Topeka, KS

Lake Shawnee

3.345(based on 19 reviews)
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6 0
Pevio
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 11.9 years 188 played 120 reviews
3.00 star(s)

The 29th Street Tour

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 2, 2023 Played the course:once

Pros:

If you want to play Disc Golf in Topeka, you drive down 29th Street. Lake Shawnee takes you down a slight diversion to a fairly generic, but in no way bad, par 3 course with a decent amount of variety and some fun elevation. The down-and-back layout stays in an area of the park just for the course, and all the expected amenities are in place.

I really like the pin placements here. They give a new topping to the hole without changing the underlying flavor. But the distance can vary quite a bit, so you may be changing what disc you throw.

The entire course is on a hill sloping towards the lake, which means the elevation change is exceptional but not extreme. Hole 13 plays down towards the lake, but I also like the bomber on hole 11, and playing slightly uphill on a few others is quite nice.

The course is mostly open, but there are at least a few trees on every hole, and holes 12 and 16 are fairly technical. Changing up the pins gives a little more emphasis on precision as well.

The water holes are pretty fun. You can play safe if you want to (or have a friend play defense), but there is plenty of risk/reward to be had. And it's always clear which baskets are near water, so you're unlikely to get an unexpected roll down a cliff. Only hole 18 plays over water, and while it won't be fun for beginners, you can lay up to only have about 150 feet of water to clear.

Cons:

A lot of the open holes are, well, too open. This is mostly on holes 2-11, where there's really not much going on. The later holes have a little more thought put into their design, and had more interesting features to work with in the first place.

A few other holes are completely open on one side of the fairway, which means some kind of wide hyzer gets to the basket with no difficulty. Sure, those wide hyzer shots have some variety, but they're still wide hyzers. The water holes are the exception to this.

There aren't any par 4's, which I would have appreciated. One or two open bomber holes over 500 feet are fun on any course, and there just aren't any of those here. I can't even think of any pairs of holes that could be combined easily. Maybe playing hole 1 to hole 2, but that's a fairly uninteresting dogleg. I would like a long par 4 pin on 18.

There are a few pin positions I don't like, most notably the ones in the woods on 17 which are just real strange. And I could do with the pins of 3 and 7 being a little farther from the road. Even hole 11 can produce some craziness if the wind picks up.

Other Thoughts:

The baskets are set in a wide concrete base, which can rough up putters, but each base points towards the next tee, which is nice.

I'm happy with the course as it is. There really isn't a chance of making it better without completely reimagining it, but it's not in a bad shape at all. Maybe plant a few more trees?

I'm fairly critical of the openness of this course, but I can say that if there's a lot of wind, the course is going to feel a lot less open.
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13 0
Surge5
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 9.7 years 166 played 166 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Title McTitleFace

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 27, 2023 Played the course:once

Pros:

A course seemingly geared toward the advanced side of novice, there is indeed a lake at this park.  The mild elevation changes throughout the park will be your main obstacle, matching the angle of a hill or stopping short on a downhill throw will test this aspect of your game.

Sizable concrete tees throughout the park, at least two pin spots on every hole, the ever-informative Dynamic Discs tee signs, and 18 Latitude 64 baskets round out the amenities of the park.  Everything is in excellent condition.

The lake creates a balanced obstacle for the last seven holes of the course.  These are some of the shorter holes on the course, but they play to the risk/reward side of the game incredibly well.  13 is the best example of this: it's a downhill, 200ft hole, and the pin sits about 20 feet from the shore on a small plateau.  You have to put enough power behind the shot since the hill before the plateau could hop your disc up to rolling, but also there's water behind the pin, so obviously you can't aim to overshoot it by much.  12, 16 and 17 have rollaway potential into the water, 18 crosses a not insignificant cove, and 14… well, we'll address 14 later.

Elevation is used smartly throughout the course.  2 plays over a small dip in the land, but still finishes higher than it starts, but with the pin directly behind a tree that can be tough to gauge.  Holes 4 and 8 are the only ones with pins near 400ft, but they are slightly downhill which plays to the easier nature of the front half.  15 is also a big downhill right-finishing hole, but you cant go too far right since the lake looms over there.

What trees there are have been used well.  Shielding the pins of 2 and 4, blocking the right to left hyzer on 9, guarding the tee shot on 12, and the treeline along the lake creating a ceiling on 14 and 16, tucking 17's pin into the evergreens, it's all done well.

