Pros:
- high quality baskets
- expertly manicured park which is being redeveloped and continually improved
- one water hazard
- variety of distances/some par variation
- play on each hole does not conflict with others
- incorporates any elevation change available, and works in plenty of tree hazards despite being open
- some garbage cans around
- public restrooms on site
Cons:
- hole numbers/par/distance on ground can get covered with debris and hard to read, and can't be seen until you're on top of them
- gravel tees are just ok
- no tee signs/maps, making navigation quite challenging at first
- have to cross parking lot twice during play, could use a map depicting this
- significant wind in open area
- limited elevation change/obstacles
- baskets aren't labeled with hole number
- some throws near walking paths
Other Thoughts:
This is a brand new course and there are still some growing pains to work through. It would really benefit from some tee signs with maps, next tee indicators, and a course map. However, the biggest single improvement would be to add numbers to the baskets to make it clear which basket goes with which tee. In a course this wide open, this can get quite confusing. Navigation was one of the trickiest parts, and thankfully I found someone who had already played the course. You have to cross the parking lot twice and the driveway to the parking lot twice during play, so it's not always intuitive. Since the hole numbers are on pavers in the ground, you can't really spot them from a distance, further increasing the challenge.
Overall, Heritage Park in Homer Glen is very nice. It is currently being revitalized and you can see the effort going in to this park. Other amenities include walking paths, tennis/pickleball courts, sports fields, etc. I've heard improvements should be coming to the disc golf course, including OB markers, concrete tees, etc.
When I played, Hole 2 was unavailable for some reason. I couldn't tell why but there were signs and they had pulled the basket. Hole 3 was pretty cool as the approach to the basket lands you on a narrow isthmus between two ponds. It is a big time high-risk, high-reward shot. Otherwise, there aren't really any other water hazards. A few hills are incorporated to make the terrain as interesting as possible, and there are small hillocks in places, but most of the course is flat and open. Despite not having real wooded sections, there are plenty of trees which do come into play. Hole lengths range from mid-200s up to 600 ft. Thankfully, there wasn't much risk of interfering with other groups - this seems fairly well thought out despite the openness of the course. Hole 18 likely will appear to most people to be a practice basket, being so close to the parking lot. It would be better to shorten it a bit (it's 600 ft) and put in a separate practice basket - and label them!
For some navigation help: upon driving up the the park there is a long driveway to parking areas. If you take this to near the main area of the park with the tennis courts, entrance arch, etc. you are near hole 1 (to the far left of the arch). Holes 1-6 play around this area, and you have to then go back through the middle of the sports court area and across the parking lot, where you will find holes 7-9. You then cross the driveway to play 10, and cross back to play 11-12. At that point you cross the parking lot again to 13, and the rest of the holes play on the same side of the parking lot as 1-6, with 18 depositing you right back at the parking lot.
During my round it was insanely windy, making me really second guess some approaches to my shots. It may not be this bad normally, but considering how open the park is, I suspect wind will often be a significant factor. Navigation was the main frustration here, and I would rate this course higher if some of the basic course amenities were improved. It can be a solid course with some simple additions, and is a nice place to play if you're in the area. The Lockport/Joliet area courses a bit south are still far superior, but this course is worth a try.