Cincinnati, OH

Mt. Airy Forest

4.115(based on 123 reviews)
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28 0
Tyler V
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 17.4 years 163 played 113 reviews
4.50 star(s)

An Absolutely Beautiful Disc Golf Experience That Is Greater Than The Sum Of Its Parts.

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Mar 13, 2021 Played the course:once

Pros:

Update on Rating in "Other Thoughts"

Mt. Airy Forest is an expansive, 1,459 acre-park located less than 15 minutes from downtown Cincinnati. This park was the first municipal reforestation in country, and has plenty of picturesque trails and locations for park goers to enjoy. Among the many amenities in this park is the 18-hole disc golf course, which in my opinion provides a fine example of what makes a disc golf course a top tier experience.

Mt. Airy's location is hard to miss if you are looking at Cincinnati on Google Maps. The disc golf course is located in the northern half of the park, and can be located using the signage found all around the park. Interstate 74 bisects the forest, so your route to the disc golf course will depend on what direction you are coming from. Outside of the park, you will be able to find restaurant and gas station options for whatever drink, snack, or gas needs you may have before or after your time at the course. Being so centralized, this course is close to a lot of the other courses in the Cincinnati region; if you are hitting the big 3 in Cincinnati, it's not hard to get to Mt. Airy, Idlewild, and Lincoln Ridge all in one day if you start early enough. Mt. Airy is also close to plenty of other attractions and hotels in Cincinnati, which is convenient if you are making a disc golf only trip to the area, or if you are in town with family or business and want to get a round in.

Park amenities are plentiful in Mt. Airy. There are miles upon miles of hiking trails for folks to enjoy, as well as trails for mountain biking and horseback riding. These different trails are mapped out and are accessible on the park website. This park is also home to Everybody's Treehouse, a whimsical, fully wheelchair accessible treehouse that is free to the public. The park has 3 reservable shelters, along with almost two dozen picnic areas. There are also 3 different reservable wedding venues to choose from for your special day. Just north of the disc golf course is the Mt. Airy Arboretum, which houses specialty gardens, gazebos, and picturesque lakeside views. To the south of the interstate, you will also find a dog park that has separate zones for large or small furry friends. Then you add in the restroom facilities and playground areas, calling Mt. Airy's amenities plentiful may sell the park short. You could easily spend a full day at Mt. Airy, whether or not that day includes to disc golf course.

Speaking of the disc golf course, let's talk about course amenities. Coming down Lodge Road past the playground area, you will come across a small parking lot and building. This building houses The Nati, a disc golf pro shop located on property. Its not every day the closest pro shop to a given course is on-site. With the selection of discs and unique setting in the older building, The Nati is a great place to check out before or after your round. Next to the parking lot, you'll also find a fun directional sign that shows distances to many notable courses around the country and globe, including Flip City, DeLaveaga, Winthrop, and even Pomiena Reserve in Tasmania. Beyond the parking lot, you will find what is the best warm up area I have seen on any disc golf course thus far. There's a long patio area with a large net at the end that will allow you to warm up with some power throws that won't require you to walk hundreds of feet to get your disc. There are also two DISCatcher practice baskets located in a large open area behind the pro shop. These baskets provide not only large spaces to practice putts, but approaches as well. At Mt. Airy, you have plenty of options with your warm up routine to make sure you're set for your round.

The course equipment at Mt. Airy also includes some great features. The tee pads are long concrete pads that felt nice and grippy on my round. The tee signs provide a graphic of each hole, pin locations and distances, the direction to the next tee, and which pin is in use. The baskets on course are DGA Mach 3s that are in great shape. The baskets at red, and stand out very well among the woods and greenery, making them easy to spot from a distance. Each hole also has a bucket for trash, so don't be a litter bug.

Mt. Airy's course design has a largely park-style vibe to it, which may be surprising considering it's in a forest. The course makes its way around tree lines of a more open area of the park, with only a few holes truly traversing the wooded environment that surrounds the course. While there is a playground area that the park goes near and other roads that the course runs along, the disc golf course largely uses land not shared by other amenities given the dead-end road that the course start and end resides at.

Variety is plentiful at Mt. Airy when considering multiple factors. While this is not the longest course you will find by any means, the pin distances throughout the course can range from 200 to 700 feet. There's a nice mix of longer and shorter holes on site, with different distances peppered throughout your round. The course also has some good elevation changes throughout. While there are a good number of largely flat holes, there are other holes that will require shots uphill, downhill, over small valleys, and over hills. In terms of shot shaping, there's a mix of fairways that go straight, left, and right, making for a course that both fit and challenge disc golfers dominant in either hand and favoring either forehand or backhand throws. While some holes on site are pretty straight, others offer either multiple shot options or force you to throw a particular shape. This course may slightly favor players whose go-to drive fades right, but as an almost solely RHBH player, I didn't have any issues on this course.

Course difficulty at Mt. Airy is very accessible to a variety of players. As other folks have said, this course feels like a nice balance between Lincoln Ridge and Idlewild in Kentucky. Lincoln Ridge is seen as providing a fun, relatively easier round of golf, while Idlewild is one of the harder courses you will find and is full of challenging risk/reward situations. I agree with the sentiment that Mt. Airy is a nice balance of the two. Newer players will be challenged by Mt. Airy, but will be able to bite off as much as they are comfortable with without punishment here. The park style holes mean that it's pretty easy to see where your disc lands on most holes, which is a nice plus for those who are looking for a most stress-free round. Intermediate players will find this course to have a good level of challenge, with longer pin placements providing challenging situations that will test both distance and accuracy for your birdie or par. While many of the shorter pin placements will likely be very easy for upper-tier players, the longer placements on this course are nothing to scoff at. The C placements on site provide plenty of distance and more extreme angles, which will challenge the vast majority of players. It looks like pin placements are changed often on this course, and you will find a mix of long and short placements on any given non-tournament round, making the replay factor at Mt. Airy high for all skill levels.

