Bethlehem, PA

South Mountain DGC

3.525(based on 53 reviews)
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South Mountain DGC reviews

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8 2
valkyriefb11
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 18.1 years 23 played 22 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Two paths diverged, and I, I took the one less traveled ... 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 18, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

South Mountain is a very technical, challenging course located in a heavily wooded park with major elevation changes. This course reaches over 1000ft above sea level and as you play it you can tell ... the view from pin 3 is awesome. South Mountain may be a short wooded course, but it compliments the other local courses very well.
The majority of the holes are heavily wooded, with only a few holes on the back nine being open. Some of the holes that standout after a round are hole 3 which is a tight fairway flanking a sharp drop-off on the right, to a semi-open basket. The view of the valley from behind the pin is great. Hole 10 was a fun dogleg right that requires a well placed drive to score well. Holes 14, 17 and 18 are the most open holes on the course offering some respite from the heavy woods. Hole 18 was just a fun ending to a great course with a tight downhill fairway shot. A well placed drive will give you chance for the easiest birdie on the course, but beware the out-of-bounds road behind the pin. The course is easy to par, but will make you work hard for birdies.
The course has a bulletin board and practice basket by the parking lot near tee 1. The board has lots of information on the local disc golf scene.

Cons:

This course is rough and rocky, especially on the first few holes. If you need to beat in some champ plastic, this is the course to do it on. The rocky ground prevents any run ups on throws and is really rough on the ankles. The tees are all natural and some needed leveling and new gravel. It is easy to have de ja vous on the course since several of the wooded holes are very similar.
South Mountain does not have the best signage and it is very easy to get lost on the course. I did not find hole 6 until I had played hole 8. On the back nine holes there were several points where it was easy to take the wrong path and get lost. Some better means of direction around the course would be nice. Also since the woods are so dense, some baskets are difficult to find from the tee and some indication of where they are at the tee would be nice also.

Other Thoughts:

This is a course to learn accuracy on. It requires perfection on every throw and even then sometimes it isn't enough. Although often overshadowed by them, South Mountain really compliments Jordan Creek and Little Lehigh, both of which are predominately open and long.
When I played South Mountain, although the course was pretty busy it was still a peaceful nice place to play.
There are restrooms at a central location on the course and close enough to the parking lot. The bulletin board at tee 1 has scorecards and course maps available.

The Allentown/Bethlehem area offers several excellent courses for a daytrip of DGing. The local DG scene takes a lot of pride in their courses and it really shows. South Mountain is a must include on any disc golf trip to the Lehigh Valley.
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11 1
optidiscic
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 22.4 years 156 played 149 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Rocks More Trees Blocks Your Threes 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Mar 7, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

No matter that I have played this course countless times I still take a tree spanking everytime! Such short fairways but trees and hills are just everywhere. Then rocks prevent good run ups so you have to be able to stand and throw off balance often. A technical course to test your game and patience. There are lanes but they are so tight that hitting them and landing without hitting wood is a rare feat. This may sound like a con, but it is the perfect course to perfect your accuracy. There are a few holes I really enjoy playing here:
Hole #3 is a nice drive across the side of a mountain to a clearing where the wind often whips your disc into trouble just as it clears the woods. The views from this basket are amongst the best in all of disc golf...you can see for miles from there....you may be tempted to throw from here! Many have unloaded a beaten driver from this spot!
#8 long tee has a field goal set of trees to score through into a relatively open field and then a protected basket-one of the few fair holes on the course that requires a good drive, room to land, and then a well protected pin that if played right yields a good score.
#16 a tight drive down the mountain. Very fun if you manage to keep disc straight and watch it flow down the hill to the basket area nestled below.
#17 The only unobstructed drive on course...just 190 feet but up a steep grassy hill to a woodline with a huge telephone pole placed sideways to block rollers and require you to strong arm your drive up there...one really well thought out and fun hole..especially after all those trees.
#14 & 18 are both simple tosses down a power line but it is still fun if you can keep it straight. A very big disc golf scene from the locals to the nearby Lehigh University students. Primal Expressions a head type shop at 311 west Broad in town sells a wide variety of plastic. Some alternate tees/basket positions. Plenty of Info here and bathrooms available.

Cons:

Trees really can mentally ruin you here. Often I have found myself unaware that there is another tree behind that tree I just played around..Thwack! You have to walk around and really scope it all out. The natural/gravel tees are never in good condition. You don't need big run ups but the ruts and the mud really detract from being able to drive here. There is a confusing area of the course from holes 6-9. Be sure to go left from basket 5 then play 6 but be careful to not play the basket for hole 8. then backtrack a bit to tee for hole 7. throw past bathrooms and again go left after basket and play hole 8, but don't throw at basket for hole 6 and then cross back over fairway for hole 7 up gravel road and play over road for hole 9. Just a sloppy area for newcomers and veterans alike. Not a fan of playing over roads when so much nature is around and the flow literally will have you walking in circles. Holes 14 and 18 are similiar and holes 12 and 15 are similiar. Seems plenty of room in this park to lay out some new holes or alternate fairways to keep it fresh.

Other Thoughts:

This park is very close to my apartment. Maybe less than 2 miles. If I was disciplined enough to play it everyday I think my game would greatly improve. I cannot complain too much about the conditions of the course here because I know theres only a few guys who do the work and they are the same crew who work on Jordan Creek and some of the other Lehigh Valley Masterpieces. I would recommend playing this course, it often gets overlooked due to the world class courses nearby..but it is still far superior to many of the courses I have played. I have never broken par depite it's short length.
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3 4
jcavanaugh
Experience: 17.9 years 8 played 8 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Great Short Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 29, 2008 Played the course:never

Pros:

While this is a short course, it is very technical with the tight fairways leaving little room for error. All the elevation changes and rough (rocky) trails make sure your tired at the end of this course. Will definetly play this course more in the future. Easy and quick to get to from south of the allentown and bethlehem area. Alternate tees also help keep the course fresh. Amazing over look view by 3rd pin

Cons:

A little short and rocky trails
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