Pros:
The wind, it's the *wind* that blows. That's where the challenge lies in playing Pearsall.
This course has a nice mix of holes, and is in that great middle ground of difficulty where rec players are challenged, and advanced players are not bored.
The course flows very well, and it's pretty easy to find your way from hole to hole. There's a very good map at the beginning of the course, and you can park immediately behind the #1 tee. #18's basket finishes right next to it.
The first 7 holes are open, but still nicely mixed. The elevation changes and use of trees and brush, combined with the constant wind on the hilltop makes each hole different. Hole 8 is a fun little downhill shot, and then you are in amongst the cactus, brush, and trees for most of the rest of the course.
There are several memorable holes here. #5 is across the top of a short ridge, and has a great view of Lackland AFB over the next hill. #8 is a real downhill ace-tempter. #11 is blind over a hill, #12 is almost blind around a bend and over a saddle, and #14 is a cool uphill shot with a plateau short of the green to aim at, or you can grab your juevos and hyzer it up to the tree-caged basket. #17 is an uphill, blind, double dog leg through a narrow tree lined alley.
The baskets are all on chipped bark 'anthill' mounds. The tees are all concrete. The signage is excellent here, with diagram and distance on each.
Overall, it's an interesting course where you'll need a lot of shots and a lot of patience. For the pros, go for several aces. For the noobs, just keep it in bounds. You'll both have fun.
Cons:
The soccer field next to #1 is always well mowed, so why is this course almost always in 2 foot or taller grass?
The wind may not be a con if you like it for the challenge, but it's a con if you hate lots of wind. I hate lots of wind.
The hillsides make for good elevation changes in the holes, but there is a lot of climbing. This is much more exercise than 18 holes usually is. That's for you to decide if it's a con.
The walk from #8 to #9 is treacherous.
There is very little shade. Even the treed holes are mostly in a field then funnelled into trees, so except for #9 and #17 you're in the sun. Roughly half the holes are next to trees or around a stand of trees, so there just isn't much shade.
Other Thoughts:
There's a dogpark up at the road, then the DGC is around to the back. Look for the dogs running around when you're trying to find it from Old Pearsall Road.
The views are great, and the sight of the infrequent jets flying low enough to get a good look at sets this course apart.
The guys who've designed this course did themselves proud.