Kent State University Rec Center

The KSU course is a 4.5 star course with 2 star maintenance and it's a real shame. The best time to play the course is when school is in session, so late Fall and Spring will typically be when you'll ... show more ›

The KSU course is a 4.5 star course with 2 star maintenance and it's a real shame. The best time to play the course is when school is in session, so late Fall and Spring will typically be when you'll find ideal conditions. Unfortunately during the most popular time for disc golf, Summer, the course is a poorly kept nightmare. Already narrow fairways are made even more so as maintenance only mows the middle, many holes have thick overgrown rough that swallow discs, lots of chances to encounter ticks and poison ivy and thorns are everywhere.

Should you play the course during the school year, you're experience will be much more enjoyable. Overall challenging course with good mix of both open and wooded holes. Distance marked on tee signs can be anywhere from a few feet to 50+ feet off the mark. Signage for next tee is plain poor, but the course layout is very intuitive save for a handful of holes. Fairways can be very narrow and makes for a good challenge or absolute frustration.

TL;DR: IMO 4.5 star course under ideal conditions, but maintenance is piss poor during peak golf months. Challenging course for any skill level with short and long tees. Wear pants/long socks, avoid poison ivy, check for ticks.

The course got mowed today, but still has really badly maintained areas which are good for losing discs which my daughter managed to do today. The course has a nice balance of easier holes and harder ... show more ›

The course got mowed today, but still has really badly maintained areas which are good for losing discs which my daughter managed to do today. The course has a nice balance of easier holes and harder holes, some through the woods which I really like. Overall a good course for beginners but with some challenge for intermediate players.

One of my favorite courses in the area primarily because of the diverse types holes on the course. There are some tight, technical lines through the woods, open holes that require distance and accurac ... show more ›

One of my favorite courses in the area primarily because of the diverse types holes on the course. There are some tight, technical lines through the woods, open holes that require distance and accuracy control in the wind, elevation change and some challenging par 4's. It challenges my whole game and requires very different shots from hole to hole. Only complaints would be the tall grass and thick brush surrounding holes 4-6 with lines that you won't see the end of your discs flight and a couple of the wooded fairways that could benefit from some more clearing for more defined lines.

Kent State's course has been in the ground for a couple of years now, and I was glad to finally visit and check it out. Played with a friend who was familiar with the course so navigation was easy. Ev ... show more ›

Kent State's course has been in the ground for a couple of years now, and I was glad to finally visit and check it out. Played with a friend who was familiar with the course so navigation was easy. Even without a guide there are only a few spots that may lead to navigation issues as most holes provide directional arrows to get you on your way. Tall identifiable tee signs and numbered baskets also help with finding your way around. We played from the long tees, which created a great challenge. The first few holes are fairly open shots from there you throw some long tight fairways with a couple more fairly open holes, and then you dive into a thick wooded technical area to complete the course. Concrete tee pads for the long layout are plenty big and poured well, the short tees are marked by painted toe board blocks. I would love to see concrete tees for the shorts as it would benefit the course greatly. The layout is imaginative and flows wonderfully. Great use of the land, and the setting is serene and enjoyable. My biggest gripe is that many of the fairways are tightened up by thick brush, thorns, and tall grass which should be kept mowed down. There are enough trees and other natural obstacles to keep the course challenging, and the thick underbrush is not necessary. There are also a handful of holes along the finishing wooded section that could benefit from more defined fairway lines off the long tees. Again the layout and fairway boundaries provide the challenge, eliminating a few small trees would better define these holes. I was surprised at how tough the longs play on this course, and left satisfied as well as a touch defeated. This is a good course that could develop into a great course with minimal effort and continued maintenance. Would not hesitate to play this one again!

Great course. Can be tough to play on a hot day with the sun high in the sky due to how open and long the course is on the front 9. It is very well maintained. Park at the Rec Center. Pay attentio ... show more ›

Great course. Can be tough to play on a hot day with the sun high in the sky due to how open and long the course is on the front 9. It is very well maintained. Park at the Rec Center. Pay attention to the signs. Sometimes during the week the parking is free. Other times there is a machine you can purchase an inexpensive daily parking pass from.

