Pros:
Boulder Alley is a new 9-hole course near Republic, MI (about halfway between Marquette and Iron Mountain). The course plays across what looks to be an old ball golf driving range that is no longer in use - and into a forested area around it. There are lots of coniferous trees and exposed rocks in the woods, making for a beautiful aesthetic.
Holes 1, 8, and 9 are mostly open (utilizing the old driving range area). The other six holes range from moderately to very tightly wooded, with a good variety of fairway shapes. There are long Blue tee positions that make for a challenging round, plus shorter Red tee positions that are more approachable for recreational players. I started my round playing the Blue tees, but switched to the Red tees for some of the tight wooded holes.
As Dean said, you'll either love or hate hole 6 - and I'm also putting it in the "memorable" category. From the Blue tee, you have to throw your disc up over a giant rock face that is maybe 20' tall and 200'-250' straight ahead. On top of the rock face you'll find the Red tee and the rest of the fairway, which slopes gently back downward and continues straight for another 300'-350'. The basket is on the right side of the fairway.
The tee signs are apparently brand new as of summer 2023, and they look great. They are color coded blue and red for the two tees, and have all of the required info. The same style signs that Al Quaal in Ishpeming now has.
The baskets are Black Hole Gravity models, other than #1's which is a Chainstar for some reason. One basket per hole. Baskets 3 and 9 are elevated on stacks of large tires, which is definitely a unique look. The parking lot is currently marked out by additional tires that are half embedded into the ground. The closest tire to the first tee was functioning as a makeshift kiosk when I visited, complete with some advertisements for nearby leagues and tournaments. No course map yet though.
Cons:
I did not like that holes 3 and 4 both play right along the dirt road you drive in on. If this course ever gets popular, this would just become more and more of a safety concern. I would go so far as to say that I hope the designers rethink hole 3 entirely, and clear some more woods out on hole 4 to move the first half of the hole further away from the road.
I'm hoping that more clearing is planned for a few other places too. Hole 2 has a "hallway" approach that seemed way too narrow still. Hole 7 played in a beautiful wooded area but felt like a "poke and hope" kind of throw. The rough is still wild and very thick in places, so I was laying up regularly to avoid having to search too much for discs.
The previous tee signs point towards the next hole, but even if you remember to take in that information it still isn't enough in several spots. No other navigational aids exist yet, so UDisc is an absolute must.
Other than scaling the rock face on hole 6, the elevation changes here are only gentle - not really enough to affect play.
No tee pads, trash cans, or benches yet - it's just the signs staked into the ground. No practice basket or porta potty yet either.
Other Thoughts:
Even by UP standards, the miles leading up to this course coming from either direction on M-95 feel desolate. As I turned in to the course (where there is now a nice painted "Boulder Alley" sign with a disc golf basket) and followed the correct directions posted on the Course Info tab here, I felt like I was out in the middle of nowhere even more than at most other UP courses. But the town of Republic is actually only about a mile away (off of a side road), and I had reliable cell service throughout my round here.
Boulder Alley definitely still has an "under construction" vibe as of now - but it's equally clear that the end product will be pretty solid. There are plans to expand to a full 18 holes, and I definitely plan on returning here once that happens.