For this day of disc golf, we made the short trip to Central Pennsylvania to check out a recently updated course that is a local favorite, and we must say, we're glad we did!
The course offers everything from open bomber holes, to tight wooded lines, tunnel shots, and more, all on the up and down terrain of the nearby mountain side.
On our trip, we were able to play the long and short course both, however this review is only going to be of the longs.
We have to commend the local disc golf club for doing an excellent job with all the improvements, as you can tell that a lot of planning and hard work went into making this course a hidden gem of Central PA, so kudos to them.
Harvest Fields definitely challenged us as we navigated through it's hilly terrain, but the course is very attackable, very fun, and a course that we will definitely return to play at.
Now, let's get into the full review!
Course: Harvest Fields Disc Golf Course (Longs)
Location: Boalsburg, Pennsylvania
Tees: Artificial Grass
Baskets: Dynamic Discs Veteran
Pay to Play? No, free to play
18 Holes, Short and Long Baskets with a shared tee pad
What I liked:
Scenic
Perfect level of difficulty
Short and long hole options
Signage with basket location and hole length
Flags marking Circle 1 on most holes for longs and shorts
What I didn't like:
Could have some better directional signage in some places
Not cart friendly in all places
Tee Boxes- 4.5/5
A course typically needs concrete tee pads to earn a 5/5 for our criteria, but I have to say, these tee pads performed flawlessly for us during our entire round.
In true late winter, early spring fashion that you would expect in Pennsylvania during early March, the ground was wet and muddy from months of snow, rain, ice, and everything else mother nature can throw at it.
Even so, no one in our group had any issues with grip when throwing and I would even go as far to say that I was glad that we didn't have concrete tee pads because I think the artificial turf would have out performed them.
For how well they did when wet and muddy, I assume that they are even better in the summer when dry.
On a couple of holes I would have liked to see the tee box just a little bit longer, but this is really getting into the nitty gritty and is by no means a nock on the course.
The tee pad from Hole 2 showing off the excellent tee pads
Even with some leftover snow and ice on some of the tee pads,
the artificial turf grass provided plenty of grip!
Baskets- 5/5
Moving onto baskets, there isn't much to say other than this course is equipped with brand new baskets that got the job done to perfection.
The white bands of the permanent version Dynamic Discs Veteran Baskets were very easy to see and find.
On some holes, there were additional visual indicators to help locate the basket when elevation changes would have otherwise made it difficult.
The brand new, pristine baskets were very easy to find and worked flawlessly
Navigation- 4/5
Navigation of the course was very simple throughout the course with only a few brief instances of going the wrong way before signage and arrows got us going in the right direction.
The tee pads are marked well with a beautiful sign affixed to each one giving an accurate layout of the hole including pin locations and distance to each one as well as OB and hazard when needed.
Being somewhat unfamiliar with the course, I really appreciated having the distance right in front of me for quick decision making on what disc I needed from my bag.
The walking path is great on over 75% of the course, but could use some upgrades in spots to make it a little easier to navigate, particularly for players who play with a cart but all in all, it is manageable.
These signs on each hole were very useful for finding the basket and
choosing the right disc for the shot!
Difficulty- 4/5
As mentioned, the course is rather challenging, but is also very attackable with most holes offering at least a solid approach or two to the basket and with great opportunities for birdies if you can execute your shots.
The course starts off nice and easy with a wide open bomber shot with a small OB, but the warm-up is brief as the next 2 holes play up the hill side. Hole 4 is your last chance at an open shot on flat terrain before the next 12 holes play throughout the woods.
Despite trees being a factor, there are lines to be played and no hole seemed too impossible.
For the majority of the course, accuracy is significantly more important than distance, but you do have some opportunities to stretch out your arm, particularly on Holes 1 and 18.
As an added bonus, there are a few ponds strewn across the course that definitely come into play, especially on Hole 17. There are also OB's on many holes to avoid walking paths and biking paths, but all make sense to maintain safety to others.
This course is a great blend of not being too difficult for a newbie, and not too easy for a more experienced player. Additionally, the short course is a great option for players who may be newer to the game or for other players to simply mix things up from time to time.
The courses plenty of challenge on every hole, with some added difficulty
on some holes such as this water carry on Hole 17
Appearance- 4.5/5
We played the course with some residual snow, but the course was in great condition and looked very clean throughout it.
Benches to rest were plentiful, as were trash cans and the course was very clean because of it.
I don't know how it will look in the summertime, but I can only assume that it is meticulously kept just as it is in the winter time.
Playing through the woods always looks good, and the views on some of the holes were too good to pass up a photo opportunity on.
All in all, the course is very clean and well taken care of!
This scenic view from Hole 18 is one of the best from the course
and an awesome way to finish out a round!
The wooded portions of the course were very well taken care of with brush cleared and
little fear of losing a disc in the winter time foliage
Overall- 4.4/5
Taking everything into consideration, an this course earns itself an impressive 4.4/5.
There are definitely some minor tweaks here and there that you could nitpick at, but if nothing ever changed from how it is now, this course would be enjoyed by anyone who makes the trip to play it and I think this course will continue to be improved upon in the near and distant future as the local club seems to be very active and work very hard to make this course one of the best around.
If you're from Pennsylvania and looking for a place to play, then be sure to check this course out!
With other courses in the area, you could even make a day of it!
Have you played this course before ? Let us know what you thought of it in the comments!
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