Pros:
Jefferson Barracks is a great course designed over rolling hills through large, mature trees offering ample challenge to all skill levels. There is one tee position and multiple pin positions for each hole. The DGA MachIII baskets were in great shape and the concrete tee pads were level, in good shape, and appropriately sized for the course. There were tee signs at every hole, but the signs only listed the distance for each of the pin positions with no indication to where the baskets were located and did not give any indication as to the layout of the hole.
The course had a nice flow to it and was comprised of two 9-hole loops that returned to the parking area. There were no crossing fairways, but there were a couple of fairways (No8/No11) that parallel each other in opposite directions. The course was very clean and appeared to be maintained very well. I didn't notice much underbrush or excess foliage, but it is still very early in the spring season. There were a few benches and trash receptacles throughout the course.
The course design takes advantage of the rolling hills in the park offering a great variety of uphill, downhill, and side hill lies. The slightly elevated tees on Hole 1, 5, 10, & 17 were a great opportunity to get some extra distance off of the tee, and provided a great view of the course. The holes have a lot of variation in length from one position to the next. Some of the other reviews mention that the baskets are moved frequently, so with the variation in length between the alternate pin placements, I can definitely see how this course would constantly provide a new challenge each time.
All of the holes are designed through the large trees in the park, but I would really call any of them technical holes. There are plenty of lines off of the box for varying types of tee shots, but there are also plenty of trees to knock down shots that miss their line. This course with its rolling hills and large, mature trees offered great visual appeal and a challenging layout throughout.
Cons:
This was truly a great course, but there were a few challenges for someone playing this course for the first time. The tee signs only list the distances for the alternate pin positions. The signs did not offer any indication as to the layout of the hole, or even where the pin was located in relation to the tee box. The basket could be seen from many of the tee pads, but there were several holes where I had to walk and locate the basket before throwing my tee shot. The other issue is that several of the tee pads are located a pretty good distance from the previous basket, but again, there is nothing to point a player in the right direction. Updated tee signs would be very helpful. The only other issue was the tee shot for hole 4. There was not much of a line that I saw off of the box, more of a throw it and hope for the best type shot. This was my first time at JB, so maybe there was an alternate route that I missed, or maybe there were obstacles in the way that normally aren't there, but I just thought I would mention it.
Other Thoughts:
All in all a great course that is both challenging and picturesque. I was in the area visiting some friends and only got to play 2 courses, but I was very pleased with my decision to play at Jefferson Barracks. In an earlier review of this course by Three Putt, he said that "The area has several very good courses, but this is still the course that best represents disc golf in St. Louis." The old saying is that you never get a second chance to make a first impression, so if this course best represents St.Louis disc golf, then I was left with a very good impression of disc golf in this area, and am looking forward to playing this course again, as well as other courses in and around St. Louis.