-Concrete Tees
-Decent Layout, nice old growth trees to work around
-Baskets are OK
-Easy to access, quick play
-Good mix of Short/Medium

-Some tee signs missing
-Extra tee pads on 2, 5 and 7 don't really add much
-No benches / trashcans
-Other park activities can come into play (especially on 8 and 9)
-Lots of road noise from busy SE 14th Street

Crivaro Park DGC is located a couple of miles south of the state capital complex in lovely Des Moines, IA. A fairly typical city cark course with little elevation and a smattering of large trees to work around. A couple of short holes (both under 200') bookend a romp through the park. Hole #8 can have a basketball court come into play, if you're long. Hole #9 has a shelter to the left of the fairway. Play is relatively short, a good warm up for other courses not too far away (Ewing or Grandview). Missing tee signs, the lack of benches and trashcans, and the road noise from SE 14th Street keep the rating down a bit. Still, an enjoyable round to be had, or a good place to bring a beginner. I will probably play here again.

Crivaro Park, named after the former mayor of Des Moines, the Honorable Pete Crivaro, is a fairly good sized city park, which sits right on the very busy 14th Street. Crivaro features all the amenities that most city parks have, picnic areas, a nice children's pool and splash area and playground. The area where the disc golf course has lovely green grass, is flat and has just the right scattering of mature trees.

The course is an excellent beginner/recreational course. The holes are a nice combination of short pitch and putt lengths (140-185') and recreation distances of 240-335'. The scattered trees provide just enough challenge and diversity to keep things interesting. As a previous reviewer stated, you would almost have to try to lose a disc here. Newbs, wives, children and one disc wonders will enjoy this course and avoid many of the frustrations such as hunting for their discs in deep rough.

The course features these pretty royal blue DGA baskets with the red number plate on top. The concrete tee pads are trapezoid shaped. The metal tee signs are basic and give you the basic information. Be aware that the tee signs on # 1 and # 3 are set facing the opposite direction of the basket. Pars listed are consistent with this type of course such as # 8's being a par 4 at 300'. Ignore them or embrace them and go for that eagle. This is America and the choice is yours to make.

Lots of noise from 14th Street.

Lack of challenge for most players.

Not a destination course, just a course that would like as a warm up or on your way home. The central Des Moines location makes this course so convenient to reach.

On about hole 7 as I was rushing trying to beat the threatening skies, a crazed pit bull type pup came charging up on my blind side. For the last three holes, this demon dog had a wonderful time charging up on me, time and time again. I tried everything, yelling, waving my bag, pretending to throw my disc at him. I would have loved to fling some good throwing rocks at him but Crivaro Park is spotless, not as much as a pebble or a small stick to throw at him. Had I been packing heat, I couldv'e have wasted him. No warning shots from me. Everything I did just added to his glee. I'm not a dog person and I don't always differentiate between a vicious attack dog and a frolicking pup. What I do know, was this was most annoying as I attempted to finish the last three holes before the skies opened up. And open up they did as I finished on 9. At least as I was rushing over to get into my car, it finally gave me relief from the demon attack pup of Crivaro Park!

It is a well maintained course with cement pads and baskets in good condition. The grounds are in great condition with a mature trees to work throws around. A great course for for people to develop their disc golf skills or work on their midrange game.

The course is on the shorter end with several holes that you can give solid ace runs at. However, it isn't as challenging as other nearby courses for serious disc golfers.

nice concrete pads, and new baskets... very east to follow. i used a driver, a mid and a putter, only threw the driver once. quick round was easy and fun. this would be a great course to introduce someone to the game.

not not really

found this course by accident when i was driving across town to johnston from pickard. took 20 minutes to play it and felt like it was decent for a 9 hole course

Great course for mid-range drives and putting practice.

If I wasn't with someone who knew where they were going, it might have been difficult to navigate the course. Signs would be nice.

Jon Krieg aced consecutive holes (#1 and #2) during our second game today. There were 3 witnesses.

Concrete boxes, good average distance as well as many birdie chances. Well kept and maintained.

Can be overly busy on the weekend and local "Atmosphere" can be some what hostile at times. If your taking younger players aim for a weekday to avoid this.

Proximity of the playground means stray shots are a no no. Clipping a kid with a heavy disc can ruin their and your day.

Nice blue Mach baskets, concrete tees, large mature trees, well maintained grass

BB court can be in play on one hole

It's a nice leisurely 9 holes to shoot on a noon hour or to introduce a new player to the sport. The course flows logically through the park, starting and ending in close proximity to the parking lot. Most holes have multiple routes to the basket with large mature trees as the main obstacles. Good variety of hole distances, so you can use a wide variety of discs from the tees.