BlackBear is a course that is challenging in a good way that will improve your woods game. A good mix of longer and shorter holes for every level player. The course is pretty well maintained and there is nice signage to make sure you know where you're going. The course is in a prime location if you want some peace and quiet to enjoy nature. This is the course I learned to play on, and I fully believe that I am better for it, as I developed a decent mental game and learned angle shots early on.

The course is pretty much all rocky terrain and is a pretty challenging hike in some places, although this isn't all bad. Not a course you would want to bring too many discs to as your bag will definitely be feeling heavy by hole 5. Not for you if you don't enjoy a challenge or steep hills. I would say the only real layout con is that there are only 3 holes in the original 18 that are wide open shots, all others you are in the woods and there are a million trees to navigate. It takes about 2 hours for my husband and I to play a round and we have been playing here for years. Very easy to lose a disc and be searching forever in the Spring and Summer as the greenage is thick. Also plan to go without cell service.

This course is the definition of tough yet rewarding. I would recommend all players who are considering visiting to drop by and play a round, just be prepared with sunscreen and do not try it without bug spray in the Summer and bring ample water as it is a marathon not a sprint. BlackBear is truly one of a kind.

The course sits on a beautiful tract of Appalachian foothill land in Shawnee State Park. Steep, tree covered hills surrounding deep valleys laced with rocky creeks. If you like getting "lost" (in a good way) in the woods this is your kind of course. The layout is a challenging hike even without the disc golf thrown in.

There's a good mix of shot shaping required, straight, left, right, up, down, etc. Distances range from the 100's all the way up into the 600's. It's a mostly (heavily) wooded track bookended by some mostly open shots which serve as a nice warm-up then much needed relief at the end of the round. Plenty of challenging but fair layouts with some excellent risk/reward opportunities due to the thickness of the rough, greens that run away from the basket, and some natural water features.

There's several memorable holes here. The long, winding, up and down roller coaster of hole 6, the water tank tee shot on hole 11, the cumulative stretch of short, tough, but gettable birdies from 13 to 16, and the beautiful open bomber to a basket near the creek on hole 17. There's plenty of other good holes, but those stand out most to me.

My number one gripe is the tee pads. They're still a work in progress on about 5 or 6 holes. Hole 3 is broken into 2 pieces with only about 4 or 5' of pad left (as of Sept 2021). Some of the poured concrete tees feel a bit short for a full run-up, but I'm also a bit taller than average so take that as you want.

The course lays out with the first 10 holes all working up towards the water tower, then the remaining 8 all work to get you back down to the parking lot. It doesn't bother me personally, I quite enjoy the hike, but some may find it more physically challenging than they expect.

Any other cons are pretty trivial in my opinion. The course could use some additional benches, especially considering the hike. A couple hole transitions are almost more of a scramble to get up the rough terrain and steep slopes. A couple long, kind of wonky walks between holes 7 - 8 and 12 - 13.

Your round begins with a nice, full power shot in the open field near the parking lot before beginning the arduous, tree covered hike up to the top of a large concrete water tank at the crest of the hill above the lodge, playing disc golf the whole way. From there you get to work your way back down to the parking lot.

Again, if you like a good, physically challenging hike to go along with your round of disc golf, you can't go wrong here. The designer's use of the terrain really gives you a good feel for the landscape of this region of the state.

Variety of lines and shots.
Well kept, even after storms.
Challenging
Beautiful scenery.
Solid baskets.
Well Marked Trails.

Still has mixed tee pads (I know they are working on getting them all concrete and it just takes time and effort) When all the Teepads are installed it will bump my review to a 5*
Not for the faint of heart, a couple of the trails between holes are a little challenging.

This is a very well designed course that has potential to be world class. With time and $$ the park could smooth the transitions between holes with some steps and a bit of work on the trails.

The holes are phenomenal with a variety of options to make you break out some of those less used discs in your bag.

I wish I lived closer so I could spend more time working on my skills here. It would definitely help improve my game.

