Pros:
There's a little something for everyone at Gulley Park, a secluded rec/int layout that shows its teeth if you stray from the fairway. Most holes place a premium on hitting your lines cleanly and avoiding the thick, brushy rough. A significant minority are open, offering a chance to air it out after being hemmed in by the aforementioned brush. There's nothing too revolutionary design-wise, but the fun factor is high, and there aren't any holes that seem unfair or outside the intended skill level of the rest of the course. Highlights include Hole 5, a funky RHBH blind hyzer that places the course's largest premium on accuracy, as the fairway narrows significantly as you approach the pin. Hole 13 requires a downhill drive either through a gap in an undergrowth-ridden grove of trees or a bomb over the top before a gentle uphill approach to an open green.
Holes 16 & 17 come as a pleasant surprise at the end of the round as traditional woods holes with thin rough, and provide welcome relief from the predominant underbrush found elsewhere on the course.
The course's relatively rural location means it gets little traffic, and even on gorgeous days there's typically only two to three groups out at any given time.
The compact tee signs provide distance, recreational par, and a simple hole diagram.
Cons:
Most of the rough here is pretty thick, especially in summer, and there's poison ivy everywhere.
This is one of the buggier courses in the area, with flying insects abounding in the woods. I've also picked up ticks here, so make sure to check yourself and any furry companions.
Gulley unsurprisingly holds quite a bit of water, and mud often lasts days after rain. Waterproof shoes and boots are a big asset, especially on the wooded holes.
The old carpet tees have been replaced with turf tees - a major improvement - but the tee boxes are still a little small. Some are currently set above ground level by 2 x 4's, which makes it difficult to start a run up from off the pad.
Other Thoughts:
Gulley Park has that intangible fun factor and the ability to be challenging without punishing, and I think that's why it resonates with rec and int level golfers. If you live closer to either Dayton or Cincinnati, this one is best played in a tour of the area courses, possibly in conjunction with Osage Grove or the niners in Lebanon and Mason.
PROTIP: If you're playing without a map, make sure to turn to the left after putting out on Hole 5 or you might inadvertently skip Holes 6 & 7.