Woodsboro, MD

Woodsboro Regional Park

3.835(based on 21 reviews)
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19 0
Cerealman
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 16.4 years 665 played 195 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Woodsy Woodsboro delivers wows and wonder

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 18, 2023 Played the course:once

Pros:

At the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, the tiny town of Woodsboro boasts a fun and fantastic disc golf course with tons of variety and multiple layout options that range from novice-appropriate to devilishly difficult.

The course is located in a magnificent and picturesque area with lovely landscaping, charming forest canopies, and some impressive looking fairways that wind over the hills and through the woods.

Another one of the attractions of the Woodsboro Regional Park course is that with two baskets and three teepads on every hole, there are six different layout options to choose from. For example, the red (shortest) teepad to the yellow basket (closest) averages just over 200 feet per hole; contrastingly, the green (longest) teepad to the white basket (farthest) averages about 370 feet per hole. And there are four other options with varying levels of difficulty and differing approaches.

The variety is top-notch at Woodsboro. It seemed like I played every type of hole possible: short, long, wooded, a few open, doglegs in both directions and straight-ahead throws, uphill, downhill and maybe even a flat hole or two. The course starts with a couple of open holes – albeit uphill – that allow a chance to warm up one's arm before encountering the wooded stretch.

The potential for score separation should be high at Woodsboro, as accurate drives can be rewarded with birdies and the slightest of tree kicks could issue tickets to Bogeyville.

Navigation seemed fairly straight forward thanks to the painted stakes throughout the course. The tee signs are detailed and well done. However, a number of the baskets aren't visible from the teepad. There were a few times I wandered down the fairway to survey the lines and identify the areas with rollaway potential.

The benches at each hole are necessary and were utilized after numerous climbs.

Cons:

The biggest negative for the Woodsboro course is the lack of concrete teepads. Most of the tee areas are crushed gravel, which was uneven and rutted in spots. The traction seemed pretty good, but I could see this being an issue due to adverse weather or overuse.

A few of the holes have very technical lines, which could lead to rather cruel deflections and kicks if you miss the desired line by a few inches.

This course is not a walk in the park. The elevation is challenging to traverse even if you remain in the fairway. There are some off-the-fairway spots, especially on steep holes, like Holes #11 to #13, that could be unmerciful regarding disc retrieval.

There was only one par 4 on the layout I played. A few more wooded par-4s would have made this course feel even more like heaven.

Other Thoughts:

I've played more than 500 courses, and Woodsboro would be in my top 10 for most enjoyable courses. The incredible diversity of hole styles was a huge factor in my joy.

There are five courses in Maryland currently rated higher than Woodsboro. I've played two of them, Seneca Creek and Ditto Farms. My opinion is probably in the minority, but I would play Woodsboro over them nearly every day of the week.

If I was rating the Woodsboro course on fun alone, it would be a 5.0.
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15 0
DumfriesLizzie
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 6.2 years 119 played 102 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Tilted course in sloped woods 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 25, 2021 Played the course:once

Pros:

The course is on a very steep slope. I think it's actually a little mountain, so it's quite scenic. The views are very lovely from the baskets of nos. 1 and 2 and the short tee and upper fairway of no. 9. However, most of the course is within rather dense woods. You go up and down that slope at least twice (maybe three times) during a round of the main 18 holes, so there is a great deal of challenge constantly fighting the slope and other natural features (trees, ravines, thick floor of vegetation in several areas). I believe even someone of an advanced skill level can find this course engaging.

The designer(s) have been merciful and installed at least one bench at every hole of the main 18 holes (I believe that is correct). Some holes have a bench at each teepad (or at 2 of the 3). This is definitely necessary, as you will be winded with all the climbing. Especially, if you are of a certain age...

The next-tee information is on the hole signs, but if you miss/forget that, there also are wooden arrows that are nailed to trees along the way to show you where the next tees are. Similar arrows under some (most?) baskets. These arrows are painted red, green, and blue to match the applicable teepad. Some of these arrows are yellow or unpainted. The yellow ones mean all of the teepads are in a certain direction. The unpainted ones will have information scribbled on them with a Sharpie. Since the woods are dense and the routing quite circuitous, such directional aids are very important. UDisc can help too.

It's a challenging course, but I don't think it's unfair. I think it's doable (i.e. eventually get-able) for anybody with some degree of skill. I got a few pars on my first outing, was mostly on the single-bogey train (my typical mode of conveyance on disc golf courses), and didn't do worse that 5 on any hole. Also learned something about throwing softer and a bit higher to get through the splayed branches. By get-able, I don't mean an ace on every hole. I mean competent play with pars and single bogeys filling up your scorecard. Some birdies too (of varying number) for the more advanced people.

Cons:

All of that elevation is physically demanding, so don't think you will be blazing through the course at warp speed if you are not young and fit. Probably some young and fit are not blazing through it either! Certainly, don't schedule some must-be-there event right after your round. It is important to just slow down, sit down, take your time -- especially, when it is blazingly hot (as it was the day I played the course). Bring 2-3 bottles of water. I can also see that in wet weather (rain or ice) that this is a course to be avoided. The potential to slip and fall is everywhere. Would be downright dangerous to play this course in inclement weather.

