Pros:
1) Very small yet immaculately maintained property directly across the street from Emporia Country Club Hole #1. During DDO you will often encounter multiple pros utilizing this course to warm up ahead of their tee times.
2) Large textured concrete tee pads, Newer condition Dynamic Discs Patriot baskets, and full color tee signs with hole map and OB information just like all the other top level courses in Emporia.
3) Has always been perfectly mowed every time I have visited. Course has multiple trash cans throughout and has always been free of debris. Bathrooms and pavilions onsite.
4) Intuitive navigation and short distances between baskets and tees but not so close that you feel like you are throwing into people putting/teeing.
5) Excellent use of what the property has to offer and for how small it is. Some very challenging shots from Hole #1 (Eagle McMahon's roller ace hole) up on a knoll in a tunnel of trees, to Hole #4 a downhill beast through a wall of trees that requires controlled distance and a perfect set of gap hits.
6) Various shot shapes. The course does not present you the same look over and over again (like most small constricted courses do) rather it presents multiple attack angles from the tee and you must decide which is best. And you can't always just choose the hyzer, which is great. It makes the course more challenging.
7) Subtle elevation changes but where available it was used well. Especially to create variety between the holes.
8) Moderately wooded at times to lightly wooded. While there are no super technical shots here, there is just enough tree cover to create a challenging but fair and fun layout.
9) Wonderful beginners course with an array of distances, little chance of lost discs, and just enough challenge that even seasoned disc golfers can have fun here. We were playing in a group behind Chris Clemons, Eric Oakley and Greg Barsby who are all nice stellar individuals and appeared to be having a blast.
10) This 9 hole course is significantly better than a lot of 18 hole courses I have played. You can tell how much effort and planning went in to getting the absolute best out of this tiny piece of property.
Cons:
1) Limited parking. The parking lot beside hole 1 is very small, maybe 10 spots, and you are right next to Emporia Community College Housing, and Emporia Country Club. So you may have to park and walk a ways to play.
2) Several Road crossings and a well used and busy park. You need to keep your head on a swivel as this is a busy intersection park.
3) Lack of distance, I believe this course tops out at 310 ft and most of the short holes are really short. Great for novice players and families, but if you like to let loose, go across the street to country club.
4) Any other negatives would be nit picking a course that was not intended to be a pro level course.
Other Thoughts:
We had a blast playing Hammond Park and return for at least 1 round every year we visit Emporia. This course is more about just having a good time and playing a fun round with several ace runs than anything for us. Emporia has so many wonderful courses to offer, and this is no exception, but just in a different category of excellent. This would be an amazing glow round, or late afternoon wind down course for a more mellow and less demanding vibe. Not a destination, but if you are going to play ECC, stop by here first and warm up.