Great signs, baskets and tee pads, layout is about as good as courses get around here, nice mix of shot types, decent chance for birds but also some longer challenging shots, mostly shaded, well maintained, hard to lose a disc here b/c even the wooded areas are pretty clear and not a wall of underbrush like you sometimes find

Pretty popular so can be crowded, they recently moved a couple of the longer shots back even further taking the hole from challenging to frustrating in my opinion

My favorite 18 hole in the metro, I love pretty much everything about it

Great holes, lots of up and down hills, left and right turns. Good trees.

Nice tees and baskets. Great signs. Des Moines disc golf club does a good job with this.

Lots of different distance, everything from the huge uphill to the little shorty downhills.

Layout isn't great. There are a couple spots where you have to cast around a bit to find the next hole. Signs show multiple basket placements, but don't say which basket it is in, which makes things a bit more difficult, as you have to cast around a bit to find the hole sometimes.

No water hazards, there appears to be a small swamp that doesn't really come into play, would have been nice to have that be something you had to clear once instead of just something to shoot near.

I really enjoyed this course, I played like absolute crap, and the course bent me over, but I felt good at the end of it. I would play this course again in a heartbeat, and if I were anywhere near Des Moines I would make a point to get here for another go round. At least the second time I'd remember to bring lube.

Nice course.
Variety of shots and hole difficulties.

I'm sure this will rub some of you the wrong way, but keep in mind this is the east side of Des Moines. Your average player is going to be a nice guy to play with or around.

The problem are the guys that play in groups of 7 and have neck tats and 40 ouncers. Expect to have rogue discs picked up by a stranger (in broad daylight, in front of you) and taken. I've seen people stop in the road that goes through the back 9, pick up stray shots, and drive off while honking the horn and giving the disc's owner the middle finger. Expect this to happen.

For my (lack of) money, I still prefer to play courses like Crivaro or Lions Park. It's not crowded, the course is better manicured and the other players are generally more friendly/interesting. I really think these smaller ones are underrated and hoping that the city rec realizes it and puts more work into them.

- Great scenery
- Lots of trees for challenging shots
- Elevation changes
- Practice baskets for warming up before a round
- Pro and amature tees
- Two basket positions on most holes

- Some low hanging branches
- Lots of people on weekends
- Kids running around at parks that like to pick up discs

This was a very fun course to play. Elevation and trees makes this a challenging course, but not overly difficult. On the weekends, there can be kids running around so keep an eye on your disk to make sure if doesn't walk off.

Serene and shady park tucked on the back side of a municipal golf course in one of Des Moines hillier neighborhoods (whomever says Iowa is flat hasn't been there). Due to its moderate length this course is very popular. Dual tees on most holes (some of the shorter holes have just one) give users the ability to tailor the length of it to their abilities. The "back seven" holes to the south of the entrance feature the coolest elevation changes as well as the challenging monster on #12 (essp. when the pin is long). Minis every Monday night.

The downside of popular of course is crowded, and not just with disc golfers. Towards the middle of the course is where you're going to run into the most trouble. I've never had the misfortune of hitting here on a weekend thankfully. There are some erosion issues, and you'll likely encounter a few muddy spots towards the lower areas.

Best advice I would give folks is get here either early or on a weekday before the crowds hit. Also if you have a camera handy, take your picture with the carved basket made out of a tree trunk near #10's tee. The popularity of this course begs a question as to why Des Moines doesn't plan another course like this. Many of the other courses in the area seem to be set for advanced players and I've never really seen a crowding problem at those.

-Multiple concrete tees for each hole
-looping 9 design
-logical flow
-lots of shade

-a busy park with many conflicts
-#12 is fairly easy to put a drive across the road into someone's front yard or, better yet, into a car's windshield.

On the east side of Des Moines, this was the first course installed in the city proper and by far the most-played course in the metro. The course winds its way through rolling hills and mature trees. Predominantly par 3 holes, most can be reached by those who can throw 350'. #6 and #12 can be considered par 4s if thrown from long tee to long basket. Well balanced in hole lengths and shot shapes required. Some decision-making as some have more than one desirable route to the basket.

For the most part, the course keeps to itself, traveling along the outside edge of the park, but mid-way through the round will play close to some swings, a ball field and a large picnic shelter. On a busy summer weekend, you are likely to wait for kids to cross fairways from the shelter to the swings, or have to avoid throwing into a pickup game on the ball field.

Tees feature substantial concrete pads, 2 to a hole and nice, descriptive signs. Needs a system for indicating what position the basket is in as some are blind from the tee.

Overall, an enjoyable course to play. It is showing some wear and tear from constant foot traffic and some safety issues.

Multiple tees and pins for most (if not all) holes.
The layout is pretty straight forward, as long as you remember to cross the road for a couple on the back nine. One person had played the course once before, and the only time our group was unsure where to go a man watching some kids playing softball directed us to the next hole.
The course is well maintained, with mostly grass around the holes and large mature trees creating challenges instead of saplings.
The holes themselves, while not the most difficult in the area, are not overly simple either. Most holes will provide a respectable challenge for novice/intermediate players, but advanced players should be able to par the course comfortably.
The small hills throughout the park were utilized very well in it's construction, especially on the back nine.
There are plenty of restrooms around the course, as well as a park shelter.

The difficulty will be an issue for people looking for a real challenge. Its a fun course, but advanced players will most likely be able to par it without too much trouble on their first attempt.
I can see how non-disc golfers could be an issue. It wasn't very bad the day I went, but there were some kids playing pretty close to a couple holes. If it was any busier (and I get the impression it gets that way from time to time) it could slow play down quite a bit.

Its a well maintained course that should be fun for novice and intermediate players. Advanced players won't find the course difficult, but if you feel like a relaxing, enjoyable 18, this would be a great course for it.

This course is a very enjoyable play. It is not overly difficult, yet not a complete cake walk. There is a mix of short and long holes. There are mostly par 3's on this course. A couple of holes might be considered a par 4. Hole 12 made John Houck's list of great disc golf holes.

This course is very overplayed by the rec community. It does get a fair bit of family reunion type parties in the park shelter(which resides between two holes.

This is a fun course, but I would list it as the lowest ranking 18 hole course in the Des Moines Metro area.

- Full park amenities.
- Two sets of tees and pins.
- Good use of limited elevation.
- Last six holes offer a little more challenge than the rest. More trees come into play.
- The amazing tree sculpture near the 10th hole deserves to be mentioned... someone put a lot of time and effort into it.

- Didn't seem to be much variety or challenge to the course. The first two thirds of the course is pretty straight-forward. Not a lot of doglegs or intriguing basket positions. If you can throw up and down moderate hillsides you'll easily be close to par your first time here.
- Non-DGers can be a problem. There was a large party going on in the middle of the course with little ones wandering around.

- Don't come out of your way for this one. It's an above average recreational course that won't really offer much of a challenge for a seasoned DGer.

All 18 holes have large mature trees to contend with. Some are a little more open and others get relatively tight. Gently rolling hills provide a slight additional challenge. The course has a nice flow to it and for the most part is easy to follow. About halfway through the course the holes move to the other side of the entrance. Majority of the holes are short to medium length with a variety in shot types.

Non-disc golfers are a nuisance. Careful where you park as discs may hit your car.

Always a joy to play.

Well groomed, many different shots required, low chance for losing a disc, nice shelter, parking and bathrooms.

Gets really busy, can be on the easy side for skilled golfers.

Perfect for a fun outing that can be enjoyed by many skill levels.