A diverse challenge with both short treats and long grinds.

-Amenities: DISCatchers. Concrete tees. Full signage with maps. Good trails between holes.

-Terrain: Great diversity. Open fields with gentle hills, moderately wide wooded fairways, and tight and technical woods with a creek.

-Personality: East Metro has a lot of holes to give it special flavor. Hole (4) is a par-4 with a lot of choices to be made in moderate woods, especially with a creek bed to work around. (5) is short but terrifyingly tight with the same creek in play. (10) works woods to fields to woods, with an enchanting and steep green. Hole (12) from the long tee presents an always-turning par-4 with an early dip and low branches that require an amazing placement shot from the tee.

-Shot Shaping/Gameplay: Even holes that aren't stunning out here are good challenges. Several par-4s require accurate distance to stay on the fairways, and more tight par-3s are more traditionally shaped but fun nonetheless. A very good challenge.

-Multi-Tees: Short tees on at least most of the holes make the course more attackable for non-advanced players.

-Navigation: I did fine without consulting a course map except for one transition, to (16).

Only small things here.

-Forgiveness: Not a great course for the rec player, at least from the longs. The length will make for tough scrambles for anyone without substantial power, and many holes have tight lines.

-Wild: Some of the rougher holes have unpleasant places to get stuck, especially since the grass in ditches is not cut back. I had multiple run-ins with cacti.

A really great course with all the components necessary to be Excellent. I don't see it having quite the pizazz to count as a 4.5 at this point in my reviewing career--maybe because a lot of the longer holes are just out in the open without anything enchanting. Still a great place to challenge yourself and play a few fun, tricky, short holes.

The course itself is laid out beautifully. A few things to keep in mind if this is your first time heading here.
1. Lots of thorns here. It may be hot, but you may want to consider wearing jeans during the spring and summer months. It will save you a lot of pain if you end up having to search for discs out of the fairway.
2. Bring a grabber if you have one. The cacti here are a plenty, as well as thorny vines. A grabber would come in handy.
3. Bring hiking shoes if you have them. Sometimes you'll get thick thorns that come right up into the sole of your shoe. Sandals would be a big mistake. I've seen people do it. Don't be one of them.
4. If you bring a dog, be sure they can handle it, or better yet save them from possibly hurting themselves and leave them at home. As said before, lots of thorns. Also have seen several venomous snakes. Rattlesnakes are around, but at least they warn you. There are also Coral snakes, but they are not aggressive and reclusive. I have also seen water moccasin by hole 18. Those can be aggressive. I have talked to the park people about those little guys and haven't seen them in the last month.
5. Bring water. There are bathrooms over by the beginning of the course with fountains, just to the left of the basketball courts. There are also some by the parking lot near the tee of hole 11 by the soccer fields. A bit of a walk but if you're thirsty or need to drop a deuce there's your chance.

Those are all my tips for playing the course, now the course itself. Here are the pros:

1. Maps and tee boxes are easy to follow. The holes vary from very challenging to fun ace runs. The pro tees are truly pro tees. The am tees offer a bit more fun for us regular joes.
2. It's almost never crowded. I've played here for years and have never had to wait on a large group of people.
3. For the most part they keep the fairways clear. The rough though, is a whole other story. Over the past year park maintenance has been working to clear out dead trees and make the park more navigable.
4. You'll likely get to use just about every shot you have up your sleeve. If you're like me and like to practice a variety of shots and strategies, you'll enjoy this course. Any weakness in a players game will be exposed here.
5. Clean. I've never seen anyone disrespect the course by littering, and they have plenty of trashcans and players who care enough to keep it clean. Please don't litter folks.

