-Superb mixture of tight tunnels and wide open and well groomed holes.
-Set in the tall grass prairie; rolling plains with a savanna like feel to it.
-Pro and Amateur tee boxes, plenty of trash cans and benches
- I love the holes that are well groomed and nice and long. Decent Elevation present
All in all, this course is a must play. Don't let my rattlesnake encounter scare you. I find it funny people give negative reviews on this site when someone is just trying to tell the truth.

It would be nice to see a few more benches as there are some long walks from hole to hole.
**Watch Your Step**
I saw a 5 foot Western Diamondback Rattlesnake that was resting on the fringe, just outside the fairway. My friend came really close to stepping on him, and the snake didn't rattle !!! I think they're learning not to rattle so be careful out there.
Ironically enough, just before seeing the beautiful serpent, I saw a plump looking cottontail rabbit hopping around about 10-15 yards away from where the snake was.

There is no question about it, East Metro Park definitely exhibits the characteristics of a world class course. Easily a top 5 course for Central Texas.

Even after touring the west coast, this one is in my top 5 favorite courses of all time. Beautiful from the first drive. Very clean and well maintained. Defined fairways that don't throw back on each other. Fairway grass was short when present and trees seemed to be trimmed up. Nice elevation changes throughout. Long deep drives and control are definitely a must, but your ability to have a good recovery shot is also important. While the fairways on most holes give a nice tunnel, if you shank one, its in the ROUGH.
Course plays smooth. Some holes are a little far apart and a little confusing for a first timer (#15>#16), but overall easy to follow. Nice signs and boxes.
I like how the creek runs through most of the course and some holes fairways almost have islands you throw to = makes precision a must. At least one water stroke is probable. And some of the pins have water backdrops so good putting is a plus.
Also, I like the variety of hole distances. While most holes here are big, there are some nice ace runs. Nice left and right shots, with a variety of wooded and open shots.
Hole 18= awesome! Nice deep open hole that you can open up on. Big elevation drop with creek on right side wrapping around the back of the pin.
Parking is free and right next to the first tee box so that is convenient.

Short tee boxes.
Maybe signs at end of hole 15 to help direct to 16

Watch out for the cactus and mesquite trees = OUCH!

Tough. If you can't aim you better stay at Zilker and not loose your discs in the Manor thicket course. However if you can aim or want to improve your needle threading abilities, this course should be just what the doctor ordered. Do you have a buddy that can drop 500' bombs but couldn't hit the broadside of a barn with a handful of corn and brags how good he is, take him out to Manor for a payback. Big and small trees in play as well as awesome water hazards and OBs.This is my 2nd favorite course, I chained a 185 footer for birdy on 15 then a 100 footer at 16 "back to back" on Christmas Day "CHING" Absolutely awesome course design, your first time here you'll be amazed as you step into the box. This isn't the place to bring a beginner by any means, but anyone who loves a challenging course or wants to test their abilities should have this one on there wish list.

Better wear your jeans and hiking boots, for when you toss a disc 5 ft off the fairway into where a rabbit couldn't go for all the cactus, mesquites, stickers and green briars. The county needs to go find out what the park maintanence guys are doing since they don't pick up trash or mow the course. It's not as rough during the winter or as overgrown. Needs benches and more trashcans

By the way, after you play #15 look to your left "opposite side of the fairway from the old house" there's a trail through the woods that takes you to #16. Walk through the woods to a small clearing where you will see a pond to your right, keep walking straight ahead, stay off the sidewalk. Go past the pond and behind the ponds dam is the tee box for 16

Hole 1 was kinda nice. Just walk half the hole the first time to figure out where the basket is.

I have a severe case of tunnel-phobia. Only one throw required, low, strait and lucky. Close your eyes and throw. Hemophiliacs stay home its impossible to leave the rough without being cut from the thorns.

Brain dead course design. Its way too easy to design a "man that course kicked my ass" course. Try designing something fun to play next time. You don't need any new fast discs here, they just hit the trees faster. This design is for the beginner who can throw 250 and if he's lucky his pals will hit just as many trees as he does. Distance doesn't help at all. I've added one disc to this review because of all the grunting about it.

From your first drive to the last putt, East Metro Park is a course that shouts there are no gimmies - you will be tested. Each hole forces you to pick a specific line or angle and demand accuracy. Don't confuse this with a pinball course where shots are more luck than skill. East Metro plays fair - it just simply demands more out of a player, which is what any high quality course should do.

