Albrightsville, PA

Hickory Run State Park

3.25(based on 48 reviews)
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12 0
Ryal
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 7.4 years 240 played 202 reviews
3.00 star(s)

No Trickery At Hickory

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 23, 2022 Played the course:once

Pros:

+ The peace and quiet here from the trees, water features and open areas let players collect and recenter themselves.
+ The tee signs have clear illustrations and all the right info.
+ The first half features mostly park-style disc golf, and the back nine focuses intently on dense woods, however...

Cons:

- ...The fairways are most often just straight shots to the basket with few opportunities to test your angle control.
- The tees are just dirt or mud.
- Rocks and roots on many of the fairways and even within some tee boxes.
- No lost disc box or practice basket (just use hole18's).
- No 'next' indicators anywhere to be seen.

Other Thoughts:

I will admit that I allowed my own expectations to taint my vision with Hickory Run. The road to the course is surrounded by nothing but trees, which caused me to think that the entire course would be a similar experience. In my mind I was picturing a deep, dark and mysterious forest with overlapping shadows, eerie silence and disc golfing fairways so twisted and challenging with hellish hills and wanton waterways. Things never got quite to that level, but I still had a fun time with Hickory Run's circuit of 19 holes.

Right off the bat, you acknowledge how peaceful and pleasant the venue is. There are tree-sprinkled fields, heavy tree cover, a few waterways and some modest elevation. Hole13 deserves a special mention. Maybe this was simply an instance of "right place, right time," but as I stood on that tee I experienced almost complete silence. No wind. No cars on the road. No pedestrians. No birds or crickets. And the setting was deep in the woods. It felt as though I were the only person for miles.

A fair few of the holes are fun to play as well. My favorite one is hole3A. From start to finish, there are trees to worry about. After the initial flat tunnel, the fairway banks left and downhill directly towards a shaded stream with four possible pin positions. There is a rotating pin indicator to tell players which position is active. There was a healthy layer of protection around the basket during my round, and the water hazard was fun to avoid. It's a shame that all of the elements don't combine like that a second time at Hickory Run. Still, you should find yourself having a good time. During the back nine, things get really crazy as it is nothing but forested fairways until the end. The more open park style holes occupy the front ten.

It's not all good news, though. Hole9 is pretty dull owning to its wide-open fairway right over a walking path. And what the hell is with hole16? I understood from the diagram that the fairway follows a dramatic sharp left dogleg. I walked down the fairway, saw a basket and did what felt natural. That basket I hit at the end turned out to be for hole11, somehow...? I went all the way back to the tee pad, re-examined the tee sign, traced my steps on the fairway and then spotted 16's basket- so easy to miss- shrouded by trees after a bonkers 90-degree turn halfway between the tee and what I thought was the fairway. The design of that hole irritated me when all of the others were so straight-forward and approachable. The tee pads of dirt, mud, rocks and/or roots also got me down a bit. Not to mention, I was still overall disappointed to see that the course didn't really match the deep forest around it. And the relatively flat landscape throughout it all left me feeling underwhelmed. Hole8's uphill jolt is as hilly as it gets here.

Still, Hickory Run is worth a visit. If you can forgive the cruddy tees, the peaceful venue will bid you welcome. If you can forgive the somewhat dull elevation, the devious trees will keep you on your toes. And if you can forgive the somewhat confusing first-time navigation, the 19 holes at Hickory Run will try its best to challenge you. But something tells me that forgiveness won't be an issue. Disc golfers tend to be chilled people in the first place.
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12 0
HyooMac
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 7.3 years 447 played 414 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Park Groves plus Deep Woods 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 15, 2021 Played the course:once

Pros:

+ Great variety and good use of mostly flat terrain (park setting first half, heavily wooded second half). The best example comes midway: #7 is a short hole that requires careful threading into a basket protected by a thick clump of trees, #8 is set on a small hilltop, #9 is the only completely wide open hole, and then #10 starts the deep woods holes that dominate the back nine



Cons:

