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Elysian Park - Chavez Ridge

3.455(based on 56 reviews)
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Elysian Park - Chavez Ridge reviews

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14 0
Shadrach3
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 6.1 years 339 played 322 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Ridge, Almost Cliff

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 26, 2023 Played the course:once

Pros:

An incredibly hilly course with great technical lines.

-Layouts: Note that when I played the layout had just been updated. My understanding is that this new layout is fewer but better holes, with just 18 longer holes that flow compared to 20-something shorter and more broken up.

-Hills: The defining feature of Chavez Ridge is the ridge. Think of the steepest course you've played - most likely, that's a moderate hill compared to this. Seriously. Many of the slopes here are at least as steep if not steeper than what I've encountered in the Front Range of the Rockies (think of Arapahoe Ridge #16 if you've been there). Every shot will have to be delicately placed if you don't want to add the luck of the rollaway (or, apparently, getting "Chavezed").

-Views: Great panoramas of the LA skyline, both downtown and suburbs. I pulled out the phone camera more than once.

-Technical: Easily the most technical course I've played so far in SoCal. Great variety of shapes and especially finishes required to deal with the combo of insane slopes and medium tree cover.

-Flow: Other than some doubling back along fairways in the final few holes, the course flows pretty well. I was thankful not to be wandering aimlessly up and down the hills. It also comes in two loops of 7 holes and 11 holes each ending at parking.

-Greens: Some memorable greens nestled in trees or mounted on rocks. Add views to some of these and it's a great vibe.

-Shot Shaping/Gameplay: A compelling succession of holes testing your angle control, knowledge of the bag, and intuition about flight patterns. Chavez plays on the shorter side with a lot of putter and midrange shots, which is great because it lowers the odds of picking up edge and plummeting away. There are left, right, and straight, and all of these shapes on varying side hills. You need to know when to barely flick a disc to let it naturally sail, when to power one over to climb a hill, and when to throw a flat frozen rope with zero percent chance of turning off the top of the ridge. Mixed in were a couple of longer holes outside my birdie range which is probably a good touch for many players. This is a very memorable course with lots of holes you'll be hard-pressed to find elsewhere.

Cons:

I list a lot of cons, but I think many go with the turf. Playing in such extreme conditions has some natural drawbacks to accompany the rewards.

-Rollaways: Brutal. I fell prey to four greater than 40' during my round and only spent serious time looking for one, which I felt was fairly good for the day.

-Safety: This pops into mind with a small handful of Rockies courses as places you should give serious thought to avoiding if you get exhausted easily or have anything less than very sure footing. Parts of the course are covered in dried grass, which becomes a sort of slippery hay that is at moments impossible to grip. Like, really. Make sure you're comfortable with hiking on severe slopes before you get stuck in a position where you hurt yourself here.

-Disc Loss: If you throw around a corner and the disc rolls, good luck finding it. It may or may not get stopped in the first 150'.

-Parking: Limited parking available and it's at high risk from hole (8) I believe. I actually scuffed up my own car with an errant shot (buffed it out but still be cognizant of the risk). I don't get the comfiest vibes at this parking lot either, but that could just be from the nightmare reviews I read of Buena Vista Hill around the corner.

-Overgrowth: Unsurprisingly, there are parts of the course where the lawnmower can't get, leading to some high and pokey weeds on some holes. Long socks would be good for this one.

-Par-3s and Short: Predominantly holes under 300', and zero par-4s. I didn't mind too much but it's something to keep in mind if you like longer shots.

-Navigation: Weirdly enough, I thought the course had good flow but tricky navigation. Go figure. Anyway, I found the satellite map helpful since the next tee was often above or below a ridge line I couldn't see pat. Tee signs would help greatly with this.

Other Thoughts:

Can you tell I liked Chavez Ridge? This is one of the most standout courses I have played among 300+ tracks, with the extreme hills adding an entire dimension to the sport. Note the drawbacks and don't come if you aren't willing to take some rolls or can't physically handle moments of slip n slide. That said, out of what I've played so far in Los Angeles I would surely have to pick this course if I could only visit one again.

