Weekdays are great, you can get in a few rounds
Stocked PRO Shop with discs and snacks.
No Ball Golfers, and no picnickers
New Layout every Monday.
easily get a round done in bout 1 1/2 - 2 hours

Weekends have a wait, expect to wait longer than you play

parking is horrible on weekends as well.

• Full pro shop & snack bar
• Active disc golfer community
• Friendly locals
• Fun, challenging holes

• A few holes have some fairway overlap, so there's some waiting
• Very active player community of all skill levels, so you can get stuck behind laggers
• Course can be slightly confusing to first-timers

Really enjoyed playing Morley Field, not only was the course fun with well thought out holes, but the level of activity and the pro shop were very fun to experience.

Played twice while in San Diego, even with the $3 day fee it was worth it.

The course gets busy, which I think is great as it shows there is an active disc golfer community in the area. Locals are friendly and slower groups always offered to let us play through.

Can get a bit hectic around holes 15 to 19, as there is a bit of fairway overlap but all the other groups were very diplomatic as far as taking turns.

Loved that there was a full pro shop there, never played a course like that before. The disc golf community experience added to the fun we had playing this course.

Definitely give this course a round if you are in or live in the area.

Lots of different pin positions. Requires all types of shots but without a lot of shot repetition. Pyramid pins. Full pro shop.

Parking is limited but manageable. Lots of waiting starting at 12:30.

Excellent course. Tons of fun to play. If you get the chance to play here you gotta take it.

• Wonderful use of a very good piece of land. There were no "repeater" holes. Every tee offered something unique.
• Incredibly active group of people maintain the course and keep it fresh. Each hole offers multiple pin placements (The most I've ever seen) that get changed weekly. This makes the minor fee well worth it.
• Pro shop and practice baskets.
• Easy to navigate. Good signage and, chances are, you'll have a few groups in front of you to explain where the blind pins are.

• Crowds. Well? What do you expect? It's the only course around and it's a great course. My only concern would be bringing the kids out. I've never heard "fore" that many times in my life. If you plan your round in the morning you won't see as many people.
• Not enough parking. If you happen to play during the busy hours parking is a pain.
• Crossing fairways. I don't happen to mind this much but I do know that it is of concern for some people.

Morley Field is a good course for all skill levels and age groups. The terrain is not difficult to navigate. I never got the snooty local vibe that a few reviewers picked up on. Maybe it's just me. I really appreciated the variation in flora from hole to hole. Morley was worth the trip.

Beautiful course right next to Balboa Park with nice, large concrete tees and great signage. Lots of multiple pin positions that get changed frequently, awesome views from some of them (hole 11 comes to mind). I love the optional extra disc ace pot shot from the clubhouse, (although putting on the railroad tie pyramid basket can be tricky in high winds) I like how often the locals change pin positions to keep the course fresh. I've never seen such a constant barrage of plastic launching up into the air! I guess that's what you get from the most popular course in the world!

The lines can be long and people tend to pick up your discs if you leave them sitting on the ground for longer than a couple minutes, so keep an eye out. And it costs 4 bucks to play.

Lots of socializing on this course! You might be waiting on every tee, but you'll just be enjoying the amazing weather and having a cold one with some of the droves of people that frequent this course. I have no problem going to play there by myself, because I know I won't be that way for very long, the locals are always quick to invite a single to join up!

A great variety of holes with at least 3 and sometimes 8 pin positions per hole. Pro pads on 8,9 and 17. Lots of manicured grass where there used to be dirt and rocks. The course pro is a legend. Very helpful staff. Grass constantly mowed and new trees planted frequently. Every hole has at least one hard position. Benches and trash cans at every tee.I've been playing this course for 30 years and almost all the changes have been positive.

Some holes should be par 2 in tourneys. This course would be a five star but for one thing. WAAAY too many people. It is the most crowded course in the world. Even on weekdays at 9:00 am there is a wait on EVERY hole, sometimes three or four groups on the long holes. This course needs a starter, like on ball golf courses.

Get there at 6:00 am and have fun.

This course has a lot of variation, is very well maintained and has great tees.