Cons:

The sameness of holes 3-9 is a big flaw.  While it is the easier part of the course, they run together after having played them which makes it hard to think about how you'd attack those holes next time.  I've had to look back at the hole pictures to write about those for this review… that also might owe to me playing 115 holes in a day, but I remember the others just fine.

Hole 14 plays very close to the lake, and that's fine.  What isn't fine is the long pin being so close to the lake that any missed putt has about a 75% chance of flying/rolling into the lake.  The reward is far to small to risk your putter on a long putt.

Some of the routing between holes is a bit odd.  The tee of 6 is over a hill from the basket of 5, the long pin of 9 is directly in 10's fairway, and to get to 15, you'll walk up the hill just to go back in the same direction you came from.  While it does allow for the trees to be better used, there was enough space left in the park that these issues could have been avoided.

Hole 3 is dead flat with a telephone pole as the only obstacle.

While there are groups of holes that do things well, no hole does anything to set itself apart from the others.  Maybe the unique green of 11 long, but that's all I can really think of except the cove shot on 18, but the green of 18 is full of loose scree while trying to make a putt.

Other Thoughts:

Parking area is a bit small for an 18-hole.  I imagine league night parking overflows to the street.

The designers really did make a lot out of this piece of land.  With a few more standout holes this would be a no-brainer to stop at if you're in Topeka.  As it is, it's still a fine option, but it wouldn't be on the top of my list.
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10 0
Bryan.kelly1
Experience: 13.9 years 44 played 9 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Enjoyable, Interesting, Clean, Windy 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 31, 2018 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-Very clean and always mowed
-Good use of trees, water hazards, and elevation
-Yellow Latitude 64 Pro baskets which make for easy visibility from the tee
-Concrete tee pads
-Numerous benches throughout the course
-Trash cans
-Multiple pin placements
-Practice basket for those waiting on a group
-Picnic tables near hole 1
-Easy navigation (arrows under the baskets that direct you to the next tee)
-Enjoyable views of the lake
-Lots of parking space and a few spots under the shade
-Very cart-friendly
-Playground and shelter houses nearby
-Never crowded

Cons:

-No restrooms directly on site but can be found down the street
-No tee signs (although everything is par 3)
-Wind will only add to the challenge
-A little bit repetitive on the front nine but leaving some variety on the back nine

Other Thoughts:

Lake Shawnee DGC is one of the oldest courses in Kansas. If you're in Topeka or just passing through, this will be your best pick. It is the most hilliest course in town (if you like elevation change). There are a few holes where you can bomb your disc down a hill. The front nine is mostly open shots and the back nine gets more technical with water hazards and trees. A shoutout to the people with Dawn To Dusk Disc Club here in Topeka and the work they have put in to the local courses including Lake Shawnee!
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4 2
ivanhenson
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 12.8 years 664 played 218 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Great Open Course 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 20, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

Easy to follow nothing blind.

Not many players not crowded

Great tee and nice little rock signs

Cons:

Wind i know the state but no trees to block it none and wind is often

Fishers on 18 cant play 18 since so many people fishing by basket

Other Thoughts:

The back is more interesting than front for sure.
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6 0
Upshawt1979
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 20.8 years 548 played 429 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Blown Away 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 10, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

Lake Shawnee sits on one corner of a nice park that surrounds that end of the lake. There is a full 18 hole course, all with numbered concrete tees and dual pin positions. No tee signs, but the basket is usually in sight from the pad.

It is almost all grass, with a few nice old trees here and there, and a patches of thicker rough on the holes that are nearer to the water. There are rolling hills, not huge, but far from flat. Elevation changes on several holes that make it a bit more interesting. Water is in play on 4 or 5 holes, mainly at the end.

I liked the first and last holes the best. Number 1 tees across a trickling stream, downhill and up the opposite side. A line of trees offers some ok gaps with low clearance, or there is a 2 o'clock window if you want to try a right to left spike hyzer. Not deep enough water do lose a disc, but some undergrowth could hide one here. I went right side, but it is a hard bend playing the short pin position, and wound up 3 putting for bogey. 18 is over water, the right to left hyzer is required to make it back to the shore, where a few trees that stand around the pin position I played to on the right. The other is further to the left on the land. I didn't put enough air under it, and it splashed about a foot short of the bank. Luckily it was easily retrieved from the aquatic plants growing there, and I was still able to make a bogey after the penalty.