-Amenities: Solid Mach IIIs (numbered). Tees a mix of concrete, rubber, paver. Good next tee indicators. However, currently no tee signs for the new layout. No practice basket or facilities whatsoever.

~Similar Courses: This one is pretty unique. However, I do see similarities between this and Bucksnort (Pine, CO) and Arapahoe Basin Ski Resort (Dillon, CO).
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20 0
thezachhall
Experience: 14 years 27 played 1 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Home Sweet Home drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 13, 2014 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-Great tee pads, signage, and baskets
-Not the longest course you're ever gonna play
-Fun layout on the side of a hill
-Amazing vistas over Dodger Stadium and LA in general
-Friendly local players

Cons:

-Not the longest course you're ever gonna play
-Diabolical layout on the side of a hill
-Any time the disc stands up
-Putting can be terrifying for reason stated immediately above

Other Thoughts:

This review will be automatically biased given that Chavez Ridge was where I learned to play the game of Disc Golf. I played golf almost my whole life and am a single digit handicap. I played Ultimate for most of my 20s and was quite talented with a 175 catch disc in my hands. So naturally, I assumed I would be great at disc golf without much effort.
Not a chance in hell.
Translating frisbee skills into disc golf skills is a seemingly never ending personal journey through frustration and embarrassment. Learning how to do it at Chavez Ridge took it to another level of pure hell. Every time I would finally release a disc correctly or how I wanted to, it would immediately hit a tree and send my shot rolling practically all the way back to the police academy. This shit got old, quickly. But it made me a better disc golfer in the long run.
This course will test your midrange and approach game like no other course I've ever played. Do the holes all kind of play similarly? Yes. There are several holes that are pretty much dead straight and they come one after another through most of the early part of the course. However, each of those straight holes is guarded by lots of trees and each basket is precariously placed not too far from a pretty severe slope. There are no safe putts at this course. 15 foot tap ins that bonk the basket or the band are in serious danger of becoming 2 more shots back up the hill.

My roommates and I played this course 3 to 4 times a week for a couple years straight. It's one of those places where you can go -10, but you can just as easily go +7. Overall, I'll always romanticize it because it's the course that I cut my teeth on and it molded me into the straight line throwing, tentative, terrible putter that I am today.

Viva la Chavez.
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5 0
Nate32
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 11.3 years 75 played 60 reviews
3.50 star(s)

2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 26, 2018 Played the course:once

Pros:

Chavez Ridge is located in Echo Park in Los Angeles, California. This steep treacherous course plays on a steep hill in Elysian Park. This course is complete with Mach 5 baskets and dusty concrete and rubber tee pads. This course also has great tee signs in full color.

This course is very simple as almost all the holes look pretty much alike. Hole 16 has a great view of dodger stadium. Hole 1 starts off as a very challenging hole. It offers you to get some nasty roll away along the cliff. The hike up to the course is not bad but it could be better. Holes on this course range from 120 to 300 etc.

This course offers a challenge. You will find that this course along with most southern Californian courses are dusty and offer some great skip shots. Although this course is hard there are a few fun par 3s. Hole 16 is a technical hole with a blind basket. This hole has 2 routes one for forehand and one for backhand.

On a hot summer day make sure to bring lots of water as this course is tough and exhausting. I found that most of the holes do have shade but the sun still beams through on a hot day.

This course is technically challenging with tight fairways. Course map might be helpful if it is your first time playing. Hills on this course are steep but change over seasons.

I found myself playing safe on a lot of these holes because of how steep the first few holes are. Be careful on the first hole if you disc goes down the hill. I slipped and fell on that hill.

Course is very dry and dusty. I believe there are brooms by some of the tee signs but I am not sure. I would recommend playing this course on a very nice winter day as it will not be as hot and dry.

Cons:

Although this course has some fun shots and fun holes there are also a lot of things about this course that do not appeal to me.

I think they could have chosen holes on this course a little more wisely as this course is not very good for beginners. All the holes look kind of the same which makes sense since there is no change in open or wooded holes.

Be ready to get some nasty roll aways. Most of the holes here have un even terrain and can be very challenging. I did not have a great time on a hot summer day playing this course.

Course is very un even with little hand cut trails through the grass. I would like to see a little more clearing done with this course as some of the holes are very technical with blind baskets.

