Mount Vernon, OH

Thayer Ridge Park

0.585(based on 6 reviews)
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16 0
leath
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 11.4 years 153 played 17 reviews
1.00 star(s)

It's 9 holes of disc golf 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 16, 2021 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

- Course is set in a county park that doesn't get a lot of traffic. That's important, because it plays near trails in a few places.
- The baskets are adequate, and in decent shape.
- Tee signs are easy to find and show an aerial diagram of the hole. This is especially helpful on holes where you can't see the basket from the tee (3, 5, and 6).
- Navigation is pretty easy - follow the mowed pathways. The map posted in the files section on this site should clear up any questions.
- Hole 5 has a nice protected green.

Cons:

- Safety, part 1: There are hiking and equestrian trails around the perimeter of the disc golf course, and some come into play. The basket for hole 2 is about 15' from a trail coming out of the woods, and you won't be able to see if there are people coming when you throw your drive/approach shot.
- Safety, part 2: Tee 3 is located too close to the previous basket, but you'll be able to see it as you're playing hole 2. The tee for hole 6, however, is about 10' from the previous basket, and is BLIND from hole 5 tee (and very much obscured for most approach shots).
- The grass gets tall in the summer, and the "fairways" are only 12' wide paths mowed from the tee to the basket. There is about a 20' radius circle mowed around the baskets. The left side of hole 7 is a mess of brush and thorns. Plan to spend some time searching for discs.
- Holes 1, 2, 4, 8, and 9 are wide open shots to the basket. Not enough interest on the other 4 holes to make it an engaging or memorable experience.

Other Thoughts:

- The course is almost entirely in an open, gently sloping area. The southeast half (holes 1, 8, 9, and the right side of 7) is pretty rocky soil, with sparse vegetation. The northwest part (holes 2-5) is pretty thick grass that gets tall in the summer months.
- I can't figure out what skill level was the target when this course was designed. The tees are designated as white here on DGCR, and the hole lengths are about right for that. Intermediate to advanced players might be able to hit the small greens with their drives, but probably not consistently. It's just not going to be very interesting for players at that level.
- The listed pars, however, would suggest beginners are the intended target. My player rating is in the mid 800s (mid-to-upper red level), and my scores have consistently been around 27 (-9). Players at my level and below cannot reach all the greens with a drive, and we're not going to hit the 12' fairways with any consistency.
- In its current state, I can't really recommend the course to beginners, because there aren't landing zones in places where their discs would be landing. I can't recommend it for advanced players, because there's not enough challenge. For red-and-white skill players it's fine, though not inspiring.
- In my opinion, it's better in the winter, when the grass is lower and the ticks aren't out.

Family Friendly Rating: 1.0
PROS: Easy enough to navigate with a stroller or for kids to hike. It doesn't get too far from the parking lot if you need to abandon the round early. There's a picnic area near the parking lot.
CONS: Lots of searching for discs in the tall grass, there are ticks in the spring-summer-fall, no playgrounds, and no restrooms.
OTHER NOTES: A few kid-friendly places to check out in nearby Mount Vernon: Ariel-Foundation Park (located on the site of a former glass factory), a Children's Garden (located behind the Knox County Career Center), and SPI-Mount Vernon (an indoor play space with a focus on science and technology). For a cold treat, I recommend Round Hill Dairy (ice cream) or Whit's (frozen custard).
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9 1
sisyphus
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 13.2 years 401 played 385 reviews
1.50 star(s)

Field work 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 28, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

The Thayer Ridge park disc golf course teases you with a nice practice basket by the parking area, and a wooded lane walk out to hole 1. Then you'll find that six or so of the nine holes are in a breezy, open field with 12' wide mown fairways and field grass rough to keep you focused on throwing accurate shots. Decent signage shows general layout, hole number and distances (which differ slightly from the 'GPS'd' distances here on DGCR), and baskets are decent quality DGA's. Distances range from one tight 200 footer to a couple in the 400 foot range.

Hole two finishes up a small slope at the woodline, 3 plays right to left back to the woodline, 5 plays left to right into a small grove of pines, and 6 is a dastardly tight lane shot layup out of that grove, if thrown as intended (but I'm sure locals throw overhands over the top for the blind ace run!). The rest are pretty much open and may make for some interesting practice on windy days.

