Wexford, PA

Knob Hill Park

4.015(based on 67 reviews)
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13 0
The Red Death 30
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 26.8 years 78 played 31 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Pittsburgh's Original Premier Course

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Feb 27, 2024 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

This is almost literally where I grew up. I first played this course in, I believe 1997, so just a few years into its' life. Over the next decade I probably played 100 rounds a year or more on this course.

Maybe the first good thing we can say about this course is location. There are roughly 25 courses within a one hour drive of downtown Pittsburgh but this one is within a 30 min drive of town. It's also one of the courses in the most populous areas in town. That means it gets a lot of traffic and use and has introduced many of us to the sport.

I usually start any review with the natural aspects. This isn't one of those courses that plays deep into woods, but make no mistake there are trees aplenty. If my count is right, at least 10 of 18 holes are more woods than fairway. It's lacking breathtaking scenery but for those who love woods golf as much as I do, there's plenty of it here.

There are three sets of pads now with concrete on White and Blue. There are benches and garbage cans all over the place. There is an actual bathroom in the parking lot with running water, closed during the winter. The tee signs are excellent. I love this style of sign that has indicators for current pin position.

This is a course that will challenge you and definitely build up every part of your game. Some of these holes require lazer accuracy down a straight line. There are holes playing both left and right in fairly equal proportion. There is a good bit of elevation to be had as well, with holes playing both down and uphill, along with cross-grain holes. All of this sets you up to really need all the discs and tools at your disposal. My favorite stretch of this course is 13-15. This is where the course gets into probably its' most wooded area, with the most "nature popping" around you. They are also 3 very different holes that each plays to very different scoring range. The wide open holes that play from 6-8 are well placed in this course, also, as you just finished 5 harder woodsy holes and the course gives you a break to go unwind a little and chuck some discs in a fairway.

The upkeep is almost always top notch here. Now, I have seen 5 star Upkeep at private course, so anything public is never going to compare 100% but it's always well mowed, it's clean and the local group takes excellent care of this course.

Cons:

The course traffic is probably the biggest con for me. That's a challenging statement because you could argue that the popularity of the course speaks to how great it is and you are not wrong. It doesn't mean I want to show up and have 2 cards in front of me waiting to tee, which is most afternoons and weekends. There are SO many courses to play in town, but for various reasons a ton of people show up here all the time, which means I mostly avoid it except for early morning rounds or tourneys. There is, also, quite a bit of bystander traffic on the course. Most any day there are neighbors walking the trails that run through the course. Fantastic that people are enjoying the park, but most seem to have no "disc golf awareness" so you need to watch for them because they definitely aren't watching for you.

The weather can create challenges here. The drainage has been worked on many times in the past, but it still leaves something to be desired. Those same woodsy holes I raved about earlier are pure mud pits on the wrong day.

There have been a few changes since my early days of playing this course. I don't like them but that could be me being old and grumpy. They extended the 4th hole from being a short uphill to being the kind of hole I dont like much. Let's put a basket in the woods, with no lanes, and expect people to par. I have seen this hole crush amateur souls in tournaments. There is no lane to the deep pins. It's just poke and hope golf. They replaced the old 11th Hole because it was causing issues with those aforementioned neighbors walking. The new 5th that replaces it is mostly filler. Its a downhill putter shot with a lot of trees. The newest change is on 16 and here again, trees need removed to make it fun. The A Pin is okay but there is no lane to birdie from White to C Pin.

Other Thoughts:

This course is a classic. It's quite literally part of the fabric of disc golf in the tri-state area.
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15 0
AgentG
Experience: 1 played 1 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Great Diversity in a Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 3, 2020 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

The course is in a great area of Pittsburgh with a lot to do. Playing a round of disc golf is a short part (but great part) of the things to do when in the Cranberry Area. It's also very easy to get to.
The course has a great diversity of difficulty and hole types. From wooded holes with significant clearings to vast uphill winding holes, you'll enjoy playing the course more than once to get another shot at that hole you loved.
Despite being a relatively wooded course, the foliage is thin enough and land flat enough to never fear not getting to an OB disc. Some of the foliage is thin enough to even add an exciting recovery shot that can highlight your round.