1. Not for beginners. If you're considering bringing someone new to the game you may want to consider a different course. When I say the rough is thick, I mean it's thick.
2. Needs more bridges. It's not terrible for a hike, but if you bring a rolling cart or cooler you're going to have to carry it from time to time.
3. Could use places to sit near the tees. I think there's only 1 bench in the entire course.
4. The underbrush. Off the fairways the underbrush is serious. It is a nuisance for thorns and losing discs, but more importantly it's a huge fire hazard. There a lot of dead trees and brush everywhere from the previous drought. The park people are working to clear it out, but it will be a long process.
5. No bulletin board. Sounds silly I know but it's happened more than once where I show up and there's a closed tournament going on, which is a big bummer when you take the time to drive all the way out there for nothing.

I think it's a great course that could be used for some serious pro tournaments. Which it already has, but still needs some work to make it more player friendly.

All shots needed
challenging but fair
never crowded
good mix of lengths

easy to lose discs and time
no facilities once on course so bring water
vegetation demands payment in skin
tee boxes too short

With abundance of rain rough is rough. Don't be tempted to throw a second disc unless searching for discs is what you like to do. Everything will take a bite of you once you are in. Many trees have been cut down and #13 has a large oak down in front of the basket.

Beautiful park.
Clearly marked paths and great signage. Even the first time I played, I did not get lost once. Hole 16 was a little challenge to find, but they did/do a great job of keeping the course in good condition. Pay attention to the signs at the tee boxes and they will give you a good idea of where to find the next hole.

The fairways are tight.
You have to stay on them or your score can go way way up.
The baskets are in great shape.
Tee pads (2) per hole are in good condition. Some are in the need of some "shoring" up as erosion is taking its course on a few.
Good range of shots.
The short holes are very short, but very very tight and there is almost 2 ways to each pin placement for lefty's or right handed players.
Wilderness adventure.

Super tight fairways.
Short holes are almost too short and too wooded. You don't get rewarded for all the long holes you have to struggle through.
It is a great place though and if you are a beginner you will enjoy the beauty. The course will beat you up a bit.
Not many con's here.

Bring Plenty of Water.
Pack out your trash.
Unlike Roy G, there are garbage cans along the course. Probably close to half the holes have a trash near by and you NEED to use them. There is no excuse to see beer cans and garbage laying around, but I ended up picking up lots of crap the first time I played and simply carried it to a garbage can close by.
Please help keep the course clean and do your part.

Very nice park complex. With 2 pads on most holes, it will challenge your accuracy and control as much as you want. Every type of shot needed - RHBH, RHFH, thumber, roller, etc. Even the technical holes are relatively long, but there are multiple options for each hole instead of "throw and pray". IF you are reasonably accurate, you wont be punished too badly by the THICK growths bordering the hole....and EVERYTHING there (and some in the fairways) has thorns. Tee signs by the longer tee pads give good directions and distances. Most (if not all) holes had benches either at the pad or close by (I didn't notice all of them as I was trying to beat sundown).

Only one hole is REALLY hard to find....16 (from 15 basket continue to the walking path and take a left...it will curve around and eventually 16 is on the left of the path...with any luck they will have mowed recently and that will help locate it). Pay attention to the signage to help with the other ones and you wont get lost.

I was playing it quickly (had a difficult time finding the park initially and didn't start until around 7) in order to finish. Somewhat difficult to find the park if you aren't familiar with the area. I will probably go back and play the long tees to experience the complete challenge before I leave the area even though there are plenty of courses to choose to play in the Austin area. Very nice layout for the most part. If you don't like thorns, make sure you stay in the fairway or else wear long pants and sleeves. Didn't see any of the "wildlife" mentioned in previous reviews, but no doubt it is there....I just got lucky I guess. Park closes at dark so plan at least 90 min if playing by yourself and more as needed to finish before that.

Large, mixed course with many interesting and challenging approaches.

Needs some more attention to grounds keeping, especially ant control. Also distance for me is a little far.

Same designer as the Circle C course and you can see the influence.

Unique landscape, you get in a good all terrain hike in as part of your play. Most holes are very dynamic and interesting.

The rough terrain could be too much for some. A few holes are dissapointingly short and straight forward and seem out of place compared to the rest.

Didn't get to finish because my friend's bailed on me due to the heat, but I loved the first 10 holes. Looking foward to playing again next time I am in TX.

