Basic Information
Course Location: Lake Cumberland State Resort Park
Geographic Location: south of Jamestown, KY (36.92760, -85.04344)
Date Visited: June 2021
Number of Holes: 18
Course Length: 4750 feet, par 54
Cost to Play: free
Difficulty Level: recreational, medium
Carts: fine for most of the course, but the 3 heavily wooded holes are somewhat steep and heavily encumbered with undergrowth and downed trees
Potential to Lose Discs: low except on the 3 heavily wooded holes
DG Course Review Page: https://www.dgcoursereview.com/course.php?id=1442
Driving Directions: From Jamestown, take US 127 south 7 miles to the signed entrance road for Lake Cumberland State Resort Park on the left. Turn left on the park road, and drive the main park road 5.2 miles to its end at Lure Lodge. Park in the large parking lot in front of Lure Lodge and the park's Activity Center; #1 tee is to the right (south) of the Activity Center's lower level just past the trailhead for the Lake Bluff Nature Trail.
Course Constructions:
Tees: concrete, 1 per hole
Baskets: Innova Discatcher, 1 per hole. The #10 basket was broken on my visit, but the others were fine.
Signage: hole sign at each tee; the hole diagrams on the sign are not particularly helpful
Amenities: practice basket, picnic tables near #8 and #17 tees, restrooms and drinking water in nearby Lure Lodge
Summary Review: 3.5 Stars (out of 5)
The disc golf course at Lake Cumberland State Resort Park has the odd distinction of being laid out mostly over an old ball golf course. More specifically, 15 holes are routed through a sunny, grassy area dotted with trees that used to be a par 3 ball golf course, while holes #11 through #13 are routed through a densely wooded area. The course is routed as two separate 9-hole loops, and I had no trouble finding the next tee despite the lack of a course map. 16 of the 18 holes are between 200 and 300 feet long, and while the rolling terrain keeps the round interesting, I would have liked more variation in hole length. In addition, the designer could have done a better job of using the sparsely dotted trees as obstacles on some holes. Course maintenance was an issue in spots: the #10 basket was broken, and the fairways on the heavily wooded holes were unfindable due to undergrowth and downed trees. In the shape they were in on my visit, this course would be better without the 3 heavily wooded holes. Finally, be careful walking through the tall grass that serves as rough: there are some holes in the ground and other objects hidden under the tall grass that could easily trip you or turn your ankle. Overall, this course has a few warts, but most players will find more to like than to dislike here.
Hole-by-Hole Review
Distances taken from hole signs. Picture sequence for each hole is 1) tee, 2) approach, 3) basket to tee.
Hole #1: 235 feet, par 3
Comments: likely starting on an old ball golf tee, this hole is a slight dogleg left that plays gradually uphill over a corner of the hiking trail's natural area to the left. Trees dotting the grassy area around the hole demand an accurate approach throw. #2 tee is just inside the woods to the left.
Hole #2: 260 feet, par 3
Comments: playing moderately uphill, you need to avoid the deep woods tight on the left, but there is ample room to the right. Unlike the first hole, the basket has no trees around it. #3 tee is behind the basket near the edge of the woods.
Hole #3: 275 feet, par 3
Comments: similar to #2, this is another moderately uphill hole, but the wooded area is not as tight on the left. The basket is completely unguarded. #4 tee is behind the basket.
Hole #4: 220 feet, par 3
Comments: the uphill journey continues, but now the course route curves away from the deep woods and into the heart of the sunny old ball golf area. A couple of large trees stand on either side of the fairway, but the line from tee to basket is straight and clear. A more clever hole route could have made better use of these isolated trees here. #5 tee is behind the basket and to the left.
Hole #5: 275 feet, par 3
Comments: the first downhill hole, this is also one of my favorite holes on this course. The basket is hidden behind a cluster of trees, which makes a direct route dangerous. The most obvious line goes to the left around the cluster of trees, but a couple of other trees await an errant throw too far left. Strategy and execution are both paramount here. #6 tee is to the right and back toward the tee.