Cons:

I tend to get lost when playing this course. There are a couple holes that I always get turned around on and have accidentally skipped a hole one time. Signage is there, but not always. This I compounded by the fact that there are some overlapping fairways and non-associated hiking/jogging paths to add to the confusion. I would recommend pulling up a map of the course on your phone if you're new to the layout.

Other Thoughts:

This is a very popular course in Pittsburgh, no matter what time of day. You need to make reservations / tee times online before playing, but that never stops people. Sometimes, people will be there to ensure tee times are held, but not always. This isn't a bad thing as people are very kind and will let faster groups play through, but keep in mind that if you go during the busiest times, you'll likely be waiting to tee off for a while.
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18 0
Ryal
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 6.8 years 216 played 182 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Quite the Pill is Knob Hill 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 10, 2019 Played the course:once

Pros:

+ The whole course plays through a quiet and expansive park setting featuring dense woods, hills, fields and a stream. This is a diverse course.
+ Two practice pins in close proximity to each other to accommodate for tournaments or distance putting.
+ The three tee pads on every hole allow all players to enjoy the course. They are contiguous slabs of concrete that feel level and sturdy underfoot.
+ Just one basket per hole but three possible pin positions per hole.
+ The current tee signs are well illustrated, have a clear system to indicate which position the basket is in and have distances written in both feet and meters, which is a nice touch!
+ The locals here are friendly and welcoming. (More on that later...)

Cons:

- Some of the tee pads are damaged. The white tees at 4 and 5 come to mind.
- Some of the 'next hole' signage is missing.
- There are paths all over the place that can and will interrupt your session with pedestrians, joggers, dog walkers, dogs without their walkers and even bicyclists. This is obviously a popular park. Please be mindful of your surroundings and remember that other park users always have right of way.
- Fairways 16 and 18 overlap.

Other Thoughts:

My favorite hole to play here is hole 10. Regular readers of my reviews know that I have a soft spot for downhill throws, and hole 10 was an absolute joy to play because, despite how open it appears, there are just enough trees in the way to force a player to consider whether they want to focus on distance or accuracy more.
My favorite hole to look at was either hole 17 for its downhill vista of the hills in the distance and the course below or 15 for its picturesque wooded fairway over water with a bridge.
My least favorite hole is probably 18 because it deals with the fewest trees, has the shortest hills and crosses a different fairway.

I showed up in the middle of the local club's end-of-season league tournament. Instead of them turning me away, they greeted me kindly and welcomed me to their course. (Perhaps it was just good timing on my part because they were about to take their hour lunch in between rounds.) Regardless, I caught up and played my round with another coincidental solitary local player who I am going to call 'Trevor' who guided me through the course from the white tees. Nice people, nice people.

On the whole, Knob Hill is an excellent venue to go throw. The good here far outweighs the bad. I like the wide open fields whether they climb up or sink down. I like the various tunnel shots or tree-dodging hybrid holes whether they are flat or slanted. I like the babbling brook in the middle of the back nine. This course has a lot of variety. Every disc golfer will find a hole they liked more than the others.
That's why it hurts to say that nothing really reaches out and grabs the player. Knob Hill plays like a top-notch park-style course. It has great variety to be certain, but these are all the kinds of holes that you've played before, except all in one place. So, it's a great place to throw plastic, but very little stood fresh in my mind after it was over.

In closing, Knob Hill reminds me of disc golf roller coaster. After the ups, downs, twists, sudden turns and splash downs, I look back at it all after hole 18 and can barely remember much of what happened. I remember having a blast from start to finish, but it's a blurry blast. Still, you need to come play here because there really is something for everyone.

