Pros:
*Great hole variety with elevations, distances, and obstacles (trees, creeks, OBs, etc.)
*Good scenery all around despite the giant landfill-cover mountain bordering 8 & 9 and a walk underneath the powerlines on the lettered 9.
*Pin location variety. Some tee variety.
*Some signs, some high quality.
Cons:
*If the weather has been bad, this course can get mushy - though this obviously holds true with many DG courses.
*If the other DG courses you play don't get you in shape, this one will, especially if you play from blue - though this could easily be a pro too.
*Some tee variety.
*Some signs, or lack thereof.
*Pretty long walk back to the car from 18, especially if you've gone the distance and played all 27.
*Rubber/Natural teepads.
Other Thoughts:
Central Park is a fantastic course. Don't question it, just go play it. However, understand that when you do, you will be presented with an enduring walk amongst BIG hills (especially if you're playing from blue) with many elevation changes, digging through thick brush, and potentially getting lost or turned around in the lettered 9 if you're not with an experienced CPDGC player.
There's not a lot of signage at Central to keep you moving in the right direction, however steps have been taken over the past couple months to improve this. The lettered 9, however, seem to keep being neglected. Also hole signage is somewhat limited, and in some instances is just downright unhelpful or unreadable.
Almost every hole has 2 or more pin locations - unfortunately they aren't moved often enough for this to be a major plus, but it's a plus nonetheless. A few people have discredited the tee locations/variety. In some instances I agree with this, but in most I do not. I view tee locations as a method of training for new players. Obviously people new to the game will probably play from the shorter tees, and Central's handling of this is just as good as any other course in most cases. However, the pads are a different story. There are a good handfull of rubber pads, unfortunately most are worn down or degrading. The rest are natural and after bad weather are no fun, but still manageable.
What wins at this course is the length and challenge of the holes and the great walk/scenery you get to enjoy while you're playing. No course feels like as much an adventure to me while I play as Central does. If you're the kind of player that doesn't care about what's around you while you're playing Disc, you probably won't enjoy Central as much as others. If you're looking for the cleanliness and amenities that places like Alexander Park offer, you probably won't enjoy Central as much as others. However, if you like a good hike through the woods and over tall hills while you play some well designed and challenging holes, Central has what you need.
And for players who have been around the Greater Atlanta DGC's - If you've played Sequoyah in Canton and read the reviews and thought those people were crazy for the way they bashed the course, understand that Central gets the same treatment in it's reviews. I loved Sequoyah and decided that it's reviewers must be lazy, out of shape, whiny players who run from anything remotely challenging. If you feel the same, come to Central and give it a go - you won't be disappointed.
Favorite holes (from blue):
3 - challenging tight drive through skinny pines that opens smack into the face of a hill you must cross completely to the pin on the far side.
7 - your tee shot is about 40 feet higher in elevation than the pin and between the two is a depression that drops probably 120 feet. This is a beautiful view from blue.
8 - new hole with a great new pad (wish they would have gone ahead and done concrete since they just made this pad about 2 months ago), tight fit into the channel off to the right - aceable.
A - another high elevation tee over a deep depression - this one has trees and a creek in it though.
H - blind drive from blue, bad shots will end up in the creek not 15 feet from the tee, pin nestled in tall bushes
I - this drive just scares you (the blue tee is over the creek and back towards E's fairway/tee), only the best drives will make it to a good approach location beyond the creek.
15 - I love and hate this hole all at the same time - we used to think the wind killed drives on this hole, now we realize that somehow it's just the hole.
17/18 - favorites because of the challenge - this is possibly even a con of Central - you just went through 25 holes and are ready to head home and Central finishes you off with one last 2-hole F-You to ruin whatever score you had so far.