Great course for transitioning from beginner to intermediate.
Lots of variety and challenges
Wonderful flow (no holes that create big backups)
Good amenities (restrooms by #5; playgrounds by #5 and #23)
Well-maintained paths and grounds

Lots of erosion
Creek holes damaged and currently not maintained
Replacement holes (#22 and #23) are duds
Some tee pads could use maintenance or replacement

My aunt Helen was my favorite. All of my aunts were great, whether they were complex with well-guarded approaches or friendly ego-building types that flattered my rather limited talents. Aunt Helen was different though. She taught me to dance with my feet on top of hers, how to tell a joke, why punching my cousin who was twice as old was not great idea, and why learning to throw flex shot in a maze of honeysuckle would lead only to heartache.

Sadly, the years didn't treat my aunt very kindly. A young and healthy widow, she became the caretaker for my grandmother, who had developed what we now know as Alzheimer's Disease. My grandmother was a difficult woman in her prime, but was now gripped by fear, confusion, and rage. In a few short years, Aunt Helen's health and spirit had suffered immensely, and I was a little shocked the last time I saw her. I was in college at the time and, while other relatives asked me about my major, my girlfriends, and my plans, Aunt Helen asked me, "Are you happy? Try to be happy because you'll always have those memories."

Lincoln Ridge, still known by many as Banklick, is old as disc golf courses go. It opened in 1981 and was regarded as a difficult course at the time. Since then, advances in disc technology, aging infrastructure, and erosion (due to heavy use and the honeysuckle infestation that plagues the Midwest) have all taken a toll on the course. Still, Banklick provides a great experience for players starting to develop their game, learning lines and shaping shots, intermediate players developing their game and learning to score, and advanced players who might recognize how courses like Banklick led to Idlewild.

I'm happy to live just a short drive from Banklick (two miles as the crow flies), and I feel like it taught me to play this sport like my aunt taught me to dance. It still has the capacity to inflict a well-deserved ego check when required, such as a pretty humiliating 7 on the sixth hole during a tournament this February. The wooded lines are pretty well defined, there are some tight fairways that require good control, and many baskets require tough risk-reward decisions on long putts.

If you are thinking about visiting Banklick for the first time, here are a few suggestions that might increase your enjoyment.
- The exposed roots and mud can be really greasy when wet, so use caution (true for most northern Kentucky and southern Ohio courses)
- The creek holes (#14-18) are definitely worth playing with the exception of #15 which might be a walk-through. The holes are not maintained since much of holes #15 and #16 were washed away, but still provide some interesting challenges. #16 and #18 are in my opinion two of the best on the course.
- #20 is a great hole shot for most of us, but I enjoyed watching some of the pros going over the top (one landed about 10 feet from the basket and rolled 150' back into the gulley)
- The upper tee on #21 makes for a really interesting drive. Those with pro distance might reach the basket with a drive, but the rest of us will struggle with placement on a steep, grassy hillside with a heavily guarded basket and up-hill shot required.
- #22 and #23 are late additions to make up for the creek holes and are considered the worst holes on the course (along with #12 which is at best a transition hole). Perhaps consider bypassing those.
- #24 is a great finishing hole, but try to stay clear of the thorn trees in the middle of the fairway. They not only eat discs, but have led to more than just one trip to the hospital.

Time has been hard on Banklick, but I'm glad that she's still around. I ran into a couple of dads teaching their kids how to play last weekend. Their laughs and screams made me smile. I said to myself, "Yes, Aunt Helen. I am happy."

GOAT, not in the sense of "greatest of all time" but in the sense that you will have to be a goat to navigate the course's steep hills and rocky terrain. The course starts out with an unusual throw over a park road then turns into a wonderful wooded section with hills on virtually every hole and enters a more densely wooded area with even steeper holes and then has some fun open holes, all still with elevation changes and finishes with some longer open holes with fun elevation changes. The course is beautiful and scenic and is very popular with the locals and is heavily played. The course presented more of a challenge than I was expecting and was also more rustic in spots than I was expecting. The course has some signature-type holes and was fun overall to play.

The course needs some upgrades now. Some of the tees are in need of repair and there are dangerous drop-offs from some of the ends of some tee pads. Some of the wooden steps have rebar protruding from the tops of the steps. I strongly recommend sturdy shoes for this course.

The navigation was ok in most spots but a little unsure in a couple of spots. more navigation aids would be nice. The course could use better baskets in my opinion.

The course is going through a bit of a redesign I believe as there is evidence of new work being done. The course has been around for a little while and is heavily played. I hope that the course can be brought back to its 4.5 status.

The course is all hills so I wouldn't recommend it to those with a weak constitution and has many difficult to dangerous transitions so I wouldn't recommend it to fragile people either. Wear your "big-boy pants" and sturdy boots if you dare.

Hole 24 has a swing bench in the middle of the fairway that had two people sitting on it with their backs facing the tee pad. I would never ever sit there with the amount of disc golf being played here. It was easy enough to throw around them, but a slip on the tee or a poorly thrown drive could pose a serious danger to these seemingly oblivious folks.

I will come back down and play this course again when the improvements/changes are done and reassess my rating, and hopefully kick it up as the potential is here for something very nice. Even so, I love rustic courses so This course was a blast for me!

Considered one of the "Big 3" courses in the Greater Cincinnati area, the Lincoln Ridge Park DGC has stood the test of time in offering a pleasant variety of fun hole designs for more than 40 years.

