2014 Am Worlds...Minneapolis

[KenTyburski]

what is this test everyone is talking about.

In order to play in a major disc golf event you need to pass an open-book, online officials exam to make sure that you are familiar with most of the rules that govern the sport. It costs $10. The official certification is good for three years before you have to re-up.

 

[Chanbearguy]

I'm already looking forward to 2015 am worlds lol gonna be in my backyard!

 

[whiz]

This tournament sounds like it would be a lot of fun. Can any locals comment on the courses/quality compared to the top courses nationally such as Flip City or Idlewild? I may have to make the trip up.

 

[smarkquart]

This tournament sounds like it would be a lot of fun. Can any locals comment on the courses/quality compared to the top courses nationally such as Flip City or Idlewild? I may have to make the trip up.

This is going to be tough to answer because of the courses that are under consideration have proposed plans to make them better, both for the tournament and in the long run. As they are now, singular they are nothing spectacular, but as a whole with the intent of playing such a large tournament, they are nearly second to none when it comes to variety of design, shot selection, and the mentality needed in order to be competitive from course to course.

Hopefully when the upgrades are done, you really are going to see golfing at its finest and everything that Minnesota can offer. I will be lucky to finish middle of the field, but I am definitely not going to pass up a chance to play in my backyard. I have more than three times the necessary points to qualify, so I should be good to go.

 

[Broken Shoulder]

Hoping I can get in with open reg after invites are done. Crossing my fingers.

 

[DinosaurThunder]

I remember talking to Mike at Fairway Flyerz earlier this summer about the proposed changes to Lakewood Hills. Does anyone know if any workdays have been announced? The proposed changes of adding additional holes in the woods to lengthen a few holes in the front 9 would be phenomenal!

I saw that Acorn was in the prediction list of a few earlier posts. I would still like to see that course cleaned up and fixed. I played there last weekend a noticed a few broken baskets and lots of changes. I would gladly volunteer for a work day there as well.

 

[Bacon]

I'm already looking forward to 2015 am worlds lol gonna be in my backyard!

I thought 2015 am worlds hadnt been announced yet? Where is it?

 

[Guurn]

From the mix of courses that are in so far I would say the this will be a tourney that is decided by making birdies on the easy holes and playing smart in the woods. There are quite a few tunnel type shots. It won't be decided by huge distance drives. People that throw accurately 400' and make their putts will do great.

There is a ton of work to be done on a few of the courses. Kaposia, notably, needs everything done from tee signs to new pads poured and lots of chips/cleanup. Hopefully they will leave the signature hole alone. Lakewood and The Valley are in pretty good shape already. Kenwood needs tee pads (none are in yet). Acorn didn't get the funding for improvements they were expecting, so it looks like it won't be used. It would need huge amounts of work. Oakwood isn't as bad as it seems at first glance. It just needs some good cleanup days. I don't remember what the signage was like. I've haven't played Bethel in ages so I can't comment on it.

All in all I'd say Snelson has his work cut out for him. I'm local so I'll try to help out, but I'm another hoping to get in after the invites are done. I didn't play any tournaments this year. If he get all of the Kaposia updating done and doesn't change essential parts of the course he could come off as a winner in this deal.

 

[steinkecm]

I WILL PLAY AND I WILL WIN!
















....probably not. But I do wanna play.

 

[smarkquart]

Thanks for summing this up so I do not have to.

Basically there is a lot politics going on now with a lot of hurt feelings as well. Yet when it is all said and done I truly believe that Minnesotans will be proud of what we were able to offer for this tournament.

More importantly, I think you hit the nail on the head in regards to what you need in order to be successul. Take Kaposia for example; it has a few long holes, but they are few and far between. Assuming you can bomb it and make decent putts, at most you are gaining one stroke per each of these holes. Those lost strokes can easily be made up by another individual who has a killer 300 foot and in game. Oakwood is the same way.

Bombers may have a slight advantage at Lakewood, and if there is a course that plays to that strength, it is going to be The Valley. Yet what makes all of these courses great is that despite some of these courses seemingly catering to bigger throwers, ALL of our courses have holes on them that are equilizers; that all players of any ability to get right back in it. What makes them great is that these equilizers are not based upon luck, but skill.

I am excited to see what all these proposed changes are going to do to our courses, but I will be equally crushed if we, as a state, put on a poor show because none of these changes happen.

