Sunset Park and Disc-Golf Course

If you're looking for something fun to do outside but don't have much time, there's always a park nearby in Branson. For today's outing, we thought we'd pick one of Branson's fifteen city parks and give it a visit. Perhaps one of the best kept secrets in town is Sunset Park, less than a mile from historic downtown Branson. Only about a minute walk from neighboring Alexander Park, Sunset Park is host to a 9-hole disc-golf course.

For those unfamiliar with disc-golf, also known as "frisbee" golf, it is a relatively new sport, which is rapidly becoming popular, reaching upwards of 500,000 players or more. Just imagine a regular game of golf, now keep the $75 greens fee, buy a $20 set of discs, leave the fancy clothes and shoes at home, keep the $75 greens fee, and you're ready to play. Best of all, you can even bring the kids along for a game the whole family can enjoy. Disc golf is very similar to traditional ball golf. You tee-off from a tee box, and throw from where your disc lands. Score is kept by counting your throws or "strokes", trying to beat par.

Sunset Park course is a moderately difficult course, with several hazards (trees) and a couple holes near 400 ft long. It also is an excellent course to learn the game on. There is no fee to play, and 9 holes can easily be finished in half an hour. For the adventurous, there is a geocache located very near the course, but finding it can be a challenge.

Once you are done playing, you can cross the road and fish for trout in Lake Taneycomo, or walk a few hundred feet to Alexander Park. Alexander Park is home to two connected baseball fields, hosting everything from tee-ball to little league to soccer games. There also are tennis courts, a picnic pavilion, and a playground.