Irwin, PA

Oak Hollow

3.585(based on 6 reviews)
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7 0
Bennybennybenny
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 13.7 years 321 played 303 reviews
4.00 star(s)

High Peak of The High Peak (you drive up)

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 17, 2024 Played the course:once

Pros:

-First course I played in Pennsylvania and I love it! Oak Hollow is a very pretty 18 holer with two sets of pads. The whites give a shorter par 57 layout that measures just over 5000' with the average par three being 248'. The longs are deceptively hard and measure right at 7000'. Par is 59 and consists of multiple par threes over 400'. Being a primarily open course it seems like it shouldn't be too difficult, but it really is with the curveballs it throws you from the longs. The whites aren't difficult for more advanced player, but they still have some memorable tee shots that are exciting to throw off on.

-Course is primarily open. There are about eleven holes that are considerably open. There are three holes that are completely wooded and four that are about 50/50. Many of the open holes still have some serious shot requirements and some potential hazards. Only three wide open holes, one of which being the longest on the course (#4), one being up a large hill with OB stakes on the left (#16), and the other being the easiest hole (#18). A simple steep downhill just begging you to try and ace it. The designer did an outstanding job with creating some spice with the open holes and giving each of them their own individuality.

-#5 and #6 on the longs may be primarily open, but #5 plays on the side of a sloping hill to a wooded green. #6 is a 440' par three, sharply downhill but ends on a ridge between two woodlines of pines and plays past an orchard directly in the optimal flight path for a 440' rip down a hill. Very tough hole. #8 long is a very intimidating water carry over a pond 25' below the tee pad. The pin is across the pond back up the side of the hill.

-Elevation is very well used here. Most holes have at least some and nine or ten have elevation changes of 25' or more. You'll see that the elevation at Oak Hollow is no joke right from the beginning with an epic blind downhill carry off the top of a hill into a wooded green at the very bottom. First hole could very well be your favorite hole. If you play the shorts, you will likely throw many shots of the short tee for this hole. The short tee is further ahead to the right and closer on the edge of the hill where you can see the basket from. The second hole is a par four back up the hill in a different direction. This one has more room to rip a driver and is only 499' from the long and 438' from the short, so this one gives more of a birdie opportunity, but the approach is a little bit steeper.

-More on to elevation, #14-16 was my personal favorite string of holes. #14 is the real sleeper hole in my opinion. I think it's a real gem! Significantly uphill tunnel shot through the edge of the forest that ends to the right with some rollaway potential. One of the few tight holes on the course and an absolutely pretty one. #15 is one of the hardest holes on the course. Of all the really tough one, this one might be the most attackable. 440' and down 40' in elevation. In a way, this one reminds me of #15 at Sugar Hollow in Bristol, VA. Just a long gorgeous floating downhill bomb out of a wooded shoot into the open. The difference? There's a OB line in play entirely on the left that breaks to the right the further you go. You have to throw something that will continue to go right and won't fade left early. #16 is a nice uphill smash where you can rip a driver and try to get to the top of the hill on the second shot.

-Being a devoted trilogy thrower, I love the dynamic disc tee signs. The course kiosk is very nice too and give you a run-down of the hole info on every hole prior to playing the course. The yellowish orange MVP pins are great and they have wider baskets than the portable black holes.

-The atmosphere with the mix of pine trees and white oaks is really nice on the eyes. I played during the evening before the sunset and got some really nice pictures. Was very quiet and peaceful when I played. Course doesn't seem interfere with other activities despite being open. I had it to myself when I played it.

-Nice concrete tee pads, and there were at least a few benches. I remember sitting on the bench on #8.

Cons:

-The rough is very dense in places and probably hard to spot discs if you land in there. I got in the rough on #5 because I went too far right and was pin high. The rough on the right side of the basket is very unforgiving. #12 was another hole I went in the rough on. This hole is a monster. A big uphill 360' par three in the woods. I threw a trespass pretty conservatively and it went short and left into the rough. I had no line to the pin at all and the rough on the left is down a ditch, so that was unexpected. Wish it was a little less dense near the basket because it didn't feel like a terrible shot. These are just a few examples, and you likely won't see your disc land on #1 since it's a blind downhill down a path with some serious dense woods on the sides. You want to empty your bag on this one, but it's not recommended from the long even when the hole is nearly 60' down in elevation.

