The Unofficial UC Davis Disc Golf Course Guide

 

Quick Start
All you need to play this course is a regular “Frisbee”-type disc, maybe some friends, and about 90 minutes (45 if you jog it).

Start next to the second floor elevator door of the North Entry Parking Structure. Please play when campus is not busy, like later at night. Never throw your disc if you might hit someone.

Please see the Course Guidelines for more information, and see the hole-by-hole guide below.

Background

The Unofficial UC Davis Frisbee Golf Course is an urban disc golf layout that runs through the UC Davis campus. Created in 2003 by Brian Dong and Andrew Ishak, the informal par-72 course is a great way to spend time with friends walking around your favorite university, passing by campus landmarks such as The Death Star, the eggheads, the Quad, and that one building where you had a lot of classes but forgot the name of.

The course design uses objects and structures that already exist on campus to walk players through a leisurely 18 holes that takes 60 to 90 minutes to play. It is designed to be played at night with a standard 175-gram “Frisbee” disc.

As you might know, part of the UC Davis experience is finding cheap, wholesome, creative ways to have fun with your friends. And that’s why we designed this course. But like many things we did in college, this isn’t “authorized” by UC Davis or the city of Davis. We’re just two guys from the Bay Area who became best friends with our dorm mates in Ryerson Hall and fell in love with the school.

Check out the old guide from 2003.

 

Course Guidelines
Hi! There is only one rule for this course that we take seriously: it’s a college campus first, and frisbee golf course second. That means that you need to give way to all pedestrians and cyclists. No exceptions, no excuses. We’ve never come close to hitting someone in 17 years because we take this rule seriously.

You should also choose a time when the main part of campus is pretty empty, like after dark. Summer, breaks, and weekends are best. We used to play a lot at 10 pm in the summer (otherwise known as perfect Davis weather).

Other guidelines:

ONE DISC
You should play with one “frisbee”-type disc–a standard ultimate disc (175 g). Want to play with something else? Go for it. It’s your life. Live it to the fullest.

TWO STEPS
You can take two steps from when you touch the disc, either to position yourself better (like moving out of the way of an obstacle) or as a running start. You can do one or the other. Or do whatever. In the end, no one cares, but this rule is here so you can reference it when people go “what’s the rule about steps!?”

GOOD ENOUGH
If the disc comes to a rest with just one part touching a ground-based pin (like a bike circle), it’s good enough! It still counts! Just like many of the grades we earned in our classes. For a pin coming out of the ground (post, flag pole, etc.) all you have to do is make contact.

DON’T LOSE YOUR DISC!
We’ve lost plenty of discs on roofs and in trees (and some in the grass when it was really dark). From experience: try to avoid doing that! If you lose your disc, you’ll look kinda silly pretending to throw a disc the rest of the way while your friends have fun.

Watch the Video
Check out Shots in the Dark, the 9-minute short documentary about this course.
Head to the The Back Nine

Head to the guide for the back nine (holes 10-18). The guide for the front nine (holes 1-9) is below.

Tell Me How You Did!

I’d love to hear about your round. Scores, lost discs, ideas, anything! Fill out this form.

The course starts in the North Entry Parking Structure. Park on the second floor near the elevator.

1st Hole: Double Decker
We used to tee off at 10 pm, right after all the buses left at the top of the hour. Use the left side of the bus circle as the fairway.

On some holes, you’ll see a modified start. This is for anyone who wants to shorten the holes a little bit, lower the risk of disc loss, and/or focus on approach and putting.

The modified start for this hole is to throw from the London phone booth, down the stairs and to the left near Hickey Gym.

Par

START next to the elevator on the second floor. Throw south out the window. 
END by hitting the trunk of the shortest palm tree between the bus circle and the MU.
  • Distance
  • Openness
  • Creativity
  • Putting Difficulty
  • Birdie Opportunity
Walk southeast towards downtown for about 40 yards. Stop at the intersection of N Quad and E Quad Roads.

2nd: Going Downtown
This is a good introduction to an important concept: staying on the fairway can make a big difference on this course. In any case, putt carefully!

Par

START on the crosswalk, near the two large oak trees. Throw EAST, using the bike path as the fairway.
END by hitting the white and blue hydrant about 70 yards down the left side of the bike path.
  • Distance
  • Openness
  • Creativity
  • Putting Difficulty
  • Birdie Opportunity
Walk 20 yards SOUTH to a ledge of the Social Sciences and Humanities building. 

