- practice "hole" (not just basket, but practice tee too)
- significant rolling hills/elevation change
- nice visible orange baskets in great shape
- composting toilets
- large dual concrete tees for each hole
- good options for different lengths on red/blue tees
- large tee signs with full color maps
- tee signs indicate current tee and next hole direction
- multiple pin positions with current install parked on tee sign
- benches and garbage cans at most holes
- pristinely manicured property with great natural beauty
- multiple cool water hazards - beautiful pond color
- good use of next tee indicators
- good mix of open and wooded holes
- enough technical challenge to force shot shaping despite being a former ball golf course
- ample parking

- some limited interference with walking paths in park
- even red tees are going to be pretty difficult for true novices
- a few places where additional navigation aids could be helpful

I knew going in to New Melle Lakes that some of the top reviewers on this site had given it high praise, but overall, it's still relatively unknown in the arena of "destination courses." While Harmony Bends is a couple hours west and is going to get much more attention, this course is spectacular in its own right. I usually don't care for ball course converts, but this does not feel that way. While more open than a dense wooded course, this course still has mature tree hazards, shot shaping requirements, and tons of challenge and fun.

One of the most notable things setting New Melle apart is the exquisite natural beauty. There is a great mix of deciduous and evergreen trees, as well as multiple ponds/lakes with different water colors, some of which are such a blue/teal it almost makes you feel like you're in the Pacific Northwest. The "Lakes" in the name of the course is legitimate.

It was hard to find many real cons here. The park is pristinely maintained. However, it is definitely not for everyone; even the red tees are quite challenging and make for an average length 18 hole course. The blue tees make for a very long course. It took me over 90 minutes to play the red tees solo, so it is a fairly involved course. When you first roll up, I don't think it looks this way from the parking lot, but beginners will probably get worn out and frustrated. This isn't on the level of the most difficult courses I've played but it does require ability to move your disc in certain ways and control shots.

The equipment here is top notch, with large, dual concrete tees, fantastic tee signs (which indicate which tee you are at, a huge plus), and baskets in great shape. Some don't like the Prodigy baskets, but if you make a good putt it's going in 9 times out of 10, so this has never bothered me too much. The tee signs are some of the best I've seen, indicating the current pin position and the direction to the next hole. I don't recall getting turned around too much here, but a few more navigation aids wouldn't hurt (do they ever?).

This course is more open than my personal preference, but it is such a great blend of beauty, maintenance, and challenge that it ranks very high on the list of courses I've played. Most places there isn't much rough to speak of and finding discs is straightforward. One note about that beauty though - the cool, teal/blue lakes are rather cloudy so if your disc goes in, you better know exactly where, or you aren't getting it back - ask me how I know. :-(

I think my main con here were the walking paths. While the area is mostly devoted to disc golf, it does play over/near walking paths in a few cases which I never like. The park was pretty quiet when I was there but any risk of hitting people with shots should really be designed out as much as possible. This course might be more like a 4.25 for me due to the safety issues and a few other nits, but it's closer to a 4.5 than a 4.

If you are in the St. Louis metro and/or headed to Harmony Bends, this is a must play course. It is another phenomenal free course maintained by local parks & rec and part of what makes disc golf so great. Don't sleep on this one.

New Melle Lakes is an 18-holer located at the park of the same name, on the western outskirts of the St. Louis area.

New Melle Lakes Park used to be a ball golf course, and this became pretty clear to me early on in my round. The open sections of the course are beautifully manicured and had what I can only describe as "that ball golf feel" to them. But don't start to think that this is a boring, wide open course. This course design dives in and out of a wide variety of environments, from wide open fields to tight plots of woods and everything in between. Several ponds are scattered around and used in the course design, along with rolling hills throughout the park. The seemingly effortless transitions between picturesque environments and incorporation of different bona fide water hazards and elevation challenges throughout the round created a truly impressive variety of holes, and reminded me of Maple Hill.

There are two layouts here - a Blue layout that will satisfy advanced players, and a moderately difficult Red layout. I was happy with the Red layout, but big arms will love the Blues. Regardless of layout, there is a nice mix of hole distances (about 275'-625' from the Blues and 200'-400' from the Reds).

Some notable individual holes:
-#3 is a pretty little water carry with the water also on the left side of the green, making this a tricky shot for RHBH players. It's pretty much a pitch across the water and putt from the Red tees, but the Blues increase the challenge by moving the tee pad way back into the field uphill from the pond.
- #10 is a simple little downhill throw that is 200' and open from the Red tee - but right behind the basket is a downslope to a pond! The Blue tee position increases the challenge by making players throw out of a wooded tunnel.
- #12 is another nice water carry of varying lengths depending on pin position and tee choice. This time the water opens out to the right. My favorite hole on the course.
- #15 is a wide open fairway with the basket elevated 8' or so on a huge rock mound.
- #17 plays downhill the whole way, forcing players to thread through a narrow gap off the tee to reach a wider fairway beyond. There is a great view off into the Missouri countryside from the tee. If the basket is in the furthest pin position, there is a scary rollaway hill behind it.

The tee areas are perfect. Each hole has two large trapezoid-shaped concrete pads. The tee signs appear at both tees and clearly indicate whether you are at the Blue or Red tee position. The signs have all of the info you'll need, including the current pin position which is marked with a bolt. The signs indicate that there are 3-4 pin positions per hole. I'm pretty sure there was a high-quality bench at each Blue AND each Red tee.

The baskets are orange Prodigy models that stick out really well in both the wooded and open areas. There is one basket installed per hole. There are also little golf balls sitting on top of each basket. I'm not sure if these were an intentional decoration, or just a fun touch that local players have added over the years of encountering them around the park.

There are a lot of extra touches around that really take the New Melle Lakes experience to the next level. Little pink quills to mark circle 1 around each basket. Not only a practice basket, but an entire practice hole (complete with tee sign) playing uphill from the parking lot towards hole 1's tee. Trash cans at strategic locations around the course. A nice kiosk and restroom structure installed at the parking lot.

