Sunset Hills, MO

Watson Trail Park

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2.635(based on 24 reviews)
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10 0
Tyler V
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 16.8 years 147 played 98 reviews
2.00 star(s)

A Older Short Wooded 9 That Will Challenge New and Intermediate Players

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Sep 19, 2020 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Watson Trail is a mostly rugged wooded 9-hole course that is among the oldest disc golf in the area, established in 1995. This course can feel rough around the edges, but nevertheless provides a challenging short track for new and intermediate players.

Location of Watson Trail is just off Lindbergh Blvd., and is easily accessible for folks coming from I-44 or Watson Rd. The park entrance is just off W. Watson Rd., and from there you will want to drive around the left turn to the dead end in the parking lot past the shelter and basketball court. Hole 1 is located just off the paved path that goes to the playground to the right. There are so many nearby food and gas options, you will be hard pressed not to find something you like. For course baggers, Unger and Sunset Lakes are within short driving distance and can make for a fun day; other local classics like Jefferson Barracks and Schroeder aren't far either.

Park Amenities at Watson Trail include 4 tennis courts, a basketball court, multiple playgrounds, and 3 reservable picnic shelters. There's also an aquatic facility with 3 pools attached to the park. There are also plenty of paved pathways throughout the park that also connect to the community center, which also has a parking lot in case the main lot if full, and the paths are always full of other park goers enjoying the park.

Course Equipment is a mixed bag but has seen improvements over the years. The baskets re old and show their age but are still serviceable. The tee pads are turf, which are relatively newer additions to the course. The best part of the course equipment must be the course signs, as they are improvements over what was here a decade ago. They include a graphic of the hole layout, par (which will be 3), distance, and next tee direction. There are also direction signs between more awkward transitions, a nice addition to some of the longer or weirder transitions.

Course Design at Watson Trail is short, tight, and rugged (title of your sex tape). The course has undergone multiple changes over the years to accommodate the improved park paths and other park use conflicts, and has seemed to settle down into a course that has a mix of relatively easy short holes and others that may have you scratching your head.

Shot-Shaping provides a little variety, though some holes are simply poke-and-pray. Hole 1 doesn't have much of a clear fairway, requiring a touchy forehand or flex backhand for right-handed players depending on how spicy you're feeling. Hole 2 also kind of favors left turning shots, as does hole 5. Most of the other holes are fairly straight with your personal preference combined with different tree locations determining what shot you'll favor.

Elevation is tricky on multiple holes and make traversing parts of the course difficult. Holes 2, 3, 5, and 7 play downhill or have dips in the fairway, which can make errant shots hard to recover from. Hole 1 does down and then uphill, making for a difficult par for many skill levels considering the tree coverage as well. Hole 9 doesn't have much of an elevation change but does play partially on a hill that can cause roll-aways.

Difficulty is kind of a mixed bag at this course. On one hand, the holes are all short and a couple are wide open. On the other hand, the foliage can be very thick, especially on 3, 5, and 8. So while some holes are going to be very accessible to newer players, other are likely to be tough for just about anyone.

Course Highlights - As a full course, Watson Trail isn't elite by any measure, but hole 4 is a nice little gem. It's an open hole over some water to a small green surrounded by a creek and waterfall. This is high on my list among more picturesque disc golf hole in St. Louis.

Cons:

Course Equipment has seen improvements over the years but still leaves more to be desired. Other than hole 1, the baskets are old as dirt, and with the single rows of chains and shallow buckets, chain outs are more likely at this course. The tee pads could also be improved, as some are either short or bumpy. It's an improvement over the natural pads that were here a decade ago, but with other parts of this park clearly getting improvements and upgrades, the disc golf course stands out as an amenity that could benefit next.

Course Redesign at Watson Trail has been a theme in this course's history, and the most recent edition has some nice changes. Hole 7 is nice use of previously unused land and allowed holes 8 and 9 to be combined into a longer finishing hole. The change to hole 3, however, makes it among the worst disc golf holes in the area. I get the reason for the change, that being to avoid golfers throwing directly at a path behind the basket. The new fairway still plays close to the path, however. In addition, there is no fairway to be had between all the thin trees. It's easily the most poke-and-pray hole I have encountered out of 133 courses as of this update. There's not much extra land in the park, but there are many ways this hole course could have been adjusted or moved elsewhere.