- For a well-established course in a State Park, there are some loose threads that can create confusion. The holes are numbered 1 - 18 but there are actually 19 holes, due to 3A and 3B. There's a note on uDisc saying "Hole 4 is labeled 3b. Then every hole after that will contradict the scorecard...We will have this resolved soon." There are multiple baskets or basket positions on some holes and one alternate tee (#14). The signs show different lengths and placements, but there's no indication which position is being used (or if there are actually two baskets in place). By my count, only 7 of the holes offer more than one basket position, so the difference in layouts is pretty limited


- The early holes play though park groves and open fields that probably see a lot of traffic during summer months. Picnic tables and grills are placed pretty close to fairways and a few of the baskets. A recipe for danger to park patrons and - at minimum - interrupted play for golfers


Other Thoughts:

~ The course is not particularly long (under 6000'), but it's a par 27 and three holes are longer than 400'. The "B" baskets can add some challenge


~ The first few holes are a little tricky to navigate - lots of tees and baskets visible (easy to go to tee 5 when you're looking for tee 2, and when you're standing on Tee 5, you might mistakenly throw at basket 6). But these are problems for first round only


~ Despite the tricky navigation on the early holes, Hickory Run was a fun and very pleasant experience. By just "putting my head down and playing the hole in front of me", I quickly forgot about the confusion created by the signage and navigation, and had a good time. The wooded holes on the back nine are really beautiful because of the towering old growth trees. The were several spots walking fairways 12 and 13 that reminded me of Iron Hill, with sun poking through a canopy of leaves high over head



COURSE AMENITIES:
Signage is excellent; but chainstar baskets and gravel tees are showing age and wear. Direction to the next hole indicated on tee signs. Very cart friendly.


RECOMMENDED COMBINATIONS:
Linesville and Francis E. Walter Dam are closest if you're bagging area courses, but I think the better choices for higher quality play are Eurana Park Pool for a short course, and American Legion Post 781 for a long course.



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3 0
DrunkenSailor
Experience: 12.5 years 73 played 7 reviews
3.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 30, 2019 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

This course has something for anyone, open bombers, elevation, multiple lines, woods, water, etc.
Park grounds are normally well maintained in the busier months.
Lake onsite with beach and snack stand to enjoy in the summer.
Easy to navigate for the most part excluding getting to 3a/3b which a first timer would easily miss.
Nice surroundings along with boulder field nearby which is a natural wonder of the world.

Cons:

The park can get so congested with swimmers/picnickers/kids that playing a round on the weekends/holidays in the summer can be hard since a few fairways play straight through the park grounds.
A few wooded holes have poor drainage and almost become swamps after any decent amount of rain.
Teepads are natural/crushed stone/sand for the beach hole... not fun after rain.

Other Thoughts:

This is easily my favorite local course
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3 0
Doug4
Experience: 19 played 7 reviews
2.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 13, 2019 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-Shot variety off the tee
-Mix of open and wooded holes (front 9 mostly open, back 9 mostly wooded)
-Good signage makes the course easy to navigate
-challenging

Cons:

-no concrete tee pads
-lack of upkeep
-Gravel tee pads are worn down and full of puddles after a rain
-poor drainage on holes 2, 4, 13, & 14
-Baskets are dated and because of lack of upkeep are never moved to alternate positions (which are available)

Other Thoughts:

I live about 10 minutes from Hickory, I play it once or twice a week. It can a 4+ star course with some TLC. Trimming some branches that have grown in over the years, Adding gravel to the tee pads to help with footing and drainage.

The course is challenging, scoring under par is achievable but not easy. The course gets pretty busy in the summer time with picnics, campers, and swimmers in the lake by hole 8. The state park does a good job keeping picnic tables out of the fairways, but look before you throw.
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2 2
vwjettaglivr6
Experience: 12.4 years 4 played 3 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Interesting Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 25, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

- Nicely incorporated around the parking lot.
- Well maintained
- Good difference with holes

Cons:

- Very easy to mess most of the pins up.
- Great looking new sponsored signage but inaccuracies of pinpoint pin locations and landmarks.
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3 2
ruraljuror
Experience: 30 played 9 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Tough but rewarding 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jun 17, 2016 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-the park is quite lovely. gorgeous pine trees.
-rough isn't too bad if you shank one (careful on 3b)
-Well marked tee boxes and hole info -- maps on every hole except one (one of the back 9--can't recall which. Perhaps 12)
-Groomed often
-hole 18 perfectly brings you back to the parking lot

