-Beautiful setting. In one of the most beautiful parks in the world which is in one of the most beautiful cities in the world.
-Very well maintained
-Nice large tee pads
-great signs
-Top notch technical holes
-has some nice elevation change
-Friendly locals
-good flow
-easy to navigate
-Some great downhill holes
-very well thought out holes with nice basket placement
-Love the paths that are created with logs on the fairways directing you to the basket
-has some nice dog legs

-Gets very crowded, especially on weekends. I don't recommend playing this course on a weekend. My buddy and I ended up waiting 20+ minutes just to tee off on a couple of the holes.
-Some holes are a little ontop of one another. This wold be almost impossible to avoid however given the amount of space the course designers had to work with
-Would be awesome if this course could take you out of the trees into some wide open bomber holes
-An uphill hole would be nice

-World class destination course. A must play in Northern Cali.

The disc golf park is situated within the beautiful Golden Gate park right in the midst of urban San Francisco. The course is very well-maintained with nice signage and equipment and boasts several pin placements on each hole which create unique shots (not just longer shots) off the tee. It mostly plays through moderately to heavy woods but many holes offer several options off the tee, something that is often lacking from tightly wooded courses. The large elevation changes are utilized well with up/downhill shots, fast greens, and tricky basket placements.

I think one of the best things about this park is that the design is such that it will challenge players at all skill levels. Gold to silver level caliber players will be looking for tough birdies on most, if not all of the holes out here, its more about hitting the right line through tight woods and touch on fast greens that the top players will have to worry about. Most holes are well within the reach of even modest arms, but there are a couple of holes where bigger distance is necessary for a birdie. Lower silver to beginner level players will still be challenged hitting lines off the tee and then likely face further challenge in trick shots and approaches for pars. True beginners may find the course a bit too tough off the tee, so be warned - birdies aren't going to fall in your lap here. As mentioned earlier, all of the holes that I played were par 3 but there were only a couple "gimme" birdie holes out there which made each birdie on the tougher holes quite memorable.

While the holes are somewhat tight and next to each other, tree coverage for the most part keeps you separated from other golfers but truly errant throws or bad kicks will land you on an adjacent fairway.

As mentioned before, I checked out the multiple pin positions on each hole and I would guess (because I've only played here once) that they would add some really nice variety to the course. They aren't just longer versions of the same shot, in many cases they completely change the route off the tee. The baskets, tees, and fairways are all in great shape - you can tell people really care about this course.

I absolutely loved the design, the only thing I felt was missing from the course to make it truly a championship caliber or 5 disc course was the absence of par 4 or 5 holes. Space limitations probably prevent this from becoming reality and the designer(s) have done an excellent job. Despite the exclusively par 3 design, it really is a superb course and worth the trip even for the most veteran course reviewers/players.

Busy - Even early in the morning on a weekend day (around 8am) the course had bunches of both casual and regulars out on it which made for somewhat slow going. My guess, along with mentions from other reviewers, is that the course is packed on fair weather days.

Navigation - Only a slight con because there are a couple sections, especially towards holes 14-18 which pose problems to navigation but check the tee sign before moving on to the next hole because it will often give you an indication of where you should be heading next.

Gorgeous course, good for practicing highly skilled shots. All holes have signs and at least 3 different tee placements. A very hilly course with plenty of elevations challenge.

So many trees you might go crazy. Tee boxes slightly small and surrounding area usually muddy. Some tee boxes hard to find but friendly local will point you in the right direction. Holes cross alot and are narrow so watch for flying discs and please yell four when you throw a disc at me.

Had an awesome time and shot just over par my first time at the course. So I feel lucky because my friend who is way better player than me hit every tree in that forest.

Fun challenging hole design throughout the course.
Solid use of the available elevation changes.
The cool variety of trees with a pretty solid canopy creates a nice secluded feel in this large park near busy streets.
Great tee pads with nice surrounding box enclosures.
Beautiful tee signs with permanent pin location indicators.
Three pin positions on just about every hole add variety.
Fun for all levels of play, nothing too hard but very few easy birdies even for high-level amateur players.
Solid baskets.
Safety nets are a nice addition on a fairly high danger course.

Course can get very crowded, even playing on a weekday in January I saw 3 separate groups of 6 holding up traffic.
Lots of fairway overlap and some of the C positions were downright scary to throw at with any groups nearby.
Just a few of the holes feel very luck based with trees everywhere and no real strategic lines.
A number of holes where there are numerous trees or bushes within 15 feet of the hole adding to a rather fluky feel to a few holes.
Some tricky navigation areas where some next tee signs might help out.

