Hickory Run State Park Disc Golf Course

Basic Information

Course Location: Hickory Run State Park

Geographic Location: southeast of White Haven, PA (41.03116, -75.68239)

Date Visited: September 2023

Number of Holes: 19

Course Length: 5142/5783 feet, par 57

Cost to Play: free
Difficulty Level: recreational, high

Carts: difficult to use due to some rocky/rooty terrain and downed trees on the back 9

Potential to Lose Discs: medium due to some dense underbrush

Park Information: https://www.dcnr.pa.gov/StateParks/FindAPark/HickoryRunStatePark/Pages/default.aspx

DG Course Review Page: https://www.dgcoursereview.com/courses/hickory-run-state-park.23

UDisc Page: https://udisc.com/courses/hickory-run-state-park-aQw1

Course Walkabout Video, Front 9: (coming August 23)

Course Walkabout Video, Back 9: (coming August 30)

Driving Directions: In northeast Pennsylvania, take I-80 to SR 534 (exit 274).  Exit and go south/east on SR 534.  Drive winding and hilly SR 534 5.7 miles to Sand Springs Road, which is also the entrance to Hickory Run State Park's day use area.  Turn left on Sand Springs Rd. and drive the main paved park road (not the gravel road to the boulder field) 1.3 miles to the large picnic area parking lot at its end.  Park here; #1 tee is behind the sign to the west.

Course Constructions:

Tees: dirt/mud; 1 per hole.

Baskets: chainstar; 1 or 2 per hole; in good shape on my visit

Signage: hole sign on each tee; scorecard with course map available at park Visitor Center

Amenities: many picnic tables, restrooms near #9 basket, beach near #8 tee, other amenities elsewhere in the park

Summary Review: 3.5 Stars (out of 5)

The disc golf course at Hickory Run State Park winds through and around an area with a large number of picnic tables.  The terrain is very flat with only a few holes featuring any significant elevation change.  While trees come into play on most holes, only about half of the holes are heavily wooded; the other half are more open.  Every hole on this course is a par 3, but maybe a couple of the longer holes should be par 4's.  This course gets repetitive in stretches with hole after hole of roughly the same distance and character.  Footing can be a challenge, especially on the heavily wooded holes, due to roots and rocks, but that is the nature of the land, not a maintenance issue.  With that in mind, the tee pads do need upgrading to a more durable surface that offers better traction.  Although this is a large and popular park, I was the only person on the disc golf course when I came here on a Tuesday afternoon.  That said, this part of the park is definitely designed for more users, and potential safety hazards from people using picnic tables occur in many places on this course.  Overall, only a couple of holes are memorable, and you have to play mediocre hole after mediocre hole to find the few gems.  Hickory Run has a solid course, but it needs some upgrades and redesign to add variety and improve safety before it will make most players' list of favorites. 

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: 289 feet, par 3

Comments: a cluster of trees stands between the tee and basket, but the trees are sparse enough that you could go left of the cluster, right of the cluster, or even through the cluster.  A family using the picnic table to the front-left of the tee could definitely be in your way, and this is the first of many instances on this course where outside interference from picnickers could create a safety issue.  Other than the safety issue, this is an excellent opening hole.  #2 tee is to the right.

Hole #2: 304 feet, par 3

Comments: a good throw with slight left-to-right disc flight will get you around the dogleg and set up a birdie opportunity on this hole, which is more open than the first hole.  2 picnic tables sit in very dangerous places on the inside of the dogleg.  #3A tee is to the left in the edge of the woods.

Hole #3A: 247/389 feet, par 3 (Basket in D position)

Comments: now comes the first really good hole: a fairly tight hole with a sharp dogleg left.  Dense pine woods line either side of the fairway.  Initially the terrain is fairly flat, but the part after the dogleg plays moderately downhill to a stream.  To make this hole more interesting, there are 4 possible basket positions with the C and D positions requiring a forced carry over the stream and over a small rhododendron thicket.  Maybe this hole should be a par 4 with the basket in the C or D positions.  #3B tee is to the right on the south side of the stream, the same side as the C and D basket positions.

Hole #3B: 282/372 feet, par 3 (Basket in B position)

Comments: yes, there are two hole #3's, and yes, if you follow the usual course route you will play them both, hence the 19 holes this course offers.  This tight hole plays back across the stream and then moderately uphill.  The stream will not come into play except for a bad throw or ricochet.  More problematic are the low overhanging tree limbs and the small trees directly in front of the basket.  3 is a good score here.  #4 tee is behind the basket and to the right.