Course highlights, for me, would be holes 1, 5, and 15. Hole 1 is a beautiful opening drive over a hill to pin placements guarded within a wooded area - an exciting start to the round. Hole 5 is a long and tight hole that wraps to the right for a difficult par. On my round, there were two baskets to choose from on this hole, so if you want to harder pin placement, keep going along the street to the right to find the far placement. Hole 15 is probably the prettiest hole on site, with a long downhill drive to a B placement that is in an open spot of land surrounded by downhill slopes from the basket, making for risk-reward situations on every throw you make on this hole.

Cons:

This course can get pretty crowded given its popularity and location. I finished my round before 9am, and the parking lot was pretty full when I left. I think having other disc golfers playing when you are is a positive, but keep in mind that this course gets busy enough on weekends that you may be waiting to play a hole at times.

I played after a period of snow melt and rainier days, and I was overall very impressed with drainage on this course. That being aid, two spots stuck out to me as areas that were still fairly muddy. One spot is in front of Hole 1's tee pad, and that other is around Hole 15's tee pad. This didn't negatively affect my view of the course, but be careful of these spots and other lower lying areas on course after rainy periods.

In terms of variety between woods and park-style holes, those who are looking for more wooded holes may leave Mt. Airy a little disappointed, as most of the holes are more open with more mature trees and tree lines making up the shape of fairways and shot angles needed. Some RHBH players also may not appreciate the course design here given the amount of right turning holes. Again, as a RHBH player, I didn't have any issues on this course, but there is a noticeable percentage of the course that seems to favor right-ending shots.

Safety may be a negative for some on this course. Some holes play pretty close to the road used to access the disc golf course, and some other holes play near a busier road as well. With the number of trails in the park, you may find hikers around the course area as well. I personally didn't find any of the areas on the course to be problematic, as you can see down the road or fairway on all of the holes that are impacted the most by other park uses. Just be careful and look before you throw.

Keep in mind that the rough around some of the holes can get pretty dense, especially when the vegetation on site is in season. Risk/reward is nice to have, but if you see your disc going towards the woods, make sure you watch closely to see where it is landing.

Others have noted navigation as being a issue, with some of these issues perhaps coming from earlier designs. Hole 5 to 6 and then hole 6 to 7 could be a little weird the first time you play, but I can't think of any other spots that had awkward transitions. I didn't have any issues navigating this course on my round, but I believe The Nati has maps available if you want one. Udisc will also get you through a round here easily if you are having any navigation issues.

Other Thoughts:

I have been trying to think of how to properly describe what makes this course work so well, and the right words are failing to come to mind. I think the easiest way to describe this course, in my opinion, is that it's greater than the sum of its parts. At first glance, it doesn't look like a 5-disc experience. It is primarily open park-style holes. It's not exceptionally long. Holes 7 through 9 can come off as a bland section of the course. What's here to put the course above most others?

I think of the climactic sequence in the film Ratatouille when I think about this course (spoilers, sorry). When cooking for the extremely critical Anton Ego, Remo chooses, well, Ratatouille as the dish he serves the critic. This dish doesn't have any uniquely spectacular ingredients; it's made of a mix of tomato, eggplant, squash, and zucchini, with a sauce made of very typical and common ingredients. But when Ego tried the dish, he's left dazzled and humbled by the dish, which takes him back to his memories of growing up and eating his mom's cooking.

This course, to me, is the disc golf equivalent to that ratatouille. The course design has a lot of more simple attributes to it that you can find on many other courses, but I think it executes those attributes better than most other course that I have played. Many of the holes on this course may not immediately come off as exceptional on their own, but when all 18 holes are combined, they add up to a very enjoyable round of golf that results in a truly exceptional experience.

I think another thing about this course that relates to that pasta dish is how accessible it is. Mt. Airy is a course that a very wide range of players can play and enjoy. Newer players will not be overwhelmed by the majority of the holes here, but intermediate players will also enjoy the challenges of this course. No part of this course is overwhelming in its challenge, nor does it have to be. A course doesn't have to necessarily be difficult to be exceptional, and Mt. Airy is a great example of this. This isn't the course that comes to mind when you're looking for a pro-level tournament; Idlewild is just down the highway for that. But if I'm going to recommend a course for the average disc golfer to have a fun round, Mt. Airy is hard to beat.

Mt. Airy resides in the greatest setting for a course I have come across to date. The pro shop on site is such an amazing thing to have on any course, and Mt. Airy's is truly fantastic. There's plenty of seating around the pro shop to converse and chill before or after your round or rounds here. The practice and warm up area is the best I have seen on any course so far. And the forest setting makes for a truly sublime background for a round, far away from the noise and business of the city this park is surrounded by. I started my day of golf at Mt. Airy at the crack of dawn around 7:30am, and I went on to have what was the peaceful and relaxed feeling round of golf I remember having in my almost 14 years of playing this fine sport. This part of Mt. Airy Forest truly feels sperate from other park uses, something most other park courses can't say. That comes with having almost 1,500 acres of land to play with in this park, and this course takes full advantage, truly feeling like a slice of disc golf tranquility separate from other activities.

