Course is in a community level park (340 acres) over rolling piedmont landscape. The majority of the course is under old growth piedmont canopy and is, in the main, sequestered from other park activities. Nevin is one of the most elaborate, clever iterations of the wooded (read: tight, technical, etc.) piedmont course style available today. Large park size yields above average potential for expansion, but at the current time golfers should have plenty enough to chew on here, even for the most ambitious in the community.
Course roughly circles other park facilities in a counter clockwise fashion, with no returning 9s. Signage, equipment and amenities are all above average. Nevin's tee pads are superior.
Course represents a very demanding test of golfing skill, best undertaken by more 'serious' players, as its character is not 'fun' in a particularly light-hearted manner. Course also really deserves to be played more than once, as it might be difficult to really 'play' the first time through; many holes/landing zones are blind or semi-blind, especially from the long tees.
Course will heavily reward flat, straight shots of up to 300', with an emphasis on fade control, using both spins appropriately. Bring both spins to score well at Nevin. Heavy penal rough exists on almost every hole and it can be very difficult to advance the disc from the rough at Nevin. Opportunities to 'be creative', recover gracefully and/or 'improvise' are limited, especially if scrambling. Iconic #6's fairway route is just one example of the most often and well rewarded shot shape, both from off the tee and from the fairway at Nevin. These are also called 'frozen rope lines'. Average fairway width appears to be between 12 and 20', in several instances however, the tight 'geometries' of the fairway's line of play compress the available space farther. In other words, it can play much tighter. Most frequently a stable counter spin shot shape is favored off the tee, however this is balanced, nearly as frequently, by trouble awaiting such a shot with poor fade control in the form of harsh rough and/or drop-offs.
Risk/reward in the traditional sense is not entirely present as the course is very dictatorial in the lines that must be played. There are few holes with 'real' multiple routes to play (in fact, reviewer feels it impossible to either 'cheat' or overpower this course). Moreover, the golfer is forced to choose the 'right' level of aggressiveness to each given route. Long throwers will be hard pressed to make full use of their particular advantages. Correct distance and fade control are emphasized. The course can actually 'monkey' with this factor as well. For example, #2, very likely the lowest handicap hole, is a basic 250' uphill tube shot, but blind ob road is behind the basket. Untempered aggression on this scoring hole may result in a surprise penalty stroke. Conversely, no birdie putt is earned with a weak tee shot here. #8's 'fairway choice' (another 'iconic' style in disc golf hole design?) seems to be a risk choice based more on the individual's preferred shot shape, rather than a particular advantage gained from placement or a good angle gained from the given line.
Conservative play's reward can be stingy, as can be rewards for small or moderate successful risks. The word 'unforgiving' comes to mind, which means a scratch golfer should be around par, but the 'average' golfer will find this course much more difficult and punishing than others of a similar length/style.
Wind's affect regarding play is mostly blunted due to dense canopy cover, but does come into play strongly on 2 of the highest handicap holes.
Greens are generally open and flat. Several notable exceptions, which coincide with the lower handicap holes, feature lag-inducing blind drop-offs. Also many greens at Nevin are rather difficult to approach, as they are either in a bottleneck, offset parallel to the fairway's main axis or 'pocketed'. Targets are set at standard heights.
Of the 3 traditional schools of course design, Nevin is definitely a graduate of the 'penal' school. The course designers had some very specific tests for the golfers in mind when building this track. Course may remind one of an angry discipline-enthusiastic patriarch. Generally, the balance of fine technical requirements combined with the fair to good power required for solid play at Nevin, will outweigh 'decision-making' or 'strategy'. 'Hit-the-line' must be your 'strategy'. Stay in the fairway must be your 'strategy' to score well. Regular play here should improve mental toughness, consistency and realistic expectations.