The park course features plenty of parking, some lovely views, a thrilling opening hole, and an overall enjoyable experience spread over 24 holes.

The course starts well, with a downhill bomber to the woods' edge, followed by a couple of fairly open holes, allowing proper warm-up before disappearing into the woods.

Some of the lines in the woods can be particular, which could lead to a decent amount of score separation, which I appreciate.

The ponds are present on a few of the last holes, but safe lines are available to avoid any splashes.

There are several nitpicks about Lincoln Ridge that keeps it from being rated higher in my book.

Especially for first-time visitors, there's a jumble of multiple teepads and alternative basket locations that can cause confusion for navigation and obtaining reliable distance information.

Some of the wooded holes will be a bit tougher on the first play without knowing the lines and not being able to see the basket from the teepad.

There are several mostly wide-open holes that just feel like fillers to get to the next hole. While I usually appreciate additional holes, an 18-hole version of Lincoln Ridge would probably be better.

The holes down the hill near the creek seemed slightly ignored. The basket on Hole #14 was leaning and just holding on. Holes #15 and #16 run alongside the creek and throws off the fairway might be tricky to retrieve or worse if the creek is up. Hole #17 is pretty narrow and the bushes might swallow up wayward drives.

Several of the holes bring the park roads into play. And some of the baskets have seen better days.

Lincoln Ridge Park has been on my wish list for several years - strangely enough, several of my disc golf buddies in Chattanooga had played it, while I was guilty of always playing Idlewild during previous travels through northern Kentucky. I enjoyed my visit, but with expectations that it would be more iconic, I left with a slight bit of disappointment.

With a rating just north of 4.4, Lincoln Ridge still maintains its spot as the third-highest-rated course in Kentucky, but there's a reason that four of its last five reviews (counting this one) rate the course as a 3.5. Lincoln Ridge feels worn out. Several of the holes feel neglected. The course needs a fresh paint job in order to maintain its lofty status from the glory days.

Lincoln Ridge is just a fun course. It's a place where veterans or new players can go and come out thinking "I really enjoyed that". As new courses start to appear there are elements of the course that feel a bit dated (baskets are a touch old, pars are off a bit) but all in all it's the most enjoyable course in the area for me.
-Ample parking
-Bathrooms and shelters nearby
-Great starting hole, a downhill open shot that filters into the edge of the woods. It really lets you stretch out a bit.
-Alternate pin placements on nearly every hole, though I've never seen some of them moved (like 12).
-Multiple teepads on a few holes, most notable 10.
-Great mix of woods and open, with some elevation changes mixed in
-Natural OB such as creeks and woods
-Water in play on a few holes, but nothing too daunting
-Friendly to both righty and lefty players
-Well maintained park
-Signage is solid, showing the disc flight and distance for both pin placements
-24 holes...which is also a con as I'll soon mention

There are a few apparent downsides:
-Hole 1 throws over a generally empty park road. 2, 3, and 24 also bring it into play
-The creek holes are not good. They are covered in rocks to prevent erosion but that makes for terrible fairways. Most locals just skip them. The main scorecard plays 1-13 and then 19-24. After finishing 13 turn left and head towards the orange sign that says "creek holes closed" to find your next pad. Thankfully it flows well still.
-I'm not overly fond of 22 and 23. They don't seem to fit well and they can be easily overlooked as you have to cross the road after finishing 21. The pond at the bottom of 22 also catches a lot of errant shots and roll aways. It's also nasty and you don't want to go in after a disc.

Lincoln Ridge is just a fun course. It's not nearly as technical as Idlewild (I've heard a few locals call it Idlewild-lite) and doesn't have quite the distance of Mt. Airy but that adds up to an enjoyable day at the course. Bad shots aren't overly punished and scrambling for par is generally still an option. I find myself here when I want to ensure a good time.

1) Lincoln Ridge is an old school style course that is for all intents and purposes an all par 3 layout. The holes are generally shorter than the other of the big 3 courses in Cincinnati (Idlewild and Mt. Airy) which helps the course stand out from the others and make the course more enjoyable for less skilled players. Accuracy and finesse is much more important than distance here. But, there are also a fair number of open holes that give an opportunity to bring out the fairway or distance drivers as well. The woods holes are dense, but not unfair. The elevation here is great, and is used very well; uphill, downhill, sidehill, and valley shots of varying steepness, and one shot (13) that falls off on all sides of the fairway are to be found. Even for lower level players there are more than a few very good birdie opportunities (holes 4, 7, 9, 18, and maybe 20), then there are a couple pretty tough holes (6, 16, 21 (long), and maybe 24) that will provide good challenge for higher level players.

2) Tee pads are concrete and plenty large (except for 15 and 16 which are nearly uselessly small) and grippy enough.

3) Most holes have decent tee signs (15 and 16 did not have signs or posts when I played) that get the gist of the hole's info across to first timers but quite a few of holes may require you to walk down the fairway to tell exactly what to do on your first time if you don't have a guide.

4) Baskets look pretty old but are still in good condition and catch well, no complaints about them.

1) Quite a few of the open holes are just lackluster, to say the least. 11 and 23 are just wide open with no obstacles, 12 is the same but has a slope on the left side that can punish a sawed off RHBH or turned over LHBH but still very little risk, and while 22 does have a small pond left of the basket it's just another open hole with no trees. IMO, holes 11, 12, 22, and 23 add basically nothing to the course except some extra throws on the scorecard.

