee pads are in good shape, mostly concrete and some with pavers. All are clearly defined. All have clear tee signs. Every hole has multiple "Next Tee" signs to make navigation clear throughout all 18 holes.

Obstacles - Tyler presents a common theme of pyramid log piles, beautifully arranged and placed throughout the course. They act as bunkers and add a unique challenge to the course that I've never seen on any other serious disc golf course. They don't cause too much trouble if you drive well and stay on the fairway, but they may come into play for any shanks or lies off the fairway. Knowing how to throw thumbers, tomahawks, scoobies, etc. will help.

Course Layout -
Though it runs through a public park, most of the course stays away from the pedestrian paths, which are all OB. The full course runs through holes that are wooded, half-wooded, or entirely open fields. It also crosses a small stream or two via small foot bridges. Hole 7 and 8 border a great local creek with sometimes fishermen and swimmers in the summertime. There's also plenty of up and down walking with the terrain, though nothing too severe. You can play the course with a cart. Only the transition between 7 and 8 (there are wooden steps) requires a brief carry of your cart. Hole 18 ends at the parking lot where Hole 1 begins and allows you to move to Tyler West next door if you want to play that course, which is numbered 19 to 36.

Amenities -
Tyler includes benches on every single hole. There are also these great handmade, carved tee signs. Each one has artwork on it depicting local wildlife and the hole layout in color. Tee signs also include pin position indicators since the course is always changing and could be in one of three positions. Note: For each hole, the pin is always in only one position (A, B, or C), never multiple baskets at a time on one hole. There are trashcans every 6 holes or so. There are also active, clean bathrooms throughout the park. These include stalls, sinks and hand dryers. They are between Holes 1/18 and Holes 3/4 and Holes 14/15. It's a nice thing to have on a dg course. Lastly, the local club does a great job keeping the course in good shape, in general with litter removal, course improvements, and maintenance after excessive erosion or bad storms.

Favorite holes -
Hole 1 starts the course off great with a half wooded, half open field hole (with some OB high grass). It's a nice par 3 in short A pin and a great par 4 in B or C pin. It shows the variety that is the hallmark of the whole course.
Hole 4 has an ace run A pin and two very different par 4 B and C pins, both of which require two great shots, not just a good drive. The second shot always requires touch and both have potential rollaways down a big slope that leads to OB in a big pond full of, usually, croaking frogs.
Hole 7 - fantastic view from the death putt cliffside, where the elevated C pin is.
Hole 8 runs next to a swift wide creek. A pin is in view off the tee and usually requires a death putt or big uphill putt depending on how well you hit the gap on the drive. B and C pins, both par 4 require a completely different second shot to approach well nestled pins. The B pin is by a rock wall and the C pin is down a tree-lined hallway leading to an elevated basket near the creek's edge.
Hole 9 requires a field goal straight between two trees and uphill a tiny bit to the par 3 A pin. The B pin requires a completely different shot (maybe something overhand) to a basket well defended against hyzer shots. The C pin is maybe the funnest shot on the course. It goes back down again to a beautiful little nook, just past a stream and behind a low rock wall. Depending on your lie, it can require a turnover backhand with speed, a short forehand, or even a touch putter shot, all with their own dangers. It's a great, great par 5 with a little of everything and it requires three different shots to get there.
Hole 13 - the par 5 C pin is located between to intertwined trees. It's a great look to a good long par 5 hole.

Cons:

I love this course, so I don't have much to say against it, but to cover all the bases, I will mention a few things that some people have mentioned.

Pin placement - If you're not local and are only at Tyler as a visitor passing through, it kinda sucks to not get to play all the best, funnest pin positions on each hole. The pins get moved relatively often, but not all at once. So, in a given week, a local will probably only see about 4 or 5 new positions from the previous week. But all of them change over throughout the month and thus the course changes often throughout the year. If you're only here once, you're stuck with wherever the pins are. However, in addition to the regular pin changes, the club always runs one all A pin, one all B pin and one all C pin (The Yetter) tournament each year. If you check ahead of time, you can see on the clubs site and fb page where the pins are in a given week.

Pedestrians - In general, you rarely see non-disc golfers on the course, but it is a public park and occasionally you'll see a clueless hiker or runner cutting across your fairway when you're on the tee. Again, it's rare.

Distance - If you want a course that is just 450' bombs and then an open putt, that's not Tyler. Most holes at Tyler require a 325'-ish ft precision shot, or multiple control shots like that and a tough, maybe obstructed or elevated putt. You need a complete game. It's a technical course requiring a lot of experience with different shots to birdie any of the B and C pin positions. Only a few holes require huge drives (holes 16, 17 for sure. Maybe 3 and 13 as well, though those two are wooded and require great shot-shaping control).

