McKinney, TX

Alex Clark Memorial DGC

3.455(based on 61 reviews)
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9 0
sillybizz
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 22.1 years 400 played 385 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Disc fishing

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 29, 2023 Played the course:once

Pros:

- Good infrastructure (concrete tees for the short pads, nice DGA baskets)
- Moderately wooded for most holes, enough to make you think on the tee
- Small elevation changes for a few holes which is rare in the area from my experience
- Good for most skill levels (pros probably bored, newbies just need to stay away from the creek)
- Easy flow and navigation, no phone apps required to find your way around for the most part

Cons:

The creek that runs through the front nine is super nasty! It's steep, muddy, and slippery. Unless you're a mountain goat or young and in shape it's not much fun to try and go down in it to retrieve your disc. My buddy went down to his skivvies searching for his disc, didn't find his but found about 10 others! Almost everyone at this course has a pole with a little round suction cup thing attached at the end of it with them and it is needed!

I found the short tees much too easy for the open players in our group. If you throw 300 with any accuracy you are going to torch this course. I also prefer much tighter lines for my taste.

Other Thoughts:

There were several baskets not being used that were in other sections of the park. Perhaps extra league holes? Expansion? Not sure but worth noting. Looks like the long pads were being marked for an upgrade of some sort too, maybe concrete to make them more official, who knows. This was my first course in the Dallas area which is a great place for disc golf overall.
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11 0
aclay
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 39.5 years 309 played 231 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Alex Clark

Reviewed: Played on:May 6, 2023 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-- Fun. I've said it on a couple of other courses, and it's difficult to quantify, but this course is FUN for me. It's a little more than an hour from my house, but I play at least half a dozen times a year.
-- Does not favor one throwing style. Sixteen of 18 holes can be reasonably attacked with either forehand or backhand from a right hander or a left hander. The other two favor/require the RHBH anny or LRBH hyzer.
-- Risk/reward. Water is in play to some degree on 9 holes. It starts with No. 1 with the creek left of the fairway on a RHBH anny shot. No. 4 has water right of the fairway, 5 has water past the basket, and 6 had water right of the fairway and a small ditch 30 feet short of the basket. The fun continues with water past the 13 basket, left of the 16 basket and a small ditch 30 feet short of the 17 basket.
-- Elevation. It's not extreme, but the seven-hole stretch of 8-14 has three holes that play uphill and three that play downhill.
-- Tee signs are excellent with par, distance and a map.
-- Excellent baskets.
-- Nice size concrete tee pads at short tees. Long tees are natural and marked by a gold brick in the ground. They are difficult to find.
-- Restroom in the park (at the end of the parking lot closer to the soccer fields.
-- Practice basket.
-- Maintenance. The city keeps the grass mowed, and mulch and wood chips have been placed around most baskets and in some fairways. What were once muddy fairways are now dry most of the time.

Cons:

-- Shorts holes. The average length is 246 from concrete tee pads. Eleven of the 18 holes are shorter than 250 feet and only one is longer than 350. If you've got 350 foot power, you might not throw a driver.
-- Many holes are too close to other holes. From the No. 2 tee, you could easily hit someone standing on the No. 7 tee. From the 5 tee, you could hit someone putting on No. 4. Nine and 10 play parallel and really close to each other. A mando is intended to separate them, but discs frequently end up in the other fairway. No. 15 tee is too close to the 14 basket, and 16 basket is around the corner out of sight from the tee. Once you finish, you have to backtrack. Then from the 17 tee, you could hit someone standing on the No. 8 tee.

Other Thoughts:

-- While the holes are short, the ever-present water and the risk it brings makes this not a beginner friendly course.
-- This course is very popular, so it is frequently crowded.
-- The long tees add 64 feet on average, but that varies wildly. The best differentiation on short/long tees is No. 2. From the shorts, it's 165 feet with a few trees to negotiate but no real danger. From the longs, it's 327 feet with a creek to cross. The carry is pretty short, but numerous trees and limbs mean there is a good chance an errant throw will find the water.
-- While the course is moderately wooded, every hole has some shade, much appreciated in the heat of a Texas summer.
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7 1
travismhughes
Experience: 6.7 years 67 played 4 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Remarkable Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 7, 2020 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

- New baskets
- Multiple tees
- Outstanding variety
- Great for both novice and advanced players
- Responds well to bad weather
- Ample parking and trash cans
- Great flow

Cons:

- Long tees are dirt
- Creek can potentially steal discs

Other Thoughts:

This might be my favorite course. It has variety, plenty of ace runs, and tremendous upkeep. An abundance of wood chips keep puddles and mud to a minimum. The shot selection is great, in the fact that there are many holes that have multiple lines to the basket. A novice can play this course and not be overwhelmed by tough shots, while and advanced player can join and practice throwing putters/alternate lines to attempt to rack up a streak of birdies.It's mostly a pitch-and-putt for seasoned players, but a fair challenge for newbies.