-The OB stakes are very tough to spot on the holes with OB. I really enjoyed all of these holes and like how the OB is put in, but I wish I walked them or thoroughly examined the tee signs before I threw on each of them. I went OB on #9 and #15 simply because I didn't see the flags or see where they broke off to. They were especially hard to spot on #9 and I would've thrown a safer shot if I had seen the OB line. Love the use of it and think it's fair and avoidable with different options on how to avoid, but it's hard to see. It's not that I think it isn't fair (it is).

-Just a heads up, the hill you drive up right before you make it to the parking lot is very steep and hundreds of feet uphill in a neighborhood with a slightly narrower road. I drove a rental car up here and was pretty nervous driving up it and back down it when I left. There are steeper roads and narrower roads, but this one is definitely worth giving a heads up about since it's so high up to get to the parking lot.

Other Thoughts:

-I've seen many pictures of those Pennsylvania pine trees in the woods and the view from #9's fairway blew my mind! Seeing all those trees across a valley with extreme elevation change really made me enjoy this hole. You don't throw over that huge valley, but this was probably the most unique hole. Very wooded, very technical tee shot over an OB valley onto a trail. Very hard par four for its 462' length. The short pad is a very cool par three with a right hyzer gap that's wider than the straight gap and offers more room to avoid the OB line on the left. It's tough to land near the short pad from the long due to the fairway being a little to the right and back left at the trail. You have to throw a good remarkable flex to have some sort of birdie look. This is one of the many memorable holes here. I loved this hole!

-If you play the blues, you are in for a much better layout with a wider variety of tee shots and hole distance. The whites are a nice chance for redemption but the tee shots aren't quite as memorable. #5's blue pad has you throwing through two large oaks with a low ceiling really having you utilize the downhill elevation and rely on your disc's glide. The short is a better opportunity for an ace. #8 is a scary water carry from the blue. The white pad is also the drop zone for the blue. This is a slightly uphill ace run (190'ish) on the side of the hill. For such an intimidating hole, the designer did well with the damage control by creating more limited scoring separation on a longer water carry since you probably are looking at no worse than a 5 from the blue.

-Holes #2 and #4 are a little more distinctive from the longs since they are of similar distance from the shorts (438' and 495' respectively). #2 short is a very well thought out intermediate level par four while #4 short is a wide-open par four under 500' with ample room to bomb a driver. The long pad on #2 isn't much longer but the elevation makes it play roughly 600' since it has an elevation rise of 34'. Mostly open, but the elevation is pretty sneaky on the approach due to the incline being at a slightly higher degree toward the approach. You can throw two relatively safe shots or throw a big drive and hopefully remain in the fairway for a shorter upshot. #4 long, you have to go big. This is a 770' par four that really calls for your best distance. #16 has some similar merits to these two holes, except there's OB on the left and the elevation is a little more intense. I loved these open par fours too. But I think #9 was my favorite par four by a little bit.

-Some say that #18 is anticlimactic, and it is a lot more simplistic. I do appreciate this hole because it's simply that confidence booster hole that you often capitalize on. None of the others are easy or straightforward. It's nice to have a designated hole that many people can birdie. Like #1 it's a blind downhill, but more open. By far the most attackable hole. I really like it when a challenging course has its simpler hole that'll help you keep your head in the game. That hole happens to be the last one. #17 is a 320' (not 380') flat hole that's halfway wooded and halfway open. Very straight shot into the open on top of the hill toward the entrance road. The green is a very pretty one that gives a wonderful view of the city especially during sunset. This hole is a little easier than most too. Once you are done with #15 and #16, you have an easier two hole stretch on the last two. The ending hole is like the ending track "Oxy" on The Word Alive's Dark Matter album. A more catchy banger that's more on the pop side with only a couple screams and a lovely chorus.