Generally, I'm not a fan of natural tees, and that's basically what you have on this course. The first few holes' tees are all-natural; the rest have outer framing, but the innards is the hard ground. Yes, I'm not a fan of natural tees, but maybe in this environment, those are actually safer than slick concrete. I think that might be true.

Other Thoughts:

It's a beautiful landscape to traverse. Do note that the disc golf area is near the second park entrance, if you are coming off of the 194 onto the 550. Said entrance now has a sign. After the main entrance (on your left), continue down the 550 and over a small bridge. The disc golf area entrance is just after that on your left. If you do park in the first parking lot, you can walk over to the disc golf area. The two park areas are joined by a pedestrian bridge over the creek. The property also has amenities/facilities for fishing, picnicking, basketball, baseball, walking trails, and playgrounds. The park is pretty spread out, and the disc golf course has very little conflict with other park patrons.

The course feels tight, but I don't think there is a lot of conflict from one hole to another. Probably on a dry fall or winter day (when leaves are down), I will be able to see better if that is true or not. In warm months, with the foliage thick, I believe you have ample green "walls" successfully separating fairways.

There are also holes 19 and 20 which you can play as part of your round or you can use these as practice holes. They appear to have only red and blue tees (not green) and only one basket each (yellow). IMHO blue #19 is easier than red #19 which is open but requires you to get your drive over a large grassy bog. For us short throwers, that is not going to happen!

Woodsboro is a big contrast to nearby Heritage Farm, so if you wanted to play two courses in one day that are very different from one another, there you go! I highly recommend getting some lunch between the rounds. There's an impressive, newish shopping area near the 26/15 intersection with several eating joints.
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10 0
gtg888h
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 18.5 years 40 played 27 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Wonderful Woodsboro 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jul 25, 2020 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

+Three tee pads and two pins on most holes (all but 9 and 18 generally) provide for superb variability and replayability of the course. Green tees are definitely for advanced players, but blue/red aren't so much different in length as they are angles - and that matters a ton on a course as tight and wooded as Woodsboro.

+All baskets appeared to be in great condition. Basket placements were really well thought out. While white is always the longer one, yellow was often the more difficult placement (especially hole #8 with a death putt at almost any angle of attack).

+Tons of elevation change, and the course designers used it really well.

+The course did not feel repetitive in the least. Each hole presented a new challenge, and if there was a repeat in the shot type, it was very well spaced out. You need to bring a complete game here - backhand (especially a low, straight shot), forehand, roller, and overhand all will be used.

+While not a course for beginners by any means, most of the holes don't call for tons of power, so newer/noodle-arms won't feel overly discouraged. Shot shaping and creativity is the name of the game.

+Setting for the course is beautiful - rolling Piedmont foothills with dense woods and plenty of wildlife (plenty of deer during a mid-day round in the summer). In the winter, the fairway of hole 9 becomes an incredible sledding hill, and snow golf here is a blast (and a workout!).

+Woodsboro Regional Park in general is fantastic, with great hiking trails (not that go through the course), a huge, well-maintained playground, and large sheltered picnic pavilion. Great day-trip destination for the family.

Cons:

-As mentioned in some other reviews, too many holes are guilty of poke-and-pray. Springing to mind are (3), (11), and (16), although surely there are more.

-Natural tee pads could become a problem in bad conditions. I played after 3-4 consecutive days of heavy afternoon thunderstorms, and they were okay, but I can see them getting dicey after a while.

-Tee signs only showed yellow baskets, not white (I played red->white). You could see the white baskets from about 60% of the holes that had them, but for many you had to walk almost within 50 ft of the white basket to see it (looking at you, hole 11...), and if you don't know whether or not a hole has a white basket - as three of them don't - you can't tell immediately from the tee sign. You also don't know the distance to the white basket.
-Small safety hazard on hole 18 with the picnic tables on the left of the pin, although it seems those sitting there know to keep an eye open.

Other Thoughts:

The course doesn't really let you air it out at all, save for maybe holes 2, 4, and hole 9 from green. As mentioned elsewhere, if this was my home course, my short- and mid-range games (and scrambling) would be unbelievable, but my long drive game would suffer for sure, unless I routinely practiced in local soccer field.

I can understand those with the 3/3.5 ratings, but I prefer woods golf and I think this course - maybe more than others in Maryland - forces you to try out every single shot you have from the tee. I personally think this is in the conversation for best 5-6 courses in MD.

I drove from northern PG County and it was well worth the trip. Definitely plan on making it to Woodsy every 1-2 months.
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13 1
jcbnxll
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 16.6 years 76 played 25 reviews
3.00 star(s)

A tale of two 9's 2+ years

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

Pros:

The reviews have touched on the best parts of the course, but to reiterate...