You probably have a better memory than I do, anyway.
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7 3
Jeriicco
Experience: 19.1 years 23 played 4 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Knob Hill 2019 Review 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 30, 2019 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Gorgeous scenery, very private course with little distractions. Holes have good variety with a mix of woods, open fairways, uphill and downhill drives. Nice large tee boxes. Tables and benches to rest at several locations. 3 tee boxes from every hole for all experience levels. A few holes have water hazards which is always a fun challenge. Toilets and practice baskets at start of the course.

Cons:

Very muddy. Slightly difficult finding the next hole when playing for the first time. A few holes are tightly grouped together which could cause some disc hazards on a busy day.

Other Thoughts:

This is a fantastic course. My favorite part about it is the scenery, like most DG courses it's in a park surrounded by nature.
The first few holes start out in the woods with some challenging drives through the trees, playing both uphill and downhill. Once you break out of the woods there are a few short holes with some tree obstacles but not nearly as heavily wooded as the beginning of the course. Next you break out into a few long holes with open fairways similar to regular golf. The back nine takes you back into the woods. Hole 9 goes downhill and hole 10 goes uphill before you start to get some more flat holes through the woods. Hole 15 is a short drive over a creek, if you can avoid the trees it's a decent chance at an ace. The final three holes are on a hill side adding a nice uphill drive followed by a downhill drive and finishing with a long power drive for the final hole.
This course is challenging and can give even experienced players fits. In my opinion shooting par is an achievement. I hadn't thrown a disc in nearly five years before playing this course and it completely reinvigorated my passion for disc golf. Looking forward to playing it again!
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8 1
njgrosser
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 12.8 years 46 played 36 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Worth a Visit 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:May 31, 2019 Played the course:once

Pros:

The course has a solid mix of holes. It mainly plays in the woods, but several holes play into thinner woods with a couple truly open holes. It also changes distance and elevation well to give every hole a new look. It is challenging, but not overly challenging. It can appeal to all levels.

Like most Pittsburgh courses, there are three tee locations (two concrete pads, one earth marked by a wooden post) and three pin locations. A local can play as many variations of the course as they want, while an out-of-towner like me can pick the tee that suits their skill level best.

Tee signs were good, navigation was fairly intuitive, and the round was fun. What more can you ask for?

Cons:

The course was muddy. Not quite as muddy as Deer Lakes, but still muddy. Waterproof boots are a good idea if it has rained recently.

Don't even bother with the bathrooms. Take your own TP and find a nice tree, it'll be 10x better than using the bathrooms at the parking lot.

Other Thoughts:

In my latest trip to Pittsburgh, I played both Knob Hill and Deer Lakes. Both courses are worth visiting, and I hope to play them both again. Deer Lakes is admittedly the better course with the higher ceiling (the mud there was significantly worse than at Knob Hill), but Knob Hill is a little more friendly to the amateur player and still stands out as a top course in the area. It is also closer to the downtown area, so if you are in the area don't overlook this course!
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8 0
Tdelano3
Experience: 37.8 years 41 played 22 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Knob Hill DGC 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 27, 2019 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

-outstanding course design that maximizes the hilly terrain
-great signage, concrete tees & newer baskets
-up to 3 pin positions on each hole provides great variation, making holes play differently
-clean, well-maintained course all around
-challenging lines for lefty & righty players alike

Cons:

-very wet & muddy, with natural springs/drainage runs on almost every hole
-course was mobbed with players, which speaks to its popularity, but makes a solo round much slower

Other Thoughts:

I really enjoyed both rounds I played @ Knob Hill, about a month apart. First round was frosty & freezing, today's was warmer, but the course was full of mud/water. That was the only downside to either round ...brilliant course design & maintenance makes Knob Hill a great challenge for players of all ability levels.
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7 0
DiscinOhio
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 10.8 years 199 played 190 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Western PA Is LOADED 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 18, 2018 Played the course:once

Pros:

+ I'm on my third trip to Western PA and I continue to find terrific courses at every turn! Knob Hill is a large chunk of land just a short drive from Pittsburgh. Features everything from trails, to nature areas, to ball fields and more.

