DiscGolfPark USA

[Doofenshmirtz]

AJ just posted on Facebook they finished up all 18 holes at Scotlandville Park in Baton Rouge, LA.

Yeah, except that they didn't finish the course. The basket for hole 14 hasn't been installed because they are waiting for someone to desing some sort of gimmick basket mount an none of the tee signs or basket numbers have been installed so navigation is a nightmare (as might be expected from an unfinished course).

But the big problem at this point seems to be the tee pads IMO. I don't know if it was the speed of the installation or just the lack of skill of the volunteers who installed them, but they are very uneven - uneven and "lumpy" enough to affect your shot if you are expecting them to be flat. The problem isn't the turf so much as how poorly the underlying surface was prepared before putting the turf down. I also played a course across town where another, single DiscGolfPark tee was installed and it was in the same condition. In fact, another group teed off the ground near that tee instead of throwing from it. If this is indicative of DiscGolfPark tees, I'd be very wary of going that route over concrete irrespective of any difference in cost.

 

[DiscFifty]

But the big problem at this point seems to be the tee pads IMO. I don't know if it was the speed of the installation or just the lack of skill of the volunteers who installed them, but they are very uneven - uneven and "lumpy" enough to affect your shot if you are expecting them to be flat. The problem isn't the turf so much as how poorly the underlying surface was prepared before putting the turf down. I also played a course across town where another, single DiscGolfPark tee was installed and it was in the same condition. In fact, another group teed off the ground near that tee instead of throwing from it. If this is indicative of DiscGolfPark tees, I'd be very wary of going that route over concrete irrespective of any difference in cost.

I've been wondering how these tees would hold up due to wear and tear. Seems like people just kicking the dirt, sand, turf around would cause degradation fairly quickly. Even if you level the ground before installing the turf tees, I'm guessing they could get lumpy, etc, from the rain or dirt that could collect on the tees overtime from dirty shoes, etc, etc. If you have the money to maintain these tees for private courses I think they would be awesome, but for heavily trafficked public courses I don't see how these can hold up over time. For the low lifes wanting to disrupt the course, seems like it would be a breeze to mess up the tees.

 

[mark996]

With as much rain and weather change as we have here in the south, I too was curious about how these turf tees would hold up. Seems like the best way to install them is lay down a concrete foundation and then put the turf on top after a sub-structure of wood...but by the time all of that's done you might as well just stop at the concrete tee pad. Turf will eventually rot and fall apart, and the wooden sub-structure would eventually rot over time as well. (We're talking years, but its still an eventual maintenance issue and cost).

 

[biscoe]

We have a few courses in this area with turf tees (Walnut Creek, Blockhouse,etc) and they are fantastic- easily my favorite tee surface. These have all been installed over a substrate of stone dust with no wood involved other than boxing in the stone dust. I see no logic at all to using wood underneath the turf- both more costly and less effective.

 

[mark996]

The logic in using wood for the surface between is that wood will retain its shape pending any major landscaping woes. It's the same reason it's used universally for landscaping areas and leveling surfaces. Over time, that stone dust will shift and move due to land erosion and shifting, unless you live in an area that doesn't get torrential rains etc like we do here in the south, or heat in excess of 100 degrees where the soil leaves 6-10 inch gaps everywhere.

In normal climate areas it would be overkill to put in concrete and wood, but for down here if you want something to last, you typically add as many fail safes in to the environment as you can to prevent having to rework the areas time and time again. And we already have numerous reports of these tee pads shifting and being so uneven they cause issues with foot work on here, and on the facebook page. Turf is quick and looks nice, but I'm not convinced it'll stand the test of time in the climates. Most football fields down here are changing out turf every 5 years due to the intense variance in weather, even though most turf is slated to last 8-10 years in normal applicable conditions.

 

[Consult20]

It sounds like the prep work wasn't done properly, the soil likely was not compacted enough. For these to work, it seems that is absolutely the most critical installation element. The type of compactors they use at cemetery's would be the way to go, I'm sure they can be rented -- money well spent.

 

[Aim For The Chains]

For anything to work and hold up you have to know wtf you are doing.

Grading ground is not rocket science but they should have a set process and material list etc so all of their tees installed are uniform across different courses showcasing what DGPark can do....

 

[PMantle]

It sounds like the prep work wasn't done properly, the soil likely was not compacted enough. For these to work, it seems that is absolutely the most critical installation element. The type of compactors they use at cemetery's would be the way to go, I'm sure they can be rented -- money well spent.

I played the same course Doof did. I think you are right, but having no experience installing these, I can't possibly know. Some were better than others. The lumpy ones did not bother me one bit. I loves the tees. I did see Doof catch his right foot on a lump though.

 

[chris deitzel]

Exactly why you need a power tamper and lots of fine gravel to do properly. And tamp the crap out of them. Even then, they will need constant care.

