Hilly, different terrain, trees, scenic.

Lots of burrs, but you'll get that anywhere in the woods.

Johnson Park taught me to play good disc golf. I absolutely love this course. It allows you to practice a lot of different, and more complicated shots. I even prefer the posts rather than baskets... gives you a smaller target to practice quality putting. Luckily its the closest course to my home, so I play it a lot. I definitely think its a hidden gem and overlooked because of the dirt tee pads, and posts instead of baskets.

The terrain is what makes this course great. The course is anything but flat. When shooting up or downhill, you really need to work on your distance control, and the vertical angle at which you toss your disc.

I've aced a lot of the holes, and shot some really good rounds. This is definitely the most fun course to play in the Grand Rapids area.

Great views of Grand Valley(great spot to watch Grandville's 4th of July fireworks,can see radio tower by Brewer park from here as well).It has a very unique layout playing accross valleys and up and down hills.Lots of elevation changes,extreme hyzers,and risk reward putting.Could be compared to Flip City or some of the northern MI courses for the amount of elevation changes and views.

No baskets,no maintanance,no cement tee pads,no cares for the park by the local league or the township.

I started playing disc golf in 1994 at this course.There used to be a rope swing in the woods and I seen that they installed baskets.I had no clue as to what they were until I have seen people playing.Around this time there was 18 baskets and the park was very busy,almost as busy as Brewer Park.I took up the game there and have not stopped playing since.I guess I could say that Johnson park made me fall in love with the game.Through the years I have seen the baskets disappear but never stopped there playing for a while.A couple of friends and I took it upon ourselves to replace with what there used to be a basket to a 4x4 post.We would also during the game,fill in the tee pads with dirt or move the tee pads slightly because of dense foilage growing over them.I even took it upon myself to move the pins on #12 and #13 because of erosion and personal issues.After #12 don't walk up the hill to play #13,go to the left just downhill from 11's post and play it flat toward the post.I am sure anyone would find this helpful if they don't want to walk up the same hill twice.If you have a portable basket and a couple of willing friends I suggest lugging it around this park.It breaks my heart to see this park gone to hell,it is the best next to Flip City I have ever played.I wish now that the sport has grown so much since the good old days that someone would take the initiative, like I have, to get baskets back here.After there was 3 baskets stolen in one weekend I got fed up and stopped caring for it or playing it.I live in Florida now, but Johnson Park will always be in my heart and at the top of my list.Johnson Park is where I learned the game.

The feel, layout, hole variety, and scenic setting

The lack of baskets, (good) tee pads, signage (PRINT OUT MAP IF YOUR NOT FAMILIAR WITH COURSE), and routine maintenance.

Be prepared: Bring water, bug spray, sunscreen, and a keen eye so you don't lose your disc.

Rating this course was difficult. The feel, layout, hole variety, and scenic setting easily make this course a strong 4 but the lack of baskets, (good) tee pads, signage, and routine maintenance drop this course down at least a full point. I feel this course would be the best course in GR if the above mentioned improvements were done.

I have live and played in the GR area for almost 7 years and this was my first time playing Johnson Park. I was turned off because there were only poles and I made the terrible mistake of judging this course before playing it. So my point is don't let the cons, although numerous, deter you from playing this course. If you live in the GR area, play this course. If your coming to the GR area I would definitely put this on your list of courses to play.

I have been in contact with Kent County Parks and Rec about improving this course, namely putting in baskets (signage and tee pads would be relatively cheap to do). The county said they do not have any money to put in the park but that if money was raised they would allow improvements to be made. Please contact me if you interested in teaming up with me to make this THE course in GR. Happy discing

Update:
I have started a thread regarding the progress of improving Johnson Park. Please add you 2 cents to this thread.

http://www.dgcoursereview.com...=Johnson+Park

-Lots of elevation changes
-Little played
-Great landscape
-Workout

-Easy to lose a disc. (The grass is unmowed except for the strips of "path".)
-Tons of thorns and other weeds (not a problem if you have jeans...I didn't)
-Workout

Advice:
-Wear athletic shoes and JEANS!
-Bring a waterbottle if its sunny or hot. (Luckily remembered those!)
-Watch your shots very carefully. (We had 3 people spotting each other and still almost lost a couple)
Overall:
Great challenging course that could be amazing with some more attention.