-Three tee boxes (three!). And what impressed me most is that it wasn't just that the harder tees were farther away. Each tee box offered a very different look, each one progressively more challenging. I played the blues, but I stood on several other teeboxes to see what the lines looked like.
-Two Discatcher baskets per hole (a few exceptions). It must've cost a pretty penny to install those puppies, but what a treat.
- Elevation changes. There isn't a whole lot of courses with decent elevation change in the mid-Atlantic, at least in my opinion. This course, built on a hillside, certainly had me going up, across, and down the hill.
- Variety of hole shapes. There weren't any big bombers (except maybe 1 up the hill), but I was forced to throw some fun shapes off the tee pad and even on my approaches.
- Signage. There were some long walks between holes, but the signs were very helpful. There were arrows as well as these clever little wooden discs that corresponded with the tee pad colors (red, blue, green). In addition, every tee box had a colored stake in the ground that corresponded with the tee. It saved me a lot of confusion.
- Two 9 hole loops. It's always nice when a course loops back to the parking lot. On this hot day, it meant I was able to refill my water bottle at my car from the cooler.
- Well-guarded baskets. Not every single hole had a well-guarded basket, but no basket was out there with its pants down. Even hole 1, probably the most open hole, sits at the edge of a precipice. I laid up on a 20 foot putt to take a 4 because to miss the 20 footer would've meant taking a 5 or 6.
- Small things. Benches on most holes. Practice baskets. Plenty of picnic tables in the shade. Friendly signs by the parking lot.
-Peaceful. It was quiet. I saw 2 runners in the woods, and a couple of random cars in the parking lot with folks taking a lunch break or making a phone call. Granted, it was a weekday in the heat of summer, but most reviews agree with me.

Cons:

- Natural teeboxes (some better than others). I read in other reviews that the club is going to put in some concrete pads. At 3 boxes per hole, that's going to be quite a project. The gravel isn't bad, but it's no replacement for concrete.
- Spray and pray/Poke and Hope. This was hands down my biggest beef with this course. I read in other reviews that the park restricts tree removal, but the fact remains that some of the fairways are essentially a sparsely to moderately wooded grove halfway between the teepad and the basket. The back 9 is much worse than the front 9 (thus the review title), which isn't surprising since it has more wooded holes. Sometimes on wooded holes, it's hard to see the fairway/line until you're in it or past it, but that wasn't the case here. I threw a single birdie on a wooded hole, and that was because my drive flew between a two-trunk tree. These kinds of fairways removes risk-reward, and makes you feel dirty for getting lucky and frustrated for seeing good releases ruined because your drive never had a chance. Given some proper fairway grooming, this course could comfortably be a 4.
- The course maps. While the signage was good, it also left plenty to be desired. Many of the hole maps have one basket, but there are 2 per hole... with multiple locations. Literally the only thing I used the teebox maps for was to find the blue teebox if I walked to the wrong color first and didn't want to open the map up on my phone. This meant I had to walk to lay eyes on baskets and try to discern lines, even for short holes.

Other Thoughts:

I only played this course once, but since there are 17 reviews I felt it was worthwhile to throw in my two cents.

- Elevation change. I listed elevation change as a pro, and it definitely is. But it could've been more, so much more! Looking up or down a hole to a well-guarded basket and realizing that blind hope was the best disc in your bag was frustrating. There were several holes where I picked a disc that I knew could take a hit to a tree over one I thought could actually reach the hole if I hit a gap. In short, the elevation wasn't used to the best of its ability because of the lack of fairways.
- Hole 8. I could not figure out wtf was happening on the map with the random basket icon in the middle of the course. I didn't understand until I got to hole 8. The green tee plays THE OPPOSITE WAY. I wanted to play it, but wasn't able to. I could envision it, though, and I thought it was brilliant. I wonder if it obstructs/changes play during a tournament or on busy days.
- Disc loss. I didn't lose a disc, and I maybe spent 5 or 6 minutes total kicking through the rough. I could see how a random skip off of a random tree (you know by now how I felt about the fairways...) could send your disc careening down the hillside to Lord-knows-where. But, ultimately, I think risk of disc loss is ultimately pretty minimal.
- The Home Course mindset. When I review a course, I imagine how I'd feel if I lived close enough to walk to the course and play it, if it were my home course. Would I play a lot? What would happen to my game? I won't bore you with the details of my musing, but the bottom line is that I would be happy, not thrilled, to call this course my home course. My short game would improve, and I'd be in good shape from hauling up and down the hillside. My long game would go to the dogs, though.

I played West Winds earlier in the day, and it was a nice foil. But, man, it was a hell of a lot of walking up and down the hills. I live in DC, so this course was about an hour away. I don't think I'd make a special trip only to play this course, but I wouldn't need much of a push (tourney, good brewery nearby, along the way) to make the trip again.
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15 0
Monocacy
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 24.5 years 594 played 100 reviews
3.50 star(s)

A Taste of Colorado Woods Golf in Maryland 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Mar 14, 2021 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

The new Woodsboro course reminds me of some Colorado mountain courses. No wait, hear me out: lots of elevation in play, tight lines, and rollaway greens. No snow-capped mountains in the distance, of course, but pretty views across rolling farmland to the Appalachian foothills.

The redesigned and expanded Woodsboro layout weaves through dense, steeply-sloped woods surrounding a huge sledding hill. Elevation changes and tight wooded lines provide plenty of challenges, and hiking up and down the hills yields a vigorous workout.

Steeply sloped greens require careful angle control on drives and approaches, and rollaways can be brutal. Nice variety of shot shapes required - left and right turns, uphill and downhill, side hills and across valleys, short technical holes and big bombers. Quite a few baskets are blind from the longer tees, so first-timers may want to play a round from the short or middle tees to scope out the course.

Three tees and two permanent baskets on most holes. Different tee locations completely change the feel of many holes, often using a completely different fairway or approaching the basket from a radically different angle. This gives the course excellent replay value.

