Solid disc golf in a unique location!
13 Helpful / 0 Not
Pros: SeaTac DGC is a 27-holer that sits in a large park of the same name, in the urban sprawl between Seattle and Tacoma. The disc golf course, park, nearby airport, and 'burb all share this smashed-together "SeaTac" name. Based on the course description here and what appeared to be old building foundations on/near a few fairways, I believe that this park used to be a neighborhood.
The golf here is quite good for an urban park course. There are a great mix of holes, from "mostly open with a couple obstacles" to fairly tight technical throws. Nothing is thread-the-needle tight, but shot shaping is required on most holes. There are ample left turns, right turns, and straight shots. Many baskets are guarded by trees and/or bushes. The distances are enough to challenge most of us mortal disc golfers. The shortest hole here is the finishing hole 27, which is only 229' but plays to a basket raised up on a large mound. The average hole distance is over 350', and there are several respectable par 4s - the longest being hole 21's 547'.
I thought two of the more memorable holes here were back-to-back - #15 and #16. Hole 15 is only 250' but requires a controlled tee shot through a small gap in some bushes, to a basket framed by tall trees. Right after that, hole 16 plays 320' along an S-shaped fairway with a grove of trees in the middle of the first bend. These were both very fun and aesthetically pleasing holes. Overall, despite being in an urban area this is a visually appealing course.
The baskets are DGA models in good shape. There are also a couple of practice baskets next to the parking lot.
The rough is thick enough to punish poor throws, but didn't look likely to hide discs. Beginners and families won't score well here, but could still enjoy the course and probably not lose any discs.
The tee pads are concrete and in good shape. The tee signs are large and show all of the needed info (hole number, distance, par, and map of hole). On some holes (not all), different pin positions are shown on the tee signs and the current pin position was labeled with a tack. I believe there were a couple of holes that had multiple baskets installed, but on most holes you can only play one layout. I'm not sure how often the pin positions may be swapped out. The tee signs also point towards the next hole.
Many tee areas have benches, and some have trash cans. A large kiosk at the parking lot shows a nice map of the course, detailed hole info, disc golf rules, etc. A restroom is apparently available, although it is at the far end of the large parking lot and I did not try to use it.
Playing all 27 holes takes some time even for a solo player, but if you use the map there are some opportunities to cut off sections and play fewer holes if you are short on time. For example you could easily play holes 1-5, then skip to 24-27 for a 9-hole round.
Cons: A couple of holes play near walking paths, and a couple of holes are pretty close together. Nothing egregious.
The course is pretty much flat. The park isn't pancake flat, but on most holes the terrain is not hilly enough to affect play. There are also no water hazards.
Even with the previous tee signs pointing towards the next hole, I could have used a few more navigational aids. A few baskets had arrows hanging in the bottom, but this wasn't consistent. I had to pull out the map a couple of times, in particular on a long walk between holes 5 and 6.
Very minor gripe, but there is quite a stretch of long holes about 2/3 of the way through the course. With only one exception, holes 17-24 are each longer than 400' - and all six holes designated as par 4 fall within this section of the course. Although this is kind of balanced out with shorter holes before and after this section, I would ideally prefer to see the longest holes sprinkled throughout the course instead of being all grouped together.
Other Thoughts: Although the disc golf here is good, what I will remember most about this course is constantly being able to look up and see huge commercial airplanes at close range coming in for a landing. The park appears to be more or less directly in line with the landing runway of the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and only a mile or two away from it, so during my round in the middle of the day on a Friday the sights and sounds of incoming airplanes were more or less a constant. Normally I count road noise as a minor Con for a course, but in this case I felt the air traffic was kind of cool and unique. It was not something that I had experienced on a course before. On one hole I was able to photograph an incoming Lufthansa airplane just as it crossed over the fairway. It was close enough that the company logo is clearly readable in the photo, and I could easily count the number of windows on the plane.
On a personal note, this was my first course played in the state of Washington - and the Pacific Northwest in general.
Overall SeaTac DGC is not a destination, but definitely a worthy stop for DG'ers visiting the greater Seattle area. It offers solid golf that will challenge most players, at a convenient location close to the airport. It fit the bill for me as a way to spend a couple of hours before picking up some friends from the airport for a long weekend in Olympic National Park. I think that this course is accurately rated here, and pretty much maxed out on the land available. Kudos to the locals on a job well done!
13 of 13 people found this review helpful.
