SeaTac, WA

Seatac DGC

3.85(based on 23 reviews)
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1 8
DTorr
Experience: 4 played 1 reviews
1.50 star(s)

Too noisy drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 30, 2024 Played the course:once

Pros:

Lots of holes and large area.

Cons:

Too freaking noisy. Planes flying by every 10 minutes. Can't talk, think, relax, with all the noise pollution.

Other Thoughts:

Not a place to go to distress as a relax wish the boys.
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18 0
wellsbranch250
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 10.8 years 694 played 680 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Sonic Boom

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jun 9, 2023 Played the course:once

Pros:

(3.833 Rating) 27-hole flat wooded beast.
- THE CHALLENGE - I had heard and read coming in, that SeaTac was both a tougher and longer course. Playing it very much confirmed these reports. Any player that's looking for a course to test all their abilities, physical and mental, needs to come check this course out, especially if they live in the Pacific Northwest. It starts off with moderate challenges, having 300-foot long holes or so, and with a mix of moderate and heavily wooded lines. Towards the latter half of the first nine however, the holes seemed to get longer and stayed just as wooded. On numerous holes, my only hope was to try and save par. I was thoroughly penalized by mental mistake after mental mistake after mental mistake. The course didn't really let off the gas until I reached hole (26). I ended up shooting a 103 in a near constant very light rain, which was 15 over par. There was a tourney going on the day I played here as well and thus I know my 15 over 103 equated to an 876 rated round. I did however enjoy the cerebral nature of the gameplay here, but there were times I got very frustrated. I know of numerous players that would not enjoy the demands this course requires. For those that have played less than 50 rounds of disc golf, this course is likely not a good fit.
- NATURAL BEAUTY - SeaTac plays entirely through moderate and heavy woods. Amen. As an added bonus here compared to the many other courses I visited out this way, it's not all Douglas Firs and Western Cedars. Apparently, the course sits on top of an old residential development that began to be bought up by the city of SeaTac in the mid 70s. Thus I assume that the huge trees and plant diversity here, is partially a reflection of leaving many of the trees from the old neighborhood. Anyways, I scored this aspect roughly 80 percentile on my ledger. The detractors are noise (see cons), flatness and no water features.
- HOLE VARIETY - I personally would define the play variety as very good, but not elite. Lots of winding fairways with breaks and gaps every which way. Lots of subtle elevation change, but nothing exceeding 25 feet in elevation change on any one hole. Lots of super tough birdie holes, but with a few easy gets. I didn't recall any water in play, but the last hole was perched on a large rock pile and thus it very much stood out in my memory of the course.
- SIGNAGE AND NAVIGATION - I thought this aspect was good. Big course map posted near tee (1). It also has hole distances and pars listed, although I think more placements have been added to the course since it's posting. Tee signs are high quality with all the required information.
- AMENITIES - In addition to the signs, there are practice baskets and benches. The Chains were either high quality MachXs or MachVs, I can't recall precisely. The tees are concrete and of respectable size. I recall a few porta-potties while on the course as well, although they may have been there for the tourney that was going on.

Cons:

No way to dial it down.
- SKILL LEVEL FRIENDLY - As noted in my Challenge Pro, this is a tough course. Having the one tee aspect here is not appropriate for a big city with big money in my opinion. This one is definitely not a beginner friendly course. I don't take off points when a course is not beginner friendly, but courses that appeal to a wide swath of skill levels are rewarded in my scoring method. This course appeals best to MA1s and Pros and with some blend over appeal to MA2s. I doubt many MA3s and MA4s are playing this course weekly. It's just too brutal.
- TIME PLAY - I was thinking 100 minutes tops. Whoops. It took me over 3 hours. I did join a group and I also ran into the back end of a tourney on hole (19). Prepare to be here a long time for those planning to stick it out for the full course.
- AIRPORT NOISE - SeaTac International Airport is roughly a 10 minute drive from here. A couple of the SeaTac run-ways require planes to pass directly overhead of the course creating very loud noise every few minutes. To me, this is a flaw, and it took away some of the zen-like atmosphere provided by the woods. I'd be lining up a putt and would start hearing a light rumble. Then I'd have to pause and make sure the apocalypse wasn't occurring. The noise issue to me is not worthy of knocking the course down a half point or anything close to like that, but it did bring the course beauty back a bit on my ledger.

Other Thoughts:

When all is tallied together, I think SeaTac is an excellent course overall. It's beautiful, it has captivating gameplay and it has the required amenities to make for an exciting round. It does have its flaws, like most courses, but they weren't substantial enough to me for me not to score this one a 4.0. SeaTac reminds me most of Roy G in Austin Texas and Jake McLean in Tallahassee. Both of which are heavily wooded longer courses and with very limited elevation change. PROs and MA1s that find themselves near the airport need to come check this course out, while MA4s may want to consider something else. For those considering the Airport layover angle, make sure it's at least a 4-hour long layover, and even then one might not be able to play the full course. This was the last of the 20 courses I played on my Pacific Northwest trip. I'm glad I was able to check it out before flying over the top of it.
- THANK YOU - On hole (7), I joined Chris and Gaylin whom were kind enough to guide me around for 12 holes. It kept the round super lively while being stuck behind a super slow tourney. Enjoyed the round fellas and the local brews!
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14 0
IdahoTory
Experience: 25.8 years 29 played 9 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Best course around for serious players drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 21, 2023 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

It's not a beginner course but, it is "the" City of Seattle go-to course IMHO. A quick drive from the center of downtown Seattle for me. It's a long tricky course (27 holes) with a respectable variety of holes. Some of the longer holes require good shot placement and strategy to keep it interesting. Most par 3's offer a little something to add to the variety.

