My three pros:

-Beautiful course. One of the prettiest courses ive played considering the well taken care of lake and park along with the mountains always visible in the distance. A cool aspect of the course design is that the front 9 mostly plays along the lake within the walking trail giving golfers the primary enjoyment f the lakefront, the back nine played outside the loop mostly giving walkers their time to enjoy the lake- its nice to see the park shared in such a way. The course itself has very nice teepads, baskets, and signs at most holes.
-Course flow is a nice one way route counterclockwise around the lake, once you find one its mostly obvious navigation.
-Risk/reward at this park is high, allowing throws over the lake/ near the road for glory or safer lines for comfort. The thrill of throwing a great shot over water adds to a great round for me and this course has plenty of shots that dont disapoint.

My three cons:
-somewhat long walk from parking lot to hole 1- park near playground and walk counterclockwise around lake or check the map first.
-tons of walkers and park goers to wait for. I played on a very nice friday morning around 11 and had to wait for walkers several times; however the walking path is far enough from most lines that you dont end up waiting long- just often.
-I played during the park watering which had big sprinklers running along holes 1 & 2. Unfortunately the course is watered with 'recycled' water so those that are grossed out easily wold have wanted to skip those holes. A broken sprinkler under the #2 basket made the hole unplayable if I wanted to stay dry- being from Dallas I knew I may not get the chance to come back out so i played the hole and got sprayed.

A course i had on my wish list that did not disapoint. There were steady winds at 20-25 mph making me question if i should even try the course but i did and I'm glad. I had the course to myself on a beautiful day, shot under par and kept all discs out of the water- perfect day on the course. PLAY THIS COURSE IF YOU'RE IN PHOENIX.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: Wow!! What a beautiful Disc Golf course with the iconic fountain and the McDowell Mountains in the background. I have the utmost respect for local disc golf leaders in convincing the city of Fountain Hills to go along with installing an 18 hole disc golf course knowing that this is one of the most walked public parks in the entire Phoenix Valley.

Amenities: Outstanding. They have excellent bathroom facilities between hole 18 and 1. There are quality restaurants adjacent to the course.

Rating: I give it a 4.0 rating. Fountain Hills is one of my favorite courses to play in the Phoenix Valley. It's mostly because of the Memorial layout. You won't fully appreciate the difficulty of the Fountain Hills course until you're under pressure to maintain or pick up strokes and you're dealing with some serious wind.

Course design/difficulty/obstacles/out-of-bounds: This course would be considered a rather open course that builds in the course difficulty by locating baskets near water or near roads and sidewalks. The course designers used the elevation changes quite nicely on a few holes. There are trees to mess with your putting on four holes. Talking to a couple of lefties they thought it favored the righty but not by much.

Course condition: Everything is mowed but plenty of duck poop to deal with. The fountain sprays water up 300' for about 15 minutes every hour between 9am and 9pm which increases the wind.

Navigability/signs/maps: Easy to follow with DGCR map. Without a map, I think it's still easy enough since you can see the upcoming tee-pads and/or baskets.

Local DG involvement: There is good leadership with the Fountain Hills Disc Golf Club. They have a weekly league. They have a website: http://www.discgolf.club / and a Facebook site.

Tee pads/benches/shelters/picnic tables/parking: 12' diameter circular tee-pads. The benches are located next to the sidewalk and are used by pedestrians. There are a couple shelter areas on the course. There is plenty of parking spots available.

Cons: Pedestrians are everywhere on weekends. It's best to play during the week. Please be patience.

Remember the Disc Golfer's Code:
1) Play Smart - Never throw into a blind area or when players, spectators, pedestrians, or other facility users are within range. Use a spotter.

2) Respect the Course - Observe all posted rules. No littering, graffiti, or abuse of equipment or flora.

3) Represent the Sport - Be positive and responsible. Teach others.

Outstanding park, great lake views, mountain views, nice bathrooms, running water, walking paths and restaurants all surround the course - so that covers amenities clearly in the pros.

Nice circle concrete tees on most holes. Nut utsed to that type of tees, but was interesting to have different run ups than the righties. The rest of the tees were from the concrete walking paths, so that was a nice bouns to have great footing.
Excellently manicured grass and park, with beautiful palms, bushed, and war memorials near hole one. Take the time to read them, some nice history there.