Golden Gate Park is a very fun disc golf course, not overly challenging or hard to walk it's a great course for all abilities, which you definitely see on most days. Honestly the course is a real mixed bag, many of the holes standing alone really feel like a top notch course, then other places on the course feel like two holes could just be combined. If anything it feels like the course would have fit about 14 or 15 holes perfectly but of course everyone always wants that 18 hole number. What I did really like was how professional the course felt, the signs and pads as well as minor navigational signs were very cool, the defined walking paths and overall lack of extraneous brush had a very clean feel to the whole course. If you're stopping in the inner bay area I'd definitely reccomend stopping at Golden Gate Park, but if you only have enough time for one course passing through I'd probably have to advocate making the trip to the more secluded Stafford, or famous De Laveaga courses.

Unbelievable play in the middle of a city.
Challenging course with many different kinds of shots necessary.

There was a bit of trash around the tees. As it was a bit crowded, there is plenty of time to clean up the area, but no one seemed to. That being said, it was not THAT trashy and considering it was in the middle of a large city, I was impressed.

If you are anywhere near SF, you have to come play this course!. I can't wait to come back!

Well laid out tee pads
Centrally located in city
varying and challenging holes.

Can be crowded at times.
no immediate public facilities or vendors
Most holes are a "drive" then "putt" distance (precision based course. very few open "bomber" holes.)

FREE!
Well laid out for a small piece of land in a park. Great views of the city, ocean and park.
ZERO poison oak or ivy.
Well maintained by players and park services.
Challenging for all skill levels. Beginner friendly.
Very possible to play with 2-3 discs for travelers.
Very fun experience and great way to spend a day in the park. If you DG, and come to SF, it's a must play.

Can be accessed easily by the Muni #5.

Dogs OK!

Bring water, snacks etc. No immediate vendors.

Rest rooms are located across road in large meadow.

Drinking Fountain: End of 10 (on street) - Corner of Crossover & Fulton @ bus stop. Has separate dog fountain.

Closest food/drink: 2 Blocks - Corner of 28th & Balboa. (Small Deli, Alcohol, etc... takes Credit Cards, cheap $1 hot dogs...). 28th Dead Ends at #3 Teepad

Course does a figure 8, with 9 holes circling back to #1, #10-18 circles back to same area. (on average day, 9 holes take 90 minutes, in mornings or "slow" days, entire course can be played in 2 hours - on weekends & school holidays course can be crowded, but most groups let solos and couples "play through").

Nov-March (winter) : Course gets dark from 5pm-6pm
Summer: course gets dark from 6:30-8:00

weekly tournaments
- Tuesday Afternoons (4:30) - "flip for doubles"
- Sunday AM (8:30???) - Singles (Ace Pool)

- Creative and challenging layout that rewards accuracy
- Good use of elevation, obstacles, and terrain
- GREAT tee pads and benches
- Signs at each hole with indicator wheel to tell you the basket position
- Multiple basket positions,
- Big field across the street for warm up
- Natural shade canopy from the large eucalyptus trees
- Really nice laid back people willing to direct visitors
- Nice to have a course in the city
- In a really nice large park and a beautiful beach is just up the road

- Some fairway overlap and backtracking (13-17). Take the map and scorecard I linked below.
- Could be crowded, but you are in a crowded city. We went on a weekday morning and it was fine.

Here is a map and scorecard that is really helpful on some of the holes that backtrack or crossover. http://www.sfdiscgolf.net/Ima...scorecard.pdf

If you enter the coordinates from this site in a GPS or online map it will take you right to the first tee.

Some reviews complained about finding 10. To find 10 just go up the paved walkway by the first tee and you cant miss it.

No food or drinks close by so pack it in. If you are in SF on vacation, the course, park, and area are absolutely great. Easy to make a day of this area and not as touristy as the popular "tourist" sites in San Fran. You can step into this park and escape the busy city.

This is a great woods course in the middle of San Francisco. Mach 3 baskets are in great condition, and the tee pads are some of the best i've seen. Signs at tees are attached to stumps and seemed accurate. Multiple pin positions are always a plus for the locals. Course flows well and navigation is fairly easy. Marked paths on most holes help in figuring out where to throw and where the next tee is. Fairways are wooded, but there are generally well-defined flight paths and a couple of open holes as well. Playing in the woods in the middle of a big city is a fun experience. From the first-timer to the pro, all levels of disc golfers can appreciate this course. This part of the park seemed to be used almost exclusively for disc golf and the course is free to play! I was trying to find the first tee and a friendly player showed me where the first few holes were and gave me a map. One of the best free courses i've played.

