Santa Barbara (Isla Vista), CA

Isla Vista Peace Course

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1.445(based on 17 reviews)
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2 1
chrishall1010
Experience: 3.8 years 9 played 7 reviews
0.50 star(s)

GARBAGE- Literally and Fig. 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 4, 2020 Played the course:once

Pros:

None. Like nothing good to say. Only positive thing was being outdoors with friends in this crazy time of the world. One disc ended up on top of a homeless man's RV and hey kindly climbed up and we let him Celebrity throw for us and he almost made it. Then.... his buddy graced us with some very inappropriate jokes, they were kind of funny tho.

Cons:

Terrible, do not waste your time playing here. Hard to find holes as they were streets apart, throwing ONTO and into homeless encampments. Just not worth your time.
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4 0
Grok Lobster
Experience: 37.8 years 20 played 6 reviews
1.50 star(s)

Some history of the course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jul 9, 2019 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

The original course was designed by Steady Ed!
There was a plan to make 18 holes but it was shut down by the neighbors. SB is a tough place to get a course in. The extra 9 baskets were put to use at Lake Casitas.

As of April 2021, the homeless encampments have been relocated. The IV Rec and Park District is trying to increase community engagement.
At some point, the front 4 holes became the back 4 - probably due to neighbor complaints. It is hard to find 6 thru 9 now and they are not really worth playing. I recommend playing 1 thru 5 multiple times. There used to be long tees marked, but now you should just use your imagination and make your own if you want. Please be considerate of the neighbors.

Cons:

Feces and other detritus.

As of April 2021, still dog feces - watch where you step!

Other Thoughts:

There is usually available parking on Estero Rd.
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10 0
The Katana Kid
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 8.3 years 183 played 56 reviews
2.00 star(s)

World record holder where most holes were played in 1 day 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 7, 2017 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

See Other for world record...

Hole 1 (246) forces a RHBH since there's trees and a road on the left.

Hole 2 (220) is blocked by trees in the middle of the fairway forcing a big RHBH hyzer.

Hole 3 (188) has trees in the way, but they leave you a line to shoot through.

Hole 4 (144) is the shortest and easiest hole I've ever seen. This is a classic ace run and my first ever ace! The sign by the tee says it's a par 2, but that can't be right, can It? Did I only get credit for a birdie with my ace?!

Hole 5 (195) plays around bushes and trees on your left to a basket out of view. Again your forced to throw a RHBH.

Hole 6 (180) is across the street with more trees so you need to hit a line using a RHFH since it plays to the right.

Hole 7 (201) is across another street and mostly unobstructed allowing whatever throw you like.

Hole 8 (192) has large trees on the left leaving you to throw RHBH, but there's also trees in the middle and on the right you need to avoid.

Hole 9 (207) is back across the street and if you can throw a low RHFH you can hit the line between the trees and get under the tree's low canopy to reach the basket. This is one of the more challenging holes.

Right down the street from a popular trail along the ocean and 5 minutes from the 101 highway for easy access.

Cons:

It is hard to find baskets 6-9, unless you're told where to go since you must walk past the basketball courts and cross Estero Road. I thought the course only had 5 baskets the first few times I played it. Finding 6-9 was a pleasant surprise.

Estero Road, where hole 1 is, draws a homeless crowd. I never feel unsafe around them, but I wish the city had a porta potty so that the smell of urine was not so overpowering in the area near the 2nd and 4th tees. Whew!

To get to 7 and 8 you must cross Sueno Road to a little field referred to on the map as Sueno Orchard.

Other Thoughts:

A local guy told me with pride that the Isla Vista Peace Course has the world record for most consecutive birdies at 22. I did not know there were such disc golf world records so I looked and found this cool article:
https://www.pdga.com/world-re...-college-team

The distances listed here aren't right so I added the 3rd set of distances based on my stepping them off. I took pictures from each tee. On #2 there's an obvious shorter tee in the ground with #6 on it, which makes no sense according to the current layout. Number 3 also has a shorter tee that you can see from the longer tee.

