WHAT TO EXPECT: Public park atmosphere in the town of Pekin just a small ways from Peoria. Mix of open, long holes, rolling hills, and some technical wooded line hitting in between. Well kept property and a must play when in the area.

TEES/BASKETS/AMENITIES: Two tees per hole with a long a short option, both concrete and ample size and texture in good shape. Two pin location options with only one basket being out at a time. Baskets are Orange Discatchers that are showing their signs of age but still catch well. Some are just hard to locate, especially in the wooded section of the course. Amenities are slim here, couple nice wooden bridges over some of the small creeks and ditches but not much else. Some benches and trash cans throughout but not on every hole. Tee signs are helpful, have all relevant information, and are in good shape.

DESIGN: Mix of longer more open holes to start and finish. (Holes 1-2, then 13-18). Few trees to miss, quite a bit of elevation change, and some wide, fair, open tunnels make up the bulk of defense on these holes. Holes 3-12 are the meat and potatoes of the wooded section of this course with a wide variety of challenging, multi angle and varying distance Par 3's that range from 250 feet up to 400 feet with the occasional 2 shot (but short) Par 4's sprinkled in. Definitely protects itself well and forces you to use multiple shot shapes to succeed. This course is a shot shapers dream (well for 10 Holes at least).

SIGNATURES: I'm guessing Hole #18 (the 900 or so foot wide open rolling hill Par 5 at the end) is supposed to be the signature hole by design, but I found Hole #4 to be a much better representation of the course. A long downhill heavily treed Par 3 that requires a perfectly executed S curved shot to reach. My vote for this hole has nothing to do with my chain out ace attempt, As I hit high in the chains and it wasn't the baskets fault. lol That mishap aside, this is well designed and aesthetically pleasing hole.

DIFFICULTY: Flexible, which is wonderful. I'd say Pro caliber from the long tees to the long pin positions, and yet rec and casual friendly from the short to shorts. The sticky grass fairways, mature trees, thick underbrush on the sides of the fairways, and multiple elevation changes allow this course to have teeth without being unfair or oppressive.

EXTRAS: Tons of wildlife both times I have played here. Saw multiple deer, a racoon, and a curious rabbit this time around.

ROUGH: Heavy underbrush lines the fairways throughout, especially in the woods. Part of the advantage this gives to the course difficulty, it also takes away from in beauty and fun. There is a chance for lost discs. There are two ponds on the course but you would really have to try to miss bad enough to bring either into play.

NAVIGATION: Despite a wonderful course map in the parking lot near hole #1, some directional signs would be a great add. Hole #17 and #18 are back across the parking lot and a long way from #16 basket. You have to walk across 18 fairway, so be aware.

HO-HUM FINISH: For a course this nice in the center, I was expecting a much more exciting finish but Holes 13-16 are kind of the same shot in varying distances and then Holes 17 and 18 are both kind of bland compared to the rest of the course. This makes them feel out of place. While still challenging, they just don't have that pizzaz one expects. Probably the main thing keeping this course at a 4.0 instead of higher for me.

BATHROOMS: No water or bathrooms available that I saw, come prepared as you will be in for a hike up and down most of your round.

All in all a gem of a course surrounded by multiple other gems. Meggido probably takes the edge if I only had time to play one course when in the area, but McNaughton is a close second. A definite destination course in a destination city where so many good courses exist within a 30 mile radius. Do yourself a favor and make sure you bag this one.

-- McNaughton uses a combination of rolling hills, woods and some open fairways to create an interesting mix of holes.
-- Two concrete tee pads per hole.
-- Excellent baskets.
-- Distance variation is excellent. From the short tees, eight holes are shorter than 300 feet, although only one is shorter than 250; from the longs, eight holes are longer than 400 feet.
-- Uphiil (10, 15, 17) and downhill (1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 18) throws.
-- A few open holes, but the majority are in the woods and force/reward accuracy.
-- Course loops back near parking after hole 10 so you can restock during a round.
-- Very good tee signs: benches and a trash cans (not at every hole, but well spaced as needed), and a few nicely built bridges to cross some of the low spots.
-- Doesn't overly favor one throwing style (RHBH, LHBH, etc.).
-- Abundant wildlife. We saw several deer during our round.

