Pros:
+ About equal presence of open, wooded, and hybrid holes means good variety.
+ Some very wide open holes to allow for max power throws.
+ Clever wooden arrows at the bottom of all baskets point the player towards the next tee.
+ Only one pin in play on most holes, but all holes have multiple possible pin possibilities.
+ Fun elevation challenges at multiple holes throughout the course.
+ The wooded holes are mostly fair and encourage forethought.
+ A few water hazards add to the fun.
Cons:
- The 'current tee' signs ought to be replaced. Most are too badly damaged to be of any use to the player, and some are missing altogether.
- One tee area per hole, and the tee pads are hit or miss among rubber, natural and concrete.
- Some 'next tee' signs at the bottom of the baskets were pointed in the wrong direction. Luckily, they can be moved with some effort.
- The eyehook and padlock system used here for telling players were the pin is located needs to be updated or replaced because multiple 'current tee' signposts were missing them.
- Some of the flight paths share space with walking trails and roads. Please watch for pedestrians and cars.
- No running water anywhere here that I could find. Make it a point to bring your own fluids!
Other Thoughts:
My favorite hole, as I am sure is the favorite of many others, is hole 15. It is a striking downhill tee off that starts among some trees and opens to a wide field below and drops into a creek. My least favorite hole is the one right after it. 16 felt way too narrow, and I didn't like how the player is expected to throw such a blind left turn.
As for the course as a whole, Rockburn Branch is very much worth your time. It is a varied course that takes a player through open, hybrid and wooded holes both with and without elevation. During my session in late August 2018, most of the holes' distances were longer than 350 feet, which makes for a fulfilling session of disc golf. Keep in mind that the pin positions can change- though I do not know how often.
The course itself is implanted within a decent sized community park, but it is clear that the disc golf course was a later development within the park planning because some holes have you throwing over roadways or popular foot traffic areas. During hole 3, for example, it's hard to not feel like a sideshow as you're teeing off so close to a basketball court and a playground right alongside a maintenance roadway.
Thankfully, most of the course plays away from the general public. There are some dense tunnel shots within the woods like hole 7, several lovely downhill open glides like hole 13, two or three water hazard holes and some tree-dodging hybrid holes like hole 6, just to name a few examples. I do think that every disc golfer will find something to enjoy at this course because Rockburn Branch does not overly emphasize any one kind of hole; it is a very good well-rounded course.
The overgrowth needs to be better addressed, though- especially in the back nine's wooded holes. During my most recent session, there was a crew mowing lawns and weed-whacking, but there are undeniably some hard-to-reach spots where ride mowers simply cannot travel. This makes those claustrophobic woods more difficult to manage. Just throw with intent and keep both eyes on the disc, and you should be fine.
So, in closing, make it a point to come this way if you find yourself in the Baltimore/Ellicott City area. I recommend Rockburn to anybody who enjoys getting a wide sampling of everything a disc golf course can offer.