Hole #4: 381/399 feet, par 3

Comments: now back in the picnic area, this long moderately uphill hole is the most open hole yet.  The sheer length makes birdie a challenge, but aiming at the tree with 3 trunks and going with a left-to-right disc flight will give you the best chance.  #5 tee is behind the basket.

Hole #5: 283/420 feet, par 3 (Basket in B position)

Comments: this long par 3 requires you to throw through a picket fence of large trees with another smattering of large trees beyond.  For a fairly open hole, there are a lot of trees to contend with.  #6 tee is to the left.

Hole #6: 342 feet, par 3

Comments: this gradual dogleg right plays slightly downhill.  Although some trees are in play, it is more open than the previous hole.  Some picnic tables and a playground might be in play too.  #7 tee is to the right.

Hole #7: 177 feet, par 3

Comments: finally we get a true short hole.  The tee is located in the lightly wooded area, but the basket is closely surrounded by trees.  Some low shrubs even sit 20 feet in front of the basket.  This hole would be better without the shrubs and with a more clearly defined fairway.  #8 tee is behind the basket near the beach.

Hole #8: 159 feet, par 3

Comments: the shortest hole on this course plays sharply uphill.  There are no obstacles directly between the tee and basket, but some overhanging limbs create a low ceiling.  This hole would be very aceable without the hill and the limbs.  2 paved walking paths cross this hole, so you need to check for pedestrians before you throw.  #9 tee is to the right.

Hole #9: 336 feet, par 3

Comments: a completely open, fairly flat, and very boring hole.  The paved walking paths appear again here, and this is easily the worst hole on this course.  #10 tee is at the edge of the woods behind the basket and to the right; a restroom building is to the left.

Hole #10: 345/354 feet, par 3 (Basket in A position)

Comments: now the course transitions from the lightly wooded picnic area to the dark, dense woods that earned this area the name "shades of death" by early European settlers.  The tall trees lining either side of the fairway demand an accurate throw, and some more small trees stand near the basket.  #11 tee is behind the basket and across the paved park road.

Hole #11: 265/326 feet, par 3

Comments: the next 6 holes trace through the dense woods north of the park road.  Trees guard either side of the fairway on this straight flat hole, but there is more space around the basket than you might expect.  #12 tee is behind the basket.

Hole #12: 265 feet, par 3

Comments: more or less a repeat of the previous hole but with a tighter fairway.  #13 tee is behind the basket.

Hole #13: 276 feet, par 3

Comments: very similar to the previous 2 holes but with a slight dogleg left.  #14 tee is behind the basket.

Hole #14: 249/315 feet, par 3 (Basket in A position)

Comments: slightly more spacious than the previous few holes, a 4-foot high rock wall has been constructed about 15 feet in front of the basket.  The wall seems gimmicky to me, and it blocks good throws that would otherwise lead to gimme birdies or pars.  #15 tee is behind the basket.

Hole #15: 180/205 feet, par 3 (Basket in A position)

Comments: shorter but in the same spirit as the previous few holes.  #16 tee is to the right.

Hole #16: 261/354 feet, par 3 (Basket in B position)

Comments: finally something a little different.  This hole is a sweeping dogleg left, and while there are plenty of trees in play, you have enough room to maneuver a disc at least a little bit.  I credit the designers for not putting a mandatory (mando) on the inside of the dogleg, a design feature that I think is very overused.  Besides, these woods are so dense that cutting the dogleg too much would require a miraculous throw.  #17 tee is behind the basket and across the park road.

Hole #17: 243 feet, par 3

Comments: an island of trees sits directly between the tee and basket with room to go around either side.  The left side seemed a little wider and therefore a better option to my eye.  More large trees stand closely behind the basket in case you overthrow.  #18 tee is to the left.

Hole #18: 258 feet, par 3

Comments: a sweeping dogleg left similar to hole #16 but shorter.  Also, this hole does indeed have a (probably unnecessary) mando on the inside of the dogleg.  The tight line guarded by plenty of trees demands an accurate throw, and one final picnic table sits directly behind the basket.  The parking lot is just beyond the picnic table.