Each hole has several different possible pin locations and it is clearly marked where the pin is for the current round, it is my understanding that these locations get changed weekly (on Monday).

You can tell that this course is well loved, the care for the course is excellent, there are a lot of benches and trash cans and no litter and the plants are taken care of and the tees are great.

This course is really busy, I went really early on a weekday and it was busy, I came back and played on a Saturday morning (even earlier) just as busy. This isn't a real problem in and of it self but...

All of the fairways are really close to each other, they've squeezed a lot of disc golf into a small area and the fairways overlap, cross and play against each other. This is only hurt by the multiple pin locations as I'm sure that there is a way to make everything stay somewhat far away...but the random nature of the pins has you playing over the same land a lot.

Parking can be a hassle.

No really long or really difficult shots...maybe on another pin placement?

I really liked playing Morley Field, I didn't really like how crowded it was, or that you could see what would be some awesome signature holes...if only the pin was in that position today. (Hole 5 I believe has a really sweet built up pin tower...but it was in a different and less cool position)

This is a pay to play course...but it's cheap enough $2.50 on weekdays $3.00 on weekends...this goes for ANYBODY on the course...so if you bring somebody to just walk around they pay as well. I wasn't upset by this at all.

I think the only real problem with the course (other than it being so popular) is that compared to what I'm used to you can't really get into any deep trouble. There's no water, no thick woods, no steep inclines to fall off of. To me it felt like there was very very little chance that you could screw up your drive and at not have at least a great chance at bogey...if not par. I flubbed one drive into the first tree...missed my first putt and still got a 4.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to put this course down, I'd play it again in a heartbeat, even as crowded as it is. I really enjoyed myself. I just wish it had a little more...something...I'm not at all sure what that would be as this course DOES have a lot of obstacles, trees, small hills and dips...I just think it's missing something...but I'm also suspecting that the something is there...just in a different pin position.

"W"

Excellent set up with nice tee pads, easy to navigate. Good pin locations, with multiple locations. Good variety of hole types and elevation changes.

some holes impede on others so you might have to wait a little bit on a busy day.

Fairly quiet location. Lots of trees, dead branches and bushes to get in the disc's way. Staff is excellent. Shooting downhill, uphill, across ravines, over trees, thru trees, etc. Lots of great variation. Changing pin placements weekly. Never a dull game here.

Crowded. A few unsavory characters floating around after 10am. The occassional "pipe and 40" group will show up - just to make things interesting. If you play early morning, watch for water sprinklers in your face.

It would be cool if the staff could enforce a "groups of no more than 4" rule. Too many groups of 8 and sometimes more - especially on the weekends. Best time to play is weekdays when it first opens.

what can i say this used to be my home course, and i miss it. beautiful setting in san diego's balboa park, incredibly gorgeous in winter and spring when the trees and flowers are all bloomed out.

how many courses can you say have hole locations A-F?? really makes the course a pleasure to return to time and again.

the course also has some excellent use of the natural topography, which is both hilly and full of eucalyptus groves. these offer excellent obstacles, and at times make for v fun drives downhill. many pin locations are also completed obscured from the tree, or are literally hidden amidst gnarly bunches of branches, putting a premium on local course knowledge and the ability to shape shots. a challenge but one that really rewards you.

the biggest drawback is that the place is just stuffed with people. i skipped class for about a week straight last march and honestly the place is full even on weekday mornings, and can come to a standstill on the weekend. bring beverages [but cans only!] and patience. unfortunately there just aren't enough other courses in the SD area to take the pressure off of centrally-located morley.

this can be a tough place for beginners to play, but since the rate of play is usually slow, don't worry just get out there and throw.