Holy crap. If you want a challenge, this course is for you. But be warned, this course is punishing.

The things I loved:
The whole park. Get done early or whatever, there are some awesome covered basketball courts, some very nice soccer fields, playgrounds, etc. to enjoy. Really nice complex.

It's quiet. It's a little bit of a drive to get out there, but worth it because you don't get the cluster F that you do at searight or the new Roy G.

It's beautiful. I wish the water was stream fed so it was always running, but it is really pretty regardless.

It's challenging. I played it yesterday and my buddy lost a disc on his first throw, then lost a disc on his second throw, and lost another later in the course. He's a good player, just had some bad luck that day. However, this is in my pro's list. Being a challenge is a good thing. It makes it much more fun.

Variety. One hole you will be going from a looping bomb to the next hole being an insanely accurate laser beam through 12 trees. You will be throwing flicks, regulars, tomahawks, rollers, hyaers, anhyzers, the whole shebang. I kid you not, the first time I played this course, there was a moment when I considered throwing lefty (it probably would have turned out better if i did!).

Hills. Many courses in the Austin area (and texas in general) lack this variety in elevation. Here it is a good amount. There aren't really any massive cliff shots (like 15 at searight), but it is a good variety on each hole.

Exercise. This goes with the hills thing. Bring your hiking shoes. If you stay on the fairway the whole time, then it won't be so bad, but you will inevitably roll into a creek bed that is a 10ft drop that you have to climb to.

The holes are thoughtfully created, with the players in mind.

The rough. You will be cursing if you have a bad shot, and it probably won't be because you can't find your disk. It will be because of the absolutely enormous amount of stickers and brambles everywhere. Without any exaggerating, it seems that every single plant out there has giant thorns on them. See a harmless bush that you want to peer into? DONT DO IT! Some of them literally have 2 or 3 inch thorns. Not to mention the massive amount of thriving cacti. And not the kind that are worn down and don't have their thorns anymore. There are a ton of them.

The tee boxes are pretty short and the ground is eroded around most of them, making them especially easy to trip over/fall off.

While the layout is great overall, there are no signs leading to hole 16, which is pretty far away from 15 with multiple paths leading different directions. When you finish 15, follow the treeline to the left. It will curl around and you'll reach a concrete path. Go left on it towards the lake. About 50-75 feet down you'll see a dirt path off to the left. Take that, and then follow the grass area to the right for another 150-200 feet. It will dip down and to the right where you will find the tee box for 16.

Pick up after yourself! Seriously, it's not hard.

14 will be tough for many. It's overwhelming when you're standing on the box. You have two options: You can either bomb it straight forward and pray you don't hit anything (If you are VERY accurate, I'd say you still only have a 30% chance of getting through. Not kidding). OR you can play it safe, lay it up at the base of the bridge, then bend it around for a nice par. I usually play it safe, then throw another one just for fun, and every time I'm happy that I threw the safe option first.

If it's not the middle of the summer, WEAR PANTS AND LONG SLEEVES! You probably thing I'm kidding about the amount of briars and stickers, etc. but I'm not. I am covered in cuts and scratches today from looking for my buddy's discs yesterday. I'd seriously suggest saving this course for the cooler months, and if you do decide to play in the summer, PLAY SAFE! you will thank yourself later.

That being said, it's also a good idea to leave your dog at home IF: He isn't 100% disciplined, especially if he has long hair. I have a husky like the one in the photos, and while he's a good puppy, he IS a puppy and I don't trust him enough yet to not go investigate some wildlife that is all over the park. He would soon learn his lesson not to jump into the wooded area, but you will be cursing when you have to spend an hour or two pulling stickers out of his fur.

WILDLIFE: we ran across a very large rattlesnake right under the cage at hole 10. It's the right time of year for it (beginning of the summer), so just be careful and respectful. We tossed a couple discs near him and he moved, but if we hadn't seen him who knows what would have happened.

Take care y'all and play smart!

