Vineyard Cincinnati DGC is not at a vineyard, but rather a church. The church and grounds occupy a large property in the northern part of the Cincinnati, OH metro area.

The single 18-hole layout here generally works around the church in a counterclockwise direction. There is a pretty nice mix of different holes - from mostly open throws across lawn areas to shaped fairways in tighter woods. Nothing here is super tight, but most holes have at least some obstacles to keep things interesting. The hole distances average about 270', presenting a decent challenge for DG'ers up to a moderate skill level. There are three par 4's which each play between 400' and 470'.

The property has rolling elevation changes that affect play on roughly half of the holes. Three holes also play near a pond, with #7 and #14 requiring a water carry of maybe 150'-175' off the tee and #13 being a dogleg left with water on the left and thick brush on the right. For both of the water carries, players could probably lay up off to the right if nervous about getting across.

The baskets are standard issue yellow banded DISCatchers. The tee pads are smallish, but concrete and in fine shape. The tee signs are great, with all of the required info. Some navigational signage is present, in the same style as the tee signs.

There is a nice kiosk near the first tee, complete with a large course map. There is also a practice basket, and it's located on a relatively steep slope with a couple of trees nearby (always a plus in my mind, to be able to simulate tricky putting conditions I'll encounter on the course). There are a few benches scattered around the course.

This course has a lot of potential safety concerns.
- Streets and parking lots in play - I counted no fewer than seven holes where this occurs. Some of the worst offenders in my mind were #3 (plays along the side of a hill with a street defining the right side of the fairway at the bottom of the hill), #8 ("island" basket in a small grassy area surrounded by cement, near what looked like a main entrance to a building), and #15 (literally just plays across a parking lot for the entire hole). On the Tuesday afternoon I visited, the parking lots were pretty quiet but the streets did have some traffic. Even if the streets and lots are completely empty, the pavement will damage your discs.
- Close-together fairways - this is mainly a problem in the middle of the course. I think the worst spot was #13's fairway being right behind #12's basket. I would say that water is actually in play on hole 12, even though it's technically across hole 13's fairway from the basket. Although semi-wooded, hole 12 is only about 200' so bigger arms will definitely have a chance at overthrowing it.
- A playground area could be reached with an errant throw on #6.

The course was very muddy when I played. The areas near holes 9-13 and 16 seemed especially prone to holding water, with #16's fairway and the walk to hole 17 essentially underwater as of my visit. If it has rained or snowed recently, I'd definitely recommend wearing waterproof boots and bringing an extra towel.

There is nothing here to challenge better disc golfers. I actually finished my only round here 1 under par, which is uncommon for me when visiting a course for the first time (I do NOT consider myself a "better" disc golfer).

I thought a few more navigational aids would be nice (tape on basket rungs would be good).

No trash cans or restroom available.

Basket #3 was missing when I visited a couple weeks ago, but per UDisc it has since been replaced.

The course is closed until 1 PM on Sundays for church activities.

I have been discing and reviewing long enough now to understand that I tend to give potential "safety" concerns on courses (or lack thereof) more weight than the average reviewer. My mindset is along the lines of "if you give people an opportunity to do the wrong thing, most people will still do the right thing - but a few wrong decisions at the wrong times could cause major problems". That mindset is definitely dragging my overall impression of this course down a bit.

Even setting the safety concerns aside, I feel that this course is a bit overrated on here. It's fine as a place for careful locals to come play, and again there are some fun throws for sure. I have certainly played many worse church courses. If you're visiting the area and looking for an easier but still enjoyable course to hit, by all means come play here. But just don't expect anything world-class.

One of the better church courses out there. One smallish concrete tee pad per hole and one pin placement featuring rec to int distances set in a scenic lightly wooded area on a large church property. Didn't see a vineyard anywhere. The course is fun to play, easy to navigate, spotlessly clean and well maintained, well played, and seemingly well loved by the locals. There is a little elevation change but nothing overwhelming. The course would make for a good weekly or league round and is an easy pleasant bag or option for traveling players.

Most folk's biggest con is going to be the amount of pavement factored into the course. You will either Like the "Island" hole or not like it. I didn't mind it so much. The course is on church property, so the roads are not much used except for on Sunday mornings and when an event is going on. Plan accordingly.

