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Johnson Hills Park reviews
26
0
Your Ultimate Lesson in Perseverance 2+ years
Reviewed:
Played on:Dec 14, 2020
Played the course:5+ times
Pros:
After the installation of the first nine holes, I first drafted my review of Johnson Hills on 5/19/17, but the course designer (Pete Caldwell) asked me to hold off, and requested DGCR to wait on reviews overall, because this was still a work in progress. Pete had been working with the park district for 14 YEARS, trying to overcome one park patron who objected to using the land for disc golf. The park had finally bought in, big time, purchasing 19 brand new Mach X baskets, and, using the fairways the Caldwell family had cleared through the hilly woods, installing some of the area's best artificial turf tee pads, excellent and easily visible signage, and infrastructure (such as culverts and rock-gravel 'bridges' across the deeper ravines). Then the park put the back nine on hold. Then Covid delayed everything even more. But there are now 18 glorious holes of disc golf in play!
Flowing through wooded, rolling hills in a dedicated section of this scenic park, the casual to advanced disc golfer will find plenty of fun and challenge crafting controlled drives, upshots and putts, on holes that range from left to right, right to left, uphill through gaps, across ravines (through gaps) and running for aces, sometimes downhill lines (through... you guessed it: tight gaps). That's not to say that there are no opportunities for bigger arms to show off (on holes 1 & 7, for instance, where they'll have a deuce chance that 300 foot throwers won't). One of the recurring design features is the risk/reward offered when a fairway pinches through a nearly "required" gap, forcing the thrower to decide between control for the par, or try for distance for the birdie or possible double bogie (holes 7, 10, 11, and 18 come to mind).
The course is really sharp and mostly accessible for the amount of elevation change it holds. With the newly opened back nine, it definitely rivals our area's Lincoln Ridge in many ways: elevation, wooded scenery, and really rewarding and fun par three (well, mostly) challenge. If folks come out to try Johnson Hills like they have this week, it may also get into the top dozen "Favorited" courses on DGCR. That also means that (in addition to dozens of other nearby places to play) the Cincinnati area absolutely has doubled from the "Big Three" of yesteryear (Idlewild, Mt. Airy & Lincoln Ridge) to at least a Big Six (add Osage Grove, Stonelick, and now Johnson Hills).
Flowing through wooded, rolling hills in a dedicated section of this scenic park, the casual to advanced disc golfer will find plenty of fun and challenge crafting controlled drives, upshots and putts, on holes that range from left to right, right to left, uphill through gaps, across ravines (through gaps) and running for aces, sometimes downhill lines (through... you guessed it: tight gaps). That's not to say that there are no opportunities for bigger arms to show off (on holes 1 & 7, for instance, where they'll have a deuce chance that 300 foot throwers won't). One of the recurring design features is the risk/reward offered when a fairway pinches through a nearly "required" gap, forcing the thrower to decide between control for the par, or try for distance for the birdie or possible double bogie (holes 7, 10, 11, and 18 come to mind).
The course is really sharp and mostly accessible for the amount of elevation change it holds. With the newly opened back nine, it definitely rivals our area's Lincoln Ridge in many ways: elevation, wooded scenery, and really rewarding and fun par three (well, mostly) challenge. If folks come out to try Johnson Hills like they have this week, it may also get into the top dozen "Favorited" courses on DGCR. That also means that (in addition to dozens of other nearby places to play) the Cincinnati area absolutely has doubled from the "Big Three" of yesteryear (Idlewild, Mt. Airy & Lincoln Ridge) to at least a Big Six (add Osage Grove, Stonelick, and now Johnson Hills).
Cons:
Some of the neighbors may still feel like this is their private space, and the park has been used for years as a place for dog owners to romp about, so we need to be mindful that they might feel a little territorial about the space, and do our best to politely coexist. There is currently a decent sized port-o-let, and the planned bathrooms may take a while. The relatively small parking area (30 spaces?) was not nearly enough as soon as the back nine opened, so the park is using the field across from the practice basket for overflow dg parking.
Pete did an amazing job of finding the best holes possible in these woods and ridges (after all, there was time to tweak things!), but I know he also had some 'editing' and shifting restrictions placed upon him by the park as things evolved, so I don't blame the chef when I point out that there are several awkward transitions between holes in the end. The walk to hole 9 meanders around its curve for most of its length. You double back down the paved path to 10, and double back the entire length of 11 to get to the 12th tee. To get to hole 15 (long tee), you have to go up to the 'meadow' above and walk several hundred feet, and (for tournament play) hole 18 finishes about a thousand feet and a huge hill away from hole 1. Pro tip: If you brought a cart, leave it on the path after you tee on 11, and pick it back up as you return to 12.
It should be mentioned that it's not a long arm course (which is not a problem for me), so folks don't come thinking it's gonna be a new Idlewild. So far, there is only one set of completed tees (long options are in place on 2, 5, & 8) and basket positions, but alternates are being cleared. It is currently a mix of the intended full layout. You need to watch your step if it's wet (especially on 3 through 6, and much of the back nine). Other than that, there's not a lot to criticize here.
Pete did an amazing job of finding the best holes possible in these woods and ridges (after all, there was time to tweak things!), but I know he also had some 'editing' and shifting restrictions placed upon him by the park as things evolved, so I don't blame the chef when I point out that there are several awkward transitions between holes in the end. The walk to hole 9 meanders around its curve for most of its length. You double back down the paved path to 10, and double back the entire length of 11 to get to the 12th tee. To get to hole 15 (long tee), you have to go up to the 'meadow' above and walk several hundred feet, and (for tournament play) hole 18 finishes about a thousand feet and a huge hill away from hole 1. Pro tip: If you brought a cart, leave it on the path after you tee on 11, and pick it back up as you return to 12.
