Pros:
This is a really enjoyable course to play. It has a nice mixture of open and wooded holes. Near the first tee is a bulletin board with maps and scorecards (grab a map - you'll need it!). Multiple tees on every hole make the course playable for all skill levels. 9 of the holes have brand new baskets, and each tee has markers with the hole number and distance.
The course features some really unique holes, particularly #15 (a short throw over a gorge, close enough for a view of the water without bringing it into play). The holes vary in distance and design so you will use every aspect of your game at some point.
Cons:
The first noticeable con at Pharaoh's Tomb is the natural tees. I played in the evening after a tournament earlier in the day, and many of the tees were muddy and difficult to play on. While it was nice having the distance on the markers, it would be helpful if the markers stuck out of the ground - they lie flat next to the tees and can be tricky to find. The course could really benefit from signs at each tee with a diagram of the hole - some of the targets were hard to locate (particularly 16). Several holes have mandos, which are marked with signs, but not at the tee. After playing here once it won't be a problem, but I missed a few mandos just because I wasn't aware of them until after throwing my drive. I really didn't mind that half of the holes didn't have baskets, but the course will definitely jump up a notch once they are put in.
The course plays near several picnic areas, a playground, and a few parking lots as well. It doesn't take much away from the course, but on a few holes you have to be really careful - there were a lot of kids running around when I played.
Other Thoughts:
I had heard about the cats at the park but I didn't realize there were so many! When I arrived there was an old lady feeding about 20 of them at the pavilion near the parking lot. They seemed pretty wary of people and stayed out of the way, so it was not a problem, but it was pretty funny to see all of those cats on a DG course.
I wish that I had been able to play in the tournament earlier in the day, but I'm glad that I was still able to finally check this course out. Coming from Richmond's Museum District, this course is the 4th option (after Bryan Park, Gillies, Dorey, and Goyne), but it was nice enough that I will definitely make it back there. All of these courses are just minutes from the highway, and if you're passing through on a trip I would recommend checking out any of them - they are all unique and enjoyable. This course is a great addition to the Richmond DG scene - I can't wait to see how it evolves.