Peninsula Park is home to a very nice, well designed 18 hole course. There's a mixture of tightly wooded, slightly wooded and a couple open holes. The majority of the course is of the tightly wooded variety though.

The baskets are Mach III's that are on the older side but still caught well enough. The baskets themselves are painted a bright orange which was much appreciated. Very easy to spot in the woods. Normally Mach III's might as well be camoflauged. One basket, but dual pin positions on each hole.

Two concrete tee pads on each hole from what I could tell. We played from whichever one we seen first or found more interesting for our round so it wasn't a particular layout. All pads seemed to be in good shape and level. I don't recall any issues on these so I'd assume both the blue and red pads are plenty serviceable.

The wooded holes are really fun here. Tight lines but most had a couple different gaps you could play. The fairways were cleared of debris and in overall great shape. The rough can get tough on these holes, but not too terrible for the most part. You should be able to find something in most spots. The semi open holes towards the end were a different story though.

The flow of the course is pretty simple. I don't think I had to use the map once due to the well worn paths between holes. There was also some next tee signs were needed and even when it was pretty obvious. The course starts and ends pretty close to the parking area.

The river can come into play on a few holes, 13 and 16, depending on pin placement. It'd require a horrendous throw on 16, but is possible. Hole 13 when in the long, which we played, is much more in play. The course is mostly flat but there's a couple spots, mostly toward the end where a little bit of elevation comes into play. Very slight, but it's present.

The first and last holes are kind of filler type holes. Not the worst of problems to have really, and they're not terrible holes either. They're basically there just to get you from the parking lot to the good stuff and back. They just don't really fit in with the rest of the course. But I get it.

A few of the lines could use a bit of trimming. Not too many, but a few of the lines were kind of random. Keep in mind I only played from a mix of different tees. Still some plinko feeling shots here.

The baskets are starting to show their age a bit. This would be the number one thing I, and I'd assume most locals, would like to see upgraded. For such a solid course like this it's always a letdown playing on Mach's.

There's a decent chance of lost disc potential here. The river, some thick willowy stuff on 15, and just some other random places throughout. You can also throw into the dog park on 18 if you get a little too aggressive. Probably won't lose you disc but it may come back with some tooth marks in it after being a chew toy for a bit. I should've mentioned it in the pros, but it's not Dogparkreview.com, but the dog park here is pretty gigantic. Like Six Flags for dogs amazing.

The course is the most tailored to all skill levels in Iowa City. Therefore it's very popular, and in turn VERY busy. For good reason of course, but expect some delays if playing in peak hours.

This course was damn fun. I'd play here all the time if I lived around here. Just a great mix of different layouts and not overly strenuous like Coralville. This one and Sugar Bottom would easily be my most played courses. Depending where I lived in relation to each I'd probably play them about evenly. Very nice course that deserves a visit if you're near here. Highly recommend, even with all the nitpicky cons I listed. Very good, and just fun, course.

Peninsula has a good set of woods to play with on the banks of the Iowa River. Tall mature trees will challenge the shot-shaping abilities of the best around.

The amenities are all in order. Two tee pads, each with their own sign. A MachIII basket in decent shape on each hole, and signage on how to get to each of the next tees. To further credit the course, the maintenance is well done. Rough is left rough, fairways are clean of debris, and the paths between holes are kept up very nicely. Going off the fairway is sometimes punished a little harshly, but that's part of the design.

The woods begin at hole 2 and don't let up until hole 13. Some very tight tunnels on 4, 9, and 10 are complimented by some larger gaps on 3, 6, and 11. Some slight uphills and downhills throughout but nothing massive apart from hole 11 with a big drop off the tee before moving to the left.

Hole 13, but only in the par 4 spot. A 15ft wide gap which jogs the fairway to the left sits about 200ft off the tee, then the river runs the rest of the way down the right side to the pin. The rough separating the short green and long fairway is too high, but apart from that it's a great multi-shot hole.

The elevation holes are few, but memorable. The aforementioned hole 11 has a similar drop to hole 15, which plays straight away or to the forehand player. Hole 17's long pin slopes away behind the basket which could make for a tricky putt, and hole 10 is slowly but steadily uphill for all 560ft.