Fairly busy on a weekday morning.

A must play for anyone in the area. This is a fun and beautiful course in a great location.
After hole 11 turn around and walk back toward the 11th tee and up the hill to the right to find the 12th tee. The 12th basket is up the ravine to the left, and to find the 13th tee walk to the road and turn right.

Beautiful setting for disc golf. Located in Beautiful Golden Gate Park (largest city park in the Country, I believe) park is beautiful and has many other attractions.
This piece of land is absolutely perfect for disc golf with trees, hills, well defined fairways and very little underbrush or very thick rough.
Many lines to throw to the basket, this is one of the courses best quailties. Trees act as canopy to keep you covered and cool. Great concrete tee pads, baskets, and signage. Many basket positions. Very well maintained. Free to play and park. Seats and garbage cans at every tee, with some brooms at the more dusty holes. No Poison Oak. Great locals who will help you find the next hole or show you a flight route you weren't expecting. Two 9 hole loops which both go back to parking lot. Creative shots needed with only a few wide open holes.

This course is very well maintained, no poison oak, and just beautiful. I love this place!

Sometimes crowded, making the course congested. Back nine has some navigation issues, design. Driving there can be a little tricky, make sure you have directions or you will get lost in this huge park

Great location to be San Francisco's first dgc. This course is great fun, good for beginners as well as advanced players due to the many. Bottom Line this course is a blast for players of all skill levels! Must play if you are near SF!

-Some of the sickest teepads I've ever seen
-Lot's of trees
-Lot's of birdies
-Lot's of terrain
-Lot's of the extras that makes courses great like benches and multiple pins etc.

-Sometimes I felt that the holes were throw and hope. I remember one hole where you are standing on the sidewalk and throw str8 into a grove of trees without any obvious routes to the pin. I dunno, I guess some see that as a pro, but I like being able to see what the designer wanted you to do when I stand on the tee box.
-The layout gets a bit crammed up towards the end of the front 9 which normally wouldn't matter, but I played it in a tournament and felt like I was always on edge to be ready to cover my important parts due to overlapping fairways.

Good course, great locals, definately worth a stop if your there. A ton of money was dropped on this course and it shows. They really have something to be proud of there.

• Interesting hole layouts requiring some strategic thinking
• Well marked pathways
• Shaded
• Tee pads are awesome
• Markers are also very good
• Scenery
• Multiple pin locations

• Can get crowded
• A touch confusing on some hole transitions (16-17 in particular) but nothing big. I carried the map on my iPhone to help out.

Question:
• Has anyone actually achieved par on #12?
UPDATE 01/2010: Member "Taino" (thankfully) pointed out to me that 12 is a par 3 for the 'pros' and a par 4 for us mortals. So there's hope after all!

Tips:
• For those having trouble navigating: Drive down JFK west to the point it lines up with 27th. Then you can't miss the 1st tee next to the big map of the course on the right. The maps on http://www.sfdiscgolf.org help as well.
• If you go across the street, there's a huge field where you can warm up and practice throws.

Random Thoughts:
This is a really fun course. We've been here a couple times and as beginners, my girlfriend and I don't throw all that far yet, but at this course it really doesn't matter as the primary objective is to not hit a tree. This means that every shot really becomes more about a strategic throw versus a bomb, which I think makes it a lot more fun. We also got quite a few laughs watching the various pinball action that a tree can produce and the "wow that was going to be a 'good/bad' throw but the tree really made it a 'good/bad' throw" moments.

Bottom line:
It's a beautiful fun course. A "Great job" to the course designers/maintainers. Go check it out!

Update 2013: I've played this course a couple more times this year and the maintenance/improvements are really top notch. The grass is a welcome addition and the clean-up around certain problem areas is really fantastic. I have now bumped up my rating .5 discs.

• excellent tee signs and kiosk/map
• some top-notch holes
• beautiful scenery

• some very confusing basket-to-hole transitions
• lots of fairway overlap

My review of GGP DGC may be biased due to having played both De LaVeaga and Stafford Lake -- which were two of the best courses I have played to date -- just prior to playing this course.

That said, there were some killer holes on this course and we had a great time playing here.

There happened to be a huge concert going on in the park the day we were there, so there were lots of random idiots walking through the course -- even using the logs that ran down the fairways as walking paths. Locals said the course is typically secluded and quiet.

The big downside to this course was the fairway overlap. Nearly half the holes required backtracking, sometimes walking head-on to the tee pad on the next hole. They even had mesh barricades to prevent people from being hit. Poor design here.