-- Finding the 17 tee (you cross the road and the 18 fairway) was a challenge, and a safety concern.
-- Nos. 13, 14 and 15 go more or less back and forth and can feel repetitive.
-- We threw to No. 2 basket on No. 1 because that was the basket we saw basically straight ahead. The No. 1 basket was left, tucked in the trees.
-- No restrooms or water that I saw.

-- After playing 16 mostly wooded holes, it feels like a different course to end with two completely open holes. No. 18 is 849 feet (downhill and then slightly uphill), but still doesn't feel like a signature or closing hole for a course of this caliber.
-- Most of the distance is at the end of this course. From the long tees, the last six holes are longer than 400 feet.

2 concrete teepads per hole.
New bright orange Chainstars.
Excellent landscape for disc golf. Hilly and wooded terrain results in majority of holes requiring accuracy and distance. Holes vary in left/ right, up/ down and all combinations in between.
Hole 18 downhill bomber.

Hilly rugged landscape is slick after rains.
Teepads on the small side and not grippy, especially when wet.
Not beginner friendly even from short tees.

McNaughton Park DGC, colloquially known as McNasty, has been a bruiser in the DG hotspot of Peoria, IL for nearly 30 years. It capitalizes on the moderate to severely hilly and wooden terrain of the Illinois River proximity to generate an excellent set of 18 holes. Besides the opening and closing holes, precise shots are required throughout and the rough is thick enough to make most recovery shots challenged.
Offering two tees per hole does a very good job of making the course more (not completely) accessible to lower rated players while the longs will challenge all but the highest caliber players.
In the end, it is a must visit for the Central Illinois / Peoria area. Bring sturdy shoes and water and be prepared for a battle with one of stalwarts in an area full of great DG.

Very hilly terrain which makes great DG. While mostly wooded most holes had very fair lanes to navigate, the back 9 opens up on a few holes yet has some tight gaps to hit.

The baskets are orange Chainstars (not Mach 3's as listed on here) and they caught well. Most if not all holes had two sets of cements tees.

The DG course is set in a dedicated part of the park so other park activities don't interfere during your round. A large course map is located at the start.

The front 9 had a very old school DG feel feel which I appreciated very much. The course was easy to navigate (except after 16 to 17). Two holes played near water but only a terrible shot would get wet.

I pulled a cart and had no issues so it is very cart friendly, a few wooden bridges were narrow but just wide enough for my EZ cart.

The grass was cut well in late Sept.

The tee 'signs' were simply posts with the hole number and old distances but no map of the hole. Most baskets have been extended so the distances were no longer correct.

Hated hole 11 a narrow tunnel shot.

Navigation after 16...cross the road to your left and walk down the hill crossing #18's fairway. A sign and/or arrow sure would be helpful. I walked back to the map at hole 1 to find where 17 and 18 were.

Other reviews mentioned navigation arrows to the next hole, I saw them only once.

I drove over 90 minutes out of the way to play here and glad I did, it was a fun course to play.

This is another really nice course in the Peoria area. The course is set up on some very hilly terrain running in and out of the woods on the majority of holes. The baskets were chainstars now. I'm not sure exactly what model but of the newer variety. These had orange tops and cages which stick out great. They caught awesome too. No complaints on these. The tee pads were all concrete and nice and level. Plenty big enough and gripped nicely. Quite a few holes had shorts and longs but I don't think they all did. The terrain here is great for disc golf and is used quite well. The course starts at the top of a large hill going down and across it. Hole 2 is back up to the top of the hill for a fun downhill shot. These are mostly open, then it's off into the more heavily wooded section for the next 14 holes. These holes almost all have some kind of elevation involved. All are really fun holes. As mentioned in other reviews, the last 2 holes feel kind of like filler holes. At least they made 18 an 800 plus foot par 5. A change of pace from the more technical golf on the rest of the course. The flow of the course is very easy to follow. You should have no problem finding the next hole even without a map. The only thing to remember is hole 17 and 18 are on the other side of the main park road. There are tee signs on all of the short pads. They are just big wood posts with the hole number and distance. They help finding the tee pad at the very least. You will need to be able to shape shots both left and right here. The fairways are all fair here. There wasn't a hole with a spray and pray kind of feel. But accuracy will be rewarded and, while the rough isn't terrible, errant shots will being punished. The course is free to play and seems to be well maintained.