The design is interesting, as I played the Memorial layout, it was roped/flagged and had some slight modification baskets, but mostly the same as standard with some more OB.
The flow was nice & couldn't be much different (other than winding it counter-clockwise around the lake...
Before I went out, all I heard is you throw just hzyers, and as a lefty was concerned that I'd be forced into annys in the high winds - not true. All I threw was hyzers also... Its just that open of a course.

The opening 9 holes were very challenging, as a lefty, I went out over the lake about 5 of the first nine holes, played as intended > high risk = high reward when properly executed. That goes very much in to the pro section of separating talent for an event and creating skill speration on the scoreboard. As well ttaking the low risk shots could lead to fun casual play by staying safe and using the ample grass fairways.

The Fountain going off on the hour was a very cool aspect, and one that I completely now understand the mystique of this place. One you pretty much have to experience in person - the water shoots much higher than video or photos can do justice.

Mach X baskets are new, and quite nice. I personally prefer other baskets as that is a lot of chain weight to be a touch putter on, those X baskets really seem to prefer a hard push putter IMO - but that is personal preference and it still falls as a pro to have great new baskets.

The peninsula holes were indeed fun, but after those I felt a lot of the back 9 were similar - long throws with not much in the way of trees of obstacles.

The attempt to overcome that was to have Hole 13 (I believe) have a tree 10 feet in front of the tee, offering only a low hyzer, very skinny lane up the middle, or skip flick... Interesting way to manufacture the feel of a wooded hole, a con in my book, but I'm an east coast player that has the luxury of many trees to force a shaped shot instead of one tree. Maybe with more play I might change my mind on this holes as it did break up the monotony of throwing me slightly overstable distance driver on nearly every hole after 9...

I loved having several places within walking distance to eat after rounds, something very few courses can offer.

Overall, a great place to play disc golf. The mystique of the Memorial was excellent to see in person & an experience more golfers should come to, even if only to spectate.

The course was indeed a good course, the design absolutely maximizes the property available, and uses nearly every piece of grass in the park. The variety is limited the the park shape and available land itself, so I cannot fault the design, only wish that the park was bigger...

The fountain: it's just too iconic! I think the new Innova calendar has a picture of it? Anyway, playing around the fountain is pretty awesome.

The challenge: there is a water hazard on virtually every hole. Water in the desert? It's all here. Challenge yourself with some risky throws over the water. If your disc goes in, you might still be able to recover it - the water is cold, but shallow. We always bring water shoes just in case.

The pedestrians: they're everywhere! Gotta be careful. Some baskets are right next to the sidewalk too. Most of the walkers out here are retirees - please don't hit grandma with an errant drive.

The duck poop: this is also everywhere. Be sure to wipe your feet often. It's unavoidable - if you don't step in it, your disc will probably land in some.

The drive: takes a while to get out there... But it's worth it!

Too cool. If you live in AZ and haven't played this course yet, go play it!

I can't say enough good things about the course. The layout is challenging, but manageable if you're not afraid of water. There are minor elevation changes that affect your shot choices as well as several trees close the baskets and tees. The fountain that goes off every hour provides a unique challenge as the winds it produces are enough to blow a disc significantly off-line. The course uses the new DGA Mach X baskets which add a very professional feel to the course and are very solid catching discs.

People. This park is very busy, especially on the weekends. Almost every weekend there is some kind of event that is held in an area that makes several holes unplayable. Check the calender of events on the park website if you plan to visit. But even on a weekday, there are many, many people using the paths around the lake, which, unfortunately, are very close to the fairways and the risk of hitting someone really detracts from playing.

Pay close attention to the tee locations on the back 9, sometimes what looks like the next tee is actually two baskets ahead.

First and foremost, this is a really beautiful park and setting for a disc golf course. With the mountains looming in the background, the blue Arizona sky , the lush, green grass, the pretty blue waters of the lake and then you add the fountain shooting water ( I don't care whether it's reclaimed water, rain water, tap water or whatever) 300 + feet into the air. When you add all these together, they make for a very pretty picture.

The course starts at the Veteran's Memorial and plays counter clockwise around the lake. My first impression, other than the incredible beauty, was the wonderful tee sign, which not only gave all the useful information for hole # 1, it also gave a detailed map of the entire course. I was impressed! I was even more impressed when I discovered each tee sign contained the same detailed information as well as the entire course map. This would make it so very easy to start at any point on the course to avoid crowds or large groups of players, etc.