I think I may have to appoint myself DGCR's resident navigational signage nit picker at this point. But yeah, I could have used more aids. The direction of the next hole is pointed out on the previous tee signs, and there are a couple more standalone signs scattered around. It seemed like if you bothered to walk back to the furthest pin position, there was usually one posted. But sometimes that would mean extra walking to actually get to the next tee pad.

There were some alternate pin positions that I wanted to experience, but couldn't due to only one set of baskets being installed. I would love to see all of the pin positions get permanently installed baskets, or at least two per hole.

The Red tees are more of a moderate level round here, with a couple of water carries that could be challenging depending on pin position. That's great for experienced rec level noodle arms like me, but just noting that this course does not have an option that I would recommend for true beginners.

The finishing hole 18 appeared to have been recently redesigned as of my October 2023 visit. It looked like the old design may have been a little bit too close to #17 for comfort, and the new hole 18 is a solid finishing hole that plays down and back up a wooded valley.

This is technically a multi-use park, but the main non-DG activity in the park just appeared to be some paved walking trails. I don't recall any places where the trail locations seemed like they would create potential safety hazards.

One of my favorite parts about travelling around to experience disc golf courses, is playing a course that I feel exceeds the current DGCR average rating. Despite the 4.08 average here prior to my review, I almost skipped this one on my trip to Missouri because it wasn't really convenient to my itinerary. But I'm SO glad I carved out the time to fit a round in here. I wish I had the time to play a second round. This is a really good course in a beautiful park that made it onto my short list of Favorites. If you're in the area to play Eagle's Crossing and Harmony Bends, don't miss New Melle Lakes!

Two sets of concrete tees, with good signs at each. Multi pin layout is ultra versatile. Some elevation, and some water in play. New Melle Lakes offers some great risk reward on the waters edge, some woodsy drives and a well maintained park with great amenities.

A couple of free flying bombers on 1 and 15. Really edgy water hazards on 3 and 12. Wooded technical drives on several holes. Ends with a roller coaster that drops downhill on 17 and climbs back up on 18.

I played the long tees. This will complicate strategy on several holes. 2 is a much tougher entry into the trees. 3 is really tough to judge what will leave you a favorable approach. You want a perfect lay up on the waters edge, but it is easy to fall way short, and putting a drive in the water is also very possible. 4 long is just a tough wooded fairway that takes very precise throws. I loved the downhill drive on 6, where a perfect drive will cross the valley and climb the opposite side toward the pin. 7, 8, and 9 are the kind of narrow fairways through very dense trees that can be frustrating, but nailing that drive is immensely satisfying.

10 B is on a berm in front of a pond, you need to place that one fairly carefully. 12 long better be online if you go for the gusto. I threw the Destroyer and it cut just far enough to clear the water by about 10 feet and took a nice skip into the fairway. It wasn't a short approach to get a good look at a birdie on pin C. 13 is more forrest run, and pin A was in my range for another birdie. 14 is open until you near the pin. If the placement is off there are some tough angles on the approach. 15 had the elevated pin on top of a boulder. That turned into a 3 putt for me, but i still liked it on an otherwise wide open hole. 16 dives back into the woods, and I took some lumps to the tune of 3 over par on that one. Still a fun and challenging hole that I would love a few more shots at. 17 falls off the side of a hill, and was an exhilarating drive to say the least. 18 is uphill all the way. Try not to throw your arm out. Really tough closer.

I loved it overall. Just about every shot in the bag is needed. Not a beginners course, even from the short tees. Bring plenty of water, this one can take it out of you.

I can't find a lot of flaws, but I tend to see most disc golf courses through a very favorable lens. There was some construction going on around the sixth hole that didn't impact the game much.

Not for the faint of heart. Super well equipped. Maybe one or two holes that don't meet the top tier quality line, but it's consistently fun, with high degree of difficulty.

I was 4 over par on a 63 layout. Lost 3 strokes on 16. Birdies on 5, 12 and 13, and missed chances on two or three other holes at least. Would have loved to get under par on the first time out here, but still felt good about my play when all was said and done. posting a low score is possible, and I would love to try and do it many times over at New Melle Lakes.

New Melle Lakes is a beautiful 18-hole disc golf course that resides on a former ball golf course turned county park. The course is one of three 18 holes overseen by the St. Charles County Park Department, and is also the youngest of the three. While the other two 18s are also strong courses, New Melle is the jewel of St. Charles County, and among the top courses in the St. Louis area.

The park's location is in New Melle, Missouri, and is about a secluded as you can get while still being considered a St. Louis area course. In terms of directions, the course is about 10 minutes from I-70, and 20 minutes from I-64. Coming from either direction will give you a fun country two-lane highway drive to New Melle, and then you'll turn for a one-minute drive down Foristell to the park. The disc golf course is located at the second entrance. Being a town of under 500, there's not a lot of food or gas options in New Melle, but each interstate junction has some restaurants or gas stations if you need those. What the park's location lacks in nearby food and gas, it more than makes up for with scenery. My 8am round at New Melle made for one of the prettier backdrops I have had while playing a round of golf, despite being played before the leaves grow back in on the trees.

In terms of park amenities, disc golf and hiking trails are the biggest features of this large 400-acre park. New Melle has 3.7 miles of paved trails that go all around the property for park goers to enjoy, as well as additional non-paved trails. Fishing is also available at numerous ponds on sight, including the 25-acre lake at the center of the park. The Landhaus at the other park entrance is available for renting for events. Future planned additions include a non-motor boat launch, a playground, a large dog park, and shelters, all of which will only make this park more popular among the local community as well as disc golfers.

