Lawton High School is one of eight (!) schools in the greater Kalamazoo, MI area that has a 9-hole disc golf course on site.

Unlike some of the nearby school courses, this one plays in well-maintained lawn areas. Nothing is longer than 315' or shorter than 192', but there are a few interesting throws. Hole 4 is the 315' one, and actually requires overthrowing the basket because that basket is located right behind a large, bushy pine tree. Holes 5-8 play up/down a moderately steep hill with a couple of old growth trees complicating the routes to the basket. Hole 6 was my favorite of these - it's a fun 240' downhill look with a fairway that feels tight both horizontally and vertically, even though it's really just defined by two trees. A low, slight turnover shot would appear to work best here for RHBH throwers.

The baskets are Chainstars in fine shape.

Many of the holes have some sort of potential safety issue. Holes 5-8 inclusive ALL play across the school drive, and holes 2/4/9 have drives/parking lots behind the baskets.

The tee pads are just rubber mats. These are very lumpy and being reclaimed by the surrounding grass. I suppose they at least mark the tee locations, but honestly natural pads with basic tee signs would be my preference if I had to choose. #9's tee pad has either been completely reclaimed by the grass, or has otherwise gone missing - only a few little shreds of rubber remained visible.

As alluded to above, there aren't any tee signs - or navigational aids, so you'll need UDisc here. There are also no trash cans, benches, kiosk/map, or practice basket.

Holes 2 and 3 are very forgettable wide open throws, and holes 1 and 9 are just little left turns around clumps of trees.

I didn't like having to play up the hill for hole 7, only to walk back down it and then play up it again for hole 8.

There was a porta potty between holes 4 and 5 when I visited, but I highly doubt it's a permanent fixture of the school grounds. It looked way too clean.

Like all school courses, you should assume this one is unplayable when school is in session. And even when it isn't in session, keep an eye out here for vehicles on the school drive. There were a couple when I visited on a summer Friday afternoon.

Overall, this is a decent place for careful rec-level locals to come practice. There were too many potential safety issues and too few obstacles for me to rate this one higher, but I would say that it's a stronger 1.5 rating here vs. the 1.5 that I just gave nearby Paw Paw HS. Lawton HS DGC is not worth a stop on its own, but does stand as one of the more respectable entries in the Kalamazoo Area School 9 Hole Disc Golf Courses 101 catalog.

- Lawton HS DGC is a nice enough little spot of land for a humble 9-hole course. There is a large mostly open grassy field, split roughly in half by one of the school's entrance roads. A reasonable chunk of the course has tasty elevation in the form of a large hill or berm, I guess, upon which the school sits. Hole #1 throws a blind hyzer along a line of pines, the basket just short of their low, thick, disc-eating branches. Really for a school course this is a bit much. These pines should definitely get a slight trim on the lowest branches to aid in the inevitable disc black hole. Hole #'s 2 and 3 are pretty forgettable. #4 plays to another blind pin position, this time directly behind a large solitary pine tree. Things start getting spicy down the stretch as the major elevation comes into play with some good, exciting pin positions. Hole #5 plays uphill, elevation running downhill to the right, basket on the edge, entry road definitely in play, although with the course's rule of being closed during times school is in session, this really doesn't pose much of a traffic hazard risk. I could see a high school gym class melt down on this hole, lulz. Love it. Hole #6 plays down the hill through the center of a small scattering of large oak trees for a nice ace run. Hole #7 is basically a left-handed or mirror-image version of #5. Uphill, elevation going downhill to the left, pin placed on the edge. Another amazing meltdown hole. Then, for kicks, the designer has the kids hike back down hill to #8's tee, which throws back up the hill to another basket-on-the edge scenario. #9 plays atop the flattened top of the hill, in a lame hyzer shot around a couple of trees to an open basket by the parking lot; providing another good reason for the course's closure during school hours.

- No signs of navigation or even really hints of flow such as worn walkways or the like. This was the most frustrating aspect of my time here, and easily the "con" detracting most from the good aspects to be found.
- Aforementioned disc-eating branches on #1.
- Blind holes without signs (#'s 1 and 4).
- Rubber Tees: lumpy, clumpy, rippy, trippy. I don't usually care much about tee pads. I've gotten down on some rutted-ass gravely sumnabitches in my day and loved it, mostly because my throwing form is pure chit and my footwork is irrelevant to the proceedings. What I'm trying to say is, I'm not picky about less-than-stellar tee pads. But when there are no signs or navigation excepting ONLY the tee pads, and you're looking around trying to figure out where to go, and then you DO figure out where to go, finding the next tee in a rush of joy; yet when you arrive there, it's bumpier than your first girlfriend's little brother's acne-ridden face and more ripped up than a bad pair of 80's acid-wash jeans, well, lemme tell ya: minus 1/2 disc from me, mister.

- Well, the holes with elevation are decent enough, and I really enjoyed the oak trees. But there are just too many annoying issues with this course to really ever elevate it beyond "mostly forgettable" or even worse "slightly annoying."
- If the kids do play this course for PE/gym, then the designer really has a bit of a sadistic streak, ha! #1 black hole immediately creates back-ups and lost discs, and the elevation, coupled with any sort of wind, is probably a touch much in my mind, especially with the road in play on #5.
- Some beautiful vineyards across the street, probably destined for the Welch's plant just down the road.