Course is way too long for a college campus... No students want to play because it is too long... Maybe if they actually made some short tee pads it would be better. But no, there are longs, and adva ... show more ›

Course is way too long for a college campus... No students want to play because it is too long... Maybe if they actually made some short tee pads it would be better. But no, there are longs, and advanced tees, no shorts for beginners!!!!! Which is what 90% of the people around there are.. Very disappointing... So much for expanding, and advancing the sport... Shame really... Plus the holes are not very clever. Boring.

A+ as far as technicality and cleanliness of this course in general. I lowered my overall rating slightly due to possibility of loosing a disc on this course if you play by yourself. The grass in the ... show more ›

A+ as far as technicality and cleanliness of this course in general. I lowered my overall rating slightly due to possibility of loosing a disc on this course if you play by yourself. The grass in the OB areas is insanely tall, but for good reason as it is a preserve, a lot a brier patches within these thickets. This course is extremely challenging in the back 9 and more specifically the wooded areas. I dread hole 4 due to the length and tightness required of the flight path, I have lost 3 discs at hole 4, though this does not discourage me to try.

Not bad for a campus course! You get a nice mix of open and wooded shots with some elevation changes. Some of the fairways force you to make tight shots. There are some places to lose your discs in ... show more ›

Not bad for a campus course! You get a nice mix of open and wooded shots with some elevation changes. Some of the fairways force you to make tight shots. There are some places to lose your discs in the tall grass if you're off the fairway. Overall, this was an enjoyable course to play. They've done well with what they had to work with.

Its been a little while since i played this course but it is definitely one of my favorites in Northeast Ohio. It has a challenging layout that doesn't give away lots of birdies. It has a good mix of ... show more ›

Its been a little while since i played this course but it is definitely one of my favorites in Northeast Ohio. It has a challenging layout that doesn't give away lots of birdies. It has a good mix of short and long holes and the scenery is beautiful. I also like the good mix of some wooded holes, some open holes and some in between. As for improvement, some of the landscaping could be slightly improved, i could see it easily getting messy if not maintained because of how much land the course spans, Also, some trash cans and benches would definitely be appreciated. Favorite Holes: 3,4,8

I never really understood why people reviewed a course before it's GRAND OPENING, but since this past Sunday I guess their officially open for play and reviews. This course has so much upside, not onl ... show more ›

