18 feel, but with 9 holes
13 Helpful / 0 Not
Pros: - Gorgeous course - this course is well manicured and fun.
Leans a littlie towards the RHBH, but definitely has balance to it (see hold 5).
- Course has the fun factor, and the "man, I wish I could bring my less/equally/more talented friends here for a betting round" look.
- The course has fairly good flow and if you look at the next tee signs, you don't need a map. The address is for the main hotel, however, and not tee 1.
- The course (as others have mentioned) has a manicured feel, like a ball golf course. Holes 1 (pin on hill), 2 (pin past a green on a second island), 5 (pin on a peninsula that will punish long LHBH shots or bad putts), and 9 (tunnel shot onto a clean green with summertime briars to punish the foolish) take advantage of the elevation of the area to create good disc golf.
- Maximize the potential of the area to make something worth visiting a time or two.
- A good mix of long and shorter holes. There are some that should essentially be par 2's (<200') but at the same time, the course balances out with longer par 3's.
- Several holes play into the trees and have completely different ground play due to the pine tree scrub vs. grass. I'm not a world traveler (yet) but it's rare to find different ground play. Coastal NJ plays like 3 and 4, but the others holes play inland without the pine scrub and simply grass.
- The terrain here is rarely flat and often present disc and strategy decisions about what directions to throw.
Cons: -Not taking off a star, but they only put nine holes in a location that supports 9. You finish and want more, but the property does not support it.
- No overall map or elevation information. Elevation plays a part of more than 4 of the holes of the nine.
- Benches, amenities, etc. Not factored into the overall, but it is also fairly hard to imagine this course as terribly busy.
Other Thoughts: - This place is not a pitch and putt - if you have a 300' arm, you will not birdie every hole. However, this adds to the attraction. You can track progress on the longer holes (including the single par four) and measure your score appropriately.
- This place is ABSOLUTELY worth the trip for a Pitch and Putt+. The views, the risk/reward "island-ish" situation of hole five, are definitely worth it. There are 1-3 disc P&P courses, but this is way better than that.
- Of the short courses in the area, I would place this one at the top of the list. The courses in W HB are run of the mill, but this one has elevation, quality pin placement, and variety -- definitely worth a trip.
13 of 13 people found this review helpful.
Public welcome with the feel of a private ball course
10 Helpful / 0 Not
Pros:
+ Design takes advantage of beautifully maintained grounds of a resort. Remnants of former ball golf course are visible here and there
+ Largely open, and at ~3000' it's a bit longer than a lot of 9's recreational/park nines
+ Hole #4 was a 372' standout for me: you're on an elevated tee, throwing a late fade into a grove of towering pines, with a downward sloping green. A beautiful hole to throw, and then to walk
+ Hole #9 is a short ace run through a tree gap. Nice way to finish a rec course
Cons:
- Taking this for what it is ( a recreational niner) I can only quibble about the natural teepads (but they're well marked with in-ground medallions)
Other Thoughts:
~ Big parking lot near the 2nd tee. Easy to play starting there, but the first hole is way off to the right of the 9th basket
~ 3.5 rating is the highest I've gone for a niner, and it reflects how nice the place is. You really feel like a "resort golfer" walking this course
~ Found three discs while playing 9 holes. They were all clearly marked "Hotel Hershey" and I figured I'd drop them off near the #9 basket. I wasn't the only one: basket #9 had about a dozen hotel discs - your DX Leopards and your DX Sharks
~ Quick to play. Fighting darkness at the end of a long bagging day (this was our 10th course of the day!). We played it in 27 minutes...but we ran.
10 of 10 people found this review helpful.
Not bad for a 9 hole at all
0 Helpful / 7 Not
Pros: Very nice park
Well maintained
Several different shaped shots
Cons: Natural driving pads
Only 9 holes
Other Thoughts: Fun nice 9 hole park with many different shots to play
0 of 7 people found this review helpful.
Quiet, Well Maintained & Wildlife
5 Helpful / 0 Not
Pros: Well Maintained
Quiet
Nice Innova baskets
Nice tee signs
Regular daily visits from deer in the evening
Great place for fieldwork, putting practice, pratice in general
Safe environment
Hard to lose discs here
Some challenging tee shots necessary for birdie
Natural OB
Cons: 9 holes - but a beautiful place
Natural tee pads
Birdie or die par 3 course
Not a con but some of the rough is rough, dense briars, dense shrubs/grass and just a couple feet OB can present a challenge in finding a disc. Having said that, you know where it is, it must be in a small area, just take the time.
