Pros:
Earlwood is a classic course from the 90's that is well worth your time to stop and play.
-Located in a nice urban park. Well maintained & clean
-Trash Cans & Benches
-Beautiful Terrain. The course plays up & down hills continually.
-Decent Navigation. Some of the baskets have arrows pointing to the next teepads. (I'd still recommend printing off the map.)
-Courses navigates back to the parking lot. Allowing for a "quick 9" on either the front or back 9. This also allows for a stop off at the car if needed.
-Course interactions with Non-players was minimal.*
-#18 is a spectacular finishing hole. Definitely the courses signature hole.
-Throwing over the Amphitheater on #16 was a fun experience! It's the type of hole where you will two more discs, beyond your initial shot, just to watch them fly!
-It may be a challenging course to start out on, but I think beginners will do just fine playing here.
-Earlwood still offers a challenge to the regular player. It may not be as challenging to the professional player, but a professional player could still have a good time here.
-Big "Fun Factor" for me!
-Course requires strategy over distance, but still offers holes that will let you drive for distance.
-The majority of Earlwood is shaded with trees, this can offer a little bit of relief on hot days.
Cons:
-Walking trails have been added to the course, which may cause interference from Non-players.
-*(flip side of the pro) Though interactions were minimal, I noticed a few areas where crowds could cause a stop in play. Perhaps a family reunion at a shelter house, some type of Concert in the park in the Amphitheater, or even just a busy Saturday when everyone is "out & about".
-Signs, although they were very nice, offered limited information. (Hole #, Par and Distance only)
-I didn't have any major "Issues", I've been told that the bathrooms aren't readily "accessible".
Other Thoughts:
I thoroughly enjoyed Earlwood! It's a fun course that is not overly challenging. Don't mistake that, Earlwood has challenges. I'm saying that there is a great (Challenge:Fun) ratio. Earlwood is located in a really nice park, in downtown Columbia. It was well maintained, and clean.
Play at Earlwood will have you working that right line through the trees. You will be throwing up and down hills. Sometimes throwing on a blind shot, as you throw over the top of a hill. There are a few risk/reward holes, as well as numerous holes that will make you consider the lie for your second shot. (i.e. You may have a great drive, but you could end up with a bad roll going downhill.) 18 is the signature hole, and the epitome of "Risk/Reward". You throw down a steep 382 ft tight & narrow wooded fairway. All it takes is one tree to ruin a nicely executed drive. #18 can be painful, but it's also a fun challenge! You may even find yourself emptying your bag, just to see if you can pull it off.
If your trip has you in, around or near Columbia, SC then this course is definitely worth a stop. I drove from over an hour away to play here, and I was not disappointed. No special footwear is needed here, but you will be trekking up & down steep hills. I was also warned that Poison Ivy, Sumac, and Oak can be bad in some places, so take proper precautions. You would be well advised to bring some liquids, because you will get a work out walking this course. If you can hook up with a local, that will help with some of the blind shots and other navigation issues.