Pros:
+ Course info board and practice pin nearby parking lot and hole1.
+ The whole course plays within an adventurous deep forest setting with rocky cliffs, spindly evergreens and a sneaky waterway.
+ Well-defined fairways and managed rough areas.
+ There is helpful signage everywhere. I never got lost. Whether it's signage at the tee or colored arrows pointing to whichever next tee you seek, this place is easy to follow, but...
Cons:
- ... some of those tee signs are damaged because they are placed in the middle of the fairway. Holes9 and 13 spring to mind...
- No lost disc box that I saw. A course like this could use one.
- Adventurous courses also mean that safety hazards abound with rocks, roots and leaves always underfoot. Keep both hands free as you're walking.
- All tee areas are just rocks and gravel within logs. On a course this good, that was disappointing to see.
Other Thoughts:
I liked the appearance of hole7 the most. It plays along an actual cliff, so the fairway slants strongly downleft, which makes for a unique view that I don't see too often. Hole3 was my favorite to play because it combines an insane downhill with a challenging tunnel. My least favorite was hole1 because it was the most open hole of the course.
As for the course as a whole, Windsor Lake is a tough and scenic wooded disc golf course. It feels like the kind of course that sprouted out of the ground. Despite the obvious fairways and cleared trees, a lot of care has gone into making this place feel as natural as possible. The elevation on offer combined with the trees make for a particularly stimulating round, so it was wise of the designers to shorten the average fairway distance. That has the added bonus of experienced and newer players alike able to get some enjoyment out of the course.
Windsor Lake is full of surprises. Even if you are relatively new to the sport, do yourself a favor and play this course from the blue layout. It might be a little longer with more trees in the way, but the setting is worth it with some distinctly different views from the red tees. I was not expecting the huge downhill drive at hole3.I was not prepared for that strong slope at hole7. I was caught off guard by that well-guarded basket on hole9. I was enchanted by those deep valleys on holes11 and 12. And hole15's multi-layered fairway was a delight to experience. Hole16 has an especially lovely place to sit down and enjoy the quiet all around you.
It has a few glaring issues, though. Those gravel tee pads are less than ideal. I suppose they fit in better with the whole 'natural' vibe than concrete pads would, but they are still a bummer. Also, all of the signs are attached directly to the trees. Not to sound like a hippie, here, but doesn't that harm the tree and give pests a way in? And while such a hilly wooded course can be fun and adventurous, the flipside of that means discs can be easily lost for good. There are steep hills that go on forever. One bad ricochet, and you can bid your disc farewell or spend thirty minutes looking for it. So bring a few spares that you wouldn't mind parting with on those riskier holes. Oh, and there are definitely safety issues, but that's nothing new in a New England-style course. Still-- be careful!
Before I close this review, I've got to give a special shoutout to Bradley Street. If you're coming to this course from anywhere south, you will need to take Bradley Street to get here. It is one of the steepest residential roads I have ever encountered in my life! I felt the need to vocally apologize to my car at the top of the hill after putting it through that. It has nothing to do with the disc golfing, but what a preamble before arriving to the course!
In closing, WIndsor Lake is a definitive deep forest disc golf course with a distinct New England flavor. It is hilly and woodsy like few other courses out there with all of the pleasures and perils that go along with such a classification. Leave the distance drivers in the car, watch your step and snap some pictures at winsome Windsor Lake. Strongly recommended.
P.S. There is a donation box at hole1. They request $5. It's easily worth it. (Support your local clubs!)