Long course, tricky shots.

Very poorly marked, no map in sight. 75% of the tees didn't have a pin map either, with no pin in view.
Many of the holes are near the river - ended up climbing in twice.
Everyone else I met on the course was as confused as me.
Plenty of homeless people - they weren't interested in stealing any discs but be careful about hitting any of them.
Shrubs/grass poorly maintained, very difficult to find your disc. Garbage everywhere.

Overall I still had fun with a friend I haven't seen in a year, but never again will I play here. If you're looking to lose a disc or two, be constantly confused and possibly hit a homeless person on accident - this course is for you!

DISCLAIMER: when I played this course I had hurt my knee and there was also a foot of snow, so keep that in mind when I express my opinions, also I only played like 11 holes, anyway, on to the review:
-Good concrete tee pads, enough size for a good run up
-Fairways seemed like nice grass, I dug through the snow to see what was down there, but I could be wrong
-Rough is good! It is appropriately rough, you don't want to get in there, but it isn't impossible
-Great elevation use, a couple of rolling hills, throw over some, down some, up some, nicely incorporated into the design
-Paths, there are concrete walking paths that kinda follow the course, that is as much as I know because, there was snow
-Navigation is pretty easy, you go up and down a narrow stretch of land, very logical
-Very Nice water use, an improper hyzer can go a-splashin
-Very Nice location, the park was beautiful in the snow, and i can imagine it is pretty without snow as well
-Nice variety of shots, longer throws, shorter throws, forehand, backhand, etc...
-Fairways and holes don't intersect, baskets and tees from consecutive holes get a little close, but, not too bad.

-Tee signs are kinda decrepite, mostly the maps are still there, but a couple holes didn't have maps, and the old is getting a little rotten.
-Baskets, not my favorite/hard to see in the snow. A couple holes are pretty blind shots, especially if there is no hole map, and you're not from Denver (like me) also, hole 6 (I think) had no basket, it had the pole part with disc golf stickers, but no basket, strange.
-When i played, the parking lot was fenced off, there isn't really another parking area except by the apartments to the north, and the parking lot is really small, so you probably will have to walk a ways to get from your car to the course.
-One of the better vibes of a big city course, gets a little sketchy with holes 6 and 7 in my opinion, also, I didn't see any garbage, but I suspect there was some under the foot of snow, also, there is risk of an errant shot hitting the train tracks which run through the course, that chance is too big in my opinion

Again, I played in the snow, so if I got something wrong, my bad, please don't hate.

Excellent variety of hole length, shots required, elevation gains, great tee pads, never crowded, every hole has multiple pin locations, only course in Denver, close to my house, never a dull moment regarding the local population.

Terrible or no signage, pins do not get moved often enough, lack of maintenance on the back half of the course, hard to navigate if you don't know the layout, the City obviously cares very little about this course, no easy access from 19 pin to 20 tee, no easy access to 7 long's green, sketchy neighborhood (but this is also what I love about it), too much trash and far too many tent cities in various locations.

In my opinion, this could be a championship level course with just the most minimal amount of effort from the City. Barring that, if they would allow those of us who use it frequently (I play there at least 3 times a week) to help care for it, that would be great. In the late fall, winter, and early spring the entire course is generally playable (pending snow) and is a looong, challenging course that requires the player to use every shot and disc in his/her bag. Grounds maintenance could be better. Changing pin locations more frequently would be great. Clearing out the tent cities would be amazing. But all in all I love that the reputation of this course keeps people away, because I almost always have the course to myself. That people think it's too dangerous to play there is a complete joke. I've had numerous positive interactions with the people who call that park home, and very, very few negative encounters. But, by all means, go play lighthouse or Johnny, or Expo and leave Paco to me and the handful of regulars who call this our home course.

Very diverse course with some challenging holes. Good use of the area.

Not well kept, area used by homeless. Some landing areas are non existent.

Fun course to play but I was alone and kept my head on a swivel.

Land use. Backs up to Federal and uses every inch of available space.

There are holes where you can go 100% full with a driver, no matter HOW good you are, and not overshoot.

Everything is in play, all the time. If you think skimming the sidewalk on a hole is your best option, it probably is.

Due to meteorological forces beyond my understanding, the corridor this course is in rarely gets windy short of a storm, a rarity for Denver.

