Pros:
Start with the usual: great concrete pads, excellent signage, good flow to the course.
Mix in lots of elevation use, (and I thought Effingham was flat!!) great number of mature trees used wisely, as well as newly planted trees in a few fairways, indicating eye toward the future.
Varied lengths from a couple of short teasers, to 6 baskets over 350 feet out (one 525, one 425, one 400)
Starts out with a teaser 165 with solid tree protection, double that distance to 330 on #2, and a stretch to the 525 footer on #3.... and kept on going from there!!
Couple of memorable holes:
#5 Another short 168 tease with tree protection..
#8 top of the world throw to a basket with tree line on left and walking path as OB on right
#9 & #18 share a "V" tee pad throwing uphill with #9
needed right hand bend, while #18 is straight up the hill.
While there are a couple of blind holes, they are marked with a tall pole with a flag giving you an idea where the hole is at.
Signature hole: #15 As you walk from basket #14 to Tee #15 you view the panorama of a beautiful span of rock walls supporting flowers and the like (words don't do it justice!). The walls span about 2/3 of the right side of the 15th fairway.
Cons:
The only con in my book is that there are numerous places where the throws cross walking paths. That said, there are several signs warning the pedestrians that this is a disc golf area.
Other Thoughts:
Was course #1 of 5 on an Eastern Illinois trip and of course this was the best of the lot making the other 4 pale in comparison.
I am generally noted as a stingy rater and I gave this one a "4". Having now played over 180 courses this one goes in my top 5. It was a fun course from start to finish. Worth the drive for this one alone.....
Add Teutopolis and Peterson course down south in Newton and you have a nice trifecta... but do Effingham last!!