Joliet, IL

West Park - Old Layout

3.585(based on 51 reviews)
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4 0
pfeltrop
Experience: 117 played 3 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Landfill 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 18, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

Good hole design
Technical
Elevation changes
Fairly dry even after getting tons of rain
Installed in 1979 and still enjoyable. Would be fun to play with pre-bevel discs

Cons:

Terrible navigation
No course map
Interstate noise (course on the Interstate shoulder)
Garbage - EVERYWHERE! Broken glass and trash everywhere.
Creek had dead animals and garbage in it (disc goes in there, just leave it)
Par is way too soft, but expected for the age

Other Thoughts:

Felt like I needed to take a shower with bleach and then set myself on fire to get rid of the nastiness of that course.
Adding arrows pointing to the next tee at each basket would be extremely useful.

All the garbage would have to be cleaned up before I would want to play here again.
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4 0
SpartanDisc
Silver level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 21.7 years 237 played 27 reviews
3.50 star(s)

A great old course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 3, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

- 24 holes with 2 tees per hole makes for a lot of disc golf to be played
- Good shot variety. While there aren't a ton of extremely wooded holes, there are a few tight ones and the design of the course allows for a lot of different shots to be played in a round.
- A few signature holes make good use of the bit of elevation, specifically #2 which is a blind shot off a cliff and over a creek and hole #16 which is a downhill tunnel shot through some pretty thick rough
- Not that it affects the play of the course, but it is nice to see that the oldest course in Illinois is still up and running in good condition
- Not really a true "pro," but since the course is really old, the course par is insanely easy. Just feels good to use the DGCG scorekeeping app and at the end of the round be told I shot 23 under par ;)

Cons:

- The course could use a bit better signage as there are some spots where finding the next tee can be challenging unless you know the course. Also a few places where you tee off a road could be better marked in terms of where the tee pad should actually be.
- In some places the teepads are marked by white or red stones/markings for the white or red pads, but on some holes they don't seem match which tee the sign says should be where. Whites are supposed to be longer but on some holes I felt it was the opposite, or maybe I was just confused which pad was which due to it not being totally clear.
- On the back half of the course, it was clear that the holes were just kind of jammed in there. There are a lot of pads and baskets near each other, which in addition to making navigation confusing, leads to some dangerous areas if the course is packed. A few holes play within a few feet of a road (not counting the small road through the park) which could lead to a car being hit or a disc being ran over
- Gets really muddy if there has been a lot of rain
- Doesn't have pads for all 48 tees

Other Thoughts:

In writing this, I feel like it might sound like my "cons" are a lot more descriptive and thoughtful than my "pros" and make it sound like I'm being negative. Truthfully, I really enjoy playing this course, and it is one of my constant go-to's in the area. It has a few issues, but it is a lot of fun to play and overall it is very well designed on a majority of holes. I was torn between a 3.5 or 4 but the 3 or 4 overlapping holes on the back 9 made me decide to go with a 3.5. I highly recommend anyone in the area checking it out, if for no other reason than to play the oldest course in the state.
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1 3
Dbandit2816
Experience: 16.9 years 36 played 2 reviews
4.00 star(s)

fun course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 16, 2016 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Great course. #2 is an excellent hole. You throw from a cliff to a hard left. Has a good variety of long open drives and technical wooded shots. Can be a challenging park for beginners. But overall a very fun course to throw.

Cons:

Its hard to navigate holes a little bit these days. Some of the signs are hard to see or read. Some of the tee offs could really use some tlc..
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1 4
joelhartzell
Experience: 9.6 years 22 played 5 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Great course! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 9, 2015 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Love the drop off of Hole 2. Good variety, the front 12 are mostly wooded and the back 12 are mostly open shots. Signs are all in ok condition considering how old this course is.

