The concrete tee pads are nice at every hole except #11. For the most part this is a good course to work on distance driving with most holes having open areas to let it rip. Alternate basket locations are a good change of pace. Good mix of difficulty hole to hole

Alternate Tee boxes are marked on the sign at the hole but it doesn't help find them. Hole signs could also offer par for the hole, but don't. Sign for Hole #8 doesn't really help figure out where the actual basket is.

This course retains water really well so there is the tendency to be a lot of bugs around. Also the reads and marsh areas are disc eaters and very unforgiving. Generally a fun course to play and like others have said it's not a quick 30-45 minute course.

Very Long Course, Good place to go for a good long game of golf. You won't play this course in a 1/2 hour. Some very interesting holes. Nice tees, baskets and nice new hole markers.

Couldn't find the alternate tees, and the misquotes were killer around the swamp/marsh, and stream. And if your disc goes in the Marsh area it is gone. One of the holes, approach through the marsh was washed out, had to play around it.

-It's very open
-It has alternate tees

-You lose your disc in the thick crap, It's gone for good unless you have the time to look for it.
-You can never find the alternate tees
- It gets really hot when you are out in the open cause of the sun.

This course is more for those who have a year or 2 of experince with the game. Just cuz it's open dont mean it isnt hard

-Concrete tee pads and signs
-Most players are expienced
-Multiple tee locations and baskets are moved occasionally

-The marshes are discs eaters
-Gets mushy in quite a few places after even a light rain
-Variety of distances but lacking obstacles other than the wet areas

If you do throw a disc in the marsh the little kids who spend the afternoon looking for discs in there usually call

The hole sign are helpful but confusing with all of the alternate tee location and disctances. Sometimes I was really sure how long the hole really was.

- Cement tee pads. longer holes have longer pads.
- Great use of the creek, available trees, and the few hills out there.
- Wind definitely makes for a constant factor
- Baskets all seem to be a similar height off the ground.
- good drive placement required for good score.
- Fun to play
- Not that beginner friendly. shanked shots go in the swamp. this is a pro cause that means less chuckers to wreck the course.

- Tee Signs are hard to understand unless you know the layout
- Can be confusing to play without guide
- Bugs can be nasty

The first time i came out and played this course was back when i first started playing. i left the course with just my putter. i was pissed. so i stayed away for many years. Now with the new tee pads in and the revamped course, i came back.
Obviously my skills have improved and i can actually place my shots. made the course much more fun. I dont think we played it correctly the first time, it is a bit confusing on where to go. just try to follow some locals and its a quick learning curve.
The course is mostly open, but most basket locations are strategically placed. The dang roll away putts can hurt, any time theres a slight hill the basket is on the side of it. makes for alot of fun. The creek comes into play at every opportunity. But it seems to be clear enough to easily spot your disc.

Hadn't played here in awhile, nice to see they have cement tee boxes & signs now, & changed up a couple of holes. Good hole variety & distances, descent challenge, even moreso playing OB & 3 min. rules. Nice layout, easy to navagate & walk. Has areas with water & rough in play & some wooded holes. Has some long open holes to rip shots & for rollers. Primarily a DG park, never many other users or too busy.

Did not see alternate tee boxes. No pars on signs. Could still use some obstructions and cover on a few holes, be more creative with pin placements. Need more trash cans. The path on 11 that gets flooded. Hole 13 was better the way it was as a wooded downhill shot, guess the PD didn't want to do the up keep.

Still a nice place to get out & play, nice to see the improvements. A couple more pins creekside would add to challange. Or, trench out a couple of nice size ponds in open areas to add water hazards.

- The course is fairly wide open and its easy to recover from a bad throw.
- You get to use your distance drivers a ton.
- Newish tee pads on most holes.
- Recently added tee signs that show distances from normal and alt tees to the normal and alt baskets.

- There is very little challenge here. The biggest challenge is simply the wind.
- Lots of spots to misplace a disc. Watter on 8 holes (13 if it's rained recently) and 4-8 foot reeds in play on 5 holes.
- As other reviewers have said, the only shot you will need is a RHBH.
- Noticeable elevation changes on just 1 hole.

This is a great course to go out and throw long drives on. This is a fairly easy course to recover on, so go ahead and wing that drive out there and no matter where it lands (as long as it's dry) you'll have a pretty good shot at par.

Nice, long course of verying difficulty. New tee boxes and baskets.

