Best destination within a few hours of Erie, PA?

[Qikly]

Oil City kind of frustrated me.

How so?

 

[sidewinder22]

How so?

There was a ridiculous amount of uphill hiking, and no reward for it.

 

[DyeingToPlay]

I'll second the lakeshore recommendation. It's the only northern Ohio course I've played but it is well worth the drive if it is within a couple of hours of where you are. You could spend a day there playing from different tees and to alternate baskets.

 

[Gflap]

I will 3rd Lake Shore

 

[bcr123psu]

Lake Shore isn't bad. Navigation might be confusing if you're not used to the course. It looks like it's closed, but just in case it isn't, avoid Duck Run disc golf in East Springfield at all costs. Really. It's not worth the gas to get there...even if you're already in East Springfield.

Pymatuning has a good mix of holes and multiple tees.

 

[sloppydisc]

I'm from the Buffalo area. So of all the courses that you have mentioned. I'll break them down:

Hawk's Landing - Course is rated a 4 on here but in all reality its more of a 2.5-3. It's extremely tight, nothing plays more than 300ft, and some of the trees that you have to try and punch through are a little ridiculous. Doug the owner however, is awesome (he's the reason for the 4 rating on here). He has a little pro shop there to. Discs are limited to mostly discraft and innova.

Black Diamond - Might be worth the trip. Awesome course. The course needs a little bit of work still. The tees are not marked that great. Front nine is wooded back is more open. Even if you play the white tees your still going to be up for a challenge and your not going to miss much that the gold tees offer. This is gonna be the furthest south course near the buffalo area.

Chestnut Ridge - Don't go out of your way for this one. Dangerous course. Needs maintenance bad. Kids occasionally will sit in the ravine waiting for discs and run off with them. Oldest course in the Buffalo area though and has some Buffalo disc golf history there.

Beaver Island - Open and fun. Good elevation changes. A couple wooded holes. Wind! Plays over looking the niagara river. Closest to good wings (will discuss more later). Pay to play (you have to pay to get into the park). Read my review on the course and you'll be able to get around paying. My 3rd favorite course in the Buffalo area.

Angry Apple - This is gonna be wayyyy out of your way. They have a campground there though so if you wanted to spend the night you could. Probably my favorite course in the Buffalo area but I haven't played it in the summer at all and I know that the rough can just eat discs. Might not be a good course to play alone you first time.

Joseph Davis - A fun 27 hole course. Mildly wooded. Park is maintained very well. An older course to the Buffalo area but a good one. A very close 2nd to my favorite course in the Buffalo area.

Those are the courses worth mentioning for you. Good luck!

Now, onto the wings.

Anchor Bar - The birth place. This is where it all began. Great wings and good size wings too. Only one location.

Duffs - I always say to people, Anchor Bar was the birthplace but Duffs perfected it. There slogan of "our mild is their medium, our medium is their hot", couldn't be more true. Amazing though. Nice and crispy with the best Buffalo Sauce you'll ever sink your teeth into. And the wings are huge.

Quaker State - Shlt, disgusting, doesn't even compare. I can say that too because I live in Harrisburg PA now and work across the street from a Quakerstate. I even gave their wings a chance and ordered them twice. Just can't do it. Not after eating at Duffs.

This a a sloppydisc approved post. Especially the wing reviews. :hfive:

But I kinda liked Chestnut Ridge. Although I played it in the middle of the week in mid afternoon. Maybe that helped keep the riff-raff down.

 

[danhyzer]

Hey Suna (Is that how one spells the band you we're telling me of?) It was cool to share the fairway with ya @ Portage Lakes the other day (even if it was for the last hole). There's a lot of good courses in this area (and a few that we consider as feeder courses, not GREAT courses, but a course that serves it's purpose) I'm glad you got to play the Portage Lakes DGC, we're continually trying to improve on what we consider a pretty good course (Is it better than Flip City or Idlewild, I would say no, but it's one of the better courses in this area! How did you do on "Amen Corner (holes # 14-16) How cdid you like the light house hole (#10)? I'm also glad that you got to play Lincoln Park in Massillon. I love course like Lincoln Park, unfortunately this past year a lot of the older trees have fallen and it's a hard road for the few die hard disc golf/ park to regain it's beauty of yesteryear. But give us some time and Massillon will be back rock'n like it used to be.