-Serenity. It is a joy to walk through and play in the beautiful peaceful woods. Other than the occasional cars going to the Lodge at the top of the hill you can listen to the sounds of nature to relax yourself after hitting a poor tree. It's a great experience every single time to play through and the woods remind you to keep your calm and not let playing the sport you clearly enjoy be a bad time just because you have a bad shot or 10.
-Perfectly Challenging and Rewarding. The course is what I deem the perfect level of challenge and high reward for hard work and good shots. It makes you think and visualize before you throw if you want to get a good score. You can play this course over a hundred times like I have and still want to keep coming back because just one more great shot or improvement on even just a single hole is so fun. Trying to think up and try new ways of tackling holes to lower your scores is the best. This course really emphasizes the good feeling when you throw a great shot, so much more so than easier courses do, because you have really got to hit a line right here.
-Constant Improvements. I first played this course probably 3 years ago when I first got into disc golf, but I did not play it again until probably a half a year after that despite it being close because it was too difficult for me at the time and it was quite the mess I thought then (especially when you throw badly and get cut up trying in vain to find a disc). But over the years and especially the past year or so it seems I started noticing awesome improvements everywhere each time I went that enhanced the experience and made me want to keep coming back. Some of these improvements are, but not limited to, tons of concrete tee pads, stair cases, clearing dead trees and debris, expanding fairways, dirt steps dug into the side of the hill to make the hikes easier, makeshift awesome stone stair cases, benches, mulching, and more. It's come so far and the sky is the limit.
-Hole Variety. This course offers a little bit of everything. It's 3 out in the open holes to chuck it hard on. It's got tunnel shots. It's got elevation changes up and down. Right and left handed holes. You definitely won't get bored throwing the same straight backhand over and over. I would say that of the 18 holes no two of them play the same at all. I love it and that's what makes it so replayable.

It is hard for me to come up with cons from the perspective of someone who has never played the course before especially since I have played it so much and it has went through so much improvements since I was a first timer and because I fell in love with it last summer. But here are the things that prevent it from getting a 5 from me currently and just some things to be award of that can be a negative to some:
-It is not beginner friendly, but it clearly does not claim to be. However my beginner girlfriend plays with me just about every time I go and has made such rapid crazy improvement, so what's your excuse? Haha. This con does not affect score.
-It is a hike. You may want some water to bring and pack light since you only throw like 5 of your 20 discs anyway haha. This con does not affect score.
-Not your average "feel good" course. You don't play here because you want to have drop in 2's on every hole and feel like you're the best disc golfer because the holes are easy. You come here because you like a challenge and aren't afraid to be humbled. This con does not affect score either.
-Bad Shots Double Punished. When you throw a bad shot at this course you not only get that bad feeling that comes with all bad shots, but you also get to go hunt for it in some sometimes thick and brambly conditions. It is not hard at all to lose a disc here if you throw far the wrong way. Watch out for ticks and be ready to wipe spider webs off your face since it is in the woods. Also, sometimes even your seemingly great throws can be punished and disappear on you. This con DOES affect the score.
-More Concrete Tee Pads. There's only a few of the few dirt tee pads I would consider bad there, but still everyone, myself included, likes to have a concrete tee pad. This con DOES affect the score.
-Stairs/Ditch Bridges. It could use some more stairs in some spots particularly when going up/coming down from hole 11 and when entering and exiting the woods across the small little ditch. I think some tiny wood bridges there would look cool and be helpful. This con DOES affect score.
-Brambles. It's the woods. This is to be expected. There is not many on the fairways though and it has greatly improved over the years. This con DOES affect score.

This is my favorite course of all time for a number of reasons and I consider it my home course. It is my favorite because:
1. Of course it is just 20 minutes away from me
2. It is therapeutic for me to get away and out into the serene woods there to play one of my favorite games.
3. The course pushes you to be better.
4. It helps me work on my mental game of not worrying about bad shots or getting angry when I repeatedly mess up.
5. It is great exercise without the disc throwing and even more when you count that.

CONCLUSION: If you're at the point in your disc golf journey to where you actively look to try and get better, you need to play this course and get ready to be humbled and challenged in the best possible way. I cannot recommend this course enough to experienced players. A beautiful setting for a well-designed and loved course.

I would also like to note that though I have played this course over a hundred times (and probably will play hundreds more haha) I was not involved in creating, maintaining, or running the course in anyway. As with all reviews my own bias come into account, like it being close to me and me loving the peaceful woods there. An unbiased review is actually a logical impossibility based on the definition of a review being to tell people what you like and don't like. I actually just met and played with some of the people responsible for the creation/current state of the course this past Sunday and plan to hopefully get more involved with them and their group and pay the course back for all it has done for me going forward to help it become even better. THANK YOU BLACK BEAR!

