Marana, AZ

Marana Rock DGC

3.525(based on 32 reviews)
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3 5
capskorner
Experience: 7.8 years 15 played 4 reviews
1.00 star(s)

not playable 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 15, 2019 Played the course:once

Pros:

None

Cons:

Course not marked and no longer seems playable. Water and garbage everywhere.

Other Thoughts:

Seems like it could have been a nice course in the past.
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0 0
pmay5
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 20.8 years 480 played 245 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Great Terrain, but lots of Challenges 2+ years

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

Pros:

Great desert terrain, plays up and down a levee in this watershed area.
Trees and brush provide throwing challenges, the rocks and levee provide a walking challenge.
Interesting throws with fast green challenges.
#18 is a great finishing hole.

Cons:

No tee signs or course map, most tees are only marked by rocks.
No water or facilities, just a big parking lot and DG.
Pretty tough to follow, luckily I had a couple of guides, would have been tough without them.

Other Thoughts:

Marana Rock is a real challenge, from finding each tee, to the frequent climbs up and down the levee (and a concrete spillway) to all the rocks, trees and bushes. I see from the map that this was designed as a sweeping course circling the lake/wetlands. But, I understand that those areas are overgrown and no longer used, even though the lake is a dried up, cracked anomaly.
All play is now on the "dry' course and I'm glad I had guides. There were a lot of great shots,
down off the levee,
up to a basket on top of the levee,
from the levee across the sand to a basket on top of a huge rock,
to a pin perched above a 12 foot dropoff,
and #18, 327 across the lake (now dry and cracked) to the basket on the opposite shore!
I'd love to see the locals make this one easier to navigate, that would make it a lot more fun to play. I don't think we played all 18, but I got to see most of them!
I understand they have started laying out a new course off the back 9, it would be great to see what they can do with the available land.
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3 0
sssrn
Experience: 9.8 years 11 played 7 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Miss the Old Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Mar 11, 2015 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

My review is of the alternate course since the Santa Cruz river has redirected into the old course forming a lake (if you don't live in the desert it's a pond). It's a nice average course now along the lake but otherwise standard fare among courses.

Cons:

Mostly just straight shots from tee to basket. The local disc golf club:
http://maranadiscgolf.com

is pretty involved and interested in developing a new course and working on improving this one in the meantime.

Other Thoughts:

This was my favorite course and an excellent use of land. I spoke with members of the Marana town council and they hired some hydrologists from nearby UofAZ and the Army Corps of Engineers to decide what to do about the lake but to get the proper permits for redirecting a river (in the desert it's a river, anywhere else it's a stream) can take up to a year. Meanwhile they are working with the local disc golf club to find land and design a new course.
Addendum: The town council of Marana has decided that the bird watchers are more important than the disc golfers and are moving ahead with plans to make the lake permanent. As of 4-3-15 they began work on the area and have placed signs making holes 12-18 off limits for at lest a couple of weeks although I've never been known for letting a sign discourage me.
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3 0
rezdawg8
Experience: 10.2 years 34 played 1 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Will the flood waters ever recede? 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 20, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

I just wanted to make a quick post to let potential players know that this course is completely flooded and the perimeter course map that is on this page is accurate. I was in town for a few days and had the chance to play a few courses around town and had no idea that this course had been covered by flood water. It looks like no one has written an update in some time and I thought you shouldn't wonder "what the hell?" when you arrive!

Cons:

The perimeter course is playable, but not technically too challenging. It's just a bunch of straight shots around the lake. You definitely want to stay on line though, most of the holes are on a ridge and turnovers and hyzers have the potential of falling into water on one side or a small ravine on the other!

Other Thoughts:

It's a real shame that this course is flooded. The original layout looks like a ton of fun. I've heard that the berms blocking the nearby river have collapsed, so I not sure when this course will ever recover? It is a beautiful nature reserve now, with a bunch of wildlife (mainly birds) making it a home. It's a beautiful area that is worth checking out, even if you aren't going to play.
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1 4
joecross98
Experience: 11.8 years 9 played 6 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Long and open 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 10, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

This course has a lot of open, long holes. Great for bombing your driver from tee to basket. Look for the 800 foot hole!! Several 400-600 foot holes. Even bad drives are usually OK since it's so open.