Cons:

-Many baskets on front nine are in view of others/can be confusing which to shoot for, even with maps. some alternate pins, but many are not there so if you're a first timer, maybe take a walk to clarify
-if you come on a holiday, people will be sleeping/cooking out/walking around the throwing area
-tee boxes can get difficult after a rain/recent rain

Other Thoughts:

-Mostly open front 9 aside from 3a, 3b, and 7
-Back 9 moderately wooded
-some holes are very difficult for being all par 3, but very rewarding if you can par/birdie
-Very RHBH friendly
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3 1
Bkrauss44
Experience: 15.3 years 5 played 2 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Really enjoy playing this course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 7, 2015 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Nice course in a beautiful park. Lots of long holes, open holes, and wooded holes as well. This course takes you all over the park. Very hard to lose a disc here.

Cons:

Not close to where I live. Because it's one of the nicer ones in my general area it's usually busy and there are other players there but that is a great thing for the sport! There were also no scorecards and there is some confusion on hole signage.

Other Thoughts:

really wish all the courses near me were kept up this well.
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5 0
BPC2000
Experience: 12.8 years 54 played 5 reviews
3.50 star(s)

2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 12, 2015 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Nice mix of open fairways with some longer holes on the front nine & tight wooded holes on the back nine.

Wooded holes are fairly tight but mostly have practical flight paths for tee shots and are not just a basket buried in the woods.

All Baskets in good shape with arrows for direction to next tee or clear path to next tee.

Almost all holes have fine gravel tee boxes that seem to have recently been rebuilt. Most were in pretty flat and long enough for a decent run up.

Almost all holes have newer signage with hole layout, distance, par info, etc.

Parking is right next to Tee#1 and loops around nicely to finish at the hole #18 basket a few feet from where you start. I used the basket for #18 as a warmup area next to Tee#1. Course map (on the bulletin board) and scorecards were available there when I played.

I played on a summer weekday at dawn and again at dusk. I literally had the entire course and picnic area to myself both times. Not another soul around. I only saw one park ranger drive through towards the end of my morning round.

Cons:

The tee boxes and tee signage for a few holes on the back 9 still need to be upgraded (which the bulletin board stated). The older tee boxes still show the hole numbers and hole direction, but not as nice as the signage and tee boxes on the rest of the course.

Some tee boxes were a little washed out or had puddles, but overall not that bad.

Mostly flat with elevation changes on a couple of holes.

Other Thoughts:

This was an enjoyable course for me, and I would bump up to a 4.0 when the upgrades to the older tees and signage are made.

I think the front nine will suit beginners and intermediate players but wont be a breeze for them and the back nine might challenge more advanced players. I consider my self an intermediate player and found the whole course pretty fun. It's a pretty well rounded course.

There is a VERY large picnic area that the course plays through and around on the front 9. I imagine it might be a little bit trickier to play during busier time if/when the park is in use by a large amount picnickers. I cant say how busy it gets, but this area would hold a lot of people.
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4 1
DiscLoser
Experience: 11.3 years 25 played 7 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Good Course, Needs Work 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 13, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

This is one man's opinion so don't hate! Wooded, rocky course, with some open holes as well. That's all I can have for pros.

Cons:

See other thoughts. I would play this course again only if I heard of improvements being made, otherwise, I found it to be vastly over-rated. I may be spoiled by courses closer to me, and would probably play here frequently if I was close-by...I guess?

