Water in play on 12 out of 18 holes, but no real danger of losing a disc

Challenging without being brutal.

Concrete tees, multiple pin positions, port-a-pots on site, etc. All the basic amenities for a course you'd want to play repeatedly.

Fun! This is often an overlooked part of reviewing a course (imho) but I left wishing I had time to play another round here.

Fairly tight layouts, with a couple holes playing directly over another basket, and a couple more play over sidewalks.

Even at 10am on a weekday there was a bit of traffic through this park, so I can understand where other reviewers worry about traffic here. It was busier than some Ohio course are on the weekend!

Missing the 8th pin. I'm not sure if this got stolen or permanently pulled due to the way 8 plays over the 7th fairway. Either way, I'd have liked to have played 8.

On the advice of the fine people over at Phenix I played Johnny Roberts, and I'm glad I did. While the course is short and not very terribly challenging (I shot 4 over pro par my first time through) it does force you to think and hit specific lines. Additionally, with many pins perched on the edge of the shallow creek running through the park you really have to have confidence in your driving game to be aggressive going after 2's. This was a different style of course compared to what I'd played previously. In Ohio or Michigan a "technical" course is usually one that plays through tightly wooded fairways. Johnny Roberts requires similar precision, but uses strategically placed trees, other fairways, and a small creek to force lines. It's no less effective, and is significantly more fun to play, as errant shots tend to still be in play as opposed to buried in the woods. With fewer obstacles and vertical limits I was able to be more creative in my line shaping. This is any easy course to post 3's on every hole, but you will risk bogeys if you want to take a shot at birdie on many holes. Overall a nice city course that I'd play again.

---Awesome tee signs that show all possible positions as well as a "from the teepad" photo that gives you the lay of the land
---Intuitive layout that makes it very easy to follow
---Good selection of shots, with no real wide open bombers, so you have to put your skills on point
---Creek down the middle provides a good challenge as well as "risk vs. reward" shots, without being too intrusive or too hardcore so as to take your discs
---Famous course in the middle of downtown Arvada...other courses nearby as well as some fabulous adult beverage-serving establishments

---It's in a public park, it's a famous course; it gets crowded early and often, no matter the season, with DGers and Walkers alike (please be respectful)
---Upkeep is somewhat lacking. The baskets and teepads (what teepads there are) are still pretty good, but there is lots of little bits of trash i.e. cigarette butts
---Short course. No need to bring a distance driver. A good fairway and some mids will suffice
---Hole 8 no longer exists...not sure why, but it's not there so don't bother looking

A classic CO course, it's a course that really must be played for completions sake. Johnny Roberts' huge, boisterous personality infects the place (in a good way) and you won't find any bad vibes here. It's pretty hard not to have fun, no matter your skill level.

Tournaments are frequently played here, as well as weekly tags, so it would be a good idea to double-check what's going on before heading to Johnny. We did a tournament there last Saturday with 110 players and the place was packed. A few non-tourney players showed up and politely waited until we finished to begin their round...like I said, very positive vibes here.

I almost rated this a 3, but the good feelings and the fun factor raise it up a half point.

The course has some great lines you need to hit to stay out of the creek. The creek is a positive in my book, as some shots i kind of puckered while my disc was in flight. Hole #2 and #15 were my favorites (basket within a few feet of the water, and i parked #15!). Plenty of grass and shade for hot days. Also has some of the best course signage i've seen. Being a Steady Ed course adds an aura to it. Locals were cool and let me play through on my solo round with no hassle.

crossing fairways, as mentioned in other reviews. The course has a success problem in that it's a fine course and a lot of people want to play it. It was even crowded (but not insane) on a Thursday at noon. It's packed in to a pretty small parcel so heads up.

When i pulled up to the course, i was disappointed how compact the layout was, but the quality of the design quickly put that to rest. I thought it might be a historical course that wasn't all that (see Huntington Beach), so i'm glad it was a nice challenge. Police were given a guy a ticket on #1 for not having his dog on a leash. Bummed the mini-ramps aren't at the skatepark anymore.

Johnny Roberts DGC is an old school disc golf course that is showing her age. The baskets are old, the tee pads are old, the signs are old, the distances are not up to today's lofty standards. But I love the fact that this course has not been tinkered with. Today's advance/pro players haven't been able to totally redesign the course adding distance and moving the baskets to even more difficult positions. They're already often enough in difficult enough positions next the creek.