I never really understood why people reviewed a course before it's GRAND OPENING, but since this past Sunday I guess their officially open for play and reviews. This course has so much upside, not only for the community of Kent. But for Northeast Ohio Disc Golf and the sport of Disc Golf (As all these young adults going to Kent State will go back home with the Disc Golf fever that we have had and who knows what the seed that was planted @ Kent State will blossom in to). Having a course at a facility like this is REALLY COOL (especially if your a student/facility) The Rec center (the building between hole # 1 and # 18) has it all for these people. And for the DGer, they have a clean restroom (both men and women) that has HOT water. The have small restaurant available just inside the front entrance that serves more health conscience food than what the burger joints offer and even have combo meals for $6 (like Pita Pizza and Apple and Bottled Water). They also have discs for sale at the present time. The staff @ Kent State wants to make Disc Golf work as they wanted to have a course @ Kent State for a long long time. I've heard of plans of hosting a Regional College DG championship. On weekends it is free parking , but during the week it will cost you a $1 to park (no big deal) Before starting at hole # 1 just to the left of the entrance to the Rec Center is a kiosk that has a map of the course and some maps of the course are available below the kiosk. All the long tees have 12' foot trapezoid tees. The rec tees currently have flags, but (from what I here that will change in the near future). Pesticide was sprayed all over the areas where Poison Ivy was present, Thank you Kent State (maybe in the future I'll have a course that I can play without wearing long pants :)). # 1 is a scary drive (and one that I'm concerned of as someone could be walking down the path and not know there in the line of fire. I feel signs should be posted there, all along that walkway) reachable from the long tee, but go left in the tall grass and you'll be talking to yourself as you look and look and look some more for your disc. One of the best footbridges I've ever seen at a Disc Golf course is present for a short walk over a would-be treacherous walk over a very rocky valley on hole # 2. A walk through the tall grass to hole # 3 is a little long for some, but worth the walk for hole # 3 as the hole is very deceptive being so open and long and with the slope that basket resides on. Hole # 4 your going to wish you ate your lunch at the Rec center and not on this hole. If you can throw a straight drive, you'll be fine. If you can't, you'll be punished all the way to the end of the fairway. # 5 and # 6 run parallel with each other but has a "cut fairway in which one should try to stay on for a good score. # 7 is pretty cool IMHO. The green is blind, but easily reachable from a RHBH style thrower, but beware, as just like hole #5 & 6 the green @ # 7 is fast, big drop off at the basket's edge (I'd like to see the groundskeeper clean a little off the back so the path to # 8 is easier to navigate, but also to allow overthrown shots to be punished even further. # 9 seems to be one of the favorites already. Make it to the top of the hill and you'll be sitting pretty for your upshot to the basket, If you don't make it to the top of the hill, you'll be scrambling to save par. # 10 is a little LHBH hyzer throw to the basket, but if your drive goes high, you'll be punished and will have to scramble to save par as the basket is on a pretty steep slope. # 11 is another cool hole. If you can penetrate the woods (the longer the better) up the hill you'll be sitting in a good position, as this hole commands a good drive and a good 2nd shot for par. if you get outside the main fairway, your going to pay the rice as there's ton's a trees to maneuver your next throw through. # 12, is one of my favorites. The hole to reach the pin is a tight one, but if you have the guts you can throw your drive through a small window of trees, otherwise the fairway snakes like an "S" up a small hill and down another hill to the basket that again has a fast green. # 13 is one of the few must get birdie holes, if you walk away with a par, your score will suffer. # 15 is another tight window like # 13 to shoot your drive, but this window is of a long proportion and if your drive goes right past the first opening you will really be scrambling for a bogie as this hole might be the hardest on the course. and if it's not the hardest then the next hole # 16 is.... From the 2nd round of the G.O. tournament, there is a mando not allowing one to drive outwards towards the street, so now one has to throw through the forest and to Goldylocks home. Not really, but you'll feel like you wished someone left a bread crumbed path through the woods as you try to throw uphill through this dense forest. # 17 is across the street from # 16's basket. I like the mound setting for the initial drive. A couple trees and the street stand in the way of an easy birdie hole here. for # 18 one has to walk a little ways (not very far speaking in student language, but for some DGer's one might find this a little walk between a hole (I don't think it's a big deal, but for some it might be, just like the walk from # 2 to # 3, no big deal for me. But to someone else. another story). # 18 tee box doesn't point directly towards the basket and could confuse some. The basket is down the field of tall grass behind some shrubs and trees. The re is a wrought iron fence on this final hole and if one's shot goes past it, add a stroke. All in all, I feel that this is a pretty good course. (I've heard that a possible expansion to 24 holes could happen if people a respectful of the course (not breaking off tree limbs if they're in your way, or littering, ya know the usual at most of the area courses)). When the add benches to the holes and some waste cans (but we all know by now, that we should pack out that we bring in. Mama isn't holding our hands anymore. We all know whats right and what's wrong. Littering and breaking tree limbs from trees is plain old wrong!! And with the addition of cement tees for the novice player this course will be greatly enhanced as most of the players here are 1 disc players. The only thing missing at this course might be a little length for some players, but I think this course offers a good quality of open and wooded holes and most of the course one has to transverse some kind of hill, so a big THANK YOU Kent State from me. I am honored and humbled to have worked on this project along with Bill Griffith (the main architect). If there's any questions feel free to ask Kim. She works in the Kent store/office to the right as you enter the Rec center.

