This is a "killer" course in two of the ways in which that word is used in slang terms: several holes are killer awe-inspiring (there are several signature-type holes) and almost all the holes are killer formidable. (Once you play, you'll insert your own appropriate slang.)
I just played the 18-hole layout this afternoon in around two hours. (Much of the time was in scouting the blind pin locations, but I'm pretty sure it will still take around an hour and a half the many times I will no doubt replay this course in the future.) At the end of 18, I was left drenched in sweat, exhausted and covered with scratches (from digging around looking for my discs in tall weeds and brush). The course gobbled, chewed me to pieces, and spat me out, but I loved every minute of the hole-after-hole experience of challenges.
My 4.5 rating is strictly based on the design of the course as it would play for highly advanced, championship level players. It is NOT a course for beginners - unless they are into masochism -- or even most intermediate level players (see "Cons" section). It is a tough, tough course. It requires pinball alley accuracy on almost every hole and, on several holes, big arms. As I do not have either (I'm a moderately-skilled Grandmaster bracket player), I suppose I'm one of the first handful of casualties on this wonderful DGC addition to the St. Cloud area.
As it is a brand-new layout, with some cosmetic touches that are likely to come in the near future (e.g. yardage signs and, I hope, detailed maps), I have excluded rating criteria such as signage, directions and amenities from this review. Given the labor of love expended already on building this course, I assume these "extras" will be above standard.
To sum up, these are the plusses that jump out for me about Hidden Lake DGC based on its current state of infancy:
-- Extremely challenging. Perhaps a 5.0 rating in terms of difficulty and precision required. It's the toughest layout I've faced out of the over 60 courses I've attempted.
-- Nice variety of holes. 13 of the holes are tight, technical holes with at least a section of the hole demanding varying degrees of needle-threading through trees on fairways that vary in width from around 3 paces (8~9 feet) to 6 paces (16~18 feet). On many of these narrow fairways, if you miss, you need to bite the bullet and toss the disc a few feet back onto the fairway. The first six holes start out this way and, just when you think you can't take any more shots deflected into the dense set of trees and brush, you come into the clear on #7 and breathe a huge, giddy sigh of relief. Including this very welcome, spacious and beautiful, yet long, #7, I counted just 3 holes played mostly in the clear. (#16 is among in this category, yet this hole still requires a very careful placement on the drive.) 2 holes are over the water, including the stunning #15. (see note below).
-- Several signature holes that induced some jaw-droppage. I found myself saying to myself "You've got to be kidding" and "Oh my god" seven, eight times during the round, but these were the four holes I thought really stood out.
#7: Great hilltop view from the tee of an open prairie with the basket at the far end. After 6 highly technical holes, it is a wonderful relief to be in the wide open space.
#14: Classic tunnel hole where the drive needs to thread through an 8 foot wide opening that extends around 100 feet. It is virtually impossible to nail it through this entire 30~35 yard stretch from the back tee. An option for big arms (not me) is to throw over the trees an immense hyzer or tomahawk to a moderate-sized clearing at the lakeside basket. (You can't see this opening from the tee, so consider checking it out before your make your decision about strategy from the tee.)
#15, from the back tee: Even if you are wimp-armed like me, and need to drive from the short tees it is worth standing at this back tee in awe to look at the basket across the lake. I estimate it is 300+ feet to clear the water, and the basket is further on, through a patch of trees in a clearing that begins around 400 feet away from the tee with the hole another 100 feet or so beyond. (Not being Jesus, I couldn't pace out the distance over the water, so this is my best estimate via eying it.) I foresee #15 from the tips inspiring some gorilla-armed disc golfers to rate it the "best hole in Minnesota" if not one of the top three or four. It will certainly be one of the most photographed.
Note: I opted for #15's front tee. Even from this "A-is-for-Amateur" shorter location, the hole is scenic as well as challenging as it requires a well-placed annie throw over the marshy south end of the lake into the narrow opening that leads to the raised basket area.
#17: Another beauty over a marshy section of the lake to a tightly placed basket on the other side. Get your cameras out again. (I did.) This is reachable for those who can throw over 200 feet, but the trick is in avoiding the late fade to the left as this will bring doom. Over-compensate or avoid failure - i.e. aim to far right - and you'll likely go into the woods and bogey automatically. This is like the classic opposite-sex beauty you aspire to win over: so gorgeous, but there's the risk-reward aspect of whether you should go for it straight on or not. (Life is short; go for tit.)
-- Beautiful natural setting. Did I already say this course (when you're not in the thick brush) is a pretty sight to behold?
-- Multiple tee pads (two) to vary the angle and the degree of difficulty on each hole. Even from the front tees, though, this is a tough test for advanced players. Using the ball golf analogy, most of the Hidden Lake DGC front tees are akin to the "Blues" (back tees) at three-tee (Blue/White/Red) ball courses and the backs are akin to the "Blacks" (championship tees) you only see at upper-end (i.e. expensive) tournament caliber ball courses.