Other Thoughts:

Overall this course is not very friendly for beginners. I would give this course a higher rating if it was not so technically challenging and steep. I might want to play this course again if I was in the area. But then again there is also La Mirada disc golf course not to far away.

I like the mix of par 3s here and there because it gives you a little break from the long steep and dry holes. If you are in the area and looking for a challenge this course might be the type of course for you.
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14 0
Sharknado2
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 35 played 35 reviews
3.50 star(s)

The ridge giveth, the ridge taketh away 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 13, 2018 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-It's a course that forces to reach deep into your arsenal. You'll need forehand, backhand, thumbers/tomahawks, and putts that stop on a dime.
-A great place to hone strategy. You can't just step up to the tee and throw. Disc selection/shot type/wind all need to be taken into account.
-Accessible for beginners and seasoned players alike. Holes tend to be short but have very narrow windows off the tee. Rewarding for shorter throwers as you will have several shots at birdies.
-Course is rarely crowded (but avoid weekend mornings). Bathrooms in the field below the course. Free and ample parking on the road atop the ridge.
-VERY broken in. There's not a line on the course that hasn't been taken. Endless routes to discover and try.
-28 holes to choose from with all sorts of elevation changes and doglegs. The "island hole" is by far my favorite.

Cons:

-Beginners WILL get frustrated with the demanding accuracy.
-hyzer puts that land on an angle or putts that hit cage WILL roll down the hill (or "get chavezed").
-layout is confusing for first timers on original 18. I didn't even find the other 10 holes until I played a tournament.
-high potential to lose discs on the freeway hole and anything with thick rough--mostly the back 9.
-gets very windy in the afternoon, try to play in the morning if possible (though I hear it's crowded on weekend mornings because of the club)
-Elysian park is frequented by the homeless so the occasional hole could have feces, urine and/or litter scattered about.
-bathrooms are really not very accessible to the course and require a long walk.
-traffic from dodger stadium can be bad--DO NOT go around game time

Other Thoughts:

Kenneth Hahn is my home course--a wide open course on the longer side that is very forgiving to errant shots. Chavez Ridge is the exact opposite. While I initially despised this course my first time out, 5 rounds later I've come to love it. It has helped me hone my shot shapes and really learn my discs. I have a much better understanding of strategy now and after returning to Kenneth Hanh I played much better.

I love how much variance this course offers. On a short hole you can be parked and have a tap in birdie only to get a 6 on the next hole. It's a test of consistency and endurance more than anything. Make sure you play the additional 10 holes that are scattered about, they're more open and interesting than the original 18.
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5 0
dobsonr
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 16.4 years 40 played 33 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Great Thrills on Dusty Hills 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 16, 2018 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

- Great use of the land in the course design. Steep hills come into play on most of the holes. My first few trips here I was really frustrated with all of the up and down (you will likely get RIDGE'D more than once - any shot here can end up rolling WAY down a hill). Now that I've played here a bunch I've grown to appreciate the added challenge that the hills provide.

- Anything can happen. The hill factor makes it so that there can be big swings in the score from hole to hole. I've gone into holes 6 strokes behind and come out with the lead. An errant throw can quickly add several shots to your score. This keeps competition here interesting - don't get discouraged if you fall behind early! There are birdie holes to come :)

- 9 new holes were recently added, which takes this course from a 3.5 to a 4 for me. The 4 "island holes" are really fun and add some new elements to this course that it didn't have before. The "freeway hole" has a great top-of-the-world view that makes it a great place to stop and catch your breath.

- Lots of different shots come into play - big open shots, technical wooded shots, dog legs left and right, uphill, downhill, etc.

- Multiple tees basket locations for every hole, making for a lot of possibilities for variation.

- Friendly local players are usually around, which is helpful with navigation your first few times there.

- Signage. Points for the fact that it exists, and the older signs on the original 18 all have short anecdotes about the holes that are worth reading (that is, if it isn't covered in graffiti).

- Lots of tight, wooded shots that you don't see often enough in Southern California.

- Great views of Dodger Stadium, downtown, and the east side.

