Handyman Ace Hardware DGC is set in the the sprawling Fairborn Community Park that has seemingly endless amenities across the massive property. The disc golf course is one of the highest rated in Ohio, and it's easy to see why that's the case!

+ Each hole features multiple concrete tee pads with colored signs next to each pad. The baskets are like-new DISCatchers.

+ Contrary to the name of the course, there aren't many ace opportunities to be found here. There are enough sub 400' holes to keep things balanced with a few of the longer wooded holes.

+ Hole #18 is one of the best finishing holes I've played to date! It's a steep, blind downhill shot with a tough pin position. Other favorite holes include #5 and #12.

+ While there are a few longer walks between holes, navigation is pretty much flawless. Had no issues from start to finish.

- The lack of benches combined with the fact that the course doesn't make two 9-hole loops will make for a grueling round. Just bring plenty of water!

- Heavily wooded courses with multiple pin positions aren't the best concept in my book. Makes it tricky at times for a first time player.

565 DGCR members have marked HMAHDGC since its opening in 2010. That's a pretty impressive number!

Being one of the highest rated courses in the state, this is a must play if you find yourself in the Dayton area!

+ Well maintained fairways on the field holes.
+ Several technical shots required.
+ Multiple tees on most holes.
+ Multiple basket locations on some holes.
+ Great navigation (for the most part).

- Bugs galore - bring bug spray.
- Hole 5's basket is located next to a fishing pond - meaning errant throws can land in there if you're not careful.
- The creek. Should you dare step in there to retrieve a disc, it will swallow almost half of your body and leave you struggling to get back out. Another warning: the muck is thick and hard to scrub off even in the shower, and any clothes you trudge through there in will likely never smell the same again even after washing them.
-- Hole 8 for this reason is one I recommend first timers skip - that on top of tree branches everywhere.
- Awkward navigation from Hole 10 to 11.
- Unable to find the white tee for Hole 18. If there is in fact only one tee, the tee signage indicating a white tee is misleading.

Amenities:
- Parking: Plenty.
- Restrooms: Some in the park itself - none near or on the course though.
- Running water: Drinking fountains in the park itself, but again, none near or on the course.
- Benches: A few.
- Trash cans: None that I saw on the course - there may be some in the park itself though.
- Bag holders: None.
- Tee signs: Basic map outline of where you need to throw, par, distance, and directions to the next tee.
- Next tee/direction signs: Generous for the most part. Again, navigation from Hole 10 to 11 is awkward, and I couldn't find Hole 18's white tee.
- Wheelchair/cart friendly: On the field holes, somewhat - not on the wooded holes though.

Great shot variety.
Incredible signage--both tee signs and next tee signs--best I've seen.
Two teepads on most holes.
Baskets, teepads good condition.
Very well worn fairways in the woods.
Good distance variety. There is probably some great combination of long and short tees out there as well.
Fair pars on most holes so even rec players will have some birdie opps--I had several, and just missed (by a branch or a twig) on a few more. But if its too easy for you, just back on up to the long tees--don't see anyone shooting -18 from those...

Only a couple benches--at almost a 3 mile total walk, some older or out of shape folks (borderline both here) appreciate benches, as I am sure do foursomes during a tournament backup.
No water/bathrooms on course.
A few lines seem very tight and plinko-ish, not so much the initial gaps, but 150'-300' into the throws (talking woods holes).
I am not a fan of multiple pin positions, if only because the first time playing, one has no idea where the pin is, as on some of the woods holes one cannot see the basket from the teepad.
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DESCRIPTION:

>This is an 18 hole, well maintained city park course that will challenge most players, get most of your discs used at some point, but also fair enough to leave most with some good birdie memories. 5 holes are 'mostly' open, the rest are moderately or completely in the woods, though fairways are mostly quite fair.

BASICS:

>Teepads--concrete, good condition, long enough. Two sets on most holes (16/18 as I recall).
>Baskets--DisCatchers, good condition.
># holes--18.
>Setting--About 13 or so wooded holes, the rest in a city park setting.
>Elevation--A few hills, nothing huge but enough to make it interesting, with some decent up and down hill throws.
>Distance of holes--great variety, especially when considering both sets of tees.
>Free/pay to play, type of course--free city park.
>Ease of getting to--easy, course is way in the back--go to right and past volleyball courts. Keep going til the end.

