April 2024 Update - Gordon Moore is now an 18 holes course, utilizing similar holes from the original 9-hole course and adding space acrs the drive as well as on the other side of the baseball fields. This is definitely a recreational 18, and maintains an accessible difficulty level like the original design did. I have not seen the addition of tee signs yet, but each hole does have a wood post by the intended tee. Hopefully this course gets further equipment upgrades soon.

Gordon Moore Park's disc golf course is a short 9-hole course that is the result of an Eagle Scout project in 2010. This short course is ideal for new players and families, and also has some surprisingly fun shots and ace runs for more seasoned disc golfers.

Location of Gordon Moore is very convenient on routes 111 and 140, which connect to IL-255 just down the road. In the opposite direction is Alton, along with plenty of gas and food options just minutes from the park. If you're looking for a full day of disc golf, this area will keep you busy. Between Grafton and Edwardsville, there are 7 courses, anchored by debatably the best course in the region in La Vista. Add Sioux Passage Park to that mix, and you have an abundance of options.

Park Amenities are plentiful across Gordon Moore's 700+ acres: 8 tennis courts, 10 ball diamonds, 27 holes of golf, 19 soccer/football fields, 6 picnic areas, 6 playgrounds, a nature trail, garden
, and a fishing lake all reside here. There are also restrooms on site, as well a concession when other events are taking place. There is also plenty of parking available by the disc golf course, so parking shouldn't be an issue for anyone coming here.

Course Equipment includes 9 DISCatcher baskets looked to still be in great shape, as well as bricks in the ground that give hole numbers, distance in yards, and pars. There's also a sign next to the parking lot near the tee for hole 1.

Course Design at Gordon Moore comprises of a small loop around a basin and sporadic trees. The average distance is only 22 feet, making this course accessible to folks who can't throw very far yet. While the course is very straight forward, there is still some fun aspect to this course for more seasoned players as well.

Elevation actually comes into play a bit on this course. Hole 2 plays over a shallow valley, while hole 4 is a short downhill ace run with a fast circle 1 area if you give your disc a hard throw. Hole 6 also provides a more uphill shot, challenging newer players to give a strong throw for a decent look at a 2.

Shot shaping is something that was appreciated on a couple holes as well. Hole 2 is nicely framed within some trees, requiring an at least somewhat accurate straighter throw. Hole 7 gives some options for creative hyzers, anhyzers, or forehands around a tree for right handed players. Hole 9 is one of the longer holes on the course and favors either a strong forehand or gentle anhyzer from righties as well.

Difficulty is definitely geared towards newer players. Between the openness of the course, the shorter holes, and generous pars, this course clearly has newer players in mind. I would say this course is definitely successful in catering to that demographic.

Course Equipment could be improved in multiple ways. The tee areas comprise of now uneven bricks and can be found easily by looking for the dirt divots near the previous hole. A more permanent tee pad option would help with both erosion and keeping the tee pads from becoming worn divots in the ground. Realistically, given the course design, the bricks with the hole number and distance are all the information you need to play a round here. That being said, ate signs would give a more polished look to the course. Given the beginner nature of the course, a more informative rules sign at the parking lot would also be a nice touch.

Course Design also has some factors that could be improved. Most of the tee pads are within circle 1 of the previous hole. While I don't imagine this course gets crowded, some more space between tees and baskets would be ideal, even if this course likely gets minimal traffic. In addition, while this isn't the most dynamic plot of land in the world, there are enough trees and elevation changes that this course could have done more with natural obstacles and elevation while still catering to newer players. While the examples of variety in the pros section of this review are nice, that's really where the unique features among the different holes end. Most shots off the tees here are under 250 feet, are straight, and don't challenge you to avoid any real obstacles.

When I played a round at Gordon Moore, the only other folks on the course were a family with a kid around 7 or 8. This course is designed with that kind of demographic in mind, and not a seasoned intermediate/advanced player like myself. This course will likely feel boring for many experienced players, but courses like this are just as important to have available to the public as courses like La Vista down the road. Anyone not new to disc golf will not be challenged here, but hey, I'll never complain about a generous course par that gives me a -13 for my mediocre round.

If you're looking for a challenging round of disc golf in the Alton area, I'd recommend going to La Vista or Rock Spring, or crossing the river to go to Sioux Passage instead of Gordon Moore. That being said, if you are looking for a course for beginner players that has plenty of land to practice shot shaping and putts, this is a great option in the area. Gordon Moore may not be exceptional, but it serves its purpose well. As someone who was introduced to disc golf on a similar course, I'm glad that this course exists and is available to folks in Alton and the metro east area.

Beautiful park setting. Between the rolling hills, freshly mowed grass, nicely trimmed trees, and the lake around the backside (which doesn't come into play, yet), this park has the potential to become EPIC.

Brand-spankin' new Innova Discatchers.

Bathrooms/water available behind the first tee.

Plenty of parking.

Pin locations make very good use of the available obstacles and hills, and the layout flows very well.

Moderate to strong winds can seriously fubar your shots, even though the holes are so short. (222' average)

Park is relatively out of the way, and all of the other typical park activities are all in other areas, so traffic is non-existent.

...Which is a good thing because this park contains one SERIOUS design flaw: all of the tees are 15-20 feet behind or to the side of the previous pin. It makes them easy to find sure, but should the place start generating even modest traffic, queues will build at pins, and/or lots of noses will be busted by throwers from the previous pin being impatient. A horrendous design flaw that i'm sure the city will fix very quickly once they realize the potential dangers/liability concerns.

None of the expected DG perks (trashcans, benches, kiosk with scorecards, etc.), but then again, the course is only 2 weeks old.

No tee posts (pads w/hole info are marked off by stones in the ground) which isn't a problem for holes 2-9 since the pads are so close to the previous pin, but something in the park signage to point you towards 1's pad would be nice.

Pars were determined with kids in mind (as the course was designed by and built for cub/boy scouts), so anyone above novice should ignore the par markings and just play it as par 3.

The local who showed myself and my friend around (thank you Lane) told us that the tees in the current layout will be moved farther away from the pins to remove the danger noted above.

More promising though, is that the park has a TON of unused space south of the current layout, and it is rumored the city is considering putting a full 18 in back there.

If that 18 looks anything like the current 9, it'll be a place to travel to for sure.

For now, it's just a place to bring the kids to or a way for anyone above novice to finish out a day of golfing at Rockspring/Roxana/Woodland Chains.