- concrete tees
- yellow banded Innova DISCatchers are still serviceable
- rolling hills well incorporated into course
- several holes have mature trees which force some shot shaping and technical play
- nice built-in bridge over creek on hole 1
- notable mix of long and short holes
- park benches throughout course
- disc golf is generally well-isolated from other park activities

- tees are very small for concrete
- baskets are showing their age
- rudimentary tee posts with no maps
- some long walks between holes; flow is not as good as it could be
- some lack of clarity on navigation
- pretty light on amenities (no practice basket, bathrooms, etc.)
- non-wooded holes have very open shots without much challenge

Lions Park is a respectable niner in a municipal park that generally avoids other park activities well. I struggled to score this one, as half the course feels like a 2.5 but some of it is probably closer to a 1.5 than a 2. In general, the biggest improvements here would be larger concrete tees, a bit better flow, and better tee signs/navigation aids. The course starts off with some cool shots in the wooded hillside area before going out into the open, and eventually returning back to the wooded hillside.

One of the annoying things was having holes end up the hillside, then having to walk back down the hillside for the next hole that also shot up the hillside, just a bit further up. This is not great flow and uphill/downhill walking that feels like backtracking usually doesn't make me more fond of a course.

Holes 3-5 are more out in the open and not particularly interesting. These also get closer to the park walking paths. Hole 3 does force a pretty extreme dogleg left, but that's about it for intrigue besides the length these holes provide. One unique thing about this park was the disparity in hole lengths. There is good variety, but very little in the typical 250-350 ft range. Almost everything is below 200 ft or super long - not necessarily a pro or a con, just interesting.

I enjoyed the round here, mostly because of holes 1-2 and 6-9 playing through some moderate woods. With the elevation also in play here, these were some of the more interesting holes you will play on a niner in Chicagoland. The course was fairly well maintained though the equipment is definitely showing its age. While amenities were limited, you could likely duck into the local library right next to the course during business hours for a bathroom.

Overall, if you are running around bagging niners this is a decent one to play, but nothing to drive out of your way for. There was some brush burning going on the day I was at this course which made hole 7 a bit interesting, as I literally had to throw over the still lit burn pit. I suspect this was an anomaly and not a regular occurrence, but who knows.

- Good variety of holes. (Distances, obstacles, elevation)
- Good use of sledding hill
- Parking always available
- Cement tee boxes
- Hole six is a 315' downhill shot. Very satisfying.

- Signs have been vandalized to the point that they are no longer helpful.
- Baskets have been vandalized. Hole 6's basket is badly damaged, and has been for quite some time. I doesn't look like it is being repaired anytime soon
- Some holes can be swampy
- Holes 2,3,4,5, and 6 can be very windy
- There are two playgrounds and a path on this course. You have to be mindful that children are around, and occasionally around blind corners. (hole 3 - see other thoughts)
- There is only one sign that tells visitors that Lions Park is a disc golf course, and that one sign is at the first tee box. Most visitors to the park have no clue what disc golf is, that they could wander into the field of play, or that they could potentially be hit by flying objects.
- Hole one is entirely too short. Very little challenge at all.
- Holes 3 and 4 have no obstacles. Fun for big arms, not much fun for anyone else.

I like this course, especially as nine hole courses go. For the most part, it is a very fun course. Because of the variety of holes, and very forgiving (open) layout, it is absolutely great for beginners.

Hole 3 is a long and blind dogleg left. There is bike / walking trail within easy reach of the teebox. You cannot see if walkers or cyclists are approaching from the left. I would advise using a spotter, or teeing off from the top of the hill near the basket for hole 2. (Which is where the tee box should be anyway.)

It can be a very busy park, so be patient and polite. Most people are pretty understanding, so if you politely explain what you are doing, they will likely give you room to do it.

If you live in McHenry, Boone, or Walworth Counties, it is worth the short drive. Play a couple of rounds, and have fun!

9 hole course tucked into the back area of a city park. Look for tee 1 to the left and behind the pool.

Concrete tees, all in decent enough shape. They could stand to be a touch longer, but the areas around the tees were level enough to make up for it. One tee per hole.


Discatcher baskets, all in good repair and mounted correctly. One pin position per hole.

About half the course plays in the trees, and force you to make reasonably technical shots. Nothing too tight or unforgiving, but a couple cool-ish lines through the trees. Holes 7 and 8 force you to get creative.

Decent variation in distances, from the low 100's to the 500's. You'll use a reasonable number of discs here.

The big sledding hill in the middle section of the course is used a bit. Hole 5's basket position was nicely done, with some serious rollaway possibilities. Hole 6, with a shot from on top of the hill, was cool enough to throw a few discs at. Hole 2's position perched on a plateau was nicely done, as well.

