Churchville, MD

Mill Brook DGC

4.125(based on 17 reviews)
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7 0
Switters213
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 22.4 years 77 played 21 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Packs a lot of variety into just 18 holes drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 28, 2023 Played the course:once

Pros:

- This course has a nice mix of roughly 80% wooded forest play, and 20% wide open field shots.
- This course really maximizes the amount of diversity that you can pack into 18 holes. With 2 tee pads and 2 permanent baskets per hole, this is theoretically four courses in one. You could play this course every weekend for a month and never throw the same course twice.
- The tee pads are an interesting rubber pad/gravel hybrid. Plenty of grip, plenty of runup space. I'm not sure how they perform when wet, but on the beautiful dry sunny day that I played, the tee pads were excellent. The rubber mat is grippy enough for good traction, but not so grippy you can't pivot for your drive.
- In spite of being mostly deep in the woods, this course sees enough foot traffic to keep the rough beat down to an acceptable minimum. Apart from the numerous water hazards, you're not at much risk of losing a disc here, even in the heart of summer when the undergrowth is thickest.
- Plenty of benches. Not quite one per hole, but enough that you've got a place to sit down and rest or a place to keep your bag up out of the mud.
- This course has a really well thought out use of elevation. There are a lot of hills and valleys on the course, yet you're never forced to tee off a drive into a ridiculous uphill slope. Most of the "elevation" shots throw downhill, which is nice.

Cons:

- The Chainstar baskets are difficult to spot from the tee pad. Much time is wasted trying to figure out where the basket is because even though they feature numbered flags, the basket and flag often seems to disappear into the background of the woods. I understand that red and blue are the traditional colors, but bright orange and yellow would be a nice change. The challenge should be throwing the course, not hunting for the basket.
- No trash cans. Not that this is a big deal. Honestly courses are probably cleaner when you're obligated to pack it in and pack it out.
- I'm not a cart guy, but I can see where this course would be rather unfriendly to anything with small wheels.
- It was pretty dry on the day I played, but in the wetter parts of the year this course is going to have lots and lots of open water on it. Bring your retrieval hook and your wading shoes.

Other Thoughts:

I was just passing through on a weekend visit to Maryland and stopped in to throw an early morning round. Having no idea what to expect for disc golf in this part of the country, I was very impressed with this course. Whoever designed this course not only put some real money into it that many courses just don't get, they've also put some real thought into using the landscape to create a variety of shots to keep every player happy. I'm sure that when it rains, this course is a nasty, water-logged, muddy, beast, but on a dry sunny day it was very nicely done. A lot of courses placed in municipal parks feel like they're designed by people who understand that disc golf is popular, but aren't players themselves. This course really feels like it was designed by a disc golf player, for disc golf players.
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1 3
JarnSarge
Experience: 15.4 years 3 played 2 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Best Course In Maryland 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 13, 2021 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Parking lot, two practice baskets, two tee pads, two baskets
walking trails, course is very clean, great flow, easy to navigate, huge open fields to practice throws

Cons:

Hole 18 could be a little more challenging with just a shot back across the field to the parking lot

Other Thoughts:

best course in MD
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14 0
HyooMac
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 7.3 years 447 played 414 reviews
3.50 star(s)

The sound of plastic hitting wood 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 6, 2021 Played the course:once

Pros:

+ Beautiful wooded location, with elevation changes and a stream that comes into play on eight holes. Tees are rubber and they're on graded boxes, so they're flat and fine for play as long as it isn't wet.


