The Johnston Brief

The local's guide · Outdoors

Disc golf in Johnston: a free 9-hole course at Lew Clarkson Park.

Johnston has one disc golf course, and it's a friendly one: a free 9-hole layout at Lew Clarkson Park that threads through the woods and behind the softball fields. It's rated easy, plays in about an hour, and the city has floated extending it to 18 holes along Beaver Creek down the road. Here's what to expect.

The short answer

Play at Lew Clarkson Park, 7501 NW 54th Avenue - a free 9-hole course rated easy that winds through woods and behind the ballfields. A round runs about an hour (roughly 0.9 miles), there are restrooms and a drinking fountain, and the city has said it could grow to an 18-hole course along Beaver Creek. Bring your own discs.

The course

How many holes is the Lew Clarkson Park disc golf course?

Holes
9
room for 18
Difficulty
Easy
~0.9 mi
Cost
Free
bring discs

Lew Clarkson Park is a 9-hole course that mostly follows existing paths and trails on the property, winding through a bit of woods and looping behind a couple of softball fields. Johnston Parks staff trimmed trees to leave a clean, playable line to each basket, so it stays approachable rather than punishing. A round covers about 0.9 miles and takes roughly an hour, which makes it an easy lunch-break or after-work throw.

Good to know

Is disc golf free in Johnston?

Holes9
Difficultyeasy
Costfree
On site ยท at Lew Clarkson Parkrestrooms + water

Yes - it's a free public course; you just supply your discs. Because it sits inside Lew Clarkson Park, you also get restrooms and a drinking fountain on site, which not every disc golf course can say. The park has room to expand the layout to 18 holes along the Beaver Creek corridor on the north side, so it may get longer in the future.

New to disc golf?

You don't need a bag of discs to start - one all-purpose midrange gets you around all nine holes here. The easy rating and short walk make Lew Clarkson a good first course before you take on the longer, more technical layouts elsewhere in the metro.

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Quick answers

Johnston disc golf: FAQ

Where can you play disc golf in Johnston, Iowa?

Johnston's disc golf course is at Lew Clarkson Park, 7501 NW 54th Avenue. It is a free 9-hole course that winds through woods and behind the park's softball fields, rated easy, and it takes about an hour to play.

How many holes is the Lew Clarkson Park disc golf course?

Lew Clarkson Park is a 9-hole disc golf course in Johnston. A typical round covers roughly 0.9 miles and takes about an hour. The city has said the course could be expanded along Beaver Creek into an 18-hole layout in the future.

Is disc golf free in Johnston?

Yes. The 9-hole course at Lew Clarkson Park is a free public course. You just bring your own discs. Restrooms and a drinking fountain are available at the park.

Is the Johnston disc golf course good for beginners?

Yes. Lew Clarkson Park is rated easy and is short, so it is a friendly place to learn or play a quick round. The Johnston Parks staff trimmed trees to give a playable path to each basket, following existing trails on the property.

How long does it take to play disc golf at Lew Clarkson Park?

About an hour. The 9-hole round covers roughly 0.9 miles on mostly existing paths, so it is an easy lunch-break or after-work outing.

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Sources: City of Johnston - Disc Golf Course / Lew Clarkson Park (cityofjohnston.com) for the location, 9 holes, on-site restrooms and water, and planned Beaver Creek expansion; UDisc and Disc Golf Courses Directory for the easy rating, ~0.9-mile length, and layout. Course details can change - check current conditions on UDisc before you play.