By today's standards, this course is probably a little tame. Some players might complain about the difficult and tight nature of the course. I normally dislike tight, technical courses but I really enjoyed my round here this morning. But I think I may have been lucky to have been playing in July during a drought when the creek was way low.

As a 60 year Recreational player, this course suits my level of play to a tee. I'm sure it would frustrate me at times but this morning I was happy to have finally had the chance to play the legend of Colorado courses.

Variations of shots, multiple basket placement, great use of the creek, open park and trees. The course wasn't boring at all to play and really easy to follow once on and going. Unlike some other courses it isn't located in a big open park that just zig-zags back and forth making for a boring round, the location along Ralston Creek makes for a fun and technical round.

Throwing across fairways, 17 over 5, 14 over the top of 2's basket. There were a lot of people out and enjoying the weather therefore having to wait to throw until they were clear. 8 was missing, not sure if road construction was the reason for closing it.

I have found this to be the best out of the 4 courses I have been to in the Denver area. Two others were wide open and packed with little shade. When waiting here you can stand in the shade while waiting for your shot.

- Nice technical shots
- Water hazards that are for the most part avoidable
- Good course for beginners wanting to venture into the skills of technical throwing.
- Well maintained

- Course under construction (hole 2 was blocked off)
- Hole 8 completely missing
- Many times shooting over walking/biking paths which caused us to wait several times for a clearing
- Short holes
- Flow can be a little confusing for new discers to the park.
- Too busy of a park

I will most likely not make the 20 minute drive to this park very often as it was too busy and it felt like you were waiting more than you were throwing. I really enjoyed that the holes had many obstacles and required strategy.

Nice Scenery, A good number of shots need a precise shot to get a good final result. Pretty creek, nice tee pads.

Public park with lots of joggers and the like. Short course thats always crowded. Now that I'm decent this course seems WAY too small.

If this course was in my backyard and was all mine I'd LOVE it! Its on of the prettiest courses I've played.. But its WAY too crowded. And a good number of holes double back into the others fairway. Even though its short and crowded its still a blast to play every time!

Local course with technicality makes for a great place for beginners and avid DGers alike. Well maintained, a few different pin placements on select holes.

Course has high traffic, lots of players on the weekends. The worst part is that it is in the middle of a community park where a lot of families and cyclists frequent. Impedes play time and sometimes enjoyment.

Still on of my top five courses in CO despite the cons. Met a lot of good friends that I now DG with there.

This is one of Colorado's oldest courses for a reason. While you may not need to throw any bombs here, you will be required to throw every shot in your bag with a great deal of accuracy. Fairly long s-curves, hyzer, anhyzer, short finesse holes, and multiple chances for an ace. There is a river that comes into play on nearly every hole, making the course all that much harder and more interesting. You basically start on one side of the creek, play down the creek, and play back on the other side of the creek. There are also multiple pin placements, so those who frequent the course get a good amount of different looks. This course will certainly help you mid-to-long range game, and the river makes sure you have quality touch and accuracy on every shot.

This is a very crowded park in two ways. First, there are almost always multiple groups in front of you. I have been there on a Wednesday afternoon and been help up by multiple groups of four. Secondly, the park is visited by an absurd amount of bikers, people walking dogs, runners, etc. Since one path runs through holes 1-8, expect some delays here.

This is certainly one of the busiest courses I go to, but the shot selection keeps me coming back every once in a while.

Very nice atmosphere. Green grass, trees, etc. The holes provide a great challenge for accuracy. Parking is very close to the first hole, and although there is a stream, its so shallow that discs wont get lost easily.

Most of the holes are fairly short, so don't bring your Surge or Katana. The water can get frustrating because a good portion of the holes are right along the stream.

One of the better courses I have played at

Challenging throws on most holes. Great scenary and phenominal atmosphere. The creek is in play on every shot but 1 and 18 but is shallow and slow moving enough to retrieve wet discs (also very clean water compared to other city courses). Can be played in shorts and flip flops (recommended due to the creek). Usually people by the first hole selling discs if you need a replacement for a previously lost or damaged disc.

Very crowded. Don't plan on running through the course. Could use a small bridge across the creek halfway down so you don't have to walk to either end of the course to get to the other side.

My favorite city course in the Denver Metro area right now. Good people, good atmosphere. Really works the short game and allows you to experiment with multiple shots/discs.

Very nice park, the trees and stream are beautiful. You have to have decent accuracy, a lot of the pins are put in challenging spots. The maps are helpful since a lot of the pins are hidden. A lot of the holes require you to cross the stream which makes for fun and difficult shots. Locals are super friendly, went by myself and joined up with another local.

