After playing in the IHC, I am looking forward to having time to update my review. The course is definitely up to deserving at least a 4.0 rating. Probably a 4.5... And if all the three tees, signs, and dual baskets make it, I think it will unquestionably deserve a 5.0 as one of the best courses in the country. I fell in love with this place...
As for the par on hole 17, I think par 5 is accurate. It's just a really hard par 5. The first time through, I missed a birdie-4 by less than a foot -- chain high, just a little right of the basket. But that was putting from ~100' away, and with three good shots before the long putt. That time, I took a drop in 5. Second round through, I had a couple of mediocre shots and awful kicks and missed a 25' come-back putt to end up with a bogey-6. Which I deserved after missing that short putt. I think if a bunch of 1000-rated players played 17 from the pro tees, the average scores would work out to be more than 5, but closer to 5 than 6. Definitely a lot more bogeys than birdies -- but it isn't unrealistic to expect true pros to take a 5... Though without question, it's one of the hardest holes I've ever played. And boy is it an awesome hole. So is hole 5.
I am pretty much drooling over the chance to get back out there soon. Totally worth the 2 hour drive each way.
The worst part about Iron Hill is that it spoils you for par-3 courses. I haven't played a single disc golf hole since the IHC, and I've hardly wanted to, because I know that most of the places I can get out to are hardly going to feel like real disc golf after getting to play Iron Hill. Iron Hill will give most other courses an inferiority complex. It's almost like a different sport.