Course Difficulty and Design leaves a little more to be desired and feels at conflict in some ways. Holes 2, 4, 6, and 9 are straightforward and simple, which is a plus for newer players. Meanwhile, holes 3, 5, and 8 to an extent really don't have clear gaps to the basket, bringing luck more into play than is ideal. I always see multiple groups on this course when I'm here for a round, o it's obviously not a deterrent, but the combination of difficulties from hole to hole make it hard to really figure out who I would recommend the course to the most.

Infrastructure/Hiking uniquely comes to mind when considering Watson Trail. You could get as much of a workout from these 9 holes as you could from many 18-hole courses given the hills and transitions. Clearer paths or even bridges or guard rails on 5 would be a huge plus, as would a more accessible path from 4 to 5. My wife gave me crap one time when I referred to a round of golf as a hike a few years ago. She then tagged along for a round at Watson Trail. She promptly rescinded her previous statements.

Other Thoughts:

Overall, Watson Trail doesn't have the design quality it has had in the past but has gotten some attention over the years. Some new baskets and tee pads and some design tweaks could really elevate this course. For now, though, it is a middle of the road 9-hole in the St. Louis area, with Laurel Park in St. Charles being my favorite 9-hole in the area.

If you want a quick round that will provide some challenges to intermediate or advanced players, or want some tight woods golf, this is a good stop for you. The park is also very picturesque which can add to the vibe of a round. Watson Trail may be an afterthought to many locals, but it remains one of the older courses in the area. Hopefully, given its history of changes, more improvements can come to bring this course closer to what it once was.
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1 1
Otahk
Experience: 7 played 6 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Good Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 3, 2020 Played the course:once

Pros:

Very well marked, good flow, good course for newbies wanting to work on throws. Beautiful course that follows the walking trails.

Cons:

Beer cans littered a few holes, broken glass on the paths from bottles. For beginners, the fairways are tight.
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6 0
MrFrosty
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 31 years 764 played 386 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Nice park , Established 9 hole rec course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 27, 2019 Played the course:once

Pros:

The last in a row of 9 hole course from the 90's . Beautiful small parks in the area look to hold bragging rights by laying claim to these older courses . Watson Trails has this course at the end of the park , to the right , look for a disc golf sign and park at the bottom lot as far to the end as you can go . Some elevation to this course . Across a cement path at the end of the driveway you will see a sign for the course and hole #1 . The tee pad , Turf , but in good condition is up to your left from the dirt pathway . It is a fairly tight drive that opens up some into a fairway where the basket is guarded by several medium sized trees . The baskets are older single chain machs that are in okay shape. There looks to be an attempt to make some pro tee pads on some of the holes . Those are marked by blue colored wood markers in the ground instead of the red . No turf for these . .Bring your map . Even THAT might be enough to navigate this course . The park itself is very picturesque with many people taking advantage of the walking trails , the large pond , that sits in the middle of the trails , small bridges . Just a great after dinner walk for you , family or pets . The pond does NOT come into play in and holes , and the creek only comes into play on 4 , a straight shot 200' into a green that has the creek flanking the back and left . Not really a challenge for a veteran player , but a right forehand newbie might have to fish for his errant drive .#9 is a good finishing hole , tight fairway to a basket up a hill in the woods , a good basket placement . The course is set up to give as much challenge through its mostly woods holes as it can within a small area . Once you are confident in your bearings , you can finish a round in about 35-40 minutes by yourself . Signature hole : 5 . playing about 300' across a small dry creek and up a little embankment .

