The historic Steady Ed in Iowa
12 Helpful / 0 Not
Pros: -The History, see below
-Concrete tee pads, decent size
-Decent signage
-Flow is good
-Good course for beginners
-Quick play
-Nice views of the Cedar River
-Good parking, 9 hole loops, ease of getting to 1 / from 9 and 18
Cons: -No elevation
-Mostly short holes, pros will be bored
-Not much vegetation to work around, pros will be bored
-Baskets are Mach IIs that can be a little tough to see
-Area can flood (right near the Cedar River)
-Course can be extremely busy on nice days
Other Thoughts: Tourist Park DGC is located just north of downtown Cedar Falls, IA. This is the oldest course in Iowa and designed by the "father of disc golf", "Steady Ed" Headrick. Originally installed in 1978, I'm assuming the concrete pads and tee signage has been upgraded over the years. This is great place for beginners with fairly short holes, quick play, and 9 hole loops. Pros will be bored here with some trees to work around, but no elevation and mostly straightforward shots. Still a place to work on mid-range and putter shots. I see from other reviews that there are leagues here and I have driven past with a basically full course on a nice afternoon, so it can be busy. Baskets are Mach IIs, which can be a little tough to see at times, but were all catching nicely. Not much for benches or trashcans on the course, but with the fast play, not much need for a seat. The rating is bumped up for me by the history. There are only 32 remaining courses on DGCR listed as Headrick courses, the earliest in 1976. This one in 1978 makes it an early one and a fun piece of history. If you want more challenge, Big Woods is just a stone's throw away. I have enjoyed my rounds here (even if the last one was exceptionally windy). Swing through for the history and enjoy. I will play again.
12 of 12 people found this review helpful.
Short and crowded
3 Helpful / 2 Not
Pros: There are 18 tee pads, 18 signs, and 18 baskets all labeled.
All tee signs showed distance.
Park made good use of trees to make shots more difficult (all holes were under 300 ft).
Cons: All holes were under 300ft.
Many holes play on top of one another.
Although each tee has a 'map' on it, you can see three or four holes that are within ten yards of each other and you aren't certain which basket you need to aim for from the tee pad.
Can get crowded quickly (and crowded here means a lot of 'FORE')
Other Thoughts: This is a great course for beginners with the holes being a shorter distance. It really feels like they tried to cram 18 baskets into an area that could really only handle 9 baskets...
There are so many holes where you would play on top of one another on multiple holes (for example, people playing on hole 4, 7, and 11 would all be in the same general area...)
If there are just one or two groups playing you are okay, but otherwise it is a headache. Also, finding which exact basket to aim to was frustrating.
3 of 5 people found this review helpful.
Nice course for beginners
1 Helpful / 0 Not
Pros: -Concrete tee pads
-Signs on each hole
-Good use of small area
-Good for beginners as holes are short
-Quick course to play
Cons: -Flat, no elevation change
-Holes are short in distance
-Only Par 3's
-Each hole is similar
-Baskets are close to each other, difficult to determine what basket you are throwing at for players not familiar with the course
-Would be easy to hit another player
-No hole long enough to 'rip' a drive
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
Nice, Short Course
2 Helpful / 0 Not
Pros: -Nice parking area, big sign near the beginning of the course
-Nice tee pads
-Signs that are there are helpful
-Ace runs
-In a small park, but excellent use of the space
-Very beginner friendly course
-Easy to leave if on time constraints, holes 9 and 18 both end up near the parking area
-The park seemed to be well maintained
-Won't lose a disc here
-Nothing but positive experiences with the locals here
Cons: -Baskets are mostly okay, but a bit iffy
-Most shots here are very similar, not too many unique holes
-No elevation change
-Not much distance variation between most holes, mostly around 200 feet, give or take a few
-Park was pretty cramped and an errant disc throw could go onto another fairway
-Navigation for a first-timer may be a bit difficult than it should be, not too big of an issue though
Other Thoughts: This is a very cool place to disc golf at since it is the oldest in Iowa, I believe. This would be an excellent place for someone new to the game to play at. Fairly short holes with obstacles, but nothing too challenging. For an experienced player, I would still stop by due to historic element of the park, but don't expect too much out of the course. Fairly standard town park without too much variation, but a good location to work on some different shots and maybe sink an ace or two.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.
1 Helpful / 0 Not
Pros: Another hometown favorite. Short, fun course to work on your mid game.