AMENITIES:

>Parking--Abundant by hole 1.
>Bathrooms--Some in the park in general, but none I recall on the course itself.
>Water/food nearby--Fairborn has about everything.
>Clubhouse/disc shop--No
>Benches--A few scattered throughout.
>Trash cans--Yes, several.
>Bag holders--No
>Tee signs--Yes, very good, on both sets of tees as well.
>Next tee direction/signs--Best I've ever seen, both on the tee signs, and the baskets, clear yellow signs it is very hard to miss. Did not need an online map even the first time through.
>Wheelchair/cart friendly--No, yes.

COURSE PLAY

>Shot variety--I emptied my bag more or less. Had a couple rollers, forehand and backhand flex shots, straight shots and the usual turnover and big hyzer shots.
>Layout, long walks (inc back to car), loops--2.7 mile circuit--one large loop. Some longer walks between holes but flow is good, and the 'next tee' signs are great--even splits the long and short tees up when the path splits.
>Ease of finding next tee--Excellent.
>General difficulty--The short tees are tough but I felt birdie was possible on most of the holes with one or two well thrown shots. The long tees (did not play) should add enough difficulty, some of them are LONG. I think even a 1000-rated pro would be challenged by the long tees.
>Mud/water issues--Dry the first time, but played again 6-10, and it was quite muddy--especially in the woods between basket and next tee. Some of the areas, even though flat, are very slick, so be careful.
>Water or O/B to contend with--These is water in play on 5, 7, and 8, but not too hard to miss it. No epic pond shots or anything. There is also O/B on a few holes because the course is adjacent to some homes, so those fence lines are O/B of course.
>Difficult rough/lost disc risk--Low when we played in April, might be higher in summer. All fairways were very well groomed, but again, April.
>Scrape/scratch risk--Light, but not to sound like a broken record, but in April. I can see it being moderate in summer, though much of the woods are well cleared out.
>How busy was course/park--Pretty busy around 5PM on a weekday with beautiful weather. But no waiting.

OVERALL

>Fun/enjoyment factor, would I play again? Absolutely. One of my new favorite courses.
>Who will this course challenge? Between the two sets of teepads, most everyone.
>Is it worth a drive? Yes, couple hour drive would be well rewarded. And if not, there are many strong courses in the Dayton metro area. There are at least a half dozen, and Idlewild is 90 minutes or less from here as well.
>Anything unique? I loved holes 5 thru 11. 5 from the long tees is a tunnel to open throw with a pond right behind the basket. 6 is a long flex shot, VERY challenging line from the long tee (we just played shorts but did preview the lines on the longs, since we had to walk by them anyway). 8 plays across a creek--enough to make you think but not hard. Holes 12 (longer throw with a grove of trees blocking any sort of RHBH hyzer play) and 18 (long tight downhill shot to a protected basket) stood out as well. If you have a long RHFH, 12 may not be a huge challenge, but was for me.
>Would be a half star higher with--not much more to do here, I would rate it 4.25 as is, but can only go by one half increments, so 4.0 it is. A LITTLE thinning on a few holes (deep into the hole, not any initial gaps), a few more benches, and water/bathroom availability (that is more rare I know) is all I can really think of. Any bramble thinning out in the summer of course is always preferred, and IF the grass does indeed get high in the summer, taking care of that. Some have commented on the smell by the creek, we did not notice this, but again, April.

I am in my 50s, 80 or so courses played, 875ish.

~Nicely groomed wooded course
~Layout is challenging but fair
~Excellent variety of holes, lines, and distances
~Multiple tee pads and pin positions
~Great combination of wooded & parks style golf
~Good practice basket area

~A few lengthy breaks between holes, but navigation flows well
~Minor trimming of low hanging limbs on some holes is needed
~Fallen debris & ground cleaning needs maintained, but it's minimal

Threw a summer round with a friend who is now local to the Dayton area. I walked away completely satisfied and impressed at what this course offers to the experienced and skilled disc golfer. Primarily wooded with a handful of open "park style" holes mixed in, The Handyman is a highly technical layout that provides a fair challenge to a regular thrower with some years under their belt.

Overall the course was in great shape, each hole offered well groomed fairways, some with multiple options toward the basket. Although tightly wooded in some spots I don't recall any holes that didn't provide a solid route with reasonable lines to hit. Nice large concrete tees and visible baskets. There are a few holes that could benefit from minor tree trimming and removal of fallen branches and debris, but all in all the land was easily navigated and traversed in the summer season.