It's so fun to play this course. Great for night rounds. The flow makes sense and there are signs on most tee pads. There are also brand new, easy-to-spot baskets. Multiple tees are an added bonus, albeit dirt and yellow brick markers for the long pads.The creek flows pretty strongly and can sometimes steal a disc if it is murky.

Overall, this course is tremendous. With another course being very close by, this can serve as a great warm-up round before letting some longer shots fly at Towne Lake.
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8 0
MadGame32
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 7.2 years 69 played 69 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Relaxing Round 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Nov 26, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

-The tee boxes are great. Love the triangle concrete tee pads.
-Old growth trees add some challenge.
-Meandering creek is a significant deterrent to being aggressive.
-Multiple ace run chances.
-Good place for a quick round.
-Friendly locals that helped us navigate.
-Well worn-in course

Cons:

-Older goals
-Tee signs missing and vandalized in spots.
-Very short from concrete tees. I did not use a distance driver all day.
-I saw no welcome map and layout was a bit confusing.
-Holes are in close proximity so there is a danger of being hit from players on other holes.

Other Thoughts:

A friend and I played a round here and really enjoyed ourselves. It is cart friendly, but you will probably only need a handful of discs.

The creek can suck up discs, but the water was clear, and discs were all retrievable. Make sure to bring something to help retrieve deep discs in places.
There was tons of traffic and everyone was very helpful. I would recommend playing with a local since many goals can be seen from tee boxes so it can be confusing.

Rating would be higher with better signage, longer holes (We did not know about long tee locations), and basket upgrades. But I would definitely recommend if you are looking for a fun easier course to play.

3/15/21 Update:
Out of the 66 courses I have reviewed, this is where this course ranks along with similarly rated courses:
Rank-Course, Location
39-Shoally Creek DGC, Boiling Springs, SC
40-The Dragon, Purcell, OK
41-Mulerider DGC, Magnolia, AR
42-Lakeside DGC, Elmore City, OK
43-Northwestern Oklahoma State University, Enid, OK
44-Broadlawn Park, Ardmore, OK
45-Alex Clark Memorial DGC, McKinney, TX
46-Lake Bistineau State Park, Doyline, LA
47-North Lake Park, Denton, TX
48-Sertoma Field DGC, Walhalla, SC
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3 3
34blast
Experience: 26.8 years 50 played 30 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Best course around for hot sunny days or super windy days 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 3, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

Tight technical shots
Shady, nice in Texas
Very little wind

Cons:

Nothing very long
Some overlap between holes

Other Thoughts:

This is my go to course when too super hot or windy. It is really fun, but not overly difficult.
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3 4
waterdog44
Experience: 7.6 years 5 played 2 reviews
4.00 star(s)

My Main Course - Fun! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:May 10, 2017 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Shady, I can get a round in fairly quickly. I can see the basket and not have to hike to get a glimpse of it. John Houck was involved in the design. Great for beginner or intermediate such as myself. I'm sort of hooked on going over there ! Has a few holes that make me nervous about losing my disc or ruining my score : 1 , 6, 16, 17 come to mind. I really like hole 13 320ft downhill to the right with a major tree in the way. Love that hole. Never birdied but par quite a bit. Keep going left ! Hole 16 is haunted by discs in the creek memories ! Left is Scary. I keep throwing too high there. Have fun !

Cons:

I have gotten some real grief over there in windy or even otherwise with the creek dangers. Losing discs , hurting my knees. Sometimes rescue the disc.

Other Thoughts:

Try it you'll like it!
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3 3
02sportytex
Experience: 3 played 3 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Favorite Course!! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 1, 2016 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

- Condensed course, so you can knock out a round in a short amount of time.

- Good array of shots. You have a few wide open, a lot of narrow through trees, a couple long dog legs, and a few that make me nervous every time (like hole 1).

Cons:

- No map of the course, so first time out can be a little confusing but overall the course is easy to follow.

- A few holes are so close that the baskets are less than 100 ft apart so you have to be careful on busy days not to get hit by someone going for the wrong basket.

Other Thoughts:

This is my "home" course and really enjoy playing it. It is challenging for advanced players but easy enough for newbies to be able to develop skills and learn the game. Stay away from the creek at all costs if at possible. It's nearly impossible to climb up and down without help.
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8 0
c_a_miller
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 11.9 years 299 played 207 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Good Short Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 19, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

This course is a fabulous beginner course. It is easy to follow, it has tee signs on every hole and concrete tees. The baskets are also in good shape, with wood chips placed under the basket to prevent erosion on a very busy course.

