Pros:
Desales really is best approached as two courses in one, a wide open campus Front Nine (F9) and an advanced player forested Back Nine (B9). And in fact, I played the two seperated by lunch and will review as such.
Park at the back of the student union parking lot, F9 and B9 almost loop on back to this location and you can start at either course quickly from here.
F9 takes place on campus with a few trees. There is a good amount of elevation right off the bat and throughout. Fairways were easy to hit. Distances were average to intermediate, fun enough for a challenge but won't challenge long distancers. This is a place I would take beginner (not newcomer) to the game if the campus is empty or nearly so. It ends on a major uphill #8 and corresponding downhill #9.
B9 is much more interesting with long distances thoughout in the forest. #10-#14 are really flat and the last four are considerable up and downs. I really loved this place from the first drive on #10 though a wide tree gap into a distant basket ringed by a short wall of stones. B9 is a course for serious disc golfers.
My favorites were #13, the single forested tunnel shot here of 300'. #14, shooting out of forest into a fairway with rough on the right and and elevated and initially hidden basket back to the left. #16, a steep, rocky downhill which at 240' is short but for anybody trying to take an Ace Run or even a long distance putt, a warning, #16 basket is perched on edge of a cliff with an endless sea of rough 5' down. Easy disc loss trap.
Tee signs were exceptional. Tee pads, stone bricks, were extremely grippy and well made.
If you're not to keen on playing one or another, I would simply skip the niner that doesn't interest you but the two somehow mesh well together.
Cons:
If you're coming here expecting to push dusk by the time you complete all 18, I suggest playing B9 first and getting to the F9 later. The forest is awfully dark and it's not easy to skip back to the car in the middle unlike F9.
The biggest con of the campus F9 can easily be busy and unplayable to some extent. Saturday morning Team Sports was going on and I had to skip #7. Hard to gauge during the week but I can't imagine it'll be easy around #6. The most control and easiest disc loss on the F9 will be needed on #3 and 4, around a building, where the fairway is fairly tight. #4 is pretty narrow with brush. They missed a big downhill opportunity after #5 since it was crossing the street. Some long walks between holes.
B9 was exceptional but parts are disc loss traps. I lost two bright discs on #11 alone. First driving, it's a narrow fairway already at the distances involve. It landed somewhere in the thick shrub grass (or whatever it's called, no higher than 8") on the right, despite seeing where it landed. Then trying to navigate the first curve, it landed in the brush along that curve. From the trampled ground, it looks like plenty of others searched this spot. Half-an-hour on disc hunt to no avail in either case. Suggest someone clear out those two bits. #14 seems like another possible unintentional disc trap.
The only other big downside for B9 is for those that don't like elevation with the last four holes.
I did not see any amenities around the course.
Other Thoughts:
Out of XXXXX:
Front Nine:
Terrain: XXX - Good. Roomy and open. This is a good spot in theory but maybe not at certain times in practice...
Execution: XXXx - Very good. I only seen one missed opportunity for a downhill after #5 and #6/7 aren't really engaging. The rest of the course makes up for it. Some long walks in between.
Upkeep: XXXX - Excellent. It's a campus and everything is new.
Difficulty: XXx - Medium. It has challenges like fairways, a bit of distance, and a tall uphill, but also easy holes.
Fun Factor: XXX - Good. This isn't going to be spectactular DG by it's nature but it's good for newcomers and I enjoyed it.
Back Nine:
Terrain: XXXXx - Phenonemal. Excellent spot for challenging disc golf.
Execution: XXXx - Very Good. I liked everything on this course, other than disc loss traps.
Upkeep: XXXX - Excellent. It's new.
Difficulty: XXXX - Advanced.
Fun Factor: XXXX - Excellent. Other than disc hunt, I was never bored on this course.
Overall: XXXX - Excellent. I would rate F9 a 3.25 and B9 4.25. Normally that be 3.75 but I decided to round up to encourage a new course. Did I just grade a University on a curve? Heh.
Amenities: None.