Everything is in play, all the time. A big arm coupled with an errant shot could put the light rail, a fenced and inaccessible neighborhood, and the Platte in play.......from the same tee.

Basket thievery. Because then of course you're scanning 400 feet in front of you for a stick with a ribbon jutting out of the ground.

Trash, decaying wood, and the occasional surly homeless.

My friends and I dubbed this course "The Narrows," and it defies logic.It begins with several lengthy but navigable holes in a well manicured park. It's fun, compete-with-your-friends frolf. Then you arrive at the first of many bridges, throw several blind holes, and begin throwing west for an hour. The park part is over, and now starts the section where "everything is in play." On one hole, you can bank or ride the wall elevating the light rail to great affect. Another offers the ultimatum of throwing directly through an aluminum tower's support beams, or throwing a shot that has to ride over the river its entire flight to be successful. The available space is so minimal that you play both sides of the river. After each implausibly long, westward facing hole, it seems you must turn back (I mean you've passed three playgrounds and two light rail stations on the same line), but somehow you discover another tee box leading you 497 feet to another bridge. At some point you realize you're no longer competing with your friends, but trying to stay afloat against the course. It's about now that you realize you're also playing the longest course west of the Eisenhower Tunnel. The holes are dishearteningly long through the middle. When you finally do turn around, the trip back feels much shorter. If your gut says skip it off the sidewalk or tomahawk off the tee, it's probably the right move. The Narrows rewards you on the 21st and final hole with an obstacle free, boomers paradise with no hazards in play. A tip of the hat to the discer who just spent twice as long and twice the energy he expected to play the only course in Denver proper.

Sorry for the length, but it's a polarizing course with to many vibes to sum up quick. All in all, if you're visiting, you can do far better in the metro area, where there are 25 courses of all variety in striking distance. But if you are a skilled player or a local, you need to play this course. Despite feeling like it was designed by the March Hare, it has a special place in my heart. It's a true test of skill and grit, but most importantly it serves as a lesson in humility. My Summit county buddies and I routinely dominate tough mountain courses. So I guess what I'm saying is, once in awhile its nice to come them down to Colfax and Feds and get our asses kicked by this wicked gem.

Long Holes, close-ish to downtown Denver. There were 2 holes on the opposite side of the train tracks next to the playground that featured cut grass and were actually playable.

Little to no markings, 16-18 very overgrown holes where you can lose a drive in the fairway, dirty (saw needles around). Was never able to find hole one.

I am sure if you catch this place with trimmed fairways and a local who knew their way around, it could be fun. There is definitely course potential with some of the wide openness. But with overgrown fairways and little to no markings, it was very frustrating to play.

Great views of both the mountains and the city. Good tee pads. Nice variety of slopes, trees, and creek. Provides good challenge for intermediate and advanced players.

Very difficult to navigate. No "next tee" signs. Extremely dangerous layout. Many shots put pedestrians and BIKERS at risk. Some baskets are right around blind corners creating the possibility of severe injuries.

Light raill tracks are in play on a couple holes. Signs warn golfers not to cross the fence, but I observed several golfers doing it anyway.

Several holes criss-cross each other dangerously.

I know locals will likely give this review thumbs-downs with the Colorado tradition of course score inflation. I know many of my reviews sound like broken records, but the truth is the truth. Thus is a solid piece of property with a very BAD course design.

Fun course with many diverse holes
Good baskets, good tee pads

Hard to follow course flow in some areas
Many placards are no longer there
As others mentioned, there are homeless remnants throughout the course
Didn't like playing under the power lines most of the round

Looks like they were pouring a new #1 tee when I went
The train must have altered this course a lot
Curious to watch them building all of these new luxury apartments facing the course!

Good Tees - Large concrete pads at every hole.

Challenging Holes - A variety of trees, elevation, distance and OB to keep you on your toes.

Great Hike - A solid hike up and down the hills from Knox that heads slightly east and then bends west
almost all the way to Sheridan and then back again!

Multiple Basket Placements - While I think it is most liked at its shortest basket placements, they can get as long as 700+, which can be really fun

Great Views - As you head west you see the mountains before you and can almost forget your in the city (especially hole 7)

Open Field - Nice wide field by hole one is great for practice/warm up throws

Disc Sales - Usually in the summer months a guy will have large orange 5 gallon drums with used discs. Were talking $5 - $10 a disc folks.