* Outstanding course design - demands mostly accuracy, is balanced lefty/righty, rewards a broad disc skillset
* 5+ pin positions for each of the 19 holes, with every hole changed each Monday
* Perfectly maintained grass, teepads, benches, signage
* Attractive urban park setting
* Elevation change on most holes
* Two pin positions mounted atop wooden pyramids - a creative touch
* Well stocked pro shop with discs, food/drink, apparel, open from dawn to dusk
* Located close to family attractions in Balboa Park, such as the Zoo/museums
* Pay to play - a pro because that income pays for 5-7 employees who staff the pro shop, mow the grass, put down woodchips, fix benches, rotate pin positions, etc

* Does not have many, if any, holes that allow big arms to let rip with a driver(depending on pin positions)
* Crossing fairways in four areas(holes 3/4, 5/6, 11/12, 15/16/18/19)
* Busiest disc golf course in the world - if you don't play at certain times(see guide under Other Thoughts), you will experience waits like you never thought possible
* In most configurations, plays on the easy side for Blue players(-2 to -6 average) and almost trivial for Gold players (-8 to -12 average)

This is the course where I was introduced to the game, and my parents' home is a mile from the course, so I play several times a year when I'm visiting San Diego. Many players will ding Morley for the insane crowds, and it's true that waiting behind multiple groups of 6-8 players, clad in flip flops and carrying more cans of light beer than discs, is detrimental to your mental health. If you play early in the day, however, you can avoid this experience and get to enjoy what is a very good disc golf course. Bring a towel, because the grass is often freshly watered.

Here's my visitor's guide for weekdays and weekends if you want to beat the crush. Check morleyfield.com in advance to see if there's a monthly tournament or other event taking place, because that may alter the following advice!

Weekends/holidays:

Dawn to Dawn + 1h30m : parking available up front, course flowing and mostly open
Dawn + 1h30m to Dawn + 2h30m : front parking lot is full, course is busy but playable, only waiting for one group/hole
Dawn + 2h30 to 1hr before Dusk : Sixsomes, girl scout troops, so many players waiting behind each tee it looks like a picnic
1hr before Dusk to Dusk : Course loosens up some, if you bring running shoes you could almost jog a round throwing through groups


Weekdays:

Dawn to Dawn + 3h : parking available up front, course flowing and mostly open
Dawn + 3h to about 1 pm : front parking lot is mostly/completely full, course is busy but playable
1pm to 1hr before Dusk : Pretty awful, but not as bad as weekends/holidays
1hr before Dusk : Course opens up some

Lots of blind shots, with technicals. Friendly people, and a snack shack. Signs help ALOT!!! Lots of trees. Good layout for being on a small piece of property.

Very crowded. Lots of people stacked up at each hole.

Benches are nice to rest on while you wait for your turn. Each one is different. Some are dedicated to lost loved ones.

While my wife was on a business trip in San Diego, I had the opportunity to spend some time at one of the greatest places in the region: Morley Field. The vibe and feel of the place is great, the park is beautiful, the players welcoming and helpful and fun, and the course is enough of a challenge to make you think about your game and try to get the magic routes the locals use to work for you.

I played this course in two different configurations. The number of possible basket placements on each hole (according to the well-marked maps) was astonishing, usually offering at least half a dozen possibilities. Some of these basket placements were only slightly different from others, but there was enough variety that the course could be completely changed to a totally different experience after a every weekend's re-arrangement. I understand this to be a desire of the locals to change up the course because this is, literally, the only pure disc golf course within almost 100 miles (La Mirada in LA might be the next closest, the rest in the region are all baskets strewn around ball golf courses and not well-regarded by purists). As such, if they want to play a different course, they have to change what they have.

Nevertheless, while Morley Field is the only pure disc golf experience in the region, the property set aside for it is indeed dedicated for that usage. There is no conflict with other park users, even the joggers and dogwalkers from the local neighborhood tend to stick to the roads and external paths. So if somebody gets hit by a disc, you can at least be assured that it is another player who will be more understanding than an old lady whose poodle you just tomahawked.

OK, the course. There are 19 holes arranged on a surprisingly small piece of land. But there are enough combinations of open fairways (well kempt, mind you, by regular mowing) and cool craggy trees, bigger leafy guys, smaller well-trimmed varieties that can snag discs, and even some tall scruffy palm trees. There are plenty of small groves in which to place a basket to increase the challenge. The landscape is rolling, has some decent hillsides and long slopes, and even some small ravines and such where a stray disc will not easily be found in a spot that can recover par. You will need a variety of shots to score well, with right turning, left turning, sky shots, roller opps, and all sorts of fun possibilities at every tee. Some holes are short and technical, and some are longer and less technical.

