Disc Golf in Waco: A Baylor Student's Complete Guide
Waco has a world-class disc golf course, it costs nothing to play, and most Baylor students have never heard of it. That's the entire pitch for Brazos Park East — a course ranked #4 in Texas and #75 in the world that sits about 10 minutes from campus. Whether you've never touched a disc or you've been playing for years, Waco disc golf is worth your afternoon.
Here's everything you need to know about where to play, what to expect, and how to watch the pros when they roll through each spring.
Brazos Park East: The BEast
Brazos Park East (nicknamed "The BEast") is the reason disc golfers travel to Waco. The 18-hole championship course at 2465 Lake Brazos Pkwy, Waco, TX 76708 is par 64 and takes most groups about two hours to complete. It spans roughly 2.5 miles and the layout is split into two very different halves.
The front 9 plays through open fairways along the Brazos River bottomland — plenty of room to air out your drives, but out-of-bounds hazards on both sides keep it honest. The back 9 is where the course earns its nickname. The "Beast" section plunges into dense woods where tight lines, limestone cliffs, and river views make every hole feel like a puzzle. If you're new to disc golf, bring extra discs — the back 9 eats them.
What you need to know:
- Cost: Completely free, open daily
- UDisc rating: 4.6/5 stars based on 4,700+ reviews
- Shot variety/design: 4.7/5 — the highest-rated aspect
- Scenery: 4.7/5 — limestone cliffs and Brazos River views throughout
- Amenities: Restrooms, drinking water, cart-friendly paths, pet-friendly
- Established: 2003
Download the UDisc app before you go. It has GPS tee pad locations, interactive hole maps, and a built-in scorecard. You can find the course under "Brazos Park East (The BEast)" — the app is free and makes navigation easy on the wooded back 9 where you'll otherwise spend more time looking for the tee than throwing.
Cameron Park: The Beginner's Option
If Brazos Park East sounds intimidating — or if you're genuinely new to disc golf — William Cameron Park Disc Golf Course is a better starting point. The 23-hole course at Cameron Park is moderate difficulty, free to play, and open 6am to midnight daily. It's about 5 minutes from Baylor's campus and serves the same park you probably already know for hiking.
Cameron Park's layout winds through the same beautiful parkland you'd explore on the trails. Less demanding than The BEast, it's a good place to learn the basics without losing half your bag in the woods. From there, Brazos Park East makes much more sense once you've got your footing.
The Waco Annual Charity Open: Pro Disc Golf in Your Backyard
Every spring, Brazos Park East becomes the site of one of the most popular stops on the professional disc golf circuit. The Waco Annual Charity Open is part of the Disc Golf Pro Tour (DGPT) — the sport's top professional series — and it's become famous on tour for one reason: the Party on the Bridge.
When pros refer to the Waco event as "The Greatest Party on Tour," they're talking about an elevated viewing area over the Brazos River where live music, food trucks, cold drinks, glow disc golf, and disc golf vendors turn the spectator experience into a full-day festival. It's genuinely unlike anything else on the disc golf calendar.
The 2026 event ran May 1–3 with 147 professional players competing for a combined $24,842 purse across both the MPO (men's professional open) and FPO (women's professional open) divisions. General spectator access is available through the DGPT ticketing site. If the event falls during your semester, it's 100% worth checking out — even if you've never watched disc golf before, the atmosphere sells itself.
Disc Golf Equipment: What to Start With
You don't need much to get started. Here's the short version:
- Starter pack: A driver, a mid-range, and a putter — most disc golf shops sell beginner sets for $20–$30. The driver goes far, the mid-range is your workhorse, the putter is for the basket.
- Where to buy in Waco: Academy Sports carries basic discs. For a full selection, check online retailers like Infinite Discs or Disc Golf Center. Local pro shops sometimes stock gear near course parking areas during tournaments.
- Color your discs: Brightly colored discs are much easier to find in tall grass or wooded rough. Avoid white or pale yellow discs if you're playing The BEast for the first time.
- UDisc app: Already mentioned but worth repeating. It's the standard navigating tool across all disc golf courses and the community section helps you find other players.
How Disc Golf Fits Into a Waco Weekend
The best thing about both Waco courses is that they're completely free and outdoors — perfect for a budget-conscious student who needs to get off campus for a few hours. A round at Brazos Park East takes 1.5–2 hours for a group of 2–4 players. Cameron Park runs slightly shorter. Both are easy half-day activities that don't require any planning beyond showing up.
Centre residents are about 10 minutes from Brazos Park East by car and about 5 minutes from Cameron Park. If you're deciding on housing near Baylor, being close to both courses — plus the Brazos Riverwalk, Cameron Park hiking trails, and kayak put-ins — makes South Waco the most outdoor-recreation-accessible part of the city. Our amenities include parking, so getting to either course is a quick drive without hunting for a spot on the way back.
Other Outdoor Recreation Nearby
If you're building a full Saturday around outdoor activities, combine disc golf with something else from Waco's parks system. Cameron Park's hiking trails cover 20+ miles of trail through the same park where the Cameron Park course sits. The Brazos River access points near Brazos Park East are also the launch spots for kayaking — the Waco Paddle Company runs guided float trips just upstream.
For a comprehensive look at free and low-cost things to do around Waco, the 15 Free and Cheap Things to Do guide is a good starting point. Disc golf belongs near the top of that list.
Waco Disc Golf: Quick Reference
| Course | Holes | Difficulty | Cost | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brazos Park East | 18 | Hard (championship) | Free | Sunrise–sunset |
| Cameron Park | 23 | Moderate | Free | 6am–midnight |
Annual event: Waco Annual Charity Open (DGPT Pro Tour) — held each spring at Brazos Park East. Check dgpt.com for dates.
App to download: UDisc — free GPS navigation and scorecards for both courses.
If you've been in Waco for more than a semester and haven't played Brazos Park East, you're overdue. Pack extra discs for the back 9, grab the UDisc app, and give yourself an afternoon. You'll understand why this course draws professional players from across the country.
Schedule a tour of Centre Apartments to see how close we are to Waco's best outdoor spots — or browse floor plans if you're ready to start planning next year's housing.
