Weekend from Chicago Input

[EspressoPatronum]

Looking for general input on great areas to hit for a weekend trip out of Chicago. I usually am on the road for 3-4 days and do somewhere around 14-16 hours of driving but it varies. I've hit most of the best Wisconsin courses. I'm planning to go to Missouri/KC in the near future. What else? Where should I target?

On these trips, I mostly disc golf and enjoy getting out in the middle of nowhere, but I'm not opposed to mixing it up a bit with some good food and independent coffee shops. I especially like wooded and technical courses but will play just about anything.

 

[acrosley]

Lafayette, IN has a nice complex with Wabash Woods/Washout and a nice park course with Murdock. Could probably hit up Lemon Lake on the way

 

[wolfhaley]

West Virginia is pretty fantastic with some awesome wooded courses. Very beautiful state too. You could also hit the Cincy/Burlington area if you haven't been there. Idlewild and Lincoln Ridge are worth a trip there alone, not to mention the tons of Cincinnati courses.

 

[Monocacy]

Looks like you are about 4 hours from Ludington, MI, with lots of worthy courses on the way. Based on your map, that looks like pretty good bang for the buck in terms of mileage.

 

[EspressoPatronum]

West Virginia is pretty fantastic with some awesome wooded courses. Very beautiful state too. You could also hit the Cincy/Burlington area if you haven't been there. Idlewild and Lincoln Ridge are worth a trip there alone, not to mention the tons of Cincinnati courses.

I would love to get to West Virginia. I've played Idlewild, Lincoln Ridge, and Mt. Airy, but there's tons more to see in Cincinnati if I get back someday.

 

[wolfhaley]

Looks like you are about 4 hours from Ludington, MI, with lots of worthy courses on the way. Based on your map, that looks like pretty good bang for the buck in terms of mileage.

^This is great advice too.

I posted my first response before looking at your courses played list :doh:

The Twin Cities and St. Cloud area is chock full of really nice courses though. Chicagoland kind of numbers but much better quality. Much easier driving in comparison. I've been over in that area a handful of times and haven't even hit half of them I'd guess.

For a closer option, I noticed you haven't hit the Peoria area. That's on my list for next spring. Northwood gold was fantastic and Megiddo is probably my favorite IL course. McNaughton and Lake Eureka perm are both really solid. Close to the quad cities which is loaded with courses too.

 

[Jukeshoe]

MI is a no-brainer, my god man, the quality/quantity!

Only been there once a long time ago and want to get back but the Quad Cities area has some real quality courses.

And as acrosley states, there's some good stuff (mostly hidden gems or solid under-the-radar affairs) in IN. The Wabash courses are awesome and a lot of fun, plus a good pairing. Murdock is solid. Camp Collum and France Park, two of my absolute faves aren't far away and then down 24 there's the Peru goodness (Maconaquah, Mississinewa, Honey Bear) all the way to Wabash City Park et al. And if you've gone that far, The Boonies.

 

[Countchunkula]

Lots of good ideas already.

I really like the idea of a peoria/quad cities loop. You could hit a few excellent courses and a bunch of above average ones over a long weekend with less drive time than your norm. Add a bit of drive time and bag Wildcat bluff in IA too. I haven't played that one yet, but it sounds like a winner.

Monacacy's suggestion of Ludington is spot on. West coast of Michican LP is probably my favorite part of the midwest. Great dg too.

 

[R-Ogre]

To repeat an above suggestion, the Minneapolis St Paul area often gets mentioned in the top 5 metro areas for DG.

 

[Innova63]

^This is great advice too.

I posted my first response before looking at your courses played list :doh:

The Twin Cities and St. Cloud area is chock full of really nice courses though. Chicagoland kind of numbers but much better quality. Much easier driving in comparison. I've been over in that area a handful of times and haven't even hit half of them I'd guess.

For a closer option, I noticed you haven't hit the Peoria area. That's on my list for next spring. Northwood gold was fantastic and Megiddo is probably my favorite IL course. McNaughton and Lake Eureka perm are both really solid. Close to the quad cities which is loaded with courses too.