+ The amenities are top notch (besides the horrific restrooms). Two high quality signs for every hole, as well as a basic sign for the red tees. You'll find concrete tees and Prodigy baskets on every hole as well.

+ I love Gary J Dropcho designs, and he was a part of the team that created the course back in the 90s. Great mix of elevation, hole shaping, and tree coverage.

+ I'm not a huge fan of multiple pin positions, but there's three of them here if you're a local who likes to change it up. Each tee sign has a marker that tells you which basket is in play.
+ Just like all Western PA course I've played, navigation is top notch. There's no way you'll get lost playing here!

Cons:

- Knob Hill is very, very solid but there's not enough "wow factor" for me to put it much higher than a 4.0. Nothing too wild, besides a few fun downhill shots. With that being said, I don't have too much to complain about.

- #16 and #18 cross paths on a blind hill. Also, #18's basket looks like it was hit by a tree as it's severly dented and leaning to the right.

- Unfortunately, there's other people using the area so watch for dog walkers, hikers, picnickers, etc.

- I'd rather take a dump in the middle of the freaking parking lot than step a foot in these bathrooms. They're nasty, smelly, bug infested hell holes that nobody should step foot in. If the local prison turned these bathrooms into prison cells, the crime rate in Wexford would drop by 40% because nobody would want to go in that place.

Other Thoughts:

Knob Hill is very solid, and compliments the surrounding courses well. Western PA is loaded with awesome places to throw!
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4 4
Jmk5704
Experience: 9.4 years 58 played 32 reviews
4.00 star(s)

You need all shots 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 5, 2017 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

I love the prodigy baskets and that lime green stands out well. I think it is a well laid out course and they knew what they were doing when they built the course. Lots of variety in your shots

Cons:

Tee signs were not that great, had a good system for let you know where the pin was at but it wasn't always correct. Holes 13 and 14 get supper muddy.

Other Thoughts:

Hole 18 has potential to hit a car if your not careful
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13 0
The Valkyrie Kid
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 45.8 years 1563 played 1507 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Course Is Great But Children's Play Area Is Even Cooler! 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jul 20, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

Knob Hill DGC is located in the Knob Hill Municipal Park. The course is back at the end of the road just past the awesome looking children's play structure. There is a restroom at the start with a bulletin board on the side of it. A practice basket is here. Follow the trail about 50 yards to reach the first tee. The course has nice, extra long concrete pads for both the Blue (longs) and White (middle) tees while the Reds (shorts) mostly don't have a pad (a couple old red tees at the end do have concrete) and are designated by a stake with red on the top. The tee pads are well built with the concrete has a 6" border of gravel and then both are bordered by railroad ties. You never feel uncomfortable teeing off from these. The tee signs for the Blues and White are metal, nicely colored and have a hole map. The Blues are blue at the top while the White are, Surprise! white on the top. The tee signs use the bolt system on the sign for designating with position the basket is currently set, A-B-C. I played the Whites and I think they played at a difficult recreational level. I'm not sure what you would call the Blues, either intermediate or advanced. Whatever, they looked mean to me. Knob Hill has these pretty, light green prodigy baskets. They are very sturdy looking. There are benches at many holes, garbage cans everywhere and in a first for me, there were some recycling tubs at some holes. Way to go green, Knob Hill.

# 1 plays 410', 235' and 240' through a grouping of trees. # 10 from the White tees is 342' uphill around a corner. # 12 is 281' with a slight anhyser needed and a smallish window. # 17 is a fun 253' downhill Ace run. It's totally open. # 16 from the Blues looks tough with a steep uphill throw needed through lots of trees.

But for me, easily the signature hole is # 9. From the Whites, it's 370' downhill through some scattered trees. It's just a classic, beautiful green fairway.

