- Two tee pads and 3 rotating basket positions.
- Plenty of elevation in play.
- Long pads test the average players distance
- Good use of the limited amount of woods.
- Well maintained park.

- Limited parking spaces for busy days.
- Not a whole lot of variety. Minus the 5 holes that play in/along the woods it is a hyzer fest.
- If you get off the fairway good luck finding your disc.

Overall it is a decent course. The elevation changes create a little extra challenge to the otherwise simple course. The short tee pads are very beginner friendly while the long pads challenge the average players power. Not as busy as the city courses tend to be but can still get packed depending on the day and time you play.

- Exquisitely maintained. Some of the best I've played. Fairways are mowed and the course was spotless in terms of trash and the like when I was there. Garbage cans and benches on many holes. Even the couple woods hole had lush but mowed grass fairways. It was like a ball golf course.
- It's really a very pretty, scenic area. In a different sort of way then walking through the woods is scenic, but honestly I was kind of struck by it. It's off in rolling meadows and farmland, but it's quiet and secluded and full of wildlife. We saw hawks and sandhill cranes flying overhead during our round.
- Nice use of elevation.
- Nice variation in distances. Some ace runs, some spots to pull out the distance driver.
- Great tee signage
- Two teepads at every hole and three potential basket locations.
- Very intuitive layout. Won't get lost here.
- There aren't many wooded holes, but hole 12 (the first woods hole) is honestly one of the prettiest disc golf holes I think I've ever played. Island hole is also fun.
- Disc Golf only area
- Approachable. Good course for newer players or if you're tired off getting your butt kicked by the tougher area courses.

- The main con to this course is it's a little bland. While they try to mix it up somewhat, there's too many instances of throw straight down the grass fairway to the basket in the field. They do compensate a bit by playing with elevation and there are a few (very nice) wooded holes but on the whole not enough variation/obstacles.
- $8/day is too rich imo. Now, it's clear that it's well maintained, so maybe I shouldn't complain about the price, but I would suggest playing multiple rounds or also hitting Token Creek (pass is good for that course as well) to really get your money's worth
- It's pretty easy, which isn't really a con to me (since there are harder courses nearby if you want them) but may be to some.

Capital Springs, being the other Dane County Parks course, is the sister course to Token Creek. In the same way that Elver invites comparisons to Hiestand, CS invites comparison to Token Creek. In that context, while it doesn't have many of the cons that Token Creek does (noise, navigation) it also does not have many of it's pros (length, 27 holes). To be quite honest however, I had lower expectations for this course and it pleasantly exceeded them. Especially after Hole 1 (one of the blandest on the course, a straight throw up a slight hill wide open fairway to an unprotected basket) I wasn't expecting as much, but the holes slowly improved, particularly on the back 9. The woods holes are gorgeous, I wish there were more. But there's still some variation and they worked with what they had. It's also worth noting that there are many young trees/saplings that have been planted on this course. Perhaps in 10-15 years some of those wide open fairways will have some more obstacles and challenge. I would also mention again how well maintained the course was - very nice. You also don't have as many instances of disc eating rough that you do with Token Creek. I also enjoyed the beautiful, quiet setting, and the smaller crowds, despite the close proximity to the isthmus/downtown (also a plus in my book). Unfortunately, one cannot rate this course without comparison to the other "big 4" 18+ holers in the Madison area (Elver/Hiestand/Token Creek) and in comparison this one is probably 4th. However, there were still many things I really enjoyed and really only 2 cons, that being the lack of variety and the price. I really wanted to give this a 4, but I just couldn't with the deciding factor being what you get for $8. Maybe if it was free it would be a 4, but I settled for a 3.5 (more like a 3.75 if I were allowed). Still, a fun little 18 hole course, great clean setting, and I will be back plenty.

Well manicured course that's fun, but not terribly challenging. Nice views, no crowds, and great wildlife watching. It's not uncommon to have a pair of sandhill cranes cruise over the fairways during play, which adds a pretty cool 'intangible' element to Capital Springs.

The front nine is ho-hum with a few legit ace opportunities from the am tees and, if you have a big arm, from the blues. The back nine is more interesting and slightly more challenging, but if you're playing from the whites it's still pretty easy to par every hole.

This is a fun course for trying out discs, working on your finesse shots, and going for the chains off the tee. If you throw from the blues it's considerably longer and slightly more difficult.

Almost all the holes are hyzer shots and easily par-able from the white tees, even for intermediate players.

Many of the trees that were planted to create some obstacles on the course are dead or dying, which adds to the "ho hum" feeling on the first 8-10 holes.