Elevated baskets - If you don't like them, well, Tyler has a bunch. There are three pin positions on every hole (except Hole 2) for a total of 52 pin positions. I think it's 9 or 10 of them on Tyler East that are elevated, though only a few of them are in position at any time. Note: there are also two pins that are slightly lower than normal. Again, there's variety.

Difficulty - I wouldn't bring a novice player to Tyler for their first round ever. It can be a bit of a hike. And it requires sizeable walks between a few holes (from 1 to 2, from 3 to 4, from 5 to 6, to name a few) It also requires a lot of precise shots, especially in the B or C pins. However, I would highly recommend the Tyler A-Holes event, which usually brings out 180+ players, mostly newbies, for a fantastic event.

Ticks - they suck. Literally. They're everywhere and you MUST check yourself after every round. But this is true for every single course in the northeast. Every course around here has them, though Tyler isn't as bad as some places. You just can't play dg regularly without finding one on you occasionally.

My few listed Cons above are really just to find something to keep balance in the review. I really have no problem with any of these myself. But they're worth noting.

Other Thoughts:

Tyler East is usually higher rated than the West and I agree, but I think they complement each other very nicely. (West is more rugged terrain, more up and down, more physical work). Tyler East is a tough course but an easier walk.

I think Tyler East is nearly perfect for a technical demanding course. And it has held up well for nearly 30 years. And it's beautiful. And full of variety and is well-maintained by the club.

When top tier pros come and play Tyler in all C pins, they usually hit somewhere between 6 and 10 under par, and that's with no lengthening or temp holes to adjust to their skills as many other course have to do. So, on a daily basis, Tyler East is a serious challenge for any experienced player. If you're lucky enough to live close, that challenge also includes a huge amount of variety and the chance to experience a different course every time out. I love it.
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2 3
Chaser90EK
Experience: 14 years 4 played 4 reviews
4.50 star(s)

The Best Wooded Course Around! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 5, 2020 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

With multiple tees and pins for every hole, Tyler State Park Disc Golf Course can cater to a variety of skill levels. The course had fallen into a bit of disrepair after the park cut down over 1000 trees because of an infestation, but the club has done an awesome job restoring the course. They've also been planting trees to help with the drainage issues and reforest the park.

Cons:

Some of the signage is a little out of date.

Other Thoughts:

There are turners on each hole to indicate where the basket is at the long tees.
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19 0
HyooMac
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 6.7 years 415 played 382 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Three Ways to Play

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jan 15, 2024 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

`
*** REVISED AND UPDATED: 2024 ****


+ Both courses at Tyler have multiple pin positions and/or tees, so over time the layout of every hole can be set up one of three ways (and every tee has an indicator of which basket is in use that day). This variety is the strong suit at Tyler, and the looks and challenges of most holes will vary greatly. A few just add distance, but most of them include some change of required angle or consideration of elevation change. Several add the challenge of raised baskets perched over gulleys, in groves of trees, or behind additional mandos.


+ The man made "bunkers" (log piles) are the stuff of legends: lining fairways, creating gaps off the tee, protecting greens. The amount of repurposed forest lumber on this course is impressive


+ Excellent Mach 7 baskets (with clearly visible hole numbers atop). All tees are concrete or pavers. The layout crosses itself in several places, but the wayfinding signage is excellent.


+ There are a number of great holes at Tyler East, and a few of them are simply perfect:

Hole #8 is straight, wooded and narrow, with the river flowing entirely along the right side past the trees (the water isn't so much a direct danger, but the possibility of a treekick looms). The variety of pin placements is what makes this hole so great. Short (256') is gradually uphill, placed at the edge of a steep drop off a ledge. Middle (335") is past the ledge and down on the gully to the left, placed up against a quarry wall. Long (505') is straight away, 200' beyond he ledge and through the gully with a narrow fairway (and the river on the right). I wished there were three baskets in place, as I would have enjoyed playing it all three ways


Hole #15 is also thickly wooded, and it's downhill, with narrow lines. All three pin positions are straight ahead, but the Long (460') requires two perfect shots for a chance at birdie. The drive has to finish safely in a tight zone, and your second shot has to make it through a narrowing window, while avoiding streams across and to the right. Any error can easily mean bogey or worse.