One more thought! The course is practically litter free. One of the cleanest courses I've encountered. Kudos to whoever is doing their best to keep this course so clean and attractive.

Cons:

What cons?

Being picky, there was one basket which had a slight lean like someone had been jumping on it. Sorry, I forgot to make a note of which hole it was.

The course was muddy/boggy in places, especially for late July.

The course shows signs of erosion in many places. Obviously, it gets a lot of use.

I think this course could really benefit from about 10 yards of woodchips to be spread over some of the wet/boggy spots and to be spread around the baskets. I believe most county park departments have a pile sitting around somewhere as they are always chipping branches or fallen trees. Contact either the county road crews or the parks department to inquire about them donating a truck load.

Other Thoughts:

This course is great. I especially love beautiful green courses and I especially love courses with rolling hills. Knob Hill combines probably my two favorite disc golf course elements. Throw in one sensational downhill (9) along with a couple fun, downhill Ace runs, a couple open bomber holes and some tougher uphill holes and you have the ingredients for one really nice course.
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3 6
Jcmb
Experience: 16.6 years 25 played 5 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Good course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 3, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

Multiple pins and tees. Well maintained and easy to navigate. Set up for multiple types of shots. Not too challenging but enough to keep you on your toes. good mix of Holes.

Cons:

lots of up and down hills gets tedious. tee pad in the middle of the parking lot and a few holes feel like repeats. Lots of foot traffic through the course that was not other players not sure if that is typical or not.

Other Thoughts:

It was fun and I will play it again. Could use a few more benches along the way with all the up and down hill. Take lots of water
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9 0
Mark R
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 21.7 years 115 played 89 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Mother of Deer Lakes Park 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Oct 7, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

Classic, old-school (designed in 1994) city park-style disc golf. Three sets of cement pads (red, white and blue, in order of increasing difficulty) offer optimal challenge for nearly any player. As is the case with Deer Lakes Park, the major river valley hills in the area provide excellent disc golf topography, in addition to course diversity. The deeply-sloped, grassy terrain provides lots of entertaining drives, both uphill and downhill. The irregular steepness of some of the hills creates somewhat deceptive slopes that can surprise you on upshots, adding challenge and fun. The tree density of the middle portion of the course is near-perfect, rather than being completely open and prone to windy conditions. Holes 7 and 8 are the most wide-open holes, but are still somewhat shielded from high winds and have undulated fairways, keeping things from getting boring. Hole 9 is a thrilling downhill bomb shot with great tee and pin positions that put trees and shrubs in the way, but is still very fair. Hole 10 is a tough uphill drive that requires a huge RHBH spike hyzer, but won't kill you if you miss it. Holes 11 and 12 have the most steeply undulated fairways, as well as blind pin positions that keep the fun factor elevated. Holes 13 and 14 wind around creek ravines and are well-shielded by huge trees, but are not too tight and reward skillfully placed drives. A free course with newer, bright-green Prodigy baskets.

Cons:

Course starts with heavily-wooded holes that underwhelm slightly, sometimes giving you a beating you might feel you didn't deserve. However, the course rapidly improves starting at Hole 5, continuing through most of the rest of the course. Holes 7 and 8 are a little too close together for comfort, with neighboring fairways in opposite directions. The parking lot is a bit inadequate for heavy disc golf traffic. Has a couple of holes that feel slightly like filler holes (4, 17), but are good enough not to ruin the experience. The out-of-bounds road bordering Hole 18 seems slightly forced, adding challenge but not adding to the fun factor.

Other Thoughts:

Another solid hit in the greater Pittsburgh area, making the area a natural disc golf destination. Those used to driving in flatter-terrain areas might be slightly flustered by winding roads in the area, including the one leading to this course. A great course overall, perhaps not quite up to usual 4.5 rating standards but definitely better than the ~4.0 composite rating on this site.
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2 9
TXDiscDude
Experience: 16.6 years 113 played 13 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Not bad 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 10, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

Nice green cut fairways
Marked pretty well
Concrete pads, and fun shots with elevation and large trees

Cons:

Some huffing and puffin type fairways so wear good shoes and bring water.
Lost a disc on the hole with the big elevation change, and the basket by the woods and creek.

