(Almost) ideal layout and use of available land.
Some really cool holes.
Doesn't fall victim to the curse of so many new courses in that the fairways are perfect, not a mess dinged-up trees and "throw and prey" shots.

Anyone that puts the course's length as a con is just being silly; the first sentences of the course description warn of the course's length and that it is meant to challenge skilled players.
That being said, the designers could make a few alterations to accommodate the other 90% of avid disc golfers.
A short tee could be added to a few holes, but, please only when it makes for a good, entertaining hole. Nothing worse than forced tee boxes.
There are also 2 spots where the course has to connect holes 7-11 to the rest of the course. Unfortunately those connections were filled with 3 terrible holes...
Hole 6, the 1000 footer, is not a very good hole and should definitely be divided into 2, more interesting holes. The other spot the course has to fill in the gaps is the space that makes up holes 12 and 13. These are two wide open, flat, boring, hot holes. This can be fixed by having hole 11 use 12's basket and get rid of hole 12. (We added a hole back at 6 so it works out). Maybe 13 can be changed but having only one wide open, flat, boring, hot hole in a row isn't so bad.

Also the baskets, old school...

So close to being a phenomenal course. Most of the old reviews mention the poor condition of the course, that is no longer an issue whatsoever. The course is perfectly maintained.
If I could throw 450' this might be my favorite course but like any average chucker I typically throw between 300' and 350' on the course.

-Armco park is beautiful with multiple sports fields, playgrounds, pavilions, and restrooms
-great use of elevation, one hole has an exciting shot over the valley to the opposite wall
-Concrete tee pads, slightly short but in good shape
-Accurate and clear tee signs
-Mix of wooded and open holes
-The open holes are part of the park and are very well maintained and clean

-This course seems to have very little community support. a few of the fairways were very poorly kept and overgrown
-Direction between holes can be confusing as there are a few long walks, but not too bad if you're using an app

If I lived closer, I would be playing this course much more often. The main reason I didn't score this course higher, is marks off for maintenance and design. one of the fairways quite literally is completely un-mowed, and has grass, weeds, and shrubs are 4 feet high, requiring a lot of searching for shots that were in the middle of the fairway. Also, it's been a while since anyone has evaluated which trees and branches should be kept, so a number of wooded holes don't really have lanes anymore, just throw and pray.
I hope the upkeep improves, otherwise this is an overall good course with some pretty long bomber shots. Will definitely play again when in the area.

~Clean and spacious park setting
~Good variety of holes
~Long layout that plays fair to the seasoned thrower
~Distance and shot shaping are required
~Plenty of park amenities are available
~Navigation is straightforward and easy

~Blue level set of tees only, a shorter layout would appeal to more casual players
~Some holes play too close for comfort with other park activities
~Although there is good variety, the repeated "just throw far" option could have been mixed up with a few more shorter more technical hole designs.

Played on a cool Autumn Saturday morning, and the park was decently busy with baseball, walkers, and other park goers enjoying this expansive and impressive city park. Aside from disc golf, there is a ton of recreational opportunities making this a great place to spend the day. This course is lengthy and is designed for the advanced player in mind. While it plays a bit above my skill level, I was still able to keep the disc in play, throw fairly well, and had an extremely enjoyable experience.

The course and park are very clean and properly maintained. The layout does provide a wide variety of holes, however I feel a few shorter/more technical hole designs could increase the variety and break up the "throw long and far" theme that this course offers. Nice tee pads and manicured fairways on each hole, this is a great park style course.

The layout takes you through a wide cross section of the park and flows very well. There are a few spots where you are close to walking paths, baseball fields, and playground equipment but I never felt any part of the design is unsafe as long as you are patient and respectful of others. Both distance and hitting your lines are required here so control is critical. I like the layout of the blue tees, but also feel a shorter set of tees could be laid out to appeal to more casual players.

This course provides and enjoyable long round of disc golf in a pristine park setting. It's a great place to go if you want to play an 18 that let's you bomb drives and throw lots of long approaches. Great course!

