-Baskets Decent
-Good size concrete pads
-Generous Pars
-Multiple pins, rotated regularly
-Good signage

-Navigation is a bit tricky at times
-Might bore the more advanced players

East Lake Park includes a good disc golf course on the east side of Mt. Pleasant, IA. A multi-use park, the disc golf stays mostly away from other activities with maybe one shelter in play on the back 9. Two nice 9 hole loops follow from the parking lot. The front is shorter and more technical with a few blind shots. The back opens things up with longer holes and fewer trees to work around. While the course is along East Lake, the water really is not in play, just way long on #15 and #17 (only when baskets are in the long pin) and along the right on #18. There is a little elevation change, but not much. The play level is such that the beginner to the intermediate could be able to enjoy. Probably not very exciting for the advanced. A good mix of holes, overall, for me. I enjoyed my round and would play again, if in the area.

-Well constructed course.
-Alternate pin locations updated frequently.
-Great signage and easy to navigate from hole to hole.
-Good mix of forehand and backhand shots.
-Good mix of shorter holes on the front 9 to get your birdies early and warm-up for the longer holes on the back 9.
-Front 9 and back 9 both start and end at the parking lot, if you would only like to play a quick 9 hole round.
-Beautiful park that surrounds a "lake"
-Located just off of Interstate 218.
-Gas Station near by.

-No trash cans on any of the holes.
-No benches or picnic tables on any of the holes.
-Lightly wooded back 9 that can be very difficult on windy days.
-A couple holes feature very long grass that make it impossible to find your disc.

In conclusion: This is a great course for all ages and experience levels. I would highly recommend that you stop by this course if you happen to be passing through Mt. Pleasant.

Update: 8/14/15: Benches and trash cans have now been added to most holes.

Good mix of shots for both backhand and forehand players. Well maintained course. Distance adds some challenge to your game.

Can be busy at times with pedestrians.

Very good course overall. I will definitely play this course again when back in the area.

This course has just recently expanded from a nice/cute 9-holer to a full 18 hole course. As of my latest playing, the back 9 was fully installed, aside from signage.

- Large concrete tee pads, in great shape.
- Multiple pin locations on some holes on the front 9.
- Front nine has decent signage. Although with many blind basket locations, it's tough to see which pin is in. With some short holes, it'd be easy to over-drive if you don't go take a peek.
- Nice baskets, catch well.
- Layout is pretty well explanatory, aside from some bind pin placements.
- Good mix of open and wooded shots, especially for what they had to work with. Front nine is in and around a dense stand of trees, with really no underbrush to speak of. Unless you miss very badly. Really well maintained. Back nine is more open, but still with great shot shapes required, and plenty of obstacles.
- Course has been well designed around and through the park, without much chance of interfering with other park activities. A great use of all the extra space in the park, unlike other parks where the course has been put into a similarly established park, and it conflicts with normal park activities.
- Fantastically maintained park with small bathrooms, shelter, gazebo, and a large sports complex for soccer and tennis. Baseball/softball fields across the lake, which really doesn't come into play on any holes, but is right by the course.
- Hole #7 & 8 provide some excellent chances for decision making as to what gap in which trees you want to play through. Decide correctly and then hit your line, otherwise you'll pay.
- Hole #10 is a very interesting one, with a wide open approach to a very tight tunnel through some pine trees. Great design - although the green ceiling is probably a little too low.
- Holes #13-16 all are across/along/through what appears to at one time to have been a creek bed. Great string of holes with some different shots.

- Front 9 does play a little short to my liking, but that has been remedied quite nicely by a longer back 9 that lets you air it out.
- Hole #3 last time I played was something like 110 feet, and although around a blind corner, was not in line with the rest of this course. Disappointing.
- Hole #10 does tee off right next to the main incoming road, and just a slightly wayward shot could have you hitting a car or having a disc run over, if one happens to drive through.
- Hole #12 looks to be a long par 5, but just in a wide open field. Hopefully once the area gets some rain and the grass grows, they can mow in a fairway that at least encourages some type of drive.
- Hole #18 is much the same as #12, a long, uphill hole to the end. Wide open, nothing going for it but the gentle hill. It passes by the large shelter, and although not too close, if anyone using the shelter is out in the grass for any sort of football/frisbee/yard-game activity, there could be some conflict. This hole kind of took away a nice, open, usable grass portion of the park.

It's pretty near both main highways passing by town, so it's any easy and worthwhile stop if you're passing through. A course that beginners can easily play, but that experienced players will find fun to play as well. I'm glad that SE Iowa has another good 18 hole course to play.

• Beautiful, well maintained park. The walk through the park is a very pleasant experience in it of itself.
• Concrete Tees, Tee Signs with Maps, Distance, pin location
• Alt pins are now installed for all baskets.
• Good Fun Factor and Challenge Factor
• The Front and back 9 figure 8 and play back to the parking lot; allowing for a quick round of 9 on either course.
• The Front 9 is more technical, while the Back 9 requires longer drives,
• Garbage cans and Benches throughout the course
• Good balance of right and left handed shots. (Subject to pin position)
• Pins moved frequently during playable seasons. Left in the shorter positions during the winter.
• Beginner Friendly and challenging for the seasoned player
• Rolling terrain, with sparse to medium woods and open field distance shots.
• Healthy long Risk/Reward Tunnel shot down #7 fairway between two rows of trees.
• Good navigation. Outside of a couple hang ups, the course is very easy to follow. (First Time only)
• Maximized use of land; Course plays out and back to the parking lot
• Mostly segregated from the rest of the park, making interactions with other park users minimal. (Though still be careful. You could still stumble across someone walking around the park. It is a very nice place)
• Easy Access from 218 or Hwy 34
FWIW
• Is a multi-use park with other activities, including a ball golf driving range, walking trails, playgrounds and picnic areas. Also, there are fishing ponds. Excellent place to stop if you are traveling with kids!