Cons:

I saw on a message sign while I was playing to play nice and respectful when here because the park board was either going to put some money into the course , or pull it altogether . Pretty extreme , either way . This course needs some help . Being a course from the mid 90's . this course should have cement tees by now . I am guessing that these have never been installed is because the park is unsure where it wants to go on disc golf . Signage ? None . You have to use the map ( not always accurate ) and look for turf . No trash cans or benches , which is okay because I never saw anyone out here while I was playing . Not a challenge to any level tournament player . I can understand not utilizing the large pond in the course since the trail and park users walk so close to it , but there is a lot of space up in the woods for a good hole or 2 . Not close to bathrooms or water . No trash cans or benches . Carry out what you carry in . Can get sloppy after a good rain .

Other Thoughts:

Overall , a good park , a scenic area for disc golf . I hope the park decides to go the way of putting some funds together and making a good 9 hole course here . Why not stretch the course to 11 or even 12 holes ? Good use of space for this . The big selling point for Watson Trails is that disc golf is ever expanding and a lot of people pay attention to the year the course was installed , for both stability and historical value . This can be a great showcase for your park . Potential is here. Watson Trails park was not the easiest to find , but it was worth looking for . My Recommendation : If you can couple it with Unger Park, or Wilmore , then it could be worth your while to come here . Try this if you are in the area and want to get in a short round . Otherwise ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
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4 0
Barefooter
Experience: 11.8 years 178 played 16 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Recent improvements make a huge impact. 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 20, 2019 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Someone has recently been giving this course a much needed refresh.
New turf teepads.
4 new tee locations including hole 3 becoming an entirely new hole.
Pulled old hole nine and made a new 7. Works well.
Extensive brush clearing in places that use to eat discs.

Cons:

The baskets are 25 years old.
No singage.
Park goers need to be minded.

Other Thoughts:

It's good to see this place heading in the right direction. It's always gonna be a short course in a small park.
It's a pretty fun throw right now, and paired with nearby Unger Lake makes for a fun afternoon.
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6 0
Cujo
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 29.8 years 254 played 31 reviews
3.50 star(s)

An Oldie but Goodie (with 2020 Update!) 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Sep 16, 2018 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Update as of 02.03.2020. Course has been updated for the first time in years! I will add the info at the relevant holes.

This review will be way too in depth but this was my course as a kid in the 90's. I wish I could play the old course now but we do still have a course here so time to review it!
Some may feel my rating is too high but hear me out. I base my rating on how difficult the course is vs the average course, how scenic it is, is there a line to each pin..etc

-Difficulty. On the surface this looks like a simple course but you show me someone who has fired a -9 in 1 round and I'll show you a liar. (update. I still contend no one has gone -9 on this course on first shots...ever)

Hole 1 - one of the tougher holes on the course right out the gate. The parks recently opened the tunnel by SEVERAL feet. This has made the hole a bit more getable but it is not an easy shot. The pictures on DG are not current. I will attempt to get new ones. RH - You need an overstable anney flick out to the left of the tunnel or an overstable driver released on an anney if you go up the tunnel. It plays uphill so the common miss is landing too short. The basket is now way out on the field not at the end of the tunnel as the picture shows on here. There are also a couple of trees out near the green for added fun. (2020 update: hole the same as 2018 review)

Hole 2 - Basically a straight shot off the tee. It plays downhill with a fair bit of trees in the way. It's borderline poke and hope. Throw a stable putter or mid (depending on your power) flat it just needs to ride off to the right ever so slightly then straighten up by the time it starts to fade a bit it should be at the basket. Miss your line and you'll hit and ricochet into potential scary levels of undergrowth at times. The Parks folks clear it out a few times a year. If you catch it when it hasn't been cleared..oh boy. It can be hard to judge depth here so don't throw a green or clear disc. better to miss right then to hyzer out early. (2020 update: This hole has been cleared a ton! very open and many will get the 2 here now)

Hole 3 - (2020 Update) Brand New Hole design.
WHAT IS THIS AND WHO'S IDEA WAS THIS?!? This is not disc golf unless you throw a spinning chainsaw. Folks, this is what bad design looks like. The parks must have wanted to move old hole 3..fine I get it. The old hole 3 was junk and you threw right at the walking path. New hole 3. A pad thrown down on the ground and a basket put downhill about 215ft away. No trees removed, no lines made, just throw and go find your disc. It's silly. It literally like me walking into the woods and putting down a pad then walking 200 feet in one direction and putting a basket and go "wa-la!" If you go long you could easily scoot under brush and maybe to the pond. The OB path is still in play.