It should be mentioned that it's not a long arm course (which is not a problem for me), so folks don't come thinking it's gonna be a new Idlewild. So far, there is only one set of completed tees (long options are in place on 2, 5, & 8) and basket positions, but alternates are being cleared. It is currently a mix of the intended full layout. You need to watch your step if it's wet (especially on 3 through 6, and much of the back nine). Other than that, there's not a lot to criticize here.
Other Thoughts:
Hole by hole: The course opens out with a nice 375 footer to get you loosened up, with the basket position placed just a few steps shy of the unforgiving rough beyond. Hole two plays over a slight rise and left-to-right past the cedar trees back by the practice basket, with the long tee intended to launch out of a tunnel. The true par 4 third hole is was the toughest one out there amongst the original nine, playing down through woods, across a gully/ravine, and back up a gap out into the sunshine by the main access road.
Hole 4 is a blind putter-mid shot that threads through a tree-lined fairway, just barely bending to the right. Listen for the chains or send a spotter up a few feet, depending on your confidence. The fifth hole was initially a putter ace run downhill, but now has an even longer tee forcing a laser beam straight line to 'run it'. Down the path to hole 6, you'll find a really pretty ravine-crosser with the short pin being just reachable if you can air bounce under the mid-way branches, and a long position planned in the gap over the next rill beyond.
The seventh is a combination of power and control to shoot up through a reasonable gap to the pin position across the 'meadow' atop the slope. You will want to sacrifice distance (if you have to), to insure you make the gap! There will be some score separation on this one. The eighth is a surprisingly challenging lane shot that has a lot of potential for right handers and tree kickers to wind up downslope left, and has a basket position with rollaway potential. Likewise, the green on nine forces you to get in close for your putt, but the left-to-right bending lane is surprisingly tricky, and there's a leaning Osage tree guarding the final approach. A really fun front nine finishing challenge.
Hole 10 has a short pin at the mouth of a guarded lane, with the 'long' being reachable only if your 300 plus foot drive is Perfect. 11 is a beauty, teeing from an elevation, over the paved path below, across the ravine to a gap opening out to either of two terraced meadow fade positions. The 12th is shorter, uphill, with the long pin finishing left, and the short finishing right, but before a park 'barn'. Then you get to the glorious views on the north side of the hilltop, where hole 13 is very reachable for most players, as its downslope, but the trees will force a very controlled line. Hole 14 will remind you of 12, but has a split fairway feel for the second half of this uphiller.
Hole 15, from the long tee has a mando resulting in a dogleg right, and makes it a true par 4 or even 5, depending on the basket position on the ridge below. Your approach can be tricky if you float one... all the way to the ravine beyond! 16 and 17 are tight ridge and valley crossers, with the long pin on 17 adding an additional 250 dogleg left! Finally, hole 18 is a quintessential Johnson Hills challenge: do you place a putter or mid into the mouth of the tunnel across the opening, or go for more? Once you're in the lane, which of the fairway dividing guardian trees do you need to navigate to the green? A very well designed hole.
Reviewer Background as of this writing: played 332 courses and written 315 reviews, with skills hovering around a 900 rating, with folks ranging from age 7 to 87, so I try to write reviews helpful to all.
Hole 4 is a blind putter-mid shot that threads through a tree-lined fairway, just barely bending to the right. Listen for the chains or send a spotter up a few feet, depending on your confidence. The fifth hole was initially a putter ace run downhill, but now has an even longer tee forcing a laser beam straight line to 'run it'. Down the path to hole 6, you'll find a really pretty ravine-crosser with the short pin being just reachable if you can air bounce under the mid-way branches, and a long position planned in the gap over the next rill beyond.
The seventh is a combination of power and control to shoot up through a reasonable gap to the pin position across the 'meadow' atop the slope. You will want to sacrifice distance (if you have to), to insure you make the gap! There will be some score separation on this one. The eighth is a surprisingly challenging lane shot that has a lot of potential for right handers and tree kickers to wind up downslope left, and has a basket position with rollaway potential. Likewise, the green on nine forces you to get in close for your putt, but the left-to-right bending lane is surprisingly tricky, and there's a leaning Osage tree guarding the final approach. A really fun front nine finishing challenge.
Hole 10 has a short pin at the mouth of a guarded lane, with the 'long' being reachable only if your 300 plus foot drive is Perfect. 11 is a beauty, teeing from an elevation, over the paved path below, across the ravine to a gap opening out to either of two terraced meadow fade positions. The 12th is shorter, uphill, with the long pin finishing left, and the short finishing right, but before a park 'barn'. Then you get to the glorious views on the north side of the hilltop, where hole 13 is very reachable for most players, as its downslope, but the trees will force a very controlled line. Hole 14 will remind you of 12, but has a split fairway feel for the second half of this uphiller.
Hole 15, from the long tee has a mando resulting in a dogleg right, and makes it a true par 4 or even 5, depending on the basket position on the ridge below. Your approach can be tricky if you float one... all the way to the ravine beyond! 16 and 17 are tight ridge and valley crossers, with the long pin on 17 adding an additional 250 dogleg left! Finally, hole 18 is a quintessential Johnson Hills challenge: do you place a putter or mid into the mouth of the tunnel across the opening, or go for more? Once you're in the lane, which of the fairway dividing guardian trees do you need to navigate to the green? A very well designed hole.
Reviewer Background as of this writing: played 332 courses and written 315 reviews, with skills hovering around a 900 rating, with folks ranging from age 7 to 87, so I try to write reviews helpful to all.