Cons:

- Again, the hills. The course usually takes me about 2.5 hours with two people at a casual pace - much of that time is spent looking for discs that have rolled or sailed downhill... or resting after getting your butt kicked by all the up and down.

- Confusing layout. The addition of the new holes makes the numbering odd. the new ones play in between the original holes, so they are marked 4a, 4b, etc. Seems like it'd make more sense to just renumber the holes 1-27, which would be a great opportunity to update the older, vandalized signs.

- No water or restrooms on site. Go prepared!

- As of this review (Aug 2018), the course is VERY dusty. I've seen footage of the course with a lot more vegetation - surely we'll get some rain eventually (right?) and this will improve.

- It's a bit odd getting to the first tee pad from the parking area. You have to cross several fairways while walking straight down a steep hill - seems like it could get pretty dangerous if the course is busy.

- There are occasionally bystanders walking the paths on the course, oblivious to disc golfers.

- There is a homeless contingent in the area, and sometimes while searching for a disc you chance upon someone's... living room?

- I've been hassled by locals from the nearby neighborhood on more than one occasion. There are a few folks that live in the area that seem to not be very fond of the DG presence there. Nothing that would stop me from going, but worth mentioning.

- There are often helicopters circling overhead. Living in LA you grow used to them, but sometimes it can be really distracting.

- This is a city course. For much of it, you're well aware that you're in the city - if you're looking for a round that's more of an escape, try Oak Grove.

Other Thoughts:

Overall, Chavez Ridge is a fun and challenging course. Playing here regularly has made me improve several aspects of my game.

Wear good shoes, take lots of water, don't let the Ridge get you down and you'll have a great time. During baseball season, it's worth taking a look at the Dodger's schedule or checking Google Maps for a way to get around the stadium traffic.
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5 0
Tdelano3
Experience: 38.4 years 41 played 22 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Elysian Park- Chavez Ridge DGC 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 9, 2018 Played the course:once

Pros:

-creative course design that uses the hilly, ridged landscape very well
-good tee signs at every hole that show alt. tees, hole positions
-level rubber tee pads at every hole
-newer baskets coursewide
-challenging lines & upshots on virtually every hole
-amazing views of downtown LA & Dodger Stadium (esp. #18)
-located in a multi-use park, the course has its own area, which is nice
-several ace run opportunities when baskets are in the short positions

Cons:

-navigation: even with the course map, it got a bit confusing finding next tees on holes 12-15
-HUGE rollaway potential on almost every hole; the risk/reward factor is substantial here
-most holes are >300 feet, which is somewhat offset by the fact that there are so many other factors in play on every tee
-no hole numbers on the baskets, which made navigation a bit more challenging

Other Thoughts:

Chavez Ridge DGC is the third SoCal course I've had the chance to play this week, and I really enjoyed my round this morning. The course plays on both sides of a major ridge, with elevation changes, slopes and trees on virtually every hole. The first 8 holes are on one side of the ridge, with 9-18 across the road on the other side; navigation was fairly straightforward through the first 11 holes, but playing solo with only a map to rely on, it got kind of confusing on holes 12-15. I was able to figure it out after some trial & error, but it was frustrating to have to backtrack to find 14 tee. Overall, the course has some challenging lines that require precision and good judgement, and today I had the good luck not to get "chavezed" too badly, carding a 49 for my round. Another very cool LA disc golf course!
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5 0
BENFTS
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 30.6 years 102 played 33 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Compact Fun Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 17, 2018 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

- Great locals
- Easy navigation
- Tree lined fairways
- Teepads
- Unique feel for a CA course
- Great views of DTLA and Dodger stadium
- Lots of elevation change
- Putter runs for days (if you like that sort of course)

Cons:

- No running water (or at least that I could find)
- No bathrooms (nearby in other area of park)
- Dodger game traffic is a nightmare
- Minor overlap on a few fairways

Other Thoughts:

I really enjoyed the time I spent at Chavez. Picked up a round of doubles. The course has some amazing temp holes put in place for the Chavez Fling annually that would be a must play if in the ground year round.

