Pros:
1)Dual tees acting as seperate holes. Only some of the holes are changed dramatically enough to call it a different hole in my opinion, should just be considered long and short tees not front and back, but the signs are already made up that way and not changable without new signs.
2) Very nice composite signs. Clear description, distances listed, and an ok map of each hole. COuld use a little more detail in the map part of it, I guess it is something with the design of the sign that keeps it from being clearly descriptive.
3) Very scenic property with two scenic overlooks. One at the last switchback in the road and one by the first tee in the farthest corner of this park. When I was there my whole walk up the road to the back of the park I heard Eagles/Hawks overhead. I saw three bald eagles circling when I reached the top and squawking loudly. I simply can always appreciate a good big bird sighting.
4) Challenge on this course is adequate, some trees forcing you to pick specific lines, plenty of distance from the long tees (back 9). Short tees (front 9) are adequately long to challenge an average or worse player, but the longs are long enough that you had better be a pretty good distance throwwer to plan on shooting around par.
5) Shelter and bathrooms near the first tee. Bathrooms are closed in the off season, but I doubt many people make the trek up the hill to play in winter. Let me tell you it was an effort.
6) Course does use the rolling terrain very well. When you climb the hill it feels like it is flat as flat can be when you reach the top, but the way the holes are laid out, the rolling terrain and sidehills really does make this a better course than it first appears.
7) Course provides you with a spot to throw the disc a long way. Now I do not endorse doing this because it would be dangerous or deadly for people or animals below, but I have never ever ever wanted to throw a disc away more than at this course. I wanted to launch one of the scenic overlook by the first tee. I bet I coul dhave thrown it 1/2 a mile into the city. I just had images of the disc breaking through a window or hitting a little Schnauzer. I did not want the name of this game to be tarnished by some idiot launching discs off a bluff, but man did I want to do it.
9) This course looks to be well maintained and I didnt see any complaints from other reviews, so I would assume the grass gets mowed, it looks pretty clean and the turf is proabably in pretty good shape. The trees are healthy too. I also could assume that the grass tees are in adequate condition because I doubt the course gets a ton of play, but the teeing areas may be suffering from a little compaction.
10) There is adequate changes in distance of holes to force you to use different discs, and the elevation definitely helps change some shots.
11) Unique character with the silo or old tower at the top of the bluff. I love the charm those things add to parks.
12) The mythical 19th hole!
Cons:
1) Course is too open in my opinion, perhaps the trees that are in your way seem much more intimidating in the summer when they are fully leaved out, but when I played they just didnt seem to be that challenging to shoot around.
2) A few of the holes are long walks between holes, that may be in part to the long tees being considered part of the initial plan, yet you end up playing front 9 then back 9. So what I am saying is flow would be a little better if the difference between the short and longs wasn't so much. Many of these holes were an additional shot (125-260')
3) Road to the top is not plowed in winter. I will not factor this into my rating but it should be mentioned. I understand why they do not plow that road, because if they did they would most certainly have people going in the ditch all the time or hitting other vehicles. It would probably turn to glare ice every time they plow because it probably gets zero sun.
On this same train of thought . . . teepads are not shovelled in winter. Understandable again what with the rare person (yes I am crazy or determined enough to do it) wanting to climb that hill to play that course. I tell you what though . . . it beats the alternative of Minnesota State SE Technical College!!!
4) Layout was a little confusing after holes #1 and #2. You get to a spot in a fairly open field where you can see like 5 baskets and 5 tees, but it seems to be confusing as to where you are supposed to throw. I suppose in summer you would maybe not have as much of an issue because you would see foot traffic and you also would be able to see where things were mowed and not mowed. Under 10" of snow I couldnt see a darn thing, and the footprints by the guy who had apparently played (in snowshoes none the less) before I played but after the snowfall had been covered by the blowing snow.
5) Course is mostly open and the whole walk up the mountain I was thinking I was headed for a heavily wooded gem. I would like to see them incorporate some of those wooded areas into the design more, but perhaps it is a state mandate or something that those woodlands are untouchable. This is the only missing variety.
Other Thoughts:
Can you find the mythical hole #19. There is no sign and there is no basket (it is more of an object hole). Start at the 16th tee (which is the first post you see when you get to the split in the road. It winds itself back and forth down the windy road all the way to the bottom and finishes at the flagpole at the main entrance. The only issue is that the woods is considered OB, so you must stay on the paved area or suffer penalty shots. It is a par 25 and measured 3750 (yes I actually paced it off the whole way down because I wanted to see how far up I walked to play this course). See how much distance you want to bite off with anything off the pavement being OB!
All in all this was a fun course, a few frustrations along the way and (all the way up), but hey it was good exercise to walk 3/4 of a mile up and 3/4 of a mile down on top of the whole course. I am glad it wasnt a horribly designed course or something because that would have really pissed me off, but it was worth my trek up. Most wont put forth this kindof effort to get to a course especially in winter, but I am a course whore and I was determined to play it when I read that it was open all winter despite the "long hike up the hill" as mentioned in the course description. I am headed over there to change that wording to more detailed description. I don't want to discourage people from doing it in winter, I just want to make sure it is accurate and descriptive.
Wind will also play a major role in your shot making abilities the day you play this course. You are hundreds of feet up in the air on a relatively flat piece of land. It almost feels wierd. It's like an oasis after walking through the mirage. I walked all the way up this 3/4 mile ice/snow covered road and then I find this flat prairie area (not what I was expecting by any means)
WARNING: This course was played under 10 inches of snow so please keep that in mind when evaluating my review. If something I have said is inaccurate please let me know I would be happy to change it, but I used my best judgement about the property and think my statements will be pretty true.