- Dog and cart friendly
- Lots of shade, with benches at some holes.
- Plenty of parking (on weekdays anyway).
- Other players are very aware of the speed of play and will almost always invite faster groups to play through.

Cons:

As with other giant courses, maintenance is an enormous chore. The grass has been high for the past couple of months (June/July 2023) but not horrible. High grass will remove most ground play even inside the circle on many holes.

Lots of the holes could use some branch trimming. Not everybody can throw 400' grenades and you can tell the course designers didn't mean for that to be necessary. To me, at least a quarter of the holes need the intended lines to be opened up again. I'd enjoy bending shots more often than going over the top. When a hole becomes so tight, the fairway in the sky is the best option, your missing the point.

- There is very little elevation change although some pins are located on mounds.
- The walk from 5 to 6 needs improved signage, without UDisk you'd be spinning in circles.
- It's an urban course so it's grossly tagged everyplace. Pretty much anything that isn't living has been scrawled upon.
- With so many blind holes the spiny waist high brush located on some fairways can be a PITA. You can spend a lot of time looking for your disc in the fairway.
- Some of the tee pads are in very shaded areas and can be comically slick. (another reason to be aggressive when trimming branches.)

Other Thoughts:

A spotter is helpful on many holes for first-timers. There are many blind holes and as I said the fairways can be thick. I played 6 times and there are always people spending an enormous amount of time looking for discs. It takes a bit of a search sometimes to find good shots, but god help you if you are more than 2 or 3 feet off the fairway on some of these holes…

If you are a player that is easily distracted this course will change your life. About every 45 seconds a low-flying airliner will buzz overhead. So close you can feel it in your chest.
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14 0
DFrah
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 6.4 years 300 played 287 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Solid disc golf in a unique location! 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 3, 2022 Played the course:once

Pros:

SeaTac DGC is a 27-holer that sits in a large park of the same name, in the urban sprawl between Seattle and Tacoma. The disc golf course, park, nearby airport, and 'burb all share this smashed-together "SeaTac" name. Based on the course description here and what appeared to be old building foundations on/near a few fairways, I believe that this park used to be a neighborhood.

The golf here is quite good for an urban park course. There are a great mix of holes, from "mostly open with a couple obstacles" to fairly tight technical throws. Nothing is thread-the-needle tight, but shot shaping is required on most holes. There are ample left turns, right turns, and straight shots. Many baskets are guarded by trees and/or bushes. The distances are enough to challenge most of us mortal disc golfers. The shortest hole here is the finishing hole 27, which is only 229' but plays to a basket raised up on a large mound. The average hole distance is over 350', and there are several respectable par 4s - the longest being hole 21's 547'.

I thought two of the more memorable holes here were back-to-back - #15 and #16. Hole 15 is only 250' but requires a controlled tee shot through a small gap in some bushes, to a basket framed by tall trees. Right after that, hole 16 plays 320' along an S-shaped fairway with a grove of trees in the middle of the first bend. These were both very fun and aesthetically pleasing holes. Overall, despite being in an urban area this is a visually appealing course.

The baskets are DGA models in good shape. There are also a couple of practice baskets next to the parking lot.

The rough is thick enough to punish poor throws, but didn't look likely to hide discs. Beginners and families won't score well here, but could still enjoy the course and probably not lose any discs.

The tee pads are concrete and in good shape. The tee signs are large and show all of the needed info (hole number, distance, par, and map of hole). On some holes (not all), different pin positions are shown on the tee signs and the current pin position was labeled with a tack. I believe there were a couple of holes that had multiple baskets installed, but on most holes you can only play one layout. I'm not sure how often the pin positions may be swapped out. The tee signs also point towards the next hole.

Many tee areas have benches, and some have trash cans. A large kiosk at the parking lot shows a nice map of the course, detailed hole info, disc golf rules, etc. A restroom is apparently available, although it is at the far end of the large parking lot and I did not try to use it.

Playing all 27 holes takes some time even for a solo player, but if you use the map there are some opportunities to cut off sections and play fewer holes if you are short on time. For example you could easily play holes 1-5, then skip to 24-27 for a 9-hole round.

Cons:

A couple of holes play near walking paths, and a couple of holes are pretty close together. Nothing egregious.

The course is pretty much flat. The park isn't pancake flat, but on most holes the terrain is not hilly enough to affect play. There are also no water hazards.