I found the back nine to be more interesting than the front, holes 12-18 in particular. All of the elements become more prominent and blend together more often. 12 is not long to the short pin, but steeply up hill and with large trees taking the direct line and right side away. Challenging for the RHBH style I am most comfortable with. Hole 13 is a short one, but has the steepest drop, and is no room to overshoot it because the lake is about 15 feet behind the pin I played. Laid up close enough to insure an easy birdie. 14 is kind of close to the water in the pin location I played, but there is room to the left for a safe line if you are not wanting to risk getting wet. 15 takes a left to right line to get around the trees that protect the basket in that position when I played, bending toward the water, but not perilously close to it. Managed a birdie there too.

Cons:

There are a few holes that are fairly average quality, maybe a bit boring, but can become difficult if you are unaccustomed to playing in high wind, like I am. I was spraying drives everywhere, and my short game was atrocious.

This is par 54 any way you play it, and should be an easier course to experienced players with any kind of accuracy and a decent arm. I finished my first round at 7 over, with two inexcusable double bogeys, even with the high gusts of wind. So I am looking forward to redemption when the conditions are more favorable.

Other Thoughts:

It was a fun round at Lake Shawnee. I didn't light it up, but it was my third course of the day, so at least it was nice for the simplistic layout that does not require too much exertion.

I struggled a lot with the wind, but did take three birdies, although one came after a bad drive on hole 7 and a perfect 75 foot Roc shot that got the air bounce straight into the chains. Best shot of the day on any of the three courses.

If you want an easier course, that plays pretty quick, this is a nice option. Not ridiculous easy, with several fun holes, I would say it is worth a trip if you're not too far away.
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11 0
bigreddog
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 12.1 years 195 played 62 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Boring Front, Interesting Back 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 4, 2015 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

It's pretty easy to find the next tee. There are arrows by the basket posts that point the way. It's a bit confusing to tell which hole is 8 and which is 10 (see below). 18 is the only other tricky spot since there are a couple alternate tees. Course navigation 9/10

Baskets and tees are both in solid but not perfect condition. A couple of baskets are slightly tilted but not bad. Holes 8 and 10 share an L-shaped tee pad, which is kind of weird. An alternate tee on 18 is in pretty bad shape. 8/10

Hole 1 and several holes on the back force you to choose a route through the trees where several are possible. Some holes on the front only have a couple of trees right around the basket and you have to decide how to get around them. Decisionmaking 8/10

It's pretty easy to find discs most of the time. The lake is very in play on holes 13, 14, and 18. 13 the lake is behind the basket on a downhill shot, 14 is along the right side, and 18 requires about a 200-250ft carry (the shore is closer the further left you go) from an elevated tee. 8/10

There's a decent amount of elevation that's mixed pretty well. There are a couple more downhill holes than uphill, or at least the downhill holes are typically more severe (12 is more severely up). There are also a couple of interesting sidehill shots. However, many of the holes on the front nine are mostly flat. 7/10

Obstacles are used very well on the back nine to provide a challenge, but something to be desired on most of the front. 7/10

Navigation on holes is decent, as it's pretty obvious on most holes. However, the only information you have at the tee is the hole number on a post, no distances or maps. A few holes have blind shots where you have may have to walk ahead to find the basket. 6/10

The course is usually pretty well mowed, and there are a couple benches along the course. No tee signs or trash cans. The brush along, 1, 13, 14, 16, and 17 sometimes gets a little out of control. 6/10 on maintenance

Beginners will find plenty of challenge on this course. Intermediate players will be pretty bored on the front nine but find the back a lot more challenging. Advanced players will have enough challenge to keep them interested on the back. 6/10 on challenging all levels

Cons:

Most holes have two pin positions, but on many of the holes the alternates aren't much different from each other and don't change the feel of the holes at all. There's one alternate tee on 18. 3/10

There's not much variety in distances. Most holes are 275-325 feet, especially on the front. There are a few shorter more technical holes on the back. Not many long bomb holes, 8 and 11 are about as close as it gets. 3/10

Much of holes 2-11 are pretty open, with a few trees to avoid. There is some decent variety on the back. 1, 12, 14, and 16 are fairly technical. Variety of openness 5/10

This course doesn't have many holes that force you to throw a certain shot path. There are some exceptions, holes 1 and 18 require right to left, while 9, 10, 12, and 17 require left to right. 5/10

Other Thoughts:

Overall Challenge: 4/10

This course is a decent play if you are in the area, though if you're in Topeka I definitely prefer Crestview Park. Neither of these courses are particularly challenging, and if that's what you're looking for you should head up to Longview at Perry Lake.