So we have a nice little course here that makes good use of the terrain and although a little limited in scope will still yield a fun round for most skill levels.

Very creative course with some unique teepads and a good mix of shots for all skill levels. Nice mix of wooded holes and some good open fairway distance shots.

Hole #3 is not designed well in my opinion.

Fun new course with good signage and upkeep. Worth a play if you're in the Cincinnati area.

-I think that the land available was used very well, taking you through a lot of different areas around the church
-The shots near water can be challenging, but are tasteful and offer achievable lines for beginners as well
-Good diversity of shots allow for creative shot shaping
-Enough parking to host multiple tournaments
-Use of hills creates some challenging up shots that have the chance to roll
-Shorter holes allow for many par and birdie opportunities even for beginners.

-Very poor drainage in the wooded areas, beware of swampy conditions after rain
-Tee pads are extremely short, so most of my run ups were started off the pad
-The course is closed Sunday mornings until 1
-I really don't like throwing over so many roads, just a personal preference
-Availability of water and bathrooms is limited and inconsistent

Despite so many negative comments, I really do like the course. I don't like the proximity of the roads and parking lots, but the space around the property was extremely well used. Once the drainage is worked out, the course will be so much better, but that's part of building a new course and learning how it handles so much foot traffic. Since I am based out of Dayton, a drive down just to play here is unlikely, but I will definitely stop by when passing through.

The Vineyard course was installed in the summer of 2021 and I was really excited to watch the progress. The efforts of locals such as Bill Randolph and the input from the community insured that this course would be done right.
Pros: Course offers a variety of shots, including 2 water carries, changes in elevation, wooded, open, and tunnel shots during the round.
-Baskets are new and catch great
-Tee signs are well-designed with the occasional humorous easter egg (at least hole 16)
-Plenty of parking
-Pretty setting
-Hole 8 is an uphill island hole with a tight green
-Holes 7 and 14 both play across water but don't offer much of a lost disc risk.
-Hole 3 is a tight par 4 with a major rollaway risk
-16 is a tough wooded hole, very well designed
-18 is a downhill shot that provides a nice end to the round

-Lots of blacktop to tear up discs. 1-3 all offer potential to hit the road, the island for 8 is formed by a round-about, and hole 15 is almost impossible to attack without skipping off the parking lot.
-Teepads are short and a bit too grippy, they may wear in over time
-13 plays along side the pond. It definitely offers a lost disc risk.
-Most holes are pretty short. While there are 3 400' shots and 1 shot of 350'+, most holes seem to be in the 250' range
-Course is closed for large church events and services
-No amenities or trash cans that I noted
-A few holes play fairly close to each other, especially around the pond. Not a major issue, but something to watch for
-A few long walks between holes

This course is a really nice addition to the area. When comparing it to other close courses I would say it lands ahead of Heritage and slightly behind Harbin. I'll certainly add this course to my regular rotation for rounds.
Final rating would likely be around a 3.3, but it's a new course and plenty of fun so I rounded up to 3.5

Just about every type of tee shot and fairway obstacle and slope possible

All of the distance holes except 17 require accuracy and angle control to get one way down the fairway. Twos on hole 3, 6, and 16 will be rare and well earned.

17 is good though. No arm is too big or disc too long or overstable here. Grip lock or spin out and yank it to the right? No problem. Go big without worry of losing the disc, just don't take out the people putting on hole 18.

Many of the shorter holes have a challenging element. 1 requires a forehand or lefty drive
2 has a bit of a low ceiling 4 and 5 you gotta hit a gap on a hyzer! Others allow two or more routes without one of them being the no brainer.

Parking lot. You can park close to several of the tee pads

Location. This part of town needed a disc golf course, and now it has a great one.

Road rash on discs. Plenty of chances to skid across blacktop and slam into concrete curbs. Bring your sand paper.

Trees on 18 could add challenge as well as protect from errant wide drives coming up from 17.

Maybe 2 or 3 trees that stay on the small side planted right in the lazy righty hyzer route.

When Bill Randolph posted the initial listing for the Vineyard and added a set of pictures, I noted how pretty the course was looking, even in its infancy. Once I got to visit the course on a late summer evening and got a feel for the rolling, park-like campus, then watched the moon rise over the pond, I said this is actually prettier than the pictures! Course maintenance is going to be something to envy, and playing here is just …fun.

