Pros:
Large, level, tee pads with erosion control areas built up, around, and/or near them and a near-perfect "grippiness factor," in my opinion.
19 Veteran baskets in great shape, with red bands, blue cages and (yes) silver chains. (Including a practice basket.)
Multiple pin placements on each hole (only one tee pad per hole).
Accurate and descriptive signs for each hole with distances to each pin, plus info about OB, mandos, etc. "Next tee" signs on or on a tree near the basket of every hole (I think). These made navigation easy, once I noticed they were there. They are small red, white, and blue signs. Obvious or marked trails on the way to the next tee, almost always.
Occasional benches, including one made from skis at the tee for hole 6.
Bathrooms at the parking lot at the base of the hill.
Significant elevation changes and the elevation is used very well. Big uphill and big downhill shots, plus side-hill fairways, gradual slopes, one hole with a big drop-off behind the basket and within the circle, many others with more gradual sloping greens, and multiple holes that play downhill and back up.
Good variety of hole distances. There are several par 3 holes reachable for most intermediate-and-up players and they are mixed in at good stages of the course. Those that come immediately to mind are holes 6, 8, 9, 12, 13, and 15. Having said that, none of those shots are what I would call "easy."
As I think back now, I can remember every hole individually. That speaks to the variety and also to the fact that each hole has its own character. No two holes looked or felt the same to me. Which is a huge pro, in my book.
Breathtaking beauty all around, including great views at the top and at stages on the way up.
Cons:
There are many long walks from basket to the next tee. Lots of them are significantly uphill (see "other thoughts.") I don't consider this to be a huge con, but some might and I want to give them a heads up.
Almost all of the tee shots have one line to hit or a fairly open shot that allows the player to throw almost any "go to" line. My preferred style is choices of lines off the tee. Having said that, there are mid-fairway choices on several holes and overall I like the design.
Several of the baskets are high, having not been buried as deep as usual, probably due to rocky ground. Be aware as you line up your putts.
The pin placements seem to get more interesting as the course unfolds. In general, back nine placements create more danger around the greens and the front nine are pretty straightforward. I like the style of the back nine green areas better.
Only one tee per hole, so there is no recreational/family option. This is a serious course for serious disc golfers, as the warning signs at the beginning indicate.
Other Thoughts:
This is a strenuous hike over rocky terrain. It was the most grueling 18-hole experience, fitness-wise, that I have had. This may have something to do with the fact that I am an old guy who was carrying way too many discs, a chair, an umbrella, and two water bottles, but I've played a fair number of courses with big elevation changes and courses at high elevation and they did not wear me out like this one did. I played the Sipapu Ski Resort course two days before this and I was far more tired after 7 holes here than after the whole round there.
Also, it is one long loop, so no return to the parking lot (and the bottom of the hill) until all 18 holes are completed. Take water, snacks, and whatever else you need.
The course works its way uphill, generally, to its peak at the tee of 13. Within those first 12 holes, there are several downhill shots (holes 5, 6, 8, and 9), usually followed by an uphill walk to the next tee. Your reward for reaching 13's tee is a beautiful view and the start of a well-earned descent, which (at least for me) allows for a high level of enjoyment at the end of the track.
I love traveling to a place and playing a course that fits in with the character of the area and gives me a strong sense of being in that state, city, etc. For Ruidoso, New Mexico, I thought this course was exactly that, a challenging place of rugged beauty. My recommendation: Gear up and go play it!