Future 18-Hole Course Guide

The Future of Prairie Arboretum Disc Golf

The next chapter of PrairieDisc is designed to transform the existing course into a complete 18-hole destination disc golf experience built around the landscape of the Prairie Arboretum.

Rather than simply adding nine more baskets, the future course is being designed around what already makes this property special: ponds, mature tree collections, protected prairie, landscaped gardens, bridges, wooded corridors, open fairways, sculptures, the amphitheater, Visitor Center and Gazebo Island.

Players will move through dramatically different environments during a single round—from prairie-lined fairways and mature tree tunnels to water carries, technical placement holes, long drives and a true island finish.

The goal is simple:

One Property. Five Levels of Play.

PrairieDisc is being developed so beginners, families, recreational players, experienced competitors and elite players can experience the same 18 holes at a level appropriate for their game.

A Course for Every Player

The future PrairieDisc layout will use a five-level tee system based on recognized disc golf skill levels:

Green Tees — Beginner

The shortest and most accessible way to experience PrairieDisc.

Green tees are intended for new players, youth, families and players with limited throwing distance. The emphasis is on enjoying the course, learning the game and experiencing the Arboretum without requiring long carries or championship-level distance.

Where water or other difficult terrain creates an unreasonable forced carry, Green players will use a safer tee location or route.

Learn the game. Explore the Arboretum. Have fun.

Red Tees — Recreational

Red tees provide the next step in difficulty for recreational and developing players.

These layouts will introduce more distance, shot shaping and decision-making while remaining approachable for players who are not ready for the full intermediate course.

Red players will experience the same signature landscapes and holes while using tee locations designed around realistic recreational throwing distances.

White Tees — Intermediate

White will serve as the primary everyday PrairieDisc experience.

The White layout is intended to provide a complete and challenging round with meaningful distance, technical lines, prairie, trees, water, placement decisions and risk-versus-reward opportunities.

For many visiting players, White will provide the best balance between challenge and the full PrairieDisc experience.

Blue Tees — Advanced

Blue tees increase both distance and consequence.

Longer drives, more demanding landing zones, tighter angles and greater exposure to the course's natural hazards will challenge experienced players while preserving the intended character of each hole.

Rather than simply moving every tee farther away, Blue locations will be used to create stronger strategic decisions and more demanding versions of the same holes.

Gold Tees — Championship

Gold represents the most demanding version of PrairieDisc.

Selected championship tee locations will create the course's longest drives, most difficult landing zones, major water carries and strongest risk-reward decisions.

These tees are intended to show what the Prairie Arboretum property can offer elite and tournament-level players.

A Gold player may stand hundreds of feet behind another layout and see an entirely different challenge—while ultimately playing toward the same basket.

Five Layouts Does Not Mean Five Tee Pads on Every Hole

Some holes may use separate tee locations for several skill levels. On others, two or more layouts may share a tee when the same position provides an appropriate challenge.

This allows PrairieDisc to create meaningful differences between skill levels without unnecessarily filling the Arboretum with concrete.

The goal is not to build more tee pads.

The goal is to build better ways to play the course.

More Than 18 Holes

The setting is what separates PrairieDisc from a typical park course.

A round through the future layout will also be a tour through the Prairie Arboretum.

Players will encounter mature tree collections, protected prairie, landscaped gardens, ponds, bridges, sculptures, water features and gathering spaces throughout the property.

Individual holes are being designed around memorable places within the Arboretum so that players remember not only how a hole played—but where they were when they played it.

Among the planned experiences are:

• Prairie-lined landing corridors

• Water carries

• Mature tree tunnels

• The Homestead Windmill

• Red oak, maple, basswood, birch, aspen and conifer areas

• Long-distance bomber holes

• The amphitheater

• The Wishing Well area

• Visitor Center gardens

• Gazebo Island

Every section of the course should feel different.

Signature Golf in a Destination Setting

Several holes are being designed to become recognizable parts of the PrairieDisc experience.

Homestead Windmill combines a water carry with one of the Arboretum's distinctive landmarks before moving into a technical finish.

Long prairie holes ask players to decide how aggressively they are willing to challenge protected native grass.

Wooded sections use established Arboretum tree collections to create natural corridors rather than artificial obstacles.

And the round ultimately returns to one of the most recognizable locations on the property.

Gazebo Island

The future Hole 18 finishes on the Arboretum's actual gazebo island.

Rather than creating an artificial island with painted lines or ropes, the basket sits on a genuine island surrounded by water, gardens and the landscape of the Prairie Arboretum.

Different tee locations will allow players of different abilities to experience the finish at an appropriate level of difficulty, while the championship layout will create one of the most dramatic finishing shots planned for the course.

Hole 18 sits immediately beside the opening area of Hole 1, bringing the course back to where the experience began.

Start and Finish at the Visitor Center

The future routing is designed around the Prairie Arboretum Visitor Center.

Players begin beside the gardens near the Visitor Center and return to the same area for the Gazebo Island finish.

That places parking, restrooms, drinking water, picnic areas and gathering space at the natural center of the player experience.

The routing also brings players back near the amphitheater during the round, creating opportunities to take a break, meet other players or access nearby amenities without abandoning the course.

For tournaments and larger events, the Visitor Center and amphitheater area could eventually serve as a natural headquarters for check-in, scoring, spectators, awards and player services.

Explore the Future Course Hole by Hole

The guide below takes a closer look at each of the proposed 18 holes.

Each hole will eventually include:

• Hole name

• Green tee information

• Red tee information

• White tee information

• Blue tee information

• Gold tee information

• Par

• Major hazards and out-of-bounds areas

• Playing strategy

• Signature landscape features

• Hole maps

• Photographs

Not every hole will require five separate physical tees, and some shorter holes may share positions between multiple skill levels.

The layouts remain under development. Distances, pars, tee locations, safety features and individual hole designs may continue to change as the course is tested and refined.

The Vision

Five levels of play.

Eighteen memorable holes.

One extraordinary setting.

PrairieDisc at the Prairie Arboretum.