Pros:
- Lots of fun, birdie-able holes.
- Good, if aging, baskets and great tee signs (except new holes).
- Part of a large, pay-to-play complex comprised of 4 courses and a clubhouse with pro-shop, concessions, and bathrooms.
Cons:
- Plays short and somewhat easy (all holes but 2 and 17 under 300').
- Tee pads are a bit too short.
- New layout leads to occasional routing issues and some tee signs showing only distance to basket.
Other Thoughts:
Lemon Lake's White Course is the shortest and easiest on the complex. It has been updated recently with a number of new or modified holes on the back half of the course, including a really great, if somewhat out of place, monster par 4 on Hole 17. With the exception of Holes 2 and 17 this course plays quite short, and while much of it is wooded with somewhat narrow fairways, just about every hole can be birdied, and I would except most recreational level players to shoot a couple strokes under par. There isn't a ton of variety here either, and a number of the fairways seem to run together, utilizing similar shots. The White Couse may not have the challenge level or variety of the other courses on site, but there is still a lot of fun to be had, especially if you like hunting for 2s.
On a few occasions, fairways can run a bit close to each other, and some tee pads aren't that far from the previous basket, so keep an eye and ear out for stray discs, especially if the course is crowded. Navigation is generally fine, but the new layout can cause some confusion as to where to go next. There are a handful of "next tee" signs to alleviate these issues, but especially on the back half of the course, a sign closer to the previous basket would help to make sure you are headed in the right direction immediately.
Like all the other courses at Lemon Lake, the DISCatchers are getting older, but still catch fine, and it is a great touch that they are painted the same color as the course name. The tee signs for the courses are relatively new, and are among the best I have seen with a great, colorful picture of the hole geometry as well as the number and distance. The new holes here do not have these nice signs yet, with simple temporary signs only showing the hole distance. I would imagine they will be updated soon. The tee pads are in good shape, but do not quite meet the needs of my tall friends and I. We found most of the pads to be a foot or so too short for our 6'+ frames to get in an adequate x-step or run-up. The new holes do not have concrete tee pads yet, but flat, rectangular dirt patches to indicate the tee area.
I don't usually play the White Course on my trips to Lemon Lake (1-3 times per year), I usually only have time for 2 rounds, and prefer to play the Red and Gold/Silver courses. That said, I really enjoyed my last round on White. Most of the holes here aren't trivial, so getting a 2 still feels rewarding. The bathtub hole is a pleasant surprise, and one among many fun holes. The clubhouse with discs and concessions adds great added value (when open), and helps make this a true disc golf destination. Do yourself a favor and take an entire day to play as much golf as you can at Lemon Lake, then drive over to Three Floyds brew pub for some great beer, and talk about all the awesome disc golf you just played with your buddies.