Course equipment at New Melle include 2 concrete tee pads and 2 tee signs for each hole, as well as the second practice hole I've seen among my 83 course credits. The practice hole has a tee sign with distances, a concrete pad, and 2 different baskets that are great distances for shots with putters up to drivers. The view from the tee pad to the furthest practice basket is a little obstructed, so I recommend practicing putts at the shorter basket so other golfers will see you. The baskets on site are bright orange prodigy baskets that still look like they just came out of the box. The tee pads on the course are very generous in size, and include a three-foot fault line zone. I noticed in some tournament coverage that players were using the front of the pads, so I'm not sure anyone uses the pads in this way. Each tee sign includes which pad you are at, a graphic of the hole layout, pin locations and distances, which pin is in use, and the direction of the next hole. There are also several additional signs on the course that help with navigation. There also seemed to be a bench at every tee pad, a huge plus with the elevation this course has. There are a few trash cans you'll pass when you go by pathways too, so keep the park clean.

New Melle's course design offers a mix of open shots along the former ball golf greens and tighter wooded holes. The open fairway shots manage to not fee redundant, which can be a challenge to achieve when you have so many on a course; for instance, hole 5 is open and downhill, while hole 6 is a shot across more of a valley that ends with an elevated basket on a hillside. Meanwhile, the wooded holes offer very challenging fairways to hit. Holes 2 and 11 are especially tight, and require particular lines to be hit to get a good birdie look despite the short distances. The wooded holes also have a good amount of variety in terms of whether a backhand forehand, or straight shot will serve you best, requiring a full arsenal of shots to find success.

The flow of the course overall is very nice and easy to follow; I like testing new courses by not really looking at a map ahead of time, and I found this course to be very easy to navigate. The only exception was when I went to 3's blue pad after hole 1, but hole 2 was a short walk and within site from there. The course also never intrudes on other park uses, with any tee pad and fairway near a pathway facing away from said pathway. Each hole has 3 or 4 pin placements that can make for a very different feeling round each time you play here. Hole 1, for example, ranges from 245' to 504' from the red tee, and also varies in how guarded each pin is with the tree line. This also isn't even the highest variance from short to long pins on the course.

Elevation changes compliment the mix of open and wooded holes to make for 18 mostly unique-feeling holes. There's a real mix of holes that either favor RH backhands, forehands, or offer opportunities for either to be thrown, allowing for good opportunities for a variety of shot types and players dominant in either hand to have a strong round. The blue and red tees also seemed like that offered a good amount of variance from each other in terms of difficulty and variety in their placements. It didn't feel like the blue tees were just planted further behind the red tees with the same line; some offered tighter gaps off the tee, while others add significant distance to the hole they are on.

In terms of course difficulty, this is a course that's accessible to a fairly large range of players. The red tees will make for a fun and challenging round for players ranging from fairly new to more seasoned intermediate-advanced players. The blue tees will offer more challenging rounds for intermediate to advanced players. Newer players should go into a round at New Melle knowing that there are some more challenging or riskier shots on this course, especially with the water carries on 3 and 12.

As for course highlights, 3 and 12 come to mind with the water carries. Hole 3 will punish you if you hit a tree by the water (trust me). Hole 12 offers some nice risk-reward, especially from the red tee, in that you can decide how much you want to try to bite off with your drive. Hole 1 is a beautiful relatively open downhill shot to start your round but has a tree line on the left to be careful of. Hole 15's elevated pin on a rock pile is one of the cooler pins I have seen on any course so far, and makes for a fun challenge with its height. Lastly, Hole 17 makes for a fun downhill fairway and includes 3 pin placements that use former ball golf bunkers. The hill continues past the last pin, making any drive and approach treacherous.

Hole 18 - I have to agree with other folks on this one. Hole 17 is one of the highlights of the course and one of the more fun holes you will find in St. Louis. To then end on hole 18 feels a little off. I think it's the clear erosion issue the land this hole is on that keeps me from overlooking the hole. With how much land that is available to this course, I think putting a short hole somewhere else that doesn't hurt the current flow and making it a "Hole 1A" or equivalent would be an idea worth exploring. I get that 18 is there to get you back to the parking lot. Sure, hole 17 ends a little walk from the parking lot, but it looks to me like you could make a small trail through the woods by hole 18 to the parking lot that would also make the elevation change less significant on your walk back. I think most can agree that hole 18 is far from being a favorite hole on this course; a basic hole elsewhere wouldn't hurt the design of this course. With all of the open areas, a short island hole marked by taller uncut grass could even be an alternative. Cujo has an interesting idea in a different review. Update - It sounds like Hole 18 is getting a redesign. I'll be sure to get an update in once this is complete.

The mud and dampness on site, considering the recent snow melt and rain the previous night, was very minimal. The exceptions were hole 2 and 10, where it was muddy in some spots within circle 1. Hole 10 by the larger tree right of the pin was an especially interesting location to putt from after my drive. Overall though, considering the amount of precipitation the course had received recently, I was impressed with drainage here. Just look out near some of the pins.

The rest of these are preferences others may have and don't factor into my rating.

Poison Ivy and Ticks - My round was in February so these weren't an issue for me, but I can buy that they are present on course. Be careful in the woods and be mindful where you're stepping if you're off the fairway.

Prodigy Baskets - This is the first time I have played a course with Prodigy baskets. I personally did not have a problem with them catching my putts, but I can see how they can lead to spit outs with the cross chains. The chains on these baskets are noticeably stiffer when you hit the inner ring, and discs don't penetrate the chains as much with these baskets. I didn't have an issue with these (yet), but if you don't like these baskets, this course does have them.

Course Design - This course does not loop back at hole 9, with hole 9 being the furthest that you go away from the parking lot. Don't plan on seeing your car again until you finish your round. If you have to leave your round early, it could be a long walk to the car, and this was a rare time for me that I had to think for a second about where I was in relation to the parking lot in the middle of a round. Some of the wooded holes felt somewhat repetitive in design, but I think that the pins that were in use were a big factor in that. Lastly, some of the tee pads placements did leave a little more to be desired. Hole 3's blue tee really does invite the layup for a 3 attempt unless you can absolutely bomb a drive over the lake. Some of the short pads also make for some pretty short holes, though I think the tight fairways make up for this at least a little bit.