There isn't a notable signature hole, though holes 12-14 are more challenging and more interesting.

It's $8 to play for the day, or $48 for a year-long Dane County Disc Golf permit, which is good for this course and Token Creek. I'm new to town and haven't played Token yet, but the pay-to-play feels very steep for this course. It if wasn't so well maintained/manicured, I wouldn't think of paying the fee. I'd go elsewhere.

All-in-all this is a fun course that has actually improved my game by allowing me to huck my discs without fear of losing them. Having a course in my rotation that allows me to get acquainted with my discs feels like a luxury. I'd rather play a round than go to a football field and throw for the sake of throwing, so Capital Springs really fits the bill.

+ Capital Springs is a very well maintained course. The grass is never too high, trash is picked up, etc...

+ The use of multiple tees and multiple pin placements adds replay-ability and variety to an otherwise bland course.

+ The course equipment is great. Tee signs, tees, and baskets are in top-notch shape.

+ There are several holes where players can throw wide open distance shots, but there are also wooded technical shots as well as precision shots (including #16 as an island green).

+ In general, the isolated prairie setting is quiet serene. It's calming and peaceful and allows the player to "escape" their normal lives for a while.

+ I'd say this course is great as an introduction for beginners and a pretty good practice course for advanced players. Some birdies are definitely easier than others.

- I played here during the Am Worlds week, so the courses were free, but I would never, ever pay $8 to play a round here. That's absurd. While it's nice to have benches behind every long tee or whatever, I don't think P2P is appropriately used here (in a public park).

- There aren't really any "oh wow!" holes. One could argue that #9 and and #18 are fun downhill holes, but they're not breath-taking by any means.

- The front 9 is pretty bland. While some of the tees/baskets were surrounded by boulders adding an aesthetic effect, the holes aren't difficult at all.

All in all, this was a fun course to check off the list.

In summary:

Would I come back if it were free? Maybe.
Will I pay $8 to come back? No way.

This place has the best grass I have ever seen on a disc golf course. Maybe the best grass I have ever seen in any park. Really. Most amazing turf ever. Makes good use of elevation change. Makes good used of the wooded area on a few holes. Wide fairways. A few holes make you go right or left (on most you have the option of coming in from either direction). Easy layout to follow.

Some redundancy in hole design. Not many obstacles.

Great course for beginners. Long enough to offer some challenge to more experience players as well. I don't know who does the turf maintenance here, but it is phenomenal. Fun course. For the simplicity of the layout I would typically rate a course like this no higher than 3.0, however.....with such immaculate course maintenance, this place definitely deserves a 3.5.

Capital Springs is a scenic course that is mostly open with the exception of 4 holes in the middle of the round. Here is what I liked about the course:

*Options: Looking for a longer course to stretch out your arm? Look no further than the long pads here. Looking for a beginner friendly course? The shorts offer that. Both sets of pads are well marked and in great condition.

*Elevation: elevation comes into play on almost all of the open holes. Downhill drives are fun!

*Maintenance: The course is very well maintained, with benches, tee signs at both sets of pads, multiple pin placements, etc. There is an island hole with a concrete drop zone and sign that clearly outlines the rules for how to play the hole.

The best hole on the course from the longs is a 400 ft downhill dogleg right with a fairway lined with heavy woods on the right and some giant trees scattered on the left side. It's followed by the second best hole on the course, a 420 ft wooded shot with some serious "go for it" appeal.

Even from the longs, Capital Springs lacks variety. With the exception of 4 or 5 holes, all of the drives here are hyzer shots off the tee. There were times during my round where it felt like I was throwing down the hill, then up, then down again, then up again.

Overall, Capital Springs was a nice course that I am looking forward to playing again. Nothing mind blowing here, just a nice round in a nice park.

(I have not seen the other course/courses that are in this Park system, so I really can't say whether the annual pass is worth its price or not).

The course is very hilly and that combined with the wind that seems constant out there, makes it more challenging than one might expect. It has a tendency to play like the wide open British courses in ball golf. The wind will also bother your putts. Many would under rate this course based on the short length alone, but those of us who play it once a week and know the wind can attest otherwise.

The few wooded holes are of exceptional quality, though the obstacles begin with #11 and end at #15.

It's not very challenging to a skilled player, even from the pro tees, though it would be a great introduction to the game for younger players.

It's not a great course, but it is worth the time to play once if you are passing through the area and have time to hit up every course in the area.

