Pros:
Mahr's Meadow is a course I've played numerous times now over the years. It's a little over an hour from me so I only make it there every couple of years or so. The last few times I've noticed a definite uptick in care for the course. This iteration is by far the best I've ever seen it look. It appears to have been slightly altered from the last time I played here a few years ago. For the better though.
The baskets are Mach II's that are all still in great shape over a decade after first playing here. A number of them have the tops and cages spraypainted either red or orange which makes them slightly easier to spot. There's one basket and one pin placement per hole according to the tee signs. Two of the signs had two distances listed, indicating two pin locations. These maps were a different version, plus with the leaf cover on the ground, so I'm unsure if that's actually the case.
New since the last time I played are the concrete tees. Theses are on the smaller side but are a definite improvement over the natural pads from before. The pads themselves are nicely poured, level and have good grip to them. One per hole.
The design here is pretty solid for the amount of space there was to work with. Seamless flow from hole to hole. You'll never need a map to find your way around out here. No long transitions between holes. The course starts with three basically wide open, longer holes. Holes 2 and 3 feature elevated pins. The first on a wooden platform and the second on a dirt mound. I always appreciated this design to spice up a few otherwise bland holes. From hole 4 thru 13 you're in the wooded section, before opening back up a bit for 4 of the final 5 holes.
The tee signs are pretty solid too. These are mounted on nice little wood posts that shield the signs from the elements. Basic hole hole, hole #, par and distance. They also show any nearby holes, including the next tee in most cases. Basic but plenty serviceable.
The course starts and ends right by the parking area, is free to play and in the past has never been busy. Though there were two other groups out there today, in mid November, and the second day of rifle season. So maybe it's gotten more popular in recent years.
Cons:
The main issue I noticed today was the proximity of some of the tee pads to the previous basket. Hole 9's tee is only 20 or so feet from hole 8's basket. To lesser extent hole 4's basket and 5's tee. 11's tee is potentially in play from 10's fairway but that'd require a very errant drive. Not a huge deal tbh, but it is a little congested in spots.
As I mentioned above, the tee pads are on the smaller side. really short and narrow. I'd guess maybe 6' x 4'. Not a major con on the majority of the course, but certainly less than ideal on the 500ish foot holes.
The rough off the fairways can be pretty gnarly. Again, it wasn't too bad in November. In the greener months just pitching out could be problematic though. There's also a marsh twenty or so feet past hole 4's pin. So there's a very real chance of losing plastic out here.
The tee signs are just laminated sheets of paper. All were legible enough, albeit a bit faded. If these are replaced yearly it's a non issue, if not they'll be basically useless by next spring. A few of the hole maps didn't quite show the actual fairway shape correctly either.
Other Thoughts:
Despite all the cons I listed, I'd consider them all pretty minor and they honestly didn't detract from my rating all that much.
This is actually one of my favorite courses in my area and is certainly worth a visit if you find yourself near here. It's only 5 minutes off of Hwy 29 and is a pretty quick play if you stay out of the rough. Good mix of different shot shapes required with at least one fair line to hit on every hole. No poke and hope shots. Just a really fun course that I gladly play whenever I find myself passing through. And a huge shoutout to the folks making improvements and maintaining the course. It's definitely noticeable and more importantly appreciated.