Other Thoughts:

A posted sign apologizes for the course while under construction...all I saw were new posts going into the ground for signage. This course also needs an updated layout and tee pads, in addition to signage. There is a hole 3A, 3B, and 3C, (3A being the coolest hole on the course) and then a crowded layout with nearly overlapping holes, fairways and pins. Whenever I stand on a tee and can see 3 or 4 baskets, it drives me crazy. Why not convert the A, B and C to 3, 4, and 5, and cut down on some of the cross-traffic? Tee pads are crushed stone, which is fine, but not flat - rather hilly - which is not fine. Back nine was a lot of here's the tee pad, there's a wall of trees 75' away, good luck. Kind of repetitive.
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5 0
carouselzero
Experience: 17 played 5 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Could be the best in NEPA 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 27, 2014 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Awesome course with a nice mix of wooded/open holes
Baskets are in great shape
Scenic
Alternate pin positions
Multiple teeboxes on some holes

Cons:

Navigation on the front 9 is tricky
Teepads could be better
Multi-use park (watch out for people and dogs)
Not a lot of hole length variation

Other Thoughts:

Some holes are simply amazing here (3A and 3B), other ones are wide open, and the back 9 has a lot of tight, technical holes. Some teepad and sign work would go a long way here to make this the best course in NEPA.
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5 4
Afropirg
Experience: 10.3 years 34 played 19 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Hickory Run State Park 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Oct 21, 2014 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

If you play this course in it's current incarnation, take a picture of the map with your phone before you start. There is a message on the bulletin board that the course is being reconfigured.

- Hole 3 is beautiful.
- Arrow's pointing towards the next hole
- Baskets look to be in great shape.
- Some holes have alternate pin positions

UPDATE: 10/20/15

- Still the same pro's as previous visit.

Cons:

- Most of the course passes threw picnic and playground area's.
- Some of the baskets are in the fairway of another hole
- You need to take a picture of the map or you'll never find some of the tee boxes
- Natural tee boxes that are very beat in and uneven.
- I never found the tee boxes for 8 and 16. Hole 8 didn't match up with the location posted on the map
- Baskets not clearly marked. You could be playing a basket for a different hole without knowing it.

UPDATE: 10/20/15

- I still have the same issues with this course. From the tee box on 4 you can see a basket, that is not the basket you play to. Also on 5 you can clearly see another basket, and that is not the basket you play to. The one you play to his hidden behind a tree.

Other Thoughts:

I went to this course because it had pretty solid reviews. Granted, this course is under construction so I may come back once construction is completed. This review is based of what I played today.

I can't imagine playing this course on a weekend or weekday night when the weather is nice. You literally drive over picnic area's and next to playgrounds. Baskets next to picnic benches with grills near by. Some holes are marked others the markers are on the ground, I'm guessing because of the reconstruction. Even with looking at the map it was very hard to find some holes.

Some holes I couldn't find the basket, other holes you're not sure if you're playing your holes basket or another holes basket. Very confusing. A couple of holes the walk from the previous holes basket to the next tee box takes you through the fairway on another hole, so be aware.

Hole 3, once you locate the basket is a really nice hole, pretty much the only highlight of the course.

Natural tee boxes that are very beat in. If you go play here you may want to try tee'ing off on the side of the tee box if you can. If you do use the tee box, watch your footing, they are very uneven and there is a chance of rolling your ankle.

The rest of the course is typical from what I've played in the area. Tunnel shots, flick shots and lots of trees. The only hole which you could air it out, you're basically throwing in an open field about 350' to the basket. Not anything special.

Again, the message on the bulletin board is the course is under construction. So if you don't mind trying to figure out this course you could have a good time. I highly suggest going when the park is empty to reduce the chance of hitting someone. Enjoy hole 3, very challenging par 3 and fun.

I'll be back next spring and review to see if it has improved.

UPDATE: 10/20/15

So almost a year to the day I originally reviewed this course I came back. I still have the same issues with this course that I originally had. The course still say's it's under construction. Still very confusing on which basket is for which hole.

They have direction arrows on some of the baskets but they don't always point in the right direction. I wondered around for about 5 minutes after finishing on 10 before I ran into locals and asked where 11 was. The arrow was pointing almost back towards 10's tee box. 11's tee box in across the road from 10 almost 180 degrees from where the arrow was pointing.

What I mentioned about being close to other park attractions, I was lucky the school class trip moved to another area or I wouldn't have been able to play a couple holes.

I'm thankful that I got to meet up with a couple of guys playing that I was able to join with. It made the back 9 much better.

I really don't see traveling the hour from home to just play this course. It's an OK course, nothing great.