Cons:

It is ungodly hot out on the course. Yes, Tucson is always hot, but the course is in a huge wash with very little shade. The sun just beats off of the hardpan. Bring more water than you think you could drink.

Other Thoughts:

There's not a ton of variety or technical challenge here, but the length and open layout make it a lot of fun.
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2 6
Usmcrodeo
Experience: 11.1 years 11 played 3 reviews
1.50 star(s)

Open desert course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 13, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

Lots of long, wide open shots. Work with or against the wind as your skill allows.

Cons:

Very poorly marked. I shot this course with 4 veterans and even they couldn't find/get to all of the tees and pins. We shot this course while the "water" hazards were full and couldn't find or get to most of the tees. "Water" hazards seem to be mostly backed up sewage, so I would recommend a less aggressive approach.

Other Thoughts:

bring lots of water and an open attitude toward stinky shoes and socks.
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3 1
swatso
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 15.6 years 755 played 414 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Relative Oasis 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:May 25, 2014 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Challenging greens, with over 1/3rd of them located on large mounds (mini-hillocks) or the ridge the surrounds the water retention basin which forms the bulk of the course.

Tees are long, wide, and flat, ribbed concrete. Good teesigns, indicating current pin position. Many of the tees are located on the ridge, too, presenting elevated looks. Scattered benches.

Cons:

Not much - long-for-the-sake-of-being-long #11 might have been better as two ~400' holes?

Holes entirely within the basin are quite flat.

Other Thoughts:

Course plays in-to and out-of a large water retention basin. Given that it is located in SE Arizona, I assume that this basin is more frequently dry than wet, but the extra water means that the trees are larger than you might typically find in this area (i.e. there are several shady areas), and the bushes tend to be larger, too, and of the non-puncturing variety.

The flora, when mixed with elevation provided by the ridge/hillocks, combine to create an entertaining course. Straight and true off the tee is what is required by most holes, so shot-shaping isn't in great demand, but staying within the fairways defined by the trees/bushes (or sometimes throwing over them, when teeing from an elevated position), and sticking approach shots on the challenging greens are the primary foci.

Navigation: Course plays in a clockwise manner, zigzagging from/to the ridge to/from the centre. Online map makes it easy for a visitor to navigate. If you only have time for nine, 1-4 then 14-18 form a natural loop.

Number-1 is provides excellent start. Basket is only ~250' away, but both the tee and the basket are from elevated positions - need fine touch to land, and stick, near the basket. Number-13 was my personal favourite, as a copse of trees mid-fairway forces you right (tighter) or left (wider). The basket is slightly elevated, and has some guardian shrubbery.

A fine, fun course - play it if nearby!
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2 0
Outdoor Craziness
Experience: 11.9 years 19 played 14 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Tucson's "Must-Play" Course! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 3, 2014 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

The challenge: the Marana Rock is not for the faint of heart. If you're gonna play this course, be prepared to go hard. I think the only baskets that are not as challenging are #3 (in the short position) and maybe #10 (although I screw this one up all the time).

The variation: you'll need a lot of it to get through this course! You don't necessarily have to change your throwing style though - I'm right-handed and throw backhand, and there aren't many baskets that force me to throw forehand.

The league: I play in the weekly Saturday morning league at this course, and the people are awesome. If you get the chance, come join us!

Cons:

The water: during monsoon season, the course will flood. The presence of water offers some unique challenges. Sure, avoiding water hazards can be difficult. But I think the biggest challenge is avoiding malaria from all of the mosquitoes! Seriously, bring some bug spray. It gets nasty out here.

#11: how is an 800'+ distance not deserving of being a par-5?!