My next favorable impression was of the 15 foot across concrete round tee pads. Probably at first I thought, overkill, but then after throwing off at couple, I discovered that I liked the angles that I could get to throw around trees or just to shape my tee offs.

The baskets are decent but showing some signs of rust, probably from the reclaimed water mists of the fountain. The baskets had small, yellow next tee signs made of rubber that were screwed to the bottom of the basket. I've never seen them before on any of the 500 course I've played. They appear to be store bought. I think they're a great addition to this course and would be to any other course. I later saw them at another Phoenix area course, Vista Del Camino. Why have I not seen these anywhere else in the country?

The major challenge on this course appears to be the close proximity of the baskets to the lake and it's reclaimed water. Knowing that you don't want to venture into this water unless absolutely necessary, I tended to play these holes with the utmost caution. I'm bagging a course here not trying to break the course record!

I especially liked hole # 5. It's a simple little uphill hole with a large tree with low, spreading branches blocking much of your fairway. It leaves you with a couple of options including a tomahawk over the tree, probably a big hyser around it or a roller under the branches.

I thought # 8 was also a very cool little hole. It's 225' or 295' with the basket sitting on a small inlet with the lake looming on three sides. The normal reasonable shot would be forehand flick out over the lake. But today with the winds blowing 10 MPH + I chose to play it very conservatively and hyser to the right side and avoid the water.

Much has been said by previous reviewers about the nasty ass reclaimed water of the fountain and lake and about it's odor. Maybe my nose has been broke one too many times because I did not a odor notice. And the water may be nasty to drink or swim in or bathe in but it's a beauty to behold.

The fountain turned off right when I started my round not to start again. I understand it's shut down when the winds reach 10 MPH or higher. I guess they don't want folks getting a misting of reclaimed water. The 10 + winds made throwing anything close to the lake even more nerve wracking than it would have been on a calm day.

There is a fair amount of goose poo in the park.

I had to wait a few times for walkers, bicyclists, joggers, etc. to clear before throwing. This was on a beautiful Sunday morning so I don't think the problem was any worse than many of our parks.

The # 5 sign was rusted away and gone.

This course was as aesthetically pleasing as any course could possible be in arid Arizona. One thing that struck me playing was the sheer size of the lake. When I reached # 10 or 11, I looked way over at the Veteran's Memorial and suddenly felt like I was a long way away from home. On very few 18 hole courses, can you survey the entire course from every hole and take it all in in it's enormity. But the wonderful thing about that here, is that you're getting to soak in the visual beauty that is the Fountain Hills experience. And that's what makes this course a little more special than most!

Great teepads, challenging pin placements, well maintained, good scenery.

Good amount of pedestrians, a little duck shit, some holes hard to navigate

This was a sweet course, glad I made it here. Sure, the main feature is "reclaimed" water, but it didn't smell and looked nice so it was no big deal. That said, I didn't lose any discs in there. Love the teepads, the course is pretty challenging but good for all levels. When I was out there it was windy, which added to the challenge. Had trouble navigating some holes but if you play it once or play with a local you should have it dialed. It will be way easier next time I go back. Only saw one other golf party. There are a ton of non-disc park goers but they were never in the way except for the lady that was writing her grocery list on the Hole 5 teepad. Some long holes, mostly all are wide open with some trees here and there. If you played this course a lot, it might get easy, especially if you have a big arm. Some difficult putts though as there are a few baskets at the waters edge and some protected by trees. I am not a great player and can only throw about 285' consistently, but I par'd and boged everything. No doubles, no birds. Coming from OR, this was a great course to throw and easily worth the 20 minute drive out of Phoenix. And it was about 5 degrees cooler too than Tempe where I was staying.

-Well manicured public park
-Free to play for such a nice course
-Distinct fairways with obstacles at a variety of distances put shot placement at a premium
-Scenic park large concrete teepads and baskets in good condition

-It's a public park, and a BUSY one. Expect to wait for other disc golfers ahead of you, and expect to have to avoid pedestrians/people picnicing/kids flying kites/old people/kids riding bikes/people walking the dog/and possibly the kitchen sink.

Damn this park is packed.... But its also has a famous PDGA major played at it.
GET HERE IF YOU CAN!

Large, spread out course with calm scenery. Course is so spread out in fact that I think it deters crowding, although the day we were there we were one of two groups in the entire park. Each hole provides a different challenge, which is good because redundancy drives me insane. Holes range between flat and maybe about 40' of rolling elevation. While the lake is in play on a good number of holes, the foliage and elevation help to create challenging birdie attempts to the advanced player. The beginner player will find each hole on this course an obtainable three but would be hard pressed for very many birdies. A couple holes had more than one pin set up which is always nice.