Even with the previous tee signs pointing towards the next hole, I could have used a few more navigational aids. A few baskets had arrows hanging in the bottom, but this wasn't consistent. I had to pull out the map a couple of times, in particular on a long walk between holes 5 and 6.

Very minor gripe, but there is quite a stretch of long holes about 2/3 of the way through the course. With only one exception, holes 17-24 are each longer than 400' - and all six holes designated as par 4 fall within this section of the course. Although this is kind of balanced out with shorter holes before and after this section, I would ideally prefer to see the longest holes sprinkled throughout the course instead of being all grouped together.

Other Thoughts:

Although the disc golf here is good, what I will remember most about this course is constantly being able to look up and see huge commercial airplanes at close range coming in for a landing. The park appears to be more or less directly in line with the landing runway of the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and only a mile or two away from it, so during my round in the middle of the day on a Friday the sights and sounds of incoming airplanes were more or less a constant. Normally I count road noise as a minor Con for a course, but in this case I felt the air traffic was kind of cool and unique. It was not something that I had experienced on a course before. On one hole I was able to photograph an incoming Lufthansa airplane just as it crossed over the fairway. It was close enough that the company logo is clearly readable in the photo, and I could easily count the number of windows on the plane.

On a personal note, this was my first course played in the state of Washington - and the Pacific Northwest in general.

Overall SeaTac DGC is not a destination, but definitely a worthy stop for DG'ers visiting the greater Seattle area. It offers solid golf that will challenge most players, at a convenient location close to the airport. It fit the bill for me as a way to spend a couple of hours before picking up some friends from the airport for a long weekend in Olympic National Park. I think that this course is accurately rated here, and pretty much maxed out on the land available. Kudos to the locals on a job well done!
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12 0
play4fun
Experience: 48.7 years 6 played 6 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Very satisfying and fun course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 15, 2022 Played the course:once

Pros:

* Beautiful setting, weaving in and out of the forest, shade/rain cover
* Course design, fun challenges
* Clean and well-kept
* All concrete tees
* Very good signage

Cons:

* Can be a long walk

Other Thoughts:

Wonderful course. No elevations, but nice obstacle shots through the forest. Except for a couple, there weren't any tunnel shots, per se, but plenty of bark to smack your disc with. With only UDisc in hand, it was difficult to see the baskets at times. However, the signage was great in that it at least showed the pin position. This has 27 holes, but I played only 18. I really do not see the point in playing a bonus 9, but regardless, this post-covid body that gets energy and strength drained in 18 or a lot sooner could handle only 18.

As I said, the signage is very good. Colored maps with the different pin positions and a marker as to which pin position the basket is in. Often on the sign, it shows where you can expect the next tee to be. I do recommend UDisc, but after you get used to the course, you can tell by the paths in the grass where the next tee probably is. It would be even better playing with a local to tell you exactly where the basket is and recommend a good line for your drive. More than a few times I was just throwing blindly, guessing where the basket might be.

The several layouts are in UDisc. One of the 18 layouts starts on hole #6, that's not a mistake. There is another parking lot by #6, which is why it starts there, I'm pretty sure.

No water hazards, just plenty of bark. And occasional thorny blackberry bush. I would play with very bright colors. The vegetation ground cover is ideal for hiding discs. So are the trees and bushes.

Benches on some of the tees. No water fountains that I could see. I don't recall any restrooms or port-a-potties. Tees are concrete, a wee bit narrow, but definitely OK. I think these are Mach 5 baskets by DGA.

Very enjoyable and satisfying course.
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4 3
PHDParrot
Experience: 14 played 11 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Marathon of a course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 12, 2021 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Love this course! Rather difficult relative to par but no truly crazy holes. Good variety. Well planned course with plenty of unique, enjoyable holes. Don't skip out on the extra nine because the par 4s are the best holes on the course.

Cons:

I really don't like the design of hole 16, and hole 27 just being an easy ace run to finish out is kind of an eyeroll for me.

Other Thoughts:

This is a marathon of a course. You can make a day out of one round if you're in a group. Plays through a mostly wooded area behind some softball fields. Lots of planes flying overhead.
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16 0
Front Row
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 34.6 years 64 played 24 reviews
4.00 star(s)

A well planned course 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Aug 16, 2021 Played the course:once

Pros:

Seatac is an urban course with multiple entry points but most will use the large parking lot. I counted four warm up baskets which is nice on crowded days. An informative bulletin board with a solid map is displayed next to drive 1. Concrete tees with good signs indicate distance and par on all drives. Most tees had benches behind the tee. Much of this course is heavily wooded which requires good skills shots thrown for long distances. The 500 foot throws are not on an open field but have many wooden obstacles requiring thought and strategy. The baskets were all in good shape. Much of the fairway is low grass that is kept short by heavy use. Most errant throws can be found quickly but some fairways have heavy vegetation that could swallow up a disc. The course aesthetics is good with a memorable basket at 27. The length of the course is satiating and playing twice could be taxing for many. Players of various skills will enjoy this course but the stingy pars will create strong challenges for most players. A total score of even would be worth celebrating.