Rating - I agree with TVK that this is a fun little course worth 2.0 (especially since a world record was set here!) but I only rated Lake Cachumna (a newer local course) at 1.5 in my first ever review. These two courses are not in the same league. In all fairness I need to go back to Lake Cachumna and upgrade that rating. I had a bad experience there and was probably too harsh. I'll make another trip at some point and give it another chance.
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12 1
The Valkyrie Kid
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 45.8 years 1563 played 1507 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Scruffy Little Course In A Scruffy Park In A Scruffy Neighborhood! 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 28, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

Isla Vista Peace Course sits in this odd, scruffy park in Santa Barbara. The park seems to exist on three or four seperate sites. The biggest and main area contains basketball courts and two soccer fields. Another semi-connected area houses holes 1-5. A third seperate area has a community garden and holes 6 & 9 and then crossing the street and you find holes 7 & 8. One thing all this areas have in common is a general scruffiness. Not quite, ghetto, but mostly a needs clean up type of scruffiness. The neighborhood is scruffy with scruffy dudes hanging out. Once again, not ghetto or threatening but not UC - Santa Barbara students. The kind of scrufficans who bring a portable punching bag to the park to practice on.

The course is your basic scruffy, older, unkempt one with old scruffy baskets, old school fiberglass tee signs which have been altered and these strange tee pads which are made of patio blocks and set in a square pattern. There is sometimes a small hill just in front of the pad. Run-ups are frowned upon here in Sruffiville.

The course is a short pitch n' putt, excellent for beginners but you know, I found it to be pretty enjoyable. There are a few simple ACE runs in the 150' range and a couple of interesting holes with a bit of challenge.

# 3 is maybe 200' and gives you the option of threading your disc through a 6' wide gap in the trees or just throwing an easy hyser around the trees. Want to make this hole way more difficult? Make it a Mando through the small gap in between the trees.

# 9 was an interesting little gem, too. It's maybe 200' but needing an anhyser throw through the trees. Then the basket is set behind three large trees with low hanging branches. You might want to try rolling your first or second shot here. Fun little hole!

Cons:

The tee pads are pretty uncomfortable to throw off if you want to have any kind of run up. Most of you probably don't require a run up on all these 175' holes.

The tee signs have been marked over by someone attempting to help. They did, in fact, help me navigate the course. I was in a rush and didn't have the luxury of looking around too much, so just having the hole # on the signs helped me quite a bit. But as a con, they don't have the distance, which I miss.

Park is scruffy!

Convoluted design which takes you all over the place. Luckily, there was one other group on the course and they pointed me in the right direction.

Course design has been changed but on-line map still shows the old layout. This would be fairly confusing if you were just following the map.

Other Thoughts:

I enjoyed this little course. Some neighboring scruffies invited me to join them in their beer pong game. I had to decline as time was of the essence but it was a nice gesture on their part. A written invitation would've have been most appreciated.

It seems as if no-one does any maintenance on this course. On one hand, that's readily apparent but on the other hand, I'm amazed that the course has held up as well as it has. No vandalized signs, no baskets appear to have been jumped on. They are scruffy but they are resilient and solider on.

This is no destination course but I found it kinda fun. I wouldn't mind throwing here on a regular basis. I might even join in the beer pong games!
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3 1
spencervh
Experience: 7.8 years 4 played 4 reviews
2.00 star(s)

It.... exists 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 10, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

as mentioned in the title, it exists. it's nearby my house and if you are within ~30 mins, it is a playable course. i wouldn't drive from further for it though. some holes require planning, most are pretty straightforward. a good spot to take a first-timer or improve as a beginner. nobody is around so you could just use it as a practice area.

Cons:

overgrown and unmaintained. holes are marked differently in person than they are on the map provided by the city's website, which makes navigation very confusing and could result in people playing the course opposite ways and colliding in the middle (however people are very rarely ever playing)

Other Thoughts:

nice neighborhood course. i know it's 15+ years old and i don't think that anybody takes care of any part of it, so it's acceptable for what/where it is.
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2 1
ShortyToThrow
Experience: 10 years 61 played 6 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Fun Pitch and Putt 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 20, 2015 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Short holes-quick to play
Not many people playing
Good use of land around the park

Cons:

The course is in three sections-difficult to follow the first time or with out a map.

Other Thoughts:

Good course to take a new player to or practice up shots. Fast to play and a putter is all you need!
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2 3
thespeedokid
Experience: 9.4 years 110 played 34 reviews
1.00 star(s)

Short course. 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 10, 2015 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Short course you can squeeze in if you have 15 minutes. No one plays it. Easy for begginers.

