Pros:
Some may find this a bit odd, but the 24 hole Cold Brook Park was my personal favorite amongst the 2015 Am Worlds courses I played this month. It's got a visual appeal, is nicely shaded, and has variety, options, and elevation. As an Advanced Grandmaster not gifted with the biggest arm out there, I really liked the shorter, technical lines through trees, and needing to shape shots in all directions. It is the kind of course that could really frustrate beginners to Recreational players, because it WILL give you some tree kicks and you'll need to scramble to save par or bogie. Intermediate players will lament the lack of long bombs. But advanced players will appreciate the precision required, and will shoot a TON of deuces. Believe it or not, there are some guys out there who could make mincemeat of this type of course: I've played a solid day once with Johnny Sias, and am absolutely certain he'd show folks what's possible on a course like Cold Brook.
Excellent landscaping, concrete tees, benches and trash cans where needed, DGA Mach 3 baskets, and nicely weathered-in fairways and edges mean solid course essentials. I really like the netting protecting the 13th tee. The thing that makes it an above average course are the risk-reward shots (examples are the lakeside basket on 3, sloping, guarded pin position on 4, those darned three trees guarding the bomber lane out on 5, the water carry (or two other lane options) on 19, and that terrace on 20). Even tourney OB improves the risk on 18 & 22. But you'll be befuddled by, or thrill to, the lines and trees you'll encounter on over half the holes here. Just remember: there's more air than wood. Really there is.
The park itself is pretty, with its lake and other activities for the rest of the family.
Cons:
We benefited tremendously from the Am Worlds map and signage, but first timers might get a bit confused about where to start, and then to traverse some of the looping flow of the course. If you want to start at hole 1, bypass the first lot (with bathroom and shelter), and go down around the bend, parking at the second lot, on your right. There isn't really a 'front and back' nine (or twelve), and 23 & 24 come back through the center of the first 18. It makes sense to finish on a really nice hole, but it flows a little awkwardly. And you need to be extra careful throwing on the shared fairway there (as folks on hole 8 might be in your grip-lock line). In fact, there are several places where the holes run together quite a bit, so you need to be alert to possible tree kicks from adjoining holes.
If I lived near K'zoo, Climax (!) or Battle Creek, I'd buy the $25ish park pass, but even the $5 per car daily fee is acceptable to me. I include it in the 'cons' section because there are folks who don't want to pay to play. Finally, woods and water mean possible bugs in the still, humid, summer months, so spray before you play.
Other Thoughts:
I can appreciate both the good and the bad this course can do to you. Warming up for my tourney round, I parked four straight holes, then, when it came time to start for real, I proceeded to triple tree kick and rollaway a five on my first hole. Curse you, Cold Brook, I shall return and defeat you!