There isn't near enough hype about this course. If you are anywhere near it go play it. Should be in the top 20 of courses IMHO.
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I went to Dellwood early on a Saturday in October and couldn't find a place to park. I went back in November earlier, parked easily and played a round. When I went back to the car the lot was loaded and people were parking on residential streets. We were going to play a second round but the course in front of us was so backed up/loaded with people that we cut bait. Both time I went to Highland after I left Dellwood and Highland was a ghost town. Highland is a really, really good course. Nobody was there, every disc golfer within 50 miles of Joliet was at the Canyons. With play like that, I didn't think it needed any hype.
They were still adding holes and tees when I was there. The only criticism I had of the place was the hole numbering, they added a bunch of holes between 6-7 and 8-9 and just called them 6A, 6B, etc. It's a 27-hole course but the last hole is numbered 18. I ever had any idea how many holes we played and I can't keep the 6 letter and 8 letter holes straight in my head to write a review. That's nit-picky organizational bitching, though. The shots are what is important, and the shots are there. Has the design settled in yet?
I saw that you rated it up their with Flip. I think Flip for me is in a unique category because of its rural location. It is peaceful out their in shelby township.
I could never put a city or muni course in that category. It is almost another set of ratings that I have to use.
In a way it is more of an atmosphere kind of thing that cannot be rated.
For example, Mt.Airy Cincinnati Ohio is great course. I would say the course itself is better than flip. But it is like right in the middle of cincinnati.
I drove seven hours to play flip due to its location in Michigan. Beautiful Northwestern Michigan. As for Cincinnati I wouldn't drive more than two hours for that.
So rating courses is such a personal thing for sure. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Criteria is key. One of the issues I have with Fairfield is that the land used for the old course is still used, and it's a wide-open swamp. Once you get back into the property things look up, but in terms of a park facility it's a somewhat nasty park with a big swamp in front. Dellwood Park is a really, really nice park. In terms of evaluating the site, the two parks are night and day. Since I'm a big fan of parks, the setting gives the Canyons an edge before you even evaluate the shots. Add in that six of the shots at Squaw Creek are still in the wide-open section, I end up giving the Canyons a clear advantage. Just opinion, though. Squaw Creek is so much of an improvement over old Fairfield that it seems stupid to criticize it.I think Fairfield gets the slight edge on Canyons. I recently played both with no previously heard hype and enjoyed Fairfield slightly more due to elevations changes and more varied layouts. That said, they are both amazing courses! :thmbup:
Fairfield is a Gold level course. None of the other Chicagoland courses are specifically designed for Gold level. The Canyons is probably the best Blue level course in the area and has even a few more multiple tees than Fairfield on some holes to challenge different skill levels. Moving farther outside Chicago, I think Lemon Lake Gold, at least as I remember it before tree loss, is a more complete gold level course than Fairfield which is on the shorter lower SSA end of gold level courses. If the proposed enhancements ever get done at Fairfield, it will be longer and with more challenges on the open holes. I think Valpo may be a bit better blue level course than Canyons.
I like Highland. When I pass through Chicago staying in Lemont 6-8 times a year, I consider Highland an equal option to Canyons when I only have time for 18 holes. I also like Katherine Leggett for a more relaxing round where I can practice shots without worrying about water hazards or landing on/over steep banks.