Spoon Creek is Par-54 woods golf at its finest. Everything about this course compliments the rest to set up a unique experience out of the land provided. Concrete tees and directional signage all over the place keep the experience professional and smooth-flowing. Multiple baskets on 7, 11, 13, 14, 16, and 17 and two tees on 9 make more than one playthrough a must.

Shot shaping is the biggest ask here. Whether it's staying under a ceiling, stopping short on a long downhill, or nailing that perfect s-curve line, you'll be asked to do it all at this course. Holes 1 and 2 tee from elevation and drop about 15 feet into what I'll call the "Valley of the Front Nine." Getting under the trees off the tee but maintaining the power to reach the pin is a challenge I don't oft encounter. Hole 8 needs a throw that holds straight long enough to get over the creek, but stops short of flying into the woods behind the pin. Holes 12, 13, and 16 all can be reached with a midrange (unless we're talking the in the creek pin on 16), which is the best play to settle on the ground after dropping that much elevation. A sharp left hyzer with a skip at the finish is the only way to reach the long pins of 7 in one.

Elevation is the big feature of the back nine. As mentioned, 12, 13, and 16 are huge downhills, while 9, 14, and 18 have a strong uphill that is extremely tough to beat. Even the more minor shifts like 1, 2, and 7 dropping downhill off the tee, or 11 flowing down slowly to the tree you have to beat, then shifting back up to the longer pins. It's all done very well.

Unique basket placements are a big draw of this course. The mound green of 5, the immense tree trunks guarding 7's long pin, the hanging basket on 14, the long pin of 16 being in Spoon Creek itself, and the dogleg fairway of 17 leading to a big uphill slope to the green all add to the experience and worth of your trip here.

I don't often mention the setting of a course unless it's noticeably serene, or noticeably terrible. Spoon is set on private land owned by Kansas State University, is only bothered by one private road on the east side of the course, and enjoys tree cover almost completely. Playing among young thin trees, or the massive 50+ foot tall trees in the lower areas of the course, you won't be bothered by the outside world here.

Forehand and backhand holes abound. Some less obvious than others, but some are clear on what you need to do. A good grasp of both shots will be pertinent to score well.

For how dense the woods are, maintenance is sublime. Even the rough in early August wasn't that rough.

Some pins have two options: shape shots that are too aggressive to hit consistently, or play pinball with the trees and hope you make it within putting range. 4 left is a crazy left hyzer after beating the tree wall; 5 is a forehand with a small gap on the left side that has to stay straight; and 6... well I don't know what you're gonna do on 6. Then 9 is a forehand hole except that the forehand line is cut off by more trees, so a backhand anhyzer with an overstable disc is the only option. Oh yeah, and it's about 25ft uphill in elevation, too. The alternate pad isn't too bad, though.

Spiders and their webs abound in the summer. Be careful getting off the fairway cause you might come face to face with a big ol' web.

Tee signs are just a house number on a plaque, no real information besides the hole number. It isn't super necessary, but Spoon would feel like a more complete course with full signs. It would be even better if there were a way to mark which pin(s) are in play. Holes 7, 10, and 15 have pins that are hidden from view off the tee and require a walk up the fairway so that would add that little bit more to the experience.

The fariways of holes 1 and 2 cross. But since the course is on tee times that doesn't become that big a deal. The walk from 9 to 10 is equal parts long and disappointing since it feels like there's some land that could have been used to get one or two par 4s out of this course.

This is a private course that is well maintained. I feel it's worth the $10 for the day pass if you go around twice. Once just isn't enough and you have the alternate baskets and tee on 9 to play on the second lap.

Spoon is a course shrouded in tree cover, tucked away from the world, and on great land for disc golf. The longest hole reaches just over 350ft, but plays like 220. It's a wooded challenge, it's an elevation masterpiece, and above all it's a unique disc golf experience that you must try for yourself if you have some time in the southern part of Kansas City or Lawrence. You're doing yourself a disservice if you don't.

You can really tell that a lot of work went into this course. It's all in the woods, but there's spacious concrete tees (marked by signs with the hole #), bridges, cleared fairways (which still have grass growing on them despite the canopy), gravel paths, and more. Next hole signs (both on trees and clipped to the baskets) make navigation simple.

Many different fun shots: steep uphills, downhills, left, dead straight, and right; the creek keeps you honest on a couple holes without being too big of disc loss threat. An extremely elevated basket on one hole (the baskets are Dynamic Veterans, by the way). About 300 ft is the longest hole out here, so they're all pretty reachable if you have good control.

The rough isn't really thick enough to steal a disc. A couple practice baskets (including a Marksman) and a disc drop plus paper maps at the parking area. Hole 9 ends right next to the parking lot.

The course is pay-to-play with limited tee times (definitely necessary, though, as a couple holes have crossing fairways). Hole 2's tee is on a road (not a public road, but still).

Some of the holes go beyond 'wooded' to 'poke-and-hope.' These holes may have initial gaps to hit, but the gaps don't go all the way through, so your best bet is to hit the first gap and hope that you don't hit anything afterward.

The tee signs don't have distance on them which isn't a huge deal, but knowing the distance would have definitely impacted my mid/driver decision a couple times.

A bunch of spider webs.

If you take the absolutely wooded nature of Rosedale-Down Under and the more polished appearance of Cedar Ridge, you'd get a pretty good idea of what this course is like.

