Pros:
The most prominent feature of this course is the immaculate grounds keeping. Fairways are plush grass, maintained to the height found on a typical ball golf course. Old-growth willows and oaks adorn the landscape, intermixed with ornate duck ponds and a few man-made decorations. First time through I swear I looked over my shoulder a couple times to make sure no one was coming up from behind to kick me out of their country club. Throughout this summer, we witnessed continuous efforts to improve the grounds including bridges, wood chips, filling of low spots that held water, drainage ditches, brush clearing, tee box reconstruction and permanent benches.
The course bounces back from the elements like no other - This characteristic alone often tips the balance for us to drive the extra miles. Drainage is excellent after the big rains, no mud or standing water to contend with. From what I understand the openness lends itself well to winter play when after the sun has a chance to skin the snow over.
- Five bucks plays all day.
- 9 & 18 finish back at the clubhouse
- Clubhouse has packaged snacks, restrooms and heat.
- Disc prices are competitive with the internet
- Friendly owners
- Retrieval tools at water hazards
- Baskets have arrowed bricks to mark direction of next tee
- Concrete tees (set forms or pavers) with grip textured surface and good drainage
- Stray discs are easily found
The course utilizes a very clever standardization of hole distances in increments of 100 feet, plus the number of feet matching the hole number. For instance hole #1 is 501 ft, hole #2 is 302 ft, so on through hole 18 at 218 ft. You can easily distinguish the difference of a hundred feet, so this allows you to always have awareness for distance management, without having to look at or remember what a sign said. To compliment this, you can always see the basket from the tee in the direction the tee pad is set (might have to lean right or left on a couple to get a clean look). There are no signs at the tee box, only the hole number stenciled on each hole's trash bin. I guess I would prefer both, but if I had to pick between a sign and this method, I think I get more value from this way.
The course is widely open with only a couple tees you can't rip a bomb from. As fun as that is, it's arguably rather uniform and perhaps unchallenging in this regard. However, by my quick count there are only 5 holes that don't have some form of standing obstacle or water hazard to contend with. A few more obstacles would be better, but as-is, this course is not too far south of an open/technical balance, which I find makes for an enjoyable, not overly frustrating, round.
Cons:
There aren't really any cons that would deter me in from coming back often - but here are a few opportunities for improvement ... or not.
- Tee box signage
- Discs are kept behind the counter; I prefer to thumb through all the fluorescent baubles when making a selection. (When requested though, they are quick to set a selection of them on the counter for you.)
- There is a selection of Discraft, Latitude and Innova discs, but the variety of colors and weights for each disc is a bit limited compared to the largest area pro shops.
- The follow-through step off the tee boxes has caught me off guard a couple times. Some are slippery and some a drop which could lead to a groin pull or twisted ankle.
In the category of "it is what it is" cons:
- The course has essentially no elevation changes in play.
- Can be impossibly blustery at times from being open and near the ocean
- At least 10 minutes from the highway, more in traffic.
Other Thoughts:
For right hand back hand, I don't find the water hazards threatening at all. That said, I've played the course a dozen or so times and have been in the water twice. Hole three got in my head once and I grip locked one into the water (retrieved) and the wind helped an understable Wahoo on eight carry way over to go for a tour of the water on three (also retrieved).
Because of the location in a population center, the course is often well attended. There have been times I thought for sure we would get hung up behind slower groups or five+ groups, but we never have. Even the newbs here seem to catch on to offering through play pretty readily. My last 4 weekend rounds, played in a twosome, ranged between 1:17 and 1:44, according to the scorecard app on my phone.
Wind is part of the game here - Take it as a challenge to be mastered.
Grass is part of the game here too - Holy rollers! (Wish I were better at throwing them)