Pros:
- good technical challenge in a moderately wooded area
- really unique course terrain in a low-lying boggy area
- water hazards come into play in a few places
- area mostly devoted to disc golf besides last 2 holes
- garbage pails at each tee
- decent tee signs with maps
- practice basket
- benches on walking paths
- pretty well maintained course
- no real undergrowth/rough issues
Cons:
- mostly flat
- more back and forth over the creek would make for more interesting/challenging play
- rubber tee pads can be narrow and uneven
- navigation would be aided by a few next tee signs
- clearly can be prone to flooding
- some may think the course is too short, though the technical challenge makes up for this
- weird navigation between holes 4 and 5
- hole 16 thows over parking lot driveway; safety hazard
- holes 17 and 18 don't really fit the style of the course
- long walk back to start after hole 18
Other Thoughts:
This was a tough course for me to rate. On the uniqueness scale, I think it deserves high marks due to the terrain and style, which I have not seen much of. However, I identified quite a few cons and don't feel it's quite the same caliber as my other 3.5s. I would rate Half Moon Lagoon around 3.25.
Ignoring the clear potential for flooding, this is a really fun course to play and worth the stop. I would like to see a few more shots over the water and have the creek more in play, but there is nice scenery in a unique location. Elevation change is very limited, but there is technical challenge and plenty of tree hazards.
This course seems well maintained and I could certainly see it getting buggy in the summer, but no issues with bugs or rough in early March. Amenities are decent for a course of this type, with benches, garbage cans, and a practice basket. I suspect during the summer there might be a bathroom to use at the adjacent pool. Parking is extensive, and while snow is massed near the course entrance in the winter, the rest of the course seemed fairly dry for me despite the sopping ground between the parking lot and the start of the course.
There is some weird navigation here, like having to walk from hole 4 back past holes 1-3 to get to hole 5. Some of the front nine felt a bit repetitive and back and forth, but from there the course got a bit more varied. Holes are generally short but the technical challenge makes up for is. The last 3 holes are the only ones above 300 feet, and holes 17 and 18 just felt out of place, playing wide open in part of the park that is combined with other activities. I'd almost rather this just be a 16 hole course and skip these, as they felt forced after the feel of the rest of the course.
I really didn't like the rubber tee pads here which were uneven in places and kept making me feel like I was going to turn an ankle. I think I'd prefer natural tees to these, but in a wetter course like this that might not be the best idea.
Half Moon Lagoon is a fun and unique round, but I think there are still areas for improvement. It does go quite quickly and is one of the less strenuous 18 hole courses you will play. I do think since there are not many courses like this, it appeals to a lot of people as something different. It's definitely worth checking out, and while there are many better courses in Wisconsin, most of them are not too near the Dells. For the area, this is one of the better courses to try.