Other Thoughts:

This course puts hair on your chest.
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2 7
chelsea
Experience: 4 played 2 reviews
5.00 star(s)

New Perimeter Layout 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 24, 2013 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

The new course play's back by the parking lot after 11 holes which is fantastic because you don't have to carry a gallon of water in your bag just to survive one round. Also 3 holes after that it plays next to the only drinking fountain within miles of the course. It was the first time ever I was able to play two rounds in one day! Lots of difficult and technical shots the new layout holes are much shorter (Thank God) those 1000ft holes are just ridicules!

Cons:

It won't be up year round! Only during the monsoon floods...

Other Thoughts:

The club should raise some money up and make this a permanent course, I would donate money for a basket!
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4 0
chillis
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 23.8 years 103 played 28 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Adventure in southern AZ 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 23, 2013 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Marana Rock is a truly unique experience for AZ disc golf. The course is set in a basin that is lush and green for a majority of the year and is surrounded by a rocky rim where you can find numerous tee pads and baskets. What little actual elevation is present, is used very well to create exciting launch pads or tricky approach areas.

The layout is varied in hole lengths and a majority have well-defined fairways that require a straight shot to avoid the brush. Most holes have multiple basket locations, which are indicated on the tee signs with small locks next to the corresponding position.

A handful of tee areas have benches to rest on. There is a good amount of shade here. If you're playing in the hotter months, make sure to take frequents breaks out of reach of the sun's rays.

There is signage at the front of the park to mark the 1st tee area. It also has a nice bench and practice basket.

Local club is constantly improving this course. Every time I make a visit there's less clutter, more defined fairways, and added challenges, perks, and peril! I love the newly-created window to the basket on Hole 13.

Cons:

Although the layout is varied, there aren't any doglegs and few blind shots. You can throw the same long, straight drive off the tee and do well. I feel this can get a little repetitive.

Course is pretty rough and is no easy stroll. Lots of rocky inclines to navigate and thick brush off the fairways. There are also lots of burrs in the middle area waiting to attach themselves to you or your gear.

There aren't any facilities - restroom, water fountain, or pavilion. Bring plenty of water!

Other Thoughts:

Course can be massively windy! This is usually more noticeable when on the rim of the basin. I could go either way on this - the wind can provide one helluva challenge, or cause your round to be grueling and feel like punishment. Play it smart, and bring your trusty, stable plastic!

I've heard people say this is a seasonal course and I have seen some flooding (Holes 7, 18). However, I've been able to play it year round and have never had to cancel a round due to the conditions. Perhaps I'm just lucky?!

Needs new course pictures - current ones are outdated and don't give a proper impression of the layout.
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5 0
The Valkyrie Kid
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 45.8 years 1563 played 1507 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Green In The Middle Of All This Brown! 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Mar 31, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

After driving through all the brown surroundings, parking in the lot and walking up to the first teepad, I was astounded to see a valley of lush, green grass. Then I proceeded to kinda fall in love with the first hole. 244' off an elevated pad to a basket sitting atop a small hill, complete with guardian trees and plantlife. The landing area is so small and when you miss, you're left with a difficult uphill putt. Great, great opening hole! Kind of set the tone for the whole course for me.
The course sets in this desert valley complete with plenty of mature trees and desert underbrush of all varieties, including some really prickly ones. This desert vegetation is used throughout the course to increase the difficulty and challenge. On many holes, I found myself having to thread my tee shot through a small opening in order to have a chance for the par. I found many of these same holes long and challenging, at least for my noodle arm.
I loved the indicators to show which position the basket is currently in, either A-B or C. Here they use little padlocks locked through the holes in the metaql signs. No-one can be changing those without the keys!

Navigation was a breeze, at least until I came to # 12 and then I promptly got lost and ended up at # 17. Before then, it had been so obvious by the natural flow and by the players trails.
The course is maintained with a lot of care from the local club. Not only is it litter free but a

Cons:

I wasn't a fan of # 11 and it's 817' length. I thought it was long just to be long and length served no real purpose. But then again, when one has a noodle arm as I have, I tend to dislike any and all 800' holes.

I don't know what happen after the # 12 hole and how we got lost.