Very very confusing, often found ourselves shooting at the wrong hole. No signs saying where the hole is or the par on the hole. Even finding out where to go next is confusing. Baskets aren't marked by hole number.

On a windy day your disc may get carried into the river or marsh making it easy to lose discs here because almost every hole has some type of natural hazard. Have some way to know where your going if its your first time, you will get lost.

Shady Oaks is a fun, challenging 18 hole course. It features a good amount of length including the 739' hole 15. This year the course was upgraded with concrete tees and new baskets. The tees are roomy and on the really long holes they are as much as 50% longer than the rest, I though that was a thoughtful touch. Almost all of the basket positions have been tweaked, sometimes slightly and sometimes dramatically so. Hole 2 is a great example: it used to be a nice downhill midrange shot with the stream behind the basket making an ace run dangerous. Now the basket has been moved to the other side of the creek, making this a difficult 3 to get as the landing area on the other side is very small. While the course is more open than wooded, a cattail marsh running through much of the course and a fairly good sized stream make you think twice about going for the gold. This course features some nice multi-shot holes, the afore mentioned hole 15 and hole 3 which is an ~350-400' drive along the right of the stream up to one of two windows in the trees on the other side where the protected green is located. Big arms could go for the basket in one but it would be very risky. While there isn't a ton of elevation change at the park, what is there has been effectively used. There are some risky greens here, with the stream or cattail marsh nearby and a couple of side hill pin placements. The recent changes put this course in the top tier of Chicago area courses. While not the equal of Highland park, it is easily top 5 now.

The tee signs were a mixed bag and following the recent basket moves almost all are inaccurate on distance. This course holds water like no other in the area. If it has rained within the past week or so, I don't even think about coming out here. There are a couple of places to get lost here, so keep an eye on the group ahead of you or better yet print out the course map.

As of 7/10/10 not all of the old baskets have been removed yet. Play to the shiny new ones (Chainstars?). The old baskets are rusty, beat up mach 3's. The new changes really toughened up an already challenging course, and long concrete tees make it much more fun to play. There are alternate tees as well here, print out the alternate map from the links/files section if you are interested. The alternates are natural though and the regular course is plenty fun. There are some very territorial redwing blackbirds residing in the marsh (especially hole 11) and I have been buzzed by them a few times.

- Large tract of land makes a great place for a course. A lot of different looks throughout, thanks to a lot of water, swamps, some forest, and a few small hills.
- The water is a major factor in this course. There are some holes where it punishes a bad shot, in the form of a deep creek, or some deep swamp. And I mean punish, that stuff is nasty. Other holes actually have the water in play. #2 has the creek behind the basket, and #4 has it right before the basket by the "green". Even more on some other holes.
- A few slight elevation changes in an otherwise flat park. Hole #2 (the one with the creek behind it) is actually a pretty decent, but short, downslope. There are a couple of baskets on slopes as well.
- A handful of "forest" holes aren't really in the forest, but still provide some trees to get around. Not really significant. Definitely more of a mature tree in the fairway course than actual woods.
- A hole over 700', with a water hazard by the basket, is a true challenge. Distance and accuracy a must.
- Nice new tees. Signage and baskets OK.

- Can get awfully wet with any amount of rain. Especially bad in the open areas, and around the path by #11.
- Not many different throws are needed at all. A RHBH player will never really need to use anything else. Very, very few exceptions.

- There aren't that many pros or cons with this course. Very straightforward; if you can keep it away from the water, you should have a good round.
- Look out for those birds with the orange armpits (don't know the name). They are extremely territorial and will attack. They are usually by the cattails.
- Lack of shade can make for a long, hot day. I always make sure to bring some sort of liquid.

The course is tucked back in a neighborhood park. It's surrounded by houses on several sides. This is a difficult course and is not the most beginner friendly. There are a few rolling hills that come into play but for the most part this course is mostly open with some very big scattered trees. A small creek comes into play on several holes and a swamp filled with cattails on a few others.

NEW CONCRETE TEES AND BASKETS INSTALLED THIS SUMMER!

If you like to throw long drives this is a very fun course. There are 9 holes over 300 feet with 7 of them over 350. The course plays over 6000 feet and is longer than most Chicagoland courses.

There are a variety of shots required to score well on this course. There are several fun shorter holes to go with all the long holes.

There are a few risk and reward holes.

Hole #2 is a fun short downhill hole with a creek backstopping the basket in the short postition. Even after a good drive any bad putts can end up in the water. The long pin is on the other side of the creek.