Other Thoughts:

Bring bug sprat and water
Much better then other courses in the area.
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8 0
AeroPurt
Experience: 15.6 years 59 played 29 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Beautiful Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 10, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

- Prodigy Pro DG T1 baskets
- Multiple tees
- Multiple pin locations
- Beautiful park!!
- Great use of the terrain - I loved Hole 16 (throwing straight up a steep incline over the parking lot).
- Great variety of short/long and left/right doglegs.
- Tee signs on every hole.
- Every hole makes sense...there are no holes that make you feel like you have to get lucky to have a good shot.

Cons:

- Lots of thorns in the rough...stick to the fairways as much as possible.

Other Thoughts:

- We don't see too many courses like this in OK. I could play this course everyday - to have the chance to play this beautiful course everyday would be incredible. Thanks for building such a nice, well-though-out course.
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9 1
8putt
Experience: 162 played 1 reviews
4.50 star(s)

A Good Example of a Pittsburgh Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 26, 2015 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

This course will challenge you from start to finish. You will be required to throw every type of throw in your bag whether it be big Hyzer bombs or tight straight backhands or a long sidearm. The course has great variety between wide open holes where you can air out (7,8,18,) or tightly wooded holes (1-3,12-15), knob hill gives players with smaller arms more chances than a lot of other courses. Overall, knob is a great example of the great courses that the Pittsburgh area has to offer.

Cons:

Most of the cons that will be listed are going to be quite nitpicky.
- The course can very easily become wet after even the slightest bit of rain so come prepared.
- The prodigy baskets are very unforgiving and require a large amount of precision.
- The course is usually crowded (Usually the people are nice enough to allow fast people through)
- Once you start you pretty much have to finish because there are no places to stop (There are very easily skippable holes though)

These are all very nitpicky and should not distract from the quality of the course.

Other Thoughts:

If you are a Pittsburgh native or you are visiting the area, don't cross this one off your list. While you can very easily be distracted by other great courses in the area (Moraine, Deer Lakes, etc.) Knob is equally as great. Definitely a must visit.
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4 0
Jags
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 9.6 years 84 played 41 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Awesome course worth the drive! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 25, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

Not a hard park to find with playgrounds and lots of other activities. Very nice course with about every shot in the bag(uphill, downhill, right turn, left turn). Very nice layout and good use of the terain. Large cement tee pads that are longer than other courses I've played. Hole placement is marked on tee pad signs so you know of the 3 possible hole options where the hole is at. Course looks well maintained with not much garbage.

Cons:

Most holes only have two tee pads, no third for women. Course seems like it is pretty busy all the time. A round might be slower going than one might anticipate. If course is wet, some of the holes at the bottom of the hill's can get a little muddy and slick. Some holes are kinda compact so watch out for others before throwing. There are no
par 5's on this course. Parking lot is rather small.

Other Thoughts:

Overall I really enjoyed this course. Definitely worth the drive in my opinion. Will be playing this course again.
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7 0
EWSdiscgolf
Experience: 10.6 years 89 played 28 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Best of the Worlds Courses, favorite in PA 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 15, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