East Metro Park provides a very complete challenge of golf. Any weaknesses in a player's game will be made apparent. The course requires power, shot-shaping, accuracy, strategy, escaping from trouble, and putting on risky greens. The tee signs indicate blue and red for the skill levels, but I believe that gold and white are more accurate.

The signage and tee pads are top notch. The course is separate from the rest of the park, with minimal pedestrian traffic. Much of the walk is picturesque. The holes are mostly separated from each other visually. Many of the holes are uniquely appealing aesthetically (the pictures on this site don't do them justice). Many of the holes provide unique challenges. A few of the holes are candidates for a short list of the best holes in disc golf.

All of the holes provide fair challenges. I particularly enjoyed the short par 3's that have tight, but fair routes. On paper, the par 4's don't look super-long (except hole 8), but with the technical requirements and elevation changes, they are very demanding. The extreme challenge of East Metro is addictive. I'm looking forward to my next opportunity to battle this beast.

Some of the highlights include:

Hole 1 is a gorgeous opening hole. The tee shot is moderately tight and well framed. The fairway doglegs 45 degrees to the right past the initial gap and climbs sharply uphill. This hole requires two powerful, accurate shots to earn a birdie 3.

Hole 3 is a medium length par 3 that requires a drive be thrown within a tight vertical window with a gentle left-to-right turn. The creek is tight on the right side of the basket.

Hole 4 isn't a long par 4 at 564 ft downhill, but it is extremely challenging. There is a choice between a long-straight shot off the tee to a small target that will leave a 225 ft straight shot to the basket or a shorter, hyzer off the tee to a decent landing area that will leave a slightly longer, more technical second shot.

Hole 8 is a long, straight, downhill par 4 with a fairly tight fairway. Missing the fairway on this hole can be brutal. To make a birdie 3 on this hole requires a lot of guts and excellent execution.

Hole 10 is a par 4 that appears as a "should get" 3 on paper, but proves to be more difficult in practice. The tee shot is moderately tight. The difficulty really comes into play on the second shot, with the basket tucked into the opening in the woods with steep drop-offs on three sides.

Hole 11 is a very unique, challenging, short par 3. There are three distinct, tight routes, all of which present their own challenges. The green drops off sharply behind the basket.

Hole 12 is a short 492 ft par 4, but once again, it is no easy 3. To have a legit chance at birdie 3 the drive must be thrown precisely with power. The second shot is uphill and then downhill and bends sharply to the left. Without a very well thrown drive the dogleg proves to be too sharp. A par 4 is fairly easy to make by playing relatively safe, but making a 3 requires an aggressive, risky drive.

Hole 14 Is a nice 170 ft head scratcher. There are several shots that can be played, but they all involve very tight lines. The deuce is there for the taking, but requires commitment and execution.

Hole 15 is another par 4 that appears to be a "should get" 3 on paper, but proves to be very difficult. The tee shot is tight and intimidating and the hole plays very much uphill with a bend to the right halfway down. The hole is straight-forward, all the player has to do is execute.

Hole 17 is an uphill, dogleg par 4 that's listed at 640 ft, but plays more like 800 ft. The gap off the tee is moderately tight. The hole will tempt power players to bomb off the tee to have the chance for 3 that most players won't have, but missing the initial gap can prove to be very costly.

The extreme challenge and brutal rough found at East Metro make this a course that is extremely unfriendly to beginners. 90% of players should play the shorter tees here.

The rough is thick and full of cactus, other thorns, and snakes (some of which are poisonous). Players will spend a lot of time looking for discs and will likely lose one or more. The round is an extreme workout between the challenge, hills, and battling the rough. The course does not loop back to the parking lot after 9, even though the property could have accommodated two loops.

The tee pads for holes 13 and 15 are only about 35 ft from each other.

There are a few places which could use "next tee" signs. This is particularly important from hole 15 to 16 and then from 17 to 18. There's a very long walk from 15 to 16. It appears that hole 16 could have been a nice par 4 with a downhill tee shot to a defined landing area.

