Lake Claiborne State Park, Dogwood Course, in Northwest Louisiana

Basic Information

Course Location: Lake Claiborne State Park

Geographic Location: southeast of Homer, LA (32.72289, -92.92298)

Date Visited: February 2026

Number of Holes: 18

Course Length: 6002/5605 feet, par 58

Cost to Play: $3 park entrance fee
Difficulty Level: recreational, high

Carts: not advisable due to steep areas and deep leaf litter

Beginner Friendly? no

Potential to Lose Discs: medium due to dense woods and deep leaf litter

Park Information: https://www.lastateparks.com/parks-preserves/lake-claiborne-state-park

DG Course Review Page: https://www.dgcoursereview.com/courses/lake-claiborne-sp-dogwood.7252

UDisc Page: https://udisc.com/courses/lake-claiborne-state-park-dogwood-XElc

Course Walkabout Video, Front 9: (coming December 4, 2026)

Course Walkabout Video, Back 9: (coming December 11, 2026)

Driving Directions: From Homer, take SR 146 southeast 10.4 miles to the signed park entrance on the left.  Turn left to enter the park, pay the entrance fee, and park in the small parking lot near the park entrance station.  #1 tee is northeast of the entrance station; look for the portal and course maps in the photo below.

Course Constructions:

Tees: 2 per hole, the back blue tee is concrete, the front red tee is dirt

Baskets: DisCatcher, 1 per hole, but some holes have multiple possible basket positions

Signage: course map near parking lot, hole sign on each blue tee, some signs pointing to the next tee

Amenities: practice basket, restroom, Coke machine, benches on some holes, other amenities including camping elsewhere in the park

Summary Review: 4 Stars (out of 5)

Lake Claiborne State Park has 2 18-hole disc golf courses: the Whitetail Course and the Dogwood Course.  Both courses start at the course map and welcome area just northeast of the entrance station, and both courses have significant elevation and length.  That said, the Whitetail Course is longer and more challenging than the Dogwood Course.  This review considers only the Dogwood Course; the Whitetail Course was covered in the previous review.

The Dogwood Course occupies a hilly and heavily wooded plot of land with 9 holes on either side of the park entrance road.  The course has plenty of elevation, and even though it is shorter than the Whitetail Course, it still has decent length: 4 holes play over 400 feet long.  Course maintenance was acceptable when I came here, but this course had a deep layer of leaf/pine needle litter that can make walking challenging or can cause you to lose a disc if it tunnels under the leaves.  The course has decent replayability: some of the holes play very differently depending on which position the basket is in.  Perhaps this course's greatest flaw is its lack of a signature or memorable hole.  While this course has many good holes, there are no holes that experienced disc golfers haven't seen on other courses.  A seldom-used hiking trail winds around the course, but for the most part this land is devoted exclusively to disc golf.  I saw no major safety issues.  Overall, this is a solid but unspectacular course.  This park is in a somewhat remote location, so I recommend taking an entire day, paying the park entrance fee once, and playing both of this park's courses.  Such a day would be an excellent day of disc golf, and I did enjoy playing both of these courses.

Hole-by-Hole Review 

Distances taken from hole signs at the back tee.  Picture sequence for each hole is 1) back tee, 2) approach, 3) basket to tee.

Hole #1: 270/240 feet, par 3 (Basket in left/A position)

Comments: We start with a short fairly flat hole with a reasonably wide fairway.  When the basket is in the left position, there is a steep dropoff left and long.  Don't get too aggressive with the tee shot, and don't miss left.  #2 tee is to the right.

Hole #2: 192 feet, par 3

Comments: Tighter than the first hole, this hole plays down and up across a steep ravine with the basket slightly lower than the tee.  Aim just left of the tree that stands straight ahead and hope you don't hit a tree to end up in the ravine.  #3 tee is behind the basket.

Hole #3: 263/206 feet, par 3 (Basket in long/left/A position)

Comments: another cross-ravine hole, but the fairway is wider than the previous hole.  Therefore, this hole is a little easier even though it is longer.  As with the previous hole, you really don't want to end up in that ravine.  #4 tee is behind the basket.

Hole #4: 263/246 feet, par 3 (Basket in left/A position)

Comments: a steeply downhill hole with 2 fairways: the left fairway is straighter but tighter than the right fairway, especially if the basket is in the left position.  You can't see the basket from the tee due to the hill, so you need to walk out to the edge of the hill to see where the basket is before you pick a fairway and throw.  Length is not really a factor due to the downhill, so focus on accuracy.  #5 tee is to the right.

Hole #5: 269/236 feet, par 3 (Basket in left/A position)

Comments: This hole plays the opposite direction as the previous hole, and therefore it plays steeply back uphill.  This hole is straight if the basket is in the B position but a dogleg left if the basket is in the A position.  The fairway is tight in either case.  While birdie is possible with a very good throw, par is not a bad score on this hole.  #6 tee is in the power line corridor uphill to the left.