+ Don't let the wide open first hole fool you: with the exception of hole #10, you're deep in the woods until the final hole. This clever design gives you a welcome relief midway and at the end of your round


+ The local club has built wooden bridges to help you across the creek in about a dozen locations


+ Lots and lots of navigation signs - sometimes on the holes indicating doglegs, and always helping guide you to the next hole. These are big metal signs with white arrows on blue backgrounds


+ Basket placements are the strongest part of the course design, ranging from short basket #2 atop a rockpile, to the long #9 basket on top of a ridge behind a stone wall, and lots of nicely tucked away baskets calling for shaped approaches. Two sets of basket locations, adding variety for multiple plays


Cons:

- The old style Mach V's are so hard to spot in the woods. The difficulty is increased because the same models are used for both the shorts and longs. The local club went to the trouble of placing small color-coded flags with numbers on the tops of the baskets, but in this era of brightly-painted bands, these baskets aren't a good choice for being visible in the woods


- The tee signs are also old style DGA's - the white fibreglass kind with the stick-on numbers, tree decals and throwing lines. I know these are less expensive than custom signage - and they work pretty well on open courses where you can see the basket, or where there's no elevation change. But on a heavily wooded course like this, they don't do a very good job of illustrating the hole


- Yes, there are two sets of tees and two sets of baskets. But the two tees were frequently very similar shots, because the tee boxes are located so close to one another. Your choice of baskets makes a much bigger difference to how the course plays


Other Thoughts:

~ I was surprised to see that Mill Brook was built as recently as 2018, because it feels like it's from an earlier era of courses. At times it felt more like throwing discs while hiking in the woods, rather than playing a wooded disc golf course


~ I'm trying to figure out why I didn't enjoy my round at Mill Brook more than I did. It's a good course in a very pretty setting; it gets a lot of love from local volunteers, though it could be made better with upgrades to the baskets and signs. I was often frustrated by having to search for the basket which wasn't visible from the tee, and I felt like some of the fairways were poorly defined. But most of these "flaws" come with my being a first-timer playing this course. After a few plays, I'd know where the baskets are, know what the designed throwing lines are, and enjoy the differences presented by the two sets of baskets. I rated it a 3.5, and certainly understand why others might give it another half-point


~ In the meantime, if you're going to visit Mill Brook, try to latch on to a local. Failing that, I think the most enjoyable first time around is to play the Short baskets: they're a little bit easier to find, and you'll see the Long basket locations as you head to the next hole


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2 0
Craig Fisher
Experience: 17.4 years 51 played 12 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Great wooded course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 2, 2020 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Great course in the woods. The first and last holes are open, but that's about it. Has some very interesting holes with a variety of obstacles. The park and course is very well maintained.

Cons:

Not a course for beginners, but seasoned vets should really like this course.

Other Thoughts:

Beautiful course in general. For a disc golf course, it kind of turns into a nature hike. I went during the summer and thought that was a great time to visit.
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13 0
gtg888h
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 18.4 years 40 played 27 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Quality newer NE Maryland course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 13, 2020 Played the course:once

Pros:

+Beautiful place. Rolling hills, meandering stream, lots of rocks, tight (but fair) wooded lines, picturesque stone walls, good bridges over the water, not very muddy...really a great experience. We had three young ones with us, and they entertained themselves for 2.5 solid hours while we played. Overall feel is similar to Clark's Run in VA or a mini Iron Hill.

+Get off the fairways and you'll be in trouble, but finding discs is not an issue. We had two low-intermediates and two beginners playing, and never looked longer than 10 seconds for a disc. Course is very well maintained.

+Holes were well-crafted and made superb use of the terrain. Not a junky hole in the whole 18. A few that were pretty memorable (#2, #8, #11, and #15 pop to mind).

+Two tees and two baskets per hole at all times. Course has excellent replayability value. Raised rubber tee pads are in great condition (note con below about rubber) and baskets are too.

+Different layouts provide widely differing challenges. Short-short is good for anyone; long-long (even short-long) will challenge even the best players.

+Has three open holes (1, 10, 18) that let you rip a disc without worrying too much about trees. These are well placed to give a good warm-up, break, and finish after wooded golf.

+Nice practice area with two baskets, picnic table, and lots of small trees to provide tricky putt practice.

