Des Moines Area Course Planning
This page is a planning aid for a central Iowa day trip around Des Moines, West Des Moines, and Ankeny. We do not invent hole counts, course ratings, fees, or rankings. Start with official park pages and the PDGA Course Directory, then confirm hours, layouts, and closures on site.
Rough drive times inside the metro are short: downtown Des Moines to West Des Moines or Ankeny is typically on the order of 15–25 minutes in light traffic—enough for a morning round in one city and an afternoon round in another if you keep the plan simple.
Official starting points
| Resource | Use it for |
|---|---|
| PDGA Course Directory | Search/filter Iowa (and city name); verify attributes against park signs |
| City of Des Moines — Disc Golf and Footgolf | Four city-listed courses, addresses, city difficulty wording, layout maps |
| West Des Moines — Southwoods Park | Free public play rules, hours window for rentals, map PDF |
| City of Ankeny — Heritage Park | City-listed course features and map |
| Des Moines Metro Disc Golf Club — Courses | Local club course overview (cross-check with parks) |
| UDisc | Navigation aid—verify against tee signs |
Des Moines (city parks list)
Per Des Moines Parks and Recreation, the city currently lists four public disc golf courses:
| Park / course (city label) | Address (per city) | City note |
|---|---|---|
| Pete Crivaro Park | 1105 E. Railroad Ave. | 9 holes; Novice to Intermediate (city wording) |
| Ewing Park | 5300 Indianola Avenue | 18 holes; Intermediate to Advanced (city wording) |
| Grandview Park | 3230 Easton Boulevard | 18 holes; Intermediate to Advanced (city wording) |
| Prospect Park — Becky Zallek Disc Golf Course | 1225 Prospect Road | 18 holes; Advanced to Expert (city wording) |
Hole counts and difficulty labels above come only from the city’s disc golf page. Download the city’s Course Map links there for layouts—or search the park name on PDGA.
Metro tip: Club and PDGA pages may list additional Des Moines–area courses (county parks, suburbs, state parks) that are not on the City of Des Moines list. Treat those as TBD until you confirm the managing agency, hours, and parking on an official page.
West Des Moines — Southwoods Park
Per West Des Moines Parks & Trails — Southwoods Park:
- Address: 350 S. 35th Street, West Des Moines, IA 50265
- Public play: The city states the disc golf course is open to the public at no cost on a first-come, first-served basis.
- Reservations: Required for tournaments or large groups; the city notes public play is still allowed during most reservations.
- Etiquette note (city): Stay on designated paths between holes to protect native wildflowers; be mindful of other park users (shared trail system).
- Layout: Use the city’s downloadable disc golf course map PDF. Older directory listings may still reflect a prior 9-hole layout—confirm current hole count and tees on the city map or on site, not from blogs.
Contact for trail conditions or reservations: parkrec@wdm.iowa.gov or 515-222-3444 (per city page).
Ankeny — Heritage Park
Per City of Ankeny — Heritage Park:
- Address: 300 NE Frisk Drive, Ankeny, IA 50021
- The city describes 21 holes in a wooded setting, with Mach 3 baskets and concrete tees with signs.
- City length wording: course length 3600 feet with an alternate course of 4100 feet (city figures—verify on the city’s course map PDF).
- Events/tournaments: the city points to Lance Coles (centraliowadiscgolf@gmail.com / 515-964-8028) for event information.
Always re-check the Ankeny facility page and map before you travel; conditions and temporary closures are not something we invent here.
Sample day-trip shapes (pick one, keep it light)
These are route ideas, not ranked recommendations:
- Des Moines morning → West Des Moines afternoon — One city-list Des Moines course, then west to Southwoods.
- Des Moines morning → Ankeny afternoon — One city-list Des Moines course, then north to Heritage Park.
- One-city deep dive — Two Des Moines city-list courses if weather or traffic looks ugly.
- Beginner-friendly opener — Pete Crivaro (city: 9 holes, novice–intermediate wording), then decide whether a longer second loop fits your day.
Before you leave:
- Open PDGA filtered to Iowa, then narrow by city.
- Open the matching city parks page for hours, parking, and rules.
- Check for events, temporary layouts, or closures via the metro club courses page or park notices.
- Pack water; prairie wind and summer heat are real on open holes.
- On arrival, use course map literacy and etiquette & safety.
What to verify on site
- Tee pads and current basket positions (dual/triple tees are common).
- Shared-use park traffic (walkers, bikes, dogs, playgrounds)—yield.
- Seasonal restroom/water shutoffs and wet-weather trail closures.
- Pay-to-play or donation norms—if unclear, treat as TBD and follow posted signs only. (Des Moines city list and WDM Southwoods public-play wording do not invent a fee; still read any posted sign on arrival.)