Most of the holes are very short, under 300', but hole 6 and hole 16 were very challenging and fun holes. There is a ditch that runs along a few of the holes making a few of the easier holes a little bit harder.

For an expierenced player, you have the ability to get a two on every hole, now stringing them all together in one round may be a different story. I found this course has a high replay value on the fact that you leave the course wishing and knowing that you could have shot a few shots better. The course is short, but it had a high fun value to it as well.

There are longer dirt tees that give a little bit of difficulty and different looks to the basket.

Cons:

I played this immediately after Towne Lake, and I was disappointed that this course was this easy and short. I think my thoughts would have been a bit different had I played this course by itself.

The area is lightly wooded and many holes are simply hyzer putter shots. Other than 6 and 16, there is not much variety in holes.

A few of the fairways could have the potential to intersect. There are mandos to prevent this, but I almost hit someone that was on the tee on the hole after the one I was playing. Being a very crowded course, this could be an issue regularly.

After a rain, this course can be a mud pit with the type of mud that really cakes onto the bottom of your shoes. Look at the previous few days weather before venturing out.

Other Thoughts:

I am surprised to see this course rated only .6 lower than Towne Lake. I found this course monotonous and lacked the variety that its counterpart enjoys. Still, I enjoyed playing this course, and I would play it again. This is a better course to introduce a new player at, and it is even fun for an advanced player to get that elusive perfect -18 round.
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8 1
Rodmon
Experience: 30 years 24 played 8 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Great short - shaded course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 29, 2015 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

+ The shade (next best course is Lake Lewisville)
+ Glorious tall trees on Holes 3-6
+ Well layout excellent use of space
+ Short, but next time I'll try long tees
+ Clean park & concrete tees
+ Challenging creek near by

Cons:

- Dry now but after a rain very sticky muddy
- Busy on saturdays & sundays
- Challenging creek along side most holes
- Creek bank is steep and water surprisingly deep, lotta lost discs down there

Other Thoughts:

Just threw 18 yesterday, after pulling a ham string, so I wanted short, fairly level course to walk. Threw 4 lay ups (putting range) & felt pretty good. When I was throwing everyday, few summers ago, played partners with a local kid & we threw 9 under. He said he's seen 12 under for the course?
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3 3
MountainValleyDG
Experience: 14 played 3 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Fun little course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 7, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

This course was a blast! I can the community getting a ton of new players having a course like this in the area. Almost all hole are reachable in one throw. Course winds around a steep banked creek that will eat your discs, luckily locals have created paths down for retrieval. Nice tee pads! LOTS OF SHADE!

Cons:

Short. Not that it's a real con.... That's the only thing I could think of

Other Thoughts:

Would be a get place to get a quick 18 holes in...
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6 0
brekko
Experience: 16.5 years 51 played 5 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Good Quality Practice Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 1, 2015 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

This course is an easier, shorter place to hone the finer points of your game. You can easily complete it with 2-3 discs provided you steer clear of the water.

Most holes provide the opportunity to test out different lines and the baskets are all in good shape.

The creek that borders several of the holes provides some degree of difficulty but does not require pinpoint accuracy to avoid.

Cons:

Some of the holes are too short or have no obstacles from tee to green and the area itself is not very secluded or "naturey".

Other Thoughts:

Great for a short afternoon round without too much exertion. Not great for a sanctioned tournament.
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1 6
nateoman5
Experience: 9.6 years 9 played 2 reviews
3.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 25, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

Short Course, great for working on your short game.
Nice people playing the course, very friendly.

Cons:

I put 2 in the creek.

Other Thoughts:

Met a guy the locals call "Scuba Ron" who was walking thru the creek and gathering lost discs in the water. He was nice enough to throw my disc back up to me from the creek bed.
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6 2
Notorious21
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 13.6 years 103 played 48 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Great for putter practice 2+ years

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

Pros:

- Great shade from the Texas sun
- Many ace-able holes to get your heart pumping
- Tall, mature trees
- Not much tall grass or foliage to lose a disc in
- Plays very fast, if not crowded

Cons:

- Steep-walled creek in play on a few holes
- Little elevation change
- Few driver-bombable holes
- Crowded

Other Thoughts:

This is a fun little course. It definitely helps me improve my short game, although I miss being able to rip big drives. Nearly every whole is birdie-able, and many ace-able, so if you're just looking to have fun and not challenge yourself too much, this is the course to play.
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1 1
Slimrn
Experience: 10.1 years 18 played 14 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Ace runs! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 15, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

-Nice short 18 hole course with concrete tees.

-Plenty of ace runs and a bucket of birdies.

-Great beginner course or wonderful for warm ups.

-Pretty hard to lose one out here.