I know I'm in the minority with how high of regard I hold this course, but one thing most can agree on is that Mt. Airy is a fun course that lives up to it's play and favorite count on this site. This is a well-known course that is beloved by many, and it more than lives up to its reputation.

I chose Cincinnati for my first solo disc golf road trip because of Idlewild. The biggest reason I want to go back is Mt. Airy Forest. This course has stuck in my mind and will continue to do so for a long time, and I recommend that you add it to your bucket list. You won't regret it.

July 2024 Update: Based on other courses I have reviewed, and additional courses I will be reviewing soon, I have to bump Mt. Airy to a 4.5, as this course from a course design standpoint does not match up with the top 5 courses I have played and doesn't really make as strong of an argument to maintain a 5/5 rating for me.

I maintain that my round at Mt. Airy is among my favorite rounds I have ever played out of over 150 courses and hundred upon hundred of rounds during my time as a disc golfer. Few things top my 7am round at the crack of dawn and this course to myself. I think this is a very, very solid course, and punches above its weight in many ways. I maintain that you won't be disappointed coming here, and I look forward to my local disc golf buds bringing me along to Cincinnati again to play Idlewild, so that I can also show them Mt. Airy.
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17 0
b_huber14
Experience: 6.6 years 23 played 4 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Long, Hard, and Tons of Fun 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 22, 2020 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

- Beautiful 18 hole course especially in fall
- Great variety makes sure you have numerous shots not only available but also perfected
- Incredibly challenging but also fair. In other words, if you hit your lines, you'll do great, but if you miss them, good luck with scrambling; however, it is not so terribly punishing that a slightly missed line will result in a scramble from the middle of the woods. Only if you completely miss your lines or shank a shot will you have a bad time.
- Holes 1, 15, and 17 are definitely the highlights of this course for me as all are huge bomb shots, though they are all very different. Hole 1 starts in the open but you then must shoot into the woods. Hole 15 is all open and all downhill (very risk/reward heavy). Hole 17 is all open with a few clusters of guardian trees by the basket, all over 3 rolling hills. All are some of my favorite holes of any course and I can't decide which of them is my favorite!
- Multiple basket locations allow for different experience almost every time you play. On top of that, this is one course that actually uses the multiple locations instead of just listing them and keeping the basket at one spot permanently!
- Baskets are high quality; spitouts are rare.
- Multiple putting baskets, a driving range (into a net), and an amazing disc golf store round out why this course is a must for anyone within an hour drive!

Cons:

- There are two spots where you have to backtrack to go to the next tee which is not only confusing but hurts the flow of the course as well.
- Course is grueling and extremely tiring as all holes are long. In addition, there is quite a bit of walking between many baskets and the following teepad, though this is more of a minor critique.
- Course is often incredibly busy and the roads next to multiple fairways are well traveled, so be careful! (This is awesome for the sport though!)
- Very easy to lose discs, so make sure to hit your lines!

Other Thoughts:

Yet another great course near Cincinnati, Mt. Airy is a must play for anyone that is into disc golf, though beginners beware as it is brutal. It is incredibly beautiful and very well maintained. You can definitely see that a lot of care is put into keeping this course upkept to the highest quality. While I personally prefer Lincoln Ridge for the fun factor, Mt. Airy is, in my opinion, a better course overall. If you're prepared for a brutally long and hard course, you should have a good amount of fun. If you go in expecting an easy, short 18 though, it'll be rough. Still though, Mt. Airy is clearly one of the best courses in the Cincinnati area, and anyone coming to play Idlewild (or any other course here for that matter) needs to make some time to check out this amazing course. Who knows, you might even end up buying a few more discs!
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20 0
JoshSchenk139
Experience: 95 played 2 reviews
4.50 star(s)

A Noble Member of a Fantastic Trio 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 9, 2019 Played the course:once

Pros:

What I can point to first when thinking about my review for Mt. Airy is the variety offered by this course. There are several shots that can easily be considered as signature holes by most courses' standard. Lots of long, open scenic shots that let you air out some big shots - also some shorter, technical par 3's that feel even more like "must-gets" among some of the massive adjacent holes.

While the course is what most would rightly consider "challenging," I think the golf at Mt. Airy is fair. With several holes reachable by all skill levels, a conservative, lightly skilled player can enjoy a great round here. Just the same -- an overzealous rookie or an over confident veteran will be quickly reminded that the picturesque views at Mt. Airy come with the cost of punishing rough and difficult scrambles. Risk V. Reward is something that is often mentioned in our sport and Mt. Airy is a great example of that phrase in many cases.

Mt. Airy Forest as a park, disc golf aside, is definitely not lacking in the amenities department. Several bathrooms throughout the course, a couple places to fill your water, multiple playgrounds, walking paths, hiking trails, etc.

Talking disc golf amenities? Its hard to beat Mt. Airy Forest, given its accompaniment by The Nati Disc Golf, a quality pro shop that is situated strategically between hole 1's tee pad and hole 18's basket. Multiple DisCATCHER practice baskets, along with an XL teepad pointed into a large net. I really enjoyed having the net - it let me warm up my arm and rip a few shots without having to spend time tracking down discs, I wish more courses had this!