Hole 4 - I play this park for Holes 4-6. Hole 4 is an "empty your bag" full of putters hole. Ace Runs city. This hole can be/is daunting for beginners or anyone who cannot throw straight 200 feet, especially if there has been recent rain. You cannot throw long or skip left because the drainage/creek that spills into the pond it right next to the basket. The picture is very accurate here. Flick or backhand work; you just need the disc to land flat.
Hole 5 - 2 lines to the basket. The open left slow turnover line or the small right gap. You want to hit the turnover left gap.The hole plays downhill and there is a creek/spillway about 45ft from the pin that can have water if it has rained or be really overgrown with brush. This is another hole like hole 2 to where it can be very difficult to find your disc if you don't land in the circle on your drive. There is a rise behind the basket so throw ace runs and the they'll be stopped by the hill. Landing short/hyzering left is bad especially if the underbrush hasn't cleared. When I played holes 2 and 5 were both cleared out.
Hole 6 - (2020 Update...much of the area around the basket has been cleared, much easier to get to the circle now) The picture here is wrong. I have not seen the basket in that location for 2 years. The basket is in a much more difficult location dead straight but about 40 feet further and surrounded by trees about in that brush that you seen in the picture. It has been cleared out, so you throw straight across the field about 270-280. You can come in on a slight hyzer RHBH.

Hole 7 - (2020 Update!) What's old is new again.the parks combined the Hole 9 pin and Hole 8 pad and make a nice ending hole 9.Much better flow! That means old hole 7 is now hole 8 and we have a new(old) Hole 7! I believe this hole is from a previous iteration of the course.:) It's tough to get into the circle as there are so many guardian trees but it's a good tough and not nonsense like the new hole 3. You need a slow disc in grippy plastic..(DX, Jawbreaker....Gateway SS or SSS. some that will stop where it lands....if you hyzer in with champ plastic or similiar and get through you will 100% skip 30-60ft left down the hill.

Hole 8 - And here we are at old hole 7, now hole 8. Still ridiculous. It's just so hard to magic carpet your way through the trees and stop at the pin and not shoot long or hit a tree early. Clearly the Parks folks did this vs anyone who plays disc golf. It's comical and I will go on a ledge and say it is the worst hole in St. Louis. There are trees everywhere in the way. The best opportunity is an anny flick or lefty backhand. If you are only RHBH you have 10% chance and that may be generous. The straight shot won't get there and even if it did the gap is at best 8ft but the trees were cut to not allow a straight shot. The best play for RHBH is to hyzer flip something pretty under-stable that starts left and slowly rides back right. I may get the 2 here 1 in 10 throws
Hole 9 - (2020 Update) Now you throw from the old Hole 8 pad to Hole 9 basket. I always played it that way anyway. Only time you bring a driver out. Flat shot with a left skip. Most folks will clock a tree and go flying off in a random direction. There is dense brush right around the corner where the hole 8 basket was. If you hit early and kick down left at the where the fairway opens it could be hard to find.

Hole 10 - What's this you say Hole 10?!? That's right, just play the old Hole 9. The teepad is right down by the walking path. No longer labeled but you can clearly see the old design. Straight uphill shot to the basket. not much in the way.

I can play several rounds here in a row and find lots of enjoyment with the throws. I typically throw 2-3 rounds at a time and that still takes only an hour if I bring 5-6 discs with me.

Great for 1 disc rounds to work on control and release angle. Every hole is 2-able (forgetting the nonsense of new Hole 3 which needs help )

Cons:

Well that was exhaustive. The course is clearly not perfect and the No.1 problem with the course and another reason why going -9 is quite difficult is the Baskets. Hole one has an actual new-ish Innova Disc Catcher. The other baskets are ancient single chain ring Innovas with very shallow baskets. These things don't catch much. good luck

-Overgrowth/too much clearout. If the course hasn't been cleaned up for a bit it can be very time consuming looking for shots on holes 2,5,6. However the clear out goes to far when they do clean up all the challenge is removed. There is a sweet spot, just have to hope you play it at the perfect time.