Great variety within the course. Multiple tee pads and pin positions provide options for most skill levels. The course design is very nice providing all types of shot shaping and disc selection due to varied distances, elevation changes, and hole types. I was impressed with how much this course is able to mix things up over all 18 holes. There is also a nice wide open practice area with basket that allows you to warm up and get ready with ease.

While navigation is good and the course flows well, there are a few lengthy walks between holes. This is not a big deal to me, but is worth noting. All in all there isn't too much to complain about with this course.

The park is beautiful, the layout is primarily wooded and challenging....yet it remains fair to a player with decent distance and solid control. One of if not my favorite of the Dayton area courses I've played to date.

Baskets/Tee Pads are in good spots and are in good shape.

Course design is great and puts you right back at the parking lot at the end.

Course has benches and trash bins.

Some major elevation changes at this course, which I find to be a really fun part of this course,

A couple of really epic holes. Specifically I can think of #11 and #8.

Major variety of hole distances. Challenging short wood holes and some long just as challenging open holes.

I think this course tested my shot variety more than any other. I had to use so many discs and different shots to navigate some of the holes. I find that to be really enjoyable as it only makes your game better.

Probably fewer open bombs than tight and technical, but the tight holes are so fun that I can't see a distance thrower not enjoying the shorter holes.

I would say this is the most challenging course in the Dayton area. I had some major blunders on the back half of the front 9 and never recovered. Back I found to be much easier than the front.

Parking right by #1 tee box.

This course is very scenic and in a great park setting. However there are some holes where the "creek" runs through that can get a little stinky.

For how popular this course it was not crowded at all on a Saturday afternoon when I went. Some people might have another opinion.

I am sure with being rated so high this course has some regular events to play in.

Locals were really nice. I left a disc on a hole and ran back and some guys had already grabbed it and were walking towards me. Super friendly.

This course has to get new map markers. Some of them are weathered and ripped up you can't even read them. This is essential for a course like this.

I played this course in Mid-Summer so take that for what you will, but the foliage on this course is absolutely brutal. Also bugs galore.

No Camping

No restrooms/running water throughout the course, which isn't a huge deal but when your in a park setting with kids around I think it would be a nice addition.

This is one of the most challenging, yet well-designed courses in the Dayton area. There are clearly-defined, yet tight fairways that require forehand, backhand, and overhand shots. Most holes are heavily-wooded, though there are a couple of open-ish bombers. The course is located in a pretty multi-use park, but plays away from the softball/soccer areas. Baskets are in great shape and catch well (assuming you can get it there). Signage is some of the best I've ever seen, with "Next Tee" markers at almost all holes. There's a practice basket by the first hole.

Handyman Ace Hardware is unpopular with area locals, and I can somewhat understand why. I'm not sure if the fairways are mowed at all in the summer, and you can spend more time looking for your shot than actually playing. For reference, I played here in late July, and the grass in the fairways was over a foot tall, and full of weeds that will make you itch. For that reason, I don't recommend playing solo here; you'll need a second set of eyes to look for your drive, even when it's accurate. Also, it's been mentioned before, but the creek here is nasty, and smells bad.

This is a very unforgiving course, and I wouldn't recommend bringing beginners here (unless you're trying to get them to never play again).

This is one of the least-crowded courses in the area, but don't expect a short round here; playing solo took me over two hours to complete all 18 from the short tees. Playing with a partner didn't help make it any quicker.

Good baskets, nice tee pads, good signage, trash cans throughout, "next tee" signs clearly posted. Course combines open field with wooded area with some holes transitioning from woods to open field. Fair amount of water on the course which makes it visually different from other courses.

