-Great tee pads, signage, and baskets
-Not the longest course you're ever gonna play
-Fun layout on the side of a hill
-Amazing vistas over Dodger Stadium and LA in general
-Friendly local players

-Not the longest course you're ever gonna play
-Diabolical layout on the side of a hill
-Any time the disc stands up
-Putting can be terrifying for reason stated immediately above

This review will be automatically biased given that Chavez Ridge was where I learned to play the game of Disc Golf. I played golf almost my whole life and am a single digit handicap. I played Ultimate for most of my 20s and was quite talented with a 175 catch disc in my hands. So naturally, I assumed I would be great at disc golf without much effort.
Not a chance in hell.
Translating frisbee skills into disc golf skills is a seemingly never ending personal journey through frustration and embarrassment. Learning how to do it at Chavez Ridge took it to another level of pure hell. Every time I would finally release a disc correctly or how I wanted to, it would immediately hit a tree and send my shot rolling practically all the way back to the police academy. This shit got old, quickly. But it made me a better disc golfer in the long run.
This course will test your midrange and approach game like no other course I've ever played. Do the holes all kind of play similarly? Yes. There are several holes that are pretty much dead straight and they come one after another through most of the early part of the course. However, each of those straight holes is guarded by lots of trees and each basket is precariously placed not too far from a pretty severe slope. There are no safe putts at this course. 15 foot tap ins that bonk the basket or the band are in serious danger of becoming 2 more shots back up the hill.

My roommates and I played this course 3 to 4 times a week for a couple years straight. It's one of those places where you can go -10, but you can just as easily go +7. Overall, I'll always romanticize it because it's the course that I cut my teeth on and it molded me into the straight line throwing, tentative, terrible putter that I am today.

Viva la Chavez.

- Great use of the land in the course design. Steep hills come into play on most of the holes. My first few trips here I was really frustrated with all of the up and down (you will likely get RIDGE'D more than once - any shot here can end up rolling WAY down a hill). Now that I've played here a bunch I've grown to appreciate the added challenge that the hills provide.

- Anything can happen. The hill factor makes it so that there can be big swings in the score from hole to hole. I've gone into holes 6 strokes behind and come out with the lead. An errant throw can quickly add several shots to your score. This keeps competition here interesting - don't get discouraged if you fall behind early! There are birdie holes to come

- 9 new holes were recently added, which takes this course from a 3.5 to a 4 for me. The 4 "island holes" are really fun and add some new elements to this course that it didn't have before. The "freeway hole" has a great top-of-the-world view that makes it a great place to stop and catch your breath.

- Lots of different shots come into play - big open shots, technical wooded shots, dog legs left and right, uphill, downhill, etc.

- Multiple tees basket locations for every hole, making for a lot of possibilities for variation.

- Friendly local players are usually around, which is helpful with navigation your first few times there.

- Signage. Points for the fact that it exists, and the older signs on the original 18 all have short anecdotes about the holes that are worth reading (that is, if it isn't covered in graffiti).

- Lots of tight, wooded shots that you don't see often enough in Southern California.

- Great views of Dodger Stadium, downtown, and the east side.

- Again, the hills. The course usually takes me about 2.5 hours with two people at a casual pace - much of that time is spent looking for discs that have rolled or sailed downhill... or resting after getting your butt kicked by all the up and down.

- Confusing layout. The addition of the new holes makes the numbering odd. the new ones play in between the original holes, so they are marked 4a, 4b, etc. Seems like it'd make more sense to just renumber the holes 1-27, which would be a great opportunity to update the older, vandalized signs.

- No water or restrooms on site. Go prepared!

- As of this review (Aug 2018), the course is VERY dusty. I've seen footage of the course with a lot more vegetation - surely we'll get some rain eventually (right?) and this will improve.

- It's a bit odd getting to the first tee pad from the parking area. You have to cross several fairways while walking straight down a steep hill - seems like it could get pretty dangerous if the course is busy.

- There are occasionally bystanders walking the paths on the course, oblivious to disc golfers.

- There is a homeless contingent in the area, and sometimes while searching for a disc you chance upon someone's... living room?

- I've been hassled by locals from the nearby neighborhood on more than one occasion. There are a few folks that live in the area that seem to not be very fond of the DG presence there. Nothing that would stop me from going, but worth mentioning.