The pairing of Peoria and Quad Cities is a great choice.
Especially Camden II, right Wolfy??

 

[wolfhaley]

The pairing of Peoria and Quad Cities is a great choice.
Especially Camden II, right Wolfy??

Next year's the year.



I hope.

 

[Innova63]

Next year's the year.



I hope.

You definitely do not want to try Camden II after a rain, similar to a couple of the courses by Peoria.

 

[Shuie]

Quad Cities, MI in general has really solid golf, the Cincinnati area all decent options.

 

[notapro]

Greater Minneapolis (including St. Cloud) is indeed worth the drive, my favorite up there is Hidden Lake near St. Cloud.

Also along the way is a seriously great course in Justin Trails Big Brother, that's one I really want to revisit at some point before the unspeakable happens.

 

[elmexdela]

Greater Minneapolis (including St. Cloud) is indeed worth the drive, my favorite up there is Hidden Lake near St. Cloud.

Also along the way is a seriously great course in Justin Trails Big Brother, that's one I really want to revisit at some point before the unspeakable happens.

was there whispers of jt goin extinct

 

[notapro]

was there whispers of jt goin extinct

Not at all, I know nothing about disc golf these days. But I remember the owner was not a young man, heh.

 

[InnocentCrook]

I just got back from 5 days of nothing but Michigan courses (plus 1 Ohio course on the way). Quality, quality, quality.

Looks like you've gone as far up as Shore Acres and The Breakers. Even if you skipped those 2 on the way to/from Flip City/Ludington, you could bag 3-4 courses a day and not play anything under a 3.0/5.

-----

As a Cincy(ish) area native I have to point out that there's quite a bit more to the area now than just the "Big 3".

Devou Park (Covington,KY) is opening this weekend. I've walked most of the course and it looks legit. Insider tip. **Park at the Drees Pavilion, enjoy the excellent view of the river and the Cincy skyline, then start on hole 10.**
Johnson Hills (Upgraded to 18 holes about a year ago) in the Anderson suburb of Cincinnati (east).
Osage Grove (Goshen, OH) and just a bit further to the northeast...
Stonelick State Park
Burnett Woods near the UC campus (recently upgraded to 18 holes)
Pinhook DGC (Crittenden, KY)
Hidden Ridge (when available) in Dry Ridge,KY

Heck, there's even some great new additions you could hit on the way down in the Dayton, OH area with Echo Valley (excellent) and Caesar Ford (still on my wishlist) added in the last couple years.

 

[BogeyNoMore]

Don't expect me to talk you out of Ludington, and the rest of Michigan's west coast. Bonus if you can get to Whiskey Hills while it's still in operation. Been talk the owner might not keep DG. Other than the tees, that course is pretty damned good.

Don't sleep on Whitehall or Shore Acres if you head out that way. No shortage of quality DG near the western shore.

 

[playrecords]

Missouri?

Looks like you haven't played in MO. STL has some great courses and is 4 hours from Chicago, stop in Centralia, IL for a gem. 2 hours west to Columbia for Harmony (and Albert Oakland and Indian Hills), then another 2 hours to KC. You could have many great 4 day weekends along this route... But you have so many options. As has been suggested western MI is great, Cincy (although I've only played Idlewild and Lincoln), Pittsburg with Moraine and Deer Lakes... And you've barely scratched MN, we've got some great courses for you to discover. You have a pretty wide radius if you are willing to drive 15 hours. So many great courses in your future.

 

[EspressoPatronum]

Looks like you haven't played in MO. STL has some great courses and is 4 hours from Chicago, stop in Centralia, IL for a gem. 2 hours west to Columbia for Harmony (and Albert Oakland and Indian Hills), then another 2 hours to KC. You could have many great 4 day weekends along this route... But you have so many options. As has been suggested western MI is great, Cincy (although I've only played Idlewild and Lincoln), Pittsburg with Moraine and Deer Lakes... And you've barely scratched MN, we've got some great courses for you to discover. You have a pretty wide radius if you are willing to drive 15 hours. So many great courses in your future.

The MO/KC route via Centralia is the next one I have planned more or less. Hopefully in the spring! All good advice I'd love to follow.