Pros:
As I have stated in my other reviews, I hold all course to the same standards. Reviewing how the course flows, how well it is maintained, how difficult based on design/use of space, creativity of different shot lines and if it does its job for the target audience.
Northview park was designed for the casual disc golfer and beginners, so please leave everything but a putter/mid range at home. Not a bad thing! It pays to work on ones placement shots and up shots. So with that out of the way, on to the review!
The course was very well maintained during the 3-4 times I have played there. Every hole has a concrete tee pad that are all in good shape, nothing crumbling. The course surrounds a very maintained tennis court complex, so the area has little to no trash to speak of, which is a very welcome sight compared to other courses. In addition the fairways are well groomed and the baskets are also in wonderful shape! Glad to see the course taken care of! Each time I was there, it really had a good vibe that made me feel safe and that I could bring a family here to have fun with no worries.
The course also flows well. Even going for the first time I had no issues finding the next tee with the exception of hole 6. It is at the top of a high hill behind 5's basket. There is also a dirt patch behind 5's basket which I assumed is where locals tee off to make the hole longer and a bit more difficult (rather than a putter downhill or thumber.
The elevation changes are really the only difficulty on this course. Holes 3-6 give anywhere between 10ft to 40ft of elevation changes. 3-5 you are throwing from just outside the tennis courts up hill into the woods, while for hole 6 you are on top of a hill throwing straight down to the basket. Hole 9 has a slight elevation elevation change, however it does shine by teaching the newer players how to throw a shot into a slanted hill as the basket is on the side of a hill a little above the fairway.
Cons:
Even though the course "looks" very nice, there are also some items that the course is sorely lacking. First off there are no signs at all. Nothing where you tee off and no signs showing you to the next tee. Basic navigation tip is to stay close to the tennis courts. Hole 2 throws up to the courts, then #3 goes along the tennis courts throwing into the woods, then you come back out of the woods and the tee pad is up against the back of the tennis course. Repeat this trend for holes 4 and 5. The rest of the tees are easy to find, but again no signs or markers showing you where to go.
A lack of signs is not the only thing the course is lacking. There is very little design for the holes despite a decent area. It was like the designers wanted to make the course tricky, but then decided to hold back. I understand the course is for beginners, but there is just no difference in shot selection going from hole to hole. For a RHBH it is a short up the gut or slight hyzer putter holes 1 and 2. Then it is nothing but an uphill hyzer or straight hyzer for every single hole beside 8. You can still do a hyzer, but a flick or slight anhyzer that carries 200ft before stalling and flexing back. As a lefty, it is more of the same. Stay straight on 1-2, then a slight straight to anhyzer on 3 the hyzers on every other hole. I don't mind short courses if the design makes you come up with different lines or shot, but this course screams the same shot over and over.
Other Thoughts:
This course is great to take the first timer and make them in awe of how easy you can make it look just by throwing simple hyzer shots. If you need to work on how to place your line for a hyzer, then go here and break in that new putter or mid range.
This course could be a lot better if there were signs showing where the next tee is. Again it is not too difficult, but for how well maintained the course is, it was a little baffling that signs were missed!
It might be too much to ask for, but having a couple holes with alternate baskets in different spots in the woods would really benefit the course. As I mention earlier, it felt like they were holding back and placing the baskets right as you enter the woods and not tucked away where you would have to think of different lines.