Pros:
1)This course will test your shot making ability. Although at first glance it appears that there are lots of open spaces to work with, you soon realize that this course plays a lot tighter than you originally thought. Every single hole has an element of OB due to the old streets that run throughout the course and the backend of all of the old backyards are covered in nasty overgrowth...if you don't place your drives carefully you will be taking LOTS of added strokes. I really enjoy the challenge that this creates.
2) There are plenty of holes you can air it out on. If you are looking to work on your long game, this course gives you plenty of opportunities to let the big dog rip! Once again, however, drive placement is just as crucial as distance. There really isn't a teebox where you can just blindly let it rip and be 100% positive that you will be inbounds when it comes down. This course will keep you honest.
3) There are lots of creative/tricky basket positions. Every hole has 3 different pin positions. and typically one of them can be considered the "extreme" position. Whether this means it is perched on the edge of a severe dropoff, tucked into a back corner, or sitting on top of a mound, there are some really cool basket locations.
4) The course has a really nice mix of par 3s, 4s, and 5s. It ranges from a shorty par 3 (Hole 12 Red Tee to Short Basket) to an epic par 5 (Hole 8 Blue Tee to Long Basket). If you aren't used to taking 4s and the occasional 5 (or worse), you better mentally prepare yourself ahead of time...shooting under par 68 from the white or blue tees takes some serious game!
5) The gently rolling terrain is maintained very nicely by the local municipality. There are still plenty of remnants from the previous homeowners landscaping efforts...flower beds, decorative trees, bamboo stands, retaining walls, etc. Even though Mother Nature is starting to reclaim the land a bit, it really does make for a pretty course in the meantime.
6) Beautiful Pro Titan baskets! Man, do they look huge and instill confidence!
Cons:
All of my cons are basically issues with it being an underdeveloped course. From what I understand, the local municipality wants the local club to wait a a period of 2 years before they really start to develop the course. It has been almost 1.5 years since the baskets were installed, so the time is getting near...
1) There is a general lack of amenities. This includes permanent teepads, tee signage, benches (there are few picnic tables scattered throughout the course), a kiosk, a shelter/bathroom facility, and a parking lot. With any luck these issues will be resolved in the near future once the 2 year re-assessment occurs.
2) The course flow is a bit tricky. In order to accommodate the desire for a double 9-Hole loop layout, the logical flow had to be ignored a bit. I fully understand the intention of it all, but i also can see how some might consider this a nuisance. Once you have played the course a couple of times this issue is not nearly as bothersome.
Other Thoughts:
My rating is based on what this course will be in the near future. Once there are concrete teepads (I believe there will be 54 of them when it is all said and done), proper tee signs and course navigation signs, and the normal amenities, this will truly be a world class course.