Pros:
A well-worn wooded New England course with increasing elevation as you play. Nothing bad, a lot of bland, and a few really good holes make for good golf, although the back nine is a somewhat treacherous hike as you tire
+ Evidence of an active club: a few wooden platforms to make for extra long tees (#3), multiple tee positions on #4, recently-poured concrete tee on #4. The fairways and a lot of the walking paths are lined with trees that have been cut down to clear the course. There's a long basket on #18 (though not indicated by the signage)
+ Red (short) short tees are only wooden stakes in dirt, but they make for a genuinely newbie-friendly layout
+ Most tees are concrete, not really long, but adequate for most players. The old baskets are a bit tough to spot in the woods, but they're in good shape. The signage is good - although the illustrations of the holes are minimal, and can be a bit misleading. But they also include the length to the turn on any dogleg, which is great information on a heavily wooded course
+ Some navigation signs here and there to help you through the more difficult transitions
+ According to the tee sign, hole #8 is a 180' par 2. There's a narrow straight route from the slightly raised tee, and a few hyzer alleys. uDisc has it as a par 3 - but I changed it for my round because I trust the signage. A fun and unexpected challenge to have a reasonably long par 2 mid round
+ #10 and #12 are a couple of gradual downhills that test your ability to control and place long gliding shots. #10 is a long par 3 (410+) with a right turn at about 200. A great RHFH hole for a birdie look
+ The more dramatic elevation changes start with holes #13 and #14 playing back and forth across a deep ravine. #13 is a fairly short par 3, but the bottom of the ravine slopes to the left, so anything short risks an extra long fade. Hole #14 is a par 4 that starts with a recrossing of the ravine - but that's just the first 180' of a 500' hole. You can see the basket in the distance perched up on a rock: it's one of the prettiest and toughest holes on the course
+ The forest feels likes it closes in toward the end of the round: #16 and #17 give you a lot of fairway trees to dodge, and #18 has the narrowest alley off the tee of any hole on the course
Cons:
- Typical for a deeply wooded course, some of the holes are pretty forgettable, especially on the front nine. They're not bad - they just run together when trying to recall them. The first really visual feature comes with the big hill (up on #6, and down on #7)
- The back nine is good golf and good holes, but it's a tough hike from #13 - #17. It's no place to be dragging a cart, and the rocky landscape makes for turned ankles
Other Thoughts:
~ New England wooded course, from start to finish. Great use of elevation that becomes more dramatic as the course unfolds
~ The big sign with the map out front shows a 9 - but that's the old layout. Don't be fooled: it's an 18.
~ Although a cart is pretty easy on the front nine, the rocks and hills on the back nine make for very difficult rolling - and some carrying
~ Not an easy walk in the woods. In fact, the back nine is a workout. But the holes are good, even if you feel like you're risking a rolled ankle on a lot of the later holes