Overall this course is a fantastic change of pace from other local courses and worth checking out if in the area.
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6 0
iHitTree
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 22.4 years 102 played 38 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Really cool par 3 golf 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 12, 2015 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Coming from the mid-Atlantic area where most courses are wooded, this place had a really unique texture to it that I'm not used to at home. I love the big elevation change. I love how the ground (dirt, rocks, and roots) make for some "hold your breath" moments hoping your throw lands safely without a mountainside rollaway. That adds a nice challenge to a course that otherwise is comprised of mostly short holes. There are a wide variety of lines at Chavez, as some hole allow for predictable, more open hyzer route type of throws, while others force you to throw on a rope through a tight fairway. There are some incredible lookout points on this course down into various parts of LA, the mountains in the distance, and Dodger Stadium. I had a tough time getting over how terrain like this was smack in the middle of one of the biggest cities in the world....very cool.

Cons:

If you happen to kick and roll, you can roll really really far downhill on some holes, even if you've done your job executing the shot. That can be a pain. Furthermore, if you roll or stall out a shot that fades way downhill, there are a few holes that could make that disc very tough to find. I didn't see bathrooms or running water anywhere, so if they are there, my apologies, but that's always nice to have, especially if you want to play a few in a row.

Other Thoughts:

This course does remind me of one of my home courses--Sedgley Woods, in that it's an older style course meant for controlled putter and mid-range shots. If you're in LA, with it being hard to get anywhere far in a reasonable amount of time, you'll definitely have fun at this place.
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5 0
Phil Esra
Experience: 9.4 years 2 played 2 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Rollers! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 10, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

Gorgeous tee signs
Good use of available space
Friendly locals
High stakes because of steep hillside

Cons:

The Walk of Shame down the hill to retrieve your accidental roller
Condoms and abandoned clothing
Like the rest of LA, dry and hot as hell in the summer, which lasts through October (100 degrees on October 10, 2015).

Other Thoughts:

I came here as a noob expecting an extremely unforgiving course--I found it less brutal than expected. Many holes are short, which lets you play conservatively, which in turn gives you a better chance of keeping your disc up on the ridge. The high stakes were fun--they added an element of excitement.

Sometimes a disc took an unlucky bounce and long roll, but mostly precision was rewarded and bad throws were penalized (sometimes severely).

As a noob with a weak arm, I got a much better score here than I usually do at Oak Grove--plus 11-12 instead of plus 18 for 18 holes at Oak Grove. Many holes only needed a putter.

There's a drinking fountain down below the course, but no water once on the course. I burned through a liter bottle much faster than expected on a baking-hot day.
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8 4
Pierparknut
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 11.4 years 90 played 87 reviews
2.50 star(s)

2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jul 18, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

-Located in Elysian Park in Echo Park neighborhood of LA, this hilly 18 hole course provides a great view of Dodger Stadium and downtown on the eighteenth hole.
-Multiple pins and tees to make things interesting.
-Very secluded. You won't see anyone but disc golfers on the course.
-Technical course. Avoiding the hills is just as, or more important than, avoiding the trees. Leave the drivers in the bag.
-Great tee signs. I didn't get lost, once I found the course itself!

Cons:

-I'd give this course would get higher rating if the hills were not so severe. On #7 I hit the cage on my 25ft putt and it rolled about 200ft downhill all the way into the soccer field. And this isn't one or two holes. There are 15 or 16 holes with steep slopes.
-I was fortunate not to lose any discs, but its a possibility.
-If you miss the skinny fairways you have to make your way down the steep hills. It is very easy to slip or trip. I could imagine a good number of ankle injuries here.
-Difficult to find. No signs point you toward the first tee from the athletic fields/parking area. You have to find a windy, hilly trail and make your way around the tee 1.
-The only restroom is at the athletic fields, near where you park.
-18 basket is far from parking area. You have to wind your way across three fairways and down the hill.
-No water fountains on the course. Bring plenty, this course is quite the hike.
-Awful traffic during Dodgers home games.

Other Thoughts:

-It matters just as much to land the disc flat as it does to throw the correct shot. Rollers abound.
-This was a brutal round for me. Better players could have a good time here.
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7 8
jbraids
Experience: 13.3 years 9 played 2 reviews
1.50 star(s)

Very short and wooded 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 30, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

Nice signs mark out the course with tons of explanations. In fact with the number of tips they give you on the tee signs you'd expect this to be a beginner course.
Tee pads on every hole including a "long tee" for most.
Beautiful hill near Dodger stadium.
Course is short and easy to get to.
Friendly locals, mostly I saw beginners.

