*Fun & Challenge for all skill levels. Excellent for introducing folks to the game.
*Park / Course clean and well maintained. Good Club Support.
*Multiple tees (Red, White & Blue) Nice good size concrete pads.
*Multiple Pin positions. Mach III Baskets in very good shape & catch well.
*Signage is pretty good. Flow is easy to follow. Benches on many holes.
*Great use of property. Every ounce of DG has been squeezed from the space.
*Flat, moderately wooded terrain works great to practice a variety of shots.
*Design favors the player. Mistakes are not often punished too badly.
*Discs available for purchase up the street at the aviation museum.
*Good Parking / Restroom (Portajohn)
*Fairly easy to get to from DC Beltway / Metro close by. (Green Line)
*Not far from College Park with other trendy amenities.

*During wet times, course may become soggy & buggy.
*Design is tight. Players need to beware of other players.
*More advanced/pro players may not find this course a challenge. (Still Fun)

I've been playing at this course for over 20 years and it is a little gem inside the Beltway. It is a classic old course which has evolved from the days when the hot plastic was the Aero & the 86. A day at Calvert is always a good time! One of the quirky things about the space is the canopy. Though the trees are old and majestic; their tops are cropped due to the property being at the end of the airport. It is often a pleasant distraction to watch the single engine planes come & go.
As you look at the property, you might think that you will be having dejà vu on every other hole. Surprisingly this is not the case. The use of the terrain and trees keeps things from getting monotonous. There are opportunities to use a variety of shots with a good mix of left, right and straight pin placements. Of course the trees come into play but you won't be staring down many tight fairways. Often the white tees give an altered look at the pin rather than add distance over the red tees and a few blue tees are shared by white tees. Those that are not shared, with the addition of C pin placements, will even keep the big arms entertained. There may be some confusion finding blue tees just because there are so many tees in view. With a little attention this should not be a problem. The course plays pretty quickly so you could easily play all three tees in a long afternoon.
I haven't had to deal with too much sogginess over the years but the buggy, natty, flying things can be an issue when the course is damp. Coming from NoVA, I usually play the course between rush hours so I have not encountered the course really busy. I bet after work and on weekends the course could really see some traffic. I still don't think it would be a big issue. This course has stood steadfast through the decades and a good destination when visiting DC. Add it on your list of "must see" DC monuments.

Three tees. Red, White, Blue.
Well marked holes. Well marked mandos. Somewhat challenging but not too hard to make par. Some long holes some shorter. Flat and wooded.

There is a store close by that sells discs.

Good place for beginners to learn the game. I've been playing for quite awhile and this course is still a fun challenge. Nice shade from the trees, benches, and friendly locals. It's also a good place for practicing new discs and allows for mess-ups without a huge penalty for doing so. Markers at the bottom of the baskets pointing to the next tee off area.

Might not be too fun for advanced players and can be quite bad after it rains.

--Encourages fundamentals: It's necessary to be able to throw straight shots through gateways, both mando-forced ones and natural fairway ones. You also have to have a long distance hyzer and anhyzer shot in your bag. There are holes for rollers and there are holes for big arms. This course rewards the player with a variety of shots in his/her bag.
--Metro accessible: I live in the area and this is the only course that's truly metro accessible. It's just a 10 minute walk from the College Park metro stop on the green line.
--Bi-weekly doubles: There's doubles on Sunday morning and there's doubles Tuesday evening (but I suspect that's on hiatus during the winter).
--Friendly people: There are a lot of regulars that play the course so it's easy to make friends if you don't know the course or if you're looking for a disc.
--Shady: Lots of trees make a round a refreshing walk rather than a death march. Then again, I'm used to playing in the desert of eastern Washington (State).
Multiple teepads: Every teepad offers a very different look at the hole. Reds are shorter, but there are still a few doozies in the set. Blues are the longest and require some of the harder shots making the course a tough par. The alternate tees make it easy for varying skill levels to play together.

--Swampy: There's not much drainage at all on this course. Make sure you bring a towel or two with you. The dew takes a long time to evaporate in the morning because of all the shade. You may even consider bringing a second pair of socks in case your disc finds a particularly nasty area and you have to go in after it.
--ticks: They're out there. I play the course ~2 times a week and I always check myself afterwards. Once found one on my stomach after a round.
--Disc golf density: because it's so accessible, sometimes there are a lot of people on the course. They don't always know the game very well and may walk across your fairway without realizing it.
--No elevation changes
--Can be a little tricky to navigate because of how tight the holes are.