Very crowded. The park was filled with kids playing in the playground and pedestrians around the walkway. A few of the tees are so close to the previous hole's pin that you have to wait for players to drive, or hope you don't hit them.

Great scenery! Tight course makes for some difficult shots but very fun. You have to appreciate the course history. Stream is great for hot days and not too fast so you can easily get a disc out of it. Bring flip flops and shorts for sure.

Good layout, fun holes, friendly folks

Crowded, missing hole 8 this year for some reason.

This course is kinda short, no really long holes, but great challenge in and around the stream. Wear sandals or flip flops so you can hop in the river to get discs... it will happen. But the river is so nice I don't mind at all.

It's always crowded, groups on top of groups, but I've never met anyone there who was unpleasant so no problems unless you're in a big hurry.

Lots of pedestrians can get in the way, again... don't be in a hurry.

For some reason, hole 8 is closed until further notice. No idea why.

Update: June '11, hole #2 is fenced off for some reason as well, so it's only 16 holes now.

My second stop on my Denver tour; well-maintained, nice creek running throughout the course, excellent signage, baskets in good shape, beautiful little tight course. Could see myself playing that course daily, being so close my sis's house.

White tee lines were slightly fade on some holes; hole 1 was out-of-service due to park improvements. Disc golf courtesy needed with walkers and joggers close by most of the time.

Go early, not crowded; met a nice local that recommended and met me at the Badlands/Blairwitch- see my review on that beast of a course.

Tees.Only one set of tees but they are of very high quality.The current tees make this course of amateur length.An added set of pro tees would be welcome as there were only a few holes that I didn't feel I could reach with a good drive.

Layout.You have to be aware of the other groups with the crossing holes.Other than that this is a very good use of the land at hand.

Signs.Great signs topped only by Beaver ranch out of the courses I've played in Colorado since I moved here a month ago.

fav holes.
1.Great way to start a round that gives you a chance to shake the rust of your throw without much risk.But beware of the creek behind the hole.

5.Fun little hyzer hole or if you dare to throw it between the trees off the tee.

9.Great example of a short hole executed to perfection.Plenty of obstructions of the tee and a creek on three sides of the pin.

15.200 ft carry over a bend in the creek with plenty of trees looking to knock your disc back in the creek.A true risk/reward hole.

Not a whole lot of amenities avaible.Very few benches and trash cans.

You have a higher than average chance of getting beaned by a disc here.Namely the 4th,7th,8th,10th,11th,12th and 17.But just keep an eye out and you should be ok.

Very crowded.This is a very popular course and it's best to hit it up early if you can.

The parking lot is a little close to 18.

Fun little course that is more than worth the drive.It is also a great course to take someone just learning with length not being a big factor.

Get out your sandals, cause you might get wet. When I first moved to Denver I remember playing from the steam and loving every minute of it. Now I stay in the fairways. I'd say you really have to have a game where you have to throw both directions. Wether its anheizer or forehand - who cares. You really have to navigate the trees. That's what gets me coming back for more and more....It's got the technical difficulty of a Mt. course in the middle of Denver. If you really want to bomb a drive, there are a couple of holes that might fit your taste, but you better be able to navigate a little. Do some history research on disc sports and you'll find out that Johnny Roberts was a class act back in the hay day when this sport took off. Its a true tribute to him and an inspiration to play his Memorial course every time.

Its a short course for the current PDGA standards, but again you've gotta know how to throw around objects. The traffic is an issue, but timing is key in that regard. Give me a Super Class disc any day on this course and I'll have a fun time......I've even seen a few Ultimate players bringin' out their discs for an afternoon of fun.

A top notch course, Mile High Disc Golf does a great job working with the community in all respects with this course. Its no walk in the park, but if you wanna make it that way ..... "no worries" its that as well - just go out and have fun. No T-times, just a little patience and you are in.

-Oldest course in CO
-Really fun shots, but it is a birdie course
-Playing through the trees and along the creek requires precision
-Great course to work on your short game

-LOTS of ppl play here and it's pretty crowded most of the time. Along with other park users it can be kind of stressful.
-Lots of short holes, but it was designed back when discs only flew as far as modern putters and mid ranges.

