Grand Rapids is ranked the 14th best disc golf destination in the United States and the 1st in Michigan by popular golf app UDisc. Multiple touring professionals call Grand Rapids home, including 2023 United States Disc Golf Champion Kyle Klein, who played his first tournament at Old Farm Park in Kentwood – one of a dozen or so disc golf courses within twenty minutes of the Grand Rapids area.
The origins of disc golf can be traced back to the 1980s, and there is evidence of the sport’s beginnings scattered throughout courses in Grand Rapids. Early courses used natural and man-made objects as targets, including wooden 4x4’s dug into the ground. These little pieces of history can still be seen at Garfield, Riverside and Brewer Park – three of the oldest courses in town.
Nowadays, sufficient park funding and generous community volunteering through the Grand Rapids Disc Golfers United League have given most courses premium baskets and concrete tee pads. So all you need is a map and some discs – and perhaps some water and sunscreen – to fill your weekend with fun for the whole family. And the best part about it? Courses are free to play.
Continuing the affordable theme, you can score great deals on used discs – and shop the latest and most requested discs – at Great Lakes Disc on the corner of Kalamazoo and 44th Street.
Our courses are suited to players of all ages and skill levels, and many are within public parks that also offer playgrounds, walking paths, ballfields and other amenities. They’re all close to numerous other attractions, so stay for a while and explore the city’s art and culture, craft beverage, food, family fun and outdoor recreation scenes in addition to working on your game at these fine destinations:
Ready, set, go!
Photo by Experience Grand Rapids
Garfield Park
Total course distance: 4,709 ft
If you’ve only got a couple hours to play and are looking for a casual round, Garfield Park is your best bet. The signage is very easy to follow and the course is well maintained. It is also open, flat and stroller friendly, and not too challenging. This is a great place to introduce beginners and children to the sport. There are seasonal bathrooms, and even if you find yourself itching to play in the winter, the community usually stays on top of shoveling tee pads.
Jaycee Park
Total course distance: 4,558 ft
Slightly more challenging but still easy to follow and play with family, Jaycee Park is a great introduction to wooded courses. Most of the holes fall under the 300 ft range, and the tee pad and basket layout is intuitive. This course is also quite flat, but some of the fairways are close to other baskets, so keep an eye out for stray drives. Etiquette is to yell “fore” if you see your throw heading towards somebody.
Old Farm Park is a great course for beginners and is accessible to families.
Photo by Disc Golf Scene
Old Farm Park
Total course distance: 4,008 ft
This course is a great one to pair with Jaycee for a day of disc golf, as they’re less than three miles apart. You’ll encounter a nice mix of tight wooded shots here, along with open fields for maximum distance shots and control play. Shorter length and light difficulty make Old Farm Park accessible to families and beginners, and it brings the community together for a Fall Farm Fling food drive event every year. Map apps can be a little confusing with this location, so either use UDisc or take Embro Dr SE (off Stauffer Ave SE) to the park.
Johnson Park
Total course distance: 4,640 ft
Johnson Park originally started an object style course back in 1996. The course got a big renovation in 2017, which included installing concrete tee pads and premium baskets. The course overhaul is a spectacular combination of field, forest, and challenging elevation. Although Johnson’s distance is similar to the others, the incline makes the course play much harder. Most holes will have you climbing up and down hills, so bring some water and be ready for some cardio!
Earl Brewer Park
Total course distance: Red Tees 5,055 ft / Gold Tees 8,281 ft
Brewer was established way back in 1981 and used to be two separate courses of 36 holes. In 2017, the course underwent a huge redesign and is now a challenging 18-hole course that hosts the annual River City Open, a regional qualifier for the Discraft Great Lakes Open. At over 8000 ft, the gold layout is long enough to be a pro-tier course, and with how well maintained it is, Earl Brewer Park absolutely earns a spot as one of the best open courses in West Michigan. Not only is it cart friendly, but the shorter red tees layout is great for beginners and families looking to have an exciting round. Be aware that the parking lot by hole 1 is closed seasonally, so if you want to play this course during the colder months, you’ll have to park in the southern lot and start on hole 8.