Location - This course is off the beaten path, with only a convenience store or two in town. Plan ahead with drinks and food before playing here.

Tim Weigard and the St. Charles County Parks Department have really done wonders with this former ball golf course. St. Charles County in general has some truly amazing and expansive parks, and it's really nice to see the focus they have on disc golf and the upkeep of the courses in their parks. New Melle, Indian Camp Creek, and Quail Ridge really make for an amazing trio of 18-hole courses to oversee.

New Melle is a beautiful park that will only get better as they add amenities. Added amenities might also lead to additional amenities that can benefit disc golfs as well, such as water fountains or additional bathrooms along trails.

It's amazing how worn this course feels considering it's only a couple of years old, and the fairways will only wear in more with age. Seeing some of the large grass areas be dedicated to natural grass while leaving others for picnicking or other uses would be interesting to see and would help even more environmentally. With the quality this course is at already, it's exciting to think about how well it can age potentially. The course has already hosted multiple PDGA sanctioned events, and with Smokin' Aces being rewarded an A tier for their tour, this course will very likely start getting higher level events sooner rather than later, and it deserves it.

I am pretty confident in calling this a top 3 course for the St. Louis area. It'll be interesting to see how The Bunker and Creve Coeur-Hillside turn out once they are complete, and I need to get back to Sioux Passage after an 8 year hiatus. However, looking at the course ratings of courses I have yet to play around St. Louis and considering the courses I have already played, this course is clearly among the very best St. Louis and St. Charles have to offer.

If you are passing through I-70 or I-64, this course is worth adventuring a little off the path for. I'd argue other courses like Jefferson Barracks and Endicott offer more of the "St .Louis Disc Golf Vibe", but this course should be on any St. Louis visitor's short list to play, and on every local's wish list. If you're looking for a full day of golf, Quail Ridge is only 10 minutes up Highway Z and offers a primarily short wooded course to compliment New Melle. if you want the trifecta, Indian Camp Creek is just over 10 minutes north of Quail Ridge, with new Melle really combining the best features of the other two courses. Also, be sure to check out Smokin' Aces Disc Golf while you're in the area. Only 10 minutes north of New Melle, Smokin' Aces is a pro shop with a large selection of discs, bags, and carts, including some smaller brands like Kastaplast, Legacy, and Millennium. The St. Charles County Disc Golf Club is also a great organization to check out on Facebook to see what tournaments and leagues are happening at the courses in the county.

If you're in the area and want to play the best St. Louis, New Melle Lakes would be more than a respectable choice. Come give this course some love - you won't regret it.

Two tees and several possible basket placements. Over half the course is through the woods. Well marked and easy to follow. Great warm up area at the entrance.

Grass in fairways is thick and finding first hole for someone who hasn't played there can be a challenge.

New Melle Lakes Course is built on land which was a former golf course. This aspect means it has a very polished appearance with a lot of scenic views and well maintained fairways and greens.

The course is laid out with two teepads for every hole: a long and short - which theoretically could be good (see Cons) and no less than 3 pin positions for every hole. Course offers 2 practice baskets and a practice teepad which is great for getting warmed up.

There's a lot of variety in shot selection. Significant effort was put into the design to incorporate the heavily wooded areas of the park into the course, while keeping some of the more scenic aspects of an open air golf course. Some of the highlights:

Hole 1 - both pads - is one of the more scenic holes in metro. A downhill drive with some early tree obstructions opens up to a wide open field with multiple pin positions. Pads play similarly.

Hole 3 Short- The first of three holes with water in play, the short pad offers three completely different water shots - putter, mid, and driver.

Hole 5 Short - brings into play the unique golf course landscape with large bunkers blocking some pin positions while other pins spots risk discs rolling away.

Hole 6 - Both Pads - Open air golf style shot from one hillside to another over a creek. With 300' of power, you should clear the creek from either pad easily. Lots of trees guarding the three pin positions. Long pin is positioned on the back-side of the hill and does risk roll offs.

Hole 7 - Short - Hole 7 is a heavily wooded hole with pin positions which range from putter to distance driver distances. The putter position is in Ace range - but good luck getting to the driver spots. The tree trunks are thick - making layups the smart option.

Hole 9 - Both Pads - a similar shot from either pad , albeit with added distance, this wooded hole will require a 300' or 350' shot through a lot of trees to reach it's back pin positions.

Hole 10 - Both pads - A fun short elevation hole with water in play behind two of the three positions.

Hole 12 - Short - Perhaps the most scenic hole on the course, hole 12 short offers an elevated view across a small lake with views of it's multiple pin positions. The elevated position and across-the-lake shot will help avoid the dreaded disc graveyard below. Trees will come into play on 2 of the three positions. Again, advanced players will throw putter, mid, or driver depending on the pin.

Hole 12 - Long - offers a flatter position closer to water level. Clear the bank (and trees) and fairway plays the water's edge. An errant turnover will put you in the water. You need a disc to flip flat and fade. Long position is a beast of a pro-level hole.

Hole 17 - Both pads - Like hole 5, this BIG downhill utilizes golf course bunkers. Positions 2-3 are the highlights with scenic views of the farm and creek down below. The course should END with this hole.

St. Charles Co. has opted for short / long pads on most of it's courses. While in some cases this works, it's not financially effective because most players just play the shorts. New Melle has quite a few examples of holes where alot of money went into pouring 2nd teepads and purchasing tee signs - that aren't being used. Very few players play the long pads at New Melle - and It's too bad, because in some cases, the long pads are better - and in some cases - the shorts are better.

Each course has some less than stellar pad positions -

Short pads on 2, 4, 13
Long pads on 3, 4, 5, 7, 14

In most cases, the short pads in these locations are too short... while the long pads add either a layup shot - or just aren't that interesting compared to the short pad they pair with. Hole 7 long could have been 2 really good wooded holes (eliminating 18).

