Heading west

Evansville, IN- Mesker:
Great long and challenging course that plays up and down big hills, usually near the park road OB. One hole uses the road to create an island you must land on. Good tees and signs, easy to follow. Played with some locals, including another Ben who stomped me on his course. Most holes are a tougher par-3. One hole forces you to throw into a small gap, blindly, downhill, into ivy filled woods. I didn't like that as a design aspect at all. Avoid the rough, it's nasty but I was able to the entire round so it's possible.

Evansville, IN- USI:
Very short and basic course in a field bordered by woods. Has some nice hills, and is mostly wide open with some baskets tucked into woods gaurded by rough. Has a few in the back that are actually down in the woods. Easy, pros should shoot double digits under par every time. Rubber tees are not even, good signs. Not really worth playing even if at Mesker because there's not much to it.

Carbondale, IL- Campus Lake:
Plays right on campus, with buildings, a walking path, a lake and light poles in play. Tough because some holes don't have much of a line, just poke and pray. Several longer holes. Really tightly packed in, one holes forces you to drive right over another basket, and you are teeing from within 30' of two other baskets and another tee pad. So use caution. The water is not really in play except for a very bad shot. Very flat.

Carbondale- IL- Rec Center:Open, longish, and boring. Most holes have no trees to hit on them. Plays near a dorm, and have to cross a 4 lane road to finish out that back 4 holes. Very hard to navigate-#2's tee is about 500' from #1's basket and it's not the next tee sign on the way there. Then, the basket can't be seen from the tee due to a downed tree. Not really worth checking out unless you are already at Campus Lake, 0.7 miles away.