Salt Lake City, UT

University of Utah - Old Layout

Permanent course
3.165(based on 25 reviews)
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University of Utah - Old Layout reviews

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1 3
Forrest
Experience: 13.9 years 6 played 6 reviews
3.50 star(s)

University 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 3, 2010 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Nice location. You get a good breeze at the higher elevation and a great view of the valley. The course is a great one for beginners and usually there is no wait time to play. Great signs and benches every so often.

Cons:

No hazards really (other than the train tracks and parking lot). It's on an old ball golf course and it feels like it.

Other Thoughts:

Nice alternate if your home course is Creekside or Valley Regional. Nice views.
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8 2
SomeChump
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 33 played 33 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Loved it 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 18, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

Exceptionally good use of available space and features
Some of the best signage I've seen anywhere
Awesome tees
Good quality baskets
Beautiful views of the valley and mountains
Entire course is on grass and is well-trimmed, almost manicured
Awesome use of available elevation changes (serious up and downhill shots here)
Some shorter and longer holes, but all easier par 3s
Can ride TRAX to the course very easily
Won't lose discs
Easy to get in 9-18 holes between classes

Cons:

Unfortunately, you don't need a lot of tricks in your bag to score well here since it is pretty open.
Pretty easy to throw into a street, onto train tracks, or into a car (although harder than it used to be)
You really end up going up and down a lot, so although you can do a stroller, you'll find yourself leaving it as you go off to play 2-3 holes and then coming back to it. Don't even think about trying to push a double stroller up some of those hills.
Nothing else to do at the course but disc golf
No pro shop, no water available, parking would be limited when school is in session

Other Thoughts:

The area this course sits on used to be part of an 18 hole golf course. As the University and its medical campus required expansion, that was gradually cut to 9 holes. I cut my teeth playing ball golf on this course years ago. Apparently, since that time the University has needed to buy more buildings and put in more parking, so 3 of those 9 holes were taken out. But, kudos to them, they made the wise decision that 18 holes of disc golf is a much better use of space than 6 holes of ball golf. Probably safer too. For those of you who think accidentally hitting a car or a road with a disc is a big deal, you should have seen how it was when you sliced a ball into the street. The land is also an arboretum with some particularly rare trees on it, so hopefully that will help persuade the University to not tear out the disc golf course any time soon when they need another building.

At any rate, after moving back to Salt Lake I went and played a round. I had a smile on my face the whole time. It was truly a pleasure to play a first round here. You look at the sign, and it perfectly maps out the course and the holes. The distances are accurate, the trees are actually where they really are on the course etc. The tee pads are long enough, wide enough, and perfectly level. Although the back nine isn't concrete, that was only a problem on one or two holes that got a bit sandy and slippery on the mats. After 9 holes, you circle back to the TWO practice baskets and then move onto hole 10, so playing 9 holes is very easy. The back nine was even better. My favorite hole is a long, long downhill where the danger is a street on one side and a parking lot on the other. The basket is hidden from the tee, but you can see the trees that stand directly over it. Aim for those, and once you hit the foliage, it'll drop right down next to the basket for a long birdie. The next hole is only 180 feet or so, but it must be 40 or 50 feet above you. Very cool. There are several holes that approach 400 feet long, so you'll need to be able to throw that distance to birdie those, but most holes are between 250 and 300.

I scored a minus 7 on my first outing (I was +1 at Creekside the first time), so it is definitely an easier course, but the positives make it a must-do Salt Lake course anyway. It isn't necessarily a beginner course, my wife didn't make par on it, and you won't either if you can't throw 250-300 feet routinely.

It is really everything that Creekside is not:
It isn't busy
It has beautiful views (and plenty of sunshine)
You won't lose discs
You won't get lost and play the wrong holes
The baskets won't move on you every day
You won't have to go swimming every other round
You'll feel good about your score at the end of the day
The course won't get flooded out
The course is reasonably stroller friendly
And you won't hit very many trees

Also, a few people complained about being very close to cars. I think some of that was addressed by moving a couple of baskets (especially 10). There are a couple of signs that haven't been updated since then, but it was definitely a wise change. Putting a basket 10 feet from where a car was parked probably wasn't such a good idea.