2) IMO, the holes down by the creek (14-17) aren't that good and almost just feel out of place on the course. 14 isn't terrible, but it's so downhill that unless you hit something not going long is seemingly impossible; I threw my Proxy nearly as soft as I could and still went at least 100ft long OB in the creek. The fairway on 15 and 16 is just a path of large rocks (the pictures on here are old and the holes look nothing like that anymore), they do not have tee signs or markers, the tees themselves are tiny (maybe 5ft long at most), the pads stick up above the rock path so running up from behind the pad isn't really viable, and anything that leaks right is probably getting a kick that will send it into the creek or across. The creek isn't deep enough (or wasn't when I was there at least) to ever lose a disc but the bank is a bit steep and getting a disc out of it or getting across it can be a bit tricky. Just really awkward and annoying in general. 17 is a weird S shape that doesn't really have a good line to the pin and has a pretty good drop off on the left side that has good lost disc potential. I played two rounds and skipped those holes in my second. The first round the course was pretty busy and when I went down to them none of the groups behind me followed me onto those holes. My second round the group I joined up with said that they are terrible holes and almost no one plays them. The area is the most beautiful part of the course, but unless you really want to play all of the holes I'd just say skip them. If the holes still looked like the do in the pictures on here I think they'd be pretty good but currently they just simply aren't fun. To skip them, take a sharp left after 13s basket and go down the path behind 14s tee to go straight to 19s tees. You can also head across the small valley and still play 18 once you get down to 19, which is what the locals I played with during my second round did.

The plus side of skipping those holes down by the creek is that it makes the course pretty cart friendly. You still have quite a few hills to deal with, but no stairs or overly rough terrain that's difficult to get a cart over. But, for the love of god, do NOT take a cart down to holes 14-17 unless you want to carry it the whole time.

3) There is some back tracking and slightly weird navigation. My first time though I went entirely the wrong direction from 4 to 5 and 10 to 11 also took me a minute as I walked up to 13s tee initially after taking the wrong path up the hill. Without a map and if the course was empty I could also see some people not realizing 22 and 23 exist or just completely skipping 5, 6, and 7 as 8s tee is right next to 4s basket.

4) The park road comes into play a few holes. 2, 3 and 24 can easily see any bad shot head into the road and hole 4 could see a really bad shot or tree kick in the road as well. As the road is just for park access and for holes 2, 3, and 4 it is beyond the main parking lot traffic is very sparse, but it's still worth mentioning.

Overall, I definitely rate Lincoln Ridge as the worst of Cincinnati's big 3, but it's still a very good course and if you have the time to play it certainly worth your time. My highlights of course are as follows:

Hole 1 - A great starting hole. Not really that difficult but it's downhill with a blind basket and trouble long. Just enough trouble to keep you honest, but a very gettable biride to start off the round.
Hole 4 - Probably the best ace run on the course, but thick rough long that will punish anything coming in hot and make a birdie very tough if you find yourself in it.
Hole 13 - Straight forward, not very many trees to miss but you still need to hit a line. Steep hills on all sides of the green, basically anything out of the circle left, right, or long has a risk of a mean roll away.
Hole 21 - Steep up hill, well protected green, and a precarious basket placement. For me it took a full power turnover fairway driver shot up the right side to get to the pin, so playing at least 350ft.
Hole 24 - Big downhill bomber hole. Just fun, no other way to put it. Plays about 450ft-ish. You can go left or right to the pin so it's about equal difficulty for both lefty and righties.

The woods holes (except for the creek holes) are all a blast, and the few open holes that use the elevation well are as well and if the whole course was like that I'd probably give it a 4.0 all day. But as it is it gets a little bit too repetitive on some of the open holes and the creek holes really detract from the course, imo. For a lower skilled player this course is probably the best of Cincinnati's big 3, but for anyone of intermediate level or higher Lincoln Ridge is not very big of a challenge, except for a few of the holes, and you should be expecting to shoot under par most rounds. If you are traveling from out of town as I was and only have time for one course, I'd definitely go to Idlewild unless you are a sub-recreational level player, then if you have time for two courses it's a toss up between here and Mt. Airy depending on what type of golf you prefer.

Lincoln Ridge is a fun 24-hole course in Independence, Kentucky. This course is the oldest of the "Big Three" courses in the Cincinnati area, and is also probably the easiest of the three, though it will still give you a hard time if you are off your game. While Idlewild is probably the first course you think of when you think of Cincinnati disc golf, Lincoln Ridge is the 11th most favorited course on DGCR, one of the most played in the country, and the 3rd highest rated course in Kentucky. After playing this course, it's not hard to see why it gets so much love.

Lincoln Ridge's location is amongst subdivisions and wooded areas, providing a nice setting for a round of golf among the trees and hills of Kentucky. The course is not too far from restaurants or gas stations, but those services get sparser closer to the park, so make sure you stop while you still see those opportunities along the road. This course is also close enough to other courses in the area to make multiple stops on a full day of disc golf. Idlewild is 25 minutes away, with other courses being closer as well. Disc 'n Dat, the nearest disc golf shop, is also 14 minutes away, almost right off I-71, making this a nice stop on the way from much of the Cincinnati area.