For being such a new course, I must say I'm impressed. Granted there is some still left to do, but this is well on it's way to being a "A" level course. The course uses the available land very well, ... show more ›

For being such a new course, I must say I'm impressed. Granted there is some still left to do, but this is well on it's way to being a "A" level course. The course uses the available land very well, which lends it a good bit of elevation changes an interesting hazards. The wooded holes could use some slight trimming, which I thought was even more noticeable from the short tee layout. Flow can be an issue the first time through, but once some of the walkways between holes get more pronounced, this won't be an issue. There are "next hole" signs at all baskets, so finding the next hole generally wasn't a problem, except for the long walks between holes 2 and 3 and 17 and 18. The long tees are concrete, and I saw quite a bit of alternate pin placements on the wooded holes for the brand new Mach 5 baskets that are used at the course. Short tees are natural at this time, and could use concrete to help with footing. A few more garbage cans and benches would also help at this course. KSU is committed to making this a top notch course and from their support and the support of the local disc golf community, I can easily see this being a reality.

Before my rounds I talked to the woman that has been arranging everything with Bill and Dan. The school is very excited about having a course on campus and they are very proactive in maintenance of th ... show more ›

Before my rounds I talked to the woman that has been arranging everything with Bill and Dan. The school is very excited about having a course on campus and they are very proactive in maintenance of the course. As the course settles in its going to get better. It is a great addition to NEO disc golf.

Pros
Great tee pads.
Several very nice holes. My favorite is 11.
Excellent use of the land that was available.

Cons
A lot of foot traffic on the fairways.
Needs a set of permanent short tees for the beginners.
Not sure about hole 18.

Expecting a mostly open holes, a pleasant surprise here. Great teepads, real nice (not incredibly accurate) tee signs and a mix of open tight and wooded holes. Favorites would have to be #5,9,11 & 16 ... show more ›

Expecting a mostly open holes, a pleasant surprise here. Great teepads, real nice (not incredibly accurate) tee signs and a mix of open tight and wooded holes. Favorites would have to be #5,9,11 & 16. Kind of tough to follow upon first visit, (especially finding #3 after 2, Direct line needs cut through the brush) Love the "cut" fairways through the high weeds on 5 & 6, but "really" glad all holes were not like this as spending time hunting players discs is a bummer! Saw a few (alternate pin locations? ), but (if these are alternates) they were WAY to close to the existing spots. Confused about hole #15 as well as it was about a 90 ft. shot and the tee sign said 425ft.?

Im rating this course as a B only because it needs a few finishing touches. By next summer im positive it will be a in the B+/A range. The good: Interesting shots nice use of gaurdian trees 18 con ... show more ›

Im rating this course as a B only because it needs a few finishing touches. By next summer im positive it will be a in the B+/A range.
The good:
Interesting shots
nice use of gaurdian trees
18 concrete teepads!
Has a crew that will continue to work on it
Longer holes
Challenging
Alternative placements for most if not all baskets
Minimal clearing needed
The bad:
1 blind shot where a dorm could come into play
Course flow is not clearly marked
Rough can be very rough
No trash cans yet
No benches (nbd to me but some players need them)
Tee signs are a bit funky(facing all different directions but not in the way)

All in all this is a pretty sweet course and a great addition to NEO. I would recommend it.

Brand new 18 hole course at Kent State University with beautiful nice new deep Mach something baskets and 12' long concrete trapeziod tee pads. Looks like alternate pin placements are in as well. Cour ... show more ›

Brand new 18 hole course at Kent State University with beautiful nice new deep Mach something baskets and 12' long concrete trapeziod tee pads. Looks like alternate pin placements are in as well. Course plays in a big clockwise loop around the back of the Rec Center. Hole 1 starts to the left of the Rec Center entrance. If you go inside the doors to the pro shop on the right ask, they have a map you can take a picture of with your phone which is helpful. I had to pay $1 to park but no biggie, there's a simple machine in the parking lot. Looks like tee signs will be installed soon and they have piles of mulch ready to be spread where required. Holes 4-6 are a little rough around the edges but will break in nicely, Hole 17's basket was not in, looks like they mangled the sleeve with the mower. This course has a good mix of open and wooded holes with varying distances and shapes that I think players from around here will enjoy.