Pros:
Pretty decent mix of hole type, although predominantly wooded. The wooded ridges on holes 12-18 are the greatest on the course and some of the best in the area. #9 and 11 offer an open hole, and also some elevation so they are not boring. #9 also has a road on the right that should be played as OB, and going long on #11 could put you OB in a parking lot or softball field on the right. The overall play of course offers a good mix of left/right/straight holes, with both gradual and drastic direction changes.
The wooded ridges that make up this park are prime for disc golf. You get some slight uphill and downhill, some halfpipe style fairways, and opportunity to place pins in risky areas for rollaways.
Downhill tunnel style holes present themselves on 10 and 15. Both around 300' or so, they require a nice touch shot to thread the needle downhill and not float high or into the thick rough on either side.
A few risky greens can be found, but there could be so many more. #1 and #16 had good risky greens (both on the same ridge). Alternate pins would throw in some
Lots of small things made for some memorable holes and I'd say two signature holes (12 & 16). #12 was a great 370' slight downhill through a bit of a washout style ravine, like a halfpipe style fairway. You'll need a bit of an S-curve, but then not too much fade to the left because the super busy road could come into play. #16 is the best on the course, playing uphill along a ridge running the entire right side, and thick rough and OB the entire left side. Then the green is protected by large pines, AND it is on a slope for risky rollaways! #13 is a nice long uphill hole that allows you enough room to work your drive for some distance without kicking into the thicker woods, but then funnels down a narrower tunnel to the green (#18 is similar). #7 offers a throw completely across a nasty murky pond to a pin perched close to the edge. Easy straight midrange throw, but lots of psychological risk. #5 has a great big tree framing up the approach to the green and some tennis courts right that could be OB. #17 is a nice tight uphill hyzer off the long tee, but not Winter Park tight. #8 throws across a transmission line right of way and a steel lattice tower.
Cons:
Location smack in the middle of the city. All the noise really detracts from a peaceful round and being able to lose yourself. The road along hole 12 is super busy and noisy, and can be heard thru hole 15. the entire park is in the middle of residential area, notably a backyard close to pins 3 and 4, and a house complete with incessantly barking dog on hole 9.
Vandalism. Lots of broken signs, busted up baskets, burned things, graffiti, etc.
Tee signs consisted of a mixed bag of styles and most were vandalized in some manner and unreadable, while a few were just missing. Good tee signs with distance and a depiction of the hole are a minimum in my mind. Extras like great graphic, elevation, etc are bonus points.
It appeared to me that there was only one pin position. I did see some extra sleeves on a few holes, but due to horribly disfigured, vandalized, and missing signs, it was tough to figure out what was really available with the hole design.
Navigation was a bit tough. Not that it will ever be a problem again, but something even simple like tape or paint on the basket pointing the way to the next tee would be useful.
It appeared that there was only one tee on most of the front 9 (except #8), and there were 2 tees on most of the back nine (except 14, 17, maybe more). I guess I didn't pay close enough attention, but this mix of tees was odd to me, could be confusing for a new player or any player, and is difficult to play especially because the tee signs were so beat up.
Other Thoughts:
I played whatever long tees I could find and from what I could tell, there was only one pin placement. Playing #16 tee safari style to pin #1 would be a neat hole. Rating this course is extremely difficult for me. It has a lot of good character, fun and even gimmicky things, and pretty good balance and variety. But the location sucked and contributes to vandalism which really takes away from the course with missing tee signs, and your ability to enjoy your round. Here is a prime instance I wish for a 0.25 point scale because a 3.25 would fit well. But, I think I'm gonna be generous. I did not regret playing here on my business travels at all. It felt great that I squeezed in a round here prior to my flight. Relative to all other courses I've played and reviewed, it falls in better as a 3.5. Go early in the morning on a weekday and you'll probably enjoy the seclusion and the round a bit more than a evening or weekend round. Without many more alternate pin placements introducing some guarded and risky greens, and a full set of 2 tees for more spread in skill/challenge, this course can't earn a 4.
I'd say this is a White/Blue skill level course. I never play as well my first time through a course, but it didn't challenge me too bad to consider it purely Blue.
There is a nice playground for kids to enjoy. I saw many parents there with kids on the morning I played.
(The order of favorites on my Raleigh trip is as follows - UNC, Leigh Farms, Harris Lake, Cedar Hills, Zebulon, Middle Creek, and Valley Springs. UNC and Leigh farms were runaway winners but with vastly different reasons. Harris Lake was repetitive being almost all wooded, but real fun to play and lots of risk. Cedar Hills, Zeb, and Middle creek were all tied around the average for different reasons. Valley Springs was very fun, but repetitively grueling.)