Set in the outskirts of east Austin, the 273-acre East Metro Park is a multiple-use recreational area with recreational facilities, baseball fields, soccer fields, a covered basketball court, youth play areas, restrooms, hiking trails, and three fishing ponds. Basically, the entire family will be able to do something while you're out on the course, but keep in mind the course is not very stroller friendly.

Holes range from under 200' to over 800' and play various dogleg left and rights through open areas as well as tight terrain. There is a good canopy on many holes helping to protect you from the hot Austin sun, and dry creek bed that could be very interesting if it would ever rain. There are few OB areas, but an errant shot is usually penalized by playing your next shot from the prickly pear cactus that lines many of the fairways. Playing here - you fully understand what it means to be playing a round in Texas Hill Country.

BEST HOLE/S: #4; #5; #10

Print a map because the course has multiple long walks between holes. As a caveat, the observant player will note that each sign has a convenient "to next tee" arrow, but even then watch for the transitions between holes #6 to #7, #8 to #9, and #15 to #16. Some of walks are unusually long, however the hill country scenery is great, so many will take it a grain of salt.

Also, even though the high quality tee signs are beautiful to look at, I continually wonder how accurate the distances are - this is something I am beginning to be aware of on most Houck signage courses I've played. Not a big con - just something a person should note. On the flip side, I have become an advocate of holes being labeled as more than just a par 3 based on their length and difficulty. It's a trend I hope will continue to grow throughout the disc golf society.

WORST HOLE/S: #13; #14

While the finishing touches on East Metro may not be as polished as the newly revamped Circle C, any player will be thankful to have a shot at this monster. With both Circle R courses having limited public access - I believe with its concrete tees, undulating terrain, and great hole diversity, East Metro is the second best course in the Austin area, ranking only slightly lower than Circle C at Slaughter Creek. However, while rankings can be debated until your blue in the face - no one can argue that East Metro sets the bar high for any golfer and any course.

Variety of shots. Lots of trees, so not very windy. Concrete tee boxes!!! Not crowded during the week. Not much water. Great baskets with bridges and trails winding through the trees and creek beds.

Lots of trees to hit! The rough is real rough! We have seen multiple snakes on this course and been in the cactus plenty. Be careful playing this course. Keep it straight.

A 800+ foot hole. They seem to clean it up for tourneys and kinda let it go the rest of the time. In the fall and winter, it is not near as overgrown and makes it easier to find your disc. I have lost at least 2 in the brush, so watch it if you don't hit fairway. If hole one is crowded, drive to the other side of the park by the soccer fields and start at hole 11. It'll save you waiting on a big group sometimes.

Quite possibly the best course around here. This course is professional grade. Be prepared for long, VERy accurate drives with only one, maybe two, options at a drive. This course was well suited for all types of players.

Man, it was a tough one.

This is my favorite course around Austin. It is extremely challenging and since we've started playing there it surpassed Wilco as my fave. The main reasons I find it superior are: elevation changes and it's a bit more diverse in shot selection (i.e. not as many lefty holes.) There are a few holes that could probably use some improvement but for the most part every round I finish I want to go immediately back and play it again.

The work that went into this course is really what makes it stand out. There are wooden bridges over the gullies and carved steps down into them for when your disc goes astray.

There are pro and am teepads on most holes. You'll need a wide variety of shots and discs to truly master this course. There are long uphill straight fairways littered with trees and LONG downhill fairways where wind comes into play and if you find yourself in the rough, you will pick up some strokes. You'll need some left and right turns shots, accuracy and power.

The players out here have probably driven 15-30 minutes to get to the course and everyone I've met there was extremely friendly and mindful of their group size.

This really is a the perfect course for a nice day trip with a couple rounds.

A bit of a drive but worth it. The only real cons I can think of is that some of the concrete tee pads are too short and their elevation makes it tricky on some of the pads. Honestly there are a couple that are a good foot+ short and they really should be fixed.

Rattlesnakes! Try to avoid playing at dusk in the summer. We saw 2 on the same day...that was the only time we saw them but they're out there. We also saw a fox on hole 8 one day. Hopefully he was eating some snakes. But he just looked at us for a second and then went on his way. Maybe that's a Pro not a con. But just be careful if you walk into the rough and make noise to scare off snakes.

Brambles and thorns are everywhere here. If you play a full round and don't get punctured somehow it's probably amazing. Even in the middle of the fairways there are some thorn trees.

