Top Destination Disc Golf Courses for Older Adults

These breathtaking courses double as vacation spots for travelers who love a little friendly competition

a man throwing a disc at a disc golf course

With more than 16,000 disc golf courses worldwide, players at any level can add a visit to one on their next trip. Here, Smugglers’ Notch in Vermont.

Courtesy Smugglers’ Notch Resort

Lynda Lin Grigsby,

AARP

Published October 30, 2025

At the Cato Falls Disc Golf Course in Reedsville, Wisconsin, the Manitowoc River flows through unique rock formations and cascades into a waterfall. As discs sail over verdant fields, river otters sometimes swim by, says Tita Ugalde, a Hall of Fame disc golf athlete.

Arrive early enough and you might spot grazing deer, says Ugalde, 66, who has been playing disc golf for 50 years.

Disc golf — a variation of ball golf except with discs (Frisbee-like gear, but the correct terminology is disc) — is growing in popularity among people who are 50-plus because it’s low-cost, gentle on the body, easy to learn and accessible. Players say one of the sport’s biggest perks is the setting — bucolic and forested courses that are often in parks and free to play.

“You’re breathing the fresh air, and you’re laughing. And you’re in nature,” says Ugalde. “For those of us that are a little older — especially those of us that would like to get in our 10,000 steps — it’s a lovely walk in the park. All you need is really one disc, and you just toss, walk, toss, walk.”

The rules are simple — throw the disc into the basket. If you know how the game of ball golf is played, you have a basic understanding of how to play disc golf, says Dan “Stork” Roddick, a Hall of Fame disc golf athlete.

Disc golf is relatively young compared to other American sports. In December, the first-ever permanent disc golf course in Pasadena, California, celebrates its 50th anniversary. And it is an inclusive sport — the oldest division in the Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA) is for those 80-plus. “It is truly an ageless game compared to many others,” says Roddick, 77.

With more than 16,000 disc golf courses worldwide, players at any level can make one their next travel stop or spontaneous roadside adventure. AARP talked to PDGA Hall of Famers about their favorite course recommendations. Before you go, Ugalde says to research the courses using directories like UDisc, which lists course difficulty, terrain and accessibility, or PDGA. Yelp can also provide information and reviews.

“The most fun wins all,” says Andi Young, 65, a disc golf Hall of Famer. “You can take [disc golf] from school age to old age.”

a woman throwing a disc at a disc golf course

Tita Ugalde, a Hall of Fame disc golfer, plays at Oak Grove Disc Golf Course, the first permanent disc golf course.

Courtesy Tita Ugalde

Oak Grove Disc Golf Course

Pasadena, California

The first permanent disc golf course, established in 1975 by pioneer Ed Headrick, winds through thickets of tall trees and hiking trails at Hahamongna Watershed Park. If you don’t have your own disc, borrow one from the community bin near the parking lot entrance, Ugalde says. The course’s easy access to parking and portable toilets makes it ideal for beginners, she adds.

During its golden jubilee celebration (Dec. 5–7), Ugalde says a tribute basket will be installed in Headrick’s honor — a perfect blend of fun and history.

The disc golf course at Aspen Mountain, a part of Aspen Snowmass, sits at 11,000 feet.

Courtesy Aspen Snowmass

Aspen Mountain

Aspen, Colorado

“Take the lift to the top of the mountain and play this once-in-a-lifetime experience from over 11,000 feet,” Roddick says.

This bucket-list course isn’t for everyone — it’s steep and technically demanding, says Roddick. It’s best for confident players. The holes twist and turn their way down the mountain, and the views are “jaw-dropping,” he adds.

As a part of Aspen Snowmass, disc golf play is open from summer through fall. Lift tickets cost $39 round-trip, but course play is free.

The leafy, 21-hole course at Hobson Grove Park is a favorite of Dr. Rick Voakes, a disc golf Hall of Famer.

Courtesy VisitBGKY

Hobson Grove Park

Bowling Green, Kentucky

The 21-hole course circles Riverview, a mansion-turned-museum with Civil War ties. Make a day of it with a mansion tour and a garden stroll. This leafy course is a favorite of Hall of Famer Dr. Rick Voakes, 76, who also recommends stopping at the National Corvette Museum and indulging at Chaney’s Dairy Barn for what he calls “the best ice cream in the state.”

For some culture and history, consider visiting the Kentucky Museum on the Western Kentucky University campus, and Beech Bend, an amusement park, for some family fun, Voakes says.

a field with a disc golf basket and trees in the background

Andi Young first designed the course at Agnes Moffitt in Houston in 1989. She says playing here feels gentler thanks to its flat terrain.

Courtesy Andi Young

Agnes Moffitt Park Disc Golf Course

Houston

Playing here feels gentler thanks to its flat terrain, says Young, who first designed the course in 1989. The flatness of the city’s first course makes it a great choice for players easing into the game, she adds.

UDisc lists it as limited-mobility accessible. Young confirms this point — this court is accessible when the grass is cut and dry.

“I think most importantly, courses like Agnes Moffitt get people to move and get outside in the sunshine, which are both assets we need for longevity, especially as we get older!” Young says.

Hall of Famer Dr. Rick Voakes plays at the disc golf course at Winthrop University.

Courtesy Rick Voakes

Winthrop University Disc Golf Course

Rock Hill, South Carolina

The course surrounds a lake alive with egrets and other wildlife. There are no unplayable holes, Voakes says — even hole 17, where you must throw your disc at a hay-bale-encircled basket on an island. Most amateurs can reach it, but if you’re worried about losing a disc, follow Voakes’ tip: “Throw your old ones.”

The rules of disc golf are simple — throw the disc into the basket. At La Mirada Regional Park, you can play among jacaranda trees.

Courtesy Tita Ugalde

La Mirada Regional Park

La Mirada, California

Here, two 18-hole courses are surrounded by rolling hills, a lake and tree-lined fairways. In the winter, players see the snow-capped mountains. In the spring, jacaranda trees burst into lavender bloom.

“I have been playing there since 1976 because it feels like a professional course,” Ugalde says.

Smugglers’ Notch offers two scenic courses: Brewster Ridge and Fox Run Meadows.

Courtesy Smugglers’ Notch Resort

Smugglers’ Notch

Jeffersonville, Vermont

The resort offers two scenic courses: Brewster Ridge, a wooded track with tighter fairways, and Fox Run Meadows, a more open, hilly layout that rewards long throws. In the fall and summer, the resort offers weekend play-and-stay deals.

You can play all day and rest in a room by a babbling stream, Voakes says.

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Lynda Lin Grigsby is a contributing writer who covers race and the Asian American Pacific Islander community. A former editor of a national AAPI newspaper, she has also had work appear on NBC News and CNN and in the Los Angeles Times.

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