Pros:
-Thunderbird Paseo Disc Golf Course, like many other area courses, plays through a large park that also serves as a floodplain. Park amenities include soccer fields, a playground, restrooms, and a popular jogging trail.
-Holes range from 200 to 500 feet in length. The course starts with a long drive over the creek on the first hole. Hole 2 is a fun shot playing underneath the 59th Avenue overpass. Hole 3 is the first of many long shots from one side of the valley to the other. Holes 4 through 7 make up the shorter, more technical section of the course, utilizing small trees and hillsides. Holes 8 through 12, at the back section of the park, play through an open, arid landscape and cross back and forth across the creek. The rest of the holes wind back to the start.
-For a repetitive landscape, the course was well designed, with a nice variety of shots. Baskets are placed near trees and other obstacles whenever possible and holes generally do not interfere with one another. You certainly need more than a hyzer to score here.
-Tee signs are very large, in color, and show each basket position.
-The field next to the first tee is perfect for a practice session: it's large, flat, with smooth grass and lights at night.
Cons:
-There's a huge quantity of trash all throughout the course, probably from flood events. The small creek that runs through is particularly disgusting.
-There are six small concrete bridges in order to cross the creek. However, a couple were of insufficient length. On one hole I had to jump from the bridge onto an old shopping cart before reaching the other side.
-The first hole plays on mowed grass. Unfortunately, it's a terrible tease for the rest of the course, which plays on a rocky, uneven surface certain to do a beating on your discs. Several holes also have unkempt grass mixed with weeds. Keep an eye on your disc and also on your socks for burrs.
-I imagine that this course would be like playing in an oven in the summer months, being positioned in a valley and with few available trees.
Other Thoughts:
-This course follows an out-and-back type routing. The 11th hole is three quarters of a mile from the start. If you don't have time to play the entire course, I'd suggest playing 1-6 and 15-18. Holes 7-14 are not the best part of the course.
-It's not a very popular course. Over two trips to the course I did not notice more than 10 other players.
-West Phoenix is not a hotbed for excellent disc golf courses. This course is certainly not the most pleasant experience. However, there's enough fun shots to make it worth playing.