Pros:
-Concrete Tees
-Good Baskets
-Excellent Signage, including some direction between holes
-Nice views of the lake
-Lots of bathrooms on the route
-Lots of elevation (see cons)
-Good mix of long/short, wooded/open, left/right
-Nice Map
Cons:
-6917' in length, just as much between holes (2.6 mile total holes + in between)
-Extreme elevation at times
-Map a necessity the first time, even with helpful extra signage
-Punishing Rough, many holes with the lake in play, especially on back 9
-No 9 hole loop
-No benches / trashcans
Other Thoughts:
Lake Iowa DGC is located in Lake Iowa County Park, several miles south of Ladora, IA. A short drive off of I-80 will get you to this park in the middle of nowhere with a good size lake, swimming, hiking, camping and a lodge. The disc golf course starts at the far end of the parking lot for the beach and wraps around the entire lake. A park map says the "disc golf trail" is at 2.6 miles which is almost exactly double the length of the holes for the course. With 5 holes over 500' including the 764' #13, there is really enough room here for another 18 holes comfortably, or a wrap along the north end of the park to come back to the start. The length makes for quite a hike. Lines are OK for most with a few holes having a 15' wide line in the trees. Concern is several holes with access to the lake. #13 plays along the dam with either a right turn to water or a left turn down a pretty good slope. #6 and #7 play along the road and #13 through #17 play right along the Lakeside Trail, so watch for pedestrians. The hole length alone makes this a long course, the walk in between makes it a beast that will discourage the amateurs even though the pars are generous. Signage has been updated recently as has the map (which looks like a few changes on Holes #11 and 12). The length, safety, disc loss issues knock down the rating for me. If you're looking for a workout, this is your course, even a little out the way that it is. I might play this one again, but as an only course of the day, especially if I'm not bagging solo.