Pros:
From the narrow forest pathways of holes 2 and 3, to the wide open field shots of 7 and 9, Adler will test your skills as a disc golfer in a variety of settings. This course was challenging for me and very memorable because each hole is unique and somehow different from the previous, whether it is distance, elevation, or layout. Concrete tee pads and detailed tee signage are pluses. Discs that go astray are often easy to find as the brush and woods around the fairways are not very dense and easy to traverse.
Cons:
This course is a little tough to follow if it is your first time playing it. Paths between Holes 3,4, and 5, and from 7 to 8 are tough to find and pretty far a part. Hole 4's dense wood and small brook down the left hand side are slightly overkill and make it the toughest and most intimidating hole I have played so far . The forest seems to hold water as the course was pretty muddy and slippery from a recent rain when I played it. The baskets are a little beaten up and tough to spot if you don't know where to look for them. The basket for hole 9 is not very close to the parking lot and makes for a somewhat lengthy uphill walk back to the parking lot. Lastly, the bugs can get bad, so make sure you bring bug spray.
Other Thoughts:
This course was my very first experience playing Disc golf on a disc golf course. A few times before my family had messed around throwing discs at a park, but this was my first real experience on a disc golf course. Needless to say, I had a horrible time. I could not keep my disc in the fairway and I felt like I spent more time locating the discs than actually enjoying myself. It was difficult to keep my footing anywhere besides the tee pad because of the wet ground.
After developing my game a little by playing a few easier, more open courses such as Willow Stream in Buffalo Grove, I came back to Adler a couple weeks later. After gaining that little bit of experience and confidence, I thoroughly enjoyed my second time playing Adler and am excited for a trip back in the near future.
For those just starting out, I would recommend a less challenging course so you can figure out the game first. That way, when you do come to Adler, you will hopefully enjoy it just as much as I did my second time around and be excited to play it again.