Walking path meandering through the course could prove to get busy. It wasn't when we were there, however we encountered more than enough of the oblivious types that pay no attention to the golfer. Varying grass quality creates an inconsistent field for roller attempts. Could be difficult to find your way around on the first attempt without a map. We had a map and had no navigational issues.

Hole 12 is depicted on the map as starting by the amphitheater, however this is a vicious lie and the tee pad is actually up by the street.

This is in my mind, an ideal park course. We have a few alright ones here in Los Angeles, but when I think 'ideal park course,' I think Fountain Hills. Just a great blend of modern golf holes with their own challenges, some long some short, and golf that makes you think. The lake is present in a few holes although the course rarely has you throwing directly over it. I only went in once and it was due to a really lame cut roller. The previously mentioned bird shit and negativity about the fountain did not apply to us...we found the park to be meticulously maintained and found the fountain impressive. The fact that we were one of two groups on the course let us play at our own pace which is something that does affect my zen levels when at a park, so that came very appreciated. All in all, a fun place to golf, great for groups, and a piece of land that showcases our sport in a rather positive way to the rest of the world. Can't wait to return.

Great tee boxes, great mix of holes, very well maintained. Distance on holes varies from as short as <200 to over 500. Most of them being in the 275 - 400 ft range.
Tons of fun. Absolutely beautiful course. Good use of manufactured OB lines to add challenge to an otherwise easy hole (memorial layout).

Water comes into play a lot on this course (could be a con for some people)

So many great holes on this course.

You can grab beers on a patio that overlooks the 18th hole.

The fountain spraying you with reclaimed water. Lots of goose poop. I'd imagine that when tournaments aren't going on there can be issues with pedestrians walking all over the place. You may walk away with a much lighter bag unless you have a golden retriever (don't wade into the water).

I have really only played this course during the Memorial (excluding a few practice rounds), so I don't know what this is like in general.

You can play it safe and shoot a decent round but what is the fun in that. No guts no glory.
Fast fairways and fast greens can cause a lot of skip in/rolls into the water.

This course can be brutal when it is windy.

Absolutely beautiful park setting and location. Local club very lucky to have such an ideal park for a course. Easy to navigate around is a huge plus. Great use of local trees for tee and basket locations.

Must always watch for other park users/walkers. Many fairways run close to park paths.

Love the overall layout of this course.

- Being from St. Louis, playing in the morning with no humidity was right away a huge bonus for me. It is a totally different feeling not having the humidity wear you down all round long.
- The tee pads and maps at each hole are one-of-a-kind and give accurate readings of each hole as well as an entire map of the entire course around the lake. The circle tee pads and very unique and allow you to take multiple different angles to tee off.
- Some may not think so, but the fact that water is in play on so many holes adds a great risk/reward factor to the course. Each throw must be precise and not just wildly thrown to avoid the waster OB. This is not a course for beginners, and playing so well on it made me feel very good about my skill.
- Aesthetically, there are very few courses that can compare. The mountain ranges in the distant background add a very welcome back drop to the course. And obviously, the 300 ft fountain is phenomenal. Its so unique and Ive never seen anything like it. The fountain is reason enough to go to this park, we are just very lucky to have a disc golf course around a pristine park.

- As many people have said before, the lake water is NASTY! Its recycled toilet water, allowing the fountain to use so much water. The locals say its "1 step away from drinking", but i dont believe it. Be very careful around the water and, if you go in after your disc, make sure you dont have any open cuts or wounds, they could very easily become infected.
- Bystander safety is another big con keeping this course from being a near perfect course. Multiple tee pads are part of the sidewalk, which, while unique and intriguing, is very hazardous and can slow your play up if there are a lot of people out walking. Also, many shots require you to shoot out and over the sidewalk, over bystanders, which can be very dangerous.
- Not necessarily a con of the course, but I was dive bombed by a bird that has a nest very close to the basket of #7. TWICE. I know I was intruding into her area, but it scared the **** out of me and was just a negative to those rounds. But this is nothing against the course, just a warning to fellow golfers.