There's great use and variety of elevation at this course. I played in the middle of summer, but I've heard the course drains well thanks to its use of elevation.

Cons:

Mt. Airy Forest is a huge, multi-use park, so the issue of pedestrians or non-golfers potentially getting in the way is obviously present. This never stuck out to me as a glaring "con," but something I thought could be problematic, given how much the course interacts with the road that runs throughout the park.

A couple of teepads were less than level and that can make for a difficult run-up on a drive. Only a couple examples of this and it is most likely due to erosion over time.

Other Thoughts:

It's hard to point to many flaws at Mt. Airy. The course has basically everything that a disc golfer could want at their disposal. Sweet Pro Shop with all the fixin's? Check. An unrivaled practice area, containing a hugely oversized teepad into a net? (My favorite bit) Check. A great, challenging, diverse round of golf through a beautiful landscape? Check.

I think this course fits great within what is known as "The Big Three," in the Cincinnati area, along with Lincoln Ridge and Idlewild. I think Mt. Airy falls into a sweet spot that makes it a unique, challenging, and really fun course to play. Not as challenging as Idlewild, but tougher than Lincoln Ridge - Mt. Airy was just right.
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16 0
njgrosser
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 13.4 years 46 played 36 reviews
4.50 star(s)

The Nati 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 10, 2018 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Absolutely fantastic use of elevation on this course. It feels like almost every hole has one, and often times two, changes in elevation.

There is a good mix of length here. Some holes max out in the 280' range, while a couple others get up to 600' and beyond. There are also multiple pin placements on every hole, often times dramatically changing the difficulty of the hole.

Players with big, powerful drives will love this course. The fairways are not very tight and the trees remaining on the course are not too dense, allowing for maximum bomber potential. However, this course also requires some technical throws, especially when close to the dense woods. There are even a couple tantalizing ace runs, and plenty of opportunities for getting a long-distance make. The many high-reward throws here are extremely fun for both amateur players and advanced players alike.

This course is incredibly well-kept. The tee-pads are big and in good condition. The tee-signs are easy to read, adequately show the hole layout, and always mark which pin placement is being used. The wooded holes have clear fairways, and the brush isn't too thick or overgrown.

Hole 15, specifically in the B pin placement, is definitely the standout hole of this course and one of the best holes in the area. It is picturesque and begs that you throw a booming downhill bomb to get close to it. Other holes that appeal to me include 1, 10, and 14; in my mind, there are no holes that seriously detract from the experience.

Cons:

The biggest con of this course -- and it is somewhat ironic considering the name -- is that there are actually few wooded holes. The course itself is great, but there probably could have been a better effort to incorporate the forest a bit better.

There are some roadways and walking trails that can come into play on this course, and also a couple shelters where people may be. For the most part, they are far enough from the course to not be an issue, but it is definitely something to watch out for while playing.

Other Thoughts:

The Ohio portion of the "Nati Big Three" -- Idlewild, Mt. Airy, and Lincoln Ridge -- is a great course to visit. It is not as intimidating as Idlewild and not as casual as Lincoln Ridge, but falls nicely in the middle. It has excellent amenities, including an on-site pro shop, a couple putting baskets for warm-ups, and even a "driving range" to get loose on some of the big rips. It is definitely worth a visit, whether you are local, nearby, or visiting from anywhere in the country.
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3 11
Bagger Vance
Experience: 39.5 years 23 played 4 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Pro Course Hosted World Championships 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 12, 2017 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Pro caliber course.
A decent mix of shot variety. Can showcase many skills.
Nice tee pads and solid baskets.

Cons:

Since it is a local park, the course interacts with the roads and dog walkers, etc.
Perhaps a bit to many right turn fairways, so favors LHBH and RHFH players.

Other Thoughts:

Bring your A game.
One of Cincinnati's best.
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10 1
mrclc
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 11.2 years 785 played 47 reviews
4.50 star(s)

The Goal is Elevation 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:May 20, 2018 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Showcasing some of the most thoughtful design in park disc golf, Mt. Airy Forest earns its title as Cincinnati's most iconic course. As one of the Cincinnati metro's "Big 3" alongside Lincoln Ridge/Banklick and Idlewild, Airy serves as the fulcrum of the local scene and offers some pretty good golf to boot. The layouts range from challenging to downright Idlewild-esque, and the holes are primarily long Par 3's with organically difficult pin positions. Most visibly, every shot features some degree of elevation change, and miscalculating even a subtle slope can lead to thick rough or OB. For example, Holes 2, 4, and 6 sport gently upsloping fairways that don't seem obvious from the tee, but become painfully apparent when your drive leaves you maddeningly short of where you'd like to be. It's the little annoyances like these that make Airy such a delight. It's not an unconquerable beast, but it stays in your head on every hole, requiring a level of focus and situational awareness rarely found in park-style courses.

Overall design highlights include Hole 1, where the elevation change is obvious and an obstacle in itself, playing to a wooded approach/green that offers as much challenge from a bomb as a layup. Placement is rewarded more than pure distance, setting the tone for the remainder of the round. Hole 15 is another favorite, where a long, sweeping downhill RHBH anhyzer drive plays to a green on a grassy ridge with trouble beyond. The downslope narrows the margin for error on all shots, and it's easy to lace one long into the challenging rough.

The course's namesake forest is nearly 1500 acres of urban greenspace, so there's a lot to look at both along the routing and elsewhere in the park. Wildlife is plentiful, including birds, deer, rabbits, and snakes to keep you company. Hole 16 is especially pretty as one of two fully wooded holes on the course, serving as a pleasant place to cool off and take a drink of water in the final stretch.

