Pros:
I would like to begin my review by giving two thumbs up to all involved in the redesign of this course. In my opinion, the new design helps to bring the course up to a more modern and challenging layout while still retaining some of the similar characteristics of the original Iroquois disc golf course. The new design utilizes more of the natural resources of the land to create a more technical, visually appealing layout which plays several strokes higher than the original design.
Course Essentials:
-Baskets: MachIII baskets are in good shape, single placement per hole.
-Tee Pads: Level, concrete tee pads of adequate length on all holes. Am pads are located on 1, 4, 6, 9, 14 and 18.
-Tee signs: Present on all tee boxes, the signs show hole layout, distance and direction to the next tee.
General Course Design & Layout:
-Par: 55
-Length: Pro, 5411ft (300ft/hole avg); Am, 4863ft (270ft/hole avg).
-Elevation: Minimum to Moderate throughout the course
-Fairway Variety: Right to left (7), Straight (6), Left to right (3), Split lines (2)
-Hazards: Water on 1, 2, 5, 6, 7; Road/Walking Trail plays O.B. on several holes.
-Practice Hole: A practice basket located near the first hole allows ample room throwing short to mid-range approach shots and long putts. Nice feature.
Iroquois offers a smooth, flowing layout that is comprised of a continuous loop from start to finish (hole 9 does not end near the parking area) and is straight-forward and simple to navigate. The fairways are clean and well-defined with no crossing fairways or danger zones. Maintenance seems to be very good with little to no excess foliage to contend with on the course. There is a great mix between open holes, technical holes, and semi-technical holes. The first 5 holes in general are relatively open with few obstacles to contend with. Holes 1 and 2 are listed as having water hazards, but the time that I played the course, there was no water present. It does look like an area has been created for a small pond in this area. It will be nice to see the pond fully functional as it will greatly increase the aesthetics and challenge of the opening holes.
The course begins to take on more character as you approach the tee for hole 6. From this point on, the course becomes progressively more technical and challenging. The minimum to moderate elevations are used to create a nice variety in uphill/downhill fairways. Pin placements located near some steeper elevations on a few key holes on the back nine employ great risk/reward strategies. I feel like the overall challenge and aesthetics of the course have been greatly improved with the new design.
Nice improvements and upgrades unique to the new layout:
-Mulch around the tees add great appeal and help to eliminate the very sloppy conditions around the tee areas when the course is wet.
-The addition of Am tee pads helps to preserve the simplistic nature of the original layout for newer and less experienced players.
-The use of the wooded areas (10-16) provide a more technical and challenging layout.
-The existing pond is better utilized and much more in play i/n the new layout
Epic Holes:
-Hole 6: I love this hole! Relatively simple right to left shot around 340ft in length, but offers great visual appeal. The tee shot requires enough height to clear a row of mature trees on the far edge of the pond, once you clear these hazards, there is a large, safe landing area making for a simple putt and good chance for a deuce.
-Hole 9: The only par 4 on the course. The tee shot starts in the open field and requires a left to right shot into some thick trees a couple hundred feet off the box. Nice, challenging layout.
-Hole 11: A simple hole with a split fairway design. I really like the fact that you have 2 defined semi-technical routes to chose from, nice use of the trees.
-Hole 12: A sweeping right to left fairway with an increasing downhill slope. Very tight line off the tee, but with good distance control and the right amount of hyzer, the disc will ride the slope right under the basket.
-Hole 14: Deemed the Tiger Woods hole. This hole has a straight, narrow fairway and plays just over 370ft. A fantastic hole that will only be deuced by the most skilled players, or a good amount of luck from the less experienced players. The fairway is roughly 15-20ft wide the entire length of the hole with trees and slopes on either side.
-Hole 16: Very short hole at under 200ft, but the pin is placed on top of a severe elevation. You can throw a little short and have and easy deuce, but go for this pin and you could turn an easy 2 or 3 into a 4 or worse.
Cons:
-Missing signs/info: At the time I played the course, there were a couple of missing signs, and some of the signs with missing information (distance,etc.) This may have been corrected by now, but wanted to mention it.
-Some areas of the course tend to hold water and can be a little difficult to navigate after a heavy rain.
-Walking Trail/Road comes into play on several holes. This park is VERY busy so be aware of whats going on around you before you throw.
-Work in progress: There is still construction going on in the park and on the course. Not a big deal, but worth mentioning.
Other Thoughts:
All in all, the new design was well thought out and well executed. The original layout was your classic semi-technical par54 layout that was fun to play, but relatively simple by today's standards. The new layout provides a longer, more technical par55 layout that requires better execution and more creative shot-making to score well. It is still a work in progress, but it is evident that the hard work and effort that has been put into the new layout has yielded positive changes to the course. It's good to see the Louisville area with 2 great courses to choose from, great job on the new course!!!