Pros:
-Large Cement Tees
-Well Signed
-Maximized use of land available
-Obstacles use on most holes
-Fun Factor
-Beginner friendly with line sculpting opportunities
This 9 hole put in a park to small to hold it, is a decent example of what a beginner friendly community park should be like. The holes feature gigantic cement tee pads perfect for any type of throw. They give a great option to try different lines and work on different throws during your round. The signs offer graphics and distances and make it easy to plan your route.
Each holes offer a sense of line shaping without making the hole impossible for a new player to navigate. Whether it is slight elevation changes, trees in the middle of the fairway, or 90 degree turn on 3, the challenges provide a fun factor most 9 holes in the Chicagoland area do not offer. The course was spread through this entire small park maximizing the distance of the holes, although it is still on the short side based on today's abilities and product availibility.
Although this course is far from perfect, I believe this is a good course to show other park districts from a design standpoint. It gives the best example of what disc golf should offer, and an easy canvas to examples of issues that can be avoided. Also, with it being a high traffic course, it also shows the popularity and need for courses in the Chicagoland and Greater Schaumburg area.
Cons:
-Right handed Friendly
-Safety
This course is a right hand, back hand player dream. All holes are right turning or practically dead straight. Nothing forces a left turning throw at all. There are still holes that can accommidate anhyzers or sloppy forehand throwers but nothing forces the issues. I also like to see at least 20% on courses but prefer 30-40%.
Safety is a huge issue on this course. Overall from an experience player point, I think it's fine. It's about course management. However, I have seen many throws in the tennis courts, both playgrounds, the baseball field, and in people's yards. There is also a walking path that runs between many of the holes. Easy to play as on or over as out of bounds, however you directly throw over it on 4 and 8. Also you could potentially be hit on hole 8 teepad by a drive on 2 and an overthrow or bad throw on 3 could easily hit some putting on hole 5. With this course being designed in 1981, this may have not been as big of an issue. Over the years of developing the park, more may have become at risk.
Other Thoughts:
Even with the safety risks, I believe I prefer to leave the course the way it is currently set up. If three was moved it would just make it an extra easy par 2 hole. Slightly overlapping fairways aside, they tried to maximize the distance on each hole that is at that park. For an experience player, there is no real challenge here. As a Rec player at best, my goal is to shoot a 18 or less round here. If I don't shoot a clean round, I am usually disappointed with my play. For a beginner, it offers different designed holes, varied lengths (mostly between 200-300 feet), slight elevation, and perfect teepads for working on proper foot work.
This course is getting a 3.0 Good ratings from me. I waffled between a 3.0 Good and a 2.5 decent/typical but with the amazing teepads and the fact that technically there is not a completely wide open hole (tree basket protectors on 5 and 7), it is not typical compare to most of the 9 holes in the area. Most of the other 9 hole have the same feel. This one does not. I am also review this course based on the course not the foot traffic. This course during prime hours is Woodfield mall during Christmas busy. It definitely can ruin the fun when you have to wait to play holes being a couple of large groups. But that's the effects of a growing sport.
Central Park (Oakbrook), Adler Park (Libertyville) and Lewis University (Romeoville) have more of a wow factor for a 9 hole course. Overall, Clark Park is a decent place to play a quick round, in an area of a lot of non-interesting 9 holes. I would go out of my way to play this but if you were in the Woodfield area, there really isn't a better option...yet. Shady Oaks (Streamwood 18 hole) and Willow Stream (Buffalo Grove 9 Hole) probably makes the triangle of the best you will get over in that area.