As the home course of the GCFDA (Greater Cincinnati Flying Disc Association), both course essentials and amenities here are top notch. Although many holes are blind, the tee signs are very descriptive and accurate, with pin position indicators saving the day. The concrete pads are in excellent repair, and the bright red DGA baskets catch well. Always very well maintained, trash cans and benches can be found everywhere. The Nati, Mt. Airy's on-site pro shop, is a major plus, offering a full selection of discs from many manufacturers. By the time you get to the outdoor driving net, it's apparent that nearly every perk and extra you could want can be found here.

Cons:

As a nearly exclusive RHFH player, I welcome the prevalence of right-turning fairways, but acknowledge that they are the overwhelming majority. A good forehand is a major asset, especially on the significant number of holes with the OB park road to the left. Just a couple more right-finishing fairways or even pin positions would've made the course feel a lot more varied.

Airy is definitely an open course on the whole, especially when compared with Lincoln Ridge and Idlewild. This leads to a twinge of repetition, most apparent in the comparatively forgettable Holes 7-9. All three are shorter and feature excellent elevation play, but present little line shaping challenge.

Because of its geographic and emotional centrality to Cincinnati golfers, Airy has a tendency to get pretty busy on nice days. You won't see too much mob golf, but it's pretty typical to see foursomes on every hole. Playing solo doesn't necessarily equate to a quick round.

Other Thoughts:

Airy may not be a 4.5 in its short layout, but the standard and especially long layouts deserve this score. This is big-time golf that remains accessible for the masses, and its wide-ranging appeal and superior amenities nudge it up the extra half disc. Very few could come away from here disappointed.
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12 0
NewOrange
Experience: 54.6 years 4 played 3 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Fairly Long, Scenic Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 5, 2017 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Well drained, mostly grassy, rolling terrain. Many mature and smaller trees, defining a balance of wide and narrow fairways. Located in the largest City of Cincinnati Park, easily accessed from multiple directions/roads. Very nice condition, multiple pin sleeve/location baskets, ample sized concrete tees, good signage, easy to follow flow of holes, lots of trash cans, and 2 permanent building bathrooms.
The club house, in an old, unique farmhouse building, sells almost every disc manufactured, clothing, food, drinks, disc golf bags, and just about any supply a golfer could use. There is a flat, paved area with a net to throw drives into, and a practice basket with artificial turf, near the first hole.
There is a variety of up-hill and downhill holes, most holes are moderately open, just a few are what I would consider tightly wooded. There are 6 holes which have the potential OB road coming into play.
The hardwood trees planted by the park board over 10 years ago, have grown up nicely, and made many of the holes much more challenging, to the point where some of the par 3 holes are borderline par 4's now. Power throwers have a substantial advantage at Mt. Airy.
The recently added, longer pin positions, have added some interesting variation.

Other Thoughts:

Mt. Airy is a challenging and much better than average course with true par 4's and a par 5 hole mixed in with many challenging par 3's.
This is not a recommended course for novice players. The clubhouse may be the best you have ever seen on a course property.
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5 1
Ds148809
Experience: 14.4 years 83 played 3 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Must play 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 19, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

Beautiful State Park look and feel with some awesome amenities. There is a nice/well priced pro shop right by hole 1, a driving/putting practice area and did I mention it's located in a forest?

Tee pads are nice (although a little muddy considering the time of year), the signs are even better with pin locations marked. Although I am slightly red/green color blind, I thought the red baskets were a nice touch and helped when looking for the basket. Well maintained and well respected, it shows.

Cons:

Slightly muddy and a lot of leaves on the ground but that is expected this time of year.

Other Thoughts:

I'm glad I was finally able to get down to Cincy to play this awesome course. It was challenging but had a great mix of everything. I am sure it is much nicer (but probably also harder) when the trees and grass are green come spring/summer.
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8 0
UFM82
Experience: 14.4 years 20 played 20 reviews
4.50 star(s)

This is what a course should be 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 23, 2016 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

The more I play this course the more I like it. It has everything a course should have. A pro shop on site. Concrete tee pads. Great signage. Common sense layout. Garbage cans, benches, etc. Everything everyone wants is here. The setting is beautiful with big trees and rolling terrain. It's just pleasant to play here. The baskets are the best I've ever seen- painted, marked and they catch properly. No issues not knowing what basket you are throwing at. Overall a great course and one I like to call my home course even though it's not the closest to me. It's that good.

Cons:

Only con is that it can be busy, especially on perfect summer weekends. And since it is a local park, you'll get everyone from closet pros down to families with little kids. Usually playing through isn't a problem unless you get behind someone who doesn't understand proper etiquette. But that normally isn't an issue.

Other Thoughts:

This course challenges me as rec player with its various lines. Right bends, left bends, low ceilings, wood, brush, etc can all play parts in the round. There are easy par 3s, hard par 3s, reasonable par 4s and an evil par 4. This is a long course for the par 3s it offers. 380' through trees is a tough 3 for me. But the course is such a pleasure to play that I'll just keep at it. If you are in the area it is definitely worse the stop.
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1 6
Rlslavens2
Experience: 1 played 1 reviews
4.50 star(s)

First time player 2+ years drive by

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

Pros:

It was our first time out playing and we were blown away by everything. We were greated by a nice man before we started and he was telling us a little bit about the course and the staff/volunteers that keep up the course. He even was nice enough to give us a few pointers before we started. The course was really well maintained and had great signs to let you know the hole layout. The course overall was groomed and had a good variety of hole layouts.

