Disc golf near Palo Alto

Disc golf works like ball golf with a flying disc. You throw from a tee toward a metal basket with hanging chains and count the throws it takes to land in it. Most courses are free or cheap, you need only a disc or two and a round of 18 holes takes about an hour and a half. The Bay Area has a strong scene, but Palo Alto itself has never installed a permanent course in its parks.

That leaves four nearby courses within half an hour, plus two famous coastal courses for a day trip. This guide covers each one with the details the course directories, clubs and park agencies publish. Courses close for maintenance and events, so check the club or course listing before you drive.

Courses near Palo Alto at a glance

Villa Maria, Cupertino

The closest course to Palo Alto is Villa Maria on Stevens Canyon Road, in the area of the historic Villa Maria orchard at Stevens Creek County Park. The PDGA course directory lists it as a 12-hole permanent course established in 2018, designed by Jim Challas of the Silicon Valley Disc Golf Club. Players buy a $6 parking pass at the Chestnut Picnic Area, where the county collects day-use fees. Santa Clara County parks are open from 8 a.m. to sunset.

Holes are mostly short and technical, threading between orchard trees and oaks. That makes it a good course for beginners and for anyone working on accuracy rather than distance. It is also the busiest course near Palo Alto, with a steady flow of weekend rounds and club doubles. The Peninsula Disc Golf Club scheduled a Halloween doubles event here on October 31, 2026. Pair a round with a walk around Stevens Creek Reservoir or lunch in Cupertino.

Emerald Hills Golf Course, Redwood City

The Peninsula's own course is at Emerald Hills Golf Course, 938 Wilmington Way, in the unincorporated hills above Redwood City. The disc golf course plays across the grounds of a small 9-hole ball golf course, so you share fairways and greens with golfers. Course directories describe 18 holes with front and back nine layouts, steep elevation changes, water hazards and light woods. It is pay to play, unlike the free county courses. We could not find a working website for the course itself, so confirm fees and hours by phone or at the clubhouse.

The course is clearly in active use. UDisc lists a weekly Fall Season league there through November 2026. Expect hilly walking and blind shots. Our Emerald Hills guide covers the neighborhood and the trails at Edgewood Park next door.

San Jose courses

Kelley Park

Kelley Park Disc Golf Course at 743 Phelan Avenue is the largest course near Palo Alto, with 18 holes and three pin positions on each. The PDGA lists it as established in 2015, free to play, with a $6 fee for the Kelley Park lot. The back section runs through an old orchard. Watch for poison oak at the edges. A Kelley Park Fall 2026 league was running weekly in November. The park also holds Happy Hollow Park and Zoo and History Park, so it suits a mixed family day.

Coyote Creek at Hellyer Park

Hellyer County Park at 985 Hellyer Avenue holds the oldest course in the area, built in 1997 along Coyote Creek. The PDGA lists 9 holes, free to play, with paid parking in the county lot. It is hilly with rolling, tree-lined fairways and good practice in the wind. Like all Santa Clara County parks it is open from 8 a.m. to sunset.

Parque de la Raza

The Silicon Valley Disc Golf Club also supports a compact course at Parque de la Raza in San Jose, established in 2007. It has a couple of long fairways and many trees and makes a quick practice stop.

Combine a round at Kelley or Hellyer with dinner downtown. Our San Jose day trip has ideas.

Coastal courses worth a day trip

• DeLaveaga, Santa Cruz. One of the best-known courses in the sport and the longtime site of the Masters Cup. It is long, steep and wooded, with ocean views from about a dozen holes. Plan a full morning. See our Santa Cruz guide for the rest of the day.
• Pinto Lake, Watsonville. A 20-hole championship course built in 2009 at 796 Green Valley Road, designed by Tom Schott. The PDGA lists it as free to play, with wooded canyon holes, open meadow holes and out-of-bounds almost everywhere.

Coyote Point Recreation Area in San Mateo also has a 9-hole course on paper, but UDisc lists it as unavailable for play. Do not plan a trip around it.

Clubs and leagues

The Silicon Valley Disc Golf Club is the main local organization. It has more than 300 members and supports the courses at Hellyer Park, Parque de la Raza, Kelley Park and Villa Maria. The club runs a putting league, posts events on its calendar and asks members and donors to help with course upkeep and volunteer work days.

The Peninsula Disc Golf Club runs doubles events on the Peninsula and at Villa Maria, a friendly way to meet regular players. For other recreational leagues, see our adult sports leagues guide.

Practicing in Palo Alto

Without baskets in town, local players practice throws on open lawns. The big grass areas at Mitchell Park and the fields at Greer Park have room for a few practice drives when sports teams are not using them. Pick a quiet corner, throw away from paths and playgrounds and walk your discs back before the next throw. Reserved fields belong to the permit holder, so move off if a team arrives. A portable practice basket in a backyard is the easiest way to work on putting, which decides more strokes than driving does. Palo Alto's open space preserves are not the place for practice. Trails are narrow, the hillsides are fragile and wildlife uses the grassland.

Getting started

1. Start with one disc. A putter or a midrange disc is easier to control than a driver. Add a driver later.
2. Learn the backhand and forehand. Throw smooth, not hard. Distance comes from technique.
3. Use a scoring app. Course maps on UDisc show tee and basket locations, which helps on unmarked holes.
4. Mind the etiquette. Let faster groups play through, stay behind the thrower and never throw when people are within range.
5. Respect the park. Stay out of creek beds, carry out your trash and keep dogs leashed where required.

Many sporting goods stores carry starter sets. Our sporting goods guide lists shops near Palo Alto. Courses are spread out and transit to most of them is slow, so a car helps. If you are visiting, you can compare rental cars and fit two courses into one day.

Frequently asked questions