This course is pretty solidly at a 3 for me, with a 2.902 on my spreadsheet. Holes 2-11 are a 2.5 quality, while the rest are more of a 3.5 quality, averaging out to a 3.
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3 0
Tan-Vic-Own-Sim-Moon
Experience: 12.9 years 92 played 10 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Solid but overrated 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 27, 2015 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Nice back 9 with a little more variety than the front 9. Great hole 18!

Cons:

Kind of a boring front 9, not a lot of trees involved.

Other Thoughts:

Overrated compared to other great courses in KS. Awesome last hole though.
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5 0
Jayhawker10
Experience: 10.1 years 9 played 6 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Lake Shawnee - North Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 23, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

I was in the area for the day and had the afternoon off so I decided to check out the most highly rated course in town (per DGCR). Whether or not it is the best course is neither here, nor there. It is the only one I have played in Topeka though.

- Being that I am of novice/intermediate skill level, this course was a pretty good fit. I can only drive about 225 right now so making par was a fair challenge for my skill level.

- The back 9 in general was designed well for my style of play.

-Plenty of parking and I know there are bathrooms within a short drive.

- The baskets have big number signs on top of them making locating the baskets, for the most part, relatively easy. Of course, I could not locate 17 but determined it was buried in the woods through a process of elimination.

- Some of the nicer tee boxes I have played on. Long enough and make of concrete that has minimal cracks or issues.

- Plenty of benches if you need to sit to rest or if you are waiting on the group in front of you.

Cons:

- The 18th...where do I start. I didn't even attempt to tee off from the box for fear of losing a disc in the water. Instead, I teed of from about 30 feet from the shoreline. I can see how higher skill level people would enjoy this hole.

- Holes 3 through 9 are somewhat repetitive as they zig-zag across a field with little elevation change.

-Some holes have markers that state their numbers, others do not.

- There are not multiple basket locations, as stated on here. And there are not multiple tee boxes for each hole either. I don't have a problem with this though.

Other Thoughts:

DGCR states that there is a south course on the other side of the park road but I looked and did not see any baskets. I did not look hard but I could have missed them. I would not say that this is a must play but, in the case that it is the superior course in Topeka, it was worth the stop. I know people said this is close to a disc golf shop (LSDiscs). I would have stopped but my phone gave me the location as being a persons home so I skipped for today. Overall, I would recommend this course but would like to play the others in the area before going back.
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2 2
shaun103183
Experience: 12.6 years 9 played 3 reviews
4.00 star(s)

my favorite topeka course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 29, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

beautiful lake scenery, water comes into play 3-4 times , plays pretty quick for a 18 hole course. i love holes 14, 15 and 18. there is a practice basket wich is nice helps give you something to do on busy days. the make good use of the elevation there.

Cons:

wish it was longer , first couple baskets a lil narrow

Other Thoughts:

lsdiscs is 2 blocks away
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5 1
DisCat13
Experience: 25.1 years 110 played 19 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Hilly by the lake! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jun 17, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

This course sits on the SE side of the biggest lake in Topeka. The holes are easy to navigate for the most part and have great use of trees, elevation changes, and water. The holes are also a good mix of lengths ranging from 216'-415'. The area is very well trimmed and maintained at all times. There are plenty of trash cans and benches throughout the course as well. There is also a water fountain ny #11 tee as well as a walking/biking trail. In addition to this the baskets are in great shape and the tee pads are huge. Lastly, there is so much to do around the lake. There are grills, picnic tables, playgrounds, bathrooms, and even the lakes swiimming beach can be seen from the course.This course is a must stop in Topeka as it is just one of two 18-hole courses here!