Two tees on each hole, and each one brings something different to the course, whether it's adding distance, a different line, or completely changing how you attack the hole, none of them feel unnecessary. It's a big advantage this course has over others.

Lack of fairways. Holes 2 and 6 just have... nothing, and hole 8 isn't much bigger. A small gap is fine, but a non-gap is an issue. There are ways to get there, but the margins for error are so fine that a birdie is going to come from a big throw-in rather than a skillful drive.

Hole 1. The only obstacle is air.

The last couple holes are weak in comparison to the rest. Hole 16 is a simple right-finish, hole 17 is a bigger right-finish, and hole 18 is a dogleg right... which can be beaten with - you guessed it - a right finish. All three of these are also severely lacking in obstacles and feel jarringly different from the rest of the course.

A few of the long tees in the woods were overgrown - I believe it was holes 5 and 8.

Having a course with two tees on every hole is always going to gain it points. The course isn't perfect, being bookended with boring holes isn't great and having unfairly tree-cluttered holes in the middle won't help, but in the end, the park did a fine job with this property when there wasn't much else to do with this land. It stays out of the way of the rest of the park, and the woods are dense enough to keep the course in its own little world. It's worth your time for a quick, but solid course.

Course is well maintained with good signage. All holes playable. We enjoyed the scenery.

The few holes near river were a bit rough (long grass, uneven walking).

Updating review since none since 2018.

This course offers a challenge to any disc thrower. It is loaded with trees and has a nice finish along the Iowa River. A number of the holes have multiple angles of approach so any type of thrower should find this course enjoyable.

Some holes it feels like there are too many trees. And a lot of undergrowth that can lead to lost discs for someone who isn't a pro. If you are a beginner I would play this course in spring or late fall when the trees are bare and the undergrowth is down.

Fun course that offers a real challenge. Free to play.

Good variety of shots, from wide open to wooded, from FH to BH. Some very nice tight wooded shots, really enjoyed the back 9.

Signage was in very bad condition, but the next tee markers made it easy to find the next hole.

When I went, the course was in pretty good shape, wish people would not destroy the signs though. I would say this is definite must play if you are in the area.

Mostly flat course, which has two distinct parts, built in a peninsula along a bend of the Iowa River. There are two tees and two basket positions on every hole and most of the alternate tees offer different lines, so you can play 36 different holes of golf here. There are rarely any other park users in the disc golf areas, except for an occasional dog walker.

Holes 2-10 and 12, require a variety of tight technical lines through thick established woods with some impressive old oak trees. Even though they are tough lines to hit in some cases, there are usually a couple of options on most holes. Holes 1, 11 and 13-18 are mostly open, windswept holes with low scrubby brush lining the fairways. There are several legitimate par 4 holes (1,5,6,10,11,13,18) although some become par 3s depending on the basket position. Holes 5 (blue tee) and 6 are excellent placement challenges, where even if you stay off the trees, it is tough to land the disc in position to have a clear line to the basket for a birdie 3. The course is fairly well-balanced between right-to-left and left-to-right, but this can vary a lot depending on basket positions. Big arms can reach quite a few of the longer open holes, so players without a 400ft drive need to score well in the woods to be competitive.

The overall design takes advantage of what little elevation change is available, but it is not much. There is a low bluff of about 15ft or so that divides upper and lower parts of the course, and most holes don't cross that bluff. But from the blue tees there are three fun drives (11, 12, 15) off the bluff with downhill elevation change, and one uphill approach onto the bluff (5).

The land doesn't really allow much variety in terms of elevation change. Holes 11 and 13-16 are in a flood-prone area, and in some years it can become unplayable depending on how high the river is. And even if they are not flooded, the ground may be too soft for the mowing equipment so it can get rough. When the mowers do make it in there, they leave behind some nasty ruts, so you have to watch your step -- once the ground gets hard it is easy to turn an ankle if you're not paying attention. The woods holes 2-10 are notorious for stinging nettles if you get off the fairways. They can be brutal in the summer months. Flocks of geese hang out along the fairways of holes 13 long, 15 and 16 during the winter and it gets a little nasty.