- Set on a nicely mowed field at a rural high school.
- No real dire safety issues. Not a fan of some of the holes that throw over roadways but that really isn't much of an issue if your here on a weekend when no activities are occuring.
- I like the layout of a few of the holes. 7 is a brutal uphill shot with a nasty fast left to right sloping green. 6 is a really cool short downhill shot that is very aceable.
- There's one good thing about no signage...NO OB! Can't play the OB if I don't know where it is.
- The course has you going up and down the big hill here. Good way to get your cardio in I guess.
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- The tees. Yuck. Fly18 or whatever they are called nasty rubber pads. These need to be replaced soon because grass is starting to grow through the mats. These are slicker than snot on a doorknob in January when wet so be careful. Not only that but no effort was made to smooth or level the ground these pads sit on so they are a bumpy and ankle twisting mess.
- A lot of fairly pedestrian holes here. 1, 2, and 3 are just wide open and boring shots.
- No tee signs whatsoever so navigation is a real chore. Load up UDisc and follow it closely or you'll never find some of these tees.
- I stood right on the spot where the 9 tee is supposed to be according to UDisc and it is not there. Sooooo tee off from...the flat spot there I guess?

This is another high school course that is just easy and simple. It sort of compliments the Mattawan HS course with it being tight and wooded and this course is certainly MUCH better than the unmaintained stinking pile of poo at Paw Paw. Not really any sort of of a remarkable course in any sense but it isn't terrible either I guess. If you're in the area stop by and use it to practice. Not really something I would drive any distance to play. I would love to rate this higher but with the crappy tees and utter lack of signs or any sort of navigational aids this is what ya get.

The Mattawan Disc Golf has this great big grassy, lawn basically all to the disc golf course. This area has some nice elevation which has been utilized in the course's design. There are both uphill shots and a nice downhill run. If anything, I think this course plays at nice recreational level. No doubt, us rec players will have get more enjoyment here than the average high schooler playing with one disc.

The course has rubber mats. Some of them have deteriated rather badly. There is no signage. This course would be difficult to follow without the on-line map. The course starts right by the Blue transportation sign. Think big yellow school busses.

# 1 is a 200' hyser around the corner of the trees.
# 2 is 300' down to a basket slightly over the hill.
# 3 tees off from over by the stop signs near the street. I would have liked to see this pad up the hill and over the entrance street. That would have been a nice downhill tee off. The basket sits between two large evergreen trees.
# 4 is about 240' feet to a basket tucked in very closely behind a bushy evergreen tree.
# 5 is more difficult throw. It's 275' up the hill to the basket sitting on a very sloped lawn area. And there is a white arrow on a post. Is that a mando? If so, that would make the hole even harder.
# 6 is a downhill Ace Run if 175' to a basket set under a big Oak tree. It plays over the bus entry street.
# 7 is pretty tough too. It's 275' uphill through a window to a basket that is beautifully silhouetted against the sky. It's kinda spectacular!
# 8 plays uphill with the tee down in the traffic circle below. The basket sits precariously on the side of the hill. I played this hole from the # 6 tee pad and thought this was a cooler look.
# 9 is another hyser playing 160' to a basket across from the busses.

The course is too long and difficult for high school students who haven't played and are probably only carrying a disc or two. It's a makes for a fun recreational course. Get out and play it if you haven't already. You'll enjoy it.

No signage. Time to talk to the shop teacher or the metal shop teacher, if they have metal shop anymore.

The tee pads are falling apart making them both safety issues and eyesores. They need to be taken care of.

Today, I played the high school foursome of Paw Paw HS, Mattawan HS, Lawton HS and Kalamazoo Central HS. My opinion is the first three are a step above Kalamazoo Central for a variety of reasons and are so very close together. I could probably change my opinion each time I played one. My ranking based on my personal fun factor would be:

1. Lawton HS
2. Paw Paw HS
3. Lawton HS
4. Kalamazoo Central.

The bad news is I just missed qualifying for the high school Girl's District Tournament by 9 strokes. I probably need to work on my game.

Aesthetic--plays on school grounds. Area seems pretty unused by the school other than for DG. The hill used for 5,6,7,8 I believe may be their football (or band) practice field so there may be something going on there at times.

Teepads-- nice rubber pads. Unfortunately, as this course matures, these pads will become shredded and a mess (example #9).

Baskets-- nice ChainStars. Orange bands and numbers help navigation

Navigation--not bad, the transition from 2 to 3 to 4 is a bit confusing at times but overall not terrible. Unlike most school courses, this course is "out and back" style rather than linear.

Variety-- suffers here with holes that throw up and down the hill. These holes, although they tried to put the baskets on the sides of the hill instead of at the top just rinse and repeat themselves.

Length--pretty mid-length holes nothing overly long or no accuracy shots required.

Not a bad course, not a great course but it's a course none the less.

Added and bagged!