Rutgers, Douglas College Disc Golf Course , in between buildings on the lawn of the college is an 18 hole course .The parking lots aren't always numbered . Just remember to park in the back following directions as closely as you can , leave the car in one of the huge lots , and look for any baskets . Make sure you print a map . I am guessing that unless you find an open door at the college , you won't be able to use a bathroom .
The Equipment - This looks like a time capsule was emptied out into a small area of the college . The tee pads are all natural . Not the most even areas . There are at least dirt spots where you know you are supposed to tee off . The tee signs are really old school , not even the old white signs with green images and printings . They are just metal pole signs with red backing showing par , hole number and distance . There is a little fairway pattern next to it . The baskets are supposed to be Mach I according to what they posted ( ? ) . They are pretty old and rusty , but that's okay .
The Landscape - The grass was a little high and the branches are starting to make the grounds a little unkempt while I was here in late August . The course is small , the area is flat . There are a couple of small grades . There is a creek that comes into play on hole #10 ( ? ) on the left if you limp-wrist your shot . Except for this hole , the buildings shouldn't come into play . You will cross a driveway or sidewalk or 2 on a drive . There is also a scattering of trees , a few even serve as obstacles .
The Highlights - The course itself is a highlight . Think that a group of students and locals played these holes 42 years ago . I played behind an older gentleman who said he has been playing the course for many years , and only knows that the present pin and tee positions have been around since he started playing .
Signature Hole - If I had a hole to pick , it would be the creek hole on #10 . It is a slightly elevated tee , but goes over a slight gully , and the basket is tucked up and to the right .. at 259' , it is a hard ace , but easily deuceable .
Even though the course is only 3495' ( I saw no long pin positions ) , it still had several groups on it the Saturday morning that I played . I think that both the students and the locals value playing here .
Disc Risk - You will have to work hard to lose a disc here . The creek is shallow and it has some small overgrowth next to it . Other than that ,,,, nothing . Disc Risk is improbable .
The Time - Once I found #1 on the other side of a building , it took me about 40 minutes to play here . A group of 4 will blaze this course in an hour and twenty minutes .
The History - take it all in . I only wish I could have a 1978 era disc that I could throw here , just so I could get used to the way that players shot shaped and controlled them back then .
All of the locals seemed real nice when I was there . There were even a couple of fathers with their sons .

#1 Safety - The course map says that Rutgers Douglas can be played 24 hours a day . During the week when school is in session , I figure that the sidewalks would be filled and students would be standing near the fairways talking or reading . Would you want to be The Guy , that caused the college to take down this relic because he beaned a freshman in the eye with your drive ?
Navigation - The map is small and hard to read , but you might need it in case there are no locals playing . A couple of long walks to dissected parts of the course can be confusing ( 2-3 , 9-10 , 17-18 ) . You may have to do some exploring .
Challenge - Some will complain that the course is too easy . Gee , No @&%*&! This course was played with coffee can lids and Whamos back then . . This is a course that you can study and enjoy , not conquer . If you need a challenge , go south to Thompson .
I never read where you had to check in with campus security , or that it was sticker only parking . The visitor lot in the back will suffice . Rutgers Douglas College seems very welcoming and accommodating .

I have a couple of courses ( 1979 and 1980 ) near where I live back home , and have played them every year since 1994 . These are courses that make you appreciate and enjoy . I am glad that this course is played regularly and hasn't been abandoned . Read the 2 reviews before mine . They give you some bits of information that I would have never known ( The course was given as a gift and the university , even though they probable didn't know what disc golf was at the time , accepted it ? ) . I know the chains are rusty on the baskets , and the natural tees suck after a long rain , but keep the course exactly the way it is . Changing it would cheapen it . Thanks to Rutgers Douglas College , Course Designer Dan Doyle , and the local Disc Golf club chapter for keeping this course relevant .
My Recommendation - Everybody can take Something away from this storied course . Perfect intro course for incoming students or curious locals . Great for families to do as a group- not long or time consuming . Fantastic date course . Locals can hang with their friends after a quick round or 2 . Intermediates and up will get a history lesson here , and might pick up an ace as a parting gift. To travelers , this is a short and ideal leg stretch course right off of I-95 . The course collector will like a fast course that will help to combine with courses like 9 hole Heavenly Farms . If traveling through New Jersey , and want to experience a permanent course that was created only 3 years after disc golf was invented , and the oldest disc golf course in the state by 14 years , drop by and
PLAY IT !!!