Hole #15 is a nice par 4. It's difficult to get your 3.

The tee signs are average at best and this course can be difficult to navigate.

There are only a few tight shots on this course.

After big rains this course can get muddy. I've seen the entire section of the lower part of the park flooded in the past.

The pictures Juan Lopez aka El Mexicano added to this page are great! Juan is a local of Streamwood and is a super nice guy. Ask him for a tour. He's got a big arm and he'll show you how to tear up Streamwood.

Check out my IL Top 10.
http://discontinuum.org/index...1486.msg68704#msg68704

A stream and cattails are in play on a few holes making this course a decent challenge. On more than a few holes, the stream and cattails make you question whether you should lay up or go for it.

The course makes good use of the little available elevation change. Hole 2 is downhill with the stream just behind the basket. The basket on hole 5 is located on a steep slope that you play along instead of up.

There is quite a few longer holes to really let loose on. Hole 15 is 739 feet.

Brand new concrete teepads.

Brand new Chainstar baskets have been put in and a lot of holes got new basket placements.

Signage for course is ok at best and it can be confusing if you don't have a guide. Alternate tees are almost impossible to find even with a guide as they are marked by two bricks in the ground.

The course is set back in a neighborhood. Backyards butt up against the edge of the holes at the edge of the park.

It can be quite soggy for a few days after a good rain.

There is a local club that is actively trying to improve this course. So, many of the cons could disappear within the next few years which would make it easily one of the better 18 holers in the area. Brand new concrete teepads and baskets are in and signs are on the way.

Brand new cement tee-pad added April 30, 2010.
Brand New Baskets installed as of July 13th, 2010. Some new and interesting pin placements are an added bonus to the new baskets!
18 holes that wind around a huge area, with very few overlapping holes.
Beautiful scenery with mature oaks and walnuts intermingled with huge swaths of 8-9 foot tall cattails. I find it to be a beautiful and expansive course that is actually made for disc golf. This course is not wrapped tightly around some existing park or softball field.
Lots of risk/reward opportunities.

Drains slowly so it is wet for awhile after a big rain.
Can be easy to lose your disc on a several holes.

Strongly reccomend this one to any non-beginners. Very fun and challenging course. The concrete tee-pad make navigation easier and really adds a ton to the playability of the course! Local club SDGU members tell me that new signs are on the way.

Nice mixture of holes on this course.
There are quite a few open ones but also a few that will make you shot through the gap, just a few like this from what I remember.
There has never been to many people there when I have played this course. Just watch the schedule or the board to make sure you don't come on a tournament day.

This course is sometimes wet. They might still have gravel tee pads, but it has been over a year since I played it last, so they might have changed that.
But sometimes when it is muddy it can make your drive challenging.
When it is wet there are parts of the course "under" water
Tall grass in some spots, but isn't that everywhere?

Good course to play if you are in the area, better than many of the surrrounding ones. There are a few holes where you can lose your disc but you should be ok.
The "water hazard" that people speak of really isn't that bad, just a little stream that is avoidable, but if you happen to get your disc in there, it is easy to get out.

The course plays through a mostly flat large park, with a few hills. There is a mix of wide open areas, and areas with scattered trees, making for some nice variety. There are water hazards on a number of holes, which add a nice risk/reward element and make the course a little more difficult. Where there is elevation, it was used fairly well to make more interesting holes.

There are signs for all holes with distances for both tees and both pin positions, and a good hole map with direction to next tee. The tee pads are concrete, and in great shape. They are pretty large, and have some texture to them for a good throwing surface.

There is a nice mix of shorter ace run holes, and some holes where you can rip some drives, and overall the design keeps it interesting throughout. There are some nice challenges presented by some rough and water hazards that will test your accuracy on some holes.

There are some holes that involve backtracking to get to the next tee, including one where you have to walk back up the entire fairway after playing it. Depending on who you ask, baskets 3 and 18 seem to be interchangeable. We saw some groups playing to them in their original numbering, and some playing with them switched, I'm not sure what the deal is. There are some blind holes where you have to walk to see what pin position is in use, a marker system would be helpful.

There were a lot of pretty swampy spots on the course, and according to the (very friendly) locals, that's pretty usual here. This meant it was really easy to throw a decent shot, and still end up in water or mud, or lose a disc in a small but deep and cloudy pool you couldn't see from the tee, and that gets a little frustrating.