Armco Park disc golf course does a lot of things right. To start, the course is very well designed. Weaving throughout the park, it requires nearly every disc in your bag and every throw you have. There are a few holes here that I look forward to each time I play, even though I may not usually score well on them (holes 4, 6, and 17 come to mind), and I think that says a lot about the type of course this is. The length and difficulty are certainly selling points as well. Stuck almost directly in between Dayton and Cincinnati, Armco provides a much needed "pro level" course in an area where there are already a few easier/shorter ones. The park itself is pretty, as the wooded holes are very flushed, the open holes are nicely mowed, and a few holes play alongside the lake in the park. I would argue that this is one of the best courses to play in the fall weather and at sunset. As far as facilities go, there are porta-potties at various points on the course, and the golf pro-shop is stocked with a relatively decent selection of discs.

The baskets. Oh my goodness, how much better this course would be if proper Discatchers, Veterans, or anything were installed. Several times I've been close to coming out and replacing all the Mach II's here with tone poles. Not really, but the baskets do feel out of place on such an otherwise beautiful and challenging layout. Be prepared to average a frustrating spit-out every round or two. As mentioned earlier, there is a hint of unfairness to this course (hole 15 *cough*), but for the most part, as this course has matured over the last year, a lot of the cheap branches and obstacles have kind of worked their way out. The course is in a multi-use park, and it's not uncommon to get a little too close for comfort to some other park-goers. Most are respectful, but pay attention to where you're throwing. Hole 12 may be unplayable in the middle of baseball/softball season, especially if there is a tournament going on. The signage is a little lacking, but nothing that the UDisc map can't solve. In fact, the signs themselves are just UDisc screenshots with distances. While this isn't necessarily a bad thing, there are a few holes that play next to roads or paths, and it would have been nice to have those labeled as casual relief, rivers, or OB. Another slight knock I have on this course is that the woods are not used quite as much as I wish they were, but that may just be personal preference.

The best analogy for Armco Park is a marathon. A marathon in which you constantly feel like you are reaching mile 1 over, and over, and over again. With that said, if you can only play one course on your way from Dayton to Cincinnati or the other way around, this is it. Armco will likely kick you down the 1st (and 73rd) time you play it, but you can't help but respect it as it does so. If I had to pick a signature hole for this course, aside from the obvious 1084-foot par 5 number 6, it would have to be 17: a tough but reachable par 4 with trouble everywhere. It can't be understated that this is a difficult, difficult course. Not quite Idlewild level, but boy is it up there. As others have mentioned, don't take new players here or your family out for the afternoon. This course is a workout, a challenge, and a frustratingly fun experience. For all these reasons, Armco is a staple of the Dayton-Cinci area, and will continue to be for years to come.

I really enjoyed the adversity this course presented. There were plenty of left and right doglegs, as well as elevation changes. Even the open fairways were a challenge with the 10-15 MPH winds.

The baskets are the sole reason I scored the course as a 3.5 rather than a 4.5.
There are some holes that may hard to play when the park is busy, especially hole 8 due to the is picnic area just to the right of the fairway.