+ If you haven't played Tyler, you'll be surprised by the wide open holes 16 and 17. Deep grass along the fairway marks OB, but you'll still have a few chances to air it out. Then, hole 18 puts you back in the woods for a steep uphill finisher.

.

Cons:

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- The tee signs are impressive: hand painted with extensive drawings and distances for every pin position, but they're showing their age and some are becoming hard to read. One small complaint is the lack of signage at the short tees. You have to go to the long tees to find signage - and estimate the change in distance by playing from the forward tee. Easy workarounds: all lengths are available on online scorecard maintained by the Bucks County Disc Golf Alliance, and approximate lengths are indicated on uDisc.

.

Other Thoughts:

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~ Fair amount of walking between holes (some of it pretty rugged woods trails) can make for 90+ minute rounds, even when playing solo.


~ "Somehat cart friendly" means Somewhat NOT, too - especially with a few hole transitions. In my opinion, a cart is not worth the trouble here.


Given the challenge, variety, upkeep and natural beauty, I asked myself how Tyler East is not a perfect 5.0. The layout is missing any par 5's, and there aren't many left-to-right shaped shots required. It's perfect for "intermediate and above" players, but there's really not a good way to bring those with lesser skills. And as much as I admire the variety presented by multiple placements, I still look for multiple baskets at the very best courses, so you can play different layouts during the same visit. The average rating here is 4.55, and I agree.


Thanks to designer Joe Mela, and The Bucks County Disc Golf Alliance for this beautiful and challenging course

.
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10 4
Sharknado2
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 34 played 34 reviews
4.50 star(s)

East is Beast 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jun 19, 2019 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

- imaginative holes with lots of elevation changes, dog legs, water, and cool obstacles. There were log pyramids, walls and naturally made obstacles I had never seen before on a course. While I later learned the log piles are there because they can't afford to have them hauled away I think they play as interesting features.
- Course can play night and day different with different pin locations. Par 3's become par 4's, easy holes become tricky, etc
- excellent signage with well named homes, OB, distances, and clearly marked trees and obstacles.
- clearly a popular course, I was one of a half dozen groups playing the east course
-convenient and large parking area by the first tee. Actual bathrooms as well as natural bathrooms everwhere you look
- free entry
- Great course for strategy and shot shaping. Unless you're an Advanced or better player, you should shoot for pars on this course. I ran so many birdie putts and alwys threw lines to get me parked and this course WRECKED me. Shot 10 strokes better the second time playing conservatively.
-so many greens are devilish, baskets perched on the edge of hills, surrounded by trees, or even sit 10+ feet in the air
- park goers seem pretty aware of the course and rarely wander onto holes. You'd really have to shank a shot to throw onto the paved path
-flow isn't bad with obviously marked "next tee this way" signs... but I will say I couldn't figure it out until a local showed me the way.
- water isn't in play quite enough to make you lose your disc. Seems like Hole #5 is the only possible spot so make sure you throw conservatively there

Cons:

- Drainage is very poor so course is often muddy and full of puddles, make sure to bring boots! And extra towels for your inevitably muddy discs
- With the c pins and the long tees this course will likely be too frustrating for rec/novice players and first timers. The second time I played it they had brought a bunch of tough basket placements closer and the course was much less frustrating for a sub 900 rated player...
- Can be a bit tough to navigate and some holes have a decently long walks between them
- I can appreciate the homegrown backwoodsman feel of the hand painted tee signs but I do think a more geographically accurate map of each hole might help people with shot selection.

Other Thoughts:

UPDATED REVIEW as of 6/19/19
Came and played this course a couple times while in town for a wedding and was shown the ACTUAL course layout by Shea, one of the board members of the course. He gave me a ton of history about the course and the design and it was an incredible experience.

At first I wasn't too impressed with this course but it has really grown on me and I know put it easily in the top 3 courses I have played [La Mirada and Coyote Point are the other two if you're curious]. Would honestly give this course five stars if the drainage was better and the navigation a little more straightforward. Highly recommend for anyone looking for a challenge and in interesting course!
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12 0
Ryal
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 6.8 years 216 played 182 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Too Pleased With Tyler East 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 1, 2018 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