There is a great deal of variety, as the design is a bit of a sampler of all the kinds of shots and lines you might enjoy (though you shouldn't expect a lot of any one type either). Gentle, rolling terrain, wooded tree lanes (a couple stretching out into the 400 foot range even there), one or two so tight approaching the basket that a roller might be the best choice; a couple 'round the corner of the beautiful pond (but with plenty of 'safety' room to bail out onto dry land if you can't clear the 150' or so needed), a penultimate hole that will allow the big arms to throw that one hyzer bomb up the slope, and then finesse a putter back down to the finishing 18th.

There's a plan to stretch this 'sampler' concept out to include the chance to 'safari' from a large, round tee pad on 8 and occasionally let the brave throw across the pond. There is plenty of space to find alternate tee and basket locations as they course gets 'played in'. It's just generally going to be a course that will grow into its intended audience of disc golfers from beginner to advanced.

You're either going to love or hate the fact that this design uses of existing drives and curbs to define 'O.B' fairways and islands for added challenge. There are shots starting on hole 1 that throw across a drive (1, 6, 8, 17) and may fly most of their length over a large parking area (1 and 15). That's fine when no one is there, but obviously, there could be holes to skip (or you might need to consider not playing here…) if they have a big event going on (probably shouldn't play Sunday mornings in any case).

It's a struggle to really like a course, see its potential and know that it's going to be a great play for a lot of people, but still worry about safety (when that may never be a concern). The design throws over sidewalks, parking lots, driveways, benches, and a bridge, plus one shot straight at the back patio of the church. On a completely private, invitation-only course, that might very seldom be an issue, but this is opening up as public, so it will be difficulty to 'control' the interactions between 'hukkers' and 'civilians'. My concerns were the major reason the course dropped about a point in rating, since the layout is otherwise awesome for the parcel of land they had for use. I always look at course design through the lenses of 1) safety, 2), fun, and 3) challenge. If this evolves in the future to the point where they are able to, for instance, remove the bench that's a dozen feet beyond hole 11's basket, facing the wrong way, I'd be more comfortable raising my rating, because the fun and challenge ratings are closer to 4.0!

The only other things I see as cons would be that the rough (especially on 4, 5, 12 & 16) will be brutal on newer players and those sensitive to thorns and poison ivy; that to access the woods, they had to get in close to some areas that will be boggy, soggy, and buggy at times (and that's why there's a 5-600 foot walk to the 17th hole); that there is a definite 'tilt' in the design towards left to right throws (such that the parking lot shot on 15, for instance, is almost exclusively a rhfh skip shot off the pavement) …and I do NOT have a good forehand

I really like the guys who designed and are finishing this course, and truly appreciate the opportunity to have gotten an early opportunity to play it. The graphic designs I saw for the tee signage are extraordinary, the variety and care going into the planned concrete tee pads looks impressive, and, well, this is just going to be a gem of a course!

Finally, I took the liberty of drawing up a map/schematic layout here, so folks can find their way around early, but expect an awesome map at the hole one kiosk in the future.

-Accessible and challenging to players at all levels.
-Rewards players who can throw all sorts of shots.
-Beautiful property with lots of hidden gems.
-Super clean and well maintained.
-Cart and stroller friendly.
-The layout flows well
-Centrally located and near many restaurants, hotels, and shopping.

-Not playable on Sunday mornings due to church service.
-There is a pretty long walk from #16 to #17
-There is access to water and bathrooms only some of the time.
-It is a mixed use property, so there can be some delays from time to time.

As one of the course designers, I am trying to be very objective about my review, but of course I am a bit biased. I wouldn't have designed it this way if I didn't think you would love it!

The church has truly embraced the idea of disc golf and has put a lot towards making this course great. I think the things that will really hit you when you play here are the attention to small details that make the course extra fun, the shot selection that you need to play well while not being unapproachable to someone that is newer to the sport and may not have these skills. But most of all, I think you will be awe-struck by the sheer beauty of this course. It is absolutely magical on a nice day.

I hope you will take the time to come play this course, and I hope you will love it as much as I do. Most importantly, I look forward to hearing about your thoughts on the design. So write a review and maybe the church will let us build even further on what has been done already.

Thanks for reading, and keep throwing!!!
-Bill Randolph (Billy Boy)