Hole #6: 285 feet, par 3
Comments: flat to slightly uphill, this hole plays parallel to a gravel maintenance road on the left. Some of my sources say the gravel road is OB, but the tee sign does not. The fairway is fairly narrow with deep grass rough on the right and trees overhanging on the left. This is one of the harder holes on this course. #7 tee is about 100 feet behind the basket.
Hole #7: 285 feet, par 3
Comments: now at the course's southwest corner, this hole plays slightly uphill to the highest point on the course. A single large tree stands just in front of the basket, so you have to pick your route around it thoughtfully. #8 tee is behind the basket and to the left near the picnic tables.
Hole #8: 255 feet, par 3
Comments: a somewhat downhill hole, the basket is perched on the edge of a sharp dropoff that appears to be an old ball golf tee. There are no obstacles between the tee and basket, but the dropoff and some nearby tall grass make putting interesting. #9 tee is behind the basket and to the right.
Hole #9: 370 feet, par 3
Comments: steeply and relentlessly downhill, this hole does not play nearly as long as its measured distance. Some individual trees dot the rough on either side of the fairway (including a nice weeping willow tree), but there are no obstacles between the tee and basket. The parking lot is just beyond the basket if you want to play only 9 holes. #10 tee is a couple hundred feet to the left and behind the basket.
Hole #10: 220 feet, par 3
Comments: almost the inverse of #9, this is the steepest uphill hole on this course. A single large tree stands in the fairway between the tee and basket. The tee just beyond the basket to the left is #14 tee. To get to #11 tee, walk directly behind the basket, cross the park road, and angle right, staying along the edge of the woods.
Hole #11: 200 feet, par 3
Comments: the next 3 holes are heavily wooded, and they are also slightly steep and rather unkempt. Thus, if you are playing with a cart, it might be best to leave the cart at #14 tee and just carry a couple of discs over to these 3 holes. Alternatively, you could just skip the next 3 holes: they are my least favorite holes on this course. #11 is slightly downhill but more sidehill than downhill. The fairway desperately needs to be cleared of brush and downed trees: there is no obvious fairway on this hole. #12 tee is to the left and back toward the tee.
Hole #12: 225 feet, par 3
Comments: this hole is the inverse of #11: densely wooded and slightly uphill but more sidehill than uphill. Again, there is no obvious fairway on this hole. #13 tee is downhill and to the right, back toward the tee.
Hole #13: 200 feet, par 3
Comments: another hole very similar to the two previous holes, but the area around the basket is more free of brush. #14 tee is back across the road to the left near the #10 basket.
Hole #14: 300 feet, par 3
Comments: what a pleasure to be back on the wide open, well-maintained old ball golf course again! This hole plays over a swale parallel to the main park road on the right, which should be OB although the tee sign does not designate it as such. A strategically-placed tree stands right in the middle of the fairway, and the basket is on a steep upslope to make putting more challenging. #15 tee is 100+ feet behind the basket.
Hole #15: 390 feet, par 3
Comments: the longest hole on this course, though somewhat downhill, plays down a narrow mowed-grass fairway bordered on both sides by tall grass. The line of play is narrowed even more by a couple of strategically placed trees, so only accurate throws will be safe here. This is probably the hardest hole on this course. #16 tee is slightly uphill to the right.
Hole #16: 225 feet, par 3
Comments: this hole plays back up the same hill you just played down. A row of trees to the left combined with another very narrow fairway make accuracy paramount. #17 tee is to the left by the picnic tables.
Hole #17: 255 feet, par 3
Comments: a slightly downhill hole with a pair of trees guarding the basket, this hole is similar to #7. #18 tee is to the left and back toward the tee.
Hole #18: 275 feet, par 3
Comments: a steeply downhill finishing hole, the view of Lure Lodge (and Lake Cumberland in the leafless months) from the tee is the most scenic view on the course. A single tree stands between the tee and basket. This finishing hole suits this course well.