+ Every hole has solid and sturdy concrete tee pads for run-ups.
+ Nearly every tee area has a bench and/or giant tree stumps for sitting and a rack to hang your bag. Trash cans and flushing toilet facilities are peppered throughout the course as well. Please do not litter!
+ The fairways are easy to tell apart from the rough and OB. The course is well broken in. It is always obvious to the player which way to throw.
+ All holes have three possible pin positions, and most holes have two tee boxes.
+ Every tee sign is hand designed with loose sketches of the hole ahead, the distances and pars to the different pin positions and sometimes fun little drawings. Each hole has its own unique name, too, which is a nice touch.
+ Excellent signage. It is visible and prevalent. A player will have to try very hard to get lost here. There are signs pointing players towards the next tees and reinforcing signs for the player if the walk between holes is a bit long.
+ Some love and attention went into making this course feel as though it is a part of the landscape itself. The course looks like it was designed to incorporate the natural features instead of changing/removing them.
+ Some lovely views of nature such as giant trees, trickling streams, curious rock formations and a quiet river.
+ A few elevation changes on some holes give the course a dynamic texture.
+ Some interesting and exciting basket placement (depending on which pin position is in play, of course.)
+ This mostly wooded course with varied ceilings and tree densities challenges players to focus on accuracy rather than power.

Cons:

- The player never truly feels totally immersed at this course. There are walking trails all over the place, and a few holes play near a busy road. Joggers and dog-walkers will sometimes obliviously pass right across the fairway.
- Tree stumps, rocks, and exposed roots are a problem here for most of the course. Just walk at a leisurely pace, and you should be fine.
- Only two, arguably three, wide open holes to throw at full force.

Other Thoughts:

My favorite hole at this course is definitely 7. When I played this course for the very first time, I was flabbergasted by the view from the basket. The player overlooks a dam and its river far below with a very steep cliff just in front of you. The hole itself is actually quite boring and straightforward until that one point, but it's still my favorite because of its grand vista.
My least favorite hole here would have to be hole 17. It's flat. It's almost always muddy. There are no obstacles to avoid.

As for the course as a whole:
Tyler East is the kind of disc golf course that a player wishes they could experience 'for the first time' over and over again. Seeing each hole's name for the first time gets a chuckle. Viewing some of those huge trees for the first time boggles the mind. Hearing and witnessing that dam and rushing river from atop hole 7 for the first time causes a player to stop and stare. And then you can never go back to your former self again, can you? The course twists and winds. The fairways go left and right to make the course feel accessible to players of any throw style. You are led up and down through a picturesque state park. It's just as much a fun stroll as it is a disc golf course.

This is decidedly wooded disc golf, though. There are more than a few tunnel shots and many instances of tree dodging. The fairways could seem rather constricted sometimes, depending on your previous experience with throwing in the woods. Throwing out of the rough can be a nightmare, too. Some players will be instantly turned off by all that. In fairness, there are a few wide open holes and some wooded holes with enough space between the trees to feel open, but those are in the minority. Successful play will be achieved by dealing with the present situation and getting past those one or two trees that are blocking you from the rest of the fairway.

The three possible pin positions for all holes and two tee pads for most holes ensure that the course has a lot of replayability. It will keep players adapting to situations, which is a good part of what disc golf is all about and, I imagine, a reason why people keep coming back to experience Tyler East again. The basket on a simple straightforward hole today might be down and around a bend hidden amongst some trees two weeks from now.

I will admit that some of the distances and challenges could be intimidating for newer players. During today's session, hole 10's basket was atop the tree stump pyramid, hole 13's basket was at the C-location 700+ feet away, and the dense trees at holes 15 and 18 aren't exactly beginner-friendly. Not to mention holes 7 and 8 are pretty close to a cliff and a river respectively. If they do not have discs to spare, they may be hesitant to throw. So this course may not be ideal for true novices, but I still encourage a visit to this course if you enjoy scenery and a challenge.

Bottom line: Tyler East is one of the best courses on the east coast for its landscape and wooded toughness. Find any excuse to get there and bring a snack.
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9 0
kurt215
Experience: 1 played 1 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Unique. You'll definitely enjoy this course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 3, 2018 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Handmade Wood Tee signs with painted on hole layout (each hole is named, e.g. "serenity now", that are both funny and foreshadowing the difficulty of the hole assuming you don't throw a great shot.

Concrete Tee pads

Benches to sit on for every hole, bag holders on most holes as well.

Multiple Pin locations on every hole. Every hole has an A,B,C position with A generally being the closest and easiest while the C is the farthest and most difficult. This provides and ever changing layout for the course. This also means that if you play a round in one month, you are likely to be playing a completely different layout if you come again a month later.

The Course is well maintained (especially considering there is an entire second course and the maintenance is almost entirely volunteer work)

Challenging and Unique hole design that you don't often see at the average course. It was designed by a left handed pro (Joe Mela) but it has an almost even mix of backhand to forehand shots off of the tee.

