Pros:
- The people responsible for putting this course in the ground (and maintaining it) deserve plaudits. Fast greens, crazy elevation, raised pin positions, water, great risk/reward, and awesome amenities are brought together in a secluded and lovely park.
- Outstanding use of elevation throughout. Perhaps the best I've seen in terms of squeezing out every last thrill from the awesome land available to the designers. Risk/reward is maximized on almost every green. The landing zones often are miniscule, yet always fair. Aggressive players that hit their lines will be rewarded with deuce opportunities, but the ever-present risk of rolling away lends a certain legitimacy to a more cautious approach, if executed well. Putting skills are tested throughout, often with unsure or uncomfortable footing due to the elevation.
- Three sets of tees give pretty much each hole three unique looks at the pin. Rarely did the tees add merely distance. One could mix and match their favorite tees on each hole to "customize" a round. With so many different looks and angles, one could play this course a long while before it became old hat.
- Great diversity between hole types, although extremely long holes aren't included. Each hole brings some surprise, from #1's green to the hole with the mando and bamboo wall designed to force a particular shot. #7 actually throws up a small waterfall. Outstanding!
- Spectacular amenities: incredibly descriptive signage throughout the course never leaves doubt as to the location of the 3 sets of pads for each hole, pin positions, mandatories, out-of-bounds, or the direction to the next tee; large bright rubber-coated hooks upon which to hang bags; stairways to ease passage; and perhaps most importantly due to the elevation, benches. Score cards found by #1.
Cons:
- I do not consider this a con; however, there are many people who might, so I'll mention the fact that this course will give you a work out. Expect a lot of ups and downs, and if it has recently rained, slippery slopes upon which traction is dicey at best. Nothing is egregiously dangerous though, and the addition of stairs in the worst areas largely mitigates any true problem.
- A lot of old junk can be found lying about in certain spots. Sometimes more interesting than off-putting, actually. Again, not so much of a real con as an off-beat characteristic of the course.
Other Thoughts:
- An interesting and charming quirk to this course can be found in the remnants of what appears to be a 1950's park replete with ancient playground equipment in the form of a large metal turtle as well as the eerie ghost-like elephants and horses upon which to ride.
- The park that Highland Hills is located in seemed extremely DG-oriented. It didn't appear as though any other sort of park activity occured. The ancient playground equipment certainly hadn't attracted any children for probably a generation or two, and there wasn't much of a walkable path for people with dogs, at least that I saw.
- This course was played before the addition of the 19th and 20th hole, so this review reflects the old 18 hole layout.