- There are often helicopters circling overhead. Living in LA you grow used to them, but sometimes it can be really distracting.

- This is a city course. For much of it, you're well aware that you're in the city - if you're looking for a round that's more of an escape, try Oak Grove.

Overall, Chavez Ridge is a fun and challenging course. Playing here regularly has made me improve several aspects of my game.

Wear good shoes, take lots of water, don't let the Ridge get you down and you'll have a great time. During baseball season, it's worth taking a look at the Dodger's schedule or checking Google Maps for a way to get around the stadium traffic.

-Well maintained.
-Rubber tee pads.
-Signs at all holes.
-Great course design, very technical.
-Amazing views.
-Friendly Players.
-Hardest challenge in Los Angeles Area.

-All dirt, except for a small grass window in the spring.
-Your bird look could turn into a double boggie in the bat of an eye. Watch them hills!
-If the Dodgers are playing a home game prepare to sit in traffic.
-The chance you're gonna roll 50-150' down the hill is so present on most shots that the course may psyche you out.
-Sometimes I feel like a lumber jack out there!
-Definitely not the best spot to bring a beginner.

Throw it low and play for par. Bring some water with you. I have a great time up there every time even if I do have to walk up and down the hill a few times!

-PERFECT tee pads (wood covered in rubber) make for the best driving footing I've ever had.
-Beautiful signage with a personal, local touch (see them in the photos)
-excellent choice of shot length in the terrain.

-the HILL of course
-side effect of the hill: limits shot choice considerably for those of you who like to throw hard hooks.
-little to no benches/seating
-bathrooms are a hike

The one thing that kept this from being a 4.5 (5.0 is a damn unicorn) is the lack of line choice due to the hill. You really are limited to making ridiculously safe choices on a LARGE number of holes. The BEST courses give more choices to experienced players with a variety of risk/reward levels.

Still a fantastic course. I really like the hole length variety from the 160-ish region to just over 300.

If you're playing one course in LA, this is probably the best choice.

Played this course for the first time during the weekly Tuesday random dubs tourney. Had a great time with the locals and pros... and a great tour of the course. Most short holes but the added challenge of the ridge made for some fun situations.

Some pretty long walks after discs that rolled or flew down some steep hills... but love playing with that risk and having to think of it with each throw.

-The course is free and you can basically park at the top of the course and hike down to one.
-The course was well thought out
-Maintained well by fellow enthusiasts
-Different pin locations which do not get moved that often but I see different basket locations so I assume they do change once in a while.
-Hiking. I always consider a good hike while playing DG to be a Pro but YMMV
-Nice view of the Dodger stadium and DTLA in the back end of the course

-This will be the most recurring con by most players, ROLLERS! This course is notorious for rollers because you are playing on a steep hill. Chances are you will roll. So, if you have that special stamp disc that you can't live without, don't toss it here.
-Snakes, i've seen a couple but not a rattler or anything like that. Just keep an eye out.
-When we first started playing this course we were definitely scratching our heads to figure out which Tee was next, and this was WITH a map! So, printing out a map, or having one on your phone is a must the first few times.
-Graffitti, I'm not sure why but some smart people decided to deface the Tee maps on a few Tee's??? Not sure why but it got a bit annoying at first. A few buddies and I were thinking of taking a spray can out and just adding small numbers on the bottom of each Tee, but we didn't want get in trouble for doing so.

Overall, this course is not very beginner friendly. With that being said, I have taken a beginner to this course and they survived it. Our group is yet to lose a disc but believe me, we have resorted to looking for a few discs for a long time.
I have personally found one disc there but it was not inked so I could not give it back. There also isn't a 'lost and found' area here so it is still in my bag. So, the best advice I can give you if you are going to play this course is to ink your discs and maybe if you get a roller and lose it someone will one day find it and give you call.
With all that being said, this is a fun course, i've only played a few courses but this is one of my favorites next to Veterans.

- free!
- great technical course
- look for alternative tees; they are not as nice but it keeps it interesting & new ones are often carved out.
- great "rest" stop areas.
- great views from all angles.
- plastic trashcans throughout- use them, they are emptied regularly.
- regulars move baskets around.
- league and tournament opportunities.
- regular player community

- the signs can be difficult to read due to graffiti. If you are new, bring a map. Many of the holes zigzag a long the hills.
- vagrants camp on the hills at night
- people liter and recently someone pooped on the course.
- slippery hills when there is no grass on hills. Dusty during the hot season! don't wear your nice polo shirts.
- aim well or plan on chasing your disc.
- for women, bring a partner. doesn't feel exactly safe for a lady.
- people are too lazy to walk down to Elysian park below for restrooms. Some tinkle a long the paths.