After this tournament I am going to take a huge step back from the sport, but I am hoping that I will do well enough to earn an invite to 2015 when it is in Michigan. I would like to see what their courses are like. I have heard plenty of good things about their courses as well.

From the mix of courses that are in so far I would say the this will be a tourney that is decided by making birdies on the easy holes and playing smart in the woods. There are quite a few tunnel type shots. It won't be decided by huge distance drives. People that throw accurately 400' and make their putts will do great.

There is a ton of work to be done on a few of the courses. Kaposia, notably, needs everything done from tee signs to new pads poured and lots of chips/cleanup. Hopefully they will leave the signature hole alone. Lakewood and The Valley are in pretty good shape already. Kenwood needs tee pads (none are in yet). Acorn didn't get the funding for improvements they were expecting, so it looks like it won't be used. It would need huge amounts of work. Oakwood isn't as bad as it seems at first glance. It just needs some good cleanup days. I don't remember what the signage was like. I've haven't played Bethel in ages so I can't comment on it.

All in all I'd say Snelson has his work cut out for him. I'm local so I'll try to help out, but I'm another hoping to get in after the invites are done. I didn't play any tournaments this year. If he get all of the Kaposia updating done and doesn't change essential parts of the course he could come off as a winner in this deal.

 

[Guurn]

Even at Lakewood there are only 2 holes that give people an advantage if they can bomb (with some accuracy) and even then they are unlikely to park them for dueces. Something someone with 400' of power can easily match with a good short game. The same goes for The Valley, just the same, 2 holes bombers are unlikely to park. When I say people that can bomb I am talking 550' of good accuracy. Otherwise they are looking at really long putts or short ups.

 

[smarkquart]

Even at Lakewood there are only 2 holes that give people an advantage if they can bomb (with some accuracy) and even then they are unlikely to park them for dueces. Something someone with 400' of power can easily match with a good short game. The same goes for The Valley, just the same, 2 holes bombers are unlikely to park. When I say people that can bomb I am talking 550' of good accuracy. Otherwise they are looking at really long putts or short ups.

I think it is a little more than that per course, but not by much. Overall I think we are in agreement that our courses are well designed enough where a well rounded game easily trumps someone who can simply throw far. We have so many baskets and greens that are protected, irregular shaped, and or have obstacles around them that the ability to park a hole or upshot an approach under the basket is tremendously more influential on the final score than someone who can out drive the competition.

I have a fairly accurate 380-400 foot max drive, but the skill I need to work on most and will help my game the most is the 280-330 laser that can weave through those tunnels. Thankfully the time of year when this tournament takes place is when I normally play my best. My Buzzzes, Nebulas, Leopards, and TLs see far more shots per round than my Swords or Destroyers. And having a thumber definitely helps too.

 

[HeavyCritters]

Thanks for summing this up so I do not have to.

Basically there is a lot politics going on now with a lot of hurt feelings as well. Yet when it is all said and done I truly believe that Minnesotans will be proud of what we were able to offer for this tournament.

More importantly, I think you hit the nail on the head in regards to what you need in order to be successul. Take Kaposia for example; it has a few long holes, but they are few and far between. Assuming you can bomb it and make decent putts, at most you are gaining one stroke per each of these holes. Those lost strokes can easily be made up by another individual who has a killer 300 foot and in game. Oakwood is the same way.

Bombers may have a slight advantage at Lakewood, and if there is a course that plays to that strength, it is going to be The Valley. Yet what makes all of these courses great is that despite some of these courses seemingly catering to bigger throwers, ALL of our courses have holes on them that are equilizers; that all players of any ability to get right back in it. What makes them great is that these equilizers are not based upon luck, but skill.

I am excited to see what all these proposed changes are going to do to our courses, but I will be equally crushed if we, as a state, put on a poor show because none of these changes happen.

After this tournament I am going to take a huge step back from the sport, but I am hoping that I will do well enough to earn an invite to 2015 when it is in Michigan. I would like to see what their courses are like. I have heard plenty of good things about their courses as well.

I'm afraid it's going to be the latter rather than the former.

I've heard for three plus years all of the improvements that were going to happen to Kaposia now that it's P2P.

None of it came to fruition. Not even close.

With some signage, new tee pads and some actual course care, Kaposia could truly be a top 15 - 20 course in the country.