Many improvements have been made recently with new Tee pads and Tee Signs. The course makes for a great workout both mentally and physically.

If you aren't ready to climb large hills then this course may not be for you. Black Bear goes up two large hills and can wear you down quick if you aren't ready. Make sure you bring water!

The course is getting beaten in and more playable every day. Stairs from 4-5 are in and make the hike a lot easier. New position on hole 8 plays better than the old position. New long positions on holes 12 and 18. Overall excellent balance of holes, so it doesn't favour a lefty or righty. This course allows you to flex every shot in your bag. New signage all over the course definitely helps point new players to the course in the right direction. Nearly every basket has arrows on them to point to the next tee. Hole 5 has a bench now to let you rest after the hike up, and more benches will be coming soon.

Unfortunately, due to affairs out of control of the club, the parks dept has not been able to install the last 6 tee pads, but the hard dirt pads on those holes are for the most part packed and level (this is the main thing keeping me from giving at least 4 stars at the moment). The rough is still pretty rough in some places, but is slowly getting better. The new placements on 12 and 18 are good designs, but the added fairways and greens still need a lot of cleanup, so play conservative and don't lose sight of your disc.

Alright, I may be a touch biased as a local, but I have worked to make sure this review has been honest. Overall, this is a great course design on the most beautiful land in the state. The course starts out with an open hole, but do not let this lull you into a false sense of security, this course lives up to its name as a bear. Bring your goat legs, water, and some bug spray. Straight across the road is a small climb up to hole 2, and from then until hole 17, make sure you have some good tree karma, because you will need it. After throwing hole 3, continue straight for a few yards, and 4 is the tee pad on the right. The next few holes zig zag up the hill, with 7 playing along the road at the top of the hill. After tapping in, follow the road, going left at the split and look for the white sign to re-enter the woods. 9 is straight up the path left of 8, and be sure to keep the disc in the fairway as this holes rough is some serious business in place. Left of 9 you will find a very welcomed picnic table, rest up, because this is the last big push to the top. Follow the path up from 10 to the top of the water tower to 11. All downhill from here. This hole arguably needs cleaned up more, but play conservative, because discs going too far left, right, and long are nearly impossible to find. 12 has the new long position, straight passed the old pin/fallen tree. Still needs some cleanup but is a great design. Cross the road towards 7, and follow the beach trail back into the woods. Keep an eye right and you will see the tee and fairway of 13 running parallel to the trail. Throw straight, because the next four holes are coined 'birdie alley'. After throwing 14, follow the trail down to the right. On 15, KEEP RIGHT. Discs can and will find their way all the way down to 3's fairway. After 15, follow the path to the bottom of the hill and you will find yourself at the intersection of 4 and 16, 16 being on the left. Gravity works extra hard on 16's green. 17 is straight across the road, playing down the short grass to a hole in the wood line on the right, green sloping down to the creek. Watch your footing if it has rained recently, the green is very slick when wet. 18 is currently in the long position, which is not visible from the tee. Keep your shot in the short grass, and the basket is in the woods right and long. This is the area most in need of cleanup on the course currently. All in all, minus the missing teepads, this course is probably one of the best in the southern half of the state. It is a workout, and a round out here will humble you, but it is a great design and has a huge potential.

The best course in south central Ohio starts out with a lie. But that's a good thing. The very first hole is an open, medium distance par three down in the flats by the parking lot, kiosk signage and map, and practice basket. From the beautifully landscaped, small(ish: 9'x5') concrete tee with a bench behind, to the DisCatcher basket, I'm OK with clearing the storm drain ravine, tossing an upshot and tapping in a putt, but I'll generally give up a stroke to even an intermediate arm. But then… the course gives you a dose of the truth. You cross the drive and look at a 45 degree incline with stone 'ladder' steps running right up the hill. You realize you might want to drop the cart off at the car, and sling that shoulder bag because you are climbing to the top of the park from holes 2 through 11. In the woods.

Your woodland adventure is a scenic hiking trail that Zach (with some help, I hope!) has carved out and detailed with intricate and helpful next tee signage, paths and fairways cleared and fair, and years of stone moved, stairs and steps added, and yes, concrete tees (plus a number of alternate, but more rustic tees) on nearly every hole. Once you've climbed up this side hill section of the course, you have to appreciate the effort that went into getting concrete poured up here!