+ The distances are very short. For the red layout, 284 ft. is the longest on offer. This is good for a college course because it reduces the risk of striking a person, and its brevity encourages multiple playthroughs.
+ Friendly locals are very proud of their home course.
+ This course has stood the test of time. One can't help but feel as though they share a bond with disc golfers from decades past as they play here.
+ The whole course plays within the college campus. The player is taken on a brief tour around some of Rutgers's buildings and well-maintained grounds. However...

- The whole course plays within college campus grounds. I can imagine that this course would be barely playable due to roaming pedestrians during the school year.
- I would have loved to play from the long tees, but where were they?
- As this course is integrated into a college campus, there are too many civic structures at risk of hitting. I often felt the need to skew my aim to miss striking things.
- All 18 holes have natural tees, which were uneven at best and rooted & muddy at worst. Also, there are few indications of where they begin and end- just worn down areas of earth.
- First time navigation was a bit of a mystery. There are a few signs pointing you to the next hole but nothing consistent. Many baskets have arrows on them to guide you. Most of them are correct.
- Almost all of the baskets are dead ahead on open flat ground with scant trees to avoid.

My favorite hole to play and look at was hole 10 because it has the player throw down a gentle hill alongside an OB stream, up a gentle hill and to the right. In fact, holes 9 through 11 were the most enjoyable to my mind because they felt the most challenging with their denser trees. My least favorite hole was 18 because it felt dangerous to throw with all the people and parking lots. (That pin placement was fun, though!)

As for the course as a whole, Rutgers has already earned its stripes. During my session, I let one of the regulars play through, and he told me that he'd been playing this course ever since it was installed here in 1982 (dgcr says 1978) back when the sport was properly called frisbee golf, which used those larger discs. (My parents weren't even married yet that long ago!) It is a popular course, and it's not hard to see why.

Freshmen to the sport can get a satisfying round in because the distances are perfect for practice and training while the peppering of trees on each hole introduce angle control. Super seniors of the sport can get a satisfying round in because the distances are perfect for ace runs and birdies. Despite the negatives I am about to bring up, that word 'satisfying' is the perfect descriptor of this place.

The baskets can be charitably described as 'historic' or 'rustic' and uncharitably described as 'outdated' or 'rusty.' They are relics from the sport in its early days, though, so they fit the theme at a course like this. I acknowledge that these baskets really shouldn't be replaced because that would rob the course of its charm and history. Having said that, just be sure to be extra accurate with your putts!

There is some aggressive undergrowth on some of the fairways. Holes 5 and 6 come to mind. It is likely that I was simply playing before the groundskeepers had a chance to mow.

The challenge boils down to distance control once the player understands that this course wasn't originally designed for these faster and sleeker discs we have. I'm not sure if the walking paths are OB or not (I always operate under the assumption that they are). If they are, then the player has to tone down their throws, which can be a fun challenge. The trees almost become a non-issue for the experienced player because these fairways were meant to stump a larger disc. Our discs can be thrown around it all or just sneak through. Not to mention that the course it almost completely flat with the exception of three or four gentle gradients. All of that combined makes most of Rutgers feel like the same thing ad nauseum.

But! It's still a satisfying play, as we've already said. Newbies will get a good taste of what disc golf is like. Journeymen will get a good taste of what their efforts are yielding. Old hats will get a good taste of how far this sport has come since its infancy. So, if you are interested in glimpsing what a disc golf course of the past looks like and feeling how one plays, then come give Rutgers a try.

You will never lose a frisbee or disc here. Haha. Compact little course. Good for a quick round.

Signs get confusing in the middle. Once you've played once, you can figure it out.

Feels good to almost get a hole in one on a couple holes here, or make it in the basket in a definite 2 shots, on a handful of holes.

- It's a good course for working on your short game.
- Even though it's short, it's moderately technical.
- Lots of holes that allowed me to work on my forehand. I even got to practice a forehand roller on one hole that was short (surprise) and had a low ceiling.

