- Beautiful course with one of the most fun and scenic opening holes you can find
- Great variety of shots with good use of elevation and water hazards
- Multiple pin locations for each hole with varying degrees of difficulty

- Extremely long course that requires a lot of walking. Only a slight con but something to be aware of
- Still a lot of construction going on that makes a few holes on the back 9 feel incomplete
- Some areas of the course were extremely muddy and based on the terrain, I could see it being a common problem

One of my new favorite courses that are within a feasible driving distance from Chicago. The scale and construction doesn't compare to anything else I've seen. 100% worth the trip

- Lake Arve$ta Farms is a slick commercial enterprise centered around an old ball golf course and a brand spanking new water park facility. Other onsite activities include pickleball courts, and tons of watersport activities. The place was jamming on a hot July Saturday: don't just expect to walk in a hurry and bag this place, it's a bit of a hassle to wade through the sea of humanity in order to get a wrist band that allows one to toss frisbees through trees. I'm sure it's better with a yearly pass, or on weekdays, but still a hassle.
- Water is king at Arvesta, and the disc golf course is no exception to the rule. Water is used to great effect on many holes, with creeks on hole #'s 3, 12, & 14; over-the-lake shots on hole #'s 1, 5, 6, & 11; and fairways that hug along the lakeshore on hole #'s 10 & 15. Hole #5 is a thrilling water carry ace run to a basket on a small, wooded island.
- Elevation: BAM! Right out of the gate Arvesta pops you in the chops with an 80' uphill climb, currently just a big old artificial sand hill, to reach the first tee. Sapping your legs is an unfortunate start to a challenging layout, and it starts at #1. A massive (80' to be exact) downhill bomber over the lake to a long white pin position maybe 10' from the lake, 582' away. What a thrilling way to begin a round! After that it's a lot of moderate elevation well implemented throughout the design, often in conjunction with water to create many compelling (read: ass-puckering) holes, such as hole #6, which throws off an island, then twists uphill to a long pin near the edge of woods. Hole #'s 14 & 15 also have baskets near water. Hole #14, after a long fairway, requires a downhill touch shot to avoid the creek surrounding the green. Hole #15 has a long fairway that slopes consistently downwards to the left...downwards to the lakeshore.
- Multiple layouts with two pins positions for both the shorter yellow baskets as well as the longer white baskets. Pin positions vary greatly, adding length and difficulty, with a few pin positions raised on small pyramids (e.g., hole #'s 6, 9, 17 & 18). The raised pins help add to the "fast green" factor, also in effect on three "beach" basket holes (#'s 1, 5 & 15) where missed putts could easily end in a swim. Other fast greens include a downhill approach through woods to a small "island" green surrounded by a creek (hole # 14).
- Amenities: Round tees out of a sort of asphalt or rubbery substance. A few were still just crushed gravel, and a few had been poured that day and were still setting. It will be interesting to see how these hold up versus standard concrete. Signage is accurate but roughly rendered, obviously still a work in progress. Next hole arrows (for the most part) get the job done. Port-a-john by the bridge for hole #'s 5 & 6.

- With signage in progress, flow is a bit confusing, especially the transitions from 3-4 and 11-12. The funky hand-written signs, long distances on some holes, and multiple pins help add to the confusion first time through. Once you know the layout there's no real problem. Perhaps a couple of the walks between the yellow "short" pins and the next tee could be on the long side.
- It's a hike here, no joke. Not a good course for beginners with all the water carries, distances, elevation, and hazards (including the bridge on 14).
- The round pads occasionally hamper figuring out exactly where to throw.
- DZ Golf: drop zone golf. I spent more time reading the signs here telling me to concede the water shot and shoot from a DZ. Nonsense, I'll man up and toss my plastic into the lakes like a real American!
- This place makes you sign a waiver before even paying. Look for the registration terminals in the main lobby (to the right of the cash registers). That's for a reason: this place is dangerous in spots. Still a work in progress, scrambling around discing here has its hazards. Sandy hills (including the "road" to the top of the first tee) may eventually get paved or mulched or something to help the ascent, but right now, it's dangerous coming down, and I'm a pretty agile guy. The bouncy little board bridge to #14's island green needs a better replacement as well. That said, it does provide adventure golf, which is awesome...but potential hazards and the length make this course not really an easy hike for kids or those with mobility challenges.
- Slightly needed mowing and trimming. Nothing egregious, but it wasn't super-recently cut.
- Dusty service roadway along some of the holes that kicks up a ton of billowing dust when workers drive by.
- Hole 18 ends the course in a relative whimper with a weird "double fake island" setup that feels forced.
- Hours are abbreviated, even in summer: 10am-8pm; 11am - 6pm Sundays may make early morning rounds here impossible? Maybe yearly pass holders have access, I dunno.

- For reference, I played the white baskets in their "short" pin positions (i.e., the longest possible layout available that day, and the 2nd longest overall).
- $10 per day. I believe yearly passes available, too. Commercial disc golf at its finest, I guess. Technically speaking, the course is amazing. Yet despite all the great holes and wonderful design, the overall experience comes across as slightly soulless. That shouldn't prevent you from playing here, though, simply something to note. If you're into not enjoying the local beaches on Lake Michigan and would rather enjoy a super sterilized waterpark version of nature, then by all means bring the kids and enjoy the day as a family. Stuff their fat faces with food from the concessions. I know the look and smell of a money trap, and this is it.
- Simply stunning disc golf, though, and that's ultimately what it's all about. Only going to get better as the course gets finished and polished. Kudos to the designer!