Cons:

Not a fan of hole 3 with the deep disc-eating dirty creek right behind the basket. Only complaint though.
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4 0
SneakyJedi
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 14.8 years 143 played 83 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Fun, and almost great 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 6, 2014 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

- Good use of elevation
- Several fun holes
- Decent variety and pacing
- Easy enough for beginners to have a good time, challenging enough for the more advanced to hunt for birdies.
- 24 holes

Cons:

- No concrete teepads, hopefully will be remedied soon. Natural pads eroded significantly in some areas.
- Course really suffers after a significant rain.
- Through 24 holes, only a few where you can really break out your drivers.
- Navigation can be tricky your first time out. My buddies and I got lost between 8 and 9 and again briefly on the back end

Other Thoughts:

West Park is a very fun, if not overly challenging, course. There are many fun and interesting holes sprinkled through the course, and while some may feel redundant, they do not take away much from the overall experience.

Many shot shapes are needed, and elevation is used to great effect on several fairways and greens.

While you will be able to get by with a putter or midrange on the majority of holes, there are enough opportunities to breakout the driver to keep things from getting too stale.

Concrete tees and a bit of work on some of the more eroded areas would really improve the playability of this course, especially after a day or two of rain.

West Park is a lot of fun to play, and combined with one or more of the other Joliet area courses, makes for a great day of disc golf.
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6 0
thrembo
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 48.8 years 242 played 194 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Old course reviewed by old player 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jul 27, 2013 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

A somewhat short technical course that's wooded and challenging.

The course offers a wide variety of shot options.

The course caters to all skill levels and under normal conditions, is very fun to play.

It is one of the oldest courses in Illinois, with the original 18 being put in the ground in 1979.

Friendly locals and a long standing tradition of fun tournaments.

Cons:

The course is not so fun when its raining out, or after a heavy rain. It can get very muddy.

The course could really benefit from some concrete tee pads.

It can get very crowded.

The navigation can be a little tricky. I would recommend a guide, if playing for the 1st time.

Other Thoughts:

I started playing this course when it was first put in, and it was the 1st course that I played with baskets for targets. It will always be my home course, and hold a special place in my heart.

The cons have not changed over the years, but with that in mind, it is still a very fun course for all skill levels and a must play for this area. It really is a piece of Illinois disc golf history.
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3 0
LeddZepp8687
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 12.9 years 115 played 19 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Wild Wild West 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 4, 2012 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

-Oldest course in IL!
-Tons of different shots here
-Excellent use of elevation
-Good mix of distance
-Lots of reward for well thrown shots, consequently errant shots are punished and can cost you multiple throws to get yourself out of trouble.
-Pretty good flow from hole to hole
-A couple of real tight, challenging fairways which I really like.
-Very quiet minus the noise generated by the nearby highway
-24 holes, I wish more courses were this long. I like to play until I'm tired and this course is perfect for starting or ending a day of disc'n when you play another one of the nearby courses or play around this one twice
-This is one of those "must play" courses in the chicagoland area, That in itself says something about the course.
-Lots of "fun factor" here, This is a fun course, No doubt about that.

Cons:

-Navigation, the baskets are not taped to direct you to the next hole and although most of the time it is relatively straightforward there are a couple or confusing spots, Luckily locals pointed us in the right direction.
-Natural tees, I know this is being a bit picky but there are a couple of real sketchy tees. The natural tees are true to this course's old school roots but concrete would be a nice addition to an already great course.
-This course is a MESS after it rains. If there has been recent rains, skip it. It does dry out quick though.

Other Thoughts:

This is one of the first courses I day-tripped to play when I was still wet behind the ears in the disc golf world and it had been a while since I had been back and after playing it again today I realized how much I really liked it.

You have to remind yourself when you play this course that it is the FIRST disc golf course in Illinois, Thats super cool to me. Think of all the aces and good times that have been had here over the years.

This may not be the most beginner friendly course out there but we took a rookie out today and he had a rough time on some of the holes but he said he really enjoyed it.

Also, aces and chains disc golf store (www.acesandchains.com ) is right around the corner (Intersection of jefferson and larkin, behind the subway) if you need anything disc golf related, stop by. Skip the big stores, Support locals and shop locally.
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3 3
steven2361
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 15.9 years 286 played 53 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Classic short course 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 15, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

There's a variety of holes requiring unique lines here. There are two sets of tees on some holes. There is some cool elevation on several holes. A fun opportunity to rip it is there in the open on hole 11. Hole 10 from the long tee is unique as it requires a righty backhand flex line.