Course is an odd mix of great holes and awful holes. 1-5 are fun, with multiple lines to the basket. Holes 6 thru 11 are horrible with the only decision to make being which tree to hit. There are literally no lines to take to the basket. There are simply too many trees. The ground is covered with vegetation that makes finding a disc even in the "fairway" a 5 minute ordeal. You cannot see the baskets from the tee boxes which is not uncommon, but you can't even see where you should be landing. It's literally like throwing a disc into the woods and hoping you are throwing in the right direction. And good luck if you can't see the disc actually land - it's either a search or it's gone. I made several "perfect" throws and had to spend 10 minutes looking for my disc even though I knew exactly where it landed.
Course has A and B tee pads but B pads add nothing to game except a stroke. No holes give you the chance to make a fantastic drive or unusual line to beat the hole- they all just add distance and a stroke. Not worth the effort.
Hole #8 was skipped as the landing spot cannot be identified and the creek you throw over is more of a stinking swamp than a creek. Could be a killer hole but instead is a skipper. Not worth sinking in black mud to your knees for a disc.
#12 though #18 were ok but not good enough to offset the awful #6-#11. We finished #18 and were glad to be done. What a let down!
The course offers nothing for the advanced or intermediate thrower as there is no skill involved in hitting trees. And on this course there is no way to avoid hitting trees as there are simply no lanes to use. Add the heavy undergrowth everywhere and it adds up to no-fun play.

Remove 1/3 of the trees, open some lanes, clear out the underbrush and maybe mow some sections and the course could be great. As it is it's so-so. Not worth the 1 hour drive.

Nice mix of shots, decent use of elevation.

Swamp by the back of the park stinks, literally. There was poison ivy a few years back, haven't seen it recently, don't know what happened to it.

This is a nice, solid course, worth going to if you're in the area, but not worth making a special trip for. But it doesn't have anything to make it really stand out for me, or make it particularly fun.

It is on the harder side.

A great mix of uphill, downhill, left/right doglegs, short/long. Water hazards on 3 holes; and on some, the hazard is compounded by the swamplike quality of the water -- you will not get many discs back from the creek..

The aforementioned creek. smelly, scummy, swampy...
mosquitos are abundant during the summer; bring repellant, apply liberally!

extremely tight lines. Like, some are 5 feet wide. and not 'throw it 200 feet and hit a 5ft hole,' more like 'throw it 50 feet on an anhyzer line and hit a 5ft hole; get your disc to flatten out and go another 50 feet and his another gap; then get your disc to hyzer and go another 300 feet. Then you have only two more gaps to hit before the basket.

Several holes simply do not have much in the way of fairways/lines (2,11). you simply try to miss as many trees as possible, throw, and hope you get lucky.

A very challenging course! it will force you to hit precise lines...and will frustrate you when you realize that even a perfect shot sometimes isn't enough.

Loaded with technically challenging shots, the surrounding park offers incredible beauty depending on the season. The seasons offer nuanced changes thanks to the cool wet spring, sweltering humid summers, and brutally cold winters. The park is safe, navigation is excellent, and maintenance has almost always been well-timed. If you are within a 2 hour drive, you MUST play this course.

Unforgiving water hazards, thick underbrush, tight corridors and environmental issues make this course one of the most difficult in all of southwest Ohio. Bring throwaway discs and plenty of patience.

I've played this course since it's creation and despite the sheer difficulty it's one of my favorite courses of all time thanks to the total integration of site and course. Do yourself a favor and play here!

Practice basket, nice concrete tee pads, scorecards, course is fairly easy to navigate thanks to signs, course gives a chance to learn new shots.

No holes under 200 ft(personal preference), wooded holes can be very muddy after rain, some graffiti on a fence on hole 13 I believe( show some class). Hole 18 gets close to the road so watch for cars

This is by far the toughest course I've played. I do not recommend this for a new player. You will be tested. If you can shoot in the 60s, you might be ready for a competitive level. Take some throw away discs. You can easily loose a disc in the water(lost my favorite driver). If you have a favorite disc, don't throw it on the holes with water. This course will give you a heck of a work out. This is probably the toughest course in Dayton. You will have to earn every par and birdie. For first time visitors, I recommend throwing from the shorter tee pads

Great variety
Terrain and elevation changes
Fair amount of hazards
Directional signs and good tee pad signs
Course is separate form the rest of the park
Only course in the area that offers scorecards and a fully detailed map
Taken care of well

After heavy rain, this course may be flooded out in the woods
Nastiest creek I've ever seen, swallows discs whole and leaves you without your shoe if you dare step in to retrieve it
Some holes are very unfair, and downright impossible
Makes for a VERY long 18 holes

This is the Dayton area's second most difficult course, (next to sycamore trails.) Long distances and heavy foliage and trees make this course nearly impossible to par with par 3s. Any player besting this course from the par on the sign-pads will know they rank at the amateur level. Players shooting around or better than par with par 3s will know they are ready for advanced or even possibly open level play. Really designed as a pro course, play the par signs or play doubles if you don't want to shoot a huge score.