 

[smarkquart]

I'm afraid it's going to be the latter rather than the former.

I've heard for three plus years all of the improvements that were going to happen to Kaposia now that it's P2P.

None of it came to fruition. Not even close.

With some signage, new tee pads and some actual course care, Kaposia could truly be a top 15 - 20 course in the country.

Kaposia has so much history of better days that it will always get love no matter what its condition, but that is also its downfall.

My issue is that if the situation looks grim, I try to come across as optimistic. However, if people and the situation are very cheery, I usually respond with some kind of pessimistic comment. So basically if you want a true opinion from me...

Regardless, I do see the potential of our area becoming the destination for some of the best, most diverse rounds of golf you can play anywhere.

 

[HeavyCritters]

Kaposia has so much history of better days that it will always get love no matter what its condition, but that is also its downfall.

My issue is that if the situation looks grim, I try to come across as optimistic. However, if people and the situation are very cheery, I usually respond with some kind of pessimistic comment. So basically if you want a true opinion from me...

Regardless, I do see the potential of our area becoming the destination for some of the best, most diverse rounds of golf you can play anywhere.

^ I agree 100%.

I worked in Saint Paul during the week and commuted back to Wisconsin on the weekends for almost three years.

Kaposia was my home course (5 minutes from work) and I miss that damn course every day. No matter how run down it was getting.

I'm REALLY hoping that Am Worlds gets it cleaned and polished up.

 

[smarkquart]

^ I agree 100%.

I worked in Saint Paul during the week and commuted back to Wisconsin on the weekends for almost three years.

Kaposia was my home course (5 minutes from work) and I miss that damn course every day. No matter how run down it was getting.

I'm REALLY hoping that Am Worlds gets it cleaned and polished up.

I currently teach in Mille Lacs but live in Maple Grove. There are a few smaller courses on my way home, but not really anything. Elm Creek is closed throughout most of the school year.

Four years ago I had an opportunity to teach in a Saint Paul school. It was a bad situation but was only five minutes from Kaposia. I thought I would tolerate this school, I would even try to make a difference, because I knew I could always head over to Kaposia after I was done and blow of some steam by throwing. I made it three weeks in this school before this situation was just too much. It was the only time in my life that I quit on a job because of the situation, and I never got in one round at Kaposia because the average daily wind chill during those three weeks was -30.

A fight broke out in my classroom (my first and only one ever) and I told the offending student to punch me instead just so that he would not hit the other student. Kaposia would have to be a hundred times better than it is now for me to even consider going back to that situation.

 

[HeavyCritters]

I currently teach in Mille Lacs but live in Maple Grove. There are a few smaller courses on my way home, but not really anything. Elm Creek is closed throughout most of the school year.

Four years ago I had an opportunity to teach in a Saint Paul school. It was a bad situation but was only five minutes from Kaposia. I thought I would tolerate this school, I would even try to make a difference, because I knew I could always head over to Kaposia after I was done and blow of some steam by throwing. I made it three weeks in this school before this situation was just too much. It was the only time in my life that I quit on a job because of the situation, and I never got in one round at Kaposia because the average daily wind chill during those three weeks was -30.

A fight broke out in my classroom (my first and only one ever) and I told the offending student to punch me instead just so that he would not hit the other student. Kaposia would have to be a hundred times better than it is now for me to even consider going back to that situation.

YIKES! Glad you got out of that.

You've played Kaposia since then though, right??

 

[Allurex]

I think Worlds in Minnesota will be greatly different than it was in Emporia. I love the courses in Emporia but they aren't altogether very interesting, save for about half of the holes on Jones East. The 2 golf courses were all about bombing really far, while Jones West and Peter Pan were about getting a bunch of birdies.

From what I'm reading, the courses are a bit more diverse for 2014.

 

[davetherocketguy]

I think I read somewhere that there is a distance limit to how far the courses can be from each other for this event. Can someone tell me what that limit is?

 

[Steve West]

I think I read somewhere that there is a distance limit to how far the courses can be from each other for this event. Can someone tell me what that limit is?

From the Bid Guidelines for Pro and Am World Championships

Course Requirements: 6-9 eighteen-hole championship caliber Disc Golf courses within 20 miles of event center. PDGA will review courses to determine suitability.

Note these are guidelines, not limits.

Are you thinking about a WI bid?