But the disc golf! There's a ton of challenge and variety. Hole lengths keep your interest level high: throw a 200 footer, then decide how much of that 600 footer you want to try to bite off. Crank up the velocity, and the Bear might get you. I decided to keep to controlled mids rather than risking a tree kick, because the climb down and back up didn't appeal to me. But the temptation is there to try going for it. That's intentional.

This bear will give you all you can handle, even as an intermediate, advanced, or open level player. I would not recommend it for novices or recreational level players, and would definitely caution folks that if they're not fit, they might not make it very far here. This rugged, wooded, technical challenge isn't going to be for everyone, and that's OK. But get yourself fit, and come check out the incredible work that's been done here!

I did get a little confused from time to time on whether the concrete or natural tees I played were 'white' or 'blue', and I was so focused on finding and safely attacking the baskets 'as is', I really didn't look around to find the alternate pin placements. I'm sure they're all unique and challenging. The next tee arrows and path side signage was excellent, but the hole signage is still laminated, so I'm sure they need to replace it from time to time. The 'natural' tees are often a bit rough, being set on a mostly rocky hillside.

Speaking of which, wear rugged shoes. You are hiking a rocky, rooty trail up and down the entire hill here. I played in a light rain, but it wasn't saturated. I'm sure Black Bear might get a little dangerous when it stays wet or icy. Finally, there is no way to keep up with the maintenance and trimming it would take to get this beast even halfway tamed, so it didn't bother me too much when I played the final 100-150' of hole 18 to the long pin position, which hadn't been trimmed for the spring yet.

Having met Zach Harr before he even moved to the area (and started a course, then started a family), my buddy Troy and I had planned to get out to see this course and help for a work day when Black Bear was barely a Cub. We got our signals mixed and went there the wrong weekend, but did get a very early look at what was planned. Being 'bigger' guys at the time, it looked like a potential cardiac course. Scroll forward to today, and I've dropped 130 pounds, so decided to give the finished course a look-see this morning. The weather forecast said no rain til the afternoon. And there's another course on the way East from home. So I went Bear hunting.

It rained. Oh, but not until I'd committed to the 25 mile detour around the state park I had to take to come in from the far side. I was committed. Took extra towels, climbed all those paths and fairways carefully, and played conservatively. That's how you go Black Bear hunting!

Final thought for Zach: Holy Cow! You've been Rockin' this for a Long Time, and I for one appreciate how beautiful, challenging, and fun this course has become.

(1.) Layout
(2.) Mixture of shots *not LH/RH favored*
(3.) Multiple pin placements
(4.) Constant course work
(5.) Makes you second guess your disc choice
(6.) Elevation changes for different shots
(7.) Very scenic
(8.) Challenging
(9.) Challenging
(10.) Challenging
Did I say the course is challenging? Which in my opinion makes for a great course!

(1.) No railing/steps leading up to #2
(2.) Railing for steps on #4 are too high
(3.) No railing/steps leading from #4 to #5
(4.) No railing/steps up to #11 and down #11
(5.) Huge rock on #15 teeoff area
(6.) Majority of teepads are in, but not all
(7.) Need permanent tee signs
(8.) Not beginner friendly
(9.) Removal of rocks around #13 basket
(10.) Stumps need dug out on fairways to prevent injury

The people involved have tremendously put their heart and soul into this course and it shows from the first time I've played it. Once many of the cons get taken care of, I'm sure this will be an easy 5+/5 rated course due to the beautiful layout and design. If you're a beginner or first timer into the disc golf scene....bring your hiking boots.