There's a short hike from 15 to 16 that's really not very well marked and we had to walk around a bit the first time we played the course.

The park itself, as a few others have noted, is a huge area. When you enter the front gate, just stay on the main road until you're in the last parking area by the basketball courts. The first teeboxes are 40 or so feet from the end of the parking lot.

It seems like most of the people who really like this course had Wilco as their fave before this...so chances are, if you're a fan of Wilco, you'll like this course as well.

If this course were hours away I would still visit at least once a month. It's that good.

Big course,18 holes,good signage,2 tee boxes,trash cans at most tee pads,lots of short uphills and short down hills,lots of trees,cactus and other sticky things.All around nice park,good layout,fairly easy from one hole to the next.No bugs and only saw one snake.

Tee pads on some holes are more than a few feet away from each other,50 ft. or more,16th teepad is aways away from the 15th hole.Some say lots of trees and scrub brush.

This is now my favorite disc golf course,smack dab in the middle of the woods,this course will fill up soon.

This course combines distance with the need for accuracy. Many holes have several options for fairways. It is like the designer looked at shots for every throwing style and cut it out like a work of art in a scrubby brush riddled masterpiece. The course offers elevation changes, water hazards(without the water even) , left hand, right hand, annys, hyzers this course has it all. The scenery is not bad with the ocasional site of road runners and coyotes, around dusk you can here the coyotes getting fired up. Oh cant forget the cows to the right on hole 10s fairway. I have to say that hole 11 is my favorite, offering multiple throws through a semi-low ceiling of small diameter trees. this course is a blast and a must play.

during my last outing i ran into people hiking on the course fairway. waiting on slow groups

After having played this course everything i have played since seems like childs play.

One of my top 5 courses I have ever played. There are some super sweet holes throughout this course and about 5 of them are stuff to remember. This course challenges every shot in your bag and lots of holes are 2 and 3 placement shots just to get a chance to attack the pin. The little creek is nice that runs through most holes because it offers OB challenge and your not going to lose your plastic. Not anywhere else you can lose your disc unless you just throw an awful shot into the trees somewhere. Alot of wooded shots and a good mix of open boomers too. There is also a great mix of annys and hyzers which makes it rating go up for me too. This course will also test your mental game as well because you have to think and have to keep your head straight too because if you get upset the course will eat your lunch!!!

Short boxes and the long walk from 15's pin to 16 tee are the only two things that I can say are cons.

This course was built up to me and it lived up to everything I heard and then some!!! Bring everything you need because you dont come back to the parking lot again. We played the other day when it was 40, raining hard, and windy as crap....and STILL had a blast. That says alot for me!

BEAUTIFUL! Wonderful creek runs through most holes, mostly dry. New and very well maintained. Located in a beautiful city park with dense trees, cement tees some multiple. MY Favorite course at the moment.

Not many, The park has a curfew.

Nice bridges to cross creek and nets to warm up against. PLAY THIS COURSE

To say that this course is challenging is a vast understatement. It is the most difficult course I've ever played. That could be a bad thing on some courses that just try to be difficult for the sake of being difficult like at Old Settlers where they just make every hole absurdly long. On this course, every hole is difficult for a different reason.

There are some truly memorable holes on this course and the pin locations are the best and most challenging placements I've ever seen. One of the pins is on this little "island" in the nook of the creek, another on the side of a hill above the creek, another guarded by leaning oaks, and the list just goes on.

There's this hole on the back 9, I think it's hole 17, that has a blind bend to the left and you better make sure your disc turns in time because if it doesn't it will head straight into a huge cactus. I thought it was pretty tricky to avoid that cactus, but as I made the turn around the bend the entire fairway was just dotted with these enormous cactus patches, including a huge one directly behind the pin. I just stared in awe as I tried to line my shot up to avoid the patches. It was ridiculous-- in the best possible sense of the word. I'd never seen anything like it, and likely never will again, at least until the next time I play this course.

Another great feature of this course are the multiple paths/fairways that some of the holes offer. There's huge risk/reward payoffs on many of the holes. Can you drive it long and straight enough to make it to the "2nd fairway" which has a much easier path to the basket, or do you decide to play it safe and lay it up in the "1st fairway" which makes your 2nd shot more difficult? There's so many different ways to play some of these holes that it really makes you want to play this course over and over, especially when your first choice doesn't work out so hot.

Also, there are very nice bridges and non-invasive wood steps built into the natural slopes. There are few courses that have enjoyed this level of attention to every aspect of the design. Major props to the designer Mike Olse.