- There was a good entrance after passing playgrounds, pavillions and large parking lot, you see a sign for the course, and there is a parking lot at the end of the road with a board and practice basket with yardage markings around the basket
- Playgrounds and pavilions show that it's a good place/park
- Large grassy areas looked maintained, while the wooded areas have pretty big fairways and pathways in between holes (actually saw people maintaining one of the later holes)
- 3 tees on each hole (flypad for longs/blues, concrete in good shape for mids/whites and natural for shorts/reds)
- 3 basket positions on each hole, some with lots of yardage between positions, giving completely different hole types
- Detailed tee sign at each white tee (probably the most commonly used tees) showing the par, nice hole map, location of all 3 tees and pin positions, flight paths, next tee arrow and distances from each tee to each basket
- Course flows good and there aren't really any long walks between holes, a walk from parking to tee #1, but not too bad
- Nice hole setting variety - some holes are open, some are heavily wooded, many are both, but you experience that most with blues
- Hole designs surprise you with a lot of shots
- There were plenty of just great disc golf holes - I really liked hole #6 - the downhill hole where you have to watch out for some trees close to the tee, then it opens up where your disc needs to settle near the pin put on the edge

Cons:

- Nowhere near the parking lot until 16
- Seemed too easy for pros on certain holes, pros would completely rip up the course because the challenge factor isn't too hard
- 16 crosses over the road at the start, not good if a car comes
- White tees have good tee signs, but the reds are hard to find and laminated paper stapled to a wood post
- Hard to find the first tee without a local...need more help to find the first tee

Other Thoughts:

Great course! I played all of the worlds courses but Slippery Rock and I liked this best. Unfortunately, the pros couldn't play this because it was too easy, but I would like to see someone good play Knob Hill. Great course!
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8 0
ddevine
Experience: 45 years 133 played 39 reviews
4.00 star(s)

I LUV KNOB HILL 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 4, 2015 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

This review refers to the Blue Tees layout at the 2015 Worlds. Delightful course featuring tight woods, open field crushes, well designed fairways and well placed pin positions that demand a variety of tee shots and approach shots with plenty of nasty rough and some OB tossed in for added effect. I threw every shot in my bag (and wished I had a couple more!). Will test your patience, especially if you hit early trees (especially hole 3). Work on your forehand roller to help get out of jail. This course demands your full attention. Top players can shoot in the low to mid 50s, but if you are off your game you can easily shoot in the mid 60s.

Cons:

Can be muddy (thank goodness no rain during Worlds!). Too much traffic near the mid-point, with the long tees of 9 and 11 close together (and close to the basket of 10 and the fairway of 5). Although it would make the course easier, the short tee of 9 would fix the traffic problems and provide one of the more enjoyable shots on the course...a beautiful downhill ace run where the flight of a disc can be enjoyed (or cursed if it sails into the nasty stuff behind the basket).

Other Thoughts:

I first played Knob Hill back in the late 90s, and have always counted it among my favorites. After 15 years I wondered how it was holding up, and I was super happy to see how great the course was looking and how much hard work had gone into preparing it for the Worlds. Super kudos to all of the volunteers for their hard work and dedication!!
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12 1
jjtwinnova
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 8.7 years 246 played 97 reviews
3.50 star(s)

"Hill" of a course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Apr 11, 2017 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Everybody who plays disc golf, has a course that started it all. It could be a nine hole pitch and putt, a five disc wonderland, or everything in between. Knob Hill was the course that started it all for me.

I have written and rewritten this review, and it never seems right. To me, it's perfect. I have spent days on the course, held tournaments here, played leagues, and put blood sweat and tears into keeping it maintained. So here it goes, Knob Hill.

Knob Hill combines woods golf with park golf. Playing through a 100+ acre suburban park 20 minutes outside of Pittsburgh, it shows the beautiful nature of Western Pennsylvania. Rolling hills, waving trees, and luscious green grass.

The course itself is well maintained by the local club, one I am part of, and the pin positions change often, as well as trees are trimmed, and improvements are made.

The holes, while mainly Par 3 and Par 4 golf, provide a unique challenge that can be accessible for anybody depending on pins. The trees were placed well, and there are no holes that I feel are too hard.

The prodigy baskets are only 2 years old, catch fine, and are visible, even though they are green.

Two concrete tee pads on each hole are always a plus. The whites are great for amateur players to provide a challenge, as well as give pros a chance to score well. The blues are high-caliber and worthy of professional tournament play.