Since you have family not to far from here, next time give me a hollar and I'll play Dover with ya. I live within walking distance of Arboretum/Spiker park (in Canton). Till then, May the course be with you---------- - +

 

[Qikly]

Well, I ended up playing at Punderson on my way up and hit Lake Shore on my way back. Punderson is an awesome course - way better than its rating suggests. Bunch of challenging, unique wooded par 4s. Many thanks to those of you who pointed it out to me, because I wouldn't have caught wind of it otherwise. It's gems like this that you hope to find when you go off the beaten path to a course that doesn't get much fan fair. Definitely up there with the western PA stalwarts.

Lake Shore was solid. Nice elevation and the three tees + multiple pins on some holes really made for a lot of options. My round was marred by taking a wrong step on hole 18 and slipping and f'ing up my foot. Thought for sure I'd broken something, but after a day of rest and ice I'm pretty sure I just sprained some ligaments on the top of my foot. Swollen as hell, but should be fine. Thanks to the local club president who helped me back to my car.

Hey Suna (Is that how one spells the band you we're telling me of?) It was cool to share the fairway with ya @ Portage Lakes the other day (even if it was for the last hole). There's a lot of good courses in this area (and a few that we consider as feeder courses, not GREAT courses, but a course that serves it's purpose) I'm glad you got to play the Portage Lakes DGC, we're continually trying to improve on what we consider a pretty good course (Is it better than Flip City or Idlewild, I would say no, but it's one of the better courses in this area! How did you do on "Amen Corner (holes # 14-16) How cdid you like the light house hole (#10)? I'm also glad that you got to play Lincoln Park in Massillon. I love course like Lincoln Park, unfortunately this past year a lot of the older trees have fallen and it's a hard road for the few die hard disc golf/ park to regain it's beauty of yesteryear. But give us some time and Massillon will be back rock'n like it used to be.

Since you have family not to far from here, next time give me a hollar and I'll play Dover with ya. I live within walking distance of Arboretum/Spiker park (in Canton). Till then, May the course be with you---------- - +

Dan! I enjoyed our bit of throwing, too, and the course chat that followed. Portage is definitely a solid course - my favorite by far of the five I hit that day. I had an up and down run on 14-16: faded out into the rough on 14 that had me scrambling throughout and had a nasty roll away when approaching 15, but balanced that out with a nice deuce on 16 (not many to be had that day from the longs!). Definitely a tough stretch of holes. Great set of courses you have around you, that complement each other very well: I'm definitely jealous.

I'll take you up on your offer to visit Deis Hill for sure. Hopefully in the fall. And if you ever make your way down to the Gulf region let me know: I'd happily meet up for a round somewhere, and lead you to some great places to eat if you're in NOLA. Love showing off the city.

And: Sun Ra! Here's a personal favorite to whet your appetite. Cheers, brother.

 

[jchoate7]

I've played all the Pittsburgh courses, folks. This is me trying to branch out.



Dude, awesome info. I really appreciate it.

You confirmed my guess as to what Hawk's Landing was really about. I think if I opt to head north, Black Diamond will be the way to go. Right now I'm thinking I'll try to hit Punderson on the way up and one of these Buffalo courses on the way back.

As for the wings: it's been a long, long time since I've had Quaker St (close to 15 years), so I can't really defend them. There's definitely an element of nostalgia for me. But, I've been to the original, before they expanded so much (I had no idea how much they'd grown until looking just now), so I wonder if that has something to do with my fond memories. Expanding like they have rarely helps with quality.

Duffs is officially on the radar, first chance I get to visit.

Glad I could help!

And thanks for the approval Sloppy :hfive:

So how did the trip go for you then? Or did you not go quite yet?

 

[BogeyNoMore]

Another Lake Shore fan here. Pymatuning's good also, but I loved Lake shore.