Teepads- They are all different, some concrete, dirt, some on paths. The worst is hole 6. It's quite rooty so be careful.

Hole 8 - Deserves a mention again. I'm not gonna lie, I think the parks did this as a joke.

Other Thoughts:

I wish I still had pictures of the course from the 90's. There were some memorable and difficult shots and I don't think many DG players in StL ever got the chance to throw it. Hole 7 pictured here is one of the old holes and it was just an example. There were others that were good too, one that went around the pool, the next was an uphill tunnel into the woods. The park was once twice as large and heavily wooded but it's all been cleared out in the last decade. bummer. Still the nostalgia of being in this park playing disc golf cannot be bested if you grew up in Sunset Hills/Crestwood. Watson Trails park was the "Park"
I'd love to walk with someone who remembered the original course to show folks what a course it was. Very challenging.
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4 0
The Valkyrie Kid
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 45.9 years 1563 played 1507 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Nothing Too Exciting-Just A Solid Recreational 9! 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 22, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

Watson Trails Park is a lovely, well maintained city park. The park features tennis courts, walking trails, a fairly large lake, some smaller creeks, picnic facilities and children's playground and the large wooded walking area. The course is mostly interconnected with the walking area so players will always have to be aware of walkers, joggers, etc. Another plus is the park doesn't have much underbrush so spotting those errant throws is pretty easy.

As you park in the parking lot, there is a Kiosk with some disc golf information. The tee signs are simple. They just have a hole # on them, no distance, map or par. But they do have a couple of bag holder hooks on each. The tee pads are mostly concrete now. The Discatcher baskets have the yellow band and a small number on the band.

The holes play as a straight recreational level. Holes all seem to be in the 180 to 270' length, although there are sometimes enough trees to add challenge.
# 1 and # 7 are both holes that are a little tougher.

On the other hand, # 4, by the pond, is just a short, straight 190 ACE run.

Cons:

There are some fairly long walkouts after 5 and again after 6 so navigation the first time through is just a little tricky.

Better players might be bored by shorter distances and rec level challenge here. On the other hand, excellent course for beginners or less experienced players.

Other Thoughts:

Overall, I enjoyed this course. I understand that it has it's issues in the past, however, I think most of them have been addressed. What's left now is a enjoyable recreational course. It's not designed for the advanced level player or maybe not even the intermediate player but it's a nice little course for a majority of the disc golfers out there. I hope the city continues to provide maintenance and upkeep.
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5 0
CatPoopie
Experience: 13.2 years 9 played 4 reviews
3.50 star(s)

This course needs a more current review! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 29, 2015 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-Really nice park with flourishing scenery and wildlife.
-Most holes have concrete tee pads.
-Plays very quick. Good for two or three runs.
-Good variety in approach shots
-Ample birdy opportunities for intermediate players.

Cons:

-No chances to throw a big drive. Even when you play the longer holes, like 5, 6, 7... there are just too many trees in the way.
-Finding hole 7 was a challenge my first time out.
-I don't appreciate how the fairway on hole 3 runs thirty feet behind the hole 2 basket.
-Little variety in drives.
-Designated tee off markers for every hole would be nice.

Other Thoughts:

I'm reading a lot of reviews that I simply can't agree with. Granted I've started playing this course in 2015, but I think many complaints are from previous issues that have been addressed.
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1 2
bschuff
Experience: 6 played 5 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Quickie 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 25, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

-Beautiful park, well maintained.
-Neat waterfalls and lakes that don't really come into play but make for a nice backdrop.
-Good for a quick 9.
-A lot of birdie opp.
-Don't really need a map to get around.
-Very technical, lots of trees all over.

