Pros:
-Nice park in Charlotte with one heck of a course. It's course to Sugaw and Kilborne (which I'm playing tomorrow). It's scenic and the "open" course in Queen city.
-Nice grippy teepads. Maybe 9 feet long so you can have a natural run up.
-Great use of elevation like many previous reviewers have said. Particularly #2, maybe a 30 foot drop and #3 gains 25 feet but those are not the only holes with great elevation.
-Again, the course is open, today I had a few 300+ drives, one around 330' on #12. Maybe a few others. The wooded holes are #4, #5, #6, #17 and #18.
-Course has many standout holes, like #2, #3, #5, #12, #17 and #18. Two has a large drop in elevation, the fairway isn't cut all the way but it's not too bad if you give it a small hyzer, it only plays 201', if you can't get there then this hole isn't really for you. #3 is a short straight uphill ace run that requires a small hyzer, #5 is a tough downhill wooded par 3 that has quite a bit of OB, so you should have a 215' foot drive to avoid it, basket's on a platform. #12 is a very long open bomb slightly downhill, #17 is a sidearmer's ace run with a steep dropoff to the right, #18 is a well polished finishing hole with the basket behind a large "V" tree. Those are the extra good holes but almost every hole is fun.
-Two teepads on #3, #9, #13, #14, which is a killer, #17 and #18 which is also a monster. Long basket on #2 which is a slight dogleg right that goes into the woods.
-Practice basket by #1 by the parking lot, the baskets catch fine despite being a bit vandalized and beaten up a little.
-Nice variety of dropoffs like #8 and #17 and #5 is on a small platform, elevation changes, OB (Quite a lot), doglegs (#2 long, #6, #13 long, #14 long) open and woods.
-It's not as sketchy is it is considered, Sugaw and Kilborne are but when I play here, there isn't any trouble, homeless people don't hang around here and neither do rebels.
-Benches are on every or almost every hole.
-Plenty of restaurants that are pretty close like Wendy's, Bojangles and a few others.
Cons:
-It's rough, when I played today, there was quite a bit of vegetation, particularly on #12, my shot was an anhyzer and if that happens to you, you better hope your drive goes a good distance, I went past it, which was one of my longest drives, yet again, my approach shot was blocked so I had to have a turnover shot which gave me a bogey.
-Course isn't AS sketchy but the baskets are beat up and vandalized a bit. Don't let it bug you too much because they catch great for baskets in just average shape.
-Yes, lack of anemities like trashcans. I don't know if the bathrooms are very clean either. All the litter around the course shows that there are not enough trashcans.
-Nope, not very beginner friendly, there is a large amount of OB on the course, and there are no mandos. Whatever is marked by orange flags, it's OB. #16 is a fun open, pretty long hole, the whole ravine is OB which some people will find inconsiderate, That's not it, this course easily has the most OB in Charlotte. I was okay with some of it and some I really felt like ignoring. If you think #9 at Sugaw creek's OB is overdone, wait until you see all of this. Forget it if you are a beginner, enjoy the game and play it when you can throw maybe 250'.
-Some holes, you have a chance in hitting a car and I don't like that #11 is very close to #10's fairway, I like the holes but it's a bit unsafe when there is a tournament and #18's front teepad is way too small.
-I don't like #6 a lot to be honest, it's a par 3 that's 249' that plays 286'. It's short but it's an uphill shot out of the woods with a dropoff to the left and to the right, you have a chance in losing a disc. Not a fan of #15 either as it has a very high change in losing a disc. It's just me though, some people find them fun.
Other Thoughts:
Yes, the course has cons and some should be fixed but I never said don't play here. Eastway is great and it's the first course in Charlotte I played. On 11/11/11. I got maybe +16 over and today, I got a score that isn't too satisfying (+7) but I have fun when I play here. I'm going to disagree with people saying it's beginner friendly despite all of the OB and some of the distances but if you are at least an intermediate in the Charlotte area and have a chance to play it, then do it. It consists of very fun holes and it's a nice family park with a playground, GIANT field for football and soccer and mainly a fun course. The course flows well and besides cars running by, the course is safe because it doesn't go too close to the parking lot. Some courses will not be as safe for other locals there, the course doesn't seem to be crammed in at all. If you live in Charlotte, and read some reviews and find them positive enough, there's no reason not to play here, it's a very cool design. I saw last year because of the vegetation growing is a major issue sometimes, the course won't be playable in 2013 if it can't be enjoyable and if locals won't play it enough. I don't want it to become extinct, I love it. Play this course.
-Signature hole, actually there is more than one. #2 because it's a sick, straight downhill shot. #5 is probably the funnest wooded shot in Charlotte. Lots of OB but gimme a break, it's a fun risky shot over the OB. #12 is a grip it and rip it slight downhill bomb and #16 is a bit similar to #5 but it's open and longer. #18 from the long is an awesome +25 foot gain so it plays 669 feet. This is GOOD, GOOD GOLF.
If you don't find this review helpful, tell me why it isn't, send me a message and ask me about things you want to know more about, I'd be glad to tell you.