Very cool disk course! There are a lot of hills and high grass, which make this course technical and a great workout. Pretty views and not crowded. I would definitely play here again. read more

Stafford Lake Disc Golf Course - The lake view - Disc Golf Near Me - Novato, California

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Meh, I've definitely played better but arguably this could have been the worst. As far as the hike aspect of it it's great - challenging, great views. This is NOT a beginner course! Almost every hole is a blind throw from the tee (which to some extent is expected but this was a special level of nonsense), poorly marked holes and none existent support to next tees. I felt the overall course was poorly maintained. The only assistance I noticed were white poles that seemed to be markers that you are on the right path like a cairn. This could be confusing depending on holes that overlapped each other on course though. The terrain is wild long grass with poison oak scattered everywhere. There are potholes all over the course with very little well trodden paths to follow around. To some extent the wild portion of the terrain is what it is, so of course this is just FYI cause I don't expect rangers to be maintaining the whole hillside/mountain area. I didn't expect it to be easy; but as a newbie it was more than challenging and a bummer. Even my mister who's a great player found the course disappointing overall. For this area it is not where I'd recommend someone go. read more

This is a really fun and beautiful course! It's fun for beginners and more advanced players too. There's great scenery with views of Stafford Lake, the rolling hills, cows, and wildflowers. It's nice that they mix up the course and move the holes around a bit; it keeps the course interesting. A few minor downsides: It costs $10 per a car to park and there's a loads of Poison Oak and thick bushes, and over grown grasses and shrubs. It's very easy to lose a disc here and you'll have to risk the Poison Oak to find it. There's a also a few marshy areas and a lake that you can potentially lose a disc in. My friend waded in the water to find his! This is still one of the nicest courses around though for the variety of holes and the gorgeous scenery. read more

A friend and I visited this course for the first time over the weekend. I was very impressed (& challenged). This park has an abundance of beautiful scenery and wildlife. There is a great mix of long, short, uphill, downhill, open, closed, left doglegs and right doglegs. There are handful of holes that have some serious distance. Holes, maps, and signage are the best I've encountered on any course in the greater bay area. Bummer that it's also the most expensive for me to visit (bridge toll + $8 entrance fee) but at least my money gets me a spectacular course. read more

Stafford Lake Disc Golf Course - course map - Disc Golf Near Me - Novato, California

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Stafford Lake Disc Golf Course is not for the weak of heart or weak of arm. There was a brief period in my life where I was playing a lot of disc golf and considered joining the pdga. All of my hopes were crushed when I went out to the lengthy course that is Stafford Lake. As far as scenery goes you really cannot ask for more, and on those rare perfect days when it's not too hot and not too windy there are few places in Marin I'd rather be, the problem is this course is harder than an ancient Chinese riddle. I have played quite a few courses throughout the bay area and the holes on this one are by far the longest. This is great if you throw like Bruce Banner but for the normal people who don't have a steroid problem or don't pitch in the major leagues you may get tired and may get frustrated as your score soars. If you are not concerned with these things you will most certainly have a great time playing at Stafford. Go out with a good group of friends bring some water and maybe a snack, be weary of the poison oak and I can guarantee you a great time. read more

This frolf course is great! The volunteer staff is constantly improving it, I've come back twice and both times they had newly installed tees on different holes. It is quite long, as most have indicated, and there is poison oak in the area, but what I like most about it is it makes frisbee golf into more of a hiking experience, which is pretty unique. Also, there's a decent picnic area (with a bbq!) at the start of the course, so you could make a day out of it and bring a basket of food or some briquettes and have a sweet bbq before or after playing. Make sure you bring a bottle of water, walking the whole course is a few miles I think... read more