Cons:

Really short. You can throw a putter/approach disc on every hole.
Most holes are straight shots through trees. Kinda boring.
Lots of fairways close to eachother.
Erosion all over.
Not much difference between long and short tees. Some of them are like 15 feet away from eachother. Why bother?
Lots of throws near the road/cars.

Other Thoughts:

If you are reasonably skilled this course is short and too easy. Not a lot of hole variety. Except for the four holes at the end you can birdy everything with a straight putter/approach shot. You would expect from the signs and distance that this is a beginner course, but beginners will have a brutal time chasing rollers.
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6 0
SuperBurrito
Experience: 30.4 years 15 played 2 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Rough rough stuff 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 16, 2014 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

-Well maintained.
-Rubber tee pads.
-Signs at all holes.
-Great course design, very technical.
-Amazing views.
-Friendly Players.
-Hardest challenge in Los Angeles Area.

Cons:

-All dirt, except for a small grass window in the spring.
-Your bird look could turn into a double boggie in the bat of an eye. Watch them hills!
-If the Dodgers are playing a home game prepare to sit in traffic.
-The chance you're gonna roll 50-150' down the hill is so present on most shots that the course may psyche you out.
-Sometimes I feel like a lumber jack out there!
-Definitely not the best spot to bring a beginner.

Other Thoughts:

Throw it low and play for par. Bring some water with you. I have a great time up there every time even if I do have to walk up and down the hill a few times!
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3 3
IsThisThingOn
Experience: 48 played 12 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Los Angeles GEM 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 26, 2014 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

-PERFECT tee pads (wood covered in rubber) make for the best driving footing I've ever had.
-Beautiful signage with a personal, local touch (see them in the photos)
-excellent choice of shot length in the terrain.

Cons:

-the HILL of course
-side effect of the hill: limits shot choice considerably for those of you who like to throw hard hooks.
-little to no benches/seating
-bathrooms are a hike

Other Thoughts:

The one thing that kept this from being a 4.5 (5.0 is a damn unicorn) is the lack of line choice due to the hill. You really are limited to making ridiculously safe choices on a LARGE number of holes. The BEST courses give more choices to experienced players with a variety of risk/reward levels.

Still a fantastic course. I really like the hole length variety from the 160-ish region to just over 300.

If you're playing one course in LA, this is probably the best choice.
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2 3
powderdrop
Experience: 37.6 years 25 played 5 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Friendly Tournament! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 11, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

Played this course for the first time during the weekly Tuesday random dubs tourney. Had a great time with the locals and pros... and a great tour of the course. Most short holes but the added challenge of the ridge made for some fun situations.

Cons:

Some pretty long walks after discs that rolled or flew down some steep hills... but love playing with that risk and having to think of it with each throw.
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4 1
tommyUnitas
Experience: 12.4 years 45 played 9 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Took some getting used to!!! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 30, 2014 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Very challenging short course. Lots of elevation and trees. Precision is a must... Even a good shot can end up down the hill. Good baskets, good tee markers, good tees, friendly helpful locals.

Cons:

I chained out a short birdie putt on #5 and rolled about 200 feet straight down a hill, took me 3 shots to get back up got a 6. There's a lot of dirt on the course, so wear your hiking shoes.

Other Thoughts:

Pay attention to the tee marker signs, not only for where the pin is, but also for where the next tee is located. Played 2 rounds today (first time there), and will be back for sure in the future. Park on the road near hole 6. I carry 13 discs, but only used 6 during my two rounds (150 and 170 champion sidewinders, 155 champion valkyrie, 173 champion spider approach, and 2 putters 170 and 174). No need for a driver. I could probably get away with using just my 150 sidewinder and a putter. At first, layout could be a little confusing, but hooked up with some locals and by the end of the day was dialed in pretty good. Lot's of birdie and ace holes, but beware of the Chavez Roll... Straight down the hill!!
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4 6
Mabuku1
Experience: 13.4 years 33 played 5 reviews
4.50 star(s)

disc golf on a steep hill!!! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 16, 2013 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Amazing views
Short holes
Challenges your precision
Friendly locals
Instagram #chavezridge