The course was pretty buggy, especially in the lower areas of the course where there was a lot of standing water. Make sure to bring bug spray when you play here.

The course presents a lot of fun challenges, but also has some frustration involved for a first time player. The random water on the course and the tall reeds present hazards that does more to make you lose discs than strokes, not my favorite kind of challenge.

This course is not very beginner friendly in a lot of spots, with some long holes, and lots of places to lose discs in water or nasty rough. It does provide enough challenges and variety that more experienced players will find it interesting, and some good ways to mix it up with alternate tees and pin positions.

Challenging layout. Good mix of long and short holes. Course flows pretty seamlessly throughout with varying hole difficulties. Hole #3 is a fun whole which you can really go for the shot, and if you happen to throw it in the water there is a disc retriever to get your waterlogged disc. One of my favorite courses in the area because it does offer a challenge and it isn't a simple pitch and putt course.

It can be pretty wet here which can be a challenge for newer players who have difficulty keep a disc on a line. The tall grass and water hazads offer a nice risk reward, but if you don't feel comfortable airing it out or going for that difficult shot, play it conservative because it isn't too hard to lose a disc.

If you are in the area and need a course to play, Shady Oaks is the best available. It offers a good challenge, has a wetland feel to it, and allows you to practice accuracy and distance. There are alt tees/poles, but I have yet to play an alternate layout.

Stream in play on more than 5 holes. Cat tail areas in play on 3 or 4 others. In other words, you need to pick your spots to land. This is consistent with modern design. A partner and I played 10 courses in area over a span of three days and found this to be the best. This, of course, says something about the other courses in area; but also shows that this one is not bad.

As mentioned by other reviewers, this one pretty tough to navigate. We got spun around near the 9 and 10 seperation (by the school) and got stuck on the wrong side of creek with no way to get back across. Lots of extra walking there....A couple of locals helped us find and shoot from a cool hill side tee on the hole before the 700 footer. Nice shot we would not have found without their help. They also had us play from short tee (which is still 500 foot) on long one; and said locals shoot short most of the time. Again, we would not have known where this tee was without their assistance. The course was wet and seems to be constantly so. My buddy threw one in the reeds and had to take off shoes and socks to wander in; but, he did get that one back. There are multiple tees on this course; but, like many good courses that have been around awhile; the locals know where to go and don't seem to concentrate on helping newbies with good markings.

Because of the challenges from the creek and cat tail bogs, I thought this was a fairly challenging layout. Contact someone local and ask them to meet you there and I believe your experience will be a rewarding one.

Large park and quite challenging. A good variety of holes. Has potential to be a player favorite in the area.

Can get pretty swampy after heavy rain. Tees and basket locations not marked well at all and can get confusing. Can easily lose discs in tall grass/cattails. Course would do well with a restoration.

Map is available at the community center but not very helpful as course is not well marked. I've only played there twice and would have probably had a better time playing with someone who has played it more to show me around.

Well laid out course. Some good long holes mixed with some shorter technical shots makes for varied play. Minor elevation changes keep things interesting.

Very confusing for someone playing there for the first time. Very easy to play towards the wrong basket on several holes, as you don't know where you are supposed to be throwing towards. All the yards in the area seem to drain into the park, so any significant rainfall will flood the lower areas of the course.

Bring a spotter. Several holes play along, through, or over tall grass in swampy areas. You'd best be covered in bug spray, old shoes, and long pants if you are going to venture into there to look for your disc. Overall a decent course that is much more entertaining once you have struggled through your first round and know what you're aiming at.

What I personally like and how this course stacks up:
1) Holes with good risk/reward -- C+
2) Holes that have rewarding birdie opportunities -- C-
3) More wooded than open - lots of variety of shots required caused by hole shape and topography -- C+
4) Natural beauty (Appalachian beauty preferred) and seclusion -- C+
5) Multi-shot holes with defined landing zones, good risk/reward and multiple options to play them -- C-

I ranked this course subjectively based on my own personal enjoyment factor...more accurately my "personal addiction factor". Since I have played a decent number of courses (115 18-hole, 50 9-hole as of early 2009), my hope is that players/explorers who have similar tastes will find my ratings list helpful as they chose courses to play and explore.

Over time, I expect to fill some of my reviews in with more descriptive verbiage...if what I say adds anything to what has already been written. For now, my list is more important to me than the verbiage of my reviews.

I fully expect others with different tastes/philosophies to disagree with me. See my profile for my rating philosophy.