Decent tee signs, with all the info you'll need. Navigation was pretty simple, and the flow was good. Hole 9 finishes reasonably close to the parking lot.

The view of the water tower hanging over the hill when you're walking up to hole 2 is pretty darn awesome. Very rarely do I take a picture at a nondescript 9 hole course, but I had to snap one here.

The longer holes are pretty much wide open and don't really get the blood flowing. Hole 4 is especially tedious. Long, uphill, and open.

A big time missed opportunity for more ski hill shots here. Hole 3's tee really should be up high.

You'll play pretty close to a few play areas in the wooded section, and you may have to skip a hole or two because of it on the wrong days.

All in all, it's a decent little city park course. Nothing to really go out of your way for, but if you can drop your kids at the pool and go spin a few rounds, you'll leave reasonably happy.

*Course is located in a nice community park with multiple uses.
*Concrete tee pads on every hole
*Nice use of the land and elevation for pin placements
*I enjoyed throwing both up and down hill
*Most holes have proper signage, but some are missing
*Some holes presented me with a decent challenge

*Usually a fairly busy park so I suggest playing early mornings or late afternoons to avoid a crowd
*A few tee signs are missing/vandalized
*Almost every hole has profanity/graffiti written on the basket
*Hole 6's basket is loose and moves around freely
*After finishing hole 2 one must backtrack down the hill to get to hole 3's tee pad. (I got creative and have been teeing off for 3 on the top of the hill. Much more fun in my opinion)

I actually like this 9 hole course because it's located in the country and is very quiet. The park has a few playgrounds and a pool which get very busy in the summer, but for the most part the disc course is usually never being used.

The first few holes allow for long drives, but I really enjoy some of the touch this course requires on the holes in the woods/trees.

If all the tee signs were in place and the graffiti was removed from the baskets this course would receive a higher rating from me.

There are concrete tees on every hole. These were all level and gripped well. There were signs by each hole except one I believe. Some of the signs had the hole number and map of the hole with pars and distances listed. Others just had a sign showing the hole sponsor. There is a large hill here which is used very nicely on holes 2 and 5 going up and downhill respectively. The baskets are Discatchers which were in solid shape and caught fine. There is a good mix of distances here as well as left and right turning shots. Really good mix for a 9 hole. The park was well mowed and free of litter. It's free to play and up year round.

It would be nice if they had hole maps at every hole instead of just some. It's better than none though. There is a lot of graffiti on almost all the baskets, not the courses fault or a design flaw, just unappealing looking. Playground equipment and walking trail can come into play with errant shots. Just like most city park courses.

Nothing to go out of your way for but a good little course if you're in the area. Better than I expected.

-Good variety
-Fairly beginner friendly
-Not much other things to get in the way

-A lot of open holes
-Doesn't seem to be in the best part of town

Not a bad course for beginners or experience players. Pretty good distance and a nice use of the hill/trees. One very long hole (560' uphill) but all the rest are very reachable. A couple holes (1, 7, 8, and 9) are all set up for ace runs.

1) Very attractive and completely informative signs. They are made out of some sort of stamped metal and look nice although a couple did look like the tempted the vandals to hit the softer metal. Anyways they do have all the information needed . . . Hole #, Par, Distance and a map. The added bonus of marking OB and some landmarks on the signs too. A rules sign including a course layout also available at the first tee.

2) Benches are available throughout the course although I think they may have been there before the course. . . probably more for the other park users and walkers but there is no sign that says disc golfers may not use . . . so what the heck use em if you want to.

3) Discatchers in good condition and easy to spot . . . I wish these didnt have the yellow chastity belt across the top that blocks bad putts and notifies everyone around you that you hit it, but at the same time, the yellow band is nice when trying to figure out where your shots are supposed to go.

4) The fairways out in the open . . . 3, 4, and 5 have been lined with young trees . . . I am not sure if this is an attempt to create actual fairways or just a way to use up some young trees, but if they were to grow up slightly that might be an added challenge. Some are evergreens and won't alter the holes at all, but some are deciduous trees too and could alter the issues you might encounter.

5) Nice rough concrete tees offer just the right combination of grip and follow through.

6) Valve boxes were used to protect the locks from vandals and dirt accumulation. I would like to see this done on all courses in the future. The locks are not "indestructable" and I would like to see them protected . . . if you have ever moved baskets you would understand how this sort of thing can be helpful for the course staff or people who move the baskets.

7) Nice variety of foliage density ranging from fairly open, to moderately wooded with mature trees, to a couple of tighter fairways.

8) Nice variety in hole distance ranging from a putter shot to a 3 shot hole.

9) Beginner friendly for the most part because it will be tough to lose discs but also because the shots are all pretty fair . . . nothing too ridiculous.

10) Bathrooms, soda machine and other amenities in the park too.