Many holes also had quite a trek to the next tee. Quite a few of the holes on the front nine were running along the edge of the park, so you had traffic running constantly while you played. Back nine veered to public areas and pathways quite a bit.

I really loved some of the holes, and there was some great elevation changes on a few holes. When the holes worked, they worked extremely well. When they didn't work, it was pretty frustrating. A shame for a course with so much potential.

Despite the cons listed above, I know I would love to play this course again and if you are a local or in the area you'll be glad you played.

Good signage, maps, well-marked tees, movable baskets (three options), pleasant surroundings, easy to find. Very easy to follow, with the exception of hole-9-to-hole-10.

Parking nearly impossible. A major walking path runs through the back 9. Hole 10 is directly along a different major walking path. Can get very crowded.

Whoever put in the course in Golden Gate Park did a fantastic job. Great use of terrain, tight shots, big arms can really let go on a few of the holes. Definitely potential for walker altercations, but that's the way it goes. I'd play there almost every day, if I lived nearby; definitely wouldn't get boring.

I like the elevation changes and tight shots. I also love the old growth trees and well draining soil. Golden gate park can eat up a vacation easy with its huge variety of trails and venues. However his course gets most of my attention.

The crowds are pretty thick at peak times. Fairways tend to cross each other and it is possible to get smacked by a disc. I felt like the last few holes where poorly designed (you throw then walk back to the next tee which is right near the last tee). The trash is pretty bad too. The parks department was out there working every day that I played so I know they try and keep up.

I had a guide my first time through. I met some nice locals on later rounds. Its not as cool as De La but its in the middle of San Fransisco and space is at a premium. Given that fact it is an all star course to the locals and if I lived in SF I would play it all the time.

- gigantic tees
- 3 pin positions per hole
- fun and challenging pin positions
- nice map by tee 1
- not crowded like most California courses
- benches on every hole
- very nice tee signs (with basket position indicators)
- some safety nets in places where an errant shot could cross fairways or hit a group on another tee
- creative layout with the space they had
- every hole is a little bit different
- lots of other fun things to do in Golden Gate Park other than disc golf too

- no bathrooms or drinking fountains anywhere near the course
- not much parking because you have to park along the side of John F. Kennedy, which is the main road through the park
- some holes don't finish anywhere near the next tee (after 6, you have to walk back down the entire fairway to get to 7's tee, which is right next to 6's) (after 9, you walk up the path past tee 1, for about 400 feet to get to tee 10)(18 back to the cars is a long walk)

This course is a great course, no matter your skill level. For the new player, every hole is fun and not overly challenging. For the advanced player the long pin positions and tight lanes make for a challenge each time.

Some holes, especially on the front 9, are very short and won't challenge a skilled player, but are still extremely fun to play.

About 3/4 of the holes are very creative and fun, either in the fairway design and/or pin positions... but the other 1/4 of the holes are more like filler holes, and that's what keeps this course from getting another half disc. (ie: 2, 10, 14)

Golden Gate is definitely worth stopping at if you're headed anywhere near San Francisco. Relative to many of the great courses, Golden Gate is still very young (2.5 years old), and need some more development, but this course will be at the least, above average unless people start to graffiti the signs, etc. Right now, it definitely is in nearly new shape, and that in itself is an experience in disc golf. Play it and you won't regret it.

This is an excellent course in one of America's finest city parks. There is a great deal to see and do in San Francisco, but if you love disc golf you will definitely enjoy a trip to Golden Gate Park for a round of 18, you can even throw in a trip to a museum or concert or other activity in the park. As usual, the atmosphere is relaxed and as always San Francisco seems to have a festive feeling to it, and this place is no exception.

One is first struck by how nicely the course has been laid out and prepared. Very nice concrete tee pads, wonderful signs at each tee (on angular cut round wood posts), and well-maintained fairways, steps, and paths (the paths are even lined with wood in many locations).

When Golden Gate park was established after the great earthquake of 1906, much of this land consisted of sand dunes that stretched all the way to the beach to the west. The area where the course is located contains many large trees (a mix of pines, redwoods, eucalyptus) which in turn provide a nice canopy over most fairways and make for very nice obstacles.

There are a front 9 and back 9. On the front 9 the hole lengths range from about 230 ft to maybe about 330 ft, the fairways are somewhat tight but not wicked, and you might think the course is too easy. But the back 9 seemed to be much more challenging (at least to me), with more obstacles and trees, much longer distances (over 400 ft for some placements), lots of up and down hill action, and risks galore.