Other Thoughts: Feels like a little oasis of regularly cut and groomed nature right outside Hershey. I have spoken with a Hotel employee and some security personel who verified it is totally cool to play here without being a hotel guest. Open to public. There are a couple furry regulars that visit the course. Some groundhogs and deer. The deer usually come out at dusk and come out onto the fairways to graze. There was a small herd with several fawns in the spring/early summer but I have only seen one or two adults lately. They generally hang out at the far end of the course on holes 6-8 and will hang out eating while you stand on the teepad contemplating the possiblity your drive will hit them.
5 of 5 people found this review helpful.
The Sweetest Place on Earth...
11 Helpful / 0 Not
Pros: What a pretty little course in the middle of the Hershey tourism area. The course uses a nice area of grounds just downhill from the Hotel Hershey and near the Hershey Gardens. Much of the course looks look it could been been a ball golf course, with wide grass fairways and majestic trees here and there.
After parking in the huge Hershey Gardens parking area I found the teebox for Hole 4 and started there. I was pleased to find a downhill 383' hole playing to a basket guarded by nicely spaced pines. The next hole required a big right-hand turning drive to a basket with a "gotcha" drop-off just behind. I turns out that those were the two most interesting holes. Things got much more open after that.
Hole 9 is a short downhill ace run with enough trees to require a accurate line.
Baskets are Innova Discatchers with flags that show up well. Each has an arrow hanging from the basket pointing to the next tee.
Tee signs are simple but all you need on this course. Teepads are natural and marked by large blue "Innova" discs buried in the ground.
Cons: Six of the holes were 340' - 420' throws over predominantly open ground. While beautiful, they did not require a particularly accurate drive and fall into the area where (with my 300' drive) you were not likely to birdie them, but par was easy. If this course is intended to introduce hotel guests to disc golf most of the holes are too long.
Natural tees were a little chewed here and there but I don't get the impression that this course gets much traffic.
Other Thoughts: You might be able to park right next to the Hole 1 tee but there are only 5 parking spots in that lot.
Since I parked in the big lot and started on Hole 4 the walk from Hole 9 to Hole 1 was not obvious. Hole 1 is only hole on the hotel side of of the driveway. Makes sense if folks are walking down from the hotel, but if you're parked in the big lot you'll have to go and find it.
11 of 11 people found this review helpful.
A Touch Of Class!
19 Helpful / 0 Not
Pros: After playing 1200 courses over 40 years, I don't think I've ever used class when describing a disc golf course but the course at Hotel Hershey just seems classy to me. Start with the fact that this course starts down the steps near the tennis and bocce ball courts and plays through rest of the hotel's sports area including their falconry area. Then you add the fact that this course is part of the Hotel Hershey, which is this large luxury property. It just made me feel like I was playing disc golf with the Royals. Good putt, Prince William! Nice drive there, Prince Harry!
As previously stated, this little 9 hole course begins by the steps and just above the tennis courts. There is a disc golf rules sign here. The tee signs nice colored ones. The natural tee pads are marked by two blue, markers made by Innova. Most of these are natural pads are perfectly adequate. The baskets are Discatchers with the numbers on the yellow bands and next tee arrows hung below the catchers.
The distances and challenge are both commensurate with a recreational level course. Advanced players won't find much challenge here. Distances are mostly in the 300' range. # 9 is the only shorty but it's a fun little 156' downhill toss but you have to keep your drive below the branches and also hit a 25' gap. Cool little hole!
I also liked # 4, # 5 and # 7. # 4 is a 383' hole, slightly downhill, which kinda hysers into a lovely wooded area. # 5 is just a real pretty 370', also slightly downhill, which needs a little fade at the end. And # 7 is 411' to a basket set under a large tree near this cool looking ropes course structure.
Cons: I find very little to complain about. The natural tee pads would be an issue if this course received more play. Currently, only the # 3 pad is somewhat torn up and that's because the tee is slanting slightly uphill and players are trying to crank up their drives here to clear the small hill.
Only 9 holes.
Little challenge for better players.
Other Thoughts: This is one of my favorite little Rec courses. I could invent a new category consisting of smallish, 9 hole, Rec courses and this would make the grade. Install some proper tee pads and I think this might rate as one of the better 9 hole courses anywhere.