Cons:

-No tee off pads, hardly marked pads at all.
-Poor signage.
-A lot of the holes play very close to the rest of the park (ie playground, walking paths, ect.
-Very, very, very short. Can play 9 in 30 mins.
-Feels like the course is smashed up on top of itself. Probably could of used the land a little better.
-Some holes are pretty far from the one you just played.
-Wouldn't take much for this course to be crowded.
-Baskets are shallow.
-Tons of children in the summer and weekend.

Other Thoughts:

All in all I really enjoyed the course. I will play again but would much rather play a number of other great couses in the area.
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4 1
TheGoldenPutter
Experience: 15 years 52 played 9 reviews
1.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jun 26, 2012 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

+ Decent elevation (nothing too big though)

+ #1 is a nice risk/reward type hole. You can go for the very protected straight path but have a short approach, or go to the open left but have a longer approach shot.

+ Maintenance is decent, not as much mulch as there used to though.
+ Cool water fall behind #4's pin.

Cons:

- The flow is awful! Especially the walk from 6 to 7. If it is your first time playing here you WILL get lost and confused, there are multiple spots where you can't find the tee or don't know which direction to go after you complete a hole.

- Holes are on the short side. If you like throwing a buzzz you'll throw it alot.

- All the holes have a simple line (except for #1 (see pros) and #2 which is just cluttered with small trees)

- Nothing to help navigation so it can be troublesome
- Natural tee pads
- Stinky pond that doesn't really come into play
- The course is short and scrunched in along with other park activities.

- Baskets are shallow and have only 1 layer of chains so I had a few disappointing booted putts.

- Usually crowded, and when I went last time it was full of obnoxious teens that weren't to friendly.

Other Thoughts:

> Short and scrunched
> Either a simple line or overly wooded.
> Crowded

> As you might have already guessed, I don't like this course. There are much better courses in the area. The best 9 hole is probably Schroeder (Manchester). So if this is your first time in the area or thinking about playing this course, take my advice and play somewhere else, you will have a much better experience.

***** If you didn't find this review helpful, or want more info, please let me know and send a personal message to me so I can help.
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2 1
Bager45
Experience: 14.1 years 3 played 1 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Watson 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 8, 2012 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

This course has very decorated holes, hole 7 and 8 both have decorative plants lining the fairways. All the baskets are intact and there's little to no vandalism around the park. Very calm atmosphere when you play due to the course being somewhat secluded in spots.

Cons:

There are no directions or marking arrows, and there are no maps of the course whatsoever. It is somewhat compacted in the area its in. Hole 4 seems to smell like stagnant water.

Other Thoughts:

The course is a nice addition in south county and really shows that not everything is Suburban around the area. Not only is the course nice but the park as a whole is worth a walk around.
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3 0
TreeHate
Experience: 24.8 years 16 played 5 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Holy Trees batman! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 16, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

This course is easily accessible, gives you a challenge of both narrow fairways, and open drives. They have changed the layout of this course since I have last played it, and I am liking the new positions so far.
This is a great course to make up your own tee pads on

Cons:

Course is kinda crammed in, and in a very public park which means you may have to wait for park goes to move. Lots of mud on the back few holes where they have attempted to lay straw down to protect it.
New layout took out the shot over water on 3rd hole which i enjoyed and hit my first ace on

Other Thoughts:

I would like to see this course laid out a bit differently, but all in all its worth playing.
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7 1
stubborn puppet
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 13.2 years 48 played 27 reviews
1.50 star(s)

Slowly failing... 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Aug 23, 2011 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

It's a very technical course that feels longer than it is because of the terrain and trees and it's in a part of the St.Louis area where there are currently no other courses to play. The tight spaces and all the skinny trees really make even an experienced player stop and think about their line, disc and approach strategy. The course gives you an opportunity for variety in both your throw style and discs used.
There are trash cans at every tee and the park is really clean.
There are really excellent score cards/maps in the box at tee-pad 1 at all times.
Although the holes at this course are mostly short by contrast to parks like Creve Coeur and Sioux Passage, there are a few that you can actually let it rip a bit on... but it has to be a very accurate rip; just a few feet off in either direction and you're going to nail a tree and turn that big drive into a big mistake. Even holes, like 2, with an easily reachable distance require a perfect line (and a little luck) to reach the bucket through the trees.
Holes 2,5 and 7 offer a cool (and narrow) dual path to the pin scenario so that you can choose your backhand or forehand, hyzer or anhyzer throw, in an attempt to trace the best safe path to the basket.
I like that each of the baskets are bright and easy to see and have the hole number as well as the Par clearly labeled right on them to see from any direction.
Another great thing about this course is that it is ALL in the nice, shady woods; that's a BIG and welcome benefit in the summer heat.

