Bowen Park is an interesting mix of short and easy to moderate technical holes that are designed for most disc golf experience levels. There are a few really cool elevation changes for a public park and just enough shot variation to make you work for it. Signage is good, and condition of the park overall is in great shape. There are nice concrete box and two different boxes for each hole. Make sure you print of a map if it's your first time because you have an option to play an additional nine holes according to the map. Or my advice is just warm up on the blue tees and hit a second round on the white tees to change it up.

Pins are well marked, and we even saw a few passionate locals who were placing down fresh mulch around the pins. This is the kind of course I wish I had in my backyard because it doesn't beat you up like many championship level courses but was just really fun to play. This would also be a perfect course for beginning to intermediate players wanting to improve their skills. Plus, since it's a public park, there are bathroom facilities and most anything you need within walking distance. One bonus that is not DG related is there are also a cool stream with a cool waterfall across the park, so you can enjoy some amazing nature after your round.

BEST HOLE/S: #7; #13

Unfortunately, Bowen Park succumbs to the same downfall that many courses suffer from in a well visited public park. It's tight. When you maximize the space available to create the best course you can - sometimes this means you have to place pins closer to roads, parking lots, or volleyball courts that you would prefer. Granted, the signage is clear about warnings and OB play, but airing out a big shot on #7 would be a lot more fun if I wasn't worried about hitting a volleyball player. In fact, we watch a decent player throw a slightly errant shot on #9 and full on dented a car in the parking lot…with the person in it. Awkward. These are the trade offs for sharing the space but take note.

The other obvious negative that any advanced level player will tell you is that the course is simply too short. The course is just over 5000' from the long tees. That's just not that long for many big arms out there. There is only one hole over 500'. I have a bum shoulder, so honestly a short course is a pro for me, but I could see how experienced players would get bored when 2/3 of the course is under 300'.

WORST HOLE/S: #14; #16

Overall, I had a fantastic time having a casual round of play on this course. I'm a sucker for short and technical housed in a well-maintained space. In the summertime the weather is perfect, the trees and park are beautiful, and it's just a fun course. These are the kind of courses that always hard for me to rate since we are not talking the same caliber as a place like Idlewild, but I still want to give it a lot of discs because it's not trying to be. It probably is hovers between a 3.5 and 4.0, but I'm giving the benefit of the doubt because It perfectly pulls off the community park DG course. I would imagine has a lot of devoted local players that would probably agree. If you are ever on Vancouver Island - I would totally recommend a visit!

Open course with short and long holes. The trees are not too dense. There are maps on every tee so it is very easy to find your way around.

Can be busy at times. There is traffic close so watch where you throw.

Discs can be rented at the recreation centre.

Beauty park. Lots of old growth trees in the park, with grassy fairways. Impossible to lose a disc. 2 sets of concrete teepads

Busy in summertime. All par 3's, although the White tees are quite long

Awesome park and awesome course. The best on Vancouver Island!

beautiful park.
variety of holes.
fun.
well marked tee pads.
friendly locals.

can be very busy in summer months.
people tend to leave garbage on the course.

There will be many upgrades in 2013 for this course.
stay tuned!

Features a wide selection of shots for people who throw left, right, forehand, backhand.

Tee pads for beginners and the experienced.

The course is excellently maintained by the city.

Features a good variety of long and short holes.

Excellent tee pads, signage, and baskets.

You won't have to hack through low lying brush, manicured lawns as far as the eye can see.

Some of the shorter holes are lacking in creativity.

Only two exceptionally long holes.

A few crossing fairways require you to be conscious of safety

The course can become quite busy during the summer months as its location in the heart of nanaimo attracts quite a crowd.

-Very well groomed
-two sets of concrete tee pads for each hole
-beautiful park
-in the heart of the city
-decent variety of shots
-18 baskets
- short tees and long tees play differently on most holes
-Every teebox has a number marker and a map, and is really easy to navigate. On top of that, the office has scorecards and maps
-Two sets of washrooms
-water fountains at hole 9 and behind hole 12
-trash cans with recycling bins scatter the course as well as benches.
-there are stairs for the main elevation holes
-forehand, backhand, rollers, and thumbers could all be utilized but not all are required. A good forehand and backhand make the course much more fun, and people with a consistent overhand shot can park many of the holes

-A couple crossing fairways
-Last few holes are repetitive
-Often busy
-Sometimes people will see a "frisbee" lying on the ground and will throw it around
-Holes 7 and 8 have volleyball courts come into play. It is out of bounds but can't always be avoided
-Could use a bit more variety in distance and could be a bit longer
-Some of the tee pads are a bit too close to the previous basket

A really nice course to play at. The course plays through a light to moderately wooded city park. Every hole has obstacles, some are pretty tight and some are more open. There's no underbrush that comes into play, though in summer there is often long grass in the lower part of the course.