Black Bear disc golf course , sitting near the far end of the lake at Shawnee State Park , is a fairly new addition to the disc golf scene ( 2015 ) in southeast Ohio . The large parking lot can accommodate enough cars for a good sized tournament , has a kiosk at the beginning of the lot , and a practice basket . Many of the holes have cement tees , for the blue and/or the white tees . Yest , they have 2 tees and alternate pins per hole . The course has good descriptive signage , with fairway picture , hole # and distance to at least one of he pins . Some holes have landing zones where you have to place your drive in order to go to the next drive to the basket ( examples are #s 9 and 12 ) . The course can be tricky to navigate . You must have a map in order to not miss holes or you will be lost after 1 , 7 , and 12 . This course is not only a big challenge for even the most competitive player , but it is also one of the hilliest courses I have ever played . You will see the tee pad and the basket for #1 , a flat throw over a small gully to an open basket . Then you turn to your immediate right and start your elevation . The course plays on the sides and up and down hills . Great course design . The holes 2 through 13 move down , but mostly up to and around the parking/trailhead and Shawnee Lodge and Conference Center . Holes 14-16 ease you back down the hill . #'s 17 and 18 are back in more flat territory , with #17 throwing close to a park station and slightly into the woods ( 551' ) and #18 teeing off on a hill down a narrow fairway with high thick rough on both sides to the basket on an open green 351' away . A treacherous but good 2 finishing holes . The course is still in it's clearing stages with some of the fairways still having logs and branches , along with poison ivy and stickers to remove . Closer tees will help the casual player a lot . I hope to shake the course volunteers' hands just for lugging and pouring the concrete around here ! Being on the die of a hill , this is not my type of course , but I like what I see so far . Holding a few fundraising tournaments to generate some cash for finishing touches are already a possibility here . I want to come back here in 2 years and update my review . I think this course is already starting to win . You will have a somewhat solitary round most of the time . I don't think lots will deal with the extreme elevation . An enjoyable , but not a quick play . Plan on being here over 90 minutes just for a solo round . Rest rooms and water bottle fillup are down at the other end of the parking lot .Some good memorable holes , but my signature hole would either be #9 , the landing zone throw of maybe 225-240' , to a downhill throw on a narrow fairway to the basket , or #17 , the long throw slightly left to right , to the basket , perched down and just into the woods .
Course Update - I always try to check back on my course reviews to see if course are progressing or regressing . I read that Black Bear is coming along slowly but still coming along . I had emailed with one of the course designers and found out just how close this course is to completion . I can tell that this is going to be special . Course cleanup and the final 6 holes are nearing solid pads . Adding new tees that are coming in , and this course will soon be at least a 4 .

#1 The fairways . I know that the course is still undergoing it's morphing , but your disc hitting the debris here can cause some heartache for the players . The fact the you play on a hillside alone will make you tense up for that drive that clips a branch , rock or tree and rolls 150' straight downhill . I AM that victim . #2 Signage . The course could use some NEXT TEE signs , especially between holes 1-2 , 7-8 and 12-13 . Wasting unnecessary energy on a course primarily built into a hillside can be a bummer . Amenities like benches and some steps or railings would go a long way here . #4 I can only imagine trying to play here after or during a hard rain . Conquering this hill could border the impossible.

Update 9/21/20 . I hope to be down to the course soon . I have a special interest in seeing it fill it's potential . Keep up the great work , Zach , and crew .( I moved my rating up , and predict it being a 4 in my book by the time I am down there .
The course is still a little raw , but the potential is so strong here . This will be the best and most challenging course in southeast Ohio . I hope that volunteers stick with the finishing touches . Great design , with may unique holes . Long in spots , but very technical .The course and area are very scenic . This course should rate a 4 before long . My Recommendation : Not a destination course just yet , but a must play in the southeastern part of Ohio . PLAY IT !!!

this course is not for the faint of heart. it's definitely physically challenging and it puts your disc golfing game to the test. The scenery is stunning. The course is great. No standing water really comes into play until the creek on 17 & 18-- but there are plenty of other ways to lose discs and/or get into trouble. Course is thoughtfully laid out; the first and last 2 holes are conveniently at the bottom of the hillside close to the lake, near the entrance of the Shawnee State Lodge roadway. It gets interesting very quickly as you negotiate the forest and its rugged terrain, climbing the hill, one basket and bucket of sweat at a time... up to the top where the Lodge is located. You get somewhat of a break rounding off the front 9 on a somewhat level grassy knoll...
Fantastic facilities all around-- love this place. Teeing off the water tower/reservoir on #11 was a highlight...

terrain is a bear!; plethora of thorns & poison ivy; no cell service (just a head's up)

It's readily apparent this course has come a long way in a short time, and the people who invest their sweat equity are true ambassadors of the sport! I'm looking forward to the next round already-- see ya at the tournament in September if not sooner!

Unique Layout. The course winds through the woods and hills of Shawnee State Park. Elevation changes make this a workout. The course has really improved over the past few month and gets better each week. Last week new steps were built on #4 - very nice. The park has done a lot of work for the course. About 6 tee pads are concreted and they expect to have all tee pads concrete by May 26th.

