- epic elevation change incorporated throughout entire park
- nice tee signs with full color maps
- benches on most holes
- garbage cans by parking lot
- challenging high risk shots on edge of water treatment plant on
holes 3-5
- flags with hole numbers on baskets help with clarity
- multiple pin positions per hole (only one populated at a time)
- some good technical challenge with lightly wooded fairways
- good mix of hole lengths in this old school design
- built in stairs where needed in some places
- well draining park with no obvious mud issues
- practice baskets
- concrete tees
- Mach X baskets in good shape
- well maintained park
- forces skill at shot shaping; need to be able to fade both ways to
avoid rolling downhill

- significant safety hazards with other parkgoers and roads
- some fairways play really close together when park is crowded
- navigation is abysmal and unintuitive in places, especially early on
- would benefit from next tee signs
- somewhat on the short side by today's standards (con for some)
- no water hazards

Water Works park is a very good to excellent course overlooking Kansas City's water treatment plant with cool views of the KC skyline. Based on the rating, this was meant to be one of the highlights of my trip to KC. In hindsight, while this was a fun course and is well worth playing, it is certainly more highly rated than it should be right now. I personally enjoyed Rosedale Park - Down Under over on the Kansas side much more, although this may objectively be just as good or slightly better as courses go.

The name of the game here is terrain management and roller avoidance. This course is a hike and will wear you out, but the elevation change is masterfully incorporated. My main cons here were navigation, which does some backtracking early and was quite unclear, as well as safety hazards and as a more minor con, lack of water hazards. This course doesn't have the full spectrum of elements that warrant the 4.5-5 scores it is getting. Really, I think it is somewhere between a 3.5 and a 4. Don't get me wrong, it is a very fun course and if you have time, well worth the play. It is a cool course for being smack in the middle of the KC metro like it is.

You can tell this course is older. While the design is excellent with the land available, there is only one tee pad per hole. However, there are multiple pin positions, perhaps added over time, to add some variation. The course overall is a bit shorter, but it doesn't necessarily feel that way due to all of the elevation change. I found this course to be technically challenging but not punishing, though wind did come into play and was a real challenge to contend with. I found the ability to throw in wind and throw both forehands and backhands (or at least an anhyzer) essential to scoring well here.

I think some next tee signs would make a big difference here, particularly on the first 7 or so holes. Holes 3-5 overlook a steep dropoff to the left down to the water treatment plant; if you let your disc drift left here you may be saying goodbye. Otherwise, there are any number of areas to lose your score due to rollers but not too many where you couldn't find your disc later. Rough is virtually unheard of here for the most part and this is a very urban-feeling course. While this may not be my favorite type of course, it is a cool feeling for the most part and very accessible for people. The one downside to this is the multi-use park which seems quite popular and introduces more safety hazards.

The park is well maintained and there is a decent variety of hole lengths. As another perk, the Dynamic Discs store (which sells all brands) on the Missouri side is right down the road. The owners were incredibly nice and welcoming and I recommend a stop there. Overall, KC has a ton of good courses and this one is worth a stop, but I think there are a few that are better. Play this one if you have the time, but I wouldn't base a roadtrip around it or anything. Either way, it's a ton of fun particularly if you like elevation change, and if this one isn't challenging enough for you, head north to Hummel Park in Omaha to experience the definition of elevation and punishment.

Water Works Park is one of the better public park courses I've played to date. It's a well loved and much played course in the KC area, as evidenced by the well worn dirt paths down many of the fairways.

There are single tees here. These are about your standard sized concrete pads. All were level, with many having been built and beefed up to combat the erosion issues here. No compaints with these.

The baskets are DGA Mach X's. These things are nice. They don't like to catch off center putts real well, but nothing too terrible. It's honestly better than dead center spit outs on single chain baskets. There's up to 4 pin positions on every hole which is awesome to see, and again, will help with erosion issues.

The elevation is ever present here. There's a couple flatter holes but the rest are uphill, downhill, basket on a slope, etc. Rollaway potential is a major consideration here. Landing shots with the grade of the land will save you strokes here. Not having a servicable forehand almost bit me numerous times today. There's trees in play on every hole as well. Not poke and hope style, but just the right amount to force certain lines, and punishing off line shots.