Cons:

This is a very short course. It can feel repetitive throwing a lot of putters and mids. This course is very eroded and most of the lines are very open and not very demanding. I don't really care for hole 16, a blind hole with ob road 1 foot behind the basket. There is not many opportunities to throw drivers here.

Other Thoughts:

One of the oldest courses around.
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0 6
ski3
Experience: 25.8 years 5 played 5 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Favorite Course in Southwest Chicagoland 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 12, 2005 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Love the elevations of the course. Excellent fairways to execute. Good shots out of tree line, especially the one on top of the hill pretty much thrown over the forest.

Cons:

The area turned, making it a better course to play afternoon well before day break.

Other Thoughts:

Probably the most elevated course I've played on in the south burbs. Always a challenge. Great use of space and always maintained.
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0 3
Water_Wind_Spirit
Experience: 15.8 years 31 played 4 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Last 1's To Play In Da Heat 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jul 4, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Very cool course! One of the first courses I played when I got into the sport of DiscGolf. Witnessed my friend getting an ace on hole #5

Cons:

Nothing really bad to say about this course.

Other Thoughts:

Hole #3 feels like your in Jurassic Park!
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1 0
Chicagolandlefty
Experience: 26.8 years 93 played 8 reviews
3.50 star(s)

A favorite 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 9, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

This course has some of the best variety of holes with a few special ones that are as good as you'll see anywhere.

Hole 2 could be my favorite hole ever. You tee from the edge of a cliff down through some trees to a hole that looks so small that it's unreachable, but I usually manage to have a reasonable putt for a deuce. There's a water hazard (creek) that you can usually retain your disc from, which adds an extra something. There is another blind shot that's downhill from elevation that's a similar, but shorter version.

There's a good mix of wooded and elevation in the first 15 or so and then it starts to open up a bit for the final several holes. They've carved out some nice angles using the trees.

It's a beautiful park with a creek, hills and plenty of tall trees.

While an errant shot can be punished by giving you a bad angle at the pin, there aren't too many places where you'd struggle to find your disc.

Cons:

As someone who has played it a couple times a year for many years I know not to play it when it's wet. Just keep that in mind because if you know to simply play when it hasn't rained a lot recently that's not a factor. It will drain (and is often bone dry) unlike some of the drainage ditch courses in the Chicago area.

Despite my familiarity with the course I always tend to get a little lost in a couple places. Some sign improvements could make this the best course around.

A lot of people complain about the tees, but I've played it when it's really dry and the natural tees work just fine. That said, a lot of people seem to care about what kind of tees there are so natural tees is a con to some.

Other Thoughts:

I wanted to give this a 4.0, but the more I thought about it the more the lack of directions within the course had to bump it down a peg. Regardless, you must play this course if you love disc golf. 24 with good baskets, variety and fun shots.
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3 0
Jashwa
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 19.8 years 173 played 86 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Almost an outstanding course 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:May 27, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

My review of West Park DG Course is one that I'm very torn on... there were parts of my round here where I thought to myself "I want to make this a favorite" and parts where I wanted to pick up my discs and go home. The pros are the following:

*24 holes! Mentally, I felt like the round was nearing an end around hole 15 or so, but then I remembered that there was still a lot of disc golf to be played!

*Scenic holes... Hole 2 in particular was awesome! Pretty much throwing off of a mini-cliff with some trees to sculpt a line for you to hit. This is one that I would love to ace (or see aced) some day.

In all, it was a pretty challenging round with a lot of fun holes and a few like number two that I would call good "signature" holes.

Cons:

*Unfortuante lack of tee-pads. Sometimes this isn't too bad of a thing, but here it got pretty bad in that there were roots and slopes and crazy things preventing a solid approach.

*Bad flow... I was lucky to have someone who had played the course before with me because I would have had no idea.