Not all pads are concrete yet but this "con" will be addressed in the next couple weeks when the tee pads are completed.

As soon as the pads are finished this course will be really nice. Each hole has it's own distinct personality.
The Park Lodge is right on the course which is great for food and drink after a round of dg.
The hills of Shawnee Forrest are beautiful!

Good layout with given terrain.
Good balance of right/left holes.
Fairways relatively clear.
Nice baskets.
Technical which I enjoy.

Thick brush when off the fairways.
Poor signage between holes after about hole 3.
Difficulty locating some baskets from the tee.

This course overall is one that has much potential. I realize it has some work to be done still which is the reason I only rated it a 2.5 and once completed will most likely rate higher. My biggest complaint is that if a fairway is missed (and some are very narrow) the brush is so thick it makes it nearly impossible to recover. I really enjoy a technical style of course but don't like to be punished for missing the fairway by just a few inches. A few more signs will also help. Overall a good course and look forward to playing again soon!

Good use of the area that is in use. Cool views and a challenging course all around. Good mix of long holes and short holes. Decent signage so far. Not your typical Disc Golf course which is a big pro for me. Not big into the wide open courses. Leans more towards more technical throws opposed to just bombing it which I prefer.

Edit: see other thoughts edit. Some cons have gotten better.

Get the map that is available on this website. You are going to need it. The temp tee signs are in place for the long and short tees. Tee pads are in for the most part but some of them are still gravel and rock. Muddy in a some areas. Number 8 particularly muddy and the trail from 12 to 13. Some of the fairways are really rocky but are slowly being cleared. A few of the fairways are kinda rocky and uneven.

Edit: More teepads are in and fairways just keep getting better. Good signage now between holes and benches have been added. This course is coming along superbly and will only get better. I changed my initial scoring of 3 to a 4 because of all the improvments.

So this course defiantly earns its name! It is a bear. I rated it a 3 only because it still needs a lot of work. Not stroller friendly for those discing moms and dads. Found that out the hard way. You are also going to get your workout for the day traversing this course. Especially if you get a bad tree kick. The rough on the fairways can be brutal. The fairways are cleared well but still need some work. You get one hole as a warm up and then up the hill you go. Fun! Fun! Fun!

Found a disc on 3/23 and ended up playing with a couple of the locals. Good dudes who are passionate about this course and disc golf in general. These fellas are going to do good things here. Will play this course every chance I get. Once all the pads and signs are in and some of the transitions from hole to hole are fixed this will be a pro level course.

*Major note- I am the co-designer, founder, and main work-mule for this course*

Since I was a kid, I have been coming to Shawnee State Park. It was always great plaing in the lake, fishing, hiking, and what not... but after discovering disc golf in my mid 20s, I knew what it was missing. I am very thankful to a great parks department for allowing/helping me get this course in the ground.

Due to the small (but growing) population of Black Bears in the local area, I lovingly bestowed a majestic name upon this course. I think it is quite fitting. Without detailing each hole, I will say that the course starts wide open with some OB right,long, and left. The course then winds itself up the hill through dense forest. There are long holes, there are short holes. There are uphills, downhills, sidehills. The putting greens often find themselves near roll away or death putt areas. Definitely holes that can kill your momentum with large numbers over par, and holes thrown in between to help boost your confidence and give a chance at ace. One of the great moments is a very elevated shot, teeing off of the peak of the hill that you just ascended (actually from water reservoir) for an ace run. Finally, the last few holes are in the open and re-introduce you to the sky (that you probably haven't seen much of in the last few hours.

*update 2019- After having just had Black Bear Open 2, this course is looking amazing right now. Parks has been huge in supporting us this year. We have cleared logs off of holes 3, 4, 5, 6, 9. Still have lots of work to do... but it is really taking shape. New since last review update are stairs on hole 4 down to the creek, rock steps going up to 4s basket and 1/3rd of the way up to 5. Picnic table put in by the mountain bikers on hole 10. Direction arrows on each basket to the next tee. Still need directional arrows between walks.

Edit 9/29/22: Just had BBO4 this past weekend! Course is the best it has ever looked. We had 88 players this weekend. Turf tees on 2,5,6,12,13,15. We are also looking into making hole 19-21 permanent or at least seasonal. This time next year, we will have Tomahawk DGC also available to play at Shawnee State Park.