Cons:

I found few problems with this course. Some might take issue with the lack of elevation change on this course, but the distance and tight fairways on some drives keeps this course interesting. Signs indicated that baskets could be in either A,B or C position but there was no mark on the sign as to which pin the basket was in on the day I played. Sometimes this added to the frustration of finding the basket that could not be seen from the tee. Vines and bushes containing thorns are flanking some fairways and will add to the woe of an errant shot. The pedestrian walkway will have onlookers and occasional children straying onto course. Far worse, are the vagabonds who camp out near or in the fairway and will not move when requested. Lastly, planes fly over this course regularly and loudly as they approach a nearby airport.

Other Thoughts:

This course was made difficult by the slender pars. I thought a few drives that were over four hundred feet deserved a par of four rather than three. However, others will argue that this will push players to elevate their game. If visiting the Seattle area, this course should be on the short list to play. I really enjoyed playing and would have played more that once if time allowed.
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12 0
Breh
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 14.4 years 193 played 191 reviews
4.00 star(s)

2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 24, 2020 Played the course:once

Pros:

When arriving to SeaTac there's a huge parking lot. There's also a giant kiosk board with the course map on it as well as a few practice baskets around to warm up on. There's multiple pin placements which are very well marked showing you where the pin is currently located at. This is a 27 hole course that is an all day disc golf adventure. Most holes sit at over 300 feet giving you plenty of chances to test out the new drivers. The layout flows pretty nice and navigation is fairly simple besides one spot. Good mix of hole designs and tree use. Some cool pin placements including the short hole 27 elevated up in the rocks. I actually really enjoyed this course, and think it's an incredible tournament course. I wouldn't want to ever play here alone though as it's pretty grueling doing the entire 27. Good cart course, with nice benches, clean fairways and great course to test your game and endurance.

Cons:

One spot is tricky to navigate I think it's 5 to 6 follow the path and stay left. The back holes 20-25 are pretty repetitive par 4s. It's not that fun to play a straight string of par 4s after just throwing 18 holes. No real iconic type shots and SeaTac is fairly flat for the most part with some minor elevation change.

Other Thoughts:

It's located right next to the airport so it's kinda weird having planes fly right over your head, and getting use to the plane noises.
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13 0
Upshawt1979
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 21.4 years 562 played 429 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Seatac in the Sunshine 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 29, 2018 Played the course:once

Pros:

The Seatac DGC is in a really nice park, mostly grassy fairways that work with moderately wooded grounds to create holes that are neither too easy or too hard. The tree canopy will frequently require drives to be close to the line without a lot of altitude in order to stay out of the rough while getting the distance required to get pars and birdies. There are a handful of short holes of 280' and under, as well as six par 4's in the final eleven. A few long par 3's along the way also that can be tough. To score well here you will require consistent accuracy off the tee, and ability to make approach shots that can give you makable putts. It sounds obvious, but there is not a lot of room for error on most of these holes, and recovery shots from the rough will make things tough if you are getting knocked down or deflected by trees all day.

The concrete pads are good enough, and so are the baskets. The layout is easy to follow and the locations of the pins were set intuitively, so you have a good idea of where to throw if you can't spot your target from the tee.

Some places have thick rough, and there is a bit of risk of losing a disc or reaching into a thorny mess to get it back. I like a course that has some teeth, but it may be a little much for the inexperienced player.

A few of the holes were in heavier woods with ground that is bare, but mud was not an issue at the time. No serious water in play.

Cons:

Constant airplane traffic coming into the nearby airport is overhead. Also some other park users occasionally wander near holes walking dogs or jogging.

The park is largely flat, and variety of holes doesn't use many turns in the fairways, forcing throws that curve to the left or right very often. It's a good course, though it lacks some interest that come from elevation change or having to make a lot of different throws.

Other Thoughts:

I arrived at Seatac DGC on a gorgeous summer day, perfect for disc golfing. Sunny, 80 degrees with a slight breeze. This was day 4 of a long road trip from Kansas across the Rocky Mountains, looping around the Pacific northwest and back. Started the morning at Farragut State Park in Idaho, and was eager to stretch my legs after reaching the western longitudes of Washington.

Seatac proved to be a classic style course in a nice city park with a new array of vegetation compared to what I am used to seeing at home. Not the majestic forrests and mountains I had envisioned perhaps, but a good location to fit in to a limited travel schedule and without getting mired in bumper to bumper traffic for too long.

My scorecard was not pretty at the end, but it was an enjoyable round, and the course was not crowded at the time. Glad I played it, and would like to return to the area to do a little more exploring. I shot 100 on the nose, 13 over par for the 27 holes. My short game is what hurt me, 15 two putt bogeys vs. only 2 birdies. A score nearer to par is not impossible, especially if you can capitalize on the stretch of par 4 holes on the final nine. With familiarity and a hot putter I know I could do much better.
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10 2
aphilso1
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 7.1 years 52 played 50 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Nice but not a lot of variety 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 29, 2018 Played the course:once

Pros:

27 holes, most of which are densely wooded. As a Midwesterner I don't get a lot of opportunities to play woodland courses, so I appreciated the difference in course style. The fairways were very well-maintained and the rough was very rough which creates a fair but challenging round. Teepads and baskets were in great shape. I enjoyed checking out all the different trees and plant-life that Seattle in general, and this course in particular, have to offer. The natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest is truly unique.