I've played here 4 times so far and it's pretty awesome. The course itself is challenging enough for any skillset. I'd suggest against true beginners (i.e. you throw every disc sky high before it plummets back to earth 10 yards ahead of you to the left in a super hyzer). The views and challenge are quite fun and there are a few exciting holes with long distances/elevation changes that you don't get at many courses. The downsides is that you are basically on a hillside, so your disc could easily disappear. I've heard it's impossible to find a disc in high grass conditions, so I'd be wary of that. This hasn't been a factor for me due to seasons or mowing. You also need to pay to park ($5-10 depending on the day) and they close at 5PM sharp, so they'll chase after you and hound you if you're out late or if you're still playing at like 4:15. The guys are nice enough about it, and they don't close the gate on you, but it's still some pressure I could do without (they want to get off work, so I don't blame the workers). The length, cost, and semi-remoteness of the course means that you won't usually get stuck behind people since there's space to establish separation. The last two times I went, I did get stuck behind people a bit, but it wasn't such a big deal. Strongly suggest going, but make sure you bring provisions and lighten your bag by removing anything unnecessary. I suggest starting well before 3PM if you want to finish by 5PM without rushing or skipping holes. If you make it on the course by 2PM and don't get stuck behind people or have to hunt for too many discs, you'll be fine. P.S. Do yourself a favor on some of the blind shots and send a friend up as a spotter. read more

This course is burly, maybe the longest I have ever played. It sure helps if you have been here before as many of the holes are blind drives up and down hills and around stands of trees. The wind can be intense as well, plan on an extra 30-60 minutes just to look for lost discs. My girlfriend and I found this place because it is close to her dad's house. The course can be real dry but is also gorgeous with views on pretty much every hole. The walk from parking lot to 1st tee is also a bit of a hike. I wouldn't say this is a great place to learn but if you have some experience this course is a great test and is sure to humble any aspirations of greatness. Have fun! read more

The rolling hills of California look as if made of velvet; I have always wanted to be a giant so I could run my fingers over them. At the very least, I have dreamt of walking through them one day. Ah, but how do you do that when you're tooling down the highway? My dream came true at Stafford Lake Park. Here is a vast network of hills and valleys surrounding a beautiful little lake. The lush grass is so vividly green after the wet season it's almost breathtaking. And it's not uncommon to see wildlife just wandering around. While I napped up on a hill, I saw a small herd of deer hanging out a couple hundred meters from frisbee golfers. I also saw a few wild turkeys traipsing through the brush. Speaking of frisbee golf, I hear tell that this is one of the best disc golf courses around. I walked the course but did not play. I can tell you it made me want to join the sport. There are active leagues and tournaments every Saturday during the season. I hope someone will Yelp about the course one of these days. The thing I loved most about this park was that I could just wander. Since it's a golf course too, that's expected. If you ever have a weekend afternoon free, do come out ... maybe catch the sunset over the hills and water..... read more

Stafford Lake Disc Golf Course is a truly championship caliber disc golf course. It is one of the most challenging disc golf courses in all of California, and is a strategic test of all aspects your game. If you've got a flaw in your game, or are lacking a shot in your arsenal, Stafford will expose you and make you pay. You have to pay to park, so be prepared to spend $5 at the gate to get in. Don't even think about trying to bluff your way without the pass: Stafford is a long round of disc golf, and by the time you finish you'll have a ticket. There is a practice basket by the parking lot, but the first tee is a roughly half-mile hike from the lot. There is one tee and multiple pin positions for each hole. In the shortest positions Stafford is tough. In the long positions, Stafford is sadistic. Many of the holes require two good well-placed shots before you'll be putting. One of the holes measures 1,000 feet long, and a score of 4 on that hole requires essentially three excellent drives and a solid putt. There are shorter, "birdie-able" holes as well, and you better get 'em while you can. Stafford doesn't give you a lot of opportunities to make up strokes. The holes with major elevation changes are stunning, offering incredible views of the lake and valley, and wonderful chances to throw a disc further than you ever have before. Bring extra drivers for holes #6 & #17, you will want to take a second shot at each of them, for sure. Bring lots of water, and snacks. Once you are out on the course you are a long ways from anything. Do not, however, bring your dog. Because Stafford Lake park is a wildlife preserve, dogs are not allowed. You wouldn't want to subject your dog to that sort of disc carnage anyway. If you've never played Stafford before, try to do so with someone who has, it will make that first round more enjoyable. If you can't, print out a map & scorecard from the United Flyers of Sonoma (UFOS), the club that installed and maintains the course: http://stafforddiscgolf.blogspot.com/2006/09/home-page.html read more