However, I would definitely stop by after playing Linesville. Until next year (I stop by after my yearly meeting in the area).
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2 1
Hartley444
Experience: 12.7 years 21 played 10 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Hickory Run 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 22, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

Really enjoyed playing this course. The first 2 holes that are in the woods(holes 3 and 4?) were some of my favorites. Very scenic and a blast to play. I believe they were both par 4. There are a few scattered in the field with the baskets placed strategically to make shaping around trees a factor to keep it interesting. There is a mix of short and long holes, hyzer, anny and straight shots. Not a ton of elevation but it was nice to play a course where you needed a variety of everything off the tee. A few holes were short enough for a legit shot at an ace and others you could gun out a bomb. Course was very dry which is a huge plus. It's located in a beautiful campground and even has a few holes by a beach. I will soon be making plans to bring the family back so I can sneak out for a round or two.

Cons:

I was surprised to find little elevation changes being located on a mountain. I think there was only 1 uphill hole. The navigation could be very difficult if you do not have someone that knows the layout of the course.

Other Thoughts:

I wish I lived closer to this course. There is plenty to do near by with a boulder field, camping, fishing, hiking, and even a beach and bathrooms. FE Walters dam course is also close by and a fun course.
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1 2
nwinnie34
Experience: 10.8 years 11 played 11 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Great course, well kept 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 17, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

Great course, nice mix of a flat, wooded park type area, and before you know it your deep in the woods with no one around, grass was cut low and signage wasnt too confusing, every first round takes a little help

Cons:

Not much of anything, great course, nothing too memorable or crazy, just a bunch of average to cool holes

Other Thoughts:

Id def go back
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2 1
TMF2
Experience: 14.4 years 11 played 9 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Needs work, but great design. 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Apr 21, 2014 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

All sorts of shots can be played here. Does not cater much to one type of throwing style, though RHBH has a bit of an advantage.

Great mix of open, and varying degrees of narrow holes. Two challenging water holes. Hole design here is as good as any I have seen. Enough friendly holes to make it enjoyable to rec players, but a number of difficult holes to give the more skilled challenges.

Several memorable holes hard to pick a single signature hole.

Cons:

Badly needs direction signs and arrows. No tee signs. Some tees in poor shape. A couple of poor drainage areas.

Parking area very muddy.

Gets a good amount of play, so trash was a small problem.

Other Thoughts:

If the course were better maintained, it would be a top end venue.
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2 4
kgbadger
Experience: 27.4 years 10 played 2 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Hickory Run is lots of fun! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 17, 2013 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Lots of variety in the holes, uphill/downhill, fade left/fade right, open/wooded, etc.


Cons:

Signage missing... hard to find the baskets, even when using the Park's map. The Bearclaws' map was dated as hole 10 has been moved into the middle area between roads.

Other Thoughts:

Very enjoyable course to play, once you have found all the baskets. Went back 3 times during a weeks vacation in the Poconos due to the challenge and fun that the course presented.
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5 3
iHitTree
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 22.4 years 102 played 38 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Good Stop 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 13, 2013 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

-Beautiful state park scenery on the way in
-Various styles of play: field, woods, hybrid, water, rocks, elevation
-Versatile course that can challenge better players but also won't discourage newer players
-Navigation signs were pretty good hole to hole
-A few ace chances

Cons:

-Some of the holes such as 1, 2, 4, and 5 are somewhat clumped together, so be careful of errant throws
-Some tee areas were in tougher shape, however I played in January after snow melt, so maybe it isn't usually an issue.
-Not a ton of variety in the back 9

Other Thoughts:

