Course Shaming?

[sidewinder22]

F-My Life!... Deer flies!

 

[biscoe]

9. Farming season
10. Calving season

:thmbup:

 

[hook_nuts]

I shame the par on courses all the time.

 

[MikeM]

I shame the par on courses all the time.

Yeah, being that far over par is a shame...

 

[joecoin]

Somehow, I thought a thread titled course shaming would start out, "bad course, bad course, you made me shoot five over!"

Since course reviews are entirely subjective, it seems a difficult row to hoe. I would think a "Good Course" would have a great mixture of every type of shot possible. ...

How about a list of every type of shot possible?

 

[GripEnemy]

That one always cracks me up. Good bug spray and lightweight long sleeved clothes and pants and a good hat can do wonders to combat bugs.

To someone that can't find a way to deal with bugs and also can't find a way to deal with playing in the cold, our MN, WI, and MI courses are probably unplayable 10 months of the year to them.

I don't know, all four times I played Cape Henlopen (DE) we skipped the two lowest sitting holes. UNREAL amounts of mosquitos/gnats. You may be more of a man than me or something but EFFF that.

EDIT: Middle of the summer and always moisture in the ground on said holes. If that matters.

 

[MarkDSM]

Please explain why any course isn't playable year round, outside of baskets being pulled?

Active shotgun and bow permitted season.

 

[dysmike]

2015 was a better summer. Less 110+ days. 2014 I played 4 days in a row over 100.

It was almost 85 on christmas day this year (okay almost 80)

I went to college in Maryland, very similar weather to the Carolinas.. and now I live in Tucson.. It's just a different hot and fricken miserable (except during Monsoon, when it's very similar )

Oh and since I used to live in N Wi, I prefer to play at night once it's over 105º

Anyway...

Now, Vista is OK. I don't drive to Phoenix just to play it, it's an overly busy park with a smelly stream in the middle and a bunch of repetitive shots. Personally, I don't believe that the two AZ courses most people know are the best around. They're just the best covered. Marana WAS an awesome course, not only just for Arizona either. Buffalo Ridge? Eh, it's good for AZ but without the back nine it's just throwing up and down a ridge all day.

So... I suspect that I'm getting to is.. that like anything else, the value of a review is only as good as the experience of the person writing it. If all you've played is a local pitch and putt, and you go play Vista (just because I've referenced it already) it'll be a 5..

 

[Three Putt]

That one always cracks me up. Good bug spray and lightweight long sleeved clothes and pants and a good hat can do wonders to combat bugs.

To someone that can't find a way to deal with bugs and also can't find a way to deal with playing in the cold, our MN, WI, and MI courses are probably unplayable 10 months of the year to them.

I'll mention bugs if they are extreme. My local course has a gross amount of ticks. In the warmer months you have to take unusual, extreme precautions or pick a dozen off you after the round. I think it is worth mentioning as a con. I don't really take it into account in the rating, though. The rating is just the shots.

That where I come down on all of the reviews. When in doubt, what were the shots? If the property is beautiful the property is beautiful and I'll certainly mention it, but if the shots are all ho-hum 250'-350' hyzers the beautiful property isn't going to save the rating. Same with warm all year/closes in the winter/has a bathroom/has benches/anything to do with tee signs/etc. I might mention it in the review but it doesn't go into my rating. The rating is the shots.

My exception is maintenance; if it's overgrown with disc-eating tall grass I'll hammer that damn thing down with a blistering review of damnation. :|

That's just me, though.

 

[agibson]

I'll mention bugs if they are extreme. My local course has a gross amount of ticks. In the warmer months you have to take unusual, extreme precautions or pick a dozen off you after the round. I think it is worth mentioning as a con.

I'll mention it in course conditions too, but I don't suppose i'd allow it to push the course all the way to unplayable. I'd reserve that for something like gate locked, police action, etc.

Extreme bugs or poison ivy are definitely something a player has to know about. If you come prepared, maybe the impact can be minimized. But, if you're dressed for a town park round...

 

[Stardoggy]

Active shotgun and bow permitted season.

Yeah, we've covered this about four times now.

 

[MikeM]

I'll mention it in course conditions too, but I don't suppose i'd allow it to push the course all the way to unplayable. I'd reserve that for something like gate locked, police action, etc.

