Pros:
***Important: this review is based on having just played the Highland "Extended" 18 hole course set up for the National Senior Games on 7/11/15***
The Highland Park disc golf course (not to be confused with Hyland, also in the Twin Cities) boasts large, level, concrete tee pads on every one of its nine holes (numbers 4, 5, 6 & 8 with multiple tees), and quality DGA baskets (multiple positions on holes 1, 3, 5 & 7). It plays through a well-maintained, and low undergrowth park, using mature trees and slightly rolling elevation to pose a decent challenge for Recreational players. The permanent holes range from 173 to 402 feet in length, and require control on holes 4 (do NOT get to the right, where the steep, wooded slope, and sometimes wet conditions will ruin your day), 5 (tourney 9: left to right with some ceiling to play through), and 8 (tourney 12: don't confuse the basket out in line with the tee: your target is around left, by the HUGE tree, roadside).
The added holes (three on the other side of Edgcumbe Road, an island hole in the driveway turnaround by the shelter, two below that lot, and two out past the playground) were cleverly set up to challenge Advanced Grandmasters, yet playable from modified, shorter tees, for a couple of more 'experienced' players in their 80's.
The disc golf community is clearly supportive and broad-based, as they were able to provide a mix of donated temporary baskets from a Prodigy to a Mach X, and everything in between. There were young folks helping out with spotting for our event, which suggests that the Minneapolis - St Paul - Bloomington (etc.) clubs are there to help and would be a good place for visitors to touch base.
Cons:
The fact that it's only nine holes, and the lack of big distance (or, on the flip side, even tight lines) probably deters Intermediate, Advanced and Open players from playing here too often. As it is, I doubt folks find too much of a thrill in re-playing it. If it were expanded to something like the 18 we played, that would be a really different story. I'm told that the low area after hole four can really stay muddy. It's apparently a little difficult to determine the tee area (along the walking path) for hole 9 (tourney 13). And I was a little concerned that the long basket on hole 7 (tourney 11) plays so close to the long tee on 5 (9).
Other Thoughts:
As far as nine hole courses go, Highland is better than average, and the hosts and the park did a great job of getting 90% of it really well mown and freshly mulched for the big event (odd that our 17th fairway and 18th basket was in the leftover tall stuff, but I still appreciated all the rest of the effort. Historically, it was neat to see the old pool building and pump house (built by the WPA during the Great Depression) are still features of the park. One of the local players noted how cool it would be if the pool building could be remade into a 'clubhouse' for the course!