+Set in a disc golf-only part of the park - as far as I could tell, there were no hiking trails through here, so no issue with hordes of pedestrians (this course is pretty remote anyway, though).

Cons:

-I'm always wary of rubber tee pads as they are death traps in wet conditions (and they might not dry quickly with 15/18 holes firmly in the woods). They were in fine condition on a beautiful September day, however.

Other Thoughts:

Located on the same grounds as the Churchville Rec Center. It was closed due to COVID, but I'm guessing there are bathrooms and water in there. It is a long walk from the disc golf parking lot (which, in turn, is about a 400 yard walk uphill from hole #10 tees), so do plan ahead.

As of Sept 2020, UDisc is off on the pars. Go with what you see on DGCR's hole info page.

If you have little ones in tow, recommend the superb Annie's Playground before/after the round. About 20 min away, close to I-95.

I definitely plan on coming back here from DC suburbs (1 hr 15 min from College Park) a few times a year. Worth the drive.
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17 0
DumfriesLizzie
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 6.1 years 119 played 102 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Quality course in the Mid-Atlantic 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Dec 26, 2020 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

This is a very beautiful place. The course starts with a large, sloped meadow and then enters dense woods. There is the lovely brook that has several branches and comes into play on several holes. Outcroppings are all over the place, not just at the iconic short basket of no. 2.

I like that the course starts and ends with the wide-open field. One needs to throw at least a few bombs. No. 10 also allows a bomb drive, but then you better get tidy on that approach - if you don't want your disc in the creek at the bottom of the ravine.

The woods are a challenge but not oppressive. There is enough width in the fairways for the good player to hit his or her line with success. For the rest of us, the rough is not terrible. So you can find your disc and play on. The creek (presently) has no deep water, so you walk in (most places) and get your disc. Or toss in your disc retriever and fish it out.

It's a fair course, and I think all of the holes have real design. No junk holes just thrown in to make 18. Some are better designed than others (no question) or offer more challenge, but I think they all are thoughtful designs.

The old-school tee signs have perfect information. The far tee and short tee signs both have full information about the entire hole. The white-on-blue arrow "blaze" signs are a Godsend to get you to the next tee without twirling around lost. It's significant woods, so without such, you could easily be aimlessly looking for your next tee.

I rather like the raised tee pads. I think they are concrete framed by wood and layered with a rubber cover. Said cover is just the right thickness to provide some padding without creating any hindrance. Not sure if there is any slickness after rain; I was present on a hot, dry day. The raised pads also have a gravel pit at the back. Most are level, offering surer footing.

Cons:

I only noticed one bench. A stack of cut logs at no. 2. We do need to sit down sometimes. I did use some of the tees as a bench. Sat on the front edge if high enough.

Someone earlier noted you generally cannot see the basket from the tee. That is true, but the tee signs give sufficient information so that walking up beyond the tee or your lie is largely not needed.

I was not too thrilled with having come down a distinct slope on 15 to have to go back up that hill for no. 16. Not the end of the world but a bit frustrating. I parred 15, I threw in a miracle anhyzer putt on 16, and then tossed a pretty drive on no. 17. So I got over my frustration pretty quickly.

Other Thoughts:

This is a quality course, and I see why it's been a favorite of tournaments in the past - and hopefully again with the post-COVID future.

There is not much elevation change from holes 2-8. Then the terrain starts to roll into and out of a ravine with some steep places to navigate: approach of no. 9, tee and approach of no. 11, tee of 15, the aforementioned trek between the basket of 15 and the tee of 16, back down the hill to 17. Of course, you have the big meadow descent with no. 1 and rise with 18.

The outcropping (as noted) is prevalent and will hurt your feet. So wear real shoes, preferably hiking boots. No sandals. Also consider bringing a walking stick for the undulating parts of the course.

I saw white blazes on trees, so I imagine there are hikers that come through the course. None encountered on my day there, but fyi.

There are several death putts (short basket): nos. 6, 8, 9, 10, and 11 - disc can roll off the cliff or back down the hill or into the creek.

