12 Helpful / 0 Not
Pros: Rosedale-Down Under is pure, tight, technical golf. If that's not your thing you probably won't care for this course. If you do, you'll absolutely love this course. I'm in the latter category, so take that into consideration when reading this review.
The tee pads are natural. They're bordered by rocks which frame up the intended tee area. Not the longest pads by any means, but plenty long enough for the types of shots you'll be facing out here. We stumbled across one alternate tee. No idea if there's more or not but it wouldn't surprise me. Lots of benches throughout the course which was much appreciated after lots of up and downhill walks.
The baskets are orange Kingpins. These caught fine, not the greatest targets but plenty serviceable. The orange really stands out in the darkness of the woods. Great color choice on these. 2 to 3 pin positions per hole.
The flow of the course starts out a little wonky. Actually finding the course itself is kind of a challenge. The only place we got turned around was from hole 3 to 4. Other than that we didn't have an issue for the most part.
The design is top notch in my opinion. For the area they had to work with, fitting 9 holes in there without laying them on top of each other is quite the feat. The course is 100% wooded. Not many holes over 200'. Putters and mids are going to be the workhorses here. I threw a lot of flippy fairways, but most will do better with slower discs. Accuracy is the name of the game out here.
This course is going to be WAY less busy than it's counterpart up top. Not for the faint of heart.
Lots of opportunities for birdies out here with the shorter distances. Lots of bogies will happen too, even on the shortest of the holes.
The course will give you reprieve from the sun and wind. Nice change of pace from most of the other courses I played on this trip.
The course is permanent and free to play.
Cons: The potetial for lost plastic is VERY high here. There's a cliff off the right side of the fairway for many of the holes. Having a spotter is recommended. Many of the fairways are rocky and rooted so even initially landing in the fairway doesn't mean that's where your lie will end up being.
As others have said, not the easiest course to navigate. I'd recommend either printing out a map or better yet using Udisc. I found the complaints for this to be majorly overblown though.
The tee pads aren't the greatest. It's been very dry around here recently. I could see the tee pads, and especially the walking of the course itself to be kind of a nightmare in wet conditions or even a few days after some rain.
The rough is very thick in spots. This is a blessing and a curse tbh. It can save you from careening down the cliffside. On the other hand, just pitching back onto/up to the fairway can be a disaster. It goes both ways.
Other Thoughts: This was my second course played in KS (after the Top course) and my 750th total course. This doesn't appear to be your typical KS course, this course seems like it was plucked right out of Charlotte.
I'd absolutely recommend this course to anyone who loves tight woods golf. If that's not your thing, the other course will be a good time for pretty much any disc golfer. The two courses contrast each other nicely and make for a great one-two punch. It'd probably rate this one closer to 3.75 but it was so damn fun I'm giving it the benefit of the doubt and going with a 4. I'd play this one again in a heartbeat.
12 of 12 people found this review helpful.
A Real Love-Hate Relationship
14 Helpful / 1 Not
Pros: Down Under is the classic wooded course. And when I say wooded, I mean REALLY wooded. Whatever course you're thinking of that's really wooded, this is more. Every hole puts all your control skills and endurance to the test nearly every kind of technical shot imaginable. Mistakes are punished severely.
Every hole has some different lines available. Unlike some wooded shots where there's only one way to get to the basket, this course usually has several. Holes are short enough that touchy turnovers often work, but there are opportunities for skip shots and even sky right-to-left shots on hole 2.
The elevation here is amazing. In addition to the holes that play up or down, there are several steep drop-offs, usually to the right side. While it does make for lost-disc opportunity, you always have to be careful and possibly choose a safer line. One bad kick can cost multiple strokes when a shot that pures the tunnel will be on the green.
Despite many holes being fairly short, distance perception is difficult. The tunnels always seem longer than they are, so a full-power driver shot is often a little more than you need. Sometimes it will be really hard to park the hole from where you're at, but a fairly short putt isn't too hard. This makes shot selection important when you really don't need the most aggressive line to get up and down for the birdie or par. One example is hole 6, in the right pin position: a right-fading shot might park it, but might skip down the hill right, while a straight shot is nearly guaranteed to leave you with a longer, but makeable, putt.
Cons: Despite many holes being really unique wooded holes, it certainly gets old and leaves this course with relatively little variety. You won't find yourself pulling out your furthest-flying discs too often (though if you do, they're probably sailing down a few hills). It means that regardless of your skill level, this course won't have anywhere near a comprehensive test of your skills. Some might say the Up Top course is a good compliment to this one, but I would rather some holes play up the hills and into the open.