Two holes really lack interest for me:

15 - wide open hole with super short position, middle position on top of rocks (i'm never a fan of this), and bomber spot. I'm sure other people really like this hole.

18 - This hole would be fine somewhere in the middle, but it's a big downer tacked on to the end of the course. Erosion is already such a problem there's wood and mulch holding in the hillside.

New Melle is a perfect example of where the 2 pad, 1 pin approach may not be the best method for course design. This is a case where a a 2 basket, 1 pad approach to design is a better approach to providing a pro / am blended course. Yes, more baskets are expensive - but in this case, cost couldn't have been that big of an issue given the land that was purchased and dedicated to this course.

Overall, it's a good course - long or short (most will play the shorts). Hopefully over time the kinks get ironed out.

The latest addition to St. Charles County Parks! St. Charles County is really pushing disc golf forward in and around the St. Louis area. This place had some excellent funding behind it and more amenities are seemingly being added to the park spring/summer 2020 from what I can tell driving into the park.

Alright, lets talk about the good stuff at this park/course:
1. Parking, seems obvious but some parks miss this. some courses have little parking near hole 1 (Jefferson Barracks) Some courses have parking nowhere close to hole 1 (Clinton Hills) At New Melle it's just right. Nice sized lot close to Hole 1 and the bathroom. check

2. Scenic. Sometimes courses carved into former ball golf courses fail miserably here. Most closed golf course are, lets face it, ugly. They're full of dead grass, no elevation, mud patches and crumbling infrastructure. If they were beautiful with varied terrain, water features, lovely forests and great paths/infrastructure; they probably wouldn't have closed. Not sure what closed this course (I'd guess location from metro area/economics) but disc golfers, walkers, runners, and anglers can now rejoice in it's beauty. Several lakes on the property really makes this park stand out.

Let's start talking about the course itself.

1. Course design from the red pads is excellent. Hole 1 is a show stopper on a nice summer day as are holes 4,5,9,12. See pictures for reference. Really cannot fault the design much here. As the course ages lines in the woods are opening, the rough is less rough and the course is getting better and better. An inside line has finally opened on hole 13 making a 2 possible with an air shot at B pin.
2. course flow/navigation. No problems there. super easy to get around the course.
3. Signage, really nice. there is no main map that I can see but each sign lays out where to go.
4. benches at each hole

I really like this course. It has elevation changes, water carries, a heavily wooded paradise for over 1/3% of the course (or nightmare for some) It's a sold course

There is a ton of excellent 4.5 rated hole design and course maintenance stuff happening on this course and it's a bummer that a couple things draw the rating back to a 4.

I think everyone that has played this course has their own opinion of Hole 18. I get why this hole is where is it. The designer(s) wanted to get you back to the lot after hole 17. What is Hole 18..well after you just played the entire course your final hole is an basket perched atop a mulchy hill with teepads that are uphill run-ups. There's already logs in place to slow erosion but they went ahead and put a hole here anyway. 400+power can get you to the B placement with a very technical low drive hyzer. 450+ and you may be able to get a skip shot over to C. 90% of players are taking a 3 here. it really stinks having to trudge down that hill and back up knowing that you are almost certainly taking a par on your last hole of the round. I'll address my idea for how to fix this in my Other Thoughts.

The other big negative is the Blue pads. I feel this course was designed from the red pads and after they had a solid design they figured how how to sandwich in another set of pads to have 2 pads. You see this at some courses in the area where it seems the blue pads are an afterthought. (Quail Ridge, Konarcik spring to mind) IMO it's better to have 1 excellent set of pads that splits the difference. thats why you have multiple pins. to add difficulty/variety.

The course is playable from the blue pads but it's taking a lot of pars without huge distance or laying up in the woods bc the added distance makes them tweener holes from the blue pads. Add a couple "impossible dog-leg" shots where it's not possible to get a disc in the air to the basket on a par 3 and you have a frustrating experience.

Prodigy baskets... ergh. nothing like trying to hit a putt at an elevated Prodigy cross chained basket. Spitsville.

This is one of my favorite course and can really become the Gem in St. Louis and St. Charles with just a couple updates.

Hole 18
The thing about Hole 18 is that it's not necessary. The course could and in the future should end on Hole 17. It's a better ending hole. Sadly this means you'll have to walk right past where 18 was to get to your car (which is why I'm guessing they stuck that hole in)

Anyway, There is room on another section of the course to make a more interesting hole. where?!? Hole 3 becomes hole 2b and 3. Let me explain.

Hole 2B - The blue pad for current Hole 3 is now the blue pad for new hole 2b. How many people play the Blues (not many, detailed above) of those, how many are attempting to get across the lake from the pad...maybe 5%. I have yet to see a player even make the short pin from the blue pad for an in the circle putt. If 1000+ rated players are laying up that tells you something. Take that and use it to the course's advantage. Here's how.

The red pad would be about 100 ft left of the blue pad when standing on the blue pad and about 50ft closer to the lake
Basket locations:
A. Center fairway about just over the crest. easy shot from both pads. I'd plant some dogwood trees in this fairway to add difficulty in the future
B. down at the lake edge dead straight 15ft from water edge
C. hzyer left and closer to the sidewalk and the bunching of trees in the corner of the lake leaving room for the basket to be at least 50ft from the sidewalk.

I would plant some shrub near the sidewalk to catch skipping discs

The short pad for hole 3 is the same and a new long pad can be placed about 30-50ft back and a little closer to the field forcing a challenging forehand or turnover with a much more substantial water carry. Then you just play the rest of the course and you don't even need to make new signs. This change would cost about $100 in concrete, a day of labor to dig holes for baskets and plant trees and tall grasses/mini clover near the waters edge to prevent a muddy green in the future

I would also add some natural grass OB down the fairway on Hole 14. Just don't mow a section and make it a prairie (like Dunegant or ICC). This would help with moisture control and force a more technical shot.