From red (short) tees to short baskets, Woodsboro is a short, fun sping with plenty of tight ace runs. In contrast, playing from green (long) tees to long baskets Woodsboro is a challenging, wooded beat-down. The blue (middle) tees offer a happy medium for experienced but distance-limited players like me. No shortage of options, and I usually mix and match tees and baskets when I play a casual round here.

Two 9-hole loops, each ending at the ample parking lot. Baskets are level and catch well. Directional signs do a pretty good job of guiding players through the course. Practice basket near the parking lot, and benches on many holes. Trash can and lost disc slot at the parking lot.

Update: New detailed hole maps with distances at every tee, showing all current basket locations as of April 2022.

Woodsboro Park is open until 10PM and locals run a weekly glow league in the winter months. The park includes other amenities such as fishing, cross country running trails, playgrounds, athletic fields, pavilions, and a fantastic sledding hill.

Cons:

Rough gets pretty thick in places, so during the growing season the chance of disc loss is reasonably high. Poison ivy is pretty well controlled but I have seen it growing in a few spots.

Potential safety hazards on two holes. Hole #9 features a huge, super-fun bomb down the sledding hill. From the green (long) tee you cannot always see people in the line of fire so using a spotter is prudent. One hole #18 drives that finish short left can threaten the picnic table where disc golfers often hang out before or after the round.

Holes #1 and #2 are mostly-open and uphill. Not the most exciting start to the round, but I suppose they give you a chance to warm up your arm before the fun begins.

Other Thoughts:

The disc golf parking lot is about 0.2 miles east of the main park entrance. Take a left into the second park entrance - look for the small "East Entrance" sign just past the bridge over Israel Creek.

Many of the holes at Woodsboro are quite tight and technical. Probably tighter than some folks prefer, but I rather enjoy the challenge of hitting a difficult line (or, as happens frequently, scrambling from off the fairway). From what I hear the club had planned to open fairways a bit more but the park restricted removal of native trees. Seems like a few of these trees have fallen down (or perhaps "fallen down"). In either case, the course continues to improve.

Rollaway barriers have been installed on some of the particularly steep greens, but more would be nice. I would prefer that players be penalized but not brutalized if their disc gets on edge and starts rolling.

Tees are nicely boxed in with logs or railroad ties and generally adequate, although the teeing surface (finely crushed gravel or wood chips) can get a bit lumpy at times and some tees were shorter than I prefer (I do not have a long run-up). For better or worse, this harkens back to Colorado mountain golf and the tradeoff between elevation and amenities.

Heritage Farm disc golf course is a 10-minute drive from Woodsboro, so the two courses can be easily combined. If you get hungry Black Hog BBQ has a Walkersville outpost nearby.

As of March 2021 pond construction is complete and holes 19 and 20 are playable.

I struggled between assigning a 3.5 and 4.0 rating. Woodsboro is a blast to play, offers a ton of variety, and provides a unique style of disc golf for this area. On the other hand, the course is still a bit rough around the edges. But if the club continues their current pace of improvements, I can see Woodsboro earning a 4.0 rating.
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3 0
where'sfinn
Experience: 6.1 years 29 played 14 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Tough Course, but will be back 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 11, 2019 Played the course:once

Pros:

Great variety of holes and elevation change.
Good mix of open hills and wooded holes.
Very, very peaceful, especially in the back 9.
Gorgeous course.
Holes didn't cross nor run parallel, and it has a pretty cool layout from hole to hole.

Cons:

Some holes are extremely tight and littered with trees, so it seemed like if you were not a pro, it was just "throw and hope you get lucky", but I was fairly new to disc golf so my opinion my change on this.
Might be too challenging for beginners.

Other Thoughts:

I went on an extremely windy day in January, and was decently new to disc. So I had a tough time, but at the same time I could definitely understand that this course was really cool.
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4 2
AndrewMagnuson
Experience: 1 played 1 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Well-Maintained course with good challenges 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 19, 2019 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Well-maintained course that appears to have a bunch of ongoing improvements (benches were being installed the last time i was there). Three tee boxes per hole provided good variety of challenges and interesting paths to the hole. The back 9 holes are particularly interesting, with lots of elevation changes. I'm not an expert thrower by any means, and this course was in the "goldilocks zone" of not being to easy or too ridiculously challenging.

Cons:

The front 9, while perfectly serviceable, tends to be more wide open an less creative than the back 9.

Other Thoughts:

Living in Frederick, this will probably be my go-to course. It's clear that the locals care deeply about this place and work hard to maintain it, and it's encouraging that incremental improvements continue to be taking place.
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10 0
Goat
Experience: 1 played 1 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Woodsboro DGC is on the Rise 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Feb 18, 2019 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

(1) Three tee pads per hole with different angles and some have completely different fairways.
(2) Two baskets per hole except for holes 1, 9 and 18.
(3) Lots of elevation change, sometimes 60 to 100 feet on some holes.
(4) Secluded course with front and back 9 returning to the parking lot.
(5) Park closes at 10:00pm with no gate. Glow league once a week throughout the winter
(6) 95% of the toe breaking stumps have been removed.
(7) Benches on many tee pads with more on the way. 40 out of 54 tee pads have benches
(8) Course drains extremely well.
(9) No gnats during the summer

Cons:

(1) Holes 1 and 2 have grass tee pads, but the club has been given permission to put in concrete pads when funds/donations are in hand.
(2) All improvements/maintenance are handled/funded by the local club and supporters only.
(3) A few fairways are challenging due to the number of trees but the town has put restrictions on what can be cut. Some trees have fallen on their own.
(4) Course has changed so much in the past few years the tee pad signs are not completely accurate.