The tee signs are really well done. They feature the hole #, par, distances to all the possible pin locations and a generic, but serviceable, hole map. There's also a next tee arrow on each sign which is really helpful, as long as you remember to look at it.

I personally dug the Terrepin Station painting on the shelter by hole 4 (?) and the peace sign formed by the rocks around the green. The arrowhead made of rocks around 17's pin was a nice touch too.

The course is free to play and permanent. There's water spigots by hole 1 to refill on water if playing multiple rounds and restrooms by the parking area.

The flow is a bit wonky in a few spots. Numerous unintuitive transitions between holes. I'd advise using Udisc or printing out a course map if it's your first time through. I mean, you'll figure it out, but the less wandering up and down these hills the better.

I'm a big fan of multiple pin placements. Especially up to 4 per hole. It helps keep a course fresh for local players, I wish more courses around me did this. What I'm not a big fan of is not having any indicator as to what pin is currently in play. Is it in the B position which is a RHBH hyzer or am I throwing a turnover to the c position? Or is it in the dead straight A position just over the hill? Very annoying for traveling players.

The erosion issues mentioned above, numerous times, are probably getting worse and worse all the time. Impossible for me to say, having played it for the first time today.

The course supposedly gets packed during peak hours. We got up early specifically to beat the traffic. Turns out early Monday morning isn't too bad. This clearly isn't always the case though.

Lots of trash laying around and garbages overflowing. Takes some of the luster off an otherwise pretty course.

The park road does come into play in a few places. It seemed more prevelant near the end of the round. Not a major con, but worth noting.

This one's been on my bucket list for years now. Not that I thought it'd be like any of the top 10 courses I've played or anything. But it's just a classic midwest course. I'm glad to finally check it off my list.

I'd recommend this course to anybody travelling through the area. The rating is laughably high but it's still a really good course. I think it has stacked up very favorably to the other courses I've played in the area. Very good, not great. But it's just plain fun to toss a round out here. If I'm ever back in the area I'll be back here for sure.

A fun, hilly course full of par-3s that is a favorite but perhaps not the epitome of disc golf courses.

-Amenities: Mach X baskets (occasionally two per hole), concrete tees, signs with maps including pin positions (but no indicator method). Plenty of benches, which help with all the hill climbing.

-Pleasantness: I think this is the first time I've used this precise pro, but it fits. Water Works is simply a pleasant place to play. Green grass, sparse trees, a skyline view, and rolling hills, all immaculately kept, were the perfect place to spend a summer evening. Imagine ideal picnicking environment, and this is it.

-Elevation: If you read any reviews, you'll notice they all mention the hills. There aren't any drop-offs here, but there are consistently large hills that make it oh so fun to watch a drive go sailing. This would be a fun course to bring a Radio Flyer to and cruise down hills after your drives.

-Vibe: One of those classic courses with a great local environment. Think Mt. Airy, Sedgley Woods, Wells Branch, Oregon Park, Brahan Springs, Earlewood (if you're from any of the cities those courses are in). It's just wholesome and a bit busy.

-Shot Shaping/Gameplay: Lots of great par-3 shots thanks to the elevation. The two aspects of challenge will be managing slopes on some holes, and navigating around particularly placed trees on others. Mixed in are about three tightly wooded holes with low ceilings and/or tunnels, but generally holes are mostly open. Get ready to bomb out several times, and also be ready to come up short when you go back up the hills. Sometimes, clever curves or the park roads force big swoopy shapes, and those are tons of fun. Thanks to the generally open environment, scrambling is a possibility throughout the course, so you shouldn't feel too beat down. On the whole, this is a fun factor kind of course that just provides pleasant tee offs from 1 to 18.

A few ticky-tacky things. Water Works is not a case of being held back by its cons, more just not having all the possible pros.

-Navigation: The routes between some holes are definitely not clear. I went from (1) to (7) instead of (2), and got turned around a few other places as well. This is perhaps fixable with some discreet signs nailed to trees.