I learned to play on this course and then moved to CA 5.5yrs ago. I came back and really wanted to play it to see if it was as fun as I remembered. The good news is that it is still a really fun course. The redesign took away some of my favorite holes, but it was probably necessary due to safety and playability issues. I recommend playing it to anyone going to play in the Denver area, only bring your putter and a midrange and enjoy the course as it was intended to be played.

With its impressive age and durability, Johnny Roberts is a beautiful, short, water filled course that still holds a challenge to today's modern golfer. Built along a good size creek, I felt as if I was back in Dallas Texas playing Alex Clark Memorial DGC. However, unlike Alex Clark's "disc golf creek of death" filled with murky brown water, poisonous snakes, and lined with steep unforgiving edges - Johnny Roberts creek is fairly tame. There are only a few areas that your disc couldn't be retrieved if it got wet. Granted, you will get wet trying to get a lost disc, but you just won't have to kill yourself trying to do it.

It's short length still stands the test of time with large old growth trees serving as guardians around the pins, coupled with interesting shot selections that can prove to be big risks versus rewards like hole #7.

The other major pro about this course is its signage. Besides the high quality John Houck signs I've seen on some Texas courses - these may be the finest quality sign I've laid my eyes on. What sets them apart is the fact that not only do it include a picture and the usual information, but also the information and look of the every hole in proximity to that sign. This is a huge help to first timers on the course, and an extra you just don't see many other places. With a practice basket and bathrooms, this course has all the fundamentals a person needs to make it a day.

BEST HOLE/S: #7; #15

The course is short. Again, much like Alex Clark in Dallas, this was designed as a superior course thirty years ago. It's the granddaddy that keeps giving, however the length and technical difficulty with today's equipment has dropped tremendously, which can serve as a con to more experienced players.

The actual design of this tight course along the creek is it's biggest con and worst limitation. I have never experienced a course that plays back on itself as much as this one. It plays through multiple busy walking paths, and back over previous fairways like holes #7 and #8 or #10, #11, and #12. With such a high volume of people using the park walkways, grass areas, and disc golf course - I understand why the heavy traffic can get very frustrating very fast. The walkways themselves even double as tee boxes at times, so an errant throw can prove dangerous.

WORST HOLE/S: #12; #18

I glad to see a course with such rich disc golf history stand the test of time. I went very early in the morning, as I suggest you do, to beat the large crowds that can make for an unnecessarily long day. And sure, Johnny Roberts isn't a top rated course as it once was, and it general design severely limits it from ever being considered tournament caliber - but here that doesn't seem to be the point. Rather Johnny Roberts serves as a standard to so many people who began there disc golf careers here, and who still show it the love and respect it deserves today.

The course is laid out in a mostly flat park with a creek and many mature trees. There is a nice mix of more open shots and technical shots with tight windows. The layout of the course forces all kinds of different shots to be successful, and accuracy is very important on many of the holes. The design makes good use of the trees in the park to define fairways and to protect many of the pins. The creek comes into play often, and makes for a lot of great risk reward decisions.

The tee signs here were just about the best I've seen. Each had a picture of the hole with the various pin locations marked. They had clearly marked distance and par, and made the course extremely easy to follow. The alternate pin placements looked like they would really change up the course and offer different challenges.

The tee pads were a decent size, and were nice concrete that offered good footing. The grounds were very nicely taken care of, with nice grass on the fairways, and no downed limbs or brush around on the course. It's clear that a lot of work goes into keeping up the course, and it makes a difference.

The one thing that's missing from the course design is length. There wasn't enough room in the park to safely put in longer holes, and so the drivers don't come out on this course hardly at all.

The park was very busy with other users when we played, and this created some safety hazards on a few holes. The course plays over a walking path numerous times, so we ended up waiting for walkers and joggers to clear the hole a few times. The course was also pretty crowded with other players, though this wasn't a big deal as they were all very friendly and seemed to play with good course etiquette.

I really enjoyed this course, and would definitely recommend playing this one. It's accessible to beginning players, but offers many challenges to more experienced throwers. Though there is not a lot of length, it uses the space very well to test different types of shots.

I would definitely recommend this course if you're anywhere near the Denver area, it's worth a drive to play. The course is fun, and the locals were very friendly. This course has held up very well to the years and the large number of players, and despite it's age is still a fun and challenging play.

Good course overall. Lots of mature trees make it great to look at. Lots of people to look at as well.

Lots of people are in play all the time. You'll find yourself waiting around a fair amount for pedestrians to clear the lanes.

Very cool to be able to play a course this old. Our local courses are all much newer and it's interesting to see how things are different now.