Bring water and a good attitude.

This is an exciting course and should not be missed if you are in the area. I was in LA from Chicago soon after New Years and it was awesome. The course lies on several ridges along the top of a hilly park near Chinatown. This certainly is not a course for the timid, as miscalculations in speed, power, or direction result in your disc rolling way down the side of the hill. If you are not on your A game your disc will go bye bye and this adds an additional layer of excitement to the course.

The course is somewhat difficult to navigate for the newly initiated trying to interpret the course map. I was lucky enough to have met two local Sherpas who were kind enough to let me tag along as I worked to improve my fledgling skills. Had a great time bros! (Hit me up with an email if you read this.)

There appeared to be plenty of people around who could help out if the map isn't enough. Park at the top of the hill where you see other cars. Wear shoes with good tread as you may be walking up and down hills.

Great for working on your short game like throwing midranges and putters. Very technical which makes a course with no holes over 300 feet pretty fun.

Not really a con but you can park a shot on a hole and if it doesn't stick you can roll 700 feet down a hill. Its a little hard to navigate but the locals are super nice and helped me and my buddies find the start, once we found the start it was easy enough to navigate

I thought this course was super fun even tho i live 2 hours away I want to drive there for the monthly. Very fun and difficult

Being from Florida I am not at all used to elevation. This course had elevation out the wazoo and I really enjoyed it. Several of the reviews complained about discs rolling down the hill and while that is a real possibility I didn't really run into trouble with it except on one hole where a par turned into a double bogey.

The locals must take really good care of this course. It is very clean. Multiple pins on almost every hole. Some really nice blind shots that would have you listening for chains. Some nice locals. If I lived in the area this is where I would play.

A couple of holes were confusing where you couldn't figure out which basket you were aiming for. Old school signage needs updated and a marker for which pin it is on would be ideal. So many times you have to walk out there to figure where the basket is located. The foxtail thorny plants were terrible and got all in my shoes. I spent a lot of time pulling them out and had to throw away my socks. Apparently this is only bad in the hot months. It is BAD right now. Finding the park was a pain. The directions on the main page are all wrong. I followed them exactly and it didn't work out. I had to get help and looking back at how I got in there I am even more convinced that a local needs to update the directions on the main page of this course.

Thanks to pokamitch for showing me around. There isn't much that would improve this course except the couple things mentioned in the "con section". Great view of dodger stadium. Great disc golf! Thanks for reading this review. I hope it was helpful.

Close to downtown, great urban views. Nice tees. Well marked holes. Good hiking up and down the hillside.

Challenging hills lead to some long disc searches. Rough terrain, burr central in the long stuff, so you may want to wear long pants.

Challenging and fun course. Great central location.

-Tight, short course
-Nice rubber tee pads, and signs at each hole with distance and map
-Not too busy, and the locals have all been very friendly
-Signature hole 18 plays in view of Downtown LA and Dodger Stadium.
-Secret road into the park off of Broadway if there is a game going on, so traffic can be avoided if you prepare in advance. From Broadway, go North on Elysian Park Dr, and after a short distance, a long left turn onto Park Row Dr. Just stay on this road, staying generally northbound the whole time (several cutoffs exist), cross over the freeway, and park when you spot baskets and tees.
-Really great to feel 'away from it all' literally a mile from downtown.
-There are a few holes with multiple tees, just look around a little bit!

-All bad throws are punished. Most holes are under 200 feet but you can make them over 400 in a hurry if your disc catches speed rolling down the hill. On the front 9, it will roll onto a grass field. On the back 9, it will roll into oblivion.
-No real chance to bring out your big arms, except maybe on hole 18.
-Layout can be confusing the first time out, bring a map from the linked website when you go.
-Very tight at places, keep an eye out for others as at times, there are other holes on either side of you, and really only about 20 feet away.
-Go out of your way to avoid throwing to the left on hole 16. That hillside eats discs.
-No trash cans, and no benches.