- Did I mention it's short? Leave the distance drivers at home. Although there is a large field that you can practice drives in if there's nobody around.
- The baskets are OLD. I had 3 perfectly good putts that the baskets didn't hold like they should have. I even used my Nova for most putts hoping the soft edge would help it stick to the chains more. It helped to a small degree.

I wish I had known about this course when I lived in New Brunswick years ago, but that was before I knew about DG. It's easy to get a quick round in, but I would suggest having a map of the course handy if it's your first time. Many of the back 9 holes have signs pointing the next one, but the front 9 does not have those signs and it can be a little confusing at times where the next tee pad is.

All in all, it's a short but sweet little course and worth a visit. I couldn't help thinking while lining up many of my shots that Cubby must have gotten a large percentage of his aces on this course!

Also, thanks to whitefedora for the suggestion about parking at the meters on Suydam St and starting on hole 10. I had the course to myself at 7am on Wednesday, July 5th, but there were University police giving writing tickets to cars in the campus parking lots.

Awesome dg scene- there is a club called the nj disc devils which maintains the course. There is a lot of tournaments here, and a bunch of pdga's as well

Fun factor- because of the fact that you can play almost every hole with a putter or midrange, and most holes are ace runs, especially nine.

Nice updated tee signs- it seems as if the tee signs were updated recently they were nice and well thought out.

Open 24 hours- alot of people like to play glow here, because the holes are so short and there is not as many people walking around at night

Navigation is pretty easy next tee arrow signs and arrow on basket number plate.

Variety- for a very short course, it has its fair share of tight, open, right turning and left turning shots. Great use of the land available

Natural tee pads- boards mark the front of the tee pads on some holes, most are filled with mulch or just a worn in spot of dirt.

Safety- i can imagine this place being a zoo during the school day and it would make some holes almost unplayable at some times. Due to the limited amount of land available, some holes play close to each other, so always keep aware and duck when somebody yells fore.

Short- this can be a con for some as you can end up throwing putters and midranges mostly. However, it was fun for me, because i enjoyed all the ace runs and birdie opportunities.

Check out the new jersey disc devils on facebook, they have random draw doubles and they usually use alternate longer tees which i hear are much more difficult.

- Not too far off I-95 and right in the heart of Rutgers University

- Good signage and navigation throughout the park; pretty difficult to get lost.

- Because the course is so short, there are alternate tee locations on many of the holes. They're denoted by little red dots about 50-100 feet from the original tees and are usually on pavement walkways to make teeing off easy. Look around on many holes, and you'll find them.

- Nice network of locals, who were helpful and even took me around the course to show me the layouts and the alternate tee locations.

- Several ace run opportunities.

- The locals have done a good job of taking a course that is antiquated in many aspects and improving it to make it more acceptable for modern disc technology without pulling the course altogether. Alternate tee placements, mandos, and an addition of extra holes make the course tournament worthy for events such as the Jersey Jam. A local even told me that they sometimes throw out of a basement stairwell in the one school building on #18. It's that kind of stuff that makes this a special place.

- Teepads are so worn-in that they can fill with water when it rains and get quite muddy. Erosion due to use has led to muddy fairways and paths, as well.

- Holes are very short, even with the alternate tees. A putter or mid-range only round would be ideal for the original tees.

- Pars are out of whack, but I think most people are smart enough to play them as par 3's.

- Course can get very busy with both golfers and non-golfers. I played here around 7pm on a Friday and it was loaded. Not sure how busy it is at other times during the day.

It's the home of the Cubby Ace, and I can see the potential for some ace runs. Don't let this course deceive you, though: it's precariously placed with many trees to send your drives flying in a different direction.

From the original tees, the course is a 2. The alternate tees, however, bump it up to a 2.5, IMO. All in all, I really enjoyed playing this course due to its ease, network of friendly players, and history of being one of the oldest courses in the northeast.

Nice use of what little land the college allowed. Although short the basket placement does make the shots somewhat challenging (some more than others). 18 baskets in an area where that is a premium! The low hanging trees make for a nice short technical course.

Did I already say short? Old baskets in fair to bad shape. Very old and even the baskets are short in height, adjust your putts. No maps, tee boxes or signage. Didn't see any water or restrooms anywhere if you weren't a student.