I play this course ~2/week and even though it's the only course I can easily access because I don't have a car, I'd still play it often.

I'll say it up front. I am a newbie. Keep that in mind.

Layout was easy to follow (signs were clear I thought). The park is pleasant to walk around. Holes were open enough not to punish mistakes (except for my one big one, mentioned in "other thoughts).

I went the day after a rainstorm. It was a total swamp. That made it more interesting, but messy. There was nobody there (it's Dec) but I can see how if it's populated, you'd be ducking a lot.

I lost a disc into the creek on the far side of 17. I'm not terribly good and didn't pull the dog-leg right. Sailed straight out from the tee. I spent a good 45 minutes looking and never found it. If anyone comes across a white Valkyrie, please let me know. It's got my phone number and email address on the inner rim.

WOW, the most disc players I have ever seen playing a one time. Very Nice park with multiple tees for every basket. Open wooded shots

I dont believe a map could have helped me find the tee boxes. The course was very confusing to follow. If not for the friendly players in the park, I would have left after the front nine. I joined a group and played on. There were a lot of holes that ran right beside each other. Very Tight.

I visit College Park every year for The East Coast Championship Footbag Tourny. My disc will always make the trip with me. I like the course enough to come back for more. My suggestions would be the little arrows on the bottom of the baskets, pointing to the next tee, They should point at the middle tee.

Overall- Great course.

The Holes in the woods are the best looking and well maintained holes I have ever played
Very well kept

Finding the holes when you get close to the end can be tricky
lots and lots of bugs

I was in D.C. and decided to hit a course. It was raining but figured I'm only in D.C. once every couple of years so I played anyway. I got stuck in a lighting storm and had trouble finding my way back to my car. Lighting was striking all around me, it was scary but you can hardly blame it on the course.

After the rain let up I got harassed by a hippie who kept asking me if I was a cop and wanted to know if "I was cool" I told him I was and let him do his thing. I didn't join him though, it's not really my thing but I don't judge.

Once I started playing again I had a great time. The course was beautiful but I was followed by a swarm of knats they kept attacking my head and I had to keep moving to stay away from them. It made me miserable but the course was so visually stunning I had a great time in spite of all that

concrete tee pads, the legacy of being a great course when we were throwing 141's and 165'2. Shady, easy to follow, good parking. Closest course from DC and fairly easy to find.

Both times I've played early AM- much too much dew and wet grass. My towel got soaked in no time (I hate wet discs and poor footing) Little variability and no change in elevation.

A good course to practice shaping your lines. I will have to try it dry sometime. Maybe next time I'll bring my old Whamo

Nice mix of wooded holes, about half straight tunnel shots, the other half evenly split between right and left benders. Course is well groomed, no scrub or undergrowth to hide your discs. There is a creek on one side of the property but you have to yank it pretty hard to find it. Course area is pretty much dedicated to disc golf so there are few pedestrians to deal with. Concrete tees are great imporovement from the old blacktop this course used to have. Three tees per hole, I've yet to play the blues.

Course is short, Lots of mid-200 footers is the order of the day here, with only 2 holes over 300. Terrain is flat as a pancake so no elevation related challenges.

Nice course on a relatively small plot of land, it truly is a great course to introduce new players to the game. Enough obstacles to not be boring, but open enough to not be overly frustrating for newbies.

The old course was updated number of years ago (about 2000?) and stretched about as far as this plot of land can handle. New concrete tees were added and modern baskets placed to replace the old Mach I's, I believe Dave Devine had a big hand in this (thanks Dave).

When the wind's blowing in the right direction it seems like planes are trying to land in the parking lot, can be quite a surprise the first time you see it..

Playing on such a storied course! This course has almost been around since the beginning of Disc Golf!
The course is easily accessible from the beltway and seems to be in a good neighborhood.
Well-laid out and easily navigated. Holes are simple and terrain is quite flat.
Well maintained, thanks locals!

The cons are pretty much what I like about the course. No elevation changes, short, no low branches. If one is used to modern courses, this course may seem a little weak.