Hole #6: 581 feet, par 4

Comments: After 5 heavily wooded holes, we finally get something more open: this hole plays straight down a power line corridor and across a ravine.  The fairway is plenty wide, but dense woods lie on either side of the corridor.  This hole adds much-needed variety to this course, but it is nothing most players haven't played many times before.  #7 tee is behind the basket.

Hole #7: 300 feet, par 3

Comments: We head back into the woods for the 7th hole, which is a dogleg right that plays gradually uphill.  A couple of trees stand in the middle of the fairway, and the most direct line goes right of those trees.  Those trees make the line quite tight, and it will take a long and accurate throw to set up a birdie putt on this hole.  #8 tee is to the right.

Hole #8: 335/221 feet, par 3 (Basket in long/A position)

Comments: This is a short, straight, flat hole if the basket is in the short/B position but a longer, downhill, dogleg left if the basket is in the A position as it was on my visit.  The hill can give you a good bounce and roll down toward the basket, but it can also carry your disc well beyond the basket if you overthrow.  In addition, 3 trees stand across the fairway like a picket fence.  This hole is a fun and interesting challenge, and it is my favorite hole on the front 9.  #9 tee is back up the hill and to the right.

Hole #9: 467 feet, par 4

Comments: a sharp dogleg right that plays down the hillside and then back up.  The dogleg is near the midpoint of the hole, so 2 fairly straight throws is the best plan of attack.  The fairway is rather generous, but a single tree stands in the middle of the fairway just before the dogleg.  The most direct line goes right of that tree.  This hole is short enough that 2 well-executed throws will lead to a birdie putt.  #10 tee is to the right across the park entrance road.

Hole #10: 318/258 feet, par 3 (Basket in long/left/A position)

Comments: This hole plays out a chute of trees and into a utility corridor.  A single tree blocks your path out of the chute; the most direct route goes left of that tree.  The 2 basket positions are on opposite sides of the utility corridor, so make sure you know where the basket is before you throw your tee shot in order to set up a good angle for your approach or birdie putt.  #11 tee is to the right.

Hole #11: 270/259 feet, par 3 (Basket in right/A position)

Comments: a very tight gradually uphill hole that plays up and over a low ridge.  Keep your disc flying straight or prepare to meet pine.  #12 tee is to the right.

Hole #12: 590/575 feet, par 4 (Basket in right/A position)

Comments: similar in flavor to hole #10 but much longer.  The majority of the fairway runs down the power line corridor, and the chute you are throwing out of is not as tight as on hole #10.  Aggressive players can break out the big arm and use a right-to-left tee shot to get as far down the fairway as possible; this is one of the few opportunities to do that on this course.  The power line corridor is fairly wide, but dense woods lurk on either side.  Like hole #10, the 2 basket positions are on opposite sides of the corridor, so make sure you know where the basket is before you throw your second shot.  This is my favorite par 4 on this course.  #13 tee is to the left.

Hole #13: 318 feet, par 3

Comments: This hole plays moderately downhill before coming gradually back uphill, all the while curving to the right.  The fairway is wide enough to allow you some room to work a disc, but the woods on either side are dense if you stray.  While not a memorable hole, this hole is a strong fair test.  #14 tee is to the right.

Hole #14: 263 feet, par 3

Comments: tight, gradually uphill, and a slight dogleg left.  Aim at the small tree straight ahead and work your disc slightly to the left.  #15 tee is to the left.

Hole #15: 320 feet, par 3

Comments: This hole plays across a gradual ravine via a utility corridor.  The downhill helps with the distance, but the real challenge on this hole is the basket's location about 50 feet into the woods to the right of the corridor.  The woods are way too dense to consider taking a shortcut, and you will need to throw your tee shot at least 275 feet to have a chance at birdie.  It's nice to play a hole where accuracy isn't everything.  #16 tee is to the left.

Hole #16: 227 feet, par 3

Comments: Moderately uphill and a gradual dogleg right, this hole is tight but you've played tighter.  A single large tree and a boulder guard the front of the basket.  Removing some of the small trees near the basket would open up new possible lines of play.  #17 tee is behind the basket.

Hole #17: 469 feet, par 4

Comments: a sweeping dogleg right that plays first sidehill and then uphill.  The more open area on the left/outside of the dogleg is tempting, and while it can make your life simple at first you will need to get back into the woods to access the basket: the area around the basket is pretty tight.  That said, 2 well-executed throws should setup a birdie putt.  #18 tee is behind the basket.

Hole #18: 287/227 feet, par 3 (Basket in right/A location)

Comments: a short and tight hole that plays up and over a low ridge.  Only a single tree stands near the basket, so a good straight tee shot should setup a birdie putt to finish.  The parking lot is behind the entrance station behind the basket.