Cons:

There was some poison ivy around the wedges and when you lost your frisbee in the woods you really had to look out for it.
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5 0
Jonny T
Experience: 10.4 years 28 played 7 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Very Fun Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 9, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

The Nati Pro Shop is fantastic. They have tons of discs and lots of great DG gear. The guys who run the shop are very helpful with lots of good info on the local DG scene. The had printed maps of the course, which was helpful for navigation, but was seldom needed. The course is well marked.

The condition of the course was impeccable. The grass and grooming was what I'd expect at a "traditional, ball-golf" course. Each hole looked very well designed with three pin placements for each hole, and a marking at each tee to show which pin was being played.

There were several tight shots and narrow fairways, that are mostly lined by dense forest. This was especially apparent on holes 1, 5, 10, 11, 15, and 16.

There was also a lot of elevation change, especially around the pins. I don't recall a single hole that featured a flat green, which led to lots of difficult up hill and down hill puts. Hole 8 was really the only hole that I'd say was somewhat simple, as it was fairly open and only about 240 ft downhill.

There are also lots of water stations with tap water available throughout the course.

Cons:

I can't think of any cons. There were a few holes that were near some very dense woods, especially to the right of the 5th fairway. If you throw right of the fairway on the 5th hole, there's a good chance you'll never see your disc again.

Other Thoughts:

This is a very fun and challenging course to play. The course was in excellent condition and it was easy to follow.
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14 0
Urmomsbf
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 15.6 years 800 played 119 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Feels like ball golf! 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 1, 2014 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Excellently maintained course with a well stocked pro shop. Many different pin placements for all of the holes.

This course requires you to bring your best game. Missed putts will add up and there's not many short holes to deuce to catch back up.

Some of the most picturesque holes you will ever see (15 & 10)!

Cons:

As previously mentioned in other reviews there is a long walk from hole 6's basket to hole 7's tee.

Mt. Airy Forest is not located in the best neighborhood either. Pack some heat. I've never had a problem, but I'm a bigger guy that drives a beat up old truck with nothing to steal.

Since the course was renumbered to start near the pro shop, starting on Hole 1 can be a rough way to go. I like to start on 14 (old 1). Seem to have my best rounds starting there.

I really get bummed out when Hole 10 and 15's baskets are in their other locations. These two holes are so awesome, I feel like they should never move. Throwing that rare perfect drive on hole 10 for the deuce keeps me coming back.

When everything is in the long positions, it'll wear you out!

Other Thoughts:

Make sure to pay a visit to the Nati pro shop! I love the fact I can drop in and get a snickers in the middle of a round or a gatorade when I forget to stop at the gas station. Plus, they seem to have every disc known to man!
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18 0
Aestheticflight
Experience: 31.6 years 151 played 12 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Mt.Airy my old home course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jul 22, 2015 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Well designed course which is very challenging for all skill levels.

Most holes require power and control if hunting a low score. Many risk and reward holes which is the sort of golf I love.
If you attempt to make the long drive on many of these holes you had better retain control or a price will be paid.

On the other hand most holes are fair to the intermediate player as well with reasonable fairways if they don't get over ambitious and can retain control. Lots of opportunity to go astray and be punished for an errant throw.

Some world class holes here like #15, gorgeous challenging hole that just calls for you to crank a long throw, but don't go right side into the rough or you will be getting some extra strokes and might have to hunt for your disc and a good recovery shot.
#16 as well is very cool, but don't go off the fairway right, or left for that matter.
#1 is a great hole, uphill with the pin back in the woods protected.
I love the alt #4 (Old #7) what a great woods hole,
Then there is the green monster #5. Long curving to the right with very nasty rough to the whole right side. You don't want to go there believe me.
#13 is another good hole, big blind anhyser with some rough on the right side if you come in early.
Many,many great holes.....
If you choose to you can play conservatively , but if you decide to go for the holes and you are off, it will be a painful thing for you.

Great golf course. Nice elevation changes with good use of them. Multiple pin placements, a lot of holes have three. In the long positions Mt.Airy is a VERY challenging and interesting course indeed!

Cons:

Gets busy now a days and can be slow because of that.
If you are a wild thrower with a big arm, you might have a very bad day here hunting for your discs. There certainly is rough enough to loose them.

This is the kind of course that will beat you down and wear you out if you are not on your game and take risks.

Way better to play here before late afternoon and the people show up. It can be busy then and often is.

Other Thoughts:

The park is a Cincinnati treasure, it is old and large with lots of great woods and trails. It is the best course in Cincinnati and close to downtown.

There is a very well stocked Disc store by #1 and 18 called " The Nati", founded by one of the true greats of disc golf, Hall of famer - Fred Salaz (Of Idlewild,Ky renown ). A man I am proud to call my friend. He was a joy and a wealth of knowledge to play with and a man who has given much to the sport of DG and I thank him for his work for the sport.

I feel honored to have called this course my home course for many years, although it isn't necessarily the most fun course, it is a potent and good teacher and I love it and respect it. One of the Great courses of all Disc golf.

I once was speaking to Ken Climo in the 90's and he told me at the time it was one of his favorite courses. I am not sure if he still holds the record there or not. Something insane like a 47!
If you can shoot a 54 here you will feel very good about that I am sure.
Not many can do that very often.