Very satisfying and fun course
9 Helpful / 0 Not
Pros: * Beautiful setting, weaving in and out of the forest, shade/rain cover
* Course design, fun challenges
* Clean and well-kept
* All concrete tees
* Very good signage
Cons: * Can be a long walk
Other Thoughts: Wonderful course. No elevations, but nice obstacle shots through the forest. Except for a couple, there weren't any tunnel shots, per se, but plenty of bark to smack your disc with. With only UDisc in hand, it was difficult to see the baskets at times. However, the signage was great in that it at least showed the pin position. This has 27 holes, but I played only 18. I really do not see the point in playing a bonus 9, but regardless, this post-covid body that gets energy and strength drained in 18 or a lot sooner could handle only 18.
As I said, the signage is very good. Colored maps with the different pin positions and a marker as to which pin position the basket is in. Often on the sign, it shows where you can expect the next tee to be. I do recommend UDisc, but after you get used to the course, you can tell by the paths in the grass where the next tee probably is. It would be even better playing with a local to tell you exactly where the basket is and recommend a good line for your drive. More than a few times I was just throwing blindly, guessing where the basket might be.
The several layouts are in UDisc. One of the 18 layouts starts on hole #6, that's not a mistake. There is another parking lot by #6, which is why it starts there, I'm pretty sure.
No water hazards, just plenty of bark. And occasional thorny blackberry bush. I would play with very bright colors. The vegetation ground cover is ideal for hiding discs. So are the trees and bushes.
Benches on some of the tees. No water fountains that I could see. I don't recall any restrooms or port-a-potties. Tees are concrete, a wee bit narrow, but definitely OK. I think these are Mach 5 baskets by DGA.
Very enjoyable and satisfying course.
9 of 9 people found this review helpful.
Marathon of a course
4 Helpful / 3 Not
Pros: Love this course! Rather difficult relative to par but no truly crazy holes. Good variety. Well planned course with plenty of unique, enjoyable holes. Don't skip out on the extra nine because the par 4s are the best holes on the course.
Cons: I really don't like the design of hole 16, and hole 27 just being an easy ace run to finish out is kind of an eyeroll for me.
Other Thoughts: This is a marathon of a course. You can make a day out of one round if you're in a group. Plays through a mostly wooded area behind some softball fields. Lots of planes flying overhead.
4 of 7 people found this review helpful.
A well planned course
16 Helpful / 0 Not
Pros: Seatac is an urban course with multiple entry points but most will use the large parking lot. I counted four warm up baskets which is nice on crowded days. An informative bulletin board with a solid map is displayed next to drive 1. Concrete tees with good signs indicate distance and par on all drives. Most tees had benches behind the tee. Much of this course is heavily wooded which requires good skills shots thrown for long distances. The 500 foot throws are not on an open field but have many wooden obstacles requiring thought and strategy. The baskets were all in good shape. Much of the fairway is low grass that is kept short by heavy use. Most errant throws can be found quickly but some fairways have heavy vegetation that could swallow up a disc. The course aesthetics is good with a memorable basket at 27. The length of the course is satiating and playing twice could be taxing for many. Players of various skills will enjoy this course but the stingy pars will create strong challenges for most players. A total score of even would be worth celebrating.
Cons: I found few problems with this course. Some might take issue with the lack of elevation change on this course, but the distance and tight fairways on some drives keeps this course interesting. Signs indicated that baskets could be in either A,B or C position but there was no mark on the sign as to which pin the basket was in on the day I played. Sometimes this added to the frustration of finding the basket that could not be seen from the tee. Vines and bushes containing thorns are flanking some fairways and will add to the woe of an errant shot. The pedestrian walkway will have onlookers and occasional children straying onto course. Far worse, are the vagabonds who camp out near or in the fairway and will not move when requested. Lastly, planes fly over this course regularly and loudly as they approach a nearby airport.
Other Thoughts: This course was made difficult by the slender pars. I thought a few drives that were over four hundred feet deserved a par of four rather than three. However, others will argue that this will push players to elevate their game. If visiting the Seattle area, this course should be on the short list to play. I really enjoyed playing and would have played more that once if time allowed.
16 of 16 people found this review helpful.
12 Helpful / 0 Not
Pros: When arriving to SeaTac there's a huge parking lot. There's also a giant kiosk board with the course map on it as well as a few practice baskets around to warm up on. There's multiple pin placements which are very well marked showing you where the pin is currently located at. This is a 27 hole course that is an all day disc golf adventure. Most holes sit at over 300 feet giving you plenty of chances to test out the new drivers. The layout flows pretty nice and navigation is fairly simple besides one spot. Good mix of hole designs and tree use. Some cool pin placements including the short hole 27 elevated up in the rocks. I actually really enjoyed this course, and think it's an incredible tournament course. I wouldn't want to ever play here alone though as it's pretty grueling doing the entire 27. Good cart course, with nice benches, clean fairways and great course to test your game and endurance.
