Pros:
- nice full color tee signs with maps
- large concrete tees, nice and level
- good quality DISCatcher baskets
- dual pin positions (only one populated at a time)
- some garbage cans and benches
- nearly the entirety plays through technical wooded fairways
- tight lines through trees offset shorter distance
- some limited elevation change incorporated
- beautiful northwoods scenery overlooking Brandy Lake
- aromas of the forest add to the ambience of the course
- most navigation is intuitive and flows will with a few exceptions
- a few more open holes add some variety
- area is mostly devoted to disc golf with a few exceptions
Cons:
- no question, this course will be considered too short for some
- a few holes are too close to parking/playground area
- course is pretty dense so some holes play close to each other
- some specific next tee indicators would improve navigation
- par fours and above on this course are silly and unwarranted
- some minor traffic noise takes away just a bit
Other Thoughts:
I've had Brandy Lake on my list for my return to Wisconsin's northwoods, as I really enjoy well designed, short, technical 18 hole courses. This is one of the fastest 18 hole courses you'll ever play - you can probably finish it solo in 45 minutes or even a few less. For some, this will certainly be too short. You are not going to have any long drives on this course, but it makes up for it with technical challenge.
Brandy Lake is an above average course but not world class. What it brings to the table is a ton of fun. You feel like you are truly in the northwoods and get the sights and smells to go along with it, including animals like deer. This isn't quite like some courses where you'll feel "lost in the woods," you are always pretty close to where you started due to the short length.
This is one you go into with the mindset that it's going to be short and challenge you more on your accuracy. Lines are tough to hit in places due to the heavily wooded fairways, but if you hit the line, you'll have many birdie opportunities. Admittedly, the course may start to feel a bit repetitive, with only a few open holes to mix it up. That said, the course plays so fast I didn't really find this bothersome.
The equipment here is excellent, with nice tee signs with maps, large concrete tees, dual pin positions, and tried and true DISCatcher baskets. In my opinion, every hole on this course should be a par 3 - maybe hole 18 in the long position warrants a par 4, but I'm not sure it does. The course is fun and brings some challenge, but it's far from crippling. As I recall, the rough was also very limited and forgiving here which always makes for a more enjoyable round.
I was here very early on a Saturday morning and saw nobody else so can't comment much on how busy Brandy Lake gets. It's a multi-use park that probably sees other activity but I wouldn't expect the disc golf course to get too packed. It would have been cool if there were shots along the shore of Brandy Lake, but we have to settle for views only.
There is some limited elevation change incorporated here and you'll have to throw some different shots to wind around trees but most of your round is going to be midranges and fairway drivers. This particular area of NE Wisconsin is becoming a great destination. I really enjoyed this course, as well as Rookery Run somewhat nearby. Sandy Point is my all time favorite course, and nearby Squirrel Hill (literally 10 minutes from Sandy Point) is supposed to be cool too. There's easily enough disc golf to spend a full day in this area. If you head a bit further north, the often overlooked niner, North Lakeland, is in Manitowish Waters and I really like this little course too. I encourage anyone who loves wooded disc golf to make the trip to this region.