The course at Shank Park plays around the entire park, which is quite large. There is a parking lot and course map near the start of hole 1, which starts at the top of the hill adjacent to the red building. From the Bullfrog Valley Road entrance, park in the first parking lot on the right. I only add that because it isn't super clear where the course starts as you're entering the park.

I really enjoy courses that utilize diverse settings within a park. I like when I find the next tee and think, "Wow, this section of the park feels really different than the last set of holes." The course does that, mixing open holes among two different sets of woods - both of which have a very different feel.

Elevation is incorporated to its full potential, combining uphill and downhill shots with holes that play among rolling hills. There are only a few holes that are flat here. Also, some blind tee shots because of the slopes help make the open holes more interesting, like for 8 and 17.

The highlights for me were the bookend holes. I thought these two downhill shots were the best designed holes on the course. Hole 1 is a moderately wooded hole that offers multiple lines through the trees, while 18 is a tight shot through the woods with the pin on a slope. I also really enjoyed 8 and 15.

The tee signs and baskets are in great shape. The rubber tees are among some of the best I've thrown from. Another great amenity here is that the park is very well maintained. I never had to search for a disc, even when I didn't hit the intended line.

Probably the biggest detractor of the course to me were the two extremes for hole types that were mostly present. By that, I mean that the wooded holes were mostly super tight, stand still and throw your putter type shots, while the open holes were mostly completely open. Holes 3-6 are all less than 180' and are a little bit too much poke and pray, while all but one or two holes over 300' don't have any trees in the fairway. This isn't much fault of the design, as they used what the land has offered to great potential, but more of my preference for what I want in a course. I would've liked to have seen more variety in the level of woodenness throughout the round.

There are a few long walks from hole to hole, which was more noticeable since the course doesn't circle back to the parking lot throughout the round, and by the fact that there weren't any benches near the course. I'm in pretty good shape, but a bench or two would go a long way on a course as stretched out as this.

While my map was helpful, a few more signs to point you in the right direction would help, especially on some of the longer walks.

Being a new course, and given my lower rating than previously used, I don't want to come on as being too harsh. I enjoyed playing here, and would be happy to have this place as my home course. There were just a couple aspects of design that hurt the round for me. For my preference, I'd like to see a better variety of wooded shots and hole lengths. However, it is great to see that multiple courses have opened within the last year in this area. Not far from many major highways, Shank Park is definitely worth stopping at if you're traveling through the area.