Cons:

Only 5 holes. Unkept fairways. No map on hole signs. Hole number 4 is a par 2. I mean I know it's short but still. Tee boxes are almost unusable. They are too short and I found myself going to the side just to get a run up. Super easy due to length. Hole number 1 is poorly marked. Danger of hitting vehicles due to close proximity to streets.

Other Thoughts:

Kind of a fun course you can play in a short amount of time.
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5 1
SDtoSB
Experience: 17.1 years 24 played 6 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Cliche Alert: It is what it is 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 20, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-It's perfect for someone who lives in the area (probably a UCSB student) and gets done with class/work early or has a long break
-Nice little community course to learn or experiment new throws on, as no holes are over 300ft, but there are some fun drive opportunities

Cons:

-9 Holes
-Completely flat
-Minimal terrain and tree density variation
-CAUTION: Santa Barbara is very windy. Invest in a heavier driver or play it very safe on windy days.

Other Thoughts:

This course is the disc golf equivalent of a pitch-and-putt. You can get through the whole course with a DX Eagle and a putter.
Don't walk in expecting to be blown away by the course layout or hole variety and just enjoy an afternoon.
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7 1
mashnut
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 22.1 years 831 played 767 reviews
1.00 star(s)

Odd little park course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 13, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

The course is spread out in 3 different parts of a small multi-use park. The course is flat, but has scattered brush and mature trees. These are used fairly well to create some challenge and some holes that aren't just wide open. One hole forces a shot under a low ceiling to a protected pin. There is plenty of room to make longer and more interesting shots, this course could make for a nice practice area.

Cons:

There are long walks between the different areas of the course, without a guide it would be difficult to find all the holes here. The signage is in poor shape and doesn't help much. I do think that it was a better choice to spread the course out rather than play through the other park activities, but it makes for a disjointed feeling round. Roads are in play on a few holes, they didn't seem too busy but it's a potential safety issue. The course overall is very short and doesn't offer much challenge. The tees are small and in poor shape.

Other Thoughts:

Beginners will find reasonable lengths and enough obstacles to make the round interesting without being too frustrating. More experienced players won't need their full bag here, all the holes are reachable with a putter or mid and the lines you'll need are fairly straightforward.

This could be a nice place to work on some skills, but as a course it's not very exciting. Don't go out of your way to play this one.
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11 0
DocHaole
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 16.6 years 79 played 48 reviews
1.00 star(s)

9 Baskets over 3 Blocks 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 17, 2010 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

- The course has 9 holes spread out over 3 blocks.

- It makes use of trees and obstacles when possible.

- The tight nature of the park does require some accuracy (can also be a con).

- It is nice and close to the highway and doesn't take much time to play since it is never too crowded.

- This is a great place to introduce your friends to the game for the first time, or small children

Cons:

Super short, basically a putter only course. Parking can take you longer than playing 9 holes. Navigation is awful and very poorly marked. Also there are a few opportunities to lose a disc in someones back yard.

Other Thoughts:

I went into this course with low expectations but I couldn't help but stop by since it is so close to Evergreen.

The course is exactly as advertised, not worth going out of your way for but it totally has it's place. As previously stated this course best functions as a hangover course or a place to introduce friends to the game.
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18 0
zenbot
Staff member
Premium Member
Experience: 17.6 years 45 played 9 reviews
1.00 star(s)

It's better than nothing 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jan 1, 2007 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

• There is a course here and you probably only need one or two discs to play it. Perfect for hangover rounds after a few keggers at UCSB.
• Some of the holes play in a small Eucalyptus grove and are actually pretty nice.

Cons:

• Course is separated on 3 different blocks. It is very easy to throw into backyards or the street.
• No navigation indicators.
• Course is very very short.
• Not worth the trip if you want some serious DG.

Other Thoughts:

Nestled in the wildest part of a college town this course is perfect for people with a relaxed interest in the game. If you're already in town bring out a putter and maybe a mid. If you're driving through stop south at Coyote Point or north at Evergreen.
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13 0
backswing_aplenty
Experience: 18.8 years 83 played 9 reviews
1.50 star(s)

Shorty only a mother could love 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 20, 2006 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Neat little course situated in the middle of an affluent ghetto in UCSB college town of Isla Vista. Course takes place in 3 different lots and has no holes over 250 ft'. Makes a great practice course if you live nearby.

