Southwoods Park

This is now an 18 hole course. Heavily wooded after hole 3. Lots of shot shaping, lots of uphill putts. A creek flows across and along a few holes. Really pretty course. For the roughly 100 MA2/3 ... show more ›

This is now an 18 hole course. Heavily wooded after hole 3. Lots of shot shaping, lots of uphill putts. A creek flows across and along a few holes. Really pretty course.


For the roughly 100 MA2/3 players on a perfect day at the 2025 Des Moines Challenge, a 900 round was between a +4 and a +5 today, from the short pads. Even par 59 was a 942.

This course was the first one I learned on. It was a "Trial by Fire". If you overthrew then you spent time in the thick brush disc hunting. The wind plays a huge factor in the Under/Over Stable throw, ... show more ›

This course was the first one I learned on. It was a "Trial by Fire". If you overthrew then you spent time in the thick brush disc hunting. The wind plays a huge factor in the Under/Over Stable throw, when you think you are having a great game the wind can remind you who's in control. Holes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8 & 9 are my favorites. I used to take my lunch break just to get a round in with my brother-inlaw. There are deep valleys, tight highsides, wooded areas, and open long driver tosses. This course is no stranger to the wind. Its a fun course and I miss it a lot. I've played here over 300x as I worked 10 miles away. I recommend it to anyone Beginner to Pro. I watched Ken Climo drive to the hole and get within 1 ft. of the basket on a par 4. That is when I knew this course was worthy of a Great!

Hole 1 was my first true introduction to disc golf. After screwing around throwing frisbees around in high school, in my mid-20s I started playing disc golf more seriously and after stopping at PIAS h ... show more ›

Hole 1 was my first true introduction to disc golf. After screwing around throwing frisbees around in high school, in my mid-20s I started playing disc golf more seriously and after stopping at PIAS hit this course for my first round. Hole 1 was so fun then in 2018 when I had a noodle arm where neutral discs would bail left. And it was fun in 2020 when I had a noodle arm where I'm struggling to consistently drive over 300.

Hole 4 could be lengthened for sure. But holes 1, 6, and 8 are a blast to drive on. It has some tunnel shots (though after living on the east coast they could definitely be tighter), and Hole 9 is a fun ace run to finish a round. It's my pilgrimage every time I come home on leave because for me, it's where it all started. A fun course to sharpen your teeth on.

This is a hard course to throw. Most of the holes are hardly clear to drive unless you are dead accurate and don't mind trading optimum lines for a cleaner lie in the narrow mown paths. The first thre ... show more ›

This is a hard course to throw. Most of the holes are hardly clear to drive unless you are dead accurate and don't mind trading optimum lines for a cleaner lie in the narrow mown paths. The first three holes are down and back up steep hills with "native prairie grass" clogging the majority of the fairway. The fourth hole is a tree clogged short shot along the dirt path to hole five. Five is straight and narrow, and mown. Six is a long ass two stage shot with a heavily wooded creek in the middle. I may have my hole count off a bit, but the point is, there's lots of obstacles and it requires a deft touch to avoid spending half your time in the pucker brush chasing discs. But it gets a solid B because it is freaking beautiful. Wild flowers all over. Beautiful woods, flowing streams, rolling hills and all that. If you weren't so frustrated with awful throws, you could just soak up the scenery and fall in love with the park.