The biggest pro here is the scenery and general atmosphere. Getting here requires driving through beautiful West Virginia countryside before entering the woods and driving a very hilly, narrow road that winds its way to the course. The course itself is hilly and partially wooded. The open sections have great views of the surrounding hills. On the day I was there, the fog was dipping in and out of the hills in an eerie but beautiful scene.

Several holes stuck out to me. Hole 1 is a fun downhill bomb that narrows to a tight fairway on a gentle hillside. A pond sits at the bottom of the slope, so any approach must be carefully executed. Hole 13 is another fun downhill shot that turns into a semi-wooded fairway on the upslope. Lots of ways to approach the basket and set up your second and third shot. Hole 9 is a big turnover (for RHBH) that needs to clear the tops of a few trees to make it all the way down the hill before climbing back up and then over to a tee on the other side. I wish I could have played this one again.

Can we talk about design for a second? I have to say, I was not impressed. Other than the holes mentioned above, each hole was strictly open or strictly wooded, and in neither case was the result very fun. Holes 7, 8, 12, 17, and 18 were wide open bombers with nothing to negotiate but distance. The wooded holes were surprisingly tight. Like with a barely identifiable fairway. I got off course on hole 14 and finally saw the basket after three throws...which turned out to be the basket for 3. Great. Hole 4 had a turnover line with very little room to maneuver and no landing area at all. Hole 5 was an uphill drive that felt more "spray and pray" than realistic. After this, you walk back DOWN the hill to throw up the hill again. I don't think I've ever seen that before. Every wooded hole was long in addition to being tight. That combination rarely makes for a superior hole.

Tee pads were pretty poor. Whatever gravel was used looked more like sand with big footprint divots everywhere.

There were no tee signs. Navigation wasn't easy, and without the map I got, it would have been very tough.

Of the 160+ courses I've played, this one played below my expectations more than any I can remember. It's too bad, as the landscape is right up my alley and the kind of place I'm prepared to enjoy. I'm very disappointed that I didn't get to play the Whippin Post (there was a tournament the day I arrived, and I had to play one round over their lunch break), especially given the stellar reviews from reviewers that I respect. I hope to be back.