Overall I like the course because it was built "Back in the Day"; Before we were blessed with extra long range drivers, Speed 13 discs, star Plastic, etc. I hope they leave the course as is and we can be satisfied to play the course as the designers intended. Know your roots!

- Very beginner friendly.
- Large trees make for an easy shady walk in hot weather
- Three sets of concrete tees, and up to 3 pin placements per hole make for nice variety.
- Adequate Parking
- Discs for sale across the street
- Local doubles and monthly events make organized/inexpensive play accessible to anybody
- Right down the street from U of MD
- Just a couple miles inside the capitol beltway makes it easy to find / easy to get to.

No elevation - being all flat makes the course not overly challenging, and it gets a little swampy when it rains.

This is the course where I learned to play. I probably played 2-3 rounds a day for 4 months straight back in 1987/88 when it was just Mach I baskets. Tree density is such that control is at a higher premium than distance, but not so dense that errant shots are punished (they are not). A fun course to play, or to introduce someone to the sport on.

This course earns many points for being the only 18 hole course inside the D.C. Beltway. That said, it's hard to write a review for a course like this, because many of the features that make it great for beginners or for practice rounds make it mediocre for competitive play... so I'm going to put most of the course description and playing information in the "Other Thoughts" category and use the pros/cons for very basic information... so skip down for the thorough review.

But in brief, the pros:

Decent concrete tees on every hole
Multiple tees on many holes; where present, the white/blue tees add difficulty and give the course a higher replay value.
Large, beautiful trees provide great shade in summer.
Very little underbrush.
Good parking, and convenient location inside the Beltway.
Amusing course and highly playable year round.
Friendly locals and a decent club host several tourneys every year and often try new/different formats for fun.

Doesn't drain as well as some courses, so it can get mucky in places after the rain.
Fairways are close to one another without a lot of tree protection, so watch out for flying discs.
Shot variety is weak -- many holes give you that "deja vu" feeling.
Almost zero elevation change.

I would rate this as an above average red/beginner level course, but it's not so great for other level players. Though it is a very good place for more experienced players to practice new discs and throws with minimal consequences... ideal for practice rounds with mids/putters.

The tall, beautiful trees that provide 95 percent of the obstacles here have very few low branches, so there is very little in the way on most holes. The trees do force some minimal line-shaping, but because of the lack of low branches, there is a high-ceiling available on almost every shot, and even when you hit a tree, there is seldom any significant penalty for it -- you just have an open 2nd shot toward the basket.

Most holes have half-a-dozen different lines to reach the basket, and most of the distances are in the 180-300' range. So there is not a lot of variety on the holes, unless you choose to FORCE some variety by trying different lines every time and trying different discs, different routes, different types of throws. In this sense, this course can be great for practicing your game -- it's just a very poor course for competitive rounds...

Based on PDGA tourney results, scratch golf (1000-rated) is in the 40s for every layout, even the hardest tees. From the red tees, 1000-rated golf requires shooting -12 or better (42 strokes for the round), which just isn't an ideal tournament venue.

Bottom line, the short, open holes and the lack of OB/bushes/thick-trees/elevation/etc... to penalize errant shots makes this ideal for beginners and practice rounds but weak for any sort of competitive play.

Good tee pads, easy to follow, benches, plenty of shade in the summer, alternate pins and tee pads. Enough trees to keep you honest, and a nice selection righty/lefty/straight shots that teach solid fundamentals. Park is well maintained and an easy stroll for beginners. Kiosk with a map shows location and directions for most of the local courses. Note: The tee signs are the originals dating back to 1980 with Par 4s and Par 5s suitable for beginners only.

Can flood after rains, short by today's standards. The loss of many, many trees over the years has made it much easier.

My first basket course back in 1984 and still one of my favorites, even though it is primarily a recreational course by today's standards. If the course is empty try playing The Nines...tee of 1 to basket of 10, tee of 11 to basket of 2, etc. Makes for an 8000 foot layout where 54 is tough for top players. Maximizes criss-cross, so course must be deserted.

Three tees per hole. Concrete tee pads. Multiple pin positions. Distance/flight path info at each red tee pad. Arrow at each basket indicating next tee area. Mandos. Minimal chance of losing a disc

Flat terrain/similar sized trees throughout make it difficult to provide much variety.