The regular tees that are "marked" are really short and aceable with longer tees available that can make for some challenging options.

Decent use of the terrain given with hyzer and anhyzer routes on the last holes 6-9 around a giant eucalyptus tree. 2 low ceiling drives and a tunnel shot round out the obstacles, with 2 overhand shots available on 1-2.

There's a soccer field as you cross from 4-5 to 6-9 that can handle about 400' drives and is a great practice field with landmarks for gauging distance.

Baskets are in good shape, tees are natural but footing isn't really an issue as you're not heave-ho'ing any shots here.

Local tees/alternates can provide some longer throws in the 300-350' range, and the course just lends itself perfectly to safari holes.

You can play through in about 20mins.

Cons:

This course is a relic from the early days of disc golf when 200' was a longer shot. Putter only on the reg tees. Almost impossible to park unless you live in town as the city is PACKED with cars. Need to bike in or live next door like I did for 2 years.

Other local course is much better and will provide a challenge, IV is mostly an afterthought as a destination.

Not the easiest to navigate, but you can figure it out after a few rounds.

Other Thoughts:

Don't worry about coming here out of your way unless you have to mark off every course as played. If you live in town it's fun to frequent and safari a course. Will be a good warm up or practice round(s) for those willing to travel but again parking is an issue and you might have a trek ahead of you to get to the course.

I always play the course when I'm visiting just for the nostalgia as the course was my backyard for 2 years and learned to love it.

Play Evergreen for a full 18.
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2 8
Vince Klortho
Experience: 5 played 5 reviews
1.00 star(s)

Forgotten Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 1, 2008 Played the course:once

Pros:

It's close to my house.

Cons:

Very poorly-marked holes and tees, confusing layout, mostly par 2s, lots of trash and random drunk people to deal with,

Other Thoughts:

I live a mile from this course and I've only played it once.
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2 6
gtodd
Experience: 22.9 years 4 played 2 reviews
1.50 star(s)

the del playa of DG 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 23, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

its nice that they sqeezed it in as best it could be squeezed

Cons:

its short.par 2s, everyone has there own idea of what tees match up with what holes. no real order to play them in.

Other Thoughts:

im happy its in iv for the many people who dont drive in the town
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3 3
wi2ny05
Experience: 26.8 years 200 played 13 reviews
1.00 star(s)

short and disorganized 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 5, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

Easy to find and some interesting obstacles. Certainly not your average course.

Cons:

Very short and almost totally disorganized. When I played the signs seem to have been in no specific order. One group of locals pointed me to #7 to start, for example.

Other Thoughts:

Probably not worth going out of your way for...
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3 4
kelso829
Experience: 15.7 years 7 played 6 reviews
1.50 star(s)

short and sweet 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 13, 2008 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

in IV as a practice course, fine to drink some beers and practice mid range and putting. no one is ever on the course.

Cons:

small 9 wholes, par 2's!!!!!!!!!!!! not worth a drive go to goleta

Other Thoughts:

not worth a drive unless you live in IV and bike. i live in IV and rather drive to the Goleta course
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7 4
SoCal-Wraith
Experience: 15.8 years 18 played 3 reviews
1.00 star(s)

IV Peace Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Oct 28, 2008 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

This is a small course in a small densely populated town (IV) next to UCSB. This course is located in three different lots on two different streets.
Holes 1 and 2 are on Sueno Road and there are lots of fruits trees on the lot. Kindda cool to eat the apples off the trees.
Holes 3 and 4 are across the street. These are a little more difficult/longer but they are still less than 200 feet.
Holes 5-9 are a bit away. There is Garden/Nursery on the second lot going behind it and you will see a small wooded area with many trees.
Some tree obstacles and a small elevation change on one of the holes.

Cons:

Small course and not very challanging but great for practice if you live in IV.(Too bad I did not play back when i lived there.)

Other Thoughts:

I have played this course when I go to SB as a side note to the Goleta course.
The Goleta course a few miles away is a whole lot better, so this course is always empty.
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