Pros:
- Beautiful, unique landscape
- Huge tee pads
- Intermediate to advanced players will find fun, challenging shots
- Most holes will use a fairway or distance driver off the tee
- Gold layout during tournaments
- Uses the landscape really well
- Awesome, friendly locals
- The course is well-maintained and frequently improved by Central Oregon DGC
- A lot of space to warm up your drives or do field work
- Those familiar with 9 hole layout can get in a quick round
Cons:
- Very rocky and sandy (eats discs)
- Lack of short, technical shots
- 20+ mph winds are not uncommon
- Wind can be difficult to read due to the ridges the run through the course
- Juniper trees are very grabby (locals enforce 2 meter rule)
- Rugged, sage brush covered fairways make it easy to lose discs even when you hit your intended line
- Layout is confusing for new players
- Very busy in the afternoon
Other Thoughts:
Pine Nursery was my home course for four years when I lived in Bend. The landscape is unique with excellent views of the Central Oregon stretch of the Cascade Range. If you are coming from the valley, prepare for all of your discs to be slightly more overstable due to the elevation. If you are an intermediate to advanced player, you'll find a lot to love at this course. A good combination of big power and more controlled drives. If you struggle to reach 300' of distance, you may not have many birdie opportunities, but will likely still enjoy the unique landscape of the course. The vegetation does not lend itself to technical shots, and most players will use a distance or fairway driver off the tee on most holes. That said, the design uses elevation well, and OB comes into play on a few holes in the form of a water hazard (irrigation canal) and a walking path. Hole 18 has a unique tee pad where you throw from a rock outcropping. The Gold layout during tournaments has more long, open golf-style holes with grass fairways to compliment the rugged, more natural holes in the standard 18.
The layout can be confusing since it was originally designed to be a 9 hole course, but the locals are friendly and will probably let you join their group. A map is available on the Central Oregon Disc Golf Club's website. The local club takes really good care of the course, have added upgrades like tee signs and concrete pads, and everyone who plays is encouraged to help pick up any trash they see.