A beautiful park, lots of elevation to consider. A short - but not easy - nine



+ Poured concrete tees, DGA baskets in good shape, adequate signage, navigation arrows hanging on baskets


+ The course uses the woods to shape holes and to protect baskets, but it isn't a "woods course." Wide fairways on all the holes


+ Significant elevation changes to consider on half the holes. They vary the challenges: a long gliding downhill on #1, a blind basket up and over a steep rise on #2, a cliffside tee across a valley on #3, a hillside basket on #4. Things settle down a bit for the later holes, but even then, it feels like most of them require uphill throws


+ The #8 basket is set up on a rock so it's just a bit elevated. Very pretty, and it will add challenge to your birdie run if you're inside the circle for a 300' hole

- The DGA baskets are a little bit hard to spot when they're tucked in the woods, but that's really only a problem for your first round. The poured tees aren't huge, but in the unlikely event that you need that much run-up, they're almost flush to the ground

~ This a lush and pretty course with a surprising amount of challenge for the length, due to the elevation changes, and the clever placement of baskets to use the woods. Everything was mowed for a perfect summer day, and the course was more like a secluded private property than a State Park. My friend Ryal would likely call it a "sylvan setting" for disc golf.



~ Cart-friendly, although there are a few difficult green-to-next tee transitions early in the round


~ Samuel Lewis State Park is a solid 3, and one of the prettiest courses I've played, even accounting for only 9 relatively short holes. There's enough challenge to make it fun to replay and it would be absolutely great for after work leagues (although no alcoholic beverages are permitted in the park).

Hole layout is smooth and course is easy to navigate. Good signage and next tee arrows. The course is on the shorter side (about half the holes are under 300 ft in length) but the hole layout and obstacles make up for the shorter course. There is great elevation change with more uphill shots than downhill. Tee pads are rubber attached to a wooden frame; all pads are in good shape and offer level throwing surface.

In general, the various shots from the holes are fun; you need a little bit of every shot off the tee. Hole 9 is the only hole that is completely open, and primarily serves the purpose of taking you back to the lot. Hole 8 has a sweet basket location; the pole of the basket is elevated on a larger rock making for a more challenging put if you are outside the circle.

Obviously the main con is the course is only 9 holes. It seems like there is enough land in the park for more, but I'm not sure on park property as there were some houses nearby around holes 3, 4, and 5.

Tee pads were a tad short for a run up on some holes. Hole 7 tee sign was hand marked to show a modification.

Course is set in a wonderful park on a scenic hill. The park has benches, picnic areas, grills, bathrooms, parking area, etc.

When you enter the park, you have to drive past the first parking area and around back. After the bend, you'll see a wooden sign guiding you to the disc golf parking area.

Tee 4'x10' pad atop gravel within wooden frame, level

Tee signs with all the basic info, including direction to next tee from basket.

Arrows on basket pointing to next tee; easy navigation, only walk of any length is transition from 2->3.

Only nine holes / single tee / single pin position.

Other than wide-open finishing-hole #9, which serves its primary purpose of returning you to the parking area/tee-1, the course plays through moderate-width fairways defined by tall, narrow trees, and their supporting brush. While only number-4 would be considered tight, beginning at roughly its mid-fairway point, a few scattered trees will need to be avoided mid/late on about half the holes, while the others tend to funnel towards the basket. You'll likely be punished if you're off the optimal line.

Shot-shaping is subtle, holes requiring a blend of straight, sweeping rights, or moderate lefts. Practically every hole has some elevation change, varying from continuous-but-gentle to sharply up or down, with one basket a bit elevated, due to the boulder is rests upon!

A really solid course, worth a visit. Hope it can be expanded, as there are some larger trees, steeper hills, and rock formations in other parts of the park (but these appear to be nearer other patron's usage areas, so maybe not).

Samuel S. Lewis State Park has nine Par 3 holes featuring some very impressive shots with attractive lanes through the woods and good variety and elevation changes. Most holes are designed so that both bogeys and birdies are plausible, which makes the course challenging and rewarding. Signage and baskets are first-rate, and rubber tees are good (although they can be slick and there often is limited room for a run-up). Great job to whoever worked to establish this course! This course will serve eastern York and western Lancaster counties well.

Holes 5 and 7 are ~375' slightly uphill holes through the woods, and I think they could be improved by making them a little longer (as a Par 4) or a little shorter. As they play now, it's hard to see anyone getting a 2 without making a very long upshot. I wonder if Hole 9 -- an open 325' hole with no trees -- could be made more interesting as a Par 4, too.

I'd guess that a score of an even-par 27 would be about 950-960 rated, and the course seems to be designed to a player of that level. The course reminds me somewhat of Roland Park's newest 9 holes, Buchmiller Park, and Prince Gallitzin State Park.

With such a successful first 9 holes, I hope to see 9 more in the future to continue the tradition of PA State Parks disc golf excellence.

I cant emphasize enough how needed this course is to York. Getting street directions to any other course takes you 45 minutes in any direction. This course - is truly overdue! Lets keep the chains ringing on this course and generate good PR so other parks in the area are more open to disc golf.


Mind you, this course is brand new and is missing a few amenities - however, this 9-holer plays very well and is by no means "Not worth the trip"

From the drive into the park, you'll find that the disc golfers have their own parking area well away from the other activities in the park. Notice the bulletin board at hole one for (hopefully) future events.

The 9 holes are designed to introduce beginners to the game without the frustration of ever challenging and longer courses that are springing up. For the exception of two holes, you can see the basket from every tee. This isn't a bad thing. Likewise, a seasoned player will appreciate the little things, like flat and well constructed tee pads, durable, accurate tee signs, and a few holes where parking your drive next to the basket just wont happen with mediocre skill.

Although the course is brand new, you'd guess that the course has been well established. KUDOS to the volunteers!! There are no "Right off the fairway" briars, or any brush piles at all. Stumps have been removed. It just looks like the course has always been there! Navigation between holes is a snap with arrows on the baskets. The layout from one hole to the next is VERY diverse, and no two holes play the same. You'll be throwing nearly every shot in your bag. All of the holes, save for a few are technical as they play through the woods. Hole 3 is a well protected "over the valley" shot. Hole 4 will keep you guessing where the local route is. Hole 8 is memorable as an elevated basket, like Excalibur, is thrust into a boulder making a deuce attempt harrowing, with the bottom of the basket close to, or over 7ft. After working through the first 8, hole 9 rewards the big-arms with a 330ft (slight) uphill drive.

Of course, Hole 9 ends at hole 1.

Update: There are now scorecards in at the bulletin board. I do not know the frequency of restocking.

The 900 pound gorilla in the corner is the lack of 18 holes. It begs for it! Considering the quality of the front nine layout, you'll be finishing on hole 9 and your eyes will be gazing up the hill towards the top of the park and asking yourself "When is the back nine coming?"

the answer across the board? "I don't know"

Amenities like benches, and garbage cans are absent.

A "Lost disc box" at the bulletin board would be great!

The walk from the disc golf parking area to hole one is steep! you'll see what I mean.

There is a facebook page you can "like". you can find it on the bulletin board.

Getting the disc golf community out on this course would be great to generate interest for (hopefully) getting a back 9 proposed.

I would like to see future Tag events, or a sunday devotional league started.

I cant thank the local volunteers enough for the hard work involved with the design, layout, and installation of this course in a much needed area of the county for disc golf. ...And no...I wasn't involved with the creation or installation whatsoever. This is really just a great course.