Other Thoughts:

My compliments to the local club and to all the work they've done on this course. I'd love to come back and tackle it again. It pretty much kicked my fanny.
I'd also like to come back to to the # 12 basket and try to find my way to the # 13 pad. It's probably fairly obvious!
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4 2
KDFrosty
Experience: 11.7 years 37 played 14 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Great course in Tucson 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 24, 2013 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-Well maintained. You can tell that the local disc golf club takes pride in keeping this course clean and free of clutter and debris. The course was recently mowed as well.
-Each hole presents a variety of challenges and encourages the player to use a variety of different shot types
-Tee signs and tee pads are all in great condition
-Shade! I played this course early spring (March), and it was still hot. Luckily there are shady spots on almost every hole, which is good for a desert course.

Cons:

-If you're off the fairway you might find yourself in knee deep foliage and plants, which can make it hard to find discs
-In monsoon months a few of the holes can become unplayable because of water, and a few holes will incorporate new basin water hazards. Alt tees are setup
-The course is situated in a location where the wind just rips through a canyon across the course. The lightest wind we had the 3 dfays I played the course was probably 15+mph.

Other Thoughts:

I played this course for a tourney, Lockdown at the Rock, and I'd imagine that I saw the course in it's best possible condition. I was really impressed that there was so much vegetation and trees because the drive up to the course is nothing but desert. The locals were more than friendly and willing to show me around the course in a warmup round or two.
I played in spring and was hot, so I'd imagine that this course is VERY difficult to play in the mid summer months unless you're there early in the AM.
Watch for rattlesnakes.
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3 0
bsnone
Experience: 20 played 6 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Best in Tucson 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 19, 2013 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Lots of variety in distance (240ft - 817ft) fun use of elevation changes - a few holes set on mounds. Good variety of pin placements (the signage shows 2 or even 3 different basket placements) that changed at the first of the year (not sure how often the changes are made) Easily the most challenging course in the Tucson area. Little to no traffic other than disc golfers. Now that the trees are more mature, a few more finesse shots are required (thinking 9 and 14)

Cons:

Really only playable 7 months out of the year as the rest of the time it is flooded. There are a few holes with stickers everywhere which gets really annoying after a while. A little worried as to what all the erosion is going to do to this course long term - it may flood out completely in 10 or so years.

Other Thoughts:

Generally not a beginner friendly course as distance is rewarded over just about everything else on at least half of the holes. Certainly is a course that will force several aspects of your game to improve. Certainly not the best course I've played but it is easily the best Tucson has to offer.
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3 1
mashnut
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 22.1 years 831 played 767 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Fun desert course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 1, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

The course plays through a large park that seems to be disc golf exclusive. There are some minor elevation changes that are used well to add some variety and a couple fun rollaway pin locations. There aren't a ton of real trees, but the trees that are available and the brush around the park are used well to define landing zones and punish errant shots.

There is great distance variety, with shorter ace runs, reachable longer holes and a few shots where you can really air out a drive and need to place your drive well to have a good look on your second shot. The concrete tees are in nice shape, and the signage is great. It shows length and layout for both pin positions, with a small lock on the sign to show the current position. The alternate placements add some variety, with different distances and a few that force different types of shots. The kiosk by the first hole has a nice course map, and there is a practice basket.

Cons:

This is a shot placement course, not really a line shaping course. A few too many of the holes are open and allow for pretty much any kind of line off the tee as long as you get to the fairway or landing zone. The design makes the best of the available foliage and elevation, but it's still a pretty wide open layout.

The ground can get pretty muddy even after just a little rain. The mud is very thick and sticky, and can be tough to get off shoes and discs. A few of the holes could use next tee markers to get from one hole to the next, even a painted rung on the basket would be plenty to make navigation easy.