Edit: 9/13/21:

Lots of cons have been addressed. The fairways are becoming more fair. Small trees removed this year on 4, 6, 9, 10, 11, 12. Got some new placements in on 5, 8, 12, 18. Course has recently been weedeated down to the nubs. Carpet tees on 2, 12, and 13. Every hole now has permanent tee signs.

Big things to come this winter after BBO3 on 9/25!

Edit 8/6/2020: To address people getting lost. There is a course map at the Kiosk beside hole 1. This is updated and directly from collaboration with Udisc, GPS map. This map is posted on each of the 6 next tee signs located on the course. New tee signs are designed, and will be posted soon. The permanent tee signs are submitted to the state and are waiting to be made by the state.

There are still 6 hard packed dirt tees. Plan is to replace these with local supply nice texture surface pavers.

Holes 4, 5, 6 still in the works in regards to clearing but looking much better.


Edit 9/21/17: Previous cons have now mostly been fixed. We have temp signs for every hole. Have concrete pads on 7/18 long pads. We do still need to fill around these. Good chance of getting 6 more tees concrete this fall. Kiosk is now built and has some info on it.

We are awaiting good metal tee signs in the very near future


Clearing- this is getting better with more regular play. Still hole 4, 5, 6 need some work. This fall, we will finish up cutting a few more trees, and this should make fairways more fair.

Benches- We just need to get some guys to make some benches... heck even strip and polyurethane some short logs.

Also, pictures on dgcr are old and do not correctly correlate with the numbers and distance on those holes. Will take new pics in the spring when all teepads are completed.

With all of the upgrades, this course is now a solid 4.5 in my book. Maybe some of that rating is on potential, but man it is playing great right now.

This is a Blue rated, very technical and difficult course. Not for whimps or whiners

If you have time to kill and want a beer, the lodge is a great place to take a break between holes 12 and 13. They have pretty good food also. I will have to check and post their hours.

Camping and lodge nearby!

This will be a great place for tournaments in the future. Parks has another large parcel of acreage for us in the future near the ball golf course on the river. 5 years from now, we will be able to host a killer 2 day tournament. (This is coming closer to fruition as of 2021).

Also of note, this course is the equivalent to leg day. You are going to be sore in a good way for a few days.

Make sure to stop in and speak to the park office and thank them for the course. I hope everybody has a great time out there!

1) Left/Right balanced
2) Interesting design
3) Elevation changes
4) Two sets of tees

1) Thick underbrush blocks fairways on most holes
2) Navigation
3) No concrete tees
4) No signs

Course design: 4/5
Scenery: 4.5/5
Tees: 1/5
Signage: 0/5
Navigation: 2/5
_______________
Total/Average: 2.3/5

This course has a lot going for it. Great land layout and elevation changes make it stand out. That said, this is a brand new course and, as you might suspect, it needs work to bring it up to "par." I played from the long tees so my review only speaks to this layout.

There are just a handful of holes in the open...all the rest play through thick, hilly, mature forest. More than enough to give you a good workout.

There is a good balance of lefty and righty holes, short and long holes. There are a few holes that are super long and in the woods.

Although I appreciated the design, I was frustrated at times because of navigation issues. They only have flags down to mark the tees so you have to be on high alert all the time so you don't unwittingly walk past the tee and, because you're in deep woods, this only compounds this issue. I strongly recommend that you download and bring the map with you. This helped tremendously and without it, I most likely would've wandered off into Blair Witch territory.

Another problem affecting play and navigation is the thick underbrush. They have a bunch of trees marked to take out, but until then, have fun trying to weave your disc through it. It's not so bad that I wouldn't recommend playing it. Just be aware of it before you go.

Last, there are no concrete tees, which of course is an issue, especially on a hilly course with uneven ground to tee off from. This will be fixed in time.

Overall, I liked this course and have a feeling that this could be a championship-level course once it gets cleaned up and concrete tees are installed.

My ratings added up to a 2.3 (rounding up to 2.5), but that is because this is a new course. Once the course is completed, I imagine this could be a 4 star course or better. 2.5 isn't bad for a course with no concrete tees, no signs and little to no navigation aids on the course. I will definitely be back to update my review! Great course!

Potential Potential Potential. The first hole and the last two are in the open the rest go through some mean woods. This could become one of the top ten courses in Ohio. Long and short tee pads. Very hilly, great work out. New yellow band baskets. Lots of work to do but I like it.