Upkeep is not good, and the way the course is makes upkeep nearly impossible entirely. The tees are natural and get muddy easily, and a lot of fairways are treacherous as well. Signage is practically nonexistent, and even having a map won't always solve everything. Being in the woods, you can usually just follow a path to the next tee, but the main space to get confused is around the baskets of 10, 12, and 17, and the corresponding following tees. That area is a little more open, and you even have to walk across the fairway of 12 to get to the tee of 17, potentially without knowing it.
There are a few holes that are not well designed at all. Maybe they were okay when the course was originally installed, but they're certainly not good now. Some examples are hole 7, which has a dumb fairway shape, 8, which is too tight of a line, and 13 and 14, which have little going for them other than the dropoff on the right. Those two are pretty much the same anyway. A few others, like 1 and 17, are a little boring and will leave every drive with a putt, provided it makes one gap. Now, while learning the gaps you need to hit is an important part of this course, parts of it fall flat pretty quickly.
Other Thoughts: WATCH YOUR DISCS. Rollaways are a common occurrence here, and even anything going slowly is still in jeopardy. There could be steep slopes where you aren't expecting them, and the rocks can make discs quite unpredictable.
While the poor tees are a problem, the ruggedness of this course was intentional, and it's meant to stay that way. In many ways, it helps the feel of the course and makes it a little more exciting, even if it technically makes it a bit worse. That said, this course is by no means neglected. The bridge on hole 8 was replaced recently, and a staircase to leave the course has also been added.
Several holes have two tees, but unless you really want the extra variety, they don't add much to the course. The alternate tees on 1, 4, and 8 are nice, but I always play the right tees on 5 and 10. Hole 17 has two tees, but I think your choice is dictated by the current pin setting - again, there's no signage helping you out there.
Some pins are hard to see from the tee. This isn't usually a problem - the baskets are bright orange - but if you're expecting the basket to be somewhere it isn't, it won't be fun.
At the end of the day, plenty of people will love this course, and that's okay. Other people will hate it, and that's also okay. While it is a great test of skill, there are obvious downsides and many better alternatives for wooded courses. But this place isn't at all bad, so it doesn't deserve a low rating.
14 of 15 people found this review helpful.
The Original KC Technical Course.
13 Helpful / 0 Not
Pros: Hugely technical. It's possible to throw every disc in your bag here.
Incredible use of uphill and downhill shots.
Some holes are kind to mistakes, some holes are very punishing.
You'll be challenged in new ways on every hole (power, accuracy, curves, control...).
Very few blind shots (I can only think of 3).
Some very memorable holes (9, 10, 12, and 15 are my favorites)
The entire course is well-shaded. On a hot day it will either keep you cool, or trap all that heat under the leaves and slowly cook you.
Cons: At the beginning of the season, this course is good. As the foliage grows in, it becomes more and more likely an errant drive will result in lost plastic.
Navigating is awful. Finding the beginning of the course, the end of the course, and finding 12 from 11 and 13 from 12 is nigh on impossible without a map.
Lost disc potential is always high, but some really thin fairways seem like they were designed to make you lose your disc. Whether it's steep drop-offs on one side of the fairway or both sides of the fairway being overgrown and almost impossible to get into (looking at you #12), it's a good thing the DD store is right down the street!
The dirt tee boxes can get really rough toward the end of a season. One bad x-step could leave you limping for the rest of the round.
Other Thoughts: Don't play Down Under without someone who's done it before. The maps, the Udisc, doesn't matter. I played with one of the guys who helped put the course in and we still got lost! Walking around some of the hills (or small cliffs) can be rough, but you do get a good workout in! Leave yourself extra time to search for discs. You'll spend at least 20 minutes of your round doing that, and if it dives down a hill on the first 5 holes, kiss it goodbye.
Now for the good stuff... there are some amazing holes on this course. 9 is a beautiful downhill bomber, 10 goes from hilltop to hilltop, 15 is only a 171 foot hole but it plays like 400... it's awesome! You should always be able to walk away from Down Under with a shot or two that you're very, very proud of. If you've got a spotter that'll make your round go so much better. Playing it solo... well, I haven't tried that yet. Just know that when you're here, you're at the best technical course in Kansas City
13 of 13 people found this review helpful.
