- Valparaiso University has a new nine-hole course on its small but pretty campus dotted with trees and peaceful patches of woods (at least, while school's out). A decent mix of mid-length distances (only one hole less than 300') and a smattering of rolling elevation help keep this course from falling utterly into 'crappy niner purgatory' territory. Hole #1 throws uphill, avoiding a smattering of mature trees and to the far right, some pines. Find your way to hole #2 (see notes on navigation, below), which is a blind- from-the-tee shot across a small drainage/water retention basis, which serves as a "grassy valley." Woods to the left create a semblance of danger. Hole #3 is right back across the valley, from a small pavered picnic bench area. Hole #'s 4-5 play through some grassy, tree-scattered areas. Hole #6 is a big "U"- shape around a patch of woodland. Unfortunately, the only "big" downhill shot of the round here is spoiled by the "pull up and turn the corner" factor. Hole #7 is some long, poorly defined fairway with the road to the right. Hole #8 is a standard typical disc golf hole that will kinda get you back towards the parking lot, sort of. Walk the long walk to #9, a downhill reversed version of hole #1, bag, tag, and proceed.

- Janky tee areas. I have no problem with natural tees, but it seemed as though the posts were often set atop the tees rather than off to one side, and get in the way (especially on hole #4). Using the pavers of an existing picnic patio was a neat idea; unfortunately, there's scant room to run up, as the "tee" is running perpendicular to the hole. Add to the fact that this tee probably attracts non-discing students to sit and chill, clogging up the tee area.
- No signage, scant routing hints. The key to saving your round out here, without a guide, is to look for the sharpied black arrows someone added to each basket (or at least, the ones that really need it) that point the general direction to the "Next Tee." Follow these even when it feels as though they are leading you off to a dark corner of campus where it seems no discing could take place. The transition from hole #1 to #2 is especially wonky: head right past the welcome center down the main roadway towards the chapel, before taking (I believe) the second road to the left. You'll see another parking lot as well as the baskets for #'s 2 & 3. After hole #3, again follow the sharpie arrow down the hill to find hole #s 4-8. After hole #8, it's another long walk along the road in front of the campus back to hole #9 (which you will have seen while playing #1). Not sure if signage or tees are in the works or not. Guessing from the post positioning, I'm guessing "not" on the tees, who knows with signage?
-Weird, wonky walks to kinda weird, wonky holes. Who is this course for? If it's for INT-level college students already on campus, I can see its appeal. If this was meant to "showcase" a campus amenity, well, they could've done better with a more compact (less walks), family-friendly layout geared towards prospective students. As far as the design, hole #6 is a weird downhill, 90-degree right turn around woods, to an almost 45-degree right turn around the same woods, back UP the hill slightly to the pin. Almost a full "U"...never a fan of these types of holes, especially when each shot taken is essentially in a NAGS ("Not a Golf Shot") zone. Hole #7 tries to play as some massive beast, but the tee's location throws along a busy divided highway with absolutely no protection for oncoming traffic on wayward, griplocked, or wind-blown discs. This is the worst safety hazard, by far, and will probably end up getting this course pulled when some kid blasts a wind-blown leopard right into someone's windshield. Shortening the hole to something more manageable and adjusting the tee angle slightly would mitigate most of this concern, but it's as though the designer ignored this and went for the extra 100' in hole length instead.
- Not sure of how student traffic flows, but my best guess would be that this course is nigh unplayable while school is in session.

- Pull into the campus and enter the first parking lot to the right, marked for visitors. Park down by the reedy lowland area and you'll see the post marking the tee for hole #1, as well as #9's basket.
- Some courses seem weird, but then actually play awesome (say, for example, some of the stranger hole shapes at Leila Arboretum). Some courses seem totally bland but the subtlety of the design shines over repeat plays. This course seems like neither of those things, unfortunately. After reflection, I don't think a single one of the holes out there would "play better" after repeated play. It's a "dial the line in and shoot without thinking" sort of thing. Definitely nothing to go out of your way for, and annoying from a navigation standpoint if on a bagging trip. Probably great for the few students on campus who take advantage of it.