Other Thoughts:

Woodsboro is a unique course with elevation changes on almost every hole. Three (3) tee pads on every hole boxed in by railroad ties with crush (except for holes 1 and 2. Concrete pads for these two holes are in the plans for the future) give it an old western feel on each hole with good grip. All tee pads drain extremely well unless you are in a down pour and almost dry immediately. In the winter months with freeze and thaw during the day it may take a little longer to become dry but that should be expected. This course was redesigned in 2015 when 9 additional holes were added to complete the 18. (Two) Disc Catcher baskets on 15 of the 20 holes at this time. Yellow is short and white is long. Currently we have 3 alternate pin placements on 15 holes and 2 on holes 1 and 18, Hole #9 has 1 pin placement however you can use the practice basket near the parking lot as a longer alternative. We will keep installing a few at a time as we can. Fairways are well defined however there are many trees to give you hesitation and really make you think of what line you will take. Creativity is a must when playing this course as you will need a multitude of shots to score well. Several holes have 2 to 3 differing fairways when standing on different tee pads on the same hole. There are possible roll-a-ways at many of the baskets, so be advised to think twice before you putt, as a birdie may turn into a bogey in a heartbeat. Speaking of heartbeats, this course will be an up and down hill hike so be prepared. Beautiful overlooks on a few of the holes will make you pause for a group photo. This park is open until 10:00 pm with no gate to enter or exit. If you are into some "Glow" rounds, this is the perfect place. This course is constantly evolving and has really become a must see in the State of Maryland. The course was created and is maintained by local players with a passion for the game. Our club has some strict restrictions from the town as to what trees can be removed so keep this in mind when you come visit. The course is funded by players and friends only at this time so we can only move so fast. We are currently installing benches on tee pads and plan to continue as we get funds. Just this past year we have added holes 19 and 20 with one basket each, which are located around the skating pond. Please take a look at the videos on YouTube to get a good idea of what to expect. I love many courses but this one is special.

Please come visit, all welcome
The Goat
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9 2
listentomorejazz
Experience: 14.5 years 55 played 11 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Locals Going to Local 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 10, 2018 Played the course:once

Pros:

-Largely Secluded, Disc Golf Only
-Multiple Tee Off (3)/Pin Locations, some tee positions did drastically change the hole
-Convenient Access/Parking
-Fairly well marked with next tee locations, navigation was relatively easy
- Beautiful trees and woodlands, I love seeing big conifers on a course
- Tee signs at every box

Cons:

- Largest con is the unfairways. Too many holes had only one possibly way to get the disc to the basket, which allows for little creativity. Some of the tee locations (specifically green) were so limited that there was not a true line to the basket
-The tee pads were often too small, and the shale/crushed gravel, while grippy, was extremely messy in the wet winter
- Lack of par 4's and 5s
- Lack of Benches
- While there were tee signs at ever box, the pins were often in "B" positions, which were not on the tee signs. Additionally, the scale was not ideal on a number of the signs
- Too many blind shots for a visitor. If one knows the course well, this is not a con, but as a traveling disc golfer, I end up spending half the round looking for a basket

Other Thoughts:

I made this my first review because I was psyched to play this course due to its rating. I left...disappointed.

This is not a bad course by any means, but the locals had inflated the reviews to make it seem much greater than it was, which negatively impacted my round.

Will likely play again, hopefully during nicer weather, and enjoy myself more because of revised expectations.

You can also tell the locals care very much about this course, but there is still a lot more work to be done. A chainsaw would make a big difference on this course. It does not have the length to be an Iron Hill or Muddy Run, but difficult does not necessarily mean better.

I did not play them, but it looked to me as thought the reds (shortest) were likely the most enjoyable. Carving putters through woods instead of trying to luck a fairway through multiple five foot gaps.
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3 19
Von.bake
Experience: 1 played 1 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Great course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 22, 2017 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Woodsboro offers something for everyone, from the seasoned pro to the average Joe.

- multiple tee pad and pin locations
- innova disc catcher baskets
- helpful and active club
-park always open until 10 for glow
- elevation
-
-

Cons:

- big hill

Other Thoughts:

Play this course
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6 4
Geremy
Experience: 22.4 years 54 played 2 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Beautiful countryside 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Oct 28, 2017 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

3 tees per hole that are completely different shots

Crush on the tee pads offer great grip

Lots of variety, this isn't a course where half way through you're thinking to yourself, 'didn't I already throw a shot like this?'

Cons:

-Some railroad ties need to be flush to the ground. At this point some good roller shots could be blocked when throwing from the longer tees

Other Thoughts:

With the 3 different tees it can really play as 3, totally different, courses. Worth the drive if your from out of town. If you're in need of a meal, (from the good hole you just took), there's a great deli at Trout's market in Woodsboro, the club sandwich is to die for!