A Kansas City Legend
9 Helpful / 0 Not
Pros: Kansas City is spoiled with many top-shelf disc golf courses. Rosedale Down Under may be the cream of the crop. Frustratingly fun- this course will keep you coming back. A lot of high risk-high reward type shots. Many holes will lure you into throwing an Ace runner- only to have you smack a tree and end up on Mission Rd. KCFDC does a great job of mixing up the pin placements. I'd say they get rotated once or twice a week. All the different pins really change the dynamic of the course. You might shoot a -10 on the short settings and then a +10 on the long.
Rosedale is located just down the street from Dynamic Discs. After you lose a disc or two Down Under (you probably will), stop by and see Josh and pick up some new ones.
Cons: Since the closing of Swope Park, both Rosedale courses have seen an influx of players. Despite all the different courses in the area, Rosedale gets very crowded- especially on weekends. Mornings and weekday-afternoons are your best bet .
Down Under does get very muddy at times. After any rain, give it a few days to dry out.
I'm not bothered by the natural tee pads like some others. A few do have rocks and roots poking through so be sure to check your footing before teeing off.
Other Thoughts: If youre visiting KC for disc golf, Water Works and Down Under should be your first stops. Despite the crowds you may encounter, they are two essential stops for anyone visiting the area.
9 of 9 people found this review helpful.
Best course in KC
2 Helpful / 5 Not
Pros: Hands down the best course around KC if you want to play technical, challenging golf. Nice views and great elevation changes throughout.
Cons: Natural tee pads are annoying at best and straight up dangerous at worst.
2 of 7 people found this review helpful.
Thunder Down Under!
12 Helpful / 0 Not
Pros: The Rosedale Park-Down Under Disc Golf Course plays fairly short but I felt there was usually (except one hole) a fair route to the pinkish orange baskets. Hitting that route was never easy. Down Under just feels a little run down. I played after some heavy rain and anyone exposed dirt was extremely slippery and with everything being wet, it just felt kinda dingy. Part of this feeling was the fact that there aren't concrete pads. The natural pads which are outlined with slate were sometimes slick, sometimes puddled and usually adequate. The Kingpin baskets have faded from orange to kind of a hot pink. I kinda liked them. # 10 looks to have a pretty new basket. There are no signs but navigation is intuitive and not a problem.
With only one basket reaching 300' this is a prototypical technical course. Many of the holes play along this ridge line with it's very steep slopes. It's on your right for quite a few holes.
# 11 has a nice shrine for a former golfer. Probably over a hundred bag tags have been left there. It's pretty touching and impressive, too.
I think my favorite hole was # 9 with the visible basket sitting down there an inviting 275'. # 16 has these two ribbons tied around trees that were only about four feet away from each other. I couldn't really figure out what they represented but then talked to some locals who explained to me in some casual play, that those ribbons actually are a very narrow Mando.
Cons: A general feeling of dinginess. I don't think this Course gets the play that the Top course. It certainly doesn't get the love and care that the Top course receives.
Short distances. No airing it out here.
Gooey mud is incredibly slippery after rains. Makes for some treacherous footing.
Lots of places to hunt for your discs.
Natural tee pads.
No signage.
Other Thoughts: I think the Down Under course is more than a little overrated. It's a solid, enjoyable course but definitely seems to take second fiddle to the Top course. It seems as though a course with lots of long, more open, big air throws is more exciting to many players than the technical nature of the Down Under course. Personally, I'm not sure which of these courses I prefer. They are both excellent courses which compliment each other extremely well. Kudos to everyone involved with the Kansas City Disc Golf scene. It looks like you have your act together here.
12 of 12 people found this review helpful.
These two descriptions properly warn you of Down Under, "almost non-existent fairways" and "lots of small trees guard much of the course."
12 Helpful / 0 Not
Pros: If you are simply wanting to bag a course or just want an easy round of disc golf then don't go to Down Under. But if you want to challenge your technical skills to find lines and use a lot of discs in your bag to shape paths through the woods then this place is a GEM, it is EXCELLENT, which is why I'm giving it a 4.0 rating.
Tee signs are good. Gravel tee pads are serviceable. Baskets catch discs well and show hole numbers.
Rosedale Park is a nice park with two top notch 18 hole courses: Top and Down Under. If there was only Top this would still be a destination course worth your time. I played Top my first time around and was very pleased with the course, other than the fact that it took some of my plastic and didn't give it back. But I don't hold that against Rosedale Top, especially since you can buy more or get your disc returned at a lost and found box in the Dynamic Disc retail store that I talk about below in OTHER.
