Pros:
*This review (preview) is from the course owner/builder/designer. Slightly biased, but I'm also the biggest critic. I'll try to be as honest as I can. I'll try not to spoil the mystery of the course but will say that you'll really like the place. As of NOV 2015, the course will rate out around 4.25 for me since all the foliage has fallen off the trees. BTW, Hole 18 is awesome! Actually, holes 14-18 are my favorites.
Pros
Versatility ~ Portable and Privately owned. Mill Creek can be (somewhat) easily modified & re-routed for special events (or at the owner's need or desire) with portable tees and baskets. Baskets and tees are left alone for most of the season but can be changed upon course improvements or weather-related incidents. The baskets and tees at Mill Creek have also been used at public parks to promote the sport.
Challenge ~ Mill Creek is no push-over. She'll throw the kitchen sink at you. Choose from 3 sets of tees. Hardly any tee shot and/or approach will look the same. Even though everyone says it about every other course, you WILL be trying all kinds of shots on this technical course. Lots of mature trees will have you shaping shots like never before. Recovery shots stand out here as the thick and nasty are tamed back or removed for a better playability. Red tees are just tough enough for beginners. White tees are recommended for the casual player (900 rated or below). To play the Blue tees, you'll need to have the ability to shape your disc's flight. That's the layout where you'll be scrambling if you are not used to trying the tougher shots the better players can execute.
Variety ~ Hard to say if Mill Creek favors right or left handed players. All in all it's a well balanced course in hole layout/design. With multiple tees, routes and/or fairways for each hole, you get everything all at one place. Basket placements are interesting, yet fair, and the greens offer many different looks at the basket. Nothing really repeats itself here. Very unique terrain and holes for a little plot of land.
Quality Land ~ Finally, a good chunk of desirable land to work with. Nothing too extreme, just the right amount of woods, water, elevation and land to pull off a sweet disc golf course out in the country. You can fit in 27 quality holes on 30 acres without being too cramped. The piece of land is a true gem and leads to some good golf. Nice views and a clean creek that's in play. Dozens of massive trees pop out at you and are also in the mix. An awesome place to live and play!
Flow ~ To squeeze it all in and make sense, a ball golf course type of flow was needed. The next tees are relatively close by (but out of the way) to limit long walks between holes. The course loops back by the clubhouse and parking lot a couple times and is very convenient if you're short on time and can only play nine or twelve. Multiple loops and layouts can be used. Next Tee arrows and hole number and hole signs, benches, trash cans, etc throughout. Course has grown and updated tee signs will be installed this winter to reflect the upgrades.
Cons:
Cons
Premium Tees ~ While artificial and natural tee pads are in good shape and adequate for the lower volume of play, concrete is king for premier courses. Heavy duty artificial pads or concrete is a possibility a few years down the road. The opportunity to "move" the current tees does have it's advantages over permanent tees though.
Not Quite Finished ~ Yes, there are a TON of trees at Mill Creek. It might seem like I'm a Tree-Hugger or something. I do like trees and all but it's taken some time to weed out the good from the bad. Many of the pesky "in the way" dead trees have been marked for removal but quite a few are larger than one guy should be cutting down by themselves.
Also, only 22 out of the 27 holes were playable this year. I've only lived here for two years, and don't have a tractor, so it has taken longer to finish up the heavily wooded portion of the course. It's also the farthest from the house so it doesn't get as much attention as the creekside holes. This con should be gone by Spring 2016.
Since the course is still young, the character is not quite as strong as some older courses might already have. There still are distinct landmarks and characteristics that will set the course apart from the others and the course will most likely age like a fine wine.
Accessibility ~ Hard to find? Check. Owner needs to be there for first-timers to play? Check. Police called on un-expected and un-announced people showing up? Most likely. It's a course that also is at our home. We moved further away into the country to get the privacy we wanted. Maybe in a few years I could follow Flip City's model or even operate the course for a decent living. Until then, I'll soak up the peacefulness that God has blessed us with.
Honestly, I like to have people over to play and usually it only takes a phone call to set up something. I accommodate pretty much everyone, but I'm also a family man so I do have other important obligations to attend to sometimes. Not necessarily a con, just a little tougher to access than your local public park.