Pros:
It took well over a year of rumors and false start dates for it to happen, but the rumors turned out to be true. John Houck was designing a pay to play course in Monroe, and it was going to be a doozy. I chose to avoid the crowds of opening weekend and instead sat in fair traffic on a Monday to get my rounds in. I've gotta say: I'm impressed.
Houck clearly knows what he's doing. To those uneducated in the world of disc golf course design, the man is a legend. This was the first Houck course that I've played (to my knowledge), but if it's any indication of what he does? I definitely want to play some others. So about those pros:
Equipment - The baskets are fresh out of the box, so no complaints here. It seems that the DisCatcher has gotten deeper, but it catches just as well. Putting tall flags on top of each one was great as well. A friend of mine had his high putts stopped by those flag poles at least three times today, but that isn't why they're great. They just make the baskets easier to spot on those longer holes.
Teepads - The teepads on the blue tees are impeccable. They start out wide in the back and taper to a normal width at the front, so the player has a multitude of options for how to approach their drive. The red tees were okay, but clearly weren't the prime focus when everything was being installed. All of the pads were textured, with the exception of the two rubber pads on the course (both red tees). You won't have to worry about grip even on the rainiest of days.
Signage - The signs are beautiful and offer a good idea of where you're throwing. I would have almost preferred satellite images, but these are beautiful. Every sign also gives credit to John Houck as the course designer.
Variation - Houck used every inch of the land here, and it never gets repetitive. You have your longer holes like 1 and 18, your uber long holes like 13, and some stupidly short holes like 4. The easy holes that are randomly thrown into the round allow you to either drive your score down or get your feet back under you after a bad hole or two. I like the variation. We don't need another SeaTac (original 18). He also brings the elevation into play whenever possible, places baskets on sloped greens, and even places one right beside the pond. Hole 15 might be my favorite one on the course just because of the risk/reward ratio. It's an easy ace run, but with the pond right behind it and downhill it's just plain fun. You also get to throw across the pond on the blue 16, but it isn't really a challenging throw. Think hole 1 at Lakewood. Of course there are shots for all types as well. Right and left turning, long S-curves, big hyzer lines, short hyzer lines, etc. There's also a decent amount of variety between the red and blue tees. Even the ones that are only a few feet apart offer different looks around trees or bushes.
Design - I've pretty well covered the design already. I do have to say that I like the inclusion of so many mandos and OB though. Otherwise it would be a fairly open course and would get boring. Having these also makes shot placement much more important than it otherwise would be. It's obvious that the designers had a big budget here. A lot of the fairways that would have just been stupidly open have trees freshly planted in them. Once these trees grow in it will really add complexity to this course.
Amenities - The pro shop lacks variety in discs. If you don't throw Prodiscus or Westside you're out of luck. But it's there, it sells beverages and some snacks, and even has a "loaner box" which I've never seen before. He also has tester discs if you want to try before you buy. The course has bathrooms and three practice baskets (two are hidden over by the 13 teepad). My favorite feature on the course was probably the kids selling water, granola bars, and Gatorade out of their backyard by 14. They saw a need and filled it. I fully endorse supporting them even if they have nothing to do with the course at all.
Cons:
You probably didn't think I'd ever get to the cons, did you? Well I have. And they're here. It's a new course, so I'm sure that many of these will be fixed in time. But they must be pointed out anyway. Keep in mind that I don't allow some of these "cons" to affect my rating (cost, lack of certain amenities, etc), but I still include them because I try to review this for any reader... Not just hardcore discers. So I'll start with those that don't affect the rating:
Cost - Tall Firs is absolutely worth $5 a day. You can pay, play, leave, and come back without being charged again. The grounds are in great shape, and as long as they stay that way I won't have a problem with paying. It's only when you're charged to play and upkeep suffers that I have a problem with it. Being charged is not a con. If you think it is, go somewhere else.
Amenities - Being a pay to play course, I would expect some basic services to be provided, like trash cans and benches. I'm sure that this will be fixed in time, but as of right now the course is trash can free (not trash free sadly) and bench free. The bathrooms are by the pro shop, but we didn't notice that until we'd complained about peeing on a tree or five. So remember that they're there.
Now on to the real cons (many of which are included in "pros" too):
Equipment - The course is three days old and a few of the baskets are already askew. I don't know who's been climbing on them, but knock it off! Whoever runs the place should do equipment checks at least weekly to make sure that everything is still pristine. I hope that they do.
Teepads - I have no complaints about the blue tees. The red ones really do seem like an afterthought though, and many of them are too short. Take hole 13 for example: It's "short" at 700+'. We still need a decent runup for a shot like that, so why not provide a full length teepad?
Navigation - While all of the signs are lovely and there are maps available at the pro shop, navigation was a chore at times. None of the baskets are marked with anything other than the Innova logo, and none of them have tape to guide you to the next hole either. It's relatively easy to find your way around, but tape and numbers would go a long way. Throwing a disc in the general direction of three unmarked baskets can be a bit maddening for a first timer. It would also help if the rough, mandos, and OB were more clearly marked. I'm sure that over time the rough will grow in more and be more obvious, but right now it's hard to tell where you aren't supposed to throw without walking the full hole in advance.
Flow - The course flows really well overall. There are a few unnecessarily long walkouts though. While these walkouts lead to some fun holes, they still have to be noted. The walk from 9 to 10 is the most confusing. See my "Other Thoughts" for tips on that.
Other Thoughts:
Just a few tips:
-There's a red metal box by the pro shop for you to pay if nobody is there. It's on the honor system, but do it. We want to keep this course. So bring cash just in case there's nobody there.
-The walkout from 9 to 10: If you're at the 9 basket, look to your left along the fence and then follow that asphalt path. You'll see that red building by the 3 fairway. The 10 tee is right there (red and blue combined).
-The walkout from 12 to 13: If you're playing the blue, cut through the parking lot toward those random baskets over there. You'll see the teepad just on the other side of the parking lot. If you're playing the red, just walk straight past the basket that's just past 12. That's 18. You can see the teepad ahead of you and slightly to your left.
-The walkout from 15 to 16: Go counterclockwise around the pond to the blue, and clockwise to the red. Blue is way more fun.
This course is great for the area. It offers something for every level of player except complete beginners. Being in Monroe (a haul from just about anywhere) and being pay to play means that it won't get overcrowded by those players who have no regard for anything. You know who I'm talking about: The people who take over the course, carry two discs in a shopping bag, throw their trash on the ground, and refuse to acknowledge that anyone else is there. Those people won't frequent this course, and I love that. Is it the best course I've ever played? Not by a long shot. But it finally gives us people up north somewhere to play and improve our overall game (short, long, open, technical, etc) without having to drive all the way to Sedro Wooley, Lakewood, or Stilly. I'll definitely be back.