Michael, thanks for posting the pictures. (The weird glass thing is a BBQ pit.)
When I first saw the course, my first thought was that I was going to lose a lot of balls. Thankfully, I actually played the course and didn’t go on first impressions. There is a lot more room off the tee than there looks. Yes, there are some blind shots and some quirky spots on the course, but I looked at this as more of a challenge than a distraction. My initial reaction after walking off the course for the first time was that this course was going to have some polarized reactions. Much like Tobacco Road, I don’t think there will be any middle ground--you’ll either love it or hate it. We’ll see if that is the case.
The greens are severe in spots, and because of the undulations in most of them, there are probably not as many pin-able positions as there could be. If one played the greens a regular basis, you could learn the nuances, and probably have a lot of fun. An example is the front right pin on #6, the same pin placement in Michael’s picture. If you are over the green and putt or chip back at the hole, you have no chance of getting it close--or keeping it on the green. However, if you play the ball about 20-25 feet right of the pin, there is a slope that will take the ball around back to the hole and you can get the ball about eight to ten feet. There are just some spots you cant miss greens, and that knowledge would come with playing the course. But, that is the case at almost any golf course.
I definitely think there are some areas that could be toned down or redone. #16 is a good example. It was my least favorite hole on the course. The bunker in the middle of the fairway surrounded by the tall fescue was a bit much, and there were some patches of fescue set out 50 to 100 yards in front of the green that looked out of place.
Overall, I really liked the course. For those who didn’t like what they saw, I would say play the course then make up your mind. Granted, not everyone will like every golf course they play, but I think you will find a playable, interesting golf course with some remarkable features.