11) Elevation is an integral factor in the fun of this course as well as the challenge. Uphills and downhills are used well although it seems more uphill than it is downhill.

12) #6 is just a fun throw . . . you can pick any number of lines and try them . . . I tried 4 different lines after I threw my two "actual" tee shots. It was fun.

1) The bridge on #1 is unique but also dangerous. It is slippery when wet and you end up walking up a hill on a bridge . . . isn't that what bridges are for . . . to make your walk safe and level?

2) #3 tee has been mentioned y just about everyone and I think it is obvious why . . . I naturally turned to walk up the hill only to find no tee up there then I looked back down the hill past the previous basket and I saw the tee tucked over along an OB natural area surrounding the library. I was disappointed as I was really looking to throw off of the top of the hill, after just making two good throws to park the hole for a par.

3) #3 is also very dangerous . . . and unplayable if anyone is on the ice skating rink in winter. This is definitely the biggest detractor from the entire course. Someone could walk or ride a bike around the corner and take a driver to the brainpan . . . something I hope never happens, but as a disc golfer I would have no idea anyone was over there unless I had a spotter but I play alone so often it would be near impossible to see this happening.

4) Holes #4 and #5 are pretty boring with not much to them. They are both moderately up hills (not as steep as #2) and #4 is long but that is the only challenge here. Straight away with little trouble.

There is much more I can say about this course . . . it is a lot of fun, it has nice variety on multiple levels, it is still beginner friendly while challenging good players too, it has elevation, and nice shot shaping requirements. I had a lot of fun and although I do not have a lot of negatives on this course, it simply doesn't present enough to make it much better than average. If they added some trees and spruced up 3, 4, and 5 I might be inclined to rate this higher than a 2.5 disc rating, but as it is 1/3 rd of the course is fairly weak, and for that I can't go any higher than a 2.5.

With that said it was still fun and if I am passing through again I wouldn't hesitate to play it again.

Decent cement trapezoidal tees. A little short, but installed at ground level; which is a plus.
Nice signage; with correct footage and hole diagram (these must be fairly new.) They even show o.b.; which it would be nice if more signs did.
Pretty good mix of holes; three short; 1, 8, and 9; many of the rest pretty long. Though #9 is short; there is a nice big tree with very wide branch spread that influences approach to pin.
The mixture here is better than most nine holers...it's kind of a mix of short/beginner holes and some longer ones to make you work a bit for your three.
I don't remember #5 being only 225 ft. Uphill makes it play longer.
Water tower in view from most of course. I don't know why, but I rather enjoy this sort of man made view on a course....perhaps because it is somewhat uncommon. (Tower is not involved in course in any way.)
Nice use of hill shots.
Little swamp area to avoid.
Nice mature trees on some areas.

Nothing all that memorable; but, a basic, decent course.

This course is not worth a return trip for me and should not be a go out of your way stop; but, for a decent nine holer; with not much else in the area; it's o.k. for a visit.
It IS better than your average pitch and putt.

The course plays through a pretty city park with nice mature trees, nice grass, and a large sled hill. Two holes play up the steep sled hill, and one hole plays down a tight gap through mature trees for a fun downhill shot (by far the most fun hole on the course). There is a huge variety in distance for a small park 9 holer, with a couple holes that are barely over 100', and a couple long holes where you can really rip a drive. There are a few holes that encourage certain shot shapes, and they are mixed between right and left turning holes.

The course is nicely maintained, with sturdy metal tee signs including a basic course map by the first tee. The concrete pads are small but serviceable, with some texture for grip. The discatchers are in good shape and catch well. The park is trash and vandalism free, and there is ample parking.

This course seems to be confused whether it wants to be a beginner course or a tougher course, with some easy short holes and some long holes that would frustrate beginners, though the variety is nice. The third tee location is in a terrible spot, with an awkward long walk and an odd shot around a blind corner, I'm not sure why the designer didn't just put the tee on top of the hill for a safer and more fun shot.

There isn't a lot of real challenge here, the two longer holes are pretty open with no real trouble to get into with a poor drive, the only risk/reward on the course is the small swamp hazard on the 7th hole. There are a few holes that play very close to playgrounds and picnic areas, if the park got busy on a nice day there could be some safety concerns.

Though the

This is a fun little 9 hole course, with some nice elevation using the sled hill. Don't go out of your way to play this one, but it's a fun stop if you're passing by. Beginners will find some challenges, and some reachable holes even for shorter arms. More experienced players won't find much challenge, but there's enough variety to make it interesting for a round.

What I personally like and how this course stacks up in my list of 9 hole courses:

1) Holes with good risk/reward. Fair, but harsh punishment for bad decisions or execution. == D
(There is basically no punishment for errant shots. The wooded holes are pretty open. The only interesting challenges I saw were the low hanging branches on the 164' uphill hole 9 and the narrowish gap in the very fun 315' downhill hole 6, but those will almost never add an extra stroke for a bad throw.)