It may seem like a lot changing a hole and removing a hole but look at Quail Ridge right down the road. It is inevitable that erosion will eventually be the demise of hole 18. Let's make the adjustment now as I laid out or if anyone else has ideas I'm sure the parks would listen as long and you provide cost /time-frame / safety explanations.

Wonderful property for disc golf. A former golf course, the area is purely rolling, wooded hills with large lake and several smaller ponds. Elevation changes of 40ft and several water shots.
Great teepads
Lots of benches
Plenty of trash cans
Good signage
Mulched pathways and fairways
Pathed paths between some holes
Great course for a cart

Lots of ticks
Some not so fair fairways
Poison ivy

Interesting course design on an A+ piece of property. I think the short tees are extremely fun. The long tees are interesting. Needs some trees taken out to make true fairways. Hole 13... what?
Great effort...

New wooden benches every hole
Signage- attached to natural wood posts, same for directional signage- accurate/ useful info on both
Tee pad size and orientation
Nice array of pin placements on each hole
Elevated baskets on rocks
Nice mix of using old "ball" golf fairways & wooded holes long and short
ZERO trash anywhere
Good elevation changes without feeling like a mountain goat or so flat like Prairie chicken
Blues challenging - some b/c of distance ; some b/c of technicality- narrow gaps , mando, landing areas, shot shaping in woods, etc.
practice tee pad and basket next to parking lot
Water hazards - just enough on a couple of holes to make you think about risk / reward
Walking path close, but not to close

Note: these cons are mostly personal preference and nitpicks b/c substantive shortcoming of course are not apparent
18 hole - uphill short finish
Hole 1 not that close to parking
Temporary portable bathrooms - decent but not permenant. ( yet)
9th hole finishes in middle of course
course is off beaten path ( that could be a pro & con depending on your perspective )

Bio : lefty, age 58 , 930 pdga rating,
If I had one chance to introduce someone to disc golf it would be on this course. It is a quiet hike around a beautiful park ( former ball gall course)
If I had to recommend a course to play for anyone traveling to/ thru St. Louis this would be in my top 3.
It is a great course to do what I like to do which is play blue/ red at same time

I went to the grand opening and was amazed at the 'finished' look and feel of the course. I have helped put in a few courses and this one was the best I have seen on an opening day. The Parks people and the St. Charles Disc Golf Club did an outstanding job of preparing a championship level course, that can also be played and enjoyed by beginners and intermediates.

First of all, it is on the former New Melle Lakes ball golf course so they had a lot of room to work with. The mix of open holes, wooded holes, water, and elevation changes was quite nice. A tremendous amount and creativity went into some of the pin placements - in tree stumps and up on rock piles. The area around the course and the holes themselves are quite scenic. My foursome definitely took a lot of pictures on this course.

I found many of the holes quite challenging. There were benches on every hole and good quality tee signs, as well as great tee pads. There are red and blue tees so depending upon your skill level, pick which you prefer to play.

Since it is a new course, it will need a period of breaking in. There are still a few trees they plan to remove. There were tents and picnic tables near the parking lot at the grand opening - I am not sure if those will remain but I hope some kind of permanent pavilion will be built there. What is also missing is permanent restrooms, although there are porta-potties.

Wow - what a great job by everyone involved! I would not hesitate to recommend this as one of the must-play courses in the STL metro area. I believe this is already one of the best courses in the St. Louis area at present - in the top three for sure. When I say that, I am considering design, challenge, layout, tees, benches, signs, scenery, creativity, and overall experience.

There are 2 pads for each hole. I played this course from the blues and reds. The blues are challenging. The reds are not too easy and feel just right. The terrain has elevation and water. The fairways you can tell were a former golf course and are well maintained in the open areas. The elevated baskets were photogenic and placed on boulders. The signage is good and navigation was easy. The tee pads were Championship quality. The holes:

My favorite holes were Holes 1, 3, 5, 6, 12, 14, 15, 16, and 17.

Our group included a 1000 rated pro, another pro who is a long distance bomber who can throw over 600 feet, and 3 other disc golfers that average between 930 and 960 rated rounds.

Some highlites from our round that were memorable:

Hole 3 was almost aced from the blue pad by the bomber. Hole 3 from the blue pad required a mental game plan for those of us that laid up and there was good score separation. My favorite hole from a mental game standpoint. (Hole 3 is a small green that is protected by water unless you can throw a massive drive). Hole 5 was fun from both blue and red. From blue it is a cool shot coming out of a tunnel into an open fairway. From the red it is a downhill ace run. Hole 6 was a good use of elevation and rocks and was my favorite hole from a photogenic standpoint. Hole 12 was fun from both blue and red. I liked red a little better, not because it was easier but it is fun to be able to see the basket from the pad and watch the flight over the pond in a straight run at the basket. Hole 14 was fun from both the blue and red pads, the distance seemed just right so that it would be a par 4 from the blue and a par 3 from the red, I don't remember what the sign had it marked but it was a good use of the open fairway into a nice green. Hole 15 an absolute distance hole from the blue and still a good pump from the red. I saw the bomber in our group 2 this hole twice from the blue pad, this will be a great spectating hole for a big tourney to watch these guys smash. And finishes on an elevated boulder. Love it. I was happy to just get a 4 on it, it's challenging to have to cover that much distance and have such a tough putt. I really like the line on 16, it's a good golf hole, but it deserves some constructive criticism. Hole 17 is a fun downhill line with a difficult green. It's a challenge from both pads, I was the only one that was able to keep one on the green and pocket a birdie, it's nice to see holes where you don't just have to hit the line but you got to have the exact right distance as well.

