Pros:
South Highland is a ball golf course that has found a way to splice its DNA with that of a disc golf course to create an exceptional hybrid mutant child! Set upon a broad rolling expanse of land, South Highland dove-tails 18 holes and three tee-pads of disc golf with a full 18 of ball golf. An aberration of nature, or a miracle of divine design? Let's see...
As you pull onto the property, an old but stately manor greets you. Driving around to the rear of the structure, you see the cart sheds and parking lot. You pull in beside an aged but sharply-kept black Jaguar. The sounds of a three-man crew doing roof work snaps in the other-wise silent air. There is an iron spiral stair that leads to a veranda overlooking the course. This is the clubhouse. Beneath the veranda, the door to the pro-shop. As you enter, you're met by a stately silver-haired fellow. Bob Turner, the General Manager, greets you warmly, with genuine friendliness. Behind the counter, a lovely young woman, Katarina, welcomes you to South Highland. There is an easy chatter of small talk while you purchase a drink and snacks from the machines and browse their decent selection of Innova discs. Katrina explains the fees, hands you a map and a "Rules of Disc golf" flyer. Bob points through the window to show you where the cart paths are and explains how the disc gold course flows. Both Bob and (I think) his daughter Katarina seem informed about disc golf and are truly pleased that you are playing their course.
Map in hand, you get your cart with a childish giddiness. You pile in, bags tucked neatly in the back of the cart and you are off!
The course lays before you, sloping away from the main building and rolling up and out. You can see the rise and fall of hillocks and mounds, stands of mature trees, the twinkle of water. And so you begin your experience.
Each hole has 3 sets of tees, Gold, Blue and Red, that more or less all follow the cart path. The Golds are long. Quite long. And the wind is not your friend. That and the OB rules take these long open holes and mutates them into a maze of placement golf.
As you play through, you will throw from great mounded teepads, across mowed fairways while avoiding sandtraps, grass traps and various bodies of water. Elevation, while never extreme, is constant and the way you perceive distances can be misleading. This is more than just a big arm throwers course.
You noticed water on the course earlier. Now it has noticed you. Several holes play with water at the basket, one of which actually sits on a thin ridge of land separating two broad shallow water hazards.
You run the course, looping back to the clubhouse at hole 9 and of course 18 for a bathroom break and maybe a refreshment recharge. There is a laminated menu in your golf cart reminding you that you can call Katarina at the club house around hole 7 (or 16) and order food that will be ready for you when you finish 9 (or 18).
You've now thrown lots of calculated bombs, head and tailwind shots, and death putts into lurking OB. You pull up to the shed, return your cart and Bob comes out and shakes your hand, thanks you for playing. Katarina brightens a sunny day with a smile and a wave and you are on your way. The South Highland Experience.
Cons:
About the only Con I can come up with is more a preferential statement than a true negative: Its an open field course. As stated, there are plenty of hazards that shape the fairways, but tree tunnels and true shule are not really evident here. Its just not that kind of golf here.
Pay-to-play is not my favorite, but I felt it was more than worth my ten bucks.
Other Thoughts:
I thoroughly enjoyed my time at South Highland. The staff was remarkably hospitable and genuine. The course was beautiful! Just beautiful. When I played, they had recently burned the grass, leaving sculpted tracts of scorched grass that still showed the mow patterns. It had a desolate grandness that I just loved!
Also, there were ball golfers teeing up around me, but never did we interfere with each other.
I had a great experience and will make the drive down from St. Louis in the early fall to play again!