The new signs are the nicest I've seen and really help on the blind shots as well as determining where the next tee box is.

The park that it's in is just enormous. It rivals the size of Zilker and seems to have more amenities than Zilker, such as a kiddie water park, multiple covered basketball courts, soccer fields, baseball, playgrounds, restrooms, and so on. However, none of this gets in the way of the disc golf course and there is zero pedestrian traffic on the course.

As people have mentioned, some of the tee boxes are a bit short with some of them having significant drop-offs at the end of them. There needs to be more trash cans along the course. People would just throw their beer cans or water bottles in pile at the tee box which is really an eye-sore on such a natural and rugged course. I had to carry my empty for 5 holes before I came across a trash can.

I don't consider the cacti a con as some others have. To me, it adds to the course's challenge and uniqueness.

I'm only a recreational player, but this course seems like it would challenge even the pros. I wouldn't be surprised to see this course included in one of the major touring leagues. It's just that good.

I spent the last few days trying to come up something else to say about this course; it's all been said in previous reviews. But this course is worth reiterating just how fun it is to play. And now I'm not ashamed to say I grew up in Manor. All they need now is a Dairy Queen and they could be a real Texas small town. But I digress.

Being out of the way as it is, crowds are usually low. Expect this to change though as the word gets out. I'm not that skilled in the art of disc golf, this course repeatedly reminds me. The trees resonate with constant "thonks" of disc-meet-tree, and you can't help but smile.

Yeah, short tee boxes, long walk, but with the scenery, you really don't notice until the walk to 16. Other than the field mice, I haven't seen much wildlife, but I did find a five foot snake skin while locating an arrant disc. Keep an eye on where you put your foot.

This course just has to be played to really be appreciated. The drive from Austin is not to bad. Between carpooling and drink stops, still only take me about 30 minutes from Round Rock.

In Short: This is Texas disc golf at it's best.

The terrain really captures the heart of Texas in it's look and feel. The course creates that atmosphere and proclaims it loud and without any apology. Some of the best Texas courses (like the two courses at Lester Lorch in Cedar Hill), are rolling green and beautiful and feel more like the Carolinas than they do like Texas... On the other hand, the setting for East Metro Park includes rugged hills, abundant cacti (cactuses), mesquite trees (and lots of other, larger trees), dry grass, dusty trails, rocky creekbeds, wild wind, blazing sun, circling buzzards, and 18 holes of knock-your-socks off disc golf that will leave you begging for more.

The Michael Olse-designed course features a beginner and pro layout and separate concrete tees for each on most holes. Signage is excellent throughout most of the course, and it's easy to tell from the tees where the baskets are going to be. It appears that thousands of hours of work have gone into designing the course, defining the fairways, building steps and bridges, and generally bringing the most out of what might otherwise seem to be just another lonely stretch of desolate Texas hill country.

The course is an unusual mix of short, medium and long holes. Pro tees range in length from 170' to 805', with six holes 250' or less, six holes between 251-550', and the remaining six holes over 550'. So there are plenty of deuce opportunities, even from the pro tees, but none of them are gimmes. The shorter holes tend to be tight shots near creekbeds and down narrow alleys of trees; the longer holes tend to have wide, fair alleys with plenty of room to air-it-out, but dense underbrush that will penalize any big shots that aren't well placed. The mix of tee shots is awesome -- and appropriate for players of all skill levels, thanks to the two sets of tees -- but it will challenge even the best players in the world to stay on their game on every shot.

Memorable holes include #8 -- 805' feet downhill in a medium-sized fairway with dense brush on both sides -- a hole that is better for a Roc than for a driver, but taunts your greed and leaves you wishing you had better sense. #10, which is 550+' out of a lightly treed cage into an open field with an approach into trees to fast-sloping green with sharp dropoffs on three sides. #17, which is 640' uphill and around an L-shaped left turn with hundreds of cacti lining the fairway and helping guard the approach to the basket. And, not to leave out the short holes, #5 - A 192' shot over a creekbed and down a densely-tree lined peninsula with more creekbed on both sides; this hole will make you want to laugh, cry, then rip ever putter and midrange in your bag up the tight fairway, trying for glory.

East Metro Park is more than just a stellar disc golf course. We didn't fully explore the options, but the basketball and tennis pavilions near the start of the course were fantastic -- among the best I've seen at any park anywhere. Playground and restroom facilities are brand new, convenient, and well-designed. The fishing pond (catch-and-release only) is beautiful with the cool water adding some moisture to the hot, dry Texas wind. This is a park I wish I had had more time to explore, but a family could easily make this an all-day destination.

