Family course

Short holes
No Challenge
Crappy Baskets
Lot of spit outs
Baskets dont stop discs
Some of the fairways run across each other
Tee 9 has no direct line to the basket, basically throwing blind into the open

Lots of ace opportunities.

Short holes, hand made baskets which will sometime not catch the disc in the basket and also has one basket with a taut chain to bounce your disc back. Holes criss cross.

If you are in Staples don't play here unless you are camping here. Play at PIne grove park instead. It's just down the road.

Nobody there..? This course does afford you every chance to throw an ace, since none of the holes are even close to 300 ft. Use of landscape and trees provided the only technical challenge to the course. If you are just starting out in the game, this is the place for you!

Cheap baskets, sparse chains, short holes, no maps to pins, overlapping holes...need I go on?? Course layout and design was pretty bad because of cris-crossing overlapping holes. Big arms will leave this course unsatisfied; There is no place to really let it rip here.

-Can get a game in very quickly
-Easy to navigate
-Good for beginners
-No real hazards
-Low traffic

-Too short
-Little challenge for experienced players
- Weird baskets (can deflect off chains and fall through holes in basket
-No chance to open up on drives

An alright course to try if you are in the area. Not difficult at all, seems like it was designed with normal recreation discs in mind. Its in a park with a few trees around which only slightly deter throwers. All short holes so a mid-range and putter should do. Some random truck with some authority figure kept staring at us like we we're hooligans. No real hazards here so it is a good beginners course.

-Baskets are in great shape
-A few interesting throws and use of trees come into play
-Short course, took 2 of us only 30mins to do a round.
-Camping nearby
-On Dower Lake
-In the back woods of Staples, meaning not alot of trafic, so it's peaceful.
-Despite no maps was easy to navigate.
-A couple chances for an ace.

-Real short holes
-Tee's are marked with numbers only, and no maps to the hole.
-A couple holes cross paths with others.
-Baskets are not the high end type.

If your in a hurry or just want to play for the heck of it come to Dower, but don't make any special trips for it, many better courses around.

THE LAKE!!! The unique facet of this course is that it plays on the hillside of a beautiful lake. Minnesota is the famed "Land of 10,000 Lakes" and very few courses are near lakes. Dower Lakes is one of my favorites for this very reason

DESIGN - Course is very, very , very short ranging from 150' to 260'. However, the use of the land and trees make this a technical frolfer's dream course. Lots of tight alleys force players to throw clean shots. A few holes have baskets tucked behind groupings of oak trees that require stunted hyzer and anhyzer shots.

SIGNAGE and TEES - Each hole has a post with the footage and par. Also, someone has printed and laminated the hole layout to show the way. Tees are gravle and make for a more "up north" feel. Each hole is sponsored by a business from the towns nearby. This shows that the community cares about the course as well.

RECREATION - Since the course is short (25 minute round time approx.) and has a high replay value, plan on spending a nice day at the lake. The park feautres camping and a nice beach, as well as softball fields and a playground for the kids. The diverse nature of the park makes it fun for the frolfers and non-froflers in the family.

THE BASKETS - Highly visible snow white baskets are a nice change from the metallic mach 3 baskets. However, the baskets at Dower Lakes are small and require a straight on putt to the pipe to stay in. The chains can hurt you more than help you as they tend to rebound discs. The baskets are deep but that decreases the area of chain to rattle, and the bowl shape can glide the disc out and onto the ground. Essentially, the baskets make it more challening (Pro) but equally frustrating (Con).

Course is on the westside of Staples. Keep your eyes peeled for the brown highway sign that indicates the road to the course. Note: During the winter the sign indicates the park is closed. Ice fisherman are still using the access and parking vehicles, so frolfers can still park and use the course.

The course is well kept, the grass is always short and the tees are solid gravel to throw from. If you go to the course you usually are one of the few people there so you can work on any shots you feel that you need work on.

The baskets could be better and some holes could be stretched out to challenge a persons driving skills.

Dower Lake offers many other things beside disc golf such as camping, swimming, softball, volleyball and other recreational activities.

This is a nice couse that is well maintained. Offers a variety of shots that will help improve your game for the bigger courses. Holes are well marked and easy to find.

Not a long course. Mid range with putter combination would be just fine. The baskets are average with few chains and a shallow basket itself, causing more discs to ricochet off or fall out when they shoudn't.

Very nice park that offers camping, swimming, softball, and most importantly DISC GOLF! Softball and disc golf could interfere causing some problems, but it adds to the difficulty which I like. With better baskets this course would have a better rating from me.

Very nice park. Offers some challenging shots. Grass is mowed short and ground is hard, offering skip shots.

Not a long course, one could use a putter and do fine. There are obstacles but still, the course pars should all be par 3. Baskets are not the best, discs will fall out.

Course would be better with better baskets. Park is always well kept. Also lengthening the couse would be a good addition.

Fast paced holes. excellent grooming of terrain. Rolling hills and plenty of obstacles make for a unique 9 hole experience. Camping and beach access nearby. No wait time.

Baskets are cheaper and are prone to discs falling out easier. Hole #2 fairway is over a softball field and other holes have picnic grounds in or near. Pars do not seem to match distance.

I enjoy this course because it combines many elements, water hazards, natural and man made obstacles, and a challenging terrain. Its short holes with high pars make for excellent scores but wont test your skills. Also, the nearest retail of discs is over 30 miles away, meaning not many people play this course.