 

[cox3]

I am part of the crew that helped install them (both the 1 at Highland and the 18 at Scotlandville) in Baton Rouge. I don't love them. I would rather concrete tees. But Jamie is really pushing DiscGolfPark and that is part of it. I guess a course is better than no course and a turf tee is better than a natural tee. I can say that it is an extremely difficult process to get crushed gravel compacted and perfectly level. If more turf tees are going to be installed, my vote would be to just make the wood frame like we did, fill it with concrete, then put the turf over that. At least then you ensure that it is level. I think it's too hard to ensure with gravel and sand.

Avery Jenkins did do a great job with the course design though. The park is a little limited and suffers from significant mud in the bottom area after rains so it was never going to be the best course in the world but he did about the best job he could have.

 

[DanJon]

I am part of the crew that helped install them (both the 1 at Highland and the 18 at Scotlandville) in Baton Rouge. I don't love them. I would rather concrete tees. But Jamie is really pushing DiscGolfPark and that is part of it. I guess a course is better than no course and a turf tee is better than a natural tee. I can say that it is an extremely difficult process to get crushed gravel compacted and perfectly level. If more turf tees are going to be installed, my vote would be to just make the wood frame like we did, fill it with concrete, then put the turf over that. At least then you ensure that it is level. I think it's too hard to ensure with gravel and sand.

Avery Jenkins did do a great job with the course design though. The park is a little limited and suffers from significant mud in the bottom area after rains so it was never going to be the best course in the world but he did about the best job he could have.

Not surprised he's pushing it.

He's a rep for them.

Which means he's probably getting paid.

If Avery designed it, and I realize there is limitations with available land, is it just a wide open hyzer fest?

I would much rather play a wooded course with concrete tees or even rubber mats.

 

[cox3]

Not surprised he's pushing it.

He's a rep for them.

Which means he's probably getting paid.

If Avery designed it, and I realize there is limitations with available land, is it just a wide open hyzer fest?

I would much rather play a wooded course with concrete tees or even rubber mats.

No. It is neither wide open or RHBH friendly. It is moderately wooded-- a park like setting, not "in the woods". And it is very balanced-- if anything, it may be a touch LHBH friendly although most holes present the choice to throw what you want.

 

[Aim For The Chains]

. I can say that it is an extremely difficult process to get crushed gravel compacted and perfectly level. .

Its really not that hard with the proper equipment and know-how. Not like you're making a swimming pool or something lol its a flat pad.

 

[DanJon]

No. It is neither wide open or RHBH friendly. It is moderately wooded-- a park like setting, not "in the woods". And it is very balanced-- if anything, it may be a touch LHBH friendly although most holes present the choice to throw what you want.

That's cool.

Good to hear.

 

[cox3]

Its really not that hard with the proper equipment and know-how. Not like you're making a swimming pool or something lol its a flat pad.

Maybe I just don't see the point of all the effort to make a flat pad of gravel when it is so easy to pour concrete.

 

[Aim For The Chains]

Well you still need a solid base for good concrete slabs its no different IMO...?

Regardless of what goes on as a finish the prep work is key to most any construction project.

 

[Pbmercil]

I can say that it is an extremely difficult process to get crushed gravel compacted and perfectly level

I learned how to do it in an hour. It wasn't remotely difficult, tho it was hard work (physically)

Sounds like y'all needed a more experienced install team.

 

[DirtyMeathook]

I learned how to do it in an hour. It wasn't remotely difficult, tho it was hard work (physically)

Sounds like y'all needed a more experienced install team.

Learned how to do it in an hour, questions others level of experience.

 

[sjberry2017]

After playing Langley Pond several times while I was home for winter break, and seeing as this discussion has cropped up again, here's what I think of the tees and baskets. Several of these rounds were after the course had been drenched, so I can speak to how the tees are when wet.

I absolutely love these tees. I was unsure of how I'd like them, since I really like the gravel and open rubber mat tees on several of the courses in the Upstate. However, they grip incredibly well, especially in the wet. My knee actually started hurting a bit during break, and I think part of the reason is that you have to be cure you're turning your foot on the turf tees, otherwise your foot will stick from the grip. Insanely, it seemed like the tees gripped even better in the wet, but that may be from being used to how slick concrete tees get. I can't really say enough positive things about these tees, and I hope they really catch on.

Now the baskets. I'm really disappointed in the Discatchers that come with DGP. They only have a single ring for both the inner and outer chains instead of the double rings that current production Discatchers come with. The chains are also rougher than those found on other baskets. These two things seem to make the baskets much stiffer compared to the other current baskets (Discatcher, Mach X, and Chainstar being my points of reference). I had several poor putts to the left or right which probably would have been caught by other baskets, but were rejected by these baskets. Obviously I need to improve my putting form, since those missed putts were my fault. But it's somewhat frustrating knowing other baskets may have caught those putts, and the single ring feels like a step backward.

Overall though, I'd say the equipment is top notch, excepting the design of the Discatchers DGP uses.

 

[Pbmercil]

Learned how to do it in an hour, questions others level of experience.

Correct. Because ours turned out perfect, and theirs did not (according to posters here). I take zero credit for that, because the course designers being paid for the install knew how to put them in perfectly and made sure we did it right,