Every hole has a fairway, locals actually complain about them being wide open. But, as you can see from other reviews, out of towners think it's too narrow on some holes. Our club has been weeding out some trees, but there IS a line on every hole. If you miss it then that's your own bad! I'm sure hole 16 is one of the holes people complain about. But, believe it or not, a lefty aced it from the red tee. The line is there, you just have to hit it

Also, multiple tee positions are coming! Stay tuned....

New pin positions throughout, tee signs will be updated sooner or later. So far holes 4, 6, 7, 11, 12, and 13 are in longer positions
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2 17
discgolf247
Experience: 20.7 years 26 played 3 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Amazing 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 23, 2017 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Every hole is a different challenge. And with 3 sets of tees to pick from!! You have ace runs from the reds and bombers from the greens. And the blues are a great mix. The course is very well kept and not alot of people traffic. A++

Cons:

I can't play here every day

Other Thoughts:

The course is growing!! And the players do all the up keep
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2 18
Treeclimber420
Experience: 19.4 years 73 played 2 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Great course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 27, 2017 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

3 tee pads per hole. Makes for a fun course for every skill level. Everything is well marked. Great workout walking these trails.

Cons:

None

Other Thoughts:

The local club is always expanding the hole. With new PIN positions.
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10 1
MikeK
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 29.6 years 335 played 133 reviews
4.50 star(s)

This course kicked my tail but I loved it 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 24, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

+Three sets of tees, phenomenal variety of shot shapes required with 54 different routes
+Tees are now all packed gravel & sand and are very grippy. I played the morning after a hard rain and had no problems with tee traction
+Extra basket slipped in for the long (green) tee on hole 8. The green tee plays uphill on this hole while the red/blue plays downhill using the same fairway. Pretty ingenious design feature if you ask me
+Very hilly. I like courses that are physically demanding and this one really gets your heart pumping in a few places with its steep climbs. Some fun downhill bombs and downhill finesse shots too
+Gorgeous woods, isolated from the rest of the park, nice views of the valley on holes 1, 9 and a couple others
+Practice basket
+Port-o-potty in parking lot
+Double loop design, holes 1 & 10 tee off near the parking lot, so it's convenient to grab a mid-round beverage out of your vehicle
+A few trash cans here and there
+Several benches
+Good Innova baskets
+Navigation is superb. With the exception of hole 1 (where you can see at least two baskets from the tee-- throw at the one to the left with the big drop off on its left) and hole 10 (took a couple minutes to find it), there are next tee arrows on the baskets that point to the trail to find the way. I only had to look at the map on 1 & 10

Cons:

-Biggest con, which really makes me consider dropping the rating on this course to a 4, is that on some holes, the fairway is just too tight, in some places as little as 5 or 6 feet wide. So, the luck factor is in play here on these holes and it's awfully frustrating
-Teepads are sometimes only 8 feet long, or ten feet long, but I didn't actually ever feel that my run-up was affected

Other Thoughts:

Wow, this course is great. Only thing missing is a water-feature hole, or a par 5, but other than that, it's got so much to offer. The tee signs aren't the prettiest, but there's 54 of them out there and they give both distance and the change in elevation which is most informative. Not sure if the local club is allowed to chop down any trees, but if just a couple small trees here and there were removed, the frustrating luck shots could be eliminated and then this course would shine even more brightly. It's an awesome workout; by the time I stood on 18's tee I was whooped. This course is not for the faint of heart. The rough really isn't bad though, there's not too many thorns to deal with. Worth the drive!
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9 0
thirtydirtybirds
Experience: 9.6 years 15 played 10 reviews
3.00 star(s)

It's got potential 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 26, 2017 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

This is a nice park, and the course is not nearby to, or overlapping any other park features, except a soccer field that runs adjacent to 1,2, and 9.

There are 2 loops, front and back nine that both end at the parking lot, which is always nice.

The local club has improved this course quite a bit over the last year or so, adding in framed teepads with crushed stone on almost all the holes. Signage and arrows make navigation easier than ever. They have also removed A LOT of brush and the fairways are really starting to come in as nice grassy alleys through the trees.

This is a very challenging course with lots of elevation change, sometimes drastic. Dispatchers in a single pin position on each hole are pretty new and catch well.

There are a variety of distances here, as well as a few open holes in an otherwise heavily wooded course.

This course is usually not very crowded, so pace of play is a rare issue.

Cons:

This course is HEAVILY wooded. I'm a fan of playing in the woods, but on several holes the trees are just too numerous and tight, leaving no real line to the basket and making some holes feel just daunting. Poke and hope is not my preference, and here you have more than a few holes where you just throw at the trees and hope it sneaks through. There are a few green tee pads with clusters of trees within 20' that block your line.

As stated above, some holes are very uphill. This is t necessarily bad on its own, but combined with the thick trees makes for really nasty tee shots, and is quite fatiguing, even for a guy who hikes regularly.

A few of the holes on the back nine are pretty far apart, and the walk crosses over other hiking trails which I could see confusing someone unfamiliar with the course, but it's not so bad as to be unnavigable.

Grass height is hit or miss. When it's mowed it's perfectly fine, but a few of the holes get pretty tall after a week or two of no mowing. I've played there and had to look for my disc for a few minutes in the fairway because the grass is thigh high.