In my opinion there are Three must plays in the Greater Cincinnati area: Idlewild, Northern Ky , Lincoln ridge, Northern KY (Old Banklick), and Mt. Airy forest Cincinnati,Oh.

There are many other good courses in the area.
Well worth a long Disc golf weekend road trip believe me.
It is a City park so bear that in mind with your behavior.
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18 0
sidewinder22
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 18.3 years 331 played 198 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Airy in the Forest 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 2, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

18 excellent holes over some beautiful rolling elevation with fairways that are well balanced and shaped and lined with hardwoods, some large pines, and roads. Great variety of distances with a few ace runs to long par 3s and a few 4s. The elevation changes are incorporated phenomenally. Fairways are very nicely mowed. Nice concrete tees a few holes had two and signage and Cincy Red DGA baskets. A few holes had alternate baskets in place. Very nice pro shop with bathroom and water fountains around the course. Disc golf only area of the park for the most part. The huge artwork basket behind the shop/hole 18 was pretty cool too. Benches.

Note: The baskets for Holes A and B were not in place when I played, guessing they went to the holes that had two baskets in place.

Cons:

Nothing that would ever keep me playing here except for the crowds maybe. The course might be too much for rank beginners, but intermediate and above should fare well here. Park roads come into play on a few holes. The blind tee shot on 17 might be a little dangerous if the hole is not clear of players. Some spotty poison ivy in the rough and just off some walking paths and down the steps going to hole 16, but it's really not bad at all here.

Other Thoughts:

There is some interesting history to the Mt. Airy Forest Park. Not only is it the largest park in Cincy, but it was the largest reforestation project by a US city at the time. The originally forested land was cleared for agricultural use in the 19th century, but years of poor grazing and agricultural practices led to severe erosion and poor soil composition. As quoted in a 1914 Cincinnati Times Star editorial, a farmer facetiously remarked that his farm "was a good one when he first took it up but that since he had cleared off all the trees it had slid down the creek and was to be found somewhere in the neighborhood of New Orleans." The city bought up the land in parts that is now Mt. Airy Forest because it was cheap and wanted to provide the largest urban forest for the city to enjoy. There are interesting historical structures in the park and although the forest appears natural they were designed by talented and creative people. Translated Mt. = mountainous or hilly, Airy = open or spacious, Forest = thick growth of trees and bushes that covers a large area which is exactly what the course plays through, open areas through the forest and hilly.

I must say I certainly enjoyed Mt. Airy Forest. Everyone I ran into from the pro shop to on the course was very pleasant. The disc golf course is fairly busy and I can understand why. Hole 1 was a great start, long uphill to a protected basket. Hole 2 has a tricky basket placement with the sloping elevation behind it. Hole 3 was a tight dogleg left. I played the first 3 holes solo and a local was hot on my tail. I waited on hole 4 and asked to join him since I didn't know the course and we would just be waiting around for other groups anyways. I asked him about some of the other courses in the area and he said he only plays Mt. Airy and hadn't play Idlewild or Lincoln Ridge or Osage. I was bamboozled by this info, you have been playing 8 years and have a top 10 course just a few miles away and never played it? The course started growing on me hole after hole. The last four holes then had me hooked. I had to go back and play those again! After that I could understand why a local would only play this course, it's pretty spectacular!

I have to give a shoutout to Pep Boys in Cincy, especially Jose. I got a flat tire as I pulled out the parking lot at Mt. Airy and called shop after shop that was closed on Thursday evening. I figured I was in Cincy and should try some Skyline Chili. I pull into the lot and notice the Pep Boys across the street and the lights were still on. I peeled out the lot and went across the street. It was 15 minutes to closing and they got me back up and running in about 20 minutes. Jose came back into the waiting room after driving my vehicle into the shop and asked if I was a disc golfer. Um yeah thats why my backseat was littered with discs. Turns out Jose is an avid dger and we talked the entire time about disc golf. So after that I went back across the street to Skyline and got some chili, I wasn't very impressed with it there and those are the smallest hot dogs and burritos I've ever seen. If anyone reading this comes to the DC area you got to check out Ben's Chili Bowl. At any rate I highly recommend Mt. Airy Forest to about anyone but rank beginners and this is a great destination course especially combined with Idlewild.
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1 9
Donthavefun3
Experience: 22.4 years 29 played 7 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Mt. Airy Forest 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 28, 2014 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Wide varity of shots here, with multiple pin placements, makes this an excellent course. You name it you'll find it here elevation changes, long holes, short holes, wooded holes, pro shop. This place is one of a kind.

Cons:

This course could be a bit overwhelming for a beginner, but definitely worth playing if your willing to put your game to the test.
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3 3
trumbulldore
Experience: 20.7 years 21 played 13 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Mt. Airy DGC 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Oct 21, 2013 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-Variety of Holes
- Pro Shop on site
- Multiple types of practice baskets and practice material
- multiple pin placements

Other Thoughts:

What new can be said about an established well known course. Go play Airy, you will not regret it. It is one of the best courses in SW Ohio for overall practice or good play. Go. Go now. On a serious note, The course has holes that offer everything: Distance, Tight technical wooded holes, blind shots, uphill, downhill. Airy gives you a chance to practice every type of shot. Practice basket for putting and a practice basket for approaches. The course baskets change on a somewhat regular basis, so the course can always feel fresh, and have a slight variation to it. This course is just a good pro/open level course that is fun for beginners to learn on, all the way to the most skilled of players to practice their game.
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2 2
pmorgan1214
Experience: 13.4 years 46 played 13 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Great Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 25, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

This course has it all. If your looking for distance, mid range, wooded shots, open shots.
- pads are in good condition
- baskets are nice and in a nice red color
- pro shot at hole 1 allows you to get a new disc
- hole markers showing where the pin is located
- clean fairways
- 2 practice baskets

Cons:

There are no cons to this course. It is quite amazing.

