Pros:
As the flagship course of Murfreesboro, Barfield offers two solid styles of disc golf and is easily accessible.
-Layout: Barfield has a really neat split 18. There are nine open holes (the "Beginner" layout; 1-3, 7-11, 18), all of which have concrete path and a concrete bullseye for handicap accessibility. Interspersed in these are the "Advanced" layout in thick woods (4-6, 12-17). The flow is great to play either just the beginner 9 or all 18.
-Amenities: Nothing really missing. Giant concrete tees. Course map. Practice basket. Signage with #, distance, and map (though generous pars). Numbered Mach III's challenge your putting touch. Plenty of benches. Usually a few big sticks around (3) for pond retrieval.
-Beauty: Although the open 9 are unspectacular, the wooded 9 are really beautiful, with rock fairways, lots of trees, and some steep elevation. Ponds come into play on (3) and (7).
-Variety: The open 9/wooded 9 layout insures that Barfield has a very even mix of terrain types.
-Shot Shaping/Gameplay: A fair sampling of par-3s. The open holes, though beginner-friendly, do include challenges like an almost-surrounded basket on (1), left and right turns on (9) and (18) respectively, and some foliage to go above, below, or between on the other holes. Distance tops out under 400 feet. The addition of the wooded nine adds significant challenge, and requires precision. Again, various par-3 challenges with straight, left, right, and s-shapes. The (15)-(17) range is probably the most interesting, with a long and winding path that could qualify as a par-4 on (15) and then two steep downhill plays through the woods.
-Multi-Pins: Many holes have a second pin placement, and they get changed up every so-often for a change of pace.
Cons:
-Disc Punishment: The concrete bullseyes around the baskets substantially wear discs. The rock fairways in the woods eat deep into them. I would stick mostly with your most durable plastic here on drives, and I personally always use a DX putter to save my nicer ones from the grind of a skittling miss.
-Disc Loss: Big possibility here. The water on (3) and (7) has seen many a throw go splash. You could also lose track of something in the woods, especially at dawn or dusk.
-Variety: I know, I know I listed it as both pro and con. In the pros, it refers to balance of fields and woods; in the cons, it refers to length and gameplay variety. There isn't much to the open holes, and the wooded ones are pretty short. No good multi-shot holes and very few thrilling challenges.
-Lines: I've always found the lines dubious in the (13)-(17) range here. If you don't get lucky, you may have an impossible scramble.
-Busyness: One of the busiest courses I've been to. Usually lots of players and beginners out. If playing alone, it can get frustrating to wait.
Other Thoughts:
Barfield is a small-scale example of excellent balance and amenity-oriented design. The layout ropes in both beginners and experienced players. I don't find enough compelling in this par-54 course to put it above Good, especially when you consider the cost of plastic to play here. It's been a great course for Murfreesboro, but with the town growing rapidly it may be time to make a Mega-Barfield for a real regional challenge.