Handyman is clearly the crown jewel of Dayton-area disc golf, and stands as a testament to modern design in an area primarily comprised of older courses. Nearly every hole is memorable in some fashion, either because of the fantastic strategic design or the 8 you carded in a moment of John Daly-esque weakness.

Great design can be found throughout HAH, with holes that require both hyzer and anhyzer shots off the tee, as well as creative approaches that rely heavily on good placement (holes #1, #6, #14, and #18 are some of my favorites). Many holes are par 4's because of strategic difficulty rather than sheer length, which makes for a much more interesting and rewarding experience. Every birdie at Handyman is earned.

Two large and sturdily constructed concrete pads can be found on each tee, along with superior tee signs that are both attractive and informative. Routing could be confusing for first-timers, but visible next tee signs help put players on the right track. Every hole plays to Innova baskets with the potential for multiple basket positions.

In addition to the top-notch amenities, the course is well-maintained and drains well, with occasional mud but nothing that will ruin your shoes.

While the design of Handyman is the course's greatest strength, it's also HAH's greatest weakness. Disclaimer: although many (if not all) of my complaints were a result of the designers being handcuffed in some capacity, they still negatively affect the course.

There are a couple throwaway holes in #4 and #12, but without them it would be a VERY long walk between the front and back sections of the course. As it stands, some long walks to the next tee remain, but nothing that will leave you in agony or throw you out of a rhythm.

Holes #6-9 (especially the locally infamous #8) feature a "water" hazard that stinks to high heaven, and takes away from the otherwise pleasant woods. Hole #8 requires a not-insignificant carry over the widest part of this smelly creek, and if you throw your disc in the drink you'll have a very difficult time getting it out due to the 18 inches of muck beneath the shallow water. Don't throw a disc you can't afford to lose.

Finally, despite the thoughtful design, I personally feel that the course lacks the aesthetic "wow" factor. Unlike regional favorites Pike Lake and Idlewild, there aren't any breathtaking tee shots that make me pause and admire the natural beauty. As a discer who gives nearly as much consideration to the view as the gameplay, Handyman comes up a bit lacking.

Although I gave the course a 4.0, it really feels like a 4.25. Valid but nitpicky items keep HAH from a 4.5, but there's no doubt in my mind that Handyman was created as well as it could possibly be based upon the available land and restrictions placed upon the designers.

Bottom line: this is a SW Ohio must-play, and succeeds admirably as a difficult yet highly enjoyable wooded disc golf experience.

Very challenging course in a clean, well-maintained suburban park, pleasantly free of graffiti when I visited.
• Great variety featuring densely wooded holes, varied terrain, and perhaps a couple of holes open enough to provide a break from playing lumberjack. Wonderfully designed to bring all available elements into play; uphill, downhill, over troughs/gulleys, pins on or near slopes or water to increase risk/reward possibilities. Water comes into in play a couple of different ways, as do OB, a mando, and a flat open field.
• Fairway shapes run the gamut with left/right doglegs, fairways that hook hard, straight shots, some requiring more complex lines and more than a few blind pin placements. I wouldn't recommend playing solo your first time through. Some holes pretty much force one or two obvious lines. Others offer more choices, but all of them make you choose a strategy and execute off the tee.
• Good mix of distances, but the Handyman doesn't offer up easy birdies - they gotta be earned. The Handyman works hard for a living. If you wanna earn his respect, you better work hard, too.
• Dual tees offer different looks, lines and levels of challenge in addition to changing distance considerably. The whites were very challenging, often feeling longer than posted distances given the well-wooded nature of many holes - think placement over distance on these. The blues in the woods looked brutal for all but the most skilled players, requiring both distance and finesse - somewhat reminiscent of Nevin in that respect.
• About half the holes feature pin placements which rotate from A to B periodically. I'd say the B's were tougher to reach than the A's more often than not.
• Seems designer(s) brought the pond into play as best they could on hole 5 given the constraints they had to work with (apparently not allowed to have a hole play over the pond), and the OB created by walk/bike path makes sense and creates additional challenge given that wind can play a factor on that hole. Likewise, the Mando on hole 12 makes sense as well (see cons).
• Equipment was in tiptop shape. Tee signs present at both sets of tees; blue markers show the hole in its entirety, with position of whites and both possible pin placements. Whites show both pins, but only white tees. Bright yellow Discatchers look new and are easy to spot anywhere. Concrete tees were in good shape.
• Routing/Nav was a bit confusing a few times, but nothing you shouldn't be able to handle with the color scorecard w/map (and pencils) available at the kiosk near the parking lot. Good use of Next Tee signs and the easy to spot tee markers help keep you moving along.
• Course is aestheically pleasing with hardwoods, hills, fields and creeks. Several bridges get you across the creek and add a bit of charm and ambience.