Armco Park is a multi use park but has a lot of area to back it up.This course is the newest addition to the disc golf scene , sitting 25 miles south of Dayton and about 30 miles north of Cincinnati . I think that course designers Mihalek , Elam and Boatright were told that as long as the 18 hole course was away from the golf course , they could have free reign .They did an excellent job . When you pull into the driveway to Armco , turn left , then in another few hundred yards , you will see a basket and small kiosk . Bear just a little right and you will park a few hundred feet from the kiosk and hole #1 . This course is NOT for the faint of heart . Bring water for this course You will thank me for the tip later . I will warn you that this is not a course for your after school buddies with 2 discs each , families , or newbies . They may want to gather over at the Monroe course on the other side of I-75 . In my opinion , this course is more suited for pros , ams , avid players . All others , you were warned . The kiosk sits next to hole #1 . A practice basket that is between the #1 fairway and the road . The park is well maintained and all disc golf areas were mowed . . The course has spacious cement tees , some of the best signage in the area with hole # , distance and a great picture of the fairway on it . There are NEXT TEE signs at the bottom of each basket which makes it hard to stray off line on your way to the next tee pad . It is much needed as there can be long walks between many of these holes . Large yellow flags with the hole number sit atop the baskets which help lots ,The baskets , I am told , came from the old Turtle Creek course , adequate for a beginner or family course , but I expected at least Discatchers for a big time course like this . Bridges have been laid out over some of the creeks on the course , and the metal supports look ready to be installed for the bridges ( #7 fairway and after #18 ) .There are Port O Lets throughout the course , even a few shelters you can duck into between holes . There is a pretty good amount of elevation for this course . The fairways are fair , many are park style and some are narrow and unforgiving . Throwing your drive into the rough here can cost you a lot of time and effort ( providing you find your disc ) looking for an off-the-fairway toss . Lots of memorable holes adorn this course . There are some filler holes here and some shorter holes that will keep the once a week enthusiast that throws 275'- 300' interested ( #3, 7 ,10, 16 ), and for the more seasoned players , some bomber holes ( #2 , #6 which is 1084', 11, 17 ) , and technical holes ( #1, #4 , #8 , #15 #18 ) . You will understand when you go to the #1 tee and stare straight ahead to the basket that is 420' in front of you , but the fairway seems about 10' wide and is flanked on both sides with tall thick disc eating looking trees that look like fir trees on steroids with thick leaves instead of needles . Good luck with your par 3 on this one . You graduate right to hole #2 which is a 565' bomber hole with a tree line on the right starting at about 300' , dipping into and up a gully with a creek in play . You get a rest with #3 basically throws across the yard of one of the park's houses to a basket protected by some trees and overhang on the right and a large tree or 2 protecting the left . Remember to follow the next tee sign through the open fencing ( pretty good walk ) to hole #4 , the most insane hole on the course . You must throw downhill towards the lake , stopping safely short of it , to a narrow fairway with unforgiving rough on both sides , This is an almost 800' hole . The next several holes will entertain you off and on . #14 is going to be a good hole when the dirt clods are broken down close to the basket and the grass grows . #15 is a crazy hole where you throw over a gully but into a forest of trees where you think you see an opening , but aren't sure it's there ? #17 is a tough hole that is 615' , starts up a hill and hyzers slightly to the right , leveling off but under a canopy of trees , which will eventually make you hyzer once again to the basket which is set close to the woods on the right . #18 is a 358' hole with seems open , but has water to the right forcing you to throw over part of it to get to the basket which is tucked into the woods , and some woods to the left . overhanging branches add to the toughness of this hole . Many memorable holes . The fun factor is here . My signature hole would be #4 if I was any good . This hole plays so tough . I picked #11 , which is a 515' hole that plays to a narrow opening near a dry creek and bears left around some rough and trees to an open basket with a descending hill behind it . Careful with this hole . From the tee , you can see a flag a long way off and in front of you . That is the basket and flag to #12 . #11 is tucked in to the left after the creek .

almost all good course have cons . I will be nice since this course is brand new . #1 The baskets . I know baskets are expensive and free baskets from defunct Turtle Creek were just sitting there , but when you put a top notch course together ,,,,,,,,,,just sayin' . #2 the rough is too much . I don't mind 2' high grass here and there , but you can spend a chunk of your discing time looking for drives that only went a few feet off the fairway , especially on the holes with blind shots . Hey , the prison is right up the road . Give the inmates something to do by handing them a sickle and ,,,,,, err , maybe not . Trimming this course up would help greatly . #3 I know this will come in time , but I don't grade on potential : the basket on #12 is a little bent , too much construction near #14 has left clod mounds 100' out from the basket , leaving it a mess if it rains , #15 needs a set of steps bad . It is dangerously steep going from tee to fairway . #4 the walks are phenomenal in between basket and tees . I don't mind because I am out there for the exercise , anyway , but for some , it is a big deal . The course is 8133' , but you will walk another additional 4000-5000 feet . Bring water . #5 Park functions can crowd up this course on weekends . I played on a Saturday , and a festival ate up holes 9 & 10 , with cars parked in the fairways , and potentially made #7 and 8 a close call with kids wandering around . Use discretion . Don't brand DISCRAFT on some kid or parent's noggin with your driver and make it a bad day for everyone involved . Share the park with everyone ., Skip the hole and play another twice . I just with some of these holes can be redirected away from that general area .