The biggest con for me was holes 17 and 18. It's kind of a let down after all the fun holes before. I can understand the space constraints though. Also the tee signs weren't very helpful except finding the tee pad. Just big 4x6 posts with hole number and distance. A hole layout map would be nice. Nitpicky I suppose but it's already a lot of walking just to play, then to have to walk a ways down the fairway to look for the pin.

This is a really nice course and is absolutely worth a stop if you're nearby or passing through. Is it the best in the area? No. But it is probably top 3. I had a great time here and while not a beginner friendly course, it will be enjoyable for rec level players all the way up. This is just an all around fun course to play.

Nice tees
Nice baskets
Good Signs
Great use of elevation
Good use of trees and landscape
Nicely mowed
Beautiful park
Long and short tees
Clean park

Not a big con but a wide open long shots on 17 and 18 felt like field practice and not disc golfing.

Could do something like an elevated basket, make better use of the pond, or throw off a high hill like cliff for more signature type holes.

For me every hole beside 17 and 18 were really good. The long tees combing power with placement and accuracy. SO for me there were lot's of good holes, but lacking great holes.

McNaughton ("McNasty") rolls through its wood-edged fairways a little bit like a ball golf course, but scaled correctly for disc golf. It is NOT wide open like most ball golf conversions, so don't get fooled by looking over at 17 & 18 as you park. The majority of the course will force you to hit your line accurately, and to make wise choices as to when to take down a fairway one bite at a time. Often, going for that deuce may risk a bogey, because there are some jail areas just off the mostly 'fair'ways!

Yet, it is not brutally difficult for the highest skills, even though the long tees can add a significant amount of challenge. With two level, concrete tees per hole, and bright orange Discraft Chainstar baskets (with number plates and even numbers on the poles themselves), most baskets are visible from the short tees. With very good use of elevations (the pictures on here don't do it justice), and a reasonable balance of left- and right-turning holes, McNaughton makes for an almost ideal tournament course. They even have a great deal of open space at the end of the drive to warm up. I was told that they set up a temp, glow course at that end sometimes.

Very good signage, a bench and a trash can wherever needed, and nicely built bridges to cross some of the low spots, all the needed amenities are in place. There are even yellow bricks pointing the way along the well-worn paths to the next tee, when needed. Overall, McNaughton should appeal to all tournament levels of play, but might be a little too much challenge for casual players and beginners.

There are not a whole lot of negatives, but it does seem a bit odd to cross the 18th fairway to get to the 17th teepad. Some of the honeysuckle bushes and branches can be overly punitive for shots that simply skip a little and roll into the thick stuff. The late stretch of holes that just go back and forth can feel a little repetitive (13, 14 & 15), and even though big arms might look forward to finishing with an uphill 400 footer and a downhill 800 footer, weaker (and older) arms find them a little daunting for a finish.

This course has several holes that might be a signature hole on many lesser courses. I loved the scenic nature of the first hole, the downhill lane on 4, and the ridge lane of 7. The tight gaps on 11 & 12 are rewarding when you hit them. Even the top of the world drive off of the hill on 18 felt fun.

Reviewer Background as of this writing: played 277 courses and written 261 reviews, with skills hovering around a 900 rating, I started playing at 50 and am now 55. I don't throw far (300 footers feel like success), but am addicted to DG, and have played with folks ranging from age 7 to 87, so I try to write reviews helpful to all.

1. Great Course Layout
2. Challenging
3. Championship Level

It's been years since I played it and the only thing I can remember bothering me was the extreme rough. Could of been the time of year or just me being a beginner.

Can't wait to play again, years later much improved.