Way more right than there is wrong,but:
• I'm all for well-wooded, challenging courses, but I thought some of the wooded holes were a bit unfair at points. I like the idea of making you hit a window off the tee, but hitting a window off the tee limits the trajectories you can put a disc on. It's frustrating to hit your window off the tee, only to run into a pinball machine further down the fairway - maybe I just picked the wrong window.
• A sign at the kiosk (next to the parking lot) indicated the pins were in the "B" position. Great idea, except the pins were in position "A." Not a factor in my ratings as this may be a one- time deal, but there's no substitute for spotting the pin yourself.
• Hole 12: anything right of the tree line is OB. The mando makes sense (keeps discs out of backyards), but the OB doesn't. Keep in mind that the pin's directly in line with a long, very straight line of pines. If you run at the pin from inbounds (i.e. left of the tree line) and it goes anywhere behind the pin, it's OB, and essentially forces a layup for a lot of upshots unless your drive puts you in position to putt.
• I'd have preferred 1 or 2 more open "bomber" holes around the field, if only to privide a more complete, well rounded course.
• There's nothing like the thrill of throwing over water. The powers that be may have prevented it, but that doesn't change the fact that it's not present - it merely explains/forgives it. I'm not beating anyone up over it, or blaming the designers for something they couldn't do (kudos for using it as best they could). It doesn't make the course worse, but there's no denying the course would be better if "they suddenly changed their minds." It's just frustrating to see it there and simply walk past it onto the next hole.

More challenging than it is fun (at least IMO), HAH is a championship caliber course that's well executed for the most part, and sure to frustrate beginners - thus I'd only recommend it for intermediate players and above. Keep in mind I played in the fall, with no foliage, and had some recovery shots that wouldn't be availble in the spring and summer. That said, I was also too aggressive off the tee.

Even if it left me a bit butt-sore, HAH shows what you can do when a great piece of property receives great treatment. My biggest gripe might turn out be one of this course's greatest strengths years down the road - it should age nicely and maintain its intimidating personality over the years as time and weather inevitably claim trees.

Not a quick round - expect to walk a few fairways the first couple of times you play here.

A few long walks between holes, but it seems they opted for that rather than connecting good holes with "meh" filler holes.

While I don't like the stagnant water on holes 7-9, the designer couldn't really do anything about it and overall, I'm actually glad it was brought into play on those holes.

An excellent course overall, HAH scores very high on my list in terms of shot variety (which forms the basis of my ratings) but falls short of phenomenal because of the way you can thread the first couple of needles off the tee and still end up playing plinko further down the fairway. If I come back to see this has changed over time, so will my rating.

Some of you might know about Toby Keith's "Songs from the back of the bus". One of the tunes has to do with 'complimenting' Willie Nelson for the potency of his, ahem (something that we're not technically supposed to discuss on this site). The title is, "I'll never smoke (ahem) with Willie again". Well, when it comes to this course in Fairborn, OH (just East of Dayton), I feel like Toby: I've just not developed the tolerance for how strong this course is. Don't get me wrong, it's amazing, but, as a sub-900 rated player, I'll paraphrase..."in the fetal position, with drool on my chin, I'll never play long tees in Fairborn again!"

Handyman Ace Hardware DGC is one of the best supported in the region, has an incredible website (see links), and is intentionally being developed and refined to compare with other great Midwestern courses used for major competition, like Mt. Airy and Idlewild in Cincinnati, the Brent Hambrink Memorial in Columbus, and Seviren Lang or Charlie Vettiner in Louisville. From the long tees, and in the neighborhood of 8000 feet, this course is a true challenge to the talents of Advanced to Open disc golfers. Even from the short tees (over 6200 feet), it can be difficult for Recreational to Intermediate arms to get anywhere near course par (forget par 54, that's just going to bruise your ego).