Damage/Wear on Signs - Some of the signs are torn down

Homeless - While less of a presence in the colder months, a lot of homeless camp out along the river. I have never had any issues but its a good thing to take note of.

Its A Park - There are more than a few places where the sidewalks cross the path from tee to basket, so be okay with yelling heads up or waiting for people.

Directions - Not much at all. Go with a friend who knows it or follow someone else. Or get lost, that can be fun and hey ADVENTURE.

Hazards - While less of a con for me and more of a trek, if a disc gets away from you and lands on another bank, on the train tracks or in the water. Be prepared to do some awkward trekking to retrieve it.

As a backhand player this course can get a little repetitive sometimes, but that said I find it interesting enough to keep coming back here to perfect my lines and find new ones.

If you are crunched for time, just play holes 1-8 and then play hole 21 back towards Knox St as hole "9". Its a nice quick fix during a work day. You can stomp it in 45mins.

If you think you might throw it in the water. Bring a golden retriever. If you think you might not throw it in the water. Bring a golden retriever.

There are baskets and tee pads

Nasty water running through course that had a noticeable odor (who wants to reach in that to pluck a disc)
Not a great layout
Homeless debris and litter everywhere
Many throws directly towards/across the paths
Broken/missing tee signs

I joked to my friend that we'd have to watch out for syringes. That joke became reality as I noticed one in front of me on my 1st putt. I lived in the Denver area for 5 years and never made it here. I wanted to try a new course while visiting with a friend and we were in the neighborhood, so we checked it out. I could not have regretted that decision any more. I would not ever play this course again, as it was one of the crummiest courses I've ever played.

Diverse landscapes, elevation, foliage, environments requiring a diverse arsenal of throwing capabilities and distances. Some wide open distance shots; some long, tight-window, narrow drives; some that require a competent placement of your tee shot so you are left w a good upshot. Some in-jail looks, some short and seemingly easy birdie/ace runs. Has it all and then some.

All concrete tee pads.

All 21 baskets in decent to good condition.

FREE.

Tall, thick grass and weeds can swallow up your plastic so watch closely and track all shots, especially on the back (9-20).

Some "homeless" will snatch your disc so again watch closely.

Lots of pedestrians who are not paying attention so always yield if you see someone.

Inconsistent course/hole maps on the tee pads so try to locate the basket before throwing. Also it's easy to mistake basket 18 with basket 10, and vice-versa, so be sure you're throwing at the correct one.

Lots of derelicts. Drunks, junkies, crack heads and others just living in tents in the park for free. They're mostly just trying to con you out of your money, ciggs, and inventory. Would suggest not making eye contact.

On a hot day it can be a long slog so bring plenty to drink.

I think the train buzzing through every 5-10 minutes adds an energy and uniqueness to the course. But avoid throwing into the tracks. It's always sketch retrieving your plastic.

Lots of trash, especially on the back 9-20 holes. Police yourself and don't add to the problem, douchebag.

This course will make you a better player. Lots of scrambling and precise coordination of powerful shots are required to finish below par.

-Great variety of holes and obstacles to throw around
-The creek running through the course makes for some difficult throws/approaches
-In the middle of Lakewood/Denver but still a substantial amount of space

-The back 9 was tricky to navigate as you entered more of a ghetto

It had rained a lot in the days preceding our game, and it started raining when we were out there. Around hole 9-10 there is a path across the river/creek that was flooded out and made it tricky to cross. There are other ways around, but our group didn't have the time for the slightly longer detour. Basically rainy weather seems to affect this course a lot.

Played in March, so foliage and grass were sparce. This was a fun course with good diversity in doglegs, altitude variations, and distance mix.

We were held up a couple of times by walkers on the path that runs the length of the course and the trolley at the turn around point. The last basket is over a 1/4 mile from the parking lot

Stream was at a low level so the penalty for landing in the creek bed was low - this would change dramatically during the high water periods.

First 9 was ok
lots of open distance to play with
varying degrees of elevation

back 9 was non-existent
seems to start in a ghetto neighborhood

Granted this was back in october 2015. It was also a bit difficult to find the beginning and it seemed the course goes by 2 names.

