Pros:
+ A nice balance of open and wooded holes with neither type taking dominance.
+ The open holes give enough space to wind up for a satisfying far-flying throw.
+ The wooded holes will certainly test a player's precision.
+ Very friendly locals/regulars.
+ Quiet county park setting.
+ The fairways and rough or OB areas are visually distinct.
+ Just the right amount of benches and trash cans around the course. Please do not litter.
+ 'Next tee' signs are plentiful and plainly visible.
+ About half of the long tees and maybe three or four of the short tees hover around or exceed 350 feet. Despite its small footprint, Mercer County DGC has a bit of distance to it.
+ The long and short tees offer different angles to the pin. Instead of simply placing the short tee closer, it is often in a wildly different spot with a different feel from the long pin.
Cons:
- This course is absolutely flat with the exceptions of the raised fairway and basket on 1-long and the slight slope on 14-long.
- Tee pads are a mishmash of rubber, dirt, pavers and carpet. They are perfectly functional, but it gives the course a slipshod appearance.
- Many of the fairways do not allow much room for error. One slight deviation from the strictly carved fairways, and you've either lost a disc in the tremendous overgrowth on the sides or have a tough lie.
- Some of the 'current tee' signs have yet to be installed or need to be updated to reflect recent additions.
- Some of the bushes and trees have grown too big. They need to be trimmed and/or pruned but probably not cut down.
- Very many groundhog dens, exposed roots and stumps make for tripping hazards. Walk with caution- especially during holes 9 through 13.
Other Thoughts:
My favorite hole here is hole 5. The initial tunnel trees feel spaced out just right so that whether I throw well or poorly, it feels fair. Plus, the guardian trees are positioned perfectly to allow for multiple tactical approaches. My least favorite hole here bounces back and forth between holes 3-long and 6 because they both challenge the kinds of right-side dogleg throws that I simply haven't practiced enough of yet.
As for the course as a whole:
Full 'disc'losure, I am a regular at this course. Mercer is definitely my 'home course,' and I play here two or three times per week- sometimes more. I would that it is the course where I learned how to play, which makes it special to my mind.
All of the criticisms I've made about it are already common knowledge among the course maintainers who are actively trying to fix these issues. In fact, with all of the upgrades and maintenance scheduled in the near future, I doubt that this review will still be relevant in a few months' time. I'll be sure to update once enough changes have been made.
Mercer is a good park that has big ambitions. It is very much an incomplete course, but what is already available among the 18 holes feels just fine. There are plenty of long and open holes for the big arms. There are plenty of short and wooded holes for the tacticians.
As I said earlier, there are no elevation challenges to speak of, some of the fairways feel needlessly constricted, and a few of the trees and bushes seem like they need to be removed or downsized, which may dampen the fun for players.
So don't go to Mercer expecting to be dazzled. It is a definitive 'local'-type disc golf course with dedicated regulars and enough variety from one hole to the next to keep you paying attention. Just understand that it is still a work in progress, and you should have a good time with its 18. (Good luck on hole 7!)