This course plays on top of a ridge in Elysian Park. Tight fairways and steep hills are the name of the game. While all of the holes are essentially 'flat,' they all shoot across a hill that loves picking up your disc and making it roll. The area used to be known as an 'alternative lifestyle cruising area' but I have not seen this to be the case any time I have been there, which is a lot.

The website recommends parking at the bottom of the hill by the baseball field, but if you keep driving up the road, stay to the right and park at the top of the ridge. Much closer and you can keep an eye on your car more easily. I have seen rangers, parking enforcement, and police drive by and as long as you are off the pavement, you wont get a ticket.

The walk to hole 9 is a little far. Climb the ridge, and go across the two streets a little ways to a white barrier. Go down the other side of the hill at that barrier to find the tee.

I don't really bother even bringing drivers on this course. Most throws are under 200 feet and incredibly narrow at times. Great ACCURATE mid-range practice.

We use spotters on hole 17. It is a good idea, can save some hassle.

Bring comfortable shoes, sometimes I have to trek up and down that hill 5 or 6 times, and sometimes I don't have to at all.

While the course is predominantly DG exclusive, hole 18 seems to have a lot of non DG activity, I have dealt with anything from people having a picnic to amateur film makers shooting stuff.

I did not like this course at first, but it grew onto me. It has done incredible things for my mid-game, as the mental anguish of knowing you have to hike down the hill is truly motivation enough not to screw up the throw.

There is an unspoken rule at Chavez Ridge that you should count to 3 once you THINK you watched your disc land. A lot of times, it will grow legs and keep moving down the hill.
Do not try to play here when the ground is wet, I was slipping constantly on the steep and slick hillsides.

18 holes in downtown L.A. Free! Tight and technical on steep slopes with beautiful views. I met some great guys on the first tee who showed me around, so I didn't need the map which seemed accurate. Signs and new rubber tee pads on each hole. Eucalyptus trees provide shade on most holes. Course seems to be a well kept secret, because it is right in L.A. and I only saw one other group on a wednesday afternoon.

Dusty (at least in summer). L.A. traffic. No long or open holes. Good chance of losing a disc especially for beginners.

This is a must play for any disc golfer in southern California. Short, but very challenging. One bad roll down a steep hill can change your round in an instant. Play conservatively and keep an eye on your discs. Wear your most supportive footwear. A truly unique disc golf experience!

First and for most i must say "GOOD JOB" to all people involved in the hard work it must have took to make Chavez Ridge, my first experience was heart throbbing due to my disc landing half way down the ridge but what a beautiful course and what a great view of both long beach and dodger stadium. the people i have met on mondays when im there playing the weekly "mandatory mondays" are just the friendliest group of guys and it makes you feel good knowing you fit right in, i need to get out there more and play other days cause when i finish mondays i want to play more..so get on out there and join us on monday evenings.

well as far as a con for this course i dont have one right at the moment but when i first got there and played signage was a big problem espsecially when it came down to the back nine, thanks for the locals there i made it a full round plus some.

get out and play "the ridge" you will want more once you have experienced it...oh and bring a camera!!!

Easily accessable course location situated north of downtown LA, between three major freeways (101, 110 & 5). Tight technical course along hillsides, across ravines and through numerous stands of trees. Nothing else like it in Southern California, a mini-Mountain course. 1.5-miles of hand made trails connnect all tees to baskets, including transition trails to next hole. Currently 34 pin locations on 12 of the 18 holes.

Serpentine course layout is tough to navigate for a first-timer. Also tee for hole #1 can be hard to locate. One long uphill transition between holes #8 & #9. Trecherous rollers possible for both good or errant shots. Lost discs a possibility, especially on the 'old road' hole with it's 100-ft sheer cliff. Only one hole over 300-ft. (18-long). Lack of extra signage is agreement to have course 'blend-in' with the natural surroundings of Elysian Park.

Only DGC in the City of Los Angeles. Local rule of being "Chavezed" - ALWAYS COUNT TO 3 when you lose site of your disc, it could come rolling back into your view and go down the slope of the hill. The Big Arm's scof at it's lack of length, while the Novice player will be terrified by it's extreme difficulty. Carefully read PDGA Course Directory instructions to locate CRDGC, it says...Drive in and park 400-feet inside Elysian Park entrance, near small ball field and restroom. Then walk across that field to locate unmarked trail head that leads up to first tee.