Pros:
+ All baskets are numbered and have 'next' arrows
+ Nice tee signs at all tee pads give players a good diagram and all the right info.
+ This 9-holer has a practice area...!
+ All holes have two tee pads made of solid and level concrete except for 9, which has two baskets intead.
+ The Wyomissing Creek is almost always a feature to consider, but...
Cons:
- ...That Wyomissing Creek is almost always a factor to avoid.
- It's basically all pretty open. The densest it gets is a light tree peppering.
- Walking paths, other sporting areas and a few city roads are all things to consider before you throw.
- Those tee pads, while well-constructed, are pretty tiny. But I guess long wind-ups aren't necessary here.
- Fairways get concerningly close to other sports' playing area.
Other Thoughts:
Hole5 was my least favorite. As I've said in many other reviews, I simply do not like throwing that close to a road. Worse yet, that road has parking spaces for cars! I've been playing for more than four years, and I am still nervous that I could hit a car if I grip lock a disc or a nasty gust kicks up. Plus, the tee pads are on the park's walking paths! Hole7 was lovely to look at. I played both of my rounds from the long tees, and seeing the tree-peppered fairway down on the other side of that creek was an exciting thing to behold. Hole1 was my favorite to play because of the trees to dodge, the creek to fly over and the manageable distance, which makes it all tantalizingly possible. It's a nice little drama condensed into 230 feet.
As for the course as a whole, West Reading (pronounced RED-ing for those of your not familiar with the area) packs a wallop. It is a tiny course, but it catches you off guard with its features and forces the player to pay attention and give it respect in a way that some 18-hole courses can't. I would say the biggest contributing factor for why this is the case is the waterway.
Wyomissing Creek snakes its way through the whole course. From start to finish, it is always at least visible and many times part of the hole's challenge. If a disc lands in there, you will have a steep and treacherous climb down and back up in most parts. It's the kind of water feature that so many other disc golf courses dream of having. Aim true.
That won't be terribly difficult, though, because these holes are largely open and pretty brief. Tacticians might feel bored. Most disc golfers in general tend to turn their nose from a majority of 9-hole courses. The park might be nice with pretty landscaping, a healthy downtown vibe and several things to do. However, the disc golfing fairways are mostly sparse of barriers and blockades unless you count the baseball field and pickleball courts. (Is it me, or are pickleball and disc golf showing up at a lot of the same places lately?) So you won't really encounter any big trouble unless you throw too far, get a nasty ricochet or throw incorrectly.
Still, it is far and away better than most 9-hole courses I've played. West Reading has heart, soul and effort behind it (and probably a little money, by the look of it). It's got a practice basket and a nice big course map at the start. It's got two concrete tee pads per hole, even if they are small. It's got all the signage you need. It's got an omnipresent water hazard that laces every throw with delicious apprehension. It's also got my recommendation.
Yes, it's not an 18-hole course, but its features would make some courses green with envy. Just play it twice. The math works out.