From the kiosk (including really nice scorecards with a map) and practice basket at the spacious main parking lot, to the large, level, concrete tees (occasionally with a durable bench and trash receptacles), to each of the DISCatcher baskets, H.A.H. shows off the ongoing effort and commitment needed for a quality course. The holes have variety galore, considering there are already multiple tees and pin positions setting up entirely different lines as early as the second hole. Signage is excellent, showing each option, along with the obstacles, distances, and directions you'll need to reach the often blind baskets. You will work your way into and out of woods many different times, and even face water hazards on more holes than you expect. You'll see the pond on 5, but with or without tree hits on 6-10, you could go into one of the drainage/creeks. Even the long drives you'll face coming out of the woods on holes 3 and 4 demand very precise release points from the long tee.

The long tees will give you a number of memorable holes: 2 seems to have more wood than air as you try to fade left off the tee, and finishes hard to the right in the tricky pin position. 9 has a really challenging tee shot through a narrow gap, over a blind creek, and then a wide fairway zone to the basket that leaves a grove of trees to navigate, and the deep creek long to the right. Oh, and a ridge top basket with a smaller creek beyond. 11 is tight as heck if you take the direct route, while the short tee sets up a more generous second fairway to the left. The basket is still a couple of hundred feet beyond where these fairways converge. 18 long is a true finishing hole downhill through the woods with challenges galore if you don't have the skill to handle this one.

This course is improving as it gets into it's early maturing years, and some of the trees that made it formerly impossible, have been cleared to make it merely difficult. The trees that remain can be extraordinarily frustrating for players below advanced level skills (see below). And you do still need to watch out for the little stumps (now buried in fall leaves) as you work your way down the fairways. I only stubbed three toes my last time there.

The one thing that keeps striking me here is the occasional long walks transitioning to different parts of the course. I know however, that inserting an uncharacteristically short hole here and there might change the flavor of the place. Maybe there are some thoughts toward branching out in the future with a few letter holes (a la Idlewild?).

I know the design always has to work with what is given, but the deep water along holes 7-9 is kind of nasty, still, and a little trash-filled. If the parks department can ever do anything about making that a fresher body of water, the course would certainly benefit.

As a player making the transition from recreational to intermediate skills, this course requires me to play almost every hole for position. That is, with the exception of holes 8 and 16 short, I can only keep my score down by thinking, "what kind of tee shot is going to best set up a good approach for a three, and not get me into 4-5 (6, ugh 7?) territory?" And I believe that's what they intended to do here: to bring out a strong mental game for the majority of the competitive disc golf community. And maybe to set up a course where it would be fun to just watch the top tier players go after some real risk-reward opportunities (they have the skill set to attack this course in an entirely different way than the rest of us!).

So, a final thought: if you love a really challenging, woods course, and have really good control of all the different types of shots, plus the 'D' to shoot out through a tight gap and carry over 400', this may be the course for you. If you're just starting out, I might say wait to play this one until your skills match up to the potency of this (ahem).

18 holes
An actual section, dedicated to the sport
well maintained
Good signs
good use of the landscape and woods.
lots of benches
decent mixes of wooded to open
one real water hazard

Too much walking from basket, to next tee on some holes.
One hole played to small pond, but could have been used better...
Multiple tee's

Yes, in my opinion, multiple tee pads are a waste of effort, and materials. why? As an old school player, I like a course to have a stationary starting points. when there are two tees it causes a debate every time, when we really need the decision made for us. I like multiple pin placements to keep us on our toes, but multiple signs and tees are still an expense, when more baskets/holes could have been added...
just saying..........

Course is very well designed, with most holes having multiple tee pads and multiple pin locations. The course itself plays primarily through the woods of the park, with hole 5 offering one of the better ace runs on the course, and hole 12 offering players the chance to really air discs out.

The course overall is very technical, forcing players to spend a moment or two on the teepad evaluating the lines available to them. Hole two is a signature of this on the course, with a well defined fairway that will greatly reward players who are able to shape their shots. This theme is repeated throughout the course, as nearly all holes will reward players who take care in shaping their shots.

