This is one of the most disappointing courses I've ever played. It should be so much better than it is, and I blame that on 2 major flaws. Unfortunately for the course, these 2 issues come in to play on just about every single hole.
- The first is the length. It's not that the course is too long for me, but that it's too long for it's layout. You hear in football when a punter outkicks his coverage, negating a longer-than-normal punt. And that's essentially Crookston's problem. Sometimes less (distance) is more. I'll focus on holes #5 & 7 as my chief examples.
- Both holes have good distance (482 & 420 respectively), with legitimately challenging basket placements - #5 behind some trees, #7 nestled in an opening, surrounded by trees. These would both be difficult baskets to get close to from long range. So, why does the course make these holes too long that nobody is going to be going for them with a driver? If these holes were in the 300 foot range, these holes become reachable for most players, and suddenly become huge risk/reward holes. You might get close to the basket, and have a birdie putt, but you might also hit, or get stuck behind a tree, making it a difficult 2nd shot. By making these holes too long, the 300 foot thrower is now going for these tough baskets from a shorter, easier range (100 - 150 feet). It's much easier to get your disc close from shorter range, meaning the advantage goes from the course to the player.
- The other major flaw with the course is that it runs along the walking path, at times presenting unsafe, dangerous shots. For example, the "official" wide, walking trail runs behind the baskets for #2 - 4 (as you can see on the course map), but there's the walking trail that people actually use, which is in front of these 2 baskets, and also comes into play on #5, 7 & 8. On #4 you're throwing a blind shot over the walking trail, to a dogleg right basket, meaning your shot will cross back over the trail. On #2, you're also throwing down a fairway with the parking lot/road on the left, and benches, horseshoe pits, walking trail on the right/the most direct route. I played the course on a Thursday afternoon, and even with that, had to wait on 3 different holes for the few people on the walking trail. Again, if holes were shortened/moved, some of this would be eliminated.
- The mando on #8 is terrible, possibly the worst I've seen. As you can see in one of the pics, you're throwing through a narrow "fairway", mando pole on left, thick overgrowth on right. I could be ok with that because it prevents you from throwing back at #7 tee. My issue is the second mando pole you're supposed to throw around. After my tee shot, my second shot was maybe 150 feet, straight to the basket. But, I had to throw out of the way, around an unnecessary second mando. Mandos are only good if they're needed, not these artificial, "let's make it tougher" ones.
- The tee for #9 was way too close to the tall brush around the wetlands. You have to throw at angle on the tee, or off the tee to go around the brush.
- Not a beginner-friendly course at all. Most local park, 9-holers try to reach out to first-timers and/or families. I'd hope there aren't many, or any, people who play this as their first course, and get turned off to the game.