Pros:
First off, this is a gorgeous course situated in a very pretty multi-use park that's easy to access. The woods were beautiful in fall.
True, there are more wooded shots than open, but it's not overwhelming and most of the holes are a blast to play.
The signs are not perfect -- but I love the old wooden signs. It seems to fit perfectly with the rest of this woodsy, beautiful course!
I really liked the shot variety here a lot. There are some ridiculously tight shots that need more than just a fairly straight drive to nail (15).
While this is clearly a very multi-use park, the course designers did a great job keeping the fairways away from populated areas for the most part. There are some trails snaking around the area, but generally you won't throw a drive on them unless you're way off.
Multiple tee positions on many of the holes help add some length and/or variety, depending on what you're looking for.
Lots of nice amenities on the course. Not only are there benches and trash cans everywhere, I was happy to see a bridge has been built over the ravine near 9 and 10, along with a "USE THIS PATH" marker. Thanks for keeping us safe!
The course makes great use of the elevation and nature present. Given the land that exists, you can't help but feel they squeezed most of what they could out of it.
Navigation is not ideal, but not horrible if you watch for the "next tee" arrow present on the signs. 3-4 was the only area I found it easy to get lost. 14 is also a bit of a hike if I recall correctly.
Ample parking, and in what I presume is a very safe neighborhood.
Course seemed very well maintained when I was there. Everything was neatly mowed, trimmed, and garbage was emptied and picked up.
Overall, the use of elevation, trees, nature, and shot selection are what make this such a fun play, in my opinion. Wish I was closer so I could play more often!
Cons:
Baskets are dull and can be hard to spot, even in full sun and broad daylight due to the dense tree canopy. Contrast this with Rosedale Down Under in KC with the bright orange baskets.
Not a ton of opportunities to open up and throw -- most of the holes here are fairly short. Not a problem, but at least one long bomb would have been nice!
Hole 14 (I believe it is) plays fairly close to the parking lot, and a very errant shot can end up over there. I recommend parking on the right side of the lot when you pull in! (No, we didn't hit anyone)
I did not see any active pin marking system in place. With lots of dense shade, it can be very hard to see where you're shooting and this can get frustrating. 18's FIVE pin positions are, in my opinion, ridiculous, especially with no way of knowing which is active without running up.
Course can get very muddy when it rains. Not much they can do about it, but just be aware.
Other Thoughts:
When I rate courses, I mainly look at how much fun it was to play, the amount of different shots required, the scenery, etc. It's hard for me to find a lot of faults with this course, and the ones I did mention are getting nit picky.
I realize I'm on the very high end of the spectrum with this rating, but I do feel it's justified. The natural beauty and use of elevation and trees really make this an incredible play in my opinion. Furthermore, the shots are all fun in their own way, and I did not get bored here at all.
With that being said, I have to give this course a 4.5. The course alone is probably a solid 4.0, but the park itself and setting really are what push it over the edge. After I play more courses in STL, I will be happy to re-evaluate, but this is my first impression, and it was a great one!