Other Thoughts:

This course is just superb. You have to bring out every disc in your bag to get a good score here. I love the pro shop, the course and everything about this course.
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7 0
AnimeJ
Experience: 12.4 years 14 played 10 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Mt Airy Forest 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 20, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

This is a gorgeous course. The layout is truly phenomenal, and should provide a solid challenge to most skill levels.

Each hole has 2-3 pin placements from a single tee, with the placement for the day marked on each hole. Additionally, there is a lot of elevation throughout the park, and this course does a very good job of making use of the elevation changes to provide additional challenge to players.

Last, the course itself is fantastically maintained. Fairways were very clear and kept neatly cut. Each holes signage was pristine, and knowing which basket position was a plus, although there are a few holes which caused some issue despite the outstanding signage.

Cons:

While for the most part, the red coated baskets are very easy to see, there are several holes which require the player to throw blind. In some cases, due to tree layout, a first time player to the course(which I was) may wind up losing strokes simply for not being able to easily identify the location of the basket. However, this is a very, very rare occurrence, with only one or two holes having this sort of issue.

Additionally, there are a few holes where the transition from pin to the next teepad aren't immediately obvious; I highly advise stopping by the pro shop for a map.

Other Thoughts:

While this was personally a negative with regards to the course, I have not negatively accounted for it in the score. This course heavily favors players who either throw predominantly left hand back hand, or right hand fore hand. Nearly half the holes on the course play directly left to right, and several of the more neutral, straight holes are laid out in a manner that provides a solid advantage to players who favor those techniques. Again, this isn't a strict negative, but for those players who are strict RHBH without a forehand, expect to throw the anny backhand on a plurality of the holes.

Also, the pro shop on site near the 1st and 18th holes deserves a mention. It's very well stocked, and the individual staffing the day I went down was exceptionally friendly, even ensuring that I had a map of the course before I went out, which was very helpful in sucessfully navigating my way through.

All told, even having to drive somewhat more than an hour to play Mt Airy, despite any personal issues with the layout, or slight difficulties in navigating the course, it's a fantastic course, and easily one of the top 5 in the state. I highly recommend throwing a round here if you're able to make the drive.
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1 3
preludedrew
Experience: 17.4 years 83 played 44 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Mt. Airy 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 27, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

A truly challenging course, with rolling hills, massive trees, long distances up in the mountains. This is a great course, that will test your game, and make you a better player. Added signs are perfect, and has long concrete pads, with benches.

Cons:

Not many water hazards, but not a big deal.

Other Thoughts:

A great course, up there with Idlewild, though doesnt have the putt putt green like Idlewild does. Phenomenal course, that must be played by any disc golfer who takes the sport seriously.
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12 0
lukejones
Experience: 12.3 years 70 played 24 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Phenomenal 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 24, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

Category I: "Essential Properties of a Good Course"
-Baskets were in great condition and clearly visible with red paint
-Tee pads were in great condition as well (concrete) and provided plenty of room for runup
-Course map found online was a life saver....though overall navigation wasn't too difficult, it did come in handy on a few holes

Category 2: "Combine w/ Cat I to make a great course"
-General course design- Mt. Airy seemed to flow very well. Fairways seemed well defined, not crossing, and tees were relatively easy to find based on visual clues and the map when needed
-Course is very well maintained
-Benches and trash bins were located throughout which was a lifesaver for my 35wk pregnant wife!

Category 3: "bonus attributes to make an excellent course"
-Nice mix of elevation throughout.
-You'd never guess you were inside or very near downtown Cincinnati as quiet and peaceful as the park was
-Very memorable holes. Some of my favorites were #15, 17 and 18. The gentleman in the pro ship indicated #14 used to be #1 and the course was later re-routed. I can understand why because the course finished strong.
-Good variety of hole distances from a couple hundred feet to over 700 ft. Even the shorter holes though provided just enough challenge to force you to earn your birdies which I liked.
-In terms of shot variety, I used a good portion of my bag and mixed it up a lot between RHBH and RHFW throws with an occasional roller and tomahawk.
-The pro shop was fully loaded with just about every disc or brand imagineable. The gentleman inside was very friendly as well.
-Very nice practice facility with 2 long concrete pads going to a large net for warming up. Also there were 2 practice baskets for putting and at least 1 of them had synthetic turf which was a nice touch to avoid mudd from heavy traffic.

Cons:

Park signage should be updated to point to the real Hole #1. My wife and I followed the signs to the disc golf park which led us to Hole #14.

Course signage could have been better. Without the course map, we could have gotten lost a few times. "Next tee" signs or arrows could have been helpful.

Tee signs on most holes were OK, but some need replaced

I felt like cars in the parking lot were in play for a long drive on hole 13.

Other Thoughts:

Well worth the 1.5 hr drive and hotel stay to play 3 of Cincinnati's finest courses........Lincoln Ridge (only time for front 9), Mt. Airy, and Idlewild
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