Pros:
Big Buckeye is the easier 18 hole course of the 2 courses here at Broughton's Nature and Wildlife Area , A multi use facility . When you pull into the lot , drive and park on the farthest left hand side of the park , closest to the small building there . The course starts on the left hand side past that building a bit , just so you get your map ( That hopefully you printed ) and bearings straight . The area is well manicured and trimmed . I read where the course has been around since 2007 , but went through a redesign in 2017 . The baskets are the biggest plus as far as equipment goes . They are your basic ones , but with many of them having an Ohio State flag on the top ( hence, the Big Buckeye name ) . The tees are natural and the tee signs were either colored sticks in the ground , red for the casual or beginner , or blue for tournament tested or pro players , or wood signage that were so washed out and faded , they failed to give you any information . The course has an okay layout , providing you understand where you are and where you need to be . The first 2 holes run pretty close to the left side of the park with open area on your right and some thick rough and a stream beyond it on your left . You have to cross the bridge that sits close that sits on your left and just behind the hole #2's basket then kind of play Where's Waldo with the tees for 3 & 4 . Once you play both of those holes , you cross another bridge beyond 4's basket and the 5 tee is just to your left . Beware of the rough eating your disc on the left .6 tee is visible and even though is plays short , it sits under and behind a tree and canopy . I had trouble finding the 7 tee , but the basket almost looks like it is sitting in a man's front yard . The 8 tee is to your left and even though it almost looks like it is pointing you to throw up on the hill , you want to tee of from the road and keep your drive down that same road , between it and the brush line up on the hill . The basket is hidden about 250' + down that line . the you walk a little path through the brush and into the open for #8 tee , next to,which looks kind of like a residential driveway . You will be confused where to throw since you see 2 baskets . The one on the right and over the road is the basket for 10 , but the one you are throwing to is toward a large bush with a lamp post on the right of it . Step to your right across the road and throw slightly up to the basket I just named , then you will have #11's tee to your left , which is a midrange or putter downhill drive over brush in front of you and a creek far behind the basket . #12 tee and basket don't really follow the map . You will see the tee area and the basket . Then you will move into the woods for the rest of the course . This is where most of your elevation comes into play . While not as extreme as Sasquatch , it will still test . Don't look at the previous course pictures or you will be further confused . The course is actually more navigable in the woods than it was for the first 12 holes . What the woods holes lack in length , they make up for in design and basket placement . The fairways are tight and technical . After a tough fairway 17 , you move to your right an go up the hill , do another hard right to the tee pad . This would have been an excellent finishing hole and my signature hole : a flat straight shot to a dogleg left and out into the open ( barely ) to the basket , but I didn't play it . The fairway was so overgrown that a blind shot throw could easily lead to a 10 minute search for your disc , providing you can find it at all . This course is not as creative or plays as long as Sasquatch , but it is still a completely different I don't think that these course see a lot of foot traffic . 18 hole course that sits alongside a 2nd 18 holes . I didn't have a real signature hole on this course , but I did like a few of the holes , maybe #8 , 11 , 15 ( tight right to left short toss ) , or 17 .
Cons:
#1. Navigation . Even with the map you hopefully printed , this course will mess you up .It just lacks a flow to it . No defined tee pads , no NEXT TEE signs . Keep your cool . I only safaried 3 holes . #2 This course will be bad after a rain . The flat holes will have standing water and the woods will have steep muddy slopes . #3 Natural tees , Not only are the tees natural , but some you might not even be able to find at all . #4 , the Rough . It is bad in a fair amount of spots . Having your driver disc get picked up into the wind and delivered to the right of basket 4 , or the left of 5 could make for a long search of a day for you. Especially since the rough on 18 also includes the fairway ( don't play it until they cut it ) . #5 No amenities , Might have been able to use a bathroom near the entrance to the park ( I used a Port O Let there ) , but after that , no benches , water , trash baskets ( carry out what you carry in ) etc . Disc Risk : can be high here . A kiosk with course maps would help a great deal .
Other Thoughts:
I sound like I am bashing this course , but I am merely pointing out where improvements can be made . There is still a course here that you can combine with Sasquatch to make a full morning and 36 different holes of disc golf you can play in one park .The facility itself is very nice and the staff at this preserve seemed very friendly . I liked the idea that all lost discs found and returned to the preserve can be bought back for $2 , which goes back toward upgrading or maintaining the courses . The course is an easier compliment to the harder Sasquatch course . My Recommendation : Give this place a shot . It is about 5 minutes off of I-77 and just north of Marrietta . You can't go wrong with 2 courses and 1 park !!