Pros:
This course is both a compliment to the Greater Cincinnati scene and the Dayton courses. Now that the course has been in the ground a few years and has matured I can give an honest review without sounding so negative about a great course. First off, I may sound a little homerish eventhough I live an hour away from the course. It is home to my first PDGA Ace, my first PDGA Pro Cash, and several local wins.
I feel this course can challenge both the new player...without being totally punitive....and the seasoned Pro...all because of the scoring expectations that different people have when they go here. A beginner can see most baskets from the tee and play fairly quickly through the course. A seasoned Pro is rewarded for hitting tight but fair gaps in a Deuce or Die quest that can have you muttering to yourself....but enjoying yourself.
The course has great use of elevation playing up and down the hillsides. Some of the holes appear short on paper but play much longer than they are due to elevation and tightness of the fairways. You have to be able to throw straight for distance, throw early breaking hyzers, late breaking hyzers, anhyzers, S-shots, and a good thumber comes in handy from time to time. The course is more about touch and accuracy than it is about raw power. Hole #6 will allow most mortals to air it out and #7 challenges most Intermediate and below players on distance in the open...but most hyzer power throwers will have difficulty on this course if they haven't mastered a hyzer flip with say a Comet or beat Roc that goes lazer straight. I've seen some really good players have difficulty on this course because they were just a touch off the angles on the fairways.
It is a nice fair challenging course. Now that the fairways have grass down in the woods you can even throw a few forehand rollers...or have a reasonable guess of how to play the skips. The tee pads are adequate size for the distance of the holes, the tee signs are accurate, and many trash cans are on the course.
One PRO I must mention due to it being a pet peeve of mine at other courses is...there is a walking trail thru the park being used by kids, moms, dads, grandparents and what not. The park and course designers have made great effort to separate the disc golf course from any dangers of hitting guest walking the trails. The distance...and wooded backdrops leading from one hole to the next across the walking trail is more than enough to ensure the safety of other park guests.
Cons:
After mentioning the Pro of the walking trail I need to mention the Con of some holes situate too close to other park activities. While #5 is a pretty good distance from basket to some childrens playground equipment...it isn't out of the realm of possibility that some idiot throws a thumber way too hard with a highspeed driver and cracks some kid because he threw one 80 feet past the hole and way right. Hole #21 is a wonderful hyzer tucked into an elevated tree line at the top of some steps....however..when all the soccer moms are standing on the field watching little susie play...the hole is unplayable unless you are 'that kind of guy' and think it is your God given right to play every hole at the expense of other people's safety. #22 can play over the same soccer field but the main thing is most people hyzer over the top of #24's basket and that can create an unsafe playing experience. #23...there is a baseball field way past the basket...but I've seen people throw too far and hit the aluminum bleachers when nobody was on them...I'd hate to play the hole when the bleachers were full of parents.
Oh...and bring bug spray...the mosquitos are quite hungry here...sometimes the ticks can get bad as well.