Woodbury plans first disc golf course as Tamarack pilot opens in June

Woodbury is putting its first disc golf course into play as a test case, not a finished promise. The nine-hole layout is expected to open in early June 2026 in the southern, forested section of Tamarack Nature Preserve, and city officials will use the first season to judge whether disc golf belongs there for good.

That matters because the site is not a blank park canvas. Tamarack Nature Preserve covers 169 acres, includes two miles of trails, and protects a bog-like rich fen formed more than 10,000 years ago. The course sits outside the designated natural resources easement area, a boundary that shows how carefully Woodbury is trying to fit a new recreation use into land already carrying environmental weight.

The city has said there has been “growing community interest and public requests” for disc golf, and the course is being built, operated and maintained by the city itself. UDisc lists the layout as a nine-hole, par-27 course at about 2,093 feet total, with most holes ranging from 168 to 326 feet. It uses gravel tee pads and Discraft ChainStar Pro baskets, a setup that points to a modest, low-impact build rather than a destination-scale project.

For players, the design should be approachable without being empty of challenge. UDisc describes the course as friendly to newer players while still appealing to experienced players, and that combination may be the strongest argument for the pilot. A short, wooded nine can give beginners a first local course while still offering enough shape and touch shots to keep regulars interested.

For nearby residents, the early tests will be less about birdies than about traffic, parking and noise around the preserve’s lot at 1825 Tower Drive. The Parks and Natural Resources Commission approved the proposal unanimously on Nov. 10, 2025, but the next month two neighborhood residents raised concerns at the City Council meeting about notice, traffic, parking and safety. Beeta Gualdoni asked the council to table the proposal for further review. City staff also met onsite with volunteer members of Friends of the Fen, and said no concerns were raised there.

That split is exactly why the pilot carries stakes. If spring and summer play stays manageable, if the small parking lot holds up, and if the course fits the preserve without creating new pressure on the fen and trail system, Woodbury has a path toward its first permanent disc golf home. If not, the city has left itself room to adjust before the pilot hardens into a long-term fixture.