City Park Disc Golf Course Review New Orleans Playable With A Punchy Finish

Another Work Trip Another Round Of New Orleans Disc Golf

If you need somewhere central and fuss free, the City Park disc golf course is the obvious pick. On work trips I have a simple rule, throw before email. Last year it was Zilker Park in Austin. This time, a quick round of New Orleans disc golf before the laptop opened. You want something easy to reach, easy to read, and unlikely to eat your favourite driver.

Our group was a mixed bag. A few first timers, a couple who had lobbed a disc at Valbyparken in Copenhagen and Quarry Park in England, and me, three decades deep. City Park ticked the boxes, public, close to the centre, simple to follow, and flexible enough to keep everyone smiling.

I had assumed we were off to Lafreniere Park in Metairie, made famous by 21 Jump Street. Not so. We landed at City Park instead, then leaned into it. New course, same aim, keep it fun, keep it moving.

City Park Disc Golf Course First Impressions And What To Expect

The vibe is relaxed. Mostly flat parkland, a few trees in the line of fire, and little risk of hiking into the woods for lost plastic. It is friendly golf with just enough decisions to stop you sleepwalking through all 18.

Fairways look similar at times, so how you set up the round matters. The City Park disc golf layout lets you choose your spice level. The course sits inside one of the oldest public parks in the United States, which is a nice footnote, even if the hole design is more sensible than spectacular.

City Park Disc Golf Layout

  • 18 holes of New Orleans disc golf, mostly open fairways with the odd tree trying for a cameo.
  • Two permanent baskets per hole, blue for shorter, more technical shot shapes, gold for longer plays and tougher basket placement.
  • Three tee pads per hole, concrete tee pads on most holes keep footing reliable.
  • Benches at every hole, which your legs will thank later.
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The concrete tee pads at City Park provide a solid, consistent surface for every throw.

You can dial up or down the challenge thanks to those tees and baskets. Even the longest loop will not chew you up. We played concrete tees to blue baskets, perfect for a mixed group. Pace was brisk, and open fairway lines meant fewer search parties and happier beginners.

City Park New Orleans Disc Golf Review
Each hole at City Park features two permanent basket placements—blue for shorter, more technical lines and gold for longer, more challenging shots. Players can choose their level of difficulty on every hole, making the course accessible for all skill levels.

Playing The Course Front Nine Simple Back Nine Steps Up

The front nine is straightforward, sometimes repetitive. Great for building confidence, less great if you crave a tight line and a touch of jeopardy. Hole layout is mostly honest, hit your distance and you score.

The back nine shows more personality. Fairways narrow, basket placements get smarter, and a couple of holes make you stop and think. Hole 2 hints at what is coming, then the end stretch brings the best of it.

  • Hole 15. A simple throw until you clock the lake. You will weigh up disc retrieval before you even release. Add a whisper of gators and a ring of mud, and the safe line suddenly looks heroic.
  • Hole 17. A tight gap through trees into a basket perched on a raised wooden platform. It rewards a tidy layup unless you fancy skying the brave putt.
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Hole 17’s basket sits perched on a raised wooden platform, adding a tricky elevation challenge. Laying up is the safe play, but the bold might go for the highlight putt.

The final four bring the most variety, a welcome late kick. If more City Park disc golf holes played like that run, you would have a different conversation about its ceiling.

There was slapstick too. On 14, a new player grip locked so hard the disc finished 10 feet behind the tee pad. Not one for the highlights, but perfect for the mood. Low stakes, high laughs.

New Orleans Disc Golf Wildlife And Scenery At City Park

Views are pleasant near the water, more postcards than posters. Do not stare too long at the surface if you are nervy about creatures with teeth. A Great Egret wandered by like it paid the green fees, and we even saw bald eagles overhead. The birdlife is a quiet bonus that lifts the round.

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A Great Egret strolled past like it owned the place, while bald eagles soared overhead

A Course That Adapts To All Skill Levels

That flexibility is the trump card. New players get space to work on form from shorter tees. Experienced arms can stretch distance, play angles, and chase cleaner lines to the gold baskets. The course rarely forces a single style, it lets you choose.

Where to Play Disc Golf in New Orleans

What City Park Gets Right

  • Easy to follow with clear signage at each hole, helpful if you skipped the City Park disc golf map.
  • Beginner friendly, fewer lost discs, less swearing.
  • Multiple basket and tee options so you can set the difficulty for the card.
  • Concrete tee pads and benches on every hole.
  • Close to downtown, which makes it one of the easiest New Orleans disc golf options for travellers.
  • A better back nine with a proper back nine challenge and a few technical decisions.

What Could Be Better

  • The front nine lacks variety, it can feel like extended warm up holes.
  • Mostly flat with few obstacles, difficulty leans on basket placement rather than terrain.
  • Not a destination course, if you tour the best disc golf courses in New Orleans, this sits in the accessible category, not the bucket list one.

Quick City Park Disc Golf Tips

  • Check a City Park disc golf map on your phone before you start, signage helps but a glance saves time.
  • Pack a midrange you trust for straight lines, and a stable fairway for wind on open fairways.
  • Play safe on 15 if you like your disc, disc retrieval from the lake is a poor idea.
  • Use blue and gold baskets to scale difficulty for the group.
  • Respect park users, a few holes cross popular walkways.

How To Get To The City Park Disc Golf Course In New Orleans

From Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport

  • Bus option. Take the E2 bus, transfer to the Canal Street streetcar, then walk 5 to 10 minutes to the first tee.
  • Taxi or rideshare. About a 20 minute drive, traffic dependent.

From Downtown New Orleans

  • Best option. Take the Canal Street streetcar, City Park or Museum line, to the last stop. The course is a short walk.

One of the best things about disc golf at City Park New Orleans is convenience. You can play without a car and still be back in time for beignets.

City Park Disc Golf Final Thoughts Is It Worth Your Time

It will not change your life, and it will not ruin your day. The set up is forgiving for newer arms, though seasoned players may wish for more drama. Still, the back stretch adds bite, the location is brilliant, and the round feels sociable.

Would I travel just to play it? No. Would I play again if I was already in town? Absolutely. If you want a relaxed loop in a historic park, City Park does the job with a smile.

City Park New Orleans Disc Golf Hole 2
Hole 2 offers one of the few early challenges at City Park, with a more defined fairway and a bit of shape required off the tee—an early glimpse of what the back nine delivers more consistently.
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