Pros:
A paradoxical course that is entrancing yet boring, mountainous yet flat, and titled "Two Mile High" yet only 9,953' above sea level.
-Amenities: Concrete tees, tee signs with hole number and distance, solid DGA baskets. I think there's a practice basket, though I didn't find it either time I played.
-Multi-Pins: Most holes have a couple of basket placements, and they rotated in between the two times I played the course. Good variety in these placements.
-Scenery: Goodness gracious, some of the best backdrops I had. Despite the elevation, the course is flat, giving it a plains field. To the south it's wide open, but to the north the mountains make for a great background.
-Front Six: This loop of holes is among my favorite anywhere. I'm not exactly sure why. It's full of 10-foot bush-trees that obscure everything from view, cut through by multiple small creeks. Every hole feels secluded from the other holes and the rest of the world, but the touchy shots also feel very difficult and rewarding.
-Shot Shaping/Gameplay: A mix. The first half, including the holes mentioned above, definitely have some shaping requirements, some of them very challenging. There are turnovers, late fade forehands, OB, and a par-4 that plays from the open back into the line of willows. They're mostly sub-300'. The second half opens up a lot more, with a couple longer bombs but mostly 300'-350' straight shots. It's a bit of a letdown for me, but might be a relief for other reasons - see cons.
-Maintenance: Pretty good. I saw a course caretaker both times I was there, and I think he makes sure the place keeps fresh. It's not superb, but much better during my visits than in this photo gallery.
-Solitude: I never saw more than two other groups on this course. Compared to Peak One or Lake Dillon, it's empty.
Cons:
-Blind Holes: Off the bat, a very big con. As much as I like the shaping required on the first six, you can barely see more than 100' at times, and it requires knowledge of the course to know where to throw. Furthermore, most shots here will land blind and may disappear forever. I think I found all of mine, but a couple of disfavored putters almost disappeared permanently.
-Navigation: A little bit tricky. There aren't next tee signs, so I wandered to the wrong tee more than once. This isn't helped by all of the blindness on the front half, as well.
-Open Holes: Very little challenge from hole (10) and on other than distance. It's very ho-hum.
-Elevation: None. (18) dips down about four feet on the green. Don't think Colorado mountain course, despite being in Colorado and the mountains.
-Fairway Growth: By this, I mean that the fairways on the back nine are neither dirt nor grass, but scrub. Run-ups are likely to not be very comfortable, and I would recommend long socks to avoid lots of tiny scratches.
-Marsh: A couple of the final holes seem to get swampy at times.
Other Thoughts:
Two Mile High is one of the few courses I've played that I can't compare to anywhere else. The unique willow biome of the first six holes is entrancing, and strangely compelling despite the fact that every hole is blind. It's one of the higher courses I've played, but one of the flattest. Depending on the moment, it can feel like a neglected plot of land in a run-down town or a secret hideaway with special seclusion. Perhaps that ambiguity is why I like Two Mile High so much--as a bagger, you're always in search of unique courses that offer something different. This course certainly does that. All things considered, though, it has serious flaws, and a Decent rating is in order.
-Elevation: Note that at almost 10,000', discs are going to fly pretty differently up here. The effect is even more noticeable than in other altitude courses, like in Frisco or Bailey/Conifer,