Other Thoughts:

This course is a work in progress still. The progress made so far is impressive, but there are still some edits that I think can be made.

There are some really fun holes, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 12, 17, 18, and blue tee 8 come to mind as being scenic, fair, and fun. But some of the holes are just not fun or fair to me, 14-16, 5 green, 11. With some tree removal to make them just a little less hope and prayer oriented though, most of those holes could be good as well. A couple hole shapes are strange as well, making for tough choices off the pad, and rendering a par every bit as good as a birdie, but on a couple birdie just isn't realistic.

Overall I like this course OK. It frustrates me to be playing well and hit a wall of trees that is borderline impenetrable and have my score suffer for it. On the fair holes success is measured by accuracy, and shot choices, which will test your mental game and course management.

If you go there to play, be prepared for a rollercoaster of emotions. You will feel great on some holes, and dejected on others. You will find yourself on tees and in lies without a feasible route to the basket, be prepared to take your medicine and pitch out or play it short. Bring good shoes, because it's a good hike, some of it is steep and offers a good workout.

I think the blue tees is the best layout, offering the cleanest lines, least amount of tree overcrowding, and best risk/reward gameplay. I look forward to seeing this course continue to improve.
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8 0
sidewinder22
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 18.4 years 331 played 198 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Woodsy 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 18, 2017 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

18 holes with each consisting of three large framed out and leveled natural tees, single DiscCatcher basket positions that provide you a variety of technical challenges playing up/down/across a mostly heavily wooded and hilly mountain ridge. The 3 tee pads on every hole allows beginners to experts consistent level of fun and challenge for each hole and some provide completely different fairways to the basket.

Great use of the available elevation and terrain into the course design providing a good hike. Nice tee signage and navigational aids, and benches in progress. Two loops of 9 holes back to parking lot. Lively local club support. Park open until 10pm for glow golf. Lots of wildlife and scenic overlook of the ponds from hole 9 tee. Portapotty in parking lot.

Cons:

Natural tees can be slick when wet. I think they will eventually be filled with gravel or crush which will be a nice improvement.

Many of the wooded holes are extremely tight with distinct fairway, or no distinction with sparse trees aka poke and hope. Cedar trees on holes 2 and 9 are disc catchers/eaters. Holes 1, 2, and 9 may potentially interfere with the ball field.

Other Thoughts:

Woodsboro has come a long way in a short time as it's transitioned from 9 to 18 holes. The amount of work and underbrush clearing is insane and the local Fredrockers are showing this course some love and with good reason being the best course in the Frederick vicinity. The course work is still in progress although very playable and enjoyable for most players.

I've mostly played the green and blue tee pads. Some of my notes:
Hole 1 green starts off nicely with a wide open uphill bomb to the basket on a semi-fast green sloped to the ball field below, however this a weird par 3 hole as it will not likely be birdied.

Hole 2 has the cedar trees blocking the airway late to the basket, I learned after the first time playing and getting my disc stuck in a cedar, the second time around I threw a forehand roller and parked it with some spectators picnicking in the fairway.

Hole 3 from the green tee gives you a tight fairway straight, but the basket is curled uphill to the left which is an impossible line save for a killer roller and only birdie-able with a long uphill putt from the landing zone.

Hole 4 green is a beastly uphill par 4, but fair landing zone and punishing off the line. One of my favorite holes.

Hole 5 green is similar to hole 3 but fairer and longer. Hole 6 gives you a fun subtle turning ace run shot slightly downhill. Hole 7 plays across the steep rolling side slope with spare trees in the fairway lending to some random kicks and roll-a-ways.

Hole 8 can be played uphill and/or downhill which is a cool feature. There are two baskets, one for the green tee playing uphill and turning left to right with the basket up on the ridge. From the blue and red tee you throw downhill right to left with the basket on a semi-peninsula.

Hole 9 green is possibly the signature hole, it's a big downhill hyzer bomb and is tricky with the prevailing headwind and disc eating cedars making you choose to go low or high.

Hole 10 green is a touch FH hyzer. Hole 11 green is a massive uphill shot and tight, I threw my second FH roller on this hole which was a decent shot and was left with a long uphill putt, and would rarely ever see birdie.

Hole 12 green plays across a valley, I threw a FH flat and straight and let it fade toward the basket late which gave me a decent look at a two - This was another favorite. The blue tee is a completely different fairway and tighter and the way it bends will not yield a decent look for birdie often.

Hole 13 green gives you two fairway options, tight straight up and over, or the sweeping BH hyzer route which I took and left with a long putt for birdie.

Holes 14, 15, and 16 green are some of the flatter holes and you will need a sense of humor and a great roller to navigate through the thin sparse tree alley ways to the basket. I threw successive FH rollers off the tee and approaches on all three holes.

Hole 17 is a cool looking downhill shot and I threw from each tee. Blue tee I threw another FH roller which is the best play IMO as air shots are more risky with the tight fairway and steep slope. Red tee I threw a putter FH hyzer and skipped to the basket. Green tee is a tight blind shot playing more side-slope than downhill and threw BH hyzer to the basket.