There is a nice clubhouse/pro shop selling Innova and Discraft discs (there might have been others, but I didn't notice them immediately), bottled water, gatorade, and such, and is also where you need to go in order to pay the course fee. The people working there are helpful, polite, and welcoming. They rent discs out for relatively cheap, and have a good selection for newer players.

There is a great lost and found policy I heard about while playing. If somebody finds a disc and turns it in, they get $1. When the owner recovers it, they pay $1 to get it back (or something like that).

This course has a phenomenal web page, http://morleyfield.com / Definitely visit the site if only just to see how cool a disc golf club's home page can be made.

Everybody has already said the course is crowded, and indeed it is. But still worth it. Just be prepared to wait patiently.

After playing my first round I noticed that the wait at the next tees were always staying the same or increasing. My wait on #1 was 10 minutes. 10 minutes on #2. Then 10 minutes on #3. Then 10 minutes on #4, and up to an astonishing 20 minutes on #5. This is not natural. Every other course I played really has only a single long wait at #1 and then cruises after that since groups simply play in sequence like cars on a train. I later found out that the reason for this is that players jump in and start playing at holes other than #1. I.e., the train is gaining more cars as it moves along. This then causes continual back ups at holes as you proceed. This is considered very rude where I come from, but seems to be accepted at Morley Field, so try not to lose your temper when a group jumps in out of the blue and you have to wait extra for them. One of the causes for this seems to be that the overflow parking is near tee #7, which is probably where a lot of the jumping in occurs. After #9 the flow seems to pick up pace again.

The crowds are only a "con" until such a point in time that the interest in disc golf in San Diego grows to the overflowing point where all these new players join forces with the older players to force the government to cough up some more land some place for another disc golf course project. And there is plenty of land in San Diego city proper, in vast networks of canyons and hills threaded throughout the entire region, many of which would make for an excellent disc golf experience if converted.

Come on San Diego! Get up off your butts and make them put in more courses! You'll always love and cherish Morley Field, but think about the possibilities that lie ahead if everyone who played at Morley were to call their council member. Pass out phone numbers to council members and the mayor at the course, and tell people to call and ask that it be made a priority for the city.

Some locals said that High Times magazine rated tee #11 (the bowl hole) as the #3 in their top places to toke. It was indeed pretty cool, but I'm surprised to see the bowl hole so far into the course (most courses don't waste much time, with a bowl hole in the first 5).

I'm not certain, but I think that if you want to stock up on some suds for your round you should hit a market before driving over to Morley Field, I didn't see any opportunities nearby.

If you drive in and find a nice parking spot immediately ahead when everything else is full, be sure to check that it isn't vacant simply because a basket is placed right next to that parking spot. I did this and when I got to hole #2 I noticed my car sitting right behind the basket, looking like a bright white target itself (of course, I moved it after playing #2).

The course rates some basket placements as par 4, but I don't think I would call any of these true par 4. On several of these I shanked my drives and was still able to get there in 3 throws using decent upshots. I think a par 4 should not be reachable in 3 throws if the drive is shanked except with a brilliant and highly difficult upshot.

I rate this course a 4 because it is truly awesome, but there are some issues such as multiple crossing and shared fairways that mean (in my judgment) that the course can only ever be a 4 at its highest possible rating. And this place has definitely been distilled into a fine jewel and a wonderful use of a great piece of property in sunny San Diego.

Course with a lot of variations from one hole to the next, short holes, medium holes, lots of trees to challenge your skills. Course setup changes every Monday from 3-6 different positions. Weekly doubles, Monthly tourneys, San Diego Aces bag tag challenges, good local crowd

Too busy, sometimes 10-15 minute waits on some holes. I remember playing 2 rounds a night, now I struggle to get one round in.

The monthlies get you shop credit, doubles pays out!

Morley is beautiful and well-maintained course on land that is used only for disc golf, so there is no worrying about picnickers or joggers. The grounds are constantly being worked on, from mowing grass areas to laying mulch in high traffic areas to adding more pin placements.