Cons:

It has some tee navigation problems for 1st time visitors who don't grab a map/scorecard: it's easy to get mixed up at the bridge that runs between tee 3 and 5. then it's a little walk down the path, over a different bridge and past the pond to 4. Hole 5 is right up the hill from 4's basket on the opposite end of the bridge you tee off 3 from and then hole 6 is at the top of the wood and stone staircase just past basket 5. Then there's 7... hmm, 7... has anyone seen 7? Well, 7 is back north into the park, across the path between the lake and the playground and NOPE, that's 9, keep walking and look to the left. "Oh, there's 7." Then you walk up the stairs and past the flower garden to find... tee 8. Now, you can march back down the slope to the left, taking you across the middle of the 9 fairway to find tee 9 and throw a really awkward, non-disc-golf-like shot back up the hill and you're done. Other issues are the worn-down dirt and terrible gravel tee's built by some Eagle Scouts. Some occasional marshiness on the south side of the fairway on 7 and a general lack of maintenance.
What really stinks about this course is the parks dept treating it like the unwanted stepchild - it get's no respect and no love... seems like it is intentionally neglected and set up to cater to as few players as possible.

UPDATE: A couple of baskets have been damaged (bent and beat out of shape and they stand crooked) over the course of 2014 and the parks dept. has done nothing about it (and the club has been told that our assistance is not needed).

Other Thoughts:

When it's been raining in St. Louis (despite what it seems would be the case with a mostly dirt course) Watson Trails dries quick and can generally be played the day after a storm. Another unexpected thing on this all-woods course is that it's easy to find your disc (except for really bad throws on 7...) because there isn't much underbrush.

UPDATE: All the maintenance on the course/park has done nothing to improve the course, except cleaning up the disaster of honeysuckle and weeds on the left side of 7's fairway. Hole 9's tee was moved to a terrible position that doesn't make any sense at all - discs just don't fly that way folks. The parks dept's efforts at controlling runoff and erosion were poorly planned and executed - the problem is just as bad as before and left some boggy areas to deal with. Vandalism and graffiti continue to be a problem at a park in the middle of a "wealthy" neighborhood and right next door to the police station - WTF? Also, some really dumb tee posts, which look at home on a run down mini-golf course were put in last year and half of them are right where you're going to hit them with your hand when you throw - watch out.
IMPORTANT NOTES: All the tee signs are WRONG. All holes are par 3 except hole 1 is par 4... and the distances are off because this course has been rearranged several times to make room for other parks projects.
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1 3
bogeybogey
Experience: 14.9 years 25 played 8 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Great Family Fun 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 21, 2010 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Great warm-up...good practice course for approach shots..nothing too far..and anything over 300 is a par 4 so way easy but good practice for your short game.

Cons:

short..no tee pads..and muddy. A lot of construction right now..so very noisy and a few more OB then regular...
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3 3
discdork
Experience: 21.8 years 11 played 11 reviews
2.50 star(s)

sunset hills 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 19, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

fun little 9 hole, woody technical , signs, restrooms, soda machines, lots of ace runs, some elevation changes

Cons:

no real pads, no real long holes

Other Thoughts:

fun little park , nice way to warm up before goin to jefferson barracks
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9 0
mashnut
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 22.1 years 831 played 767 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Short n easy 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 17, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

The course plays through a hilly wooded area in the corner of a park. One hole is open, most of the rest play on tight fairways through dense trees. The trees are used well to add difficulty to a course made up mostly of ace run holes. There is a good mix of left and right turning holes to keep things a little more interesting.