Overall, the course plays in the Recreational range of difficulty, and it should be recommended for beginners to watch discs all the way to the ground when the field grasses are up.

Cons:

Tees are natural turf with a single brick embedded to indicate a foul line. The tees for 3 & 6 are easily in range for shots from the previous holes. The field consists of a lot of sandy, gravelly washout soil, so the greenery doesn't get too lush, but you're near a landfill, and there are a lot of bugs in the summer, so horsefly and tick repellent might be wise. The hole distances and obstacles likely won't bee too much of a challenge for players from Intermediate and up, but it seems to be a reasonable layout for beginners.

Other Thoughts:

There is a map at the course kiosk, which I adapted for here on DGCR. The address to navigate to is technically 7077 Thayer Road, so I updated that (it was '1000'). Finally, as of June, 2016, the bridge on Thayer Rd at 36 was out, so you have to angle out along the detour from town temporarily.

Reviewer Background as of this writing: played 270 courses and written 254 reviews, with skills hovering around a 900 rating, I started playing at 50 and am now 55. I don't throw far (300 footers feel like success), but am addicted to DG, and have played with folks ranging from age 7 to 87, so I try to write reviews helpful to all.
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3 1
m1shootr
Experience: 10.3 years 62 played 1 reviews
0.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 8, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

It has baskets. The road to the course is paved. When the sun shines it is sunny.

Cons:

Mostly bare ground narrow fairways( old dump site), weeds and plenty of Ticks in the rough. I picked up several Ticks during my round.

Other Thoughts:

I would rather practice in my back yard. This could be a better course if Knox County Parks took some interest in it. Evidently they figure that putting a few baskets up in a closed dump site is enough.
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4 1
Billy K2
Experience: 14.4 years 34 played 28 reviews
0.00 star(s)

I wouldn't come here if I were you... 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Mar 30, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

I can't really say much about Thayer Ridge, and that's usually a bad thing. I guess the course had decent baskets? The 6th hole tee was interesting.

Cons:

No elevation, few trees, and a whole lot of rough. That really describes the course. It just wasn't a fun course, that's all there is to say. This isn't necessarily a con, but it was a lot windier on the course than the city because it is so wide open.

Other Thoughts:

In conclusion, Thayer Ridge just wasn't very fun. The lack of elevation and trees really made this course a 0 disc course. I wouldn't recommend this course.

Overall Grade: 0.0/5 (Absolutely would not recommend)
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1 4
munky
Experience: 14.5 years 43 played 6 reviews
0.50 star(s)

umm...yeah 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 8, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

nice new baskets.
overview map of the course.

Cons:

this course needs redone. there is potential here.
fairways are too narrow.

Other Thoughts:

maybe install some 5' tall stakes along the fairways for reference when looking for lost discs/
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9 1
danhyzer
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 36.6 years 2481 played 134 reviews
0.50 star(s)

2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 10, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

9 holes are better than ZERO holes.

there's potential at this park, it just wasn't used to it's full advantage with this DGC.

friendly neighbors, I GPS this DGC and found the DGC another way other than the directions and had to travel a mile or so on a gravel road. I stopped and asked on of the neighbors to the park where the park was and as it turned out, He (Allen or Allan) stopped doing his lawn to play the first 6 holes with me with one of my discs. So he wasn't only helpfull pointing out where the park was, but he wanted to learn how to play as well (very cool).

Cons:

some teeing areas adjacent to the basket.

And some of the tees point in the wrong direction of the hole, so if your playing without a guide you might be throwing to the wrong area, whoopsie (I hate it when I throw to the wrong area when the tee sign point you in the wrong area, aka. # 6).

former landfill, which isn't really a con, but the surface isn't plush grass but more rocks with some grass.

the fairways are brush hogged wide or a little wider, but not much. Ya get off the fairway and you'll be looking as there's not to many trees on most of the holes.

Other Thoughts:

Located on an old landfill, this DGC needs redesigned. I would use the dirt mounds that are further in the park than what the DGC is currently using
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