Cons:

Not a lot of memorable holes and most of them played roughly the same: straightforward hyzerflip off the tee. The lack of elevation changes really hurts this course's ability to be special. Also, the locals seemed to ignore typical disc golf etiquette. A few examples: slow groups didn't let faster groups play through; players threw multiple teeshots even though the course was busy; players bounced around and played holes out of order; groups started on random holes rather than on 1. This added up to make a slow round even slower and really detracted from the overall experience.

Other Thoughts:

Much of the enjoyment I got out of my round was due to Seatac being really different from my hometown tracks. However, the flat layout didn't have enough variety for me to consider this a great course. I pobably will find somewhere else to play if I visit Seattle again.
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12 0
Moose33
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 12.8 years 239 played 236 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Wooded, diverse and very pretty 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 30, 2018 Played the course:once

Pros:

I was expecting a fair bit after reading the reviews and I have to say expectations were met when it came to Seatac.

Its a large multi use park with baseball fields a cricket pitch and meandering walking trails.

The course starts at the back of the parking lot on the left, and there is a big, accurate map that I would recommend snapping(or scan the qr code). Not that it's hard to follow, it's not really but there are a couple of spots where paths cross.

The holes are mainly wooded, but not super hard to navigate. It did make me regret that I opted to bring a Volt(straight to fade) instead on a S curve driver like a Stag or Eagle. And the lush green grass and beatufiful evergreen trees right in a residential area very cool.

I'm fact I think due to some leftover foundations that the park probably used to be some residential blocks. Some of the concrete areas come into play but are more of a fun addition than a real obstacle.

The baskets caught well and most had some green tape pointing the way to the next basket. I think Mach X, could have been some older ones mixed in. There are also good benches on many holes.

I really like the shot array and the mix of long shots, up to 550 and some short ace runs in the low 200s and the trees and such make it a very fun play.

Tons of wildlife too, we saw dozens of rabbits and birds that seemed used to dodging discs.

I like the course a lot and would gladly play again.

Cons:

A couple tricky spots navigating, and no real elevation changes.

A couple of signs are missing and there is a ton of tagging that detracts from the feel of this very pretty course.

Other Thoughts:

I rally had a good time, it's a pretty course and very diverse one as well.

And I know what SeaTac stands for, but to me it will always mean See the great shot shaping perfectly from your hand, the hear the Tac of the disc hitting a tree short of where you're aiming.

It seems well maintained and has a good design overall.

Would gladly recommend to play to anyone in the area.

27 great holes!
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8 0
Schreuds2.0
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 7.4 years 93 played 81 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Awesome park, hard course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Oct 29, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

-Tees are high quality concrete and are sized appropriately
-Tee signs are very nice and also helpful
-Baskets are nice quality, Mach X for the most part, a few Mach V (I think) sprinkled throughout the course.
-The Fairways are amazing, I love the woods with a grass fairway, it looks really good, and is easy to locate your disc in.
-This is a very flat course, but the occasional mound or hill is always used as a part of the course, Hole 20 in particular.
-This is a very wooded course, so the trees come into play a lot, and when they do it is great. That being said, there are some 500ish' holes out there, and those have trees on the sides or maybe one or two in the middle to let you rip one out there.
-Paths are worn down to perfection, you can pretty much just follow the paths to the next tee.
-While there is the occasional graffiti artwork on benches, this course has a good vibe, which is mostly derived from the beauty of the course.
-Almost (if not all) holes have benches at the tee.
-Wide variety of shots here, and millions of unique situations to get into, I had to throw a roller (I never throw rollers).
-This course gets a 4/4 on the new Shoe Index, unless you come here on a rainy day and jump around in the mud, your shoes will be clean.

Cons:

-Baskets are sometimes really difficult to see, and at times not completely clear.
-The roughs are brutal, if you are on the edge, it's all good, but if you go deeper than 3 feet, kiss that disc goodbye.
-As this is a long course, in a big park, there are a few hang-ups with Navigation, if you want to split the course up, it is hard to do so without a really long walk back to the parking lot.
-This course isn't beginner friendly, many holes are too long for beginners, but, they could be a good thing for some people, I can't really decide if it's a pro or con, I can throw like 330' so I'm OK with long holes

Other Thoughts:

If you are made uncomfortable by loud noises from planes or loud noises in general, you should probably not go to this course, it is probably 10miles north of the International airport.
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4 3
longandwrong
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 14.8 years 59 played 39 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Seatac the monster 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 12, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

Long challenging 27 holes. You will need every type of throw you can imagine. Most holes have a distinct challenge for your first throw. Example would be a 12 ft wide gap in the brush/trees/shrubs that you will need to throw thru or get close to on your first throw. Technical to the extreme.

Cons:

It would be nice if you could have a pathway to the parking lot on the north side when you finish 18. Need maps! Need signs!
No trash cans.