Hole 18 is a good finishing hole, slightly downhill with a gap mid fairway to hit and a late protected green. I accidentally hooked my BH drive to the right and found the local route which hit the pole.
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2 1
cblack129
Experience: 15.5 years 50 played 12 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Great course. Will only get better 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 5, 2016 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

This course layout is very nice. Three tee locations on each hole.Most of them give the hole a different look, not just make it longer. Many different types of shots needed to navigate this course successfully. Elevation changes. It reminds me a bit of Quaker's Challenge in Lewisberry, PA but not as long. Directional signage on each basket to next tee.

Cons:

Natural tees are the biggest con but I'm sure in time that will change. There are also no tee signs and some trails need marked a bit better for navigation. As long as you have the online map you should be fine. A few holes have extremely tight fairways.

Other Thoughts:

I can see this course becoming a great course as the new holes mature and get worn in. I've only played the red and blue tees. If this course ever gets concrete tees, I'd definitely bump up the rating to a 4.
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8 1
swatso
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 16.4 years 776 played 417 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Combinations and Variety 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jul 2, 2016 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Three tee locations per hole. Most are framed with railroad ties, contain crush or packed dirt, and are fairly smooth. Benches at most tees. Signs, although a few need updating, at every tee.

Two baskets and three positions on most holes. Arrows on bottom of baskets to point you towards next tees.

Directional signage scattered throughout. Two nine-hole loops.

Plenty of open space to loosen up, and two practice baskets.

Mild to moderate elevation changes most every hole. Variety of tightness, from none to ... too much. :)

Cons:

A few holes have a very obnoxious poke-and-pray feature to them.

Still manage to occasionally find a micro-stump with my toes.

Other Thoughts:

The first four holes, remnants of the original course, play up, then across, a large, open hill, with a few trees and a patch of woods providing some obstacles. New holes 5-8 initially play upon the top, then partially down the flank, of the wooded portion of the hill. Number-9 (former-7) is a big, open downhiller, needing a left fade to find the basket.

The rawer/rougher back nine starts by playing from an slighly elevated position, down then left-turning into a flat area prone to dampness. Some elevation is gained on upslope/wooded #11, while number-12 presents you with a mini-valley shot, around increasingly larger hardwoods. More hardwoods in denser woods are the challenged offered by #13, and its fast green (hope your disc finds the large log it it starts rolling down the hill, possibly all the way to the road in the distance). 14-16 play upon the plateau of the hill, in small glades containing hordes of much smaller trees. Number-17 is sharp-dropping to a basket in a mini-meadow, and the final hole is open initially, with a choice of late windows to throw through to find the basket.

Favourite hole: #7. A left-to-right, rolling slope with scattered hardwoods, a gentle right|left turner, depending upon which tee you choose, will be needed to reach the basket, sitting on a very fast green.

!Favourite hole: #3. The anti-camber, low-and-tight throwing lane leads to a wall of trees, supported by a jailcell. While I've always hated this hole, your mileage may vary. :)

Over the past few years, the course has evolved from a single-basket, natural tee, okay niner, with one long, fun open downhill shot, to an awesome course, with many wooded holes, improved teepads and signage, extra baskets, and additional positions, joining the ranks of Maryland's top courses.
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3 1
ramonstone
Experience: 13.7 years 8 played 5 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Up and coming big time 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 24, 2016 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Played this course when it was nine holes and it was cool, but I would have rated it lower then. They have done a TON OF WORK and they obviously care a lot. It is 18 holes now and I was very impressed when I got back out there this year. I didn't think they had the room they did, but they did a good job with the design. I like how they used the woods they have and there are A LOT of hills, steep ones, on this course. It is a great workout and some of the shots down hills are so fun to watch. I had a ton of fun, and like I said, was incredibly impressed with the changes. And it is challenging. Even the short holes are very technical. I wish I got to play from long tees, but I played it with some beginners so I had to play short, but will update when I get to play again. There are three tees for every hole and both nines loop to the lot so you can decide if you want to play only nine, and you can choose which nine to play

Cons:

Still raw, but work in process. I do not like dirt tees so I'm hoping that changes. Short to short is very short. Some of the tees are very hard to find and there are some long walks from pins to tees. They will obviously get better signage though because they are working out there a lot, and there is a tournament coming, so they are working hard and it will get all set up

Other Thoughts:

I hear they have a PDGA tourney coming in September so that's exciting! I'm not a pro at all, but getting a tourney just means that this course will soon be a magnificent one to play I am sure. Good for them and keep it up guys. I will be playing this course more and more and thank you for all of your hard work. I will update my rating after I play it with signs and after I get to play a couple more times
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1 3
CGChase
Experience: 12.5 years 23 played 11 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Scenic 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 13, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

The front nine are a good mix of open and forested holes, 3 holes in the open, 6 in the woods. The course was well maintained and relatively easy to follow. Each hole had three different tees to choose from making it an enjoyable course for anyone at any level. Woodsboro was a very technical course.

Though the course now has 18 holes, we only played the front 9. the course makes it easy to play just the front of just the back.

Cons:

Tees were dirt. In wet weather, I would imagine it would quickly get too muddy to play. Very few long open shots for those who have distance shots.

I did not play the back 9. They seemed to be all in the trees.

Other Thoughts:

I am a novice and look for courses that give me a flavor of the region. I was not disappointed. The rocky hillside with a small babbling brook, scenic overlooks, and mixed deciduous woods provided the perfect character for a course to play in North Central Maryland.
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