Winding its way through the golden hills of Marin, this course is an ideal place to to experience Northern California and huck a disc. For anybody who grew up in Marin or around here, wandering around through the oak and bay trees knee deep in dry grasses should bring back memories of adolescent adventures. The course includes a one thousand foot hole and plenty of interesting dog legs around clusters of trees. I was there on a Saturday from about 9 to Noon, and we saw one other group of frolfers. Peaceful, uncrowded, and perfectly equipped for you to flex your disc skills, this is an amazing place to spend a few hours outside. read more

First of all, let me touch on the positive aspects. It is absolutely beautiful out here at this course. The scenery and rolling hills are amazing. Additionally, there was hardly anybody out on the course, with no waiting. There is a $10 fee to park, but I never mind paying that in support of a park. Now, let's get to the cons. My primary issue was that the bushes were not trimmed at all, and were at or above knee level on a majority of holes. It didn't matter where you threw threw the frisbee, it would take you at least ten minutes to track it down. No fairways are present. The bushes are FILLED with foxtails, and it got so bad that my friends and I ended up quitting after the 6th hole. Before making the walk out of the park, we took off our shoes/socks, and attempted to pick out foxtails. I ended up throwing away my sock/shoes after the round because they were so riddled with foxtails. Another issue we had was with signage. It was very difficult to determine how to get to the next hole. Overall, it was gorgeous, and if they trimmed the grass to at least make fairways, it would be a great course. However, I found it impossible to play with the length of the grass, as you would lose frisbees on every throw, and riddle your shoes with foxtails when trying to find it. read more

Wish I'd read the reviews before going. Would have saved the $5 parking fee, and would have two more discs. One lost to poison oak patch, and another to blind shot high grass. Thia is not for beginners or kids. Views are beautiful. This is a better place for a hike. read more

After losing my favorite disc on only the third hole I was ready to brand this course with a pretty weak rating. The holes are not very clear at times and some of them seem more like they are set up to frustrate you rather than test your skill. Oh, and watch out for the mutant 15ft poison oak that seems to reach out at you from all angles. However, after playing on and some thoughtful reflection I have come to the conclusion that its not the course's fault that my sidearm anheiser sucks. The course is very wooded and grassy, which with only the exception of the possibility of losing disc easily, is very nice. There are some loooooooooooonnnnngggg shots on this course! At least one over 1000ft. So bring your arm. You'll find some great putt and approach opportunities too on slanted landscapes and interesting layouts. Overall, I really liked this course and look forward to playing it again but just know if your contemplating playing it that it is a monster that will test your physical and mental disc golf abilities to their fullest! read more

I'm an amateur disc golfer at best which is the only reason this gets four stars intstead of five. This course is not for the faint of heart! For those of us more accustomed to playing the short technical GoldeGate course this course feels like a monster. The holes are almost universally long and the wind can definitely kick up so come prepared with heavier discs. Three of us went last year and only one of us took a pretty horrible case of poison oak home with us. He fell asleep on the couch as soon as he got home so my biggest recommendation is to watch out while you're there and take a shower promptly after coming home. Having only played a few of the Bay Area courses I can't say it's the best in the Bay but I have played at other courses in other parts of the state and country and I can say that this one is unrivaled in size and beauty of the landscape, so far. Bring a six pack of beer and plan on spending a whole day here. Most of all: ENJOY! read more

Some of the best views for a disc golf course! Not crowded, and lots of open spaces. Very challenging and has a lot of variety. Yes, it costs 5 bucks to park, but its a gorgeous park all together. (but don't be fooled by any pictures of green grass, its like that for probably 3 weeks out of the year.) The disc golf park itself however, is poorly maintained, and pretty horribly set up. If you go, take a photo of the map on your phone to start. The hole maps are pretty bad, and you'll want a spotter for 75% of them. I was happy to see that the patches of poison oak were generally marked very clearly though! There are no signs marking where the following holes are so its pretty easy to find yourself out of order. And some holes have 2 or 3 tees, and 4 or 5 basket locations that can have VAST range differences. And I found that most of the basket location markers were off from where the basket really was. Pretty frustrating if you don't normally play here. It is extremely hilly dry and rocky, so be prepared for some heavy rolling! And it being Novato, bring lots of water and sun screen. Overall, you're better off driving down to SF and going to Golden Gate park for a MUCH better disc golf experience. read more

Righteous course. Nice topography, challenging shots, well-maintained (I think someone removed a lot of poison oak in between 2 visits I made), excellent scenery, cows and jackrabbits galore, very intuitive setup to next holes, benches, bridges... I could go on all day. On another note, I've lost 2 red champion Monarchs here so if anyone finds one, you can make my day by letting me know.... read more