The cons I listed made it look like I was picking this course apart , but it can also be a form of flattery , since I put a lot of time into the pros section , too . This course is going to be a gem . I will be playing this course again in the fall and then write an update to my present review then . Most of these cons can be ironed out . The course design makes for many memorable holes and the course even throws in a couple of generic holes can make you feel better about your score . There were several groups of players on the course when I was there , so the word is out on Armco . It took me 90 minutes to play this course solo . So I would allow maybe up to 3 hours for a group of 4 . By next year , I expect this course to be rated a 4 .This is not a destination course ( yet?) My advice , for the local disc golf enthusiast , am , pro , traveler staying in Dayton OR Cincinnati , or course bagger traveling up or down the I-75 corridor , PLAY IT !!!

Let me preface this by saying that courses like Armco are not my cup of tea. But I've definitely found that different folks like all different kinds of beverages. Pick your poison, as they say. There's probably even a touring pro out there who enjoys what might be to others, brewed kryptonite. Armco plays long and relatively open (holes 2, 5, 6!, 17), like the newer styles that have a ball golf course feel. Armco has short, technical lines that are fair (3, 16, 18). It has a couple of holes which aren't really 'fair' yet, but will likely look better in the near future (7, 15) when the lanes are opened up just a bit more. Unusually, this course has a couple of holes that are a little of both (4, 11). Thinking about the course, there are a good six to eight holes that might be a signature hole on a less well-thought-out design.

The course already has wonderful, large, level concrete tees, excellent tee signs, an arrow pointing you from each basket in the general direction of the next tee, and uses the 'affordable' recycled baskets from Turtlecreek (see cons). There is variety in hole distance, unexpected changes in elevation, difficulty of shots required, and all that you'll need to have a course worthy of challenging tourney play for Advanced to Open players, especially if using the existing paved roadways to define even more OB. In all, it's going to have a rising rating on DGCR! Folks do need to come out and give Armco a try.

It's still a really, really new course, where bridges are slated for install (on 7, and after 18), and steep hills may be tamed with steps (15, 16). The rough is a complete disc eater in the summer down the post-dogleg 400 feet or so on 4 (send spotters down the lane), as well as on the weedy 14 (which also has a scraped 'dump' look to the landing zone, not just a hazardous drop off on either side of the valley. There are a lot of holes edged with very unforgiving and disc-hiding rough. You could lose one in the water on 4 and 18.

There's a lot of walking between holes (probably more than the 8000' you play), and the allowed space still had to wind up with some 'filler' holes. There are a ton of courses around with a couple of holes that hyzer around ballpark outfield fences. It's a shame they had to put those here, with so many signature holes otherwise.

The baskets were brought over from Turtlecreek, and are just 12+6 chains, so they aren't the very best catchers (yet). There is potential here to have some shots interacting with other park patrons, from those using the shelters, parking on the adjacent drives, or even fishing.

I'm a fan of designs that focus on 1) safety, 2) fun, and then 3) challenge. This course has challenge first, and is therefore comparable to Mt Airy in Cincinnati or Handyman Ace Hardware in Dayton. I'm more likely to return in the winter when the rough opens up, the weeds shrivel, and I can more quickly find the shot(s) I invariably will have thrown off the fairway. I really don't recommend this course for beginners or families, but it wasn't really designed for them... ps: I've got to tell you, hole 11 is likely a true par 3 hole for a 1000 rated player, but at 900, I'd have to be pretty much on fire to hit a birdiable line on that one!

Background: this is my 300th review, I play at a beginning intermediate level with friends of all ages, and try to write an occasional helpful note for others who enjoy trying out a new course now and then.

Armco Park's ambitious design occasionally misfires, but the memorable shots come pretty close to making up for it all. This sparkling new routing at Lebanon's Armco Park replaces the old Turtlecreek course across the street and improves on that local favorite in nearly every aspect. Golfers traverse a sizable portion of the large, multi-use community park while playing holes that would be memorable highlights on other area tracks. Whether it's your first time here or your fiftieth, golfers will have something to talk about on the way back home.

