I can't really think of any pros for a new player

Horrible weeds out of bounds. Fairway was approx. 4 in high grass, Many holes not marked well, No 18 is almost worth skipping altogether.

These thoughts are from a newbie and for other newbies. If you have exceptional control of your shots it might be okay.

Peaceful out of town course. Totally agree that it is a good compliment to Wildcat. Love the setting and the course has good bones to start.

OB grass is 5 to 6 feet tall. If you go in, instant lost disc unless you step on it while in the grass. I lost 2 drivers while playing and spent a good half hour looking for each. some navigational issues between holes.

Needs a team to care for/evolve the course. Using the downed trees to line the fairways and the paths between holes would help eliminate navigation issues. The OB grass is out of control

This course is a nice balance for Wildcat Bluff. A lot of open park-like land with scattered big trees, and slight elevation change. Quite a few holes in the 370-400 length range which might be straightforward birdies for those with enough power. A lot of areas had no grass growing yet, as of mid-April 2013, but mud was no problem at all. Soil looks kind of sandy so it seems the moisture drains pretty well. When the high grass comes in, the amount of mowing that is done to define the fairways will be a big factor in how challenging it plays.

Homemade baskets are very solid, but the chains are lightweight, takes some getting used to. For average golfers who can't reach a 370-400 foot hole, there are a number of holes that are going to be easy threes without much score separation (rarely birdied or bogeyed).

I've read that burr oak savannah ecosystems are a vanishing part of Iowa's natural history, so it is very cool that the owner seems really motivated to share this nice piece of land with disc golfers and others who are interested in the biology of the site.

The course plays over a large amount of land, which means there are a great variety of shots. Water comes into play on holes 4,7,17, and 18, which makes for a fun challenge. The teepads are long and wide enough to accommodate my huge run up due to being 6'8". I threw some backhand rollers, and the signposts did not get in the way like they do on many courses. Separate signs are posted periodically to show which way the baskets and teepads are. I met the owner of the course after we played; he was a very nice guy. He talked to us about how the course will look when completed. This course is around 15 minutes from Urbana, so if you are in the mood to play phenomenal courses, it is easy to stop by after Wildcat.

The first time playing this course, it was a bit tricky to find some baskets, but that will be fixed soon. The owner and I discussed where was the best place to put the signage in order to accurately show which way the baskets are, as it was an issue on a few holes. On the subject of signage, several of the lengths posted seemed off, but it is not a huge issue. Because of the controlled burns, my discs got very dirty, but the burns were necessary in order to keep the grass mowed. Several of the holes play over former cornfields, and the grass has not had the time to grow up yet. It was hard to throw from the soft dirt. Hole 6 plays over a field with both grass and cornstalks in it, which made for a tricky fairway run up. The baskets seemed home-made, but it was only an issue on shots with an insane amount of spin--like ace runs.

All things considered, BOS (our nickname for the course) has the potential to be a top-tier course in Iowa. While it does cost money, it is well worth it. Come summer, you will see me on this course regularly, and I don't even live close by. 9 more holes may be added in the future, as well as a pro shop. Once this course is completely finished, I will rate it as a 4 or 4.5.