-I LOVED Oak Hollow. I love the different tee shots in the open, I love the use of the woods, I love the use of elevation and how it influenced my decisions on what to throw off the tees and what angle, and I love how the OB is incorporated. Nothing too extreme, just a bit thought provoking without being excessive. If I get the privilege to play the Seth Burton Memorial next year, I will for sure be back here. Even from the longs is about just over 960 rated, which is great for both MA1 and MPO divisions.
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11 0
DiscinOhio
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 11.4 years 205 played 195 reviews
3.50 star(s)

A Fun New Track (With A Slightly Underwhelming Finish)

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 8, 2024 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Oak Hollow Park is a beautiful piece of land sprawling across the picturesque hills and woodlands of Westmoreland County in Western PA.

The course features a nice mix of open, bomber holes and a handful of technical, wooded holes. The white (short) tees are very scorable, while the blue (long) tees require a bit more shot shaping and distance.

+ The amenities here are top notch. Each hole has long, grooved concrete tee pads, as well as quality Dynamic Discs tee signs. The long signs have the full hole map, while the short signs are a bit more basic. The baskets are brand new and catch well.

+ Starting on #1, you're treated to an awesome downhill tee shot to a protected pin. There are a lot of fun downhill shots sprinkled in after this, but #1 is definitely my favorite. Elevation is used well here.

+ I didn't have a chance to play the signature hole (#8 Blue) because of the tournament layout, but this is supposed to be the signature hole. A perfect shot would carry the water about 275' before reaching the basket perched on a hill about 80' from the water. Unfortunately from the short tees, water would only come into play on a left side shank.

+ While there aren't as many wooded holes, the ones that exist are very tight and technical. Missing your line can be very punishing, especially from the long tees. Don't let the distance fool you.

Cons:

- A few of the holes run pretty close together, mainly during the stretch of 13-17. Lots of artificial OB is in place to separate the fairways.

- #18 is a bit of an anticlimactic finish. It's a short, fairly steep downhill shot. It's pretty wide open, with trees possibly coming into play with an errant shot on the right. I feel like a course as solid as this one should have a better finishing hole.

- There are restrooms in the park, but the closest one is way down at the parking lot between #8 and #9. Some more benches throughout the course would be a nice addition.

- There is currently no permanent parking lot. To get to the first tee, you have to drive up a steep gravel path to an open grass parking area.

Other Thoughts:

Overall, Oak Hollow is another great addition to the western PA disc golf scene. Based on the map, this area has been in need of a tournament level course. This one fits the bill, and should get a ton of use!
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11 0
Bryan Spang
Experience: 44 played 4 reviews
4.00 star(s)

The Class of Westmoreland County drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 21, 2024 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Best course in the county. That being said the county is lacking.
This course has elevation changes and wide-open bomber shots.
The few technical holes are the signature holes. # 8 over water carry leads it the signature # 9 over death valley carry Par 4 in the woods. The back 9 creates some unique green entrance shots and the downhill gap tee shot on 15 makes you forget about the artificial OB near the par 3 green.
Over all a solid course with solid cement tee pads on both short and long layouts.

Cons:

Shot variety and creativity is lacking but still a fun longer course that will force you to get your steps in.

Other Thoughts:

A change to hole 18 tee and green to create a signature hole using the practice basket in the woods could be epic.
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13 0
The Red Death 30
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 27.4 years 88 played 47 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Not All That Memorable

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 7, 2023 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

One of the newer courses in the Pittsburgh metro, I have played Oak Hollow a few times now and just don't find it interesting enough that I would go there often if it weren't so close.

There are two sets of concrete tees and nice signs on both. That goes a long way with me and absolutely does elevate the course rating. In addition, it is always well maintained. Though I've only been there a few times so far, it was well trimmed and clean each time I have been there.

