Pros:
Sioux Passage's original disc golf course is full of hills, long fairways, and opportunities to rip drivers. This course is among the older courses in St. Louis, being installed in the mid 90's, and remains a fun place to play disc golf even as newer and arguably better courses pop up in the area.
Location of Sioux Passage is just about the northern most tip of St. Louis County, being up against the Missouri River not far from its junction with the Mississippi. It's not the most straightforward course to get to, but it is close enough to courses in Alton or North County to make it part of a potential full day of course bagging. This was also the first park in the area to get a second 18 hole, with the shorter Biscoe Woods course making for a full 36-hole complex. Gas and food options aren't super close to the park, but you're sure to pass some as you make you way to the park.
Park Amenities within Sioux Passage's large property include bathrooms, water fountains, tennis courts, a basketball court, fishing (follow Missouri Wildlife Code), two playgrounds, a boat dock, hiking/walking trails, and horseback trails (B.Y.O.H). This park is also considered a winter park complex, with parts of the park being used for sledding, snow moiling, and cross-country skiing. Camping sites and 3 reservable shelters are also scattered around the park.
Course Equipment is all still in good shape at Sioux Passage despite some age showing. I'm not sure when signage was upgraded at this course, but it's a big step above what was here before. Each sign has a hole layout, pin locations, pars, distances, next tee locations, and a marker to note which pin is in use. The baskets are older Mach 3s, but I haven't had an issue with them yet in my rounds here. The tee pads are all concrete and are long enough for most run ups by people who aren't James Conrad.
Course Design at Sioux Passage is mainly long, open, and hilly, with plenty of opportunities to rip different shot shapes with the drivers in your bag. This course also takes the double loop design to a new level, with the front and back 9s being separated by a short drive. This helps maximize space to keep from trying to cram 18 holes in a smaller plot. Overall, if you are a fan of mixed terrain and a variety of uphill and downhill shots, you will be at home at Sioux Passage.
Variety is present in many ways at Sioux Passage. The front 9 is mostly a mix of longer open fairways, sprinkled with some more technical shots like on holes 7 and 9. Holes 4 and 8 also have pin locations within the tree line, requiring you to hit a RHBH hyzer at the right distance to challenge for a birdie. The back 9 is more extreme with elevation, with the first half of this area being pure downhill or uphill shots. While there are some more technical aspects to the back 9, most of it is more open, and requires you to hit certain drive angles to avoid tree lines or unforgiving prairie.
Course Difficulty probably best suits those who are intermediate and up in skill. The distances alone on this course make for a taxing round if you don't have much arm speed. There are also added obstacles that could also make for a difficult time for newer players, such as tough tee shots like on hole 9, or the prairie grass that is present around the last 5 holes of the course.
Course Highlights - Hole 13 has to be mentioned, as this is a 380 to 560-ish foot downhill hole has nothing in your way. With a treeline way to the right and a street to the left being your only obstacles, this is a hole where you will be very tempted to empty your bag. Definitely one of the most fun holes in St. Louis in my opinion. Hole 9 also comes to mind, being a tough 200-ish foot uphill shot through woods followed by another 250-ish feet to the pin, requiring two well placed and different shots to get a good score.
Cons:
Course Equipment isn't in bad shape, per say, but is showing its age. The baskets are clearly older, and with many other courses in the area getting upgrades or new installations recently, it'll be nice to see Sioux Passage get it's turn soon. Hole 16 is also missing a tee sign; luckily, this is one of the more straightforward holes on the course so even if you don't have UDisc, you can figure out what to do.
Prairie Grass and Other Obstacles can be a con for many on this course. The prairie grass on the back 9 can be very unforgiving when it's fully grown in, and any errant throw can easily lead to a lost disc, even if it doesn't leave the fairway by much. The is also poison ivy around, both in the prairie grass and other wooded areas, so be careful looking for discs after bad shots.
Physical Demands of this course may keep disc golfers with mobility issues or less stamina from having a good time. The front 9 has some hills to be sure, but the back 9 especially will test your legs if you don't exercise much. There's also not a lot of shade on this course, especially in the back 9, so St. Louis Summers can certainly compound the physical demands. Make sure you hydrate if you're tackling this course, especially in July or August. My friend and I tend to be on the quicker side on casual rounds, and this course took us 2 and a half hours to complete.
Course Design may have some cons for folks depending on preferences. The course plays essentially as two separate 9 holes, with the two sets of 9 being a far enough that walking isn't worth it. There is parking at both 9-hole locations, but some may find this to be excessive in the middle of a round. I personally welcome the break before hiking up hole 10. Also, while there are some shorter holes among the original 18, they are few and far between, so anyone who doesn't like facing consistent bomber fairways are not going to have a fun time on this course.
Location of this course isn't as accessible as many others in the area, as it's not as close to highways or main roads. Not a big con, but if you're looking for an easy course to get to while passing through or visiting the area, most other courses around St. Louis will check this box better than Sioux.
Grass Length - While this hasn't been an issue for me yet on this course, it seems like this is another park in the county that can go a while before getting mowed.
Other Thoughts:
Upon first reviewing this course in 2001, I declared it St. Louis's best with 5 stars; Younger Tyler might have been a little extreme with that rating. About 85 courses played later, and I would now personally consider this course a 3.5 to a 4, swinging closer to a 4. While it may have had an argument for St. Louis's best course a decade ago, I would say that newer courses in the area, as well as enhancements to others, have taken Sioux Passage out of that conversation for me personally.
That isn't to say Sioux Passage isn't a fun or good course. Located a little more off the beaten path, I feel like this course doesn't get as much love as some others in the area. That's a shame too, as it has a high fun factor if you have a decent arm. This is one of the older courses in the area, being one of the 90's installations along with Endicott, JB, and Quail Ridge. While other courses may come up more often when asked about the top courses in the area, Sioux Passage makes for a nice sleeper pic that shouldn't be immediately overlooked.
Come check out Sioux Passage if you have a power arm for drives and like to use it or enjoy some elevation challenges. If you want some variety, make time to also check out Biscoe Woods, the second 18 in the park that is shorter and more technical with more trees in play. If you are still working on drive accuracy or distance, most of the other courses in North St. Louis or Alton will make for good options to practice at as you work up to Sioux Passage. And for your own sake, if you go to Sioux Passage - Original 18 in the Summer: hydrate. And then hydrate some more. And maybe opt for an early morning round.