-- As well maintained as any course I have ever played, which you would expect from a golf/country club setting.
-- All of the amenities: Restrooms, pro shop, etc. There is a snack bar.
-- Excellent use of the land. Water is in play, big time. It would take a pretty bad throw on a few, but water is in play to some extent on 9 of the first 12 holes. You've got multiple water carries (one likely on your second or third shot). The trees (somewhat sparse; it's a golf course) are well used as are the rolling hills. No giant uphill or downhill throws, but elevation is in play.
-- Between OB and sloping greens, risk-reward is excellent.
-- Distance variation is HUGE. The shorter tees offer three holes under 300 feet and five longer than 500 feet. From the golds, one hole under 300, two others in the 300s and six holes longer than 600 feet.
-- Signature holes abound: Nos. 4-6 all have water carries, but 6 is an epic 712 foot hole with a water carry near the end with the basket about 20 feet on the other side of the pond. No. 13 is an uphill shot (280/309) that forces you to hit a fairly narrow gap to an "island" surrounded by bushes.

-- Making good disc golf holes on a property with a golf course is a challenge. While the holes themselves are well done, there are a lot of long walks (or golf cart rides) between holes.
-- In any shared space (think of a multi-use city park), there will be conflicts. The same holds true here. However, in a city park you are unlikely to get hit by a golf ball, which my playing partner nearly experienced. Most of the ball golfers we encountered were courteous and accommodating, however.
-- There are some holes where there are few trees and length is the only challenge.
-- Navigation is not the most intuitive. You'll find yourself checking the map several times on your first visit.
-- Availability is somewhat limited. There are times when a ball golf event will preclude you from playing disc golf. Call ahead before you make the trip.

-- $5 greens fee. I think it's a bargain, but some people simply object to paying, no matter the cost. Carts are available for $10. I prefer walking, but there are a lot of long walks here because of the ball golf.
-- There is a lot of OB. Some of it (water, private homes) is obvious and almost everyone would agree with. Others (putting greens, sand traps, and marked long grass) is more questionable but likely a necessary compromise when sharing space with a ball golf course.
-- This is the best I have seen integrating disc golf with ball golf. Rather than DG hole 1 following ball golf hole 1, etc., the disc golf was designed separately from the ball golf course.
-- Other than the water holes, risk of disc loss is low. However, there is enough water to overall make the risk medium to high.

Golf clubhouse w/ bar & restaurant on site.
Concrete pads (upgrade from prior rubber mats), tee signs, Discatchers in good condition. Multiple tee pads on some holes.
Hole variety in length, shape and landscape. Elements of the golf course, elevation, water, tree lines are used well to craft a great mix of holes.
Golf carts available for rent during play.

Overall difficulty limited by length and mostly open design.

Sunset Hills is an example of an excellent DGC on a golf course. In recent years with the growth of the Ledgestone Insurance Open and hosting Worlds it has transformed into a top notch track.
Hole variety is a strength here as shots are not simply along the golf fairways. The overall length of the course keeps it from a 4.5 or higher rating, but with that comes a very high fun factor. Compared to the tight punishing holes of McNaughton, Megiddo, Northwood and Wildlife, this sprawling mostly open course can be a welcome change of style.

- Manicured golf club setting is a pleasure to play through, and a different style of course than just about anything else in the area.

- Risk-reward play is highlighted with OB and sloping greens tempering aggressiveness on what is a more open course.

- Good variety for this style of course. Enough trees to force some mild shot-shaping, and fairway lengths are reasonable for most skill levels.

- The sprawling layout results in some long walks between holes, and areas of difficult navigation for first-timers.


- Front 10 holes that share space with ball golf course can lead to potential conflicts.

Sunset hills is an excellent example of a disc golf course done well on a ball golf property. Its more open style of play complements the wooded courses in the Peoria area (Megiddo, Northwood, Lake Eureka, Wildlife Prairie) quite well. However, being more open does not mean this course is devoid of challenge (or fun shots). OB takes the form of ponds, putting greens, sand traps, and marked long grass, and provides excellent risk-reward decisions throughout the round. Water carries are not oppressively long, and recreational and above players should be able to attack the greens, but there is always a chance to lay-up if you don't have the distance or don't want to risk losing plastic. The majority of greens are either sloped (some significantly) or have OB looming nearby to give putting and approaching some extra challenge. The limited elevation change is also used well with many fairways playing up, down, or across hills. Most holes allow for a variety of different shots off the tee, but accuracy and angle of approach is still very important.

Distance variety is very good with lengths filling the range between 230 and 730 feet. Players with >350' will definitely be at an advantage here, but I don't think nearly as much as at many other open courses. The risk-reward here plays a big part of that. Many of the longer holes that players with bigger arms are more capable of reaching have OB looming near the green. You can't simply bomb the disc out there and hope for the best, and dissecting the fairways into more manageable portions is often a great strategy.

The course equipment at Sunset Hills is pretty good. DISCatchers are always a good target choice, and the tee pads (whether concrete, pavement, or textured rubber) are adequately large and grippy. I realized, having played all my most recent rounds during the Ledgestone Insurance Open, that I do not recall the permanent tee signs, as the temporary tournament signs are of such high quality. Hopefully they are left in place as long as possible, but if not, the Caddy Guide from the Ledgestone tournament website is a great resource: http://lisopen.com/courses/ . There aren't any benches by the tee pads, which would be a nice addition for those walking the course, as it is on the longer side. Of course, if you are able to use a golf cart for your round this isn't an issue. On that note...

I have never used a golf cart for a round here, and don't think they are at all necessary. However, I can see how they would definitely improve your round, especially on your first time out. I don't think anyone in even decent shape would have a problem walking this course, and it is certainly less taxing to navigate than the more hilly courses in the area like Megiddo and Wildlife Prairie. However, there are some quite long walks between holes, and navigation can be tricky in a few spots. I would definitely recommend checking out the map in the Links/Files tab before your first round.

This is a mixed use course, and conflicts with people playing ball golf are certainly possible. I have never played while ball golfers were on the course, but my one attempt to play this course outside of a tournament setting was limited to the back 8 holes, as there was an event currently in progress on the golf course. Of course, a respectful attitude and calm head should be enough to deal with most situations.

Sunset Hills offers a different style of play in a great setting, and is definitely worth checking out during a trip to the Peoria area. It makes a great companion to the more prevalent wooded courses, while still providing a great challenge and fun golf.

Very well maintained course. Many risk reward shots and 2 sets of tee's for each hole. Fun and challenging to play, with elevation changes, out of bounds and water. Very reasonable season pass can be purchased, that includes a towel, dry-fit shirt and a bag tag pass. Carts are available and a nice bar with food on the premises. A must play!!

This is a new course and some of the pads are not poured yet. Not really a con, because it takes time and a lot of work to get a course like this together.

Great layout of the course, and bring a water disc. Hole #1, if you dare to throw over the lake, has claimed many disc. Many disc have been returned to the club house and the locals at this new course has done a great job of finding and getting disc returned to their owners. If your phone # is on the disc, and it has not gone too deep in to the depths of Sunset Lake, there is a good chance of getting it back. Great job guys.