-There is a bathroom!

Cons:

-After a while the shots feel repetitive.

-Some signs missing.

-Well groomed course.

Other Thoughts:

This place makes a nice warmup for Towne Lake.
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4 0
tbsox
Experience: 17.7 years 40 played 17 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Fun but short course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 31, 2014 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Course plays very fair for players of all skill levels. Most of the holes are short par 3's with one or two shaping obstacles on any given hole.

17 - Its a longer par 3 with a big built in dogleg left. To me it plays as the best hole of the course.

This course is very family/beginner friendly but the creek is high sloped and not as forgiving as many would hope. While my team never went over the edge we saw at least 4 other groups scale the creek wall to get something from the water. The holes all feel short enough that I think beginners feel that risking it will work out.

Cons:

I'd say all but 3 holes are birdie-able for anyone with an average or better arm. While they use the local terrain to the best of its ability there really isn't much variety and most shots are pretty straight forward and not difficult.

Other Thoughts:

If you want a fun short course to play this is s good selection. Its not well varietied or particularly tough. It loses a lot of points for being a bit shot simple. If you're looking for a good warm up to this courses across the highway neighbor or a good set of opportunities to make ace runs this is a good selection.

I'd definitely play this course again but its not a destination course for sure.
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1 2
FairwayBeast
Experience: 9 played 4 reviews
3.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 9, 2013 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Really fun course. Lightly wooded. Two of my friends have aced holes here. We play here as much as we can.

Cons:

It gets pretty muddy. And if you throw a disc in the creek when the water is high, kiss it goodbye.
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1 2
eloveless
Experience: 3 played 3 reviews
3.50 star(s)

AC Review 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 3, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

Short holes.
Great for beginners.
Shaded.
Good acer holes.
Concrete tee pads.

Cons:

Creeks that might be up when the water is abundant.

Other Thoughts:

I thought this was a great warm up course for Towne Lake. Being a beginner (6 months playing) it gave me great confidience playing it, but at the same time it doesn't challenge you enough I do not believe. Again, fun warm up course with plenty shade.
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5 1
sidewinder22
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 17.6 years 297 played 197 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Fun little course 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 12, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

18 holes with concrete tees. Nice shade over the course from the large trees. Course plays short, mostly flat and open although still provides a decent challenge with the available trees and the creek. Hardly any rough.

Cons:

Mud and mosquitoes as is typical with the area. Lacking some signage. Course flow is a little funky for a first timer at the course. Potential for disc loss in the creek.

Other Thoughts:

This was a good warm up before heading over to Towne Lake just down the street. Got some ace runs and lots of birdies, so there is some fun to had here. This is an excellent course for beginners to learn the game and different shots. More experienced players can play some safari if the course is fairly empty. This reminds me of the course I learned to play on.
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4 0
mashnut
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 22.1 years 831 played 767 reviews
2.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

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

Pros:

The course plays through a mostly disc golf exclusive wooded park. The majority of the holes play through mature trees without much rough. There are multiple lines to choose from, with enough obstacles to make you pick a line and hit it. You'll need some accuracy to get the deuces available here.

The creek comes into play a little, adding some fun risk/reward opportunities. The tees are good sized concrete pads with a decent texture. There are reasonable signs with hole lengths and distances, and the course flows pretty well other than a couple minor spots. The baskets are older, but still catch well enough.

Cons:

The course is pretty short overall, and the distances feel pretty similar throughout. There isn't much elevation, adding to the feeling of repetitive shots. You'll score better with a good variety of shots in your bag, but just about every hole offers a pretty straightforward hyzer or straight shot.

A few signs are missing or broken. Two spots are a little tricky to navigate, you might have to do a little extra walking to find a couple of the tees. There are supposedly long tees, they're not obvious to a player passing through without a local guide so I left them out of my review and rating.

Other Thoughts:

Beginners will have a blast here. The distances are great for new players, and punishment is pretty limited for errant shots except on the few holes by the creek. More experienced throwers will find the course pretty easy, it's a birdie fest without a ton of variety or challenge for a player with a full range of skills.
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1 1
mike_james
Experience: 15.9 years 54 played 19 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Good time 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 23, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

This is a nice course year round. You can generally play here after a rain or snow, and it looks good all year. Lots of easy, but fun holes. When I play here, I am usually trying to beat my best score here all the time. There are really only 2 holes that I don't throw a buzz on, but there are a few different routes for other things on most holes. I love the longs here, but rarely play them for one reason or another.

Cons:

Pretty easy, so there tends to be a lot of newbies and on a weekday afternoon it's pretty busy with high schoolers.

Other Thoughts:

Nice little course, if you travel to it, be sure to play the longs at least once. Bathroom on site. Pretty clean
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