John Bryan State Park Disc Golf Course near Yellow Springs, OH

Basic Information

Course Location: John Bryan State Park

Geographic Location: east of Yellow Springs, OH (39.78920, -83.86542)

Date Visited: October 2022

Number of Holes: 9

Course Length: 2401 feet, par 27

Difficulty Level: recreational, medium

Cost to Play: free

Carts: will be fine provided the wooded holes have been cleared of logs recently

Potential to Lose Discs: medium due to dense brush

Park Information: https://ohiodnr.gov/go-and-do/plan-a-visit/find-a-property/john-bryan-state-park

DG Course Review Page: https://www.dgcoursereview.com/course.php?id=9550

Udisc Page: https://udisc.com/courses/john-bryan-peEc

Course Walkabout Video: 

Driving Directions: From Yellow Springs, take SR 343 east 1 mile to SR 370 and turn right on SR 370.  Drive SR 370 south 1.1 miles to the entrance for John Bryan State Park on the left.  Turn softly left to enter the park, then drive the main park road 0.2 miles to the large blacktop parking lot located just past the campground store on the right.  Park here.  #1 tee is across the main park road from this parking lot.

Course Constructions:

Tees: dirt and mulch, 1 per hole

Baskets: Innova Discatcher, 1 per hole, in good shape on my visit

Signage: none; numbered wooden posts mark the tees

Amenities: restrooms and picnic tables near hole #5; campground and playground nearby

Summary Review: 2 Stars (out of 5)

The disc golf course at John Bryan State Park is still a work in progress.  As of this review there were 9 baskets, but tees were marked only by numbered wooden posts.  The first 5 holes play through a lightly wooded mowed-grass area dotted by black walnut trees, while the last 4 holes play through a densely wooded area.  Although a couple of holes offer some strategic value as detailed below, none of them are particularly memorable.  I have read about some maintenance issues with the wooded holes, but the course maintenance was fantastic when I came here.  A bigger problem lies in the course routing.  The lightly wooded and densely wooded holes occupy two disjoint tracts of land separated by the park road and the campground store.  They almost feel like two completely different courses.  The tee constructions need upgraded too.  Overall, this course makes a nice diversion if you happen to be at John Bryan State Park to hike or camp, but it does not really merit going out of your way to play.  John Bryan may be the most scenic state park in southwest Ohio; I just wish the quality of the disc golf matched the quality of the scenery.

Hole-by-Hole Review 

Distances taken from dgcoursereview; link provided above.  Picture sequence for each hole is 1) tee, 2) approach, 3) basket to tee.

Hole #1: 291 feet, par 3

Comments: slightly downhill and fairly open, a decent number of isolated large trees stand between the tee and basket, including three just in front of the basket.  Thus, you have to pick your throwing line from the several options that exist, commit to it, and execute a good throw if you want to get close to the basket in one throw.  #2 tee is behind the basket.

Hole #2: 257 feet, par 3

Comments: almost completely open except for a black walnut tree directly in front of the basket.  Almost every course I have ever played has a hole like this one.  #3 tee is to the right.

Hole #3: 303 feet, par 3

Comments: another hole similar to the first 2: fairly flat and open with a smattering of large trees.  3 large black walnut trees grow just left of the basket, so curving your disc in from the right is best.  #4 tee is to the right.

Hole #4: 260 feet, par 3

Comments: a single black walnut tree stands between the tee and basket, but the basket is located a few feet into the woods and is reached via a narrow chute.  The forest around the basket has a dense understory, so choosing the right angle to attack the chute is paramount.  #5 tee is back out the chute and to the right, past the restroom building.

Hole #5: 304 feet, par 3

Comments: a long sweeping dogleg right with dense woods on the inside of the dogleg.  Some black walnut trees dotting the open mowed-grass area to the left also demand your attention.  Not only could they come into play if you miss left, but their branches overhang the fairway.  This is my favorite hole on this course.  #6 tee is several hundred feet away.  Walk behind the basket, out the park road, past the campground store, and look for the tee marker in the woods on the left.

Hole #6: 205 feet, par 3

Comments: now the character of the course completely changes from open mowed-grass to dense woods.  This hole is a sharp dogleg left with a narrow line of play and several large and small trees near the fairway.  Dense woods on either side demand an accurate throw and prevent you from trying to cut the dogleg.  This may be the hardest hole on this course.  #7 tee is up the trail behind the basket.

Hole #7: 147 feet, par 3

Comments: next comes the shortest hole on this course and a potential ace opportunity with a very accurate throw.  A couple of large trees stand between the tee and basket, and dense woods border either side of the fairway.  Of the 4 densely wooded holes, this one is my favorite due to the ace opportunity.  #8 tee is down the path to the left.  The path enters #8 fairway well in front of the tee, so check for disc golfers throwing on the #8 tee while you walk.

Hole #8: 276 feet, par 3

Comments: this hole is slightly uphill and a gradual dogleg right, but it is another densely wooded hole with several trees jutting into the line of play.  The basket sits in a tiny area carved out of the dense woods.  To get to #9 tee, walk back out of the carved out area and turn right.

Hole #9: 358 feet, par 3

Comments: a slightly downhill hole that uses a power line corridor as its fairway.  Dense woods line either side, though the fairway is wider than on previous holes.  This is a pretty boring end to a decent but unmemorable course.