- Amateur and Pro tees on every hole.
- Sectioned off in a portion of the park that is exclusive to disc golf. No overlapping of park space with other activities.
- Course sign and map at the #1 Yellow tee, right at the park road. Very easy to find.
- A bit of elevation on the course, especially some on the front 9, but nothing epic.
- #2 shoots from a flat, down a hill steep enough the hole is actually blind. You get a good look at the pin when you finish #1, but it disappears as you walk up the hill and stand on the tee pad.
- #4 is a relatively tight hole from the tee, opening up at the bottom of hill to the pin. Really a nice chance for great distance here, so long as you actually throw the line you intend.
- #7 has a very scenic, undulating fairway through some sparse mature trees. Quite evident that everyone plays the pro tee here, unlike the rest of the course. Don't blame them, the blue is very short and not as cool.
- #10 is a wicked uphill, left-to-right curving fairway, all the way to the pin. The intended shot is very evident.
- #11 is a very memorable hole for me. It's 15 feet wide, straight through for about 200 feet. The pro tee is also directly behind the amateur, leaving for probably a 250 foot shot straight as an arrow through that tunnel. Very daunting to say the least - and I played in April before everything greened up.
- #12 is wide open for about 150 feet, and then is dramatically closes into a 12 ft wide tunnel shot for the last 80 or 90 feet. Nice variety, even 12 holes into the course.
- Variety strikes again at #16, with a hedge row guarding the right side of the fairway about 5 feet off, the entire length of the hole.
- #18 is a huge downhill hole, 800+ ft. Certainly not something you see in a lot of places, but the requirement of essentially 3 drives in the wide open almost pushes this hole into a con. First shot is fun, the next two are just outright boring.

- Quite a bit of erosion in places on this course, particularly around the amateur tees. It's very obvious this course gets a lot of play.
- No mapped signs at the tees, just a post with # and distance (usually at the amateur tees). Usually not an issue, but there are a few blind pin locations. (7, 9, 10)
- Quite a few tees have sunken and wallowed landing areas in front of the tee pads. Some 6+ inches deep, which could be troublesome.
- A few ho-hum holes on this course, including 6, 8, and 13. Really though, to say that only 3/18 lack something is a bit of a compliment.
- The shooting lane from #12 pro tee is overgrown, so that the only shot is a blind shot over the bushes and briar. You can't even see the open clearing from that tee anymore. I assume that was not the design intent.
- Just not the biggest fan of how the course ends with wide open holes, after the mostly-wooded first 16. Not that open holes aren't appreciated, but it does ruin a little bit of the aura for me.

- Many of the holes on this course use hedge and thick tree-lined fairways to force your shot shape, instead of individual trees that you must avoid. While both 'wooded' courses, this is a stark difference from another area course, Lake Eureka. Very cool to have two premium wooded courses with such different design styles so close to each other. And then there's Northwood, which is very a nice blend of both.
- In the end, a fantastic course, requiring all sorts of skills and discs. Definitely a hard course, especially when everything is greened up. Great test for seasoned players, maybe a bit frustrating for newer or less skilled players.

- Very good mix of short technical holes, and long bombers.

- Great use of the elevation changes

- Short and Long Teepads

- In its own section of the park, and out of the way of any busy streets.

- Could definitely use some direction to where the next hole is after you complete one. My first time there I was pretty lost as to where I should go for the next hole a lot of the time.

- A couple of the long teepads are in some really horrible spots, that are either hard to find or are just a very very bad placement for the teepad.

Overall this course is a must play if you are in the Peoria Il area and are looking for a good course to play. I have been in the area for a couple months now and I absolutely love the course and what it brings. I know that if I want to make the course into a birdie fest then I can play all shorts but if I want to challange myself then I can play all longs and have some real fun.

Absolutely amazing, love this course and feel honored to grow up with this one so near by. its gigantic and in an area with quite a few avid disc golfer. plenty of room to launch a disc but tight enough so that you have to know wha your doing. the course is also very easy to find and great signage

almost too big and with as many avid disc golfer that are there there are also alot of people new to the sport which isnt really a big deal unless your in a hurry

great course, if your ever in the area deffinately hit this course up, or you'll be sorry eventually

McNaughton is located in the middle of one of the best DG areas around, and it fits right in with some of the excellent courses around it. Its positive distinguishing features include:

*Very high difficulty.
*Two sets of CONCRETE tees, a nice feature that is often absent in courses
*An 850 foot hole that is very scenic
*Scenic holes with lots of challenging obstacles
*Distance challenge that holds back many wooded courses
*Solid elevation
*Hole 1 from the pro tee is one of my favorites... downhill bomb with some thick woods to the left and trees right in front!