Cons: One spot is tricky to navigate I think it's 5 to 6 follow the path and stay left. The back holes 20-25 are pretty repetitive par 4s. It's not that fun to play a straight string of par 4s after just throwing 18 holes. No real iconic type shots and SeaTac is fairly flat for the most part with some minor elevation change.
Other Thoughts: It's located right next to the airport so it's kinda weird having planes fly right over your head, and getting use to the plane noises.
12 of 12 people found this review helpful.
Seatac in the Sunshine
13 Helpful / 0 Not
Pros: The Seatac DGC is in a really nice park, mostly grassy fairways that work with moderately wooded grounds to create holes that are neither too easy or too hard. The tree canopy will frequently require drives to be close to the line without a lot of altitude in order to stay out of the rough while getting the distance required to get pars and birdies. There are a handful of short holes of 280' and under, as well as six par 4's in the final eleven. A few long par 3's along the way also that can be tough. To score well here you will require consistent accuracy off the tee, and ability to make approach shots that can give you makable putts. It sounds obvious, but there is not a lot of room for error on most of these holes, and recovery shots from the rough will make things tough if you are getting knocked down or deflected by trees all day.
The concrete pads are good enough, and so are the baskets. The layout is easy to follow and the locations of the pins were set intuitively, so you have a good idea of where to throw if you can't spot your target from the tee.
Some places have thick rough, and there is a bit of risk of losing a disc or reaching into a thorny mess to get it back. I like a course that has some teeth, but it may be a little much for the inexperienced player.
A few of the holes were in heavier woods with ground that is bare, but mud was not an issue at the time. No serious water in play.
Cons: Constant airplane traffic coming into the nearby airport is overhead. Also some other park users occasionally wander near holes walking dogs or jogging.
The park is largely flat, and variety of holes doesn't use many turns in the fairways, forcing throws that curve to the left or right very often. It's a good course, though it lacks some interest that come from elevation change or having to make a lot of different throws.
Other Thoughts: I arrived at Seatac DGC on a gorgeous summer day, perfect for disc golfing. Sunny, 80 degrees with a slight breeze. This was day 4 of a long road trip from Kansas across the Rocky Mountains, looping around the Pacific northwest and back. Started the morning at Farragut State Park in Idaho, and was eager to stretch my legs after reaching the western longitudes of Washington.
Seatac proved to be a classic style course in a nice city park with a new array of vegetation compared to what I am used to seeing at home. Not the majestic forrests and mountains I had envisioned perhaps, but a good location to fit in to a limited travel schedule and without getting mired in bumper to bumper traffic for too long.
My scorecard was not pretty at the end, but it was an enjoyable round, and the course was not crowded at the time. Glad I played it, and would like to return to the area to do a little more exploring. I shot 100 on the nose, 13 over par for the 27 holes. My short game is what hurt me, 15 two putt bogeys vs. only 2 birdies. A score nearer to par is not impossible, especially if you can capitalize on the stretch of par 4 holes on the final nine. With familiarity and a hot putter I know I could do much better.
13 of 13 people found this review helpful.
Nice but not a lot of variety
9 Helpful / 2 Not
Pros: 27 holes, most of which are densely wooded. As a Midwesterner I don't get a lot of opportunities to play woodland courses, so I appreciated the difference in course style. The fairways were very well-maintained and the rough was very rough which creates a fair but challenging round. Teepads and baskets were in great shape. I enjoyed checking out all the different trees and plant-life that Seattle in general, and this course in particular, have to offer. The natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest is truly unique.
Cons: Not a lot of memorable holes and most of them played roughly the same: straightforward hyzerflip off the tee. The lack of elevation changes really hurts this course's ability to be special. Also, the locals seemed to ignore typical disc golf etiquette. A few examples: slow groups didn't let faster groups play through; players threw multiple teeshots even though the course was busy; players bounced around and played holes out of order; groups started on random holes rather than on 1. This added up to make a slow round even slower and really detracted from the overall experience.
Other Thoughts: Much of the enjoyment I got out of my round was due to Seatac being really different from my hometown tracks. However, the flat layout didn't have enough variety for me to consider this a great course. I pobably will find somewhere else to play if I visit Seattle again.
9 of 11 people found this review helpful.