Mostly Cart friendly (carting to hole 8 from hole 7 is the only challenging route I can think of)

"scoreboard" above the lost and found box. This will tell you what pin locations the holes are currently in. Also if you happen to lose a disc, you have a good chance of getting it back as they make calls and post lost discs to facebook weekly.

Course navigation is mostly straight forward. If you think you will have any trouble, take a picture of the course map on the back of the "scoreboard"

Bathrooms- located near the main parking lot (near hole 18s green, on the walk to hole 4 (this one is open and heated during the winter) and the third is right buy hole 15's tee pad.

Trash cans (with lids) on holes 1,3,6,11,13 and 18. They're emptied 2 times a week I believe, so they usually are not overflowing.

Scenic, with plenty of wildlife and friendly locales.

2 practice baskets near the parking lot (one around trees and the other in the open grass)

Proximity to many restaurants if you are hungry before or after the round.

Cons:

Some of the teepads can be slippery from plant debris or after extended rainy periods.

Although the course navigation isn't too difficult, because of the changing pins, it can be a little more difficult for some holes if its your first time. An example of this would be hole 3. In the A position its a short par three with a long walk to the next hole. When hole 3 is in the C position, the holes plays as a par 5 and the walk is probably 400ish feet shorter.

The course is in good condition but could be better. This is likely due to the local club focusing on rebuilding Tyler Park West Course after many tree had to be taken down because of insects that were killing ash trees. I can see this improving after the west course is fully rebuilt.

The course gets crowded on weekends. Sometimes these casual players will not understand the etiquette/ customs of disc golf and the pace of play will be extremely slow. The earlier you come, the less chance you run into these problems.

There are many holes that border asphalt walking paths which increases you chances of hitting a park-goer. Be careful when throwing on these holes.

The baskets are a mix of mach 3's and mach 5's. They can can be tough to see on some holes and the mach 3's should be replaced as they don't catch as well as they used to.

If you're an intermediate to advance player, you may be disappointed by the layouts in the summer. The course is set up to "grow the sport", and is set up very easy because of that. If you want to play the course in the more difficult layout, come during the week of the Eric C. Yetter Championship cup (Pins on in the C position) or during the fall/winter.

Clueless park goers in the fairway at times, but this probably isnt unique to only Tyler park.

In the summertime a few of the holes have very long grass that marks the out of bounds. If you happen to throw your disc in this grass it will be difficult to find.

Other Thoughts:

I tried to be as thorough as possible with my pros and cons.
That being said, if you love disc golf, you will probably love this course. If possible I suggest coming during a week day and to take your time to notice all of the details that make Tyler park truly unique.

Take a look at the tee signs, read the name of the hole (you'll probably laugh), drink some water on the bench and see what animals decides to pop up in the fairway. Curse your putting abilities when you decided to run one of the elevated baskets (hole 10c). Smile when you throw a perfect line through one of the tight tunnels in the woods (hole 4c). Admire the tranquil sounds of the water by the Neshaminy Creek on hole 8. Ponder on how old the gigantic tree on hole 11 is. Square up a tree and think "why couldn't the ash borer get THAT tree.Throw some weird overhand shot you've never attempted before because it's the only short you have. Hit all three mando's on your way to a birdie on hole 14c. Unload the biggest shot in your bag on hole 17. Throw a frozen rope down the tree alley on 18 or hit the first one in front of you while you think of the disappointing horn sounds from "the price is right".

Whatever you do, enjoy life, enjoy disc golf, enjoy Tyler State Park East Course...it's one of the best in Pennsylvania.

P.S. Make sure that you are indeed playing the East Course (there are two courses, the west course is still open but still needs to redesign a few holes)

Another reviewer did not understand how the pins work at this course. Each hole has three pin locations but only one basket per hole at any one time. (i.e. there are not three basket per hole).

P.P.S. If you're reading this in September/ October of 2018 almost every hole is in the C pin or will be there soon. Come test your skills in Tyler's toughest layout leading up to the courses' biggest tournament.
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2 10
MikeSKY
Experience: 9 played 9 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Tyler State Park 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 2, 2018 Played the course:once

Pros:

Beautiful grounds, nice scenery. Good park. A lot of holes.

Cons:

Not sure why this course is rated so highly. I played the first 18 which only has one basket per hole which sometimes is only the really long C baskets. All the other ones were missing. I believe they change the baskets from time to time so check what its at before you go because you can get stuck with only some or all the long C baskets. Very technical shots required and from the basket to the next tee can be a really far walk. Baskets are old, and lower then normal. Some tee pads are small.