The design is a bit of a mixed bag, but when it's good it really hits the mark. Overall, the course favors big arms, but there's a surprisingly diverse mix of open length and technical wooded challenge. Nearly all holes require thoughtful drive placement to set up for birdie or par, depending on skill level. Dramatic (for SW Ohio) elevation changes are used well, with a premium placed on downhill drives. This is the closest course to Dayton aimed at true MA1/MPO golfers, and these players will be happy to have something to test their mettle on this side of Cincinnati.

Armco is a beautiful, well-maintained park. Players will be able to mentally walk through the routing after just a couple of rounds because of the diversity and beauty of the land and design. Superior teepad views can be found on on Holes 2, 4, 17, and 18 in particular.

Hole 18 is a sublime, beautifully designed conclusion to a long round- a disc golf Cape hole that strikes the ultra-rare balance of fun and challenge for players of all skill levels. With a little bit of aesthetic improvement and some personal touches this would be a top-tier finishing hole at nearly any course in the country.

All holes have large concrete tees, an unexpected plus for an infant course.

The difference between crowded and empty Armco is like night and day, and it creates some big-time conflicts on the course. Holes 8 & 9 have nearby shelters that, when occupied, create vehicular and pedestrian safety hazards along the full length of the holes. To make matters worse, both pins are blind from the tee. On nice summer weekends these two holes are filled with cars and children waiting to take a driver to the grille. Don't be that guy - always be a good ambassador for our game and put safety above all else. When the shelters are empty, the holes are fine (#9) to fantastic (#8). Honorable mention safety concerns can be found on Holes 3 (throwing over a road/parking area), 11 (a shelter potentially in play, more on that below) 14 (debris everywhere on the "meth lab" hole), and 15 (very slippery path & hillsides when muddy). These issues significantly lowered my score.

Holes 7 & 15 could use some additional tree removal. As is, there's not really much in the way of available lines from the tee.

Hole 11 has the potential to be one of the course highlights, but the heroic risk/reward line unfortunately brings a shelter into play. As a result, a likely mando forces the player wide through or over the patchy treeline endcap, eliminating the possibility to drive the green and making this hole the worst kind of tweener for the target skill level.

Hole 6 tries to be cool and memorable, but ends up just being boring and overlong. A suggestion might be to split this one into 2-3 smaller holes while removing the potentially hazardous Holes 8 & 9.

The baskets are the old ones from Turtlecreek, and they are starting to show their age.

Since Armco is brand new, there are a handful of amenities that are currently missing (warning signs, creek crossings, benches, and the back 9 tee signs most notably) that I would hope are installed soon. I didn't ding my rating as a result, although it's important to note that the course doesn't have these installations at this time.

Armco's length fills a dire need for distance-focused courses in the Dayton/Middletown region, but the fixable design flaws keep this blue-level challenge from being truly great. The other park users pose some serious issues, and my rating fluctuates based upon whether or not they're present. I'd call Armco a 3.0 when there's non-disc golfers on the course, but a 4.0 when you're looking at empty fairways and greens. To simplify matters, I split the difference at 3.5.

Armco Park in Lebanon, Ohio (not to be confused with the Armco Park disc golf courses in Kentucky) is a breath of fresh air for those that wish to stretch their arms between Cincinnati and Dayton. Surrounded by only par-3 courses within 30 minutes, players are now able to challenge themselves with a 792' par-4 with brutal rough lining a narrow fairway, a 388' steeply-uphill dogleg-right par-3, a 1084' OB-lined monster, five par-3s over 400', and a 615' par-4 that is of course very much uphill. The course is relentless, challenging your stamina with length and elevation and challenging your shot selection with trees and OB. The loss of the Turtlecreek course across the street turned out to be a blessing is disguise, for the donation of the Mach II baskets from that course led to the development of Armco's course.