Very hilly. If it's warm out bring some water. Good mix of shots. Some you need to bend. Some tees are in the woods and you have a narrow opening before it opens up. There are holes that you can air it out on. A spotter is huge on some holes. It's a long course. I think I walked about 2 miles total. This includes running back to the tee after spotting shots. Accurancy is big. But with help, newbies can enjoy it too.

Tee's are very sandy. Do not wear good shoes. I got a few scratches from the bushes and had to remove all the cock a burrs from my shoes and socks. It would be big if the holes were baskets.

Signage would help, but due to the paths, we were able to figure it out for the most part. Neither one had a map. It's a plus that not a lot of people play this. Not crowded and because it's located away from the main park, you don't have a lot of civilians there. If a "club" took over this park, and made improvements, it would be dynomite!

Fun course with alot of varity. Challenging shots but it makes for an awesome time!

No Baskets. Only fairways were mowed, so if you dident land on the mowed part you need to go digging through 4 foot tall grass/weeds to find your disc. No sighns, tee pads are not fun.

One of my favorite courses to play in the grand rapids area. Don't play alone, you WILL need a spotter!

Most challanging course in Grand Rapids, alot of blind throw

While the blind throws are fun, bring a spotter or you will search in the tall grass and woods alot, the tall grass is innoying, dont wear shorts and DO bring bugspray

signs,teepads,baskets,trashcans,and basic course up keep would make it atleast a 4

wide variety of hole types, long wide open, heavily technical, some really fun elevation change shots - mostly from high to low. you can get some really good exercise on this course at least more so than other nearby courses.

Natural tees, some are sand and it is very hard to throw out of. holes are wooden posts no baskets. some of the posts are not secured very well and are leaning. The fairways are mowed but they are very narrow, and nothing else is maintained. sometimes the grass can get about three feet high. its by a river so in the summer it gets really buggy, I mean really buggy, I have turned around and went to another park after the first hole before.

I really like this course in the spring time, it is very fun to play and it can be a good challenge. unfortunately the park is just not maintained very well. I have heard that there used to be baskets but they were all stolen. If this story is true you can understand why the county doesn't want to put more money into it.

The design of most of the holes requires some clever shot planning and execution. Though relatively short (I assume all holes are par 3), it's quite challenging. There is about an even balance between "best" lines which demand either a left or a right curve, although the course does favor shots that curve left. These lines are the result of intelligently designed holes that use mature trees in a fair way. There is lots of room for good shots, there are no holes where lucky bounces off trees are the only way you'll end up close to the pole.

Hills. Steep hills. You'll get a real workout here. It's hard to call this much of a con, because the design of the course uses the hills intelligently, much like the trees. However, by the 12th hole I'm usually pretty tired of the continual up and down, no matter how well I think the course was designed. (Keep in mind I'm in my 50s and have been playing since I was 14). There are some spots where you could lose a disc in the tight woods, since you're throwing up (or down) hill blindly toward a pole you can't see. But the course is short enough that if your buddy spots for you you'll probably be OK.

The 18th hole is a real favorite of mine. Tee off at the top of a very high hill and you can really get a ton of distance, only to find a long second shot to get close enough to make it in three. It's a fantastic finishing hole.

I love the variety of the holes on this course! Uphill, downhill, wooded, open, short, long, right, left, and straight....it's all here. The drive off the #18 tee is to die for! You'll want to empty your entire bag from this tee, just for the fun of flinging 'em!

There is NO signage, so print and carry the map to find your way around. The dirt and railroad tie tees pads just suck. The pole holes could be better. Some of the roughs get wicked later in the summer. Holes #8 and #9 and #13 and #14 are side-by-side making errant throws dangerous if others are on the course. The trudge up the sandy, washed-out hill on #14 is grueling and will leave you panting. The mosquitos here are big, numerous, and blood thirsty! Come prepared with lots of bug spray and sturdy hiking boots to negotiate this hilly and sandy course.

As others have said, some upgrading and maintenance on this course would certainly elevate its standing in the state. We'd love to see concrete or even rubber tee pads, trashcans along the course, basket tagets, and some signage....this would bring my rating up at least 1/2-1 point, if not more. Even so, it's by far the most challenging and interesting course I've played in the Grand Rapids area, so far.