Other Thoughts:

Rained hard the whole 27 when I played. I need to give it another try. Most of my playing buds said this was an awesome course and very hard. I'd say hard and okay.
There is a parking lot on the south side near what might have been the original hole 1....sure wish there was bulletin boards and maps.
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14 0
Tim_the_Enchanter
Experience: 21.2 years 190 played 7 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Thank you sir, may I have another! 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 23, 2015 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

The course is long and challenging, and routinely frustrates me, but I keep coming back for more. While punishing, the holes are generally fair. It definitely helps to have a big arm here, but most shots have a low ceiling so there isn't much opportunity for big bomber drives. It's all about placement here--throwing too far can land you in trouble on a lot of holes.

The redesign with the new holes is definitely an improvement. In addition to having new holes, there is also a great warmup area with 3 baskets spaced far enough apart to practice approach shots, plus a 4th practice basket for putting. It also makes use of a huge parking lot, where in the original design, there was only a tiny parking lot or street parking (where break-ins were a real possibility). Also, I'm a big fan of the Mach x baskets that are used on the new holes--I just wish ALL the holes had them.

Being a large park with 27 holes, you can have a much more private round than other courses in the area, which is a big plus. The park is well used by dog walkers and such, but its rare to have anyone in the way.

Cons:

Probably the biggest con for me is the blackberries. Since the course used to be a neighborhood, the spaces that once were yards have been reclaimed by blackberries. The fairways stay clean for the most part (though you still need to keep an eye out), but the rough can be absolutely brutal if things go wrong.

There isn't a whole lot of signage here, mainly due to vandals in nighttime hours. Not a huge deal though, because most baskets are marked with a "next tee" arrow, or at least a piece of tape on the spokes showing the approximate direction.

Lack of alternate pins. Some of the new holes have multiple pin placements, but the majority of holes only have one. I would like to see more variety as the course kind of gets stale. Also, for many holes, for the average powered RHBH golfer, the same basic shot is the best option off the tee (low fast hyzerflip).

Most holes play fairly, but hole 19 is an exception. There is no defined fairway, so every time playing it is a gamble. There are approaches that have better odds than others, but there's no such thing as "playing it safe."

I may be in the minority, but I'm not a big fan of the finishing holes, 26 and 27. They are fair, but they are short and easy, I feel upset if I don't get 2s on both of them. After a course with challenging par 3s and 4s, ending on a couple pitch and putt ace runs feels out of character. I would rather have seen maybe 6 or 7 challenging holes added instead of trying to shoehorn in 9 holes and having the resulting dinkers.

Other minor quibbles:
--Mixed basket types--most are perfectly fine, but I don't like the homemade "Cool Shoez" baskets, they don't catch as well as name brand ones, and they are nubless which can make for "fun" comebackers.
--Some issues with garbage. Golfers are pretty good about packing out their trash, but after hours teenagers and homeless, not so much.
--The noise of the jets. You get used to it pretty quickly, but it can be a distraction. It's much better on days when they're landing instead of taking off.

Other Thoughts:

This is technically my home course now, and I spend the most time there out of any courses in the area. It's definitely improved since Keith and Chainbangers took over--not only with the addition of the 9 new holes, but with maintenance overall. It used to be that the course would become nearly unplayable in the summer due to overgrown grass, but it is now a treat year round.

Being an urban park, with a sketchy nightlife, the course can never have some of the creature comforts that top rated courses have, like nice teesigns and immaculate benches. That being said, there are still a good amount of benches to be had, and though they're covered in graffiti, they still function well.

I wish that the course had the opportunity to put in a second set of tees, but I don't see that realistically happening due to spacial constraints. I do hope that more alternate placements can be added in the future though, there is certainly potential land to be used for that on some holes. It would make an already great course even better.
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12 0
Phlick
Experience: 42.7 years 134 played 16 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Best in Seattle 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 28, 2015 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

4 Mach X practice baskets
Ample parking
Good Flow
Hardly ever crowded
Challenging
More Birdie/Ace runs than previous 18 hole layout
Nice big pads
Multiple pin positions on many of the 'new' holes

Cons:

Signage is lacking
Benches are lacking
Trashcans and bathrooms are present but few and far between
Planes/noise overhead
Not all baskets are the same - watch out for the 'Cool Shoez' baskets without nubs!

