Pros:
Just south of the tiny town of Salisbury in north-central Missouri, Potts Park offers up a simple, nine-hole course that provides an appropriate introduction to disc golf for beginners and a birdie-fest for more experienced players.
The Potts Park layout meets the definition of a pitch-and-putt course, as six of the nine holes are less than 180 feet. Novices who visit frequently will likely snag their first ace here. At least three of the holes are open and have no trees between the tee area and the basket. However, there are a few holes that provide well-placed trees to add a bit of challenge. Holes #7 and #8 have the tightest lines to hit and require some shot-shaping.
The targets are Dynamic Discs Patriot baskets, and they seemed to catch better than nearly every basket I've encountered.
The course is decently picturesque with lovely trees, evergreens and grassy sections.
This course will be a quick and easy play. I ventured to Potts Park after throwing at Rothwell Park in nearby Moberly. It took me 24 minutes to drive there and about 12 minutes to scoot through the nine-hole design. Navigation is fairly straight forward and the next tee sign isn't far from the previous basket, though there's adequate space between.
Cons:
The course actually starts off with one of the tougher holes. Hole #1 is 277 feet and requires a dogleg right throw to a blind basket.
The teepads are currently natural, though the areas around the teepad signs are fairly flat.
Photos on UDisc show the course during the summer with a little longer grass. One user said the city mows the park more often than the course. However, when I played it in December, the course was well-mowed and in good shape. And while the course plays in a decently-open and grassy area, several of the holes play alongside a wooded area that might gobble up erratic throws.
There didn't seem to be a designated parking area for the course. When I visited on an overcast Christmas Eve, the park was nearly empty and I just pulled off the park road and parked in the grass.
Other Thoughts:
Potts Park is a nice and easy-to-follow design. The course provides a good opportunity to ace run and practice upshots. The rating is more indicative of a simple and short layout versus significant flaws with the course.
Amenities at the back of Potts Park include an RV park, campground, nature trail and small lake.