This being a Johnny Sias designed course, I was expecting hole lengths to end in an 8 (he said once that became his lucky number when he kept managing wins by that stroke margin early in his career), but I wasn't expecting the nine holes at Cave Run Tailwater park to be quite so accessible or level. I was expecting tightly wooded, and hilly. He likely accommodated the park folks by designing for their needs: a good, competitive course that could still be enjoyed by casual family park users.

The course has variety in distances and lines, allowing bigger arms to really air it out on the wide open 1st & 9th, and the top of the world 8th. Line shaping plus distance is needed to score well on 2 & 3, with the possible course highlight being the S-shaped second, which also ends with a tightly guarded green to the left at the end of the fairway. The woods holes (4 through 7) are very short and dastardly tight, but a good, clean, controlled tee shot can reward you well through that stretch.

The amenities include new, level, concrete tees, DisCatcher baskets, basic tee signs (usually visible as you walk forward after the previous basket), and a nice course sign. The park has tons of parking, trash receptacles, restrooms, playground, shelter, and spaces to keep non-players mostly safe from the errant shots possible on the course (see below). The first and ninth holes tee off from sidewalks, the 8th plays from a paved maintenance road, and the seventh plays along an old asphalt trail. In all, this new course, just starting to get some play, will appeal to the Recreational to Intermediate player for its balanced use of woods-technical and open shots, and will play fairly quickly around.

It's really new, so I'm guessing the excellent park maintenance and mowing you'll find on 1 & 9 hasn't gotten into a routine yet on 2, 3 & 8. Some of the grasses and wildflowers on the second fairway were grown above waist high when I visited in early May, 2015, so you need to keep a close eye on your shot all the way to the ground if these aren't mown frequently. The woods holes are just beginning to weather in, which means the usual small stumps, so watch your step. There is a huge amount of ponding in the spring left of the 3rd tee. Some of the flats might get a little muddy in the spring, and I can see the field near hole 8 being a little marshy after heavy rains.

Take the map your first time. It's really accurate, and will help you in the couple of spots that could use next tee signage (after 2, 6 & 7).

The tailwater spillway at the ninth tee is quite a spectacular 'show', and there will always be park patrons checking it out, so you need to throw carefully on hole 1 and be patient with non-players on 9. Some non-players will occasionally also go over to check out the bridge on 3, so you need to be careful there, too.

I've heard rumors of more holes being added if the public accepts the first nine well. When you play hole six and seven, you might glance up the hill to your left and visualize some of the hilly woods lines Johnny is probably itching to help them put in.