Pros:
-IMMACULATE
-Pro/Am cement flare tees
-some of the best signage I have seen
-"You are here" multiple map signs
-variety wazoo
-gorgeous trees
-rolling hills
-in a park the family can picnic, play in
-holes RIGHT NEXT TO Lake Michigan. -incredible scenery
-risk/reward pin placement on some
-long hoes, short holes, lefty holes, righty holes
-almost no trash due to lots of trash bins
-plenty of benches
-an extra two holes 9a,9b which are a joy!
-water in play on many holes whether you know it or not.
Cons:
-one throw away hole, #2
-the two extra holes aren't apparent and aren't really in the correct flow.
-parking lot seemed like a local hangout place. Can park closer to tee #3 to avoid.
-tee #1 location not obvious
-more signs needed for finding back nine.
Other Thoughts:
Currently as of 10/4/09 THIS is the BEST Wisconsin course I have played and ranks as my number three favorite course! JUST INCREDIBLE! I want to take this course and fold it up, put it in my pocket, and be able to unfold it anywhere when I want to smile and play disc golf. just wow.
What is so special about this course? It's location right on the side of Lake Michigan and the great great trees that you play in. Pines, oaks, cedar....you name it, but beauty can only take a course so far. Amazingly this course delivers on so much more.
Once you get into the park (I suggest you park by basket 2 to stay away from local kids dinking around in the main lot) you head to to tee one across the soccer field and in the trees. Your first hole sets the tone IMMEDIATELY for the beauty of this course. You play under a canopy of trees running right along side a small clean flowing river. LET'S PLAY!
Now comes the only lackluster hole on the course, #2. A short straight shot back across the edge of the soccer field but I imagine it is needed for transition to the rest. You then play some really nice holes in the pines and along creeks, over bridges, up a sledding hill, through rolling hills. Just a real nice front nine.
The back nine is across the bridge and by the swings to the right of where you just played. Here is where a few more sign markers are needed if you haven't been paying attention to the multiple GREAT "you are here" signs along the way! More courses need this.
Start off the back 9 with 9b to the left of tee 10. The tee is part of the road but offers one of the toughest shots on the whole course. A shot where you have to enter a small tree tunnel after 150' of open space. After this hole shoot to the right and play one of the best nines you will ever play. In those amazing trees, up and down rolling hills and RIGHT next to Lake Michigan. This is the closet holes I have ever seen on the entire Lake, both sides included. Hell, in the summer bring your shorts and go for a swim between the front and back nine. A couple bomber holes on the back and you finish up with some great manicured holes.
HERE is where I suggest you finish up on 9a. After 18, go up the path to your left, it's an obvious transition. Now when you get to the top of the sledding hill there sits a perfect cement tee and the main bomber shot of the entire course. Down this hill, over the soccer field to a basket on a little peninsula guard by a row of small trees in the front and a river behind it. You will want to unload your bag at it!
SUMMARY and IDEAS: This IS a destination course! And with Winter Park twenty miles to the north, a perfect pairing for this side of the lake. My nod goes to Silver Creek as the more fun and better of the two. Winter Park has the extreme elevation, but Silver Creek offered up a more balanced disc golfing experience. Another suggestion is come summer when taking that ultimate disc golfing trip is to play both sides of Lake Michigan! Manitowoc is where the carferry that goes to and from Ludington, Mi is located. Play the two great courses here in Wisconsin and take the ferry across and play the Mason County courses (Beast, Beauty, Goliath, Leviathan) and Flip City just twenty some odd miles to the south! What a perfect midwest disc golfing trip!
To the people that maintain and clean and designed Silver Creek...BRAVO! This is currently our go to course to play (even though it's 70 miles away)! A super solid 4 is where Silver Creek stands in my book.