To warm up or wind down, you can use one of 2 practice baskets near the mound at the top of the meadow and/or play the tiny 6-hole junior course on the south side of the Churchville Recreational Complex property.
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2 2
FunkyDung
Experience: 23 played 12 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Definitely going back! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 21, 2020 Played the course:once

Pros:

Great nature walk while flinging discs. Fairways are clear and wide, roughs are not so rough so you won't lose a disc on this course. Great signage on both tee boxes and arrows pointing the way to the next tee (but nothing pointing you in the right direction from the parking lot to the first tee - it's kinda behind and to the right of that huge mound). One and 18 are wide open field shots which is fine with me. Gives you a chance to loosen up with a bomb on one, then take out your frustrations on 18 with another one.

Cons:

No bathrooms anywhere near the course, but you're in the woods, so... You can't see almost all baskets from the tee, but the signage is clear so it's not a huge deal. Short baskets are just metal with a tiny flag on top and difficult to see even if your sightline is clear.

Other Thoughts:

This is definitely my favorite course of the five or six I've played. I'll definitely be back.
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3 0
templink
Experience: 21.3 years 127 played 27 reviews
4.00 star(s)

great fun woods course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 15, 2019 Played the course:once

Pros:

Dual tee pads *and* dual baskets make this a very flexible and adaptable course. Pretty woods and streams.The practice area is nice with 2 baskets.Great signage for both individual holes and navigation to next hole.Shots required are typical, nothing too crazy or too long. Very good for the average player.

Cons:

No bathrooms! Unless you walk all the way to the rec center.Holes 1 and 18 could be improved with trees, ropes, hay bales, anything to reel in the wide open space.

Other Thoughts:

I thoroughly enjoyed playing this course. About 10 mins off of I-95. Free public course that is dg exclusive. Most holes are between 250-325 feet.
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6 0
FunkyBobbyJ
Experience: 3 played 3 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Hidden Gem of Maryland 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 4, 2019 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

This course is the hidden gem of Maryland. It may be the best but certainly one of the best courses in the state. Multiple tee pads, multiple pins - very well thought out. The signage is good, there is elevation change, creek water hazards - this course is really fun and challenging. The fairways are fair and wide enough. I really love this course.

Cons:

Does not seem to drain very well. It gets really boggy really fast. I would not suggest playing during or after a heavy rain.

Other Thoughts:

I stil think Patapsco is the best course in MD, but Mill Brook is pushing Turkey Hill for the number 2 spot (IMO). This course will challenge you - it is well laid out. You will not be disappointed if you make the trip.
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3 2
VTerp
Experience: 13.4 years 35 played 2 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Wooded, fair and lots of different throws 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 2, 2019 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Two pads and two pins per hole allows for excellent variation across all holesDisc golf specific area in a nice park, ample parkingNice pads, signage and infrastructure (bridges) throughoutCool use of rock outcroppings on number 2 and eightTight on some lines but fair and usually with choices

Cons:

Can get muddy on some holes
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12 0
Ryal
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 7.4 years 240 played 202 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Mill Brook is a must-book! 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 29, 2018 Played the course:once

Pros:

+ Two tee pads and two baskets for every single hole with the same colors indicating the same difficulties each time!
+ The signage is great. Both tee pads for all holes have their own 'current tee' signs featuring the distances and pars for both baskets and basic but intuitive diagrams of the landscape ahead. 'Next tee' signs are plentiful and plainly visible.
+ For the longer walks in between holes, there are follow-up signs to reassure players that they are still headed in the right direction.
+ A lovely practice pin area with benches, young trees, and a tall hill.
+ All tee pads are flat and sturdy raised platforms of rubber atop gravel and wooden frameworks.
+ The occasional hill or valley add a dynamic touch the course.
+ Trees everywhere encourage players to focus on accuracy instead of power.
+ The course plays mostly within a quiet and undisturbed forest setting.
+ More than a few water hazards add a nice basting of risk to the course.

