So many nice things to say about this course, the hard part is where to start. Despite the whole course being rolling hills and uneven ground, the concrete main tees are all amazing. As a rule they are large with the ideal shape: wider in the back for run-ups.
Every one is perfectly flat and level, with a strip of wood on both front and back. Tee signs at every hole show length, location and par for both main and alt tees with a map. Also, direction to next tee is listed, though you seldom need it, because this course is very FTF: well marked with signs directing you along the trails to next tee when it isn't obvious. Fairways mowed weekly, log benches and trash buckets periodically throughout the course.
Few courses I've played make such creative use of elevation for loads of interesting and unique shots. It is an extremely rare occasion on this course when you are putting directly level with the basket, and shooting from flat ground is a privilege, not a right. Be ready to think up a few interesting shots on the fly with this course, as the challenges it poses will have even locals scratching their heads at time. Though it is considered a rec course (especially compared to Big Bro) and I played quite well on it, I would still consider this a challenging course in addition to being very fun. It really is a nearly perfect rec course in a lot of ways, especially the nice variety and flow.
It starts off with some open, longer shots with really cool elevation changes in them, to get your arm warmed up and build some confidence. A pin straight up a hill is followed by a pin on the back edge of a steep hill dropping off behind, then on to a series of holes with side-sloping fairways. The open areas of this course are bordered by woods on one side, and cornfields on the other, so errant shots and rollaways are punished
Then, it moves into a series of tight tunnel shots that mandate straight controlled drives, with pins protected in the woods to the side. The rest of the course is a nice mix of wooded and open shots, before finishing with two short, wooded and very tricky par 4's that can really wreck your score.
Hole 17 plays along a wooded, STEEP hillside. This hole reminded me of #14 at Whistler DGC (Canada), but without the defined hyzer line cut through the trees. Don't let the length fool you, 4 is a good score on this hole. Even the locals I played with, who helped build this course, have to wrack their brains to avoid rollaways on this one.
Hole 18 forces you to shoot through a narrow tree window, before abruptly sloping downhill and to the right to a blind hillside basket protected by the mazelike branches of a massive fallen tree.
Hole 11 plays directly over a pond, though the elevated tee allows you to clear it easily with a midrange. The pond also comes into play as a possibility to catch rollaways on the following hole.
This course will test you, and force you to throw a wide variety of shots. Being able to throw sidearm & backhand really helps on this course, or a good mastery of annies, not to mention some thumbers and rollers, plus a variety of putting techniques. It is a good test of skill for anyone, regardless of level. Just be ready for the hike.
Usually, I am a fan of heavily wooded, technical courses, and lots of water in play. This course made me realize how challenging and fun elevation alone can make a hole, without ever adding much trees or water. Though this course has many wooded holes, and some water, it is really the elevation that makes it go from good to great. Water is an explicit penalty, but this course has gullies and hillsides on almost every hole that errant shots can roll down, forcing the implicit penalty stroke of an escape shot back onto the fairway, so it takes the place of water hazards. This course needs no drop zones or OB, because it has enough ways to punish you without them. All the holes are different and fun, though it's easy to get a 6 or 7 on any of them if you're not careful.