Pros:
- 27 holes with multiple pads per hole
- Large, clean, well landscaped course is dedicated to disc golf
- Mature trees do a decent job of forcing a variety of lines
- Benches at a large number of holes
- Good tee signs with hole geometry and distances for all pads
Cons:
- Mostly flat terrain with limited variety in type of holes, feels repetitive by the end
- Navigation is occasionally confusing
- Footing on the rubber tee pads can be less than ideal
Other Thoughts:
I had put off playing The Oaks for about two years, not because I hadn't heard good things, but because it was just a bit farther than all the other Joliet area courses I enjoy playing when I get the chance. Playing through this course on a beautiful fall day made me sorry for putting it off for so long. The Oaks is not overly challenging or varied, but it is still a fun, well-kept course in a wonderful park with more holes (and tees) than you will find anywhere else in the area.
The golf here is generally fairly straightforward. There is minimal elevation, though what there is is used well, and most of the baskets are straight ahead of you from the tee pad. The challenge comes from having to bend your discs around the large mature trees. Many times there will be multiple routes, including backhand and forehand friendly lines, but frequently there is really only one good option, or one line that is much easier to hit. This helps keep the round from getting too boring. It would be nice if there were some more "dog-leg" type holes, as throwing to a basket more or less right in front of you gets repetitive.
The 3 holes in the tightly wooded section of the park (19-21) are a welcome change of pace, and I wish there were a couple more of them spaced throughout. Hole 13 was a standout for me. A longer, open hole at the start leads slightly downhill, where you then have to play up, across a small creek and through guardian trees to the basket which is up on a small terrace.
The equipment here is generally very good, with the baskets, signs, tee pads, and many benches all in good condition. I am not a big fan of the rubber pads however, and frequently found them a bit too short, and with less than ideal footing, especially when the gravel used to border the rubber pad is covering the surface.
My partner and I got turned around 3 or 4 times during our first trip (especially between holes 2 and 3 and 21 and 22) despite most of the baskets having tines taped in the direction to the next hole. However, both times we were truly stumped, we were quickly able to ask one of the many other friendly groups on the course the way to the next tee. After through once, navigation shouldn't be an issue.
This is a great course with the multiple tee pads providing great variety of looks off the tee, and a layout for many skill levels. The Oaks is well worth a play through, particularly if you are a fan of more open, parks style courses, and would rather stay away from tight, wooded fairways where bad drives are severely punished.
***Update 9/2020
I recently played The Oaks for the first time in a couple of years and wanted to give my impression of some of the updates to the course since my original review in 2015. The work done on this course recently is quite impressive: around 10 new baskets, new concrete pads for the white tees, a few completely new holes, new directional signage, and a bunch of new landscaping. There are a huge number of distinct holes on this course, and while a few are still repetitive, non are truly boring. The new Hole A playing over the pond from the parking lot is an impressive challenge that added something I always wished was there.
My only critique of the new additions are that many of the new X pin positions are overly protected by small trees and bushes. So much so that there almost isn't a green on some holes like 2X. I get the intent, but I think it was taken too far and hopefully these greens are broken in and opened up a bit over time. This course has never been in better shape, and I am more than ever interested in playing here more frequently.