There are two sets of tees, which offer an even easier option for newer less experienced players. The baskets are in good shape if a little marked up with ace graffiti. There are sign posts with hole numbers and distances that make the long tees easier to find.

The park is very scenic, and a nice pretty place to play. There is a pond and some small streams in play that add a little bit of risk/reward, and a nice water shot. Even though it's not the best course, it's a nice place to play a quick round or bring new players.

Cons:

There are a couple places where the next tee is very difficult to find. There are no signs indicating the flow of the course, so I had to do some wandering to find my way around. There are also a couple blind baskets so I had to do a little extra walking since there are no hole maps on the tee signs.

The tees are natural and fairly rough and rutted, except where the asphalt path cuts across part of the tee causing a large step in the middle of the tee area. The short (red) tees are marked only with ground level markers, so they seemed difficult to find.

It seemed like there was enough room here to make some longer, more difficult holes. While the design did a good job of making ace run holes different and interesting, it would have been nice to have a few holes with a higher level of difficulty. The walking path running through the course could be a real issue if there were many people using it, as it comes into play on a few tees and on some fairways.

Other Thoughts:

Other than the navigation issues, this is a beginner friendly course without too much difficulty, and not much deep brush to hide errant throws in the trees. More experienced players will not find much difficulty here, and will enjoy this course more with just a putter.

There are lots of better courses around St. Louis, so if you have time to go elsewhere I would recommend that. This is still a fun little course, and a good place to play a nice quick round though.
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2 2
Adgeri
Experience: 15.7 years 6 played 6 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Confidence Booster 2+ years drive by

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

Pros:

The course flows nicely and the objectives are clearly visible. The baskets are high quality.

Cons:

It's short, pars are often above what they should be, and its not too challenging.

Other Thoughts:

Really great course to play if you're nearby and short on time, need to build some confidence, or are just learning to play. I'm usually able to play 9 holes in about half an hour.
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4 1
jmoslander
Experience: 4 played 4 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Great 9 Holes 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 11, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

Great Scenary. Great Location. The signage is great on this course; they list both distance and par. The tee boxes are easily identified. The course has varying hole lengths with make this course fun to play over and over again.

If you are looking for a course where you can bomb it this is not your course. Only one allows you to do this. This course has lots of obstacles and one hole with a slight water hazard.

Cons:

This is a very popular course so you are going to have to wait for others and there are several walking trails and playgrounds around the course the course that make play difficult at times. The vegetation is kept down, but there are a lot of large trees in the middle of the fairways that can make things difficult at times. The trimming of some of the large trees would make this a great course. I would also like to see another 9 holes.
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2 3
Brunked
Experience: 2 played 2 reviews
1.50 star(s)

Watson Trail Review 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 6, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

wood chips on fairway and tee for mud
bright yellow baskets
double tees if you can find them

Cons:

short pars
unlevel tees
heavily wooded
unclear signing
only 9 holes
large elevation change
some distance between tees
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5 2
WilmorePark
Experience: 18 played 2 reviews
3.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 17, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Quick 9. Fun for a good practice round. Lots of trees which can be challenging at times. Tees and holes are both easy to find. BIGGEST PRO: stays dry in wet weather due to lots of wood chips in the fairways.

Cons:

No alt pin placements or alt tee boxes.
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3 2
FENTONflyer
Experience: 16.8 years 9 played 6 reviews
2.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 25, 2008 Played the course:once

Pros:

This course is very short. If you like the occasional overhand this course can do it for you. The fourth hole, I think, you throw over water. Hole 8 and 9 good holes. The actually look like someone put thought into them being there.

Cons:

There are signs to mark the hole but there are not very good tee boxes, they kind of get lost in the course. Hole 8 is somewhat hard to find if you have never been there before. After hole seven it is down lower at the end of the small clearing.

Other Thoughts:

I have only played this course once, but I like it. it is nothing fancy but nevertheless the water trap, 8, and 9 give this course a respectable quality.
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