A lot of the greens were not greens in my opinion. Most of the greens on the wooded holes had too many trees. I don't mind large trees around a green but not a fan off what we call scrub brush within 40-50 feet of the basket. Would provide much more of a Championship feel to get rid of saplings and low hanging limbs in the greens. Most of the wooded holes from the blues it was hard to understand what the line the designer has in mind, it truly felt like poke and hope. In some cases it seemed the blue pad wasn't just further away but was also not on the intended fairway. Also it seemed like a lot of the wooded holes there would be a tight fairway but than the basket and the green would be located off the fairway. To me a tight fairway should lead to the basket. The fairways for the red pads seemed much better in the woods. Notable holes that stood out in a negative way are as follows:

Hole 2, the green felt nonexistent. There was a great fairway but the green was inside the woods, I played the hole by staying in the fairway and had no access to the green from drives that stayed in the fairway line. The best shots on the hole were over the top Hyzers and tomahawks that we watched plinko down from the top. Hole 13 seemed to not have a fairway from either the red or blue pads. Pretty much the entire group either threw random rollers or just threw shots at the tree tops hoping to bounce threw. There was a range of scores but it didn't feel like golf. Hole 16 I loved the line and the use of elevation but the fairway just has too many trees in it. Hole 18 the tee pads are built in a way that you have to run uphill. Hole 18 was not a very exciting hole to finish on but I don't know how you could fix it.

Overall I saw a lot of Discs fly down fairways and hit their lines and end up with the same score as other who threw bad shots and didn't hit the line. Either it was because the good shots didnt have a putt at the green or there was no reward for landing in the fairway and the second shot from the fairway was the same difficulty as the bad shot from off the fairway. It definitly seemed like the fairways were not fair inside the woods...

This was my first time playing a course with these types of baskets and I am not here to review baskets. I will just say I am not a fan of them, it felt like the cross chains pushed many good putts out that normally would stay. I will say if you hit the sweet spot which is dead center, not an inch right or left or low, they caught well. The baskets are brand new and they all match, that matters the most. And the choice of basket does not affect my review. After playing both sets of pads I would recommend a hybrid layout for a tournament. I would probably do the following: 1-Blue, 2-Red, 3-Blue, 4-Red, 5-Blue, 6-Blue, 7-Red, 8-Red, 9-Red, 10-Red, 11-Red, 12-Red, 13-eliminate(add a temp hole somewhere), 14-Blue, 15-Blue, 16-Red, 17-Blue, 18-Blue

I understand this a brand new course and a work in progress. I'm trying to give constructive criticism and I don't want all the negative to take away from how much fun we had playing the course from both pads. I think the blue pads will be excellent once there is more maintenance done. I can't wait to come back and play here again and I will absolutely make changes to this review as the course is further developed.

Orange hi-Vis Prodigy baskets are easy to see and catch great. 2 practice baskets near the parking lot.
Informative signs with pin indicators on both the blue and red tees. Huge triangular concrete pads with red foul area for both Red and Blue tees. Next tees arrows point the way . Great use of elevation change with a great mix of open field, in the woods , and combined wood and field shots. 3 or 4 pin placements on each hole , with the D pins from Blue being brutally hard yet challenging..course map and scorecards at the kiosk. hole 18 ends where you started. There are only 3 courses out of over 380 that Ive played that rival this one..Hillcrest on Prince Edward Island, Branson Cedars Blue, and Rollin Ridge near Manitowoc, Wisconsin. This course I wanted to rate a 4.75 , its not perfect, but so close to it that I rounded up to 5. If you are Rec and play from the Blues, prepare for a beatdown . But this course is so scenic and fun that maybe you wont care that you shot in the 80s or 90s. This is the new Destination course in the Midwest. Im not going to go into the details of every hole; suffice it to say that holes 3 and 12 are lovely with lakes coming into play, and holes 7-11 are tree tunnel holes that challenge your shot-shaping accuracy and distance. The longest Pin from Blues are 1) 641 2)450 3)621 4)470 5)554 6)618 7)750 8)380 9)437 10)320 11)370 12)470 13)428 14)691 15)845 16)535 17)572 18) 341. New Melle designers did a fantastic job and all the amenities are in place to make this course stand head and shoulders above all other courses in Missouri...(sorry, Waterworks!)

There are a few trees that do block clean fairway lines to the pins on the wooded fairways that make it more about luck than skill, but many are marked with blue ribbons for removal. Keep in mind this is a new course. It will get even better.

Epic Midwest course fun and challenging for players of every skill level. Each hole has its own uniqueness and style. Very cart-friendly. Bring plenty of liquids for the hike. Basket 9 is not near parking lot.

Beautiful course set in western St Charles county, out in the very rural part of the county.
The course boasts the usual amenities: great dual concrete tee pads, excellent signage, benches, next tee signs.

Prodigy Cross Chain Baskets- first time I have played them, thought they caught just fine- hit one long throw with no issue.


Beautiful area containing 3 water holes (of which I found one!) Elevation changes, while not alot came in to play on a few holes.


Multiple basket placements- so if you become a regular can give different looks.


Couple of memorable holes:

#3 Water hole - short basket at 197, needed about 165 to clear water- certainly manageable even for this 55+ y/o with mediocre tee shot.

#12 Another water hole with more risk reward opportunity. Basket was in short placement needing about 275 to clear water, but staying left allows a safe landing area.

#18 Tough dog leg left up a steep hill. Had to work to finish this course!!


Two baskets were mounted on high stone placements (#1 and 15) similar to hole 7C at College Meadows course.

Course seemed to blend the best elements of several other St Charles county courses such as College Meadows and Fort Zumwalt.

For what the designers were striving for, there really are no cons.

A thought or two best put here, though... as course is new, there were still some noticeable piles of brush that will obviously be moved soon.


Lots of walking!! As it was built on an old ball golf course, there was a lot of real estate to use.

This is definitely geared to be more of a championship caliber course. I was challenged playing red and looking at the blue tees was daunting!!

Full disclosure: I am a 55+ y/o relatively new to the sport (5 yrs). That said, this was course #237 on the climb to that next goal of 500. My favorite type of course is the "city park" type where I generally have decent opportunity to throw a birdie or two. Out here, I had none, though my 19 y/o son threw 3 birdies.