Other Thoughts:

Nice course, but not sure why this course is rated so highly. This course can be difficult for Amateur Recreational or even Intermediate level players. Friendly people around.
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5 4
LDHagen
Experience: 12.5 years 16 played 6 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Very nice course but limited in diversity. 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 2, 2018 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Really nice park. Great to have two courses on the same property. Nice to have trails and other activities on the premise,. however, this also limits the options available for disc golf. The course can't really open up based on the landscape. With the walking trails weaving through the course, it forces "technical" shots and really nothing else. Feels like luck plays too much of a factor compared to other great courses I have played. There is a great sense of history at the course with the enormous trees and age of the park. Really enjoyed my rounds at this course.

Cons:

I obviously mentioned some of the shortcomings in the pros but I will quickly review. Great course but many of the holes feel less skill than luck. Also, a fairly short course in terms of distance and even the holes with length are a little janky. Would 100% recommend the park if ever in the area but be prepared to have many good shots penalized based on the limited options the course provides.

Other Thoughts:

Wonderful park. Very cool setting. Amazing, huge trees and a nearby creek/river really create an awesome sense of ambiance. Great course for midrange and putter throwers. Fast discs that are a hair off-line will be deeply penalized.
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2 1
Tdelano3
Experience: 37.8 years 41 played 22 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Tyler Park East DGC 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 9, 2018 Played the course:once

Pros:

-great course design, utilizes the terrain brilliantly
-very good & whimsical tee signs/hole names
-concrete tees (2 sets on most holes), modern baskets
-challenging for disc golfers of all ability levels
-navigation is decent, but the course map was a huge help...without it I might still be out there
-very helpful, friendly locals, with a shop/tent set up in the parking lot

Cons:

-not really any...it was a bit crowded on a Saturday afternoon, which you'd expect from a course of this quality

Other Thoughts:

Took the 25 minute ride from Trenton to play the East course in between my kid's soccer games this afternoon, and I'm glad I did. After reading the (mostly) stellar reviews, my expectations were high, and Tyler Pk East did not disappoint. The lines on some of the holes are challenging, but it forces you to be very thoughtful about where you can attack, and where you need to lay up. Outstanding course design & maintainence are evident here...my only regret is that I did not have time to play the West course!
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13 0
The Valkyrie Kid
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 45.9 years 1563 played 1507 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Anticipating The Next Hole! 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 30, 2018 Played the course:once

Pros:

Pennsylvania's top rated course, Tyler East did not disappoint. It plays through a wooded park and uses the elevation to the maximum. The engineering and landscaping work that has been done here is amazing in both the amount and the quality of this work. The trails, bridges, T-pads, basket placements, retaining walls, signs have all been given first class treatment. Maybe trailing only Bryant Park in Minneapolis in this regard. Then again, maybe not.

Throughout the entire park are stacks of cut up wood. The disc golf course uses these stacks to create all kinds of interesting barriers and obstacles. But it still looks like about a thousand cord of firewood going to waste. Doesn't anyone in Pennsylvania need firewood?

The Tyler Park East course starts at one end of the parking lot while the Tyler Park West course starts at the other end. There is a large kiosk which shows which pin position every hole is in. Tyler Park East holes are numbered 1-18 while the West course is numbered 19-36.

Everything on the East course has been done first class. The concrete tee pads are large, well landscaped and pretty to look at. The baskets are Mach II with the hole number on the blue number plate above. The signs show three distances and have an indicator underneath which shows not only the basket placement but the par for that placement, as well. This is important as the difference between an A placement and the C placement is sometimes 300' or more.

After about 10 or 12 holes, I was ready to anoint an easy 5.0 rating on the East course. I had just been totally blown away by the beauty of the course above the dam and river and of course, by holes like # 5, the Cattle Chute hole with it's 8 foot wide chute you need to throw through and especially by hole # 8. The hole with two incredibly cool choices for basket placements. Today, it was in the B placement tucked down against the side of hillside. But I think the other placement up above that right on the edge would be so cool and risky. But somewhere towards the last holes, the course lost it's luster for me. I thought many of these final holes were quite pedestrian in nature and I wasn't overly thrilled with 17 and 18, both just long, open throws over expanse of grass.

Cons:

Very little, it's hard to be too critical of the # 1 rated course in the state. But I'll try to find something. OK, I wasn't too excited about the last two holes, just long, open throws over grassy area.

If I'm looking for something, I'd love to see a large course sign at the beginning.