If you're tired of waiting on other groups at the busier courses like Heritage, Shawnee Mission, Centennial, etc. then you might consider checking this place out. You probably won't see another soul while you're here. Personally, I would play at least a couple rounds to feel like you're getting your money's worth.

The lines here are extremely tight and demanding. I played with my Uncle who aced hole 11 for his first ace in 10 years but was still frustrated enough to say on the next hole "I despise this course" because of how many trees there are. In Kansas, it doesn't get any more wooded than this.

Nice relaxed vibe
Has tons of potential
Good use of elevation

Layout is a little weird with some throws either over or very close to others holes
A lot of poke and hope with few defined lines

This was an alright course. With all the other options in the KC area I don't know that I would pay to play this one again anytime soon. Worth it to play once just to form your own opinion. If they continue to develop the course and put some careful thought into some course maintenance it could be really good

Spoon Creek is fun start to finish. 18 holes, with a couple of alternate baskets. All par 3, and only one hole that measures a just a touch over 300 feet. There is one chance after the next to rack up birdies.

While it isn't pushing any distance records, it is fairly challenging in spots. There are fairly heavy woods on all of the holes, and a few of them have fairly serious changes in elevation. Fairways always have a playable line, but some don't give much room for error. If you miss and bonk a tree trunk, you might ricochet into some tight spots in thick rough. Water is in play when you near the creek at the bottom of the ridge.

The layout has converging nines, with a nice little parking area close to the terminal points. Spools that are festively decorated are spread around to give a seat/table on most, if not every hole. The baskets are very nice new Dynamic models. Tees were natural when I played, but concrete is in the plans from what I heard. Hole 5 had two baskets when I played, the long one was a hanging basket. Maybe a second basket was added to another hole since then, to make the 20 indicated on the course page.

My favorite holes are the downhill doozies, as usual, and Spoon Creek offers several of these. 4 is the first one, and if you make past all of the trees and overshoot the pin somehow, the creek is backing it at the bottom of the hill. Hole 7 is even closer proximity to the water hazard. 10 and 11 are on a gentler downhill slope, and cross over a bit.

**Update- I have played this one several times now, and it keeps getting better. Concrete tees all around, lots of new pin placements, seeded with grass on the fairways, improving stairs and bridges, and the awesome counterweighted hanging basket on hole 14. One of the best in the KC area if you can effectively play in the woods. I love it.

The ticks are running this block, bring some bug spray. A step face first into a spiderweb is probable if you don't keep your eyes up.

Private and pay to play. Worth it for sure, but having to schedule in advance means spontaneous rounds here might not be possible. Property is fenced and locked, I wouldn't recommend trying any kind of unauthorized or after hours guerrilla golfing.

Spoon Creek will give you an entertaining round and test your accuracy. Fun factor was given heavy weight in the design, and done well. I shot 2 over par on my first visit, with 5 birdies and 7 bogies. I missed some short putts that could have kept me at or under par.

I will be returning soon to get another round or two and show some buddies the newest cool course in the KC area. Reminiscent of the Down Under at Rosedale, but not as well broken in yet.

The Spoon Creek Disc Golf Course is a woods golf experience!

- Simply put, it is a gorgeous walk in the woods. The course plays a long a scenic ridge line and a beautiful flowing creek at the lower elevations.

- While the course is primitive, as in no facilities, there is a great spot to park followed by a shady area called "The Grotto," where you can warm up your putt or just relax a bit while you wait for the rest of your party to gather.

- The lines through the woods are fair but extremely challenging. Only a perfectly played shot will result in a birdie two...since every hole is a par 3.

- Speaking of elevation, Spoon Creek plays up and down on four holes of the front 9. The back side of the course does not offer such extreme changes, but clearly elevation was considered on each hole design.

- Navigation is straight forward. While there is not a hole map on each tee, the designers have a number at each box, followed by a purple arrow at each basket to point you down the trail.

- Outside of a random car driving down the road, or the faint sound of some farm equipment, there is not much to disturb the peace at The Spoon.

- Every hole results in a new challenge. There seems to be no lefty righty advantage. Only accuracy will result in a hot round.

- There are some extremely creative basket positions. Hole 5 has an elevated basket that seems to be on some sort of pulley system.

There are a few cons...though I found them to be limited.

- When speaking with the designers, there are concrete tees in future plans, but for now there is just some sort of gravel base.

- The rough is really rough. If a disc takes a bad kick off the fairway, it's full search mode.

- The Spoon is not for everyone. Only those that are in good shape with proper foot ware should play the course.

- There are no wide open - full rip holes...if one were to find that to be a con.

If you love playing disc golf in the woods, this is a must visit. The course is new, but much thought and care has been put into it to this point. I'm sure in time The Spoon Creek Disc Golf Course will mature into a 5 disc experience.

Update 6.25.20 - with 18 permanent pads in place, The Spoon is in prime form! 5 Disc Experience.

Super technical course entirely through the woods that has some cool elevated teepads and pins. This one will challenge all of your skills in singles and makes for a pretty badass doubles round with numerous ace and birdie opportunities.

It gets thick when you get off the fairways pretty quickly on some of the holes.

Wildlife is a real thing out there. If you are deathly afraid of spiders, ticks, and snakes, then you may want to stick to Prairie Center.