Ok, I couldn't help the Jersey Shore reference in the title, sorry. This course almost rated a 3, simply because of the fun factor, but the shortness, difficulty in flow from front nine to back nine (for first time players) and condition of baskets held it back.
That being said, it was a good time of DG. Despite the lack of distance, the basket placement and the trees caused for you to be pretty technical, which made this course a surprising challenge at times. You will use different throws throughout. When you find Hole 1 behind the white building (Eggelston, I believe) if you are like me and my son, you will look at the distance from tee to basket and say "Really?" But fear not the distance and challenge increase as you move on. Overall if you live in Jersey or New York, this would be the place to play! Now coming up from Virginia and playing some of the courses down south, Rutgers just wouldn't be worth a road trip. Still for a Disc Golf starved area, this is a gem and is definitively DTP (Down To Play for those not familiar with the Jersey Shore lingo).

NOTES: Holes 3 and four start the tight fairways and the neat challenges to get to the baskets.

After Hole 8 be sure to walk around the front of building 72 Lopman Drive (Lorec Classroom Office, If I remember correctly) to find the tee for Hole 9.

Favorite Holes:

Hole 9: Wow! What was it 55-65 feet! A true ace run, but the low hanging trees and sloping hill make for a fun ace run.

Holes 10 and 11 are fun for the water OB (10) and the uphill elevation change (11).

Hole 18 Short but if the parking lot surrounding the basket is OB (which we played it as) then it is a tough approach with a lot of risk.

18 Holes on a College Campus! Beautiful campus. Safe shots, hard to lose a disc.

Old Course, could use some sprucing up.

I have now played a 4 college campus courses and This is #1 of the 4. It is amazing that they fit 18 holes on this piece of land but it uses the terrain well. The trees on campus add a bit of challenge to an otherwise short course. Don't pay attention to the par ratings and play everything as a 2 for an added challenge. There are very few to no other courses in this area so a definite play when you're here. Parking can be a bit tricky if you follow the Long/Lat from the info but the locals are friendly and the campus is a quiet solitude of the bustling town around it.

Set on the Rutgers campus, this course is one of the oldest in the nation. Due to the old disc technology when it was built, it is short. It is laid out in the middle of campus amongst the trees and grass and buildings. It is an enjoyable, technical play with a variety of shots required. It is a wonderful place to learn the game, but also a place for great players to work on their game (remember, even long courses will still require short and long "approach" shots and putts!)

The old school targets act as a bonus challenge, as the shallow baskets require real accurate putts!

The locals are fantastic and you usually won't have problems getting someone to play a round with you.

The course is open 24 hours, and is fairly well lit, but I highly recommend having lights on your disc.

During school hours you will find yourself waiting for pedestrians on the pathways. If you dont have patience to wait, or dont like an audience, then wait till class is out!

The course is not terribly challenging in the risk/reward department as it lacks OB (from what I recall), and is mostly flat.
Navigation is an issue on some holes so bring the map! The tees are all dirt (the College won't allow them to install proper tees) and the distances are not really accurate on the signs.

5 star hospitality! I showed up on a Wed. evening to join up with the Disc Devils group for random doubles. Very nice people who made me (an out of towner) feel at home then invited me out for wings and brews afterward.

The bonus is that we played many of the long tees which they use for the Jersey Jam tournament which really added to my experience. Look for little flag markers (that may be) behind the tees and you have found the "Longs". I was told that they leave these until they destroyed by weather or pulled out. Or just sign up for the Jersey Jam - I hear it's a great time.

One last note - Cubby is the local legend that plays here frequently and has something like 500 aces. The club told me he's aced every single hole on the course right handed, left handed, backhand, sidearm. Crazy achievement, considering none of the holes are "gimme" aces!

This course is part of the history of disc golf. In the early days when you used Frisbees to play. By today's standards most would call it a pitch-n-put course. But there is a little secret that a local has to show you. The long tee positions for every hole, but maybe 2 or 3. In some cases you are adding 50-100 feet and on others it changes the drive from the tee. The long tee position changes the line for the fairway to basket. Almost all holes are able to be easily played with mids and putters even from the long tees. We got lucky and met a local helping to set-up for the Jersey Jam. He played some of the round with us and gave us some insight how to find the long tees;
Look for green flags normally back behind the tee signs. Some are mowed over and not easy to locate.
Also look for yellow wooded pegs in the ground for the long tee.
Red dots or a spray painted line on the asphalt walkways.
On 17 use the tee for 16 and on 18 which is located around the back of the building from 17's basket. Before you get to the tee sign look to your right about 75' back from the tee sign there is like a step up near a entry way. That's the long tee it's marked but you have to look for it. After you have played the long tees once or twice through. You'll be good to go. Also compared to many courses the rough here isn't sticker bushes and 3 foot high grass fields.