This is not a leisurely type course to play. I am curious due to the very remote location of this course, whether there will be sustained activity. I certainly hope so as it is a beautiful course and area.

As for rating, the course itself gets a 4 for its layout and amenities, while for me, the "fun" factor was a 3; netting a 3.5 very good course.

- Tee Areas: Large concrete tee pads with mulch, bench, and signs
- Multiple Pin Placements
- Red and Blue tees: Course was installed with the Reds as priority
- Water carries are fair from both tee locations
- Signs and Navigation
- C1/C2 landing difficulty: most basket locations have trouble and/or mental distractors around their Greens (trees in C1, roll aways, elevated basket, water)
- Red tees' Fairways: all holes looked fully developed shorts to shorts already. Almost friendly enough for a true first time player (minus 200ft water carry) and enough difficulty for someone to play for years.

- Prodigy Cross Chain Baskets: very poor catching due to lack of penetration towards the pole. Should consider removing some of the cross chains.
- No "Turn": this course does NOT return to the parking or meeting area between the front 9 and back 9
- Green Access in the woods: After the A placement on the woods holes, prepare for mostly pure scramble. Lacks "reward" and "optimal landing zones" deep down fairways (new course)
- Red and Blue tees: Course was designed with the Red tees as priority
- Secondary lines in woods: Course is new but most wooded fairways are single option only at this time

Holes that I disliked/felt needed the most work for "Championship" quality:
2 red - Hyzer over everything, no reward for fairway
3 blue - rewards the layup over the water carry too much
5 red- Nothing in the way
6 "A" position- Elevated basket on elevated green leads to lay ups
6 red- walk by all the trees to throw in an open field
7 blue- Par 5 or 6, brush piles blocking scrambles
7 "C" pin placement- Par 6 due to trees not being cleared
10 blue- trees need to be removed, the shot to "A" will be a silly pitch out off the side of the pad
13 red- no fairway, hole not finished
13 blue- worse than red
14 blue- throw into open field, then play 14 red from a shorter spot
15 blue - throw into open field, then lay up to basket or huge rock
16 blue - has a mando and no fairway, lay up to red pad
16 red- FH roller scramble from tee
17 blue's mando- blocks a "fun" hyzerbomb
17 missing hole- anyone else think the hill/drop off behind 17 is crying out for a hole
18 "C" pin position - Par 4 unreachable off tee since fairway forces you right. Also easier from blue tee.

A solid addition to the St. Charles Course List. Great property with early signs of possible 1000 rated difficulty holes from Blues (2 or 3 out of 18 currently). Currently plays very random and scramble heavy from Blues in the woods and landing zone heavy when in the open. Plays half technical and half shorter/open from the Reds. Course is new and has the potential for 1000+ rated play; but still needs more time and work if that is the true goal.

Reds Only as a local course: 4 stars
Reds Only as an A Tier: 2 stars (requires tee times)
Blues Only as a NT/Major course: 1 star
Blues Only as a local course: 3 stars
Overall Course Rating: 3 stars

_Orange Prodigy Baskets
_Nice informative tee signs
_Kiosk with aerial course map
_Directional signs all over the place!
_2 Huge, textured triangular tees on every hole with a red stained follow through area to prevent erosion
_36 wood benches
_Beautifully done rock work around multiple tee pads and baskets
_Multiple elevated baskets (con if you're not into this)
_Water in play on a few holes
_Beautiful park setting
_Championship* quality from the long tees
_Great use of elevation
_Mix of open and wooded holes
_Huge variety between shorts/long tees
_Multiple pin placements on every hole with a ton of variety
_Excellent flow with some nicely done trails in spots they are needed

_Some holes with small diameter trees directly in the middle of the fairway that create some randomness/luck well down the fairway
_13 and 16 are ehhhh as they stand from the longs
_Some of the Par 3s from the longs are sub 400 feet but have shot shapes that really play like short Par 4s (it was mostly short placements when I played, so this is context dependent

OK, so my overall thought on New Melle Lakes is it's far and away the best course in St. Charles County and the volunteers did some amazing work. I played the grand opening and was astonished at how "finished" this course was with the tees, benches, signs, mulch, trails, etc. It was seriously impressive. There are so many great holes and the fun factor is through the roof. Make no mistake, I LOVE IT. I also enjoy a good day of scrambling, and New Melle Lakes gives you that if you play the longs.

My reviews are always in the context of how a course plays in a competitive format. Because I like to compete, and I want this area to have a course that could host an NT/Major/DGPT even down the road. This means I'm a purist when it comes to reducing luck by way of distinct fairways. I love difficult. I especially love difficult in the woods, but I don't want the difficulty to come from randomness. For me, the only thing keeping this course from a 4.5-5 is the luck factor on a handful of holes/spots. It's a bit disappointing because the holes themselves - the shot shapes, and vision from the designer are excellent. It's just a few trees here and there, that IMO, obviously create randomness. As a general example, there are instances when a perfect shot shape has to be thrown through a beautifully tight tunnel through the woods and then 200-300 feet up the fairway, in that beautiful tunnel stands 1, or a few trees that simply cannot be accounted for off the tee. It's a matter of luck in spots, pure and simple.

Please don't misunderstand this review. I'm being extremely nitpicky because clean fairways are at the top of my review hierarchy. I realize that is not the same for everyone. In fact, every single person I have heard from while playing and after has had nothing but excellent things to say about it.

The course designers did say that the course is brand new and it needs some time to "break in" and I did get the feeling that they were open to some minor changes, but I was personally told by the main man that it would likely stay as is for at least a year, which is perfectly fine. "breaking in" is a term used when referring to underbrush and what not on a new course. Trees don't break in. They get cut down, or maybe die after a decade or so of getting hammered by discs (small ones). Because this course is soooooo close to elite, I really hope the chainsaw comes out. No disrespect to the trees of course. We all need firewood.