Cons:

- Just three wide-open holes to let loose at full power.
- Some of the fairways feel a bit too narrow. Holes 8 and 13 jump to my mind as key examples.
- I don't remember seeing a lost disc box when I played in August 2018. (I could be wrong about this. I didn't look everywhere.)
- Some of the holes feel repetitive in how a few are similarly flat and similarly wooded.
- Very few benches and almost no trash cans outside of the parking lot. Please do not litter!

Other Thoughts:

My favorite hole here might be 15 because of how it snakes through the trees with a downhill left before finishing flat to the right. I find it fun to play holes that change direction partway through. My least favorite hole here could be 13. To my mind it felt the least engaging.

As for the course as a whole, Mill Brook is an excellent example of what wooded disc golf can be. The course is very approachable to players of any experience level with its two sets of tees and pins. Absolute beginners can feel that they are getting good training at tree-dodging just as easily as more seasoned dolfers can feel that they are tackling a challenging course.
For fifteen of the eighteen holes, players are surrounded on all sides by trees. This means that Mill Brook focuses on tactics and accuracy more than it does power and distance. Successful play will be accomplished by breaking the holes into smaller chunks and dealing with the obstacle at hand. Beginners will appreciate how straightforward the holes are at the shorter distances, and experienced players will enjoy the course's demand for accurate play from the longer distances.
This also means, however, that some holes will inevitably feel copy-pasted. For some of the holes a player might see the landscape ahead and think that they've already played a hole very similar to it. Woods are woods when in the woods.

I do want to say that the course does toy with one's expectations somewhat from the start if they've never been there before. From the practice area and the first hole in that wide open field, a player can see quite a few other baskets dotting the hillside, which fooled me into thinking that this course takes place out in the open. Not so! Once I was directed to hole 2, the feel of the course changed dramatically for me because I wasn't anticipating it.
As soon as one leaves the open field and embarks into the forest, a player feels as though they have been transported into some other realm where the only thing that matters is disc golf. Nothing else can be seen except for trees, gentle slopes, streams, tees, and baskets. It was quite a gratifying experience to play the course with very few man-made objects in sight.

Speaking of man-made objects, there are foot bridges to help players cross the many streams found throughout the course. These water hazards do a great job at forcing the player to focus yet aren't so deep that you cannot get your disc back. I love courses with character, and Mill Brook is a great example of one.

So, in closing, make it a point to play at Mill Brook if you find yourself in the area. Leave the big gliders in the car because the only open holes are at the beginning, middle, and end. (Literally, they are holes 1, 10, and 18.) Yes, it is disc golf deep in the woods with some lines that I feel might be overly constricted, and it has a largely flat landscape. That combination may bore and/or frustrate a few players.
Still, if you wish to experience a peaceful course with a fair assortment of obstacles and different throws, Mill Brook will be a good fit for you.
P.S. Be sure to pick up a long stick along the way to scout ahead for spider webs!
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5 0
schnauzerguy
Experience: 8.3 years 47 played 2 reviews
4.00 star(s)

A nice walk in the woods 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 22, 2018 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

-Well maintained
-Nice tee signs
-Two tees and two baskets on each hole
-Good sized tee boxes
-Nicely built bridges (see other thoughts)
-Lots of nice wooded shots

Cons:

-Can be marshy/muddy after a lot of rain, but not detrimental to play
-No benches or facilities throughout the course (see other thoughts)
-Lots of nice wooded shots :)

Other Thoughts:

This new course in Maryland has a lot of potential and is already a favorite. My group played Short to Long and Long to Short. Some of the lines on those layouts could use a little work, but for the most part are fair. The course has some awesome bridges to cover the creek at quite a few points, however, they haven't been anchored down and the recent rains had floated about half of them down-creek and not in usable places. This should be corrected as the course maintainers continue to improve the course. Since this is an out-and-back course, there are no bathrooms, water stops, etc. Plan accordingly. Recommendations for future improvements would include some benches near some of the more rigorous hills.
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5 0
listentomorejazz
Experience: 14.4 years 55 played 11 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Very Enjoyable Woods Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 14, 2018 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