We played early on a Saturday morning during summer break. Throwing from or over walkways can be a waiting game. Even in the off school periods there will be joggers and other people just walking. Look and wait.
I had expected at least the grass to be mowed in the campus area. I guess the college is saving money in tough economic times.
These are Mach I baskets with a second set of chains added in the inner ring. The basket itself is more shallow, some are wobbly and some just seem low. In a way this kind of adds to the challenge. Because you can expect blow troughs, skip and bounce outs.

Over all, if you are in the area give it a run. Would I make a special trip just to hit this course? After playing a few rounds I would have to say......no. There really isn't any other choices in this area for a better course and the locals are friendly. This is a community course and a great place to learn the game. Truth be told this is a fun course and beginner friendly.

18 hole course is one of the first on the east coast and features a straightforward layout without the bells and whistles present at other courses. Relatively easy to score well yet still attractive for all levels of play with its "unofficial" alternate tee areas. Has some neat holes- 10 and 18 come to mind- and pavement OB areas on several holes keep you honest. RU-Douglass features a good balance of moderately wooded, manageable holes and although there is really only one tee off area per hole, it can be modified to lengthen the course- as is done for the annual Jersey Jam.

No added features like a welcome kiosk or lost disc box. Dirt tee off areas hold puddles after heavy rain, and erosion is a serious issue. Could use directional markers in some spots- it took me 15 minutes to figure out where hole 9 begins the first time I played. Holes 16 and 17 run parallel to one another, and there are always vehicles parked directly in front of the access way in front of the hole 18 tee pad. A couple of the unofficial "alternate tees" are flat-out ridiculous and don't offer a quality shot off the tee. Baskets are notorious for spit outs. Beware of students walking to class.

One of the oldest courses in the country, Rutgers-Douglass is a fun play, and over the years a loose playing environment has been cultivated. R-D is not physically grueling, making it a great place for multiple rounds and for the casual player. This was the site of my first ever tournament and competitive playing experience, so I will always have a soft spot for it, but judged on it own merits, R-D is not on a par with some of the other 18 hole courses within the NJ/PA region. That said, the "Jam" layout adds immeasurably to the course, and the over-the-water hole and 650 foot drive down the hill are outstanding holes which can measure up to many holes at other courses. Rutgers is in major need of some sprucing up, and it is unfortunate that the genuine and once promising efforts made by several people to upgrade and maintain the course were not seen through; the course deserves better. Despite that, Rutgers-Douglass is still a fun place to play.

I love the convince of this course, if I were a student here I would play twice a day.
The holes here are laid out pretty well and there isn't much searching for the next tee. I also enjoyed the mix of hyzer and anhyzer shots. I flick and backhand so it was nice to switch it up.
It is very easy and possible to play this course with one disc. My favorite hole was the 50 foot hole, I tried a few times to get my first ace with no luck. I think the hole is #10...

Well, it's a bit hard to find the first time. Some "Disc Golf" signs around campus would be nice. I parked a bit away from where I was suppose to. I played this in the middle of the weekend when it was freezing so there were no problems with students walking around but that could be a pain in the butt during school. Some holes are close to the buildings but it isn't that bad.

Not a bad little course, I enjoyed my self and I'm sure with some return trips I could get a pretty kick ass score. I wonder what the course record is. If I lived in NJ I would come here every now and then, this course can really help with your short game.

A nice layout with some very technical shots. No long drives so beginners would benefit here. Reasonably well marked. Because it is on a college campus it is well maintained. I believe this is a course where people of all ages could enjoy themselves. With the good walkways because you are on a college campus and other facilities available it is alot of them

Because it is within the confines of a college be very careful when school is in session. There are students everywhere and they do not pay attention.

This is a great place for buddies to get together and play. The course is fun and the scenery is good.