Pros:
to paraphrase another reviewer (ie steal/quote) par 3 dg at it's finest...
located at the end of a multi use park, this course is simply great... maybe at one point does the rest of the park come into existance (hole 18) other than that it's dg at it's finest...
A labor of love from Frank Grimes and the Joliet crew from first tee to last basket...
The first 2 holes play fairly open, nice mowed fairways, and "high grass" areas (which actually seem mowed/controlled to previous years). The rest of the front 9 plays through a beautiful wooded area (say East side)(large variety of plantlife, great colors, fall is breathtaking) with varying choke points to keep shots in check. Front 9 ends with a fairly long hole, thick schule down the right side the entire time, basket about 10ft from trees... always feels good to 3 it.
The back 9 starts off with 3 fairly open holes.... leading to a long walk to 13, a rather long (for this course) L>R shot to a pretty green protected by 2 old growth trees. #14 (and 15,16) present the most interesting stretch of the course... 14 could ALMOST be a par 4... it got redesigned last year (08) and the basket is now up on the rock ledge area (that always begged for a basket, Frank just felt EVIL and put it all the way to the right)... for a rec/am player this is THE TOUGHEST upshot on the course, as you need a L>R/overhand shot to the basket, you could beeline a mid, but turn it over and you're in blind, deep schule. Hole 15 "Grimes Grove" is once again a beautiful hole, tight fairway, basket tucked to the left on a grass knoll... (plays E>W, on an afternoon/evening round sun is in your face, adding more light to a beautiful hole). Hole 16... make it or break it... basically a 90 degree + dogleg left, with a hyzer route over the trees.... it's not that hard, there's just infinite ways to screw it up...
Hole 17 and 18 play back into the "regular park." Hole 17, is well, quite frankly, a horseshoe to the right, heavy woods/shule line the path... I hope you have a good L>R shot! (Ironically, the back tee has a better line on this hole) The course ends with an open tee into the woods, a simple roc will do with a touch of anny, just don't hyzer out to the pavillion and look like a noob.
EXCELLENT concrete pads on ALL holes. Over half have an alternate/back tee adding a bit of distance, and a much different look to the hole. Garbage cans are everywhere on this beautiful course... please help keep it that way. Signage is showing it's age, a few of the distances SEEM sketchy... All trails to next tee/throughout course are immaculate wood chips, usually with a few rocks on the side to guide you... If the course is crowded, grab a bench, and check out the wildflower areas by the tees, and the paths to them..
Cons:
uhm........
the practice basket is very rusty, and hates me...
the mach whatevers could use some glow paint or something, spotting is good...
there are a few holes that could be legit par 4's... IMHO I think the extra 75ft/harder line are there...
Not a lot of elevation, if you really NEED it.
I'm really nitpicking...
Other Thoughts:
yes, I realize I have overused the words: beautiful, gorgeous, pretty, stunning...
The attention to detail is astounding, the things you don't really notice until your second or third time around...Wildflower "gardens" by tee/paths... just add to the experience. It's a labor of love, obvious from the first hole on, and I cannot commend the people responsible for it enough. Is it the greatest piece of land ever, no. Has the land been used to it's best potential for disc golf, yes. I always leave this course wanting to play another round..
Really, it's probably a 4.0 course, but the labor of love gives it an automatic +.5