Pros:
A fun, hilly course full of par-3s that is a favorite but perhaps not the epitome of disc golf courses.
-Amenities: Mach X baskets (occasionally two per hole), concrete tees, signs with maps including pin positions (but no indicator method). Plenty of benches, which help with all the hill climbing.
-Pleasantness: I think this is the first time I've used this precise pro, but it fits. Water Works is simply a pleasant place to play. Green grass, sparse trees, a skyline view, and rolling hills, all immaculately kept, were the perfect place to spend a summer evening. Imagine ideal picnicking environment, and this is it.
-Elevation: If you read any reviews, you'll notice they all mention the hills. There aren't any drop-offs here, but there are consistently large hills that make it oh so fun to watch a drive go sailing. This would be a fun course to bring a Radio Flyer to and cruise down hills after your drives.
-Vibe: One of those classic courses with a great local environment. Think Mt. Airy, Sedgley Woods, Wells Branch, Oregon Park, Brahan Springs, Earlewood (if you're from any of the cities those courses are in). It's just wholesome and a bit busy.
-Shot Shaping/Gameplay: Lots of great par-3 shots thanks to the elevation. The two aspects of challenge will be managing slopes on some holes, and navigating around particularly placed trees on others. Mixed in are about three tightly wooded holes with low ceilings and/or tunnels, but generally holes are mostly open. Get ready to bomb out several times, and also be ready to come up short when you go back up the hills. Sometimes, clever curves or the park roads force big swoopy shapes, and those are tons of fun. Thanks to the generally open environment, scrambling is a possibility throughout the course, so you shouldn't feel too beat down. On the whole, this is a fun factor kind of course that just provides pleasant tee offs from 1 to 18.
Cons:
A few ticky-tacky things. Water Works is not a case of being held back by its cons, more just not having all the possible pros.
-Navigation: The routes between some holes are definitely not clear. I went from (1) to (7) instead of (2), and got turned around a few other places as well. This is perhaps fixable with some discreet signs nailed to trees.
-Pin Indicators: To help with distances and the occasional hole where the basket isn't visible, Water Works could really use a simple pin position indicator for each tee sign.
-Par Variety: With the exception of some short par-4 alternate pin placements, Water Works is all par-3s. Drive-putt-repeat. Little in the way of placement shots, strategic hole planning, or shapes that aren't throwable in one motion.
-Road Risk: Depending on your definition, somewhere between two to five holes bring the park road into play. I could definitely see a car being pegged, whether stationary or driving past.
-Slopey Things: The ankle-rolling risk and exhaustion from trudging up steep hills are both to be considered. I suffered mildly from both during my round.
Other Thoughts:
I found Water Works to be Very Good. It's an exceedingly pleasant atmosphere, it has big hills, and there are some neat shapes as well. However, the monotone par-3 nature of the course, the lack of defining fairways on many holes, and the navigational confusion are key parts of the picture. I have it rated #45 of 265, which means I'd come back any time, but I don't think it's a model for those trying to create a destination course. Kansas City is lucky to have it, and anyone who comes here should have a great time!
~Similar Courses: principally White Oak (Dallas, GA); somewhat Dickson DGC (Dickson, TN); midwestern city park version of Mountain Cove Farms (Chickmauga, GA).