There isn't a basket near the parking lot for putting warm ups.

The tees could use some sort of frames. Some of them collect wash-outs, which make for slippery pads and some have gotten eroded underneath, which will lead to cracking on the corners.

This course will likely break in over time to become a 4.5 rating, but it will take several years for that to happen.

Don't be a dirty discer; leave the course cleaner than the way you found it.

To read about my review philosophy check out the other info section on my profile.

Mike Olse does it again! I went out to play this course because I heard so much about it and this thing is fantastic. It reminds me so much of Brushy Creek Sports Park except this more open and a longer course. Easier to navigate as well. Holes 1 through 4 start you off as a warm-up for the rest of the course. Number 1 being the longest. Number 2 and three are short par 3 holes and pretty much straight shots to the basket. Hole 4 is a little longer being a double crossing of the creek that runs through this course and demands a very accurate shot or the disker gets in trouble quick. Hole 5 is a short 190 foot par 3 hole but also demands an accurate throw or it is fishing time in the creek again. Hole 6 is a short throw by the creek par three, but once again, a chance to lose a disc. I lost one on this one. I still managed to bogey this hole even with the penalty throw. Hole 7 is a straight-away par 3 or four depending which tee you are throwing from. Hole 8 is a long 805 par 4 or 5 depending on whether you are pro or am. Hole 9 was my showcase hole. This one was deuce all the way. Loved the throw between two trees over the creek. Then a straight shot at the basket. Ching! Hole 10 pretty much is a wide open straight shot par 4 until you get to the basket. It sits on a jut out over water. You have to be accurate with your putter or it will miss and roll down into the creek like mine did. I did hit with the second one though. Holes 11 through 15 play in the woods and are relatively short. Holes 16 through 18 are longer and play you right back to where you parked to start play. This course was a good challenge overall and well worth the stopover to play.

Only one that I saw was the transition from holes 15 to 16. A wrong turn and you wind up back at hole 8. Otherwise I find nothing else to say that I could find wrong with this course.

This is a good, solid 18-hole challenge of a disc golf course. Mike Olse did an excellent job with this one. The only other course I could see where he might have topped himself so far was the gold course down in Ingleside, Tx. Otherwise this is a fun course to play and has many good challenges to it.

Course is very challenging and quite long but playing conservative is also a good game plan for those looking to remain "in the hunt". Trying to be aggressive can lead to amazing scores like the designer, Mike Olse's 55 or it could lead to MANY MANY 5s,6s, and even the possibility of 8s and more,

Good shots are rewarded by better looks to the pin on the par 4 and 5s and on the shorter holes a accurate smooth throw will leave you with a birdie putt.

One thing I like about this course is the different mindset the designer had when it came to the par 3s. Most of the par 3s are 260 or under with 3 or so being <220ft but these holes bring very definite lines into play that you either hit or kick off leaving a tough upshot.

Every shot in the bag is needed and no one shot is constantly repeated with the course favoring neither a righty or lefty but the player who plays the smartest, chooses the right time to attack, and executes their shots.

The terrain if somewhat rough with small rocks and such that are common to the Texas Hill Country along with prickly trees and underbrush that can leave you bloodied and you discs missing.

This is a great course for competitive golf but I don't think I would make it my casual course of choice (especially in the hot Texas summer) but if you do it will only improve your game

Excelent layout with good elevation change. Accuracy and distance a must if you want to shoot near par. Great scenery and challenging holes made this course one of my top 10! In my opinion, one of the best maintained courses outside of pay to play courses. Nice trimmed fairways, clear walking paths, clean t boxes, and nice hole signs. Fun and technical course!

FIRE ANTS!!!! watch out for ant hills, they are nasty! and a small bee hive on 17! they dont mess with you if you dont mess with them. LOTS of nature so be carefull around brush and in the woods. Wear shoes with good grip after rain because some of the banks are kind of muddy.

Will deffinately play this course many more times! Love to play all over the state, this is one of the best so far!

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!