Cons:

Didn't see any bathrooms

Other Thoughts:

You park at the top of the course, and hole one is down at the bottom. It plays very tight and precise. Keep your shots low and straight, or they will sail all the way down the hill 200 feet in a split second. If you roll, hope you hit a tree. This is definitely an ace course if you get your precision right.
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5 0
rickztahone
Experience: 11.4 years 5 played 4 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Skill Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 29, 2013 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-The course is free and you can basically park at the top of the course and hike down to one.
-The course was well thought out
-Maintained well by fellow enthusiasts
-Different pin locations which do not get moved that often but I see different basket locations so I assume they do change once in a while.
-Hiking. I always consider a good hike while playing DG to be a Pro but YMMV
-Nice view of the Dodger stadium and DTLA in the back end of the course

Cons:

-This will be the most recurring con by most players, ROLLERS! This course is notorious for rollers because you are playing on a steep hill. Chances are you will roll. So, if you have that special stamp disc that you can't live without, don't toss it here.
-Snakes, i've seen a couple but not a rattler or anything like that. Just keep an eye out.
-When we first started playing this course we were definitely scratching our heads to figure out which Tee was next, and this was WITH a map! So, printing out a map, or having one on your phone is a must the first few times.
-Graffitti, I'm not sure why but some smart people decided to deface the Tee maps on a few Tee's??? Not sure why but it got a bit annoying at first. A few buddies and I were thinking of taking a spray can out and just adding small numbers on the bottom of each Tee, but we didn't want get in trouble for doing so.

Other Thoughts:

Overall, this course is not very beginner friendly. With that being said, I have taken a beginner to this course and they survived it. Our group is yet to lose a disc but believe me, we have resorted to looking for a few discs for a long time.
I have personally found one disc there but it was not inked so I could not give it back. There also isn't a 'lost and found' area here so it is still in my bag. So, the best advice I can give you if you are going to play this course is to ink your discs and maybe if you get a roller and lose it someone will one day find it and give you call.
With all that being said, this is a fun course, i've only played a few courses but this is one of my favorites next to Veterans.
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1 2
Jblevins
Experience: 8 played 8 reviews
3.00 star(s)

This course has ridges! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 21, 2013 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Extreme elevation and variety of shots need for this course. Fairways are open under a canopy of large trees but plays along the ridges of canyons in the shadow of Dodger stadium. Good tee pads.

Cons:

Can be difficult to navigate, not a very long course.
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2 1
SuperRocky
Experience: 4 played 4 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Short dusty ace race! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 10, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

A very challenging course because of the hills.
Roll-aways are a real danger constantly. Play a putter flat.
Very short and technical!

Hole 18 overlooking the stadium is cool!

Cons:

Very very short course. I played a putter off the tee on 12 of the 18 holes and birdied 9 of those. I also got an ace with my putter on a short slightly uphill hole (#12)

When I did pull out a fairway driver, it was for very controlled shots

Other Thoughts:

Although very short, it appears that there are tees in place for longer shots and or league and doubles rounds. Hope to get back there someday to try those out.
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8 0
LiLHomeGirl
Experience: 11.8 years 7 played 7 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Frienemy 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 10, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

- free!
- great technical course
- look for alternative tees; they are not as nice but it keeps it interesting & new ones are often carved out.
- great "rest" stop areas.
- great views from all angles.
- plastic trashcans throughout- use them, they are emptied regularly.
- regulars move baskets around.
- league and tournament opportunities.
- regular player community

Cons:

- the signs can be difficult to read due to graffiti. If you are new, bring a map. Many of the holes zigzag a long the hills.
- vagrants camp on the hills at night
- people liter and recently someone pooped on the course.
- slippery hills when there is no grass on hills. Dusty during the hot season! don't wear your nice polo shirts.
- aim well or plan on chasing your disc.
- for women, bring a partner. doesn't feel exactly safe for a lady.
- people are too lazy to walk down to Elysian park below for restrooms. Some tinkle a long the paths.

Other Thoughts:

Bring water and a good attitude.
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