Other Thoughts:

If you're visiting Seattle and can only play one course in town, this is the one to play. Even with all the 'cons', I'm going to rate this course very high for the excellent layout and challenge it presents. This is not a course for beginners to experience their first round - Lakewood is a much better course for that. This is a course that will test your mettle and punish you if you get off the fairway on most all the holes. This course was recently expanded from 18 to 27 holes (THANK YOU KEITH AND CHAINBANGERZ!!!) The 'new' holes are 1-5 and 24-27, with the original 18 filling in the middle 6-23. The 9 new holes add a lot to the course, making it much easier in my opinion to score a par or better on the course. Previously there were really only 3 or maybe 4 ace-able holes for the mortal disc golfer, the new holes effectively double that. Finishing a round close to par is now within the grasp of the 920 rated player. Big arms are definitely rewarded here, but if you're looking for wide open field shots, you've come to the wrong place. The course plays a lot easier in the winter with the leaves down and the grass and blackberry in retreat. In the spring and summer be sure to watch your disc very closely, as it's easy to lose a disc in the schule on several of the holes. The parking lot is nice, however car prowls are common so hide anything of value and lock it up.
For first timers - be sure to look for the next tee signs under the baskets for navigation. Most confusing is likely #3 to #4 which necessitates crossing the path by the 27 tee - and the walk to #6 (old #1) - follow the path from the #5 basket through the foilage to the paved trail and follow it to the parking lot. Signs, benches and trashcans/service (and mowing in the summer) are all that's keeping this course from being a 5 - and I hear benches are on the way - so we're getting there! It's a jewel and I'm so thankful to the volunteers and dedicated crew that built and maintain it -Thank you.
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10 0
forehandfranz
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 32.4 years 226 played 128 reviews
4.00 star(s)

The new and improved Seatac 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Dec 9, 2014 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

This is one of the longest and most challenging courses in the state of Washington. It recently went to 27 holes and it really is quite a treat! The course par could realistically be set at a higher, as many of the holes play like par 4's. It's good to keep in mind that you will need both length and accuracy to score well, so beware that you cannot just crush every shot, as it can be gnarly if you are caught in the rough, and 5's will become common. The fairways are shaped primarily by woods and shrubs along the edges with grassy fairways, and a just enough of shrubs and trees in the fairways to force creative shot-making. This length plays more like ball golf in that it often requires 2-3 accurate shots to make it to the green for your putt.
Chainbangerz disc club has mounted metal "Next Tee" signs underneath the baskets to help guide your way. These are awesome!

*** New tee signs have been added winter of 2017 and they are fantastic!

Cons:

The jets overhead can be distracting, but once you accept their presence, it is fine.

The new nine hole loop has multiple pin positions on most of the holes, yet it seems that they don't switch the pins very frequently. Maybe I don't play there enough to notice, but oh well....

The main disappointment with the landscape is that the land lacks any significant elevation changes. This is made up with creative and challenging holes.
Litter can be a problem, but they have placed many trash cans along the walks between holes. STOP BEING LAZY AND USE THESE!

The safety factor used to be a concern, as some people had run into vagabonds and hoodlums. The park has opened up more as a place for people to take a walk on the paved pathways, so it seems much friendlier, and less like a hideout than before.

Not for beginners or people who don't like to walk far - it's physical, and some of the rough is disc-eatin'.

Other Thoughts:

I really like the inclusion of the new 9 holes. They are nicely balanced between long and short, and are very creative -especially 3 and 4! You also have the option to do this 9 as a short loop by going from #5 pin over to the #24 tee pad and finishing this loop back at the parking lot.
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1 5
TheMinnesotan
Experience: 14.5 years 25 played 4 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Well Balanced 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 13, 2014 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

-Great Targets
-Diverse hole types requiring both "grip and rip" and finesse shots.
-27 holes

Cons:

-The last 9 is long. Lots of par 4's. It would be a bit more fun IMO if the back nine was diversified a bit more instead of being one long hole after another.

Other Thoughts:

I like this course a great deal, its one of my favorites in the area. Definitely worth playing!
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2 5
Krome
Experience: 10.5 years 5 played 4 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Good, but slightly overrated 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 29, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

- Good variety overall. Trees, slight elevation changes (but mostly flat), and brush make this a fun course for seasoned and new players alike.
- Variety in distances. Some are short holes, others medium, and the later holes are long. Like... Really long.
- 27 holes makes for a good 2-2.5 hours with 2 people. 4 people would double that time, and 6 you could make a day of it.
- A couple of spots (holes 1 & 6 I think) offer a map to look at. My suggestion: take a picture of it if you have a camera phone. It'll come in handy.
- Signs on each basket points to the next hole, which is nice most of the time. But...

Cons:

- The signs aren't always accurate. Particularly holes 4 and 6. My playing partner and I spent a good 10-15 minutes just trying to find hole 6, because the sign only pointed to the road that LEAD to the next hole... Not the hole itself. Kinda confusing.
- The baskets don't show what the hole number is, which can be confusing at times. (Another reason to take a picture of the map)

Other Thoughts:

A good course overall, aside from the confusing mishaps of figuring out where the next hole is. I dig the good use of brush and trees with the relatively flat landscape (although I botched a lot of my drives due to a lot of the skinny trees... I'm trying not to be bitter).

The holes loop you around to where you started by hole 27, so that's also super handy.
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14 1
The Valkyrie Kid
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 46.4 years 1562 played 1507 reviews
4.00 star(s)

I Approve....Of The New Changes! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Apr 13, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

I really liked what sillybizz (previous and as usual excellent, reviewer) wrote about some the new changes which were implemented here. Especially what he said about the overall vibe of the park now. There seems to be a lot more folks in and around SeaTac Park, walking, jogging, bicycling with families, etc. I didn't get the feel today of this being such a hangout for the homeless and drug users and others I don't care to have any contact with.

