Basic Information
Course Location: Will Rogers Park
Geographic Location: northwest Oklahoma City, OK (35.50265, -97.58024)
Date Visited: April 2023
Number of Holes: 18
Course Length: 4680 feet, par 54
Cost to Play: free
Difficulty Level: recreational, medium
Difficulty Level: recreational, medium
Carts: should be fine here
Potential to Lose Discs: low to medium; creek in play on several holes
Park Information: https://www.okc.gov/departments/parks-recreation/will-rogers-gardens
DG Course Review Page: https://www.dgcoursereview.com/course.php?id=860
Course Walkabout Video, Front 9:
Course Walkabout Video, Back 9:
Driving Directions: On the northwest side of Oklahoma City, take SR 66 to Portland Avenue and go south on Portland Ave. Drive Portland Ave. south 0.7 miles to NW 30th Street and turn left on NW 30th St. Turn left at the next intersection, and park in the small blacktop lot on the left just past the park's aquatic center. #1 tee is at the north side of this lot.
Course Constructions:
Tees: concrete, 1 per hole
Baskets: Discatcher, 1 per hole; older but in good shape on my visit
Signage: none
Amenities: picnic pavilion, bike path, aquatic center, playground
Summary Review: 2.5 Stars (out of 5)
Built in 1979, the disc golf course at Will Rogers Park is one of the oldest disc golf courses I have reviewed. While it has some warts, it is actually holding up rather well for its age. The course is reasonably well-maintained except for the signs, which need to be completely replaced. Some of the course route has the back-and-forth spaghetti feel, and due to the lack of signs you might want to take a few seconds at each tee and basket to look around for tees/baskets you will need to find in the future. A couple of holes play too close to park roads for comfort, but for the most part this course has minimal outside interference from pedestrians and cars. Will Rogers Park is an urban park, and it has all of the problems urban parks experience these days including vandalism and transients. Although a concrete-walled drainage channel is in play on 5 holes, many holes have no obstacles other than a couple of trees, some moderate terrain, and the wind. That said, this is Oklahoma, so the wind will almost always be a factor. On the morning I came here capturing video for my course walkabout, the wind blew hard enough to blow my camera around on the gimble; that was a first for me. While not an outstanding course in any way, Will Rogers Park is a solid recreational course that provides a pleasant round. It is worth a stop if you are in Oklahoma City.
Hole-by-Hole Review
Distances taken from dgcoursereview.com; link provided above. Picture sequence for each hole is 1) tee, 2) approach, 3) basket to tee.
Hole #1: 285 feet, par 3
Comments: a slightly downhill hole that plays north over a small drainage. A single medium-sized tree guards the front right of the basket, and the concrete-walled drainage channel on the left could come into play with a bad throw or a big gust of wind. Honestly, this is one of my favorite holes on this course. #2 tee is to the right.
Hole #2: 240 feet, par 3
Comments: kind of the opposite of hole #1 with 2 medium-sized trees guarding the right side. Hence, a straight or slight left-to-right disc flight is preferred. A bike path and road on the left should be OB, and they could come into play with a bad throw or gust of wind. #3 tee is across the road behind the basket.
Hole #3: 170 feet, par 3
Comments: a short slightly uphill hole that plays in a direction that is perpendicular to the first 2 holes. (Aside: hole direction is very important on this course due to the wind.) One large tree guards either side, but an ace is possible with a good throw. When I played this hole, I aimed at the tree near the basket and shaped my disc slightly left. #4 tee is to the left; the parking lot is directly behind the basket if you only want to play 3 holes.
Hole #4: 275 feet, par 3
Comments: now we return to the north-south orientation that will dominate the rest of the front nine. This hole has no obstacles between the tee and basket, and the park road on the right is a little too close for comfort. Check for cars before you throw. #5 tee is downhill to the left.
Hole #5: 212 feet, par 3
Comments: this hole plays straight up/down the shallow ravine, and only a couple of large trees make this hole the least bit interesting. #6 tee is uphill to the right.
Hole #6: 227 feet, par 3
Comments: playing the opposite direction as #5, this hole heads back down into the shallow ravine. A large tree in front of the basket requires you to bring your disc in from the left. The basket is located atop a small pile of bricks, which makes putting more interesting. #7 tee is behind the basket and under the tree.
Hole #7: 211 feet, par 3
Comments: continuing to head south, this hole plays back up out of the ravine. There are no obstacles between the tee and basket except for one overhanging tree branch, so a good throw should set up an easy birdie opportunity. #8 tee is behind the basket.
Hole #8: 330 feet, par 3
Comments: this hole plays the opposite direction as the two previous holes and plays back across the ravine. There are no obstacles on this hole, and an easy birdie can be had if you get enough distance on your drive. #9 tee is uphill to the right.
Hole #9: 271 feet, par 3
Comments: very similar to hole #6 but 50 feet longer and one old, battle-scarred tree directly in front of the basket. #10 tee is behind the basket and to the right, across the road.
Hole #10: 173 feet, par 3
Comments: this hole plays into the very southeast corner of the park, and multiple large trees make it the most heavily wooded hole on this course. A low straight disc flight seems to work best here: it still gets you close to the basket due to this hole's short length. While not a great hole, it makes a nice change of pace from what you have played on the first 9 holes, and therefore I like it. #11 tee is several hundred feet away; walk back toward #10 tee and angle left.
Hole #11: 330 feet, par 3
Comments: the next 2 holes head west into the southwest corner of the park. This hole is fairly flat with only a single tree guarding the front right side of the basket, so it is more like the front nine than the previous hole. #12 tee is to the left and back toward the tee.
Hole #12: 196 feet, par 3
Comments: you have to thread your tee shot through or around a pair of tall trees. Once that is accomplished, this is a completely open hole. #13 tee is across the park road to the right.
Hole #13: 211 feet, par 3
Comments: a short downhill hole with a tree in front, the drainage channel to the right, and a public road behind the basket. Yet the hole is short and open enough that an accurate throw will leave a good birdie opportunity. #14 tee is to the right near the creek.
Hole #14: 288 feet, par 3
Comments: the most uphill hole on this course, it is also very open, although some small trees near the basket might become larger obstacles over time. Notice the beautiful and rustic stone picnic pavilion behind the basket, a reminder of this park's age and glory days. #15 tee is to the left.
Hole #15: 255 feet, par 3
Comments: this very open hole plays back downhill, and the drainage channel is definitely in play on your left. I could smell a smoky odor coming from the dense wooded area beside the channel, one that may have originated at the dispensary across the street. The basket is located atop a wooden frame, which makes putting slightly more interesting. #16 tee is up the hill to the right.
Hole #16: 224 feet, par 3
Comments: another completely open hole, but some small trees near the basket may become obstacles in time. This hole plays the same direction as hole #15. #17 tee is to the right.
Hole #17: 462 feet, par 3
Comments: by far the longest hole on this course, your disc has to pass through or around a tight row of trees to get to the basket. Maybe this hole should be a short par 4, but with no tee signs to indicate the par it probably doesn't matter. Played as a par 3, this hole is easily the hardest hole on this course, and it is also one of my favorites. #18 tee is to the left.
Hole #18: 320 feet, par 3
Comments: a very open finishing hole with a single tree between the tee and basket but the concrete-walled drainage channel looming to the left. There is a decent bit of room to the right, plus you might get a favorable left kick off of the hillside. The parking lot is up a steep hill to the right.