More difficult is not always better! Though difficulty is definitely one of the features that makes up the "perfect course" I gave this course a lower review than its neighbor, Northwood Park even though I found this course to be much harder. Here's what holds McNaughton back:

*Maintainance! The signs here were very bad and some of the fairways of the pro holes were completely gone thanks to fallen trees.
*Hole 2 was kind of a boring one, especially from the rec tee... wide open downhill shot that was pretty short, even from the long tee.
*A few holes on this course potentially bring the road and parking lot into play, which adds to the difficulty of the course, but also really stinks when there is league traffic.

Definitely check this course out if you are in the Peoria area!

-2sets of concrete tees,- lots of good use of the elevation, -good mix of long and shorter holes and right and left doglegs,- will challenge even the more experienced players even from the reds.-good mix of technical and grip and rip shots required -secluded park with some nice scenery

a couple but minor cons. Very challenging, if you get frustrated easily this won't be the course for you. - not much in the way of restrooms or water so bring your own and go in the woods if you have too. -some of the nextees were not readable so could get hard to know where to go, i was lucky enough to play with some locals

Very Nice course, argueably one of the best in the area some will say Northwoods in Morton. This is a must play if in the area as a matter of fact there are soooo many good courses around peoria you could make a whole weekend of some good DG in the area.

- Elevation!
- Well designed holes
- Secluded and scenic
- Distance variety
- Clear defined fairways despite the tight woods.
- Challenging but fair
- Has numerous memorable holes
- Two sets of tee pads
- Concrete Teepads
- Baskets were in good condition.
Tee signs were adequate.

- Not-beginner friendly
- Navigation (mainly between 17 and 18)
- 17 & 18 play pretty close to the entrance road.
- Long course.
- A couple of the long tees seem to be rather impossible shots.
- Can get crowded.

McNaughton provides a great variety of shots from tight wooded shots to open field grip it and rip it shots. The elevation in the park is used brilliantly especially on hole 18 and hole 1's long tee. Despite the wooded terrain the fairways are generous and provide the thrower with plenty of room to work. On the flip side, the rough is very thick and is difficult to play out of. The two sets of tees usually make the holes seem drastically different which adds to the variety. Beginners will likely be frustrated by the length and the thick rough. I would say McNaughton is worth a trip to play if you are within 3 hours. Some navigation assistance better tee signs and reworking of some of the insane long tees could bump this course up to a 4.5 or 5 for me.

Some longer challenging holes but they are intertwined with shorter somewhat easier holes.

Its been the most challenging course I've played so far but it's always fun and its never too crowded.

If you're in the area and only have time for one course, this is the one to try.

Kind of confusing your first time. I had some friends who had played there before to help me find my way.

- Course is set in a hilly park with a good amount of forestation. The pro tees add significant difficulty, and make great use of the rugged terrain to drastically change the holes at times.
- About half of the holes play in a very hilly forest with lots of tight fairways. Trees are a major factor in forcing some tight lines and keeping it clear of the woods. A good mix of shots in different directions, with different elevation changes. A few are especially tricky with hills as fairways and slanted, downhill greens.
- Lots of other holes are in clearer areas that use the woods to define the fairways. There are a few individual trees here and there, but the real issue is the medium to dense rough. Most holes have some tunnel or opening to get through in order to reach the basket, usually narrowing at that point. Some tunnel shots off the tee and nearing the basket demand constant accuracy at all times.
- Also mixed in, at the beginning and end of the course, are some more open holes with elevation changes. There are a few nice downhill shots (one with a well protected basket), a decent uphill hole and a monster downhill bomber shot.
- There is water near a few holes, but anything other than a real shank or bad roller will miss it.
- The baskets are in good shape, concrete pads for both tees, and decent signage (a few are missing). Some tricky navigation spots, as 14-15 has the wrong wire painted and there is no pointer to hole 17 across the entrance road.

- Not many cons on this course. Some of the holes do feel a little similar, especially on the back nine with flat fairways bordered by forest/rough. Also, overall, the course is not very long. Combined with very tight windows to hit, there are many places where a slower disc is probably the better choice. Could seem a bit on the short side to a more advanced player.
- A few holes are kind of close to each other, like #6 and #7, but overall it is spaced out well.

