Pros:
- Heavy Rough creates high risk/reward and punishes errant shots.
- Forces the thrower to hit lines.
- Interesting hole design
- Fairways are well defined
- Not typically crowded
- Grippy rubber tee pads
- Minor elevation
- Good signage
- Nice baskets
Cons:
- Rough can be too thick at times, with thorns and other brush.
- It is a rather short course.
- Due to length and design some of the holes become repetitive.
- It gets sloppy after rainfall
- The bugs are bad in the summer.
- Long walk to the first tee
Other Thoughts:
Overall, Diamond Lake Sloughs is nothing to write home about, but provides a nice short line shaping course for a mid-level player. As others have said, a seasoned veteran will likely tear this course up, and beginners will likely be frustrated with the heavy brush and the high probability of losing a disc in it. It provides some interesting hole design and is the closest thing to a wooded course in the Chicagoland area that I have seen. The minor elevation adds to the interest, especially given the surrounding area. The course has all the disc golf amenities we come to expect in good teepads, signs, baskets, and facilities on site. Some lengthened teepads and a little more variety in the hole design could bump this course up to a 3 or 3.5. I have found the best time to play this course is in the early spring, before the rough grows to thick and before the mosquitoes are out. If you chose to play in the middle of summer those two factors alone will be nuisance enough to ruin your round.