The tee signs are full color, provide accurate information including par, distance, and a pindicator telling you which position the basket is in.

Cons:

Park disc golf usually has the same cons, as well as each course has individual cons. For park courses, including Knob Hill, it is very possible that the course is very crowded, with either players or parkgoers, you must be patient with everybody. People can be a nuisance, I know, but wait your turn.

Another common problem with park style courses is length. Knob is not a pitch and putt, don't get me wrong, but it would be nice to have more true par 4s and 5s rather than gimme birdies on 500 footers. Moraine and Deer Lakes can provide these types of holes, if you are interested.

Knob is known around the area as the wettest, muddiest, worst drained courses in the area. After a harsh winter, a weeklong rain, or any weather event, the course can be a sloppy mess. This has hurt tournaments and leagues by making the course almost unplayable come early spring.

Hole 16 white tee plays across hole 18 fairway, and 16-18 are probably the most boring holes on the course. They are all wide open for the course, and mostly play as filler holes, but they can provide challenge with steep hillsides and OB.

Other Thoughts:

There comes a day where you have to look at your home course from an outsider perspective. You have to see what is really wrong or right with the course to get a true feel for how it compares. I am truly blessed with the opportunity to live by such amazing courses, but I know it can be better. However, I truly feel that Knob Hill is right up there with the best of them, a true gem.
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4 3
groz24
Experience: 1 played 1 reviews
3.50 star(s)

A great first experience 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 10, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

All the holes seemed very well designed. I enjoyed how the course started off in the woods, went out into the open, back in the woods and finished on the side of an open hill.

A great variety of holes and terrain.

A nice mix of challenging and not as challenging holes.

Cons:

There were quite a few muddy places, which I found odd since it's been very sunny and over 80 degrees with no rain for almost a week now.

Since it's under construction, it's a little hard to know which pins are in place and they're not always noticeable from the tee areas.

Other Thoughts:

Despite the course being under construction, we still had a ton of fun playing our first game of disc golf. I think that once the construction is completed for the world disc golf championships the first week of August, this course is going to be fantastic. With all the hills, you'll be in for quite a hike while you play as well, but the course plays so well you won't mind.
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13 0
RamsFan1
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 13.5 years 91 played 91 reviews
4.00 star(s)

No Frills Disc Golf 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 22, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

18 hole course located in a well manicured and maintained community park. There is a practice basket close to a sign that points to hole 1. Good quality signs indicating distance and flight path. A screw on each tee sign indicates current basket placement (A, B or C position). Three tee pads per hole; blue (large rubber pro pad), white (oversized concrete advanced or main pad) and red (recreational tee indicated by a ground level board). A fluorescent orange number atop each basket helps visibility from the tee. Very nice balance of wooded and open holes. Well-worn paths make navigation pretty easy for 1st-timers. Good use of elevation. Most of the course challenges you to hit lines and places a premium on accuracy. Hole 9- a really nice downhill shot to an open basket, and hole 15- a fun ace run between trees over a small creek stand out.

Cons:

Though it evens out, in my opinion, the first 9 holes have too many RHFH/lefty friendly "C" position basket placements to the right of the tee. While navigation is not tough, some more "next tee" signs would be helpful, particularly on the front 9. Areas of the course are muddy after heavy rains. Limited parking could be a problem for large tournaments. There are no issues that should prevent one from playing here.

Other Thoughts:

My first visit to the Pittsburgh area did not disappoint. Now 20 years old, Knob Hill has aged well and represents disc golf in its purest form without the bells and whistles. There are no 800 foot signature holes, manufactured OB or other gimmicks, just a good, solid disc golf experience featuring plenty of challenges, With three tee pads and three basket placements for each hole, there's plenty here for all skill levels. Knob Hill is probably underappreciated a bit due to the inevitable comparisons with the phenomenal courses at Deer Lakes and Moraine, but make no mistake: the rolling hills and general seclusion of other parts of the course make Knob Hill a first rate play.
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