I could live in Hershey, eat lots of chocolate, and split my time between here and Shank Park. I'd be as happy as an Amish boy at a strip club.
19 of 19 people found this review helpful.
If you're there...why not?
4 Helpful / 0 Not
Pros: Some trees and natural barriers do provide the opportunity to shape shots. You can easily park then walk the course...no physical challenges for getting around. You'd have to throw a very errant disc in order to lose one...and even then it would be tough.
The view is nice, and because it used to be an "executive golf course" that got repurposed, if feels very "golf-like"
Cons: There is absolutely nothing special. There is no "signature" hole. There is no great variety in length, elevation, difficulty. There are no tee boxes.
Other Thoughts: Basically, if you're there already, its a fun little course to play. After one round, you can find ways to use the baskets to make your own holes; so, it can provide some quality practice.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.
Pleasant Surprise
5 Helpful / 0 Not
Pros: New baskets that catch well and are easy to spot. Tee signs on every hole. Non-trivial hotel course (which is a pleasant surprise). Grounds are beautiful. Holes are mostly open but some good basket placements make for shot shaping. No chance of disc loss.
Cons: Holes are pretty uniform - all but 3 are in the 300-400 foot range. No tee pads. Pretty easy to navigate but one or two times I had to look around to find the next tee.
Other Thoughts: I stepped up to the first tee and said "300 feet - that' s okay for a hotel course". I like the first basket placement on the hillside. Hole #2 was fairly routine though a touch longer (338'). The third hole is 372' and I thought "Hey this course is better than I would have expected at a hotel". This hole is blind with the basket behind a circular OB area and is my favorite hole on the course. Then holes 4&5 (383' and 370') have you playing under an evergreen canopy - very nice although pretty routine. Hole #6 dropped down to 238' and was the most boring hole on the course. Holes 7&8 jump up to 411' and 420' which is nice. Hole #9 is an ace run (156') but is pretty and has that one branch hanging out to knock your ace away.
I really enjoyed this course and would play again if in the area. It's not a challenge but is just plain old fun. I actually lost track of my disc twice because of the attractive grounds which distracted me.
5 of 5 people found this review helpful.
Sweet little course with no Chocolate
6 Helpful / 0 Not
Pros: Nice and short. (Nothing over 420 ft.) Well manicured lawns/fairways. Nice signage and starting pins. Great use of the terrain. Only 2 holes have scrub brush thick enough to lose a disc. Great for people who have never played or those of us who do not throw super hard.
Hole #1 is a nice easy intro hole with a few trees. Hole #3 was pretty nice with the basket tucked behind some hedges/bushes (I like when you have to throw around or over obstacles). #4 had some fun trees to navigate. #5 was a dogleg right that played tight at the basket due to some thick scrub brush around it. #9 is a definite ACE hole or at least an easy birdie.
Cons: No real chalenges or super long holes for pros (but then again, I'm sure it wasn't designed for pros). Although there are some trees and bushes, there are no real tough holes to "thread" the disc through. #2,6,7,& 8 were pretty strait forward and easy. The scrub brush was pretty thick to the right of #5 and to the right of #8 so you can definitely lose a disc there with an errant throw. The only missing sign issue I found was that there was nothing to tell you how to get to the #2 tee from basket #1 (you have to cross the road).
Other Thoughts: This course was obviously designed for people staying at the Hotel that might want to try some disc golf. I wish EVERY hotel had one of these courses right outside. I also think its great that the Hotel Hershey keeps their course open to the public. I love well manicured courses that don't have a lot of places to gobble up your discs, which makes this course pretty sweet to me! Although... I did not see any signs of chocolate (not even a little Hershey kiss picture on the last basket... Now THAT would be a sweet finish... along with an ace.)
6 of 6 people found this review helpful.
Hotel, Motel, Hoiday Inn
2 Helpful / 3 Not
Pros: The Course well maintained and easy to play. Fast 9 holes. Best holes on the course is 4, 5, and 7.
The course is a great place to go for a fast round, natural tee pads and easy signage makes it nice.
Cons: Its designed for introduction level play.
Other Thoughts: The course is open to public, Lets keep it that way.
2 of 5 people found this review helpful.
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1 
5/2/2018 
5/2/2018
Review By: markmcc 
This review was updated on 4/29/2019
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