This is easily one of, if not the best courses Ive ever played. Everything about this course is so unique the risk/reward of the lake shots make you want to keep playing again and again just to watch a perfect shot fly over the lake and land near the basket. While I did lose one of my favorite drivers, it was still a pleasure to play and well worth the risk of losing more discs to go back and play twice more. If you live anywhere near Fountain HIlls or plan on vacationing to the Phoenix/Scottsdale area, you must play this course at least once

The course layout is fantastic. I love the tees, nice circle cement pads. Very official looking. The grass is kept up well, and makes it feel like you're playing on a regular golf course, especially with all the old folks around asking what you're playing.

Variety of holes and options for drives. There are 500+ holes on the back 9, and a couple 180-220.

This course is difficult to score well on, but this is a positive for me. (the tougher the better!!) At least half the holes have water in play.

Pedestrian traffic can be annoying here. But this never really bothers me as I'll just skip a hole and make up for the miss somewhere else (i.e. I'm not anal about playing the holes sequentially).

This course is totally out in the open, so if you're looking for some seclusion (ahhemmmm 420) you'll be hard-pressed to find it.

During the summer, when they water the park, the grass remains soggy for a while, rendering the course a marsh full of goose scat and mud. This can be a pain, but then again most people are not crazy like me and don't play this course in the heat of summer.

Very little shade on this course!

I love this course. Yeah it's a drive, and yeah you might lose some discs.....but it's easily the best course in the Phx area. Play it!

• Course is easy to find
• Nice location with some cool scenery (Helloooo big a$$ fountain!)
• Warm-up areas
• Baskets are in good shape
• A great variety of shot shapes
• Tee pads are in good shape
• Tee/distance makers are in good shape though conspicuously missing a basket indicator and at least one had a basket in a position that wasn't on the map. I'll confess, the lack of basket indicators was quite a shock on such a well reviewed course.
• Map is printed on every hole. Very good idea.
• Multiple basket positions throughout the course
• Benches, restrooms, water, and a playground.
• Dog Friendly
• Restaurants nearby

• Quite a few baskets are REALLY close to the water
• Lots o'goose and other animal poop
• People, people and more people all over the course and only a mild interest in not being in your way
• Roads/Cars are in play on a couple holes

Tips:
• Park in the parking lot. There's not an obvious sign to turn down El Lago Blvd from Saguaro Blvd, but no worries if you pass it. Just circle around the park.
• Go when the park is empty
• Be an advanced player before attempting, unless you like buying new discs.
• There's no way I'd advise going in that water. It's naztee.
• The numbering got a little screwy from 15-18. Someone had taped over the original numbers with new numbers. Not sure why, but it's pretty easy to figure out where you are on the course.

Random Thoughts:
Wow, somebody is not ready for this course (Is that my hand in the air? Why yes it is). This course is hard, really hard. I understand why they have tournaments here. I actually wasn't going to play here but we happened to be driving by so ya gotta go, right? I'm glad I went but I probably won't be going back for a while. Half the holes on this course have water in play. That's IN PLAY. Not nearby. Not where it penalizes bad throws. IN PLAY. You must be precise to avoid it on quite a few holes, and I'll qualify that the baskets were in the 'screw you' positions on the day I was there (maybe there was a tournament around that time, I don't know). And if it's not bad enough that the baskets are that close to the water, the areas around the baskets all slope towards...wait for it...that's right...the water! So say hello to possibly rolling into the water even on a good shot. And we haven't gotten to the really fun part yet. What's that? There are more challenges besides the $20 ker-splashes? Yes, it's the freaking 100 other people in the park strolling or lounging about. I gotta be honest. I'm not sure if putting a disc course here was the best idea and I love me some disc courses. I even like this one. But unfortunately, with the tightness of the space and the amount of other 'stuff' happening, we had to adjust and/or skip holes on more than a few occasions. I mean, there was a camera crew that just waltzed out into our fairway to film something for goodness sakes, and yes, they saw us throwing. On another hole, a lady saw us and just kept right on walking her dog right into our fairway. One of the rudest things I've seen in a while, so yes, we threw right at her. Take that! Getting back to the course, the holes that are not near water also present challenges, usually in the form of tree placements. One hole in particular (#11 I think) has the basket pinned between two trees, which we all thought was pretty cool. Truthfully, each of those holes is unique in its use of trees and basket placements. Overall, it's a nicely varied course from one hole to the next and I'd imagine everyone having a different favorite. I personally enjoyed bombing it off the hill on #15, just missing the aforementioned camera crew. That'll learn 'em.