Natural tee pads for now, several holes still need trees taken out but you can see they are marked to be cut. Some of the holes had a lot of trees marked for cutting. No tee signs - take a picture of the map with your phone and take with you. If you're a whiner do not go to this course yet as there is still a lot of work to do.

I met one of the designers while throwing and they are working on the course. It's still new so keep in mind that it is not yet done. I will review it again in a year and if they get everything done I'll raise my rating on this course. I was 14 over par. Some holes had no fairway at all but it is a work in progress and I took that into consideration in my review. If the work gets done this will be an awesome course.

Beautiful setting
An amazing workout
Discatcher baskets
Definite mix of throws needed
Challenging course

Confusing layout, no signage yet*
Poison ivy
Lots of thorn bushes
It's one &$#@! workout
Way off the beaten path
Challenging course

First, several disclaimers: they're still finishing up tee and basket placement, so only a few tees and no signage at all. It sounded like they were essentially done with the design part, but the lady at the camp office did a lot of apologizing on that score. But, as a result, I wasn't able to play the whole course, as I couldn't find some of the tees.

Also, the course is beyond my skill level. I'm going to try to be impartial and describe it the way most people would look at it, but it's still something keep that in mind.

Black Bear is set in Shawnee Park. I love seeing disc golf in state parks, in because not only do you usually get an established forest, but parks have some of the best scrub land available: you know, the land they thought was useless 100 years ago, which usually happens to be great for disc golfing.

This course winds its way around several steep hills, and definitely gives you exercise going up and down them. Roughly a third the course is uphill (and not gradual uphills), a third of the course is downhill, and a third of the course is flat. Most of the course is wooded, and it includes some long, densely wooded throws.

I thought they included too many uphill throws, although I won't swear that it's a full third of the course: half of the ones I'm calling uphill throws I couldn't find the tees for, and am only basing the number on where the course map showed the tees to be. But even counting only the ones I found, I think they put in too many uphill.

With the notable exception of holes 1 and 18, both of which are somewhat flat and totally open, most of the level throws are alongside the hills, so errant discs can end up going down the side. The flat holes tended to be the longest ones.

Most of the downhill throws were designed so that if you overthrew, you would seriously regret it: baskets being placed with dropoffs or water behind them, or the angle of decent continuing on for quite a ways past the basket.

Overall, I liked that it seemed like you needed to mix up your approaches to each hole, even though the course is almost all wooded. However, I thought that they overused certain design elements (most notably steep uphill throws and baskets in dangerous spots on downhill throws), and that there were just too many holes where a missed shot could easily mean you were chasing a disc down a hill.

As was mentioned earlier, they don't have tees or signs in yet, but they swore that they'll be in soon. When they do get signs in, they really need to put in "next tee" signs, as the course criss-crosses in a couple locations, and there are a few long walks. If you get there before signs go in, hole two is across the road and up the hill a fair distance from hole 1, just follow the path. The basket across the road from hole 7 is #12. Hole 8 is past the basket for #12; follow the curve of the road/parking lot until you see the clearing to the left. 8-12 play somewhat counter-clockwise around that hill, then go back to where basket 7 was, and follow the path that's just below to the other road to get to #13. I never found the tee to 13, but it looks like it's near that path, and 13 is a long throw mostly following that path.

Or better yet, see if someone in the camp office can get you a course map.

Lots of places I was pushing through thorny briars. It was the wrong time of year to easily spot any other problem plants.

Is it worth the trip? If you're local, or passing through the Portsmouth area, yes, once they have signs in, hopefully by summertime 2017. But while there are a few unique and fun holes, I don't think there's enough there to make a special trip for, unless you're looking for a course that's a bit more challenging than most.

2020 update:
Work took me to the area again, so I tried to give it another try... but didn't succeed. I gave up quickly due to the large amount of poison ivy on the course. Signage is also still a problem, and the camp maps are worse than they were when the course was new. There are primitive signs up now, but they don't show much, and I was still guessing at how to get to the next hole each time. There was a sign indicating the long path to hole #4 (presumably to help you avoid getting onto the crossing path, but that's where I gave up.

If someone in a local club or park management sees this, please get better signage up! Most notably, 'next tee' signs on all the long paths, and possibly better maps in the park office. (Or if scouting programs still do eagle scout projects, suggest it as a possibility to a local scout troop.)