Other Thoughts:

I loved the natural beauty of the course up above the dam and the river. There was a steady stream of folks out walking this morning, even though it was a fairly blustery day. The amenities here are great. Especially in that middle group of holes, I found myself eagerly anticipating what I would discover both at the tee box and as I walked down the fairway looking to see what wonderful position the basket might be set in. Although the windy was blowing pretty strong up on the plateau area, it was fairly calm down in the woods. Another aspect I enjoyed here was with the baskets all in the "B" positions today, the course was not overwhelming difficult. Save those"C" positions for the big boy tournaments.
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2 11
Jmk5704
Experience: 9.4 years 58 played 32 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Good holes 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 17, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

The holes have some variation but for the most part it is just tunnel shot after tunnel shot. It is a difficult course that will even challenge the best players.

Cons:

Definitely not the best course in Pa the signs leave a lot to be desired, the course is confusing and difficult to navigate, long and rough walks between some holes. Baskets are very hard to see even on a sunny day. A lot of work needs to be done before this could even be considered the best in PA

Other Thoughts:

A lot of pins are elevated and it gets annoying
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5 2
david W
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 16.8 years 493 played 28 reviews
4.00 star(s)

2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 30, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

Tyler State Park is a historic Park that I have wanted to play for several years. The Park is beautiful and having a 2 course complex is really nice.

This course has a good mix of shots, terrain, length, elevation, and challenge. I found myself attacking some holes while playing safe on others. I enjoyed the risk reward aspect of this course especially on the holes with danger.

Cons:

The course was overall underwhelming. I did not appreciate the overgrowth and insane amount of deadfall and branches all over the course. The stacks of logs were cool in some spots but grew to be annoying in many areas. The hole closure was also disappointing but it sounds like this will be resolved in the future.

Course navigation was difficult in some areas and the course could certainly use some additional signage.

Other Thoughts:

I was excited to play the #1 course in PA but felt that the course came up short in wow factor and overall appeal. If I were to recommend a bucket list course in PA, Tyler would fall somewhere between 3 and 4 and I've only played 4 courses in the state.

The history of this park and some of the unique features make this course cool so its still on my list of courses to play if your in the area but I wouldn't go out of my way to play it again.
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2 6
Jhaf259
Experience: 5 played 5 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Best Course I've played 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jun 2, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

The holes are well marked; they tell you which placement the basket is currently at, which is something other courses have left me guessing at. The holes are each given fun names, which is a nice little addition. The tee pads are in great shape. They did a great job of placing the baskets in locations that are fun to throw at. It's a well-kept park. The map and score sheets provided are nice as well.

Cons:

Nothing I can think of.

Other Thoughts:

There are water hazards, which gave us a laugh or two.
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7 0
enragedmullet
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 12.4 years 115 played 79 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Like finding money 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 2, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

- Baskets and concrete tees are in good condition

- Signage gets an A+ - the tee signs have distances, current pin placements, par, a hand painted map as well as some fun names (More Cowbell comes to mind)

- Well maintained grounds, fairways are fairly obvious

- Course ends reasonably close to where it starts and parking
benches and bag holders at most if not all tees

- Scenic. It's a nice hike in the woods and around the grounds with local wildlife also running around.

- Really creative in a lot of ways (see below)

Cons:

- A little confusing the first time out, even w/ all of the next tee signs. Bring a map just in case you can't find a local.

- Some areas around established walking paths can be risky leading to waiting for walkers, runners, etc. to pass by

- Not much in the way of open, long bombers out here w/o the severe risk of OB.

Other Thoughts:

I was in Newtown for a wedding and didn't expect to play golf that weekend. As it turned out, some time was opened up and, after logging on, I realized I was 15 minutes away from one of the highest rated courses in PA and on the site. I wasn't disappointed at all and will try to be brief in my gushing over the course.

I'm really impressed by the thought that's been put into the place. The creative combination of layout, elevation, shots needed, distances, bunkers, basket placement, hazards and mandos all made for one of the most memorable courses I've played so far, and a healthy challenge (even for pros I imagine).

Holes that stuck out for me were: 4-B, a 360' RHFH that is unforgiving in a way unlike other holes. You have bunkers in front of you, the OB walking path not too far to the left, and a steep drop-off to your right if you don't hit the line; 8B, 335' that can seem like 500'. The B placement keeps the basket hidden until the last second; 14C - 398' of mandatory fun -

Due to an infestation of Ash borers, there were several trees that had to be cut down recently and as a result there are areas with a lot of timber that can get in your way or potentially trip you up. It seems mostly around the first few holes and the locals are working on getting it cleared out.

