Pros:
Very nice nine hole course!! This was well worth the time. Even though it's only nine holes, it feels like a lot longer course due to the layout.
Great use of elevation!! Not everything is flat in Kansas, and this course proves it. Excellent job to the course designers for working with the land they had available.
Multiple pin positions keep it interesting. They also change the way you play many of the holes, which I really like to see. Signage is bright, clear, and in great shape. Big shout out to the course maintenance!
Great layout, with a great mix of open and tight shots. Although this park is super open and has one of the largest open areas in Manhattan, the designers used the the surrounding wooded areas expertly to really blend the course well. You forget how open it is most of the time you're playing.
Course was very well maintained, with tee pads, signs, and baskets in great condition when I played in July. Nobody there, however, it was also summertime in Manhattan so it's usually pretty slow.
Decent range of short and long shots. The 9th hole is absolutely gorgeous, with a nice shot over a large bluff to finish off the round.
Although this course is very close to most of the development over by Seth Child, it feels incredibly remote and makes for great gameplay.
While there are no benches ON the course that I saw, there is a nice area with a shelter that you can rest at before and after your round.
Very good maintenance! Well mowed, and generally well trimmed back. The trees that weren't trimmed just made for good obstacles.
Overall just a super enjoyable course design. I loved the way this course flowed, and it made for a super enjoyable round.
Cons:
The navigation, especially towards the end of the course, can get choppy and frustrating. Nothing I couldn't handle, but it did make gameplay slightly frustrating. Some "next tee" signs would have been super helpful at the baskets.
A fair amount of the last part of the course does play close to itself, which could get annoying if there's a lot of people on the course.
While it IS a gorgeous park in my opinion, most of the course plays around the edges, so it doesn't have the "walk through the course" that you might expect at a longer course.
Other Thoughts:
This course is located on the southwest edge of town, near the Target. The best way to find this course? Search for the Arby's, and then find the road behind it. You will see a small parking lot. Be advised, you do have to hike a bit to get to the first hole.
Even though this course is just nine holes, it was a super enjoyable play and really felt like a longer course than it was. I thoroughly enjoyed feeling like I was in the middle of nowhere. This course played super well, was very enjoyable, and very well designed. I can't wait to play it again! Happy discing!