(edited for a couple of typos)

The course plays through a disc golf exclusive segment of a larger park. The course is mostly flat, but the few places in the park that offer elevation changes are used well to offer a couple fun elevated tees. There are a few open holes that offer some distance and some rough lining the fairways if you throw a pretty errant shot. One of these offers some nice water hazard in the long pin position.

Most of the holes play through woods of various density. A few offer some scattered trees and little punishment, while many have tighter lines and some rough to contend with. There is a decent mix of left and right turning shots, and the wooded holes offer some different distances from ace runs to shots where the length tempts you to try to keep a driver on the fairway.

The multiple tees make a big difference on several of the holes, with additional pinch points or length on many, and completely separate fairways on a couple. This definitely adds to the replayability here, especially with good concrete pads and signs at both sets of tees. The pin positions make a big difference as well, I played the course in all shorts, the longs looked like they offered significantly more challenge and some cool and interesting lines.

I was a little disappointed to play the short pin positions, they take away some of the really fun shots and take the challenge and fun factor down quite a bit. I could easily see the long tees to long pins layout as a 4, but I have a hard time rating a course just based on looking at where pins could be in a different setup.

The wooded holes seemed very similar to one another, with many that called for a mostly straight shot with just a minor turn one way or the other at the end of the flight. There's enough room to be a little more creative with distances and lines in the woods here.

The dual tees make this course accessible to a wide variety of skill levels. Beginners might find the rough in some areas a little punitive (especially with poison ivy and nettles in spots), but the distances from the short pads are reasonable. More experienced players will find some nice shots from the long tees, especially with pins in the long positions.

"A good mixture of tight wooded fairways and challenging open wooded shots." The pro pads give the course a challenging amount of distance on several holes 400+ ft.

The elevation is used, though it could use more. Variety of shots is mediocre, the majority are fairly straight. Course upkeep, sitting water, and flooding can be an issue.

Course dedicated to DG. Although there is a path around area, it doesn't interfere with discing. Also, next to a nice Dog Park, so it may be an area to let the family play in that area (if you have dogs of course) while you sneak away for a quick round. Shelter by hole 1 next to parking lot. A few trash cans around course. Tree stumps made into seats to rest.

Practice basket near hole 1. Dual nice sized concrete tee pads (Blue and Red tee). Dual pin positions available (A or B location). Nice signs at each tee box, showing you the layout of the specific hole your on.

Course navigation was pretty good, there were nice signs pointing you to the next tee, without those I may have inadvertently skipped a few holes.

A few of the holes were near the river, but nothing that jumped out at me and made me worried I would lose a disc. Some open holes (I think six of them were open), but most were wooded. Excellent paths cut from the tees to the basket, usually giving you options to get to the pin.

This course is different from other wooded courses because many of these wooded holes are fairly lengthy.

Due to the dual tees and pins, there is a large # of potential layouts here. If I lived here, that would be a huge plus in my book because the course would stay fresh as the pins changed.

Loved the bright orange baskets!!

Main Kiosk was dismantled or destroyed. I hope there was a way on that kiosk for players to know without playing the first few holes, which positions the pins were in without playing several holes first.

Not everybody knew what the trashcans were used for, as there was a bit more trash throughout course than expected.

Not a fan of tall grass lined fairways (hole # 1),

A few signs were missing, some for the holes in the area that had flood damage, some in other areas, not many missing, but worth noting.

No big elevation changes, but there were a couple of elevated tee's depending on the color you played, but no elevation changes like the other courses in the area.

Couple of holes that stuck out: I liked the variation that the different tees and pin locations gave you on hole 11, completely different, you wouldn't even think you were on the same hole. I liked shooting hole 15, as the pins were just off of the river, for obvious reasons, you wouldn't want to over shoot those.

When I played the course (03-16), there were no bugs, and no undergrowth (still leaves from last fall covering the floor), or even water issues (flooding). Having said that, I can see where all of that could be an issue, but I can't let it affect my rating because I didn't experience them.