The only real downside to this course are the three holes which play along the so-called "scum creek", 7-9. Hole 7 plays parallel, with one position being on the opposite side of the bank, forcing players to take care in how they approach the hole when it's played to the B-pin. Hole 8 offers extreme risk/reward for players who successfully run it, however it is very easy to misjudge and lose a disc here. Hole 9 is not quite as bad, with heavy rough guarding the creek from the fairway, however it's still possible to lose a disc past it.

While HAH offers a great deal of challenge even for experienced players, newer players shouldn't be quick to discount the course. This is absolutely a championship caliber course with a great deal of challenge, and that means that it can teach a great deal to newer players, encouraging them to develop shots they might not work on otherwise. Additionally, the course will practically force you into learning how to properly shape your throws, and as you take these lessons to heart, you'll become a much, much more skilled disc golfer.

White and blue tee pads makes this course playable for a wide variety of players. This well maintained course is always beautiful. Better bring your A game here.

There is some nasty water in the the woods, that discs rarely come out of.

Great course !!! Have a good round.

Professional layout, requires strategic placement, balance of right and left, clean with great signage. I played this course for the first time and can not wait to go back. Shall i go on....opportunities to bomb, elevation, straight up strategy holes, ace runs....the finish through the woods is fantastic and fun

I cant decide whether to give cons or other thoughts...how about a few suggestions...and some of these are just preferences...even with all the signage the 1st time through sans guide will be a little frustrating. Maybe i did not understand the a b setup and had to walk ahead to find the basket and cipher and a line. Number 6 is train wreck....
Some of the smaller trees are a detriment...they are not risk reward just hope you miss them

Awesome job....y'all should be very proud of your creation....and the blue tees...well...they are for 950 plus players in my opinion....

+ A Challenging but Fair Course
+ Whether a pro from the longs or an am from the shorts you'll find the distances very respectable.
+Healthy amount of Shot Variety
+Changing Elevation
+Beautiful Woods/Park
+Clean/Well Maintained
+Excellent Signage Makes Navigation Easy
+Quality Scorecards and Pencils for Free
+ Short/Long Tees and 2 Pin Placements on All Holes but a Few

- A Couple "are we there yet" long walks
- A few trees could be trimmed or removed to improve the fairways, if I'm being nit-pickey.

A truly beautiful, fun, and challenging course. 3 holes in I was thinking it was well worth the hour+ drive, by the midway point any doubt was removed. Set in the far back of a very clean and attractive community park, HAH (much love to anyone willing to sponsor a DG course, but it is a cheesy name if I'm being honest) starts you off on right foot with a prominent message board where you can survey the map and grab your complimentary scorecard and pencil. The first tee pad is clearly visible from the parking lot, and while there are couple times where you might question if you're on the long or short pad it should be fairly obvious on all holes. The signage is amongst the best I've personally seen on a DG course, in terms of easy to read/understand and visually appealing. Never did I have any question as to the layout of the each hole or where to start walking to find the next. I was never left wanting a bench as there were plenty, or a trash can. These factors that aren't course design related, go a LONG way towards improving a players experience. So for these "small things" alone those responsible deserve a high five and a hug.
On to the course design ...
The rhythm of the course was superb, I can't even say I really minded the extra long pauses between a few of the holes. So much of this course weaves through the woods, that it was appreciated that the first handful of holes were relatively open to allow one to warm up and get their crosshairs dialed in. Really starting with hole 6 the layout starts to make most of us to think in terms of landing zones, even from short tees. And thats something that I can't say I've seen much in my homestate. Holes 7 and 11 were excellent examples of this I thought. Where 7's basket is reachable if you want to take the risk of a semi blind through across a wide creek, its certainly much smarter to throw straight down the fairway and find yourself a nice clearing to throw across the creek to the right to reach the basket. On 11 trying to reach the basket is just out of the question and you've got a tricky proposition in front of you to snake through a tight alley of trees to reach the first landing zone, or go the longer but more open left to right route to find the landing zone. Even from there you've got a legit shot to make to start thinking about putting. There are certainly other examples but these were the two that really stuck out to me.
Find yourself complaining about courses favoring one type of player? Not here as you'll need to be able to go left, right, and straight. One aspect of this course I really loved is the options you'd have from the tee. Few holes were ever "wide" open for the players choice of shot, but most had at least 2 legit lines to take if not more.
In summation this is a course absolutely worth your gas money... really thats probably


**I would sincerely like to hear from the person who thought my review was not helpful. How could I improve this to the point you would have found it helpful.**