Grand Rapids Rotary North
Total course distance: 6,136 ft
Commonly referred to as “Grand Isle” this course at Grand Rapids Rotary North is built on an old golf course that runs along the Grand River. Similar to Riverside Park (below), this course has rubber tee pads and is mostly open field shots. There is some signage, but you’ll still want to familiarize yourself with a map before playing a full 18. It also gets pretty muddy in the spring and early summer, making some parts of the course inaccessible. Aim to play this one in the dry season. Driving to the course may feel a little strange, as the map will take you down a dirt road past a large housing complex, but just follow it to the end and you’ll see some baskets.
Long summer days and dozens of nearby courses make Grand Rapids a disc golfer's paradise.
Photo by Experience Grand Rapids
Far Hill Disc Golf Course
Total course distance: 5,317 ft
A bit further of a drive but still only 20 minutes from downtown, Far Hill is the newest course on our list. Established in 2020, this Sparta course has two rotating layouts of varied difficulty. It’s situated on a beautiful plot of land, and the care and maintenance is done almost exclusively by community volunteers. Most of the course is flat, but if you find yourself off the fairway, getting your disc can be a real challenge. The fairways are very tight and call for dialed in shots, so if you’re looking for a novice round, head elsewhere. The course is located at the back of the Sparta Sports Park , and players are encouraged to park in the paved lot and make the walk down the dirt road to hole 1.
Courtland Township Disc Golf Course
Total course distance: 3,364 ft to 5,541 ft
Rockford is a quaint town less than 20 minutes north of Grand Rapids, and if your trip brings you that direction, consider stopping by Courtland Township’s disc golf course . Whether you are interested in a family-friendly round or a challenging day, this course has what you need. There are two tee pads and two baskets for every hole. Courtland also has great signage, manicured fairways, and enchanting pine trees and birch groves, earning it a solid position on the list.
Fallasburg Park
Total course distance: 3,848 ft to 8,309 ft
Fallasburg is close to Lowell, and it is well worth a day trip for the whole family. Fallasburg Park offers 250 acres of scenic trails, as well as a diverse 24-hole disc golf course. You can expect everything from tight woods golf to big open field shots. It is very well marked and hosts a winter league that runs every Sunday morning with turnouts of over 100 people. There are both short and long tee pads, as well as bonus holes, so it’s ideal for both fun family play and serious competition. Consider checking out the surrounding park during your visit and have a picnic by the covered bridge.
Riverside Park is one of Grand Rapids' largest parks.
Photo by Experience Grand Rapids
Honorable Mentions
Disc golfers generally consider the above courses to be the area’s overall best, but these courses also have plenty to recommend them:
Cascade Park is a family-friendly course with a shorter, mostly open layout and forest baskets.
Grace Christian University is a picturesque campus with an open-to-the-public disc golf course winding around the grounds.
Highland Park is the closest disc golf course to downtown Grand Rapids (about two miles). There’s an even mix of wooded and open holes, with some elevation.
Larmar Park features a compact 9-hole course in Wyoming that is excellent for beginners.
New Community Church has an 18-hole mini disc golf course with smaller baskets that require 3” mini discs for play.
Riverside Park offers one of the city’s most scenic disc golf course experiences. The flat 18-hole course winds around a large lagoon throughout a fairly open park bordering the Grand River. Scattered trees provide a challenge.
With all these courses, it should come as no surprise that Grand Rapids enjoys a lively tournament and league scene. There are disc golf events nearly every weekend from May through September. Casual leagues run every night in the summer through Grand Rapids Disc Golfers United, and getting involved is as easy as showing up. Solo players and newbies are always welcome, making these events a great way to meet new people and enjoy the great outdoors.