Other Thoughts:

Beginners will find this course a little long, but it's not too easy to lose discs and errant shots are only moderately punished. Experienced players will find some nice distance challenges, and will have to be accurate to rack up the birdies, but won't find themselves challenged too much to hit creative lines or small gaps. I recommend a stop here if you're in the area, it's a fun round with some nice views.
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2 0
Psicko
Experience: 20.1 years 25 played 14 reviews
4.00 star(s)

good course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 3, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

The course is very diverse in not only the holes, but landscape. The course terrain varies from desert to lush. The wildlife is pretty cool too (maybe a con for some people). I got to see a coyote when I played. There are plenty of benches and trashcans available. Most, if not all holes have multiple pin locations. The pin location is noted by a lock in the tee sign, which I think is a pretty clever way of doing that. Some baskets are put on ridges and mounds to increase the risk/reward benefit. The course definitely punished or rewarded you depending on if you threw a bad shot or a good shot. Definitely is a challenging course.

Cons:

This course is not beginner friendly. I had a decently hard time with it being my first time out there and not exactly sure where to go next. It would be better if the tee signs showed where the next tee box was. I didn't see any water fountains, but I really wasn't looking for them. I'm used to packing a lot of water for the courses in Arizona. No bathroom facilities. There is ample privacy though.

Other Thoughts:

All in all, this course was a blast to play. I can't wait to play it again. Definitely wear sturdy shoes.

For quicker directions, get off at Twin Peaks Road, and go north on Coachline Rd, and follow the normal directions
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1 3
darwinskatana
Experience: 15.8 years 24 played 3 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Just Awesome 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Nov 3, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Every type of hole or shot you can want.Can be difficult at time which makes it challenging. One hole is 800 plus distance. Lots of walking and hiking around.

Cons:

You kinda need to have long distance drives most of the time.Can not play this course after it rains. Very easy to lose a disc if dont have accurate drives.During the summer very hot.

Other Thoughts:

I love this course. Bring lots of water
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3 2
jimcramer24
Experience: 13.8 years 26 played 13 reviews
3.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Oct 20, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

Liked the diversity of the landscape and the mountains in the background.

Cons:

Holes 10-14 were difficult to play with all the overgrowth and bristles you had to wade through to get to the baskets. This was most likely due to recent flooding in the area. I had to skip 13 and 14 because I couldn't find the tee boxes and only found 14's basket on accident when I went to 15's tee box.
Signage that points to the next hole would be nice too. Without a map, this course is hard to navigate. #7 has two tee pads, one that points into the middle of a "lake", which I guess will be dry in the non-monsoon season.

Other Thoughts:

I enjoyed holes 1-9 and 15-18. I would like to play this course again when it is drier. However, I live in Ohio, and played this on a visit to AZ, so I am not sure when I will get to play it again. Nice course, tho.
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2 2
highdesertdisc
Experience: 11.9 years 26 played 2 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Wish it Was Not Flooded 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Aug 17, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

Interesting holes that cover a great deal of ground. Some really challenging ones which are a ton of fun. I really dig the large tees as well. The view off hole 8 is incredible!

Cons:

Definately a seasonal course, there was much flooding which cut off paths to holes and tees, espicially right now with the moonson rains.

Other Thoughts:

Bring bug spray or reap the consequences.
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1 2
finchd4
Experience: 12.9 years 22 played 5 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Great course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 17, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

- Really great use of the land that is there
- Not congested with holes over lapping
- some technical holes (Ant hill)

Cons:

Can be a seasonal course with monsoon season rolling through. I didn't get to play two of the holes do to flooding.

Other Thoughts:

Will make it a note to try and get out there every time I am in the area.
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4 1
Masonian
Experience: 7 played 7 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Amazing! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 16, 2012 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Course runs thru multiple desert ecosystems
Healthy plants, course in great shape
Not crowded
Right off the fwy but feels like u r in the middle of nowhere
The first serious water hazard I ever played
Could easily find discs

Cons:

Nasty mud (played in winter after rain). The mud is more like clay. Bring towels!!
Had to contend with some constant wind. Many wide open holes.
Many tees without distance and pin location info

Other Thoughts:

There r tons of long holes - be careful and stretch. This course progresses thru rocky desert, woods, dry riverbed, other types of woods, sandy desert, grassland and a pond - beautiful.
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