Jeremy Lewis Memorial Disc Golf Course at Deer Creek State Park southwest of Columbus, OH

Basic Information

Course Location: Deer Creek State Park

Geographic Location: northeast of Washington Court House, OH (39.64052, -83.24220)

Date Visited: October 2022

Number of Holes: 18

Course Length: 4029 feet, par 60

Cost to Play: free

Difficulty Level: recreational, high

Carts: some steep areas, but probably usable

Potential to Lose Discs: medium to high; lots of dense brush in the rough

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

DG Course Review Page: https://www.dgcoursereview.com/course.php?id=7716

UDisc Page: https://udisc.com/courses/deer-creek-jeremy-lewis-memorial-dfAQ

Course Walkabout Video, Front Nine: 

Course Walkabout Video, Back Nine: 

Driving Directions: From Washington Court House, take US 62 north 12 miles to Cook Yankeetown Road.  Turn right on Cook Yankeetown Rd.  Drive Cook Yankeetown Rd. east 4 miles to the state park entrance on the right.  Turn right to enter the park and drive the main park road 0.7 miles to the campground access road on the left.  Turn left, drive 0.4 miles to the camp check-in station, and park in the large blacktop parking lot near the station.  #1 tee is across the road to the left (west) of the mini golf course.

Course Constructions:

Tees: concrete, 1 per hole

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

Signage: course map at information kiosk, hole sign on each tee, some holes have directional signs to next tee

Amenities: practice basket, vault toilet near practice basket, benches at some tees, mini golf course, dog park, campground, other amenities elsewhere in the park

Summary Review: 4 Stars (out of 5)

The disc golf course at Deer Creek State Park is a nice but short recreational course with a couple of longer holes.  The course plays mostly through heavily wooded areas with dense underbrush, but the fairways are fairly wide for that kind of course.  Also, some holes are more open.  The terrain varies from flat to rolling to steep ravines.  In my view, the ravine holes are this course's best holes; the flatter ridgetop holes can get a bit repetitive.  The course's constructions are top-notch.  A few of the pars seem too high to me, which I guess is a course design issue.  Mud will be an issue if it has rained recently: Ohio's soil retains water well, which is great for farming but bad for recreation.  A nature trail crosses several holes, so you have to check for pedestrians before you throw.  The trail is not heavily used, and I had no outside interference while playing this course.  The course route has a couple of quirks, but adequate signage meant that I had no trouble finding the next hole.  Overall, while experienced and skilled disc golfers will want more than this course has to offer, this is an enjoyable course as long as you view it as a recreational course for casual rounds.

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: 220 feet, par 3

Comments: The first two holes play through a narrow lightly wooded strip of land between the park road on the left and dense woods on the right.  While not terrible holes, they do have the "filler" feel.  The park road is out-of-bounds (OB), and the dense woods is to be avoided at all cost.  This hole has no obstacles directly between the tee and basket.  #2 tee is behind the basket.

Hole #2: 198 feet, par 3

Comments: basically a repeat of hole #1 but with a few trees between the tee and basket.  I would keep my disc to the left to avoid the dense woods on the right.  #3 tee is behind the basket.

Hole #3: 459 feet, par 5

Comments: Now the course really starts.  This hole is a 90-degree dogleg right, and it is the longest hole on this course.  Two long straight throws might get you to the basket area in 2.  A densely wooded area guards the inside of the dogleg, but this hole is not tight: there is plenty of room to the left.  By present-day standards, this hole should be a par 4 rather than a par 5.  (Aside: I will write that kind of statement several times in this review, but I do not view the inflated pars as a major problem: you play the hole the same way regardless of what par is.)  #4 tee is behind the basket; choose the trail going left and not the one going right to get there.

Hole #4: 249 feet, par 4

Comments: a slight dogleg right, this hole starts out very open, but a large number of small trees grow around the basket.  Dense brushy woods surround the mowed-grass fairway.  The trees might justify the par of 4, but I would prefer this hole as a par 3.  Also, holes #3 and #4 are very exposed to the wind.  #5 tee is behind the basket and to the left.