Overall, a great course with lots of options and a challenging layout. I think the alternative pin locations and having two tee locations will bring me back, but I may take the advice of the other reviewers and play early spring or late fall to not have to deal with some of the negatives.

UPDATE: I was just informed that the back 9 is now playable again. I'm really looking forward to the day that I can play here again. I'm going to leave my review the way it is until I can play here again, and update it thoroughly!

I played here in September 2010. The back 9 had some very rough flood damage, making 14-16 unplayable. This may have been repaired since I played here last. Please feel free to let me know if these holes have been repaired.
-This is a winding wooded course, that requires a variety of throws and strategic placements. Accuracy is key here at Peninsula Park.
-Located on the edge of a well maintained park
-Multiple Teepads, Multiple Pin placements
-Very woodsy course, but not overly tight. The trees are spaced apart enough to allow for a variety of lines to throw. (This is not to say it's not challenging, it's just not dense and thick)
-1 ,17&18 are open field straightaway shots
-Easy to navigate, but a map can still be helpful.
-Has a variety of shots, requiring accurate placements. It constantly turns throughout the woods with doglegs, bends, and enough trees to require one to use different shots on each hole.
-For being a wooded course, there are a few 400ft, 500ft, and 600ft shots. Being able to carry a long drive in the woods will be an asset for players. It will test the accuracy of your long distance drives.
-Although the terrain was fairly flat, there are plenty of dips, banks, and creek beds to keep things interesting.
-Excellent pin placement, and the course is laid out nicely. It flows nicely through the woods.
-Though I didn't notice it favoring right handed or left handed targets. The pin placements seemed very direct, with enough space to allow for lines of either preference.
-Front 9 plays to a stopping point near the starting point near the parking lot. This would allow for a quick play on either the Front or Back 9. (provided the back 9 gets repaired from the flood damage)
-Shelter and practice basket at the start
-Tee Signs with maps to target.
-Playing in the dry creek beds was a blast, and really added to the Fun Factor here.
FWIW: This course is located right next to a dog park. In fact, the course is at the end of the Dog park parking lot.

-Course can be subject to flood issues
-Since it's located on the river, bugs, ticks and mosquitoes could be a serious factor. Bring repellent (I always recommend Avon's Skin so soft. It works nicely when I'm playing the swamp courses here in South Carolina)
-Wear pants, I don't know what the plant was, but it made our legs itch like crazy! It wasn't poison Ivy, but I'm sure that's a factor here as well. So be mindful, and dress accordingly.
-Looks like this course could get sloppy in certain areas if it rained.

UPDATED 3/18:The following notes are posted to inform you of the conditions of the course the day I played here. I have been told that these conditions have since been improved and are now playable.
-14-16 were destroyed by flooding. (Which I hate because 14 looked like such a nice scenic hole located along the riverbank.)
-11 was an overgrown jungle of grass and weeds. We played it anyways, but it was a "throw your drive and immediately go after your disc" type drive. If you took your eye off it for a second, you would lose it in the grass. We walked away with all our discs!

If you like strategic courses that wind through the woods, than this course is worth checking out. It has a plethora of different holes. Not only will you be working different doglegs, but you will also have a variety of lines as you throw through the gaps in the trees. The trees are space enough apart to allow this to type of shot to take place. This course had a good fun factor for me.

Until further notice though, you may only want to opt for 9 holes, since it may not be that easy to navigate back from anything beyond 10. Since you will only be able to play up to 13, before you will be forced to cut across the remnants of 15 and 16. 17 and 18 will take you back near the start of the course. Just due to the overgrowth in the woods, I would recommend pants and covered shoes. One person in our group was hating life after wearing shorts.

My hopes are that they get the back 9 operational again. I would love to play a full 18 here one day. This is definitely a challenging, yet fun, course. It just helps to know what lies beyond 10, should you opt for an 18 hole round. But, even playing 9 holes here is well worth your time to stop. Especially if you enjoy being in the woods!