This is an interesting course that makes use of a handful of different environments. Hole 1 starts out semi-wooded with a few narrow gaps to choose from to avoid a clump of small trees in the fairway--a nice wake up call to quickly tune your game for a technical round. Hole 2 bootlegs toward the right at the end requiring either a long anny RHBH/LHFH or a big fading RHFH/LHBH if you're trying to park it. Holes 3 and 4 were my favorite on the course and had a unique flavor compared to the rest of the course. Hole 3 begins with a tight woods tunnel that opens to more woods with a large creek flowing in front of the basket area--long and full of obstacles for a par 3. Hole 4 has a tight uphill tree tunnel that exits the woods, before requiring you to change your course almost 90 degrees to the right. This tough par 3 introduces the first real elevation component of the course, traveling uphill. Hole 5 resembles Hole 1 in that it's somewhat open with trees in the middle of the fairway, forcing you to choose your gap wisely. Hole 6 travels slightly downhill with a clump of bushes in the middle of the fairway that turns slightly right, a long RHBH soft anny does the trick. Hole 7 is chip and putt...very short, but a few trees that could steal your otherwise gimme birdie (or ace). Hole 8 is a short throw up a tall hill, but another birdie/ace opportunity. Hole 9 plays down the side of a hill in an open field, the best chance on the course to air one out.

So, the front 9 changed hole to hole drastically enough to give the above play by play, however, holes 10-15 all have a similar straight-forward "woods course" feel to them. That isn't to say they are all the same; actually, they do require different lines/throws, but visually, there isn't much to tell. Still in the woods, hole 16 takes a hard left and the log wall staring you in the face at the turn provides a nice landmark (or disc stopper). Hole 17 starts to open up a little bit, preparing for hole 18, which is somewhat narrow but traces a smooth left curve to the basket which brings you back to the lot. Overall, the front 9 IMHO were more memorable and undoubtedly felt like an entirely different course than the woodsy back 9.

I occasionally visit Scranton from Philadelphia, so I've made it a point to hit a new course along I-476 along the way. Especially for travelers passing through, this is worth the stop. By itself, maybe it is not a destination stop, but if you group it with a couple other courses in the area, it will prove to be worth your time.
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3 5
owvanguard
Experience: 16.4 years 170 played 34 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Good 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 10, 2011 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

This course has many open holes with just a few trees and also many hole in the moderately wooded sections.

Cons:

Prone to severe mudding depending on the time of year

Other Thoughts:

Some of the fairways are pretty close making tournament play interesting.

There is a hole 3a and 3b instead of a hole 3. You can play either hole 3 or 3a&3b.
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5 1
laderjr
Experience: 13.4 years 13 played 13 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Elected 2nd Home 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 10, 2011 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Nice shots and good markings. This course recently underwent some changes in hole positions. 3 was turned into a couple of different optional throws through the woods and across a creek. Elevation changes are few and placed close together but once you're done with them, you will be happy you are. Back 9 plays through woods that can be a little dense in the late spring and summer, making the baskets a little difficult to see from the tees. All in all it is a great course because it is REALLY close to home, and a fun place to kill a day!

Cons:

Open State Park Picnic/Swimming/Day Use area. In the summer this place is pretty crowded on any given day. Try playing hookie from work on a monday in the summer ... This will be the least likely day to tag a park user. There are mapping courses that run over the DG course in several spots but the Boy Scouts usually stay out of the way. careful of picnicing park guests on holes 1 through 5 and swimmers and walkers on 6 through 9.

Disappointed in the loss of the original 3rd hole ... that was a NICE bomber down a hill!! Bring back old 3 as an optional!!!

Other Thoughts:

I love this course for the variety it provides in discs to use. It's not a hughe course but it is a very very nice cool fall course. The wind does come into play here as the season progresses and it sure does change the game on this course! I have thrown some of my BEST shots here recently.
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4 2
seano2222
Experience: 14.2 years 67 played 10 reviews
2.50 star(s)

For the disc golfing gypsies 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Oct 23, 2011 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

NEW SEMI-PERMANENT SIGNAGE - Previous reviews had noted navigation issues for first timers. Upon my first and only visit, I was pleased to find that white painted plywood arrows had been cleverly hung from the bottoms of the baskets, clocked such that they pointed precisely to the next tee box. Absolutely no trouble navigating to the next tee, great addition. The front nine is open, grassy and well groomed which always makes the obstacles seem less daunting and makes for a more chill round. I hit my share of trees on the front though, but never had to hunt more than a second for any disc. The back is almost entirely wooded, but with little underbrush to contend with. As you would expect on a fall day lots of leaves for discs to skid under. The little bit of give the more open front had, the back takes away with frequent need for precision and route selection. The entire park is wooded with a lot of old growth which I imagine would keep the wind in check pretty well on blustery days.