AS OF THIS WRITING there are well-designed concrete columns poured where bridges will be installed on holes 7 and 18, and discs are about to go on sale at the existing on-site golf pro shop. A full-service restroom is conveniently located to your right after you finish hole 7, and that same restroom is located straight ahead after you finish hole 10. Porta-potties are also available on your left as you play hole 11, and in the parking lot near 14's tee. I hope they never move the porta-potty near 14's tee. Whether you park near hole 1's tee or hole 18's basket, you should be able to spot a full-service restroom from your parking spot within 150 yards. A drinking fountain is near the road left of hole 11. Make no mistake - this course has excellent facilities.

What should you know before playing? First, bringing a sacrificial disc or two is a good idea. The lake on hole 4 shouldn't really be in play (it's farther away than you think), but maybe don't tee off with your favorite disc. Hole 18 definitely has a lake in play off the tee. Other than those two drives, you shouldn't have to worry about losing a disc at Armco since the rest of the water is in the form of creeks. Next, get it in your head that when you get to hole 15, you won't walk toward the basket after your drive and fall down the hill, but will instead take the path on your right.

STANDARD OB RULES
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ROAD RULE: FOR ALL HOLES, ON OR OVER ANY ROAD IS OB.
FENCE RULE: FOR ALL HOLES, OVER ANY FENCE IS OB.
LAKE RULE: FOR ALL HOLES, SURROUNDED BY WATER IN ANY LAKE IS OB.

ADDITIONAL OB RULES
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Hole 2: Creek is OB.
Hole 3: Treat road in front of tee as an OB river.
Hole 5: Treat road in front of tee as an OB river.
Hole 7: Creek is OB.
Hole 8: Creek is OB. Picnic shelter is OB.
Hole 11: Mando - stay right of large tree.
Hole 14: Creek is OB.
Hole 15: Creek is OB.
Hole 18: Creek is OB.

Wow these Mach II baskets do not catch well! I use a Mach II at home for putting practice and I can tell you that the Armco Mach IIs are particularly talented at accepting discs right in the center of the chains and spitting the disc right out the back.

Hole 2: Crossing the creek requires a bit of planning and execution.

Hole 3: The righty forehand or lefty hyzer line goes over a road with marked parking spots, and I have seen cars fill those spots. It's a great hole design on paper, but having to throw over cars at times is a no-no.

Hole 7: The basket is not far from a playground, and unsuspecting children are drawn to the basket where 300' drives approach. A fence between the playground and the basket would be a notable safety improvement.

Hole 8: The basket is in a fantastic location next to a cool little waterfall, but it is also blind to throwers and park goers will definitely visit the waterfall, which is a recipe for disaster.

Hole 11: This was designed with a mando in mind, but as of this writing the mando isn't marked yet. Because of this, players may throw a "layup" line toward the basket as opposed to playing through the clearing in the trees where the tee pad is aimed. Throwing toward the basket from the tee pad causes the discs to fly near a shelter and its associated entertainment radius.

Hole 14: This was an old dump site for the park, complete with discarded outfield fencing, barrels, concrete, and a variety of other trash. It definitely looks like an exploded meth lab. In some ways I hope it never gets cleaned up because I chuckle every time I play this hole, but it isn't safe. Watch your step, and more importantly, even after its cleaned up, be sure to refer to this as the exploded meth lab hole.

Hole 15: If you don't notice the path to your right and walk down the hill toward the basket, the hill is surprisingly steep and slippery, and your chance of leaving with a muddy skidmark of shame is high.

Hole 18: Fishermen aren't yet instructed to avoid this area and may be present on course. I have seen a fisherman on a boat that was definitely in play. Even after no fishing signs are installed, unless the park also places a no boating sign on a buoy, boats may be present.

Navigation is difficult here since you can't always see the next tee pad and its signs from the basket. The park has added next tee arrows to each basket, but I would recommend using the UDisc overhead map to ensure a good experience if this is your first time.

This course goes a long way out and comes a long way back as you play, so it is not suitable for much else other than playing the full 18 holes.

Armco park has an odd closing procedure, as they define an explicit park closing time that changes with the daylight. I suppose this is better than stating the park closes "at dusk" since that is a bit ambiguous. Nevertheless, you should endeavor to start your round with the closing time in mind. A solo round takes 1.5 hours.

Between Gulley and Armco, Warren County Parks really know what they're doing when it comes to disc golf courses!