Pros:
+ Much appreciated paper scorecard / map pamphlets for the taking right before hole 1. The requested donation amount is $5. Support the local clubs!
+ A nice quiet practice area.
+ The whole course takes place in a well-maintained township park/rec center. Lots of space to move around here.
+ The tee signs are nice enough with the #, par and distances depending on the layout. Each post features a cup holder, which is a nice touch... "Know your audience!" However...
Cons:
- ...Only the blue tees have the signs, and there is no diagram of the fairway ahead to help out new players, first-time visitors or players seeking the short tee areas.
- The tee pads themselves are mostly simple rubber mats plopped onto the ground. The short tees have just flags in the ground marking where they are.
- No lost disc box. A mostly open course like this doesn't truly need one, but it's just something to know.
- Most holes are just distance and little else.
- I had to skip three holes because of water.
Other Thoughts:
My favorite hole here to look at was hole6 for no other reason than the perfectly framed sight of the mountain to the right of its tee pad. My favorite hole to play was hole7 because of that shocking downhill that comes out of nowhere and the almost comically constricted pair of tunnels to choose from. My least favorite hole was hole17 because of how flat, open and straightforward it is. The biggest surprise was hole5 because it shook me awake to go from open holes to a shadowy pine tree tunnel that finishes atop a wooded peninsula.
As for the course as a whole, I'm pretty sure that the course at Hunter Park is still developing, judging by the passive rubber mats and flags everywhere. It might not be fair for me to publish this review while there is still clearly more work to be done, but there are eighteen holes on offer, here, and a fair appraisal must be made. Well... it's almost eighteen holes...
...Actually, let me address the biggest problem right away.
Flooding. There is a stream that passes right nearby the course. As far as my research has taken me, it could be called the West Branch Batten Kill, but don't quote me on that. Regardless of what its name is, the stream overflowed before I got there and had already completely submerged fairways 14 through 16 while I was in the area at around 2 P.M. on April 27. They were rendered completely unplayable because ankle-deep water was visibly flowing on those three holes. Not just a trickle, either- it looked like I was standing next to a free-flowing body of water! If this is a known issue and a common occurence, then I would recommend that the layout be changed as soon as possible.
If it were up to me, I would want to go right back into the woods after hole 9 to see what other surprises were waiting for me back there because holes5 through 7 were still fresh on my mind. Or, if they want to keep holes10 through 13, then maybe change current hole17 into the new hole14 and install three new holes in the woods at the end. Besides, this course already has enough wide open holes. Trading holes14, 15 and 16 for three new wooded holes would be a nice exchange because it would improve the course's balance and variety.
As it is right now, holes5 through 7 are the clear stars of the show. They might be three of the shortest, but they pose the most challenge with their piney tunnels and, thereby, are the most fun. Every other hole with the exception of hole11 and, arguably, hole8 takes place in a largely wide open and flat playing space. It's very pretty to look at but desperately needs something more in terms of playability.
In closing, I see the potential for a greater course in Hunter Park. The infrastructure still has a ways to go and some design decisions need to be made, but the possibility is here, and I would love to visit again sometime in the far future and experience what improvements they've made.