My favorite was probably hole 10. In one of the pin placements the basket is on a large stump down in a ravine, and you tee off from high up the side of the ravine. There is a mandatory that makes you throw a big left-turning air shot downhill. A birdie on this hole would be very satisfying, since running at the basket instead of laying up can be hazardous.

The course ground is a bit dusty, even when the air is moist and foggy. Bring a dust rag and dampen it occasionally with water to wipe off the discs. Follow a group of locals to be sure where the next tee pad is, or you might be a little lost on a couple transitions (9-10, 14-15, etc.).

This portion of the park is very nice, and is used to host several large outdoor concert festivals throughout the year. Check the course web page before making a trip to be sure it isn't closed.

I don't live in San Francisco ($$$), and usually travel into the city on BART into the Union Square area (Powell station). It is really easy to get to the course from Union square by taking bus line 38 west on Geary until you get to 25th Ave. (about a 20 minute ride). Then just walk south downhill to the Park and you'll easily find the course to the right across Fulton.

There aren't many stores immediately nearby the course to pick up beverages, so you might want to grab some before you head into the neighborhood.

After a round, go west on Fulton until you get to the beach, turn right and head uphill and go to the Cliff House (a National Monument) for the greatest bar in all of the city.

It's great to walk up to a course for the first time and see a course bulletin board and a layout of the course. Course was in great shape. Baskets are very new and in good shape and the tee pads were all one piece no cracks or broken concrete. Multiple basket locations on each hole. Easy to walk down the path and start on 10 if it looks like the front 9 is crowded. Good course for all level of players.

There are really only 2 courses in the Bay area this one and Aquatic Park so the park is heavily used. When my group got there we saw 12 people on one waiting to tee off. For a first time some of the tee pads were difficult to find. Some of the lay out is poor with having to back track from one basket to the next tee pad and a few of the holes throw too close together.

I would agree with the description of lightly wooded. But this course is far from flat. Lots of elevation changes throwing up and down hill. Golden Gate Park is a great space with lots going on and is in the heart of the Haight district. Many good picture opportunities.

This course had the best tee signs I think I have seen anywhere, when they were still in good condition. There were several fun challenges about this course. The tee pads were all in good condition as well with a good variety of distance. This course is in a great location and makes good use of the area that it is in.

Navigation can be a bit of a challenge at times if you do not know where you are going. There was a bunch of people playing this course during the week and players of all ability levels which caused a back up on several holes. Some holes had lots of vegitation for you to loose discs in. Some holes just seemed too easy. Holes were built right on top of eachother, which is particularly dangerous with the amount of traffic at this course.

My biggest frustration with this course was simply finding it. I had directions and eved up completely lost with my internal compass all turned around. I was very thankful that there were locals there to help guide me through the course and I was very thankful that there were friendly people at gas stations and other local businesses to help me get to the course. For being right in the middle of San Fran this course was impressive but lacked the challenge that I expect from really great courses.

As somebody who helped build this course, I'm a little biased. 1. Golden Gate Park. 2. It's great for experienced players, as it offers challenges in the form of OBs and trees that force accurate, narrow flight paths. However, it is accessible enough for beginners, and families, especially the front 9, where the holes are not super long. I've brought my baby out in a jogging stroller (Holes 11-13 are a little tough for this). 3. It's easily accessible by public transportation. 4. There is a practice basket. 5. There are multiple basket positions. 6. It's really hard to lose discs and the club and its members make every effort to return them. 7. The course is well maintained by the local club. 9. The SFDGC is very welcoming to new players, whether to the sport or to the course.

It gets really crowded on week-ends and afternoons. The traffic noises (sirens, car accidents, horns) can sometimes ruin a drive or a putt.

Love ya SFDGC. Miss you guys very much.

This course was my first one player in Cali. I loved it! There was a great mixture of holes left/right dog legs, great use of elevation, and multiple blind throws around obstacles. The front 9 is definately a little easier then the back; more straight on shots and a few elevated baskets. On the back was hidden baskets on almost all the holes along with one being right on the side of a straight drop down a hill. The multiple tee locations was a great amenity to this course. You get the feeling that everytime you play this course it will be different, I really enjoyed that fact.

A couple of the tee maps were worn off so you had to run up and look where the basket was. Holes 17 and 18 throw over each other and was probably the only instance where I had to yell "fore" on the whol course.

The course itself is pretty dry and most of the dirt is sand(so rollers might have some issues here). Other then that very clean, well maintained, friendly players, and the only course in San Fran. I would definately recommend this course for any skill level if you happen to be taking a trip to San Fran.