*For me, a feeling of being isolated or seperated from the rest of the world is an awesome thing while disc golfing (for both safety and enjoyment reasons). That did not happen here! Multiple playgrounds and streets and houses come into play here which kind of made the round less fun for me.
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5 1
sthomas128
Experience: 15.7 years 54 played 16 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Standing The Test Of Time 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:May 25, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

.
**The first course in Illinois
**STILL Standing the test of time
**Still a VERY fun course to play
**Good use of elevation
**Hole #2 is the signature hole for sure
**Good variety of shots
**Still a BLAST to play even with the navigation issues

Cons:

.
**COME ON Joliet Park District...Spend a little bit of money on EROSION CONTROL...
** You walk up to the first tee and the concrete park bench seat hits you above the waist it's sooo eroded away.
**LOTS of EROSION issues with this course.
**Several of the tees are eroded away by at least a foot ! ! !
**Would score LOTS higher with Concrete Pads and some erosion control

Other Thoughts:

.
*****The GPS coordinates found here for this course are for Hole 1 which is like a couple hundred feet from I80. My GPS said I had reached my destination right on I80.
FOLLOW THE WRITTEN DIRECTIONS HERE FOR EXIT NUMBER AND HOW TO GET THERE*****
**Hey J-Town Disc Golf Club...Can someone make a course map and post it here, That would sure help newbies find their way around???
**Several places where we could and did get lost, only some help from the locals kept us going in the right direction.
**From hole 8 to 9??? Who's going to figure that out without some help???
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2 0
Jax11
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 14.8 years 103 played 35 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Timeless Classic 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 23, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

- High fun factor
- Lots of birdie opportunities
- Solid elevation changes
- Well defined fairways
- Variety of lines required
- Some distance variety
- Some risk/reward decisions
- Course flows well from hole to hole
- Bathroom on site in the back near hole #9

Cons:

- Teepads are natural and rough
- Erosion issues regarding the teepads, they are treacherous!
- Holes 2-5, 11, and 16 can get extremely sloppy after a significant rainfall.
- Lacks challenge, it is a true deuce or die kind of course
- Majority of holes lack distance

Other Thoughts:

West Park is a timeless classic and despite its shorter distance and sometimes lack of a challenge, it is an extremely fun course to play. Most of the holes play through moderately wooded and hilly terrain. The elevation is used very well and provides some really enjoyable down hill shots. Despite the fact that most holes are under 300ft, there are a few holes that let the bigger arms air it out. The fairways are well defined and the navigation is easy. Most holes are rather straight-forward and do not require a guide or walk down the fairway in order to understand the designer's intention.

The creek on the left of #2 drops off near the center and it is possible to lose a disc in there. Otherwise, the creek generally stays pretty low and any disc that goes in should be fairly easy to see and retrieve.

Bathrooms right near hole #9's teepad, but they are sometimes locked.

Bring bug spray as the mosquitoes get pretty bad in the summer.

Overall, West Park is a timeless classic. It is worth a play at least once if you are within a couple hours. The fun factor is extremely high as every hole seems to present a deuce or ace opportunity. With renovations such as concrete teepads and some way to deal with the flooding on holes 2-4 this course could be a 4 or 4.5
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2 4
Aysizhi
Experience: 16 years 16 played 2 reviews
4.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 5, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Great use of terrain on this winding wooded course. You don't need a huge arm on this course to be successful. If you just play a smart game and make consistent accurate throws, you will be rewarded.

Cons:

The mud/dirt tees can be daunting, but you get used to it.

Other Thoughts:

This is my favorite course in Illinois and also the course I've played the most... nearly 100 rounds I'd say, so I might be biased.
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0 4
gowiththeFLOW
Experience: 14.8 years 8 played 5 reviews
4.00 star(s)

The Wild West 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 18, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-24 Hole course
-Technical course
-Variety of holes

Cons:

-Swampy when rainy
-Can lose discs easily

Other Thoughts:

West park, or the wild west, because you dont know whats in store. very nice course to become a well rounded player. Many technical holes from start to finish.
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1 5
RipHausser
Experience: 26.8 years 104 played 4 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Love it 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 12, 2011 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

My home course and love it. Nothing bad to say about it other than needing concrete tees. Its a classic and a staple in Joliet. Been playing it since 97

Cons:

Needs concrete tee pads and scum bag control.