- This is course with some very, very tough risk/reward holes. The numerous tight windows can be very treacherous, especially on the back nine. Elevation changes in other spots make the holes very interesting. Decent variety and some easier holes mixed in help to keep the course fresh. Staying out of some of the rougher areas can be the difference between winning and losing, in a few different ways.
- Playing from the pro tees is a true test, as tunnel shots become longer, the hills higher, and the valleys lower.

The course plays through a disc golf dedicated park that is full of thick woods and some nice hills. Elevation comes into play on nearly every hole, adding challenge and some really fun shots. You'll throw up, down, and across the hills for nice variety. There is a great mix of hole shapes from either set of tees, with a fair mix of right and left turning shots, and a nice variety of gradual and sharp turning fairways. There are a few shorter shots that offer possible ace runs, and these are balanced by some tough longer shots through the woods and a couple open bomber shots at the end of the course.

There are two sets of concrete tees, both in pretty good shape with decent traction. The baskets are in pretty good shape, and despite some wear they still catch ok. The park seemed nicely maintained, and free of trash and vandalism. The two sets of tees offer very different courses, and only a few are simply long and short versions of the same shot. I played the longs and looked at the shot from all the shorts, and wish I had time to throw both, they differentiate the course nicely for different skill levels, and both offer fun and challenging rounds with lots of variety.

Navigation can be a little bit of an issue here. None of the tee signs have hole layout shown, just distance, so you have to do lots of extra walking to know where to throw your first time out. There are some spots where it's not obvious where the next tee is, the worst being 17 which is across the road from 16, and down the hill across 18s fairway. 17 and 18 don't fit with the rest of the course, they're fun holes with a chance to really rip some drives, but they just feel tacked on to get the course to 18. There are some erosion issues in spots, especially on some of the steeper areas in the woods.

This course is a great challenge, and a nice walk in the woods. New players will be frustrated by the thick woods and long holes, even the short tees have some good length. Intermediate level players will find the short tees fun but tough, and will need to have a well rounded game to score well. More experienced throwers will find great challenge from the longs, and even the best players will be tested on several holes here, and the shorts offer a quicker round with a different look at many holes for some extra variety.

-Very natural feel to this course
-Maintained and somewhat rugged
-Great challenge provided through technical holes that are laid out nicely and varied well
-Fairways often lined with tall bushes or tree lines with just the right amount of obstacles
-Big help whoever painted markers on baskets and stones on ground indicating next Tee
-Distances carved in wooden posts
-Far out but not hard to find

-Long #18: 900+ ft. you kidding!
-No Tee Maps
-Parking along road only
-Course map posted but hard to read being carved in old wood
-No fountains to drink
-Pretty far off the beaten path

First hole throw left, not much more confusion until #17 (throw toward the way you came in) and #18 (from top of hill back toward where you parked. Gentle Relief and moderate woods don't wear you out of frustrate you... much. All and all I Loved it.

Drove over two hours to play for first time ever on 7/3/09. Well worth the trip!

Course made excellent use of rolling terrain and natural, wooded beauty. Some shots went uphill, others downhill, and a few dealt with large pond hazard. Luckily, pond didn't eat any of my discs.

Basket placement well thought out as many different approaches will be used to effectively play this course.

Tees are well kept concretes slabs.

One rung on basket is colored red to indicate direction of next tee. If this wasn't done, would have left course in frustration and confusion.

Many challenging, tight wooded holes that penalize errant throws. I had plenty of opportunities to practice retrieving 'lost' discs and throwing out of the woods.

I need to work on my roller and tomahawks throws.

Hole #18 is a beast! It's insanely long; one of the few 'grip n' rip' holes here.

Found course confusing due to lack of descriptive signs. Guessed location of basket and also next tee. This does not need to be anything fancy; Northwood in Morton has adequate signage that minimizes confusion.

Close proximity to Northwood in Morton, some more courses in the greater Peoria area, and two more in Blormal make for a great discing day. Go throw your arm off in Peoria!

A beautiful course in the country. This course has a little of everything...distance, elevation, tight shots.

Not a course for those afraid of snakes. A long walk to two of the holes. A few of the baskets could use replacing.

The pro tees are very challenging, and you can find yourself in some troubling situations. There's a reason this course carries the nicknames of "McNaughty" or "McNasty."