Nice tee signs, with markers for which of several positions each pin is in (from three up to more than five possible settings). Holes offer very different challenges from a couple open longer holes, to short and technical tree filled holes, you will use just about every shot you have here. Many holes have some elevation, from rolling hills to a couple fairly steep hills. Concrete tee pads on every hole, with rubber mats over the concrete in spots that can get wet. The pins get changed every week, so the course is never the same, and always offers new challenges. The various placements offer very different looks, and are not simply minor changes in distance. There are longer pro pads on a few holes that add to the distance and challenge, especially the one on the very tight 17th hole.

For the most part, the players I've encountered on this course are courteous and fun to play with. There is a practice basket near the first tee with plenty of space around it to warm up or practice. Fully stocked pro shop with food, discs, and all sorts of dg related stuff is nice (though the discs are marked up a little in price). Weather is perfect just about all year!

This is one of the most crowded courses I have ever played, so if you're looking to get in a quick round stay away on weekends or evenings. Expect to wait on most holes if you play during peak hours, though there are benches and seats at all the tees. Parking can also be an issue on crowded days, though there are other places to park if you are willing to walk a little. Early morning is one of the best times to play, especially in the summer, but often that's when the sprinklers are on so be ready to dodge them or get wet.

Though this course is pay to play, it's a lot of fun, and offers many unique challenges. Definitely a must-play if you're in the San Diego area. It has a historical feel to it, there's lots of disc golf history here.

Beginning players won't find too much length or punishing rough where discs will disappear here. More advanced players will find lots of fun birdie opportunities. and lots of variety especially with the constantly changing pin positions, but there's not a lot of real challenge for top players here.

Excellent mix of holes requiring lots of different shots. #11 when it's in long (between the palms) is an epic shot. The different tees and pin positions really give the holes a different look each time you play them. Fully stocked pro shop. The 3 shots for an ace on #15 is a neat innovation I haven't seen elsewhere. #17 is classic short tight hole, take a close look, ther IS a fairway there. #15, #16, #18 & #19 play across a big bowl, #16 is the highlight of these in my opinion. It's a nice open bomb off the tee but you have to leave it a spot allows a look through one of the paths through the trees as the pin is tucked back in a grove. Downtown location next to Balboa Park. San Diego weather.

Crowd, erosion. Crossing fairways near the end. Watch the fence on #16, you clear it and your disc is gone (at least it was when I was there).

I had what I'd submit as the strangest round of golf ever played the last time I was there. I was on a plane heading to UCSD Thornton for some specialized pulmonary surgery they do there when the wildfires started. The flight was diverted to Phoenix as Lindbergh was closed. They re-opened long enough for us to get to SD. Get to Thornton and they say the surgery is off since the doctor was fight to save his ranch in Julien, so I have a free day. Naturally I head to Morley with my brother. We were two of less than 20 people on the whole course, the only time I've seen it that empty. It was a novel experience playing in surgical masks due to the falling ashes. Had the operation two days later and survived, now as good as new.

Absolutely incredible course!!!!

Lotsa elevation changes. Only hole 8 would be considered flat, although it slightly elevates. (Took me 2 rounds to realize why my drive kept coming up a lil short) There are so many different shots (most holes have at least 5 different placements), it was amazing the excellent use of the park. I absolutely used every shot in the bag!!! It is fun for the begginer and pro alike.

The ammenities there are well above par. 2 bathrooms at each end of the course. Excellent pro shop with friendly, knowledgable staff. Clear and accurate tee signage. The tee pads were some of the best I have ever played on (all concrete, and some were concrete with rubber padding). Well maintained, disc golf exclusive park. Trash cans and benches at each tee. Chains are in good condition

Last, and definetely not least, THE PEOPLE!!! Everyone I met were awesome. From young to old, new to the sport or grizzeled vets; everybody was super freindly. I played there all day by myself (after 1 round with my good friend, Ray,errrr....supergimp), but never alone. (thanks Vincent, Alan, Brooks, Chris, Serena, Greg, Justin, Kane, Brian, etc......You get the point) Everyone was lookin out for each others disc, even other groups. I can't say enough about the quality of people I met there

I really had to dig deep to find anything wrong with the course. The only draw back would be that it gets REALLY crowded on the weekends. It can really mess with your flow. The locals said that weekdays were much better

Holes 15, 16, and 19 can get really dangerous. 15 and 16 criss-cross each other and 19's tee pad is in the fairway of the other 2. Hole 19 needs to get axed for it to be safer.

