Pros:
- 36 holes of varied disc gold with plenty of elevation and line shapes and distances.
- Multiple concrete tee pads on most holes.
- Baskets are in good repair and catch well, multiple pin positions on many holes.
- Located in a clean, well maintained park.
Cons:
- The new holes have caused navigation to be even more of an issue than it may previously have been.
- 36 holes is overly long. A split into two separate courses, or an easy way play 9/18/27 holes at a time would be nice.
- Long grass and thick rough in many places pose a risk of lost plastic.
Other Thoughts:
At 36 holes, Silver Creek Park is a monster of a disc golf course. Even from the short tees, you will be out here for a long time if you plan to putt out at every basket. Fortunately, it will be several hours well spent if you embark upon this endeavor, as the quality of golf here is some of the best in the Midwest. It is very hard to maintain a constant level of high quality golf over 36-holes. Silver Creek has a couple of holes that could be considered filler, or that simply do not stand up to the quality of many others, but I never felt bored during my round, and I don't think I ever went more than 2 holes without excited about a shot.
There is some spectacular elevation in play here (Holes 6, 8, 14, 17, 18 to name a few) and I'd say most fairways have at least some manner of rolling terrain if not an exceptional uphill or downhill shot. The eponymous creek comes into play on a handful of holes, but usually isn't much of a threat, probably could have been used a little better. There is a good mix of tighter fairways that force lines, and more open shots with mature trees providing obstacles. The signature lighthouse hole with Lake Michigan as a backdrop really is quite fantastic.
A number of the newest holes were among my favorites (including the incredibly uphill 17, with wooden steps courtesy of local boy scouts) but routing really needs to be improved to reflect the new layout. My 4-some had trouble on multiple locations, including going from 14 to (new) 15 and 18 to 19 (old 15). The holes after 14 have been re-numbered, and in many places the signage directing you to the next hole is incorrect. It did seem like all the tee-signs had the new numbers taped on, and number on baskets seemed correct. While my group eventually found where we were supposed to go without too much trouble, there was definitely a good deal of confusion. Updated signage would help a lot.
The rough can be really thick here, and with many of the holes featuring blind or semi-blind shots to the basket, the risk of lost plastic is very real. My group came up on a capable looking single player no fewer than 5 times during the round after he had spent long periods of time looking for a lost disc. Many of his shots weren't really bad at all, just hard to spot. We spent our fair share of time looking as well, and by the end of our 36-hole marathon, were playing many of the holes from the short position, just to reduce the chance of lost discs. A few more benches would also be helpful, especially on such a long course.
Silver Creek Park offers some truly great disc golf. Multiple pin positions and tee pads offer variety and good challenge for multiple skill levels, and there are a ton of really fun holes. I'm not sure it's feasible, but a split into two 18-hole loops with clear and helpful signage would, I think, certainly be an improvement. This is a truly great disc golf experience, and pairs very well with Rollin Ridge 30 min away for an absolutely stellar day. Just be prepared with plenty of water and snacks, you'll be out here for a while.