- The course area is Disc Golf Only. Ample parking and even good warm-up/practice fields nearby
- Two sets of rubber tees that are of a good size and quality
- Two sets of new chainstars on each hole
- Very distinct lay-outs and challenges between the short to short vs long to long and all in between. Short to Short is a total birdie fest, where long to long is a very challenging course
- Next tee signage is excellent, makes navigating a wooded course simple.
- Good elevation gains and losses, sometimes sneakily so
- Signage for both the short and long tee pads
- Absolutely beautiful piece of woodlands. You couldn't ask for much better terrain to design a course. Large hardwoods, limited under growth, cool rock formations and most importantly, a significant stream system that runs through the property. When that gets roped off for tournament play it's going to be deadly!
- A lot of love has gone into this course. The tee pads, bridges and clearing have all been very well done and make for a more enjoyable round

Cons:

- The 1st, 10th and 18th holes are nearly wide open, the rest are entirely wooded. 18 is not an ideal finishing hole, but a few tree bunkers could go a long way
- Lack of par 5's and oddly distanced 3s and 4s ('tweeners). Wish it could have been a par 60-65.
- I find too many of the shots on long to long... awkward. I have no problem with difficult holes, but too many lines seemed unreasonable or not tailored to the natural flight of a disc. 3 and 15 are the best examples. Not sure why there's a uncomfortable 100' hyzer followed by 300' shot.
- I also find the course is overly reliant on S shaped shots off the tee. These are not necessarily cons for everyone and didn't heavily affect the rating for me, but worth giving the feedback
- The dampness of these woods makes the rubber tee pads a little suspect. It's been a very wet summer, but you can tell from the flora that it seldom dries out under the canopy down there. They stay fairly slick in the humidity after rainfall
- At this point there are no benches. I haven't docked the course because of how new it is and I fully expect they will be installed based on the stunning amount of work already done, but if they don't get installed it's a major con. This course is a hike and there is no point in which its convenient to run back to the parking lot
- Minor gripe; there's no bathrooms near the parking lot. I'd assume you can use the Recreation Center if really needed, but some may be dismayed by the lack of facilities
- Baskets can seem invisible in the dark of the woods, especially the first few times through

Other Thoughts:

I hope beyond hope and pray to God that the course managers DO NOT LEAFBLOW THE FAIRWAYS!!!
This is a gorgeous and delicate native ecosystem that suddenly has a lot of boots going through very wet ground. If the leaves aren't able to fall and create mulch every winter, compaction, erosion and tree fatality could ruin this course very quickly.
It was noted in a previous review that the bridges were knocked ajar by some recent rains. Its a shame because they put a lot of work into them, but it will only take a few hands to get things reset. Plus, it doesn't affect the playability of the course.
The course is still getting shaped- there's a lot of low ceilings and branches in fairways that may be clipped on an established course but were wisely left here to allow the course to beat in on it's own. Still, some holes feel unnecessarily choked up.
Very, very fun course to play. Doesn't necessarily take every shot in the bag, but there's enough holes that you replay in your mind that evening to keep warranting trips back.
Fairly convenient off I-95, maybe twelve minutes.
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2 2
Fuzzpuddle
Experience: 10 played 3 reviews
3.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 3, 2018 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Set in a nice public park, but well out of the way of other use areas. Feels like an exclusive course. Nice practice area with a basket and an open field. Lots of trees and picnic tables for pre-tournament assembly.

Beautiful scenery playing through the woods with lots of old hardwoods and plenty of shallow streams along the way.

Multiple tees and baskets on every hole offer limitless layout possibilities. For all skill levels.

Course is clearly marked, and trails between holes are obvious and clear.

