DruDad32

Highland Springs, to me, epitomizes QC golf on a whole. It's a fair design with average to above average upkeep. It is a great value.
Pros: Huge, undulating greens where very few pins leave you a straight putt. Risk/Reward Par 5's that challenge even the longest hitters. Overall strong design. Good draw/fade dogleg variety.
Cons: the river sand needs replaced and overall the bunkering needs some TLC. Greens start to show the volume of rounds too early in the season due to weekend hacks and their lack of divot replacement. These waterheads are also the culprit behind my last complaint and that's the pace of play on weekends. It was 6 long hours.
Highland is where I learned to golf. It's worth every penny you'll spend. I just wish they'd have the same attention to detail as the city courses in the Suburbs. It's a gem that could use a little polish.

The Arsenal Golf Course is everything that's good about old course design! It has great views and very true greens.
Pros: bent grass fairways are always a luxury. Greens are very true and given the correct conditions, very fast. Only local course that plays Mississppi River side. Great twilight course and also great to walk. Super value!
Cons: given its location, it doesn't hold up to rain very well. Fairways can be a bit patchy. Rough can be a little high and couple that with more trees than I'd like to remember and this course can be a bear. Far harder than the yardage will represent. While private this course was the most well kept course in the area. I wish they could get back to that.
This course is in the top tier of public courses in the QC. For the bent grass fairways alone. Small tough greens will challenge your moxy, only if you navigate the trees!