Black Locust: The Reborn Woods of Kensington Metropark
A course shaped by history, reclaimed by nature, and rebuilt for the world stage.
Tucked deep inside the forests of Kensington Metropark lies a course with roots far older than most spectators will ever realize. Black Locust, the second course of the 2026 PDGA Pro World Championships, isn’t just a layout—it’s the resurrection of land with decades of disc golf history behind it.
Its fairways cut through forest that once held Kensington’s original disc golf course, a local favorite near Martindale Beach that was eventually decommissioned during the development of the current 36-hole Black Locust complex. Over time, the old “tunnel course” faded from use. Fairways closed in, lines disappeared, and the land quietly returned to the woods.
For the 2026 Pro Worlds, Kensington Metropark and the Ledgestone team have temporarily brought that terrain back into play—expanding the Black Locust course by restoring and reworking sections of the property to meet modern championship standards while still respecting the history beneath it.
A Course Built With Intention
Black Locust was originally designed as a blue-level challenge—a wooded, technical track that pushed advanced players and local pros with tight gaps, shaping lines, and punishing rough. Even in its earliest form, the goal was clear: build a fair but demanding test that rewarded skill and discipline.
That DNA remains, but Worlds has transformed the course into something much larger—something built to challenge the best players in the world while still respecting the land’s natural character.
A Complete Transformation for Worlds
To prepare for the 2026 PDGA Pro World Championships, Black Locust has undergone some of the most substantial changes in its history. The redesign focuses on two principles:
1. Challenge the world’s best. 2. Create an incredible spectator experience.
Key updates include:
· Hole 1 shortened to a crisp, technical par 3
· Holes 2 & 3 combined into a single par 4
· Hole 4 lengthened (now Worlds Hole 3)
· Hole 5 removed, Hole 6 lengthened (now Worlds Hole 4)
· Holes 8 & 11 merged into a par 5, skipping former Holes 9 and 10
· Holes 13 & 14 strengthened and lengthened
· Hole 15 removed, Holes 16 & 17 merged into a long par 4
· Hole 18 upgraded with a new MPO teepad
· Seven brand new holes added on the Martindale side, restoring ground from the original Kensington course
The result is a course that feels both ancient and newly born—a hybrid of old roots and modern championship design.
The Holes Everyone Will Be Talking About
Three holes will define the Black Locust Worlds experience:
Hole 6 — The Gauntlet
A brutally tight 1,000 ft par 5 (MPO) / 900 ft (FPO) winding through dense woods. A mistake here is costly. A perfect drive is unforgettable.
Hole 13 — The Forest Road Par 5
A scenic, sweeping par 5 that follows the road through the trees. Beautiful, fair, and demanding—the ideal Worlds hole.
Hole 17 — The Twin-Fairway Par 4
A double-fairway chess match finishing toward tournament central. Landing zones are small. Second shots are nerve-wracking. This is where the elite will rise to the top.
A Course With Deep Roots
The Martindale Beach area, home to seven Black Locust holes, once hosted the original Kensington disc golf course—sometimes known locally as the “tunnel course.” When it closed, the park allowed it to return to natural habitat, nearly erased by time.
Bringing disc golf back to this property is more than a design choice—it’s a homecoming.
As Discraft GM Bob Julio, who grew up with the original course, put it:
“It’s exciting to get to restore parts of the original Kensington course. The tunnel course was Discraft’s home course and there’s a lot of history there for our local community. As Discraft and Kensington Metropark both continue to grow, we’re excited to bring parts of the original course back to life and share it with everyone at Worlds.” — Bob Julio, General Manager, Discraft
What Black Locust Feels Like
Players and spectators stepping onto Black Locust will immediately sense its identity:
· Tight fairways that reward precision
· Punishing rough that demands discipline
· Less elevation than Toboggan—but more technical intensity
· A course where every throw matters
Getting off the fairway at Black Locust is not a small error. It’s a full-stroke penalty in waiting. The course asks for intention, control, and respect—and it gives beauty and fairness in return.
A Course Built for Worlds, Shaped by History, and Defined by the Forest
Black Locust is more than the “other” course at Worlds. It is a proving ground—one that blends championship-level challenge with a deep, almost mythic sense of place.
It’s a reminder that sometimes the best disc golf courses aren’t built from scratch. Sometimes, they’re uncovered—fairway by fairway—out of the woods that have been waiting for them.