Other Thoughts:

Hole 16 has been trimmed up finally.
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1 3
Aestheticflight
Experience: 31 years 151 played 12 reviews
3.50 star(s)

West Park Fun and fast 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Sep 7, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

A very FUN course with many interesting holes. I think the course is fun for all skill levels because although there are few chances to throw a driver there are many holes that demand a well chosen and executed line. Lots of woodsy holes and several made me smile when I first saw them. Nice use of the hills and elevation variations. 24 holes.

Close to the highway if you are passing through I highly recommend this stop.

Cons:

The pads were rough and this course would be much improved by good tees. If it is muddy I am sure this could be a problem. Not a course to let you throw the big air drives much, though there are a few chances. At points course was a bit tricky to follow and some signage could be very helpful to new visitors.

Other Thoughts:

Not a world championship caliber course but it rates high on my fun scale which is why I give it a 3.5. Only a couple longish holes, more of a control type of course which causes you to find your line and hit it. We need courses like this... they make this game fun for all.
For advanced players every hole is 2 able but, there are risks involved (as there should be in my book). For intermediates this course would be fun too, and even for beginners I believe though it is far from wide open being in the woods so much.

I had a blast playing it. I was fairly hot that day and made 21 deuces out of 24 holes.. I was impressed with the design, Great job you guys! *****
Not sure why I get thumbs down? I am not descriptive of holes I guess... Others do that enough and I don't recall enough to do that playing it only once, but I recommend this course if you get the chance to play it. It is high on my fun list and I have to believe most folks would agree.
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2 3
gkeberhart
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 15.6 years 36 played 31 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Still fun for an older course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 11, 2011 Played the course:once

Pros:

Tee signs on every hole and each tee sign also noted where the next tee for the following hole would be located. On the baskets they were indicated as to what hole they were as well so there was never any confusion of whether or not you were throwing at the correct basket. The course was a good mix of hyzer and anhyzer shots as well as elevation changes. All the baskets caught well and seemed as though they were in excellent shape. On many holes there were alternate tees as well.

Cons:

The tees were just plain terrible, part of it was due to a very wet winter season, but most of it was due to they were just trashed and it doesnt seem like anyone takes the time to fix them. In most instances I found them to be very dangerous because of how muddy they were. The first six or seven holes were fairly plain and basically just went back and forth, up one fairway down the next. While i stated that there were designated tee areas, in some instances I found it hard to locate them and in the case of hole 4 I never did.

Other Thoughts:

it was a lot of birdie runs and with the exception of "the green mile" they were all fairly reachable. On a few instances I took a few steps back or to the side of some tees to avoid injuring myself in the mud. Hole 16 was interesting and I unloaded most of my bag in an effort to try and make the shot. If they came around and fixed the tees it would definitely be a much better park. Also, why 24 holes? there is plenty of room to make 27 or go back and make 18 holes with more challenge. A few small fixes to the park and it would definitely be in the 3+ disc range
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2 5
notBOB
Experience: 19.8 years 207 played 16 reviews
3.50 star(s)

dont drink the bog water 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Feb 8, 2011 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

old civil war base<great home course< cant beat the terrain
-variety of cliff shots, mostly short technical, a few long open bombs with towering trees
-10 holes have two tees, whites(longs) and reds> shorts
-tee signs on every hole and garbage cans
-endless safari possibilities when the course is empty
-many different routes for shortened rounds

Cons:

-gets swamped with big groups
-nasty creek...
-natural tees- erosion issues..
-sledders inhibit snow disc
-mosquitos and poison ivy
-holes 5 and 6's tees are painted on the asphault may be hard to see if unacquainted with the course
-long walk from 8 to 9, back tracking, so what.
-hole 14's long tee..? can i call it a tee?? standin on rocks dawg

Other Thoughts:

always fun rounds at westy.
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