-Pin Indicators: To help with distances and the occasional hole where the basket isn't visible, Water Works could really use a simple pin position indicator for each tee sign.

-Par Variety: With the exception of some short par-4 alternate pin placements, Water Works is all par-3s. Drive-putt-repeat. Little in the way of placement shots, strategic hole planning, or shapes that aren't throwable in one motion.

-Road Risk: Depending on your definition, somewhere between two to five holes bring the park road into play. I could definitely see a car being pegged, whether stationary or driving past.

-Slopey Things: The ankle-rolling risk and exhaustion from trudging up steep hills are both to be considered. I suffered mildly from both during my round.

I found Water Works to be Very Good. It's an exceedingly pleasant atmosphere, it has big hills, and there are some neat shapes as well. However, the monotone par-3 nature of the course, the lack of defining fairways on many holes, and the navigational confusion are key parts of the picture. I have it rated #45 of 265, which means I'd come back any time, but I don't think it's a model for those trying to create a destination course. Kansas City is lucky to have it, and anyone who comes here should have a great time!

~Similar Courses: principally White Oak (Dallas, GA); somewhat Dickson DGC (Dickson, TN); midwestern city park version of Mountain Cove Farms (Chickmauga, GA).

Excellent layout. Steep hills mixed with technical lines. It's an old course, and the wear and tear shows.

A few holes require finesse to avoid hitting a parked car or driveway. Erosion around tee pads and some fairways is pretty bad. Tee pads are pretty small and because of the erosion can have a sharp drop off.

Beautiful layout and a lot of fun. Stretch beforehand to avoid pulling a hamstring.

It's definitely challenging...for a relative newcomer at least. Some pretty neat downhill shots. Awesome views. Flows pretty well.

Crowded. If you miss the fairway, some of them pretty narrow, then you'll be disc searching. Lots of people doing nothing but hunting for discs.

ELEVATION! The posted pics do not come anywhere close to conveying the amount of elevation change this course has. Good little workout.

Easily my favorite course played to date. Almost every hole was different than any other on the course. Up hills, down hills, doglegs, tunnel shots, long shots, short shots. A ton of fun.

The construction lowered my rating this time. It would have been at least a 4 otherwise.

I planned on playing this course on a Thursday evening as I drove from the Lake of the Ozarks. On arriving at the park at 6:30 p.m. I counted 26 people standing in line at hole 1. May have been league night. I played this on my return trip at 11 a.m. on Monday morning and only had to wait for two groups to tee off. I'd play this course over and over again. The construction will be over soon.

The land here is awesome. Some really rolling terrain that yields awesome elevation changes. You can really air it out on some holes and watch the discs fly with relative ease. It's fun and I love the risk associated with the 'waterworks roll' - that is, most greens are risky as they are on a slope, thus if you miss a putt and your disc stands up, the roll away may result in more than one putt back. I love this type of risky challenge. You definitely get a workout playing up and down the hills. The multiple tees and multiple pin placements keep things interesting and allows you to play at various skill levels.

Lack of complete balance. Despite some holes being in the woods, most are out in the open among the huge city park trees. There are no real holes that play underneath a forested canpoy of leaves, requiring accuracy with a tunnel shot. No water hazards. Shady park area (i mean the people hanging out in the parking lot), and suffers from being right in the city, thus city noise and traffic, and the inability to truly lose yourself.

All in all, waterworks is a great course. My personal preference is for remotely located, quiet, and peaceful rounds of disc golf. I also prefer much more wooded holes, and severely tight holes that require extreme accuracy. Waterworks lacks these types of holes. Another nice feature that would bring more variety and balance would be a good water feature like a pond that truly comes into play. If you love playing on sharp elevations and like the risk of rollaways, waterworks is for you. It is worth it to play a round if you're travelling to KC. My preference in course settings and design with absolute variety keeps me from rating this higher than a 4. I think it actually lacks variety and could only be considered a rolling course (lacks flat ripper holes for the most part too), and could have rated lower due to that. But it was very fun to play and I enjoyed the challenge.