If you're in the area or passing by (pretty close to 95), don't miss this place! Also, the park on the whole is beautiful and seemed to have lots of amenities/activities and camping.
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13 4
EWSdiscgolf
Experience: 10.6 years 89 played 28 reviews
4.00 star(s)

One of the best courses near me 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 13, 2016 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

- 2 tee pads per hole most of the time and 3 basket positions on each hole
-Very nice Mach baskets with a blue number plate to tell the difference of East and West courses
- Nice use of wooden bunkers, the people in the club clean the course and put extra sticks and wood on the bunkers
- There are many hard basket positions, creating death putts and hard approaches
- many leagues and doubles events, also tournaments almost every season
- tons of locals there if signage is a problem, which won't be a huge problem because there are lots of next tee signs and informative tee signs at each tee
- The course is tight sometimes but there are no unfair holes, every line is easy to see
- Mix of distance between the two tees
- Mix of Open and tight holes

Cons:

- What I noticed is that the course is great, but there is no signature hole, which is unusual for a course rated as high as it is.
- The bathrooms aren't always open so that means that you would have to drive across the park to go to the bathroom.
- The open holes can get very wet after a rainy day, there are no stones or planks through possible swampy spots
- some of the shorter tee pads are way too short

Other Thoughts:

It is a very good course, but it's not as good as what its course rating is. I love playing the course in all C positions also!
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3 9
mmblink86
Experience: 13.8 years 24 played 10 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Superb 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 22, 2016 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

When East is all C's, it's without a doubt one of the best championship level courses. One's Finesse, Power, Placement, & Putting is all challenged in many many ways. Although not always in C's, all of these skills are needed for East's alt pins & pads. The mix of pin positions has improved in recent years, and has kept the course enjoyable with each visit. What impresses me the most are the greens for the alt pins. Yes, the C approaches & greens are the most difficult. But, you do not see a straight huck through a flat 30ft gap to an A pin that 150ft away; There are adequate obstacles to avoid. And, most B pins are pretty solid Blue-level plays. Besides technically satisfying golf, the conditions are always pristine, with the pads and maps in great shape.

Cons:

I agree with other reviews regarding the purposefully elevated baskets. I'd prefer stronger pin placements in lieu of them.

Other Thoughts:

It's the second best course at Tyler.
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11 0
sidewinder22
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 17.7 years 297 played 197 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Tyler Durden - BEast 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:May 14, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

Vast course amenities including multiple large concrete tees and tee signs with pin locators, bag hooks, and benches. Great use of the available elevation, mostly wooded terrain, creeks, and incorporating some of open field space to provide a variety challenges from short ace-run par 3s to some hard par 5s. The wooded fairways are well defined and tight while the open holes allow you air out some, however still require precise landing areas with the OB and well placed trees.

Nice use of wooded bunkers and tricked out basket placements. The Tyler SP courses have the manufactured feel of some ball golf courses for better or worse as they do add to the challenge of some of the holes. The courses play well from rank beginner to expert. Port-a-potties in parking lot.

Cons:

Like Forrest Gump said, playing Tyler is like a box of chocolates, you never know what pin positions you are going to play unless it's a tournament. Some of the raised baskets are a little ridiculous, holes 7 and 10 come to mind. The tightness in the woods can be a little repetitive, and there is no real grip and rip here.

Beware of other park users and discers roaming around the course. There is not much seclusion from other holes and park activities. Lots of foot traffic on the course and erosion although some control measures have been taken.

Navigation can be tricky in a couple places, some backtracking, a map is helpful for the uninitiated. Tall grass OB and the large creek to maybe lose some discs and some poison ivy. Only one loop of 18 holes back to parking lot. For whatever reason I had a number of spit outs here on the normally trusty ole Mach IIIs.

Other Thoughts:

As the Tyler Durden review title suggest this course is pretty bad ass and you never know what to expect layout wise which can be a pro and a con. It's probably quite rare to ever play the same layout here casually as the local club seems to move baskets often and constantly improve things. As noted the Tyler SP courses have a manufactured design element to them that make them feel like ball golf in a way, which can also be seen as both a pro and con - being it takes away from the more natural and organic design element that disc golf has traditionally used and been praised for.

The East course is definitely more beastly and my favorite of the two courses, although surprising because it has less elevation which I typically prefer. The new hole 8 is probably my favorite playing along the creek although I really wish the basket was in the C pin to be able to play that beauty. I often find myself saying that about the other holes as well. Regardless taken as a whole the Tyler SP courses are supremely enjoyable to play and some of the best disc golf you will find in the area that is renown for disc golf.
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