Pros:
Elm Creek is part of the Three Rivers Park district. It's a beautiful, spacious, park reserve with scenic views and wide open expanses. Most Minnesota courses are pretty heavily wooded, so this course has been a nice addition and comes with a different feel than you can find elsewhere in this part of the state. It is by all measures an advanced level course.
It has the biggest, best tee pads and longest holes you will find anywhere in the greater Twin Cities area.
It's never been busy when I've played.
The money invested by Three Rivers is plainly visible on the course. It has the amenities you would expect of a pay course: scorecards, trash cans, great signs, benches, a club house with some beverages, even disc rental packages.
Cons:
There aren't any objectively bad things about the course other than the thick rough.
Other Thoughts:
There are however a lot of things which may affect a person's opinion of the course.
It's got a lot of really long, fairly open shots. The majority of the holes require a drive of 300-400' to card a birdie and feature just a few obstacles each (though if you hit one you can kiss any chance of a bird, and most cases a par, goodbye). 2 of the par 3's are nearly 500'. Still, the beauty of the course is captivating enough that some of the relatively boring holes are made enjoyable by the surroundings. Again, this effect is made the more pronounced due to the lack of disc golf courses that feel like this in the area.
Another factor to consider is the weather. Winds will have a strong impact on strategy. On really hot summer days there is very little relief from the heat and sunshine.
It's a long hike, and because it's used for sledding and skiing in the winter, there are a lot of large hills. You need to be fit and well supplied. Bring lots of water and a snack or lunch.
It costs $5 to play for the day, and there is an option to buy a season pass to all the Three Rivers disc golf courses (Bryant Lake, Hyland SSA, Elm Creek).
The course isn't meant for everyone. It's designed to challenge your ability to throw long, accurate shots, and it does that quite well.
Because it doesn't have mass appeal, I knocked one point off it's score. However, it's a very beautiful 5/5 ball golf style course with a lot of elevation change. Unique to the area and well worth the drive(s)!