Last year I played the old Windlestrae course starting over at Zehr Tract parking lot and it was interesting, more walking and trying to find baskets, with help of the Da Vinci Code, than playing. A one-time diversion I had no intention of repeating. That one was originally planned and executed as an 18 holer, but decimated by complications down to a ragtag collection of 9 random remaining holes with long, oft-confusing hops in-between clusters almost immediately. Now, it has been whittled down to six holes.

I caught wind they were building a new course quickly accessible from Kenas Road parking lot but was dismayed looking at the map. It appeared like a very tacked course centered around Henning Field, outer perimeters are usually just afterthoughts and rarely good.

However, execution trumps potential-on-paper and here the new course offers a lot more payoff for a lot less walking, overall. Perhaps it's the summer season that improved it, with unmowed patches of vegetation as high as corn stalks that added complexity and risk in just the right spots, namely on #3, #4, and 8. So it might be that rare course that loses points in the winter instead of the other way around, by becoming too simplistic.

The red gravel tees are in and most were flush other than #6, the baskets snatched from the original unused 18 hole Zehr Tract stock and with temporary painter's tape new numbers are marked in.

Holes average 224ft and the median is just about 10ft lower. It tops out at 300ft early in. Elevation plays a moderate, useful role and the fairways are sometimes generous and sometimes only a fair width of 20 feet or so with treeline or tall growth bordering either side.

Only time will tell how this course ultimately pans out, as it's very dependent on what is mowed, and what is left unmowed, as well. Discrepancies with a Udisc map showed some tweaks were still being made.

For my first play here, it was a fun beginner but not newbie level, slightly better than the average 9er community course. It's worth half-a-star more once signs or posts are installed, everything else as-is. I'd encourage them to cannibalize remnants of the other old course for this one, little lost much gained. Perhaps resurrect parts of the old courses' #8 and #9 for instance along with some new holes on the return.

No course sign, no tee signs, no hanging basket next tee signs and nothing in the parking lot to indicate DG or where even when almost everything else is generously labeled. I'll assume just a WIP rather than anything else.

About advanced beginner level trajectories with trouble spots. Often fairways are a tad narrow going into tall growth where it's easy to lose discs. Newbies should layup on certain holes or bring easy to find discs noting that even bright ones often get lose in field overgrowth.

This course and the old course meet at the bottom of the hill and I believe this course's #8 basket was that course's #7, not entirely sure.

There was no anhyzer shots from the tee, making the course tilted towards righthanders (BH). They could rectify this by placing #8's basket farther back, into the tree cluster back to the right, making it an 'S' shaped shot or an anhyzer for those laying up. It would also improve the hole from yet another simple hyzer shot.

Terrain Potential: XX - Reasonable. An around the perimeter field course with some elevation.
Actual Execution: XXx - Typical, outcome better than expected. Needs tee signs.
Upkeep: N/A. Brand new.
Difficulty: XX - Elementary. Also depends on how it's mowed and season.
Fun Factor: XXx - Typical. Fun, fast, and worthwhile.
Overall: XX - Reasonable. A good beginning for an area needing courses.

Amenities: Park has restrooms, course has no proper pit stops.

Starting Point: Park in the Kenas Road "William F. Maule Park" lot, the furthest in you can (40.237258, -75.209323 on google maps) and take the gravel path at the northwest corner. There's a colonial stone house, go left and there will be a large Green metal utility/barn building. Tee 1 is left of that at 40.237471, -75.210376.

Course Layout: It loops and is a counterclockwise perimeter course right now. #1 is straight on basket across the dirt tracks. #2 starts by tree in valley on left, is an aggressive upshot. #3 is towards a basket on the treeline, with a large, tall unkempt patch in between. Walk a bit along treeline to next tee. #4 is a diagonal towards the bottom of the slope with uncut grass in between. Go left. #5 goes towards the woods and is a short hyzer technical. Double back for #6 sunken tee which is a straight shot. Go back to the field, by #4's basket is another tee for #7, straight shot. #8 is another hyzer around the wooded section with tall growth on the right. #9 is an uphill with fair width fairway, basket hidden on top crest by growth.