I love this disc golf course and I have gone here for the past year! I want to give this course 5 stars because of its tranquil setting and beautiful scenery.. BUT.. ***Please beware of the poison oak!*** My boyfriend is having the worst case of poison oak reaction. He has blisters all over his body. They really should have signs up that warn you of poison oak. Make sure to wear long pants and take a shower immediately after you get home. It is better to be safe than sorry. Therefore I'm giving it 3 stars. read more

My boyfriend came down with a really bad case of poison oak a couple days after playing hear. Think twice before playing here!!

Tough course! Great views. Lots of memories. Enter at Stafford Lake, pay the entrance fee (deducting 1 star).

Great course, I can't add much over what others are saying about Stafford for disc, other than I would like to offer some helpful advice. First of all, it is a huge course, not like most disc golf courses. There are huge elevation changes and one of the holes is about 1000 feet. I have taken many first time disc players to this course. I find it best to play doubles and pair them with someone good, or tell them to not even keep score. This course can be very unforgiving. The beauty of the area makes it a great place to hike, and I often let newbies know that it throwing the disc is as much to have an excuse to hike the hills as win any games. Another pointer, use spotters and keep an eye on your disc. I tend to avoid this course when the grass is long, as you can spend a lot of time looking for discs in April and May when the grass is long and not yet cut. This is also peak allergy season, so if you have grass allergies, stay away in the spring. Usually by summer, the wonderful volunteer staff has cut the fairways, so the grass it isn't such an issue. The best time of the year out there is late fall and early winter. The summer grass is all gone and there is just a carpet-like covering of 1/2 to 2 inch green, verdant grass. Often there are windless days in the winter too. Try to get out in the AM if there is going to be wind. The afternoon winds here can add many strokes to your game. Most of the summer, expect a 5-10mph afternoon wind. If you have reactions to poison oak, use Technu. There are a couple of holes with poison oak, so if you get it, take the time to learn to ID it. If you get exposed, washing with Technu afterwards protects most people. Just a few pointers to help you enjoy one of the best courses in the world. read more

It's going to be interesting to see if anyone ever gives this course a rating of below 5 stars... My friend and I drove up from Berkeley to play here on Sunday. As soon as we arrived at the main gate there was a sign that read something along the lines of "fire hazard: disc golf course closed". The guy at the gate was chill/nice though and we met some disc golfers in the parking lot who were super helpful and gave us some good advice on how to work around the law. It would have been nice if they had mentioned somewhere on the course's website (which we had looked at that morning) that the course was closed, but I would just recommend calling the park in the future to determine if the course is open or not before you go. Things that make the actual course dope: 1) Amazing scenery. Great views. Tons of wildlife (ground squirrels, jack rabbits, deer, birds, etc.) 2) Elevation changes. The drastic hills in this area make for some interesting up-hill holes and some very entertaining tee offs where you can just launch the disc down a huge drop-off. 3) Very well set-up. The box offering maps/scorecards at the beginning of the course were actually full and the map was extremely well-made and helpful. The various tees and holes are well maintained and each tee has a sign featuring a nice aerial photo of the hole. 4) The lack of trees (a ton of open space) in this area limits the number of times you chuck your disc into trees and damage them. Some more well-maintained trees could make the course a bit more interesting, but other than that no complaints. 5) The disc rolls make this course very interesting. You can have a shot that lands 10 feet from the hole, but if it lands on the wrong angle it can basically roll 500 feet down the hill. I had this happen like 3 times. Overall, great course. Call ahead about fire information. Enjoy Novato...beautiful. read more

I've played my share of disc golf courses, but this one (in my humble opinion) is the most beautiful I've seen. (Sorry Horseshoe Canyon, Arkansas your now #2) From the moment we started the half mile hike up to the first hole we were surrounded by nature's beauty at her best. We saw Turkey's, Lizard's, Hawk's, Vulture's, Crane's and more. The views of the lake and the surrounding hills are truly unbelievable in that you think your watching a movie that's bound to win best cinematography. Absolutely Fantastic I'm a big fan! Take refreshments go early and stay as long as you can. I finally found the place where California's happy cows live! read more