Pros:
- Course is set in a large section of the park property, which is chock full of hills and trees. First seven holes are close to the entrance road, not sure if any stray foot traffic ends up that way.
- Good amount of the holes are set in pretty dense forest (with thick rough), or have major tree action off the tee, providing a lot of different lines. #1 is a short RHBH anny under some low trees, and #3 is a long hyzer through (or over) a thick cluster of mature trees. Great mix of lines overall, and the varying difficulty of each really helps to make each hole feel different. Mando on #5 tests both length and accuracy of a bomber anny; a great mando to prevent another wide open hole.
- Elevation changes are present on nearly every hole, and are definitely noticable. Good mix here as well, with some short downhills, long sloping uphills, and a gut check drop shot that demands serious accuracy. #10's basket is out of sight down a steep hill, surrounded by a sea of thorns. Going short, left, or right is no good, and going long can be disastrous. It is also one of a few sloped greens.
- Good mix of hole lengths, with different looks. Some short ones are pretty easy, others are very tricky. Same with some of the long ones, so there is a large variation in the length/accuracy ratio. Having both, usually at the same time, is key to score well here. The back half are definitely longer, for the big arms to enjoy.
- Good teepads, good baskets, kind of tricky to navigate. There is a little loop in the front six, but it helps the quality of the holes. Mowed paths help to get around, double check the distances that were molded in the pads. (You walk past the 'wrong' teepad at least three times).
Cons:
- A lot of the course is pretty straightforward, especially in the front. Fairly open lines to the basket, and some downhills to help get it there. Definitely a must to pick up strokes before the woods and the bomber holes.
- Not much in variety of hazards here; it is going to be thick rough or lots of trees. The land doesn't have any water, and the hills are pretty gentle overall (except on #10). In general, the terrain is pretty similar throughout, so the scenery stays the same. Playing by the road is never fun either.
Other Thoughts:
- This course is extremely well rounded, which I definitely like. There is an even mix of holes that are beginner friendly and those that make even pros work. The crazy range of length, toughness, and line shaping variety was well done. A more experienced player might be a little bored by some of the holes, and a beginner would be frustrated by others, but there is something for everyone.
- Be sure to throw some money in the box, everything looks well-maintained.