- oldest course in Iowa
- good use of small space
- teepads in good condition
- located right on the cedar river
- lots of local involvement
- nice small shelter
- plenty of parking usually
There is also a free Tuesday night doubles league throughout the whole season
Cons: - constant flooding, toward the beginning of the season, leaves lots of dead patches throughout the summer
- all short holes
- baskets need upgraded
- can get pretty crowded during the summer
- trash accumulates occasionally
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
ace runs galore
4 Helpful / 0 Not
Pros: This course should be renamed Leave Your Drivers At Home Park, because there's maybe two baskets out of 18 that can't be hit with a routine putter or Buzzz drive, and even those can be had with a better-than-average toss. Good place to work that midrange game, and the course plays short and fast. Gas station is right across the river, and Main Street Cedar Falls is maybe 1/2 mile away and has lots of food/drink options.
Cons: Litter and routine flooding means no barefoot rounds, and it can get pretty crowded. The layout is pretty boring, and due to the proximity of other holes it isn't very beginner-friendly as one could easily hyzer or griplock a drive right at another group.
Other Thoughts: This course is perfect for night rounds. There are a couple streetlights out on the course that are usually on, and I have a dozen or so led lights that hang in the baskets. Since the course is so compact it's easy and quick to light it up, and because the fairways are pretty wide open you don't have to worry about your throwing lanes in the dark.
--update - I played a reverse round here yesterday, which is perfect for winter disc. The format is: throw from #1 pad to #17 basket, then #18 pad to #16 basket, #17 pad to #15 basket, etc. It made for a pretty crazy layout (18-16 is maybe 100ft, other holes are 400ft), which is sweet since this course is pretty dang short and boring in normal play. The reverse path will be my round of choice from now on, crowd-permitting of course.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.
A Good Short Course
1 Helpful / 9 Not
Pros: Hard to say, look at my other thoughts.
Cons: Hard to say, look at my other thoughts.
Other Thoughts: This is a nice free course for those who live in the area. Most of the holes are the same, though. Open fairways and some trees scattered about. Only one section that really has some woods. The course gets flooded every year, so its all dirt, next to no grass. It is really hard to find where you are going. Their's no signage what so ever, so its a guessing game. If I wasn't with my cousins, their's no way I would of figured it out. The real challenge is not to over through it. I would definitely play it again. Its not a must-play, but its a good short course that offers small challenges, mostly getting around the trees.
1 of 10 people found this review helpful.
Lost in the open
3 Helpful / 3 Not
Pros: Can see baskets from all teepads.
Quick play.
Cons: Fairly monotonous, most of the hole are the same. i.e. short hole straight holes with a couple of trees in the way.
Used only a roc on this course, and did fine on my first try.
Difficult to find your way around on your first time. Lack of signs doesn't help, but also the course is so crammed together, and baskets poorly marked, that you are not always sure which basket you are going to.
Other Thoughts: When finding your way the first time, it helps to notice the dirt paths (where people have walked many times.) It can still be confusing at times, but it helps.
3 of 6 people found this review helpful.
easiest course in w'loo/cf area
5 Helpful / 0 Not
Pros: decent tee pads
close to everything yet far enough off 2 busy roads not to notice the traffic
little danger of losing a disk unless you overshoot a few holes
Cons: lots of use and a pretty tight course, can easily cross over holes/fairways and interfere with others.
lacking most signage due to constant cedar flooding
tends to be a bit confusing but once tee pads are found the have hole number and direction spray-painted on them.
Other Thoughts: hole 6 and 8 baskets are right next to eachother, for firs timers on course 6 is the on on left.
This is my feelgood course of the local 4. lots of birdies to be had here. have missed several short aces here(3) all by overshooting thru the chains. also pulled my 1st ever ace on 18 which i believe is the longest hole (if not its 2nd to 16)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful.
Short Game
0 Helpful / 6 Not
Pros: nice short course, allows for few different shot types, close to gas stations, food joints and close to down town bars. good short game practice course
Cons: short, not many holes to unload on, for a few weeks each summer they remove the baskets for the town drunk fest, Sturgis Falls Celebration, which is a good time too! course is pretty trashed after Sturgis, likes to get flooded since it is right next to the river
Other Thoughts: nice little 18 hole course, pretty short driving distance to a couple more challenging courses
0 of 6 people found this review helpful.
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2-4 
8/4/2020 
7/20/2020
Review By: Mhageman4 
This review was updated on 8/4/2020
Hole #13 (Taken 5/2014) 
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