This course HAS potential. The upkeep was simple, and the layout was really nice. Tricky for beginners. Fun and challenging for experienced players. Short holes, and long holes, and definantly a work out. Lots of dog legs, and valley shots. The 18th hole had one of the best scenic views I've seen, and one of the most fun, long, downhill shots I've ever thrown.

Grass was very deep, and spent a total 2+ hours just looking for discs. Wear long pants and hiking boots; lots of thorn bushes. Some holes felt impossible.

The front 9 was very fun, but the back 9 didn't even feel like it was worth my time.

Nice Layout, downloaded the course map and it worked well.
Open and in some places, more wooded in others gives a nice variation.
Also many of the holes have tee boxes on a hill and the pole on another hill and you end up with some pretty amazing shots if you get it there. Its kind of a bummer when you get stuck having to toss uphill though.
Open 18th hole gave me a nice far toss.
Was nice and dry in the spring, easy to find your discs, no thick grass, waiting to find out how it changes in the summer.

Very hilly, but not bad if you're wearing athletic or skateboarding style shoes.
No baskets, only a few wooden stake type poles with paint on them.
The tee off pads are wooden blocks with dirt or sand and are really dug out, thankfully both sides of the pad are nice, flat, hard dirt and work nicely if you dont mind.
In spring the trees dont block the wind on the first few and last few holes. Can work with or against you.
No hole info near tee boxes so print the map.
Beer bottles and trash, unfortunately left by discers when there is a trash can in the parking lot.

Nice course for practicing your drives and mid range shots, but without baskets, you don't get any putting pratice. I love the course, but I wish it had some baskets and I wouldn't mind the tees as much if i knew where I'm throwing to. The map is a great help.
I'm thinking about cleaning up the trash and flattening some of the tees. I also am thinking about tying bright cloth around the branches that are poles so they are more visible.
18th hole really has a spectacular view from the tee box

If you want a work out with your golf game this course is it. Lots of elevation changes will keep you huffing and puffing all thru the round. Its a longer course so you can really let it fly on many holes Especially 18, which has one of the best views you can find in the GR area. You tee off and bomb it straight down hill. Otherwise its a great mix of open and wooded, up hill and down hill. Lots of dog lefts. Good times with tons of potential.

LONG grass in the summer. Physically draining. Pole course. Sandy tees. First time navigating is tricky.

I know concrete tees and baskets are a pipe dream...but if they would just mow this course more often it would be killer.

Very good course, good distance on holes, a lot of elevation change. If you like to get a work out while playing this course is the one for you.

The tee boxes are all dirt, when it rains it is very difficult to get a good drive. They don't cut the fairways too often so if you throw to the left or right you have to go digging. They don't have baskets only poles so you are always adding another stroke onto each hole.

If they put in concrete tees and baskets this course would be one of the best in Grand Rapids i think. Very challenging, you have to play the game very smart and learn how to lay up every once in a while.

From the first step to the last hole one gets the feel of being at ease. This course has a secluded woodsey feel about it. Parking is great and the start of the course is but a few steps from the first slab. This course makes for a nice day of discs away from the noisy crowds.

Where does the grocery list start? First the course must have been designed by the Marques de Sade. Up hill, down hill, up hill, down hill was the rhyme to the reason. Luckily I had printed a map of the course or there would have been no way to navigate the holes.The terrain was great for exercise but many time you found yourself walking in washouts up hill to get to the next tee. The tees were dirt pits with railroad ties when the ties were actually there. The holes were post type without chains and usually overgrowth prevented decent recognition.

This course overall was designed for the young hardcore player. If the local jusidiction would put a few dollars into it for benching, steps, and maybe a port-a-pottie here and there this course would be a 4plus disc course.

Fun, challenging, many terrain changes and trees come into play. Good variety of shots required. Secluded and lots of beautiful scenery. Outstanding view of the valley from the top of the hill. Sometimes deer and turkey can be seen here.

Pole course (would love to see baskets here, but I've heard that the secluded nature of the course made vandalism and theft a problem), The worst part about this course is the horrible tees, sandy with railroad ties surrounding them (twisted ankles can be a problem). The 'rough' can be rough on your ankles, wear sturdy shoes and socks. Mosquitos late in the day.

frequently overlooked due to the 'pole' nature of the course, but worth a look