2) Holes that have rewarding birdie opportunities for me. I'm a Blue level player (950ish skill) who throws 300' accurately, 360' max. == C
(3 holes are too short to be rewarding and 1 is too long (325' uphill hole 2) for me. The others are pretty good albeit too wide open for my taste.)

3) More wooded than open - lots of variety of shots required caused by hole shape and topography == C
(The trees for the most part do not add any real challenge. The course for the most part does not force you to shape your shots in any particular way. The use of the sledding hill for 3 holes is really cool. By far the best hole is the 315' downhill (~30' drop) hole 6. It throws between 2 mature oaks, so you basically have to either go straight at it or do a huge hyzer bomb or thumber over the top. A very fun and very cool hole!)

4) Natural beauty (Appalachian beauty preferred) and seclusion. == B-
(The mature oaks that half of the course plays through are quite pretty and the cornfield (at least in season) adds some unique beauty. However, the course is in clear view of other park activities or a street at all times - poor seclusion).

5) Bonus points for multi-throw holes with defined landing zones, good risk/reward and multiple options to play them. == C-
(The uphill 570' par-4 hole 4 is a legitimate challenge to get a birdie-3 on. The OB cornfield on the left and the huge water tower at the top of the hill makes this a pretty visually striking hole.)

I really hope the park moves the unsafe tee for #3 to the top of the sledding hill. That would add much more fun (downhill throws are a blast!), a shorter walk from basket 2, and increase the safety for other park users.

It's all about feeding the addiction, so I ranked this course subjectively based on my own "personal addiction factor". The grades above tell how well this course will draw me back to itself again and again and again. See my profile for specifics on my rating philosophy.

I fancy myself as a connoisseur of good course design and I am a competitive Blue level (950-ish rated) with mid-level power (accurate to 300' with max D of 360'). Since I have played a decent number of courses (150+ 18-hole, 90+ 9-hole as of late 2009), my hope is that players/explorers who have similar addiction tastes will find my ratings list helpful as they choose courses to play and explore.

I fully expect others with different tastes/philosophies to disagree with me.....and that's the fun of things here.

Made good use of available space, nice new concrete pads, baskets in good shape. Decent variety of holes, on hole 1, 2, 8 and 9 the trees are used to make the holes much more interesting. Also another pro is that this course even exists in this area which is basically devoid of quality courses within 20 miles. several ace opportunities.

Hole 3 is a disaster waiting to happen, a bike trail comes from a playground around a blind corner 20 yards directly in front of the tee box. the pad could easily have been moved 30 yards up and to the right, the hole wouldn't have been as challenging but much less chance of a little kid getting a wraith in the dome. Signs say the number of the hole but no individual maps or distances. However, an overhead photo map at hole 1 is helpful getting an idea of the layout, and then after you start the flow is not hard to figure out. a couple of the tee boxes are not lined up with the basket but rather angled in one direction or the other, so watch your ankles.

I got to hole 1, cant be more than 100 feet between some tight oaks, and though "oh boy its one of these putter courses". then i got to hole 2 and that whole idea was blown completely out the window. you have to go left around some low hangin oaks and then back right up a steep sledding hill. so steep and sharp that you'd need some monster anny or huge sidearms, but the trees make it almost impossible to tommy. no slouch at all. 3 and 4 are bomber holes, with 4 being quite long, wide open, and slightly uphill. i wish i new the distance on this hole. As said before, the hill makes for some interesting elevation shots, two uphill drives and one downhill. Hole 8, from the concrete, is a very short curve around some trees, but if you look for the spraypainted extra box the hole becomes a straight thread the needle shot through some trees that is much more interesting, and feels a lot less silly. I will be back here frequently because it is the only course that has metal baskets and comes anywhere near being in between my home and work. It is nice to see a 9 hole that you can get out the distance plastic on. It gets a 3 because of variety, good condition, and nothing else reasonable anywhere nearby.

Nice course, there is a good variety of wooded and open holes. I like the utilization of the sledding hill on hole 2 and hole 6. Cement tee boxes are always nice.

Hole 3 may cause some hazards for people unaware that there is a disc golf course because it is a blind shot to the left. Throwers may want to be aware that people maybe using the bike path next to the library which is right next to the tee box for hole 3.

***I play this course often and have decided to throw my drive from 3 at the top of the sledding hill. It is way safer and more fun. Try it yourself!

I have played this course numerous times and have decided that hole 6 is my favorite hole. This hole is what makes this course a 3 instead of a 2 in my opinion (at least for a 9 hole). It is also one of the few halfway decent courses between Crystal Lake and Rockford.

Kudos to the guy who got an ace on 6. That would have been a cool one to see.