3rd: The Death Star
The course’s signature hole, through the campus’s signature building. This hole has it all: an elevated tee, twists and turns, and an up-and-down approach with a great hammer opportunity for birdie.

Modified start: walk down the stairs and throw from the middle of the lower concourse.

Par

START on the ledge of SSH. Throw SOUTHWEST and down towards the back lobby of Soc. Sci. 1100. Beware of the open roof to your left!
After your tee shot, TURN left just before the glass doors and throw SOUTH towards the wide stairs.
Approach: TURN right and throw SOUTHWEST and up towards the base of the redwood trees.
END by hitting the group of garbage cans at the base of the redwood trees in between Social Science 1100 and Young.
  • Distance
  • Openness
  • Creativity
  • Putting Difficulty
  • Birdie Opportunity
Walk 20 yards WEST, across the road to the terrace to the terrace in front of the ATMs.

4th: After The Maze (ATM)
While there’s no real fairway on this hole, a couple of long, elevated throws will put you in birdie position. Aim for the left side of the pin on your approach.

Par

START in front of the ATMs at the Memorial Union. Throw SOUTHEAST in between Young and North Halls.
END by hitting the egghead just north of Dutton, known as “Stargazer,” or by landing the disc in the circle around it.
  • Distance
  • Openness
  • Creativity
  • Putting Difficulty
  • Birdie Opportunity
Go SOUTH and to the east of Dutton Hall for 40 yards until you reach the fountain near the front of Dutton.

5th: Fountain Circle
A nicely placed tee shot on this dogleg left will sit in the middle of the road. But no matter what, distance throwers have the advantage on this hole (by the way, this hole, which goes from a Fountain to a Circle, is named after our north Davis apartment complex).

Par

START west of the fountain in front of Dutton Hall. Throw WEST, in between North and South Halls, then turning left.
END by landing in the traffic circle on Shields Ave. just before Olson Hall.
  • Distance
  • Openness
  • Creativity
  • Putting Difficulty
  • Birdie Opportunity
Walk SOUTH for 40 yards. You should see a bridge up ahead.

6th: Under the Bridge
This is a challenging hole, as there are a number of obstacles on the ground and in the air, as well as a split fairway on the approach (left is shorter, right is more open). But at least putting is pretty simple. Make sure not to lose your disc in the bushes.

Modified start: move forward until the bridge is about 15 yards in front of you.

Par

START twenty yards south of the crosswalk, and throw SOUTH under the bridge.
END by hitting the eggheads in front of the art building, known as “Yin” & “Yang,” or by landing in the circle around them.
  • Distance
  • Openness
  • Creativity
  • Putting Difficulty
  • Birdie Opportunity
Walk WEST for 25 yards to near the bus stop.

7th: The Bum Bum Hole*
*Okay look, this sculpture is called Bum, Bum, You’ve Been Here Before. You tell me a better name for this hole.

This hole’s pretty simple. Hit the bum bum.

Par

START just to the north side of the bus stop and throw WEST, using the road as the fairway.
END by hitting “Bum Bum You’ve Been Here Before.” You have to hit the sculpture, not land it nearby.

We hear that there is a tradition of trying to land your disc on top of the sculpture–but you’ll lose your disc!

  • Distance
  • Openness
  • Creativity
  • Putting Difficulty
  • Birdie Opportunity
Walk NORTHWEST for 10 yards until you are lined up with Mrak Hall to the south.

8th: Academic Alley
Pick a fairway and use it as best as you can. Or, just throw the heck out of it down the middle! It’s your life.

Modified start: move forward to one of the next two cross walkways. 

Par

START on the concrete between Hutchison Drive and Mrak Hall. Throw SOUTH towards Mrak Hall.
END by hitting the upside down egghead known as “Eye on Mrak.”
  • Distance
  • Openness
  • Creativity
  • Putting Difficulty
  • Birdie Opportunity
Walk 50 yards WEST towards the Chem Annex until you are underneath the building.

9th: Science!
A few solid throws can put you in birdie position.

Modified start: walk forward about 40 yards to the top of the little grass hill and throw from there.

Par

START just underneath the Chem Annex. Throw WEST towards The Silo.
END by hitting any part of the Stonehenge sculpture, or as it’s officially known, “Stone Poem.” 
  • Distance
  • Openness
  • Creativity
  • Putting Difficulty
  • Birdie Opportunity

Nice! If The Silo is open, grab a drink. If not, continue on to the rest of the course by clicking the button below.

Go To The Back Nine