Pros:
Two tee pads on just about every hole, they are concrete and a good size. Three of the four with only one pad, are short holes and provide other challenges. The tees are labeled White and Blue, which is about right for their distance and challenge. If you are looking for a Red level course, the #1 course is in the same park.
The Mach 5 baskets are all in good shape, sometimes tough to spot on the tightly wooded holes, but not a big problem.
Good tee signs on every hole, Par, Distance, elevation change and (one of the few times I have seen this) the "Plays Like" distance. They have a picture of the hole (with a sponsor) and arrow showing the basket location. I normally prefer a hole layout to show the basket location, but these are well done.
A great variety of holes, it starts out with several partially wooded holes, downhill, uphill, then downhill again before moving into the heavily wooded holes. There are even some mostly open holes to finish your round.
This course moves around the northern end of the park, it looks like there should be very little interference from other park users, except for gravel walking paths. But I think these were between holes, to limit the interactions.
Some really cool holes, that you will remember for a while after playing them, #3, #4,#6, #15 and #18.
Cons:
Not much to dislike about Ballou #2, as I mentioned on the Tee Signs, a couple of times I had to walk the fairway, because I couldn't tell where my line should be, based on the hole picture. But they are well done, and did a great job recruiting sponsors.
A couple of the short holes felt like filler holes, #8 and #10 are just 184' and 170' (uphill), but very tight fairways force you to hit your line, or hope you get close enough for a birdie look.
Really picky here, but the open field where #12 basket is looks like it could be used for another open hole. In fact, after finishing #12, I looked left for the next tee, thinking the hole was going to cross this large, open grassy area. Alas, it did not, just an easy walk to #13 tee.
Other Thoughts:
While most people, especially baggers, probably play both courses at Ballou back-to-back, either warm up on the Par 3 #1, or use that for your cool down. Due to time constraints when I was first here in January, I finally got to play the #2 course ... 11 months later.
The #2 course at Ballou is definitely NOT the second best, I think that refers to the order they were installed, because #2 is twice as good as #1! If you are going to build two courses at one location, and have the room, this is how it should be done. One longer challenging course, plus a shorter, family/beginner friendly course. There's another location in VA with two courses, nearly the same distance and nearly the same layouts, having two different layouts is much better than having twins at the same location.
I mentioned in the Pros that this course has just about every type of openness of holes, it also mixes up the left, right and straight holes also, plus with the creeks that run through the park, there is some type of elevation change on just about every hole.
The holes here that most players will remember well after your round start pretty early:
#3 - a 342' Par 3 that starts downhill in the open, then turns left and narrows as you reach a creek, then uphill about 50-70' to a sloped green in the trees. Still can't believe I threw such a straight drive, that it crossed the fairway!
#4 - plays 550' and par 4 from the elevated Blue tee, its a dogleg left to a guarded target area, creek down the left and woods on the right, then the creek crosses the fairway and you have to cross that, and thru a tightening fairway to the green. (The first tee pad you come to is no longer used, keep walking to the tee sign, then the White tee is down below the Blue tee.)
#6 - another elevated tee, you have a tunnel you need to clear off the tee, then it opens up as you cross a valley and the basket is up a ridge of about 20', that slope is so steep, that stairs have been added. (This hole is not pictured on the site.)
#15 - another elevated tee and straight down to a small creek at the bottom, oh yea and you have to split 2 large trees in the middle of the fairway, or pick another line. Just one tee at 259', but you have to hit your gap or be scrambling.
#18 - unlike any other hole on the course, this one is mostly open with just a few trees on both sides of the ample fairway to beat. Great grass on this 420'/539' Par 4, that drops then has a steady incline to the basket, protected by large trees. Just a great finishing hole to watch the leaders come in on.
A great course here for intermediate and up players. Beginners will probably struggle with the distance, tightness of some holes and thick rough off the fairways. More advanced players should be challenged with the Blue tees as they add 1400' of distance and several different looks at the hole. If you play the #1 course before this one, be sure to play this gem.