- 21 holes all with serviceable baskets.
- Concrete tee pads on every hole
- Long course, has legit par 4s but a nice mix of some shorter holes
- Tunnel shots, hyzer lines (the majority of shots), Anhyzer lines. Overall good variety
- Elevation changes
- Great views and a creek that comes into play
- Light rail drops you off right at the course if you can't drive

- Light rail runs through the course. Discs would be un-retrievable if they land on it.
- Some of the baskets are single chain and don't catch too well
- A lot of holes play down or across pedestrian walkways but on a nice Saturday there was very little foot-traffic and not any blind shots
- The park does have a bit of a homeless problem but I had no issues, everyone I encountered was friendly
- Not the greatest neighborhood but far from the "ghetto" that people call it

I really enjoyed this course. I moved to Denver a year ago and had been avoiding it because I have heard negative things (gangs, missing baskets, etc.). I found this course to have more variety in shots than any other course in the metro area and would love to see more events here. The light rail does add to the chance of losing a disc, but I had no problem avoiding it. The creek was shallow and clear enough that it was easy to retrieve any disc that goes into it. Go play this course, it is worth your time

This was the only 18+ course that had easy access from my downtown hotel. I just used a $6 Uber ride to get out here, but there is a rail line with service from downtown too.

The course is in a "gulch", but it wasn't dry. The gulch is full of water and there is a rail line on the banks of the gulch. The water and the rail line are a constant concern, almost always serving as an OB down one side of the fairway. The majority of the tee shots favor RHBH lines. Trees are used around the targets so that you have to pick a line and execute. Most fairway shots are not on level ground -- uphill, downhill, sidehill. Overall, I thought it played very fair in the short positions.

You do have to pay attention to pedestrians, but that's the trade-off for having a nice course so close to downtown. It would be really tough to build a course this close to downtown that didn't require sharing the space with other people.

Bigger, brighter flags on the baskets would be helpful. I'm sure this isn't a problem for people who frequently play here, but I would have really struggled to find the target from the tee had I not been playing with locals.

Also, the grounds could definitely benefit from a little TLC in regards to trash.

This course was solid. I would definitely play it again if given the opportunity. I played in late January of 2015, 60 degree day. After 5 holes, I joined a 3-some of local players who were good players and even better hosts.

> Seems to have a convenient location to make it accessible.
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> A pretty nice topography overall, so it doesn't feel flat or repetative.
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> Some pretty scary OB's that will keep you from getting sloppy or cost you a lost disc. (you don't want to end up on the light-rail tracks, in a swampy bog or in the deep creek)
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> Creative use of the available space (but also see cons).
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> The concrete tees were mostly adequate.
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> Course is relatively short and easy to make a pleasant round for beginners and recreational players, but not so short as to be pitch-in for the more seasoned player.
...

> Overall, the park is pretty run down and ratty. All tee signs were either damaged or completely ruined. Trash was abundant. Many shady characters hanging about.
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> Horribly UNSAFE public interaction design: I just don't understand who thought it was remotely OK to have players throwing at, over and even from walking and biking paths. It is never a good idea to begin with, but many of these path crossings involve blind spots where a biker/walker could suddenly be right in front of your drive coming off the tee. There's even one tee box that is part of some business parking lot and another where players are supposed to use the public sidewalk at an intersection with a stop-light (W. 12th and N. Knox)... What? I would also suggest that the several times where a throw could drift over onto the light-rail tracks is just asking for a disaster - players WILL try to get their discs back and someone is going to get hit or in trouble. I have no doubt that this course will, some day soon, be the source of a major disc golf related injury that creates another major law-suit.
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> UNSAFE player interaction design: There are many holes where players will find themselves throwing at or over other players. Some fairways were shared and several tees were right in the line of fire for others.
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> Many missing baskets have been replaced with a make-shift tone pole. These were also very hard to see and would have been totally lost without locals to point them out.
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> Map shows multiple pin locations, but I get the impression they don't get moved much at all. Maybe I'm wrong... but I never once saw any signs of these other basket sleeves/locations.
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> The course itself really wasn't very challenging in my opinion. The fairways are mostly open and the vast majority of the obstacles were fear of going in the creek, onto the light-rail tracks or into the road. Nobody I saw was counting the paths as OB. Just a few trees here and there and a couple of power line towers...
...

