Heading west along the Lincoln Highway to Pro Worlds.

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Click here if you missed Lincoln Highway Part 1

Starting first in Pennsylvania, I spent an evening with "retiring" PDGA Board member, Matt Gillis, living right off US 30 in historic York, PA. Pinchot State Park is just north of York with two 18-hole layouts - Boulder Woods and Quaker's Challenge. I tackled the "Challenge" and was immediately presented with a 4-story climb from tee to pin on hole 1. We're ready for some disc golf! While only some of the holes have this extreme elevation - although all in the woods - I recommend hiking shoes. Lots of challenging holes and some interesting routes such as hole 10 which is a long continuous arc to the left starting up, across, then down. The Boulder is apparently easier but I'll have to see that next time.

Hole 1, Quaker's Challenge, Lewisberry, PA                      (photos courtesy of Brett Schick)

There are more permanent minidisc golf courses along US 30 near Lancaster, PA than anywhere else (see links below). This area is home of the Mini Disc Golf Federation, the heartbeat of mini disc golf activity worldwide. Expect to see minigolf promoters extraordinaire, Donnie Brooks and Linc Morgan, heading along US 30 to Merrillville, IN in a few days to host another creative minidisc golf event at Worlds.

Anchoring the eastern end of US 30 in downtown Philly is the granddaddy of all PA courses, Sedgley Woods. It's usually considered the second basket course ever installed. Even though short by today's standards, it still draws a crowd. Jumping back to mid-state as we move west on our journey thru Pennsylvania is the big complex at Codorus State Park with two 18-hole courses plus a minigolf course. Codorus has a nice balance of wooded holes plus some open holes with great vistas of the lake which is sometimes speckled with boats in full sail. Continuing toward Pittsburgh on the Lincoln Highway, we pass thru Latrobe, PA, birthplace of Arnold Palmer, King of the "other" golf.

Besides the long standing Schenley Park in downtown Pittsburgh, the stunning Deer Lakes is the other course not too far from US 30. This evolving masterpiece, developed by J Gary Dropcho and his crew, hosts the annual Hunt at Deer Lakes. But do they have bigger prey in mind? Might a bid to host Pro Worlds be in their future?

Hole 15, Deer Lakes, Tarentum, PA                               (photo courtesy of J Gary Dropcho)

Cruising west into Ohio, the big daddy of courses is the 24-hole layout and growing at Spiker-Arboretum in Canton. It's just down the street from the Pro Football Hall of Fame, an interesting place to cool off after a hot round. This sprawling course is relatively flat (rollerific when mowed) and has some interesting routes where water comes into play. Check it out at the long running Hall of Chains event. Oak Ledges a little farther west in Massillon is a fine companion course with more elevation and wooded fairways.

Hole 7, Spiker-Arboretum, Canton, OH            (photo courtesy discgolfcoursereview.com)

We now get to the two courses used in Am Worlds that are closest to US 30 - Aumiller in Bucyrus and Reservoir in Upper Sandusky. Both courses came close to being excluded from Worlds due to nasty storms that swept thru northern Ohio just weeks before Worlds and left several of the river flats holes flooded. The photo shows the water still on the courses just 10 days before Worlds.

A wet hole 16, Aumiller Park, Bucyrus, OH                                (photo by Chuck Kennedy)

With help from the Parks Dept at Upper Sandusky (pumping) and from Mother Nature, the courses were dried up enough to be played. Aumiller is a Jekyll and Hyde layout with the front nine shorter and mostly in the woods and a much longer back nine with several along the river. Upper Sandusky is mostly flat but wooded with a variety of technical holes plus three nice par 4s for added challenge.

Before leaving Ohio on your way to Indiana, check out one of the better college campus courses you'll find at Ohio Northern University in Ada. This mostly open course with some challenging water hazards roams all over the campus. It finishes so close to the Engineering building, the geeks can measure your putt on the 18th hole.

The Lincoln Highway passes thru the heart of Ft. Wayne, IN, home to some of the oldest courses around - Shoaff and West Swinney Parks - both first installed in 1985.

Hole 3, E Swinney Park, Ft. Wayne, IN                              (photo courtesy of Wholegrain)

It's been over 15 years since I played there. But I remember the baskets had sections of radiator hose instead of inner chains. And ya know, they worked pretty well. Zipping across Indiana, our last stop near US 30 before arriving at Merrillville, host city for Worlds, is a 24-hole layout at Rogers Lakewood Park in Valparaiso. I've heard good reviews but haven't checked it out yet. But the locals felt it's good enough to have been included in the Worlds rotation if another course was needed.

We're pulling into Merrillville, just down the road from the Lemon Lake Flight Center. I've heard they have some pretty good courses ready to test the best. See you there or somewhere fun along the Lincoln Highway.

Hole 18, Blue Heron, Crown Point, IN               (photo courtesy of discgolfcoursereview.com)

Thanks to Lincoln Highway National Museum & Archives for title graphic

Here are courses along the Lincoln Highway from Pennsylvania thru Indiana with 18 or more holes in the PDGA Course Directory

PENNSYLVANIA
Sedgley Woods Philadelphia
Klines Run Wrightsville
D.F. Buchmiller Lancaster
Quaker's Challenge Lewisberry
Boulder Woods Lewisberry
Codorus (2) Hanover
Timber Link Ligonier
Deer Lakes Tarentum
Schenley Pittsburgh

MINIGOLF
Beaver Creek Strasburg
Mushroom Manor Lancaster
Hobson Lancaster
Codorus Pines Hanover

OHIO
Thompson East Liverpool
Spiker-Arboretum Canton
Oak Ledges Massillon
Freedlander Wooster
Aumiller Bucyrus
Sawyer-Ludwig Marion
Reservoir Upper Sandusky
Hedges-Boyer Tiffin
Ohio Northern Ada

INDIANA
Shoaff Ft. Wayne
E Swinney Ft. Wayne
W Swinney Ft. Wayne
Moser Ft. Wayne
Little Bighorn Pierceton
Rogers Lakewood Valparaiso