Kentucky didn’t need another rumor course. It needed a real one — concrete under your feet, chains that ring when you earn it, and a parking lot that already smells like barbecue and plastic. Buena Vista is that: an 18-hole public layout at Buena Vista Park (67 Buena Vista Drive, Frankfort), built on the former Duckers Golf Course grounds and open for play while the rest of the park still comes online.
This is an opening spotlight, not a fake hole-by-hole review. We’re sticking to verified public facts — county records, the State Journal, and the live UDisc course page — and leaving the poetry of every gap for the next time you drive out with a fresh card.
Old fairways, older name
Franklin County bought the roughly 130-acre Duckers property around 2022 for about $850,000 and turned it toward public park use. The name isn’t a branding exercise: the historic Todd / Mary Todd Lincoln estate on this ground was called Buena Vista, and in July 2026 the Franklin County Fiscal Court formally named the park Buena Vista Park. The State Journal coverage makes the same point the magistrates did — the view fits, and the place belongs to the public.
The park is still developing. Disc golf got out ahead of some of the polish, which is exactly how Kentucky builds things when volunteers and a Fiscal Court pull the same rope.
What’s installed (and what isn’t)
Per UDisc’s course notes: the layout is playable as construction continues. Baskets were installed as of about July 18, 2026; tee pads as of about August 29; OB stakes are in. Tee signs, trees, and other amenities are still coming. Concrete tees. DISCatcher Tour targets. Dogs allowed. Cart friendly. Established 2026. Free to play.
Difficulty on UDisc reads Hard / Very hard. Typical estimates sit around ~2 hours 28 minutes and ~1.6 miles of walking on hilly ground — so pack water, leave the ego in the truck, and don’t be shocked if your calves file a report.
Who built it
Course designer Kyle Holt shaped the lines. The Frankfort Disc Golf Association stewarded the idea, install, and maintenance — with special thanks on UDisc to John Bartram, Darrell Motley, Mark Wallace, Aaron Ashcraft, and Robert Jordan. Initial design credit also names FDGA alongside Kyle Holt and John Bartram. Franklin County Fiscal Court funded the course and tee pads. Nathan & Alex (Rocky’s / Bomb Discs) anchored the clubhouse amenities; Nate Linton has tee-sign design forthcoming.
Layouts without inventing a card
UDisc lists multiple layouts — don’t treat any single one as “the” course. One published example is Vista-WHITE: 18 holes at 8,130 feet. Layout guidance on UDisc, by average distance, roughly sorts like this:
- ~200–300 ft avg — White
- ~300–375 ft avg — White to Blue (mixed)
- ~375+ ft avg — Black
A true mixed layout that hits every high point is still noted as a work in progress on UDisc. Check the app before you tee — the map is more current than any spotlight.
Terrain players keep mentioning
Rolling hills, historic rock walls, creeks and ponds, tree groves — that’s the property pitch, and it’s not marketing fluff so much as Central Kentucky doing what Central Kentucky does. Players note water in play often and a course that rewards smart lines over raw distance. We won’t invent quotes or hole numbers; go read the live UDisc reviews if you want the full chorus.
Clubhouse energy: Rocky’s, Bomb Discs, Pitch & Putt
The old clubhouse isn’t a ghost. On site you’ve got Rocky’s Pub & Grill, a Bomb Discs pro shop, and cart rentals. Bomb Discs lists cart rentals at $10 per seat — reserve ahead at (859) 319-4860 (website noted as coming soon on their listings).
Separately on the same property: Bomb Discs Pitch & Putt — a lit 9-hole warm-up / night round wrapped around the pub and shop. Free to play, family-friendly, and a perfect cooldown after the big hills try to collect a toll.
Already on the calendar
Buena Vista isn’t waiting for a ribbon-cutting to matter. The Bluegrass Regional National Qualifier (Oct 17–18) is already listed using East Frankfort, Anderson County, and Buena Vista — a collegiate national qualifier on Commonwealth ground. Details live on the event listing; we’re not inventing pools or hole assignments here.
Go throw it
Start with the live map: Buena Vista on UDisc. Park context: franklincounty.ky.gov/buena-vista/. Warm-up or night round: Bomb Discs Pitch & Putt.
Then point the wagon at Buena Vista Drive, pay nothing but attention, and remember you’re throwing a course that’s still growing into its name. That’s the fun part — Kentucky opened the gates before the paint dried, and the chains are already catching plastic.