• A few fairways play alongside each other, going against each other. It should be easy to spot oncoming traffic, but an errant throw can easily end up in a neighboring fairway.
• The short pin positions can sometimes be too short. (Less than 200 feet) If only one or two are in the shorts, it can make for a fun Ace Run. If they have more than 2 in the shorts, it can get redundant. (Primarily between 2-6)
• When you reach the 16th fairway, you start playing close to a playground/picnic area. Its far enough out, that you won't affect the playground area. It's close enough that sometimes you'll see park goers wandering around in the fairways 16 through 18. Look before you throw! FWIW: Sometimes there are events that can prevent play on the back 9
• The Rough on the Front 9 can get brutal in certain areas, and there is a Corn/Soybean field along 6. If your disc goes in, it's about like throwing into a pond.

I have really enjoyed playing here at East Lake! It's a fun course, with a healthy challenge! The addition of the Back 9 has made this a solid course! There is a distinct Yin-Yang feel between the Front and Back 9. The front 9 is a little shorter, yet it's very technical. The Back 9 is more challenging with long distance shots. East Lake has a variety of different challenges, requiring the player to consider which disc to throw and how they will throw it. You will find Doglegs, turnover shots, long tunnel drives, all the way up to open field long distance runs. It even has a dogleg tunnel shot!! (#10) There is something for everyone, regardless of what level player you are.

I'll be honest, there may be more challenging courses in Iowa. This is not Camden II or West Lake, but don't underestimate it. East Lake is a very solid course! They have hosted PDGA Sanctioned Tournaments and it's definitely worth checking out. If one lives in one of the adjacent towns, it's definitely worth the drive over to check it out. Even if you are from Ottumwa, come over and spend a day here in Mount Pleasant. You'll have a good time. Any further, then just schedule a stop when you happen to be driving through Mt Pleasant. There are plenty of potential road trips in SE Iowa that can take you through Mt Pleasant.

I'm just going to add that the Mount Pleasant Disc Golf League is a group of fantastic players that are an absolute blast to throw a round with. If you are in town on a league night, stop in and play as a guest.

You won't need any special footwear or clothing here. You may want some liquid for the hotter days, since you'll be playing in some open fields. This course was really well designed. The designers did a great job in covering all the bases and maximizing the potential of the land. For that I can say "Well done!".

Beautiful park with multiple amenities and activities: Walking path, softball diamonds, tennis courts, horseshoe courts, soccer fields, ball golf driving range, sand volleyball courts, several playgrounds, and various shelters and gazebos. Also, there is a good sized pond near the center of the park (but it doesn't come in to play).

Park is immaculate. City spends a lot of time out there, and it shows. Constantly mowed, never see any trash.

Very large concrete tee pads, they really did a great job on them, I think they are 4' x 10' (though I didn't have a tape on me). Baskets were in perfect shape, obvious since the course is brand new and not completely finished. A few park type benches on course to rest on. Looks like they are putting in a few bridges and walkways over areas that may be wet at times, much appreciated. (no comment on tee signs, as they were not yet installed)

Though course is mostly open, has many trees of various age and type, adding to the challenge of the course. Some of them help define the fairways, some as obstacles along your route, and a couple making you choose a big left to right or right to left shot.

Most of the holes have an alternative pin position. When I last played I noticed flags and the bases set, but didn't find them on all the holes. Will have to update that when I get more information.

Several of the pin locations are blind from the tee. Nice mix of long and short holes, though I think I only pulled out a distance driver twice (for me on hole 1 and 9), the rest of the holes mids and some fairway drivers can be used.

Course is beginner friendly. That is not to say the course is easy, but there are few places to loose a disc, though I am sure it can be done.

Navigation was pretty intuitive, even without tee signs, next tee signs, or even arrows on the basket pointing the way.

I really don't have a lot of cons, so I am reaching real deep to find something here:

Area doesn't have much of any elevation to speak of, maybe a mound or some gentle slopes, but that's about it.

I think I only saw one trash can on the course. I hate to list that on a course that isn't complete, as they may have already planned for more, but if not, I would hate to have such a beautiful park and course become littered with trash.

I could tell that some areas had some standing water throughout the year, I am sure that will be a reoccurring concern, especially in the spring.

Couple of holes that stood out: Hole 7 has a nice tight fairway within some trees that were planted in a grid layout. It is a little more open on the right, but still pretty difficult. Hole 9 also stood out, as the pin is hidden behind a large pine tree. I ended up throwing a big hyzer out to the right over the road.

Even though the course isn't 100% completed, I really enjoyed the game play. The layout seems well thought out and in a park setting like this, well, it just makes for a really good combination.

This course makes a great addition to the area, though it may pull some of the players away from Riverview DGC over at Oakland Mills, which is about 5 miles from this course and a little more out of the way than this one is.

My super wish list for this course would be to expand it to 18 and utilize the pond for a couple shots, though I know it is probably a real stretch.

There are plenty of activities around the park for the entire family to stay occupied, don't hesitate bringing them.

I plan on playing the park again, and will update with more information as it becomes available.