San Diego needs more disc golf courses!!! With only Morley and La Mesa, there are only 28 holes in the area. More courses means that we get spread out and there are less crowded courses. One new course is opening 5/2010 in N. County!!!

Parking is very limited at the course. There is plenty of additional parking back by the baseball fields. You can park there and start at hole 10, pay for your round after hole 14. The parking isn't really a con if you know about the extra lot in the back portion of the course. Pay to play, but it was worth the couple beans they asked....

I would put this in the "Cons" section, but, new players are never a con to me:

THE NEWBIES NEED TO LEARN AND UNDERTSTAND ETIQUETTE/ RULES BEFORE THEY TEE UP!!!!

Some were loud and boisterous while people were shooting tee shots. They were walking out in front of people teeing off and risking there health and/or life. One person said, "This is a very dangerous sport!!", after her playing partner walked in front of a tee pad while his buddy tee'd off (just missing the BACK OF HIS HEAD by 2 ft.) This game is VERY SAFE if people follow etiquette and the rules. Some signage stating rules and etiquette may help, but, that is only if they read it. Or, when paying, have people sign something that they read/ understand rules/ etiquette. Maybe tenured players can explain this to them in a calm, assertive way. I am not sure because people can take it the wrong way if you ask them to quiet down for a shooter or explain to them the obvious health risk with takin a 180 gram TeeRex to the dome. Some part of me thinks let em learn by getting drilled, but that is how courses are closed and nobody needs to get hurt enjoying this great game. I just think something should be done before somebody get seriously injured or worse.....

Favorite Holes:
#6, Nice open up hill shot, hole covered in a stand of trees. Takes a good arm, then some accuracy

#7, Set at its longest placement. It was a long down hill drive with a lot of trees in the fairway, hard to reach without a perfectly placed (and a lil luck) roller. The hole is literally engulfed in a grove of trees. Only 2 windows to get to it. Very Challenging!!

#11, Tee off through a decent widow 60 ft above the meadow below. Righty hyzer can't get it back there to the hole and a lefty can get caught up in the palm tree (which need to be harvested of all the "Disc Fruit" hanging from the fronds). Tests your arm strength and accuracy at the same time

#17, The most technical shot on the course. Very short, but maximun accuracy. Only 2 windows, left and right, to get through. Many locals used a side arm, skip technique to avoid the low branches

Very good course... lots of fun, well maintained. Lots of trees requiring high level of accuracy. The holes all have at least four pin placements, and the staff changes the pin spots weekly, so the course is always a little different even if you play there a lot. Also, they have a nice little pro shop/snack shack where you can get discs, drinks, snacks, etc. Finally, the course is run by the legend himself... Snapper Pierson!

The number one con is that Morley gets really crowded, especially on weekends. Expect to spend a lot of time waiting... this course takes a little over an hour to play on a weekday morning, but around 3 hours on a weekend afternoon. If possible, I try to go on weekday mornings, which is the best time as far as crowds. Also, there are not really any long holes that require a long power drive... most are under 300 ft. Also, they try to call some of the longer holes (which still aren't long when compared to other courses) as par 4's, which is ridiculous when you consider most courses have much longer holes that they still consider par 3's. There is no need for par 4's on an easy course like morley.

Overall, a lot of fun... just be patient!

Great course. Pay to play but very cheap. Basket locations change every week which makes for a variety of different shots. Morley has a good mix of long and short throws that will challenge you everytime. Well maintained with trash cans at almost every hole and a pro shop with discs, snacks, ect.

CROWDS!!! Very crowded on the weekends with some large groups. Discs flying all over the place so keep your ears and eyes open

multiple pin placements, rugged terrain, variation of holes, good challenges

prefer no green fees but the cost is minimal