The main challenges are wind and elevation, not trees, and on a calm day if you know the course you could shoot a score in the 30s, but I wouldn't miss it if you're local, or if you have time to play more than one course in SLC.

Please don't bring alcohol or pot to this course, it is liable to get the course ripped out.

For the course designers:
Ways to improve the course- Plant a few more trees, put in concrete tee pads on the back, fix the 2 or 3 signs now that the holes have changed, and put a sign next to the trax station that warns people to watch for flying discs as they walk across the course.
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3 2
NothinButChing
Experience: 15 years 51 played 9 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Course at the U 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 13, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Excellent course for beginnners.

Elevation, trees, and distance are integrated very well into the courses natural design.

Sits on an old golf course, so some holes naturally sit on green or near bunkers.

Great View of the valley when playing the back 9.

Cons:

Some holes could be longer.

Needs more trees planted throughout course.

College campus so the restriction of alcohol is much stricter (course may get taken down if alcohol continues to be present).

Parking for non-college visitors is a HUGE problem at the University. One would think that with all the extra parking they just added some of it would be for VISITORS?!

Parking lots are really close to too holes, and even the expereinced thrower could chuck one right into a car.

Other Thoughts:

If alcohol issue can be resolved (since alcohol will prob always be present, since non-college adults play the course all the time) and nets can get put up to protect the parking lots this course can really flourish.
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2 0
High Flyer
Experience: 23 played 23 reviews
3.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 12, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

I must admit I'm partial to open grassy courses with lots of elevation changes. Just enough obstacles to make it interesting, but yet non hazardous. Rubber mats and concrete tees, benches, signs, this course is great.

Cons:

A little conflict with a parking lot on the back 9. I would have liked to have seen a 600 foot par 4, but still, very much my kind of course.

Other Thoughts:

Great view of downtown, and a light rail station next to the course (university hospital).
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3 2
waywu2001
Experience: 18.9 years 29 played 27 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Great new course for Utah 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 24, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

Everything good has been said before.
High Quality Baskets. Great Putting Practice Baskets.
Nice environment with groomed grass and unique elevation changes.
Good atmosphere for beginners and families. A great place to introduce people to the sport.
No weeds, so no stickers or chance of losing a disc (discounting trees).
When I just played, there were nicer (permanent) signs on some of the holes. I can't say I looked on every hole, but at least the majority had them.

Cons:

Lack of length/obstacles meant that one's second shots were rarely challenged. (shouldn't take many bogeys on this course)

Other Thoughts:

The holes were short, but definitely Par 3's in my book - meaning that birdies still felt like an accomplishment. While course length made me wish for a little bit more, I think the planners did an outstanding job using the layout/land that was available. Due to its fun and location in Salt Lake City, this course is definitely worth any visitor's while.
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8 2
bdubya
Experience: 15.9 years 266 played 3 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Fun for all 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 13, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

-Big Concrete Tee Pads!
-Event the rubber mats on the back 9 are big and even good footing for all tee shots.
-Signs are informative and posts are promising, I hope they are doing more permanent/weatherproof signs.
-Very easy to find your discs. (unless they are 20ft up in one of the trees.
-No stickers or watershots/ all grass
- Good variety of shots/use of trees
-Good elevation changes
- Not crowded!

Cons:

-Tee signs are not waterproof and many have fallen off the posts.
- Parking is an "issue" but I not so sure they are cracking down on the strip right by the course. Many disc golfers parked right by course without problems. Park at own risk. if after 6. not an issue

Other Thoughts:

Great course for all skill levels. Maybe not the most challenging for advanced players but good enough to play it on a regular basis.
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