Cons:

A few of the bridges have been dislodged and moved downstream by high water.

Some benches at tee pads would be a nice addition.

Biggest con is hole 18. A big open shot uphill that does nothing more than return you to the starting area. Some well placed trees could make it more interesting in the future.

Other Thoughts:

For a new course, it feels like it has been here for years. Very well thought out course, with excellent use of terrain and vegetation.
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9 0
Caelstrom
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 13.6 years 33 played 13 reviews
4.50 star(s)

One of the Best Public Parks Courses In the Area 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 9, 2018 Played the course:once

Pros:

Summary: Mill Brook is an excellent public parks course that will challenge every level of player. In addition to providing an enjoyable and thought-provoking round of disc golf, the section of woods this course takes you through is really serene with beautiful woods and several stream crossings. This course is well worth the visit on its own, and given its proximity to Scarboro Hills (another great course) it can make a worthwhile day trip for those travelling a long distance.

Pros:

- Tee pads are large, well-constructed rubber mats over gravel framed in by railroad ties.

- Baskets are Discraft Chainstars, each clearly marked with either a yellow or red flag to differentiate which basket you are shooting at as well as provide a wind reading.

- Tee signs are basic but provide a decent image for each hole as well as distance measures and recommended fairway options.

- Every hole has two tee and two pin options - it's almost like having four courses in one.

- All of the wooded holes (Holes 2-17) are well designed and require a thoughtful approach to disc golfing. You will definitely have to think about your disc selection and your throws. No repetitive throw-one-straight-down-the-fairway style holes here.

- Signage across this course was excellent, clearly guiding you to each hole. I can't imagine anyone getting lost navigating this course.

- Course includes a nice warm-up area with a practice basket and lots of picnic tables among newly planted trees that will one day provide good shade to the area.

- The course designers/installers clearly thought long and hard about this course. The layout is fun and challenging, the wooded fairways were intentionally laid out - no random tree clearing, and elevation changes were used well. Simple but nice wooden bridges provide for easy navigation across numerous stream crossings.

- With the pars set up the way they are, I could see even professionals being challenged by this course. It could definitely host some upper-level tournaments and I don't think players would be disappointed.

Cons:

I had to really reach for these, because the course is really a great course. The things the separate this course from the absolute best courses out there are:

- Despite the large size of this park and the numerous fields, there were no bathrooms (permanent or portable) anywhere near this course. I'm sure the park has them somewhere, but at least a port-a-pot near the parking lot would be very helpful.

- Holes 1 and 18 were just long open drives with very little intrigue to them. Perhaps a tree or two could be used to put some thought into the holes, or maybe some OB/mandos/islands?

- There were essentially only two varieties of holes: wooded, and completely open. Hole 10 was the only thing close to a transition hole. I found myself reaching for many of the same discs fairly frequently because of this.

- There were no benches or trash cans along the course once you entered the woods.

Other Thoughts:

While I am hardly a well-traveled disc-golfer I would say that Mill Brook is definitely one of the best overall courses I've played in the Northern Maryland/York County PA/Lancaster PA area. I think the only course I would rate higher than this right now is Muddy Run.
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swatso
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 16.3 years 776 played 417 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Bulk of the Bell Curve 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 28, 2018 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

2xteepads + 2xbaskets, creating layouts averaging approximately 240/290/320/375' per hole.

Area dedicated to disc golf / away from other park users. Near start, there is an open field for drives, basket for putting, information kiosk, picnic tables near newly-planted trees.

Teepads are rubber, atop gravel, surrounded by a wooden frame, level. Baskets have red or yellow flags on top.

Teesigns are sufficient. Signs on various trees and arrows on bottom of baskets, along with detailed map, make navigation mostly simple.

Fairways have been well tramped down, as well as the paths between holes, lined with limbs - for a new course, it is already well broken-in.