Cons:

The area is generally pretty breezy to the winds coming off of the lake. Water comes into play on the back nine which is great, but if you aren't careful you could be leaving with 2-3 discs less then you started with. Navigation can be tricky on a couple of occasions (after #5 go up the big hill & after #11 go down the hill). Very minor cons here, the pros clearly out weigh them.

Other Thoughts:

#1- Through two trees (at the tee) and around a row of other trees that the pin lies behind.
#s 6,11,13,15- All great downhill bombing opportunities.
#18- Signiature Hole. This beauty sits atop a high hill as many others do. The hole extends to a cove in which your disc must clear to reach the pin on the other side. This hole is also downhill and requires a hefty throw to make it over the water.
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2 4
Natedoog
Experience: 15 years 7 played 7 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Worth a trip 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 10, 2011 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

easy to tell where you're going, Pin placement is good. LS Discs is pretty close if you lose something in the lake. aceable and birdieable holes.
Water holes give this place the challenge it needs

Cons:

No signs to help you find it if you aren't around, also no signage by the tees to show distance or anything. except for the holes around the lake no real challenges. Dries out slowly

Other Thoughts:

Great atmosphere, great place to practice, you can even take a swim at the end to cool off on a hot Kansas Day
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1 5
tmenold
Experience: 15.8 years 6 played 4 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Very nice course!!! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 2, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

Very nice course for an intermediate player (not a lot of ways to lose a disc, unless you throw it in the water)! Beautiful course beside the lake!

Cons:

I am an intermediate player and if you played this course a lot it may lack a little challenge. Although this is the best course I've played and will be back many more times to play it!
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3 2
kcplease
Experience: 14.8 years 133 played 31 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Good road trip stop 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Dec 28, 2010 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Very well manicured in a park setting that does not share space with other activities-no picknickers on the fairway here. Concrete tees are in good shape as are most of the baskets, but I'll get into that a bit later. Trees are mostly mature and provide a decent amount of challenge. This course does, for the most part, favor the RHBH player, with the exception of holes 17,14, 8, and 3. Good variety of lengths keep you guessing on which disc to throw which always provides a fun challenge. Course flow well for the most part and makes good use of the hills around the lake.

Cons:

The water is not always utilized to the extent it could be. Often the tee for the next hole is too close to the basket of the previous which can be a problem if the course is backed up. Trees don't provide much of a challenge for the post part and it seems the baskets are almost never in the most interesting of their pin locations. Tee signs would be a really nice addition. This can be seen as a pro to those who call this their home course- the baskets are all mixed and matched- Some are 20 year old DGAs, some brand new Mach 3's and everything in-between. You must adjust to the basket.

Other Thoughts:

There is a severe lack of great land for courses in Kansas, and although this isn't a bad course, it isn't really a good one either. It's not a course to go well out of your way to play, but if you happen to be in the area, it's worth an hour of your time.
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6 0
kevinmzane
Experience: 15.8 years 120 played 9 reviews
3.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 27, 2010 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

This course has been nicely groomed every time I have been out here, and is very easy to navigate without a map. There are nice benches on the course and a couple of trash cans. Multiple pin placements that seem to be moved often. The teepads are large and in great shape. There isn't much elevation on this course, but enough to have some fun with and what they had to work with was used very nicely. I especially like how some of the baskets on the back 9 were in risky areas and the shot on 18 over the cove although it would definitely be overwhelming for beginners or rec players.

Cons:

No restrooms on or near the course. There were no signs with any hole info other than hole #s on a stone next to the tee pad. Most of the front 9 can be pretty boring, especially on a calm day since there isn't much to navigate around and the wind would be your only hope for much of a challenge. A couple of the baskets could use some minor work, but nothing that would cause any trouble.

Other Thoughts:

Maybe something as simple as some designated fairways with some marked OB would make the front 9 more entertaining.
Of the 3 courses I am familiar with in Topeka, this is always my first choice while passing through town.
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2 3
hogleggbob
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 15.7 years 217 played 47 reviews
3.50 star(s)

tops in topeka 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 3, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

very nice park, well maintained. nice teepads at every hole, easy to follow. water comes into play on a few of the last holes. good use of elevation. multple pin placements were available

Cons:

was pretty windy when i played here, not really a con but more of a challenge.