The short tees are what most people play and are great for beginners but don't offer much challenge (with the exceptions being 7 and 11) to experienced players. I've seen multiple people score under -10 on the short tees. Most holes have one or two trees lining the fairway and a bunch of trees guarding the basket. Many are aceable. Length varies between 170 and 370ft.

The long tees vary in length from 220 to 535 feet. Par is a good score for these. If you only have time for one game, play the advanced holes.

A great layout. 18 holes, lots of people playing the course. I got my first Ace here on #3! Lots of Ace opportunities througout. There are 2 sets of tees, the longer of the two are REALLY long (a few at over 500 feet). There are some GREAT elevation holes here. Big arms will LOVE it. Overall an outstanding course.

Busy busy. Try to play mid-week to avoid crowds. A little short. (Some will call it REALLY short). For those who like wooded hiking style courses, (like me) this may not be for you... I still think this course is worth a go though. Update: Not at all as short as I remember it. Possibly a new layout. Course is fantastic now.

That pic makes no sense to me, because its all baskets here.

This course in in a Provincvial Park, so the city of Nanaimo takes care of it pretty well.
The course has parking and restrooms at both ends of the golf course. So people could start at different points of the course.
This course is perfect for all types of skill levels. From the technical/finesse shots to the distance holes. The layout is pretty good there are 18 basket holes, and the length vary in distance from 177 feet to 337 feet. I myself like the tecnical hole on this course, i get close to the hole most of the time on my first shot. Each hole is east to follow, at the teepad there is a post with a map on it, telling where top shoot as well as obstacles that would be in the way. The teepads are made out of rubber so it is easy to plant your feet for the throw. There is a definate flow to the course, there is no general overlap of the fairways. There is not that underbush, the only thing that you would have to worry about are the garden areas and the hitting a tree. The middle holes are toughest because you need to have a reaaly good flick to get the distance, especially for hole 7. Hole 7 is a dogleg and is the longest hole at 337. The overall challenge is outstanding because you will need good distance and excellent finesse. The locals there are friendly and always willing to help.

The golf course always seems to be overrun by people drinking and smoking pot, so the smell could be a problem.

There is a local shop for those people that are begining this great game, that want to buy a disc. The shop is called the Velvet Paw and is located across the street.

It's the best course on Van Island or any of the coastal Islands.

The course is located in Bowen park, which means the course is well groomed. The Grass is cut, leaves & snow are collected. Washrooms, picnic shelters, benches & walkways are throughout the course.

The course is fun for all skill levels since 2/3 of the holes are roughly around 180-210 feet and they are also the more wooded and technical holes as well. The course can be challenging since there are a few long and technical holes that will challenge the intermediate player, and the shorter holes have alternate or "pro" tees that require distance and precision. The course is well marked and the locals are friendly. The course is not too crowded except for tourney's.

Hole 7 & 8 are the most fun holes in any course I've played Hole 7 is the longest hole(340 feet) and requires a long Anhyser or hyzer shot around trees. Hole 7 & 8 are challenging because having a long drive doesn't mean instant birdie, yet a short initial shot doesn't mean you can't par. these two holes will keep and attract advanced players, and if you birdie them, you get high fives.

The course can be frustrating for power throwers who want to throw a wraith all the time.

People casually drink beer and sometimes smoke pot. Not a biggie for me, but some may not like it.

If you need discs or accessories,they can be purchased at the Velvet Paw across from the the teepad of Hole #3.

There is a friendly local who plays the course religiously. He sells discs and likes to give out advice. Though he sometimes is inebriated and will talk your ear off. Be careful though, he tries to sell Excalibur discs to everyone when he should be selling Buzz's. If you had to play the course with one disc, a Buzz would be it.

The course is getting 18 additional holes though in 2008 and some are going to be 400 feet or more.

If you want to mix up your recreation this course is good. Bowen park has tennis courts, horseshoe pitch, lawn bowling field, beach volleyball, lacrosse field, skate park and more.