Pros:
This course has just recently expanded from a nice/cute 9-holer to a full 18 hole course. As of my latest playing, the back 9 was fully installed, aside from signage.
- Large concrete tee pads, in great shape.
- Multiple pin locations on some holes on the front 9.
- Front nine has decent signage. Although with many blind basket locations, it's tough to see which pin is in. With some short holes, it'd be easy to over-drive if you don't go take a peek.
- Nice baskets, catch well.
- Layout is pretty well explanatory, aside from some bind pin placements.
- Good mix of open and wooded shots, especially for what they had to work with. Front nine is in and around a dense stand of trees, with really no underbrush to speak of. Unless you miss very badly. Really well maintained. Back nine is more open, but still with great shot shapes required, and plenty of obstacles.
- Course has been well designed around and through the park, without much chance of interfering with other park activities. A great use of all the extra space in the park, unlike other parks where the course has been put into a similarly established park, and it conflicts with normal park activities.
- Fantastically maintained park with small bathrooms, shelter, gazebo, and a large sports complex for soccer and tennis. Baseball/softball fields across the lake, which really doesn't come into play on any holes, but is right by the course.
- Hole #7 & 8 provide some excellent chances for decision making as to what gap in which trees you want to play through. Decide correctly and then hit your line, otherwise you'll pay.
- Hole #10 is a very interesting one, with a wide open approach to a very tight tunnel through some pine trees. Great design - although the green ceiling is probably a little too low.
- Holes #13-16 all are across/along/through what appears to at one time to have been a creek bed. Great string of holes with some different shots.
Cons:
- Front 9 does play a little short to my liking, but that has been remedied quite nicely by a longer back 9 that lets you air it out.
- Hole #3 last time I played was something like 110 feet, and although around a blind corner, was not in line with the rest of this course. Disappointing.
- Hole #10 does tee off right next to the main incoming road, and just a slightly wayward shot could have you hitting a car or having a disc run over, if one happens to drive through.
- Hole #12 looks to be a long par 5, but just in a wide open field. Hopefully once the area gets some rain and the grass grows, they can mow in a fairway that at least encourages some type of drive.
- Hole #18 is much the same as #12, a long, uphill hole to the end. Wide open, nothing going for it but the gentle hill. It passes by the large shelter, and although not too close, if anyone using the shelter is out in the grass for any sort of football/frisbee/yard-game activity, there could be some conflict. This hole kind of took away a nice, open, usable grass portion of the park.
Other Thoughts:
It's pretty near both main highways passing by town, so it's any easy and worthwhile stop if you're passing through. A course that beginners can easily play, but that experienced players will find fun to play as well. I'm glad that SE Iowa has another good 18 hole course to play.