Bottom Line:
While I can appreciate the skill level that this course demands, I still question its location. I'm curious if I just happened to catch it on a busy day, but it was a weekday at 4:00PM. Doesn't quite add up. But with that said, it is well designed, well cared for, and absolutely a must play...if you're an advanced player. If you're less than an advanced player, umm, throw your friend's discs. =P

Course is located around a lake which has the largest fountain in the United Sates. There are lots of high risk/reward shots here. Tons of water hazards, but you can easily play it safe. The fairways are grass and have lots of elevation changes, when it's not around the lake. The course utilizes the water and trees very well. The tee pads are circular and are really big. If you want to take a different direction than what most people do, it's easy to take a different route because the tee pads are circular. The baskets are in excellent shape and are in great positions. A lot of times they are guarded by trees or on a peninsula. My favorite holes were shooting from one peninsula to another. The views are amazing when the fountain is going, and the surrounding area is beautiful.

The course is not recommended to beginners. There are a lot of chances to lose a disc and that can be discouraging to new players. There are a few long walks where you can get lost, but if you have a map it's fine. When it rains, there are a lot of small ponds or very big puddles.

This is an amazing course, but it should not be played by beginners. The wind can get crazy at times. There are several steep greens where missed puts can roll into the water, so be aware.

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If you mark this review unhelpful or you find a mistake, please send me a personal message here on DGCR explaining what is wrong with it.

Fountain Hills Park was established in 1981 as one of the premier disc golf courses in the state of Arizona. Because of the layout, challenge, and maintenance, it is also used in "The Memorial" every year, which is one of if not the highest paying National Tournaments in our nation. This 18 hole pro level caliber course is not for the faint of heart. It challenges even the best pros around the world, expecting pin point accuracy off the tee and in the fairway. Bad putts are often punished by tough roll aways that often end up in the drink. To add insult to injury, the wind tends to pick up and can wreck havoc on a nice finesse shot as it carries your disc past the basket, over the green, and again into the water.

Hole one starts players off just pass the memorial statue which is where I am guessing the name came from, and has players playing counter clockwise around the park. Several of the holes tend to play along or over the water, but many holes also play in the middle of the grassy park. Although holes range from 207-472 feet, there are several chances for some birdies. However, most of the holes just over 200 feet have baskets located at the end of a peninsula. Because of this, it makes those short shots high risk, high reward, which I happen to love. Most fairways are wide open with the occasional tree as an obstacle. However, the course designers did a fantastic job incorporating them by placing many of the tee pads or baskets strategically behind them. I found multiple holes where an Olive or Palm tree was blocking the most direct route from the box, so I had to choose another route which made things that much more difficult. Although this course had a lot of memorable holes, holes six and fifteen were my favorites. Hole six was 206 feet (shortest on the course) and had players throwing from one peninsula to another with no room for error. I took a lot of pleasure parking it under the basket considering the amount of faith one must have as you release. Hole fifteen was an elevated tee shot, and the longest hole, throwing from the sidewalk back down toward the lake. It is often the shot people take when looking for a great photograph as the basket is tucked behind some Palm trees with the fountain shooting high up in the air. It is absolutely breathtaking!

The course has large circular tee pads with numbers etched in to them, which grip well and are rather large. This works well for any kind of thrower. Baskets are all Mach III's and are in good shape, durable, and catch well. Tee signs are informative, showing hole number, distance, par, and any major obstacles. Baskets are located near holes one and eighteen, as well as a place to fill up water. There are several stores for food and shopping nearby in Fountain Hills, and is only 30 minutes away from downtown Scottsdale.

This course was in such great shape that I really couldn't find a whole lot wrong with it. However, the water in the lake is absolutely disgusting! The algae and feces inside could create some serious health concerns if you were to go in. Sandals or not, you should be using a disc retriever or just writing it off as a lost disc. Trust me.

Ever since I heard about this course 10 years ago I have wanted to get down to Arizona. There is a reason this course is known as a destination course and has been permanently put on the NT circuit, it is that good. The course is so picturesque, challenging, and a whole lot of fun! I felt like a kid as I ran around on an almost empty course playing while my wife walked with me taking photos. Besides the fact that you get to see the largest fountain in the US, you get to also see all sorts of cacti, birds, and other native plants while walking on plush green grass around a huge disc golfing park. In my opinion, it was the best course I played while here. Although I rather enjoyed Buffalo Ridge and Vista Del Camino, I came down here from the Northwest (Seattle, Wa) for this course. It was worth the plane ticket and if you are ever in the area, I highly recommend it!