Extreme bugs or poison ivy are definitely something a player has to know about. If you come prepared, maybe the impact can be minimized. But, if you're dressed for a town park round...

I agree. I also think it is definitely worth mentioning. But it seems, in many cases, people are too quick to the trigger on "the mosquitos are bad here." I see a lot of reviews like that, and, in reality, I am well aware of other courses and holes which are much worse. They are bad somewhere on every course depending on landscape. At least around me. That is what the outdoors are like certain times of year under certain conditions. Especially forest preserve type areas. And, again, agreed, there are actually courses with holes that are brutal and that should be mentioned. Generally, it is not a course wide problem, but a very localized issue, hole to hole. And hopefully reviewers take the time to take notice of that and report on which holes cause those issue. Same with tick infested areas.

Around me, it is always a good idea to come prepared. 100% deet and 40% always in the bag. Cover the skin with 100%, cover the clothes and bag with the 40% spray. If it gets too bad, light a cigar or incense. If they are bothering you at that point, it is probably just the buzzing as they won't be biting. Wipe your sweat away and reapply the 100%. Again, It comes with being outdoors. Don't buy the 7% watered down family friendly crap repellent.

 

[Consult20]

Are rattlesnakes & scorpions a concern when playing courses in the south west? Those and high tick concentrations are definitely worth noting.

 

[dysmike]

Are rattlesnakes & scorpions a concern when playing courses in the south west? Those and high tick concentrations are definitely worth noting.

If you're in Arizona, rattlesnakes are always a concern (seriously, I see them regularly in the summer). So should they ALWAYS be noted?

Scorpions, are not really much of a concern for me.. after I put my shoes on.

 

[Mulligan]

Example:

(I am by no means saying Fountain Hills is a 5, but how many points does it get for possibly being the best disc golf "Arena" we have to showcase our sport. Very viewer friendly, water hazards on most holes, beautiful scenery/ mountains surrounding it, Great tee pads and signage, and playable year round.)

Funny, I just got to play FH while out there for the Fiesta Bowl and I've avoided reviewing the course cause I figured I'd get panned for not giving it a super high rating.

 

[Mushin No Shin]

Worth repeating

I'll mention bugs if they are extreme. My local course has a gross amount of ticks. In the warmer months you have to take unusual, extreme precautions or pick a dozen off you after the round. I think it is worth mentioning as a con. I don't really take it into account in the rating, though. The rating is just the shots.

That where I come down on all of the reviews. When in doubt, what were the shots? If the property is beautiful the property is beautiful and I'll certainly mention it, but if the shots are all ho-hum 250'-350' hyzers the beautiful property isn't going to save the rating. Same with warm all year/closes in the winter/has a bathroom/has benches/anything to do with tee signs/etc. I might mention it in the review but it doesn't go into my rating. The rating is the shots.

My exception is maintenance; if it's overgrown with disc-eating tall grass I'll hammer that damn thing down with a blistering review of damnation. :|
.

 

[DanJon]

Regional bias is a real thing, and some people like to inflict that bias on their reviews. Same with general opinions on what makes a good course.

Examples: In a multi-use park and plays near areas that might interfere with DG? Worst course ever. Heavily wooded? Poke and hope terrible. Or the only way to play DG. No trees? Worst course ever.

The glut of reviews that sparked this thread are pretty biased, un-helpful, and just poor reviews, based on one person's opinions. Nohing to get upset about. If it makes OP feel any better, that reviewer comes off as a bitter old man and course nazi who clearly has a biased agenda. Guessing he's from Wisconsin, judging by his courses played. Wiscahnsin and Meenahsoda seem to generate a higher number of DG elitists than other areas. But again, who cares?

I'm from Wisconsin and while I haven't played everywhere in the US, I have played vista, fountain, etc in the Phoenix area extensively.

You can call me elitist if you'd like but I would much rather play a 3 star rated course here than a 5 star rated course there.

 

[sidewinder22]

Are rattlesnakes & scorpions a concern when playing courses in the south west? Those and high tick concentrations are definitely worth noting.

Lester Lorch DGC, TX

 

[MikeM]

Annually, thousands of disc golfers risk their lives to throw plastic in snake infested areas. The dangers are real. Each year, an estimated zero disc golfers will die due to these silent killers...

 

[MikeM]

But, in all seriousness, I am VERY happy I don't have to play in areas with snakes.