Pros:
- Fun golf with decent mix of lines and hazards
- Good equipment (baskets, pads, signage, trash cans)
- Located in a very nice multi-use park with plenty of amenities
Cons:
- Still on the short side despite most recent updates.
- Some low-lying areas can get a bit marshy
- Occasional areas of long grass rough
Other Thoughts:
Knoch Knolls is a fun course in a great park, both of which have been recently renovated. The course may play a bit on the short and easy side, even after its multiple iterations of re-design, but there is still a lot to like here.
A lot of the holes play fairly straight and open, with the basket tucked into or behind some trees just a bit to the right or left, and most holes have generous fairways. However, there is still a decent amount of shot shaping required, and many baskets have the river or sloping ground not far behind, adding some additional challenge. Once you come out of the woods, the back portion of the course provides a number of holes with more length, allowing you to break out the drivers and stretch out your arm. There are a handful of really nice holes sprinkled throughout, and the course ends quite strongly, with holes 14, 16, and 18 probably being my favorite on the course.
The equipment here is all very nice and in good condition. The baskets catch well, the concrete tee pads are large and sufficiently grippy, and the tee signs are clear and informative. There are also large bricks at the base of each basket with a number and arrow pointing to the next basket, making navigation easy. A couple of holes have multiple tee pads, it would be great to see this expanded, adding the option for additional length or challenge to some of the shorter holes.
I played the morning after a series of smaller storms rolled through, and while the ground was generally wet, and there were a couple of soggy areas, the conditions were still quite good, and the area seemed to drain well enough. Mosquitoes were present, but no worse than I had seen at any other course this summer, and better than many.
The facilities at the park are also very nice. There is a cool nature center (LEED Certified) with bathrooms, exhibits, and even some discs for sale. The woman I spoke to at the front desk was very nice. The parking lot is large, and there were many people at the park the day I played, but the course is separated from the rest of the facilities, with almost no chance of conflict with other park users.
I only played the old 9-hole course here once, and while nice, I didn't find it worth my time to make the drive back again considering the other courses available. That is not the case with this course, I will certainly be back, and it is worth your time to check it out as well.
A final note, the distances listed under the Hole Info are not currently correct/don't match the tee signs. There is more distance out there than listed, and if it hasn't been updated by my next trip out, I will be sure to take pictures and update.
UPDATE:
Hole distances have been updated to match current course conditions. As of my last round, the course has had even more work done. Long grass has been mowed, thick underbrush cleared out, and steps installed on the small hill between holes 8 and 9. Looks like the park district will be taking great care of this place.