I came back a few days later to play Down Under since the reviews were good. It's not easy to find the start but is is literally down the hill off Top's first fairway. You wind down a path and find the first tee. This reminded me of another classic disc golf park that I played in West Virginia at Seth Burton Park, which is like Top here. Both of these upper courses are where the non-disc golf people are. They added a course there called Orange Crush, which is very similar in concept to what was done here at Rosedale. In other words, the Top is a nice open park with an above ground course. Down Under, like Orange Crush, is hid from view of the public park and played in a thick woods on steep hillsides. It's just us guys who go there and that's nice. In the case of Orange Crush it's more like on the side of a mountain and here it's a hill.
I thought about going through the holes in detail but decided against a longer review since this is already long and will only mention my favorite. Number 11 throws blind over a ravine to a basket off to the right. I suppose I liked it a lot not just because it favors my RHFH and I nailed it, but also because it's a great risk/reward shot. There were some beginners ahead of me that wouldn't even drive from this tee since it's so intimidating. I don't blame them. And it brings up the point: this is not a course for beginners! Unless you don't like them and you want them to have a bad experience with disc golf.
Cons: Concrete tee pads would be nice. The gravel was okay when I was there, but it was nice weather and dry. Some complaints in earlier reviews about mud on the tee pads would make this experience in the woods more difficult.
Navigation was difficult. My experience at Orange Crush in WV made me appreciate signage since it was very clearly marked with signs where the next tees were. When you are playing in a thick woods and winding though hills and valleys it can be frustrating not knowing where to go. It was nice for me that a local was just finishing with the tournament and helped guide me through some of the more difficult holes. But navigation is a big con here.
Some people might call it a CON that there are "almost non-existent fairways" but it you don't want to be challenged you just shouldn't come here. The course is a short distance, but it plays long since you'll be chasing discs down hills and scrambling through the woods after hitting trees. In a few places it took me awhile to find my discs in the rough.
Other Thoughts: Dynamic Discs has a nice factory outlet store at 2866 W 47th St, which is less than one mile from Rosedale Park. I did not have a car so I walked and was glad I visited there. It was crowded with people and the guys working there were great to talk with. I still have the three discs I purchased in my bag (Warden, Witness, and Sheriff). They gave me a sheet of paper, which is worth your stop, that breaks down all the courses in the Kansas City area. I regret that I didn't scan this and upload it here. This is one of four Dynamic Disc outlets listed on the Dynamic Discs retail site (
http://www.dynamicdiscs.com/r...l_a/275.htm).So it'd be a shame to be so close to a factory outlet and not check it out. I may have missed it in the reviews on DGCR, but I thought this was a nice benefit to these two excellent Rosedale courses.
There's a quote on the local club website, kcfdc.org, from Ace Mason, "I love the people who love this game!" I think we can all relate to that. Well said Ace!
Cerealman rated this course a 2.5 two years ago in "Needing TLC in KC" and his biggest complaint was that the course needed some attention. Well, I think it must have gotten some attention since then because the tees were not in bad shape. Two months after his review Upshawt1979 talked about new gravel on the tees in "Doozy Down Under."
There was a local tournament going on when I was there. The guys let me play through. Somebody aced the first hole while I was at the teebox. Then I parked #2 as I played through. That was kind of nice to throw a nearly perfect shot in a great line around trees with four really good players watching who were in a competition. The locals are many and active at Rosedale, which is a favorite in the area.
I'm giving Down Under a 4.0 since it's EXCELLENT!
12 of 12 people found this review helpful.
Doozy Down Under
8 Helpful / 0 Not
Pros: Rosedale Down Under is full of woods and has several holes featuring significant elevation changes. None of them are longer than 300', so distance is manageable. If you can make the drives without trees interfering you can get chances at birdies. The pin locations are often near trees and on sloping hilly terrain, so even if you are able to get a good drive, the putt may not be easy.
The tees were natural, but had recently been covered with a fresh layer of fine gravel. They are not very big, but are adequate. Signs near each one indicating the hole number. Benches are usually available by the tee and there are trash cans here and there. I loved the bright orange and yellow baskets, they were easy to spot amongst the trees.
I liked the constant rises and falls in the fairways, and variety of shots presented. The trees are numerous, and create some lanes that demand technical throws with touch. Danger of bad bounces and rolls is there almost constantly, but the lines usually provide a fair chance to get through. A knock down here and there is not the worst, with the short lengths, saving par can be done sometimes.