Hole #5: 195 feet, par 3

Comments: now the course heads into the ravines for the first time: this hole plays across two shallow but steep ravines.  Also, there is a slight dogleg left just before reaching the basket.  The fairway is somewhat wide, but there are several small trees in the fairway and dense brushy woods on either side.  This is a very fun and challenging par 3 hole.  #6 tee is to the right.

Hole #6: 225 feet, par 4

Comments: very similar to hole #5 but longer, with more small trees to negotiate, and it plays the opposite direction.  Maybe the trees justify this hole as a par 4, but I would prefer it as a par 3.  #7 tee is to the left.

Hole #7: 183 feet, par 3

Comments: now back out of the ravines and on the flatter ridgetop, this hole is a dogleg left with lots of small trees to negotiate.  This hole would be better if some of the trees were strategically removed to create a better-defined line of play: their locations seems very dense and haphazard.  #8 tee is to the left.

Hole #8: 177 feet, par 3

Comments: another fairly flat dogleg left, this hole is similar to the previous hole but with fewer small trees to negotiate.  Thus, this hole is also easier than the previous two holes even though the basket is located in a corner of the mowed-grass area.  #9 tee is to the right.

Hole #9: 186 feet, par 3

Comments: another fairly flat hole with some small trees.  Most of the small trees are on the right, so a left to right disc flight is preferred here.  This is a good birdie opportunity with a good first throw.  #10 tee is around the mini-golf course near the park road; the parking lot is across the road if you only want to play 9 holes.

Hole #10: 171 feet, par 3

Comments: this is one of only two holes that plays through a pine planting.  The rows of pine trees are quite tight, so a long straight throw is required to get near the basket with the tee shot.  #11 tee is back toward the tee and to the left as you walk toward the basket.

Hole #11: 297 feet, par 4

Comments: similar to hole #7 but longer.  As with hole #7, I would prefer this hole as a par 3.  #12 tee is to the right.

Hole #12: 181 feet, par 3

Comments: a slight dogleg right, this hole is more wooded than most of the previous holes.  A left-to-right disc flight is preferred, but such a flight does not completely eliminate your tree worries.  A seldom-used nature trail crosses the fairway, so you need to check for pedestrians before you throw.  #13 tee is to the left.

Hole #13: 201 feet, par 3

Comments: now the course heads down into the ravines for the second and final time.  This hole plays over a gradual swale, and it is more open than the previous few holes even though the basket is in a corner of the mowed-grass area.  #14 tee is to the right.

Hole #14: 220 feet, par 3

Comments: the final ravine hole plays down and up the steepest terrain on this course.  The fairway is rather wide, but it is dotted with some large oak trees.  A good throw threaded through the trees will provide a birdie opportunity despite this hole's length.  This might be my favorite hole on this course.  #15 tee is to the right.

Hole #15: 297 feet, par 4

Comments: now back in the flatter uplands for good, this hole is a sweeping dogleg right with more of the small trees you have become accustomed to.  The small trees are only moderately dense here, and I would prefer this hole as a par 3.  #16 tee is up the trail to the right.

Hole #16: 147 feet, par 3

Comments: the shortest hole on this course plays through a dense grove of small trees.  To make this hole more interesting, the basket is attached to the side of a larger tree with the base of the basket's pole about 3 feet off of the ground.  This would be a boring hole but for the cleverly hung basket.  #17 tee is to the right.

Hole #17: 198 feet, par 3

Comments: a slight dogleg right that plays through another grove of small trees, but the basket is in a fairly open area.  Maybe this course has a few too many holes like this one.  #18 tee is behind the basket, across the road, and around the right side of the fenced-in dog park.

Hole #18: 225 feet, par 3

Comments: the closing hole is the other hole (in addition to hole #10) that plays through a pine planting, but this hole is more open than hole #10 when you get close to the basket.  It is also longer and a dogleg right, and it is the only hole on the west side of the park road.  Though isolated and different from the previous holes, I like this hole because it adds variety to what becomes a somewhat repetitive course.  The parking lot is to the right.