It is perhaps the most secluded and scenic of the courses in Madison. Whereas one can see the urban landscape easily from all the other courses, and in the case of Token Creek, hear the freeway noise for at least the first 10 holes, there is only one place where you can see anything of the urban landscape. It's very quiet, it's near a watershed restoration, there is a creek running along the bike path, and hawks and sandhill cranes are plentiful (it also borders a dog park if you want to add that to your excursion).

Overall, the course is in great condition and located in a nice, scenic area. The tee pads and baskets are top notch as the course is only a few years old. The fairways and greens are also groomed very well, the signage is nice, and trash cans on every hole. It's a great course if you're a beginner or if you're trying to work on your short game/mid-range shots.

The course is too open and too short, although this provides plenty of ace opportunities...on almost every hole.

Personally, I thought this course was boring since it is not very challenging, but if you're looking to improve your short game and approach shots, I would recommend going to this course. It also plays quite fast if you are running short on time, otherwise I would recommend going to Elver, Token, or Heistand if you're looking for more of a challenge.

-Course maintenance is exceptional. It's always in great condition, and as a pay-to-play course, it's great to see the money being put to use rather than sit in someone's pocket.
-As someone who's new to disc golf, I appreciate the shorter length of the course. It's nice to realistically shoot close to par and have a birdie chance here and there.
-Beautiful location. The prairie scenery in the Capital Springs area is great, and the course does an excellent job at utilizing it.
-Even though there's many other activities offered nearby, the course itself is for disc golf only. The dog park and bike paths are adjacent, but completely out of play. There aren't any non-disc golfers wandering the course.
-The back 9 offers a nice variety of holes, and the "Island Green" on 16 provides the challenge of hitting an island green without worrying about actually losing a disc.
-Practice basket near the 1st tee is always a nice touch.
-Hole #9 finishes near the parking lot, which is nice if you only have time for a quick 9, or you can also easily start on #10 to play the back 9 first.

-Not much variety on the front 9. These holes are all straight and open. The only real difference between one and another is that some go uphill and some go downhill. There's 3 different basket locations, but in all honesty, they don't change much.
-Mosquitoes are thick in the woods, which comprises holes 12-14. It's to be expected in this part of the country in the summer, and it's only a few holes, but still worth noting.
-The rough is a little on the severe side. I've never felt like I was going to lose a disc in the prairie, but if you miss the fairway you may be looking for a while. In all honesty, though, it's not really any worse than most of the other courses in the area in the summer.
-This isn't a factor for me, but the pro tees don't add much to the course. On most holes, they do nothing more than add distance, and it's usually not a significant amount.
-There are indicators to show which basket is in place, but they don't always seem to match the one that is in. Not too big of an issue since you can see the basket from the tee on almost every hole.

All in all, this is a solid, simple course. It can be handled by a novice, but it's maintained like a championship course. I imagine more experienced players wouldn't find Capital Springs much of a challenge apart from working on their approach shots and putting. This is my "home course," so I've played it probably more than I would if I lived on the other side of town. Unless you do live close, I wouldn't get the $48 pass strictly for Capital Springs. However, it's a nice bonus to Vallarta-Ast, which I'm sure is the main draw for the pass. For those coming from outside the Madison area, I'd plan on playing Vallarta the same day and use Capital Springs as a warmup to make the $8/day worth it.

Like its sister course, Vallarta-Ast, this course is incredibly well maintained. It has nice signs, concrete tees boxes, benches, and trash cans at nearly every hole. The fairways are well-marked by mowing. The relatively short holes also makes this a great option for quick rounds.

There is a definite lack of variety, as most holes are wide open. A few of the holes will get more difficult as trees along the fairways mature.

This course fills a good niche in the area. As others have noted, the holes run short; nearly all are ace candidates. But I don't think this makes the course easy or boring. I see it as an exercise in precision and control. It's very easy to overshoot baskets and end up in deep rough. What this course lacks in shaped shots it makes up for in demanding accuracy.

As the course matures, it might rank as "excellent." For now, I will call it "good," with an added bonus for being so immaculate.

The course is very open with a lot of elevation. There are two tees and three pin positions on every hole except the island hole. From the short tees, everything is reachable and you may not need a distance driver. From the long tees, you will need to take out your drivers and let'em fly. The front 9 are all open, but then it starts to get interesting after that. You will find some fun holes from 11-16. After that, it becomes open again. The fairways are really well mowed.

The rough is too thick and tall. It is very easy to lose a disc or take a long time to find a disc. There are too many open holes with no obstacles other than elevation and wind.

Overall, I think this is a great addition to the county system. They have Vallarta-Ast which is flat and then if you want elevation, you go to Capital Springs.