Other Thoughts:

the baskets were unique, some looked home made, this was definitly the better of the two 18 hole courses in topeka. there was a lot of un used land around the lake that was screaming to be used for an additional course.
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10 1
Donovan
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 37 years 300 played 187 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Throw ‘em Hard & Put ‘em Away Wet 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 27, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

This course is mostly wide-open, with a few trees, some water, and it has some slight elevation. This well maintained park has some nice park benches near many of the nice concrete tees. Each of these tees have a small 2-foot cement post with the hole number on it. The baskets are in pretty good shape. Navigation here was fairly simple as there are arrows below each basket pointing to the next tee. There are a few holes where water behind a basket, a protected pin, or tree blocking the obvious path can make things interesting, but this is not as common as the wide-open fairway. The 18th hole is a fun shot over a small cove. You can go for the basket that carries over lots of water or take a narrower shot just get to the other side. Either way, if you are short, you just put your disc away wet.

Cons:

If you heard rumors that there was 2 courses hear like I did, it is not true. According to the people at the park, this is the only course in this park. There is not much of a challenge here and I found that to be a disappointment. There weren't any actual tee signs here with any kind of hole information. There were hardly any trashcans and no signs of a bathroom close by.

Other Thoughts:

The Fun Factor was just OK for me. I was kind of anticipating the holes that were by the water or sunk back into the bushes or having water to throw over so much, that most of the course turned out to be kind of a let down. It was sad that all the challenging holes were right at the end of the journey instead of being spread out more during the round. It is still a very nice park and a clean place to play.
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10 0
scarpfish
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 20.8 years 360 played 98 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Pretty surroundings, cool water shot, but lacks some challenge 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 26, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Well maintained park. For at least the front nine, not much potential for losing a disc (The back nine is a different story). The open nature of the course, coupled with some moderate elevation, will provide beginners with a great place to learn how to manage wind. Arrows on the cement circles which surround the pins show direction to the next hole. You can also play some cool safari shots if you get bored with the traditional layout. The water shot over the cove on 18 is challenging. Small arms will likely not be able to get it over from the teepad, but there is room to park a layup on the shoreline. (Just don't go too far). Some of the pin locations on the back nine, some of which are tucked in the woods also have some good rollaway potential, so watch out on your approaches.

Cons:

Big arms and pro level players will likely find this one a bit underwhelming. Rounds in the low 40's by pros aren't uncommon here. Nearly all of the pins can be parked easily provided you don't encounter a tree (and several of the holes don't have many to encounter). Wind, which can blow quite furiously here, may be your biggest obstacle to scoring well.

Other Thoughts:

Yeah, its not blessed with the best set of trees, or a high degree of challenge, but I kind of find this course to be undervalued. Pros kind of look down upon it because its too easy. Rec players with just a few discs may shy away from it because of the water threat. It does compliment the Crestview course across town rather well. Worth a quick round if you're in Topeka.
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2 1
rlangton
Experience: 15 played 6 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Birdie course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 18, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Lake Shawnee is an enjoyable course with quite a few elevation changes and holes right at 200-300 ft. Birdie opportunities abound for players with a decent drive. Not a lot of obstacles but many holes are strategically placed next to or behind a tree or two.

The course is well maintained and mowed regularly. Hole 18 can be a memorable experience as you're shooting from a high tee across a cove of water with the hole on the other side. Can be played safe fairly easily though if you don't want to risk losing a disk, although the distance is very manageable for most people. Just enough to tempt a lot of drives into the water.

Cons:

Baskets are old and worn. The course is also probably not challenging enough for very good players.

Other Thoughts:

Nice wide open course, good for tweaking your game. Between Lake Shawnee, Crestview, and Rice in Topeka there is a good variety of disc golf to be had. I would suggest starting at Lake Shawnee.
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3 1
aspentopeka
Experience: 2 played 2 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Wide Open 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 21, 2008 Played the course:never

Pros:

This course is a good course for a newer player that needs to work on throws without worrying about a ton of trees in the way. Many of the holes are pretty wide open. Couple holes on the back side play by the water, but still pretty open shots. Many birdies available on this course. All concrete tees and several alternate tees. Every hole has at least 3 placements. The grass gets cut quite often by the county so this course is always in great shape.

Cons:

Not very technical. Not very long. Can teach bad habits if played every day.

Other Thoughts:

Visit lsdiscs disc golf store while in the area as they are 1/4 mile from the course and have anything you need!
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