> I didn't hate playing here at Lakewood Dry Gultch, but I just had a hard time forgiving the designs total lack of regard for safety. Perhaps the paths and light-rail were added after the course was already established... but that doesn't, in my book, equate to a good enough excuse. The course has plenty of room to be redesigned as a safer and enjoyable 18 holer.
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> Since this course "is the way it is", please, please, please, keep your heads up for other park goers and public pedestrians/bikers, stay off the tracks and always have another person spotting the paths before you throw.

Nice concrete tee pads. Lots of longer holes to test your arm. Pins are moved around fairly regularly on several holes between 2-3 different spots.

Excellent use of the trees and elevation present at the park to create variety (lots of uphills and downhills, trees are used to guard many pins or force your drive onto a tricky line, and a couple drives are put under a bridge and around an electrical tower). The obstacles force your drives into certain shapes, but you never have to throw through a heavily wooded patch and just hope to get lucky - good shots are rewarded.

Eastern half of the course (1-8 and 21) has mowed grass fairways that are well maintained. Western half (holes 9-20) is not very crowded.

The placard by the tee pads with the hole number and pin distances is damaged/destroyed on most holes.

Eastern half gets crowded on the weekends, although in my experience people are happy to let you play through if you're faster. The western half of the course can be a little tricky to navigate for a new player. At some times of the year, the grasses in parts of the course get very long, and its easy to lose 15 minutes searching for a disc even if you weren't very far off target.

While I've never felt unsafe on the course (and I bring my small children with me on rounds fairly often), you will run into possibly homeless folks hanging out under trees now and then. Some trash here and there, especially some spots near the creek.

Of the 21 holes, 13 of them (1, 2, 4-8, 11-14, 16, 17) clearly favor a RHBH/LHFH fade, while only 5 holes (3, 9, 18, 19, 21) favor the RHFH/LHBH fade. This is largely due to the orientation of the holes with respect to the creek, as a miss with the wrong shot shape can lead to a downhill fade. Outside of a handful of holes (9, 17, 20) you have to miss really badly to actually end up in the creek, though.

The fairways on 3 and 4 overlap, more or less so depending on the pin placement on 4. This can slightly slow play down at times but I haven't found it to be a big deal. Fairways of 8 and 21 also overlap if both pins are in the long position, but due to the angle of those drives I've never seen this be an issue at all.

Others have commented on interaction with bikers/walkers on the paths. I have occasionally held up on a shot because of a biker, but I think the risk of accidentally throwing on a surprise biker coming around the bend has been overstated. The sight lines are pretty good.

If you bring a course map make sure it is "course map II" in the files section - the older course map is outdated.

Holes #1-8 and 21 are well maintained, and therefore fun to play. As many have stated before, lots of people play those 9 holes twice to make up an 18 hole round. Why? See cons. It's fun playing disc golf next to a light rail line with a picturesque view of downtown Denver. Central location makes it more convenient when trying to coordinate games with groups from all over the metro area.

Holes #9-20. A few of them have real potential, but overall this part of the course is a forgotten wasteland with overgrown weeds, graffiti, trash, vandalized and/or missing baskets, and so on. It's like the you walk into another neighborhood when you pass hole #8, one with much bigger concerns than maintaining a disc golf course in a drainage ditch. Many holes play on or near the bike path with blind spots, the chance of hitting a biker is always there. Bugs and snakes in the overgrown weeds, watch your step!

Always crowded, get there early or be prepared to play a slow game. Try to avoid shooting your disc under the high tension power lines, it makes the hair on your arms stand up. Be careful crossing the creek on hole #9, the rocks get very slick. UPDATE: My playing partner and I both slipped and fell into the water trying to cross the creek on hole #9 today, it is currently unsafe to cross there, try walking around to the crossing by tee #20.

There are some fun long range risk reward type shots with obstacles. These are a lot of fun. I'm not sure of the hole...maybe 16 or 17, I threw a sidearm drive across the creek that deflected off of the light rail bridge and landed 10 feet from the basket.
The front 9 and the first few on the back side are marked well. There is a wide margin for error on lot of the holes, which was nice for me as a beginner. Also some long holes to air it out.

The last few holes are pretty bad, unless you are playing with someone who knows the course. There are a few baskets missing, which isn't cool. There were some homeless guys bathing in the creek lol...so there's that.

It's a pretty fun course for the location. I have only played the course a few times, but there's been a lot of trash and garbage left on the course. It could be a very nice course with a little upkeep.