+ Prodigy T1 (Pro DG T1) Targets, all in great shape

+ Tees are wooden platforms - not gigantic, but big enough to get the job done, better than dirt tees, that's for sure

+ Tee signs with accurate (albeit basic) map present at every hole, next tee signs as well, making navigation a breeze

+ Plays a loop, no crossing fairways

+ Rough off the fairways isn't bad, fairways are pretty well-defined

+ 5 gallon buckets for trash/recycling at every tee; the occasional picnic table (I don't remember exact locations but there are a few)

+ The course is mostly flat, but the owner/designers have countered this with a couple raised baskets and using the available trees to add some dimension

+ Distances ranging from 159-536, 9 under 300', 9 over, distributed relatively evenly over the course; There are ace runs and there are shots that require more thought - some fun stuff out here requiring a bit of thought off the tee. No open bombers per se but it's definitely not a super-tight thread-the-needle story on every hole

+ A decent variety in terms of needing BH's or FH's off the tee

+ Forgiving pars

+ Ample parking

+ A nice walk in classic Maine woods (more on the below)

- Tee pads are wood platforms which are adequate but after a good rain could be slippery for enthusiastic run-ups

- Tee signs are paper in laminated sleeves which I can't imagine will hold up very long, that said they're getting the job done for now and present on every hole; no course map available yet (though the next tee signs make navigating a breeze)

- Course is only a couple years old; a lot of great work has already happened but it's still in shakedown mode, with some rough edges.
- You'll encounter some long grass here and there on the fairways (watch for ticks), and some fairways definitely get pretty soggy in areas after periods of rain (though in particularly bad areas there are boardwalks/pallets down to aid your journey

- Forgiving pars

- No public restrooms on-site

I was staying in Alton this weekend and happened to find this course on UDisc while looking for anything we didn't have on DGCR that was closer than the courses in Orono/Bangor. Lo and behold we have Hidden Acres, playing through the woods in between Pushaw Lake and Perch Pond, in straight bog country. The owner responded to my texts very quickly to confirm open hours (pretty much daylight) and that leashed dogs are allowed. The course is a labor of love and it's obvious that a lot of hours have gone into it so far. My personal experience during this round was affected by one variable that I can't really put in the cons because it's not necessarily a permanent factor, but it did hasten my play, and that was the mosquitoes. It had been raining off and on for several days and it's early summer in Maine - these woods are also near very boggy areas as well so it's prime mosquito territory. I broke out the bug spray, a hat w/ mosquito net, and wore long sleeves - all these things helped immensely but it was still unnerving a bit, just the sheer number of them buzzing around me. There's also the threat of ticks - I found 2-3 in the hours after playing, so be aware and take precautions.

Now, removing the insects and current soggy conditions from the equation, I thought the course is a great beginning and has a lot of potential to be a really scenic walk in the woods. Given a couple more years of breaking-in it'll be a great addition to the area, reminding me of some of the other courses I've played in Maine like Hapana in Trenton, the D.R. courses, and Maple Ridge up in The County. The pars are forgiving, which I listed as both a pro and a con - don't get me wrong, it's fun to shoot -7 your first time out on a course when your average is probably closer to +7, but some of the birdies I got are in name only really; any other course would probably have them as pars. Although I hustled through the course to avoid exposure time to mosquitoes I found several holes left me wanting to throw more than one disc just to play around and get a better feel for it. I bet in autumn once the bugs die down this place can be a ton of fun.

I'm erring on the side of caution for now w/ 2.0 - Reasonable - that might be a bit of the current conditions I experienced factoring in, but regardless of soggy feet and bug bites, some smoothing out of the rough edges would easily pop it up to 2.5 for me. A few more creature comforts like better signage, maybe a port-o-john and maybe, MAYBE a recalibration of the pars would start to nudge it higher. It's DEFINITELY worth a stop if you're in the area - even with the bugs I'd rather play here than, say, the UMaine course in Orono, so whether you grab your bug spray or wait until autumn, go check it out!