Pros:
Creative design, good use of the elevation and the creek, and risky pin placements.
Some of the more unique holes I love are the risky #11 playing down to the basket with the creek behind it. #13 playing uphill across a marsh to a blind basket. The U-shaped fairway hole 15, and the tight tunnel and across the creek to pin 18 on a nook of the creek bend.
Very nice campus setting without lots of kids, graffitti, garbage, etc. You can actually enjoy your round out here.
Commitment, dedication, creativity, and pride by the local designer is what makes the course exceptional. Without that personal touch, the school would have had some students throw something in that is less than stellar.
Great tees signs.
Cons:
Too many open holes that are just okay. They play mainly across fields with only slight elevation and a few trees. None of the open holes are real long or truly unique, and they are not "prairie style" holes either because the entire lawn is mowed (no long grasses as borders for a more natrual look, and also punishment for an errant shot. Need to branch out and push the envelope more (once released by the school requiremnets). I mean this in regards to lack of use of the woods (thank LTC for this, it was their requirement, maybe they'll back off and we'll get some awesome wooded holes on that excellent elevation behind #17). Also use of the water hazards could play more into an advanced players landing zones. The waterway that runs across holes 5 and 6 doesn't really come into play at all. It is simply in the middle of the hole where no one should really land on their drive (or at least where I never would).
I also prefer much riskier greens and with the course being mainly open field, there aren't many here. These are not your old school style greens either that are wide open, there just isn't extreme elevation/terrain change here to make really risky greens.
Baskets. I know they are a great value and made locally, but I think they spit very bad (I admit I am not the best putter anyway, but they do spit more than others - I refer to these as the Spit Monkey brand). I think it is due to the links, they are the more rounded (rather than rectangular style) and it sounds and feels like they are composed of a different denisty metal (you can hear a softer "ching" than almost any other basket. Better than Mach 2 baskets any day though!
Lack of dual tees. I really think more tees would add what everyone else is looking for. The existing tees are probably white/red skill level. A longer, and more skillful set of blue tees would attract many more players and provide an extreme more amount of challenge (the water hazards and landing zones would come into play, and shot selection off the tee could be even more varied by bringing more trees into play on the open holes).
Other Thoughts:
I would rather play here than Vollrath or Quarry, but Silver Creek isn't far to the north and takes my attention away. I love the quiet peaceful look here (beside playing predominatly near a county road and campus streets). The seclusion is very nice and allows you to enjoy your round. The designer and his family and friends are very proud of this baby, and it shows. I love playing 'personal' courses that have been adopted by the designers with a huge sense of pride and creativity. I anxiously await course expansion, and more use of the woods behind hole 15 (with the sharp ravine) and 17 (on that nice mound). I would personally add a new last hole on the other side of the creek, playing a long right hand turn along the slope up to the parking lot, bringing you back nearer to hole #1. I would utilize the creek as much as possible (even more), lengthen some of the open holes (if adding more wooded ones in comparison), and also bring that waterway on the front nine into play more with new landing zones and defined as OB. I hope I'm not sounding too critical, just offering some opinions. And although this course is very near a 4, I would rather play the courses I did rate a 4, so I have to knock it down by relation. My personal preference for sadistic style woods, huge risky greens, and less open fields keeps it down in my mind too. Based on what I hear and the possibilities of more risk/reward, challenge, and even more holes, I know that the pride in this course, along with these elements, could make this much more appealing than the 4 disc courses around.
With all the interest the school is seeing in the course, and the pride and effort that Jason and crew put into it, you otta pitch to get some elevated tees, terraced greens, etc. Give this a true links feel in a gorgeous setting, like Token Creek. Keep up the good work, continual improvement, and those big dreams of bigger and better (Blue tees, risky pin placements, and tight woods!)
UPDATE: Relative to my other reviews, I think this one stands out of line too much. I have to adjust it to a 3, but easily at the top of my 3's.