Pros:
+ The New City layout is on a former ball golf course in a 500 acre heavily used city park. Although it seemed pretty much in its own section, I noticed mowed tracks across some fairways for cross country.
+ There are three sets of tees (only the main one is concrete, the shorts and long are natural), two sets of permanent signs (at the intermediate and long tees), and two basket positions on some holes.
+ Former ball golf courses challenge the ability to design well for disc golf, but the designers at City Park have done a really good job with flat and largely open space. Although the course is generally short, there is a fair number of holes with tight alleys or low ceilings, creating genuine shot challenge
+ Hole #2 shows you some of the spectacular old spreading oaks that are around the course: when you're approaching the basket which is protected by their branches, notice how far away their trunks are
+ Holes #3, #4, #5 are the typical "back and forth" layout you find on ball courses, but each of these three is slightly different: #3 puts the basket slightly left, encouraging a fade around a course kiosk, #4 uses some trees to hide the basket, and #5 features a stump-mounted raised basket protected by a few tight pairs of trees, and a big tree in the middle of the fairway
+ Hole #9: Triple Mando! The local club deserves a lot of credit for building this feature that makes an otherwise dull hole into something really fun
+ Hole #13 is the longest on the course, and it's wide open - but the OB walkway helps add shape
+ Water slightly in play on two holes (behind the basket on #14, and along the left side of the fairway on #15)
+ Hole #17 features a built-up raised basket. As with #5 and #9, adding a feature makes the hole a lot more interesting to play. But because these are the only three holes with added features, the course doesn't feel overbuilt or "gimmicky"
+ Hole #19 is here to help your walk back to the street and the first tee. In this way it reminds me of #19 at Morley Field in San Diego: a hole added to the original design in order to break up a long walk back to the parking area. It's a good addition here - but you have to weave between #9, and #10 and and be on the lookout as you walk back to your car. It's not on the big map, and the only reason I knew it was there was because I ran across it after finishing the triple mando hole, thinking it was the next tee
Cons:
- No course map on uDisc. Make sure to snap a picture of the map near the first tee. The layout is pretty good - but there are a few places where the location of the next tee isn't obvious (like finding the tee for #2)
- I think there are more holes with multiple basket positions than indicated on the main map - and the long baskets can change the par, from 3 to 4 - so keep track
- Not a lot of RH forehand holes. This has been pretty consistent on the other converted ball golf courses I've played: I think it's because the fairways are so wide, and you can generally get at the basket with a backhand. I used a forehand off the tees only on #4 and #11 - so I don't know that lefties would enjoy this course
- This is a really good and fun course, but it does suffer some by not having more par 4's and/or 5's. The local club has done a ton of good work with what they were given though
Other Thoughts:
~ There's no rough to speak of. On the day I played, the wind made it interesting. 20+ mph gusts actually made the course better and tougher, without making it seem unfair
~ I understand from the other reviews here that the park management is VERY strict about what they can and can't do with the course. The thing I took note of is how well they adapted a former ball golf course which was largely wide open. They really use the trees that separated the old fairways, or separated old greens from next tees.
~ I could recall 12 - 13 of the 19 holes a week later. On one hand, this means there are some pretty simple, non-distinct holes. But looked at the other way, I think it's pretty good to remember more than two-thirds of the holes on a former ball golf course after only one round