Cons: The tees can be smaller than I would like at times, and the rocks at the front end tripped me up once or twice. Number 11 tee is a rock that drops off the side of the hill, if you overrun it the game will likely be cut short right there. Fun hole, but those kind of boxes make me nervous.
Grounds were dry on my first round here, with fallen leaves gathered in the low spots deep enough to hide a disc easily. With the tough footing, I would not want to play here in wet conditions.
The layout is kind of crazy, with a couple of turns that would be tough to find if you're not familiar with the course. I would print or screenshot the map if you are going for the first time and don't know any locals to guide the way. A few of the holes are close together, or blind, so be careful not to hit other players or get hit yourself. The path from hole 11 to 12 goes very near another basket, and might be an easy place to get lost for a new visitor.
Other Thoughts: I think this is a really fun course in good conditions, and I am looking forward to playing it when the spring brings heavy leaf canopy in the trees. There could be improvements in the signage, and to the tees, but as is I can still dig it. The funky layout is not perfect, but makes great use of the area.
Trent joined my dog and I at the first tee of the top course, and was very helpful leading the way around. The course had a lot of players out, and I can see why. It was a nice day, but there was a fair amount of wind. Down Under is protected from the breeze very well by the hill and trees.
So many fun holes. My faves were 9, 10, 11, and 15 off the top of my head, but a lot of the rest deserve an honorable mention. I shot a 56, with no birdies, and 2 bogies. Had at least 4 or 5 good looks at birdies, but putts were not going in for me. I was just glad to avoid taking any terrible ricochets over the side of a steep hill, or super bad rolls into the rough.
8 of 8 people found this review helpful.
Needing some TLC in KC
8 Helpful / 1 Not
Pros: Technical course - with tight fairways and tough elevation, Down Under offers a challenging test with the likelihood for much score variance.
The course offers excellent variety, even though the entire course is in the woods. Hole #15 is an example of such diversity - even at just 183 feet, it features the steepest incline I can recall.
Your mental game will be tested here. Plenty of opportunities exist to consider risk-vs-reward shots while choosing the placement of your drives and upshots wisely as cliffs threaten to punish your wayward shots.
Nice, brightly colored baskets are easy to spot.
Cons: Dirt teepads. More specifically, when I played, the teepads were mud. Also, some of the teepads were poorly marked with occasional rocks, leaving my playing partner and I guessing at the approximate location.
Difficult navigation. The adventure begin with seeking to locate the first teepad - first-time visitors should look for the unmarked steps leading toward Mission Road near the basket of Hole #1 of the Up Top course. After that, occasional small wooden signs with a number confirm your location. No signage indicating distance. No "Next Tee" signs. This lack of direction is frustrating and my playing partner and I had to wander around a few times to determine the right direction. We especially struggled to determine where the teepad and accompanying basket for Hole #10 was. The course map was somewhat helpful, but some new signage would be wonderful.
The "traversability" of this course could be difficult, especially after inclement weather. Several of the first few holes feature steep drop-offs that will likely result in losing a disc if your shot goes too far right. Areas off the fairway feature plenty of uneven terrain and possible slippery footing.
Other Thoughts: The Down Under version of Rosedale Park needs some love and attention. For a course that is about 20 years old, Down Under boasts the skeleton of an excellent course, but it appears to have been starved by neglect.
The course design is solid and offers a good challenge without being repetitive. However, the cons mentioned strongly influenced my rating. I hope that Down Under receives some aesthetic improvements soon and realizes its full potential again.
8 of 9 people found this review helpful.
tight and technical
3 Helpful / 2 Not
Pros: This course requires you to really think about your shot placement. Not just where it lands, but how it lands. It's also a good workout what with the uneven terrain and climbing up and down hills. The baskets are good and despite have dirt tee boxes, they are well-packed and provide decent footing.
Cons: Signage is an issue here and if it's your first time, you might want to go with someone that knows the course. The wooded and rocky nature of the course can be treacherous when wet.
Other Thoughts: This is not a great course for a cart. It can be done, but a bag is so much easier here. The whole course will be played with putters and midranges. There isn't really room for drivers. Be very aware of the slopes, underbrush, and leaves. Our group of 5 lost two discs in one round, but found 4 discs that previous players had lost.
3 of 5 people found this review helpful.
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5+ 
4/12/2021 
6/2/2021
Review By: kp_1024 
This review was updated on 7/19/2021
Hole #4 (Taken 9/2009) 
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