Wooded, diverse and very pretty
11 Helpful / 0 Not
Pros: I was expecting a fair bit after reading the reviews and I have to say expectations were met when it came to Seatac.
Its a large multi use park with baseball fields a cricket pitch and meandering walking trails.
The course starts at the back of the parking lot on the left, and there is a big, accurate map that I would recommend snapping(or scan the qr code). Not that it's hard to follow, it's not really but there are a couple of spots where paths cross.
The holes are mainly wooded, but not super hard to navigate. It did make me regret that I opted to bring a Volt(straight to fade) instead on a S curve driver like a Stag or Eagle. And the lush green grass and beatufiful evergreen trees right in a residential area very cool.
I'm fact I think due to some leftover foundations that the park probably used to be some residential blocks. Some of the concrete areas come into play but are more of a fun addition than a real obstacle.
The baskets caught well and most had some green tape pointing the way to the next basket. I think Mach X, could have been some older ones mixed in. There are also good benches on many holes.
I really like the shot array and the mix of long shots, up to 550 and some short ace runs in the low 200s and the trees and such make it a very fun play.
Tons of wildlife too, we saw dozens of rabbits and birds that seemed used to dodging discs.
I like the course a lot and would gladly play again.
Cons: A couple tricky spots navigating, and no real elevation changes.
A couple of signs are missing and there is a ton of tagging that detracts from the feel of this very pretty course.
Other Thoughts: I rally had a good time, it's a pretty course and very diverse one as well.
And I know what SeaTac stands for, but to me it will always mean See the great shot shaping perfectly from your hand, the hear the Tac of the disc hitting a tree short of where you're aiming.
It seems well maintained and has a good design overall.
Would gladly recommend to play to anyone in the area.
27 great holes!
11 of 11 people found this review helpful.
Awesome park, hard course
8 Helpful / 0 Not
Pros: -Tees are high quality concrete and are sized appropriately
-Tee signs are very nice and also helpful
-Baskets are nice quality, Mach X for the most part, a few Mach V (I think) sprinkled throughout the course.
-The Fairways are amazing, I love the woods with a grass fairway, it looks really good, and is easy to locate your disc in.
-This is a very flat course, but the occasional mound or hill is always used as a part of the course, Hole 20 in particular.
-This is a very wooded course, so the trees come into play a lot, and when they do it is great. That being said, there are some 500ish' holes out there, and those have trees on the sides or maybe one or two in the middle to let you rip one out there.
-Paths are worn down to perfection, you can pretty much just follow the paths to the next tee.
-While there is the occasional graffiti artwork on benches, this course has a good vibe, which is mostly derived from the beauty of the course.
-Almost (if not all) holes have benches at the tee.
-Wide variety of shots here, and millions of unique situations to get into, I had to throw a roller (I never throw rollers).
-This course gets a 4/4 on the new Shoe Index, unless you come here on a rainy day and jump around in the mud, your shoes will be clean.
Cons: -Baskets are sometimes really difficult to see, and at times not completely clear.
-The roughs are brutal, if you are on the edge, it's all good, but if you go deeper than 3 feet, kiss that disc goodbye.
-As this is a long course, in a big park, there are a few hang-ups with Navigation, if you want to split the course up, it is hard to do so without a really long walk back to the parking lot.
-This course isn't beginner friendly, many holes are too long for beginners, but, they could be a good thing for some people, I can't really decide if it's a pro or con, I can throw like 330' so I'm OK with long holes
Other Thoughts: If you are made uncomfortable by loud noises from planes or loud noises in general, you should probably not go to this course, it is probably 10miles north of the International airport.
8 of 8 people found this review helpful.
Seatac the monster
2 Helpful / 3 Not
Pros: Long challenging 27 holes. You will need every type of throw you can imagine. Most holes have a distinct challenge for your first throw. Example would be a 12 ft wide gap in the brush/trees/shrubs that you will need to throw thru or get close to on your first throw. Technical to the extreme.
Cons: It would be nice if you could have a pathway to the parking lot on the north side when you finish 18. Need maps! Need signs!
No trash cans.
Other Thoughts: Rained hard the whole 27 when I played. I need to give it another try. Most of my playing buds said this was an awesome course and very hard. I'd say hard and okay.
There is a parking lot on the south side near what might have been the original hole 1....sure wish there was bulletin boards and maps.
2 of 5 people found this review helpful.
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3 / 367ft.
Par / Distance:
1 
8/16/2021 
8/16/2021
Review By: Front Row 
This review was updated on 9/4/2021
Hole #12 (Taken 8/2019) 
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