There are very few natural areas in this park, but when you do get down into the "hollow" itself, it's gorgeous. You play down into a valley area with a cool downhill shot that annys to a nice green. There is a pond in play here, which is always a plus with me.

This is almost an attempt at a DGPT style course. Think about the golf courses that the pros play often and this has a similar look and feel. Many of these holes have artificial OB, partly due to necessity but also to create some challenge. There aren't many courses in the area all that similar (maybe Hunter Farm) so it is a nice change of pace from the usual around here.

Cons:

It's boring as can be really. It's all fairways with some OB stakes. They did what they could with what they had and did admirable at that, but it is what it is and that's a lot of open fairways. And those fairways start stacking on each other late into the course. It almost becomes confusing which basket you are even playing to at times because there are just fairways running parallel to each other all over.

I don't understand the parking situation here which is a minor quibble. The map will take you up a dirt path to what? Do I park parallel to it, across it, you can't tell but I think I do it wrong every time. You also have no perception of how far and close to first tee you can get. They need some bit of signage here.

Other Thoughts:

I don't recall any facilities here. They say that there is restroom and running water. I'm not disputing that, just don't recall seeing along the course. Definitely NOT at the first tee area when you arrive at the park.
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16 0
swatso
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 16.3 years 776 played 417 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Nancy Drew, Where Are You?

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 17, 2022 Played the course:once

Pros:

Two (mostly) tee locations per hole. Practice baskets.

If you like to watch your discs fly, this primarily open, longish, and hilly (more down throws than up) will provide you with many opportunties to do so.

Cons:

A few longish (early) and/or steep (late) walks between holes.

If you prefer shot-shaping, you won't have too many options to do so, especially from the short tees.

Other Thoughts:

Course is spread across the open spaces, with some cutouts into the edges of the bordering woods, of a very large, hilly park. Elevation changes on most holes, with a few more down/across than up.

Navigation is fairly straightfoward, especially with the map. The large parking lot at the entrance provides the options of starting at #3 or #5.

Straight off the tee, with minimal turn/fade, will serve you well on most holes, especially from the short tees. While a few baskets are contained within treelines, most throws will be open in their near entirety - only a couple holes where trees will come into play the duration of the flight.

A solid course to play if passing through the area.

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15 0
chrispreperato
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 11 played 11 reviews
4.00 star(s)

A beautiful piece of land

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

Pros:

An absolutely gorgeous series of views throughout the course, set amongst rolling hills. I played the course the first day it was open with concrete tee pads (they were literally removing the forms on some holes), playing from the Longs.

The elevation change is evident on nearly every hole, but until the end, feels well implemented and not grating. Hole 1 starts with a bang, with a big downhill Par 3, you work yourself back uphill on Hole 2, and Holes 4-8 guide you down the hill in a series of very fun sidehill and downhill holes. The course is generally open in the first 3rd, then enters the woods for the middle 3rd, including a great water carry challenge for hole 8, and a nice across the valley shot on hole 9. You begin climbing back up the hill from there and dont really stop until you are back at your car.

There's a solid variety of shot shapes, and the short tees also presented a much more approachable version of the course while still generally maintaining the variety.

Cons:

The march up the hill towards the end is a rather monotonous series of holes. Hole 14 is an awkward transition hole...still needs quite a bit of clearing to be fully playable. Hole 15 and 16 see you play up and down the same open hillside. Hole 17 and 18 are again fairly open, relatively straightforward holes. It actually reminds me a bit of Deer Lakes, which has the final stretch of 3 holes (16-18) that are weaker than the stretch of elite holes you had just played.

Looking at the park on Google Maps, I think this is simply a limitation of space and the reality of needing to get back uphill.

Other Thoughts:

Im writing this review about 3 months after I played it, so my memory of amenities (benches, trash cans, etc) is limited; I dont remember many, but considering how well the course was maintained, I'd be very surprised if they arent already installed by this point.

In a way it reminded me more of a Knob Hill style course than Deer Lakes or Moraine, and didnt quite rise to the level of those elite Pittsburgh courses, but its always great to see a high quality courses east of the city.
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