NOTE: Fountain Hills has the largest fountain in the world, shooting water up to 562 feet in the air. It is quite the site and is active for about 15 minutes each hour. It makes for some beautiful photo ops.

Well manicured grass, concrete tees, easy map read, clean course that surrounds a lake with a tourist destination high stream fountain in an upscale city area, aesthetic course to play. First nine holes are shorter and a bit more technical (basket placement) for warming up where as the back nine are longer and more open.

The water is dirty, do not swim for a disc, reclaimed water, not worth getting sick over a lost disc, carry a string trap retriever and a water driver and a floating putter. Drinking water not readily available mid-course.

This is a must play course for Arizona, Phoenix metropolitan area due to everything together making up a great experience for disc golf. Shots long, left and right, technical with good use of elevation for some long shots. Trees become a factor and you are throwing through "V" in big trees. Very satisfying when you thread a fast long drive through a needle hole in a tree...

Set in a beautiful park so unlike any other of the Phoenix courses Fountain Hills plays around the edge of a lake and is covered in actual green grass. There is good length throughout the course with a good mix of left, right, and overhand shots. Only mild elevation but it is put to good use with tee shots up and downhill. The grounds are beautifully kept with giant circular tee pads that are a great addition with the multiple pin placements offered.

The extra pin placements are what make this a high caliber course. Water is in play for 8 of the front 9 holes with pins within 20-35ft. of the water's edge and all at distance. Makes for very interesting choices off the tee and approaches. Extra plastic is must as you will most likely drop one in the drink. It forces you to think and be precise with your throws as well as skips off the short turf.

The back 9 plays away from the water and also stretches out a bit with a picturesque 500 footer from on top of the hill that is reachable with the right oomph. The entire course is easily navigable and the signage clearly directs to the next tee.

The front 9 favors the RHBH hyzer and the hyzer only. The water does not smell nice and it wants to suck in plastic. Quite a bit of foot traffic on the weekend even in the morning but the locals have some sort of clue about the sport and will be out of the way. The back, while away from water and longer is a bit wide open, I'm sure alternate pins force more thought to tee shots but it's very straightforward.

The course is over 30mins outside of Phoenix/Scottsdale but has facilities/stores nearby.

This is a fantastic course that forces you to think about your shots and will test your confidence in your drives. The water really factors into the course and they use it well if not a bit too much on the front. Easily the best overall course in the Phoenix area in terms of difficulty, setting, amenities, shot diversity, and overall character. The one course to hit in the Phoenix area when here, there's a reason the Memorial is contested here, it's a true high level course.

I really enjoyed the prestine course. Plenty of length and technical shots with the pins so close to the water.

Lots of people in the park. Benches between tee pad and baskets with people sitting there right in the way. Short tee pads and as nice as the water looks it's disgusting, if you lose a disc good luck getting it out!

Bring discs that float and a long fishing net to retrieve them. Over all I loved it.

Beautiful manicured grass park.
A wide variety of shots; some wide open for a nice big drive, some shorter but with lots of water to consume your discs.
Great signs.
Restrooms, playground, shops nearby... bring the kids!
I feel that the holes are very well designed, and the park itself is totally unique for a desert course.

Smells funny sometimes...no joke.
All the reviews about duck/goose crap are right on.
The water is NAAAASSSTY!!! If you can somehow retrieve your disc if it has gone in the water, you might wanna consider some hand sanitizer or something. (Nursing student talking here.)
Lots of non DG traffic, esp. on weekends and when the weather is nice. YELL FORE!!

I am a beginner/novice player, so when I review courses, it is from that standpoint... just a matter of disclosure. I feel OK about this, 'cause it doesn't seem like there are very many reviews written by anyone of my level of experience.
That said, if the baskets on this course are in the "C" position (or even "B"), and you are not an experienced player, this course will EAT YOUR LUNCH! (And the water will feast upon your discs as well.)
However, I literally learned how to play the game on this course, so if you are looking to jump right into the fire as a newbie, this is a good place to do it. As a result of learning on this course, other courses seem fairly manageable by comparison.
This is a must-play course if you're in the metro Phoenix (especially Scottsdale) area.
Water is in serious play on holes:
1, 2, 6, 7, 8, and 16. In my opinion, the 1st hole is actually the most soul-crushing water hazard.