Pros:
- Located close to the interstate, in a nearly dedicated park for disc golf. There are some playgrounds and pavilions near the start, but out the way. The only other conflicts are some hiking trails, some of which coincide with a few paths between holes.
- Two tees for most holes. Some of the long tees are dirt, however, marked with two blue pavers. They'd be pretty difficult though.
- Tee signs are minimal, but do the job. Just tee positions and arrows indicating the line.
- Wonderful elevation used on parts of the course. (3, 5, 9, 17, 18)
- #1, talk about a starting hole! Warm up putting, and then bring your A game right away. Very tight window from either tee.
- #3, a nice blind uphill. Just trying to get through the trees and up to the top of the little hill for a shot at the basket.
- #5 is one of the couple signature holes on the course. To be honest, it is probably one of the most memorable, signature holes on any course in central Illinois. It plays first across a small gully, which hosts an 8 ft wide gap on the other side, probably 60 feet in front of you. Clear that gap and get yourself on top of the next hill and into a clearing. From there, you shoot down into the ravine, hoping to land on the 15 foot deep peninsula that hosts the pin. I remember my first time ever playing this hole, and feeling it was too difficult and unfair. Years later, with a slightly more refined game, I partially recant that position. Difficult and a challenge, yes. Unfair, no.
- #8, just approaching this hole is chilling. It almost looks like a tunnel or portal to somewhere. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe type of stuff. 300 feet long, 20 feet wide the whole way. Blue paver-marked tee is another 100 feet back, making the hole even more difficult. Pretty demanding for just a straight hole.
- I had not yet played the course with some of the more recent changes. I'm a big fan of losing the old #16, and adding the new #17.
- #9, new to me, and a very nice addition to the course. Definitely an upgrade. Shoots over a small hollow, but a deceivingly long hole.
- #17, also new to me on this course. You just stand on the tee pad, wondering how in the heck you're going to make a three. Tight windows and some rolling hills with small watershed channels carved deep into the earth. Only 330 feet, but uphill, and ending in a relatively wide open clearing.
- #18, also a very memorable hole, from a bluff shooting through a window over a small creek, and out into a wide open fairway. Once you've landed in the fairway though, you've still got your work cut out for you, throwing a few more shots uphill to reach the pin. I think that window has gotten smaller since the last time I played, but still very manageable. (Which doesn't mean I still didn't hit a tree and have to retrieve a disc from the creek bank...because I did.)
Cons:
- Underneath some of the baskets is worn down, especially on some hillsides.
- There is some graffiti on some of the baskets and signs.
- No benches on the course, although there are some stumps here and there. Doesn't bother me a ton, but I did notice a lack of them.
- Getting down into the ravine on #5 can be a little dicey, especially when wet. There is a long way around if you keep walking straight through the fairway, which isn't entirely obvious. At least, until you get to the bottom and realize, "Oh, well I could have just come down that way." Some recessed wooden stairs would certainly take this hole up a notch. There are some nice small foot bridges at the bottom.
- Did not locate the short tee that was listed on #6's sign, but it may have just been a paver-marked dirt tee that was covered in leaves.
Other Thoughts:
- #10 through #14 are just fine holes, but not particularly memorable. They do require different shots, and vary in length, which keeps them viable. Some low ceilings increase their difficulty, for sure. Some of these are new, or have been revamped. All for the better. #13 is deceivingly long.
- This course is straight up fun to play. I did not score well on my most recent visit...and kind of hardly even noticed, if that's possible. Enjoyed the grandeur of the course that much.
- Some upkeep and additional amenities could really push this course to the absolute, ultimate level. My initial thought is to score this a 4.25. However, I find it a step above McNaughton and Lake Eureka which I rated 4.0. Also, two finishing holes like 17 and 18 really leave you with a good taste in your mouth, almost unlike any other course I've played. So a 4.5 it is!