Cons:

I'll speculate that the State Park didn't give the course designers free reign and a chainsaw crew when putting it in. It struck me that it was for the most part woven into the existing fabric of a well established recreational area - Hence, they did the best they could have with some of the holes and were left with some awkward obstacles and uninteresting distance management. The holes were all quite fun, but they often lacked for 'Wow' factor.

Interaction: Having played on a relatively quiet, late fall day, I can't imagine trying to play the front nine on a well attended day. For how empty the huge parking lot was this day, I more than occasionally had to wait for picnickers and kids playing to be safely out of the way, as well as having to take very conservative shots around occupied picnic tables. I'm sure the locals have become accustomed to this interaction, but I found it very unsettling for a first timer. If you are touring courses as I was, please pick a slow time, like a weekday morning possibly, for this one.

Other Thoughts:

The course only has maybe +/- 10 ft of elevation change throughout. I only noticed this because I was really enjoying how much elevation plays into this region's other courses, not like home.

I went to this course in particular because I thought with all the disc courses in the area, plus things like Dorney park, this might be a great place to take the family camping for a week, with a course right on premise. The Park is great, good looking camping area and the facilities look clean and modern. The only hitch in the plan for us might be that it's a bit far to get to say the courses and other activities in Allentown area, a little less than an hour.

As nice as this is for a state park, it is not as picturesque of a disc course as other reviews made it seem. Being primarily wooded, there are no dramatic views. The 8th hole tee box is on a lake which is a small impoundment with trucked in sand for a beach, very nice park feature, but not a grand spectacle as far as courses go.

Folks from this area probably don't think much about it, but I was sure appreciative of having so many public park courses that play for free and come with ammenities. Back home all the courses are pay courses and the good ones might have a porta-john.

At time of this review, a few of the natural tee boxes were worn to the point of risking ankle injury - Ready for refilling and packing. They were large enough though to allow you to back it up five feet and still take a run-up though.

#5 gets Most Memorable notation from me - Long open fairway with a straight line of evenly spaced trees right across the fairway, out around 120 feet, that need to be fired through.
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1 6
Gerry
Experience: 13.3 years 15 played 13 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Life's a beach, then you drive! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Oct 6, 2013 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Excellent mix of holes, open, semi-open, wooded. Some creative design. Hickory Run is fun and challenging. It will not discourage developing players (for the most part) and has tests for skilled.

A variety of shots is needed.

Hole 18 finishes right back where you started.

Tables and/or benches near many of the tees.
Restrooms nearby.

Number 8 tee is right on the beach! Nice touch!

Cons:

Needs a good deal maintenance; many tees are uneven and drain poorly. Badly needs tee signs and arrows. It is the poor state of upkeep that keeps HR from getting much better reviews.

Some of the picker bushes need trimming.

Other Thoughts:

A favorite of mine, Hickory Run has great potential. HR is just a few improvements from being a great track. Top of the list are the tee boxes.

There are tougher courses, there are easier courses, but this course succeeds where many so called "top" courses fail.......it has challenges for most levels of players, without leaving out enough fun holes for Rec and Am2 players.

Starts you off with 2 medium/short holes with trees that you have to go around, under or through. Number 3b ( a redesign created 2 "third" holes) is my favorite hole, even though it eats me alive. A tight tee shot, over a stream to a semi open fairway and a nicely tucked away basket. When using the "tournament" loactions for the baskets, holes 3a, through 5 can be a tough stretch indeed! 6 is a challenge too, an elevated tee that plays slightly downhill. A neat looking hole from the box. 7 and 8 are shorter, but have baskets that are not easy to get at. Putting on 8 can be tricky when the wind is blowing.

The front nine is more open than the back, but only number nine is free from obstacles. This is more than made up for by the wind which always seem to blowing pretty stiff from this, the highest point on the course.

A glance at the scorecard might lead you to believe that the back nine might be easier. Maybe a little, but the alleys are narrow, some very narrow. It is hard to find your way to the baskets. Still, good play is rewarded and a little imagination (and luck) can get you back into play when the trees turn against you.

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