I know there are pros I'm forgetting, but I know a lot of the minutiae are covered in some of the other reviews, so I'm not too worried about all the fine points. I think capturing the feel of the place is perhaps most important and is the angle that hasn't been achieved yet in reviews for this course.

I'll make it simple: If someone were visiting Texas and could only play one course in the state, East Metro Park (Manor) would be the best course I know of to show them what Texas disc golf can and should be. The rugged glory is very different from the lush, green beauty of courses in other parts of the country, but this course is boldly, unashamedly Texas, and that's something it can be proud of.

Cons are a shorter list:
* Teepads are often really short. This detracts from the overall play of the course -- it's not as bad on the short holes, but the longer holes really need some room for throwers to bomb.
* A few places, better signage is needed to help players navigate from each basket to the next teepad.
* Cacti, thorns, spiky trees, etc... make this a perilous course if you're not wearing the right gear (thorns and briars in some places are so sharp and strong they can puncture wayward discs, so be careful).
* Exposed areas and rugged land will make this a lot harder to play when summer hits -- this is true of all Texas golf to some degree, but I anticipate that the dusty feel of this place will really be an endurance exercise come summer.
* I didn't see any snakes, but I know they are there -- this is rural Texas hill country with lots of underbrush -- which means there are high odds of snakes aplenty, so be careful.

Manor, TX, (pronounced Mane-er), is a bit out of the way. We passed a lone Texas cowboy out riding down the road not far from the course. It's only 20-minutes or so from North Austin, but feels like it is a world away.

Downtown Manor is just a few old storefronts, but the Tex/Mex place (Ramo's) is worth the trip out -- at least based on our one visit. Chips and salsa are nothing to write home about, but the drinks were cold and the dessert sopapillas were the best I've ever had. The savory sopapillas (filled with chicken and covered with your choice of sauce) were visually nondescript but were joy to the senses once they hit your tongue. Brisket tacos, nachos, and everything else we ordered was well-above par. Orders came out wrong from the kitchen several times (waitress shared that "the cooks are still hungover," and this was after 2 p.m. on a Saturday.)

For me, few things make good disc golf even better, but hole-in-the-wall Tex/Mex a couple miles from the course makes it happen. Head to the course, then head 5 minutes to downtown Manor to chow down and you'll be in for the best day of disc golf that Texas has to offer.

Great mix of technical shots and open holes. There are some holes where you have more than one possible route to the basket. Water in play at several points, plenty of elevation changes. In a public park, but the course has its own territory there and people using other facilities do not hinder play.

The tee pads are too short and better signage is needed.

Be careful not to throw your up shot into a cactus!

Beautiful course. Elevation changes. Great mix of Long tosses, short turns, open shots and tree threading. Both amateur and pro tees.

Lots of cactus, watch out... not stroller/Cart friendly. Nice bridges over creeks, but this course is nowhere near pedestrian. Dont even try to play if it has rained unless you really like mud.

Some temp signs up right ow, but I hear nice signs like pease are being made right now. Easy to follow. I totally agree with Sidewinding, my fav course in austin followed by wilco. Its out of the way, but its north.

This course is very scenic. The rugged Texas hill country terrain with live oak, mesquite, prickly pear, etc. is just beautiful. It would be a great nature hike even if you did not play disc golf.

Concrete tee pads are a rare but welcome sight around Austin but (see con 1)

The new signs are in and they are amazing.

Both pro and amatuer tee pads make this course fun for all skill levels.

There are many cool stairways and bridges throughout to help you cross the dozens of small creeks that meander through the course.

Most of the holes are fairly technical with many straight and narrow, or blind curving fairways. If you don't throw forehand this course will force you to learn. If you don't throw backhand this course will force you to learn.

If you don't hit the fairway don't expect to have a shot to the basket. The rough is very dense, rugged, and thorny.

1) The teepads are too short. I didn't measuse but they look to be about 5'x7'. They could have used less concrete and made them 4'x8' and you would'nt feel like you have be extra careful and shorten your x-step on every throw.

2) Some of the holes have quite a long walk between them. One in particular is about 300-400yards to the next teepad with signs about every 100 yards reassuring you that you are still going in the right direction.

Now that the new signs are in this is the best course in the Austin area.