The Slippery Rock Experience

[optidiscic]

So I am torn on my feelings about Worlds being on a college campus

Marching Bands practicing throughout competitive rounds

Guys in the flight paths on jungle gym contraptions

Weedwhacking and Mowing occuring feet away from tee offs

Throwing at or over buildings

Parking Lots everywhere

Dorms as obstacles

Athletic fields as OB

I could go on but mostly these are aesthetically unpleasing aspects of play I encountered while caddying for a friend

The design of the holes was remarkable and the spotters and staff were spectacular and professional

Its just that it was a sickening reminder to me that majorettes drumline and that weedwhacking and maintenance vehicles parked next to greens unaware of the event that my passion of a sport and past time is really nothing and nobody cares outside of the tiny majority of us and we are not really respected much at all.

I think Worlds should try to pretend we are important and reserve a parcel of land that resembles a course and not a campus

The holes were really great designs that showcased the talent and offered up rewarding scores for errorless play.

It just lacked a sense of this is something special when a janitor parks next to a green or a tee off is distracted by a band whistle etc

No hate please.....I respect all the efforts of the crew who put this together and do not know the obstacles involved

Its just that throwing over a building to a green defended by a handrail isnt what I was expecting from a Worlds Course

 

[sidewinder22]

This was posted recently:

Slippery Rock University was the site of the final 9 and two rounds for the MPO groups. When I visited in April it wasn't close to done--no tee signs, only a few teepads, etc. I started referring to it then as "****ty USDGC" and I'm willing to stand by that. Some holes were good. Some holes were just HORRIBLE. Like, why-on-earth-would-the-designer-think-this-is-acceptable-for-a-world-championship horrible. I get that having some dorms available and the openness was good for having a final 9, but holes 2, 4, and 5 in particular were some of the worst holes I've ever seen. Watch the film! Hole 2 throws right at a building with a parking lot on the right and a sidewalk to the left. I kid you not, I actually waited for a tour group to walk THROUGH the hole DURING my round at the WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS. I'm less annoyed about the inconvenience than the inevitable bonk from a squid with a Boss onto an innocent pedestrian. Hole 4, the par "4" that's over water the whole way? It's either a required 450 smash to carry the water and try for a 2, or a "layup" into an unfavorable location. If you can go OB on pure chance by hitting trees when you're trying to lay up... it's probably a dumb hole. Hole 5, um... well... you're looking right at a building. The ideal landing zone is a swampy bioretention. And then you're going to throw to the basket, but have to get over a handrail 20 feet away? And if you play to miss the handrail, you're liable to hit a sidewalk and skip into the OB long? This is a ridiculous accumulation of design flaws. We don't need to be forcing courses, especially for WORLDS, into unsuitable areas. Let's go ahead and top off this carnival golf with a WINDMILL in play on holes 5 and 6. The rest of the course was... okay... but bland. Lots of holes that threw near or around soccer fields or other open recreational areas. Smash, smash, smash. After every hole I played during my second round there, I said "I never have to play this stupid hole again" and am grateful for that. I think in general most of the "lefty" holes were short while most of the "righty" holes were long. Consequently, super-righty course.

 

[Pbmercil]

I think SRU was a great reminder for all the people who think disc golf is so close to "going to the next level"

The other obvious thing to point out is that this was considered the best world's bid by the PDGA. So... what does that tell you about the quality of the rest of the bids?

Get out there and do better then. Get involved. Build courses. Talking about what you think an event should have looked like does everyone zero good. If people don't want to get involved then please, just shut up at least.

 

[optidiscic]

I think SRU was a great reminder for all the people who think disc golf is so close to "going to the next level"

The other obvious thing to point out is that this was considered the best world's bid by the PDGA. So... what does that tell you about the quality of the rest of the bids?

Get out there and do better then. Get involved. Build courses. Talking about what you think an event should have looked like does everyone zero good. If people don't want to get involved then please, just shut up at least.

I have designed a few course and helped build numerous courses including the 2005 Worlds Course at Nockamixon

I am involved in running perhaps the most popular charity event in my region and my club sponsored this years Worlds I also consider the co TD a friend so back off on telling me to not
have an opinion

I said I had mixed feelings and wish our sport was in a better place but sadly it is not obviously

Not the fault of the planners or the PDGA but something I think future events should strive to achieve

When the awards ceremony is interupted by some clueless college kid almost decapitating Paige n Sarah as they hug I think we have an issue

 

[McFer]

When the awards ceremony is interupted by some clueless college kid almost decapitating Paige n Sarah as they hug I think we have an issue

I cringed more when Brian Graham announced a pair of lost keys right after ending the ceremony, while the cameras were still rolling.

It's apples and oranges, but it's like Roger Goodell handing somebody the Sticky Lombardi and then announcing that a sweater vest was found on concourse B and can be picked up at guest services.

 

[optidiscic]

I cringed more when Brian Graham announced a pair of lost keys right after ending the ceremony, while the cameras were still rolling.

It's apples and oranges, but it's like Roger Goodell handing somebody the Sticky Lombardi and then announcing that a sweater vest was found on concourse B and can be picked up at guest services.