Park amenities at Lincoln Ridge add to the attractiveness of playing here. Along with disc golf, hiking trails are scattered throughout the woods and perimeter of the park. There are two parking areas, both of which have a playground. In addition to Disc Golf, sports availability here includes a baseball field, soccer field, and horseshoes. You may also see folks fishing in one of the 2 ponds you pass in the back half of the disc golf course. There are also reservable 3 shelters, a port-a-potty, and water fountains, along with plenty of benches and picnic tables around (some benches were even swinging).

The course equipment at this course wasn't the flashiest in the world, but was all more than enough to enjoy a round. You'll want to park in the first parking lot for disc golf, and will see a practice basket between the lot and driveway. I felt there was enough room to practice all of the distances I wanted to with this basket location, and there is some slight elevation to work with as well. The baskets here definitely don't look new, but still catch well. They are gray, but weren't too hard to spot in the woods. The tee pads are all concrete, and were in good shape from what I noticed. The tee signs gave a layout of the holes as well as pin distance; not the most detailed signs you will find, but they served their purpose well. There's also a bulletin board at hole 1 for league and area information.

The course design at Lincoln Ridge is full of fun shots. This course is a mix of open and wooded holes, with elevation playing a factor on a good percentage of the holes. While 24 holes long, this course doesn't play long; you have one hole over 500 feet that plays downhill, and 11 holes that play under 300 feet. Some of the wooded holes felt reminiscent of old school, short hole golf, with many holes in the woods being very short ace runs. While many players will pull a driver out for the longer holes, this is a course where putters and midranges will get plenty of chances to shine.

The course provides good variety and transitions well between wooded and open holes. Hole 1 is a fun start with a throw across the road and down a hill to a somewhat protected green just within the woods line. Holes 2 and 3 also play open with woods and the road bordering the fairway. After that, you will find yourself in the woods for 6 holes until 10 opens up a little more. After that, you have 3 open holes that still come with some risk/reward, then 14-18 in the woods (See my cons section about these holes), and then some open holes to finish the round. Throughout the course, you will find a mix of shots in terms of hyzers, anhyzers, or genuine straight shots, requiring all golfers to address their less used shots while on course. There're also significant risk/reward opportunities, including on shorter holes. Hole 7 is 200 feet downhill, but has a pin surrounded by a creek and drop-offs that will get in your head. Hole 13 is a fairly open fairway, but has a hill behind the pin that can easily cause roll-aways and double bogeys to ruin an otherwise clean round (trust me).

The difficulty level at Lincoln Ridge, even with the risk/reward and occasional water, is very accessible to less experienced players. With the wooded holes playing pretty short, and the open holes having less obstacles around the fairways, newer players will be able to have a fun round at this course while they work their way up to harder courses in the area. Experienced players will also find enough challenge and variety at this course to have a good time as well; intermediate players will likely shoot well here, especially with the fairly forgiving pars on site.

In terms of course highlights, the course is bookmarked by fun and open downhill drives from the tees of holes 1 and 24. They may seem really simple, but I think the ace runs that are holes 4, 7, and 9 are all a blast to play as well. Hole 7 is especially deceptively hard; the basket is right in front of you, but is really risky to run at. These holes remind me of old school courses like White Birch in St. Louis and Shorewood Park near Chicago; fun, short wooded holes that can easily be aced but also easily messed up.

Erosion - this looks to be a huge issue for this course, and a big reason its rating isn't higher. Looking online at local groups, it's clear that this course has had a history of erosion issues, especially back in the woods. There have been hole closures in the past, and when I played this course, there was signage up saying holes 14 through 18 were closed. A local player informed me there was a landslide in that part of the park, and highly recommended not playing those holes. Even with skipping those holes, t wasn't hard to spot other places on the course where erosion could rear its head more. A large portion of hole 10 approaching the basket was soggy, with water going down the hill to the creek to the right. A lot of this course plays along or on hillsides near creeks, and while it's clear that this course has some great folks looking after it, I think the age of the course really showed when I played here. I could see more holes becoming issues down the road, and while I hope the holes in the back of the woods get fixed and can be maintained well, this isn't the first-time closures have happened back there, which isn't a great sign.

Mud and sogginess seems to stick around on this course after rain or snow melt for a good amount of time. I played Mt. Airy and Idlewild the same day that I played Lincoln Ridge (yes, my legs are still tired), and this was by far the wettest course of the 3. The green of Hole 20 and the fairway of hole 21 was especially wet, and putting on 21 was really interesting to put it one way.

This course can and will get crowded - this course was very busy when I played, with a line to play hole 1 forming when I started my round. Other larger groups were great about letting me play through, and everyone was very friendly. I played through larger groups 5 times, and still completed a relaxed-paced round of golf in under 90 minutes here. This course is a community favorite, on a local and national level, so don't be surprised to find a full parking lot when you arrive.

While I'm all for more holes on a course, some holes on this course felt a lot like filler holes. Holes 22 and 23 play down and then up a hill with a pond between them, with no trees or obstacles keeping you from playing both holes exactly the same. Holes 11 and 12 may also feel repetitive. While there's some good variety on course overall, a lot of holes do also play similarly to each other, with some holes feeling like they were put in to get to a magic number for the course.

Some folks may feel like safety could be a concern with 4 holes playing next or over the street. For all of these holes, I think looking both ways before throwing should suffice, as you can see down the road well on all of these holes. I'm not a huge fan of hole 21's long tee, which makes you play around a public works building. There's only 1 window at the end of the wall, but I've seen crazier and less likely obstacles get hit. It's a nice idea to force the anhyzer for RHBH players, but still.

For course difficulty, some more experienced players may find this course to be easier than they expected given its rating. Don't come to Lincoln Ridge looking for a significant challenge. This is a fun course that will provide a more chill round.

I think this course is a case where a lot of the ratings it has are older and are representative of a different time for the course. Over half the reviews for Lincoln Ridge was almost a decade old or even older. I could definitely see how this course was worthy of a 4.5 back in the day, but I think its age is starting to show in 2021. Erosion is a threat to a good portion of this course, and it will be interesting to see how that plays out overtime. I would have loved to play the full 24 holes; I'm sure there was some fun shots on 14-18. I also think that while there are some difficult shots on this course, it plays pretty easy. That doesn't make it a bad course, but there's also not many holes on this course that stuck with me after my round like with Mt. Airy and Idlewild. The low number of both difficult and memorable holes keeps me from rating this course higher.

That being said, this is still a very fun course. After Idlewild, this course was a fantastic change of pace for my day. Who doesn't love ace runs or open holes that let you air a disc out with minimal worry? This course is an older one, and gives you some old-school golf vibes on the wooded holes. I think that short woods golf is some of the most fun disc golf to be had, and this course does well in that regard. The course clearly still has a very strong following, and it's well deserved. This course has provided countless rounds of golf to locals and travelers, and I hope it continues to do so for a long time.

I think Lincoln Ridge is currently the weakest of the big three courses in the Cincinnati area. That being said, if a course like Lincoln Ridge is only the 3rd best course in your town, then your town is certainly doing something right. This course is a staple among disc golf history, and still provides a fun round of golf 40 years after it was first built.

If you're coming to Cincinnati, Lincoln Ridge is a must play. Catch it before you play Idlewild if you want a good warm up, or after Idlewild if you need a pick-me-up to end your day. Just make sure you get over to Independence, KY at some point - you won't regret it.

- All kinds of different plays: some huge elevation, in and out of the trees, wide open bangers, short ace runs
- Absolutely beautiful when you get into the trees and along the creek. I feel like I'm in Jurassic Park
- Good signs, pretty easy to follow along the holes without getting lost

It can get a little crowded nowadays during peak hours, but what're you gonna do with a course this nice

Really lucky to have a course like this in NKY!

- One of the coolest first holes around with a straight shot over the road and down a hill
- Great variety of mixed shots throughout the course, from open bombs, to wooded tunnels, to fast downhill shots and even some great forehand holes
- Great use of terrain with lots of shots both up and down large hills but not too smothering as there are quite a few flat or nearly flat shots mixed in
- Incredibly fun course to play a round at without feeling dead afterwards as even though it is 24 holes, it is not an incredibly long course with incredibly long and difficult shots (though there are some)
- Course is well kept all year round with other nice amenities provided at the park
- Nice baskets usually catch everything thrown at them, though there still is a chance for spit outs
- Unless you really really REALLY shank a shot (or land in one of the few water hazards) it is relatively difficult to lose a disc here, which is somewhat surprising considering how wooded a good portion of the course is
- Hole 24 is a fun massive bomb shot to finish out a very fun round
- Practice putting hole next to the first tee is nice, not only to warm up but just to do something if there are people teeing off in front of you

- Hole 15, the recently repaired hole, is made-up of all larger gravel/stones which will eat softer plastic disc. It also causes awkward footing on some shots and putting. I'm glad it's finally back up and running but hopefully the rocks settle and they find some way to cover the rocks so that they don't chew up discs
- Difficulty ramps up a lot on holes 14-17 compared to the rest of the course. While many people will enjoy this, I would much prefer these holes to not be this difficult and punishing given how laid back the rest of the course is. Even if one or two of these holes remain difficult I would enjoy it more (especially hole 14 as it is incredibly fun to me despite the difficulty)
- Due to how water is drained, holes 16 and 17 almost always have very wet and muddy sections on a part of the fairway, which can be quite annoying if your disc lands in it or if you inadvertently step in it
- Some tees are cracked/missing pieces/small, but most are still in good shape
- Somewhat out of the way, though this is a really minor con especially considering how easy it is to actually get there. It just is a small drive from the expressway

Lincoln Ridge is by far my favorite course I've played at thus far. It's a great course for all skill levels as beginners can learn all different types of shots (or just have fun) and everyone else can shoot to hit birdies and even eagles on some holes (or again just have fun). As can be seen in the rest of this review, the main word to describe this course is "fun." It has such a good mix of a variety of shots while still walking the fine line of being enjoyable for all skill levels. If you want to play a difficult course that will tire you out and possibly even frustrate you, this is not the place. If you want to have a lot of fun playing disc golf for a few hours, however, this is definitely where you should go. My biggest complaint stems from holes 15, 16, and 17 which are very tight, punishing shots and can be frustrating, especially if you get a bad tree kick and have to climb down to the creek, though I understand some people will still enjoy this. To me though, these holes seem somewhat out of place and awkwardly crammed in on this stellar, incredibly well thought out course. From the first hole to the last, you'll find a multitude of very fun, unique shots for this area. This is a must play for this area if you love disc golf. Even if you're just getting into it, it provides an incredibly fun time!

Overall, while holes 15, 16, and 17 drag the rating down just a little bit, but this is definitely a course for everyone, from the hardcore disc golf lovers to ones just getting into the sport. I cannot recommend making a small day trip to Lincoln Ridge enough, especially for those within an hour of it. To me, you will not find a more fun course in Cincinnati!

Lots of tree, elevation changes.

If course is wet, very hard course to walk. Wish the baskets were easier to see from a distance. Older baskets.

I moved to KY back in January and was trying to find a good way to fill my free time. I used to be an avid disc golf player, but stopped playing frequently. I decided to visit a few of the local courses, and since visiting Lincoln Ridge, I'll admit, I'm back to playing regularly.
This is a well designed course in so far as each hole has various challenges, be it the distance, angles, narrow fairways, incline, etc. If you have little to no experience, you can come out and still shoot a relatively decent score, and if you have experience and some skill, you can go shoot a few under par. One of my favorite aspects is the "gettable" nature of each and every hole. When I play disc golf, I want a challenge (of course) but I also want to have a shot at being rewarded for the good shots/putts I put together. What I mean by this is, if I play well, I want it to show on my scorecard, and want to finish below par. There are multiple par 4's on this course, and each one has the possibility of eagle, but with a few of them, a bad shot will result in bogey. This goes perfectly with my "gettable" mindset. If I throw correctly, I'm gonna drop multiple strokes throughout the round. All that said, each and every par three is in the same spot, all makable two's, but all possible bogey's if you hit the wrong spot. I'm a decent player and usually finish under par (best was -9 through the 19 that are available currently) based on the par allotted via the signs, but still find some to be challenging.
Another thing I love - you can play this course by yourself and still have fun, which isn't always the case.

Five of the holes (14-18) are unavailable currently due to some construction, but this isn't going to be a long term issue.

If you haven't made the trip to play, make sure you do. Lots of fun!

Great layout with lots of signs to point you to the next hole. Good tee pads. Good mixture of open and wooded holes.

Could use a few more trash cans throughout the course.

This is one of my favorite courses I have played. It has such a good variety of open and wooded holes as well as change in terrain. Will definitely be back to play again one day.

Lincoln Ridge is one of the most beloved courses in disc golf. It is the 21st most played on this website, and the 11th most favorited. On this abnormally warm February day, the course was full of players, and I understand why.

Lincoln Ridge is a fun course!

While every hole plays as a Par 3, the course is full of fun, interesting, and unique shots. You will be throwing downhill and uphill, through the woods and in the open, across creeks and over valleys. For a short course, there is a lot of variety in hot shaping and selection.

This course plays as mostly deuce or die, but that does not mean that it is incredibly easy. The holes are short, but demand a well placed shot and a solid putt most of the time to achieve the birdie. Extreme elevation changes cause an abundance of roll-away opportunities, as well as a fair amount of death putts. I had a few discs go sailing past the basket on shots that were supposed to be layups!

The park is beautiful, with mature trees lining the fairways, and bright green grass in the open fields. This was February! I really hope to get back here during the summertime and the course is in full bloom.

Lincoln Ridge is an extremely fun course, and that isn't debatable. I don't think it's possible to not love these kinds of courses, and it's easy to see that this course gets a lot of love and attention. However, there are a few cons that make it less than the best.

First, the course is showing it's age. Originally installed in 1981, there are a few structural issues that could be improved that would make the course so much better.

The old Chainstars are more grey than silver, and are hard to see through the woods. On top of that they don't catch as well as the newer, fancier baskets on the market.

The tee pads were shorter, and some were in rough shape. They never created too much of a problem, but enough to note.

Being in use for so many years, there have been some erosion issues, creating some steep drop offs, or slippery areas. This course was pretty muddy after the snow melt, and we had a few close calls.

There were a lot of holes that played close together, with no true overlapping holes, that was good, but I could see there being some issues on the most crowded of days, especially with the newer players out.

Navigation was a little bit of an issue, but wasn't horrible. I printed the map from the course links, which helped a ton.

Most of the holes only had one tee pad and one pin position, which leads to some repetitiveness for a local player, I would imagine. However, with so many local courses, and 24 holes at this course, it isn't that big of a deal.

Lastly, and in my opinion the biggest detractor, is the fact that this is not a championship course. I was not expecting it to be a brutal layout, and I knew it would be a lot of fun, but this keeps me from rating it any higher than I did. Short Par 3 golf is not the most ideal layout for tournament golf, but more suitable for the casual round. This course certainly has it's place, and I can see why it was more busy than the behemoth that is Idlewild, because people don't want to get beaten up. However, this does not make Lincoln Ridge the better course.

To date, I will be the 115th review for this course. I will be the third person to give it less than a 4.

I can see that this course is well-loved, and I understand why it's a lot of people's favorite. Lincoln Ridge had been on my wishlist for over two years, and I'm super glad I finally got to play here. The amount of fun to be had at this course is through the roof, so...

Come to Lincoln Ridge, relax, and have fun!

- This is a really fun course that is challenging, but not brutally difficult. There is a really nice mix of holes in terms of elevation change, length, and the shape of the shots.
- The concrete teepads are nice and grippy, and the baskets still catch well even though they seem old.
- Its always nice to have a practice basket.
- The two holes by the creek are really beautiful.

- In general, navigating the course is pretty straightforward, though its always nice to have next tee signs below every basket.
- I wish there was something on the tee sign which indicated what pin position is currently being used.
- Par is soft on this course. Quite a few par 4s should probably be par 3s and the final hole should be a par 4 instead of a par 5.

Honestly, I had more fun at this course than Idlewild. I think that's mostly due to my lack of skill though.

Nice layout. It has 24 holes. There is a good balance of open and wooded holes. Stay on the appropriate lines and a number of the holes can be birdies for sure. This course can be played in about 2 hours if it isn't too busy.

It gets a great deal of recreational traffic so be prepared to take longer to play the course when it is busy.

A few of the holes need some TLC. Course is worn in spots. These areas could use gravel or mulch to help.

There is some erosion around the baskets and it is slippery in spots even though it may not have rained.

There are a few places where there are some metal posts buried but exposed that someone could hurt themselves if they slip and fall on them. These were probably for holding steps, logs or ties for footing purposes.

Steps on last creek hole, hole 16 I think, need some work.

This course is a nice, casual play course that is definitely a fun course.

Nice coarse worth playing I got my 1 and only ace in KY on hole in like 04 longer coarse bring water with you and hilly you have some ace run holes like it a lot

Muddy after storms and it's hilly but worth the trouble most of the time

Worth playing

Lincoln Ridge is the 'fun' course of the Cincinnati area's Big 3. Leave the driver in the bag and focus on accuracy and birdie chances. It's a fantastic compliment to Idlewild.
- This is closer to a mid-range course than a long course. The 24 holes average 303 feet (longs) with only one hole longer than 400 feet, the downhiller, closing hole #24 at 519 feet. On a great many holes, mid-range or fairway driver is all you'll need off the tee.
- Excellent use of the terrain. Lots of uphill and downhill holes. Course weaves in and out of the woods throughout, forcing players to alternate between precise accuracy and a chance to catch a break.
- The best example of this course's natural beauty is the three-hole stretch of #14 - 16. #14 is a tight, downhill hole. Keep your shot low and soft to keep it from sailing or rolling away. #15 makes you feel like you're deep in the woods, miles from civilization. I enjoyed this hole slightly more with the recent erosion on the fairway, making it seems that much tighter. #16 is akin its predecessor, with the added touch of an uphill basket. Keep your disc in the fairway on these three holes or have fun making some tough climbs.
- This is a high risk/high reward course. It rewards accurate shot making and aggressive play. This makes for big scoring separations depending on how you're playing on a given day. If I played here regularly, I could see my scores varying by 8 - 10 strokes.
- Some of the course's most enjoyable holes are the simplest. #7 is a fun, short downhiller. I barely threw my putter, keeping it barely off the ground, and let gravity, and a nice roll, bring it 15 feet short of the basket. #10 is a simple, open, slight dogleg left 319-foot layout. A tree, 30 feet in front of the basket, is your challenge from going right at the basket. And, #18 is a 198-foot, uphill shot, throwing through a gap across a ravine. A tap-in birdie or a 6 are both in play, whether your aggressiveness pays off or you smack a tree.
- Take advantage of your birdie chances when you can. The course gets significantly harder in the final third where pars become solid scores. During this stretch is another fantastic hole, #21. Teeing off next to a pond, it's a dogleg right, uphill shot. A roller down the hill, or a bad kick off a tree, and your tee shot may end up wet. It's a simple 3 if played safe. Aggressive players may try for more.

Erosion is getting to be an issue on some of the sloping holes. You're seeing a lot of washed-away dirt on #8 & 14. Footing was very bad on #14 as I made my way down the hill to approach my shot. This is a similar issue to some of the older, heavily played courses in Charlotte.
- Course was lacking a good par 5, or simply a challenging par 4. Even on #24, I had a 25-foot putt for 3. The lack of length is the course's biggest undoing.
- #22 & 23 seemed unnecessary. After finishing #21, you should just wrap up the course. Instead you play a two-hole stretch of one downhill layout, turn around, and play right back up the hill, then walk to #24. I walked down and up a hill for two simple 3s. It would have been easier to just enter 3-3 in my scorecard, and about as much fun.
- Signage could have been better at times. A couple of next tee arrows are needed - thinking the transition from #13 to 14, and #21 to 22. Also, having a better descriptive tee sign would have helped. In this case, #17 is my example. For a regular, these are non-issues. For us first-timers, it would be a nice aid.
- With the elevation factor in play, there's a higher lost disc/lost time searching for discs factor. On #16, I clipped the edge of a tree, had a big kick to the right back to the creek, and had an adventure locating and getting to my disc. After that, I wasn't about to tempt fate on #17.
- On #24, you tee off next to the park road, close to the original parking lot. Then you throw downhill, play the hole, and walk right back up the hill you just played.

Lincoln Ridge was a fun round. Whereas Idlewild was a challenge, this was a walk in the park as I was knocking off holes at a quick rate.
- I never found any long baskets. I don't know if the baskets alternate locations, or if that's no longer an option.
- The first three holes are a fun warm-up to your round. #1 is a downhill, 335-foot layout. You want to be aggressive with your first throw of the round, or ease into your round? #2 is a slight downhill, curved left, 360-foot hole. You need a little more arm here. Then #3 is your first real birdie chance on an open 303-foot layout. For mid-level players, there's no shame in three straight 3s.
- Besides its lack of length, the other drawback here is the lack of memorable holes. There's lot of simple layouts. It's enough to keep it from being elite level. That said, this does make the better holes stand out even more.
- This is a very good course. It isn't elite level. It's overrated being in the 4.5-range. Instead of being in the top 5%, it's a top 10-15%. That's still in the must-play range for me.
- Course gets higher marks for fun-factor than it does for challenge. After playing Idlewild earlier in the day, I needed something easier. This is the perfect compliment to that course. Just don't confuse them for being in the same league.

This course is set up in a beautiful park that keeps the disc golf separate from any other activities (with the exception of the road coming into play on a couple). The course consists of 24 holes. The baskets here are chainstars that are all in pretty decent shape and catch just fine. Concrete tee pads on every hole with a few having dual pads. These are all level, decent sized and grip nicely. There is a fantastic mix of left, right and straight shots required here. The course is a solid mix of mostly open to mostly wooded with plenty of combinations of both throughout. There is also tons of elevation changes on this course that are used to perfection. Plenty of tough uphill shots, downhill bombs and quite a few playing along side slopes with the potential for roll aways aplenty. The tee signs here have all the pertinent information on them. The hole #, a basic hole layout map, par, distance and any OB designated on them. The course is permanent and free to play, which is always awesome to see. The flow of the course is pretty easy to follow. There is a map on this site that is accurate as well if you happen to get turned around. The course was in fantastic shape when we played it. There are also multiple benches throughout the course which are much appreciated after so many hills.

Not too much for cons here. The course can seem to get pretty busy since it's the best course in the area for casual players (Idlewild's not casual). The rough in certain areas can get pretty thick and sharp. Just be aware of where you threw and you'll be fine though. A few of the tee pads are in rough shape presumably due to some erosion issues. There's not too much that can be done about this, but a few are showing some heavy wear. Also this is not the most cart friendly of courses. It can be done, but it will take some work.

If you're anywhere near here this is definitely worth a visit. This is still a challenging course but not nearly to the extent of Idlewild. With that being said I enjoyed this course more than Idlewild. Probably because it didn't beat me down as hard as big brother did. But if you're a newer or more casual player this is the place to play. This is just a really well designed, fun to play course. Definitely worth a visit if you're anywhere nearby. One of the most fun courses I've played to date.

This is by far my most favorite locally for all the reasons others have stated earlier. It's 24 holes of short, medium, long, open, wooded, technical, etc etc. I love this course.

As much as I love this course, it needs work. Not sure if it's taking longer this year but it's starting to get over grown in areas that need to be trimmed back. A couple holes are a bit treacherous to navigate due to inclines and recent erosion.

I still love this course and if you still feel like you have cat like reflexes, do all 24. Not best for beginners. Bring plenty of liquids, it can get hot and water sources are limited to non existent.

This is my favorite course of all-time. Having grown up in the area and playing this course many times, it has the perfect mix of hard/easy holes, long/short holes, and open/wooded holes. It is accessible yet challenging to beginners, rewarding for experienced players, and fun for all.

The teepads are sized appropriately, and in great shape throughout. The signs are accurate and show the hole locations, although they could use some updating on some holes. There are garbage cans throughout the course, and some holes have benches at the tees.

The elevation is used beautifully. The park is hilly and the course offers many types of throws. There are several downhill bombs that offer beautiful ace opportunities, and the holes going uphill are appropriately difficult.

The woods are also used fantastically. The lines through the woods are well-defined and not too difficult to follow, yet also not too easy to hit. There is a solid mix between the open holes and the wooded holes, keeping the player on their toes. The lines also force the thrower to use both hyzers and anhyzers, or alternately both forehand and backhand throws, in order to succeed.

This course is FUN. It is not overly difficult, yet provides enough challenges to make it hard. It offers some easy ace runs, and also some longer ace runs for the heavy throwers. It is everything a semi-professional disc golf course wants to be, and it does a fantastic job at it.

The creek holes have suffered some damage due to mudslides from the rainy winter. At the moment, repair work has not started; be careful playing these holes, as the teepad has suffered some damage and some chunks of the fairway have fallen into the creek.

When it is muddy, this course can be difficult to play, especially in the wooded holes on the second half of the course. Keep that in mind while scaling down the sheer hills on the "suicide holes."

This course gets quite busy after work and on weekends. This shows it is a top-tier course, but can also lead to some long waits if the group in front of you is either large or slow.

Although Idlewild is the most professional and "best" course in the area, Lincoln Ridge is my preferred and favorite course to play. It is not overly long or difficult and provides enough challenges to make any player enjoy the course. Even beginners will find enjoyment here, although it is probably better to gain a bit of experience before giving all 24 holes here a try.

All in all, every time I'm back in my hometown, I make a trip out to Lincoln Ridge to play!

Varied holes
Nice tee pads and signs
Park is beautiful and the round doubles as a great hike (app said I walked 4.44 miles of hilly terrain)
Able to track down discs that fly astray

Navigation is not always obvious, got confused a few times
Broken step on the climb to 17
Broken bridge on 18
No way to know if basket is at A or B location without walking up

This is a beautiful challenging course that you can play in a variety of ways. Having a well rounded skill set will definitely come in handy. Bring lots of water and some good shoes because this ones a workout when the humidity levels are what they are in August