Cons:

Not much, very minor ...
- crabgrass is attempting to take over teepads 1 and 18
- teesigns a bit basic, but sufficient
- minor flow considerations for first time/infrequent visitors
-- a "long" walk from 2 to 3
-- from basket 7A,most obvious tee is 3Blue
-- a bit of a re-trace/uphill walk from 15 to 16

Some may consider its maximum layout length of ~6700' as insufficient to be considered an upper echelon course.

Other Thoughts:

Course is set at the back of a newish public park. While the course begins (#1 downslope) and ends (#18 uphill) in the open, the remainder of the course is set in the woods, with the exception of #10 (teepads in/at edge of woods, baskets in/at edge of woods, disc will spend most of its time in the open).

The terrain which host the majority of the course is quite nice - hardwood trees of various size, the canopy thick enough to keep the undergrowth under control (attractive ferns, mostly), but thin enough to allow some sunlight in - it's not like playing in a tunnel. A shallow brook, and some seasonal runoffs (it has been raining a lot recently) wind through the course, near baskets, tees, and through fairways. Small, flat slabs of stone are scattered about, along with a few stone piles, and the remnants of a stone wall - reminds me of some New England courses I've played.

The throwing lanes vary from broad to narrow, most being somewhere between these two descriptions, and nothing ridiculous/unfair. The throwing paths tended to have chokepoints mid-fairway, and/or guardian trees (rock on #8) late. While there are plenty of trees, most errant throws should have a reasonable chance to save a par, or at least minimize the bogeys.

The elevation comes in many flavours - down, up, across - but nothing too extreme, and most of the gentler side. Shot-shaping also offered a good blend of right/left/S/straight, again, mostly avoiding the extremes There won't be a lot of bombing taking place - placement and shaping will triumph over distance.

Some memorable-to-me holes:
#6 red-2-yellow offers you a choice - a more open fairway along the left side, requiring a sharp right turn towards the end, or a tree-laden, left-turing shot going along the right side. A cluster of trees mid-fairway prevents the direct route
#9 - initially flat, the fairway then begins to climb upslope, while also bringing mid-sized hardwoods into play. The red basket is over to the right, with many trees in the way, while the yellow basket, while straight, is farther up the slope, past the stone wall remnant.
#11 - a valley shot. The lowpoint is the brook, at roughly the 1/3rd point, with a few trees to miss on the way down. As the slope climbs above the creek, the trees begin to thicken, with the red basket requiring a bid of fade, but the yellow basket far/straight up the slope, at about the same elevation you started.
#15 - downlope, brook along the back. Red basket is short and a bit left - very much a touch shot. Yellow basket is about even with the red, but way over to the right, with many trees to stop an early-turner, and the borok to claim a late-turner.

Hole #18 may be the blandest (open, upslope) of all, but serves the purpose of returning players towards tee-1 or the parking lot.

While I wouldn't necessarily bring a newish beginner or a top pro to this course, it is a great course for the majority of players, from an experienced novice (oxymoron) to a lower pro. Considering how (relatively) close it is to Scarboro, Iron Hill, and Muddy Run, this confluence of Maryland, Delaware, and Pennsylvania offers some very fine disc golf opportunities.
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Brewswanger
Experience: 17 played 1 reviews
4.50 star(s)

One of the top courses in the area 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 21, 2018 Played the course:once

Pros:

First time playing the course and loved it immediately. Even though it's a new course it looks like it's been there for years, in a good way not like a run down way. The holes are challenging but forgiving at the same time. I played long pad to short pin which was perfect for my skill level. I could see the short to short location being good for some one that is relatively new to the sport. I see the long's being challenging enough for the seasoned player. I'm glad this course is so close because I will be playing it a lot for sure.

Cons:

The only negatives I see is hole 18. Everything is pretty much in the woods except 18. 18 is all out in the open and you are throwing up hill. It's not terrible but it's the least exciting hole to end your round. That being said, all the other holes made up for it.

Other Thoughts:

Great course, having the different pin and pad positions makes the replay ability very high.
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