Pros:
This is a fun and challenging course that flows well and is nicely separated from all the other park activities, minimizing the risk of having flying discs injuring other park users. The course begins with a really nice, informative kiosk and well done, full color scorecards/maps. Information on Monday night clinics and weekly doubles leagues is laminated and clearly posted. All tee areas are clearly marked by large rocks, well-signed with hole #, footage, general direction, and par. Concrete tee pads are being installed, and those that don't yet have these still have dirt pads with footing that is consistently flat and secure.
This course utilizes some amazingly creative use of the park's limited terrain features and foliage, keeping interest factor and challenge high and unique. There's a great variety of right and left fades, doglegs, shaped fairways, open and wooded holes, and a number of blind holes. I love that each hole has at least 1 clearly defined fairway and there's not a dingle "pinball/toss-n-pray" hole in sight! I also loved that every hole was dramatically unique and the layout never got boring or repetitive.
The fun begins almost immediately with the unique #2; a left dogleg to a basket buried in a grove of trees. A too-short or too-left drive here will leave you picking your way through the trees, while staying to the right side of the fairway after the turn will give you a clear shot at the basket. The fun continues with the wooded #3 and its narrow, s-shaped fairway to the basket buried behind a horizontally leaning tree limb. Another squeezed fairway and a right hook to the basket then leads you to a series of longer, wide open holes where wind is in play. Straight drives and accuracy are highly rewarded on holes #13-#15, all of which have some definite penalties for lack of disc control. #16 is an evil right hook with the tee pad tucked back into a brushy copse. #17's curvy and dramatically squeezed fairway and thick rough will have out-of-control throwers cussing quickly and loudly while #18's basket placement in a huge sand pit after a big left turn will challenge many players.
Cons:
Finding the course within the park is challenging if you haven't done your homework, as it's well separated from the rest of the park. Simply follow the concrete sidewalk toward the pond and cross the bridge to find the course kiosk and first tee.
There's a bit of a hike down the entrance road to get back to your car when finished.
The raspberry bushes in the rough are epic!! You WILL want to wear full coverage clothing (long pants, long sleeve shirt, socks, and enclosed shoes) no matter how hot it is, or bring discs you would feel comfortable walking away from if they end up in the rough. Even this early in the spring, in full clothing, we got snagged, thorned, and, scratched. Ouch! Other than the thorns and the occasional copse of really thick brush, getting off the fairway here is rarely a huge disaster.
The hole information on many of the tee rocks has already worn/washed off. The directional signage on the rocks shows only the general direction of the basket and is not representative of the actual hole lay out.
Other Thoughts:
The course is set in a beautifully furnished and super clean park with really nice facilities and buildings. Ball fields, pavilions, grills, separate hike/bike trails, water hand pumps and a beach/swim area are all available in the park.
Avoid one mile of the drive on the sometimes nasty Johnson Rd by turning 1 mile north on the paved Buchanan Rd (follow the signs to North Star), then go south on Baldwin Rd for 1 mile. A left turn at the corner then leaves only about 1/2 mile of dirt on Johnson Rd.
Being a new course in a rural area means it's not getting a ton of traffic yet, so it's a fantastic place to play on those days when the college town and urban courses are packed.
*** Update 7/3/11 ***
Concrete tee pads and very nice 4x4 signage has been installed on all holes and much of the nastiest brush has been trimmed back. This course just keeps getting better!!!