Blue/White tees same 8 of 18 holes. No very long holes. Course plays much more difficult from the blue/whites than the reds. Excellent use of a minimal amount fo space. Need to hyze, anhyze, and S-shape many shots.

Great course for beginners, but still challenging enough for more experienced players.

Easy to follow course layout and nice concrete tees. Very hard to lose disc. Great for quick round or 2. Very good for a chuck and run(speed golf) as the whole course is flat and can be done in 20 min, but watch out for divots! Good for practicing low line drive shots and accuracy. I love this course on hot summer days cause its almost all shaded! Can play in shorts and sandals.

Short, simple, not very challenging, can be crowded. Trees are the only obstacle and no hills whatsoever. Some signs are not accurate and can be difficult to figure out which basket to shoot at. Hole 1 holds some water after storms(like a water hazard). Bitting flies especially on hole 10 for some reason loves my bald head. Mosquitoes are nasty during summer. Bring repellent!

I wish I had known about this course earlier as it is great for beginners, although I still love this course after 100+ times! I kill my friends on this course with my sidearm. It is cool that you can see the whole course and when it is crowded I often just jump around to other holes and come back. I played this course in a hurricane like downpour as the rain was sideways and it was still fun. I've never had an issue with mud here really.

Easy enough for beginners with enough challenge for more advanced players.
Very dedicated group of locals do a nice job keeping it clean. Plenty of shade.
There are mulitple tees and pins on each hole. You will need to be able to make all of the throws (flat, hyzer, anhyzer, rollers, etc) to score really well here. No truly giant holes but there is enough distance to make it interesting.

Flat!!! Storms and old age have left a lot of open throws where there used to be trees.

One of the very oldest courses on the east coast with a long history.

Low frustration level (once you figure out where to go), little brush to get stuck in, nearly no chance of disc loss, It is a very nice course for the whole family to play, or a good introductory course to get your friends interested in Disc Golf.
There are 3 tees for various skill levels.

The course is short and open making it relatively simple for advanced players. with one good throw you can land next to the basket on the par 5 holes. There are no major hazards and no elevation. Some mandos, but they are not overly challenging.
Some signs are old, so pay attention to the arrows on the trees for mandos. The tee sign for 15 has recently been torn off the pole. The course is begining to show it's age.

Disc for sale just down the road.
lots of family traffic on the weekend
NO TICKS
I took a dozen 6th grade first timers and no one lost a disc, and they really liked the course. It has now turned into a yearly trip. The second year the kids got frustrated with navigation of the course and some gave up because the could not find the next tee.

Nice looking course and well maintained. Plays through the trees but is still pretty open. Good for all skill levels. The alternate tee boxes are well placed and add some good distance to the holes.

Very small space to fit 18 holes into. Keep an eye out for discs when the course gets crowded. Can be difficult to figure out which basket you are shooting to because the holes are cramped. The diagrams for the holes are not always helpful. Not very challenging as you get better with the sport.

My first time playing disc golf was on this course and I was still able to have fun and feel I was doing good. This course is great for beginners and poses a few challenges to the more advanced players.

Compact course is easy to play for a quick round. Short holes and low difficulty level make it a good beginner course. Lack of vegetation makes it almost impossibe to lose a disc.

The layout makes these 18 holes somewhat monotonous. All holes are flat and open aside from some large trees scattered around.

This course is so open and lacking in small brush that you can see the entire course from just about anywhere on the course. For a small park in a dense suburban area, Calvert Rd packs in pretty good disc golf experience, but for top notch disc golf, you need to get farther away from DC.

Smartest use of 4 acres you'll ever see. Lots of gorgeous trees. Well maintained, grass is always cut and rollers scream. Excellent tee pads. Great volunteers that help maintain course and move baskets a lot.

No elevation. Course below street level and holds water. Fairways are up against each other. Easy to get hit by a disc here.

I learned how to play disc golf at Calvert in 1988. I bought my first 2 golf discs, a DGA PowerDrive and SuperDrive here. Back then, the place had Mach 1s that were literally falling apart. The old tee pads were junk! Dave Devine got the money to face lift Calvert in the 90s and it's never been the same since (thanks Dave!). One of the best 4-acre courses anywhere. Great baskets, multiple concrete tee pads, benches. But alas, even with all the amenities, it's still dead flat and only 4-acres. A two-some can finish a round in under an hour.