I especially liked being able to park in a parking lot along with the softball players as opposed to the tiny amount of off street we used to have. I was never comfortable leaving my car on the street up here.

Now before you start your round there are a number of practice baskets (4 or 5, Might this be just a tad overkill?). According to sillybizz, these are the new Mach X models. I thought it just said DGA on the side. I did notice that this model has the inner chains with an extra bolt keeping it tighter. It appears to me that this particular model would catch very well. Myself, I only hit one putt over six feet so I didn't really get a chance to see them in action. The course finishes with hole 27 right next to the lot where you started. Always a nice feature.

The course features large concrete pads, a mix of older baskets and nine of the new improved Mach X super catchers. The signs are currently temporary plastics models. I'm betting that permanent signs are in the works. I was quite impressed with the metal "Sea Tac Next Tee" arrows hanging from the baskets. For someone playing this course for the first time, these next tees signs would be a tremendous help.

Sea Tac DGC is long, ranges from tight to very tight and almost never gives you an easy look at the basket. It seems most of the 27 holes had groves of trees either in the middle of the fairway or blocking the basket. But I found these holes to be fair, difficult but fair.

It seems like this course is like playing that basketball team that keeps the full court press on the whole game. You really don't get a chance to have a breather/easy hole. They just keep coming at you , 450'-550' narrow tunnel shots especially on the final stretch. Finally upon reaching 26 and 27, you get a chance to relax a little and actually have a couple of possible birdie/ACE runs of less than 300'.

Cons:

I'd love to see the final remnants of the homeless crowd finally picked up and packed out of here. Things like old blankets and nasty looking stained sleeping bags. Some skanky crap has happened in this park over the years. CSI Specials Victims type of slimy encounters!

I agree with silly once more that some elevation would really boost this course's overall appeal.

Other Thoughts:

Sea Tac is not for the beginner or lower rated recreational player. It'll knock the socks off those types of players. Funny thing is, I consider myself as a 62 year old, a lower rated rec player. When I played the old layout here before, I really didn't like it, especially when coupled with the grungy overall feel of the park.

But playing the new layout today, I must admit I rather enjoyed having it hand me my lunch. I'll come back and try and break 100 next time. As I said earlier in my title, I Approve Of The Changes. Nicely done, Keith and the Chainbangerz!
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15 1
Thomashasfun
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 22.8 years 496 played 494 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Seatac now 27! 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Apr 12, 2014 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Most of you know Seatac used to be an 18 hole course but now Keith (and the Chainbangerz Disc Golf Club) has added another nine holes. Keith and many volunteers have spent so many hours trimming branches, mowing fairways, clearing blackberries, removing obstacles and other tasks over the last few years to get the course in shape and ready for the new nine holes. On the side of the park where the new holes are used to not even be walkable and now there is a fully functional course here. The even more beautiful thing is that people are starting to use the trails in here again walking their dogs and what not, making the course feel less scary and trashy.

So we're starting near an actual parking lot now instead of the two open spaces near the old hole one and current hole number six. It's nice to not have to park on the street anymore. As you pull up you'll see the brand new Mach X practice baskets (four or five of them I believe) set up for putting/driving practice.

In order to achieve great scores here it is so important to be able to throw a mixture of different shots. There are low ceiling, turnovers, hyzers, tunnel shots, open shots, etc. The rough here is really good at keep bad drives from still getting pars and many times you will have to throw something out of your comfort zone. I learned how to throw a thumber (150 feet at best but that's all I needed) and a flick roller at this course.

With the new nine holes Keith has laid out multiple basket locations for each hole. Some like hole one have the same distance but move the basket left or right and you have the same hole with a different type of shot. Others like holes three and four have that same idea but then make the third position 200 feet farther and through more obstacles and then turn the hole into an interesting par four hole. The "old 18" although fun and super challenging only had one position.

Seatac used to be a course where people would come up to me playing all the time and ask me where the next hole is, luckily now though next tee arrows have been made out of metal and stuck to the bottom of the basket for easy navigation so if you have a little bit of common sense you should do just fine.

Cons:

I think the course starts and ends kind of weak. Holes one and two are open (compared to the rest of the course) and short with the exception of the "C" location for hole one. Holes 26 and 27 are short, downhill RHBH hyzer holes with fairly open lines. Any player rated over 900 should get a birdie on these just about every time. I don't mind a few easier holes I just wish they were more spread out.

I still wish this park had some elevation change to it. Some uphill or downhill tunnel/low ceiling holes would be pretty darn awesome. The course already takes more than two hours to play and is quite exhausting but with some more elevation would make this an even more brutal work out.

Other Thoughts:

I had a very small impact on helping get these holes in, I was always working for Keith at the pro shop so he could work on the course or talk to the city about planning and such. I am also proud of the money I have raised for the club as well. Keith and Chainbangerz Disc Golf Club are transforming Seattle Disc Golf into something bigger and better. Ask me five years ago if any of this was possible and I would have said no way.
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