I guess disc golf just hasnt really arrived yet

Kudos to the PFDA for all of their work

I was impressed overall by how smoothly things flowed and how orderly and at the same time how friendly the event was

 

[Pbmercil]

Not questioning your, or anyone else's credintials. Just saying

a) if that's the best they could do then so be it
B) any ex post facto hand wringing is less then useless

Did slippery suck for a worlds course? Yeah, it sure looked like it. Does it do any good to harp on it? Nope. Hopefully a lesson learned by all those involved and we can do better in the future. That's about all their is to say tho

 

[hook_nuts]

It'll be better at Emporia next year.

 

[1Roy]

I agree. Dorms, cell(?) towers and fences? At least they removed the barbed wire. I dont know anything about the Pittsburgh area courses, but I assume some of the other courses used would have been more aesthetically pleasing for the final nine, right?

 

[optidiscic]

I agree. Dorms, cell(?) towers and fences? At least they removed the barbed wire. I dont know anything about the Pittsburgh area courses, but I assume some of the other courses used would have been more aesthetically pleasing for the final nine, right?

Aesthetically very unpleasing although it did remind me of the old days playing safari with a lid and making up holes as we played

Around that pole over the parking lot and hit the dumpster lol

 

[sidewinder22]

If only Linbrook had 18 holes. :wall:

 

[optidiscic]

If only Linbrook had 18 holes. :wall:

that was the goal if I recall but then it got nixed. I shouldve played that when I was out there

 

[Mushin No Shin]

So I am torn on my feelings about Worlds being on a college campus

Marching Bands practicing throughout competitive rounds

Guys in the flight paths on jungle gym contraptions

Weedwhacking and Mowing occuring feet away from tee offs

Throwing at or over buildings

Parking Lots everywhere

Dorms as obstacles

Athletic fields as OB

I could go on but mostly these are aesthetically unpleasing aspects of play I encountered while caddying for a friend

The design of the holes was remarkable and the spotters and staff were spectacular and professional

Its just that it was a sickening reminder to me that majorettes drumline and that weedwhacking and maintenance vehicles parked next to greens unaware of the event that my passion of a sport and past time is really nothing and nobody cares outside of the tiny majority of us and we are not really respected much at all.

I think Worlds should try to pretend we are important and reserve a parcel of land that resembles a course and not a campus

The holes were really great designs that showcased the talent and offered up rewarding scores for errorless play.

It just lacked a sense of this is something special when a janitor parks next to a green or a tee off is distracted by a band whistle etc

No hate please.....I respect all the efforts of the crew who put this together and do not know the obstacles involved

Its just that throwing over a building to a green defended by a handrail isnt what I was expecting from a Worlds Course

Soooooooooooooooooo... Nockamixon is better than this course

I, myself, am less than unimpressed by Slippery.

The only thing I enjoyed about watching a DG PLanet round on that course, was Bennett accurately predicting when Crazy would reference the 'Dew'. (Talk about deep in the game )
Anyone who thought that the farthest throwing Female ( Paige P) would not win, was living in a world of self delusion. Require some line shaping to determine the best Discer for F's sake PDGA. 9 hole distance competition :gross:

 

[optidiscic]

Soooooooooooooooooo... Nockamixon is better than this course

I, myself, am less than unimpressed by Slippery.

The only thing I enjoyed about watching a DG PLanet round on that course, was Bennett accurately predicting when Crazy would reference the 'Dew'. (Talk about deep in the game )
Anyone who thought that the farthest throwing Female ( Paige P) would not win, was living in a world of self delusion. Require some line shaping to determine the best Discer for F's sake PDGA. 9 hole distance competition :gross:

Actually Nockamixon is looking shaggy and unmanaged as of late soooooo

the holy grail of Worlds courses will be a course that requires line shaping, management, and still provides oooh and ahhhh moments for all 83 spectacors and is easily filmed by the 1 man camera crews......thus far it hasnt happened

 

[scarpfish]

The World's final nine has traditionally been held on a mostly open layout precisely because such venues are gallery friendly. I'll fully admit that sort of layout perhaps isn't the most all around challenging.

It does bear to mention, that other big PDGA annual event is held on a college campus every year.

 

[optidiscic]

The World's final nine has traditionally been held on a mostly open layout precisely because such venues are gallery friendly. I'll fully admit that sort of layout perhaps isn't the most all around challenging.

It does bear to mention, that other big PDGA annual event is held on a college campus every year.

The openness wasnt the issue

Its common knowledge that the centerpiece course is always a bombers delight

My issue was the backdrop of parkng lots and buildings etc and the nonchalence and ignorance that the rest of the people on campus had for what was going on

 

[ru4por]

Certainly entitled to your opinion.......I will have to completely disagree. I think the backdrop is a nice change of pace to watch and play.

Does the environment of a Fountain Hills bother you, as well?

 

[optidiscic]

Certainly entitled to your opinion.......I will have to completely disagree. I think the backdrop is a nice change of pace to watch and play.

Does the environment of a Fountain Hills bother you, as well?

yes it does

Roads cars and people entirely indifferent to what is going on makes our sport look like a mockery

I actually was having the same analogy in my head at SRU

 

[scarpfish]

My issue was the backdrop of parkng lots and buildings etc and the nonchalence and ignorance that the rest of the people on campus had for what was going on

Hate to break this to you, but that happens in public parks too. They are growing in number, but there are only so many private venues out there where we can keep that sort of distraction out.

 

[optidiscic]

Hate to break this to you, but that happens in public parks too. They are growing in number, but there are only so many private venues out there where we can keep that sort of distraction out.

I know that but public parks dont have a 100 plus member Marching Band practicing 30 feet from a tee pad :doh: